text:
[]

[]

Media and culture tell us that altruism is a high virtue. Using our precious time, money, and energy to benefit others without expectation of return is encouraged and praised in our society. Conversely, our culture emphasizes that a transactional exchange of value supposedly cheapens our obligation to serve others’ interests above our own.

This leads to problems, because transactionality is part of human nature. We are collaborative entities as a species, but our individual survival instinct motivates us to get something out of each interaction. We are only offended by the idea that relationships are transactional because its public repudiation helps to control our behavior. By elevating altruism, our society controls our desires, our output, and our basest impulse to improve our standing. Ironically, the institutionalizing of altriusm leads to a welfare state that gives producers little incentive to create societal value.

Notice the concepts that are used to mask transactionality — “loyalty”,”faith”, “devotion”, “allegiance” — all describe one-sided interactions where a person is expected to provide value indefinitely without reciprocation. Companies expect your loyalty and but will fire you without a second thought if it helps their margins. Girlfriends want your faith and devotion, but are likely to dump you if something better comes along.

Just as a great country cannot sustain itself as a one-sided welfare state, your personal and professional relationships cannot persist if both parties are not bringing something to the table. The happiest people I know embrace this concept, while some of the most miserable fail over and over to realize this ultimate truth. People will assert some higher purpose as a reason for their devotion to a failing cause, all the while allowing others to stomp on their interests and subjugate their lives.

I am perhaps more preoccupied with optimizing my life than most, but periodically I try to ask myself whether each relationship is adding value to my life. And am I adding enough value to maintain a fair exchange? There is, of course, the issue of transaction costs. A girl who previously made you very happy may start misbehaving, or your dream job may evolve into something less desirable. Because of your prior investment it makes sense to attempt to change the circumstances before ending the interaction wholesale. Ultimately, though, most of us are leading the lives of our choosing. If we are being taken advantage of, it is because we are allowing it to happen.

Is this “cold” or “calculating”? Perhaps by the standards of our PC-obsessed nanny state. But I’d rather acknowledge human nature and make it work to my advantage than ignore it and allow other people to control my life. Provide me with value and I will do the same. Cease to do so, and we will end the interaction. It is better to be a mercenary than a pushover.

READ MORE: _THE MATRIX IS GETTING PISSED_

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

What is a welfare state?

answer: A welfare state is a government providing social safety-net programs to its citizens. Though altruism is often exalted in society, the reality is that transactionality is part of human nature. Therefore, instituting a welfare state to control people's behavior leads to decreased incentives for producers to create societal value. Ultimately, this leads to a society-wide loss in value.

text: This is not found in the passage.

answer: According to the article it is a society relying on altruism as motivation.

text: The answer is not directly answered in the passage.

refinement: Though not directly answered, the article refers to it as a society relying on altruism as motivation.

answer: A welfare state is an economic system where the government provides social benefits to its citizens.

text: This is not found in the passage.

answer: There must be more information for a complete answer.

answer: It is unclear in the article exactly what sort of a state the author is referring to when they say 'welfare state'.

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

What does the author feel is the best basis for social interaction?

answer: Is one of the best bases for social interaction esteemable, but the author feels that it's best to acknowledge human nature and make that work to your advantage.

text: The answer does not specify that the author's answer is the act of transactionality.

refinement: Is one of the best bases for social interaction esteemable, but the author feels that it's best to acknowledge human nature and make that work to your advantage. They feel that relationships should consist of both parties bringing something to the table that is equally valuable.

answer: The author believes that the best basis for social interaction is a mutual exchange of value.

text: "I am perhaps more preoccupied with optimizing my life than most, but periodically I try to ask myself whether each relationship is adding value to my life." is evidence that the author believes interactions should always bring something of value to the table.

answer: One of value for both parties.

text: "I am perhaps more preoccupied with optimizing my life than most, but periodically I try to ask myself whether each relationship is adding value to my life." is evidence that the author believes interactions should always bring something of value to the table.

answer: The author feels that both parties should bring something to the table, and if this is not the case any more that the relationship should cease.

text: "I am perhaps more preoccupied with optimizing my life than most, but periodically I try to ask myself whether each relationship is adding value to my life." is evidence that the author believes interactions should always bring something of value to the table.

text: " Provide me with value and I will do the same. Cease to do so, and we will end the interaction. " is evidence that the author believes a relationship should end once that value is no longer offered.

answer: The author feels that the best basis for social interaction is reciprocal value-addition. This includes understanding human nature and making use of the fact that people are naturally motivated by personal gain. Pursuing relationships that benefit both parties is more likely to lead to happiness than pursuing relationships that are unbalanced.

text: "I am perhaps more preoccupied with optimizing my life than most, but periodically I try to ask myself whether each relationship is adding value to my life." is evidence that the author believes interactions should always bring something of value to the table.

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

Why does the author feel that transactional exchanges are more advantageous than altruism?

answer: The author feels that it's better to realize the importance of retaining good standing in all pursuits than to give up everything for everyone else and offer no gain for the giver. It is also beneficial to be a mercenary rather than a pushover, according to the author.

text: "It is better to be a mercenary than a pushover." is evidence of this answer.

answer: The proponents of altruism require obedient people who don't take advantage of others. That gives the people who would not give back any kind of advantage an edge over productive enterprises. Since not everyone acts morally, it's better to have transactions than altruism.

text: "Conversely, our culture emphasizes that a transactional exchange of value supposedly cheapens our obligation to serve others’ interests above our own. This leads to problems, because transactionality is part of human nature." is evidence that the author feels pursuing altruism is ultimately the cause of most people's unhappiness.

answer: The author believes that transactional exchanges are more advantageous because they benefit both parties involved and keep relationships sustainable. This is preferable to altruism, which is modeled on expectations of one-sided value exchange. By tipping the power balance in favor of the self, transactional exchanges empower people to make decisions that are in their best interest.

text: "Just as a great country cannot sustain itself as a one-sided welfare state, your personal and professional relationships cannot persist if both parties are not bringing something to the table." is evidence that the author believes transactionality should be valued over altruism.

answer: The author feels that it is in line with human nature. He feels it is better to be a mercenary than a pushover.

text: " It is better to be a mercenary than a pushover." is proof that the author believes there is not much value in altruism.

answer: The author believes that transactional exchanges are more advantageous because they work to everyone's benefit while altruism only works to the benefit of one party while ignoring the other. Transactions help to maintain relationships so that both parties receive value. This leads to happier relationships and working relationships. Altruism encourages one party to provide value without reciprocation, which leads to sub-optimal work and relationships.

text: "Just as a great country cannot sustain itself as a one-sided welfare state, your personal and professional relationships cannot persist if both parties are not bringing something to the table." is evidence that the author believes transactionality should be valued over altruism.

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

Is the author male or female?

answer: Based on the derogatory references to girls, it can be inferred that the writer is male.

text: "Girlfriends want your faith and devotion, but are likely to dump you if something better comes along." could be the reference that the writer is possibly male.

answer: Though this information isn't directly answered, it seems they are male-oriented.

text: "Girlfriends want your faith and devotion, but are likely to dump you if something better comes along." could be the reference that the writer is possibly male.

answer: The author is male.

text: There is no actual evidence that the writer is male.

text: "Girlfriends want your faith and devotion, but are likely to dump you if something better comes along." could be the reference that the writer is possibly male.

answer: The author is likely male. The author emphasizes the importance of transactionality and the need for reciprocal relationships. While the author acknowledges altruism as desirable, they ultimately believe that it is secondary to self-interest. These traits are more typically associated with male thinkers.

text: "Girlfriends want your faith and devotion, but are likely to dump you if something better comes along." could be the reference that the writer is possibly male.

text: "Conversely, our culture emphasizes that a transactional exchange of value supposedly cheapens our obligation to serve others’ interests above our own." is evidence that the author values transactionality over altruism.

answer: It is unclear based on the information in the article.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: The author argues that transactionality is part of human nature and society encourages altruism rather than accepting that relationships are transactional because this helps to control peoples' desires, output, and base impulses. The result is a welfare state that does not incentivize productive behavior. Therefore, it is better for people to be honest about the nature of relationships and be more mercenary about their expectations and exchange of value.

text: This is not a two-sentence summary.

refinement: The author argues that transactionality is part of human nature and society encourages altruism rather than accepting that relationships are transactional because this helps to control peoples' desires, output, and base impulses. Therefore, it is better for people to be honest about the nature of relationships and be more mercenary about their expectations and exchange of value.

answer: The author raises the observation that our culture promotes that doing good to others without an expectation of good returns cheapens the obligation to serve others first. The author points out that in reality, the opposite is true - while people from all sides promise good things to each other, the needs will ultimately outpace the promises, and at some point someone has to stop and say "enough is enough". Otherwise, the author says, the person puts themselves at disadvantage and becomes a doormat.

text: This is not a two-sentence summary.

refinement: The author raises the observation that our culture promotes that doing good to others without an expectation of good returns cheapens the obligation to serve others first. The author points out that in reality, the opposite is true - while people from all sides promise good things to each other, the needs will ultimately outpace the promises, and at some point someone has to stop and say "enough is enough".

answer: The author proposes that conduct between humans should be transactional rather than altruistic, in the sense that the interaction should serve to empower both parties equally in order to maintain the health of a relationship, and so they do not come to resent each other later. The author points out that it is a cultural problem to demonize relationship transactions since it is how human nature works.

answer: The culture venerates altruism as an important virtue, but transactionality is an essential part of human nature. The institutionalization of altruism controls our behavior, though ironically it harms societal production. People must give and receive value for relationships to continue to be healthy. A mercenary approach is often better than being a pushover.

text: This is not a two-sentence summary.

refinement: The culture venerates altruism as an important virtue, but transactionality is an essential part of human nature. The institutionalization of altruism controls our behavior, though ironically it harms societal production.

answer: The author shares his ideas on whether altruism or a more transactional approach to relationships and life is more advantageous. He feels that altruism is encouraged by governments and corporations, but that a transactional approach leads to more happiness.


split: train

text:
I’m in a large rolling field filled with dandelions. A small path runs across the field and disappears in the hills. Like the one I used to play in as a child.  Except, I’m not a child here, I’m twenty.

Has it really been that long since I’ve left for the city?  I guess it has.  Amazing how fast and unnoticed time passes by when we’re too busy pleasing society’s expectations.  Wait, how did I even get here?  I don’t remember coming back here…
The weather is what most people, including myself, would call the perfect weather.  The sun kisses the hills with its warm rays.  The wind blowing a gentle breeze through my hair and pressing my plain white T and jeans against me.

Suddenly, I hear a voice in the distance.  A soft voice, a female voice.  It has a kind of warmness to it, something I can’t quite put my finger on.

I can hear her call my name: “Charlie!  Charlie!”

I turn around to see where it’s coming from. Then I see her, sitting on the swing, gently swaying in the wind.  She looks up and waves at me. I wave back and start walking in her direction.  She’s wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees.  It presses against her body as the breeze blows against her, pushing her long brown hair with it.

Who is this girl? I think to myself, have I met her before?  I feel like I have, but can’t remember her from anywhere.  Her name, it’s floating on the tip of my tongue, but doesn’t quite sink into my head.  Emma? Emily?  Ugh, why can’t I think of it!

As I get closer I get angrier with myself for forgetting her name.  I look up at the hill where she stands and I see her looking at her feet, like a shy little girl.  Finally, I stand in front of her.  She slides herself off the swing, and looks up at me.  And all my anger, all my worries and woes, everything that has ever troubled me, disappears instantly.  Suddenly I feel free, like someone just broke the shackles that kept me from being happy.

The light of the sun was shining on her face.  Her small thin lips wore a shy smile as her eyes looked into mine.  I had never seen such beautiful eyes, full of tenderness and warmth, masked in their deep earthy green colour.  It felt as if her eyes were looking not into mine, but into my soul.  As if, just by looking into my eyes, she could tell who I was really.  Just another lost soul searching for answers to questions it didn’t even know it was asking.  Strangely, it felt like all these answers, were no longer important, because she was the answer.

“Hi Charlie,” she says, smiling and holding her hands together in back of her.

I immediately drop my gaze to the ground and say, “Umm. Hey.”

“Isn’t it pretty, Charlie?” she’s looking out the field now, “All the dandelions, dancing in the wind to the rhythm of the wind. Dancing for us like we were their private audience.”

“Ya, sure.  It certainly is a beautiful site.  Something great artists chase to do justice in their paintings, but can never get it just right.”

“Mhm,” she nods, “it’s the things that people take for granted that are of the prettiest.  Wouldn’t you agree?” she asked and turns to face me again.

“I guess, sure.”

It really was beautiful to look at.  I’m just not a very poetic guy, words escape me; when I do find the right words, I either can’t express them properly or it’s far too late.  The girls gaze was disarming, and any word my brain could formulate got lost in oblivion almost instantly.

She giggles, “Well, I must go now, goodbye.”

She turns and walks towards the hills.

“Wait!” I scream, “What’s your name?”

She doesn’t stop.  She just giggles again, “Goodbye Charlie.”
Then she’s gone, behind the hill.  I take after her, full sprint, as if my life depended on it.  Everything around me starts to go dark, and cold.  The dandelions dry up nearly instantly and die.  They make a crunch sound under my feet, like stepping on dry hay, as I run in the mysterious girl’s direction.  I finally cross the hill and she’s gone.  There’s nothing in sight, just blackness, a vast oblivion at the edge of the cliff.

I stop running just in time, a few more steps and over the edge I go.  Bent over, my hands on my knees, I try and catch my breath.  I sit down on the hill. “Fuck!” I yell, pounding my hand into the ground, “Fuck, fuck fuckity fuck!”

She’s gone, I think.  She’s gone.  All my worries and woes, sadness, anger, stress come crashing back down onto my shoulders tenfold.  The weight is too much.  Like someone just dropped the world on my shoulders as Zeus did to Atlas.

I start to cry.  All this weight I feel I have to carry on my own.  They start to crush me.

Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder and a familiar voice behind me, “You aren’t alone silly.”

Startled, I jump up and trip over myself.  I fall backwards.  I try and grab onto something in a desperate attempt to stay on the ground, but there’s nothing to grab onto.  She’s too far away to take hold of her hand.  And over the edge I go, falling into the abyss...

I shoot up screaming, “AH!”

Breathing heavily like I just ran a marathon.  Beads of sweat running down my face and back.  I look around and realize I’m just home, laying in bed.

title: But a Dream (CCW, first post)

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

What does the text say about the girl?

answer: Emma is the name of the girl. She is waving to Charlie. She is similar to Emma, only with more seriousness. She tempts Charlie with the way she appears. Charlie waves back and moved closer. Soon Charlie stood in front of the girl, the girl slowly slides off the swing. She was wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She looked beautiful to Charlie in all of her beauty.

text: The girl isn't named Emma--in fact, a key plot detail is that Charlie can't remember her name.

refinement: Charlie struggles to remember the girl's name--he thinks it might be Emma or Emily. She is waving to Charlie. She is similar to Emma, only with more seriousness. She tempts Charlie with the way she appears. Charlie waves back and moved closer. Soon Charlie stood in front of the girl, the girl slowly slides off the swing. She was wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She looked beautiful to Charlie in all of her beauty.

text: The line comparing her to Emma is unattested.

refinement: Charlie struggles to remember the girl's name--he thinks it might be Emma or Emily. She is waving to Charlie. She tempts Charlie with the way she appears. Charlie waves back and moved closer. Soon Charlie stood in front of the girl, the girl slowly slides off the swing. She was wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She looked beautiful to Charlie in all of her beauty.

text: The answer doesn't need multiple sentences expounding on her beauty.

refinement: Charlie struggles to remember the girl's name--he thinks it might be Emma or Emily. She is waving to Charlie. Charlie waves back and moved closer. Soon Charlie stood in front of the girl, the girl slowly slides off the swing. She was wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She looked beautiful to Charlie.

text: The text should mention her interaction with Charlie.

refinement: Charlie struggles to remember the girl's name--he thinks it might be Emma or Emily. She is waving to Charlie. Charlie waves back and moved closer. Soon Charlie stood in front of the girl, the girl slowly slides off the swing. She was wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She looked beautiful to Charlie. She states that she must leave, and Charlie chases after her.

answer: The girl lives in a town opposite to the protagonist. She is friends with him, but he can't remember her name. The time of day and location make it seem that there is a festival nearby. The protagonist is lost in his romanticized thoughts about her.

text: The line about where the girl lives is unattested.

refinement: She is friends with him, but he can't remember her name. The time of day and location make it seem that there is a festival nearby. The protagonist is lost in his romanticized thoughts about her.

text: The line about the festival is unattested.

refinement: She is friends with him, but he can't remember her name. The protagonist is lost in his romanticized thoughts about her.

text: The answer should mention their interaction.

refinement: She is friends with him, but he can't remember her name. The protagonist is lost in his romanticized thoughts about her. She tells Charlie that she must go, and he chases after her.

answer: The girl is described as wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She has long brown hair. She is sitting on a swing and calls Charlie's name. She is wearing a shy smile and looks up at Charlie. She seems to be a shy girl.

answer: The girl is described as having beautiful eyes and a smile that is full of warmth and tenderness. She is sitting on a swing and wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She seems to know Charlie, but he can't remember her. She is able to read Charlie's soul. Charlie is able to see the beauty in the dandelions and in the girl.

answer: The girl lives in a town opposite to the protagonist. She is friends with him, but he can't remember her name, except that she's very beautiful and alluring.

answer: The girl is described as wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She has long brown hair. She is sitting on a swing and calls Charlie's name. She is wearing a shy smile and looks up at Charlie. She seems to be a shy girl. She seems to be interested in the beauty of the world.

answer: The girl's name is Emma, but Charlie does not realize that. Charlie approaches the girl and asks her name, which she does not give up.

answer: The girl is described as having beautiful eyes and a smile that is full of warmth and tenderness. She is sitting on a swing and wearing a simple white dress that goes down just above her knees. She seems to know Charlie, but he can't remember her. She is able to read Charlie's soul. Charlie is able to see the beauty in the dandelions and in the girl. She disappears after saying goodbye to Charlie.

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

What does the story say about Charlie's girlfriend?

answer: No answer

answer: Charlie doesn't have a clue as to who introduced him to his girlfriend, but is certain he has met her before. It must be a girl he met in college. His girlfriend went silent after he would receive a text message, which was an indication on how he was going to respond - the last two were her ensuring he was clear on the conditions attached to their relationship.

text: This is unattested--the story does not mention a girlfriend.

answer: No answer

answer: Charlie doesn't have a clue as to who introduced him to his girlfriend, but is certain he has met her before. He dreams of meeting her in that field with dandelions and is anxious as to not knowing. His girlfriend went silent after he would receive a text message, which was an indication on how he was going to respond - the last two were her ensuring he was clear on the conditions attached to their relationship.

answer: Charlie is looking for a girl he may have met before. He describes her as beautiful, but can't remember her name. She disappears when he calls out her name.

answer: The story does not mention Charlie's girlfriend.

text: Should simply state "No answer"

answer: No answer


text:
The BEDMINSTER TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States.[1]

As of the 2017-18 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1.[2]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group “I”, the second-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[3]

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Bernards High School,[4] as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a K - 12 district that also serves students from Bernardsville, Far Hills and Peapack-Gladstone.[5] As of the 2017-18 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 852 students and 67.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.[6]

School

Bedminster Township Public School had an enrollment of 523 students in the 2017-18 school year.[7][8]

-   Corby Swan, Principal[9]

Bedminster Township Public School offers a variety of competitive sports. They have had most notable success in boys and girls basketball.

Administration

Core members of the district's administration are:[10][11]

-   Jennifer Giordano, Superintendent[12]
-   Alicia M. Schauer, Business Administrator / Board Secretary[13]

The district's board of education has nine members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election.[14][15]

[1] Bedminster Township Board of Education District Policy - Identification, Bedminster Township School District. Accessed January 30, 2020. “Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Bedminster Township School District. Composition: The Bedminster Township School District is all the area within the municipal boundaries of Bedminster Township.”

[2] District information for Bedminster Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2019.

[3] NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 6, 2014.

[4] Bedminster Township School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 19, 2017. “After graduation from the 8th grade, the majority of our students attend Bernards High School.”

[5] Somerset County School Districts-Sending/Receiving/Regional, Somerset County Superintendent of Schools. Accessed May 19, 2017.

[6] School data for Bernards High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2019.

[7] School Data for the Bedminster Township Public School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2019.

[8] New Jersey School Directory for the Bedminster Township Public School, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.

[9] Principal, Bedminster Township Public School. Accessed January 30, 2020.

[10] New Jersey School Directory for Somerset County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 29, 2016.

[11] _2018-2019 Somerset County Public School Directory_, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 30, 2020.

[12] Superintendent's Message, Bedminster Township Public School. Accessed January 30, 2020.

[13] Business Office, Bedminster Township Public School. Accessed January 30, 2020.

[14] New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.

[15] Board of Education, Bedminster Township Public School. Accessed January 30, 2020.

title: Bedminster Township School District

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

What does the text say about the Bedminster Township School District?

answer: The Bedminster Township Public School District is a community public school district that serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students. The district serves grades Kindergarten through eighth, and sends its students to the Somerset Hills Regional School District for ninth through twelfth grades. The district has had most notable success in boys and girls basketball. The district's administration is composed of the superintendent, business administrator, and board of education.

text: The answer should mention the socioeconomic ranking of the district.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School District is a community public school district that serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students. The district serves grades Kindergarten through eighth, and sends its students to the Somerset Hills Regional School District for ninth through twelfth grades. The district has had most notable success in boys and girls basketball. The district's administration is composed of the superintendent, business administrator, and board of education. The district has the socioeconomic rank of "I" in the New Jersey Department of Education classification, which is the second-highest group.

answer: The Bedminster Township School District is a public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group “I”, the largest group of grouping schools. Students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Bernards High School, part of sending/receiving relationship with the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a K - 12 school that also serves students from Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone.

text: The district grouping is conveyed confusingly.

refinement: The Bedminster Township School District is a public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group “I”, the second-highest based on socioeconomic status. Students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Bernards High School, part of sending/receiving relationship with the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a K - 12 school that also serves students from Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone.

answer: The Bedminster Township School District (BTSD) is a public community school district serving students in pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. The school district has an enrollment of 523 students and 54.9 classroom teachers. BTSD is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I". BTSD is a soilder's send and reception. This means that there is a scholar sending relationship with Bernards High School and there is a scholar receiviye relationship with Somerset Hills Regional School District.

text: The sending/receiving relationship is conveyed confusingly.

refinement: The Bedminster Township School District (BTSD) is a public community school district serving students in pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. The school district has an enrollment of 523 students and 54.9 classroom teachers. BTSD is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I". BTSD has a sending/receiving relationship with Somerset Hills Regional School District, sending students in grades nine through twelve there.

text: The answer should include the administration of the district.

refinement: The Bedminster Township School District (BTSD) is a public community school district serving students in pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. The school district has an enrollment of 523 students and 54.9 classroom teachers. BTSD is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I". BTSD has a sending/receiving relationship with Somerset Hills Regional School District, sending students in grades nine through twelve there. The district's administration consists of the superintendent, board secretary, and the nine-member board.

answer: The Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis). The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I". The district's administration includes a superintendent and business administrator. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members and oversees policy. After eighth grade, the majority of students from the district attend Bernards High School.

text: All students in grades 8-12 go to Bernardsville, not a majority.

refinement: The Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis). The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I". The district's administration includes a superintendent and business administrator. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members and oversees policy. After eighth grade, the students from the district attend Bernards High School.

text: The answer should mention the sending/receiving relationship with the Somerset Hills Regional District

refinement: The Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis). The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I". The district's administration includes a superintendent and business administrator. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members and oversees policy. After eighth grade, the students from the district attend Bernards High School as part of the sending/receiving relationship with the Somerset Hills Regional District.

answer: Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States.

text: The answer should mention the socioeconomic ranking.

refinement: Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. According to the New Jersey Department of Education, the district is in Factor Group "I", the second-highest socioeconomic group.

text: The answer should mention the situation with grades 8-12.

refinement: Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. According to the New Jersey Department of Education, the district is in Factor Group "I", the second-highest socioeconomic group. The students in grades 8-12 attend Bernardsville High School as part of a sending/receiving agreement with the Somerset Hills Regional School District.

text: The answer should mention the enrollment and teacher numbers.

refinement: Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. According to the New Jersey Department of Education, the district is in Factor Group "I", the second-highest socioeconomic group. The students in grades 8-12 attend Bernardsville High School as part of a sending/receiving agreement with the Somerset Hills Regional School District. The district's one school has 526 students with a teacher-to-student ratio of 9.6 to 1.

text: The answer should include the administration.

refinement: Bedminster Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. According to the New Jersey Department of Education, the district is in Factor Group "I", the second-highest socioeconomic group. The students in grades 8-12 attend Bernardsville High School as part of a sending/receiving agreement with the Somerset Hills Regional School District. The district's one school has 526 students with a teacher-to-student ratio of 9.6 to 1. The district's administration consists of a superintendent, a board secretary, and the nine-member board of education.

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

What does the text say about the school?

answer: Bedminster Township Public School (BTPS) is a 3-8 school located in New Jersey, United States. The enrollment registered in the 2017-2018 school year is 523 students amounting to a student teacher ratio of 9.56, which is lower than average. The district takes extra precautions to ensure updated course material, high-income families get priority placement. However, there are free after-school programs for all who wish to obtain such services. This effort ensures that all children have access to education too.

text: The answer has a lot of fabricated claims. These are the nonsensical statement "3-8 school", 9.56 teacher-to-student ratio being lower than average, course material updates, priority placement for high-income families, and free after-school programs.

text: The answer is empty.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School has 523 students as of the 2017-18 school year. Its principal is Corby Swan. The teacher-to-student ratio is 9.6 to 1 with 54.9 teachers on an FTE basis. The school serves students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. They offer a variety of competitive sports, and they had the most success with boys and girls basketball.

answer: The Bedminster Township Public School is a community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1. The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group “I”. After graduation from eighth grade, most students attend Bernards High School. The Board of Education has nine members who provide policy and oversight of the district.

text: The district's information is mostly irrelevant.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School is a community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1.

text: The answer should mention that there's only one school in the district. Otherwise, the student number is seemingly irrelevant.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School is a community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district with its one school has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1.

text: The answer should mention the school's principal and their sports offerings and success.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School is a community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Bedminster, New Jersey. The district with its one school has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1. The school's principal is Corby Swan. They offer several competitive sports but had the most success with girls and boys basketball.

answer: The school's district as of fall 2017, Bedminster Township Public School, can be considered small, considering that they had only 13.41 x 6.0000 students on average. The school houses children from pre-k to eighth grade and can be accessed by any local resident. There is 1 school in the District and 52.4 teachers, for an average student-teacher ratio of 9.6:1. The school is rated as average when it comes to the facilities and equipment, perhaps because of its small population size. Bedminster Township Public School is located in a wealthy area, so there is a high tendency for private school education.

answer: The Bedminster Township Public School district is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Its one school has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers. The district is classified as being in District Factor Group "I", and its board of education has nine members.

text: The district's information is irrelevant.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School district is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Its one school has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers.

text: The answer should mention the information about sports and the school's principal.

refinement: The Bedminster Township Public School district is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Its one school has an enrollment of 526 students and 54.9 classroom teachers. The school offers many competitive sports with the most successful one being boys and girls basketball. The principal is Corby Swan.

answer: The school had an enrollment of 523 students in the 2017-18 schoolyear. Their principal is Corby Swan. The school also offers a variety of competitive sports and has the most notable success in basketball.

text: The answer should note what grades the school serves.

refinement: The school had an enrollment of 523 students in the 2017-18 schoolyear. They serve students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Their principal is Corby Swan. The school also offers a variety of competitive sports and has the most notable success in basketball.

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

What does the text say about the administration of this school district?

answer: The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group I, which is the second-highest DFG. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. They are governed by a board of education with 9 members who set policy and oversee the district's functioning.

text: The district's classification etc is irrelevant.

refinement: They are governed by a board of education with 9 members who set policy and oversee the district's functioning.

text: The answer should note the core members.

refinement: The core members are the superintendent and the board secretary. They are governed by a board of education with 9 members who set policy and oversee the district's functioning.

text: The wording implies the superintendent and the board secretary are governed by the board, which is wrong. The district is governed by all of them.

refinement: The core members are the superintendent and the board secretary. The board of education with 9 members sets policy and oversees the district's functioning.

text: The answer should mention the election process of the board.

refinement: The core members are the superintendent and the board secretary. The board of education with 9 members sets policy and oversees the district's functioning. The members are elected three at a time for three-year terms every year.

answer: The district is overseen by Jennifer Giordano, the superintendent, and Alicia M. Schauer, the business administrator. The board of education consists of nine elected members that set policy and oversee the operation of the district. Bernards High School serves ninth through twelfth grade students from Bedminster.

text: Bernards high school is irrelevant.

refinement: The district is overseen by Jennifer Giordano, the superintendent, and Alicia M. Schauer, the business administrator. The board of education consists of nine elected members that set policy and oversee the operation of the district.

text: The answer should mention the election process of board members.

refinement: The district is overseen by Jennifer Giordano, the superintendent, and Alicia M. Schauer, the business administrator. The board of education consists of nine elected members that set policy and oversee the operation of the district. The members are elected three at a time for three-year terms each year.

answer: Core members of the district's administration are Jennifer Giordano, the superintendent, and Alicia Schauer, the business administrator/board secretary.

text: The answer should include information about the board of education.

refinement: Core members of the district's administration are Jennifer Giordano, the superintendent, and Alicia Schauer, the business administrator/board secretary. The board of education consists of nine members elected three at a time each year for three-year terms.

answer: Jennifer Giordano, the Superintendent, Alicia Schauer, the Business Manager, Core members of the district's administration are

answer: The administration of the Bedminster Township Public School district consists of Superintendent Jennifer Giordano, Business Administrator Alicia Schauer, and a board of nine trustees. The board exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of public education and is responsible for setting policy and overseeing the fiscal and educational operation of the district.


text:
GIAMBATTISTA DE CURTIS (20 July 1860 – 15 January 1926) was an Italian painter and poet remembered today for his song lyrics.

Biography

Born into a noble family in Naples, de Curtis was the firstborn of the fresco painter Giuseppe de Curtis and his wife, Elisabetta Minnon, and was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. He expressed his first interest in painting, which he learned from his father, and which he perfected to the point that he was called a “contemporary Salvator Rosa”. He was a complete artist, writing poetry and theatrical works as well as verses for popular songs; he was also a sculptor. His love for Neapolitan song led him to collaborate with composer Vincenzo Valente, at the time a lodger at the de Curtis family palace in corso Garibaldi. It was, in fact, Valente who in 1889 set to music his first song, “A Pacchianella”; the following year, he set another of de Curtis's texts, “Muglierema come fa?”. “'I Pazziava” followed in 1890, and “Ninuccia” in 1894; “Tiempe Felice” came in 1895. De Curtis never stopped writing songs and poems; it seems, however, to have never been much more for him than a way to pass the time.

De Curtis felt a great love for Sorrento, where from 1891 until 1910 he passed six months of every year at the Grand Hotel of Guglielmo Tramontano, who was mayor at the time. There, in 1892, he met Carmela Maione, who would inspire his most famous song, “Duorme Carmè'”. The daughter of a tenant farmer of Tramontano's, she lived in Fuorimura. Supposedly, the subject of the song came from a conversation the two had in the lobby of the hotel; de Curtis asked the girl what she usually did, and she responded, “Sleep”. This inspired de Curtis to write a song, the refrain to which begins:

  Duorme Carmè: ‘o cchiù bello d’ ’a vita è ‘o ddurmì… [the best (most beautiful) thing in life is to sleep]

This was typical of his working style; when composing song lyrics he would often be inspired by some encounter or other that he had had. Indeed, de Curtis was by all accounts a curious and amiable man, and was rarely without a compliment for an attractive woman; he courted many, and would often dedicate his lyrics to them. Nevertheless, he did not wed until 1910, when, at the age of fifty and after nearly twenty years' engagement, he married Carolina Scognamiglio.

Tramontano and de Curtis were great friends, and the mayor hired him to decorate some of the rooms of the hotel with his frescos; he also painted some canvases there, and wrote poetry and songs. Among these was the celebrated song “Torna a Surriento”, supposedly born of a stay in 1902 by the prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Zanardelli, at the hotel; Tramontano asked de Curtis and his brother, Ernesto, to write a song honoring the statesman. More recent research indicates that the song may merely have been reworked for the occasion; family papers indicate that the brothers deposited a copy with the Italian Society of Authors and Editors in 1894, eight years before they claimed to have written it.

The artistic association between the de Curtis brothers bore other fruit, as well, beginning in 1897 with the publication of “'A primma vota”; it continued even after Ernesto moved to the United States in 1920, after which the two continued their collaborations by mail. Among their other songs was “Amalia”, published in 1902 and dedicated to Ernesto's new wife, Amalia Russo. In 1911 the brothers had another success, the song “Lucia Lucì (I' m'arricordo 'e te)”.

De Curtis moved to the Vomero quarter in 1916, living in via Luca Giordano next door to the Villa Floridiana. He continued to compose, write and paint until his death in January 1926 from a progressive paralysis. Some days after his passing a letter from Ernesto reached his house. It read:

  Dear Giambattista, I enclose for you music for the song which you sent me last month; I hope it pleases you.

title: Giambattista De Curtis

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

What does the article say about inspiration?

answer: De Curtis was inspired by his father's teaching, and he perfected his painting to the point of being called a "contemporary Salvator Rosa". He was also inspired by his love for Neapolitan songs, and he collaborated with composer Vincenzo Valente. He was inspired by encounters with women, and he would often dedicate his lyrics to them. He was also inspired by the prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Zanardelli, and he wrote a song about him. He was also inspired by his brother Ernesto, and they wrote songs together. Ernesto moved to the United States, and they wrote songs by mail.

text: Every sentence starts with the same or similar phrase

refinement: De Curtis was inspired by his father's teaching, and he perfected his painting to the point of being called a "contemporary Salvator Rosa". He was also inspired by his love for Neapolitan songs, and he collaborated with composer Vincenzo Valente. He found inspiration in his encounters with women, and he would often dedicate his lyrics to them.  He and his brother Ernesto wrote songs together.

answer: De Curtis said his first song, "A Pacchianella," was inspired by his conversation with a girl named Carmela. She said, "Sleep." This became the refrain in his song dedicated to his love for Neapolitan songs. He was also by all accounts a curious and amiable man, vocal of his admiration for attractive women.

text: This sentence is incomplete and confusing

refinement: De Curtis said his first song, "A Pacchianella," was inspired by his conversation with a girl named Carmela. She said that her favorite pastime was sleep. This became the refrain in his song dedicated to his love for Neapolitan songs. He was also by all accounts a curious and amiable man, vocal of his admiration for attractive women.

answer: De Curtis was inspired by his father's teaching, and he perfected his painting to the point of being called a "contemporary Salvator Rosa". He was also inspired by his love for Neapolitan songs, and he collaborated with composer Vincenzo Valente. He was inspired by encounters with women, and he would often dedicate his lyrics to them. He was also inspired by the prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Zanardelli, and he wrote a song about him. He was also inspired by his brother Ernesto, and they wrote songs together. Ernesto moved to the United States, and they wrote songs by mail.

answer: De Curtis was inspired by his first song "A Pacchianella" by his brother's collaborator, Vincenzo Valente. He was also inspired by Carmela Maione when she told him what she usually does, which was sleep. He also wrote a song for Amalia Russo, Ernesto's new wife, when she was inspired by Ernesto's song, "Lucia Lucì (I' m'arricordo 'e te)". De Curtis was also inspired by the prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Zanardelli, when he stayed at the Grand Hotel of Guglielmo Tramontano.

answer: De Curtis was inspired to write lyrics and songs based on an encounter he had. A love for Neapolitan song led him to collaborate with composers and set their songs to music. There are other songs they wrote together, such as Amalia, that was inspired by a wife who was mentioned.

text: This sentence is muddled and unclear

refinement: De Curtis was inspired to write lyrics and songs based on an encounter he had. A love for Neapolitan song led him to collaborate with composers and set their songs to music. The biggest collaboration was with his brother. the two wrote songs together including Amalia dedicated to Ernesto's new wife by the same name.

answer: De Curtis was inspired to write lyrics and songs based on an encounter he had. A love for Neapolitan song led him to collaborate with composers and set their songs to music. There are other songs they wrote together, such as Amalia. In this, it was the wife of the composer who was a muse who inspired the song.

answer: De Curtis was inspired by his first song "A Pacchianella" by his brother's collaborator, Vincenzo Valente. He was also inspired by Carmela Maione when she told him what she usually does, which was sleep. He also wrote a song for Amalia Russo, Ernesto's new wife, when she was inspired by Ernesto's song, "Lucia Lucì (I' m'arricordo 'e te)".

text: This is not supported by the text.

refinement: De Curtis was inspired by his first song "A Pacchianella" by his brother's collaborator, Vincenzo Valente. He was also inspired by Carmela Maione when she told him what she usually does, which was sleep. He also wrote a song for Amalia Russo, Ernesto's new wife.

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

What does the article say about De Curtis's family?

answer: De Curtis was born into a noble family in Naples. His father, Giuseppe de Curtis, was a fresco painter and his mother, Elisabetta Minnon, was a great-granddaughter of composer Saverio Mercadante. He was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis also had a brother, Ernesto, who was a composer.

text: Contradictory sentence

refinement: De Curtis was born into a noble family in Naples. His father, Giuseppe de Curtis, was a fresco painter. His mother was Elisabetta Minnon. He was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis also had a brother, Ernesto, who was a composer.

answer: His grandfather was composer Saverio Mercadante. His father Giuseppe was a fresco painter.

text: Incomplete answer

refinement: Born into a noble family in Naples, de Curtis was the firstborn of the fresco painter Giuseppe de Curtis and his wife, Elisabetta Minnon and was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis' brother, Ernesto, was also a composer.

answer: De Curtis was the firstborn of his parents, Giuseppe de Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon, and was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. He demonstrated interest in writing, sculpting, and painting at an early age. He was infamous for writing lyrics after personal encounters.

text: This doesn't answer the question and fails to mention that he had a brother who was also a composer.

refinement: De Curtis was the firstborn of his parents, Giuseppe de Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon, and was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis had a brother, Ernesto, who was also a composer.

answer: De Curtis's father was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. His father was Giuseppe de Curtis and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon.

text: Repetition

refinement: De Curtis's father was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante.

text: Fails to mention his brother

refinement: De Curtis's father was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis' brother, Ernesto, was also a composer.

answer: De Curtis was born into a noble family in Naples. His father, Giuseppe de Curtis, was a fresco painter and his mother, Elisabetta Minnon, was a great-granddaughter of composer Saverio Mercadante. He was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante.

text: Contradiction

refinement: De Curtis was born into a noble family in Naples. His father, Giuseppe de Curtis, was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. He was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante.

text: Fails to mention his brother

refinement: De Curtis was born into a noble family in Naples. His father, Giuseppe de Curtis, was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. He was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis' brother, Ernesto, was also a composer.

answer: He came from a noble family. His grandfather was composer Saverio Mercadante. His father Giuseppe was a fresco painter. He had a good relationship with his brother Ernesto; they were great friends who collaborated on their art.

answer: De Curtis was the firstborn of his parents, Giuseppe de Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon. His was raised by noble parents and had great-grandparents. He demonstrated interest in writing, sculpting, and painting at an early age. He was infamous for writing lyrics after personal encounters.

text: So does everyone else.

refinement: De Curtis was the firstborn of his parents, Giuseppe de Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon. His was raised by noble parents. He demonstrated interest in writing, sculpting, and painting at an early age. He was infamous for writing lyrics after personal encounters.

text: Incorrect wording

refinement: De Curtis was the firstborn of his parents, Giuseppe de Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon. His was raised by noble parents. He demonstrated interest in writing, sculpting, and painting at an early age. He was known for writing lyrics after personal encounters.

text: This summary omits relevant information.

refinement: De Curtis was the firstborn of his parents, Giuseppe de Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon. His was raised by noble parents and was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. He demonstrated interest in writing, sculpting, and painting at an early age. He was known for writing lyrics after personal encounters. He collaborated with his brother Ernesto, who was also a song-writer.

answer: De Curtis's father was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. His father was Giuseppe de Curtis and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was also a sculptor.

text: Repetition

refinement: De Curtis's father, Giuseppe was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante.

text: Fails to mention his brother

refinement: De Curtis's father, Giuseppe was a fresco painter and his mother was Elisabetta Minnon. De Curtis was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante. De Curtis collaborated with his brother, Ernesto, also a song writer.

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

What does the article say about de Curtis's artistic interests outside of lyric writing?

answer: He was also a sculptor and preferred to gain inspiration for his lyric-writing from topical occurrences.

text: This is a partial answer

refinement: He expressed his first interest in painting, which he learned from his father, and which he perfected to the point that he was called a “contemporary Salvator Rosa”. He was a complete artist, writing poetry and theatrical works as well as verses for popular songs; he was also a sculptor. Tramontano often hired him to decorate some of the rooms of the hotel with his frescos; he also painted some canvases there and wrote poetry and songs

answer: He was also a sculptor and preferred to gain inspiration for his lyric-writing from topical occurrences

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: He was also a sculptor and painter. He was influenced by his surroundings and would often be inspired by his encounters with people. He was also a poet.

answer: He was also a sculptor and painter. He was influenced by his surroundings and would often be inspired by his encounters with people.

answer: The article does not discuss de Curtis's artistic interests outside of lyric writing.

text: This is incorrect

refinement: He expressed his first interest in painting, which he learned from his father, and which he perfected to the point that he was called a “contemporary Salvator Rosa”. He was a complete artist, writing poetry and theatrical works as well as verses for popular songs; he was also a sculptor. Tramontano often hired him to decorate some of the rooms of the hotel with his frescos; he also painted some canvases there and wrote poetry and songs

answer: The painting and sculpting mentioned in the article are glossed over by de Curtis's relative success in songwriting. He mentioned working with Vincenzo Valente when setting his song lyrics to music, and he moved to the Vomero quarter in 1916 to continue to compose and write music/poetry.

text: This fails to adequately answer the question

refinement: He expressed his first interest in painting, which he learned from his father, and which he perfected to the point that he was called a “contemporary Salvator Rosa”. He was a complete artist, writing poetry and theatrical works as well as verses for popular songs; he was also a sculptor. Tramontano often hired him to decorate some of the rooms of the hotel with his frescos; he also painted some canvases there and wrote poetry and songs

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

What does the article say about de Curtis's musical collaborations with his father?

answer: No answer

answer: The article does not discuss de Curtis's musical collaborations with his father.

answer: The article does not mention any musical collaborations with his father.

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: No answer


text:
To Hatch From a Broken Egg

I was sitting in the living room with my arms crossed when Grandpa gathered the family around the dining room table. Grandpa was a giant of a man, with thighs like redwoods and hands like plains. I was the last to stand up when I began to walk over to the circle that had formed around the table. “I would like to see,” Grandpa began, with big pauses between each phrase, “someone attempt to balance this egg upright, without using any tools to hold it up.”

The whiteness of the egg stood out in Grandpa’s wrinkled and purple spotted hands. It seemed so small. I studied the egg while my family began to buzz. My older cousin smirked and whispered something in my Dad’s ears that made him laugh. Uncle Joe was doing one of his James Cagney impressions to my brother and cousin. Aunt Anna had walked in the room from cooking and chuckled when she saw my grandpa holding the egg.

I was the only one paying attention, focusing on how you could possibly make a small oval stand. No one else was going to complete this challenge but me. When my Mom put her arms around my chest, and gave me a kiss on the cheek I pushed her away and said, “I can do it!”

My grandpa’s heavy eyes shifted to me and his lips peeled into a grin, revealing yellow stained crooked teeth. His hands, like a giant compared to mine, handed me the egg. I began working right away.

I made quick glances to Grandpa as I tried to balance it, hoping his gray eyes would light up at a correct attempt or that his white eyebrows would raise at a sign of progress, but he remained unemotional and still. I tried to ignore the commentary of my family at first.  Dad said, “oh so close,” several times with a laugh while Uncle David commentated like a sports announcer, “Jake Lacey. Balancing the egg. Can he do it? Ah, keeps missing.”

After several minutes my older cousin said, “Come on, Jake. Give it back to Grandpa.” I ignored him but when my Mom stepped in saying, “Hun, you can try later, it’s fine,” the doubt became harder to ignore.

“Let me just try!” I said, trying not to sound upset.

Eventually my Uncle Joe stopped impersonating James Cagney. My father raised his eye brows and stood up from the table and my brother began to attack me. “Jake you can’t do it.”

“Don’t worry, Jakey. It’s impossible,” someone else said.

I wanted to shut my family up and make them see that I could do it. I wanted them to know that just I could complete a task that was impossible for most. And I did.

I finally stood the egg up right. It wasn’t balancing against anything; it was just standing up on its own. All because of me. I looked up in amazement, hoping to see my family enthusiastic with my accomplishment, but instead, half of them were gone and the other half had already moved on to new conversations. Only my cousin Rachel said, “Wow! Look guys! Jake did it!”

As Rachel began to get my family’s attention I looked to Grandpa who was not grinning but seemed thrown by the egg standing up. As I waited for a response from Grandpa, the whole family began to circle back around the table.

Before they could all see what I had done, Grandpa snagged the egg off the table, smashed it lightly against a plate, leaving the egg’s bottom flat surfaced with a crack, placed the it on the table, and forced a chuckle as everyone watched the egg stand up on its own. He said, “That is how you make an egg stand.”

I quickly looked at my Grandpa, who avoided eye contact with me and laughed deliberately with the older cousins. My head spun to my parents, who had acknowledged Grandpa’s quaint gag but not my success and then it spun back to my Grandpa who was still ignoring me.

I darted out of living room and up to my room. I dove into my bed, grabbed my Teddy and belted a long hard cry into my pillow. No one came up to check on me until after they had lit the candles.

title: Flash Fiction Piece, notes please?

question: What does Grandpa ask the grandkids to do?

answer: He asks them to balance an egg upright without using any tools to hold it up.

answer: Balance an egg.

answer: Grandpa asks the grandkids to balance an egg on its end without any tools.

answer: Grandpa asks the grandchildren to balance an egg on its own without any tools to hold it up. The protagonist is the only one who succeeds in doing so, but is ignored by the rest of the family.

text: Second sentence is irrelevant

refinement: Grandpa asks the grandchildren to balance an egg on its own without any tools to hold it up.

question: What's the narrator's name?

answer: Jake

text: Add surname

answer: The narrator's name is Jake.

text: Add surname

answer: Jake Lacey

answer: Jake Lacey.

question: Does Jake have a magical ability?

answer: From the passage, it seems that Jake does not have a magical ability, but rather a talent for balancing eggs. However, his family does not seem to appreciate his accomplishment, and he is left feeling upset and alone.

text: Too much inference

refinement: No, he is just a kid who is trying to impress his grandfather.

answer: No

answer: No, he is just a kid who is trying to impress his grandfather.

answer: It seems he does, as he managed to make the egg stand.

text: Too much inference

refinement: No, he is just a kid who is trying to impress his grandfather.

question: What does Grandpa do once Jake gets the egg to stand?

answer: Grandpa takes the egg away from Jake and breaks it, making it stand on its own. Jake is upset and runs away to his room.

answer: He smashes the egg and explains his way is to disfigure it.

answer: Grandpa smashes the egg and places it on the table.

answer: He smashes it and says that's how you make an egg stand.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: The protagonist is trying to balance an egg on its end without any tools to help them, but their family is more interested in other things. The protagonist finally succeeds, but their family ignores their accomplishment and instead laughs at the protagonist when their grandpa smashes the egg on a plate. The protagonist retreats to their room in disappointment.

answer: Jason's grandfather challenges their family to make a perfectly oval egg stand on its own. Jason is determined to make it happen. The family crowds and encourages him initially, but as he doesn't seem to be succeeding, they start to get ready for dinner. Jason,however, does manage to get the egg to stand. Everyone gawks, but then Grandpa grabs it and smashes it suddenly, announcing this is how you make the egg stand. Jason runs to his room and sobs. No one goes after him.

answer: Jake is a young boy who is trying to balance an egg on its end. He is the only one in his family who is trying to do this, and he succeeds. However, when he shows his family, they ignore him and laugh at him. Jake is upset and runs to his room.

answer: Jake is the youngest in the family. He is sitting in the living room with his arms crossed when Grandpa gathers the family around the dining room table. Grandpa asks someone to balance an egg upright without using any tools to hold it up. Jake is the only one paying attention. He wants to complete the challenge. He tries to balance the egg and succeeds. His family ignores him. Grandpa snatches the egg and smashes it lightly against a plate, leaving the egg's bottom flat surfaced with a crack, and places it on the table. He says that is how you make an egg stand. Jake runs to his room and cries.


text:
Part One: The Turning Point

	Picture for a moment, if you will, someone you love. Picture that person, really focus on them. What would you be willing to do for that person? Is there a limit to what you would do for them? I'll bet there is. Would you kill for them? And I don't mean kill in defense, I mean murder. Would you slaughter innocent lives for that person? Would you transcend into a place of pure evil? Would you become, for all intensive purposes, a monster? Most of you probably wouldn't. But I’m about to do just that.
	We all have regrets. Things that we wish we could go back and change. I have only recently learned what it means to truly regret something. Meeting her was the turning point in my life. The day our eyes met was the day I began my descent into darkness, I just didn't know it yet.
	Her name was Emarosa, and she was my goddess. I can see her so vividly, like she's right in front of me. Pale skin that seemed to glow under the moon. Her hair was the midnight sky and her eyes were the brightest of all the stars. She was like a mirror that reflected back everything good in the world.
	It was almost 3 years ago when I asked her to marry me, and half that long since she did. I remember it clearly. As I saw her walk down the aisle my heart exploded and filled my body with warmth from head to toe. This is it I thought, this is joy in the purest and most primitive sense. Nothing else mattered, I was on top of the world. Months prior we had agreed that we didn't need an extravagant honeymoon. No paradise could compare to just spending a week in the country away from the world in each other's arms. And that's what we did.
	We were driving down an unlit back road to our cabin. It was almost three in the morning and she was sleeping in the passenger seat. I glanced over at her to admire how peaceful she looked. It was just for a moment, but in that moment everything changed.
	I didn't see the road turn. What happened after played in slow motion. The vehicle collided with a tree like a wave breaking against a cliff as one lone branch reached out through the shattered windshield and tore right through her heart. All at once her eyes snapped open, as she gasped for air. She brought her gaze upon me one last time before her frail form went limp. I watched what remained of her life drain from her eyes through the hole in her chest. Her white gown now stained in the most violent shade of red.
	I spent the next few days in a trance. I can hardly remember anything from the ambulance ride back to civilization to the last shovelful of dirt my trembling hands cast upon her casket. For the first time in my life I felt lost, like an untrained sailor out at sea with no idea of what direction to go next.
	The following months led me to a very dark place. I lost my job, and my mind fell into disarray. The last bit of light in my eyes was snuffed out like a candle that day, and I had no desire to keep on living. Alone in the dark I groped through the unruly stack of past due bills, and eviction notices for the gun I left sitting there. The cold barrel against my temple was the first real thing I had felt since the woman I love died. My thumb searched for the hammer, and pulled it back. The click echoed and reverberated off of the collection of empty bottles littered across the floor. I took a deep breath, and eased my finger into the trigger housing. Just as I began to squeeze a cold hand grabbed my wrist, and eased my arm back down. I spun around and saw something I will never forget. It was her. My Emarosa.

Part Two: The Collector

	I never believed in the supernatural before that night, but there she was smiling down at me. She reached out her hand and caressed my cheek. Tears rolled down my face, and sizzled against her ghostly flesh, and that’s when I realized it. Suddenly I was aware that my cheek was burning, her hand was white hot. I jumped away startled. Her smile twisted sadistically, and her flesh burned away. There standing in her place was the most sinister looking man I had ever seen.
	 He called himself The Collector. He was well over seven feet tall, smartly dressed in a red suit and a midnight black leather duster. His narrow face, and high, well defined cheek bones accentuated the malice that radiated from his dark eyes. The Collector pulled a pack of smokes from his duster, stuck one in his mouth, and lit it. He gave me a vague description of who he was, and what he did.
	It was explained that he was a demon of sorts, or at least what we refer to as a demon, and as his name implies he is a collector. Every once in a while he would cross over into our world, and present a grief stricken mortal with a most tempting offer. In exchange for one-thousand souls he would return your loved one. In other words, if I sacrificed enough people to him he would bring Emarosa back from the grave, just as she was before.
	Like any decent person I was hesitant, but he made it very clear that it was my choice. He laid a very ancient looking dagger in my hands and explained that it didn’t matter how the person died as long as I slit their throat with the dagger afterwards. He also explained that the weapon would lose its power after five years, and if I hadn’t harvested enough souls by then I would never get her back. The Collector flashed one last ominous grin and disappeared into the shadows, leaving nothing behind but a smoldering cigarette butt.
	I think I was always going to accept the deal, but I didn’t want to give in too easily. I wanted to be a good guy. I packed my father’s old military rucksack with clothes, my revolver, ammo, and yes even the dagger. I became a vagabond, and I wandered for quite some time. With each day that passed I became hollower, more detached. I forgot the taste of happiness, and lusted after it desperately. I had lost my purpose, my spark, and I was about to lose my humanity.
	This is where I am now. Standing above the filthy, unconscious body of some nameless transient with my dagger drawn. I can almost hear the blade crying out for blood. Screaming for violence. I smile, bend over and cut the man’s throat from ear to ear. Steam rises from the wound and embraces my quivering form as his neck spits the last bit of life from his body.
	I hear a man slow clap from behind me, and I turn to face The Collector. He flashes a grin, one that I understand immediately. We have a deal.

title: [TH] A dark thriller/tragedy. Work in progress.

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

What does the story say about the type of relationship the narrator had with Emarosa?

answer: It seems that being with Emarosa was the happiest the narrator has ever been. When she died he descended into darkness and experienced a great deal of grief. While chained to suicide, he meets the demon called the Collector and agrees to bring him the souls of a thousand people in exchange for Emarosa returning from the dead.

answer: The narrator seems to have loved Emarosa than anything else. A few months before the accident that kills Emarosa, the narrator and Emarosa decided not to go an extravagant honeymoon. They instead use it to spend the week away in each other's arms while they are at a cabin. Before Emarosa "died" (ie she became a ghost), the narrator was traumatized by the accident, eventually attempted suicide, lost his job, and became detached. He later turned into a vagabond.

text: Grammatical error

refinement: The narrator seems to have loved Emarosa more than anything else. A few months before the accident that kills Emarosa, the narrator and Emarosa decided not to go an extravagant honeymoon. They instead use it to spend the week away in each other's arms while they are at a cabin. Before Emarosa "died" (ie she became a ghost), the narrator was traumatized by the accident, eventually attempted suicide, lost his job, and became detached. He later turned into a vagabond.

text: The answer fails to mention the main crux of the story

refinement: The narrator seems to have loved Emarosa more than anything else. A few months before the accident that kills Emarosa, the narrator and Emarosa decided not to go an extravagant honeymoon. They instead use it to spend the week away in each other's arms while they are at a cabin. Before Emarosa "died" (ie she became a ghost), the narrator was traumatized by the accident, eventually attempted suicide, lost his job, and became detached. In the end he made a pact with the devil. He would kill one thousand people for the return of Emarosa.

answer: The narrator clearly loved Emarosa very deeply. The turning point for the narrator was the death of Emarosa in a car accident. This leads the narrator to agree to make a deal with The Collector in order to bring her back from the dead. This indicates that the narrator's relationship with Emarosa was one based on true love and devotion.

answer: The relationship between the narrator and Emarosa is a tragic love story. The narrator loved Emarosa deeply, but after her death he descends into a place of pure evil. The Collector offers the narrator the chance to bring her back, and the narrator accepts. The relationship between the narrator and Emarosa was rooted in deep love, but ultimately it ended in violence and loss.

text: Mixed tenses

refinement: The relationship between the narrator and Emarosa is a tragic love story. The narrator loves Emarosa deeply, but after her death he descends into a place of pure evil. The Collector offers the narrator the chance to bring her back, and the narrator accepts. The relationship between the narrator and Emarosa was rooted in deep love, but ultimately it ended in violence and loss.

answer: He loves her so much that he is willing to kill innocent people for her. On the day of their wedding, his body was filled with warmth from head to toe, and he felt joy in the purest and most primitive sense. They didn't need an extravagant honeymoon; just spending time in each other's arms was enough. The narrator falls into a very dark place after Emarosa dies in a car accident and has no desire to continue living without her.

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

What does the story say about the type of person the narrator is?

answer: At first glance, the narrator seems to be a very kind man. He mourns the death of his wife and descend into a daze of sadness, regret, and exttreme anger. He doesn't want his mind to be sharp and he kills much people as he can. The narrator shows he is kind enough to give his wife a proper burial. Later in the story, it is revealed that he has a blackened soul and does not care about the lives of other people other than exhange his life for hers. He manipulates the offer given to him by The Collector of the deal to bring Emarosa back.

text: Grammatical errors

refinement: At first glance, the narrator seems to be a very kind man. He mourns the death of his wife and descends into a daze of sadness, regret, and anger. He doesn't want his mind to be sharp and he kills much people as he can. The narrator shows he is kind enough to give his wife a proper burial. Later in the story, it is revealed that he has a blackened soul and does not care about the lives of other people other than exhange his life for hers. He manipulates the offer given to him by The Collector of the deal to bring Emarosa back.

text: Nonsensical

refinement: At first glance, the narrator seems to be a very kind man. He mourns the death of his wife and descends into a daze of sadness, regret, and anger. The narrator shows he is kind enough to give his wife a proper burial. Later in the story, it is revealed that he has a blackened soul and does not care about the lives of other people other than exhange his life for hers. He manipulates the offer given to him by The Collector of the deal to bring Emarosa back.

text: This does cover parts of the story but it is not coherent

refinement: At first glance, the narrator seems to be a very kind man. He mourns the death of his wife and descends into a daze of sadness, regret, and anger. First, he starts to drink, loses his job, and plans his death by suicide. As he is about to pull the trigger and kill himself, the Collector makes a pact with him to kill a thousand people within five years in return for his wife.

answer: The narrator seems to be an extremely negative person. He is willing to do anything possible to bring back his dead wife. He feels that his life does not have any value because she is dead, and he sees no happiness for himself. This seems to be what draws him to the deal with the collector.

answer: The story reveals that the narrator has largely lost any semblance of humanity. He is willing to kill wholly innocent people in order to resurrect the woman he loved, even if it means sacrificing his soul. He has become so lost in grief and despair that he is willing to throw away all semblance of being good. The narrator is unapologetically evil.

answer: The narrator is intensely regretful, mentally unstable, and downright evil. The only thing he wants now is to resurrect his loved one, even though it means committing unspeakable atrocities. He revels in causing the pain and torture of others, and is not ashamed to admit his willingness to do anything for his own gain.

answer: The narrator is unable to cope with the death of his wife. He loses his job and the desire to keep on living. He contemplates suicide. He is hesitant when the demon offers to bring Emarosa back to life in exchange for murdering one thousand people. But eventually he accepts the deal.