text:
LAST UPDATED: 12 November 2020

Australian summers can be tough for people and animals...

And while many of us can endure the hottest days with the help of air conditioning and plenty of fluids to keep us hydrated, our wildlife friends can suffer terribly during extreme heat, and even die. Here are 6 ways you can help make the difference between life and death for wildlife during increasingly hot and dry Aussie summers:

[Leave water out.]

Sweltering summer days can be uncomfortable to be outside in for just a few minutes. Imagine what it is like for animals who have no way of escaping the heat. During heat waves, native animals can suffer terribly and even die — but the simple act of providing them save access to water can help them cope.

-   Leave SHALLOW DISHES OF WATER in the shade (try to avoid metal dishes unless they're in full shade as they will get very hot in the sun)
-   If you can put some dishes high up/in trees this will help keep wildlife safe from predators.
-   Shallow bowls are best, as small birds can become trapped in deep dishes and drown (cat litter trays can actually be quite handy for this reason, and these are often found in discount stores for just a few dollars)
-   If you only have large bowls or buckets — be sure to place some large twigs or rocks/bricks inside to allow any trapped animals to make their way out.

[Keep dogs and cats indoors.]

Not only will this help your animal companions escape the heat, but it will ENABLE THIRSTY WILDLIFE TO ACCESS WATER IN YOUR BACKYARD safely.

[Cover your pool.]

It may feel counter-intuitive to prevent wildlife from cooling down in your pool on a hot day. But heat-stressed animals looking to cool down are at risk of drowning in pools so taking away that access can actually save lives (it's also not ideal for animals to be drinking pool water as they can get sick). Ensure animals have access to safe and fresh water sources in your back yard instead.

[Keep an eye out for heat-stressed wildlife.]

If you spot any critters who look like they're struggling, call your local vet as well as local wildlife group for help. Particularly during natural disasters (eg. bushfires), wildlife carers can be overwhelmed — so it's worth contacting your vet who can assess the situation and treat injured animals (for free).

-   Be particularly mindful at dusk and at night as many nocturnal animals will be more active during this time.
-   PREPARE AN EMERGENCY KIT to keep in your car including water, a blanket/towel, and a box
-   Save a few local wildlife rescue contacts in your phone so that you can ring for advice if you need it.
-   Here are some measures you can take to help reduce the chances of animals being hit on the road.

[Share your fruit trees with hungry wildlife]

After extreme heat events and bushfires, Australias's flying foxes are in desperate need of help. Pictured is a flying fox who came into emergency vets after bushfires ravaged his home. Having survived the terrible fires, and with so many of his normal food sources gone, he was hungry and searching for food. This is what happened.

Wildlife who have survived through Australia's bushfire crisis are hungry. They have not only lost their homes, but their sources of food. And during this time of ecosystem devastation and habitat loss, it's never been more crucial to protect species like flying foxes — BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO POLLINATE TREES. The more flying foxes we can keep healthy and happy, the better our ecosystems will survive and regenerate. So please, take down your tree netting, and share some love for wildlife by sharing your fruit trees

_Help spread this important message across Facebook and Twitter._

IMPORTANT: If you come across an injured or heat-stressed flying fox (fruit bat) DO NOT TOUCH the animal. This is for the animal's own safety. Instead, immediately call a wildlife carer for advice.

[Know what to do if you find distressed or injured wildlife]

If you have found an animal who is visibly distressed, wrap them loosely in a blanket or towel IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO* and place them in a cardboard box, before placing the box in a dark, quiet, and cool place.

_*Note that injured animals will often be quite frightened, so if you feel worried they may scratch or bite try gently ushering them into a washing basket without touching them instead of wrapping them in a blanket or towel._

Offer water but not food and call a wildlife carer immediately, or your local vet. NEVER POUR WATER INTO AN ANIMALS' MOUTH — this is not natural and can cause additional distress and even physical harm. Instead, provide cool water in a bowl and allow them to lap from it.

DO NOT WRAP HEAT STRESSED ANIMALS IN WET TOWELS OR SUBMERSE IN WATER — this can kill them.

IMPORTANT: If you come across an injured or heat-stressed flying fox (fruit bat) DO NOT TOUCH the animal. This is for the animal's own safety. Instead, immediately call a wildlife carer for advice.

What does a heat-stressed animal look like?

Some of the signs that a native animal is heat-stressed include:

-   Nocturnal (active at night) animals, such as possums, out during the day
-   Tree-dwelling animals such as koalas, on the ground
-   Birds or animals displaying any loss of balance, collapse, confusion or panting
-   If you come across a wild animal being docile — ie. if you can approach them and they don't run away — this is a good sign that they are not well and need urgent care.

[shadow]

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

Summarize some of the hardships Australian animals face during summers there.

answer: Australian summers can be tough for wildlife. Heatwaves make the heat even worse, often causing the death of animals. It is believed that by simply providing access to water can help the animals out.

text: How to help the animals is irrelevant to the question.

refinement: Australian summers can be tough for wildlife. Heatwaves make the heat even worse, often causing the death of animals.

text: The answer omits the potential hazard of wildfires.

refinement: Australian summers can be tough for wildlife. Heatwaves make the heat even worse, often causing the death of animals. Furthermore, wildfires can cause the animals to not only lose their homes but also their access to food.

answer: Some of the hardships Australian animals face during summers there are the sweltering heat and the lack of water. During heat waves, native animals can suffer terribly and even die.

answer: Australian summers can be tough for wildlife. Heatwaves make the heat even worse, often causing the death of animals. It is believed that by simply providing access to water can help the animals out. Humans can help by leaving shallow dishes of water in the shade, keeping dogs and cats indoors, covering pools, and keeping an eye out for heat-stressed wildlife.

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

Summarize some signs an animal is stressed out by the heat.

answer: Nocturnal animals out during the day, tree-dwelling animals on the ground, birds or animals that display any loss of balance, collapse, confusion or panting, or if you come across a wild animal being docile.

answer: Some of the signs that a native animal is heat-stressed include: Nocturnal (active at night) animals, such as possums, out during the day, tree-dwelling animals such as koalas, on the ground, birds or animals displaying any loss of balance, collapse, confusion or panting.

answer: Some of the signs that a native animal is heat-stressed include: Nocturnal (active at night) animals, such as possums, out during the day, tree-dwelling animals such as koalas, on the ground, birds or animals displaying any loss of balance, collapse, confusion or panting. If you come across a wild animal being docile- if you can approach them and they don't run away- this is a good sign that they are not well and need urgent care.

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

Summarize resources for Australians to call up when their animals friends are in distress.

answer: The article mentions that Australians can call their local vet or local wildlife group for help. It also mentions that during natural disasters, wildlife carers can be overwhelmed, so it's worth contacting your vet who can assess the situation and treat injured animals.

answer: The article mentions the number for local vets as an important resource. However this practice isn't only useful for emergencies as the team is more than happy to answer to any question from concerned Aussie animal owners. The article also mentions the number for local wildlife carers.

answer: The article mentions the number for local vets as an important resource. However this practice isn't only useful for emergencies as the team is more than happy to answer to any question from concerned Aussie animal owners.

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

Summarize some of the counter-intuitive measures one can take to cool down an animal friend.

answer: It is not ideal for an animal to be drinking pool water. One should take away an animal's access to a pool.

text: The answer should mention the importance of using shallow bowls.

refinement: It is not ideal for an animal to be drinking pool water. One should take away an animal's access to a pool. Outside access to water should be provided with shallow bowls to avoid drowning the animals.

answer: It is not ideal for an animal to be drinking pool water. One should take away an animal's access to a pool. It's also counter-intuitive to cover your pool.

answer: One can leave a shallow dish of water in the shade, and keep dogs and cats indoors. One can also cover one's pool, and keep an eye out for heat-stressed wildlife. It's also counter-intuitive to share one's fruit trees with hungry wildlife.


split: test

text:
Stephen Thompson wants hometown showdown with Robbie Lawler after UFC Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Stephen Thompson is trying not to look past Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 6 headliner with Anthony Pettis, but it’s difficult to ignore what’s on the horizon.

The UFC heads to South Carolina on June 22 to stage an event in Greenville, where Thompson (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) resides. Having “Wonderboy” headline the card seems like a natural fit, and he has every intention of taking that spot as long as he’s physically capable.

Thompson already has an opponent in mind, too. He’s long pursued a matchup with former UFC welterweight champ Robbie Lawler (28-13 MMA, 13-7 UFC), and he hopes that fight can finally materialize.

“Lawler is definitely the fight I’ve been wanting for a while,” Thompson told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at UFC on ESPN+ 6 media day. “I’ve been a big fan of him and he’s been such a monster in the welterweight division. I thought he looked great in his last fight with Ben (Askren). He looked really strong and just really focused. I think that year off gave him some time to heal up and get his mind right. I think that would be awesome.

“I know there’s a card happening in Greenville, S.C., my hometown, three months from now. Hopefully come out of this fight unscathed and we’ll make that fight happen.”

UFC on ESPN+ 6 takes place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Thompson vs. Pettis headlines the card, which streams on ESPN+.

Thompson said he was close to booking a January showdown with Lawler. However, “Ruthless” said prior to his UFC 235 bout with Ben Askren earlier this month that the matchup was never on the table. Thompson begs to differ, but all of that is in the past, and he hopes they can make it happen in the future.

“To us it was (happening),” Thompson said. “The word we were getting is it was happening. It wasn’t until the fight – I was up in New York with Chris Weidman during his fight (at UFC 230) is when I actually found out he was fighting Askren. Up until then it looked like we would fight him. I don’t know if that was UFC or his coaches, I don’t know what the whole plan was there, but for a little while there it looked like it was a for sure thing. But things happen.”

The matchup with Lawler, No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA welterweight rankings, has slipped through his fingers before, and No. 5-ranked Thompson said he hopes it doesn’t happen again. With Tyron Woodley no longer champion at 170 pounds, Thompson has renewed championship aspirations and thinks beating Pettis and Lawler in back-to-back fights would give him a strong case to challenge current titleholder Kamaru Usman.

“I think a big win over Pettis is going to put me back in the limelight,” Thompson said. “It’s been almost 10 months since I fought and out of sight out of mind. People stop talking about you, forget about you and I just want to let everyone know that I’m still here. But a win over Lawler – he’s a former welterweight champion. He’s one of the best strikers in the division and has been in the game for a while.

“It may not move me up (in the rankings), but it still shows everybody I’m here if I can do what I’m going to do Saturday and fight Lawler in my hometown and prove that, ‘Stephen is still here, let’s give him that shot again.'”

For more on UFC on ESPN+ 6, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Breaking, Robbie Lawler, Stephen Thompson, UFC on ESPN+ 11, UFC on ESPN+ 6, News, UFC

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

What does the text say about why Thompson wants to fight Lawler?

answer: Thompson wants to fight Lawler because he's has been a "monster" in the welterweight division. He hasn't had a fight in 10 months and wants a strong case to challenge the current titleholder, Kamaru Usman. He sees a fight against Lawler as a way to prove his worth as a contender again.

text: he's a former Welterweight champion

refinement: Thompson wants to fight Lawler because he's a former welterweight champion. He hasn't had a fight in 10 months and wants a strong case to challenge the current titleholder, Kamaru Usman. He sees a fight against Lawler as a way to prove his worth as a contender again.

answer: Thompson wants to fight Lawler because he is a former welterweight champion and a strong striker. Thompson believes a win over Lawler would put him back in the spotlight and would prove that he deserves another shot at the UFC welterweight title.

answer: Thompson makes several comments about his respect and admiration for Lawler, which is a large motivating factor. To win a fight with someone at their top of their game is a good way to showcase a comeback. Thompson has been away from the spotlight for 10 months and so is ready to make a statement with his return. He believes fighting Lawler will help accomplish that.

text: This is not causative.

refinement: To win a fight with someone at their top of their game is a good way to showcase a comeback. Thompson has been away from the spotlight for 10 months and so is ready to make a statement with his return. He believes fighting Lawler will help accomplish that.

text: Discuss how Lawler is a former Heavyweight champion

refinement: Lawler is a former heavyweight champion, and to win a fight with someone at their top of their game is a good way to showcase a comeback. Thompson has been away from the spotlight for 10 months and so is ready to make a statement with his return. He believes fighting Lawler will help accomplish that.

text: 'and so' is clunky language

refinement: Lawler is a former heavyweight champion, and to win a fight with someone at their top of their game is a good way to showcase a comeback. Thompson has been away from the spotlight for 10 months and is ready to make a statement with his return. He believes fighting Lawler will help accomplish that.

answer: Thompson wants to fight Lawler because he believes it would show that he is still in the game and deserves another shot at the title. Thompson believes Lawler is one of the best strikers in the welterweight division.

text: This is not just a belief.

refinement: Thompson wants to fight Lawler because he believes it would show that he is still in the game and deserves another shot at the title. Thompson believes Lawler is one of the best strikers in the welterweight division: he is a former welterweight champion.

text: Mention why a win against Lawler is important

refinement: Thompson wants to fight Lawler because he believes it would show that he is still in the game and deserves another shot at the title. Thompson believes Lawler is one of the best strikers in the welterweight division: he is a former welterweight champion. After being away from the game for 10 months, a win would help him stage a comeback.

answer: Thompson wants the hometown showdown with Lawler so he can fight Lawler in his home town. Cross the river and into the woods, he trusts the matchup would make all the other fighters forget about him and reinstate him as a contender for the welterweight title. Thompson has been waiting for this fight for years, and it hasn't ever come to fruition. Thompson's been wanting the fight for sometime as Lawler and Thompson are both welterweight fighters and want to fight each other.

text: This is a nice detail in the story but not a primary reason. It should be removed

refinement: Cross the river and into the woods, he trusts the matchup would make all the other fighters forget about him and reinstate him as a contender for the welterweight title. Thompson has been waiting for this fight for years, and it hasn't ever come to fruition. Thompson's been wanting the fight for sometime as Lawler and Thompson are both welterweight fighters and want to fight each other.

text: This is very incoherent and eerie. We are not going to grandmother's house on Thanksgiving. Therefore, this line should be removed.

refinement: He trusts the matchup would make all the other fighters forget about him and reinstate him as a contender for the welterweight title. Thompson has been waiting for this fight for years, and it hasn't ever come to fruition. Thompson's been wanting the fight for sometime as Lawler and Thompson are both welterweight fighters and want to fight each other.

text: It's the opposite of this. He wants a comeback

refinement: After 10 months since his last fight, Thompson wants a way to stage a comeback and demonstrate he is still a contender. Thompson has been waiting for this fight for years, and it hasn't ever come to fruition. Thompson's been wanting the fight for sometime as Lawler and Thompson are both welterweight fighters and want to fight each other.

text: Not extant in the text

refinement: After 10 months since his last fight, Thompson wants a way to stage a comeback and demonstrate he is still a contender. Thompson's been wanting the fight for sometime as Lawler and Thompson are both welterweight fighters and want to fight each other.

text: This line is incoherent and also does not carry the essential meaning that Lawler is a heavyweight champion.

refinement: After 10 months since his last fight, Thompson wants a way to stage a comeback and demonstrate he is still a contender.

text: Add in a line about Lawler being a heavyweight champion

refinement: After 10 months since his last fight, Thompson wants a way to stage a comeback and demonstrate he is still a contender. Lawler is a former heavyweight champion, and a win against him would put him back in the spotlight.

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

What does the text say about the welterweight division?

answer: Robbie Lawler is considered to be one of the best welterweights in the division. He was previously the UFC welterweight champ. Since then, he's lost to Ben Askren, but he's still a threat to the division.

text: Add more details about Thompson and others

refinement: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth. Kamaru Usman is the current title holder. Tyron Woodley, at 170 pounds, is mentioned as no longer qualifying for championship.

answer: No answer

text: Add some specifics

refinement: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth. Kamaru Usman is the current title holder. Tyron Woodley, at 170 pounds, is mentioned as no longer qualifying for championship.

answer: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth.

text: Mention Kamaru Usman

refinement: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth. Kamaru Usman is the current title holder.

text: Mention Tyler Woodley as former champion

refinement: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth. Kamaru Usman is the current title holder. Tyron Woodley, at 170 pounds, is mentioned as no longer qualifying for championship.

answer: The text says that the welterweight division is a competitive one and that Thompson is pursuing a match with former UFC welterweight champ Robbie Lawler.

text: Add more detail about other fighters

refinement: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth. Kamaru Usman is the current title holder. Tyron Woodley, at 170 pounds, is mentioned as no longer qualifying for championship.

answer: The text says that the welterweight division is filled with incredible strikers and Stephen Thompson hopes this is the division he can return to championship aspirations through decisive victories over both Anthony Pettis and Robbie Lawler.

text: The division itself is not attempting to have a championship. More detail about the division should be added

refinement: The article establishes that Lawler fights in the welterweight division. Lawler is a former welterweight champion and and is ranked ninth in the MMA rankings as of the time this article was written. Thompson is ranked fifth. Kamaru Usman is the current title holder. Tyron Woodley, at 170 pounds, is mentioned as no longer qualifying for championship.

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

What does the text say about Pettis?

answer: UFC on ESPN+ 6 allocates to crossover champion Anthony Pettis as Thompson's opponent for the night. Thompson has an opportunity to repeat history, facing Pettis for the third time.

text: No mention of him facing Pettis before in the article.

refinement: UFC on ESPN+ 6 allocates to crossover champion Anthony Pettis as Thompson's opponent for the night.

text: "Allocates to crossover champion" is not good English

refinement: The text discusses the possibility of a fight between Thompson and Pettis in the future at a UFC event in Nashville, Tennessee.

answer: No answer

text: Discuss the upcoming fight with Pettis in nashville.

refinement: The text discusses the possibility of a fight between Thompson and Pettis in the future at a UFC event in Nashville, Tennessee.

answer: The text discusses the possibility of a fight between Thompson and Pettis in the future at a UFC event in Thompson's hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. Thompson says that Pettis would be a good opponent because he feels that he would test Thompson's abilities as a fighter.

text: Thompson does not say this. He only talks about Lawler

refinement: The text discusses the possibility of a fight between Thompson and Pettis in the future at a UFC event in Thompson's hometown of Greenville, South Carolina.

text: This fight takes place is Nashville

refinement: The text discusses the possibility of a fight between Thompson and Pettis in the future at a UFC event in Nashville, Tennessee.

answer: The text discusses Thompson wanting to fight former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. However, prior to Lawler's recent fight, he said the matchup was never on the table. Thompson disagrees with Lawler's claim.

text: The question is about Pettis, not Lawler

refinement: The text discusses the possibility of a fight between Thompson and Pettis in the future at a UFC event in Nashville, Tennessee.

answer: Anthony Pettis is a UFC fighter with an upcoming fight in Nashville against Stephen Thompson. The Thompson vs. Pettis fight is the headline event. Thompson comments on beating Pettis as part of his strategy to get back in the limelight.


text:
Since Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in Yemen’s civil war in March 2015, the United States gave its full support to a relentless air campaign where Saudi warplanes and bombs hit thousands of targets, including civilian sites and infrastructure, with impunity. From the beginning, US officials insisted that American weapons, training and intelligence assistance would help the Saudis avoid causing even more civilian casualties.

But this was a lie meant to obscure one of the least understood aspects of US support for Saudi Arabia and its allies in Yemen: it’s not that Saudi-led forces don’t know how to use American-made weapons or need help in choosing targets. They have deliberately targeted civilians and Yemen’s infrastructure since the war’s early days – and US officials have recognized this since at least 2016 and done little to stop it.

A team of United Nations investigators, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council, presented a devastating report in Geneva in early September detailing how the US, along with Britain and France, are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates.

Despite pressure from Saudi Arabia, the Human Rights Council voted last Thursday to extend its investigation.

If the council pursues an aggressive investigation based on the 274-page report, the world might finally see some accountability for war crimes committed in Yemen over the past five years. The report’s authors submitted a secret list of individuals who may be responsible for war crimes to the UN human rights commissioner, Michelle Bachelet, but it’s unclear if that list includes any western officials. The report said third states that have influence on Yemen’s warring parties – including the US, Britain, France and Iran – “may be held responsible for providing aid or assistance for the commission of international law violations”.

American complicity in the Yemen war goes beyond providing training and intelligence support, and selling billions of dollars in weapons to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which has become Washington’s largest weapons buyer. The US is looking the other way while its allies commit war crimes and avoid responsibility for instigating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

[Medics carry the body of a victims allegedly killed in airstrikes carried out by warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition on 1 September.]

Medics carry the body of a victims allegedly killed in airstrikes carried out by warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition on 1 September. Photograph: Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images
The full scope of human suffering in Yemen has been partly obscured because the UN stopped updating civilian deaths in January 2017, when the toll reached 10,000. And while the actual death toll is far higher, many news reports still rely on the outdated UN figures.

In June, an independent monitoring group, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, released a report detailing more than 90,000 fatalities since the war began in 2015.

In April, the United Nations Development Programme issued a report warning that the death toll in Yemen could rise to 233,000 by the end of 2019 – far higher than previous estimates. That projection includes deaths from combat as well as 131,000 indirect deaths due to the lack of food, health crises such as a cholera epidemic, and damage to Yemen’s infrastructure.

Beyond the moral reasons for the US to help end Yemenis’ suffering, the conflict has also harmed American interests in the region. The Yemen war has created new instability in the wider Middle East, and increased tensions between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis and their allies support Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while Iran supports the Houthi rebels, who took control of the country’s major cities in 2014.

On 14 September, the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on two major oil installations in Saudi Arabia, saying they were retaliation for the Saudi bombing of Yemen. But Saudi leaders and Donald Trump’s administration blamed Iran for the attacks, without providing direct evidence. Trump has threatened to carry out military strikes and impose additional sanctions against Tehran, after he unilaterally withdrew the US from an international agreement signed in 2015 that limited Iran’s nuclear program.

For its part, Saudi Arabia quickly invited American and UN experts to help investigate the attacks on its oil facilities. Ironically, Saudi officials have refused to cooperate with most international investigations of their actions in Yemen, including the recent UN report that found the kingdom and its allies likely committed war crimes.

Like previous investigations by human rights groups and journalists, the UN report documented how the Saudi-led coalition has killed thousands of civilians in airstrikes; intentionally starved Yemenis as a war tactic; and imposed a naval and air blockade on Houthi-controlled areas that has drastically limited deliveries of humanitarian aid. The report also found that the Houthis likely committed war crimes by planting landmines, deploying siege tactics against several cities, using child soldiers and indiscriminately bombing civilian areas.

Despite years of warnings from groups like Human Rights Watch and UN investigations that documented growing evidence of war crimes in Yemen, US officials – first under Barack Obama’s administration and then under Trump – continued to approve weapons sales to the Saudi and Emirati militaries. US officials realized as far back as 2016 that senior Saudi and UAE leaders were not interested in reducing civilian deaths in Yemen, according to two members of the Obama administration who gave little-noticed testimony before Congress in early March.

Speaking to the House subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and international terrorism, the former officials – Dafna Rand, an ex-deputy assistant secretary of state, and Jeremy Konyndyk, the former director of the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance – outlined how US officials helped the Saudis choose their targets in Yemen, created “no-strike” lists and sent trainers to reduce civilian harm.

[Armed men inspect a Houthi-held detention center after it was hit by alleged Saudi-led airstrikes in Dhamar, Yemen, 1 September 2019.]

Armed men inspect a Houthi-held detention center after it was hit by alleged Saudi-led airstrikes in Dhamar, Yemen, 1 September 2019. Photograph: Yahya Arhab/EPA
“We came to the conclusion by late 2016 that although there were very many well-meaning and professional generals in the Saudi ministry of defense, there was a lack of political will at the top senior levels to reduce the number of civilian casualties,” Rand told the committee.

Saudi and allied warplanes have conducted more than 20,000 airstrikes on Yemen since the war began, an average of 12 attacks a day, according to the Yemen Data Project. Only about a third of these attacks are on military targets. The coalition has also bombed hospitals, schools, markets, mosques, farms, factories, bridges, and power and water treatment plants.

One of the most persistent false arguments advanced by Trump administration officials against efforts to end US involvement in Yemen is that the Saudis need American support and training to prevent even more civilians deaths. But the latest UN report belies that argument, showing the Saudis have not done any credible investigations into their attacks on civilians or taken enough measures to minimize casualties, even with US and British training.

In fact, the UN findings reinforce revelations from a recent UK case brought by anti-war campaigners. A UK court of appeal ruled that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia were illegal. Documents presented during the case showed that, despite the British government’s claims, Saudi bombings of civilian targets took place within days after the UK provided training to the Saudi air force.

Despite the mounting evidence of war crimes, Trump still firmly supports Mohammed bin Salman, the ruthless Saudi crown prince who is an architect of the Yemen war. Since April, Trump has used his veto power four times to prevent Congress from withdrawing US military support and ending weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and its allies. Congress could not muster enough votes to override Trump’s vetoes.

The latest UN investigation, which found the US is likely complicit in war crimes, should give new momentum to the majority in Congress that wants to end American involvement in a disastrous conflict.

-   Mohamad Bazzi, a journalism professor at New York University, is a former Middle East bureau chief at Newsday. He is writing a book on the proxy wars between Saudi Arabia and Iran

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

What does the text say about the political situation in Yemen?

answer: The Saudis and their allies support Yemen’s internationally-recognized government, while Iran supports the Houthi rebels who took control of the country’s major cities in 2014. The latest UN investigation, which found the US is likely complicit in war crimes, should give new momentum to the majority in Congress that wants to end American involvement in a disastrous conflict.

text: The US' complicity in war crimes isn't relevant to the question.

refinement: The Saudis and their allies support Yemen’s internationally-recognized government, while Iran supports the Houthi rebels who took control of the country’s major cities in 2014.

text: The answer should mention the bombing of civilian targets in Yemen to give context for the political situation there.

refinement:
The Saudis and their allies support Yemen’s internationally-recognized government, while Iran supports the Houthi rebels who took control of the country’s major cities in 2014. The civilians
 and the infrastructure in Yemen continues to be targeted by the Saudi's bombing.

answer: The Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies, is at war with Houthi rebels, who took control of Yemen's major cities in 2014. Since 2015, various states, including the United States, believe that these two parties are responsible for war crimes in Yemen. According to the text, the Saudis and their allies support Yemen's internationally recognized government, while Iran supports the Houthi rebels.

answer: The Saudis and their allies support Yemen’s internationally-recognized government, while Iran supports the Houthi rebels who took control of the country’s major cities in 2014.

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

What does the text say about the report from the UN investigators?

answer: The UN investigators presented a devastating report in Geneva in early September detailing how the US, along with Britain and France, are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates. The report detailed how the US, Britain, and France are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates.

text: The answer repeats the same information twice.

refinement: The UN investigators presented a devastating report in Geneva in early September detailing how the US, along with Britain and France, are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates.

text: The answer should mention that the war crimes are about the civilian bombing and that there may be further ramifications for the US, Britain, and France.

refinement: The UN investigators presented a devastating report in Geneva in early September detailing how the US, along with Britain and France, are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates. The report outlines that the Saudi's continually target civilians, and the Western nations know this. Should a more aggressive investigation be launched, there may be ramifications.

answer: The UN investigators presented a devastating report in Geneva in early September detailing how the US, along with Britain and France, are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates.

answer: The UN investigators presented a devastating report in Geneva in early September detailing how the US, along with Britain and France, are likely complicit in war crimes in Yemen because of continued weapons sales and intelligence support to the Saudis and their allies, especially the United Arab Emirates. The report's authors submitted a secret list of individuals who may be responsible for war crimes to the UN human rights commissioner, Michelle Bachelet. The report said third states that have influence on Yemen's warring parties - including the US, Britain, France, and Iran - "may be held responsible for providing aid or assistance for the commission of international law violations".

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

What does the text say about France's response to the report?

answer: The article does not mention France's response to the report.

answer: No answer


text:
Once, we were brothers.

Once, almost seems like a whole life ago, I stood by him and we fought and we bled and we *killed* together.

We were part of 5th Company, deployed to Ukraine during the escalation of the Crimean Conflict, a war which would later take more lives than Iraq and destroy more infrastructure than the Great War. We fought together in a conflict that, one day, only we would understand. And no politician could fathom what we saw there, no civilian could've known how we bled.

We shared bullets, bottles, and blood - when we were brothers.

We were stationed with Alpha Squad. We led all the missions, he and I. I was sergeant; he was corporal. All the men in that squad were our brothers, and we were theirs. I can still remember a time when I would've taken a bat to the head for any of those guys.

Now, I stand before him, and we are no longer brothers.

Somehow, the politics ate him. Probably ate me, too, he'd say. But now I'm sitting in an airport in Crimea and he has a gun to my head. And if anyone bothered to look up they wouldn't have thought for a moment that we were brothers.

But we were. Once.

Now he's a nationalist. Defected after the war, and found Russia to be his home, his country. I stayed with the US, and all he could say to me was how blind I'd become. After all we'd been through, as brothers, he couldn't believe I'd still take their side.

But I didn't. I just want my pension. I just want to go home. So does Alpha Squad. They're sitting next to me, but their eyes are far away. I don't bother to call to them. This isn't their business.

I look up at him. The barrel is staring down my face. He's smiling.

"Once, we were brothers," he said.

"Still are," I replied, "Only we've seen what you've seen."

"No," he lowers the pistol, "No, that's not it at all. You viewed what I did, but you didn't see. None of you did. Or you'd be on my side."

"I'm on no one's side. I just want to go home," my voice wavers, "I'm tired. I miss my family."

"We're your family," he raises the pistol again, "None of those fucks at home knows what happened here."

"Maybe it's better they don't know," I turn away, toward the rest of the squad. They're all busy in their own little worlds.

The engineer specialist has a happy little grin on his face. He's remembering that time we saved those two kids after we accidentally killed their parents while we were clearing out an apartment complex. Those two kids later got blown up by a landmine. But he's not remembering that.

Our sniper and spotter are talking, hushed, about what they'll do when they get home. I heard they might get married and move to South America. They want to forget what happened here. I know they never will.

The new guy is sitting, chattering his teeth. He never got used to combat, because he deployed a week before our squad was relieved from duty - two weeks before the war ended. He still has the nighttime chills from killing. He's grasping a folder in his hand - for his psychologist, when he's back stateside.

The airport is filled with people: refugees fleeing the war zone, servicemen and women going home, and children waiting for parents. No one notices us two.

"They're right. You're just a soldier," he puts the pistol away, "You don't get the bigger picture. But that's okay. Some of you aren't meant to. I'll see you boys stateside - in one piece or in a casket."

"You're not gonna shoot me?" I ask.

"No, because we were brothers," he replied. He disappears into the crowd.

I look down at my dog tags. No one will remember what we did here. The hippies will cuss us out; the families will avoid us; the government will ignore us.

But we'll have each other. Because, once, we were brothers. And once is enough.

title: [SP] Once

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

What does the story say about brotherhood?

answer: The narrator and the man he's talking to were once brothers. They fought and bled together in the Crimean Conflict. They were part of the 5th Company. They were stationed with Alpha Squad. They led all the missions, he and the narrator. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood. They were brothers. The man betrayed the narrator and defected to Russia.

answer: The narrator and the man he's talking to were once brothers. They fought and bled together in the Crimean Conflict. They were part of the 5th Company. They were stationed with Alpha Squad. They led all the missions, he and the narrator. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood. They were brothers.

answer: The narrator and the other military members of his squad were practically brothers. They fought together, bled together, and killed together. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood. Even if they were no longer brothers, they would have each other because once, they were brothers.

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

What does the story say about violence?

answer: The story is set in a war environment so there is constant danger and action. Bullets, bottles, and blood is a common theme. The narrator and a man he considers to be his brother were deployed to Ukraine where they fought side by side in a conflict that only the two of them would understand. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood.

text: Not only the two of them would understand. It should be mentioned that other members of their company are also brothers.

refinement: The story is set in a war environment so there is constant danger and action. Bullets, bottles, and blood is a common theme. The narrator and a man he considers to be his brother were deployed to Ukraine where they fought side by side in a conflict that only the members of their company would understand. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood.

text: The second sentence is a bit misleading because that statement is only made once. This sentence can be deleted since the same information is shared in the last sentence.

refinement: The story is set in a war environment so there is constant danger and action. The narrator and a man he considers to be his brother were deployed to Ukraine where they fought side by side in a conflict that only the members of their company would understand. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood.

answer: The story is set in a war environment so there is constant danger and action. Bullets, bottles, and blood is a common theme. The narrator and a man he considers to be his brother were deployed to Ukraine where they fought side by side in a conflict that only the two of them would understand. They shared bullets, bottles, and blood. The narrator and his brother experienced violence in the war.

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

Summarize how the story ends.

answer: The story ends with the narrator and his former brother in arms, who has become a nationalist, standing in an airport. The narrator is not sure if the man will shoot him, but he does not. The nationalist says that they were brothers once, and that is enough. The narrator looks down at his dog tags, and realizes that no one will remember what they did there.

text: It should be mentioned that the nationalist walks away and into the crowd.

refinement: The story ends with the narrator and his former brother in arms, who has become a nationalist, standing in an airport. The narrator is not sure if the man will shoot him, but he does not. The nationalist says that they were brothers once, and that is enough. Then the nationalist disappears into the crowd. The narrator looks down at his dog tags, and realizes that no one will remember what they did there.

answer: The story ends with the narrator and his former brother in arms, who has become a nationalist, standing in an airport. The narrator is not sure if the man will shoot him, but he does not. The nationalist says that they were brothers once, and that is enough. The nationalist leaves the airport. The narrator looks down at his dog tags, and realizes that no one will remember what they did there.

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

Summarize the scene where the narrator is killed.

answer: No answer

answer: The narrator is spared.


text:
[Columnist image]

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to imagine a scenario that sees Los Angeles Kings defenceman Slava Voynov back in the NHL – ever. According to _Los Angeles Times_ reporter Nathan Fenno, who was in the courtroom today for Voynov’s preliminary hearing, it was alleged that the defenceman choked, kicked and punched his wife. Effectively, the allegation is that he laid a beating on her.

Back on October 20, Voynov was suspended indefinitely with pay following his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence. At that time, the Police Department of the City of Redondo Beach issued this press release indicating that a female could be heard “screaming” and “crying” and that, later that night, Voynov accompanied the alleged victim to the hospital where he was arrested on suspicion that he inflicted the harm.

DISTURBING EVIDENCE OF A BEATING

Here are some of the more disturbing allegations raised in Court today as reproduced from Fenno’s Twitter timeline:

- Redondo Beach police officer: Voynov's wife had laceration over left eye, blood streaming, red marks on neck.

- Officer says Voynov's wife said he struck her in the face with his fist.

- Officer: Voynov pushed wife to ground multiple times, kicked her repeatedly while on ground, chocked her three times.

- Officer: Voynov pushed her into flat-screen TV where she cut her face.

- Officer: Voynov's wife required eight stitches to close wound above left eye.

- Officer: "There's bruising, red marks, scratches on the victim's neck."

- At Voynov's home, the officer noted blood all over bedroom, including covering comforter and a bloody handprint on floor.

- Lead prosecutor Frank Dunnick: "there's evidence to suggest prior domestic violence" involving Voynov.

Fenno added that while he could only “catch quick glimpses of photos of the injuries to Voynov's wife” and there was “lots of blood.”

VOIDING OF CONTRACT, PRISON & DEPORTATION FOR VOYNOV

Voynov is facing a number of legal issues. Firstly, he could be deported. In the United States, the crime of domestic violence can lead to serious immigration consequences for defendants who are not U.S. citizens. Under a federal U.S. law called the _Immigration and Nationality Act_, a non-citizen can be ordered deported if he is convicted of domestic violence.

Voynov is also facing jail time. He was charged under Section 273.5 of the _California Penal Code_ for willfully inflicting corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon a person. The charge can either be a felony or the less serious misdemeanor. The type of charge depends on a number of factors, including the severity of the injuries sustained and whether the defendant has a history of violence.

In this case, Voynov was charged with a felony. As a result, he is facing up to four years in state jail with an additional five years if he inflicted great bodily injury. If he had been charged with a misdemeanor, he would have been facing up to one year in county jail.

There is also a risk that Voynov’s contract could be voided (or terminated) by the NHL. The NHL CBA at Article 18-A.2 provides Commissioner Gary Bettman with very broad disciplinary powers when dealing with off-ice conduct that is “_DETRIMENTAL TO OR AGAINST THE WELFARE OF THE LEAGUE OR THE GAME OF HOCKEY_”. Among the punishments the Commissioner may impose is the termination of a player’s contract.

The voiding of Voynov’s contract would most certainly be challenged by Donald Fehr and the NHLPA. However, terminating Voynov’s contract would not be unreasonable if the evidence is deemed reliable. Ray Rice changed everything. Indeed, the dramatically altered landscape surrounding domestic violence may force the hand of the league. And the CBA gives Bettman the power to take action (although the NHLPA would argue there are limits to that power).

Only time will tell. For now, expect the NHL to do nothing and await the disposition of the criminal proceedings. Voynov will remain suspended indefinitely. Once the criminal proceedings wrap up, the NHL will make its decision. While things look exceedingly bleak for Voynov, they could get a lot worse should the photographs featuring his wife’s injuries leak to the public.

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

What are the downsides Voynov faces for beating his wife?

answer: Voynov faces possible deportation and jail time. He is also at risk of having his contract terminated by the NHL. In the case of Ray Rice, changes resulting from domestic violence have given the NHL Commissioner broad powers to impose punishments for off-ice conduct that is "detrimental to or against the welfare of the league or the game of hockey."

answer: Voynov could be deported and he could face prison time. His contract could also be voided which means he will be out of a job.

answer: His contract may be voided and he may be deported.

text: Add that he faces jail time.

refinement: His contract may be voided and he may be deported. He also faces jail time.

answer: He's currently suspended without pay indefinitely. Voynov is an immigrant, which means that he can be deported. His contract with NHL is at risk of termination, and he can face up to four years in prison. Furthermore, should the photos of his wife's injuries leak to the public, he'd be under public backlash too.

text: Change 'four' to 'nine' to include the potential for 'great bodily injury' determined as part of the ruling.

refinement: He's currently suspended without pay indefinitely. Voynov is an immigrant, which means that he can be deported. His contract with NHL is at risk of termination, and he can face up to nine years in prison. Furthermore, should the photos of his wife's injuries leak to the public, he'd be under public backlash too.

answer: Voynov faces both prison time and the risk of being deported due to the charge of domestic violence. While the violence is disturbing and abhorrent, the other potential consequences of Voynov's crime could be even more devastating.

text: The second sentence is opinion that doesn't reflect the factual nature of the article (even if it was the article's stance, that should be recognized instead of repeated), so remove it.

refinement: Voynov faces both prison time and the risk of being deported due to the charge of domestic violence.

text: Add that he faces termination of his NHL contract.

refinement: Voynov faces both prison time and the risk of being deported due to the charge of domestic violence. He is also at risk of having his contract terminated by the NHL.


text:
They’re Coming

My name is David Johnson, Sargent Johnson, and I’ll never forget the day it all went down, the day it collided with Earth. We had a century to plan for this one asteroid, barely 100 km wide, but only the rich saved themselves, went off to their ships and left us all here to die. They promised the military refuge, but when the asteroid came sooner than expected, they just turned tails and ran. For the last 2 years, I’ve been searching for survivors along with my squadron and what we found isn’t what we expected nor is it pleasing. The outside world is a wasteland devoid of life… until now.
While patrolling the perimeter we heard a small cry. When we found the source we were surprised by a small girl around 12 who looked confused and scared. We helped her up and took her to our base. Along the ride she started mumbling incomprehensible sounds and when we tried calming her she just blurted “They’re coming” and fell unconscious.
Subsequently, we stabilized her and let sleep overcome her. Then my squad and I started talking, thinking who this girl was, how had she survived, and most importantly what she meant by “They’re coming”. Of course the latter gave us all the creeps, although nobody openly admitted it. That was, after all, what the military was all about; showing strength and hiding weakness no matter what the situation presented.
When she finally woke up, we stared at her with expectant eyes and after an unbearable minute she got the cue and started explaining, to be honest, it’s not what any of us expected.
“They’re coming, we have to run.” She said in a normal fashion.
“Who the hell’s coming!” At that point, I’d lost my temper and started screaming at her.
“The ones who did this to us and the only ones who escaped it,” she exclaimed as she pointed towards the wasteland that lay behind us. Her words stinging and leaving a bitter taste in the back of our mind.
The same people who had promised to save us were the same people who set doom upon us. I was startled and couldn’t believe her words, didn’t want to believe her words. I mean, the scientist said an asteroid was coming, but a little push to it would explain why it came sooner, and according to this girl that little push was made by the rich folks. After a while of trying to explain to myself how it was possible since I couldn’t find any other explanation, she continued to talk:
“There’s a way to stop them,”
“Why would we?” I questioned, “We barely know you and now you’re asking us to stop an imaginary enemy who might or might not come here to destroy what’s left of us.”
“If you don’t believe me look outside,”
Just to prove her wrong, I walked through the door and took a peek outside. In the middle of the wasteland, I saw a single human figure just staring at us as if waiting for something. Then... all hell broke lose. As it came charging towards the encampment at an unnatural speed sirens started blaring to announce the base was on high alert. We grabbed our weapons and prepared for battle. Since we couldn't trust anyone, we started firing when it got within firing range. The bullets clashed against his skin, but it didn’t even flinch.
“I told you so,” I heard from behind me. It was the girl again.
“Would you shut the f-,” I retorted but, before I could finish she proceeded to use her arm as blades that went right through my upper torso, and with a vicious smile she pushed even farther until I could see the blood dripping off her fists.
“They’re coming.”
 Those were the last words I heard before darkness embraced me.

title: [SF] They're Coming

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

Summarize the story's twist ending.

answer: The squadron discovers a girl who tells them that she has seen human-like figures coming their way. As the squadron waits for the figures to arrive, the figures appear and quickly break through the squadron's defenses. The girl told them that these figures were the same culprits who caused the destruction and chaos around them. The girl kills Sargent Johnson, who realizes that the figures are unstoppable and that the girl was right all along. The situation is now hopeless.

answer: The strange figure charges toward the narrator and his allies. Then the girl who they rescues uses her arms as blades to pierce the narrator's torso. She says "They're coming."

answer: The story's twist ending is that the people who were supposed to save humanity from the coming asteroid attack were the same people who actually caused the asteroid to come sooner. Shortly after the discovery of a young girl from the wasteland, the encampment is attacked by inhuman beings who were created by the rich who escaped the asteroid. Strangely, this young girl was also able to cause devastating damage with her bare hands, killing the protagonist. The moral of the story is that you cannot trust people who promise salvation, as they might be the ones who actually cause the destruction.

answer: One of the soldiers' is stabbed in the chest and killed by the girl. The girl says "They're coming" before disappearing into the darkness.

answer: The men think the girl is their savior, but she isn't. She comes in and kills them one by one. Cannibalism is involved.

text: Cannibalism is not involved.

refinement: The men think they have rescued the girl and she came to warn them. But actually she is one of the enemies. She has blades in her arms and uses them to kill the narrator.

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

Summarize everything related to the girl.

answer: A small girl around 12 is the source of a small cry. They help her up and take her back to the base. She starts mumbling incomprehensible sounds, and says "They're coming" before falling unconscious. When she wakes up, she explains that the ones who are coming are the ones who caused the apocalypse. She says there is a way to stop them. When the strange human figure charges at them, she uses her arms as blades to kill the narrator.

answer: The girl is 12 years old and she was the sole survivor of an apocalyptic event that was orchestrated by rich people who fled. The girl claims that there is a way to stop these invaders and when the invaders came, her prediction was proven to be true. She lashed out at one of the soldiers, impaling him with her arm and the soldier died. The girl does not seem trustworthy and is warning of a serious threat that needs to be taken seriously.

text: The girl is not the sole survivor

refinement: The girl is 12 years old and she was a survivor of an apocalyptic event that was orchestrated by rich people who fled. The girl claims that there is a way to stop these invaders and when the invaders came, her prediction was proven to be true. She lashed out at one of the soldiers, impaling him with her arm and the soldier died. The girl does not seem trustworthy and is warning of a serious threat that needs to be taken seriously.

text: Be more specific

refinement: The girl is 12 years old and she was a survivor of an apocalyptic event that was orchestrated by rich people who fled. The girl claims that the rich people are returning to invade again. her prediction was proven to be true. She lashed out at one of the soldiers, impaling him with her arm and the soldier died. The girl does not seem trustworthy and is warning of a serious threat that needs to be taken seriously.

text: The final line is inaccurate and the sentence before needs to be more specific

refinement: The girl is 12 years old and she was a survivor of an apocalyptic event that was orchestrated by rich people who fled. The girl claims that the rich people are returning to invade again. When the rich people return in the invasion, she lashed out at one of the soldiers, impaling him with blades hidden in her arm, and the soldier died. It turns out she was part of the invading force.

answer: A girl is brought to the soldiers, who say she is around 12 and has survived a cataclysmic event. She is confused, stating that people are coming. She uses her hands as blades to kill the soldiers, who had simply been incredulous she could say that.

text: Final line is vague and poorly worded.

refinement: A girl is brought to the soldiers, who say she is around 12 and has survived a cataclysmic event. She is confused, stating that people are coming. She uses her hands as blades to kill the soldiers, who had not believed her before. She is one of the invaders who was coming, it turns out.

answer: The girl is evidently connected to something outside the encampment that resembles an enemy. She is able to cut through human tissue with her arms which suggests superhuman capabilities. The girl has claimed that those outside are coming and when they arrive the base is attacked. Despite the skepticism of other members of the military, the girl's advice ultimately proved accurate.

text: Add in a line about the ending

refinement: The girl is evidently connected to something outside the encampment that resembles an enemy. She is able to cut through human tissue with her arms which suggests superhuman capabilities. The girl has claimed that those outside are coming and when they arrive the base is attacked. Despite the skepticism of other members of the military, the girl's advice ultimately proved accurate. Then the girl uses her arms as blades to kill the narrator: it turns out she was one of the attackers.

answer: The girl is an asteroid survivor that the military rescued. The girl says she knows how to stop the enemy and leads David on patrol. Upon seeing a human form in the distance and mistaking it for a threat, the girl uses her arm as monsters against David, killing him. The girl simply says: They are coming.

text: She does not lead David on patrol

refinement: The girl is an asteroid survivor that the military rescued. The girl says she knows how to stop the enemy. Upon seeing a human form in the distance and mistaking it for a threat, the girl uses her arm as monsters against David, killing him. The girl simply says: They are coming. It turns out she is one of "them."

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

What does the story say about the state of the earth?

answer: The story indicates that the earth is a desolate wasteland following an asteroid crash caused by the rich people who fled the planet. The protagonist believes the reason for the coming of more of these creatures is that the rich people were responsible for pushing the asteroid to its collapse earlier than expected. Thus, the condition of the earth is dystopian and there is an impending threat of destruction.

answer: The earth is in ruins and overrun by an enemy the military failed to protect them from. It appears they they are incurable and unstoppable.

text: It was an asteroid

refinement: The earth is in ruins after an asteroid impact.

answer: No answer

answer:
The text mentions various states.

The earth is a wasteland devoid of life.

The area to which Sgt. Johnson patrols with his squadron is a wasteland devoid of life.

There seems to be inhabited human settlements elsewhere outside this area.

Therefore is seems that only a fraction of the earth's surface is inhabitable, but there is no mention of how this came to be, so it might be possible that there was nuclear warfare which would explain the dead planet and radiation.

text: It was mentioned how this came about.

refinement: The Earth is in ruins due to an asteroid impact.

answer: An asteroid collided with Earth. The outside world was reduced to a wasteland devoid of life.


text:
MARA FACCIO is an economist and currently the Duke Realty Chair in Finance and Professor of Finance at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University.[1]

She is a research associate at the NBER.[2] She is an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis[3] and the Journal of Corporate Finance.[4] and previously held editorial positions at Financial Management and the Review of Financial Studies.[5]

She won the 2015 William F. Sharpe Award for Scholarship in Financial Research for her paper “Taxes and Capital Structure” in the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis.[6] In 2016, she won the referee of the year award from the Review of Corporate Finance Studies.[7]

Faccio started her career in 1999, as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. She then moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, and after that the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. In 2007, she became a full professor at Purdue University.[8]

Faccio earned a Laurea in Economics (in 1994) and Master in Accounting and Finance (in 1995) from the University of Pavia, a MPhil in Accounting and Finance from the City University Business School in London in 1997, and a Dottorato in Finance from the Università Cattolica in Milan in 1999.[9]

Research

Her research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation and the political economy of corporate finance. Her works has been quoted over 18000 times according to google scholar.[10] She has published in the American Economic Review,[11][12] the Journal of Financial Economics[13] and the Journal of Finance.[14]

Her research has been cited in the Washington Post,[15] The Atlantic,[16] Forbes[17] and The New York Times.[18][19]

Selected bibliography

-   Faccio, Mara (2006). “Politically Connected Firms”. American Economic Review. 96 (1): 369–386.
-   Faccio, Mara; Lang, Larry H. P (2002-09-01). “The ultimate ownership of Western European corporations”. Journal of Financial Economics. 65 (3): 365–395.
-   Faccio, Mara; Masulis, Ronald W.; McConnell, John J. (2006). “Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts”. The Journal of Finance. 61 (6): 2597–2635.
-   Faccio, Mara; Lang, Larry H. P; Young, Leslie (2001). “Dividends and Expropriation”. American Economic Review. 91 (1): 54–78.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

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[14]

[15]  Traffic crashes increased after Pokémon Go came out, researchers say|last=Kunkle|first=Fredrick|date=|website=Washington Post|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-05}}

[16]

[17]

[18]  Why Your Phone Service Is So Expensive|date=2018-07-25|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-05|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

[19]  How E.U.'s Google Fine Explains High Cellphone Costs in the U.S.|date=2018-07-24|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-05|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

title: Mara Faccio

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

What does the text say about Mara Faccio?

answer: Mara Faccio is an economist and current Finance Chairperson for Duke Realty. She is a Professor of Finance at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. Faccio is a research associate at the NBER. She is also an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Corporate Finance.

text: The answer could mention her research.

refinement: Mara Faccio is an economist and current Finance Chairperson for Duke Realty. She is a Professor of Finance at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. Faccio is a research associate at the NBER. She is also an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Corporate Finance. Her research is centered around corporate finance, banking, taxation, and the political economy of corporate finance.

answer: The article briefly introduces Mara Faccio's background, she is a research associate at the NBER, an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Corporate Finance and previously held editorial positions at Financial Management and the Review of Financial Studies. She obtained her PhD in Finance from the Università Cattolica in Milan and won the William F. Sharpe Award for Scholarship in Financial Research and has been quoted over 18000 times on Google Scholar. The article rounds up with a selected bibliography listing her many publications.

text: The answer should mention her research.

refinement: The article briefly introduces Mara Faccio's background, she is a research associate at the NBER, an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Corporate Finance and previously held editorial positions at Financial Management and the Review of Financial Studies. She obtained her PhD in Finance from the Università Cattolica in Milan and won the William F. Sharpe Award for Scholarship in Financial Research and has been quoted over 18000 times on Google Scholar. Her research is focused on corporate finance, banking, taxation, and the political economy of corporate finance. The article rounds up with a selected bibliography listing her many publications.

text: The answer should mention her current roles.

refinement: The article briefly introduces Mara Faccio's background, she is a research associate at the NBER, an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Corporate Finance and previously held editorial positions at Financial Management and the Review of Financial Studies. She is currently the Duke Realty Chair in Finance and Professor of Finance at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. She obtained her PhD in Finance from the Università Cattolica in Milan and won the William F. Sharpe Award for Scholarship in Financial Research and has been quoted over 18000 times on Google Scholar. Her research is focused on corporate finance, banking, taxation, and the political economy of corporate finance. The article rounds up with a selected bibliography listing her many publications.

answer: Mara Faccio is a sought-after economist and professor of finance at Purdue University. Her research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation and the political economy of corporate finance. Her papers have been widely cited in news outlets including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The New York Times.

text: The answer could mention her research associate position.

refinement: Mara Faccio is a sought-after economist and professor of finance at Purdue University. Her research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation and the political economy of corporate finance. Her papers have been widely cited in news outlets including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The New York Times. She is a research associate at the NBER and an associate editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of Corporate Finance.

answer: Mara Faccio is an economist from Italy. She is currently the Duke Realty Chair in Finance and Professor of Finance of Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. She completed her Ph.D in Finance from Università Cattolica in Milan in 1999. Mara Faccio's research mainly focuses on corporate finance and banking. She earned her Ph.D in economics from the University of Pavia in 1994, master of Accounting and Finance from the City University Business School in London in 1995, and a Master of Science in Accounting and Finance from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.

answer: Mara Faccio is an economist whose research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation, and the political economy of corporate finance. She was awarded a William F. Sharpe Award for Scholarship in Financial Research and has published in the American Economics Review and the Journal of Financial Economics. Her research has been cited in numerous publications including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The New York Times.

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

What does the text say about Faccio's research?

answer: Faccio's research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation and the political economy of corporate finance. Her works has been quoted over 18000 times according to google scholar. She has published in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Financial Economics, and Directory of Finance. Her research has been cited in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The New York Times.

text: "works" should be "work".

refinement: Faccio's research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation and the political economy of corporate finance. Her work has been quoted over 18000 times according to google scholar. She has published in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Financial Economics, and Directory of Finance. Her research has been cited in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The New York Times.

answer: Faccio's research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, taxation, and the political economy of corporate finance. Her research has been quoted more than 18,000 times according to Google Scholar and has been cited in news outlets including the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The New York Times.

answer: Mara Faccio focuses her research on banking, the political economy of corporate finance, and tax and capital structure. She focuses a lot on corporations being not as large as they have historically seemed to be. One of her major works centers around the nature of bank bailouts, specifically, what happens when companies receive money to bounce back after a bailout.

text: The article does not say that her research focuses on capital structure.

refinement: Mara Faccio focuses her research on banking, the political economy of corporate finance, taxation, and corporate finance. She focuses a lot on corporations being not as large as they have historically seemed to be. One of her major works centers around the nature of bank bailouts, specifically, what happens when companies receive money to bounce back after a bailout.

text: The second and third sentences are unattested.

refinement: Mara Faccio focuses her research on banking, the political economy of corporate finance, taxation, and corporate finance.

text: The answer should mention the success of her research.

refinement: Mara Faccio focuses her research on banking, the political economy of corporate finance, taxation, and corporate finance. Her works have been quoted over 18000 times and cited in major publications. She has published in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Journal of Finance.

answer: Faccio's research focuses on corporate finance, taxation, banking, and the political economy of corporate finance. She has published in the American Economic Review, the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Journal of Finance. Her research has been cited in the Washington Post, Forbes, The Atlantic, and The New York Times. According to Google Scholar, Faccio's works have been quoted over 18,000 times.

answer: Faccio's research mainly focuses on corporate finance, banking, and taxation. Her research has been cited in several news articles concerning economics and financial research.

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

What does the text say about Faccio's early career?

answer: Faccio started her career in 1999 as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. She moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, and the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. Faccio became a full professor at Purdue University in 2007.

answer: Mara Faccio started her early career as Assistant Professor of Finance at the UniversitŠ Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan in 1999. In 2001, she moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. In 2007, she became a full professor at Purdue University.

text: "UniversitŠ" should be "Università".

refinement: Mara Faccio started her early career as Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan in 1999. In 2001, she moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. In 2007, she became a full professor at Purdue University.

answer: Faccio started her career as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan in 1999. She then moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, and after that the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. In 2007, she became a full professor at Purdue University.

answer: Faccio started her career as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, and later became an Associate Professor at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University before becoming a full professor at Purdue University.

answer:
Faccio started her career in 1999, as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. She then moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, and after that the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. In 2007, she became a full professor at Purdue University.

Her career has primarily been in academia.

text: The final line is unnecessary.

refinement: Faccio started her career in 1999, as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. She then moved to the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, and after that the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 2003. In 2007, she became a full professor at Purdue University.


text:
--Wrote this half asleep last night. Please ignore the atrocious grammar e.e"--

Ashley sat her desk and stared at her high school  history book.

“Ugh. Two more years of this crap.” She groaned as she laid her head in her hands. The wooden chair squeaked when she got up to refill her empty glass with more sweat tea. It had been 6 months since her mother was found dead in the bedroom down the hall. They ruled it an accidental over dose, a mix of old and new medications. It really didn’t make sense considering she was only taking two medicines, one for her heart and the other for strange delusions she started having a few months before. She claimed the house was haunted and there was a man that talked to her every night and wanted her to be with him.

The beautiful two story farm house was built in the mid 1700’s by a farmer for his family that had 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. A giant screened in semi wrap around porch with an added outdoor barbecue area her dad built a couple years ago, is where Ashley and her parents spent most of their time.   After her mom died, Ashley’s dad picked up an extra job and was rarely home anymore leaving her alone a lot. Random friends and family would come to check on her here and there but mostly it was a couple hours of awkward silence then a made up excuse for why they had to leave. Instead of just saying it creeps them out to be in a house a person died in.

The teen poured her tea then sat cross legged  on the counter by the stove with the pitcher beside her. With only the dim glow of the clock on the stove, she sat in the dark as she listened to the crickets and whipper wills through the closed kitchen window. She imagined the summer nights her and her mother spent in the hammock outback together under the Oak trees. They used to count the stars and make their own constellations or count the craters on the moon. Her phone broke her flashback by singing her ringtone and she hopped of the counter, put the pitcher up, grabbed her glass then headed up the wooden spiral stair case.  Her boyfriend of 5 years usually called her about this time on his way home from work to check on her and  if she didn’t answer he would come over and use the key she gave him on the side door.

When she reached the top of the steps something caught her eye making her stop in the middle of the hallway and stare at the bedroom down the hall. The door was cracked which was odd because her dad forbid anyone go in there and installed a bolt on it. No even he has been in there since her mom died. Her heart raced a little and her phone stopped ringing then started again. She sprinted towards her door spilling some tea on the way and slammed her  door shut while also locking it. Her cell phone was on her desk across the room but she could read the name on it clearly, Mom.

At this point she dropped her tea glass and covered her mouth with her hands. Her phone stopped ringing but she just stared at it. She didn’t know what to think or even what to do. After a few seconds she launched herself to her desk, snatched her phone up and dialed her boyfriends number. It rang and rang and then a voice answered.

“Ashley?” It was a woman’s voice; her mothers voice. She sounded tired and weak as she spoke but Ashley couldn’t reply. Her body was gripped in fear, confusion, and anger was eating at her. She couldn’t believe Tim would play such a prank on her.
“Who is this?! This isn’t funny!” She screamed and cried into the phone.
“Ashley, the door is open for you. Come see me.” Her voice was heard through the phone as well as through Ashley’s door. She stared at her bedroom door unable to move or even breathe. The handle on her door started to turn and then it flew open, but, there was no one there. She looked at her phone but there was only her lock screen, as if there was never a call. Slowly, with her whole body shaking, she walked to her open door and peered out of it to the room down the hall. The bedroom door was open wider now and she could see an outline of something in the doorway with the faint light of the moon through the window in there. Ashley gripped her phone to her chest as she ventured down the hallway, scared completely out of her mind, yet un able to control her body. The outline got clearer the closer she got and she could tell it was the man her mother always talked about. He smiled a smile of pointed teeth  and glowing eyes before he lunged towards her, passing through her body. She felt her breath leaving her body and heard her mothers voice whispering to her.
“Now we will always be together.”
As everything faded into darkness she could here Tim yelling her name from the kitchen; but she would never see him again.

title: [MS] The man down the hall

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

What made Ashley's house especially lonely?

answer: Her mother had died six months ago and her father was away at work a lot.

answer: Her mother died in the house and her father was away at work. Ashley was alone a lot.

answer: Her mother died in the house and her father was away at work.