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James lives in Hawaii and his mother lives in Korea. James speaks English (he never learned Korean), and his mom only speaks Korean. They communicate perfectly.
Eric is from Honduras, but he lives in the U.S. Eric just started learning English and speaks very little. But, everyday Eric reads the latest local US news on the Web, with no problem.
What these people (and close to 60 million others around the world) share is a remarkable, free software program called Babylon.
Babylon may well be the most advanced translation software in the world, and it's a must-have for anyone whose life goes beyond the borders of their own language or those who want it to.
Once you download it, you can simply highlight the part in practically any format, and it's instantly translated into the language of your choice. You can use it to translate a website, email, word doc, pdf, and actually any document in any format you can think of.
You can write a document in your native language, and Babylon will instantly translate it into another before you send it.
The program translates 75 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Indian, and Russian. It also includes up-to-date encyclopedias , dictionaries, and spell checkers.
Babylon is a long way from early translation software that would, more often than not, make an unreadable text with grammar errors that was better suited for making laughs than comprehension. Babylon's ability to understand and translate is perfect. In fact, businesses are adopting Babylon as the standard when it comes to translating commercial communications and other important documents.
Babylon is also a great tool for people who are learning another language. Use it anytime you come across a word or passage you don't understand.
What users enjoy most is the program's ability to open up a different world to them. Whether it's surfing a news site in a different country, or being able to properly communicate with a family member or friend overseas, Babylon can make it happen.
Best of all, Babylon is free! To get your free copy, visit Babylon.com. | What language does he s peak? | English. |
My mommy has a really cool job! She makes costumes for movie stars. She works in the attic of our house, so I get to see her work all the time. I watch every movie I can, and try to learn all of the different costumes by heart. Mommy says if I work hard and keep up my practice, one day I'll get to to make costumes for movie stars too! That job sounds like heaven.
One day I was in the attic, helping Mommy make a boot for a costume. They were covered in little beads, and mom had to sew them on. She kept dropping the needles on the ground. Then I was helping by picking them up. I was also helping by moving the lamp around so Mommy could see the boot better.
"Ouch!" I said. "I accidentally stuck my finger with the needle!"
My mommy looked at my finger, and gave it a kiss. "Welcome to the life of a costumer!" | What? | She stuck my finger |
CHAPTER XXIII
ON THE EAST SIDE
If Royce began to cry there must have been something radically wrong with him," declared Tom. "Dora, do you think he had been drinking? Sometimes when men drink they break down and cry, you know."
"I don't know anything about that, Tom; but I do know that he acted the strangest. I asked him if he was working, and he said no-- that he had been unable to get a job of any kind. Then I questioned him about why he had left Hope, and he said it was because he could not get along with some of the hired help and with Miss Harrow."
"Say!" cried Sam. "Did he say anything about that four-hundred-dollar diamond ring that was missing?"
"Why, no, Sam. I didn't mention it, and he didn't say anything about it either. Perhaps he didn't know it was missing."
"Oh, he must know about it," broke in Tom. "It was talked about all over the place."
"Well, what happened next?" questioned Dick.
"I talked to him for awhile, and I found out that he was out of work and also out of money. I felt sorry for him, and I offered to lend him ten dollars," answered Dora. "I hope you don't think I did wrong," she went on, anxiously.
"You meant well, Dora, I'm sure of that," was Dick's quick reply, "but whether the money will do this fellow Royce any good or not, is a question. If he is a drinking man, he'll drink it up very quickly and that will be the end of it." | Why? | She felt sorry for him |
Tyler Perry has, for the first time, revealed graphic details about the sexual, physical and emotional abuse he says he suffered as a child.
"I'm tired of holding this in," Tyler Perry wrote on his Web site, "... so I've decided to give some away."
Perry recounts in a message posted on his Web site and in an e-mail to fans that a prescreening of the film "Precious," due out later this year, dislodged "some raw emotions and brought me to some things and places in my life that I needed to deal with but had long forgotten. It brought back memories so strong that I can smell and taste them."
Perry is an executive producer of the movie, which tells the tale of Claireece "Precious" Jones, an illiterate, obese 16-year-old girl from Harlem who is emotionally and physically abused.
The 40-year-old producer says he can identify with the character, and he recalls a number of incidents from his childhood.
Emmitt Perry Sr., a construction worker, uttered profane insults at him and relentlessly beat and belittled him, Perry says. The random, violent beatings were commonplace until Perry was 19, he said.
"You ... jackass! You got book sense but you ain't got no ... common sense," he quotes his father as saying.
"I heard this every day of my childhood," says Perry.
Attempts to reach Emmitt Perry Sr. for comment were unsuccessful.
Tyler Perry was born Emmitt Perry Jr. but changed his name to distance himself from his father. | How old was he when it stopped? | 19 |
Firefighters have made some progress in battling a spreading wildfire in northern Texas, but dry conditions contributed to a rash of new fires as well, officials said Thursday.
The 101 Ranch Fire in Palo Pinto County had scorched 6,200 acres as of Thursday, according to the Texas Forest Service. The blaze is burning on Possum Kingdom Lake, near the town of Brad, about 100 miles west of Dallas.
However, "we feel much better about this fire today" as the blaze is now 50% contained, said John Nichols, spokesman for the forest service. Some evacuations were lifted, he said.
The flames have destroyed 40 homes and nine RVs, the Forest Service said Thursday. Firefighters were receiving support from aerial tankers and helicopters.
Authorities are working on a re-entry strategy for residents, said Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer, and they are trying to get the lake open for the Labor Day holiday.
On Wednesday, evacuations were ordered in several communities on the north side of the lake after the fire charged over a ridge and approached a dam on the lake, CNN affiliate WFAA reported. The Forest Service pulled out of its command observation post, telling journalists and onlookers to get out of the way of the flames.
Tom Hardeston was among the residents watching helplessly. "My house is right through here, though it may be gone," he told WFAA.
Nearby ranchers battled to save their herds from the encroaching fire.
"I'm just moving them from pasture to pasture," Cindi McCoy told WFAA, referring to her livestock. "As one pasture burns, I'm moving them back to that one and bring(ing) them back around." | Where? | The blaze is burning on Possum Kingdom Lake, near the town of Brad, about 100 miles west of Dallas. |
Doctors say obesity,also known as severe overweight,is a complex condition.A doctor may advise medical interventions in addition to changes in behavior.But experts say the more successful weightloss plans include a wellbalanced diet and exercise.
People who want to avoid weight gain have to balance the number of calories they eat with the number of calories they use.To lose weight,you can reduce the number of calories you take in,or increase the number you use,or both.Experts at the National Institutes of Health say to lose weight,a person should do some moderate or intensive physical exercise most days of the week.This could include fast walking,sports or strength training.
A recent study looked at four of the most popular dieting plans in the United States.Researchers at Stanford University studied more than three hundred overweight women,mostly in their thirties or forties.Each woman went on one of the four plans:Atkins,The Zone,Ornish or LEARN.The women attended diet classes and received written information about the food plans.At the end of a year,the women on the Atkins diet had lost the most,more than four and a half kilograms on average.
Christopher Gardner led the study,reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He said the Atkins diet may be more successful because of its simple message to lower the intake of sugar.Also,he said the advice to increase protein in the diet leads to more satisfying meals.
But last week,another report suggested that only a small minority of people have longterm success in dieting.Researchers at the University of California found that most dieters regained their lost weight within five years.And often they gained back even more.But those who kept the weight off generally were the ones who exercised. | what gender were they? | female |
FBI agents on Friday night searched the Maryland home of the suspect in the recent disappearance of an American woman in Aruba, an agent said.
The search is occurring in the Gaithersburg residence of Gary Giordano, who is currently being held in an Aruban jail, FBI Special Agent Rich Wolf told CNN.
Agents, wearing vests that said FBI and carrying empty cardboard and plastic boxes, arrived about 8:40 p.m. Friday. About 15 unmarked cars could be seen on the street, as well as a Montgomery County police vehicle.
Supervisory Special Agent Philip Celestini, who was at the residence, declined to comment further on the search, citing the active investigation.
Aruban Solicitor General Taco Stein said earlier Friday that the suspect will appear in court Monday, where an investigating magistrate could order him held for at least eight more days, order him to remain on the island or release him outright due to a lack of evidence.
Giordano was arrested by Aruban police on August 5, three days after Robyn Gardner was last seen near Baby Beach on the western tip of the Caribbean island.
Giordano told authorities that he had been snorkeling with Gardner when he signaled to her to swim back, according to a statement. When he reached the beach, Gardner was nowhere to be found, Giordano allegedly said.
The area that Giordano led authorities to is a rocky, unsightly location that locals say is not a popular snorkeling spot.
Although prosecutors have continued to identify the 50-year-old American man by his initials, GVG, they also released a photo of a man who appears to be Giordano. His attorney, Michael Lopez, also has said that his client is being held as a suspect in Gardner's death. Lopez has not returned telephone calls seeking comment. | When was he arrested? | August 5 |
Way back in 1662,John Evelyn,a brilliant Englishman known for his detailed diaries,wrote
About disastrous effects of coal-burning on the city of London .In it,he described an infernal scene of
smog.air filled with "Columns and Clouds of Smoke''given out by small industries and residences
that burned coal for fuel.
I found the description in the 2003 book When Smoke Ran like Water,by epidemiologist and environmental advocator Devra Davis.In it,Davis looks back at several historic pollution events and their disastrous effect on human human health-and at how these phenomena were often Ignored or even actively covered up by then people in charge at that time.
As Davis points out,John Evelyn was ahead of his time when writing about how London's
polluted air affected the well-being of its residents.It wasn't until nearly 300 years later,after what
became well-known as the Great Smog of 1952,that the government began to address the problem in a systematic way.
For four days.Between December 5th"and 9th",due to all accident of the weather pattern,the city
was buried in a heavy fog .People were still burning coal for fuel,and low-grade coal at that time,
because 0f wartime condition.A temperature inversion trapped the smoke from the city's fires,
creating a black cloud in which people could barely find their way down the most familiar streets
Some tried to protect themselves,but most people simply went about their business
But l952's fog was far worse than any other in memory.In the same week of the previous year,
1852 people had died in London;inl952,that number was 4703 And the deaths didn't stop when
the weather changed and the fog lifted.Davis and her colleagues analyzed data from the next several
months and found that about 13000 more people died between December and March than one would
have predicted from historical averages Many of them died of pneumonia .The government,
she writes.Tried to blame a bad flu season.Her detailed analysis found that explanation simply did
not pan out.
Davis writes that even today in this country ,we still have not completely absorbed the lessons
0f similar events.Sixty years the killer fog lifted in London,people are dying preventable
deaths and suffering life.changing illnesses,simply because they must breathe the air of the cities
where they live | who is John Evelyn? | known for his detailed diaries |
A teenage mother and her young daughter, snatched off a Cleveland street, were found shot to death in a garage early Sunday, Cleveland, Ohio, police said.
Thomas Lorde, the estranged boyfriend of 19-year-old Latasha Jackson and the father of 1-year-old Chaniya Wynn, was found next to them, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police said Sunday.
Cleveland police issued an Amber Alert on Saturday after witnesses reported seeing Jackson and Chaniya abducted while walking on East 72nd Avenue in Cleveland.
Jackson's 14-year-old brother was walking with the pair when he said Lorde approached.
"He walked up on us and ... he pulled out the gun. He pointed it at me," the brother told CNN affiliate WEWS. "He told me to run."
The brother, who CNN is not identifying because of his age, ran home and called 911.
"I was scared for my niece and my sister," he said. "She (Jackson) was silent. She was scared. She didn't know what to do."
The alert named Lorde, 25, as the kidnapping suspect, warning that he was a "violent sexual predator with felony warrants out of New York," and armed and dangerous.
The alert was lifted Sunday after police found the bodies of the three "in a closed garage of an unoccupied structure in the 7000 block of Union Avenue," a police statement said.
"All three were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead on the scene," the statement said.
No other details of the investigation were made public. | who was found somewhere? | A mother and daughter |
Twenty years ago, Americans were a rare sight in China. But decades later, things have changed greatly. Americans are found in every Chinese province and region and in all walks of life. Much of this change is due to the increasing exchange and improving relationship between the two countries, but what attracts many here is China's rapid development and the huge opportunities that have arisen with that development.
Erik Nilsson has been working for the English newspaper China Daily as a reporter for five years since his graduation from Central Michigan University. Although his original plan was to become a conflict zone reporter in Latin America, he decided to stay at China Daily
Robert Brownell, a former IT engineer with Microsoft in Seattle, is now teaching in China and appreciates the different atmosphere in the school. His actions are a lot less restricted here than they would be in the U.S. "For good students, I can give them candy," he explains. "But in American schools, if you give food to students, they have to be sealed and tested. In China I can pat them on the back and raise my voice. But in America, everything is regulated so much, you just can't do anything."
Kodi Keith Avila, the 30-year- old Hawaiian is running a business English school, New York Minutes, in Beijing. Avila first came to China in 2007 on a scholarship program as a student of University of Hawaii. It was encouragement from his professor that finally convinced him to go to China. "He thought China would overtake other countries in trade, consumption and technology," Avila said."I saw many good opportunities for personal careers or business development in China. So many limousines Audi, Mercedes-Benz, so many businessmen and skyscrapers. One can get a business license in China as long as one has a good business plan"he told China Today.
"I came to China because I am interested in Chinese medicine. Learning Chinese language will help me learn Chinese medicine," Caponigro told China Today. She is not alone among Americans in becoming more and more fascinated with Chinese culture. | And what particularly draws many of them to live there? | rapid development and huge opportunities |
Spiderman is one of the most famous comic book heroes of all time.He was created by Stan Lee in 1963 and was first introduced to the world in the pages of Marvel comic books. Spiderman's story is the story of Peter Parker,a child who lost his parents and lives with his aunt and uncle.Peter is a shy,quiet boy wearing glasses and has few friends.One day,on a high school class trip to a science lab,he gets bitten by a special spider.Soon Peter realizes he has amazing powers:he is as strong and quick as a spider and also has a type of sixth sense.He no longer needs his glasses and he can use his super power to fly through the city streets! Remembering something his Uncle Ben has told him,that"with great power,there must also come great responsibility ,"Peter decides to use his powers to fight enemies who do cruel things to people.And so,Spiderman is born. Life is not easy for Peter even though he is a superhero.He is in love with Mary Jane but cannot tell her about his amazing powers.Besides,his best friend Harry hates Spiderman! Peter is also short of money and time.He has to sell photos of Spiderman(himself!)to a newspaper and he keeps losing his other jobs because he's so busy saving people! Yet he has to fight different kinds of cruel enemies. | Was his life easy? | No. |
Billy and his friend Jake were walking together to meet their friends Kevin and Gordon at the park. They sometimes played in each Jake's backyard, but there was much more room at the park. And it was far too dangerous to play in the street. They were going to play touch football. They would sometimes played baseball and soccer, and even kickball but today the weather was perfect for football. The summer breeze almost blew Billy's cap off. Billy loved summertime. He liked the fall, too, when the leaves started to turn pretty colors. But he hated winter. Billy didn't like the snow. Spring was also nice. Jake was drinking a Pepsi, and Billy had a bottle of water. Gordon and Kevin would most likely be drinking blue or red Gatorade at the park where they waited. | Where? | at the park |
Two former presidents reflected on their greatest regrets in office Monday, each looking back to issues that continue to plague the nation years later.
Former presidents and political rivals Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush now share philanthropic efforts.
Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared together at a question-and-answer forum before the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Asked his biggest regret after leaving office, Bush said he now wonders whether he should have tried to get Saddam Hussein to leave office at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991.
He told the gathering, "I've thought a lot about it, but at the end of Desert Storm, the question was should we have kind of kept going on that road to death and all this slaughter until Saddam Hussein showed up and laid his sword on the table, surrendered. And the common wisdom was he wouldn't do that."
But he said a conversation with an FBI agent who interrogated Saddam after he was captured has made him reconsider.
Bush recalled their talk, "I said, 'What if we just say he has to come to surrender, would he have done it?' And this guy said, 'I'm absolutely convinced he would have.' My experts tell me he wouldn't have."
Bush said, "We ended it the way we said we would" as a military success, but noted a cleaner ending "would have been perfect."
He added, "If we had tried to get Saddam Hussein to come and literally surrender and put his sword on the table, I think it might have been avoided some of the problems that we did have in the future from him." | What does Bush regret? | he should have tried to get Saddam Hussein to leave office |
Below are reviews for three books and two book series. Each has been read and loved by students across the country.
The Outsiders
This book, first published in 1967. has become a classic for teens across the nation. It focuses on Ponyboy , who has been labeled all his life as a greaser. The greaser's opposing group is the " socs ". kids who have lots of money and can break any rules without getting in trouble. As the novel develops, S. E. Hinton allows the reader to see exactly how these labels affect teens in both the greaser and the soc group.
If you've ever watched the movie The Outsiders, this story may sound familiar, as the movie was based on the book . The Outsiders gives teens a look into life in the 50's and 60's, offering timeless lessons that still apply to today's youth.
Out of the Dust
Any student interested in the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl should read Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Hesse is able to capture the mood and spirit of this era through the use of poetry. The main character of the book, Billie Jo, is growing up in Oklahoma, the heart of the Dust Bowl. Through free verse poetry, Billie Jo narrates her tale of poverty and survival during this difficult time.
Out of the Dust is an excellent lesson in history . Due to the short length and writing style, the book is a quick but worthwhile read. By the end of the book, the reader is eager to start the story over again . Hesse is able to pack a lot of emotions and details into her short book , making the story very real and believable.
The Giver
The Giver depicts a perfect society in which citizens experience no pain, have never felt fear, and life is completely under control. However, as the reader progresses through the story, it's easy to see that this community is far from utopia . Instead, through the experiences felt by the main character Jonas, the reader learns there is a missing from life in this world..
During the Ceremony of the Twelves, each 12--year --old is assigned their life --long career in the community . Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories, a very special job assigned to one person at a time . When Jonas receives his training . he learns many truths about his community that change how he feels about his life, making him determined to do something to change it .
The Giver is a good book for teens who enjoy science fiction and fantasy. The book makes you examine your own life, values, and beliefs, striving to find how you would define the perfect society.
Anne of Green Gables
This eight-book series depicts the life of Anne Shirley, an orphan that is adopted in Prince Edward Island, Canada . The books are set in the 1800s to the 1900s, the last one taking place during World War I. Anne is a loveable spirit who has many misfortunes and laughable experiences when growing up and going to college.
The Anne of Green Gables series is fun to read. creating a strong attachment to the reader and making the last book a bitter -sweet experience. Teenage girls who are looking for a female role model will love Anne Shirley.
Harry Potter
J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has sold more copies than any other series in history. The series , which includes seven books in all , fallows a boy wizard named Harry Potter.
Harry attends Hogwarts School of Witcheraft and Wizardy. The seven books follow Harry through seven years of wizarding school . During this time , readers experience the wizarding world through Harry's eyes and watch him make friends. Learn magic and fight a wizard.
The Harry Potter books are an enchanting read for all ages. No matter who you are. you will find yourself absorbed in the magical world created by J. K. Rowling. | Anne of Green Gables is set when? | 1800s to the 1900s |
Michael Jordan once summed up his social and political activism in four simple words: "Republicans buy sneakers, too."
In a world where athletes and celebrities seem more willing to attach their names to high-priced sneakers and headphones than real-world issues, many are thrusting themselves directly into an uncomfortable national debate over police brutality and racial injustice.
It's not only people with prominent names; there are medical students, congressional staffers, a university president and even a Northern California police chief.
A spate of controversial police slayings of unarmed black men served as the catalyst.
But the case of Eric Garner, a New York grandfather who was put in a fatal chokehold by a police officer trying to arrest him for selling cigarettes illegally, has resonated with whites and nonwhites alike.
Commentators across the political spectrum have united to condemn last week's decision by a grand jury not to indict white New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in Garner's death, which was captured on a video seen around the globe. According to Pantaleo's lawyer, the officer says he didn't use a chokehold on Garner.
The outpouring started in earnest one week before the New York decision, with the long-awaited announcement of a grand jury's decision not to indict Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown. That decision was met with violent demonstrations in Ferguson and largely peaceful protests throughout the nation.
On November 3, five St. Louis Rams players infuriated some people with a silent message before a game against the Oakland Raiders. Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Jared Cook, Chris Givens and Kenny Britt walked onto the field and raised their palms in the air, demonstrating the "hands up, don't shoot" gesture protesters in Ferguson had been using for months. | Who placed him in the hold/ | a police officer |
Cambridge English Dictionary states that culture is, "the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time." Terror Management Theory posits that culture is a series of activities and worldviews that provide humans with the illusion of being individuals of value in a world meaning—raising themselves above the merely physical aspects of existence, in order to deny the animal insignificance and death that Homo Sapiens became aware of when they acquired a larger brain.
As a defining aspect of what it means to be human, culture is a central concept in anthropology, encompassing the range of phenomena that are transmitted through social learning in human societies. The word is used in a general sense as the evolved ability to categorize and represent experiences with symbols and to act imaginatively and creatively. This ability arose with the evolution of behavioral modernity in humans around 50,000 years ago. This capacity is often thought to be unique to humans, although some other species have demonstrated similar, though much less complex abilities for social learning. It is also used to denote the complex networks of practices and accumulated knowledge and ideas that is transmitted through social interaction and exist in specific human groups, or cultures, using the plural form. Some aspects of human behavior, such as language, social practices such as kinship, gender and marriage, expressive forms such as art, music, dance, ritual, religion, and technologies such as cooking, shelter, clothing are said to be cultural universals, found in all human societies. The concept material culture covers the physical expressions of culture, such as technology, architecture and art, whereas the immaterial aspects of culture such as principles of social organization (including, practices of political organization and social institutions), mythology, philosophy, literature (both written and oral), and science make up the intangible cultural heritage of a society. | Are these found in every human society? | yes |
It has been a rocky couple of years for the people of Egypt. Since the 2011 revolution, the economy has tanked, street protests are an almost daily occurrence and the political situation remains volatile.
However, a handful of young Egyptians have found that the best way to take a stand against the turmoil is with stand-up comedy.
"We are like a little beam of sunlight, coming through and reminding people, 'Don't worry! When this cloud passes, it will be brighter. It will be happier,'" says Rami Borai, a comedian in one of Egypt's first home-grown comedy troupes, Hezb El Comedy.
The group, whose name means "The Comedy Party," was formed in 2009 by Hashim Al Gahry, who admits he started up with "zero capital." Al Gahry and some friends pooled their savings, and started marketing the group through social media. When they're not performing, Hezb El Comedy teaches the art of stand-up to other aspiring comics, instructing them on things like timing and body language.
"We're not the funniest people in the world, but it's the experience that has put us in a position to give them advice and tell them, 'These are our mistakes, and this is what you can do to avoid what we did,'" says Al Gahry.
Read more: Book shows collection of Iran's political cartoons
Other Arab nations are similarly investing in grassroots comedy. In Qatar, a few young comics have come together to form SUCQ (an acronym for Stand Up Comedy Qatar).
"It's an American art. We took it from the Americans. We have reshaped it to adapt to our culture and society and people," says Hamad Al Amri, 24, a comedian who is also a banker by day. Mohamed Kamal, who also performs stand-up with SUCQ, notes that given Qatar's political climate, there are limits to what he can joke about. | What place is this article aiming at? | Egypt |
Timo Glock faces an uncertain future in Formula One after parting company with Marussia ahead of the new season.
The 30-year-old German, who was expected to partner rookie Max Chilton for the 2013 campaign, had been with the team since it began as Virgin back in 2010.
Glock made his debut for Jordan in 2004 before going on to spend two years at Toyota.
But Marussia are in need of a driver who can attract sponsorship to the team, a key factor in the decision to cut ties.
Domenicali: Ferrari 'right' to retain Massa
"I have had three excellent years with the Marussia F1 Team, during which I had the chance to actively participate in building and developing the team in its endeavours to succeed within the Formula 1 World Championship," Glock said in a statement.
"I would like to wish the team good luck in navigating this next period and thank everyone for the great times we shared and the support I have received.
"Although it is not the path I expected to be taking, I am in fact very excited about what the future holds in terms of my own career and I hope to comment on that very soon."
Team principal John Booth revealed that there were financial factors which led to Glock's departure following the team's failure to hang on to 10th place in the constructors' championship.
"Timo is a fantastic driver and he has been a very popular member of the team," he told reporters. | When? | 2013 |
Joe got a new bicycle as a gift from one of his friends. He wanted to ride it so he looked outside his window to check the weather. There was lots of daylight and it was bright and sunny. The sky was clear and there was only a little bit of wind. He was excited that the weather was good because it meant that he can go and ride his bicycle. He took his bicycle down the stairway and told his parents that he wanted to go ride his bicycle for a little bit. After his parents said OK, he put on his helmet and went outside with his bicycle to ride it around the block. It was very fun and Joe had a great time riding his bicycle. While he was riding, he saw many interesting things like some insects that would fly around and some pets that were in peoples' backyards. He also saw some flowers growing in peoples' yards. He got back home from riding his bicycle and told his parents he had a great time. | What did he put on first? | his helmet |
On October 9, 2006 at 6:00 a.m., the network switched to a 24-hour schedule, becoming one of the last major English-language broadcasters to transition to such a schedule. Most CBC-owned stations previously signed off the air during the early morning hours (typically from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.). Instead of the infomercials aired by most private stations, or a simulcast of CBC News Network in the style of BBC One's nightly simulcast of BBC News Channel, the CBC uses the time to air repeats, including local news, primetime series, movies and other programming from the CBC library. Its French counterpart, Ici Radio-Canada Télé, still signs off every night.
Until 1998, the network carried a variety of American programs in addition to its core Canadian programming, directly competing with private Canadian broadcasters such as CTV and Global. Since then, it has restricted itself to Canadian programs, a handful of British programs, and a few American movies and off-network repeats. Since this change, the CBC has sometimes struggled to maintain ratings comparable to those it achieved before 1995, although it has seen somewhat of a ratings resurgence in recent years. In the 2007-08 season, hit series such as Little Mosque on the Prairie and The Border helped the network achieve its strongest ratings performance in over half a decade. | Why not? | it has restricted itself to Canadian programs |
Deciding which English-speaking country to study in wasn't difficult for Ann; She had always wanted to visit America. "I wanted to study in an English-language country and I always wanted to visit America because it always seemed to me a very beautiful and friendly country." Ann is more than happy with the quality of the education she is receiving in America, particularly with the subjects and strong academic support." I am very happy with the quality of education I am receiving. All my subjects are useful and connected. I am happy with help I receive from the lecturers and tutors."
Also of particular satisfaction for Ann is the practical element of her American course. "I find it very important and useful. The theory is a good thing to know but nothing gives you more skills and knowledge than practical work."
Where her future employment is concerned, Ann is very confident her American qualification will be of great help. " _ "
Ann is also really enjoying life in America; She is making friends and taking time out to enjoy herself. "People are very friendly and helpful. University is a good place to find new friends from America and from overseas. It is a friendly environment with lots of things to do, not only studying. And of course there are the beaches, not to mention the beautiful weather." | What is Ann doing in America? | getting an education |
Hello Sandy, We have just returned form our holiday. We went with our friends,Edward Smith and his wife Tina, to the Yorkshire Moors. It is a beautiful natural park. There are lots of places to walk on the tops of the hills,miles of grassland with no people,just sheep and birds. Edward had just come out of hospital and he could not walk as far as before. However, this meant that we walked in the mornings, and then stopped at a restaurant for lunch each day before returning to the place we lived in. Edward and I slept in front of the fire all afternoon, while the ladies went for another walk. Very pleasant! I took lots of photos from the place we lived in, across the valley below us, of the morning sunrise, and the mist in the valley. Also, in England, the old steam-powered trains are very popular. I took many photos of the train. Yesterday we had the first snow of this winter. It is very early. We usually have snow in January. It rained all day, then snowed in the evening .Today we have bright sunshine! Both Jenny and I are well. I don't know if I told you, in the last e-mail , that Jenny is now working in a hotel. Although she has to work hard, people there are nice, and she is enjoying the work. Please write to us to tell us your news. Yours, Victor | what is the overall subject? | unknown |
CHAPTER XX
Julian and Furley left the place together. They looked for the Bishop but found that he had slipped away.
"To Downing Street, I believe," Furley remarked. "He has some vague idea of suggesting a compromise."
"Compromise!" Julian repeated a little drearily. "How can there be any such thing! There might be delay. I think we ought to have given Stenson a week--time to communicate with America and send a mission to France."
"We are like all theorists," Furley declared moodily, stopping to relight his pipe. "We create and destroy on palter with amazing facility. When it comes to practice, we are funks."
"Are you funking this?" Julian asked bluntly.
"How can any one help it? Theoretically we are right--I am sure of it. If we leave it to the politicians, this war will go dragging on for God knows how long. It's the people who are paying. It's the people who ought to make the peace. The only thing that bothers me is whether we are doing it the right way. Is Freistner honest? Could he be self-deceived? Is there any chance that he could be playing into the hands of the Pan-Germans?"
"Fenn is the man who has had most to do with him," Julian remarked. "I wouldn't trust Fenn a yard, but I believe in Freistner."
"So do I," Furley assented, "but is Fenn's report of his promises and the strength of his followers entirely honest?"
"That's the part of the whole thing I don't like," Julian acknowledged. "Fenn's practically the corner stone of this affair. It was he who met Freistner in Amsterdam and started these negotiations, and I'm damned if I like Fenn, or trust him. Did you see the way he looked at Stenson out of the corners of his eyes, like a little ferret? Stenson was at his best, too. I never admired the man more." | Who else did they question the honesty of? | FFresistner |
Agnosticism is the view that the existence of God or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable.
According to the philosopher William L. Rowe, "agnosticism is the view that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist". Agnosticism is a doctrine or set of s rather than a religion.
English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley coined the word "agnostic" in 1869. Earlier thinkers, however, had written works that promoted agnostic points of view, such as Sanjaya Belatthaputta, a 5th-century BCE Indian philosopher who expressed agnosticism about any afterlife; and Protagoras, a 5th-century BCE Greek philosopher who expressed agnosticism about the existence of "the gods". The Nasadiya Sukta in the Rigveda is agnostic about the origin of the universe.
Being a scientist, above all else, Huxley presented agnosticism as a form of demarcation. A hypothesis with no supporting objective, testable evidence is not an objective, scientific claim. As such, there would be no way to test said hypotheses, leaving the results inconclusive. His agnosticism was not compatible with forming a belief as to the truth, or falsehood, of the claim at hand. Karl Popper would also describe himself as an agnostic. According to philosopher William L. Rowe, in this strict sense, agnosticism is the view that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist. | do agnostics believe in God or are they not sure? | they are unsure |
Luis Suarez will have to wait until late October to make his debut for Spanish club Barcelona after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld the Uruguay star's ban for biting an opponent on Thursday.
The striker was suspended from all football-related activity for four months -- preventing him from even training -- after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder during a World Cup group game in Brazil in late June, and banned for nine international matches.
Switzerland-based CAS heard the 27-year-old's case last week as he appealed against the punishment imposed by soccer's world governing body FIFA.
Suarez and his legal team had spent five hours before a three-man CAS appeal panel in Lausanne in an attempt to reduce the suspension, but the ban on playing was upheld along with a fine of $111,000.
However, CAS said he is free to take part in other football-related duties "such as training, promotional activities and administrative matters" and confirmed Suarez would be available to play friendly matches for Barcelona and the Uruguay national team during his suspension.
"The CAS Panel found that the sanctions imposed on the player were generally proportionate to the offense committed," the ruling stated.
"It has however considered that the stadium ban and the ban from 'any football-related activity' were excessive given that such measures are not appropriate to sanction the offense committed by the player and would still have an impact on his activity after the end of the suspension." | And the accused is from? | Barcelona |
Chen Jie, 14, from Ningbo, Zhejiang is a lucky girl. She got 3600 yuan as gift money this Spring Festival. However, her grandmother took away all the money and put it in a bank account. Many students experienced the same thing as Chen. They got their gift money, only to immediately have it taken away. Xiong Shengyue, 14, from Nanjing, doesn't agree with the practice. "I think the money should be the children's, " she said. " We should take care of it by ourselves." It is not that simple, said Chu Chaohui, a researcher at national Institute of Education Sciences. Giving gift money is used to show social status and develop relationships, he told Beijing Legal Evening News. Gift money has lost its traditional meaning of good will and has "little to do with the children". What's more, children don't earn the money through work. So he thought that parents should still play a big part in dealing with the money. But Yan Honglan, a mother of a 14-year-old boy in Beijing, has let her son be responsible for his gift money since the age of 8. "I want to develop his financial skills, ' Yan said. She also added:"No matter how you deal with the money, the most important thing is to make the children feel they're respected and trusted. Chen supported Yan's idea. She said that though she knew her grandmother wouldn't waste her gift money, she would feel happier if she could at least know how the money is spent. "It would make me feel a little bit more grown-up," she said. | Who took away Chen Jie's money? | her grandmother |
Achtung, baby!
Sacha Baron Cohen stars as a flamboyant Austrian fashionista in "Bruno."
There's a British theory that everything sounds funnier delivered with a Teutonic accent. That's tested to the limit in Sacha Baron Cohen's newest provocation, "Bruno," but it's not what comes out of his mouth that makes the Austrian fashionista such a handful.
The man in the tight yellow lederhosen knows that in our visually overstimulated culture, a picture is vorth a thousand vords. More if there's significant skin involved -- and he's happy to show us his wurst.
Cohen seems to believe that prudery is the enemy. Certainly, bad taste is his Trojan horse. An early montage of romantic coupling, Bruno-style, is enough to get tongues wagging -- or clucking in disapproval. It's the closest thing to gay porn most heterosexuals will see this side of "300."
Either way, Cohen's laughing: Properly managed, outrage is a useful marketing tool, as "Borat" showed.
Apparently permanently airbrushed right down to his backside, Bruno looks nothing like his hirsute Kazakh cousin, but the men share an ego; they're equally insensitive to other people and oblivious to notions of social decorum and the politically correct.
And they both invest heavily in the American Dream. Bruno hungers after fame as hungrily as Borat lusted for Pamela Anderson.
After a brief prologue in Europe -- and the distressing revelation of the vacuity of the fashion scene -- he sets out for Los Angeles, determined to become Austria's "biggest superstar since Hitler."
Perhaps inspired by another Cohen creation, Ali G, he sets out to make a celebrity interview show -- but sadly, the only dupes ignorant enough to participate are "American Idol" judges (Paula Abdul chats about her philanthropic pursuits while perched on the back of an immigrant laborer) and presidential candidates (take a bow, Ron Paul). | What do they fully invest in? | American Dream |
CHAPTER II.
CAUGHT BY THE TIDE.
JACK ran home.
"I thought you would have been in by two o'clock, Jack," his mother said reproachfully, "so as to see Lily before she went off to school again."
"So I should have done, mother, but I had to stick at the work until we had finished up to the water-line. Uncle Ben thought it was not worth while knocking off."
Jack's meal of bread and bacon was soon finished, then he waited a little until Lily had returned from school.
"Come on, Lil," he said, "I have been waiting to take you out with me."
"Be in by six," Mrs. Robson said.
"All right, mother! We are only just going down to the shore."
Near the little coast-guard station they came upon Bill Corbett.
"Can you come to-morrow, Jack?"
"Yes; uncle has agreed to do without me. What time are you going to start?"
"We will go out as late as we can, Jack. We can get down the creek till three anyhow, so at three o'clock you be ready down here."
"Joe is going, I suppose?"
"Oh, yes, he does to carry the cockles to the boat while we scrape them out. That is a nice bawley, that new one there; she only came in this tide. That is the boat Tom Parker has had built at Brightlingsea. He expects she is going to beat the fleet. She will want to be a rare good one if she does, and I don't think Tom is the man to get the most out of her anyhow." | What does he expect? | she is going to beat the fleet. |
CHAPTER XXII
ACROSS THE ROOF OF THE WORLD
Claire dressed Dlorus, cooked a dinner of beet greens, potatoes, and trout; and by bullying and great sweetness kept Dlorus from too many trips to the gin bottle. Milt caught the trout, cut wood, locked in a log shed Pinky's forlorn mining-tools. They started for North Yakima at eight of the evening, with Dlorus, back in the spare seat, alternately sobbing and to inattentive ears announcing what she'd say to the Old Hens.
Milt was devoted to persuading the huge cat of a car to tiptoe down the slippery gouged ruts of the road, and Claire's mind was driving with him. Every time he touched the foot-brake, she could feel the strain in the tendons of her own ankle.
A mile down the main road they stopped at a store-post-office to telephone back to Mr. Boltwood and Dr. Beach. On the porch was a man in overalls and laced boots. He was lean and quick-moving. As he raised his head, and his spectacles flashed, Claire caught Milt's arm and gasped, "Oh, my dear, I'm in a beautiful state of nerves. For a moment I thought that was Jeff Saxton. I bet it is his astral body!"
"And you thought he was going to forbid your running away on this fool expedition, and you were scared," chuckled Milt, as they sat in the car.
"Of course I was! And I still am! I know what he'll say afterward! He _is_ here, reasoning with me. Oughtn't I to be sensible? Oughtn't I to have you leave me at the Beaches' before you start--jolly jaunt to take a strange woman to her presumably homicidal husband! Why am I totally lacking in sense? Just listen to what Jeff is saying!" | who dressed somone ? | Claire |
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of the European continent. There is no consensus on the precise area it covers, partly because the term has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, cultural, and socioeconomic connotations. There are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region". A related United Nations paper adds that "every assessment of spatial identities is essentially a social and cultural construct".
One definition describes Eastern Europe as a cultural entity: the region lying in Europe with the main characteristics consisting of Greek, Byzantine, Eastern Orthodox, Russian , and some Ottoman culture influences. Another definition was created during the Cold War and used more or less synonymously with the term "Eastern Bloc". A similar definition names the formerly communist European states outside the Soviet Union as Eastern Europe. Some historians and social scientists view such definitions as outdated or relegated, but they are still sometimes used for statistical purposes.
Several other definitions of Eastern Europe exist today, but they often lack precision, are too general or outdated. These definitions vary both across cultures and among experts, even political scientists, as the term has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, cultural, and socioeconomic connotations. | Which former communist states are named as being Eastern Europe? | states outside the Soviet Union |
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble may be foliated. Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however, stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone. Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a building material.
The word "marble" derives from the Ancient Greek , from , "crystalline rock, shining stone", perhaps from the verb , "to flash, sparkle, gleam"; R. S. P. Beekes has suggested that a "Pre-Greek origin is probable."
This stem is also the basis for the English word "marmoreal", meaning "marble-like." While the English term resembles the French ', most other European languages follow the original Greek—see Persian and Irish ', Spanish ', Italian ', Portuguese ', Welsh, Slovene, German, Norwegian, Danish and Swedish ', Finnish "marmori," Romanian ', Polish ', Dutch ', Turkish '," "Czech ', and Russian ). In Hungarian it is called '.
Marble is a rock resulting from metamorphism of sedimentary carbonate rocks, most commonly limestone or dolomite rock. Metamorphism causes variable recrystallization of the original carbonate mineral grains. The resulting marble rock is typically composed of an interlocking mosaic of carbonate crystals. Primary sedimentary textures and structures of the original carbonate rock (protolith) have typically been modified or destroyed. | does the change cause something? | Yes |
The Vatican Apostolic Library (), more commonly called the Vatican Library or simply the Vat, is the library of the Holy See, located in Vatican City. Formally established in 1475, although it is much older, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. It has 75,000 codices from throughout history, as well as 1.1 million printed books, which include some 8,500 incunabula.
The Vatican Library is a research library for history, law, philosophy, science and theology. The Vatican Library is open to anyone who can document their qualifications and research needs. Photocopies for private study of pages from books published between 1801 and 1990 can be requested in person or by mail.
In March 2014, the Vatican Library began an initial four-year project of digitising its collection of manuscripts, to be made available online.
The Vatican Secret Archives were separated from the library at the beginning of the 17th century; they contain another 150,000 items.
Scholars have traditionally divided the history of the library into five periods, Pre-Lateran, Lateran, Avignon, Pre-Vatican and Vatican.
The Pre-Lateran period, comprising the initial days of the library, dated from the earliest days of the Church. Only a handful of volumes survive from this period, though some are very significant. | what must be requested to view? | unknown |
Last Saturday was the best day of Timmy's summer. After waking up at nine and turning on his lamp, Timmy ran downstairs, counting the steps as he always did. There were always seven. At the bottom, he jumped over his dog Lucky who was licking himself clean. Timmy took a bite of toast and a sip of the orange juice his mom Suzie had left on the table for him before running outside to check the mail. Before he made it down the steps, he almost tripped on a big package waiting for him. It was here! Timmy's birthday present from his grandmother Betty had arrived. He brought it into the kitchen, where his dad Ryan was waiting for him with a grin on his face. As Timmy tore into the package, he found the greatest present he could have asked for. It was a huge water gun! Timmy immediately filled it up and ran outside to begin playing. His neighbor Maeby came outside with her water hose after eating her sandwich and the two got in a water fight! Soon, Timmy's dad came outside to play too! He brought 11 water balloons. Soon all five of Timmy's friends were playing in the water with each other. Timmy's water gun was the best toy out there. It worked by winding up the handle before firing the water. Soon it was evening and Timmy's dad was firing up the grill to cook hotdogs and hamburgers for Timmy's friends and their families. | What did he turn on? | his lamp |
Diwali is perhaps the most well--known of the Hindu festivals. It is celebrated by Hindus in India and abroad. It is often called the Festival of Lights. For Hindus, Diwli is very important and it is also very exciting time for them. Normally , this holiday is celebrated in October or November and it falls on a different date each year. This year , it will be celebrated on October23. Diwali is usually celebrated for 5 days. To prepare for Diwali, Hindus spend several weeks cleaning their homes and preparing special food in order to welcome Laskhmi, the goodness of wealth into their lives. They will open the windows of their homes during this time to make sure that she can enter their home. One of other traditions of Dawali is to light up oil lamp in the homes. The oil lamps are used to make the goddess of wealth enter the homes. Hindus believe that she will not enter a home that is not lit up. During Diwali, the children in India do not have to go to school. They share gifts with one another and prepare special holiday meals to celebrate this event. Fireworks are also a big part of the Diwali festival. They are used to scare away bad spirits. | Who is she? | the goddess of wealth |
Everton were founder members of the Premier League in 1992, but struggled to find the right manager. Howard Kendall had returned in 1990 but could not repeat his previous success, while his successor, Mike Walker, was statistically the least successful Everton manager to date. When former Everton player Joe Royle took over in 1994 the club's form started to improve; his first game in charge was a 2–0 victory over derby rivals Liverpool. Royle dragged Everton clear of relegation, leading the club to the FA Cup for the fifth time in its history, defeating Manchester United 1–0 in the final.
The Tower has been inextricably linked with the Everton area since its construction in 1787. It was originally used as a bridewell to incarcerate mainly drunks and minor criminals, and it still stands today on Everton Brow in Netherfield Road. The tower was accompanied by two laurel wreaths on either side and, according to the College of Arms in London, Kelly chose to include the laurels as they were the sign of winners. The crest was accompanied by the club motto, "Nil Satis Nisi Optimum", meaning "Nothing but the best is good enough". | When was it founded? | 1992 |
Cristiano Ronaldo underlined just why Real Madrid agreed to pay him the big bucks on a scintillating evening of European football.
The 28-year-old, who inked a new five-year deal with the Spanish club on Sunday, completed a brilliant hat trick as Real raced to a 6-1 rout against Galatasaray.
Ronaldo had the final say in Istanbul as he danced past three defenders before blasting the ball into the net for his hat-trick.
Summer signing Isco had got Los Blancos off the mark when he picked up a long ball hit from beyond the halfway line by Angel di Maria and hit home after 33 minutes.
From then on it was one way traffic as Karim Benzema and Ronaldo added two goals apiece before Umut Bulut pulled one back for the Turkish champions.
The away victory saw the nine time European champions kick off a new era of European football under manager Carlo Ancelotti in some style.
A pulsating opening round of Champions League group matches featured a flurry of firsts.
Former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola safely negotiated his first match in charge of Bayern Munich's title defence with an emphatic 3-0 win over CSKA Moscow.
David Alaba hit home a dipping free kick to set the Germans on their way before Mario Mandzukic powered in a header in a dominant first half.
Arjen Robben volleyed in a scooped pass from Alaba to tick off a first European win for Guardiola and his defending champions.
David Moyes also came through his first game as Manchester United manager unscathed as the club made its first European outing without Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm since 1985. | How old is Ronaldo? | 28 |
I'd had the piggy bank for a long time. So long, in fact, that I don't really remember getting it. My aunt once told me a whole story about it, in which it was passed down through the family for many, many years, only to come to me. I was pretty little at the time, so I believed her with no question. It made me think that the bank was important. It became some sort of sign of family and togetherness. I would imagine my mom and my grandmother and even my great grandmother before that, putting coins in the little white pig and waiting for them to fill it up, to be spent on some sort of treasure. And then, when I was fifteen, I broke it.
I didn't mean to. I was cleaning my room in a hurry, so I could finish quickly and go to a friend's house. I swung the vacuum hose around too quickly, knocking the pig's shelf, and down it went. About a thousand pieces, and way fewer coins than I would have believed, flew everywhere. I started to cry.
My mother came in at the sound of the crash. "I'm so, so sorry!" I cried. "I broke the bank! I broke the family bank!" "What, Sarah?" my mother asked, kneeling next to me on the floor. "The what?" "The bank! Aunt Tracy said it was in the family for years!" "What, this? We got it for you at a garage sale when you were two. It was fifty cents." | Why did she break it? | she didn't mean to |
The 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from March 24 until August 8, 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, with the theme of "one world, one dream". Plans for the relay were announced on April 26, 2007, in Beijing, China. The relay, also called by the organizers as the "Journey of Harmony", lasted 129 days and carried the torch 137,000 km (85,000 mi) – the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition was started ahead of the 1936 Summer Olympics.
After being lit at the birthplace of the Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece on March 24, the torch traveled to the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on March 31. From Beijing, the torch was following a route passing through six continents. The torch has visited cities along the Silk Road, symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world. The relay also included an ascent with the flame to the top of Mount Everest on the border of Nepal and Tibet, China from the Chinese side, which was closed specially for the event. | Where did they go after? | Athens |
CHAPTER I
ON THE HOUSEBOAT
"Say, Tom, what's that big thing coming down the river?"
"I'm sure I don't know, Sam. It's big enough to be a house." replied Tom Rover.
"Maybe it is a house," came from Dick Rover, who was standing beside his brothers on the rear deck of the houseboat which was taking them down the Mississippi River.
"A house?" broke in a distinctly German voice. "Did you mean to said dere vos a house floating der rifer town, Dick Rofer?"
"Why not, Hansy, my boy?" replied fun-loving Tom Rover, before his big brother could answer. "Hasn't a house got a right to take a float if it wants to? Perhaps it's out for its health."
"Ach, you vos choking, Tom!" cried Hans Mueller. "Of a house been der rifer on, dere peen somedings wrong mit him alretty."
"It's a lumber raft, Hans," said Dick. "And a whopping big one, too," he added, as he took another look at the object that was approaching the houseboat.
"Hope it doesn't give us such a close shave as that raft we met two days ago," said Sam anxiously. "I was almost certain they were going to run into us."
"They have got no business to run so close to this houseboat," grumbled Tom. "They know well enough that we can't turn out of our course very well. I think some of those lumbermen are the toughest kind of citizens."
"If they get too close, I'll shout a warning through the megaphone," went on Dick, after a brief pause. "It certainly does look as if they intended to crowd us," he continued anxiously. | What was Tom's relation to Dick? | His brother. |
One upon a time there was a dragon named Jack. He was large and had big scales, but did not have claws or a mean look on his face like other dragons did. He also didn't have wings and couldn't fly. Jack lived near a castle that had a princess trapped in it. This castle looked and was guarded by an evil dragon named Ryan. The castle was old and dirty. It wasn't clean or special like many castles are thought to look. One day Jack thought that he was going to try to save the princess Linda when Ryan was sleeping that night. After sunset, he slowly walked around and climbed over the back wall. After passing many sleeping guards, Jack put his nose near the princess's tower window. She climbed out on to it and they ran off. During their escape, Ryan woke up and started chasing them. However, he was too sleepy to catch them. Jack took the princess to a nearby safe town where she thanked him and said goodbye. | Why not? | no wings |
To many students, joining social media "circles" is now more important than making new friends in real life. And it's easy. If you have a cell phone, you can download apps such as Sina Weibo, WeChat and QQ. "I love to check my friends' updates . I also enjoy news and humor shared on social media," Said Ou Wei, 14, from Hongling Middle School in Shenzhen. Because of enjoying these, Ou _ himself from real life. "I love playing the plane-shooting game on WeChat, but have no interest in playing flying chess with my classmates," said Ou. Deng Yunyun, 14, from Jianfeng Middle School in Shanghai, said that social media had influenced their life. Recently his school held a basketball match, and a student hurt his leg. Instead of giving him some help, students were busy with updating micro blogs about the accident. "I think they need to learn to balance their real and online lives," said Deng, What makes parents and teachers worried is safety. "Many students are happy to tell their interests and personal information to their social media "friends". Such information could bring them danger," said Han Songjun, a teacher at Hongling Middle School. For example, WeChat's shake-shake function allows users to connect to other users close by. But the police warn about the danger of socializing in this way. "Be careful. Do not use the locating function in any app, do not give your name, and do not post the photos of your residential area ," said the police. | what do people utilize the applications for? | o check my friends' updates news and humor |
A week can be a long time when you're one of the planet's best young skiers.
On Wednesday, Mikaela Shiffrin turned 18. On Saturday she added the World Cup slalom crown to last month's world championships title, and on Tuesday she'll be back from Europe to appear on U.S. national television.
"Hopefully I don't trip when I'm going on stage. If you knew me for longer than a day you would know that I spill things and I break things and I trip a lot. You would not think I'd be good at slalom."
But she's so good that she denied the world's best female skier this season yet another accolade at the finale in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
Tina Maze had been poised to add the slalom title to her overall, giant slalom and super-G Crystal Globes, having been denied the downhill when fog canceled racing on Shiffrin's birthday.
The Slovenian was the fastest on the opening run, and led the standings by seven points, but Shiffrin made up a 1.17-second deficit to claim her fourth World Cup race this season and become the fourth youngest woman to win the title.
She is only the third non-European to win the slalom globe, following compatriot Tamara McKinney in 1984 and Canadian Betsy Clifford in 1971. No other non-European woman has won four World Cup races in a season.
"I was freaking out, this time there was really too much emotion," said Shiffrin, who last month in Austria was the youngest winner of the slalom title at a world championships since 1974. | Who was she competing against? | world's best female skier |
The region, as part of Lorraine, was part of the Holy Roman Empire, and then was gradually annexed by France in the 17th century, and formalized as one of the provinces of France. The Calvinist manufacturing republic of Mulhouse, known as Stadtrepublik Mülhausen, became a part of Alsace after a vote by its citizens on 4 January 1798. Alsace is frequently mentioned with and as part of Lorraine and the former duchy of Lorraine, since it was a vital part of the duchy, and later because German possession as the imperial province (Alsace-Lorraine, 1871–1918) was contested in the 19th and 20th centuries; France and Germany exchanged control of parts of Lorraine (including Alsace) four times in 75 years.
With the decline of the Roman Empire, Alsace became the territory of the Germanic Alemanni. The Alemanni were agricultural people, and their Germanic language formed the basis of modern-day dialects spoken along the Upper Rhine (Alsatian, Alemannian, Swabian, Swiss). Clovis and the Franks defeated the Alemanni during the 5th century AD, culminating with the Battle of Tolbiac, and Alsace became part of the Kingdom of Austrasia. Under Clovis' Merovingian successors the inhabitants were Christianized. Alsace remained under Frankish control until the Frankish realm, following the Oaths of Strasbourg of 842, was formally dissolved in 843 at the Treaty of Verdun; the grandsons of Charlemagne divided the realm into three parts. Alsace formed part of the Middle Francia, which was ruled by the youngest grandson Lothar I. Lothar died early in 855 and his realm was divided into three parts. The part known as Lotharingia, or Lorraine, was given to Lothar's son. The rest was shared between Lothar's brothers Charles the Bald (ruler of the West Frankish realm) and Louis the German (ruler of the East Frankish realm). The Kingdom of Lotharingia was short-lived, however, becoming the stem duchy of Lorraine in Eastern Francia after the Treaty of Ribemont in 880. Alsace was united with the other Alemanni east of the Rhine into the stem duchy of Swabia. | How many? | three |
The original News Corporation or News Corp. was an American multinational mass media corporation headquartered in New York City. It was the world's fourth-largest media group in 2014 in terms of revenue. Board members include prominent former Spanish prime minister José María Aznar.
News Corporation was a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ. Formerly incorporated in Adelaide, South Australia, the company was re-incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law after a majority of shareholders approved the move on 12 November 2004. News Corporation was headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, in the newer 1960s–1970s corridor of the Rockefeller Center complex.
On 28 June 2012, after concerns from shareholders in response to its recent scandals and to "unlock even greater long-term shareholder value", Rupert Murdoch announced that News Corporation's assets would be split into two publicly traded companies, one oriented towards media, and the other towards publishing. The Corporate spin-off formally took place on 28 June 2013; where the present News Corp. was renamed 21st Century Fox and consists primarily of media outlets, while a new News Corp was formed to take on the publishing and Australian broadcasting assets.
Its major holdings at the time of the split were News Limited (a group of newspaper publishers in Murdoch's native Australia), News International (a newspaper publisher in the United Kingdom, whose properties include "The Times", "The Sun", and the now-defunct "News of the World"—which was the subject of a phone hacking scandal that led to its closure in July 2011), Dow Jones & Company (an American publisher of financial news outlets, including "The Wall Street Journal"), the book publisher HarperCollins, and the Fox Entertainment Group (owners of the 20th Century Fox film studio and the Fox Broadcasting Company—one of the United States' major television networks). | What are the names of the new companies? | 21st Century Fox and a new News Corp |
Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as facts, information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired through experience or education by perceiving, discovering, or learning.
Knowledge can refer to a theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. It can be implicit (as with practical skill or expertise) or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); it can be more or less formal or systematic. In philosophy, the study of knowledge is called epistemology; the philosopher Plato famously defined knowledge as "justified true belief", though this definition is now thought by some analytic philosophers to be problematic because of the Gettier problems while others defend the platonic definition. However, several definitions of knowledge and theories to explain it exist.
Knowledge acquisition involves complex cognitive processes: perception, communication, and reasoning; while knowledge is also said to be related to the capacity of "acknowledgment" in human beings.
The definition of knowledge is a matter of ongoing debate among philosophers in the field of epistemology. The classical definition, described but not ultimately endorsed by Plato, specifies that a statement must meet three in order to be considered knowledge: it must be justified, true, and believed. Some claim that these conditions are not sufficient, as Gettier case examples allegedly demonstrate. There are a number of alternatives proposed, including Robert Nozick's arguments for a requirement that knowledge 'tracks the truth' and Simon Blackburn's additional requirement that we do not want to say that those who meet any of these conditions 'through a defect, flaw, or failure' have knowledge. Richard Kirkham suggests that our definition of knowledge requires that the evidence for the belief necessitates its truth. | Who said knowledge is justified true belief? | Plato |
CHAPTER XIII
THE FIGHT AT THE BOATHOUSE
Inside of a week the newly-elected officers felt perfectly at home in their various positions. Captain Putnam's idea of allowing only such cadets to be candidates as could fill the positions properly had borne good fruit, and the battalion was now in better condition than ever before.
Contrary to general expectations, Larry Colby, as major, proved a strict disciplinarian when on parade. In the playground he was as "chummy" as ever, but this was cast aside when he buckled on his sword and took command.
"This is as it should be," was Captain Putnam's comment. "And it is the same throughout life: play is play and business is business."
As a captain Dick was equally successful and Tom also made a good second lieutenant. Company A was speedily voted superior to the others, when drilling and when on the march, and consequently became the flag bearer for the term.
"This is splendid!" said Dick, when the announcement was made. And then he went at Company A, to make the cadets drill and march better than ever.
But though the students gave considerable time to military matters, they were not permitted to neglect their regular studies, and to their honor be it said that the three Rover boys pitched in with a will.
"If I can't be an officer I'm going to be a high grade student anyway," said Sam, and kept his word. Books suited him better than did military glories, and soon he was at the top of his class in almost every branch of learning. | What was one of their big achievements? | they became the flag bearer for the term |
There was once a group of kittens who all liked to play together. Their names were Fluffy, Snowball, Cookie Monster, and Larry. Fluffy was the leader of the group, and whatever he said, the others did. One day he said, "Hey, everybody, let's go chase some mice." Everyone said "Yes!" except Larry. Larry did not want to chase mice. Larry wanted to drink some milk. He told Fluffy, and Fluffy only said "too bad." So everyone went off to chase mice. The next day Fluffy said, "Hey, everybody, let's go annoy the dogs." Everyone said "Yes" except Larry. Larry thought it was a bad idea. He told Fluffy, and Fluffy only said, "Too bad." So everyone went off to annoy the dogs. Except Larry. When the cats annoyed the dogs, the dogs became very angry. They started growling. They caught the kittens in their paws. The kittens yelled, "Help us!" Larry heard, and he ran over and hissed at the dogs. The dogs could not see Larry, only his shadow, which looked very big. The dogs got scared and ran away, and the kittens cheered. "Yay Larry! We'll do anything you want!" | What did they do? | annoyed the dogs |
Once there was a beautiful fish named Asta. Asta lived in the ocean. There were lots of other fish in the ocean where Asta lived. They played all day long.
One day, a bottle floated by over the heads of Asta and his friends. They looked up and saw the bottle. "What is it?" said Asta's friend Sharkie. "It looks like a bird's belly," said Asta. But when they swam closer, it was not a bird's belly. It was hard and clear, and there was something inside it.
The bottle floated above them. They wanted to open it. They wanted to see what was inside. So they caught the bottle and carried it down to the bottom of the ocean. They cracked it open on a rock. When they got it open, they found what was inside. It was a note. The note was written in orange crayon on white paper. Asta could not read the note. Sharkie could not read the note. They took the note to Asta's papa. "What does it say?" they asked.
Asta's papa read the note. He told Asta and Sharkie, "This note is from a little girl. She wants to be your friend. If you want to be her friend, we can write a note to her. But you have to find another bottle so we can send it to her." And that is what they did. | who said that | Asta. |
Comcast Corporation, formerly registered as Comcast Holdings, is an American multinational mass media company and is the largest broadcasting and largest cable company in the world by revenue. It is the second largest pay-TV company after the AT&T-DirecTV acquisition, largest cable TV company and largest home Internet service provider in the United States, and the nation's third largest home telephone service provider. Comcast services U.S. residential and commercial customers in 40 states and the District of Columbia. The company's headquarters are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Comcast operates multiple cable-only channels (including E! Entertainment Television, the Golf Channel, and NBCSN), over-the-air national broadcast network channels (NBC and Telemundo), the film production studio Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks & Resorts, with a global total of nearly 200 family entertainment locations and attractions in the U.S. and several other countries including U.A.E., South Korea, Russia and China, with several new locations reportedly planned and being developed for future operation. Comcast also has significant holding in digital distribution (thePlatform). In February 2014 the company agreed to merge with Time Warner Cable in an equity swap deal worth $45.2 billion. Under the terms of the agreement Comcast was to acquire 100% of Time Warner Cable. However, on April 24, 2015, Comcast terminated the agreement. | And how many states? | 40 states |
With his budget approved by the House, Paul Ryan is turning his attention to Iowa to headline a high-profile Republican event that will only fuel speculation he's laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run in 2016.
Lawmakers approved the Wisconsin Republican's 2015 spending plan on Thursday. But there were notable conservative defections, making his appearance at Friday's Lincoln Dinner in Cedar Rapids more interesting.
The question that confronts Ryan is whether his budget, dubbed the "path to prosperity," will help pave a path for him to compete in the early contest state in two years. Or will it prove a political liability when Republicans choose their next White House nominee?
Ryan's role as the chief fiscal expert in the GOP is the main reason he was tapped as Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012, and remains his main calling card in a potential national campaign.
Since Republicans took control of the House in 2010, top GOP leaders have deferred to the Budget Committee chairman to construct the party's blueprint to address the growing national debt.
He has shepherded four budgets through the House and brokered a deal with Democrats last fall to avoid another government shutdown and possible default on the nation's credit limit.
Ryan budget details
Some say not aggressive enough
But that resume has not won over some tea party groups who believe Ryan isn't' being aggressive enough about slashing the size of the federal government.
The group of fiscal conservatives in the House introduced an alternative budget that balances the federal budget in four years, instead of the 10 years in Ryan's plan. | To do what? | to avoid another government shutdown |
Jean is a young girl who comes from a rich and famous family. She goes to a good university and has almost everything that money can buy. The problem is that Jean's family are so busy that they can hardly find time to be with her. Jean is quite lonely . So she spends a lot of time on her QQ. She likes being anonymous , talking to people who do not know about her famous family and her rich life. She uses the name Linda on QQ and has made a lot of friends. Last year Jean made a very special friend on QQ. His name was David and he lived in San Francisco. David was full of stories and jokes. He and Jean had the same interest in rock music and modern dance. So it always took them hours to talk happily on QQ and sometimes they even forgot their time. Of course, they wanted to know more about each other. David sent a picture of himself. He was a tall, good-looking young man with big, happy smile. As time went by, they became good friends and often sent cards and small things to each other. When Jean's father told her that he was going on a business trip to San Francisco, she asked him to let her go with him. She wanted to give David a surprise for his birthday. She would take him the latest DVD of a rock singer. But when she knocked on David's door in San Francisco, she found that her special friend was a 70-year-old man named Jim! How disappointed Jean was! | Does she tell others who she is there? | no |
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of . Wales has over of coastline and is largely mountainous, with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon (), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate.
Welsh national identity emerged among the Celtic Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century; "Plaid Cymru" was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the National Assembly for Wales holds responsibility for a range of . | Which geographical entity is wales on? | island of Great Britain |
Going on a road trip? The St. Louis Arch, Statue of Liberty and Golden Gate Bridge are great tourist sites. But if you prefer _ destinations, check out the following roadside attractions.
World's Largest Ball of Paint
Alexandria, Ind.
In 1977, Michael Carmichael set out to create the biggest ball of paint anywhere. Starting with a baseball as center, he painted layer after layer of paint day after day, year after year. The ball weighs more than 1,300 pounds, with more than 20,000 coats of paint, which is recognized by Guinness World Records. Visitors can paint the ball themselves and become part of history.
The Museum of Dirt
Boston, Mass.
The museum is the idea of Glenn Johnson. Labeled glass bottles contain such treasures as dirt from the Great Wall of China, as well as sand from a desert in Saudi Arabia and Omaha Beach in France. Best of all, the cost of seeing this museum is dirt cheap: It's free.
Mount Horeb Mustard Museum
Mount Horeb, Wis.
It's heaven for hotdog lovers! This museum claims to have the world's largest collection of prepared mustard . Its more than 4, 100 bottles of spices come from 60 nations, including Turkey and China. Visitors learn the history of mustard, from how it's made to how it's advertised and sold. The museum's creator, Barry Levenson, loves mustard so much that he even puts it on ice cream!
Paper House
Rockport, Mass.
Swedish immigrant Ellis Stenman was much ahead of his time in 1922, when he started to build a two-room house almost entirely out of newspaper. At the time, people didn't give much, if any, thought to recycling paper. In fact, "recycling" wasn't even a word yet. The house is framed with wood, but the walls are made of 215 layers of newspaper. In all, he used about 100,000 newspapers. ks5u | How do Museum of Dirt sight seers know where each sample comes from? | Labeled bottles |
Rafael Nadal must get past big-serving home hope Andy Roddick to have a shot at his first title in 11 months at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.
The Spanish fourth seed crushed No. 8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 6-3 6-2 on Wednesday night to move into the semifinals of the ATP Tour event, which has already seen top-ranked Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray fall by the wayside.
Sixth seed Roddick is hoping to repeat his 2004 victory, with the American in similarly dominant form as he dispatched Nadal's 33rd-seeded compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-3.
Nadal, twice a losing finalist in the southern American city, also reached the last four at Indian Wells two weeks ago on his return from a knee injury.
"When you play against Andy, it always is a big challenge," he told the ATP Tour Web site.
"His serve, and he's a very good competitor. He's a winner. Gonna be a very tough match, no? I think I have to play my best tennis to try to win."
Roddick, who has not dropped a set so far, will take on a player who will return to No. 3 in the world rankings next week following defending champion Murray's second-round exit.
He reached the final at Indian Wells before losing to Nadal's conqueror Ivan Ljubicic, and was also a semifinalist in Miami in 2008.
"Sometimes when you're not playing well, everything feels a little bit forced. When you play a lot of matches and play a high level, it feels like everything kind of slows down a little bit," he told the ATP site. | What victory does he want to duplicate? | 2004 |
South African leader Jacob Zuma was in neighboring Zimbabwe this week to rescue the seemingly crumbling power-sharing government of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
The South African president's visit Friday to the capital, Harare, follows escalating tensions between the two leaders, with Tsvangirai this week taking Mugabe to court for making unilateral decisions in the 21-month-old government.
After a more than six-hour meeting with Mugabe and Tsvangirai, who have not been on speaking terms for close to a month, Zuma said he had managed to break the impasse between the two.
"We have met and we have had successful consultations on a number of issues," Zuma told journalists. "They were small issues. There had been a breakdown of communication with the leaders of the government which have been resolved, and meetings will resume."
Zuma joked and smiled with journalists, but that was not the case with Mugabe and Tsvangirai, who remained tense throughout the short press briefing. They refused to talk to journalists as they separately left the meetings.
"No comment. No comment. Talk to the mediator, President Zuma," Tsvangirai told journalists about how his meeting with Zuma and Mugabe went. Mugabe just waved to reporters before he jumped into his car.
Zuma -- who was appointed by regional leaders to monitor Zimbabwe's fragile coalition government and mediate -- said he would brief his counterparts in the 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) about the tension in Zimbabwe.
The friction between Zimbabwe's leaders worsened this week when Tsvangirai went to court to reverse unilateral appointments Mugabe made of senior government officials such as attorney general and several diplomats. | Who was at the meeting? | Zuma, Mugabe and Tsvangira. |
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission is urging would-be voters to turn out for the scheduled voter registration session in January, in hopes for a "free fair and credible elections in 2011," a Commission spokesman said Thursday.
"This reassurance is necessary against the backdrop of the theft of some Direct Data Capture machines at the Lagos airport, " said Kayode Robert Idowu, a Commission spokesman in a press statement.
On Tuesday, 20 voting machines were stolen at the Lagos airport, out of a total of 6,000 brought into the country by Zinox Technologies Ltd., Idowu said. Sixteen machines have been recovered so far and security agents are investigating the case, he said.
The equipment, meant for registering voters for the upcoming election in Nigeria, is comprised of laptops and webcams. It was stolen from a clearing point at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, said Idowu.
The equipment was the first consignment ordered to help register voters for the 2011 elections.
The presidential election is expected to take place in April 9.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who became president after the death of Umaru Yar'Adua earlier this year, is running for election to the office. He will be challenged in the primaries by another former vice president of Nigeria.
Atiku Abubakar is the consensus candidate put forward by a bloc of leaders from Nigeria's influential Northern Political Leaders Forum, which announced in September that it would name someone to take on Jonathan in the presidential primaries for the People's Democratic Party. | Out of how many? | 6,000 |
CHAPTER XV.
AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL.
It was really the princess who saved aunt Dorcas's home from destruction. Had she not seen Dan Fernald, as he made his way through the orchard, the barn would most likely have been in a blaze before Joe or Plums were aware of the fact.
Thanks to her warning, Joe saw the smoke before the fire gathered headway, and when he arrived on the scene, the flames had but just fastened upon the side of the barn.
Plums, aroused to something like activity by the knowledge of danger, followed Joe with remarkable promptness, and the amount of water thus brought by both was sufficient to extinguish what, a few moments later, would have been a conflagration.
Not until he had pulled the charred sticks from beneath the end of the barn, and assured himself every spark had been drowned out, did Joe speak, and then it was to relieve his mind by making threats against the would-be incendiary.
"It's all well enough for a woman like aunt Dorcas to tell about doin' good to them what tries to hurt you, for she couldn't so much as put up her hands. If you keep on forgivin' duffers like Dan Fernald, you're bound to be in such scrapes as this all the time. What he needed was a sound thumpin', when he begun talkin' so rough to aunt Dorcas; then he wouldn't dared to try a game of this kind. When I get hold of him again, I'll make up for lost time." | Who was the other person who helped Joe in putting out the fire? | Plums |
CHAPTER XXX
FERN Mullins rushed into the house on a Saturday morning early in September and shrieked at Carol, "School starts next Tuesday. I've got to have one more spree before I'm arrested. Let's get up a picnic down the lake for this afternoon. Won't you come, Mrs. Kennicott, and the doctor? Cy Bogart wants to go--he's a brat but he's lively."
"I don't think the doctor can go," sedately. "He said something about having to make a country call this afternoon. But I'd love to."
"That's dandy! Who can we get?"
"Mrs. Dyer might be chaperon. She's been so nice. And maybe Dave, if he could get away from the store."
"How about Erik Valborg? I think he's got lots more style than these town boys. You like him all right, don't you?"
So the picnic of Carol, Fern, Erik, Cy Bogart, and the Dyers was not only moral but inevitable.
They drove to the birch grove on the south shore of Lake Minniemashie. Dave Dyer was his most clownish self. He yelped, jigged, wore Carol's hat, dropped an ant down Fern's back, and when they went swimming (the women modestly changing in the car with the side curtains up, the men undressing behind the bushes, constantly repeating, "Gee, hope we don't run into poison ivy"), Dave splashed water on them and dived to clutch his wife's ankle. He infected the others. Erik gave an imitation of the Greek dancers he had seen in vaudeville, and when they sat down to picnic supper spread on a lap-robe on the grass, Cy climbed a tree to throw acorns at them. | Was there a chaperone? | Yes |
Baby sign language is a growing movement. Pointing to a color1ful flower, Campbell lifts her baby's soft hand, and rapidly moves it from one side of his nose to the other as she sniffs ."Flower!" she says loudly. Gregory smiles and looks carefully. It could be a year before Gregory, 4 months old, can speak, but now his mother hopes to communicate with her baby through sign language.
Like others around the world, Campbell is part of a growing movement of parents teaching hearing babies simple signs to communicate before they can talk. The baby sign language has been more popular in recent years. The movie,"Meet the Fockers",where the main character teaches his young grandson to sign, makes it well developed.
Babies generally begin to talk between 12 and 15 months, but babies can use sign language to communicate before they learn how to speak.
"We know they are learning language faster than they are able to show you with their speech production because that system takes a long time to develop." says McRoberts, director of developmental research at the Haskins Laboratories.
"They are understanding words before they are able to say them. From around 16 to 18 months, they might say 50 words but understand 200.They understand short sentences well." says McRoberts.
Studies have shown deaf children learn to use sign language earlier than hearing children learn to speak meaningfully. As to whether hearing babies can communicate earlier with sign language, McRoberts says,"I think that's still unknown. It may not. I'm very interested in that very question." | what do studies show about babies who can't hear? | deaf children learn to use sign language earlier than hearing children learn to speak meaningfully |
I was doing a weekend seminar at the Deerhurst Lodge, north of Toronto. On Friday night a tornado swept through a town north of us called Barrie, killing dozens of people and doing millions of dollars worth of damage. Sunday night, as I was coming home, I stopped the car when I got to Barrie. I got out on the side of the highway and looked around. It was a mess. Everywhere I looked there were smashed houses and cars turned upside down.
That same night Bob Templeton was driving down the same highway. He stopped to look at the disaster just as I had; only his thoughts were different than my own. Bob was the vice-president of Telemedia Communications, which owns a string of radio stations in Ontario and Quebec. He thought there must be something we could do for these people with the radio stations they had.
The following night I was doing another seminar in Toronto. Bob Templeton and Bob Johnson, another vice-president from Telemedia, came in and stood in the back of the room. They shared their conviction that there had to be something they could do for the people in Barrie.
After the seminar we went back to Bob's office. He was now committed to the idea of helping the people who had been caught in the tornado.
The following Friday he called all the executives at Telemedia into his office. At the top of a flip chart he wrote three 3s. He said to his executives, "How would you like to raise 3 million dollars 3 days from now in just 3 hours and give the money to the people in Barrie?" There was nothing but silence in the room.
Finally someone said, "Templeton, you're crazy. There is no way we could do that."
Bob said, "Wait a minute. I didn't ask you if we could or even if we should. I just asked you if you'd like to."
They all said, "Sure we'd like to." He then drew a large 'T' underneath the 333. On one side he wrote, "Why we can't." On the other side he wrote, "How we can."
"I'm going to put a big X on the 'Why we can't' side. We're not going to spend any time on the ideas of why we can't. That's of no value. On the other side we're going to write down every idea that we can come up with on how we can. We're not going to leave the room until we figure it out." There was silence again.
Finally, someone said, "We could do a radio show across Canada."
Bob said, "That's a great idea," and wrote it down. Before he had it written, someone said, "You can't do a radio show across Canada. We don't have radio stations across Canada." That was a pretty valid objection. They only had stations in Ontario and Quebec.
Templeton replied, " _ ." But this was a real strong objection because radio stations are not very compatible . They usually don't work together. They are very cutthroat. They fight each other. To get them to work together would be virtually impossible according to the standard way of thinking.
All of a sudden someone said, "We could get Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson, the biggest names in Canadian broadcasting, to anchor the show." (That would be like getting Tom Brokaw and Sam Donaldson to anchor the show. They are anchors on national TV. They are not going to go on radio.) At that point, it was absolutely amazing how fast and furious the creative ideas began to flow.
That was on a Friday. The following Tuesday they had a radiothon . They had fifty radio stations all across the country that agreed to broadcast it. It didn't matter who got the credit as long as the people in Barrie got the money. Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson anchored the show and they succeeded in raising three million dollars in three hours within three business days!
You see, you can do anything if you put your focus on how to do it rather than on why you can't. | How many people? | Dozens. |
Closing arguments were made Friday in the trial of Steven Hayes, the man accused of killing three members of a Connecticut family in a 2007 home invasion.
Jurors are expected to begin deliberations as early as midday Monday.
Hayes, 47, who has entered a plea of not guilty, is currently on trial in New Haven, Connecticut, for the murders of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters.
The killings took place in the New Haven suburb of Cheshire in the early hours of July 23, 2007. The home of Dr. William Petit, his wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit, and two daughters was invaded in the middle of the night by Hayes and co-defendant Joshua Komisarjevsky, prosecutors say.
Komisarjevsky will be tried separately.
Prosecutor Michael Dearington laid out an elaborate timeline of events, fully implicating both Hayes and Komisarjevsky in the gruesome killings.
"We've reached the point where very shortly this case will be in your hands," he told jurors. "I doubt you could have comprehended how horrendous this evidence would be."
Earlier in the week, a trial witness -- a Connecticut prison officer -- testified that he overheard Hayes confess to another inmate that he killed Hawke-Petit. Hayes also reportedly wondered out loud whether Petit might have been in cahoots with his co-defendant, Komisarjevsky, because Petit had been able to escape.
Hayes said he had tied the father in the basement of the home himself, and that he doubted he could have gotten loose without help from Komisarjevsky, the witness -- Jeremiah Krob -- testified. | Why did he think his partner in crime might have been working with Dr. Petit? | Because Petit had been able to escape |
Chapter 21: The Capture Of Quebec.
On the day on which he received James' report, Wolfe issued his orders for the attack. Colonel Burton, at Point Levi, was to bring up every man who could be spared, to assist in the enterprise, and that officer accordingly marched to the spot indicated for embarkation, after nightfall, with 1200 men.
As night approached, the main fleet, under Admiral Saunders, below Quebec, ranged itself opposite Beauport, and opened a tremendous cannonade, while the boats were lowered, and filled with sailors and marines. Montcalm, believing that the movements of the English above the town were only a feint, and that their main body was still below it, massed his troops in front of Beauport, to repel the expected landing.
To Colonel Howe, of the Light Infantry, was given the honour of leading the little party, who were to suddenly attack Vergor's camp, at the head of the path. James Walsham, knowing the way, was to accompany him as second in command. Twenty-four picked men volunteered to follow them. Thirty large troop boats, and some boats belonging to the ships, were in readiness, and 1700 men took their places in them.
The tide was still flowing, and, the better to deceive the French, the vessels and boats were allowed to drift upwards for a little distance, as if to attempt to effect a landing above Cap Rouge. Wolfe had, that day, gained some intelligence which would assist him to deceive the enemy, for he learned that a number of boats, laden with provisions from Quebec, were coming down with the tide. | To who? | Colonel Howe |
A lawsuit has been filed claiming that the iconic Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven" was far from original.
The suit, filed on May 31 in the United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, was brought by the estate of the late musician Randy California against the surviving members of Led Zeppelin and their record label. The copyright infringement case alleges that the Zeppelin song was taken from the single "Taurus" by the 1960s band Spirit, for whom California served as lead guitarist.
"Late in 1968, a then new band named Led Zeppelin began touring in the United States, opening for Spirit," the suit states. "It was during this time that Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin's guitarist, grew familiar with 'Taurus' and the rest of Spirit's catalog. Page stated in interviews that he found Spirit to be 'very good' and that the band's performances struck him 'on an emotional level.' "
One of the causes of action for the suit is listed as "Falsification of Rock N' Roll History" and the typeface in the section headings of the filing resembles that used for Led Zeppelin album covers. According to claims in the suit, "Parts of 'Stairway to Heaven,' instantly recognizable to the music fans across the world, sound almost identical to significant portions of 'Taurus.' "
The estate is seeking court ordered damages and writing credit for California, born Randy Craig Wolfe. Part of the defense includes a printed interview conducted with California prior to his death from drowning in 1997. In the 1997 interview with Listener Magazine, the guitarist claims that some of the music from "Stairway to Heaven" was taken from his group's song. | How did he die? | drowning |
Once upon a time, a horse, a cow, a ox, and a donkey were playing outside when they got really hungry. So, they went to a drive-in to get some lunch. The horse ordered a cheeseburger. The cow ordered a chili dog. The ox ordered a chicken sandwich. And the donkey ordered a fish sandwich. The horse ordered fries. The cow ordered onion rings. The ox ordered a baked potato. The donkey ordered a side salad. The horse had ketchup on his cheeseburger. The cow had mayonnaise on his chili dog. The ox had mustard on his chicken sandwich. And the donkey had Miracle Whip on his fish sandwich. But the restaurant didn't get any of the orders right because they had their sauces mixed up. The ketchup got mixed up with the Miracle Whip. The mayonnaise got mixed up with the ketchup. The mustard got mixed up with the mayonnaise. And the Miracle Whip got mixed up with the mustard. The Miracle Whip was red. The ketchup was yellow. The mayonnaise was blue. And the mustard was green. | Was the ketchup blue? | No |
Having just quit a highly moneymaking job with tech giant Microsoft in the United States,where he'd made millions working as a program manager, _
What Awuah wanted was to create a university in his native Ghana.a state-of-the-art education centre that would help educate the country's next generation of leaders.Awuah moved with his family,back to Ghana.There,he invested his own money and with the help of other donors he founded Ashesi University.
"Africa needs to have a renaissance ," says Awuah as he explained what drove him to
take the risky decision."The world needs to change in this way and I strongly believe that people like me need to be part of the solution;I need to be really actively involved in helping to drive this change in Africa''
Located about an hour's drive from the capital Accra,Ashesi,which appropriately translates to "beginning," is the first Ghanaian university to combine technical majors with a liberal arts approach.Its campus,set on 100 acres in a town called Berekuso,was designed to be inspiring for the more than 500 young Ghanaians studying there.
"So when I look at universities I see Africa fast--forward 30 years.When this 20-year-old is now in his or her 50s,that person is going to be a leader."
Today Ashesi,which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year,offers degrees in business,
information systems and computer science.There are plans to offer engineering and economics majors in the near future.The school's graduation rate is between 70%and 90%,according to Awuah.
In our last freshman class,50% of the students paid full tuition ,25%were on full
scholarships and 25%on partial scholarships ,"he said."The reason why variety is so important is that the most important conversation on campus is a conversation about the good society--what is the good society we would like to see in Africa? That conversation is a lot more interesting if you have variety in the classroom,"adds Awuah. . | why did he leave? | He wanted was to create a university. |
In the Roman era, copper was principally mined on Cyprus, the origin of the name of the metal from aes сyprium (metal of Cyprus), later corrupted to сuprum, from which the words copper (English), cuivre (French), Koper (Dutch) and Kupfer (German) are all derived. Its compounds are commonly encountered as copper(II) salts, which often impart blue or green colors to minerals such as azurite, malachite and turquoise and have been widely used historically as pigments. Architectural structures built with copper corrode to give green verdigris (or patina). Decorative art prominently features copper, both by itself and in the form of pigments.
Copper occurs naturally as native copper and was known to some of the oldest civilizations on record. It has a history of use that is at least 10,000 years old, and estimates of its discovery place it at 9000 BC in the Middle East; a copper pendant was found in northern Iraq that dates to 8700 BC. There is evidence that gold and meteoric iron (but not iron smelting) were the only metals used by humans before copper. The history of copper metallurgy is thought to have followed the following sequence: 1) cold working of native copper, 2) annealing, 3) smelting, and 4) the lost wax method. In southeastern Anatolia, all four of these metallurgical techniques appears more or less simultaneously at the beginning of the Neolithic c. 7500 BC. However, just as agriculture was independently invented in several parts of the world, copper smelting was invented locally in several different places. It was probably discovered independently in China before 2800 BC, in Central America perhaps around 600 AD, and in West Africa about the 9th or 10th century AD. Investment casting was invented in 4500–4000 BC in Southeast Asia and carbon dating has established mining at Alderley Edge in Cheshire, UK at 2280 to 1890 BC. Ötzi the Iceman, a male dated from 3300–3200 BC, was found with an axe with a copper head 99.7% pure; high levels of arsenic in his hair suggest his involvement in copper smelting. Experience with copper has assisted the development of other metals; in particular, copper smelting led to the discovery of iron smelting. Production in the Old Copper Complex in Michigan and Wisconsin is dated between 6000 and 3000 BC. Natural bronze, a type of copper made from ores rich in silicon, arsenic, and (rarely) tin, came into general use in the Balkans around 5500 BC. | What was found in North Iraq? | A copper pendant |
CHAPTER XL
CAPTAIN ICHABOD PUTS THE CASE
In the river at Bridgetown lay the good brig King and Queen, just arrived from Jamaica. On her deck was an impatient young gentleman, leaning over the rail and watching the approach of a boat, with two men rowing and a passenger in the stern.
This impatient young man was Dickory Charter, that morning arrived at Bridgetown and not yet having been on shore. He came for the purpose of settling some business affairs, partly on account of Miss Kate Bonnet and partly for his mother.
As the boat came nearer, Dickory recognised one of the men who were rowing and hailed him.
"Heigho! Tom Hilyer," he cried, "I am right glad to see you on this river again. I want a boat to go to my mother's house; know you of one at liberty?"
The man ceased rowing for a moment and then addressed the passenger in the stern, who, having heard what he had to say, nodded briefly.
"Well, well, Dick Charter!" cried out the man, "and have you come back as governor of the colony? You look fine enough, anyway. But if you want a boat to go to your mother's old home, you can have a seat in this one; we're going there, and our passenger does not object."
"Pull up here," cried Dickory, and in a moment he had dropped into the bow of the boat, which then proceeded on its way.
The man in the stern was fairly young, handsome, sunburned, and well dressed in a suit of black. When Dickory thanked him for allowing him to share his boat the passenger in the stern nodded his head with a jerk and an air which indicated that he took the incident as a matter of course, not to be further mentioned or considered. | What | if he knew of a boat to get to his mother's house |
A patient on the brink of death has received the world's first self--contained artificial heart--a battery--powered device about the size of a softball that runs without the need for wires,tubes sticking out of the chest.It is powered by a small battery pack worn outside the body that transmits current through the skin.
Two surgeons from the University of Louisville implanted the titanium and plastic pump during a seven-hour operation at Jewish Hospital Monday.The hospital said the patient was''awake and responsive''Tuesday and resting comibrtably.It refused to eve personal details.
The patient had been expected to die within a month without the operation, and doctors said they expected the artificial heart to extend the person's life by only a month.But the device is considered a major step toward inlproving the patient's quality of life.
The new pump,called AbioCor,is also a technological leap from the mechanical hearts used in the l980s, which were attached by wires and tubes to large machinery outside the body.The most famous of those, the Jarvic-7,used air as a pumping device and was attached to an apparatus about the size of a washing machine.
''I think it's potentially a major step forward in the artificial heart development,''said Dr.David Faxon,president of the American heart Association.However,he said the dream of an implantable,permanent artificial heart is not yet a reality:''This is obviously an experimental device whose long--term success has to be demonstrated."Only about half of the 4,200 Americans on a waiting list for donor hearts received them last year,and most of the rest died.
Some doctors,including Robert Higgins,chairman of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond,said artificial hearts are unlikely to replace donor hearts."A donor heart in a good transplant can last l5 to 30 years.''he said.''It's going be hard replace that with a machine.'' | How was the persons health before? | expected to die within a month |
Lisa was running late. Lisa, 25, had a lot to do at work,plus visitors on the way: her parents were coming in for Thanksgiving from her hometown. But as she hurried down the subway stairs, she started to feel uncomfortably warm. By the time she got to the platform, Lisa felt weak and tired-maybe it hadn't been a good idea to give blood the night before, she thought. She rested herself against a post close to the tracks.
Several yards away, Frank, 43, and his girlfriend, Jennifer, found a spot close to where the front of the train would stop. They were deep in discussion about a house they were thinking of buying.
But when he heard the scream, followed by someone yelling, "Oh, my God, she fell in!" Frank didn't hesitate. He jumped down to the tracks and ran some 40 feet toward the body lying on the rails. "No! Not you! " his girlfriend screamed after him.
She was right to be alarmed. By the time Frank reached Lisa, he could feel the tracks shaking and see the light coming. The train was about 20 seconds from the station.
It was hard to lift her. She was just out. But he managed to raise her the four feet to the platform so that bystanders could hold her by the arms and drag her away from the edge. That was where Lisa briefly regained consciousness, felt herself being pulled along the ground, and saw someone else holding her purse.
Lisa thought she'd been robbed. A woman held her hand and a man gave his shirt to help stop the blood pouring from her head. And she tried to talk but she couldn't, and that was when she realized how much pain she was in.
Police and fire officials soon arrived, and Frank told the story to an officer. Jennifer said her boyfriend was calm on their 40-minute train ride downtown-just as he had been seconds after the rescue, which made her think about her reaction at the time. "I saw the train coming and I was thinking he was going to die." she explained. | What was she givin to stop the bleeding | a man's shirt |
CHAPTER III.
A RAFT.
Forester and Marco did not take breakfast on board the steamboat, but waited until they got on shore. They had inquired of a fellow-passenger, who seemed acquainted with the country, and were told that there was a very good tavern about a quarter of a mile from the mill.
When they landed upon the logs, Marco, whose curiosity seemed to be stronger than his appetite, wanted to ramble about for a little time along the shore and among the piles of boards, but Forester thought it would be best first to go and get their breakfast.
"Because," said he, "we can then amuse ourselves by rambling about here, and shall be ready to return to the steamboat whenever they send for us."
So they went to the tavern.
Forester seemed to have little appetite for his breakfast. He complained of feeling fatigued, and yet he had nothing to fatigue him. Marco ate, and talked fast all the time; but Forester seemed silent and dejected.
"Come, cousin Forester, what is the matter with you?" said Marco at last.
Forester said that he felt somewhat unwell, and as there was a sofa in the room, he concluded to lie down upon it, and not go out. Marco was, at first, disposed to stay and take care of him, but Forester said that he did not need anything, and he wished Marco to go out and amuse himself.
"You may go and see the mill," said he, "and the logs along the shore; only be careful not to go where there is any danger; and come and let me know when the boat is coming from the steamer to take us on board again." | What did they land on | the logs |
CHAPTER VIII
And these two, as I have told you, Were the friends of Hiawatha, Chibiabos, the musician, And the very strong man, Kwasind. --Hiawatha
Torpenhow was paging the last sheets of some manuscript, while the Nilghai, who had come for chess and remained to talk tactics, was reading through the first part, commenting scornfully the while.
"It's picturesque enough and it's sketchy," said he; "but as a serious consideration of affairs in Eastern Europe, it's not worth much."
"It's off my hands at any rate. . . . Thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine slips altogether, aren't there? That should make between eleven and twelve pages of valuable misinformation. Heigh-ho!" Torpenhow shuffled the writing together and hummed--
'Young lambs to sell, young lambs to sell, If I'd as much money as I could tell, I never would cry, Young lambs to sell!'"
Dick entered, self-conscious and a little defiant, but in the best of tempers with all the world.
"Back at last?" said Torpenhow.
"More or less. What have you been doing?"
"Work. Dickie, you behave as though the Bank of England were behind you. Here's Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday gone and you haven't done a line. It's scandalous."
"The notions come and go, my children--they come and go like our 'baccy," he answered, filling his pipe. "Moreover," he stooped to thrust a spill into the grate, "Apollo does not always stretch his----Oh, confound your clumsy jests, Nilghai!"
"This is not the place to preach the theory of direct inspiration," said the Nilghai, returning Torpenhow's large and workmanlike bellows to their nail on the wall. "We believe in cobblers" wax. La!--where you sit down." | Did he stay | yes |
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
FRIENDS AND FOES--PLOTS AND COUNTERPLOTS--THE RANCH IN DANGER.
In a few minutes the sound of heavy feet and gruff voices was heard in the outside passage, and next moment ten men filed into the room and saluted their chief heartily.
Charlie felt an almost irresistible tendency to open his eyes, but knew that the risk was too great, and contented himself with his ears. These told him pretty eloquently what was going on, for suddenly, the noise of voices and clattering of footsteps ceased, a dead silence ensued, and Charlie knew that the whole band were gazing at him with wide open eyes and, probably, open mouths. Their attention had been directed to the stranger by the chief. The silence was only momentary, however.
"Now, don't begin to whisper, pards," said Buck Tom, in a slightly sarcastic tone. "When will ye learn that there is nothing so likely to waken a sleeper as whisperin'? Be natural--be natural, and tell me, as softly as ye can in your natural tones, what has brought you back so soon. Come, Jake, you have got the quietest voice. The poor man is pretty well knocked up and needs rest. I brought him here."
"Has he got much?" the sentence was completed by Jake significantly slapping his pocket.
"A goodish lot. But come, sit down and out wi' the news. Something must be wrong."
"Wall, I guess that somethin' _is_ wrong. Everything's wrong, as far as I can see. The Redskins are up, an' the troops are out, an' so it seemed o' no use our goin' to bust up the ranch of Roarin' Bull, seein' that the red devils are likely to be there before us. So we came back here, an' I'm glad you've got suthin' in the pot, for we're about as empty as kettledrums." | What was he sure was happening? | The whole band was gazing at him. |
There are many kinds of heroes.Even animals can be heroes.This passage tells about three amazing animals.Each one is a hero! Thumper, the Dog Thumper was a dog that lived with a family which had a three-year-old son named Benjamin.One day Benjamin wandered into a large field. The grass in the field was taller than he was, so he could not find his way out.Hundreds of people began to search for Benjamin.When they found him, they saw Thumper stayed with Benjamin and kept him warm.So Benjamin had stayed safe. Lulu, the Pig The Altsmans had a pet pig named Lulu.One summer the couple went camping and took Lulu with them.The husband went fishing one morning.The wife didn't feel well, so she and Lulu stayed in the camper.Suddenly Mrs.Altsman fell to the floor.Lulu pushed the camper door open and climbed out for help.When a car came by, she lay down in front of it.When the driver got out, Lulu led him back to the camper.The man called for help and Mrs.Altsman was taken to hospital. Sugar, the Cat Sugar was a beautiful cat.Three years ago she wandered onto the Woods' farm in California and Mrs.Woods began feeding her.Mrs.Woods noticed something wrong with the cat's left leg, but this didn't make Sugar any less special.Mrs.Woods loved Sugar.Later the couple moved to a new farm in Oklahoma. They gave Sugar to a neighbor who would take good care of her, because they knew she wouldn't like riding in cars for days.However, Sugar walked across deserts and mountains and traveled more than 1,500 miles to the Woods' new farm! Mr.and Mrs.Woods could hardly believe their eyes.No one knows how Sugar found her way to Oklahoma. | What state did she live in? | California |
CHAPTER II.
AN ADVENTURE AT GIB
It was on the 1st of February, 1854, that the "Falcon" sailed from Portsmouth for the East, and ten days later she dropped her anchor at Gibraltar harbor. Jack Archer was by this time thoroughly at home. In the week's hard work during the preparation for sea at Portsmouth, he had learned as much of the names of the ropes, and the various parts of the ship, as he would have done in a couple of months at sea, and had become acquainted with his new ship-mates. So great had been the pressure of work, that he had escaped much of the practical joking to which a new-comer on board ship, as at school, is generally subject.
He had for comrades four midshipmen; one of these, Simmons, had already nearly served his time, and was looking forward to the war as giving him a sure promotion; two others, Delafield and Hawtry, had already served for two or three years at sea, although only a year or so older than Jack, while the fourth, Herbert Coveney, was a year younger, and was, like Jack, a new hand. There were also in the berth two master's mates, young men of from twenty to two-and-twenty. With all of these Jack, with his high spirits, good-tempered face, merry laugh, soon became a favorite.
During the first two days at sea he had suffered the usual agonies from sea-sickness. But before reaching Gibraltar he had got his sea-legs and was regularly doing duty, being on the watch of the second lieutenant, Mr. Pierson. | what did he want out of the war? | A promotion |
Korea is a historic country in East Asia, since 1945 divided into two distinct sovereign states: North Korea (officially the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea") and South Korea (officially the "Republic of Korea"). Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast. It is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
Korea emerged as a singular political entity after centuries of conflict among the Three Kingdoms of Korea, which were unified as Later Silla to the south and Balhae to the north. Later Silla divided into three separate states during the Later Three Kingdoms period. Goryeo, which had succeeded Goguryeo, defeated the two other states and united the Korean Peninsula. Around the same time, Balhae collapsed and its last crown prince fled south to Goryeo. Goryeo (also spelled as "Koryŏ"), whose name developed into the modern exonym "Korea", was a highly cultured state that created the world's first metal movable type in 1234. However, multiple invasions by the Mongol Yuan Dynasty during the 13th century greatly weakened the nation, which eventually agreed to become a vassal state after decades of fighting. Following the Yuan Dynasty's collapse, severe political strife followed, and Goryeo eventually fell to a coup led by General Yi Seong-gye, who established Joseon in 1392. | During these conflicts, what was the southern kingdom called? | Silla |
Recently, we were given the opportunity to review a book written by a young author. When we received it, I noted how beautifully done it was. While often the case---we see beautifully written and illustrated books all the time---but how often do they come from a 10-year-old? Sewing a Friendship, written by a creative and talented young girl named Natalie Tinti, is such a book. Developing friendships is an area that Natalie Tinti has researched in her own life. In her book, Sewing a Friendship, she tells what great things can happen if kids take a step toward friendship. Tinti's characters in Sewing a Friendship have colorful and creative personalities. Jonsy Jipsy loves singing and belly dance. Sokron Blossom lives in a neat and tidy world and loves to read fashion magazines. Meeka likes brain games and Nina is happy with her life and the music it brings her. All but one of the characters seems happy with their lives. One of the girls, Kiki Shaver, was sad to live in a small home with her aunt and uncle. She had no friend and didn't know how to make them. When four girls invites her into the circle of their friendship, it's no wonder that Kiki is hesitant and uneasy. The story continues as the four girls invite and accept a " not so likeable" girl into their circle to win a fashion show. The girls feel a strong bond of friendship after the show. Kiki then understands that taking a step towards friendship is better than being alone. All the girls learn that by having the courage to include others, you can " sew a friendship". Today, it seems that almost every news headline begins with a child's suicide---or murder---because of being bullied ,not having friends or family to discuss issues with and feelings of low self -respect. What's causing these senseless terrible events? If more kids would invite the outcasts into their circle of friends, lives would be saved as well as pointed in another direction. Natalie Tinti finds her voice in Sewing a Friendship ---and shows a talent that's rare for such a young girl. Recommended reading for all young adult fans. | how does Kiki react when she's invited to be friends? | Kiki is hesitant and uneasy |
Momentum is mounting against the NCAA, the century-old body that governs college sports.
A federal judge has just heard one case calling for revenue from TV deals to be shared with student athletes and she will likely take on two more landmark suits this year that seek something even bigger -- a free market in college sports.
At the same time, Northwestern University is appealing a ruling that would allow football players to unionize.
Here are five things you need to know about what just happened and what's coming.
The end of some of the biggest traditions?
National championships. Age-old rivalries. Larger-than-life game day atmospheres.
That's what's at stake, according to NCAA President Mark Emmert, who described a doomsday scenario if college athletes are paid, when he testified in the case brought by former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon.
Emmert said many school leaders have told him they would not want to pay for athletes. Instead they might opt out of Division I sports into Division II where there is less money for coaches, facilities and scholarships.
Schools that did stay in D1 would likely have to cut less popular sports to afford to pay athletes, he said.
And the schools that chose to pay would probably never play the schools that chose not to pay -- preventing a true national championship and putting an end to traditional rivalry games that are fan favorites, Emmert said.
But that idea is rejected by one of O'Bannon's lawyers, Bill Isaacson.
"The millions of sports fans who watch these games and everyone at the networks that broadcasts them knows that the games will continue to be played," he said. | did he tesitfy? | Yes |
Two young artists named Sue and Joanna shared a studio apartment in the Greenwich Village area of New York, trying to realize their dreams. In November pneumonia killed many people. Unluckily, Joanna fell ill, too. One morning, a doctor examined Joanna and then spoke with Sue in another room. "She has decided that she has no chance. All we can do is give her a strong will to live."
Holding back her tears, Sue went to Joanna's room. Joanna lay with her face toward the window, eyes wide open. She was counting something backward. "Twelve," she said, and a little later "eleven" until "five," almost together. Sue looked out of the window. What was there to count? There was a wall covered with an old ivy vine growing half way up it. The cold breath of autumn has stricken the leaves from the vine until it was almost bare.
"Five what, dear?" asked Sue.
"Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too."
"Oh, Don't be silly." Said Sue, "You will get better."
"There goes another one. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark."
"Try to sleep." said Sue. "I must call Mr. Behrman up to be my model for my drawing of an old miner. Don't try to move until I come back."
Old Behrman was a poor painter who lived in the building. For years he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it. He earned a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model.
Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas that had been waiting twenty-five years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Joanna and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf.
"What!" Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "How silly! Just take me to her room."
Joanna was sleeping when they went in. A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow.
The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour's sleep. She found Joanna staring at the covered window. "Pull up the shade; I want to see." Sue obeyed.
"It's the last leaf," said Joanna. "It will fall today, and I will go with it."
When night came, the rain began to fall again with a strong wind.
The next morning, Joanna demanded that the window shade be raised. The ivy leaf was still there. Joanna lay for a long time, looking at it. And then she called Sue, "I have been a bad girl. I'm so wrong. Now I want to get well and paint again."
The doctor came to see Joanna in the afternoon. He told Sue "Joanna is improving. Now I must see Behrman. Pneumonia, too, very ill. Little hope for him."
Later that day, Sue came to Joanna, and put one arm around her.
"Mr. Behrman died of pneumonia in the hospital today. He was sick only two days. When someone went into his room, Behrman was lying there with his shoes on. His shoes and clothes were all wet. Nobody knew why."
"Oh, poor Behrman!" Cried Joanna.
"See the last leaf on the wall," said Sue, " It looks like a real leaf, doesn't it? "
"A real leaf ? "
"Ah, darling, it is Behrman's masterpiece -- he painted it there the night when the last leaf fell." | Who spoke with her? | a doctor |
Actor Wesley Snipes said he was nervous about going to jail on Thursday, but was hopeful that his prayers would be answered.
"We still have prayers out there. We still believe in miracles. So don't send me up the river yet," Snipes said in an interview on CNN's "Larry King Live" Tuesday night.
The 48-year-old actor will report to McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, Thursday to begin serving a three-year sentence for failing to file tax returns.
Snipes' attorney said he is appealing Snipes' misdemeanor convictions for not filing tax returns in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Snipes was acquitted of felony charges.
The actor conceded he was uneasy about losing his freedom if his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court fails.
"I think any man would be nervous if his liberty is at stake," Snipes said. "I'm disappointed that the system seems not to be working for me in this situation."
Prosecutors said Snipes earned $40 million since 1999 but had filed no returns and had been involved in a tax resisters group.
Snipes disputed such involvement and said that the failure to file was his advisers' fault.
"This is another thing that has been misreported: It has been framed that I was a conspirator and that I was an architect in a scheme by an organization that has been characterized as tax protesters," Snipes said. "The press hasn't reported that I was a client of people who I trusted had knowledge and expertise in the areas of tax law that would protect my interests." | how many years did he fail to submit the required documents? | three |
Humans have sewn by hand for thousands of years. It was said that the first thread was made from animal muscle and sinew . And the earliest needles were made from bones. Since those early days, many people have been involved in the process of developing a machine that could do the same thing more quickly and with greater efficiency.
Charles Wiesenthal, who was born in Germany, designed and received a patent on a double-pointed needle that eliminated the need to turn the needle around with each stitch in England in 1755. Other inventors of that time tried to develop a functional sewing machine, but each design had at least one serious imperfection.
Frenchman Barthelemy Thimonnier finally engineered a machine that really worked. However, he was nearly killed by a group of angry tailors when they burned down his garment factory. They feared that they would lose their jobs to the machine.
American inventor Elias Howe, born on July 9, 1819, was awarded a patent for a method of sewing that used thread from two different sources. Howe's machine had a needle with an eye at the point, and it used the two threads to make a special stitch called a lockstitch. However, Howe faced difficulty in finding buyers for his machines in America. In frustration, he traveled to England to try to sell his invention there. When he finally returned home, he found that dozens of manufacturers were adapting his discovery for use in their own sewing machines.
Isaac Singer, another American inventor, was also a manufacturer who made improvements to the design of sewing machines. He invented an up-and-down-motion mechanism that replaced the side-to-side machines. He also developed a foot treadle to power his machine. This improvement left the sewer's hands free. Undoubtedly, it was a huge improvement of the hand-cranked machine of the past. Soon the Singer sewing machine achieved more fame than the others for it was more practical. It could be adapted to home use and it could be bought on hire-purchase. The Singer sewing machine became the first home appliance, and the Singer company became one of the first American multinationals.
However, Singer used the same method to create a lockstitch that Howe had already patented. As a result, Howe accused him of patent infringement . Of course, Elias Howe won the court case, and Singer was ordered to pay Howe royalties . In the end, Howe became a millionaire, not by manufacturing the sewing machine, but by receiving royalty payments for his invention. | And how did they do it? | used bones |
Many people think heroes need to be handsome, rich, or very smart. But as for me, a hero is a person who always helps others. My hero is Uncle Bill. He is the oldest son of a worker, and he grew up in a poor family with four younger brothers and two little sisters. He was good at neither writing nor math. In fact, he never did well in school. so he had to give up school at a very young age. He worked and gave all his money to help his parents. When he was getting older, he found that he was very interested in fixing things. he collected broken things which people threw away and fixed them into good ones. He could fix almost everything that did not work. He worked hard never gave up. Finally, he opened his own repair shop. It took him about 20 years to become a successful shopkeeper . Now, he is very rich and has four shops. But he never forgets the days when he had nothing. He gives money to poor families, helps poor kids buy books and offers them free lunch. He also encourages people to reuse things. He always says :Make good use of what you have because we just have one earth. I am proud of Uncle Bill. He is really a hero. | Can they be poor? | yes |
K.S. "Bud" Adams Jr., the founder and owner of the Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers football franchise and a co-founder of the American Football League, died Monday morning at his home in Houston, the team said.
He was 90.
Adams owned the team for more than 53 years, starting in Houston, where his Oilers began play in 1960 as a charter member of the NFL's new competitor, the AFL.
Adams, an oil company founder, teamed with other businessmen, including eventual Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, to form the eight-team AFL in 1959. The Oilers won two AFL championships before the league merged with the NFL in 1970.
The Oilers franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997, eventually settling in Nashville as the Tennessee Titans.
His franchise reached the Super Bowl once during his stewardship: in January 2000, when the Titans lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams.
People we lost in 2013
Adams' death came three days after "Bum" Phillips, the man Adams employed as Oilers coach and general manager from 1975 to 1980, died at age 90.
St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, who was the Oilers' and Titans' coach from 1994 to 2010, said Monday that he was "extremely saddened" to hear of Adams' death.
"My respect for Mr. Adams goes well beyond the owner/coach relationship that we shared for many years. He was a pioneer in the football business. He played a key role in creating and sustaining the American Football League, which helped push the popularity of our game to where it is today," Fisher said in a statement released by the Rams. | What year? | 2000 |
Trondheim (), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It has a population of 187,353 (January 1, 2016), and is the third most populous municipality in Norway, although the fourth largest urban area. It is the third largest city in the country, with a population (2013) of 169,972 inhabitants within the city borders. The city functions as the administrative centre of Sør-Trøndelag county. Trondheim lies on the south shore of Trondheim Fjord at the mouth of the River Nidelva. The city is dominated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research (SINTEF), St. Olavs University Hospital and other technology-oriented institutions.
The settlement was founded in 997 as a trading post, and it served as the capital of Norway during the Viking Age until 1217. From 1152 to 1537, the city was the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros; since then, it has remained the seat of the Lutheran Diocese of Nidaros and the Nidaros Cathedral. It was incorporated in 1838. The current municipality dates from 1964, when Trondheim merged with Byneset, Leinstrand, Strinda and Tiller.
The city was originally given the name by Olav Tryggvason. It was for a long time called "Nidaros" (), or "Niðaróss" in the Old Norse spelling. But it was also just called "kaupangr" ("city") or, more specifically, "kaupangr í Þróndheimi" ("the city in the district Þróndheimr", i.e. Trøndelag). In the late Middle Ages people started to call the city just "Þróndheimr". In the Dano-Norwegian period, during the years as a provincial town in the united kingdoms of Denmark-Norway, the city name was spelled "Trondhjem". | Can you name one of them? | the Norwegian University of Science and Technology |
A top Taliban commander has issued a new threat to foreign aid workers, saying that under the insurgent group's new "constitution" they will execute them as spies or hold them in exchange for the release of Taliban fighters.
Taliban militants pose with their weapons as they drive their car in Wardak province. (File photo)
In an exclusive telephone interview Friday night with CNN, Mohammed Ibrahim Hanafi said the Taliban intelligence wing was actively gathering information on foreign aid workers. "If we get someone, that is how we will deal with it under our new constitution," he said.
He added that he was telling "Afghan brothers not to work with NGOs."
In the 15-minute interview, arranged by an intermediary for CNN, Hanafi repeated the Taliban's pledge to keep girls out of public schools.
"Our law is still the same old law which was in place during our rule in Afghanistan," he said. "Mullah Mohammad Omar was our leader and he is still our head and leader and so we will follow the same law as before."
"In my opinion," he added, "Taliban aren't allowing girls to go to schools because Taliban want women to preserve their respect by staying in their homes, not to work as laborers for others."
Dozens of crimes across the country, especially acid attacks, have marred the opening of the new school year in Afghanistan. Afghan girls have been burned and scared randomly with acid as punishment for going to school. More than 600 schools did not open this year because of security issues, according to the Afghanistan Education Ministry. Watch what females face in Afghanistan » | which was? | to keep girls out of public schools |
Elvis Aron Presley, often called "the king of rock music", died on August 16th, 1977, at the age of forty-two. He left a great influence on popular music, and millions of fans. During his lifetime, Elvis sold more than four hundred million records. After Presley died, many of his records rose quickly. When Presley died, many _ journeyed to Memphis, Tennessee, Presley's home, to pay their last respects . While most of these fans knew a lot about the songs of Elvis, few of them knew the story of how Elvis had made his first recording. Elvis did not really want to become a recording star. His first record was for his mother. He paid four dollars to a small Memphis recording shop, and recorded two songs. The songs were "My Happiness" and "That's Where Your Heartaches Begin". Sam Philips, who owned the shop where Elvis made the record, liked Presley's songs. He said he would call him some day. About a year later, Philips did call and asked him to cut a record. This first record had "Blue Moon of Kentucky" on one side, and "That's All Right, Mama" on the other. | Is Elvis still alive? | No |
When Max Adrien first heard that a massive earthquake had leveled Port-au-Prince, Haiti, it hit close to home.
His brother lives in Haiti, and thankfully survived the January 12 disaster unharmed.
Adrien's first instinct was to help his home country.
"I said to myself, 'I need to go to Haiti.'"
After speaking to his brother, he realized that he would need a skill that was in immediate demand. Otherwise he would just be in the way of other relief efforts.
So he came up with a unique idea.
"I decided to give Haiti what I have, which is teaching," said Adrien, who is a French professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. "I don't think I can give Haiti a better gift."
And that's how his Haitian Creole class was born.
"I'm just giving something that has been given to me," Adrien said, referring to his native language.
His class isn't made up of the typical credit-craving college co-ed. That's mainly because the vast majority of students have long since finished college. The class is free of charge and open to everyone.
The roster of students includes local doctors, nurses, physical therapists, social workers, lawyers and ministers.
All of them have either been to Haiti or are planning volunteer trips soon.
"They appreciate when you try," said Donna Richtsmeier, a retired nurse who travels to Haiti to volunteer. "I just want to learn a few phrases so I can greet them and ask how they are." | What happened in Haiti? | an earthquake . |
CHAPTER 22.
"Young blighted Albert," said Keggs the butler, shifting his weight so that it distributed itself more comfortably over the creaking chair in which he reclined, "let this be a lesson to you, young feller me lad."
The day was a week after Lord Marshmoreton's visit to London, the hour six o'clock. The housekeeper's room, in which the upper servants took their meals, had emptied. Of the gay company which had just finished dinner only Keggs remained, placidly digesting. Albert, whose duty it was to wait on the upper servants, was moving to and fro, morosely collecting the plates and glasses. The boy was in no happy frame of mind. Throughout dinner the conversation at table had dealt almost exclusively with the now celebrated elopement of Reggie Byng and his bride, and few subjects could have made more painful listening to Albert.
"What's been the result and what I might call the upshot," said Keggs, continuing his homily, "of all your making yourself so busy and thrusting of yourself forward and meddling in the affairs of your elders and betters? The upshot and issue of it 'as been that you are out five shillings and nothing to show for it. Five shillings what you might have spent on some good book and improved your mind! And goodness knows it wants all the improving it can get, for of all the worthless, idle little messers it's ever been my misfortune to have dealings with, you are the champion. Be careful of them plates, young man, and don't breathe so hard. You 'aven't got hasthma or something, 'ave you?" | Are most people happy about it? | yes |
The Rhine (Romansh: Rein, German: Rhein, French: le Rhin, Dutch: Rijn) is a European river that begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps, forms part of the Swiss-Austrian, Swiss-Liechtenstein border, Swiss-German and then the Franco-German border, then flows through the Rhineland and eventually empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands. The biggest city on the river Rhine is Cologne, Germany with a population of more than 1,050,000 people. It is the second-longest river in Central and Western Europe (after the Danube), at about 1,230 km (760 mi), with an average discharge of about 2,900 m3/s (100,000 cu ft/s).
The variant forms of the name of the Rhine in modern languages are all derived from the Gaulish name Rēnos, which was adapted in Roman-era geography (1st century BC) as Greek Ῥῆνος (Rhēnos), Latin Rhenus.[note 3] The spelling with Rh- in English Rhine as well as in German Rhein and French Rhin is due to the influence of Greek orthography, while the vocalisation -i- is due to the Proto-Germanic adoption of the Gaulish name as *Rīnaz, via Old Frankish giving Old English Rín, Old High German Rīn, Dutch Rijn (formerly also spelled Rhijn)). The diphthong in modern German Rhein (also adopted in Romansh Rein, Rain) is a Central German development of the early modern period, the Alemannic name Rī(n) retaining the older vocalism,[note 4] as does Ripuarian Rhing, while Palatine has diphthongized Rhei, Rhoi. Spanish is with French in adopting the Germanic vocalism Rin-, while Italian, Occitan and Portuguese retain the Latin Ren-. | Do all modern languages spell the name of the Rhine the same way? | definitely not |
Chapter VIII.--MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS, 1759-1760.
Friedrich was very loath to quit the field this Winter. In spite of Maxen and ill-luck and the unfavorablest weather, it still was, for about two months, his fixed purpose to recapture Dresden first, and drive Daun home. "Had I but a 12,000 of Auxiliaries to guard my right flank, while trying it!" said he. Ferdinand magnanimously sent him the Hereditary Prince with 12,000, who stayed above two months; --pushed forward to Maguire and Dippoldiswalde, looked passionately into Maguire on all sides; but found him, in those frozen chasms, and rock-labyrinths choked with snow, plainly unattackable; him and everybody, in such frost-element;--and renounced the passionate hope.
It was not till the middle of January that Friedrich put his troops into partial cantonments, Head-quarter Freyberg; troops still mainly in the Villages from Wilsdruf and southward, close by their old Camp there. Camp still left standing, guarded by Six Battalions; six after six, alternating week about: one of the grimmest camps in Nature; the canvas roofs grown mere ice-plates, the tents mere sanctuaries of frost:--never did poor young Archenholtz see such industry in dragging wood-fuel, such boiling of biscuits in broken ice, such crowding round the embers to roast one side of you, while the other was freezing. [Archenholtz (UT SUPRA), ii. 11-15.] But Daun's people, on the opposite side of Plauen Dell, did the like; their tents also were left standing in the frozen state, guarded by alternating battalions, no better off than their Prussian neighbors. This of the Tents, and Six frost-bitten Battalions guarding them, lasted till April. An extraordinary obstinacy on the part both of Daun and of Friedrich; alike jealous of even seeming to yield one inch more of ground. | Who is their enemy? | Daun |
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA ) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
MoMA has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world. MoMA's collection offers an overview of modern and contemporary art, including works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated books and artist's books, film, and electronic media.
The MoMA Library includes approximately 300,000 books and exhibition catalogs, over 1,000 periodical titles, and over 40,000 files of ephemera about individual artists and groups. The archives holds primary source material related to the history of modern and contemporary art.
The idea for The Museum of Modern Art was developed in 1929 primarily by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.) and two of her friends, Lillie P. Bliss and Mary Quinn Sullivan. They became known variously as "the Ladies", "the daring ladies" and "the adamantine ladies". They rented modest quarters for the new museum in the Heckscher Building at 730 Fifth Avenue (corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street) in Manhattan, and it opened to the public on November 7, 1929, nine days after the Wall Street Crash. Abby had invited A. Conger Goodyear, the former president of the board of trustees of the Albright Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York, to become president of the new museum. Abby became treasurer. At the time, it was America's premier museum devoted exclusively to modern art, and the first of its kind in Manhattan to exhibit European modernism. One of Abby's early recruits for the museum staff was the noted Japanese-American photographer Soichi Sunami (at that time best known for his portraits of modern dance pioneer Martha Graham), who served the museum as its official documentary photographer from 1930 until 1968. | Is it in California? | No |
CHAPTER XIX: Sammy Jay Is Modest
As soon as the angry hunter with the terrible gun had disappeared among the trees of the Green Forest, and Lightfoot was sure that he had gone for good, Lightfoot came out from his hiding-place on top of the ridge and walked down to the pond of Paddy the Beaver for a drink. He knew that it was quite safe to do so, for Sammy Jay had followed the hunter, all the time screaming, "Thief! thief! thief!" Every one within hearing could tell just where that hunter was by Sammy's voice. It kept growing fainter and fainter, and by that Lightfoot knew that the hunter was getting farther and farther away.
Paddy the Beaver swam out from his hiding-place and climbed out on the bank near Lightfoot. There was a twinkle in his eyes. "That blue-coated mischief-maker isn't such a bad fellow at heart, after all, is he?" said he.
Lightfoot lifted his beautiful head and set his ears forward to catch the sound of Sammy's voice in the distance.
"Sammy Jay may be a mischief-maker, as some people say," said he, "but you can always count on him to prove a true friend in time of danger. He brought me warning of the coming of the hunter the other morning. You saw him save Mr. and Mrs. Quack a little while ago, and then he actually drove that hunter away. I suppose Sammy Jay has saved more lives than any one I know of. I wish he would come back here and let me thank him." | Was it safe for them? | Yes |
CHAPTER 41
A stranger's roof to hold thy head, A stranger's foot thy grave to tread; Desert and rock, and Alp and sea, Spreading between thy home and thee. --SEWELL
Mary Ross was eager for the first report from Hollywell the next morning, and had some difficulty in keeping her attention fixed on her class at school. Laura and Charlotte came in together in due time, and satisfied her so far as to tell her that Amy was very well.
'Is Captain Morville come?' thought Mary. 'No, I cannot guess by Laura's impressive face. Never mind, Charles will tell me all between services.'
The first thing she saw on coming out of school was the pony carriage, with Charles and Captain Morville himself. Charlotte, who was all excitement, had time to say, while her sister was out of hearing,--
'It is all made up now, Mary, and I really am very sorry for Philip.'
It was fortunate that Mary understood the amiable meaning this speech was intended to convey, and she began to enter into its grounds in the short conference after church, when she saw the alteration in the whole expression of countenance.
'Yes,' said Charles, who as usual remained at the vicarage during the two services, and who perceived what passed in her mind, 'if it is any satisfaction to you to have a good opinion of your fellow-sponsor, I assure you that I am converted to Amy's opinion. I do believe the black dog is off his back for good and all.' | did Mary know the meaning of that? | Yes |
Compact Disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format. The format was originally developed to store and play only sound recordings but was later adapted for storage of data (CD-ROM). Several other formats were further derived from these, including write-once audio and data storage (CD-R), rewritable media (CD-RW), Video Compact Disc (VCD), Super Video Compact Disc (SVCD), Photo CD, PictureCD, CD-i, and Enhanced Music CD. Audio CDs and audio CD players have been commercially available since October 1982.
In 2004, worldwide sales of audio CDs, CD-ROMs and CD-Rs reached about 30 billion discs. By 2007, 200 billion CDs had been sold worldwide. CDs are increasingly being replaced by other forms of digital storage and distribution, with the result that audio CD sales rates in the U.S. have dropped about 50% from their peak; however, they remain one of the primary distribution methods for the music industry. In 2014, revenues from digital music services matched those from physical format sales for the first time. | What is it's abbreviation? | CD |
CHAPTER XI
ABOARD THE STEAM YACHT
Mr Rover, as well as Tom and Sam, had come in, and all were anxious to hear what Dick might have to report. They were filled with amazement at the story of the robbery.
"I thought I'd wait about telling the police until I had heard what you had to say," said Dick, to his father.
"I am afraid in a big city like New York it won't do much good to tell the police," answered Anderson Rover. "However, we can report it to morrow. But I think Cuffer and Shelley will keep in the shade until they see Sid Merrick and have a chance to get away," and in this surmise Mr. Rover was correct. The matter was reported to the police, and that was the end of it, so far as the authorities went, for they failed to apprehend the evildoers.
Mr. Rover was much worried when he learned that Merrick had fallen in with a captain of a tramp vessel who was ready to go on a hunt for the treasure. And he was still more worried when Dick told him of the letters which had been abstracted from his coat pocket by the thieves. Among them was one from Mrs. Stanhope mentioning the treasure hunt and how she would be on hand at Philadelphia to board the steam yacht with Dora and the Lanings.
"If Cuffer and Shelley turn that letter over to Merrick it will give him some idea of our proposed trip," said Mr. Rover, "and more than likely he will strain every nerve to get ahead of us." | Why did Dick not call the police immediatly? | he was waiting to hear what his father had to say |
Arjen Robben scored twice on his debut as Bayern Munich gave new coach Louis Van Gaal his first victory with a 3-0 crushing of German Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Two-goal Arjen Robben made an immediate impact following his transfer from Real Madrid.
The Dutch winger netted both goals in the second half to add to Mario Gomez's first-half opener at the Allianz Arena.
The victory left Bayern five points behind new leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who went three points clear after four games with a 2-1 victory at home to Bochum earlier on Saturday.
Visiting Wolfsburg crashed to a second successive defeat, having lost 4-2 to Hamburg last weekend.
Armin Veh's team went behind in the 27th minute when Germany striker Gomez pounced for his second goal of the season after Diego Benaglio could only parry Hamit Altintop's long-range shot.
Van Gaal brought on Robben, signed during the week from Spanish big-spenders Real Madrid, at the start of the second half.
His first goal was set up by fellow substitute Franck Ribery in the 69th minute, with the Dutchman's shot taking a slight deflection off Andrea Barzagli.
Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko hit the post in the 72nd minute and his fellow frontman Grafite had an effort cleared off the line by Philipp Lahm soon after.
But Robben settled Bayern's nerves in the 81st minute from a counter-attack, with France star Ribery again involved.
Leverkusen trailed Bochum in the 32nd minute when Manuel Friedrich put the ball into his own net, deflecting Joel Epalle's shot past goalkeeper Rene Adler. | The post was hit by whom 72 minutes in? | Edin Dzeko |
Fifty-two countries have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since it started in 1956. Of these, twenty-seven have won the contest. The contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), is held annually between members of the Union. Broadcasters from different countries submit songs to the event, and cast votes to determine the most popular in the competition.
Participation in the contest is primarily open to all active member broadcasters of the EBU. To be an active member, broadcasters must be a member of the European Broadcasting Union, or be in a Council of Europe member country. Eligibility to participate is not determined by geographic inclusion within the continent of Europe, despite the "Euro" in "Eurovision" — nor does it have a direct connection with the European Union. Several countries geographically outside the boundaries of Europe have competed: Israel, Cyprus and Armenia, in Western Asia, since 1973, 1981 and 2006 respectively; Morocco, in North Africa, in the 1980 competition alone; and Australia making a debut in the 2015 contest. In addition, several transcontinental countries with only part of their territory in Europe have competed: Turkey, since 1975; Russia, since 1994; Georgia, since 2007; and Azerbaijan, which made its first appearance in the 2008 edition. Two of the countries that have previously sought to enter the competition, Lebanon and Tunisia, in Western Asia and North Africa respectively, are also outside of Europe. The Gulf state of Qatar, in Western Asia, announced in 2009 its interest in joining the contest in time for the 2011 edition. However, this did not materialise, and there are no known plans for a future Qatari entry the Eurovision Song Contest. Australia, where the contest has been broadcast since the 1970s, debuted as a participant in the 2015 edition, with entries in 2016 and 2017. | Did they want to? | yes |
"Norton," Sheppard said, "I saw Rufus Johnson yesterday. Do you know what he was doing?" The child looked at him with a kind of half attention, his eyes forward but not yet engaged. They were a paler blue than his father's as if they might have faded like the shirt; one of them listed, almost imperceptibly , toward the outer rim.
"He was in a path," Sheppard said, "and he had his hand in a garbage can. He was trying to get something to eat out of it." He paused to let this soak in. "He was hungry," he finished, and tried to pierce the child's conscience with his gaze.
The boy picked up the piece of chocolate cake and began to bite it from one corner.
"Norton," Sheppard said, "do you have any idea what it means to share?"
A flicker of attention. "Some of it is yours," Norton said.
"Some of it is his," Sheppard said heavily. It was hopeless. Almost any fault would have been preferable to selfishness--a violent temper, even a tendency to lie.
The child turned the bottle of tomato sauce upside-down and began thumping sauce onto the cake.
Sheppard's look of pain increased. "You are ten and Rufus Johnson is fourteen," he said. "Yet, I'm sure your shirts would fit Rufus." Rufus Johnson was a boy whom he had been trying to help at the reformatory for the past year. He had been released two months ago. "When he was in the reformatory, he looked pretty good, but when I saw him yesterday, he was skin and bones. He hasn't been eating cake with peanut butter on it for breakfast."
The child paused. "It's not fresh," he said. "That's why I have to put stuff on it."
Sheppard turned his face to the window at the end of the bar. The side lawn, green and even, sloped fifty feet or so down to a small suburban wood. When his wife was living, they had often eaten outside, even breakfast on the grass. He had never noticed then that the child was selfish. ks5u
"Listen to me," he said, turning back to him, "look at me and listen."
The boy looked at him. At least his eyes were forward.
"I gave Rufus a key to the house when he left the reformatory---to show my confidence in him and so he would have a place he could come to and feel welcome any time. He didn't use it, but I think he'll use it now because he's seen me and he's hungry. And if he doesn't use it, I'm going out and find him and bring him here. I can't see a child eating out of garbage cans."
The boy frowned. It was dawning upon him that something of his was threatened.
Sheppard's mouth stretched in disgust. "Rufus's father died before he was born," he said. "His mother is in the state penitentiary . He was raised by his grandfather in a shack without water or electricity and the old man beat him every day. How would you like to belong to a family like that?"
"I don't know" the child said lamely.
"Well, you might think about it sometime," Sheppard said.
Sheppard was City Recreational Director. On Saturday he worked at the reformatory as a counselor, receiving nothing for it but the satisfaction of knowing he was helping boys no one else cared about. Johnson was the most intelligent boy he had worked with.
Norton turned what was left of the cake over as if he no longer wanted it.
"You started that, now finish it," Sheppard said.
"Maybe he won't come," the child said and his eyes brightened slightly. | where is Rufus' father? | he is dead |
CHAPTER VI--THE MERRY ORCHARD
Where was Harold?
Still the evening went on, and he did not come. Alfred had worn himself out with his fit of crying, and lay quite still, either asleep, or looking so like it, that when Betsey had finished her tea, and again began asking to see him, Ellen could honestly declare that he was asleep.
Betsey had bidden them good-bye, more than half affronted at not being able to report to her mother all about his looks, though she carried with her a basket of gooseberries and French beans, and Mrs. King walked all the way down the lane with her, and tried to shew an interest in all she said, to make up for the disappointment.
Maybe likewise Mrs. King felt it a relief to her uneasiness to look up and down the road, and along the river, and into the farm-yard, in the hope that Harold might be in sight; but nothing was to be seen on the road, but Master Norland, his wife, and baby, soberly taking their Sunday walk; nor by the river, except the ducks, who seemed to be enjoying their evening bath, and almost asleep on the water; nor in the yard, except Paul Blackthorn, who had come down from his perch to drive the horses in from the home-field, and shut the stable up for the night.
She could not help stopping a moment at the gate, and calling out to Paul to ask whether he had seen anything of Harold. He seemed to have a great mind not to hear, and turned very slowly with his shoulder towards her, making a sound like 'Eh?' as if to ask what she said. | Was she alone during her stroll? | no |
The Amazon rainforest (Portuguese: Floresta Amazônica or Amazônia; Spanish: Selva Amazónica, Amazonía or usually Amazonia; French: Forêt amazonienne; Dutch: Amazoneregenwoud), also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin encompasses 7,000,000 square kilometres (2,700,000 sq mi), of which 5,500,000 square kilometres (2,100,000 sq mi) are covered by the rainforest. This region includes territory belonging to nine nations. The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. States or departments in four nations contain "Amazonas" in their names. The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests, and comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world, with an estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000 species. | What kind of forest is it? | A moist broadleaf forest |
The Six-Day War (Hebrew: , "Milhemet Sheshet Ha Yamim"; Arabic: , "an-Naksah", "The Setback" or , "Ḥarb 1967", "War of 1967"), also known as the June War, 1967 Arab–Israeli War, or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967 by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt (known at the time as the United Arab Republic), Jordan, and Syria.
Relations between Israel and its neighbours had never fully normalised following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In 1956 Israel invaded the Egyptian Sinai, with one of its objectives being the reopening of the Straits of Tiran which Egypt had blocked to Israeli shipping since 1950. Israel was subsequently forced to withdraw, but won a guarantee that the Straits of Tiran would remain open. Whilst the United Nations Emergency Force was deployed along the border, there was no demilitarisation agreement.
In the period leading up to June 1967, tensions became dangerously heightened. Israel reiterated its post-1956 position that the closure of the straits of Tiran to its shipping would be a "casus belli" and in late May Nasser announced the straits would be closed to Israeli vessels. Egypt then mobilised its forces along its border with Israel, and on 5 June Israel launched what it claimed were a series of preemptive airstrikes against Egyptian airfields. Claims and counterclaims relating to this series of events are one of a number of controversies relating to the conflict. | True or False: Israel was unable to reopen the Straits. | false |