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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: Solar energy for your home is coming. It can help you as a single home owner. It can help the whole country as well. Whether or not solar energy can save your money depends on many things. Where you live is one factor and the type of home you have is another. Things like insulation , present energy costs, and the type of system you buy are added factors.
Using solar energy can help save our precious fuel. As you know, our supplies of oil and gas are very limited. There is just not enough on hand to meet all our future energy needs. Sooner or later Mother Nature will say that's all. The only way we can delay hearing those words is by starting to save energy now and by using other sources, like the sun.
We won't have to worry about the sun's running out of energy for another several billion years or so. Besides, the sun doesn't offer as many problems as other energy sources. For example, fossil fuel adds to already high pollution levels. With solar energy, we will still need sources of energy, but we won't need as much. That means we can cut down on our pollution problems.
With all these good points, why don't we use more solar power? There are many reasons for this. The biggest reason is money. Until now, it was just not practical for a home owner to put in a solar unit. There were cheaper sources of energy.
All that is changing now. Solar costs are starting to equal the costs of oil and electricity. Experts say that gas, oil and electricity prices will continue to rise. The demand for electricity is increasing rapidly. But new power plants will use more gas, oil or coal. Already in some places the supply of electricity is being rationed . Solar energy is now in its infancy . It could soon grow to become a major part of our nation's energy supply.
Question: Which of the following statements is TRUE?
Answer:
Energy from the sun would not pollute our living environment. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Most people agree that it's important to have a sense of humour. Having the ability to laugh can help one overcome anxiety, and make better decisions in difficult situations. People with a well-developed sense of humour appear to be happier, and some are healthier as well. This suggests that having a sense of humour is good for you. Humourless people may find themselves being treated as a fool, and become anxious and upset.
A sense of humour also plays an important role in human relationships. However, not everyone has a sense of humour. People with developmental disabilities can sometimes have no sense of humour, or have a very strange one.
A number of factors affect a person's sense of humour, with the age probably being the main one. Young children are often highly amused by simple jokes or shows, while teenagers prefer to enjoy the ironic events. Educational level, culture, and religious faith also affect one's sense of humour. While Christians, for example, may have a deep appreciation of jokes about the Bible, others may find them disrespectful.
Many people believe that a sense of humour is something that develops on its own, and that you cannot teach someone to understand why jokes, certain comments, situations or events are funny. However, things can be done to
one's sense of humour. Children, for example, benefit from being told jokes and encouraged to laugh, although some children's jokes might seem rather strange to adults. If you have children, try to encourage them to tell jokes and think about what makes things funny. And it will help them develop a sense of humour.
Question: According to the passage, which of the following doesn't influence one's sense of humour?
Answer:
Family backgrounds. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Having a great collection of books at home doesn't really mean that you are a person who loves reading. It may be got from your father or your father's father, and it can just impress people around you with the fact that you are a person of culture.
From my point of view, reading is very important in our daily life. For example, reading is a way of gaining knowledge in different areas. It can help us have a great imagination, and it makes things easier when it comes to making compositions on different themes. It gives you the possibility to speak about science, even if you don't work in this field. You can express your opinions about a political event because you have read something about that.
Secondly, reading gives us the possibility to enter the world of imagination. We can imagine what life will be like in the future. Sometimes, we compare ourselves with the people in the stories we read and they can give us some clues to solve the problems and tell us what to do in certain situations. Books are based on real life. Even if writers are considered to be somehow different from common people, they often face the same problems as we all do.
In short, I would like to say that literature is the perfect way of enriching our culture, expressing correctly, having a rich vocabulary, being able to understand different fields and really being considered to be a learned person.
Question: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
Answer:
Reading helps us enter the field of politics easily | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Surviving the boredom of a school day can be bad enough, but when you have to worry about school gangs as well it's enough to make any student want to stay at home and under the covers! Unfortunately, gang culture can be found in many British schools, and it brings with it negative, and dangerous, side effects. The presence of weapons at or near school, the appearance of graffiti on buildings and lockers, and pressure to blow off school work and exams all follow where the gangs lead. None of these things contribute to a good education, but for school gangs that's exactly the point - school is for being popular and having fun, not learning anything or preparing for the future. Keep these tips in mind and say goodbye to school gangs.
Know your own mind. Often it is those with low self-esteem and a poor self-image who become victims of school gangs. These students don't know their own mind or have a clear picture of what they would like to do in the future, so it is easy to be influenced by those who don't want to do any work today.
Keep yourself busy. School gangs often hang around at or near schools with no real reason. Students who have nothing scheduled can easily be sucked into these groups, but if you are busy, busy, busy and always on the move there will be less chance that you'll have the time to stay and "play".
Choose your friends wisely. With a core group of like-minded friends, it is much easier to stay away from school gangs because you simply don't need them. Remember that gangs are a source of power for members, but they can also be a source of intimidation.
Work hard and have fun. No one likes a teacher's pet, but school gangs in particular hate them. Work hard and have fun at school, but don't annoy anyone with extreme goody-two-shoes behaviour. School gangs can be a nightmare if you must deal with them constantly. Stay away from gang hangouts and gang members, and don't involve yourself in any gang related activities.
Question: What can be inferred from the passage?
Answer:
Those who focus on study are more likely to stay away from school gangs. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. It is also referred to as IP Telephony. It is another way of making phone calls, though the 'phone' part is not always present any more, as you can communicate without a telephone set. VOIP is especially popular with long distance calls. The main reason for which people are so massively turning to VOIP technology is the cost. VOIP is said to be cheap, but most people use it for free. Yes, if you have a computer with a microphone and speakers, and a good Internet connection, you can communicate using VOIP for free.
There are basically three ways of using VOIP. One is to have a PC on both communicating sides; another is to have a phone on one side and a PC on the other and the third is to have two phones.
VOIP is a ly new technology and it has already achieved wide acceptance and use. There is still a lot to improve and it is expected to have major technological advances in VOIP in the future. It has so far proved to be a good candidate for replacing the POTS (Plain Old Telephone System). It, of course, has drawbacks along with the numerous advantages it brings; and its increasing use worldwide is creating new considerations surrounding its regulations and security.
The growth of VOIP today can be compared to that of the Internet in the early 90's. The public is getting more and more conscious of the advantages they can get from VOIP at home or in their businesses. Advertising campaigns, which are present everywhere on the net, are contributing a lot towards the popularization of VOIP which not only gives facilities and allows people to save, but also producing huge income for those who dived early into the new phenomenon.
Question: We can feel that the writer was _ because of the growth of technology while writing the passage.
Answer:
admiring | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Valencia is in the east part of Spain . It has a port on the sea, two miles away on the coast. It is the capital of a province that is also named Valencia.
The city is a market centre for what is produced by the land around the city. Most of the city's money is made from farming. It is also a busy business city, with ships, railways, clothes and machine factories.
Valencia has an old part with white buildings, colored roofs, and narrow streets. The modern part has long, wide streets and new buildings. Valencia is well known for its parks and gardens. It has many old churches and museums. The University in the centre of the city was built in the 13th century.
The city of Valencia has been known since the 2nd century. In the 8th century it was the capital of Spain. There is also an important city in Venezuela named Valencia.
Question: When was Valencia the most important city in Spain?
Answer:
8th century. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Packaging is an important form of advertising.A package can sometimes _ someone to buy a product.For example, a small child might ask for a breakfast food that comes in a box with a picture of a TV character.The child is more interested in the picture than in breakfast food.Pictures for children to color or cut out, games printed on a package, or a small gift inside a box also motivate many children to buy products or to ask their parents to buy for them.
Some packages suggest that a buyer will get something for nothing.Food products sold in reusable containers are examples of this.Although a similar product in a plain container might cost less, people often prefer to buy the product in a reusable glass or dish, because they believe the container is free.However, the cost of the container is added to the cost of the product.The size of a package also motivates a buyer.Maybe the package had "Economy Size" or "Family Size" printed on it.This suggests that the larger size has the most product for the least money.But that is not always true.To find it out, a buyer has to know how the product is sold and the price of the basic unit.
The information on the package should provide some answers.But the important thing for any buyer to remember is that a package is often an advertisement.The words and pictures do not tell the whole story.Only the product inside can do that.
Question: What suggestion does the author give in the passage?
Answer:
The best choice for a buyer is to buy a product in a plain package. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Edward Snowden's removal of thousands of highly classified documents from the National Security Agency and his decision to turn them over to journalists for publication started a fierce debate about who and what he is. On one side are those who consider Snowden a whistleblower, someone who has done his country a great service. Others regard him as a criminal.
Snowden, meanwhile, says that his "task's already accomplished," that he has given Americans a "say in how they are governed" and that he has succeeded in exposing the workings of what he has called the uncontrolled "surveillance state."
But one must ask: Are Snowden's actions in consistent with his words?
Snowden has taken sanctuary in Russia, a country that, under the guidance of President Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet KGB officer, has been sliding ever deeper back into dictatorship . The Federal Security Service (FSB) has invested in technology that allows it to monitor telephone and Internet communications and to collect and store not just metadata -- information about call destinations and lengths -- but also the content of communications. The Russian state uses that technology to engage in essentially unchecked surveillance of telephone calls, e-mail traffic, blogs, and Web sites. Over the past two years "the Kremlin has transformed Russia into a surveillance state -- at a level that would have made the KGB envious."
If Snowden's objective is to give people a voice in how they are governed, and to expose massive uncontrolled surveillance, he could speak out about practices of the Russian government that go far beyond anything ever undertaken by the U.S. government.
For better or for worse, Snowden has a large number of supporters around the world. His words are listened to by millions -- so he could make a difference where it counts. Yet he has been silent about the surveillance surrounding him. Why? Is he being polite to his hosts? Does he have concerns about what the FSB might do in response to what he might say?
Whatever the answer,...
Question: What does the author want to tell the readers?
Answer:
Snowden is in fact a hypocrite. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: According to some researchers, you should not praise children for everything that they do. It does not help them build self-confidence.
Most parents and teachers agree that praise can help increase children's self-confidence --the more, the better. However, according to some researchers, only proper praise is good for children. If adults praise everything children do, it makes children look for praise all the time, not trying to do their best. "Teachers should not say things like 'good job' or 'nice work' whenever a child does anything. They should encourage them to continue to improve," some researchers advise.
Another idea is that children with high self-confidence are happier, and do better at school. About this, Marshall Duke, a researcher in children, says, "High self-confidence brought in by too much praise does not make children happier, get more, or become able to do more. Finding a child's advantages and developing them can help build confidence more than too much praise can." Praise also loses its effect if it is given equally to all students.
"It's important to tell children the truth about what they've done. Honest feedback is far better than empty praise," Duke adds. "People have got into the habit of not telling children when they're wrong. That makes it hard for them to deal with difficulties when they grow up. That's just how the world is."
Question: Which of the following is TRUE, according to the passage?
Answer:
The same praise for all children has no meaning | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: The Red Sea is parting again, but this time no one can help. Satellite pictures show that the Arabian plate and the African plate are moving away from each other, stretching the Earth's crust and widening the southern end of the Red Sea.
Last September, series of earthquakes started splitting the planet's surface in Ethiopia. Over a period of three weeks, the sides on the rift separated by 26 feet.
"We think that the crust is melted slowly at depths greater than 10 kilometers, where it is hotter, forming molten rock," said Tim J Wright. "This molten rock rises through the crust because it is less dense than the surrounding rock."
The molten rock collects at depths of 3 to 5 kilometers. Wright explained, "Slowly, the pressure has been building up until last September when it finally cracked, breaking the crust."
The entry of molten rock into the gap between continents, rather than the cracking of the crust, is responsible for separation of continent drifts. For the past 30 million years Africa and Arabia have been going through the continental rifting process, the same one that made the Red Sea part again.
"The ground is continually moving---much more rapidly now than before," Wright said. "On average, the two sides move apart at about 2 centimeters per year."
This latest split, added to the long-term rifting process could eventually create a huge new sea. Although such processes could take millions of years to occur, this event has given scientists an opportunity to examine the break in real time.
Question: According to the passage, what caused Arabia separate from Africa?
Answer:
Molten rock flowing into the continental gap. | race_high | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: My father has a great sports collection .he love sports very much. And he loves all balls. he likes playing basketball and volleyball. And he likes playing baseball and tennis. he also likes watching ball games. how many balls does he have? He has 15 basketballs,12 baseballs ,10 tennis bats.8 volleyballs and 14 baseball bats. and many other balls.
Question: He has _ tennis bats.
Options: A: 15
B: 12
C: 10
D: 8
C | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: A group of reporters asked a group of 4-to-8-year-old children this question, "What does love mean?" The answers were surprising. The children would answer like they did below.
Rebecca --- age 8
"When my grandmother hurt her knees , she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails any more. So my grandfather would do it for her all the time, even when his hands hurt, too. That's love."
Samantha --- age 6
"Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad but you don't shout at her because you know it would hurt her feelings."
Terry --- age 4
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Bethany --- age 4
"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mum says she only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her."
Lauren --- age 4
"I know my elder sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new clothes."
Elaine --- age 5
"Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Clear --- age 5
"My Mummy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Jessica --- age 8
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Question: What does Jessica mean about love?
Options: A: Too much love is no love.
B: You should say love more often.
C: You mean what you think.
D: Say love more often if you have it.
D | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: A driver stopped his car on a street side to have a rest. When he sat in the seat and closed his eyes, a pedestrian came up and knocked at his window to ask the time. The driver opened his eyes and looked at his watch, "It is 8 o'clock." He said. Then he went to sleep again. But soon he woke up because a second pedestrian was knocking at the window, "Sir, do you have the time?" he asked. The driver looked at his watch again and told the man it was 8:30.
If it happened again, he could not have a good rest. So he wrote a short note and put it on the window for all the people to see. It said, " _ "
Again the man sat in the seat and slept. A few minutes later a third pedestrian came along and began knocking at the window. "Hey, sir," she said, "It's 8:45."
Question: The driver stopped his car to _ .
Options: A: have breakfast
B: have a rest
C: have lunch
D: tell time
B | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town announcing that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole town. A large crowd gathered, and they all thought it was perfect. There was not a flaw in it.
Suddenly, an old man said, "Your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was full of scars . The young man laughed. "Comparing your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars."
"Yes," said the old man, "You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart that fits into the empty place in my heart. Though it has some scars, I cherish . Because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his or her heart to me. These are the empty gouges . Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for those people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"
The young man ripped a piece out of his perfect heart and offered it to the old man. The old man placed it in his heart, then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the _ in the young man's heart.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.
,.
Question: The scares can _ .
Options: A: recover by themselves
B: be filled as well as before
C: represent how hard the old man has lived
D: represent that the old man has given love to many people
D | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Chinese space trainer Wang Yuan has been chosen as one of the volunteers for the Mars-500 test project. He was very happy to be chosen and will accept the meaningful challenge Another five volunteers are all space lovers., including three Russians, an Italy-Colombian and a Frenchman. They are about to feel what it's like to travel to Mars, only without leaving the earth. They are locked up together for a year and a half under a similar condition to the red planet during the whole process. So the experiment is called Mars-500.
When reporters asked what they would miss most during the 520-day special life, French trainer Charles said:"For me, it will be mainly my family, the sun and fresh air."
The Mars-500 test will be in a special building in Moscow, Russia. Although the people won't leave the building, they will fell as if they are on a real trip to the Mars. The most difficult thing will be to be separated from the people that they used to live with. The trainer won't see sunsets, sunrises, won't feel rain for 18 months. That will be hard.
The main task is to study the "Man and environment". It'll care about the astronauts' getting experience and physical effects. The 520-day-test is divided into three parts,the first 250days to Mars, the middle 30days of landing on Mars, the last 240 days to return to the earth. Everyone will stay there alone for a long time and will work lonely. They will have to make decisions themselves and only then report to the earth, and the earth will tell them whether they do the right thing or not.
Each astronaut is preparing for the great challenge. It is learned that they will be launched early in June. And the experiment will end in November 2011.
Question: Mars-500 test will be done in _
Options: A: Moscow
B: a red planet
C: November
D: Xichang
A | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Nasreddin woke up in the middle of the night and saw something white in his garden. It seemed to be moving towards the house.
That is a thief ! He thought, and he took his gun and shot at him. Then he went back to bed, because he was too frightened) to go out of the house in the dark.
The next morning Nasreddin went out and saw one of his white shirts hanging on the clothes-line in the garden, his wife had washed it the day before and hung it out to dry. Now it had a bullet- hole right through middle of it.
My God, said Nasreddin, I was lucky last night. If I had been wearing that shirt, the bullet would have killed me! And he called his neighbours together and asked them to thank God for saving him.
Question: . At midnight, Nasreddin saw _ in his garden.
Options: A: something strange
B: a thief
C: something white
D: a ghost
C | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Mrs. Brown lived in a small town near a big farm. One Friday afternoon, after she finished doing housework, she went to her small shop. She opened the window of the shop and looked outside. She liked to see the green farm. There were many cows, horses, and small animals on the farm.
Suddenly she saw a kangaroo under her window. It was interesting to see that the kangaroo was wearing an old jacket. It stood there and looked hungry. Mrs. Brown gave some bread and waterto it. The kangaroo had them all. Then it became happy and jumped away. Suddenly something dropped on the ground there was $300 and a photo in it. That was a man's photo with his name "John" on it. John? She looked more carefully and remembered she had a brother many years ago. His name was also John. "Is this man my lost brother?" She thought.
She took the wallet with her and began to look for the man. She asked many people in the town, and then she came to the farm and asked the farmer. To her great surprise, it was John, her lost brother. They were very excited and happy to see each other.
Question: Which is not mentioned(,) in the story?
Options: A: kangaroo
B: cow
C: cock
D: horse
C | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Mark Twain's First Money
Mark Twain was asked one day if he could remember the first money he ever earned.
He thought a long time and then said , "Yes, it was at school.I can remember everything about it .School boys in those days did not take good care of their chairs and desks.There was a rule in our school that if anyone damaged his desk or chair, he would have to pay five dollars or the teacher would beat him in front of the whole school."
"One day I damaged my desk in some way, I had to pay five dollars or be beaten before the whole school.My father said it would be too bad to have our family disgraced in front of the whole school.He agreed to give me five dollars to hand over the teacher.But before he gave me the money, he took me upstairs and gave me a beating."
"But as I had one beating and I decided I would take another beating at school and keep the five dollars.So that's what I did.That was the first money I ever earned."
Question: Mark Twain was beaten _ .
Options: A: at home
B: only by his father
C: at school
D: both at school and at home
D | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Robert went to visit his friends in Paris last weekend.His friends met him at the airport on Friday afternoon and drove him to the hotel.They ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant and went to see a film after that.
Robert and his friends set out early on Saturday morning for a farm and stayed there until Sunday morning.During their stay,they played football in the field and enjoyed a big meal around a camp fire ,singing and dancing till late into the night.
Nobody could get up early on Sunday morning.So when they got back to Paris,it was about three o'clock in the afternoon.They drove right to the airport because Robert didn't want to miss his plane back home.Robert only stayed in Paris for two nights but he had a great time with his friends.
Question: Where did Robert go last weekend?
Options: A: New York.
B: London.
C: Paris.
D: Beijing.
C | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Peter: Paul, what are you going to do this afternoon?
Paul: I plan to climb a hill. Would you like to go with me?
Peter: Thank you. But I don't want to be tired. I want to sleep at home. Have a good time!
Paul: I'm sure I will. But now I don't know what to wear.
Peter: What about your new trousers?
Paul:My new trousers are made of wool. I don't think they can make me comfortable.
Peter: You're right. Wool clothes are not fit for a trip. How about your blue jeans? What are they made of?
Paul: Cotton. They are good for trips. And shall I wear my leather shoes?
Peter: No. They will make your feet hot. You know, it is hot these days. And they are also too heavy for a trip. Try your trainers.
Paul: OK. And trainers go well with my jeans.
Peter: And why not wear your cap? It looks cool on you.
Paul: Thank you. I will wear it.
Question: Paul is going to _ today.
Options: A: climb a hill
B: visit his friends
C: go to the park
D: sleep at home
A | race_middle | Select the best answer | 1tasky
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Article: Sports City Bar
Every Tuesday and Thursday evening in Sports City Bar everyone can enjoy a "Buy one, get one free"Tex-Mex &seafood Buffet* for 118 yuan.
At our Sunday Family Buffet, we have exciting games for children. The buffet lasts from 11:00am to 2:00 pm. And costs 98 yuan per adult. Children aged 12 to 16 eat for half price, and children under 12(limited* to two) eat for free.
Happy hours at Sports City Bar lasts from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. But one soft drink, get one free.
Tel:65118976-4228
Location: The fourth floor, Blue Sky shopping centre.
Question: Who have free lunch at the Sunday Family Buffet?
Answer:
Children under 12 | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Born in Ghana,West Africa,in 1989,Freddy Adu has become one of the most promising young soccer players in the world.Soccer fans have been crazy about him since 2003,when he became the youngest player to join a professional sports team in the United States.The next year,he became the youngest athlete ever to play in an allstar game,a match in which the best players from many professional teams compete.
As a child,Adu did what many children in Ghana love to do--play soccer.His mother recognized her son's talentand encouraged it by providing soccer balls,which were expensive for them.Since he had soccer balls,other children always came looking for him and played together.
Education was very important to Adu's mother,and she wasn't sure that her son could receive a good education in Ghana.So she tried hard and moved to Maryland,U.S. in 1997,when he was eight years old.His new school friends soon noticed his talent for soccer,and the parents of one friend encouraged him to join a soccer club.This was his first time playing organized soccer,and he helped his team from the Potomac Soccer Association win a tournament in Italy in 2000.One professional Italian team was so impressed by Adu that they offered him $750,000 to play for them.Adu's mother refused the offer and thought that her eleven-year-old son needed to finish school first.
Adu did finish high school at the age of 14.Nowadays,he is playing professional soccer and living with his mother in a house he bought for her.His salary with the D.C. United team is $500,000 a year,and Adu is also paid to advertise products such as sports shoes and drinks.Adu is happy that his mother no longer has to work at two jobs,and his fans are happy that they can watch him play their favourite sport for many years to come.
Question: Adu's mother helped him develop his talent by _ .
Answer:
offering him soccer balls | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: Hello, everyone. Because of the high rate of school violence in some areas, teenagers' safety becomes a serious problem. We are planning to set up an organization named School Watch to make sure that students have a safe environment. Please be part of our plan!
What is School Watch?
School Watch is a volunteer project in our school. It helps us stop violence and improve the quality of school life. It will keep yourself and your schoolmates safe. The other members of School Watch care for you and your classroom and you do the same for them.
Is it for everyone?
Anybody can become a member of School Watch because everyone has something to offer.
What else can it do?
School Watch makes it possible for us not only to help each other but also to make friends with each other. Some members may offer to help schoolmates who have problems with their homework.
Who is the Best School Watcher?
Our school will look for the Best School Watcher and give him or her lots of prizes. You could be the one!
How do you start?
To be part of this plan, the only thing you need to do is to talk to the director of the plan in your grade. If you want to get more information, check the official website atwww. schoolwatch. com.
Question: The members of School Watch are probably _ .
Answer:
teenagers | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: Do you know some world famous brands , such as Nike, adidas, Kappa...? What do you think of them? Do you use their products ? Here are some students' opinions:
Sam: I am a Nike fan. Many of Nike's advertisements are fun and its products are great! I have a pair of Nike basketball shoes.
Joe: In my eyes , top brand means high quality, So I love top brand products though they're very expensive. I was glad Mum bought me a Kappa T-shirt last month.
Sally:The logos of famous brands are usually unique and nice. It's cool to own products with those logos. Sometimes I wear my adidas coat.
Jack:Many top brand products are advertised by spokesmen . I love the spokesmen of many top brand products. I've got many Nike socks.
Susan: I know it's popular for young people to have famous brand products these days. But my parents both lost their jobs. I have no interest in following the fashion. I only choose the products that are not expensive.
Adam: As a student, I don't earn money myself. It's not easy for my parents to support me. So I only use some ordinary products. I don't agree students use the famous brand products.
Question: What does Sally think of the products of famous brands?
Answer:
She thinks it's cool to own them. | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: A new word is becoming more and more popular on the Internet in China - but no one knows quite what it means.The word "duang" is so new that you can't even find it in the Chinese dictionary. But it has already spread like fire on the Chinese Internet , appearing more than 8,000,000 times on Weibo, where 15,000 users had more than 312,000 discussions. On Baidu, it has been looked up almost 600,000 times. But what does it mean?
"Everyone's duang-ing and I still don't know what it means! Looks like I'd better go back to school now," said Weibo user Fahmida.
Another user asked: "Have you duang-ed today? My mind is full of duang duang duang."
"To duang or not to duang, that is the question," wrote user Beatrice.
"Duang" seems to be imitating a sound. It all seems to have started with Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan, who in 2004 appeared in a shampoo ad where he used the sound "duang" to describe his soft and black hair. The word came to people again recently after Chan posted it on his Weibo page. Thousands of users then began to visit Chan's Weibo page with comments .
The word seems to have many different meanings, and there's no perfect Chinese meaning for it, but you could use it to give emphasis to the word that follows it. A kid might be "duang cute", for example.
Question: In 2004, Jackie Chan used "duang" to _ .
Answer:
describe his hair | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: Soap operas and sitcoms are two kinds of popular TV shows. What are the differences between them?
A soap opera is usually very long and has many episodes .All the episodes of a soap opera are _ The first soap opera was on radio in the late 1930s. One of the most famous soap operas is Friends.
A sitcom, or a situation comedy, is a set of funny stories. These stories all happen in a small place, like a house or a workplace. Sitcoms are different from soap operas. Each story in a sitcom can be a different one and sitcoms make people feel happy. There is a very popular sitcom on TV in China. Everyone likes it. Do you know it? It is Home With Kids.
Question: What can we learn about "Friends"?
Answer:
It is one of the most famous soap operas. | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: Last week Johnny had a very busy weekend. On Saturday morning, he cleaned his room. That made his mother very happy. In the afternoon, he did his math homework. It was not difficult, so it only took him one hour to finish the homework. And in the evening, he went to visit his aunt with his parents. They had a big dinner there. The next morning, he went swimming after getting up. Usually he goes swimming twice a week. He loves it very much. After lunch he went to school playground and played football. That exercise makes him in a good health. On Sunday evening, he watched TV for an hour at home and then put the books in his schoolbag for the next day.
Question: How long did Johnny watch TV on Sunday evening?
Answer:
One hour. | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: For many people the subject of hiccups is a joke, but for Harry Mendes, a fifteen-year-old schoolboy from Birmingham, it was something quite different.
His hiccups began one Sunday lunch time and continued day and night for two weeks. After the first week, Harry's parents took him to hospital, but it took another week for the doctors to cure his attack.
Harry, who is now back at school, described what happened to him.
"When I began to hiccup, I drank a glass of water but that didn't do any good. That evening I had hiccups every four seconds. We tried everything to stop them. I held my breath and drank cold drinks. My father even tried to give me a shock but that didn't work either."
After a week of sleepless nights, he went to hospital. The doctors took an X-ray of his chest but they couldn't find anything wrong.
"They gave me some medicine and my hiccups slowed down, but it was another week before the medicine worked completely and my hiccups stopped."
Harry was very lucky. The world record holder is the American farmer Charles Osborne, who hiccupped for sixty-eight years. He stopped in 1990 at last, but nobody knows why.
Question: His parents decided to take him to hospital when he _ .
Answer:
couldn't stop hiccupping | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: Now the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.
( MUSIC)
Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. When they are red-hot, they are very angry about something. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say such music is red-hot.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the 20thcentury. It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health.
Blue is a cool color. The blues music in the United States is the opposite of red-hot music. Blues is slow and sad. Someone who is blue is very sad.
The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in the stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green. Sometimes a person may be _ because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back of the paper money.
The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day.
(MUSIC)
I'm Warren Scheer. Listen again next week for another Words and Their Stories program in Special English on the Voice of America.
Question: What does the word " _ " mean ?
Answer:
sad | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and answer the question.
Article: Good morning, everyone! I'm Miss Li. I am an English teacher. There are 24 boys and 22 girls in my class. This is Betty. She's an American girl. She likes football. This is Tony. He is an English boy. He likes basketball. His favourite day is Saturday and yellow is his favourite colour. He likes spring because it's warm. This is Li Daming. He's Chinese and he likes table tennis. White is his favourite colour. He likes flowers and flying kites in spring, so spring is his favourite season.
Question: _ likes football.
Answer:
Betty | race_middle | Read the article and answer the question (no option) | 1tasky
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Article: FESTIVAL 24TH MAY--9TH JUNE 2014 Art
Shows of paintings, drawings and photographs are from all over the world, with over 400 works for you to see.
Early century advertisements will be on show at this year's festival. You can buy copies of these advertisements at the Box Office.
Music
There will be different types of music in this year's festival from dance music to modern jazz. Many famous musicians will visit the festival as well as at least two famous bands .
Lunchtime concerts --every day of the festival
All lunchtime concerts begin at 1:00 p.m. and last about 55 minutes, except on Monday, 26 of May, which is to be held in the Guildhall. All tickets are priced at PS2.00.
How to get the tickets
Telephone reservations : 63362/6641 from 1st April. We will then send you the tickets by post.
You can buy tickets in person from 1st May. The festival Box Office will be open as follows:
Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. --5:30 p.m.
Sunday(during the festival only)9:30 a.m. --1:00 p.m.
Question: In the festival, you can _ .
Yes or no, is the answer "see more than 400 works of art"?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: Dear Jenny,
Please take these things to your brother: his math book, baseball, notebook, CDs, and video tape. The math book is on the dresser. The baseball is under the bed. The notebook is on the bed. The CDs are in the drawer. The video tape is on the table. Thanks!
Mom
Question: Where is the math book?
Yes or no, is the answer "It's on the dresser."?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: Answers to life can be found in everyday events. Watching nature, watching people and watching animals communicate with each other provide some of the simplest ways to life's biggest problems.
This became clearer to me yesterday. It caused me to ask myself, "How do I respond to the storms in life?"
People usually run when it starts to rain. I love to walk in it, stand on my front door and feel it. I grew up doing it and have never really felt the fear many people do.
The animal world senses changes in the weather far earlier than humans. My dog, Ricky, begins to shake long before the storm is close enough to be noticed. I was about to feed my three dogs yesterday and as usual, I let them out in the yard first. They didn't move when thunder came across the skies. So I placed their food in their bowls and called Ricky into the kitchen.
Ricky was just standing there in place next to his bowl. The thunder became louder, which forced him to stop eating his meal. Then I watched Phil. He made his way across the kitchen floor and stood over Ricky's bowl. He ate all the remaining food. Generally, if Ricky was standing there, he wouldn't dare come close. But today, he took advantage of the storm and got what he wanted. His hope for the prize outweighed his fear of the storm.
That's when it hit me. As men, we face all kinds of storms. They come in unannounced. Sometimes we stay in a corner or under the blankets, hoping it will all pass. However, if you dare put your head out, you'll discover there're people doing what they must to get what they must have out of life. Isn't it time you decided to take advantage of the storm?
Question: From the passage we can learn that the writer _ .
Yes or no, is the answer "enjoys the rain"?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: Life in Britain
Homes and families
Many British people live in Houses, not apartments. Most houses have gardens.
Daily life
Most office workers start work at about nine in the morning, and finish at about five or six in the afternoon. Most people don't go home for lunch, and they just have a quick meal.
School life
Children start school at about nine am, and finish at about three thirty pm. Most children have lunch at school. All children go to school when they are four or five years old, and leave when they are sixteen or seventeen.
Shops
Most shops open at about nine am and close at about six pm. Usually, they don't close for lunch.
Question: Can you buy things in the shops at lunch time?
Yes or no, is the answer "Yes. They don't close for lunch."?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: The White family come to a new big city , but Mrs. White's son, Bob, is not happy. He doesn't have anyone to play with. "Don't worry!" says his mother. "You will soon make friends here."
One morning, there is a knock at the door. Bob's mother, Mrs. White, opens it. There stands a woman with brown hair. It is Mrs. Miller. She comes to borrow two eggs. She wants to make cakes. Mrs. White gives her two.
In the afternoon there is another knock at the door. Mrs. White opens it and she sees a boy standing there. "My name is Jack Miller," he says. "My mother gives you this cake and two eggs."
"Well, thank you , Jack," says Mrs. White. "Come in and meet my son Bob."
Look! Bob and Jack are having cake and milk. They are playing football. Now they are friends!
Jack says, "I'm glad you live next door." Bob says, "I must thank your mother for coming to borrow eggs." Jack laughs and tells Bob, "My mother doesn't want the two eggs, but she wants to make friends with your mother. " Bob says, "That's a funny way to make friends. It's an easy way, too. It can work!
Question: Which of the following is true?
Yes or no, is the answer "Mrs. Miller wants to make friends with the Whites."?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: Mike is an American. Now he's in No. 8 Junior High School in Tengzhou. He's in Class 5, Grade 7. Every day he gets up early. He always goes to school in his father's car. His classes begin at 8:00 a.m. He has four classes in the morning. He has lunch at school at about 12:00 a.m. He has two classes in the afternoon. After school, he goes home by car at 5:30 p.m. and has dinner at 6:30 p.m. After dinner, he does his homework with his sister and then he plays the guitar for a while. At about 9:00 p.m. he goes to bed.
Question: How does Mike go to school ?
Yes or no, is the answer "By car"?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: Teenager Jake Deham was skiing with his family in the US when he fell over and lost one of his skis. His family didn't know that he had a problem. They kept on skiing. When they got to the foot of the mountain, there was no sign of Jake.
Jake couldn't find his ski anywhere. In the end, he decided to take off his other ski and walk down the mountain. But he couldn't work out the right way to go.
It was now getting dark and he was a long way from any place of safety. He knew that he might die that night in the cold temperatures. But Jake kept calm. At home, Jake watched a lot of programmes about living in difficult situations. He remembered the advice from these programmes and knew that he should build a hole in the snow. He made a hole so the wind couldn't blow into it. Outside his hole, the temperature fell to a dangerous -15degC that night, but inside it Jake was safe from the cold.
After the long evening passed, Jake began to think his way out. He had to get down the mountain. The TV programmes always said, "If you are lost, you should find someone else's tracks through the snow and follow them." "I wanted to live my life." remembered Jake, "So I got up and I found some ski tracks and I followed those." He walked and walked and finally saw lights...
His mum was very happy when she heard her son was saved. Amazingly, Jake didn't even have to go to hospital. He got through the terrible experience without any injuries.
So, the next time someone says that watching TV is a waste of time, think of Jake. Sometimes TV can save your life!
.
Question: Jake's parents didn't know that he was missing until _ .
Yes or no, is the answer "they reached the foot of the mountain"?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: Do your parents ever say "do it like a lady" or "be a gentleman" to you? But in the eyes of today's students, what should a lady or a gentleman be like? Let's take a look.
What is a gentleman? _ ?
_ : A gentleman doesn't always get angry . He wants others to be well and happy. He's always ready to help others. There is a boy in my class I think he is a gentleman. If I don't do well in the English exam, he will say "You will do better next time". That makes me feel happy.
_ : A gentleman always says, "Ladies first". When students clean the classroom, he always does heavy work. He lets girls go into rooms first. There are no gentlemen in my class. When there is something to eat, the boys in my class always get them before girls!
What is a lady? Boys tell us what they think a lady is:
_ : A lady is kind and quiet ,but she's not shy and she can talk about her ideas in front of others. To me, Dong Jie, a film star, is a lady. She is pretty and kind. She does a lot for others.
_ : A lady is not just beautiful but clever. She never says bad words. She is quiet and kind to others. I don't think there is a lady in my class. Most of the girls are _ , I think.
Question: Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
Yes or no, is the answer "Here's what students think"?
Yes | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: It is a fine Saturday morning. Lily and Lucy get up at six thirty. They want to go to the Great Wall with their mother. At seven fifty they are in a big bus to the Great Wall. There are forty people in it. Some of them are Americans, some are English. There are two Chinese in the bus, too. One is a woman. She is driving the bus. The other is a young man. He's now talking about the Great Wall in English. They are listening to him. At about nine o'clock, they get to the Great Wall.
Question: Lily and Lucy want to go to the Great Wall _ .
Yes or no, is the answer "on Saturday morning"?
Yes | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Article: I was on the escalator in a market. There was an old man who was about five or six people in the front of me. People behind him were all in a hurry and saw him as a rock. The old man knew these clearly and tried hard to step aside.
I remember...Sometimes when walking or driving behind an older person, I've gotten impatient and upset.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me!" said the old man, "I don't mean to hold you up." He then tried his best to get off the escalator.
I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. I felt sick to my stomach. The old man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have helped him to calm his fears.
One by one, people went around him quickly. By the time I got to him, I asked, "Sir, can I help you?"
The man thought for a while, then said, "Well, yes, thank you!"
I placed my hand under his left arm and walked away from the rush of people quickly.
"So what are you shopping for, sir?"
"Oh, today is Mother's Day. I want to buy something for my neighbor. She's a single mother and she is always so nice to me." he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his pocket.
"Oh, it's here! I always carry them with me," he said. Then he took out some business cards and handed me one which read:
"John Smith.
Friend to all...enemy to no one!
I said a prayer today and you were the answer.
Thank you!"
"That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man."
"My friend, you helped me. I discovered why I was unhappy with the world. Now I know how to solve the problem. No more with me!"
Question: The sentence "I said a prayer today and you were the answer" most probably means that _ .
Yes or no, is the answer "the old man believed everyone could be friends"?
No | race_middle | Is this the right answer | 1tasky
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Five years ago, I met her in a shopping center. I was walking through the shop when I saw her. Then she came back to my house with me. After that, we became friends.
Once she had to go into hospital to have an operation on her leg. I was worried about her and looked after her every day. I made breakfast for her. I was not good at cooking, but she never complained. I also helped her take showers.
I have no idea why we can be good friends, because she is quite different from me. I like writing, reading and playing computer games. But she loves outdoor activities. She likes playing balls best. She also loves sleeping.
She will run all around the house to lick my face if someone shouts "Kiss for Dad." That is the only name she knows me by--Dad, though I call her by many names--Pickle, Missile and Little. But her real name is Pixar. This week she turns seven years old.
What can we learn from the passage?
A) Pixar once had an operation on her head.
B) Pixar doesn't like playing outside.
C) Pixar is the writer's dog.
D) Pixar calls the writer "Dad" every day.
C | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Rick is a good man. He makes birthday cakes in a store. His cakes are great and have very good prices, so many people buy his cakes. He makes friends with lots of his customers . They all like him very much. One evening, he wants to go home, but many of his old customers come in. Rick smiles to them, "I am sorry. It is late today. If you need cakes, please come tomorrow." One of them takes out a nice cake and says to him, "You make so many great cakes for us. This birthday cake is for you. Happy birthday, Rick."
Where does Rick work?
A) At school.
B) In the classroom.
C) In a store.
D) At a party.
C | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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When spring comes, some wildflowe come out in the ditches along the highway where I travel daily to work., I've noticed one special blue flower. It blooms only in the morning hours. For the afternoon sun is too hot for it. Every day for nearly two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers.
This spring, I started a wildflower garden in our yard,. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers.
Every day I drove past the flowers thinking "I'll stop on my way home and dig them." "See. I don't want to get my good clothes dirty." Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them.
One day on my way home from work. I was sad to see the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself. "You wanted too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring."
A week ago we were shocked and sad to learn that my oldest sister-in-law was badly ill. She is 20 years older than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven't been as close as we all would have been.
I couldn't help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband's sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us.
And yes, if I see the blue flowers again. You can bet I'll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden.
The writer didn't stop to dig the wildflowers because _ .
A) The flowers were not beautiful enough
B) She was always too busy
C) She wanted her sister to dig them
D) She didn't pay enough attention to them
D | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Actually, long-distance bicycle camping is one of the happiest activities I have ever experienced. I generally sleep poorly at night, but in the woods on a tour, I sleep like a baby with the music of insects. In the morning, birds wake me up. I eat a snack before getting up, and then I quickly pack my sleeping bag, tent, and other things and get on the road. Usually I have less speed. Traveling by bike allows me to stop anywhere, such as lakes(especially places to swim), woods, and scenic spots .
Somewhere near lunch, I find a small drugstore and buy some bread, sandwich materials, and fruit. In the afternoon, my speeds are higher, and I spend less time at stops. In the late afternoon, I start thinking about stopping. I finally find a place in the early evening, cook a simple meal, and rest and cool off. As it starts to get dark, I put up my tent, and fall asleep.
There are exciting times and difficult times as well. Visiting strange or famous places are always exciting to me. I meet and talk with interesting people along the way. Enjoying beautiful scenes, meeting wild animals(usually at my camping site), and traveling up and down hills also make me cheerful. On the other hand, I may run into rainy or hot days, have to repair my bike, or just find myself in a bad state. The problems are easily dealt with. The pleasures remain in my mind for years.
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A) The writer has to sleep late during the tour.
B) The writer doesn't want to get up early.
C) The writer always has fruit for breakfast.
D) The writer rides faster in the afternoon.
D | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Chinese space trainer Wang Yuan has been chosen as one of the volunteers for the Mars-500 test project. He was very happy to be chosen and will accept the meaningful challenge Another five volunteers are all space lovers., including three Russians, an Italy-Colombian and a Frenchman. They are about to feel what it's like to travel to Mars, only without leaving the earth. They are locked up together for a year and a half under a similar condition to the red planet during the whole process. So the experiment is called Mars-500.
When reporters asked what they would miss most during the 520-day special life, French trainer Charles said:"For me, it will be mainly my family, the sun and fresh air."
The Mars-500 test will be in a special building in Moscow, Russia. Although the people won't leave the building, they will fell as if they are on a real trip to the Mars. The most difficult thing will be to be separated from the people that they used to live with. The trainer won't see sunsets, sunrises, won't feel rain for 18 months. That will be hard.
The main task is to study the "Man and environment". It'll care about the astronauts' getting experience and physical effects. The 520-day-test is divided into three parts,the first 250days to Mars, the middle 30days of landing on Mars, the last 240 days to return to the earth. Everyone will stay there alone for a long time and will work lonely. They will have to make decisions themselves and only then report to the earth, and the earth will tell them whether they do the right thing or not.
Each astronaut is preparing for the great challenge. It is learned that they will be launched early in June. And the experiment will end in November 2011.
Which sentence is NOT true about the 520-day-test?
A) The trainers won't see rain or snow
B) The experiment will begin in June.
C) Trainers are all astronauts.
D) Trainers will report to the earth.
C | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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When I was four years old, I wanted nothing more in life than to play the piano. My best friend Betty had a piano. But Betty hardly played it at all. She would rather play hide-and-seek. It didn't seem fair.
One day my mother came to pick me up from Betty's house. "Watch this!" I told her. Then I ran to play a song I had learned that morning. I was so proud of what I'd learned. "That's nice, Jenny," she said. "But we can't afford a piano."
When I turned six, my mother bought me a recorder . The problem was that I didn't love the recorder. When I played the recorder, I didn't feel anything special inside. I asked my mother if we could have a piano. "We still can't afford one," she said. "One day, I promise."
In the sixth grade, my mother traded in the recorder for a real clarinet . I like the clarinet more, but it still wasn't a piano. It wasn't the music that was inside of me.
One day, when I was in the seventh grade, my mother cut an ad out of the newspaper. We drove to a stranger's home in Providence, Rhode Island. The woman had a beautiful, dark wood piano from Russia. It was called an upright piano because it was tall. It was so shiny that it looked like it was wet. "We'll take it," my mother said. "It has a nice sound."
After that, I played the piano every single day.When I left for school in the morning, I would leave the sheet music open on the piano. When I got home, I would walk straight to the piano and sit down and start playing the sheet music. I even played if I stayed home sick. I had finally found the music inside of me.
Do you struggle with music? Have you been given an instrument to play, but you just can't play it? Maybe you think you're just no good or that you don't have any musical talent. Don't get discouraged. It's not true! We all have music inside of us, even if it's just what we listen to. Now it's up to you to find the right way to set that music free.
What did Jenny get when she was six?
A) A clarinet.
B) A recorder.
C) A violin.
D) A guitar.
B | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Every winter the Indians caught beavers .They sold these beaver furs to men from France. In the 1600s and 1700s,people in France wanted beaver furs for coats and hats. Other countries wanted these furs, too . Wearing a beaver fur hat became a sign .It said ,"Look at this man! This man is rich!"
In the 1800s,men in this country began to wear beaver hats. They too, wanted to wear the sign that said," Look at those men! They are rich!"
Soon it was hard to find beavers. To get more beaver furs, traders had to move West. Traders began to explore this new country. They came back with wonderful stories about the new land. Before long, many people wanted to go West to live.
Where people go, towns grow. Soon there were new towns in the West. Men looking for beaver for fancy(,) hats helped the West grow.
Wearing a beaver hat was a sign that a man was _ .
A) a hunter
B) rich
C) a trader
D) an Indian
B | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Once upon a time if we wanted to make a phone call or wait for someone to contact us, we had to sit at home or at our desks. There were public phones in the street of course, _ . And of course you had to bring a lot of coins to pay for the calls.
So people didn't phone their friends as often. Mobile phones, these small pieces of electronic equipment which allow us to talk with friends and family while we are on the move, have greatly changed the way we live. Before the age of the mobile phone, our loved ones would sit around worried sick if we were late coming home. There were no quick calls to tell mum that there would be additional guests coming for dinner. We would have to depend on notes left on fridges or desks to communicate messages.
But mobile phones have also had a negative effect and what people don't seem to realize is that we've lost something very valuable: our privacy. Now our friends and family can contact us wherever and whenever they want to. We can never get away from them. The way people communicate with each other is totally different now. It's difficult to have a conversation face-to-face with a friend without being disturbed every couple of minutes by the ring of their phones, ,most people don't see anything wrong in having a long conversation on their mobile phone while forgetting all about the person sitting opposite. It seems the art of real conversation may be dying.
Of course, people could leave their mobile phones at home or even switch them off but no one ever does that. Why not? Because the worrying thing is we can't live without our phones. We've become communication addicts, unable to spend even a few minutes out of contact, in case we miss something 'important'.
Which word best describes how the writer feels about the use of mobile phones.'?
A) Disappointed.
B) Satisfied.
C) Worried.
D) Surprised.
C | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Yao Ming was born in China in 1980. Now the big name from China is playing for the Houston Rockets in the NBA. He is the son of two basketball players and he learned how to play basketball when he was young. Now, as one of the stars in the NBA, he is working hard to show the world that Chinese basketball players can do well in this game, too!
Pele was a famous football player. He was born in Brazil in 1940. He started playing for Santos when he was only 16 and he didn't retire until 1977. He played for Brazil 111 times and he scored 97 international goals. Pele came from a poor family. He started playing football in the streets. He played for Santos and quickly became an international star.
Steffi Graf was born in Germany in 1969. She won the tennis semi-final at Wimbledon in 1985 when she was only 16, but she lost the final to another great tennis player, Martina Navratilova. People were 'surprised at the strength and power of her game. She soon became a famous tennis player and won most of the main matches.
Who is the youngest player in the passage?
A) Pele.
B) Yao Ming.
C) Steffi Graft.
D) No one.
B | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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One day,Mr.Li was reading a book in his office after school.To his surprise,a ball flew in suddenly and hurt him on the head.He took the ball to the window,but he only saw a group of boy students running away quickly and disappearing in a minute.He sat down again and continued his reading.As it got dark,it was time for him to leave for home.Looking at the ball,he wondered what to do with it.He knew the owner of the ball must be nearby and wished to get it back.He went downstairs and walked to the playground.It was at the center of the playground that he placed the ball with a piece of paper,on which he wrote "Be careful next time!".Then he walked away.
The next morning,as Mr.Li opened the office door,he found the same piece of paper on the floor.Some words were added after his words:"Thank you for your kindness.Anyway,you are a clever fellow."
According to the passage,we can know that _ .
A) Mr.Li is interested in reading
B) Mr.Li is too hard on his students
C) Mr.Li is good at playing sports
D) Mr.Li is a clever teacher with kindness
D | race_middle | Select the best answer (no instructions) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: On Thanksgiving Day, a teacher asked her class of first-graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought that these children from poor families actually had little to be thankful for. And she found most of them drawing pictures of flowers or tables with food. The teacher was very surprised to see the picture Douglas handed in. It's a hand, a simple hand.
But whose hand? The class were very interested in the strange picture. "I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food," said one child. "A farmer," said another, "because he grows beautiful flowers." Finally when the others were at work, the teacher went over Douglas' desk and asked whose hand it was. "It's your hand, Teacher," he said quietly and shyly.
She remembered that she had often taken Douglas, a dirty lonely child, by the hand while having a class break. She often did that with the children. But it meant so much to Douglas. Perhaps this is everyone's thanksgiving, not for the material things we get, but for the chance, in whatever small way, to give to others.
Question: What do you learn about Douglas from the passage?
- He was a lonely child.
- He was very active in class.
- He always kept his hands clean.
- He often answered questions loudly.
He was a lonely child. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: My grandfather took me to the fishing pond on the farm when I was about 7 years old, and he asked me to throw a stone into the water.
I did what I was asked. Then my grandfather told me to watch the waves made by the stone. Moments later, he asked me to think of myself as that stone.
"You may make a lot of splashes in your life, but remember the waves that come from those splashes will affect the peace of all your friends beside you," he said.
"Remember that you are responsible for what you throw into your circle, and that your waves will touch many other circles. Always try to live in a way that the waves that come from your circle send out the peace of your goodness to other circles."
"Remember the waves that come from anger and jealousy will also send those feelings to other circles. You are responsible for all the waves."
That was the first time I realized each person creates the inner peace or anger that flows out into the world. We cannot create world peace if we have hatred and anger.
We _ the feelings and thoughts that we hold inside, whether we tell others about them or not. Whatever is inside of us is flowing out into the world and touching all the other circles of life.
,.
Question: What did the writer's grandfather ask him to do on the farm?
- To catch some fish in the fishpond.
- To throw a stone into the water.
- To swim with him.
- To do some farm work.
To throw a stone into the water. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: Everyone must go to bed early and get up early, or we won't be healthy and clever.Is this true? Maybe it is.The body must have enough sleep.Children of your age need ten hours'sleep every day.If you don't go to bed early, you won't have enough sleep .Then you can't think properly and can't do your work properly.You will not be clever.Some people go to bed late and get up late.This is not good for them.We must go to bed at night when it is dark.The dark helps us to sleep soundly.When the daytime comes, we must get up.This is the time for exercise.If you lack exercise, you will become weak.Exercise keeps a strong body.Exercise helps the blood flow around inside the body.This is very important.Blood takes food to all parts of our body.The brain also needs blood, we think with our blood.If we keep our body healthy and take exercise, we can think better.
Question: Children of your age need _
- ten hours' sleep
- nine hours' sleep
- twelve hours' sleep
- eight hours' sleep
ten hours' sleep | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: It is April 10. It is Tuesday. Cindy gets up at 6:30 in the morning. She is in her blue skirt. She really likes that skirt. Then she goes into the kitchen. She loves eggs and apples in the morning.
Cindy's mother is a teacher at her school. Cindy is in the second grade , and her mother teaches the fourth grade. Cindy is excited about going to school today because her class has a test . Cindy loves school and she likes to get good grades . Cindy eats her breakfast and then she and her mother go to school. Cindy goes to her classroom and her history teacher, Ms. Brown is there. It is fun to be in Ms. Brown's class. She is a great teacher. Now Cindy's classmates are all in the classroom, and they start the test. Cindy remembers everything, so she can do everything right. After the test, Cindy and her classmates play for a long time. Then they eat lunch. After lunch, they watch a funny movie . Then they draw pictures. It is really a great day!
Question: What grade is Cindy in?
- Grade One.
- Grade Two.
- Grade Three.
- Grade Four.
Grade Two. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: A pretty, well-dressed young lady stopped a taxi in a big square, and said to the driver, "Can you see that young man at the other side of the square?"
"Yes," said the taxi-driver. The young man was standing outside a restaurant and looking impatiently at his watch every few seconds.
"Take me over there." said the young lady.
There were a lot of cars and buses and trucks in the square, so the taxi- driver asked, "Are you afraid to cross the street."
'Oh, no !" said the young lady. "But I said that I would meet that young man for dinner at one o'c1ock, and it is now a quarter to two. If I arrive in a taxi, it will at least seem as if I have tried not to be too late."
Question: How did the young woman get to the square?
- She arrived in a taxi
- She got there by bus.
- She got there on foot.
- The story didn't tell us about it.
The story didn't tell us about it. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: Everyone dreams of changing the world. But can teenagers really make a difference? And how can they go about it?
Michael Norton's book 365 Ways to Change the World is a good starting point. The book gives an idea or task for every single day of the year. The tasks include offering to work at a local homeless shelter and planting a tree.
The book says that one simple act, no matter how small, can help someone in need. It may even influence other teens to do something.
Nathan Anthony, a student at Maple High School in Modesto, California, US, agrees. "It is impossible to get anything in life without giving something to someone or working hard at school or workplace," Anthony said.
Another Maple student, Ariane Mota, has the same idea." Giving is our way of repaying those who help us," she said." Whether it is a helping hand or a donation, we should help others to make their day or life better."
But how often do teens see peers helping a stranger or doing something nice for someone?
According to Anthony, not a lot. He and Mota both believe this needs to be changed.
"I help my friends by telling them that their lives are better than those poorer people," Anthony said." Humor is also a great tool."
So whether you're helping to find a cure for bad illness or simply smiling at a stranger, do something every day to help change the world for the better.
Question: According to Nathan Anthony, how many teens can be seen helping a stranger or do something nice for someone?
- a lot of teens
- Hundreds of teens
- Some teens
- Millions of teens
Some teens | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: A small boy lived with his mother and grandmother in a big house. His father had died.
A bucket of water fell on the small boy's left foot, and it began hurting a hot. His mother said, "I'm going to put something very hot on your foot tonight. That's always very good. Tomorrow your foot won't hurt any longer."
In the evening, the small boy's mother came to his bedroom. She had a hot poultice in a bowl. The small boy looked at it and said, "I don't want that. I had one a month ago. Poultices hurt."
His mother sat down on his bed and said, "You're going to have this poultice on." She pulled his sheets and blankets away, and put the poultice near his foot, but the boy pulled it away quickly, and poultice fell on the bed.
His mother was angry. She went down stairs and came back with his grandmother and a stick. She said to her son, "Your grandmother's going to put the poultice on your foot, and I'm going to hold this stick. Now don't be a stupid boy."
She held the stick over the boy, and the grandmother took his foot and put the poultice near it. The boy said. "Stop, you..." but his mother brought the stick nearer, and he did not say anything else.
The grandmother brought the poultice near the foot again, and the boy stopped her again, but his mother was angry now and said, "I'm going to hit you." The boy did not finish his words, and his grandmother put the poultice on his foot. He let it there for a few minutes and then took it off again.
The boy's mother and grandmother put the sheets and blankets over him again and he said, "My left foot hurts, but you put the poultice on my right foot. I stopped you twice, but you didn't listen to me."
Question: The small boy _ his mother.
- agreed with
- didn't stop
- thanked
- didn't agree with
didn't agree with | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: Beijing Restaurant
_
SOUPS :Tofu soupY=10. 00 Bone soupY=15. 00 Chicken soupY=20. 00
STAPLES:Fried riceY=8. 00 Fried noodlesY=10. 00 Hot dogY=4. 00
Meat pieY=10. 00 SandwichY=10. 00 HamburgerY=10. 00
MAIN COURSES:Roast chickenY=30. 00 Italian pizzaY=9. 00 Indian curriesY=15. 00
Pork and cabbageY=15. 00 Cheese pieY=10. 00 BeefY=15. 00
Beijing Roast DuckY=50. 00 SausageY=15. 00
DESSERTS :Fruit saladY=8. 00 Pear pancakeY=6. 00 Apple pieY=6. 00 Ice creamY=4. 00 DRINKS :CokeY=5. 00 CoffeeY=5. 00 TeaY=3. 00 Apple juiceY=3. 00
BeerY=10. 00 WineY=30. 00 MilkY=3. 00 LemonadeY=4. 00
Question: How many kinds of main courses are there in this restaurant?
- 7.
- 8.
- 9.
- 10.
8. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: .British people are famous for drinking tea. But brother and sister, Sarah and Bobby Green, became young millionaires when they opened a chain of American-style coffee shops in the UK.
Having the idea: It started when Sarah took a weekend trip to New York to visit her brother Bobby. One evening, in a Thai restaurant, Sarah told Bobby how much she wished she could buy American-style coffee in London. Bobby suggested they started their own coffee shop. Sarah fell in love with the idea.
Doing the Research: Back in London, she spent a whole day on the London subway, getting off the train at different stations to taste the coffee. "It was terrible, and I knew there was a gap in the market." In 1995, they opened their first Coffee Republic shop in central London.
Making it work: The first year was very difficult. British people were not used to the names of American coffees, like latte and macchiato. But being successful was their dream and they were not going to give up. Today, there are over 100 Coffee Republic shops all over the country and the company has PS30 million a year.
Advice for others: Sarah has now written a best-selling book about their experience, calledAnyone Can Do It ! She hopes it will help other young people to start their own businesses. She says, "If you think you have the energy, then get out and follow your dream."
Question: What kind of company do they run?
- A fast-food restaurant.
- A tea shop.
- A coffee shop.
- A big hotel.
A coffee shop. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Read the following article and select the best answer.
Article: BASEBALL. It's just a word, but for millions of Americans it brings much more than a word.
Hot dogs. Cold beers. Sunny afternoons. Baseball is the game of fathers and sons. Fathers and sons catch with each other on lawns in the US. A father's favorite team becomes his son's. Grandfathers talk to their grandsons about games played long ago.
Many American kids collect baseball cards. The cards have pictures of their favorite players on them. In school, friends trade baseball cards just like they trade their lunches.
Players are known as "the boys of summer" because people often play the sport mostly in warm months. You don't need to be of a certain size or shape to play baseball. You don't have to be tall like a basketball player or strong like an American footballer. You just need to want to have fun.
Baseball is not as fast-paced a game as basketball. But when you go to see a game, there's time to relax, talk and get to know other people.
Baseball may not be the most popular sport in the US, but it is the most traditional. It's not just a game any more, but an important part of American culture, like apple pie and grandma's house.
Question: Which one is WRONG in the article?
- We can find many children's favorite baseball players on their cards.
- If you are not strong enough, you can't play baseball.
- When you go to watch a baseball play, you'll relax and have time to talk to other people.
- Baseball is the most traditional sport in the US.
If you are not strong enough, you can't play baseball. | race_middle | Select the best answer (generate span) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: In my second year of high school, the class was scheduled to run the mile. when the coach yelled, "Ready. Set. Go!", I rushed out like an airplane, faster than anyone else for the first 20 feet. I made up my mind to finish first. As we came around the first of four laps, there were students all over the track . By the end of the second lap, many of the students had already stopped. They had given up and were on the ground breathing heavily. As I started the third lap, only a few of my classmates were on the track. By the time I hit the fourth lap, I was alone. Then it hit me that nobody had given up. Instead, everyone had already finished. As I ran that last lap, I cried. And 12 minutes, 42 seconds after starting, I crossed the finishing line. I fell to the ground. I was very upset.
Suddenly my coach ran up to me and picked me up, yelling, "You did it. Mark! You finished, son. You finished" He looked at me straight in the eyes, waving a piece of paper in his hand. It was my goal ( ) for the day which I had forgotten. I had given it to him before class. He read it aloud to everyone. It simply said, "I, Mark Brown, will finish the mile run tomorrow, come what may." My heart lifted. My tears went away, and I had a smile on my face as if I had eaten a banana. My classmates clapped. It was then I realized winning isn't always finishing first. Sometimes winning is just finishing.
Options:
A Because he was quite happy.
B Because he was too upset.
C Because he got a pain in his heart.
D Because he was hungry.
Answer:
B Because he was too upset.
Question:
Why did Mark cry when he ran the last lap? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: Here are some of the fastest animals in the animal world. Let me tell you that a man can run 20 to 25 miles an hour.
Heavy people can not run very fast. But some heavy animals can.Black rhinos are more than 3,500 pounds. They can run almost 30 miles an hour. Cheetahs are the fastest land animal over short distances .They can run over 70 miles an hour. But they get tired quickly and usually stop after a few minutes.Pronghorn antelopes are the fastest animals over long distances. They can run 35 miles an hour for many miles. Their top speed is more than 50 miles an hour.Ostriches can't fly, but they can run faster than other birds. They can run 43 miles an hour for a short distance. And can keep up a speed of more than 30 miles an hour over long distances.
Options:
A The biggest birds.
B What animal has the largest eggs.
C The fastest animals.
D The land mammal.s
Answer:
C The fastest animals.
Question:
Which is the best title for this passage? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: There are about fifteen hundred languages in the world. But only a few of them are very important. English is one of them. Many, many people use it, not only in England and the USA, but also in other parts of the world. About 200,000,000 people speak it as their own language. It is difficult to say how many people are learning it as a foreign language. Many millions of people are trying to do so. Is it easy or difficult to learn English? Different people may have different answers. Have you ever noticed ads of this kind in the newspapers or magazines? "Learn English in six weeks, or give your money back..." "Easy and funny..." "Our records and tapes help you master English in a month". Of course, it never happened quite like that.
The only language that seems easy to learn is the mother tongue. We should remember that we all learned our own language well when we were children. If we could learn English in the same way, it would not seem so difficult. Think of what a small child does. He listens to what people say. He tries what he hears.
So it is hard to say that learning English is easy. We must do a lot of practice. And practice needs great efforts and takes much time. Good teachers, record, tapes, books, and dictionaries will be helpful, but they cannot do the student's work for him.
Options:
A He thinks the ads very expensive.
B He thinks the ads are true.
C It never happened quite like what the ads said.
D He believes" Learn English in six weeks, or give your money back".
Answer:
C It never happened quite like what the ads said.
Question:
How does the writer like the ads in the newspapers or magazines? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: Our eating habits are very important for good health and a strong body. There are times when most of us would have sweet and ice-cream rather than eat meat and rice. Sweets and ice-cream are not bad for the stomach if we eat at the end of a meal. If we drink beer at meals, it may take away your appetite . It is important for us to eat our meal at the same time each day. When we feel hungry, it is a sign that our body needs food. When we feel angry or excited, we may not want to eat.
A long time ago, in England, some judges often decided whether a man was telling the truth by giving him some dry bread. If the man could not swallow the bread, it was a sign that he was not telling the truth. Although this seems very strange and rather foolish , it is really a good way of finding out the truth. A man who is worried has difficulty in swallowing anything dry. Because of his worriment, he loses his appetite and doesn't want to eat.
Options:
A He could eat a lot of food.
B He could hardly need any food.
C He could swallow some dry bread easily.
D He could not swallow any dry bread.
Answer:
D He could not swallow any dry bread.
Question:
What could a man do if he told a lie according to some judges in old England? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: Felipe and his friends are planning a trip to London. They have decided their hotel, plane and when to get there, but haven't decided what they want to do.
Felipe would like to go boating in the Thames River. All his friends like boat trips, so all of them will go boating in the Thames River. Felipe also loves the British Royal Family! He wants to visit Buckingham Palace and see the changes. But his friend Carmen doesn't want to visit Buckingham Palace. He would like to ride on the London Eye. Carmen would also like to visit the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square. Carmen's boyfriend Leo likes shopping, and he thinks politics is boring and doesn't want to visit the Houses of Parliament. Felipe's friend Juliana likes visiting museums, and she would like to see Buckingham Palace too. Carmen and Leo would like to go shopping in Covent Garden, but Juliana would rather do some shopping in Oxford Street.
Options:
A A trip to London.
B Felipe and his family.
C Buckingham Palace.
D Shopping in London.
Answer:
A A trip to London.
Question:
What's the best title for the passage? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: Spending two or three hours playing outdoors each day can reduce a child's chance of becoming short-sighted, a research shows. It challenges the belief that short-sightedness is caused by computer use, watching TV or reading in weak light.
The Australian government researchers believe that sunlight is good for people's eyes. They compared the vision and habits of 100 seven-year-old children in Singapore and Australia. In all, 30% of the Singaporean children were short-sighted--this rate was ten times higher than Australian children.
Both groups spent a similar amount of time reading, watching television and playing computer games. However, the Australian children spent an average of two hours a day outdoors--90 minutes more than the Singaporean children.
Professor Ian Morgan, from the Australian Research Council's Vision Centre, said, "Humans are naturally long-sighted, but when people begin to go to school and spend little or no time outdoors, the number of short-sighted people gets larger. We're also seeing more and more short-sighted children in cities all around the world--and the main reason may be that city children spend less time outdoors."
Daylight can be hundreds of times brighter than indoor light. But why does playing outside prevent us from becoming short-sighted? Scientists believe that natural light has a special chemical which stops the eyeball from growing out of shape and prevents people becoming short-sighted.
So be outdoors. It doesn't matter if that time is spent having a picnic or playing sports.
Options:
A People will all become short-sighted after they begin to go to school.
B Playing outdoors for 2 or 3 hours every day can help protect your eyesight.
C Children in Australia are more likely to get short-sighted than those in Singapore.
D If you spend two or three hours playing outside each day, you won't get short-sighted.
Answer:
B Playing outdoors for 2 or 3 hours every day can help protect your eyesight.
Question:
Which of the following is true according to the passage? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: Mike was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always happy and always had something interesting to say. If someone asked him how he was doing, he would reply, "Couldn't be better!" He was really a care-free young man and never felt tired.
Mike used to say, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be upset.' I choose to be happy. Each time something happens, I am always ready to learn a good lesson. I choose to learn from life."
I tried to understand what he said. Indeed life is all about choices. Every situation is a choice. The bottom line is: You're living your life and you make it either happy or sad.
Several years later I had a car accident and my legs were seriously injured. When I was lying on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or choose to die. I chose to live.
People like to say, "Choose the one you love and love the one you choose." Why not choose the one we love and live happily?
Options:
A Life Is Difficult
B Life Is Different
C Life Is Colorful
D Life Is Full of Choices
Answer:
D Life Is Full of Choices
Question:
Which can be the best title for the passage? | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: If you ask me to tell how to get along in the United States, I think the following "do's" and "don'ts" would be helpful.
Generally speaking, it isn't easy to find anyone to talk to in a busy city, so you should try to do the following. First, get or borrow a dog! Walk him several times a day! Americans love dogs and cats and usually stop to talk to anyone with a dog. Then, try to eat in a restaurant. People generally share the same table and will sometimes talk to you if they see you are new there. Next, take your dirty clothes to a laundry ! It takes about an hour to wash and dry them and people there often pass the time talking with each other. Always ask for information from a woman if you are a man, and from a man, if you are a woman! Learn to say, "Please" "Thank you" and "You're welcome" and use them all the time!
There are some things you shouldn't do. Don't tell the truth when people ask, "How are you?" The only answer they want is "Fine". Never ask people their age--especially women! Everyone wants to be young. Don't tell heavy people they are fat. Tell them they are losing weight. Everyone wants to be thin. Don't be late when meeting people! When someone says six o'clock, be sure to be there by six. Americans respect time and want everyone to be "on time".
Options:
A the streets are empty
B you are new there
C people there are busy
D you don't have time
Answer:
C people there are busy
Question:
It isn't easy to find anyone to talk to in the USA because _ . | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: It was getting late. There was no noise in the forest. We could only hear the birds singing. And then, a bear--a big brown bear--came into the forest.
The bear stopped under a tall tree. He was very hungry. He looked up into the tree. There in the nut tree was his supper--a supper of nice nuts. But the nuts were high up in the tree. The hungry bear could not reach them. But he knew how to get his supper. He climbed up the tree.
Up and up he climbed. He climbed onto a big branch of the tree. He sat there and then shook the branch again and again. At last the branch broke. The brown bear fell down with the branch and nuts.
The bear sat up and looked around. With his big paws he picked up the nuts and ate them up.
Options:
A in the morning
B at noon
C before evening ca
D at midnight
Answer:
C before evening ca
Question:
The story took place _ . | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article, with the given choices and answer:
Article: Do you dream of having beautiful hair like a model ? Well, you can have it if you look after your hair in the right way. To get beautiful hair, you first need to get healthy. So start eating good food, and start exercising. This will make your hair look healthy and full of life. You also need to keep your hair clean to make it look nice. But not many people know how to wash their hair in the right way. Many people wash their hair too much. This dries out their hair. You should only wash your hair every day if you have oily hair. If you have normal or dry hair, you should wash it every two or three days.
Options:
A cool
B beautiful
C long
D colourful
Answer:
B beautiful
Question:
According to the passage, a model has _ hair. | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question (options given) | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: Why do earthquakes happen? Scientists explain that the outside of the earth is made of a number of different plates . For example, at San Francisco the Pacific Plate which is moving towards the northwest meets the North American Plate. The Pacific Plate is moving very slowly-at 5. 3 centimetres a year. Sometimes these two plates stop and do not move for years. Then suddenly, they jump and an earthquake is felt. As the movement of these plates, West America near the sea has always been a bad place for earthquakes. When the 1906 earthquake happened, the Pacific Plate jumped 5-6 metres to the north.
We cannot stop earthquakes, but we can do things to make sure they don't destroy the whole of cities. First ,it is not a good idea to build houses along the lines, where two of the earth's plates join together. Second, if you think there may be an earthquake, it is better to build houses on rock not on sand. Third, you must make the houses as strong as possible. Weak buildings will fall down in an earthquake, but strong ones may stay up.
Question:
We _ to make sure earthquakes don't destroy the whole of cities.
Options:
A should build houses far from the earthquake line
B should build houses on rock not on sand if we think there may be an earthquake
C must make the houses as strong as possible
D A, B and C
Answer:
D | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: How to get along with people you don't like? We all have to be friendly to people we don't like. We can't change others, but we can change our own ideas and actions.
The following are some methods:
*Be polite. Say "Hello" or "have a nice day". Say that he or she looks nice.
*Be positive . Think of five good things about the person. Maybe he or she is always on time or works hard.
*Really listen when the person talks. Ask questions to understand the person better.
Question:
This passage is most probably from _ .
Options:
A a map
B a cook book
C a story book
D a magazine
Answer:
D | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: The Xin'an Street Community began three programs not long ago.
The Neighborhood Clean-up Program
Every Sunday at 5:00pm, the neighbors begin cleaning Xin'an Street from one end to the other. The head of the Community, Zhao Fuqin, said, "The first Sunday, only eleven people came, but we picked up over seven big bags of rubbish from the sidewalk and street. The next weekend, twenty people came, and filled eight rubbish bags. Now the neighborhood really looks great!"
The Neighborhood Watch Program
The neighbors on Xin'an Street began this program to look for problems in the neighborhood and to call the police if necessary. The neighbors all say the watch has already helped.
SunYan, aged 60, a retired teacher, said, "In the past, I felt afraid at night. Now I know my neighbors are watching for trouble. " According to the police, there are fewer problems on Xin'an Street. "Calls to 110 went down last month. _ knew that the people on Xin'an Street were watching, so they stayed away," said a policeman.
The Neighborhood Fitness Program
A Health Club was built last month, where the neighbors can do different kinds of sports like basketball, ping-pong ball, tennis, etc. "Every morning you can see groups of neighbors running, dancing and playing Taijiquan. We have come to realize the importance of taking exercise," said Chen Jinliang, a businessman of 45.
The community has more plans. "We plan to start the Kids Care Program for children. We are going to build an after-school club. And we want to have a picnic for everyone in the neighborhood!" said Zhao Fuqin.
Question:
Who is Zhao Fuqin?
Options:
A A retired teacher.
B The head of Xin'an Street Community.
C A businessman.
D A policeman.
Answer:
B | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: It is in autumn . A young man comes to a forest . He's walking beside the forest. On his right is a river. On his left is the forest. Suddenly he sees two green eyes looking at him from the trees. A tiger is getting ready to jump on him.
What does he do? He must jump into the river. But in the river there is a big crocodile . Its mouth is very big. The young man closes his eyes. The tiger jumps over him. And the young man opens his eyes. The tiger jumps over him. And the young man opens his eyes. The tiger is now in the mouth of the crocodile.
Question:
What does he see looking at him? _ .
Options:
A Two green eyes
B A tiger
C A crocodile
D A man
Answer:
B | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: In our daily lives, Wechat is really hot now. Many people express themselves, exchange ideas and deliver information by Wechat.
There are a number of reasons for Wechat to be popular. To begin with, Wechat is a cheap way of communication, which cuts down a great deal of the cost made by phone calls. Next, Wechat is to the taste of the most of people. Its attractive and lots of functions are loved widely. What's more, convenience also leads to its popularity. It is _ no matter where we are.
However, it has problems, too. First of all, our IDs might be revealed when we use Wechat and we could be in danger. Secondly, we may spend more time on Wechat instead of with our family. As a result, relationship could break down. The last problem is that our attention might be drawn too much and sometimes we may find it difficult to focus on study.
There is no doubt that Wechat will improve as time goes by. So let's look forward to the better Wechat and have more fun with it.
Question:
How many problems you may have by using Wechat according to this passage?
Options:
A 1.
B 2.
C 3.
D 4.
Answer:
C | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: When someone says extinct animals, you may think about dinosaurs . But now many other animals are becoming less and less in number. These animals might disappear from the earth very soon. Take a look at the following animals. They are all in danger.
The African Elephant
The African elephant is a clever animal. It has a very good memory. But people kill it for its tusks . Half of the African elephants have disappeared.
The African Lion
The African lions have nowhere to live because of wars in Southern Africa. Besides, hunters and farmers often kill them.
The Tortoise
George is a tortoise. It is the last Pinta Island giant tortoise. It was found in 1971. Now it lives in a research station. It can still live for another 200 years. But it is the last one of this species of tortoise.
The Tadpole Shrimp
Maybe you've never seen a tadpole shrimp. This is one of the oldest species on the earth. People have found them in fresh water pools on four continents . A tadpole shrimp can only live for two months or less.
Question:
Which of the following is TRUE?
Options:
A A tadpole shrimp can live for 100 years.
B The number of some animals are becoming smaller and smaller.
C All the animals in the world are in danger of extinction
D African elephants have nowhere to live.
Answer:
B | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: One Sunday evening, it was quite dark when old Stanley went for his walk. He was walking along the sidewalk, Suddenly, he saw a white car coming around the corner at high speed. It was going too fast and crashed into a red car in the street where he was walking. He rushed up to the cars to see if anyone was hurt and needed help.
The two drivers were arguing.
"You came around the corner too fast," one man said.
"No!" said the driver of the white car, "That's not true! Your car was parked in a wrong place."
Stanley listened to their argument and then said the white car driver was wrong to drive too fast. The driver of red car asked Stanley to prove he was right in court . Stanley gave the driver his name and telephone number.
Next Thursday morning, Stanley was asked to go to the court. The lawyer for the driver of the white car asked him a lot of questions about what he had seen. Then he asked Stanley how old he was.
"I'm eighty-two," answered Stanley.
"Do you usually wear glasses ?" asked the lawyer.
"Yes, I do," answered Stanley.
"Were you wearing them on the night of the accident?" the lawyer asked.
"No," replied Stanley.
Then the lawyer said, "Why should the court believe you? You are eighty-two years old, you were not wearing your glasses, and it was dark. How far can you see in the dark?"
Stanley thought about it for a minute. "Well," he said, "when it's dark, I can see the moon. How far is that?"
Question:
We can learn from the story that _ .
Options:
A Stanley was a clever and humorous man
B Stanley wore glasses when the accident happened
C the lawyer thought that Stanley could see clearly
D Stanley was not able to see the moon
Answer:
A | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: Can animals do work for us? Some scientists think that animals may do a lot of jobs. They say that we may see many elephants, monkeys, dogs, bears and other animals do a lot of things. Animals can get something to eat if they do some work for people.
Some scientists say that many different animals may do lots of jobs if they know they will get something to eat. Of course, dogs can guard a house, and elephants can do some heavy jobs. And we can also teach animals to work in factories. In America apes can help people make cars. Scientists believe that these big monkeys may drive cars.
Question:
Which of the following is true?
Options:
A In China apes can help people make cars.
B Scientists believe that monkeys may play the piano
C All the animal can do work.
D Apes may drive cars
Answer:
D | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: Coke is the most popular drink and many people enjoy it. But they don't know it has many other uses.
* Cleaning. You can use it to clean your hands, your bathroom or your clothes. When you do some washing and you can put some Coke into the water. And Coke can make them cleaner.
* Cooking. Put Coke on beef or pork while it's cooking. And we can also cook chicken with Coke, it's very nice.
* Health &beauty. Coke can make you more beautiful. Use it on your hair or your skin to make them brighter and smoother.
* Housework help. Watering flowers with Coke can make them more lovely and beautiful.
So give Coke a try next time.
Question:
What will the flowers be like after watering them with Coke?
Options:
A Cleaner.
B Smoother.
C Brighter.
D More beautiful.
Answer:
D | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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Write a multi-choice question for the following article:
Article: Mr Li: Sam, did you enjoy your first Spring Festival in China?
Sam: Yes, I did. During this festival, many family members get together.
Mr Li: Yes. I hear that at Thanksgiving Americans also get together for a special meal. It sounds similar.
Sam: Yes. It's similar. During these holidays, both the Chinese and Americans come home and have a big dinner. It's great fun.
Mr Li: What do you think are the main differences between the Spring Festival and Thanksgiving?
Sam: Well, we take part in different activities and eat different kinds of food. In China, people usually set off fireworks and eat dumplings. In the US, we usually watch a Thanksgiving parade and an American football game on TV. We also eat turkey.
Mr Li: That's interesting.
Question:
The difference about food between the Spring Festival and Thanksgiving is that _ .
Options:
A the Chinese eat turkey while Americans eat dumplings
B Americans eat turkey while the Chinese eat dumplings
C the Chinese have a special meal while Americans don't
D Americans have a special meal while the Chinese don't
Answer:
B | race_middle | Write a multi-choice question for the following article | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: One billion teenagers and young adults around the world are in the face of losing their hearing by listening to loud music. This is according to the World Health Organization.
Few things can make people happy and full of energy like good music. Many people believe louder is better if you are listening to rock and roll. But if you really listen to the music loudly, even really good music, it can hurt your hearing badly.
If a person takes a subway to go from one place to the other for half an hour in the morning and a half an hour in the evening, and every day has to _ on his audio device because there is so much of noise of the train and everything around, and is listening to for one hour every day, his hearing is going to be hurt seriously in a few years, in a couple of years time, for sure.
There can be many kinds of unsafe levels of sound. It depends on how loud the sound is and how long you listen to it. Unsafe can mean noise levels of 85 decibels for eight hours a day or 100 decibels for just 15 minutes.
There are simple ways to protect people from unsafe sound levels. Young people who wear earplugs during concerts can enjoy music at 90 decibels as much as they can at 110 decibels. But earplugs may not look very cool. The fact that earplugs may look un-cool may be true today, but if there is nothing wrong with your hearing in the future may be true and wearing earplugs may actually be cool.
Another common suggestion is to turn down the volume on your personal audio devices. The World Health Organization also advises young people to limit their use of such devices to less than one hour a day.
Besides, the World Health Organization reminds people to use technology, such as smart audio devices keep listening levels safe.
Question: To protect your hearing, you can enjoy music at _ .
Options: A: 65 decibels for less than one hour a day
B: 85 decibels for eight hours a day
C: 100 decibels for just 15 minutes
D: 110 decibels for just 20 minutes
A | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: Although 19-year-old George Dennehy is armless, he isn't letting that stop him from pursuing his dreams and sharing his passion with the world.
Born without arms, the young boy's birth parents left him. Luckily, a warm-hearted couple _ him and took good care of him. However, his new parents never allowed him to use his disability as an excuse to be lazy. When George turned eight, they asked him to sign up for cello lessons. The instrument is tough even for people who have the use of both their hands, so it was even more challenging for George, who had to learn to play it with his feet.
Thanks to his music teacher, the young boy not only mastered the cello, but also realized that he had a passion and talent for music. During middle school years, he also mastered the piano and guitar.
His music talent caught the eye of an American rock band who invited him to perform alongside them at a ten-day-long music festival.
The experience has inspired this once shy boy to pursue a career in music. He has also become a motivational speaker who encourages both able and disabled people to pursue their dreams, no matter how impossible these dreams may sound.
Geoge Dennehy is armless, he isn't letting that stop him from pursuing his dreams and sharing his passion with the world.
Question: How many instruments did George Dennehy master according the passage?
Options: A: 1
B: 2 .
C: 3
D: 4
C | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: I have been very lucky to make many trips to China. Though I have had some trouble with the language, I have never had a problem I couldn't solve. As a native English speaker ,I can go almost everywhere in the world and find someone to communicate with. I never thought that someone who speaks only Chinese would have a lot of trouble in my country.
Recently, the King family that I had met in China moved to Canada. I met them at the airport. My wife and I made meals for them and showed them around where we live. Everything seemed to go smoothly for the first two days as we looked for a car for them, showed them the way to different stores and the nearest city, Victoria. Mr. and Mrs King had a two-year-old son and soon we became Nainai (grandmother) and Yeye (grandfather). We were having a good time but we didn't realize Mr. King can't speak English.
Luckily, Mrs. King can speak very good English. Many people with Chinese background live near us. In fact, none of them speak Chinese. Mr. King can't even buy a mobile phone without his wife's help. He can't talk to me, of course. By the third day, he felt lonely and worried. And on the fourth day, we decided to take them to a large Chinese community.
Now, we often visit them and they visit us too. Sometimes Mrs. King would still like to live near us but Mr. King cannot. I feel bad because he seems very nice and smart but I can't talk with him. It seems that neither of us will learn the other's language because of our ages, maybe we will never have a friendly conversation. But we will think of each other as friends.
Question: The writer doesn't have any trouble in travelling around the world possibly because _ .
Options: A: he's very lucky
B: he speaks very good English
C: he's good at speaking Chinese
D: he is good at communicating with others
D | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: Everyone needs friends. There is an old saying "Friends are God's way of taking care of us." But how do you find real friendship and keep it?
The American writer Sally Seamans tells young students some smart ways to find friends. Sally says finding friendship is just like planting a tree. You plant the seed and take care of it to make it grow.
First, you should choose a friend. What good friends should you make? It's not because a person has money or good looks. A good friend should be kind and _ For example, if you have a bad day, a good friend should listen to your complains and do his or her best to help. To make a friend, you can not be too shy. You should make each other happy and share your lives. But things cannot always be happy. Even the best have fights. What should you do when you have a fight with your friend? You have to talk to him or her. When there is no one around, have an honest talk. If he or she doesn't want to talk, you could write a letter.
There are three steps to being friends again:
Tell him or her how you are feeling ; say what your friend has done wrong, and explain why you did this or that. Remember that friendship is the most important thing in your life.
,. (5,2,10)
Question: Sally wants to tell students the ways to _ .
Options: A: find friends
B: plant trees
C: get happy
D: keep fit
A | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: According to a new survey, students' safety has become a big problem. Nearly 50% of students say they are worried about robbery on the way to and from school. Now in main big cities in China, some schools have taught an unusual lesson: self-protection. Students like this lesson because there are no exams or boring classes. And they can learn how to save lives and know how to get away from danger before it really happens.
Chen Haoyu, a teacher at Beijing No. 25 Middle School, gives young students advice on how to deal with danger.
If you are robbed
Keep calm if you can not cry for help or run away. Give the robber your money. Try to remember
what the robber looks like and tell the police later.
If you are in a traffic accident
If a car hits you, you should remember the car number. If it is a bicycle, try to call your parents before you let the rider go. This is because you don't know how seriously you are hurt.
If it is raining hard and there is lighting
Don't stay in high places and stay away from trees.
If there is a fire
Get away as fast as yon can. Put wet things on your body and try to find an exit . Do not take the lift.
If someone is drowning
If you can't swim, don't get into the water. Cry out for help.
Remember that danger is never as far away as you think. Take care of yourself at all time!
Question: The best title for this passage is _ .
Options: A: Danger
B: Self-protection
C: A usual lesson
D: How to keep calm
B | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they don't act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, "I love you" is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers on Valentine's Day is even more out of the question.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt .
"Mom, I have a question to ask you."
"What?" she replied, still doing her work.
"Is there love between you and Dad?"
My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. Then she said, "Susan, look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The _ really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. Love is inside."
I listened carefully but I couldn't understand until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. After they were back from the hospital, my mother helped him walk slowly on the beautiful country road every morning. My father had never been so gentle. But after two months he still couldn't walk by himself. All of us were worried about him.
"Dad, how are you feeling now?" I asked him one day.
"Susan, don't worry about me, "he said gently. "To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. "Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
,.
Question: Why couldn't her father walk by himself?
Options: A: Because her father was seriously ill.
B: Because her father liked walking with his wife.
C: Because his father didn't get good treatment .
D: Because his father had a bad temper .
B | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: Hello, I'm Tommy Smith. This is my room. Look! My schoolbag is on the desk. My Chinese book is on the bed. My baseball is under the sofa. And my CDs are in the bookcase.
My name is Sally Hand. I'm a schoolgirl. English is my favorite subject. I like it because it's interesting. Anna is our English teacher. We all like her very much.
I'm a schoolboy. I'm Dave Clark. I like basketball. My friends and I play basketball after school. It's relaxing.
Hi, my name is Bill Hall. Where is my jacket? Please call me if you find it. My phone number is 5283595. Thanks.
Question: _ lost a jacket.
Options: A: Tommy
B: Bill
C: Dave
D: Sally
B | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: Beijing Restaurant
_
SOUPS :Tofu soupY=10. 00 Bone soupY=15. 00 Chicken soupY=20. 00
STAPLES:Fried riceY=8. 00 Fried noodlesY=10. 00 Hot dogY=4. 00
Meat pieY=10. 00 SandwichY=10. 00 HamburgerY=10. 00
MAIN COURSES:Roast chickenY=30. 00 Italian pizzaY=9. 00 Indian curriesY=15. 00
Pork and cabbageY=15. 00 Cheese pieY=10. 00 BeefY=15. 00
Beijing Roast DuckY=50. 00 SausageY=15. 00
DESSERTS :Fruit saladY=8. 00 Pear pancakeY=6. 00 Apple pieY=6. 00 Ice creamY=4. 00 DRINKS :CokeY=5. 00 CoffeeY=5. 00 TeaY=3. 00 Apple juiceY=3. 00
BeerY=10. 00 WineY=30. 00 MilkY=3. 00 LemonadeY=4. 00
Question: What's the price of pear pancake and a cup of tea?
Options: A: Y=8. 00.
B: Y=9. 00.
C: Y=7. 00.
D: Y=6. 00.
B | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: It seems school children all over the world complain about their school food.Cherie Blair,the wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair,said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school?
Japan
High schools have canteens,which serve everything from noodles to rice,but not burgers and chips.Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls,meat or fish,pickles and vegetables.
The United States
A typical menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken,lettuce and pickles,fruit and cookies.School lunches must also provide at least one-third of the daily dietary
allowances of protein ,vitamin A.vitamin C,iron,calcium,and calories .
Australia
Meat pies,sausage rolls and hotdogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops.But as the nation pays more attention to children's health,healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus.
Many schools have used a traffic light system.The sale of red-labelled foods including pastries,chocolate and soft drinks,is served only twice a week.Healthier green-labelled foods such as sushi,sandwiches,corn and watermelon,however are served every day.
In some schools.students have a choice of up to 89 foods to choose from,including popcorn and rice.
South Africa
Most of South Africa's schools do not serve meals at all.Classes end at 1:30 pm and students get their own lunches.Many students bring food from home,usually sandwiches.
Fast food and fried food sell the best among students,which has led to a rise in obesity among children.But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different diseases,some schools in towns have led the way towards better nutrition .Now students at these schools are provided with lunches of porridge with vegetables,such as cabbages,onions,beans,carrots and tomatoes.
Question: What is the main idea of the passage?
Options: A: Food served in the US is the best of a11.
B: Schools should try to satisfy the needs of students.
C: Schools serve different foods from country to country.
D: School children all over the world dislike their school food.
C | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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I'm taking a test and have to guess the right answer to the question after the article.
Article: We can not live a modern life without traveling.The fastest way of traveling is by air.With a plane people can travel in one day to places which it took a month or more to get to a hundred years ago.
Traveling by train is slower than by plane, but people can see the country when they are traveling through.Modern trains have comfortable seats and dinning-cars.They make even the longest journey enjoyable.
Some people prefer to travel by sea when possible.There are large luxury liners or river boats.They are not as fast as trains or planes, but traveling by sea is a very pleasant way to spend a holiday.
Many people like to travel by car.They can make their own timetable.They can travel hundreds of miles or only fifty miles a day, just as their wish.They can stop wherever they want to see something interesting or to enjoy a good meal at a good restaurant, or to spend the night at a hotel.That is why people choose traveling by car for pleasant trips, while they usually take trains or planes for business.
Question: _ is a very pleasant way to spend a holiday.
Options: A: Traveling by bike.
B: Traveling by train.
C: Traveling by sea.
D: Traveling by car.[:Z+xx+k.Com]
C | race_middle | Taking a test | 1tasky
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Blue Range Resources Corporation is an executed ISDA Master we have for ECT Canada that went into bankruptcy.
It shows up on my list because I'm working off the original list, but it is not a good Credit counterparty so it doesn't show up on Credit's approved counterparty list.
I just want to make sure that we don't send them any mailouts.
What is this email about?
Bankrupt Counterparty | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = IntercontinentalExchange = ...
What is this email about?
Power Indices | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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Mark: I received a notice in the mail in connection with Columbia Energy Services Corporation's sale of its "Mass Markets" business to The New Power Company.
The purpose of the notice was to inform us that effective July 31, 2000 Columbia would be assigning its interest in the January 30, 1998 ISDA Master Agreement that it has with ENA to New Power as well as all transactions under it.
Please call me if you have any questions about this.
I expect that we will receive shortly a formal consent agreement.
What is this email about?
Columbia/New Power Asset Purchase | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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May 26, 2001 Dear Mr. Skilling: As part of Enron's Imagine the Future Day (4/24/01), a group of Ernonite's voluntarily got together under the tutelage of Dr Peter Bishop (Chair, Studies of the Future Program, University of Houston) to create scenarios of possible futures and their impacts on Enron.
You once said, "I guarantee that if there is one thing Enron thinks about, it is what we'll do in the future."
(ESpeak 2/29/00).
With that in mind, you might find the following of interest - our ideas and thoughts about Enron and the future.
The context created for envisioning possible futures for Enron was based upon our opinion of Enron's core capability: our ability to effectively exploit discontinuities in the marketplace.
Enron has successfully exploited discontinuities created by pipeline deregulation, resulting in the creation of Enron; the Internet, resulting in electronic trading and on-line business activities/portals/exchanges; and telecom deregulation, resulting in bandwidth trading.
Since Enron is so adept at this, we focused our activity specifically on identifying potential future discontinuities and their implications to Enron.
These are our conclusions: Future: Rock Around the Clock Description: Anytime you want it, anywhere you want it capability to transact business/to do work.
Discontinuity/Trends: Builds on discontinuities created by the Internet and current technology trends of convergence, increased ubiquity, wireless and miniaturization.
Enron In This Future: Is fully and entirely networked; primary revenue generation occurs via the communication wires.
Business ops "rock around the clock", 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Employees are fully networked and fully connected, giving employees the choice of when and where to work.
Office space is no longer an issue because the employee IS the office.
Employee uncertainties exist about privacy, lack of interpersonal relationships, and "wireless chains."
Wildcards: Major information systems disruption (global?)
completely...
What is this email about?
Visions of Enron | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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Dave Samuels thought I might want to confirm this with you.
I have a copy of an MOU in my files with Aether, but no records of us having signed any agreements with them.
Have you?
What is this email about?
Aether Systems | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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I have attached a copy of the draft response to John Pope's December 13th letter to Dick Ingersoll.
Please call me with your comments.
We need to send this letter by Friday.
What is this email about?
Response letter to John Pope | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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Enron has begun its executive solicitation for United Way.
You should have received an email providing the intranet address where you can pledge online.
(Please note: when entering the information online - enter 4 digits for your birth year).
I encourage you to be the leaders in giving for Governmental Affairs/Public Relations and make your pledge this week.
Further, please invite the generous participation of the people in your groups.
Thank you for your involvement.
What is this email about?
UNITED WAY | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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DCongel@nyiso.com writes to the NYISO_TECH_EXCHANGE Discussion List: Market Participants: In a billing inquiry sent to us concerning the June 2000 adjustments made per the email below, which was sent on 7/10/2000, we noticed an incorrect value was stated for the NYISO clearing account balance prior to adjustment.
That value was $7,831,072.52.
The value should have been $7,262,238.10, and this has caused problems for reconciling your invoices.
What is this email about?
May & June 2000 1st settlement adjustment invoice banking instructions | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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Tanya: For purposes of "Transfer", shall we permit both parties to transfer to Affiliates?
Would FUNB require a guaranty?
Or do we feel strongly that neither party should have the ability to transfer except with the written consent of the other party?
What is this email about?
First Union National Bank ("FUNB")/Enron Corp. ISDA Master Agreement | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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Dr. Kenneth L. Lay Chairman of the Board Enron Corp. Dear Dr. Lay, We met less than a week ago, on Wednesday 16 May 2001, during the OECD Forum 2001 in Paris.
I'm an independent consultant and innovator, with a special interest in energy and new technologies.
I have more than ten years experience in research and innovation in economics, business and technology.
I attended the session on energy you chaired during that OECD Forum.
After the session, I had a discussion with you.
Unfortunately, your time was too short.
You gave me your card and asked me to write you.
As I told you, I think I can add value to your staff, bring new lines of businesses to Enron and with them, many new clients.
And above all, unprecedented profits.
I am writing you to propose my contribution in these purposes.
I'm mainly making three proposals to Enron.
1.- Working for Enron as an external consultant.
Here, I would rather like to work on assignments, medium or long term, with a preference for the following jobs: risk assessment and/or management, strategic analysis on geopolitical, macroeconomics and societal issues.
I think these are important tasks for a company like Enron.
The current problems with Enron's Dabhol power plant in the Maharashtra state in India stresses the kind of importance I'm mentioning.
I can also conduct surveys and provide Enron with technical and fruitful information and policy recommendations.
I've done a job like that recently, on the oil-pipeline project in Chad and Cameroon.
As you may already know, this is a $4 billion project recently launched, with the support of the World Bank, and led by three major energy firms: Exxon and Chevron of the USA, and Petronas of Malaysia.
I wrote a detailed and long report, which combined public and private sectors' concerns, and also communities' interests.
Having operations worldwide, Enron I think needs the type of technical works I've done on that major energy project.
I have a good expertise in energy economics.
I attend international congresses on that subject,...
What is this email about?
Three proposals, following up our recent meeting. | aeslc | what_is_this_email_about | 1tasky
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