Article: In New Britain, Connecticut, a new official in charge of schools named Kelt Cooper wants to end high truancy rates among public school students, and he's suggesting financial punishments to get job done. A plan to fine students up to $75 for each day they skip school is now being considered by New Britain authorities. The concept of fining kids for skipping school may come as a shock, but it's not new. In Ohio, the parents responsible for a student guilty of habitual truancy can be fined up to $500 and/or be required to perform up to 70 hours of community service. Until recently, students in Los Angeles could be hit with a $250 punishment for each count of truancy; in early 2012 the law was changed and the heavy fines were removed, though a $20 punishment may still be handed out if a student truants for the third time. Fines for truancy are also in effect overseas. In the UK, The Guardian reports, parents can be fined PS50 (about $80) per skipped school day. The punishment doubles if it's not paid within 28 days. The question is: Do fines like this work? The vast majority of authorities in the UK said that, indeed, they do. The fines were believed either "very successful" or "fairly successful" by 79% in reducing truancy, according to a survey. If the plan is passed in Connecticut, it's unclear how effective the law might be, how to make parents and students obey the law and what might happen if they refuse to pay. However, local officials seem to be willing to _ . According to the Hartford Courant: "The mayor agrees that truancy is a real issue in New Britain schools, and what's been done in the past hasn't been working to reduce truancy." said Phil Sherwood, assistant to Mayor Timothy O' Brien. And what do the students think? In the New Britain Herald, one 17-year-old entering her senior year called the plan "ridiculous" and predicted that the punishments will bring about negative effects on the court system. Besides, "I don't see the point," she said. "Kids will just try harder not to get caught." Question: The passage mainly discusses whether _ . Yes or no, is the answer "students should be fined for skipping school"?
Yes
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Article: These are some signs that you can see on the roads of Great Britain. Number one is a sign with the number thirty on it. When drivers see this sign they must not go at more than thirty miles an hour. We see this sign when we get to parts of the country where there are many houses and other buildings, for example, when we are getting near a town. Thirty miles an hour is the speed limit. Number two is sign for the end of the speed limit. We are out of the town now and may go at more than thirty miles an hour. Number three is a sign that we are near a crossroads, that is, a place where two roads cross. We must drive carefully. Number four is a sign that there is a bend in the road. Again, we must drive slowly and carefully. Number five is a sign that there is a hill and number six is a sign that the roads get narrow. Drivers must go slowly and carefully. Number seven has the word "school" on it. This is a sign that there is a school at the side of a street or road. Perhaps there are children going to school or leaving school. So drivers must look carefully and go slowly until they are past the school building. Number eight is a sign with the letter P on it. The letter P is for "parking." A parking place is a place where drivers may leave their cars. If the driver of a car wants to leave his car and go to the shops, he looks for this sign. Then he knows that he may leave his or her car there. Question: Who will most probably read the passage? Yes or no, is the answer "People who are learning to drive."?
No
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Article: There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since. The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20 000 light years ago).Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth.A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology. "We have come to the conclusion,based on last week's satellite landing," Pro. Zog said,"that there is no life on the Earth." "How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked. "For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive." "What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?" "We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned. " "Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studies?" "Take a look at this photo. You see this dark cloud floating over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there." "If what you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?" "Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds." "Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?" "Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere." Question: The author wishes to call our attention to the fact _ . Yes or no, is the answer "that modern man has polluted his environment to such an extent that he might destroy himself if he went on like this"?
Yes
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Article: Teenagers in England do much the same as children in America do. They enjoy sending messages by their mobile phones and they also like swimming, listening to the latest music, watching TV and surfing the Internet. How do teenagers in England spend their free time and holidays? Let's follow Sally, a British teenager, and spend five days with her during her school holiday. Day One After breakfast, Sally's mother went out and left her alone at home. She checked her mobile phone during lunch --one of her friends sent her a message early in the morning. Dinner was at 6:30 p.m. After that, she finished her English home-work. Then she surfed the Internet. Day Two Sally and her mother paid a visit to their friends and went swimming together. Later, they went shopping for clothes and books, and had dinner in a restaurant. Day Three She went to the supermarket with her mother to buy fish and chips for lunch as well as some pens. After she got back home, she spent the next few hours surfing the Internet and watching TV. Day Four She surfed the Internet. Her mother took her out for lunch before she went to work. She then read stories after lunch. Day Five She woke up at 2 p.m., and so did her mother. They went to a park. Her mother met some friends there. When they got home, it was already time for dinner. Afterwards, she did her homework until 10 p.m. Question: When did Sally do her homework? Yes or no, is the answer "In the evening."?
No
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