text:
[]The news will certainly send shock waves through the media as Howard stern has just lost his epic battle with Sirius XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI).  The suit, filed over a year ago, had some tantalizing tid-bits of the history of the Howard Stern deal with Sirius, the merger with XM, and of course the massive bonus structure that Stern received as part of the deal.  Stern, has had many rants on his show about how he feels the company cheated him out of potential bonuses worth well over $100 million and possibly as much as $300 million.

The sides have been at odds for months, but in the end Sirius XM’s request for summary judgment came down in the favor of the satellite radio provider.  Documents filed in court today confirm  Judge Barbara Kapnick’s ruling.  Stern and his agent, Don Buchwald, have the right to appeal, but as of right now Sirius XM is victorious.

The biggest factor working against the Stern side was very specific bonuses paid out in the event of a merger with XM.  It would appear that the court felt that the language in this section created a separation in the subscriber pool, and that a value was placed on the XM side of the equation in the event of a merger.  Stern received that payment and thus in the thoughts of Sirius XM, they had already made him whole.

Stern may well have some choice words about the decision, and it could make for some entertaining radio.  Stay tuned.

View Judges Ruling

question: Who has Howard Stern lost an epic battle with?

answer: Howard Stern has lost an epic battle with Sirius XM Satellite Radio

answer: Stern has lost an epic battle with Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

answer: Howard Stern has lost an epic battle with Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

question: What have Howard Stern's rants on his shows been about?

answer: Howard Stern has many rants on his show about how he feels the Sirius/XM company cheated him out of potential bonuses worth well over $100 million and possibly as much as $300 million.

answer: The rants have been about how he feels the company cheated him out of potential bonuses worth well over $100 million and possible as much as $300 million.

answer: Howard Stern has ranted on his show about how he felt in cheated out of the bonus structure that he received as part of his Sirius XM deal.

question: What was the biggest factor working against Stern?

answer: The biggest factor working against Stern were the specific bonuses paid out in the event of a merger with XM.

answer: Even though Stern received a lot of money, the judge believed that the contractual language was a way of separating the two companies, so Stern had already been made whole.

answer: The largest factor working against Stern was Section 7 of the party agreement. This section created a separation in the subscriber pool and placed a value on the XM side of the equation, which would mean any payments would be given to the XM partners.

question: Who was in favor the judgement?

answer: Sirius XM Satellite Radio was found the victor.

answer: Stern's side was in favor of the judgement.

answer: The satellite radio provider received the favor of the judgement.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Howard Stern lost his epic battle with Sirus XM after filing a suit in court. The suit was over a year old and the decision went to benefit XM, meaning Stern missed out on potential bonuses of well over $100 million.

answer: Howard Stern lost his battle with Sirius XM satellite radio in court over a $100-$300 million payment he was supposed to receive in bonuses depending on the merger between Sirius XM.

answer: Judge Barbara Kapnick rules against Howard Stern in his lawsuit against Sirius XM Satellite Radio, giving the company victory. Stern did not win the suit against the satellite company.

answer: Howard Stem lost his lawsuit against Sirius XM Satellite Radio over unpaid bonuses from before 2010. Sirius XM won the case.

answer: This article describes the case of Howard Stern and Sirius XM Satellite Radio, in which the ruling was in favor of the satellite radio provider. Howard Stern's rants and complaints were voiced as well.

answer: Howard Stern is losing his lifelong battle with Sirius XM Satellite radio. It seems as though Stern has not received the hefty bonuses he filed over a year ago.


split: train

text:
WILLIAM LEWIS “BUCK” CLARKE[1][2] (October 2,[3] 1933[4] – October 11, 1988 in Los Angeles[5]) was an American jazz percussionist who played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith and others. He also played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968.[6] Clarke's many musical styles include soul, funk and contemporary jazz, with an Afrocentric perspective.[7]

Biography

[Clarke drumming in the 80's.] Clarke was born in Washington, DC on October 2, 1933.[8][9] At 15, he started working at a display sign store. The father of one of his bosses was a cousin to Duke Ellington,[10] so Clarke began to listen to jazz records by musicians such as Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Allen Jones and Dizzy Gillespie during lunch breaks and weekends,[11][12] and he became “hooked on Jazz.”[13] He eventually had a job offer at D.C. club where he learned how to play the congas.[14] One of his very first gigs was at a show called “Jig Show”, which featured dancers and comedians.[15] Clarke would travel throughout the world, going to places such as New Orleans, where he first discovered rumba music.[16] Many others tried to encourage young Clarke to play “real instruments,” but his position was the bongo drums.[17]

When he was 16 or 17 years old, he played with Charlie Parker.[18] Clarke express his feelings in ever performing with Wess Anderson's band The Washingtonians which included, Eddie Jones and Charlie Parker, saying it had Clarke “shook up and mind blowing”.[19] He played with Art Blakey's and New York Jazz Messengers at 19 or 20 years old.[20] He was also a member of eight piece band to be part of his education on learning how to play in a band.[21]

Clarke is also an accomplished freelance painter.[22] Some of his early artwork could be shown here at his Facebook page.

Clarke suffered from diabetes that cost him his leg in 1986.[23] He died on October 11, 1988 in Los Angeles.[24]

Discography

As leader

-   1960: _Cool Hands_ (Offbeat)
-   1961: _Drum Sum_ (Argo)
-   1963: _The Buck Clarke Sound_ (Argo)
-   1988:[25] _Hot Stuff_ (Full Circle)

As sideman

WITH LES MCCANN

-   _Second Movement_ (Atlantic, 1971) - with Eddie Harris
-   _Invitation to Openness_ (Atlantic, 1972)
-   _Talk to the People_ (Atlantic, 1972)
-   _Live at Montreux_ (Atlantic, 1972)
-   _Layers_ (Atlantic, 1972)
-   _Another Beginning_ (Atlantic, 1974)

WITH WILLIS JACKSON

-   _Blue Gator_ (Prestige, 1960)
-   _Cookin' Sherry_ (Prestige, 1961)
-   _Together Again!_ (Prestige, 1965) - “This'll Get To Ya'” & “It Might As Well Be Spring”
-   _Together Again, Again_ (Prestige, 1967)

WITH EUGENE MCDANIELS

-   _Outlaw_ (Prestige, 1960)

WITH DAVE HUBBARD

-   _Dave Hubbard_ (Mainstream, 1971)

WITH CANNONBALL ADDERLEY

-   _Black Messiah_ (Capitol, 1971)

WITH THE ISLEY BROTHERS

-   _Givin' It Back_ - “Love The One You're With” (T-Neck, 1971)

WITH NINA SIMONE

-   _The Great Show Live in Paris_ (Disques Festival, 1975)

WITH JIMMY SMITH

-   _Root Down - Jimmy Smith Live!_ (Verve, 1972)
-   _Paid In Full_ (Mojo, 1974)
-   _Jimmy Smith '75_ (Mojo, 1975)
-   _It's Necessary_ (Mercury, 1977)

WITH JOHN MAYALL

-   _A Banquet In Blues_ (ABC, 1976)

'''With Herbie Hancock

-   _Sextant_ (Columbia, 1973)

WITH FREDDIE HUBBARD

-   _Liquid Love_ (Columbia, 1975)
-   _Gleam_ (CBS/Sony, 1975)
-   _Splash_ (Fantasy, 1981)
-   _Born to Be Blue_ (Pablo, 1982)

'''With Ron Escheté

-   _Stump Jumper_ (Bainbridge, 1986)

'''With Thelonious Monster

-   _Stormy Weather_ (Relativity, 1989)

[1] HTTPS://WWW.INVALUABLE.COM/ARTIST/CLARKE-WILLIAM-LEWIS-LYZ139LHS4/

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11] https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2211&dat=19670401&id=Ad8mAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7gIGAAAAIBAJ&pg=718%2C1247561

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

title: Buck Clarke

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

Who did Buck play with?

answer: Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith, and others.

answer: Buck Clarke played with Eddie Harris, Willis Jackson, Eugene McDaniels, Cannonball Adderley, The Isley Brothers, Nina Simone, Jimmy Smith, and John Mayall.

answer: Buck played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith, and others.

answer: He played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith, and others.

answer: Buck Clarke played with musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Les McCann, and Jimmy Smith.

text: The article offers a full list, so the answer could reflect this.

refinement: Buck Clarke played with musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith and others.

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

What music style did he play?

answer: His music styles include soul, funk, and contemporary jazz, with an Afrocentric perspective.

answer: Clarke played jazz percussion styles.

text: Answer is too vague given the amount of detail available in the answer.

refinement: Clarke played jazz percussion styles including soul, funk and contemporary jazz, with an Afrocentric perspective.

answer: Buck Clarke played jazz percussion.

text: Answer is too vague given the amount of detail available in the answer.

refinement: Clarke played jazz percussion styles including soul, funk and contemporary jazz, with an Afrocentric perspective.

answer: Percussion styles, like funk, soul, and contemporary jazz, which had an Afrocentric perspective.

answer: Soul, funk, and contemporary jazz with an Afrocentric perspective.

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

Other than music, what did Clarke do?

answer: Clarke was also an accomplished painter.

answer: He was a freelance painter.

answer: Clarke was also an accomplished freelance painter.

answer: Clarke was an accomplished freelance painter.

answer: Clarke is also a successful painter.

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

Where did Clarke work before pursuing music as his career?

answer: A sign store.

answer: Clarke worked at a display sign store before pursuing music as a career. He would listen to jazz records during his lunch breaks and weekends.

answer: Clarke worked at a display sign store before pursuing music as a career.

answer: He worked at a display sign store

answer: Clarke worked at a display sign store at the age of 15.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer:
Buck was an American jazz percussionist. His interest in Jazz began when he was working at a display sign store. His boss was a cousin to Duke Ellington. One of Clarke's very first gigs was at a show called "Jig Show".

Over the years Buck has played with many musicians, Freddie Hubbard and Les McCann to name a few.

Besides music, Buck was also an accomplished freelance painter.

He died on October 11, 1988.

answer: Buck Clarke, American jazz percussionist, was born on October 2, 1933, and had a music career that lasted more than 4 decades. He played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, and Les McCann before dying from diabetes in 1988. At 15, Clarke began working for a display sign store. The father of one of the bosses was a cousin to Duke Ellington, so Clarke started listening to jazz records of musicians including Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. Clarke began playing the saxophone, but eventually he stopped because young people tried to encourage him to play real instruments. Clarke says that playing with Wess Anderson of The Washingtonians, which included Eddie Jones and Charlie Parker, gave him a “shook up and mind blowing” experience.

text: There is no mention of the 'saxophone' in the article. The answer is referencing

refinement: Buck Clarke, American jazz percussionist, was born on October 2, 1933, and had a music career that lasted more than 4 decades. He played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, and Les McCann before dying from diabetes in 1988. At 15, Clarke began working for a display sign store. The father of one of the bosses was a cousin to Duke Ellington, so Clarke started listening to jazz records of musicians including Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. Clarke was encouraged to play 'real instruments' but his position was the bongo drums. Clarke says that playing with Wess Anderson of The Washingtonians, which included Eddie Jones and Charlie Parker, gave him a “shook up and mind blowing” experience.

answer:
Buck Clarke (October 2, 1933-October 11, 1988) was an American jazz percussionist born in Washington, D.C. He had played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith, and many others.

Clarke started listening to Jazz records by Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Allen Jones by the age of 15. One of his very first gigs was at a show called “Jig Show” a show featuring dancers and comedians.

One of the highlights of his career was to play with Charlie Parker. He played with Herbie Hancock and many other jazz musicians and had a humble demeanor.

He is a member of eight piece who played at D.C. club where he learned to play the congas.

answer: Born in Washington, DC in 1933, Buck Clarke went on to become a virtuoso percussionist who played with many jazz greats. His style ranged from soul to funk, and he played at the Montreux Jazz Festival when he was 19. Clarke suffered from diabetes and passed away in 1988 in Los Angeles.

answer:
William Lewis "Buck" Clarke is an American jazz percussionist. He started playing professional jazz at age 15 and found his passion with bongo drums. He played for musicians such as Art Blakey and Les McCann. As a young player, he played with Charlie Parker. Clarke played congas in D.C. clubs before settling on the bongo drums.

Clarke suffered from diabetes and died in 1988 at age 55. He was an accomplished painter and left behind a musical legacy in soul, funk, and contemporary jazz.


text:
When we were schoolchildren she always insisted to me that her eyes were aqua colored. I used to goad her saying they were just plain old blue.

Now they were anything but plain old blue. They were the only blue colored things left in the world. They were bluer than the sky, bluer than the ocean. Whenever I looked into her eyes I saw the world when it was still alive.

And from those bluer-than-the-sky-eyes tears formed and started coming down like rain.

I turned my back to her and started down the path again. "We have to keep going."

She wiped away at  her shut eyes, fighting back the tears.

I was reminded of the time I saw the river at the Old Creek and its mighty flow get stifled by the new dams the summer I left. The dams held at first, then they were overrun by the water. The water would always be too strong. It would always overpower anything trying to keep it back.

I knew she would cry again.

I looked ahead but felt a tug at my chest, pained by her display of emotion. I used to cry. Somewhere deep down inside I wanted to. But that feeling to cry was one of the many ghosts inside of me, parts of me long dead that haunt me but will never come back. I drained that river of emotion inside of me the day I saw everything come to an end.

To survive meant letting parts of us inside die to make ourselves immune to our surroundings. The bodies we passed by just a small number of one of the thousands to come. The millions. They no longer move or breathe but the dead still talk. Their contorted figures and pained expressions told me their last moments. They told me my feelings had no reason to come back.

The only feeling that remained was love and it protected us as long as we had each other. We needed to find some place to release ourselves. Somewhere away from all this. A small pasture, the shade of a still living tree, somewhere, anywhere where Mother Nature was still alive, something that still resembled the world before so the departure of our souls after taking our own lives would not be tainted by the death around us.

Even holding a flower would  give us what we needed, a key to our escape from this hell. But we had not yet found such relief. The day before I came across a dandelion on the ground. But it had been waiting so long for the light to touch its face again that the life had been sucked out of it. It lay there, wilted. I never told her I found it.  I didn't want her to know for I feared everything we might find would be dead.

As we went on down the path we held each other tighter than before. Our bodies were getting colder and colder. Ever since the world had been painted the color of death by the heavy killing strokes of the bombs the temperature had dropped steadily every day. Hardly anything stood out in the landscape except for the dead and scorched outlines of buildings, shadows of what used to be.

We were heading to the park we used to play at together when we were children, hoping that we would not discover another grave site, another nightmare waiting for us. We went by memory hoping to find parts of the sidewalk that used to be on the streets but journeying in my mind made the road seem so much longer.

title: Wilted

question: What is the relationship between the narrator and the girl?

text: No answer.

refinement: It is unclear; there is love between them but the reader isn't told what kind.

answer: It appears they are childhood friends.

text: This could be accurate and it is a possible answer but the text doesn't specify what kind of love is between them now.

refinement: It appears they are childhood friends but it is unclear what is between them now. They could be siblings as there is no romantic action in this text.

answer: They are childhood friends.

text: They were childhood friends, but their relationship now is unclear. They could even be siblings, as nothing romantic happens in this passage.

refinement: They are childhood friends or siblings, but it is unclear from there.

answer: The narrator and the girl are childhood friends who are trying to find solace in each other in the aftermath of the apocalypse.

text: This is accurate but it is unclear what they are now-they could even be siblings as there are no romantic actions in this passage.

refinement: The narrator and the girl are childhood friends or siblings who are trying to find solace in each other in the aftermath of the apocalypse.

question: What made the girl very upset?

text: No answer.

refinement: Perhaps the dystopia engulfing them upsets her, or perhaps it is that they keep having to leave.

answer: Dead bodies surrounded them.

answer: The girl was upset because she could see the death and destruction all around her, and she was reminded of how everything had changed since the bombs fell.

answer: The narrator's words made her very upset.

text: This might also be true, but I think she is mostly upset that it's the apocalypse and they are surrounded by death and destruction.

refinement: The narrator's words made her very upset, and her emotions are also likely influenced by the death and destruction around them.

question: Why did the narrator choose not to express his/her emotions?

answer: To become immune to their surroundings.

text: To survive meant letting parts of us inside die to make ourselves immune to our surroundings

text: No answer.

refinement: To survive meant letting parts of them inside die to make themselves immune to their surroundings.

answer: The narrator has learned that to survive in the post-apocalyptic world means to suppress emotions in order to become immune to the death and destruction around them. They do not want to burden their loved one with their own pain, and so they keep their emotions hidden.

text: To survive meant letting parts of us inside die to make ourselves immune to our surroundings.

answer: The narrator has been through so much that he/she has become immune to his/her surroundings.

text: To survive meant letting parts of us inside die to make ourselves immune to our surroundings.

question: "....the day I saw everything come to an end." What was the narrator referring to?

answer: It might be implied from the passage that the narrator was referring to the bombing that caused the many deaths in their land.

text: Ever since the world had been painted the color of death by the heavy killing strokes of the bombs the temperature had dropped steadily every day.

text: No answer.

refinement: They are referring to the day the bombings destroyed everything.

answer: The narrator was referring to the day they saw the world come to an end, when the bombs dropped and everything changed.

text: Ever since the world had been painted the color of death by the heavy killing strokes of the bombs the temperature had dropped steadily every day.

answer: It is not clear, but it seems to be the day the bombs dropped.

text: Ever since the world had been painted the color of death by the heavy killing strokes of the bombs the temperature had dropped steadily every day.

question: What is the setting of the story?

text: No answer.

refinement: It seems to be the destroyed landscape as they walk around.

answer: It is not stated.

text: It's not stated outright, but one could say this is an apocalyptic setting, or a war.

refinement: It is not stated outright, but it might be a war, or the apocalypse, or both.

answer: The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where everything is dead or dying. The main characters are walking down a path towards a park they used to play at as children, hoping to find some semblance of life.

answer: The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world.

question: Why were they surrounded by dead bodies?

text: No answer.

answer: It is not stated.

text: It is stated-there was a bombing.

answer: It appears there was a bombing.

answer: The characters are surrounded by dead bodies because the world has been ravaged by war. The bombs have killed millions, leaving behind only death and destruction.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator and his friend are walking through a post-apocalyptic world. They are looking for a place to die.

answer: The narrator and his female childhood friend found themselves in the midst of what appeared to be a tragedy as dead bodies surrounded them. When the girl cried, the narrator resisted expressing his/her emotions because he/she had learned to get rid of emotions to become immune to their surroundings. Ever since the tragedy, life seemed inexistent, and the temperature dropped as the days passed.

answer: The narrator and their lover are walking through a post-apocalyptic wasteland. They are looking for a place to die, but they are also looking for a place to be happy. They are looking for a flower that is still alive.

answer: The narrator and their companion are walking through a post-apocalyptic landscape, hoping to find a place to escape the death around them. They reminisce about happier times, but are weighed down by the sadness of the current situation. They are heading to a park they used to play at as children, hoping to find some solace in nature.


text:
Was bored, wrote this in about an hour. Constructive criticism and general feedback are both appreciated.

---

Lyra stood in the doorway of the dressing room, her hands placed expressively on either hip. She knew that it was time to speak up. She would give the Master one last chance, but she had a feeling that this would be his final show.

“Ah yes, my sweet Lyra. What do you come about for? You've hardly any makeup on yet! Don't you know the show's about to start? Go get...”

“I'm not performing with you tonight.” she said, as firmly as she could.

“Excuse me?” the Master replied, dumbfounded. His mouth hung slightly agape.

“I'm done with the show. I'm not doing it anymore. You're going to have to find a new assistant.”

At this point, she knew there was no retracting her sentiment. She stood in the doorway, grasping the frame with palms of nervous sweat.

“Well, Lyra, I... Frankly I... I don't think you're in any position to make such brash decisions.” His face  glistened with the same sweat of her palms. “You signed the contract, and the contract says...”

“You drugged me, you bastard.” She was beginning to shudder with pent up rage, anger coursing readily through her heated veins. “I couldn't even speak when I signed that thing. You promised me money, fame, love...”

“...But the promises of a madman are as empty as your pretty little head, aren't they darling?” The nervous sweat had vanished from his face, replaced with only the darkest shades of malevolent confidence. The chuckle that followed was far from hearty.

Not once did Lyra move her gaze from his. She knew he would refuse to release her, and now that he had, she cognized the weight that his refusal carried. This brought her some emotional relief. She knew his triumph would be short-lived.

“Now go put on your things, you filthy slut.” He moved his eyes from hers and peered down into his tobacco pipe. A swift light drew out a large plume of smoke, and a few puffs later he returned his stare. “If you're not ready in five, you're in for one hell of a beating.”

She realized that the only viable response was to feign momentary subservience. “Yes master.” she replied, with an eerie calmness to her tone. She had stopped shaking; her anger had subsided. She knew that she had won, but the Master knew not.

As sharp as he was, he found nothing awry with her sudden obedience, and seemed more than pleased that his threats had done their job. “Yes, good girl. Now off with you!” Elements of playfulness pervaded his own tone, underscoring his outright insanity.

Lyra turned on her heel and walked to her dressing room. The door hung slightly open, and she pushed it the rest of the way in with her body. She knew it would be her final visit, so she made a point to gather the few things she truly cared for.

“Hairbrush, mace, lockpicks...” She briefly ran through a mental list of things to keep. When she got to the end, her suitcase was practically overflowing. She paused and thoughtfully gazed at her sandals.

“This is it.” She said to herself. She reached her hand into the hidden compartment of the suitcase and pulled out “the instrument” – a common knife with a single edged blade sharpened to a razor point. The Master seldom allowed her to use utensils when they ate together, but she had managed to garner the knife following the post-meal alcohol daze of his Friday eve meat feast.

The illumination of the red light in the hallway caught her attention as it reflected off of the blade in her hand. The show was starting - it was time to go. Her stature was firm and her goal clear in her mind as she strutted towards the stage, grasping the instrument for dear life.

She heard the roar of the audience as was blinded by the incessant haze of the overhead lights. Everyone had come to see the Master perform his tricks, fooling them as charmingly as he had her on the night that she was signed into servitude.

“And now...” roared his voice, “put your hands together for my lovely assistant... Lyra!”

The audience was familiar with this routine. Every member applauded her entry with great enthusiasm, for the more they expressed, the more bewildering the Masters tricks would be.

As she walked onto the platform, the applause tapered off abruptly, perhaps with the most acute decrescendo of the century. They saw her dressed casually, not as her usual subservient self. Boos began to replace former cheers, and the master felt a fair mix of anger and embarrassment.

He marched over to her while waving at the audience with a 'just a moment' gesture. “What on great mother earth do you fancy you're doing, you little whore? You're ruining the show! I told you to get your act together! And what the bloody hell are you fumbling with!?”

As her arm shot towards his collar, his eyes widened with terror. She plunged the instrument deep into the front of his neck, and it penetrated his adam's apple with ease. To her, it felt as if she were cutting butter.

He managed to let out a few exasperated gurgles before she slid the knife further up the sides of his neck. As it severed his carotid artery, blood spurted from the resulting wounds in a manner that seemed almost cartoonish. It was an unsettling sight, but she relished in the moment like none other, watching his life slowly drain away, his hatred and cruelty being replaced by emptiness and his consciousness slipping deeper into the void of oblivion.

Most of the members of the audience had left in a panicked frenzy. However, one particular man, deluded as he was, came up onto the stage and began to charge at Lyra, thinking her to be some sort of murderer who needed to be brought to proper justice.

She had very little time to finish her task. She looked the Master in his near-vacant eyes one last time as he lay on the polished hardwood floor of the stage, his brain cells rapidly atrophying. “It's all in your eyes, Master.” she whispered. “It's all in your eyes.”

With that, a swift kick to the head did him in. She hastily recovered the Nekraf from his front suit pocket, a device that could teleport the user to any destination of their choosing. Just before the enraged man grabbed the bottom portion of her blouse, she closed her eyes, pressed the prime button, felt a sharp jolt, and vanished into thin air. He stood around confused for a few more moments, looking up, down and every which way, but ultimately concluded that she truly was gone. In a minutes time, no one was left in the house save for the corpse of the accursed Master himself.

His show was no more, his tricks no longer existent. His mind control was nullified, and most of the audience members had recovered their full wits and were flabbergasted as to what they'd just experienced. Many speculated, but none remembered for sure. The Master was a forgotten man, his show a sullen piece, and his evils finally lain to a well-deserved rest.

Lyra awoke on a sunny beach of crystal blue waters, palm trees surrounding her sunken form. She stood up and looked into the distance, eyes set upon a singular tropical cabana.

“Home.” she said to herself, in near disbelief. “I'm finally home.”

She walked on.

title: The Instrument - 1280 words

question: What is Lyra's role in the show?

answer: Lyra is the Master's assistant.

answer: Lyra is the Master magician's assistant.

answer: She is the Master's assistant.

answer: Lyra is the Master's assistant, but she eventually rebels against him and kills him in order to escape.

text: Unnecessary detail in the answer.'...but she eventually rebels against him and kills him in order to escape.'

question: What is the show about?

answer: The show is about a woman who decides to take revenge on her abusive master by killing him.

text: Incorrect answer. The answer summarizes the story, but doesn't answer the question.

refinement: It's a magic act, with a master and his assistant doing tricks for an audience.

answer: Hypnosis magic.

text: Partially incorrect answer. There is no mention of hypnosis in the story.

text: The answer should be more of a full sentence.

answer: The show is about a magician who uses mind control to make his assistant do his bidding.

text: Incorrect answer. The answer summarizes the story, but doesn't answer the question.

refinement: It's a magic act, with a master and his assistant doing tricks for an audience.

answer: The show is about a man who drugged his assistant and forced her to perform in his show.

text: Incorrect answer. The answer summarizes the story, but doesn't answer the question.

refinement: It's a magic act, with a master and his assistant doing tricks for an audience.

question: Has Lyra tried to escape the Master's grasp?

answer: Yes, she has tried to escape.

text: The tense of the question has led to a confusing answer. 'She has tried to escape' should be 'In the story she does try to escape.'

refinement: Yes, in the story she does try to escape.

text: The whole story is about her intended escape.

answer: Yes, she murders him by the end.

text: The answer reflects how she tries to escape but doesn't fully answer the question.

refinement: Yes, she tries to escape and murders him by the end.

text: Use of pronouns for the sake of clarity.

refinement: Yes, Lyra tries to escape and murders the Master by the end.

text: Lyra does murder the Master by the end. 'As her arm shot towards his collar, his eyes widened with terror. She plunged the instrument deep into the front of his neck, and it penetrated his adam's apple with ease. To her, it felt as if she were cutting butter.'

answer: Yes, Lyra has attempted to escape the Master's grasp by killing him.

text: Tense of the question has led to confusing tense in the answer. 'attempted to' should simply be 'attempts to'.

refinement: Yes, Lyra attempts to escape the Master's grasp by killing him.

answer: Yes, Lyra has tried to escape the Master's grasp.

text: Tense of the question has led to confusing tense in the answer. 'Tried' should be 'tries'.

refinement: Yes, Lyra tries to escape the Master's grasp.

question: Where did Lyra get the knife?

answer: She got it from the Master's dinner table.

answer: From dinner with the Master, the night he was drunk.

text: 'From dinner with the master' answers WHEN she got the knife not WHERE.

refinement: From the table whilst having dinner with the Master, the night he was drunk.

text: Unnecessary detail. '...the night he was drunk.'

refinement: From the table whilst having dinner with the Master

text: '...a common knife with a single edged blade sharpened to a razor point. The Master seldom allowed her to use utensils when they ate together, but she had managed to garner the knife following the post-meal alcohol daze of his Friday eve meat feast.'

answer: Lyra got the knife from a hidden compartment in her suitcase.

text: She reached her hand into the hidden compartment of the suitcase and pulled out “the instrument” – a common knife with a single edged blade sharpened to a razor point.

answer: Lyra got the knife from the hidden compartment of her suitcase.


text:
Al’s Timer.

I can’t say I ever looked forward to visiting Al. I know not wanting to go was bad. I feel guilty. I could have been doing better things. Actually, I lie. Even with nothing to do, I’d still not want to go. I’ve never voiced this. I don’t think I ever will, to be honest. It’s a little thing that one should just bring to one’s grave. I’ve often wondered whether Al, or the other residents for that matter, had little things they dreaded. No. Too strong of a word. Disliked. No one would know. Al is too old to guilt trip.

Now that’s an odd paradox. A perky phenomenon of living. Old and young are both associated with innocence. Or is it ignorance? Either way, there’s a period in one’s life where one is culpable of guilt and, by a transitory property of some stupid force of justice, one’s actions. At least, I suppose that’s the kind of stuff Al would have pondered. I’ll have you know, though, that a period as such doesn’t just click in or out of being. I’ve been told it’s more progressive. One, after all, doesn’t just suddenly become old.

I, in fact, do remember the visits to Al’s vividly. His ward is definitely one of the better ones. The ward houses no more then 15 patients at a time with a ratio of 1 nurse for every 5 patients. Al said the numbers reminded him of his school boy days. I’ll tell you, the one thing I remember most about mine is the school trips. School trips were always rigorously scheduled and always too short and too few. Bastards.

There was these awful grey concrete steps that lead to the hospital’s door. I nearly shat myself whenever a lonesome patient would attempt the climb after a brief trip to the forecourts. What if they pulled a muscle? I remember Al once insisting to make the climb single handedly - no support and no rail. I counted each and every second to rest my mind. He reached the door in 223 seconds flat.

When I’d visit, we’d sit and talk in the lounge. The blue chair by the window was for me and the red chair by the palm tree was for him. On Al’s other side was a little wooden table. I’d hold my tea cup and rest the saucer on my lap. Al would place his cup and saucer right on the edge of that table so he wouldn’t have to stretch. Al left his lap free for his timer. Al has this obsession. We’d only have 15 minutes to talk. No more and no less. Once the timer clicked, Al would ask me to leave. He never wanted me to say too long because he didn’t want to take me away from my work.

I don’t work. I spend most days pondering. I write occasionally. I told Al often. In response, he would thrice shake his head, grunt a “no” and tell me that I had better things to be doing with my time then to spend it with “these old bastards”. This became a ritual. I tried to visit him 2 to 3 times a week and always 4 when it was especially cold. I did this every week for 3 years straight until my visits progressively petered. It's not like something just clicked one day and I stopped going.

I felt like I was in school again, anyway, and I really dislike that.

title: I wrote a short story today. Would be great if you could pick it apart and let me know if you understand what's going on! The story is called "Al's Timer". Thanks!

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

Summarize the narrator's visits with Al.

answer: Each time the narrator visits, he and Al speak for 15 minutes. The visits are a ritual for the two and the narrator dreaded them in the same way he had thought Al might.

text: The response is lacking some important details.

refinement: Every time the narrator would visit Al at the hospital, they would sit and talk in the lounge, him in the blue chair by the window and Al in the red chair by the palm tree. They would drink tea and Al would place his cup and saucer right on the edge of the table to his side so he wouldn't have to stretch. Al was also obsessed with timing the narrator's visits. Each time the narrator visits, he and Al speak for 15 minutes. Once the timer clicked, Al would ask the narrator to leave. The visits are a ritual for the two and the narrator dreaded them in the same way he had thought Al might. The narrator tried to visit Al 2 to 3 times a week for three years straight until his visits progressively petered out.

answer: The narrator visits Al every week for 3 years. They sit in the lounge and talk for 15 minutes before the timer sounds and the narrator has to leave. Al has a timer obsession and insists that the narrator not stay too long in order to give priority to their work. The narrator is unmotivated and visits Al mostly out of guilt, as they dislike their visits.

answer: The narrator visits Al at the hospital every week for three years. Al, who has an obsession with timing, is only allowed 15 minutes of the visit and the two usually spend most of that talking while Al holds a timer in his lap. The visits progressively petered out and soon the narrator stopped going entirely.

answer: The narrator does not enjoy visiting Al, and feels guilty about this. The narrator worries about the residents climbing the front stairs, but Al himself makes it up them fine. They drink tea together in the lounge, the narrator in the blue chair by the window, Al in the red chair by the palm tree. Al times every visit, insisting the narrator leave after 15 minutes every time, so the narrator could make better use of his time. There are multiple visits per week for 3 years, until they peter out and the narrator stops going.

answer: The narrator and Al visit his ward together a for 15 minutes per visit. They greet and talk for a short period each time before Al asks the narrator to leave b within 15 minutes with a timer. Al blames his reduced visits on his dislike of going to the hospital. The narrator misses their talks and visits.

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

What does the story say about where Al lives?

answer: The story says that Al lives in a hospital ward with a low number of patients and nurses, making it a well-kept space. Al is obsessed with the timer and limits the visit to 15 minutes. The story mentions that the visits were part of a ritual but eventually petered out because the atmosphere of the place reminded the narrator of school. Therefore, the ward is considered a well-kept space, where Al's obsession with the timer resounds.

text: The highlighted texts are irrelevant to the topic and somewhat redundant.

refinement: The atmosphere of the place reminded the narrator of school.

text: The response is lacking several important details.

refinement: Al lives in a hospital that had awful concrete steps leading to the front door. Al's ward housed no more than 15 patients at a time with a ratio of 1 nurse for every 5 patients. It appears the ward has other elderly residents. There is a lounge with a blue chair by the window and a red chair next to a palm tree. Their numbers at the hospital (15 patients, 3 nurses) reminded Al of his schoolboy days for some reason. The atmosphere of the place reminded the narrator of school.

answer: The story indicates that Al lives in a hospital with a relatively low number of patients, with one nurse to five patients. The story also indicates that Al is restricted to a 15-minute visit time and dislikes being visited by the main character. The main character visits Al a few times a week for 3 years, but stops after a while. The main character feels like they were in school again, dislike the regimented nature of the visits. Therefore, the story indicates that Al lives in a clean, organised hospital with relatively low patient-to-nurse ratio and a regimented visit time.

answer: Al's ward is one of the better ones. It houses no more then 15 patients with a ratio of 1 nurse for every 5 patients. According to Al, the ward is reminiscent of his school days. Al's ward is located in a hospital.

answer: Al's Timer narrates an incident where the narrator visits an old man he used to know, Al. Al's home is a hospital where I counted each and every second to rest my mind.

answer: Al's home is described as a hospital that houses elderly residents. It has forecourts and concrete steps out front. The lounge has windows, chairs, tables for tea, and palm trees.


text:
At one point or another, as many as 12.5% of Americans will struggle with a phobia — “an intense, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger” — according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Of these, a fear of flying, or aviophobia, is one of the most common, with estimated prevalence ranging from 2.5% to 6.5% of the population.

Far more people have a fear of flying that doesn’t reach phobia levels, despite the fact that people are flying more than ever before and plenty of data shows it’s a reliably safe way to travel. So what is it about flying that stirs such widespread anxiety?

“A lot of it is the lack of control they have in the situation,” explains Todd Farchione, the director of Boston University’s Intensive Treatment Program for Panic Disorder and Specific Phobias. “When the doors close, they’re in it. They’re stuck. They can’t get out of the situation. I think that’s often what’s most frightening for most people.”

Fear of heights or crashes, or not understanding how flight works, may also play a part, Farchione says. And flying is a uniquely terrifying activity for many people because they know that if fear or anxiety strikes during the trip, there’s little they can do, he says.

“They’re afraid that they might have fear in the situation and be unable to get away from it,” Farchione says. “It’s this image of being stuck sweating and being totally afraid for two hours, four hours, six hours. They’re at the mercy of the pilot.”

Sound familiar? Here’s what you can do if you’re afraid of flying.

Change your response

It’s okay to be afraid of flying, Farchione says. What’s more important is reacting to the situation in a healthy way.

Many anxious fliers manage their fear by gripping the seats, studying the flight attendants or analyzing every last bit of turbulence, Farchione says. But in doing so, “they’re actually contributing to the fear. Their actions are inadvertently telling them that the situation is dangerous, when in fact it’s not.”

Instead, do whatever it takes to distract yourself. Read a magazine, watch television, listen to music or talk to a travel companion. It may also help to practice deep breathing techniques and consciously release muscle tension. “Even just putting a smile on your face can change the emotional reaction,” Farchione says.

Don’t self-medicate

If you don’t fly very often, using a pre-flight Chardonnay to calm your nerves may not be terribly harmful, Farchione says. But if you travel regularly and consistently rely on sleeping pills, alcohol or other substances to get through the experience, you’re just reinforcing bad behavior. “It creates a temporary Band-Aid, but the fear starts to build over time,” Farchione says. “Every time they drink or take medication to get through that situation, they’re saying to themselves, ‘I can’t feel what I feel. I can’t cope with this.’ Because of that, they’re going to be more frightened the next time.”

Prepare for the flight right

Many people with aviophobia experience significant anxiety leading up to a flight. In some cases, Farchione says, this can be worse than flying itself.

“In that scenario, I do think it’s useful for the person to ask themselves questions regarding what it is they’re afraid of, and what they think is going to happen on the flight,” Farchione says. Doing so may help you realize there’s nothing to be afraid of, or at least to identify and address sources of fear.

See a professional

The above strategies may work for someone with a non-clinical fear of flying or mild aviophobia, but severe phobias often require professional treatment. Exposure therapy — a process of growing acclimated to and eventually accepting the source of fear — is often used to treat phobias, but that’s difficult to arrange for most people with aviophobia. Farchione says treatment for the condition is increasingly moving toward helping patients reframe their fear response, and adds that virtual reality flight simulators may help as well.

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WRITE TO Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com.

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

What does the article say about how to cope with aviophobia?

answer: The main suggestion for dealing with aviophobia is to actively distract oneself from fear. Deep breathing techniques and consciously releasing muscle tension can help distract the mind and reduce anxiety. Avoid self-medicating with substances such as alcohol or sleeping pills, and instead seek professional treatment if necessary. Lastly, it is helpful to prepare for the flight and think about what one is afraid of, in order to minimize anxiety.

answer: According to Farchione, it's important to recognize when people are contributing to the fear and distracting oneself from the situation and not to feel like a victim, by doing whatever it takes to distract yourself. It's also important for people to understand that a fear of fear during a flight is more manageable and addresses how a person can breathe and consciously release muscle tension that's not as severe. Long distance travellers can take sleeping pills or if necessary, drink alcohol to calm themselves down and take their mind off the flights. Practicing deep breathing techniques could also help because they release muscle tension. Farchione also states that the they may help patients reframe their fear response and practice alternative behaviors, like riding bikes.

text: The response contains some information not found in the text.

refinement: According to Farchione, it's important to recognize when people are contributing to the fear and distracting oneself from the situation. It's also important for people to understand that a fear of fear during a flight is more manageable and addresses how a person can breathe and consciously release muscle tension that's not as severe. Long distance travellers can take sleeping pills or if necessary, drink alcohol to calm themselves down and take their mind off the flights. Practicing deep breathing techniques could also help because they release muscle tension. Farchione also states that the they may help patients reframe their fear response.

text: The response is repetitive and could use clearer language.

refinement: According to Farchione, it's important to recognize when people are contributing to the fear and when distracting oneself from the situation is appropriate. It's also important for people to understand that fear during a flight is manageable. Long distance travelers can take sleeping pills or drink alcohol to calm themselves down and take their mind off the flights. Practicing deep breathing techniques could also help because they release muscle tension. Farchione also states that these methods may help patients reframe their fear response.

answer: One way to manage aviophobia is to distract oneself and not self-medicate. In addition, the article suggests exploring fears associated with flying and preparing for flights in advance. Finally, aviophobia can be treated with exposure therapy or with the use of a virtual reality flight simulator.

text: The response contains inaccurate information.

refinement: One way to manage aviophobia is to distract oneself and not self-medicate if you fly often. If you do not fly very often, using sleeping pills, alcohol or other substances may not be too harmful. In addition, the article suggests exploring fears associated with flying and preparing for flights in advance. Finally, aviophobia can be treated with exposure therapy or with the use of a virtual reality flight simulator.

answer: During the flight, distract yourself, practice deep breathing techniques, and consciously release muscle tension. If you travel regularly, do not use sleeping pills, alcohol, or other substances to cope with the fear as it could build over time if you do. It can be useful for the person to ask themselves questions regarding what it is they’re afraid of. However, severe phobias often require professional treatment.

answer: The director of Boston University's Intensive Treatment Program for Panic Disorder and Specific Phobias says that a lot of it stems from control people have in the situation. To prepare for a flight, people should do whatever it takes to distract themselves. It may also help to practice deep breathing techniques and consciously release muscle tension.

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

What does the article say about the possible causes of aviophobia?

answer: According to the article, the primary cause of aviophobia is the lack of control people feel when flying, along with other possible factors like height and crash fears and not understanding how flight works. Additionally, people may turn to substances like alcohol or sleeping pills to calm nerves, which can worsen their fear the next time they fly. Finally, exposure therapy is often used to treat the condition.

text: The response includes information on how to treat aviophobia, not its causes.

refinement: According to the article, the primary cause of aviophobia is the lack of control people feel when flying, along with other possible factors like height and crash fears and not understanding how flight works.

answer: Fear of heights or crashes, lack of knowledge about how flights work, and not being able to get away from fear while on board.

text: The response could be phrased as a complete sentence.

refinement: Some causes of aviophobia are fear of heights or crashes, lack of knowledge about how flights work, and not being able to get away from fear while on board.

answer: The flight environment is a closed one and the seat belt and seat is used by many people as a way of reassuring themselves. A flight is also a unique and terrifying thing to some people because of what is perceived to happen (you're used to walking or driving somewhere, but a plane flight often means confinement).

text: The response leaves out some of the proposed causes of aviophobia.

refinement: According to Farchione, one of the primary causes of aviophobia is the "lack of control they have in the situation." The flight environment is a closed one and the seat belt and seat is used by many people as a way of reassuring themselves. A flight is also a unique and terrifying thing to some people because of what is perceived to happen (you're used to walking or driving somewhere, but a plane flight often means confinement).

answer: People may be afraid because of the lack of control they have in the situation, because they are afraid of heights or crashes, or because they do not understand how flight works. They are afraid that they might have fear in the situation and be unable to get away from it.

text: The response could use clearer language.

refinement: People may be afraid because of the lack of control they have in the situation, because they are afraid of heights or crashes, or because they do not understand how flight works. Additionally, once they are on an airplane in flight, they are no longer able to get away from their source of fear.

answer: Aviophobia is caused by a combination of factors including fear of heights, crashes, a lack of control in dangerous situations, and an intense irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. The fear can be managed by distracting oneself, not self-medicating, and preparing for the flight right before hand. In some cases, aviophobia can require professional treatment.

text: The response includes information on how to treat aviophobia, not its causes.

refinement: Aviophobia is caused by a combination of factors including fear of heights, crashes, a lack of control in dangerous situations, and an intense irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.

text: The response includes information on phobias in general, not just aviophobia.

refinement: Aviophobia is caused by a combination of factors including fear of heights, crashes, and a lack of control in dangerous situations.


text:
[_“What a madman art thou, to make them new noses, which within a few days shall all lose their heads!”_ Illustration of “Prest's Wife and the Stonemason” by Kronheim from the 1887 edition of _Foxe's Book of Martyrs_] AGNES PREST (died 15 August 1557) was a Cornish Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary. She was burned at the stake at Southernhay in Exeter in 1557. According to _Foxe's Book of Martyrs_, and the story of Exeter Protestant Martyrs she lived near Launceston, Cornwall, and was married to a Catholic husband. She left her husband over his Catholicism, and went to be a spinner but she later on returned to him and was arrested and indicted at the Launceston Assizes. She was then put in Launceston jail and then transferred to Exeter jail. In Exeter jail, she was brought before the Bishop of Exeter, Bishop Turberville. When questioned, she denied the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation. She was then released for a month. Whilst she was released, she is said to have met a Dutch stonemason in Exeter Cathedral who was repairing the statues of the saints beloved of the Catholics. According to Foxe, she said to him “What a madman art thou, to make them new noses, which within a few days shall all lose their heads”. After that point she was returned to jail where she had many visitors, including Walter Raleigh's mother, Catherine Raleigh who praised her for her 'Godly life'. She was then tried for heresy by the Mayor of Exeter, refused to recant her beliefs and was executed by being burnt to death on 15 August 1557.[1][2]

Denmark Road Protestant Martyrs' Memorial

In 1909 a monument in the form of an obelisk of Dartmoor granite was erected in Denmark Road, Exeter, to the memories of the Protestant Martyrs Agnes Prest (d. 1557) and Thomas Benet (d. 1531). This monument was designed by Harry Hems and was erected with money raised through public subscription. Two bronze sculpted relief panels by Harry Hems on the base of the obelisk depict Prest burning at the stake and Benet nailing his protest to the door of the Cathedral.[3] The following inscriptions are contained on two bronze plaques affixed on opposite sides of the base:[4]

  To the glory of God & in honour of his faithful witnesses who near this spot yielded their bodies to be burned for love to Christ and in vindication of the principles of the Protestant Reformation this monument was erected by public subscription AD 1909. They being dead yet speak.

And:

  In grateful remembrance of Thomas Benet, M.A. who suffered at Livery Dole A.D. 1531 for denying the supremacy of the Pope and of Agnes Prest who suffered on Southernhay A.D. 1557 for refusing to accept the doctrine of Transubstantiation. Faithful unto death.

File:BurningOfAgnesPrestExeterMartyrsMonument.jpg|“Agnes Prest burnt upon Southernhay AD 1557”. 1909 bronze relief sculpted panel by Harry Hems showing the burning at the stake of the Protestant martyr Agnes Prest in 1557, on the base of the Protestant Martyrs' Monument, Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon. File:ProtestantMartyrsMonumentExeter.jpg%7CThe Protestant Martyrs' Monument, Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon. Erected 1909 in memory of the martyrs Thomas Benet (d. 1531) and Agnes Prest (d. 1557). File:ThomasBenetProtestantMartyrExeter.jpg|“Thomas Benet nails his protest against the Cathedral Door AD 1531”. 1909 Bronze relief sculpted panel by Harry Hems showing protest by Protestant martyr Thomas Benet which earned him martyrdom in 1531 at Livery Dole, Exeter. Affixed to the base of the Protestant Martyrs' Monument, Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon.

[1] John Foxe (1887 republication), _Book of Martyrs_, London & New York: Frederick Warne and Co., pp. 242-44

[2]

[3]

[4]

title: Agnes Prest

question: How did Agnes Priest die?

answer: Agnes Priest was burned at the stake.

answer: She was burned at the stake.

answer: She was burned at the stake.

answer: According to the passage, Agnes Priest was burned at the stake in 1557 for refusing to accept the doctrine of transubstantiation.

question: What was Agnes Priest?

answer: A Cornish Protestant martyr.

answer: Agnes Priest was a Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary.

answer: She was a Cornish Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary.

answer: According to the passage, Agnes Priest was a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in 1557.

question: Where was she burned at the stake?

answer: Southernay near Exeter.

answer: Southernhay

answer: Agnes Prest was burned at the stake at Southernhay in Exeter.

answer: Southernhay in Exeter.

question: Why did Agnes Priest leave her husband?

answer: She left her husband because he was a Catholic.

answer: He was a Catholic.

answer: Agnes Priest left her husband because he was Catholic.

answer: According to the passage, Agnes Priest left her Catholic husband because she disagreed with his religious beliefs.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Agnes Prest was a Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary. She was burned at the stake at Southernhay in Exeter in 1557.

text: The summary should be one sentence long.

refinement: Agnes Prest was a Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary, and she was burned at the stake at Southernhay in Exeter in 1557.

answer: This article is about Agnes Priest, a Cornish Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in 1557.

answer: This article is about Agnes Prest, a Cornish Protestant martyr from the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary.

answer: Agnes Prest was a Protestant martyr from the reign of Catholic Queen Mary, who was burned at the stake in Exeter in 1557. A monument was erected in her memory in 1909, which depicts her death by burning.

text: The second sentence is unnecessary.

refinement: Agnes Prest was a Protestant martyr from the reign of Catholic Queen Mary, who was burned at the stake in Exeter in 1557.


text:
Didn't get any feedback there, thought I'd try here.

**Father’s Time**

On this particular morning, Edward woke up feeling a little different. As his achy, still half-asleep muscles slowly loosened with each deliberate movement, a discomfort built inside him. It hurt him to stand up. It drained him to take a step. He didn’t feel like himself. When Edward made his way to his washroom mirror, he didn’t quite look like himself either. His once shiny, shaggy blonde hair now seemed dull and faded. His ocean blue eyes looked back at him, only now they resembled a sea of darkness and regret. His body felt fragile, his thoughts lacked understanding, and his heart seemed to wince with every beat.

A tear began to form in Edward’s eye.  *When did I get so old?* He thought. As the ice cold tear trickled down, journeying through the creases on his face, all Edward could do was stare blankly back at his own, sad reflection. Minutes passed. Edward had stared into his own dark eyes for too long, and he was now lost at sea. He tried to collect his thoughts, but each one eluded the next. He looked down at his pocket watch that lay open on the stone white counter.

AHA! Finally, something made sense to Edward. His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father? It had to of been his father, right? Edward’s mind backtracked. All Edward could remember was the brilliance the pocket watch once exhibited. It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride. Only now, the watch was dim and scuffed. The second hand on the faded gold watch ticked up, but it quickly retreated. It ticked again, and again fell down. More seconds passed, but according to the timepiece, time did not move. Edward closed the golden timepiece.

Suddenly, a bright ray of sunshine cleared the horizon and before Edward knew it, the golden sun was high in the sky. The brightness was as brilliant as ever. Edward was young again and no longer lost. His heart was warm, and his thoughts were coherent. Diana was back in his arms; his son Tommy was swinging high into that sun filled sky. A new tear made its own journey across Edward’s face, traveling its own path, falling ever so slowly onto the gold pocket watch below. Edward wiped the warm drop of ocean water from the timepiece, and opened it back up. The second hand ticked no longer.

title: Father's Time [418] (x-post r/shortstoriescritique)

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

If Edward woke up feeling different, how does he usually feel?

answer: Edward usually feels bright, invigorated, and energetic. However, he woke up feeling drained and old. This is indicative that his usual state is different from how he feels on this particular morning.

text:
The passage states: a little different.
The answer suggests that Edward should completely the opposite way of how he was described waking up.
The two statements do not coincide as a "little different" implies an acute change while the answer is expecting a complete change.

The answer should reflect a less drastic change.

refinement: Edward woke up feeling drained and old, if this is a "little different" from his usual state, then it might mean he is feeling worse than usual. It is likely that he feels the normal effects of aging, but today, he feels it more than usual.

text: On this particular morning, Edward woke up feeling a little different. As his achy, still half-asleep muscles slowly loosened with each deliberate movement, a discomfort built inside him. It hurt him to stand up. It drained him to take a step. He didn’t feel like himself.

answer: Edward usually feels energetic and optimistic. On this particular morning, however, Edward wakes up feeling weak and regretful. This indicates that he feels a significant difference from his normal feeling self.

text:
The passage states: a little different.
The answer suggests that Edward should completely the opposite way of how he was described waking up.
The two statements do not coincide as a "little different" implies an acute change while the answer is expecting a complete change.

The answer should reflect a less drastic change.

refinement: Edward woke up feeling drained and old, if this is a "little different" from his usual state, then it might mean he is feeling worse than usual. It is likely that he feels the normal effects of aging, but today, he feels it more than usual.

text: On this particular morning, Edward woke up feeling a little different. As his achy, still half-asleep muscles slowly loosened with each deliberate movement, a discomfort built inside him. It hurt him to stand up. It drained him to take a step. He didn’t feel like himself.

answer: Normal.

text: The text clearly states that this a little different from what he feels so it is not the normal feeling that Edward has waking up. Also, the answer fails to define what is supposed to be normal in order to provide a basis for what is different.

refinement: Edward woke up feeling drained and old, if this is a "little different" from his usual state, then it might mean he is feeling worse than usual. It is likely that he feels the normal effects of aging, but today, he feels it more than usual.

answer: Normal.

text: The text clearly states that this a little different from what he feels so it is not the normal feeling that Edward has waking up. Also, the answer fails to define what is supposed to be normal in order to provide a basis for what is different.

refinement: Edward woke up feeling drained and old, if this is a "little different" from his usual state, then it might mean he is feeling worse than usual. It is likely that he feels the normal effects of aging, but today, he feels it more than usual.

answer: He probably isn't usually in pain or confused like this morning.

text: On this particular morning, Edward woke up feeling a little different. As his achy, still half-asleep muscles slowly loosened with each deliberate movement, a discomfort built inside him. It hurt him to stand up. It drained him to take a step. He didn’t feel like himself.

text: Edward had stared into his own dark eyes for too long, and he was now lost at sea. He tried to collect his thoughts, but each one eluded the next.

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

What makes Edward say "AHA"?

answer: He looks at a pocket watch that belonged to his grandfather.

text: AHA! Finally, something made sense to Edward. His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago.

answer: He sees his pocket watch given to him by a family member, and something clicks in his mind.

text: AHA! Finally, something made sense to Edward. His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago.

answer: His grandfather gave him that timepiece many years ago.

text: The timepiece makes him "aha!", when he recalls that it it was given to him. The action of recalling a memory is what makes him react.

refinement: Seeing his timepiece and being reminded that his grandfather gave it to him many years ago.

text: AHA! Finally, something made sense to Edward. His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago.

answer: Edward realizes that the golden pocket watch he received from his grandfather many years ago is now faded and worn. The second hand on the watch seems to be moving at a slower pace than ever, which leads him to realize that time has passed him by while he was lost in despair. This realization helps him to reassess the value of his life and he starts to see the sun as brilliant as ever. He touches the tear that had formed on his face and wipes it away, before opening the pocket watch and seeing that the second hand is no longer ticking.

text:
Statement does not answer the question.

Edward was lost in thought and seeing the timepiece gave him a memory to anchor on to. This caused the AHA! reaction.

refinement: Seeing his timepiece and being reminded that his grandfather gave it to him many years ago.

answer: Edward wakes up feeling different, and when he looks in the mirror, it becomes apparent that he has aged. However, when the sun comes out and Edward remembers his past, he feels young again and time starts moving. The ticking of the second hand on his pocket watch makes sense.

text:
Statement does not answer the question.

Edward was lost in thought and seeing the timepiece gave him a memory to anchor on to. This caused the AHA! reaction.

refinement: Seeing his timepiece and being reminded that his grandfather gave it to him many years ago.

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

What is Edward's relationship with his grandfather?

answer: Edward's grandfather gave him the pocket watch when he was younger; it now serves as a reminder of his father. The relationship between Edward and his grandfather is likely very important to him.

text: Edward is confused as to whether it was his father or grandfather who gave the watch.

refinement: Edward's received the pocket watch when he was younger; he cannot recall if it was his grandfather or father who gave it to him. The relationship between Edward and his grandfather is likely very important to him.

text: His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father? It had to of been his father, right? Edward’s mind backtracked. All Edward could remember was the brilliance the pocket watch once exhibited. It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride.

answer: Edward's grandfather gave him his pocket watch many years ago. Upon reflection, Edward realizes that his watch lost its luster, symbolizing that he too has aged and become frail. Ultimately, the watch reminds Edward of happier days and a happier, more youthful him. The relationship between Edward and his grandfather seems to be rooted in love and appreciation.

text: His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father? It had to of been his father, right? Edward’s mind backtracked. All Edward could remember was the brilliance the pocket watch once exhibited. It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride.

answer: Non-explicit, but it seems the pocket watch was a gift from him.

text: His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father? It had to of been his father, right? Edward’s mind backtracked. All Edward could remember was the brilliance the pocket watch once exhibited. It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride.

answer: That information isn't included in the text.

text: Information is not included is correct. However, there is an implication that Edward sees his grandfather in a positive light as he sees the timepiece as something good he cherished. Also, the fact that he has still has it is proof of this as well.

refinement: That information isn't included in the text. Though it is implied that the relationship was a positive one.

text: His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father? It had to of been his father, right? Edward’s mind backtracked. All Edward could remember was the brilliance the pocket watch once exhibited. It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride.

answer: It's not 100% certain, but it appears they had a close relationship. The pocket watch Edward has, he received 50 years ago from a close family member.

text: His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father? It had to of been his father, right? Edward’s mind backtracked. All Edward could remember was the brilliance the pocket watch once exhibited. It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride.

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

What is this story's main conflict?

answer: The main conflict of the story seems to be the protagonist's growing old and how that has changed him.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought.

answer: Edward wakes up not feeling like himself, seemingly older and more fragile than he remembered.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought

answer: Edward begins to loose his mind and his memory.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought

text: Edward had stared into his own dark eyes for too long, and he was now lost at sea. He tried to collect his thoughts, but each one eluded the next.

answer: The main conflict in this story is that Edward is feeling old and gives in to thoughts of regret and darkness. However, when the sun rises on this particular morning, he regains youth and happiness. The conflict then becomes between the disastrous feelings that Edward is experiencing and the natural, abundant sunlight and happiness around him.

text: There is no indication in the concluding paragraph that there is still conflict in Edward's feelings. Omit the last the two lines.

refinement: The main conflict in this story is that Edward is feeling old and gives in to thoughts of regret and darkness.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought

text: Edward had stared into his own dark eyes for too long, and he was now lost at sea. He tried to collect his thoughts, but each one eluded the next.

answer: The main conflict of this story is the breakdown in Edward's age and the way this affects his relationship with his family. He sees himself differently in the mirror, and feels older both physically and emotionally. This has caused him to lose sight of the joy in life, leading to conflict. His realization of the passing of time and how the golden watch has lost its luster become a pivotal moment, which sparks restoration within him.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought.

text: AHA! Finally, something made sense to Edward. His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago.

text: It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride. Only now, the watch was dim and scuffed

text: Suddenly, a bright ray of sunshine cleared the horizon and before Edward knew it, the golden sun was high in the sky

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Edward was feeling old. Both his eyes and hair are scruffy. He admired his grandfather's pocketwatch. He isn't sure who gave it to him. Then he seemed to revert to his youth and the jeweled pocket watch became shiny once again upon a golden ray of sunshine. A new tear formed in his eye.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought.

text: His grandfather had given him this particular timepiece some fifty years ago. Or wait… was it his father?

text: Suddenly, a bright ray of sunshine cleared the horizon and before Edward knew it, the golden sun was high in the sky. The brightness was as brilliant as ever. Edward was young again and no longer lost

text: A new tear made its own journey across Edward’s face, traveling its own path, falling ever so slowly onto the gold pocket watch below.

answer: In a morning filled with confusion and disorientation, Edward gradually realizes that he has aged, and the evidence is all over him. When he looks in the mirror, he sees the emptiness in his eyes. Suddenly, a ray of sunlight clears the horizon and all of Edward's memories flood back to him. He remembers his wife and son, and a single tear falls to the gold timepiece in his hand. The second hand no longer ticks, and Edward finds himself whole again.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought.

text: Edward had stared into his own dark eyes for too long,

text: Suddenly, a bright ray of sunshine cleared the horizon and before Edward knew it, the golden sun was high in the sky. The brightness was as brilliant as ever. Edward was young again and no longer lost. His heart was warm, and his thoughts were coherent. Diana was back in his arms; his son Tommy was swinging high into that sun filled sky. A new tear made its own journey across Edward’s face, traveling its own path, falling ever so slowly onto the gold pocket watch below

answer: The protagonist wakes up feeling different one morning, and discovers that his appearance and his perspective on time have both aged. When he realizes the source of the change is in his grandfather's cherished pocket watch, the protagonist's perspective and happiness return. The fresh morning sun brings a new sense of beauty and liveliness into the world, with both himself and the watch rejuvenated.

text: The pocketwatch snaps him out of being lost in thought, it stops working and is not rejuvenated.

refinement: The protagonist wakes up feeling different one morning, and wonders who he has aged so much. He beomces lost in his thoughts. Seeing his grandfather's cherished pocket watch anchor his memories after being lost in thought. He starts seeing a happier world with his wife and son while the pocket watch stops moving.

text: Suddenly, a bright ray of sunshine cleared the horizon and before Edward knew it, the golden sun was high in the sky. The brightness was as brilliant as ever. Edward was young again and no longer lost. His heart was warm, and his thoughts were coherent. Diana was back in his arms; his son Tommy was swinging high into that sun filled sky. A new tear made its own journey across Edward’s face, traveling its own path, falling ever so slowly onto the gold pocket watch below

text: On this particular morning, Edward woke up feeling a little different.

answer:
Edward is in a bad mood because he appears to have aged. He looks in the mirror and sees himself as old and worn looking. It started to bother him and he began to wonder why.

He looks in the mirror and he sees he's young again and vibrant. He's also beside his beautiful wife. Edward is whole again and looks up at the golden pocket watch.

text: He is not in a bad mood for being old (bad mood specifically implies anger). Edward is confused.

refinement:
Edward wonders when he got so old. He looks in the mirror and sees himself as old and worn looking. It started to bother him and he began to wonder why.

He looks in the mirror and he sees he's young again and vibrant. He's also beside his beautiful wife. Edward is whole again and looks up at the golden pocket watch.

text: The pocket watch is not mentioned in the right context.

refinement:
Edward wonders when he got so old. He looks in the mirror and sees himself as old and worn looking. It started to bother him and he began to wonder why.

He sees the pocket watch and see it affected by the passage of time as well. He closes it and sees the sun shining, he is with his wife and son again. The pocket watch has now stopped moving.

answer: Edward wakes up feeling different than usual one morning. He is in pain, drained, confused, and his appearance is more haggard. When he looks at his pocket watch, which had once been shiny and gold, he sees that it is dim and scuffed. Despite time passing, the watch shows that no time is moving at all. Suddenly, Edward is young again surrounded by some of those he loved, and it's assumed he has made it to heaven.

text: The brightness was as brilliant as ever. Edward was young again and no longer lost. His heart was warm, and his thoughts were coherent. Diana was back in his arms; his son Tommy was swinging high into that sun filled sky.

text: A tear began to form in Edward’s eye. *When did I get so old?* He thought

text: On this particular morning, Edward woke up feeling a little different.

text: It was a shiny gold watch that had given him a false sense of pride. Only now, the watch was dim and scuffed.


text:
The CITY OF PARIS DRY GOODS COMPANY (later CITY OF PARIS) was one of San Francisco's most important department stores from 1850 to 1976, located diagonally opposite Union Square. In the mid-20th century it opened a few branches in other cities of the Bay Area. The main San Francisco store was demolished in 1980 after a lengthy preservation fight to build a new Neiman Marcus, although the store's original rotunda and glass dome were preserved and incorporated into the new design.[1]

Origins

[The sign on the building's roof] The store's history is rooted in the 1849 California Gold Rush. The company was founded by Felix and Emile Verdier in May 1850 [2] when Emile arrived in the San Francisco Harbor on a chartered ship, the _Ville de Paris_ (City of Paris), loaded with silks, laces, fine wines, champagne, and Cognac. Verdier brothers had previously owned a silk-stocking manufacturer in Nîmes and Paris in France. The citizens of San Francisco quickly surrounded the ship with rowboats and purchased all the goods without them ever being unloaded from the ship. Many purchases were made with bags of gold dust. Emile Verdier quickly returned to France and loaded the ship bound for San Francisco arriving in 1851, where he opened a small waterfront store at 152 Kearney Street called the City of Paris. The store's Latin motto (_Fluctuat nec mergitur_, “It floats and never sinks”) was borrowed from the city seal of Paris.

The store's final and best-known location was a Beaux-Arts building designed by architect Clinton Day, built in 1896 on the corner of Geary and Stockton streets across from Union Square.[3]

The Verdier family initially created a famous restaurant in Paris in 1839 La Maison Dorée by Louis Verdier and then the Etablissements Gaston Verdier (textile industry in France).[4]

Branches and offshoots

The San Diego branch of the City of Paris opened in 1886 in the Bancroft Building on the southeast corner of Fifth and G Streets in what is now the Gaslamp Quarter. The building was designed by San Francisco architect Clinton Day.[5]

In the 1940s City of Paris opened a branch in the outlying Vallejo, California, and other locations around the Bay Area.

French emigre Auguste Fusenot (French Consul in Los Angeles 1898–1907)[6] arrived in the U.S. in 1873 and soon became a partner in the City of Paris Dry Goods Co. After learning the business, he founded the Ville de Paris department store on Broadway in Los Angeles in 1893. It would later become the B. H. Dyas Co. and in the 1930s it would go out of business, its two locations becoming The Broadway Hollywood and Myer Siegel (downtown).[7]

There was also an unrelated City of Paris (Los Angeles) dry goods emporium from 1874 to 1897.

San Francisco earthquake

The building was one of the few in the neighborhood to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and ensuing firestorm, although the interior was badly damaged by fire. The interior was redesigned by John Bakewell and Arthur J. Brown after the earthquake, and rebuilt with an opulent central rotunda capped with a stained glass dome.[8] The store reopened in 1909, moving from a temporary location in the Hobart Mansion on Van Ness Avenue. Also in 1909, the store established the tradition of placing a huge Christmas tree in the center of the rotunda, thereafter recognized as the city's official Christmas tree.

The City of Paris maintained a connection with French culture reflected in the store's décor and merchandise. The Verdier Cellars stocked many fine French vintages and was the most extensive wine department of any American department store. At the time of Prohibition, the lower level of the store was redesigned as a French village and named Normandy Lane. This concept was borrowed by the across the street neighbor Macy's California where the store's lower level was similarly transformed and named Macy's Cellar. Macy's Cellar was later installed in other Macy divisions' locations. In 1961 when Julia Child and Simone Beck were promoting their just published _Mastering the Art of French Cooking_, they spent an entire day at the store doing cooking demonstrations. The bookseller Brentano's opened a branch within the City of Paris store; it became the largest bookstore west of Denver. The City of Paris had multiple branch stores in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Closure

[City of Paris rotunda dome] The City of Paris remained under the ownership and management of the Verdier family until it closed in March 1972. The store was not bankrupt, but it was losing money. The store building was purchased by Liberty House (Hawaii) and reopened as Liberty House at the City of Paris. Liberty House built a new store at Stockton and O’Farrell streets closing the City of Paris building in 1974 and selling the site to Neiman Marcus. Joseph Magnin operated its clearance center called Magnarama, on the first floor, from 1974–1977. Neiman Marcus' announcement that it planned to demolish the old building to build a flagship department store of its own on the site set off a protracted preservation campaign.[9] Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as a California Historical Landmark, 66,000 gathered signatures of citizens who wanted the building preserved, and various legal challenges the building was demolished in 1981. The new building, designed by postmodernist architect Philip Johnson, was often disparaged by architecture critics,[10] but over time has become popular with tourists and locals. The architectural centerpiece of the building is the original rotunda and stained glass skylight under a glass dome, preserved and moved to the corner of the building that faces Union Square. The old atrium is sheathed inside a modern glass wall, encircled on the top floor by a restaurant.[11]

Notes

[1]

[2] Généalogie Verdier https://gw.geneanet.org/asimoneton_w?lang=en&m=N&v=VERDIER

[3]

[4] https://www.facebook.com/lefildesoie1/

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

title: City of Paris Dry Goods Co.

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

What does the article say about the City of Paris Department Store locations?

answer: The City of Paris Department Store landmark was originally built in 1896. The main San Francisco store was demolished under preservation in 1980 to build a new Neiman Marcus store, retaining the original rotunda and glass dome, while incorporating it into the new design. San Diego and Vallejo, California (mostly in the 40s) saw the rise of a few other branches. In 1889 when Augustus Fuenzot arrived under the control of the City of Paris Dry Goods Company, Fuenzot would open a dry goods emporium in Los Angeles called the City of Paris. After years in business, it would go out of business in the 30s, only for its two storefronts to be divided and become The Broadway Hollywood and Myer Siegel downtown.

text: The store was not originall built in 1896.

refinement: The main San Francisco store was demolished under preservation in 1980 to build a new Neiman Marcus store, retaining the original rotunda and glass dome, while incorporating it into the new design. San Diego and Vallejo, California (mostly in the 40s) saw the rise of a few other branches. In 1889 when Augustus Fuenzot arrived under the control of the City of Paris Dry Goods Company, Fuenzot would open a dry goods emporium in Los Angeles called the City of Paris. After years in business, it would go out of business in the 30s, only for its two storefronts to be divided and become The Broadway Hollywood and Myer Siegel downtown.

text: The line about Augustus Fuenzot is a complete fabrication.

refinement: The main San Francisco store was demolished under preservation in 1980 to build a new Neiman Marcus store, retaining the original rotunda and glass dome, while incorporating it into the new design. San Diego and Vallejo, California (mostly in the 40s) saw the rise of a few other branches. The company was founded by Felix and Emile Verdier in San Francisco in May 1850. After years in business, it would go out of business in the 30s, only for its two storefronts to be divided and become The Broadway Hollywood and Myer Siegel downtown.

text: The last line refers specifically to the Ville de Paris, and should make that clear.

refinement: The main San Francisco store was demolished under preservation in 1980 to build a new Neiman Marcus store, retaining the original rotunda and glass dome, while incorporating it into the new design. San Diego and Vallejo, California (mostly in the 40s) saw the rise of a few other branches. The company was founded by Felix and Emile Verdier in San Francisco in May 1850. The Ville de Paris department store, founded in 1893, went out of business in the 1930s, only for its two storefronts to be divided and become The Broadway Hollywood and Myer Siegel downtown.

answer: The original City of Paris was a ship that sold its load at the San Francisco dock. The next year, Emile Verdier opened a shop with the same name at 152 Kearney Street. The most famous location was on the corner of Geary and Stockton streets across Union Square. City of Paris opened its first branch office in San Diego in 1886 in the Bancroft Building. It opened more branch stores in Vallejo, California, and other locations around the Bay Area. The original building was one of the few buildings that survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the fire. It remained open until City of Paris closed in March 1972.

answer: The store originally operated from a "small waterfront store" and moved to a "Beaux-Arts building" designed by Clinton Day in 1896. It survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the store reopened in 1909 at the Hobart Mansion. By the mid-20th century, the store had a few branches in other cities and states of the Bay Area. The store also had a connection to French culture as it was operated by and under the ownership of the Verdier family.

text: The store's connection to French culture isn't relevant.

refinement: The store originally operated from a "small waterfront store" and moved to a "Beaux-Arts building" designed by Clinton Day in 1896. It survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the store reopened in 1909 at the Hobart Mansion. By the mid-20th century, the store had a few branches in other cities and states of the Bay Area.

answer: The City of Paris Department Store had multiple branches both in San Francisco and across the Bay Area. Most notably, in San Francisco its main store was located diagonally opposite Union Square and had a building designed by Clinton Day. It remained in operation from 1850 through 1976, although its final location was demolished in 1980. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places and various legal challenges, the store was demolished to make way for a Neiman Marcus. The architectural centerpiece of the new building is the original rotunda and glass dome that were preserved and moved to the corner of the building.

answer: The City of Paris Department Store originally opened in San Francisco in 1850 and the final and best-known location was built in 1896. City of Paris maintained separate branches in San Diego, Vallejo, and other Bay Area locations. The store eventually closed in 1974 and its original Mission-style building was demolished in 1981. The architectural centerpiece of the current building is the preserved rotunda and stained glass skylight.

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

What does the article say about the influence of the store?

answer: The City of Paris Dry Goods Company was one of the most important department stores in San Francisco, and its history is rooted in the 1849 California Gold Rush. The store was one of the few buildings in the neighborhood to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and ensuing firestorm. The store maintained a connection with French culture reflected in its merchandise and décor. Despite protests, the store building was eventually demolished to make way for a new Neiman Marcus store. Nonetheless, the original rotunda and stained glass skylight were preserved and incorporated into the new design.

text: The article does not have a section on the store's influence.

answer: The City of Paris Dry Goods Company is one of San Francisco's most important department stores from 1850 to 1976. It was stocked with many fine French vintages. The old atrium is sheathed inside a modern glass wall, encircled on the top floor by a restaurant.

answer: The store's architecture was created by a famous architect and the influence of France in its merchandise and decor became the store's trademark. Its influence can still be seen today.

answer: The City of Paris Dry Goods Company was one of San Francisco's most important department stores and its influence can be seen in its décor and merchandise. Notably, the store remained intact following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and firestorm and maintained a connection with French culture. Despite closure in 1972 and demolition in 1980, the architectural centerpiece of the store is the original rotunda and stained glass skylight under a glass dome, preserved and incorporated into the new design.

answer: In addition to being a national store with many branches, the San Francisco store became culturally important. The building survived the earthquake and the fire in 1906, and its redesign included a Christmas tree under a stained-glass dome. The tree was recognized as the official tree of the city. After the store closed, and the building came into the possession of Neiman Marcus, the building was demolished despite being a historical landmark in California, and the preservation protests of 60,000 people. However, the new building kept the original rotunda and stained glass dome at its corner.