text:
                                   Hamish the Alley Cat

	What the empirical fuck is that smell!?! It's as if someone jammed way too many roses up my nose when I was not at all prepared for even one fucking rose to be jammed that far up my nose. Why does she do this to herself? I just got here. I have no fucking idea. She is *so* fat. She sits on the couch all day staring at the television, constantly grabbing me and squashing me into her old, saggy tits. It's horribly depressing. For me. I don't give a shit about her. She's too far gone for pity or even any kind of consideration whatsoever. But she “saved me”. So I'm supposed to be grateful? Goddamnit.

	Two weeks ago I was pretty much at the peak of my whole entire alley cat life. There I was, juggling three sweet little pieces of tail, all chivalry followed by indifference or, more often, outright contempt. Everything had been going so smoothly but I was pretty sure they were going to figure things out and then... well, then it was going to turn into a huge fucking hassle.

	And so they did figure it out. The three of them cornered me behind the shitty Chinese seafood restaurant where I used to eat pretty much every day. They'd crept up on me and when I turned around they were staring at me through meaningfully narrowed, female cat-eyes. I'd just eaten a pile of probably rancid lobster claws and was not in the mood for this kind of a showdown. But then something unexpected happened. They all started mewing in like a *real* low register that I'd never heard before. It was terrifying but also I had just about the hugest cat boner pretty much of my whole entire life. I don't know what the fuck they'd sorted out between them but they turned themselves right around and I didn't hesitate for a second before... well, you're not a cat but figure it the fuck out for yourself.

	And then I ended up here. Maybe it was Karma. Don't you doubt for a second that I didn't sin extremely hard with those three alley girls. So yeah, maybe it was Karma. Except that it wasn't 'cause who the fuck actually takes that shit seriously anymore? It was capricious. Just like everything else. Just a goddamn unfortunate coincidence. There I was, sprawled out, spent and nearly unconscious on a pile of fishbones when who happens to stroll down my paradise of an alley but the scourge of alley cats worldwide: the SPCA girl. She scooped me up and took me to her little cat prison which was bad enough. But then I was swapped out of Rikers Island and sent into the goddamn final centre of all of the concentric circles of hell. Suburbia. Holy Hell! Perfumed exactly for what!?!

                                                ..........

	So I feel like you aren't taking me seriously. I'm too callous and I use too many cuss words? I'm not worthy of sympathy because I didn't hesitate before seriously rogering three poor victimy felines in a dirty Chinatown alleyway? Well fuck right off. That's the world I come from. That's where I was born and that's where, god-willing, I'll die if I ever get out of this perfume saturated townhouse. Which, it's looking like the chances are fairly fucking slim...

	But what am I supposed to do? Claw out her eyes and piss all over her Wal-Mart blouse? Well that's not going to open the door or window, is it? Besides, it's not like I have anything against this Titanic of a women. She is *shockingly* desperate. I don't know how she got this way. Probably some asshole treated her like a means to his own typically demented ends and then fucked off. Probably told her he loved her. She probably didn't believe him but was too far gone with nothing else to look forward to and nowhere else to go.

	Except to the SPCA and their collection of messianic felines.

	And so here we sit, watching Fox News, enshrouded in rose-tinged gasoline fumes, staring at Romney and his immaculate hair. It's a post-mortem piece. The election is over. The parrots are suggesting that Romney's failure has somehow managed to transform the Mormon faith into a state of respectability. Which means a state on non-cultishness. This is, of course, ridiculous. Mormonism was never a cult. Much like the rest of the human circus, it is, and always has been, simply an unmitigated shitshow. But no one at Fox cares. And no one seems up to investigating the actually interesting American Cult. The one that, as we speak, is spreading rhizomatically across the country just exactly as fast as Suburbia's slow crawl.

                                             ..........

	Listen. At this point you're probably wondering: how could a cat could come to be so insightful and mercilessly direct? Um, first of all, napping? No, we're not napping. We're observing. And plotting.  And because we're plotting so goddamn hard we have to keep our eyes closed for concentration purposes. And that blank stare? Well that blank stare ain't so blank after all, shitdicks. Next time you're role-playing with the cat in the room, maybe think twice before breaking out the ol' strap-on.

	Just sayin'.

	Anyway, I'm supposed to be telling a story. Which means a beginning, a middle, some sort of a climax, maybe a little *denouement* and than at least an ambiguous fade or maybe actually an end. But does this scenario seem amenable to that kind of a structure? Where are things supposed to go from here? She's going to keep buying me food. And so I'll eat it and won't die until I develop some inevitable cat disease or decide to crawl into the *in-progress* garburator. Which, yeah, is depressing enough but somehow infinitely less depressing than the fact that she'll simply continue to sit on the couch, stinking of that hysterically Brad Pitt-endorsed garbage she sprays all over herself, content to drive me over and over into the depths of her mammarian cavity.

        Until, she seems to hope, forever.

	And that's it. That's the whole story. The two of us: we are the very picture of doom! Here we sit, lit up like angels in the perpetual wash of cable nonsense and runaway newsiness, all comfort and cancer and just waiting for oblivion...

                                               ..........

	So if it's a story you're looking for, you'd best stop hangin' around here. Go downtown. Go take a walk down the darkest, dirtiest alleyway you can find. It won't be the same without me but make no mistake: the heirs to the throne are already there, clawin' the eyeballs out of each other's eyeball sockets, mouths stuffed full of fur and blood, fightin' 'til the very last breath just for the chance to take my place. And they'll keep comin' and comin' for no one knows how long.

There's no shortage of understudies in the Theatre of the Real.

                                               *

title: something I wrote a year ago or so... be warned, there are swears.

question: What is the source of the smell?

answer: The source of the smell is the woman who adopted the cat. She is overweight and smells strongly of perfume.

text: "She is overweight" - is irrelevant and should be deleted.

refinement: The source of the smell is the woman who adopted the cat. She smells strongly of perfume.

answer: The source of the smell is the roses.

text: "The source of the smell is the roses." - is inaccurate because there are no roses. What the cat smells is perfume, possibly rose-scented, emanating from the woman.

refinement: The source of the smell is the woman's perfume.

answer: The narrator is a cat.

text: "The narrator is a cat." - does not answer the question.

refinement: The source of the smell is the woman's perfume.

answer: The owner's Brad-Pitt-endorsed perfume.

question: Describe the narrator.

answer: The narrator is a cat.

text: "The narrator is a cat." - while this answer is acceptable, it doesn't really describe anything about the narrator other than he's a cat.

refinement: The narrator is a cynical alley cat named Hamish who swears too much.

answer: They are an alley cat named Hamish.

text: "They are" - the use of "singular they" in this instance is wrong because it is clearly implied that Hamish is a male cat: " I had just about the hugest cat boner pretty much of my whole entire life" and "I didn't hesitate before seriously rogering three poor victimy felines". If this isn't "singular they" use, then it's also wrong because it's clear that Hamish is just one cat. Change the pronoun.

text: "He is an alley cat named Hamish." - while this answer is acceptable, it doesn't really describe anything about the narrator other than he's an alley cat.

refinement: He is a cynical alley cat named Hamish who swears too much.

answer: The narrator is a cat who is observing the world around him. He is cynical and has a pessimistic outlook on life.

answer: The narrator is cynical and jaded, but also observant and insightful. They seem to have a bleak outlook on life, but also a keen understanding of the world around them. They are not afraid to speak their mind, even if it means using profanity.

text: "They seem to have a bleak outlook on life, but also a keen understanding of the world around them. They are not afraid to speak their mind, even if it means using profanity." - wrong pronoun use (they, them, their) because the narrator is a male cat (if this is singular they use) and alone. Change the pronouns.

refinement: The narrator is cynical and jaded, but also observant and insightful. He seems to have a bleak outlook on life, but also a keen understanding of the world around him. He is not afraid to speak his mind, even if it means using profanity.

question: What is the central conflict of the story?

answer: The central conflict of the story is the protagonist's desire to escape suburbia.

text: "The central conflict of the story is the protagonist's desire to escape suburbia." - add more details.

refinement: The central conflict of the story is the protagonist's hatred of his new life as a "domesticated cat" and his desire to escape suburbia and return to his alley-cat way of life.

answer: The central conflict of the story is the protagonist's struggle to survive in a suburban environment, surrounded by people who are content to let him suffer.

text: "struggle to survive in a suburban environment" - must indicate that the suburban environment is new to him.

refinement: The central conflict of the story is the protagonist's struggle to survive in a new suburban environment after getting "rescued" by the SPCA, surrounded by people who are content to let him suffer.

text: "surrounded by people who are content to let him suffer." - he only lives with one person, his new owner who has no clue that she's smothering him with affection.

refinement: The central conflict of the story is the protagonist's struggle to survive in a new suburban environment after getting "rescued" by the SPCA and living with a woman who doesn't know he's suffering.

answer: Hamish is captured by the SPCA and goes to live with a new owner in suburbia. He detests his new life.

answer: The central conflict is the narrator's conflict with the SPCA girl.

text: "The central conflict is the narrator's conflict with the SPCA girl." - conflict with the SPCA girl is not the main issue. It's his new life trapped in suburbia with a woman who reeks of perfume smothering him with hugs.

refinement: The central conflict is the narrator's new life trapped in suburbia with a woman who reeks of perfume smothering him with hugs.

question: What do the narrator and the SPCA girl watch on TV?

answer: The narrator and the SPCA girl watch Fox News.

text: "The narrator and the SPCA girl watch Fox News." - the woman whom the narrator is living with is NOT the SPCA girl. She only went to the SPCA and adopted him. Delete any mention of SPCA girl.

refinement: The narrator and his new owner watch Fox News.

answer: They watch a Fox News broadcast where Romney is being criticized for failing to gain respectability for the Mormon faith.

text: "broadcast where Romney is being criticized for failing to gain respectability for the Mormon faith." - this may be unnecessary and can be deleted.

answer: The narrator and the SPCA girl watch Fox News.

text: "The narrator and the SPCA girl watch Fox News." - the woman whom the narrator is living with is NOT the SPCA girl. She only went to the SPCA and adopted him. Delete any mention of SPCA girl.

refinement: The narrator his new owner watch Fox News.

answer: Fox News.

question: Describe the cat's owner.

answer: The cat's owner is a woman who is obese and sits on the couch all day.

answer: The cat's owner is a lonely woman who is content to keep the cat as a companion, despite the fact that the cat is unhappy. She is desperate and has likely been hurt by someone in the past. She is content to watch television all day and is oblivious to the world around her.

answer: She is fat and has saggy tits. She wears a Wal-Mart blouse.

text: "She is fat and has saggy tits. She wears a Wal-Mart blouse." - while accurate based on the source material, this statement may be offensive to some people and needs to be toned down a little.

refinement: She is obese and her bosom sags due to age. She wears a Wal-Mart blouse.

answer: She is fat, depressed, and lonely.

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is a cat who is living with a woman who is fat and smells of roses. The narrator is not happy with the situation, but he is not sure what to do. He is not sure if he should claw out the woman's eyes and piss all over her Wal-Mart blouse.

answer: Hamish the Alley Cat is a cat who is fed by a woman who is too fat to move. He is content to live in her house until he realizes that he is going to die soon.

text: "He is content to live in her house" - Hamish isn't content to live in the woman's house. He hates it there and wants to escape. Rewrite the sentence.

refinement: Hamish the Alley Cat is a cat who is fed by a woman who is too fat to move. He detests her and his new suburban life while realizing that he is going to die soon if he doesn't escape.

text: Did not meet the 3-sentence summary requirement. Add one more sentence.

refinement: Hamish the Alley Cat is a cat who is fed by a woman who is too fat to move. He was "rescued" by the SCPA from the dirty alley he calls paradise and got adopted by this woman. He detests her and his new suburban life while realizing that he is going to die soon if he doesn't escape.

answer: Hamish the alley cat is juggling intimate relationships with three female cats at once. One day, they find out about each other and confront him, and he has sex with all three of them. Afterward, he is captured by the SPCA and acquired by a new owner, a perfume-wearing obese woman who lives in the suburbs and watches Fox News.

answer: This piece is about a cat living in suburbia, who is resigned to a life of boredom and despair. The cat observes the world around him, and sees that there is no escape from the monotony of suburban life.

text: Did not meet the 3-sentence summary requirement. Add one more sentence.

refinement: This piece is about a cat living in suburbia, who is resigned to a life of boredom and despair. The cat observes the world around him, and sees that there is no escape from the monotony of suburban life. He wants to return to his dirty alley behind the Chinese seafood restaurant.

text: "around him," - remove the comma

refinement: This piece is about a cat living in suburbia, who is resigned to a life of boredom and despair. The cat observes the world around him and sees that there is no escape from the monotony of suburban life. He wants to return to his dirty alley behind the Chinese seafood restaurant.


split: train

text:
He´s back again with his “it´s structural” meme. In 2010, less than a year after becoming president of the Minneapolis Fed, Kocherlakota made a speech in which:

1.  He argued that unemployment was structural and
2.  That if the Fed Funds rate was kept at zero the appearance of deflation was only a question of time!

With regard to (1) he said:

  What does this change in the relationship between job openings and unemployment connote? In a word, MISMATCH. Firms have jobs, but can’t find appropriate workers. The workers want to work, but can’t find appropriate jobs. There are many possible sources of mismatch—geography, skills, demography—and they are probably all at work. Whatever the source, though, it is hard to see how the Fed can do much to cure this problem. Monetary stimulus has provided conditions so that manufacturing plants want to hire new workers. But the Fed does not have a means to transform construction workers into manufacturing workers.

With regard to (2) what he meant was something like:

_With the federal funds rate near zero since December 2008 and expected to remain there for the next year or two, the Fisher equation has important implications for the expected inflation rate. IF THE REAL ECONOMY IS CURRENTLY REBOUNDING TO A SUSTAINABLE GROWTH TREND, the real interest rate will rise and the only outcomes possible will be either a higher nominal federal funds rate or a negative expected inflation rate…_

The operative word is IF, and two years on we know the economy has not rebounded – climbed out of the hole into which it dropped after mid-2008.

So recently Kocherlakota, to be consistent, said that:

  MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) – Unemployment may not have too much farther to fall before inflation threatens, forcing the U.S. Federal Reserve to respond by raising interest rates sooner than expected, a top Fed official said on Thursday.

  The fact that inflation continues to run above the Fed’s 2-percent target, Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota told the Economic Club of Minnesota, is “a signal that our country’s current labor market performance is much closer to ‘maximum employment’ than the post-World War II U.S. data alone would suggest.”

  The U.S. central bank’s monetary policy “should be responsive to such signals,” he said.

At least he dropped his “low interest rate-spells-deflation” sequence. And his “it´s structural” follows from his reading of the Beveridge Curve, a creation of Lord William Beveridge who wrote the Beveridge Report of 1942 which paved the way for the development of the British welfare state.  The Curve establishes a negative relation between the rate of job openings and unemployment, grounded on idea that if the unemployment rate is elevated firms would find it easier to fill vacancies. If that doesn´t happen, it means that the curve is shifting up, indicating that firms have greater difficulty in filling vacancies.

[]

This could be due to several factors, among them greater difficulty in matching workers to jobs and the persistence of long-term unemployment (which may “depreciate” human capital and/or increase “negative perceptions” about the unemployed by potential employers).

The “mismatch” view is difficult to reconcile with the observation that, with the notable exception of the Leisure & Hospitality sector, employment most everywhere is still way below the pre-recession peak, even though we´re almost three year into the “recovery”. And in no sector are wages differentially rising to indicate that labor demand outstrips supply.

Maybe the high rate of long term unemployment is the main factor behind the Beveridge Curve dynamics. Pity that the JOLTS data only begins in late 2000, so we cannot compare present behavior with that observed, for example, in the deep recession of 1981-82.

The point is that there are always “structural” elements present in the unemployment rate observed. After all, the economy is permanently in motion and all sorts of “frictions” are present. But I believe that for most situations the strength of aggregate demand will help in the adjustment process, so I´m willing to bet that in the early eighties we would not be discussing, like now, about the “structural” nature of unemployment. While between 1982 and 1985 aggregate demand grew on average 10.6%, since 2008 it has only expanded at 2.9%, barely more than half the 5.6% growth observed during the twenty years of “Great Moderation” (1987-07).

So, while in the early eighties long term unemployment averaged 18.7 between 1982 and 1985, it has averaged 35.1% since 2008, having remained above 40% for the last 28 months.

In his mostrecent speech, Kocherlakota introduces new elements of analysis:

  Labor market outcomes do remain notably worse than prior to the recession. The good news is that the unemployment rate has been declining since the end of the recession. But there is also countervailing evidence: The labor force participation rate has been falling steadily, and the employment/population ratio remains near its low point. The Beveridge curve shows considerable deterioration in labor market matching efficiency.

  How persistent will these changes in U.S. labor markets prove to be? Economists hold at least two views on this question. The first is guided by the patterns in post-World War II data for the United States. These patterns suggest that the current deterioration in U.S. labor market performance is indeed reversible under appropriate policy.

  The second view is less sanguine. It says that the post-World War II data do not contain an economic crisis of the kind or magnitude that hit the United States in 2008. Such a crisis could well have a different kind of impact on labor markets than the earlier postwar recessions.

But he fails to make the connection between the magnitude of the crisis and monetary policy. This connection comes out very clearly in the chart below which shows that for the first time since 1937/38, during the second leg of the Great Depression, nominal spending (NGDP) growth – a magnitude directly determined by the Fed – turned negative, and significantly so!

[]

The “Kocherlakota view”, based on NAIRU – Non Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment – is being picked up elsewhere. The latest issue of the Economist drums the same beat:

  But there is another, more troubling possibility: the crisis may have permanently dented America’s productive capacity. If so, the “output gap” between the economy’s current level of production and its potential level is much smaller than expected. Unemployment has fallen because there are fewer people available to work. Inflation is stable because there is less idle capacity to restrain prices. This would be bad news all round. America would be permanently poorer than would otherwise have been the case. The Federal Reserve would have less room to ease policy before inflation revives. More of the budget deficit would be structural, rather than the temporary result of a depressed economy.

As Adele sang: Let´s keep “Rolling in the deep”. To many, there´s now basically nothing monetary policy can do to help the economy come out of the deep hole that bad monetary policy pushed it into!

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

Who is Kocherlakota?

answer: Kocherlakota is the President of the Minneapolis Fed.

answer: Narayana Kocherlakota is a Minneapolis Fed president.

answer: He was a top Fed official.

text: Be more specific.

answer: Kocherlakota is president of the Minneapolis Fed.

answer: He is the president of Minneapolis Fed.

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

What is his take on unemployment?

answer: Kocherlakota believes that unemployment in the U.S. remains notably worse than before the recession and is likely structural rather than temporary. While he acknowledges the possibility that the economy may eventually resume its pre-recession growth trajectory, for now he sees a significant likelihood that unemployment is structural in nature.

answer: It´s structural and the Fed can't do much to cure it.

answer: He says that firms have jobs but cannot find appropriate workers. And the workers want to work but cannot find appropriate jobs.

answer: His take is that the unemployment rate is elevated, particularly due to "mismatch" and America's labor markets remain notably worse than before the recession. The implication is that the economy has permanently lost productive capacity following the crisis. This would indicate that the unemployment problem is structural in nature.

answer: His view is that unemployment in the US is structural (the term is not explicitly defined in the document).

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

How does the mismatch happen?

answer: Mismatch occurs when there is a mismatch between job openings and unemployed individuals. Job openings may be located in places where workers do not reside, requiring structural changes to get the unemployed workers to where the job openings exist. Unemployed individuals may not have the required skills or education for the job openings that exist. Regardless of the specific cause, without matching employment, productivity suffers.

answer: It has many origins. Geography, skills, and so on.

text: Do your homework before the exam, kiddo

refinement: Mismatch occurs when there is a mismatch between job openings and unemployed individuals. Job openings may be located in places where workers do not reside, requiring structural changes to get the unemployed workers to where the job openings exist. Unemployed individuals may not have the required skills or education for the job openings that exist. Regardless of the specific cause, without matching employment, productivity suffers.

answer: The mismatch happens because the firms cannot find appropriate workers to fill the jobs, and the unemplowed want to work. The author believes the underlying causes are occupation, location and skill set.

answer: The mismatch happens due to geography, skills, or demography.

text: Be more specific

refinement: Mismatch occurs when there is a mismatch between job openings and unemployed individuals. Job openings may be located in places where workers do not reside, requiring structural changes to get the unemployed workers to where the job openings exist. Unemployed individuals may not have the required skills or education for the job openings that exist. Regardless of the specific cause, without matching employment, productivity suffers.

answer: Employment is a problem because there is a mismatch between job openings and available unemployed workers. This mismatch may be caused by any number of factors, such as grievances, geographic location, or skills mismatch.

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

Why does Kocherlakota believe that unemployment is structural?

answer: He believes that if the Fed Funds rate was kept at zero the appearance of deflation was only a question of time.

text: The question was not about deflation, but unemployment

refinement: Kocherlakota believes that unemployment is structural because although unemployment has decreased, labor force participation and the employment to population ratio remain near their low points. The Beveridge Curve analysis shows that labor market matching has deteriorated. These factors indicate that the economy is not returning to its previous strong state. This suggests that unemployment is structural due to mismatch between firms and workers, or maybe due to the depression-magnitude of the 2008 economic crisis.

answer: Kocherlakota believes that unemployment is structural because although unemployment has decreased, labor force participation and the employment to population ratio remain near their low points. The Beveridge Curve analysis shows that labor market matching has deteriorated. These factors indicate that the economy is not returning to its previous strong state. This suggests that unemployment is structural due to mismatch between firms and workers, or maybe due to the depression-magnitude of the 2008 economic crisis.

answer: His belief comes from reading the Beveridge Curve.

answer: He states that if the wages rise, it might cause inflation. He claims that there is a structural mismatch between the jobs available and the available labor.

answer: Kocherlakota believes that unemployment is structural because he believes that the current deterioration in U.S. labor market performance is more than can be accounted for by the recession. He believes that the downturn in performance is instead due to longer-term structural factors such as mismatched workers and persistently high long-term unemployment.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer: Narayana Kocherlakota, president of the Minneapolis Fed, has made a series of statements arguing that recent trends in the US labor market are structural and imply that the Federal Reserve must raise interest rates in the near future. The basis for this argument is the negative relation between unemployment and job openings, grounded in the idea that if unemployment remains elevated firms will have greater difficulty filling vacancies. The recent experience of the crisis, however, shows that aggregate demand is significantly below what it was in the 1990s. This implies that the current unemployment trends are likely due to factors beyond structural mismatch, particularly since employment in almost all sectors is still below its pre-recession peak.

answer:
Minnesota Federal Reserve President Narayana Kocherlakota is making news again. However, this time, he is discussing the structural nature of unemployment. He claims that if the Federal Reserve does not raise interest rates the appearance of deflation is unavoidable. He agrees with himself on his speech in 2010 where he made the same claims.

In 2010, Kocherlakota created a "mismatch hypothesis" claiming there are job openings, but companies are having trouble finding appropriate workers and workers are unable to find suitable jobs. This theory is being picked up by many economists, but critics believe that firms are offering lower wages to attract workers.

Kocherlakota attempts to solve the unemployment problem by helping workers move from a specific industry to another. But some economists believe that a skills mismatch is not the main problem. However, economist maintains that high unemployment is not reversible since these low paying jobs are being automated, driving the unemployed to poorer jobs. This puts the unemployed at a loss because they are unable to regain their position in society.

answer: Kocherlakota argued in 2010 that unemployment is structural and that low Fed Funds rates would inevitably cause deflation. More recently, Kocherlakota argues that the labor market is worse off now than before the recession and that this change is structural rather than reversible. He believes that the severity of the recession left permanent damage to the productive capacity of the economy which means the Fed has less leeway with monetary policy to help achieve full employment.

answer: Narayana Kocherlakota, the Minneapolis Fed Chairman, released a speech in 2010, where he argued that unemployment was structural (as opposed to cyclical). "Vacancy mismatch" was his 1 argument for unemployment being a structural problem. His 2 argument was that if the FED Funds rate was kept at zero the appearance of deflation was only a question of time! He believed to improve labor markets, there was nothing much the FED could do other than taping into the Good Times. Over over 30 billion price has been wiped off the value of shares and more than 90 percent lost in net worth for the average household $6.8 Trillion. The problem was if the Fed defends a zero or low interest rate policy would lead to more deflation and more stress on financial institutions. He then declared that given the current level of consumer prices, unemployment had to be considered Nairua (the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment). Economic success required full recovery of employment rates, and inflation rates.

answer:
The President of the Minneapolis Fed, Kocherlakota, has made a speech in which he argues that unemployment is structural and that if the Fed Funds rate is kept at zero, the appearance of deflation is only a question of time.

He says that there is a mismatch in the relationship between job openings and unemployment. And with regards to his second statement, he says that if the real economy is currently rebounding to a sustainable growth trend, the real interest rate will rise. Then the only outcome possible will be either a higher nominal federal funds rate or a negative expected inflation rate.

Kocherlakota introduces new elements of analysis in his most recent speech. He claims that unemployment has been declining since the end of the recession. But there is also countervailing evidence.


text:
TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth. It first aired in 2016. It was revived in 2017 for a second season.

List of episodes

1. ANACONDA PEOPLE OF THE AMAZON

Gordon travels to Ecuador's Amazon jungle and meets the Waorani, an Amerindian tribe who live alongside the anaconda, the largest snake in the world.

2. LION PEOPLE OF THE KALAHARI

Gordon meets Botswana's San tribe, who live alongside lions.

3. CROCODILE PEOPLE OF NEW GUINEA

Gordon travels to the rainforest of New Guinea and meets the indigenous people who live alongside and hunt crocodiles.

4. SHARK PEOPLE OF THE PACIFIC

Gordon meets the indigenous tribes of the Solomon Islands who live alongside sharks.

5. EAGLE PEOPLE OF MONGOLIA

Gordon travels to Mongolia and meets the Kazakhs, who have trained golden eagles for millennia.

6. HYENA PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA

Gordon travels to Ethiopia where the indigenous tribes live alongside spotted hyenas.

title: Tribes, Predators & Me

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

Describe Botswana's San tribe.

answer: The tribe lives alongside lions and hunts crocodiles.

answer: They live alongside lions.

answer: The San tribe, who live in Botswana, are an indigenous people who live alongside lions. The San hunt and interact with lions regularly. They are skilled and knowledgeable when it comes to living with dangerous animals such as lions.

answer: The San tribe of Botswana in the Kalahari live alongside lions. Gordon met them for the documentary.

answer: The San tribe of Botswana lives alongside lions in the Kalahari desert. The San are indigenous people of Botswana, and they hunt crocodiles and tame golden eagles.

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

Who is the host of the documentary?

answer: Gordon Buchanan.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: The television documentary is hosted by Gordon Buchanan.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: Gordon Buchanan is the host of the documentary.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: Gordon Buchanan

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: Gordon Buchanan is the host of the documentary.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

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

What is the premise of the documentary?

answer: Tribes, Predators & Me is a wildlife series where Gordon Buchanan explores the bond between indigenous people and the animals that coexist with them.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: The documentary is about indigenous people who live alongside dangerous animals, like anacondas, lions, crocodiles, sharks, eagles, and spotted hyenas.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: Documenting certain groups of indigenous people around the world as they live alongside dangerous animals.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: The documentary explores the lives of indigenous people who exist alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: It showcases Gordon's mission to learn about people native to areas that are home to dangerous animals.

text: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan, which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

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

Who lives alongside crocodiles?

answer: The indigenous people of New Guinea live alongside crocodiles.

text: Gordon travels to the rainforest of New Guinea and meets the indigenous people who live alongside and hunt crocodiles.

answer: The indigenous people of New Guinea live alongside crocodiles.

text: Gordon travels to the rainforest of New Guinea and meets the indigenous people who live alongside and hunt crocodiles.

answer: Natives who hunt and live alongside crocodiles in New Guinea

text: Gordon travels to the rainforest of New Guinea and meets the indigenous people who live alongside and hunt crocodiles.

answer: Mongolian islanders.

text: The people of New Guinea live alongside crocodiles.

text: No, this is the wrong answer. Also nowhere in the text does it say this.

answer: Natives of New Guinea live alongside and hunt crocodiles.

text: Gordon travels to the rainforest of New Guinea and meets the indigenous people who live alongside and hunt crocodiles.

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

Summarize everything relating to hyenas.

answer: In Ethiopia, indigenous tribes live alongside spotted hyenas; they are described as 'Hyena People'.

answer: The series documents indigenous people living alongside spotted hyenas in Ethiopia. Spotted hyenas are the object of extensive training by the indigenous tribes of this region.

answer: Gordon travels to Ethiopia where the indigenous tribes live alongside spotted hyenas.

answer: The series documents how indigenous tribes in Ethiopia live alongside spotted hyenas. The hyenas are considered to be one of the most dangerous animals on earth. The tribes use their eagle-training skills and track hyenas in order to hunt them.

answer: The indigenous tribe living alongside spotted hyenas is in Ethiopia.

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

How many episodes were made?

answer: Six episodes are listed.

answer: There are six episodes in the series.

answer: 6

answer: The show's meant for the British audience, so we can only assume each season contains six (6) episodes each

text: Why are we assuming? There are six episodes listed-no externally gleaned knowledge is required to count six episodes. Also just because it's a British documentary doesn't mean it was intended only for a British audience.

answer: There are six episodes total.

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

List 3 animals mentioned.

answer: Anaconda, Lion, Crocodile

answer: Sharks, eagles, hyenas.

answer: Anaconda, Lion, and Hyena

answer:
1. Anaconda
2. Lions
3. Crocodiles

answer:
1. Anaconda
2. Lion
3. Crocodile

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Tribes, Predators & Me is a British nature documentary series which documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: Tribes, Predators & Me (2016-2017), hosted by Gordon Buchanan, documents certain groups of indigenous people around the world as they live alongside dangerous animals, including crocodiles, lions, hyenas, anacondas, sharks, and eagles.

answer: TRIBES, PREDATORS & ME is a British nature documentary series hosted by Gordon Buchanan documents indigenous people who live alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth.

answer: Tribes, Predators & Me documents indigenous people living alongside some of the most dangerous animals on earth including snakes, lions, crocodiles, and hyenas.

answer: In "Tribes, Predators & Me", Gordon Buchanan travels to indigenous communities living alongside some of the most dangerous animals in the world. Episodes explore tribes living with anacondas, lions, crocodiles, sharks, and spotted hyenas.

text: This is over one sentence.

refinement: In "Tribes, Predators & Me", Gordon Buchanan travels to indigenous communities living alongside some of the most dangerous animals in the world, with episodes exploring tribes living with anacondas, lions, crocodiles, sharks, and spotted hyenas.


text:
From AI to new payment-system approaches, these tactics can work across a broad range of companies and business models.

Free Book Preview Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising

Get a glimpse of how to use Facebook’s marketing resources to your business’s advantage.

April 26, 2017 4 min read

Opinions expressed by _Entrepreneur_ contributors are their own.

If you want to stay ahead of your competitors, you must constantly search for innovations to grow your business even more. It's always a good thing to start testing ideas. There's just one problem: Many of these new technologies will flop, costing you time and money.

When something works, though, you'll gain the unfair advantage of being the leader -- the first -- in your industry. What if you could skip through the noise, learn what's working for companies in different industries, and implement those tactics in your business?

These five trends might not all work for you, but they're definitely worth a look. They're trending now, which means you should consider adding them to your toolkit before they become standard operating procedure and you're the one left behind.

1. Facebook bots.

This is the hottest topic in the industry right now. Facebook bots are becoming more popular, especially now that we've entered the era of artificial intelligence. Many companies have incorporated some form of Facebook bots in their processes. Others focus the bots' capabilities on their email lists, though I would question the wisdom of such a move in many cases.

DigitalMarketer CEO Ryan Deiss predicted Facebook bots will be the industry trend in 2017, ramping up to compete with email. The best part: It's become easier for people to develop sophisticated bots without the need to code. ChatMatic, Chattypeople and ManyChat all are doing great work in this area, and I expect more competitors to enter the market in the near future.

RELATED: FACEBOOK TEACHES ITS BOTS NEW TRICKS

2. Business texting.

Business texting made a big splash years ago, but it faded. New technologies have fueled its strong return. The average person carries his or her phone 90 percent of the time. And people respond more readily to texts than calls.

If you want to keep connected with customers and get higher response rates, consider making business texting part of your strategy -- even if it's a small portion to start. Text Request and other services make it easy to launch and test your messages.

RELATED: SKIP THE EMOJIS: YOU SMALL BUSINESS' TEXT-MESSAGING CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT THE DEALS

3. Smart segmenting.

Your customers don't want to receive the same message everyone else does. They want specific, highly tailored messages that speak to their experiences and needs. You need to build your business on that demand.

Quizzes and gamified info-gathering content will get you only so far. It's what happens next that matters. Show your potential customers how you're working to learn about them and their challenges. Segmenting involves a lot of moving parts, so it's best to start learning now about this powerful technique.

One service provider is creating a program to help make it easier. So far, it's available only by invitation.

4. Recurring revenue.

Netflix's success has other leaders rethinking their approach. Instead of offering a product or service at a larger, one-time fee, many business owners are seeing the benefits of swtiching to a smaller, monthly fee. Recurring revenue is an asset that can drive your growth for years to come.

RELATED: HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS CHURN RATE

5. Video.

Videos seemed to enter a bit of a dormant state when podcasts took off, but Facebook Live, Instagram Stories and Snapchat are swinging the balance back. Savvy, cost-conscious marketers can do a great deal without an overly fancy setup. If you're thinking long-term, you'll need to invest in a few decent tools to make your videos polished and professional-looking.

RELATED: HOW TO SHOOT HIGH-QUALITY VIDEO ON YOUR PHONE

Trends exist because of increased demand, and that means new opportunities for enterprising business owners. Do a bit of research to decide which of these five options makes the most sense for your business. Then take action to put them into use and track your results. That's how you stay ahead of the curve -- and your competition.

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

What does the text have to say about competitors?

answer: The author is worried about encountering new technologies that will "flop, costing you time and money." This can give one a competitive disadvantage if successful technologies and trends aren't exploited preemptively, so it makes sense for the author to explain the potential value in each industry trend and making an action plan.

text: This answer concerns new technologies rather than competitors.

text: The answer should mention the need to seek innovation.

refinement: To stay ahead of competitors, one must seek innovations to grow one's business.

text: The answer should discuss Facebook bots.

refinement: To stay ahead of competitors, one must seek innovations to grow one's business. The author expects competitors to ChatMatic, Chattypeople, and ManyChat to enter the Facebook bot market in the near future.

answer: The author of the article says staying ahead of competitors means finding things that work through searching for innovation tools. The digital market is changing at an exponential rate, so updating your strategy is a necessity in order to stay ahead of your competition. It means putting in the time and energy to research, explore and test out new possible techniques.

text: The answer should mention Facebook bots.

refinement: The author of the article says staying ahead of competitors means finding things that work through searching for innovation tools. The digital market is changing at an exponential rate, so updating your strategy is a necessity in order to stay ahead of your competition. It means putting in the time and energy to research, explore and test out new possible techniques. Facebook bots are a hot technology, and the author of the article expects competitors to ChatMatic, Chattypeople, and ManyChat to enter the market in the near future.

answer: The author says that staying ahead of your competitors means constantly searching for innovations to grow your business even more. The author says that it's always a good thing to start testing ideas. The author says that many of these new technologies will flop, costing you time and money. The author says that when something works, you gain the unfair advantage of being the leader. The author says that you can skip through the noise, learn what's working for companies in different industries, and implement those tactics in your business. The author advises to do a bit of research to decide which of these five options makes the most sense for your business and to then put them into use and track your results.

text: Everything beyond the first line does not pertain to competitors.

refinement: The author says that staying ahead of your competitors means constantly searching for innovations to grow your business even more.

text: The answer could mention Facebook bots.

refinement: The author says that staying ahead of your competitors means constantly searching for innovations to grow your business even more. Facebook bots are a hot new technology, and the auhtor of the article expects competitors to ChatMatic, Chattypeople, and ManyChat to enter the market in the near future.

answer: The author says that staying ahead of your competitors means constantly searching for innovations to grow your business even more. The author says that it's always a good thing to start testing ideas. The author says that many of these new technologies will flop, costing you time and money. The author says that when something works, you gain the unfair advantage of being the leader. The author says that you can skip through the noise, learn what's working for companies in different industries, and implement those tactics in your business.

answer: The text says that staying ahead of your competitors means constantly searching for innovations to grow your business. When something works, you gain the unfair advantage of being the leader in your industry. The author says that if you want to skip through the noise, learn what's working for companies in different industries, and implement those tactics in your business, you should consider adding these five trends to your toolkit before they become standard operating procedure.

answer: The text says that staying ahead of your competitors means constantly searching for innovations to grow your business. When something works, you gain the unfair advantage of being the leader in your industry. The author says that if you want to skip through the noise, learn what's working for companies in different industries, and implement those tactics in your business, you should consider adding these five trends to your toolkit before they become standard operating procedure. The author also mentions that you should consider your competitors when deciding which of these options to pursue.

answer: The author of the article encourages the reader to seek new innovations in order to stay ahead of their competitors. 'Catching up' is the only way of staying ahead in the market, according to the author. The digital market is changing at an exponential rate, so updating your strategy is a necessity in order to stay ahead of your competition. It means putting in the time and energy to research, explore and test out new possible techniques.

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

What does the text say about trends?

answer: Trends only exist because of increased demand, and that means new opportunities for enterprising business owners. Do a bit of research to decide which of these five options makes the most sense for your business. Then take action to put them into use and track your results. That's how you stay ahead of the curve -- and your competition.

text: The article doesn't discuss trends in an abstract sense; rather, it lists five hot trends.

refinement: The article mentions five hot technological trends for their readers to consider adding to their toolkit: Facebook bots, business texting, smart segmenting, recurring revenue, and video.

answer: Trends exist because of increased demand, and that means new opportunities for enterprising business owners. The author suggests that a good way to stay ahead of the curve is to do a bit of research to decide which of the five options makes the most sense for your business, and then take action to put them into use and track your results.

answer: Trends exist because of increased demand, and that means new opportunities for enterprising business owners. The author suggests that a good way to stay ahead of the curve is to do a bit of research to decide which of the five options makes the most sense for your business, and then take action to put them into use and track your results.

answer: The text showcases five trends in technology companies: Facebook bots, business texting, smart segmenting, recurring revenue, and video. The author states these trends might not work for everyone, but they are definitely worth looking into because they are trending now.

answer: Trends exist because of increased demand, and that means new opportunities for enterprising business owners. The writer advises business owners to do a bit of research to decide which of the five options makes the most sense for their business. Then take action to put them into use and track the results. This is how you stay ahead of the competition and the curve.

answer: Trends only exist because of increased demand.

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

Summarize the section about smart segmenting.

answer: Smart segmenting means your customers don't want to receive the same message everyone else does. Your customers want specific, highly tailored messages that speak to their experiences; this means you will have to take steps to learn about your target market and their needs. Great segmenting happens when everything begins. in this domain, the customer's journey and how the message is sent follow and impact each other.

text: The answer should not be written in second person.

refinement: Smart segmenting involves sending customers specific, highly tailored messages that speak to their experiences. Great segmenting happens when everything begins. in this domain, the customer's journey and how the message is sent follow and impact each other.

text: The last two lines are confusing and should be removed.

refinement: Smart segmenting involves sending customers specific, highly tailored messages that speak to their experiences.

answer: A quiz or gamified info-gathering processes will get people only so far. It is what they do next that matters. Show their potential customers how they are working to learn about them and their challenges. As a result there is a lot of moving parts that need to be worked out first. One service provider is creating a program to make it easier.

answer: Smart segmenting is the act of reaching out to customers and learning about their needs and challenges. This can be done through quizzes and gamified information gathering content.

text: Answer is inaccurate: smart segmenting is not quizzes and gamified information gathering content.

refinement: Smart segmenting is the act of reaching out to customers and learning about their needs and challenges. This can be done through qsending specific, highly tailored messages that speak to the customers' experiences and needs.

answer: The author of the article talks about how your customers don't want the same message that everyone else gets, they want specific, highly tailored messages that speak to their experiences and needs. The author talks about how you need to build your business on that demand. Quizzes and gamified info-gathering content will get you only so far. It's what happens next that matters. Show your potential customers how you're working to learn about them and their challenges. Segmenting involves a lot of moving parts, so it's best to start learning now about this powerful technique.

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

What does the text say about Twitter?

answer: No answer

answer: While the text does not give details on Facebook and Twitter, the article does mention some specifics used with Facebook: chatbots, social media ads, and videos.

text: Should simple state "No answer"

answer: The text does not mention Twitter.

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: No answer


text:
The HERNDON HOME is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark at 587 University Place NW, in Atlanta, Georgia. An elegant Classical Revival mansion with Beaux Arts influences, it was the home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927), a rags-to-riches success story who was born into slavery, but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. The house was designed by his wife Adrienne, and was almost entirely built with African-American labor. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000,[1][2] and had previously been declared a “landmark building exterior” by the city of Atlanta in 1989.[3]

Description and history

The Herndon Home is located in Atlanta's Vine City neighborhood, adjacent to the campus of Morris Brown College (formerly the campus of Atlanta University) on the north side of University Place NW. It is a two-story rectangular structure, faced in brick, with a flat, balustraded roof, porches projecting from the sides, and a massive neoclassical entrance portico, supported by large paired columns. The entrance is framed by wide sidelight windows and topped by a semi-oval transom, all windows displaying etching and tracery. The building is capped by a full entablature and modillioned cornice. The flat roof is usable as an open terrace, although it was reported to be in poor condition in 2000. The building interior is elaborately fitted with original period wood, stone, and plaster. The main living rooms have murals on the wall depicting elements of the Herndon family history.[4]

The house was built in 1910 for Alonzo and Adrienne Herndon. Much of the building's design is credited to Adrienne, who was a drama teacher at Atlanta University, and had intended the rooftop terrace, from which the university campus was visible, as a performance venue. According to available documentation, all of the work on the mansion, except for its electrical and plumbing systems, was performed by African-American laborers and contractors.[5]

Alonzo Herndon was born into slavery in 1858, and was freed, while still a child, by the American Civil War. From this virtually penniless beginning, Herndon built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta, and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to become the nation's largest African-American-owned insurance company, and made him a millionaire. Herndon's son Norris continued to run Atlanta Life until his own death in 1955.[6]

The vacant Herndon Building on Auburn Avenue, where Alonzo built his business, was seriously damaged in the 2008 Atlanta tornado (which also passed very close to the Herndon Home), and was demolished in late April 2008.[7] The Herndon Building was one of three contributing properties in the Sweet Auburn Historic District associated with the life of Alonzo Herndon. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company Building and the Rucker Building are the other two.[8]

Herndon Foundation

The Herndon Home is now owned by the nonprofit Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation, which since 1983 has operated the home. The home is open for tours.[9] The foundation supports entrepreneurship.[10]

[1]

[2] Frank J. J. Miele, John Sprinkle, and Patti Henry (November 1999) , National Park Service and

[3] Herndon Home, at City of Atlanta

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9] The Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation: The Foundation

[10]

title: Herndon Home

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

What does the text say about Alonzo Franklin Herndon?

answer: Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born into slavery and went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. The Herndon Home was designed by Herndon's wife Adrienne, and built with African-American labor. The home is owned by the nonprofit Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation.

text: It is not relevant that the Herndon Home was designed by Herndon's wife Adrienne, and built with African-American labor; the home is owned by the nonprofit Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation.

refinement: Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born into slavery and went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company.

text: It is omitted that from a penniless beginning, Herndon built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta; he founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company in 1905, it grew to become the nation's largest African-American-owned insurance company.

refinement: Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born into slavery and went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire. He was freed, while still a child, by the American Civil War. From a penniless beginning, Herndon built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta. In 1905, he founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to become the nation's largest African-American-owned insurance company.

answer: Alonzo Franklin Herndon is a former slave who became Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. The Herndon Home, his former residence, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000. The house is now operated by the Herndon Foundation.

text: It is irrelevant that the Herndon Home was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000; the house is now operated by the Herndon Foundation.

refinement: Alonzo Franklin Herndon is a former slave who became Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company.

text: It is omitted that he was freed by the American Civil War when he was still a child; from a penniless beginning, Herndon built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta; he founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company in 1905.

refinement: Alonzo Franklin Herndon is a former slave who became Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was freed by the American Civil War when he was still a child. From a penniless beginning, Herndon built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta. he founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company in 1905.

answer: Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born into slavery in 1858. He was freed by the American Civil War when he was still a child. From a penniless beginning, Herndon built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta. In 1905, he founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to become the nation's largest African-American-owned insurance company. This made Herndon Atlanta's first black millionaire, a true rags to riches story.

answer: Herndon was Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery and became a millionaire by age 61. He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta, and founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 44. The structure of the Herndon Home was influenced by Herndon's wife, Adrienne, who was a drama teacher at Atlanta University.

text: It is not stated that he became a millionaire by age 61.

refinement: Herndon was Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery and became a millionaire. He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta, and founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 44. The structure of the Herndon Home was influenced by Herndon's wife, Adrienne, who was a drama teacher at Atlanta University.

text: He founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 47, not 44.

refinement: Herndon was Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery and became a millionaire. He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta, and founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 47. The structure of the Herndon Home was influenced by Herndon's wife, Adrienne, who was a drama teacher at Atlanta University.

text: It is irrelevant that the structure of the Herndon Home was influenced by Herndon's wife.

refinement: Herndon was Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery and became a millionaire. He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta, and founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 47. Herndon's wife, Adrienne, was a drama teacher at Atlanta University.

text: It is omitted that he was freed by the American Civil War when he was still a child.

refinement: Herndon was Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery and became a millionaire. He was freed by the American Civil War when he was still a child. He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta, and founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 47. Herndon's wife, Adrienne, was a drama teacher at Atlanta University.

text: an unnecessary comma after ' He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta'.

refinement: Herndon was Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery and became a millionaire. He was freed by the American Civil War when he was still a child. He built a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company by the time he was 47. Herndon's wife, Adrienne, was a drama teacher at Atlanta University.

answer: Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and was freed at a  presumably very young age by the Civil war, becoming a freedon. He grew a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to be the largest African American owned insurance company. This made him a millionaire, insuring the lives of African Americans at the time. The house the insurance company is built ended up becoming its headquarters. After the death of his son Norris, the headquarters moved to its current location, 40 years after a tornado ruined the headquarters. The Civil war did not last long enough to abolish slavery, but it did rob some slave owners of their property, including a man named Joel Johnson, who owned the home where Herndon lived. This home was then bought by a lawyer named Lipscomb and sold to the Herndons, becoming the historic site it is today.

text: It is not stated that the company was insuring the lives of African Americans.

refinement: Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and was freed at a  presumably very young age by the Civil war, becoming a freedon. He grew a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to be the largest African American owned insurance company. This made him a millionaire. The house the insurance company is built ended up becoming its headquarters. After the death of his son Norris, the headquarters moved to its current location, 40 years after a tornado ruined the headquarters. The Civil war did not last long enough to abolish slavery, but it did rob some slave owners of their property, including a man named Joel Johnson, who owned the home where Herndon lived. This home was then bought by a lawyer named Lipscomb and sold to the Herndons, becoming the historic site it is today.

text: It makes no sense to tell that he becomes freedom.

refinement: Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and was freed at a  presumably very young age by the Civil war. He grew a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to be the largest African American owned insurance company. This made him a millionaire. The house the insurance company is built ended up becoming its headquarters. After the death of his son Norris, the headquarters moved to its current location, 40 years after a tornado ruined the headquarters. The Civil war did not last long enough to abolish slavery, but it did rob some slave owners of their property, including a man named Joel Johnson, who owned the home where Herndon lived. This home was then bought by a lawyer named Lipscomb and sold to the Herndons, becoming the historic site it is today.

text: It  is not stated that the Civil war did not last long enough to abolish slavery, but it did rob some slave owners of their property, including a man named Joel Johnson, who owned the home where Herndon lived; that this home was then bought by a lawyer named Lipscomb and sold to the Herndons,

refinement: Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and was freed at a  presumably very young age by the Civil war. He grew a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to be the largest African American owned insurance company. This made him a millionaire. The house the insurance company is built ended up becoming its headquarters. After the death of his son Norris, the headquarters moved to its current location, 40 years after a tornado ruined the headquarters. It became the historic site it is today.

text: It is irrelevant that the house the insurance company is built ended up becoming its headquarters; that after the death of his son Norris, the headquarters moved to its current location, 40 years after a tornado ruined the headquarters.

refinement: Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and was freed at a  presumably very young age by the Civil war. He grew a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to be the largest African American owned insurance company. This made him a millionaire. It became a historic site.

text: 'the house' instead of 'it'.

refinement: Herndon was born into slavery in 1858 and was freed at a  presumably very young age by the Civil war. He grew a chain of barbershops in Atlanta and in 1905 founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which grew to be the largest African American owned insurance company. The made him a millionaire. The house became a historic site.

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

What does the text say about Alonzo's wife, Adrienne Herndon?

answer: Adrienne was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and designed the rooftop terrace from which the university campus was visible as a performance venue. Adrienne was credited for the design of the Herndon home and was the woman behind the scenes. Adrienne died in 1933, seven years after Alonzo.

text: It was not stated nor implied that she was the woman behind the scenes.

refinement: Adrienne was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and designed the rooftop terrace from which the university campus was visible as a performance venue. Adrienne was credited for the design of the Herndon home. Adrienne died in 1933, seven years after Alonzo.

text: It is not stated that she died in 1933, seven years after Alonzo.

refinement: Adrienne was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and designed the rooftop terrace from which the university campus was visible as a performance venue. Adrienne was credited for the design of the Herndon home.

text: It is omitted that she and Alonzo had a son.

refinement: Adrienne was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and designed the rooftop terrace from which the university campus was visible as a performance venue. Adrienne was credited for the design of the Herndon home. She and Alonzo had a son.

answer: She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University, and was an important part of the design of the Herndon Home. The Murals in the main living rooms of the home depicts elements of the Herndon family history. She took inspiration from the views from the home's rooftop, envisioning it as a performance venue. She mostly designed the estate, its interior decoration, colors, murals and etchings.

text: It is not stated that she took inspiration from the views from the home's rooftop, envisioning it as a performance venue

refinement: She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University, and was an important part of the design of the Herndon Home. The Murals in the main living rooms of the home depicts elements of the Herndon family history. She mostly designed the estate, its interior decoration, colors, murals and etchings.

text: missing comma after 'murals'; unnecessary comma after 'university'.

refinement: She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and was an important part of the design of the Herndon Home. The Murals in the main living rooms of the home depicts elements of the Herndon family history. She mostly designed the estate, its interior decoration, colors, murals, and etchings.

text: It is omitted that she and Alonzo had a son.

refinement: She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and was an important part of the design of the Herndon Home. The Murals in the main living rooms of the home depicts elements of the Herndon family history. She mostly designed the estate, its interior decoration, colors, murals, and etchings.  She and Alonzo had a son.

answer: Adrienne Herndon designed their mansion, The Herndon Home, which is now a National Historic Landmark in Atlanta, Georgia. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University. Adrienne had the rooftop terrace built as a performance venue, which also afforded her views of the school's campus. She and Alonzo had a son, Norris.

answer: The design of the Herndon Home was largely credited to Adrienne Herndon, who had hoped the rooftop terrace would serve as a performance venue. Adrienne had hoped the terrace would serve as a performance venue and all of the work on the house was performed by African-American laborers and contractors.

text: It is omitted that she was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and that they had a son

refinement: The design of the Herndon Home was largely credited to Adrienne Herndon, who had hoped the rooftop terrace would serve as a performance venue. Adrienne had hoped the terrace would serve as a performance venue and all of the work on the house was performed by African-American laborers and contractors. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University. They had a son.

text: It is repeated that she had hoped the rooftop terrace would serve as a performance venue.

refinement: The design of the Herndon Home was largely credited to Adrienne Herndon. Adrienne had hoped the terrace would serve as a performance venue and all of the work on the house was performed by African-American laborers and contractors. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University. They had a son.

answer: Adrienne Herndon was credited with the design of the Herndon Home and its elaborately fitted original period wood, stone and plaster. The rooftop terrace, intended as a performance venue, was also her design.

text: It was omitted that she was a drama teacher at Atlanta University and that they had a son.

refinement: Adrienne Herndon was credited with the design of the Herndon Home and its elaborately fitted original period wood, stone and plaster. The rooftop terrace, intended as a performance venue, was also her design. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University. They had a son.

text: missing comma after 'stone'.

refinement: Adrienne Herndon was credited with the design of the Herndon Home and its elaborately fitted original period wood, stone, and plaster. The rooftop terrace, intended as a performance venue, was also her design. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University. They had a son.

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

What does the text say about The Herndon Home?

answer: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark in Atlanta. The building is composed of an elegant Classical Revival mansion with Beaux Arts influences. All of the work on the mansion, except for its electrical and plumbing systems, was performed by African-American laborers and contractors. The home is owned by The Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation and operated for tours. The foundation supports entrepreneurship.

text: It is omitted that it was built for Alonzo Herndon, who was born into slavery but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire.

refinement: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark in Atlanta. The building is composed of an elegant Classical Revival mansion with Beaux Arts influences. All of the work on the mansion, except for its electrical and plumbing systems, was performed by African-American laborers and contractors. The home was built for Alonzo Herndon, who was born into slavery but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire.  The home is owned by The Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation and operated for tours. The foundation supports entrepreneurship.

text: 'Beaux Arts' should be 'Beaux-Arts'.

refinement: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark in Atlanta. The building is composed of an elegant Classical Revival mansion with Beaux-Arts influences. All of the work on the mansion, except for its electrical and plumbing systems, was performed by African-American laborers and contractors. The home was built for Alonzo Herndon, who was born into slavery but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire.  The home is owned by The Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation and operated for tours. The foundation supports entrepreneurship.

answer: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark in Atlanta, Georgia. The mansion was the former home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927) who started the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was born into slavery, but went on to become Atlanta's first black $millionaire. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000.

answer: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark located in Atlanta. It was built for Alonzo Herndon, who was born into slavery, but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire. The house was designed by Adrienne, Herndon's wife. The home is elaborately fitted with original period wood, stone, and plaster, and features a massive neoclassical entrance portico. The building is capped by a full entablature and modillioned cornice. The flat roof is usable as an open terrace. The house is now owned by the Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation, and is open for tours. The foundation supports entrepreneurship.

text: an unnecessary comma after 'slavery'

refinement: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark located in Atlanta. It was built for Alonzo Herndon, who was born into slavery but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire. The house was designed by Adrienne, Herndon's wife. The home is elaborately fitted with original period wood, stone, and plaster, and features a massive neoclassical entrance portico. The building is capped by a full entablature and modillioned cornice. The flat roof is usable as an open terrace. The house is now owned by the Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation, and is open for tours. The foundation supports entrepreneurship.

answer: The Herndon Home is a historic house museum declared as a National Historic Landmark in 2000. It is located at 587 University Place NW, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Herndon Home is a Classical Revival mansion with Beaux-Arts influences and the home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon, founder of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and Atlanta's first black millionaire. The mansion was designed by Alonzo's wife, Adrienne, and was almost entirely built with African-American labor.

answer: The home is located in Atlanta's Vine City neighborhood close to the campus of Morris Brown College. It is a two-story rectangular structure, facing in brick, it is elongated with a flat, balustraded roof encompassing a large, neoclassical entrance portico topped by a semi-ovate transom all windows. The decoration includes etching, tracery, and an a full entablature and modillioned cornice.

text: It is omitted that the home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon, founder of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and Atlanta's first black millionaire; the mansion was designed by Alonzo's wife, Adrienne, and was almost entirely built with African-American labor.

refinement: The home is located in Atlanta's Vine City neighborhood close to the campus of Morris Brown College. It is a two-story rectangular structure, facing in brick, it is elongated with a flat, balustraded roof encompassing a large, neoclassical entrance portico topped by a semi-ovate transom all windows. The decoration includes etching, tracery, and an a full entablature and modillioned cornice.  the home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon, founder of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and Atlanta's first black millionaire. The mansion was designed by Alonzo's wife, Adrienne, and was almost entirely built with African-American labor.

text: unnecessary 'an' before 'a full entablature'

refinement: The home is located in Atlanta's Vine City neighborhood close to the campus of Morris Brown College. It is a two-story rectangular structure, facing in brick, it is elongated with a flat, balustraded roof encompassing a large, neoclassical entrance portico topped by a semi-ovate transom all windows. The decoration includes etching, tracery, and a full entablature and modillioned cornice.  the home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon, founder of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and Atlanta's first black millionaire. The mansion was designed by Alonzo's wife, Adrienne, and was almost entirely built with African-American labor.


title: Purple.

question: Does the old man expect the cyclone?

answer: It seems he expects a storm but not a cyclone.

answer: It seems he does.

text: According to the passage, the old man was expecting a storm when he glanced at the sky.

refinement: It seems he was expecting a storm not a cyclone.

answer: Yes, the old man expects the cyclone.

text: The passage doesn't say that he was expecting a cyclone. From the passage, it appears he was expecting a storm. If he was expecting a cyclone, he would've gone into his house sooner or be prepared for it.

refinement: It appears the old man was expecting a storm.

answer: From the way the old man reacts when he sees the storm approaching, it seems that he was not expecting the cyclone. He is clearly terrified and rushes back to his wife as quickly as he can.

question: Why do the man and his wife go to the wine cellar?

answer: The man goes to the wine cellar to protect his wine from the storm.

text: 'Wine' is written instead of 'wife.'

refinement: The man goes to the wine cellar with his wife to protect themselves from the storm.

answer: The man and his wife go to the wine cellar to escape the cyclone.

answer: The man and his wife go to the wine cellar to escape the approaching cyclone. They know that the cellar will provide them with some protection from the storm.

answer: Probably because being in the cellar is safer than being in the cottage during the storm.

question: How does the old man feel after the storm?

answer: The old man feels grateful for what he has.

answer: He is sad but thankful for the single vine that is not ruined.

answer: He feels thankful for what he has.

answer: The old man feels grateful for what he has left after the storm, despite the damage it caused. He is thankful for the grape vine that survived, and for the small harvest he was able to reap from it.

question: What does the man do after the storm?

answer: He reaps the single vine that survived the cyclone and shares the small knot of grapes with his wife.

answer: The man harvests the single grape vine that survived the storm, thankful for what he has.

answer: He goes to inspect the vine.

answer: The man and his wife go back into the cellar.

text: The passage does not mention that they went back into the cellar after the storm. The response is inaccurate.

refinement: The man inspects what is left of his grapevine, takes a bite of it, shares it with his wife, and is thankful for what he has left.

question: Write a ~6 sentence summary.

answer: The old man inspects the vines when he notices that a storm is coming. Soon he realizes it is a cyclone and runs to the cottage to take his wife to the wine cellar. They hide there and wait for the gales to pass. When it is gone, they open the doors and see that all but one vine are ruined. The man reaps the vine and shares the small knot of grapes with his wife. He is crying but thankful for what he has.

text: '...all but one vine are ruined...' is an improper use of verb. Instead of 'are,' it should be 'is.'

refinement: The old man inspects the vines when he notices that a storm is coming. Soon he realizes it is a cyclone and runs to the cottage to take his wife to the wine cellar. They hide there and wait for the gales to pass. When it is gone, they open the doors and see that all but one vine is ruined. The man reaps the vine and shares the small knot of grapes with his wife. He is crying but thankful for what he has.

answer:
The sky was a dark and amaranthine black. The moon hung in the air, silvered and shining like a freshly minted quarter. The wind blew lightly over the fruited vineyard. A lone man could be seen walking the rows, inspecting the fruit of his hard labor under the pale moon light. His eyes were shown brightly, even more so than the moon, as he caressed the little grape leaves, plucking and pruning those that stood out as he walked.

In the east, there was a flash of light followed by the rumble of its thunder. The old man's head whipped from its admiration of the vines to survey the coming storm. The wind gusted, nearly knocking him over as he turned. And in the distance, but moving quickly, he could see it. A broad funnel of cloud was touching down.

Terror struck his wrinkled face, twisting it into a ghastly shape. He ran back to the little cottage on the hill as fast as his legs could carry him. His plump little wife, sitting in her lounging chair near the fire let out a sharp scream as he burst through the entryway. Without saying a word, he grabbed her and in a flash they were back outside. She too saw the horror that was whipping itself ever closer, and tried with all her might to stay close to her husband.

He flung open the doors of the wine cellar just as the cyclone reached the field. His wife hurried down the stairs while the little old wine maker looked back over his livelihood, said a silent prayer, and closed the door behind himself.

The cellar door rattled and rumbled as the fierce gales passed over the farm, trying with all their might to rip the door from its frame and hinges. Then it was gone.

The little old man and his wife opened the doors and witnessed the wreckage that remained. The house in shambles, with its roof pried away from the walls, and the vines of the field ripped from their rows and cast about in all directions.

In the center of the field, shining in the pale moonlight, stood a single grape vine.

The weathered man ran with all his might, grapes squishing under his feet as he flew to the vine. With hands now wet from rain and purple from his ruined crop, he reached out to inspect the vine. It clung tightly to the posts that were driven into the ground, its little tendrils wrapped fast around the wire fencing between the posts, and a single cluster of grapes swinging gently in the breeze.

He reaped his diminutive harvest, popped a single grape against the roof of his mouth, and as the juice flowed over his tongue, he could taste every hard days work in a blistering sun, and it was sweet.

He cried silently as he shared the small knot of grapes with his wife, thankful for what he had.

text: The summary is a complete copy and paste of the passage and doesn't summarise in six sentences as instructed.

refinement: An old man inspects the vines when he notices that a storm is coming. Soon he realizes it is a cyclone and runs to the cottage to take his wife to the wine cellar. It appears the cellar serves as a safe unit for them during the storm. So, they hide there and wait for the gales to pass. When it is gone, they open the doors and see that all but one vine is ruined. The man reaps the vine and shares the small knot of grapes with his wife. He cries silently but is thankful for what he has.

answer: A man inspects his vineyard when a cyclone approaches. He runs to the cellar with his wife. The cyclone passes, and they emerge to find their house in shambles. They run to the vineyard, and the man picks a single grape. He shares it with his wife, thankful for what they have.

text: The summary does not flow and is less than six sentences.

refinement: An old man inspects his vineyard when a cyclone approaches. On discovering it is a cyclone, he runs to the cellar with his wife. After the cyclone passes, they emerge to find their house in shambles. When they approach the vineyard, they find that all but one grape got destroyed by the cyclone. The man then runs to the vineyard, and picks a single grape, and tastes the sweetness of his hard labor. He shares it with his wife, thankful for what they have.

answer: In the midst of a fierce storm, the old wine maker finds a single grape vine still standing. Despite the damage to his farm, he is grateful for the small harvest he is able to salvage.

text: The summary is less than six sentences and does not explain what storm damaged his grapes.

refinement: The old winemaker inspects his vineyard when he notices a pending storm. On discovering it is a cyclone, he runs to the cellar with his wife. After the cyclone passes, they emerge to find their house in shambles. When they approach the vineyard, they find that all but one grape got destroyed by the cyclone. The man then runs to the vineyard, picks a single grape, tastes the sweetness of his hard labor, and shares it with his wife. Despite the damage to his farm, he is grateful for the small harvest he can salvage.

text: Even though it's not stated, the fact that the old man owns a grape vineyard is evidence he is a winemaker.


text:
"The strangest thing was, there was no radio. Nothing. Up and down the dial. Just static or silence for months." Said Mike as they slowed to a stop at a four way intersection. Steve sat on the passenger side of the old army cargo truck, jotting on a notepad. The diesel rumbled cantankerously as the the beast lumbered forward.

Annabelle was an two and a half ton U.S. Army M35 truck. Big and square and serious. Or had been. Annabelle had seen better days. Big patches of paint were gone and rust nibbled away where it hadn't plain eaten right through. She had bumps and dings and dents and gouges. Some things were missing. Some were replaced. Some were wedged and hammered on with a wing and a prayer. The passenger side window had a big crack running along the hood and up the side that was covered with duct tape, giving her the look of taped up glasses. She was old and mean and stubborn and beat, but all in all, she was a good girl.

Mike was a bit older, mid fourties maybe. Thin. He was a week or so overdue for a haircut, but not yet shaggy. He juggled the steering wheel and shifter between his good right hand, the stump of his left and his knee. Steve was much younger. A little bit plump. From an easier time. He was writing for a newspaper or something. Who cares. He was company.

"Driving truck was one of the things I could do with this." He held up and waved his left hand. It was roughly a triangle behind where his thumb and knuckles used to be. His amputation scars had healed a long time ago. "It was crushed when a building collapsed right after everything fell apart. I couldn't fight too well, so I did what I could getting stuff to the guys who were. You know they say that the whole thing started with a spelling error? Some guy somewhere made a mistake in a computer code. Started a market panic. Whole thing spread like wildfire. Before you know the whole world was blowing each other up" He hit the clutch and shifted. The original shifter was gone, along with the boot. It was a piece of pipe with a pipe cap on the end dissapearing through a square hole in the floor.

"Like I said, there was no radio. No talk, no music. Nothing. They had the army radios for important stuff, but those were few and far between, all for the higher ups. Once in a while you could scrounge up some AA's for one of those little plastic jobbies, but there was nothing to pick up on it. You had a lot of time to think. Sometimes you'd get antsy for something, anything. Some guys had mp3 players or old phones. You could charge those up at the big bases. Once it was gone it was gone though." The truck swayed on the uneven road. The shock absorbers were useless rotted out tubes now, she wobbled on just her springs.

Annabelle tipped alarmingly to the side as they rounded a corner, swaying back and forth until she settled back onto her haunches. "Then they got the government station. They got enough broadcast towers together to cover most places. Took a long time to get to the more remote places. Instructions, news, things like that, they broadcast important stuff during the day, less so at night. They taught first aid in the morning, news at noon. At dawn they taught school, just to keep things going. A bit of math, a bit of history. Sometimes on slow days they'd play a song or two."

A few moments of silence passed as Steve's pencil scratched on paper. "I don't carry munitions much anymore. Not like the old days when they'd load Annie down untill her tires almost scraped the wells. Food now mostly. Wheat, corn. I carried sheep once. Annie didn't care much for that."

They slowed to a stop. The chain link and razor wire of what had once been a prison stretched off in either direction. Mike rolled down the window and handed a sheaf of papers to the bored man in the corrugated steel guardpost. He didn't bother reading too thoroughly.

"Well kid, end of the line." He said as they rolled into the unloading area, taking a seat in a long line of Annabelles, Betsies and couple of Rachels.

Steve let himself out and said goodbye. Mike sat there, put on the parking brake, patted the scarred up old steering wheel, clicked on the cheap plastic radio taped on top of the dashboard, and listened to the music.

title: Static

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

What does the excerpt say about the monotony of the truck driving job?

answer: Mike mentions how during the long, arduous delivery trips, he would sometimes miss having music. After they gain access to broadcast towers and propaganda is permitted, they would sometimes play songs on the radio. Mike shares how he had plenty of time to think during those long hours of travel and during his long days of hauling, however the monotonous work was the one constant he had.

answer: The monotony of the truck driving job comes from the lack of any radio or other forms of communication. Driving the truck becomes more of a monotonous routine with nothing to give the driver variety or distraction.

answer: The job is repetitive with no radio, leaving the driver with a lot of free time to think and consider the ruined state of the world. Driving the truck is a familiar task and one that doesn't require much thinking, but even that becomes monotonous after a while. The job also presents many opportunities for boredom.

answer: Where they're stationed there's no radio, the airwaves are populated with static or silence for months. When a newspaper journalist tags along, the driver is grateful to have company. They have radios for important stuff. Then there's the government station which covers most places. They air instructions, news, important stuff during the day, less so at night. They teach first aid in the morning, news at noon. At dawn they air school just to keep things going. A bit of math, history, on slow days they air a song or two. Some drivers bring mp3 players or old phones. They could charge them at bases, but once they're gone, they're gone.

text: Misses the science fictional element of the sotry

refinement: The character Mike discusses how after a global conflict trucking was one of the few things he could do to get by. The worst thing about trucking in those days was there was no radio. Mike discusses how gradually radio services came back as a new government asserted control of the region after the conflict.

answer: The truck driving job was monotonous. He did not even have anything to do. All he could do is just think, utter his thoughts out loud. He can play music during the long hours of driving.