Article: If you've been joining in chat room conversations, or trading e-mails with net pals , you have become one of the millions who write in a special, short form of English. Throughout the world, every night children and their elders are "talking" online-many of them are talking at the same time. It's fast: trying talking to six people once. It's convenient: three or four words per exchange. It takes cleverness, concentration and quick fingers. And it requires very simple language. There's neither time nor space for explanations. Why waste valuable time telling six friends you have to leave for a moment to take care of your little brother when BRB (be right back) will do? Want to enter a conversation? Just type PMFJI (pardon me for jumping in). Interested in whom you're talking to? Type A/S/L, the nearly universal request to know your pal's age, sex and location. You may get 15/M/NY as a reply from your pal. If something makes you laugh, say you're OTF (on the floor), or LOL (laughing out loud), or join the two into ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing). And when it's time to get back to work or go to bed, you type GTG (got to go) or TTYL (talk to you later). People want to write as fast as possible, and they want to get their ideas across as quickly as they can. Capital letters are left in the dust, except when expressing feeling, as it takes more time to hold down the "Shift" key and use capitals. Punctuation is going too. Question: Which of the following is a way to save online time? Yes or no, is the answer "People seldom use capital letters or punctuation marks."?
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Article: Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive ions in the air can have an ill effect on people's physical or psychological health. What are positive ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically charged particles, and generally there is a rough balance between the positive and the negative charged. But sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a larger proportion of positive ions are found. This happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes when winds are blowing in certain countries. Or it can be caused by a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets or clothing, or from TV sets, duplicators or computer display screens. When a large number of positive ions are present in the air many people experience unpleasant effects such as headaches, fatigue , excessive anger, and some particularly sensitive people feel sick or even suffer mental disturbance. Animals are also affected, particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been observed to come out, rats to flee from their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about unaccountably. This has led the US Geographical Survey to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an effort to foresee such disasters before they hit vulnerable areas such as California. Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are present, then people have a feeling of well-being. Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or in any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This probably accounts for the beneficial effect of a holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with streams or waterfalls. To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some scientists recommend the use of ionisers. They claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air but also improve the health of people sensitive to excess positive ions. Of course, there are the detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims and are skeptical about negative/positive ion research. Therefore people can only make up their own... Question: What is an ion according to the passage? Yes or no, is the answer "It's a charged particle."?
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Article: Back in old times, people had little knowledge about the universe and nature. Things we now consider to be common sense were mysteries to our ancestors. Over the years, major breakthroughs have been made in science and many phenomena have been explained. But still, there are always questions we can't yet answer, and The Guardian has listed some of them. 1. What makes us human? Just looking at your DNA won't tell you - human DNA is 99 percent _ to that of the chimpanzee and, believe it or not, 50 percent identical to a banana's! A lot of the things we once thought were unique about us - language and tool use, recognizing ourselves in the mirror and so on - have since been seen in other animals. Perhaps it's our culture that makes the difference or maybe our ability to use fire. It's also possible that our capacity for co-operation and our trading skills are what make us unique. 2. Why do we dream? Given the fact that we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, shouldn't we know everything about it? Unfortunately, scientists are still searching for a complete explanation of what happens when we sleep and why we dream. Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud believed dreams were the expressions of wishes that we can't fulfill in our real lives. Others have wondered whether dreams are just random "noise" coming from a sleeping brain. 3. Could we someday live forever? Apart from accidents, most people die because of diseases that can be treated and aging. And since many diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, are diseases of aging, treating aging itself could be the key to extending our lives. Our knowledge of what causes us to age - and what allows some animals to live longer than others - is expanding rapidly. And though we haven't quite worked out all the details, we've worked out some pieces of the puzzles such as DNA damage and metabolism , which are all leading to the invention of drugs that can slow down the aging process. If we're lucky enough to lengthen our lives, we might even get to see the day when... Question: The main point of the passage is _ . Yes or no, is the answer "to present some questions we can't yet answer"?
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Article: Ballet NY Dancing can provide an outstanding cardiovascular workout, but this week the members of Ballet NY come to Pittshurgh to dance for people whose hearts need help. The performance will benefit the Artificial Heart Program of the Heart, Lung and Esophageal Surgery Institute of UPMC. Ballet NY was founded 10 years ago by former New York City Ballet principal ballerina Judith Fugate and internationally famous dancer Medhi Bahiri, and former members of top dance companies. The performance starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Byham Theater, Downtown. Admission: $35~$125. The top price includes post-concert coffee and dessert reception with the dancers. Details: 412-453-7777. Classic rock, literally Mannheim Steamroller will bring a breath of "Fresh Air" to the Benedum Center, Downtown, Monday. The band, which blends classical and rock influences with electronic and ancient instruments, is on the road in its "Fresh Air" tour. The name comes from a series of eight albums with that title. Music begins at 8 p.m. Admission: $40, &50 or $60. Details: 412-456-6666. Expansive endeavors Outdoors adventure goes beyond fun. It is a way of encountering the weakness of our existence and seeing ourselves as rather small creatures after all. The Banff Mountain Film Festival helps us see that with movies that also are just downright good. Sponsored here by Venture Outdoors, the festival will be at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Byham Theatre, Downtown, with different films each night. Admission: $10, or $15 for both nights, in advance; $15 at the door. Details: 412-255-0564. In bloom Children with spring fever can find an outlet on Saturday at the Frick Art& Historical Center, which is hosting "Green Kids--What's up?" The program brings children aged 4-8 into the garden on Frick's Point Breeze grounds, so that they can see what flowers are coming up in the early spring. The program, which runs 11-11:45 a.m., is free and includes an interactive tour and take-home activity. Meet in the Visitors' Center at the... Question: If a person with heart problem goes to Ballet NY, he will _ . Yes or no, is the answer "enjoy some wonderful dances"?
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