text:
image copyrightGetty Images

image captionMalware in messaging apps has been stealing data from activists, lawyers and military personnel

A SECURITY BUG THAT HAS INFECTED THOUSANDS OF SMARTPHONES HAS BEEN UNCOVERED BY CAMPAIGN GROUP THE ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION (EFF).

Working with mobile security firm Lookout, researchers discovered that malware in fake messaging designed to look like WhatsApp and Signal had stolen gigabytes of data.

Targets included military personnel, activists, journalists and lawyers.

Researchers say they traced the malware to a Lebanese government building.

The threat, dubbed Dark Caracal by the researchers, looks as if it could come from a nation state and appears to use shared infrastructure linked to other nation-state hackers,the report said.

The malware takes advantage of known exploits and targets mainly Android phones.

Data was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut, according to researchers.

"Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the GDGS is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal," the report said.

Mobile threat

"People in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France have been hit by Dark Caracal. Targets include military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the types of stolen data range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos," said EFF director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin.

"This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

Mike Murray, vice-president of security intelligence at Lookout said: "Dark Caracal is part of a trend we've seen mounting over the past year whereby traditional advanced persistent threat actors are moving toward using mobile as a primary target platform."

Online mercenaries

In a statement published on the Lookout blog, Google said it was confident that the infected apps were not downloaded from its Play Store.

"Google has identified the apps associated with this actor, none of the apps were on the Google Play Store. Google Play Protect has been updated to protect user devices from these apps and is in the process of removing them from all affected devices."

The researchers believe Dark Caracal has been operating since 2012 but it has been hard to track because of the diversity of seemingly unrelated espionage campaigns originating from the same domain names.

Over the years Dark Caracal's work has been repeatedly misattributed to other cybercrime groups, the researchers said.

In November, Afghanistan moved to ban WhatsApp and Telegram as a way to stop insurgent groups from using encrypted messaging. And in December, Iran moved to restrict use of the apps after a series of anti-establishment protests.

Use of an app that can steal data would give nation states much more information than simply banning them, said Prof Alan Woodward, a cybersecurity expert at the University of Surrey.

"It is always hard to prove that a nation state is involved. During the Cold War, countries made use of mercenaries and that's what we are seeing online now."

He said it was unclear where the infected apps had been downloaded from.

"Google is saying that they were not downloaded from there but it is difficult to know where else they came from. It may be that people are getting suckered into something that looks like an official site. People need to be careful what they are downloading."

-   Cyber-security
-   Lebanon
-   Apps

-   -

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

What is Dark Caracal?

answer: Dark Caracal is a type of malware that originates from Lebanese General Security Directorate, according to researchers. The software infiltrates smartphone devices, stealing data from military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers.

text: Working with mobile security firm Lookout, researchers discovered that malware in fake messaging designed to look like WhatsApp and Signal had stolen gigabytes of data.

text: "People in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France have been hit by Dark Caracal. Targets include military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the types of stolen data range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos," said EFF director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin.

answer: Dark Caracal is a campaign that places malware on certain phones. This malware has stolen gigabytes of data.

text: "People in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France have been hit by Dark Caracal. Targets include military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the types of stolen data range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos," said EFF director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin.

answer: Malware which targets users in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France. It's been stealing gigabytes of data since 2012.

text: This should include what it imitates.

refinement: Malware which targets users in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France. It's been stealing gigabytes of data since 2012 by imitating apps like WhatsApp and Signal.

text: "People in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France have been hit by Dark Caracal. Targets include military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the types of stolen data range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos," said EFF director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin.

answer: Dark Caracal is a worldwide malware campaign targeting mobile phones, primarily Android devices. The malware originated from a Lebanese government building.

text: "People in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France have been hit by Dark Caracal. Targets include military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the types of stolen data range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos," said EFF director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin.

text: The threat, dubbed Dark Caracal by the researchers, looks as if it could come from a nation state and appears to use shared infrastructure linked to other nation-state hackers,the report said.

answer: Dark Caracal is a malware that has been stealing data from activists, lawyers, journalists and others

text: I added what it looks like and where it has been noted.

refinement: Dark Caracal is a malware that resembles apps like WhatsApp and Signal on Android phones, and that has been stealing data from activists, lawyers, journalists and others

text: "People in the US, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, and France have been hit by Dark Caracal. Targets include military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the types of stolen data range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos," said EFF director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin.

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

What is Lebanon's involvement?

answer: The Dark Caracal campaign is likely to originate from the Lebanese General Security Directorate.

text:
Data was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut, according to researchers.

"Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the GDGS is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal," the report said.

answer: The reported data suggests it may be supportive of an actor behind the campaign.

text:
Data was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut, according to researchers.

"Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the GDGS is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal," the report said.

answer: It appears the malware was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut. This suggests that Lebanon is involved in the campaign.

text:
Data was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut, according to researchers.

"Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the GDGS is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal," the report said.

answer: The investigation uncovered that the data that was stolen can be tracked to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut. It is likely that Lebanon is associated with or directly supports the actors behind Dark Caracal.

text:
Data was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut, according to researchers.

"Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the GDGS is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal," the report said.

answer: Researchers believe that the Lebanese General Security Directorate is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal.

text:
Data was traced back to a server in a building belonging to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut, according to researchers.

"Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the GDGS is associated with or directly supporting the actors behind Dark Caracal," the report said.

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

Where will the future of espionage by based?

answer: The future of espionage will be based primarily on mobile devices according to the passage. Nation states are turning to mobile to gather data because phones hold a lot of information about a person's day-to-day life.Therefore, nation states are turning to mobile devices for espionage.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: Mobile is the future of espionage, because phones are full of so much data about a person's life.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: The future of espionage will be based on mobile devices.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: On smartphone.

text: This is a bit terse and colloquial.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: Based on the passage, it appears that the future of espionage may be increasingly focused on mobile devices.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

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

What is the purpose of the Dark Caracal campaign?

answer: The Dark Caracal campaign is aimed at stealing data from military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers. The campaign seems to be carried out by national actors seeking intelligence.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: The Dark Caracal campaign appears to be espionage in order to gather data from military personnel, activists, journalists and lawyers.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: The Dark Caracal steals information from the Android devices of military personnel, activists, journalists and lawyers. The information stolen range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: To steal data from its victims, including call records and audio recordings

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

answer: Dark Caracal uses malware to pilfer data from military, government, lawyers, or activists who own Android phones.

text: "This is a very large, global campaign, focused on mobile devices. Mobile is the future of spying, because phones are full of so much data about a person's day-to-day life."

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

Which platform was used to download the infected apps?

answer: The infected apps were downloaded on Android phones.

text: The malware takes advantage of known exploits and targets mainly Android phones.

answer: At the time of the article, Google said that the infected apps were not downloaded from the Play Store.

text: It mainly affects Android phones, which use Google apps.

refinement: It mainly affects Android phones. At the time of the article, Google said that the infected apps were not downloaded from the Play Store.

text: The malware takes advantage of known exploits and targets mainly Android phones.

answer: The infected apps were downloaded mainly on Android phones.

text: The malware takes advantage of known exploits and targets mainly Android phones.

answer: Forged "Presidential" domains

text: The term "presidential" cannot be found anywhere in the article. The platform is Google apps, on Android.

refinement: It mainly affects Google apps on Android phones.

answer: This is an uncertainty that is still being investigated. Google claimed that their Google Play Store was not used to download the infected apps.

text: It is more certain than this answer would have you think, and the malware is downloaded on Android phones.

refinement: This is an uncertainty that is still being investigated. Google claimed that their Google Play Store was not used to download the infected apps but there is evidence it affects mostly Android phones.

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

Is it advantageous for nation states to ban apps that can steal data?

answer: Yes, it is advantageous for nation states to ban apps that can steal data in order to gather more information than simply banning the application.

answer: No, apps that can steal data would give nation states much more information than simply banning them.

answer: Yes, it is likely that nation states would find it advantageous to ban apps that can steal data in order to gain access to more information.

answer: Prof Alan Woodward believes it would be more advantageous for a nation state to use apps that can steal data.

answer: No, it would be more advantageous for nation states to make use of them.

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The EFF detected malware on Android phones. Its called Dark Caracal and it targets military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers. Dark Caracal in particular was discovered on a phone in Canada. A cybersecurity expert suggest that banning the apps doesn't prove to be effective because rogue nations can always find a way to hide their campaigns.

answer: A security bug affecting thousands of mobile devices was recently uncovered by campaign group the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The malware steals data from targets including military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers. The threat is believed to originate from the Lebanese security directorate, and it has been operating since 2012. This is part of a larger trend of nation-state hackers moving towards using mobile devices as their primary targets. Users should be careful about what apps they download.

text: This should contain the term "Dark Caracal" and be four or fewer sentences.

refinement: A security bug known as part of a campaign called Dark Caracal is affecting thousands of mobile devices was recently uncovered by campaign group the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The malware steals data from targets including military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers, and the threat is believed to originate from the Lebanese security directorate from which it has been operating since 2012. This is part of a larger trend of nation-state hackers moving towards using mobile devices as their primary targets, so users should be careful about what apps they download.

answer: A new security bug called Dark Caracal has been uncovered. The bug has been making use of fake messaging designed to look like WhatsApp and Signal to gain data. The stolen data is used to spy on military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers. Probably, these data are getting stolen from Lebanon.

answer: Researchers have uncovered a security bug in fake messaging apps that allowed malware to steal data from military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers. The malware was traced back to a server in a Lebanese government building. It is likely that the Lebanese General Security Directorate is associated with or supporting the actors behind the malware. While the origin of the infected apps is still unclear, it is important to be careful when downloading apps for safety purposes.

text: I added "Dark Caracal".

refinement: Researchers have uncovered a security bug in fake messaging apps called Dark Caracal that allowed malware to steal data from military personnel, activists, journalists, and lawyers. The malware was traced back to a server in a Lebanese government building. It is likely that the Lebanese General Security Directorate is associated with or supporting the actors behind the malware. While the origin of the infected apps is still unclear, it is important to be careful when downloading apps for safety purposes.

answer: The Dark Caracal steals information from the Android devices of military personnel, activists, journalists and lawyers. The information stolen range from call records and audio recordings to documents and photos. This malware has stolen gigabytes of data. The data that was stolen can be tracked to the Lebanese General Security Directorate in Beirut.


split: train

text:
This will be the 3rd time in as many nights she's tried to suffocate me.

Almost time to start looking for a new girlfriend. It always turns all dark and troublesome once they find out. 5 minutes.

In all seriousness, she's probably tried it more then 3 times. I just started waking somewhere in her last three attempts. Being suffocated isn't so bad, it's the headaches in the morning that are the worst. I'll never understand why women can't just break up with someone.

They always have to bring murder into the whole thing and I suppose if I was anybody else I'd be a little mad about it. I've been murdered way to many times to take it personally, although it's almost always disappointing.

Regardless of how or when or where I expire I always wake back up, roughly 5 minutes later, usually with a little neck pain.

I have yet as to explain the neck pain.

I can only imagine what psychopath caused that lingering malady.

But seriously, I just wake the fuck back up. Wrap your head around that real tight and think about it. One second you saw me take a 10 story drop onto blistering hot saturday afternoon pavement and five minutes later I just pop back up and dust myself off. I've been shot, stabbed, poisoned, electrocuted, drowned, burnt, crushed, blowed up in all manner of spectacular fashions and suffocated.

One time, I woke up with a wooden stake in my heart. Shit you not. Crazy bitch thought I was a vampire. I had to move to another city. I had to move to another city and change my name.

They still found me. Every so often I get jumped by some weird cultist thinks I'm the antichrist and I either wake up pulling some kind of artifact out of my chest cavity or standing naked on a pile of ashes loosely chained to a burnt ember in the middle of some god awful field somewhere full of mosquitos.

No shit, one time I woke up. I guess the fire went out a little early and well, I woke up and they where all still there. Fucking. In costumes.

That was a shit your pants moment for everyone involved.

Ha! You like my stories? Good.

Then listen my friend.

I need a job. For the very reasons above I can't give you my real name, I can't tell you where I'm from, and I can't fill out a tax form.

I can clean, plumb, cook, mop, serve, sweep and install a computer. Whatever you need help with, I can probably do. I can't be a bouncer though. Which is sad because I was an amazing bouncer, but it's to obvious now.

Huh? Those stories? Ha! Yes of course. Maybe tomorrow, I'll tell you after work, yes?

I'm serious sir.

I desperately need a job.

title: Candid Interview at an Adult Bookstore

question: Describe the narrator.

answer: The narrator is a man who has been murdered many times and always wakes up 5 minutes later. He is looking for a job and tells the interviewer about his past murders.

answer: The narrator seems to be someone who has experienced a lot of violence and misfortune, but is still able to find humor in it all. They seem to be resourceful and able to adapt to any situation, even if it means moving to a new city and changing their identity. They are also someone who is down on their luck and looking for a job.

answer: The narrator is a man who has been murdered many times. He is looking for a job.

answer: The narrator is male, speaks english, and is able to return to life after dying for an indefinite number of times. The narrator is also in need of a job as his unique condition has required him to change identities so many times he does not have the documents most people have with regards to legally verifying their identity. It is likely that the narrator is in a dire financial situation as they are desperately in need of a job. The narrator's age was not given, but it can be interpreted that that he has lived long enough to have experience at a variety of jobs (though it was never said that he is immune to aging, and the skills he has are very achievable for the average made adult).

question: Where is the narrator trying to get a job?

answer: The narrator is trying to get a job at an adult bookstore.

text: Title: Candid Interview at an Adult Bookstore

answer: The narrator is trying to find a job at an adult bookstore.

text: Title: Candid Interview at an Adult Bookstore

answer: The narrator is trying to get a job at an adult bookstore.

text: Title: Candid Interview at an Adult Bookstore

answer: According to the title, the narrator is trying to get a job in an adult bookstore. The whole narrative is framed what he says during the interview, with the reader being addressed as the interviewer. For the purpose of the narrative, the reader is playing the role of a male interviewer.

text: Title: Candid Interview at an Adult Bookstore

question: Describe the narrator's powers.

answer: The narrator seems to be able to come back to life after dying, no matter what happens to them. They have been shot, stabbed, poisoned, electrocuted, drowned, burnt, crushed, and suffocated, but always wake up after a few minutes. They also seem to be able to survive any kind of attack, no matter how gruesome.

text: But seriously, I just wake the fuck back up. Wrap your head around that real tight and think about it. One second you saw me take a 10 story drop onto blistering hot saturday afternoon pavement and five minutes later I just pop back up and dust myself off. I've been shot, stabbed, poisoned, electrocuted, drowned, burnt, crushed, blowed up in all manner of spectacular fashions and suffocated.

answer:
The narrator is able to "pop back up" after five minutes from a situation that results in death. He has been subjected to many forms of death and has revived many times since. One of his least favorites is death by suffocation which results in a headache afterwards.

One constant detail about his revival is that each time he revives, it comes with a bit of neck pain. This alludes to an undiscovered facet of his revival as the narrator simply believes it is a lingering effect of a previous death -though considering the nature of his powers, it is likely something that has to do with his ability to revive and something a previous killer caused him (also, some of the deaths he has had describe fully reviving after being blown up, which means that any previous physical traumas would have been reset).

text: But seriously, I just wake the fuck back up. Wrap your head around that real tight and think about it. One second you saw me take a 10 story drop onto blistering hot saturday afternoon pavement and five minutes later I just pop back up and dust myself off. I've been shot, stabbed, poisoned, electrocuted, drowned, burnt, crushed, blowed up in all manner of spectacular fashions and suffocated.

answer: The narrator has the ability to come back to life after dying.

text: But seriously, I just wake the fuck back up. Wrap your head around that real tight and think about it. One second you saw me take a 10 story drop onto blistering hot saturday afternoon pavement and five minutes later I just pop back up and dust myself off. I've been shot, stabbed, poisoned, electrocuted, drowned, burnt, crushed, blowed up in all manner of spectacular fashions and suffocated.

answer: He can't be killed.

text: But seriously, I just wake the fuck back up. Wrap your head around that real tight and think about it. One second you saw me take a 10 story drop onto blistering hot saturday afternoon pavement and five minutes later I just pop back up and dust myself off. I've been shot, stabbed, poisoned, electrocuted, drowned, burnt, crushed, blowed up in all manner of spectacular fashions and suffocated.

question: How has the narrator's ability to revive affected his life?

answer: He can't give his real name, he can't tell people where he's from, and he can't fill out a tax form.

text: I need a job. For the very reasons above I can't give you my real name, I can't tell you where I'm from, and I can't fill out a tax form.

answer: The narrator's ability to revive after dying has made his life difficult, as he is unable to hold down a steady job due to the suspicion that arises when people find out about his ability. He is constantly on the move, trying to avoid those who wish to harm him, and is often left without a steady income.

text: I need a job. For the very reasons above I can't give you my real name, I can't tell you where I'm from, and I can't fill out a tax form.

answer: Many of his girlfriends have tried to kill him (their motives are not given), cults have tried to either worship him or sacrifice him

text: He also can't get or keep a stable job.

refinement: Many of his girlfriends have tried to kill him (their motives are not given), cults have tried to either worship him or sacrifice him. He can't get or keep a stable job because he has to move and change his life details a lot.

text: I need a job. For the very reasons above I can't give you my real name, I can't tell you where I'm from, and I can't fill out a tax form.

answer: The narrator's ability to revive has affected his life in that he has been murdered many times and has had to move to different cities.

text:
They always have to bring murder into the whole thing and I suppose if I was anybody else I'd be a little mad about it. I've been murdered way to many times to take it personally, although it's almost always disappointing.

Regardless of how or when or where I expire I always wake back up, roughly 5 minutes later, usually with a little neck pai

question: Write a ~4 sentence summary.

answer: The interviewee is looking for a job and tells a story about how he has been murdered many times.

text: This is about how the interviewee has been murdered but the most important part and the point of the story is that he manages to survive each time, and the subsequent complications.

refinement: The interviewee is looking for a job and tells a story about how he has been murdered many times, yet he always survives. This has caused people to come looking for him, so he has difficulty getting and holding a job, or anything related to his identity.

text: We don't know that the narrator is a man.

refinement: The interviewee is looking for a job and tells a story about how they have been murdered many times, yet they always survive. This has caused people to come looking for them, so they have difficulty getting and holding a job, or anything related to their identity.

answer: The speaker is a person who is able to come back to life 5 minutes after death. He would hide and change his identity whenever other people would learn of his ability (which often resulted in people being fatally cruel to him). This has resulted in the speaker not being able to hold a proper job. Currently, the speaker is trying to apply for work in an adult bookstore and is in an interview where he is being honest about his unique situation.

text: Numbers with one digit should be spelled out.

refinement: The speaker is a person who is able to come back to life five minutes after death. He would hide and change his identity whenever other people would learn of his ability (which often resulted in people being fatally cruel to him). This has resulted in the speaker not being able to hold a proper job. Currently, the speaker is trying to apply for work in an adult bookstore and is in an interview where he is being honest about his unique situation.

text: We don't know that the narrator is a man.

refinement: The speaker is a person who is able to come back to life five minutes after death. They would hide and change their identity whenever other people would learn of his ability (which often resulted in people being fatally cruel to them). This has resulted in the speaker not being able to hold a proper job. Currently, the speaker is trying to apply for work in an adult bookstore and is in an interview where they are being honest about his unique situation.

answer: The narrator is a man who has been murdered many times. He wakes up after each murder attempt, and he has no idea why. He is looking for a job, but he can't give his real name, where he's from, or fill out a tax form. He tells the interviewer about the time he woke up with a wooden stake in his heart.

text: We don't know the gender of the narrator.

refinement: The narrator is someone who has been murdered many times. They wake up after each murder attempt, and they have no idea why. They are looking for a job, but they can't give their real name, where they're from, or fill out a tax form. They tell the interviewer about the time they woke up with a wooden stake in their heart.

answer: The narrator is looking for a job, as they have been murdered multiple times and cannot fill out a tax form. They tell stories of their various deaths, and explain that they can do various tasks, but cannot be a bouncer.

text: There should be an explicit statement about their power.

refinement: The narrator is looking for a job, as they have been murdered multiple times but when they miraculously come back to life, their assailants come looking for them. They must hide or change their identity and cannot fill out a tax form. They tell stories of their various deaths, and explain that they can do various tasks, but cannot be a bouncer.


text:
I am not a particularly good writer, but this is the dream I just had, I felt the urge to post it somewhere and found this subreddit.
~

The air was frigid with cold on the dark January day. Seattle is far enough north that the winter and summer day lengths are disproportionate. Usually during this time of year dusk will be at four o'clock. The result is darkness, and rain, and even depression. The dark days seemed to mess with my head, make my sleeping patterns go crazy. Oddly enough I was going to sleep in the very early hours of the morning, and waking up past noon whenever I could. Tonight was no different as I went to sleep at almost 3 in the morning.

Like any night I missed her to no end. I would likely never see her again, yet i clung to the very thought of her. Like most nights I fell asleep crying into my pillow, curled in my blankets as the rain drizzled down just outside. I was in a dark haze, not sure if i was asleep or awake. Suddenly I was awoken with a feeling of dread; my very insides were churning, my pulse quickened and adrenalin kicked in. I felt a sudden agony in my head; it felt as if my head was on fire. I twisted in my blankets and felt my stomach drop, the feeling you get when you’re on a roller-coaster on that first drop. A bright light filled my eyes becoming stronger every second, I felt my bed drop from beneath me and suddenly I was floating in nothing, light surrounding me.

I was on the dry grass beside a busy road, my eyes adjusted then I saw her, waiting to cross the street just 5 yards before me. I was behind her she did not see me, nor did anyone of the cars rushing past. Somehow I was in Arizona. I began to pick myself up from the grass watching her as she started to cross the street. When something else caught my eye, it was a large truck, speeding through the previous intersection. I saw it, she did not. I shouted her name, attempting to warn her. I sprinted towards her just as she turned around to see the truck hurtling towards her. I jumped, pushing her out of the way and we both hit the ground hard. The trucks tire caught my leg and suddenly it was on fire. I looked again at her calling her name again as my head gave out.

Yet I quickly came out again and I was on the side of the road. She held my head as I looked up at her amazing brown eyes, she was so fucking beautiful. I cried a bit, heard a siren and passed out again. I could tell my leg was in a bad shape as I woke on my hospital bed. I looked and saw she was beside my bed, sitting beside me on a chair gently sleeping while holding my hand. I lay there for an hour until she woke, we acknowledged each other silently then I leaned over and hugged her. My held felt numb and my sight went dark again, followed by pure light.

I was in my own bed again, back in Washington listening to the sound of the rain fall endlessly outside.

title: I have never written a short story, nor do i consider this to be one. Rather, the recollection of a dream.

question: Who does the narrator miss?

answer: The narrator misses the woman he keeps seeing in his dreams.

answer: The narrator misses their lost love. The dream starts with the narrator crying over memories of their lost love, before they are suddenly transported to a place where they see their love crossing the street and are violently injured trying to save them. The dream concludes with the two holding each other in the hospital, where the narrator finally finds solace.

text: The passage does not state that the person that the narrator is describing is a "lost love."

refinement: The narrator misses a woman that they see in a dream. The dream starts with the narrator finding themselves on the side of the road. They see the woman crossing the street and are violently injured trying to save them. The dream concludes with the two holding each other in the hospital, where the narrator finally finds solace.

answer: He misses a woman who is not named in the story.

question: How does the narrator get injured?

answer: The narrator gets injured when a large truck hits his leg.

text: "I jumped, pushing her out of the way and we both hit the ground hard. The trucks tire caught my leg and suddenly it was on fire."

answer: He runs into traffic to meet with a girl he misses and pushes her out of the way of a truck.

text: The narrator is not "meeting" with the girl; he is trying to save her from the truck.

refinement: He runs into traffic try to save the woman and pushes her out of the way of a truck. The truck hits his leg.

text: "I jumped, pushing her out of the way and we both hit the ground hard. The trucks tire caught my leg and suddenly it was on fire."

answer: The narrator is injured when a car crashes into him as he is pushing his beloved out of the way and his leg gets caught on fire.

question: How did the narrator arrive at the road?

text: no answer.

refinement: The passage does not answer this question. Because the narrator is describing a dream, it is safe to say that there is a heightened reality.

answer: He was in a dream and he appeared there. It's not explained how.

text: "A bright light filled my eyes becoming stronger every second, I felt my bed drop from beneath me and suddenly I was floating in nothing, light surrounding me."

text: no answer

refinement: The passage does not answer this question. Because the narrator is describing a dream, it is safe to say that there is a heightened reality.

question: What type of injury does the narrator sustain?

answer: The narrator sustains a leg injury.

text: "The trucks tire caught my leg and suddenly it was on fire."

answer: The narrator sustains a head injury and a leg injury.

text: It is not stated that the narrator sustains a head injury.

answer: His leg is hurt by a truck.

text: "The trucks tire caught my leg and suddenly it was on fire."

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: I had a dream in which I was speaking with an individual who I had not met before the dream. Suddenly, a truck swerved around and hit my legs before driving off. We were both rescued by an unknown being and taken back to the east side of the road, where the female instructed me to lay down. She then stayed with me, holding my hand and talking the speaker to sleep.

text: The summary uses first person and past tense.

refinement: The narrator has a dream in which they are speaking with an individual who they had not met before the dream. Suddenly, a truck swerves around and hit the narrator's legs before driving off. They were both rescued by an unknown being and taken back to the east side of the road, where the female instructed the narrator to lay down. She then stays with the narrator, holding my hand and talking the speaker to sleep.

text: There is an inaccuracy in describing how the dream starts.

refinement: The narrator has a dream in which they wake up on the side of the road. He sees a woman about to cross the street. Suddenly, a truck swerves around and hit the narrator's legs before driving off. They were both rescued by an unknown being and taken back to the east side of the road, where the female instructed the narrator to lay down. She then stays with the narrator, holding my hand and talking the speaker to sleep.

text: There is an inaccuracy in describing how the accident that involves the narrator occurs.

refinement: The narrator has a dream in which they wake up on the side of the road. He sees a woman about to cross the street. The narrator sees a truck coming towards the woman, and dives at her in attempt to save her. The truck strikes the narrator in the legs.   They were both rescued by an unknown being and taken back to the east side of the road, where the female instructed the narrator to lay down. She then stays with the narrator, holding my hand and talking the speaker to sleep.

text: The narrator ends up in a hospital.

refinement: The narrator has a dream in which they wake up on the side of the road. He sees a woman about to cross the street. The narrator sees a truck coming towards the woman, and dives at her in attempt to save her. The truck strikes the narrator in the legs.   They were both rescued by an unknown being and taken to a hospital She then stays with the narrator, holding my hand and talking the speaker to sleep.

answer: A man is out in the rain when he sees a beautiful woman. As he tries to warn her, they are struck by a truck. When his head clears he sees the woman beside his hospital bed, and they hold each other.

text: The summary should indicate that was is being described is a dream.

refinement: A man has a dream where he is on the side of a road. He notices a woman crossing the busy street. As he tries to warn her, they are struck by a truck. When his head clears he sees the woman beside his hospital bed, and they hold each other.

text: Only the narrator is struck by the truck.

refinement: A man has a dream where he is on the side of a road. He notices a woman crossing the busy street. As he tries to warn her, he is struck by a truck. When his head clears he sees the woman beside his hospital bed, and they hold each other.

answer: This story is about a man who relives his worst nightmare over and over again. He sees a woman in an intersection while it is raining, he pushes her out the way as she is run over by a truck and gets hurt. He wakes up in the hospital and awakens to find out she is the same woman he saw before, she comforts him and stays by his side. In the end, he dies and wakes up back at home in his own bed with the rain still outside.

text: The woman does not get run over. The narrator does.

refinement: This story is about a man who relives his worst nightmare over and over again. He sees a woman in an intersection while it is raining, he pushes her out the way and is run over by a truck. He wakes up in the hospital and awakens to find out she is the same woman he saw before, she comforts him and stays by his side. In the end, he dies and wakes up back at home in his own bed with the rain still outside.

answer: The narrator is having a dream about an encounter with a woman he misses. He saves her from getting hit by a car but gets injured himself.

answer: The dream is about a man who is dreaming about being in a waking state, sees a truck about to crash & pushes the other person out of the way.

text: The summary should include some mention of the woman.

refinement: The dream is about a man who wakes up on the side of a road and sees a woman crossing a busy street. He sees a truck about to crash into her & pushes the other person out of the way. He ends up in the hospital.

answer: The dreamer meets someone he knows, they save each other's life, the truck that was about to hit them explodes and they live happily ever after.

text: The summary is incomprehensible.

refinement: The dream is about a man who wakes up on the side of a road and sees a woman crossing a busy street. He sees a truck about to crash into her & pushes the other person out of the way. He ends up in the hospital with the woman and she is holding his hand.


text:
Arsène Wenger believes that Theo Walcott has a psychological barrier to overcome, as he described the winger as feeling “edgy” about a return to full-blooded contact in matches.

Walcott has endured a nightmarish 12 months, which began when he ruptured his cruciate knee ligament in Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round home win over Tottenham Hotspur on 4 January. He returned, briefly, in early November, when he made ten and eleven minute substitute appearances against Burnley and Swansea City.

However, he damaged his groin – according to Wenger – during an international training session with England and he has not played since, although he has been an unused substitute in Arsenal’s last three matches.

Walcott is expected to remain on the bench for the New Year’s Day fixture at his former club, Southampton, before making his comeback to the starting XI in Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to Hull City, which will mark the anniversary of his cruciate injury.

“He has been out for one year,” Wenger said. “He has to go for contact and today, the game does not forgive you any lack of contact or defensive focus. We have to get that. He is certainly a bit edgy as he has been out for so long. About the first tackle? Yes, of course. You must have that in your mind and have to go through that.”

Wenger was happy at the time for Walcott to join up with England for the November fixtures against Slovenia and Scotland, reasoning that he would benefit from the high-level training. Walcott was not expected to feature in either game and he did not. Wenger, however, was more rueful, albeit with the benefit of hindsight, when he reflected on the episode.

“I regret it, yes,” Wenger said. “At the time, it looked like a good opportunity for him to get a game because England played a friendly against Scotland and I thought maybe a game or one half of a game would help him get through that and play at a high-level competition. But he came back injured.

“Did he push himself too hard? Maybe, I don’t know. He overloaded his groin in training. It can happen. It could have happened here as well. You have to accept that.”

Wenger has problems up front for the visit to Southampton, with Olivier Giroud suspended, Danny Welbeck facing a fitness test on the thigh injury that he suffered at West Ham United on Sunday and Yaya Sanogo out because of hamstring trouble.

Sanogo, who has also suffered because of a problem with his wisdom teeth, could be allowed to move on loan during January to help his development. Bordeaux have made an inquiry, although Wenger said that he would prefer the 21-year-old Frenchman to join a Premier League club. Wenger is also willing to loan the 19-year-old English striker Chuba Akpom.

“It’s a possibility,” Wenger said of the loan for Sanogo. “I would prefer him to go to a Premier League club. He is a goal-scorer and he’s not frightened. He’s a guy who is naturally aggressive and, in the modern game, that’s a vital quality.

“Sanogo is out at the moment. He had wisdom teeth out but that’s not the problem now – he’s got a hamstring injury. The wisdom teeth were infected and he was under antibiotics for a long time. We did it when we thought we had a little break between the Liverpool and QPR games.”

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

What does the article have to say about Theo Walcott's return to football?

answer: Arsène Wenger believes Theo Walcott needs a bit of luck to overcome his emotional barrier. He believes Walcott is a little edgy about coming back to the game and requests not to jump in too soon. Walcott had a one-year nightmare since he ruptured his cruciate knee ligament in Arsenal's FA Cup third-round home win against Tottenham Hotspur. Arsène Wenger also believes Walcott is afraid of first contact. According to the article, Walcott is once again anxiously awaiting his comeback.

answer: No answer

answer: After suffering for 12 months after injuring his knee Walcot is apparently apprehensive about returning to the field, when he played last he injured his groin, leading to further downtime. Had Walcot not injured himself again, he could have returned to high-level competition sooner. He is expected to play in a game against Hull City on the anniversary of his initial injury.

answer: The article says that Walcott has been out of football for one year and currently has a psychological barrier to overcome when it comes to returning to contact. Wenger worries that Walcott may have pushed himself too hard during a training session with England leading him to injure his groin. Wenger also states that there are currently problems for Arsenal up front with Olivier Giroud being suspended, Danny Welbeck injured, and Yaya Sanogo out of action with a hamstring injury. As a result, the possibility of a loan for Sanogo is being considered.

answer: The article mentions that Theo Walcott has been out of football for one year and that he feels "edgy" about returning to full-contact play. Wenger believes that Walcott is worried about the first tackle he receives, reasoning that he is concerned about not being able to handle the speed of play. Walcott has also suffered from injury since returning to football, most recently with a groin issue. Wenger is regretful that he allowed Walcott to return to England's national team and sustain an injury there.

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

What problems is Wenger facing?

answer: Olivier Giroud is suspended, Danny Welbeck has a thigh injury and Yaya Sanogo has a hamstring injury.

text: In addition to Theo Walcott

refinement: In addition to Theo Walcott's emotional block, Olivier Giroud is suspended, Danny Welbeck has a thigh injury and Yaya Sanogo has a hamstring injury.

answer: Arsene Wenger is not only facing the issue of top player Theo Walcott having a psychological block when it comes to returning to play, he regrets pushing Walcott back into play too soon. He is also having to deal with Olivier Giroud being suspended, Danny Welbeck having a thigh injury and Sanogo having his wisdom teeth removed while on loan from France.

text: Comma splice

refinement: Arsene Wenger is not only facing the issue of top player Theo Walcott having a psychological block when it comes to returning to play: he is also having to deal with Olivier Giroud being suspended, Danny Welbeck having a thigh injury and Sanogo having his wisdom teeth removed while on loan from France.

answer: Wenger is facing a problem with his options due to injury, with both Olivier Giroud and Yaya Sanogo unavailable due to injury. Chuba Akpom could also move on loan.

text: Vague first sentence and irrelevant

refinement: Wenger is facing a problem with his options due Walcott's emotional block, as well as Olivier Giroud's suspension, Danny Welbeck facing a fitness test due to a thigh injury, and Yaya Sanogo unavailable due to a hamstring injury.

answer: Olivier Giroud is suspended, Danny Welbeck is injured, and Yaya Sanogo is injured.

text: As well as Theo Walcott

refinement: In addition to Theo Walcott's emotional block, Olivier Giroud is suspended, Danny Welbeck is injured, and Yaya Sanogo is injured.

answer: Wenger is facing problems up front for the visit to Southampton, with Olivier Giroud suspended, Danny Welbeck facing a fitness test on the thigh injury that he suffered at West Ham United on Sunday, and Yaya Sanogo is out with a hamstring.

text: In addition to Theo Walcott

refinement: Wenger is facing problems up front for the visit to Southampton in addition to Theo Walcott, with Olivier Giroud suspended, Danny Welbeck facing a fitness test on the thigh injury that he suffered at West Ham United on Sunday, and Yaya Sanogo is out with a hamstring.

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

What does the article have to say about Sanogo?

answer: Sanogo is currently suffering due to an issue with his wisdom teeth, but could be on loan to help his development. Bordeaux have made an enquiry, though Wenger says he'd prefer him to join a Premier League club. Sanogo also has a hamstring injury.

answer: Sanogo is a professional french footballer who plays in Arsenal. He is 21-years old. He faces injury problems because of his wisdom teeth. Wenger is proud of him and believes he will develop into a strong forward.

answer: After Sanogo went on a loan during January to help his development, the article states that Sanogo is injured. He hurt his hamstring. Sanogo is not at the top of Wenger's priority list for loans.

answer: The article suggests that Sanogo has a hamstring injury and has suffered because of problems with his wisdom teeth. Wenger is open to the possibility of allowing Sanogo to go out on loan in January to help his development.

answer: The article says that Sanogo has a hamstring injury and is currently out from play. Wenger is open to the possibility of loaning Sanogo out to a Premier League club.


text:
Footsteps echo in the long stone corridor. Small chains can also be heard. The man is panting, running towards a wooden door with golden engravings. He rams in the door, forgetting about the doorknob. The door hits the Jester, who then falls to the ground and breaks his nose. In the middle of the room, is the leader. Without wasting an instant, he yells

“Sire! We are under attack!” Yells the Subreddit knight.
“What?” Screams the leader, standing up
“Yes sire! Castle Repost is breaching our walls! It won't be long now!”
“What are they after?”
“The same thing as always, they wish to break Castle AdviceAnimal's walls and reach the Front Page fortress!”
“This shouldn't be a problem, our Downvote cannons are always charged! Tell me what happened!”
“They managed to outnumber us. They silently shot down our defenses with their Upvote Cannons. From that point, they burned the front gate and slowly walked in.”
“Where are they now?” Asks the Leader
“We managed to arm our comment guns and slow them down, but soon they will overpower us.” The knight explained
“Did you try calling on an ally Castle? Like Castle Funny or Castle Aww?”
“We did, but they said they could not arrive for a few days. We sent messages to Castle Atheist and Circle-Jerk, we have no response yet, but I'm sure they will refuse.”
“What about the citizens?”

A cannon shot is heard, then a smashing sound. Screams flood the air, followed by another explosion and screams of glory.

“We tried to make them leave by the secret tunnels, but many citizens took to arms and jumped into the fight. Many died and are still dying. The ones that decided to escape found that most of the tunnels were blocked. We lost many.” Explains the Knight, a hint of sadness in his voice.
“How many men do we have left?”
“When I left, a few were still standing. A few of our men have been captured and enslaved. The Fortress was still untouched, but, as we heard, that has changed.”
“Then follow me, we shall gather what few we have and craft some plan that might turn the table.” Commands the King.

The King opens the door. A few cats run away from the room. The Jester stands up and runs to the corridor, where a cannonball smashes through and hits him. The Knight goes first, but turns left. The King follows him. They walk through the stone corridors and passageways, on their way seeing the Castle Nobles running awry. The Scumbag Brain is hitting a door, trying to get in, while the Scumbag Steve and Stacy are pushing people aside, running in circles. As the Knight and King finally arrive to the armory, they realize that it's completely empty.

“Where are they all?” Asks the King
“At the walls, fighting off the enemy. We were lucky not to encounter them.”
More screams are heard, this time closer to them. Again, the same victory cries are heard.

“We don't have any time left. The enemy is here, searching for me. We have to act now.”
“All the weapons we have left are here. A few pounds of black powder, some swords and dagger and two shields.” Counts the Knight, as he locks the door.

The King walks and sits in a corner. As he does this, the door blasts open in a cloud of fire, smoke and blood. The King screams as portions of his newest friend splatters his robes. As the smoke dies down, an orange arrow smashes into the wall next to his head.

“So, you managed to outlive all of your little guards? No matter, you will join them soon enough.” A voice chuckles.
“So you are the new general that managed to recruit all of these newbies? You are new yourself, but competent.” Tells the King.
“Why thank you, but don't think complements will save you. I am here on a mission.” Exclaims the General
“You are competent, but still inexperienced. Exactly like your army.”  Explains the King
“And why is that?” Asks the General
“Because you didn't think this through. The worst place to be when you attack a Fortress, especially when you confront someone, is the armory.” Slowly says the King
“Explain.” Demands the General
“Let me show you.” The King says

The General and his army intensely stares at the King, while he reaches into his back pocket with his left hand. He slowly pulls out a gun.

“Downvote gun, one of the most powerful ever built” Says the King.
“Don't even think about shooting me or yourself.” Confidently says the General.

The King lets out a little laugh. He slowly points the muzzle to his left. The entire audience looks left, over to a pile of swords and daggers. As fast as he can, the King takes a shield and shoots to his right, on a pile of black powder. As the audience looks right, they see a large flash of light, then another ball of fire, smoke and blood fill the room. Screams are heard, but no victory cries are heard this time. When the smoke falls, the King uncurls from behind the shield and stands up.

“Time to rebuild, again... Will these attacks ever end?” He sighs

As he walks out of the room, he looks at all the damage done to the Fortress and the Kingdom. A cat walks to him and starts cuddling.

- “I really need a bath.” He whispers.

title: The attack of the Repost

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

Summarize what the story is a metaphor for.

answer: In the story, different castles are metaphors for different Subreddits on the website Reddit. The weapons are upvotes and downvotes, which are used on the website to express approval or disapproval in posts. However, the attacking castle doesn't represent a particular Subreddit, but the concept of reposting, posting something in a subreddit which has already been posted. Though not as explicit, the knights and king are presumably metaphors for Subreddit moderators.

answer: The story is a metaphor for accessing the Internet.

text: The answer given is insufficient. It fails to explain the use of metaphor in the story by highlighting the symbolic characters in the story as they relate to the online space.

refinement: The story is a metaphor for the battle between social media users. It showcases how subreddit knights and the King fight off spammers and invaders to protect their castle. The castle under attack by the invaders represents the online community. The subforums/subreddit knights are the community's ever-dwindling defenses against the invaders. The King represents the founder, who has protected and nurtured the community thus far. The invaders are the community's most challenging opponents, whether they be community members determined to spam or troll or newcomers who try to attack or overpower a once happy little online community. The Jesters are those community members who volunteer time to patrol the walls and ensure everything is safe. Ultimately, the story is about the constant battle online communities face and their need to be vigilant and overcome complex challenges.

answer: The story is a metaphor for the fighting between social media users. In many ways there are a lot of similarities between the two, between how Reddit fights of spammers and nonsense and how the king fights off invaders. The narrative is used to critique the focus of Reddit, which at the time of the story most people thought to be.

text:
-The first line of the answer should be rewritten more coherently.
The second line of the answer lacks clarity, is partially grammatically incorrect and should be rewritten.
-The last line of the answer also appears incomplete and awkwardly structured. The model should rewrite this as well.

refinement: The story is a metaphor for the battle between social media users. It showcases how subreddit knights and the King fight off spammers and invaders to protect their castle. The castle under attack by the invaders represents the online community. The subforums/subreddit knights are the community's ever-dwindling defenses against the invaders. The King represents the founder, who has protected and nurtured the community thus far. The invaders are the community's most challenging opponents, whether they be community members determined to spam or troll or newcomers who try to attack or overpower a once happy little online community. The Jesters are those community members who volunteer time to patrol the walls and ensure everything is safe. Ultimately, the story is about the constant battle online communities face and their need to be vigilant and overcome complex challenges.

answer: The story is a metaphor for the severe challenges faced by many online communities. The castle under attack by the invaders represents the online community. The King represents the founder, who has protected and nurtured the community thus far. The invaders are the community's most challenging opponents, whether they be community members determined to spam or troll, or newcomers who use something like a DDOS attack to overpower a once happy little online community. The subforums are the community's ever dwindling defenses against the invaders. The Jesters are those community members who volunteer time to patrol the walls and make sure everything is safe. They, like the rest of the community, have been overwhelmed and the doors to the armory have been opened to the invaders. However, the King proves victorious in the end by narrowly escaping and using the attackers' own strategy against them. Ultimately, the story is about the constant battle faced by online communities and their need to be vigilant and overcome difficult challenges.

text:
-The word 'ever-dwindling' should be hyphenated.
-The answer should also remove the extraneous 'DDOS attack' from the sentence. Every response line should be clear enough for the average reader because not everyone may know what DDOS means.

refinement: The story is a metaphor for the severe challenges faced by many online communities. The castle under attack by the invaders represents the online community. The King represents the founder, who has protected and nurtured the community thus far. The invaders are the community's most challenging opponents, whether community members determined to spam or troll or newcomers who try to attack or overpower a once happy little online community. The subforums are the community's ever-dwindling defenses against the invaders. The Jesters are those community members who volunteer time to patrol the walls and ensure everything is safe. Like the rest of the community, they have been overwhelmed, and the doors to the armory have been opened to the invaders. However, the King proves victorious in the end by narrowly escaping and using the attackers' strategy against them. Ultimately, the story is about the constant battle online communities face and their need to be vigilant and overcome complex challenges.

answer: The story is a metaphor for the ongoing battle to maintain one's position in a constantly changing online space. The battle is perilous and filled with crises. Rather than being able to rely on an already established system or personal networks, one must constantly be fighting for their life. While some may feel triumphant in victory, failing often means rebuilding from scratch and repeating the same cycle over and over again.


text:
Featured Articles

Dogs Cats and Fur Battles – Pet Tip 251

[Dogs Cats and Fur Battles – Pet Tip 251]

Cats and dogs have plenty of fur and the battle of the fur and the household never seems to end. Cats and dogs don’t seem to care much about losing a bit of fur but it does bother many humans. Given that the fur problem for humans is not likely to end anytime soon is there anything we can do to reduce the amount of fur that cats and dogs shed?

The answer is ‘yes and no’ and has a lot to do with the personality of the human not the cat or dog. Dogs and cats shed and that is a fact of life. They can no more stop shedding than we humans can stop shedding. (Humans shed skin cells and lose body/head hair every single day).

You JUST got a new dog – Don’t freak out – Pet tip 255

[You JUST got a new dog – Don’t freak out – Pet tip 255]

Today’s domestic dog is still closely related to the wolf. Like all wolves living in a pack, dogs must be part of a stable family and feel safe. Most domestic behavioral problems occur when the dog is confused about how to act/behave in different situations such as your home or out on a walk.

It is recommended that you keep Fido confined no matter his age for at least the first month in your home. This will allow him to settle in more comfortably and adapt to your lifestyle. At the same time, confinement will reduce such misbehaviors as chewing and separation anxiety.

Here are a few general rules to help you to prevent misbehaviors when you bring Fido home:

Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

[Hip Dysplasia in Dogs]

The very first signs of hip dysplasia in dogs can be noticed in a number of ways. Maybe you’ve taken your puppy or young dog home, and on its first visit to the veterinarian, the perceptive doctor notices that its hips don’t feel quite normal. Or perhaps you noticed that it has an odd way of running or jumping, and you bring it to the attention of the veterinarian. Your vet recommends that your dog have x-rays done and after looking at the x-rays, he/she informs you that your dog has hip dysplasia.

What does that mean? Dysplasia simply means ‘not properly formed’. Therefore, your dog’s hip joint was not properly formed.

Limber tail in dogs – Pet tip 140

[Limber tail in dogs – Pet tip 140]

Limber Tail Syndrome (AKA cold tail, dead tail, broken wag) is quite common among some breeds of hunting dogs, such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Pointers, Setters, and Beagles. It is a condition in which the tail becomes limp and sometimes painful after exertion, particularly during inclement weather, swimming, or in an under-conditioned dog. It is a condition well-known to hunting dog owners and trainers, but not commonly seen by veterinarians. The syndrome is characterized by the swelling of the muscles at the base of the tail (the wagging muscles, which are also used heavily during swimming when the tail may serve as a rudder). These muscles are bound to the tail by a tight ring of connective tissue. As the muscles swell and expand, the connective tissue begins to serve as a tourniquet – cutting off normal blood flow.

When increased pressure within a confined space results in reduced blood flow, it is known as a ‘compartment syndrome’.

Catnip and cats

[Catnip and cats]

Catnip is a plant with pretty coloured flowers at the tip and heart shaped leaves on a thick stem and contains a chemical ingredient that often has a stimulating effect on cats. In this article, we will discuss the possible effects it can have on your cat, and common questions you may have regarding catnip.

How Does Catnip Work?

Catnip contains chemicals that trigger a behavioural response in cats when they breathe it in. What is this behavioural response? Well, let’s use an example that I’m sure we’ve all been exposed to. The smell of delicious freshly baked cookies comes wafting to your nostrils, this triggers you to salivate, so you to walk to the kitchen and cannot help eating the cookies.

Pet Phobias

[Pet Phobias]

Dark skies and rumbling thunder is often a stressful time for many dog owners. In all likelihood, it is even more stressful for the dogs themselves! Fears and phobias in our companion animals are more common than one might imagine, ranging from fear of loud noises and new places to the fear of people and other animals.

There are many different components and reasons for a fear response in an animal. It can be an innate response, meaning that it is genetically programmed into the animal’s behaviour, such as fear for a predator. If there is a lack of proper socialization to different people and environments when the animal is young, it may be fearful of unfamiliar situations when it is older.

Hairless Cats – Pet tip 145

[Hairless Cats – Pet tip 145]

For many, just the thought of a hairless cat is enough to make them shudder. For these people, the sight of a hairless cat is shocking, and touching one is downright scary. If you are one of these people, then this article is unlikely to sway you in the other direction. However, if you are the kind of person who has always been a little bit intrigued by the unique look of hairless cats, read on. Behind their striking appearance is a fascinating background, and if you are considering making a hairless cat part of your family, there is also a plethora of information to know about the proper way to care for these beautiful creatures.

Congenital hairlessness in cats is an extremely rare trait. Essentially, a hairless cat is the result of genetic mutations in one or more of the genes which encode for normal hair development. While the word ‘mutation’ implies that this genetic condition is unwanted and accidental, there are actually many breeders who select specifically for the hairlessness trait and work to maintain the hairless lineage in their cats.

Dogs and Cats that Drink Too Much Water – Pet tip 240

[Dogs and Cats that Drink Too Much Water – Pet tip 240]

Water is the elixir of life and it is essential to all living things. Our pets need to have access to water at all times and their water bowls should be filled with fresh water every single day. When our pets don’t get enough water dehydration can occur. Sometimes though, our pets drink too much water and although we know that water is good for our pets, too much is too much. Serious health problems can occur when our pets drink too much water. Sometimes the reason they drink so much stems from psychological or behavioural problems; other times the reason is medical. Either way, drinking too much water is dangerous for pets.

When a pet drinks too much water, its urinary system is also affected. What goes in must come out so thirst and urination are naturally linked.

Cherry eye in dogs – Pet tip 122

[Cherry eye in dogs – Pet tip 122]

Any owner of a dog who has had “cherry eye” will tell you that it is not a pretty sight. Perhaps you have witnessed it yourself and have seen the large red mass bulging out of the inner corner of a dog’s eye, from which the name ‘cherry eye’ originated. While not the most visually appealing condition (for the owners or the afflicted dog), cherry eye is actually a fairly common and benign occurrence in many breeds of dogs.

Though it may appear somewhat like a tumour or even an awfully big bug bite, the ‘cherry’ on your dog’s eye is actually a prolapsed (or popped out) gland. Known by veterinarians as the nictitans gland, this gland is present in the third eyelid of dogs and aids in the production of tears. Unlike humans, many animals possess this third eyelid which closes horizontally across the eye to provide extra protection and moisture.

Pets.ca Forum Activity

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

Summarize some of the behaviors that this article says can be explained by health ailments in your pets.

answer:
Dog behaviors that can be explained by health ailments include separation anxiety and poor social development.

Cat behaviors that can be explained by health ailments include genetic and behavioral problems with drinking too much water.

text: While there are other details that can be added, this response is quite accurate. Better wording of this response can be added to enhance it.

refinement: Some examples of health ailments displayed by pets, according to this article, are displayed my dogs and cats. Dog behaviors that can be explained by health ailments include separation anxiety and poor social development. Cat behaviors that can be explained by health ailments include genetic and behavioral problems with drinking too much water.

answer: Some of the behaviors in pets caused by medical issues are limber tail in dogs, cherry eye in dogs, and hairless cats. The first condition is where the tail becomes limp and sometimes painful after exertion. Cherry eye is a red mass that protrudes from the inner corner of a dog's eye. Hairlessness in cats is caused by genetic mutations that result in poor hair development. All of these conditions can result in serious health problems.

answer: If your dog has an odd way of running or jumping, they might have hip dysplasia. Limber tail-also known as dead tail or broken wag-might show itself if your pup has difficulty wagging their tail, especially after having hunted or played in cold weather. Another example is drinking a ton of water- this might highlight kidney dysfunction in both dogs as well as cats.

answer: The section on Limber tail syndrome is based on the way the tail becomes limp and painful, the explanation given is that common exercising in inclement weather could lead to such a condition. Eating behaviors, and in particular separation anxiety, is also explained. Limber tail syndrome is also possible to see through blood flow cut off due to swollen muscles.

text: This response needs some editing because it should describe how cats and dogs are both affected by health ailments.

refinement: Health ailments occur both in dogs and cats. Dogs deal with Limber tail syndrome. The section on Limber tail syndrome is based on the way the tail becomes limp and painful, the explanation given is that common exercising in inclement weather could lead to such a condition. Eating behaviors, and in particular separation anxiety, is also explained. Limber tail syndrome is also possible to see through blood flow cut off due to swollen muscles. Cats suffer from drinking too much water, and can deal with genetic ailments as well, like congenital hairlessness.

answer: Some possible behaviors in your pets could be a fear response to loud noises, separation anxiety, chewing, and entering serious health problems like dehydration if they drink too much water. These behaviors are probably due to medical conditions such as cherry eye, a prolapsed gland in the third eyelid of dogs.

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

Summarize how catnip works.

answer: According to this article, the effect of catnip is best compared to how when humans smell something delicious, we have a physiological response-such as salivation-that makes it difficult to ignore the source of said smell. Catnip makes it so cats do not want to part with the nip. This happens due to chemicals triggered by an inhalation of the catnip.

answer: The chemical ingredients in catnip trigger a behavioural response in cats when they breathe it in. This behavioural response causes cats to display certain behaviours such as running around, rolling over on the ground, rubbing against objects, and even biting at the leaves or flowers. The behavioural response is involuntary and cannot be controlled by the cat. The specific effect of catnip depends on each individual cat, however.

text: This is a strong response, but could include one additional detail about how catnip works in regards to smell.

refinement: The chemical ingredients in catnip trigger a behavioural response in cats when they breathe it in. The smell of catnip is very enticing to cats.  This behavioural response causes cats to display certain behaviours such as running around, rolling over on the ground, rubbing against objects, and even biting at the leaves or flowers. The behavioural response is involuntary and cannot be controlled by the cat. The specific effect of catnip depends on each individual cat, however.

answer: Cats respond to the chemicals in catnip by interacting with what smells like body, or pheromones. Often, nictitans gland produces tears that moisten their eyes. The response to catnip is a kind of instinctual response that guides their actions.

text: This response is not stated in the article, and is an outside assumption. Despite the response being correct, it is completely assumed (especially the last two sentences). Including information that is stated in the article to this response would make for a stronger response.

refinement: Cats respond to the chemicals in catnip by interacting with what smells like body, or pheromones. Often, nictitans gland produces tears that moisten their eyes. The response to catnip is a kind of instinctual response that guides their actions. According to the article, cats reach when they breathe in the chemicals in catnip.

answer: Catnip contains chemicals that trigger a behavioural response in cats when they breathe it in. The behavioural response is increased activity and euphoria, which is caused by increased activity in the olfactory region of the brain.

answer: Catnip contains chemicals that trigger a behavioral response in cats. The response is that it stimulates the cat. It can mimic the smell of harmful substances so cats will keep acting normal, using their natural ability to handle dangerous situations.

text: Catnip does not mimic the smell of harmful substances, but instead mimics the smell of something sweet that humans would love the smell of.

refinement: Catnip contains chemicals that trigger a behavioral response in cats. The response is that it stimulates the cat. It can mimic the smell of something appetizing, which seduces the cat and guides its behaviors.

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

Explain what cherry eye is.

answer: A bulging reddish mass that is visible in the inner corner of a dog's eye. It often looks like a tumor or a horribly big bug bite.

text: This response describes what cherry eye is, in terms of physical aspects, , but does not explain what the condition actually is.

refinement: A cherry eye is a prolapsed gland. It looks like a bulging reddish mass that is visible in the inner corner of a dog's eye. It often looks like a tumor or a horribly big bug bite.

answer: Cherry eye is a condition in which the nictitans gland in the third eyelid of the dog prolapses outwards, resulting in a mass that bulges out of the inner corner of the eye. This is a fairly common and benign occurrence in dogs. The nictitans gland aids in the production of tears.

answer: Cherry eye is the term used for a protrusion of the nictitans gland in the inner corner of a dog's eye. This gland helps with the production of tears, but when it pops out it becomes visible and unsightly. The condition is common in many breeds of dogs, and while not overtly dangerous, cherry eye can make a dog uncomfortable.

answer: The cherry eye is a common occurrence in dogs. A large red mass bulges out of the inner corner of the dog's eye. It is a prolapsed gland.

answer: Many breeds of dogs get cherry eye, and it's a normal, benign occurrence-despite its alarming color and size. The bulge protrudes from the inner corner of the dog's eye, and it is caused by a prolapsed gland, meaning it has popped out. This gland is the nictitans gland and is in the third eyelid of dogs. It helps the pup to produce tears.


text:
Design collaboration without the chaos

Integrates with Sketch on macOS

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Trusted by the world’s leading brands

[Abstract enterprise customers: Docusign, Instacart, Microsoft, Pandora, Wayfair, Wix, Yelp, and Zendesk’ logos][Abstract enterprise customers: Docusign, Instacart, Microsoft, Pandora, Wayfair, Wix, Yelp, and Zendesk’ logos]

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[Cisco]

[Microsoft]

Being able to automatically merge changes from different contributors into a single file is pure magic.

[Zendesk]

[Microsoft]

If Abstract didn’t exist, I would cry super ugly tears.

Allison Shaw

Senior Manager, Design Systems at Zendesk

[Two Salesforce product designers turn to each other in discussion]

[Salesforce]

We’re able to jump in and out of projects with more context, and fewer questions.

Laura Cruickshanks

Senior Product Designer at Salesforce

Future-proof your design team

Scale your design workflow, as your team grows

Collaborate in individual workspaces and maintain explorations for yourself and your team.

Document and capture the process as you go.

Bring only what’s in scope into a centralized Master file.

Bring visibility into the design process

Don’t wait for formal design reviews: bring stakeholders into the design process early.

Share and present work with a single link that’s always up-to-date.

Centralize feedback requests and formal approvals.

Developer handoff that’s actually easy

View the most up-to-date measurements with version control.

Download assets, without another tool. (Sketch only)

Get insight into feasibility and development lift early.

Bring teams together

Abstract gets better with friends.
The more cross-functional teams collaborate in Abstract, the faster and more efficiently they can build and ship products.

-   [Multiple screens from Abstract’s interface showing a history of changes and an annotated comment on a design.]

    Product Designers

    Work in tandem, gather feedback in context, save every exploration.

-   [A portion of the reviews interface in Abstract, showing various projects as approved, in review, or with changes requested.]

    Design Managers

    See who’s working on what, at any given time.

-   [The Master overview screen in Abstract shows Sketch and Adobe XD files.]

    Design Ops

    Operationalize design and streamline tooling.

-   [A section of the Branch overview screen shows a summary, with links to a JIRA ticket and Github issue.]

    Product Managers

    Share product insights and keep track of development.

-   [Abstract’s inspect feature shows measurements and CSS properties of a design.]

    Engineers

    Waste less time implementing outdated designs.

-   [Activity feeds in Abstract include updates about commits, branch statuses, review requests, and more.]

    Executive Stakeholders

    Gain visibility into design decisions and progress.

-   [As Contributors in Abstract, Content Strategists are able to directly edit copy in design files, then commit their work for review.]

    Content Strategists

    Get embedded in design, update copy, document content strategy.

Enterprise-class features, training, and support

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Our enterprise plan offers security, a dedicated account manager, custom onboarding, and unlimited support.

[]

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

How would the value of Abstract be determined by independent creators?

answer: Abstract enables creative professionals to scale their design workflow and work together more efficiently. This can save time and improve product quality.

answer: The possibilities of it would be endless.

text: This should go into a little bit further detail.

refinement: The possibilities of it would be endless. One could future-proof their design team; scale the project flow commensurate to the expanding workforce; document and capture the work process as you go; provide a seamless developer hand-off; and centralize feedback requests. In short, Abstract is whatever tool you need it to be.

answer: Since Abstract is focused heavily on presentation and collaboration, it will work fairly well for creators who occasionally team up with others. On the other hand, for solo productions, there is a lot less value to be had with Abstract   outside of presenting content/reporting progress to clients. Should a client not be using the software, then it would have almost no value to a creator. Unlike other kinds of processing software (which are gauged in value through their direct functionalities), it is likely that independent creators would gauge the value of Abstract based on their work processes (how much collaboration do they have), their pool of clients (which clients would appreciate the features of Abstract), and lastly, how many of these professional contacts would be willing to invest in the software.

answer: By making collaboration more seamless, Abstract supports independent creators by helping them reduce frustrations in their design process. This ultimately leads to increased efficiency and faster progress on their projects. Abstract boasts features like version control, visibility into design decisions, and easy downloads that help independent creators avoid inefficiencies and make their workflow more seamless.

answer: Independent reviewers would likely have an eye for flaws and potential improvement of Abstract by the add on feature, without the collaboration of the others. Designers in particular would value the ability to have ownership of explorations for themselves, as well as access to assets so they can pull them out of the Master file. They may perceive the collaboration tools to have created more of a positive feedback loop than a more formal way of generating and reviewing designs. The real-time data would be a welcome structure for them as well.


text:
Last Words

(Tribute to Vonnegut)

All of us in that box car, like sardines in a can, it was beginning to smell that way too. So many men in such a small space is unnatural. We were so packed in that we had to sleep in shifts. At any time men’s legs were like fence posts, buried to the knees with sleeping people like mud holding them in place.

We were all privates, all POW’s. I was stuck in a corner, propped up next to a vent. I could see out into the train yard, see more box cars just sitting and waiting. I could also dump the helmets full of shit out that vent.

The man next to me told me how he’d been a hobo before the war, “I’ve been hungrier then this.” he said, “This ain’t so bad.

One day word finally got back to us the war was over. They began shipping the box cars out. We were part of a train that moved so slow, it felt like forever between the clicks from one rail to another. That’s how we began to measure time, maybe a thousand clicks till we got out. Every once in a while we would leave a box car at a station. A slow moving train of refugees getting smaller along the way.

We finally stopped. It was my first encounter with Russians, their first with Americans, but they were familiar with the cargo. We slowly funneled out, almost like a slow moving liquid. One plopping out after another. I needed help, I felt like I would break if I plopped at all.

All but one drop of that strange liquid squeezed out of that box car. Before the war he said he was a hobo. His last words were, “This ain’t so bad”

title: Last Words (300 words)

question: What nationality is the narrator?

answer: He is American

text: This statement needs a period at the end of the statement.

answer: The narrator is American.

text: In the passage, the narrator states they have had their first interactions with Russians and them with Americans, implying the narrator is American.

text: No response given.

question: Where is the narrator?

answer: The narrator is on a train traveling at a slow pace, slowly moving away from the battlefield. Eventually, all but one soldier clears out of the box car, and his last words are that even life as a prisoner of war isn't as bad as being a hobo.

text: This response has some additional details that do not need to be there.

refinement: The narrator is on a train traveling at a slow pace, slowly moving away from the battlefield.

answer: He is in a box car with other prisoners of war.

answer: The narrator is in a Russian-held prisoner of war camp, exiting a train that has been transporting captured American soldiers.

question: Who they they encounter when they finally stop?

text: No response provided.

refinement: They encounter Russians when they finally stop.

answer: They encounter Russians when they stop.

answer: They encounter Russians and we slowly leave the box cars.

text: Additional detail is provided that is not needed to respond to the question.

refinement: They encounter Russians as they finally stop.

question: What happened to the man that was homeless before the war?

answer: The man who was previously homeless died in the box car.

answer: He died while transported to Russia.

text: Incorrect verb tense used for "transported"

refinement: He died while being transported to Russia.

answer: The man dies.

question: Write a ~5 sentence summary.

answer: Box cars hold over 100 men. Some people are starting to smell.  Many travel on train for a long time before reaching end point and get off. One of the men at the end of one box car was largely slowed by his weight.

text: This response lacked detail and was very vague.

refinement: The prisoner box cars hold over 100 men. Some people are starting to smell.  Many travel on train for a long time before reaching end point and get off. One of the men at the end of one box car was largely slowed by his weight and died.

answer: There was a war going on in this passage. The main character shares his last few words at the end of the passage, reflections on his role as a POW. All of the men in the car grew closer to each other because of the close quarters.

answer: After most of the soldiers were rescued from a war captivity train, they began to see that the world was changing. With the War being over, there was very little they could lean on and they noticed the points every click on the cogs of the tracks. They were processed almost like liquid but noticed how different their experience was from the Russians, who were knowingly expecting them.

answer: American prisoners of war are being transported in a  tightly packed box car. They find out that the war is over. One man, who was homeless before the war, says that he has been hungrier than this. They finally stop and encounter Russians, who get them out of the box car. The homeless man dies before they get to the stop.

answer: The passage shows one American soldier's account of the end of WWII through the eyes of being trapped on a boxcar with other soldiers and sharing tales of civilians' stories on their home front. It is a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.

text: Additional detail is provided in this response that is difficult to infer from the passage and should be omitted.

refinement: The passage shows one American soldier's account of the end of WWII through the eyes of being trapped on a boxcar with other soldiers and sharing tales of civilians' stories on their home front.

answer: Confused young enlistee shares minimal space with fellow POWs, who eventually learn word of armistice. Rather than be shipped home as told, they're directed to station where they're unloaded by Russian soldiers, and sent to other camps. Join uplift when ready.

text: The last part of this response did not make sense and should be omitted from the response.

refinement: Confused young enlistee shares minimal space with fellow POWs, who eventually learn word of armistice. Rather than be shipped home as told, they're directed to station where they're unloaded by Russian soldiers, and sent to other camps.