When I was writing the manuscript for Florentine, I enlisted the help of an army of recipe testers about 80 people from all over the world to test every recipe thoroughly. Only one came back to me consistently with problems. From Minnesota to Melbourne, three testers wrote to me that their very first attempt at making Tuscan gnudi (ricotta and spinach balls that, rather than be encased in pasta like for ravioli, are simply dusted in flour) resulted in a pot of simmering water with "dissolved" gnudi. It reminded me of Pellegrino Artusi's potato gnocchi recipe in his famous cookbook from 1891, where he interrupts the recipe instructions to mention a signora who, upon attempting to stir the gnocchi cooking in the pot, finds they have disappeared O dove'erano andati? "Where did they go?" In the case of the gnocchi, there was too little flour used, according to Artusi. But in the case of the gnudi, I already had a hunch. I grilled all three testers on a number of various factors was the water just simmering, not on a rolling boil (which can destroy delicate gnudi), did they drain the spinach very well, and equally the ricotta (one said she even drained it overnight)? Did they use "proper" ricotta? Aha. "Proper" ricotta. The kind that was only made a day or so earlier, the leftovers of the cheese-making process, the real deal. The kind that you can see in a deli counter, standing on its own, that gets cut into a big wedge and weighed when you order it. Not the kind you buy at the supermarket, in a tub, that so often is grainy, more like the consistency of yogurt, has no structure, and is full of unnecessary gums or additives. All my recipe testers had used the second kind to be fair, some were new to the idea of buying ricotta and in their neighbourhood only had access to this. In that case, it would have probably been better to make your own, or choose another recipe. Why is the right type of ricotta necessary when making gnudi? Pick the correct answer from the following options: A. It needs to not have a solid consistency when being used for this recipe B. It needs to have the right structure with the right additives C. It needs to have the right structure with no additives D. not enough information
C

The White House says China's proposal to abolish presidential term limits a move that could make Xi Jinping president for life is an internal matter for Beijing. "I believe that's a decision for China to make about what's best for their country," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a Monday press briefing. Term limits, Sanders said, are something Trump "supports here in the United States, but that's a decision that would be up to China." The Chinese Communist Party proposed removing the presidential two-term limit from China's constitution, state media reported Sunday. The move would be a further consolidation of power for Xi, who is already seen as one of China's most powerful leaders in decades. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump praised Xi, saying he has a "very good relationship" and "great respect" for the Chinese leader. "I think that President Xi is unique. He's helping us with North Korea," Trump said during a White House meeting with U.S. governors. Trump has not specifically addressed the issue of China removing term limits. To some, Sanders' comments are the latest evidence of a break in the long-standing U.S. tradition of encouraging democracy in China, and reflect an unwillingness to criticize undemocratic regimes. "In effect, she is saying that the U.S. is OK with Xi Jinping simply asserting that he will remain in power indefinitely," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. "Does she realize China isn't a democracy?" During the presidential campaign, Trump regularly slammed China and its trade policies. But since becoming president, Trump has toned down the criticism. Instead, Trump has prioritized working with China to address North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. However, several reports suggest the White House could soon announce trade decisions, such as tariffs on Chinese imports, that could strain the U.S.-China relationship. How does Sophie Richardson feel about Communism? Pick the correct answer from the following options: A. She favors it. B. not enough information C. She opposes it. D. She worries that Trump is a Communist.
C

I have 2 friends from college who completely did a 180 after they got married. We were party animals in college. Every day revolved around alcohol on some form or fashion. It literally was like the movie Animal House Now these 2 friends (let's call them Bill and Ted) were a little dorky compared to the rest of the other guys. We all played sports in high school and college and they were more like bookworms. Borderline alcoholics but bookworms. They were really awkward around girls but funny as hell around guys. Long story short. Both of them got involved into serious relationships after college and ended up marrying these girls. One girl was this born again Christian who vowed to cleanse Bill from his evil ways. Bill was so far removed from his friends (the wolfpack!) that he didn't even invite us to his wedding. It's been maybe 14-15 yrs now and I have no clue what he's doing. I think one of my friends did attend the wedding but it was only because they desperately needed a groomsmen. Ted married this girl who seemed cool at first but after marriage, he stopped coming to any and all get togethers. He always had an excuse. He ended up moving a few hrs away and eventually just stopped responding to us. He did show up to a mutual friend's wedding maybe 3 yrs ago. He has a baby now but he's alot different than how he used to be. Other than Bill and Ted, all my other friends got married and have pretty normal marriages. Meaning that family is priority but if you got some free time, go enjoy yourself. So we still get together a couple times a year (some more than others) and have a good time. What did everyday revolve around in college? Pick the correct answer from the following options: A. not enough information B. something healthy C. something non-alcoholic D. something intoxicating
D