TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you're given a question, a context passage, and four options which are terms from the passage. After reading a passage, you will get a brief understanding of the terms. Your job is to determine by searching and reading further information of which term you can answer the question. Indicate your choice as 'a', 'b', 'c', or 'd'. If you think more than one option is plausible, choose the more probable option to help you answer the question.
PROBLEM: Question: In what country is the publication based that Patrick French writes for? Passage:Jasanoff's 2017 book, The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World, published by Penguin Press and in the UK by William Collins centers on the life and times of novelist Joseph Conrad. The Times lauded the book as the "Conrad for our time," and The Spectator called her an "enviably gifted writer...her historian's eye can untie knots that might baffle the pure critic," noting that she "steers us securely and stylishly through those latitudes where Conrad witnessed the future scupper the past." In the judgment of the Financial Times: "This is an unobtrusively skilful, subtle, clear-eyed book, beautifully narrated," while the Literary Review observes: "Written with a novelist's flair for vivid detail and a scholar's attention to texts, The Dawn Watch is by any standard a major contribution to our understanding of Conrad and his time." Reviewing the book in The Guardian, Patrick French began: "The Dawn Watch will win prizes, and if it doesn't, there is something wrong with the prizes." In The Hindu, Sudipta Datta wrote that Jasanoff's approach to Conrad makes for a "remarkable retelling of Joseph Conrad's life and work and its resonance with the present dysfunctional world." In The Guardian, William Dalrymple named the book to his list of best holiday reads of 2017. According to the Wall Street Journal's reviewer, "'The Dawn Watch' is the most vivid and suggestive biography of Conrad ever written." In The New York Times, Ngugi wa Thiong'O applauded the book as "masterful." Thiong'O wrote that Jasanoff succeeded where "An Image of Africa: Racism in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness," Chinua Achebe's classic Conrad essay, had failed, specifically in bringing into clear relief "Conrad's ability to capture the hypocrisy of the 'civilizing mission' and the material interests that drove capitalist empires, crushing the human spirit." "'The Dawn Watch,' Thiong'O wrote, "will become a creative companion to all students of his work. It has made me want to re-establish connections with the Conrad whose written sentences once inspired in me the same joy as a musical phrase."
Links: a. Financial Times b. The Guardian c. The Hindu d. Joseph Conrad

SOLUTION: b

PROBLEM: Question: When was the university founded that Van Houwelingen applied to in June 1962? Passage:Van Houwelingen applied at the Utrecht University in June 1962 majoring in Chemistry and obtaining an Bachelor of Science degree in July 1964. Van Houwelingen served in the Royal Netherlands Army as a second lieutenant from November 1964 until November 1966. Van Houwelingen worked as a chemist and researcher in the private sector from November 1962 until March 1973. Van Houwelingen served on the Municipal Council of Leerdam from April 1968 until June 1974 and served on the Provincial-Council of Utrecht from June 1970 until June 1974. Van Houwelingen became a Member of the House of Representatives after the resignation of Barend Biesheuvel, taking office on 7 March 1973. After the election of 1977 the Christian Democratic Appeal and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) formed the Cabinet Van Agt-Wiegel, Van Houwelingen and several Christian Democratic Appeal Members of the House of Representatives were critical on the coalition agreement and formed an informal caucus in their own parliamentary group called the that followed the cabinet critically throughout the entire period. After the election of 1981 Van Houwelingen was appointed as State Secretary for Defence in the Cabinet Van Agt II, taking office on 14 September 1981. The Cabinet Van Agt II fell just seven months into its term on 12 May 1982 and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Van Agt III with Van Houwelingen continuing as State Secretary for Defence, taking office on 29 May 1982. After the election of 1982 Van Houwelingen returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 16 September 1982. Following the cabinet formation of 1982 Van Houwelingen continued as State Secretary for Defence in the Cabinet Lubbers I, taking office on 4 November 1982. After the election of 1986 Van Houwelingen again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 3 June 1986. Following the cabinet formation of 1986 Van Houwelingen remained as State Secretary for Defence in the Cabinet Lubbers II, taking office on 14 July 1986. After the election of 1989 Van Houwelingen once again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 14 September 1989. Following the cabinet formation of 1989 Van Houwelingen was not giving a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Lubbers II was replaced by the Cabinet Lubbers III on 7 November 1989 and he continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a frontbencher chairing several . In December 1993 Van Houwelingen announced that he wouldn't not stand for the election of 1994 and continued to serve until the end of the parliamentary term on 17 May 1994. In May 1994 Van Houwelingen was nominated as Mayor of Haarlemmermeer, serving from 1 June 1994 until 1 January 2003.
Links: a. Utrecht (province) b. Haarlemmermeer c. List of Ministers of Defence of the Netherlands d. Utrecht University

SOLUTION: d

PROBLEM: Question: Has the newspaper that Ngugi wa Thiong'O wrote for won more than 100 Pulitzer Prizes? Passage:Jasanoff's 2017 book, The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World, published by Penguin Press and in the UK by William Collins centers on the life and times of novelist Joseph Conrad. The Times lauded the book as the "Conrad for our time," and The Spectator called her an "enviably gifted writer...her historian's eye can untie knots that might baffle the pure critic," noting that she "steers us securely and stylishly through those latitudes where Conrad witnessed the future scupper the past." In the judgment of the Financial Times: "This is an unobtrusively skilful, subtle, clear-eyed book, beautifully narrated," while the Literary Review observes: "Written with a novelist's flair for vivid detail and a scholar's attention to texts, The Dawn Watch is by any standard a major contribution to our understanding of Conrad and his time." Reviewing the book in The Guardian, Patrick French began: "The Dawn Watch will win prizes, and if it doesn't, there is something wrong with the prizes." In The Hindu, Sudipta Datta wrote that Jasanoff's approach to Conrad makes for a "remarkable retelling of Joseph Conrad's life and work and its resonance with the present dysfunctional world." In The Guardian, William Dalrymple named the book to his list of best holiday reads of 2017. According to the Wall Street Journal's reviewer, "'The Dawn Watch' is the most vivid and suggestive biography of Conrad ever written." In The New York Times, Ngugi wa Thiong'O applauded the book as "masterful." Thiong'O wrote that Jasanoff succeeded where "An Image of Africa: Racism in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness," Chinua Achebe's classic Conrad essay, had failed, specifically in bringing into clear relief "Conrad's ability to capture the hypocrisy of the 'civilizing mission' and the material interests that drove capitalist empires, crushing the human spirit." "'The Dawn Watch,' Thiong'O wrote, "will become a creative companion to all students of his work. It has made me want to re-establish connections with the Conrad whose written sentences once inspired in me the same joy as a musical phrase."
Links: a. Literary Review b. Literary Review c. The Times d. The New York Times

SOLUTION:
d