text:
The grey sky wept heavy tears as an old man creeps along a smooth marble path, clutching his coat tightly with white knuckles to keep the frosted wind from stealing it. His head hung low against the rain, joints aching and lungs burning from the cold air, he walks on under the gaze of the silent marble guardians that stand all around.  They are placed in concentric ranks, evenly spaced and facing inwards, ever vigilant. There are thousands of them; tens of thousands even, covering an area miles wide. They are spaced evenly throughout their rings with a gap just wide enough for two people to slip in between with twice that distance between each layer. Small engraved platinum plaques rest at the base of each, meticulously produced and maintained.

At the center is an open space dominated by a large sphere which floats reverently above the ground. The Earth in all its glory, with its greens, blues, and browns – meticulously detailed. White clouds swirl and dance in real time in a never ending show that matches reality. If an observer looks closely, they see small ripples throughout the vast blue oceans as the moon engages in its eternal struggle with the tides. Yellow points of civilization dot the night side, ever struggling against the darkness which creeps steadily west. Giant black scars and craters run along its surface, an eternal reminder of events not long passed.

Once in awhile the old man sees another like himself, walking solemnly through this holiest of places. He places a hand onto the cold stone of a statue to steady himself as a strong gust smashes into his fragile frame. He pulls back his hand as if bitten, a numbness spreading throughout his soul. As he continues forward he looks into the faces around him even as the rain soaks his face. He doesn’t notice as it slips down his coat, and doesn’t care as the cold steals the feeling from his skin. He is beyond knowing discomfort. It has been many months since he felt.

Each face is alive with hand crafted detail down to the very pores of the shining stone skin. Their expressions are serious yet hopeful, sad but inspiring. They stand life sized and uniformed, medals and ribbons adorning their chests. Over each stone heart is a small pin with the shape and detail of the Earth. Had they not been made of lifeless stone, each likeness could be mistaken for a living being. They are the holiest relics of the human race, in a place that has become a religious site that has no priests and belongs to no church. They stand at attention in eternal watch over the planet in their midst and the pilgrims who walk through their home.

As the old man draws nearer to his destination he slows his all ready careful pace to the barest of movements. He has entered the space of his nightmares, the place he visits each night in sleep and each day in life. It is a familiar place, one he has navigated through hundreds of times in the few short months since its completion. It has become routine in a sense. His path is always the same; the same stones, the same steps, the same faces, the same emptiness.

He stops at each monument and memorizes every face before reading the plaque under it. Each one is long since engraved in his mind. They are his link to the past, to better times before.  Some of the names he knows from the old letters. They are his most cherished possessions and the only thing of value he has. He falls asleep each night with a stack of them in his bed, only escaping into the embrace of sleep when he is too tired to remain awake any longer.

After a time that may have been as long as hours or as short as minutes, the old man arrives at what has become both his hell and his salvation. It is a statue of a young woman, so perfectly detailed that the sight of it tears through his soul. He stares at her face and struggles to look away. The plaque at her feet tells only the barest of stories; that she was an officer; that she served all of humanity; that she died protecting her home. That she will be forever remembered. She has a face the old man is intimately familiar with. Her name is the same as his.

He remembers how it all started. How smart and happy and full of life she was. How she glowed and seemed to brighten a room just by being present. How he always pushed her to strive for more, to live up to her full potential. How he had wanted a better life for her than he had ever had for himself. How she had applied on an off chance and been accepted into the program, and how she had gone with his blessing and his encouragement. How she had written every day after she left, and how utterly proud he was. How she was his only child.

He remembers too how it all ended. How the Earth had been decimated. How she had been called up. He watched the live video as it all unfolded, remembers how three billion voices screamed as one when they were victorious. He remembers how none of those thousands of Earth’s children who had left ever came back. He remembers the guilt and the pain so heavy it crushed the air from his lungs.

Amidst the howling wind, he trembles violently and falls to his knees. The rain washes the tears from his face as he sobs uncontrollably. The old man curls up at the feet of his life and waits to die.

title: Pilgrim

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Where is the old man?

answer: The old man is walking down a marble path under the gaze of marble statues — thousands of them.

text: While this answer is accurate, it does not go beyond the text to surmize what this area might be.

refinement: The old man is walking down a marble path under the gaze of marble statues — thousands of them. It appears to be a memorial site for the deceased citizens of Earth.

text: "an old man creeps along a smooth marble path" is evidence that the old man is walking along a marble path.

text: "he walks on under the gaze of the silent marble guardians that stand all around" is evidence that there are statues surrounding him.

answer: The old man is in a memorial dedicated to those who have served Earth. It is located at the center of the planet.

text: "He stops at each monument and memorizes every face before reading the plaque under it" is evidence that the statues are monuments and that this is a memorial.

text: "The plaque at her feet tells only the barest of stories; that she was an officer; that she served all of humanity; that she died protecting her home" is evidence that the statues are of people who served Earth.

answer: The old man is in a graveyard and he has just arrived at the statue of the officer who had been his daughter.

text: Rather than a graveyard, this place seems to be a memorial.

refinement: The old man is in a memorial and he has just arrived at the statue of the officer who had been his daughter.

text: "How she was his only child" is evidence that the statue he visits is that of his daughter.

answer: The old man is in the Monument, a holy site dedicated to those who had given their lives to protect the Earth.

text: The place is never explicitly named.

refinement: The old man is at a holy site dedicated to those who had given their lives to protect the Earth.

answer: He's in the English countryside.

text: This answer is unattested.

refinement: He's visiting a memorial site for people who died serving Earth.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Where is the old man headed?

answer: The old man is headed towards the statue of an officer that died protecting her home.

text: The answer could be more specific and state that the memorial is for his daughter.

refinement: The old man is headed towards the statue of his daughter, died protecting her home.

answer: The old man is headed towards the statue of a young woman; a reminder of the daughter he lost in the fight for Earth.

text: This makes it sound like the statue is someone other than his daughter.

refinement: The old man is headed towards the statue of his daughter, whom he lost in the fight for Earth.

answer: The old man would go to a statue to honor his daughter, who died while protecting the earth.

answer: The old man is headed towards a place that he visits in his nightmares daily. His path to this destination is always the same.

text: While this is true, it doesn't clarify what his specific destination is.

refinement: The old man is headed towards a statue of his daughter, who died protecting Earth.

answer: He is headed toward a statue of a woman, who he thinks is his daughter.

text: He knows the statue of his daughter.

refinement: He is headed toward a statue of his daughter.

text: Does not mention what happened to his daughter.

refinement: He is headed toward a statue of his daughter, who died protecting Earth.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Whose statues are they?

answer: The statues are of fallen military personnel.

text: While it is not explicitly stated, the line "The plaque at her feet tells only the barest of stories; that she was an officer; that she served all of humanity; that she died protecting her home" seems to imply that the statues are of military personnel.

answer: The statues represent past heroes of the human race.

text: "The plaque at her feet tells only the barest of stories; that she was an officer; that she served all of humanity; that she died protecting her home" is evidence that the statues commemorate past heores of the human race.

answer: The statues are of people — some of whom the old man knows from his old letters.

text: The answer does not specify what is significant about the people that were given statues.

refinement: The statues are of people who died defending Earth — some of whom the old man knows from his old letters.

text: "Some of the names he knows from the old letters" is evidence that the man knows some of the people from old letters (presumably letters from his daughter?).

answer: They are stone statues of military people.

text: Could mention that they died defending Earth,

refinement: They are stone statues of military people who died defending Earth.

text: "The plaque at her feet tells only the barest of stories; that she was an officer; that she served all of humanity; that she died protecting her home" implies that the daughter's statue (and by extension the other statues) was made because she served the military.

answer: Presumably statues of the people who died fighting the robots.

text: There is no evidence that the enemies the soldiers fought were robots.

refinement: Presumably statues of the people who died defending Earth.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Summarize the old man's feeling on seeing the statue of the woman.

answer: The old man remembers the past of the woman. She was an officer who served humanity. He's sad and remembers her life; he reminisces how he wanted a better life for her than she did. She was his only child and had the same name as him. He also remembers how he was very proud of her.

text: "than she did" implies the woman did not want a good life for herself.

refinement: The old man remembers the past of the woman. She was an officer who served humanity. He's sad and remembers her life; he reminisces how he wanted a better life for her than he'd had. She was his only child and had the same name as him. He also remembers how he was very proud of her.

text: Does not mention that he remembers the guilt and pain he felt upon learning of her death.

refinement: The old man remembers the past of the woman. She was an officer who served humanity. He's sad and remembers her life; he reminisces how he wanted a better life for her than he'd had. She was his only child and had the same name as him. He also remembers how he was very proud of her. He remembers the guilt and pain he felt upon learning of her death.

text: Does not mention that the man wishes to die.

refinement: The old man remembers the past of the woman. She was an officer who served humanity. He's sad and remembers her life; he reminisces how he wanted a better life for her than he'd had. She was his only child and had the same name as him. He also remembers how he was very proud of her. He remembers the guilt and pain he felt upon learning of her death. He wishes to die.

text: "He remembers how it all started. How smart and happy and full of life she was. How she glowed and seemed to brighten a room just by being present" is evidence that he remembers the woman's past.

text: "How she had written every day after she left, and how utterly proud he was" is evidence that he was proud of her.

answer: The old man feels severe guilt and pain from knowing about his daughter's death in the war.

text: Does not mention that the man wishes to die.

refinement: The old man feels severe guilt and pain from knowing about his daughter's death in the war. He wishes to die.

text: "He remembers the guilt and the pain so heavy it crushed the air from his lungs" is evidence that he feels guilt and pain.

answer: The old man was deeply moved seeing the statue. His eyes well up with tears.

text: Does not mention how he recalls the guilt and pain he felt upon learning of her death.

refinement: The old man was deeply moved seeing the statue. His eyes well up with tears. He recalls the guilt and pain he felt upon learning of his daughter's death.

text: Does not mention that the man wishes to die.

refinement: The old man was deeply moved seeing the statue. His eyes well up with tears. He recalls the guilt and pain he felt upon learning of his daughter's death. He wishes to die.

text: "The rain washes the tears from his face as he sobs uncontrollably" is evidence that the man sheds tears.

answer: The old man is overcome with grief upon seeing the statue of the woman. He remembers her as an amazing young woman and knows in his heart that she died in the battle to retake Earth. Even though it has been months since her death, there is a deep sense of loss and regret. He feels guilt at having allowed her to go into battle and knows it was ultimately his fault that she died. He weeps uncontrollably, overwhelmed by emotion. The pain is incredible and the only thing he wants now is to die.

text: "The old man curls up at the feet of his life and waits to die" is evidence that the man wishes to die.

text: "The rain washes the tears from his face as he sobs uncontrollably" is evidence that the man is overcome with grief.

text: "He remembers the guilt and the pain so heavy it crushed the air from his lungs" is evidence that he feels he is to blame for her death (hence the guilt).

answer: The old man feels a deep sadness when he sees the statue of the woman. She is the last remnant of the life he had lived before, and his guilt over her death weighs heavily on him. He also feels immense guilt since she had left the safety of Earth to help protect it, only to be killed in battle. He feels powerless and hopeless.

text: Does not mention that he wishes to die.

refinement: The old man feels a deep sadness when he sees the statue of the woman. She is the last remnant of the life he had lived before, and his guilt over her death weighs heavily on him. He also feels immense guilt since she had left the safety of Earth to help protect it, only to be killed in battle. He feels powerless and hopeless. He wishes to die.

text: "He remembers the guilt and the pain so heavy it crushed the air from his lungs" is evidence that the man feels guilty about his daughter's death.

text: "The rain washes the tears from his face as he sobs uncontrollably" is evidence that the man feels a deep sadness.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: Pilgrim makes his way through a cemetery towards the statue of an officer who died defending Earth. He remembers when she left, and how she never returned. Tortured by grief and guilt, he falls to his knees and sobs at her feet. He has come to the sacred site that is both his hell and his salvation, knowing that his daughter is remembered there.

text: There is no evidence that the man's name is Pilgrim.

refinement: An old man makes his way through a cemetery towards the statue of an officer who died defending Earth. He remembers when she left, and how she never returned. Tortured by grief and guilt, he falls to his knees and sobs at her feet. He has come to the sacred site that is both his hell and his salvation, knowing that his daughter is remembered there.

text: The summary does not make it clear right away that the statue is of his daughter.

refinement: An old man makes his way through a cemetery towards the statue of his daughter, an officer who died defending Earth. He remembers when she left, and how she never returned. Tortured by grief and guilt, he falls to his knees and sobs at her feet. He has come to the sacred site that is both his hell and his salvation, knowing that his daughter is remembered there.

text: Does not mention that he curls up and waits to die.

refinement: An old man makes his way through a cemetery towards the statue of his daughter, an officer who died defending Earth. He remembers when she left, and how she never returned. Tortured by grief and guilt, he falls to his knees and sobs at her feet. He has come to the sacred site that is both his hell and his salvation, knowing that his daughter is remembered there. Overcome by grief, he curls up and waits to die.

answer: An old man is walking down a marble path that's lined with thousands of statues of people. He's visited this place in his nightmares. At the heart of this path is the statue of a woman — his dead child. She had gone to save the Earth, but died for the same. The old man feels sad and starts sobbing. He curls up at the statue's feet and waits to die.

answer:
An old man breaks at the knees at a statue of a young woman. The old man is the spitting image of her. His name is another version of hers. The heads around, all look similar to the old man.

He realizes these statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom really died, a little over a year ago.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: The phrase "breaks at the knees" is unnatural.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The old man is the spitting image of her. His name is another version of hers. The heads around, all look similar to the old man.

He realizes these statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom really died, a little over a year ago.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: The sentence "The heads around, all look similar to the old man" doesn't make sense.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The old man is the spitting image of her. His name is another version of hers.

He realizes these statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom really died, a little over a year ago.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: Instead of sentences two and three, the summary should explicitly state that the statue is of his daughter.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The young woman was his daughter, who died defending Earth.

He realizes these statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom really died, a little over a year ago.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: A date isn't actually given for when the soldiers died.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The young woman was his daughter, who died defending Earth.

He realizes these statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom really died.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: The old man already knew the statues were of fallen heroes.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The young woman was his daughter, who died defending Earth.

The statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom really died.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: "really" is unnecessary.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The young woman was his daughter, who died defending Earth.

The statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, most of whom died.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

text: "He remembers how none of those thousands of Earth’s children who had left ever came back" suggests that all of the soldiers died.

refinement:
An old man falls to his knees knees at a statue of a young woman. The young woman was his daughter, who died defending Earth.

The statues are of all the fallen heroes who decided to fight against the enemy, all of whom died.

He desperately cries at her feet and waits to die.

answer: An old man walks through the marble memorials of heroes from a bloody past. In the heart of the memorial is a statue of the daughter he lost in a global war, his grief pushing him to the ground in torment. He remembers all the hope he had for her future before he watched the live footage of her dying in battle. Despite all the pain, he resolves to keep going for her sake.

text: The ending is inaccurate. Rather than resolve to keep going, he curls up and waits to die.

refinement: An old man walks through the marble memorials of heroes from a bloody past. In the heart of the memorial is a statue of the daughter he lost in a global war, his grief pushing him to the ground in torment. He remembers all the hope he had for her future before he watched the live footage of her dying in battle. He curls up and waits to die.

answer: The old man leaves his house in the rain intending to make his pilgrimage to the center of his faith. He is descending into his religious center. He navigates the same path every day, and every day he sees the faces of all the people who knew him for a moment in time. He knows all of the names by heart. They were his confidants, his friends, and his mentors; they are all long dead, their lives ending very shortly after the old man was born, long before the Earth had been decimated.

text: While it is true that the memorial site has become a religious place of sorts, the summary should make it clear instead that destination is a memorial site with statues commemorating the dead.

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day, and every day he sees the faces of all the people who knew him for a moment in time. He knows all of the names by heart. They were his confidants, his friends, and his mentors; they are all long dead, their lives ending very shortly after the old man was born, long before the Earth had been decimated.

text: The people aren't people who knew him for a moment in time.

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day. He knows all of the names by heart. They were his confidants, his friends, and his mentors; they are all long dead, their lives ending very shortly after the old man was born, long before the Earth had been decimated.

text: It is not true that they were his confidants, friends, and mentors.

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day. He knows all of the names by heart. They are all long dead, their lives ending very shortly after the old man was born, long before the Earth had been decimated.

text: Should mention that the statue of his daughter is among them.

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day. He knows all of the names by heart. The statue of his daughter, who also died defending Earth, is among them. They are all long dead, their lives ending very shortly after the old man was born, long before the Earth had been decimated.

text: Does not mention the guilt and grief he feels.

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day. He knows all of the names by heart. The statue of his daughter, who also died defending Earth, is among them. He feels immense guilt and grief about his daughter's death. They are all long dead, their lives ending very shortly after the old man was born, long before the Earth had been decimated.

text: The last sentence is extremely inaccurate. How could his daughter have died shortly after he was born?

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day. He knows all of the names by heart. The statue of his daughter, who also died defending Earth, is among them. He feels immense guilt and grief about his daughter's death.

text: Does not mention what the old man does at the end of the story.

refinement: The old man leaves his house in the rain to visit a memorial site with statues of those who died defending Earth. He navigates the same path every day. He knows all of the names by heart. The statue of his daughter, who also died defending Earth, is among them. He feels immense guilt and grief about his daughter's death. He curls up and waits to die.


split: test

text:
For the last few hours, Alan hadn’t paid attention to the highway signs since he had traveled back and forth between Montana and South Dakota multiple times. The same yellow markers were just colored reminders of the route back home. Yet it had never occurred to him that he missed some worn-out exit until just a few minutes ago, being misled by almost exact copies of the regular route’s signs. Not knowing where he was, Alan decided it would be best to stop at the nearest gas station to refuel and get his bearings, possibly in the form of a roadmap or verbal directions. He wasn’t the most social individual, but he knew that asking a local was the only way to find his way back onto the highway and, eventually, home.

*Just a bump in the road*, he thought to himself. *I’ll be home soon enough*.

Pulling into the florescent-lit gas station, which sat right off the highway exit, in his compact Optra SRV, Alan rubbed his eyes. The lines of a parking spot close to the building’s entrance were begging to blur from his somewhat dry eyes and the frosted windshield. One night the car’s heating system crapped out and hadn’t been able to fully heat up ever since. Another thing he hadn’t fixed, lost among the list of things Alan was trying to fix, personally and physically. Regardless of the lukewarm setback, Alan slowly pulled his salt-whipped vehicle into the second closest space to the only entrance to the building and turned off the engine.

The winds outside had picked up, wielding a marrow-freezing chill and occasional blusters of snow. As he emerged from his den of warmth on wheels, Alan noticed that the only other vehicles at the station were a rusted minivan, probably belonging to the station clerk, and a large semi-truck in the back bearing a logo covered by a layer of weathered snow. From the truck, Alan saw a faint puff of smoke come from the main cab, as the lights turned off and rumbling of the diesel engine faded into the howling wind.

One disgustingly plump hand reached through the driver’s side window and pulled open the door. As the rusty truck squeaked and shifted, a bulbous man slowly wriggled his way out from his tight driver’s seat. His pig-like nostrils released long puffs of warm air between wheezy breaths, which seemed to blend in with the trailing smoke from his poorly rolled cigarette.

To Alan, this man was the patron saint of truck drivers; a cult of men who didn’t have much else going for them in life besides their abilities to sit in a bouncing seat for hours on end. However, to Alan, there were some among them that were noble in their pursuit of on-time delivery. Alan remembered a show his father used to watch ad-nauseum back home; something to do with truckers in Canada and Alaska who delivered goods to communities that would otherwise die without them. But the truckers on this show were a rare breed among their diesel-bound compatriots; this man was definitely not one of them.

The truck driver shook his thick coat and tightened his small cap as he walked towards the station entrance. Wanting to avoid social interaction, Alan took out his phone and pretended to be busy reading something, even though the screen was completely black. He looked for something in his car that he knew wasn’t there and decided to get back inside of it to give it a better look. Through the howling wind, Alan heard the deep crunch of each of the trucker’s steps until they were silenced by a faint *ding* of a doorbell. Looking up from his false distraction, Alan noticed an older woman at the counter look up from reading the paper and give the new customer a fake smile. Even though he couldn’t hear what was said, he noticed the woman give a second look in the trucker’s direction. A strange glint filled her eyes as the trucker laid down a small pile of bills on the counter. After a few moments of staring at them, she quickly snatched them up and gave a quick look something in the far corner of the room. Alan couldn’t see how much each bill was, due to his fogged windshield and the lack of time they laid on the counter.

*Odd. He didn’t even put anything on the counter to buy.*

The trucker, once the woman stuffed the money away somewhere below the counter, began to slowly back away from the counter, turning towards the other end of the room at the same time. His sagging, salt-stained jeans were barely held up by a hidden belt as he began to walk away from the attendant. The thin lips of the large man were curled in a fiendish smirk, as his beady dark eyes darted across the rows of miscellaneous snacks and beverages until they homed in on one small corner of the building.

As the trucker rounded the corner and disappeared from view, Alan was overcome with guttural dread. Paralyzed by a deep fear of what lied around the corner, Alan couldn’t help but watch the older woman take a deep breath and then follow the piggish trucker’s path out of sight. Beads of sweat began to grow cold on Alan’s forehead.

*Maybe I’m thinking too into it. This ain’t my business. I just need to find a map or something and get outta here.*

Mustering enough courage, Alan emerged from his car once again and walked into the station. A familiar jingle went off as he entered, but an eerie silence followed.

Looking in the direction of where the two ventured off to, Alan only saw a single-stall restroom. The fear returned, and he quickly diverted his eyes from the white-turned-grey unisex sign in the corner of the room. After a moment of scanning the shelves, an inter-state roadmap caught his eye. Snatching it as soon as he realized what it was, Alan made his way up to the counter.

A counter without a clerk.

Behind him, Alan heard the sound of a door unlocking and closing with a metallic thump. He dared not move nor turn around. The sound of a wet boot struck the linoleum floor, followed by a handful more. Slowly, they drew closer with each squish of rubbery leather. Sudden crinkling, most likely from a bag of chips being grabbed, was the only break in the near-stampede behind Alan. With a final squeak of leather, the bootsteps ceased. A coarse hack of flem, and subsequent landing on the floor, emanated behind him. After a moment, a curt grumble followed: “She’ll be out in a second, don’t worry.”

Nevertheless, Alan worried.

title: [RF] Pit Stop

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Where does Alan make a pit stop?

answer: At a gas station off the highway.

answer: According to the animated Alan had an encounter with, the gas station.

text: "According to the animated Alan had an encounter with," - this line doesn't exist anywhere in the story and should be deleted.

answer: At a gas station off the highway.

answer: In a gas station.

text: "In" - replace with "at"

answer: At a gas station somewhere between Montana and South Dakota.

text: "somewhere between Montana and South Dakota." - there is no mention of where the gas station was located, other than it was off the highway exit.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Where is Alan headed?

answer: Away from a city or town.

text: "Away from a city or town." - is incorrect. Alan is headed home (no exact location mentioned)

answer: Alan is headed towards the gas station attendant to obtain a highway map.

text: "Alan is headed towards the gas station attendant to obtain a highway map." - is incorrect. Alan is headed home (no exact location mentioned)

answer: Either to Montana or South Dakota. It isn't stated which is his destination.

text: "Either to Montana or South Dakota. It isn't stated which is his destination." - is incorrect. Alan is headed home (no exact location mentioned)

answer: Alan is making the trip between Montana and South Dakota.

text: "Alan is making the trip between Montana and South Dakota." - is incorrect. Alan is headed home (no exact location mentioned)

answer: Alan is going to the gas station to ask for directions.

text: "Alan is going to the gas station to ask for directions." - is incorrect. Alan is headed home (no exact location mentioned)

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

What kind of vehicle does Alan drive?

answer: Alan drives a compact Optra SRV.

answer: The compact Optra SRV could refer to a car, though not very sporty or interesting. It also could refer to a certain type of vehicle.

text: "could refer to a car, though not very sporty or interesting. It also could refer to a certain type of vehicle." - the unnecessary information ruined a perfectly good answer. This should be deleted. Replace "The" with "A" in "compact Optra SRV"

answer: A compact Optra SRV

answer: Alan drives a compact Optra SRV.

answer: An Optra SRV

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Describe the truck driver.

answer: The truck driver is obese with bulging dark eyes and a sinister smile. He walks slowly and smokes, carrying a small pile of bills that he put down on the counter before he headed into the back of the gas station where the attendant was later found. The truck driver appears to be involved with some bad business.

text: "bulging dark eyes" - his eyes were beady, not bulging.

refinement: The truck driver is obese with beady dark eyes and a sinister smile. He walks slowly and smokes, carrying a small pile of bills that he put down on the counter before he headed into the back of the gas station where the attendant was later found. The truck driver appears to be involved with some bad business.

text: "carrying a small pile of bills that he put down on the counter before he headed into the back of the gas station where the attendant was later found. The truck driver appears to be involved with some bad business." - unnecessary information that doesn't describe the truck driver. Should be deleted.

refinement: The truck driver is obese with beady dark eyes and a sinister smile. He walks slowly and smokes.

answer: He is described as an obese man who smokes

text: "He is described as an obese man who smokes" - is missing several details that can better describe the truck driver.

refinement: He is described as an obese man who smokes, has beady dark eyes, pig-like nostrils, thin lips, a fiendish smirk, and wears sagging, salt-stained jeans.

answer: The truck driver is a statue. The driver is extremely overweight, smells of cigarette smoke, and exhales violently such that Alan can see his breath.

text: "The truck driver is a statue." - there is no evidence anywhere in the story that the truck driver is a statue. Delete this sentence.

refinement: The driver is extremely overweight, smells of cigarette smoke, and exhales violently such that Alan can see his breath.

text: Should add more details about the man other than cigarette smoke.

refinement: The driver is extremely overweight, has beady dark eyes, pig-like nostrils, thin lips, a fiendish smirk, and wears sagging, salt-stained jeans. He smells of cigarette smoke and exhales violently such that Alan can see his breath.

answer: The truck driver is a large, fat man with an unkempt appearance and a menacing smirk. He clearly has no morals or scruples, shown by his taking money from the attendant without even purchasing a single thing, and seems to frequent places with seedy purposes.

text: "He clearly has no morals or scruples, shown by his taking money from the attendant without even purchasing a single thing, and seems to frequent places with seedy purposes." - is inaccurate. The man having no scruples is speculative. The trucker taking money is incorrect because he gave the woman a pile of bills. Although what happened between the attendant and trucker is unknown, it was never implied that the gas station was a seedy place. This should be deleted and replace with actual details about the man.

refinement: The truck driver is a large, fat man with an unkempt appearance, beady dark eyes, pig-like nostrils, thin lips, and a menacing smirk.

answer: He is a bulbous man with pig-like nostrils. He wears a thick coat, a small cap, and sagging, salt-stained jeans. He has thin lips and beady dark eyes.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Why is Alan worried at the end of the piece?

answer: Alan is worried because he hears someone behind him and the attendant isn't in sight. The footsteps sound like that of a large man, and the attendant grumbles and says the attendant will be out in a second. Despite the explanation, Alan is fearful that something will happen to him while the attendant is out of sight.

text: "The footsteps sound like that of a large man" - must identify the large man as the trucker.

refinement: Alan is worried because he hears someone behind him and the attendant isn't in sight. The footsteps sound like that of the bulbous trucker, and the attendant grumbles and says the attendant will be out in a second. Despite the explanation, Alan is fearful that something will happen to him while the attendant is out of sight.

text: "the attendant grumbles and says the attendant will be out in a second." - is inaccurate. It's the truck driver who grumbles that the attendant will be out in a second. Rewrite the sentence.

refinement: Alan is worried because he hears someone behind him and the attendant isn't in sight. The footsteps sound like that of the bulbous trucker, who grumbles and says the attendant will be out in a second. Despite the explanation, Alan is fearful that something will happen to him while the attendant is out of sight.

text: "Alan is fearful that something will happen to him" - this was never implied in the story. What might have been implied was that Alan fears what might happen to the older woman attendant.

refinement: Alan is worried because he hears someone behind him and the attendant isn't in sight. The footsteps sound like that of the bulbous trucker, who grumbles and says the attendant will be out in a second. Despite the explanation, Alan is fearful that something might have happened to the older woman attendant.

answer: It seems like the store clerk is upping the ante on Alan by making him wait around for her while she goes and does something with the truck driver. Just about anything can happen when a man and female are alone together, and it seems as though Alan doesn't like what's going on.

text: "It seems like the store clerk is upping the ante on Alan by making him wait around for her while she goes and does something with the truck driver." - is inaccurate because the store clerk doesn't even know Alan is around, so she can't up the ante on anything. This also doesn't answer the question of why Alan is worried. Delete the first part of this section.

refinement: Alan is worried when the clerk goes and does something with the truck driver. Just about anything can happen when a man and female are alone together, and it seems as though Alan doesn't like what's going on.

answer: The reader does not know.

text: "The reader does not know." - is inaccurate. Alan was worried about the older woman behind the counter.

refinement: Alan was worried about the older woman who worked at the gas station because the trucker looked like bad news.

answer: Because the older woman went into the restroom stall with the truck driver. He emerges and she does not.

answer: Alan is worried because, although the attendant is back, he heard footsteps that sounded like there was at least one other person following her. He also heard a heavy cough, indicating that whoever was approaching was possibly ill. This creates anxiety for Alan, as he doesn't know who is following the attendant and what their motives might be.

text: "Alan is worried because, although the attendant is back, he heard footsteps that sounded like there was at least one other person following her." - the attendant didn't go back and no one was following her. The footsteps he was hearing came from the trucker. Alan was worried because the trucker came back and the attendant didn't.

refinement: Alan is worried because the trucker and the older woman attendant went to the restroom together, but only the trucker came out. He also heard a heavy cough, indicating that whoever was approaching was possibly ill. This creates anxiety for Alan, as he doesn't know who is following the attendant and what their motives might be.

text: "He also heard a heavy cough, indicating that whoever was approaching was possibly ill." - it was never implied if the trucker was sick or not. It is also irrelevant to the question and should be deleted.

refinement: Alan is worried because the trucker and the older woman attendant went to the restroom together, but only the trucker came out. This creates anxiety for Alan, as he doesn't know who is following the attendant and what their motives might be.

text: "This creates anxiety for Alan, as he doesn't know who is following the attendant and what their motives might be." - nobody was following the attendant. This section should be deleted.

refinement: Alan is worried because the trucker and the older woman attendant went to the restroom together, but only the trucker came out.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: Alan is traveling between South Dakota and Montana when he decides to pull over for a pit stop at a gas station. He watches a truck driver enter the station, place some money on the counter, and then head off somewhere with the older woman behind the counter. When he goes inside to investigate, he realizes they went into the station's only restroom. The truck driver emerges and tells Alan the woman will be out shortly and not to worry.

answer: Alan pulls into the brightly lit gas station to get his bearings. Alan sees a truck driver come into the station. Alan sees the truck driver lay down a bunch of cash that totals what Alan's t-shirt costs. The truck driver walks away and disappears around the corner, followed by the attendant. Alan emerges and asks the attendant about a map.

text: "Alan sees the truck driver lay down a bunch of cash that totals what Alan's t-shirt costs." - this is incorrect. Alan couldn’t see how much each bill was, due to his fogged windshield and the lack of time they laid on the counter. Mention that the truck driver laid the money for the older woman attendant.

refinement:
Alan pulls into the brightly lit gas station to get his bearings.
Alan sees a truck driver come into the station.
Alan sees the truck driver lay down a bunch of cash in front of the older woman attendant who was behind the counter.
The truck driver walks away and disappears around the corner, followed by the attendant.
Alan emerges and asks the attendant about a map.

text: "The truck driver walks away and disappears around the corner, followed by the attendant. " - add that this had Alan worried.

refinement:
Alan pulls into the brightly lit gas station to get his bearings.
Alan sees a truck driver come into the station.
Alan sees the truck driver lay down a bunch of cash in front of the older woman attendant who was behind the counter.
The truck driver walks away and disappears around the corner, followed by the attendant, which worries Alan.
Alan emerges and asks the attendant about a map.

text: "Alan emerges and asks the attendant about a map." - delete this sentence to meet the 4-sentence summary requirement.

refinement:
Alan pulls into the brightly lit gas station to get his bearings.
Alan sees a truck driver come into the station.
Alan sees the truck driver lay down a bunch of cash in front of the older woman attendant who was behind the counter.
The truck driver walks away and disappears around the corner, followed by the attendant, which worries Alan.

answer: Alan gasps awake. He’s in his professional vehicle somewhere on the interstate. He realizes he lost track of the road, but he can’t remember what exit it was. He pulls over at an exit to refuel and take stock of his bearings. A trucker emerges.

text: "Alan gasps awake. He’s in his professional vehicle somewhere on the interstate. He realizes he lost track of the road, but he can’t remember what exit it was. " - these statements are incorrect. Alan was never asleep. His vehicle was also not a professional one, but a compact Optra SRV. Alan didn't lose track of the road or forget where the exit was located - he just wasn't paying attention to the highway signs and missed the worn-out exit sign. He was confident he knew the way since he traveled back and forth between Montana and South Dakota all the time and missed his exit. Delete everything and rewrite the entire sequence.

refinement:
Alan is driving his compact Optra SRV along the highway between Montana and South Dakota.
He's confident he knows the way because he's traveled back and forth between the two states multiple times, but somehow misses his exit.
He pulls over at an exit to refuel and take stock of his bearings.
A trucker emerges.

text: "He pulls over at an exit" - is inaccurate. He pulls over at a gas station right off the highway exit. Add something about the trucker.

refinement:
Alan is driving his compact Optra SRV along the highway between Montana and South Dakota, confident he knows the way home because he's traveled back and forth between the two states multiple times, but somehow misses his exit.
He pulls over at a gas station right off the highway exit to refuel and take stock of his bearings.
A trucker emerges.

text: "A trucker emerges." - is vague and opens the summary up to unnecessary questions. Add more details.

refinement:
Alan is driving his compact Optra SRV along the highway between Montana and South Dakota, confident he knows the way home because he's traveled back and forth between the two states multiple times, but somehow misses his exit.
He pulls over at a gas station right off the highway exit to refuel and take stock of his bearings.
The trucker has a fiendish smirk when he gives money to the older woman attendant and they go to the restroom, which worries Alan because only the trucker comes back out.

text: Needs one more sentence to meet the 4-sentence summary requirement. Add one more about the time when Alan first saw the trucker.

refinement:
Alan is driving his compact Optra SRV along the highway between Montana and South Dakota, confident he knows the way home because he's traveled back and forth between the two states multiple times, but somehow misses his exit.
He pulls over at a gas station right off the highway exit to refuel and take stock of his bearings.
Alan sees a bulbous trucker with beady eyes and pig-like nostrils get down from his truck and head straight for the store.
The trucker has a fiendish smirk when he gives money to the older woman attendant and they go to the restroom, which worries Alan because only the trucker comes back out.

answer: Alan stops at a gas station to refuel but finds himself face-to-face with a strange truck driver with questionable intentions. While browsing the store, Alan hears footsteps drawing nearer behind him and realizes they belong to the truck driver. The attendant appears and confirms to Alan that she will return shortly, but Alan remains suspicious and worried. He hears the truck driver make a disgusting coughing noise behind him. With no intermediary present, Alan is unsure of the truck driver's motivations and awaits the attendant.

text: "The attendant appears and confirms to Alan that she will return shortly, but Alan remains suspicious and worried." - Alan never got to talk to the attendant. Rewrite to mention that the attendant is an older woman who disappears with the truck driver after he gives her money. Move this sentence to the second spot (after the one with "questionable intentions).

refinement:
Alan stops at a gas station to refuel but finds himself face-to-face with a strange truck driver with questionable intentions.
The attendant, who is an older woman, disappears with the truck driver to the restroom after he gives her money, but Alan remains suspicious and worried when she doesn't come back out.
While browsing the store, Alan hears footsteps drawing nearer behind him and realizes they belong to the truck driver.
He hears the truck driver make a disgusting coughing noise behind him.
With no intermediary present, Alan is unsure of the truck driver's motivations and awaits the attendant.

text: Went over the 4-sentence summary requirement. Merge sentences 3 and 4 together.

refinement:
Alan stops at a gas station to refuel but finds himself face-to-face with a strange truck driver with questionable intentions.
The attendant, who is an older woman, disappears with the truck driver to the restroom after he gives her money, but Alan remains suspicious and worried when she doesn't come back out.
While browsing the store, Alan hears footsteps drawing nearer behind him and realizes they belong to the truck driver, who makes a disgusting coughing noise behind him.
With no intermediary present, Alan is unsure of the truck driver's motivations and awaits the attendant.

answer: After having lost track of his route, Alan stopped at a gas station only to find himself facing a frightening sight. There is only one other car in the lot and the trucker who arrives seems to be up to something shady. When Alan hears the trucker go into a back room, he starts to worry. True to his suspicions, the trucker emerges from the back with the attendant nowhere in sight. After a tense moment, the trucker tells Alan the attendant will be out "a second" and leaves him to simply buy a map. Though the moments leading up to this moment were tense, Alan was glad to get the information he needed and quickly leave before anything else could happen.

text: "When Alan hears the trucker go into a back room, he starts to worry." - the trucker went to the restroom, not the back room. He also went with the older woman attendant after giving her money. Alan doesn't hear all this, he sees it from his car.

refinement:
After having lost track of his route, Alan stopped at a gas station only to find himself facing a frightening sight.
There is only one other car in the lot and the trucker who arrives seems to be up to something shady.
Alan sees the truck driver give the older woman attendant money and they both disappear to the restroom, which worries Alan.
True to his suspicions, the trucker emerges from the back with the attendant nowhere in sight.
After a tense moment, the trucker tells Alan the attendant will be out "a second" and leaves him to simply buy a map.
Though the moments leading up to this moment were tense, Alan was glad to get the information he needed and quickly leave before anything else could happen.

text: "After a tense moment, the trucker tells Alan the attendant will be out "a second" and leaves him to simply buy a map. Though the moments leading up to this moment were tense, Alan was glad to get the information he needed and quickly leave before anything else could happen." - there's no space for these two sentences in the summary and should be deleted.

refinement:
After having lost track of his route, Alan stopped at a gas station only to find himself facing a frightening sight.
There is only one other car in the lot and the trucker who arrives seems to be up to something shady.
Alan sees the truck driver give the older woman attendant money and they both disappear to the restroom, which worries Alan.
True to his suspicions, the trucker emerges from the back with the attendant nowhere in sight.


text:
A short story by Corbin Willmorth

I am writing this down now.

 I know this might sound bad out of context, but I think I have found a new look on how I view life. I mean that I am happy. Like, truly happy. It is all because of this tea that I drank. It is made up Chacruna Leaves and Syrian Rue.

Anyway, I drank this tea, which honestly tasted like shit and made me wanna throw up for the first 30 minutes, and after about 45 or so minutes I started to laugh. I started laughing about fucking everything! I laughed about how huge my pupils were, I laughed at how small my hand looked, I laughed at the movie I was watching (it was the onion movie for those who were wondering), and I laughed at myself. I realized in that moment that I was happy. I was completely shocked at how happy I was. I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I was smiling. SMILING! This was the first time in literally a whole year that I had seen myself genuinely smile.

I’m gonna get real here for a moment. I’ve had an incredibly shitty year. Literally since day one of 2018. On January 1st, I lost a very dear loved one. My grandma, to get into the spacifics. I lost my mother at a very young age, and most my contact with her family, and my grandmother became my new mother figure. I was always honest, sharing my feelings with her and telling her everything. There are so many things I wish I should have told her. When she died I went into this very deep depression. I pushed away my friends and I just stayed in bed and cried. I just wanted to die and make my feelings go away. It was fucking miserable. I can’t even describe it completely. It was the suckiest of suck I have felt in my life.

And then, I moved. I moved 200 miles away from my hometown of Snoqualmie, Washington, a town just 40 miles west of Seattle, to Chewelah, Washington, a small town 80 miles north of Spokane. I moved away from all my friends and family, and it made me even sadder. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any suckier, it did.

However, drinking that tea made me realize how much I worried too much. I worried too much about what other people thought of me. I worried too much about what was in my future. I just fucking hated that I worried about pointless shit. Sure, my life was shitty, but I’ve come to realize that it’s all okay. It’s okay that I felt awful, I understand how hard my life was up until this point.

It’s December 1st, fifteen days away from my 18th birthday. I think that it is finally time that I moved forward. I need to stop worrying about the past and about the future. I just need to focus on what is happening now. Stop thinking. Just do. Do it. Do what makes you happy. If you love music, start a band, fuck it! If you like writing, write! My point is, just take life at your own pace. Stop stressing over what ever it is that has you so worried. Take time out of your day to think about yourself.

Sure, you might want to call me names because I found happiness in drugs, but the point of my, you could call it an essay, was to make a point about that. Yes, DMT made me super fucking happy for like six hours. What I want to do from now on is find things in the real world that makes me happy. I need to stop relying on drugs. I might not quit drugs completely, seeing as how I wanna be a legal marijuana grower (because in the state of Washington you can make over $100k a year by growing weed for a cannabis company). I’ve done drugs, I’ve been there, I’ve seen things. Of all the things I’ve seen, I now know that one thing is clear. I’m happy. I’m happy because I stopped worrying.

If you managed to read this whole thing, I would like to thank you. Yes, I am speaking directly to you, the person reading this. Thank you for taking time out of your day. Thank you for listening to what I had to say. I know you must be busy. You have a life, I get it. But you actually took five minutes out of your busy life to listen to some 18 year old hippy talk about his shitty life. Thank you for caring. It’s nice that people care about things. Anyway, it’s 1:29AM right now, I should get some sleep.

title: [NF] The Key to Happiness

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

What does the article say about drugs?

answer: The article suggests that drugs can serve to increase happiness, but that should not be relied upon. The individual instead recommends finding common sources of happiness in the real world. The author views drugs as providing a temporary boost, not a long-term solution.

answer: The article makes the argument that drugs can make one happy, though people should not rely on them as a crutch for their happiness. While the person believes that drugs made him happy at first, he now understands that happiness comes from investing in "real world" pursuits. Drugs, then, should be seen as an occasional tool for happiness rather than being relied upon for that purpose.

answer: The narrator had turned to drugs to find happiness, after struggling with a very lonely, depression-ridden year. He compares the alternative of using drugs to turning to ordinary things in the real world which makes them happy. Drugs seem to be an extremely prevalent addiction for young people nowadays. The narrator adds that he might use drugs again, but not as a crutch to find happiness-a clear sign of this sudden maturity.

text: It is not stated that drugs seem to be an extremely prevalent addiction for young people nowadays.

refinement: The narrator had turned to drugs to find happiness, after struggling with a very lonely, depression-ridden year. He compares the alternative of using drugs to turning to ordinary things in the real world which makes them happy. The narrator adds that he might use drugs again, but not as a crutch to find happiness-a clear sign of this sudden maturity.

answer: The narrator has been taking DMT, which made her realize that she had been worrying too much, and she doesn't see the point of continuing to use them any longer. She would like to move forward and find things in the real world that make her happy, and she will stop relying on them.

answer: The author managed to find genuine happiness with a drug called DMT, which led them to realize how much they worry about any and everything. While the author is aware that some people might consider this problematic, they are also motivated to find activities that bring happiness outside of drugs.


text:
OXIRIS BARBOT () is an American pediatrician who served as the Commissioner of Health of the City of New York from 2018 to 2020.

Early life and education

Barbot was born at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan in New York City, and refers to herself as a “Nuyorican,” a term of pride used by New Yorkers who have deep Puerto Rican roots.[1][2] Her father committed suicide with a handgun when she was nine years old.[3] She lived in the Patterson Houses in the Bronx, before moving with her mother to northern New Jersey.[4]

Barbot received a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University, and a medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (graduating in 1991).[5][6][7] She completed her pediatric residency at George Washington University’s Children’s National Medical Center.[8]

Early career

Barbot was the chief of pediatrics and community medicine at Unity Health Care, Inc., a health center in Washington, DC.[9] She then, starting in 2003, served as medical director of the Office of School Health at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the NYC Department of Education.[10][11] She then served as commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department, starting in 2010.[12][13] Barbot then served as the first deputy commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, starting in 2014.[14][15]

Commissioner of Health of the City of New York

Barbot was the Commissioner of Health of the City of New York, a position she was appointed to in December 2018 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, succeeding Mary T. Bassett.[16][17][18] She was the first Latina to head the Health Department.[19][20][21]

Coronavirus pandemic

On January 26, 2020, over a month before the first coronavirus cases were confirmed in the New York City area in the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, Barbot said at a press conference: “We are encouraging New Yorkers to go about their everyday lives and suggest practicing everyday precautions that we do through the flu season”.[22] On February 2, with the city's first coronavirus case under investigation, Barbot stated: “The risk to New Yorkers from coronavirus is low and ... our preparedness as a city is very high. There is no reason not to take the subway, not to take the bus, not to go out to your favorite restaurant, and certainly not to miss the [Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival] parade next Sunday [Feb. 9].”[23][24] At the end of March, political commentator Tucker Carlson criticized her, saying “Future generations are gonna watch that video with their jaws open in disbelief. How could someone charged with protecting public health so recklessly endanger it?”[25]

On March 2 she said that people can't contract coronavirus through casual, short-term exposure, but instead require prolonged exposure to the infected person's secretions.[26] At a press conference on March 3, Barbot said: “We are encouraging New Yorkers to go about their everyday lives”.[27] On March 20 Barbot warned that masks should only be used by people who are showing symptoms, saying: “The time to use a mask is when someone is symptomatic, when they’re coughing, when they’re sneezing, and it’s to ensure that that individual doesn’t contaminate other folks. It gives people who are asymptomatic a false sense of security that if they wear this mask, they don’t have to wash their hands, they don’t have to cover their mouths and their noses when they cough or they sneeze.”[28]

Barbot denied a New York Police Department (NYPD) request for 500,000 surgical masks in mid-March.[29] She told NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan during the heated dispute that “I don't give two rats’ asses about your cops.” Monahan asked Barbot for 500,000 masks, but she said she could only provide 50,000, saying “I need them for others.” The Detectives' Endowment Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association, and Police Benevolent Association called for her to be fired, as did Democrat Representative Max Rose.[30] The Sergeants Benevolent Association expressed their displeasure through an obscene tweet and statement from President Ed Mullins. Barbot later apologized for her private statement.[31]

Ultimately, citing her deep distress with the mayor's actions, she resigned on August 4, 2020.[32] A press release from the mayor later that day announced the appointment of Dave A. Chokshi as her replacement.[33]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5] Meredith Cohn (July 7, 2010). “N.Y. official to lead Baltimore's health department,” _The Baltimore Sun_.

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21] Jillian Jorgensen. “Dr. Oxiris Barbot named New York City health commissioner,” _New York Daily News_.

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26] James Ford. “NYC leaders try to quell coronavirus concerns after 1st confirmed case,” PIX11.

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

title: Oxiris Barbot

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Summarise how Barbot's actions were perceived as reckless regarding the covid pandemic and what led to her resignation from office.

answer: Barbot was appointed Commissioner of Health of the City of New York in 2018 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the first Latina to head the Health Department. She was criticized for saying people can't contract coronavirus through casual, short-term exposure, but instead require prolonged exposure to the infected person's secretions. She also denied a New York Police Department request for 500,000 surgical masks. Ultimately, she resigned from office on August 4, 2020.

text: The answer should mention Barbot's comments about COVID-19 at the start of the epidemic.

refinement: Barbot was appointed Commissioner of Health of the City of New York in 2018 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the first Latina to head the Health Department. She was criticized for saying people can't contract coronavirus through casual, short-term exposure, but instead require prolonged exposure to the infected person's secretions. At the start of the epidemic, she insisted that New Yorkers should continue their normal lives, and only the symptomatic should wear masks. She also denied a New York Police Department request for 500,000 surgical masks. Ultimately, she resigned from office on August 4, 2020.

text: The answer should mention Barbot's official reason for resignation.

refinement: Barbot was appointed Commissioner of Health of the City of New York in 2018 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the first Latina to head the Health Department. She was criticized for saying people can't contract coronavirus through casual, short-term exposure, but instead require prolonged exposure to the infected person's secretions. At the start of the epidemic, she insisted that New Yorkers should continue their normal lives, and only the symptomatic should wear masks. She also denied a New York Police Department request for 500,000 surgical masks. Ultimately, she resigned from office on August 4, 2020, citing her "deep distress with the mayor's actions".

text: Barbot's appointment is irrelevant to the question.

refinement: She was criticized for saying people can't contract coronavirus through casual, short-term exposure, but instead require prolonged exposure to the infected person's secretions. At the start of the epidemic, she insisted that New Yorkers should continue their normal lives, and only the symptomatic should wear masks. She also denied a New York Police Department request for 500,000 surgical masks. Ultimately, she resigned from office on August 4, 2020, citing her "deep distress with the mayor's actions".

answer: Barbot was appointed Commissioner of Health of the City of New York in 2018 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the first Latina to head the Health Department. She was criticized for saying people can't contract coronavirus through casual, short-term exposure, but instead require prolonged exposure to the infected person's secretions. She also denied a New York Police Department request for 500,000 surgical masks. Ultimately, she resigned from office on August 4, 2020, citing her deep distress with the mayor's actions.

answer: According to the article, Barbot's actions with the covid pandemic were perceived as reckless. She attempted to downplay the seriousness of the situation. She also rejected a request from the New York Police Department for 500,000 surgical masks. She eventually resigned from office.


text:
media caption'Mr President, are you a racist?'

THE ORGANISATION REPRESENTING AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAS DEMANDED THAT US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP APOLOGISE AFTER HE REPORTEDLY CALLED NATIONS ON THE CONTINENT "SHITHOLES".

The African Union mission in Washington DC expressed its "shock, dismay and outrage" and said the Trump administration misunderstood Africans.

The US leader made the alleged remark in a Thursday meeting on immigration.

But Mr Trump has denied using the language reported.

He has been backed by two Republicans who were at the White House meeting, but Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Mr Trump called African countries "shitholes" several times and used "racist" language.

On Friday, Mr Trump on Friday tweeted that his language he used at the private meeting with lawmakers to discuss immigration legislation had been "tough".

But he added that the words attributed to him were "not the language used".

media captionUS Senator: "Trump said these hate-filled things, and he said them repeatedly"

What did the African Union say?

It said the "remarks dishonour the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity".

It added: "While expressing our shock, dismay and outrage, the African Union strongly believes that there is a huge misunderstanding of the African continent and its people by the current Administration.

"There is a serious need for dialogue between the US Administration and the African countries."

The pan-African grouping represents 55 member states throughout the continent. It succeeded the Organisation of African Unity - which originated in the decolonisation struggles of the early 1960s - in 2002.

What exactly did Trump say?

The remarks were allegedly made when lawmakers visited him on Thursday to discuss a bipartisan proposal that would impose new restrictions on immigration but protect the so-called "Dreamers" - hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the US illegally as children - from deportation.

Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should instead be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.

"Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" the Washington Post quoted him as saying.

Mr Durbin said that when Mr Trump was told that the largest groups of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) were from El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti, the president responded: "Haitians? Do we need more Haitians?"

But in another tweet on Friday the president denied that he insulted Haitians.

  Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said “take them out.” Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust!

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Many US media outlets reported the comments on Thursday, quoting witnesses or people briefed on the meeting. The White House did not deny them.

What has been the political fallout?

-   "I cannot believe that in the history of the White House, in that Oval Office, any president has ever spoken the words that I personally heard our president speak yesterday," MR DURBIN told reporters on Friday
-   House Speaker PAUL RYAN, a top Republican, said the reported comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful"
-   HILLARY CLINTON, who lost to Mr Trump in the 2016 presidential election, said the country had been subjected to his "ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn't look like him" and noted that it was eight years since Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake
-   Republican Senators TOM COTTON and DAVID PERDUE, of Arkansas and Georgia, said that they could not remember Mr Trump describing countries as "shitholes" in the meeting
-   MIA LOVE, a Utah Republican and the only Haitian-American in Congress, demanded an apology from Mr Trump for the "unkind, divisive, elitist" comments
-   STEVE KING, a right-wing Republican Congressman from Iowa, backed the president in a tweet:

  The anniversary of the devastating earthquake 8 years ago is a day to remember the tragedy, honor the resilient people of Haiti, & affirm America’s commitment to helping our neighbors. Instead, we‘re subjected to Trump’s ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn’t look like him.

  — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 12, 2018

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Another Republican Senator who was there, Lindsey Graham, did not deny the comments were made. "Following comments by the president, I said my piece directly to him yesterday. The president and all those attending the meeting know what I said and how I feel," he said.

On Friday, Mr Trump ignored press questions about the issue as he signed a proclamation declaring a holiday in honour of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr - as presidents do every year.

He said Americans were celebrating that "self-evident truth" that "no matter what the colour of our skin or the place of our birth, we are all created equal by God".

What has been the global reaction?

-   BOTSWANA summoned the US ambassador and asked the envoy "to clarify if Botswana is regarded as a 'shithole' country given that there are Botswana nationals residing in the US"
-   UN HUMAN RIGHTS SPOKESMAN Rupert Colville said the comments, if confirmed, were "shocking and shameful", adding: "I'm sorry but there is no other word for this but racist."
-   HAITI'S US Ambassador Paul Altidor told the BBC the idea that "we're simply immigrants who come here to take advantage of the US" is wrong.

media captionWhat is temporary protected status - and why is El Salvador losing it?

More on Trump's first year

media captionWhat the world thinks of Trump

More on this story

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question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Summarize the global reaction to Trump's remarks.

answer: Botswana summoned the US ambassador to clarify if they thought of Botswana as a shithole country. Rupert Colville, UN Human Rights spokesperson, said the comments were "shocking and shameful." Haiti's US Ambassador Paul Altidor believes that the remarks Trump made about immigrants who come to the US are wrong.

text: The answer should include the response of the African Union.

refinement: Botswana summoned the US ambassador to clarify if they thought of Botswana as a shithole country. Rupert Colville, UN Human Rights spokesperson, said the comments were "shocking and shameful." Haiti's US Ambassador Paul Altidor believes that the remarks Trump made about immigrants who come to the US are wrong. The African Union said the "remarks dishonor the American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity."

answer: Botswana summoned the US ambassador and asked the envoy to clarify if Botswana is regarded as a "shithole" country given that there are Botswana nationals residing in the US. A UN human rights spokesman said that the comments are "shocking and shameful" and added that it is racist. Haiti's US Ambassador Paul Altidor said the idea that "we're simply immigrants who come here to take advantage of the US" is wrong. Botswana asked the US Department of State for clarification, which it is in the process of making.

answer: Global outrage has ensued in regards to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump that immigrants from African countries are coming to America to "take advantage" of the country. UN Human Rights Spokesman Rupert Colville denounced Trump's remarks as "racist" and even Botswana summoned the U.S. Ambassador to clarify if Botswana is regarded as a "shithole" country. Outrage has been expressed around the world over Trump's comments and many believe his remarks to be offensive and ignorant.

answer: The reaction around the world has been one of shock, dismay and outrage over Donald Trump's reported derogatory comment about African countries. UN Human Rights Spokesman Rupert Colville described his comment as "shocking and shameful" and "racist". Botswana has formally summoned the US ambassador to clarify whether the African nation is considered a "shithole" country. Meanwhile, Haiti's US Ambassador has rejected the idea that its citizens are merely "immigrants who come here to take advantage of the US".

answer: The African Union says that Trump's "remarks dishonour the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity." They also said that there has been a huge misunderstanding between the African continent and Trump. Botswana summoned the US ambassador to question them. The UN says that the comments were shameful and racist. Haiti's ambassador says that the comments Trump said were wrong.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Summarize what other US politicians had to say about Trump's remarks.

answer: The US Speaker of the House, anti-immigration politician Paul Ryan, describes Trump's words about US immigration policy as "unfortunate" and "unhelpful". AZ politicians John McCain and Jeff Flake speak against the remarks on Twitter. Mitch Mcconnell says he thinks the comments are not accurate.

text: John McCain, Jeff Flake, and Mitch McConnell aren't mentioned in the article. The sentences about them are made up.

refinement: The US Speaker of the House, anti-immigration politician Paul Ryan, describes Trump's words about US immigration policy as "unfortunate" and "unhelpful".

text: The answer omits the reactions from Hillary Clinton, Tom Cotton, David Perdue, Mia Love, Steve King, and Lindsay Graham.

refinement: The US Speaker of the House, anti-immigration politician Paul Ryan, describes Trump's words about US immigration policy as "unfortunate" and "unhelpful". Clinton said the country is subject to Trump's racist views since the 2016 election, while Utah Republican Mia Love demanded an apology. Republicans Tom Cotton, David Perdue, and Steve King backed the president. Lindsey Graham, another Republican, declared that he made his response to the president directly and made his feelings about the remarks clear.

answer: Senator Dick Durbin said Mr Trump called African countries "shithole countries several times and used "racist" language. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue said they couldn't remember Trump using those words in the meeting.

text: The answer omits the reactions from Hillary Clinton, Mia Love, Steve King, and Lindsay Graham.

refinement: Senator Dick Durbin said Mr Trump called African countries "shithole countries several times and used "racist" language. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue said they couldn't remember Trump using those words in the meeting. Clinton said the country is subject to Trump's racist views since the 2016 election, while Utah Republican Mia Love demanded an apology while Steve King backed the president. Lindsey Graham, another Republican, declared that he made his response to the president directly and made his feelings about the remarks clear.

text: The answer misrepresents Paul Ryan's stance.

refinement: Senator Dick Durbin said Mr Trump called African countries "shithole countries several times and used "racist" language. Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue said they couldn't remember Trump using those words in the meeting. House Speaker Paul Ryan said the president's comments were unfortunate and unhelpful. Clinton said the country is subject to Trump's racist views since the 2016 election, while Utah Republican Mia Love demanded an apology while Steve King backed the president. Lindsey Graham, another Republican, declared that he made his response to the president directly and made his feelings about the remarks clear.

answer: House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Tom Cotton have rebuked President Trump for reportedly calling African countries "shitholes", saying the comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful". Senator Lindsey Graham has defended Trump, calling his comments "inappropriate" but not racist. Senator Dick Durbin alleges that Trump referred to African countries as "shitholes" several times during the immigration meeting. Meanwhile, the African Union has called for an apology from Trump for ignoring "the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity". The world has reacted negatively to Trump's remarks, calling them "shocking" and "racist".

text: The international reaction to Trump's comments are beyond the scope of this question.

refinement: House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Tom Cotton have rebuked President Trump for reportedly calling African countries "shitholes", saying the comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful". Senator Lindsey Graham has defended Trump, calling his comments "inappropriate" but not racist. Senator Dick Durbin alleges that Trump referred to African countries as "shitholes" several times during the immigration meeting.

text: The answer makes up a fake response for Lindsay Graham.

refinement: House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Tom Cotton have rebuked President Trump for reportedly calling African countries "shitholes", saying the comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful". Senator Lindsey Graham declared that he said his piece to the president and the other attendees directly. Senator Dick Durbin alleges that Trump referred to African countries as "shitholes" several times during the immigration meeting.

text: The answer misrepresents Tom Cotton's stance while omitting Perdue's agreement with him.

refinement: House Speaker Paul Ryan has rebuked President Trump for reportedly calling African countries "shitholes", saying the comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful". Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue claimed that they don't remember the president making the alleged remarks. Senator Lindsey Graham declared that he said his piece to the president and the other attendees directly. Senator Dick Durbin alleges that Trump referred to African countries as "shitholes" several times during the immigration meeting.

answer: Some politicians supporting Trump are denying that he made any racist comments. Several Democrats and Republicans agreed that the remarks were unhelpful and demanded apologies. Hillary Clinton is condemning Trump's remarks.

answer: Several Republicans as well as Democrats criticized President Trump after he reportedly described countries in Africa as "shitholes." House Speaker Paul Ryan called the remarks "unfortunate" and "unhelpful," while Hillary Clinton said the country had been subjected to Trump's "ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn't look like him." Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue said they did not remember Mr Trump describing countries as "shitholes," but right-wing Congressman Steve King defended him by tweeting that the comments if confirmed were "shocking and shameful," but "there is no other word for this but racist." Haiti's US Ambassador Paul Altidor condemned the idea that "we're simply immigrants who come here to take advantage of the US."

text: Paul Altidor's position is both wrong and irrelevant to the question. The related sentence should be removed.

refinement: Several Republicans as well as Democrats criticized President Trump after he reportedly described countries in Africa as "shitholes." House Speaker Paul Ryan called the remarks "unfortunate" and "unhelpful," while Hillary Clinton said the country had been subjected to Trump's "ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn't look like him." Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue said they did not remember Mr Trump describing countries as "shitholes," but right-wing Congressman Steve King defended him by tweeting that the comments if confirmed were "shocking and shameful," but "there is no other word for this but racist."

text: The answer assigns Rupert Colville's statements to Steve King. The article doesn't mention how Steve King ended up defending Trump.

refinement: Several Republicans as well as Democrats criticized President Trump after he reportedly described countries in Africa as "shitholes." House Speaker Paul Ryan called the remarks "unfortunate" and "unhelpful," while Hillary Clinton said the country had been subjected to Trump's "ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn't look like him." Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue said they did not remember Mr Trump describing countries as "shitholes," and right-wing Congressman Steve King defended him in a tweet.

question:
Answer the following question based on the above passage:

Summarize Trump's remarks and his response to them.

answer: In a bipartisan immigration meeting Trump said that the US should be taking more migrants from countries like Norway, and not from "shithole" countries such as Haiti. Trump denies the claims that he made the remarks, claiming he has "a wonderful relationship with Haitians." Trump ignored press questions regarding the issue.

text: Trump is alleged to have called African nations "shitholes". He asked whether the US needs more Haitians.

refinement: In a bipartisan immigration meeting Trump said that the US should be taking more migrants from countries like Norway, and not from "shithole" countries from Africa. He's also rumored to have asked whether the US needs more Haitians. Trump denies the claims that he made the remarks, claiming he has "a wonderful relationship with Haitians." Trump ignored press questions regarding the issue.

answer: According to reports, US President Donald Trump allegedly referred to African nations as "shitholes" during a meeting on Thursday to discuss immigration reform. Mr Trump has denied using the language reported and has said that his language at the meeting had been "tough". Critics, however, have denounced the alleged comments as racist. Mr Trump has given no apology and has said that there is a "huge misunderstanding of the African continent and its people by the current Administration".

text: The African Union's comments are attributed to Trump.

refinement: According to reports, US President Donald Trump allegedly referred to African nations as "shitholes" during a meeting on Thursday to discuss immigration reform. Mr Trump has denied using the language reported and has said that his language at the meeting had been "tough". Critics, however, have denounced the alleged comments as racist. Mr Trump has given no apology.

answer: Trump allegedly said: "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" In response to this statement he said: "Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said “take them out.” Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust!".

text: The answer omits that Trump initially talked about African nations before commenting on Haiti. He's reported to have asked whether the US needs more Haitians while saying he didn't use the language reported, but he was tough.

refinement: Trump allegedly said: "Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" referring to African nations. Trump denied he used the language reported but said he was "tough." Then, Durbin says he stated most immigrants come from El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti. In response to this statement he said: "Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said “take them out.” Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings - unfortunately, no trust!".

answer: According to reports, US President Donald Trump reportedly called African countries "shitholes" during a meeting on immigration on Thursday. Trump has denied using the insulting language and claimed that he did not say "take them out". The African Union denounced the remarks and called for an apology. Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue have refuted Trump's remarks. The global reaction has been strong, with the UN calling them shocking and shameful. Haiti's US Ambassador strongly denied the idea that Haitian immigrants come to the US to take advantage.

text: The responses to Trump's comments from others aren't relevant to this question.

refinement: According to reports, US President Donald Trump reportedly called African countries "shitholes" during a meeting on immigration on Thursday. Trump has denied using the insulting language and claimed that he did not say "take them out".

text: The answer omits Trump's alleged remarks about Haiti and his response.

refinement: According to reports, US President Donald Trump reportedly called African countries "shitholes" during a meeting on immigration on Thursday. Trump has denied using the insulting language and claimed that he did not say "take them out". Furthermore, Trump is reported to have asked whether the US needs more Haitians. Trump said in a tweet that he didn't insult Haitians and that he has a wonderful relationship with them.

answer: The President allegedly called African countries "shitholes" during immigration discussions. The press and many politic insiders have recounted the behavior, adding fuel to the controversy. Trump denies that he made the comment. Respondents say that Trump's honesty and willingness to use appropriate language will separate him from white supremacist tendencies. The President further states that Haitians are not people that are wanted in the United States, and would prefer to select immigrants from European nations.

text: "The press and many politic insiders have recounted the behavior, adding fuel to the controversy." This sentence is irrelevant.

refinement: The President allegedly called African countries "shitholes" during immigration discussions. Trump denies that he made the comment. Respondents say that Trump's honesty and willingness to use appropriate language will separate him from white supremacist tendencies. The President further states that Haitians are not people that are wanted in the United States, and would prefer to select immigrants from European nations.

text: The following sentence is made up: "Respondents say that Trump's honesty and willingness to use appropriate language will separate him from white supremacist tendencies."

refinement: The President allegedly called African countries "shitholes" during immigration discussions. Trump denies that he made the comment. The President further states that Haitians are not people that are wanted in the United States, and would prefer to select immigrants from European nations.

text: The Haiti-related portions of the article are misrepresented.

refinement: The President allegedly called African countries "shitholes" during immigration discussions. Trump denies that he made the comment. The President is reported to have said he'd like immigrants from countries like Norway, asking whether the US needs more Haitians. In a tweet, Trump also denies he insulted Haitians, saying he has a wonderful relationship with them.