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[
"age",
"belongings",
"personality",
"culture"
] | The degree of intimacy of friendship mainly depends on _ | Friendship is one of the basic bonds between human beings. While the characteristics of friendship might vary from one country to another, people from all cultures not only enjoy friends but need them. Many studies have shown that teenagers who have no friends often suffer from psychological disorders. It has been shown that teenagers, perhaps more than any other age group, need companionship and a sense of belonging. The negative consequences of loneliness have also been observed among the elderly. The death of a spouse often leaves a widow or a widower totally bereft. If, however, they are surrounded by friends and relatives and if they are able to articulate their feelings, they are more likely to recover from their grief.
"No man is an island." In other words, we are all parts of society. We all need the love, admiration, respect and moral support of other people. If we are fortunate, our friends will provide us with all of these necessary aspects of life.
As most people observe, there are many levels of friendship. The degree or intensity of friendship varies depending on the personality of the individuals involved and the context of the relationships. Extroverts enjoy being surrounded by many people whereas introverts are perhaps content with fewer but more intense friendships.
Everyone is not equally open with all their friends. The degree of intimacy is determined by many factors. Close friends can be formed at any stage in one's life but they are usually very rare. Not very many people have more than a few really close friends. Irrespective of the level of intimacy, all friendships are based on reciprocity, honesty and a certain amount of love and affection. | 1435.txt | 2 |
[
"can be easily formed when one is young",
"cannot be long-lasting",
"are not rare for everyone",
"are rare for most people"
] | The author thinks that close friends _ | Friendship is one of the basic bonds between human beings. While the characteristics of friendship might vary from one country to another, people from all cultures not only enjoy friends but need them. Many studies have shown that teenagers who have no friends often suffer from psychological disorders. It has been shown that teenagers, perhaps more than any other age group, need companionship and a sense of belonging. The negative consequences of loneliness have also been observed among the elderly. The death of a spouse often leaves a widow or a widower totally bereft. If, however, they are surrounded by friends and relatives and if they are able to articulate their feelings, they are more likely to recover from their grief.
"No man is an island." In other words, we are all parts of society. We all need the love, admiration, respect and moral support of other people. If we are fortunate, our friends will provide us with all of these necessary aspects of life.
As most people observe, there are many levels of friendship. The degree or intensity of friendship varies depending on the personality of the individuals involved and the context of the relationships. Extroverts enjoy being surrounded by many people whereas introverts are perhaps content with fewer but more intense friendships.
Everyone is not equally open with all their friends. The degree of intimacy is determined by many factors. Close friends can be formed at any stage in one's life but they are usually very rare. Not very many people have more than a few really close friends. Irrespective of the level of intimacy, all friendships are based on reciprocity, honesty and a certain amount of love and affection. | 1435.txt | 3 |
[
"not respecting",
"dishonoring",
"regardless",
"considering"
] | The word "irrespective"(Last sentence, Para.5) means _ | Friendship is one of the basic bonds between human beings. While the characteristics of friendship might vary from one country to another, people from all cultures not only enjoy friends but need them. Many studies have shown that teenagers who have no friends often suffer from psychological disorders. It has been shown that teenagers, perhaps more than any other age group, need companionship and a sense of belonging. The negative consequences of loneliness have also been observed among the elderly. The death of a spouse often leaves a widow or a widower totally bereft. If, however, they are surrounded by friends and relatives and if they are able to articulate their feelings, they are more likely to recover from their grief.
"No man is an island." In other words, we are all parts of society. We all need the love, admiration, respect and moral support of other people. If we are fortunate, our friends will provide us with all of these necessary aspects of life.
As most people observe, there are many levels of friendship. The degree or intensity of friendship varies depending on the personality of the individuals involved and the context of the relationships. Extroverts enjoy being surrounded by many people whereas introverts are perhaps content with fewer but more intense friendships.
Everyone is not equally open with all their friends. The degree of intimacy is determined by many factors. Close friends can be formed at any stage in one's life but they are usually very rare. Not very many people have more than a few really close friends. Irrespective of the level of intimacy, all friendships are based on reciprocity, honesty and a certain amount of love and affection. | 1435.txt | 2 |
[
"The relationship between the queen and the worker ants",
"Ways in which ants use chemical signals",
"Methods ants use to identify food sources",
"The importance of respiration in the production of ant pheromones"
] | What aspect of ants does the passage mainly discuss? | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 1 |
[
"daily activity",
"effective functioning",
"delicate balance",
"permanent location"
] | The phrase "smooth operation" in line 1 is closest in meaning to | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 1 |
[
"It protects the queen.",
"It attracts other ant species.",
"It informs workers of possible danger.",
"It encourages the ants to gather together."
] | According to the passage , carbon dioxide serves which of the following functions for fire ants? | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 3 |
[
"organ",
"activity",
"group",
"cycle"
] | The word "cluster" in line 4 is closest in meaning to | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 2 |
[
"find the location of the nest in the dark",
"distinguish worker ants from other ants",
"distinguish foreign ants from resident ants",
"signal other inhabitants when foreign ants attack"
] | According to the passage , each nest has a distinct odor that allows its inhabitants to | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 2 |
[
"allow",
"transport",
"warn",
"provide"
] | The word "alert" in line 13 is closest in meaning to | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 2 |
[
"Pheromones are used to create a trail that directs the ants during migrations.",
"Pheromones signal the ants that the nest has been invaded and must be abandoned.",
"Pheromones control the speed at which ants move from one location to another.",
"Pheromones enable scouts to identify suitable areas for establishing a new nest."
] | What is the role of pheromones in the mass migrations of ants? | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 0 |
[
"agreeing",
"appearing",
"competing",
"rushing"
] | The word "scurrying" in line 16 is closest in meaning to | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 3 |
[
"private messages",
"species",
"trails",
"signals"
] | The word "others" in line 21 refers to | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 1 |
[
"To compare the social behaviors of ants with those of other insects",
"To emphasize the dangers that all insects encounter",
"To argue the superiority of ants over other insects",
"To indicate a behavior that is common among various kinds of ants"
] | Why does the author mention "dead insects" in line 23? | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 3 |
[
"pheromones (line 2)",
"colony integrity (lines 12)",
"mass migrations (line 14)",
"private messages (lines 18-19)"
] | Which of the following terms is defined in the passage ? | The smooth operation of an ant colony depends on ten to twenty different signals, most of which are pheromones (chemical signals triggering behavioral responses). It is estimated that red fire ants employ at least twelve different chemical signals. The simplest of these is the carbon dioxide from the respiration of an ant cluster, a chemical that acts as a pheromone to promote aggregation. Workers move toward a source of carbon dioxide, resulting in solitary ants moving to join a group. At the other extreme, the most complex of the fire ants' signals is probably colony odor, by which the workers of a particular colony or nest identify another worker as local or foreign. Each ant nest has its own odor as a result of its location, history, and local food supply. The resident ants pick up this odor on their bodies, so that ants of the same species, but from different nests, have different colony odors. This allows ants to identify intruders and maintain colony integrity.
Fire ants also make use of an alarm pheromone to alert workers to an emergency, and their scouts lay down a trail pheromone as a guide during mass migrations. A fire ant queen emits a chemical signal that identifies her to the colony's workers. They respond by scurrying to gather around her. The decomposing corpse of a dead ant also generates a signal, to which workers respond by eliminating the corpse from the nest.
Ants provide examples of both public (accessible to other species) and private messages. One of their most important private messages concerns food, for a food source is worth keeping secret. Each species marks its trails with signals that are meaningless to others, so that an ant crossing a trail left by another ant species typically notices nothing. On the other hand, a secret signal to mark a dead body is unnecessary. Many kinds of ants perceive a natural decomposition product of dead insects as a signal to remove a corpse. If an outsider recognizes this message and moves the body, no harm is done. | 393.txt | 0 |
[
"A kind of ant that feeds on the sweet juice exuded by the twigs of a species of thorn tree that grows in dry areas.",
"A kind of fish that, after growing to maturity in the ocean, returns to fresh water.",
"A kind of flower that has markings distinctly perceptible in ultraviolet light to the species of bee that pollinates the flower.",
"A kind of tree with seeds that germinate readily only in a sunny spot and then develop into mature trees that shade the area below them."
] | Which of the following is an example of the type of organism described in lines 2-5? | While it is true that living organisms are profoundly affected by their environment, it is equally important to remember that many organisms are also capable of altering their habitat significantly, sometimes limiting their own growth. The influence of the biological component of an ecosystem is often greater in fresh waters that in marine or terrestrial systems, because of the small size of many fresh water bodies. Many of the important effects of organisms are related to their physiology, especially growth and respiration. By their growth many species can deplete essential nutrients within the system. Thus limiting the irown growth or that of other species.Lund has demonstrated that in LakeWindermere the alga Asterionella is unable to grow in conditions that it itself has created. Once a year, in the spring, this plant starts to grow rapidly in the lake, using up so much silica from the water that by late spring there is no longer enough to maintain its own growth. The population decreases dramatically as a result. | 1925.txt | 3 |
[
"They are not present except in early spring.",
"They contribute silica to the waters as they grow.",
"They are food for other organisms.",
"Their growth peaks in the spring."
] | It can be inferred from the passage that which of the followings is true about Asterionella plants in Lake Windermere? | While it is true that living organisms are profoundly affected by their environment, it is equally important to remember that many organisms are also capable of altering their habitat significantly, sometimes limiting their own growth. The influence of the biological component of an ecosystem is often greater in fresh waters that in marine or terrestrial systems, because of the small size of many fresh water bodies. Many of the important effects of organisms are related to their physiology, especially growth and respiration. By their growth many species can deplete essential nutrients within the system. Thus limiting the irown growth or that of other species.Lund has demonstrated that in LakeWindermere the alga Asterionella is unable to grow in conditions that it itself has created. Once a year, in the spring, this plant starts to grow rapidly in the lake, using up so much silica from the water that by late spring there is no longer enough to maintain its own growth. The population decreases dramatically as a result. | 1925.txt | 3 |
[
"oceans, since oceans contain the largest organisms living on Earth",
"oceans, since oceans provide habitats for many different kinds of species",
"freshwater bodies, since such effects become pronounced in relatively small spaces",
"freshwater lakes, since nutrients in freshwater lakes are present only in small amounts"
] | The passage indicates that organisms frequently have the strongest effects on their environment in | While it is true that living organisms are profoundly affected by their environment, it is equally important to remember that many organisms are also capable of altering their habitat significantly, sometimes limiting their own growth. The influence of the biological component of an ecosystem is often greater in fresh waters that in marine or terrestrial systems, because of the small size of many fresh water bodies. Many of the important effects of organisms are related to their physiology, especially growth and respiration. By their growth many species can deplete essential nutrients within the system. Thus limiting the irown growth or that of other species.Lund has demonstrated that in LakeWindermere the alga Asterionella is unable to grow in conditions that it itself has created. Once a year, in the spring, this plant starts to grow rapidly in the lake, using up so much silica from the water that by late spring there is no longer enough to maintain its own growth. The population decreases dramatically as a result. | 1925.txt | 2 |
[
"organisms are affected by the amount of nutrients available",
"organisms can change their own surroundings",
"elements of freshwater habitats impede the growth of small organisms",
"the reproduction of organisms is controlled by factors in the environment"
] | The primary topic of the passage is the way in which | While it is true that living organisms are profoundly affected by their environment, it is equally important to remember that many organisms are also capable of altering their habitat significantly, sometimes limiting their own growth. The influence of the biological component of an ecosystem is often greater in fresh waters that in marine or terrestrial systems, because of the small size of many fresh water bodies. Many of the important effects of organisms are related to their physiology, especially growth and respiration. By their growth many species can deplete essential nutrients within the system. Thus limiting the irown growth or that of other species.Lund has demonstrated that in LakeWindermere the alga Asterionella is unable to grow in conditions that it itself has created. Once a year, in the spring, this plant starts to grow rapidly in the lake, using up so much silica from the water that by late spring there is no longer enough to maintain its own growth. The population decreases dramatically as a result. | 1925.txt | 1 |
[
"the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties",
"many older homeless residents are going on strike in 25 cities",
"there is a serious shortage of academic facilities",
"homeless children are denied the opportunity of receiving free education"
] | It is implied in the first paragraph that _ . | Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems - both legal and educational - for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly. One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the "throwaway" youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education. | 1515.txt | 2 |
[
"350,000",
"1,500,000",
"440,000",
"110,000"
] | The National Coalition for the homeless believes that the number of homeless children is _ . | Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems - both legal and educational - for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly. One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the "throwaway" youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education. | 1515.txt | 2 |
[
"the homeless children are too young to be counted as children",
"the homeless population is growing rapidly",
"the homeless children usually stay outside school",
"some homeless children are deserted by their families"
] | One part of the homeless population is difficult to estimate. The reason might well be _ . | Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems - both legal and educational - for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly. One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the "throwaway" youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education. | 1515.txt | 3 |
[
"the educational problems of homeless children are being recognized",
"the estimates on homeless children are hard to determine",
"the address of grade-school children should be located",
"all homeless people are entitled to free education"
] | The McKinney Act is mentioned in this passage in order to show that _ . | Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems - both legal and educational - for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly. One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the "throwaway" youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education. | 1515.txt | 0 |
[
"the legal problems of the homeless children",
"the educational problems of homeless children",
"the social status of older males",
"estimates on the homeless population"
] | The passage mainly deals with _ . | Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems - both legal and educational - for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly. One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the "throwaway" youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education. | 1515.txt | 1 |
[
"The Function of the Interpol.",
"The Quality of the Interpol.",
"The Organization of the Interpol.",
"The Rapid Development of the Interpol."
] | What is the best title for this passage? | NCB in Interpol
The organization known to the world as Interpol has sometimesbeen described as an outfit of chisel-jawed gimlet-eyed crimefighters who put their lives in jeopardy every working hour. Lessflatteringly, Interpol has also been described as a huge filingcabinet, stuffed with clerks choking on their own statistics.
As with most generalities, there is some truth in both statements. There are, certainly, some grimbattlers of crime to be found working with Interpol. There are, just as surely, those drones shufflingmountains of paper whose cheeks are sallow from indoor life. Consider the charisma of the namealone: INTERPOL, the international police force. Continents leaped in a single bound, oceanscrossed in the space of a breath, villains watched by eyes that never sleep. Surprisingly, a lot of ithappens almost that way.
Four groups coordinate and direct the activities of Interpol. One of them is the National CentralBureaus, or NCBs, bodies designated by the member nations to serve as their link with Interpol.These are the front-line troops, the action people. IN the United States, the Treasury Departmentis the National Central Bureau. In the United Kingdom, it is Scotland Yard; the Questura in Italy andthe Melbourne City Police in Australia. Because police organization varies from country, the NCBswere established to act as the one special group to handle Interpol chores and unsure maximumcooperation between nations. Each NCB is usually an official government body with police powers ifa country has only one central police authority, that body becomes the National Centre Bureau. Ofcourse, any service appointed as an NCB is bound to its nation's law and authority and retains itsnational title.
Each NCB is connected by radio to the regional station for its geographic zone. The regionalstations are connected to the Central Station in France. The radio network is versatile. Networkstations can monitor the Central station or any regional station. Because of this messages can bebroadcast to more than one station at a time. A coding system determines the urgency of eachmessage so that those with high priority can be given precedence. Besides, other communicationtools, such as radio-teleprinters and phototelegraphy equipment. Permit rapid transfers offingerprints and photographs. Sometimes ever more advanced technology is employed. When thepolice all over the world were looking for a Canadian named George Leray, they turned to the EarlyBird Satellite. Leray had led his gang on a daring holdup of a Montreal bank and gotten away with$4 million. Scotland Yard broadcast Leray's photo to the world by satellite. An American who sawthe picture in Florida recognized Leray as a man who was living on a yacht in Fort Lauderdaleunder an assumed name. The police were alerted and arrested Leray. | 219.txt | 2 |
[
"general to specific.",
"cause and effect.",
"comparison and contrast.",
"development."
] | The organization of this passage is | NCB in Interpol
The organization known to the world as Interpol has sometimesbeen described as an outfit of chisel-jawed gimlet-eyed crimefighters who put their lives in jeopardy every working hour. Lessflatteringly, Interpol has also been described as a huge filingcabinet, stuffed with clerks choking on their own statistics.
As with most generalities, there is some truth in both statements. There are, certainly, some grimbattlers of crime to be found working with Interpol. There are, just as surely, those drones shufflingmountains of paper whose cheeks are sallow from indoor life. Consider the charisma of the namealone: INTERPOL, the international police force. Continents leaped in a single bound, oceanscrossed in the space of a breath, villains watched by eyes that never sleep. Surprisingly, a lot of ithappens almost that way.
Four groups coordinate and direct the activities of Interpol. One of them is the National CentralBureaus, or NCBs, bodies designated by the member nations to serve as their link with Interpol.These are the front-line troops, the action people. IN the United States, the Treasury Departmentis the National Central Bureau. In the United Kingdom, it is Scotland Yard; the Questura in Italy andthe Melbourne City Police in Australia. Because police organization varies from country, the NCBswere established to act as the one special group to handle Interpol chores and unsure maximumcooperation between nations. Each NCB is usually an official government body with police powers ifa country has only one central police authority, that body becomes the National Centre Bureau. Ofcourse, any service appointed as an NCB is bound to its nation's law and authority and retains itsnational title.
Each NCB is connected by radio to the regional station for its geographic zone. The regionalstations are connected to the Central Station in France. The radio network is versatile. Networkstations can monitor the Central station or any regional station. Because of this messages can bebroadcast to more than one station at a time. A coding system determines the urgency of eachmessage so that those with high priority can be given precedence. Besides, other communicationtools, such as radio-teleprinters and phototelegraphy equipment. Permit rapid transfers offingerprints and photographs. Sometimes ever more advanced technology is employed. When thepolice all over the world were looking for a Canadian named George Leray, they turned to the EarlyBird Satellite. Leray had led his gang on a daring holdup of a Montreal bank and gotten away with$4 million. Scotland Yard broadcast Leray's photo to the world by satellite. An American who sawthe picture in Florida recognized Leray as a man who was living on a yacht in Fort Lauderdaleunder an assumed name. The police were alerted and arrested Leray. | 219.txt | 0 |
[
"a lot of employees busying in their work.",
"many office workers busying with various documents.",
"crowded with office workers busying with their own collected data.",
"workers busying in their own information."
] | The sentence "stuffed with clerks choking on their own statistics" in the first paragraph is closestin meaning to | NCB in Interpol
The organization known to the world as Interpol has sometimesbeen described as an outfit of chisel-jawed gimlet-eyed crimefighters who put their lives in jeopardy every working hour. Lessflatteringly, Interpol has also been described as a huge filingcabinet, stuffed with clerks choking on their own statistics.
As with most generalities, there is some truth in both statements. There are, certainly, some grimbattlers of crime to be found working with Interpol. There are, just as surely, those drones shufflingmountains of paper whose cheeks are sallow from indoor life. Consider the charisma of the namealone: INTERPOL, the international police force. Continents leaped in a single bound, oceanscrossed in the space of a breath, villains watched by eyes that never sleep. Surprisingly, a lot of ithappens almost that way.
Four groups coordinate and direct the activities of Interpol. One of them is the National CentralBureaus, or NCBs, bodies designated by the member nations to serve as their link with Interpol.These are the front-line troops, the action people. IN the United States, the Treasury Departmentis the National Central Bureau. In the United Kingdom, it is Scotland Yard; the Questura in Italy andthe Melbourne City Police in Australia. Because police organization varies from country, the NCBswere established to act as the one special group to handle Interpol chores and unsure maximumcooperation between nations. Each NCB is usually an official government body with police powers ifa country has only one central police authority, that body becomes the National Centre Bureau. Ofcourse, any service appointed as an NCB is bound to its nation's law and authority and retains itsnational title.
Each NCB is connected by radio to the regional station for its geographic zone. The regionalstations are connected to the Central Station in France. The radio network is versatile. Networkstations can monitor the Central station or any regional station. Because of this messages can bebroadcast to more than one station at a time. A coding system determines the urgency of eachmessage so that those with high priority can be given precedence. Besides, other communicationtools, such as radio-teleprinters and phototelegraphy equipment. Permit rapid transfers offingerprints and photographs. Sometimes ever more advanced technology is employed. When thepolice all over the world were looking for a Canadian named George Leray, they turned to the EarlyBird Satellite. Leray had led his gang on a daring holdup of a Montreal bank and gotten away with$4 million. Scotland Yard broadcast Leray's photo to the world by satellite. An American who sawthe picture in Florida recognized Leray as a man who was living on a yacht in Fort Lauderdaleunder an assumed name. The police were alerted and arrested Leray. | 219.txt | 2 |
[
"Satellite.",
"Radio.",
"Teleprinter.",
"Phototelegraphy."
] | Which is the easiest tool to communicate? | NCB in Interpol
The organization known to the world as Interpol has sometimesbeen described as an outfit of chisel-jawed gimlet-eyed crimefighters who put their lives in jeopardy every working hour. Lessflatteringly, Interpol has also been described as a huge filingcabinet, stuffed with clerks choking on their own statistics.
As with most generalities, there is some truth in both statements. There are, certainly, some grimbattlers of crime to be found working with Interpol. There are, just as surely, those drones shufflingmountains of paper whose cheeks are sallow from indoor life. Consider the charisma of the namealone: INTERPOL, the international police force. Continents leaped in a single bound, oceanscrossed in the space of a breath, villains watched by eyes that never sleep. Surprisingly, a lot of ithappens almost that way.
Four groups coordinate and direct the activities of Interpol. One of them is the National CentralBureaus, or NCBs, bodies designated by the member nations to serve as their link with Interpol.These are the front-line troops, the action people. IN the United States, the Treasury Departmentis the National Central Bureau. In the United Kingdom, it is Scotland Yard; the Questura in Italy andthe Melbourne City Police in Australia. Because police organization varies from country, the NCBswere established to act as the one special group to handle Interpol chores and unsure maximumcooperation between nations. Each NCB is usually an official government body with police powers ifa country has only one central police authority, that body becomes the National Centre Bureau. Ofcourse, any service appointed as an NCB is bound to its nation's law and authority and retains itsnational title.
Each NCB is connected by radio to the regional station for its geographic zone. The regionalstations are connected to the Central Station in France. The radio network is versatile. Networkstations can monitor the Central station or any regional station. Because of this messages can bebroadcast to more than one station at a time. A coding system determines the urgency of eachmessage so that those with high priority can be given precedence. Besides, other communicationtools, such as radio-teleprinters and phototelegraphy equipment. Permit rapid transfers offingerprints and photographs. Sometimes ever more advanced technology is employed. When thepolice all over the world were looking for a Canadian named George Leray, they turned to the EarlyBird Satellite. Leray had led his gang on a daring holdup of a Montreal bank and gotten away with$4 million. Scotland Yard broadcast Leray's photo to the world by satellite. An American who sawthe picture in Florida recognized Leray as a man who was living on a yacht in Fort Lauderdaleunder an assumed name. The police were alerted and arrested Leray. | 219.txt | 1 |
[
"there are many disabled people in the world",
"the number of disabled people in India is the greatest",
"India has much more disabled people that Canada",
"it is impossible to get an exact figure of the world's disabled people"
] | The first paragraph points out that_ . | No one knows exactly how many disabled people there are in the world,but estimates suggest the figure is over 450million. The number of disabled people in India alone is probably more than double the total population of Canada.
In the united Kingdom,about one in ten people have some disability.Disability is not just something tht happens to other people:as we get older,many of us will become less mobile,hard of hearing or have failing eyesight.
Disablement can take many forms and occur at any time of life.Some people are born with disabilities.Many others become disabled as they get older.There are many progressive disabling diseases.The longer time goes on,the worse they become.Some people are disabled in accidents. Many others may have a period of disability in the form of a mental illness.All are affected by people's attitude towards them.
Disabled people face many physical barriers.Next time you go shopping or to work or visit friends,imagine how you would manage if you could not get up steps,or on to buses and trains.How would you cope if you could not see where you were going or could not hear the traffic? But there are other barriers:prejudice can be even harder to break down and ignorance inevitably represents by far the greatest barrier of all. It is almost impossible for the able-bodied to fuly appreciate what the severely disabled go through,so it is important to draw attention to these barriers and show that it is the individual person and their ability,not their disability,which counts. | 1655.txt | 0 |
[
"disability",
"ignorance",
"prejudice",
"barriers"
] | The key word in paragraph 4 is _ . | No one knows exactly how many disabled people there are in the world,but estimates suggest the figure is over 450million. The number of disabled people in India alone is probably more than double the total population of Canada.
In the united Kingdom,about one in ten people have some disability.Disability is not just something tht happens to other people:as we get older,many of us will become less mobile,hard of hearing or have failing eyesight.
Disablement can take many forms and occur at any time of life.Some people are born with disabilities.Many others become disabled as they get older.There are many progressive disabling diseases.The longer time goes on,the worse they become.Some people are disabled in accidents. Many others may have a period of disability in the form of a mental illness.All are affected by people's attitude towards them.
Disabled people face many physical barriers.Next time you go shopping or to work or visit friends,imagine how you would manage if you could not get up steps,or on to buses and trains.How would you cope if you could not see where you were going or could not hear the traffic? But there are other barriers:prejudice can be even harder to break down and ignorance inevitably represents by far the greatest barrier of all. It is almost impossible for the able-bodied to fuly appreciate what the severely disabled go through,so it is important to draw attention to these barriers and show that it is the individual person and their ability,not their disability,which counts. | 1655.txt | 3 |
[
"is most important",
"is considered",
"is included",
"is numbered"
] | The last word of the passage "counts" most probably means_ . | No one knows exactly how many disabled people there are in the world,but estimates suggest the figure is over 450million. The number of disabled people in India alone is probably more than double the total population of Canada.
In the united Kingdom,about one in ten people have some disability.Disability is not just something tht happens to other people:as we get older,many of us will become less mobile,hard of hearing or have failing eyesight.
Disablement can take many forms and occur at any time of life.Some people are born with disabilities.Many others become disabled as they get older.There are many progressive disabling diseases.The longer time goes on,the worse they become.Some people are disabled in accidents. Many others may have a period of disability in the form of a mental illness.All are affected by people's attitude towards them.
Disabled people face many physical barriers.Next time you go shopping or to work or visit friends,imagine how you would manage if you could not get up steps,or on to buses and trains.How would you cope if you could not see where you were going or could not hear the traffic? But there are other barriers:prejudice can be even harder to break down and ignorance inevitably represents by far the greatest barrier of all. It is almost impossible for the able-bodied to fuly appreciate what the severely disabled go through,so it is important to draw attention to these barriers and show that it is the individual person and their ability,not their disability,which counts. | 1655.txt | 0 |
[
"even the able-bodied many lose some of their body functions when they get older.",
"there are about 10 percent disabled persons in the UK.",
"the whole society should pay due attention to the barriers faced by the disabled people",
"there still exists prejudice against the disabled which results mainly from ignorance"
] | Which of the following statements is not true? | No one knows exactly how many disabled people there are in the world,but estimates suggest the figure is over 450million. The number of disabled people in India alone is probably more than double the total population of Canada.
In the united Kingdom,about one in ten people have some disability.Disability is not just something tht happens to other people:as we get older,many of us will become less mobile,hard of hearing or have failing eyesight.
Disablement can take many forms and occur at any time of life.Some people are born with disabilities.Many others become disabled as they get older.There are many progressive disabling diseases.The longer time goes on,the worse they become.Some people are disabled in accidents. Many others may have a period of disability in the form of a mental illness.All are affected by people's attitude towards them.
Disabled people face many physical barriers.Next time you go shopping or to work or visit friends,imagine how you would manage if you could not get up steps,or on to buses and trains.How would you cope if you could not see where you were going or could not hear the traffic? But there are other barriers:prejudice can be even harder to break down and ignorance inevitably represents by far the greatest barrier of all. It is almost impossible for the able-bodied to fuly appreciate what the severely disabled go through,so it is important to draw attention to these barriers and show that it is the individual person and their ability,not their disability,which counts. | 1655.txt | 3 |
[
"we should try our best to prevent disablement",
"both physical and metal barriers are hard to break down",
"we just take a proper attitude towards the disabled",
"the able-bodies people will never fully understand the disabled"
] | It can be concluded from the passage that_ . | No one knows exactly how many disabled people there are in the world,but estimates suggest the figure is over 450million. The number of disabled people in India alone is probably more than double the total population of Canada.
In the united Kingdom,about one in ten people have some disability.Disability is not just something tht happens to other people:as we get older,many of us will become less mobile,hard of hearing or have failing eyesight.
Disablement can take many forms and occur at any time of life.Some people are born with disabilities.Many others become disabled as they get older.There are many progressive disabling diseases.The longer time goes on,the worse they become.Some people are disabled in accidents. Many others may have a period of disability in the form of a mental illness.All are affected by people's attitude towards them.
Disabled people face many physical barriers.Next time you go shopping or to work or visit friends,imagine how you would manage if you could not get up steps,or on to buses and trains.How would you cope if you could not see where you were going or could not hear the traffic? But there are other barriers:prejudice can be even harder to break down and ignorance inevitably represents by far the greatest barrier of all. It is almost impossible for the able-bodied to fuly appreciate what the severely disabled go through,so it is important to draw attention to these barriers and show that it is the individual person and their ability,not their disability,which counts. | 1655.txt | 2 |
[
"he also wanted to know who held such an opinion",
"it made him recall something during his childhood",
"like his friend, he also thought life was unfair",
"he learned something from the question as a youngster"
] | The author thought of his friend's question as a good one, because _ . | A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, " Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was agood one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: life isn't fair. It's a disappointment, but it's absolutely true. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be. It's not and it won't be.
One of the nice things about surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it's not " life's job" to make everything perfect: it's our own challenge. Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit that life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, of course, is a self-defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we do recognize that life isn't fair, however, we feel compassion for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. Youmay be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action. | 821.txt | 2 |
[
"keep us from making everything perfect",
"keep us from doing everything in our power",
"make us face challenges in the life bravely",
"make us know it's our duty to perfect things"
] | Surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair will _ . | A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, " Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was agood one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: life isn't fair. It's a disappointment, but it's absolutely true. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be. It's not and it won't be.
One of the nice things about surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it's not " life's job" to make everything perfect: it's our own challenge. Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit that life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, of course, is a self-defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we do recognize that life isn't fair, however, we feel compassion for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. Youmay be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action. | 821.txt | 3 |
[
"it's nice to accept the injustice of life",
"it's nice to surrender to the life",
"we should not surrender to the life",
"we should not feel sorry for ourselves"
] | The second paragraph of the passage mainly discusses _ . | A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, " Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was agood one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: life isn't fair. It's a disappointment, but it's absolutely true. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be. It's not and it won't be.
One of the nice things about surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it's not " life's job" to make everything perfect: it's our own challenge. Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit that life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, of course, is a self-defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we do recognize that life isn't fair, however, we feel compassion for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. Youmay be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action. | 821.txt | 0 |
[
"you should not pity for others",
"life isn't and won't be fair",
"sympathy is a heartfelt emotion",
"pity is a self-defeating emotion"
] | In the last paragraph, " this very basic fact" refers to the fact that _ . | A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, " Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was agood one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: life isn't fair. It's a disappointment, but it's absolutely true. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be. It's not and it won't be.
One of the nice things about surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it's not " life's job" to make everything perfect: it's our own challenge. Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit that life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, of course, is a self-defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we do recognize that life isn't fair, however, we feel compassion for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. Youmay be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action. | 821.txt | 1 |
[
"positive",
"negative",
"Self-pity",
"indifferent"
] | From the passage, we can learn that the author's attitude to life is _ . | A friend of mine, in response to a conversation we were having about the injustices of life, asked me the question, " Who said life was going to be fair, or that it was even meant to be fair?" Her question was agood one. It reminded me of something I was taught as a youngster: life isn't fair. It's a disappointment, but it's absolutely true. One of the mistakes many of us make is that we feel sorry for ourselves, or for others, thinking that life should be fair, or that someday it will be. It's not and it won't be.
One of the nice things about surrendering to the fact that life isn't fair is that it keeps us from feeling sorry for ourselves by encouraging us to do the very best we can with what we have. We know it's not " life's job" to make everything perfect: it's our own challenge. Surrendering to this fact also keeps us from feeling sorry for others because we are reminded that everyone is dealt a different hand; everyone has unique strengths and problems in the process of growing up, facing the reality and making decisions; and everyone has those times that they feel unfairly treated.
The fact that life isn't fair doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything in our power to improve our own lives or the world as a whole. To the contrary, it suggests that we should. When we don't recognize or admit that life isn't fair, we tend to feel pity for others and for ourselves. Pity, of course, is a self-defeating emotion that does nothing for anyone, except to make everyone feel worse than they already do. When we do recognize that life isn't fair, however, we feel compassion for others and for ourselves. And compassion is a heartfelt emotion that delivers loving-kindness to everyone it touches. The next time you find yourself thinking about the injustices of the world, try reminding yourself of this very basic fact. Youmay be surprised that it can make you out of self-pity and into helpful action. | 821.txt | 0 |
[
"entitles us to too much leisure time",
"urges us to get things done punctually",
"deprives us of leisure time",
"imposes on us a perfect concept of time"
] | The writer objects to efficiency mainly on the grounds that it _ . | Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese's firm belief is that it doesn't matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o'clock for this, five o'clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o'clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living. | 1409.txt | 2 |
[
"the excitement of life",
"magnificent idling of time",
"more emphasis on efficiency",
"terrifying schoolboy"
] | In the eyes of the author, the introduction of industrial life gives rise to _ . | Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese's firm belief is that it doesn't matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o'clock for this, five o'clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o'clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living. | 1409.txt | 2 |
[
"Chinese workers come to work when it is convenient",
"all Americans are forced to be efficient against their will",
"Chinese engineers are on better terms with the management",
"Americans ought not to work so hard for efficiency"
] | The passage tells us _ . | Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese's firm belief is that it doesn't matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o'clock for this, five o'clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o'clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living. | 1409.txt | 3 |
[
"great confusion",
"increased production",
"a hard and exciting life",
"successful completion of a tunnel"
] | The author believes that relaxing the rule of punctuality in factories would lead to _ . | Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese's firm belief is that it doesn't matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o'clock for this, five o'clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o'clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living. | 1409.txt | 0 |
[
"every American is arranging his time in the pattern of a schoolboy",
"every American is reluctant to be efficient",
"every one should have some time to spend as he pleases",
"being punctual is an undesirable habit which should not be formed"
] | What is implied but NOT stated by the author is that _ . | Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese's firm belief is that it doesn't matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o'clock for this, five o'clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o'clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living. | 1409.txt | 2 |
[
"parents are patient when teaching children time",
"parents have little idea of how to teach children time",
"children tend to learn time quickly",
"children enjoy wearing the Flik Flak watch"
] | From the news report we know that ________. | "Time is a problem for kids," states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries "learn time slowly" because "they don't wear watches" and "parents don't really know how to teach them time". The kids grow up with this handicap and become adults-and then can't get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? of course-it's the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
The Flik Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach kids how to tell time, of course it merely "captures their imagination" by presenting the "hour" hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the "minute" hand as a tall blue boy named Flik. Flik points to corresponding "blue" minutes on the dial, while Flak points to red hour numbers. The characters and the colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.
The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band. Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it Kidproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine." The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing for kids to tell time; it's quite another for them to be on time. | 3051.txt | 1 |
[
"children will be on time if they have learnt how to tell time",
"a Flik Flak can help parents teach their children how to tell time",
"the Flik Flak can capture children's imagination",
"children usually have trouble telling time if they don't wear watches"
] | The author doesn't seem to believe ________. | "Time is a problem for kids," states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries "learn time slowly" because "they don't wear watches" and "parents don't really know how to teach them time". The kids grow up with this handicap and become adults-and then can't get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? of course-it's the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
The Flik Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach kids how to tell time, of course it merely "captures their imagination" by presenting the "hour" hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the "minute" hand as a tall blue boy named Flik. Flik points to corresponding "blue" minutes on the dial, while Flak points to red hour numbers. The characters and the colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.
The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band. Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it Kidproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine." The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing for kids to tell time; it's quite another for them to be on time. | 3051.txt | 0 |
[
"displeasure",
"discouragement",
"disappointment",
"disadvantage"
] | The word "handicap" (Para. 1, Line 4) means ________. | "Time is a problem for kids," states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries "learn time slowly" because "they don't wear watches" and "parents don't really know how to teach them time". The kids grow up with this handicap and become adults-and then can't get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? of course-it's the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
The Flik Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach kids how to tell time, of course it merely "captures their imagination" by presenting the "hour" hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the "minute" hand as a tall blue boy named Flik. Flik points to corresponding "blue" minutes on the dial, while Flak points to red hour numbers. The characters and the colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.
The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band. Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it Kidproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine." The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing for kids to tell time; it's quite another for them to be on time. | 3051.txt | 3 |
[
"a tall boy and a beautiful girl",
"the minute hand and the hour hand",
"the Swiss watch company",
"the designers of the watch"
] | Flik and Flak in the passage stand for ________. | "Time is a problem for kids," states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries "learn time slowly" because "they don't wear watches" and "parents don't really know how to teach them time". The kids grow up with this handicap and become adults-and then can't get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? of course-it's the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
The Flik Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach kids how to tell time, of course it merely "captures their imagination" by presenting the "hour" hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the "minute" hand as a tall blue boy named Flik. Flik points to corresponding "blue" minutes on the dial, while Flak points to red hour numbers. The characters and the colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.
The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band. Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it Kidproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine." The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing for kids to tell time; it's quite another for them to be on time. | 3051.txt | 1 |
[
"it is designed to teach children to be on time",
"it proves to be effective in teaching children time",
"it is made so as not to be easily damaged by children",
"it is the children's favourite watch"
] | The United States sales manager calls the new watch kidproof because ________. | "Time is a problem for kids," states a news report for a new Swiss watch. Children in some countries "learn time slowly" because "they don't wear watches" and "parents don't really know how to teach them time". The kids grow up with this handicap and become adults-and then can't get to work on time. Is there an answer to this problem? of course-it's the Flik Flak, made by a famous Swiss watch company.
The Flik Flak is being marketed as something teaching watch for children aged 4 to 10. The watch itself does not teach kids how to tell time, of course it merely "captures their imagination" by presenting the "hour" hand as a beautiful red girl named Flak and the "minute" hand as a tall blue boy named Flik. Flik points to corresponding "blue" minutes on the dial, while Flak points to red hour numbers. The characters and the colors combined with parental help, are supposed to teach young children how to tell time.
The watch comes equipped with a standard battery and a nylon band. Peter Lipkin, the United States sales manager for the Flik Flak, calls it Kidproof: if it gets dirty you can throw the whole watch in the washing machine." The product is being sold in select department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States for a suggested price of $25. Parents who buy the watch may discover that it is one thing for kids to tell time; it's quite another for them to be on time. | 3051.txt | 2 |
[
"Tourists from all over the world come to the Eiffel Tower by car or by plane.",
"Tourists of all nationalities come to scribble on the cold iron of the tower.",
"The Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in the world.",
"The Eiffel Tower represents all the towers in the world."
] | Why does the author think the Eiffel Tower is transformed into symbol of a world of the move?_ | Some 300 meters up,near the Eiffel Tower's wind-whipped summit the world comes to scribble.Japanese,Brazilians.Americans-they graffiti their names,loves and politics on the cold iron-transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move.
With Pairs laid out in miniature below,it seems strange that visitors would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view.But the graffiti also raises a question:Why,nearly 114 years after it was completed,and decades after it ceased to be the world's tallest structure,is the Tour Eiffel still so popular?
The reasons are as complex as the iron work that graces a structure some 90 stories high.But part of the answer is,no doubt,its agelessness,regularly maintained,it should never rust away.Graffiti is regularly painted over,but the tower lives on.
"Eiffel represents Paris and Paris is France.It is very symbolic,"says Hugues Richard,a 31-year-old Frenchman who holds the record for cycling up to the tower's second floor-747 steps in 19 minutes and 4 seconds,without touching the floor with his feet."It's iron lady,it inspires us，"he says.
But to what?After all,the tower doesn't have a purpose.It ceased to be the world's tallest in 1930 when the Chrysler Building went up in New York.Yes,television and radio signals are beamed from the top,and Gustave Eiffel,a frenetic builder who died on December 27,aged 91,used its height for conducting research into weather,aerodynamics and radio communication.
But in essence the tower inspires simply by being there-a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will.To the technically minded,it's an engineering triumph.For lovers,it's romantic.
"The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way,"says Isabelle Esnous,whose company.manages Eiffel Tower. | 1264.txt | 1 |
[
"Visitors prefer wasting time scribbling to enjoying the view.",
"Visitors spends much time watching other people scribbling.",
"Only Japanese,Brazilians and Americans like to mark their presence.",
"Scribbling spread from country to country."
] | What seems strange to the author?_ | Some 300 meters up,near the Eiffel Tower's wind-whipped summit the world comes to scribble.Japanese,Brazilians.Americans-they graffiti their names,loves and politics on the cold iron-transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move.
With Pairs laid out in miniature below,it seems strange that visitors would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view.But the graffiti also raises a question:Why,nearly 114 years after it was completed,and decades after it ceased to be the world's tallest structure,is the Tour Eiffel still so popular?
The reasons are as complex as the iron work that graces a structure some 90 stories high.But part of the answer is,no doubt,its agelessness,regularly maintained,it should never rust away.Graffiti is regularly painted over,but the tower lives on.
"Eiffel represents Paris and Paris is France.It is very symbolic,"says Hugues Richard,a 31-year-old Frenchman who holds the record for cycling up to the tower's second floor-747 steps in 19 minutes and 4 seconds,without touching the floor with his feet."It's iron lady,it inspires us，"he says.
But to what?After all,the tower doesn't have a purpose.It ceased to be the world's tallest in 1930 when the Chrysler Building went up in New York.Yes,television and radio signals are beamed from the top,and Gustave Eiffel,a frenetic builder who died on December 27,aged 91,used its height for conducting research into weather,aerodynamics and radio communication.
But in essence the tower inspires simply by being there-a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will.To the technically minded,it's an engineering triumph.For lovers,it's romantic.
"The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way,"says Isabelle Esnous,whose company.manages Eiffel Tower. | 1264.txt | 0 |
[
"He is a cyclist.",
"He is a record holder.",
"He climbed 747 steps up the tower in 19 minutes and 4 seconds.",
"He cycled up to the tower's second floor."
] | Which statements is NOT true of Hugues Richard?_ | Some 300 meters up,near the Eiffel Tower's wind-whipped summit the world comes to scribble.Japanese,Brazilians.Americans-they graffiti their names,loves and politics on the cold iron-transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move.
With Pairs laid out in miniature below,it seems strange that visitors would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view.But the graffiti also raises a question:Why,nearly 114 years after it was completed,and decades after it ceased to be the world's tallest structure,is the Tour Eiffel still so popular?
The reasons are as complex as the iron work that graces a structure some 90 stories high.But part of the answer is,no doubt,its agelessness,regularly maintained,it should never rust away.Graffiti is regularly painted over,but the tower lives on.
"Eiffel represents Paris and Paris is France.It is very symbolic,"says Hugues Richard,a 31-year-old Frenchman who holds the record for cycling up to the tower's second floor-747 steps in 19 minutes and 4 seconds,without touching the floor with his feet."It's iron lady,it inspires us，"he says.
But to what?After all,the tower doesn't have a purpose.It ceased to be the world's tallest in 1930 when the Chrysler Building went up in New York.Yes,television and radio signals are beamed from the top,and Gustave Eiffel,a frenetic builder who died on December 27,aged 91,used its height for conducting research into weather,aerodynamics and radio communication.
But in essence the tower inspires simply by being there-a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will.To the technically minded,it's an engineering triumph.For lovers,it's romantic.
"The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way,"says Isabelle Esnous,whose company.manages Eiffel Tower. | 1264.txt | 2 |
[
"Sending radio and television signals all over the world.",
"Conducting research in various fields.",
"Giving people inspiration.",
"Demonstrating French culture."
] | What did the builder use the Eiffel Tower for?_ | Some 300 meters up,near the Eiffel Tower's wind-whipped summit the world comes to scribble.Japanese,Brazilians.Americans-they graffiti their names,loves and politics on the cold iron-transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move.
With Pairs laid out in miniature below,it seems strange that visitors would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view.But the graffiti also raises a question:Why,nearly 114 years after it was completed,and decades after it ceased to be the world's tallest structure,is the Tour Eiffel still so popular?
The reasons are as complex as the iron work that graces a structure some 90 stories high.But part of the answer is,no doubt,its agelessness,regularly maintained,it should never rust away.Graffiti is regularly painted over,but the tower lives on.
"Eiffel represents Paris and Paris is France.It is very symbolic,"says Hugues Richard,a 31-year-old Frenchman who holds the record for cycling up to the tower's second floor-747 steps in 19 minutes and 4 seconds,without touching the floor with his feet."It's iron lady,it inspires us，"he says.
But to what?After all,the tower doesn't have a purpose.It ceased to be the world's tallest in 1930 when the Chrysler Building went up in New York.Yes,television and radio signals are beamed from the top,and Gustave Eiffel,a frenetic builder who died on December 27,aged 91,used its height for conducting research into weather,aerodynamics and radio communication.
But in essence the tower inspires simply by being there-a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will.To the technically minded,it's an engineering triumph.For lovers,it's romantic.
"The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way,"says Isabelle Esnous,whose company.manages Eiffel Tower. | 1264.txt | 1 |
[
"Visitors can do whatever they want on the tower.",
"Visitors can paint on the tower whatever they want.",
"Visitors can imagine freely what the tower represents.",
"Visitors can draw on a blank canvas provided by the Tower management company."
] | Which of the following is nearest in meaning to "(The Eiffel Tower is like) a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will"?_ | Some 300 meters up,near the Eiffel Tower's wind-whipped summit the world comes to scribble.Japanese,Brazilians.Americans-they graffiti their names,loves and politics on the cold iron-transforming the most French of monuments into symbol of a world on the move.
With Pairs laid out in miniature below,it seems strange that visitors would rather waste time marking their presence than admiring the view.But the graffiti also raises a question:Why,nearly 114 years after it was completed,and decades after it ceased to be the world's tallest structure,is the Tour Eiffel still so popular?
The reasons are as complex as the iron work that graces a structure some 90 stories high.But part of the answer is,no doubt,its agelessness,regularly maintained,it should never rust away.Graffiti is regularly painted over,but the tower lives on.
"Eiffel represents Paris and Paris is France.It is very symbolic,"says Hugues Richard,a 31-year-old Frenchman who holds the record for cycling up to the tower's second floor-747 steps in 19 minutes and 4 seconds,without touching the floor with his feet."It's iron lady,it inspires us，"he says.
But to what?After all,the tower doesn't have a purpose.It ceased to be the world's tallest in 1930 when the Chrysler Building went up in New York.Yes,television and radio signals are beamed from the top,and Gustave Eiffel,a frenetic builder who died on December 27,aged 91,used its height for conducting research into weather,aerodynamics and radio communication.
But in essence the tower inspires simply by being there-a blank canvas for visitors to make of it what they will.To the technically minded,it's an engineering triumph.For lovers,it's romantic.
"The tower will outlast all of us,and by a long way,"says Isabelle Esnous,whose company.manages Eiffel Tower. | 1264.txt | 2 |
[
"the story of his childhood",
"a strange camping experience",
"about a stranger by the river",
"about a good place for camping"
] | The writer in the text mainly tells us _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts so Iused to go camping every summer, and oncesomething happened which I have never been able toexplain.
We were camping in a place above a river. Afterarriving, we all rushed down to the river and had aswim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it wassurrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had towalk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supperearly. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and wentdown towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of uswas afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates togetherso that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one movedtowards the rivere stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we begantalking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and wewondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passingthrough our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river sothat we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, wecrept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly.He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywherecarefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster whathad happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finallysuggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I donot know. | 2332.txt | 1 |
[
"They wanted to delay going to the river bank.",
"They were sitting for their scoutmaster.",
"They had a supper earlier than usual.",
"They were taking while eating."
] | Why did the boys eat their supper slowly? | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts so Iused to go camping every summer, and oncesomething happened which I have never been able toexplain.
We were camping in a place above a river. Afterarriving, we all rushed down to the river and had aswim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it wassurrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had towalk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supperearly. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and wentdown towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of uswas afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates togetherso that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one movedtowards the rivere stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we begantalking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and wewondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passingthrough our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river sothat we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, wecrept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly.He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywherecarefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster whathad happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finallysuggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I donot know. | 2332.txt | 0 |
[
"ashamed",
"nervous",
"unable to understand",
"eager to know something"
] | The word "Bewildered" in the text probably means _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts so Iused to go camping every summer, and oncesomething happened which I have never been able toexplain.
We were camping in a place above a river. Afterarriving, we all rushed down to the river and had aswim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it wassurrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had towalk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supperearly. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and wentdown towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of uswas afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates togetherso that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one movedtowards the rivere stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we begantalking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and wewondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passingthrough our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river sothat we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, wecrept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly.He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywherecarefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster whathad happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finallysuggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I donot know. | 2332.txt | 2 |
[
"realized who the man was",
"started to worry about the man",
"went back to look for the man",
"felt it hard to believe the boys"
] | When he heard what had happened, the scoutmaster _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts so Iused to go camping every summer, and oncesomething happened which I have never been able toexplain.
We were camping in a place above a river. Afterarriving, we all rushed down to the river and had aswim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it wassurrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had towalk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supperearly. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and wentdown towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of uswas afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates togetherso that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one movedtowards the rivere stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we begantalking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and wewondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passingthrough our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river sothat we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, wecrept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly.He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywherecarefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster whathad happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finallysuggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I donot know. | 2332.txt | 3 |
[
"the boys acted foolishly",
"the camping place is beautiful",
"there has been no explanation for the event",
"he particularly enjoyed his camping that summer."
] | The writer still remembers the event because _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts so Iused to go camping every summer, and oncesomething happened which I have never been able toexplain.
We were camping in a place above a river. Afterarriving, we all rushed down to the river and had aswim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it wassurrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had towalk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supperearly. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and wentdown towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of uswas afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates togetherso that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one movedtowards the rivere stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we begantalking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and wewondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passingthrough our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river sothat we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, wecrept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly.He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywherecarefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster whathad happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finallysuggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I donot know. | 2332.txt | 2 |
[
"is common and popular in the country",
"is a demonstration project and costs the city government 1.5 million dollars",
"will make the ordinary cooling down of the city in summer unnecessary",
"aims at getting people involved and understanding their impact on the environment"
] | The rooftop garden project _ . | Here amid the steel and concrete canyons, green grass grows. A hawthorn tree stands in new soil, and freshly dug plants bend in the wind.
But Chicago City Hall here seems an unlikely spot for a garden of any variety-especially 20,000 square feet of gardens-on its roof.
As one of a handful of similar projects around the country, the garden is part of a $1.5 million demonstration projected by the city to reduce its "urban heat islands", said William Abolt, the commissioner of the Department of Environment.
Heat islands-dark surfaces in the city, like rooftops-soak up heat. The retention can bake a building, making it stubborn to cooling.
The roof of City Hall, a 90-year-old gray stone landmark on LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown, has been known to reach temperature substantially hotter than the actual temperature on the street below.
The garden will provide greenery and shade. "And that," said the city officials, "will save the city dollars on those blistering summer days." The project savings from cooling is about $4,000 a year on a new roof whose life span is about 50 percent longer than that of a traditional roof.
The sprawling open-air rooftop garden is being carefully built on a multi-tiered bed of special soil, polystyrene, egg-carton-shaped cones and "waterproof membrane" mall to keep the roof from leaking, or caving under the normal combined weight of soil, rain and plant life.
The design calls for soil depths of 4 inches to 18 inches. When the last plants and seedlings are buried and the last bit of compost is laid, the garden will have circular brick stepping-stones winding up to hills.
"The primary focus of what we want to do was to establish this laboratory on the top of City Hall to get people involved and understanding their impact on the environment and how the little things can make an impact on the quality of life", Mr. Abolt said, adding that the plants also help to clear the air.
Rooftop gardens, in places where concrete jungles have erased plants and trees, are not new, not even in Chicago. Arms of greenery dangling over terraces or sprouting from rooftops, common in Europe, are becoming more so in the United States as people become increasingly conscious about the environment.
Richard M. Daley, who urged the environmental department to look into the project after noticing rooftop gardens in Hamburg, Germany a few years ago, has praised the garden as the first of its kind on a public building in the country.
It will hold thousands of plants in more than 150 species-wild onion and butterfly weed, sky-blue aster and buffalo grass-to provide data on what species adapt best. Small plants requiring shallow soil depths were chiefly selected. | 2700.txt | 3 |
[
"It was built ninety years ago and is the most outstanding feature in the center of the city.",
"It is originally proper to build a garden on the top of the City Hall.",
"The temperature on its top is a little bit lower than that on the street below.",
"It is the first building in America to have a garden on it."
] | What can we learn about the City Hall? | Here amid the steel and concrete canyons, green grass grows. A hawthorn tree stands in new soil, and freshly dug plants bend in the wind.
But Chicago City Hall here seems an unlikely spot for a garden of any variety-especially 20,000 square feet of gardens-on its roof.
As one of a handful of similar projects around the country, the garden is part of a $1.5 million demonstration projected by the city to reduce its "urban heat islands", said William Abolt, the commissioner of the Department of Environment.
Heat islands-dark surfaces in the city, like rooftops-soak up heat. The retention can bake a building, making it stubborn to cooling.
The roof of City Hall, a 90-year-old gray stone landmark on LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown, has been known to reach temperature substantially hotter than the actual temperature on the street below.
The garden will provide greenery and shade. "And that," said the city officials, "will save the city dollars on those blistering summer days." The project savings from cooling is about $4,000 a year on a new roof whose life span is about 50 percent longer than that of a traditional roof.
The sprawling open-air rooftop garden is being carefully built on a multi-tiered bed of special soil, polystyrene, egg-carton-shaped cones and "waterproof membrane" mall to keep the roof from leaking, or caving under the normal combined weight of soil, rain and plant life.
The design calls for soil depths of 4 inches to 18 inches. When the last plants and seedlings are buried and the last bit of compost is laid, the garden will have circular brick stepping-stones winding up to hills.
"The primary focus of what we want to do was to establish this laboratory on the top of City Hall to get people involved and understanding their impact on the environment and how the little things can make an impact on the quality of life", Mr. Abolt said, adding that the plants also help to clear the air.
Rooftop gardens, in places where concrete jungles have erased plants and trees, are not new, not even in Chicago. Arms of greenery dangling over terraces or sprouting from rooftops, common in Europe, are becoming more so in the United States as people become increasingly conscious about the environment.
Richard M. Daley, who urged the environmental department to look into the project after noticing rooftop gardens in Hamburg, Germany a few years ago, has praised the garden as the first of its kind on a public building in the country.
It will hold thousands of plants in more than 150 species-wild onion and butterfly weed, sky-blue aster and buffalo grass-to provide data on what species adapt best. Small plants requiring shallow soil depths were chiefly selected. | 2700.txt | 0 |
[
"Every year, Chicago spends about $ 4,000 on cooling the city.",
"The design of the garden on the City Hall specially takes into consideration the weight the roof can stand.",
"The Mayor urged the environmental department to look into rooftop gardens in Hamburg and build similar ones in America.",
"Heat islands mainly refer to those dark-colored rooftops which receive and retain heat and will not easily release the heat."
] | Which of the following statements is TRUE? | Here amid the steel and concrete canyons, green grass grows. A hawthorn tree stands in new soil, and freshly dug plants bend in the wind.
But Chicago City Hall here seems an unlikely spot for a garden of any variety-especially 20,000 square feet of gardens-on its roof.
As one of a handful of similar projects around the country, the garden is part of a $1.5 million demonstration projected by the city to reduce its "urban heat islands", said William Abolt, the commissioner of the Department of Environment.
Heat islands-dark surfaces in the city, like rooftops-soak up heat. The retention can bake a building, making it stubborn to cooling.
The roof of City Hall, a 90-year-old gray stone landmark on LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown, has been known to reach temperature substantially hotter than the actual temperature on the street below.
The garden will provide greenery and shade. "And that," said the city officials, "will save the city dollars on those blistering summer days." The project savings from cooling is about $4,000 a year on a new roof whose life span is about 50 percent longer than that of a traditional roof.
The sprawling open-air rooftop garden is being carefully built on a multi-tiered bed of special soil, polystyrene, egg-carton-shaped cones and "waterproof membrane" mall to keep the roof from leaking, or caving under the normal combined weight of soil, rain and plant life.
The design calls for soil depths of 4 inches to 18 inches. When the last plants and seedlings are buried and the last bit of compost is laid, the garden will have circular brick stepping-stones winding up to hills.
"The primary focus of what we want to do was to establish this laboratory on the top of City Hall to get people involved and understanding their impact on the environment and how the little things can make an impact on the quality of life", Mr. Abolt said, adding that the plants also help to clear the air.
Rooftop gardens, in places where concrete jungles have erased plants and trees, are not new, not even in Chicago. Arms of greenery dangling over terraces or sprouting from rooftops, common in Europe, are becoming more so in the United States as people become increasingly conscious about the environment.
Richard M. Daley, who urged the environmental department to look into the project after noticing rooftop gardens in Hamburg, Germany a few years ago, has praised the garden as the first of its kind on a public building in the country.
It will hold thousands of plants in more than 150 species-wild onion and butterfly weed, sky-blue aster and buffalo grass-to provide data on what species adapt best. Small plants requiring shallow soil depths were chiefly selected. | 2700.txt | 1 |
[
"Because the City Hall is large.",
"Because the mayor had urged the environmental department to do so.",
"Because it can make people understand their impact on environment better through a public building.",
"Because the experts just want to make the City Hall a convenient laboratory."
] | Why should the rooftop garden be built on the top of City Hall other than on any other buildings? | Here amid the steel and concrete canyons, green grass grows. A hawthorn tree stands in new soil, and freshly dug plants bend in the wind.
But Chicago City Hall here seems an unlikely spot for a garden of any variety-especially 20,000 square feet of gardens-on its roof.
As one of a handful of similar projects around the country, the garden is part of a $1.5 million demonstration projected by the city to reduce its "urban heat islands", said William Abolt, the commissioner of the Department of Environment.
Heat islands-dark surfaces in the city, like rooftops-soak up heat. The retention can bake a building, making it stubborn to cooling.
The roof of City Hall, a 90-year-old gray stone landmark on LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown, has been known to reach temperature substantially hotter than the actual temperature on the street below.
The garden will provide greenery and shade. "And that," said the city officials, "will save the city dollars on those blistering summer days." The project savings from cooling is about $4,000 a year on a new roof whose life span is about 50 percent longer than that of a traditional roof.
The sprawling open-air rooftop garden is being carefully built on a multi-tiered bed of special soil, polystyrene, egg-carton-shaped cones and "waterproof membrane" mall to keep the roof from leaking, or caving under the normal combined weight of soil, rain and plant life.
The design calls for soil depths of 4 inches to 18 inches. When the last plants and seedlings are buried and the last bit of compost is laid, the garden will have circular brick stepping-stones winding up to hills.
"The primary focus of what we want to do was to establish this laboratory on the top of City Hall to get people involved and understanding their impact on the environment and how the little things can make an impact on the quality of life", Mr. Abolt said, adding that the plants also help to clear the air.
Rooftop gardens, in places where concrete jungles have erased plants and trees, are not new, not even in Chicago. Arms of greenery dangling over terraces or sprouting from rooftops, common in Europe, are becoming more so in the United States as people become increasingly conscious about the environment.
Richard M. Daley, who urged the environmental department to look into the project after noticing rooftop gardens in Hamburg, Germany a few years ago, has praised the garden as the first of its kind on a public building in the country.
It will hold thousands of plants in more than 150 species-wild onion and butterfly weed, sky-blue aster and buffalo grass-to provide data on what species adapt best. Small plants requiring shallow soil depths were chiefly selected. | 2700.txt | 2 |
[
"a little bit",
"in fact",
"materially",
"considerably"
] | The word "substantially" (Line 2, Para. 5) most likely means _ . | Here amid the steel and concrete canyons, green grass grows. A hawthorn tree stands in new soil, and freshly dug plants bend in the wind.
But Chicago City Hall here seems an unlikely spot for a garden of any variety-especially 20,000 square feet of gardens-on its roof.
As one of a handful of similar projects around the country, the garden is part of a $1.5 million demonstration projected by the city to reduce its "urban heat islands", said William Abolt, the commissioner of the Department of Environment.
Heat islands-dark surfaces in the city, like rooftops-soak up heat. The retention can bake a building, making it stubborn to cooling.
The roof of City Hall, a 90-year-old gray stone landmark on LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown, has been known to reach temperature substantially hotter than the actual temperature on the street below.
The garden will provide greenery and shade. "And that," said the city officials, "will save the city dollars on those blistering summer days." The project savings from cooling is about $4,000 a year on a new roof whose life span is about 50 percent longer than that of a traditional roof.
The sprawling open-air rooftop garden is being carefully built on a multi-tiered bed of special soil, polystyrene, egg-carton-shaped cones and "waterproof membrane" mall to keep the roof from leaking, or caving under the normal combined weight of soil, rain and plant life.
The design calls for soil depths of 4 inches to 18 inches. When the last plants and seedlings are buried and the last bit of compost is laid, the garden will have circular brick stepping-stones winding up to hills.
"The primary focus of what we want to do was to establish this laboratory on the top of City Hall to get people involved and understanding their impact on the environment and how the little things can make an impact on the quality of life", Mr. Abolt said, adding that the plants also help to clear the air.
Rooftop gardens, in places where concrete jungles have erased plants and trees, are not new, not even in Chicago. Arms of greenery dangling over terraces or sprouting from rooftops, common in Europe, are becoming more so in the United States as people become increasingly conscious about the environment.
Richard M. Daley, who urged the environmental department to look into the project after noticing rooftop gardens in Hamburg, Germany a few years ago, has praised the garden as the first of its kind on a public building in the country.
It will hold thousands of plants in more than 150 species-wild onion and butterfly weed, sky-blue aster and buffalo grass-to provide data on what species adapt best. Small plants requiring shallow soil depths were chiefly selected. | 2700.txt | 3 |
[
"Its negative effects have long been neglected.",
"The goal increase people's work efficiency.",
"Its role has been largely underestimated.",
"The goals most people set are unrealistic."
] | What message does the author try to convey about goal-setting? | As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.
Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street , yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis , and unethical （）behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School.
"It turns out there's no economic benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit" Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful."
A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed a sales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.
In a rebuttal paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes:"Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose."
But Schweitzer contends the "mounting causal evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
"Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization," Schweitzer says. | 1151.txt | 3 |
[
"Setting realistic goals can turn a failing business into success.",
"Businesses are less likely to succeed without setting realistic goals.",
"Financial incentives ensure companies meet specific revenue goals.",
"Goals with financial rewards have strong motivational power."
] | What does Maurice Schweitzer want to show by citing the example of Enron? | As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.
Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street , yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis , and unethical （）behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School.
"It turns out there's no economic benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit" Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful."
A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed a sales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.
In a rebuttal paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes:"Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose."
But Schweitzer contends the "mounting causal evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
"Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization," Schweitzer says. | 1151.txt | 0 |
[
"They were obliged to work more hours to increase their sales.",
"They competed with one another to attract more customers.",
"They resorted to unethical practice to meet their sales quota.",
"They improved their customer service on a companywide basis."
] | How did Sears' goal-setting affect its employees? | As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.
Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street , yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis , and unethical （）behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School.
"It turns out there's no economic benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit" Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful."
A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed a sales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.
In a rebuttal paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes:"Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose."
But Schweitzer contends the "mounting causal evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
"Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization," Schweitzer says. | 1151.txt | 1 |
[
"Its findings are not of much practical value.",
"It exaggerates the side effects of goal-setting.",
"Its conclusion is not based on solid scientific evidence.",
"It runs counter to the existing literature on the subject."
] | What do advocates of goal-setting think of Schweitzer's research? | As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.
Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street , yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis , and unethical （）behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School.
"It turns out there's no economic benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit" Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful."
A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed a sales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.
In a rebuttal paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes:"Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose."
But Schweitzer contends the "mounting causal evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
"Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization," Schweitzer says. | 1151.txt | 1 |
[
"The link between goal-setting and harmful behavior deserves further study.",
"Goal-setting has become too deep-rooted in corporate culture.",
"The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.",
"Studying goal-setting can throw more light on successful business practices."
] | What is Schweitzer's contention against Edwin Locke? | As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That's partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals.
What's far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.
Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street , yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis , and unethical （）behavior in general.
"Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn's Wharton School.
"It turns out there's no economic benefit to just having a goal---you just get a psychological benefit" Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful."
A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.
Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed a sales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with his team's use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.
In a rebuttal paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes:"Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose."
But Schweitzer contends the "mounting causal evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
"Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization," Schweitzer says. | 1151.txt | 0 |
[
"they do not wanfpeople to know their names",
"they feel ashamed of designing such bad buildings",
"the buildings are not impressive or have nothing special",
"it is prohibited to let the public know about their names"
] | Architects do not put their names on the kind of buildings mentioned in the passage because_ . | The idea of building super headquarters is still relatively new to Japanese corporations. Senior managers in some of the world's best-known companies have to put up with dull, crowded and smoky open-plan offices in the kind of buildings that architects do not put their names on. All this is changing thanks to Japan's booming economy and the realization that head offices can be good showcases for new technology.
From the outside, the most distinctive thing about NEC's skyscraper is the hole, 42 meters wide and 15 meters high, at the level of the 12th floor. This is a "wind avenue" which reduces the familiar phenomenon of the urban wind-tunnel , in which tall buildings create surrounding winds.
Inside, the panel controls the lights, and air conditioning, but it also contains an office directory showing visitors where each person sits and which members of staff are at their desks at that time.
These wall panels communicate with a control room in the basement, where central computers control everything from roof, which opens in fine weather, to the earthquake alarm. From two computer terminals on a control console, it is possible to check the temperature and humidity in any one of the 110-square meter blocks in the building.
Predictably, the new technology is at its most elegant in the boardroom, which NEC calls "decision rooms", on the marble-paneled 38th floor. In the largest, 42 decision-makers each have their own monitor, which can show computer graphics or television programmes. A sound system almost unnoticeably amplifies each board member. Even a whisper is clearly audible across the 22-metre room and there is no way to switch off the concealed microphones. " Everyone has to be heard, even if they are snoring," one employee said. | 1473.txt | 2 |
[
"they think it a good way to show their technology",
"they are worried about their economy",
"they can't put up with the smoky offices",
"they pay especial attention to how the new buildings can withstand earthquakes"
] | Japanese companies are thinking of building impressive buildings because _ . | The idea of building super headquarters is still relatively new to Japanese corporations. Senior managers in some of the world's best-known companies have to put up with dull, crowded and smoky open-plan offices in the kind of buildings that architects do not put their names on. All this is changing thanks to Japan's booming economy and the realization that head offices can be good showcases for new technology.
From the outside, the most distinctive thing about NEC's skyscraper is the hole, 42 meters wide and 15 meters high, at the level of the 12th floor. This is a "wind avenue" which reduces the familiar phenomenon of the urban wind-tunnel , in which tall buildings create surrounding winds.
Inside, the panel controls the lights, and air conditioning, but it also contains an office directory showing visitors where each person sits and which members of staff are at their desks at that time.
These wall panels communicate with a control room in the basement, where central computers control everything from roof, which opens in fine weather, to the earthquake alarm. From two computer terminals on a control console, it is possible to check the temperature and humidity in any one of the 110-square meter blocks in the building.
Predictably, the new technology is at its most elegant in the boardroom, which NEC calls "decision rooms", on the marble-paneled 38th floor. In the largest, 42 decision-makers each have their own monitor, which can show computer graphics or television programmes. A sound system almost unnoticeably amplifies each board member. Even a whisper is clearly audible across the 22-metre room and there is no way to switch off the concealed microphones. " Everyone has to be heard, even if they are snoring," one employee said. | 1473.txt | 0 |
[
"in the boardroom",
"on the roof",
"by two computer terminals",
"in the basement"
] | The NEC's skyscraper and its gadgetry are controlled_ . | The idea of building super headquarters is still relatively new to Japanese corporations. Senior managers in some of the world's best-known companies have to put up with dull, crowded and smoky open-plan offices in the kind of buildings that architects do not put their names on. All this is changing thanks to Japan's booming economy and the realization that head offices can be good showcases for new technology.
From the outside, the most distinctive thing about NEC's skyscraper is the hole, 42 meters wide and 15 meters high, at the level of the 12th floor. This is a "wind avenue" which reduces the familiar phenomenon of the urban wind-tunnel , in which tall buildings create surrounding winds.
Inside, the panel controls the lights, and air conditioning, but it also contains an office directory showing visitors where each person sits and which members of staff are at their desks at that time.
These wall panels communicate with a control room in the basement, where central computers control everything from roof, which opens in fine weather, to the earthquake alarm. From two computer terminals on a control console, it is possible to check the temperature and humidity in any one of the 110-square meter blocks in the building.
Predictably, the new technology is at its most elegant in the boardroom, which NEC calls "decision rooms", on the marble-paneled 38th floor. In the largest, 42 decision-makers each have their own monitor, which can show computer graphics or television programmes. A sound system almost unnoticeably amplifies each board member. Even a whisper is clearly audible across the 22-metre room and there is no way to switch off the concealed microphones. " Everyone has to be heard, even if they are snoring," one employee said. | 1473.txt | 3 |
[
"add to the building's balance",
"hold a new avenue",
"reduce the effect of the wind-tunnel",
"create surrounding winds"
] | The hole is built in NEC's new building in order to_ . | The idea of building super headquarters is still relatively new to Japanese corporations. Senior managers in some of the world's best-known companies have to put up with dull, crowded and smoky open-plan offices in the kind of buildings that architects do not put their names on. All this is changing thanks to Japan's booming economy and the realization that head offices can be good showcases for new technology.
From the outside, the most distinctive thing about NEC's skyscraper is the hole, 42 meters wide and 15 meters high, at the level of the 12th floor. This is a "wind avenue" which reduces the familiar phenomenon of the urban wind-tunnel , in which tall buildings create surrounding winds.
Inside, the panel controls the lights, and air conditioning, but it also contains an office directory showing visitors where each person sits and which members of staff are at their desks at that time.
These wall panels communicate with a control room in the basement, where central computers control everything from roof, which opens in fine weather, to the earthquake alarm. From two computer terminals on a control console, it is possible to check the temperature and humidity in any one of the 110-square meter blocks in the building.
Predictably, the new technology is at its most elegant in the boardroom, which NEC calls "decision rooms", on the marble-paneled 38th floor. In the largest, 42 decision-makers each have their own monitor, which can show computer graphics or television programmes. A sound system almost unnoticeably amplifies each board member. Even a whisper is clearly audible across the 22-metre room and there is no way to switch off the concealed microphones. " Everyone has to be heard, even if they are snoring," one employee said. | 1473.txt | 2 |
[
"they do not know how to do so",
"they never think of doing so",
"they are unwilling to do so",
"they are told not to do so"
] | It is impossible for the board members to turn off the microphones in their offices as | The idea of building super headquarters is still relatively new to Japanese corporations. Senior managers in some of the world's best-known companies have to put up with dull, crowded and smoky open-plan offices in the kind of buildings that architects do not put their names on. All this is changing thanks to Japan's booming economy and the realization that head offices can be good showcases for new technology.
From the outside, the most distinctive thing about NEC's skyscraper is the hole, 42 meters wide and 15 meters high, at the level of the 12th floor. This is a "wind avenue" which reduces the familiar phenomenon of the urban wind-tunnel , in which tall buildings create surrounding winds.
Inside, the panel controls the lights, and air conditioning, but it also contains an office directory showing visitors where each person sits and which members of staff are at their desks at that time.
These wall panels communicate with a control room in the basement, where central computers control everything from roof, which opens in fine weather, to the earthquake alarm. From two computer terminals on a control console, it is possible to check the temperature and humidity in any one of the 110-square meter blocks in the building.
Predictably, the new technology is at its most elegant in the boardroom, which NEC calls "decision rooms", on the marble-paneled 38th floor. In the largest, 42 decision-makers each have their own monitor, which can show computer graphics or television programmes. A sound system almost unnoticeably amplifies each board member. Even a whisper is clearly audible across the 22-metre room and there is no way to switch off the concealed microphones. " Everyone has to be heard, even if they are snoring," one employee said. | 1473.txt | 0 |
[
"the effect of volcanic ash",
"the health risk of volcanic ash",
"the disadvantages of volcanic ash",
"the opinions on health risk of volcanic ash"
] | The text is mainly about. | Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling, the World Health Organization warned Friday as small amounts fell in Iceland, Scotland and Norway.
WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein said the microscopic ash is potentially dangerous for people when it starts to reach the Earth because inhaled particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. And he also said Europeans who go outside might want to consider wearing a mask.
Other experts, however, weren't convinced the volcanic ash would have a major effect on peoples' health and said WHO's warnings were "hysterical." They said volcanic ash was much less dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution. Volcanic ash is made of fine particles of fragmented volcanic rock. It is light gray to black and can be as fine as talcum powder. During a volcanic eruption, the ash can be breathed deep into the lungs and cause irritation even in healthy people. But once it falls from a greater distance - like from the cloud currently hovering above Europe - its health effects are often minimal, experts say.
"Not all particles are created equal," said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, "In the great scheme of things, volcanic ash is not all that harmful." And he said most Europeans' exposure to volcanic ash would be negligible and that only those in the near districts of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk.
Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, said the further the particles travel, the less dangerous they will be. "The cloud has already passed over northern Scotland and we haven't heard of any ill effects there," he said. Spiro said to wear masks or stay indoors to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical." | 3123.txt | 3 |
[
"The volcanic ash's effects on Europeans were little.",
"The ash caused irritation even in healthy people.",
"Other experts thought WTO'S warnings were useful.",
"The volcanic ash was more dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution."
] | Which one is true according to Paragraph3? | Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling, the World Health Organization warned Friday as small amounts fell in Iceland, Scotland and Norway.
WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein said the microscopic ash is potentially dangerous for people when it starts to reach the Earth because inhaled particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. And he also said Europeans who go outside might want to consider wearing a mask.
Other experts, however, weren't convinced the volcanic ash would have a major effect on peoples' health and said WHO's warnings were "hysterical." They said volcanic ash was much less dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution. Volcanic ash is made of fine particles of fragmented volcanic rock. It is light gray to black and can be as fine as talcum powder. During a volcanic eruption, the ash can be breathed deep into the lungs and cause irritation even in healthy people. But once it falls from a greater distance - like from the cloud currently hovering above Europe - its health effects are often minimal, experts say.
"Not all particles are created equal," said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, "In the great scheme of things, volcanic ash is not all that harmful." And he said most Europeans' exposure to volcanic ash would be negligible and that only those in the near districts of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk.
Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, said the further the particles travel, the less dangerous they will be. "The cloud has already passed over northern Scotland and we haven't heard of any ill effects there," he said. Spiro said to wear masks or stay indoors to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical." | 3123.txt | 0 |
[
"The volcanic ash wouldn't be harmful to people.",
"All experts thought the volcanic ash did great harm to our health.",
"People close to the volcano would likely be at risk according to some experts.",
"Europeans should stay indoors because Iceland's volcano starts settling."
] | What can we learn from the passage? | Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling, the World Health Organization warned Friday as small amounts fell in Iceland, Scotland and Norway.
WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein said the microscopic ash is potentially dangerous for people when it starts to reach the Earth because inhaled particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. And he also said Europeans who go outside might want to consider wearing a mask.
Other experts, however, weren't convinced the volcanic ash would have a major effect on peoples' health and said WHO's warnings were "hysterical." They said volcanic ash was much less dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution. Volcanic ash is made of fine particles of fragmented volcanic rock. It is light gray to black and can be as fine as talcum powder. During a volcanic eruption, the ash can be breathed deep into the lungs and cause irritation even in healthy people. But once it falls from a greater distance - like from the cloud currently hovering above Europe - its health effects are often minimal, experts say.
"Not all particles are created equal," said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, "In the great scheme of things, volcanic ash is not all that harmful." And he said most Europeans' exposure to volcanic ash would be negligible and that only those in the near districts of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk.
Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, said the further the particles travel, the less dangerous they will be. "The cloud has already passed over northern Scotland and we haven't heard of any ill effects there," he said. Spiro said to wear masks or stay indoors to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical." | 3123.txt | 2 |
[
"they were spoiled by the younger generations",
"they failed for lack of individual initiative",
"they lacked efficiency compared with modern companies",
"they could supply adequate services to the taxpayers"
] | It's true of the old family firms that . | In the last half of the nineteenth century "capital" and "labour" were enlarging and perfecting their rival organizations on modern lines. Many an old firm was replaced by a limited liability company with a bureaucracy of salaried managers. The change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders. It was moreover a step away from individual initiative, towards collectivism and municipal and state-owned business. The railway companies, though still private business managed for the benefit of shareholders, were very unlike old family business. At the same time the great municipalities went into business to supply lighting, trams and other services to the taxpayers.
The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences. Such large, impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class, an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business. All through the nineteenth century, America, Africa, India, Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by British capital, and British shareholders were thus enriched by the world's movement towards industrialization. Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to house large "comfortable" classes who had retired on their incomes, and who had no relation to the rest of the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally attending a shareholders' meeting to dictate their orders to the management. On the other hand "shareholding" meant leisure and freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.
The "shareholders" as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which he held shares, and his influence on the relations of capital and labour was not good. The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the employer had often had under the more patriarchal system of the old family business now passing away. Indeed the mere size of operations and the numbers of workmen involved rendered such personal relations impossible. Fortunately, however, the increasing power and organization of the trade unions, at least in all skilled trades, enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the companies who employed them. The cruel discipline of the strike and lockout taught the two parties to respect each other's strength and understand the value of fair negotiation. | 1257.txt | 2 |
[
"the separation of capital from management",
"the ownership of capital by managers",
"the emergence of capital and labour as two classes",
"the participation of shareholders in municipal business"
] | The growth of limited liability companies resulted in . | In the last half of the nineteenth century "capital" and "labour" were enlarging and perfecting their rival organizations on modern lines. Many an old firm was replaced by a limited liability company with a bureaucracy of salaried managers. The change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders. It was moreover a step away from individual initiative, towards collectivism and municipal and state-owned business. The railway companies, though still private business managed for the benefit of shareholders, were very unlike old family business. At the same time the great municipalities went into business to supply lighting, trams and other services to the taxpayers.
The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences. Such large, impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class, an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business. All through the nineteenth century, America, Africa, India, Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by British capital, and British shareholders were thus enriched by the world's movement towards industrialization. Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to house large "comfortable" classes who had retired on their incomes, and who had no relation to the rest of the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally attending a shareholders' meeting to dictate their orders to the management. On the other hand "shareholding" meant leisure and freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.
The "shareholders" as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which he held shares, and his influence on the relations of capital and labour was not good. The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the employer had often had under the more patriarchal system of the old family business now passing away. Indeed the mere size of operations and the numbers of workmen involved rendered such personal relations impossible. Fortunately, however, the increasing power and organization of the trade unions, at least in all skilled trades, enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the companies who employed them. The cruel discipline of the strike and lockout taught the two parties to respect each other's strength and understand the value of fair negotiation. | 1257.txt | 0 |
[
"the shareholders were unaware of the needs of the workers",
"the old firm owners had a better understanding of their workers",
"the limited liability companies were too large to run smoothly",
"the trade unions seemed to play a positive role"
] | According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT that . | In the last half of the nineteenth century "capital" and "labour" were enlarging and perfecting their rival organizations on modern lines. Many an old firm was replaced by a limited liability company with a bureaucracy of salaried managers. The change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders. It was moreover a step away from individual initiative, towards collectivism and municipal and state-owned business. The railway companies, though still private business managed for the benefit of shareholders, were very unlike old family business. At the same time the great municipalities went into business to supply lighting, trams and other services to the taxpayers.
The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences. Such large, impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class, an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business. All through the nineteenth century, America, Africa, India, Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by British capital, and British shareholders were thus enriched by the world's movement towards industrialization. Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to house large "comfortable" classes who had retired on their incomes, and who had no relation to the rest of the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally attending a shareholders' meeting to dictate their orders to the management. On the other hand "shareholding" meant leisure and freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.
The "shareholders" as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which he held shares, and his influence on the relations of capital and labour was not good. The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the employer had often had under the more patriarchal system of the old family business now passing away. Indeed the mere size of operations and the numbers of workmen involved rendered such personal relations impossible. Fortunately, however, the increasing power and organization of the trade unions, at least in all skilled trades, enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the companies who employed them. The cruel discipline of the strike and lockout taught the two parties to respect each other's strength and understand the value of fair negotiation. | 1257.txt | 2 |
[
"family film owners",
"landowners",
"managers",
"shareholders"
] | The author is most critical of . | In the last half of the nineteenth century "capital" and "labour" were enlarging and perfecting their rival organizations on modern lines. Many an old firm was replaced by a limited liability company with a bureaucracy of salaried managers. The change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders. It was moreover a step away from individual initiative, towards collectivism and municipal and state-owned business. The railway companies, though still private business managed for the benefit of shareholders, were very unlike old family business. At the same time the great municipalities went into business to supply lighting, trams and other services to the taxpayers.
The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences. Such large, impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class, an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business. All through the nineteenth century, America, Africa, India, Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by British capital, and British shareholders were thus enriched by the world's movement towards industrialization. Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to house large "comfortable" classes who had retired on their incomes, and who had no relation to the rest of the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally attending a shareholders' meeting to dictate their orders to the management. On the other hand "shareholding" meant leisure and freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.
The "shareholders" as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which he held shares, and his influence on the relations of capital and labour was not good. The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the employer had often had under the more patriarchal system of the old family business now passing away. Indeed the mere size of operations and the numbers of workmen involved rendered such personal relations impossible. Fortunately, however, the increasing power and organization of the trade unions, at least in all skilled trades, enabled the workmen to meet on equal terms the managers of the companies who employed them. The cruel discipline of the strike and lockout taught the two parties to respect each other's strength and understand the value of fair negotiation. | 1257.txt | 3 |
[
"personal health choices help cure most illnesses",
"it helps raise the level of our medical knowledge",
"it is essential to personal freedom in American society",
"wrong decisions could head to poor health"
] | The concept of personal choice concerning health is important because _ . | The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.
We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do. A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of health related behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.
There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personal choice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.[ZZ(Z]They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity. | 571.txt | 3 |
[
"to live an inactive life",
"to live a decent life",
"to live a life with complete freedom",
"to live a life of vice"
] | To "live a completely sedentary lifestyle"(Para. 1) in the passage means _ ." | The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.
We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do. A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of health related behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.
There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personal choice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.[ZZ(Z]They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity. | 571.txt | 0 |
[
"current medical knowledge is still insufficient",
"there are many factors influencing our decisions",
"few people are willing to trade the quality of life for longevity",
"people are usually influenced by the behavior of their friends"
] | Sound personal health choice is often difficult to make because _ . | The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.
We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do. A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of health related behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.
There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personal choice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.[ZZ(Z]They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity. | 571.txt | 1 |
[
"improving the quality of one's life",
"limiting one's personal health choice",
"deliberately ending one's life",
"breaking the rules of social behavior"
] | To knowingly allow oneself to pursue unhealthy habits is compared by Fries and Crapo to _ . | The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.
We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do. A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of health related behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.
There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personal choice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.[ZZ(Z]They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity. | 571.txt | 2 |
[
"personal decisions",
"laws of society",
"statistical evidence",
"opinions of friends"
] | According to Fries and Crapo sound health choices should be based on _ . | The concept of personal choice in relation to health behaviors is an important one.An estimated 90 percent of all illnesses may be preventable if individuals would make sound personal health choices based upon current medical knowledge.
We all enjoy our freedom of choice and do not like to see it restricted when it is within the legal and moral boundaries of society.[ZZ)]The structure of American society allows us to make almost all our own personal decisions that may concern our health.If we so desire,we can smoke,drink excessively, refuse to wear seat belts,eat whatever foods we want,and live a completely sedentary life-style without any excuse.The freedom to make such personal decisions is a fundamental aspect of our society,although the wisdom of these decisions can be questioned.Personal choices relative to health often cause a difficulty.As one example,a teenager may know the facts relative to smoking cigarettes and health but may be pressured by friends into believing it is the socially accepted thing to do. A multitude of factors,both inherited and environmental,influence the development of health related behaviors,and it is beyond the scope of this text to discuss all these factors as they may affect any given individual.However,the decision to adopt a particular health-related behavior is usually one of personal choices.
There are healthy choices and there are unhealthy choices.In discussing the moral of personal choice,Fries and Crapo drew a comparison.[ZZ(Z]They suggest that to knowingly give oneself over to a behavior that has a statistical probability of shortening life is similar to attempting suicide.[ZZ)]Thus,for those individuals who are interested in preserving both the quality and quantity of life,personal health choices should reflect those behaviors that are associated with statistical probability of increased vitality and longevity. | 571.txt | 2 |
[
"find it hard to pay for what they need",
"have to learn to make their own furniture",
"take DIY courses run by the government",
"seldom go to a department store to buy things"
] | We can learn from the text that many newly married people _ . | As prices and building costs keep rising, the do-it-yourself (DIY） trend (） in the U.S. continues to grow.
"We needed furniture (） for our living room," says John Ross, "And we just didn't have enough money to buy it. So we decide to try making a few tables and chairs." John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420. "I was deeply upset about it. Now I've finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself."
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a "do-it -yourselfer", you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don't have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself. | 3576.txt | 0 |
[
"run a DIY shop",
"make it repair things",
"save time and money",
"improve the quality of life"
] | John and his wife went to evening classes to learn how to _ . | As prices and building costs keep rising, the do-it-yourself (DIY） trend (） in the U.S. continues to grow.
"We needed furniture (） for our living room," says John Ross, "And we just didn't have enough money to buy it. So we decide to try making a few tables and chairs." John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420. "I was deeply upset about it. Now I've finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself."
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a "do-it -yourselfer", you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don't have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself. | 3576.txt | 1 |
[
"makes shoes in his home",
"does extra work at night",
"does his own car and home repairs",
"keeps house and looks after his children"
] | When the writer says that Jim has a full-time at home, he means Jim _ . | As prices and building costs keep rising, the do-it-yourself (DIY） trend (） in the U.S. continues to grow.
"We needed furniture (） for our living room," says John Ross, "And we just didn't have enough money to buy it. So we decide to try making a few tables and chairs." John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420. "I was deeply upset about it. Now I've finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself."
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a "do-it -yourselfer", you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don't have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself. | 3576.txt | 3 |
[
"his car repairs cost too much",
"the car repair class was not helpful",
"he could not possibly do two jobs",
"he had to raise the children all by himself"
] | Jim Hatfield decided to become a do-it-yourselfer when _ . | As prices and building costs keep rising, the do-it-yourself (DIY） trend (） in the U.S. continues to grow.
"We needed furniture (） for our living room," says John Ross, "And we just didn't have enough money to buy it. So we decide to try making a few tables and chairs." John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420. "I was deeply upset about it. Now I've finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself."
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a "do-it -yourselfer", you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don't have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself. | 3576.txt | 0 |
[
"The Joy of DIY.",
"You Can Do It too!",
"Welcome to Our DIY course!",
"Ross and Hatfield: Believe in DIY."
] | What would be the best title for the text? | As prices and building costs keep rising, the do-it-yourself (DIY） trend (） in the U.S. continues to grow.
"We needed furniture (） for our living room," says John Ross, "And we just didn't have enough money to buy it. So we decide to try making a few tables and chairs." John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420. "I was deeply upset about it. Now I've finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself."
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a "do-it -yourselfer", you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don't have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself. | 3576.txt | 1 |
[
"the story of his childhood",
"a strange camping experience",
"about a stranger by the river",
"about a good place for camping."
] | The writer in the text mainly tells us _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts, so I used to go camping every summer, and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving, we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river -- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywhere carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finally suggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I do not know. | 733.txt | 1 |
[
"They wanted to delay going to the river bank.",
"They were waiting for their scoutmaster.",
"They had a supper earlier than usual.",
"They were talking while eating."
] | Why did the boys eat their supper slowly? | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts, so I used to go camping every summer, and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving, we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river -- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywhere carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finally suggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I do not know. | 733.txt | 0 |
[
"ashamed",
"nervous",
"unable to understand",
"eager to know something"
] | The word" bewildered" in the text probably means _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts, so I used to go camping every summer, and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving, we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river -- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywhere carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finally suggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I do not know. | 733.txt | 2 |
[
"realized who the man was",
"started to worry about the man",
"went back to look for the can",
"felt it hard to believe the boys"
] | When he heard what had happened, the scoutmaster _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts, so I used to go camping every summer, and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving, we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river -- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywhere carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finally suggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I do not know. | 733.txt | 3 |
[
"the boys acted foolishly",
"the camping place is beautiful",
"there has been no explanation for the event",
"he particularly enjoyed his camping that summer."
] | The writer still remembers the event because _ . | When I was a boy, I belonged to the Boy Scouts, so I used to go camping every summer, and once something happened which I have never been able to explain.
We were camping in a place above a river. After arriving, we all rushed down to the river and had a swim. Standing by the river, we noticed that it was surrounded by cliffs. If someone wanted to reach the river at this point, he had to walk past our camp.
Several days later, the scoutmaster had to be away for a day. That afternoon, we had supper early. We were sitting round the fire, eating and talking, when a man walked past and went down towards the river. We all felt that this man looked very strange, but, because each of us was afraid of looking very stupid, no one said anything.
We ate rather slowly, taking as long as possible. After finishing, we collected our plates together so that we could take them to the river where we always washed them. But no one moved towards the river -- we stood looking at each other ashamed. Then all shouting at once, we began talking about the man who had walked past us. We agreed how strange he looked and we wondered what he could be doing by the river. We knew that he could only return by passing through our camp.
An hour passed. Then one of the boys suggested we should creep down by the river so that we could see what the man was doing. Moving very slowly and keeping in the shadow, we crept down towards the bank. One boy climbed a tree so that he could see everything clearly. He called to us that there was no one there, so we ran down to the bank, looking everywhere carefully. We could not understand where the man had gone.
When it got dark, we went back to our camp feeling bewildered. We told the scoutmaster what had happened in the evening. Smiling, he doubted that we had seen the man, but finally suggested we go and look again. We did, but there was no one there.
Many years have passed, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. What did we see? I do not know. | 733.txt | 2 |
[
"they are driven by an overwhelming sense of individualism",
"they have entered the workforce at a much earlier age",
"they have embraced a business culture of stability",
"they are pessimistic about their economic future"
] | More and more young Europeans remain single because ________. | As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn't the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe's new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans' private lives.
Europe's new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American style capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today's tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens. While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn't leave much room for relationships. Pimpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn't got time to get lonely because he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult." Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming," thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don't last long-if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she'd never have wanted to do what her mother did-give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life." | 555.txt | 0 |
[
"It has fostered the trend towards small families.",
"It is getting closer to American-style capitalism.",
"It has limited consumer choice despite a free market.",
"It is being threatened by irresistible privatization."
] | What is said about European society in the passage? | As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn't the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe's new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans' private lives.
Europe's new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American style capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today's tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens. While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn't leave much room for relationships. Pimpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn't got time to get lonely because he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult." Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming," thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don't last long-if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she'd never have wanted to do what her mother did-give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life." | 555.txt | 1 |
[
"warm and lighthearted",
"on either side of marriage",
"negative and gloomy",
"healthy and wealthy"
] | According to Paragraph 3, the newest group of singles are ________. | As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn't the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe's new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans' private lives.
Europe's new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American style capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today's tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens. While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn't leave much room for relationships. Pimpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn't got time to get lonely because he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult." Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming," thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don't last long-if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she'd never have wanted to do what her mother did-give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life." | 555.txt | 3 |
[
"some modern women prefer a life of individual freedom",
"the family is no longer the basic unit of society in present-day Europe",
"some professional people have too much work to do to feel lonely",
"most Europeans conceive living a single life as unacceptable"
] | The author quotes Eppendorf to show that ________. | As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn't the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe's new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans' private lives.
Europe's new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American style capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today's tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens. While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn't leave much room for relationships. Pimpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn't got time to get lonely because he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult." Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming," thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don't last long-if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she'd never have wanted to do what her mother did-give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life." | 555.txt | 0 |
[
"To review the impact of women becoming high earners.",
"To contemplate the philosophy underlying individualism.",
"To examine the trend of young people living alone.",
"To stress the rebuilding of personal relationships."
] | What is the author's purpose in writing the passage? | As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn't the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe's new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans' private lives.
Europe's new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American style capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today's tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage-twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens. While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative-dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn't leave much room for relationships. Pimpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn't got time to get lonely because he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult." Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming," thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don't last long-if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she'd never have wanted to do what her mother did-give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life." | 555.txt | 2 |
[
"what people say they can do and what they actually can",
"what society values and what people pretend to be",
"what people profess and what statistics show",
"what people profess and what they hide from others"
] | According to the author, there exists, as far as personality styles are concerned, a discrepancy between _ . | Text C
Today we make room for a remarkably narrow range of personality styles. We're told that to be great is to be bold, to be happy is to be sociable. We see ourselves as a nation of extroverts - which means that we've lost sight of who we really are. One-third to one-half of Americans are introverts - in the other words, one out of every two or three people you know. If you're not an introvert yourself, you are surely raising,managing, married to, or coupled with one.
If these statistics surprise you, that's probably because so many people pretend to be extroverts.Closet introverts pass undetected on playgrounds, in high school locker rooms, and in the corridors of corporate America. Some fool even themselves, until some life event - a layoff, an empty nest, an inheritance that frees them to spend time as they like - jolts them into taking stock of their true natures. You have only to raise this subject with your friends and acquaintances to find that the most unlikely people consider themselves introverts.
It makes sense that so many introverts hide even from themselves. We live with a value system that I call the Extrovert Ideal- the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha, and comfortable in the spotlight. The archetypal extrovert prefers action to contemplation, risk-taking to heed-taking, certainty to doubt. He favors quick decisions, even at the risk of being wrong. She works well in teams and socializes in groups. We like to think that we value individuality, but all too often we admire one type of individual - the kind who's comfortable "putting himself out there." Sure, we allow technologically gifted loners who launch companies in garages to have any personality they please, but they are the exceptions, not the rule, and our tolerance extends mainly to those who get fabulously wealthy or hold the promise of doing so.
Introversion - along with its cousin's sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness - is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology. Introverts living under the Extrovert Ideal are like women in a man's world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but we've turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform.
The Extrovert Ideal has been documented in many studies, though this research has never been grouped under a single name. Talkative people, for example, are rated as smarter, better-looking,more interesting, and more desirable as friends. Velocity of speech counts as well as volume: we rank fast talkers as more competent and likable than slow ones. Even the word introvert is stigmatized - one informal study, by psychologist Laurie Helgoe, found that introverts described their own physical appearance in vivid language, but when asked to describe generic introverts they drew a bland and distasteful picture.
But we make a grave mistake to embrace the Extrovert Ideal so unthinkingly. Some of our greatest ideas, art, and inventions - from the theory of evolution to van Gogh's sunflowers to the personal computer - came from quiet and cerebral people who knew how to tune in to their inner worlds and the treasures to be found there. | 1856.txt | 1 |
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