{"option":["it would allow them access to a better life in the West","Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent","they wanted their children to enter into the professional field","it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country"],"question":"Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because  _ .","article":"Violin prodigies, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers if the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. \"It is very clear,\" he told me. \"They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.\" As a result, every Jewish parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.\nAnother element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. \"In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,\" says Isaac Stem, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.\nThat's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.","id":"3063.txt","label":0}
{"option":["enforce strong discipline on students who want to achieve excellence","treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development","encourage people to compete with each other","promise talented children high positions"],"question":"Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that,  _ .","article":"Violin prodigies, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers if the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. \"It is very clear,\" he told me. \"They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.\" As a result, every Jewish parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.\nAnother element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. \"In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,\" says Isaac Stem, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.\nThat's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.","id":"3063.txt","label":1}
{"option":["all-round development","the learning of Western music","strict training of children","variety in academic studies"],"question":"Japan is described in the passage as a country that attaches importance to  _ .","article":"Violin prodigies, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers if the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. \"It is very clear,\" he told me. \"They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.\" As a result, every Jewish parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.\nAnother element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. \"In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,\" says Isaac Stem, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.\nThat's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.","id":"3063.txt","label":2}
{"option":["A natural gift.","Extensive knowledge of music.","Very early training.","A prejudice-free society."],"question":"Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies according to the passage?","article":"Violin prodigies, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers if the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. \"It is very clear,\" he told me. \"They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.\" As a result, every Jewish parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.\nAnother element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. \"In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,\" says Isaac Stem, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.\nThat's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.","id":"3063.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Jewish Contribution to Music","Training of Musicians in the World","Music and Society","The Making of Prodigies"],"question":"Which of the following titles best summarises the main idea of the passage?","article":"Violin prodigies, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers if the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world's greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. \"It is very clear,\" he told me. \"They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.\" As a result, every Jewish parent's dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.\nAnother element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. \"In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours,\" says Isaac Stem, children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.\nThat's a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.","id":"3063.txt","label":3}
{"option":["noticed some of the boys on the field were heisting","guessed his presence would affect the boy's decision","learned some of the boys on the field knew Shay well","understood Shay did need a feeling of being accepted"],"question":"Not expecting much, Shay's father still asked the boy if Shay could play, mainly because the father _ .","article":"Shay asked, \"Do you think they'll let me play?\" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.\nShay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, \"We're losing by six runs  and the game is in the eighth inning .I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.\nShay struggled over to the team's bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.\nIn the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?\nSurprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch  came and Shay missed. The pitcher again again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in , Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.\nThe pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming,\"Shay, run to first! \"Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..\nEveryone should, \"Run to second!\" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team,who had a chance to be the hero for his team fir the first time,could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.\nAll were screaming\uff0c\"Shay\uff0cShay\uff0cShay\uff0call the way Shay.\" Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, \"Shay, run to third.\" As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,\"Shay, run home!\"Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.\nThat day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!","id":"2714.txt","label":3}
{"option":["believed they were sure to win the game","would like to help Shay enjoy the game","found Shay was so eager to be a winner","fell forced to give Shay another chance"],"question":"In the bottom of the final inning Shay was given the bat because the boys _ .","article":"Shay asked, \"Do you think they'll let me play?\" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.\nShay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, \"We're losing by six runs  and the game is in the eighth inning .I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.\nShay struggled over to the team's bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.\nIn the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?\nSurprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch  came and Shay missed. The pitcher again again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in , Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.\nThe pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming,\"Shay, run to first! \"Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..\nEveryone should, \"Run to second!\" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team,who had a chance to be the hero for his team fir the first time,could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.\nAll were screaming\uff0c\"Shay\uff0cShay\uff0cShay\uff0call the way Shay.\" Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, \"Shay, run to third.\" As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,\"Shay, run home!\"Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.\nThat day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!","id":"2714.txt","label":1}
{"option":["was obviously aware of the pitcher's purpose","looked forward to winning the game for his team","failed to throw the ball to the second baseman","saw that Shay already reached second base"],"question":"The smallest boy threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head, probably because that boy _ .","article":"Shay asked, \"Do you think they'll let me play?\" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.\nShay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, \"We're losing by six runs  and the game is in the eighth inning .I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.\nShay struggled over to the team's bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.\nIn the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?\nSurprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch  came and Shay missed. The pitcher again again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in , Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.\nThe pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming,\"Shay, run to first! \"Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..\nEveryone should, \"Run to second!\" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team,who had a chance to be the hero for his team fir the first time,could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.\nAll were screaming\uff0c\"Shay\uff0cShay\uff0cShay\uff0call the way Shay.\" Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, \"Shay, run to third.\" As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,\"Shay, run home!\"Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.\nThat day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!","id":"2714.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The pitcher did not throw the ball to the first baseman.","The audience and the players from both teams cheered for him.","The opposing players failed to stop his running to home.","One of the opposing players ran to help him."],"question":"Which of the following has nothing to do with Shay's becoming the hero for his team?","article":"Shay asked, \"Do you think they'll let me play?\" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.\nShay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, \"We're losing by six runs  and the game is in the eighth inning .I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.\nShay struggled over to the team's bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.\nIn the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?\nSurprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch  came and Shay missed. The pitcher again again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in , Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.\nThe pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming,\"Shay, run to first! \"Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..\nEveryone should, \"Run to second!\" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team,who had a chance to be the hero for his team fir the first time,could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.\nAll were screaming\uff0c\"Shay\uff0cShay\uff0cShay\uff0call the way Shay.\" Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, \"Shay, run to third.\" As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,\"Shay, run home!\"Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.\nThat day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!","id":"2714.txt","label":2}
{"option":["True human nature could be realized in the way we treat each other.","Everyone has his own strength even if mentally or physically disabled.","Everyone can develop his team spirit in sports and please his parents.","The results of the game should not be the only concern of the players."],"question":"What to you think is the theme of the story?","article":"Shay asked, \"Do you think they'll let me play?\" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.\nShay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, \"We're losing by six runs  and the game is in the eighth inning .I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.\nShay struggled over to the team's bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.\nIn the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?\nSurprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch  came and Shay missed. The pitcher again again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in , Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.\nThe pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming,\"Shay, run to first! \"Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..\nEveryone should, \"Run to second!\" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second.By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team,who had a chance to be the hero for his team fir the first time,could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head.\nAll were screaming\uff0c\"Shay\uff0cShay\uff0cShay\uff0call the way Shay.\" Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, \"Shay, run to third.\" As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,\"Shay, run home!\"Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.\nThat day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!","id":"2714.txt","label":0}
{"option":["an alternative to museum display of artifacts.","a way to curb illegal digging while benefiting the archaeologicalprofession.","a way to distinguish artifacts with scientific value from those thathave no such value.","the governmental regulation of archaeological sites."],"question":"The primary purpose of the text is to propose","article":"Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is thepoorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and evenless is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites onceexcavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second,there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality piecesbeing sold to the highest bidder.\nI would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one strokeprovide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I wouldpropose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authoritiessell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would providesubstantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sitesand the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegalexcavator's grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage inillegal activities.\nYou might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, notmoney. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage,which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highestbidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientificvalue. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground hasscientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct inclaiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, youare wrong.\nI refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that areessentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus,archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugsin a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as melekhhandles have been found in abundance - more than 4,000 examples so far.\nThe basements of museums are simply not large enough to store theartifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enoughmoney even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again andbecome as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with thehelp of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the piecesstored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographedand the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchasercould even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become neededfor scientific purposes.\nIt would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop ifartifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestineproduct would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot whenanother was available whose provenance was known, and that was datedstratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?","id":"1093.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Museum officials rarely allow scholars access to such artifacts.","Space that could be better used for display is taken up for storage.","Artifacts discovered in one excavation often become separated fromeach other.","Such artifacts' often remain uncatalogued and thus cannot be located once they are putin storage."],"question":"Which of the following is mentioned in the text as a disadvantage ofstoring artifacts in museum basements?","article":"Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is thepoorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and evenless is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites onceexcavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second,there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality piecesbeing sold to the highest bidder.\nI would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one strokeprovide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I wouldpropose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authoritiessell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would providesubstantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sitesand the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegalexcavator's grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage inillegal activities.\nYou might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, notmoney. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage,which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highestbidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientificvalue. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground hasscientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct inclaiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, youare wrong.\nI refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that areessentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus,archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugsin a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as melekhhandles have been found in abundance - more than 4,000 examples so far.\nThe basements of museums are simply not large enough to store theartifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enoughmoney even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again andbecome as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with thehelp of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the piecesstored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographedand the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchasercould even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become neededfor scientific purposes.\nIt would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop ifartifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestineproduct would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot whenanother was available whose provenance was known, and that was datedstratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?","id":"1093.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Ancient lamps and pottery vessels are less valuable, although morerare, than royal seal impressions.","Artifacts that are very similar to each other present cataloguingdifficulties to archaeologists.","Artifacts that are not uniquely valuable, and therefore could besold, are available in large quantities.","Cyprus is the most important location for unearthing large quantitiesof salable artifacts."],"question":"The author mentions the excavation in Cyprus (line 2, paragraph 4) toemphasize which of the following points?","article":"Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is thepoorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and evenless is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites onceexcavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second,there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality piecesbeing sold to the highest bidder.\nI would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one strokeprovide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I wouldpropose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authoritiessell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would providesubstantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sitesand the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegalexcavator's grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage inillegal activities.\nYou might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, notmoney. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage,which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highestbidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientificvalue. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground hasscientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct inclaiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, youare wrong.\nI refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that areessentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus,archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugsin a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as melekhhandles have been found in abundance - more than 4,000 examples so far.\nThe basements of museums are simply not large enough to store theartifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enoughmoney even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again andbecome as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with thehelp of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the piecesstored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographedand the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchasercould even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become neededfor scientific purposes.\nIt would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop ifartifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestineproduct would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot whenanother was available whose provenance was known, and that was datedstratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?","id":"1093.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts.","The price of illegally excavated artifacts would rise.","Computers could be used to trace sold artifacts.","Illegal excavators would be forced to sell only duplicate artifacts."],"question":"The author's argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicateartifacts on illegal excavation is based on which of the following assumptions?","article":"Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is thepoorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and evenless is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites onceexcavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second,there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality piecesbeing sold to the highest bidder.\nI would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one strokeprovide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I wouldpropose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authoritiessell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would providesubstantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sitesand the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegalexcavator's grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage inillegal activities.\nYou might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, notmoney. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage,which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highestbidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientificvalue. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground hasscientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct inclaiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, youare wrong.\nI refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that areessentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus,archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugsin a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as melekhhandles have been found in abundance - more than 4,000 examples so far.\nThe basements of museums are simply not large enough to store theartifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enoughmoney even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again andbecome as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with thehelp of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the piecesstored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographedand the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchasercould even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become neededfor scientific purposes.\nIt would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop ifartifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestineproduct would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot whenanother was available whose provenance was known, and that was datedstratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?","id":"1093.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Museum officials will become unwilling to store artifacts.","An oversupply of salable artifacts will result and the demand forthem will fall.","Artifacts that would have been displayed in public places will besold to private collectors.","Illegal excavators will have an even larger supply of artifacts forresale."],"question":"The author anticipates which of the following initial denials of hisproposal?","article":"Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is thepoorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and evenless is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites onceexcavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second,there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality piecesbeing sold to the highest bidder.\nI would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one strokeprovide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I wouldpropose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authoritiessell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would providesubstantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sitesand the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegalexcavator's grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage inillegal activities.\nYou might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, notmoney. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage,which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highestbidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientificvalue. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground hasscientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct inclaiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, youare wrong.\nI refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that areessentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus,archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugsin a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as melekhhandles have been found in abundance - more than 4,000 examples so far.\nThe basements of museums are simply not large enough to store theartifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enoughmoney even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again andbecome as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with thehelp of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the piecesstored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographedand the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchasercould even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become neededfor scientific purposes.\nIt would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop ifartifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestineproduct would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot whenanother was available whose provenance was known, and that was datedstratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?","id":"1093.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Teamsters still have a large body of members.","Jimmy Hoffa used to work as a civil servant.","unions have enlarged their public-sector membership.","the government has improved its relationship with unionists."],"question":"It can be learned from the first paragraph that","article":"If the trade unionist Jimmy Hoffa were alive today, he would probably represent civil servants. When Hoffa's Teamsters were in their prime in 1960, only one in ten American government workers belonged to a union; now 36% do. In 2009 the number of unionists in America's public sector passed that of their fellow members in the private sector. In Britain, more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15% of private-sector ones are unionized.\nThere are three reasons for the public-sector unions' thriving. First, they can shut things down without suffering much in the way of consequences.Second, they are mostly bright and well-educated. A quarter of America's public-sector workers have a university degree. Third, they now dominate left-of-centre politics. \u2465Some of their ties go back a long way. Britain's Labor Party, as its name implies, has long been associated with trade unionism. Its current leader, Ed Miliband, owes his position to votes from public-sector unions.\nAt the state level their influence can be even more fearsome. Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much of the state's budget is patrolled by unions. The teachers' unions keep an eye on schools, the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.\nIn many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higher than in the private one. But the real gains come in benefits and work practices.Politicians have repeatedly \"backloaded\" public-sector pay deals, keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensions that are already generous.\nReform has been vigorously opposed, perhaps most notoriously in education, where charter schools, academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles. Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is the most important variable, teachers' unions have fought against getting rid of bad ones and promoting good ones.\nAs the cost to everyone else has become clearer, politicians have begun to clamp down. In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands of supporters against Scott Walker, the hardline Republican governor. But many within the public sector suffer under the current system, too.\nJohn Donahue at Harvard's Kennedy School points out that the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stay put but is bad for high achievers. The only American public-sector workers who earn well above $250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the president of the United States. Bankers' fat pay packets have attracted much criticism, but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a much bigger problem for America.","id":"1990.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Public-sector unions are prudent in taking actions.","Education is required for public-sector union membership.","Labor Party has long been fighting against public-sector unions.","Public-sector unions seldom get in trouble for their actions."],"question":"Which of the following is true of Paragraph 2?","article":"If the trade unionist Jimmy Hoffa were alive today, he would probably represent civil servants. When Hoffa's Teamsters were in their prime in 1960, only one in ten American government workers belonged to a union; now 36% do. In 2009 the number of unionists in America's public sector passed that of their fellow members in the private sector. In Britain, more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15% of private-sector ones are unionized.\nThere are three reasons for the public-sector unions' thriving. First, they can shut things down without suffering much in the way of consequences.Second, they are mostly bright and well-educated. A quarter of America's public-sector workers have a university degree. Third, they now dominate left-of-centre politics. \u2465Some of their ties go back a long way. Britain's Labor Party, as its name implies, has long been associated with trade unionism. Its current leader, Ed Miliband, owes his position to votes from public-sector unions.\nAt the state level their influence can be even more fearsome. Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much of the state's budget is patrolled by unions. The teachers' unions keep an eye on schools, the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.\nIn many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higher than in the private one. But the real gains come in benefits and work practices.Politicians have repeatedly \"backloaded\" public-sector pay deals, keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensions that are already generous.\nReform has been vigorously opposed, perhaps most notoriously in education, where charter schools, academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles. Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is the most important variable, teachers' unions have fought against getting rid of bad ones and promoting good ones.\nAs the cost to everyone else has become clearer, politicians have begun to clamp down. In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands of supporters against Scott Walker, the hardline Republican governor. But many within the public sector suffer under the current system, too.\nJohn Donahue at Harvard's Kennedy School points out that the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stay put but is bad for high achievers. The only American public-sector workers who earn well above $250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the president of the United States. Bankers' fat pay packets have attracted much criticism, but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a much bigger problem for America.","id":"1990.txt","label":3}
{"option":["illegally secured.","indirectly augmented.","excessively increased.","fairly adjusted."],"question":"It can be learned from Paragraph 4 that the income in the state sector is","article":"If the trade unionist Jimmy Hoffa were alive today, he would probably represent civil servants. When Hoffa's Teamsters were in their prime in 1960, only one in ten American government workers belonged to a union; now 36% do. In 2009 the number of unionists in America's public sector passed that of their fellow members in the private sector. In Britain, more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15% of private-sector ones are unionized.\nThere are three reasons for the public-sector unions' thriving. First, they can shut things down without suffering much in the way of consequences.Second, they are mostly bright and well-educated. A quarter of America's public-sector workers have a university degree. Third, they now dominate left-of-centre politics. \u2465Some of their ties go back a long way. Britain's Labor Party, as its name implies, has long been associated with trade unionism. Its current leader, Ed Miliband, owes his position to votes from public-sector unions.\nAt the state level their influence can be even more fearsome. Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much of the state's budget is patrolled by unions. The teachers' unions keep an eye on schools, the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.\nIn many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higher than in the private one. But the real gains come in benefits and work practices.Politicians have repeatedly \"backloaded\" public-sector pay deals, keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensions that are already generous.\nReform has been vigorously opposed, perhaps most notoriously in education, where charter schools, academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles. Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is the most important variable, teachers' unions have fought against getting rid of bad ones and promoting good ones.\nAs the cost to everyone else has become clearer, politicians have begun to clamp down. In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands of supporters against Scott Walker, the hardline Republican governor. But many within the public sector suffer under the current system, too.\nJohn Donahue at Harvard's Kennedy School points out that the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stay put but is bad for high achievers. The only American public-sector workers who earn well above $250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the president of the United States. Bankers' fat pay packets have attracted much criticism, but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a much bigger problem for America.","id":"1990.txt","label":1}
{"option":["often run against the current political system.","can change people's political attitudes.","may be a barrier to public-sector reforms.","are dominant in the government."],"question":"The example of the unions in Wisconsin shows that unions","article":"If the trade unionist Jimmy Hoffa were alive today, he would probably represent civil servants. When Hoffa's Teamsters were in their prime in 1960, only one in ten American government workers belonged to a union; now 36% do. In 2009 the number of unionists in America's public sector passed that of their fellow members in the private sector. In Britain, more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15% of private-sector ones are unionized.\nThere are three reasons for the public-sector unions' thriving. First, they can shut things down without suffering much in the way of consequences.Second, they are mostly bright and well-educated. A quarter of America's public-sector workers have a university degree. Third, they now dominate left-of-centre politics. \u2465Some of their ties go back a long way. Britain's Labor Party, as its name implies, has long been associated with trade unionism. Its current leader, Ed Miliband, owes his position to votes from public-sector unions.\nAt the state level their influence can be even more fearsome. Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much of the state's budget is patrolled by unions. The teachers' unions keep an eye on schools, the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.\nIn many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higher than in the private one. But the real gains come in benefits and work practices.Politicians have repeatedly \"backloaded\" public-sector pay deals, keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensions that are already generous.\nReform has been vigorously opposed, perhaps most notoriously in education, where charter schools, academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles. Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is the most important variable, teachers' unions have fought against getting rid of bad ones and promoting good ones.\nAs the cost to everyone else has become clearer, politicians have begun to clamp down. In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands of supporters against Scott Walker, the hardline Republican governor. But many within the public sector suffer under the current system, too.\nJohn Donahue at Harvard's Kennedy School points out that the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stay put but is bad for high achievers. The only American public-sector workers who earn well above $250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the president of the United States. Bankers' fat pay packets have attracted much criticism, but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a much bigger problem for America.","id":"1990.txt","label":2}
{"option":["disapproval.","appreciation.","tolerance.","indifference."],"question":"John Donahue's attitude towards the public-sector system is one of","article":"If the trade unionist Jimmy Hoffa were alive today, he would probably represent civil servants. When Hoffa's Teamsters were in their prime in 1960, only one in ten American government workers belonged to a union; now 36% do. In 2009 the number of unionists in America's public sector passed that of their fellow members in the private sector. In Britain, more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15% of private-sector ones are unionized.\nThere are three reasons for the public-sector unions' thriving. First, they can shut things down without suffering much in the way of consequences.Second, they are mostly bright and well-educated. A quarter of America's public-sector workers have a university degree. Third, they now dominate left-of-centre politics. \u2465Some of their ties go back a long way. Britain's Labor Party, as its name implies, has long been associated with trade unionism. Its current leader, Ed Miliband, owes his position to votes from public-sector unions.\nAt the state level their influence can be even more fearsome. Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much of the state's budget is patrolled by unions. The teachers' unions keep an eye on schools, the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.\nIn many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higher than in the private one. But the real gains come in benefits and work practices.Politicians have repeatedly \"backloaded\" public-sector pay deals, keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensions that are already generous.\nReform has been vigorously opposed, perhaps most notoriously in education, where charter schools, academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles. Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is the most important variable, teachers' unions have fought against getting rid of bad ones and promoting good ones.\nAs the cost to everyone else has become clearer, politicians have begun to clamp down. In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands of supporters against Scott Walker, the hardline Republican governor. But many within the public sector suffer under the current system, too.\nJohn Donahue at Harvard's Kennedy School points out that the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stay put but is bad for high achievers. The only American public-sector workers who earn well above $250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the president of the United States. Bankers' fat pay packets have attracted much criticism, but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a much bigger problem for America.","id":"1990.txt","label":0}
{"option":["A lack of mates.","A fierce competition.","A lower survival rate.","A defective gene."],"question":"What used to be the danger in being a man according to the first paragraph?","article":"Being a man has always been dangerous. There are about 105 males born for every 100 females, but this ratio drops to near balance at the age of maturity, and among 70-year-olds there are twice as many women as men. But the great universal of male mortality is being changed. Now, boy babies survive almost as well as girls do. This means that, for the first time, there will be an excess of boys in those crucial years when they are searching for a mate. More important, another chance for natural selection has been removed. Fifty years ago, the chance of a baby (particularly a boy baby) surviving depended on its weight. A kilogram too light or too heavy meant almost certain death. Today it makes almost no difference. Since much of the variation is due to genes, one more agent of evolution has gone.\nThere is another way to commit evolutionary suicide: stay alive, but have fewer children. Few people are as fertile as in the past. Except in some religious communities, very few women have 15 children. Nowadays the number of births, like the age of death, has become average. Most of us have roughly the same number of offspring. Again, differences between people and the opportunity for natural selection to take advantage of it have diminished. India shows what is happening. The country offers wealth for a few in the great cities and poverty for the remaining tribal peoples. The grand mediocrity of today -- everyone being the same in survival and number of offspring -- means that natural selection has lost 80% of its power in upper-middle-class India compared to the tribes.\nFor us, this means that evolution is over; the biological Utopia has arrived. Strangely, it has involved little physical change. No other species fills so many places in nature. But in the pass 100,000 years -- even the pass 100 years -- our lives have been transformed but our bodies have not. We did not evolve, because machines and society did it for us. Darwin had a phrase to describe those ignorant of evolution: they \"look at an organic being as a savage looks at a ship, as at something wholly beyond his comprehension.\" No doubt we will remember a 20th century way of life beyond comprehension for its ugliness. But however amazed our descendants may be at how far from Utopia we were, they will look just like us.","id":"919.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Wealthy people tend to have fewer children than poor people.","Natural selection hardly works among the rich and the poor.","The middle class population is 80% smaller than that of the tribes.","India is one of the countries with a very high birth rate."],"question":"What does the example of India illustrate?","article":"Being a man has always been dangerous. There are about 105 males born for every 100 females, but this ratio drops to near balance at the age of maturity, and among 70-year-olds there are twice as many women as men. But the great universal of male mortality is being changed. Now, boy babies survive almost as well as girls do. This means that, for the first time, there will be an excess of boys in those crucial years when they are searching for a mate. More important, another chance for natural selection has been removed. Fifty years ago, the chance of a baby (particularly a boy baby) surviving depended on its weight. A kilogram too light or too heavy meant almost certain death. Today it makes almost no difference. Since much of the variation is due to genes, one more agent of evolution has gone.\nThere is another way to commit evolutionary suicide: stay alive, but have fewer children. Few people are as fertile as in the past. Except in some religious communities, very few women have 15 children. Nowadays the number of births, like the age of death, has become average. Most of us have roughly the same number of offspring. Again, differences between people and the opportunity for natural selection to take advantage of it have diminished. India shows what is happening. The country offers wealth for a few in the great cities and poverty for the remaining tribal peoples. The grand mediocrity of today -- everyone being the same in survival and number of offspring -- means that natural selection has lost 80% of its power in upper-middle-class India compared to the tribes.\nFor us, this means that evolution is over; the biological Utopia has arrived. Strangely, it has involved little physical change. No other species fills so many places in nature. But in the pass 100,000 years -- even the pass 100 years -- our lives have been transformed but our bodies have not. We did not evolve, because machines and society did it for us. Darwin had a phrase to describe those ignorant of evolution: they \"look at an organic being as a savage looks at a ship, as at something wholly beyond his comprehension.\" No doubt we will remember a 20th century way of life beyond comprehension for its ugliness. But however amazed our descendants may be at how far from Utopia we were, they will look just like us.","id":"919.txt","label":1}
{"option":["life has been improved by technological advance","the number of female babies has been declining","our species has reached the highest stage of evolution","the difference between wealth and poverty is disappearing"],"question":"The author argues that our bodies have stopped evolving because \t.","article":"Being a man has always been dangerous. There are about 105 males born for every 100 females, but this ratio drops to near balance at the age of maturity, and among 70-year-olds there are twice as many women as men. But the great universal of male mortality is being changed. Now, boy babies survive almost as well as girls do. This means that, for the first time, there will be an excess of boys in those crucial years when they are searching for a mate. More important, another chance for natural selection has been removed. Fifty years ago, the chance of a baby (particularly a boy baby) surviving depended on its weight. A kilogram too light or too heavy meant almost certain death. Today it makes almost no difference. Since much of the variation is due to genes, one more agent of evolution has gone.\nThere is another way to commit evolutionary suicide: stay alive, but have fewer children. Few people are as fertile as in the past. Except in some religious communities, very few women have 15 children. Nowadays the number of births, like the age of death, has become average. Most of us have roughly the same number of offspring. Again, differences between people and the opportunity for natural selection to take advantage of it have diminished. India shows what is happening. The country offers wealth for a few in the great cities and poverty for the remaining tribal peoples. The grand mediocrity of today -- everyone being the same in survival and number of offspring -- means that natural selection has lost 80% of its power in upper-middle-class India compared to the tribes.\nFor us, this means that evolution is over; the biological Utopia has arrived. Strangely, it has involved little physical change. No other species fills so many places in nature. But in the pass 100,000 years -- even the pass 100 years -- our lives have been transformed but our bodies have not. We did not evolve, because machines and society did it for us. Darwin had a phrase to describe those ignorant of evolution: they \"look at an organic being as a savage looks at a ship, as at something wholly beyond his comprehension.\" No doubt we will remember a 20th century way of life beyond comprehension for its ugliness. But however amazed our descendants may be at how far from Utopia we were, they will look just like us.","id":"919.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Sex Ratio Changes in Human Evolution","Ways of Continuing Man's Evolution","The Evolutionary Future of Nature","Human Evolution Going Nowhere"],"question":"Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?","article":"Being a man has always been dangerous. There are about 105 males born for every 100 females, but this ratio drops to near balance at the age of maturity, and among 70-year-olds there are twice as many women as men. But the great universal of male mortality is being changed. Now, boy babies survive almost as well as girls do. This means that, for the first time, there will be an excess of boys in those crucial years when they are searching for a mate. More important, another chance for natural selection has been removed. Fifty years ago, the chance of a baby (particularly a boy baby) surviving depended on its weight. A kilogram too light or too heavy meant almost certain death. Today it makes almost no difference. Since much of the variation is due to genes, one more agent of evolution has gone.\nThere is another way to commit evolutionary suicide: stay alive, but have fewer children. Few people are as fertile as in the past. Except in some religious communities, very few women have 15 children. Nowadays the number of births, like the age of death, has become average. Most of us have roughly the same number of offspring. Again, differences between people and the opportunity for natural selection to take advantage of it have diminished. India shows what is happening. The country offers wealth for a few in the great cities and poverty for the remaining tribal peoples. The grand mediocrity of today -- everyone being the same in survival and number of offspring -- means that natural selection has lost 80% of its power in upper-middle-class India compared to the tribes.\nFor us, this means that evolution is over; the biological Utopia has arrived. Strangely, it has involved little physical change. No other species fills so many places in nature. But in the pass 100,000 years -- even the pass 100 years -- our lives have been transformed but our bodies have not. We did not evolve, because machines and society did it for us. Darwin had a phrase to describe those ignorant of evolution: they \"look at an organic being as a savage looks at a ship, as at something wholly beyond his comprehension.\" No doubt we will remember a 20th century way of life beyond comprehension for its ugliness. But however amazed our descendants may be at how far from Utopia we were, they will look just like us.","id":"919.txt","label":3}
{"option":["are hunted for their meat and skins","migrate to other places","starve to death","die out"],"question":"Every year thousands of species of animals  _","article":"Every year more and more plants and animals disappear never to be seen again.Strangely,it is the most intelligent but most thoughtless animal that is causing most of the problems-man.Nature is very carefully balanced and if this balance isdisturbed,animals can disappear alarmingly fast.Every day,thousandsof species of animals draw closer to extinction.There are countless numbers of species which may become extinct before they are even discovered.\nIn many lakes the fish are dying.Fishermen are worried because every year there are fewer fish and some lakes have no fish at all.Scientists are beginning to get worried too.What is killing the fish?\nThe problem is acid rain.Acid rain is a kind of air pollution.It is caused by factories that burn coal or oil or gas.These factories send smoke high into the air.The wind often carries the smoke far from the factories.Some of the harmful substances in the smoke may come down with the rain hundreds of miles away.\nThe rain in many places isn't natural and clean any more.It's full of acid chemicals.When it falls in lakes,it changes them too.The lakes become more acidic.Acid water is like vinegar or lemon juice.It hurts when it gets in your eyes.It also kills the plants and animals that usually live in lake water.That is why the fish are dying in lakes.\nBut dead fish may be just the beginning of the problem.Scientists are finding other effects of acid rain.In some large areas trees are dying.Not just one tree here and there,but whole forests.At first scientists couldn't understand why.There were no bugs or diseases in these trees.The weather was not dry.But now they think that the rain was the cause.Acid rain is making the earth more acidic in these areas.Some kinds of trees cannot live in the soil that is very acidic.\nNow scientists are also beginning to study the effects of acid rain on larger animals.For\nexample,they believe that some deer in Poland are less healthy becauseof acid rain.If deer are hurt by the rain,what about people? This is the question many people are beginning to ask.No one knows the answer yet.But it is an important question for us all.","id":"3326.txt","label":3}
{"option":["natural gas","the oonelayer depletion","acidic lake water","emissions of industrial enterprises"],"question":"Acid rain is caused by _","article":"Every year more and more plants and animals disappear never to be seen again.Strangely,it is the most intelligent but most thoughtless animal that is causing most of the problems-man.Nature is very carefully balanced and if this balance isdisturbed,animals can disappear alarmingly fast.Every day,thousandsof species of animals draw closer to extinction.There are countless numbers of species which may become extinct before they are even discovered.\nIn many lakes the fish are dying.Fishermen are worried because every year there are fewer fish and some lakes have no fish at all.Scientists are beginning to get worried too.What is killing the fish?\nThe problem is acid rain.Acid rain is a kind of air pollution.It is caused by factories that burn coal or oil or gas.These factories send smoke high into the air.The wind often carries the smoke far from the factories.Some of the harmful substances in the smoke may come down with the rain hundreds of miles away.\nThe rain in many places isn't natural and clean any more.It's full of acid chemicals.When it falls in lakes,it changes them too.The lakes become more acidic.Acid water is like vinegar or lemon juice.It hurts when it gets in your eyes.It also kills the plants and animals that usually live in lake water.That is why the fish are dying in lakes.\nBut dead fish may be just the beginning of the problem.Scientists are finding other effects of acid rain.In some large areas trees are dying.Not just one tree here and there,but whole forests.At first scientists couldn't understand why.There were no bugs or diseases in these trees.The weather was not dry.But now they think that the rain was the cause.Acid rain is making the earth more acidic in these areas.Some kinds of trees cannot live in the soil that is very acidic.\nNow scientists are also beginning to study the effects of acid rain on larger animals.For\nexample,they believe that some deer in Poland are less healthy becauseof acid rain.If deer are hurt by the rain,what about people? This is the question many people are beginning to ask.No one knows the answer yet.But it is an important question for us all.","id":"3326.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Dead fish in lakes is the only problem caused by acid rain","Scientists are sure that acid rain is not harmful for mankind.","If we don't make an attempt to stop acid rain we may never see some animals again.","There's no reason to worry about several trees that died of some unknown disease."],"question":"Which of the following is true?","article":"Every year more and more plants and animals disappear never to be seen again.Strangely,it is the most intelligent but most thoughtless animal that is causing most of the problems-man.Nature is very carefully balanced and if this balance isdisturbed,animals can disappear alarmingly fast.Every day,thousandsof species of animals draw closer to extinction.There are countless numbers of species which may become extinct before they are even discovered.\nIn many lakes the fish are dying.Fishermen are worried because every year there are fewer fish and some lakes have no fish at all.Scientists are beginning to get worried too.What is killing the fish?\nThe problem is acid rain.Acid rain is a kind of air pollution.It is caused by factories that burn coal or oil or gas.These factories send smoke high into the air.The wind often carries the smoke far from the factories.Some of the harmful substances in the smoke may come down with the rain hundreds of miles away.\nThe rain in many places isn't natural and clean any more.It's full of acid chemicals.When it falls in lakes,it changes them too.The lakes become more acidic.Acid water is like vinegar or lemon juice.It hurts when it gets in your eyes.It also kills the plants and animals that usually live in lake water.That is why the fish are dying in lakes.\nBut dead fish may be just the beginning of the problem.Scientists are finding other effects of acid rain.In some large areas trees are dying.Not just one tree here and there,but whole forests.At first scientists couldn't understand why.There were no bugs or diseases in these trees.The weather was not dry.But now they think that the rain was the cause.Acid rain is making the earth more acidic in these areas.Some kinds of trees cannot live in the soil that is very acidic.\nNow scientists are also beginning to study the effects of acid rain on larger animals.For\nexample,they believe that some deer in Poland are less healthy becauseof acid rain.If deer are hurt by the rain,what about people? This is the question many people are beginning to ask.No one knows the answer yet.But it is an important question for us all.","id":"3326.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Acid rain is capable of dissolving some rocks and stones.","Fish are unable to live in the water containing acidic chemicals.","Coal,oil or gas form dangerous combinations after being burnt.","Scientists think that if some larger animals can be affected by acid rain,people may be in great danger."],"question":"What is not mentioned in the text?","article":"Every year more and more plants and animals disappear never to be seen again.Strangely,it is the most intelligent but most thoughtless animal that is causing most of the problems-man.Nature is very carefully balanced and if this balance isdisturbed,animals can disappear alarmingly fast.Every day,thousandsof species of animals draw closer to extinction.There are countless numbers of species which may become extinct before they are even discovered.\nIn many lakes the fish are dying.Fishermen are worried because every year there are fewer fish and some lakes have no fish at all.Scientists are beginning to get worried too.What is killing the fish?\nThe problem is acid rain.Acid rain is a kind of air pollution.It is caused by factories that burn coal or oil or gas.These factories send smoke high into the air.The wind often carries the smoke far from the factories.Some of the harmful substances in the smoke may come down with the rain hundreds of miles away.\nThe rain in many places isn't natural and clean any more.It's full of acid chemicals.When it falls in lakes,it changes them too.The lakes become more acidic.Acid water is like vinegar or lemon juice.It hurts when it gets in your eyes.It also kills the plants and animals that usually live in lake water.That is why the fish are dying in lakes.\nBut dead fish may be just the beginning of the problem.Scientists are finding other effects of acid rain.In some large areas trees are dying.Not just one tree here and there,but whole forests.At first scientists couldn't understand why.There were no bugs or diseases in these trees.The weather was not dry.But now they think that the rain was the cause.Acid rain is making the earth more acidic in these areas.Some kinds of trees cannot live in the soil that is very acidic.\nNow scientists are also beginning to study the effects of acid rain on larger animals.For\nexample,they believe that some deer in Poland are less healthy becauseof acid rain.If deer are hurt by the rain,what about people? This is the question many people are beginning to ask.No one knows the answer yet.But it is an important question for us all.","id":"3326.txt","label":0}
{"option":["stays over the factories","is usually clean now","turns into air","can travel hundreds of miles"],"question":"Factory smoke _ .--","article":"Every year more and more plants and animals disappear never to be seen again.Strangely,it is the most intelligent but most thoughtless animal that is causing most of the problems-man.Nature is very carefully balanced and if this balance isdisturbed,animals can disappear alarmingly fast.Every day,thousandsof species of animals draw closer to extinction.There are countless numbers of species which may become extinct before they are even discovered.\nIn many lakes the fish are dying.Fishermen are worried because every year there are fewer fish and some lakes have no fish at all.Scientists are beginning to get worried too.What is killing the fish?\nThe problem is acid rain.Acid rain is a kind of air pollution.It is caused by factories that burn coal or oil or gas.These factories send smoke high into the air.The wind often carries the smoke far from the factories.Some of the harmful substances in the smoke may come down with the rain hundreds of miles away.\nThe rain in many places isn't natural and clean any more.It's full of acid chemicals.When it falls in lakes,it changes them too.The lakes become more acidic.Acid water is like vinegar or lemon juice.It hurts when it gets in your eyes.It also kills the plants and animals that usually live in lake water.That is why the fish are dying in lakes.\nBut dead fish may be just the beginning of the problem.Scientists are finding other effects of acid rain.In some large areas trees are dying.Not just one tree here and there,but whole forests.At first scientists couldn't understand why.There were no bugs or diseases in these trees.The weather was not dry.But now they think that the rain was the cause.Acid rain is making the earth more acidic in these areas.Some kinds of trees cannot live in the soil that is very acidic.\nNow scientists are also beginning to study the effects of acid rain on larger animals.For\nexample,they believe that some deer in Poland are less healthy becauseof acid rain.If deer are hurt by the rain,what about people? This is the question many people are beginning to ask.No one knows the answer yet.But it is an important question for us all.","id":"3326.txt","label":3}
{"option":["demonstrate his capability","give his boss a good impression","ask for as much money as he can","ask for the salary he hopes to get"],"question":"According to the passage, before taking a job, a person should _ .","article":"It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints  influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don't at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth's story:\nI did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle  offices and window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.\nIt would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but \"nice\" isn't a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you'll probably have to ask for it.\nPerformance is your best bargaining chip  when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you want.\nUse information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market.\nWhat will someone else pay for your services?\nGo into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.","id":"553.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Prejudice against women still exists in some organizations.","If people want what they deserve, they have to ask for it.","People should not be content with what they have got.","People should be careful when negotiating for a job."],"question":"What can be inferred from Beth's story?","article":"It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints  influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don't at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth's story:\nI did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle  offices and window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.\nIt would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but \"nice\" isn't a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you'll probably have to ask for it.\nPerformance is your best bargaining chip  when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you want.\nUse information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market.\nWhat will someone else pay for your services?\nGo into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.","id":"553.txt","label":1}
{"option":["unfairness exists in salary increases","most people are overworked and underpaid","one should avoid overstating one's performance","most organizations give their staff automatic pay raises"],"question":"We can learn from the passage that _ .","article":"It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints  influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don't at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth's story:\nI did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle  offices and window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.\nIt would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but \"nice\" isn't a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you'll probably have to ask for it.\nPerformance is your best bargaining chip  when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you want.\nUse information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market.\nWhat will someone else pay for your services?\nGo into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.","id":"553.txt","label":0}
{"option":["advertise himself on the job market","persuade his boss to sign a long-term contract","try to get inside information about the organization","do something to impress his boss just before merit pay decisions"],"question":"To get a pay raise, a person should_ .","article":"It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints  influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don't at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth's story:\nI did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle  offices and window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.\nIt would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but \"nice\" isn't a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you'll probably have to ask for it.\nPerformance is your best bargaining chip  when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you want.\nUse information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market.\nWhat will someone else pay for your services?\nGo into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.","id":"553.txt","label":3}
{"option":["meet his boss at the appropriate time","arrive at the negotiation table punctually","be good at influencing the outcome of the interaction","be familiar with what the boss likes and dislikes"],"question":"To be successful in negotiations, one must_ .","article":"It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints  influence wage increases. One thing, however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don't at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more, and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth's story:\nI did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle  offices and window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.\nIt would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit, but \"nice\" isn't a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you'll probably have to ask for it.\nPerformance is your best bargaining chip  when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made, you are more likely to get the raise you want.\nUse information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market.\nWhat will someone else pay for your services?\nGo into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.","id":"553.txt","label":2}
{"option":["It should cater to the needs of individual children.","It is essential to a person's future academic success.","Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.","Parents regard it as the first phase of children's development."],"question":"What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?","article":"The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthandeducators use for this is \"pre-K\"-meaning instruction before kindergarten-and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.\nBut it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.\nThe federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.\nA new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.\nPre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.\nThis is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.\nThe weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.\nFor this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.","id":"2245.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.","The third grade marks a new phase of learning.","The third grade is critical to children's development.","Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs."],"question":"What does the new Peabody study find?","article":"The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthandeducators use for this is \"pre-K\"-meaning instruction before kindergarten-and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.\nBut it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.\nThe federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.\nA new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.\nPre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.\nThis is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.\nThe weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.\nFor this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.","id":"2245.txt","label":0}
{"option":["When it is accessible to kids of all families.","When it is made part of kids' education.","When it is no longer considered a luxury.","When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids."],"question":"When does the author think pre-K works the best?","article":"The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthandeducators use for this is \"pre-K\"-meaning instruction before kindergarten-and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.\nBut it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.\nThe federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.\nA new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.\nPre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.\nThis is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.\nThe weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.\nFor this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.","id":"2245.txt","label":1}
{"option":["She knows the real goal of education.","She is a mayor of insight and vision.","She has once run a pre-K program.","She is a firm supporter of pre-K."],"question":"What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?","article":"The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthandeducators use for this is \"pre-K\"-meaning instruction before kindergarten-and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.\nBut it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.\nThe federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.\nA new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.\nPre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.\nThis is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.\nThe weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.\nFor this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.","id":"2245.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Teaching method.","Kids' interest.","Early intervention.","Parents' involvement."],"question":"What does the author think is critical to kids' education?","article":"The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthandeducators use for this is \"pre-K\"-meaning instruction before kindergarten-and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.\nBut it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.\nThe federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.\nA new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.\nPre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.\nThis is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.\nThe weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.\nFor this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.","id":"2245.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Students with a bachelor's degree in humanities.","People with an MBA degree front top universities.","People with formal schooling plus work experience.","People with special training in engineering"],"question":"What kinds of people are in high demand on the job market?","article":"If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.\nThat's especially true of booing fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five jobs offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.\nBut in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years.\nAs further evidence of the erosion  of corporate  faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices, Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. \"They want someone who isn't constrained  by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture,\"says Scheetz.\nThis sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems, David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, \"I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things,\" says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize, \"A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace,\" says Scheetz.","id":"479.txt","label":2}
{"option":["most MBA programs fail to provide students with a solid foundation","an MBA degree does not help promotion to managerial positions","MBA programs will not be as popular in five years' time as they are now","in five people will forget about the degree the MBA graduates have got"],"question":"By saying \"\u2026but the impact of a degree washes out after five years\" (Line 3, , 3), the author means _ .","article":"If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.\nThat's especially true of booing fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five jobs offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.\nBut in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years.\nAs further evidence of the erosion  of corporate  faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices, Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. \"They want someone who isn't constrained  by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture,\"says Scheetz.\nThis sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems, David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, \"I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things,\" says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize, \"A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace,\" says Scheetz.","id":"479.txt","label":1}
{"option":["people who have a strategic mind","people who are talented in fine arts","people who are ambitious and aggressive","people who have received training in mechanics"],"question":"According to Scheetz's statement (Lines 4-5. . 4), companies prefer _ .","article":"If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.\nThat's especially true of booing fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five jobs offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.\nBut in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years.\nAs further evidence of the erosion  of corporate  faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices, Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. \"They want someone who isn't constrained  by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture,\"says Scheetz.\nThis sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems, David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, \"I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things,\" says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize, \"A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace,\" says Scheetz.","id":"479.txt","label":0}
{"option":["they are more capable of handling changing situations","they can stick to established ways of solving problems","they are thoroughly trained in a variety of specialized fields","they have attended special programs in management"],"question":"David Birch claims that he only hires liberal-arts people because _ .","article":"If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.\nThat's especially true of booing fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five jobs offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.\nBut in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years.\nAs further evidence of the erosion  of corporate  faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices, Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. \"They want someone who isn't constrained  by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture,\"says Scheetz.\nThis sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems, David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, \"I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things,\" says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize, \"A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace,\" says Scheetz.","id":"479.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Specialists are more expensive to hire than generalists.","Formal schooling is less important than job training.","On-the-job training is, in the long run, less costly.","Generalists will outdo specialists in management."],"question":"Which of the following statements does the author support?","article":"If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training. A recent survey shows that companies the graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.\nThat's especially true of booing fields that are challenging for workers. At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five jobs offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement. Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.\nBut in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off. Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval. The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, but the impact of a degree washes out after five years.\nAs further evidence of the erosion  of corporate  faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices, Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management. \"They want someone who isn't constrained  by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture,\"says Scheetz.\nThis sounds suspiciously like a formal statement that you approve of the liberal-arts graduate. Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have: writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems, David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, \"I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things,\" says Birch. Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two. With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize, \"A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace,\" says Scheetz.","id":"479.txt","label":3}
{"option":["introduce, in an interesting manner, the discussion of food.","show the connection between food and nationality of food.","indicate that there are various ways to prepare food.","impress upon the reader the food value of fish."],"question":"The reviewer uses a Polish proverb at the beginning of the article in order to","article":"Sensory Evaluation of Food\nA Polish proverb claims that fish, to taste right, should three times-in water, in butter and in wine. The early efforts of the basic scientists in the food industry were directed at improving the preparation, preservation, and distribution of safe and nutritious food. Our memories of certain foodstuffs eaten during the World War II suggest that, although these might have been safe and nutritious, they certainly did not taste right nor were they particularly appetizing in appearance or smell. This neglect of the sensory appeal of foods is happily becoming a thing of the past. Bow, in the book \"Principles of Sensory Evaluation of Food,\" the authors hope that it will be useful to food technologists in industry and also to others engaged in research into problem of sensory evaluation of foods. An attempt has clearly been make to collect every possible piece of information, which might be useful, more than one thousand five hundred references being quoted. As a result, the book seems at first sight to be an exhaustive and critically useful review of the literature. This it certainly is, but this is by no means is its only achievement, for there are many suggestions for further lines of research, and the discursive passages are crisply provocative of new ideas and new ways of looking at established findings.\nOf particular interest is the weight given to the psychological aspects of perception, both objectively and subjectively. The relation between stimuli and perception is well covered, and includes a valuable discussion of the uses and disadvantages of the Weber fraction of differences. It is interesting to find that in spite of many attempts to separate and define the modalities of taste, nothing better has been achieved than the familiar classification into sweet, sour salty and bitter. Nor is there as yet any clear-cut evidence of the physiological nature of the taste stimulus. With regard to smell, systems of classification are of little value because of the extraordinary sensitivity of the nose and because the response to the stimulus is so subjective. The authors suggest that a classification based on the size, shape and electronic status of the molecule involved merits further investigation, as does the theoretical proposition that weak physical binding of the stimulant molecule to he receptor site is a necessary part of the mechanism of stimulation.\nApart from taste and smell, there are many other components of perception of the sensations from food in the mouth. The basic modalities of pain, cold, warmth and touch, together with vibration sense, discrimination and localization may all play a part, as, of course, does auditory reception of bone-conducted vibratory stimuli from the teeth when eating crisp or crunchy foods. In this connection the authors rightly point out that this type of stimulus requires much more investigation, suggesting that a start might be made by using subjects afflicted with various forms of deafness. It is well-known that extraneous noise may alter discrimination, and the attention of the authors is directed to the work of Prof. H. J. Eysenck on the \"stimulus hunger\" of extroverts and the \"stimulus avoidance\" of introverts.","id":"217.txt","label":0}
{"option":["mixed feelings.","indifference.","high praise.","faint praise."],"question":"The reviewers appraisal of \"Principles of Sensory Evaluation of Food\" is one of","article":"Sensory Evaluation of Food\nA Polish proverb claims that fish, to taste right, should three times-in water, in butter and in wine. The early efforts of the basic scientists in the food industry were directed at improving the preparation, preservation, and distribution of safe and nutritious food. Our memories of certain foodstuffs eaten during the World War II suggest that, although these might have been safe and nutritious, they certainly did not taste right nor were they particularly appetizing in appearance or smell. This neglect of the sensory appeal of foods is happily becoming a thing of the past. Bow, in the book \"Principles of Sensory Evaluation of Food,\" the authors hope that it will be useful to food technologists in industry and also to others engaged in research into problem of sensory evaluation of foods. An attempt has clearly been make to collect every possible piece of information, which might be useful, more than one thousand five hundred references being quoted. As a result, the book seems at first sight to be an exhaustive and critically useful review of the literature. This it certainly is, but this is by no means is its only achievement, for there are many suggestions for further lines of research, and the discursive passages are crisply provocative of new ideas and new ways of looking at established findings.\nOf particular interest is the weight given to the psychological aspects of perception, both objectively and subjectively. The relation between stimuli and perception is well covered, and includes a valuable discussion of the uses and disadvantages of the Weber fraction of differences. It is interesting to find that in spite of many attempts to separate and define the modalities of taste, nothing better has been achieved than the familiar classification into sweet, sour salty and bitter. Nor is there as yet any clear-cut evidence of the physiological nature of the taste stimulus. With regard to smell, systems of classification are of little value because of the extraordinary sensitivity of the nose and because the response to the stimulus is so subjective. The authors suggest that a classification based on the size, shape and electronic status of the molecule involved merits further investigation, as does the theoretical proposition that weak physical binding of the stimulant molecule to he receptor site is a necessary part of the mechanism of stimulation.\nApart from taste and smell, there are many other components of perception of the sensations from food in the mouth. The basic modalities of pain, cold, warmth and touch, together with vibration sense, discrimination and localization may all play a part, as, of course, does auditory reception of bone-conducted vibratory stimuli from the teeth when eating crisp or crunchy foods. In this connection the authors rightly point out that this type of stimulus requires much more investigation, suggesting that a start might be made by using subjects afflicted with various forms of deafness. It is well-known that extraneous noise may alter discrimination, and the attention of the authors is directed to the work of Prof. H. J. Eysenck on the \"stimulus hunger\" of extroverts and the \"stimulus avoidance\" of introverts.","id":"217.txt","label":2}
{"option":["sharply defined classifications of taste are needed.","more research should be done regarding the molecular constituency of food.","food values are objectively determined by an expert \"smeller\".","temperature is an important factor in the value of food."],"question":"The writer of the article does not express the view, either directly or by implication, that","article":"Sensory Evaluation of Food\nA Polish proverb claims that fish, to taste right, should three times-in water, in butter and in wine. The early efforts of the basic scientists in the food industry were directed at improving the preparation, preservation, and distribution of safe and nutritious food. Our memories of certain foodstuffs eaten during the World War II suggest that, although these might have been safe and nutritious, they certainly did not taste right nor were they particularly appetizing in appearance or smell. This neglect of the sensory appeal of foods is happily becoming a thing of the past. Bow, in the book \"Principles of Sensory Evaluation of Food,\" the authors hope that it will be useful to food technologists in industry and also to others engaged in research into problem of sensory evaluation of foods. An attempt has clearly been make to collect every possible piece of information, which might be useful, more than one thousand five hundred references being quoted. As a result, the book seems at first sight to be an exhaustive and critically useful review of the literature. This it certainly is, but this is by no means is its only achievement, for there are many suggestions for further lines of research, and the discursive passages are crisply provocative of new ideas and new ways of looking at established findings.\nOf particular interest is the weight given to the psychological aspects of perception, both objectively and subjectively. The relation between stimuli and perception is well covered, and includes a valuable discussion of the uses and disadvantages of the Weber fraction of differences. It is interesting to find that in spite of many attempts to separate and define the modalities of taste, nothing better has been achieved than the familiar classification into sweet, sour salty and bitter. Nor is there as yet any clear-cut evidence of the physiological nature of the taste stimulus. With regard to smell, systems of classification are of little value because of the extraordinary sensitivity of the nose and because the response to the stimulus is so subjective. The authors suggest that a classification based on the size, shape and electronic status of the molecule involved merits further investigation, as does the theoretical proposition that weak physical binding of the stimulant molecule to he receptor site is a necessary part of the mechanism of stimulation.\nApart from taste and smell, there are many other components of perception of the sensations from food in the mouth. The basic modalities of pain, cold, warmth and touch, together with vibration sense, discrimination and localization may all play a part, as, of course, does auditory reception of bone-conducted vibratory stimuli from the teeth when eating crisp or crunchy foods. In this connection the authors rightly point out that this type of stimulus requires much more investigation, suggesting that a start might be made by using subjects afflicted with various forms of deafness. It is well-known that extraneous noise may alter discrimination, and the attention of the authors is directed to the work of Prof. H. J. Eysenck on the \"stimulus hunger\" of extroverts and the \"stimulus avoidance\" of introverts.","id":"217.txt","label":2}
{"option":["deaf people are generally introversive.","the auditory sense is an important factor in food evaluation.","they are more fastidious in their choice of foods.","All types of subjects should be used."],"question":"The authors of the book suggest the use of deaf subject because","article":"Sensory Evaluation of Food\nA Polish proverb claims that fish, to taste right, should three times-in water, in butter and in wine. The early efforts of the basic scientists in the food industry were directed at improving the preparation, preservation, and distribution of safe and nutritious food. Our memories of certain foodstuffs eaten during the World War II suggest that, although these might have been safe and nutritious, they certainly did not taste right nor were they particularly appetizing in appearance or smell. This neglect of the sensory appeal of foods is happily becoming a thing of the past. Bow, in the book \"Principles of Sensory Evaluation of Food,\" the authors hope that it will be useful to food technologists in industry and also to others engaged in research into problem of sensory evaluation of foods. An attempt has clearly been make to collect every possible piece of information, which might be useful, more than one thousand five hundred references being quoted. As a result, the book seems at first sight to be an exhaustive and critically useful review of the literature. This it certainly is, but this is by no means is its only achievement, for there are many suggestions for further lines of research, and the discursive passages are crisply provocative of new ideas and new ways of looking at established findings.\nOf particular interest is the weight given to the psychological aspects of perception, both objectively and subjectively. The relation between stimuli and perception is well covered, and includes a valuable discussion of the uses and disadvantages of the Weber fraction of differences. It is interesting to find that in spite of many attempts to separate and define the modalities of taste, nothing better has been achieved than the familiar classification into sweet, sour salty and bitter. Nor is there as yet any clear-cut evidence of the physiological nature of the taste stimulus. With regard to smell, systems of classification are of little value because of the extraordinary sensitivity of the nose and because the response to the stimulus is so subjective. The authors suggest that a classification based on the size, shape and electronic status of the molecule involved merits further investigation, as does the theoretical proposition that weak physical binding of the stimulant molecule to he receptor site is a necessary part of the mechanism of stimulation.\nApart from taste and smell, there are many other components of perception of the sensations from food in the mouth. The basic modalities of pain, cold, warmth and touch, together with vibration sense, discrimination and localization may all play a part, as, of course, does auditory reception of bone-conducted vibratory stimuli from the teeth when eating crisp or crunchy foods. In this connection the authors rightly point out that this type of stimulus requires much more investigation, suggesting that a start might be made by using subjects afflicted with various forms of deafness. It is well-known that extraneous noise may alter discrimination, and the attention of the authors is directed to the work of Prof. H. J. Eysenck on the \"stimulus hunger\" of extroverts and the \"stimulus avoidance\" of introverts.","id":"217.txt","label":1}
{"option":["by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry","because they are capable of predicting new fashions","by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing","because they attach great importance to quality in women's clothing"],"question":"Designers and big stores always make money  _ .","article":"If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seem in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.\nChanging fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.\nNo one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.\nWhen comparing men and men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.","id":"3175.txt","label":2}
{"option":["a waste of money","a waste of time","an expression of taste","an expression of creativity"],"question":"To the writer, the fact that women alter their old-fashioned dresses is seen as  _ .","article":"If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seem in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.\nChanging fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.\nNo one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.\nWhen comparing men and men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.","id":"3175.txt","label":1}
{"option":["cost","appearance","comfort","suitability"],"question":"The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the  _  of clothing.","article":"If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seem in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.\nChanging fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.\nNo one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.\nWhen comparing men and men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.","id":"3175.txt","label":2}
{"option":["New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women.","The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character.","The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society.","Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women."],"question":"According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?  _ .","article":"If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seem in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.\nChanging fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.\nNo one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.\nWhen comparing men and men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.","id":"3175.txt","label":0}
{"option":["women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at","women are better able to put up with discomfort","men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers","men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion"],"question":"By saying \"the conclusion to be drawn are obvious\" (Para. 4, Line 1-2), the writer means that  _ .","article":"If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seem in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.\nChanging fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.\nNo one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.\nWhen comparing men and men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.","id":"3175.txt","label":3}
{"option":["parents","teenagers","winners","adults"],"question":"The Winners Club is a bank account intended for _ .","article":"Winners Club\nYou choose to be a winner!\nThe Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction accountwhere you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24\/7 - that's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!\nIt's a club with impressive features for teenagers:\nNo account keeping fees!\nYou're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!\nExcellent interest rates!\nYou want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two depositswithout taking them out in a month.\nConvenient\nTeenagers are busy - we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet\u2022\u2022\u2022You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!\nMega magazine included\nAlong with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.\nThe Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You can't wait to hear from you. It's the best way to choose to be a winner!","id":"1829.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Special gifts are ready for parents.","The bank opens only on work days.","Services are convenient for its members.","Fees are necessary for the account keeping."],"question":"Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?","article":"Winners Club\nYou choose to be a winner!\nThe Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction accountwhere you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24\/7 - that's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!\nIt's a club with impressive features for teenagers:\nNo account keeping fees!\nYou're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!\nExcellent interest rates!\nYou want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two depositswithout taking them out in a month.\nConvenient\nTeenagers are busy - we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet\u2022\u2022\u2022You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!\nMega magazine included\nAlong with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.\nThe Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You can't wait to hear from you. It's the best way to choose to be a winner!","id":"1829.txt","label":2}
{"option":["encourage spending","are free to all teenagers","are full of adventure stories","help to make more of your money"],"question":"The Winners Club provides magazines which _ .","article":"Winners Club\nYou choose to be a winner!\nThe Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction accountwhere you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24\/7 - that's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!\nIt's a club with impressive features for teenagers:\nNo account keeping fees!\nYou're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!\nExcellent interest rates!\nYou want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two depositswithout taking them out in a month.\nConvenient\nTeenagers are busy - we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet\u2022\u2022\u2022You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!\nMega magazine included\nAlong with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.\nThe Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You can't wait to hear from you. It's the best way to choose to be a winner!","id":"1829.txt","label":3}
{"option":["be an Internet user","be permitted by your parent","have a big sum of money","be in your twenties"],"question":"If you want to be a member of the Club, you must _ .","article":"Winners Club\nYou choose to be a winner!\nThe Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction accountwhere you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24\/7 - that's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!\nIt's a club with impressive features for teenagers:\nNo account keeping fees!\nYou're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!\nExcellent interest rates!\nYou want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two depositswithout taking them out in a month.\nConvenient\nTeenagers are busy - we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet\u2022\u2022\u2022You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!\nMega magazine included\nAlong with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.\nThe Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You can't wait to hear from you. It's the best way to choose to be a winner!","id":"1829.txt","label":1}
{"option":["To set up a club.","To provide part-time jobs.","To organize key-cards.","To introduce a new banking service."],"question":"What is the purpose of this text?","article":"Winners Club\nYou choose to be a winner!\nThe Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction accountwhere you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24\/7 - that's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!\nIt's a club with impressive features for teenagers:\nNo account keeping fees!\nYou're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!\nExcellent interest rates!\nYou want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two depositswithout taking them out in a month.\nConvenient\nTeenagers are busy - we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet\u2022\u2022\u2022You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!\nMega magazine included\nAlong with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.\nThe Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You can't wait to hear from you. It's the best way to choose to be a winner!","id":"1829.txt","label":3}
{"option":["efficiency must be raised in the poultry industry","raising poultry can provide more protein than growing grain","factory farming will do more harm than good to developing countries","hungry nations may benefit from the development of the poultry industry"],"question":"In this passage the author argues that ________.","article":"Not content with its doubtful claim to produce cheap food for our own population, the factory farming industry also argues that \"hungry nations are benefiting from advances made by the poultry  industry\". In fact, rather than helping the fight against malnutrition  in \"hungry nations,\" the spread of factory farming has, inevitably aggravated the problem.\nLarge scale intensive meat and poultry production is a waste of food resources.\nThis is because more protein has to be fed to animals in the form of vegetable matter than can ever be recovered in the form of meat. Much of the food value is lost in the animal's process of digestion and cell replacement. Neither, in the ca se of chicken, can one eat feathers, blood, feet or head. In all, only about 44% of the live animal fits to be eaten as meat.\nThis means one has to feed approximately 9-10 times as much food value to the animal than one can consume from the carcass. As a system for feeding the hungry, the effects can prove disastrous. At times of crisis, grain is the food of life.\nNevertheless, the huge increase in poultry production throughout Asia and Africa continues. Normally British or US firms are involved. For instance, an American based multinational company has this year announced its involvement in projects in several African countries. Britain's largest suppliers chickens, Ross Breeders, are also involved in projects all over the world.\nBecause such trade is good for exports, Western governments encourage it. In 1979, a firm in Bangladesh called Phoenix Poultry received a grant to set up a unit of 6,000 chickens and 18,000 laying hens. This almost doubled the number of poultry kept in the country all at once.\nBut Bangladesh lacks capital, energy and food and has large numbers of unemployed. Such chicken raising demands capital for building and machinery, extensive use of energy resources for automation, and involves feeding chickens with potential famine relief protein food. At present, one of Bangladesh's main imports is food grains, because the country is unable to grow enough food to feed its population. On what then can they possibly feed the chicken?","id":"3128.txt","label":2}
{"option":["is easy for chickens to digest","is insufficient for the needs of poultry","is fully utilised in meat and egg production","is inefficiently converted into meat and eggs"],"question":"According to the author, in factory, vegetable food ________.","article":"Not content with its doubtful claim to produce cheap food for our own population, the factory farming industry also argues that \"hungry nations are benefiting from advances made by the poultry  industry\". In fact, rather than helping the fight against malnutrition  in \"hungry nations,\" the spread of factory farming has, inevitably aggravated the problem.\nLarge scale intensive meat and poultry production is a waste of food resources.\nThis is because more protein has to be fed to animals in the form of vegetable matter than can ever be recovered in the form of meat. Much of the food value is lost in the animal's process of digestion and cell replacement. Neither, in the ca se of chicken, can one eat feathers, blood, feet or head. In all, only about 44% of the live animal fits to be eaten as meat.\nThis means one has to feed approximately 9-10 times as much food value to the animal than one can consume from the carcass. As a system for feeding the hungry, the effects can prove disastrous. At times of crisis, grain is the food of life.\nNevertheless, the huge increase in poultry production throughout Asia and Africa continues. Normally British or US firms are involved. For instance, an American based multinational company has this year announced its involvement in projects in several African countries. Britain's largest suppliers chickens, Ross Breeders, are also involved in projects all over the world.\nBecause such trade is good for exports, Western governments encourage it. In 1979, a firm in Bangladesh called Phoenix Poultry received a grant to set up a unit of 6,000 chickens and 18,000 laying hens. This almost doubled the number of poultry kept in the country all at once.\nBut Bangladesh lacks capital, energy and food and has large numbers of unemployed. Such chicken raising demands capital for building and machinery, extensive use of energy resources for automation, and involves feeding chickens with potential famine relief protein food. At present, one of Bangladesh's main imports is food grains, because the country is unable to grow enough food to feed its population. On what then can they possibly feed the chicken?","id":"3128.txt","label":3}
{"option":["boost their own exports","alleviate malnutrition in Asian countries","create job opportunities in Asian countries","promote the exports of Asian countries"],"question":"Western governments encourage the poultry industry in Asia because they regard it as an effective way to ________.","article":"Not content with its doubtful claim to produce cheap food for our own population, the factory farming industry also argues that \"hungry nations are benefiting from advances made by the poultry  industry\". In fact, rather than helping the fight against malnutrition  in \"hungry nations,\" the spread of factory farming has, inevitably aggravated the problem.\nLarge scale intensive meat and poultry production is a waste of food resources.\nThis is because more protein has to be fed to animals in the form of vegetable matter than can ever be recovered in the form of meat. Much of the food value is lost in the animal's process of digestion and cell replacement. Neither, in the ca se of chicken, can one eat feathers, blood, feet or head. In all, only about 44% of the live animal fits to be eaten as meat.\nThis means one has to feed approximately 9-10 times as much food value to the animal than one can consume from the carcass. As a system for feeding the hungry, the effects can prove disastrous. At times of crisis, grain is the food of life.\nNevertheless, the huge increase in poultry production throughout Asia and Africa continues. Normally British or US firms are involved. For instance, an American based multinational company has this year announced its involvement in projects in several African countries. Britain's largest suppliers chickens, Ross Breeders, are also involved in projects all over the world.\nBecause such trade is good for exports, Western governments encourage it. In 1979, a firm in Bangladesh called Phoenix Poultry received a grant to set up a unit of 6,000 chickens and 18,000 laying hens. This almost doubled the number of poultry kept in the country all at once.\nBut Bangladesh lacks capital, energy and food and has large numbers of unemployed. Such chicken raising demands capital for building and machinery, extensive use of energy resources for automation, and involves feeding chickens with potential famine relief protein food. At present, one of Bangladesh's main imports is food grains, because the country is unable to grow enough food to feed its population. On what then can they possibly feed the chicken?","id":"3128.txt","label":0}
{"option":["vegetables preserved for future use","the dead body of an animal ready to be cut into meat","expensive food that consumers can hardly afford","meat canned for future consumption"],"question":"The word \"carcass\" (Line 2, Para. 3) most probably means \"________\".","article":"Not content with its doubtful claim to produce cheap food for our own population, the factory farming industry also argues that \"hungry nations are benefiting from advances made by the poultry  industry\". In fact, rather than helping the fight against malnutrition  in \"hungry nations,\" the spread of factory farming has, inevitably aggravated the problem.\nLarge scale intensive meat and poultry production is a waste of food resources.\nThis is because more protein has to be fed to animals in the form of vegetable matter than can ever be recovered in the form of meat. Much of the food value is lost in the animal's process of digestion and cell replacement. Neither, in the ca se of chicken, can one eat feathers, blood, feet or head. In all, only about 44% of the live animal fits to be eaten as meat.\nThis means one has to feed approximately 9-10 times as much food value to the animal than one can consume from the carcass. As a system for feeding the hungry, the effects can prove disastrous. At times of crisis, grain is the food of life.\nNevertheless, the huge increase in poultry production throughout Asia and Africa continues. Normally British or US firms are involved. For instance, an American based multinational company has this year announced its involvement in projects in several African countries. Britain's largest suppliers chickens, Ross Breeders, are also involved in projects all over the world.\nBecause such trade is good for exports, Western governments encourage it. In 1979, a firm in Bangladesh called Phoenix Poultry received a grant to set up a unit of 6,000 chickens and 18,000 laying hens. This almost doubled the number of poultry kept in the country all at once.\nBut Bangladesh lacks capital, energy and food and has large numbers of unemployed. Such chicken raising demands capital for building and machinery, extensive use of energy resources for automation, and involves feeding chickens with potential famine relief protein food. At present, one of Bangladesh's main imports is food grains, because the country is unable to grow enough food to feed its population. On what then can they possibly feed the chicken?","id":"3128.txt","label":1}
{"option":["detailed analysis of the ways of raising poultry in Bangladesh","great appreciation of the development of poultry industry in Bangladesh","critical view on the development of the poultry industry in Bangladesh","practical suggestion for the improvement of the poultry industry in Bangladesh"],"question":"What the last paragraph tells us is the author's ________.","article":"Not content with its doubtful claim to produce cheap food for our own population, the factory farming industry also argues that \"hungry nations are benefiting from advances made by the poultry  industry\". In fact, rather than helping the fight against malnutrition  in \"hungry nations,\" the spread of factory farming has, inevitably aggravated the problem.\nLarge scale intensive meat and poultry production is a waste of food resources.\nThis is because more protein has to be fed to animals in the form of vegetable matter than can ever be recovered in the form of meat. Much of the food value is lost in the animal's process of digestion and cell replacement. Neither, in the ca se of chicken, can one eat feathers, blood, feet or head. In all, only about 44% of the live animal fits to be eaten as meat.\nThis means one has to feed approximately 9-10 times as much food value to the animal than one can consume from the carcass. As a system for feeding the hungry, the effects can prove disastrous. At times of crisis, grain is the food of life.\nNevertheless, the huge increase in poultry production throughout Asia and Africa continues. Normally British or US firms are involved. For instance, an American based multinational company has this year announced its involvement in projects in several African countries. Britain's largest suppliers chickens, Ross Breeders, are also involved in projects all over the world.\nBecause such trade is good for exports, Western governments encourage it. In 1979, a firm in Bangladesh called Phoenix Poultry received a grant to set up a unit of 6,000 chickens and 18,000 laying hens. This almost doubled the number of poultry kept in the country all at once.\nBut Bangladesh lacks capital, energy and food and has large numbers of unemployed. Such chicken raising demands capital for building and machinery, extensive use of energy resources for automation, and involves feeding chickens with potential famine relief protein food. At present, one of Bangladesh's main imports is food grains, because the country is unable to grow enough food to feed its population. On what then can they possibly feed the chicken?","id":"3128.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Support from the votes.","The reduction of public expenditure.","Quick economics returns.","The budget for a research project."],"question":"What is the chief concern of most governments when it comes to scientific research?","article":"Public distrust of scientists stems in part from the blurring of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most government, perhaps all governments, justify public expenditure on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific enterprise ha brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines \u2018our scientists' have invented, the new drugs to relieve old ailments , and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously intractable  conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to \u2018economics needs', that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are \u2018near the market' and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to comply. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they perceive as a climate hostile to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.\nIn such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might conceivably cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people many still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some his research funding.\nThis attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing then a venal . This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements, but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as \u2018experts'. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.","id":"637.txt","label":1}
{"option":["impress the public with their achievements","pursue knowledge for knowledge's sake","obtain funding from the government","translate knowledge into wealth"],"question":"Scientist have to adapt their research to \u2018economic needs' in order to ________.","article":"Public distrust of scientists stems in part from the blurring of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most government, perhaps all governments, justify public expenditure on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific enterprise ha brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines \u2018our scientists' have invented, the new drugs to relieve old ailments , and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously intractable  conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to \u2018economics needs', that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are \u2018near the market' and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to comply. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they perceive as a climate hostile to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.\nIn such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might conceivably cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people many still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some his research funding.\nThis attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing then a venal . This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements, but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as \u2018experts'. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.","id":"637.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They think they work in an environment hostile to the free pursuit of knowledge.","They are accustomed to keeping their opinions to themselves.","They know it takes patience to win support from the public.","They think compliance with government policy is in the interests of the public."],"question":"Why won't scientists complain about the government's policy concerning scientific research?","article":"Public distrust of scientists stems in part from the blurring of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most government, perhaps all governments, justify public expenditure on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific enterprise ha brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines \u2018our scientists' have invented, the new drugs to relieve old ailments , and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously intractable  conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to \u2018economics needs', that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are \u2018near the market' and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to comply. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they perceive as a climate hostile to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.\nIn such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might conceivably cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people many still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some his research funding.\nThis attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing then a venal . This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements, but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as \u2018experts'. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.","id":"637.txt","label":0}
{"option":["their pronouncements often turn out to be wrong","sometimes they hide the source of their research funding","some of them do not give priority to intellectual honesty","they could be influenced by their association with the project concerned"],"question":"According to the author, people are suspicious of the professional judgment of scientists because ________.","article":"Public distrust of scientists stems in part from the blurring of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most government, perhaps all governments, justify public expenditure on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific enterprise ha brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines \u2018our scientists' have invented, the new drugs to relieve old ailments , and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously intractable  conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to \u2018economics needs', that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are \u2018near the market' and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to comply. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they perceive as a climate hostile to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.\nIn such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might conceivably cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people many still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some his research funding.\nThis attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing then a venal . This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements, but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as \u2018experts'. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.","id":"637.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It makes things difficult for scientists seeking research funds.","People would not believe scientists even when they tell the truth.","It may dampen the enthusiasm of scientists for independent research.","Scientists themselves may doubt the value of their research findings."],"question":"Why does the author say that public distrust of scientists can have damaging effects?","article":"Public distrust of scientists stems in part from the blurring of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most government, perhaps all governments, justify public expenditure on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific enterprise ha brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines \u2018our scientists' have invented, the new drugs to relieve old ailments , and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously intractable  conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to \u2018economics needs', that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are \u2018near the market' and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to comply. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they perceive as a climate hostile to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.\nIn such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might conceivably cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people many still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some his research funding.\nThis attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing then a venal . This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements, but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as \u2018experts'. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.","id":"637.txt","label":1}
{"option":["analyzing a complicated scientific phenomenon and its impact on the Earth's surface features","describing a natural phenomenon and the challenges its study presents to researchers","discussing a scientific field of research and the gaps in researchers' methodological approaches to it","comparing two distinct fields of physical science and the different research methods employed in each"],"question":"In the passage, the author is primarily concerned with","article":"The Earth's magnetic field is generatedas the molten iron of the Earth's outer core revolves around its solid inner core. When surges in the molten iron occur, magnetic tempests are created.At the Earth's surface, these tempests can be detected by changes in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field.For reasons not fully understood. the field itself reverses periodically every million years or so. During the past million years, for instance, the magnetic north pole has migrated between the Antarctic and the Arctic.\nClearly, geophysicists who seek to explain and forecast changes in the field must understand what happens in the outer core. Unlike meteorologists, however, they cannot rely on observations made in their own lifetimes. Whereas atmospheric storms arise in a matter of hours and last for days, magnetic tempests develop over decades and persist for centuries.Fortunately scientists have been recording changes in the Earth's magnetic field for more than 300 years.","id":"1899.txt","label":1}
{"option":["They occur cyclically every few decades.","They can be predicted by changes in the Earth's inner core.","They are detected through indirect means.","They are linked to disturbances in the Earth's atmosphere."],"question":"The passage suggests which of the following about surges in the Earth's outer core?","article":"The Earth's magnetic field is generatedas the molten iron of the Earth's outer core revolves around its solid inner core. When surges in the molten iron occur, magnetic tempests are created.At the Earth's surface, these tempests can be detected by changes in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field.For reasons not fully understood. the field itself reverses periodically every million years or so. During the past million years, for instance, the magnetic north pole has migrated between the Antarctic and the Arctic.\nClearly, geophysicists who seek to explain and forecast changes in the field must understand what happens in the outer core. Unlike meteorologists, however, they cannot rely on observations made in their own lifetimes. Whereas atmospheric storms arise in a matter of hours and last for days, magnetic tempests develop over decades and persist for centuries.Fortunately scientists have been recording changes in the Earth's magnetic field for more than 300 years.","id":"1899.txt","label":2}
{"option":["is more fully understood than the Earth's magnetic field","is more easily observed than the Earth's magnetic field","has been the subject of extensive scientific observation for 300 years","is involved in generating the Earth's magnetic field"],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that geophysicists seeking to explain magnetic tempests ought to conduct research on the Earth's outer core because the Earth's outer core","article":"The Earth's magnetic field is generatedas the molten iron of the Earth's outer core revolves around its solid inner core. When surges in the molten iron occur, magnetic tempests are created.At the Earth's surface, these tempests can be detected by changes in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field.For reasons not fully understood. the field itself reverses periodically every million years or so. During the past million years, for instance, the magnetic north pole has migrated between the Antarctic and the Arctic.\nClearly, geophysicists who seek to explain and forecast changes in the field must understand what happens in the outer core. Unlike meteorologists, however, they cannot rely on observations made in their own lifetimes. Whereas atmospheric storms arise in a matter of hours and last for days, magnetic tempests develop over decades and persist for centuries.Fortunately scientists have been recording changes in the Earth's magnetic field for more than 300 years.","id":"1899.txt","label":3}
{"option":["stating a limitation that helps determine a research methodology","making a comparative analysis of two different research methodologies","assessing the amount of empirical data in the field of physical science","suggesting an optimistic way of viewing a widely feared phenomenon"],"question":"In the second paragraph, the author is primarily concerned with","article":"The Earth's magnetic field is generatedas the molten iron of the Earth's outer core revolves around its solid inner core. When surges in the molten iron occur, magnetic tempests are created.At the Earth's surface, these tempests can be detected by changes in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field.For reasons not fully understood. the field itself reverses periodically every million years or so. During the past million years, for instance, the magnetic north pole has migrated between the Antarctic and the Arctic.\nClearly, geophysicists who seek to explain and forecast changes in the field must understand what happens in the outer core. Unlike meteorologists, however, they cannot rely on observations made in their own lifetimes. Whereas atmospheric storms arise in a matter of hours and last for days, magnetic tempests develop over decades and persist for centuries.Fortunately scientists have been recording changes in the Earth's magnetic field for more than 300 years.","id":"1899.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Unbiased.","Indifferent.","Critical.","Appreciative."],"question":"What's the author's viewpoint about the models and their hairstyles and clothes?","article":"Open up most fashion magazines and you will see incredibly thin models with impossible hair and wearing unreasonably expensive, impracticably styled clothes. But shouldn't clothes be comfortably durable and make a principle of being simple for the individual who wears them? Why are we constantly told that we need to buy new clothes and add fresh pieces to our collection?\nFashions change year after year so lots of people can make piles of money. If folks are convinced that they need a different look each season, that this year's sweater's length and shoes style are important, they can be persuaded to buy. The fashion industry would have you ignore your shortcomings and just make you feel beautiful and happy. In fact it is not only a phenomenon we can find in people's dressing.\nFashion controls our lives. Fashion controls what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, the way we cut our hair, the makeup We buy and use, the color of the cars we drive. Fashion even controls our ideas.\nYou don't believe me? How many. Of your friends are vegetarians? Why are they vegetarians? Because it is fashionable!\nWhere does fashion come from? Often the reasons are quite logical. Scientists and historians study the fashions of the past and discover the secrets of each fashion.\nWhen girls see an attractive guy, their blood pressure rises and their lips become redder. That's why guys think that girls wearing lipstick are beautiful.\nWhy do guys shave their heads? In the past soldiers shaved their heads to kill the insects that lived in their hair. Now guys shave their heads so that they look strong and masculine, like soldiers.\nPeople spend a lot of time and money on fashion. But are they wasting their money? Changes in fashion help to develop new technologies. Changes in style create work for people all over the world. Many people work in the fashion industry, particularly in the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan.\nAnd finally, fashion makes you feel good, doesn't it? When you are dressed in the latest style, dancing to the most fashionable music, after watching the latest hit film, you feel great, don't you?","id":"45.txt","label":2}
{"option":["comfortable and durable.","new and fresh.","expensive and fashionable.","simple and unique"],"question":"It is indicated by the author that clothes should be","article":"Open up most fashion magazines and you will see incredibly thin models with impossible hair and wearing unreasonably expensive, impracticably styled clothes. But shouldn't clothes be comfortably durable and make a principle of being simple for the individual who wears them? Why are we constantly told that we need to buy new clothes and add fresh pieces to our collection?\nFashions change year after year so lots of people can make piles of money. If folks are convinced that they need a different look each season, that this year's sweater's length and shoes style are important, they can be persuaded to buy. The fashion industry would have you ignore your shortcomings and just make you feel beautiful and happy. In fact it is not only a phenomenon we can find in people's dressing.\nFashion controls our lives. Fashion controls what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, the way we cut our hair, the makeup We buy and use, the color of the cars we drive. Fashion even controls our ideas.\nYou don't believe me? How many. Of your friends are vegetarians? Why are they vegetarians? Because it is fashionable!\nWhere does fashion come from? Often the reasons are quite logical. Scientists and historians study the fashions of the past and discover the secrets of each fashion.\nWhen girls see an attractive guy, their blood pressure rises and their lips become redder. That's why guys think that girls wearing lipstick are beautiful.\nWhy do guys shave their heads? In the past soldiers shaved their heads to kill the insects that lived in their hair. Now guys shave their heads so that they look strong and masculine, like soldiers.\nPeople spend a lot of time and money on fashion. But are they wasting their money? Changes in fashion help to develop new technologies. Changes in style create work for people all over the world. Many people work in the fashion industry, particularly in the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan.\nAnd finally, fashion makes you feel good, doesn't it? When you are dressed in the latest style, dancing to the most fashionable music, after watching the latest hit film, you feel great, don't you?","id":"45.txt","label":0}
{"option":["selling the products at high prices.","creating a need in you.","helping you get rid of your shortcomings.","making you look more beautiful."],"question":"The fashion industry makes profits by","article":"Open up most fashion magazines and you will see incredibly thin models with impossible hair and wearing unreasonably expensive, impracticably styled clothes. But shouldn't clothes be comfortably durable and make a principle of being simple for the individual who wears them? Why are we constantly told that we need to buy new clothes and add fresh pieces to our collection?\nFashions change year after year so lots of people can make piles of money. If folks are convinced that they need a different look each season, that this year's sweater's length and shoes style are important, they can be persuaded to buy. The fashion industry would have you ignore your shortcomings and just make you feel beautiful and happy. In fact it is not only a phenomenon we can find in people's dressing.\nFashion controls our lives. Fashion controls what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, the way we cut our hair, the makeup We buy and use, the color of the cars we drive. Fashion even controls our ideas.\nYou don't believe me? How many. Of your friends are vegetarians? Why are they vegetarians? Because it is fashionable!\nWhere does fashion come from? Often the reasons are quite logical. Scientists and historians study the fashions of the past and discover the secrets of each fashion.\nWhen girls see an attractive guy, their blood pressure rises and their lips become redder. That's why guys think that girls wearing lipstick are beautiful.\nWhy do guys shave their heads? In the past soldiers shaved their heads to kill the insects that lived in their hair. Now guys shave their heads so that they look strong and masculine, like soldiers.\nPeople spend a lot of time and money on fashion. But are they wasting their money? Changes in fashion help to develop new technologies. Changes in style create work for people all over the world. Many people work in the fashion industry, particularly in the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan.\nAnd finally, fashion makes you feel good, doesn't it? When you are dressed in the latest style, dancing to the most fashionable music, after watching the latest hit film, you feel great, don't you?","id":"45.txt","label":1}
{"option":["incredible.","amazing.","reasonable.","creative."],"question":"The author thinks what has been found about fashions by the scientists and the. historians is","article":"Open up most fashion magazines and you will see incredibly thin models with impossible hair and wearing unreasonably expensive, impracticably styled clothes. But shouldn't clothes be comfortably durable and make a principle of being simple for the individual who wears them? Why are we constantly told that we need to buy new clothes and add fresh pieces to our collection?\nFashions change year after year so lots of people can make piles of money. If folks are convinced that they need a different look each season, that this year's sweater's length and shoes style are important, they can be persuaded to buy. The fashion industry would have you ignore your shortcomings and just make you feel beautiful and happy. In fact it is not only a phenomenon we can find in people's dressing.\nFashion controls our lives. Fashion controls what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, the way we cut our hair, the makeup We buy and use, the color of the cars we drive. Fashion even controls our ideas.\nYou don't believe me? How many. Of your friends are vegetarians? Why are they vegetarians? Because it is fashionable!\nWhere does fashion come from? Often the reasons are quite logical. Scientists and historians study the fashions of the past and discover the secrets of each fashion.\nWhen girls see an attractive guy, their blood pressure rises and their lips become redder. That's why guys think that girls wearing lipstick are beautiful.\nWhy do guys shave their heads? In the past soldiers shaved their heads to kill the insects that lived in their hair. Now guys shave their heads so that they look strong and masculine, like soldiers.\nPeople spend a lot of time and money on fashion. But are they wasting their money? Changes in fashion help to develop new technologies. Changes in style create work for people all over the world. Many people work in the fashion industry, particularly in the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan.\nAnd finally, fashion makes you feel good, doesn't it? When you are dressed in the latest style, dancing to the most fashionable music, after watching the latest hit film, you feel great, don't you?","id":"45.txt","label":2}
{"option":["it can help promote technological development.","it enables people to remain up-to-date.","it can create more job opportunities for people.","it can make people achieve a great feeling."],"question":"The passage mentions the advantages of fashion EXCEPT that","article":"Open up most fashion magazines and you will see incredibly thin models with impossible hair and wearing unreasonably expensive, impracticably styled clothes. But shouldn't clothes be comfortably durable and make a principle of being simple for the individual who wears them? Why are we constantly told that we need to buy new clothes and add fresh pieces to our collection?\nFashions change year after year so lots of people can make piles of money. If folks are convinced that they need a different look each season, that this year's sweater's length and shoes style are important, they can be persuaded to buy. The fashion industry would have you ignore your shortcomings and just make you feel beautiful and happy. In fact it is not only a phenomenon we can find in people's dressing.\nFashion controls our lives. Fashion controls what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, the way we cut our hair, the makeup We buy and use, the color of the cars we drive. Fashion even controls our ideas.\nYou don't believe me? How many. Of your friends are vegetarians? Why are they vegetarians? Because it is fashionable!\nWhere does fashion come from? Often the reasons are quite logical. Scientists and historians study the fashions of the past and discover the secrets of each fashion.\nWhen girls see an attractive guy, their blood pressure rises and their lips become redder. That's why guys think that girls wearing lipstick are beautiful.\nWhy do guys shave their heads? In the past soldiers shaved their heads to kill the insects that lived in their hair. Now guys shave their heads so that they look strong and masculine, like soldiers.\nPeople spend a lot of time and money on fashion. But are they wasting their money? Changes in fashion help to develop new technologies. Changes in style create work for people all over the world. Many people work in the fashion industry, particularly in the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan.\nAnd finally, fashion makes you feel good, doesn't it? When you are dressed in the latest style, dancing to the most fashionable music, after watching the latest hit film, you feel great, don't you?","id":"45.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Traffic Safety.","Drunken Drivers.","Drunken Pedestrian Accidents.","A Severe Highway Safety Problem."],"question":"Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?","article":"While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain baffled over how to cope with another alcohol-related hazard: drunken pedestrians ( ) .\nPedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently-and with higher blood-alcohol levels- than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood-alcohol level of at least 0. 10-which by law in most states signifies intoxication- compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data.\nSome types of pedestrian accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained relatively steady at 2,500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U. S. traffic accidents is at least 7,000 or one of every seven highway deaths.\nPedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs a board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent mishaps.\nStudies have revealed some of the causes, which range from a lack of adult supervision for many children involved in accidents to long delays in traffic signals that may encourage jaywalking, speakers said at a meeting. The most challenging problem, however, is alcohol. Some researchers suspect that part of the problem, ironically, may be former drunken drivers whose licenses were suspended and who now are walking. Other researchers, emphasizing the larger social problem of alcohol abuse in general, say many drunken pedestrians are poor alcoholics who often face lonely deaths-and not only on highways.","id":"1475.txt","label":2}
{"option":["long delays in traffic signals that may make people cross streets without paying attention to traffic rules","alcohol","a lack of adult keeping eyes on many children involved in accidents","former drunken drivers whose licenses are not allowed to use for a time"],"question":"Among the causes of walkers' accidents, the most serious problem is_ .","article":"While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain baffled over how to cope with another alcohol-related hazard: drunken pedestrians ( ) .\nPedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently-and with higher blood-alcohol levels- than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood-alcohol level of at least 0. 10-which by law in most states signifies intoxication- compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data.\nSome types of pedestrian accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained relatively steady at 2,500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U. S. traffic accidents is at least 7,000 or one of every seven highway deaths.\nPedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs a board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent mishaps.\nStudies have revealed some of the causes, which range from a lack of adult supervision for many children involved in accidents to long delays in traffic signals that may encourage jaywalking, speakers said at a meeting. The most challenging problem, however, is alcohol. Some researchers suspect that part of the problem, ironically, may be former drunken drivers whose licenses were suspended and who now are walking. Other researchers, emphasizing the larger social problem of alcohol abuse in general, say many drunken pedestrians are poor alcoholics who often face lonely deaths-and not only on highways.","id":"1475.txt","label":1}
{"option":["are 15 percent less than drunken adult walkers","are 2,500 a year","are at least 7,000 in US traffic accidents","make up one-seventh of highway deaths"],"question":"According to recent federal data, drunken drivers in deadly accidents_ .","article":"While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain baffled over how to cope with another alcohol-related hazard: drunken pedestrians ( ) .\nPedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently-and with higher blood-alcohol levels- than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood-alcohol level of at least 0. 10-which by law in most states signifies intoxication- compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data.\nSome types of pedestrian accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained relatively steady at 2,500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U. S. traffic accidents is at least 7,000 or one of every seven highway deaths.\nPedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs a board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent mishaps.\nStudies have revealed some of the causes, which range from a lack of adult supervision for many children involved in accidents to long delays in traffic signals that may encourage jaywalking, speakers said at a meeting. The most challenging problem, however, is alcohol. Some researchers suspect that part of the problem, ironically, may be former drunken drivers whose licenses were suspended and who now are walking. Other researchers, emphasizing the larger social problem of alcohol abuse in general, say many drunken pedestrians are poor alcoholics who often face lonely deaths-and not only on highways.","id":"1475.txt","label":0}
{"option":["walking accidents have not received enough attention in the past","few methods exist to confine walking habits","researchers find it difficult to work out ways to prevent unlucky accidents","all of the above"],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that pedestrian accidents have remained relatively high because_ .","article":"While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain baffled over how to cope with another alcohol-related hazard: drunken pedestrians ( ) .\nPedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently-and with higher blood-alcohol levels- than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood-alcohol level of at least 0. 10-which by law in most states signifies intoxication- compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data.\nSome types of pedestrian accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained relatively steady at 2,500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U. S. traffic accidents is at least 7,000 or one of every seven highway deaths.\nPedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs a board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent mishaps.\nStudies have revealed some of the causes, which range from a lack of adult supervision for many children involved in accidents to long delays in traffic signals that may encourage jaywalking, speakers said at a meeting. The most challenging problem, however, is alcohol. Some researchers suspect that part of the problem, ironically, may be former drunken drivers whose licenses were suspended and who now are walking. Other researchers, emphasizing the larger social problem of alcohol abuse in general, say many drunken pedestrians are poor alcoholics who often face lonely deaths-and not only on highways.","id":"1475.txt","label":3}
{"option":["town planning","social history","traffic system","traffic safety"],"question":"The passage was most probably written by a specialist in_ .","article":"While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain baffled over how to cope with another alcohol-related hazard: drunken pedestrians ( ) .\nPedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently-and with higher blood-alcohol levels- than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood-alcohol level of at least 0. 10-which by law in most states signifies intoxication- compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data.\nSome types of pedestrian accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained relatively steady at 2,500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U. S. traffic accidents is at least 7,000 or one of every seven highway deaths.\nPedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs a board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent mishaps.\nStudies have revealed some of the causes, which range from a lack of adult supervision for many children involved in accidents to long delays in traffic signals that may encourage jaywalking, speakers said at a meeting. The most challenging problem, however, is alcohol. Some researchers suspect that part of the problem, ironically, may be former drunken drivers whose licenses were suspended and who now are walking. Other researchers, emphasizing the larger social problem of alcohol abuse in general, say many drunken pedestrians are poor alcoholics who often face lonely deaths-and not only on highways.","id":"1475.txt","label":3}
{"option":["They want to prove that siestas help people become smarter.","They want to prove that siestas can make people happier.","They want to prove that siestas may prolong people's life.","They want to prove that siestas help cure some diseases."],"question":"What do scientists expect to achieve in the study of daytime siestas?","article":"Sloth may be seen as a sin, but some of history's most accomplished men were fond of lounging around. Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed napping. So did Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. Richard Buckminster Fuller advocated taking 30-minute naps every six hours. He is reported to have abandoned the practice only because\" his schedule conflicted with that of his business associates, who insisted on sleeping like other men.\"\nNo one has yet proved a correlation between napping and artistic brilliance or professional success, but an intriguing study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims to find a link between daytime siestas and good health. A team of researchers led by Androniki Naska of the University of Athens Medical School and Dimitrios Trichopoulos of Harvard's School of Public Health followed over 23,000 Greek patients with no history of coronary disease, cancer or stroke, for an average of six years. Their conclusion: napping just might save your life.\nThe study found that the group of adults who took siestas\uff08defined as 30-minute naps\uff09at least three times a week had a third fewer deaths from heart disease than an equivalent group who did not sleep at all during the day. The benefit was greater for men than for women. \uff08Whether women benefited at all was hard to estimate as there were too few deaths among them during the course of the study.\uff09It was also greater for working men than for those who had retired. However, a number of previous studies done in the Mediterranean and in parts of Central America\uff08where siestas remain common\uff09have come up with conflicting results, but Dr Naska and Dr Trichopoulos argue that those studies have often been flawed. The subjects in some, for example, had survived heart attacks and may therefore have benefited more from napping than healthy individuals do.\nGiven that all of the subjects of this new study were Greek, could the much-celebrated Mediterranean diet deserve credit, rather than the siestas? The firm answer from Dr Trichopoulos is\" No\" . And he is in a good position to say so, for it was he who did the pioneering research that put olive oil and a plant-based diet on the scientific map in the first place. Unlike some other siesta studies, his was controlled for diet, smoking, exercise and other relevant variables. The earlier findings about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are confirmed, he says, and napping seems to help on top of that.\nBefore buying a sofa for the office, however, it might be wise to consider the possibility of selection bias. Dr Trichopoulos concedes that\" Type A\"  personalities, whose hard-working lives may make them prone to heart attacks, are also much less likely to take naps during the day. That bias might be skewing the study's results. Even so, he advises, \" Take a nap if you can.\"","id":"528.txt","label":2}
{"option":["One's possibility of dying from heart diseases is smaller.","One is surely to enjoy a long life with the habit of taking siestas.","Whether siestas benefit women is still unknown due to the limited member of women participating the test.","A working man usually outlives a working woman of similar age if he has the habit of siestas."],"question":"Which of the following is TRUE about taking nap regularly?","article":"Sloth may be seen as a sin, but some of history's most accomplished men were fond of lounging around. Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed napping. So did Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. Richard Buckminster Fuller advocated taking 30-minute naps every six hours. He is reported to have abandoned the practice only because\" his schedule conflicted with that of his business associates, who insisted on sleeping like other men.\"\nNo one has yet proved a correlation between napping and artistic brilliance or professional success, but an intriguing study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims to find a link between daytime siestas and good health. A team of researchers led by Androniki Naska of the University of Athens Medical School and Dimitrios Trichopoulos of Harvard's School of Public Health followed over 23,000 Greek patients with no history of coronary disease, cancer or stroke, for an average of six years. Their conclusion: napping just might save your life.\nThe study found that the group of adults who took siestas\uff08defined as 30-minute naps\uff09at least three times a week had a third fewer deaths from heart disease than an equivalent group who did not sleep at all during the day. The benefit was greater for men than for women. \uff08Whether women benefited at all was hard to estimate as there were too few deaths among them during the course of the study.\uff09It was also greater for working men than for those who had retired. However, a number of previous studies done in the Mediterranean and in parts of Central America\uff08where siestas remain common\uff09have come up with conflicting results, but Dr Naska and Dr Trichopoulos argue that those studies have often been flawed. The subjects in some, for example, had survived heart attacks and may therefore have benefited more from napping than healthy individuals do.\nGiven that all of the subjects of this new study were Greek, could the much-celebrated Mediterranean diet deserve credit, rather than the siestas? The firm answer from Dr Trichopoulos is\" No\" . And he is in a good position to say so, for it was he who did the pioneering research that put olive oil and a plant-based diet on the scientific map in the first place. Unlike some other siesta studies, his was controlled for diet, smoking, exercise and other relevant variables. The earlier findings about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are confirmed, he says, and napping seems to help on top of that.\nBefore buying a sofa for the office, however, it might be wise to consider the possibility of selection bias. Dr Trichopoulos concedes that\" Type A\"  personalities, whose hard-working lives may make them prone to heart attacks, are also much less likely to take naps during the day. That bias might be skewing the study's results. Even so, he advises, \" Take a nap if you can.\"","id":"528.txt","label":0}
{"option":["sleeping a lot","taking a nap every few hours","relaxing oneself","being lazy"],"question":"The expression\" lounging around\" \uff08Lines 1\uff5e2, Paragraph 1\uff09most probably means  _ .","article":"Sloth may be seen as a sin, but some of history's most accomplished men were fond of lounging around. Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed napping. So did Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. Richard Buckminster Fuller advocated taking 30-minute naps every six hours. He is reported to have abandoned the practice only because\" his schedule conflicted with that of his business associates, who insisted on sleeping like other men.\"\nNo one has yet proved a correlation between napping and artistic brilliance or professional success, but an intriguing study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims to find a link between daytime siestas and good health. A team of researchers led by Androniki Naska of the University of Athens Medical School and Dimitrios Trichopoulos of Harvard's School of Public Health followed over 23,000 Greek patients with no history of coronary disease, cancer or stroke, for an average of six years. Their conclusion: napping just might save your life.\nThe study found that the group of adults who took siestas\uff08defined as 30-minute naps\uff09at least three times a week had a third fewer deaths from heart disease than an equivalent group who did not sleep at all during the day. The benefit was greater for men than for women. \uff08Whether women benefited at all was hard to estimate as there were too few deaths among them during the course of the study.\uff09It was also greater for working men than for those who had retired. However, a number of previous studies done in the Mediterranean and in parts of Central America\uff08where siestas remain common\uff09have come up with conflicting results, but Dr Naska and Dr Trichopoulos argue that those studies have often been flawed. The subjects in some, for example, had survived heart attacks and may therefore have benefited more from napping than healthy individuals do.\nGiven that all of the subjects of this new study were Greek, could the much-celebrated Mediterranean diet deserve credit, rather than the siestas? The firm answer from Dr Trichopoulos is\" No\" . And he is in a good position to say so, for it was he who did the pioneering research that put olive oil and a plant-based diet on the scientific map in the first place. Unlike some other siesta studies, his was controlled for diet, smoking, exercise and other relevant variables. The earlier findings about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are confirmed, he says, and napping seems to help on top of that.\nBefore buying a sofa for the office, however, it might be wise to consider the possibility of selection bias. Dr Trichopoulos concedes that\" Type A\"  personalities, whose hard-working lives may make them prone to heart attacks, are also much less likely to take naps during the day. That bias might be skewing the study's results. Even so, he advises, \" Take a nap if you can.\"","id":"528.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Because the research Dr Trichopoulos has done on napping is more convincing.","Because Dr Trichopoulos is a forerunner of research on Mediterranean diet.","Because Dr Trichopoulos knows nothing about the nutritious value of Mediterranean diet.","Because Mediterranean diet is notorious for its unhealthiness."],"question":"Why is Dr Trichopoulos in a good position to deny the benefit from Mediterranean diet in this case?","article":"Sloth may be seen as a sin, but some of history's most accomplished men were fond of lounging around. Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed napping. So did Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. Richard Buckminster Fuller advocated taking 30-minute naps every six hours. He is reported to have abandoned the practice only because\" his schedule conflicted with that of his business associates, who insisted on sleeping like other men.\"\nNo one has yet proved a correlation between napping and artistic brilliance or professional success, but an intriguing study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims to find a link between daytime siestas and good health. A team of researchers led by Androniki Naska of the University of Athens Medical School and Dimitrios Trichopoulos of Harvard's School of Public Health followed over 23,000 Greek patients with no history of coronary disease, cancer or stroke, for an average of six years. Their conclusion: napping just might save your life.\nThe study found that the group of adults who took siestas\uff08defined as 30-minute naps\uff09at least three times a week had a third fewer deaths from heart disease than an equivalent group who did not sleep at all during the day. The benefit was greater for men than for women. \uff08Whether women benefited at all was hard to estimate as there were too few deaths among them during the course of the study.\uff09It was also greater for working men than for those who had retired. However, a number of previous studies done in the Mediterranean and in parts of Central America\uff08where siestas remain common\uff09have come up with conflicting results, but Dr Naska and Dr Trichopoulos argue that those studies have often been flawed. The subjects in some, for example, had survived heart attacks and may therefore have benefited more from napping than healthy individuals do.\nGiven that all of the subjects of this new study were Greek, could the much-celebrated Mediterranean diet deserve credit, rather than the siestas? The firm answer from Dr Trichopoulos is\" No\" . And he is in a good position to say so, for it was he who did the pioneering research that put olive oil and a plant-based diet on the scientific map in the first place. Unlike some other siesta studies, his was controlled for diet, smoking, exercise and other relevant variables. The earlier findings about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are confirmed, he says, and napping seems to help on top of that.\nBefore buying a sofa for the office, however, it might be wise to consider the possibility of selection bias. Dr Trichopoulos concedes that\" Type A\"  personalities, whose hard-working lives may make them prone to heart attacks, are also much less likely to take naps during the day. That bias might be skewing the study's results. Even so, he advises, \" Take a nap if you can.\"","id":"528.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The research fails to apply universally because it only studies a limited scope of sample that is short of representativeness.","Most of those who have great achievements usually have the habit of taking siestas regularly.","People who work under great pressure benefit more from napping than the retired.","Dr Trichopoulos's siesta study conflicts with previous studies, which mitigate the credibility of his study."],"question":"Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?","article":"Sloth may be seen as a sin, but some of history's most accomplished men were fond of lounging around. Leonardo da Vinci enjoyed napping. So did Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. Richard Buckminster Fuller advocated taking 30-minute naps every six hours. He is reported to have abandoned the practice only because\" his schedule conflicted with that of his business associates, who insisted on sleeping like other men.\"\nNo one has yet proved a correlation between napping and artistic brilliance or professional success, but an intriguing study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims to find a link between daytime siestas and good health. A team of researchers led by Androniki Naska of the University of Athens Medical School and Dimitrios Trichopoulos of Harvard's School of Public Health followed over 23,000 Greek patients with no history of coronary disease, cancer or stroke, for an average of six years. Their conclusion: napping just might save your life.\nThe study found that the group of adults who took siestas\uff08defined as 30-minute naps\uff09at least three times a week had a third fewer deaths from heart disease than an equivalent group who did not sleep at all during the day. The benefit was greater for men than for women. \uff08Whether women benefited at all was hard to estimate as there were too few deaths among them during the course of the study.\uff09It was also greater for working men than for those who had retired. However, a number of previous studies done in the Mediterranean and in parts of Central America\uff08where siestas remain common\uff09have come up with conflicting results, but Dr Naska and Dr Trichopoulos argue that those studies have often been flawed. The subjects in some, for example, had survived heart attacks and may therefore have benefited more from napping than healthy individuals do.\nGiven that all of the subjects of this new study were Greek, could the much-celebrated Mediterranean diet deserve credit, rather than the siestas? The firm answer from Dr Trichopoulos is\" No\" . And he is in a good position to say so, for it was he who did the pioneering research that put olive oil and a plant-based diet on the scientific map in the first place. Unlike some other siesta studies, his was controlled for diet, smoking, exercise and other relevant variables. The earlier findings about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are confirmed, he says, and napping seems to help on top of that.\nBefore buying a sofa for the office, however, it might be wise to consider the possibility of selection bias. Dr Trichopoulos concedes that\" Type A\"  personalities, whose hard-working lives may make them prone to heart attacks, are also much less likely to take naps during the day. That bias might be skewing the study's results. Even so, he advises, \" Take a nap if you can.\"","id":"528.txt","label":2}
{"option":["a news item","part of an introduction to a book","part of a lecture","an advertisement"],"question":"This passage is most probably ________.","article":"As supplier of most of the food we eat and of raw materials for many industrial processes, agriculture is clearly an important area of the economy. But the industrial performance of agriculture (the relative efficiency of agricultural production compared to other areas in the economy) is even more important than this. For in nations where the productivity of farmers is low, most of the working population is needed to raise food and few people are available for the production of investment goods or for other activities required for economic growth. Indeed, one of the factors related most closely to the per capita income  of a nation is the fraction of its population engaged in farming. In the poorest nations of the world more than half of the population lives on farms. This compares sharply with less than 10 percent in western Europe and less than 4 percent in the United States.\nIn short, the course of economic development in general depends in a fundamental way on the performance of farmers. This performance, in turn, depends on how agriculture is organized and on the economic environment, or market structure, within which it functions. In the following pages the performance of American agriculture is examined. It is appropriate to begin with a consideration of its market structure.","id":"3590.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the amount of food it produces","the per capita income of farmers","its industrial performance","the production of investment goods"],"question":"What is the most important to agriculture is ________.","article":"As supplier of most of the food we eat and of raw materials for many industrial processes, agriculture is clearly an important area of the economy. But the industrial performance of agriculture (the relative efficiency of agricultural production compared to other areas in the economy) is even more important than this. For in nations where the productivity of farmers is low, most of the working population is needed to raise food and few people are available for the production of investment goods or for other activities required for economic growth. Indeed, one of the factors related most closely to the per capita income  of a nation is the fraction of its population engaged in farming. In the poorest nations of the world more than half of the population lives on farms. This compares sharply with less than 10 percent in western Europe and less than 4 percent in the United States.\nIn short, the course of economic development in general depends in a fundamental way on the performance of farmers. This performance, in turn, depends on how agriculture is organized and on the economic environment, or market structure, within which it functions. In the following pages the performance of American agriculture is examined. It is appropriate to begin with a consideration of its market structure.","id":"3590.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the size of the working population","the organization of agriculture","the market structure","the general development of economy"],"question":"The performance of farmers essentially determines ________.","article":"As supplier of most of the food we eat and of raw materials for many industrial processes, agriculture is clearly an important area of the economy. But the industrial performance of agriculture (the relative efficiency of agricultural production compared to other areas in the economy) is even more important than this. For in nations where the productivity of farmers is low, most of the working population is needed to raise food and few people are available for the production of investment goods or for other activities required for economic growth. Indeed, one of the factors related most closely to the per capita income  of a nation is the fraction of its population engaged in farming. In the poorest nations of the world more than half of the population lives on farms. This compares sharply with less than 10 percent in western Europe and less than 4 percent in the United States.\nIn short, the course of economic development in general depends in a fundamental way on the performance of farmers. This performance, in turn, depends on how agriculture is organized and on the economic environment, or market structure, within which it functions. In the following pages the performance of American agriculture is examined. It is appropriate to begin with a consideration of its market structure.","id":"3590.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the structure of American farming population","the market structure of American agriculture","the various functions of American agriculture","the organization of American agriculture"],"question":"This passage will most probably be followed by a discussion of ________.","article":"As supplier of most of the food we eat and of raw materials for many industrial processes, agriculture is clearly an important area of the economy. But the industrial performance of agriculture (the relative efficiency of agricultural production compared to other areas in the economy) is even more important than this. For in nations where the productivity of farmers is low, most of the working population is needed to raise food and few people are available for the production of investment goods or for other activities required for economic growth. Indeed, one of the factors related most closely to the per capita income  of a nation is the fraction of its population engaged in farming. In the poorest nations of the world more than half of the population lives on farms. This compares sharply with less than 10 percent in western Europe and less than 4 percent in the United States.\nIn short, the course of economic development in general depends in a fundamental way on the performance of farmers. This performance, in turn, depends on how agriculture is organized and on the economic environment, or market structure, within which it functions. In the following pages the performance of American agriculture is examined. It is appropriate to begin with a consideration of its market structure.","id":"3590.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It was a thick enough book.","Something on its cover caught her eye.","Her mother was reading it with interest.","It has a meaningful title."],"question":"Why was the writer attracted by the book Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again?","article":"One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word \"Poems\" appeared in big, hot pink letters.\n\"Is it good?\" I asked her.\n\"Yeah,\" she answered. \"There's one I really like and you'll like it, too.\" I leaned forward.\n\"\u2018Patty Poem,'\" she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:\nShe never puts her toys away,\nJust leaves them scattered1. where they lay,\u2026 1.\nThe poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:\nWhen she grows and gathers poise2., 2.\nI'll miss her harum-scarum3. noise, 3.\nAnd look in vain4. for scattered toys. 4.\nAnd I'll be sad.\nA terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.\n\"It's you, honey,\" My mother said sadly.\nTo my mother, the poem revealed a parent's affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the \"she\" in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying.\n\"What's wrong?\" my mother asked.\n\"Oh Mama,\" I cried. \"I don't want to grow up ever!\"\nShe smiled. \"Honey, it's okay. You're not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I'll still love you, okay?\"\n\"Okay,\" I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person's world.\nI have since fallen in love with other poems, but \"Patty Poem\" remains my poem. After all, \"Patty Poem\" gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.","id":"606.txt","label":1}
{"option":["sad","excited","horrified","confused"],"question":"After her mother read the poem to her, the writer felt _ at first.","article":"One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word \"Poems\" appeared in big, hot pink letters.\n\"Is it good?\" I asked her.\n\"Yeah,\" she answered. \"There's one I really like and you'll like it, too.\" I leaned forward.\n\"\u2018Patty Poem,'\" she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:\nShe never puts her toys away,\nJust leaves them scattered1. where they lay,\u2026 1.\nThe poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:\nWhen she grows and gathers poise2., 2.\nI'll miss her harum-scarum3. noise, 3.\nAnd look in vain4. for scattered toys. 4.\nAnd I'll be sad.\nA terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.\n\"It's you, honey,\" My mother said sadly.\nTo my mother, the poem revealed a parent's affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the \"she\" in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying.\n\"What's wrong?\" my mother asked.\n\"Oh Mama,\" I cried. \"I don't want to grow up ever!\"\nShe smiled. \"Honey, it's okay. You're not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I'll still love you, okay?\"\n\"Okay,\" I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person's world.\nI have since fallen in love with other poems, but \"Patty Poem\" remains my poem. After all, \"Patty Poem\" gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.","id":"606.txt","label":0}
{"option":["it reflected her own childhood","it was written in simple language","it was composed by a famous poet","it gave her a hint of what would happen"],"question":"The writer's mother liked to read \"Patty Poem\" probably because _ .","article":"One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word \"Poems\" appeared in big, hot pink letters.\n\"Is it good?\" I asked her.\n\"Yeah,\" she answered. \"There's one I really like and you'll like it, too.\" I leaned forward.\n\"\u2018Patty Poem,'\" she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:\nShe never puts her toys away,\nJust leaves them scattered1. where they lay,\u2026 1.\nThe poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:\nWhen she grows and gathers poise2., 2.\nI'll miss her harum-scarum3. noise, 3.\nAnd look in vain4. for scattered toys. 4.\nAnd I'll be sad.\nA terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.\n\"It's you, honey,\" My mother said sadly.\nTo my mother, the poem revealed a parent's affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the \"she\" in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying.\n\"What's wrong?\" my mother asked.\n\"Oh Mama,\" I cried. \"I don't want to grow up ever!\"\nShe smiled. \"Honey, it's okay. You're not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I'll still love you, okay?\"\n\"Okay,\" I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person's world.\nI have since fallen in love with other poems, but \"Patty Poem\" remains my poem. After all, \"Patty Poem\" gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.","id":"606.txt","label":3}
{"option":["discover the power of poetry","recognize her love for puzzles","find her eagerness to grow up","experience great homesickness"],"question":"It can be concluded from the passage that\"Patty Poem\"leads the writer to _ .","article":"One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word \"Poems\" appeared in big, hot pink letters.\n\"Is it good?\" I asked her.\n\"Yeah,\" she answered. \"There's one I really like and you'll like it, too.\" I leaned forward.\n\"\u2018Patty Poem,'\" she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:\nShe never puts her toys away,\nJust leaves them scattered1. where they lay,\u2026 1.\nThe poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:\nWhen she grows and gathers poise2., 2.\nI'll miss her harum-scarum3. noise, 3.\nAnd look in vain4. for scattered toys. 4.\nAnd I'll be sad.\nA terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.\n\"It's you, honey,\" My mother said sadly.\nTo my mother, the poem revealed a parent's affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the \"she\" in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying.\n\"What's wrong?\" my mother asked.\n\"Oh Mama,\" I cried. \"I don't want to grow up ever!\"\nShe smiled. \"Honey, it's okay. You're not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I'll still love you, okay?\"\n\"Okay,\" I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person's world.\nI have since fallen in love with other poems, but \"Patty Poem\" remains my poem. After all, \"Patty Poem\" gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.","id":"606.txt","label":0}
{"option":["A cameraman.","A film director.","A crowd-scene actor.","A workman for scene setting."],"question":"Who is the author?","article":"About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studioto take part in a crowd-scene. Although our \"act\" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.\nWe all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was\nwheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in \"snow\". Two more fans were turned on, and a \"strong wind\" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.\nThe next scene was a complete contrast . The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures in front taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen . An actor and actress stood of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water's edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!\nSince it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film \"stars\"!","id":"3760.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The heavy snowfall.","The man-made scene.","The low temperature.","The film being shown."],"question":"What made the author feel cold?","article":"About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studioto take part in a crowd-scene. Although our \"act\" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.\nWe all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was\nwheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in \"snow\". Two more fans were turned on, and a \"strong wind\" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.\nThe next scene was a complete contrast . The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures in front taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen . An actor and actress stood of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water's edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!\nSince it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film \"stars\"!","id":"3760.txt","label":1}
{"option":["A new scene would be filmed.","More stars would act in the film.","The author would leave the studio.","The next scene would be prepared."],"question":"What would happen in the \"three minutes\" mentioned in the last paragraph?","article":"About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studioto take part in a crowd-scene. Although our \"act\" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.\nWe all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was\nwheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in \"snow\". Two more fans were turned on, and a \"strong wind\" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.\nThe next scene was a complete contrast . The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures in front taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen . An actor and actress stood of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water's edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!\nSince it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film \"stars\"!","id":"3760.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Restricted","Endangered","Prevented","Rejected"],"question":"The word threatenedin the passage paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Increased stony content","Reduced water absorption","Increased numbers of spaces in the soil","Reduced water runoff"],"question":"According to paragraph 3, the loss of natural vegetation has which of the following consequences for soil?","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Fragile","Predictable","Complex","Valuable"],"question":"Theword delicate(paragraph 5)in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Adjusting to stresses created by settlement","Retaining their fertility after desertification","Providing water for irrigating crops","Attracting populations in search of food and fuel"],"question":"According to paragraph 5, in dry periods, border areas have difficulty","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Openly","Impressively","Objectively","Increasingly"],"question":"Theword progressively(paragraph 6)in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Lack of proper irrigation techniques","Failureto plant crops suited to the particular area","Removal of the original vegetation","Excess iveuse of dried animal waste"],"question":"According to paragraph 6, which of the following is often associated withraising crops?","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Consisting of","Hidden by","Except for","Lacking in"],"question":"Thephrase devoid of(paragraph 6)in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Interfere with the irrigation of land","Limit the evaporation of water","Require more absorption of air by the soil","Bring salts to the surface"],"question":"According to paragraph 9, the ground's absorption of excess water is a factorin desertification because it can","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Soil erosion","Global warming","Insufficient irrigation","The raising of livestock"],"question":"All of the following are mentioned in the passage as contributing todesertification EXCEPT","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Governments will act quickly to control further desertification.","The factors influencing desertification occur in cycles and will change in thefuture.","Desertification will continue to increase.","Desertification will soon occur in all areas of the world."],"question":"Itcan be inferred from the passage that the author most likely believes which ofthe following about the future of desertification?","article":"The deserts, which already occupy approximately a fourth of the Earth's land surface, have in recent decades been increasing at an alarming pace. The expansion of desertlike conditions into areas where they did not previously exist is called desertification. It has been estimated that an additional one-fourth of the Earth's land surface is threatened by this process.\nDesertification is accomplished primarily through the loss of stabilizing natural vegetation and the subsequent accelerated erosion of the soil by wind and water. In some cases the loose soil is blown completely away, leaving a stony surface. In other cases, the finer particles may be removed, while the sand-sized particles are accumulated to form mobile hills or ridges of sand.\nEven in the areas that retain a soil cover, the reduction of vegetation typically results in the loss of the soil's ability to absorb substantial quantities of water. The impact of raindrops on the loose soil tends to transfer fine clay particles into the tiniest soil spaces, sealing them and producing a surface that allows very little water penetration. Water absorption is greatly reduced; consequently runoff is increased, resulting in accelerated erosion rates. The gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability to absorb water results in the further loss of vegetation, so that a cycle of progressive surface deterioration is established.\nIn some regions, the increase in desert areas is occurring largely as the result of a trend toward drier climatic conditions. Continued gradual global warming has produced an increase in aridity for some areas over the past few thousand years. The process may be accelerated in subsequent decades if global warming resulting from air pollution seriously increases.\nThere is little doubt, however, that desertification in most areas results primarily from human activities rather than natural processes. The semiarid lands bordering the deserts exist in a delicate ecological balance and are limited in their potential to adjust to increased environmental pressures. Expanding populations are subjecting the land to increasing pressures to provide them with food and fuel. In wet periods, the land may be able to respond to these stresses. During the dry periods that are common phenomena along the desert margins, though, the pressure on the land is often far in excess of its diminished capacity, and desertification results.\nFour specific activities have been identified as major contributors to the desertification processes: overcultivation, overgrazing, firewood gathering, and overirrigation. The cultivation of crops has expanded into progressively drier regions as population densities have grown. These regions are especially likely to have periods of severe dryness, so that crop failures are common. Since the raising of most crops necessitates the prior removal of the natural vegetation, crop failures leave extensive tracts of land devoid of a plant cover and susceptible to wind and water erosion.\nThe raising of livestock is a major economic activity in semiarid lands, where grasses are generally the dominant type of natural vegetation.The consequences of an excessive number of livestock grazing in an area are the reduction of the vegetation cover and the trampling and pulverization of the soil. This is usually followed by the drying of the soil and accelerated erosion.\nFirewood is the chief fuel used for cooking and heating in many countries. The increased pressures of expanding populations have led to the removal of woody plants so that many cities and towns are surrounded by large areas completely lacking in trees and shrubs. The increasing use of dried animal waste as a substitute fuel has also hurt the soil because this valuable soil conditioner and source of plant nutrients is no longer being returned to the land.\nThe final major human cause of desertification is soil salinization resulting from overirrigation. Excess water from irrigation sinks down into the water table. If no drainage system exists, the water table rises, bringing dissolved salts to the surface. The water evaporates and the salts are left behind, creating a white crustal layer that prevents air and water from reaching the underlying soil.\nThe extreme seriousness of desertification results from the vast areas of land and the tremendous numbers of people affected, as well as from the great difficulty of reversing or even slowing the process. Once the soil has been removed by erosion, only the passage of centuries or millennia will enable new soil to form. In areas where considerable soil still remains, though, a rigorously enforced program of land protection and cover-crop planting may make it possible to reverse the present deterioration of the surface.","id":"1321.txt","label":2}
{"option":["because of their carelessness as shown in their failure to present a clean copy of a resume","because of their inadequate education as shown in their poor spelling in writing a resume","because they failed to give detailed description of their background in their applications","because they eliminated their names from the applicants' list themselves"],"question":"According to the passage, some job applicants were rejected  _ .","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3124.txt","label":0}
{"option":["demand others to get everything absolutely right","know how to adjust their goals according to the circumstances","pay too much attention to details only to lose their major objectives","are capable of achieving perfect results in whatever they do"],"question":"The word \"perfectionists\" (Para. 3, Line) refers to those who  _ .","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3124.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Although too much attention to details may be costly, they should not be overlooked.","Don't forget details when drawing pictures.","Be aware of the importance of a task before undertaking it.","Careless applicants are not to be trusted."],"question":"Which of the following is the author's device to the reader?","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3124.txt","label":0}
{"option":["minor mistakes can be ignored in achieving major objectives","failure is the mother of success","adjustments are the key to the successful completion of any work","keeping one's goal in mind helps in deciding which details can be overlooked"],"question":"The example of the Apollo II moon launch is given to illustrate that  _ .","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3124.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Don't Be a Perfectionist","Importance of Adjustments","Details and Major Objectives","Hard Work Plus Good Luck"],"question":"The best title for this passage would be  _ .","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3124.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the irresponsibility of the officials at border checkpoints","the legal privileges granted to foreigners","the excessive hospitality of the American people","the low efficiency of the Immigration and Naturalization Service"],"question":"Terrorists have obviously taken advantage of ________.","article":"It's hardly news that the immigration system is a mess. Foreign nationals have long been slipping across the border with fake papers, and visitors who arrive in the U.S. legitimately often overstay their legal welcome without being punished. But since Sept. 11, it's become clear that terrorists have been shrewdly factoring the weaknesses of our system into their plans. In addition to their mastery of forging passports, at least three of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers  were here on expired visas. That's been a safe bet until now. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)  lacks the resources, and apparently the inclination, to keep track of the estimated 2 million foreigners who have intentionally overstayed their welcome.\nBut this laxness  toward immigration fraud may be about to change. Congress has already taken some modest steps. The U.S.A. Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, requires the FBI, the Justice Department, the State Department and the INS to share more data, which will make it easier to stop watch-listed terrorists at the border.\nBut what's really needed, critics say, is even tougher laws and more resources aimed at tightening up border security. Reformers are calling for a rollback of rules that hinder law enforcement. They also want the INS to hire hundreds more border patrol agents and investigators to keep illegal immigrants out and to track them down once they're here. Reformers also want to see the INS set up a database to monitor whether visa holders actually leave the country when they are required to.\nAll these proposed changes were part of a new border-security bill that passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate last week. Before Sept. 11, legislation of this kind had been blocked by two powerful lobbies: universities, which rely on tuition from foreign students who could be kept out by the new law, and business, which relies on foreigners for cheap labor. Since the attacks, they've backed off. The bill would have passed this time but for congressional maneuverings and is expected to be reintroduced and to pass next year.\nAlso on the agenda for next year: a proposal, backed by some influential law-makers, to split the INS into two agencies-a good cop that would tend to service functions like processing citizenship papers and a bad cop that would concentrate on border inspections, deportation and other functions. One reason for the division, supporters say, is that the INS has in recent years become too focused on serving tourists and immigrants. After the Sept, 11 tragedy, the INS should pay more attention to serving the millions of ordinary Americans who rely on the nation's border security to protect them from terrorist attacks.","id":"415.txt","label":3}
{"option":["limit the number Of immigrants to the U.S.","prevent the forgery of immigration papers","ward off terrorist suspects at the border","refuse the renewing of expired visas"],"question":"We learn from the passage that coordinated efforts will be made by various U.S. government agencies to ________.","article":"It's hardly news that the immigration system is a mess. Foreign nationals have long been slipping across the border with fake papers, and visitors who arrive in the U.S. legitimately often overstay their legal welcome without being punished. But since Sept. 11, it's become clear that terrorists have been shrewdly factoring the weaknesses of our system into their plans. In addition to their mastery of forging passports, at least three of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers  were here on expired visas. That's been a safe bet until now. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)  lacks the resources, and apparently the inclination, to keep track of the estimated 2 million foreigners who have intentionally overstayed their welcome.\nBut this laxness  toward immigration fraud may be about to change. Congress has already taken some modest steps. The U.S.A. Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, requires the FBI, the Justice Department, the State Department and the INS to share more data, which will make it easier to stop watch-listed terrorists at the border.\nBut what's really needed, critics say, is even tougher laws and more resources aimed at tightening up border security. Reformers are calling for a rollback of rules that hinder law enforcement. They also want the INS to hire hundreds more border patrol agents and investigators to keep illegal immigrants out and to track them down once they're here. Reformers also want to see the INS set up a database to monitor whether visa holders actually leave the country when they are required to.\nAll these proposed changes were part of a new border-security bill that passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate last week. Before Sept. 11, legislation of this kind had been blocked by two powerful lobbies: universities, which rely on tuition from foreign students who could be kept out by the new law, and business, which relies on foreigners for cheap labor. Since the attacks, they've backed off. The bill would have passed this time but for congressional maneuverings and is expected to be reintroduced and to pass next year.\nAlso on the agenda for next year: a proposal, backed by some influential law-makers, to split the INS into two agencies-a good cop that would tend to service functions like processing citizenship papers and a bad cop that would concentrate on border inspections, deportation and other functions. One reason for the division, supporters say, is that the INS has in recent years become too focused on serving tourists and immigrants. After the Sept, 11 tragedy, the INS should pay more attention to serving the millions of ordinary Americans who rely on the nation's border security to protect them from terrorist attacks.","id":"415.txt","label":2}
{"option":["might stay on for as long as [hey wished","would be closely watched by FBI agents","would live in constant fear of deportation","might have them extended without trouble"],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that before Sept. 11, aliens with expired visas ________.","article":"It's hardly news that the immigration system is a mess. Foreign nationals have long been slipping across the border with fake papers, and visitors who arrive in the U.S. legitimately often overstay their legal welcome without being punished. But since Sept. 11, it's become clear that terrorists have been shrewdly factoring the weaknesses of our system into their plans. In addition to their mastery of forging passports, at least three of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers  were here on expired visas. That's been a safe bet until now. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)  lacks the resources, and apparently the inclination, to keep track of the estimated 2 million foreigners who have intentionally overstayed their welcome.\nBut this laxness  toward immigration fraud may be about to change. Congress has already taken some modest steps. The U.S.A. Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, requires the FBI, the Justice Department, the State Department and the INS to share more data, which will make it easier to stop watch-listed terrorists at the border.\nBut what's really needed, critics say, is even tougher laws and more resources aimed at tightening up border security. Reformers are calling for a rollback of rules that hinder law enforcement. They also want the INS to hire hundreds more border patrol agents and investigators to keep illegal immigrants out and to track them down once they're here. Reformers also want to see the INS set up a database to monitor whether visa holders actually leave the country when they are required to.\nAll these proposed changes were part of a new border-security bill that passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate last week. Before Sept. 11, legislation of this kind had been blocked by two powerful lobbies: universities, which rely on tuition from foreign students who could be kept out by the new law, and business, which relies on foreigners for cheap labor. Since the attacks, they've backed off. The bill would have passed this time but for congressional maneuverings and is expected to be reintroduced and to pass next year.\nAlso on the agenda for next year: a proposal, backed by some influential law-makers, to split the INS into two agencies-a good cop that would tend to service functions like processing citizenship papers and a bad cop that would concentrate on border inspections, deportation and other functions. One reason for the division, supporters say, is that the INS has in recent years become too focused on serving tourists and immigrants. After the Sept, 11 tragedy, the INS should pay more attention to serving the millions of ordinary Americans who rely on the nation's border security to protect them from terrorist attacks.","id":"415.txt","label":0}
{"option":["has been serving two contradictory functions","has ignored the pleas of the two powerful lobbies","has over-emphasized its service functions at the expense of the nation's security","has been too liberal in granting visas to tourists and immigrants indiscriminately"],"question":"It is believed by many that all these years the INS ________.","article":"It's hardly news that the immigration system is a mess. Foreign nationals have long been slipping across the border with fake papers, and visitors who arrive in the U.S. legitimately often overstay their legal welcome without being punished. But since Sept. 11, it's become clear that terrorists have been shrewdly factoring the weaknesses of our system into their plans. In addition to their mastery of forging passports, at least three of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers  were here on expired visas. That's been a safe bet until now. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)  lacks the resources, and apparently the inclination, to keep track of the estimated 2 million foreigners who have intentionally overstayed their welcome.\nBut this laxness  toward immigration fraud may be about to change. Congress has already taken some modest steps. The U.S.A. Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, requires the FBI, the Justice Department, the State Department and the INS to share more data, which will make it easier to stop watch-listed terrorists at the border.\nBut what's really needed, critics say, is even tougher laws and more resources aimed at tightening up border security. Reformers are calling for a rollback of rules that hinder law enforcement. They also want the INS to hire hundreds more border patrol agents and investigators to keep illegal immigrants out and to track them down once they're here. Reformers also want to see the INS set up a database to monitor whether visa holders actually leave the country when they are required to.\nAll these proposed changes were part of a new border-security bill that passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate last week. Before Sept. 11, legislation of this kind had been blocked by two powerful lobbies: universities, which rely on tuition from foreign students who could be kept out by the new law, and business, which relies on foreigners for cheap labor. Since the attacks, they've backed off. The bill would have passed this time but for congressional maneuverings and is expected to be reintroduced and to pass next year.\nAlso on the agenda for next year: a proposal, backed by some influential law-makers, to split the INS into two agencies-a good cop that would tend to service functions like processing citizenship papers and a bad cop that would concentrate on border inspections, deportation and other functions. One reason for the division, supporters say, is that the INS has in recent years become too focused on serving tourists and immigrants. After the Sept, 11 tragedy, the INS should pay more attention to serving the millions of ordinary Americans who rely on the nation's border security to protect them from terrorist attacks.","id":"415.txt","label":2}
{"option":["education and business circles cared little about national security","resources were not available for their enforcement","it was difficult to coordinate the efforts of the congressmen","they might have kept away foreign students and cheap labor"],"question":"Before Sept. 11, the U.S. Congress had been unable to pass stricter immigration laws because ________.","article":"It's hardly news that the immigration system is a mess. Foreign nationals have long been slipping across the border with fake papers, and visitors who arrive in the U.S. legitimately often overstay their legal welcome without being punished. But since Sept. 11, it's become clear that terrorists have been shrewdly factoring the weaknesses of our system into their plans. In addition to their mastery of forging passports, at least three of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers  were here on expired visas. That's been a safe bet until now. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)  lacks the resources, and apparently the inclination, to keep track of the estimated 2 million foreigners who have intentionally overstayed their welcome.\nBut this laxness  toward immigration fraud may be about to change. Congress has already taken some modest steps. The U.S.A. Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, requires the FBI, the Justice Department, the State Department and the INS to share more data, which will make it easier to stop watch-listed terrorists at the border.\nBut what's really needed, critics say, is even tougher laws and more resources aimed at tightening up border security. Reformers are calling for a rollback of rules that hinder law enforcement. They also want the INS to hire hundreds more border patrol agents and investigators to keep illegal immigrants out and to track them down once they're here. Reformers also want to see the INS set up a database to monitor whether visa holders actually leave the country when they are required to.\nAll these proposed changes were part of a new border-security bill that passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate last week. Before Sept. 11, legislation of this kind had been blocked by two powerful lobbies: universities, which rely on tuition from foreign students who could be kept out by the new law, and business, which relies on foreigners for cheap labor. Since the attacks, they've backed off. The bill would have passed this time but for congressional maneuverings and is expected to be reintroduced and to pass next year.\nAlso on the agenda for next year: a proposal, backed by some influential law-makers, to split the INS into two agencies-a good cop that would tend to service functions like processing citizenship papers and a bad cop that would concentrate on border inspections, deportation and other functions. One reason for the division, supporters say, is that the INS has in recent years become too focused on serving tourists and immigrants. After the Sept, 11 tragedy, the INS should pay more attention to serving the millions of ordinary Americans who rely on the nation's border security to protect them from terrorist attacks.","id":"415.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Bacteria and tiny plants undergo a change while they are buried in clay.","Carbon and hydrogen combine to form shale.","Ocean rocks are converted into organic compounds.","Oil and gas rise to the surface of sediment and are trapped in rocks."],"question":"According to paragraph 1, petroleum is formed in which of the following ways?","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":0}
{"option":["hidden","destroyed","caught","found"],"question":"The word \"trapped\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the amount of organic matter found in layers of mud below the seafloor","the chemical changes that occur in oil and natural gas after they have formed","the optical properties of oil","the fact that oil contains nitrogen and other compounds believed to be of organic origin"],"question":"All of the following are cited in paragraph 2 as evidence that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter EXCEPT","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It is more likely to occur along the base of continental slopes than on the continental shelves.","It only takes place in areas where the seafloor contains at least 8 percent organic matter.","It is a process that can be reversed through chemical changes that occur after the oil and gas have formed.","It involves a complicated series of chemical reactions."],"question":"According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true of the change of solid organic material into oil and gas?","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":3}
{"option":["To help explain why petroleum behaves differently from water in bodies of sandstone and limestone","To illustrate why petroleum migrates more rapidly through sandstone than it does through limestone","To help explain how water and petroleum can mix in certain aquifers","To account for the different molecular structures of oil and water"],"question":"Why does the author include the information that \"The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals.\"?","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":0}
{"option":["meets","forms","escapes","avoids"],"question":"The word \"encounters\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":0}
{"option":["noticeable","permanent","protected","appropriate"],"question":"The word \"suitable\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It remains in underground pools.","It is buried under organic matter.","It rises to the surface of the ocean.","It combines with the minerals found in groundwater."],"question":"According to paragraph 4, what happens to most of the petroleum that forms in sediments?","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Less petroleum will be found than in the past because the ratio of petroleum pools to volume of sediment will decrease.","Most of the petroleum will come from rocks that are less than 65 million years old.","Petroleum that has leaked away from older rocks will be the source of most new discoveries.","More petroleum will become available because the amount of trapped organic matter will increase."],"question":"Paragraph 4 supports which of the following statements about future petroleum discoveries?","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":2}
{"option":["is a question of great importance","is a question causing strong disagreement","is a question that has existed for a long time","is a question composed of many related parts"],"question":"The phrase \"is an extremely controversial question\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":1}
{"option":["oil is located but has not yet been pumped out","experts accurately predicted the rock types and structures found there","the volume of oil can only be guessed at","intensive oil exploration has occurred over a long time"],"question":"According to paragraph 5, eastern Texas is an example of a geologic region where","article":"Petroleum is defined as a gaseous, liquid, and semisolid naturally occurring substance that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons (chemical compounds of carbon and hydrogen). Petroleum is therefore a term that includes both oil and natural gas. Petroleum is nearly always found in marine sedimentary rocks. In the ocean, microscopic phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) and bacteria (simple, single-celled organisms) are the principal sources of organic matter that is trapped and buried in sediment. Most of the organic matter is buried in clay that is slowly converted to a fine-grained sedimentary rock known as shale. During this conversion, organic compounds are transformed to oil and natural gas.\nSampling on the continental shelves and along the base of the continental slopes has shown that fine muds beneath the seafloor contain up to 8 percent organic matter. Two additional kinds of evidence support the hypothesis that petroleum is a product of the decomposition of organic matter: oil possesses optical properties known only in hydrocarbons derived from organic matter, and oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter. A complex sequence of chemical reactions is involved in converting the original solid organic matter to oil and gas, and additional chemical changes may occur in the oil and gas even after they have formed.\nIt is now well established that petroleum migrates through aquifers and can become trapped in reservoirs. Petroleum migration is analogous to groundwater migration. When oil and gas are squeezed out of the shale in which they originated and enter a body of sandstone or limestone somewhere above, they migrate readily because sandstones (consisting of quartz grains) and limestones (consisting of carbonate minerals) are much more permeable than any shale. The force of molecular attraction between oil and quartz or carbonate minerals is weaker than that between water and quartz or carbonate minerals. Hence, because oil and water do not mix, water remains fastened to the quartz or carbonate grains, while oil occupies the central parts of the larger openings in the porous sandstone or limestone. Because oil is lighter than water, it tends to glide upward past the carbonate- and quartz-held water. In this way, oil becomes segregated from the water; when it encounters a trap, it can form a pool.\nMost of the petroleum that forms in sediments does not find a suitable trap and eventually makes its way, along with groundwater, to the surface of the sea. It is estimated that no more than 0.1 percent of all the organic matter originally buried in a sediment is eventually trapped in an oil pool. It is not surprising, therefore, that the highest ratio of oil and gas pools to volume of sediment is found in rock no older than 2.5 million years-young enough so that little of the petroleum has leaked away-and that nearly 60 percent of all oil and gas discovered so far has been found in strata that formed in the last 65 million years. This does not mean that older rocks produced less petroleum; it simply means that oil in older rocks has had a longer time in which to leak away.\nHow much oil is there in the world? This is an extremely controversial question. Many billions of barrels of oil have already been pumped out of the ground. A lot of additional oil has been located by drilling but is still waiting to be pumped out. Possibly a great deal more oil remains to be found by drilling. Unlike coal, the volume of which can be accurately estimated, the volume of undiscovered oil can only be guessed at. Guesses involve the use of accumulated experience from a century of drilling. Knowing how much oil has been found in an intensively drilled area, such as eastern Texas, experts make estimates of probable volumes in other regions where rock types and structures are similar to those in eastern Texas. Using this approach and considering all the sedimentary basins of the world, experts estimate that somewhere between 1,500 and 3,000 billion barrels of oil will eventually be discovered.","id":"2717.txt","label":1}
{"option":["obedient","patriotic","impulsive","capable"],"question":"All of Lionel Hamilton's deeds can best be described as being  _ .","article":"In 1999, as soon as he completed high school and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lionel Hamilton enlisted to serve his country. He worked as a helicopter mechanic before ultimately becoming a pilot. He flew a Blackhawk and helped save countless lives by transporting soldiers out of danger.\nLionel still works on flying machines. Today, he oversees assembly at a GE jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Lionel Hamilton is doing something else, too. He is answering a key question in the debate on how we build a growing and sustainable American economy. That question is not whether companies are hiring again. Manufacturing companies, large and small, are ready to hire. The question is: where can these companies find the qualified, skilled workers required for the high-tech jobs that define advanced manufacturing today?\nIt turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work. That is why the Manufacturing Institute, companies like GE, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, community colleges, veterans organizations, and others are launching a coalition to bolster the manufacturing talent pipeline by training veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. Our reason is not patriotism alone.\nManufacturing currently employs about 12 million people, and both the pay and benefits in those jobs exceed the national average. Approximately seven out of every 10 dollars of our country's R&D investments support manufacturing. The point is that while the methods of manufacturing have changed, it remains a critical component of our country's economic future. We know that there are 600,000 open high-tech jobs, just waiting to be filled. With transition support and training, vets can succeed in these jobs.","id":"443.txt","label":3}
{"option":["hire experienced workers","set up new manufacturing companies","define advanced manufacturing today","train veterans to be qualified and skilled workers"],"question":"According to Paragraph 3, manufacturing companies may be ready to  _ .","article":"In 1999, as soon as he completed high school and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lionel Hamilton enlisted to serve his country. He worked as a helicopter mechanic before ultimately becoming a pilot. He flew a Blackhawk and helped save countless lives by transporting soldiers out of danger.\nLionel still works on flying machines. Today, he oversees assembly at a GE jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Lionel Hamilton is doing something else, too. He is answering a key question in the debate on how we build a growing and sustainable American economy. That question is not whether companies are hiring again. Manufacturing companies, large and small, are ready to hire. The question is: where can these companies find the qualified, skilled workers required for the high-tech jobs that define advanced manufacturing today?\nIt turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work. That is why the Manufacturing Institute, companies like GE, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, community colleges, veterans organizations, and others are launching a coalition to bolster the manufacturing talent pipeline by training veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. Our reason is not patriotism alone.\nManufacturing currently employs about 12 million people, and both the pay and benefits in those jobs exceed the national average. Approximately seven out of every 10 dollars of our country's R&D investments support manufacturing. The point is that while the methods of manufacturing have changed, it remains a critical component of our country's economic future. We know that there are 600,000 open high-tech jobs, just waiting to be filled. With transition support and training, vets can succeed in these jobs.","id":"443.txt","label":3}
{"option":["manufacturing is a high-income and high-profit sector","the coalition advocates patriotism","manufacturing companies support the training of veterans","high-tech jobs are just waiting to be filled"],"question":"The word\" bolster\"  \uff08Line 5, Paragraph 3\uff09most probably implies that  _ .","article":"In 1999, as soon as he completed high school and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lionel Hamilton enlisted to serve his country. He worked as a helicopter mechanic before ultimately becoming a pilot. He flew a Blackhawk and helped save countless lives by transporting soldiers out of danger.\nLionel still works on flying machines. Today, he oversees assembly at a GE jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Lionel Hamilton is doing something else, too. He is answering a key question in the debate on how we build a growing and sustainable American economy. That question is not whether companies are hiring again. Manufacturing companies, large and small, are ready to hire. The question is: where can these companies find the qualified, skilled workers required for the high-tech jobs that define advanced manufacturing today?\nIt turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work. That is why the Manufacturing Institute, companies like GE, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, community colleges, veterans organizations, and others are launching a coalition to bolster the manufacturing talent pipeline by training veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. Our reason is not patriotism alone.\nManufacturing currently employs about 12 million people, and both the pay and benefits in those jobs exceed the national average. Approximately seven out of every 10 dollars of our country's R&D investments support manufacturing. The point is that while the methods of manufacturing have changed, it remains a critical component of our country's economic future. We know that there are 600,000 open high-tech jobs, just waiting to be filled. With transition support and training, vets can succeed in these jobs.","id":"443.txt","label":2}
{"option":["veterans are becoming more and more undervalued","intangible qualities are more valuable than technical proficiency","veterans are entirely optimistic to find suitable jobs","there are both opportunities and challenges along the road"],"question":"It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that","article":"In 1999, as soon as he completed high school and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lionel Hamilton enlisted to serve his country. He worked as a helicopter mechanic before ultimately becoming a pilot. He flew a Blackhawk and helped save countless lives by transporting soldiers out of danger.\nLionel still works on flying machines. Today, he oversees assembly at a GE jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Lionel Hamilton is doing something else, too. He is answering a key question in the debate on how we build a growing and sustainable American economy. That question is not whether companies are hiring again. Manufacturing companies, large and small, are ready to hire. The question is: where can these companies find the qualified, skilled workers required for the high-tech jobs that define advanced manufacturing today?\nIt turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work. That is why the Manufacturing Institute, companies like GE, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, community colleges, veterans organizations, and others are launching a coalition to bolster the manufacturing talent pipeline by training veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. Our reason is not patriotism alone.\nManufacturing currently employs about 12 million people, and both the pay and benefits in those jobs exceed the national average. Approximately seven out of every 10 dollars of our country's R&D investments support manufacturing. The point is that while the methods of manufacturing have changed, it remains a critical component of our country's economic future. We know that there are 600,000 open high-tech jobs, just waiting to be filled. With transition support and training, vets can succeed in these jobs.","id":"443.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Manufacturing: We are ready to hire experienced workers.","Today's advanced manufacturing","Veterans: What can we do after transition","Veterans are the best choice for high-tech jobs in manufacturing."],"question":"Which of the following is the best title for the text?","article":"In 1999, as soon as he completed high school and following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lionel Hamilton enlisted to serve his country. He worked as a helicopter mechanic before ultimately becoming a pilot. He flew a Blackhawk and helped save countless lives by transporting soldiers out of danger.\nLionel still works on flying machines. Today, he oversees assembly at a GE jet engine testing facility in Peebles, Ohio. Lionel Hamilton is doing something else, too. He is answering a key question in the debate on how we build a growing and sustainable American economy. That question is not whether companies are hiring again. Manufacturing companies, large and small, are ready to hire. The question is: where can these companies find the qualified, skilled workers required for the high-tech jobs that define advanced manufacturing today?\nIt turns out that many companies are looking, with great success, at veterans like Lionel, both those just transitioning back to civilian life and those who have made that transition but are still looking for meaningful work. That is why the Manufacturing Institute, companies like GE, Alcoa, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, community colleges, veterans organizations, and others are launching a coalition to bolster the manufacturing talent pipeline by training veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. Our reason is not patriotism alone.\nManufacturing currently employs about 12 million people, and both the pay and benefits in those jobs exceed the national average. Approximately seven out of every 10 dollars of our country's R&D investments support manufacturing. The point is that while the methods of manufacturing have changed, it remains a critical component of our country's economic future. We know that there are 600,000 open high-tech jobs, just waiting to be filled. With transition support and training, vets can succeed in these jobs.","id":"443.txt","label":3}
{"option":["knows the subject very well and yet maintains a proper distance from him","is close to the subject and knows the techniques of biography writing","is independent and treats the subject with fairness and objectivity","possesses special private information and is sympathetic toward the subject"],"question":"According to the author, an ideal biographer would be one who ________.","article":"The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions with respect to the subject. Too close a relation, and the writer may be objectivity. Not close enough, and the writer may lack the sympathy necessary to any effort to portray a mind, a soul-the quality of life. Who should write the biography of a family, for example? Because of their closeness to the subject, family members may have special information, but by the same token, they may not have the distance that would allow them to be fair. Similarly, a king's servant might not be the best one to write a biography of that king. But a foreigner might not have the knowledge and sympathy necessary to write the king's biography-not for a readership from within the kingdom, at any rate.\nThere is no ideal position for such a task. The biographer has to work with the position he or she has in the world, adjusting that position as necessary to deal with the subject. Every position has strengths and weaknesses: to thrive, a writer must try to become aware of these, evaluate them in terms of the subject, and select a position accordingly.\nWhen their subjects are heroes or famous figures, biographies often reveal a democratic motive: they attempt to show that their subjects are only human, no better than anyone else. Other biographies are meant to change us, to invite us to become better than we are. The biographies of Jesus found in the Bible are in this class.\nBiographers may claim that their account is the \"authentic\" one. In advancing this claim, they are helped if the biography is \"authorized\" by the subject, this presumably allows the biographer special access to private information. \"Unauthorized\" biographies also have their appeal, however, since they can suggest an independence of mind in the biographer. In book promotions, the \"unauthorized\" characterisation usually suggests the prospect of juicy gossip that the subject had hoped to suppress. A subject might have several biographies, even several \"authentic\" ones. We sense intuitively that no one is in a position to tell the story of a life, perhaps not even the subject, and this has been proved by the history of biography.","id":"3016.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the best biographies are meant to transform their readers","biographies are authentic accounts of their subjects' lives","the best biographies are the of heroes and famous figures","biographies can serve different purpose"],"question":"The author cites the biographies of Jesus in the Bible in order to show that ________.","article":"The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions with respect to the subject. Too close a relation, and the writer may be objectivity. Not close enough, and the writer may lack the sympathy necessary to any effort to portray a mind, a soul-the quality of life. Who should write the biography of a family, for example? Because of their closeness to the subject, family members may have special information, but by the same token, they may not have the distance that would allow them to be fair. Similarly, a king's servant might not be the best one to write a biography of that king. But a foreigner might not have the knowledge and sympathy necessary to write the king's biography-not for a readership from within the kingdom, at any rate.\nThere is no ideal position for such a task. The biographer has to work with the position he or she has in the world, adjusting that position as necessary to deal with the subject. Every position has strengths and weaknesses: to thrive, a writer must try to become aware of these, evaluate them in terms of the subject, and select a position accordingly.\nWhen their subjects are heroes or famous figures, biographies often reveal a democratic motive: they attempt to show that their subjects are only human, no better than anyone else. Other biographies are meant to change us, to invite us to become better than we are. The biographies of Jesus found in the Bible are in this class.\nBiographers may claim that their account is the \"authentic\" one. In advancing this claim, they are helped if the biography is \"authorized\" by the subject, this presumably allows the biographer special access to private information. \"Unauthorized\" biographies also have their appeal, however, since they can suggest an independence of mind in the biographer. In book promotions, the \"unauthorized\" characterisation usually suggests the prospect of juicy gossip that the subject had hoped to suppress. A subject might have several biographies, even several \"authentic\" ones. We sense intuitively that no one is in a position to tell the story of a life, perhaps not even the subject, and this has been proved by the history of biography.","id":"3016.txt","label":3}
{"option":["An authentic biography seldom appeals to its readers.","An authentic biography is one authorized by the subject.","No one can write a perfect biography.","Authorized biographies have a wider readership."],"question":"Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?","article":"The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions with respect to the subject. Too close a relation, and the writer may be objectivity. Not close enough, and the writer may lack the sympathy necessary to any effort to portray a mind, a soul-the quality of life. Who should write the biography of a family, for example? Because of their closeness to the subject, family members may have special information, but by the same token, they may not have the distance that would allow them to be fair. Similarly, a king's servant might not be the best one to write a biography of that king. But a foreigner might not have the knowledge and sympathy necessary to write the king's biography-not for a readership from within the kingdom, at any rate.\nThere is no ideal position for such a task. The biographer has to work with the position he or she has in the world, adjusting that position as necessary to deal with the subject. Every position has strengths and weaknesses: to thrive, a writer must try to become aware of these, evaluate them in terms of the subject, and select a position accordingly.\nWhen their subjects are heroes or famous figures, biographies often reveal a democratic motive: they attempt to show that their subjects are only human, no better than anyone else. Other biographies are meant to change us, to invite us to become better than we are. The biographies of Jesus found in the Bible are in this class.\nBiographers may claim that their account is the \"authentic\" one. In advancing this claim, they are helped if the biography is \"authorized\" by the subject, this presumably allows the biographer special access to private information. \"Unauthorized\" biographies also have their appeal, however, since they can suggest an independence of mind in the biographer. In book promotions, the \"unauthorized\" characterisation usually suggests the prospect of juicy gossip that the subject had hoped to suppress. A subject might have several biographies, even several \"authentic\" ones. We sense intuitively that no one is in a position to tell the story of a life, perhaps not even the subject, and this has been proved by the history of biography.","id":"3016.txt","label":2}
{"option":["it portrays the subject both faithfully and vividly","it contains interesting information about the subject's private life","it reveals a lot of accurate details unknown to outsiders","it usually gives a sympathetic description of the subject's character"],"question":"An unauthorized biography is likely to attract more readers because ________.","article":"The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions with respect to the subject. Too close a relation, and the writer may be objectivity. Not close enough, and the writer may lack the sympathy necessary to any effort to portray a mind, a soul-the quality of life. Who should write the biography of a family, for example? Because of their closeness to the subject, family members may have special information, but by the same token, they may not have the distance that would allow them to be fair. Similarly, a king's servant might not be the best one to write a biography of that king. But a foreigner might not have the knowledge and sympathy necessary to write the king's biography-not for a readership from within the kingdom, at any rate.\nThere is no ideal position for such a task. The biographer has to work with the position he or she has in the world, adjusting that position as necessary to deal with the subject. Every position has strengths and weaknesses: to thrive, a writer must try to become aware of these, evaluate them in terms of the subject, and select a position accordingly.\nWhen their subjects are heroes or famous figures, biographies often reveal a democratic motive: they attempt to show that their subjects are only human, no better than anyone else. Other biographies are meant to change us, to invite us to become better than we are. The biographies of Jesus found in the Bible are in this class.\nBiographers may claim that their account is the \"authentic\" one. In advancing this claim, they are helped if the biography is \"authorized\" by the subject, this presumably allows the biographer special access to private information. \"Unauthorized\" biographies also have their appeal, however, since they can suggest an independence of mind in the biographer. In book promotions, the \"unauthorized\" characterisation usually suggests the prospect of juicy gossip that the subject had hoped to suppress. A subject might have several biographies, even several \"authentic\" ones. We sense intuitively that no one is in a position to tell the story of a life, perhaps not even the subject, and this has been proved by the history of biography.","id":"3016.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the difficulty of a biographer in finding the proper perspective to do his job","the secret of a biographer to win more readers","the techniques required of a biographer to write a food biography","the characteristics of different kinds of biographies"],"question":"In this passage, the author focuses on ________.","article":"The biographer has to dance between two shaky positions with respect to the subject. Too close a relation, and the writer may be objectivity. Not close enough, and the writer may lack the sympathy necessary to any effort to portray a mind, a soul-the quality of life. Who should write the biography of a family, for example? Because of their closeness to the subject, family members may have special information, but by the same token, they may not have the distance that would allow them to be fair. Similarly, a king's servant might not be the best one to write a biography of that king. But a foreigner might not have the knowledge and sympathy necessary to write the king's biography-not for a readership from within the kingdom, at any rate.\nThere is no ideal position for such a task. The biographer has to work with the position he or she has in the world, adjusting that position as necessary to deal with the subject. Every position has strengths and weaknesses: to thrive, a writer must try to become aware of these, evaluate them in terms of the subject, and select a position accordingly.\nWhen their subjects are heroes or famous figures, biographies often reveal a democratic motive: they attempt to show that their subjects are only human, no better than anyone else. Other biographies are meant to change us, to invite us to become better than we are. The biographies of Jesus found in the Bible are in this class.\nBiographers may claim that their account is the \"authentic\" one. In advancing this claim, they are helped if the biography is \"authorized\" by the subject, this presumably allows the biographer special access to private information. \"Unauthorized\" biographies also have their appeal, however, since they can suggest an independence of mind in the biographer. In book promotions, the \"unauthorized\" characterisation usually suggests the prospect of juicy gossip that the subject had hoped to suppress. A subject might have several biographies, even several \"authentic\" ones. We sense intuitively that no one is in a position to tell the story of a life, perhaps not even the subject, and this has been proved by the history of biography.","id":"3016.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It says the government should impose exact price controls of drugs.","It claims that American drug companies should imitate their European counterparts.","It indicates that price control does not reduce the innovativeness of drug making.","It suggests that price control can promote the innovativeness of drug making."],"question":"How does the new study mentioned in Paragraph 2 support government's health-care reform?","article":"Governments around the world are struggling to cope with the rising cost of health care, and of drugs in particular. Many rich countries have resorted to price controls, and some on the American left advocate them noisily. But drug firms maintain that America, where they are free to price patented pills largely as they please, is the engine of global pharmaceutical innovation, while price-controlling Europeans are free riders. That, says PhRMA, the industry's lobby based in Washington, D.C., is because price regulations seen in other rich countries\" chill innovation, impede patients' access to the newest cutting-edge medicines, and trigger innovators to relocate to countries with more progressive public policy.\"\nA new study, written by Donald Light, a visiting professor at Stanford University, claims that European drug firms are more innovative than American ones, in spite of price controls. That flies in the face of an influential paper published in the same journal in 2006, which examined the geographic origins of drugs registered between 1982 and 2003 and concluded that favourable public policies had helped propel America to the top of the list. PhRMA has rushed to denounce Mr Light's study, insisting it gives a\" distorted picture\"  and understates the impact of\" home-grown innovation\" .\nThe tiff exposes two fallacies that come from looking at a globalised industry through national spectacles. Both sides attribute new drugs to a specific country of origin\uff08based on the location of the headquarters of the firm that first launches them\uff09. But Patricia Danzon of the Wharton Business School argues that this makes little sense when most big drug firms have laboratories in several countries and often acquire drugs under development from biotechnology firms located elsewhere. By the same token, firms develop drugs for the global market, observes Alan Garber of Stanford, not just for the local one. So the imposition of price caps in a given country will not necessarily quash innovation there, thanks to the lure of exports.\nThe exception to this rule, of course, is the United States, which alone accounts for over 40% of global sales. So what would happen if America's Congress imposes price regulations? If the cuts are swinging, then the prize for inventors everywhere will be reduced. But short of such a radical scenario, pricing reform would not kill off innovation, according to Sanford Bernstein, a financial-research firm. It has analysed the likely impact of a cut of 20% in the prices Medicare, the government health scheme for the elderly, pays for its drugs. It concluded that the earnings per share of big pharmaceutical firms would drop by 3-8%.\nThere is even reason to think that pricing reforms may boost innovation. Britain and Germany are pioneering comparative reviews of drugs' effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses aimed at reimbursing firms for new drugs based on how well they perform. Janssen-Cilag persuaded Britain's health service to accept Velcade, its expensive cancer drug, by offering a money-back guarantee if it did not work as well as promised.\nThe American pharmaceutical lobby is violently opposed to making such an approach compulsory. Some suspect that its opposition stems from the fear that many expensive and profitable pills would be found to be of dubious value. But as Ms Danzon points out, \" Comparative-effectiveness reviews are an indirect form of price control-but one that is consistent with encouraging innovation.\"","id":"578.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The measure has contributed to many free riders.","The measure is agreed upon by many rich countries.","The measure has encountered resistance from drug firms.","The measure has aroused a controversy that is yet to be settled."],"question":"Which of the following is NOT true concerning price control of drugs?","article":"Governments around the world are struggling to cope with the rising cost of health care, and of drugs in particular. Many rich countries have resorted to price controls, and some on the American left advocate them noisily. But drug firms maintain that America, where they are free to price patented pills largely as they please, is the engine of global pharmaceutical innovation, while price-controlling Europeans are free riders. That, says PhRMA, the industry's lobby based in Washington, D.C., is because price regulations seen in other rich countries\" chill innovation, impede patients' access to the newest cutting-edge medicines, and trigger innovators to relocate to countries with more progressive public policy.\"\nA new study, written by Donald Light, a visiting professor at Stanford University, claims that European drug firms are more innovative than American ones, in spite of price controls. That flies in the face of an influential paper published in the same journal in 2006, which examined the geographic origins of drugs registered between 1982 and 2003 and concluded that favourable public policies had helped propel America to the top of the list. PhRMA has rushed to denounce Mr Light's study, insisting it gives a\" distorted picture\"  and understates the impact of\" home-grown innovation\" .\nThe tiff exposes two fallacies that come from looking at a globalised industry through national spectacles. Both sides attribute new drugs to a specific country of origin\uff08based on the location of the headquarters of the firm that first launches them\uff09. But Patricia Danzon of the Wharton Business School argues that this makes little sense when most big drug firms have laboratories in several countries and often acquire drugs under development from biotechnology firms located elsewhere. By the same token, firms develop drugs for the global market, observes Alan Garber of Stanford, not just for the local one. So the imposition of price caps in a given country will not necessarily quash innovation there, thanks to the lure of exports.\nThe exception to this rule, of course, is the United States, which alone accounts for over 40% of global sales. So what would happen if America's Congress imposes price regulations? If the cuts are swinging, then the prize for inventors everywhere will be reduced. But short of such a radical scenario, pricing reform would not kill off innovation, according to Sanford Bernstein, a financial-research firm. It has analysed the likely impact of a cut of 20% in the prices Medicare, the government health scheme for the elderly, pays for its drugs. It concluded that the earnings per share of big pharmaceutical firms would drop by 3-8%.\nThere is even reason to think that pricing reforms may boost innovation. Britain and Germany are pioneering comparative reviews of drugs' effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses aimed at reimbursing firms for new drugs based on how well they perform. Janssen-Cilag persuaded Britain's health service to accept Velcade, its expensive cancer drug, by offering a money-back guarantee if it did not work as well as promised.\nThe American pharmaceutical lobby is violently opposed to making such an approach compulsory. Some suspect that its opposition stems from the fear that many expensive and profitable pills would be found to be of dubious value. But as Ms Danzon points out, \" Comparative-effectiveness reviews are an indirect form of price control-but one that is consistent with encouraging innovation.\"","id":"578.txt","label":0}
{"option":["in the same way","symbolically","by the same expression","in the same sense"],"question":"The expression\" by the same token\"  \uff08Line 5, Paragraph 3\uff09most probably means  _ .","article":"Governments around the world are struggling to cope with the rising cost of health care, and of drugs in particular. Many rich countries have resorted to price controls, and some on the American left advocate them noisily. But drug firms maintain that America, where they are free to price patented pills largely as they please, is the engine of global pharmaceutical innovation, while price-controlling Europeans are free riders. That, says PhRMA, the industry's lobby based in Washington, D.C., is because price regulations seen in other rich countries\" chill innovation, impede patients' access to the newest cutting-edge medicines, and trigger innovators to relocate to countries with more progressive public policy.\"\nA new study, written by Donald Light, a visiting professor at Stanford University, claims that European drug firms are more innovative than American ones, in spite of price controls. That flies in the face of an influential paper published in the same journal in 2006, which examined the geographic origins of drugs registered between 1982 and 2003 and concluded that favourable public policies had helped propel America to the top of the list. PhRMA has rushed to denounce Mr Light's study, insisting it gives a\" distorted picture\"  and understates the impact of\" home-grown innovation\" .\nThe tiff exposes two fallacies that come from looking at a globalised industry through national spectacles. Both sides attribute new drugs to a specific country of origin\uff08based on the location of the headquarters of the firm that first launches them\uff09. But Patricia Danzon of the Wharton Business School argues that this makes little sense when most big drug firms have laboratories in several countries and often acquire drugs under development from biotechnology firms located elsewhere. By the same token, firms develop drugs for the global market, observes Alan Garber of Stanford, not just for the local one. So the imposition of price caps in a given country will not necessarily quash innovation there, thanks to the lure of exports.\nThe exception to this rule, of course, is the United States, which alone accounts for over 40% of global sales. So what would happen if America's Congress imposes price regulations? If the cuts are swinging, then the prize for inventors everywhere will be reduced. But short of such a radical scenario, pricing reform would not kill off innovation, according to Sanford Bernstein, a financial-research firm. It has analysed the likely impact of a cut of 20% in the prices Medicare, the government health scheme for the elderly, pays for its drugs. It concluded that the earnings per share of big pharmaceutical firms would drop by 3-8%.\nThere is even reason to think that pricing reforms may boost innovation. Britain and Germany are pioneering comparative reviews of drugs' effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses aimed at reimbursing firms for new drugs based on how well they perform. Janssen-Cilag persuaded Britain's health service to accept Velcade, its expensive cancer drug, by offering a money-back guarantee if it did not work as well as promised.\nThe American pharmaceutical lobby is violently opposed to making such an approach compulsory. Some suspect that its opposition stems from the fear that many expensive and profitable pills would be found to be of dubious value. But as Ms Danzon points out, \" Comparative-effectiveness reviews are an indirect form of price control-but one that is consistent with encouraging innovation.\"","id":"578.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Because it works in Britain and Germany.","Because firms are encouraged by government to guarantee better performance.","Because firms will be reimbursed for new drugs based on how well they perform.","Because Britain's health service would like to try new drugs."],"question":"Why does the author say that price control may promote innovation?","article":"Governments around the world are struggling to cope with the rising cost of health care, and of drugs in particular. Many rich countries have resorted to price controls, and some on the American left advocate them noisily. But drug firms maintain that America, where they are free to price patented pills largely as they please, is the engine of global pharmaceutical innovation, while price-controlling Europeans are free riders. That, says PhRMA, the industry's lobby based in Washington, D.C., is because price regulations seen in other rich countries\" chill innovation, impede patients' access to the newest cutting-edge medicines, and trigger innovators to relocate to countries with more progressive public policy.\"\nA new study, written by Donald Light, a visiting professor at Stanford University, claims that European drug firms are more innovative than American ones, in spite of price controls. That flies in the face of an influential paper published in the same journal in 2006, which examined the geographic origins of drugs registered between 1982 and 2003 and concluded that favourable public policies had helped propel America to the top of the list. PhRMA has rushed to denounce Mr Light's study, insisting it gives a\" distorted picture\"  and understates the impact of\" home-grown innovation\" .\nThe tiff exposes two fallacies that come from looking at a globalised industry through national spectacles. Both sides attribute new drugs to a specific country of origin\uff08based on the location of the headquarters of the firm that first launches them\uff09. But Patricia Danzon of the Wharton Business School argues that this makes little sense when most big drug firms have laboratories in several countries and often acquire drugs under development from biotechnology firms located elsewhere. By the same token, firms develop drugs for the global market, observes Alan Garber of Stanford, not just for the local one. So the imposition of price caps in a given country will not necessarily quash innovation there, thanks to the lure of exports.\nThe exception to this rule, of course, is the United States, which alone accounts for over 40% of global sales. So what would happen if America's Congress imposes price regulations? If the cuts are swinging, then the prize for inventors everywhere will be reduced. But short of such a radical scenario, pricing reform would not kill off innovation, according to Sanford Bernstein, a financial-research firm. It has analysed the likely impact of a cut of 20% in the prices Medicare, the government health scheme for the elderly, pays for its drugs. It concluded that the earnings per share of big pharmaceutical firms would drop by 3-8%.\nThere is even reason to think that pricing reforms may boost innovation. Britain and Germany are pioneering comparative reviews of drugs' effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses aimed at reimbursing firms for new drugs based on how well they perform. Janssen-Cilag persuaded Britain's health service to accept Velcade, its expensive cancer drug, by offering a money-back guarantee if it did not work as well as promised.\nThe American pharmaceutical lobby is violently opposed to making such an approach compulsory. Some suspect that its opposition stems from the fear that many expensive and profitable pills would be found to be of dubious value. But as Ms Danzon points out, \" Comparative-effectiveness reviews are an indirect form of price control-but one that is consistent with encouraging innovation.\"","id":"578.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Medicare may reduce pharmaceutical firms' earning per share in future.","The price-control-for-innovation approach is not applicable to US.","The American pharmaceutical industry utilizes politics for its own benefit.","Comparative-effectiveness analysis is the best way to encourage innovation."],"question":"Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?","article":"Governments around the world are struggling to cope with the rising cost of health care, and of drugs in particular. Many rich countries have resorted to price controls, and some on the American left advocate them noisily. But drug firms maintain that America, where they are free to price patented pills largely as they please, is the engine of global pharmaceutical innovation, while price-controlling Europeans are free riders. That, says PhRMA, the industry's lobby based in Washington, D.C., is because price regulations seen in other rich countries\" chill innovation, impede patients' access to the newest cutting-edge medicines, and trigger innovators to relocate to countries with more progressive public policy.\"\nA new study, written by Donald Light, a visiting professor at Stanford University, claims that European drug firms are more innovative than American ones, in spite of price controls. That flies in the face of an influential paper published in the same journal in 2006, which examined the geographic origins of drugs registered between 1982 and 2003 and concluded that favourable public policies had helped propel America to the top of the list. PhRMA has rushed to denounce Mr Light's study, insisting it gives a\" distorted picture\"  and understates the impact of\" home-grown innovation\" .\nThe tiff exposes two fallacies that come from looking at a globalised industry through national spectacles. Both sides attribute new drugs to a specific country of origin\uff08based on the location of the headquarters of the firm that first launches them\uff09. But Patricia Danzon of the Wharton Business School argues that this makes little sense when most big drug firms have laboratories in several countries and often acquire drugs under development from biotechnology firms located elsewhere. By the same token, firms develop drugs for the global market, observes Alan Garber of Stanford, not just for the local one. So the imposition of price caps in a given country will not necessarily quash innovation there, thanks to the lure of exports.\nThe exception to this rule, of course, is the United States, which alone accounts for over 40% of global sales. So what would happen if America's Congress imposes price regulations? If the cuts are swinging, then the prize for inventors everywhere will be reduced. But short of such a radical scenario, pricing reform would not kill off innovation, according to Sanford Bernstein, a financial-research firm. It has analysed the likely impact of a cut of 20% in the prices Medicare, the government health scheme for the elderly, pays for its drugs. It concluded that the earnings per share of big pharmaceutical firms would drop by 3-8%.\nThere is even reason to think that pricing reforms may boost innovation. Britain and Germany are pioneering comparative reviews of drugs' effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses aimed at reimbursing firms for new drugs based on how well they perform. Janssen-Cilag persuaded Britain's health service to accept Velcade, its expensive cancer drug, by offering a money-back guarantee if it did not work as well as promised.\nThe American pharmaceutical lobby is violently opposed to making such an approach compulsory. Some suspect that its opposition stems from the fear that many expensive and profitable pills would be found to be of dubious value. But as Ms Danzon points out, \" Comparative-effectiveness reviews are an indirect form of price control-but one that is consistent with encouraging innovation.\"","id":"578.txt","label":2}
{"option":["its drastically decreased population","the underestimate of the grassland acreage","a desperate appeal from some biologists","the insistence of private landowners"],"question":"The major reason for listing the lesser prairie as threatened is _","article":"Biologists estimate that as many as 2 million lesser prairie chickens---a kind of bird living on stretching grasslands-once lent red to the often gray landscape of the midwestern and southwestern United States. But just some 22,000 birds remain today, occupying about 16% of the species' historic range.\nThe crash was a major reason the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)decided to formally list the bird as threatened. \"The lesser prairie chicken is in a desperate situation,\" said USFWS Director Daniel Ashe. Some environmentalists, however, were disappointed. They had pushed the agency to designate the bird as \"endangered,\" a status that gives federal officials greater regulatory power to crack down on threats. But Ashe and others argued that the\"threatened\" tag gave the federal government flexibility to try out new, potentially less confrontational conservations approaches. In particular, they called for forging closer collaborations with western state governments, which are often uneasy with federal action and with the private landowners who control an estimated 95% of the prairie chicken's habitat.\nUnder the plan, for example, the agency said it would not prosecute landowner or businesses that unintentionally kill, harm, or disturb the bird, as long as they had signed a range-wide management plan to restore prairie chicken habitat. Negotiated by USFWS and the states, the plan requires individuals and businesses that damage habitat as part of their operations to pay into a fund to replace every acre destroyed with 2 new acres of suitable habitat. The fund will also be used to compensate landowners who set aside habitat, USFWS also set an interim goal of restoring prairie chicken populations to an annual average of 67,000 birds over the next 10 years. And it gives the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA., a coalition of state agencies, the job of monitoring progress. Overall, the idea is to let \"states\" remain in the driver's seat for managing the species,\" Ashe said.\nNot everyone buys the win-win rhetoric Some Congress members are trying to block the plan, and at least a dozen industry groups, four states, and three environmental groups are challenging it in federal court Not surprisingly, doesn't go far enough \"The federal government is giving responsibility for managing the bird to the same industries that are pushing it to extinction,\" says biologist Jay Lininger.","id":"1053.txt","label":0}
{"option":["was a give-in to governmental pressure","would involve fewer agencies in action","granted less federal regulatory power","went against conservation policies"],"question":"The \"threatened\" tag disappointed some environmentalists in that it _","article":"Biologists estimate that as many as 2 million lesser prairie chickens---a kind of bird living on stretching grasslands-once lent red to the often gray landscape of the midwestern and southwestern United States. But just some 22,000 birds remain today, occupying about 16% of the species' historic range.\nThe crash was a major reason the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)decided to formally list the bird as threatened. \"The lesser prairie chicken is in a desperate situation,\" said USFWS Director Daniel Ashe. Some environmentalists, however, were disappointed. They had pushed the agency to designate the bird as \"endangered,\" a status that gives federal officials greater regulatory power to crack down on threats. But Ashe and others argued that the\"threatened\" tag gave the federal government flexibility to try out new, potentially less confrontational conservations approaches. In particular, they called for forging closer collaborations with western state governments, which are often uneasy with federal action and with the private landowners who control an estimated 95% of the prairie chicken's habitat.\nUnder the plan, for example, the agency said it would not prosecute landowner or businesses that unintentionally kill, harm, or disturb the bird, as long as they had signed a range-wide management plan to restore prairie chicken habitat. Negotiated by USFWS and the states, the plan requires individuals and businesses that damage habitat as part of their operations to pay into a fund to replace every acre destroyed with 2 new acres of suitable habitat. The fund will also be used to compensate landowners who set aside habitat, USFWS also set an interim goal of restoring prairie chicken populations to an annual average of 67,000 birds over the next 10 years. And it gives the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA., a coalition of state agencies, the job of monitoring progress. Overall, the idea is to let \"states\" remain in the driver's seat for managing the species,\" Ashe said.\nNot everyone buys the win-win rhetoric Some Congress members are trying to block the plan, and at least a dozen industry groups, four states, and three environmental groups are challenging it in federal court Not surprisingly, doesn't go far enough \"The federal government is giving responsibility for managing the bird to the same industries that are pushing it to extinction,\" says biologist Jay Lininger.","id":"1053.txt","label":2}
{"option":["agree to pay a sum for compensation","volunteer to set up an equally big habitat","offer to support the WAFWA monitoring job","promise to raise funds for USFWS operations"],"question":"It can be learned from Paragraph3 that unintentional harm-doers will not be prosecuted if they _","article":"Biologists estimate that as many as 2 million lesser prairie chickens---a kind of bird living on stretching grasslands-once lent red to the often gray landscape of the midwestern and southwestern United States. But just some 22,000 birds remain today, occupying about 16% of the species' historic range.\nThe crash was a major reason the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)decided to formally list the bird as threatened. \"The lesser prairie chicken is in a desperate situation,\" said USFWS Director Daniel Ashe. Some environmentalists, however, were disappointed. They had pushed the agency to designate the bird as \"endangered,\" a status that gives federal officials greater regulatory power to crack down on threats. But Ashe and others argued that the\"threatened\" tag gave the federal government flexibility to try out new, potentially less confrontational conservations approaches. In particular, they called for forging closer collaborations with western state governments, which are often uneasy with federal action and with the private landowners who control an estimated 95% of the prairie chicken's habitat.\nUnder the plan, for example, the agency said it would not prosecute landowner or businesses that unintentionally kill, harm, or disturb the bird, as long as they had signed a range-wide management plan to restore prairie chicken habitat. Negotiated by USFWS and the states, the plan requires individuals and businesses that damage habitat as part of their operations to pay into a fund to replace every acre destroyed with 2 new acres of suitable habitat. The fund will also be used to compensate landowners who set aside habitat, USFWS also set an interim goal of restoring prairie chicken populations to an annual average of 67,000 birds over the next 10 years. And it gives the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA., a coalition of state agencies, the job of monitoring progress. Overall, the idea is to let \"states\" remain in the driver's seat for managing the species,\" Ashe said.\nNot everyone buys the win-win rhetoric Some Congress members are trying to block the plan, and at least a dozen industry groups, four states, and three environmental groups are challenging it in federal court Not surprisingly, doesn't go far enough \"The federal government is giving responsibility for managing the bird to the same industries that are pushing it to extinction,\" says biologist Jay Lininger.","id":"1053.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the federal government","the wildlife agencies","the landowners","the states"],"question":"According to Ashe\uff0c the leading role in managing the species in _","article":"Biologists estimate that as many as 2 million lesser prairie chickens---a kind of bird living on stretching grasslands-once lent red to the often gray landscape of the midwestern and southwestern United States. But just some 22,000 birds remain today, occupying about 16% of the species' historic range.\nThe crash was a major reason the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)decided to formally list the bird as threatened. \"The lesser prairie chicken is in a desperate situation,\" said USFWS Director Daniel Ashe. Some environmentalists, however, were disappointed. They had pushed the agency to designate the bird as \"endangered,\" a status that gives federal officials greater regulatory power to crack down on threats. But Ashe and others argued that the\"threatened\" tag gave the federal government flexibility to try out new, potentially less confrontational conservations approaches. In particular, they called for forging closer collaborations with western state governments, which are often uneasy with federal action and with the private landowners who control an estimated 95% of the prairie chicken's habitat.\nUnder the plan, for example, the agency said it would not prosecute landowner or businesses that unintentionally kill, harm, or disturb the bird, as long as they had signed a range-wide management plan to restore prairie chicken habitat. Negotiated by USFWS and the states, the plan requires individuals and businesses that damage habitat as part of their operations to pay into a fund to replace every acre destroyed with 2 new acres of suitable habitat. The fund will also be used to compensate landowners who set aside habitat, USFWS also set an interim goal of restoring prairie chicken populations to an annual average of 67,000 birds over the next 10 years. And it gives the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA., a coalition of state agencies, the job of monitoring progress. Overall, the idea is to let \"states\" remain in the driver's seat for managing the species,\" Ashe said.\nNot everyone buys the win-win rhetoric Some Congress members are trying to block the plan, and at least a dozen industry groups, four states, and three environmental groups are challenging it in federal court Not surprisingly, doesn't go far enough \"The federal government is giving responsibility for managing the bird to the same industries that are pushing it to extinction,\" says biologist Jay Lininger.","id":"1053.txt","label":3}
{"option":["industry groups","the win-win rhetoric","environmental groups","the plan under challenge"],"question":"Jay Lininger would most likely support _","article":"Biologists estimate that as many as 2 million lesser prairie chickens---a kind of bird living on stretching grasslands-once lent red to the often gray landscape of the midwestern and southwestern United States. But just some 22,000 birds remain today, occupying about 16% of the species' historic range.\nThe crash was a major reason the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)decided to formally list the bird as threatened. \"The lesser prairie chicken is in a desperate situation,\" said USFWS Director Daniel Ashe. Some environmentalists, however, were disappointed. They had pushed the agency to designate the bird as \"endangered,\" a status that gives federal officials greater regulatory power to crack down on threats. But Ashe and others argued that the\"threatened\" tag gave the federal government flexibility to try out new, potentially less confrontational conservations approaches. In particular, they called for forging closer collaborations with western state governments, which are often uneasy with federal action and with the private landowners who control an estimated 95% of the prairie chicken's habitat.\nUnder the plan, for example, the agency said it would not prosecute landowner or businesses that unintentionally kill, harm, or disturb the bird, as long as they had signed a range-wide management plan to restore prairie chicken habitat. Negotiated by USFWS and the states, the plan requires individuals and businesses that damage habitat as part of their operations to pay into a fund to replace every acre destroyed with 2 new acres of suitable habitat. The fund will also be used to compensate landowners who set aside habitat, USFWS also set an interim goal of restoring prairie chicken populations to an annual average of 67,000 birds over the next 10 years. And it gives the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA., a coalition of state agencies, the job of monitoring progress. Overall, the idea is to let \"states\" remain in the driver's seat for managing the species,\" Ashe said.\nNot everyone buys the win-win rhetoric Some Congress members are trying to block the plan, and at least a dozen industry groups, four states, and three environmental groups are challenging it in federal court Not surprisingly, doesn't go far enough \"The federal government is giving responsibility for managing the bird to the same industries that are pushing it to extinction,\" says biologist Jay Lininger.","id":"1053.txt","label":1}
{"option":["scientists are split as to whether birds descended from dinosaurs","the bone similarities between birds and dinosaurs are a coincidence","fossils have proven that birds evolved from dinosaurs","the idea that birds are connected with dinosaurs has always been taken seriously"],"question":"We learn from the beginning of the passage that  _ .","article":"The once radical notion that birds descended from dinosaurs-or may even be dinosaurs, the only living branch of the family that ruled the earth eons ago-has got stronger and stronger since paleontologists first started taking it seriously a couple of decades ago. Remarkable similarities in bone structure between dinos and birds were the first clue. Then came evidence, thanks to a series of astonishing discoveries in China's Liaoning province over the past five years, that some dinosaurs may have borne feathers. But a few scientists still argued that the link was weak; the bone similarities could be a coincidence, they said. And maybe those primitive structures visible in some fossils were feathers-but maybe not. You had to use your imagination to see them.\nNot anymore. A spectacularly preserved fossil of a juvenile dinosaur, announced by a team of paleontologists from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and New York City's American Museum of Natural History in the latest issue of Nature, is about as good a missing link as anyone could want. \" It has things that are undeniably feathers,\"  exults Richard Prum, of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, an expert on the evolution of feathers. \" But it is clearly a small, vicious theropod similar to the velociraptors that chased the kids around the kitchen in Jurassic Park.\"\nThe find helps cement the dinosaur-bird connection, but it also casts new light on the mystery of why nature invented feathers in the first place. For the better part of a century, biologists have assumed that these specialized structures evolved for flight, but that's clearly not true. \" The feathers on these dinosaurs aren't flight-worthy, and the animals couldn't fly,\"  says paleontologist Kevin Padian, of the University of California, Berkeley. \" They're too big, and they don't have wings.\"  So what was the original purpose of feathers? Nobody knows for sure; they might have been useful for keeping dinos dry, distracting predators or attracting mates, as peacocks do today.\nBut many biologists suspect that feathers originally arose to keep dinosaurs warm. The bone structure of dinosaurs shows that, unlike modern reptiles, they grew as fast as birds and mammals-which dovetails with a growing body of evidence that dinos were, in fact, warm-blooded. Says Padian:\" They must have had a high basal metabolic rate to grow that fast. And I wouldn't be surprised if they had some sort of skin covering for insulation when they were small.\"  Says Norell:\" Even baby tyrannosaurs probably looked like this one.\"\nAt the rate feathered dinosaurs are turning up, it shouldn't take long to solidify scientists' understanding of precisely how and why feathers first arose and when the first birdlike creature realized they were useful for flight. Meanwhile, kids had better get used to the idea that T. rex may have started life looking an awful lot like Tweety Bird.","id":"506.txt","label":0}
{"option":["it shows vividly how dinosaur flies","it brings new mystery to paleontologists","it further proves the link between birds and dinosaurs","it solves the puzzle of birds' evolution"],"question":"Speaking of the recently-announced fossil of a juvenile dinosaur, the author implies that  _ .","article":"The once radical notion that birds descended from dinosaurs-or may even be dinosaurs, the only living branch of the family that ruled the earth eons ago-has got stronger and stronger since paleontologists first started taking it seriously a couple of decades ago. Remarkable similarities in bone structure between dinos and birds were the first clue. Then came evidence, thanks to a series of astonishing discoveries in China's Liaoning province over the past five years, that some dinosaurs may have borne feathers. But a few scientists still argued that the link was weak; the bone similarities could be a coincidence, they said. And maybe those primitive structures visible in some fossils were feathers-but maybe not. You had to use your imagination to see them.\nNot anymore. A spectacularly preserved fossil of a juvenile dinosaur, announced by a team of paleontologists from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and New York City's American Museum of Natural History in the latest issue of Nature, is about as good a missing link as anyone could want. \" It has things that are undeniably feathers,\"  exults Richard Prum, of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, an expert on the evolution of feathers. \" But it is clearly a small, vicious theropod similar to the velociraptors that chased the kids around the kitchen in Jurassic Park.\"\nThe find helps cement the dinosaur-bird connection, but it also casts new light on the mystery of why nature invented feathers in the first place. For the better part of a century, biologists have assumed that these specialized structures evolved for flight, but that's clearly not true. \" The feathers on these dinosaurs aren't flight-worthy, and the animals couldn't fly,\"  says paleontologist Kevin Padian, of the University of California, Berkeley. \" They're too big, and they don't have wings.\"  So what was the original purpose of feathers? Nobody knows for sure; they might have been useful for keeping dinos dry, distracting predators or attracting mates, as peacocks do today.\nBut many biologists suspect that feathers originally arose to keep dinosaurs warm. The bone structure of dinosaurs shows that, unlike modern reptiles, they grew as fast as birds and mammals-which dovetails with a growing body of evidence that dinos were, in fact, warm-blooded. Says Padian:\" They must have had a high basal metabolic rate to grow that fast. And I wouldn't be surprised if they had some sort of skin covering for insulation when they were small.\"  Says Norell:\" Even baby tyrannosaurs probably looked like this one.\"\nAt the rate feathered dinosaurs are turning up, it shouldn't take long to solidify scientists' understanding of precisely how and why feathers first arose and when the first birdlike creature realized they were useful for flight. Meanwhile, kids had better get used to the idea that T. rex may have started life looking an awful lot like Tweety Bird.","id":"506.txt","label":2}
{"option":["were of no practical value","were useful for flight","could protect dinosaurs from their natural enemy","were good for insulation"],"question":"In the view of Kevin Padian, the feathers on those dinosaurs  _ .","article":"The once radical notion that birds descended from dinosaurs-or may even be dinosaurs, the only living branch of the family that ruled the earth eons ago-has got stronger and stronger since paleontologists first started taking it seriously a couple of decades ago. Remarkable similarities in bone structure between dinos and birds were the first clue. Then came evidence, thanks to a series of astonishing discoveries in China's Liaoning province over the past five years, that some dinosaurs may have borne feathers. But a few scientists still argued that the link was weak; the bone similarities could be a coincidence, they said. And maybe those primitive structures visible in some fossils were feathers-but maybe not. You had to use your imagination to see them.\nNot anymore. A spectacularly preserved fossil of a juvenile dinosaur, announced by a team of paleontologists from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and New York City's American Museum of Natural History in the latest issue of Nature, is about as good a missing link as anyone could want. \" It has things that are undeniably feathers,\"  exults Richard Prum, of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, an expert on the evolution of feathers. \" But it is clearly a small, vicious theropod similar to the velociraptors that chased the kids around the kitchen in Jurassic Park.\"\nThe find helps cement the dinosaur-bird connection, but it also casts new light on the mystery of why nature invented feathers in the first place. For the better part of a century, biologists have assumed that these specialized structures evolved for flight, but that's clearly not true. \" The feathers on these dinosaurs aren't flight-worthy, and the animals couldn't fly,\"  says paleontologist Kevin Padian, of the University of California, Berkeley. \" They're too big, and they don't have wings.\"  So what was the original purpose of feathers? Nobody knows for sure; they might have been useful for keeping dinos dry, distracting predators or attracting mates, as peacocks do today.\nBut many biologists suspect that feathers originally arose to keep dinosaurs warm. The bone structure of dinosaurs shows that, unlike modern reptiles, they grew as fast as birds and mammals-which dovetails with a growing body of evidence that dinos were, in fact, warm-blooded. Says Padian:\" They must have had a high basal metabolic rate to grow that fast. And I wouldn't be surprised if they had some sort of skin covering for insulation when they were small.\"  Says Norell:\" Even baby tyrannosaurs probably looked like this one.\"\nAt the rate feathered dinosaurs are turning up, it shouldn't take long to solidify scientists' understanding of precisely how and why feathers first arose and when the first birdlike creature realized they were useful for flight. Meanwhile, kids had better get used to the idea that T. rex may have started life looking an awful lot like Tweety Bird.","id":"506.txt","label":3}
{"option":["to help dinosaurs fly","to keep dinosaurs warm","to distract predators","a mystery"],"question":"The original purpose of feather was  _ .","article":"The once radical notion that birds descended from dinosaurs-or may even be dinosaurs, the only living branch of the family that ruled the earth eons ago-has got stronger and stronger since paleontologists first started taking it seriously a couple of decades ago. Remarkable similarities in bone structure between dinos and birds were the first clue. Then came evidence, thanks to a series of astonishing discoveries in China's Liaoning province over the past five years, that some dinosaurs may have borne feathers. But a few scientists still argued that the link was weak; the bone similarities could be a coincidence, they said. And maybe those primitive structures visible in some fossils were feathers-but maybe not. You had to use your imagination to see them.\nNot anymore. A spectacularly preserved fossil of a juvenile dinosaur, announced by a team of paleontologists from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and New York City's American Museum of Natural History in the latest issue of Nature, is about as good a missing link as anyone could want. \" It has things that are undeniably feathers,\"  exults Richard Prum, of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, an expert on the evolution of feathers. \" But it is clearly a small, vicious theropod similar to the velociraptors that chased the kids around the kitchen in Jurassic Park.\"\nThe find helps cement the dinosaur-bird connection, but it also casts new light on the mystery of why nature invented feathers in the first place. For the better part of a century, biologists have assumed that these specialized structures evolved for flight, but that's clearly not true. \" The feathers on these dinosaurs aren't flight-worthy, and the animals couldn't fly,\"  says paleontologist Kevin Padian, of the University of California, Berkeley. \" They're too big, and they don't have wings.\"  So what was the original purpose of feathers? Nobody knows for sure; they might have been useful for keeping dinos dry, distracting predators or attracting mates, as peacocks do today.\nBut many biologists suspect that feathers originally arose to keep dinosaurs warm. The bone structure of dinosaurs shows that, unlike modern reptiles, they grew as fast as birds and mammals-which dovetails with a growing body of evidence that dinos were, in fact, warm-blooded. Says Padian:\" They must have had a high basal metabolic rate to grow that fast. And I wouldn't be surprised if they had some sort of skin covering for insulation when they were small.\"  Says Norell:\" Even baby tyrannosaurs probably looked like this one.\"\nAt the rate feathered dinosaurs are turning up, it shouldn't take long to solidify scientists' understanding of precisely how and why feathers first arose and when the first birdlike creature realized they were useful for flight. Meanwhile, kids had better get used to the idea that T. rex may have started life looking an awful lot like Tweety Bird.","id":"506.txt","label":3}
{"option":["a baby dinosaur looks like a bird","T-rex is a kind of dinosaur figure familiar to kids","living feathered dinosaurs can still be found in certain parts of the world","scientists understand precisely how and why feathers first arose"],"question":"We learn from the last paragraph that  _ .","article":"The once radical notion that birds descended from dinosaurs-or may even be dinosaurs, the only living branch of the family that ruled the earth eons ago-has got stronger and stronger since paleontologists first started taking it seriously a couple of decades ago. Remarkable similarities in bone structure between dinos and birds were the first clue. Then came evidence, thanks to a series of astonishing discoveries in China's Liaoning province over the past five years, that some dinosaurs may have borne feathers. But a few scientists still argued that the link was weak; the bone similarities could be a coincidence, they said. And maybe those primitive structures visible in some fossils were feathers-but maybe not. You had to use your imagination to see them.\nNot anymore. A spectacularly preserved fossil of a juvenile dinosaur, announced by a team of paleontologists from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and New York City's American Museum of Natural History in the latest issue of Nature, is about as good a missing link as anyone could want. \" It has things that are undeniably feathers,\"  exults Richard Prum, of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, an expert on the evolution of feathers. \" But it is clearly a small, vicious theropod similar to the velociraptors that chased the kids around the kitchen in Jurassic Park.\"\nThe find helps cement the dinosaur-bird connection, but it also casts new light on the mystery of why nature invented feathers in the first place. For the better part of a century, biologists have assumed that these specialized structures evolved for flight, but that's clearly not true. \" The feathers on these dinosaurs aren't flight-worthy, and the animals couldn't fly,\"  says paleontologist Kevin Padian, of the University of California, Berkeley. \" They're too big, and they don't have wings.\"  So what was the original purpose of feathers? Nobody knows for sure; they might have been useful for keeping dinos dry, distracting predators or attracting mates, as peacocks do today.\nBut many biologists suspect that feathers originally arose to keep dinosaurs warm. The bone structure of dinosaurs shows that, unlike modern reptiles, they grew as fast as birds and mammals-which dovetails with a growing body of evidence that dinos were, in fact, warm-blooded. Says Padian:\" They must have had a high basal metabolic rate to grow that fast. And I wouldn't be surprised if they had some sort of skin covering for insulation when they were small.\"  Says Norell:\" Even baby tyrannosaurs probably looked like this one.\"\nAt the rate feathered dinosaurs are turning up, it shouldn't take long to solidify scientists' understanding of precisely how and why feathers first arose and when the first birdlike creature realized they were useful for flight. Meanwhile, kids had better get used to the idea that T. rex may have started life looking an awful lot like Tweety Bird.","id":"506.txt","label":1}
{"option":["cleverer than the younger","no cleverer than the younger","less clever than the younger","as clever as the younger"],"question":"According to the research, usually the elder in a two-child family is .","article":"The classical study of family size and IQ was conducted in the Netherlands. It was based on the military examinations of more than 386,000 Dutchmen. Researchers found that the brightest subjects came from the smallest families and had few, if any, brothers and sisters when they were born. Thus the firstborn child in a family of two was usually brighter than the last child in a family.\nThe effects of family size on intelligence may be explained by what a house full of children does to the home environment. It increases the amount of time a child spends with other children and decreases the amount of parental attention he or she receives. For example, a parent with one restless child is likely to sit and play with the child. The same parent with two or three restless children is more likely to ask them to play with each other. Some psychologists say that when a child interacts with an adult alone, the child learns more and therefore intelligence is increased. Researchers have also found that parents often expect more from their firstborn, which motivates such children to seek a higher standard.\nNot all psychologists agree that firstborns tend to be more intelligent. They say that the data need to be examined more closely for other possible explanations. For example, in industrialized nations most large families come from lower socio - economic backgrounds. Thus environment, not family size or birth order, may be influencing intelligence. On the other hand, there may be genetic variations within families that also explain the cause of differences.\nIf firstborns have advantages in the area of intelligence, research has also shown that they may be more conforming and have poorer social skills than their younger siblings (brothers and \/ or sisters). Although more research needs to be done in this area, it is clear that such factors as birth order, the order in which boys and girls are born into a family, the number of years that separate siblings probably have an effect on the development of intelligence, personality, and social relationships.","id":"970.txt","label":0}
{"option":["They are more likely to obey others.","Their parents spend less time with other children.","They are more conforming.","Their parents expect more from them."],"question":"Why are firstborns encouraged to seek a higher standard?","article":"The classical study of family size and IQ was conducted in the Netherlands. It was based on the military examinations of more than 386,000 Dutchmen. Researchers found that the brightest subjects came from the smallest families and had few, if any, brothers and sisters when they were born. Thus the firstborn child in a family of two was usually brighter than the last child in a family.\nThe effects of family size on intelligence may be explained by what a house full of children does to the home environment. It increases the amount of time a child spends with other children and decreases the amount of parental attention he or she receives. For example, a parent with one restless child is likely to sit and play with the child. The same parent with two or three restless children is more likely to ask them to play with each other. Some psychologists say that when a child interacts with an adult alone, the child learns more and therefore intelligence is increased. Researchers have also found that parents often expect more from their firstborn, which motivates such children to seek a higher standard.\nNot all psychologists agree that firstborns tend to be more intelligent. They say that the data need to be examined more closely for other possible explanations. For example, in industrialized nations most large families come from lower socio - economic backgrounds. Thus environment, not family size or birth order, may be influencing intelligence. On the other hand, there may be genetic variations within families that also explain the cause of differences.\nIf firstborns have advantages in the area of intelligence, research has also shown that they may be more conforming and have poorer social skills than their younger siblings (brothers and \/ or sisters). Although more research needs to be done in this area, it is clear that such factors as birth order, the order in which boys and girls are born into a family, the number of years that separate siblings probably have an effect on the development of intelligence, personality, and social relationships.","id":"970.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Family Size and IQ","Boys Cleverer Than Girls","The Development of intelligence","Factors Influencing IQ"],"question":"The best title for this passage would be .","article":"The classical study of family size and IQ was conducted in the Netherlands. It was based on the military examinations of more than 386,000 Dutchmen. Researchers found that the brightest subjects came from the smallest families and had few, if any, brothers and sisters when they were born. Thus the firstborn child in a family of two was usually brighter than the last child in a family.\nThe effects of family size on intelligence may be explained by what a house full of children does to the home environment. It increases the amount of time a child spends with other children and decreases the amount of parental attention he or she receives. For example, a parent with one restless child is likely to sit and play with the child. The same parent with two or three restless children is more likely to ask them to play with each other. Some psychologists say that when a child interacts with an adult alone, the child learns more and therefore intelligence is increased. Researchers have also found that parents often expect more from their firstborn, which motivates such children to seek a higher standard.\nNot all psychologists agree that firstborns tend to be more intelligent. They say that the data need to be examined more closely for other possible explanations. For example, in industrialized nations most large families come from lower socio - economic backgrounds. Thus environment, not family size or birth order, may be influencing intelligence. On the other hand, there may be genetic variations within families that also explain the cause of differences.\nIf firstborns have advantages in the area of intelligence, research has also shown that they may be more conforming and have poorer social skills than their younger siblings (brothers and \/ or sisters). Although more research needs to be done in this area, it is clear that such factors as birth order, the order in which boys and girls are born into a family, the number of years that separate siblings probably have an effect on the development of intelligence, personality, and social relationships.","id":"970.txt","label":0}
{"option":["a graduate student","a part-time student","a full-time student","an undergraduate student"],"question":"In order to be eligible to enroll in Mechanical Engineering 850,a student must be _ .","article":"Courses with the numbers 800 or above are open only to graduate students.Certain courses,generally those devoted to introductory material,are numbered 400 for undergraduate students and 600 for graduate students. Courses designed for students seeking a professional degree carry a 500 number for undergraduate students and a 700 munber for graduate students.\nA full-time graduate student is expected to take courses which total ten to sixteen credit hours. Students holding assistantships are expected to enroll for proportionately fewer hours.A part-time graduate student must register for a minimun of five credit hours.","id":"1166.txt","label":0}
{"option":["accounting 520","accounting 620","accounting 720","accounting 820"],"question":"If an undergraduate student uses the number 520 to register for an accounting course,what number would a graduate student probably use to register for the same course?","article":"Courses with the numbers 800 or above are open only to graduate students.Certain courses,generally those devoted to introductory material,are numbered 400 for undergraduate students and 600 for graduate students. Courses designed for students seeking a professional degree carry a 500 number for undergraduate students and a 700 munber for graduate students.\nA full-time graduate student is expected to take courses which total ten to sixteen credit hours. Students holding assistantships are expected to enroll for proportionately fewer hours.A part-time graduate student must register for a minimun of five credit hours.","id":"1166.txt","label":2}
{"option":["full-time student","graduate student","part-time student","non-degree student"],"question":"A student who register for eight credit hours is a _ .","article":"Courses with the numbers 800 or above are open only to graduate students.Certain courses,generally those devoted to introductory material,are numbered 400 for undergraduate students and 600 for graduate students. Courses designed for students seeking a professional degree carry a 500 number for undergraduate students and a 700 munber for graduate students.\nA full-time graduate student is expected to take courses which total ten to sixteen credit hours. Students holding assistantships are expected to enroll for proportionately fewer hours.A part-time graduate student must register for a minimun of five credit hours.","id":"1166.txt","label":2}
{"option":["enroll in a course numbered 610","register for only one three-hour course","register for courses if he has an assistantship","enroll in an introductory course"],"question":"A graduate student may not _","article":"Courses with the numbers 800 or above are open only to graduate students.Certain courses,generally those devoted to introductory material,are numbered 400 for undergraduate students and 600 for graduate students. Courses designed for students seeking a professional degree carry a 500 number for undergraduate students and a 700 munber for graduate students.\nA full-time graduate student is expected to take courses which total ten to sixteen credit hours. Students holding assistantships are expected to enroll for proportionately fewer hours.A part-time graduate student must register for a minimun of five credit hours.","id":"1166.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the life of the real policemen and that of the policemen on TV are entirely different","the real policemen will find the similarities if they can get home in time","the real policemen seldom can get home in time to watch TV","the policemen shown on TV can always get home in time"],"question":"The first sentence implies that _ .","article":"Real policemen hardly recognize any resemblance between their lives and what they see on TV if they everget home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops don't think much of them.\nThe first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to.\nLittle of his time is spent in chatting to scantily-clad  ladies or in dramatic confrontationswith desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty or not of stupid, petty crimes.\nMost television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. i real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police little effortis spent on searching.\nHaving made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do thathe often has to gather a lot of different evidence. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to beout at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuade them usually against their own best interests, to help him.","id":"604.txt","label":2}
{"option":["so that he can catch criminals in the streets","because many of the criminals he has to catch are dangerous","so that he can justify his arrests in court","because he has to know nearly as much about law as a professional lawyer"],"question":"It is essential for a policeman to be trained in criminal law _ .","article":"Real policemen hardly recognize any resemblance between their lives and what they see on TV if they everget home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops don't think much of them.\nThe first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to.\nLittle of his time is spent in chatting to scantily-clad  ladies or in dramatic confrontationswith desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty or not of stupid, petty crimes.\nMost television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. i real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police little effortis spent on searching.\nHaving made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do thathe often has to gather a lot of different evidence. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to beout at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuade them usually against their own best interests, to help him.","id":"604.txt","label":2}
{"option":["exciting and glamorous","full of danger","devoted mostly to routine matters","wasted on unimportant matters"],"question":"The everyday life of a policeman or detective is _ .","article":"Real policemen hardly recognize any resemblance between their lives and what they see on TV if they everget home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops don't think much of them.\nThe first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to.\nLittle of his time is spent in chatting to scantily-clad  ladies or in dramatic confrontationswith desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty or not of stupid, petty crimes.\nMost television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. i real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police little effortis spent on searching.\nHaving made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do thathe often has to gather a lot of different evidence. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to beout at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuade them usually against their own best interests, to help him.","id":"604.txt","label":2}
{"option":["prefer to wait for the criminal to give himself away","make great efforts to try to track down their man","try to make a quick arrest in order to keep up their reputation","usually fail to produce results"],"question":"When murders and terrorist attacks occur,the police _ .","article":"Real policemen hardly recognize any resemblance between their lives and what they see on TV if they everget home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops don't think much of them.\nThe first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to.\nLittle of his time is spent in chatting to scantily-clad  ladies or in dramatic confrontationswith desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty or not of stupid, petty crimes.\nMost television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. i real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police little effortis spent on searching.\nHaving made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do thathe often has to gather a lot of different evidence. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to beout at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuade them usually against their own best interests, to help him.","id":"604.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Policemen and Detective","Policemen's Life-Fun and Fantasy","The Real Life of a Policeman","Drama and Reality"],"question":"What's the best title for the passage?","article":"Real policemen hardly recognize any resemblance between their lives and what they see on TV if they everget home in time. There are similarities, of course, but the cops don't think much of them.\nThe first difference is that a policeman's real life revolves round the law. Most of his training is in criminal law. He has to know exactly what actions are crimes and what evidence can be used to prove them in court. He has to know as a professional lawyer, and what is more, he has to apply it on his feet, in the dark and rain, running down an alley after someone he wants to talk to.\nLittle of his time is spent in chatting to scantily-clad  ladies or in dramatic confrontationswith desperate criminals. He will spend most of his working life typing millions of words on thousands of forms about hundreds of sad, unimportant people who are guilty or not of stupid, petty crimes.\nMost television crime drama is about finding the criminal: as soon as he's arrested, the story is over. i real life, finding criminals is seldom much of a problem. Except in very serious cases like murders and terrorist attacks where failure to produce results reflects on the standing of the police little effortis spent on searching.\nHaving made an arrest, a detective really starts to work. He has to prove his case in court and to do thathe often has to gather a lot of different evidence. So, as well as being overworked, a detective has to beout at all hours of the day and night interviewing his witnesses and persuade them usually against their own best interests, to help him.","id":"604.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They were of inferior races.","They were a source of political corruption.","They were a threat to the nation's security.","They were part of the nation's bloodstream."],"question":"How were immigrants viewed by U.S. Congress in early days?","article":"The percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfully present) in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid-1920s.\nWe are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did.\nWe now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.\nAlthough children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants. Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that large parts of the community may become mired  in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to  segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country.\nWe have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic\/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about how to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.\nThat is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.","id":"947.txt","label":0}
{"option":["They will be a dynamic work force in the U. S.","They can do just as well as their predecessors.","They will be very disappointed on the new land.","They may find it hard to fit into the mainstream."],"question":"What does the author think of the new immigrants?","article":"The percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfully present) in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid-1920s.\nWe are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did.\nWe now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.\nAlthough children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants. Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that large parts of the community may become mired  in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to  segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country.\nWe have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic\/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about how to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.\nThat is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.","id":"947.txt","label":1}
{"option":["They may slowly improve from generation to generation.","They will do better in terms of educational attainment.","They will melt into the African-American community.","They may forever remain poor and underachieving."],"question":"What does Edward Telles' research say about Mexican-Americans?","article":"The percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfully present) in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid-1920s.\nWe are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did.\nWe now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.\nAlthough children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants. Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that large parts of the community may become mired  in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to  segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country.\nWe have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic\/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about how to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.\nThat is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.","id":"947.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Rid them of their inferiority complex.","Urge them to adopt American customs.","Prevent them from being marginalized.","Teach them standard American English."],"question":"What should be done to help the new immigrants?","article":"The percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfully present) in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid-1920s.\nWe are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did.\nWe now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.\nAlthough children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants. Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that large parts of the community may become mired  in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to  segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country.\nWe have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic\/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about how to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.\nThat is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.","id":"947.txt","label":2}
{"option":["how to deal with people entering the U.S. without documents","how to help immigrants to better fit into American society","how to stop illegal immigrants from crossing the border","how to limit the number of immigrants to enter the U.S."],"question":"According to the author, the burning issue concerning immigration is ________.","article":"The percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfully present) in the United States has been creeping upward for years. At 12.6 percent, it is now higher than at any point since the mid-1920s.\nWe are not about to go back to the days when Congress openly worried about inferior races polluting America's bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort of newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did.\nWe now know that these racist views were wrong. In time, Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior races became exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.\nAlthough children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents, UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don't continue. Indeed, the fourth generation is marginally worse off than the third. James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants. Telles fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that large parts of the community may become mired  in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to  segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country.\nWe have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic\/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanization work for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own. But as arguments about immigration heat up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about how to ensure that people, once outsiders, don't forever remain marginalized within these shores.\nThat is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest wave of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.","id":"947.txt","label":1}
{"option":["that high school students have been spending too much money on it","that other states have banned it","that childhood obesity has become more and more serious","that the state wants to raise its public image"],"question":"The reason why California has banned school junk food is _ .","article":"Five years after California started cracking down on junk food in school cafeterias, a new report shows that high school students there consume fewer calories and less fat and sugar at school than students in other states.\nThe \ufb01ndings suggest that state policies can be successful to some extent in in\ufb02 uencing the eating habits of teenagers. The study found that California high school students consumed on average nearly 160 calories fewer per day than students in other states, the equivalent of cutting out a small bag of potato chips. That difference came largely from reduced calorie consumption at school, and there was no evidence that students were compensating for their limited access to junk food at school by eating more at home.\nWhile a hundred calories here or there may not sound like much, childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the United States in the last four decades, and many researchers say that most children and adolescents could avoid signi\ufb01 cant long-term weight gain by cutting out just 100 to 200 extra calories a day.\n\"I would de\ufb01 nitely say that 158 calories is signi\ufb01 cant,\" said Daniel R. Taber, an author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. \"When you combine this study with other studies on California law, the body of evidence suggests the schools in California really have made healthier changes by getting rid of things like sweets and candy bars.\"\nCalifornia is one of several states that have sought to reduce childhood obesity by targeting junk food in schools. A decade ago it became the \ufb01 rst state to ban the sale of soft drinks in grade schools, and it later enacted a similar ban in high schools. Since 2007, the state has also enforced nutrition standards for \"competitive foods\" in schools, the snacks and foods that are not included in meal plans but that students can get on school grounds-from vending machines, for example.\nCalifornia law limits the amount of fat, sugar and calories that can be found in these foods.\nTo study the effect of this policy, the researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the eating habits of high school students in California, comparing it with data on students from 14 states that did not have nutrition standards for vending machine snacks and other foods sold outside of school lunches and other meal plans. Over all, 680 students were included in the study, which was \ufb01 nanced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine .\nCalifornia students had the lowest daily intake of calories, fat and, especially, added sugars.\nAnd it seemed clear that their eating behaviors at school played a large role. California students got a lower proportion of their daily calories from school foods than students in other states: about 21.5 percent, compared with 28.4 percent among students elsewhere.\nThe reductions in fat, sugar and calorie consumption among Hispanic students \"are particularly encouraging given the high prevalence of youth obesity among Hispanic individuals in California and the United States over all,\" the authors wrote. \"It is also encouraging in light of research that documented the high presence of convenience stores, mobile food vendors and other food outlets surrounding schools in Hispanic communities.\"\nStill, California's students had not suddenly become health nuts. They were still eating junk food-just slightly less of it than their peers in other states. And their vitamin and mineral intake was similar to that of students in other parts of the country.\n\"Students may not be buying as many candy bars at school, but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily eating salads instead,\" Dr. Taber said, noting that schools still offer items like baked chips and desserts that comply with the regulations but offer little in the way of nutrition.\nHe said that schools could take an additional step by replacing some of the junk food being \ufb01ltered out with healthy options like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Iowa, for example, began requiring in 2010 that at least half of the foods available outside meal plans contain whole grains. Other than that, no state has laws that require whole, unprocessed or fresh foods to be available outside of school lunches for high school students.\nSchool initiatives could also focus on students' eating behaviors at home, Dr. Taber said. \"We have to recognize that school-based laws have a limited scope because students only consume about 25 percent of their calories at school,\" he said. \"No one sector or environment is going to be the magical cure. Obesity is a very complex problem with many answers, so we really need to target different aspects of students' environments.\"\nFrom The New York Times, May 8, 2012","id":"233.txt","label":2}
{"option":["California is the only state that cares about childhood obesity in the United States.","California began the ban with forbidding the sale of drinks in high schools.","No snacks can be found in Californian schools.","Nutrition standards for those foods in vending machine snacks have been enforced in Californian schools."],"question":"Which is TRUE about California according to the passage?","article":"Five years after California started cracking down on junk food in school cafeterias, a new report shows that high school students there consume fewer calories and less fat and sugar at school than students in other states.\nThe \ufb01ndings suggest that state policies can be successful to some extent in in\ufb02 uencing the eating habits of teenagers. The study found that California high school students consumed on average nearly 160 calories fewer per day than students in other states, the equivalent of cutting out a small bag of potato chips. That difference came largely from reduced calorie consumption at school, and there was no evidence that students were compensating for their limited access to junk food at school by eating more at home.\nWhile a hundred calories here or there may not sound like much, childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the United States in the last four decades, and many researchers say that most children and adolescents could avoid signi\ufb01 cant long-term weight gain by cutting out just 100 to 200 extra calories a day.\n\"I would de\ufb01 nitely say that 158 calories is signi\ufb01 cant,\" said Daniel R. Taber, an author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. \"When you combine this study with other studies on California law, the body of evidence suggests the schools in California really have made healthier changes by getting rid of things like sweets and candy bars.\"\nCalifornia is one of several states that have sought to reduce childhood obesity by targeting junk food in schools. A decade ago it became the \ufb01 rst state to ban the sale of soft drinks in grade schools, and it later enacted a similar ban in high schools. Since 2007, the state has also enforced nutrition standards for \"competitive foods\" in schools, the snacks and foods that are not included in meal plans but that students can get on school grounds-from vending machines, for example.\nCalifornia law limits the amount of fat, sugar and calories that can be found in these foods.\nTo study the effect of this policy, the researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the eating habits of high school students in California, comparing it with data on students from 14 states that did not have nutrition standards for vending machine snacks and other foods sold outside of school lunches and other meal plans. Over all, 680 students were included in the study, which was \ufb01 nanced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine .\nCalifornia students had the lowest daily intake of calories, fat and, especially, added sugars.\nAnd it seemed clear that their eating behaviors at school played a large role. California students got a lower proportion of their daily calories from school foods than students in other states: about 21.5 percent, compared with 28.4 percent among students elsewhere.\nThe reductions in fat, sugar and calorie consumption among Hispanic students \"are particularly encouraging given the high prevalence of youth obesity among Hispanic individuals in California and the United States over all,\" the authors wrote. \"It is also encouraging in light of research that documented the high presence of convenience stores, mobile food vendors and other food outlets surrounding schools in Hispanic communities.\"\nStill, California's students had not suddenly become health nuts. They were still eating junk food-just slightly less of it than their peers in other states. And their vitamin and mineral intake was similar to that of students in other parts of the country.\n\"Students may not be buying as many candy bars at school, but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily eating salads instead,\" Dr. Taber said, noting that schools still offer items like baked chips and desserts that comply with the regulations but offer little in the way of nutrition.\nHe said that schools could take an additional step by replacing some of the junk food being \ufb01ltered out with healthy options like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Iowa, for example, began requiring in 2010 that at least half of the foods available outside meal plans contain whole grains. Other than that, no state has laws that require whole, unprocessed or fresh foods to be available outside of school lunches for high school students.\nSchool initiatives could also focus on students' eating behaviors at home, Dr. Taber said. \"We have to recognize that school-based laws have a limited scope because students only consume about 25 percent of their calories at school,\" he said. \"No one sector or environment is going to be the magical cure. Obesity is a very complex problem with many answers, so we really need to target different aspects of students' environments.\"\nFrom The New York Times, May 8, 2012","id":"233.txt","label":3}
{"option":["online shops","vending machines","convenience stores","mobile food vendors"],"question":"Concerning food outlets, _  is not mentioned in the passage.","article":"Five years after California started cracking down on junk food in school cafeterias, a new report shows that high school students there consume fewer calories and less fat and sugar at school than students in other states.\nThe \ufb01ndings suggest that state policies can be successful to some extent in in\ufb02 uencing the eating habits of teenagers. The study found that California high school students consumed on average nearly 160 calories fewer per day than students in other states, the equivalent of cutting out a small bag of potato chips. That difference came largely from reduced calorie consumption at school, and there was no evidence that students were compensating for their limited access to junk food at school by eating more at home.\nWhile a hundred calories here or there may not sound like much, childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the United States in the last four decades, and many researchers say that most children and adolescents could avoid signi\ufb01 cant long-term weight gain by cutting out just 100 to 200 extra calories a day.\n\"I would de\ufb01 nitely say that 158 calories is signi\ufb01 cant,\" said Daniel R. Taber, an author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. \"When you combine this study with other studies on California law, the body of evidence suggests the schools in California really have made healthier changes by getting rid of things like sweets and candy bars.\"\nCalifornia is one of several states that have sought to reduce childhood obesity by targeting junk food in schools. A decade ago it became the \ufb01 rst state to ban the sale of soft drinks in grade schools, and it later enacted a similar ban in high schools. Since 2007, the state has also enforced nutrition standards for \"competitive foods\" in schools, the snacks and foods that are not included in meal plans but that students can get on school grounds-from vending machines, for example.\nCalifornia law limits the amount of fat, sugar and calories that can be found in these foods.\nTo study the effect of this policy, the researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the eating habits of high school students in California, comparing it with data on students from 14 states that did not have nutrition standards for vending machine snacks and other foods sold outside of school lunches and other meal plans. Over all, 680 students were included in the study, which was \ufb01 nanced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine .\nCalifornia students had the lowest daily intake of calories, fat and, especially, added sugars.\nAnd it seemed clear that their eating behaviors at school played a large role. California students got a lower proportion of their daily calories from school foods than students in other states: about 21.5 percent, compared with 28.4 percent among students elsewhere.\nThe reductions in fat, sugar and calorie consumption among Hispanic students \"are particularly encouraging given the high prevalence of youth obesity among Hispanic individuals in California and the United States over all,\" the authors wrote. \"It is also encouraging in light of research that documented the high presence of convenience stores, mobile food vendors and other food outlets surrounding schools in Hispanic communities.\"\nStill, California's students had not suddenly become health nuts. They were still eating junk food-just slightly less of it than their peers in other states. And their vitamin and mineral intake was similar to that of students in other parts of the country.\n\"Students may not be buying as many candy bars at school, but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily eating salads instead,\" Dr. Taber said, noting that schools still offer items like baked chips and desserts that comply with the regulations but offer little in the way of nutrition.\nHe said that schools could take an additional step by replacing some of the junk food being \ufb01ltered out with healthy options like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Iowa, for example, began requiring in 2010 that at least half of the foods available outside meal plans contain whole grains. Other than that, no state has laws that require whole, unprocessed or fresh foods to be available outside of school lunches for high school students.\nSchool initiatives could also focus on students' eating behaviors at home, Dr. Taber said. \"We have to recognize that school-based laws have a limited scope because students only consume about 25 percent of their calories at school,\" he said. \"No one sector or environment is going to be the magical cure. Obesity is a very complex problem with many answers, so we really need to target different aspects of students' environments.\"\nFrom The New York Times, May 8, 2012","id":"233.txt","label":0}
{"option":["foods that are healthy","people who are healthy","people who are enthusiastic about health","foods such as nuts"],"question":"By \"health nuts\", the writer means _ .","article":"Five years after California started cracking down on junk food in school cafeterias, a new report shows that high school students there consume fewer calories and less fat and sugar at school than students in other states.\nThe \ufb01ndings suggest that state policies can be successful to some extent in in\ufb02 uencing the eating habits of teenagers. The study found that California high school students consumed on average nearly 160 calories fewer per day than students in other states, the equivalent of cutting out a small bag of potato chips. That difference came largely from reduced calorie consumption at school, and there was no evidence that students were compensating for their limited access to junk food at school by eating more at home.\nWhile a hundred calories here or there may not sound like much, childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the United States in the last four decades, and many researchers say that most children and adolescents could avoid signi\ufb01 cant long-term weight gain by cutting out just 100 to 200 extra calories a day.\n\"I would de\ufb01 nitely say that 158 calories is signi\ufb01 cant,\" said Daniel R. Taber, an author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. \"When you combine this study with other studies on California law, the body of evidence suggests the schools in California really have made healthier changes by getting rid of things like sweets and candy bars.\"\nCalifornia is one of several states that have sought to reduce childhood obesity by targeting junk food in schools. A decade ago it became the \ufb01 rst state to ban the sale of soft drinks in grade schools, and it later enacted a similar ban in high schools. Since 2007, the state has also enforced nutrition standards for \"competitive foods\" in schools, the snacks and foods that are not included in meal plans but that students can get on school grounds-from vending machines, for example.\nCalifornia law limits the amount of fat, sugar and calories that can be found in these foods.\nTo study the effect of this policy, the researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the eating habits of high school students in California, comparing it with data on students from 14 states that did not have nutrition standards for vending machine snacks and other foods sold outside of school lunches and other meal plans. Over all, 680 students were included in the study, which was \ufb01 nanced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine .\nCalifornia students had the lowest daily intake of calories, fat and, especially, added sugars.\nAnd it seemed clear that their eating behaviors at school played a large role. California students got a lower proportion of their daily calories from school foods than students in other states: about 21.5 percent, compared with 28.4 percent among students elsewhere.\nThe reductions in fat, sugar and calorie consumption among Hispanic students \"are particularly encouraging given the high prevalence of youth obesity among Hispanic individuals in California and the United States over all,\" the authors wrote. \"It is also encouraging in light of research that documented the high presence of convenience stores, mobile food vendors and other food outlets surrounding schools in Hispanic communities.\"\nStill, California's students had not suddenly become health nuts. They were still eating junk food-just slightly less of it than their peers in other states. And their vitamin and mineral intake was similar to that of students in other parts of the country.\n\"Students may not be buying as many candy bars at school, but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily eating salads instead,\" Dr. Taber said, noting that schools still offer items like baked chips and desserts that comply with the regulations but offer little in the way of nutrition.\nHe said that schools could take an additional step by replacing some of the junk food being \ufb01ltered out with healthy options like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Iowa, for example, began requiring in 2010 that at least half of the foods available outside meal plans contain whole grains. Other than that, no state has laws that require whole, unprocessed or fresh foods to be available outside of school lunches for high school students.\nSchool initiatives could also focus on students' eating behaviors at home, Dr. Taber said. \"We have to recognize that school-based laws have a limited scope because students only consume about 25 percent of their calories at school,\" he said. \"No one sector or environment is going to be the magical cure. Obesity is a very complex problem with many answers, so we really need to target different aspects of students' environments.\"\nFrom The New York Times, May 8, 2012","id":"233.txt","label":2}
{"option":["can be solved by school-based laws","is too complex to deal with","is a long way to go","results from students' bad eating habits"],"question":"Dr. Taber believes that obesity problem _ .","article":"Five years after California started cracking down on junk food in school cafeterias, a new report shows that high school students there consume fewer calories and less fat and sugar at school than students in other states.\nThe \ufb01ndings suggest that state policies can be successful to some extent in in\ufb02 uencing the eating habits of teenagers. The study found that California high school students consumed on average nearly 160 calories fewer per day than students in other states, the equivalent of cutting out a small bag of potato chips. That difference came largely from reduced calorie consumption at school, and there was no evidence that students were compensating for their limited access to junk food at school by eating more at home.\nWhile a hundred calories here or there may not sound like much, childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the United States in the last four decades, and many researchers say that most children and adolescents could avoid signi\ufb01 cant long-term weight gain by cutting out just 100 to 200 extra calories a day.\n\"I would de\ufb01 nitely say that 158 calories is signi\ufb01 cant,\" said Daniel R. Taber, an author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. \"When you combine this study with other studies on California law, the body of evidence suggests the schools in California really have made healthier changes by getting rid of things like sweets and candy bars.\"\nCalifornia is one of several states that have sought to reduce childhood obesity by targeting junk food in schools. A decade ago it became the \ufb01 rst state to ban the sale of soft drinks in grade schools, and it later enacted a similar ban in high schools. Since 2007, the state has also enforced nutrition standards for \"competitive foods\" in schools, the snacks and foods that are not included in meal plans but that students can get on school grounds-from vending machines, for example.\nCalifornia law limits the amount of fat, sugar and calories that can be found in these foods.\nTo study the effect of this policy, the researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the eating habits of high school students in California, comparing it with data on students from 14 states that did not have nutrition standards for vending machine snacks and other foods sold outside of school lunches and other meal plans. Over all, 680 students were included in the study, which was \ufb01 nanced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine .\nCalifornia students had the lowest daily intake of calories, fat and, especially, added sugars.\nAnd it seemed clear that their eating behaviors at school played a large role. California students got a lower proportion of their daily calories from school foods than students in other states: about 21.5 percent, compared with 28.4 percent among students elsewhere.\nThe reductions in fat, sugar and calorie consumption among Hispanic students \"are particularly encouraging given the high prevalence of youth obesity among Hispanic individuals in California and the United States over all,\" the authors wrote. \"It is also encouraging in light of research that documented the high presence of convenience stores, mobile food vendors and other food outlets surrounding schools in Hispanic communities.\"\nStill, California's students had not suddenly become health nuts. They were still eating junk food-just slightly less of it than their peers in other states. And their vitamin and mineral intake was similar to that of students in other parts of the country.\n\"Students may not be buying as many candy bars at school, but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily eating salads instead,\" Dr. Taber said, noting that schools still offer items like baked chips and desserts that comply with the regulations but offer little in the way of nutrition.\nHe said that schools could take an additional step by replacing some of the junk food being \ufb01ltered out with healthy options like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Iowa, for example, began requiring in 2010 that at least half of the foods available outside meal plans contain whole grains. Other than that, no state has laws that require whole, unprocessed or fresh foods to be available outside of school lunches for high school students.\nSchool initiatives could also focus on students' eating behaviors at home, Dr. Taber said. \"We have to recognize that school-based laws have a limited scope because students only consume about 25 percent of their calories at school,\" he said. \"No one sector or environment is going to be the magical cure. Obesity is a very complex problem with many answers, so we really need to target different aspects of students' environments.\"\nFrom The New York Times, May 8, 2012","id":"233.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the problem of new coverage","an uncertain prospect","inquiries by the general public","shrinkage of audience"],"question":"The world famous BBC now faces \t.","article":"With the start of BBC World Service Television, millions of viewers in Asia and America can now watch the Corporation's news coverage, as well as listen to it.\nAnd of course in Britain listeners and viewers can tune in to two BBC television channels, five BBC national radio services and dozens of local radio stations. They are brought sport, comedy, drama, music, news and current affairs, education, religion, parliamentary coverage, children's programmes and films for an annual license fee of \uffe183 per household.\nIt is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years -- yet the BBC's future is now in doubt. The Corporation will survive as a publicly-funded broadcasting organization, at least for the time being, but its role, its size and its programmes are now the subject of a nation-wide debate in Britain.\nThe debate was launched by the Government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC\n-- including ordinary listeners and viewers -- to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC's royal charter runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is, or to make changes.\nDefenders of the Corporation -- of whom there are many -- are fond of quoting the American slogan \"If it ain't broke, don't fix it.\" The BBC \"ain't broke,\" they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word \u2018broke', meaning having no money), so why bother to change it?\nYet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels - ITV and Channel 4 -- were required by the Thatcher Government's Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels -- funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers' subscriptions -- which will bring about the biggest changes in the long term.","id":"1241.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Extension of its TV service to Far East.","Programmes as the subject of a nation-wide debate.","Potentials for further international cooperations.","Its existence as a broadcasting organization."],"question":"In the passage, which of the following about the BBC is NOT mentioned as the key issue?","article":"With the start of BBC World Service Television, millions of viewers in Asia and America can now watch the Corporation's news coverage, as well as listen to it.\nAnd of course in Britain listeners and viewers can tune in to two BBC television channels, five BBC national radio services and dozens of local radio stations. They are brought sport, comedy, drama, music, news and current affairs, education, religion, parliamentary coverage, children's programmes and films for an annual license fee of \uffe183 per household.\nIt is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years -- yet the BBC's future is now in doubt. The Corporation will survive as a publicly-funded broadcasting organization, at least for the time being, but its role, its size and its programmes are now the subject of a nation-wide debate in Britain.\nThe debate was launched by the Government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC\n-- including ordinary listeners and viewers -- to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC's royal charter runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is, or to make changes.\nDefenders of the Corporation -- of whom there are many -- are fond of quoting the American slogan \"If it ain't broke, don't fix it.\" The BBC \"ain't broke,\" they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word \u2018broke', meaning having no money), so why bother to change it?\nYet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels - ITV and Channel 4 -- were required by the Thatcher Government's Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels -- funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers' subscriptions -- which will bring about the biggest changes in the long term.","id":"1241.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the financial support from the royal family","the privileges granted by the Queen","a contract with the Queen","a unique relationship with the royal family"],"question":"The BBC's \"royal charter\" (Line 4, Paragraph 4) stands for \t.","article":"With the start of BBC World Service Television, millions of viewers in Asia and America can now watch the Corporation's news coverage, as well as listen to it.\nAnd of course in Britain listeners and viewers can tune in to two BBC television channels, five BBC national radio services and dozens of local radio stations. They are brought sport, comedy, drama, music, news and current affairs, education, religion, parliamentary coverage, children's programmes and films for an annual license fee of \uffe183 per household.\nIt is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years -- yet the BBC's future is now in doubt. The Corporation will survive as a publicly-funded broadcasting organization, at least for the time being, but its role, its size and its programmes are now the subject of a nation-wide debate in Britain.\nThe debate was launched by the Government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC\n-- including ordinary listeners and viewers -- to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC's royal charter runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is, or to make changes.\nDefenders of the Corporation -- of whom there are many -- are fond of quoting the American slogan \"If it ain't broke, don't fix it.\" The BBC \"ain't broke,\" they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word \u2018broke', meaning having no money), so why bother to change it?\nYet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels - ITV and Channel 4 -- were required by the Thatcher Government's Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels -- funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers' subscriptions -- which will bring about the biggest changes in the long term.","id":"1241.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the emergence of commercial TV channels","the enforcement of Broadcasting Act by the government","the urgent necessity to reduce costs and jobs","the challenge of new satellite channels"],"question":"The foremost reason why the BBC has to readjust itself is no other than \t.","article":"With the start of BBC World Service Television, millions of viewers in Asia and America can now watch the Corporation's news coverage, as well as listen to it.\nAnd of course in Britain listeners and viewers can tune in to two BBC television channels, five BBC national radio services and dozens of local radio stations. They are brought sport, comedy, drama, music, news and current affairs, education, religion, parliamentary coverage, children's programmes and films for an annual license fee of \uffe183 per household.\nIt is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years -- yet the BBC's future is now in doubt. The Corporation will survive as a publicly-funded broadcasting organization, at least for the time being, but its role, its size and its programmes are now the subject of a nation-wide debate in Britain.\nThe debate was launched by the Government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC\n-- including ordinary listeners and viewers -- to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC's royal charter runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is, or to make changes.\nDefenders of the Corporation -- of whom there are many -- are fond of quoting the American slogan \"If it ain't broke, don't fix it.\" The BBC \"ain't broke,\" they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word \u2018broke', meaning having no money), so why bother to change it?\nYet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels - ITV and Channel 4 -- were required by the Thatcher Government's Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels -- funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers' subscriptions -- which will bring about the biggest changes in the long term.","id":"1241.txt","label":3}
{"option":["human cloning is a foolish undertaking","animal cloning is absolutely impractical","human cloning should be done selectively","animal cloning is not worth the effort at all"],"question":"By \"stupid endeavor\" (Line 2, Para. 1), Westhusin means to say that ________.","article":"\"I've never met a human worth cloning,\" says cloning expert Mark Westhusin from his lab at Texas A&M University. \"It's a stupid endeavor.\" That's an interesting choice of adjective, coming from a man who has spent millions of dollars trying to clone a 13-year-old dog named Missy. So far, he and his team have not succeeded, though they have cloned two cows and expect to clone a cat soon. They just might succeed in cloning Missy this spring-or perhaps not for another 5 years. It seems the reproductive system of man's best friend is one of the mysteries of modern science.\nWesthusin's experience with cloning animals leaves him upset by all this talk of human cloning. In three years of work on the Missy project, using hundreds upon hundreds of dog's eggs, the A&M team has produced only a dozen or so embryos  carrying Missy's DNA. None have survived the transfer to a surrogate  mother. The wastage of eggs and the many spontaneously aborted fetuses  may be acceptable when you're dealing with cats or bulls, he argues, but not with humans. \"Cloning is incredibly inefficient, and also dangerous,\" he says.\nEven so, dog cloning is a commercial opportunity, with a nice research payoff. Ever since Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1997, Westhusin's phone has been ringing with people calling in hopes of duplicating their cats and dogs, cattle and horses. \"A lot of people want to clone pets, especially if the price is right,\" says Westhusin. Cost is no obstacle for Missy's mysterious billionaire owner; he's put up $3.7 million so far to fund A&M's research.\nContrary to some media reports, Missy is not dead. The owner wants a twin to carry on Missy's fine qualities after she does die. The prototype is, by all accounts, athletic, good-natured and supersmart. Missy's master does not expect an exact copy of her. He knows her clone may not have her temperament. In a statement of purpose, Missy's owner and the A&M team say they are \"both looking forward to studying the ways that her clones differ from Missy.\"\nBesides cloning a great dog, the project may contribute insight into the old question of nature vs, nurture. It could also lead to the cloning of special rescue dogs and many endangered animals.\nHowever, Westhusin is cautious about his work. He knows that even if he gets a dog pregnant, the offspring, should they survive, will face the problems shown at birth by other cloned animals: abnormalities like immature lungs and heart and weight problems~ \"Why would you ever want to clone humans,Westhusin asks, \"when we're not even close to getting it worked out in animals yet?\"","id":"498.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Its success is already in sight.","It is doomed to utter failure.","It is progressing smoothly.","Its outcome remains uncertain."],"question":"What does the first paragraph tell us about Westhusin's dog cloning project?","article":"\"I've never met a human worth cloning,\" says cloning expert Mark Westhusin from his lab at Texas A&M University. \"It's a stupid endeavor.\" That's an interesting choice of adjective, coming from a man who has spent millions of dollars trying to clone a 13-year-old dog named Missy. So far, he and his team have not succeeded, though they have cloned two cows and expect to clone a cat soon. They just might succeed in cloning Missy this spring-or perhaps not for another 5 years. It seems the reproductive system of man's best friend is one of the mysteries of modern science.\nWesthusin's experience with cloning animals leaves him upset by all this talk of human cloning. In three years of work on the Missy project, using hundreds upon hundreds of dog's eggs, the A&M team has produced only a dozen or so embryos  carrying Missy's DNA. None have survived the transfer to a surrogate  mother. The wastage of eggs and the many spontaneously aborted fetuses  may be acceptable when you're dealing with cats or bulls, he argues, but not with humans. \"Cloning is incredibly inefficient, and also dangerous,\" he says.\nEven so, dog cloning is a commercial opportunity, with a nice research payoff. Ever since Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1997, Westhusin's phone has been ringing with people calling in hopes of duplicating their cats and dogs, cattle and horses. \"A lot of people want to clone pets, especially if the price is right,\" says Westhusin. Cost is no obstacle for Missy's mysterious billionaire owner; he's put up $3.7 million so far to fund A&M's research.\nContrary to some media reports, Missy is not dead. The owner wants a twin to carry on Missy's fine qualities after she does die. The prototype is, by all accounts, athletic, good-natured and supersmart. Missy's master does not expect an exact copy of her. He knows her clone may not have her temperament. In a statement of purpose, Missy's owner and the A&M team say they are \"both looking forward to studying the ways that her clones differ from Missy.\"\nBesides cloning a great dog, the project may contribute insight into the old question of nature vs, nurture. It could also lead to the cloning of special rescue dogs and many endangered animals.\nHowever, Westhusin is cautious about his work. He knows that even if he gets a dog pregnant, the offspring, should they survive, will face the problems shown at birth by other cloned animals: abnormalities like immature lungs and heart and weight problems~ \"Why would you ever want to clone humans,Westhusin asks, \"when we're not even close to getting it worked out in animals yet?\"","id":"498.txt","label":3}
{"option":["examine the reproductive system of the dog species","find out the differences between Missy and its clones","search for ways to modify.its temperament","study the possibility of cloning humans"],"question":"By cloning Missy, Mark Westhusin hopes to ________.","article":"\"I've never met a human worth cloning,\" says cloning expert Mark Westhusin from his lab at Texas A&M University. \"It's a stupid endeavor.\" That's an interesting choice of adjective, coming from a man who has spent millions of dollars trying to clone a 13-year-old dog named Missy. So far, he and his team have not succeeded, though they have cloned two cows and expect to clone a cat soon. They just might succeed in cloning Missy this spring-or perhaps not for another 5 years. It seems the reproductive system of man's best friend is one of the mysteries of modern science.\nWesthusin's experience with cloning animals leaves him upset by all this talk of human cloning. In three years of work on the Missy project, using hundreds upon hundreds of dog's eggs, the A&M team has produced only a dozen or so embryos  carrying Missy's DNA. None have survived the transfer to a surrogate  mother. The wastage of eggs and the many spontaneously aborted fetuses  may be acceptable when you're dealing with cats or bulls, he argues, but not with humans. \"Cloning is incredibly inefficient, and also dangerous,\" he says.\nEven so, dog cloning is a commercial opportunity, with a nice research payoff. Ever since Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1997, Westhusin's phone has been ringing with people calling in hopes of duplicating their cats and dogs, cattle and horses. \"A lot of people want to clone pets, especially if the price is right,\" says Westhusin. Cost is no obstacle for Missy's mysterious billionaire owner; he's put up $3.7 million so far to fund A&M's research.\nContrary to some media reports, Missy is not dead. The owner wants a twin to carry on Missy's fine qualities after she does die. The prototype is, by all accounts, athletic, good-natured and supersmart. Missy's master does not expect an exact copy of her. He knows her clone may not have her temperament. In a statement of purpose, Missy's owner and the A&M team say they are \"both looking forward to studying the ways that her clones differ from Missy.\"\nBesides cloning a great dog, the project may contribute insight into the old question of nature vs, nurture. It could also lead to the cloning of special rescue dogs and many endangered animals.\nHowever, Westhusin is cautious about his work. He knows that even if he gets a dog pregnant, the offspring, should they survive, will face the problems shown at birth by other cloned animals: abnormalities like immature lungs and heart and weight problems~ \"Why would you ever want to clone humans,Westhusin asks, \"when we're not even close to getting it worked out in animals yet?\"","id":"498.txt","label":1}
{"option":["an abnormal shape","a bad temper","defective organs","immune deficiency"],"question":"We learn from the passage that animal clones are likely to have ________.","article":"\"I've never met a human worth cloning,\" says cloning expert Mark Westhusin from his lab at Texas A&M University. \"It's a stupid endeavor.\" That's an interesting choice of adjective, coming from a man who has spent millions of dollars trying to clone a 13-year-old dog named Missy. So far, he and his team have not succeeded, though they have cloned two cows and expect to clone a cat soon. They just might succeed in cloning Missy this spring-or perhaps not for another 5 years. It seems the reproductive system of man's best friend is one of the mysteries of modern science.\nWesthusin's experience with cloning animals leaves him upset by all this talk of human cloning. In three years of work on the Missy project, using hundreds upon hundreds of dog's eggs, the A&M team has produced only a dozen or so embryos  carrying Missy's DNA. None have survived the transfer to a surrogate  mother. The wastage of eggs and the many spontaneously aborted fetuses  may be acceptable when you're dealing with cats or bulls, he argues, but not with humans. \"Cloning is incredibly inefficient, and also dangerous,\" he says.\nEven so, dog cloning is a commercial opportunity, with a nice research payoff. Ever since Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1997, Westhusin's phone has been ringing with people calling in hopes of duplicating their cats and dogs, cattle and horses. \"A lot of people want to clone pets, especially if the price is right,\" says Westhusin. Cost is no obstacle for Missy's mysterious billionaire owner; he's put up $3.7 million so far to fund A&M's research.\nContrary to some media reports, Missy is not dead. The owner wants a twin to carry on Missy's fine qualities after she does die. The prototype is, by all accounts, athletic, good-natured and supersmart. Missy's master does not expect an exact copy of her. He knows her clone may not have her temperament. In a statement of purpose, Missy's owner and the A&M team say they are \"both looking forward to studying the ways that her clones differ from Missy.\"\nBesides cloning a great dog, the project may contribute insight into the old question of nature vs, nurture. It could also lead to the cloning of special rescue dogs and many endangered animals.\nHowever, Westhusin is cautious about his work. He knows that even if he gets a dog pregnant, the offspring, should they survive, will face the problems shown at birth by other cloned animals: abnormalities like immature lungs and heart and weight problems~ \"Why would you ever want to clone humans,Westhusin asks, \"when we're not even close to getting it worked out in animals yet?\"","id":"498.txt","label":2}
{"option":["provide insight into the question of nature vs, nurture","have been widely used in saving endangered species","have proved quite adequate for the cloning of humans","still have a long way to go before reaching maturity"],"question":"It can be seen that present cloning techniques ________.","article":"\"I've never met a human worth cloning,\" says cloning expert Mark Westhusin from his lab at Texas A&M University. \"It's a stupid endeavor.\" That's an interesting choice of adjective, coming from a man who has spent millions of dollars trying to clone a 13-year-old dog named Missy. So far, he and his team have not succeeded, though they have cloned two cows and expect to clone a cat soon. They just might succeed in cloning Missy this spring-or perhaps not for another 5 years. It seems the reproductive system of man's best friend is one of the mysteries of modern science.\nWesthusin's experience with cloning animals leaves him upset by all this talk of human cloning. In three years of work on the Missy project, using hundreds upon hundreds of dog's eggs, the A&M team has produced only a dozen or so embryos  carrying Missy's DNA. None have survived the transfer to a surrogate  mother. The wastage of eggs and the many spontaneously aborted fetuses  may be acceptable when you're dealing with cats or bulls, he argues, but not with humans. \"Cloning is incredibly inefficient, and also dangerous,\" he says.\nEven so, dog cloning is a commercial opportunity, with a nice research payoff. Ever since Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1997, Westhusin's phone has been ringing with people calling in hopes of duplicating their cats and dogs, cattle and horses. \"A lot of people want to clone pets, especially if the price is right,\" says Westhusin. Cost is no obstacle for Missy's mysterious billionaire owner; he's put up $3.7 million so far to fund A&M's research.\nContrary to some media reports, Missy is not dead. The owner wants a twin to carry on Missy's fine qualities after she does die. The prototype is, by all accounts, athletic, good-natured and supersmart. Missy's master does not expect an exact copy of her. He knows her clone may not have her temperament. In a statement of purpose, Missy's owner and the A&M team say they are \"both looking forward to studying the ways that her clones differ from Missy.\"\nBesides cloning a great dog, the project may contribute insight into the old question of nature vs, nurture. It could also lead to the cloning of special rescue dogs and many endangered animals.\nHowever, Westhusin is cautious about his work. He knows that even if he gets a dog pregnant, the offspring, should they survive, will face the problems shown at birth by other cloned animals: abnormalities like immature lungs and heart and weight problems~ \"Why would you ever want to clone humans,Westhusin asks, \"when we're not even close to getting it worked out in animals yet?\"","id":"498.txt","label":3}
{"option":["media companies are blind to the benefit brought by Google","business response towards Google's practice is in sharply contrast with that of consumers","Google is to be blamed for reducing the profit of most media companies","Google tends to disrupt every industry it touches upon"],"question":"From the passage we can infer that  _ .","article":"Sometimes it seems as if Google has never come across an industry it doesn't want to disrupt. Best known for its hugely popular search engine, the Internet giant has spread its tentacles into an ever-growing array of businesses, including advertising, telecoms and, most recently, digital-navigation software. The company's habit of selling services cheaply or giving them away for free has endeared it to consumers. But its tactics have enraged competitors, who complain their new rival is out to destroy the economics of entire industries.\nSuch griping has been loudest in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. Although media companies are hooked on the money they mint via adverts that run on Google and its YouTube video-streaming business, many of them also accuse the search firm of commoditising their content and of undermining their profits by making it easy for marketers to track the effectiveness of online ad spend. \" You're fucking with the magic,\"  says the boss of one big media company to Google's founders in a memorable scene recounted at the start of Ken Auletta's new book.\nMr Auletta, an American journalist and long-time commentator on the media industry, dismisses claims that Google's programming wizards are to blame for putting a jinx on the media world. Instead, he places the blame squarely, and correctly, on the publishing and movie executives who failed to appreciate the speed with which the Internet would sap their companies' fortunes. They were also slow to spot that, although Google presented itself as a friend, it had all the hallmarks of a powerful enemy too. Now the frenemy has become a scapegoat for many of the industry's self-inflicted wounds.\nMr Auletta does a respectable job of reviewing the media companies' predicaments. He also rehearses some of the well-known elements of Google's culture that have helped transform it from a start-up launched in a garage 11 years ago to a colossus with ambitions to become the world's first media company with revenues of $100 billion. Among other things, these include lavish stock options, perks such as free meals and massages, and a rigorous and sometimes quirky recruitment process.\nMore compelling are the book's insights into the relationship between the members of the triumvirate that runs Google-Mr Brin, Larry Page, his co-founder, and Eric Schmidt, the chief executive, who arrived at Google several years after its launch. Brought in at the behest of venture capitalists that have backed the firm, Mr Schmidt found himself treading a delicate path between the sensibilities of the brilliant but socially awkward founders and the demands of the impatient financiers. With the help of a veteran Silicon Valley executive who acts as a coach, the three men ultimately developed an effective working relationship.\nWhich is just as well, for Google now faces some formidable challenges. Fast-growing social networks such as Facebook are after a much bigger chunk of online ad dollars. And Google's size has begun to attract the attention of anti-trust watchdogs in areas such as digital book scanning, where it has ambitious plans. This hardly amounts to the end of Google's dominance as we know it. But if the company misplays its hand, it could turn out to be the beginning of the end.","id":"486.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Google barely intends to be friends with other media companies.","Google is currently generating an annual revenue of $100 billion.","Media companies should blame themselves for their decline.","Google's triumvirate management structure poses a disadvantage to the company's operation."],"question":"Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?","article":"Sometimes it seems as if Google has never come across an industry it doesn't want to disrupt. Best known for its hugely popular search engine, the Internet giant has spread its tentacles into an ever-growing array of businesses, including advertising, telecoms and, most recently, digital-navigation software. The company's habit of selling services cheaply or giving them away for free has endeared it to consumers. But its tactics have enraged competitors, who complain their new rival is out to destroy the economics of entire industries.\nSuch griping has been loudest in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. Although media companies are hooked on the money they mint via adverts that run on Google and its YouTube video-streaming business, many of them also accuse the search firm of commoditising their content and of undermining their profits by making it easy for marketers to track the effectiveness of online ad spend. \" You're fucking with the magic,\"  says the boss of one big media company to Google's founders in a memorable scene recounted at the start of Ken Auletta's new book.\nMr Auletta, an American journalist and long-time commentator on the media industry, dismisses claims that Google's programming wizards are to blame for putting a jinx on the media world. Instead, he places the blame squarely, and correctly, on the publishing and movie executives who failed to appreciate the speed with which the Internet would sap their companies' fortunes. They were also slow to spot that, although Google presented itself as a friend, it had all the hallmarks of a powerful enemy too. Now the frenemy has become a scapegoat for many of the industry's self-inflicted wounds.\nMr Auletta does a respectable job of reviewing the media companies' predicaments. He also rehearses some of the well-known elements of Google's culture that have helped transform it from a start-up launched in a garage 11 years ago to a colossus with ambitions to become the world's first media company with revenues of $100 billion. Among other things, these include lavish stock options, perks such as free meals and massages, and a rigorous and sometimes quirky recruitment process.\nMore compelling are the book's insights into the relationship between the members of the triumvirate that runs Google-Mr Brin, Larry Page, his co-founder, and Eric Schmidt, the chief executive, who arrived at Google several years after its launch. Brought in at the behest of venture capitalists that have backed the firm, Mr Schmidt found himself treading a delicate path between the sensibilities of the brilliant but socially awkward founders and the demands of the impatient financiers. With the help of a veteran Silicon Valley executive who acts as a coach, the three men ultimately developed an effective working relationship.\nWhich is just as well, for Google now faces some formidable challenges. Fast-growing social networks such as Facebook are after a much bigger chunk of online ad dollars. And Google's size has begun to attract the attention of anti-trust watchdogs in areas such as digital book scanning, where it has ambitious plans. This hardly amounts to the end of Google's dominance as we know it. But if the company misplays its hand, it could turn out to be the beginning of the end.","id":"486.txt","label":2}
{"option":["disadvantage","competition","dilemma","bad luck"],"question":"The word\" jinx\" \uff08Line 2, Paragraph 3\uff09most probably means  _ .","article":"Sometimes it seems as if Google has never come across an industry it doesn't want to disrupt. Best known for its hugely popular search engine, the Internet giant has spread its tentacles into an ever-growing array of businesses, including advertising, telecoms and, most recently, digital-navigation software. The company's habit of selling services cheaply or giving them away for free has endeared it to consumers. But its tactics have enraged competitors, who complain their new rival is out to destroy the economics of entire industries.\nSuch griping has been loudest in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. Although media companies are hooked on the money they mint via adverts that run on Google and its YouTube video-streaming business, many of them also accuse the search firm of commoditising their content and of undermining their profits by making it easy for marketers to track the effectiveness of online ad spend. \" You're fucking with the magic,\"  says the boss of one big media company to Google's founders in a memorable scene recounted at the start of Ken Auletta's new book.\nMr Auletta, an American journalist and long-time commentator on the media industry, dismisses claims that Google's programming wizards are to blame for putting a jinx on the media world. Instead, he places the blame squarely, and correctly, on the publishing and movie executives who failed to appreciate the speed with which the Internet would sap their companies' fortunes. They were also slow to spot that, although Google presented itself as a friend, it had all the hallmarks of a powerful enemy too. Now the frenemy has become a scapegoat for many of the industry's self-inflicted wounds.\nMr Auletta does a respectable job of reviewing the media companies' predicaments. He also rehearses some of the well-known elements of Google's culture that have helped transform it from a start-up launched in a garage 11 years ago to a colossus with ambitions to become the world's first media company with revenues of $100 billion. Among other things, these include lavish stock options, perks such as free meals and massages, and a rigorous and sometimes quirky recruitment process.\nMore compelling are the book's insights into the relationship between the members of the triumvirate that runs Google-Mr Brin, Larry Page, his co-founder, and Eric Schmidt, the chief executive, who arrived at Google several years after its launch. Brought in at the behest of venture capitalists that have backed the firm, Mr Schmidt found himself treading a delicate path between the sensibilities of the brilliant but socially awkward founders and the demands of the impatient financiers. With the help of a veteran Silicon Valley executive who acts as a coach, the three men ultimately developed an effective working relationship.\nWhich is just as well, for Google now faces some formidable challenges. Fast-growing social networks such as Facebook are after a much bigger chunk of online ad dollars. And Google's size has begun to attract the attention of anti-trust watchdogs in areas such as digital book scanning, where it has ambitious plans. This hardly amounts to the end of Google's dominance as we know it. But if the company misplays its hand, it could turn out to be the beginning of the end.","id":"486.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Ken Auletta shows a professional insight in this book","Ken Auletta writes this book from a subjective perspective","Ken Auletta demonstrates a pessimistic view on Google's future","Ken Auletta writes this book to defend Google"],"question":"We can conclude from the text that  _ .","article":"Sometimes it seems as if Google has never come across an industry it doesn't want to disrupt. Best known for its hugely popular search engine, the Internet giant has spread its tentacles into an ever-growing array of businesses, including advertising, telecoms and, most recently, digital-navigation software. The company's habit of selling services cheaply or giving them away for free has endeared it to consumers. But its tactics have enraged competitors, who complain their new rival is out to destroy the economics of entire industries.\nSuch griping has been loudest in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. Although media companies are hooked on the money they mint via adverts that run on Google and its YouTube video-streaming business, many of them also accuse the search firm of commoditising their content and of undermining their profits by making it easy for marketers to track the effectiveness of online ad spend. \" You're fucking with the magic,\"  says the boss of one big media company to Google's founders in a memorable scene recounted at the start of Ken Auletta's new book.\nMr Auletta, an American journalist and long-time commentator on the media industry, dismisses claims that Google's programming wizards are to blame for putting a jinx on the media world. Instead, he places the blame squarely, and correctly, on the publishing and movie executives who failed to appreciate the speed with which the Internet would sap their companies' fortunes. They were also slow to spot that, although Google presented itself as a friend, it had all the hallmarks of a powerful enemy too. Now the frenemy has become a scapegoat for many of the industry's self-inflicted wounds.\nMr Auletta does a respectable job of reviewing the media companies' predicaments. He also rehearses some of the well-known elements of Google's culture that have helped transform it from a start-up launched in a garage 11 years ago to a colossus with ambitions to become the world's first media company with revenues of $100 billion. Among other things, these include lavish stock options, perks such as free meals and massages, and a rigorous and sometimes quirky recruitment process.\nMore compelling are the book's insights into the relationship between the members of the triumvirate that runs Google-Mr Brin, Larry Page, his co-founder, and Eric Schmidt, the chief executive, who arrived at Google several years after its launch. Brought in at the behest of venture capitalists that have backed the firm, Mr Schmidt found himself treading a delicate path between the sensibilities of the brilliant but socially awkward founders and the demands of the impatient financiers. With the help of a veteran Silicon Valley executive who acts as a coach, the three men ultimately developed an effective working relationship.\nWhich is just as well, for Google now faces some formidable challenges. Fast-growing social networks such as Facebook are after a much bigger chunk of online ad dollars. And Google's size has begun to attract the attention of anti-trust watchdogs in areas such as digital book scanning, where it has ambitious plans. This hardly amounts to the end of Google's dominance as we know it. But if the company misplays its hand, it could turn out to be the beginning of the end.","id":"486.txt","label":0}
{"option":["positive","negative","doubtful","uncertain"],"question":"The author's attitude towards Ken Auletta's new book seems to be  _ .","article":"Sometimes it seems as if Google has never come across an industry it doesn't want to disrupt. Best known for its hugely popular search engine, the Internet giant has spread its tentacles into an ever-growing array of businesses, including advertising, telecoms and, most recently, digital-navigation software. The company's habit of selling services cheaply or giving them away for free has endeared it to consumers. But its tactics have enraged competitors, who complain their new rival is out to destroy the economics of entire industries.\nSuch griping has been loudest in the worlds of publishing and entertainment. Although media companies are hooked on the money they mint via adverts that run on Google and its YouTube video-streaming business, many of them also accuse the search firm of commoditising their content and of undermining their profits by making it easy for marketers to track the effectiveness of online ad spend. \" You're fucking with the magic,\"  says the boss of one big media company to Google's founders in a memorable scene recounted at the start of Ken Auletta's new book.\nMr Auletta, an American journalist and long-time commentator on the media industry, dismisses claims that Google's programming wizards are to blame for putting a jinx on the media world. Instead, he places the blame squarely, and correctly, on the publishing and movie executives who failed to appreciate the speed with which the Internet would sap their companies' fortunes. They were also slow to spot that, although Google presented itself as a friend, it had all the hallmarks of a powerful enemy too. Now the frenemy has become a scapegoat for many of the industry's self-inflicted wounds.\nMr Auletta does a respectable job of reviewing the media companies' predicaments. He also rehearses some of the well-known elements of Google's culture that have helped transform it from a start-up launched in a garage 11 years ago to a colossus with ambitions to become the world's first media company with revenues of $100 billion. Among other things, these include lavish stock options, perks such as free meals and massages, and a rigorous and sometimes quirky recruitment process.\nMore compelling are the book's insights into the relationship between the members of the triumvirate that runs Google-Mr Brin, Larry Page, his co-founder, and Eric Schmidt, the chief executive, who arrived at Google several years after its launch. Brought in at the behest of venture capitalists that have backed the firm, Mr Schmidt found himself treading a delicate path between the sensibilities of the brilliant but socially awkward founders and the demands of the impatient financiers. With the help of a veteran Silicon Valley executive who acts as a coach, the three men ultimately developed an effective working relationship.\nWhich is just as well, for Google now faces some formidable challenges. Fast-growing social networks such as Facebook are after a much bigger chunk of online ad dollars. And Google's size has begun to attract the attention of anti-trust watchdogs in areas such as digital book scanning, where it has ambitious plans. This hardly amounts to the end of Google's dominance as we know it. But if the company misplays its hand, it could turn out to be the beginning of the end.","id":"486.txt","label":0}
{"option":["a form of persuasive salesmanship","the customer-centred approach","making goods available for purchase","the practice of turning goods into money"],"question":"The marketing concept discussed in the passage is, in essence _ .","article":"To understand the marketing concept, ii is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of goods, and then relied on \"persuasive salesmanship\" to move as much of these goods as possible. Such production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert them into money.\nMarketing, on the other hand focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing r.he preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept which simply means that instead of trying to sell whatever is easiest to produce or buy for resale, the makers and dealers first endeavor to find out what the consumer wants to buy and then go about making it available for purchase.\nThis concept does not imply that business is benevolent  or that consumer satisfaction is given priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction-the firm and the customer-and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however, recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to customers. A striking example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed the flavor of its drink. The non acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought about a prompt restoration of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new. King Customer ruled!","id":"199.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The needs of the market.","The preferences of the dealer,","The efficiency of production.","The satisfaction of the user."],"question":"What was the main concern of industrialists before the marketing concept was widely accepted?","article":"To understand the marketing concept, ii is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of goods, and then relied on \"persuasive salesmanship\" to move as much of these goods as possible. Such production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert them into money.\nMarketing, on the other hand focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing r.he preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept which simply means that instead of trying to sell whatever is easiest to produce or buy for resale, the makers and dealers first endeavor to find out what the consumer wants to buy and then go about making it available for purchase.\nThis concept does not imply that business is benevolent  or that consumer satisfaction is given priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction-the firm and the customer-and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however, recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to customers. A striking example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed the flavor of its drink. The non acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought about a prompt restoration of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new. King Customer ruled!","id":"199.txt","label":2}
{"option":["to redesign these goods for large-scale production","to transport goods as efficiently as possible","to sell the largest possible amount of goods","to dispose of these goods in large quantities"],"question":"According to the passage, \"to move as much of these goods as possible\"(Line 3, Para.l} means _ .","article":"To understand the marketing concept, ii is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of goods, and then relied on \"persuasive salesmanship\" to move as much of these goods as possible. Such production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert them into money.\nMarketing, on the other hand focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing r.he preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept which simply means that instead of trying to sell whatever is easiest to produce or buy for resale, the makers and dealers first endeavor to find out what the consumer wants to buy and then go about making it available for purchase.\nThis concept does not imply that business is benevolent  or that consumer satisfaction is given priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction-the firm and the customer-and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however, recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to customers. A striking example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed the flavor of its drink. The non acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought about a prompt restoration of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new. King Customer ruled!","id":"199.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Products must be designed to suit the taste of the consumer.","Consumers with conservative tastes are often difficult to please.","It takes time for a new product to be accepted by the public.","Traditional goods have a stronger appeal to the majority of people."],"question":"What does the restoration of the Classic Coke best illustrate?","article":"To understand the marketing concept, ii is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of goods, and then relied on \"persuasive salesmanship\" to move as much of these goods as possible. Such production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert them into money.\nMarketing, on the other hand focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing r.he preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept which simply means that instead of trying to sell whatever is easiest to produce or buy for resale, the makers and dealers first endeavor to find out what the consumer wants to buy and then go about making it available for purchase.\nThis concept does not imply that business is benevolent  or that consumer satisfaction is given priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction-the firm and the customer-and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however, recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to customers. A striking example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed the flavor of its drink. The non acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought about a prompt restoration of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new. King Customer ruled!","id":"199.txt","label":0}
{"option":["its social impact","its theoretical basis","its possible consequence","its main characteristic"],"question":"In discussing the marketing concept, the author focuses on _ .","article":"To understand the marketing concept, ii is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of goods, and then relied on \"persuasive salesmanship\" to move as much of these goods as possible. Such production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert them into money.\nMarketing, on the other hand focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing r.he preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept which simply means that instead of trying to sell whatever is easiest to produce or buy for resale, the makers and dealers first endeavor to find out what the consumer wants to buy and then go about making it available for purchase.\nThis concept does not imply that business is benevolent  or that consumer satisfaction is given priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction-the firm and the customer-and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however, recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to customers. A striking example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed the flavor of its drink. The non acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought about a prompt restoration of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new. King Customer ruled!","id":"199.txt","label":3}
{"option":["discuss jogging as a physical fitness program","describe the type of clothing needed for jogging","provide scientific evidence of the benefits of jogging","distinguish between jogging as a \" common sense \" fitness program and a cult movement"],"question":"They main purpose of this passage is to  _ .","article":"Jogging has become the most popular individual sport in America. Many theories, even some mystical ones, have been advanced to explain the popularity of jogging. The plain truth is that jogging is a cheap, quick and efficient way to maintain (or achieve )physical fitness.\nThe most useful sort of exercise is exercise that develops the heart, lungs, and circulatory systems. If these systems are fit, the body is ready for almost any sport and for almost any sudden demand made by work or emergencies. One can train more specifically, as by developing strength for weight lifting or the ability to run straight ahead for short distances with great power s in football, but running trains your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen more efficiently to all parts of your body. It is worth noting that this sort of exercise is the only kind that can reduce heart disease, the number one cause of death in America.\nOnly one sort of equipment is needed - a good pair of shoes. Physicians advise beginning joggers not to run in a tennis or gym shoe. Many design advances have been made in only the last several years that make an excellent running shoe in dispensable if a runner wishes to develop as quickly as possible, with as little chance of injury as possible. A good running shoe will have a soft pad for absorbing shock, as well as a slightly built-up heel and a full heelcup that will give the knee and ankle more stability. A wise investment in good shoes will prevent bilisters and the foot, ankle and knee injures and will also enable the wearer to run on paved or soft surfaces.\nNo other special equipment is needed; you can jog in any clothing you desire, even your street clothes. Many joggers wear expensive, flashy warm -up suits, but just as many wear a simple pair of gym shoes and T-shirt; in fact, many people just jog in last year's clothes. In cold weather, several layers of clothing are better than one heavy sweater or coat. If joggers are wearing several layers of clothing, they can add or subtract layers as conditions change.\nIt takes surprisingly little time to develop the ability to run. The American Jogging Association has a twelve - week program designed to move form a fifteen-minute walk (which almost anyone can manage who is in reasonable health) to a thirty-minute run. A measure of common sense, a physical examination, and a planned schedule are all it takes.","id":"3910.txt","label":0}
{"option":["trains the body for weigh lifting","enables a person to run straight ahead for short distances with great power","is both beneficial and inexpensive","develops the heart, lungs, and circulatory systems"],"question":"The most useful kind of exercise is exercise that  _ .","article":"Jogging has become the most popular individual sport in America. Many theories, even some mystical ones, have been advanced to explain the popularity of jogging. The plain truth is that jogging is a cheap, quick and efficient way to maintain (or achieve )physical fitness.\nThe most useful sort of exercise is exercise that develops the heart, lungs, and circulatory systems. If these systems are fit, the body is ready for almost any sport and for almost any sudden demand made by work or emergencies. One can train more specifically, as by developing strength for weight lifting or the ability to run straight ahead for short distances with great power s in football, but running trains your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen more efficiently to all parts of your body. It is worth noting that this sort of exercise is the only kind that can reduce heart disease, the number one cause of death in America.\nOnly one sort of equipment is needed - a good pair of shoes. Physicians advise beginning joggers not to run in a tennis or gym shoe. Many design advances have been made in only the last several years that make an excellent running shoe in dispensable if a runner wishes to develop as quickly as possible, with as little chance of injury as possible. A good running shoe will have a soft pad for absorbing shock, as well as a slightly built-up heel and a full heelcup that will give the knee and ankle more stability. A wise investment in good shoes will prevent bilisters and the foot, ankle and knee injures and will also enable the wearer to run on paved or soft surfaces.\nNo other special equipment is needed; you can jog in any clothing you desire, even your street clothes. Many joggers wear expensive, flashy warm -up suits, but just as many wear a simple pair of gym shoes and T-shirt; in fact, many people just jog in last year's clothes. In cold weather, several layers of clothing are better than one heavy sweater or coat. If joggers are wearing several layers of clothing, they can add or subtract layers as conditions change.\nIt takes surprisingly little time to develop the ability to run. The American Jogging Association has a twelve - week program designed to move form a fifteen-minute walk (which almost anyone can manage who is in reasonable health) to a thirty-minute run. A measure of common sense, a physical examination, and a planned schedule are all it takes.","id":"3910.txt","label":3}
{"option":["because of jogging, heart disease is no longer an American problem","jogging can be harmful if the runner is not properly prepared","warm-up suits are preferable to gym shoes and T-shirts","jogging is bad for the ankles and knees"],"question":"We can conclude from this passage that  _ .","article":"Jogging has become the most popular individual sport in America. Many theories, even some mystical ones, have been advanced to explain the popularity of jogging. The plain truth is that jogging is a cheap, quick and efficient way to maintain (or achieve )physical fitness.\nThe most useful sort of exercise is exercise that develops the heart, lungs, and circulatory systems. If these systems are fit, the body is ready for almost any sport and for almost any sudden demand made by work or emergencies. One can train more specifically, as by developing strength for weight lifting or the ability to run straight ahead for short distances with great power s in football, but running trains your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen more efficiently to all parts of your body. It is worth noting that this sort of exercise is the only kind that can reduce heart disease, the number one cause of death in America.\nOnly one sort of equipment is needed - a good pair of shoes. Physicians advise beginning joggers not to run in a tennis or gym shoe. Many design advances have been made in only the last several years that make an excellent running shoe in dispensable if a runner wishes to develop as quickly as possible, with as little chance of injury as possible. A good running shoe will have a soft pad for absorbing shock, as well as a slightly built-up heel and a full heelcup that will give the knee and ankle more stability. A wise investment in good shoes will prevent bilisters and the foot, ankle and knee injures and will also enable the wearer to run on paved or soft surfaces.\nNo other special equipment is needed; you can jog in any clothing you desire, even your street clothes. Many joggers wear expensive, flashy warm -up suits, but just as many wear a simple pair of gym shoes and T-shirt; in fact, many people just jog in last year's clothes. In cold weather, several layers of clothing are better than one heavy sweater or coat. If joggers are wearing several layers of clothing, they can add or subtract layers as conditions change.\nIt takes surprisingly little time to develop the ability to run. The American Jogging Association has a twelve - week program designed to move form a fifteen-minute walk (which almost anyone can manage who is in reasonable health) to a thirty-minute run. A measure of common sense, a physical examination, and a planned schedule are all it takes.","id":"3910.txt","label":1}
{"option":["skeptical","aggressive","approving","purely objective"],"question":"The author's tone  _ .","article":"Jogging has become the most popular individual sport in America. Many theories, even some mystical ones, have been advanced to explain the popularity of jogging. The plain truth is that jogging is a cheap, quick and efficient way to maintain (or achieve )physical fitness.\nThe most useful sort of exercise is exercise that develops the heart, lungs, and circulatory systems. If these systems are fit, the body is ready for almost any sport and for almost any sudden demand made by work or emergencies. One can train more specifically, as by developing strength for weight lifting or the ability to run straight ahead for short distances with great power s in football, but running trains your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen more efficiently to all parts of your body. It is worth noting that this sort of exercise is the only kind that can reduce heart disease, the number one cause of death in America.\nOnly one sort of equipment is needed - a good pair of shoes. Physicians advise beginning joggers not to run in a tennis or gym shoe. Many design advances have been made in only the last several years that make an excellent running shoe in dispensable if a runner wishes to develop as quickly as possible, with as little chance of injury as possible. A good running shoe will have a soft pad for absorbing shock, as well as a slightly built-up heel and a full heelcup that will give the knee and ankle more stability. A wise investment in good shoes will prevent bilisters and the foot, ankle and knee injures and will also enable the wearer to run on paved or soft surfaces.\nNo other special equipment is needed; you can jog in any clothing you desire, even your street clothes. Many joggers wear expensive, flashy warm -up suits, but just as many wear a simple pair of gym shoes and T-shirt; in fact, many people just jog in last year's clothes. In cold weather, several layers of clothing are better than one heavy sweater or coat. If joggers are wearing several layers of clothing, they can add or subtract layers as conditions change.\nIt takes surprisingly little time to develop the ability to run. The American Jogging Association has a twelve - week program designed to move form a fifteen-minute walk (which almost anyone can manage who is in reasonable health) to a thirty-minute run. A measure of common sense, a physical examination, and a planned schedule are all it takes.","id":"3910.txt","label":2}
{"option":["awesome","horrifying","a spirtual discipline","vicious"],"question":"As used in this passage, the word \" mystical \"  means  _ .","article":"Jogging has become the most popular individual sport in America. Many theories, even some mystical ones, have been advanced to explain the popularity of jogging. The plain truth is that jogging is a cheap, quick and efficient way to maintain (or achieve )physical fitness.\nThe most useful sort of exercise is exercise that develops the heart, lungs, and circulatory systems. If these systems are fit, the body is ready for almost any sport and for almost any sudden demand made by work or emergencies. One can train more specifically, as by developing strength for weight lifting or the ability to run straight ahead for short distances with great power s in football, but running trains your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen more efficiently to all parts of your body. It is worth noting that this sort of exercise is the only kind that can reduce heart disease, the number one cause of death in America.\nOnly one sort of equipment is needed - a good pair of shoes. Physicians advise beginning joggers not to run in a tennis or gym shoe. Many design advances have been made in only the last several years that make an excellent running shoe in dispensable if a runner wishes to develop as quickly as possible, with as little chance of injury as possible. A good running shoe will have a soft pad for absorbing shock, as well as a slightly built-up heel and a full heelcup that will give the knee and ankle more stability. A wise investment in good shoes will prevent bilisters and the foot, ankle and knee injures and will also enable the wearer to run on paved or soft surfaces.\nNo other special equipment is needed; you can jog in any clothing you desire, even your street clothes. Many joggers wear expensive, flashy warm -up suits, but just as many wear a simple pair of gym shoes and T-shirt; in fact, many people just jog in last year's clothes. In cold weather, several layers of clothing are better than one heavy sweater or coat. If joggers are wearing several layers of clothing, they can add or subtract layers as conditions change.\nIt takes surprisingly little time to develop the ability to run. The American Jogging Association has a twelve - week program designed to move form a fifteen-minute walk (which almost anyone can manage who is in reasonable health) to a thirty-minute run. A measure of common sense, a physical examination, and a planned schedule are all it takes.","id":"3910.txt","label":2}
{"option":["quietly through central Rome.\"","violently through central Rome.\"","in a long winding line through central Rome.\"","at a leisurely pace through central Rome.\""],"question":"The expression \"snake through central Rome\" probably means \"to move","article":"Tourists were surprised to see a woman driving a huge orange tractor down one of Rome's main avenues. Italy's political leaders and some of its male union chiefs are said to have been even more puzzled to see that the tractor was followed by about 200,000 women in a parading procession that took more than three hours to snake through central Rome.\nShouting slogans, waving flags and dancing to drumbeats, the women had come to the capital from all over Italy to demonstrate for \"a job for each of us, a different type of job, and a society without violence.\" So far, action to improve women's opportunities in employment has been the province of collective industrial bargaining. \"But there is a growing awareness that this is not enough,\" says a researcher on female labor at the government-funded Institute for the Development of Professional Training for Workers.\nWomen, who constitute 52 per cent of Italy's population, today represent only 35 per cent of Italy's total workforce and 33 per cent of the total number of Italians with jobs. However, their presence in the workplace is growing. The employment of women is expanding considerably in services, next to the public administration and commerce as their principal workplace. Official statistics also show that women have also made significant strides in self-employment. More and more women are going into business for themselves. Many young women are turning to business because of the growing overall in employment. It is also a fact that today many prejudices have disappeared, so that banks and other financial institutes make judgments on purely business considerations without caring if it is a man or a woman.\nSuch changes are occurring in the professions too. The number of women doctors, dentists,lawyers, engineers and university professors increased two to three fold. Some of the changes are immediately visible. For example, women have appeared on the scene for the first time as state police, railway workers and street cleaners.\nHowever, the present situation is far from satisfactory though some progress has been made.\nA breakthrough in equal opportunities for women is now demanded.","id":"1467.txt","label":2}
{"option":["There are more women than men in Italy.","In Italy, women are chiefly employed in services.","In Italy, women are still at a disadvantage in employment.","In Italy, about two-thirds of the jobs are held by men."],"question":"Which of the following statements is NOT true?","article":"Tourists were surprised to see a woman driving a huge orange tractor down one of Rome's main avenues. Italy's political leaders and some of its male union chiefs are said to have been even more puzzled to see that the tractor was followed by about 200,000 women in a parading procession that took more than three hours to snake through central Rome.\nShouting slogans, waving flags and dancing to drumbeats, the women had come to the capital from all over Italy to demonstrate for \"a job for each of us, a different type of job, and a society without violence.\" So far, action to improve women's opportunities in employment has been the province of collective industrial bargaining. \"But there is a growing awareness that this is not enough,\" says a researcher on female labor at the government-funded Institute for the Development of Professional Training for Workers.\nWomen, who constitute 52 per cent of Italy's population, today represent only 35 per cent of Italy's total workforce and 33 per cent of the total number of Italians with jobs. However, their presence in the workplace is growing. The employment of women is expanding considerably in services, next to the public administration and commerce as their principal workplace. Official statistics also show that women have also made significant strides in self-employment. More and more women are going into business for themselves. Many young women are turning to business because of the growing overall in employment. It is also a fact that today many prejudices have disappeared, so that banks and other financial institutes make judgments on purely business considerations without caring if it is a man or a woman.\nSuch changes are occurring in the professions too. The number of women doctors, dentists,lawyers, engineers and university professors increased two to three fold. Some of the changes are immediately visible. For example, women have appeared on the scene for the first time as state police, railway workers and street cleaners.\nHowever, the present situation is far from satisfactory though some progress has been made.\nA breakthrough in equal opportunities for women is now demanded.","id":"1467.txt","label":1}
{"option":["more job opportunities","a greater variety of jobs","\"equal job, equal pay\"","both A and B"],"question":"About 200,000 women in Rome demonstrated for \t.","article":"Tourists were surprised to see a woman driving a huge orange tractor down one of Rome's main avenues. Italy's political leaders and some of its male union chiefs are said to have been even more puzzled to see that the tractor was followed by about 200,000 women in a parading procession that took more than three hours to snake through central Rome.\nShouting slogans, waving flags and dancing to drumbeats, the women had come to the capital from all over Italy to demonstrate for \"a job for each of us, a different type of job, and a society without violence.\" So far, action to improve women's opportunities in employment has been the province of collective industrial bargaining. \"But there is a growing awareness that this is not enough,\" says a researcher on female labor at the government-funded Institute for the Development of Professional Training for Workers.\nWomen, who constitute 52 per cent of Italy's population, today represent only 35 per cent of Italy's total workforce and 33 per cent of the total number of Italians with jobs. However, their presence in the workplace is growing. The employment of women is expanding considerably in services, next to the public administration and commerce as their principal workplace. Official statistics also show that women have also made significant strides in self-employment. More and more women are going into business for themselves. Many young women are turning to business because of the growing overall in employment. It is also a fact that today many prejudices have disappeared, so that banks and other financial institutes make judgments on purely business considerations without caring if it is a man or a woman.\nSuch changes are occurring in the professions too. The number of women doctors, dentists,lawyers, engineers and university professors increased two to three fold. Some of the changes are immediately visible. For example, women have appeared on the scene for the first time as state police, railway workers and street cleaners.\nHowever, the present situation is far from satisfactory though some progress has been made.\nA breakthrough in equal opportunities for women is now demanded.","id":"1467.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The Role of Women is Society","Women Demonstrate for Equality in Employment","Women as Self-employed Professionals","Women and the Jobs Market"],"question":"The best title for this passage would be \t.","article":"Tourists were surprised to see a woman driving a huge orange tractor down one of Rome's main avenues. Italy's political leaders and some of its male union chiefs are said to have been even more puzzled to see that the tractor was followed by about 200,000 women in a parading procession that took more than three hours to snake through central Rome.\nShouting slogans, waving flags and dancing to drumbeats, the women had come to the capital from all over Italy to demonstrate for \"a job for each of us, a different type of job, and a society without violence.\" So far, action to improve women's opportunities in employment has been the province of collective industrial bargaining. \"But there is a growing awareness that this is not enough,\" says a researcher on female labor at the government-funded Institute for the Development of Professional Training for Workers.\nWomen, who constitute 52 per cent of Italy's population, today represent only 35 per cent of Italy's total workforce and 33 per cent of the total number of Italians with jobs. However, their presence in the workplace is growing. The employment of women is expanding considerably in services, next to the public administration and commerce as their principal workplace. Official statistics also show that women have also made significant strides in self-employment. More and more women are going into business for themselves. Many young women are turning to business because of the growing overall in employment. It is also a fact that today many prejudices have disappeared, so that banks and other financial institutes make judgments on purely business considerations without caring if it is a man or a woman.\nSuch changes are occurring in the professions too. The number of women doctors, dentists,lawyers, engineers and university professors increased two to three fold. Some of the changes are immediately visible. For example, women have appeared on the scene for the first time as state police, railway workers and street cleaners.\nHowever, the present situation is far from satisfactory though some progress has been made.\nA breakthrough in equal opportunities for women is now demanded.","id":"1467.txt","label":1}
{"option":["mity is native to lowlands and marshes.","it is more closely related to the muledeer of eastern Washington than to other types of deer.","hits has replaced the black-tailed deerin the open prairie.","It no longer lives in a particular typeof habitat that it once occupied."],"question":"According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of the white-tailed deer of Puget Sound?","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":3}
{"option":["cause some deer to hibernate","make food unavailable in the highlandsfor deer","make it easier for deer to locateunderstory plants","prevent deer from migrating during thewinter"],"question":"It can be inferred from the discussion inparagraph 2 that winter conditions","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":1}
{"option":["consists of","combines","restricts","establishes"],"question":"The word \"inhibits\" in thepassage (paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":2}
{"option":["impatiently","humorously","continuously","immediately"],"question":"The phrase \"in the same breath\"in the passage (paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The number of deer within the Puget Soundregion has varied over time.","Most of the explorers who came to thePuget Sound area were primarily interested in hunting game.","There was more game for hunting in theEast of the United States than in the West.","Individual explorers were not assuccessful at locating games as were the trading companies."],"question":"The author tells the story of theexplorers Lewis and Clark in paragraph 3 in order to illustratewhich of the following points?","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The fort had become the headquarters forthe Hudson's Bay Company.","Deer had begun populating the meadowsaround the fort.","Deer populations near the fort had been destroyed.","Crop yields in the area around the forthad decreased."],"question":"According to paragraph 3, how had FortVancouver changed by the time David Douglas returnedin 1832?","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":2}
{"option":["To provide support for the idea thathabitat destruction would lead to population decline","To compare how two species of deer causedbiotic changes in the wilderness environment","To provide an example of a species ofdeer that has successfully adapted to human settlement","To argue that some deer species must begiven a protected status"],"question":"Why does the author ask readers to recall\"the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer\" (paragraph 4) in the discussionof changes in the wilderness landscape?","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":0}
{"option":["whose end has not been determined","that does not begin when expected","that lasts only briefly","whose importance remains unknown"],"question":"The phrase \"indefinite period\" in thepassage (paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to period","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Deer populations reached their highestpoint during the 1940s and then began to decline.","The activities of settlers contributed inunexpected ways to the growth of some deer populations in later times.","The cleaning of wilderness land for construction caused biotic changes from which the black-tailed deer populationhas never recovered.","Since the 1940s the winter populations ofdeer have fluctuated more than the summer populations have."],"question":"Which of the following statements aboutdeer populations is supported by the information in paragraph 4?","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":1}
{"option":["decline","recovery","exchange","movement"],"question":"The word \"rebound\" in the passage(paragraph 5) s closest in meaning to","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":1}
{"option":["A reduction in the number of predators","Restrictions on hunting","The effects of logging and fire","Laws that protected feeding grounds ofdeer"],"question":"Which of the following is NOT mentionedin paragraph 5 as a factor that has increased deer populations?","article":"Two species of deer have been prevalent in the Puget Sound area of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The black-tailed deer, a lowland, west-side cousin of the mule deer of eastern Washington, is now the most common. The other species, the Columbian white-tailed deer, in earlier times was common in the open prairie country; it is now restricted to the low, marshy islands and flood plains along the lower Columbia River.\nNearly any kind of plant of the forest understory can be part of a deer's diet. Where the forest inhibits the growth of grass and other meadow plants, the black-tailed deer browses on huckleberry, salal, dogwood, and almost any other shrub or herb. But this is fair-weather feeding. What keeps the black-tailed deer alive in the harsher seasons of plant decay and dormancy? One compensation for not hibernating is the built-in urge to migrate. Deer may move from high-elevation browse areas in summer down to the lowland areas in late fall. Even with snow on the ground, the high bushy understory is exposed; also snow and wind bring down leafy branches of cedar, hemlock, red alder, and other arboreal fodder.\nThe numbers of deer have fluctuated markedly since the entry of Europeans into Puget Sound country. The early explorers and settlers told of abundant deer in the early 1800s and yet almost in the same breath bemoaned the lack of this succulent game animal. Famous explorers of the north American frontier, Lewis and Clark arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River on November 14, 1805, in nearly starved circumstances. They had experienced great difficulty finding game west of the Rockies and not until the second of December did they kill their first elk. To keep 40 people alive that winter, they consumed approximately 150 elk and 20 deer. And when game moved out of the lowlands in early spring, the expedition decided to return east rather than face possible starvation. Later on in the early years of the nineteenth century, when Fort Vancouver became the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company, deer populations continued to fluctuate. David Douglas, Scottish botanical explorer of the 1830s, found a disturbing change in the animal life around the fort during the period between his first visit in 1825 and his final contact with the fort in 1832. A recent Douglas biographer states:\" The deer which once picturesquely dotted the meadows around the fort were gone , hunted to extermination in order to protect the crops.\nReduction in numbers of game should have boded ill for their survival in later times. A worsening of the plight of deer was to be expected as settlers encroached on the land, logging, burning, and clearing, eventually replacing a wilderness landscape with roads, cities, towns, and factories. No doubt the numbers of deer declined still further. Recall the fate of the Columbian white-tailed deer, now in a protected status. But for the black-tailed deer, human pressure has had just the opposite effect. Wildlife zoologist Helmut Buechner(1953), in reviewing the nature of biotic changes in Washington through recorded time, says that \"since the early 1940s, the state has had more deer than at any other time in its history, the winter population fluctuating around approximately 320,000 deer (mule and black-tailed deer), which will yield about 65,000 of either sex and any age annually for an indefinite period.\"\nThe causes of this population rebound are consequences of other human actions. First, the major predators of deer-wolves, cougar, and lynx-have been greatly reduced in numbers. Second, conservation has been insured by limiting times for and types of hunting. But the most profound reason for the restoration of high population numbers has been the fate of the forests. Great tracts of lowland country deforested by logging, fire, or both have become ideal feeding grounds of deer. In addition to finding an increase of suitable browse, like huckleberry and vine maple, Arthur Einarsen, longtime game biologist in the Pacific Northwest, found quality of browse in the open areas to be substantially more nutritive. The protein content of shade-grown vegetation, for example, was much lower than that for plants grown in clearings.","id":"1226.txt","label":3}
{"option":["do not trust banks","have a little money.","want to live in a quiet place.","expect to lose it"],"question":"People who bury treasure usually _ .","article":"People bury treasure to stop other people fromtaking it. They choose a quiet place, dig a deep holeand bury the treasure in it. Then they make a map ofwhere the treasure is or write down other cluesthat will help them or someone else to find itagain.\nIn Britain a few years ago; a writer wrote about sometreasure that he had buried. He put clues in the story to help readers find it. Thousands ofpeople hunted for the treasure. They dug holes all over Britain, hoping to find it.\nOne of the most popular adventure stories ever written is Robert Louis Stephenson'sTreasured Island, an exciting story about a young boy, Jim Hawkins, who is captured by piratesand later finds some buried treasure.\nThen there is the true story about a man who had to travel overseas for a year. He did not trustbanks, so he buried his life savings in a park. Then he went away. On his return, he wentstraight to the park. But the park was no longer there. In its place there was a huge building.\nAnd then there was the man who buried his savings, all in bank notes, in a waterproofbag. When he dug it up years later, there was nothing left. Worms and insects had eaten thebag and everything in it.\nAnd of course, these are stories about people who bury things and either forget where theyhave buried them or lose the map.\nAlthough it is true that people sometimes lose their money because a bank fails, banks are stillthe safest place to keep our savings and treasures.","id":"2491.txt","label":0}
{"option":["really had buried something.","started a nationwide treasure hunt.","had lost his treasure and wanted people to help him find it.","caused trouble because people dug holes everywhere."],"question":"The writer in Britain _ .","article":"People bury treasure to stop other people fromtaking it. They choose a quiet place, dig a deep holeand bury the treasure in it. Then they make a map ofwhere the treasure is or write down other cluesthat will help them or someone else to find itagain.\nIn Britain a few years ago; a writer wrote about sometreasure that he had buried. He put clues in the story to help readers find it. Thousands ofpeople hunted for the treasure. They dug holes all over Britain, hoping to find it.\nOne of the most popular adventure stories ever written is Robert Louis Stephenson'sTreasured Island, an exciting story about a young boy, Jim Hawkins, who is captured by piratesand later finds some buried treasure.\nThen there is the true story about a man who had to travel overseas for a year. He did not trustbanks, so he buried his life savings in a park. Then he went away. On his return, he wentstraight to the park. But the park was no longer there. In its place there was a huge building.\nAnd then there was the man who buried his savings, all in bank notes, in a waterproofbag. When he dug it up years later, there was nothing left. Worms and insects had eaten thebag and everything in it.\nAnd of course, these are stories about people who bury things and either forget where theyhave buried them or lose the map.\nAlthough it is true that people sometimes lose their money because a bank fails, banks are stillthe safest place to keep our savings and treasures.","id":"2491.txt","label":1}
{"option":["is a story about pirates.","is about the adventures of Jim Hawkins.","is the most popular story ever written","is a well-known fairy tale."],"question":"Treasure Island _ .","article":"People bury treasure to stop other people fromtaking it. They choose a quiet place, dig a deep holeand bury the treasure in it. Then they make a map ofwhere the treasure is or write down other cluesthat will help them or someone else to find itagain.\nIn Britain a few years ago; a writer wrote about sometreasure that he had buried. He put clues in the story to help readers find it. Thousands ofpeople hunted for the treasure. They dug holes all over Britain, hoping to find it.\nOne of the most popular adventure stories ever written is Robert Louis Stephenson'sTreasured Island, an exciting story about a young boy, Jim Hawkins, who is captured by piratesand later finds some buried treasure.\nThen there is the true story about a man who had to travel overseas for a year. He did not trustbanks, so he buried his life savings in a park. Then he went away. On his return, he wentstraight to the park. But the park was no longer there. In its place there was a huge building.\nAnd then there was the man who buried his savings, all in bank notes, in a waterproofbag. When he dug it up years later, there was nothing left. Worms and insects had eaten thebag and everything in it.\nAnd of course, these are stories about people who bury things and either forget where theyhave buried them or lose the map.\nAlthough it is true that people sometimes lose their money because a bank fails, banks are stillthe safest place to keep our savings and treasures.","id":"2491.txt","label":1}
{"option":["thought his money was safer there than in a bank.","travelled on the sea for a year.","got his life savings back again.","stayed away longer than he expected."],"question":"The man who buried his money in a park _ .","article":"People bury treasure to stop other people fromtaking it. They choose a quiet place, dig a deep holeand bury the treasure in it. Then they make a map ofwhere the treasure is or write down other cluesthat will help them or someone else to find itagain.\nIn Britain a few years ago; a writer wrote about sometreasure that he had buried. He put clues in the story to help readers find it. Thousands ofpeople hunted for the treasure. They dug holes all over Britain, hoping to find it.\nOne of the most popular adventure stories ever written is Robert Louis Stephenson'sTreasured Island, an exciting story about a young boy, Jim Hawkins, who is captured by piratesand later finds some buried treasure.\nThen there is the true story about a man who had to travel overseas for a year. He did not trustbanks, so he buried his life savings in a park. Then he went away. On his return, he wentstraight to the park. But the park was no longer there. In its place there was a huge building.\nAnd then there was the man who buried his savings, all in bank notes, in a waterproofbag. When he dug it up years later, there was nothing left. Worms and insects had eaten thebag and everything in it.\nAnd of course, these are stories about people who bury things and either forget where theyhave buried them or lose the map.\nAlthough it is true that people sometimes lose their money because a bank fails, banks are stillthe safest place to keep our savings and treasures.","id":"2491.txt","label":0}
{"option":["we cannot trust banks.","we should not trust anyone.","a waterproof bag is not proof against worms and insects.","insects eat anything."],"question":"From these stories we understand that _ .","article":"People bury treasure to stop other people fromtaking it. They choose a quiet place, dig a deep holeand bury the treasure in it. Then they make a map ofwhere the treasure is or write down other cluesthat will help them or someone else to find itagain.\nIn Britain a few years ago; a writer wrote about sometreasure that he had buried. He put clues in the story to help readers find it. Thousands ofpeople hunted for the treasure. They dug holes all over Britain, hoping to find it.\nOne of the most popular adventure stories ever written is Robert Louis Stephenson'sTreasured Island, an exciting story about a young boy, Jim Hawkins, who is captured by piratesand later finds some buried treasure.\nThen there is the true story about a man who had to travel overseas for a year. He did not trustbanks, so he buried his life savings in a park. Then he went away. On his return, he wentstraight to the park. But the park was no longer there. In its place there was a huge building.\nAnd then there was the man who buried his savings, all in bank notes, in a waterproofbag. When he dug it up years later, there was nothing left. Worms and insects had eaten thebag and everything in it.\nAnd of course, these are stories about people who bury things and either forget where theyhave buried them or lose the map.\nAlthough it is true that people sometimes lose their money because a bank fails, banks are stillthe safest place to keep our savings and treasures.","id":"2491.txt","label":2}
{"option":["a few years ago","within the last one hundred years","hundreds of years ago","thousands of years ago"],"question":"Science fiction appeared_ .","article":"Amongst the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people. Furthermore, some of the most successful films of recent years have been based on science fiction stories.\nIt is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but its ancestors can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.\nMost of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last one hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to mention just two well-known authors, have been translated into many languages.\nModern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind; or in imagining future worlds which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obvious political undertones.\nIn an age where science in fact frequently overtakes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way wg are going \uff0chowever, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology and come to terms with a continually changing view of the world.","id":"1457.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Space adventure.","Prediction of technical developments.","The human mind.","Imagination of the world in which we could live."],"question":"Which of the following is not likely to be reflected in modern science fiction?","article":"Amongst the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people. Furthermore, some of the most successful films of recent years have been based on science fiction stories.\nIt is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but its ancestors can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.\nMost of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last one hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to mention just two well-known authors, have been translated into many languages.\nModern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind; or in imagining future worlds which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obvious political undertones.\nIn an age where science in fact frequently overtakes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way wg are going \uff0chowever, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology and come to terms with a continually changing view of the world.","id":"1457.txt","label":0}
{"option":["shows the writer's viewpoints","is worse than that in the past","has been written only by Jules Verne and H. G.  Wells","tells stories about men from Mars"],"question":"It can be concluded that modern science fiction_ .","article":"Amongst the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people. Furthermore, some of the most successful films of recent years have been based on science fiction stories.\nIt is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but its ancestors can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.\nMost of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last one hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to mention just two well-known authors, have been translated into many languages.\nModern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind; or in imagining future worlds which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obvious political undertones.\nIn an age where science in fact frequently overtakes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way wg are going \uff0chowever, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology and come to terms with a continually changing view of the world.","id":"1457.txt","label":0}
{"option":["is a fairly new development in literature","is popular","describes things that happen in developed countries","reflects the technical advances in the past"],"question":"From the article we get the impression that science fiction_ .","article":"Amongst the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people. Furthermore, some of the most successful films of recent years have been based on science fiction stories.\nIt is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but its ancestors can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.\nMost of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last one hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to mention just two well-known authors, have been translated into many languages.\nModern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind; or in imagining future worlds which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obvious political undertones.\nIn an age where science in fact frequently overtakes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way wg are going \uff0chowever, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology and come to terms with a continually changing view of the world.","id":"1457.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Science fiction often overtakes science fact.","Writers may find it easy to keep ahead of scientific advances.","Science fiction is based on successful films.","The writers who can see clearly the way we are going will give us valuable instructions."],"question":"Which of the following statements is TRUE?","article":"Amongst the most popular books being written today are those which are usually classified as science fiction. Hundreds of titles are published every year and are read by all kinds of people. Furthermore, some of the most successful films of recent years have been based on science fiction stories.\nIt is often thought that science fiction is a fairly new development in literature, but its ancestors can be found in books written hundreds of years ago. These books were often concerned with the presentation of some form of ideal society, a theme which is still often found in modern stories.\nMost of the classics of science fiction, however, have been written within the last one hundred years. Books by writers such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to mention just two well-known authors, have been translated into many languages.\nModern science fiction writers don't write about men from Mars or space adventure stories. They are more interested in predicting the results of technical developments on society and the human mind; or in imagining future worlds which are a reflection of the world which we live in now. Because of this their writing has obvious political undertones.\nIn an age where science in fact frequently overtakes science fiction, the writers may find it difficult to keep ahead of scientific advances. Those who are sufficiently clear-sighted to see the way wg are going \uff0chowever, may provide a valuable lesson on how to deal with the problems which society will inevitably face as it tries to master its new technology and come to terms with a continually changing view of the world.","id":"1457.txt","label":3}
{"option":["They suffer great losses in stocks, property and other assets.","They find the self-correcting mechanisms dysfunctioning.","They are afraid the normal social order will be paralyzed.","They don't know what is going to happen in the future."],"question":"Why do consumers, businesses and investors retreat and panic in times of depression?","article":"\"Depression\" is more than a serious economic downturn. What distinguishes a depression from a harsh recession is paralyzing fear - fear of the unknown so great that it causes consumers, businesses, and investors to retreat and panic. They save up cash and desperately cut spending. They sell stocks and other assets. A shattering loss of confidence inspires behavior that overwhelms the normal self-correcting mechanisms that usually prevent a recession from becoming deep and prolonged: a depression.\nComparing 1929 with 2007-09, Christina Romer, the head of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, finds the initial blow to confidence far greater now than then. True, stock prices fell a third from September to December 1929, but fewer Americans then owned stocks. Moreover, home prices barely dropped. From December 1928 to December 1929, total household wealth declined only 3%. By contrast, the loss in household wealth between December 2007 and December 2008 was 17%. Both stocks and homes, more widely held, dropped more. Thus traumatized the economy might have gone into a free fall ending in depression. Indeed, it did go into free fall. Shoppers refrained from buying cars, appliances, and other big-ticket items. Spending on such \"durables\" dropped at a 12% annual rate in 2008's third quarter, a 20% rate in the fourth. And businesses shelved investment projects.\nThat these huge declines didn't lead to depression mainly reflects, as Romer argues, countermeasures taken by the government. Private markets for goods, services, labor, and securities do mostly self-correct, but panic feeds on itself and disarms these stabilizing tendencies. In this situation, only government can protect the economy as a whole, because most individuals and companies are involved in the self-defeating behavior of self-protection. Government's failure to perform this role in the early 1930s transformed recession into depression. Scholars will debate which interventions this time - the Federal Reserve's support of a failing credit system, guarantees of bank debt, Obama's \"stimulus\" plan and bank \"stress test\" - counted most in preventing a recurrence. Regardless, all these complex measures had the same psychological purpose: to reassure people that the free fall would stop and, thereby, curb the fear that would perpetuate a free fall.\nAll this improved confidence. But the consumer sentiment index remains weak, and all the rebound has occurred in Americans' evaluation of future economic conditions, not the present. Unemployment (9.8%) is abysmal, the recovery's strength unclear. Here, too, there is an echo from the 1930s. Despite bottoming out in 1933, the Depression didn't end until World War II. Some government policies aided recovery; some hindered it. The good news today is that the bad news is not worse.","id":"2356.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Its severity is no match for the Great Depression of 1929.","Its initial blow to confidence far exceeded that of 1929.","It has affected house owners more than stock holders.","It has resulted in a free fall of the prices of commodities."],"question":"What does Christina Romer say about the current economic recession?","article":"\"Depression\" is more than a serious economic downturn. What distinguishes a depression from a harsh recession is paralyzing fear - fear of the unknown so great that it causes consumers, businesses, and investors to retreat and panic. They save up cash and desperately cut spending. They sell stocks and other assets. A shattering loss of confidence inspires behavior that overwhelms the normal self-correcting mechanisms that usually prevent a recession from becoming deep and prolonged: a depression.\nComparing 1929 with 2007-09, Christina Romer, the head of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, finds the initial blow to confidence far greater now than then. True, stock prices fell a third from September to December 1929, but fewer Americans then owned stocks. Moreover, home prices barely dropped. From December 1928 to December 1929, total household wealth declined only 3%. By contrast, the loss in household wealth between December 2007 and December 2008 was 17%. Both stocks and homes, more widely held, dropped more. Thus traumatized the economy might have gone into a free fall ending in depression. Indeed, it did go into free fall. Shoppers refrained from buying cars, appliances, and other big-ticket items. Spending on such \"durables\" dropped at a 12% annual rate in 2008's third quarter, a 20% rate in the fourth. And businesses shelved investment projects.\nThat these huge declines didn't lead to depression mainly reflects, as Romer argues, countermeasures taken by the government. Private markets for goods, services, labor, and securities do mostly self-correct, but panic feeds on itself and disarms these stabilizing tendencies. In this situation, only government can protect the economy as a whole, because most individuals and companies are involved in the self-defeating behavior of self-protection. Government's failure to perform this role in the early 1930s transformed recession into depression. Scholars will debate which interventions this time - the Federal Reserve's support of a failing credit system, guarantees of bank debt, Obama's \"stimulus\" plan and bank \"stress test\" - counted most in preventing a recurrence. Regardless, all these complex measures had the same psychological purpose: to reassure people that the free fall would stop and, thereby, curb the fear that would perpetuate a free fall.\nAll this improved confidence. But the consumer sentiment index remains weak, and all the rebound has occurred in Americans' evaluation of future economic conditions, not the present. Unemployment (9.8%) is abysmal, the recovery's strength unclear. Here, too, there is an echo from the 1930s. Despite bottoming out in 1933, the Depression didn't end until World War II. Some government policies aided recovery; some hindered it. The good news today is that the bad news is not worse.","id":"2356.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The government intervened effectively.","Private markets corrected themselves.","People refrained from buying durables and big-ticket items.","Individuals and companies adopted self-protection measures."],"question":"Why didn't the current recession turn into a depression according to Christina Romer?","article":"\"Depression\" is more than a serious economic downturn. What distinguishes a depression from a harsh recession is paralyzing fear - fear of the unknown so great that it causes consumers, businesses, and investors to retreat and panic. They save up cash and desperately cut spending. They sell stocks and other assets. A shattering loss of confidence inspires behavior that overwhelms the normal self-correcting mechanisms that usually prevent a recession from becoming deep and prolonged: a depression.\nComparing 1929 with 2007-09, Christina Romer, the head of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, finds the initial blow to confidence far greater now than then. True, stock prices fell a third from September to December 1929, but fewer Americans then owned stocks. Moreover, home prices barely dropped. From December 1928 to December 1929, total household wealth declined only 3%. By contrast, the loss in household wealth between December 2007 and December 2008 was 17%. Both stocks and homes, more widely held, dropped more. Thus traumatized the economy might have gone into a free fall ending in depression. Indeed, it did go into free fall. Shoppers refrained from buying cars, appliances, and other big-ticket items. Spending on such \"durables\" dropped at a 12% annual rate in 2008's third quarter, a 20% rate in the fourth. And businesses shelved investment projects.\nThat these huge declines didn't lead to depression mainly reflects, as Romer argues, countermeasures taken by the government. Private markets for goods, services, labor, and securities do mostly self-correct, but panic feeds on itself and disarms these stabilizing tendencies. In this situation, only government can protect the economy as a whole, because most individuals and companies are involved in the self-defeating behavior of self-protection. Government's failure to perform this role in the early 1930s transformed recession into depression. Scholars will debate which interventions this time - the Federal Reserve's support of a failing credit system, guarantees of bank debt, Obama's \"stimulus\" plan and bank \"stress test\" - counted most in preventing a recurrence. Regardless, all these complex measures had the same psychological purpose: to reassure people that the free fall would stop and, thereby, curb the fear that would perpetuate a free fall.\nAll this improved confidence. But the consumer sentiment index remains weak, and all the rebound has occurred in Americans' evaluation of future economic conditions, not the present. Unemployment (9.8%) is abysmal, the recovery's strength unclear. Here, too, there is an echo from the 1930s. Despite bottoming out in 1933, the Depression didn't end until World War II. Some government policies aided recovery; some hindered it. The good news today is that the bad news is not worse.","id":"2356.txt","label":0}
{"option":["To create job opportunities.","To curb the fear of a lasting free fall.","To stimulate domestic consumption.","To rebuild the credit system."],"question":"What is the chief purpose of all the countermeasures taken?","article":"\"Depression\" is more than a serious economic downturn. What distinguishes a depression from a harsh recession is paralyzing fear - fear of the unknown so great that it causes consumers, businesses, and investors to retreat and panic. They save up cash and desperately cut spending. They sell stocks and other assets. A shattering loss of confidence inspires behavior that overwhelms the normal self-correcting mechanisms that usually prevent a recession from becoming deep and prolonged: a depression.\nComparing 1929 with 2007-09, Christina Romer, the head of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, finds the initial blow to confidence far greater now than then. True, stock prices fell a third from September to December 1929, but fewer Americans then owned stocks. Moreover, home prices barely dropped. From December 1928 to December 1929, total household wealth declined only 3%. By contrast, the loss in household wealth between December 2007 and December 2008 was 17%. Both stocks and homes, more widely held, dropped more. Thus traumatized the economy might have gone into a free fall ending in depression. Indeed, it did go into free fall. Shoppers refrained from buying cars, appliances, and other big-ticket items. Spending on such \"durables\" dropped at a 12% annual rate in 2008's third quarter, a 20% rate in the fourth. And businesses shelved investment projects.\nThat these huge declines didn't lead to depression mainly reflects, as Romer argues, countermeasures taken by the government. Private markets for goods, services, labor, and securities do mostly self-correct, but panic feeds on itself and disarms these stabilizing tendencies. In this situation, only government can protect the economy as a whole, because most individuals and companies are involved in the self-defeating behavior of self-protection. Government's failure to perform this role in the early 1930s transformed recession into depression. Scholars will debate which interventions this time - the Federal Reserve's support of a failing credit system, guarantees of bank debt, Obama's \"stimulus\" plan and bank \"stress test\" - counted most in preventing a recurrence. Regardless, all these complex measures had the same psychological purpose: to reassure people that the free fall would stop and, thereby, curb the fear that would perpetuate a free fall.\nAll this improved confidence. But the consumer sentiment index remains weak, and all the rebound has occurred in Americans' evaluation of future economic conditions, not the present. Unemployment (9.8%) is abysmal, the recovery's strength unclear. Here, too, there is an echo from the 1930s. Despite bottoming out in 1933, the Depression didn't end until World War II. Some government policies aided recovery; some hindered it. The good news today is that the bad news is not worse.","id":"2356.txt","label":1}
{"option":["It may worsen without further stimulation.","It will see a rebound sooner or later.","It has not gone from bad to worse.","It does not give people reason for pessimism."],"question":"What does the author think of today's economic situation?","article":"\"Depression\" is more than a serious economic downturn. What distinguishes a depression from a harsh recession is paralyzing fear - fear of the unknown so great that it causes consumers, businesses, and investors to retreat and panic. They save up cash and desperately cut spending. They sell stocks and other assets. A shattering loss of confidence inspires behavior that overwhelms the normal self-correcting mechanisms that usually prevent a recession from becoming deep and prolonged: a depression.\nComparing 1929 with 2007-09, Christina Romer, the head of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, finds the initial blow to confidence far greater now than then. True, stock prices fell a third from September to December 1929, but fewer Americans then owned stocks. Moreover, home prices barely dropped. From December 1928 to December 1929, total household wealth declined only 3%. By contrast, the loss in household wealth between December 2007 and December 2008 was 17%. Both stocks and homes, more widely held, dropped more. Thus traumatized the economy might have gone into a free fall ending in depression. Indeed, it did go into free fall. Shoppers refrained from buying cars, appliances, and other big-ticket items. Spending on such \"durables\" dropped at a 12% annual rate in 2008's third quarter, a 20% rate in the fourth. And businesses shelved investment projects.\nThat these huge declines didn't lead to depression mainly reflects, as Romer argues, countermeasures taken by the government. Private markets for goods, services, labor, and securities do mostly self-correct, but panic feeds on itself and disarms these stabilizing tendencies. In this situation, only government can protect the economy as a whole, because most individuals and companies are involved in the self-defeating behavior of self-protection. Government's failure to perform this role in the early 1930s transformed recession into depression. Scholars will debate which interventions this time - the Federal Reserve's support of a failing credit system, guarantees of bank debt, Obama's \"stimulus\" plan and bank \"stress test\" - counted most in preventing a recurrence. Regardless, all these complex measures had the same psychological purpose: to reassure people that the free fall would stop and, thereby, curb the fear that would perpetuate a free fall.\nAll this improved confidence. But the consumer sentiment index remains weak, and all the rebound has occurred in Americans' evaluation of future economic conditions, not the present. Unemployment (9.8%) is abysmal, the recovery's strength unclear. Here, too, there is an echo from the 1930s. Despite bottoming out in 1933, the Depression didn't end until World War II. Some government policies aided recovery; some hindered it. The good news today is that the bad news is not worse.","id":"2356.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Lack of money.","The increased standard of living.","No government help.","Agreement with their parents."],"question":"According to the text, what causes some people to be homeless?","article":"In many countries the standard of living enjoyed by their peole has increased rapidly in recent years. Sadly,not everyone in these coyntries is so fortunate and many people in rich contries are homeless.\nThe reasons for homelessness are various, but povertyis undoubtedly one of the main causes. The homeless people may have become jobless and then been unable to pay their rent and so no longer have a roof over their heads. Often, the fact that unemployed people get help from the government prevents this from happening, but not always.\nSome homeless people are mentally ill and have no one to look after them. Some are young people who, for one reason or another , have left home and have nowhere to live. Many of them have had a serious disagreement with their parents and have left home, choosing to go to a city and live on the streets. Sometimes they have taken such action because they have been unable to get on with a step-parent.\nMany homeless people get into the habit of begging to get enough money to stay alive, but many of the general public tefuse to give anything to beggars. Often they are moved on by the police, being accused \uff0cwhether rightly or wrongly, of forceful begging. There are many who disrespect homeles people.\nSome cynicsdeclare that homeless people choose to live the life which they lead. But who would willingly choose to live in z shop doorway, under a bridger or in a cardboard box?","id":"3281.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the homeles are willing to live under a bridge or in a cardboard box","you will not find homeless people in countries with a high standard of living","the mentally ill live on the stress becausethey want the company of other homeless people","the unemployed who receive help may still be among the homeless"],"question":"It can be inferred from the text that _ .","article":"In many countries the standard of living enjoyed by their peole has increased rapidly in recent years. Sadly,not everyone in these coyntries is so fortunate and many people in rich contries are homeless.\nThe reasons for homelessness are various, but povertyis undoubtedly one of the main causes. The homeless people may have become jobless and then been unable to pay their rent and so no longer have a roof over their heads. Often, the fact that unemployed people get help from the government prevents this from happening, but not always.\nSome homeless people are mentally ill and have no one to look after them. Some are young people who, for one reason or another , have left home and have nowhere to live. Many of them have had a serious disagreement with their parents and have left home, choosing to go to a city and live on the streets. Sometimes they have taken such action because they have been unable to get on with a step-parent.\nMany homeless people get into the habit of begging to get enough money to stay alive, but many of the general public tefuse to give anything to beggars. Often they are moved on by the police, being accused \uff0cwhether rightly or wrongly, of forceful begging. There are many who disrespect homeles people.\nSome cynicsdeclare that homeless people choose to live the life which they lead. But who would willingly choose to live in z shop doorway, under a bridger or in a cardboard box?","id":"3281.txt","label":3}
{"option":["a cap","a car","a home","a covering"],"question":"In paragraph 2 , \"a roof over their needs \"most probably means _ .","article":"In many countries the standard of living enjoyed by their peole has increased rapidly in recent years. Sadly,not everyone in these coyntries is so fortunate and many people in rich contries are homeless.\nThe reasons for homelessness are various, but povertyis undoubtedly one of the main causes. The homeless people may have become jobless and then been unable to pay their rent and so no longer have a roof over their heads. Often, the fact that unemployed people get help from the government prevents this from happening, but not always.\nSome homeless people are mentally ill and have no one to look after them. Some are young people who, for one reason or another , have left home and have nowhere to live. Many of them have had a serious disagreement with their parents and have left home, choosing to go to a city and live on the streets. Sometimes they have taken such action because they have been unable to get on with a step-parent.\nMany homeless people get into the habit of begging to get enough money to stay alive, but many of the general public tefuse to give anything to beggars. Often they are moved on by the police, being accused \uff0cwhether rightly or wrongly, of forceful begging. There are many who disrespect homeles people.\nSome cynicsdeclare that homeless people choose to live the life which they lead. But who would willingly choose to live in z shop doorway, under a bridger or in a cardboard box?","id":"3281.txt","label":2}
{"option":["pitiful","troublesome","respectable","admirable"],"question":"The author thinks that the homeless people are _ .","article":"In many countries the standard of living enjoyed by their peole has increased rapidly in recent years. Sadly,not everyone in these coyntries is so fortunate and many people in rich contries are homeless.\nThe reasons for homelessness are various, but povertyis undoubtedly one of the main causes. The homeless people may have become jobless and then been unable to pay their rent and so no longer have a roof over their heads. Often, the fact that unemployed people get help from the government prevents this from happening, but not always.\nSome homeless people are mentally ill and have no one to look after them. Some are young people who, for one reason or another , have left home and have nowhere to live. Many of them have had a serious disagreement with their parents and have left home, choosing to go to a city and live on the streets. Sometimes they have taken such action because they have been unable to get on with a step-parent.\nMany homeless people get into the habit of begging to get enough money to stay alive, but many of the general public tefuse to give anything to beggars. Often they are moved on by the police, being accused \uff0cwhether rightly or wrongly, of forceful begging. There are many who disrespect homeles people.\nSome cynicsdeclare that homeless people choose to live the life which they lead. But who would willingly choose to live in z shop doorway, under a bridger or in a cardboard box?","id":"3281.txt","label":0}
{"option":["employers are checking more closely on applicants now","lying about college degrees has become a widespread problem","college degrees can now be purchased easily","employers are no longer interested in college degrees"],"question":"The main idea of this passage is that.","article":"You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?\nMore and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say theydeal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of aboutone per week.\nPersonnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicants lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them impostors(\u00c6\u00ad\u00d7\u00d3); another refers to them asspecial cases. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made byno such people.\nTo avoid outright(\u00b3\u00b9\u00b5\u00d7\u00b5\u00c4)lies, some job-seekers claim that they attended or were associated with a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that attending means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that being associated with a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century-that's when they began keeping records, anyhow.\nIf you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony(\u00bc\u00d9\u00b5\u00c4)diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of non-existent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from Smoot State University.The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the University of Purdue. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.","id":"1148.txt","label":1}
{"option":["students attend a school only part-time","students never attended a school they listed on their application","students purchase false degrees from commercial films","students attended a famous school"],"question":"According to the passage, special cases refer to cases where.","article":"You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?\nMore and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say theydeal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of aboutone per week.\nPersonnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicants lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them impostors(\u00c6\u00ad\u00d7\u00d3); another refers to them asspecial cases. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made byno such people.\nTo avoid outright(\u00b3\u00b9\u00b5\u00d7\u00b5\u00c4)lies, some job-seekers claim that they attended or were associated with a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that attending means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that being associated with a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century-that's when they began keeping records, anyhow.\nIf you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony(\u00bc\u00d9\u00b5\u00c4)diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of non-existent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from Smoot State University.The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the University of Purdue. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.","id":"1148.txt","label":2}
{"option":["performance is a better judge of ability that a college degree","experience is the best teacher","past work histories influence personnel officers more than degrees do","a degree from a famous school enables an applicant to gain advantage over others in job petition"],"question":"We can infer from the passage that.","article":"You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?\nMore and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say theydeal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of aboutone per week.\nPersonnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicants lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them impostors(\u00c6\u00ad\u00d7\u00d3); another refers to them asspecial cases. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made byno such people.\nTo avoid outright(\u00b3\u00b9\u00b5\u00d7\u00b5\u00c4)lies, some job-seekers claim that they attended or were associated with a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that attending means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that being associated with a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century-that's when they began keeping records, anyhow.\nIf you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony(\u00bc\u00d9\u00b5\u00c4)diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of non-existent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from Smoot State University.The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the University of Purdue. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.","id":"1148.txt","label":3}
{"option":["buying a false degree is not moral","personnel officers only consider applicants from famousschools","most people lie on applications because they were dismissed from school","society should be greatly responsible for lying on applications"],"question":"This passage implies that.","article":"You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?\nMore and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say theydeal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of aboutone per week.\nPersonnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicants lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them impostors(\u00c6\u00ad\u00d7\u00d3); another refers to them asspecial cases. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made byno such people.\nTo avoid outright(\u00b3\u00b9\u00b5\u00d7\u00b5\u00c4)lies, some job-seekers claim that they attended or were associated with a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that attending means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that being associated with a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century-that's when they began keeping records, anyhow.\nIf you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony(\u00bc\u00d9\u00b5\u00c4)diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of non-existent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from Smoot State University.The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the University of Purdue. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.","id":"1148.txt","label":3}
{"option":["address","thorough","ultimate","decisive"],"question":"As used in the first line of the second paragraph, the word utter means.","article":"You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?\nMore and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say theydeal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of aboutone per week.\nPersonnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicants lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them impostors(\u00c6\u00ad\u00d7\u00d3); another refers to them asspecial cases. One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made byno such people.\nTo avoid outright(\u00b3\u00b9\u00b5\u00d7\u00b5\u00c4)lies, some job-seekers claim that they attended or were associated with a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that attending means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that being associated with a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century-that's when they began keeping records, anyhow.\nIf you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony(\u00bc\u00d9\u00b5\u00c4)diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of non-existent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from Smoot State University.The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the University of Purdue. As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.","id":"1148.txt","label":2}
{"option":["deal with problems rather than blame others","meet with fewer difficulties in their lives","have responsible and able colleagues","blame themselves rather that others"],"question":"According to the passage, winners _ .","article":"When something goes wrong\uff0cit can be very satisfying to say\uff0c\"Well,it's so-and-so's fault.\"or \"I know I'm late\uff0cbut it's not my fault\uff1bthe car broke down.\"It is probably not your fault\uff0cbut once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation\uff0cyou are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However,you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.\nWinners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on the person. You should accept that the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.\nThis is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on \"whose fault it is.\" Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success.","id":"3794.txt","label":0}
{"option":["find a better way to handle the problem","blame him for his lack of responsibility","tell him to find the cause of the problem","ask a more able colleague for help"],"question":"When your colleague brings about a problem, you should _ .","article":"When something goes wrong\uff0cit can be very satisfying to say\uff0c\"Well,it's so-and-so's fault.\"or \"I know I'm late\uff0cbut it's not my fault\uff1bthe car broke down.\"It is probably not your fault\uff0cbut once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation\uff0cyou are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However,you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.\nWinners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on the person. You should accept that the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.\nThis is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on \"whose fault it is.\" Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success.","id":"3794.txt","label":0}
{"option":["excuses for their failures","barriers to greater power","challenges to their colleagues","chances for self-development"],"question":"When problems occur, winners take them as _ .","article":"When something goes wrong\uff0cit can be very satisfying to say\uff0c\"Well,it's so-and-so's fault.\"or \"I know I'm late\uff0cbut it's not my fault\uff1bthe car broke down.\"It is probably not your fault\uff0cbut once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation\uff0cyou are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However,you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.\nWinners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on the person. You should accept that the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.\nThis is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on \"whose fault it is.\" Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success.","id":"3794.txt","label":3}
{"option":["A Winner's Secret.","A Winner's Problem.","A Winner's Opportunity.","A Winner's Achievement."],"question":"Which of the following is the best title for the passage?","article":"When something goes wrong\uff0cit can be very satisfying to say\uff0c\"Well,it's so-and-so's fault.\"or \"I know I'm late\uff0cbut it's not my fault\uff1bthe car broke down.\"It is probably not your fault\uff0cbut once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation\uff0cyou are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However,you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.\nWinners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on the person. You should accept that the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.\nThis is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on \"whose fault it is.\" Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success.","id":"3794.txt","label":0}
{"option":["provide some key facts about Confucius","attract the readers' interest in the subject","show great respect for the ancient thinker","prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations"],"question":"The opening paragraph is mainly intended to  _ .","article":"If Confucius\uff08\uff09were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. IIe'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.\nWhile many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.\nBut this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.\nIn the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy\uff08\uff09. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.\nSo the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.\nToday China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.\nAs for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.","id":"3738.txt","label":1}
{"option":["have a great interest in studying Chinese","take an active part in Chinese competitions","try to get high scores in Chinese exams","fight for a chance to learn Chinese"],"question":"We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students _ .","article":"If Confucius\uff08\uff09were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. IIe'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.\nWhile many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.\nBut this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.\nIn the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy\uff08\uff09. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.\nSo the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.\nToday China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.\nAs for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.","id":"3738.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Forgotten Wisdom in America","Huge Fans of the Chinese Language","Chinese Culture for Westerners","Old Thinker with a Big Future"],"question":"What is the best title for the passge?","article":"If Confucius\uff08\uff09were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. IIe'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.\nWhile many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.\nBut this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.\nIn the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy\uff08\uff09. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.\nSo the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.\nToday China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.\nAs for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.","id":"3738.txt","label":3}
{"option":["a biography","a history paper","a newspaper","a philosophy textbook"],"question":"The passage is likely to appear in _ .","article":"If Confucius\uff08\uff09were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. IIe'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.\nWhile many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.\nBut this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.\nIn the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy\uff08\uff09. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.\nSo the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.\nToday China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.\nAs for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.","id":"3738.txt","label":2}
{"option":["important","extremely large","highly unusual","active"],"question":"The word \"enormous\"(paragraph 1)in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":1}
{"option":["has more complex geologic features","shows less impact cratering","is taller","was formed at a later time"],"question":"According to paragraph 1, Olympus Mons differs from volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge in that Olympus Mons","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":2}
{"option":["deep.","complex.","characteristic.","ancient."],"question":"The word \"distinctive\"(paragraph 1)in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They have broad, sloping sides.","They are smaller than the largest volcano on Mars.","They have channels that resemble the lava channels of volcanoes on Earth.","They are over 25 kilometers tall."],"question":"According to paragraphs 1 and 2, which of the following is NOT true of the shield volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge?","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":3}
{"option":["typically.","frequently.","actually.","approximately."],"question":"The word \"roughly\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":3}
{"option":["To help explain the relationship between surface gravity and volcano height.","To explain why Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent of Earth's.","To point out differences between the surface gravity of Earth and the surface gravity of Venus.","To argue that there are more similarities than differences between volcanoes on different planets."],"question":"In paragraph 3, why does the author compare Maxwell Mons on Venus to the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth?","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":0}
{"option":["frequently.","significantly.","clearly.","surprisingly."],"question":"The word \"considerably\"(paragraph 3)in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Erosion from meteoritic impacts takes place more quickly on Mars than on the Moon.","There is more dust on Mars than on the Moon.","The surface of Mars is a dry desert.","Wind is a powerful eroding force on Mars."],"question":"According to paragraph 4, what is demonstrated by the fact that cratersfill in much faster on Mars than on the Moon?","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":3}
{"option":["To explain why scientists believe that the surface matter filling Martian craters is mostly dust.","To explain why scientists believe that the impact craters on Mars were created by meteoroids.","To support the claim that the Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent.","To argue that Mars experienced fewer ancient impacts than the Moon did."],"question":"In paragraph 4, why does the author point out that Mars has few ancient craters that are less than 5 kilometers in diameter?","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Some Martian volcanoes are much older than was once thought.","The age of Mars's surface can vary from area to area.","Large impact craters are not reliable indicators of age in areas with high volcanic activity.","Some areas of the Martian surface appear to be older than they actually are."],"question":"According to paragraph 5, what have scientists been able to determinefrom studies of large impact cratering on Mars?","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Has now become part of a permafrost layer.","Contains a large volume of dust, soil and boulders.","Suggests that liquid once came out of the surface at the crater site.","Was thrown a comparatively long distance from the center of the crater."],"question":"According to paragraph 6, the ejecta of Mars's crater Yuty differs fromthe ejecta of the Moon's Copernicus crater in that the ejecta of the Yuty crater","article":"The surface of Mars shows a wide range of geologic features, including huge volcanoes-the largest known in the solar system-and extensive impact cratering. Three very large volcanoes are found on the Tharsis bulge, an enormous geologic area near Mars's equator. Northwest of Tharsis is the largest volcano of all: Olympus Mons, with a height of 25 kilometers and measuring some 700 kilometers in diameter at its base. The three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge are a little smaller-a \"mere\" 18 kilometers high.\nNone of these volcanoes was formed as a result of collisions between plates of the Martian crust-there is no plate motion on Mars. Instead, they are shield volcanoes - volcanoes with broad, sloping slides formed by molten rock. All four show distinctivelava channels and other flow features similar to those found on shield volcanoes on Earth. Images of the Martian surface reveal many hundreds of volcanoes. Most of the largest volcanoes are associated with the Tharsis bulge, but many smaller ones are found in the northern plains.\nThe great height of Martian volcanoes is a direct consequence of the planet's low surface gravity. As lava flows and spreads to form a shield volcano, the volcano's eventual height depends on the new mountain's ability to support its own weight. The lower the gravity, the lesser the weight and the greater the height of the mountain. It is no accident that Maxwell Mons on Venus and the Hawaiian shield volcanoes on Earth rise to about the same height (about 10 kilometers) above their respective bases-Earth and Venus have similar surface gravity. Mars's surface gravity is only 40 percent that of Earth, so volcanoes rise roughly 2.5 times as high. Are the Martian shield volcanoes still active? Scientists have no direct evidence for recent or ongoing eruptions, but if these volcanoes were active as recently as 100 million years ago (an estimate of the time of last eruption based on the extent of impact cratering on their slopes), some of them may still be at least intermittently active. Millions of years, though, may pass between eruptions.\nAnother prominent feature of Mars's surface is cratering. The Mariner spacecraft found that the surface of Mars, as well as that of its two moons, is pitted with impact craters formed by meteoroids falling in from space. As on our Moon, the smaller craters are often filled with surface matter-mostly dust-confirming that Mars is a dry desert world. However, Martian craters get filled in considerablyfaster than their lunar counterparts. On the Moon, ancient craters less than 100 meters across (corresponding to depths of about 20 meters) have been obliterated, primarily by meteoritic erosion. On Mars, there are relatively few craters less than 5 kilometers in diameter. The Martian atmosphere is an efficient erosive agent, with Martian winds transporting dust from place to place and erasing surface features much faster than meteoritic impacts alone can obliterate them.\nAs on the Moon, the extent of large impact cratering (i.e. craters too big to have been filled in by erosion since they were formeD. serves as an age indicator for the Martian surface. Age estimates ranging from four billion years for Mars's southern highlands to a few hundred million years in the youngest volcanic areas were obtained in this way.\nThe detailed appearance of Martian impact craters provides an important piece of information about conditions just below the planet's surface. Martian craters are surrounded by ejecta (debris formed as a result of an impact) that looks quite different from its lunar counterparts. A comparison of the Copernicus crater on the Moon with the (fairly typical) crater Yuty on Mars demonstrates the differences. The ejecta surrounding the lunar crater is just what one would expect from an explosion ejecting a large volume of dust, soil, and boulders. However, the ejecta on Mars gives the distinct impression of a liquid that has splashed or flowed out of crater. Geologists think that this fluidized ejecta crater indicates that a layer of permafrost, or water ice, lies just a few meters under the surface. Explosive impacts heated and liquefied the ice, resulting in the fluid appearance of the ejecta.","id":"4118.txt","label":2}
{"option":["kids missing the sense of wonder outdoors","parks are in danger of being gradually encroached","Richard Louv is the author of Last Child in the Woods","children are expected to develop into protectors of nature"],"question":"The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that _ .","article":"One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a \"sea of technology\" rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will changes the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child's play.\nEach of us has a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. \"If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment ?\" asks Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.\nWithout having a nature experience, kids, can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive  skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents-and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters  leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.\nKids are not to blame. They are over-protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood riteof passage.\nEveryone, from developers, to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that cement  love, respect and need for landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause.","id":"3365.txt","label":3}
{"option":["keep a high sense of wonder","be over-protected by their parents","be less healthy both physically and mentally","change wild places and creatures for the better"],"question":"According to the passage, children without experiencing nature will _ .","article":"One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a \"sea of technology\" rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will changes the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child's play.\nEach of us has a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. \"If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment ?\" asks Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.\nWithout having a nature experience, kids, can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive  skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents-and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters  leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.\nKids are not to blame. They are over-protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood riteof passage.\nEveryone, from developers, to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that cement  love, respect and need for landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause.","id":"3365.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the fault on the part of their parents","the natural experience in their growing up","the result of their own carelessness in play","the effect of their repetitive stress from computers"],"question":"According to the author, children's breaking an arm is _ .","article":"One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a \"sea of technology\" rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will changes the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child's play.\nEach of us has a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. \"If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment ?\" asks Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.\nWithout having a nature experience, kids, can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive  skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents-and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters  leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.\nKids are not to blame. They are over-protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood riteof passage.\nEveryone, from developers, to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that cement  love, respect and need for landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause.","id":"3365.txt","label":1}
{"option":["blame children for getting lost in computer games","encourage children to protect parks from encroachment","show his concern about children's lack of experience in nature","inspire children to keep the sense of wonder about things around"],"question":"In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to _ .","article":"One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a \"sea of technology\" rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will changes the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child's play.\nEach of us has a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. \"If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment ?\" asks Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.\nWithout having a nature experience, kids, can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive  skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents-and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters  leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.\nKids are not to blame. They are over-protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood riteof passage.\nEveryone, from developers, to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that cement  love, respect and need for landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause.","id":"3365.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Italian pizza","Italy\u2018s problems","how the Leaning Tower of Pisa got its name","why the writer likes Pisa"],"question":"This passage is about _.","article":"I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa .But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza .I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza .It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.\nMany years later finally saw the Leaning Tower. I knew then that is was Pisa and no pizza .But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don\u2018t like that it leans over the city.\nI do not think it\u2018s a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down, it is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning .Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.\nAnd who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let\u2018s take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.","id":"608.txt","label":2}
{"option":["in Spain","not very famous","not the same as pizza","the same as pizza"],"question":"The writer used to think Pisa _.","article":"I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa .But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza .I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza .It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.\nMany years later finally saw the Leaning Tower. I knew then that is was Pisa and no pizza .But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don\u2018t like that it leans over the city.\nI do not think it\u2018s a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down, it is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning .Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.\nAnd who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let\u2018s take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.","id":"608.txt","label":3}
{"option":["modern","falling down","600 years old","60 years old-"],"question":"The Leaning Tower of Pisa is _.","article":"I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa .But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza .I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza .It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.\nMany years later finally saw the Leaning Tower. I knew then that is was Pisa and no pizza .But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don\u2018t like that it leans over the city.\nI do not think it\u2018s a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down, it is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning .Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.\nAnd who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let\u2018s take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.","id":"608.txt","label":2}
{"option":["doesn\u2018t like what the tower looks like","likes what the tower looks like","thinks it\u2018s the most beautiful tower in Italy","doesn\u2018t like towers"],"question":"The writer  _ .","article":"I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa .But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza .I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza .It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.\nMany years later finally saw the Leaning Tower. I knew then that is was Pisa and no pizza .But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don\u2018t like that it leans over the city.\nI do not think it\u2018s a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down, it is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning .Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.\nAnd who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let\u2018s take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.","id":"608.txt","label":1}
{"option":["it\u2018s old","it\u2018s perfect","it sells pizza","it\u2018s imperfect"],"question":"The writer likes the Leaning Tower of Pisa because  _ .","article":"I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa .But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza .I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza .It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.\nMany years later finally saw the Leaning Tower. I knew then that is was Pisa and no pizza .But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really does lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall over and they don\u2018t like that it leans over the city.\nI do not think it\u2018s a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down, it is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like what it looks like. To me it is a very human kind of leaning .Nothing is perfect, it seems to say.\nAnd who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let\u2018s take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But Pisa tower is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.","id":"608.txt","label":3}
{"option":["They brought him nothing but torture.","They were no holiday for him at all.","They were a relief from his hard work at school.","They offered him a chance to know more people."],"question":"How did the author look back on his summer days while at college?","article":"I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition  between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.\nThere're few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.\nThe most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing  and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the until I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents and hour.\nAfter working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.\nThese lessons I'm learning, however valuable, are always tinged  with sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. \"This job pays well, but it's hell on the body,\" said one co-worker. \"Study hard and keep reading,\" she added.\nMy experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.","id":"2065.txt","label":1}
{"option":["They expect too much from the real world.","They have little interest in blue-collar life.","They think too highly of themselves.","They are confident of their future."],"question":"What does the author say about college students?","article":"I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition  between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.\nThere're few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.\nThe most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing  and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the until I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents and hour.\nAfter working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.\nThese lessons I'm learning, however valuable, are always tinged  with sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. \"This job pays well, but it's hell on the body,\" said one co-worker. \"Study hard and keep reading,\" she added.\nMy experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.","id":"2065.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They do not get decent pay.","They do not have job security.","They have to work 12-hour shifts.","They have to move from place to place."],"question":"What, according to the author, is most frustrating for blue-collar workers?","article":"I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition  between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.\nThere're few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.\nThe most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing  and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the until I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents and hour.\nAfter working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.\nThese lessons I'm learning, however valuable, are always tinged  with sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. \"This job pays well, but it's hell on the body,\" said one co-worker. \"Study hard and keep reading,\" she added.\nMy experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.","id":"2065.txt","label":1}
{"option":["He learned to be more practical.","He acquired a sense of urgency.","He came to respect blue-collar workers.","He came to appreciate his college education."],"question":"In what important way has the author's work experience changed him?","article":"I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition  between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.\nThere're few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.\nThe most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing  and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the until I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents and hour.\nAfter working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.\nThese lessons I'm learning, however valuable, are always tinged  with sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. \"This job pays well, but it's hell on the body,\" said one co-worker. \"Study hard and keep reading,\" she added.\nMy experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.","id":"2065.txt","label":3}
{"option":["He realizes there is a great divide between his life and that of blue-collar workers.","He looks down upon the mechanical work at the assembly life.","He has not done much to help his co-workers at the factory.","He has stayed at school just for the purpose of escaping from the real world."],"question":"Why does the author feel somewhat guilty?","article":"I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition  between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.\nThere're few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.\nThe most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing  and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the until I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents and hour.\nAfter working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other options have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.\nThese lessons I'm learning, however valuable, are always tinged  with sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. \"This job pays well, but it's hell on the body,\" said one co-worker. \"Study hard and keep reading,\" she added.\nMy experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.","id":"2065.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Oliver Williamson and Elinor Ostrom were not considered candidates for the Noble Prize in Economics","the research focus of Oliver Williamson and Elinor Ostrom touches upon a variety of fields","the works of Oliver Williamson and Elinor Ostrom are irrelevant to the study of economics","Elinor Ostrom is known as the first female winner of the Nobel Prize since its establishment"],"question":"From the first paragraph we learn that  _ .","article":"Neither Oliver Williamson of the University of California at Berkeley nor Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University at Bloomington was widely tipped to win this year's Nobel Prize for economics. This may be because their work sits at the boundary of economics, law and political science, and tackles different questions to the ones that economists have traditionally studied. Mr. Williamson and Ms. Ostrom work independently of each other but both have contributed plenty to economists' understanding of which institutions-firms, markets, governments, or informal systems of social norms, for example-are best suited for conducting different types of economic transactions.\nRonald Coase, a British economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1991, argued that in some situations, and for some kinds of transactions, administrative decision-making within a single legal entity is more efficient than a straightforward market transaction. Mr. Coase's arguments were influential and convinced economists that the internal workings of organisations were worth paying attention to explicitly. But it was left to Mr. Williamson to refine Mr. Coase's theory and clarify what features of certain transactions made carrying them out more efficient within a firm rather than in the market.\nMr. Williamson showed that complex transactions involving investment decisions that are much more valuable within a relationship than to a third party are best done within a firm. Part of the problem, he argued, was that some economic transactions are so complicated, and involve so many things which could go wrong, that writing a legally enforceable contract that takes all possibilities into account is impossible. Simpler transactions are completed easily in markets; more complicated ones may demand firms. But in later work he also showed that organising matters within companies had costs: in particular, it relied on internal authority to get things done, and this could be abused.\nMs. Ostrom has concentrated on a different aspect of economic governance. She has spent her life studying how human societies manage common resources such as forests, rivers, pastures or wildlife. Just as with public goods, it is difficult to prevent people from using the commons. But unlike public goods, and like private ones, what one person takes leaves less for others. Economic theory then predicts that rational individuals will overuse these resources.\nEconomists have tended to emphasise property rights as a solution to the problem of managing common resources. But Ms. Ostrom spent much of her early career studying how communities managed such common resources. She found that groups of people tended to have complex sets of rules, norms and penalties to ensure that such resources were used sustainably. Such self-governance often worked well. Successful informal institutions, she found, have certain features in common, which sets them apart from institutions that fail. The principles of game theory, particularly the theory of repeated interactions, proved remarkably useful in formulating general principles of how common resources ought to be managed without necessarily resorting to private or state ownership.\nMr Williamson launched an entire branch of economic theorising which looks more deeply into firms than economists had tended to do previously. His theories have also helped with understanding the choice between equity and debt, and corporate finance more generally. Ms. Ostrom's research has spawned many experiments about how people interact strategically. Some of these have influenced game theory, which originally provided Ms. Ostrom with her analytical tools.","id":"585.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Williamson and Ostrom's winning the prize mainly attributes to their cooperation in research.","Williamson has identified a series of factors which make the transactions in the market different from those within firms.","Both Williamson and Ostrom address the question of economic transactions.","It is commonly agreed among economists that transactions within firms tend to be more efficient."],"question":"Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?","article":"Neither Oliver Williamson of the University of California at Berkeley nor Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University at Bloomington was widely tipped to win this year's Nobel Prize for economics. This may be because their work sits at the boundary of economics, law and political science, and tackles different questions to the ones that economists have traditionally studied. Mr. Williamson and Ms. Ostrom work independently of each other but both have contributed plenty to economists' understanding of which institutions-firms, markets, governments, or informal systems of social norms, for example-are best suited for conducting different types of economic transactions.\nRonald Coase, a British economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1991, argued that in some situations, and for some kinds of transactions, administrative decision-making within a single legal entity is more efficient than a straightforward market transaction. Mr. Coase's arguments were influential and convinced economists that the internal workings of organisations were worth paying attention to explicitly. But it was left to Mr. Williamson to refine Mr. Coase's theory and clarify what features of certain transactions made carrying them out more efficient within a firm rather than in the market.\nMr. Williamson showed that complex transactions involving investment decisions that are much more valuable within a relationship than to a third party are best done within a firm. Part of the problem, he argued, was that some economic transactions are so complicated, and involve so many things which could go wrong, that writing a legally enforceable contract that takes all possibilities into account is impossible. Simpler transactions are completed easily in markets; more complicated ones may demand firms. But in later work he also showed that organising matters within companies had costs: in particular, it relied on internal authority to get things done, and this could be abused.\nMs. Ostrom has concentrated on a different aspect of economic governance. She has spent her life studying how human societies manage common resources such as forests, rivers, pastures or wildlife. Just as with public goods, it is difficult to prevent people from using the commons. But unlike public goods, and like private ones, what one person takes leaves less for others. Economic theory then predicts that rational individuals will overuse these resources.\nEconomists have tended to emphasise property rights as a solution to the problem of managing common resources. But Ms. Ostrom spent much of her early career studying how communities managed such common resources. She found that groups of people tended to have complex sets of rules, norms and penalties to ensure that such resources were used sustainably. Such self-governance often worked well. Successful informal institutions, she found, have certain features in common, which sets them apart from institutions that fail. The principles of game theory, particularly the theory of repeated interactions, proved remarkably useful in formulating general principles of how common resources ought to be managed without necessarily resorting to private or state ownership.\nMr Williamson launched an entire branch of economic theorising which looks more deeply into firms than economists had tended to do previously. His theories have also helped with understanding the choice between equity and debt, and corporate finance more generally. Ms. Ostrom's research has spawned many experiments about how people interact strategically. Some of these have influenced game theory, which originally provided Ms. Ostrom with her analytical tools.","id":"585.txt","label":2}
{"option":["it is universally true that complex transactions are more efficient in companies","to write a contract for complicated transactions is impossible","the prediction about rational individuals overusing common resources is incorrect","privatization is not necessarily the solution of problems about common resources"],"question":"Ostrom and Williamson's researches show that  _ .","article":"Neither Oliver Williamson of the University of California at Berkeley nor Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University at Bloomington was widely tipped to win this year's Nobel Prize for economics. This may be because their work sits at the boundary of economics, law and political science, and tackles different questions to the ones that economists have traditionally studied. Mr. Williamson and Ms. Ostrom work independently of each other but both have contributed plenty to economists' understanding of which institutions-firms, markets, governments, or informal systems of social norms, for example-are best suited for conducting different types of economic transactions.\nRonald Coase, a British economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1991, argued that in some situations, and for some kinds of transactions, administrative decision-making within a single legal entity is more efficient than a straightforward market transaction. Mr. Coase's arguments were influential and convinced economists that the internal workings of organisations were worth paying attention to explicitly. But it was left to Mr. Williamson to refine Mr. Coase's theory and clarify what features of certain transactions made carrying them out more efficient within a firm rather than in the market.\nMr. Williamson showed that complex transactions involving investment decisions that are much more valuable within a relationship than to a third party are best done within a firm. Part of the problem, he argued, was that some economic transactions are so complicated, and involve so many things which could go wrong, that writing a legally enforceable contract that takes all possibilities into account is impossible. Simpler transactions are completed easily in markets; more complicated ones may demand firms. But in later work he also showed that organising matters within companies had costs: in particular, it relied on internal authority to get things done, and this could be abused.\nMs. Ostrom has concentrated on a different aspect of economic governance. She has spent her life studying how human societies manage common resources such as forests, rivers, pastures or wildlife. Just as with public goods, it is difficult to prevent people from using the commons. But unlike public goods, and like private ones, what one person takes leaves less for others. Economic theory then predicts that rational individuals will overuse these resources.\nEconomists have tended to emphasise property rights as a solution to the problem of managing common resources. But Ms. Ostrom spent much of her early career studying how communities managed such common resources. She found that groups of people tended to have complex sets of rules, norms and penalties to ensure that such resources were used sustainably. Such self-governance often worked well. Successful informal institutions, she found, have certain features in common, which sets them apart from institutions that fail. The principles of game theory, particularly the theory of repeated interactions, proved remarkably useful in formulating general principles of how common resources ought to be managed without necessarily resorting to private or state ownership.\nMr Williamson launched an entire branch of economic theorising which looks more deeply into firms than economists had tended to do previously. His theories have also helped with understanding the choice between equity and debt, and corporate finance more generally. Ms. Ostrom's research has spawned many experiments about how people interact strategically. Some of these have influenced game theory, which originally provided Ms. Ostrom with her analytical tools.","id":"585.txt","label":3}
{"option":["self-management.","self-control.","self-government.","self-manipulation."],"question":"Which of the following best defines the word\" self-governance\"  \uff08Line 4, Paragraph 5\uff09?","article":"Neither Oliver Williamson of the University of California at Berkeley nor Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University at Bloomington was widely tipped to win this year's Nobel Prize for economics. This may be because their work sits at the boundary of economics, law and political science, and tackles different questions to the ones that economists have traditionally studied. Mr. Williamson and Ms. Ostrom work independently of each other but both have contributed plenty to economists' understanding of which institutions-firms, markets, governments, or informal systems of social norms, for example-are best suited for conducting different types of economic transactions.\nRonald Coase, a British economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1991, argued that in some situations, and for some kinds of transactions, administrative decision-making within a single legal entity is more efficient than a straightforward market transaction. Mr. Coase's arguments were influential and convinced economists that the internal workings of organisations were worth paying attention to explicitly. But it was left to Mr. Williamson to refine Mr. Coase's theory and clarify what features of certain transactions made carrying them out more efficient within a firm rather than in the market.\nMr. Williamson showed that complex transactions involving investment decisions that are much more valuable within a relationship than to a third party are best done within a firm. Part of the problem, he argued, was that some economic transactions are so complicated, and involve so many things which could go wrong, that writing a legally enforceable contract that takes all possibilities into account is impossible. Simpler transactions are completed easily in markets; more complicated ones may demand firms. But in later work he also showed that organising matters within companies had costs: in particular, it relied on internal authority to get things done, and this could be abused.\nMs. Ostrom has concentrated on a different aspect of economic governance. She has spent her life studying how human societies manage common resources such as forests, rivers, pastures or wildlife. Just as with public goods, it is difficult to prevent people from using the commons. But unlike public goods, and like private ones, what one person takes leaves less for others. Economic theory then predicts that rational individuals will overuse these resources.\nEconomists have tended to emphasise property rights as a solution to the problem of managing common resources. But Ms. Ostrom spent much of her early career studying how communities managed such common resources. She found that groups of people tended to have complex sets of rules, norms and penalties to ensure that such resources were used sustainably. Such self-governance often worked well. Successful informal institutions, she found, have certain features in common, which sets them apart from institutions that fail. The principles of game theory, particularly the theory of repeated interactions, proved remarkably useful in formulating general principles of how common resources ought to be managed without necessarily resorting to private or state ownership.\nMr Williamson launched an entire branch of economic theorising which looks more deeply into firms than economists had tended to do previously. His theories have also helped with understanding the choice between equity and debt, and corporate finance more generally. Ms. Ostrom's research has spawned many experiments about how people interact strategically. Some of these have influenced game theory, which originally provided Ms. Ostrom with her analytical tools.","id":"585.txt","label":0}
{"option":["their researches shed light on the future of cross-disciplinary social studies","their researches help improve the research tools for economics","their researches have tremendously revolutionized the field of economics","their researches give people new insights into neglected problems"],"question":"We can draw a conclusion from the text that  _ .","article":"Neither Oliver Williamson of the University of California at Berkeley nor Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University at Bloomington was widely tipped to win this year's Nobel Prize for economics. This may be because their work sits at the boundary of economics, law and political science, and tackles different questions to the ones that economists have traditionally studied. Mr. Williamson and Ms. Ostrom work independently of each other but both have contributed plenty to economists' understanding of which institutions-firms, markets, governments, or informal systems of social norms, for example-are best suited for conducting different types of economic transactions.\nRonald Coase, a British economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1991, argued that in some situations, and for some kinds of transactions, administrative decision-making within a single legal entity is more efficient than a straightforward market transaction. Mr. Coase's arguments were influential and convinced economists that the internal workings of organisations were worth paying attention to explicitly. But it was left to Mr. Williamson to refine Mr. Coase's theory and clarify what features of certain transactions made carrying them out more efficient within a firm rather than in the market.\nMr. Williamson showed that complex transactions involving investment decisions that are much more valuable within a relationship than to a third party are best done within a firm. Part of the problem, he argued, was that some economic transactions are so complicated, and involve so many things which could go wrong, that writing a legally enforceable contract that takes all possibilities into account is impossible. Simpler transactions are completed easily in markets; more complicated ones may demand firms. But in later work he also showed that organising matters within companies had costs: in particular, it relied on internal authority to get things done, and this could be abused.\nMs. Ostrom has concentrated on a different aspect of economic governance. She has spent her life studying how human societies manage common resources such as forests, rivers, pastures or wildlife. Just as with public goods, it is difficult to prevent people from using the commons. But unlike public goods, and like private ones, what one person takes leaves less for others. Economic theory then predicts that rational individuals will overuse these resources.\nEconomists have tended to emphasise property rights as a solution to the problem of managing common resources. But Ms. Ostrom spent much of her early career studying how communities managed such common resources. She found that groups of people tended to have complex sets of rules, norms and penalties to ensure that such resources were used sustainably. Such self-governance often worked well. Successful informal institutions, she found, have certain features in common, which sets them apart from institutions that fail. The principles of game theory, particularly the theory of repeated interactions, proved remarkably useful in formulating general principles of how common resources ought to be managed without necessarily resorting to private or state ownership.\nMr Williamson launched an entire branch of economic theorising which looks more deeply into firms than economists had tended to do previously. His theories have also helped with understanding the choice between equity and debt, and corporate finance more generally. Ms. Ostrom's research has spawned many experiments about how people interact strategically. Some of these have influenced game theory, which originally provided Ms. Ostrom with her analytical tools.","id":"585.txt","label":0}
{"option":["suggest that self-medication has a long history","define what diagnosis means exactly","praise doctors for their expertise","tell the symptoms from the causes"],"question":"The first paragraph is intended to  _ .","article":"Occasional self-medication has always been part of normal living. The making and selling of drugs have a long history and are closely linked, like medical practice itself, with the belief in magic. Only during the last hundred years or so has the development of scientific techniques made it possible for some of the causes of symptoms to be understood, so that more accurate diagnosis has become possible. The doctor is now able to follow up the correct diagnosis of many illnesses with specific treatment of their causes. In many other illnesses, of which the causes remain unknown, it is still limited, like the unqualified prescriber, to the treatment of symptoms. The doctor is trained to decide when to treat symptoms only and when to attack the cause: this is the essential difference between medical prescribing and self-medication.\nThe advance of technology has brought about much progress in some fields of medicine, including the development of scientific drug therapy. In many countries public health organization is improving and people's nutritional standards have risen. Parallel with such beneficial trends have two adverse effects. One is the use of high-pressure advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, which has tended to influence both patients and doctors and has led to the overuse of drugs generally. The other is the emergence of the sedentary society with its faulty ways of life: lack of exercise, over-eating, unsuitable eating, insufficient sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. People with disorders arising from faulty habits such as these, as well as from unhappy human relationships, often resort to self-medication and so add the taking of pharmaceuticals to the list. Advertisers go to great lengths to catch this market.\nClever advertising, aimed at chronic sufferers who will try anything because doctors have not been able to cure them, can induce such faith in a preparation, particularly if steeply priced, that it will produce-by suggestion-a very real effect in some people. Advertisements are also aimed at people suffering from mild complaints such as simple colds and coughs, which clear up by themselves within a short time.\nThese are the main reasons why laxatives, indigestion remedies, painkillers, tonics, vitamin and iron tablets and many other preparations are found in quantity in many households. It is doubtful whether taking these things ever improves a person's health; it may even make it worse. Worse because the preparation may contain unsuitable ingredients; worse because the taker may become dependent on them; worse because they might be taken in excess; worse because they may cause poisoning, and worse of all because symptoms of some serious underlying cause may be masked and therefore medical help may not be sought.","id":"2650.txt","label":0}
{"option":["they often watch ads on TV","they are more likely to buy the drugs advertised","they generally lead a sedentary life","they don't take to sports and easily catch colds"],"question":"Advertisements are aimed at people suffering from mild complaints because  _ .","article":"Occasional self-medication has always been part of normal living. The making and selling of drugs have a long history and are closely linked, like medical practice itself, with the belief in magic. Only during the last hundred years or so has the development of scientific techniques made it possible for some of the causes of symptoms to be understood, so that more accurate diagnosis has become possible. The doctor is now able to follow up the correct diagnosis of many illnesses with specific treatment of their causes. In many other illnesses, of which the causes remain unknown, it is still limited, like the unqualified prescriber, to the treatment of symptoms. The doctor is trained to decide when to treat symptoms only and when to attack the cause: this is the essential difference between medical prescribing and self-medication.\nThe advance of technology has brought about much progress in some fields of medicine, including the development of scientific drug therapy. In many countries public health organization is improving and people's nutritional standards have risen. Parallel with such beneficial trends have two adverse effects. One is the use of high-pressure advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, which has tended to influence both patients and doctors and has led to the overuse of drugs generally. The other is the emergence of the sedentary society with its faulty ways of life: lack of exercise, over-eating, unsuitable eating, insufficient sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. People with disorders arising from faulty habits such as these, as well as from unhappy human relationships, often resort to self-medication and so add the taking of pharmaceuticals to the list. Advertisers go to great lengths to catch this market.\nClever advertising, aimed at chronic sufferers who will try anything because doctors have not been able to cure them, can induce such faith in a preparation, particularly if steeply priced, that it will produce-by suggestion-a very real effect in some people. Advertisements are also aimed at people suffering from mild complaints such as simple colds and coughs, which clear up by themselves within a short time.\nThese are the main reasons why laxatives, indigestion remedies, painkillers, tonics, vitamin and iron tablets and many other preparations are found in quantity in many households. It is doubtful whether taking these things ever improves a person's health; it may even make it worse. Worse because the preparation may contain unsuitable ingredients; worse because the taker may become dependent on them; worse because they might be taken in excess; worse because they may cause poisoning, and worse of all because symptoms of some serious underlying cause may be masked and therefore medical help may not be sought.","id":"2650.txt","label":1}
{"option":["those good things are not without side effects","why clever advertising is so powerful","why in modern times self-medication is still practised","why people develop faulty ways of life"],"question":"Paragraphs 2 and 3 explain  _ .","article":"Occasional self-medication has always been part of normal living. The making and selling of drugs have a long history and are closely linked, like medical practice itself, with the belief in magic. Only during the last hundred years or so has the development of scientific techniques made it possible for some of the causes of symptoms to be understood, so that more accurate diagnosis has become possible. The doctor is now able to follow up the correct diagnosis of many illnesses with specific treatment of their causes. In many other illnesses, of which the causes remain unknown, it is still limited, like the unqualified prescriber, to the treatment of symptoms. The doctor is trained to decide when to treat symptoms only and when to attack the cause: this is the essential difference between medical prescribing and self-medication.\nThe advance of technology has brought about much progress in some fields of medicine, including the development of scientific drug therapy. In many countries public health organization is improving and people's nutritional standards have risen. Parallel with such beneficial trends have two adverse effects. One is the use of high-pressure advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, which has tended to influence both patients and doctors and has led to the overuse of drugs generally. The other is the emergence of the sedentary society with its faulty ways of life: lack of exercise, over-eating, unsuitable eating, insufficient sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. People with disorders arising from faulty habits such as these, as well as from unhappy human relationships, often resort to self-medication and so add the taking of pharmaceuticals to the list. Advertisers go to great lengths to catch this market.\nClever advertising, aimed at chronic sufferers who will try anything because doctors have not been able to cure them, can induce such faith in a preparation, particularly if steeply priced, that it will produce-by suggestion-a very real effect in some people. Advertisements are also aimed at people suffering from mild complaints such as simple colds and coughs, which clear up by themselves within a short time.\nThese are the main reasons why laxatives, indigestion remedies, painkillers, tonics, vitamin and iron tablets and many other preparations are found in quantity in many households. It is doubtful whether taking these things ever improves a person's health; it may even make it worse. Worse because the preparation may contain unsuitable ingredients; worse because the taker may become dependent on them; worse because they might be taken in excess; worse because they may cause poisoning, and worse of all because symptoms of some serious underlying cause may be masked and therefore medical help may not be sought.","id":"2650.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the reasons for keeping medicines at home","people's doubt about taking drugs","what kind of medicine people should prepare at home","the possible harms self-medication may do to people"],"question":"The author tells us in paragraph 4  _ .","article":"Occasional self-medication has always been part of normal living. The making and selling of drugs have a long history and are closely linked, like medical practice itself, with the belief in magic. Only during the last hundred years or so has the development of scientific techniques made it possible for some of the causes of symptoms to be understood, so that more accurate diagnosis has become possible. The doctor is now able to follow up the correct diagnosis of many illnesses with specific treatment of their causes. In many other illnesses, of which the causes remain unknown, it is still limited, like the unqualified prescriber, to the treatment of symptoms. The doctor is trained to decide when to treat symptoms only and when to attack the cause: this is the essential difference between medical prescribing and self-medication.\nThe advance of technology has brought about much progress in some fields of medicine, including the development of scientific drug therapy. In many countries public health organization is improving and people's nutritional standards have risen. Parallel with such beneficial trends have two adverse effects. One is the use of high-pressure advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, which has tended to influence both patients and doctors and has led to the overuse of drugs generally. The other is the emergence of the sedentary society with its faulty ways of life: lack of exercise, over-eating, unsuitable eating, insufficient sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. People with disorders arising from faulty habits such as these, as well as from unhappy human relationships, often resort to self-medication and so add the taking of pharmaceuticals to the list. Advertisers go to great lengths to catch this market.\nClever advertising, aimed at chronic sufferers who will try anything because doctors have not been able to cure them, can induce such faith in a preparation, particularly if steeply priced, that it will produce-by suggestion-a very real effect in some people. Advertisements are also aimed at people suffering from mild complaints such as simple colds and coughs, which clear up by themselves within a short time.\nThese are the main reasons why laxatives, indigestion remedies, painkillers, tonics, vitamin and iron tablets and many other preparations are found in quantity in many households. It is doubtful whether taking these things ever improves a person's health; it may even make it worse. Worse because the preparation may contain unsuitable ingredients; worse because the taker may become dependent on them; worse because they might be taken in excess; worse because they may cause poisoning, and worse of all because symptoms of some serious underlying cause may be masked and therefore medical help may not be sought.","id":"2650.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Medical Practice","Clever Advertising","Self-Medication","Self-Treatment"],"question":"The best title for the passage would be  _ .","article":"Occasional self-medication has always been part of normal living. The making and selling of drugs have a long history and are closely linked, like medical practice itself, with the belief in magic. Only during the last hundred years or so has the development of scientific techniques made it possible for some of the causes of symptoms to be understood, so that more accurate diagnosis has become possible. The doctor is now able to follow up the correct diagnosis of many illnesses with specific treatment of their causes. In many other illnesses, of which the causes remain unknown, it is still limited, like the unqualified prescriber, to the treatment of symptoms. The doctor is trained to decide when to treat symptoms only and when to attack the cause: this is the essential difference between medical prescribing and self-medication.\nThe advance of technology has brought about much progress in some fields of medicine, including the development of scientific drug therapy. In many countries public health organization is improving and people's nutritional standards have risen. Parallel with such beneficial trends have two adverse effects. One is the use of high-pressure advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, which has tended to influence both patients and doctors and has led to the overuse of drugs generally. The other is the emergence of the sedentary society with its faulty ways of life: lack of exercise, over-eating, unsuitable eating, insufficient sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. People with disorders arising from faulty habits such as these, as well as from unhappy human relationships, often resort to self-medication and so add the taking of pharmaceuticals to the list. Advertisers go to great lengths to catch this market.\nClever advertising, aimed at chronic sufferers who will try anything because doctors have not been able to cure them, can induce such faith in a preparation, particularly if steeply priced, that it will produce-by suggestion-a very real effect in some people. Advertisements are also aimed at people suffering from mild complaints such as simple colds and coughs, which clear up by themselves within a short time.\nThese are the main reasons why laxatives, indigestion remedies, painkillers, tonics, vitamin and iron tablets and many other preparations are found in quantity in many households. It is doubtful whether taking these things ever improves a person's health; it may even make it worse. Worse because the preparation may contain unsuitable ingredients; worse because the taker may become dependent on them; worse because they might be taken in excess; worse because they may cause poisoning, and worse of all because symptoms of some serious underlying cause may be masked and therefore medical help may not be sought.","id":"2650.txt","label":2}
{"option":["neither type is very economical","the liquid-fuel rocket is best","each type has certain advantages","the solid-fuel rocket is best."],"question":"The author feels that a comparison of liquid-fuel and solid-fuel rockets shows that  _ .","article":"The great advance in rocker theory 40 years ago shows that liquid-fuel rockets were far superior in every respect to the skyrocket with its weak solid fuel. However, during the decade, large solid-fuel rockets with solid fuels about as powerful as liquid fuels have made their appearance, and it is a favorite layman's question to\ninquire which one is \u2015better\u2016. The question is meaningless. One might as well ask whether a gasoline or a diesel engine is \u2015better\u2016. It all depends on the purpose, a liquid-fuel rocket is complicated, but has the advantage that it can be controlled beautifully. The burning of the rocket engine can be stopped completely: it can be reignited when desired. In addition, the thrust can be made to vary by adjusting the speed of the fuel pumps. A solid-fuel rocket, on the other hand, is rather simple in construction, though hard to build when a really at very short notice.\nA liquid-fuel rocket has to be fueled first and cannot be held in readiness for very long after it has been fueled.\n(82)However, once a solid-fuel rocket has been ignited, it will keep burning. It cannot be stopped and reignited whenever desired and its thrust cannot be varied. Because a solid-fuel rocket can be kept ready for a long time, most military employ solid fuels, but manned space-flight needs the fine adjustments that can only be provided by liquid fuels. It may be added that a liquid-fuel rocket is an expensive device; a large solid-fuel rocket is, by comparison, cheap. But the solid fuel, pound per pound, costs about 10 times as much as the liquid fuel. So you have, on the one hand, an expensive rocket with a cheap fuel and on the other hand a comparatively cheap rocket with an expensive fuel.","id":"1991.txt","label":2}
{"option":["inexpensive to construct","capable of lifting heavy space shift into orbit","easily controlled","inexpensive to operate"],"question":"The most important consideration for manned space flight is that the rocket be _ .","article":"The great advance in rocker theory 40 years ago shows that liquid-fuel rockets were far superior in every respect to the skyrocket with its weak solid fuel. However, during the decade, large solid-fuel rockets with solid fuels about as powerful as liquid fuels have made their appearance, and it is a favorite layman's question to\ninquire which one is \u2015better\u2016. The question is meaningless. One might as well ask whether a gasoline or a diesel engine is \u2015better\u2016. It all depends on the purpose, a liquid-fuel rocket is complicated, but has the advantage that it can be controlled beautifully. The burning of the rocket engine can be stopped completely: it can be reignited when desired. In addition, the thrust can be made to vary by adjusting the speed of the fuel pumps. A solid-fuel rocket, on the other hand, is rather simple in construction, though hard to build when a really at very short notice.\nA liquid-fuel rocket has to be fueled first and cannot be held in readiness for very long after it has been fueled.\n(82)However, once a solid-fuel rocket has been ignited, it will keep burning. It cannot be stopped and reignited whenever desired and its thrust cannot be varied. Because a solid-fuel rocket can be kept ready for a long time, most military employ solid fuels, but manned space-flight needs the fine adjustments that can only be provided by liquid fuels. It may be added that a liquid-fuel rocket is an expensive device; a large solid-fuel rocket is, by comparison, cheap. But the solid fuel, pound per pound, costs about 10 times as much as the liquid fuel. So you have, on the one hand, an expensive rocket with a cheap fuel and on the other hand a comparatively cheap rocket with an expensive fuel.","id":"1991.txt","label":2}
{"option":["size","fuel","construction","complicated engines"],"question":"Solid-fuel rockets are expensive to operate because of their _ .","article":"The great advance in rocker theory 40 years ago shows that liquid-fuel rockets were far superior in every respect to the skyrocket with its weak solid fuel. However, during the decade, large solid-fuel rockets with solid fuels about as powerful as liquid fuels have made their appearance, and it is a favorite layman's question to\ninquire which one is \u2015better\u2016. The question is meaningless. One might as well ask whether a gasoline or a diesel engine is \u2015better\u2016. It all depends on the purpose, a liquid-fuel rocket is complicated, but has the advantage that it can be controlled beautifully. The burning of the rocket engine can be stopped completely: it can be reignited when desired. In addition, the thrust can be made to vary by adjusting the speed of the fuel pumps. A solid-fuel rocket, on the other hand, is rather simple in construction, though hard to build when a really at very short notice.\nA liquid-fuel rocket has to be fueled first and cannot be held in readiness for very long after it has been fueled.\n(82)However, once a solid-fuel rocket has been ignited, it will keep burning. It cannot be stopped and reignited whenever desired and its thrust cannot be varied. Because a solid-fuel rocket can be kept ready for a long time, most military employ solid fuels, but manned space-flight needs the fine adjustments that can only be provided by liquid fuels. It may be added that a liquid-fuel rocket is an expensive device; a large solid-fuel rocket is, by comparison, cheap. But the solid fuel, pound per pound, costs about 10 times as much as the liquid fuel. So you have, on the one hand, an expensive rocket with a cheap fuel and on the other hand a comparatively cheap rocket with an expensive fuel.","id":"1991.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the fuel is cheap","they are cheap to build.","they can be stopped and reignited.","they must be used soon after fueling."],"question":"Which of the following statements is not characteristic of liquid-fuel rockets?","article":"The great advance in rocker theory 40 years ago shows that liquid-fuel rockets were far superior in every respect to the skyrocket with its weak solid fuel. However, during the decade, large solid-fuel rockets with solid fuels about as powerful as liquid fuels have made their appearance, and it is a favorite layman's question to\ninquire which one is \u2015better\u2016. The question is meaningless. One might as well ask whether a gasoline or a diesel engine is \u2015better\u2016. It all depends on the purpose, a liquid-fuel rocket is complicated, but has the advantage that it can be controlled beautifully. The burning of the rocket engine can be stopped completely: it can be reignited when desired. In addition, the thrust can be made to vary by adjusting the speed of the fuel pumps. A solid-fuel rocket, on the other hand, is rather simple in construction, though hard to build when a really at very short notice.\nA liquid-fuel rocket has to be fueled first and cannot be held in readiness for very long after it has been fueled.\n(82)However, once a solid-fuel rocket has been ignited, it will keep burning. It cannot be stopped and reignited whenever desired and its thrust cannot be varied. Because a solid-fuel rocket can be kept ready for a long time, most military employ solid fuels, but manned space-flight needs the fine adjustments that can only be provided by liquid fuels. It may be added that a liquid-fuel rocket is an expensive device; a large solid-fuel rocket is, by comparison, cheap. But the solid fuel, pound per pound, costs about 10 times as much as the liquid fuel. So you have, on the one hand, an expensive rocket with a cheap fuel and on the other hand a comparatively cheap rocket with an expensive fuel.","id":"1991.txt","label":1}
{"option":["whether a liquid-fuel or a solid-fuel rocket is better depends on the purpose","neither type is superior","forty years ago, large solid-fuel rockets with solid-fuel as powerful as liquid fuels were made","the thrust can be made to vary by adjusting the direction of the pump"],"question":"The author tells us that _ .","article":"The great advance in rocker theory 40 years ago shows that liquid-fuel rockets were far superior in every respect to the skyrocket with its weak solid fuel. However, during the decade, large solid-fuel rockets with solid fuels about as powerful as liquid fuels have made their appearance, and it is a favorite layman's question to\ninquire which one is \u2015better\u2016. The question is meaningless. One might as well ask whether a gasoline or a diesel engine is \u2015better\u2016. It all depends on the purpose, a liquid-fuel rocket is complicated, but has the advantage that it can be controlled beautifully. The burning of the rocket engine can be stopped completely: it can be reignited when desired. In addition, the thrust can be made to vary by adjusting the speed of the fuel pumps. A solid-fuel rocket, on the other hand, is rather simple in construction, though hard to build when a really at very short notice.\nA liquid-fuel rocket has to be fueled first and cannot be held in readiness for very long after it has been fueled.\n(82)However, once a solid-fuel rocket has been ignited, it will keep burning. It cannot be stopped and reignited whenever desired and its thrust cannot be varied. Because a solid-fuel rocket can be kept ready for a long time, most military employ solid fuels, but manned space-flight needs the fine adjustments that can only be provided by liquid fuels. It may be added that a liquid-fuel rocket is an expensive device; a large solid-fuel rocket is, by comparison, cheap. But the solid fuel, pound per pound, costs about 10 times as much as the liquid fuel. So you have, on the one hand, an expensive rocket with a cheap fuel and on the other hand a comparatively cheap rocket with an expensive fuel.","id":"1991.txt","label":0}
{"option":["How to make payment online.","Ways of making delivery online","Advantages of an online-auction system.","How to use an online-auction system."],"question":"What is the passage mainly about?","article":"Everyone's at it , even my neighbors. I thought I might be the only person left in the world who hadn't done an eBay deal. So, I decided to try my hand at online auction.Buying for beginners: Sign up on www. ehay. co. uk. Most items ( e. g. tables, computers, and books) ready for auction will come with a picture and a short description; others may be marked with \"Buy It Now\" and have a fixed price. You can buy these right away.\nIf the item is being auctioned, you offer the. highest price you are prepared to pay and eBay bids (') for you. The bid will be increased little by little until it goes beyond your highest bid, then you are emailed and asked if you would like to bid again. Auctions last up to 10 days and when they finish you get an email telling you whether you have won the item.\nHow to pay: Sellers decide how they would like to be paid and you need to check this before\nplacing a bid as you might not want to post a cheque or postal orders. The easiest way is through PayPal, an online payment system that takes the money away from your credit card .\nSelling made simple: If you plan to sell on eBay, it helps to include a picture of the item. I\nfollowed my friends' advice and put up the items I wanted to sell for a 10-day auction, starring on a Thursday. This way buyers had two weekends to bid.\nThe big things in life: It' s easy to post a small item, but furniture is a big part of eBay and this\nhas to be collected or sent by deliverymen. Cheek the ways of delivery before you bid.","id":"3258.txt","label":3}
{"option":["will get what he wants in ten days","should make payment immediately","has chances to make higher bids '","may check its picture and description"],"question":"After bidding for an item, a buyer","article":"Everyone's at it , even my neighbors. I thought I might be the only person left in the world who hadn't done an eBay deal. So, I decided to try my hand at online auction.Buying for beginners: Sign up on www. ehay. co. uk. Most items ( e. g. tables, computers, and books) ready for auction will come with a picture and a short description; others may be marked with \"Buy It Now\" and have a fixed price. You can buy these right away.\nIf the item is being auctioned, you offer the. highest price you are prepared to pay and eBay bids (') for you. The bid will be increased little by little until it goes beyond your highest bid, then you are emailed and asked if you would like to bid again. Auctions last up to 10 days and when they finish you get an email telling you whether you have won the item.\nHow to pay: Sellers decide how they would like to be paid and you need to check this before\nplacing a bid as you might not want to post a cheque or postal orders. The easiest way is through PayPal, an online payment system that takes the money away from your credit card .\nSelling made simple: If you plan to sell on eBay, it helps to include a picture of the item. I\nfollowed my friends' advice and put up the items I wanted to sell for a 10-day auction, starring on a Thursday. This way buyers had two weekends to bid.\nThe big things in life: It' s easy to post a small item, but furniture is a big part of eBay and this\nhas to be collected or sent by deliverymen. Cheek the ways of delivery before you bid.","id":"3258.txt","label":2}
{"option":["through an online payment system","through a local banking system","by sending the money to the seller","by paying the dallvex3rman directly"],"question":"The easiest way of making payment mentioned in the passage is","article":"Everyone's at it , even my neighbors. I thought I might be the only person left in the world who hadn't done an eBay deal. So, I decided to try my hand at online auction.Buying for beginners: Sign up on www. ehay. co. uk. Most items ( e. g. tables, computers, and books) ready for auction will come with a picture and a short description; others may be marked with \"Buy It Now\" and have a fixed price. You can buy these right away.\nIf the item is being auctioned, you offer the. highest price you are prepared to pay and eBay bids (') for you. The bid will be increased little by little until it goes beyond your highest bid, then you are emailed and asked if you would like to bid again. Auctions last up to 10 days and when they finish you get an email telling you whether you have won the item.\nHow to pay: Sellers decide how they would like to be paid and you need to check this before\nplacing a bid as you might not want to post a cheque or postal orders. The easiest way is through PayPal, an online payment system that takes the money away from your credit card .\nSelling made simple: If you plan to sell on eBay, it helps to include a picture of the item. I\nfollowed my friends' advice and put up the items I wanted to sell for a 10-day auction, starring on a Thursday. This way buyers had two weekends to bid.\nThe big things in life: It' s easy to post a small item, but furniture is a big part of eBay and this\nhas to be collected or sent by deliverymen. Cheek the ways of delivery before you bid.","id":"3258.txt","label":0}
{"option":["he wanted to be expected","he had written some storied","he wanted to please his father","he had dreamed of being a teacher"],"question":"The author took the job to teach writing because _ .","article":"A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. \"Wait a minute\" someone might say, \"are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?\"\nThe position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase  and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, \"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis.\" Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy.\nI arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required.\n\"All right then,\" I said. \"Okey, here we go.\" Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. \"Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!\"\nA terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment.","id":"2341.txt","label":0}
{"option":["He would be aggressive in his first class.","He was well-prepared for his first class.","He got nervous upon the arrival of his first class.","He waited long for the arrival of his first class."],"question":"What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 2?","article":"A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. \"Wait a minute\" someone might say, \"are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?\"\nThe position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase  and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, \"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis.\" Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy.\nI arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required.\n\"All right then,\" I said. \"Okey, here we go.\" Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. \"Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!\"\nA terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment.","id":"2341.txt","label":2}
{"option":["write down their suggestions on the paper cards","cut maple leaves out of the construction paper","cut some cards out of the construction paper","write down their names on the paper cards"],"question":"Before he started his class, the author asked the students to _ .","article":"A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. \"Wait a minute\" someone might say, \"are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?\"\nThe position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase  and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, \"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis.\" Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy.\nI arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required.\n\"All right then,\" I said. \"Okey, here we go.\" Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. \"Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!\"\nA terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment.","id":"2341.txt","label":3}
{"option":["They began to talk.","They stayed silent.","They raised their hands.","They shouted to be heard."],"question":"What did the students do when the author started his class?","article":"A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. \"Wait a minute\" someone might say, \"are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?\"\nThe position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase  and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, \"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis.\" Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy.\nI arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required.\n\"All right then,\" I said. \"Okey, here we go.\" Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. \"Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!\"\nA terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment.","id":"2341.txt","label":1}
{"option":["he got disappointed with his first class","he had prepared the topic before class","he wanted to calm down the students","he thought it was an easy topic"],"question":"The author chose the composition topic probably because _ .","article":"A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. \"Wait a minute\" someone might say, \"are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?\"\nThe position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase  and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, \"Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis.\" Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy.\nI arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required.\n\"All right then,\" I said. \"Okey, here we go.\" Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. \"Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!\"\nA terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment.","id":"2341.txt","label":0}
{"option":["enjoy traveling","can buy love","usually commit suicide","are not always happy"],"question":"According to the passage, children of rich families _.","article":"Life really should be one long journey of joy for children who are born with a world of wealth at their tiny feet.But experts on psychological research now believe that silver spoons can leave a bitter taste. If suicide statistics are a sign of happiness, then the rich are a miserable lot. Figures show that it is the rich who most often do away with themselves.\nDr. Robert Coles, an internationally famous doctor, is the world's top expert on the influence of money on children. He has written a well-received book on the subject, The Privileged Ones, and his research shows that too much money in the family can cause as many problems as too little. Obviously there are certain advantages to being rich,\" says the 53-year-old doctor, such as better health, education and future work expectation. But most important is the quality of family life. Money can't buy love.\"\nIt can buy a lot of other things, though, and that's where the trouble starts. Rich kids have so much to choose from that they often become confused. Their parents'over favoring can make them spoiled. They tend to travel more than other children, from home to home and country to country, which often makes them feel restless.\n\"But privileged children do have a better sense of their positions in the world,\" adds Mr. Coles, \"and they are more self-assu red.\"\nToday's rich parents perhaps have realized that their riches can be more of a burden than a favor to their children. So their priority is to ensure that their families are as rich in love as they are in money.","id":"2787.txt","label":3}
{"option":["being rich has as many advantages as being poor","rich children often get too little entertainment","rich children sometimes can\"t enjoy the thing they are most in need of","rich children aren\"t given enough things"],"question":"Dr. Robert Coles believes that _.","article":"Life really should be one long journey of joy for children who are born with a world of wealth at their tiny feet.But experts on psychological research now believe that silver spoons can leave a bitter taste. If suicide statistics are a sign of happiness, then the rich are a miserable lot. Figures show that it is the rich who most often do away with themselves.\nDr. Robert Coles, an internationally famous doctor, is the world's top expert on the influence of money on children. He has written a well-received book on the subject, The Privileged Ones, and his research shows that too much money in the family can cause as many problems as too little. Obviously there are certain advantages to being rich,\" says the 53-year-old doctor, such as better health, education and future work expectation. But most important is the quality of family life. Money can't buy love.\"\nIt can buy a lot of other things, though, and that's where the trouble starts. Rich kids have so much to choose from that they often become confused. Their parents'over favoring can make them spoiled. They tend to travel more than other children, from home to home and country to country, which often makes them feel restless.\n\"But privileged children do have a better sense of their positions in the world,\" adds Mr. Coles, \"and they are more self-assu red.\"\nToday's rich parents perhaps have realized that their riches can be more of a burden than a favor to their children. So their priority is to ensure that their families are as rich in love as they are in money.","id":"2787.txt","label":2}
{"option":["It is love that is always lacking in rich and poor families alike.","Silver spoons can sometimes leave a bitter taste.","Money can\"t buy everything.","Rich children are often confused because they have so much to choose from."],"question":"Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?","article":"Life really should be one long journey of joy for children who are born with a world of wealth at their tiny feet.But experts on psychological research now believe that silver spoons can leave a bitter taste. If suicide statistics are a sign of happiness, then the rich are a miserable lot. Figures show that it is the rich who most often do away with themselves.\nDr. Robert Coles, an internationally famous doctor, is the world's top expert on the influence of money on children. He has written a well-received book on the subject, The Privileged Ones, and his research shows that too much money in the family can cause as many problems as too little. Obviously there are certain advantages to being rich,\" says the 53-year-old doctor, such as better health, education and future work expectation. But most important is the quality of family life. Money can't buy love.\"\nIt can buy a lot of other things, though, and that's where the trouble starts. Rich kids have so much to choose from that they often become confused. Their parents'over favoring can make them spoiled. They tend to travel more than other children, from home to home and country to country, which often makes them feel restless.\n\"But privileged children do have a better sense of their positions in the world,\" adds Mr. Coles, \"and they are more self-assu red.\"\nToday's rich parents perhaps have realized that their riches can be more of a burden than a favor to their children. So their priority is to ensure that their families are as rich in love as they are in money.","id":"2787.txt","label":0}
{"option":["very expensive spoons","rich people","wealth","spoons made of silver"],"question":"The expression \"silver spoons\" in Paragraph 1 means _.","article":"Life really should be one long journey of joy for children who are born with a world of wealth at their tiny feet.But experts on psychological research now believe that silver spoons can leave a bitter taste. If suicide statistics are a sign of happiness, then the rich are a miserable lot. Figures show that it is the rich who most often do away with themselves.\nDr. Robert Coles, an internationally famous doctor, is the world's top expert on the influence of money on children. He has written a well-received book on the subject, The Privileged Ones, and his research shows that too much money in the family can cause as many problems as too little. Obviously there are certain advantages to being rich,\" says the 53-year-old doctor, such as better health, education and future work expectation. But most important is the quality of family life. Money can't buy love.\"\nIt can buy a lot of other things, though, and that's where the trouble starts. Rich kids have so much to choose from that they often become confused. Their parents'over favoring can make them spoiled. They tend to travel more than other children, from home to home and country to country, which often makes them feel restless.\n\"But privileged children do have a better sense of their positions in the world,\" adds Mr. Coles, \"and they are more self-assu red.\"\nToday's rich parents perhaps have realized that their riches can be more of a burden than a favor to their children. So their priority is to ensure that their families are as rich in love as they are in money.","id":"2787.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the rich are more likely to do away with themselves","money can bring a lot of things, including love","life is always happy for children of rich parents","rich parents should realize what is important in the family is love rather than money"],"question":"This article is written mainly to tell readers that _.","article":"Life really should be one long journey of joy for children who are born with a world of wealth at their tiny feet.But experts on psychological research now believe that silver spoons can leave a bitter taste. If suicide statistics are a sign of happiness, then the rich are a miserable lot. Figures show that it is the rich who most often do away with themselves.\nDr. Robert Coles, an internationally famous doctor, is the world's top expert on the influence of money on children. He has written a well-received book on the subject, The Privileged Ones, and his research shows that too much money in the family can cause as many problems as too little. Obviously there are certain advantages to being rich,\" says the 53-year-old doctor, such as better health, education and future work expectation. But most important is the quality of family life. Money can't buy love.\"\nIt can buy a lot of other things, though, and that's where the trouble starts. Rich kids have so much to choose from that they often become confused. Their parents'over favoring can make them spoiled. They tend to travel more than other children, from home to home and country to country, which often makes them feel restless.\n\"But privileged children do have a better sense of their positions in the world,\" adds Mr. Coles, \"and they are more self-assu red.\"\nToday's rich parents perhaps have realized that their riches can be more of a burden than a favor to their children. So their priority is to ensure that their families are as rich in love as they are in money.","id":"2787.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The methods used to observe auroras from outer space","The formation and appearance of auroras around the Earth's poles","The factors that cause the variety of colors in auroras","The periodic variation in the display of auroras"],"question":"What does the passage mainly discuss?","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":1}
{"option":["ideas","stars","events","colors"],"question":"The word \"phenomena\" in line 2 is closest in meaning to","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":2}
{"option":["frame","imagine","describe","explain"],"question":"The word \"picture\" in line 5 is closest in meaning to","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":1}
{"option":["its position makes it difficult to be observed from Earth","it prevents particles from the solar wind from easily entering Earth's atmosphere","it increases the speed of particles from the solar wind","it is strongest in the polar regions"],"question":"The passage describes the magnetosphere as a barrier (line 10) because","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":1}
{"option":["polar regions","electrons","atoms and molecules","aurora radiations"],"question":"The word \"them\" in line 16 refers to","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":2}
{"option":["greenish-white","crimson","blue","violet"],"question":"According to the passage , which color appears most frequently in an aurora display?","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":0}
{"option":["change from","connect with","add to","give off"],"question":"The word \"emit\" in line 20 is closest in meaning to","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":3}
{"option":["shining","moving","charging","hanging"],"question":"The word \"glowing\" in line 22 is closest in meaning to","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":0}
{"option":["magnetic storms do not affect Earth","solar flares are very intense","the speed of the solar wind is reduced","the excitation of atoms is low"],"question":"Auroras may be seen in the southern regions of the United Sates when","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Before advances in technology, including satellites, scientists knew little about auroras.","New knowledge about the fusion of atoms allowed scientists to learn more about auroras.","Scientists cannot explain the cause of the different colors in auroras.","Until scientists learn more about plasma physics, little knowledge about auroras will be available."],"question":"The passage supports which of the following statements about scientists' understanding of auroras?","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":0}
{"option":["\"magnetosphere\" (line 6)","\"electrons\" (line 15)","\"ionize\" (line 15)","\"fusion\" (line 29)"],"question":"Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ?","article":"The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth's atmosphere around the north and south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.\nTo understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a huge region created by the Earth's magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward the earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic filed. Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind's magnetic lines of force with a spiraling motion. The Earth's magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar winds, and forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here many of the solar wind's charged particles break through the magnetosphere and enter Earth's magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth's magnetic poles very rapidly. In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.\nThe colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth's magnetic poles. Each aurora hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.\nStudies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas, which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness energy from the fusion of atoms.","id":"2012.txt","label":0}
{"option":["America has suddenly become a nation of old people","gerontology has suddenly become popular","more elderly professors are found on American campuses","American colleges have realized the need of enrolling older students"],"question":"\"...Old is suddenly in\" (Line 1, Para. 1) most probably means \" _ \".","article":"For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs, coupled with the aging of the baby-boom  generation, a longer life span means that the nation's elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. \"In addition to the doctors, we're going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,\" says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Gerontology .\nLawyers can specialize in \"elder law,\" which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination . Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. \"Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,\" one professor says.\nMargarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was \"really bored with bacteria.\" So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she lied it. She says, \"I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.\"","id":"2334.txt","label":1}
{"option":["from the adoption of the \"elder law\"","from rendering special services to the elderly","by enriching their professional knowledge","by winning the trust of the elderly to promote their own interests"],"question":"With the aging of America, lawyers can benefit _ .","article":"For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs, coupled with the aging of the baby-boom  generation, a longer life span means that the nation's elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. \"In addition to the doctors, we're going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,\" says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Gerontology .\nLawyers can specialize in \"elder law,\" which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination . Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. \"Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,\" one professor says.\nMargarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was \"really bored with bacteria.\" So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she lied it. She says, \"I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.\"","id":"2334.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Retirees are more generous in spending money.","They can employ more gerontologists.","The elderly possess an enormous purchasing power.","There are more elderly people working than before."],"question":"Why can businessmen make money in the emerging elder market?","article":"For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs, coupled with the aging of the baby-boom  generation, a longer life span means that the nation's elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. \"In addition to the doctors, we're going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,\" says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Gerontology .\nLawyers can specialize in \"elder law,\" which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination . Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. \"Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,\" one professor says.\nMargarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was \"really bored with bacteria.\" So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she lied it. She says, \"I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.\"","id":"2334.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Retirees who are business-minded.","The volunteer workers in retirement homes.","College graduates with an MBA or law degree.","Professionals with a good knowledge of gerontology."],"question":"Who can make big money in the new century according to the passage?","article":"For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs, coupled with the aging of the baby-boom  generation, a longer life span means that the nation's elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. \"In addition to the doctors, we're going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,\" says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Gerontology .\nLawyers can specialize in \"elder law,\" which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination . Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. \"Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,\" one professor says.\nMargarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was \"really bored with bacteria.\" So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she lied it. She says, \"I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.\"","id":"2334.txt","label":3}
{"option":["will provide good job opportunities in many areas","will impose an unbearable burden on society","may lead to nursing home abuse and age discrimination","will create new fields of study in universities"],"question":"It can be seen from the passage that the expansion of America's elderly population _ .","article":"For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs, coupled with the aging of the baby-boom  generation, a longer life span means that the nation's elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. \"In addition to the doctors, we're going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,\" says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California's (USC) School of Gerontology .\nLawyers can specialize in \"elder law,\" which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination . Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. \"Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,\" one professor says.\nMargarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was \"really bored with bacteria.\" So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she lied it. She says, \"I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.\"","id":"2334.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Geothermally heated steam is produced when water is exposed to radioactivity deep underground.","When water is introduced into holes drilled thousands of feet in the ground, it becomes radioactive and turns to steam.","Radioactivity heats Earth's interior rock, which in turn can heat water to the point it becomes steam.","When a reservoir of steam in subsurface rock is produced by radioactivity, it is said to be geothermally heated."],"question":"According to the processes described in paragraph 1, what is the relationship between radioactivity and the steam produced by geothermal heat?","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":2}
{"option":["usable.","plentiful.","economical.","familiar."],"question":"The word \"practical\" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":0}
{"option":["economical.","familiar.","plentiful.","useful."],"question":"The word \"abundant\" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They are under international control.","They are more common than reservoirs that have a higher temperature.","Few of them produce enough heat to warm large industrial spaces.","They are used to generate electricity."],"question":"According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about heat reservoirs with a temperature in the range of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0 centigrade?","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Underground faults enable the heat from molten-rock material to escape upward to regions where it can heat surface water enough to produce steam.","Underground faults are created by steam that is produced in geothermal reservoirs deep inside Earth.","Underground faults create spaces in which natural steam is sometimes trapped.","Underground faults allow surface water to reach deep rocks that are hot enough to turn it into steam."],"question":"According to paragraph 3, what is the connection between underground faults and naturally occurring steam?","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":3}
{"option":["To provide the historical context of the geothermal production of electricity in the United States.","To imply that The Geysers was the first geothermal site to be put into production in California.","To help explain the signs of decline shown by The Geysers.","To explain why 70 new geothermal sites were put into electricity production in the late 1990s."],"question":"In paragraph 3, why does the author mention that in the 1990s The Geysers was in its third decade of production?","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Volcanic heat is associated only with geothermal reservoirs that have a temperature over 180\u00b0 centigrade.","More countries produce power from geothermal reservoirs than use them for heating buildings.","Most geothermal reservoirs are suitable for producing electricity.","A higher geothermal reservoir temperature is needed to generate electricity than is needed to heat homes."],"question":"Which of the following can be inferred from paragraphs 2 and 3 about geothermal reservoirs?","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the underground rock must be fractured before heat can be removed from it.","the water above the rock is under very high pressure.","the rock breaks apart when water is pumped into it.","the water circulated through the rock must be much cooler than the rock itself."],"question":"According to paragraph 4, extracting heat from very hot, dry rocks is difficult in part because","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":0}
{"option":["locating.","increasing.","making use of.","estimating the size of."],"question":"The word \"exploiting\" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Both problems could be solved by returning groundwater that is removed from an underground heat reservoir back to the reservoir after heat is extracted from it.","The problem of sinking is more difficult to solve than is the problem of toxic materials.","Land at the surface sinks because the rock beneath the surface is weakened when salts and toxic materials are removed from it in the process of extracting geothermal energy.","Both problems are caused by the fact that the hot groundwater in a heat reservoir dissolves the rock, which weakens the rock and makes the water toxic with salt."],"question":"How is the problem that the surface may sink related to the problem that water heated geothermally may contain toxic materials?","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":0}
{"option":["it might be economically worth developing these sites even though geothermal energy is not renewable.","these sites will be the first geothermal energy sites to be developed with new technology.","these sites are likely to make a large-scale contribution to the world energy budget in the twenty-first century.","it does not matter whether they have naturally occurring deposits of hot water or steam."],"question":"In paragraph 6, the author implies that in California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, and the rift valleys of Africa the potential size of the geothermal resource is so large that","article":"Earth's internal heat, fueled by radioactivity, provides the energy for plate tectonics and continental drift, mountain building, and earthquakes. It can also be harnessed to drive electric generators and heat homes. Geothermal energy becomes available in a practical form when underground heat is transferred by water that is heated as it passes through a subsurface region of hot rocks (a heat reservoir) that may be hundreds or thousands of feet deep. The water is usually naturally occurring groundwater that seeps down along fractures in the rock; less typically, the water is artificially introduced by being pumped down from the surface. The water is brought to the surface, as a liquid or steam, through holes drilled for the purpose.\nBy far the most abundant form of geothermal energy occurs at the relatively low temperatures of 80\u00b0to 180\u00b0centigrade. Water circulated through heat reservoirs in this temperature range is able to extract enough heat to warm residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. More than 20,000 apartments in France are now heated by warm underground water drawn from a heat reservoir in a geologic structure near Paris called the Paris Basin. Iceland sits on a volcanic structure known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is entirely heated by geothermal energy derived from volcanic heat.\nGeothermal reservoirs with temperatures above 180\u00b0centigrade are useful for generating electricity. They occur primarily in regions of recent volcanic activity as hot, dry rock; natural hot water; or natural steam. The latter two sources are limited to those few areas where surface water seeps down through underground faults or fractures to reach deep rocks heated by the recent activity of molten rock material. The world's largest supply of natural steam occurs at The Geysers, 120 kilometers north of San Francisco, California. In the 1990s enough electricity to meet about half the needs of San Francisco was being generated there. This facility was then in its third decade of production and was beginning to show signs of decline, perhaps because of over development. By the late 1990s some 70 geothermal electric-generating plants were in operation in California, Utah, Nevada, and Hawaii, generating enough power to supply about a million people. Eighteen countries now generate electricity using geothermal heat.\nExtracting heat from very hot, dry rocks presents a more difficult problem: the rocks must be fractured to permit the circulation of water, and the water must be provided artificially. The rocks are fractured by water pumped down at very high pressures. Experiments are under way to develop technologies for exploiting this resource.\nLike most other energy sources, geothermal energy presents some environmental problems. The surface of the ground can sink if hot groundwater is withdrawn without being replaced. In addition, water heated geothermally can contain salts and toxic materials dissolved from the hot rock. These waters present a disposal problem if they are not returned to the ground from which they were removed.\nThe contribution of geothermal energy to the world's energy future is difficult to estimate. Geothermal energy is in a sense not renewable, because in most cases the heat would be drawn out of a reservoir much more rapidly than it would be replaced by the very slow geological processes by which heat flows through solid rock into a heat reservoir. However, in many places (for example, California, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, the rift valleys of AfricA.the resource is potentially so large that its future will depend on the economics of production. At present, we can make efficient use of only naturally occurring hot water or steam deposits. Although the potential is enormous, it is likely that in the near future geothermal energy can make important local contributions only where the resource is close to the user and the economics are favorable, as they are in California, New Zealand, and Iceland. Geothermal energy probably will not make large-scale contributions to the world energy budget until well into the twenty-first century, if ever.","id":"385.txt","label":0}
{"option":["To meet his girlfriend.","To work as an engineer.","To spend his holiday.","To visit the Andersons."],"question":"Why was Duret in New York?","article":"Brave Frenchman Found Half??way Around the World\n(NEW YORK)A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two??year??old girl in Manhattan said he didn't think twice before diving into the freezing East River.\nTuesday's Daily News said 29??year??old Julien Duret from France is the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.\nHe lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father\uff0cDavid Anderson, who had dived in after him.\n\"I didn't think at all.\"Duret told the Daily News. \"It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.\"\nDuret\uff0can engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pierwhen he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll\uff0cbut realized it was a child when he approached the river, in an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.\nWhen he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately\uff0cwhen she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.\nAnderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.\nThe rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn't realize his tale of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.\n\"I don't really think I'm a hero.\"said Duret. \"Anyone would do the same thing.\"","id":"3025.txt","label":2}
{"option":["He was interviewed by a newspaper.","He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes.","He went to the hospital in the ambulance.","He disappeared from the spot quickly."],"question":"What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?","article":"Brave Frenchman Found Half??way Around the World\n(NEW YORK)A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two??year??old girl in Manhattan said he didn't think twice before diving into the freezing East River.\nTuesday's Daily News said 29??year??old Julien Duret from France is the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.\nHe lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father\uff0cDavid Anderson, who had dived in after him.\n\"I didn't think at all.\"Duret told the Daily News. \"It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.\"\nDuret\uff0can engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pierwhen he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll\uff0cbut realized it was a child when he approached the river, in an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.\nWhen he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately\uff0cwhen she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.\nAnderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.\nThe rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn't realize his tale of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.\n\"I don't really think I'm a hero.\"said Duret. \"Anyone would do the same thing.\"","id":"3025.txt","label":3}
{"option":["David Anderson.","A passer??by.","His girlfriend.","A taxi driver."],"question":"Who dived after Duret into the river to save the little girl?","article":"Brave Frenchman Found Half??way Around the World\n(NEW YORK)A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two??year??old girl in Manhattan said he didn't think twice before diving into the freezing East River.\nTuesday's Daily News said 29??year??old Julien Duret from France is the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.\nHe lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father\uff0cDavid Anderson, who had dived in after him.\n\"I didn't think at all.\"Duret told the Daily News. \"It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.\"\nDuret\uff0can engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pierwhen he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll\uff0cbut realized it was a child when he approached the river, in an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.\nWhen he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately\uff0cwhen she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.\nAnderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.\nThe rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn't realize his tale of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.\n\"I don't really think I'm a hero.\"said Duret. \"Anyone would do the same thing.\"","id":"3025.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The day when he was leaving for home.","A couple of days after the girl was rescued.","The first day when he was in New York.","The same day when he was interviewed."],"question":"When was Duret most probably found to be the very hero?","article":"Brave Frenchman Found Half??way Around the World\n(NEW YORK)A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two??year??old girl in Manhattan said he didn't think twice before diving into the freezing East River.\nTuesday's Daily News said 29??year??old Julien Duret from France is the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.\nHe lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father\uff0cDavid Anderson, who had dived in after him.\n\"I didn't think at all.\"Duret told the Daily News. \"It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.\"\nDuret\uff0can engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pierwhen he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll\uff0cbut realized it was a child when he approached the river, in an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.\nWhen he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately\uff0cwhen she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.\nAnderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.\nThe rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn't realize his tale of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.\n\"I don't really think I'm a hero.\"said Duret. \"Anyone would do the same thing.\"","id":"3025.txt","label":1}
{"option":["to clean the floor","to please the nurse","to see a patient","to surprise the story-teller"],"question":"When she took a mop from the small room what Mum really wanted to do was _ .","article":"We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, \"Very dirty floors.\" \"Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them,\" the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, \"But aren't you working late?\" Mum just pushed harder, each swipeof the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book. After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, \"Thank you.\" Outside, Mum told me, \"Dagmar is fine. No fever.\" \"You saw her, Mum?\" \"Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush.\"","id":"3429.txt","label":2}
{"option":["It is a children's hospital.","It has strict rules about visiting hours.","The conditions there aren't very good.","The nurses and doctors there don't work hard."],"question":"After reading the story what can we infer about the hospital?","article":"We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, \"Very dirty floors.\" \"Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them,\" the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, \"But aren't you working late?\" Mum just pushed harder, each swipeof the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book. After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, \"Thank you.\" Outside, Mum told me, \"Dagmar is fine. No fever.\" \"You saw her, Mum?\" \"Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush.\"","id":"3429.txt","label":1}
{"option":["strange","warm-hearted","clever","hard-working"],"question":"Which of the following words best describes Mum?","article":"We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, \"Very dirty floors.\" \"Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them,\" the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, \"But aren't you working late?\" Mum just pushed harder, each swipeof the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book. After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, \"Thank you.\" Outside, Mum told me, \"Dagmar is fine. No fever.\" \"You saw her, Mum?\" \"Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush.\"","id":"3429.txt","label":2}
{"option":["fertile","huge","unique","irregular"],"question":"The word \"vast\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Memphis was in a better location for maintaining administrative control.","Memphis had long been a regional administrative center by the time Egypt was united.","This and Hierakonpolis had never actually been incorporated into the unified state.","Egyptian rulers had failed to keep political control over This and Hierakonpolis in predynastic times."],"question":"According to paragraph 1, why was Memphis a better choice for the capital of a united Egypt than either This or Hierakonpolis?","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the reduction of the strategic importance of older centers of power","the opportunity for the recently united Egypt to become economically self-sufficient","the increase in political tensions between the rulers of Upper and Lower Egypt","the reduction of Egypt's dependence upon the Nile for trade and communications"],"question":"It can be inferred from paragraph 1 that one consequence of the unification of Egypt was","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Two simultaneous developments are described, as well as the reasons why neither one would have occurred without the other.","A hypothesis is presented, and then points in favor of that hypothesis as well as points against it are discussed.","A major event is described, and then the most obvious effects of that event are presented.","A decision is described, and then one likely motivation for that decision is presented."],"question":"Which of the following best describes how paragraph 1 is organized?","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Once internal trade was fully controlled from Memphis","Not until early dynastic Egypt established its state-directed economy","As early as predynastic times","Only when local supplies of those goods had been completely used up"],"question":"According to paragraph 2, when did Egypt import goods from the Near East?","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":2}
{"option":["proposed","understood","approved","expected"],"question":"The word \"appreciated\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The level of the Nile floodplains was much higher in predynastic and dynastic times than in later times.","The sediment deposits of wadis were not as noticeable in predynastic and dynastic times than in later times.","The Nile valley at the point of Memphis was narrower in predynastic and dynastic times than it was in later times.","Frequent rainy periods may have caused a significant reduction of trade traffic during the predynastic and dynastic times."],"question":"According to paragraph 3, recent research into the topography of the Memphis region in ancient times suggests which of the following?","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":2}
{"option":["center","fields","city","surrounding area"],"question":"The word \"vicinity\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It was at the junction of a major trade route with the Nile valley.","It was near land that could be used for animal grazing and for growing crops.","The nearby outwash fans led into wadis that could be used as desert trade routes.","Since foreign traders had settled in nearby Maadi, trade between the two cities could be established."],"question":"According to paragraph 4 which of the following is NOT a reason Memphis was chosen as the capital of a united Egypt?","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":3}
{"option":["to have gone wrong","to have been helpful","to have occurred by chance","to have made a difference"],"question":"The phrase \"to have been accidental\" in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":2}
{"option":["To give an indication of the level of prosperity that Memphis is thought to have enjoyed from its earliest days","To compare the Memphis region to them in terms of their similar combinations of characteristics providing advantages for early settlement","To identify the models that the founders of Memphis followed in laying out the national capital","To suggest that the combination of desert pasturage and alluvial arable land in the same area was very common"],"question":"In paragraph 4, why does the author mention the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab?","article":"The city of Memphis, located on the Nile near the modern city of Cairo, was founded around 3100 B.C. as the first capital of a recently united Egypt. The choice of Memphis by Egypt's first kings reflects the site's strategic importance. First, and most obvious, the apex of the Nile River delta was a politically opportune location for the state's administrative center, standing between the united lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and offering ready access to both parts of the country. The older predynastic (pre-3100 B.C.) centers of power, This and Hierakonpolis, were too remote from the vast expanse of the delta, which had been incorporated into the unified state. Only a city within easy reach of both the Nile valley to the south and the more spread out, difficult terrain to the north could provide the necessary political control that the rulers of early dynastic Egypt (roughly 3000-2600 B.C.) required.\nThe region of Memphis must have also served as an important node for transport and communications, even before the unification of Egypt. The region probably acted as a conduit for much, if not all, of the river-based trade between northern and southern Egypt. Moreover, commodities (such as wine, precious oils, and metals) imported from the Near East by the royal courts of predynastic Upper Egypt would have been channeled through the Memphis region on their way south. In short, therefore, the site of Memphis offered the rulers of the Early Dynastic Period an ideal location for controlling internal trade within their realm, an essential requirement for a state-directed economy that depended on the movement of goods.\nEqually important for the national administration was the ability to control communications within Egypt. The Nile provided the easiest and quickest artery of communication and the national capital was, again, ideally located in this respect. Recent geological surveys of the Memphis region have revealed much about its topography in ancient times. It appears that the location of Memphis may have been even more advantageous for controlling trade, transport, and communications than was previously appreciated. Surveys and drill cores have shown that the level of the Nile floodplain has steadily risen over the last five millenniums. When the floodplain was much lower, as it would have been in predynastic and early dynastic times, the outwash fans (fan-shaped deposits of sediments) of various wadis (stream-beds or channels that carry water only during rainy periods) would have been much more prominent features on the east bank. The fan associated with the Wadi Hof extended a significant way into the Nile floodplain, forming a constriction in the vicinity of Memphis. The valley may have narrowed at this point to a mere three kilometers, making it the ideal place for controlling river traffic.\nFurthermore, the Memphis region seems to have been favorably located for the control not only of river-based trade but also of desert trade routes. The two outwash fans in the area gave access to the extensive wadi systems of the eastern desert. In predynastic times, the Wadi Digla may have served as a trade route between the Memphis region and the Near East, to judge from the unusual concentration of foreign artifacts found in the predynastic settlement of Maadi. Access to, and control of, trade routes between Egypt and the Near East seems to have been a preoccupation of Egypt's rulers during the period of state formation. The desire to monopolize foreign trade may have been one of the primary factors behind the political unification of Egypt. The foundation of the national capital at the junction of an important trade route with the Nile valley is not likely to have been accidental. Moreover, the Wadis Hof and Digla provided the Memphis region with accessible desert pasturage. As was the case with the cities of Hierakonpolis and Elkab, the combination within the same area of both desert pasturage and alluvial arable land (land suitable for growing crops) was a particularly attractive one for early settlement; this combination no doubt contributed to the prosperity of the Memphis region from early predynastic times.","id":"688.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Dr.Gates is a scientist who can always attract the public attention to his research.","Dr.Gates is a very famous scientist\uff0cthough he wanted to be a sportsman at first","Dr.Gates is a scientist who always carries a notebook with him wherever he Goes.","Dr.Gates is very popular for his determination to become a baseball player"],"question":"0f the four statements\uff0cwhich one best indicates the author's idea?","article":"Dr.Harvey Gates\uff0cthe noted scientist\uff0cmight neverhave discovered the Kamron lizardin Blovia\uff0cifit had not been for a childhood accident As a boy\uff0chewas determined to become a baseball player\uff0cbutwhen he broke his arm in practice at the age offourteen and was forced to stay off the playing fieldfor a while\uff0che took notice of the natural worldaround him and liked what he saw\nAfter he had recovered from his injury\uff0che caught a squirreland raised it as a pet.Soonhe was bringing home snakes and other creatures from the woods near his school.\nIn 1962\uff0che entered Blakeford College and majored in biology By 1966 he had received hisBachelorof Science degree and two years later at Drysdale University\uff0c he received hisDoctor of Science degree.It was while he was doing field research for his doctoral studies inSouth America in 1967 that he discovered and named the Kamron lizard.This animal wasdifferent from others of its kind in that it had only four toes on its front feet. In otherrespects\uff0cit was similar to others of the same family It could change its color and go for longperiods without food.","id":"2410.txt","label":1}
{"option":["while doing some practical work","while studying animals","while making up his mind to become a baseball player","while playing baseball"],"question":"In the first paragraph of the passage.the phrase\"in practice\"means\" _ \"","article":"Dr.Harvey Gates\uff0cthe noted scientist\uff0cmight neverhave discovered the Kamron lizardin Blovia\uff0cifit had not been for a childhood accident As a boy\uff0chewas determined to become a baseball player\uff0cbutwhen he broke his arm in practice at the age offourteen and was forced to stay off the playing fieldfor a while\uff0che took notice of the natural worldaround him and liked what he saw\nAfter he had recovered from his injury\uff0che caught a squirreland raised it as a pet.Soonhe was bringing home snakes and other creatures from the woods near his school.\nIn 1962\uff0che entered Blakeford College and majored in biology By 1966 he had received hisBachelorof Science degree and two years later at Drysdale University\uff0c he received hisDoctor of Science degree.It was while he was doing field research for his doctoral studies inSouth America in 1967 that he discovered and named the Kamron lizard.This animal wasdifferent from others of its kind in that it had only four toes on its front feet. In otherrespects\uff0cit was similar to others of the same family It could change its color and go for longperiods without food.","id":"2410.txt","label":3}
{"option":["people","things","animals","living things"],"question":"In the second paragraph\uff0cthe word\"creatures\"can best be replaced by \" _ \"\uff0c","article":"Dr.Harvey Gates\uff0cthe noted scientist\uff0cmight neverhave discovered the Kamron lizardin Blovia\uff0cifit had not been for a childhood accident As a boy\uff0chewas determined to become a baseball player\uff0cbutwhen he broke his arm in practice at the age offourteen and was forced to stay off the playing fieldfor a while\uff0che took notice of the natural worldaround him and liked what he saw\nAfter he had recovered from his injury\uff0che caught a squirreland raised it as a pet.Soonhe was bringing home snakes and other creatures from the woods near his school.\nIn 1962\uff0che entered Blakeford College and majored in biology By 1966 he had received hisBachelorof Science degree and two years later at Drysdale University\uff0c he received hisDoctor of Science degree.It was while he was doing field research for his doctoral studies inSouth America in 1967 that he discovered and named the Kamron lizard.This animal wasdifferent from others of its kind in that it had only four toes on its front feet. In otherrespects\uff0cit was similar to others of the same family It could change its color and go for longperiods without food.","id":"2410.txt","label":2}
{"option":["after he had graduated from Drysdale University","right after he had finished his study for the doctor's degree","after he had received his highest degree","during the time when he was studying for the doctor's degree"],"question":"It was _ that Dr Gates discovered the Kamron lizard.","article":"Dr.Harvey Gates\uff0cthe noted scientist\uff0cmight neverhave discovered the Kamron lizardin Blovia\uff0cifit had not been for a childhood accident As a boy\uff0chewas determined to become a baseball player\uff0cbutwhen he broke his arm in practice at the age offourteen and was forced to stay off the playing fieldfor a while\uff0che took notice of the natural worldaround him and liked what he saw\nAfter he had recovered from his injury\uff0che caught a squirreland raised it as a pet.Soonhe was bringing home snakes and other creatures from the woods near his school.\nIn 1962\uff0che entered Blakeford College and majored in biology By 1966 he had received hisBachelorof Science degree and two years later at Drysdale University\uff0c he received hisDoctor of Science degree.It was while he was doing field research for his doctoral studies inSouth America in 1967 that he discovered and named the Kamron lizard.This animal wasdifferent from others of its kind in that it had only four toes on its front feet. In otherrespects\uff0cit was similar to others of the same family It could change its color and go for longperiods without food.","id":"2410.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It possesses four toes on its front feet.","It can live a long while without eating","It may go for weeks without drinking.","It is capable of changing colors."],"question":"Which of the following is not mentioned as a feature of the Kamron lizard?","article":"Dr.Harvey Gates\uff0cthe noted scientist\uff0cmight neverhave discovered the Kamron lizardin Blovia\uff0cifit had not been for a childhood accident As a boy\uff0chewas determined to become a baseball player\uff0cbutwhen he broke his arm in practice at the age offourteen and was forced to stay off the playing fieldfor a while\uff0che took notice of the natural worldaround him and liked what he saw\nAfter he had recovered from his injury\uff0che caught a squirreland raised it as a pet.Soonhe was bringing home snakes and other creatures from the woods near his school.\nIn 1962\uff0che entered Blakeford College and majored in biology By 1966 he had received hisBachelorof Science degree and two years later at Drysdale University\uff0c he received hisDoctor of Science degree.It was while he was doing field research for his doctoral studies inSouth America in 1967 that he discovered and named the Kamron lizard.This animal wasdifferent from others of its kind in that it had only four toes on its front feet. In otherrespects\uff0cit was similar to others of the same family It could change its color and go for longperiods without food.","id":"2410.txt","label":2}
{"option":["established.","competing.","nearby.","different."],"question":"The word \"rival\" in the passage (paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":1}
{"option":["non-aggressive bees that forage on the same flowers.","aggressive bees of other species.","bees from their own colony.","bees of their own species from different colonies."],"question":"According to paragraph 2, some species of stingless bees are aggressive mainly toward","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the distribution pattern of bee colonies determines the degree of aggressiveness the bees display.","nests of nonaggressive bees have either a random or a clumped distribution, while nests of aggressive bees have a regular distribution.","nests of nonaggressive bees are generally both closer together and more regularly distributed than those of aggressive bees.","nests of aggressive bees tend to be more regular in shape than those of non-aggressive bees."],"question":"According to paragraph 3, Hubbell and Johnson hypothesized that","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":1}
{"option":["To determine whether the availability of potential nest sites played a role in the distribution of bee colonies.","To know exactly where in the study area the colonies of all the different bee species were located.","To be sure that suitable nesting sites were equally available in all parts of the study area.","To find out whether different species of bees preferred different types of trees as potential nest sites."],"question":"According to paragraph 4, why did Hubbell and Johnson begin their study by mapping all the potential nest sites?","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the order in which the colonies in the study area had been established.","the level of aggressiveness of each of the nine species.","the distribution pattern of the nests of five of the nine species.","the number of colonies of each of the nine species."],"question":"According to paragraph 5, Hubbell and Johnson determined","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":2}
{"option":["To identify research results that contradicted Hubbell and Johnson's original hypothesis.","To indicate that research results confirmed that nest distribution was related to aggressiveness.","To introduce the hypothesis that, within the same species, not all colonies are aggressive.","To point out that both aggressive and nonaggressive species are equally successful at finding nest sites."],"question":"Why does the author indicate that \"The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area\"(paragraph 5)?","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":1}
{"option":["tools to study.","opportunities for.","evidence of.","an understanding of."],"question":"The phrase \"insights into\u3003 in the passage (paragraph 6) is closest in meaning to","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The use of pheromones tends to result in nest clumping.","Pheromones attract animals other than bees to prospective nest sites.","Pheromones tend to make bees aggressive.","Pheromones secreted by bees of one colony also attract bees of other colonies."],"question":"According to paragraph 6, what is one result of using pheromones to mark nest sites?","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":3}
{"option":["intensified.","transformed.","combined.","lengthened."],"question":"The word \"escalated\" in the passage (paragraph 7) is closest in meaning to","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":0}
{"option":["They are more violent than battles over unoccupied nest sites.","They mostly occur between colonies of different species.","They are more frequent than battles over unoccupied sites.","They last longer than battles over unoccupied sites do."],"question":"Paragraph 7 supports which of the following ideas about fights over occupied nests?","article":"In 1977 ecologists Stephen Hubbell and Leslie Johnson recorded a dramatic example of how social interactions can produce and enforce regular spacing in a population. They studied competition and nest spacing in populations of stingless bees in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. Though these bees do no sting, rival colonies of some species fight fiercely over potential nesting sites.\nStingless bees are abundant in tropical and subtropical environments, where they gather nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers. They generally nest in trees and live in colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of workers. Hubbell and Johnson observed that some species of stingless bees are highly aggressive to members of their species from other colonies, while other species are not. Aggressive species usually forage in groups and feed mainly on flowers that occur in high-density clumps. Nonaggressive species feed singly or in small groups and on more widely distributed flowers.\nHubbell and Johnson studied several species of stingless bees to determine whether there is a relationship between aggressiveness and patterns of colony distribution. They predicted that the colonies of aggressive species would show regular distributions, while those of nonaggressive species would show random or closely grouped (clumpeD. distribution. They concentrated their studies on a thirteen-hectare tract of tropical dry forest that contained numerous nests of nine species of stingless bees.\nThough Hubbell and Johnson were interested in how bee behavior might affect colony distributions, they recognized that the availability of potential nest sites for colonies could also affect distributions.So as one of the first steps in their study, they mapped the distributions of trees suitable for nesting. They found that potential nest trees were distributed randomly through the study area. They also found that the number of potential nest sites was much greater than the number of bee colonies. What did these measurements show the researchers? The number of colonies in the study area was not limited by availability of suitable trees, and a clumped or regular distribution of colonies was not due to an underlying clumped or regular distribution of potential nest sites.\nHubbell and Johnson mapped the nests of five of the nine species of stingless bees accurately, and the nests of four of these species were distributed regularly. All four species with regular nest distributions were highly aggressive to bees from other colonies of their own species. The fifth species was not aggressive, and its nests were randomly distributed over the study area.\nThe researchers also studied the process by which the aggressive species establish new colonies. Their observations provide insights into the mechanisms that establish and maintain the regular nest distribution of these species. Aggressive species apparently mark prospective nest sites with pheromones, chemical substances secreted by some animals for communication with other members of their species. The pheromone secreted by these stingless bees attracts and aggregates members of their colony to the prospective nest site; however, it also attracts workers from other nests.\nIf workers from two different colonies arrive at the prospective nest at the same time, they may fight for possession. Fights may be escalated into protracted battles.The researchers observed battles over a nest tree that lasted for two weeks. Each dawn, fifteen to thirty workers from two competing colonies arrived at the contested nest site. The workers from the two colonies faced off in two swarms and displayed and fought with each other. In the displays, pairs of bees faced each other, slowly flew vertically to a height of about three meters, and then grappled each other to the ground. When the two bees hit the ground, they separated, faced off, and performed another aerial display. Bees did not appear to be injured in these fights, which were apparently ritualized. The two swarms abandoned the battle at about 8 or 9 A.M. each morning, only to re-form and begin again the next day just after dawn. While this contest over an unoccupied nest site produced no obvious mortality, fights over occupied nests sometimes kill over 1,000 bees in a single battle.","id":"3785.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Use","Improve","Counteract","Balance"],"question":"The word enhance in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Qualities","Fins","Grooves","Depressions"],"question":"The word they in the passage refers to","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":1}
{"option":["To show that air resistance and water resistance work differently from each other","To argue that some fishes are better designed than airplanes are","To provide evidence that airplane engine have studied the design of fish bodies","To demonstrate a similarity in design between certain fishes and airplanes"],"question":"Why does the author mention that Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight?","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Complex","Amazing","Creative","Practical"],"question":"The word sophisticated in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Increasing their ability to defend themselves","Allowing them to change direction easily","Increasing their ability to detect odors","Reducing water resistance as they swim"],"question":"According to paragraph4, the long bills of marlins, sailfish, and swordfish probably help these fishes by","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":3}
{"option":["They lack a swim bladder.","They need to suck in more water than other fishes do.","They have large muscles for breathing.","They cannot open their mouths unless they are in motion."],"question":"According to the passage, which of the following is one of the reasons that tunas are in constant motion?","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Reduce","Remove","Direct","Provide"],"question":"The word channel in the passage is closest in meaning to","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Swim directly through eddies","Make efficient use of water currents","Cover great distances without stopping","Gain speed by forcing water past their gills"],"question":"According to the passage, one of the adaptations of fast-swimming fishes that might be used to improve the performance of ships is these fishes' ability to","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Their eyes and brain are more efficient than those of any other fish.","Their body temperature can change greatly depending on the water temperature.","They can swim in waters that are much colder than their own bodies.","They have special muscle tissue that warms their eyes and brain."],"question":"According to paragraph 9, which of the following is true of bluefin tunas?","article":"Tunas, mackerels, and billfishes (marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish) swim continuously. Feeding, courtship, reproduction, and even \"rest\" are carried out while in constant motion. As a result, practically every aspect of the body form and function of these swimming \"machines\" is adapted to enhance their ability to swim.\nMany of the adaptations of these fishes serve to reduce water resistance (drag). Interestingly enough, several of these hydrodynamic adaptations resemble features designed to improve the aerodynamics of high-speed aircraft. Though human engineers are new to the game, tunas and their relatives evolved their \"high-tech\" designs long ago.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have made streamlining into an art form. Their bodies are sleek and compact. The body shapes of tunas, in fact, are nearly ideal from an engineering point of view. Most species lack scales over most of the body, making it smooth and slippery. The eyes lie flush with the body and do not protrude at all. They are also covered with a slick, transparent lid that reduces drag. The fins are stiff, smooth, and narrow, qualities that also help cut drag. When not in use, the fins are tucked into special grooves or depressions so that they lie flush with the body and do not break up its smooth contours. Airplanes retract their landing gear while in flight for the same reason.\nTunas, mackerels, and billfishes have even more sophisticated adaptations than these to improve their hydrodynamics. The long bill of marlins, sailfishes, and swordfish probably helps them slip through the water. Many supersonic aircraft have a similar needle at the nose.\nMost tunas and billfishes have a series of keels and finlets near the tail. Although most of their scales have been lost, tunas and mackerels retain a patch of coarse scales near the head called the corselet. The keels, finlets, and corselet help direct the flow of water over the body surface in such as way as to reduce resistance (see the figure). Again, supersonic jets have similar features.\nBecause they are always swimming, tunas simply have to open their mouths and water is forced in and over their gills. Accordingly, they have lost most of the muscles that other fishes use to suck in water and push it past the gills. In fact, tunas must swim to breathe. They must also keep swimming to keep from sinking, since most have largely or completely lost the swim bladder, the gas-filled sac that helps most other fish remain buoyant.\nOne potential problem is that opening the mouth to breathe detracts from the streamlining of these fishes and tends to slow them down. Some species of tuna have specialized grooves in their tongue. It is thought that these grooves help to channel water through the mouth and out the gill slits, thereby reducing water resistance.\nThere are adaptations that increase the amount of forward thrust as well as those that reduce drag. Again, these fishes are the envy of engineers. Their high, narrow tails with swept-back tips are almost perfectly adapted to provide propulsion with the least possible effort. Perhaps most important of all to these and other fast swimmers is their ability to sense and make use of swirls and eddies (circular currents) in the water. They can glide past eddies that would slow them down and then gain extra thrust by \"pushing off\" the eddies. Scientists and engineers are beginning to study this ability of fishes in the hope of designing more efficient propulsion systems for ships.\nThe muscles of these fishes and the mechanism that maintains a warm body temperature are also highly efficient. A bluefin tuna in water of 7\u00b0C (45\u00b0F) can maintain a core temperature of over 25\u00b0C (77\"F). This warm body temperature may help not only the muscles to work better, but also the brain and the eyes. The billfishes have gone one step further. They have evolved special \"heaters\" of modified muscle tissue that warm the eyes and brain, maintaining peak performance of these critical organs.","id":"1468.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They hire people at the lowest cost regardless of their skills.","They see the gaining of skills as their employees' own business.","They attach more importance to workers than equipment.","They only hire skilled workers because of keen competition."],"question":"Which of the following applies to the management of human resources in American companies?","article":"If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work-force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in United States. Skill acquisition is considered an individual responsibility. Labour is simply another factor of production to be hired-rented at the lowest possible cost-much as one buys raw materials or equipment.\nThe lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resource management is central-usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm's hierarchy.\nWhile American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.\nAs a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is as lower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can't effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that to with these processes will disappear.","id":"2978.txt","label":1}
{"option":["He is one of the most important executives in firms.","His post is likely to disappear when new technologies are introduced.","He is directly under the chief financial executives in the firms.","He has no say in making important decisions in the firm."],"question":"What is the position of the head of human-resource management in an American firm?","article":"If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work-force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in United States. Skill acquisition is considered an individual responsibility. Labour is simply another factor of production to be hired-rented at the lowest possible cost-much as one buys raw materials or equipment.\nThe lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resource management is central-usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm's hierarchy.\nWhile American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.\nAs a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is as lower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can't effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that to with these processes will disappear.","id":"2978.txt","label":3}
{"option":["workers who can operate new equipment","technological and managerial staff","workers who lack basic background skills","top executives"],"question":"The money most American firms put in training mainly goes to ________.","article":"If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work-force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in United States. Skill acquisition is considered an individual responsibility. Labour is simply another factor of production to be hired-rented at the lowest possible cost-much as one buys raw materials or equipment.\nThe lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resource management is central-usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm's hierarchy.\nWhile American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.\nAs a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is as lower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can't effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that to with these processes will disappear.","id":"2978.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the introduction of new technologies","the improvement of worker's basic skills","the rational composition of professional and managerial employees","the attachment of importance to the bottom half of the employees"],"question":"According to the passages, the decisive factor in maintaining a firm's competitive advantage is ________.","article":"If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work-force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in United States. Skill acquisition is considered an individual responsibility. Labour is simply another factor of production to be hired-rented at the lowest possible cost-much as one buys raw materials or equipment.\nThe lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resource management is central-usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm's hierarchy.\nWhile American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.\nAs a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is as lower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can't effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that to with these processes will disappear.","id":"2978.txt","label":1}
{"option":["American firms are different from Japanese and German firms in human-resource management.","Extensive retraining is indispensable to effective human-resource management.","The head of human-resource management must be in the central position in a firm's hierarchy.","The human-resource management strategies of American firms affect their competitive capacity."],"question":"What is the main idea of the passage?","article":"If sustainable competitive advantage depends on work-force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in United States. Skill acquisition is considered an individual responsibility. Labour is simply another factor of production to be hired-rented at the lowest possible cost-much as one buys raw materials or equipment.\nThe lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resource management is central-usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm's hierarchy.\nWhile American firms often talk about the vast amounts spent on training their work forces, in fact they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessary to do the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.\nAs a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take much longer to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than workers in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is as lower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can't effectively staff the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that to with these processes will disappear.","id":"2978.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the number of lines he reads","the distance he stands away from the chart","the speed at which he recognizes the letters","several integrative factors"],"question":"The Snellen eye chart measures one's eyesight by _ .","article":"The human criterion for perfect vision is 20\/20 for reading the standard lines on a Snellen eye chart without a hitch. The score is determined by how well you read lines of letters of different sizes from 20 feetaway. But being able to read the bottom line on the eye chart does not approximate perfection as far as other species are concerned. Most birds would consider us very visually handicapped. The hawk. for instance,has such sharp eyes that it can spot a dime on the sidewalk while perched on top of the Empire State Building+ It can make fine visual distinctions because it is blessed with one million cones per square millimeter in its retina. And in water, humans are farsighted. while the kingfisher, swooping down to spear fish. can see well in both the air and water because it is endowed with two foveae.-areas of the eye, consisting mostly of cones. that provide visual distinctions. One fovea permits the bird, while in theair. to scan the water below with one eye at a time. This is called monocular vision. Once it hits the water, the other fovea joins in, allowing the kingfisher to focus both eyes, like binoculars, on its prey at the same time. A frog's vision is distinguished by its ability to perceive things as a constant motion picture. Known as \"bug detectors\", a highly developed set of cells in a frog's eyes responds mainly to movingobjects. So, it is said that a frog sitting in a field of dead bugs wouldn't see them as food and would starve.\nThe bee has a \"compound\" eye. which is used for navigation. It has 15,000 facets that divide what it sees into a pattern of dots. or mosaic. With this hind of vision, the bee sees the sun only as a single dot, a constant point of reference. Thus. the eye is a superb navigational instrument that constantly measures the angle of its line of flight in relation to the sun. A bee's eye also gauges flight speed. And if that isnot enough to leave our 20\/20 \"perfect vision\" paling into insignificance. the bee is capable of seeing something we can't-ultraviolet light. Thus,what humans consider to be \"perfect vision\" is in fact rather limited when we look at other species. However, there is still much to be said for the human eye. Of all the mammals, only humans and some primates can enjoy the pleasures of color vision.","id":"189.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It can identify small items more quickly than we do.","It can see ai a longer distance than we do.","It has more cones in che retina than we do.","It has bigger eyes than we do."],"question":"How is hawk's eyesight better than ours?","article":"The human criterion for perfect vision is 20\/20 for reading the standard lines on a Snellen eye chart without a hitch. The score is determined by how well you read lines of letters of different sizes from 20 feetaway. But being able to read the bottom line on the eye chart does not approximate perfection as far as other species are concerned. Most birds would consider us very visually handicapped. The hawk. for instance,has such sharp eyes that it can spot a dime on the sidewalk while perched on top of the Empire State Building+ It can make fine visual distinctions because it is blessed with one million cones per square millimeter in its retina. And in water, humans are farsighted. while the kingfisher, swooping down to spear fish. can see well in both the air and water because it is endowed with two foveae.-areas of the eye, consisting mostly of cones. that provide visual distinctions. One fovea permits the bird, while in theair. to scan the water below with one eye at a time. This is called monocular vision. Once it hits the water, the other fovea joins in, allowing the kingfisher to focus both eyes, like binoculars, on its prey at the same time. A frog's vision is distinguished by its ability to perceive things as a constant motion picture. Known as \"bug detectors\", a highly developed set of cells in a frog's eyes responds mainly to movingobjects. So, it is said that a frog sitting in a field of dead bugs wouldn't see them as food and would starve.\nThe bee has a \"compound\" eye. which is used for navigation. It has 15,000 facets that divide what it sees into a pattern of dots. or mosaic. With this hind of vision, the bee sees the sun only as a single dot, a constant point of reference. Thus. the eye is a superb navigational instrument that constantly measures the angle of its line of flight in relation to the sun. A bee's eye also gauges flight speed. And if that isnot enough to leave our 20\/20 \"perfect vision\" paling into insignificance. the bee is capable of seeing something we can't-ultraviolet light. Thus,what humans consider to be \"perfect vision\" is in fact rather limited when we look at other species. However, there is still much to be said for the human eye. Of all the mammals, only humans and some primates can enjoy the pleasures of color vision.","id":"189.txt","label":1}
{"option":["avoid farsightedness","be able to see underwater","move one eye at a time","focus its eyes on the prey"],"question":"Monocular vision enables the kingfisher to _ .","article":"The human criterion for perfect vision is 20\/20 for reading the standard lines on a Snellen eye chart without a hitch. The score is determined by how well you read lines of letters of different sizes from 20 feetaway. But being able to read the bottom line on the eye chart does not approximate perfection as far as other species are concerned. Most birds would consider us very visually handicapped. The hawk. for instance,has such sharp eyes that it can spot a dime on the sidewalk while perched on top of the Empire State Building+ It can make fine visual distinctions because it is blessed with one million cones per square millimeter in its retina. And in water, humans are farsighted. while the kingfisher, swooping down to spear fish. can see well in both the air and water because it is endowed with two foveae.-areas of the eye, consisting mostly of cones. that provide visual distinctions. One fovea permits the bird, while in theair. to scan the water below with one eye at a time. This is called monocular vision. Once it hits the water, the other fovea joins in, allowing the kingfisher to focus both eyes, like binoculars, on its prey at the same time. A frog's vision is distinguished by its ability to perceive things as a constant motion picture. Known as \"bug detectors\", a highly developed set of cells in a frog's eyes responds mainly to movingobjects. So, it is said that a frog sitting in a field of dead bugs wouldn't see them as food and would starve.\nThe bee has a \"compound\" eye. which is used for navigation. It has 15,000 facets that divide what it sees into a pattern of dots. or mosaic. With this hind of vision, the bee sees the sun only as a single dot, a constant point of reference. Thus. the eye is a superb navigational instrument that constantly measures the angle of its line of flight in relation to the sun. A bee's eye also gauges flight speed. And if that isnot enough to leave our 20\/20 \"perfect vision\" paling into insignificance. the bee is capable of seeing something we can't-ultraviolet light. Thus,what humans consider to be \"perfect vision\" is in fact rather limited when we look at other species. However, there is still much to be said for the human eye. Of all the mammals, only humans and some primates can enjoy the pleasures of color vision.","id":"189.txt","label":2}
{"option":["dividing what it sees into thousands of dots","constantly gauging its flying speed","using the sun as a constant point of reference","measuring the angle of the sun"],"question":"A bee finds its direction by _ .","article":"The human criterion for perfect vision is 20\/20 for reading the standard lines on a Snellen eye chart without a hitch. The score is determined by how well you read lines of letters of different sizes from 20 feetaway. But being able to read the bottom line on the eye chart does not approximate perfection as far as other species are concerned. Most birds would consider us very visually handicapped. The hawk. for instance,has such sharp eyes that it can spot a dime on the sidewalk while perched on top of the Empire State Building+ It can make fine visual distinctions because it is blessed with one million cones per square millimeter in its retina. And in water, humans are farsighted. while the kingfisher, swooping down to spear fish. can see well in both the air and water because it is endowed with two foveae.-areas of the eye, consisting mostly of cones. that provide visual distinctions. One fovea permits the bird, while in theair. to scan the water below with one eye at a time. This is called monocular vision. Once it hits the water, the other fovea joins in, allowing the kingfisher to focus both eyes, like binoculars, on its prey at the same time. A frog's vision is distinguished by its ability to perceive things as a constant motion picture. Known as \"bug detectors\", a highly developed set of cells in a frog's eyes responds mainly to movingobjects. So, it is said that a frog sitting in a field of dead bugs wouldn't see them as food and would starve.\nThe bee has a \"compound\" eye. which is used for navigation. It has 15,000 facets that divide what it sees into a pattern of dots. or mosaic. With this hind of vision, the bee sees the sun only as a single dot, a constant point of reference. Thus. the eye is a superb navigational instrument that constantly measures the angle of its line of flight in relation to the sun. A bee's eye also gauges flight speed. And if that isnot enough to leave our 20\/20 \"perfect vision\" paling into insignificance. the bee is capable of seeing something we can't-ultraviolet light. Thus,what humans consider to be \"perfect vision\" is in fact rather limited when we look at other species. However, there is still much to be said for the human eye. Of all the mammals, only humans and some primates can enjoy the pleasures of color vision.","id":"189.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The differences between human eyes and other species' eyes.","The advantages of other species' eyes in comparison with human eyes.","The factors that make other species' eyes better than human eyes.","The standard that determines me \"perfect vision\" of human eyes."],"question":"What is the main idea of the passage'?","article":"The human criterion for perfect vision is 20\/20 for reading the standard lines on a Snellen eye chart without a hitch. The score is determined by how well you read lines of letters of different sizes from 20 feetaway. But being able to read the bottom line on the eye chart does not approximate perfection as far as other species are concerned. Most birds would consider us very visually handicapped. The hawk. for instance,has such sharp eyes that it can spot a dime on the sidewalk while perched on top of the Empire State Building+ It can make fine visual distinctions because it is blessed with one million cones per square millimeter in its retina. And in water, humans are farsighted. while the kingfisher, swooping down to spear fish. can see well in both the air and water because it is endowed with two foveae.-areas of the eye, consisting mostly of cones. that provide visual distinctions. One fovea permits the bird, while in theair. to scan the water below with one eye at a time. This is called monocular vision. Once it hits the water, the other fovea joins in, allowing the kingfisher to focus both eyes, like binoculars, on its prey at the same time. A frog's vision is distinguished by its ability to perceive things as a constant motion picture. Known as \"bug detectors\", a highly developed set of cells in a frog's eyes responds mainly to movingobjects. So, it is said that a frog sitting in a field of dead bugs wouldn't see them as food and would starve.\nThe bee has a \"compound\" eye. which is used for navigation. It has 15,000 facets that divide what it sees into a pattern of dots. or mosaic. With this hind of vision, the bee sees the sun only as a single dot, a constant point of reference. Thus. the eye is a superb navigational instrument that constantly measures the angle of its line of flight in relation to the sun. A bee's eye also gauges flight speed. And if that isnot enough to leave our 20\/20 \"perfect vision\" paling into insignificance. the bee is capable of seeing something we can't-ultraviolet light. Thus,what humans consider to be \"perfect vision\" is in fact rather limited when we look at other species. However, there is still much to be said for the human eye. Of all the mammals, only humans and some primates can enjoy the pleasures of color vision.","id":"189.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Because he was ill.","Because he got up late.","Because he was caught in a traffic jam.","He was busy applying for a new job."],"question":"Why was Sam late for his job?","article":"A lot of us lose life's tough battles by starting a frontal attack-when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum about being late on the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's a being late-serious illness at home-he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech.\nYes, the boss was, Sam entered the office at 9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room; everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. \"How do you do!\" he said. \"I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job. Which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?\"\nThe room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job-with the only tool that could win, a laugh.\nHumor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying \"no\", criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialog may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum.","id":"986.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Sam Maynard saved his job with humor","humor is important in our lives","early bird gets the worm","humor can solve racial discriminations"],"question":"The main idea of this passage is  _ .","article":"A lot of us lose life's tough battles by starting a frontal attack-when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum about being late on the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's a being late-serious illness at home-he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech.\nYes, the boss was, Sam entered the office at 9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room; everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. \"How do you do!\" he said. \"I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job. Which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?\"\nThe room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job-with the only tool that could win, a laugh.\nHumor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying \"no\", criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialog may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum.","id":"986.txt","label":1}
{"option":["tried to hold back","tried to set","charged","gave out"],"question":"The phrase \"clamped off\" in Paragraph 3 means  _ .","article":"A lot of us lose life's tough battles by starting a frontal attack-when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum about being late on the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's a being late-serious illness at home-he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech.\nYes, the boss was, Sam entered the office at 9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room; everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. \"How do you do!\" he said. \"I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job. Which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?\"\nThe room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job-with the only tool that could win, a laugh.\nHumor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying \"no\", criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialog may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum.","id":"986.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Many lose life's battles for they are lacking in a sense of humor.","It wasn't the first time that Sam came late for his work.","Sam was supposed to come to his office at 8:30.","Humor is the most effective way of solving problems."],"question":"Which of the following statements can we infer from the passage?","article":"A lot of us lose life's tough battles by starting a frontal attack-when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum about being late on the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's a being late-serious illness at home-he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech.\nYes, the boss was, Sam entered the office at 9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room; everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. \"How do you do!\" he said. \"I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job. Which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?\"\nThe room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job-with the only tool that could win, a laugh.\nHumor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying \"no\", criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialog may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum.","id":"986.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Ray cherished his childhood memories.","Ray had something urgent to take care of.","Ray may not have a happy childhood.","Ray cannot remember his childhood days."],"question":"From the first paragraph, we get the impression that","article":"Text B\nEvery street had a story, every building a memory. Those blessed with wonderful childhoods can drive the streets of their hometowns and happily roll back the years. The rest are pulled home by duty and leave as soon as possible. After Ray Atlee had been in Clanton (his hometown) for fifteen minutes he was anxious to get out.\nThe town had changed,but then it hadn't.On the highways leading in,the cheap metal buildings and mobile homes were gathering as tightly as possible next to the roads for maximum visibility.This town had no zoning whatsoever.A landowner could build anything with no permit,no inspection,no notice to adjoining landowners,nothing.Only hog farms and nuclear reactors required approvals and paperwork.The result was a slash-and-build clutter that got uglier by the year.\nBut in the older sections,nearer the square,the town had not changed at all.The long shaded streets were as clean and neat as when Ray roamed them on his bike.Most of the houses were still owned by people he knew,or if those folks had passed on the new owners kept the lawns clipped and the shutters painted.Only a few were being neglected.A handful had been abandoned.\nThis deep in Bible country,it was still an unwritten rule in the town that little was done on Sundays except go to church,sit on porches,visit neighbours,rest and relax the way God intended.\nIt was cloudy,quite cool for May,and as he toured his old turf,killing time until the appointed hour for the family meeting,he tried to dwell on the good memories from Clanton.There was Dizzy Dean Park where he had played Little League for the Pirates,and there was the public pool he'd swum in every summer except 1969 when the city closed it rather than admit black children.There were the churches-Baptist,Methodist,and Presbyterian-facing each other at the intersection of Second and Elm like wary sentries,their steeples competing for height.They were empty now,but in an hour or so the more faithful would gather for evening services.\nThe square was as lifeless as the streets leading to it.With eight thousand people,Clanton was just large enough to have attracted the discount stores that had wiped out so many small towns.But here the people had been faithful to their downtown merchants,and there wasn't a single empty or boarded-up building around the square-no small miracle.The retail shops were mixed in with the banks and law offices and cafes, all closed for the Sabbath.\nHe inched through the cemetery and surveyed the Atlee section in the old part, where the tombstones were grander.Some of his ancestors had built monuments for their dead.Ray had always assumed that the family money he'd never seen must have been buried in those graves.He parked and walked to his mother's grave,something he hadn't done in years.She was buried among the Atlees,at the far edge of the family plot because she had barely belonged.\nSoon,in less than an hour,he would be sitting in his father's study,sipping bad instant tea and receiving instructions on exactly how his father would be laid to rest.Many orders were about to be given,many decrees and directions,because his father (who used to be a judge) was a great man and cared deeply about how he was to be remembered.\nMoving again, Ray passed the water tower he'd climbed twice,the second time with the police waiting below.He grimaced at his old high school,a place he'd never visited since he'd left it.Behind it was the football field where his brother Forrest had romped over opponents and almost became famous before getting bounced off the team.\nIt was twenty minutes before five, Sunday, May 7. Time for the family meeting.","id":"1842.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Lifeless.","Religious.","Traditional.","Quiet."],"question":"Which of the following adjectives does NOT describe Ray's hometown?","article":"Text B\nEvery street had a story, every building a memory. Those blessed with wonderful childhoods can drive the streets of their hometowns and happily roll back the years. The rest are pulled home by duty and leave as soon as possible. After Ray Atlee had been in Clanton (his hometown) for fifteen minutes he was anxious to get out.\nThe town had changed,but then it hadn't.On the highways leading in,the cheap metal buildings and mobile homes were gathering as tightly as possible next to the roads for maximum visibility.This town had no zoning whatsoever.A landowner could build anything with no permit,no inspection,no notice to adjoining landowners,nothing.Only hog farms and nuclear reactors required approvals and paperwork.The result was a slash-and-build clutter that got uglier by the year.\nBut in the older sections,nearer the square,the town had not changed at all.The long shaded streets were as clean and neat as when Ray roamed them on his bike.Most of the houses were still owned by people he knew,or if those folks had passed on the new owners kept the lawns clipped and the shutters painted.Only a few were being neglected.A handful had been abandoned.\nThis deep in Bible country,it was still an unwritten rule in the town that little was done on Sundays except go to church,sit on porches,visit neighbours,rest and relax the way God intended.\nIt was cloudy,quite cool for May,and as he toured his old turf,killing time until the appointed hour for the family meeting,he tried to dwell on the good memories from Clanton.There was Dizzy Dean Park where he had played Little League for the Pirates,and there was the public pool he'd swum in every summer except 1969 when the city closed it rather than admit black children.There were the churches-Baptist,Methodist,and Presbyterian-facing each other at the intersection of Second and Elm like wary sentries,their steeples competing for height.They were empty now,but in an hour or so the more faithful would gather for evening services.\nThe square was as lifeless as the streets leading to it.With eight thousand people,Clanton was just large enough to have attracted the discount stores that had wiped out so many small towns.But here the people had been faithful to their downtown merchants,and there wasn't a single empty or boarded-up building around the square-no small miracle.The retail shops were mixed in with the banks and law offices and cafes, all closed for the Sabbath.\nHe inched through the cemetery and surveyed the Atlee section in the old part, where the tombstones were grander.Some of his ancestors had built monuments for their dead.Ray had always assumed that the family money he'd never seen must have been buried in those graves.He parked and walked to his mother's grave,something he hadn't done in years.She was buried among the Atlees,at the far edge of the family plot because she had barely belonged.\nSoon,in less than an hour,he would be sitting in his father's study,sipping bad instant tea and receiving instructions on exactly how his father would be laid to rest.Many orders were about to be given,many decrees and directions,because his father (who used to be a judge) was a great man and cared deeply about how he was to be remembered.\nMoving again, Ray passed the water tower he'd climbed twice,the second time with the police waiting below.He grimaced at his old high school,a place he'd never visited since he'd left it.Behind it was the football field where his brother Forrest had romped over opponents and almost became famous before getting bounced off the team.\nIt was twenty minutes before five, Sunday, May 7. Time for the family meeting.","id":"1842.txt","label":3}
{"option":["close.","remote.","tense.","impossible to tell."],"question":"From the passage we can infer that the relationship between Ray and his parents was","article":"Text B\nEvery street had a story, every building a memory. Those blessed with wonderful childhoods can drive the streets of their hometowns and happily roll back the years. The rest are pulled home by duty and leave as soon as possible. After Ray Atlee had been in Clanton (his hometown) for fifteen minutes he was anxious to get out.\nThe town had changed,but then it hadn't.On the highways leading in,the cheap metal buildings and mobile homes were gathering as tightly as possible next to the roads for maximum visibility.This town had no zoning whatsoever.A landowner could build anything with no permit,no inspection,no notice to adjoining landowners,nothing.Only hog farms and nuclear reactors required approvals and paperwork.The result was a slash-and-build clutter that got uglier by the year.\nBut in the older sections,nearer the square,the town had not changed at all.The long shaded streets were as clean and neat as when Ray roamed them on his bike.Most of the houses were still owned by people he knew,or if those folks had passed on the new owners kept the lawns clipped and the shutters painted.Only a few were being neglected.A handful had been abandoned.\nThis deep in Bible country,it was still an unwritten rule in the town that little was done on Sundays except go to church,sit on porches,visit neighbours,rest and relax the way God intended.\nIt was cloudy,quite cool for May,and as he toured his old turf,killing time until the appointed hour for the family meeting,he tried to dwell on the good memories from Clanton.There was Dizzy Dean Park where he had played Little League for the Pirates,and there was the public pool he'd swum in every summer except 1969 when the city closed it rather than admit black children.There were the churches-Baptist,Methodist,and Presbyterian-facing each other at the intersection of Second and Elm like wary sentries,their steeples competing for height.They were empty now,but in an hour or so the more faithful would gather for evening services.\nThe square was as lifeless as the streets leading to it.With eight thousand people,Clanton was just large enough to have attracted the discount stores that had wiped out so many small towns.But here the people had been faithful to their downtown merchants,and there wasn't a single empty or boarded-up building around the square-no small miracle.The retail shops were mixed in with the banks and law offices and cafes, all closed for the Sabbath.\nHe inched through the cemetery and surveyed the Atlee section in the old part, where the tombstones were grander.Some of his ancestors had built monuments for their dead.Ray had always assumed that the family money he'd never seen must have been buried in those graves.He parked and walked to his mother's grave,something he hadn't done in years.She was buried among the Atlees,at the far edge of the family plot because she had barely belonged.\nSoon,in less than an hour,he would be sitting in his father's study,sipping bad instant tea and receiving instructions on exactly how his father would be laid to rest.Many orders were about to be given,many decrees and directions,because his father (who used to be a judge) was a great man and cared deeply about how he was to be remembered.\nMoving again, Ray passed the water tower he'd climbed twice,the second time with the police waiting below.He grimaced at his old high school,a place he'd never visited since he'd left it.Behind it was the football field where his brother Forrest had romped over opponents and almost became famous before getting bounced off the team.\nIt was twenty minutes before five, Sunday, May 7. Time for the family meeting.","id":"1842.txt","label":1}
{"option":["considerate.","punctual.","thrifty.","dominant."],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that Ray's father was all EXCEPT","article":"Text B\nEvery street had a story, every building a memory. Those blessed with wonderful childhoods can drive the streets of their hometowns and happily roll back the years. The rest are pulled home by duty and leave as soon as possible. After Ray Atlee had been in Clanton (his hometown) for fifteen minutes he was anxious to get out.\nThe town had changed,but then it hadn't.On the highways leading in,the cheap metal buildings and mobile homes were gathering as tightly as possible next to the roads for maximum visibility.This town had no zoning whatsoever.A landowner could build anything with no permit,no inspection,no notice to adjoining landowners,nothing.Only hog farms and nuclear reactors required approvals and paperwork.The result was a slash-and-build clutter that got uglier by the year.\nBut in the older sections,nearer the square,the town had not changed at all.The long shaded streets were as clean and neat as when Ray roamed them on his bike.Most of the houses were still owned by people he knew,or if those folks had passed on the new owners kept the lawns clipped and the shutters painted.Only a few were being neglected.A handful had been abandoned.\nThis deep in Bible country,it was still an unwritten rule in the town that little was done on Sundays except go to church,sit on porches,visit neighbours,rest and relax the way God intended.\nIt was cloudy,quite cool for May,and as he toured his old turf,killing time until the appointed hour for the family meeting,he tried to dwell on the good memories from Clanton.There was Dizzy Dean Park where he had played Little League for the Pirates,and there was the public pool he'd swum in every summer except 1969 when the city closed it rather than admit black children.There were the churches-Baptist,Methodist,and Presbyterian-facing each other at the intersection of Second and Elm like wary sentries,their steeples competing for height.They were empty now,but in an hour or so the more faithful would gather for evening services.\nThe square was as lifeless as the streets leading to it.With eight thousand people,Clanton was just large enough to have attracted the discount stores that had wiped out so many small towns.But here the people had been faithful to their downtown merchants,and there wasn't a single empty or boarded-up building around the square-no small miracle.The retail shops were mixed in with the banks and law offices and cafes, all closed for the Sabbath.\nHe inched through the cemetery and surveyed the Atlee section in the old part, where the tombstones were grander.Some of his ancestors had built monuments for their dead.Ray had always assumed that the family money he'd never seen must have been buried in those graves.He parked and walked to his mother's grave,something he hadn't done in years.She was buried among the Atlees,at the far edge of the family plot because she had barely belonged.\nSoon,in less than an hour,he would be sitting in his father's study,sipping bad instant tea and receiving instructions on exactly how his father would be laid to rest.Many orders were about to be given,many decrees and directions,because his father (who used to be a judge) was a great man and cared deeply about how he was to be remembered.\nMoving again, Ray passed the water tower he'd climbed twice,the second time with the police waiting below.He grimaced at his old high school,a place he'd never visited since he'd left it.Behind it was the football field where his brother Forrest had romped over opponents and almost became famous before getting bounced off the team.\nIt was twenty minutes before five, Sunday, May 7. Time for the family meeting.","id":"1842.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Vision assistance is listed on the list of popular worker interests.","Vision assistance is becoming more and more popular among employees\u3002","Vision assistance is considered as one of the employee benefits.","Vision assistance is the top concern of the employees."],"question":"What is the meaning of the last sentence of paragraph one?","article":"When companies consider their benefits mix.coverage for medical care is often top.of-mind.Yet there may be another,even more powerful concern driving employee coverage preferences\uff1avision care.Roughly 75\uff05of adults in the United States require some type of vision correction.and 84 percent of adults believe that vision benefits are somewhat or very important to them.As a result.vision assistance is moving higher and higher on the list of sought.after employee benefits.\nWhat's driving the trend?One factor is the increasing power of eye examinations to detect systemic illness.In addition to identifying nearsightedness\uff0cfarsightedness and astigmatism\uff0croutine eye exanls now play a role in diagnosing conditions such as diabetes\uff0cbrain aneurysms\uff0cliver disease and stroke risk.\nEarly identification\uff0cin turn\uff0ctranslates into markedly lower expenditures for employers.In 2014\uff0ceye problems will cost companies an estimated$8 billion in reduced productivity.Making sure employees get the right eye care helps employers reduce these losses.At the same time\uff0cit boosts their ability to retain loyal workers.\nSo what's the best way to get patients into the exam chair?One way is to provide a vision plan that lowers out-of-pocketexpenses.Indeed\uff0cresearch shows that out-of-pocket expense--not premiums--is the number-one factor employees consider when choosing a-vision plan.\"And that's just smart.\"says independent insurance broker Shannon Enders.\u3000\u3000\"Premiums make up only about 30 percent of total out.of-pocket expenses.So it pays to100k beyond the premium and see the real cost of a plan.\"\nA study conducted by Service Excellence Group Inc.\uff0ca leading market research company,shows how the right vision insurance plan can result in across-the-boardsavings for employees.The study compared the prices customers with different insurance plans paid for the same popular pair of eyeglasses at independent doctors and retail chains.It found that customers with insurance plans that were most successful at keeping out-of-pocket expenses low saved hundreds of dollars.\nWith eyeglasses becoming as much of a fashion accessoryas a vision aid\uff0cforward-thinking companies are beginning to take note.Enders says more of his clients are saying yes to vision care plans.\"Employees care about their eyes\uff0c\"he says.\"And offering benefits packages with the features employees care most about will become an even more important corporate strategy going forward.\"","id":"1420.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Identilying nearsightedness,farsightedness and astigmatism.","Diagnosing systemic illness.","Diagnosing diabetes\uff0cbrain aneurysms\uff0cliver disease and stroke risk.","Identifying eyesight problems and detecting systemic illness."],"question":"What are the functions of eye examinations?","article":"When companies consider their benefits mix.coverage for medical care is often top.of-mind.Yet there may be another,even more powerful concern driving employee coverage preferences\uff1avision care.Roughly 75\uff05of adults in the United States require some type of vision correction.and 84 percent of adults believe that vision benefits are somewhat or very important to them.As a result.vision assistance is moving higher and higher on the list of sought.after employee benefits.\nWhat's driving the trend?One factor is the increasing power of eye examinations to detect systemic illness.In addition to identifying nearsightedness\uff0cfarsightedness and astigmatism\uff0croutine eye exanls now play a role in diagnosing conditions such as diabetes\uff0cbrain aneurysms\uff0cliver disease and stroke risk.\nEarly identification\uff0cin turn\uff0ctranslates into markedly lower expenditures for employers.In 2014\uff0ceye problems will cost companies an estimated$8 billion in reduced productivity.Making sure employees get the right eye care helps employers reduce these losses.At the same time\uff0cit boosts their ability to retain loyal workers.\nSo what's the best way to get patients into the exam chair?One way is to provide a vision plan that lowers out-of-pocketexpenses.Indeed\uff0cresearch shows that out-of-pocket expense--not premiums--is the number-one factor employees consider when choosing a-vision plan.\"And that's just smart.\"says independent insurance broker Shannon Enders.\u3000\u3000\"Premiums make up only about 30 percent of total out.of-pocket expenses.So it pays to100k beyond the premium and see the real cost of a plan.\"\nA study conducted by Service Excellence Group Inc.\uff0ca leading market research company,shows how the right vision insurance plan can result in across-the-boardsavings for employees.The study compared the prices customers with different insurance plans paid for the same popular pair of eyeglasses at independent doctors and retail chains.It found that customers with insurance plans that were most successful at keeping out-of-pocket expenses low saved hundreds of dollars.\nWith eyeglasses becoming as much of a fashion accessoryas a vision aid\uff0cforward-thinking companies are beginning to take note.Enders says more of his clients are saying yes to vision care plans.\"Employees care about their eyes\uff0c\"he says.\"And offering benefits packages with the features employees care most about will become an even more important corporate strategy going forward.\"","id":"1420.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It can reduce the losses caused by eye problems.","It helps the employers keep the employees.","It can lower the expenses of the employers and keep the workers.","It can help increase the employees'income."],"question":"What are the advantages of right vision care plan for the employers?","article":"When companies consider their benefits mix.coverage for medical care is often top.of-mind.Yet there may be another,even more powerful concern driving employee coverage preferences\uff1avision care.Roughly 75\uff05of adults in the United States require some type of vision correction.and 84 percent of adults believe that vision benefits are somewhat or very important to them.As a result.vision assistance is moving higher and higher on the list of sought.after employee benefits.\nWhat's driving the trend?One factor is the increasing power of eye examinations to detect systemic illness.In addition to identifying nearsightedness\uff0cfarsightedness and astigmatism\uff0croutine eye exanls now play a role in diagnosing conditions such as diabetes\uff0cbrain aneurysms\uff0cliver disease and stroke risk.\nEarly identification\uff0cin turn\uff0ctranslates into markedly lower expenditures for employers.In 2014\uff0ceye problems will cost companies an estimated$8 billion in reduced productivity.Making sure employees get the right eye care helps employers reduce these losses.At the same time\uff0cit boosts their ability to retain loyal workers.\nSo what's the best way to get patients into the exam chair?One way is to provide a vision plan that lowers out-of-pocketexpenses.Indeed\uff0cresearch shows that out-of-pocket expense--not premiums--is the number-one factor employees consider when choosing a-vision plan.\"And that's just smart.\"says independent insurance broker Shannon Enders.\u3000\u3000\"Premiums make up only about 30 percent of total out.of-pocket expenses.So it pays to100k beyond the premium and see the real cost of a plan.\"\nA study conducted by Service Excellence Group Inc.\uff0ca leading market research company,shows how the right vision insurance plan can result in across-the-boardsavings for employees.The study compared the prices customers with different insurance plans paid for the same popular pair of eyeglasses at independent doctors and retail chains.It found that customers with insurance plans that were most successful at keeping out-of-pocket expenses low saved hundreds of dollars.\nWith eyeglasses becoming as much of a fashion accessoryas a vision aid\uff0cforward-thinking companies are beginning to take note.Enders says more of his clients are saying yes to vision care plans.\"Employees care about their eyes\uff0c\"he says.\"And offering benefits packages with the features employees care most about will become an even more important corporate strategy going forward.\"","id":"1420.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The most successful vision insurance plan helps employees save the most money.","A vision insurance plan helps employees save hundreds of dollars at a time.","Eyeglasses at independent doctors cost more than in retail chains.","Eyeglasses at independent doctors cost less than in retail chains."],"question":"What does the study of Service Excellence Group Inc.suggest?","article":"When companies consider their benefits mix.coverage for medical care is often top.of-mind.Yet there may be another,even more powerful concern driving employee coverage preferences\uff1avision care.Roughly 75\uff05of adults in the United States require some type of vision correction.and 84 percent of adults believe that vision benefits are somewhat or very important to them.As a result.vision assistance is moving higher and higher on the list of sought.after employee benefits.\nWhat's driving the trend?One factor is the increasing power of eye examinations to detect systemic illness.In addition to identifying nearsightedness\uff0cfarsightedness and astigmatism\uff0croutine eye exanls now play a role in diagnosing conditions such as diabetes\uff0cbrain aneurysms\uff0cliver disease and stroke risk.\nEarly identification\uff0cin turn\uff0ctranslates into markedly lower expenditures for employers.In 2014\uff0ceye problems will cost companies an estimated$8 billion in reduced productivity.Making sure employees get the right eye care helps employers reduce these losses.At the same time\uff0cit boosts their ability to retain loyal workers.\nSo what's the best way to get patients into the exam chair?One way is to provide a vision plan that lowers out-of-pocketexpenses.Indeed\uff0cresearch shows that out-of-pocket expense--not premiums--is the number-one factor employees consider when choosing a-vision plan.\"And that's just smart.\"says independent insurance broker Shannon Enders.\u3000\u3000\"Premiums make up only about 30 percent of total out.of-pocket expenses.So it pays to100k beyond the premium and see the real cost of a plan.\"\nA study conducted by Service Excellence Group Inc.\uff0ca leading market research company,shows how the right vision insurance plan can result in across-the-boardsavings for employees.The study compared the prices customers with different insurance plans paid for the same popular pair of eyeglasses at independent doctors and retail chains.It found that customers with insurance plans that were most successful at keeping out-of-pocket expenses low saved hundreds of dollars.\nWith eyeglasses becoming as much of a fashion accessoryas a vision aid\uff0cforward-thinking companies are beginning to take note.Enders says more of his clients are saying yes to vision care plans.\"Employees care about their eyes\uff0c\"he says.\"And offering benefits packages with the features employees care most about will become an even more important corporate strategy going forward.\"","id":"1420.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It takes a lot of money to look beyond the premium.","Considering the real cost of a plan costs too much.","The company should take employees'most concerned benefits seriously.","The company should vision insurance plan as a strategy."],"question":"What can be learned from Shannon Enders'words?","article":"When companies consider their benefits mix.coverage for medical care is often top.of-mind.Yet there may be another,even more powerful concern driving employee coverage preferences\uff1avision care.Roughly 75\uff05of adults in the United States require some type of vision correction.and 84 percent of adults believe that vision benefits are somewhat or very important to them.As a result.vision assistance is moving higher and higher on the list of sought.after employee benefits.\nWhat's driving the trend?One factor is the increasing power of eye examinations to detect systemic illness.In addition to identifying nearsightedness\uff0cfarsightedness and astigmatism\uff0croutine eye exanls now play a role in diagnosing conditions such as diabetes\uff0cbrain aneurysms\uff0cliver disease and stroke risk.\nEarly identification\uff0cin turn\uff0ctranslates into markedly lower expenditures for employers.In 2014\uff0ceye problems will cost companies an estimated$8 billion in reduced productivity.Making sure employees get the right eye care helps employers reduce these losses.At the same time\uff0cit boosts their ability to retain loyal workers.\nSo what's the best way to get patients into the exam chair?One way is to provide a vision plan that lowers out-of-pocketexpenses.Indeed\uff0cresearch shows that out-of-pocket expense--not premiums--is the number-one factor employees consider when choosing a-vision plan.\"And that's just smart.\"says independent insurance broker Shannon Enders.\u3000\u3000\"Premiums make up only about 30 percent of total out.of-pocket expenses.So it pays to100k beyond the premium and see the real cost of a plan.\"\nA study conducted by Service Excellence Group Inc.\uff0ca leading market research company,shows how the right vision insurance plan can result in across-the-boardsavings for employees.The study compared the prices customers with different insurance plans paid for the same popular pair of eyeglasses at independent doctors and retail chains.It found that customers with insurance plans that were most successful at keeping out-of-pocket expenses low saved hundreds of dollars.\nWith eyeglasses becoming as much of a fashion accessoryas a vision aid\uff0cforward-thinking companies are beginning to take note.Enders says more of his clients are saying yes to vision care plans.\"Employees care about their eyes\uff0c\"he says.\"And offering benefits packages with the features employees care most about will become an even more important corporate strategy going forward.\"","id":"1420.txt","label":2}
{"option":["didn't start till the Shakespearean age.","has brought much benefit to the NHS.","is fully backed by the royal family.","is not well reflected in politics."],"question":"Britain's public sentiment about the countryside","article":"For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country.\nIn Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate \"the countryside\" alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.\nA century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save \"the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.\" It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience\ta refreshing air.\tHill s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.\nAt the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives\tplanning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing\toff-plan\tbuilding where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Consecutive parties.\nThe sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London are alone, with no intrusion on green bet. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.\nThe idea that \"housing crisis\" equals \"concreted meadows\" is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?\nDevelopment should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative-the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.","id":"1982.txt","label":3}
{"option":["gradually destroyed.","effectively reinforced.","largely overshadowed.","properly protected."],"question":"According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now be","article":"For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country.\nIn Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate \"the countryside\" alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.\nA century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save \"the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.\" It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience\ta refreshing air.\tHill s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.\nAt the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives\tplanning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing\toff-plan\tbuilding where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Consecutive parties.\nThe sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London are alone, with no intrusion on green bet. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.\nThe idea that \"housing crisis\" equals \"concreted meadows\" is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?\nDevelopment should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative-the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.","id":"1982.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Labour is under attack for opposing development.","The Conservatives may abandon \"off-plan\" building.","The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.","Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation."],"question":"Which of the following can be inferred from Paragraph 3?","article":"For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country.\nIn Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate \"the countryside\" alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.\nA century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save \"the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.\" It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience\ta refreshing air.\tHill s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.\nAt the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives\tplanning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing\toff-plan\tbuilding where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Consecutive parties.\nThe sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London are alone, with no intrusion on green bet. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.\nThe idea that \"housing crisis\" equals \"concreted meadows\" is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?\nDevelopment should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative-the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.","id":"1982.txt","label":2}
{"option":["highlights his firm stand against lobby pressure.","shows his disregard for the character of rural areas.","stresses the necessity f easing the housing crisis.","reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas."],"question":"The author holds that George Osborne's preference","article":"For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country.\nIn Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate \"the countryside\" alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.\nA century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save \"the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.\" It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience\ta refreshing air.\tHill s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.\nAt the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives\tplanning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing\toff-plan\tbuilding where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Consecutive parties.\nThe sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London are alone, with no intrusion on green bet. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.\nThe idea that \"housing crisis\" equals \"concreted meadows\" is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?\nDevelopment should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative-the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.","id":"1982.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the size of population in Britain.","the political life in today's Britain.","the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain.","the town-and-country planning in Britain."],"question":"In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of\\","article":"For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country.\nIn Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate \"the countryside\" alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.\nA century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save \"the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.\" It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience\ta refreshing air.\tHill s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.\nAt the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives\tplanning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing\toff-plan\tbuilding where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Consecutive parties.\nThe sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London are alone, with no intrusion on green bet. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.\nThe idea that \"housing crisis\" equals \"concreted meadows\" is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?\nDevelopment should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative-the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.","id":"1982.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the background information of journal editing.","the publication routine of laboratory reports.","the relations of authors with journal publishers.","the traditional process of journal publication."],"question":"In the first paragraph, the author discusses","article":"It used to be so straightforward. A team of researchers working together in the laboratory would submit the results of their research to a journal. A journal editor would then remove the authors' names and affiliations from the paper and send it to their peers for review. Depending on the comments received, the editor would accept the paper for publication or decline it. Copyright rested with the journal publisher, and researchers seeking knowledge of the results would have to subscribe to the journal.\nNo longer. The Internet - and pressure from funding agencies, who are questioning why commercial publishers are making money from government-funded research by restricting access to it - is making access to scientific results a reality. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has just issued a report describing the far-reaching consequences of this. The report, by John Houghton of Victoria University in Australia and Graham Vickery of the OECD, makes heavy reading for publishers who have, so far, made handsome profits. But it goes further than that. It signals a change in what has, until now, been a key element of scientific endeavor.\nThe value of knowledge and the return on the public investment in research depends, in part, upon wide distribution and ready access. It is big business. In America, the core scientific publishing market is estimated at between $7 billion and $11 billion. The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers says that there are more than 2,000 publishers worldwide specializing in these subjects. They publish more than 1.2 million articles each year in some 16,000 journals.\nThis is now changing. According to the OECD report, some 75% of scholarly journals are now online. Entirely new business models are emerging; three main ones were identified by the report's authors. There is the so-called big deal, where institutional subscribers pay for access to a collection of online journal titles through site-licensing agreements. There is open-access publishing, typically supported by asking the author (or his employer) to pay for the paper to be published. Finally, there are open-access archives, where organizations such as universities or international laboratories support institutional repositories. Other models exist that are hybrids of these three, such as delayed open-access, where journals allow only subscribers to read a paper for the first six months, before making it freely available to everyone who wishes to see it. All this could change the traditional form of the peer-review process, at least for the publication of papers.","id":"2607.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It criticizes government-funded research.","It introduces an effective means of publication.","It upsets profit-making journal publishers.","It benefits scientific research considerably."],"question":"Which of the following is true of the OECD report?","article":"It used to be so straightforward. A team of researchers working together in the laboratory would submit the results of their research to a journal. A journal editor would then remove the authors' names and affiliations from the paper and send it to their peers for review. Depending on the comments received, the editor would accept the paper for publication or decline it. Copyright rested with the journal publisher, and researchers seeking knowledge of the results would have to subscribe to the journal.\nNo longer. The Internet - and pressure from funding agencies, who are questioning why commercial publishers are making money from government-funded research by restricting access to it - is making access to scientific results a reality. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has just issued a report describing the far-reaching consequences of this. The report, by John Houghton of Victoria University in Australia and Graham Vickery of the OECD, makes heavy reading for publishers who have, so far, made handsome profits. But it goes further than that. It signals a change in what has, until now, been a key element of scientific endeavor.\nThe value of knowledge and the return on the public investment in research depends, in part, upon wide distribution and ready access. It is big business. In America, the core scientific publishing market is estimated at between $7 billion and $11 billion. The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers says that there are more than 2,000 publishers worldwide specializing in these subjects. They publish more than 1.2 million articles each year in some 16,000 journals.\nThis is now changing. According to the OECD report, some 75% of scholarly journals are now online. Entirely new business models are emerging; three main ones were identified by the report's authors. There is the so-called big deal, where institutional subscribers pay for access to a collection of online journal titles through site-licensing agreements. There is open-access publishing, typically supported by asking the author (or his employer) to pay for the paper to be published. Finally, there are open-access archives, where organizations such as universities or international laboratories support institutional repositories. Other models exist that are hybrids of these three, such as delayed open-access, where journals allow only subscribers to read a paper for the first six months, before making it freely available to everyone who wishes to see it. All this could change the traditional form of the peer-review process, at least for the publication of papers.","id":"2607.txt","label":2}
{"option":["it provides an easier access to scientific results.","it brings huge profits to scientific researchers.","it emphasizes the crucial role of scientific knowledge.","it facilitates public investment in scientific research."],"question":"According to the text, online publication is significant in that","article":"It used to be so straightforward. A team of researchers working together in the laboratory would submit the results of their research to a journal. A journal editor would then remove the authors' names and affiliations from the paper and send it to their peers for review. Depending on the comments received, the editor would accept the paper for publication or decline it. Copyright rested with the journal publisher, and researchers seeking knowledge of the results would have to subscribe to the journal.\nNo longer. The Internet - and pressure from funding agencies, who are questioning why commercial publishers are making money from government-funded research by restricting access to it - is making access to scientific results a reality. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has just issued a report describing the far-reaching consequences of this. The report, by John Houghton of Victoria University in Australia and Graham Vickery of the OECD, makes heavy reading for publishers who have, so far, made handsome profits. But it goes further than that. It signals a change in what has, until now, been a key element of scientific endeavor.\nThe value of knowledge and the return on the public investment in research depends, in part, upon wide distribution and ready access. It is big business. In America, the core scientific publishing market is estimated at between $7 billion and $11 billion. The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers says that there are more than 2,000 publishers worldwide specializing in these subjects. They publish more than 1.2 million articles each year in some 16,000 journals.\nThis is now changing. According to the OECD report, some 75% of scholarly journals are now online. Entirely new business models are emerging; three main ones were identified by the report's authors. There is the so-called big deal, where institutional subscribers pay for access to a collection of online journal titles through site-licensing agreements. There is open-access publishing, typically supported by asking the author (or his employer) to pay for the paper to be published. Finally, there are open-access archives, where organizations such as universities or international laboratories support institutional repositories. Other models exist that are hybrids of these three, such as delayed open-access, where journals allow only subscribers to read a paper for the first six months, before making it freely available to everyone who wishes to see it. All this could change the traditional form of the peer-review process, at least for the publication of papers.","id":"2607.txt","label":0}
{"option":["cover the cost of its publication.","subscribe to the journal publishing it.","allow other online journals to use it freely.","complete the peer-review before submission."],"question":"With the open-access publishing model, the author of a paper is required to","article":"It used to be so straightforward. A team of researchers working together in the laboratory would submit the results of their research to a journal. A journal editor would then remove the authors' names and affiliations from the paper and send it to their peers for review. Depending on the comments received, the editor would accept the paper for publication or decline it. Copyright rested with the journal publisher, and researchers seeking knowledge of the results would have to subscribe to the journal.\nNo longer. The Internet - and pressure from funding agencies, who are questioning why commercial publishers are making money from government-funded research by restricting access to it - is making access to scientific results a reality. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has just issued a report describing the far-reaching consequences of this. The report, by John Houghton of Victoria University in Australia and Graham Vickery of the OECD, makes heavy reading for publishers who have, so far, made handsome profits. But it goes further than that. It signals a change in what has, until now, been a key element of scientific endeavor.\nThe value of knowledge and the return on the public investment in research depends, in part, upon wide distribution and ready access. It is big business. In America, the core scientific publishing market is estimated at between $7 billion and $11 billion. The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers says that there are more than 2,000 publishers worldwide specializing in these subjects. They publish more than 1.2 million articles each year in some 16,000 journals.\nThis is now changing. According to the OECD report, some 75% of scholarly journals are now online. Entirely new business models are emerging; three main ones were identified by the report's authors. There is the so-called big deal, where institutional subscribers pay for access to a collection of online journal titles through site-licensing agreements. There is open-access publishing, typically supported by asking the author (or his employer) to pay for the paper to be published. Finally, there are open-access archives, where organizations such as universities or international laboratories support institutional repositories. Other models exist that are hybrids of these three, such as delayed open-access, where journals allow only subscribers to read a paper for the first six months, before making it freely available to everyone who wishes to see it. All this could change the traditional form of the peer-review process, at least for the publication of papers.","id":"2607.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The Internet is posing a threat to publishers.","A new mode of publication is emerging.","Authors welcome the new channel for publication.","Publication is rendered easier by online service."],"question":"Which of the following best summarizes the text?","article":"It used to be so straightforward. A team of researchers working together in the laboratory would submit the results of their research to a journal. A journal editor would then remove the authors' names and affiliations from the paper and send it to their peers for review. Depending on the comments received, the editor would accept the paper for publication or decline it. Copyright rested with the journal publisher, and researchers seeking knowledge of the results would have to subscribe to the journal.\nNo longer. The Internet - and pressure from funding agencies, who are questioning why commercial publishers are making money from government-funded research by restricting access to it - is making access to scientific results a reality. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has just issued a report describing the far-reaching consequences of this. The report, by John Houghton of Victoria University in Australia and Graham Vickery of the OECD, makes heavy reading for publishers who have, so far, made handsome profits. But it goes further than that. It signals a change in what has, until now, been a key element of scientific endeavor.\nThe value of knowledge and the return on the public investment in research depends, in part, upon wide distribution and ready access. It is big business. In America, the core scientific publishing market is estimated at between $7 billion and $11 billion. The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers says that there are more than 2,000 publishers worldwide specializing in these subjects. They publish more than 1.2 million articles each year in some 16,000 journals.\nThis is now changing. According to the OECD report, some 75% of scholarly journals are now online. Entirely new business models are emerging; three main ones were identified by the report's authors. There is the so-called big deal, where institutional subscribers pay for access to a collection of online journal titles through site-licensing agreements. There is open-access publishing, typically supported by asking the author (or his employer) to pay for the paper to be published. Finally, there are open-access archives, where organizations such as universities or international laboratories support institutional repositories. Other models exist that are hybrids of these three, such as delayed open-access, where journals allow only subscribers to read a paper for the first six months, before making it freely available to everyone who wishes to see it. All this could change the traditional form of the peer-review process, at least for the publication of papers.","id":"2607.txt","label":1}
{"option":["forming sugars","sustaining woody stems","keeping green","producing carbon dioxide"],"question":"A growing plant needs water for all of the following except\t.","article":"Most growing plants contain much more water than all other materials combined. C. R. Barnes has suggested that it is as proper to term the plant a water structure as to call a house composed mainly of brick a brick building. Certain it is that all essential processes of plant growth and development occur in water. The mineral elements from the soil that are usable by the plant must be dissolved in the soil solution before they can be taken into the root. They are carried to all parts of the growing plant and are built into essential plant materials while in a dissolved state. The carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air may enter the leaf as a gas but is dissolved in water in the leaf before it is combined with a part of the water to form simple sugars -- the base material from which the plant body is mainly built. Actively growing plant parts are generally 75 to 90 percent water. Structural parts of plants, such as woody stems no longer actively growing, may have much less water than growing tissues.\nThe actual amount of water in the plant at any one time, however, is only a very small part of what passes through it during its development. The processes of photosynthesis, by which carbon dioxide and water are combined -- in the presence of chlorophyll  and with energy derived from light -- to form sugars, require that carbon dioxide from the air enter the plant. This occurs mainly in the leaves. The leaf surface is not solid but contains great numbers of minute openings, through which the carbon dioxide enters. The same structure that permits the one gas to enter the leaf, however, permits another gas -- water vapor -- to be lost from it.\nSince carbon dioxide is present in the air only in trace quantities (3 to 4 parts in 10,000 parts of air) and water vapor is near saturation in the air spaces within the leaf (at 80\u2109, saturated air would contain about 186 parts of water vapor in 10,000 parts of air), the total amount of water vapor lost is many times the carbon dioxide intake. Actually, because of wind and other factors, the loss of water in proportion to carbon dioxide intake may be even greater than the relative concentrations of the two gases. Also, not all of the carbon dioxide that enters the leaf is synthesized into carbohydrates .","id":"3724.txt","label":3}
{"option":["to form sugars","to derive energy from light","to preserve water","to combine carbon dioxide with water"],"question":"The essential function of photosynthesis in terms of plant needs is\t.","article":"Most growing plants contain much more water than all other materials combined. C. R. Barnes has suggested that it is as proper to term the plant a water structure as to call a house composed mainly of brick a brick building. Certain it is that all essential processes of plant growth and development occur in water. The mineral elements from the soil that are usable by the plant must be dissolved in the soil solution before they can be taken into the root. They are carried to all parts of the growing plant and are built into essential plant materials while in a dissolved state. The carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air may enter the leaf as a gas but is dissolved in water in the leaf before it is combined with a part of the water to form simple sugars -- the base material from which the plant body is mainly built. Actively growing plant parts are generally 75 to 90 percent water. Structural parts of plants, such as woody stems no longer actively growing, may have much less water than growing tissues.\nThe actual amount of water in the plant at any one time, however, is only a very small part of what passes through it during its development. The processes of photosynthesis, by which carbon dioxide and water are combined -- in the presence of chlorophyll  and with energy derived from light -- to form sugars, require that carbon dioxide from the air enter the plant. This occurs mainly in the leaves. The leaf surface is not solid but contains great numbers of minute openings, through which the carbon dioxide enters. The same structure that permits the one gas to enter the leaf, however, permits another gas -- water vapor -- to be lost from it.\nSince carbon dioxide is present in the air only in trace quantities (3 to 4 parts in 10,000 parts of air) and water vapor is near saturation in the air spaces within the leaf (at 80\u2109, saturated air would contain about 186 parts of water vapor in 10,000 parts of air), the total amount of water vapor lost is many times the carbon dioxide intake. Actually, because of wind and other factors, the loss of water in proportion to carbon dioxide intake may be even greater than the relative concentrations of the two gases. Also, not all of the carbon dioxide that enters the leaf is synthesized into carbohydrates .","id":"3724.txt","label":0}
{"option":["a plant efficiently utilizes most of the water it absorbs","carbon dioxide is the essential substance needed for plant development","a plant needs more water than is found in its composition","the stronger the wind, the more the water vapor loss"],"question":"The second paragraph uses facts to develop the essential idea that \t.","article":"Most growing plants contain much more water than all other materials combined. C. R. Barnes has suggested that it is as proper to term the plant a water structure as to call a house composed mainly of brick a brick building. Certain it is that all essential processes of plant growth and development occur in water. The mineral elements from the soil that are usable by the plant must be dissolved in the soil solution before they can be taken into the root. They are carried to all parts of the growing plant and are built into essential plant materials while in a dissolved state. The carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air may enter the leaf as a gas but is dissolved in water in the leaf before it is combined with a part of the water to form simple sugars -- the base material from which the plant body is mainly built. Actively growing plant parts are generally 75 to 90 percent water. Structural parts of plants, such as woody stems no longer actively growing, may have much less water than growing tissues.\nThe actual amount of water in the plant at any one time, however, is only a very small part of what passes through it during its development. The processes of photosynthesis, by which carbon dioxide and water are combined -- in the presence of chlorophyll  and with energy derived from light -- to form sugars, require that carbon dioxide from the air enter the plant. This occurs mainly in the leaves. The leaf surface is not solid but contains great numbers of minute openings, through which the carbon dioxide enters. The same structure that permits the one gas to enter the leaf, however, permits another gas -- water vapor -- to be lost from it.\nSince carbon dioxide is present in the air only in trace quantities (3 to 4 parts in 10,000 parts of air) and water vapor is near saturation in the air spaces within the leaf (at 80\u2109, saturated air would contain about 186 parts of water vapor in 10,000 parts of air), the total amount of water vapor lost is many times the carbon dioxide intake. Actually, because of wind and other factors, the loss of water in proportion to carbon dioxide intake may be even greater than the relative concentrations of the two gases. Also, not all of the carbon dioxide that enters the leaf is synthesized into carbohydrates .","id":"3724.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The mineral elements will not be absorbed by the plant unless they are dissolved in its root.","The woody stems contain more water than the leaves.","Air existing around the leaf is found to be saturated.","Only part of the carbon dioxide in the plants is synthesized."],"question":"According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?","article":"Most growing plants contain much more water than all other materials combined. C. R. Barnes has suggested that it is as proper to term the plant a water structure as to call a house composed mainly of brick a brick building. Certain it is that all essential processes of plant growth and development occur in water. The mineral elements from the soil that are usable by the plant must be dissolved in the soil solution before they can be taken into the root. They are carried to all parts of the growing plant and are built into essential plant materials while in a dissolved state. The carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air may enter the leaf as a gas but is dissolved in water in the leaf before it is combined with a part of the water to form simple sugars -- the base material from which the plant body is mainly built. Actively growing plant parts are generally 75 to 90 percent water. Structural parts of plants, such as woody stems no longer actively growing, may have much less water than growing tissues.\nThe actual amount of water in the plant at any one time, however, is only a very small part of what passes through it during its development. The processes of photosynthesis, by which carbon dioxide and water are combined -- in the presence of chlorophyll  and with energy derived from light -- to form sugars, require that carbon dioxide from the air enter the plant. This occurs mainly in the leaves. The leaf surface is not solid but contains great numbers of minute openings, through which the carbon dioxide enters. The same structure that permits the one gas to enter the leaf, however, permits another gas -- water vapor -- to be lost from it.\nSince carbon dioxide is present in the air only in trace quantities (3 to 4 parts in 10,000 parts of air) and water vapor is near saturation in the air spaces within the leaf (at 80\u2109, saturated air would contain about 186 parts of water vapor in 10,000 parts of air), the total amount of water vapor lost is many times the carbon dioxide intake. Actually, because of wind and other factors, the loss of water in proportion to carbon dioxide intake may be even greater than the relative concentrations of the two gases. Also, not all of the carbon dioxide that enters the leaf is synthesized into carbohydrates .","id":"3724.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the functions of carbon dioxide and water","the role of water in a growing plant","the process of simple sugar formation","the synthesis of water with carbon dioxide"],"question":"This passage is mainly about \t.","article":"Most growing plants contain much more water than all other materials combined. C. R. Barnes has suggested that it is as proper to term the plant a water structure as to call a house composed mainly of brick a brick building. Certain it is that all essential processes of plant growth and development occur in water. The mineral elements from the soil that are usable by the plant must be dissolved in the soil solution before they can be taken into the root. They are carried to all parts of the growing plant and are built into essential plant materials while in a dissolved state. The carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air may enter the leaf as a gas but is dissolved in water in the leaf before it is combined with a part of the water to form simple sugars -- the base material from which the plant body is mainly built. Actively growing plant parts are generally 75 to 90 percent water. Structural parts of plants, such as woody stems no longer actively growing, may have much less water than growing tissues.\nThe actual amount of water in the plant at any one time, however, is only a very small part of what passes through it during its development. The processes of photosynthesis, by which carbon dioxide and water are combined -- in the presence of chlorophyll  and with energy derived from light -- to form sugars, require that carbon dioxide from the air enter the plant. This occurs mainly in the leaves. The leaf surface is not solid but contains great numbers of minute openings, through which the carbon dioxide enters. The same structure that permits the one gas to enter the leaf, however, permits another gas -- water vapor -- to be lost from it.\nSince carbon dioxide is present in the air only in trace quantities (3 to 4 parts in 10,000 parts of air) and water vapor is near saturation in the air spaces within the leaf (at 80\u2109, saturated air would contain about 186 parts of water vapor in 10,000 parts of air), the total amount of water vapor lost is many times the carbon dioxide intake. Actually, because of wind and other factors, the loss of water in proportion to carbon dioxide intake may be even greater than the relative concentrations of the two gases. Also, not all of the carbon dioxide that enters the leaf is synthesized into carbohydrates .","id":"3724.txt","label":1}
{"option":["both writers and cooks have to work a long time every day","both are essential to life","both are writers and cooks can earn a good living","both are enjoyable"],"question":"In this passage, good writing is compared to fine food in that _ .","article":"Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, like good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the opposite, just as the cook has to undergo a particular training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at hisdesk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose is-schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication.\nYou may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.\nThere are still some faraway places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for money. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service ofthat rare kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.\nWe have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to papers. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put intomails or delivered by hand, but the daily figures must be extremely large. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes whatever he writes will be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some \"letters-to-be-read\" files or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skills of interesting, effective writing.","id":"1662.txt","label":3}
{"option":["a secretary who does your business or social writing","a machine that does writing for you","a public school where writing is taught","a person who ears a living by writing for others"],"question":"A public \"scribe\" (Para 2, Line 1) is _ .","article":"Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, like good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the opposite, just as the cook has to undergo a particular training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at hisdesk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose is-schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication.\nYou may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.\nThere are still some faraway places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for money. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service ofthat rare kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.\nWe have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to papers. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put intomails or delivered by hand, but the daily figures must be extremely large. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes whatever he writes will be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some \"letters-to-be-read\" files or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skills of interesting, effective writing.","id":"1662.txt","label":3}
{"option":["they rely on quick notes","they have excellent secretaries","they have a computer to do it","they prefer making phone calls"],"question":"According to the passage, some managers don't have to do any letter writing because _ .","article":"Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, like good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the opposite, just as the cook has to undergo a particular training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at hisdesk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose is-schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication.\nYou may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.\nThere are still some faraway places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for money. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service ofthat rare kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.\nWe have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to papers. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put intomails or delivered by hand, but the daily figures must be extremely large. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes whatever he writes will be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some \"letters-to-be-read\" files or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skills of interesting, effective writing.","id":"1662.txt","label":1}
{"option":["it will receive immediate attention","it will be dealt with by the secretary","it is likely to be neglected","it is meant to be delivered soon"],"question":"According to the author, if your letter is thrown into some \"letter-to-be-read\" file, _ .","article":"Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, like good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the opposite, just as the cook has to undergo a particular training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at hisdesk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose is-schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication.\nYou may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.\nThere are still some faraway places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for money. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service ofthat rare kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.\nWe have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to papers. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put intomails or delivered by hand, but the daily figures must be extremely large. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes whatever he writes will be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some \"letters-to-be-read\" files or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skills of interesting, effective writing.","id":"1662.txt","label":2}
{"option":["to explain and persuade","to comment and criticize","to interest and entertain","to argue and demonstrate"],"question":"The purpose of the author in writing this passage is _ .","article":"Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, like good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the opposite, just as the cook has to undergo a particular training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at hisdesk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose is-schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication.\nYou may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.\nThere are still some faraway places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for money. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service ofthat rare kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.\nWe have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to papers. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put intomails or delivered by hand, but the daily figures must be extremely large. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes whatever he writes will be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some \"letters-to-be-read\" files or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skills of interesting, effective writing.","id":"1662.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The Age of Reason","The need for Independent Thinking","The Value of Reason","Stirring People's Minds"],"question":"The best title for this passage is _ .","article":"No one can be a great thinker who does not realize that as a thinker it is her first duty to follow her intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead. Truth gains more even by the errors of one who with due study and preparation, thinks for himself, than by the true opinions of those who only hold them because they do not suffer themselves to think. No that it is solely, of chiefly, to form great thinkers that freedom of thinking is required. One the contrary, it is as much or even more indispensable to enable average human beings to attain the mental stature which they are capable of. There have been and many again be great individual thinkers in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere an intellectually active people. Where any of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended, where there is a tacit convention that principles are not to be disputed: where the discussion of the greatest questions which can occupy humanity is considered to be closed, we cannot hope to find that generally high scale of mental activity which has made some periods of history so remarkable. Never when controversy avoided the subjects which are large and important enough to kindle enthusiasm was the mind of a people stirred up fro9m its foundation and the impulse given which raised even persons of the most ordinary intellect to something of the dignity of thinking beings.\nShe who knows only her own side of the case knows little of that. Her reasons may be food, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if she s equally unable to refute the reasons of the opposite side; if she does not so much as know what they are, she has no ground for preferring either opinion. The rational position for her would be suspension of judgment, and unless she contents herself with that, she is either led by authority, or adopts, like the generality of the world the side to which she feels the most inclination. Nor is it enough that she should heat the arguments of adversaries from her own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations, That is not the way to do justice to the arguments, or bring them into real contact with her own mind. She must be able to hear them form persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. She must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form; she must feel the whole force of the difficulty which the true view of the subject has to encounter and dispose of; else she will never really possess herself of the portion of truth which meets and removes that difficulty. Ninety-nine in a hundred of what are called educated persons are in this condition; even of those who can argue fluently for their opinions. Their conclusion may be true, but it might be false for anything they know; they have never thrown themselves into the mental position of those who think differently form them and considered what such persons may have to say; and consequently they do not, in any proper sense of the word, know the doctrines which they themselves profess.","id":"266.txt","label":1}
{"option":["have opinions which cannot be refuted.","adopt the point of view to which one feels the most inclination.","be acquainted with the arguments favoring the point of view with which one disagrees,","suspend heterodox speculation in favor of doctrinaire approaches."],"question":"According to the author, it is always advisable to _ .","article":"No one can be a great thinker who does not realize that as a thinker it is her first duty to follow her intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead. Truth gains more even by the errors of one who with due study and preparation, thinks for himself, than by the true opinions of those who only hold them because they do not suffer themselves to think. No that it is solely, of chiefly, to form great thinkers that freedom of thinking is required. One the contrary, it is as much or even more indispensable to enable average human beings to attain the mental stature which they are capable of. There have been and many again be great individual thinkers in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere an intellectually active people. Where any of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended, where there is a tacit convention that principles are not to be disputed: where the discussion of the greatest questions which can occupy humanity is considered to be closed, we cannot hope to find that generally high scale of mental activity which has made some periods of history so remarkable. Never when controversy avoided the subjects which are large and important enough to kindle enthusiasm was the mind of a people stirred up fro9m its foundation and the impulse given which raised even persons of the most ordinary intellect to something of the dignity of thinking beings.\nShe who knows only her own side of the case knows little of that. Her reasons may be food, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if she s equally unable to refute the reasons of the opposite side; if she does not so much as know what they are, she has no ground for preferring either opinion. The rational position for her would be suspension of judgment, and unless she contents herself with that, she is either led by authority, or adopts, like the generality of the world the side to which she feels the most inclination. Nor is it enough that she should heat the arguments of adversaries from her own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations, That is not the way to do justice to the arguments, or bring them into real contact with her own mind. She must be able to hear them form persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. She must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form; she must feel the whole force of the difficulty which the true view of the subject has to encounter and dispose of; else she will never really possess herself of the portion of truth which meets and removes that difficulty. Ninety-nine in a hundred of what are called educated persons are in this condition; even of those who can argue fluently for their opinions. Their conclusion may be true, but it might be false for anything they know; they have never thrown themselves into the mental position of those who think differently form them and considered what such persons may have to say; and consequently they do not, in any proper sense of the word, know the doctrines which they themselves profess.","id":"266.txt","label":2}
{"option":["acceptance of truth","controversy over principles","inordinate enthusiasm","a dread of heterodox speculation"],"question":"According to the author, in a great period such as the Renaissance we may expect to find _ .","article":"No one can be a great thinker who does not realize that as a thinker it is her first duty to follow her intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead. Truth gains more even by the errors of one who with due study and preparation, thinks for himself, than by the true opinions of those who only hold them because they do not suffer themselves to think. No that it is solely, of chiefly, to form great thinkers that freedom of thinking is required. One the contrary, it is as much or even more indispensable to enable average human beings to attain the mental stature which they are capable of. There have been and many again be great individual thinkers in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere an intellectually active people. Where any of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended, where there is a tacit convention that principles are not to be disputed: where the discussion of the greatest questions which can occupy humanity is considered to be closed, we cannot hope to find that generally high scale of mental activity which has made some periods of history so remarkable. Never when controversy avoided the subjects which are large and important enough to kindle enthusiasm was the mind of a people stirred up fro9m its foundation and the impulse given which raised even persons of the most ordinary intellect to something of the dignity of thinking beings.\nShe who knows only her own side of the case knows little of that. Her reasons may be food, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if she s equally unable to refute the reasons of the opposite side; if she does not so much as know what they are, she has no ground for preferring either opinion. The rational position for her would be suspension of judgment, and unless she contents herself with that, she is either led by authority, or adopts, like the generality of the world the side to which she feels the most inclination. Nor is it enough that she should heat the arguments of adversaries from her own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations, That is not the way to do justice to the arguments, or bring them into real contact with her own mind. She must be able to hear them form persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. She must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form; she must feel the whole force of the difficulty which the true view of the subject has to encounter and dispose of; else she will never really possess herself of the portion of truth which meets and removes that difficulty. Ninety-nine in a hundred of what are called educated persons are in this condition; even of those who can argue fluently for their opinions. Their conclusion may be true, but it might be false for anything they know; they have never thrown themselves into the mental position of those who think differently form them and considered what such persons may have to say; and consequently they do not, in any proper sense of the word, know the doctrines which they themselves profess.","id":"266.txt","label":1}
{"option":["enslaved by tradition","less than fully rational","determinded on controversy","having a closed mind"],"question":"According to the author, the person who holds orthodox beliefs without examination may be described in all of the following ways EXCEPT as _ .","article":"No one can be a great thinker who does not realize that as a thinker it is her first duty to follow her intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead. Truth gains more even by the errors of one who with due study and preparation, thinks for himself, than by the true opinions of those who only hold them because they do not suffer themselves to think. No that it is solely, of chiefly, to form great thinkers that freedom of thinking is required. One the contrary, it is as much or even more indispensable to enable average human beings to attain the mental stature which they are capable of. There have been and many again be great individual thinkers in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere an intellectually active people. Where any of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended, where there is a tacit convention that principles are not to be disputed: where the discussion of the greatest questions which can occupy humanity is considered to be closed, we cannot hope to find that generally high scale of mental activity which has made some periods of history so remarkable. Never when controversy avoided the subjects which are large and important enough to kindle enthusiasm was the mind of a people stirred up fro9m its foundation and the impulse given which raised even persons of the most ordinary intellect to something of the dignity of thinking beings.\nShe who knows only her own side of the case knows little of that. Her reasons may be food, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if she s equally unable to refute the reasons of the opposite side; if she does not so much as know what they are, she has no ground for preferring either opinion. The rational position for her would be suspension of judgment, and unless she contents herself with that, she is either led by authority, or adopts, like the generality of the world the side to which she feels the most inclination. Nor is it enough that she should heat the arguments of adversaries from her own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations, That is not the way to do justice to the arguments, or bring them into real contact with her own mind. She must be able to hear them form persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. She must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form; she must feel the whole force of the difficulty which the true view of the subject has to encounter and dispose of; else she will never really possess herself of the portion of truth which meets and removes that difficulty. Ninety-nine in a hundred of what are called educated persons are in this condition; even of those who can argue fluently for their opinions. Their conclusion may be true, but it might be false for anything they know; they have never thrown themselves into the mental position of those who think differently form them and considered what such persons may have to say; and consequently they do not, in any proper sense of the word, know the doctrines which they themselves profess.","id":"266.txt","label":2}
{"option":["A truly great thinker makes no mistakes.","Periods of intellectual achievement are periods of unorthodox reflection,","The refutation of accepted ideas can best be provided by one's own teachers.","excessive controversy prevents clear thinking,"],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements _ .","article":"No one can be a great thinker who does not realize that as a thinker it is her first duty to follow her intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead. Truth gains more even by the errors of one who with due study and preparation, thinks for himself, than by the true opinions of those who only hold them because they do not suffer themselves to think. No that it is solely, of chiefly, to form great thinkers that freedom of thinking is required. One the contrary, it is as much or even more indispensable to enable average human beings to attain the mental stature which they are capable of. There have been and many again be great individual thinkers in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere an intellectually active people. Where any of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended, where there is a tacit convention that principles are not to be disputed: where the discussion of the greatest questions which can occupy humanity is considered to be closed, we cannot hope to find that generally high scale of mental activity which has made some periods of history so remarkable. Never when controversy avoided the subjects which are large and important enough to kindle enthusiasm was the mind of a people stirred up fro9m its foundation and the impulse given which raised even persons of the most ordinary intellect to something of the dignity of thinking beings.\nShe who knows only her own side of the case knows little of that. Her reasons may be food, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if she s equally unable to refute the reasons of the opposite side; if she does not so much as know what they are, she has no ground for preferring either opinion. The rational position for her would be suspension of judgment, and unless she contents herself with that, she is either led by authority, or adopts, like the generality of the world the side to which she feels the most inclination. Nor is it enough that she should heat the arguments of adversaries from her own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations, That is not the way to do justice to the arguments, or bring them into real contact with her own mind. She must be able to hear them form persons who actually believe them; who defend them in earnest, and do their very utmost for them. She must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form; she must feel the whole force of the difficulty which the true view of the subject has to encounter and dispose of; else she will never really possess herself of the portion of truth which meets and removes that difficulty. Ninety-nine in a hundred of what are called educated persons are in this condition; even of those who can argue fluently for their opinions. Their conclusion may be true, but it might be false for anything they know; they have never thrown themselves into the mental position of those who think differently form them and considered what such persons may have to say; and consequently they do not, in any proper sense of the word, know the doctrines which they themselves profess.","id":"266.txt","label":1}
{"option":["America will become hotter","precipitation patterns will change","seas will become higher","hurricanes will become even fiercer"],"question":"Many experts believe that_","article":"Hot as it is in much of America just now, many atmospheric experts predict that the weather will get worse.Global warming will jack up temperatures and change precipitation patterns, while baskers in beach-front properties will feel the lash of higher seas and possibly even fiercer hurricanes.\nMost scientists agree that the subtropical areas, such as south-western America, will get hotter and drier.The governments 2000 National Assessment (much criticised by conservatives) projected that temperatures in America would rise by up to 5Celsius (9Fahrenheit) by 2100, with a sharp increase in the minimum winter temperature along the north-east coast.Fresh data will come next January, when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports on the regional implications of global warming.Precipitation is harder to predict than temperature, and no one quite knows what will happen to the periodic E1 Nifio phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.But scientists certainly expect more droughts and flooding in America.In sum, Extremes of the hydrologic cycle will become more extreme, according to Jim Hansen, a NASA scientist.That means more severe storms, as well as forest fires brought on by dry conditions.\nAlready such patterns are evident.Massachusetts was drenched in May (and Washington, D.C., got soaked in June).Seattle had 27 straight days of rain this winter.The first half of this year was the hottest ever recorded in America.It is, of course, impossible to attribute any specific event to global warming, but scientists say the weird weather is consistent with what the models predict.\nIf all these weather forecasts come true, where will be the best place to live? Probably not fast- growing south-western cities such as Phoenix or Las Vegas.With few trees and plants to cool things down through evaporation, and with heat pumping out of buildings and cars (what is called the urban heat island effect), these cities may roast.Up in the mountains, skiers too will have a tough time of it, as snowpacks melt.\nFor those who like rain, Canada may do nicely.Most models show Mexico getting drier and Canada wetter in the future, according to Isaac Held, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.By extension, northern parts of the United States will generally get wetter, and southern parts generally drier.The Pacific north-west may not be too bad.Summer temperatures west of the Cascades will rise by up to 1.7C, as against up to 2.2C for areas east of the mountains, predicts Clifford Mass of the University of Washington.Seattle may get cloudier in the spring and early summer.That is a bright spot of sorts, on an otherwise unhappy canvas.[442 words]","id":"1227.txt","label":0}
{"option":["is beyond prediction","is to become more frequent","usually leads to more forest fires","may bring more severe storms"],"question":"According to scientists, the periodic E1 Nifio phenomenon_","article":"Hot as it is in much of America just now, many atmospheric experts predict that the weather will get worse.Global warming will jack up temperatures and change precipitation patterns, while baskers in beach-front properties will feel the lash of higher seas and possibly even fiercer hurricanes.\nMost scientists agree that the subtropical areas, such as south-western America, will get hotter and drier.The governments 2000 National Assessment (much criticised by conservatives) projected that temperatures in America would rise by up to 5Celsius (9Fahrenheit) by 2100, with a sharp increase in the minimum winter temperature along the north-east coast.Fresh data will come next January, when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports on the regional implications of global warming.Precipitation is harder to predict than temperature, and no one quite knows what will happen to the periodic E1 Nifio phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.But scientists certainly expect more droughts and flooding in America.In sum, Extremes of the hydrologic cycle will become more extreme, according to Jim Hansen, a NASA scientist.That means more severe storms, as well as forest fires brought on by dry conditions.\nAlready such patterns are evident.Massachusetts was drenched in May (and Washington, D.C., got soaked in June).Seattle had 27 straight days of rain this winter.The first half of this year was the hottest ever recorded in America.It is, of course, impossible to attribute any specific event to global warming, but scientists say the weird weather is consistent with what the models predict.\nIf all these weather forecasts come true, where will be the best place to live? Probably not fast- growing south-western cities such as Phoenix or Las Vegas.With few trees and plants to cool things down through evaporation, and with heat pumping out of buildings and cars (what is called the urban heat island effect), these cities may roast.Up in the mountains, skiers too will have a tough time of it, as snowpacks melt.\nFor those who like rain, Canada may do nicely.Most models show Mexico getting drier and Canada wetter in the future, according to Isaac Held, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.By extension, northern parts of the United States will generally get wetter, and southern parts generally drier.The Pacific north-west may not be too bad.Summer temperatures west of the Cascades will rise by up to 1.7C, as against up to 2.2C for areas east of the mountains, predicts Clifford Mass of the University of Washington.Seattle may get cloudier in the spring and early summer.That is a bright spot of sorts, on an otherwise unhappy canvas.[442 words]","id":"1227.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The hot climate in the first of this year.","The change of precipitation patterns.","Many consecutive days of rain in Seattle.","The wet weather of Massachusetts in May."],"question":"Which of the following can be attributed to global warming?","article":"Hot as it is in much of America just now, many atmospheric experts predict that the weather will get worse.Global warming will jack up temperatures and change precipitation patterns, while baskers in beach-front properties will feel the lash of higher seas and possibly even fiercer hurricanes.\nMost scientists agree that the subtropical areas, such as south-western America, will get hotter and drier.The governments 2000 National Assessment (much criticised by conservatives) projected that temperatures in America would rise by up to 5Celsius (9Fahrenheit) by 2100, with a sharp increase in the minimum winter temperature along the north-east coast.Fresh data will come next January, when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports on the regional implications of global warming.Precipitation is harder to predict than temperature, and no one quite knows what will happen to the periodic E1 Nifio phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.But scientists certainly expect more droughts and flooding in America.In sum, Extremes of the hydrologic cycle will become more extreme, according to Jim Hansen, a NASA scientist.That means more severe storms, as well as forest fires brought on by dry conditions.\nAlready such patterns are evident.Massachusetts was drenched in May (and Washington, D.C., got soaked in June).Seattle had 27 straight days of rain this winter.The first half of this year was the hottest ever recorded in America.It is, of course, impossible to attribute any specific event to global warming, but scientists say the weird weather is consistent with what the models predict.\nIf all these weather forecasts come true, where will be the best place to live? Probably not fast- growing south-western cities such as Phoenix or Las Vegas.With few trees and plants to cool things down through evaporation, and with heat pumping out of buildings and cars (what is called the urban heat island effect), these cities may roast.Up in the mountains, skiers too will have a tough time of it, as snowpacks melt.\nFor those who like rain, Canada may do nicely.Most models show Mexico getting drier and Canada wetter in the future, according to Isaac Held, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.By extension, northern parts of the United States will generally get wetter, and southern parts generally drier.The Pacific north-west may not be too bad.Summer temperatures west of the Cascades will rise by up to 1.7C, as against up to 2.2C for areas east of the mountains, predicts Clifford Mass of the University of Washington.Seattle may get cloudier in the spring and early summer.That is a bright spot of sorts, on an otherwise unhappy canvas.[442 words]","id":"1227.txt","label":1}
{"option":["extremely high temperatures","the fast-growing economy","not so fast growing economy","the scarcity of trees and plants"],"question":"Both Phoenix and Las Vegas are characterized by_","article":"Hot as it is in much of America just now, many atmospheric experts predict that the weather will get worse.Global warming will jack up temperatures and change precipitation patterns, while baskers in beach-front properties will feel the lash of higher seas and possibly even fiercer hurricanes.\nMost scientists agree that the subtropical areas, such as south-western America, will get hotter and drier.The governments 2000 National Assessment (much criticised by conservatives) projected that temperatures in America would rise by up to 5Celsius (9Fahrenheit) by 2100, with a sharp increase in the minimum winter temperature along the north-east coast.Fresh data will come next January, when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports on the regional implications of global warming.Precipitation is harder to predict than temperature, and no one quite knows what will happen to the periodic E1 Nifio phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.But scientists certainly expect more droughts and flooding in America.In sum, Extremes of the hydrologic cycle will become more extreme, according to Jim Hansen, a NASA scientist.That means more severe storms, as well as forest fires brought on by dry conditions.\nAlready such patterns are evident.Massachusetts was drenched in May (and Washington, D.C., got soaked in June).Seattle had 27 straight days of rain this winter.The first half of this year was the hottest ever recorded in America.It is, of course, impossible to attribute any specific event to global warming, but scientists say the weird weather is consistent with what the models predict.\nIf all these weather forecasts come true, where will be the best place to live? Probably not fast- growing south-western cities such as Phoenix or Las Vegas.With few trees and plants to cool things down through evaporation, and with heat pumping out of buildings and cars (what is called the urban heat island effect), these cities may roast.Up in the mountains, skiers too will have a tough time of it, as snowpacks melt.\nFor those who like rain, Canada may do nicely.Most models show Mexico getting drier and Canada wetter in the future, according to Isaac Held, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.By extension, northern parts of the United States will generally get wetter, and southern parts generally drier.The Pacific north-west may not be too bad.Summer temperatures west of the Cascades will rise by up to 1.7C, as against up to 2.2C for areas east of the mountains, predicts Clifford Mass of the University of Washington.Seattle may get cloudier in the spring and early summer.That is a bright spot of sorts, on an otherwise unhappy canvas.[442 words]","id":"1227.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Canada is the best place to live","the unbearable heat isn't a coincidence","the rise of temperatures is to become faster","northern parts of the U.S.are more suitable to live in"],"question":"It can be inferred from the text that_","article":"Hot as it is in much of America just now, many atmospheric experts predict that the weather will get worse.Global warming will jack up temperatures and change precipitation patterns, while baskers in beach-front properties will feel the lash of higher seas and possibly even fiercer hurricanes.\nMost scientists agree that the subtropical areas, such as south-western America, will get hotter and drier.The governments 2000 National Assessment (much criticised by conservatives) projected that temperatures in America would rise by up to 5Celsius (9Fahrenheit) by 2100, with a sharp increase in the minimum winter temperature along the north-east coast.Fresh data will come next January, when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports on the regional implications of global warming.Precipitation is harder to predict than temperature, and no one quite knows what will happen to the periodic E1 Nifio phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.But scientists certainly expect more droughts and flooding in America.In sum, Extremes of the hydrologic cycle will become more extreme, according to Jim Hansen, a NASA scientist.That means more severe storms, as well as forest fires brought on by dry conditions.\nAlready such patterns are evident.Massachusetts was drenched in May (and Washington, D.C., got soaked in June).Seattle had 27 straight days of rain this winter.The first half of this year was the hottest ever recorded in America.It is, of course, impossible to attribute any specific event to global warming, but scientists say the weird weather is consistent with what the models predict.\nIf all these weather forecasts come true, where will be the best place to live? Probably not fast- growing south-western cities such as Phoenix or Las Vegas.With few trees and plants to cool things down through evaporation, and with heat pumping out of buildings and cars (what is called the urban heat island effect), these cities may roast.Up in the mountains, skiers too will have a tough time of it, as snowpacks melt.\nFor those who like rain, Canada may do nicely.Most models show Mexico getting drier and Canada wetter in the future, according to Isaac Held, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.By extension, northern parts of the United States will generally get wetter, and southern parts generally drier.The Pacific north-west may not be too bad.Summer temperatures west of the Cascades will rise by up to 1.7C, as against up to 2.2C for areas east of the mountains, predicts Clifford Mass of the University of Washington.Seattle may get cloudier in the spring and early summer.That is a bright spot of sorts, on an otherwise unhappy canvas.[442 words]","id":"1227.txt","label":1}
{"option":["gain support from the local community","protect it from irresponsible development","make it a better home for black bears","provide financial security for future generations"],"question":"The purpose in naming the Poconos as one of 's \"Last Great Places\" is to _ .","article":"Two hours from the tall buildings of  and  live some of the world's largest black bears. They are in northern 's , a home they share with an abundance of other wildlife.\nThe streams, lakes, meadows , mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for black bears have also attracted more people to the region. Open spaces are threatened by plans for housing estates and important habitats  are endangered by highway construction. To protect the Poconos natural beauty from irresponsible development, the Nature Conservancy  named the area one of America's \"Last Great Places\".\nOperating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the  of , , the conservancy's bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth with environmental protection. By forging partnerships with people like Francis Altemose, the Conservancy has been able to protect more than 14,000 acres of environmentally important land in the area.\nAltemose's family has farmed in the Pocono area for generations. Two years ago Francis worked with the Conservancy to include his farm in a county farmland protection program. As a result, his family's land can be protected from development and the Altemoses will be better able to provide a secure financial future for their 7-year-old grandson.\nCook attributes the Conservancy's success in the Poconos to having a local presence and a commitment to working with local residents\n\"The key to protecting these remarkable lands is connecting with the local community,\" Cook said. \"The people who live there respect the land. They value quiet forests, clear streams and abundant wildlife. They are eager to help with conservation effort.\nFor more information on how you can help the Nature Conservancy protect the Poconos and the world's other \"Last Great Places,\" please call 1-888-564 6864 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.tnc.org.","id":"782.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the population in the Pocono area is growing","wildlife in the Pocono area is dying out rapidly","the security of the Pocono residents is being threatened","farmlands in the Pocono area are shrinking fast"],"question":"We learn from the passage that _ .","article":"Two hours from the tall buildings of  and  live some of the world's largest black bears. They are in northern 's , a home they share with an abundance of other wildlife.\nThe streams, lakes, meadows , mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for black bears have also attracted more people to the region. Open spaces are threatened by plans for housing estates and important habitats  are endangered by highway construction. To protect the Poconos natural beauty from irresponsible development, the Nature Conservancy  named the area one of America's \"Last Great Places\".\nOperating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the  of , , the conservancy's bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth with environmental protection. By forging partnerships with people like Francis Altemose, the Conservancy has been able to protect more than 14,000 acres of environmentally important land in the area.\nAltemose's family has farmed in the Pocono area for generations. Two years ago Francis worked with the Conservancy to include his farm in a county farmland protection program. As a result, his family's land can be protected from development and the Altemoses will be better able to provide a secure financial future for their 7-year-old grandson.\nCook attributes the Conservancy's success in the Poconos to having a local presence and a commitment to working with local residents\n\"The key to protecting these remarkable lands is connecting with the local community,\" Cook said. \"The people who live there respect the land. They value quiet forests, clear streams and abundant wildlife. They are eager to help with conservation effort.\nFor more information on how you can help the Nature Conservancy protect the Poconos and the world's other \"Last Great Places,\" please call 1-888-564 6864 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.tnc.org.","id":"782.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The setting up of an environmental protection website","Support from organizations like The Nature Conservancy","Cooperation with the local residents and business leaders","Inclusion of farmlands in the region's protection program"],"question":"What is important in protecting the Poconos according to Cook?","article":"Two hours from the tall buildings of  and  live some of the world's largest black bears. They are in northern 's , a home they share with an abundance of other wildlife.\nThe streams, lakes, meadows , mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for black bears have also attracted more people to the region. Open spaces are threatened by plans for housing estates and important habitats  are endangered by highway construction. To protect the Poconos natural beauty from irresponsible development, the Nature Conservancy  named the area one of America's \"Last Great Places\".\nOperating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the  of , , the conservancy's bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth with environmental protection. By forging partnerships with people like Francis Altemose, the Conservancy has been able to protect more than 14,000 acres of environmentally important land in the area.\nAltemose's family has farmed in the Pocono area for generations. Two years ago Francis worked with the Conservancy to include his farm in a county farmland protection program. As a result, his family's land can be protected from development and the Altemoses will be better able to provide a secure financial future for their 7-year-old grandson.\nCook attributes the Conservancy's success in the Poconos to having a local presence and a commitment to working with local residents\n\"The key to protecting these remarkable lands is connecting with the local community,\" Cook said. \"The people who live there respect the land. They value quiet forests, clear streams and abundant wildlife. They are eager to help with conservation effort.\nFor more information on how you can help the Nature Conservancy protect the Poconos and the world's other \"Last Great Places,\" please call 1-888-564 6864 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.tnc.org.","id":"782.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Financial contributions from local business leaders","Consideration of the interests of the local residents","The establishment of a wildlife protection foundation in the area","The setting up of a local Nature Conservancy branch in the Pocono area"],"question":"What does Bud Cook mean by \"having a local presence\" (Line 1, Para. 5)?","article":"Two hours from the tall buildings of  and  live some of the world's largest black bears. They are in northern 's , a home they share with an abundance of other wildlife.\nThe streams, lakes, meadows , mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for black bears have also attracted more people to the region. Open spaces are threatened by plans for housing estates and important habitats  are endangered by highway construction. To protect the Poconos natural beauty from irresponsible development, the Nature Conservancy  named the area one of America's \"Last Great Places\".\nOperating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the  of , , the conservancy's bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth with environmental protection. By forging partnerships with people like Francis Altemose, the Conservancy has been able to protect more than 14,000 acres of environmentally important land in the area.\nAltemose's family has farmed in the Pocono area for generations. Two years ago Francis worked with the Conservancy to include his farm in a county farmland protection program. As a result, his family's land can be protected from development and the Altemoses will be better able to provide a secure financial future for their 7-year-old grandson.\nCook attributes the Conservancy's success in the Poconos to having a local presence and a commitment to working with local residents\n\"The key to protecting these remarkable lands is connecting with the local community,\" Cook said. \"The people who live there respect the land. They value quiet forests, clear streams and abundant wildlife. They are eager to help with conservation effort.\nFor more information on how you can help the Nature Conservancy protect the Poconos and the world's other \"Last Great Places,\" please call 1-888-564 6864 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.tnc.org.","id":"782.txt","label":3}
{"option":["an official document","a news story","an advertisement","a research report"],"question":"The passage most probably is _ .","article":"Two hours from the tall buildings of  and  live some of the world's largest black bears. They are in northern 's , a home they share with an abundance of other wildlife.\nThe streams, lakes, meadows , mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for black bears have also attracted more people to the region. Open spaces are threatened by plans for housing estates and important habitats  are endangered by highway construction. To protect the Poconos natural beauty from irresponsible development, the Nature Conservancy  named the area one of America's \"Last Great Places\".\nOperating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the  of , , the conservancy's bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth with environmental protection. By forging partnerships with people like Francis Altemose, the Conservancy has been able to protect more than 14,000 acres of environmentally important land in the area.\nAltemose's family has farmed in the Pocono area for generations. Two years ago Francis worked with the Conservancy to include his farm in a county farmland protection program. As a result, his family's land can be protected from development and the Altemoses will be better able to provide a secure financial future for their 7-year-old grandson.\nCook attributes the Conservancy's success in the Poconos to having a local presence and a commitment to working with local residents\n\"The key to protecting these remarkable lands is connecting with the local community,\" Cook said. \"The people who live there respect the land. They value quiet forests, clear streams and abundant wildlife. They are eager to help with conservation effort.\nFor more information on how you can help the Nature Conservancy protect the Poconos and the world's other \"Last Great Places,\" please call 1-888-564 6864 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.tnc.org.","id":"782.txt","label":3}
{"option":["but it made the author's heart sink deeper","but the words produced no effect","so that the author could drive to the center with no fears","so that they could prepare for all he flaps"],"question":"On their way to the test center\uff0cStan tried to comfort the author _ .","article":"I was due to take my driving test at 11\uff1a30 am.It was a rainy morning with low clouds and as I approached the driving school at 9\uff1a50 am\uff0cmy heart sank.My driving instructor. Stan\uff0csaid something\uff0ctrying to drive away my fears\uff0cbut I was not impressed\nWe set off for the test centre with an hour to go I wanted a run round the test circuit \uff0cbut we got stuck in a traffic jam\uff0cand could only drive no faster than walking.\nWe arrived at the test centre at 11 am.Stan made me watch a group of six learners emerging from the building with their respectiveexaminers.Their instructors were looking out from two windows.We watched them drive off They must have been feeling very nervous\nStan took me round the probable test track\uff0cpointing out the traps.The weather became even worse It seemed to make me feel worse too.I had developed a couldn't-care-less mood\uff0cand was almost calm We returned to the test centre in time to see the six unfortunates returning.Their nerves must have been in a terrible state.\nI sat in the waiting room until six examiners came in to call out our respective names. Mine showed no emotion as he asked me to go to my car I showed none either\uff0cbut the tension began mounting again.","id":"2420.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Six learners would be tested at the same time.","The learners were tested in the presence of their instructors","None of the six learners passed the test in the end.","The instructors were as nervous as the learners"],"question":"Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?","article":"I was due to take my driving test at 11\uff1a30 am.It was a rainy morning with low clouds and as I approached the driving school at 9\uff1a50 am\uff0cmy heart sank.My driving instructor. Stan\uff0csaid something\uff0ctrying to drive away my fears\uff0cbut I was not impressed\nWe set off for the test centre with an hour to go I wanted a run round the test circuit \uff0cbut we got stuck in a traffic jam\uff0cand could only drive no faster than walking.\nWe arrived at the test centre at 11 am.Stan made me watch a group of six learners emerging from the building with their respectiveexaminers.Their instructors were looking out from two windows.We watched them drive off They must have been feeling very nervous\nStan took me round the probable test track\uff0cpointing out the traps.The weather became even worse It seemed to make me feel worse too.I had developed a couldn't-care-less mood\uff0cand was almost calm We returned to the test centre in time to see the six unfortunates returning.Their nerves must have been in a terrible state.\nI sat in the waiting room until six examiners came in to call out our respective names. Mine showed no emotion as he asked me to go to my car I showed none either\uff0cbut the tension began mounting again.","id":"2420.txt","label":0}
{"option":["upset","nervous","frightened","relaxed"],"question":"When the author was sitting in the waiting room\uff0che was quite _ .","article":"I was due to take my driving test at 11\uff1a30 am.It was a rainy morning with low clouds and as I approached the driving school at 9\uff1a50 am\uff0cmy heart sank.My driving instructor. Stan\uff0csaid something\uff0ctrying to drive away my fears\uff0cbut I was not impressed\nWe set off for the test centre with an hour to go I wanted a run round the test circuit \uff0cbut we got stuck in a traffic jam\uff0cand could only drive no faster than walking.\nWe arrived at the test centre at 11 am.Stan made me watch a group of six learners emerging from the building with their respectiveexaminers.Their instructors were looking out from two windows.We watched them drive off They must have been feeling very nervous\nStan took me round the probable test track\uff0cpointing out the traps.The weather became even worse It seemed to make me feel worse too.I had developed a couldn't-care-less mood\uff0cand was almost calm We returned to the test centre in time to see the six unfortunates returning.Their nerves must have been in a terrible state.\nI sat in the waiting room until six examiners came in to call out our respective names. Mine showed no emotion as he asked me to go to my car I showed none either\uff0cbut the tension began mounting again.","id":"2420.txt","label":3}
{"option":["firm confidence","mixed emotions","increased nervousness","perfect calmness"],"question":"When it was his turn to take the test\uff0cthe author went to his car with _ .","article":"I was due to take my driving test at 11\uff1a30 am.It was a rainy morning with low clouds and as I approached the driving school at 9\uff1a50 am\uff0cmy heart sank.My driving instructor. Stan\uff0csaid something\uff0ctrying to drive away my fears\uff0cbut I was not impressed\nWe set off for the test centre with an hour to go I wanted a run round the test circuit \uff0cbut we got stuck in a traffic jam\uff0cand could only drive no faster than walking.\nWe arrived at the test centre at 11 am.Stan made me watch a group of six learners emerging from the building with their respectiveexaminers.Their instructors were looking out from two windows.We watched them drive off They must have been feeling very nervous\nStan took me round the probable test track\uff0cpointing out the traps.The weather became even worse It seemed to make me feel worse too.I had developed a couldn't-care-less mood\uff0cand was almost calm We returned to the test centre in time to see the six unfortunates returning.Their nerves must have been in a terrible state.\nI sat in the waiting room until six examiners came in to call out our respective names. Mine showed no emotion as he asked me to go to my car I showed none either\uff0cbut the tension began mounting again.","id":"2420.txt","label":2}
{"option":["the influence of bad weather upon a test taker","the feelings of a learner before his driving test","the preparations before a driving test","an unforgettable day"],"question":"The passage is mainly about _ .","article":"I was due to take my driving test at 11\uff1a30 am.It was a rainy morning with low clouds and as I approached the driving school at 9\uff1a50 am\uff0cmy heart sank.My driving instructor. Stan\uff0csaid something\uff0ctrying to drive away my fears\uff0cbut I was not impressed\nWe set off for the test centre with an hour to go I wanted a run round the test circuit \uff0cbut we got stuck in a traffic jam\uff0cand could only drive no faster than walking.\nWe arrived at the test centre at 11 am.Stan made me watch a group of six learners emerging from the building with their respectiveexaminers.Their instructors were looking out from two windows.We watched them drive off They must have been feeling very nervous\nStan took me round the probable test track\uff0cpointing out the traps.The weather became even worse It seemed to make me feel worse too.I had developed a couldn't-care-less mood\uff0cand was almost calm We returned to the test centre in time to see the six unfortunates returning.Their nerves must have been in a terrible state.\nI sat in the waiting room until six examiners came in to call out our respective names. Mine showed no emotion as he asked me to go to my car I showed none either\uff0cbut the tension began mounting again.","id":"2420.txt","label":1}
{"option":["gold","silver","metals","minerals"],"question":"Scientists were flying over a desert or hilly wasteland or a mountain region in order to search for _  in the ground.","article":"Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, 'Look here for probable metal' Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain region,sent a message to other scientists on the ground,'Gold possible.' Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported,'This ground should be searched for metals.' From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word,'Uranium'.\nNone of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of location minerals in the ground---using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.\nThis newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.\nAt Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada,a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxed were filled with small banches from te trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested .Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.\nStudy of the roots , branches,and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.\nIf the trees had not indicated that there was gold in the ground, the scientists would not have spent money to pay for digging into the deeper. They did dig and found more fold below. They dug deeper. They found large quantities of gold.","id":"1641.txt","label":3}
{"option":["there were larger amounts of gold in the branches than in the seeds.","there were small amounts of gold in the roots than in the branches","there were larger amounts of gold in the seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk than seeds growing on the ends of branches.","there were more gold in the branches than in the roots"],"question":"The study of trees,branches and roots indicates that_ .","article":"Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, 'Look here for probable metal' Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain region,sent a message to other scientists on the ground,'Gold possible.' Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported,'This ground should be searched for metals.' From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word,'Uranium'.\nNone of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of location minerals in the ground---using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.\nThis newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.\nAt Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada,a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxed were filled with small banches from te trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested .Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.\nStudy of the roots , branches,and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.\nIf the trees had not indicated that there was gold in the ground, the scientists would not have spent money to pay for digging into the deeper. They did dig and found more fold below. They dug deeper. They found large quantities of gold.","id":"1641.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Scientists searching for metals with sepcial power","New methods of searching for minerals","Gold could be found by trees and plants","A new method of searching for minerals---using trees and plants"],"question":"Which is the best title ?","article":"Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, 'Look here for probable metal' Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain region,sent a message to other scientists on the ground,'Gold possible.' Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported,'This ground should be searched for metals.' From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word,'Uranium'.\nNone of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of location minerals in the ground---using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.\nThis newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.\nAt Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada,a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxed were filled with small banches from te trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested .Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.\nStudy of the roots , branches,and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.\nIf the trees had not indicated that there was gold in the ground, the scientists would not have spent money to pay for digging into the deeper. They did dig and found more fold below. They dug deeper. They found large quantities of gold.","id":"1641.txt","label":3}
{"option":["leaves","roots","branches","seeds"],"question":"Which of the following is not mentioned as part of a tree that can help find minerals?","article":"Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, 'Look here for probable metal' Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain region,sent a message to other scientists on the ground,'Gold possible.' Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported,'This ground should be searched for metals.' From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word,'Uranium'.\nNone of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of location minerals in the ground---using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.\nThis newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.\nAt Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada,a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxed were filled with small banches from te trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested .Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.\nStudy of the roots , branches,and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.\nIf the trees had not indicated that there was gold in the ground, the scientists would not have spent money to pay for digging into the deeper. They did dig and found more fold below. They dug deeper. They found large quantities of gold.","id":"1641.txt","label":0}
{"option":["X-ray","magic power","a special instrument","trained eyes"],"question":"The scientists were searching for minerals by using _ .","article":"Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, 'Look here for probable metal' Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain region,sent a message to other scientists on the ground,'Gold possible.' Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported,'This ground should be searched for metals.' From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word,'Uranium'.\nNone of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of location minerals in the ground---using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.\nThis newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.\nAt Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada,a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxed were filled with small banches from te trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested .Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.\nStudy of the roots , branches,and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.\nIf the trees had not indicated that there was gold in the ground, the scientists would not have spent money to pay for digging into the deeper. They did dig and found more fold below. They dug deeper. They found large quantities of gold.","id":"1641.txt","label":3}
{"option":["To get their share of clean air.","To pursue a comfortable life.","To gain a higher social status.","To seek economic benefits."],"question":"What does the author assume might be the primary reason that people would struggle with each other","article":"Air pollution is deteriorating in many places around the world. The fact that public parks in cities become crowded as soon as the sun shines proves that people long to breathe in green, open spaces. They do not all know what they are seeking but they flock there, nevertheless. And, in these surroundings, they are generally both peaceful and peaceable. It is rare to see people fighting in a garden. Perhaps struggle unfolds first, not at an economic or social level, but over the appropriation of air, essential to life itself.\nIf human beings can breathe and share air, they don't need to struggle with one another.\nUnfortunately, in our western tradition, neither materialist nor idealist theoreticians give enough consideration to this basic condition for life. As for politicians, despite proposing curbs on environmental pollution, they have not yet called for it to be made a crime. Wealthy countries are even allowed to pollute if they pay for it.\nBut is our life worth anything other than money? The plant world shows us in silence what faithfulness to life consists of. It also helps us to a new beginning, urging us to care for our breath, not only at a vital but also at a spiritual level. The interdependence to which we must pay the closest attention is that whicl exists between ourselves and the plant world. Often described as \"the lungs of the planet\", the woods tha cover the earth offer us the gift of breathable air by releasing oxygen. But their capacity to renew the ai polluted by industry has long reached its limit. If we lack the air necessary for a healthy life, it is because we have filled it with chemicals and undercut the ability of plants to regenerate it. As we know, rapi deforestation combined with the massive burning of fossil fuels is an explosive recipe for an irreversibl disaster.\nThe fight over the appropriation of resources will lead the entire planet to hell unless humans learn t share life, both with each other and with plants. This task is simultaneously ethical and political because can be discharged only when each takes it upon herself or himself and only when it is accomplishe together with others. The lesson taught by plants is that sharing life expands and enhances the sphere c the living, while dividing life into so-called natural or human resources diminishes it. We must come t view the air, the plants and ourselves as the contributors to the preservation of life and growth, rathe than a web of quantifiable objects or productive potentialities at our disposal. Perhaps then we woulfinally begin to live, rather than being concerned with bare survival.","id":"1535.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Depriving common people of the right to clean air.","Giving priority to theory rather than practical action.","Offering preferential treatment to wealthy countries.","Failing to pass laws to curb environmental pollution."],"question":"What does the author accuse western politicians of?","article":"Air pollution is deteriorating in many places around the world. The fact that public parks in cities become crowded as soon as the sun shines proves that people long to breathe in green, open spaces. They do not all know what they are seeking but they flock there, nevertheless. And, in these surroundings, they are generally both peaceful and peaceable. It is rare to see people fighting in a garden. Perhaps struggle unfolds first, not at an economic or social level, but over the appropriation of air, essential to life itself.\nIf human beings can breathe and share air, they don't need to struggle with one another.\nUnfortunately, in our western tradition, neither materialist nor idealist theoreticians give enough consideration to this basic condition for life. As for politicians, despite proposing curbs on environmental pollution, they have not yet called for it to be made a crime. Wealthy countries are even allowed to pollute if they pay for it.\nBut is our life worth anything other than money? The plant world shows us in silence what faithfulness to life consists of. It also helps us to a new beginning, urging us to care for our breath, not only at a vital but also at a spiritual level. The interdependence to which we must pay the closest attention is that whicl exists between ourselves and the plant world. Often described as \"the lungs of the planet\", the woods tha cover the earth offer us the gift of breathable air by releasing oxygen. But their capacity to renew the ai polluted by industry has long reached its limit. If we lack the air necessary for a healthy life, it is because we have filled it with chemicals and undercut the ability of plants to regenerate it. As we know, rapi deforestation combined with the massive burning of fossil fuels is an explosive recipe for an irreversibl disaster.\nThe fight over the appropriation of resources will lead the entire planet to hell unless humans learn t share life, both with each other and with plants. This task is simultaneously ethical and political because can be discharged only when each takes it upon herself or himself and only when it is accomplishe together with others. The lesson taught by plants is that sharing life expands and enhances the sphere c the living, while dividing life into so-called natural or human resources diminishes it. We must come t view the air, the plants and ourselves as the contributors to the preservation of life and growth, rathe than a web of quantifiable objects or productive potentialities at our disposal. Perhaps then we woulfinally begin to live, rather than being concerned with bare survival.","id":"1535.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The massive burning of fossil fuels.","Our relationship to the plant world.","The capacity of plants to renew polluted air.","Large-scale deforestation across the world."],"question":"What does the author try to draw our closest attention to?","article":"Air pollution is deteriorating in many places around the world. The fact that public parks in cities become crowded as soon as the sun shines proves that people long to breathe in green, open spaces. They do not all know what they are seeking but they flock there, nevertheless. And, in these surroundings, they are generally both peaceful and peaceable. It is rare to see people fighting in a garden. Perhaps struggle unfolds first, not at an economic or social level, but over the appropriation of air, essential to life itself.\nIf human beings can breathe and share air, they don't need to struggle with one another.\nUnfortunately, in our western tradition, neither materialist nor idealist theoreticians give enough consideration to this basic condition for life. As for politicians, despite proposing curbs on environmental pollution, they have not yet called for it to be made a crime. Wealthy countries are even allowed to pollute if they pay for it.\nBut is our life worth anything other than money? The plant world shows us in silence what faithfulness to life consists of. It also helps us to a new beginning, urging us to care for our breath, not only at a vital but also at a spiritual level. The interdependence to which we must pay the closest attention is that whicl exists between ourselves and the plant world. Often described as \"the lungs of the planet\", the woods tha cover the earth offer us the gift of breathable air by releasing oxygen. But their capacity to renew the ai polluted by industry has long reached its limit. If we lack the air necessary for a healthy life, it is because we have filled it with chemicals and undercut the ability of plants to regenerate it. As we know, rapi deforestation combined with the massive burning of fossil fuels is an explosive recipe for an irreversibl disaster.\nThe fight over the appropriation of resources will lead the entire planet to hell unless humans learn t share life, both with each other and with plants. This task is simultaneously ethical and political because can be discharged only when each takes it upon herself or himself and only when it is accomplishe together with others. The lesson taught by plants is that sharing life expands and enhances the sphere c the living, while dividing life into so-called natural or human resources diminishes it. We must come t view the air, the plants and ourselves as the contributors to the preservation of life and growth, rathe than a web of quantifiable objects or productive potentialities at our disposal. Perhaps then we woulfinally begin to live, rather than being concerned with bare survival.","id":"1535.txt","label":1}
{"option":["By showing respect for plants.","By preserving all forms of life.","By tapping all natural resources.","By pooling their efforts together."],"question":"How can human beings accomplish the goal of protecting the planet according to the author?","article":"Air pollution is deteriorating in many places around the world. The fact that public parks in cities become crowded as soon as the sun shines proves that people long to breathe in green, open spaces. They do not all know what they are seeking but they flock there, nevertheless. And, in these surroundings, they are generally both peaceful and peaceable. It is rare to see people fighting in a garden. Perhaps struggle unfolds first, not at an economic or social level, but over the appropriation of air, essential to life itself.\nIf human beings can breathe and share air, they don't need to struggle with one another.\nUnfortunately, in our western tradition, neither materialist nor idealist theoreticians give enough consideration to this basic condition for life. As for politicians, despite proposing curbs on environmental pollution, they have not yet called for it to be made a crime. Wealthy countries are even allowed to pollute if they pay for it.\nBut is our life worth anything other than money? The plant world shows us in silence what faithfulness to life consists of. It also helps us to a new beginning, urging us to care for our breath, not only at a vital but also at a spiritual level. The interdependence to which we must pay the closest attention is that whicl exists between ourselves and the plant world. Often described as \"the lungs of the planet\", the woods tha cover the earth offer us the gift of breathable air by releasing oxygen. But their capacity to renew the ai polluted by industry has long reached its limit. If we lack the air necessary for a healthy life, it is because we have filled it with chemicals and undercut the ability of plants to regenerate it. As we know, rapi deforestation combined with the massive burning of fossil fuels is an explosive recipe for an irreversibl disaster.\nThe fight over the appropriation of resources will lead the entire planet to hell unless humans learn t share life, both with each other and with plants. This task is simultaneously ethical and political because can be discharged only when each takes it upon herself or himself and only when it is accomplishe together with others. The lesson taught by plants is that sharing life expands and enhances the sphere c the living, while dividing life into so-called natural or human resources diminishes it. We must come t view the air, the plants and ourselves as the contributors to the preservation of life and growth, rathe than a web of quantifiable objects or productive potentialities at our disposal. Perhaps then we woulfinally begin to live, rather than being concerned with bare survival.","id":"1535.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Expand the sphere of living.","Develop nature's potentials.","Share life with nature.","Allocate the resources."],"question":"What does the author suggest we do in order not just to survive?","article":"Air pollution is deteriorating in many places around the world. The fact that public parks in cities become crowded as soon as the sun shines proves that people long to breathe in green, open spaces. They do not all know what they are seeking but they flock there, nevertheless. And, in these surroundings, they are generally both peaceful and peaceable. It is rare to see people fighting in a garden. Perhaps struggle unfolds first, not at an economic or social level, but over the appropriation of air, essential to life itself.\nIf human beings can breathe and share air, they don't need to struggle with one another.\nUnfortunately, in our western tradition, neither materialist nor idealist theoreticians give enough consideration to this basic condition for life. As for politicians, despite proposing curbs on environmental pollution, they have not yet called for it to be made a crime. Wealthy countries are even allowed to pollute if they pay for it.\nBut is our life worth anything other than money? The plant world shows us in silence what faithfulness to life consists of. It also helps us to a new beginning, urging us to care for our breath, not only at a vital but also at a spiritual level. The interdependence to which we must pay the closest attention is that whicl exists between ourselves and the plant world. Often described as \"the lungs of the planet\", the woods tha cover the earth offer us the gift of breathable air by releasing oxygen. But their capacity to renew the ai polluted by industry has long reached its limit. If we lack the air necessary for a healthy life, it is because we have filled it with chemicals and undercut the ability of plants to regenerate it. As we know, rapi deforestation combined with the massive burning of fossil fuels is an explosive recipe for an irreversibl disaster.\nThe fight over the appropriation of resources will lead the entire planet to hell unless humans learn t share life, both with each other and with plants. This task is simultaneously ethical and political because can be discharged only when each takes it upon herself or himself and only when it is accomplishe together with others. The lesson taught by plants is that sharing life expands and enhances the sphere c the living, while dividing life into so-called natural or human resources diminishes it. We must come t view the air, the plants and ourselves as the contributors to the preservation of life and growth, rathe than a web of quantifiable objects or productive potentialities at our disposal. Perhaps then we woulfinally begin to live, rather than being concerned with bare survival.","id":"1535.txt","label":2}
{"option":["A French television company.","The Paris Metro.","The City Government of Paris.","Professor Wilson."],"question":"Who did the experiment?","article":"In 1985 a French television company sent its reporters to the Paris Metro. They took cameras to see what passengers would do if they saw someone attached on the platform or in the trains. They acted out incidents. The incidents looked real but they were all done with the help of actors. However, very few people tried to help, and most passengers pretended not to notice. in one incident, a foreigner was attacked by three men. The attack was on a train which was quite full, and although one man tried to get the passengers to help, they all refused. It seems that such behaviour is not unusual, but the question is why? Is it a problem of big cities, or would the same thing happen anywhere? To discuss these questions, we have in the studio Professor Wilson, who is an expert on the subject\u2026","id":"1764.txt","label":3}
{"option":["How a foreigner was attacked on the train.","How passengers helped each other on the platform.","Passengers' reactions towards incidents.","Actors' performances during incidents."],"question":"What did the experiment try to find out?","article":"In 1985 a French television company sent its reporters to the Paris Metro. They took cameras to see what passengers would do if they saw someone attached on the platform or in the trains. They acted out incidents. The incidents looked real but they were all done with the help of actors. However, very few people tried to help, and most passengers pretended not to notice. in one incident, a foreigner was attacked by three men. The attack was on a train which was quite full, and although one man tried to get the passengers to help, they all refused. It seems that such behaviour is not unusual, but the question is why? Is it a problem of big cities, or would the same thing happen anywhere? To discuss these questions, we have in the studio Professor Wilson, who is an expert on the subject\u2026","id":"1764.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Passengers helped a lot during incidents.","Very few foreigners were on the train.","Very few passengers tried to help during incidents.","Some people were good at acting on the train."],"question":"What was the finding of the experiment?","article":"In 1985 a French television company sent its reporters to the Paris Metro. They took cameras to see what passengers would do if they saw someone attached on the platform or in the trains. They acted out incidents. The incidents looked real but they were all done with the help of actors. However, very few people tried to help, and most passengers pretended not to notice. in one incident, a foreigner was attacked by three men. The attack was on a train which was quite full, and although one man tried to get the passengers to help, they all refused. It seems that such behaviour is not unusual, but the question is why? Is it a problem of big cities, or would the same thing happen anywhere? To discuss these questions, we have in the studio Professor Wilson, who is an expert on the subject\u2026","id":"1764.txt","label":2}
{"option":["keep a record of the steps of the wearer","deal with overweight among teenagers","enable children to resist the temptation of TV","prevent children from being tricked by TV programs"],"question":"According to Swan, the purpose of her design project is to _ .","article":"Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to warrant time in front of the television have been devised in the UK.\nThe shoes - named Square Eyes - contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves, based on the day's efforts.\nThe design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University to London, UK. \"We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out,\" she says. \"And I wanted to tackle that with my design.\"\nOnce a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more\nsteps.\nSwan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals precisely one minute of TV time.\nExisting pedometers \uff08\uff09 normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. \"It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort,\" she says. \"That was one of my main design considerations.\"","id":"3701.txt","label":1}
{"option":["They regulate a child's evening TV viewing time.","They determine a child's daily pocket money.","They have raised the hot issue of overweight.","They contain information of the receiver."],"question":"Which of the following is true of Square Eyes shoes?","article":"Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to warrant time in front of the television have been devised in the UK.\nThe shoes - named Square Eyes - contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves, based on the day's efforts.\nThe design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University to London, UK. \"We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out,\" she says. \"And I wanted to tackle that with my design.\"\nOnce a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more\nsteps.\nSwan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals precisely one minute of TV time.\nExisting pedometers \uff08\uff09 normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. \"It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort,\" she says. \"That was one of my main design considerations.\"","id":"3701.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The exact number of steps to be taken.","The precise number of hours spent on TV.","The proper amount of daily exercise and TV time.","The way of changing steps into TV watching time."],"question":"What is stressed by health experts in their suggestion?","article":"Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to warrant time in front of the television have been devised in the UK.\nThe shoes - named Square Eyes - contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves, based on the day's efforts.\nThe design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University to London, UK. \"We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out,\" she says. \"And I wanted to tackle that with my design.\"\nOnce a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more\nsteps.\nSwan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals precisely one minute of TV time.\nExisting pedometers \uff08\uff09 normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. \"It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort,\" she says. \"That was one of my main design considerations.\"","id":"3701.txt","label":2}
{"option":["makes it difficult for lazy teenagers to cheat","counts the wearer's steps through shaking","records the sudden movement of the wearer","sends teenagers' health data to the receiver"],"question":"Compared with other similar products, the new design _ .","article":"Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to warrant time in front of the television have been devised in the UK.\nThe shoes - named Square Eyes - contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves, based on the day's efforts.\nThe design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University to London, UK. \"We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out,\" she says. \"And I wanted to tackle that with my design.\"\nOnce a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more\nsteps.\nSwan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals precisely one minute of TV time.\nExisting pedometers \uff08\uff09 normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. \"It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort,\" she says. \"That was one of my main design considerations.\"","id":"3701.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Smart Shoes Decide on Television Time","Smart Shoes Guarantee More Exercise","Smart Shoes Measure Time of Exercise","Smart Shoes Stop Childhood Overweight"],"question":"Which of the following would be the best title for the text?","article":"Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to warrant time in front of the television have been devised in the UK.\nThe shoes - named Square Eyes - contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves, based on the day's efforts.\nThe design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University to London, UK. \"We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out,\" she says. \"And I wanted to tackle that with my design.\"\nOnce a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more\nsteps.\nSwan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals precisely one minute of TV time.\nExisting pedometers \uff08\uff09 normally clip onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. \"It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort,\" she says. \"That was one of my main design considerations.\"","id":"3701.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Isaac's father","a winning horse","a slave taking care of horses","the first racing horse in Kentucky"],"question":"We know from the text that Buchanan is.","article":"May: Happenings form the Past\nMay 5, 1884\nIsaac Murphy, son of a slave and perhaps the greatest horse rider in American history, rides Buchanan to win his first Kentucky Derby. He becomes the first rider ever to win the race three times.\nMay 9, 1754\nBenjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette produces perhaps the first American political cartoon(\uff09\uff0cshowing a snake cut in pieces with the words \"John or Die \" printed under the picture.\nMay 11, 1934\nThe first great dust storm of the Great Plains Dust Bowl, the result of years of drought(\uff09\uff0cblows topsoil all the way to New York City and Washington,\nD.C.\nMay 19, 1994\nJacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former first lady and one of the most famous people of the 1960s, died of cancer in New York City at the age of 64.\nMay 24,1844\nSamuel F.B. Morse taps out the first message, \"What hath God wrought,\" over the experimental long-distance telegraph line which runs from Washington,D.C., to Baltimore, Md.","id":"3686.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Join or Die","Pennsylvania Gazette","What Hath God Wrought","Kentucky Derby"],"question":"What is the title of the first American political cartoon?","article":"May: Happenings form the Past\nMay 5, 1884\nIsaac Murphy, son of a slave and perhaps the greatest horse rider in American history, rides Buchanan to win his first Kentucky Derby. He becomes the first rider ever to win the race three times.\nMay 9, 1754\nBenjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette produces perhaps the first American political cartoon(\uff09\uff0cshowing a snake cut in pieces with the words \"John or Die \" printed under the picture.\nMay 11, 1934\nThe first great dust storm of the Great Plains Dust Bowl, the result of years of drought(\uff09\uff0cblows topsoil all the way to New York City and Washington,\nD.C.\nMay 19, 1994\nJacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former first lady and one of the most famous people of the 1960s, died of cancer in New York City at the age of 64.\nMay 24,1844\nSamuel F.B. Morse taps out the first message, \"What hath God wrought,\" over the experimental long-distance telegraph line which runs from Washington,D.C., to Baltimore, Md.","id":"3686.txt","label":0}
{"option":["1934","1960","1964","1994"],"question":"In which year did the former first lady Jacqueline die?","article":"May: Happenings form the Past\nMay 5, 1884\nIsaac Murphy, son of a slave and perhaps the greatest horse rider in American history, rides Buchanan to win his first Kentucky Derby. He becomes the first rider ever to win the race three times.\nMay 9, 1754\nBenjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette produces perhaps the first American political cartoon(\uff09\uff0cshowing a snake cut in pieces with the words \"John or Die \" printed under the picture.\nMay 11, 1934\nThe first great dust storm of the Great Plains Dust Bowl, the result of years of drought(\uff09\uff0cblows topsoil all the way to New York City and Washington,\nD.C.\nMay 19, 1994\nJacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former first lady and one of the most famous people of the 1960s, died of cancer in New York City at the age of 64.\nMay 24,1844\nSamuel F.B. Morse taps out the first message, \"What hath God wrought,\" over the experimental long-distance telegraph line which runs from Washington,D.C., to Baltimore, Md.","id":"3686.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Washington,D.C.","New York City.","Kentucky.","Pennsylvania."],"question":"Which of the following places has to do with the first telegram in history?","article":"May: Happenings form the Past\nMay 5, 1884\nIsaac Murphy, son of a slave and perhaps the greatest horse rider in American history, rides Buchanan to win his first Kentucky Derby. He becomes the first rider ever to win the race three times.\nMay 9, 1754\nBenjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette produces perhaps the first American political cartoon(\uff09\uff0cshowing a snake cut in pieces with the words \"John or Die \" printed under the picture.\nMay 11, 1934\nThe first great dust storm of the Great Plains Dust Bowl, the result of years of drought(\uff09\uff0cblows topsoil all the way to New York City and Washington,\nD.C.\nMay 19, 1994\nJacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former first lady and one of the most famous people of the 1960s, died of cancer in New York City at the age of 64.\nMay 24,1844\nSamuel F.B. Morse taps out the first message, \"What hath God wrought,\" over the experimental long-distance telegraph line which runs from Washington,D.C., to Baltimore, Md.","id":"3686.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It ensures the normal functioning of an airplane.","The idea for its design comes from a comic book.","Its ability to ward off disasters is incredible.","It is an indispensable device on an airplane."],"question":"What does the author say about the black box?","article":"You never see them, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going,how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.\nWhen planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine  detected the device's homing signal five day; later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.\nIn 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early model,, often failed to withstand crashes,however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane - the area least subject to impact - from its original position in the landing wells . The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.\nModem airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations,and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noies and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated ( ) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000~F. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft.\nExperts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crasned near Brazil on June l, 2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-seacrashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.","id":"1582.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Data for analyzing the cause of the crash.","The total number of passengers on board.","The scene of the crash and extent of the damage.","Homing signals sent by the pilot before the crash."],"question":"What information could be found from the black box on the Yemeni airliner?","article":"You never see them, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going,how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.\nWhen planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine  detected the device's homing signal five day; later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.\nIn 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early model,, often failed to withstand crashes,however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane - the area least subject to impact - from its original position in the landing wells . The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.\nModem airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations,and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noies and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated ( ) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000~F. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft.\nExperts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crasned near Brazil on June l, 2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-seacrashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.","id":"1582.txt","label":0}
{"option":["New materials became available by that time.","Too much space was needed for its installation.","The early models often got damaged in the crash.","The early models didn't provide the needed data."],"question":"Why was the black box redesigned in 1965?","article":"You never see them, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going,how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.\nWhen planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine  detected the device's homing signal five day; later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.\nIn 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early model,, often failed to withstand crashes,however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane - the area least subject to impact - from its original position in the landing wells . The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.\nModem airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations,and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noies and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated ( ) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000~F. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft.\nExperts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crasned near Brazil on June l, 2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-seacrashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.","id":"1582.txt","label":2}
{"option":["To distinguish them from the colour of the plane.","To caution people to handle them with care.","To make them easily identifiable.","To conform to international standards."],"question":"Why did the Federal Aviation Authority require the black boxes be painted orange or yellow?","article":"You never see them, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going,how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.\nWhen planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine  detected the device's homing signal five day; later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.\nIn 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early model,, often failed to withstand crashes,however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane - the area least subject to impact - from its original position in the landing wells . The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.\nModem airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations,and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noies and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated ( ) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000~F. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft.\nExperts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crasned near Brazil on June l, 2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-seacrashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.","id":"1582.txt","label":2}
{"option":["There is still a good chance of their being recovered.","There is an urgent need for them to be reconstructed.","They have stopped sending homing signals.","They were destroyed somewhere near Brazil."],"question":"What do we know about the black boxes from Air France Fligh 447?","article":"You never see them, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going,how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.\nWhen planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine  detected the device's homing signal five day; later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.\nIn 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early model,, often failed to withstand crashes,however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane - the area least subject to impact - from its original position in the landing wells . The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.\nModem airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations,and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noies and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated ( ) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000~F. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft.\nExperts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crasned near Brazil on June l, 2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-seacrashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.","id":"1582.txt","label":0}
{"option":["should not be the sole representation of girlhood","should not be associated with girls' innocence","cannot explain girls' lack of imagination","cannot influence girls' lives and interests"],"question":"By saying \"it is ... The rainbow\"(line 3, Para 1), the author means pink  _ .","article":"Pretty in pink: adult women do not remember being so obsessed with the colour, yet it is pervasive in our young girls' lives. It is not that pink intrinsically bad, but it is a tiny slice of the rainbow and, though it may celebrate girlhood in one way, it also repeatedly and firmly fused girls' identity to appearance. Then it presents that connection, even among two-year-olds, between girls as not only innocent but as evidence of innocence. Looking around, despaired at the singular lack of imagination about girls' lives and interests.\nGirls' attraction to pink may seem unavoidable, somehow encoded in their DNA, but according to Jo Paoletti, an associate professor of American Studies, it's not. Children were not colour-coded at all until the early 20th century: in the era before domestic washing machines all babies wore white as a practical matter, since the only way of getting clothes clean was to boil them. What's more, both boys and girls wore what were thought of as gender-neutral dresses. When nursery colours were introduced, pink was actually considered the more masculine colour, a pastel version of red, which was associated with strength. Blue, with its intimations of the Virgin Mary, constancy and faithfulness, symbolised femininity. It was not until the mid-1980s, when amplifying age and sex differences became a dominant children's marketing strategy, that pink fully came into its own, when it began to seem innately attractive to girls, part of what defined them as female, at least for the first few critical years.\nI had not realised how profoundly marketing trends dictated our perception of what is natural to kids, including our core beliefs about their psychological development. Take the toddler. I assumed that phase was something experts developed after years of research into children's behaviour: wrong. Turns out, according to Daniel Cook, a historian of childhood consumerism, it was popularised as a marketing gimmick by clothing manufacturers in the 1930s.\nTrade publications counseled department stores that, in order to increase sales, they should create a \"third stepping stone\" between infant wear and older kids' clothes. It was only after \"toddler\" became common shoppers' term that it evolved into a broadly accepted developmental stage. Splitting kids, or adults, into ever-tinier categories has proved a sure-fire way to boost profits. And one of the easiest ways to segment a market is to magnify gender differences - or invent them where they did not previously exist.","id":"3887.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Colors are encoded in girls' DNA","Blue used to be regarded as the color for girls","Pink used to be a neutral color in symbolizing genders","White is preferred by babies"],"question":"According to Paragraph 2, which of the following is true of colours?","article":"Pretty in pink: adult women do not remember being so obsessed with the colour, yet it is pervasive in our young girls' lives. It is not that pink intrinsically bad, but it is a tiny slice of the rainbow and, though it may celebrate girlhood in one way, it also repeatedly and firmly fused girls' identity to appearance. Then it presents that connection, even among two-year-olds, between girls as not only innocent but as evidence of innocence. Looking around, despaired at the singular lack of imagination about girls' lives and interests.\nGirls' attraction to pink may seem unavoidable, somehow encoded in their DNA, but according to Jo Paoletti, an associate professor of American Studies, it's not. Children were not colour-coded at all until the early 20th century: in the era before domestic washing machines all babies wore white as a practical matter, since the only way of getting clothes clean was to boil them. What's more, both boys and girls wore what were thought of as gender-neutral dresses. When nursery colours were introduced, pink was actually considered the more masculine colour, a pastel version of red, which was associated with strength. Blue, with its intimations of the Virgin Mary, constancy and faithfulness, symbolised femininity. It was not until the mid-1980s, when amplifying age and sex differences became a dominant children's marketing strategy, that pink fully came into its own, when it began to seem innately attractive to girls, part of what defined them as female, at least for the first few critical years.\nI had not realised how profoundly marketing trends dictated our perception of what is natural to kids, including our core beliefs about their psychological development. Take the toddler. I assumed that phase was something experts developed after years of research into children's behaviour: wrong. Turns out, according to Daniel Cook, a historian of childhood consumerism, it was popularised as a marketing gimmick by clothing manufacturers in the 1930s.\nTrade publications counseled department stores that, in order to increase sales, they should create a \"third stepping stone\" between infant wear and older kids' clothes. It was only after \"toddler\" became common shoppers' term that it evolved into a broadly accepted developmental stage. Splitting kids, or adults, into ever-tinier categories has proved a sure-fire way to boost profits. And one of the easiest ways to segment a market is to magnify gender differences - or invent them where they did not previously exist.","id":"3887.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the marketing of products for children","the observation of children's nature","researches into children's behavior","studies of childhood consumption"],"question":"The author suggests that our perception of children's psychological devotement was much influenced by  _ .","article":"Pretty in pink: adult women do not remember being so obsessed with the colour, yet it is pervasive in our young girls' lives. It is not that pink intrinsically bad, but it is a tiny slice of the rainbow and, though it may celebrate girlhood in one way, it also repeatedly and firmly fused girls' identity to appearance. Then it presents that connection, even among two-year-olds, between girls as not only innocent but as evidence of innocence. Looking around, despaired at the singular lack of imagination about girls' lives and interests.\nGirls' attraction to pink may seem unavoidable, somehow encoded in their DNA, but according to Jo Paoletti, an associate professor of American Studies, it's not. Children were not colour-coded at all until the early 20th century: in the era before domestic washing machines all babies wore white as a practical matter, since the only way of getting clothes clean was to boil them. What's more, both boys and girls wore what were thought of as gender-neutral dresses. When nursery colours were introduced, pink was actually considered the more masculine colour, a pastel version of red, which was associated with strength. Blue, with its intimations of the Virgin Mary, constancy and faithfulness, symbolised femininity. It was not until the mid-1980s, when amplifying age and sex differences became a dominant children's marketing strategy, that pink fully came into its own, when it began to seem innately attractive to girls, part of what defined them as female, at least for the first few critical years.\nI had not realised how profoundly marketing trends dictated our perception of what is natural to kids, including our core beliefs about their psychological development. Take the toddler. I assumed that phase was something experts developed after years of research into children's behaviour: wrong. Turns out, according to Daniel Cook, a historian of childhood consumerism, it was popularised as a marketing gimmick by clothing manufacturers in the 1930s.\nTrade publications counseled department stores that, in order to increase sales, they should create a \"third stepping stone\" between infant wear and older kids' clothes. It was only after \"toddler\" became common shoppers' term that it evolved into a broadly accepted developmental stage. Splitting kids, or adults, into ever-tinier categories has proved a sure-fire way to boost profits. And one of the easiest ways to segment a market is to magnify gender differences - or invent them where they did not previously exist.","id":"3887.txt","label":0}
{"option":["focuses on infant wear and older kids' clothes","attach equal importance to different genders","classify consumers into smaller groups","create some common shoppers' terms"],"question":"We may learn from Paragraph 4 that department stores were advised  _ .","article":"Pretty in pink: adult women do not remember being so obsessed with the colour, yet it is pervasive in our young girls' lives. It is not that pink intrinsically bad, but it is a tiny slice of the rainbow and, though it may celebrate girlhood in one way, it also repeatedly and firmly fused girls' identity to appearance. Then it presents that connection, even among two-year-olds, between girls as not only innocent but as evidence of innocence. Looking around, despaired at the singular lack of imagination about girls' lives and interests.\nGirls' attraction to pink may seem unavoidable, somehow encoded in their DNA, but according to Jo Paoletti, an associate professor of American Studies, it's not. Children were not colour-coded at all until the early 20th century: in the era before domestic washing machines all babies wore white as a practical matter, since the only way of getting clothes clean was to boil them. What's more, both boys and girls wore what were thought of as gender-neutral dresses. When nursery colours were introduced, pink was actually considered the more masculine colour, a pastel version of red, which was associated with strength. Blue, with its intimations of the Virgin Mary, constancy and faithfulness, symbolised femininity. It was not until the mid-1980s, when amplifying age and sex differences became a dominant children's marketing strategy, that pink fully came into its own, when it began to seem innately attractive to girls, part of what defined them as female, at least for the first few critical years.\nI had not realised how profoundly marketing trends dictated our perception of what is natural to kids, including our core beliefs about their psychological development. Take the toddler. I assumed that phase was something experts developed after years of research into children's behaviour: wrong. Turns out, according to Daniel Cook, a historian of childhood consumerism, it was popularised as a marketing gimmick by clothing manufacturers in the 1930s.\nTrade publications counseled department stores that, in order to increase sales, they should create a \"third stepping stone\" between infant wear and older kids' clothes. It was only after \"toddler\" became common shoppers' term that it evolved into a broadly accepted developmental stage. Splitting kids, or adults, into ever-tinier categories has proved a sure-fire way to boost profits. And one of the easiest ways to segment a market is to magnify gender differences - or invent them where they did not previously exist.","id":"3887.txt","label":2}
{"option":["clearly explained by their inborn tendency","fully understood by clothing manufacturers","mainly imposed by profit-driven businessmen","well interpreted by psychological experts"],"question":"It can be concluded that girl's attraction to pink seems to be  _ .","article":"Pretty in pink: adult women do not remember being so obsessed with the colour, yet it is pervasive in our young girls' lives. It is not that pink intrinsically bad, but it is a tiny slice of the rainbow and, though it may celebrate girlhood in one way, it also repeatedly and firmly fused girls' identity to appearance. Then it presents that connection, even among two-year-olds, between girls as not only innocent but as evidence of innocence. Looking around, despaired at the singular lack of imagination about girls' lives and interests.\nGirls' attraction to pink may seem unavoidable, somehow encoded in their DNA, but according to Jo Paoletti, an associate professor of American Studies, it's not. Children were not colour-coded at all until the early 20th century: in the era before domestic washing machines all babies wore white as a practical matter, since the only way of getting clothes clean was to boil them. What's more, both boys and girls wore what were thought of as gender-neutral dresses. When nursery colours were introduced, pink was actually considered the more masculine colour, a pastel version of red, which was associated with strength. Blue, with its intimations of the Virgin Mary, constancy and faithfulness, symbolised femininity. It was not until the mid-1980s, when amplifying age and sex differences became a dominant children's marketing strategy, that pink fully came into its own, when it began to seem innately attractive to girls, part of what defined them as female, at least for the first few critical years.\nI had not realised how profoundly marketing trends dictated our perception of what is natural to kids, including our core beliefs about their psychological development. Take the toddler. I assumed that phase was something experts developed after years of research into children's behaviour: wrong. Turns out, according to Daniel Cook, a historian of childhood consumerism, it was popularised as a marketing gimmick by clothing manufacturers in the 1930s.\nTrade publications counseled department stores that, in order to increase sales, they should create a \"third stepping stone\" between infant wear and older kids' clothes. It was only after \"toddler\" became common shoppers' term that it evolved into a broadly accepted developmental stage. Splitting kids, or adults, into ever-tinier categories has proved a sure-fire way to boost profits. And one of the easiest ways to segment a market is to magnify gender differences - or invent them where they did not previously exist.","id":"3887.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Bright colors.","Circular patterns.","Stripes and angles.","Various shapes."],"question":"What does a newborn baby like to see most'?","article":"The newborn can see the difference between various shapes and patterns from birth. He prefers patterns to dull or bright solid colors and looks longer at stripes and angles than at circular patterns. Within three weeks, however, his preference shifts dramatically to the human face.\nWhy should a baby with so little visual experience attend more to a human face than to any other kind of pattern'? Some scientists think this preference represents a built in advantage for the human species. The object of prime importance to the physically helpless infant is a human being. Babies seem to have a natural tendency to the human face as potentially rewarding. Researchers also point out that the newborn wisely relies more on pattern than on outline, size, or color. Pattern remains stable, while outline changes with point of view; size, with distance from an object; and brightness and color, with lighting.\nMothers have always claimed that they could see their newborns looking at them as they held them, despite what they have been told. The experts who thought that perception  had to await physical development and the consequence of action were wrong for several reasons. Earlier research techniques were less sophisticated than they are today. Physical skills were once used to indicate perception of objects-skills like visual tracking and reaching for an object, both of which the newborn does poorly. Then, too, assumptions that the newborn's eye and brain were too immature for anything as sophisticated as pattern recognition caused opposing data to be thrown away. Since perception of form was widely believed to follow perception of more \"basic\" qualities such as color and brightness, the possibility of its presence from birth was rejected.","id":"3201.txt","label":1}
{"option":["he sees a human face more often than any other kind of pattern","he has an inherent ability to regard a human being as helpful","a human face is the most complex pattern he can see","a human face is often accompanied by a pleasant voice"],"question":"The newborn pays more attention to a human face than any other kind of objects because ________.","article":"The newborn can see the difference between various shapes and patterns from birth. He prefers patterns to dull or bright solid colors and looks longer at stripes and angles than at circular patterns. Within three weeks, however, his preference shifts dramatically to the human face.\nWhy should a baby with so little visual experience attend more to a human face than to any other kind of pattern'? Some scientists think this preference represents a built in advantage for the human species. The object of prime importance to the physically helpless infant is a human being. Babies seem to have a natural tendency to the human face as potentially rewarding. Researchers also point out that the newborn wisely relies more on pattern than on outline, size, or color. Pattern remains stable, while outline changes with point of view; size, with distance from an object; and brightness and color, with lighting.\nMothers have always claimed that they could see their newborns looking at them as they held them, despite what they have been told. The experts who thought that perception  had to await physical development and the consequence of action were wrong for several reasons. Earlier research techniques were less sophisticated than they are today. Physical skills were once used to indicate perception of objects-skills like visual tracking and reaching for an object, both of which the newborn does poorly. Then, too, assumptions that the newborn's eye and brain were too immature for anything as sophisticated as pattern recognition caused opposing data to be thrown away. Since perception of form was widely believed to follow perception of more \"basic\" qualities such as color and brightness, the possibility of its presence from birth was rejected.","id":"3201.txt","label":0}
{"option":["care little about a human face","can't track their movements","can't see their faces","can easily perceive brightness"],"question":"Contrary to what they believe, mothers have been told that newborns ________.","article":"The newborn can see the difference between various shapes and patterns from birth. He prefers patterns to dull or bright solid colors and looks longer at stripes and angles than at circular patterns. Within three weeks, however, his preference shifts dramatically to the human face.\nWhy should a baby with so little visual experience attend more to a human face than to any other kind of pattern'? Some scientists think this preference represents a built in advantage for the human species. The object of prime importance to the physically helpless infant is a human being. Babies seem to have a natural tendency to the human face as potentially rewarding. Researchers also point out that the newborn wisely relies more on pattern than on outline, size, or color. Pattern remains stable, while outline changes with point of view; size, with distance from an object; and brightness and color, with lighting.\nMothers have always claimed that they could see their newborns looking at them as they held them, despite what they have been told. The experts who thought that perception  had to await physical development and the consequence of action were wrong for several reasons. Earlier research techniques were less sophisticated than they are today. Physical skills were once used to indicate perception of objects-skills like visual tracking and reaching for an object, both of which the newborn does poorly. Then, too, assumptions that the newborn's eye and brain were too immature for anything as sophisticated as pattern recognition caused opposing data to be thrown away. Since perception of form was widely believed to follow perception of more \"basic\" qualities such as color and brightness, the possibility of its presence from birth was rejected.","id":"3201.txt","label":2}
{"option":["ignored evidence contrary to their assumptions","believed that perception of form comes before perception of color and brightness","opposed throwing away effective data","proved that physical skills come after visual perception"],"question":"In earlier researches on the newborn's perception, scientists ________.","article":"The newborn can see the difference between various shapes and patterns from birth. He prefers patterns to dull or bright solid colors and looks longer at stripes and angles than at circular patterns. Within three weeks, however, his preference shifts dramatically to the human face.\nWhy should a baby with so little visual experience attend more to a human face than to any other kind of pattern'? Some scientists think this preference represents a built in advantage for the human species. The object of prime importance to the physically helpless infant is a human being. Babies seem to have a natural tendency to the human face as potentially rewarding. Researchers also point out that the newborn wisely relies more on pattern than on outline, size, or color. Pattern remains stable, while outline changes with point of view; size, with distance from an object; and brightness and color, with lighting.\nMothers have always claimed that they could see their newborns looking at them as they held them, despite what they have been told. The experts who thought that perception  had to await physical development and the consequence of action were wrong for several reasons. Earlier research techniques were less sophisticated than they are today. Physical skills were once used to indicate perception of objects-skills like visual tracking and reaching for an object, both of which the newborn does poorly. Then, too, assumptions that the newborn's eye and brain were too immature for anything as sophisticated as pattern recognition caused opposing data to be thrown away. Since perception of form was widely believed to follow perception of more \"basic\" qualities such as color and brightness, the possibility of its presence from birth was rejected.","id":"3201.txt","label":2}
{"option":["research techniques are of vital importance scientific investigation","the findings of earlier scientific researchers often prove wrong","newborns can perceive forms from birth","more often than not the claims of mothers are reliable"],"question":"The main idea of the passage is that ________.","article":"The newborn can see the difference between various shapes and patterns from birth. He prefers patterns to dull or bright solid colors and looks longer at stripes and angles than at circular patterns. Within three weeks, however, his preference shifts dramatically to the human face.\nWhy should a baby with so little visual experience attend more to a human face than to any other kind of pattern'? Some scientists think this preference represents a built in advantage for the human species. The object of prime importance to the physically helpless infant is a human being. Babies seem to have a natural tendency to the human face as potentially rewarding. Researchers also point out that the newborn wisely relies more on pattern than on outline, size, or color. Pattern remains stable, while outline changes with point of view; size, with distance from an object; and brightness and color, with lighting.\nMothers have always claimed that they could see their newborns looking at them as they held them, despite what they have been told. The experts who thought that perception  had to await physical development and the consequence of action were wrong for several reasons. Earlier research techniques were less sophisticated than they are today. Physical skills were once used to indicate perception of objects-skills like visual tracking and reaching for an object, both of which the newborn does poorly. Then, too, assumptions that the newborn's eye and brain were too immature for anything as sophisticated as pattern recognition caused opposing data to be thrown away. Since perception of form was widely believed to follow perception of more \"basic\" qualities such as color and brightness, the possibility of its presence from birth was rejected.","id":"3201.txt","label":0}
{"option":["quite satisfied with her life","a poor Jewish girl","born in a middle class family","a resident in a rich area in New York"],"question":"In the passage, we can find the author was _ .","article":"When I was growing up, the whole world was Jewish. The heroes were Jewish and the villains were Jewish. The landlord, the doctor, the grocer, your best friend, the village idiot, and the neighborhood bully: all Jewish. We were working class and immigrants as well, but that just came with territory. Essentially we were Jews on the streets of New York. We learned to be kind, cruel, smart and feeling in a mixture of language and gesture that was part street slang, part grade school English, part kitchen Yiddish.\nOne Sunday evening when I was eight years old my parents and I were riding in the back seat of my rich uncle's car. We had been out for a ride and now we were back in the Bronx, headed for home. Suddenly, another car sideswiped us. My mother and aunt shrieked. My uncle swore softly. My father, in whose lap I was sitting, said out the window at the speeding car, \"That's all right. Nothing but a few Jews in here.\" In an instant I knew everything. I knew there was a world beyond our streets, and in that world my father was humiliated man, without power or standing.\nWhen I was sixteen,a girl in the next building had her nose straightened; we all went together to see Selma Shapiro lying in state, wrapped in bandages from which would emerge a person fit for life beyond the block. Three buildings away\na boy went downtown for a job, and on his application he wrote \"Arnold Brown\" instead of \"Arnold Braunowiitz\". The news swept through the neighborhood like a wild fire. A nose job? A name change? What was happening here? It was awful; it was wonderful. It was frightening; it was delicious. Whatever it was, it wasn't standstill. Things felt lively and active. Self\ue011confidence was on the rise, passivity on the wane. We were going to experience challenges. That's what it meant to be in the new world. For the first time we could imagine ourselves out there.\nBut who exactly do I mean when I say we? I mean Arnie, not Selma. I mean my brother, not me. I mean the boys, not the girls. My mother stood behind me, pushing me forward. \"The girl goes to college, too,\" she said. And I did. But my going to college would not mean the same thing as my mother's going to college, and we all knew it. For my brother, college meant going from the Bronx to Manhattan. But for me? From the time I was fourteen I yearned to get out of the Bronx, but get out into what? I did not actually imagine myself a working person alone in Manhattan and nobody else did either. What I did imagine was that I would marry, and that the man I married would get me downtown. He would brave the perils of class and race, and somehow I'd be there alongside him.","id":"7.txt","label":1}
{"option":["to look her best","to find a new job in the neighborhood","to live a new life in other places","to marry very soon"],"question":"Selma Shapiro had her nose straightened because she wanted _ .","article":"When I was growing up, the whole world was Jewish. The heroes were Jewish and the villains were Jewish. The landlord, the doctor, the grocer, your best friend, the village idiot, and the neighborhood bully: all Jewish. We were working class and immigrants as well, but that just came with territory. Essentially we were Jews on the streets of New York. We learned to be kind, cruel, smart and feeling in a mixture of language and gesture that was part street slang, part grade school English, part kitchen Yiddish.\nOne Sunday evening when I was eight years old my parents and I were riding in the back seat of my rich uncle's car. We had been out for a ride and now we were back in the Bronx, headed for home. Suddenly, another car sideswiped us. My mother and aunt shrieked. My uncle swore softly. My father, in whose lap I was sitting, said out the window at the speeding car, \"That's all right. Nothing but a few Jews in here.\" In an instant I knew everything. I knew there was a world beyond our streets, and in that world my father was humiliated man, without power or standing.\nWhen I was sixteen,a girl in the next building had her nose straightened; we all went together to see Selma Shapiro lying in state, wrapped in bandages from which would emerge a person fit for life beyond the block. Three buildings away\na boy went downtown for a job, and on his application he wrote \"Arnold Brown\" instead of \"Arnold Braunowiitz\". The news swept through the neighborhood like a wild fire. A nose job? A name change? What was happening here? It was awful; it was wonderful. It was frightening; it was delicious. Whatever it was, it wasn't standstill. Things felt lively and active. Self\ue011confidence was on the rise, passivity on the wane. We were going to experience challenges. That's what it meant to be in the new world. For the first time we could imagine ourselves out there.\nBut who exactly do I mean when I say we? I mean Arnie, not Selma. I mean my brother, not me. I mean the boys, not the girls. My mother stood behind me, pushing me forward. \"The girl goes to college, too,\" she said. And I did. But my going to college would not mean the same thing as my mother's going to college, and we all knew it. For my brother, college meant going from the Bronx to Manhattan. But for me? From the time I was fourteen I yearned to get out of the Bronx, but get out into what? I did not actually imagine myself a working person alone in Manhattan and nobody else did either. What I did imagine was that I would marry, and that the man I married would get me downtown. He would brave the perils of class and race, and somehow I'd be there alongside him.","id":"7.txt","label":2}
{"option":["there was racial discrimination in employment","Brown was just the same as Braunowiitz","it was easy to write","Brown sounds better"],"question":"Arnold Brown changed his name because _ .","article":"When I was growing up, the whole world was Jewish. The heroes were Jewish and the villains were Jewish. The landlord, the doctor, the grocer, your best friend, the village idiot, and the neighborhood bully: all Jewish. We were working class and immigrants as well, but that just came with territory. Essentially we were Jews on the streets of New York. We learned to be kind, cruel, smart and feeling in a mixture of language and gesture that was part street slang, part grade school English, part kitchen Yiddish.\nOne Sunday evening when I was eight years old my parents and I were riding in the back seat of my rich uncle's car. We had been out for a ride and now we were back in the Bronx, headed for home. Suddenly, another car sideswiped us. My mother and aunt shrieked. My uncle swore softly. My father, in whose lap I was sitting, said out the window at the speeding car, \"That's all right. Nothing but a few Jews in here.\" In an instant I knew everything. I knew there was a world beyond our streets, and in that world my father was humiliated man, without power or standing.\nWhen I was sixteen,a girl in the next building had her nose straightened; we all went together to see Selma Shapiro lying in state, wrapped in bandages from which would emerge a person fit for life beyond the block. Three buildings away\na boy went downtown for a job, and on his application he wrote \"Arnold Brown\" instead of \"Arnold Braunowiitz\". The news swept through the neighborhood like a wild fire. A nose job? A name change? What was happening here? It was awful; it was wonderful. It was frightening; it was delicious. Whatever it was, it wasn't standstill. Things felt lively and active. Self\ue011confidence was on the rise, passivity on the wane. We were going to experience challenges. That's what it meant to be in the new world. For the first time we could imagine ourselves out there.\nBut who exactly do I mean when I say we? I mean Arnie, not Selma. I mean my brother, not me. I mean the boys, not the girls. My mother stood behind me, pushing me forward. \"The girl goes to college, too,\" she said. And I did. But my going to college would not mean the same thing as my mother's going to college, and we all knew it. For my brother, college meant going from the Bronx to Manhattan. But for me? From the time I was fourteen I yearned to get out of the Bronx, but get out into what? I did not actually imagine myself a working person alone in Manhattan and nobody else did either. What I did imagine was that I would marry, and that the man I married would get me downtown. He would brave the perils of class and race, and somehow I'd be there alongside him.","id":"7.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the Jews were satisfied with their life in the Bronx","the Jewish immigrants could not be rich","all the immigrants were very poor","the young Jews didn't accept the stern reality"],"question":"From the passage we can infer that _ .","article":"When I was growing up, the whole world was Jewish. The heroes were Jewish and the villains were Jewish. The landlord, the doctor, the grocer, your best friend, the village idiot, and the neighborhood bully: all Jewish. We were working class and immigrants as well, but that just came with territory. Essentially we were Jews on the streets of New York. We learned to be kind, cruel, smart and feeling in a mixture of language and gesture that was part street slang, part grade school English, part kitchen Yiddish.\nOne Sunday evening when I was eight years old my parents and I were riding in the back seat of my rich uncle's car. We had been out for a ride and now we were back in the Bronx, headed for home. Suddenly, another car sideswiped us. My mother and aunt shrieked. My uncle swore softly. My father, in whose lap I was sitting, said out the window at the speeding car, \"That's all right. Nothing but a few Jews in here.\" In an instant I knew everything. I knew there was a world beyond our streets, and in that world my father was humiliated man, without power or standing.\nWhen I was sixteen,a girl in the next building had her nose straightened; we all went together to see Selma Shapiro lying in state, wrapped in bandages from which would emerge a person fit for life beyond the block. Three buildings away\na boy went downtown for a job, and on his application he wrote \"Arnold Brown\" instead of \"Arnold Braunowiitz\". The news swept through the neighborhood like a wild fire. A nose job? A name change? What was happening here? It was awful; it was wonderful. It was frightening; it was delicious. Whatever it was, it wasn't standstill. Things felt lively and active. Self\ue011confidence was on the rise, passivity on the wane. We were going to experience challenges. That's what it meant to be in the new world. For the first time we could imagine ourselves out there.\nBut who exactly do I mean when I say we? I mean Arnie, not Selma. I mean my brother, not me. I mean the boys, not the girls. My mother stood behind me, pushing me forward. \"The girl goes to college, too,\" she said. And I did. But my going to college would not mean the same thing as my mother's going to college, and we all knew it. For my brother, college meant going from the Bronx to Manhattan. But for me? From the time I was fourteen I yearned to get out of the Bronx, but get out into what? I did not actually imagine myself a working person alone in Manhattan and nobody else did either. What I did imagine was that I would marry, and that the man I married would get me downtown. He would brave the perils of class and race, and somehow I'd be there alongside him.","id":"7.txt","label":3}
{"option":["digital products","user information","physical assets","quality service"],"question":"According to Paragraph 1, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for its _______.","article":"The power and ambition of the giants of the digital economy is astonishing-Amazon has just announced the purchase of the upmarket grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.5bn, but two years ago Facebook paid even more than that to acquire the WhatsApp messaging service, which doesn't have any physical product at all. What WhatsApp offered Facebook was an intricate and finely detailed web of its users' friendships and social lives.\nFacebook promised the European commission then that it would not link phone numbers to Facebook identities, but it broke the promise almost as soon as the deal went through. Even without knowing what was in the messages, the knowledge of who sent them and to whom was enormously revealing and still could be. What political journalist, what party whip, would not want to know the makeup of the WhatsApp groups in which Theresa May's enemies are currently plotting? It may be that the value of Whole Foods to Amazon is not so much the 460 shops it owns, but the records of which customers have purchased what.\nCompetition law appears to be the only way to address these imbalances of power. But it is clumsy. For one thing, it is very slow compared to the pace of change within the digital economy. By the time a problem has been addressed and remedied it may have vanished in the marketplace, to be replaced by new abuses of power. But there is a deeper conceptual problem, too. Competition law as presently interpreted deals with financial disadvantage to consumers and this is not obvious when the users of these services don't pay for them. The users of their services are not their customers. That would be the people who buy advertising from them-and Facebook and Google, the two virtual giants, dominate digital advertising to the disadvantage of all other media and entertainment companies.\nThe product they're selling is data, and we, the users, convert our lives to data for the benefit of the digital giants. Just as some ants farm the bugs called aphids for the honeydew that produce when they feed, so Google farms us for the data that our digital lives yield. Ants keep predatory insects away from where their aphids feed; Gmail keeps the spammers out of our inboxes. It doesn't feel like a human or democratic relationship, even if both sides benefit.","id":"500.txt","label":1}
{"option":["worsen political disputes","mess up customer records","pose a risk to Facebook users","mislead the European commission"],"question":"Linking phone numbers to Facebook identities may _______.","article":"The power and ambition of the giants of the digital economy is astonishing-Amazon has just announced the purchase of the upmarket grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.5bn, but two years ago Facebook paid even more than that to acquire the WhatsApp messaging service, which doesn't have any physical product at all. What WhatsApp offered Facebook was an intricate and finely detailed web of its users' friendships and social lives.\nFacebook promised the European commission then that it would not link phone numbers to Facebook identities, but it broke the promise almost as soon as the deal went through. Even without knowing what was in the messages, the knowledge of who sent them and to whom was enormously revealing and still could be. What political journalist, what party whip, would not want to know the makeup of the WhatsApp groups in which Theresa May's enemies are currently plotting? It may be that the value of Whole Foods to Amazon is not so much the 460 shops it owns, but the records of which customers have purchased what.\nCompetition law appears to be the only way to address these imbalances of power. But it is clumsy. For one thing, it is very slow compared to the pace of change within the digital economy. By the time a problem has been addressed and remedied it may have vanished in the marketplace, to be replaced by new abuses of power. But there is a deeper conceptual problem, too. Competition law as presently interpreted deals with financial disadvantage to consumers and this is not obvious when the users of these services don't pay for them. The users of their services are not their customers. That would be the people who buy advertising from them-and Facebook and Google, the two virtual giants, dominate digital advertising to the disadvantage of all other media and entertainment companies.\nThe product they're selling is data, and we, the users, convert our lives to data for the benefit of the digital giants. Just as some ants farm the bugs called aphids for the honeydew that produce when they feed, so Google farms us for the data that our digital lives yield. Ants keep predatory insects away from where their aphids feed; Gmail keeps the spammers out of our inboxes. It doesn't feel like a human or democratic relationship, even if both sides benefit.","id":"500.txt","label":2}
{"option":["violated the Constitution","undermined the states' interests","supported the federal statute","stood in favor of the states"],"question":"According to the author, competition law _______.","article":"The power and ambition of the giants of the digital economy is astonishing-Amazon has just announced the purchase of the upmarket grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.5bn, but two years ago Facebook paid even more than that to acquire the WhatsApp messaging service, which doesn't have any physical product at all. What WhatsApp offered Facebook was an intricate and finely detailed web of its users' friendships and social lives.\nFacebook promised the European commission then that it would not link phone numbers to Facebook identities, but it broke the promise almost as soon as the deal went through. Even without knowing what was in the messages, the knowledge of who sent them and to whom was enormously revealing and still could be. What political journalist, what party whip, would not want to know the makeup of the WhatsApp groups in which Theresa May's enemies are currently plotting? It may be that the value of Whole Foods to Amazon is not so much the 460 shops it owns, but the records of which customers have purchased what.\nCompetition law appears to be the only way to address these imbalances of power. But it is clumsy. For one thing, it is very slow compared to the pace of change within the digital economy. By the time a problem has been addressed and remedied it may have vanished in the marketplace, to be replaced by new abuses of power. But there is a deeper conceptual problem, too. Competition law as presently interpreted deals with financial disadvantage to consumers and this is not obvious when the users of these services don't pay for them. The users of their services are not their customers. That would be the people who buy advertising from them-and Facebook and Google, the two virtual giants, dominate digital advertising to the disadvantage of all other media and entertainment companies.\nThe product they're selling is data, and we, the users, convert our lives to data for the benefit of the digital giants. Just as some ants farm the bugs called aphids for the honeydew that produce when they feed, so Google farms us for the data that our digital lives yield. Ants keep predatory insects away from where their aphids feed; Gmail keeps the spammers out of our inboxes. It doesn't feel like a human or democratic relationship, even if both sides benefit.","id":"500.txt","label":3}
{"option":["they are not defined as customers","they are not financially reliable","the services are generally digital","the services are paid for by advertisers"],"question":"The White House claims that its power of enforcement ________.","article":"The power and ambition of the giants of the digital economy is astonishing-Amazon has just announced the purchase of the upmarket grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.5bn, but two years ago Facebook paid even more than that to acquire the WhatsApp messaging service, which doesn't have any physical product at all. What WhatsApp offered Facebook was an intricate and finely detailed web of its users' friendships and social lives.\nFacebook promised the European commission then that it would not link phone numbers to Facebook identities, but it broke the promise almost as soon as the deal went through. Even without knowing what was in the messages, the knowledge of who sent them and to whom was enormously revealing and still could be. What political journalist, what party whip, would not want to know the makeup of the WhatsApp groups in which Theresa May's enemies are currently plotting? It may be that the value of Whole Foods to Amazon is not so much the 460 shops it owns, but the records of which customers have purchased what.\nCompetition law appears to be the only way to address these imbalances of power. But it is clumsy. For one thing, it is very slow compared to the pace of change within the digital economy. By the time a problem has been addressed and remedied it may have vanished in the marketplace, to be replaced by new abuses of power. But there is a deeper conceptual problem, too. Competition law as presently interpreted deals with financial disadvantage to consumers and this is not obvious when the users of these services don't pay for them. The users of their services are not their customers. That would be the people who buy advertising from them-and Facebook and Google, the two virtual giants, dominate digital advertising to the disadvantage of all other media and entertainment companies.\nThe product they're selling is data, and we, the users, convert our lives to data for the benefit of the digital giants. Just as some ants farm the bugs called aphids for the honeydew that produce when they feed, so Google farms us for the data that our digital lives yield. Ants keep predatory insects away from where their aphids feed; Gmail keeps the spammers out of our inboxes. It doesn't feel like a human or democratic relationship, even if both sides benefit.","id":"500.txt","label":3}
{"option":["a win-win business model between digital giants","a typical competition pattern among digital giants","the benefits provided for digital giants' customers","the relationship between digital giants and their users"],"question":"The ants analogy is used to illustrate _______.","article":"The power and ambition of the giants of the digital economy is astonishing-Amazon has just announced the purchase of the upmarket grocery chain Whole Foods for $13.5bn, but two years ago Facebook paid even more than that to acquire the WhatsApp messaging service, which doesn't have any physical product at all. What WhatsApp offered Facebook was an intricate and finely detailed web of its users' friendships and social lives.\nFacebook promised the European commission then that it would not link phone numbers to Facebook identities, but it broke the promise almost as soon as the deal went through. Even without knowing what was in the messages, the knowledge of who sent them and to whom was enormously revealing and still could be. What political journalist, what party whip, would not want to know the makeup of the WhatsApp groups in which Theresa May's enemies are currently plotting? It may be that the value of Whole Foods to Amazon is not so much the 460 shops it owns, but the records of which customers have purchased what.\nCompetition law appears to be the only way to address these imbalances of power. But it is clumsy. For one thing, it is very slow compared to the pace of change within the digital economy. By the time a problem has been addressed and remedied it may have vanished in the marketplace, to be replaced by new abuses of power. But there is a deeper conceptual problem, too. Competition law as presently interpreted deals with financial disadvantage to consumers and this is not obvious when the users of these services don't pay for them. The users of their services are not their customers. That would be the people who buy advertising from them-and Facebook and Google, the two virtual giants, dominate digital advertising to the disadvantage of all other media and entertainment companies.\nThe product they're selling is data, and we, the users, convert our lives to data for the benefit of the digital giants. Just as some ants farm the bugs called aphids for the honeydew that produce when they feed, so Google farms us for the data that our digital lives yield. Ants keep predatory insects away from where their aphids feed; Gmail keeps the spammers out of our inboxes. It doesn't feel like a human or democratic relationship, even if both sides benefit.","id":"500.txt","label":3}
{"option":["you must be a medical student, or a medical worker","you are haunted by a possibly inexistent disease","you will never get rid of this disease","you always tell funny stories at dinner parties"],"question":"According to the passage, if you suffer from hypochondria, _ .","article":"It happens to every medical student sooner or later. You get a cough that persists for a while. Ordinarily,you would just ignore it--but now, armed with your rapidly growing medical knowledge, you can't help worrying. The cough could mean just a cold, but it could also be a sign of lung cancer.\nFor doctors in training, nurses and medical journalists, hypochondria is an occupational danger. The feeling usually passes after a while, leaving only a funny story to tell at a dinner party. But for the tens ofthousands who suffer from true hypochondria they live in constant terror that they are dying of some awfuldisease, or even several awful diseases at once. Doctors can assure them that there's nothing wrong, but since the cough is real, the assurances fall on deaf ears. And because no physician or test can offer a 100% guarantee that one doesn't have cancer, a hypochondriac always has fuel to feed Iris .or her worst fears.\nHypochondriacs don't harm just themselves; they block the whole healthcare system. Although they account for only about 6% of the patients who visit doctors every year, they tend to burden their physicians with frequent visits that take up excessive amounts of time. And the problem may be worse, thanks to the popularity of medical information on the Internet. They go on the Web and learn about new diseases and new presentations of old diseases that they never even knew about before. Doctors have taken to calling this phenomenon cyberchondria .","id":"520.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Hypochondria happens to everybody sooner or later.","We needn't worry about hypochondria since it is not dangerous at all.","Hypochondria originates from too much knowledge of medicine.","Not only individuals but also the healthcare system might be disturbed by unnecessary terrors."],"question":"Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the passage?","article":"It happens to every medical student sooner or later. You get a cough that persists for a while. Ordinarily,you would just ignore it--but now, armed with your rapidly growing medical knowledge, you can't help worrying. The cough could mean just a cold, but it could also be a sign of lung cancer.\nFor doctors in training, nurses and medical journalists, hypochondria is an occupational danger. The feeling usually passes after a while, leaving only a funny story to tell at a dinner party. But for the tens ofthousands who suffer from true hypochondria they live in constant terror that they are dying of some awfuldisease, or even several awful diseases at once. Doctors can assure them that there's nothing wrong, but since the cough is real, the assurances fall on deaf ears. And because no physician or test can offer a 100% guarantee that one doesn't have cancer, a hypochondriac always has fuel to feed Iris .or her worst fears.\nHypochondriacs don't harm just themselves; they block the whole healthcare system. Although they account for only about 6% of the patients who visit doctors every year, they tend to burden their physicians with frequent visits that take up excessive amounts of time. And the problem may be worse, thanks to the popularity of medical information on the Internet. They go on the Web and learn about new diseases and new presentations of old diseases that they never even knew about before. Doctors have taken to calling this phenomenon cyberchondria .","id":"520.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Because the doctors can't cure the minor diseases","Because the doctors don't assure them of that","Because the sufferers are deaf and cannot hear what the doctors say","Because lack of absolute guarantee makes the patients doubtful"],"question":"Why can't doctors convince the suffers that there is nothing wrong?","article":"It happens to every medical student sooner or later. You get a cough that persists for a while. Ordinarily,you would just ignore it--but now, armed with your rapidly growing medical knowledge, you can't help worrying. The cough could mean just a cold, but it could also be a sign of lung cancer.\nFor doctors in training, nurses and medical journalists, hypochondria is an occupational danger. The feeling usually passes after a while, leaving only a funny story to tell at a dinner party. But for the tens ofthousands who suffer from true hypochondria they live in constant terror that they are dying of some awfuldisease, or even several awful diseases at once. Doctors can assure them that there's nothing wrong, but since the cough is real, the assurances fall on deaf ears. And because no physician or test can offer a 100% guarantee that one doesn't have cancer, a hypochondriac always has fuel to feed Iris .or her worst fears.\nHypochondriacs don't harm just themselves; they block the whole healthcare system. Although they account for only about 6% of the patients who visit doctors every year, they tend to burden their physicians with frequent visits that take up excessive amounts of time. And the problem may be worse, thanks to the popularity of medical information on the Internet. They go on the Web and learn about new diseases and new presentations of old diseases that they never even knew about before. Doctors have taken to calling this phenomenon cyberchondria .","id":"520.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the increasing number of patients","the widespread medical knowledge on the Internet","the patients,regular visits to doctors that occupy too much time","new diseases and symptoms emerge constantly"],"question":"The problem becomes worse due to _","article":"It happens to every medical student sooner or later. You get a cough that persists for a while. Ordinarily,you would just ignore it--but now, armed with your rapidly growing medical knowledge, you can't help worrying. The cough could mean just a cold, but it could also be a sign of lung cancer.\nFor doctors in training, nurses and medical journalists, hypochondria is an occupational danger. The feeling usually passes after a while, leaving only a funny story to tell at a dinner party. But for the tens ofthousands who suffer from true hypochondria they live in constant terror that they are dying of some awfuldisease, or even several awful diseases at once. Doctors can assure them that there's nothing wrong, but since the cough is real, the assurances fall on deaf ears. And because no physician or test can offer a 100% guarantee that one doesn't have cancer, a hypochondriac always has fuel to feed Iris .or her worst fears.\nHypochondriacs don't harm just themselves; they block the whole healthcare system. Although they account for only about 6% of the patients who visit doctors every year, they tend to burden their physicians with frequent visits that take up excessive amounts of time. And the problem may be worse, thanks to the popularity of medical information on the Internet. They go on the Web and learn about new diseases and new presentations of old diseases that they never even knew about before. Doctors have taken to calling this phenomenon cyberchondria .","id":"520.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The author considers that hypochondria is an incurable disease","The author thinks that the consequences of hypochondria might be disastrous","The author suggests that the patients who have hypochondria should set their hearts at rest","The author sympathizes with the patients who suffer from hypochondria"],"question":"What does the author most probably think about hypochondria?","article":"It happens to every medical student sooner or later. You get a cough that persists for a while. Ordinarily,you would just ignore it--but now, armed with your rapidly growing medical knowledge, you can't help worrying. The cough could mean just a cold, but it could also be a sign of lung cancer.\nFor doctors in training, nurses and medical journalists, hypochondria is an occupational danger. The feeling usually passes after a while, leaving only a funny story to tell at a dinner party. But for the tens ofthousands who suffer from true hypochondria they live in constant terror that they are dying of some awfuldisease, or even several awful diseases at once. Doctors can assure them that there's nothing wrong, but since the cough is real, the assurances fall on deaf ears. And because no physician or test can offer a 100% guarantee that one doesn't have cancer, a hypochondriac always has fuel to feed Iris .or her worst fears.\nHypochondriacs don't harm just themselves; they block the whole healthcare system. Although they account for only about 6% of the patients who visit doctors every year, they tend to burden their physicians with frequent visits that take up excessive amounts of time. And the problem may be worse, thanks to the popularity of medical information on the Internet. They go on the Web and learn about new diseases and new presentations of old diseases that they never even knew about before. Doctors have taken to calling this phenomenon cyberchondria .","id":"520.txt","label":2}
{"option":["protect undocumented immigrants from deportation","offer young immigrants free education and job training","undergo broad immigration reform across the states","make progress toward fair immigration enforcement"],"question":"According to the passage, the Obama administration will","article":"The most promising effort in years to restore fairness and hope tb the immigration system begins Wednesday, when the Obama administration will start accepting applications from yoking, undocumented immigrants who want to be shielded from deportation so they can be free to work and go to school.\nThe program to halt deportations is limited, hedged by detailed rules and not to be confused with broad immigration reform, which is out of reach at a time when resentment against the undocumented runs high in Washington and in the states.\nBut any progress away from indiscriminate immigration enforcement, and toward opening pathways to a fuller involvement in society, is worth noting and celebrating.\nUnder the program, applicants must have been brought to the United States before turning 16, be under 31, have clean records and have lived here for at least the last five years. Those who are accepted will not be legalized, even if they are given permission to work. They will instead be granted two-year deferrals of deportation, which are renewable.\nBy one estimate, 1.7 million of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants may qualify.\nAnnounced by President Obama in June, the program is not the legalization or path to citizenship that millions are longing for and deserve. It's simply a decision by the Department of Homeland Security, at President Obama's instruction, to get its enforcement priorities right focusing on removing criminals and others who threaten community safety, not the law-abiding, hard-working young people who pose no threat and cannot be blamed for their unauthorized status.\nThere are two major worries as the program unfolds. One is whether Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that will run the program, can handle the administrative load. Alejandro Mayorkas, the director, says his agency is investing in staffing and training, helped along by the $ 465 fee charged to each applicant. The agency depends entirely on fees.\nThe other fear is that applicants will fall prey to fraud. Immigration law is extremely complicated, which dishonest consultants, known as \"notarios\", take full advantage of. Applicants who are rejected have no right to appeal and will still risk deportation, especially those whose paperwork was falsified. The citizenship agency needs to do all it can to educate applicants and prevent frauds.\nThen there will be the attacks from those who cannot stomach anything less than the ejection of every last immigrant who lacks legal status. This harshness is exemplified by Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who denounced the program on Wednesday.\n\"I cannot overstate the tragedy of this,\" he said, doing just that. His inability to distinguish \"criminal aliens\" from the young strivers the United States needs is the reason the country has been forced into administrative half-measures, rather than real legislative reform.","id":"877.txt","label":3}
{"option":["can be brought to the United States before 16","can live in the United States for five years","will be allowed to seek jobs in the U. S.","will be entitled to U.S. citizenship in two years"],"question":"Under the new immigration program, applicants that are accepted","article":"The most promising effort in years to restore fairness and hope tb the immigration system begins Wednesday, when the Obama administration will start accepting applications from yoking, undocumented immigrants who want to be shielded from deportation so they can be free to work and go to school.\nThe program to halt deportations is limited, hedged by detailed rules and not to be confused with broad immigration reform, which is out of reach at a time when resentment against the undocumented runs high in Washington and in the states.\nBut any progress away from indiscriminate immigration enforcement, and toward opening pathways to a fuller involvement in society, is worth noting and celebrating.\nUnder the program, applicants must have been brought to the United States before turning 16, be under 31, have clean records and have lived here for at least the last five years. Those who are accepted will not be legalized, even if they are given permission to work. They will instead be granted two-year deferrals of deportation, which are renewable.\nBy one estimate, 1.7 million of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants may qualify.\nAnnounced by President Obama in June, the program is not the legalization or path to citizenship that millions are longing for and deserve. It's simply a decision by the Department of Homeland Security, at President Obama's instruction, to get its enforcement priorities right focusing on removing criminals and others who threaten community safety, not the law-abiding, hard-working young people who pose no threat and cannot be blamed for their unauthorized status.\nThere are two major worries as the program unfolds. One is whether Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that will run the program, can handle the administrative load. Alejandro Mayorkas, the director, says his agency is investing in staffing and training, helped along by the $ 465 fee charged to each applicant. The agency depends entirely on fees.\nThe other fear is that applicants will fall prey to fraud. Immigration law is extremely complicated, which dishonest consultants, known as \"notarios\", take full advantage of. Applicants who are rejected have no right to appeal and will still risk deportation, especially those whose paperwork was falsified. The citizenship agency needs to do all it can to educate applicants and prevent frauds.\nThen there will be the attacks from those who cannot stomach anything less than the ejection of every last immigrant who lacks legal status. This harshness is exemplified by Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who denounced the program on Wednesday.\n\"I cannot overstate the tragedy of this,\" he said, doing just that. His inability to distinguish \"criminal aliens\" from the young strivers the United States needs is the reason the country has been forced into administrative half-measures, rather than real legislative reform.","id":"877.txt","label":2}
{"option":["It opens up a legal path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.","It grants authorized status to the hard-working young immigrants.","It endows President Obama with the enforcement priorities right.","It focuses on driving out the immigrants with criminal records."],"question":"What does the author say about the new immigration program?","article":"The most promising effort in years to restore fairness and hope tb the immigration system begins Wednesday, when the Obama administration will start accepting applications from yoking, undocumented immigrants who want to be shielded from deportation so they can be free to work and go to school.\nThe program to halt deportations is limited, hedged by detailed rules and not to be confused with broad immigration reform, which is out of reach at a time when resentment against the undocumented runs high in Washington and in the states.\nBut any progress away from indiscriminate immigration enforcement, and toward opening pathways to a fuller involvement in society, is worth noting and celebrating.\nUnder the program, applicants must have been brought to the United States before turning 16, be under 31, have clean records and have lived here for at least the last five years. Those who are accepted will not be legalized, even if they are given permission to work. They will instead be granted two-year deferrals of deportation, which are renewable.\nBy one estimate, 1.7 million of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants may qualify.\nAnnounced by President Obama in June, the program is not the legalization or path to citizenship that millions are longing for and deserve. It's simply a decision by the Department of Homeland Security, at President Obama's instruction, to get its enforcement priorities right focusing on removing criminals and others who threaten community safety, not the law-abiding, hard-working young people who pose no threat and cannot be blamed for their unauthorized status.\nThere are two major worries as the program unfolds. One is whether Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that will run the program, can handle the administrative load. Alejandro Mayorkas, the director, says his agency is investing in staffing and training, helped along by the $ 465 fee charged to each applicant. The agency depends entirely on fees.\nThe other fear is that applicants will fall prey to fraud. Immigration law is extremely complicated, which dishonest consultants, known as \"notarios\", take full advantage of. Applicants who are rejected have no right to appeal and will still risk deportation, especially those whose paperwork was falsified. The citizenship agency needs to do all it can to educate applicants and prevent frauds.\nThen there will be the attacks from those who cannot stomach anything less than the ejection of every last immigrant who lacks legal status. This harshness is exemplified by Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who denounced the program on Wednesday.\n\"I cannot overstate the tragedy of this,\" he said, doing just that. His inability to distinguish \"criminal aliens\" from the young strivers the United States needs is the reason the country has been forced into administrative half-measures, rather than real legislative reform.","id":"877.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Citizenship and Immigration Services has no enough funds to run the program.","Citizenship and Immigration Services will charge the applicants arbitrarily.","Immigration law can be too complicated to be explained to the applicants.","The applicants can easily fall into the trap of dishonest consultants."],"question":"What is one major concern with the launch of the new immigration program?","article":"The most promising effort in years to restore fairness and hope tb the immigration system begins Wednesday, when the Obama administration will start accepting applications from yoking, undocumented immigrants who want to be shielded from deportation so they can be free to work and go to school.\nThe program to halt deportations is limited, hedged by detailed rules and not to be confused with broad immigration reform, which is out of reach at a time when resentment against the undocumented runs high in Washington and in the states.\nBut any progress away from indiscriminate immigration enforcement, and toward opening pathways to a fuller involvement in society, is worth noting and celebrating.\nUnder the program, applicants must have been brought to the United States before turning 16, be under 31, have clean records and have lived here for at least the last five years. Those who are accepted will not be legalized, even if they are given permission to work. They will instead be granted two-year deferrals of deportation, which are renewable.\nBy one estimate, 1.7 million of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants may qualify.\nAnnounced by President Obama in June, the program is not the legalization or path to citizenship that millions are longing for and deserve. It's simply a decision by the Department of Homeland Security, at President Obama's instruction, to get its enforcement priorities right focusing on removing criminals and others who threaten community safety, not the law-abiding, hard-working young people who pose no threat and cannot be blamed for their unauthorized status.\nThere are two major worries as the program unfolds. One is whether Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that will run the program, can handle the administrative load. Alejandro Mayorkas, the director, says his agency is investing in staffing and training, helped along by the $ 465 fee charged to each applicant. The agency depends entirely on fees.\nThe other fear is that applicants will fall prey to fraud. Immigration law is extremely complicated, which dishonest consultants, known as \"notarios\", take full advantage of. Applicants who are rejected have no right to appeal and will still risk deportation, especially those whose paperwork was falsified. The citizenship agency needs to do all it can to educate applicants and prevent frauds.\nThen there will be the attacks from those who cannot stomach anything less than the ejection of every last immigrant who lacks legal status. This harshness is exemplified by Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who denounced the program on Wednesday.\n\"I cannot overstate the tragedy of this,\" he said, doing just that. His inability to distinguish \"criminal aliens\" from the young strivers the United States needs is the reason the country has been forced into administrative half-measures, rather than real legislative reform.","id":"877.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The immigration agency cannot handle the administrative load.","The United States regards all the immigrants criminal aliens.","Senator Jeff Sessions highlights the losses illegal immigrants may incur.","Jeff Sessions bears resentment against all the undocumented immigrants."],"question":"Why doesn't the United States take the real legislative imnu'gration reform?","article":"The most promising effort in years to restore fairness and hope tb the immigration system begins Wednesday, when the Obama administration will start accepting applications from yoking, undocumented immigrants who want to be shielded from deportation so they can be free to work and go to school.\nThe program to halt deportations is limited, hedged by detailed rules and not to be confused with broad immigration reform, which is out of reach at a time when resentment against the undocumented runs high in Washington and in the states.\nBut any progress away from indiscriminate immigration enforcement, and toward opening pathways to a fuller involvement in society, is worth noting and celebrating.\nUnder the program, applicants must have been brought to the United States before turning 16, be under 31, have clean records and have lived here for at least the last five years. Those who are accepted will not be legalized, even if they are given permission to work. They will instead be granted two-year deferrals of deportation, which are renewable.\nBy one estimate, 1.7 million of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants may qualify.\nAnnounced by President Obama in June, the program is not the legalization or path to citizenship that millions are longing for and deserve. It's simply a decision by the Department of Homeland Security, at President Obama's instruction, to get its enforcement priorities right focusing on removing criminals and others who threaten community safety, not the law-abiding, hard-working young people who pose no threat and cannot be blamed for their unauthorized status.\nThere are two major worries as the program unfolds. One is whether Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that will run the program, can handle the administrative load. Alejandro Mayorkas, the director, says his agency is investing in staffing and training, helped along by the $ 465 fee charged to each applicant. The agency depends entirely on fees.\nThe other fear is that applicants will fall prey to fraud. Immigration law is extremely complicated, which dishonest consultants, known as \"notarios\", take full advantage of. Applicants who are rejected have no right to appeal and will still risk deportation, especially those whose paperwork was falsified. The citizenship agency needs to do all it can to educate applicants and prevent frauds.\nThen there will be the attacks from those who cannot stomach anything less than the ejection of every last immigrant who lacks legal status. This harshness is exemplified by Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who denounced the program on Wednesday.\n\"I cannot overstate the tragedy of this,\" he said, doing just that. His inability to distinguish \"criminal aliens\" from the young strivers the United States needs is the reason the country has been forced into administrative half-measures, rather than real legislative reform.","id":"877.txt","label":3}
{"option":["A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population.","A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid, dramatic increase.","Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year.","A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality."],"question":"Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy?","article":"We can begin our discussion of \"population as global issue\" with what most persons mean when they discuss \"the population problem\": too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to \"a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.\"\nTo understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.\nThis pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.\nDemographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world's population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.","id":"72.txt","label":0}
{"option":["only one in ten persons could live past 40.","there was higher mortality than fertility in most places.","it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions.","our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children."],"question":"During the first period of demographic history, societies were often in danger of extinction because _ .","article":"We can begin our discussion of \"population as global issue\" with what most persons mean when they discuss \"the population problem\": too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to \"a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.\"\nTo understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.\nThis pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.\nDemographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world's population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.","id":"72.txt","label":1}
{"option":["There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 2000.","About 50,000 babies are born every six hours at present.","Between 8000 BC and the present, the population increase is about 80,000,000 persons each year.","The population increased faster between 8000BC and 1650 than between 1650 and the present."],"question":"Which statement is true about population increase?","article":"We can begin our discussion of \"population as global issue\" with what most persons mean when they discuss \"the population problem\": too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to \"a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.\"\nTo understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.\nThis pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.\nDemographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world's population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.","id":"72.txt","label":0}
{"option":["warn people against the population explosion in the near future.","compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 1650.","find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years.","present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth."],"question":"The author of the passage intends to _ .","article":"We can begin our discussion of \"population as global issue\" with what most persons mean when they discuss \"the population problem\": too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to \"a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.\"\nTo understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.\nThis pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.\nDemographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world's population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.","id":"72.txt","label":3}
{"option":["statistics of human.","surroundings study.","accumulation of human.","development of human."],"question":"The word \"demographic\" in the first paragraph means _ .","article":"We can begin our discussion of \"population as global issue\" with what most persons mean when they discuss \"the population problem\": too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute, It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to \"a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.\"\nTo understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.\nThis pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.\nDemographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world's population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.","id":"72.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Shops try all kinds of means to please customers.","Shops\uff0clarge or small\uff0care offering big discounts.","Women tend to have their hair cut less frequently.","Customers refrain from buying things impulsively."],"question":"According to the passage\uff0cwhat does\"the first clue\" suggest?","article":"The first clue came when I got my hair cut. The stylist offered not just the usual coffee or tea but a complimentary nail-polish change while I waited for my hair to dry. Maybe she hoped this little amenity would slow the growing inclination of women to stretch each haircut to last four months while nursing our hair back to whatever natural colour we long ago forgot.\nThen there was the appliance salesman who offered to carry my bags as we toured the microwave aisle. When I called my husband to ask him to check some specs online\uff0cthe salesman offered a pre-emptive discount\uff0clest the surfing turn up the same model cheaper in another store. That night\uff0cfor the first time\uff0cI saw the Hyundai ad promising shoppers that if they buy a car and then lose their job in the next year\uff0cthey can return it.\nSuddenly everything's on sale. The upside to the economic downturn is the immense incentive it gives retailers to treat you like a queen for a day. During the flush times, salespeople were surly, waiters snobby. But now the customer rules\uff0cjust for showing up. There's more room to stretch out on the flight\uff0ceven in a coach. The malls have that serene aura of undisturbed wilderness, with scarcely a shopper in sight. Every conversation with anyone selling anything is a pantomime of pain and bluff. Finger the scarf, then start to walk away, and its price floats silkily downward. When the mechanic calls to tell you that brakes and a timing belt and other services will run close to $2,000\uff0cit's time to break out the newly perfected art of the considered pause. You really don't even have to say anything pitiful before he'll offer to knock a few hundred dollars off.\nRestaurants are also caught in a fit of ardent hospitality, especially around Wall Street: Trinity Place offers $3 drinks at happy hour any day the market goes down, with the slogan \"Market tanked? Get tanked!\"--which ensures a lively crowd for the closing bell. The \"21\" Club has decided that men no longer need to wear ties\uff0cso long as they bring their wallets. Food itself is friendlier\uff1ayou notice more comfort food\uff0ca truce between chef and patron that is easier to enjoy now that you can get a table practically anywhere. New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni characterizes the new restaurant demeanor as \"extreme solicitousness tinged with outright desperation. \"\"You need to hug the customer,\"one owner told him.\nThere's a chance that eventually we'll return all this kindness with the extravagant spending that was once decried but now everyone is hoping will restart the economy. But human nature is funny that way. In dangerous times\uff0cwe clench and squint at the deal that looks too good to miss\uff0csuspecting that it must be too good to be true. Is the store with the super cheap flat screens going to go bust and thus not be there to honor the \"free\" extended warranty? Is there something wrong with that free cheese? Store owners will tell you horror stories about shoppers with attitude\uff0cwho walk in demanding discounts and flaunt their new power at every turn. These store owners wince as they sense bad habit forming\uff1aWill people expect discounts forever? Will their hard-won brand luster be forever cheapened, especially for items whose allure depends on their being ridiculously priced?\nThere will surely come a day when things go back to\"normal\"\uff1bretail sales even inched up in January after sinking for the previous six months. But I wonder what it will take for US to see those $545 Sigerson Morrison studded toe-ring sandals as reasonable? Bargain-hunting can be addictive regardless of the state of the markets\uff0cand haggling is a low-risk\uff0chigh-value contact sport. Trauma digs deep into habit\uff0clike my 85-year-old mother still calling her canned-goods cabinet \"the bomb shelter.\" The children of the First Depression were saving string and preaching sacrifice long after the skies cleared. They came to be called the \"greatest generation.\" As we learn to be decent stewards of our resources\uff0cwho knows what might come of it? We have lived in an age of wanton waste\uff0cand there is value in practicing conservation that goes far beyond our own bottom line.","id":"252.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Bad-tempered.","Highly motivated.","Over-friendly.","Deeply frustrated."],"question":"Which of the following best depicts the retailers now?","article":"The first clue came when I got my hair cut. The stylist offered not just the usual coffee or tea but a complimentary nail-polish change while I waited for my hair to dry. Maybe she hoped this little amenity would slow the growing inclination of women to stretch each haircut to last four months while nursing our hair back to whatever natural colour we long ago forgot.\nThen there was the appliance salesman who offered to carry my bags as we toured the microwave aisle. When I called my husband to ask him to check some specs online\uff0cthe salesman offered a pre-emptive discount\uff0clest the surfing turn up the same model cheaper in another store. That night\uff0cfor the first time\uff0cI saw the Hyundai ad promising shoppers that if they buy a car and then lose their job in the next year\uff0cthey can return it.\nSuddenly everything's on sale. The upside to the economic downturn is the immense incentive it gives retailers to treat you like a queen for a day. During the flush times, salespeople were surly, waiters snobby. But now the customer rules\uff0cjust for showing up. There's more room to stretch out on the flight\uff0ceven in a coach. The malls have that serene aura of undisturbed wilderness, with scarcely a shopper in sight. Every conversation with anyone selling anything is a pantomime of pain and bluff. Finger the scarf, then start to walk away, and its price floats silkily downward. When the mechanic calls to tell you that brakes and a timing belt and other services will run close to $2,000\uff0cit's time to break out the newly perfected art of the considered pause. You really don't even have to say anything pitiful before he'll offer to knock a few hundred dollars off.\nRestaurants are also caught in a fit of ardent hospitality, especially around Wall Street: Trinity Place offers $3 drinks at happy hour any day the market goes down, with the slogan \"Market tanked? Get tanked!\"--which ensures a lively crowd for the closing bell. The \"21\" Club has decided that men no longer need to wear ties\uff0cso long as they bring their wallets. Food itself is friendlier\uff1ayou notice more comfort food\uff0ca truce between chef and patron that is easier to enjoy now that you can get a table practically anywhere. New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni characterizes the new restaurant demeanor as \"extreme solicitousness tinged with outright desperation. \"\"You need to hug the customer,\"one owner told him.\nThere's a chance that eventually we'll return all this kindness with the extravagant spending that was once decried but now everyone is hoping will restart the economy. But human nature is funny that way. In dangerous times\uff0cwe clench and squint at the deal that looks too good to miss\uff0csuspecting that it must be too good to be true. Is the store with the super cheap flat screens going to go bust and thus not be there to honor the \"free\" extended warranty? Is there something wrong with that free cheese? Store owners will tell you horror stories about shoppers with attitude\uff0cwho walk in demanding discounts and flaunt their new power at every turn. These store owners wince as they sense bad habit forming\uff1aWill people expect discounts forever? Will their hard-won brand luster be forever cheapened, especially for items whose allure depends on their being ridiculously priced?\nThere will surely come a day when things go back to\"normal\"\uff1bretail sales even inched up in January after sinking for the previous six months. But I wonder what it will take for US to see those $545 Sigerson Morrison studded toe-ring sandals as reasonable? Bargain-hunting can be addictive regardless of the state of the markets\uff0cand haggling is a low-risk\uff0chigh-value contact sport. Trauma digs deep into habit\uff0clike my 85-year-old mother still calling her canned-goods cabinet \"the bomb shelter.\" The children of the First Depression were saving string and preaching sacrifice long after the skies cleared. They came to be called the \"greatest generation.\" As we learn to be decent stewards of our resources\uff0cwho knows what might come of it? We have lived in an age of wanton waste\uff0cand there is value in practicing conservation that goes far beyond our own bottom line.","id":"252.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Customers now rush to buy things on sale.","Customers have got a sense of superiority.","Customers have learned how to bargain.","Customers have higher demands for service."],"question":"What does the author mean by\"the newly perfected art of the considered pause\"?","article":"The first clue came when I got my hair cut. The stylist offered not just the usual coffee or tea but a complimentary nail-polish change while I waited for my hair to dry. Maybe she hoped this little amenity would slow the growing inclination of women to stretch each haircut to last four months while nursing our hair back to whatever natural colour we long ago forgot.\nThen there was the appliance salesman who offered to carry my bags as we toured the microwave aisle. When I called my husband to ask him to check some specs online\uff0cthe salesman offered a pre-emptive discount\uff0clest the surfing turn up the same model cheaper in another store. That night\uff0cfor the first time\uff0cI saw the Hyundai ad promising shoppers that if they buy a car and then lose their job in the next year\uff0cthey can return it.\nSuddenly everything's on sale. The upside to the economic downturn is the immense incentive it gives retailers to treat you like a queen for a day. During the flush times, salespeople were surly, waiters snobby. But now the customer rules\uff0cjust for showing up. There's more room to stretch out on the flight\uff0ceven in a coach. The malls have that serene aura of undisturbed wilderness, with scarcely a shopper in sight. Every conversation with anyone selling anything is a pantomime of pain and bluff. Finger the scarf, then start to walk away, and its price floats silkily downward. When the mechanic calls to tell you that brakes and a timing belt and other services will run close to $2,000\uff0cit's time to break out the newly perfected art of the considered pause. You really don't even have to say anything pitiful before he'll offer to knock a few hundred dollars off.\nRestaurants are also caught in a fit of ardent hospitality, especially around Wall Street: Trinity Place offers $3 drinks at happy hour any day the market goes down, with the slogan \"Market tanked? Get tanked!\"--which ensures a lively crowd for the closing bell. The \"21\" Club has decided that men no longer need to wear ties\uff0cso long as they bring their wallets. Food itself is friendlier\uff1ayou notice more comfort food\uff0ca truce between chef and patron that is easier to enjoy now that you can get a table practically anywhere. New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni characterizes the new restaurant demeanor as \"extreme solicitousness tinged with outright desperation. \"\"You need to hug the customer,\"one owner told him.\nThere's a chance that eventually we'll return all this kindness with the extravagant spending that was once decried but now everyone is hoping will restart the economy. But human nature is funny that way. In dangerous times\uff0cwe clench and squint at the deal that looks too good to miss\uff0csuspecting that it must be too good to be true. Is the store with the super cheap flat screens going to go bust and thus not be there to honor the \"free\" extended warranty? Is there something wrong with that free cheese? Store owners will tell you horror stories about shoppers with attitude\uff0cwho walk in demanding discounts and flaunt their new power at every turn. These store owners wince as they sense bad habit forming\uff1aWill people expect discounts forever? Will their hard-won brand luster be forever cheapened, especially for items whose allure depends on their being ridiculously priced?\nThere will surely come a day when things go back to\"normal\"\uff1bretail sales even inched up in January after sinking for the previous six months. But I wonder what it will take for US to see those $545 Sigerson Morrison studded toe-ring sandals as reasonable? Bargain-hunting can be addictive regardless of the state of the markets\uff0cand haggling is a low-risk\uff0chigh-value contact sport. Trauma digs deep into habit\uff0clike my 85-year-old mother still calling her canned-goods cabinet \"the bomb shelter.\" The children of the First Depression were saving string and preaching sacrifice long after the skies cleared. They came to be called the \"greatest generation.\" As we learn to be decent stewards of our resources\uff0cwho knows what might come of it? We have lived in an age of wanton waste\uff0cand there is value in practicing conservation that goes far beyond our own bottom line.","id":"252.txt","label":2}
{"option":["keep asking for more discounts.","like to show that they are powerful.","like to show off their wealth.","have more doubts or suspicion."],"question":"According to the passage\uff0c\"shoppers... flaunt their new power at every turn\" means that shoppers would","article":"The first clue came when I got my hair cut. The stylist offered not just the usual coffee or tea but a complimentary nail-polish change while I waited for my hair to dry. Maybe she hoped this little amenity would slow the growing inclination of women to stretch each haircut to last four months while nursing our hair back to whatever natural colour we long ago forgot.\nThen there was the appliance salesman who offered to carry my bags as we toured the microwave aisle. When I called my husband to ask him to check some specs online\uff0cthe salesman offered a pre-emptive discount\uff0clest the surfing turn up the same model cheaper in another store. That night\uff0cfor the first time\uff0cI saw the Hyundai ad promising shoppers that if they buy a car and then lose their job in the next year\uff0cthey can return it.\nSuddenly everything's on sale. The upside to the economic downturn is the immense incentive it gives retailers to treat you like a queen for a day. During the flush times, salespeople were surly, waiters snobby. But now the customer rules\uff0cjust for showing up. There's more room to stretch out on the flight\uff0ceven in a coach. The malls have that serene aura of undisturbed wilderness, with scarcely a shopper in sight. Every conversation with anyone selling anything is a pantomime of pain and bluff. Finger the scarf, then start to walk away, and its price floats silkily downward. When the mechanic calls to tell you that brakes and a timing belt and other services will run close to $2,000\uff0cit's time to break out the newly perfected art of the considered pause. You really don't even have to say anything pitiful before he'll offer to knock a few hundred dollars off.\nRestaurants are also caught in a fit of ardent hospitality, especially around Wall Street: Trinity Place offers $3 drinks at happy hour any day the market goes down, with the slogan \"Market tanked? Get tanked!\"--which ensures a lively crowd for the closing bell. The \"21\" Club has decided that men no longer need to wear ties\uff0cso long as they bring their wallets. Food itself is friendlier\uff1ayou notice more comfort food\uff0ca truce between chef and patron that is easier to enjoy now that you can get a table practically anywhere. New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni characterizes the new restaurant demeanor as \"extreme solicitousness tinged with outright desperation. \"\"You need to hug the customer,\"one owner told him.\nThere's a chance that eventually we'll return all this kindness with the extravagant spending that was once decried but now everyone is hoping will restart the economy. But human nature is funny that way. In dangerous times\uff0cwe clench and squint at the deal that looks too good to miss\uff0csuspecting that it must be too good to be true. Is the store with the super cheap flat screens going to go bust and thus not be there to honor the \"free\" extended warranty? Is there something wrong with that free cheese? Store owners will tell you horror stories about shoppers with attitude\uff0cwho walk in demanding discounts and flaunt their new power at every turn. These store owners wince as they sense bad habit forming\uff1aWill people expect discounts forever? Will their hard-won brand luster be forever cheapened, especially for items whose allure depends on their being ridiculously priced?\nThere will surely come a day when things go back to\"normal\"\uff1bretail sales even inched up in January after sinking for the previous six months. But I wonder what it will take for US to see those $545 Sigerson Morrison studded toe-ring sandals as reasonable? Bargain-hunting can be addictive regardless of the state of the markets\uff0cand haggling is a low-risk\uff0chigh-value contact sport. Trauma digs deep into habit\uff0clike my 85-year-old mother still calling her canned-goods cabinet \"the bomb shelter.\" The children of the First Depression were saving string and preaching sacrifice long after the skies cleared. They came to be called the \"greatest generation.\" As we learn to be decent stewards of our resources\uff0cwho knows what might come of it? We have lived in an age of wanton waste\uff0cand there is value in practicing conservation that goes far beyond our own bottom line.","id":"252.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Extravagant spending would boost economic growth.","One's life experience would turn into lifelong habits.","Customers should expect discounts for luxury goods.","The practice of frugality is of great importance."],"question":"What is the author's main message in the last two paragraphs?","article":"The first clue came when I got my hair cut. The stylist offered not just the usual coffee or tea but a complimentary nail-polish change while I waited for my hair to dry. Maybe she hoped this little amenity would slow the growing inclination of women to stretch each haircut to last four months while nursing our hair back to whatever natural colour we long ago forgot.\nThen there was the appliance salesman who offered to carry my bags as we toured the microwave aisle. When I called my husband to ask him to check some specs online\uff0cthe salesman offered a pre-emptive discount\uff0clest the surfing turn up the same model cheaper in another store. That night\uff0cfor the first time\uff0cI saw the Hyundai ad promising shoppers that if they buy a car and then lose their job in the next year\uff0cthey can return it.\nSuddenly everything's on sale. The upside to the economic downturn is the immense incentive it gives retailers to treat you like a queen for a day. During the flush times, salespeople were surly, waiters snobby. But now the customer rules\uff0cjust for showing up. There's more room to stretch out on the flight\uff0ceven in a coach. The malls have that serene aura of undisturbed wilderness, with scarcely a shopper in sight. Every conversation with anyone selling anything is a pantomime of pain and bluff. Finger the scarf, then start to walk away, and its price floats silkily downward. When the mechanic calls to tell you that brakes and a timing belt and other services will run close to $2,000\uff0cit's time to break out the newly perfected art of the considered pause. You really don't even have to say anything pitiful before he'll offer to knock a few hundred dollars off.\nRestaurants are also caught in a fit of ardent hospitality, especially around Wall Street: Trinity Place offers $3 drinks at happy hour any day the market goes down, with the slogan \"Market tanked? Get tanked!\"--which ensures a lively crowd for the closing bell. The \"21\" Club has decided that men no longer need to wear ties\uff0cso long as they bring their wallets. Food itself is friendlier\uff1ayou notice more comfort food\uff0ca truce between chef and patron that is easier to enjoy now that you can get a table practically anywhere. New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni characterizes the new restaurant demeanor as \"extreme solicitousness tinged with outright desperation. \"\"You need to hug the customer,\"one owner told him.\nThere's a chance that eventually we'll return all this kindness with the extravagant spending that was once decried but now everyone is hoping will restart the economy. But human nature is funny that way. In dangerous times\uff0cwe clench and squint at the deal that looks too good to miss\uff0csuspecting that it must be too good to be true. Is the store with the super cheap flat screens going to go bust and thus not be there to honor the \"free\" extended warranty? Is there something wrong with that free cheese? Store owners will tell you horror stories about shoppers with attitude\uff0cwho walk in demanding discounts and flaunt their new power at every turn. These store owners wince as they sense bad habit forming\uff1aWill people expect discounts forever? Will their hard-won brand luster be forever cheapened, especially for items whose allure depends on their being ridiculously priced?\nThere will surely come a day when things go back to\"normal\"\uff1bretail sales even inched up in January after sinking for the previous six months. But I wonder what it will take for US to see those $545 Sigerson Morrison studded toe-ring sandals as reasonable? Bargain-hunting can be addictive regardless of the state of the markets\uff0cand haggling is a low-risk\uff0chigh-value contact sport. Trauma digs deep into habit\uff0clike my 85-year-old mother still calling her canned-goods cabinet \"the bomb shelter.\" The children of the First Depression were saving string and preaching sacrifice long after the skies cleared. They came to be called the \"greatest generation.\" As we learn to be decent stewards of our resources\uff0cwho knows what might come of it? We have lived in an age of wanton waste\uff0cand there is value in practicing conservation that goes far beyond our own bottom line.","id":"252.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Ukraine has a long unhappy history","energy security is closely related to geopolitics","energy security depends heavily on geology","most countries in eastern Europe are allies"],"question":"The author tells us that_","article":"The unhappy history of Ukraine, Russia and gas is the story of energy security in miniature. When it comes to hydrocarbons, geopolitics and geology are inextricable. That is a problem for most countries in eastern Europe, which would love to get their energy from allies, and feel understandably twitehy about having their former master as a big supplier.\nRussia sees it differently. It wants to use its energy riches to the maximum effect in the world market. It sees former communist satellite countries as nuisances, which scrounge subsidised gas, pay late if at all, and jeopardise sales to western Europe by brinkmanship about transit fees.\nIt is easy to understand why Ukraine and other Russian neighbours are exasperating Gazprom, Russia's huge gas monopoly. Its gas has long been siphoned off in vast quantities and Ukraine, like Georgia, has a dreadful record of falling behind with its payments. The main power station that supplies Moldova doesn't pay its bills at all. In 2005 Ukraine paid only $ 50 per 1,000 cubic metres of Russian gas, compared with the $ 240 paid by the EU. Now Gazprom says it wants to sell to these countries on a purely commercial basis.\nThat seems fair enough, but there is another dimension. Formally, at least, the $ 50 price is part ofa framework that is supposed to last until 2009. Moreover, Gazprom is not asking for the same increase from each of Russia' s neighbours. The independent Baltic states have two years to adjust. Georgia, which like Ukraine has an independent streak, faces a doubling of prices. Belarus, still friendly and dependable, is keeping its price and giving away part of the control of the pipeline to Russia instead. Gazprom and its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, who moonlights as the head of Vladimir Putin' s presidential administration, decided which deal is presented to which country. And Russia's way of pressing its case was an example of energy politics of the most brutal sort.\nOn January 1st, when Russia kept gas out of the Brotherhood pipeline crossing Ukraine, it also stopped gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, big suppliers to the country, from flowing through its pipes. Although enough was left for the rest of Europe, Ukraine simply tapped off some gas for itself as usual. Theft, Gazprom called it; though the Ukrainians asserted they were taking only the Turkmen and Kazakh gas that was due to them. For European consumers, the argument was academic. All that mattered was their shortages of gas. Italy experienced a fall of one-quarter; France, one-third; it was worse in countries such as Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, which get more of their supplies from Russia. [440 words]","id":"1219.txt","label":1}
{"option":["manages to make the best use of its energy riches","holds its former satellite countries in high esteem","feels somewhat twitchy about being a big gas supplier","jeopardises its sales to countries in eastern Europe"],"question":"According to the text, Russia_","article":"The unhappy history of Ukraine, Russia and gas is the story of energy security in miniature. When it comes to hydrocarbons, geopolitics and geology are inextricable. That is a problem for most countries in eastern Europe, which would love to get their energy from allies, and feel understandably twitehy about having their former master as a big supplier.\nRussia sees it differently. It wants to use its energy riches to the maximum effect in the world market. It sees former communist satellite countries as nuisances, which scrounge subsidised gas, pay late if at all, and jeopardise sales to western Europe by brinkmanship about transit fees.\nIt is easy to understand why Ukraine and other Russian neighbours are exasperating Gazprom, Russia's huge gas monopoly. Its gas has long been siphoned off in vast quantities and Ukraine, like Georgia, has a dreadful record of falling behind with its payments. The main power station that supplies Moldova doesn't pay its bills at all. In 2005 Ukraine paid only $ 50 per 1,000 cubic metres of Russian gas, compared with the $ 240 paid by the EU. Now Gazprom says it wants to sell to these countries on a purely commercial basis.\nThat seems fair enough, but there is another dimension. Formally, at least, the $ 50 price is part ofa framework that is supposed to last until 2009. Moreover, Gazprom is not asking for the same increase from each of Russia' s neighbours. The independent Baltic states have two years to adjust. Georgia, which like Ukraine has an independent streak, faces a doubling of prices. Belarus, still friendly and dependable, is keeping its price and giving away part of the control of the pipeline to Russia instead. Gazprom and its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, who moonlights as the head of Vladimir Putin' s presidential administration, decided which deal is presented to which country. And Russia's way of pressing its case was an example of energy politics of the most brutal sort.\nOn January 1st, when Russia kept gas out of the Brotherhood pipeline crossing Ukraine, it also stopped gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, big suppliers to the country, from flowing through its pipes. Although enough was left for the rest of Europe, Ukraine simply tapped off some gas for itself as usual. Theft, Gazprom called it; though the Ukrainians asserted they were taking only the Turkmen and Kazakh gas that was due to them. For European consumers, the argument was academic. All that mattered was their shortages of gas. Italy experienced a fall of one-quarter; France, one-third; it was worse in countries such as Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, which get more of their supplies from Russia. [440 words]","id":"1219.txt","label":0}
{"option":["gas is sold on a purely commercial basis","subsidized gas is sold to some former allies","gas has to be sold at an unreasonably low price","the price paid by EU is much higher than by Ukraine"],"question":"That _ is enraging Gazprom.","article":"The unhappy history of Ukraine, Russia and gas is the story of energy security in miniature. When it comes to hydrocarbons, geopolitics and geology are inextricable. That is a problem for most countries in eastern Europe, which would love to get their energy from allies, and feel understandably twitehy about having their former master as a big supplier.\nRussia sees it differently. It wants to use its energy riches to the maximum effect in the world market. It sees former communist satellite countries as nuisances, which scrounge subsidised gas, pay late if at all, and jeopardise sales to western Europe by brinkmanship about transit fees.\nIt is easy to understand why Ukraine and other Russian neighbours are exasperating Gazprom, Russia's huge gas monopoly. Its gas has long been siphoned off in vast quantities and Ukraine, like Georgia, has a dreadful record of falling behind with its payments. The main power station that supplies Moldova doesn't pay its bills at all. In 2005 Ukraine paid only $ 50 per 1,000 cubic metres of Russian gas, compared with the $ 240 paid by the EU. Now Gazprom says it wants to sell to these countries on a purely commercial basis.\nThat seems fair enough, but there is another dimension. Formally, at least, the $ 50 price is part ofa framework that is supposed to last until 2009. Moreover, Gazprom is not asking for the same increase from each of Russia' s neighbours. The independent Baltic states have two years to adjust. Georgia, which like Ukraine has an independent streak, faces a doubling of prices. Belarus, still friendly and dependable, is keeping its price and giving away part of the control of the pipeline to Russia instead. Gazprom and its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, who moonlights as the head of Vladimir Putin' s presidential administration, decided which deal is presented to which country. And Russia's way of pressing its case was an example of energy politics of the most brutal sort.\nOn January 1st, when Russia kept gas out of the Brotherhood pipeline crossing Ukraine, it also stopped gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, big suppliers to the country, from flowing through its pipes. Although enough was left for the rest of Europe, Ukraine simply tapped off some gas for itself as usual. Theft, Gazprom called it; though the Ukrainians asserted they were taking only the Turkmen and Kazakh gas that was due to them. For European consumers, the argument was academic. All that mattered was their shortages of gas. Italy experienced a fall of one-quarter; France, one-third; it was worse in countries such as Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, which get more of their supplies from Russia. [440 words]","id":"1219.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Gazprom is Russias huge gas monopoly.","Gazprom requires the same increase from each of its consumers.","The chairman of Gazprom is highly regarded by Vladimir Putin.","The extreme unfairness in the way Russia uses to make a deal."],"question":"Which of the following can account for Russia's brutal energy politics?","article":"The unhappy history of Ukraine, Russia and gas is the story of energy security in miniature. When it comes to hydrocarbons, geopolitics and geology are inextricable. That is a problem for most countries in eastern Europe, which would love to get their energy from allies, and feel understandably twitehy about having their former master as a big supplier.\nRussia sees it differently. It wants to use its energy riches to the maximum effect in the world market. It sees former communist satellite countries as nuisances, which scrounge subsidised gas, pay late if at all, and jeopardise sales to western Europe by brinkmanship about transit fees.\nIt is easy to understand why Ukraine and other Russian neighbours are exasperating Gazprom, Russia's huge gas monopoly. Its gas has long been siphoned off in vast quantities and Ukraine, like Georgia, has a dreadful record of falling behind with its payments. The main power station that supplies Moldova doesn't pay its bills at all. In 2005 Ukraine paid only $ 50 per 1,000 cubic metres of Russian gas, compared with the $ 240 paid by the EU. Now Gazprom says it wants to sell to these countries on a purely commercial basis.\nThat seems fair enough, but there is another dimension. Formally, at least, the $ 50 price is part ofa framework that is supposed to last until 2009. Moreover, Gazprom is not asking for the same increase from each of Russia' s neighbours. The independent Baltic states have two years to adjust. Georgia, which like Ukraine has an independent streak, faces a doubling of prices. Belarus, still friendly and dependable, is keeping its price and giving away part of the control of the pipeline to Russia instead. Gazprom and its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, who moonlights as the head of Vladimir Putin' s presidential administration, decided which deal is presented to which country. And Russia's way of pressing its case was an example of energy politics of the most brutal sort.\nOn January 1st, when Russia kept gas out of the Brotherhood pipeline crossing Ukraine, it also stopped gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, big suppliers to the country, from flowing through its pipes. Although enough was left for the rest of Europe, Ukraine simply tapped off some gas for itself as usual. Theft, Gazprom called it; though the Ukrainians asserted they were taking only the Turkmen and Kazakh gas that was due to them. For European consumers, the argument was academic. All that mattered was their shortages of gas. Italy experienced a fall of one-quarter; France, one-third; it was worse in countries such as Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, which get more of their supplies from Russia. [440 words]","id":"1219.txt","label":3}
{"option":["many countries depend on Russia for their energy supply","Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine, thus causing a turmoil","Gazprom decides which deal is presented to which country","some countries unexpectedly steal gas from Russias pipelines"],"question":"According to the author, what matters most is that _","article":"The unhappy history of Ukraine, Russia and gas is the story of energy security in miniature. When it comes to hydrocarbons, geopolitics and geology are inextricable. That is a problem for most countries in eastern Europe, which would love to get their energy from allies, and feel understandably twitehy about having their former master as a big supplier.\nRussia sees it differently. It wants to use its energy riches to the maximum effect in the world market. It sees former communist satellite countries as nuisances, which scrounge subsidised gas, pay late if at all, and jeopardise sales to western Europe by brinkmanship about transit fees.\nIt is easy to understand why Ukraine and other Russian neighbours are exasperating Gazprom, Russia's huge gas monopoly. Its gas has long been siphoned off in vast quantities and Ukraine, like Georgia, has a dreadful record of falling behind with its payments. The main power station that supplies Moldova doesn't pay its bills at all. In 2005 Ukraine paid only $ 50 per 1,000 cubic metres of Russian gas, compared with the $ 240 paid by the EU. Now Gazprom says it wants to sell to these countries on a purely commercial basis.\nThat seems fair enough, but there is another dimension. Formally, at least, the $ 50 price is part ofa framework that is supposed to last until 2009. Moreover, Gazprom is not asking for the same increase from each of Russia' s neighbours. The independent Baltic states have two years to adjust. Georgia, which like Ukraine has an independent streak, faces a doubling of prices. Belarus, still friendly and dependable, is keeping its price and giving away part of the control of the pipeline to Russia instead. Gazprom and its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, who moonlights as the head of Vladimir Putin' s presidential administration, decided which deal is presented to which country. And Russia's way of pressing its case was an example of energy politics of the most brutal sort.\nOn January 1st, when Russia kept gas out of the Brotherhood pipeline crossing Ukraine, it also stopped gas from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, big suppliers to the country, from flowing through its pipes. Although enough was left for the rest of Europe, Ukraine simply tapped off some gas for itself as usual. Theft, Gazprom called it; though the Ukrainians asserted they were taking only the Turkmen and Kazakh gas that was due to them. For European consumers, the argument was academic. All that mattered was their shortages of gas. Italy experienced a fall of one-quarter; France, one-third; it was worse in countries such as Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, which get more of their supplies from Russia. [440 words]","id":"1219.txt","label":0}
{"option":["would like very much to buy","badly wanted","was glad to have bought","would rather not buy"],"question":"In fact the husband  _  the cupboard.","article":"We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. \"Buy it, \" my wife said at once. \"We'll carry it home on the roof rack. I've always wanted one like that.\"\nWhat could I do? Ten minutes later I was \uffe120 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.\nIn the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.\nAfter a time my wife said, \"There's a long line of cars behind. Why don't they overtake, I wonder?\" In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.\n\"Right, sir, \" he said. \"Do you need any more help?\"\nI was a bit puzzled. \"Thanks, officer, \" I said. \"You have been very kind. I live just on the road.\"\nHe was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. \"Well, well, \" he said, laughing. \"It's a cupboard you've got there! We thought it was something else.\"\nMy wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. \"Yes, it's a cupboard, but thanks again.\" I drove home as fast as I could.","id":"997.txt","label":3}
{"option":["carrying a cupboard to the church","sending flowers to the church","carrying nothing but a piece of furniture","going to attend a funeral at the church"],"question":"Other drivers thought they were  _ .","article":"We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. \"Buy it, \" my wife said at once. \"We'll carry it home on the roof rack. I've always wanted one like that.\"\nWhat could I do? Ten minutes later I was \uffe120 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.\nIn the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.\nAfter a time my wife said, \"There's a long line of cars behind. Why don't they overtake, I wonder?\" In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.\n\"Right, sir, \" he said. \"Do you need any more help?\"\nI was a bit puzzled. \"Thanks, officer, \" I said. \"You have been very kind. I live just on the road.\"\nHe was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. \"Well, well, \" he said, laughing. \"It's a cupboard you've got there! We thought it was something else.\"\nMy wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. \"Yes, it's a cupboard, but thanks again.\" I drove home as fast as I could.","id":"997.txt","label":3}
{"option":["driving in gathering darkness","in great sorrow","driving with wild glowers in the car","carrying furniture"],"question":"The police will be more polite to those who are  _ .","article":"We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. \"Buy it, \" my wife said at once. \"We'll carry it home on the roof rack. I've always wanted one like that.\"\nWhat could I do? Ten minutes later I was \uffe120 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.\nIn the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.\nAfter a time my wife said, \"There's a long line of cars behind. Why don't they overtake, I wonder?\" In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.\n\"Right, sir, \" he said. \"Do you need any more help?\"\nI was a bit puzzled. \"Thanks, officer, \" I said. \"You have been very kind. I live just on the road.\"\nHe was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. \"Well, well, \" he said, laughing. \"It's a cupboard you've got there! We thought it was something else.\"\nMy wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. \"Yes, it's a cupboard, but thanks again.\" I drove home as fast as I could.","id":"997.txt","label":1}
{"option":["It was very strange.","He felt ashamed of it.","He took great pride in it.","He was puzzled at it."],"question":"What did the husband think of this matter?","article":"We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. \"Buy it, \" my wife said at once. \"We'll carry it home on the roof rack. I've always wanted one like that.\"\nWhat could I do? Ten minutes later I was \uffe120 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.\nIn the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.\nAfter a time my wife said, \"There's a long line of cars behind. Why don't they overtake, I wonder?\" In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.\n\"Right, sir, \" he said. \"Do you need any more help?\"\nI was a bit puzzled. \"Thanks, officer, \" I said. \"You have been very kind. I live just on the road.\"\nHe was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. \"Well, well, \" he said, laughing. \"It's a cupboard you've got there! We thought it was something else.\"\nMy wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. \"Yes, it's a cupboard, but thanks again.\" I drove home as fast as I could.","id":"997.txt","label":1}
{"option":["is reflected in sounds and letters","is handed down from generation to generation","dates back to the prehistoric period","is a problem not yet solved"],"question":"The origin of language _.","article":"How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.\nThe power of words, then, lies in their combinations -the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.\nGreat writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary  style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude.","id":"640.txt","label":3}
{"option":["visual letters","represented by sounds","represented either by sounds or letters","signs called letters"],"question":"According to the passage, words are _.","article":"How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.\nThe power of words, then, lies in their combinations -the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.\nGreat writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary  style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude.","id":"640.txt","label":2}
{"option":["beauty","accuracy","combinations","charm"],"question":"The power of words lies in their _.","article":"How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.\nThe power of words, then, lies in their combinations -the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.\nGreat writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary  style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude.","id":"640.txt","label":2}
{"option":["recall to us the glad and sad events of our past","are arranged in a creative way","are as beautiful as music","agree with certain literary style"],"question":"The secret of a writer\u2018s success is the use of words that _.","article":"How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.\nThe power of words, then, lies in their combinations -the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.\nGreat writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary  style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude.","id":"640.txt","label":0}
{"option":["to use words carefully and accurately","not to use silly and rude words","to become a slave of words","to use emotional words"],"question":"The author of the passage advises us _.","article":"How men first learned to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters we call words.\nThe power of words, then, lies in their combinations -the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.\nGreat writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and feelings. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary  style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and rude.","id":"640.txt","label":0}
{"option":["a politico-military survery of the Napoleonic wars.","an account of the Napoleonic wars in extrodinary scope and detail.","a historical chronicle of the Napoleonic wars with comparisons of the past and the present.","an exploration of the deep-rooted reason that led to the long war."],"question":"Mr. Esdaile's book can be best described as _","article":"Publishers cannot have enough of books from serious historians about the \"whys\" of war. Why do they start? Why do they last? What makes a peace fragile? The past is one place to look for answers. Charles Esdaile, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, is too good a scholar to make easy comparisons between then and now. But the \"whys\" of war run through his masterly account of the Napoleonic wars, a 12-year conflict between France and Europe's other powers that killed almost 2m soldiers. Mr Esdaile, in a politico-military survey of extraordinary scope and detail, tells us what he believes caused the conflict, what it was about and why it lasted so long despite, as it seemed, frequent chances for peace. Neither battlefield chronicle nor biography in disguise, \"Napoleon's Wars\" is explanatory history of high order.\nHistorians date the Napoleonic wars from 1803, when Britain declared war on France after the brief Peace of Amiens. Mr Esdaile recounts how Napoleon came to power in 1799, mastering France and then Europe. Britain commanded the seas after Trafalgar in 1805. But France held the continent thanks to victories on land against the Austrians, Prussians and Russians. Setbacks in Spain, which Napoleon's troops entered in 1807, and disaster in Russia in 1812, led to eventual defeat at Waterloo.\nMr Esdaile makes that familiar story fresh in three connected ways. He shows how marginal-looking conflicts-for example over the Romanian lands, Sweden, Portugal, Canada-ignited larger ones or divided potential allies. He reminds us that defeating Napoleon was never sure. Europe's armies had first to learn from their own failures and their rulers had to make common cause. Both things happened, but late in the day. Above all, he stresses that the conflict was not ideological but geopolitical. It was about the balance of power, disturbed for a century by Ottoman decline, Russian and Prussian growth and Franco-British rivalries.\nFew if any of France's foes were fighting for regime change in Paris. At many times they would have settled with Napoleon-had he settled with them. But they could never trust him to settle, and the wars went on. His two strongest opponents, Britain and Russia, resisted him, in Mr Esdaile's view, not because he was a revolutionary, a republican or the head of an upstart dynasty. They fought him because as long as he controlled France, there was no telling where France would stop.\nAt this point Napoleon's character enters Mr Esdaile's intricate geopolitical equations. Without accepting a great-man theory of history, he thinks the Napoleonic wars deserve their name. Europe's powers would have fought over their differences without Napoleon. But the scale and ferocity of conflict was due in large part to the emperor's \"aggression, egomania and lust for power\".\nMr Esdaile's book reflects a vast and varied range of recent scholarship. But he never leaves his geopolitical story for long. War started, he believes, because Europe was not in balance. It dragged on because Napoleon could not be trusted. Peace came-and lasted until later generations forgot the horror of the alternative.","id":"3685.txt","label":3}
{"option":["marginal conflicts.","imbalance of power in Europe.","Napoleon's aggressive ambition.","Franco-British rivalries."],"question":"Mr Esdaile holds the view that the Napoleonic wars are originated by  _","article":"Publishers cannot have enough of books from serious historians about the \"whys\" of war. Why do they start? Why do they last? What makes a peace fragile? The past is one place to look for answers. Charles Esdaile, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, is too good a scholar to make easy comparisons between then and now. But the \"whys\" of war run through his masterly account of the Napoleonic wars, a 12-year conflict between France and Europe's other powers that killed almost 2m soldiers. Mr Esdaile, in a politico-military survey of extraordinary scope and detail, tells us what he believes caused the conflict, what it was about and why it lasted so long despite, as it seemed, frequent chances for peace. Neither battlefield chronicle nor biography in disguise, \"Napoleon's Wars\" is explanatory history of high order.\nHistorians date the Napoleonic wars from 1803, when Britain declared war on France after the brief Peace of Amiens. Mr Esdaile recounts how Napoleon came to power in 1799, mastering France and then Europe. Britain commanded the seas after Trafalgar in 1805. But France held the continent thanks to victories on land against the Austrians, Prussians and Russians. Setbacks in Spain, which Napoleon's troops entered in 1807, and disaster in Russia in 1812, led to eventual defeat at Waterloo.\nMr Esdaile makes that familiar story fresh in three connected ways. He shows how marginal-looking conflicts-for example over the Romanian lands, Sweden, Portugal, Canada-ignited larger ones or divided potential allies. He reminds us that defeating Napoleon was never sure. Europe's armies had first to learn from their own failures and their rulers had to make common cause. Both things happened, but late in the day. Above all, he stresses that the conflict was not ideological but geopolitical. It was about the balance of power, disturbed for a century by Ottoman decline, Russian and Prussian growth and Franco-British rivalries.\nFew if any of France's foes were fighting for regime change in Paris. At many times they would have settled with Napoleon-had he settled with them. But they could never trust him to settle, and the wars went on. His two strongest opponents, Britain and Russia, resisted him, in Mr Esdaile's view, not because he was a revolutionary, a republican or the head of an upstart dynasty. They fought him because as long as he controlled France, there was no telling where France would stop.\nAt this point Napoleon's character enters Mr Esdaile's intricate geopolitical equations. Without accepting a great-man theory of history, he thinks the Napoleonic wars deserve their name. Europe's powers would have fought over their differences without Napoleon. But the scale and ferocity of conflict was due in large part to the emperor's \"aggression, egomania and lust for power\".\nMr Esdaile's book reflects a vast and varied range of recent scholarship. But he never leaves his geopolitical story for long. War started, he believes, because Europe was not in balance. It dragged on because Napoleon could not be trusted. Peace came-and lasted until later generations forgot the horror of the alternative.","id":"3685.txt","label":1}
{"option":["that he dates from 1799 when Napoleon came to power in France.","that he explains Napoleon's character and history in detailed and vivid account.","that he reminds us the importance of some marginal-looking conflicts.","that he thinks the war was indeed started due to geopolitical factors."],"question":"Mr. Esdaile's novelty in recounting the conflict in  _","article":"Publishers cannot have enough of books from serious historians about the \"whys\" of war. Why do they start? Why do they last? What makes a peace fragile? The past is one place to look for answers. Charles Esdaile, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, is too good a scholar to make easy comparisons between then and now. But the \"whys\" of war run through his masterly account of the Napoleonic wars, a 12-year conflict between France and Europe's other powers that killed almost 2m soldiers. Mr Esdaile, in a politico-military survey of extraordinary scope and detail, tells us what he believes caused the conflict, what it was about and why it lasted so long despite, as it seemed, frequent chances for peace. Neither battlefield chronicle nor biography in disguise, \"Napoleon's Wars\" is explanatory history of high order.\nHistorians date the Napoleonic wars from 1803, when Britain declared war on France after the brief Peace of Amiens. Mr Esdaile recounts how Napoleon came to power in 1799, mastering France and then Europe. Britain commanded the seas after Trafalgar in 1805. But France held the continent thanks to victories on land against the Austrians, Prussians and Russians. Setbacks in Spain, which Napoleon's troops entered in 1807, and disaster in Russia in 1812, led to eventual defeat at Waterloo.\nMr Esdaile makes that familiar story fresh in three connected ways. He shows how marginal-looking conflicts-for example over the Romanian lands, Sweden, Portugal, Canada-ignited larger ones or divided potential allies. He reminds us that defeating Napoleon was never sure. Europe's armies had first to learn from their own failures and their rulers had to make common cause. Both things happened, but late in the day. Above all, he stresses that the conflict was not ideological but geopolitical. It was about the balance of power, disturbed for a century by Ottoman decline, Russian and Prussian growth and Franco-British rivalries.\nFew if any of France's foes were fighting for regime change in Paris. At many times they would have settled with Napoleon-had he settled with them. But they could never trust him to settle, and the wars went on. His two strongest opponents, Britain and Russia, resisted him, in Mr Esdaile's view, not because he was a revolutionary, a republican or the head of an upstart dynasty. They fought him because as long as he controlled France, there was no telling where France would stop.\nAt this point Napoleon's character enters Mr Esdaile's intricate geopolitical equations. Without accepting a great-man theory of history, he thinks the Napoleonic wars deserve their name. Europe's powers would have fought over their differences without Napoleon. But the scale and ferocity of conflict was due in large part to the emperor's \"aggression, egomania and lust for power\".\nMr Esdaile's book reflects a vast and varied range of recent scholarship. But he never leaves his geopolitical story for long. War started, he believes, because Europe was not in balance. It dragged on because Napoleon could not be trusted. Peace came-and lasted until later generations forgot the horror of the alternative.","id":"3685.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the political imbalance of Europe stimulated inevitable hatred and conflict between the countries and Napoleon.","they were alert to the possible aggression by Napoleon.","they attempted to settle with Napoleon but in vain.","Napoleon was too ambitious to be trusted by them."],"question":"France's rivals fought against Napoleon despite chances for peace because _","article":"Publishers cannot have enough of books from serious historians about the \"whys\" of war. Why do they start? Why do they last? What makes a peace fragile? The past is one place to look for answers. Charles Esdaile, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, is too good a scholar to make easy comparisons between then and now. But the \"whys\" of war run through his masterly account of the Napoleonic wars, a 12-year conflict between France and Europe's other powers that killed almost 2m soldiers. Mr Esdaile, in a politico-military survey of extraordinary scope and detail, tells us what he believes caused the conflict, what it was about and why it lasted so long despite, as it seemed, frequent chances for peace. Neither battlefield chronicle nor biography in disguise, \"Napoleon's Wars\" is explanatory history of high order.\nHistorians date the Napoleonic wars from 1803, when Britain declared war on France after the brief Peace of Amiens. Mr Esdaile recounts how Napoleon came to power in 1799, mastering France and then Europe. Britain commanded the seas after Trafalgar in 1805. But France held the continent thanks to victories on land against the Austrians, Prussians and Russians. Setbacks in Spain, which Napoleon's troops entered in 1807, and disaster in Russia in 1812, led to eventual defeat at Waterloo.\nMr Esdaile makes that familiar story fresh in three connected ways. He shows how marginal-looking conflicts-for example over the Romanian lands, Sweden, Portugal, Canada-ignited larger ones or divided potential allies. He reminds us that defeating Napoleon was never sure. Europe's armies had first to learn from their own failures and their rulers had to make common cause. Both things happened, but late in the day. Above all, he stresses that the conflict was not ideological but geopolitical. It was about the balance of power, disturbed for a century by Ottoman decline, Russian and Prussian growth and Franco-British rivalries.\nFew if any of France's foes were fighting for regime change in Paris. At many times they would have settled with Napoleon-had he settled with them. But they could never trust him to settle, and the wars went on. His two strongest opponents, Britain and Russia, resisted him, in Mr Esdaile's view, not because he was a revolutionary, a republican or the head of an upstart dynasty. They fought him because as long as he controlled France, there was no telling where France would stop.\nAt this point Napoleon's character enters Mr Esdaile's intricate geopolitical equations. Without accepting a great-man theory of history, he thinks the Napoleonic wars deserve their name. Europe's powers would have fought over their differences without Napoleon. But the scale and ferocity of conflict was due in large part to the emperor's \"aggression, egomania and lust for power\".\nMr Esdaile's book reflects a vast and varied range of recent scholarship. But he never leaves his geopolitical story for long. War started, he believes, because Europe was not in balance. It dragged on because Napoleon could not be trusted. Peace came-and lasted until later generations forgot the horror of the alternative.","id":"3685.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The wars would not have been fought without Napoleon.","The wars were due to the emperor's aggression, egomania and lust for power.","The wars lasted for so long time because France's rivals could not trust Napoleon.","The wars were fought over the difference of the Europe's powers."],"question":"According to the passage, which one of the following statements is NOT true of the Napoleonic wars?","article":"Publishers cannot have enough of books from serious historians about the \"whys\" of war. Why do they start? Why do they last? What makes a peace fragile? The past is one place to look for answers. Charles Esdaile, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, is too good a scholar to make easy comparisons between then and now. But the \"whys\" of war run through his masterly account of the Napoleonic wars, a 12-year conflict between France and Europe's other powers that killed almost 2m soldiers. Mr Esdaile, in a politico-military survey of extraordinary scope and detail, tells us what he believes caused the conflict, what it was about and why it lasted so long despite, as it seemed, frequent chances for peace. Neither battlefield chronicle nor biography in disguise, \"Napoleon's Wars\" is explanatory history of high order.\nHistorians date the Napoleonic wars from 1803, when Britain declared war on France after the brief Peace of Amiens. Mr Esdaile recounts how Napoleon came to power in 1799, mastering France and then Europe. Britain commanded the seas after Trafalgar in 1805. But France held the continent thanks to victories on land against the Austrians, Prussians and Russians. Setbacks in Spain, which Napoleon's troops entered in 1807, and disaster in Russia in 1812, led to eventual defeat at Waterloo.\nMr Esdaile makes that familiar story fresh in three connected ways. He shows how marginal-looking conflicts-for example over the Romanian lands, Sweden, Portugal, Canada-ignited larger ones or divided potential allies. He reminds us that defeating Napoleon was never sure. Europe's armies had first to learn from their own failures and their rulers had to make common cause. Both things happened, but late in the day. Above all, he stresses that the conflict was not ideological but geopolitical. It was about the balance of power, disturbed for a century by Ottoman decline, Russian and Prussian growth and Franco-British rivalries.\nFew if any of France's foes were fighting for regime change in Paris. At many times they would have settled with Napoleon-had he settled with them. But they could never trust him to settle, and the wars went on. His two strongest opponents, Britain and Russia, resisted him, in Mr Esdaile's view, not because he was a revolutionary, a republican or the head of an upstart dynasty. They fought him because as long as he controlled France, there was no telling where France would stop.\nAt this point Napoleon's character enters Mr Esdaile's intricate geopolitical equations. Without accepting a great-man theory of history, he thinks the Napoleonic wars deserve their name. Europe's powers would have fought over their differences without Napoleon. But the scale and ferocity of conflict was due in large part to the emperor's \"aggression, egomania and lust for power\".\nMr Esdaile's book reflects a vast and varied range of recent scholarship. But he never leaves his geopolitical story for long. War started, he believes, because Europe was not in balance. It dragged on because Napoleon could not be trusted. Peace came-and lasted until later generations forgot the horror of the alternative.","id":"3685.txt","label":1}
{"option":["$8,000","$50,000","$75,000","$92,000"],"question":"How much debt will Erin Wheeler be probably in when she graduate?","article":"When she graduates from Columbia University next year with a master's degree in Public health, Eric Wheeler is hoping to get a job in international reproductive health. The 26-year-old post-graduate has always wanted to work in public service. But public service doesn't pay much, and her two-year program at Columbia costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. She has a scholarship from Columbia that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She worries that she will spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over to put away in an IRA. Wheeler is wondering what she can do to ease the pain of being in debt. Is there anything she can do to handle the debt?\nThe good news is that in 2007, Congress recognized that there were so many students in\nWheeler's position that it passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. There were two programs established by this act that Wheeler should look into.\nThe first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, which goes into effect July 1, could limit his or her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of discretionary income,said Peter Mazareas, vice charman of the College Saving Foundation.\nThe second is the public service loan forgiveness plan, in which the federal government will forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan.\nDepending on the level of debt Wheeler ends up with and how much she repays over 10 years,\nMazareas said she could end up with about $75,000 of her debt forgiven. \" Tipically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not\", he said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job.","id":"795.txt","label":3}
{"option":["The programs in the act take effect in 2008.","The act aims to help college students who are in debt.","There are two helpful programs in the act.","The graduates who work in public service benefit the most."],"question":"Which of the following is true about the College Reduction and Access Act?","article":"When she graduates from Columbia University next year with a master's degree in Public health, Eric Wheeler is hoping to get a job in international reproductive health. The 26-year-old post-graduate has always wanted to work in public service. But public service doesn't pay much, and her two-year program at Columbia costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. She has a scholarship from Columbia that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She worries that she will spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over to put away in an IRA. Wheeler is wondering what she can do to ease the pain of being in debt. Is there anything she can do to handle the debt?\nThe good news is that in 2007, Congress recognized that there were so many students in\nWheeler's position that it passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. There were two programs established by this act that Wheeler should look into.\nThe first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, which goes into effect July 1, could limit his or her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of discretionary income,said Peter Mazareas, vice charman of the College Saving Foundation.\nThe second is the public service loan forgiveness plan, in which the federal government will forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan.\nDepending on the level of debt Wheeler ends up with and how much she repays over 10 years,\nMazareas said she could end up with about $75,000 of her debt forgiven. \" Tipically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not\", he said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job.","id":"795.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The interest of the debt will be lowered.","The total amount of debt could be reduced.","The income tax will be cut down.","People will have more time to pay back the debt."],"question":"How can people benefit from the first plan mentioned in the passage?","article":"When she graduates from Columbia University next year with a master's degree in Public health, Eric Wheeler is hoping to get a job in international reproductive health. The 26-year-old post-graduate has always wanted to work in public service. But public service doesn't pay much, and her two-year program at Columbia costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. She has a scholarship from Columbia that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She worries that she will spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over to put away in an IRA. Wheeler is wondering what she can do to ease the pain of being in debt. Is there anything she can do to handle the debt?\nThe good news is that in 2007, Congress recognized that there were so many students in\nWheeler's position that it passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. There were two programs established by this act that Wheeler should look into.\nThe first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, which goes into effect July 1, could limit his or her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of discretionary income,said Peter Mazareas, vice charman of the College Saving Foundation.\nThe second is the public service loan forgiveness plan, in which the federal government will forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan.\nDepending on the level of debt Wheeler ends up with and how much she repays over 10 years,\nMazareas said she could end up with about $75,000 of her debt forgiven. \" Tipically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not\", he said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job.","id":"795.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Because she will be heavily in debt upon graduation.","Because she will have a master degree.","Because she plans to work in public service.","Because she has borrowed money from the federal government."],"question":"Why does the author say Erin wheeler should look into the second plan in the act?","article":"When she graduates from Columbia University next year with a master's degree in Public health, Eric Wheeler is hoping to get a job in international reproductive health. The 26-year-old post-graduate has always wanted to work in public service. But public service doesn't pay much, and her two-year program at Columbia costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. She has a scholarship from Columbia that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She worries that she will spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over to put away in an IRA. Wheeler is wondering what she can do to ease the pain of being in debt. Is there anything she can do to handle the debt?\nThe good news is that in 2007, Congress recognized that there were so many students in\nWheeler's position that it passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. There were two programs established by this act that Wheeler should look into.\nThe first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, which goes into effect July 1, could limit his or her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of discretionary income,said Peter Mazareas, vice charman of the College Saving Foundation.\nThe second is the public service loan forgiveness plan, in which the federal government will forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan.\nDepending on the level of debt Wheeler ends up with and how much she repays over 10 years,\nMazareas said she could end up with about $75,000 of her debt forgiven. \" Tipically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not\", he said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job.","id":"795.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The total expense in American universities is too high.","There are a lot of different programs to help students pay their tution.","The US government encourages students to choose public service jobs.","The federal government is trying to relieve graduates from heavy debt."],"question":"What's the main idea of the passage?","article":"When she graduates from Columbia University next year with a master's degree in Public health, Eric Wheeler is hoping to get a job in international reproductive health. The 26-year-old post-graduate has always wanted to work in public service. But public service doesn't pay much, and her two-year program at Columbia costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. She has a scholarship from Columbia that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She worries that she will spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over to put away in an IRA. Wheeler is wondering what she can do to ease the pain of being in debt. Is there anything she can do to handle the debt?\nThe good news is that in 2007, Congress recognized that there were so many students in\nWheeler's position that it passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. There were two programs established by this act that Wheeler should look into.\nThe first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, which goes into effect July 1, could limit his or her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of discretionary income,said Peter Mazareas, vice charman of the College Saving Foundation.\nThe second is the public service loan forgiveness plan, in which the federal government will forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan.\nDepending on the level of debt Wheeler ends up with and how much she repays over 10 years,\nMazareas said she could end up with about $75,000 of her debt forgiven. \" Tipically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not\", he said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job.","id":"795.txt","label":2}
{"option":["methods of baking bread","fireplace cooking","the use of iron kettles in a typical kitchen","the types of wood used in preparing meals"],"question":"Which of the following aspects of domestic life in colonial North America does the passage mainly discuss?","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":1}
{"option":["how the materials used were similar to the materials used in northeastern fireplaces","that they served diverse functions","that they were usually larger than northeastern fireplaces","how they were safer than northeastern fireplaces"],"question":"The author mentions the fireplaces built in the South to illustrate","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":2}
{"option":["burned","cut","enlarged","bent"],"question":"The word \"scorched\" in line 6 is closest in meaning to","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the stonework","the fireplace opening","the mantel tree","the rising column of heat"],"question":"The word \"it\" in line 6 refers to","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":2}
{"option":["By placing the pot directly into the fire","By putting the pot in the oven","By filling the pot with hot water","By hanging the pot on a pole over the fire"],"question":"According to the passage,how was food usually cooked in a pot in the seventeenth century?","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":3}
{"option":["maintain","reinforce","manufacture","acquire"],"question":"The word \"obtain\" in line 12 is closest in meaning to","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It was made of wood not readily available.","It was difficult to move or rotate.","It occasionally broke.","It became too hot to touch."],"question":"Which of the following is mentioned in paragraph 2 as a disadvantage of using a wooden lug pole?","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":2}
{"option":["less smoke","more heat","fewer embers","lower flames"],"question":"It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that, compared to other firewood, \"oven wood\" produced","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":1}
{"option":["It was used to heat the kitchen every day.","It was built as part of the main fireplace.","The smoke it generated went out through the main chimney.","It was heated with maple sticks."],"question":"According to paragraph 3, all of the following were true of a colonial oven EXCEPT:","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It did not take up a lot of space in the fireplace.","It did not need to be tightly closed.","It could be used in addition to or instead of the oven.","It could be used to cook several foods at one time."],"question":"According to the passage,which of the following was an advantage of a \"bake kettle\"?","article":"In seventeenth-century colonial North America, all day-to-day cooking was done in the fireplace. Generally large, fireplaces were planned for cooking as well as for warmth. Those in the Northeast were usually four or five feet high, and in the South, they were often high enough for a person to walk into. A heavy timber called the mantel tree was used as a lintel to support the stonework above the fireplace opening. This timber might be scorched occasionally, but it was far enough in front of the rising column of heat to be safe from catching fire.\nTwo ledges were built across from each other on the inside of the chimney. On these rested the ends of a \"lug pole\" from which pots were suspended when cooking. Wood from a freshly cut tree was used for the lug pole, so it would resist heat, but it had to be replaced frequently because it dried out and charred, and was thus weakened. Sometimes the pole broke and the dinner fell into the fire. When iron became easier to obtain, it was used instead of wood for lug poles, and later fireplaces had pivoting metal rods to hang pots from.\nBeside the fireplace and built as part of it was the oven. It was made like a small, secondary fireplace with a flue leading into the main chimney to draw out smoke. Sometimes the door of the oven faced the room, but most ovens were built with the opening facing into the fireplace. On baking days (usually once or twice a week) a roaring fire of \"oven wood,\" consisting of brown maple sticks, was maintained in the oven until its walls were extremely hot. The embers were later removed, bread dough was put into the oven, and the oven was sealed shut until the bread was fully baked.\nNot all baking was done in a big oven, however. Also used was an iron \"bake kettle,\" which looked like a stewpot on legs and which had an iron lid. This is said to have worked well when it was placed in the fireplace, surrounded by glowing wood embers, with more embers piled on its lid.","id":"2049.txt","label":0}
{"option":["a specialist in teenager studies","a headmaster of a middle school","a parent with teenage children","a doctor for mental health problems"],"question":"This text is most probably written by _ .","article":"Parents should stop blaming themselves because there's not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager  problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.\nI've seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself  on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. \"I don't know what to do with him these days,\" she said. \"He's forgotten all the manners we taught him.\"\nHe hasn't forgotten them. He' s just decided that he' s not going to use them. She confessed  that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.\nAnother good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, \"I don't like your dress; it's ugly.\" One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.\n\"Where did we go wrong?\" her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.","id":"3191.txt","label":0}
{"option":["lazy","quiet","unusual","rude"],"question":"The boy on the sofa would most probably be described as _ .","article":"Parents should stop blaming themselves because there's not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager  problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.\nI've seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself  on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. \"I don't know what to do with him these days,\" she said. \"He's forgotten all the manners we taught him.\"\nHe hasn't forgotten them. He' s just decided that he' s not going to use them. She confessed  that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.\nAnother good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, \"I don't like your dress; it's ugly.\" One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.\n\"Where did we go wrong?\" her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.","id":"3191.txt","label":3}
{"option":["pay no attention to them","are too busy to look after them","have come to hate them","feel helpless to do much about them"],"question":"From the second example we can infer that the parents of the two daughters _ .","article":"Parents should stop blaming themselves because there's not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager  problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.\nI've seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself  on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. \"I don't know what to do with him these days,\" she said. \"He's forgotten all the manners we taught him.\"\nHe hasn't forgotten them. He' s just decided that he' s not going to use them. She confessed  that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.\nAnother good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, \"I don't like your dress; it's ugly.\" One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.\n\"Where did we go wrong?\" her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.","id":"3191.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Parents have no choice but to try to accept it.","Parents should pay still sore attention to the change.","Parents should work more closely with school teachers.","Parents are at fault for the change in their children."],"question":"What is the author' a opinion about the sudden change in teenage children?","article":"Parents should stop blaming themselves because there's not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager  problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.\nI've seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself  on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. \"I don't know what to do with him these days,\" she said. \"He's forgotten all the manners we taught him.\"\nHe hasn't forgotten them. He' s just decided that he' s not going to use them. She confessed  that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.\nAnother good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, \"I don't like your dress; it's ugly.\" One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.\n\"Where did we go wrong?\" her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.","id":"3191.txt","label":0}
{"option":["incurred criticism","raised suspicion","faced risks","aroused curiosity"],"question":"We can learn from Para. 1 that entering the American cellphone market, Softbank has  _ .","article":"SoftBank of Japan is making its biggest gamble yet: entering the American cellphone market. SoftBank's complex $20.1 billion deal to buy majority control of Sprint Nextel will unite Japan's fastest-growing cellphone service provider with one of the United States' most troubled. The idea is to provide Sprint with a stronger, deeper-pocketed partner that can help finance its network overhaul and, eventually, pursue additional mergers. But SoftBank, an Internet and communications company, is making a risky wager that it can break the dominance of Verizon and AT&T in the United States the way it did a similar duopoly that long reigned over the Japanese market.\n\" SoftBank brings so much more to Sprint than money,\"  Daniel R. Hesse, Sprint's chief executive, said on an analyst call. \" This investment provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a leader in mobile Internet technology with a proven track record of challenging larger incumbent carriers.\"  Together, the two companies would have $80 billion in revenue and $18 billion in earnings before interest and taxes. And they would nearly double Sprint's customer base to 96 million, giving the company greater purchasing power. SoftBank's founder and chief executive, Masayoshi Son, was blunt in his goal: creating the biggest and fastest wireless network in the United States. It is the strategy his own company is pursuing in Japan, aimed at drawing in users of the latest smartphones. Sprint is only beginning to roll out its next-generation Long Term Evolution network, trailing Verizon Wireless and AT&T. \" U.S. citizens don't have this experience of high speed,\"  Mr. Son said on the analyst call. \" We're going to bring that to the States.\"\nShareholders in Sprint and SoftBank appeared less pleased by the transaction. Sprint's shares closed down slightly on Monday, at $5.69, while SoftBank's stock tumbled 5.3 percent, to 2,268 yen\uff08$28.92\uff09. While infusing Sprint with cash, the deal would slow SoftBank's efforts to repay its own hefty debt load, which stood at nearly $13 billion as of June 30. Mr. Son has said that he has already repaid much of the debt his company took on when it bought Vodafone's Japan arm in 2006 and has done it well ahead of schedule.\nThe deal on Monday was a welcome development for the financial advisers involved in a year starved for deal activity. If completed, Monday's transaction would be the biggest deal by a Japanese company in the United States in more than three decades, according to data from Thomson Reuters. It would also be the biggest deal so far this year involving a foreign investment in an American company.","id":"488.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Much money and more customers.","Knowledge and expertise.","Greater purchasing power.","Biggest and fastest wireless network in the United States."],"question":"What can't Sprint benefit from Softbanks?","article":"SoftBank of Japan is making its biggest gamble yet: entering the American cellphone market. SoftBank's complex $20.1 billion deal to buy majority control of Sprint Nextel will unite Japan's fastest-growing cellphone service provider with one of the United States' most troubled. The idea is to provide Sprint with a stronger, deeper-pocketed partner that can help finance its network overhaul and, eventually, pursue additional mergers. But SoftBank, an Internet and communications company, is making a risky wager that it can break the dominance of Verizon and AT&T in the United States the way it did a similar duopoly that long reigned over the Japanese market.\n\" SoftBank brings so much more to Sprint than money,\"  Daniel R. Hesse, Sprint's chief executive, said on an analyst call. \" This investment provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a leader in mobile Internet technology with a proven track record of challenging larger incumbent carriers.\"  Together, the two companies would have $80 billion in revenue and $18 billion in earnings before interest and taxes. And they would nearly double Sprint's customer base to 96 million, giving the company greater purchasing power. SoftBank's founder and chief executive, Masayoshi Son, was blunt in his goal: creating the biggest and fastest wireless network in the United States. It is the strategy his own company is pursuing in Japan, aimed at drawing in users of the latest smartphones. Sprint is only beginning to roll out its next-generation Long Term Evolution network, trailing Verizon Wireless and AT&T. \" U.S. citizens don't have this experience of high speed,\"  Mr. Son said on the analyst call. \" We're going to bring that to the States.\"\nShareholders in Sprint and SoftBank appeared less pleased by the transaction. Sprint's shares closed down slightly on Monday, at $5.69, while SoftBank's stock tumbled 5.3 percent, to 2,268 yen\uff08$28.92\uff09. While infusing Sprint with cash, the deal would slow SoftBank's efforts to repay its own hefty debt load, which stood at nearly $13 billion as of June 30. Mr. Son has said that he has already repaid much of the debt his company took on when it bought Vodafone's Japan arm in 2006 and has done it well ahead of schedule.\nThe deal on Monday was a welcome development for the financial advisers involved in a year starved for deal activity. If completed, Monday's transaction would be the biggest deal by a Japanese company in the United States in more than three decades, according to data from Thomson Reuters. It would also be the biggest deal so far this year involving a foreign investment in an American company.","id":"488.txt","label":3}
{"option":["decrease","increase","reach","keep"],"question":"The word\" tumble\" \uff08Line 2, Paragraph 3\uff09most probably means  _ .","article":"SoftBank of Japan is making its biggest gamble yet: entering the American cellphone market. SoftBank's complex $20.1 billion deal to buy majority control of Sprint Nextel will unite Japan's fastest-growing cellphone service provider with one of the United States' most troubled. The idea is to provide Sprint with a stronger, deeper-pocketed partner that can help finance its network overhaul and, eventually, pursue additional mergers. But SoftBank, an Internet and communications company, is making a risky wager that it can break the dominance of Verizon and AT&T in the United States the way it did a similar duopoly that long reigned over the Japanese market.\n\" SoftBank brings so much more to Sprint than money,\"  Daniel R. Hesse, Sprint's chief executive, said on an analyst call. \" This investment provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a leader in mobile Internet technology with a proven track record of challenging larger incumbent carriers.\"  Together, the two companies would have $80 billion in revenue and $18 billion in earnings before interest and taxes. And they would nearly double Sprint's customer base to 96 million, giving the company greater purchasing power. SoftBank's founder and chief executive, Masayoshi Son, was blunt in his goal: creating the biggest and fastest wireless network in the United States. It is the strategy his own company is pursuing in Japan, aimed at drawing in users of the latest smartphones. Sprint is only beginning to roll out its next-generation Long Term Evolution network, trailing Verizon Wireless and AT&T. \" U.S. citizens don't have this experience of high speed,\"  Mr. Son said on the analyst call. \" We're going to bring that to the States.\"\nShareholders in Sprint and SoftBank appeared less pleased by the transaction. Sprint's shares closed down slightly on Monday, at $5.69, while SoftBank's stock tumbled 5.3 percent, to 2,268 yen\uff08$28.92\uff09. While infusing Sprint with cash, the deal would slow SoftBank's efforts to repay its own hefty debt load, which stood at nearly $13 billion as of June 30. Mr. Son has said that he has already repaid much of the debt his company took on when it bought Vodafone's Japan arm in 2006 and has done it well ahead of schedule.\nThe deal on Monday was a welcome development for the financial advisers involved in a year starved for deal activity. If completed, Monday's transaction would be the biggest deal by a Japanese company in the United States in more than three decades, according to data from Thomson Reuters. It would also be the biggest deal so far this year involving a foreign investment in an American company.","id":"488.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the deal was a welcome development","the transaction was the biggest deal in more than three decades","it would be the biggest deal so far","the transaction features in historic significance"],"question":"It can be inferred from the last paragraph that  _ .","article":"SoftBank of Japan is making its biggest gamble yet: entering the American cellphone market. SoftBank's complex $20.1 billion deal to buy majority control of Sprint Nextel will unite Japan's fastest-growing cellphone service provider with one of the United States' most troubled. The idea is to provide Sprint with a stronger, deeper-pocketed partner that can help finance its network overhaul and, eventually, pursue additional mergers. But SoftBank, an Internet and communications company, is making a risky wager that it can break the dominance of Verizon and AT&T in the United States the way it did a similar duopoly that long reigned over the Japanese market.\n\" SoftBank brings so much more to Sprint than money,\"  Daniel R. Hesse, Sprint's chief executive, said on an analyst call. \" This investment provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a leader in mobile Internet technology with a proven track record of challenging larger incumbent carriers.\"  Together, the two companies would have $80 billion in revenue and $18 billion in earnings before interest and taxes. And they would nearly double Sprint's customer base to 96 million, giving the company greater purchasing power. SoftBank's founder and chief executive, Masayoshi Son, was blunt in his goal: creating the biggest and fastest wireless network in the United States. It is the strategy his own company is pursuing in Japan, aimed at drawing in users of the latest smartphones. Sprint is only beginning to roll out its next-generation Long Term Evolution network, trailing Verizon Wireless and AT&T. \" U.S. citizens don't have this experience of high speed,\"  Mr. Son said on the analyst call. \" We're going to bring that to the States.\"\nShareholders in Sprint and SoftBank appeared less pleased by the transaction. Sprint's shares closed down slightly on Monday, at $5.69, while SoftBank's stock tumbled 5.3 percent, to 2,268 yen\uff08$28.92\uff09. While infusing Sprint with cash, the deal would slow SoftBank's efforts to repay its own hefty debt load, which stood at nearly $13 billion as of June 30. Mr. Son has said that he has already repaid much of the debt his company took on when it bought Vodafone's Japan arm in 2006 and has done it well ahead of schedule.\nThe deal on Monday was a welcome development for the financial advisers involved in a year starved for deal activity. If completed, Monday's transaction would be the biggest deal by a Japanese company in the United States in more than three decades, according to data from Thomson Reuters. It would also be the biggest deal so far this year involving a foreign investment in an American company.","id":"488.txt","label":3}
{"option":["positive","negative","uncertain","neutral"],"question":"From the text we can see that the writer seems  _ .","article":"SoftBank of Japan is making its biggest gamble yet: entering the American cellphone market. SoftBank's complex $20.1 billion deal to buy majority control of Sprint Nextel will unite Japan's fastest-growing cellphone service provider with one of the United States' most troubled. The idea is to provide Sprint with a stronger, deeper-pocketed partner that can help finance its network overhaul and, eventually, pursue additional mergers. But SoftBank, an Internet and communications company, is making a risky wager that it can break the dominance of Verizon and AT&T in the United States the way it did a similar duopoly that long reigned over the Japanese market.\n\" SoftBank brings so much more to Sprint than money,\"  Daniel R. Hesse, Sprint's chief executive, said on an analyst call. \" This investment provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a leader in mobile Internet technology with a proven track record of challenging larger incumbent carriers.\"  Together, the two companies would have $80 billion in revenue and $18 billion in earnings before interest and taxes. And they would nearly double Sprint's customer base to 96 million, giving the company greater purchasing power. SoftBank's founder and chief executive, Masayoshi Son, was blunt in his goal: creating the biggest and fastest wireless network in the United States. It is the strategy his own company is pursuing in Japan, aimed at drawing in users of the latest smartphones. Sprint is only beginning to roll out its next-generation Long Term Evolution network, trailing Verizon Wireless and AT&T. \" U.S. citizens don't have this experience of high speed,\"  Mr. Son said on the analyst call. \" We're going to bring that to the States.\"\nShareholders in Sprint and SoftBank appeared less pleased by the transaction. Sprint's shares closed down slightly on Monday, at $5.69, while SoftBank's stock tumbled 5.3 percent, to 2,268 yen\uff08$28.92\uff09. While infusing Sprint with cash, the deal would slow SoftBank's efforts to repay its own hefty debt load, which stood at nearly $13 billion as of June 30. Mr. Son has said that he has already repaid much of the debt his company took on when it bought Vodafone's Japan arm in 2006 and has done it well ahead of schedule.\nThe deal on Monday was a welcome development for the financial advisers involved in a year starved for deal activity. If completed, Monday's transaction would be the biggest deal by a Japanese company in the United States in more than three decades, according to data from Thomson Reuters. It would also be the biggest deal so far this year involving a foreign investment in an American company.","id":"488.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Americans are trained to live in large rooms at birth.","Economic situation decides one's amount of space needs.","People in various countries demand different psychological space.","Knowing your psychological space needs is important, as it affects your future."],"question":"Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?","article":"Not everyone in the world requires the same amount of living space. The amount of space a person needs around him is a cultural difference,not an economic one. Knowing your own psychological  space needs is important because they strongly affect your choices,including,for example,the number of bedrooms in the home. If you were brought up in a two-child family and both you and your sister or brother had your own bedrooms,the chances are,if you have two children or more,that you also will offer separate bedrooms for them. In America,for example,they train people to want to have their own rooms by giving them their own rooms when they are babies. This is very rare in the world. In many other countries,the baby sleeps in the same bed with his parents or in bed near them.\nThe space in the home also shows a lot about psychological space needs. Some families gather closer to each other and the size of their house has nothing to do with it. Others have separate little corners where family members go to bed alone.\nAlthough it is true that psychological space needs are not decided by economic reasons,they sometimes have to be changed a little because of economic pressures. It is almost impossible,however,to completely change your psychological space needs.","id":"2664.txt","label":1}
{"option":["grow up","build up","spread out","break apart"],"question":"The word \"accumulate\" in the passage(paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Microscopic organisms that live in mudproduce crude oil and natural gas.","Large amounts of oxygen are needed forpetroleum formation to begin.","Petroleum is produced when organicmaterial in sediments combines with decaying marine organisms.","Petroleum formation appears to begin inmarine sediments where organic matter is present."],"question":"According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true about petroleum formation?","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":3}
{"option":["describe how petroleum is formed","explain why petroleum formation is a slowprocess","provide evidence that a marineenvironment is necessary for petroleum formation","show that oil commonly occurs inassociation with gas"],"question":"In paragraphs 1 and 2, the author'sprimary purpose is to","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":0}
{"option":["nearby","existing","special","deep"],"question":"The word \"adjacent\" in the passage(paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":0}
{"option":["They make bringing the oil to the surfaceeasier.","They signal the presence of huge oilreserves.","They waste more oil than they collect.","They are unlikely to occur nowadays."],"question":"Which of the following can be inferredfrom paragraph 3 about gushers?","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Drilling under the ocean's surface","Limiting drilling to accessible locations","Using highly sophisticated drillingequipment","Constructing technologically advanceddrilling platforms"],"question":"Which of the following strategies foroil exploration is described in paragraph 4?","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":0}
{"option":["More oil is extracted from the sea thanfrom land.","Drilling for oil requires major financialinvestments.","The global demand for oil has increasedover the years.","The North Slope of Alaska has substantialamounts of oil."],"question":"What does the development of the Alaskanoil field mentioned in paragraph 4 demonstrate?","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":1}
{"option":["shifting","inclining","forming","rolling"],"question":"The word \"sloping\" in the passage(paragraph 4) is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":1}
{"option":["permission to access the area where oilhas been found","the availability of sufficient quantitiesof oil in a pool","the location of the market in relation tothe drilling site","the political situation in the regionwhere drilling would occur"],"question":"According to paragraph 5, the decisionto drill for oil depends on all of the following factors EXCEPT","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":3}
{"option":["reach","flood","pollute","alter"],"question":"The word \"foul\" in the passage(paragraph 6) is closest in meaning to","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":2}
{"option":["provide examples of how oil explorationcan endanger the environment","describe accidents that have occurredwhen oil activities were in progress","give an analysis of the effects of oilspills on the environment","explain how technology and legislation helpreduce oil spills"],"question":"In paragraph 6, the author's primarypurpose is to","article":"Petroleum, consisting of crude oil and natural gas, seems to originate from organic matter in marine sediment. Microscopic organisms settle to the seafloor and accumulate in marine mud. The organic matter may partially decompose, using up the dissolved oxygen in the sediment. As soon as the oxygen is gone, decay stops and the remaining organic matter is preserved.\nContinued sedimentation-the process of deposits' settling on the sea bottom-buries the organic matter and subjects it to higher temperatures and pressures, which convert the organic matter to oil and gas. As muddy sediments are pressed together, the gas and small droplets of oil may be squeezed out of the mud and may move into sandy layers nearby. Over long periods of time (millions of years), accumulations of gas and oil can collect in the sandy layers. Both oil and gas are less dense than water, so they generally tend to rise upward through water-saturated rock and sediment.\nOil pools are valuable underground accumulations of oil, and oil fields are regions underlain by one or more oil pools. When an oil pool or field has been discovered, wells are drilled into the ground. Permanent towers, called derricks, used to be built to handle the long sections of drilling pipe. Now portable drilling machines are set up and are then dismantled and removed. When the well reaches a pool, oil usually rises up the well because of its density difference with water beneath it or because of the pressure of expanding gas trapped above it. Although this rise of oil is almost always carefully controlled today, spouts of oil, or gushers, were common in the past. Gas pressure gradually dies out, and oil is pumped from the well. Water or steam may be pumped down adjacent wells to help push the oil out. At a refinery, the crude oil from underground is separated into natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, and various oils. Petrochemicals such as dyes, fertilizer, and plastic are also manufactured from the petroleum.\nAs oil becomes increasingly difficult to find, the search for it is extended into more-hostile environments. The development of the oil field on the North Slope of Alaska and the construction of the Alaska pipeline are examples of the great expense and difficulty involved in new oil discoveries. Offshore drilling platforms extend the search for oil to the ocean's continental shelves-those gently sloping submarine regions at the edges of the continents. More than one-quarter of the world's oil and almost one-fifth of the world's natural gas come from offshore, even though offshore drilling is six to seven times more expensive than drilling on land. A significant part of this oil and gas comes from under the North Sea between Great Britain and Norway.\nOf course, there is far more oil underground than can be recovered. It may be in a pool too small or too far from a potential market to justify the expense of drilling. Some oil lies under regions where drilling is forbidden, such as national parks or other public lands. Even given the best extraction techniques, only about 30 to 40 percent of the oil in a given pool can be brought to the surface. The rest is far too difficult to extract and has to remain underground.\nMoreover, getting petroleum out of the ground and from under the sea and to the consumer can create environmental problems anywhere along the line. Pipelines carrying oil can be broken by faults or landslides, causing serious oil spills. Spillage from huge oil-carrying cargo ships, called tankers, involved in collisions or accidental groundings (such as the one off Alaska in 1989) can create oil slicks at sea. Offshore platforms may also lose oil, creating oil slicks that drift ashore and foul the beaches, harming the environment. Sometimes, the ground at an oil field may subside as oil is removed. The Wilmington field near Long Beach, California, has subsided nine meters in 50 years; protective barriers have had to be built to prevent seawater from flooding the area. Finally, the refining and burning of petroleum and its products can cause air pollution. Advancing technology and strict laws, however, are helping control some of these adverse environmental effects.","id":"1258.txt","label":0}
{"option":["It benefits the great majority of the general population.","It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.","It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.","It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled."],"question":"What kind of education does the author think is ideal?","article":"As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.\nHigh school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.\nWe might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (\uff09and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 \"Pathways to Prosperity\" report for more attention to the \"forgotten half\" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.\nSimultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.\nLearning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all-solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills ihat will serve for a lifetime.\nStudents also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (\uff09by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (\uff09will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.","id":"2132.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.","Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.","Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.","Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world."],"question":"What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?","article":"As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.\nHigh school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.\nWe might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (\uff09and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 \"Pathways to Prosperity\" report for more attention to the \"forgotten half\" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.\nSimultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.\nLearning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all-solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills ihat will serve for a lifetime.\nStudents also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (\uff09by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (\uff09will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.","id":"2132.txt","label":3}
{"option":["People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position.","Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.","New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.","Colleges find it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy."],"question":"What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?","article":"As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.\nHigh school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.\nWe might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (\uff09and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 \"Pathways to Prosperity\" report for more attention to the \"forgotten half\" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.\nSimultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.\nLearning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all-solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills ihat will serve for a lifetime.\nStudents also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (\uff09by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (\uff09will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.","id":"2132.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Solid background knowledge in a particular field.","Practical skills urgently needed in current society.","Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.","Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research."],"question":"What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?","article":"As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.\nHigh school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.\nWe might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (\uff09and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 \"Pathways to Prosperity\" report for more attention to the \"forgotten half\" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.\nSimultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.\nLearning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all-solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills ihat will serve for a lifetime.\nStudents also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (\uff09by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (\uff09will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.","id":"2132.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Rethinking the value of higher education.","Investing wisely in their children's education.","Helping their children lo bring their talent into full play.","Avoiding too much intervention in their children's education."],"question":"What suggestion docs the author offer to parents?","article":"As a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.\nHigh school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.\nWe might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (\uff09and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 \"Pathways to Prosperity\" report for more attention to the \"forgotten half\" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.\nSimultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.\nLearning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all-solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills ihat will serve for a lifetime.\nStudents also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (\uff09by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (\uff09will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.","id":"2132.txt","label":3}
{"option":["is not likely to appear in the fossil record","is not heavy enough to sink below the surface","is not attractive to predators","takes a long time to decay"],"question":"According to the passage , an organism without hard body parts","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":0}
{"option":["dangers","examples","areas","causes"],"question":"The word \"agents\" in line 5 is closest in meaning to","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":3}
{"option":["They have more fleshy structures than land organisms.","It is likely that they will be buried rapidly.","The water environment speeds the decay caused by bacteria.","It takes longer for them to be preserved."],"question":"Why are marine organisms good candidates for fossilization?","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":1}
{"option":["erosion is less destructive than sedimentation.","fossils are most common in areas subject to erosion.","erosion contributes to the destruction of skeletal remains.","few organisms live in areas that experience extensive erosion."],"question":"The fact that the \"land is largely the site of erosion\" (line 7 - 8) is significant because","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The swamp environment reduced the amount of bacterial decay.","Swamp waters contained higher amounts of materials such as calcium carbonate.","There were fewer sediments in swamps than in other bodies of water.","Swamp vegetation accelerated the decomposition of organisms."],"question":"According to the passage , why were the remains of organisms trapped in swamps better preserved for the fossil record than those that were not?","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":0}
{"option":["reversed","helped","reformed","counted"],"question":"The word \"aided\" in line 13 is closest in meaning to","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Animals rather than plants have been preserved at such locations.","Such locations are likely to be rich sources of fossils.","Fossilized human remains are only rarely found in such locations.","Rapid sedimentation in such locations makes it difficult to locate fossils."],"question":"It can be inferred that flood plains, deltas, and stream channels (lines 14 - 15) are similar in which of the following ways?","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Weathering makes it impossible to identify many fossils.","Many fossils have been buried forever under the soil.","Fossils provide a limited sample of ancient organisms.","It is easier to find the remains of plants than animals."],"question":"What is the author's main point in paragraph 3?","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":2}
{"option":["To explain why fossils are rare","To compare aragonite fossils and calcite fossils","To argue that certain fossils are more informative than others","To illustrate the kinds of inorganic hard parts that can form fossils"],"question":"Why does the author mention \"aragonite\" in line 27","article":"Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators or decayed by bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for a certain length of time will be destroyed. Therefore, organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected against agents of weathering and erosion. Marine organisms thus are better candidates for fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation, whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.\nThe beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans. Ancient swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly aided in the preservation of plants and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the water.\nOnly a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally, the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the fossils exposed on Earth's surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.\nThe best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts, composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.","id":"395.txt","label":3}
{"option":["disproving the view that herbivores are less intelligent than carnivores","describing a relationship between animals' intelligence and their ecological roles","establishing a direct link between early large mammals and their modern counterparts","analyzing the ecological basis for the dominance of some carnivores over other carnivores"],"question":"The author is primarily concerned with","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":1}
{"option":["demonstrate the similarity between the hunting methods of mammals and those of nonmammals","broaden the application of his argument by including an insectivore as an example","make a distinction between higher and lower levels of consciousness","provide an additional illustration of the brutality characteristic of predators"],"question":"The author refers to a hungry lizard (lines 68-69) primarily in order to","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":2}
{"option":["past experience is less helpful in ensuring survival","attention is more highly focused","muscular coordination is less highly developed","there is less need for competition among species"],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that in animals less intelligent than the mammals discussed in the passage","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":0}
{"option":["free-floating awareness (lines 20-21)","flooding of impulses in the brain stem (lines 36-37)","the holding of consistent images (lines 39-40)","integration of details with perceived ends and purposes (lines 45-47)"],"question":"The sensitivity described in lines 70-76 is most clearly an example of","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":3}
{"option":["superior and condescending","lighthearted and jocular","apologetic and conciliatory","respectful and admiring"],"question":"The author's attitude toward the mammals discussed in the passage is best described as","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Interplay of predator and prey","Persistence of free-floating awareness in animals of the grasslands","Gradual dominance of warm-blooded mammals over cold-blooded reptiles","Interaction of early large mammals with less intelligent species"],"question":"According to the passage, improvement in brain function among early large mammals resulted primarily from which of the following?","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the production of adrenaline","the production of norepinephrine","a heightening of sensitivity to stimuli","an expansion of the range of states mediated by the brain stem"],"question":"According to the passage, as the process of arousal in an organism continues, all of the following may occur EXCEPT","article":"The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals,the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.\nThe kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention-that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.\nThe elements of intelligence and con-sciousness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it,but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds-and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.","id":"2006.txt","label":3}
{"option":["deprives many people of job opportunities","prevents many people from changing careers","should not stop people from looking for a job","does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening"],"question":"The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate      .","article":"As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn't good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That's bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn't matter to you nearly as much as you think.\nThat's because job growth numbers don't matter to job hunters as much as job turnover   data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations , and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!\nAnd as it turns out, even today - with job growth near zero - over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.\nI don't mean to imply that overall job growth doesn't have an impact on one's ability to land a job. It's true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it's a new one or not.\nBut what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don't is their ability to stay motivated. They're willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn't looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.\nSo don't let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.","id":"2084.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Job growth.","Job turnover.","Improved economy.","Business expansion."],"question":"Where do most job openings come from?","article":"As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn't good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That's bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn't matter to you nearly as much as you think.\nThat's because job growth numbers don't matter to job hunters as much as job turnover   data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations , and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!\nAnd as it turns out, even today - with job growth near zero - over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.\nI don't mean to imply that overall job growth doesn't have an impact on one's ability to land a job. It's true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it's a new one or not.\nBut what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don't is their ability to stay motivated. They're willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn't looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.\nSo don't let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.","id":"2084.txt","label":1}
{"option":["It doesn't have much effect on individual job seekers.","It increases people's confidence in the economy.","It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.","It doesn't mean greater job security for the employed."],"question":"What does the author say about overall job growth?","article":"As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn't good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That's bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn't matter to you nearly as much as you think.\nThat's because job growth numbers don't matter to job hunters as much as job turnover   data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations , and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!\nAnd as it turns out, even today - with job growth near zero - over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.\nI don't mean to imply that overall job growth doesn't have an impact on one's ability to land a job. It's true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it's a new one or not.\nBut what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don't is their ability to stay motivated. They're willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn't looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.\nSo don't let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.","id":"2084.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Education.","Intelligence.","Persistence.","Experience."],"question":"What is the key to landing a job according to the author?","article":"As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn't good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That's bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn't matter to you nearly as much as you think.\nThat's because job growth numbers don't matter to job hunters as much as job turnover   data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations , and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!\nAnd as it turns out, even today - with job growth near zero - over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.\nI don't mean to imply that overall job growth doesn't have an impact on one's ability to land a job. It's true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it's a new one or not.\nBut what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don't is their ability to stay motivated. They're willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn't looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.\nSo don't let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.","id":"2084.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.","They provide the public with the latest information.","They warn of the structural problems in the economy.","They exclude those who have stopped looking for a job."],"question":"What do we learn from the passage about the unemployment figures in the U.S.","article":"As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn't good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That's bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn't matter to you nearly as much as you think.\nThat's because job growth numbers don't matter to job hunters as much as job turnover   data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations , and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!\nAnd as it turns out, even today - with job growth near zero - over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.\nI don't mean to imply that overall job growth doesn't have an impact on one's ability to land a job. It's true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it's a new one or not.\nBut what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don't is their ability to stay motivated. They're willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn't looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.\nSo don't let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.","id":"2084.txt","label":3}
{"option":["a side effect","a favorable aspect","a decorative line","a comforting prospect"],"question":"The expression \u00a1\u00b0silver lining\u00a1\u00b1 (Line 2, Paragraph 1) most probably means_ .","article":"A strong rupee is giving policymakers a new sort of headache\nTHE Indian finance ministry's mid-year review, released this week, sees the external sector as a silver lining around the country's huge fiscal deficit. \"\nBuoyant\" and \"encouraging\" are the words used to describe three consecutive quarters of current-account surplus--the first in a quarter-century. Add to that swelling foreign-exchange reserves and a stronger rupee, and some are arguing that it is time for drastic liberalisation of India's foreign-exchange regime. They could be disappointed.\nFor most of the past decade, the nominal value of the rupee has been allowed to decline gently against the dollar, by about 5% a year, thus staying fairly steady in real terms. This year, however, it has been appreciating in real terms (and, since June, nominally as well). It would have done so more sharply had the central bank not been buying dollars with gusto. Exporters of manufactured goods, obsessed with price competition from China, are aghast at the rise--and at the prospect held out by some forecasters that a sustained boom in India's IT exports means it will continue.\nThe rupee's recent strength is only partly related to India's prowess in software and the mushrooming of \"business-process outsourcing\" in such projects as call-centres. The chunky surplus on invisibles owes more to remittances: non-resident Indians, attracted by the stability of the rupee and its higher interest rates, have been moving their offshore deposits back home. Similarly, Indian companies are borrowing more in dollars without selling rupees forward to hedge repayments. The trade deficit, meanwhile, has been shrinking, as imports grow slowly.\nThe inflows have boosted foreign-exchange reserves by some $20 billion this year, to $66 billion, or 12 months'-worth of imports. The size of this cushion has triggered some calls for further liberalisation of the labyrinthine foreign-exchange controls that India still maintains, despite the move in 1993 towards rupee convertibility for trade purposes. In recent months, some controls have duly been eased. It is now simpler, for example, for individuals to open foreign-currency bank accounts, and for travellers to get hold of foreign exchange. And non-resident Indians have been allowed to take out money acquired through inheritance, or from rents and dividends.\nSome commentators have taken all this as a harbinger of full capital-account convertibility. That is not on the cards. The experience of 1991, when India ran out of money, has left the central bank prone to caution--an approach it felt was vindicated by the East Asian crisis of 1997-98. With war in Iraq looming and a turbulent oil market, some risk aversion is understandable. India's fiscal deficit--some 10% of GDP and widening--is another reason for moving slowly. Just as one rating agency, Moody's, is considering upgrading India's external debt, another, Fitch, has warned that its local-currency rating is under threat. Nor is it certain that opening the capital account would mean a weaker rupee. It might even attract more capital inflows. As India's exporters are learning, convertibility is a two-way street.","id":"1126.txt","label":3}
{"option":["will lower its nominal value","is bad news to exporters of manufactured goods","means a sharper decline of its nominal value against the dollar","will give impetus to the development of India's IT industry"],"question":"According to the text, the appreciation of the rupee in real terms_ .","article":"A strong rupee is giving policymakers a new sort of headache\nTHE Indian finance ministry's mid-year review, released this week, sees the external sector as a silver lining around the country's huge fiscal deficit. \"\nBuoyant\" and \"encouraging\" are the words used to describe three consecutive quarters of current-account surplus--the first in a quarter-century. Add to that swelling foreign-exchange reserves and a stronger rupee, and some are arguing that it is time for drastic liberalisation of India's foreign-exchange regime. They could be disappointed.\nFor most of the past decade, the nominal value of the rupee has been allowed to decline gently against the dollar, by about 5% a year, thus staying fairly steady in real terms. This year, however, it has been appreciating in real terms (and, since June, nominally as well). It would have done so more sharply had the central bank not been buying dollars with gusto. Exporters of manufactured goods, obsessed with price competition from China, are aghast at the rise--and at the prospect held out by some forecasters that a sustained boom in India's IT exports means it will continue.\nThe rupee's recent strength is only partly related to India's prowess in software and the mushrooming of \"business-process outsourcing\" in such projects as call-centres. The chunky surplus on invisibles owes more to remittances: non-resident Indians, attracted by the stability of the rupee and its higher interest rates, have been moving their offshore deposits back home. Similarly, Indian companies are borrowing more in dollars without selling rupees forward to hedge repayments. The trade deficit, meanwhile, has been shrinking, as imports grow slowly.\nThe inflows have boosted foreign-exchange reserves by some $20 billion this year, to $66 billion, or 12 months'-worth of imports. The size of this cushion has triggered some calls for further liberalisation of the labyrinthine foreign-exchange controls that India still maintains, despite the move in 1993 towards rupee convertibility for trade purposes. In recent months, some controls have duly been eased. It is now simpler, for example, for individuals to open foreign-currency bank accounts, and for travellers to get hold of foreign exchange. And non-resident Indians have been allowed to take out money acquired through inheritance, or from rents and dividends.\nSome commentators have taken all this as a harbinger of full capital-account convertibility. That is not on the cards. The experience of 1991, when India ran out of money, has left the central bank prone to caution--an approach it felt was vindicated by the East Asian crisis of 1997-98. With war in Iraq looming and a turbulent oil market, some risk aversion is understandable. India's fiscal deficit--some 10% of GDP and widening--is another reason for moving slowly. Just as one rating agency, Moody's, is considering upgrading India's external debt, another, Fitch, has warned that its local-currency rating is under threat. Nor is it certain that opening the capital account would mean a weaker rupee. It might even attract more capital inflows. As India's exporters are learning, convertibility is a two-way street.","id":"1126.txt","label":1}
{"option":["the strength of the rupee","the remittances of non-resident Indians","the hedging activity of Indian companies","the growing imports"],"question":"The current account surplus owes to the following EXCEPT_ .","article":"A strong rupee is giving policymakers a new sort of headache\nTHE Indian finance ministry's mid-year review, released this week, sees the external sector as a silver lining around the country's huge fiscal deficit. \"\nBuoyant\" and \"encouraging\" are the words used to describe three consecutive quarters of current-account surplus--the first in a quarter-century. Add to that swelling foreign-exchange reserves and a stronger rupee, and some are arguing that it is time for drastic liberalisation of India's foreign-exchange regime. They could be disappointed.\nFor most of the past decade, the nominal value of the rupee has been allowed to decline gently against the dollar, by about 5% a year, thus staying fairly steady in real terms. This year, however, it has been appreciating in real terms (and, since June, nominally as well). It would have done so more sharply had the central bank not been buying dollars with gusto. Exporters of manufactured goods, obsessed with price competition from China, are aghast at the rise--and at the prospect held out by some forecasters that a sustained boom in India's IT exports means it will continue.\nThe rupee's recent strength is only partly related to India's prowess in software and the mushrooming of \"business-process outsourcing\" in such projects as call-centres. The chunky surplus on invisibles owes more to remittances: non-resident Indians, attracted by the stability of the rupee and its higher interest rates, have been moving their offshore deposits back home. Similarly, Indian companies are borrowing more in dollars without selling rupees forward to hedge repayments. The trade deficit, meanwhile, has been shrinking, as imports grow slowly.\nThe inflows have boosted foreign-exchange reserves by some $20 billion this year, to $66 billion, or 12 months'-worth of imports. The size of this cushion has triggered some calls for further liberalisation of the labyrinthine foreign-exchange controls that India still maintains, despite the move in 1993 towards rupee convertibility for trade purposes. In recent months, some controls have duly been eased. It is now simpler, for example, for individuals to open foreign-currency bank accounts, and for travellers to get hold of foreign exchange. And non-resident Indians have been allowed to take out money acquired through inheritance, or from rents and dividends.\nSome commentators have taken all this as a harbinger of full capital-account convertibility. That is not on the cards. The experience of 1991, when India ran out of money, has left the central bank prone to caution--an approach it felt was vindicated by the East Asian crisis of 1997-98. With war in Iraq looming and a turbulent oil market, some risk aversion is understandable. India's fiscal deficit--some 10% of GDP and widening--is another reason for moving slowly. Just as one rating agency, Moody's, is considering upgrading India's external debt, another, Fitch, has warned that its local-currency rating is under threat. Nor is it certain that opening the capital account would mean a weaker rupee. It might even attract more capital inflows. As India's exporters are learning, convertibility is a two-way street.","id":"1126.txt","label":3}
{"option":["India's foreign exchange reserves increased more than three times this year.","Individuals are now allowed to trade foreign currency freely.","India now can tackle adverse events in the foreign exchange market better","India's foreign exchange controls are seen as a hamper to its economic development."],"question":"Which of the following is true according to the text?","article":"A strong rupee is giving policymakers a new sort of headache\nTHE Indian finance ministry's mid-year review, released this week, sees the external sector as a silver lining around the country's huge fiscal deficit. \"\nBuoyant\" and \"encouraging\" are the words used to describe three consecutive quarters of current-account surplus--the first in a quarter-century. Add to that swelling foreign-exchange reserves and a stronger rupee, and some are arguing that it is time for drastic liberalisation of India's foreign-exchange regime. They could be disappointed.\nFor most of the past decade, the nominal value of the rupee has been allowed to decline gently against the dollar, by about 5% a year, thus staying fairly steady in real terms. This year, however, it has been appreciating in real terms (and, since June, nominally as well). It would have done so more sharply had the central bank not been buying dollars with gusto. Exporters of manufactured goods, obsessed with price competition from China, are aghast at the rise--and at the prospect held out by some forecasters that a sustained boom in India's IT exports means it will continue.\nThe rupee's recent strength is only partly related to India's prowess in software and the mushrooming of \"business-process outsourcing\" in such projects as call-centres. The chunky surplus on invisibles owes more to remittances: non-resident Indians, attracted by the stability of the rupee and its higher interest rates, have been moving their offshore deposits back home. Similarly, Indian companies are borrowing more in dollars without selling rupees forward to hedge repayments. The trade deficit, meanwhile, has been shrinking, as imports grow slowly.\nThe inflows have boosted foreign-exchange reserves by some $20 billion this year, to $66 billion, or 12 months'-worth of imports. The size of this cushion has triggered some calls for further liberalisation of the labyrinthine foreign-exchange controls that India still maintains, despite the move in 1993 towards rupee convertibility for trade purposes. In recent months, some controls have duly been eased. It is now simpler, for example, for individuals to open foreign-currency bank accounts, and for travellers to get hold of foreign exchange. And non-resident Indians have been allowed to take out money acquired through inheritance, or from rents and dividends.\nSome commentators have taken all this as a harbinger of full capital-account convertibility. That is not on the cards. The experience of 1991, when India ran out of money, has left the central bank prone to caution--an approach it felt was vindicated by the East Asian crisis of 1997-98. With war in Iraq looming and a turbulent oil market, some risk aversion is understandable. India's fiscal deficit--some 10% of GDP and widening--is another reason for moving slowly. Just as one rating agency, Moody's, is considering upgrading India's external debt, another, Fitch, has warned that its local-currency rating is under threat. Nor is it certain that opening the capital account would mean a weaker rupee. It might even attract more capital inflows. As India's exporters are learning, convertibility is a two-way street.","id":"1126.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Its increasing foreign reserve.","Its past experience.","Uncertainty of the oil market.","Its growing fiscal deficit."],"question":"Which of the follow is NOT a reason for India's slow response to calls for liberalization of its foreign exchange?","article":"A strong rupee is giving policymakers a new sort of headache\nTHE Indian finance ministry's mid-year review, released this week, sees the external sector as a silver lining around the country's huge fiscal deficit. \"\nBuoyant\" and \"encouraging\" are the words used to describe three consecutive quarters of current-account surplus--the first in a quarter-century. Add to that swelling foreign-exchange reserves and a stronger rupee, and some are arguing that it is time for drastic liberalisation of India's foreign-exchange regime. They could be disappointed.\nFor most of the past decade, the nominal value of the rupee has been allowed to decline gently against the dollar, by about 5% a year, thus staying fairly steady in real terms. This year, however, it has been appreciating in real terms (and, since June, nominally as well). It would have done so more sharply had the central bank not been buying dollars with gusto. Exporters of manufactured goods, obsessed with price competition from China, are aghast at the rise--and at the prospect held out by some forecasters that a sustained boom in India's IT exports means it will continue.\nThe rupee's recent strength is only partly related to India's prowess in software and the mushrooming of \"business-process outsourcing\" in such projects as call-centres. The chunky surplus on invisibles owes more to remittances: non-resident Indians, attracted by the stability of the rupee and its higher interest rates, have been moving their offshore deposits back home. Similarly, Indian companies are borrowing more in dollars without selling rupees forward to hedge repayments. The trade deficit, meanwhile, has been shrinking, as imports grow slowly.\nThe inflows have boosted foreign-exchange reserves by some $20 billion this year, to $66 billion, or 12 months'-worth of imports. The size of this cushion has triggered some calls for further liberalisation of the labyrinthine foreign-exchange controls that India still maintains, despite the move in 1993 towards rupee convertibility for trade purposes. In recent months, some controls have duly been eased. It is now simpler, for example, for individuals to open foreign-currency bank accounts, and for travellers to get hold of foreign exchange. And non-resident Indians have been allowed to take out money acquired through inheritance, or from rents and dividends.\nSome commentators have taken all this as a harbinger of full capital-account convertibility. That is not on the cards. The experience of 1991, when India ran out of money, has left the central bank prone to caution--an approach it felt was vindicated by the East Asian crisis of 1997-98. With war in Iraq looming and a turbulent oil market, some risk aversion is understandable. India's fiscal deficit--some 10% of GDP and widening--is another reason for moving slowly. Just as one rating agency, Moody's, is considering upgrading India's external debt, another, Fitch, has warned that its local-currency rating is under threat. Nor is it certain that opening the capital account would mean a weaker rupee. It might even attract more capital inflows. As India's exporters are learning, convertibility is a two-way street.","id":"1126.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Because they may have four seasons in one day.","Because they often have very good weather.","Because the weather is warm just like in spring.","Because the sky is sunny all day."],"question":"Why do people in England often talk about the weather?","article":"In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rain hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.\nIn England, people can also have summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.\nWhen you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.\nIf you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret later in the day.","id":"696.txt","label":0}
{"option":["sunshine and snow","black clouds","summer and winter","spring and autumn"],"question":"From the story we know that  _  come and then there is a heavy rain.","article":"In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rain hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.\nIn England, people can also have summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.\nWhen you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.\nIf you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret later in the day.","id":"696.txt","label":1}
{"option":["warm","cool","cold","rainy"],"question":"\" People can also have summer in winter\"  means \" It is sometimes  _  in winter.\"","article":"In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rain hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.\nIn England, people can also have summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.\nWhen you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.\nIf you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret later in the day.","id":"696.txt","label":0}
{"option":["their friends ask them to do so.","it often rains in England","they are going to sell them","they are their favorite things"],"question":"In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because  _ .","article":"In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rain hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.\nIn England, people can also have summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.\nWhen you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.\nIf you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret later in the day.","id":"696.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Bad Season","Summer or Winter","The Weather in England","Strange English People"],"question":"The best title for this passage is  _ .","article":"In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience four seasons in one day. In the morning the weather is warm just like spring. An hour later black clouds come and then it rain hard. The weather gets a little cold. In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day.\nIn England, people can also have summer. So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes.\nWhen you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them.\nIf you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret later in the day.","id":"696.txt","label":2}
{"option":["because of their carelessness as shown in their failure to present a clean copy of a resume","because of their inadequate education as shown in their poor spelling in writing a resume","because they failed to give detailed description of their background in their applications","because they eliminated their names from the applicants' list themselves"],"question":"According to the passage, some job applicants were rejected ________.","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume  arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break . But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3806.txt","label":0}
{"option":["demand others to get everything absolutely right","know how to adjust their goals according to the circumstances","pay too much attention to details only to lose their major objectives","are capable of achieving perfect results in whatever they do"],"question":"The word \"perfectionists\" (Para. 3, Line) refers to those who ________.","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume  arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break . But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3806.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Although too much attention to details may be costly, they should not be overlooked.","Don't forget details when drawing pictures.","Be aware of the importance of a task before undertaking it.","Careless applicants are not to be trusted."],"question":"Which of the following is the author's device to the reader?","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume  arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break . But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3806.txt","label":0}
{"option":["minor mistakes can be ignored in achieving major objectives","failure is the mother of success","adjustments are the key to the successful completion of any work","keeping one's goal in mind helps in deciding which details can be overlooked"],"question":"The example of the Apollo II moon launch is given to illustrate that ________.","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume  arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break . But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3806.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Don't Be a Perfectionist","Importance of Adjustments","Details and Major Objectives","Hard Work Plus Good Luck"],"question":"The best title for this passage would be ________.","article":"Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. \"It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves.\" he says.\nResume  arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate, Crossley concludes. \"If they cannot take of these details, why should we trust them with a job?\"\nCan we pay too much attention to detail? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward, \"To keep from losing the forest for the trees\", says Charles Garfield, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, \"We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else\".\nGarfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. \"The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time.\" Says Garfield, \"But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.\" Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.\nToo often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break . But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.","id":"3806.txt","label":2}
{"option":["dead leaves and tree debris make the same sound","trees that are dying usually give out a soft moan","organic debris echoes the sounds in a rain forest","the sound of a forest signifies its health condition"],"question":"We learn from the first paragraph that  _ .","article":"\"Usually when we walk through the rain forest we hear a soft sound from all the moist leaves and organic debris on the forest floor,\" says ecologist Daniel Nepstad. \"Now we increasingly get rustle and crunch. That's the sound of a dying forest.\"\nPredictions of the collapse of the tropical rain forests have been around for years. Yet until recently the worst forecasts were almost exclusively linked to direct human activity, such as clear-cutting and burning for pastures or farms. Left alone, it was assumed, the world's rain forests would not only flourish but might even rescue us from disaster by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now it turns out that may be wishful thinking. Some scientists believe that the rise in carbon levels means that the Amazon and other rain forests in Asia and Africa may go from being assets in the battle against rising temperatures to liabilities. Amazon plants, for instance, hold more than 100 billion metric tons of carbon, equal to 15 years of tailpipe and chimney emissions. If the collapse of the rain forests speeds up dramatically, it could eventually release 3.5-5 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year - making forests the leading source of greenhouse gases.\nUncommonly severe droughts brought on by global climate changes have led to forest-eating wildfires from Australia to Indonesia, but nowhere more acutely than in the Amazon. Some experts say that the rain forest is already at the .\nExtreme weather and reckless development arc plotting against the rain forest in ways that scientists have never seen. Trees need more water as temperatures rise, but the prolonged droughts have robbed them of moisture, making whole forests easily cleared of trees and turned into farmland. The picture worsens with each round of El Nino, the unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean that drive up temperatures and invariably presage droughts and fires in the rain forest. Runaway fires pour even more carbon into the air, which increases temperatures, starting the whole vicious cycle all over again.\nMore than paradise lost, a perishing rain forest could trigger a domino effect - sending winds and rains kilometers off course and loading the skies with even greater levels of greenhouse gases - that will be felt far beyond the Amazon basin. In a sense, we are already getting a glimpse of what's to come. Each burning season in the Amazon, fires deliberately set by frontier settlers and developers hurl up almost half a billion metric tons of carbon a year, placing Brazil among the top five contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.","id":"2359.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the collapse of rain forests is caused by direct human interference","carbon emissions are the leading cause of current global warming","the condition of rain forests has been rapidly deteriorating","rain forests should not be converted into pastures or farms"],"question":"In the second paragraph, the author challenges the view that  _ .","article":"\"Usually when we walk through the rain forest we hear a soft sound from all the moist leaves and organic debris on the forest floor,\" says ecologist Daniel Nepstad. \"Now we increasingly get rustle and crunch. That's the sound of a dying forest.\"\nPredictions of the collapse of the tropical rain forests have been around for years. Yet until recently the worst forecasts were almost exclusively linked to direct human activity, such as clear-cutting and burning for pastures or farms. Left alone, it was assumed, the world's rain forests would not only flourish but might even rescue us from disaster by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now it turns out that may be wishful thinking. Some scientists believe that the rise in carbon levels means that the Amazon and other rain forests in Asia and Africa may go from being assets in the battle against rising temperatures to liabilities. Amazon plants, for instance, hold more than 100 billion metric tons of carbon, equal to 15 years of tailpipe and chimney emissions. If the collapse of the rain forests speeds up dramatically, it could eventually release 3.5-5 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year - making forests the leading source of greenhouse gases.\nUncommonly severe droughts brought on by global climate changes have led to forest-eating wildfires from Australia to Indonesia, but nowhere more acutely than in the Amazon. Some experts say that the rain forest is already at the .\nExtreme weather and reckless development arc plotting against the rain forest in ways that scientists have never seen. Trees need more water as temperatures rise, but the prolonged droughts have robbed them of moisture, making whole forests easily cleared of trees and turned into farmland. The picture worsens with each round of El Nino, the unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean that drive up temperatures and invariably presage droughts and fires in the rain forest. Runaway fires pour even more carbon into the air, which increases temperatures, starting the whole vicious cycle all over again.\nMore than paradise lost, a perishing rain forest could trigger a domino effect - sending winds and rains kilometers off course and loading the skies with even greater levels of greenhouse gases - that will be felt far beyond the Amazon basin. In a sense, we are already getting a glimpse of what's to come. Each burning season in the Amazon, fires deliberately set by frontier settlers and developers hurl up almost half a billion metric tons of carbon a year, placing Brazil among the top five contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.","id":"2359.txt","label":0}
{"option":["turn them into a major source of greenhouse gases","change the weather patterns throughout the world","pose a threat to wildlife","accelerate their collapse"],"question":"The author argues that the rising carbon levels in rain forests may  _ .","article":"\"Usually when we walk through the rain forest we hear a soft sound from all the moist leaves and organic debris on the forest floor,\" says ecologist Daniel Nepstad. \"Now we increasingly get rustle and crunch. That's the sound of a dying forest.\"\nPredictions of the collapse of the tropical rain forests have been around for years. Yet until recently the worst forecasts were almost exclusively linked to direct human activity, such as clear-cutting and burning for pastures or farms. Left alone, it was assumed, the world's rain forests would not only flourish but might even rescue us from disaster by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now it turns out that may be wishful thinking. Some scientists believe that the rise in carbon levels means that the Amazon and other rain forests in Asia and Africa may go from being assets in the battle against rising temperatures to liabilities. Amazon plants, for instance, hold more than 100 billion metric tons of carbon, equal to 15 years of tailpipe and chimney emissions. If the collapse of the rain forests speeds up dramatically, it could eventually release 3.5-5 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year - making forests the leading source of greenhouse gases.\nUncommonly severe droughts brought on by global climate changes have led to forest-eating wildfires from Australia to Indonesia, but nowhere more acutely than in the Amazon. Some experts say that the rain forest is already at the .\nExtreme weather and reckless development arc plotting against the rain forest in ways that scientists have never seen. Trees need more water as temperatures rise, but the prolonged droughts have robbed them of moisture, making whole forests easily cleared of trees and turned into farmland. The picture worsens with each round of El Nino, the unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean that drive up temperatures and invariably presage droughts and fires in the rain forest. Runaway fires pour even more carbon into the air, which increases temperatures, starting the whole vicious cycle all over again.\nMore than paradise lost, a perishing rain forest could trigger a domino effect - sending winds and rains kilometers off course and loading the skies with even greater levels of greenhouse gases - that will be felt far beyond the Amazon basin. In a sense, we are already getting a glimpse of what's to come. Each burning season in the Amazon, fires deliberately set by frontier settlers and developers hurl up almost half a billion metric tons of carbon a year, placing Brazil among the top five contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.","id":"2359.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Rapid rise in carbon levels.","Reckless land development.","Lack of rainfall resulting from global warming.","The unusual warm currents in the Pacific Ocean."],"question":"What has made it easier to turn some rain forests into farmland?","article":"\"Usually when we walk through the rain forest we hear a soft sound from all the moist leaves and organic debris on the forest floor,\" says ecologist Daniel Nepstad. \"Now we increasingly get rustle and crunch. That's the sound of a dying forest.\"\nPredictions of the collapse of the tropical rain forests have been around for years. Yet until recently the worst forecasts were almost exclusively linked to direct human activity, such as clear-cutting and burning for pastures or farms. Left alone, it was assumed, the world's rain forests would not only flourish but might even rescue us from disaster by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now it turns out that may be wishful thinking. Some scientists believe that the rise in carbon levels means that the Amazon and other rain forests in Asia and Africa may go from being assets in the battle against rising temperatures to liabilities. Amazon plants, for instance, hold more than 100 billion metric tons of carbon, equal to 15 years of tailpipe and chimney emissions. If the collapse of the rain forests speeds up dramatically, it could eventually release 3.5-5 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year - making forests the leading source of greenhouse gases.\nUncommonly severe droughts brought on by global climate changes have led to forest-eating wildfires from Australia to Indonesia, but nowhere more acutely than in the Amazon. Some experts say that the rain forest is already at the .\nExtreme weather and reckless development arc plotting against the rain forest in ways that scientists have never seen. Trees need more water as temperatures rise, but the prolonged droughts have robbed them of moisture, making whole forests easily cleared of trees and turned into farmland. The picture worsens with each round of El Nino, the unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean that drive up temperatures and invariably presage droughts and fires in the rain forest. Runaway fires pour even more carbon into the air, which increases temperatures, starting the whole vicious cycle all over again.\nMore than paradise lost, a perishing rain forest could trigger a domino effect - sending winds and rains kilometers off course and loading the skies with even greater levels of greenhouse gases - that will be felt far beyond the Amazon basin. In a sense, we are already getting a glimpse of what's to come. Each burning season in the Amazon, fires deliberately set by frontier settlers and developers hurl up almost half a billion metric tons of carbon a year, placing Brazil among the top five contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.","id":"2359.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The domino effect triggered by the perishing rain forests.","Its practice of burning forests for settlement and development.","The changed patterns of winds and rains in the Amazon area.","Its inability to curb the carbon emissions from industries."],"question":"What makes Brazil one of the world's top five contributors to greenhouse gases?","article":"\"Usually when we walk through the rain forest we hear a soft sound from all the moist leaves and organic debris on the forest floor,\" says ecologist Daniel Nepstad. \"Now we increasingly get rustle and crunch. That's the sound of a dying forest.\"\nPredictions of the collapse of the tropical rain forests have been around for years. Yet until recently the worst forecasts were almost exclusively linked to direct human activity, such as clear-cutting and burning for pastures or farms. Left alone, it was assumed, the world's rain forests would not only flourish but might even rescue us from disaster by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide and other planet-warming greenhouse gases. Now it turns out that may be wishful thinking. Some scientists believe that the rise in carbon levels means that the Amazon and other rain forests in Asia and Africa may go from being assets in the battle against rising temperatures to liabilities. Amazon plants, for instance, hold more than 100 billion metric tons of carbon, equal to 15 years of tailpipe and chimney emissions. If the collapse of the rain forests speeds up dramatically, it could eventually release 3.5-5 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year - making forests the leading source of greenhouse gases.\nUncommonly severe droughts brought on by global climate changes have led to forest-eating wildfires from Australia to Indonesia, but nowhere more acutely than in the Amazon. Some experts say that the rain forest is already at the .\nExtreme weather and reckless development arc plotting against the rain forest in ways that scientists have never seen. Trees need more water as temperatures rise, but the prolonged droughts have robbed them of moisture, making whole forests easily cleared of trees and turned into farmland. The picture worsens with each round of El Nino, the unusually warm currents in the Pacific Ocean that drive up temperatures and invariably presage droughts and fires in the rain forest. Runaway fires pour even more carbon into the air, which increases temperatures, starting the whole vicious cycle all over again.\nMore than paradise lost, a perishing rain forest could trigger a domino effect - sending winds and rains kilometers off course and loading the skies with even greater levels of greenhouse gases - that will be felt far beyond the Amazon basin. In a sense, we are already getting a glimpse of what's to come. Each burning season in the Amazon, fires deliberately set by frontier settlers and developers hurl up almost half a billion metric tons of carbon a year, placing Brazil among the top five contributors to greenhouse gases in the world.","id":"2359.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Crime and Punishment","Reward and Punishment","Social Order","Two Case Studies\uff1aGusii of Kenya and Mixtecans of Juxtlahuaca"],"question":"The best title of this passage would be _ .","article":"Rewards and punishments are used in different ways by different communities to maintain social order and preserve cultural values.In all cultures, parents must teach their children to avoid danger and to observe the community\u2018s moral precepts.Adults also condition each other's observance of social norms, using methods ranging form mild forms of censure, such as looking away when someone makes an inappropriate remark, to imprisoning or executing individuals for behavior considered deviant or dangerous.The caning of American teenager Michael Fay in Singapore for vandalism in 1994 brought wide media attention to cultural differences in the application of punishment.Faced with increasing violence at home, many Americans endorsed Singapore\u2018s use of corporal punishment to maintain social order.Was Fay's punishment effective? Whether he subsequently avoids vandalism is unknown, but the punishment did apparently lead to his avoidance of Singapore-which he left promptly.\nThe operant techniques societies use to maintain social control vary in part with the dangers and threats that confront them.The Gusii of Kenya, with a history of tribal warfare, face threats not only from outsiders but also from natural forces, including wild animals.Gusii parents tend to rely more on punishment and fear than on rewards in conditioning appropriate social behavior in their children.Caning, food deprivation, and withdrawing shelter and protection are common forms of punishment.\nIn contrast, the Mixtecans of Juxtlahuaca, Mexico, are a highly cohesive community, with little internal conflict, and social norms that encourage cooperation.Their social patterns appear adaptive, for the Mixtecans are dominated by the nearby Spanish Mexicans, who control the official government and many economic resources in their region.The Mixtecans do not generally impose fines or jail sentences or use physical punishment to deter aggression in either adults or children.Rather, they tend to rely on soothing persuasion.Social ostracism is the most feared punishment, and social ties within the community are very strong, so responses that reinforce these ties are effective in maintaining social order.\nIn the United States, fear of social ostracism or stigma was once a more powerful force in maintaining control over antisocial behavior, especially in small communities.Today, even imprisonment does not appear to be an adequate deterrent to many forms of crime, especially violent crime.Although one reason is the inconsistent application of punishment, another may be the fact that imprisonment no longer carries the intense stigma it once had, so that prison is no longer as an effective punishment.","id":"612.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Children must be obedient to their parents.","People must publicly complain when someone misbehaves.","People should do their parts to ensure that others comply with social rules.","People should publicly humiliate the wrongdoers."],"question":"According to the passage, what is a universal cultural norm in maintaining social order?","article":"Rewards and punishments are used in different ways by different communities to maintain social order and preserve cultural values.In all cultures, parents must teach their children to avoid danger and to observe the community\u2018s moral precepts.Adults also condition each other's observance of social norms, using methods ranging form mild forms of censure, such as looking away when someone makes an inappropriate remark, to imprisoning or executing individuals for behavior considered deviant or dangerous.The caning of American teenager Michael Fay in Singapore for vandalism in 1994 brought wide media attention to cultural differences in the application of punishment.Faced with increasing violence at home, many Americans endorsed Singapore\u2018s use of corporal punishment to maintain social order.Was Fay's punishment effective? Whether he subsequently avoids vandalism is unknown, but the punishment did apparently lead to his avoidance of Singapore-which he left promptly.\nThe operant techniques societies use to maintain social control vary in part with the dangers and threats that confront them.The Gusii of Kenya, with a history of tribal warfare, face threats not only from outsiders but also from natural forces, including wild animals.Gusii parents tend to rely more on punishment and fear than on rewards in conditioning appropriate social behavior in their children.Caning, food deprivation, and withdrawing shelter and protection are common forms of punishment.\nIn contrast, the Mixtecans of Juxtlahuaca, Mexico, are a highly cohesive community, with little internal conflict, and social norms that encourage cooperation.Their social patterns appear adaptive, for the Mixtecans are dominated by the nearby Spanish Mexicans, who control the official government and many economic resources in their region.The Mixtecans do not generally impose fines or jail sentences or use physical punishment to deter aggression in either adults or children.Rather, they tend to rely on soothing persuasion.Social ostracism is the most feared punishment, and social ties within the community are very strong, so responses that reinforce these ties are effective in maintaining social order.\nIn the United States, fear of social ostracism or stigma was once a more powerful force in maintaining control over antisocial behavior, especially in small communities.Today, even imprisonment does not appear to be an adequate deterrent to many forms of crime, especially violent crime.Although one reason is the inconsistent application of punishment, another may be the fact that imprisonment no longer carries the intense stigma it once had, so that prison is no longer as an effective punishment.","id":"612.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Many Americans were opposed to the corporal punishment that Michael Fay received in Singapore.","The American media did not pay any attention to cultural differences until 1994.","The caning was effective because Michael Fay subsequently refrained from vandalism.","Michael Fay left Singapore immediately after the caning punishment."],"question":"What can be inferred from the Michael Fay case?","article":"Rewards and punishments are used in different ways by different communities to maintain social order and preserve cultural values.In all cultures, parents must teach their children to avoid danger and to observe the community\u2018s moral precepts.Adults also condition each other's observance of social norms, using methods ranging form mild forms of censure, such as looking away when someone makes an inappropriate remark, to imprisoning or executing individuals for behavior considered deviant or dangerous.The caning of American teenager Michael Fay in Singapore for vandalism in 1994 brought wide media attention to cultural differences in the application of punishment.Faced with increasing violence at home, many Americans endorsed Singapore\u2018s use of corporal punishment to maintain social order.Was Fay's punishment effective? Whether he subsequently avoids vandalism is unknown, but the punishment did apparently lead to his avoidance of Singapore-which he left promptly.\nThe operant techniques societies use to maintain social control vary in part with the dangers and threats that confront them.The Gusii of Kenya, with a history of tribal warfare, face threats not only from outsiders but also from natural forces, including wild animals.Gusii parents tend to rely more on punishment and fear than on rewards in conditioning appropriate social behavior in their children.Caning, food deprivation, and withdrawing shelter and protection are common forms of punishment.\nIn contrast, the Mixtecans of Juxtlahuaca, Mexico, are a highly cohesive community, with little internal conflict, and social norms that encourage cooperation.Their social patterns appear adaptive, for the Mixtecans are dominated by the nearby Spanish Mexicans, who control the official government and many economic resources in their region.The Mixtecans do not generally impose fines or jail sentences or use physical punishment to deter aggression in either adults or children.Rather, they tend to rely on soothing persuasion.Social ostracism is the most feared punishment, and social ties within the community are very strong, so responses that reinforce these ties are effective in maintaining social order.\nIn the United States, fear of social ostracism or stigma was once a more powerful force in maintaining control over antisocial behavior, especially in small communities.Today, even imprisonment does not appear to be an adequate deterrent to many forms of crime, especially violent crime.Although one reason is the inconsistent application of punishment, another may be the fact that imprisonment no longer carries the intense stigma it once had, so that prison is no longer as an effective punishment.","id":"612.txt","label":3}
{"option":["To stop giving them pocket money.","To persuade them in a gentle way.","To verbally humiliate them.","To threaten to expel them from the home."],"question":"What would a Gusii mother from Kenya most likely do to punish her children?","article":"Rewards and punishments are used in different ways by different communities to maintain social order and preserve cultural values.In all cultures, parents must teach their children to avoid danger and to observe the community\u2018s moral precepts.Adults also condition each other's observance of social norms, using methods ranging form mild forms of censure, such as looking away when someone makes an inappropriate remark, to imprisoning or executing individuals for behavior considered deviant or dangerous.The caning of American teenager Michael Fay in Singapore for vandalism in 1994 brought wide media attention to cultural differences in the application of punishment.Faced with increasing violence at home, many Americans endorsed Singapore\u2018s use of corporal punishment to maintain social order.Was Fay's punishment effective? Whether he subsequently avoids vandalism is unknown, but the punishment did apparently lead to his avoidance of Singapore-which he left promptly.\nThe operant techniques societies use to maintain social control vary in part with the dangers and threats that confront them.The Gusii of Kenya, with a history of tribal warfare, face threats not only from outsiders but also from natural forces, including wild animals.Gusii parents tend to rely more on punishment and fear than on rewards in conditioning appropriate social behavior in their children.Caning, food deprivation, and withdrawing shelter and protection are common forms of punishment.\nIn contrast, the Mixtecans of Juxtlahuaca, Mexico, are a highly cohesive community, with little internal conflict, and social norms that encourage cooperation.Their social patterns appear adaptive, for the Mixtecans are dominated by the nearby Spanish Mexicans, who control the official government and many economic resources in their region.The Mixtecans do not generally impose fines or jail sentences or use physical punishment to deter aggression in either adults or children.Rather, they tend to rely on soothing persuasion.Social ostracism is the most feared punishment, and social ties within the community are very strong, so responses that reinforce these ties are effective in maintaining social order.\nIn the United States, fear of social ostracism or stigma was once a more powerful force in maintaining control over antisocial behavior, especially in small communities.Today, even imprisonment does not appear to be an adequate deterrent to many forms of crime, especially violent crime.Although one reason is the inconsistent application of punishment, another may be the fact that imprisonment no longer carries the intense stigma it once had, so that prison is no longer as an effective punishment.","id":"612.txt","label":3}
{"option":["irony","verbal","persuasion","bad reputation"],"question":"The word\" stigma\" (in fourth paragraph)most probably means _ .","article":"Rewards and punishments are used in different ways by different communities to maintain social order and preserve cultural values.In all cultures, parents must teach their children to avoid danger and to observe the community\u2018s moral precepts.Adults also condition each other's observance of social norms, using methods ranging form mild forms of censure, such as looking away when someone makes an inappropriate remark, to imprisoning or executing individuals for behavior considered deviant or dangerous.The caning of American teenager Michael Fay in Singapore for vandalism in 1994 brought wide media attention to cultural differences in the application of punishment.Faced with increasing violence at home, many Americans endorsed Singapore\u2018s use of corporal punishment to maintain social order.Was Fay's punishment effective? Whether he subsequently avoids vandalism is unknown, but the punishment did apparently lead to his avoidance of Singapore-which he left promptly.\nThe operant techniques societies use to maintain social control vary in part with the dangers and threats that confront them.The Gusii of Kenya, with a history of tribal warfare, face threats not only from outsiders but also from natural forces, including wild animals.Gusii parents tend to rely more on punishment and fear than on rewards in conditioning appropriate social behavior in their children.Caning, food deprivation, and withdrawing shelter and protection are common forms of punishment.\nIn contrast, the Mixtecans of Juxtlahuaca, Mexico, are a highly cohesive community, with little internal conflict, and social norms that encourage cooperation.Their social patterns appear adaptive, for the Mixtecans are dominated by the nearby Spanish Mexicans, who control the official government and many economic resources in their region.The Mixtecans do not generally impose fines or jail sentences or use physical punishment to deter aggression in either adults or children.Rather, they tend to rely on soothing persuasion.Social ostracism is the most feared punishment, and social ties within the community are very strong, so responses that reinforce these ties are effective in maintaining social order.\nIn the United States, fear of social ostracism or stigma was once a more powerful force in maintaining control over antisocial behavior, especially in small communities.Today, even imprisonment does not appear to be an adequate deterrent to many forms of crime, especially violent crime.Although one reason is the inconsistent application of punishment, another may be the fact that imprisonment no longer carries the intense stigma it once had, so that prison is no longer as an effective punishment.","id":"612.txt","label":3}
{"option":["refusing.","reserving.","withdrawing.","considering."],"question":"The word \"forgoing\" (Line 7, Paragraph 1) most probably means _","article":"Peter L\u00f6scher, the first outsider to become chief executive of Siemens, one of the world's biggest electrical-engineering firms, spent his first three months at the firm travelling and listening. Then on October 4th he announced plans to centralise the conglomerate, reduce its nine divisions to three and downsize its 11-man executive board, which would truncate the power of the company's regional bosses. On the same day Siemens accepted a \u20ac201m ($285m) fine imposed by a court in Munich for bribery by its communications division, forgoing the right to appeal.\nThe coincidence could mark a turning point in attempts to change the firm's culture and put past scandals behind it. Last November police raided Siemens's offices, starting a scourge on bribery which so far has cost the company its chairman, its chief executive, another board member and its chief compliance officer, as well as at least \u20ac239m in fines and \u20ac179m in tax liabilities (the bribes had been deducteD. What is more, in the nine months to June 30th alone, the bill for legal expenses and external advice came to \u20ac188m.\nThe affair has cost a great deal of management time too. Debevoise & Plimpton, an American law firm, and forensic auditors from Deloitte are still scouring the company for evidence of more irregularities. In America the Department of Justice has two investigations running, and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC. is also examining claims of corruption. Legal proceedings in America alone could cost Siemens billions of dollars, say analysts, although Siemens argues in its most recent quarterly filing with the SEC that its \"consolidated financial position should not be materially affected\" by the welter of litigation.\nAnalysts are confident that Siemens will not only survive but benefit from all the upheaval. \"Comparable American companies have gone through this, so have Alstom in France and ABB in Sweden, and they have emerged stronger and better run,\" says James Stettler of Dresdner Kleinwort, an investment bank.\nThe three divisions Mr L\u00f6scher has unveiled are energy products (such as power turbines and transmission equipment), infrastructure (such as factories and trains) and health care (such as MRI scanners and other clever medical kit). That does not necessarily mean Mr L\u00f6scher will sell the businesses that do not fit, such as Osram, a maker of light bulbs, BSH, a joint venture with Bosch in household appliances, and Nokia Siemens Networks, recently formed to build telecom infrastructure.\nThe company's supervisory board will vet the changes on November 28th. Mr L\u00f6scher may have most difficulty winning approval for those that will affect workers in Germany, whose representatives make up half the membership of the 20-strong supervisory board. If he gets his way, however, Mr L\u00f6scher's next proposal may be to register Siemens as a Societas Europaea (SE) instead of as a German joint-stock company (AG). That would entail a slimmer supervisory board with reduced representation for German workers, but would give a voice to employees abroad. Other icons of German business, most notably Siemens's Munich neighbour, Allianz, a big insurer, have already made the switch. Mr L\u00f6scher is chummy with Paul Achleitner, a member of Allianz's board and a fellow Austrian, with whom he recently stayed for three months.","id":"3597.txt","label":2}
{"option":["He will transfer them to other companies.","He will downsize the executive board of the three divisions.","He will recombine them into large division.","It is not mentioned in the passage."],"question":"What Mr L\u00f6scher will probably do to the three divisions he has unveiled?","article":"Peter L\u00f6scher, the first outsider to become chief executive of Siemens, one of the world's biggest electrical-engineering firms, spent his first three months at the firm travelling and listening. Then on October 4th he announced plans to centralise the conglomerate, reduce its nine divisions to three and downsize its 11-man executive board, which would truncate the power of the company's regional bosses. On the same day Siemens accepted a \u20ac201m ($285m) fine imposed by a court in Munich for bribery by its communications division, forgoing the right to appeal.\nThe coincidence could mark a turning point in attempts to change the firm's culture and put past scandals behind it. Last November police raided Siemens's offices, starting a scourge on bribery which so far has cost the company its chairman, its chief executive, another board member and its chief compliance officer, as well as at least \u20ac239m in fines and \u20ac179m in tax liabilities (the bribes had been deducteD. What is more, in the nine months to June 30th alone, the bill for legal expenses and external advice came to \u20ac188m.\nThe affair has cost a great deal of management time too. Debevoise & Plimpton, an American law firm, and forensic auditors from Deloitte are still scouring the company for evidence of more irregularities. In America the Department of Justice has two investigations running, and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC. is also examining claims of corruption. Legal proceedings in America alone could cost Siemens billions of dollars, say analysts, although Siemens argues in its most recent quarterly filing with the SEC that its \"consolidated financial position should not be materially affected\" by the welter of litigation.\nAnalysts are confident that Siemens will not only survive but benefit from all the upheaval. \"Comparable American companies have gone through this, so have Alstom in France and ABB in Sweden, and they have emerged stronger and better run,\" says James Stettler of Dresdner Kleinwort, an investment bank.\nThe three divisions Mr L\u00f6scher has unveiled are energy products (such as power turbines and transmission equipment), infrastructure (such as factories and trains) and health care (such as MRI scanners and other clever medical kit). That does not necessarily mean Mr L\u00f6scher will sell the businesses that do not fit, such as Osram, a maker of light bulbs, BSH, a joint venture with Bosch in household appliances, and Nokia Siemens Networks, recently formed to build telecom infrastructure.\nThe company's supervisory board will vet the changes on November 28th. Mr L\u00f6scher may have most difficulty winning approval for those that will affect workers in Germany, whose representatives make up half the membership of the 20-strong supervisory board. If he gets his way, however, Mr L\u00f6scher's next proposal may be to register Siemens as a Societas Europaea (SE) instead of as a German joint-stock company (AG). That would entail a slimmer supervisory board with reduced representation for German workers, but would give a voice to employees abroad. Other icons of German business, most notably Siemens's Munich neighbour, Allianz, a big insurer, have already made the switch. Mr L\u00f6scher is chummy with Paul Achleitner, a member of Allianz's board and a fellow Austrian, with whom he recently stayed for three months.","id":"3597.txt","label":3}
{"option":["he aims to cut the number of German representatives in the supervisory board.","he seeks to centralise the conglomerate.","he wants to include multiple voices of the employees so as to enhance the democracy of the decision-making.","he strives to transform the company into a more international one."],"question":"Mr L\u00f6scher wants to register Siemens as a SE instead of an AG because _","article":"Peter L\u00f6scher, the first outsider to become chief executive of Siemens, one of the world's biggest electrical-engineering firms, spent his first three months at the firm travelling and listening. Then on October 4th he announced plans to centralise the conglomerate, reduce its nine divisions to three and downsize its 11-man executive board, which would truncate the power of the company's regional bosses. On the same day Siemens accepted a \u20ac201m ($285m) fine imposed by a court in Munich for bribery by its communications division, forgoing the right to appeal.\nThe coincidence could mark a turning point in attempts to change the firm's culture and put past scandals behind it. Last November police raided Siemens's offices, starting a scourge on bribery which so far has cost the company its chairman, its chief executive, another board member and its chief compliance officer, as well as at least \u20ac239m in fines and \u20ac179m in tax liabilities (the bribes had been deducteD. What is more, in the nine months to June 30th alone, the bill for legal expenses and external advice came to \u20ac188m.\nThe affair has cost a great deal of management time too. Debevoise & Plimpton, an American law firm, and forensic auditors from Deloitte are still scouring the company for evidence of more irregularities. In America the Department of Justice has two investigations running, and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC. is also examining claims of corruption. Legal proceedings in America alone could cost Siemens billions of dollars, say analysts, although Siemens argues in its most recent quarterly filing with the SEC that its \"consolidated financial position should not be materially affected\" by the welter of litigation.\nAnalysts are confident that Siemens will not only survive but benefit from all the upheaval. \"Comparable American companies have gone through this, so have Alstom in France and ABB in Sweden, and they have emerged stronger and better run,\" says James Stettler of Dresdner Kleinwort, an investment bank.\nThe three divisions Mr L\u00f6scher has unveiled are energy products (such as power turbines and transmission equipment), infrastructure (such as factories and trains) and health care (such as MRI scanners and other clever medical kit). That does not necessarily mean Mr L\u00f6scher will sell the businesses that do not fit, such as Osram, a maker of light bulbs, BSH, a joint venture with Bosch in household appliances, and Nokia Siemens Networks, recently formed to build telecom infrastructure.\nThe company's supervisory board will vet the changes on November 28th. Mr L\u00f6scher may have most difficulty winning approval for those that will affect workers in Germany, whose representatives make up half the membership of the 20-strong supervisory board. If he gets his way, however, Mr L\u00f6scher's next proposal may be to register Siemens as a Societas Europaea (SE) instead of as a German joint-stock company (AG). That would entail a slimmer supervisory board with reduced representation for German workers, but would give a voice to employees abroad. Other icons of German business, most notably Siemens's Munich neighbour, Allianz, a big insurer, have already made the switch. Mr L\u00f6scher is chummy with Paul Achleitner, a member of Allianz's board and a fellow Austrian, with whom he recently stayed for three months.","id":"3597.txt","label":1}
{"option":["optimistic.","pessimistic.","neutral.","unclear."],"question":"Towards the future of Siemens, the author's attitude can be said to be _","article":"Peter L\u00f6scher, the first outsider to become chief executive of Siemens, one of the world's biggest electrical-engineering firms, spent his first three months at the firm travelling and listening. Then on October 4th he announced plans to centralise the conglomerate, reduce its nine divisions to three and downsize its 11-man executive board, which would truncate the power of the company's regional bosses. On the same day Siemens accepted a \u20ac201m ($285m) fine imposed by a court in Munich for bribery by its communications division, forgoing the right to appeal.\nThe coincidence could mark a turning point in attempts to change the firm's culture and put past scandals behind it. Last November police raided Siemens's offices, starting a scourge on bribery which so far has cost the company its chairman, its chief executive, another board member and its chief compliance officer, as well as at least \u20ac239m in fines and \u20ac179m in tax liabilities (the bribes had been deducteD. What is more, in the nine months to June 30th alone, the bill for legal expenses and external advice came to \u20ac188m.\nThe affair has cost a great deal of management time too. Debevoise & Plimpton, an American law firm, and forensic auditors from Deloitte are still scouring the company for evidence of more irregularities. In America the Department of Justice has two investigations running, and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC. is also examining claims of corruption. Legal proceedings in America alone could cost Siemens billions of dollars, say analysts, although Siemens argues in its most recent quarterly filing with the SEC that its \"consolidated financial position should not be materially affected\" by the welter of litigation.\nAnalysts are confident that Siemens will not only survive but benefit from all the upheaval. \"Comparable American companies have gone through this, so have Alstom in France and ABB in Sweden, and they have emerged stronger and better run,\" says James Stettler of Dresdner Kleinwort, an investment bank.\nThe three divisions Mr L\u00f6scher has unveiled are energy products (such as power turbines and transmission equipment), infrastructure (such as factories and trains) and health care (such as MRI scanners and other clever medical kit). That does not necessarily mean Mr L\u00f6scher will sell the businesses that do not fit, such as Osram, a maker of light bulbs, BSH, a joint venture with Bosch in household appliances, and Nokia Siemens Networks, recently formed to build telecom infrastructure.\nThe company's supervisory board will vet the changes on November 28th. Mr L\u00f6scher may have most difficulty winning approval for those that will affect workers in Germany, whose representatives make up half the membership of the 20-strong supervisory board. If he gets his way, however, Mr L\u00f6scher's next proposal may be to register Siemens as a Societas Europaea (SE) instead of as a German joint-stock company (AG). That would entail a slimmer supervisory board with reduced representation for German workers, but would give a voice to employees abroad. Other icons of German business, most notably Siemens's Munich neighbour, Allianz, a big insurer, have already made the switch. Mr L\u00f6scher is chummy with Paul Achleitner, a member of Allianz's board and a fellow Austrian, with whom he recently stayed for three months.","id":"3597.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Siemens will gain great support from Allianz.","Mr L\u00f6scher made the decision to have a change under the influence of his friend.","Mr. L\u00f6scher wanted switch Siemens into an insurer in the future.","Mr. L\u00f6scher greatly valued his friend's suggestion."],"question":"By the close relationship between Mr L\u00f6scher and Paul Achleitner, the author wants to imply that _","article":"Peter L\u00f6scher, the first outsider to become chief executive of Siemens, one of the world's biggest electrical-engineering firms, spent his first three months at the firm travelling and listening. Then on October 4th he announced plans to centralise the conglomerate, reduce its nine divisions to three and downsize its 11-man executive board, which would truncate the power of the company's regional bosses. On the same day Siemens accepted a \u20ac201m ($285m) fine imposed by a court in Munich for bribery by its communications division, forgoing the right to appeal.\nThe coincidence could mark a turning point in attempts to change the firm's culture and put past scandals behind it. Last November police raided Siemens's offices, starting a scourge on bribery which so far has cost the company its chairman, its chief executive, another board member and its chief compliance officer, as well as at least \u20ac239m in fines and \u20ac179m in tax liabilities (the bribes had been deducteD. What is more, in the nine months to June 30th alone, the bill for legal expenses and external advice came to \u20ac188m.\nThe affair has cost a great deal of management time too. Debevoise & Plimpton, an American law firm, and forensic auditors from Deloitte are still scouring the company for evidence of more irregularities. In America the Department of Justice has two investigations running, and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC. is also examining claims of corruption. Legal proceedings in America alone could cost Siemens billions of dollars, say analysts, although Siemens argues in its most recent quarterly filing with the SEC that its \"consolidated financial position should not be materially affected\" by the welter of litigation.\nAnalysts are confident that Siemens will not only survive but benefit from all the upheaval. \"Comparable American companies have gone through this, so have Alstom in France and ABB in Sweden, and they have emerged stronger and better run,\" says James Stettler of Dresdner Kleinwort, an investment bank.\nThe three divisions Mr L\u00f6scher has unveiled are energy products (such as power turbines and transmission equipment), infrastructure (such as factories and trains) and health care (such as MRI scanners and other clever medical kit). That does not necessarily mean Mr L\u00f6scher will sell the businesses that do not fit, such as Osram, a maker of light bulbs, BSH, a joint venture with Bosch in household appliances, and Nokia Siemens Networks, recently formed to build telecom infrastructure.\nThe company's supervisory board will vet the changes on November 28th. Mr L\u00f6scher may have most difficulty winning approval for those that will affect workers in Germany, whose representatives make up half the membership of the 20-strong supervisory board. If he gets his way, however, Mr L\u00f6scher's next proposal may be to register Siemens as a Societas Europaea (SE) instead of as a German joint-stock company (AG). That would entail a slimmer supervisory board with reduced representation for German workers, but would give a voice to employees abroad. Other icons of German business, most notably Siemens's Munich neighbour, Allianz, a big insurer, have already made the switch. Mr L\u00f6scher is chummy with Paul Achleitner, a member of Allianz's board and a fellow Austrian, with whom he recently stayed for three months.","id":"3597.txt","label":1}
{"option":["The causes of the extinction of the dinosaur","The variety of species found in tropical rain forests.","The impact of human activities on Earth's ecosystems","The time required for species to adapt to new environments"],"question":"What does the passage mainly discuss?","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":2}
{"option":["negative","essential","interesting","complicated"],"question":"The word \"critical\" in line 1 is closest in meaning to","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":1}
{"option":["predicted","shocking","unknown","illuminating"],"question":"The word \"jolting\" in line 5 is closest in meaning to","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":1}
{"option":["new habitats can be created for species","humans are often made ill by polluted water","some species have been made extinct by human activity","an understanding of evolution can prevent certain species from disappearing"],"question":"The author mentions the reduction of the variety of species on Earth in line 12 to suggest that","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":2}
{"option":["destruction of the tropical rain forests","habitat destruction in wetlands","damage to marine ecosystems","the introduction of new varieties of plant species"],"question":"The author mentions all of the following as examples of the effect of humans oil the world's ecosystems EXCEPT","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the cause of the dinosaurs extinction is unknown","Earth's climate has changed significantly since the dinosaurs' extinction,","not all mass extinctions have been caused by human activity","actions by humans could not stop the irreversible process of a species' extinction"],"question":"The author mentions the extinction of the dinosaurs in the second paragraph to emphasize that","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":2}
{"option":["concern","determination","carelessness","extent"],"question":"The word \"magnitude\" in line 20 is closest in meaning to","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":3}
{"option":["are occurring at a much faster rate","are less devastating to most species","affect fewer ecosystems","are reversible"],"question":"According to the passage , natural evolutionary change is different from changes caused by humans in that changes caused by humans","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Human influence on ecosystems should not be a factor in determining public policy.","The extinction of a few species is an acceptable consequence of human progress.","Technology will provide solutions to problems caused by the destruction of ecosystems.","Humans should be more conscious of the influence they have on ecosystems"],"question":"With which of the following statements would the author be most likely to agree?","article":"Biological diversity has become widely recognized as a critical conservation issue only in the past two decades. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests, which are the ecosystems with the highest known species diversity on Earth, has awakened people to the importance and fragility of biological diversity. The high rate of species extinctions in these environments is jolting, but it is important to recognize the significance of biological diversity in all ecosystems. As the human population continues to expand, it will negatively affect one after another of Earth's ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems and in fringe marine ecosystems (such as wetlands), the most common problem is habitat destruction. In most situations, the result is irreversible. Now humans are beginning to destroy marine ecosystems through other types of activities, such as disposal and run off of poisonous waste; in less than two centuries, by significantly reducing the variety of species on Earth, they have unraveled cons of evolution and irrevocably redirected its course.\nCertainly, there have been periods in Earth's history when mass extinctions have occurred. The extinction of the dinosaurs was caused by some physical event, either climatic or cosmic. There have also been less dramatic extinctions, as when natural competition between species reached an extreme conclusion. Only .01 percent of the species that have lived on Earth have survived to the present, and it was largely chance that determined which species survived and which died out.\nHowever, nothing has ever equaled the magnitude and speed with which the human species is altering the physical and chemical world and demolishing the environment. In fact, there is wide agreement that it is the rate of change humans are inflicting, even more than the changes themselves, that will lead to biological devastation. Life on Earth has continually been in flux as slow physical and chemical changes have occurred on Earth, but life needs time to adapt - time for migration and genetic adaptation within existing species and time for the proliferation of new genetic material and new species that may be able to survive in new environments.","id":"1751.txt","label":3}
{"option":["prove that what some intellectuals had claimed is wrong","show that TV is an essential part of British people's daily life","demonstrate that mass media is a very profitable industry","introduce the media through which the survey was advertised"],"question":"In the first paragraph television is mentioned to _ .","article":"Television is often viewed as an anti intellectual medium. But truly clever people know how to use even the most unpromising material, and that is what Val Curtis and her colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have done. They employed the mass market appeal of TV to test a long held, but unproven, hypothesis: that the emotion of disgust evolved to protect people from disease.\nThey set up their experiment in October 2007, by publicizing it on a BBC program called \"Human Instincts\". Viewers were invited to visit a website and, after giving a few biographicaldetails, to view a series of 20 pictures and rate each of them for disgustingness on a scale of one to five. They were also asked to choose, from a list of possible candidates, with whom they would least like to share a toothbrush.\nThe results showed that in all seven pairs, the disease distinct pictures were more disgusting than their counterparts. For things like the apparent depiction of bodily fluids, or of a face that had been \"enhanced\" with spots, that may come as no surprise. But a crowded railway carriage was more distinguishing than an empty one, and a louse more disgusting than a wasp.\nThese last results confirmed Dr Curtis's suspicion that disgust is not, as many disgust researchers believe, just a way of avoiding eating disease bearing materials. Rather, it extends to threats that might be contagious. Indeed, one result of the study was to show that the young are easier to disgust than the old. Another result was that women are more easily disgusted than men. Both of these make evolutionary sense. The young have more reproductive potential than the old, so should be more careful about what they touch and eat. And women are usually burdened with bringing up the children, so have to be disgusted on their offspring's behalf, as well as their own.\nThe results of the toothbrush study made similar sense. Strangers are more likely to carry new bacteria than acquaintances. Hence, of the available choices of toothbrush partner, a postman came off worst, and a lover best. A brush notionally belonging to a weatherman was, however, preferred to the boss's. Clearly the British feel more intimacy with the former than the later. Perhaps it might have been instructive to include a famous television personality among the choices?","id":"2768.txt","label":3}
{"option":["watching the TV program called \"Human Instincts\" and filling out feedback forms","visiting different websites and making matches between pictures and numbers","rating various photos with numbers and selecting from a choice list","filling in biographical details and choosing a toothbrush"],"question":"The experiment is chiefly done by .","article":"Television is often viewed as an anti intellectual medium. But truly clever people know how to use even the most unpromising material, and that is what Val Curtis and her colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have done. They employed the mass market appeal of TV to test a long held, but unproven, hypothesis: that the emotion of disgust evolved to protect people from disease.\nThey set up their experiment in October 2007, by publicizing it on a BBC program called \"Human Instincts\". Viewers were invited to visit a website and, after giving a few biographicaldetails, to view a series of 20 pictures and rate each of them for disgustingness on a scale of one to five. They were also asked to choose, from a list of possible candidates, with whom they would least like to share a toothbrush.\nThe results showed that in all seven pairs, the disease distinct pictures were more disgusting than their counterparts. For things like the apparent depiction of bodily fluids, or of a face that had been \"enhanced\" with spots, that may come as no surprise. But a crowded railway carriage was more distinguishing than an empty one, and a louse more disgusting than a wasp.\nThese last results confirmed Dr Curtis's suspicion that disgust is not, as many disgust researchers believe, just a way of avoiding eating disease bearing materials. Rather, it extends to threats that might be contagious. Indeed, one result of the study was to show that the young are easier to disgust than the old. Another result was that women are more easily disgusted than men. Both of these make evolutionary sense. The young have more reproductive potential than the old, so should be more careful about what they touch and eat. And women are usually burdened with bringing up the children, so have to be disgusted on their offspring's behalf, as well as their own.\nThe results of the toothbrush study made similar sense. Strangers are more likely to carry new bacteria than acquaintances. Hence, of the available choices of toothbrush partner, a postman came off worst, and a lover best. A brush notionally belonging to a weatherman was, however, preferred to the boss's. Clearly the British feel more intimacy with the former than the later. Perhaps it might have been instructive to include a famous television personality among the choices?","id":"2768.txt","label":2}
{"option":["A spotted face is more disgusting than a picture of bodily fluids.","A full packed subway is more disgusting than a louse.","A bleeding face is the most disgusting one.","A wasp makes people feel better than a louse."],"question":"Which of the following is true about the result of the experiment?","article":"Television is often viewed as an anti intellectual medium. But truly clever people know how to use even the most unpromising material, and that is what Val Curtis and her colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have done. They employed the mass market appeal of TV to test a long held, but unproven, hypothesis: that the emotion of disgust evolved to protect people from disease.\nThey set up their experiment in October 2007, by publicizing it on a BBC program called \"Human Instincts\". Viewers were invited to visit a website and, after giving a few biographicaldetails, to view a series of 20 pictures and rate each of them for disgustingness on a scale of one to five. They were also asked to choose, from a list of possible candidates, with whom they would least like to share a toothbrush.\nThe results showed that in all seven pairs, the disease distinct pictures were more disgusting than their counterparts. For things like the apparent depiction of bodily fluids, or of a face that had been \"enhanced\" with spots, that may come as no surprise. But a crowded railway carriage was more distinguishing than an empty one, and a louse more disgusting than a wasp.\nThese last results confirmed Dr Curtis's suspicion that disgust is not, as many disgust researchers believe, just a way of avoiding eating disease bearing materials. Rather, it extends to threats that might be contagious. Indeed, one result of the study was to show that the young are easier to disgust than the old. Another result was that women are more easily disgusted than men. Both of these make evolutionary sense. The young have more reproductive potential than the old, so should be more careful about what they touch and eat. And women are usually burdened with bringing up the children, so have to be disgusted on their offspring's behalf, as well as their own.\nThe results of the toothbrush study made similar sense. Strangers are more likely to carry new bacteria than acquaintances. Hence, of the available choices of toothbrush partner, a postman came off worst, and a lover best. A brush notionally belonging to a weatherman was, however, preferred to the boss's. Clearly the British feel more intimacy with the former than the later. Perhaps it might have been instructive to include a famous television personality among the choices?","id":"2768.txt","label":3}
{"option":["old people are less likely to produce goods for the society than the young","people's emotion of disgust is often related to the safety of their children","women are more likely to bring up children independent of men's help","old people are more likely to be disgusted than women"],"question":"The results of the experiment make evolutionary sense in that .","article":"Television is often viewed as an anti intellectual medium. But truly clever people know how to use even the most unpromising material, and that is what Val Curtis and her colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have done. They employed the mass market appeal of TV to test a long held, but unproven, hypothesis: that the emotion of disgust evolved to protect people from disease.\nThey set up their experiment in October 2007, by publicizing it on a BBC program called \"Human Instincts\". Viewers were invited to visit a website and, after giving a few biographicaldetails, to view a series of 20 pictures and rate each of them for disgustingness on a scale of one to five. They were also asked to choose, from a list of possible candidates, with whom they would least like to share a toothbrush.\nThe results showed that in all seven pairs, the disease distinct pictures were more disgusting than their counterparts. For things like the apparent depiction of bodily fluids, or of a face that had been \"enhanced\" with spots, that may come as no surprise. But a crowded railway carriage was more distinguishing than an empty one, and a louse more disgusting than a wasp.\nThese last results confirmed Dr Curtis's suspicion that disgust is not, as many disgust researchers believe, just a way of avoiding eating disease bearing materials. Rather, it extends to threats that might be contagious. Indeed, one result of the study was to show that the young are easier to disgust than the old. Another result was that women are more easily disgusted than men. Both of these make evolutionary sense. The young have more reproductive potential than the old, so should be more careful about what they touch and eat. And women are usually burdened with bringing up the children, so have to be disgusted on their offspring's behalf, as well as their own.\nThe results of the toothbrush study made similar sense. Strangers are more likely to carry new bacteria than acquaintances. Hence, of the available choices of toothbrush partner, a postman came off worst, and a lover best. A brush notionally belonging to a weatherman was, however, preferred to the boss's. Clearly the British feel more intimacy with the former than the later. Perhaps it might have been instructive to include a famous television personality among the choices?","id":"2768.txt","label":1}
{"option":["a boss is normally less clean and healthy than a weatherman","a postman is often dirtier than a lover","a public figure is often more popular than a boss in Britain","a famous television personality is the best toothbrush partner"],"question":"The results of the toothbrush experiment show that .","article":"Television is often viewed as an anti intellectual medium. But truly clever people know how to use even the most unpromising material, and that is what Val Curtis and her colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have done. They employed the mass market appeal of TV to test a long held, but unproven, hypothesis: that the emotion of disgust evolved to protect people from disease.\nThey set up their experiment in October 2007, by publicizing it on a BBC program called \"Human Instincts\". Viewers were invited to visit a website and, after giving a few biographicaldetails, to view a series of 20 pictures and rate each of them for disgustingness on a scale of one to five. They were also asked to choose, from a list of possible candidates, with whom they would least like to share a toothbrush.\nThe results showed that in all seven pairs, the disease distinct pictures were more disgusting than their counterparts. For things like the apparent depiction of bodily fluids, or of a face that had been \"enhanced\" with spots, that may come as no surprise. But a crowded railway carriage was more distinguishing than an empty one, and a louse more disgusting than a wasp.\nThese last results confirmed Dr Curtis's suspicion that disgust is not, as many disgust researchers believe, just a way of avoiding eating disease bearing materials. Rather, it extends to threats that might be contagious. Indeed, one result of the study was to show that the young are easier to disgust than the old. Another result was that women are more easily disgusted than men. Both of these make evolutionary sense. The young have more reproductive potential than the old, so should be more careful about what they touch and eat. And women are usually burdened with bringing up the children, so have to be disgusted on their offspring's behalf, as well as their own.\nThe results of the toothbrush study made similar sense. Strangers are more likely to carry new bacteria than acquaintances. Hence, of the available choices of toothbrush partner, a postman came off worst, and a lover best. A brush notionally belonging to a weatherman was, however, preferred to the boss's. Clearly the British feel more intimacy with the former than the later. Perhaps it might have been instructive to include a famous television personality among the choices?","id":"2768.txt","label":2}
{"option":["warn of the dangers of continued burning of fossil fuels","discuss the significance of increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere","explain how a constant temperature is maintained on the Earth's surface","describe the ways in which various atmospheric and climatic conditions contribute to the Earth's weather"],"question":"The primary purpose of the passage is to","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":1}
{"option":["concentrated in the infrared spectrum","concentrated at visible wavelengths","absorbed by carbon dioxide molecules","absorbed by atmospheric water vapor"],"question":"According to the passage, the greatest part of the solar energy that reaches the Earth is","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":1}
{"option":["absorbing radiation at visible wavelengths","absorbing infrared radiation","absorbing outgoing radiation from the Earth","helping to retain heat near the Earth's surface"],"question":"According to the passage, atmospheric carbon dioxide performs all of the following functions EXCEPT","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Incredulous","Completely detached","Interested but skeptical","Objective yet concerned"],"question":"Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and its consequences?","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":3}
{"option":["15\u00b0C","9\u00b0C","2.5\u00b0C","-12\u00b0C"],"question":"It can be concluded from information contained in the passage that the average temperature at an altitude of 1 kilometer above the Earth is about","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":1}
{"option":["An assumption that the amount of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere would in reality steadily increase","An assumption that human activities are the only agencies by which carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere","Assumptions about the social and political consequences of any curtailment of the use of fossil fuels","Assumptions about the physical conditions that are likely to prevail during the period for which the model was made"],"question":"It can be inferred from the passage that the construction of the mathematical model mentioned in the passage involved the formulation of which of the following?","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Fossil fuels were burned for the first time.","Greater amounts of land were cleared than at any time before.","The average temperature at the Earth's surface has become 2\u00b0C cooler.","The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased measurably."],"question":"According to the passage, which of the following is true of the last hundred years?","article":"The molecules of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere affect the heat balance of the Earth by acting as a oneway screen. Although these molecules allow radiation at visible wavelengths, where most of the energy of sunlight is concentrated, to pass through, they absorb some of the longer-wavelength, infrared emissions radiated from the Earth's surface, radiation that would otherwise be transmitted back into space. For the Earth to maintain a constant average temperature, such emissions from the planet must balance incoming solar radiation. If there were no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, heat would escape from the Earth much more easily. The surface temperature would be so much lower that the oceans might be a solid mass of ice.\nToday, however, the potential problem is too much carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 15 percent in the last hundred years, and we continue to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Could the increase in carbon dioxide cause a global rise in average temperature, and could such a rise have serious consequences for human society? Mathematical models that allow us to calculate the rise in temperature as a function of the increase indicate that the answer is probably yes.\nUnder present conditions a temperature of -18\u00b0C can be observed at an altitude of 5 to 6 kilometers above the Earth. Below this altitude (called the radiating level), the temperature increases by about 6\u00b0C per kilometer approaching the Earth's surface, where the average temperature is about 15\u00b0C. An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide means that there are more molecules of carbon dioxide to absorb infrared radiation. As the capacity of the atmosphere to absorb infrared radiation increases, the radiating level and the temperature of the surface must rise.\nOne mathematical model predicts that doubling the atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise the global mean surface temperature by 2.5\u00b0C. This model assumes that the atmosphere's relative humidity remains constant and the temperature decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5\u00b0C per kilometer. The assumption of constant relative humidity is important, because water vapor in the atmosphere is another efficient absorber of radiation at infrared wavelengths. Because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, the relative humidity will be constant only if the mount of water vapor in the atmosphere increases as the temperature rises. Therefore, more \u3000\u3000infrared radiation would be absorbed and radiated back to the Earth's surface. The resultant warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the Earth's reflectivity. More solar radiation would then be absorbed, leading to a further increase in temperature.","id":"2031.txt","label":3}
{"option":["It is a website that sends messages to targeted users.","It makes money by putting on advertisements.","It profits by selling its users' personal data.","It provides loads of information to its users."],"question":"What do we learn about Facebook from the first paragraph?","article":"People are being lured onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up toads of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.\nMost Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Face book because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.\nThe biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules Early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook you could create own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things you city. Your photo, your friends' names-were set, by default to be shared with every one on the Internet.\nAccording to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information They have a \"less satisfying experience\".\nSome critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting then At the side of the pages totally Who wants to took at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?\nThe privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites.\"I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,\" Schrage admits.\nI suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. Which is why I'm considering deactivatingmy account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't That's too high a price to pay.","id":"2060.txt","label":2}
{"option":["They are reluctant to give up their personal information.","They don't know their personal data enriches Facebook.","They don't identify themselves when using the website.","They care very little about their personal information."],"question":"What does the author say about most Facebook users?","article":"People are being lured onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up toads of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.\nMost Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Face book because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.\nThe biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules Early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook you could create own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things you city. Your photo, your friends' names-were set, by default to be shared with every one on the Internet.\nAccording to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information They have a \"less satisfying experience\".\nSome critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting then At the side of the pages totally Who wants to took at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?\nThe privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites.\"I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,\" Schrage admits.\nI suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. Which is why I'm considering deactivatingmy account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't That's too high a price to pay.","id":"2060.txt","label":1}
{"option":["To render better service to its users.","To conform to the Federal guidelines.","To improve its users' connectivity.","To expand its scope of business."],"question":"Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage?","article":"People are being lured onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up toads of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.\nMost Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Face book because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.\nThe biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules Early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook you could create own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things you city. Your photo, your friends' names-were set, by default to be shared with every one on the Internet.\nAccording to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information They have a \"less satisfying experience\".\nSome critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting then At the side of the pages totally Who wants to took at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?\nThe privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites.\"I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,\" Schrage admits.\nI suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. Which is why I'm considering deactivatingmy account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't That's too high a price to pay.","id":"2060.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Setting guidelines for advertising on websites.","Banning the sharing of users' personal information.","Formulating regulations for social-networking sites.","Removing ads from all social-networking sites."],"question":"Why does Senator Charles Schumer advocate?","article":"People are being lured onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up toads of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.\nMost Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Face book because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.\nThe biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules Early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook you could create own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things you city. Your photo, your friends' names-were set, by default to be shared with every one on the Internet.\nAccording to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information They have a \"less satisfying experience\".\nSome critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting then At the side of the pages totally Who wants to took at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?\nThe privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites.\"I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,\" Schrage admits.\nI suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. Which is why I'm considering deactivatingmy account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't That's too high a price to pay.","id":"2060.txt","label":2}
{"option":["He is dissatisfied with its current service.","He finds many of its users untrustworthy.","He doesn't want his personal data abused.","He is upset by its frequent rule changes."],"question":"Why does the author plan to cancel his Facebook account?","article":"People are being lured onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up toads of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.\nMost Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Face book because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.\nThe biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules Early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook you could create own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things you city. Your photo, your friends' names-were set, by default to be shared with every one on the Internet.\nAccording to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information They have a \"less satisfying experience\".\nSome critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting then At the side of the pages totally Who wants to took at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?\nThe privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites.\"I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them,\" Schrage admits.\nI suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. Which is why I'm considering deactivatingmy account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't That's too high a price to pay.","id":"2060.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The opinion that birds were the direct descendants of dinosaurs gives the world a shock.","Palaeontologists have get consensus on the specie's transition from the land to the sky.","Palaeontologists have different opinions on the process of the transition.","The paper in this week's Current Biology demostrate that the specie moved by hopping before they flied."],"question":"Which one of the following statements is NOT true of the current debate on the origin of birds?","article":"When Archaeopteryx, a feathered skeleton that was seemingly half dinosaur and half bird, turned up in 1862-three years after the publication of \"The Origin of Species\"-the origin of birds became a subject of raging debate among palaeontologists. Suggestions that they were the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs (a group of bipedal meat-eaters that include Allosaurus, Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus) caused quite a flap. Today, most researchers agree that birds are, indeed, a branch of the Dinosauria. How they made the transition from the land to the sky, though, has yet to be agreed. But a paper in this week's Current Biology, by Christopher Glen and Michael Bennett of the University of Queensland, makes a strong case that they did it by jumping.\nConsidering the diversity of life on Earth, flight is surprisingly rare. It has evolved only four times: among the insects about 300m years ago, the pterosaurs (230m), the birds (150m) and the bats (50m). That suggests it is a hard trick to pull off. For birds, there is general agreement that feathers came before flight. Fossils from north-eastern China show animals that had feathers but clearly could not have flown, as well as ones that look like proper birds. The best guesses are that feathers evolved either for insulation (as fur did in mammals) or for display, and that natural selection took advantage by turning them into a means of transport.\nThere are two broad schools of thought about what happened next. One argues that birds' immediate ancestors lived in trees. Members of this school think that powered flight developed as a natural extension of gliding (such controlled falling is used as a way of travelling from tree to tree by several arboreal species today). Gliding itself developed because of the lift provided by feathered forearms.\nThe alternative is that flight evolved on the ground. Some researchers who belong to this school of thought suggest that the power provided by flapping protowings may have given their owners an edge in the pursuit of prey. Others hypothesise that feathery forearms helped animals steer and stabilise themselves.\nUnfortunately, behaviour does not fossilise, so it looked as though the question might never be answered. But Dr Glen, a palaeobiologist, and Dr Bennett, a biomechanic, think they have worked out how to do so. Their crucial observation is that in modern birds the curvature of the third toe (which carries a lot of weight during walking and climbing) varies with species' lifestyles. Birds that spend lots of time climbing around on the trunks of trees have dramatically curved third toes. Those that hop around on branches have mildly curved ones. Those that forage mainly on the ground have the least curved of all.\nThe two researchers compared these observations with their findings for the bird-like dinosaurs and dinosaur-like birds of China. They noticed that the toes of both feathered dinosaurs and of the earliest flying birds were similar to those of modern birds that spend most of their time on the ground. Flight, in other words, came before birds took to the trees. They are not fallen angels, but risen reptiles.","id":"3601.txt","label":3}
{"option":["life on earth is diversified.","many species of this kind were eliminated during evolution.","feathers evolved not for a means of transport.","it is very hard to have such evolution."],"question":"The reason why flight is surprisingly rare is that  _","article":"When Archaeopteryx, a feathered skeleton that was seemingly half dinosaur and half bird, turned up in 1862-three years after the publication of \"The Origin of Species\"-the origin of birds became a subject of raging debate among palaeontologists. Suggestions that they were the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs (a group of bipedal meat-eaters that include Allosaurus, Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus) caused quite a flap. Today, most researchers agree that birds are, indeed, a branch of the Dinosauria. How they made the transition from the land to the sky, though, has yet to be agreed. But a paper in this week's Current Biology, by Christopher Glen and Michael Bennett of the University of Queensland, makes a strong case that they did it by jumping.\nConsidering the diversity of life on Earth, flight is surprisingly rare. It has evolved only four times: among the insects about 300m years ago, the pterosaurs (230m), the birds (150m) and the bats (50m). That suggests it is a hard trick to pull off. For birds, there is general agreement that feathers came before flight. Fossils from north-eastern China show animals that had feathers but clearly could not have flown, as well as ones that look like proper birds. The best guesses are that feathers evolved either for insulation (as fur did in mammals) or for display, and that natural selection took advantage by turning them into a means of transport.\nThere are two broad schools of thought about what happened next. One argues that birds' immediate ancestors lived in trees. Members of this school think that powered flight developed as a natural extension of gliding (such controlled falling is used as a way of travelling from tree to tree by several arboreal species today). Gliding itself developed because of the lift provided by feathered forearms.\nThe alternative is that flight evolved on the ground. Some researchers who belong to this school of thought suggest that the power provided by flapping protowings may have given their owners an edge in the pursuit of prey. Others hypothesise that feathery forearms helped animals steer and stabilise themselves.\nUnfortunately, behaviour does not fossilise, so it looked as though the question might never be answered. But Dr Glen, a palaeobiologist, and Dr Bennett, a biomechanic, think they have worked out how to do so. Their crucial observation is that in modern birds the curvature of the third toe (which carries a lot of weight during walking and climbing) varies with species' lifestyles. Birds that spend lots of time climbing around on the trunks of trees have dramatically curved third toes. Those that hop around on branches have mildly curved ones. Those that forage mainly on the ground have the least curved of all.\nThe two researchers compared these observations with their findings for the bird-like dinosaurs and dinosaur-like birds of China. They noticed that the toes of both feathered dinosaurs and of the earliest flying birds were similar to those of modern birds that spend most of their time on the ground. Flight, in other words, came before birds took to the trees. They are not fallen angels, but risen reptiles.","id":"3601.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the functions of feathered forearams in transition from ground to sky.","the location of living place before the animals' evolution to birds.","the development of powered flight.","the power provided by either gliding or flapping."],"question":"The two schools of thought have different opinions on  _","article":"When Archaeopteryx, a feathered skeleton that was seemingly half dinosaur and half bird, turned up in 1862-three years after the publication of \"The Origin of Species\"-the origin of birds became a subject of raging debate among palaeontologists. Suggestions that they were the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs (a group of bipedal meat-eaters that include Allosaurus, Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus) caused quite a flap. Today, most researchers agree that birds are, indeed, a branch of the Dinosauria. How they made the transition from the land to the sky, though, has yet to be agreed. But a paper in this week's Current Biology, by Christopher Glen and Michael Bennett of the University of Queensland, makes a strong case that they did it by jumping.\nConsidering the diversity of life on Earth, flight is surprisingly rare. It has evolved only four times: among the insects about 300m years ago, the pterosaurs (230m), the birds (150m) and the bats (50m). That suggests it is a hard trick to pull off. For birds, there is general agreement that feathers came before flight. Fossils from north-eastern China show animals that had feathers but clearly could not have flown, as well as ones that look like proper birds. The best guesses are that feathers evolved either for insulation (as fur did in mammals) or for display, and that natural selection took advantage by turning them into a means of transport.\nThere are two broad schools of thought about what happened next. One argues that birds' immediate ancestors lived in trees. Members of this school think that powered flight developed as a natural extension of gliding (such controlled falling is used as a way of travelling from tree to tree by several arboreal species today). Gliding itself developed because of the lift provided by feathered forearms.\nThe alternative is that flight evolved on the ground. Some researchers who belong to this school of thought suggest that the power provided by flapping protowings may have given their owners an edge in the pursuit of prey. Others hypothesise that feathery forearms helped animals steer and stabilise themselves.\nUnfortunately, behaviour does not fossilise, so it looked as though the question might never be answered. But Dr Glen, a palaeobiologist, and Dr Bennett, a biomechanic, think they have worked out how to do so. Their crucial observation is that in modern birds the curvature of the third toe (which carries a lot of weight during walking and climbing) varies with species' lifestyles. Birds that spend lots of time climbing around on the trunks of trees have dramatically curved third toes. Those that hop around on branches have mildly curved ones. Those that forage mainly on the ground have the least curved of all.\nThe two researchers compared these observations with their findings for the bird-like dinosaurs and dinosaur-like birds of China. They noticed that the toes of both feathered dinosaurs and of the earliest flying birds were similar to those of modern birds that spend most of their time on the ground. Flight, in other words, came before birds took to the trees. They are not fallen angels, but risen reptiles.","id":"3601.txt","label":2}
{"option":["powered flight developed as feathered forearms provided lift.","flight evolved on the ground before they descend on the trees.","earliest birds share similar toes with their modern counterparts.","earliest flying birds evovled from feathered dinosaurs."],"question":"The conclusion of the study carried out by Dr. Glen and Dr. Bennet is that _","article":"When Archaeopteryx, a feathered skeleton that was seemingly half dinosaur and half bird, turned up in 1862-three years after the publication of \"The Origin of Species\"-the origin of birds became a subject of raging debate among palaeontologists. Suggestions that they were the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs (a group of bipedal meat-eaters that include Allosaurus, Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus) caused quite a flap. Today, most researchers agree that birds are, indeed, a branch of the Dinosauria. How they made the transition from the land to the sky, though, has yet to be agreed. But a paper in this week's Current Biology, by Christopher Glen and Michael Bennett of the University of Queensland, makes a strong case that they did it by jumping.\nConsidering the diversity of life on Earth, flight is surprisingly rare. It has evolved only four times: among the insects about 300m years ago, the pterosaurs (230m), the birds (150m) and the bats (50m). That suggests it is a hard trick to pull off. For birds, there is general agreement that feathers came before flight. Fossils from north-eastern China show animals that had feathers but clearly could not have flown, as well as ones that look like proper birds. The best guesses are that feathers evolved either for insulation (as fur did in mammals) or for display, and that natural selection took advantage by turning them into a means of transport.\nThere are two broad schools of thought about what happened next. One argues that birds' immediate ancestors lived in trees. Members of this school think that powered flight developed as a natural extension of gliding (such controlled falling is used as a way of travelling from tree to tree by several arboreal species today). Gliding itself developed because of the lift provided by feathered forearms.\nThe alternative is that flight evolved on the ground. Some researchers who belong to this school of thought suggest that the power provided by flapping protowings may have given their owners an edge in the pursuit of prey. Others hypothesise that feathery forearms helped animals steer and stabilise themselves.\nUnfortunately, behaviour does not fossilise, so it looked as though the question might never be answered. But Dr Glen, a palaeobiologist, and Dr Bennett, a biomechanic, think they have worked out how to do so. Their crucial observation is that in modern birds the curvature of the third toe (which carries a lot of weight during walking and climbing) varies with species' lifestyles. Birds that spend lots of time climbing around on the trunks of trees have dramatically curved third toes. Those that hop around on branches have mildly curved ones. Those that forage mainly on the ground have the least curved of all.\nThe two researchers compared these observations with their findings for the bird-like dinosaurs and dinosaur-like birds of China. They noticed that the toes of both feathered dinosaurs and of the earliest flying birds were similar to those of modern birds that spend most of their time on the ground. Flight, in other words, came before birds took to the trees. They are not fallen angels, but risen reptiles.","id":"3601.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Birds realized the transition from reptile to flight by jumping.","Dinasaurs are, as a matter of fact, the direct ancester of birds.","Feathers evolves not for the purpose of flight.","Bird's behaviors is indeed fossilised by their various shape of the third toe."],"question":"Which one of the following statements is NOT true of opinions of Dr. Glen and Dr. Bennet?","article":"When Archaeopteryx, a feathered skeleton that was seemingly half dinosaur and half bird, turned up in 1862-three years after the publication of \"The Origin of Species\"-the origin of birds became a subject of raging debate among palaeontologists. Suggestions that they were the direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs (a group of bipedal meat-eaters that include Allosaurus, Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus) caused quite a flap. Today, most researchers agree that birds are, indeed, a branch of the Dinosauria. How they made the transition from the land to the sky, though, has yet to be agreed. But a paper in this week's Current Biology, by Christopher Glen and Michael Bennett of the University of Queensland, makes a strong case that they did it by jumping.\nConsidering the diversity of life on Earth, flight is surprisingly rare. It has evolved only four times: among the insects about 300m years ago, the pterosaurs (230m), the birds (150m) and the bats (50m). That suggests it is a hard trick to pull off. For birds, there is general agreement that feathers came before flight. Fossils from north-eastern China show animals that had feathers but clearly could not have flown, as well as ones that look like proper birds. The best guesses are that feathers evolved either for insulation (as fur did in mammals) or for display, and that natural selection took advantage by turning them into a means of transport.\nThere are two broad schools of thought about what happened next. One argues that birds' immediate ancestors lived in trees. Members of this school think that powered flight developed as a natural extension of gliding (such controlled falling is used as a way of travelling from tree to tree by several arboreal species today). Gliding itself developed because of the lift provided by feathered forearms.\nThe alternative is that flight evolved on the ground. Some researchers who belong to this school of thought suggest that the power provided by flapping protowings may have given their owners an edge in the pursuit of prey. Others hypothesise that feathery forearms helped animals steer and stabilise themselves.\nUnfortunately, behaviour does not fossilise, so it looked as though the question might never be answered. But Dr Glen, a palaeobiologist, and Dr Bennett, a biomechanic, think they have worked out how to do so. Their crucial observation is that in modern birds the curvature of the third toe (which carries a lot of weight during walking and climbing) varies with species' lifestyles. Birds that spend lots of time climbing around on the trunks of trees have dramatically curved third toes. Those that hop around on branches have mildly curved ones. Those that forage mainly on the ground have the least curved of all.\nThe two researchers compared these observations with their findings for the bird-like dinosaurs and dinosaur-like birds of China. They noticed that the toes of both feathered dinosaurs and of the earliest flying birds were similar to those of modern birds that spend most of their time on the ground. Flight, in other words, came before birds took to the trees. They are not fallen angels, but risen reptiles.","id":"3601.txt","label":1}
{"option":["to stand down the fairway at a golf course","to watch over the sugar-cane plantation","to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields","to spot the balls as they landed so the golfers could find them"],"question":"The writer's first job was  _ .","article":"My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.\nIt was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I've never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn't want to work.\nI was only six years old, but I was doing a man's job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.\nWhen I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.\nThe more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field - except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.","id":"990.txt","label":2}
{"option":["difficult","boring","interesting","unusual"],"question":"The word \"tedious\" in Paragraph 2 most probably means  _ .","article":"My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.\nIt was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I've never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn't want to work.\nI was only six years old, but I was doing a man's job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.\nWhen I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.\nThe more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field - except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.","id":"990.txt","label":1}
{"option":["he should work for those who he liked most","he should work longer than what he was expected","he should never fail to say hello to his owner","he should be respectful and faithful to the people he worked for"],"question":"The writer learned that _  from his first job.","article":"My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.\nIt was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I've never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn't want to work.\nI was only six years old, but I was doing a man's job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.\nWhen I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.\nThe more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field - except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.","id":"990.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Having a family of eight people","Owning his own golf course","Bringing money back home to help the family","Helping his father with the work on the plantation"],"question":"_  gave the writer serf-esteem.","article":"My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.\nIt was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I've never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn't want to work.\nI was only six years old, but I was doing a man's job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.\nWhen I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.\nThe more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field - except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.","id":"990.txt","label":2}
{"option":["He wanted to be a successful golfer.","He wanted to run a golf course near his house.","He was satisfied with the job he got on a plantation.","He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a broomstick."],"question":"Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?","article":"My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.\nIt was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I've never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn't want to work.\nI was only six years old, but I was doing a man's job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem, one of the most important things a person can have.\nWhen I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.\nThe more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field - except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.","id":"990.txt","label":0}
{"option":["To outline contrasting types of economic systems.","To explain the science of economics.","To argue for the superiority of one economic system.","To compare barter and money-exchange markets."],"question":"What is the main purpose of the passage?","article":"There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system.\nIn a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, real goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money.\nAn alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue edicts or commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy.\nIn a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. A stagnant society may result.","id":"930.txt","label":0}
{"option":["high quality","concrete","utter","authentic."],"question":"In the second paragraph, the word \" real\"  in \" real goods\"  could best be replaced by  _ ,","article":"There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system.\nIn a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, real goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money.\nAn alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue edicts or commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy.\nIn a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. A stagnant society may result.","id":"930.txt","label":1}
{"option":["rapid speed of transactions.","misunderstandings.","inflation","difficulties for the traders."],"question":"According to the passage, a barter economy can generate  _ .","article":"There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system.\nIn a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, real goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money.\nAn alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue edicts or commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy.\nIn a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. A stagnant society may result.","id":"930.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Individual households","Small businesses.","Major corporations.","The government."],"question":"According to the passage, who has the greatest degree of control in the administered system?","article":"There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system.\nIn a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, real goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money.\nAn alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue edicts or commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy.\nIn a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. A stagnant society may result.","id":"930.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Family background","Age","Religious beliefs.","Custom"],"question":"Which of the following is not mentioned by the author as a criterion for determining a person's position in a traditional society?","article":"There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system.\nIn a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, real goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money.\nAn alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue edicts or commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy.\nIn a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. A stagnant society may result.","id":"930.txt","label":1}
{"option":["indifferent","tolerant","favorable","negative"],"question":"The writer's attitude toward nuclear energy is _ .","article":"It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover. an increase in industrialproduction is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumesan abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible andeconomical source of power and chat it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power. except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relativelyfew technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties.\nFurthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have. for example. been very costly accidents in America, in Britain and, of course. in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive. we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spice of the case against nuclear energy outlined above. nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power.","id":"190.txt","label":3}
{"option":["primitive","cheap","exhaustible","unsafe"],"question":"According to the opponents of nuclear energy, nuclear energy is _ .","article":"It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover. an increase in industrialproduction is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumesan abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible andeconomical source of power and chat it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power. except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relativelyfew technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties.\nFurthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have. for example. been very costly accidents in America, in Britain and, of course. in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive. we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spice of the case against nuclear energy outlined above. nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power.","id":"190.txt","label":3}
{"option":["it provides a perfect solution to mass unemployment","it represents an enormous step forward in our scientific evolution","it can meet the growing demand of an industrially developing society","nuclear power stations can be run and maintained by relatively few\u00a0 technical and administrative staff"],"question":"Some people claim that nuclear energy is essential because _ .","article":"It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover. an increase in industrialproduction is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumesan abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible andeconomical source of power and chat it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power. except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relativelyfew technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties.\nFurthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have. for example. been very costly accidents in America, in Britain and, of course. in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive. we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spice of the case against nuclear energy outlined above. nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power.","id":"190.txt","label":2}
{"option":["The demand for commercial products will not necessarily keep increasing.","Nuclear energy is something we cannot do without.","Uranium is a good source of energy for economic and ecological reasons.","Greater safety provisions can bring about the expansion of nuclear\u00a0 energy programmes."],"question":"Which of the following statements does the writer support?","article":"It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover. an increase in industrialproduction is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumesan abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible andeconomical source of power and chat it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power. except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relativelyfew technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties.\nFurthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have. for example. been very costly accidents in America, in Britain and, of course. in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive. we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spice of the case against nuclear energy outlined above. nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power.","id":"190.txt","label":0}
{"option":["advance the final argument","reflect the writer's attitude","reverse previously expressed thoughts","show the disadvantages of nuclear power"],"question":"The function of the last sentence is to _ .","article":"It is often claimed that nuclear energy is something we cannot do without. We live in a consumer society where there is an enormous demand for commercial products of all kinds. Moreover. an increase in industrialproduction is considered to be one solution to the problem of mass unemployment. Such an increase presumesan abundant and cheap energy supply. Many people believe that nuclear energy provides an inexhaustible andeconomical source of power and chat it is therefore essential for an industrially developing society. There are a number of other advantages in the use of nuclear energy. Firstly, nuclear power. except for accidents, is clean. A further advantage is that a nuclear power station can be run and maintained by relativelyfew technical and administrative staff. The nuclear reactor represents an enormous step in our scientific evolution and, whatever the anti-nuclear group says, it is wrong to expect a return to more primitive sources of fuel. However, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear power stations bring a direct threat not only to the environment but also to civil liberties.\nFurthermore, it is questionable whether ultimately nuclear power is a cheap source of energy. There have. for example. been very costly accidents in America, in Britain and, of course. in Russia. The possibility of increases in the cost of uranium in addition to the cost of greater safety provisions could price nuclear power out of the market. In the long run, environmentalists argue, nuclear energy wastes valuable resources and disturbs the ecology to an extent which could bring about the destruction of the human race. Thus, if we wish to survive. we cannot afford nuclear energy. In spice of the case against nuclear energy outlined above. nuclear energy programmes are expanding. Such an expansion assumes a continual growth in industrial production and consumer demands. However, it is doubtful whether this growth will or can continue Having weighed up the arguments on both sides, it seems there are good economic and ecological reasons for sources of energy other than nuclear power.","id":"190.txt","label":1}
{"option":["emphasize independent thought rather than well-memorized responses","tend to reward children with better understanding rather than with a goal for credits","implant children with a lot of facts at the expense of understanding the problem","are imaginative, creative and efficient in keeping up with our industrialized society"],"question":"In the author's opinion, the majority of education workers  _ .","article":"If we look at education in our own society, we see two sharply different factors. First of all, there is the overwhelming majority of teachers, principals, curriculum planners, school superintendents, who are devoted to passing on the knowledge that children need in order to live in our industrialized society. Their chief concern is with efficiency, that is, with implanting the greatest number of facts into the greatest possible number of children, with a minimum of time, expense, and effort.\nClassroom learning often has as its unspoken goal the reward of pleasing the teacher. Children in the usual classroom learn very quickly that creativity is punished, while repeating a memorized response is rewarded, and concentrate on what the teacher wants them to say, rather than understanding the problem.\nThe difference between the intrinsic and the extrinsic aspects of a college education is illustrated by the following story about Upton Sinclair. When Sinclair was a young man, he found that he was unable to raise the tuition money needed to attend college. Upon careful reading of the college catalogue, however, he found that if a student failed a course, he received no credit for the course, but was obliged to take another course in its place. The college did not charge the student for the second course, reasoning that he had already paid once for his credit. Sinclair took advantage of this policy and not a free education by deliberately failing all his courses.\nIn the ideal college, there would be no credits, no degrees, and no required courses. A person would learn what he wanted to learn. A friend and I attempted to put this ideal into action by starting a serials of seminars at Brandeis called \" Freshman Seminars Introduction to the Intellectual Life.\"  In the ideal college, intrinsic education would be available to anyone who wanted it-since anyone can improve and learn. The student body might include creative, intelligent children as well as adults; morons as well as geniuses (for even morons can learn emotionally and spiritually). The college would be ubiquitous-that is, not restricted to particular buildings at particular times, and teachers would be any human beings who had something that they wanted to share with others. The college would be lifelong, for learning can take place all through life. Even dying can be a philosophically illuminating, highly educative experience.\nThe ideal college would be a kind of education retreat in which you could try to find yourself; find out what you like and want; what you are and are not good at. The chief goals of the ideal college, in other words, would be the discovery of identity, and with it, the discovery of vocation.","id":"3934.txt","label":2}
{"option":["they are required to repeat what teacher has said","they read books that are not assigned by the teacher","they know how to behave themselves in face of the teacher","they can memorize the greatest number of facts in the shortest period of time"],"question":"Children in the usual classroom learn very quickly when  _ .","article":"If we look at education in our own society, we see two sharply different factors. First of all, there is the overwhelming majority of teachers, principals, curriculum planners, school superintendents, who are devoted to passing on the knowledge that children need in order to live in our industrialized society. Their chief concern is with efficiency, that is, with implanting the greatest number of facts into the greatest possible number of children, with a minimum of time, expense, and effort.\nClassroom learning often has as its unspoken goal the reward of pleasing the teacher. Children in the usual classroom learn very quickly that creativity is punished, while repeating a memorized response is rewarded, and concentrate on what the teacher wants them to say, rather than understanding the problem.\nThe difference between the intrinsic and the extrinsic aspects of a college education is illustrated by the following story about Upton Sinclair. When Sinclair was a young man, he found that he was unable to raise the tuition money needed to attend college. Upon careful reading of the college catalogue, however, he found that if a student failed a course, he received no credit for the course, but was obliged to take another course in its place. The college did not charge the student for the second course, reasoning that he had already paid once for his credit. Sinclair took advantage of this policy and not a free education by deliberately failing all his courses.\nIn the ideal college, there would be no credits, no degrees, and no required courses. A person would learn what he wanted to learn. A friend and I attempted to put this ideal into action by starting a serials of seminars at Brandeis called \" Freshman Seminars Introduction to the Intellectual Life.\"  In the ideal college, intrinsic education would be available to anyone who wanted it-since anyone can improve and learn. The student body might include creative, intelligent children as well as adults; morons as well as geniuses (for even morons can learn emotionally and spiritually). The college would be ubiquitous-that is, not restricted to particular buildings at particular times, and teachers would be any human beings who had something that they wanted to share with others. The college would be lifelong, for learning can take place all through life. Even dying can be a philosophically illuminating, highly educative experience.\nThe ideal college would be a kind of education retreat in which you could try to find yourself; find out what you like and want; what you are and are not good at. The chief goals of the ideal college, in other words, would be the discovery of identity, and with it, the discovery of vocation.","id":"3934.txt","label":0}
{"option":["focuses on oriented education","takes students' need into account","lays emphases on \" earning a degree\"","emphasizes learning through discussion"],"question":"An extrinsically oriented education is one that  _ .","article":"If we look at education in our own society, we see two sharply different factors. First of all, there is the overwhelming majority of teachers, principals, curriculum planners, school superintendents, who are devoted to passing on the knowledge that children need in order to live in our industrialized society. Their chief concern is with efficiency, that is, with implanting the greatest number of facts into the greatest possible number of children, with a minimum of time, expense, and effort.\nClassroom learning often has as its unspoken goal the reward of pleasing the teacher. Children in the usual classroom learn very quickly that creativity is punished, while repeating a memorized response is rewarded, and concentrate on what the teacher wants them to say, rather than understanding the problem.\nThe difference between the intrinsic and the extrinsic aspects of a college education is illustrated by the following story about Upton Sinclair. When Sinclair was a young man, he found that he was unable to raise the tuition money needed to attend college. Upon careful reading of the college catalogue, however, he found that if a student failed a course, he received no credit for the course, but was obliged to take another course in its place. The college did not charge the student for the second course, reasoning that he had already paid once for his credit. Sinclair took advantage of this policy and not a free education by deliberately failing all his courses.\nIn the ideal college, there would be no credits, no degrees, and no required courses. A person would learn what he wanted to learn. A friend and I attempted to put this ideal into action by starting a serials of seminars at Brandeis called \" Freshman Seminars Introduction to the Intellectual Life.\"  In the ideal college, intrinsic education would be available to anyone who wanted it-since anyone can improve and learn. The student body might include creative, intelligent children as well as adults; morons as well as geniuses (for even morons can learn emotionally and spiritually). The college would be ubiquitous-that is, not restricted to particular buildings at particular times, and teachers would be any human beings who had something that they wanted to share with others. The college would be lifelong, for learning can take place all through life. Even dying can be a philosophically illuminating, highly educative experience.\nThe ideal college would be a kind of education retreat in which you could try to find yourself; find out what you like and want; what you are and are not good at. The chief goals of the ideal college, in other words, would be the discovery of identity, and with it, the discovery of vocation.","id":"3934.txt","label":2}
{"option":["has to pass an enrollment exam","should be very intelligent","needn't worry about homework","can be best stimulated for creative work"],"question":"To enter the author's ideal college, a student  _ .","article":"If we look at education in our own society, we see two sharply different factors. First of all, there is the overwhelming majority of teachers, principals, curriculum planners, school superintendents, who are devoted to passing on the knowledge that children need in order to live in our industrialized society. Their chief concern is with efficiency, that is, with implanting the greatest number of facts into the greatest possible number of children, with a minimum of time, expense, and effort.\nClassroom learning often has as its unspoken goal the reward of pleasing the teacher. Children in the usual classroom learn very quickly that creativity is punished, while repeating a memorized response is rewarded, and concentrate on what the teacher wants them to say, rather than understanding the problem.\nThe difference between the intrinsic and the extrinsic aspects of a college education is illustrated by the following story about Upton Sinclair. When Sinclair was a young man, he found that he was unable to raise the tuition money needed to attend college. Upon careful reading of the college catalogue, however, he found that if a student failed a course, he received no credit for the course, but was obliged to take another course in its place. The college did not charge the student for the second course, reasoning that he had already paid once for his credit. Sinclair took advantage of this policy and not a free education by deliberately failing all his courses.\nIn the ideal college, there would be no credits, no degrees, and no required courses. A person would learn what he wanted to learn. A friend and I attempted to put this ideal into action by starting a serials of seminars at Brandeis called \" Freshman Seminars Introduction to the Intellectual Life.\"  In the ideal college, intrinsic education would be available to anyone who wanted it-since anyone can improve and learn. The student body might include creative, intelligent children as well as adults; morons as well as geniuses (for even morons can learn emotionally and spiritually). The college would be ubiquitous-that is, not restricted to particular buildings at particular times, and teachers would be any human beings who had something that they wanted to share with others. The college would be lifelong, for learning can take place all through life. Even dying can be a philosophically illuminating, highly educative experience.\nThe ideal college would be a kind of education retreat in which you could try to find yourself; find out what you like and want; what you are and are not good at. The chief goals of the ideal college, in other words, would be the discovery of identity, and with it, the discovery of vocation.","id":"3934.txt","label":2}
{"option":["to advocate his views","to criticize college students","to stress self-teaching attitude","to put technological education to a later stage"],"question":"The author's purpose of writing the article is  _ .","article":"If we look at education in our own society, we see two sharply different factors. First of all, there is the overwhelming majority of teachers, principals, curriculum planners, school superintendents, who are devoted to passing on the knowledge that children need in order to live in our industrialized society. Their chief concern is with efficiency, that is, with implanting the greatest number of facts into the greatest possible number of children, with a minimum of time, expense, and effort.\nClassroom learning often has as its unspoken goal the reward of pleasing the teacher. Children in the usual classroom learn very quickly that creativity is punished, while repeating a memorized response is rewarded, and concentrate on what the teacher wants them to say, rather than understanding the problem.\nThe difference between the intrinsic and the extrinsic aspects of a college education is illustrated by the following story about Upton Sinclair. When Sinclair was a young man, he found that he was unable to raise the tuition money needed to attend college. Upon careful reading of the college catalogue, however, he found that if a student failed a course, he received no credit for the course, but was obliged to take another course in its place. The college did not charge the student for the second course, reasoning that he had already paid once for his credit. Sinclair took advantage of this policy and not a free education by deliberately failing all his courses.\nIn the ideal college, there would be no credits, no degrees, and no required courses. A person would learn what he wanted to learn. A friend and I attempted to put this ideal into action by starting a serials of seminars at Brandeis called \" Freshman Seminars Introduction to the Intellectual Life.\"  In the ideal college, intrinsic education would be available to anyone who wanted it-since anyone can improve and learn. The student body might include creative, intelligent children as well as adults; morons as well as geniuses (for even morons can learn emotionally and spiritually). The college would be ubiquitous-that is, not restricted to particular buildings at particular times, and teachers would be any human beings who had something that they wanted to share with others. The college would be lifelong, for learning can take place all through life. Even dying can be a philosophically illuminating, highly educative experience.\nThe ideal college would be a kind of education retreat in which you could try to find yourself; find out what you like and want; what you are and are not good at. The chief goals of the ideal college, in other words, would be the discovery of identity, and with it, the discovery of vocation.","id":"3934.txt","label":0}
{"option":["making and selling explosives","not making and selling weapons","making explosives and selling weapons","making weapons and selling explosives"],"question":"Alfred's business was _ .","article":"Most of us know about the Nobel Prize, especially theNobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything aboutthe man who set them up. His name was AlfredNobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself.Besides, he had a big business. His business maysurprise you. He made and sold explosives. Hiscompanies even made and sold weapons. Isn't thissomething that surprises you? The man who mademoney from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?\nThough Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that therewould be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, heleft behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money wasplaced in a fund. He wanted the interest from the fund to be used as prizes every year. Weknow them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international. Alfred Nobel wanted thewinners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.\nAlfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. Hemade money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions andwealth stay with the world for ever.","id":"2468.txt","label":0}
{"option":["he made enough money","he hated war","he wanted to get more interest from the fund","he liked to live in a peaceful world"],"question":"Nobel wanted to set up the Nobel Peace Prize because _ .","article":"Most of us know about the Nobel Prize, especially theNobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything aboutthe man who set them up. His name was AlfredNobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself.Besides, he had a big business. His business maysurprise you. He made and sold explosives. Hiscompanies even made and sold weapons. Isn't thissomething that surprises you? The man who mademoney from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?\nThough Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that therewould be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, heleft behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money wasplaced in a fund. He wanted the interest from the fund to be used as prizes every year. Weknow them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international. Alfred Nobel wanted thewinners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.\nAlfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. Hemade money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions andwealth stay with the world for ever.","id":"2468.txt","label":1}
{"option":["all Nobel's money in the fund","all Nobel's money in his company","all the interest from the fund","some of the interest in the fund"],"question":"Nobel Prizes come from _ .","article":"Most of us know about the Nobel Prize, especially theNobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything aboutthe man who set them up. His name was AlfredNobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself.Besides, he had a big business. His business maysurprise you. He made and sold explosives. Hiscompanies even made and sold weapons. Isn't thissomething that surprises you? The man who mademoney from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?\nThough Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that therewould be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, heleft behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money wasplaced in a fund. He wanted the interest from the fund to be used as prizes every year. Weknow them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international. Alfred Nobel wanted thewinners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.\nAlfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. Hemade money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions andwealth stay with the world for ever.","id":"2468.txt","label":2}
{"option":["interesting","unselfish","kind-hearted","richest"],"question":"Nobel was a (an) _ person in the world.","article":"Most of us know about the Nobel Prize, especially theNobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything aboutthe man who set them up. His name was AlfredNobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself.Besides, he had a big business. His business maysurprise you. He made and sold explosives. Hiscompanies even made and sold weapons. Isn't thissomething that surprises you? The man who mademoney from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?\nThough Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that therewould be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, heleft behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money wasplaced in a fund. He wanted the interest from the fund to be used as prizes every year. Weknow them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international. Alfred Nobel wanted thewinners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.\nAlfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. Hemade money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions andwealth stay with the world for ever.","id":"2468.txt","label":1}
{"option":["Nobel set up his company to sell clothes.","Most of Nobel's money was used for the world Wars.","Nobel Prizes are only for some people from some special countries.","Nobel worked hard in his life and saved lots of money for the world to share."],"question":"Which statement of the following is Right according to the passage?","article":"Most of us know about the Nobel Prize, especially theNobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything aboutthe man who set them up. His name was AlfredNobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself.Besides, he had a big business. His business maysurprise you. He made and sold explosives. Hiscompanies even made and sold weapons. Isn't thissomething that surprises you? The man who mademoney from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?\nThough Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that therewould be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, heleft behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money wasplaced in a fund. He wanted the interest from the fund to be used as prizes every year. Weknow them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international. Alfred Nobel wanted thewinners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.\nAlfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. Hemade money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions andwealth stay with the world for ever.","id":"2468.txt","label":3}
{"option":["Dan asked his brother to go instead","Dan was in some other place","Mark was in some other place","Mark would like to go with John"],"question":"Why didn't Mark and Dan go sailing together?","article":"One Sunday, Mark decided to go sailing in his boat with his friend Dan, but Dan happened to be away. Dan's brother John offered to go instead though he did not know anything about sailing. Mark agreed and they set out to sea.\nSoon they found themselves in a thick fog. Mark was sure they would be hit by a big ship. Fortunately he saw a large buoy  through the fog and decided to tie the boat to it for safety. As he was getting onto the buoy, however, he dropped the wet rope. The boat moved away in the fog carrying John, Who did not know how to use the radio. He drifted  about and was not seen until twelve hours later.\nMark spent the night on the buoy. In the early morning he fell asleep. He was having a bad dream when a shout woke him up. A ship, the Good Hope, came up and he climbed onto it and thanked the captain. The captain told him that John had been picked up by another ship and the ship's captain had sent out a message. \"Without the message I would not have found you on the buoy,\" he said.","id":"1646.txt","label":1}
{"option":["he could spend the night on it while John was looking for help","he and John could go sailing again when the fog cleared","it wouldn't be hit by other ships","he might be picked up by a passing ship"],"question":"Mark tried to tie the boat to the buoy so that.","article":"One Sunday, Mark decided to go sailing in his boat with his friend Dan, but Dan happened to be away. Dan's brother John offered to go instead though he did not know anything about sailing. Mark agreed and they set out to sea.\nSoon they found themselves in a thick fog. Mark was sure they would be hit by a big ship. Fortunately he saw a large buoy  through the fog and decided to tie the boat to it for safety. As he was getting onto the buoy, however, he dropped the wet rope. The boat moved away in the fog carrying John, Who did not know how to use the radio. He drifted  about and was not seen until twelve hours later.\nMark spent the night on the buoy. In the early morning he fell asleep. He was having a bad dream when a shout woke him up. A ship, the Good Hope, came up and he climbed onto it and thanked the captain. The captain told him that John had been picked up by another ship and the ship's captain had sent out a message. \"Without the message I would not have found you on the buoy,\" he said.","id":"1646.txt","label":2}
{"option":["there wasn't room for both John and Mark on the buoy","John couldn't control the boat and drifted away","Mark thought it safe to stay on the buoy but John didn't","John had to stay in the boat to radio for help"],"question":"John and Mark became separated because.","article":"One Sunday, Mark decided to go sailing in his boat with his friend Dan, but Dan happened to be away. Dan's brother John offered to go instead though he did not know anything about sailing. Mark agreed and they set out to sea.\nSoon they found themselves in a thick fog. Mark was sure they would be hit by a big ship. Fortunately he saw a large buoy  through the fog and decided to tie the boat to it for safety. As he was getting onto the buoy, however, he dropped the wet rope. The boat moved away in the fog carrying John, Who did not know how to use the radio. He drifted  about and was not seen until twelve hours later.\nMark spent the night on the buoy. In the early morning he fell asleep. He was having a bad dream when a shout woke him up. A ship, the Good Hope, came up and he climbed onto it and thanked the captain. The captain told him that John had been picked up by another ship and the ship's captain had sent out a message. \"Without the message I would not have found you on the buoy,\" he said.","id":"1646.txt","label":1}
{"option":["John told people where to look for him.","John radioed to the Good Hope to get him.","He shouted when he caught sight of the Good Hope.","The captain saw him as the fog cleared."],"question":"What made it possible for Mark to be found on the buoy?","article":"One Sunday, Mark decided to go sailing in his boat with his friend Dan, but Dan happened to be away. Dan's brother John offered to go instead though he did not know anything about sailing. Mark agreed and they set out to sea.\nSoon they found themselves in a thick fog. Mark was sure they would be hit by a big ship. Fortunately he saw a large buoy  through the fog and decided to tie the boat to it for safety. As he was getting onto the buoy, however, he dropped the wet rope. The boat moved away in the fog carrying John, Who did not know how to use the radio. He drifted  about and was not seen until twelve hours later.\nMark spent the night on the buoy. In the early morning he fell asleep. He was having a bad dream when a shout woke him up. A ship, the Good Hope, came up and he climbed onto it and thanked the captain. The captain told him that John had been picked up by another ship and the ship's captain had sent out a message. \"Without the message I would not have found you on the buoy,\" he said.","id":"1646.txt","label":0}
{"option":["the captain that got the message","the captain that sent the message","John","Mark"],"question":"The word he in the last sentence refers to.","article":"One Sunday, Mark decided to go sailing in his boat with his friend Dan, but Dan happened to be away. Dan's brother John offered to go instead though he did not know anything about sailing. Mark agreed and they set out to sea.\nSoon they found themselves in a thick fog. Mark was sure they would be hit by a big ship. Fortunately he saw a large buoy  through the fog and decided to tie the boat to it for safety. As he was getting onto the buoy, however, he dropped the wet rope. The boat moved away in the fog carrying John, Who did not know how to use the radio. He drifted  about and was not seen until twelve hours later.\nMark spent the night on the buoy. In the early morning he fell asleep. He was having a bad dream when a shout woke him up. A ship, the Good Hope, came up and he climbed onto it and thanked the captain. The captain told him that John had been picked up by another ship and the ship's captain had sent out a message. \"Without the message I would not have found you on the buoy,\" he said.","id":"1646.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Beverage companies should be responsible for collecting and reusing discarded plastic soda bottles.","Throwaways should be collected by the state for recycling.","A fee should be charged on used containers for recycling.","Consumers had to pay for beverage containers and could get their money back on returning them."],"question":"What regulation was issued by  concerning beverage containers?","article":"In 1993. New York State ordered stores to charge a deposit on beverage  containers. Within a year. Consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw materials for new products. But because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound up buried in landfills . The problem was not limited to . Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.\nToday, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled  in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence posts, paint brushes, etc.\nShrinking landfill space, and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management option. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal, which, in parts of , amounts to saving of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and trims the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a more refined raw material.","id":"915.txt","label":3}
{"option":["end up somewhere underground","be turned into raw materials","have a second-life value","be separated from other rubbish"],"question":"The returned plastic bottles in  used to _ .","article":"In 1993. New York State ordered stores to charge a deposit on beverage  containers. Within a year. Consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw materials for new products. But because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound up buried in landfills . The problem was not limited to . Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.\nToday, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled  in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence posts, paint brushes, etc.\nShrinking landfill space, and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management option. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal, which, in parts of , amounts to saving of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and trims the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a more refined raw material.","id":"915.txt","label":0}
{"option":["to sell them at a profitable price","how to turn them into useful things","how to reduce their recycling costs","to lower the prices for used materials"],"question":"The key problem in dealing with returned plastic beverage containers is _ .","article":"In 1993. New York State ordered stores to charge a deposit on beverage  containers. Within a year. Consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw materials for new products. But because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound up buried in landfills . The problem was not limited to . Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.\nToday, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled  in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence posts, paint brushes, etc.\nShrinking landfill space, and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management option. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal, which, in parts of , amounts to saving of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and trims the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a more refined raw material.","id":"915.txt","label":1}
{"option":["local governments find it easy to manage","recycling ahs great appeal for the jobless","recycling causes little pollution","other methods are more expensive"],"question":"Recycling ahs become the first choice for the disposal of rubbish because _ .","article":"In 1993. New York State ordered stores to charge a deposit on beverage  containers. Within a year. Consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw materials for new products. But because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound up buried in landfills . The problem was not limited to . Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.\nToday, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled  in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence posts, paint brushes, etc.\nShrinking landfill space, and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management option. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal, which, in parts of , amounts to saving of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and trims the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a more refined raw material.","id":"915.txt","label":3}
{"option":["rubbish is a potential remedy for the shortage of raw materials","local governments in the  can expect big profits from recycling","recycling is to be recommended both economically and environmentally","landfills will still be widely used for waste disposal"],"question":"It can be concluded from the passage that _ .","article":"In 1993. New York State ordered stores to charge a deposit on beverage  containers. Within a year. Consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw materials for new products. But because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound up buried in landfills . The problem was not limited to . Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.\nToday, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled  in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence posts, paint brushes, etc.\nShrinking landfill space, and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management option. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal, which, in parts of , amounts to saving of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and trims the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a more refined raw material.","id":"915.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Americans are never satisfied with their incomes","Americans tend to overstate their incomes","Americans want to have their incomes increased","Americans want to increase the purchasing power of their incomes"],"question":"In Line 8, Paragraph 1, \"the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes\" means.","article":"The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise, market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. Private businessmen, striving to make profits, produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen; and the profit motive, operating under competitive pressures, largely determines how these goods and services are produced. Thus, in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers, coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes, that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it.\nAn important factor in a market-oriented economy is the mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. In the American economy, this mechanism is provided by a price system, a process in which prices rise and fall in response to relative demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. If the product is in short supply relative to the demand, the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. If, on the other hand, producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost, this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers, which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. Thus, price is the regulating mechanism in the American economic system.\nThe important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individuals are allowed to own productive resources (private property), and they are permitted to hire labor, gain control over natural resources, and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. In the American economy, the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights, including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual.","id":"1391.txt","label":3}
{"option":["producers can satisfy the consumers by mechanized production","consumers can express their demands through producers","producers decide the prices of products","supply and demand regulate prices"],"question":"The first two sentences in the second paragraph tell us that \t.","article":"The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise, market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. Private businessmen, striving to make profits, produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen; and the profit motive, operating under competitive pressures, largely determines how these goods and services are produced. Thus, in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers, coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes, that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it.\nAn important factor in a market-oriented economy is the mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. In the American economy, this mechanism is provided by a price system, a process in which prices rise and fall in response to relative demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. If the product is in short supply relative to the demand, the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. If, on the other hand, producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost, this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers, which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. Thus, price is the regulating mechanism in the American economic system.\nThe important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individuals are allowed to own productive resources (private property), and they are permitted to hire labor, gain control over natural resources, and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. In the American economy, the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights, including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual.","id":"1391.txt","label":3}
{"option":["private property and rights concerned","manpower and natural resources control","ownership of productive resources","free contracts and prices"],"question":"According to the passage, a private-enterprise economy is characterized by \t.","article":"The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise, market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. Private businessmen, striving to make profits, produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen; and the profit motive, operating under competitive pressures, largely determines how these goods and services are produced. Thus, in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers, coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes, that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it.\nAn important factor in a market-oriented economy is the mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. In the American economy, this mechanism is provided by a price system, a process in which prices rise and fall in response to relative demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. If the product is in short supply relative to the demand, the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. If, on the other hand, producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost, this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers, which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. Thus, price is the regulating mechanism in the American economic system.\nThe important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individuals are allowed to own productive resources (private property), and they are permitted to hire labor, gain control over natural resources, and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. In the American economy, the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights, including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual.","id":"1391.txt","label":0}
{"option":["how American goods are produced","how American consumers buy their goods","how American economic system works","how American businessmen make their profits"],"question":"The passage is mainly about \t.","article":"The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise, market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. Private businessmen, striving to make profits, produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen; and the profit motive, operating under competitive pressures, largely determines how these goods and services are produced. Thus, in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers, coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes, that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it.\nAn important factor in a market-oriented economy is the mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. In the American economy, this mechanism is provided by a price system, a process in which prices rise and fall in response to relative demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. If the product is in short supply relative to the demand, the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. If, on the other hand, producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost, this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers, which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. Thus, price is the regulating mechanism in the American economic system.\nThe important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individuals are allowed to own productive resources (private property), and they are permitted to hire labor, gain control over natural resources, and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. In the American economy, the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights, including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual.","id":"1391.txt","label":2}
{"option":["more and more students want to get further education in the USA","the Chinese people pay special attention to English studies with China's entry into the WTO","the already existing exam systems seem to be far from perfect","it will bring the US government quite a lot of money"],"question":"The United States will introduce a new exam because _ .","article":"The United States will introduce a new and comprehensive exam for students who seek to study in American and other English-speaking countries, Xinhua News Agency reported from New York.\nThe exam, which stands for a great change from the current English level test, was disclosed by Theresa Chang Wei Jen, associate director of the International Service of the US College Board, America's leading educational organization.\nThe Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL) will be offered for the first time throughout the world on May 10, 2002, said Jen.\nHowever, the APIEL is a strange title to most Chinese students, and it is unlikely to soon gain the similarity of other already existing exams, such as the TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language), the GRE(Graduate Record Examination), or the IELTS(International English Language Testing System).\n\"I have never heard of such a test and I would prefer the IELTS if I need another exam,\" said Xu Jingyan, a graduating student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who wants to study in England and has already taken the TOEFL.\nMost of Xu's classmates have never heard of the APIEL. \"The APIEL is designed for international students who wish to get university studies in English-speaking countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia.\" said Jen.\nThe APIEL has been adopted, said Jen, because the TOEFL can no longer accurately reflect the abilities of students of using the English language comprehensively in an academic environment. Xinhua reported that a fairly large number of foreign students who earned high scores in TOEFL exam turned out to be very ordinary educational performers after admission.\nCompared with the TOEFL, the APIEL measures a student's ability to read, write, speak and understand English through testing his or her skills in listening comprehension, speaking with accuracy and resourcefulness, and writing with clarity and fluency, Jen said.","id":"2955.txt","label":2}
{"option":["It will take quite a period of time for people to accept the APIEL.","The TOEFL is more popular with the Chinese than the IELTS.","A student will have to take the APIEL if he or she wants to study in English-speaking countries from 2002.","Chinese students will prefer the IELTS rather than the APIEL even in the future."],"question":"Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the selection\uff1f","article":"The United States will introduce a new and comprehensive exam for students who seek to study in American and other English-speaking countries, Xinhua News Agency reported from New York.\nThe exam, which stands for a great change from the current English level test, was disclosed by Theresa Chang Wei Jen, associate director of the International Service of the US College Board, America's leading educational organization.\nThe Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL) will be offered for the first time throughout the world on May 10, 2002, said Jen.\nHowever, the APIEL is a strange title to most Chinese students, and it is unlikely to soon gain the similarity of other already existing exams, such as the TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language), the GRE(Graduate Record Examination), or the IELTS(International English Language Testing System).\n\"I have never heard of such a test and I would prefer the IELTS if I need another exam,\" said Xu Jingyan, a graduating student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who wants to study in England and has already taken the TOEFL.\nMost of Xu's classmates have never heard of the APIEL. \"The APIEL is designed for international students who wish to get university studies in English-speaking countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia.\" said Jen.\nThe APIEL has been adopted, said Jen, because the TOEFL can no longer accurately reflect the abilities of students of using the English language comprehensively in an academic environment. Xinhua reported that a fairly large number of foreign students who earned high scores in TOEFL exam turned out to be very ordinary educational performers after admission.\nCompared with the TOEFL, the APIEL measures a student's ability to read, write, speak and understand English through testing his or her skills in listening comprehension, speaking with accuracy and resourcefulness, and writing with clarity and fluency, Jen said.","id":"2955.txt","label":0}
{"option":["The Key to English-speaking Countries","The Four Skills in Learning English","TOEFL, IELTS and GRE to be Out of Date","New Exam Designed for Students"],"question":"Please decide which of the following would be the best title for this news report.","article":"The United States will introduce a new and comprehensive exam for students who seek to study in American and other English-speaking countries, Xinhua News Agency reported from New York.\nThe exam, which stands for a great change from the current English level test, was disclosed by Theresa Chang Wei Jen, associate director of the International Service of the US College Board, America's leading educational organization.\nThe Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL) will be offered for the first time throughout the world on May 10, 2002, said Jen.\nHowever, the APIEL is a strange title to most Chinese students, and it is unlikely to soon gain the similarity of other already existing exams, such as the TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language), the GRE(Graduate Record Examination), or the IELTS(International English Language Testing System).\n\"I have never heard of such a test and I would prefer the IELTS if I need another exam,\" said Xu Jingyan, a graduating student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who wants to study in England and has already taken the TOEFL.\nMost of Xu's classmates have never heard of the APIEL. \"The APIEL is designed for international students who wish to get university studies in English-speaking countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia.\" said Jen.\nThe APIEL has been adopted, said Jen, because the TOEFL can no longer accurately reflect the abilities of students of using the English language comprehensively in an academic environment. Xinhua reported that a fairly large number of foreign students who earned high scores in TOEFL exam turned out to be very ordinary educational performers after admission.\nCompared with the TOEFL, the APIEL measures a student's ability to read, write, speak and understand English through testing his or her skills in listening comprehension, speaking with accuracy and resourcefulness, and writing with clarity and fluency, Jen said.","id":"2955.txt","label":3}
{"option":["begin by receiving on-the-job training","must learn several jobs","begin as ticket takers","have already attended Disney University"],"question":"The first day they come to Disney parks, all new employees _ .","article":"Millions of people pass through the gates of Disney's entertainment parks in California, Florida and Japan each year. What makes these places an almost universal attraction? What makes foreign kings and queens and other important people want to visit these Disney parks? Well, one reason is the way they're treated once they get there. The people at Disney go out of their way to serve their \"guests\", as they prefer to call them, and to see that they enjoy themselves.\nAll new employees, from vice presidents to par-time workers, begin their employment by attending Disney University and taking \"Traditions 1\". Here, they learn about the company's history, how it is managed and why it is successful. They are shown how each department relates to the whole. All employees are shown how their part is important in making the park a success.\nAfter passing \"Traditions 1\", the employees go on to more specialized training for their specific (\uff09 jobs. No detail is missed. A simple job like taking tickets requires four eight-hour days of training. When one ticket taker was asked why it took so much training for such a simple, ordinary job, he replied, \"What happens if someone wants to know where the restrooms are, when the parade starts or what bus to take back to the campgrounds?\u2026 We need to know the answers or where to get them quickly. Our constant aim is to help our guests enjoy the party.\"\nEven Disney's managers get involved in the daily management of the park. Every year, the managers leave their desks and business suits and put on special service clothes. For a full week, the bosses sell hot dogs or ice cream, take tickets or drive the monorail (\uff09, and take up any of the 100 jobs that make the entertainment park come alive. The managers agree that this week helps them to see the company's goals more clearly.\nAll these efforts to serve the public well have made Walt Disney Productions famous. Disney is considered by many as the best mass service provider in America or the world. As one long-time business observer once said, \" How Disney treats people, communicates with them, rewards them, is in my view the very reason for his fifty years of success\u2026 I have watched, very carefully and with great respect and admiration, the theory and practice of selling satisfaction and serving millions of people on a daily basis, successfully. It is what Disney does best.\"","id":"3586.txt","label":0}
{"option":["learn all parts of the business","see that their guests enjoy themselves","be able to answer all kinds of questions","keep their important guests happy"],"question":"The main objective of the Disney employees is to _ .","article":"Millions of people pass through the gates of Disney's entertainment parks in California, Florida and Japan each year. What makes these places an almost universal attraction? What makes foreign kings and queens and other important people want to visit these Disney parks? Well, one reason is the way they're treated once they get there. The people at Disney go out of their way to serve their \"guests\", as they prefer to call them, and to see that they enjoy themselves.\nAll new employees, from vice presidents to par-time workers, begin their employment by attending Disney University and taking \"Traditions 1\". Here, they learn about the company's history, how it is managed and why it is successful. They are shown how each department relates to the whole. All employees are shown how their part is important in making the park a success.\nAfter passing \"Traditions 1\", the employees go on to more specialized training for their specific (\uff09 jobs. No detail is missed. A simple job like taking tickets requires four eight-hour days of training. When one ticket taker was asked why it took so much training for such a simple, ordinary job, he replied, \"What happens if someone wants to know where the restrooms are, when the parade starts or what bus to take back to the campgrounds?\u2026 We need to know the answers or where to get them quickly. Our constant aim is to help our guests enjoy the party.\"\nEven Disney's managers get involved in the daily management of the park. Every year, the managers leave their desks and business suits and put on special service clothes. For a full week, the bosses sell hot dogs or ice cream, take tickets or drive the monorail (\uff09, and take up any of the 100 jobs that make the entertainment park come alive. The managers agree that this week helps them to see the company's goals more clearly.\nAll these efforts to serve the public well have made Walt Disney Productions famous. Disney is considered by many as the best mass service provider in America or the world. As one long-time business observer once said, \" How Disney treats people, communicates with them, rewards them, is in my view the very reason for his fifty years of success\u2026 I have watched, very carefully and with great respect and admiration, the theory and practice of selling satisfaction and serving millions of people on a daily basis, successfully. It is what Disney does best.\"","id":"3586.txt","label":1}
{"option":["set a good example for employees","remind themselves of their beginnings at Disney","gain a better view of the company's objectives","replace employees on holiday"],"question":"Each year, managers wear special service clothes and work in the park to _ .","article":"Millions of people pass through the gates of Disney's entertainment parks in California, Florida and Japan each year. What makes these places an almost universal attraction? What makes foreign kings and queens and other important people want to visit these Disney parks? Well, one reason is the way they're treated once they get there. The people at Disney go out of their way to serve their \"guests\", as they prefer to call them, and to see that they enjoy themselves.\nAll new employees, from vice presidents to par-time workers, begin their employment by attending Disney University and taking \"Traditions 1\". Here, they learn about the company's history, how it is managed and why it is successful. They are shown how each department relates to the whole. All employees are shown how their part is important in making the park a success.\nAfter passing \"Traditions 1\", the employees go on to more specialized training for their specific (\uff09 jobs. No detail is missed. A simple job like taking tickets requires four eight-hour days of training. When one ticket taker was asked why it took so much training for such a simple, ordinary job, he replied, \"What happens if someone wants to know where the restrooms are, when the parade starts or what bus to take back to the campgrounds?\u2026 We need to know the answers or where to get them quickly. Our constant aim is to help our guests enjoy the party.\"\nEven Disney's managers get involved in the daily management of the park. Every year, the managers leave their desks and business suits and put on special service clothes. For a full week, the bosses sell hot dogs or ice cream, take tickets or drive the monorail (\uff09, and take up any of the 100 jobs that make the entertainment park come alive. The managers agree that this week helps them to see the company's goals more clearly.\nAll these efforts to serve the public well have made Walt Disney Productions famous. Disney is considered by many as the best mass service provider in America or the world. As one long-time business observer once said, \" How Disney treats people, communicates with them, rewards them, is in my view the very reason for his fifty years of success\u2026 I have watched, very carefully and with great respect and admiration, the theory and practice of selling satisfaction and serving millions of people on a daily basis, successfully. It is what Disney does best.\"","id":"3586.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Tourist learn the history of Disney in its entertainment parks.","Disney attracts people almost from all over the world.","Parades are regularly held in Disney's entertainment parks.","Disney's managers are able to do almost all kinds of work in the Disney parks."],"question":"Which is the following is NOT true according to the passage?","article":"Millions of people pass through the gates of Disney's entertainment parks in California, Florida and Japan each year. What makes these places an almost universal attraction? What makes foreign kings and queens and other important people want to visit these Disney parks? Well, one reason is the way they're treated once they get there. The people at Disney go out of their way to serve their \"guests\", as they prefer to call them, and to see that they enjoy themselves.\nAll new employees, from vice presidents to par-time workers, begin their employment by attending Disney University and taking \"Traditions 1\". Here, they learn about the company's history, how it is managed and why it is successful. They are shown how each department relates to the whole. All employees are shown how their part is important in making the park a success.\nAfter passing \"Traditions 1\", the employees go on to more specialized training for their specific (\uff09 jobs. No detail is missed. A simple job like taking tickets requires four eight-hour days of training. When one ticket taker was asked why it took so much training for such a simple, ordinary job, he replied, \"What happens if someone wants to know where the restrooms are, when the parade starts or what bus to take back to the campgrounds?\u2026 We need to know the answers or where to get them quickly. Our constant aim is to help our guests enjoy the party.\"\nEven Disney's managers get involved in the daily management of the park. Every year, the managers leave their desks and business suits and put on special service clothes. For a full week, the bosses sell hot dogs or ice cream, take tickets or drive the monorail (\uff09, and take up any of the 100 jobs that make the entertainment park come alive. The managers agree that this week helps them to see the company's goals more clearly.\nAll these efforts to serve the public well have made Walt Disney Productions famous. Disney is considered by many as the best mass service provider in America or the world. As one long-time business observer once said, \" How Disney treats people, communicates with them, rewards them, is in my view the very reason for his fifty years of success\u2026 I have watched, very carefully and with great respect and admiration, the theory and practice of selling satisfaction and serving millions of people on a daily basis, successfully. It is what Disney does best.\"","id":"3586.txt","label":0}
{"option":["how Disney employees are trained","the history and traditions of the Disney enterprises","why Disney enterprises make a lot of money","the importance Disney places on serving people well"],"question":"This passage is mainly about _ .","article":"Millions of people pass through the gates of Disney's entertainment parks in California, Florida and Japan each year. What makes these places an almost universal attraction? What makes foreign kings and queens and other important people want to visit these Disney parks? Well, one reason is the way they're treated once they get there. The people at Disney go out of their way to serve their \"guests\", as they prefer to call them, and to see that they enjoy themselves.\nAll new employees, from vice presidents to par-time workers, begin their employment by attending Disney University and taking \"Traditions 1\". Here, they learn about the company's history, how it is managed and why it is successful. They are shown how each department relates to the whole. All employees are shown how their part is important in making the park a success.\nAfter passing \"Traditions 1\", the employees go on to more specialized training for their specific (\uff09 jobs. No detail is missed. A simple job like taking tickets requires four eight-hour days of training. When one ticket taker was asked why it took so much training for such a simple, ordinary job, he replied, \"What happens if someone wants to know where the restrooms are, when the parade starts or what bus to take back to the campgrounds?\u2026 We need to know the answers or where to get them quickly. Our constant aim is to help our guests enjoy the party.\"\nEven Disney's managers get involved in the daily management of the park. Every year, the managers leave their desks and business suits and put on special service clothes. For a full week, the bosses sell hot dogs or ice cream, take tickets or drive the monorail (\uff09, and take up any of the 100 jobs that make the entertainment park come alive. The managers agree that this week helps them to see the company's goals more clearly.\nAll these efforts to serve the public well have made Walt Disney Productions famous. Disney is considered by many as the best mass service provider in America or the world. As one long-time business observer once said, \" How Disney treats people, communicates with them, rewards them, is in my view the very reason for his fifty years of success\u2026 I have watched, very carefully and with great respect and admiration, the theory and practice of selling satisfaction and serving millions of people on a daily basis, successfully. It is what Disney does best.\"","id":"3586.txt","label":3}
{"option":["to find out kids creative ideas","to discuss with the teacher","to give children lectures","to help kids with their program"],"question":"An architect pays a weekly visit to the classroom _ .","article":"My kids really understand solar and earth-heat energy\uff0c says a second-grade teacher in Saugus\uff0cCalifornia.Some of them are building solar collectors for their energy course. These young scientists are part of City Building Educational Program(CBEP)\uff0ca particular program for kindergarten through twelfth grade that uses the stages of city planning to teach basic reading\uff0cwriting and math skills\uff0cand more.\nThe children dont just plan any city. They map and analyze the housing\uff0cenergy\uff0cand transportation requirements of their own district and foretell its needs in 100 years. With the aid of an architect who visits the classroom once a week\uff0cthey invent new ways to meet these needs and build models of their creations.Designing buildings of the future gives children a lot of freedom\uff0csays the teacher who developed this program.They are able to use their own rich imagination and inventions without fear of blame\uff0cbecause there are no wrong answers in a future context. In fact\uff0cas the class enters the final model-building stage of the program\uff0can elected official and planning group make all the design decisions for the model city\uff0cand the teacher steps back and becomes an adviser.\nCBEP is a set of activities\uff0cgames and imitations that teach the basic steps necessary for problem-solving\uff1aobserving\uff0canalyzing\uff0cworking out possible answers\uff0cand judging them based on the childrens own standards.","id":"2623.txt","label":3}
{"option":["An official.","An architect.","A teacher.","A scientist."],"question":"Who is the designer of the program?","article":"My kids really understand solar and earth-heat energy\uff0c says a second-grade teacher in Saugus\uff0cCalifornia.Some of them are building solar collectors for their energy course. These young scientists are part of City Building Educational Program(CBEP)\uff0ca particular program for kindergarten through twelfth grade that uses the stages of city planning to teach basic reading\uff0cwriting and math skills\uff0cand more.\nThe children dont just plan any city. They map and analyze the housing\uff0cenergy\uff0cand transportation requirements of their own district and foretell its needs in 100 years. With the aid of an architect who visits the classroom once a week\uff0cthey invent new ways to meet these needs and build models of their creations.Designing buildings of the future gives children a lot of freedom\uff0csays the teacher who developed this program.They are able to use their own rich imagination and inventions without fear of blame\uff0cbecause there are no wrong answers in a future context. In fact\uff0cas the class enters the final model-building stage of the program\uff0can elected official and planning group make all the design decisions for the model city\uff0cand the teacher steps back and becomes an adviser.\nCBEP is a set of activities\uff0cgames and imitations that teach the basic steps necessary for problem-solving\uff1aobserving\uff0canalyzing\uff0cworking out possible answers\uff0cand judging them based on the childrens own standards.","id":"2623.txt","label":2}
{"option":["people will be more and more rational in choosing the food they eat.","the arguments about what should be eaten will never come to an end.","people will someday reach a consensus on what the best food is.","people will be more and more fastidious in choosing the food they eat."],"question":"The author believes that","article":"I'm pretty confident that there will never be a day when all the world is in agreement about the best human diet. I'm an omnivore myself, but I have friends who swear by their paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets. All of us can make compelling arguments about why we eat the way we do, and all of us can make valid criticisms of diets that are unlike our own.\nFor me, deciding how and what to eat required a close examination of the values and principles that truly matter to me. The type of food we consume has immediate health and economic consequences, but it also has a significant impact on our environment.\nAs a study shows, the manner and scale at which our society currently raises animal for human consumption contributes to climate change in major way. It also wastes water, pollutes our soil, and contaminates fresh water supplies. So if you're really trying to live a low-impact life, eating less meat and ensuring that the meat you do eat is raised by responsible farmers and ranchers could help you shrink your carbon footprint a lot faster than buying a hybrid or skipping showers.","id":"484.txt","label":1}
{"option":["has some important principles to follow.","will consult with his friends.","will follow the instructions of his friends.","considers only his own interests."],"question":"When deciding how and what to eat, the author","article":"I'm pretty confident that there will never be a day when all the world is in agreement about the best human diet. I'm an omnivore myself, but I have friends who swear by their paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets. All of us can make compelling arguments about why we eat the way we do, and all of us can make valid criticisms of diets that are unlike our own.\nFor me, deciding how and what to eat required a close examination of the values and principles that truly matter to me. The type of food we consume has immediate health and economic consequences, but it also has a significant impact on our environment.\nAs a study shows, the manner and scale at which our society currently raises animal for human consumption contributes to climate change in major way. It also wastes water, pollutes our soil, and contaminates fresh water supplies. So if you're really trying to live a low-impact life, eating less meat and ensuring that the meat you do eat is raised by responsible farmers and ranchers could help you shrink your carbon footprint a lot faster than buying a hybrid or skipping showers.","id":"484.txt","label":0}
{"option":["has an indirect but great effect on our environment.","has nothing to do with our environment.","has nothing to do with our health.","is decided only by our economic status."],"question":"The type of food we eat","article":"I'm pretty confident that there will never be a day when all the world is in agreement about the best human diet. I'm an omnivore myself, but I have friends who swear by their paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets. All of us can make compelling arguments about why we eat the way we do, and all of us can make valid criticisms of diets that are unlike our own.\nFor me, deciding how and what to eat required a close examination of the values and principles that truly matter to me. The type of food we consume has immediate health and economic consequences, but it also has a significant impact on our environment.\nAs a study shows, the manner and scale at which our society currently raises animal for human consumption contributes to climate change in major way. It also wastes water, pollutes our soil, and contaminates fresh water supplies. So if you're really trying to live a low-impact life, eating less meat and ensuring that the meat you do eat is raised by responsible farmers and ranchers could help you shrink your carbon footprint a lot faster than buying a hybrid or skipping showers.","id":"484.txt","label":0}
{"option":["We should stop raising animals for human consumption.","We should stop eating animals.","The way animals are raised for human consumption should be improved.","Environmental pollution and climate change are caused by raising animals for human consumption."],"question":"What is implied in Paragraph 3","article":"I'm pretty confident that there will never be a day when all the world is in agreement about the best human diet. I'm an omnivore myself, but I have friends who swear by their paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets. All of us can make compelling arguments about why we eat the way we do, and all of us can make valid criticisms of diets that are unlike our own.\nFor me, deciding how and what to eat required a close examination of the values and principles that truly matter to me. The type of food we consume has immediate health and economic consequences, but it also has a significant impact on our environment.\nAs a study shows, the manner and scale at which our society currently raises animal for human consumption contributes to climate change in major way. It also wastes water, pollutes our soil, and contaminates fresh water supplies. So if you're really trying to live a low-impact life, eating less meat and ensuring that the meat you do eat is raised by responsible farmers and ranchers could help you shrink your carbon footprint a lot faster than buying a hybrid or skipping showers.","id":"484.txt","label":2}
{"option":["is only possessed by great artists","requires rare talent and genius","is needed in the solution of many problems","belongs to a lucky few"],"question":"The author believes that creative thinking_ .","article":"When we think of creative people the names that probably spring to mind are those of men such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, i. e. great artists, inventors and scientists-a select and exceptionally gifted body of men with rare talent and genius.   The  tendency  to regard creativity  and imaginative thinking as the exclusive province of a lucky few disregards the creative and imaginative aspects in the solution of many of the tasks we regularly have to face-the discovery and development of new methods and techniques, the improvement of old methods, existing inventions and products.\nEveryone has creative ability to some extent. Creative thinking involves posing oneself a problem and then originating or inventing a solution along new and unconventional lines. It involves drawing new analogies, discovering new combination, and\/or new applications of things that are already known. It follows, then, that a creative person will exhibit great intellectual curiosity and imagination. He will be alert and observant with a great store of information which he will be able to sort out and combine in the solution of problems. He will be emotionally receptive to new and unconventional ideas and will be less interested in facts than in their implications. Most important of all he will be able to communicate uninhibitedly ( ) and will not be too concerned about other people's reaction to his apparently \"crazy\" notions. People called the Wright brothers mad but it did not stop them from becoming the first men to construct and fly a heavier-than-air craft.","id":"1445.txt","label":2}
{"option":["should not be afraid of what others think","should be mad","must possess crazy notions","should have inhibitions"],"question":"In order to solve scientific problems, people_ .","article":"When we think of creative people the names that probably spring to mind are those of men such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, i. e. great artists, inventors and scientists-a select and exceptionally gifted body of men with rare talent and genius.   The  tendency  to regard creativity  and imaginative thinking as the exclusive province of a lucky few disregards the creative and imaginative aspects in the solution of many of the tasks we regularly have to face-the discovery and development of new methods and techniques, the improvement of old methods, existing inventions and products.\nEveryone has creative ability to some extent. Creative thinking involves posing oneself a problem and then originating or inventing a solution along new and unconventional lines. It involves drawing new analogies, discovering new combination, and\/or new applications of things that are already known. It follows, then, that a creative person will exhibit great intellectual curiosity and imagination. He will be alert and observant with a great store of information which he will be able to sort out and combine in the solution of problems. He will be emotionally receptive to new and unconventional ideas and will be less interested in facts than in their implications. Most important of all he will be able to communicate uninhibitedly ( ) and will not be too concerned about other people's reaction to his apparently \"crazy\" notions. People called the Wright brothers mad but it did not stop them from becoming the first men to construct and fly a heavier-than-air craft.","id":"1445.txt","label":0}
{"option":["drawing new pictures of old things","observing the actions of great people","finding the problem and originating a solution","discovering new emotions"],"question":"Creative thinking involves_ .","article":"When we think of creative people the names that probably spring to mind are those of men such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, i. e. great artists, inventors and scientists-a select and exceptionally gifted body of men with rare talent and genius.   The  tendency  to regard creativity  and imaginative thinking as the exclusive province of a lucky few disregards the creative and imaginative aspects in the solution of many of the tasks we regularly have to face-the discovery and development of new methods and techniques, the improvement of old methods, existing inventions and products.\nEveryone has creative ability to some extent. Creative thinking involves posing oneself a problem and then originating or inventing a solution along new and unconventional lines. It involves drawing new analogies, discovering new combination, and\/or new applications of things that are already known. It follows, then, that a creative person will exhibit great intellectual curiosity and imagination. He will be alert and observant with a great store of information which he will be able to sort out and combine in the solution of problems. He will be emotionally receptive to new and unconventional ideas and will be less interested in facts than in their implications. Most important of all he will be able to communicate uninhibitedly ( ) and will not be too concerned about other people's reaction to his apparently \"crazy\" notions. People called the Wright brothers mad but it did not stop them from becoming the first men to construct and fly a heavier-than-air craft.","id":"1445.txt","label":2}
{"option":["for their face-value","for what they imply","and remember them","which are less interesting"],"question":"A creative person must look at facts _ .","article":"When we think of creative people the names that probably spring to mind are those of men such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, i. e. great artists, inventors and scientists-a select and exceptionally gifted body of men with rare talent and genius.   The  tendency  to regard creativity  and imaginative thinking as the exclusive province of a lucky few disregards the creative and imaginative aspects in the solution of many of the tasks we regularly have to face-the discovery and development of new methods and techniques, the improvement of old methods, existing inventions and products.\nEveryone has creative ability to some extent. Creative thinking involves posing oneself a problem and then originating or inventing a solution along new and unconventional lines. It involves drawing new analogies, discovering new combination, and\/or new applications of things that are already known. It follows, then, that a creative person will exhibit great intellectual curiosity and imagination. He will be alert and observant with a great store of information which he will be able to sort out and combine in the solution of problems. He will be emotionally receptive to new and unconventional ideas and will be less interested in facts than in their implications. Most important of all he will be able to communicate uninhibitedly ( ) and will not be too concerned about other people's reaction to his apparently \"crazy\" notions. People called the Wright brothers mad but it did not stop them from becoming the first men to construct and fly a heavier-than-air craft.","id":"1445.txt","label":1}
{"option":["not ordinary","not political","unacceptable","not creative"],"question":"In the second paragraph, the word \"unconventional\" means_ .","article":"When we think of creative people the names that probably spring to mind are those of men such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, i. e. great artists, inventors and scientists-a select and exceptionally gifted body of men with rare talent and genius.   The  tendency  to regard creativity  and imaginative thinking as the exclusive province of a lucky few disregards the creative and imaginative aspects in the solution of many of the tasks we regularly have to face-the discovery and development of new methods and techniques, the improvement of old methods, existing inventions and products.\nEveryone has creative ability to some extent. Creative thinking involves posing oneself a problem and then originating or inventing a solution along new and unconventional lines. It involves drawing new analogies, discovering new combination, and\/or new applications of things that are already known. It follows, then, that a creative person will exhibit great intellectual curiosity and imagination. He will be alert and observant with a great store of information which he will be able to sort out and combine in the solution of problems. He will be emotionally receptive to new and unconventional ideas and will be less interested in facts than in their implications. Most important of all he will be able to communicate uninhibitedly ( ) and will not be too concerned about other people's reaction to his apparently \"crazy\" notions. People called the Wright brothers mad but it did not stop them from becoming the first men to construct and fly a heavier-than-air craft.","id":"1445.txt","label":0}
{"option":["she had not brought a pen with her","she had lost her own on her way to school","there was something wrong with her own","her own had been taken away by someone"],"question":"The girl wanted to borrow a pen, because  _  .","article":"I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.\nLater, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed. As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.\nLater on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl's test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn't talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test","id":"759.txt","label":2}
{"option":["in the teacher's office","in an exam room","in the school","in the language lab"],"question":"The story took place exactly  _  .","article":"I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.\nLater, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed. As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.\nLater on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl's test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn't talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test","id":"759.txt","label":1}
{"option":["to go on writing his paper","to stop whispering","to leave the room immediately","to stay behind after the exam"],"question":"The teacher saw all this, so she asked the boy  _  .","article":"I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.\nLater, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed. As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.\nLater on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl's test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn't talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test","id":"759.txt","label":3}
{"option":["the moment he was asked to stay behind","when the teacher started talking about honesty","only some time later","when he was walking out of the room"],"question":"The boy knew everything  _  .","article":"I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.\nLater, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed. As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.\nLater on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl's test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn't talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test","id":"759.txt","label":2}
{"option":["honesty","sense of duty","seriousness","all of the above"],"question":"The thing(s) emphasized in her talk was(were)  _  .","article":"I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn't understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.\nLater, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed. As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.\nLater on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl's test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn't talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test","id":"759.txt","label":0}
{"option":["our desire for lives of fulfillment.","our faith in science and technology.","our awareness of potential risks.","our belief in equal opportunity."],"question":"Our vision of the future used to be inspired by","article":"Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely-though by no means uniformly-glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfilment and opportunity for all.\nNow utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.\nBut such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years\n-so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species' place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the \"Red List\" of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: \"Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing,  and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.\"\nSo what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical\nclock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.\nPerhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.\nBut take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.\nThis long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the  risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.","id":"1171.txt","label":1}
{"option":["a sustained species.","a threat to the environment.","the world's dominant power.","a misplaced race."],"question":"The IUCN's \"Red List\" suggests that human beings are","article":"Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely-though by no means uniformly-glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfilment and opportunity for all.\nNow utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.\nBut such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years\n-so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species' place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the \"Red List\" of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: \"Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing,  and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.\"\nSo what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical\nclock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.\nPerhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.\nBut take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.\nThis long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the  risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.","id":"1171.txt","label":0}
{"option":["Arc helps limit the scope of futurological studies.","Technology offers solutions to social problems.","The interest in science fiction is on the rise.","Our immediate future is hard to conceive."],"question":"Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 5?","article":"Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely-though by no means uniformly-glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfilment and opportunity for all.\nNow utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.\nBut such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years\n-so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species' place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the \"Red List\" of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: \"Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing,  and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.\"\nSo what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical\nclock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.\nPerhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.\nBut take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.\nThis long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the  risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.","id":"1171.txt","label":3}
{"option":["explore our planet's abundant resources.","adopt an optimistic view of the world.","draw on our experience from the past.","curb our ambition to reshape history."],"question":"To ensure the future of mankind, it is crucial to","article":"Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely-though by no means uniformly-glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfilment and opportunity for all.\nNow utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.\nBut such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years\n-so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species' place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the \"Red List\" of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: \"Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing,  and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.\"\nSo what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical\nclock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.\nPerhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.\nBut take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.\nThis long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the  risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.","id":"1171.txt","label":2}
{"option":["Uncertainty about Our Future","Evolution of the Human Species","The Ever-bright Prospects of Mankind","Science, Technology and Humanity"],"question":"Which of the following would be the best title for the text?","article":"Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely-though by no means uniformly-glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfilment and opportunity for all.\nNow utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to.\nBut such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years\n-so why shouldn't we? Take a broader look at our species' place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the \"Red List\" of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and you will read: \"Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing,  and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline.\"\nSo what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has as its flagship project a mechanical\nclock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence.\nPerhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today's technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it's perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That's one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future.\nBut take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves.\nThis long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the  risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come.","id":"1171.txt","label":2}