TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you're given an article and an answer. Your task is to generate the fill-in-the-blank question for this answer based on the given article. The blanks are always at the end of the question, and can be filled with more than one word or phrase.
PROBLEM: Article: To prevent the deserts coming near, China has planted billions of trees---to replace destroyed forests and as barriers against the sand. This isn't a cure, though, say experts, as thirsty trees can make the problem worse by taking in groundwater. "Planting tress is one way, but it isn't that simple. It doesn't solve the basic issue of water resources," says Wu Bo, a professor. "We need to calculate how much water the trees will absorb, or else it could have a negative effect." Villagers in Zhengxin have taken on this challenge, with limited success. When the irrigation channels began to run dry, Lu Xianglin switched from wheat to cotton on his land. He also planted trees to protect his fields from sandstorms. He says he still gets good yields using flood irrigation and earns a good income for his family. Other farmers haven't stuck it out : about one in three have left Zhengxin in the past 10 years after their wheat crops died. Young people who can find jobs in the towns rarely return. Last week, Mr Lu joined the other men in his village on a government-arranged trip to see the land that has been set aside for their relocation, nearly 40 miles to the south. The next day, he was back, shaking his head at the plan. The idea of uprooting his family troubles him, as does the idea of giving up the land that fed his forefathers. He prefers to stay and keep up the fight. "With enough water, this problem can be solved," Lu says. "We can plant trees and grass, and they will grow bigger. That will stop the desert." Experts say that farmers could switch to drip irrigation to lessen their water intake for growing crops. Elsewhere in the region, farmers have built brick greenhouses as part of a plan to grow vegetables using less water. Roadside signs urge farmers to "Save Water, Protect the Environment".
Answer: it can make groundwater become less

SOLUTION: The negative effect of planting trees in deserts is that _ .

PROBLEM: Article: What do Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Phil Collins all have in common? They were all bullied at school. If you're being bullied, it doesn't mean there is something wrong with you. You have a right to feel safe. If you are being bullied at school, it is the school's responsibility to stop it. If you are being attacked outside of school, the police have the responsibility to help you. The bully is the one with the problem. A lot of bullies are already being bullied themselves. They feel powerless and so they look for ways to feel tough at school or in the street. Often, the bully is envious of other kids, so he picks on those who are cleverer, or those kids who have cool dress or more money. Usually bullies don't like themselves, so they take out their frustrations on someone else, e.g. you. What can you do? * Look calm and confident even when you are not! You can practice this in the bathroom mirror. * If possible, ignore the bully. Bullies want a reaction --if you don't seem upset, or angry, they'll often leave you alone. * Walk away. Just because a bully starts an argument doesn't mean you have to hang around and finish it. * Avoid being alone. Bullies are cowards who only pick a fight when they know they can win. If you are with friends, they are more likely to leave you alone. Get help! Tell an adult you can trust. This doesn't mean you are weak. In life you often need to get help from other people. When you have a broken leg, you get help from a doctor--it doesn't mean you are weak. If you are being bullied you also get help. Bullies want you to keep quiet. When you speak up, you refuse to play the bully's game. Telling others about the problem is a brave move.
Answer: have more power

SOLUTION: Bullies are usually those who _ .

PROBLEM: Article: French novelist Jules Verne (1828--1905) is often called the father of science fiction. Although he was not a great traveler himself, his characters travelled to the moon (inFrom the Earth to the Moon), under the sea (inTwenty thousand leagues under the sea), into a volcano (inA journey to the centre of the earth), around the world (inAround the World in Eighty Days) and to many other places. Jules Verne was born in the French city of Nantes in 1828. When he was a boy he ran away from home to work on a ship. However, his father soon found him and brought him home. After that he decided that any future travel he did would be in books. In 1847 his father sent Jules to Paris to study to be a lawyer. Even though he was busy writing, Verne passed his exams in 1849 with high marks. When Jules told his father he did not want to be a lawyer, his father was very angry. He stopped sending his son any money, so Jules had to earn a living by his writing. Over the next few years he wrote many stories and plays, which brought him only a little money. Then, in 1856, he met Honorine de Viane, a rich, young widow with two children. The couple married the next year. After his marriage, Verne worked as a businessman in Paris. However, he was not very successful at his job and spent most of his time writing books and doing research for the next one. In 1863 he published his novelFive Weeks in a balloonand the following year he publishedA Journey to the centre of the earthwhich made him famous. His books became so popular and earned him so much money that he was able to leave his job and work full time on his writing. In his Lifetime, Jules Verne wrote more than 50 books and he became a rich man. Many of this imaginative novels have been turned into films.
Answer: he would devote himself to writing

SOLUTION:
When Jules Verne was brought home by his father, he decided that _ .