text:
Floral Patterns

The young man handed a ten dollar bill across the counter, exchanging it for the freshly wrapped flowers the lady gave him.
A lovely bouquet, she said. He smiled, thanked her, and walked out of the market pavilion, exiting onto the downtown side street.

The late afternoon was bright and hot and the dewy flowers glistened optimistically. He headed down the street clutching the bouquet, passing market patrons and other sidewalkers, holding the flowers tightly to avoid them being jostled.

He passed through a crowd gathered at a bus stop, avoiding eye contact where possible. Two shirtless, rudely tattooed men sat reclined against a convenience store looking at him.

Faggot, one muttered, hoping his buddy thought he was overheard, hoping he was not overheard.

Probably.

The young man proceeded down the busy city thoroughfare, passing restaurant patios where glasses clinked and couples laughed. A group of ladies in large sunglasses and large necklaces drinking cocktails ogled him quietly as we walked by. He heard them titter and coo and knew their looks followed him. He would be the subject of their conversation for a few minutes.

He paused at a corner, putting the flowers into the crook of his arm to light a cigarette. A large, Greek-lettered man asked approaching him from across the street.

Yo man, could I bum a dart off you bro? he asked while groping his pocket for a lighter.

Sure.

Thanks bro. Cool flowers dude.

Thanks.

Take ‘er easy man, and he walked off back across the street, leaving the young man to light his own cigarette.

He took a few drags before starting down the street again. It was very warm, and sweat pooled on his back. He decided to cut down a shaded alley and get off the main street. His shoes sounded on the chipped asphalt as he stepped off the sidewalk over a torn garbage bag and into the cool, fetid air of the alley. Old brick rose on both sides and the flaked paint of some decayed mural remained visible beneath the city grime.

The alley exited onto a nearly vacant parking lot, and he crossed the hot pavement towards the street. He flipped his half-smoked cigarette back into the alley to join its numerous kin. The moisture had long since evaporated from the flowers he gripped, and their original lustre had faded.

The street was less busy than the one he had just left and he was thankful. The only person visible was a homeless man sitting on a spread of cardboard sipping from a worn paper cup. The young man considered crossing the street to avoid contact but decided it would be too obvious.

Spare some change?

Sorry, he answered looking away as he walked passed quickly.
I’ll take those flowers instead.

Ha, he stated and didn’t break his pace.

The street exited onto another main road and he took a right onto it, joining the herds of people swarming along the sidewalk and the traffic oozing between intersections. Buskers played on either side, and between the noise of engines and tires and voices, acoustic music was audible there, percussion there, and a wailing street person there.

His mouth was dry and his feet swam in his shoes. There was a Starbucks just ahead and he decided to stop for an ice water.
The line was long, almost to the door, but it was densely air conditioned inside and it cut through the sweaty grit that covered him. He stood as the line slowly progressed forward, the haggard baristas pouring ices and syrups into taxed blenders. He got to the front of the line and ordered his water. The cashier smiled with relief for the brief respite.

Those are beautiful flowers, who’s the lucky g—person? she asked, but he was already moving to the pickup table and her question was ground out in the sound of masticating ice.

He grabbed his water and moved through the crowded café towards the exit. A girl in a short sundress was coming through and he held the door for her with his elbow, hands clutching flowers and water.

Thanks, she said looking up at him, smiling.

You’re welcome, he said, returning her smile.

They paused for a moment, her looking at the flowers in his hand. Her smile dropped and she stepped passed him without another word. The young man exited out of the cool air into the city street.
The sidewalks were filling with nine to fivers finished the grind, inappropriately dressed for the sunny heat. They shoved passed him on both sides headed towards parking lots and bus stops, desperate to get home. He sipped his water and moved slowly upstream against the city.

Despite his best efforts the flowers were getting jostled. A small yellow carnation was crushed down and in, the cellophane folding over it. He stopped at a garbage and discarded his cup and ice, pausing to readjust the crumpled flower, unfolding the plastic from over it.

He crossed the street to cut across the park. Large trees shaded couples sprawled on benches, eating, laughing. He watched as they held hands and touched each other. Teenagers sitting too close, kissing too hard, listening to music too loud. They watched videos on their phones and they sat in each other’s laps. He walked across the grass watching them frankly. No one watched him.

The grass ended and concrete began. His destination was just up the street and he could see the squat grey building sprawled before him. He was a bit later than intended. He wanted another cigarette but didn’t want to smell like smoke.

He got to the parking lot and stopped. Cars were pulling out and he stopped to let them pass. The drivers looked at him. He climbed the steps to the front of the building and stopped. The large doors and a small garbage can with cigarette butts littered around it stood before him. He stood.

Fuck.

He took the decaying bouquet and shoved it into the ashy garbage.

Fuck.

Gripping the door handle he pulled hard and entered the building.

title: Floral Patterns

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

What does the story say about the interaction between the young man and the girl in a short sundress?

answer: The girl in a short sundress smiles at the young man when he holds the door for her. The young man smiles back at her. When the girl gets to the door, she passes the young man without saying anything. The young man enters the building and throws the flowers away.

text: The last sentence of the response did not happen until much later.

refinement: The girl in a short sundress smiles at the young man when he holds the door for her. The young man smiles back at her. When the girl gets to the door, she passes the young man without saying anything.

text: The response is missing a crucial detail.

refinement: The girl in a short sundress smiles at the young man when he holds the door for her. The young man smiles back at her. When the girl gets to the door, she passes the young man without saying anything. The girl saw the flowers and waited a few seconds, but the man continued to stand aside. The girl stopped smiling and walked past him.

answer: The young man is on his way to his destination. After his interaction with the homeless man, he stops at a Starbucks. While there, he notices a girl in a short sundress looking at his flowers and smiling. When he says "You're welcome" she moves past without another word.

text: The girls in the short sundress did not move past the man just because he said "You're welcome".

refinement: The young man is on his way to his destination. After his interaction with the homeless man, he stops at a Starbucks. While there, he notices a girl in a short sundress coming through the door and proceeds to open it for her with his elbow. The girl smiles at him and the man returns her smile. She glances at the flowers he is holding, pausing for a moment. She stopped smiling and moved past him.

answer: The girl in a short sundress smiles at the young man when he holds the door for her. The young man smiles back at her. When the girl gets to the door, she passes the young man without saying anything. The young man enters the building and throws the flowers away. He takes the decaying bouquet and throws it into the ashy garbage.

answer: The young man is on his way to his destination. As he gets out of the building and enters the city street he overtakes a girl with a short sundress. She smiles at him. When he says "You're welcome" she moves past without another word.

answer: The girl in a short sundress is the one who receives the flowers at the end of the story. When she receives the flowers, she smiles at the young man, who smiles back at her. The young man holds the door for her, and they pause for a moment, but the girl doesn't say anything and walks away.

answer: The young man held the door for the girl and she thanked him. No words were exchanged but the girl looked at the flowers in his hand before leaving. The young man went into the building after the girl. In his opinion, where he was going was none of her business anyway. Another interaction never happened again.

text: The later part of the response has nothing to do with the question and was never corroborated in the main story.

refinement: The young man held the door for the girl and she thanked him. No words were exchanged but the girl looked at the flowers in his hand before leaving.

answer: The interaction between the young man and the girl in a short sundress is when the man held the door for the girl and she thanked him. No words were exchanged but the girl looked at the flowers in his hand before leaving.

text: "No words were exchanged" contradicts the response's initial assertion that the girl thanked the young man.

refinement: The interaction between the young man and the girl in a short sundress is when the man held the door for the girl and she thanked him. The girl looked at the flowers in his hand briefly before leaving without a smile.

answer: The girl in a short sundress is the one who receives the flowers at the end of the story. When she receives the flowers, she smiles at the young man, who smiles back at her. The young man holds the door for her, but the girl doesn't say anything and walks away.

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

What does the story say about the young man's interaction with the Greek-lettered man?

answer: The young man continues walking down the road holding the flowers he purchased. A Greek-lettered man braces him saying: "Yo man, could I bum a dart off you bro?", the young man then hands him his cigarette.

text: The response could be a bit clearer in describing whether the young man gave the Geek-lettered guy a cigarette or returned one to him.

refinement: The young man continues walking down the road holding the flowers he purchased. A Greek-lettered man braces him saying: "Yo man, could I bum a dart off you bro?", the young man then hands him a cigarette.

answer: The young man stops to light a cigarette and a large Greek-lettered man asking him for a light walks up to him. Despite the man grabbing his flowers, the young man does not seem to have an issue with it.

text: The Greek-lettered guy did not ask for lights, neither did he grab the young man's flowers.

refinement: The young man stops to light a cigarette and a large Greek-lettered man asking him for a cigarette walks up to him. The young man gave him one and walked away as the man complimented him on the flowers he is holding.

answer: The young man is walking and smoking when the Greek-lettered man asks for a cigarette. He gives him one and they exchange pleasantries. The Greek-lettered man leaves and the young man continues his walk.

text:
- The young man was not walking and smoking at the same time when the Greek-lettered man found him.
- The Greek-lettered man did not leave.

refinement: The young man pauses at a corner for a smoke when the Greek-lettered man asks for a cigarette. He gives him one and they exchange pleasantries. The young man leaves the Greek-lettered man to smoke in peace.

answer: The Greek-lettered man asks the young man for a cigarette. The young man obliges and lights his cigarette. After the man takes a few drags, he walks off. The young man considers crossing the street to avoid contact but decides it would be too obvious.

answer: The Greek-lettered man asks the young man for a cigarette. The young man obliges and lights his cigarette. After the man takes a few drags, he walks off.

answer: The young man continues walking down the road holding the flowers he purchased. At a corner when he stops to light a cigarette, a Greek-lettered man braces him saying: "Yo man, could I bum a dart off you bro?", the young man then hands him his cigarette.

answer: The young man is walking and smoking when the Greek-lettered man asks for a cigarette. He gives him one and they exchange pleasantries. The Greek-lettered man leaves and the young man continues his walk. The Greek-lettered man compliments the young man's flowers.

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

What does the story say about what the young man did upon arriving at his destination?

answer: According to the story, the young man was on his way to vape with a few friends when he was suddenly inspired to buy his girlfirend a bouquet of flowers. When he arrived at the building, he checked his watch for the time and immediately noticed his friends had either left early or drunk the time away. He looked down and saw his flowers were muddy and torn. Enraged by their current state, he stuffed them into the trash.

text: The response makes a lot of assumptions about why the young man bought the flowers and why he was going to the building.

refinement: According to the story, upon the sight of the cigarette butts littered around the garbage can in front of the building, the young man became upset as he thrashed the flowers he bought into the bin and rushed into the building.

answer: According to the story, the young man was vaping with a friend when he suddenly was inspired to buy his girlfirend a bouquet of flowers. When he arrived at the building, he checked his watch for the time and immediately noticed his friends had either left early or drunk the time away. He looked down and saw his flowers were muddy and torn. Enraged by their current state, he stuffed them into the trash.

answer: The young man approached a squat, grey building and found that his keys had gone missing in his haste to get to the convenience store. He felt a slight panic and reached into his pockets. He leaned back against the building, fist balled. He found that after sorting through his hand, he realized that he had tossed the flowers into the garbage can outside. The young man felt annoyance and went on his way.

text: There is nothing about keys in the story.

refinement: The young man approached a squat, grey building and, at the site of cigarette butts around a garbage can in front of the building, he dumped his flowers and ran inside.

answer: The man entered a squat grey building and proceeded to the parking lot. He climbed the steps to the front of the building and stopped. He took the decaying bouquet and shoved it into the ashtray.

text: There is no mention of an ashtray in the story. Also, the flowers he held were not decaying.

refinement: The man entered a squat grey building and proceeded to the parking lot. He climbed the steps to the front of the building and stopped. He took the flowers he was holding and shoved them into the gabbage can.

answer: It took the young man a while longer than expected to get to his destination.

text: The response does not address the question.

refinement: The young man got to his destination, which was a squat, grey building. He saw cigarette butts near a garbage can and panicked for a moment as he dumped his bouquet into the can and rushed inside the building.

category_text: The answer has nothing to do with the question.

answer: The young man arrived at his destination, a squat grey building. He took the decaying bouquet and shoved it into the ashy garbage. He entered the building.

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

What does the story say about the identity of the person who was supposed to receive the flowers?

answer: The person the flowers were intended for isn't named by the man.

answer:
The bouquet was being taken home to the man's partner, and he's late because they are needed elsewhere. The bouquet was to say sorry, because the man had been neglecting his partner such as owing flowers. Then, he throws the flowers away so he can go on a trip to bail a friend out of trouble, resulting in the  friend's life being in more danger.
----
The flowers were intended to be a gesture of apology, and the man has been neglecting his partner up until that moment. He then knows he can't even get her something as simple as flowers because his friend is about to lose his life, so he proceeds to the friend's life to bail him out.
----
The flowers were to be a gesture of apology, and the man has been neglecting his partner up until that moment. Even while the partner would be okay if he'd just gotten her flowers, he still doesn't live that up to the apology. Then, he knows he can't even get her something as simple as flowers, so he proceeds to the friend's life to bail him out.

text: The response's claims cannot the verified from the story.

refinement: We do not know the identity of the supposed recipient.

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: No answer

answer: The identity of the person who was supposed to receive the flowers is not mentioned in the story.

answer: The identity of the person who was supposed to receive the flowers is not mentioned.


split: train

text:
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."
The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment f or future generations."
She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were truely recycled.
But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags.
But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.
We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.
But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.
Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

*I didn't write this story, and I don't know who did. I like it and want to share.

title: Being Green

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

Summarize the main complaint in the story.

answer: The narrator is a woman who is old enough to remember what life was like before the "green thing" became popular. The "green thing" is a term that means to care about the environment. The narrator laments how wasteful the current generation is because they didn't have the "green thing" back in their day.

text: The narrator's gripe is with the current generation blaming the older ones for not caring about the environment despite the modern generation using a lot more resources for everything.

refinement: The narrator is a woman who is old enough to remember what life was like before the "green thing" became popular. The "green thing" is a term that means to care about the environment. The narrator laments how wasteful the current generation is after a young cashier complains about the older generation not caring enough about the environment.

answer: The main complaint is that the older generation isn't responsible for the world's current environmental problems. The older generation was responsible for their own waste disposal, and they didn't have recycling. The older generation did things by hand, so they didn't waste electricity. The older generation didn't have plastic bags or disposable diapers. The older generation didn't have a computer or a TV in every room. The older generation didn't have a lawn mower or a car. The older generation didn't have an escalator. The older generation didn't have a computer.

text: The answer is phrased repetitively after the sentence about recycling.

refinement: The main complaint is that the older generation isn't responsible for the world's current environmental problems. The older generation was responsible for their own waste disposal, and they didn't have recycling. The older generation did things by hand, so they didn't waste electricity. They didn't have plastic bags, disposable diapers, or a computer or TV in every room. The older generation didn't have a lawn mower or a car. The older generation didn't have an escalator.

text: The point about lawnmowers and cars is misrepresented in the answer.

refinement: The main complaint is that the older generation isn't responsible for the world's current environmental problems. The older generation was responsible for their own waste disposal, and they didn't have recycling. The older generation did things by hand, so they didn't waste electricity. They didn't have plastic bags, disposable diapers, or a computer or TV in every room. The older generation used lawnmowers that ran on human power and didn't turn their mothers into 24-hour taxi service, using public transportation instead. The older generation didn't have an escalator.

answer: The main complaint is that the older generation isn't responsible for the world's current environmental problems. The older generation was responsible for their own waste disposal, and they didn't have recycling. The older generation did things by hand, so they didn't waste electricity. The older generation didn't have plastic bags or disposable diapers. The older generation didn't have a computer or a TV in every room. The older generation didn't have a lawn mower. The older generation didn't have a car. The older generation didn't have an escalator. The older generation didn't have a computer.

answer: The story is about a younger person who criticizes the older generation for its tendency towards waste, for not being green. The mode of criticism is not specifically addressed in the story, but the author seems to be annoyed by the tone more than adamantly agreeing/disagreeing.

text: The criticism is addressed and forms the main complaint in the story.

refinement: The story is about a younger person who criticizes the older generation for its tendency towards waste, for not being green. The narrator is annoyed by this, thinking about the many excesses of modern life like disposable diapers, cups, bottles, using electrified gadgets instead of human power or the sun and the wind.

answer: The irony is in the context of the cashier's complaint because they are oblivious to how wasteful they are as they complain about the previous generation. Today's busy people are the ones producing a lot of trash, though they do not fully realize the extent of their waste. It is indicated that they could do little in terms of environmental conservation.

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

What does the story say about how environmentalism changed through the last few decades?

answer: The cashier has told the older woman to bring her own grocery bags. The woman tells her that she used to reuse the bags. Being green was popular long time ago but knowing how to reuse bags is not as eco-friendly as expected. This generation made a lot of good steps and creates a lot of clean energy. Today people use reusable coffee cups. The older woman notes that the younger generation might view her as environmentally-destructive because she didn't recycle by reusing the bags.

text: The answer is wrong in almost all the details it mentions.

refinement: The cashier has told the older woman to bring her own grocery bags. The older woman is annoyed by this because despite her generation not having the green thing back then, they were a lot less wasteful. They re-used the same bottles for milk, soda, and beer - even the brown paper grocery bags. They also didn't use disposable items as often as the current generation and preferred natural sources of energy to electric generation (i.e. push mowers, drying clothes under the sun, etc.).

answer: The story seems to be a tongue-in-cheek argument that the older generation wasn't as environmentally-conscious as the current generation. The older generation didn't have the green thing, and they did many things that were wasteful and environmentally-unfriendly. They didn't recycle, they didn't buy in bulk, they used disposable diapers, and they had a lot of excess waste. The younger generation is better for being more environmentally-conscious. The narrator is using sarcasm to point out that they didn't have the green thing, and they did many things that were wasteful and environmentally-unfriendly.

text: The answer is wrong in almost all the details it mentions.

refinement: The cashier has told the older woman to bring her own grocery bags. The older woman is annoyed by this because despite her generation not having the green thing back then, they were a lot less wasteful. They re-used the same bottles for milk, soda, and beer - even the brown paper grocery bags. They also didn't use disposable items as often as the current generation and preferred natural sources of energy to electric generation (i.e. push mowers, drying clothes under the sun, etc.).

answer: The story seems to be a tongue-in-cheek argument that the older generation wasn't as environmentally-conscious as the current generation. The older generation didn't have the green thing, and they did many things that were wasteful and environmentally-unfriendly. They didn't recycle, they didn't buy in bulk, they used disposable diapers, and they had a lot of excess waste. The younger generation is better for being more environmentally-conscious.

answer: The older woman was criticized by the cashier for using plastic bags at the checkout. The older woman explained that she didn't have the green thing back in her early days. She said that back then, people reused grocery bags, reused paper bags for school books, used fountain instead of cups, etc. She also said that back then, people took the bus, walked to school, and used the washing machine less often. The older woman also said that back then, people had one electrical outlet at home and didn't have computers.

answer: No answer

text: The question can be answered.

refinement: The cashier has told the older woman to bring her own grocery bags. The older woman is annoyed by this because despite her generation not having the green thing back then, they were a lot less wasteful. They re-used the same bottles for milk, soda, and beer - even the brown paper grocery bags. They also didn't use disposable items as often as the current generation and preferred natural sources of energy to electric generation (i.e. push mowers, drying clothes under the sun, etc.).

answer: The cashier has told the older woman to bring her own grocery bags. The woman tells her that she used to reuse the bags. Closed and reusing the same grocery bags kind of resembles the green movement around 80 years ago. The older woman's generation had to walk everywhere and use human- powered machines to cut the lawn, human power to push a mower and human power. The amount of force behind the power of combustion in cutting the lawn might not be as eco-friendly as expected. The paper cups of coffee that can be disposable are re-usable and less environmentally damaging than before. The older woman notes that the younger generation might view her as environmentally-destructive because she didn't recycle by reusing the bags.

answer: The older woman was criticized by the cashier for using plastic bags at the checkout. The older woman explained that she didn't have the green thing back in her early days. She said that back then, people reused grocery bags, reused paper bags for school books, used fountain instead of cups, etc. She also said that back then, people took the bus, walked to school, and used the washing machine less often. The older woman also said that back then, people had one electrical outlet at home and didn't have computers. The older woman also explained that people didn't have the green thing back in her early days.

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

What does the story say about coal power versus solar?

answer: No answer

answer: Coal power is mentioned in the context of the narrator's childhood. The narrator's generation did not have the "green thing" in its day because they did not care enough to save the environment for future generations. They used coal power to run the machines, and they did not recycle.

text: The answer is grossly wrong. The article says nothing about coal vs solar power.

answer: No answer

answer: The story mentions that people dried their clothes by the wind's power and solar power. This indicates the people did not rely on inefficient coal power.

text: The argument in the answer is nonsensical. The story doesn't talk about solar vs coal at all.

answer: In the olden days when we did not have solar panels, people walked a lot more. But now that we use solar panels, we use cars more, use escalators and treadmills.

answer: No answer

answer: No answer


text:
The moon was still out in the blue-black sky when I woke up. A kerosene stove hissed gently nearby. Drops of last night’s rain had frozen on my sleeping bag and cracked softly as I withdrew.  My fingers thawed on a bowl of half-blackened soup that tasted like coal and burnt plastic. Then we left, and my headlamp blew out mercury bubbles of light against the ash and cobalt sky.

I was already scraping my feet against rock and climbing up towards the tree line by the time the orange ribbons cut the sky. I watched the day rise slowly up from behind the white-tipped mountains. It was giving me something I could look back on and say I had lived. The morning, with dawn and its sharp spikes of numbing cool, and my eyes, and the whole wide world: they were all so strong just then. The cold made me burn hotter and faster and better and it made my breath curl into  vanishing clouds. My feet were ready to etch the memory of me onto this mountain.

The last green thing was a calm lake at the foot of a white and rocky mountain. It was the last innocent thing before the peak. We left a few things and then continued on. The trail we had followed disappeared into scree and so we followed the stream up. We stopped where the incline leveled out into a rocky bowl and filled a bottle with cold stream water. We treated it with a few drops of yellow, finger-staining iodine. I saw the small and brave flowers, yellow and pink, that sprouted timidly on the rocky ground around the river.

We hiked up through snow to the sharp ridge of the bowl. All around was an algae that turned the snow crimson when stepped on. I looked back on my footprints and saw they were scarlet. I felt as if I were walking on a thin film that had been cast to disguise a sea of blood. The soles of my shoes soon became blood red and so did my pants. We all looked like murderers.

 The next thing that lay between the peak and us was a narrow strip of snow that marked the end of the bowl and the beginning of the peak. On one side the snow sloped sharply down into the bowl. On the other was nothing except air and then distant trees and rock and ice-blue lakes far below. We stayed towards the bowl side because the side of the ridge facing the drop was likely hollowed out by the wind and melting snow. Even then, I felt as though the snow beneath me would collapse and I would be swept out into the air.

The peak was somewhere up a tower of jumbled-up rock. There was a path that led up and we followed it. The jumble narrowed in one spot and the path led to a ledge at the very edge of the rock jumble and there was a drop that would kill me if I fell. I had to cling to the rock with my feet in a six-inch-wide shelf and shuffle carefully along. I looked up as I was nearly to the end and there was a spider an inch from my hand. I do not know if it was deadly. It might have been. If I had been afraid of spiders, I would have let go in fright. The jagged rocks below me would have broken me apart.

The peak came quickly after that. There was not much room, but I could sit on a rock and open the metal ammunition canister with the register in it, and sign my name and the date, and write some bad poetry next to it. But I did write something true there. I wrote I am above, on a line by itself, and that rang true. I was strung up so that all the craftwork of the earth could be seen. Cold wind blew around me and I had left my warm clothes at the lake below, but it meant nothing more to me than any of the cold winds I remembered. It was as though I had already lived through it a long time ago.

The view had the clarity that comes after a rain, with the whites and greens and cold greys of the country before me both softened and sharpened at once, and the mountains and valleys fading to pale blue as they approached the pastel clouds over the horizon. I was sitting on the jagged throne of the universe, and all that was before me was mine now, mine and no one else's, because I was the only person alive, had only ever been the only person alive, and that feeling did not make me feel lonely or frightened, but instead young and filled with life that would never fade or dissipate but stay collected until the electric reservoir in my veins finally ran dry. But that day would be a long time coming.

title: "The mountain after the rain"

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

Where is the narrator?

answer: the narrator is climbing a mountain.

text: He's on the mountain

refinement: the narrator is on a mountain, climbing and otherwise.

answer: The narrator is sitting high up on a mountain peak.

answer: The narrator is atop a mountain peak.

answer: On a mountain

answer: They are in Colorado on a mountain as part of some kind of hiking trip.

text: There is no reference to the locality of the mountain

refinement: They are on a mountain as part of some kind of hiking trip.

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

what does the narrator think about?

answer: The narrator thinks about the view, the mountains, the sunrise, the frost, and being on the peak of the mountain. The narrator appreciates each moment and all of nature around them. The narrator feels young and alive, and sees beauty where others might find loneliness and fear. Rather than fearing life, the narrator celebrates it.

answer: the narrator thinks about all of the scenery on the way to the peak.

text: Maybe a little bland

refinement: the narrator considers the beauty of nature on the climb to the peak.

answer: Sitting on a peak and the beauty of the view all around.

text: A bland description

refinement: The narrator considers the beauty of nature on his climb to the peak.

answer: The narrator thinks about the beauty of the world after the rain, the exhilaration of scaling a mountain peak, and the wonder this experience has given him.

answer: The narrator is surveying mountainous regions, and thinking about being alone in the world and how this makes him feel.

text: Could be improved

refinement: The narrator considers the beauty of nature on his way up to the peak, and thinks about being alone in the world and how it makes him feel.

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

Is the narrator alone?

answer: There is one other person with them on the mountain.

text: There may be more than one other person.

refinement: There is at least one other person on the mountain.

answer: Yes, the narrator is alone.

text: The narrator is not alone as they refer to "us" and "we".

answer: The narrator is traveling with a group.

answer: Yes, the narrator is alone.

text: The narrator is not alone as they refer to "us" and "we".

answer: Yes the narrator is alone.

text: The narrator is not alone as they refer to "us" and "we".

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

What is the weather like?

answer: The weather is cool and slightly damp, with a thick layer of frost and ice on the ground. There is fog around the moon and overhead, and the mercury bubbles of light created by the headlamp are shaped like spilled mercury. As the sun rises, the temperature quickly rises and the air becomes much colder. The last thing on the mountain before the peak is a calm lake and though mist hangs on the air, the overall color is blue-black. The peak is jumbled-up rock and there is a narrow path that leads to a ledge at the edge of the rock, and beyond that is the peak with a spectacular view. The weather conditions contribute to a sense of awe and wonder.

text: The third sentence contains a contradiction. It is not possible for the temperatures to go up and for the air to cool.

refinement: The weather is cool and slightly damp, with a thick layer of frost and ice on the ground. There is fog around the moon and overhead, and the mercury bubbles of light created by the headlamp are shaped like spilled mercury. As the sun rises, and the air becomes much colder. The last thing on the mountain before the peak is a calm lake and though mist hangs on the air, the overall color is blue-black. The peak is jumbled-up rock and there is a narrow path that leads to a ledge at the edge of the rock, and beyond that is the peak with a spectacular view. The weather conditions contribute to a sense of awe and wonder.

answer: The weather is rainy.

text: The weather is not rainy.

refinement: The weather is cool and slightly damp, with a thick layer of frost and ice on the ground by the time the orange ribbons cut the sky. As the sun rises the air becomes cooler.

answer: The weather is cold and crisp, with a clear sky and snow. There is also some wind. The sky is bright daylight at the beginning and turns a dark blue at the end.

answer: The weather is cold and it rained the day before.

answer: The weather is cold. There is snow.

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

Is the narrator a human

answer: Maybe, but he is a larger than life character.

text: The narrator must be human

refinement: Maybe, but he is a larger than life character.

text: because I was the only person alive, had only ever been the only person alive, and that feeling did not make me feel lonely or frightened

answer:
being or an animal?

The narrator is a human being.

text: because I was the only person alive, had only ever been the only person alive, and that feeling did not make me feel lonely or frightened

answer: It is implied the narrator may not be human.

text: This is not implied

refinement: because I was the only person alive, had only ever been the only person alive, and that feeling did not make me feel lonely or frightened

answer: ?Yes.

text: because I was the only person alive, had only ever been the only person alive, and that feeling did not make me feel lonely or frightened

answer:
or godlike entity?

The narrator appears to be a human entity.

text: because I was the only person alive, had only ever been the only person alive, and that feeling did not make me feel lonely or frightened

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The narrator is climbing a mountain and reflecting on all of the scenery. The narrator makes their way to the peak and leaves a short poem on the register. They think of themselves as the only person alive, sitting on the "throne of the universe" as they look down from the peak.

answer: The narrator wakes up after a night of rain and heads up a mountain with their companions. They pass through a narrow strip of snow before reaching the peak, which they reach to find a breathtaking view. They feel young and full of life as they sit atop the universe.

answer: While the narrator and his comrade are in the mountains, he writes about the different parts of the mountain they cross. From snow to cliffs, from heat to cold winds, they climb to reach the peak. As the narrator drinks the water, he feels as though he is the only person alive who will never fade or disappear.

answer: The narrator wakes up to find the damp dawn light filtering through the awakening world outside. Against the backdrop of a cold, imposing mountain, he makes his way upwards to the peak. Once there, he feels transcendent, at one with the world surrounding him, and finds some solace in this feeling. The view from the summit is breathtaking and the narrator feels a great sense of hope and renewal.

answer: The narrator is alone in the mountains, hiking when he reaches the peak. He collects some rocks from the mountain, which he uses to scribe some poetry to commemorate the trip. In his musings about his career and life, he notes the incredible view but realizes that it will be a long time before he has to return from said journey.


text:
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TORONTO
He could only give one answer after falling 4-1 to the defending champs.

“I think so,” TFC’s Ryan Nelsen responded when I asked him if Saturday night’s match proves Sporting Kansas City is the class of the conference.

Not that he needed reminding, but TFC fans looked at the weekend as a test to gauge the likelihood of future playoff success.

“We’re under no illusions where we are,” Nelsen added. “We still have a lot of young guys playing at the back.

“You’re right. We need to harden as a team. You have to do that through playing in the playoffs.”

Those playoffs — assuming the Reds make them — will almost certainly come back through the Paris of the Plains, although Nelsen doesn’t seem to mind.

Nobody can touch Kansas City in the Eastern Conference at the moment. Saturday’s win put the current MLS Cup holders up 10 points on third-place Toronto with a little over two months to go.

Nelsen, though, seemed more than confident post-game that a return trip to KC come November will end in a Toronto victory.

The evidence, though, is contradictory.

Toronto has never won at Sporting Park. It has won in Kansas City just once in the team’s eight-year history.

Over three meetings this season, the Reds mustered only a point, allowing eight goals along the way.

Yes, Nelsen didn’t have a full roster to pick from Saturday, but neither did the hosts.

Saturday’s lopsided loss showed this more than anything: The Reds remain a year or two away from challenging for an MLS Cup berth — something that’s not surprising.

Heck, it’s a mini miracle the word championship is even mentioned in the same sentence as this club considering where it was just 18 months ago.

“It took Kansas City three or four years to get to where they are now,” Nelsen said. “We’re trying to do it in a real short amount of time with some young players.

“We’re close, but I think you’re right. We’ve got a wee bit to go. The positive is that on our day we can beat anyone in this league. I think everyone knows that.”

As of now, the Reds just can’t touch KC in KC.

Not many teams can.

THE BIG NUMBER

Some love him, some hate him, some see him for what he is.

No matter what you think of young Doneil Henry, TFC’s 21-year-old centre back is making immature plays.

Because, well, he’s still relatively inexperienced.

Still, conceding five penalties in all competition — the most by any MLSer — is a concern as it indicates a top prospect isn’t learning from his mistakes.

The PK he conceded to KC’s Dom Dwyer Saturday night was a simple call for referee Drew Fischer.

Henry is giving the opposition a chance from the spot once every three games.

That has many wondering if Nick Hagglund might be the best option to partner with Steven Caldwell when the big man returns.

Toronto’s rookie is less mistake-prone and has a much-safer game — the definition of no-nonsense.

LIGHT-HEARTED HUMOUR

The sense from Nelsen post-game was one of relief.

After all, his Reds picked up six points from four consecutive midseason road games.

In other words, things could have been worse.

So that had Nelsen laughing a bit post-game when I asked him about Gilberto nearly being brought down by Kansas City’s Igor Juliao early in the second half.

“(Gilberto) could have gone down and the guy would have got sent off,” Nelsen said.

I reminded Nelsen of his long list of recent quibbles with MLS officials.

“We wouldn’t have got the call,” Nelsen said with a sarcastic laugh. “You’re dead right. Gilberto would have got a yellow card for diving probably.”

It’s clear Nelsen remains in good spirits considering lopsided scoreline Saturday night.

COLD SHOULDER

Bad blood boiled over when Sporting KC’s Jacob Peterson left Toronto back in 2011.

He left Sporting Park Saturday night by offering TFC staffers a cold shoulder.

Peterson, whose anti-Canadian tweet a few years back drew the ire of TFC fans, walked past TFC’s dressing room following his club’s 4-1 win.

Toronto FC staffers he once worked with looked the other way. He didn’t say a word knowing full well he’s not well-liked inside Toronto’s dressing room.

Compare that to Issey Nakajima-Farran a few weeks back in Montreal. The Canadian international, traded from TFC earlier this season, mingled with the Reds inside the away dressing room post-game.

KC’S THE PLACE TO BE

Soccer fans here in Kansas City are a bit different.

They’re more polite than the passionate fan base back home at BMO Field.

Sporting KC fans offer a bit more southern comfort.

And speaking of hard liquor, the people in this midwest town — where I grew up — live a bit different.

Like the guy at the airport bar Sunday morning at 9 a.m.

“I’m going to make it easy on you,” he said to a waitress. “I’d like a stiff screwdriver (orange juice and vodka) and plain toast.”

That’s the kind of gusto that has Kansas City fans, who produced a 48th straight sellout Saturday night, defining this league.

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question: What sport is being discussed in the article?

answer: Soccer

text: The article states "Soccer fans here in Kansas City are a bit different," which indicates the sport being discussed is soccer

answer: Soccer

text: The article states "Soccer fans here in Kansas City are a bit different," which indicates the sport being discussed is soccer

answer: Soccer

text: The article states "Soccer fans here in Kansas City are a bit different," which indicates the sport being discussed is soccer

question: Which team does Ryan Nelsen belong to?

answer: Toronto FC.

text: He is referred to as "TFC's Ryan Nelsen," and the article later refers to "Toronto FC staffers," which makes Toronto FC a likely expansion of the acronym

answer: He belongs to the Toronto FC.

text: He is referred to as "TFC's Ryan Nelsen," and the article later refers to "Toronto FC staffers," which makes Toronto FC a likely expansion of the acronym

answer: Toronto FC

text: He is referred to as "TFC's Ryan Nelsen," and the article later refers to "Toronto FC staffers," which makes Toronto FC a likely expansion of the acronym

question: What team did TFC lose to this past weekend?

answer: KC

text: The article says that the "match proves Sporting Kansas City is the class of the conference" and that "nobody can touch Kansas City in the Eastern Conference" and uses KC as an acronym for Kansas City

answer: Kansas City.

text: The article says that the "match proves Sporting Kansas City is the class of the conference" and that "nobody can touch Kansas City in the Eastern Conference"

answer: Kansas City.

text: The article says that the "match proves Sporting Kansas City is the class of the conference" and that "nobody can touch Kansas City in the Eastern Conference"

question: What is Doneil Henry's status on the team?

answer: Doneil Henry is a prospect for TFC.

text: He's a member of the team, not just a prospect

refinement: Doneil Henry is the center back for TFC.

text: Note that he is the subject of criticism

refinement: Doneil Henry is the center back for TFC, but he is criticized for making immature plays.

answer:
He is being groomed to be the new captain.

He is not the best defender the team has to offer.

He played only during the game against Sporting Kansas City because other defenders were injured.

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Answer:D
He is being groomed to be the new captain.

text: Nothing in the input even mentions team captains; response seems unrelated

text: Provide an answer

refinement: He is TFC's center back, but he is criticized for making immature plays

answer: He is a rookie player.

text: State his position on the team

refinement: He is TFC's center back and a rookie player.

text: Clarify that rookie in this sense means he is inexperienced

refinement: He is TFC's center back, but he is inexperienced

text: Note that he is the subject of criticism in the article

refinement: He is TFC's center back, but he is inexperienced and criticized for making immature plays

question: Write a ~3 sentence summary.

answer: The author is a sports journalist interviewing Ryan Nelsen, a main player for the Toronto F.C. The interview covers Nelsen's and the club's position as well as previous wins and losses. The team is more optimistic about coming playoff games.

answer: Over the past weekend, Toronto FC lost a game against Kansas City. Players on the TFC agree that they have many younger, inexperienced players, such as 21 year old Doneil Henry. Nevertheless, the team is optimistic.

text: The author of the article is the one who comments on Henry

refinement: Over the past weekend, Toronto FC lost a game against Kansas City. Players on the TFC agree that they have many younger, inexperienced players, such as 21 year old Doneil Henry, who the author criticizes for making immature plays. Nevertheless, the team is optimistic.

answer: After losing a match to Kansas City, defender Ryan Nelsen is accused of not disillusioned with the team's chances of a berth in the playoffs. Kansas City is considered the class of the conference by many, and while the reporter says Toronto is in no position to challenge them anytime soon, Nelsen claims that on their day, their team can beat anyone. The reporter also states a few questionable plays done by defender Doneil Henry of Toronto.

text: Nelsen is not really being "accused" of anything

refinement: After losing a match to Kansas City, defender Ryan Nelsen is not disillusioned with the team's chances of a berth in the playoffs. Kansas City is considered the class of the conference by many, and while the reporter says Toronto is in no position to challenge them anytime soon, Nelsen claims that on their day, their team can beat anyone. The reporter also states a few questionable plays done by defender Doneil Henry of Toronto.

answer: It appears to be about the results of the MLS at the time of the text and Ryan Nelsen's on-pitch performance and on-pitch words at that time. Gilberto could have gone down and get Kansas City's Igor Juliao players sent off. Nick Hagelund would be better for TFC. The author says things could have been worse.

text: The article is about TFC's recent loss to KC; the author is interviewing Nelsen about it, and nothing indicates that it is "on-pitch"

refinement: The article is an interview with Ryan Nelsen of TFC about his team's recent loss to KC. Gilberto could have gone down and get Kansas City's Igor Juliao players sent off. Nick Hagelund would be better for TFC. The author says things could have been worse.

text: The part about Gilberto was a hypothetical and isn't relevant

refinement: The article is an interview with Ryan Nelsen of TFC about his team's recent loss to KC. Nick Hagelund would be better for TFC. The author says things could have been worse.

text: The comment about Hagelund is extraneous

refinement: The article is an interview with Ryan Nelsen of TFC about his team's recent loss to KC. The author says things could have been worse.

text: Note that Nelsen is still optimistic

refinement: The article is an interview with Ryan Nelsen of TFC about his team's recent loss to KC. Despite the loss, Nelsen is confident that his team will secure a place in the playoffs. The author says things could have been worse.

answer: It appears that Ryan Nelsen, defensive player for the Toronto F.C. may have been responding to questions posed by the author after his team fell 4-1 to the defending MLS champs. Nelsen expressed confidence in a return match, asserting Toronto will be able to defeat Kansas City. The match started the discussion on Doneil Henry, TFC's 21-year-old center back, conceding a penalty, as he is relatively inexperienced.

text: "It appears that" is unnecessary; rephrase the first sentence to sound confident

refinement: Ryan Nelsen, a defensive player for the Toronto F.C. is responding to questions posed by the author after his team fell 4-1 to the defending MLS champs. Nelsen expressed confidence in a return match, asserting Toronto will be able to defeat Kansas City. The match started the discussion on Doneil Henry, TFC's 21-year-old center back, conceding a penalty, as he is relatively inexperienced.

text: Name the defending champs

refinement: Ryan Nelsen, a defensive player for the Toronto F.C. is responding to questions posed by the author after his team fell 4-1 to the defending MLS champs, KC. Nelsen expressed confidence in a return match, asserting Toronto will be able to defeat Kansas City. The match started the discussion on Doneil Henry, TFC's 21-year-old center back, conceding a penalty, as he is relatively inexperienced.

text: Note that the author is the one who discusses Henry

refinement: Ryan Nelsen, a defensive player for the Toronto F.C. is responding to questions posed by the author after his team fell 4-1 to the defending MLS champs, KC. Nelsen expressed confidence in a return match, asserting Toronto will be able to defeat Kansas City. The match prompted the author to discuss Doneil Henry, TFC's 21-year-old center back, who conceded a penalty, and is relatively inexperienced.

answer: The narrator interviews TFC's defender Ryan Nelsen about his matchup against the Kansas City club. He finds it discouraging that Toronto hasn't won in KC in 8 years and has never beaten Kansas City. Even with a full roster, Kansas City still prevails, and Toronto has some maturing to do.

text: Nelsen is not discouraged

refinement: The narrator interviews TFC's defender Ryan Nelsen about his matchup against the Kansas City club. Despite the loss, Nelsen is not discouraged and is still confident that TFC will secure a place in the playoffs, though he does admit that his team has a lot of inexperienced players.


text:
ARTHUR STANLEY HURDMAN (q3 1882 – 1953) was an English footballer who played at outside right in the Football League for Sunderland. He also played non-league football for clubs including Sunderland Black Watch, Darlington, South Shields Adelaide, Wingate Albion and Sunderland Rovers.

Life and career

Hurdman was born in Sunderland in 1882.[1] He played football for Wearside League team Sunderland Black Watch from 1900. While training as a schoolteacher at Borough Road College, London, he was unavailable for club football during term-time.[2]

He signed for Sunderland as an amateur in 1906. A short but sturdy man,[3] described as “one of the most diminutive players in first-class football”, and possessed of considerable pace,[4] he made his first-team debut on 1 December 1906 away to Woolwich Arsenal in the First Division. Sunderland won 1–0,[5] and according to the _Daily News_, Hurdman “brilliantly led many onslaughts on the Arsenal goal, despite his hopelessness when at close quarters with Sharp. He tricked and dodged in and out of position quite tirelessly from beginning to end, and rarely failed to pass with perfection to his best-placed colleague.”[6] He turned professional in January 1907,[7] and in the next match, he scored twice as Sunderland came back from 4–1 down at half-time to draw 5–5.[8] In all, Hurdman made eight appearances for Sunderland and scored three goals, all in the league.[9]

In August 1908, he signed for Darlington,[10] for whom he scored eight North-Eastern League goals and made three appearances in the 1908–09 FA Cup.[11] He later played for another three North-Eastern League teams: South Shields Adelaide, Wingate Albion,[12] and Sunderland Rovers.[13]

When Hurdman retired from teaching in 1947, he was assistant headmaster of Chester Road School in Sunderland.[14] He had previously taught at Moor Boys' School.[15] He died in hospital in Sunderland in 1953 at the age of 70.[16]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

title: Arthur Hurdman

question: When was Arthur Hurdman born?

answer: 1882.

answer: Arthur Hurdman was born in 1882.

answer: Q3 1882.

text: "Q3" can be omitted

question: What role did Arthur Hurdman play?

answer: Hurdman was a professional footballer who mainly played at outside right for various North-Eastern League teams.

answer: Hurdman was a football player, playing mainly as an outside right, and notably played for Sunderland in the Football League.

answer: He was a footbaler.

text: Incorrect spelling - footballer.

text: It is omitted that he played at outside right mainly for Sunderland.

refinement: He was a footballer who played at outside right mainly for Sunderland.

question: What nationality did Arthur Hurdman hold?

answer: According to the passage, Arthur Hurdman was English.

answer: English.

answer: According to the passage, Arthur Hurdman was English.

question: For whom did Arthur Hurdman play in the Football League?

answer: In the Football League, Hurdman played for Sunderland.

answer: Sunderland.

answer: Answered by Sorn

text: This response is not related.

text: Missing answer.

question: Write a ~1 sentence summary.

answer: Arthur Hurdman was a professional footballer who played as an outside right for Sunderland in the Football League, Darlington and a number of other non-league teams in the North-East. In retirement, he worked as a school teacher. He died aged 70.

answer: Arthur Hurdman was a successful footballer in the early 1900s with Sunderland FC, before retiring to become a schoolteacher in Sunderland. He passed away in 1953.

text: It is incorrectly stated that he was a school teacher.

refinement: Arthur Hurdman was a successful footballer in the early 1900s with Sunderland FC, before retiring to become an assistant headmaster in Sunderland. He passed away in 1953.

answer: Arthur Hurdman was an English footballer who played football at a high level in England and in non-league in North East England. He retired as a schoolteacher at the age of 70, and died in 1953.

text: It is incorrectly stated that he was a school teacher.

refinement: Arthur Hurdman was an English footballer who played football at a high level in England and in non-league in North East England. He retired as an assistant headmaster at the age of 70, and died in 1953.

answer: Arthur Hurdman was a footballer who played for Sunderland in the League between 1906 and 1908, scoring 3 goals. He then went on to play for several other non-league teams. He later became an assistant headmaster of a school before passing away aged 70.

answer: Arthur Hurdman was a football player who was active during the early 1900s, playing both in the Football League for Sunderland and in non-league for various teams, before retiring as a teacher in 1947.

text: It is incorrectly stated that he was a school teacher.

refinement: Arthur Hurdman was a football player who was active during the early 1900s, playing both in the Football League for Sunderland and in non-league for various teams, before retiring as an assistant headmaster in 1947.

answer: This article is about Arthur Hurdman, a football player from 19th and 20th century Britain.