TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you're given an article and an answer. Your task is to generate the question for the answer based on the given article.
PROBLEM: Article: Although man has known asbestos for hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H.W.Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers,was responsible for the opening of that first mine. Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves,which looked much like ordinary work gloves,he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increased business in asbestos roofing materials. However,because it was very expensive to transport them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein, in the province of Quebec in Canada. Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral,which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated,a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibers. Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads ,but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so- called "cloth of stone."
Answer: A new roofing material

SOLUTION: Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?

PROBLEM: Article: For a long time people have believed that high self-esteem is the key to success. However, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can bring bad results if it makes you less likeable or more upset when you fail at something. "Forget about self-esteem," says one of the psychologists involved in the new research. "It's not the most important thing." This idea may sound a bit strange to you because studies also show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem. In short, to feel good does you good. But, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person. He believes that violent and evil people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said, "There's no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school." All types of people have problems. "People with high self-esteem can have big egos that can make them less likeable to their peers," said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University. "People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves," Vohs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help. Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail at something, try to learn from the experience. The best therapy , as they suggest, is to recognize your faults, accept yourself, understand your weaknesses and then do something about them.
Answer: New research shows that high self-esteem may not be helpful.

SOLUTION: What's the passage mainly about?

PROBLEM: Article: Why are newspapers and TV broadcasts filled with disaster, corruption and incompetence? It may be because we're drawn to depressing stories without realizing, according to psychologists. When you read the news, sometimes it can feel like the only things reported are terrible, depressing events. Why do the media concentrate on the bad things in life, rather than the good? In fact, many people often say that they would prefer good news. The researchers present their experiment as solid evidence of a so called "negativity bias ", psychologists' term for our collective hunger to hear, and remember bad news. It isn't just delight in other people's misfortune, the theory goes, but that we've evolved to react quickly to potential threats. Bad news could be a signal that we need to change what we're doing to avoid danger. As you'd expect from this theory, there's some evidence that people respond quicker to negative words. In lab experiments, flash the word "cancer", "bomb" or "war" up at someone and they can hit a button in response quicker than if that word is "baby", "smile" or "fun". We are also able to recognize negative words faster than positive words, and even tell that a word is going to be unpleasant before we can tell exactly what the word is going to be. There's another interpretation that researchers put on their evidence: we pay attention to bad news, because on the whole, we think the world is more hopeful than it actually is. When it comes to our own lives, most of us believe we're better than average, and that, like the cliches, we expect things to be all right in the end. This pleasant view of the world makes bad news all the more surprising and arresting. It is only against a light background that the dark spots are highlighted. So our attraction to bad news may be more complex than just journalistic prejudice or a hunger springing from the darkness within.
Answer: People are born to hear and remember bad news.

SOLUTION:
What is "negativity bias" according to psychologists?