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According to a new US study, couples who expect their children to help care for them in old age should hope they have daughters because they are likely to be twice as attentive overall. The research by Angelina Grigoryeva, a sociologist at Princeton University, found that, while women provide as much care for their elderly parents as they can manage, men do as little as they can get away with and often leave it to female family members. Her analysis of the family networks of 26,000 older Americans concluded that gender is the most important predictor of whether or not people will actively care for elderly parents. In a paper being presented at the annual conference of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco, she concludes that simply having a sister makes men statistically likely provide less care. Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been tracking a cross-section of over-50s for the last decade, she calculated that women provide an average of 12.3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5.6 hours. "Whereas the amount of elderly parent care daughters provide is associated with limitations they face, such as employment or childcare, sons'caregiving is associated only with the presence or absence of other helpers, such as sisters or a parent's spouse ," she explained. "Sons reduce their relative caregiving efforts when they have a sister, while daughters increase theirs when they have a brother." "This suggests that sons pass on parent caregiving responsibilities to their sisters." In the UK, the 2011 census showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities - a figure which has risen by a tenth in a decade. But many are doing so at the risk of their own health. The census showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a full- time job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their working counterparts who are not carers. | What's the most important factor to predict if people will actively care for the elderly? | [
"Gender."
] | 14d2a0a9f6b64151a88f6aa8fcc673c3 | [
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Countries must learn to share water fairly if they are to prevent warring over water as population growth and climate change make it ever more scarce. Farming uses 70 percent of the fresh water taken from the world's lakes and rivers and need from farms is set to increase by 14 percent in the next 30 years. Water conflicts can happen in water-stressed areas among local communities and between countries. The lack of instruments for water sharing _ already difficult conditions. In the absence of clear rules, things will not be organized or arranged in order and power plays an important role. While humans drink between 2 and 5 litres of water a day, it takes 1,000-2,000 litres to produce a kilogram of wheat and up to 15,000 litres to produce a kilo of grain-fed beef. The daily consumption of water per person is a thousand times more than the consumption through drinking. Already 1.1 billion people lack clean water and, with the world's population set to grow from 6.5 billion to 8 billion by 2025, 1.8 billion people will face water scarcity by then. Global warming will exacerbate the problem, especially in poor, dry areas. To improve cross-border cooperation on water use, the 10 countries on the Nile are negotiating a water-sharing agreement which the Food and Agriculture Organisation hopes will be a model for other areas where the scarce water can be shared out peacefully. | What's the passage mainly about? | [
"Countries must learn to share water fairly."
] | b348e2e75dec481ab7de680c4667c531 | [
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This past Christmas season, I went to visit my parents. During the visit, I found the letters written by my parents to each other during the war in the attic . The letters were piles high,dirty and had not been touched for decades. I asked Mother and Father if I could take the lettersback to my home. They agreed.As I opened each letter, all of them delicate with age, I discovered a new page in this private part of my parents' lives. My father served in the army. His letters were full of frontline descriptions, and they continued all the way through the battle. Each of my mother's letters was sealed with a lipstick kiss. Father wrote that he sealed his return letters by rekissing her lipstick kiss. How they had been missing each other! I finished reading six months of the letters and discovered there were at least eleven months missing. Maybe they were lost forever. Not long after our Christmas visit, Father became very ill and was in hospital. I went to the hospital to see him. As I sat by his bedside, he told me how much receiving those lipstick-kissed letters had meant to him when he had been so far from home. Later that evening, Mother and I revisited the attic in search of the lost letters. Finally we dug them out of Mother's old college trunk. The next day was Valentine's Day, and we went to the hospital. At my father's bedside, I showed him an old envelope. His curiosity was aroused. When he carefully opened the letter, he recognized it and his eyes were filled with tears. He read the love messages that had been delivered years before to my mother in a quavery voice. This Valentine's Day, we were lucky that we had everything. | How did the author's father feel when he saw the letter in hospital? | [
"Touched"
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When you make a mistake, big or small, cherish it like it's the most precious thing in the world, because in some ways, it is. Most of us feel bad when we make mistakes, beat ourselves up about it, feel like failures, get mad at ourselves. And that's only natural. Most of us have been taught from a young age that mistakes are bad, and we should try to avoid mistakes. We've been scolded when we make mistakes--at home, school and work. Maybe not always, but probably enough times to make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction. Yet without mistakes, we could not learn or grow. If you think about it that way, mistakes should be cherished and celebrated for being one of the most amazing things in the world. They make learning possible; they make growth and improvement possible. By trial and error--trying things, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes--we have figured out how to make electric light, to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, to fly. Mistakes make walking possible for the smallest _ , make speech possible, and make works of genius possible. Think about how we learn:We don't just consume information about something and instantly know it or know how to do it. You don't just read about painting,or writing,or computer programming,or baking, or playing the piano, and know how to do them right away. Instead, you get information about something, from reading or from another person or from observing usually...then you construct a model in your mind...then you test it out by trying it in the real world...then you make mistakes...then you revise the model based on the results of your real world experimentation...and repeat, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, until you've pretty much learned how to do something. That's how we learn as babies and toddlers, and how we learn as adults. Mistakes are how we learn to do something new--because if you succeed at something, it's probably something you already knew how to do. You haven't really grown much from that success--at most it's the last step on your journey, not the whole journey. Most of the journey is made up of mistakes, if it's a good journey. So if you value learning,if you value growing and improving,then you should value mistakes. They are amazing things that make a world of brilliance possible. | What is the best title of this passage? | [
"Value Mistakes"
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We all love festivals. But since culture develops differently in many places, some festivals are, to us, very strange. Let's take a look at some unique festivals around the world. Cheese Rolling Festival (England) The festival started in the 15thcentury in May. When a round cheese is rolled, competitors run down the hill and try to catch it before it reaches the bottom. As the cheese can reach speeds of up to 112 km/h, it's rare that someone catches the cheese. First to the bottom wins the cheese. But running down a very steep hill behind a cheese can be dangerous. Eight people were injured in 1992. Roswell UFO festival (New Mexico, US) The Roswell UFO festival celebrates the anniversary of the "Roswell Incident", when a UFO was said to have crashed nearby. Every year in July, experts, authors, researches and lecturers come to discuss the incident. The celebration also includes an alien parade, an alien costume contest, and an alien hot air balloon ride. Hemingway Days (Florida, US) This festival has normal stuff (,) like short-story readings and exhibits about the author. But the highlight of the festival is definitely the Hemingway look alike contest. Imagine walking into a bar and being greeted by 20 middle-aged men who all look alike: stocky with thick white beards. The festival takes place in mid-July every year. | Which festival takes place in mid-July every year? | [
"Hemingway Days."
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We all love festivals. But since culture develops differently in many places, some festivals are, to us, very strange. Let's take a look at some unique festivals around the world. Cheese Rolling Festival (England) The festival started in the 15thcentury in May. When a round cheese is rolled, competitors run down the hill and try to catch it before it reaches the bottom. As the cheese can reach speeds of up to 112 km/h, it's rare that someone catches the cheese. First to the bottom wins the cheese. But running down a very steep hill behind a cheese can be dangerous. Eight people were injured in 1992. Roswell UFO festival (New Mexico, US) The Roswell UFO festival celebrates the anniversary of the "Roswell Incident", when a UFO was said to have crashed nearby. Every year in July, experts, authors, researches and lecturers come to discuss the incident. The celebration also includes an alien parade, an alien costume contest, and an alien hot air balloon ride. Hemingway Days (Florida, US) This festival has normal stuff (,) like short-story readings and exhibits about the author. But the highlight of the festival is definitely the Hemingway look alike contest. Imagine walking into a bar and being greeted by 20 middle-aged men who all look alike: stocky with thick white beards. The festival takes place in mid-July every year. | Which festival may cause injuries according to the passage? | [
"Cheese Rolling Festival."
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In a house with more than one kid, there are bound to be some problems. Brothers and sisters borrow stuff, and don't always return it in top condition. Younger kids sometimes feel the older kids get to do whatever they want. Older brothers and sisters think that the baby of the family gets more attention. These are typical problems found throughout the ages, everywhere in the world. When brothers and sisters don't get along well, it's called sibling rivalry. A sibling is a brother or sister and rivalry means competition. It's normal, but too much competition can make for an unhappy home life. A little competition isn't a bad thing. Sometimes it can keep you working hard--when you and your brother spend time shooting hoops. If he's good at it, it may make you want to improve, too. But some sibling rivalry involves arguments--when you think your brother is hogging the ball. People who love each other might argue sometimes, but too much fighting is unpleasant for everyone. Have you ever heard of the green-eyed monster called jealousy ? Sometimes brothers and sisters are jealous of one another. For instance, if your sister always does well at school, it may be frustrating for you, especially if your grades are lower. Although you are probably proud of your brothers and sisters, it's normal to be a little jealous, too. It may make you feel better to focus more on doing your own personal things, rather than comparing yourself with a brother or sister. All kids want attention from their parents, but sometimes you need to take turns. It you are feeling ignored or your brother or sister is always in the spotlight, talk to your mom or dad. If a parent knows you're feeling left out, he or she can figure out ways to help you feel better again. | What does the author think of a little jealousy between brothers and sisters? | [
"Normal."
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American Girl It's packed with the things that matter most to girls: party plans, games, crafts and girl-to-girl advice. American Girlis an appealing, age-appropriate teen magazine that allows young girls to be themselves. The magazine features fun contests, puzzles, giggles, and more! Stories, creative games, cool contests and great sports tips for girls aged 7-11 are available in each issue ofAmerican Girl magazine. Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $ 27.95 Sale price: $22.95 Ladybug Beautiful, colorful, and delightful to read, each issue is filled with charming read-aloud stories, games for memory and skill building, songs, poems, and activities for beginning readers. Parents can visit our online Parents Companion that recommends additional activities, crafts, and books. Issues per year: 9 Cover price: $44.50 Sale price: $33.95 Cicada A monthly magazine for teenagers and young adults aged 14 and up. It offers high-quality fiction and poetry dealing with the issue of growing up, leaving the joys and pains of childhood behind, and becoming an adult. Cicadamagazine also encourages its teen readers to submit their own writing for publication. It's so inspiring and humorous that you will not be able to put it down. Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $51.00 Sale price: $33.95 Sorts Illustrated for Kids It covers sports kids like. Featuring interviews with sports heroes, entertaining comics, breathtaking action photos, tips from the pros , news items of recent notes, games, puzzles, cartoons, fiction, advice from athletes, etc.Sports Illustrated for Kidsis a magazine for children aged 8 and up. Issues per year: 12 Cover price: $47.88 Sale price: $ 24.95 | Which of the four magazines is the most suitable for a 4-year-old child? | [
"Ladybug."
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A huge cloud of dust rose and an overpass disappeared. This was the scene in Zhuzhou,Hunan Province on May 17.Nine people were killed and 16 injured. Things were similar last year in the Sichuan earthquake. Thousands of people were buried in the ruins and lost their lives. What if we could have warned them? People are always _ to find a way of preventing buildings' collapse. Better materials and technology help,but they are not a solution. Just like humans,a building has its own life cycle from "birth" to "death".If we know when a building is going to collapse,we can repair it in advance or get out of it before it falls. Now,scientists at the University of Illinois have developed a material that turns red before it breaks. The invention could be used in things like climbing ropes or bridge supports. The research was led by Nancy Sottos,a professor at the university's Beckman Institute,and Douglas Davis,a graduate research assistant. The secret behind the colorchanging material is a type of molecule .A molecule is a group of atoms held together by chemical bonds. Imagine you and your friends standing in a circle,holding hands. Each person stands for one atom,your hands represent the bonds,and the entire circle represents a molecule. If one person lets go of his or her hands,the molecule changes color. The research team put the molecule into a soft material. When the researchers stretched the material,it turned bright red for a few seconds before it broke into two pieces. When they repeatedly stretched and relaxed the material,without breaking it,it only turned a little red. The major problem is that light can get rid of the red color. When the team shone bright light on the molecule,the broken bond was fixed,and the color disappeared. If the bright light keeps the red color from appearing,the material's warning system will be useless. Scientists still have a lot of work to do before the colorchanging molecules can be used outside the lab. | What does the passage mainly introduce? | [
"A material that turns red before it breaks."
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Sydney is one of the world's biggest cities and has something for everyone when he comes to shopping.You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer.At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney's favorite stores including 16 jewellery stores and many gift and fashion shops.They're all at Westfield Centrepoint. Tel:9231 9300 SOVEREIGN HILL This prizewinning living museum is where Australia's history comes alive!Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Gold Rush days.A wonderful nightly sound and light show,"Blood on the Southern Cross"tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising.Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment,4star hotel and breakfast. Tel:5331 1944 ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water's edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city centre across Port Phillip Bay. Open 7 days a week Lunch:Sunday to Friday 11:00 a.m.2:00 p.m. Dinner:Monday to Saturday 5:00 p.m.10:00 p.m. Tel:9397 6270 or 9397 7799 COOK'S COTTAGE Built by James and Grace Cook,parents of Captain James Cook,Cook's Cottage stands proudly in the Fitzroy Gardens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century,and as a celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook. Open 9:00 a.m.5:00 p.m. daily, and until 5:30 pm during the summer. Tel:9419 4677 | Where can you spend the night in a tour? | [
"Sovereign Hill."
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Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport If You've Lost Personal Belongings *On Board --Contact the airline's representatives *At the Airport --Contact: --Sheremetyevo Police Department ......+7(495)578-22-55 --Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal C ......+7(495)578-23-26 --Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal D ......+7(499)500-65-52(domestic flights) ......+7(495)753-86-41(international flights) When collecting Lost and Found items, you shall have an identification document, a boarding pass or a ticket, and also indicate the place where the items were lost and prove they are yours. If Your Luggage Is Lost or Damaged Before leaving the arrival area, please turn to the Lost and Found counter to file a report. The written claim shall be submitted to the airline company not later than seven days from the time when the luggage was to be collected. If your luggage is not found within twenty-one days of the time when the claim was filed, you have the right to claim damages in the amount of not more than 600 rubles per kilogram. Amount refunded for the hand luggage lost through the fault of an airline is not more than 11, 000 rubles regardless of its weight. Amount refunded for damaged luggage is calculated based on the same tariffs . Keep your flight documents (a ticket, boarding pass, luggage tag, and delayed luggage report filed at the airport) until the end of the procedure for searching for your luggage. Current information on luggage-tracing results ......+7(495)578-76-65 Lost and Found service of Aeroflot Russian Airlines ......+7(495)544-33-25(from 9:00- 20:00) +7(495)753-86-41(24 hours) For further information please contact the airline. | What should you do if you find your personal possessions lost on board? | [
"Contact the airline's representatives."
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Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport If You've Lost Personal Belongings *On Board --Contact the airline's representatives *At the Airport --Contact: --Sheremetyevo Police Department ......+7(495)578-22-55 --Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal C ......+7(495)578-23-26 --Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal D ......+7(499)500-65-52(domestic flights) ......+7(495)753-86-41(international flights) When collecting Lost and Found items, you shall have an identification document, a boarding pass or a ticket, and also indicate the place where the items were lost and prove they are yours. If Your Luggage Is Lost or Damaged Before leaving the arrival area, please turn to the Lost and Found counter to file a report. The written claim shall be submitted to the airline company not later than seven days from the time when the luggage was to be collected. If your luggage is not found within twenty-one days of the time when the claim was filed, you have the right to claim damages in the amount of not more than 600 rubles per kilogram. Amount refunded for the hand luggage lost through the fault of an airline is not more than 11, 000 rubles regardless of its weight. Amount refunded for damaged luggage is calculated based on the same tariffs . Keep your flight documents (a ticket, boarding pass, luggage tag, and delayed luggage report filed at the airport) until the end of the procedure for searching for your luggage. Current information on luggage-tracing results ......+7(495)578-76-65 Lost and Found service of Aeroflot Russian Airlines ......+7(495)544-33-25(from 9:00- 20:00) +7(495)753-86-41(24 hours) For further information please contact the airline. | Which number will you probably dial to see whether your lost luggage has been found? | [
"7(495)578-76-65"
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One Saturday morning Ann was going on business. Before starting, she took her son Sam to her friends, Bill and Kate, and asked them to look after him for the day. Sam, an independent boy of six years old, had black hair and was wearing a pair of jeans and a bright yellow shirt. At eleven o'clock Bill took Sam into town. Sam walked along behind Bill, looking at the windows of all the shops they passed. After lunch they went to the park and walked about. The whole place was very crowded. Bill stopped to buy some chocolate. When he turned round to give some to Sam, the boy wasn't there. Bill ran round calling Sam, but he couldn't find him. About an hour later, just in front of a shop, he saw the black hair, the pair of jeans and the bright yellow shirt. The boy looked as if he was waiting for someone to come out of the shop. Bill ran across the road, took the boy by the hand and hurried off, as it was quite late. The boy began to cry and pull hard, but Bill, who didn't know much about children, couldn't understand a word the boy was saying. All the boy made was a lot of noise. When they got home at last, Bill went straight to the kitchen, with the boy still crying. At the door Bill stopped with an amazed look. There, sitting at the kitchen table with Kate, was a small boy with black hair, in a pair of jeans and a bright yellow shirt. | What did Bill buy for Sam? | [
"Chocolate."
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One of the strangest races in history is about to begin. The judge raises the starting gun and says,"On your marks, get set...'' BANG! Who will win this 40-yard race? Will it be the ostrich with its long legs? Or will it be the highly trained football player? Could the squirrel rush past them all? Don't worry. It's not a real race. Last week, Scientific American magazine asked professor Peter Weyand who would win an imaginary race between an ostrich, a football player, a pig, a squirrel, and an elephant. Weyand teaches physiology. He studies the way animals move. According to his knowledge of how animals _ , here's how the race might go: The ostrich runs out of the starting gate neck and neck with the football player in second, the gray squirrel running third, and the pretty pink pig in fourth. Forty yards later, at the finish line, the heavily feathered bird beats the speeding human! The competition isn't terribly close between the ostrich and the football player, but in a surprise move, the pig moves fast and manages to beat the squirrel by a nose. Pigs don't look like they're built for speed, so its third-place finish is a bit of a shock. How does Weyand explain the Animal Kingdom's speedy match? "The easiest way to explain why the ostrich is fast is that it has long legs,'' he says. Most of the ostrich's leg muscles are high up on its short thighbones. Its long, light legs allow the bird to go faster and keep speed easily. When running, an ostrich's highest speed is about 35 mph. Elephants and squirrels actually run at the same pace. But because squirrels can accelerate quickly, the huge elephant would lose. Pigs can't speed up as fast as squirrels, but they can run faster. Pigs that live in the wild can run close to 16 mph, and squirrels can run at about 14 mph. | According to Weyand, who made people surprised in the race? | [
"The pig."
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Evening Workshops Optional evening workshops will be held at small restaurants or other meeting places near the conference hotel. Meals and other costs are not included but are also optional. Locations will be announced at the conference site. Workshops are very loosely organized and most represent discussions that have been held at Society for Economic Botany (SEB) meetings over a series of years. Workshop 1: Student Network Date: Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th Chairs: Hugo de Boer and Arika Virapongse Sponsor: Society for Economic Botany Description: Student members of the SEB hold a networking mixer each year in order to meet each other and to become familiar with a variety of educational programs and faculty advisors . Faculty members who are part of training programs are encouraged to join the mixer to meet and talk with students. Workshop 2: Botanical Film Making Date: Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th Chair: David Strauch Sponsor: University of Hawaii Description: Digital film making is a particularly useful tool of linking cultural information to recognizable plants. This workshop is aimed towards increasing the quality of material recorded by giving participants greater control over the medium. We will cover technical aspects (e.g. camera settings, audio), technical aspects (framing, lighting, focus), and some ways of presenting the material. Experienced filmmakers are encouraged to attend, and participants are welcome to bring their own camera equipment. Workshop 3: Collections for Botany-- Collections Development and Management Date: Friday evening, Feb. 7th Chair: Jan Salick Sponsor: Society for Economic Botany Description: SEB is a network of researchers who have been developing standards for the development of collections of artifacts, plant samples and related materials. Participants discuss successes, problems, and funding sources for solving management issues. | You are a college student, interested in plants and good at taking TV pictures. Which of the Evening Workshops is most suitable for you? | [
"Botanical Film Making."
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Producing money requires both artistic and technological skills. Dollar bills are made so that they are interesting to look at but very hard to copy. In total, there are sixty-five separate steps required to make a dollar bill. The money making process begins when. a yearly order is sent by the Federal Reserve Board. That order will then be divided in half. Half will be done here in Washington, D. C.and the other half will be done in Fort Worth, Texas. Next, the Bureau orders special paper which is actually cloth since it is 75% cotton and 25% linen. This paper is made so that it can last a long time. And, it is made with details that make it hard to copy. For example, bills contain security threads. These narrow pieces of plastic are inside the paper and run along the width of the bill. This special paper is also made with very small blue and red fibers. Once the money is printed, guillotine cutters separate the sheets into two notes, then into individual notes. The notes are organized in "bricks," each of which contains forty one-hundred-note packages. The bricks then go to one of twelve Federal Reserve Districts, which then give the money to local banks. Ninety-five percent of the bills printed each year are used to replace money that is in circulation, or that has already been removed from circulation. You may know that America's first president, George Washington, is pictured on the one- dollar bill. But do you know whose face is on the two, five, ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred-dollar bills? They are, in order. President Thomas Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, President Andrew Jackson, President Ulysses Grant and statesman Benjamin Franklin. The average life span of a one-dollar bill is twenty-one months. But a ten-dollar bill lasts only about eighteen months. The one hundred-dollar bill lasts the longest, eighty-nine months. One popular question is about the two-dollar bill. This bill is not printed very often. This is because many Americans believe two-dollar bills are lucky, so they keep them. | How many presidents are printed on the American money? | [
"Five"
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It was the summer of 1965. DeLuca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked DeLuca about his plans for the future. "I'm going to college, but I need a way to pay for it," DeLuca recalls saying. "Buck said, 'You should open a sandwich shop.'" That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, buck wrote a check for $1000. DeLuca rented a storefront in Connecticut, and when they couldn't cover their start-up costs, Buck kicked in another $1000. But business didn't go smoothly as they expected. DeLuca says, "After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn't know how badly, because we didn't have any financial controls." All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs. DeLuca was managing the store and going to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They'd meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. "We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, 'We are so successful, we are opening a second store.'" And they did--in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error. But the partners' learn-as-you-go approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, DeLuca would drive around and hand-deliver the checks to pay their suppliers. "It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn't necessary, but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out," DeLuca says. And having a goal was also important. "There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal," DeLuca adds. DeLuca ended up founding Subway Sandwich, the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain. | What contribute most to their success according to the author? | [
"Learning by trial and error."
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Every immigrant leads a double life. Every immigrant has a double identity and a double vision, being suspended between an old and a new home, an old and new self. The very notion of a new home, of course, is in a sense as impossible as the notion of new parents. Parents are who they are; home is what it is. Yet home, like parentage, must be legitimized through love; otherwise, it is only a fact of geography or biology. Most immigrants to America found their love of their old homes betrayed: they did not really abandon their countries; their countries abandoned them. In America, they found the possibility of a new love, the chance to nurture new selves. Not uniformly, not without exceptions. Every generation has its Know-Nothing movement. Its understandable fear and hatred of alien invasion is as true today as it always was, but in spite of all this, the American attitude remains unique. Throughout history, exile has been a disaster; America turned it into a triumph and placed its immigrants in the center of a national epic. The epic is possible because America is an idea as much as it is a country. America has nothing to do with loyalty to a dynasty and very little to do with loyalty to particular place, but everything to do with loyalty to a set of principles. To immigrants, those principles are especially real because so often they were absent or violated in their native lands. It was no accident in the '60 and '70s, when alienation was in flower, that it often seemed to be "native" Americans who felt alienated, while aliens or the children of aliens upheld the native values. The immigrant's double vision results in a special, somewhat skewed perspective on America that can mislead but that can also find revelation in the things that to native Americans are obvious. Psychiatrist Robert Coles speaks of those "who straddle worlds and make of that very experience a new world." "Home is where you are happy." Sentimental, perhaps, and certainly not conventionally patriotic, but is appropriate for a country that wrote the pursuit of happiness into its founding document. That continues for the immigrant in America, and it never stops, but it comes to rest at a certain moment. The moment is hard to pin down, but it occurs perhaps when the immigrant's double life and double vision joint together toward a single state of mind. When the old life, the old home fade into a certain unreality: places one merely visits, in fact or in the mind, practicing the tourism of memory. It occurs when the immigrant learns his ultimate lesson: above all countries, America, if loved, returns love. | What can be the best title of the passage? | [
"Home Is Where You Are Happy"
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What happens inside the skull of a soccer player who repeatedly heads a soccer ball? That question motivate a challenging new study of the brains of experienced players that has caused discussion and debate among soccer players, and some anxiety among those of us with soccer-playing children. For the study, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York selected 34 adults,men and women. All of the volunteers had played soccer since childhood and now competed year-round in adult soccer leagues. Each filled out a detailed questionnaire developed especially for this study to determine how many times they had headed a soccer ball in the previous year, as well as whether they had experienced any known concussions in the past. Then the players completed computerized tests of their memory and other learning skills and had their brains scanned, using a complicated new MRI technique which can find structural changes in the brain that can't be seen during most scans. According to the data they presented at a Radiological Society of North America meeting last month,the researchers found that the players who had headed the ball more than about 1,100 times in the previous 12 months showed significant loss of white matter in parts of their brains involved with memory,attention and the processing of visual information, compared with players who had headed the ball fewer times. This pattern of white matter loss is "similar to those seen in traumatic brain injury" , like that after a serious concussion, the researchers reported,even though only one of these players was reported to have ever experienced a conc ussion. The players who had headed the ball about 1,100 times or more in the past year were also generally worse at recalling lists of words read to them, forgetting or _ the words far more often than players who had headed the ball less. | What is likely to be the cause of memory loss? | [
"White matter loss."
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We are looking for teachers for our private secondary school in Nigeria. This is a Christian school and we are looking for Christian teachers. Accommodations are provided and salaries can be discussed. Volunteers are welcome to apply but those with teaching qualifications and experience will be first chosen. Subjects: English, French or Art. Those who teach other subjects are also welcome. Applicant 1 Modupe Bvuma I have a master's degree in Managerial Psychology and know a little French. I'm looking for a job either as a teacher or as a personnel manager. I'm a Christian and live in Nigeria, Africa and I'd be glad to be given the opportunity. Applicant 2 Rachel Moore I'm an Australian and have experience in working with children in the local church, although I don't believe in Jesus. I have bachelor's degrees in both Art and Education. I have _ my job with my pupils and now have settled in Nigeria, Africa to look for a job teaching English or French. Applicant 3 Mwanyimi Bushabu I've been in Africa for 5 years as a banker. It is advantageous for me to teach French at your school since it's my mother tongue, I am a Church member and promise I shall keep the Christian standards at your school. Applicant 4 Freddie Matthews I am to graduate from the University of Nottingham, England. I have gained teaching experience by tutoring children in lots of families and will have a teaching qualification. I'm interested in your job. Applicant 5 Adelaide White I am an Egyptian living in San Francisco, the USA. I'm a Christian. I have been a teacher of English and French for 12 years. I am currently an advisor in schools. Besides my master's degree, my post bachelor's degree is in Pupils Personnel Service Credentials. I want to return to my continent. | Supposing the school needs an African to teach French, who would be the best choice? | [
"Adelaide White."
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San Francisco's Chinatown is the biggest and oldest in the country. It's the third most visited tourist destination in the city. It's also the city's most densely populated neighbor- hood. So why are. businesses in Chinatown struggling? In this week's paper, I outline some of the reasons for why Chinatown's crowded streets and busy shops might be declining. Underneath the surface, Chinatown is falling. And the city, local organizations and businesses are trying to figure out what they can do to turn things around. While numbers of people visit Chinatown, they don't stay long and they don't spend a lot of money. And beyond annual festivals,1ike Chinese New Years, this month's Moon Festival and last month's Sunday Streets - which drew about 15,000 t0 20.000 people - the neighborhood has a hard time attracting locals. Can you remember the last. time you went to Chinatown ?If you can't, You're not alone. Locals told me that Chinatown doesn't have much to offer them - that the stores are all the same. There are some good eating joints, people said, but they don't know how to find them. Some people even told me that they sometimes go to extreme measures to avoid the neighborhood altogether. But when asked if the-v would like to see Chinatown gone, the answer was always a strong no. Locals are hopeful that things will get better and traffic will increase when the Central Subway is complete. But chat's not for another five years. at least. And if' new shops or restaurants don't make their way into Chinatown. the same problem of attracting locals will exist. Not that Chinatown's going to die. The dragon still has some fire in its belly. And many people are rooting for positive change. The question is, how does Chinatown change without losing the very importance of what makes it unique? | What is the author's attitude towards Chinatown? | [
"Hopeful."
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Several Holiday Houses in Sicily and Its Islands Baglio Fontana, Buseto Paiizzoio, Trapani,Sicily Grapes have been harvested at this traditional family farm since the early 18ih century. Old photos of the family cover the walls of tlie sitting room. A farm museum exhibits ancient tools and you can have a taste of wine in the country restaurant. All the rooms combine modem comforts with original features. You can also swim in the pool. Doubles from EUR 100 per night,+39 0923 855000 Club Levante,Pantelleria Reaching Pantelleria by plane is striking; by boat from Trapani it is thrilling. It's a surprisingly stylish place for nature-lovers seeking privacy and peace, and is run by warmhearted Matteo and his father. There's a small restaurant. Bedrooms are elegant, a couple of which have a sea view from the bed. Doubles from EUR 130 per night,+39 0923 915246 Giardinl di Pantelleria, Pantelleria Come for an adventurous week of walking, boating and hot-springing in an ancient, dramatic landscape. Five thousand years ago, Pantelleria was mined for volcanic glass to make spears and knives, and our ancestors left some fascinating tombs. Local Arabs built circular shelters for their traditional stone houses with two-metre-tliick rock walls. From EUR400 a week for an apartment sleeping two, +39 340 6156112 Villa Punta San Nicola, Favignana Favignana is not very famous. It's just a hatitat for those Italians who are familiar with the area. This trio of single-storey sandstone houses are owned and were designed by a former fashion photographer. They are half buUl into the rocks and simply but stylishly furnished. There's a beautiful rocky beach just a few steps away. Apartmenis sleeping 2 from EUR 650 c week, + 39 335 337054 | Which place is only known by some Italians? | [
"Villa Punta San Nicola, Favignana."
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I'm trying to be a writer, but I can't even start. What should I do? Abraham, Nebraska There are many ways to come up with ideas, one of which is to write down a list of your experiences, as well as things from your imagination. When you want to write, look in the notebook for ideas. Books for writers often have good suggestions, too. One we like isSpilling Ink: A Yong Writer's Handbook by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. Perhaps your library has it. My classmates keep asking about a new movie I've seen. But I don't want to spoil it for them. What should I do? Corinne (by e-mail) You could ask your classmates whether they are sure they want to know and if they insist, go ahead and tell them. You may be able to give them a general idea of the movie without revealing details of the ending. I'm going to a soccer camp for youth, but I'm not sure if I'm good at soccer or if I'll make friends. Louise, New Hampshire Soccer camp is for people who share an interest in the sport. No matter what a person's ability is at the beginning, it's likely that everyone will leave camp with improved skills. Sharing a common interest may make conversations easier. Smile, be friendly, and have a sense of humor. Before long, you may find that you've made some good friends. Someone invited me to a birthday party. When I got there, kids were doing stuff I'm not interested in, like watching scary movies. I told them my mom would pick me up, so I just left. Was I rude for doing that? Sam (by e-mail) You just did the right thing and that isn't being rude. We hope you'll talk with your parents about this. They're probably proud of what you did. They may have other suggestions for you, too. Talk about different situations that might come up and what would be the best way to handle them. | Who is interested inSpilling Ink: A Yong Writer's Handbook? | [
"Abraham."
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Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip.White had two reasons for making this _ journey.First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did.He raised PS70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam.White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world.He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not. White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later.He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains.He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas.Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team.No jeep carrying food, water and medicine.No doctor.Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road. The journey was lonely and desperate at times.He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains.He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need.There were other dangers along the road.In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had.The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia.For l,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him.This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end.Now Mr.White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures. | What actually inspired Phil White to overcome all the difficulties? | [
"To help people in need."
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Trends come and go but style is eternal. So what is the latest fashion trend that defines this season? Let's take a look at the fashion trend in 2016 and be the first ones to embrace the latest trend. Head----It seems like everyone will be wearing a bucket hat this season. Bucket hat might sound a bit old-fashioned for some people, but the 90s trend is in season again! Spring and summer are always the seasons for casual clothes, so pairing the bucket hat with casual shorts or skirts would be your outfit to go in this spring and summer in 2016. Bottom--Summer is the season when everyone gets ready for the humid weather. The current season trend is making everyone have a more comfortable summer because wide-leg bottoms is in trend again. Perhaps not everyone likes wide-leg bottoms because this could possible make people look shorter, choosing a high-waist wide-leg bottom and matching it with crop top will definitely make you look taller and trendy in 2016. Dress---Be prepared for embracing the feminine details this season. Ruffles around the sleeve or ruffles all-over the dress will be everyone's favorite in SS 2016. All these little details will transform your look in season. Simple colors like pink and black are designer's favorites in this season too. Shoes---Many people thought wedges are also the shoes to go in spring and summer time, but in SS 2016, very flat flats are in trend again. Shoe designers are trying to have more combinations flats or low-heels with less of gender identity. Accessories----No outfit goes perfect without accessories. Adding statement accessories to your simple and natural outlook this summer is your day-to-night outfit. These jewels are doing to make you feel completed in day time and sparkled at night. | What kind of people will benefit a lot more from this passage? | [
"Designers"
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Back to the Future With the help of a local inventor's time machine, Marty travels back to the 1950s. There his 80s hipness stands out, and he inadvertently interferes with the fledgling romance of his parents-to-be. Can Marty keep them together? He'd better, or his own future will fade away. Featuring: Christopher Lloyd, Michael J.Fox. A universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 55 min. Beethoven's 2nd In this sequel to the popular Beethoven, our canine hero falls for Missy, who soon has puppies. Missy's greedy owner, Regina, who sees only money in the little purebreds, separates mom and pups from Beethoven. His owners rescue the puppies, but Regina still has Missy. Featuring: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 26 min. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Despite the popularity of his treats, candy maker Willy Wonka shuts himself inside his factory. But then Willy holds a contest, offering five lucky children the chance to see his company. Poor but pleasant Charlie Bucket finds a ticket, as do four less-deserving children. Featuring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore. A Warner Bros. Release, 1 hr. 56 min. Cinderella Man Based on actual events, this film follows the life of Jim Braddock, a boxer in New York City during the Great Depression. After a series of losses, Braddock is forced into retirement. But he never gives up his boxing dream, and neither does his manager. Featuring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger. A Universal Pictures release, 2 hr. 14 min. Liar Liar Lawyer Fletcher Reede has never told the truth in his life. Then his son makes a birthday wish that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours. Suddenly, Fletcher's mouth spouts everything he thinks. His compulsion brings disaster to courtroom, where he must defend a client whose case was built on lies. Featuring: Jim Carrey, Justin Cooper. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 25 min. | Which film is about the life of a real person? | [
"Cinderella Man"
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Beijing's historic hutong are in danger of disappearing. That's the warning from residents and historians, who have called on authorities to do more to protect this unique part of the capital's culture. In 2000, Beijing still had 1,300 hutong, according to amateur historian Zhang Wei. But he estimates that since then, at least half of them have disappeared. According to regulations, people can report illegal buildings to urban patrol officers, known as chengguan, and buildings found to be illegal will be demolished by force. However, a China Daily reporter found that it was not an easy task, and lots of additional structures built by their owners were found in hutong. Many owners added a second floor or even more floors to their houses, especially in buildings near main streets, in order to rent more apartments and make more money. Zhang, the historian, said that to better protect the hutong, the government should offer more compensation to residents willing to move away. Guo Dazhi, a photojournalist in Beijing, lived in a hutong for nearly 30 years before moving to eastern Chaoyang district. Guo hopes that the government can solve the problem by moving residents out of hutong with policies such as public renting programs. However, the Beijing Commission of Urban Planning said in a report in July that the relocation of residents from old areas was very expensive.According to the report, allocating 10,000 residents costs 1.5 billion yuan . | Who is mainly in charge of the illegal building? | [
"Chengguan"
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A graded reader is a book containing simplified languages used to help learners master the language. Readers come in different levels, from beginners to advanced. English learners need to choose a reader that is suitable for their level. Why use readers? Lots of research shows that extensive reading improves all aspects of language learning, including vocabulary, speaking skills, fluency ,writing skills and reading comprehension. prefix = st1 /Reading is a way of learning English without classes or a teacher. It helps develop learner independence. And while reading graded readers, learners don't have to run to a dictionary because the language is at their level. How do I get started? The entire class can read the same book or different books at different times. How do I know the right level? If your class is all reading the same book, choose one that is appropriate for their level. If your students are reading different books, you can have a selection of books at different levels. In this case, don't worry too much about the level. A learner who is interested in detective stories might read a higher level book if the motivation is there. How to read the book depends on students' age, motivation and class time available. Some classes like to read silently, others like to read aloud in small groups and some enjoy being read to by the teacher. Be sensitive to the class and ask for their opinions. Some pre-reading activities are needed. Before students open a book, it is important to spark interest in the story and in the whole process of reading. For example, ask them to guess what the story is from cover, chapter titles and let students put them in the best order, or discuss the author. During reading, choose a suitable chapter or chapters that can be broken down to make a comic strip . Or students select a part of the book to make into a radio play. Students can also become journalists and report on parts of the story. Choose a piece of action and have students write it up. Besides, students can role-play an interview with a character. | When do you think students can become journalists and report on parts of the story? | [
"During reading."
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We like people who look like us, because they tend to have personalities similar to our own. And, a new study suggests, the longer we are with someone, the more similarities in appearance grow. Researchers set out to study why couples often tend to look like one another. They asked 11 male and 11 female participants to judge the age, attractiveness and personality of 160 real-life married couples. Photographs of husbands and wives were viewed separately, so the participants didn't know who was married to whom. The test participants rated men and women who were actual couples as looking alike and having similar personalities. Also, the longer the couples had been together, the greater the similarities. The researchers guess that the sharing of experiences might affect how couples look. The idea that there is a connection between appearance and personality might seem strange at first, but there could be biological reasons for a link, said study member Tony Little from the University of Liverpool in England. "The face displays our emotions and over time, emotional expressions may become written in the face," Little told Live Science. For example, someone who smiles a lot may develop lines and muscles that are suggestive of someone who is happy. Other studies have shown that partners who are genetically similar to each other tend to have happier marriages. The new study indicates that people have different features when using facial appearance to make decisions about someone's personality, and that the particular cues focused on change from face to face. Vital to the decision, however, are eyes and smiles. "Smiles are important social cues that may tell us whether or not someone is friendly, and eyes are also a traditional focus of attention," Little said. Overall face shape can be important too. For example, the combination of large chins and strong brow ridges can create an impression of disagreeableness and being unwilling to cooperate, Little said. | Which part of a person's face can help you judge whether he/she is paying attention to you? | [
"Eyes."
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In the computer age, most of us take a broadband Internet connection for granted. Whether cable or mobile broadband, today's connections are many times faster than those in the early days. Videos play smoothly, complex websites load quickly, and files download much faster than ten years ago. And the files are much bigger too. There's _ , of course: You have to live near enough to a major city to get broadband Internet. If you don't, it's slow dial-up access for you. And for those living really far out, there may be no Internet access at all. Technology experts often talk about the "last mile" problem, which refers to the difficulty of bringing Internet access to remote locations. In cities and suburbs, it's relatively easy to provide access for everyone. It is much more difficult to deliver access to those living far from cities, especially in developing countries. Internet service providers, for their part, have been reluctant to provide access to sparsely populated areas. The handful of Internet users they would reach wouldn't cover the expense. But every year, technological advancements allow of more and more Internet users. Most broadband connections today run over existing cable TV and telephone lines although these technologies aren't available everywhere. Some companies have delivered the Internet over standard power lines. Advancements in cheaper, more efficient fiber optics cables promise to bring extremely fast Internet connections to more users. Still, the "last mile" problem remains hard to deal with. There will always be somewhere that doesn't have an affordable broadband connection. But someday that might not matter. If the rapid progress in cell phone technology is any indication , it may not be too long before an Internet connection simply follows you wherever you go. | What may eventually settle the "last mile" problem? | [
"The rapid progress in cell phone technology."
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A person who is deaf when he is born is usually dumb as well. There may be nothing wrong with his mouth and tongue, but he cannot speak. This is because he cannot hear people, so he has nothing to imitate . He may try to make sounds himself, but cannot hear his own voice. However, even though he finds it difficult to speak and cannot hear, he can learn to read. Nowadays such persons can also be taught to speak because we have modern methods and equipment, but we did not have these when Helen Keller was born. Even with modern methods and equipment, however, it is not easy for deaf children to learn to speak, though most of them succeed. When a child is deaf and blind as well, it becomes much more difficult, though it is possible. Helen Keller was born in 1880. She became very ill at the age of nineteen months. Medical knowledge was not as great then as it is now. She did not die but lost her sight and hearing. As a result, she became dumb as well. Her parents did their best to teach her, but she couldn't speak by the age of six. Then, in 1887, a teacher, Miss Sullivan, came to live with her. Miss Sullivan herself had been blind. She had been partly cured. Though she could not see very well, she was not blind. Helen was a difficult pupil at first, but in a month Helen had learned how to understand signs and how to make them herself. At last in spite of her great difficulties, Helen learned to read, write and speak, even though she was deaf and blind. She even went to college and had full education. She wrote many books, and though other people have written books about her, her own books are the ones that best explain how it feels to be deaf, dumb and blind. Her best book is The Story of My Life. Perhaps you have read it. Though it was written in 1902, it is still a very interesting book. Even if you have not read it, you may have heard of Helen Keller. | How long did it take Keller to understand signs? | [
"A month"
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A town in Oxfordshire has become the first in the UK to have biomethane gas from human waste piped to their homes for gas central heating and cooking. Up to 200 families in Didcot now receive the gas via the national gas power system. Head of energy and technology at British Gas, Martin Orrill, said customers wouldn't notice any difference as the gas is purified to the highest standard and has no smell. The gas is produced at a sewage treatment works plant in Didcot. The entire process takes only less than three weeks, with the sewage being collected and sent first to settlement tanks. The solid waste material is then fed into digesters, where anaerobic bacteria digest the sewage, with the aid of enzymes to speed up the process. The digestion process produces methane, which can be burned to drive machines to produce electricity, or can be purified and fed into the gas network and piped to homes and businesses. British Gas says supplying the gas rather than electricity is far more efficient since around two-thirds of the energy is lost in producing electricity. Partners in the Didcot project, British Gas, Scotia Gas Networks, and Thames Water, all hope to expand the process to other towns, and other companies such as Ecotricity and United Utilities have also announced biomethane projects being planned. One of these projects, in Manchester, could be supplying 500 homes with biomethane by mid next year. Another British Gas project in Suffolk will provide gas from digestion of brewery wastes to around 235 families. The Didcot project cost PS2.5m and was influenced by promises of government aids aimed at encouraging companies to develop renewable technologies. An EU directive means the UK must ensure at least 15 percent of its energy is from renewable sources by 2020. The UK produces about 1.73 million tons of sewage annually. If all sewage treatment works in the UK were fitted with the technology, they could supply gas for up to 350,000 families. | What should the text belong to? | [
"Energy."
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Americans have always been interested in their Presidents' wives. Many First Ladies have been remembered because of the ways they have influenced their husbands. Other First Ladies have made the history books on their own. At least two First Ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, made it their business to send signals during their husbands speeches. When Lady Bird Johnson thought her husband was talking too long, she wrote a note and sent it up to the platform. It read, "It's time to stop ! " And he did. Once Bess Truman didn't like what her husband was saying on television, so she phoned him and said, "If you can't talk more politely than that in public, you come right home. " It was First Lady Helen Taft's idea to plant the famous cherry trees in Washington, D. C. Each spring these blossoming trees attract thousands of visitors to the nation's capital Mrs. Taft also influenced the male members of her family and the White House staff in a strange way: she convinced them to shave off their beards ! Shortly after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke , Edith Wilson unofficially took over most of the duties of the Presidency until the end of her husband's term Earlier, during World War I, Mrs. Wilson had sheep brought onto the White House lawn to eat t e grass. The sheep not only kept the lawn cut. but provided wool for an auction held by the First Lady. Almost$ 100,000 was raised for the Red Cross. One of the most famous First Ladies was Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was active in political and. social causes throughout her husband's term in office After his death, she became famous for her humanitarian work in the United Nations. She made life better for thousands of needy people around the world. | Who did the most meaningful work among the first ladies? | [
"Eleanor Roosevelt."
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Recently we asked for people's opinions about paying students to encourage them to come to class and get higher scores on tests. Some American schools are doing this. More of the people were against the idea than were for it. Some people said paying students sends a message that money is the only reason they should study for. Steven from prefix = st1 /Chinasays students should study for knowledge. Money may make a difference in the short term, he says, but we should think about the long term. Zhao Jing Tao, a college student in China, thought of an old saying. Paying students is like "drinking poison to end thirst"-- trying to solve a problem without thinking of the bad effects. Dinh Minh Tuan from Vietnamsays rewards are important because they prepare students for the future life. But young children should get things they value more than money, like funny books, pens and film tickets. There was a suggestion from South Korea that if rewards are necessary for learning,they could be gathered like a charity fund. This money could be used for a project designed by the students. Francisco Mora from Colombiasays the city ofBogotapays parents, so children do not have to work until they finish their basic education. This, he says, has increased the number of students who come to public schools. Teresa Finamore wrote: "I am an Italian teacher of math and science for students from eleven to fourteen. I think that it is wrong to pay students. Each student has to understand that going to school, he gets a wonderful chance to live better in the future and also at present." Nelly Constant in France wonders, if young people get paid for studying, what will they expect from a job --a rocket to the moon? Sergio Fernandes from Brazilsays paying students is not realistic. But Camillus Chiemela, a Nigerian living inGermany, feels it will help to make the education system better. Students' expectations will be much higher. Naval from Russiaalso says yes to the idea: "We should at least get something for our time wasted. Because in my country students pay money to go to school or get good grades from teachers." And Lucy Ding from Chinasays most Chinese students work hard for two reasons: their parents' expectations and pressure from teachers. She says getting rewards will become a good thing that will get students to work hard for themselves, for the things they hope to get. | Who of the following says yes to the idea of paying students? | [
"Camillus Chiemela"
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Welcome to Adventureland! Everyone loves Adventureland !The Parks and Exhibitions were built for you to explore ,enjoy,and admire their wonders.Every visit will be an unforgettable experience.You will go away enriched,longing to come back.What are you going to do this time? The Travel Pavilion Explore places you have never been to before,and experience different ways of life.Visit the Amazon jungle village,the Turkish market,the Tai floating market,the Berber mountain house and others.Talk to the people there who will tell you about their lives,and things they make.You can try making a carpet,making nets,fishing... The Future Tower This exhibition shows how progress will touch our lives.It allows us to look into the future and explore the cities of the next century and the way we'll be living then.Spend some time in our space station and climb into our simulator for the Journey to Mars! The Nature Park This is not really one park but several.In the Safari Park you can drive among African animals in one of our Range Cruisers:see lions,giraffes,elephants in the wild.Move on to the Ocean Park to watch the dolphins and whales.And then there is still the Aviary to see... The Pyramid This is the center of Adventureland.Run out of film,need some postcards and stamps?For all these things and many more,visit our underground shopping center.Come here for information and ideas too. | If you want to get a toy lion to take home,where will you most likely go? | [
"The Pyramid."
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One man tells of driving on a long and lonely road, the last 65 miles of it unpaved, in order to watch Indian dances in the state of Arizona.After the dances, he returned to his car only to find that it had a flat tire.He put on the spare and drove to the only service station in that town. "Do you fix flats?" he inquired of the attendant. "Yes," came the answer. "How much do you charge?" he asked. With a twinkle in his eye, the man replied, "What difference does it make?" This is what has been called a "Hobson's choice".A Hobson's choice is a situation that forces a person to accept whatever is offered or go without. According to Barbara Berliner, the phrase was inspired by sixteenth-century entrepreneur Thomas Hobson.There was no choice by the customer -- it was strictly Hobson's choice. But often we really have a choice, and the choice does make a difference.We may not always believe it.We may feel as if we have no choice, but almost always there is a choice in the matter.And when we realize that we do most things by choice, then we are taking control of our own lives. Someone challenged me to try an experiment that completely changed my perspective(,)."For the next seven days," he said, "remove the words 'I have to' from your vocabulary and say 'I choose to'.Don't say, 'I have to work late tonight'.Instead, say, 'I choose to work late'.When you choose to do it, you take control of your life.Instead of saying 'I have to stay home', try 'I choose to stay home'.The way you spend your time is your choice.You are responsible.You have control." In just seven days I was no longer saying "I have to" and I felt better about my decisions.I learned that there is very little in my life I actually have to do.You and I decide to do certain things because we believe that it will be for the best.When we remove "I have to" from our vocabularies, we take control. Try it for a week and you see what happens.I think you'll see it's a change for the better. | What's the best title of this passage? | [
"I Choose To"
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Fat on human body is distributed in two different ways. Some fat people have a large chest and no waistline , looking rather like apples. Others are fatter below the waist, looking more like pears. Doctors in Cambridge, England have been examining the relationship between health and fat distribution. They find that the pear-shaped fat people have fewer problems than the apple-shaped people. What seems to be most important is not just how much fat you have but where you have it. The doctors measured the apple-shaped women and pear-shaped women and examined them with X-ray scanners (X). Human beings have two types of fat, one is outside fat that is the fat below the skin and the other is inside fat that lies inside the body. Using the X-ray scanners, the doctors found that the "apples" have a large amount of inside fat. If this inside fat is much more than outside fat, it will probably cause health problems such as obesity . The best treatment for obesity is to reduce the inside fat. But unfortunately diet treatment simply makes an apple-shaped person into a smaller apple and a pear-shaped person into a smaller pear. At the moment there is no effective way of reducing the inside fat. | If you are fatter below your hip you are | [
"a pear-shaped person"
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In October, Ubayd Steed, a sixth grader in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was taking a math test when he noticed a classmate looking at his paper. " I quickly turned my paper over," he said. Later that day, Ubayd met the cheater and told him not to do it again. Unfortunately, Ubayd' s experience is not unusual. Whether it's kids copying class -mates' answers during tests or friends sharing homework, cheating happens in schools every day. Experts say the behavior starts in the lower grades. Surveys show that one in three elementary students admits to cheating. Jacob Harder, a fourth grader in Ware, Massachusetts, has had classmates ask to copy his homework. "I wouldn't want to just tell them the answers," he says. So instead, he explains the task and encourages his classmates to do it themselves. But many kids find it hard to say no. "l hear from kids all the time, ' I can' t say no to a friend,'" says Eric Anderman, a professor at The Ohio State University who studies cheating in school. He says it' s important to say no from the start. "Then you _ , and the other kid gets the message," he says. Plus, he points out, "a real friend is not going to disown you because he or she couldn't copy your math homework." The kids doing the copying may feel they need to cheat to be accepted by other kids. And some students may cheat simply because others do. "If you' re in an atmosphere where cheating is common, you may think that if you don' t cheat, you' re at a disadvantage," says Michael Josephson, founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics. But Josephson says students shouldn't think that way. "There are a lot of things kids do," he says. "You have to decide what kind of person you' re going to be." When school becomes too challenging, Anderman suggests going to the teacher rather than relying on the work of others. "It' s good to ask for help," he says. | Who advises kids to turn to teachers for help when they fall behind in studies'? | [
"Eric Anderman."
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McGill Comedy Club Important meetings today. Discussion on putting on Blazing Saddles. Union room 302, 3-4pm. New members (both actors and non-actors, living and dead) are welcome. History Students' Association Prof. Michael Cross of Dalhouseie University will be speaking on "Unskilled Labor on Rivers and Canals in Upper Canada, 1820-1850: The beginning of Class Struggle" at 10am. in Peacock 230. Design Mirror Sale All types and sizes of design mirrors priced to please. Sale today in Union room 108. McGill Teaching Assistants' Association A general meeting, for all the Tas will be held at 4pm. in peacock 116. Women's Union Important general meeting at 6pm. Union room 423. Speaker on "Importance of Deciding Basic Goals of the Women's Union." Everyone ----old, new and those interviewed, please attend. Film Society Last meeting of the term for all members. All managers are required to be present at 6pm. sharp, Union room 434. Canadian University Students Overseas CUSO presents "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast" at 7pm. newman Centre, 3848 Peel. Find out about CUSO here and overseas. Everyone welcome. | If you are interested in arts, where can you go for a visit? | [
"Union room 108"
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By the mid-nineteenth century, the term "icebox" had entered the American language, but ice was still only beginning to affect the diet of ordinary citizens in the United States. The ice trade grew with the growth of cities. Ice was used in hotels, taverns , and hospitals, and by some forward-looking city dealers in fresh meat, fresh fish, and butter. After the Civil War (1861-1865), as ice was used to refrigerate freight cars, it also came into household use. Even before 1880, half of the ice sold in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and one-third of that sold in Boston and Chicago, went to families for their own use. This had become possible because a new household convenience, the icebox, a precursor of the modern fridge, had been invented. Making an efficient icebox as not as easy as we might now suppose. In the early nineteenth century, the knowledge of the physics of heat, which was essential to a science of refrigeration, was rudimentary . The commonsense notion that the best icebox was one that prevented the ice from melting was of course mistaken, for it was the melting of the ice that performed the cooling. Nevertheless, early efforts to economize ice included wrapping up the ice in blankets, which kept the ice from doing its job. Not until near the end of the nineteenth century did inventors achieve the delicate balance of insulation and circulation needed for an efficient icebox. But as early as 1803, and ingenious Maryland farmer, Thomas Moore, had been on the right track. He owned a farm about twenty miles outside the city of Washington, for which the village of Georgetown was the market center. When he used an icebox of his own design to transport his butter to market, he found that customers would pass up the rapidly melting stuff in the tubs of his competitors to pay a premium price for his butter, still fresh and hard in neat, one-pound bricks. One advantage of his icebox, Moore explained, was that farmers would no longer have to travel to market at night in order to keep their produce cool. | What was essential to to make an icebox efficient according to the passage? | [
"Balance of insulation and circulation"
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Mr. Black was the manager of a hotel in Atlanta. One weekend all of the hotels were full because of a large business meeting being held in the city. On Sunday night, three men came into Mr. Black's hotel and asked for rooms. Mr. Black told them that there were no more rooms available. The men didn't know what to do because they had no place to stay in. Mr. Black wanted to help them. He remembered that there was an empty room at the far end of the first floor -- Room 112. It was a very small room, and had rarely been used as a guest room before. So, he asked the three men if they would mind sharing that small room. They replied that they would be very satisfied so long as there was a room for them to stay in for the night. Mr. Black then told them that the room would cost them $ 30 in total. On hearing this, each of the three men gave Mr. Black $ 10 before they left for their room. However, Mr. Black soon began to think that $ 30 was really too much for that small room. He called his assistant over and said, "Here is $ 5. Give it back to the three men in Room 112. Each of them paid me $10. That's too much." The assistant took the money. While he was on the way to that small room, he thought, "How can three men divide $ 5? I'll give each of them only $ 1 and keep the $ 2 left to myself. The men will be happy to get anything back, and I can also make some money that way. After all, Mr. Black will never know anything about it." So, the assistant returned only $1 to each of the three men. Each man had first paid $ 10. After the assistant returned $1 to him, each man had actually paid only $ 9. There were three men. $ 9x3="$27." The assistant kept $ 2. $ 27 + $ 2=" $" 29. Where is the missing dollar? | How much did Mr. Black first ask each man for the room? | [
"$10."
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Maggiano is an award-winning teacher in the Social Studies Department at West Springfield High School in Virginia.He has taught in public and private schools for 25 years.In a piece on his blog called "The Classroom Post," he calls for more males to enter the profession . Men Teach, a non-profit organization that encourages men to enter teaching, reports that in 2008, 18.8% of all elementary and middle school teachers were men.At the high school level during the same year, men comprised 44% of the work force. Why are there so few men in teaching? Men Teach says low pay and lack of prestige , as well as a perception in our culture that teaching is for women.As a result, there is no organized effort across the country to attract men into the teaching profession. A study in 2008 by the National Education Association showed that the number of male teachers hit a record 40-year low.Males comprised 24.5 percent of public schoolteachers.States with high percentages: Kansas (33.6 percent), Oregon (31.6 percent), Alaska (30.9 percent) and Indiana (30.5percent).States with the lowest percentage : Arkansas (16.2 percent), Virginia (17.4 percent), Mississippi (17.5 percent), Louisiana (18 percent), South Carolina (18.5 percent) and Georgia (19.7 percent). There is no definitive research that male students--or female students, for that matter-- learn better from a particular sex. But as Maggiano put it, "Kids today, both boys and girls, must have the same opportunity to learn from outstanding, devoted men that I did.However, I have heard little discussion about this problem coming from our national leaders. | In which state are male teachers most badly needed? | [
"Arkansas"
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Here are some books published this year. The following introductions of these books may help you choose a book to your own taste. Life Simplified If you are looking for a book that will transform your life for good, Life Simplified is that book. If you are looking for a guide to inspire and lead you back to your inherent self, Life simplified will act as your compass. Life Simplified provides readers with a carefully mapped approach to create life changes. The reader will develop a sense of personal pride in their progress as each chapter is completed, motivating them further. The book is an absolute must read if you would like an uncomplicated method in positively improving your life. Building the Best You How can you become the person you've always dreamed of being? Personal transformation begins when you take stock of where you are and what you are doing right now...and work to change it. All you have to do is to answer some basic questions and take five minutes of "focus time" daily to get there. You are responding to questions like "What am I grateful for today?", "What challenged me?" and "How can I overcome that challenge?" The Gifts of Imperfection In this latest book, the writer Brown emphasizes that above all other ingredients of living an emotionally healthy life is the importance of loving ourselves. The point is to embrace life and oneself with all the imperfections, releasing the stress of overdoing and overworking. Brown offers exercises for readers to understand their own emotions and begin to develop the kind of resilience needed to refuse unrealistic expectations of others and ourselves. The Strengths Book You are remarkable. But do you always realize it? Realize your strengths and you will be realizing the best of you. Do you want to be confident, successful, and sustainably happy? Do you want to achieve your goals and enjoy better relationships? The Strengths Book reveals the sixty strengths that make us who we are. If you are a manager, a parent, a career changer, or even just you, remarkable as you are, The Strengths Book is for you. Discover your strengths--what you do best and love to do--and transform your life by realizing the best of you. | Which book doesn't involve the topic of change? | [
"The Gifts of Imperfection."
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Enjoy your reading time! We provide a collection of books for you. Biography When Salinger learned that a car park was to be built on the land, the middle---aged writer was shocked and quickly bought the neighboring area to protect it. The towns-people never forgot the rescue and came to help their most famous neighbor. J.D. Salinger: A life by Kenneth Slawenski published by Random House Price: $27 Mystery " You're a smart boy. Benny's death was no accident, and you're the only one who saw it happen. Do you think the murderer should get away with it?" The boy was staring stubbornly at his lap again. A thought suddenly hit Annika, " You recognized the man in the car, didn't you?" The boy hesitated, twisting his fingers, " Maybe," he said quietly. Red Wolf by Liza Marklund Published by Atria Books Price: $25.99 Short stories She wants to say to him what she has learned, none of it in class. Some women are born stupid, and some women are too smart for their own good. Some women are born to give, and some women only know how to take. Some women learn who they want to be from their mothers, some who they don't want to be. Some mothers suffer, so their daughters won't. Some mothers love, so their daughters won't. You Are Free by Danzy Senna published by Riverhead Books Price: $14.99 Humor Do your kids like to have fun? Come to Fun Times! Do you like to watch your kids having fun? Bring them to Fun Times! Fun Time's "amusement cycling" is the most fun you can have in the Unite States right now. why spend thousands of dollars flying to Disney World when you can spend less than half to that within a day's drive in most cities? Happy And Other Bad Thoughts by Larry Doyle published by Ecco Price: $15 | Who wrote short stories about women? | [
"Danzy Senna"
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I will always remember my mother's last days in this world. On February 14th, 2008, my class went on a field trip to the beach. I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster's office. When I got into the office, I saw a police officer. Suddenly, I realized something was wrong. The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible. On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a test that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, "She's gone, Terresa, mommy's gone. She's dead." I couldn't believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye. Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. She was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as a living. When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears. When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives everyday. That is what makes her a true hero. | Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill? | [
"The police officer"
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Livescribe Echo Smartpen, $79.99 This pen not only records audio, but also records whatever the user writes and even draws. This translates to almost two hours of full audio, or 32000 pages of written text. When using a Livescribe notebook, a college or high school student can easily edit notes without the disturbance of a laptop or tablet. This is perfect for the classrooms that don't allow the use of electronics. Best of all, it allows users to quickly deliver their notes to a computer or laptop. Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard, $107.53 It is a great choice for those who own many different devices and want to use a keyboard over the ones that come with the device. It works on tablets, PCs and even smartphones. It offers four different settings for each device, so changing from one to the other is as easy as turning a knob . It even has a cradle to hold a tablet at the perfect angle, so typing is much easier and faster. ILUV Syren Pro, $ 93.84 It is weather resistant and has a powerful sound engine that works in a full 360 degrees. This allows it to be used outdoors, next to pools and in other activities that are too risky to use other speakers. It offers Bluetooth support and works with iPhones, iPads and many other devices. With its top-mounted controls and wireless capabilities, it can be operated remotely. Cobra JumPak $92.88 It can not only charge phones, but also do the same for most cars. It contains a built-in LED flashlight and a 7500mAh battery, as well as a USB port for charging phones. Best of all, it can be stored inside a backpack, so it is perfect for emergency situation and can even be stored in car console . | Which device will a high school student choose to use in the classrooms ? | [
"Livescribe Echo Smartpen"
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In the 1950s, a family that owned a farm near Beulah, Michigan kept a bull chained to an elm . The bull paced around the tree, dragging the heavy iron chain, which led to a groove in the bark . The groove deepened over the years. Though for whatever reason, it did not kill the tree. After some years, the family took their bull away. They cut the chain, leaving the loop around the tree and one link hanging down. Then one year, agricultural disaster struck Michigan in the form of Dutch Elm Disease. All of the elms lining the road leading to the farm became infected and died. Everyone thought that the old elm would be the next. The farm owners considered doing the safe thing: pulling it out and cutting it up into firewood before it died. But they simply could not bring themselves to do it. It was as if the old tree had become a family friend. So they decided to let nature take its course. Amazingly, the tree did not die. Nobody could understand why it was the only elm still standing in the county! Plant experts from Michigan State University came out to observe the tree. They observed the scar left by the iron chain, now almost completely covered by bark. The experts decided that it was the chain that saved the elm's life. They reasoned that the tree must have absorbed so much iron from the chain that it became immune to the virus. It's said that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. Or, as Earnest Hemingway put it, "Life breaks us all, but afterwards, many of us are strongest at the broken places." | What actually saved the elm? | [
"The iron chain."
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"Just ate chicken feet for lunch. " These were the words I wrote on my blog yesterday. By the next day there were hundreds of comments from my friends. They ranged from "OH MY GOD! That is so disgusting! " to "What were they like?" to "Why can't you eat sandwiches like everyone else?" To Chinese people, chicken feet are a normal snack. To my friends in Britain, the thought of eating a chicken's foot is----well, weird . As weird, in fact, as eating a bullfrog, scorpion , snake, or turtle. But if there are two things I love more than anything else in life, they are: trying new things and food. I arrived in Beijing five months ago. Since then, I've searched for the "weirdest" foods so I can try them, then treat my friends to some "virtual eating" on my blog. One weekend, I went to Wangfujing, Beijing's "snack street". The trip gave me tons of blog material. "I chose a stick with three live, wriggling scorpions on it," I wrote. "And it was pretty good. The scorpion was warm and crispy. The legs did have a tendency to get stuck between one's teeth, however. What's more, I am sure scorpion number two stung me with its tail in revenge ." Next came snake: "A bit like a cross between fish and chicken, with a slightly rubbery texture and meaty taste." Some people were actually angry when I ate turtle soup----especially when I posted pictures showing the poor little guy's head staring sadly up at us from the bowl. "I am never speaking to you again," wrote one (former) friend. Still, I will continue my culinary quest. Next on my list is starfish, though I feel I should have some vegetables too----algae, maybe. So what am I eating, tonight, you may ask. Pizza. Well, a girl's gotta have a break sometimes. | What does the writer like most in life? | [
"Trying new things and food."
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The London Eye 4D Film Experience started in August and is included in the London Eye ticket price. It is a fantastic 4D film to entertain you before your trip on the London Eye. The 4D effects are great. No Extra Cost to You That's right; you buy your ticket for the London Eye and 4D cinema experience. Merlin Entertainments, the London Eye owners, spent 5 million creating the film and building the 4D cinema and wanted to improve the value for money of the London Eye. What to Expect The 4D Cinema entrance is in the ticket hall. So after buying your ticket, go straight to it, where you'll be given a pair of glasses. About 160 visitors will pass through the 4D cinema every 8 minutes so don't worry about waiting time. People in the bright pink cinema are all standing on four levels. The top level is designed for wheelchairs. London Eye 4D Film Put on your glasses and enjoy yourself. The story is about a little girl visiting London with her father and she wants to be higher to get a better view so she comes to the London Eye. It differs from watching the 3D film for all your senses are involved. When it snows on screen, you feel it snows in the cinema. And when you watch the fireworks, you can really smell them. For a short film, less than four minutes, before the main attraction you think you've come for, you are going to love this free extra. I stood there with my mouth wide open at the end as many others did. It's fantastic! The effects are the Hollywood standard as no expense is spared. I was lucky enough to try the film three times on the first day and I still want to go back again. | Where could people get into the 4D film cinema? | [
"In the ticket hall."
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Many French academics,teachers and parents complain because they feel that intellectual levels are falling rapidly!The figures prove it:young people visit museums less,spend their lives chatting on the Internet,read nothing but Stephen King,while watching American soaps such as Friends or reality shows like Star Academy on television,music player glued to their cars,and the games console handy. It is,however,easy to see these habits in a positive light.Music is the favorite leisure activity:86% of 14-to18-year-olds put it at the top of their activities,above the cinema(71%),clubbing(68%),sport(56%) and television(48%).For 90% of young people aged 14to 18,radio is also very popular:they listen to it every day without exception.International popular music has a strong showing,but songs in French are still in the majority(60%). Young people do,of course,watch a lot of television,but less than their elders,and if they tend to choose mostly soaps and reality TV shows,that is because these are the programs people talk about,which encourages social interaction.Do young people read less than they used to?Maybe,but that's also true of the elders.Young people still read more than their elders.When asked,"Do you like reading?",94% of 14-to-18-year-olds say they do,and 81% are convinced that computers will never replace books. Contrary to popular belief,reading continues to occupy an extremely important place in leisure-time activities,but the reading matter young people choose has changed considerably:there is a greater variety of media(computers and new technologies) and young people admit to taste they would perhaps have been ashamed of in the past.For example,comic strips,Stenphen King or other authors not recognized by mainstream culture,such as Betty Mahmoody (Not Without My Daughter),Mary Higgins Clark or Jostein Gaader (Sophie's World).As Beatrice Toulon,Editor in Chief of the magazine Phosphore,see it,"They don't read the same things as their parents did,but they are not afraid to admit it.They have their own culture,which they flaunt openly!" | Which activity is the most popular with young French people? | [
"Music."
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People in Poland tend to spend Christmas with their families, and the most important part of Christmas is Christmas Eve supper. The whole family just sits around the table, and there are twelve traditional dishes on the table, and you are supposed to taste them all, because if you don't try them all you may have bad luck in the coming year. Before everybody sits down to supper, they just break wafers with each other, wishing each ot her good luck. As soon as the supper is over, the children go to the other room, where the big Christmas tree stands and they find Christmas presents under the Christmas tree. After that, the whole family just sits around the table singing Christmas songs, and waiting for midnight to come, when they go to church. | With whom do Polish people have Christmas Eve supper? | [
". Their families"
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Superfast doubledecker trains will be taking passengers from London to six big cities in the UK by 2033. The first phase linking London to the West Midlands with a connection to HS1 is expected to open in 2026, and the second phase to Manchester and Leeds in 2032. The government set out a plan for the highspeed rail network in 2012. When the project is finished, it will take less time to get to London from major cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Traveling at a speed of up to 250 mph, passengers will be able to come and go from Birmingham to London in 49 minutes, reducing the journey time by almost half from one hour and 24 minutes. A journey from Birmingham to Leeds will be reduced from two hours to 57 minutes and a journey from Manchester to London will be reduced from two hours and 8 minutes to one hour and 8 minutes. "HS2 is an important part of transport's lowcarbon future," Transport Secretary Justine Greening said. Some people aren't happy about the plan, though. HS2 will cost around PS33 billion. It will also be built near some towns and villages, disturbing the people that live there. But the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne thinks it will help build the future for Britain. "It's a longterm decision," he said. HS2 is designed for everything around the needs of the passengers. It will provide a new and exciting travel experience. There will be plenty of room, intelligent ticketing, a good service and high quality comfort and access to trains. This is a transport network for the new century and beyond. | How long does it usually take you to travel from Birmingham to London by the ordinary train? | [
"One hour and 24 minutes."
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In this life, what did you miss? The wife asked the husband when she was 25. Despondently, the husband replied: 'I missed a new job opportunity.' When she was 35, the husband angrily told her that he had just missed the bus. At 45, the husband sadly said: 'I missed the opportunity seeing my closed relative before his last breath.' At 55, the husband said disappointingly: 'I missed a good chance to retire.' At 65, the husband hurriedly replied: 'I missed a dental appointment.' At 75, the wife did not ask the husband anymore, the husband was kneeling in front of the very sick wife. Remembering the question the wife used to ask him, this time he asked the wife the same question. The wife, with a smile and peaceful look, replied: 'In this life, I did not miss having you!' The husband was full of tears. He always thought that they could be together forever. He was always busy with work and trifles. So much so he had never been thoughtful to his wife. The husband hugged the wife tightly and said: 'Over 50 years, how I had allowed myself to miss your deep love for me.' In the busy city life, there are many people who are always busy with work. These people revolve their lives around their jobs, these people sacrifice all their times and health to meet the social expectations. They are unwilling to spend times on health care. They miss the opportunity to be with their children in their growing up. They neglect the loved ones who care for them, and also their health. Nobody knows what is going to happen one year from now. Life is not _ , so always live in the now. Express your gratitude to your loved ones in words. Show your care with actions. Treat everyday as the last episode of life. In this way, when you are gone, you loved ones would have nothing to feel sorry about. | What is the passage mainly about? | [
"Express your gratitude to your loved ones in words."
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If you have ever been discouraged because of failure , please read on. Usually, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain. Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. "What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors. "We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!" one of the brothers answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders , worms and a lot of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the visitors who were laughing at them. Then he said quietly and confidently, "Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!" Their goal was far too difficult, but it made them dig. And that is what a goal is for--to make us move in the direction we have chosen. In other words, it sets us to digging! But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, "Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!" And I believe it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters. | What's the best title of the passage? | [
"Joy in the journey"
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Today, there are many chances for those who wish to continue their education. However, nearly all require some break in one's career in order to attend school full time. Part-time education, that is, attending school at night or for one weekend a month, tends to drag the process out over time and puts the completion of a degree program out of reach of many people. Additionally, such programs require a fixed time commitment which can also impact negatively on one's career and family time. Of the many approaches to teaching and learning, however, perhaps the most flexible is that called distance learning. Distance learning is an educational method which allows the students the flexibility to study at his or her own pace to achieve the academic goals which are so necessary in today's world. The time required to study may be set aside at the student's convenience. Additionally, the student may enroll in distance learning courses from actually any place in the world, while continuing to pursue their chosen career. Individual assistance may be available via regular airmail, telephone, fax machine, teleconferencing and over the Internet. Good distance learning programs are characterized by the inclusion of a subject evaluation tool with every subject, so a student doesn't need to travel away from home to take a test. Another characteristic of a good distance learning program is the equivalence of the distance learning course with the same subject materials as those students taking the course on the home campus. The resultant diploma or degree should also be the same whether distance learning or on-campus study is employed. The individuality of the professor/student relationship is another characteristic of a good distance learning program. In the final analysis, a good distance learning program has a place not only for the individual student but also the company or business that wants to work in partnership with their employees for the educational benefit, professional development, and business growth of the organization. Supporting distance learning programs for their employees gives the business the advantage of retaining career-minded people while contributing to their personal and professional growth through education. | What benefit will distance learning bring to an employee of a business? | [
"Professional growth."
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The influence of America is increasing in my country. Spanish people drink Coca Cola, wear blue jeans, watch Hollywood movies, listen to American music, and eat fast food, and they do these things every day. I think that American movies are a good way to spread American culture because people are often influenced by what they see in the movies. Most of the programs and documentaries we watch on TV are from America, and most of the movies we go to see are made in Hollywood. In the last few years, the government has tried to protect the Spanish movies. Now, in our cinemas, at least twenty percent of the movies which are shown must be from Spain or from other countries in Europe. American culture is a part of Spanish life now. It's certain that many things from America are as much a part of people's lives as Spanish things. For example, Coca Cola is as familiar to everybody as any typical Spanish product. I've known about Coca Cola for my whole life. However, it's different with Western fast food. For example, I don't think McDonald's is as successful in Spain as it is in other countries. In my opinion, one of the reasons may be the lifestyle of the Spanish people. The Spanish people normally eat at home. On the other hand, maybe McDonald's hamburgers will eventually replace the famous Spanish tapas. It's true that in every city in Spain you can find a McDonald's, and it is more popular among the Spanish children than among the adults. In any case, it's obvious that American culture is becoming more and more a part of our lives every day. | What plays an important part in the spreading of American culture in Spain? | [
"Hollywood movies."
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Alexis De Tocqueville,the French political scientist,,historian,philosopher and politician.Is most famous for a four-volume book he wrote called Democracy in America.He came to America in 1831 to study the American form of democracy'and what it might mean to the rest of the world.After a visit of only nine months,,he wrote a remarkable book which is regarded as a classic.De Tocqueville had unusual powers of observation.He described not only the democratic system of government and how it operated,but also its effect on how Americans think, feel, and act, Many scholars believe he had a deeper understanding of traditional American beliefs and values than anyone else who has written about. the United States.What is so remarkable is that many of these characteristics which he observed nearly 200years ago are still visible and meaningful today.His observations are also important because the timing of his visit,the 1830s,was before America was industrialized.This was the era of the small farmer,the small businessman,and the settling of the western frontier.It was the period of history when the traditional values of the new country were newly established.In just a generation,some 40 years since the adoption of the U.S:Constitution.the new form of government had--already produced a society of people with unique values.He was,however,a fair observer and saw both the good and bad sides of these qualities. The first part of Democracy m America was written in 1831--32 and published in 1835.A highly positive and optimistic account of American government and society,the book was very well received.He attempted to get a glimpse of the core of American society.all the while promoting his own philosophy:the equaling of the classes and the unavoidable depth of aristocratic privilege The rest of the book he labored on for four years.and in 1840 the second part was published.This was substantially more pessimistic than the first,warning of the dangers despotism and governmental centralization,and applying his ideas and criticisms more directly to France.As a result, it was not received as well as the first part,except in England where it was highly thought of. | What is the passage primarily about? | [
"Democracy in America"
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When my mother was alive, she used to tell me again and again about the value of just being nice. "Never underestimate the power of a smile," she would say. I fear she would be very disappointed looking at the world today. A lot of people don't smile and when it comes to service today, they're just not nice. Now don't give me wrong, not all service workers but a good many. I was on the phone the other day with a computer help desk. First a man, then later a woman, who couldn't have been ruder. And this to a customer, who didn't know his way around a PC. But no matter, I could tell they thought I was a bother, The woman, in fact, seemed to be chewing gum as she unemotionally clicked off a series of commands for me to perform. The next day I heard from a friend of mine who got a performance review without his boss once looking up at him. Not once. You see it everywhere. Gone are the days when people cared about you. It's a sign of the time, I suspect. But that makes me sad -- for them and for us all. People who aren't happy, who don't smile, who don't kid, who don't joke or make light of even bad situations, make for an even worse situation. And it spreads like a cancer. Someone's rude to you, you're rude to them and to the next fellow you meet, and on and on. Smiles are contagious but so annoyances. The boss who can't be bothered with his workers. The celebrity who can't be bothered with her annoying fans. You know, my mom used to judge presidential candidates by how they smiled. I would say, "But mom, you don't know if that smile is real." "Oh, yes I do," she would tell me. "I can feel it." It's in their eyes, she would say. And it's in their smile. The rest just kind of falls into place. | What's the best title of the passage? | [
"The power of a smile"
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Penguin Group Ordinary People Change The World! Penguin Group and TFK have partnered together to help teachers show their students how they can make the world a better place. Building the encouraging lives of historic figures including Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein, this attractive program takes a look at the real life stories of ordinary young people who grew up to become extraordinary adults! Download the classroom poster, student worksheets and teacher's guide provided below. Classroom Poster : You can be a Hero, too. Classroom Poster Teachers Guide : Ordinary People Series Teacher's Guide Student Worksheet : Who's Your Hero? Worksheet Student Worksheet : Hero Matchup Worksheet PGA Junior League Golf It Takes a Team! TIME For Kids and PGA Junior League Golf have developed a program all about using teamwork to reach goals. Download this poster to get your students involved in the power and fun of teamwork and cooperation. Encourage your class to go to timeforkids.com/teampoll and take the poll! Classroom Poster : It Takes a Team! International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW) Cats, Dogs, & Us TIME for Kids has partnered with IFAW to present an educational animal awareness program called Cats, Dogs, & Us. This project is sure to attract and engage students with discussion starters, in-class activity ideas, a video viewing guide, and many other in-depth and fun resources. Preview IFAW's Cats, Dogs, & Us video at http://ifaw.org/cats-dogs-and-us Classroom Poster : Cats, Dogs, & Us Classroom Poster Classroom Poster / Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Full View Teachers Guide : Cats, Dogs, & Us Teachers Guide Pages Special Olympics Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r) in TIME and Special Olympics have teamed up to promote understanding of people's differences in the classroom, school and community. Special Olympics Project UNIFY(r) is an education-based project that uses sports and education programs to activate young people to develop communities where all youth are agents of change-promoting respect, dignity and support for people with mental disabilities. TFK Extra : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Student Guide Teachers Guide : in TIME Project UNIFY(r) Teachers Guide | Who are the materials mainly intended for? | [
"Teachers."
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SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND Captain Good Fellow Do you enjoy interesting stories ,funny games and exciting dances? Captain Good Fellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at,10:00,free. Walking Tour of the Town Forget your worries on Saturday morning.Take a beautiful walk and learn about the local history.Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30.Wear comfortable shoes! Films at the Museum Two European films will be shown Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre.See Broken Window at 1:30.The Workers will be at 3:45. For further information,call 4987898. International Picnic Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world.Delicious and inexpensive.From noon to 5:00 P.m. Take me out to the Ballgame It's October,and tonight is the last chance to see the Redbirds his year.Get your tickets at the gate.It might be cold....Don't forget sweaters and jackets. Do you want to hear "the Zoo"? "The Zoo",the popular rock group from Australia,will give their first U.S.concert tomorrow night at 8 at Rose Hall,City College. | You can probably eat Chinese,Italian,and Arabian food at . | [
"Central Park on Saturday"
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SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND Captain Good Fellow Do you enjoy interesting stories ,funny games and exciting dances? Captain Good Fellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at,10:00,free. Walking Tour of the Town Forget your worries on Saturday morning.Take a beautiful walk and learn about the local history.Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30.Wear comfortable shoes! Films at the Museum Two European films will be shown Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre.See Broken Window at 1:30.The Workers will be at 3:45. For further information,call 4987898. International Picnic Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world.Delicious and inexpensive.From noon to 5:00 P.m. Take me out to the Ballgame It's October,and tonight is the last chance to see the Redbirds his year.Get your tickets at the gate.It might be cold....Don't forget sweaters and jackets. Do you want to hear "the Zoo"? "The Zoo",the popular rock group from Australia,will give their first U.S.concert tomorrow night at 8 at Rose Hall,City College. | You can see movies at. | [
"the Museum Theatre"
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Ways to travel Modern life is impossible without travelling. The fastest way to travel is by air. With a modern plane you can travel in one day to places which took a month or more one hundred years ago. Travelling by train is slower than by air, but it has its advantages . You can see the country you are travelling in. Modern trains have comfortable seats and dining cars. They make even the longest journey enjoyable. Some people prefer to travel by sea when it is possible. There are large lines and river boats with which you can visit many other countries and different places. Travelling by sea is a very pleasant way to spend a holiday. Many people like to travel by car. You can make your own timetable. You can travel three or four hundred miles or only fifty miles a day, just as you like. You can stop wherever you wish: where there is something interesting to see, at a good restaurant where you can enjoy a good meal, or a hotel to spend the night. That is why travelling by car is popular for pleasure trips, while people usually take a train or a plane when they are travelling on business. | How many ways to travel are mentioned in the passage? | [
"Four"
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When thinking about quitting (stop) smoking, list all the reasons why you want to quit. Every night before going to bed, repeat one of the reasons 10 times. Decide positively that you want to quit. Try to avoid negative thoughts about how difficult it might be. Develop strong personal reasons as well as your health and responsibility to others. For example, think of all the time you waste taking cigarette breaks, rushing out to buy a pack, hunting a light, etc. Set a date for quitting --- perhaps a special day like your birthday, a holiday. If you smoke heavily at work, quit during your vacation. Make the date holy seriously, and don't let anything change it. Begin to condition yourself physically; start a modest exercise; drink more water; get plenty of rest. Immediately after quitting... The first few days after you quit, spend as much free time as possible in places where smoking is prohibited, e.g. libraries, museums, theatres, department stores, etc. Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice. Try to avoid wine, coffee, and other drinks which remind you of cigarette smoking. Strike up a conversation with someone instead of a match for a cigarette. If you miss the feeling of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else --- a pencil, a pen, a ruler. If you miss having something in your mouth, try a fake cigarette. | If the passage is in a newspaper, which section is it in? | [
"Health"
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At 21,Ricardo Semler became boss of his father's business in Brazil,Semco,which sold parts for ships. Semler Junior worked like a mad man,from 7:30 am,until midnight every day. One afternoon,while touring a factory in New York,he broke down. The doctor who treated him said,"There's nothing wrong with you. But if you continue like this, you'll find a new home in our hospital. "Semler got the message. He changed the way he worked. In fact,he changed the ways his employees worked too. He let his workers take more responsibility so that they would be the ones worrying when things went wrong. He allowed them to set their own salaries,and he cut all the jobs he thought were unnecessary,like receptionists and secretaries. This saved money and brought more equality to the company. "Everyone at Semco,even top managers,meets guests in reception,does the photocopying,sends faxes,types letters and dials the phone." He completely reorganized the office:instead of walls,they have plants at Semco,so bosses can't shut themselves away from everyone else. And the workers are free to decorate their workspace as they want. As for uniforms,some people wear suits and others wear T-shirts. Semco has flexible working hours:the employees decide when they need to arrive at work. Also,Semco lets its workers use the company's machines for their own projects,and makes them take holidays for at least thirty days a year. It sounds perfect,but does it work? The answer is in the numbers:in the last six years,Semco's revenues have gone from $35 million to $212 million. The company has grown from eight hundred employees to 3,000. Why? Semler says it's because of "peer pressure". Peer pressure makes employees work hard for everyone else. If someone isn't doing his job well,the other workers will not allow the situation to continue. In other words,Ricardo Semler treats his workers like adults rather than children, and expects them to act like responsible adults. And they do. | In his company, what does Ricardo Semler value most? | [
"responsibility"
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The Ant Bully Actor: Julia Roberts -- Hova(voice) Nicolas Cage--Zoc (voice) Language: English Run Time: 1Hour 25 Minutes Price: Mon--Fri$30(VIP:18) $ 15 (Children under 7) Sat.--Sun.--$40 (VIP:28) $ 20 (Children under 7) Lucas Nickel is often bullied by the big boy in his neighborhood. Because he cannot fight back, he takes out his anger on an anthill in his front yard. He stamps it, squirts it with his water gun, and floods it. One wizard ant, Zoc, makes Lucas as little as an ant and Lucas has to work and live in the ants' county. During his staying with the ants, Lucas learns the value of friendship and teamwork, and finally gains the things he wants most: friendship and the courage to stand up for himself. I really enjoyed this movie. It's a fun movie for the whole family. I had really good laughs and enjoyed being there. --James I went to see this film today with my 8-year-old daughter, really without knowing too much about it. My daughter and I were pleasantly surprised at how funny it was. We just couldn't help laughing. I would recommend this film for the whole family. --Mary I've seen several movies of this kind, like Antz or Bugs Life, but this one blows them both away as having greater movie qualities. The film is so well made --some of the scenes are unbelievably beautiful. --John I would recommend their movie to everyone. Whether you go with family or friends, I honestly think this movie has something you will really enjoy. --Sam | Who appreciates the movie in a different way from others? | [
"John."
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When the dog named Judy spotted the first sheep in her life, she did what comes naturally. The four-year-old dog set off racing after the sheep across several fields and, being a city animal, lost both her sheep and her sense of direction. Then she ran along the edge of cliff( ) and fell 100 feet, bouncing off a rock into the sea. Her owner Mike Holden panicked and celled the coastguard of Cornwall, who turned up in seconds . Six volunteers slid down the cliff with the help of a rope but gave up all hope of finding her alive after a 90-minute search. Three days later, a hurricane hit the coast near Cornwall. Mr. Holden returned home from his holiday upset and convinced his pet was dead. He comforted himself with the thought she had died in the most beautiful part of the country. For the next two weeks, the Holdens were heartbroken . Then, one day, the phone rang and Steve Tregear, the coastguard of Cornwall, asked Holder if he would like his dog bark. A birdwatcher, armed with a telescope, found the pet sitting desperately on a rock. While he sounded the alarm, a student from Leeds climbed down the cliff to collect Judy. The dog had initially been knocked unconscious but had survived by drinking water from a fresh scream at the base of the cliff. She may have fed on the body of a sheep which had also fallen over the edge. "The dog was very thin and hungry," Steve Tregear said , "It was a very dog. She survived because of a plentiful supply of fresh water," he added. It was ,as Mr. Holden admitted, "a minor miracle ". | Who spotted Judy after the accident? | [
"A birdwatcher"
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Microsoft has a problem:It desperately wants the remaining Windows XP users to upgrade to a newer version of the operating system but a good many of them still haven't started.The latest numbers from NetMarket show that Windows XP still accounts for around 29.5%of all desktops in use even though Microsoft is due to end support for the l3-Year-old platform on April 8th.ZDNet reports that Microsoft plans to force remaining XP users to start next week by sending them notices reminding them again that it will end XP support within a month. However, as Computerworld reports,Microsoft may have a tough time convincing some Windows XP users to upgrade because it's trying to sell them on Windows 8,the newest operating system that has angered many longtime PC users by removing the traditional Start menu and by adding the interface a special feature.Computerworld writes that many Windows users expressed anger last month when Microsoft asked them to help switch as many people as they could from Windows XP to Windows 8 partly because Microsoft hasn't offered any sort of discount for Windows XP users making the switch. This is particularly tiresome, these users said,because switching from XP to Windows 8 won't just require a software upgrade but will instead likely force them to buy new machines capable of running Microsoft's new operating system.Some users were also annoyed that Microsoft only mentioned Windows 8 and not Windows 7 as upgrade possibilities. In the end,it looks like when Microsoft ends support for Windows XP next month there will still be a large part of the desktop PC world using the platform.Hackers who have been saving up all their best new malware for the day when Windows XP support ends are about to have a field day. | How will Microsoft remind users ofthe stop of XP support? | [
"By sending them notices."
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The following are selected contributors' notes for an essay collection. KATY BUTLER, a 2004 finalist for a National Magazine Award, has written for The New Yorker, the New York Times, Mother Jones, Salon, Tricycle, and other magazines. She was born in South Africa and raised in England, and came to the United States with her family at the age of eight. "Everything Is Holy," her essay about nature worship, Buddhism , and ecology, was selected for Best Buddhist Writing 2006. In 2009 she won a literary award from the Elizabeth George Foundation. "What Broke My Father's Heart" was named a "notable narrative" by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, won a first-place award from the Association of Health Care Journalists, and was named one of the 100 Best Magazine Articles of All Time. Butler has taught narrative nonfiction at Nieman Foundation conferences and memoir writing at Esalen Institute. Her current book project is Knocking on Heaven's Door: A Journey Through Old Age and New Medicine to be published in 2013. VICTOR LAVALLE is the author of a collection of stories, Slapboxing with Jesus, and two novels, The Ecstatic and Big Machine, for which he won the Shirley Jackson Award, the American Book Award, and the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. He is a 2010 Guggenheim Award winner and an assistant professor at Columbia University's School of the Arts. About "Long Distance" he says: "This essay actually came about when I was asked to write about my life after having lost a great deal of weight. And yet, when I sat down to work, all I could do was return to that time when I was much heavier and deeply unhappy. Why? I sure didn't miss those days. And yet, I felt I couldn't write about my present without touching on that past. But, of course, I never reach the true present in the essay. Maybe I still don't know how to talk about a life with greater happiness. " BRIDGET POTTER was born in Brompton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, and came to the United States as a teenager in 1958. She spent the first forty years of her career in television, beginning as a secretary, then as a producer and an executive, including fifteen years as senior vice president of original programming at HBO. In 2007 she earned a BA in cultural anthropology from Columbia University. This year she will complete an MFA in nonfiction, also from Columbia, where she has been an instructor in the University Writing Program. She is currently working on her first book, a memoir / social history of the 1960s, from which her essay "Lucky Girl" is adapted. PATRICIA SMITH is the author of five books of poetry, including Blood Dazzler, chronicling the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, which was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award, and Teahouse of the Almighty, a National Poetry Series selection. Her work has appeared in Poetry, The Paris Review, TriQuarterly, and The Best American Poetry 2011. She is a Pushcart Prize winner and a four-time individual champion of the National Poetry Slam, the most successful poet in the competition's history. RESHMA MEMON YAQUB wouldn't even be fit to write a grocery list were it not for her guardian editors. Her stories owe many glorious plot twists to Zain, eleven, and Zach, seven. Ditto their dad (Amer) and grandparents (Ali, Razia, Muhammad, Nasreen). Costars: Sophie, Sana, Yousef, and Maryam. Miss Yaqub lives in Bethesda, Maryland. Her next project is an investigation into the whereabouts of two missing people: Mr. Right and Ms. Memoir Literary Agent. | When did the author of "Lucky Girl" come to the United States? | [
"In 1958."
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The following are selected contributors' notes for an essay collection. KATY BUTLER, a 2004 finalist for a National Magazine Award, has written for The New Yorker, the New York Times, Mother Jones, Salon, Tricycle, and other magazines. She was born in South Africa and raised in England, and came to the United States with her family at the age of eight. "Everything Is Holy," her essay about nature worship, Buddhism , and ecology, was selected for Best Buddhist Writing 2006. In 2009 she won a literary award from the Elizabeth George Foundation. "What Broke My Father's Heart" was named a "notable narrative" by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, won a first-place award from the Association of Health Care Journalists, and was named one of the 100 Best Magazine Articles of All Time. Butler has taught narrative nonfiction at Nieman Foundation conferences and memoir writing at Esalen Institute. Her current book project is Knocking on Heaven's Door: A Journey Through Old Age and New Medicine to be published in 2013. VICTOR LAVALLE is the author of a collection of stories, Slapboxing with Jesus, and two novels, The Ecstatic and Big Machine, for which he won the Shirley Jackson Award, the American Book Award, and the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. He is a 2010 Guggenheim Award winner and an assistant professor at Columbia University's School of the Arts. About "Long Distance" he says: "This essay actually came about when I was asked to write about my life after having lost a great deal of weight. And yet, when I sat down to work, all I could do was return to that time when I was much heavier and deeply unhappy. Why? I sure didn't miss those days. And yet, I felt I couldn't write about my present without touching on that past. But, of course, I never reach the true present in the essay. Maybe I still don't know how to talk about a life with greater happiness. " BRIDGET POTTER was born in Brompton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, and came to the United States as a teenager in 1958. She spent the first forty years of her career in television, beginning as a secretary, then as a producer and an executive, including fifteen years as senior vice president of original programming at HBO. In 2007 she earned a BA in cultural anthropology from Columbia University. This year she will complete an MFA in nonfiction, also from Columbia, where she has been an instructor in the University Writing Program. She is currently working on her first book, a memoir / social history of the 1960s, from which her essay "Lucky Girl" is adapted. PATRICIA SMITH is the author of five books of poetry, including Blood Dazzler, chronicling the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, which was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award, and Teahouse of the Almighty, a National Poetry Series selection. Her work has appeared in Poetry, The Paris Review, TriQuarterly, and The Best American Poetry 2011. She is a Pushcart Prize winner and a four-time individual champion of the National Poetry Slam, the most successful poet in the competition's history. RESHMA MEMON YAQUB wouldn't even be fit to write a grocery list were it not for her guardian editors. Her stories owe many glorious plot twists to Zain, eleven, and Zach, seven. Ditto their dad (Amer) and grandparents (Ali, Razia, Muhammad, Nasreen). Costars: Sophie, Sana, Yousef, and Maryam. Miss Yaqub lives in Bethesda, Maryland. Her next project is an investigation into the whereabouts of two missing people: Mr. Right and Ms. Memoir Literary Agent. | Who is the most successful poet in the competition's history? | [
"PATRICIA SMITH."
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In the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. equal. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies. They formed utopian communities, which they called "communes ," where they could follow their philosophy of "do your own thing". A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City". Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller, they built dome-shaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, the followers of San Francisco poet Steve Gaskin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school houses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm become famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. The followers of Steve Gaskin tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the group were arrested for growing marijuana . Not all communes believed in the philosophy of "do your own thing", however. Twin Oaks, a commune founded in Virginia in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B. F. Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner's conditioning techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city in Arizona, where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an "archology". Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one. | Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live? | [
"In old school houses"
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EDGEWOOD-Every morning at Dixie Heights High school,customers pour into a special experiment:the district's first coffee shop run mostly by students with special learning needs. Well before classes start,students and teachers order Lattes,Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates.Then,during the first period,teachers call in orders on their room phones,and students make deliveries.By closing time at 9:20a.m.,the shop usually sells 90drinks."Whoever made the chi tea,Ms.Schatzman says it was good,"Christy McKinley,a second year student,announced recently,after hanging up with the teacher. The shop is called the Dixie PIT,which stands for Power in Transition.Although some of the students are not disabled,many are,and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school.They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs.They keep a timecard and receive paychecks,which they keep in check registers. Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia.Not that it was easy.Chevalier's first problem to overcome was product-related.Should schools be selling coffee?What about sugar content?Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped.She made sure all the drinks,which use non-fat milk,fell within nutrition guidelines. | The coffee shop is mostly run by . | [
"students with special learning needs"
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The Royal Mint has chosen Beatrix Potter's thieving Peter Rabbit as the first character from children's literature ever to appear on a UK coin. Peter, pictured in the blue jacket that he is forced to abandon in the garden of Mr McGregor when he is caught stealing vegetables, is captured on a special, coloured edition of a 50p coin available from now. The Royal Mint, which described Peter as "the most recognizable of Potter's creations, and one of the most cherished from children's literature", will release uncoloured versions of the coin in change later this year. Three more of Potter's characters will also be committed to currency later this year, as part of celebrations marking 150 years since the children's author's birth. The images have been created by coin designer Emma Noble, who said it was "amazing to be given the opportunity to work with such famous and treasured literary characters". Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, featuring Peter and his better-behaved siblings Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, was the first of her stories to be published, released in 1902 by Frederick Warne & Co. Potter would go on to follow it with a series of much-loved stories which remain popular today, from The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin to The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. | Which character from children's literature can be found on the UK coin? | [
"Peter Rabbit"
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The MIT Museum is located near the north shore of the Charles River Basin in Cambridge, MA, a few blocks from the central part of the MIT campus. The MIT Museum is accessible via public transportation, and is within three miles of two major interstate highways. The Museum is approximately a 30 minute walk from downtown Boston or from Harvard Square. BY SUBWAY Take the Red Line to either Central Square Station or Kendall Square/MIT Station. From Central Square: Walk down Mass. Ave. toward Boston and the main MIT campus. The Museum is on the left at the corner of Front St. From Kendall/MIT Station at the east end of campus: Walk down Main St., away from Boston, to Windsor St., turn left, take the second right onto Front St., and continue to the museum entrance. BY BUS The Dudley/Harvard Square bus travels along Massachusetts Ave. between Boston and Harvard Square. The MIT Museum is across the street from Novartis and a gas station. From Harvard Square, get off at either Sidney St. or Albany St. From Boston, get off at Front St. BY CAR For directions from your doorstep to MIT, Google offers excellent mapping services including directions from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. Recorded Directions to the Museum: (415) 561-0399 Besides, you can go the Museum via Commuter Rail. You can easily connect to the MBTA Red Line from South Station, or take the green line to the red line from North Station and get off at Central or Kendall Square. | What should you do if you want to get Recorded Directions to the Museum? | [
"(415) 561-0399"
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With thousands of years of history and mythology in its area, prefix = st1 /Athens--named for the olive-tree-loving Athena---is more than a concrete jungle. It's a lovely city decorated by outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets, parks, gardens and plenty of characters. _ The city is connected three sides by Mt Parnitha, Mt Pendeli and Mt Hymettos. WithinAthensthere are no less than eight hills, of which the Acropolis and Lykavitos are the most famous. The hills provide a peaceful rest from the noise of the city. Just about everything of interest to the traveler is within a small area surrounding Plateia Syntagmatos (Syntagma Square). This area is connected with the districts of Plaka to the south, Monastiraki to the west, Kolonaki to the east and Omaonia to the north. Plateia Syntagmatos is dominated by the oldRoalPalaceand is the beating heart of the business district, with luxury hotels, banks and airline offices. Plaka, nestled below the Acropolis, is the old Turkish quarter and virtually all that existed when Athens was declared the capital of independentGreece. Though Plaka is packed with tourists in high season, it's also one of the prettiest and most atmospheric areas of the city. Monastiraki is the market district and a fascinating part of town to wander. Psiri, nearby, is full of stylish cafes and bars and makes a great place to stop for a rest of lunch. Kolonaki, a classy living area, is full of trendy boutiques, art galleries and cafes. | If you want to buy something, where will you go? | [
"Monastiraki"
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There was once an ant that was very thirsty. It ran here and there looking for some water but could not find any. Then suddenly, when the ant was almost ready to die of thirst, a large drop of water fell on it. The ant drank the water, which saved its life. The water was actually a tear from a young girl who was crying. Because of her sadness, the tear had magical qualities and suddenly the ant could speak the language of human beings. The ant looked up and saw the young girl sitting in front of a huge pile of seeds. "Why are you sad?" asked the ant. "I'm the prisoner of a giant." the girl told the ant. " He won't let me go until I've made three separate heaps of grain, barley and rye out of this huge pile of seeds in which they are all mixed together." "That will take you a month!" the ant said, looking at the huge pile of seeds. "I know," the girl cried, "and if I haven't finished by tomorrow, the giant will eat me for his supper!" "Don't cry," the ant said, "my friends and I will help you." Soon thousands of ants were at work, separating the three kinds of seeds. The next morning, when the giant saw that the work had been done, he let the girl go. Thus it was one of her tears that saved her life. | Who or what saved the girl's life? | [
"Her tears"
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When it comes to hotel pools, the indoor variety has long been inferior to their outdoor -- often rooftop -- counterparts. But these days, striking decoration, luxury facilities and stunning settings mean many indoor swimming holes can now challenge even the most glamorous of outdoor pools. So go ahead and take a dip at these luxurious indoor pools. The Water Club at Borgata, Atlantic City This nongaming hotel, which is part of the large Borgata complex in Atlantic City, has three indoor pools (and two more outdoors) so there's really no reason for things to get crowded at any of them. A two-lane lap pool is in the two-floor Immersion spa on the 32nd floor and is set against full-length windows that look out to the Atlantic Ocean, the perfect setup for a water workout. An extremely attractive top-floor pool surrounded by lounge chairs, cabanas and lush foliage expresses a more exotic tropical scene than the property's Jersey Shore location. Rooms from $249/ night. www.theborgata.com Altira Macau On the 16th floor of the tallest building on the island of Taipa is the glamorous indoor infinity pool of the impressively massive gaming complex of Altira Macau. It's easy to see why Forbes once named it one of the best hotel pools in the world: One side faces all of the city with crystal-clear floor-to-ceiling windows. Rooms from $235/ night. www.altiramacau.com Waldorf Astoria Chicago The spa at this hotel is done mostly in a stark white, which only further emphasizes the gorgeous rose-design tile-work at the bottom of the pool, giving bathers the feel of swimming over a bed of roses. The 102,600 individually patterned tiles come from Bisazza, an Italian company renowned for its mosaic tile production. Rooms from $435/night, double occupancy. www.waldorfastoriachicagohotel.com The Charles Hotel, Munich One of the largest pools in Munich, at The Charles Hotel, is also one of the most beautiful. The entire spa is outfitted with marble mosaic tiles, mostly in subdued color1s punctuated with red flourishes. At the pool itself, a very pretty mosaic of red coral shows respect to the 19th century Bavarian royalty, the Wittelsbach family, known for its collection of red coral paraphernalia, from dining cups to jewelry. Rooms from $375/ night, double occupancy. www.roccofortehotels.com | In which of the hotel pools can you look out to the city from one of the side? | [
"Altira Macau"
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Even while in a deep sleep, people can still learn brand new information. Sleepers soak in new associations between smells and sounds, knowledge that lingers into the next waking day, researchers report online August 26 in Nature Neuroscience. The new study is the first to show that entirely new information can get into the sleeping mind, says Anat Arzi of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. "The brain is not passive while you sleep. It's quite active. You can do quite a lot of things while you are asleep." But the results don't mean that Spanish vocabulary tapes now have a place on the nightstand. L, Researchers have tried but largely failed to find evidence that complicated information, such as new pairs of words, can make its way into the brain during sleep. Instead of trying to teach people something complicated like a new language, Arzi and her colleagues relied on the sense of smell and hearing. As anyone who has walked by a dumpster in July knows, smells can cause a nose-jerk reaction. Catching a bad smell automatically makes people inhale less, reducing the size of the inhale. But scent of fresh bread causes a long, deep inhale., rzi and her team took advantage of this reaction for their experiment. As people slept in the laboratory, the researchers delivered pleasant scent, such as shampoo. As this nice smell got into the sleepers' noses, the researchers played a particular music. Later, a disgusting smell, such as rotten fish or meat, was paired with a different music. Neither the smell nor the sound woke people up. After just four exposures to the smell-music pair during a single night, the sleepers started to automatically respond to the tones without the accompanying smells, taking in bigger breaths when the shampoo-associated tone played and smaller breaths when played the sound linked to the rotten fish smell. This new learned association lingered into the next waking day, too. Even though the sleepers had no idea they had been exposed to smells or sounds, their behavior proved that their brain had actually learned something during sleep. As before, the shampoo sound stimulated a long, deep inhale, while the rotten fish tone caused more shallow breaths. | In which part of a website may this passage most likely appear? | [
"Science."
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As we all know , the language is a very important tool for people to communicate with each other. In most of the languages , people usually begin their conversations by a kind of small talk -a casual form of conversation that "breaks the ice" or fills an awkward silence between people . That is to say , small talk means the little things we talk about to start a conversation . In English-speaking countries such as Britain, people often make small talk about the weather. " Nice day, isn't it?" "Terrible weather , isn't it?" However, we still have something special about small talk. It must be about something which both people have the same opinion about. The purpose of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable . People usually agree about the weather, so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion or politics so these are not suitable topics for small talk. The topics for small talk also depend on where the conversation is taking place. At basketball matches, people make small talk about the game they are watching. "Great game , isn't it?" At train stations, people may talk about the transport system . " The train service is terrible, isn't it?" | What is the favorite topic of small talk for English people ? | [
"the weather"
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If you want to stay young,sit down and have a good think. This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise, and as a result,we are ageing unnecessarily soon. Professor Taijiu Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern prefix = st1 /Japanappeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a ly early age, and how the process of ageing could be slowed down. With a team of partners at Tokyo National University,he set about studying the brain volumes of a thousand people of different ages and various jobs. Computer technology enabled the researchers to get exact measurement of the volume of the front and side sections of the brain,which relate to intellect and feelings,and determine the human character. The back section of the brain,which controls functions like eating or breathing,does not connect with age. One can continue living without intellectual or feeling abilities. Contraction of front and side parts - as cells die off - was observed in some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not obvious in some sixty and seventy year olds. Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple cure for the contraction normally connected with age using the brain. The findings show in general conditions that contraction of the brain begins soon among people in the country than in the town. Those are at least at risk,says Matsuzawa,who are lawyers,followed by university professors and doctors. White collar workers doing regular work in government offices are, however,as likely to have shrink as the farm workers,bus drivers and shop assistants. Matsuzawa's findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking. Blood must flow through a circle properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need. "The best way to keep good blood movement is through using the brain,"he says. " Think hard and engage in conversation. Don't depend on pocket calculators. " | According to the passage,which people seem to age slower than the others? | [
"Lawyers."
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A new report says African governments are ill prepared to handle the growing number of people over age 65. The population in Africa as in other parts of the world, is getting older. Currently, there are 36 million people on the continent 65 years and above. which is 3.6 percent of the population. up from 3.3 percent 10 years ago. That could rise to 4.5 percent by 2030 and 10 percent by 2050. The African development Bank is raising concerns over the shortage of health insurance and pensions . The African Development Bank says. "Aging is highly linked with long-term physical and mental disability and a number of long-term chronic conditions." "Africa is not well prepared to care for its aging population right now. And it needs to prepare for this fact." said Professor Mthuli Ncube. the African Development Bank's chief economist. African nations spend far less on healthcare than developed nations do _ about $26per person per year. Not so many countries have well developed medical aid plans for the elderly, whether they are privately provided plans or indeed government plans. If you look at the pension plans, you will find the pension industries are not well developed in some of the countries. Professor Mthuli Ncube said African governments failed to take action on health insurance and pensions because they were busy with economic reforms. Another challenge for Africa is the worsening of informal systems of social protection. That is cash and support from both the extended family and community sources. . The African Development Bank recommends governments help carry out health insurance and pension plans. Ncube said African governments didn't have to handle the health insurance burden alone. "It is not only a must but also an opportunity for private companies to add their bit in this regard", he said. The report also recommends that African governments consider providing ways of free health services. medications and long-term health care facilities for the elderly. | What got in the way of developing health insurance and pensions in Africa? | [
"The economic reforms."
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Young people frequently say that they want to exercise, but they just can't find the time. The solution just might be in-office interval training. Recent studies show that very short but intense exercise rapidly builds and maintains fitness and health, even when the workout is only a few minutes long. Work the stairs You can complete an excellent, effective -- and very brief -- workout in an office stairwell, says Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada and an expert on interval training. For a study that he and his colleagues presented earlier this year, they asked 12 out-of-shape women in their 20s to warm up for two minutes by slowly walking up and down stairs in a campus office building. They completed three of these abbreviated stair workouts per week for six weeks. By the end, their aerobic fitness had improved substantially, the researchers reported, by about as much as if they had been running or cycling each week for hours. Fidget your way to fitness. Parents and teachers may once have urged you to sit still, but wiggling, tapping your toes, standing briefly, and otherwise fidgeting as much as possible at your desk is in fact good for your body. In one recent study, college students showed healthier blood flow in their lower legs if they fidgeted than if they did not. Even better, a 2008 study found that among office workers, those who frequently fidgeted burned as many as 300 calories more each day than those who resolutely stayed still. | How many studies are shown in the passage? | [
"Three"
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Meat and vegetables are measured in grams and kilograms. Milk and other liquid foods are measured in liters or milliliters. These units only measure quantity: they do not measure the value of the food to the body. The unit which measures the quality or value of food is the calorie the amount of heat given off by food when it brurns. This measurement tells how much energy a certain food has when it is completely used by the body. Our bodies use varying amount of calories. The more exercise we take, the more calories we burn. If we eat food which contains more calories than we use up, then it is possible that we would increase in weight. In order to avoid becoming overweight, it is advisable to eat a balanced diet and not eat too many foods that have a high calorie rating. The table below gives you some idea of the number of calories in food. | Which word in this passage means "heavier than normal"? | [
"Overweight."
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Father's day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise Sunday, June 16th, 2013 6:30pm-8:30pm Join us abroad the 95' Dana Pride for our special Father's Day Dinner Cruise. Enjoy a unique evening of fun on the water, complete with live music by Mike O' Brien and a delicious barbecue dinner. Adult--$ 59 Kids (3-12)--$29 Two and under are Free LOCATION: Dana Point Harbor BOOK ONLINE OR CALL: 949-496-5794 Rancho Days Fiesta July 13, 2013 Celebration the history of Saddleback Valley, there will be children's activities including free crafts projects. Help make and taste homemade ice cream and butter, warm bread from the oven. Dip water and grind corn while learning about the early days of Orange County. Admission is $ 3 for children 3 to 12 years old and $4 for adults. LOCATION: Heritage Hill Historical Park INFORMATION: 949-923-2230 Annual Silverado Counter Fair and Art Festival October 5-6, 2013 The 42thAnnual Silverado Country Fair explores the wonders of the area's Old West rustic culture, great live music tasty food, handmade arts, crafts and family games under the oak-trees below Orange Country's famous Saddleback Mountain. Daytime adult admission: $4/ Kids under 12: only $2 Saturday Night Music Fest : $ 5 for everyone LOCATION: Silverado Community Center INFORMATION: 714-997-3968 Starr Ranch Sanctuary October 20-21, 2013 Audubon California's Starr Ranch Sanctuary invites you to our fall classes for adults. Join our wildlife biologist for two peaceful days at beautiful 4,000 acre Starr Ranch in southeast Orange County and experience nature hands-on as a wildlife researcher. Cost: $ 95 for those not camping (including dinner) $100 for those camping (dinner and breakfast provided) LOCATION: Starr Ranch Sanctuary RESERVATIONS OR INFORMATION: 949-858-0309 | Which event is the most suitable for one who wants to enjoy dinner in a boat with live music? | [
"Father's day Sunset Live Music Dinner Cruise."
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The National Geographic Magazine, later shortened to National Geographic, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded. It has become one of the world's best-known magazines and is immediately identifiable by the characteristic yellow border running around the edge of its cover. There are 12 monthly issues of National Geographic per year, plus additional map supplements. On rare occasions, special editions are also issued. It contains articles about geography, popular science, history, culture, current events, and photography. The current Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Magazine is the well-known photographer, Chris Johns, who has photographed extensively in Africa. The foreword to Johns' own illustrated book on Africa was written by Nelson Mandela. Society Executive Vice President John Q. Griffin, and President of the Magazine Group, has overall responsibility for the English language magazines at National Geographic. Terry B. Adamson, Society Executive Vice President who also is the Society's chief legal officer and heads governmental relations, has overall responsibility for the Society's international publications. With a worldwide circulation in all languages of nearly nine million, more than fifty million people read the magazine every month. In May, 2007, National Geographic magazine won the American Society of Magazine Editors' prestigious General Excellence Award in the over two million circulation category and the best photography award for three issues of the magazine in 2006. | Who wrote the introduction to Johns' own illustrated book on Africa? | [
"Nelson Mandela."
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Psychologists in Britain have said that the last full week of January is the most depressing time of year, and labelled next Monday 'Blue Monday'. Blue is a slang way of saying unhappy. Mondays are generally seen as the worst day of the week because people feel grumpy and tired at having to go back to work after a weekend with a different sleep pattern. There are various reasons why more people feel depressed at this time of year. Many people have unpaid credit card bills for the Christmas presents they bought, and pay day is often not until the end of the month. As the party season is over, people feel stressed because they have to go back to real life - work and commuting; and they may be unhappy with their body image after bingeing on booze, chocolates, and other food at Christmas-time. People may have already failed in their New Year's resolutions, such as giving up smoking. The bad weather in January can also contribute to people feeling fed up. Some companies are taking this quite seriously and offering counselling for any staff who are feeling depressed. They hope that helping people as soon as there are signs of depression will avoid absenteeism . Evidence shows that unreasonable managers who contribute to their staff feeling fed up at this time can expect an uncooperative workforce. However, it's not all bad! Many people feel optimistic at this time, that things can only get better. Psychologists offer suggestions of how to combat feeling blue. These include spending 15 minutes doing a 'gratitude exercise' thinking about and writing down what you are grateful for, such as health, family, friends and so on. Taking up a new hobby, doing some exercise, going to bed earlier, eating a healthy breakfast, and listening to some uplifting music, are all recommended as ways to feel more cheerful. To avoid feeling blue next January, experts say that the best thing to do is to plan better next December. Spend less on presents, eat and drink less over the festive period, and make more realistic New Year's resolutions. | What's the best title of the passage? | [
"Blue Monday."
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It was in 1865 that two Frenchmen were looking into the future. Edouard de Laboulaye, who studied history, admired the United States greatly. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was a famous artist. De Laboulaye was thinking about 1876, when the country he respected so much would celebrate its 100th birthday. What gift would be good enough for the people of France to give? Right away, Bartholdi thought of a giant statue. Bartholdi kept thinking about a statue for several years. Then, in 1871, he visited the United States and saw the perfect place for a huge statue. It was Bedloe's Island in New York. The project -- the Statue of Liberty -- got started almost immediately, and Bartholdi went home to France to begin work. However, the statue was not finished in time for the 100th birthday. The United States Congress approved the use of Bedloe's Island on February 22, 1877. During the 100th celebration in 1876, the arm of the statue that would hold the torch was shown in Philadelphia. In 1879 the huge head was put on display in France. For the face of the statue, Bartholdi used his mother as a model. The statue was finally completed in 1884. The work had been difficult enough, but then some really hard work began. The statue had to be taken apart and packed into boxes. It was not until May 1885 that the statue -- in pieces -- left France for its new home. The statue arrived in June. However, the Americans fell behind on their part of the project. They hadn't raised enough money for building the base of the statue. People wondered if the country really needed or wanted such a gift. Finally, though, the money was raised and the base was completed. The last piece of the statue was put in place on October 28, 1886. | How many years did it take for the Statue of Liberty to be put in place on its base after it was completed? | [
"two."
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You may know your mother, but how well do you really know Mothers' Day? Cards, flowers, sales, TV specials, and a day off for someone who really deserves it -- those are what probably come to mind for many people when they think of Mothers' Day. But there's more to the story. The earliest Mothers' Day celebrations were held during spring in ancient Greece. The celebrations honored Rhea, the mother of the gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called Mothering Sunday. On this day even servants were given the day off to spend with their families. A mothering cake was even served with the family meal. In the US, Mothers' Day began in 1872 when Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the famous song The Battle Hymn of the Republic, suggested it as a day devoted to peace. But it didn't really become popular until 1907 when Anna Jarvis started a campaign to honor mothers. She believed that mothers could help people get over the pain they experienced during the Civil War. The US isn't alone in devoting a day to mothers. Many other countries including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Japan, and Belgium also honor their mothers in May. Other countries honor their mothers at different times of the year. Learning more about Mothers' Day and celebrating Mothers' Day are important, but probably not as important as understanding what your own mother, or grandmother, or aunt has really done for you. And that will certainly be appreciated more than one day in year. | Where was the earliest Mothers' Day celebrated? | [
"In ancient Greece."
] | 64b966bc82704c9aa78ac2c968ad8075 | [
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London has a new magazine.However,it is not printed on paper any more.Everyone who has a television can receive it because it is already on TV! In order to read this magazine,you need to have a decoder.Each page of it is numbered,so you have to dial a number to choose which subject you want to read about.You have a wide choice of topics to choose from-everything from cooking to the latest news. If you want to read some news,the first thing you have to do is to check at the index page which has an easy-to-remember page number,1 00 for example.From page 100,you can then choose from the news articles on page 101 to 109.From here,you will have to key in the numbers again.Then,the news will appear written across your screen.If you want to go out in the afternoon,you can press 181,and a brightly color1ed weather map will appear on the screen.But if you want to buy some cheap things,you can press 162 for a list of the week's best bargains.And whether you should drive or just take the train,you can simply press 189 for the traffic report.This new magazine on TV is very simple to use.But probably,the best thing about the service is that is being updated all the time.Journalists type new materials directly onto screen and the page of the magazine is replaced in minutes. London already has three services.One,transmitted by ITV ,is called ORACLE while the other two,on BBC,are called CEEFAX because they let you see facts.Although CEEFAX and ORACLE have been operating for some time, they have not been well publicized.BBC engineers do not think that their idea will ever replace books and newspapers because this new invention can't be taken with you wherever you go.But many people would agree that this is a breakthrough as great as the invention of printing, which could change not only our reading habits but also our lifestyles. | Which is the best title of the passage? | [
"A New Magazine"
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The Internet can be a great way to connect with people. The latest web craze is social networking on websites such as MySpace. More than 65 million young people use online social networking sites. That cyberspace trend is causing problems in school, however. In a recent survey, nearly 36 percent of school administrators said that social networking sites troubled learning in their districts. Should school districts ban sites like MySpace? Teachers are worried that some students use social networking to post personal information and to cyber bully other students. One of the biggest dangers comes from people who find out kid's personal information. Many districts have blocked students from accessing or using social networking sites from school computers, and some have suspended students for posting harmful material on those sites from their home computers. Nearly two-thirds of US kids have computers in their homes, according to the US Census Bureau. "It is important to keep in mind that just blocking access to social web sites at school is not the end of the story," warns NSBA executive director Anne Bryant, "Most of the misuse of these sites takes place at home but still affects the classroom." _ . They say the main problem with sites like MySpace is that students don't understand the dangers involved in using them. "Many students are posting personal information about themselves without regard to who has access to that information," Jim Hirsch said, "Schools should focus on educating their students and their parents on how to be safe online." Experts argue that too many schools are forbidding students to use social networking web sites without thinking about their educational benefits. "Social networking web sites can help connect students in the United States to their peers in other countries, providing invaluable lessons in foreign cultures," explains Hirsch. | Where do students usually misuse social networking sites? | [
"At home."
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One winter evening, a storekeeper was going to close up his shop. Suddenly he saw Seth, a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow grab a pound of fresh butter and concealed it in his hat. No sooner had the storekeeper seen the act than he hit upon exactly the right revenge. He would punish the thief, and satisfy his own appetite for fun. Seth had his hat on his head, and the butter in his hat. He was anxious to leave. However, the rightful owner of the butter offered him a cup of hot drink, took him by the shoulders and planted him in a seat close to the stove. The grocer stuffed in the stove as many sticks of wood as he could possibly fit inside. Seth already could feel the butter settling down closer to his hair, so he jumped up, declaring that he must go. "Sit down; don' t be in such a hurry," replied the grocer, pushing him back into the chair again. Streak after streak of the butter came pouring from under the poor man's hat. The fun-loving grocer kept on stuffing wood into the stove. Then, as if surprised, he remarked, "You seem to be perspiring as if you were warm! Let me put your hat away for you." "No!" exclaimed poor Seth at last, unable to stand it a moment longer. "No, I must go; let me out." A greasy waterfall of butter was now pouring down the poor man's face and neck, soaking into his clothes, and trickling down his body into his boots. He was bathed in oil from head to toe. Just as his victim darted out the door, the grocer said, "I reckon the fun I've had out of you is worth the money, so I shan't charge you for that pound of butter in your hat." | What is the best title of the passage? | [
"The right revenge"
] | 60a1fa7cb50344979b4854eb040544fe | [
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Do's and Don'ts in Whale Watching The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has developed guidelines for whale watching in Johnstone Strait,where killer whales are found on a daily basis each summer. It is strongly recommended that vessel operators follow these guidelines for all kinds of whales. * Approach whales from the side, not from the front or the back. * Approach no closer than 100 metres, then stop the boat but keep the engine on. * Keep noise levels down-no horns, whistles or racing of engines. * Start your boat only after the whales are more than 100 metres from your vessel. * Leave the area slowly, gradually moving faster when you are more than 300 metres from the whales. * Approach and leave slowly, avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction. * Avoid disturbing groups of resting whales. * Keep at low speeds and remain in the same direction if travelling side by side with whales. * When whales are travelling close to shore, avoid crowding them near the shore or coming between the whales and the shore. * Limit the time spent with any group of whales to less than 30 minutes at a time when within 100 to 200 metres of whales. * If there is more than one vessel at the same observation spot, be sure to avoid any boat position that would result in surrounding the whales. * Work together by communicating with other vessels, and make sure that all operators are aware of the whale watching guidelines. | For whom is this text written? | [
"Vessel operators."
] | 86a9c7fb36d64e23ac7cce83c3d4a9e3 | [
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Do's and Don'ts in Whale Watching The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has developed guidelines for whale watching in Johnstone Strait,where killer whales are found on a daily basis each summer. It is strongly recommended that vessel operators follow these guidelines for all kinds of whales. * Approach whales from the side, not from the front or the back. * Approach no closer than 100 metres, then stop the boat but keep the engine on. * Keep noise levels down-no horns, whistles or racing of engines. * Start your boat only after the whales are more than 100 metres from your vessel. * Leave the area slowly, gradually moving faster when you are more than 300 metres from the whales. * Approach and leave slowly, avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction. * Avoid disturbing groups of resting whales. * Keep at low speeds and remain in the same direction if travelling side by side with whales. * When whales are travelling close to shore, avoid crowding them near the shore or coming between the whales and the shore. * Limit the time spent with any group of whales to less than 30 minutes at a time when within 100 to 200 metres of whales. * If there is more than one vessel at the same observation spot, be sure to avoid any boat position that would result in surrounding the whales. * Work together by communicating with other vessels, and make sure that all operators are aware of the whale watching guidelines. | What is the shortest safe distance from the whales? | [
"100 metres."
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prefix = st1 /Yao-less Rockets Keep Rising Houston Agencies(March 9,2008)--Tracy McGrady had 41 points and nine assists as the Houston Rockets won their 18th game continuously with a 106-96 win over New Orleans on Saturday. McGrady fell just six points short of his season high for points as the Rockets kept their winning record. The Rockets won their sixth in a row since Chinese All-Star Yao Ming went out for the season with his left foot hurt.Yao had an operation earlier in the week. Joining Hands China Daily(March 10.2008)--To celebrate International Women's Day on Saturday, March 8,Avon Products,Inc,a leading global beauty company with almost $10 billion in yearly income and the United Nations Development Fund for Women(UNIFEM)have announced their partnership to ensure women's rights and end violence against women. Avon has offered $1 million to the UNIFEM.The partnership will enlarge the work of the UN to improve women's economic security and rights. Oil prices fall below the $105 mark Bloomberg News(March 11, 2008)--Oil prices dropped below $105 yesterday after last week's record highs and it reduced tension between oil producers Venezuela and Colombia over the weekend. Cold weather in the United States and the continuing weakening of the US dollars were set as main factors supporting prices. The rush to a new record was driven by a US Labour Department report saying that employers cut 63,000 jobs in February--the biggest drop in five years. | How much did Avon Products,Inc. provide for UNIFEM? | [
"$1 million"
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Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman's smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion across cultures. For example, many people in Russia smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don't smile enough. In Southeast Asian culture, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile. Our faces show emotions, but we should not attempt to "read" people from another culture as we would "read" someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressions permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly. It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural differences in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotion are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of "reading" the other person incorrectly. | What would be the best title ? | [
"Facial Expressiveness"
] | ba6bbf6c66eb489c91d508cf8cba84fc | [
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For the Travel section, writers and editors selected special items to profile from a dozen cities. Brussels: Chocolate. Nearly half the chocolate consumed in the world is eaten in Europe, and Belgium--with average consumption of 14.99 pounds per person a year--certainly covers its fair share. While Brussels, the country's capital, is home to hundreds of chocolate makers, what makes a visit necessary is the rich heritage of traditional chocolate makers. Budapest: Paprika The job of preparing Hungarian paprika was once considered too dangerous for mothers to do. A woman who touched her children upon returning from work risked burning them, so only the elderly and unmarried were allowed the delicate task of separating the skin from the flesh. But by the early 20thcentury, sweeter varieties and a machine turned paprika into a common feature of all Hungarian cuisine. Lisbon: Tiles Is there a bluer country than Portugal? The blue sky and Atlantic Ocean embrace the land. The blue moods of Fado, the dark folk music, form the national soundtrack. And all across Portugal, the typically--blue designs of azulejos--ceramic tiles--are spread across churches, castles, palaces, university halls, parks. The result is a beautiful land of Christian saints, Portuguese kings, historical glories, aristocrats at leisure, seascapes and so on. Madrid: Guitars Walking into one the Madrid's storied guitar makers' workshops can feel like stepping into the past. Curly wood shavings, from the palest pine to ebony, fall onto the floor as artisans turn some humble wood into works of art. It's painstaking work--all done by hand--with classical guitar models and the methods of making them changing little over the last century. | Which city can be a splendid setting for a film? | [
"Lisbon."
] | 69c1dc0c3ad44691a7b92da76bb1d28c | [
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Here's one number to keep in mind during your next cell phone conversation: 50. A new experiment shows that spending 50 minutes with an active phone pressed up to the ear increases activity in the brain. This brain activity probably doesn't make you smarter. When cell phones are on, they emit energy in the form of radiation that could be harmful, especially after years of cell phone usage. Scientists don't know yet whether cell phones are bad for the brain. Studies like this one are attempting to find it out. The 47 participants in the experiment may have looked a little strange. Each one had two Samsung cell phones attached to his or her head -- one on each ear. The phone on the left ear was off. The phone on the right ear played a message for 50 minutes, but the participants couldn't hear it because the sound was off. With this set-up, the scientists could be sure they were studying brain activity from the phone itself, and not brain activity due to listening and talking during a conversation. After 50 minutes with two phones strapped to their heads, the participants were given PET scans. The PET scan showed that the left side (the side with the phone turned off) of each participant's brain hadn't changed during the experiment. The right side of the brain, however, had used more glucose, which is a type of sugar that provides fuel to brain cells. These right-side brain cells were using almost as much glucose as the brain uses when a person is talking. This suggests that the brain cells there were active -- even without the person hearing anything. That activity, the scientists say, was probably caused by radiation from the phone. Henry Lai, who works at the University of Washington in Seattle, is uncomfortable with the data related to cell phones. Holding a cell phone to your ear during a conversation is "not really safe," Lai told Science News. Lai is a bioengineer at the University of Washington in Seattle. He wrote an article about the new study for a journal, but he did not work on the study. Bioengineers bring together ideas from engineering and biology. For those who don't want to wait to find out for sure whether cell phones are bad for the brain, there are ways to talk more safely. You can have short and sweet conversations, use a speakerphone or keep the phone away from your head. | Where is this article probably taken from? | [
"Science News."
] | 2e184c27812844a58930819de3792722 | [
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Human beings have a natural desire to explore the unknown. People with a strong interest in space like to say it is the last place left to explore. But scientists are warning that space exploration for long periods is not going to be easy. They say the human body is not designed to stay in space over an extended period. The New York Times recently published a report about scientists who are preparing astronauts for a trip to the Moon. The newspaper said the scientists want to make sure that their crews return home in good health. But there are many problems to be solved before people are ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars. Humans developed on a planet with a surface that is more than 70 percent water. Our bodies are also about 70 percent water. When there is no gravity that water moves up toward the head, raising pressure in the skull. Arms and legs grow weaker at what is called zero gravity because they no longer need to push against the force of gravity. Five years ago, astronauts who spent weeks in space reported a change in their eyesight. These astronauts were members of the crew on the International Space Station. Research showed a change in the shape of their eyes. Normally-round eyeballs had become flat during time in space. The research also showed that the right eye was affected more than the left, and that men were more affected than women. Scientists could not find an explanation for the differences. Bone loss was one of the problems first reported by astronauts returning to Earth after longer stays in space. So scientists designed exercise machines to use on the space station. Tests showed that the exercise equipment helped space travelers keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth. There are other health issues for astronauts who spend a long time in space. They may have problems eating and sleeping. But the biggest health issue is exposure to radiation. On Earth, human beings are protected by the atmosphere and the planet's magnetic field. In outer space, there is no such protection. | What is true according to the passage? | [
"Men were more affected than women."
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A sense of humor is just one of the many things shared by Alfred and Anthony Melillo, 64-year-old twin brothers from East Haven who made history in February 2002. On Christmas Eve, 1992, Anthony had a heart transplant from a 21-year-old donor. Two days before Valentine's Day in 2002, Alfred received a 19-year-old heart, marking the first time on record that twin adults each received heart transplants. "I'm 15 minutes older than him, but now I'm younger because of my heart and I'm not going to respect him," Alfred said with a big smile, pointing to his brother while talking to a roomful of reporters, who laughed frequently at their jokes. While the twins knew that genetics might have played a role in their condition, they recognized that their eating habits might have also contributed to their heart problems. "We'd put half a pound of butter on a steak. I overdid it on all the food that tasted good, so I guess I deserved what I got for not dieting properly." The discussion moved to Anthony's recovery. In the five years since his heart transplant, he had been on an exercise program where he regularly rode a bicycle for five miles, swam each day, and walked a couple of miles. He was still on medication, but not nearly as much as Alfred, who was just in the early stage of his recovery. "Right now I feel pretty young and I'm doing very well," Anthony said. "I feel like a new person." Alfred said his goal, of course, was to feel even better than his brother. But, he added, "I love my brother very much. We're very close and I'm sure we'll do just fine." | What did Alfred and Anthony have in common? | [
"A sense of humor."
] | 1146ebebcf974a55a3a35c64d2895010 | [
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Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people. My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it." At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day,my mother spoke to me in her gentle,loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I would walk again if I want to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year I returned to school--walking on my own ! When the Great Depression hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again. Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time. Not surprisingly, Mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business,we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother's words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed.Fifteen years later,we had the largest hotel system in the world--Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1billion a year. You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you. | According to the author, who played the most role in making him walk back to school again? | [
"Mom"
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Using tablet computers like Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Note just before bed can lead to a poor night's sleep, according to research. More and more people are taking their tablets to bed with them to surf the web, check Facebook or email before switching off the light. But researchers are warning that the blueish light their screens emit can stop users getting a good night's sleep. That is because this type of light mimics daylight, convincing the brain that it is still daytime. Blue light suppresses production of a brain chemical called melatonin, which helps us fall sleep. This is because our brains have evolved to be wakeful during daylight hours. By contrast, light which is more orange or red in tone does not reduce melatonin production, perhaps because our brains recognize it as a cue that the day is ending. Neurologists have known for years that staring at screens late in the evening can disrupt sleep. Researchers at the Lighting Research Centre, at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, are warning that looking at tablet displays for more than two hours "leads to a suppression of our natural melatonin levels as the devices emit optical radiation at short wavelengths" - in other words, they emit bluer light. They say: "Although turning off devices at night is the ultimate solution, it is recommended that if these devices are used at night displays are dimmed as much as possible and that the time spent on them before bed should be limited." They drew their conclusions after measuring melatonin levels in 13 volunteers, after they had spent time viewing iPads at full brightness at a distance of 10 inches, for two hours. Melatonin levels were significantly lower after they had done this, than they were after the volunteers had viewed their iPads for the same time, but while wearing orange glass goggles, which cut out the blue light. They wrote in the journal Applied Ergonomics that tablet makers could "tune the spectral power distribution of self-luminous devices " so that they disrupted the sleep patterns of users less. It is not just a good night's sleep that could be jeopardized by too much late night screen time. Researchers know that persistent disruption to sleep patterns can lead to an increased risk of obesity, and even breast cancer. However, these studies tend to be comparisons of those with chronic sleep disruption, such as long term shift workers, with those who have normal sleep patterns. | What is it that stops users getting a good night's sleep? | [
"blueish light"
] | 84d2f0bd47a64880b142fde7693c2a87 | [
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