On his return to Nuremberg in 1495, Durer opened his own workshop (being married was a requirement for this). Over the next five years his style increasingly integrated Italian influences into underlying Northern forms. Durer's father died in 1502, and his mother died in 1513. His best works in the first years of the workshop were his woodcut prints, mostly religious, but including secular scenes such as The Men's Bath House (ca. 1496). These were larger and more finely cut than the great majority of German woodcuts hitherto, and far more complex and balanced in composition. It is now thought unlikely that Durer cut any of the woodblocks himself; this task would have been performed by a specialist craftsman. However, his training in Wolgemut's studio, which made many carved and painted altarpieces and both designed and cut woodblocks for woodcut, evidently gave him great understanding of what the technique could be made to produce, and how to work with block cutters. Durer either drew his design directly onto the woodblock itself, or glued a paper drawing to the block. Either way, his drawings were destroyed during the cutting of the block.

Question: "Whether the designs were drawn directly onto the block or were paper drawings glued to the block, what was the end result of the original work?"

OPTIONS:
- no
- yes

Answer: "They were glued"

Response: no

William C. Walbrecher Jr., an executive at San Francisco-based 1st Nationwide Bank, was named president and chief executive officer of Citadel Holding Corp. and its principal operating unit, Fidelity Federal Bank. The appointment takes effect Nov. 13. He succeeds James A. Taylor, who stepped down as chairman, president and chief executive in March for health reasons. Edward L. Kane succeeded Mr. Taylor as chairman. Separately, Citadel posted a third-quarter net loss of $2.3 million, or 68 cents a share, versus net income of $5.3 million, or $1.61 a share, a year earlier. The latest results include some unusual write-downs, which had an after-tax impact of $4.9 million. Those included costs associated with the potential Valley Federal Savings and Loan Association acquisition, which was terminated on Sept. 27, 1989. In addition, operating results were hit by an increase in loan and real estate loss reserves. In American Stock Exchange composite trading, Citadel shares closed yesterday at $45.75, down 25 cents.

Question: "What did the stock price close at yesterday and what was the earnings per share last year Q3?"

Response: "$45.75 and $1.61"
OPTIONS:
- no
- yes

A: yes

Problem: Tokugawa Takes All: When Hideyoshi died in 1598, he hoped to have his five-year-old son continue his "dynasty," initially under the tutelage of five regents. But one of the regents was Ieyasu Tokugawa, who had been biding his time at Edo for 12 years, nurturing dynastic ambitions of his own. Of the cunning, ruthless triumvirate that came out on top at the end of the country's century of civil war, Tokugawa was without doubt the most patient, the most prudentand most treacherous. He moved quickly to eliminate his strongest rivals, crushing them in 1600 at the great Battle of Sekigahara (near modern Nagoya). During its subsequent two and a half centuries of rule from the new capital established at Edo, the Tokugawa organized a tightly controlled coalition of some 260 daimyo in strategic strongholds throughout the country. The allegiance of this highly privileged and prestigious group was ensured by cementing their ethical principles in the code of bushido, "The way of the warrior": loyalty to one's master, defense of one's status and honor, and fulfillment of all obligations. Loyalty was further enforced by holding the vassals' wives and children hostage in Edo. All roads into Edo, the most famous being the Tokaido Highway, had checkpoints for guns coming in and for wives going out. One of the most effective ways of keeping a tight rein on the country was to cut it off from the outside world, to keep Japan Japanese. At first, Ieyasu Tokugawa was eager to promote foreign trade. He wanted silk and encouraged the Dutch and British as good, nonproselytizing Protestants just interested in trade. But he didn't like the Portuguese and Spanish Catholic missionaries, who he felt were undermining traditional Japanese values. He banned their activities in 1612 and two years later ordered the expulsion of all missionaries and unrepentant Japanese converts. Executions and torture followed. Converts were forced to renounce their faith by trampling crucifixes and effigies of Jesus and Mary. The Catholic Church has counted 3,125 martyrs in Japan from 1597 (beginning under Hideyoshi) to 1660. In 1635 the Japanese were forbidden, on pain of death, to attempt to travel abroad, and Japanese citizens already overseas were prevented from returning, in case they brought back subversive Christian doctrines. Western books were banned, as were Chinese books that mentioned Christianity.

Question: "Give an important date in Japanese history that marks the "closing of Japan" to the outside world and give three examples of this isolation policy."

Answer: "Encouraged Dutch and British Trade"

OPTIONS:
- no
- yes
Answer: no

Callimaco is taken by the beauty of Lucrezia , but she is the loyal wife of Nicia , a rich and foolish lawyer . Callimaco hires the service of a shady ' fixer ' named Ligurio to aid in his quest to sleep with her . Lgurio informs Callimaco that Nicia and Lucrezia are anxious to have a child . With the fixer's help , . Callimaco masquerades as a doctor and convinces Nicia that the best way for Lucrezia to conceive a child is by her taking a potion made from the Mandrake Root . He lies and warns Nicia that the first man to sleep with Lucrezia after she has taken the potion will die within eight days . Together they devise a plan to kidnap a stranger to sleep with Lucrezia and draw out the poison . Callimaco then disguises himself and arranges to be the one who is kidnapped . Lucrezia is an honorable woman and does not at first agree to meet with the stranger . Nicia gets both Lucrezia's mother , a woman of ill repute , and her confessor Brother Timoteo , a priest of low morals , to aid in convincing Lucrezia of the necessity of the plan . After finally sleeping with Lucrezia , Callimaco confesses everything . Lucrezia gives thought to the duplicity of her husband , her mother , and her confessor , and decides that she now wants Callimaco as a lover forever . Callimaco gets what he had desired and everyone else continues to believe that each had outwitted the others .

Question: "Why did Nicia allow Callimaco to sleep with his wife?"

OPTIONS:
- no
- yes

Answer: "He beleived he was a stranger"

Response:
yes