text:
MARK NEWMAN is an English-American physicist and Anatol Rapoport Distinguished University Professor of Physics at the University of Michigan, as well as an external faculty member of the Santa Fe Institute. He is known for his fundamental contributions to the fields of complex networks and complex systems, for which he was awarded the 2014 Lagrange Prize.

Career

Mark Newman grew up in Bristol, England, where he was a pupil at Bristol Cathedral School, and earned both an undergraduate degree and a PhD in physics from the University of Oxford, before moving to the United States to conduct research first at Cornell University and later at the Santa Fe Institute, a private research institute in northern New Mexico devoted to the study of complex systems. In 2002 Newman moved to the University of Michigan, where he is currently the Anatol Rapoport Distinguished University Professor of Physics and a professor in the university's Center for the Study of Complex Systems.

Research

Newman is known for his research on complex networks, and in particular for work on collaboration patterns of scientists, random graph theory, assortative mixing, community structure, percolation theory, and network epidemiology.[1] He was also co-inventor, with Michael Gastner, of a method for generating density-equalizing maps or cartograms, which forms the foundation for the Worldmapper web site. Their work gained attention following the 2004 US presidential election when it was used as the basis for a widely circulated map of the election results, which adjusted the size of states based on their population to give a more accurate sense of how many voters voted for each party.[2][3]

Newman's network-based methods have been applied to a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, economics and biology. The same basic methods have accurately predicted a wide variety of results, from relationships between organisms in an ecosystem to associations between terrorist organizations.[4] Newman has also studied the risk of forest fires[5] and the social behavior of dolphins in New Zealand,[6] as well as the structure of the scientific community itself.[7]

Newman has worked on power-law distributions in complex systems, including in the distribution of wealth, the sizes of cities, and the frequency of words in languages (see Zipf's Law).[8] With collaborators Aaron Clauset and Cosma Shalizi, Newman developed statistical methods for analyzing power-law distributions and applied them to the study of a wide range of systems, in various cases either confirming or denying the existence of previously claimed power-law behaviors.[9]

Newman's paper “The structure and function of complex networks”[10] received the most citations of any paper in mathematics between 2001 and 2011.[11]

Awards and honors

In 2007, Newman was elected as a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS).[12] In 2011 and 2012, he received a Faculty Recognition Award and an Excellence in Education Award, both from the University of Michigan. In 2014, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), received the 2014 Lagrange Prize from the ISI Foundation, and was the fifth recipient of the Zachary Karate Club CLUB prize.[13] In 2016, he was elected as a Simons Fellow in Theoretical Physics and received a Guggenheim Fellowship.[14]

[1] Mark Newman's home page

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12] Curriculum vitae, retrieved 2016-07-01.

[13] Zachary Karate Club CLUB prize, retrieved 2016-07-01.

[14] Guggenhiem Fellowship, retrieved 2016-07-01.

title: Mark Newman

question: Summarize the research that Newman is known for.

answer: Newman is known for his research on complex networks, and in particular for work on collaboration patterns of scientists, random graph theory, assortative mixing, community structure, percolation theory, and network epidemiology. He was also co-inventor, with Michael Gastner, of a method for generating density-equalizing maps or cartograms, which forms the foundation for the Worldmapper web site. Newman's network-based methods have been applied to a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, economics, and biology.

critique: The answer is too long and should be edited down.

critique: The answer should mention Newman's work on power-law distributions.

question: Summarize the awards and honors Newman received.

answer: In 2007, Newman was elected as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. In 2011 and 2012, he received the Faculty Recognition Award and the Excellence in Education Award. In 2014, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, received the Lagrange Prize from the ISI Foundation, and was the fifth recipient of the Zachary Karate Club CLUB prize. In 2016, Newman was elected as a Simons Fellow in Theoretical Physics and received a Guggenheim Fellowship.

critique: The answer should mention the awards Newman received in 2007.

critique: The answer should include the year he received each award.

critique: The response includes extraneous information not useful for the task.

critique: Doesn't mention an SSHRC grant/a travel grant he got from the Simons Foundation/ US Department of State grant

critique: The answer should mention Newman's awards in 2007 and 2014.

critique: The answer should mention that Newman received the Lagrange Prize in 2014.

question: Summarize Newman's personal/family life.

answer: No answer

critique: The article mentions that Newman grew up in Bristol, England.

critique: The answer should mention that there is no information on Newman's personal life.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not mention Newman's personal life.

critique: There's no answer, but Newman's personal life is not relevant to the question.


split: train

text:
Night was quickly approaching, and the doves had already taken to the air. She watched them from her spot by the parkade, and listened to their gentle cooing, and wished that she could be so free, to spread wings and go where the wind would take her.

She had been living in the parkade for over a month now. The doves had followed her all the way from Cliff's Edge, her previous home. She had been forced to leave: winter was far colder by Cliff's Edge, and the snow tended to fall in great white sheets. Her journey had been long and arduous, and the doves had been there every step of the way. She welcomed their company, because it was the only company she had.

A small dove landed on her shoulder and cooed softly in her ear. It ruffled its feathers, then took to the air once again. They had grown accustomed to her, she knew. To them, she was just an oversized dove, wingless and beakless but a friend nonetheless. They never judged her or ridiculed her because of the way she looked, or talked, or lived. They just accepted.

She gazed up wistfully at the Buniard Building and noticed there were a few lights on in some of the apartments. Still early, then. Some of them were probably having supper now: families eating around the dinner table, or couples snuggled warmly infront of the television set, eating their T.V. dinners. The doves were her companions, her family. And the Buniard Building was her television set.

Through it she experienced the lives of its inhabitants. She learned to love some of them, and hate others, and often she caught herself rooting for one member of a family or another, and hoping things would come out right for them in the end. The day Mrs. Parkins suffered a heart attack she had been there, watching in horror, worried and angry at the injustices of life. Tonight Mr. Parkins was alone at home, pacing, clasping his hands tightly behind his back, moving like a caged animal - restless and lonely. Somehow she knew Mrs. Parkins had passed away. Perhaps it was the way he slouched, as though he had given up hope, or the way he had stopped brooding, as though there was nothing left to hope for.

She turned her gaze back to the doves, and saw them painted against a full moon. The moon was larger then she had ever seen it before, and took up a large portion of the night sky - a beacon among the tiny stars, and she was reminded of the story she had read in one of the papers, about a space shuttle that would soon be launched from Cape Canaveral and put the first man on the moon. How ridiculous it seemed, to spend so much money and effort to get to the moon, when there was so much suffering right here on Earth.

A chill wind started to blow. She heard its dismal howl, and watched as it overturned old carton boxes and sent newspapers skittering across the cold cement like mice. A plastic bag rolled down the road, hopping and creeping as though it possessed a life of its own. She started to shiver, and hugged herself tightly. She got up and brought a trash can from the parkade, filled it with the newspapers she had found that day - the Herald and the Boston Globe and the New York Times - and lit a small fire.

Startled by the sudden heat, the doves took to the air, and just when it seemed they would go up to the trees to roost for the night, they returned to her outstretched arms, and pecked at the bread crumbs she held in her hands.

As her gaze drew back to the Buniard Building, she had a strange premonition. Just as she had known that Mrs. Parkins was dead, she knew that something was going to happen tonight. The feeling was vague and far off, like a mirage in the desert, and she wondered if perhaps - and just like the mirage - it was a matter of wishful thinking. Did she want something to happen? Perhaps looking up at the Buniard was not enough, perhaps she longed for something more, something real. Something that would happen to her for a change.

Soon the feeling passed, leaving her cold and tired.

Young Vanessa Lewis was out by her bedroom window, gazing at the sky, and, in another apartment, Mr. Parkins was still pacing restlessly. Vanessa was a strange girl, but one of her favourite people to watch. She was forever arguing with her parents, like teenagers will, and sneaking off in the middle of the night. She spent long hours at her bedroom window, watching the doves, admiring their grace and beauty, not knowing that she herself was being watched.

Time passed, and soon even the sight of the pretty, wistful girl was not enough to keep her interest, and her gaze drifted, as it tended to do, back to the doves. They were acting strangely tonight, moving in short, abrupt movements, taking to the air and then returning, not remaining in one place for too long. Restless, she thought. Maybe they, too, felt that something was going to happen tonight. She would worry about that another time, though. It was getting late.

"Come," she whispered, "we'll find a place to rest this tired body of mine."

The pain in her back had returned with the cold, and she found it difficult to walk. She made her way to the park nearby, the Royal Grand park, a small sign stated, although it was far from royal and hardly what she would call grand. She made her bed in the lush, wet grass, and lay beneath the stars, and waited for sleep to take her. Around her the doves cooed and pawed at her clothing, perhaps looking for a last scrap of bread before they went up to roost.

But she felt restless, and sleep did not come quickly. She sat up and shivered slightly, and her eyes were drawn once again to the Buniard. Something was going to happen tonight. The realisation excited her. It was a warm feeling inside of her, as though a candle had been lit in her belly. Her eyes sparkled with a life she thought she had lost long ago.

And that's when she saw him, silhouette against the night, running. With a violent shudder the warm feeling was ripped from her, and in its place was only dread. Something bad was going to happen tonight. Something unspeakable.

title: The Bird Lady

question: What does the story say about migratory species?

answer: No answer

question: What does the story say about the residents of the Buniard?

answer: Mrs. Parkins died, her husband found her dead. One night the tenant, Ms. Lewis, another favorite of the narrator switched the light off. Arguments are heard from her room, her motions at the window seem unusual and her activities are mysterious. Mr. Parkins who is now left alone at home because his wife died is restless, perhaps because he feels lonely afterward, or because there's another watched him. The tenants seem like they're not a happy family.

critique: The response contains inaccurate information.

text: The story mentions that there are many residents and that the Parkins are among them. Also mention Vanessa Lewis, and the man that the bird lady observed near the end of the narrative.

category: coverage

question: What does the text say about the narrator?

answer: The narrator is someone who seems to be a down-and-out transient. They enjoy observing people in the apartments in the Buniard Building, especially Vanessa Lewis and a patient in a hospital. The narrator is in pain and sleeps in a parkade, dreaming of being free like a dove.

critique: The text does not say the narrator is a down-and-out transient. It says she is living in a parkade.

critique: The narrator is not in a hospital, she is living in the parkade.

critique: The narrator is not a transient. She is a homeless woman who lives in a parkade.

critique: The narrator does not dream of being free like a dove.

text: The narrator is not the bird lady. The story is being told from a third person perspective. The term narrator is not synonymous with the word main character or protagonist.

category: accuracy


text:
I can’t keep living like this. And it’s not your fault—it’s mine. I’m living for you when I should be living for myself, for evenings with friends and holidays with family. Because there isn’t a we. I have to live my own life.

And it isn’t you. I’ve been living in a fantasy, that’s the problem, a fantasy of you and me. I keep thinking that one day you’ll wake up and see me waiting here for you and everything will be like it’s supposed to. You’ll say hi and I’ll say hi and you’ll run your hand through your hair and the spikes will flip back up and I’ll laugh cause it’s cute and you’ll tell me I have a nice smile cause you like the way I squint and my freckles squish around my eyes. We’ll go to the docks, like we always do, and I’ll say the sea smells nice and you’ll say it looks a bit green like its sick and I’ll say that’s the way it’s supposed to look cause this isn’t Hawaii and you’ll say well it doesn’t look good for swimming and I’ll tell you of course it’s good for swimming and we should go sometime and you’ll promise we will someday. Someday isn’t going to come though. You’ll never get to read the notes or see the orange roses with the peeling petals I bought you. I wrote them every day, you know, little haikus and couplets. I thought you’d like that. They’re all stacked on the nightstand under the roses with wilting petals.

I guess we’re just not meant to be. I was so sure we were, yet here we are. Here I am, spilling my guts. Honestly, I can’t stand that we aren’t meant to be. It’s like losing faith. But I guess I have to let go of that the way I have to let go of you. You know, every day I dream about you and me. And you and me don’t exist. At least, not like that. I have to shake that out of my head. So it’s me. It’s my problem.

I can’t forget that time we stayed on the phone till two in the morning, just talking, and the way you laughed at my crappy jokes. That was wonderful. I won’t forget that. I was the most in love with you in those moments. Those were the moments you could have asked me to do anything for you and I would have said yes without hesitation. I was too afraid to tell you this before, but you left me breathless. I should have told you sooner. I guess I’m telling you now, though, and that must count for something. But I can’t help but feel like it’s too late. It’s so hard to find that place between too soon and too late. I’m not sure it exists, really, if there’s a right time to say I love you. I haven’t found it anyway. I know this is terrible timing but I have to tell you that I love you.

But I have to stop thinking about it, because it won’t bring you to me. So I’m going to try to forget how it felt when you smiled at me and how it felt when we spoke in unison. I have to move on, even if it’s without you, even if it hurts. I have to move on.

I’m sorry I’m telling you all this, but I feel like I should explain myself. I need to tell you why I can’t see you anymore. We’ll meet again someday, I’m sure, but at least for now I need to let you go. I don’t know if I can forgive myself for letting you go, but I have to try to live my own life. I hope you can forgive me.

I love you, but it’s not enough. Sometimes love doesn’t conquer. Sometimes it dies. And I’m going to let it, because we can’t save it. I can’t save it. So I’m going to let them unplug you now. They said you’ll stop breathing and your heart will stop beating and it will be slow, but you won’t feel a thing. I’m glad. I wonder if you can even feel this right now. If you can feel me leaving you. Well, in case you can, here’s the ring. I can’t keep it. Not if I’m going to keep going. Not if I’m going to live.

I’ve stayed with you through everything—rich and poor, sickness and health—but I can’t watch you die. I’m not going to stay, so this is goodbye. See you later, love.

title: Halcyon

question: What does the story say about the narrator's letter?

answer: The narrator has been writing haikus and couplets to a boy she loves in the hospital. She thought he would be able to see them one day, but unfortunately he is going down for the journey. The narrator decides it is time for them to meet for the last time as she is having some feelings. On the other side of the bed, the boy lays down wearing a wedding ring and offers the same one to her.

critique: The boy is in a coma, not on his deathbed.

critique: The boy is not wearing a wedding ring in the story.

critique: It would be clearer to make it clear that the narrator is writing a letter to her dead lover

critique: There is no evidence that the boy is dying in the hospital.

critique: The meaning behind this part of the story is unclear and the answer should be rewritten.

text: The response misses to mention that the narrator write the letter knowing that boy will never read it as he will die in the hospital when they unplug him.

refinement: The narrator has been writing haikus and couplets to a boy she loves in the hospital. She thought he would be able to see them one day, but unfortunately he is going down for the journey. The narrator decides it is time for them to meet for the last time as she is having some feelings. On the other side of the bed, the boy lays down wearing a wedding ring and offers the same one to her.

question: What does the story say about what happened to the dying person?

answer: The dying person was very important in the narrator's life. There's a ring that turns out to be a graduation ring, passed off to the dying person in their dying moments. The narrator wants to run away from the situation and decided that this would be the last time in their life that the will cry.

critique: The narrator is not running away from the situation.

critique: The dying person's identity is not mentioned in the story.

critique: There is no mention of a graduation ring in the story.

critique: There are several other details mentioned in the story about the dying person. The model has missed the mark.

critique: The narrator is crying because they are about to leave the dying person.

critique: Not much is said about the dying person, except that the narrator wants to run away and that they are important to the narrator.

critique: The text does not answer this question, so a real guess would be best

critique: The dying person is not mentioned as an important person in the narrator's life.

critique: This is a lot of information that doesn't really answer the question.

critique: The dying person is another person, not the narrator.

critique: The story does not say that the narrator wants to run away from the situation.

critique: The ring is important, but it's not a graduation ring.

text: The response includes irrelevant information not useful for the task. The story does not mention what happened to the dying person.

category: coherence

refinement: The dying person was very important in the narrator's life. There's a ring that turns out to be a graduation ring, passed off to the dying person in their dying moments. The narrator wants to run away from the situation and decided that this would be the last time in their life that the will cry.


text:
_THE AIRBORNE SYMPHONY_ (also known as _SYMPHONY: THE AIRBORNE_) is a work by American composer Marc Blitzstein for narrator, vocal soloists, male chorus, and large orchestra that premiered April 1–2, 1946. A history of human flight, the symphony uses music that the United States Army Air Forces, in which Blitzstein served during the World War II, originally commissioned for use in film.

History

Marc Blitzstein began the war as a member of the U.S. Eighth Army Air Force's film division in London, England, working as a composer, scriptwriter, and translator. He was chosen to score a film on the history of aviation through his promotion to corporal in January 1943. Blitzstein also began work on the orchestral poem _Freedom Morning_ that summer for eventual performance in the Royal Albert Hall.

Work on the _Airborne_ score continued into 1944, with Blitzstein providing other services to the U.S. Army. By mid-1944, he had been promoted to sergeant and became music director of the American Broadcasting Service. The original film project did not come to fruition and Blitzstein, who composed his score for a large orchestra and male chorus, did not have the needed manpower for a wartime concert.

Blitzstein returned to the United States in May 1945. His score of _The Airborne_ had been lost en route from England, but he was able to play sections of the work on piano for conductor Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein enthusiastically arranged its premiere for April 1946 and Blitzstein rewrote the score from memory. The original score was recovered, but Blitzstein preferred the newer version.

Structure

_The Airborne Symphony,_ while having symphonic elements, models itself largely after the choral cantata. The symphony is divided into three parts, with each part divided into subtitled sections. _The Airborne_ is a highly dramatic work that connects the birth of flight with the role of airplanes in modern warfare:

-   PART ONE
    -   The Theory of Flight
    -   Ballad of History and Mythology
    -   Kittyhawk
    -   The Airborne
-   PART TWO
    -   The Enemy
    -   Threat and Approach
    -   Ballad of the Cities
    -   Morning Poem
-   PART THREE
    -   Air Force: Ballad of Hurry-Up
    -   Night Music: Ballad of the Bombardier
    -   Recitative: Chorus of the Rendezvous
    -   The Open Sky (Finale)

As expected, the narrator holds a primary role in advancing the symphony's plot. The soloists and chorus provide commentary on the action. The symphony is comparable to works by Dmitri Shostakovich, American counterpart Samuel Barber, and the earlier works of Igor Stravinsky. Blitzstein, who subscribed to the artistic principles of socialist realism, wrote in a conservative style that was understandable on first hearing.

Premiere

Presenting the history of human flight, _The Airborne Symphony_ was first performed April 1–2, 1946, at New York City Center by the New York City Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. Orson Welles was narrator; Charles Holland was tenor soloist and Walter Scheff was baritone soloist, with the male section of the Collegiate Chorale led by Robert Shaw. The work was officially dedicated to the Eighth Air Force.[1][2]

Reception

_The New York Times_ reported that the audience received _The Airborne Symphony_ with enthusiasm at its world premiere, and called the performance “remarkably sure, brilliant and dramatically eloquent.”[3] Since then, the work has been rarely performed, owing to its massive orchestral forces, topicality, and lack of standing with musicologists. _The Airborne Symphony_ has passages of stunning musicality, but is also judged as a work of brazen propaganda with limited performing value in modern times.

Leonard Bernstein has been the symphony's best-known disciple, performing and recording the work in 1946 and 1966.

Recordings

_The Airborne Symphony_ was recorded in 1946, with Bernstein conducting the New York City Symphony Orchestra and Robert Shaw as narrator. Its releases include Pearl's 1998 CD _Marc Blitzstein: Musical Theatre Premières_ (GEMS 1009).[4]

Bernstein recorded the work with the New York Philharmonic in 1966, with Welles as narrator, tenor Andrea Velis as soloist, and William Jonson conducting the Choral Art Society. It was released as an LP in 1976 by Columbia Masterworks,[5] and on CD in 2000 by Sony Classical.[6]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

title: The Airborne Symphony

question: Summarize the structure of the symphony.

answer: This work is modeled after the choral cantata. It is divided into three parts. Each part has subtitled sections.

critique: The answer should mention which movements or sections are in each of the subtitled sections.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator holds a primary role.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator is a primary role.

critique: The answer omits the structure of the individual parts.

critique: The answer should include the names of the sections.

critique: The answer should mention the narrator's role.

question: Summarize Blitzstein's time in the U.S. Air Force.

answer: Blitzstein joined the U.S. Eighth Army Air Force in London and worked as a composer, scriptwriter, and translator. He was chosen to score a film project on the history of aviation in 1943. He was promoted to sergeant in 1944 and became music director of the American Broadcasting Service. He returned to the U.S. in 1945, but his original score for the film was lost in transit. Blitzstein played sections of the work on piano for conductor Leonard Bernstein, who arranged its premiere for April 1946.

critique: Blitzstein's original score was not lost in transit. It was lost en route from England.

critique: The answer should mention Blitzstein's time in the Air Force.

critique: The last line of this response confirms Blitzstein returning to the U.S. from London. It should be rewritten, to reflect that he began working as a composer, scriptwriter, and translator.

critique: The answer is not a summary of Blitzstein's time in the U.S. Air Force, but a summary of the Airborne Symphony.

critique: The answer is a summary of Blitzstein's career, not his time in the U.S. Air Force.

question: According to the text, explain why Blitzstein joined the Army.

answer: No answer

critique: The text doesn't say, but Blitzstein's work in the Army was related to music.

critique: Blitzstein joined the Army because he was a member of the U.S. Eighth Army Air Force's film division in London, England, working as a composer, scriptwriter, and translator.

critique: The answer cannot be found therefore it cannot be answered.

critique: Blitzstein joined the Army in order to work on a film about the history of aviation.

question: Summarize the feedback The Airborne Symphony received.

answer: There is only one article on the symphony, but it says that The New York Times reported that the audience received the symphony with enthusiasm. The symphony was also a work of brash propaganda with limited performing value in modern times, but has stunning musicality.

critique: The name of the symphony is given as Symphony: The Airborne, not the Airborne Symphony

critique: The first sentence of the answer is not related to the question. It should be removed.

critique: The article is not the only one on the symphony.


text:
[]

In the wake of the violent protests at the Gaza border fence in Israel, a group of prominent Muslims in Britain have purchased full-page ads in several UK papers to condemn anti-Semitism and to urge their fellow Muslims to “speak out” whenever they see signs of “one of history’s oldest and most virulent hatreds.”

The ads were sponsored by a nonprofit organization called Muslims Against Anti-Semitism (MAAS) and feature an open letter with over a dozen signatories, including journalists, former members of parliament, community activists, and religious leaders. So far, the ads have run in the Times, the Telegraph, and the Metro.

  And here we stand in the @MetroUK. We have made our stands in the Telegraph, the Times and the Metro.

  We call on our Muslim brothers & sisters to stand against anti-Semitism with the same vigour they challenge anti-Muslim hate.

  All three papers below #antisemitism pic.twitter.com/wH1cCSJWsQ

  — MAAS (@MAAS_UK) May 18, 2018

The ads show a bold headline: “We Muslims have one word for Jews. Shalom.” — the Hebrew word for peace.

“As British Muslims, we believe the time has come to speak out,” begins the letter, which seeks to engage Muslims in the fight against anti-Semitism, and specifically references the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

  For far too long, anti-Semitism has gone unchecked. Sadly, it has become entrenched across society. Its poison can be found in all political parties and among followers of all faiths, including Islam.

  Eradicating it is a challenge faced by all of us.

  We understand that many in our country empathise with the Palestinians and their right to a sovereign state. We welcome the defence of the rights of all people.

  However, we must be ever vigilant against those who cynically use international issues to vilify Jews or promote anti-Semitic tropes. There is no cause that can justify the promotion of hate.

  Just as we challenge those who recycle anti-Muslim tropes, we stand firmly against racism directed at our Jewish sisters and brothers.

  As Muslims, we believe that our future peace, security and prosperity in this great country cannot be ensured while Jewish communities feel under threat. It is our duty to speak out against all forms of hatred and bigotry — against anti-Semitism no less than anti-Muslim hatred.

  To our Jewish sisters and brothers, we say the struggle against one of history oldest and most virulent hatreds is not your fight along but ours collectively.

  In peace, we say these words:

  Hiney ma tov u’ma-nayim, Shevet ach-im gam ya-chad.

  Our full page advert makes clear that for some of us, as British Muslims, anti-Semitism is a scourge that needs to be tackled with vigour, energy and commitment. This means tackling it beyond and within communities.#Antisemitism #Muslims #interfaith pic.twitter.com/siGQWbdqvN

  — MAAS (@MAAS_UK) May 17, 2018

The last line of the ad comes from a Hebrew hymn and translates to “How good it is, for brothers and sisters to sit together.”

The ad has received many positive responses, including from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who thanked MAAS for their “incredible solidarity.”

  Incredible solidarity – a full page ad by Muslim sisters & brothers in today's @Telegraph. Thank you. Together we will defeat the twin evils of antisemitism & anti-Muslim hate. @FaithMattersUK @TellMamaUK @ayeshahazarika @paulsarmstrong @MakChishtyQPM @hennaraiB @Voice_of_Salam pic.twitter.com/W5PJLtHngK

  — Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) May 17, 2018

_Follow Sarah Rumpf on Twitter: @rumpfshaker. _

question: Summarize the message of the advertisement.

answer: The advertisement is an open letter and features over a dozen signatories condemning anti-Semitic attitudes, and specifically focus on the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The advertisement states that as Muslim British citizens they have an obligation and responsibility to fight against all types of hatred, including anti-Semitism.

critique: "The advertisement is an open letter and features over a dozen signatories condemning anti-Semitic attitudes, and specifically focus on the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The advertisement states that as Muslim British citizens they have an obligation and responsibility to fight against all types of hatred, including anti-Semitism." - the advertisement is not an open letter. It is an advertisement.

critique: Does not include the same words at the end of the ad: Hiney ma tov u’ma-nayim, shevet ach-im gam ya-chad.

critique: The advertisement is not an open letter.

critique: The answer should mention the last line of the advertisement.

critique: The advertisement's message is not only about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also states that "anti-Semitism has gone unchecked" and that "its poison can be found in all political parties and among followers of all faiths, including Islam."

critique: The advertisement is not an open letter, but a full-page ad.

critique: "The advertisement is an open letter and features over a dozen signatories condemning anti-Semitic attitudes, and specifically focus on the Israeli Palestinian conflict." - this is redundant and should be removed.

question: Summarize the responses to the advertisement.

answer: The advertisement received positive responses from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who thanked MAAS for their "incredible solidarity". The group also received approval from a Jewish group called Faith Matters.

critique: The answer omits the positive response from the Muslim group.

critique: The advertisement did not receive approval from Faith Matters.

critique: The advertisement also received approval from Tell MAMA and Ayesha Hazarika.

critique: The answer could be clearer in its pronoun use.

critique: The advertisement was also approved by TellMamaUK and Ayesha Hazarika.

critique: The response should mention that the advertisement received approval from the Telegraph, Times, and Metro.

question: Summarize everything related to prejudice.

answer: The group finds anti-Semitism to be one of history's oldest and most virulent hatreds. According to the group, they already made their stands in Times, the Telegraph and the Metro. Furthermore, the ad visually supports their argument in the forms of newspaper ads to denounce anti-Semites. It seems a peaceful relation is the group's ultimate goal; hence, this response to the violent Gaza border graffiti.

critique: The response is missing a few details about the group's stance on anti-Semitism.

critique: The group is against anti-Semitism, not anti-Semites.

critique: The group's goal is not to have a peaceful relation with anti-Semites.

critique: The group's goal is not to have peaceful relations.

critique: The group's goal is not to have a peaceful relation, but to denounce anti-Semitism.

critique: The word "graffiti" doesn't fit the context so I would replace it with "protests".

critique: The advertisement does not explicitly state that anti-Semitism is one of history's oldest and most virulent hatreds. The author is the one who says that. The same goes for the group already having made their stand.

critique: The group's goal is not to establish a peaceful relation, but to eradicate anti-Semitism.

question: What does the text say about Palestine's response to anti-Semitism?

answer: No answer

critique: The text does not say anything about Palestine's response to anti-Semitism.


text:
The _KĀWĀLĀ_ ( or ; also called _SALAMIYA_, ) is an end-blown cane flute used in Arabic music. It is similar to the _ney_ but has six finger holes, while the _ney_ has seven (including one in the back). The _kawala_ comes in up to nine different sizes, according to the _maqam_.

The kawala is a single reed Egyptian flute that is played by blowing through its end. Though very similar to the ney, a highly popular flute in traditional Middle Eastern music, the kawala does not have a hole in the back as the ney does. The kawala has the fundamental tonal structure customary among the Egyptian folk music community, and the basis for many folk melodies, instrumental or vocal.

The kawala is hollow and has four knots, with six fingerholes in a straight line along it. The instrument has up to nine different sizes, according to the scale required in a musical composition. Most often played today at religious festivals and weddings, it has its origin as a shepherds tool, used to guide their flock. For this reason the seems to assist in any musical composition that contains a “call-and-response” sequence.

Players

Ahmed El Arnab is considered one of the most prestigious kawala players in Egypt and worldwide. Living in a small village of Sharqia governorate in Egypt, he has been traveling worldwide playing with many Egyptian sufi singers, including Sheikh Yassine Al-Tohamy and other western composers. He also regularly participates in national folklore carnivals (Mawlid) all over Egypt. He is one of the oldest surviving players in Egypt whose unique signature is the ability to produce various sound effects on the instrument using the circular breathing technique.

Ibrahim Shahin – who used to play in Mawawil – was another well-known Egyptian kawala player. He was an internationally travelled musician who once played regularly at events in his village and at larger shows in Egypt.

Technique

Sound is produced from a kawala by blowing into its upper (mouth) opening with a technique known to instrumentalists as circular breathing. With this technique, a musician breathes in through the nose while retaining a reservoir of previously inhaled air in his puffed-out cheeks, controlling its output to achieve an even and continuous flow of air while continuing to inhale regularly through the nose. This technique is similar to that used with the bagpipe, and has the effect of producing a long, continuous, even tone from the instrument.

The kawala is unique among other instruments in that both a scale and a glissando can be produced, which allows the musician the flexibility to play any note and thus any key, granting tonal flexibility. The uses of the kawala have been generally confined to religious chant. However, gradually the instrument has come to be used in other areas of folk music, and has gained a foothold in every corner of Egypt.

Production

The maker of the kawala selects his reeds while they are still in the earth, and scoops out the inside, hollowing them out so that they stop growing taller but instead grow thicker and harder. The reeds are left in the earth until they are ripe for harvest, at which point they are culled and left in the sun to dry out completely. Then comes the stage of dividing each stalk into segments of four knots each, starting at the thinner end, so that a musician gets (in order) a leading pipe and a following pipe in a 1:2 ratio (two follower pipes for each leader). The maker is careful to select the leader and its follower from the same stalk so as to ensure uniformity in the color of the tone. The internal divisions that divide the reed into chambers at each knot from the inside are then removed, resulting in a hollow pipe open at both ends. Any excess is then trimmed away, together with the remainder of the internal divisions, for a smooth, even interior texture.

title: Kawala

question: What are the musical properties of the kawala?

answer: It is a single reed Egyptian flute that is played by blowing through its end. It has a fundamental tonal structure customary among the Egyptian folk music community. It is hollow and has four knots, with six fingerholes in a straight line along it. The kawala is unique among other instruments in that both a scale and a glissando can be produced, which allows the musician the flexibility to play any note and thus any key, granting tonal flexibility.

critique: The answer should mention the technique used to play the kawala.

question: What does the article say about how to make haunting music?

answer: No answer

critique: The response misses to answer the instruction in the task.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not say anything about how to make haunting music.

critique: The article does not say anything about how to make haunting music.

critique: The answer should state that no answer is given in the article.


text:
This was my first short story I had to write for my Creative Writing class back when I was a Junior in high school. I hope you like it!

    "Ooohhhh," Helen groaned. She hurt everywhere. Being in a hospital for six weeks is really something that she wasn't looking forward to. She was about to call for a nurse to change the channel on her tiny tv (golf was not her thing!) when all of a sudden there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called weakly.

   "Hello, I'm Dr. Bandade, how are you feeling?" He smiled a toothy smile.

   She gave the burly man a sarcastic look. "How do you *think* I'm feeling? I fell out of a five-story window!"

    The doctor pulled up a chair next to her. "Yes about that, how exactly did it happen? On this statement is says that you were pushed?"

    Helen cringed at the very thought of it, not only because it was painful, but she wasn't sure if he would believe her. "Well, it started out as a normal day. I woke up, ate breakfast, completed the daily crossword puzzle in the paper.

    "It was then I noticed that my window was open. A cool breeze swept through, so I decided to close it. I got up and went over to the window.

    "Right as I reached out to grab the handle, Rufus, my cat, rubbed against my leg, causing me to lose my balance. Before I knew it, I was falling out the window!

    "I screamed. I heard people screaming below me. I felt breathless. Panic swept over me.

    "It was only too soon when I came into contact with the ground. I heard bones shattering and I cried out in pain. In the distance, sirens wailed. The ambulance charged down the street.

    "After they put me on the stretcher, they hauled me away to the hospital, where they told me I was lucky to even be alive. They said I broke every bone in my body. I'll be here about six weeks, if not more." Her face fell when she told the doctor this. "And that's all that happened."

    Dr. Bandade looked over at her. "So you fell out accidentally then."

    "No! I was *pushed* out!" she yelled.

    "But you even said that you lost your balance, and no one was with you."

    "Yes there was... Rufus! *He* pushed me out!"

    The doctor rationalized, "But he's a *cat.* He probably didn't realize that rubbing against you to show affection would-"

    But Helen cut him off. "He *deliberately* rubbed too hard and made me lost my balance."

    "What would be the purpose for Rufus to push you?" The doctor raised an eyebrow.

    "He's just evil," she simply said.

    "Oh." He wrote some things down on his clipboard.

    Helen stared at him suspiciously. "What kind of doctor are you anyway, asking me all these questions?"

    "I'm a psychiatrist." He wrote some more things down.

    "What? You think I'm crazy don't you?! I'm telling you, my cat is trying to *kill me!"*

    Before Dr. Bandade could say anything, there was a knock at the door.

    "Excuse me, doctor," the nurse said, "but there's someone here to see her."

    Helen perked up a bit. A visitor to see her!

    The visitor walked into the room.

    "Rufus!" Helen shrieked.

    Standing there was the tabby cat. He was staring at her with glossy green eyes, slanted into slits. His tail twitched as if to say, "I'm *back."*

title: Paranoid?... Or Just Plain Evil?

question: Who does Helen blame for her fall?

answer: She blames her cat, Rufus.

critique: The answer could be phrased as a complete sentence.

critique: "She blames her cat, Rufus" - it sounded redundant so her cat is actually named Rufus. I changed it to "Rufus, her cat"

text: The answer should mention how Rufus made the narrator fall according to her.

question: What injury did Helen suffer?

answer: She fell out of her window, breaking every bone in her body, and was told she would be in the hospital for up to six weeks

critique: The answer should mention that she fell out of a five-story building.

critique: The answer should mention that due to her fall, she was told she would be in the hospital for up to six weeks.

critique: The answer could be phrased as a complete sentence.

critique: She was told she will be in the hospital for six weeks. It's not said that she broke every bone in her body. It's only mentioned that she broke all her bones.

text: Helen was told she'd be in the hospital for six weeks or more.


text:
ANN CARLSON (born October 21, 1954 ) is an American dancer, choreographer and performance artist whose work explores contemporary social issues. She has performed throughout the United States and internationally and has won a number of awards.

Beginnings in dance

Carlson was born in Park Ridge, Illinois.[1] She graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in modern dance from the University of Utah in 1976. In 1983 she became one of the first students of the University of Arizona to earn a graduate degree in dance.[2] Even though Carlson received extensive dance training as a child, she defined dance as “any conscious movement in time and space”.[3] Carlson came to this conclusion when she was 12 years old after attending a lecture and demonstration by Murray Louis at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art.[4] Because of her broad view of dance, Carlson often tackles important issues in her work and works within a number of disciplines to respond to ideas, concepts and themes.[5] As a result, Carlson takes her work far beyond the confines of traditional “dance” into a realm that could be called performance art.

Career

In the early part of her dance career, from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Carlson performed with Territory Dance Theater in Tucson, Arizona, and later, when she moved to New York in 1984, performed with Susan Rethorst and Meredith Monk.[6] She was an original member of the PS 122 Field Trip Tours, a group of solo performance artists and choreographers that toured their works throughout the United States in the late 1980s. Ms. Carlson presented her first evening-length work, “Real People”, in 1986 at Performance Space 122. That piece became the catalyst for an ongoing group of works that Carlson referred to as the “Real People series”, works made with and performed by people gathered together around common professions, activities or shared relationships. This body of work, described as “delegated performance”, became the foundation for much of Carlson's later choreography. The work “Sloss, Kerr, Rosenberg & Moore” (or “the lawyer piece”) was performed by four (actual) New York attorneys. Carlson's second evening-length work, “Animals”, debuted at Dance Theater Workshop in 1988 and toured throughout the U.S. into the mid-1990s. Carlson choreographed the opera “Kabballah” to music composed by Stewart Wallace.[7] Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass's chamber opera “Hydrogen Jukebox” was staged by Ann Carlson in June 1990.[8] A 2017 work by the artist entitled “Doggie Hamlet,” which included “five performers, three herding dogs, a dog handler, a dog trainer and a flock of sheep,” was performed in a meadow at dusk.[9]

As a choreographer, Carlson’s work has been performed throughout the United States; some notable places her choreography has been featured include Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles.[10] Internationally her work has been performed in West Germany, Prague and Mexico City. From 1990 until 2010 Carlson collaborated with video maker Mary Ellen Strom on a number of performances and performance videos. These videos are held in collections in museums and private collections.

Awards

Carlson’s choreography has earned her a New York Dance and Performance Award in 1988, American Dance Festival Award in 1988, a prestigious three year choreographic award from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1989–1991, the CalArts Alpert Award in Dance in 1995,[11] and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award in 1998, A New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in 2000, a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2003, a fellowship from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies at Harvard University in 2004, a USA Artist Fellowship in 2008, an American Master's Award in 2010, and a Creative Capital Award in 2016.

Style of work

Some critics refer to Carlson’s work as dance-theater and some refer to it as talking dancing.[12] Her work often incorporates different movement components, speaking or acting components, and props or sometimes animals.[13] A piece entitled _The Dog Inside the Man Inside_ represents all these areas of Carlson’s work and is from a series of work called _Animals_. The setup of this piece includes a straight chair, a television set, a white picket fence, and, most notably, a real live dog.[14] Other animals are later featured, including a goldfish, a cat and a goat.[15] Carlson said she wanted “to make works that could respond to a living being, that I couldn’t choreograph in the way that I’d been taught to choreograph”.[16]

[1] Benbow-Pfalzgraf, Taryn. _International Dictionary of Modern Dance._ (Detroit, MI: St. James Press, 1998), p. 106–108.

[2] Harris, William. “DANCE; On a Tour of Tableaus, You Move, They Don't.” _The New York Times._ 14 May 2000. Section 2; Page 46. University of Texas Lib., Austin, TX. 24 March 2008. LexisNexis

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12] Tobias, Tobi. “Dance Review: Ann Carlson Is Her Own Kind of Down-to-earth.” _New York Magazine_. (28 Feb 2000). 24 March 2008 http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/dance/reviews/2246/

[13] Keefe, Maura. _Talking Dancing: The Choreography of Space and Character in Contemporary U.S. Dance._ (Ann Arbor, MI.: ProQuest Information and Learning Company, 2002), 127

[14] Keefe, _Talking Dancing_, 122

[15]

[16]

title: Ann Carlson

question: What are the unique contents of Ann Carlson's dance philosophy?

answer: Carlson graduated from University of Arizona as one of the first students to gain a graduate degree in dance. In her work, she uses different techniques, speaking and acting variants, she also incorporates props and other living things. A unique principle in her practice believes in delegating performance to 'normal' people because according to her: "Dance is any conscious movement in time and space." She derives her inspiration from a 12-year-old lecture demonstration on Murray Louis in contemporary art.

critique: There is no evidence that she uses speaking and acting variants.

critique: The answer is mostly incoherent, but it is possible to extract some usable information.

critique: It's omitted that Carlson's broad perspective of dance allows her to tackle important issues.

critique: The answer needs to mention the primary ideas in Carlson's work philosophy. Also, Grammar needs to be fixed.

critique: "Carlson graduated from University of Arizona as one of the first students to gain a graduate degree in dance." - is irrelevant and should be deleted.

critique: The answer should mention her broad view of dance.

critique: Unnecessarily added a 'since' after 'what'

critique: She did not attend the lecture and demonstration when she was 12 years old

critique: The answer is not a summary of the article. It is a summary of Ann Carlson's life.

critique: The answer is not a summary of the passage.

critique: The answer could mention the Real People series.

critique: The answer omits Carlson's theory on delegated performance.

critique: The answer fails to mention Carlson's broad view of dance.

critique: The answer should mention that Carlson's work is performance art.

text: Incorrectly states the lecture she attended is twelve years old when in fact she was twelve years old when she attended it.

refinement: Carlson graduated from University of Arizona as one of the first students to gain a graduate degree in dance. In her work, she uses different techniques, speaking and acting variants, she also incorporates props and other living things. A unique principle in her practice believes in delegating performance to 'normal' people because according to her: "Dance is any conscious movement in time and space." She derives her inspiration from a 12-year-old lecture demonstration on Murray Louis in contemporary art.


text:
LOADING...

[]

Our Legacy.

We’re super creative and we build awesome brands.

-   Who we are
-   Our Skills
-   Our Process

Pixilex is a premier digital and content marketing advertising agency. We’ve recognized the power of the digital space and have mastered it. Observing and understanding the digital media phenomenon is one thing, leveraging it for building brands is quite another. Although most businesses realize the value of Online marketing, not many have figured out the right mix of strategy & execution. Our comprehensive expertise in the digital space, high quality content creation, content marketing and disruptive style of advertising gives our clients an edge over the competition.
_PIXILEX: PIXI: Pictures; LEX: Written word.  _

1

Conception

The Big Idea: We generate big Ideas through a collaboration of creative minds and various unique techniques of lateral thinking to give your brand a competitive edge.

2

Research

The Rigor: We’re excruciatingly meticulous in research as we believe it’s vital to the final output. We engage in detailed dialogue with you to understand your requirements and equip ourselves with every bit of information to deliver quality to you.

3

Design

Elegance: We create designs that are eye-catching, aesthetically pleasing and make a sure impact. Our designs don’t just promote your Brand; they give it a long-standing identity.

4

Development

Perfection: We adopt an effective process to design solutions tailored to your needs and deliver them promptly and flawlessly.

[]

Services

The world has taken to digital media and it's become more important than ever to have an online presence. Our internet marketing offerings include Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Brand Management, Online Reputation Management, and Search Engine Marketing. We create Designs, and Responsive Mobile Optimized Websites.

THINK SOCIAL

We get you started on well-known social media forums such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. We also create channels and pages for fans and satisfied customers to post their testimonials and opinions, giving you a strong social presence.

Web Design

We take time out to understand you and your competition. Only then do we begin to design unique, aesthetic and attention-grabbing creatives for your own space on the web. Our designs have a global appeal.

SEO, SCM & SEM

We incorporate analytics using specialized tools to direct traffic to your website. Our highly qualified team of professionals particularly focuses all efforts on search engine optimization and ensures your site appears on the top when searched.

CREATIVE ART WORK

We have a solution for every need. Whether it’s for a logo, event, fair, marketing collateral, special promotions and launches, we design eye-catching designs that appeal to the target segment and stay in line with your vision.

WEBSITES ON THE GO

We design seamless mobile sites that are compatible with various devices such as smartphones, tablets and phablets. These websites are designed with the aim of giving visitors a rich and smooth experience on all devices.

GET HEARD

If you are in search of a solution provider for your digital needs, you're right where you want to be. Having several years of rich experience, our team has an immense reputation of meeting international standards.

THE TEAM.

Collective intelligence creates magic!

[]

Welcome!

OUR TEAM COMPRISES EXPERT STRATEGISTS WHO HAVE GUIDED BRANDS SUCH AS MOTOROLA, LUCENT, HP, CGI AMONG OTHERS, OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS. WE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN AWESOME BRAND STRATEGY.

[]

Pretty darn great!

OUR ART AND COPY CREATIVE DEPARTMENTS HAVE SIGNIFICANT TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE SKILL SETS. USING THESE, WE CREATE IMPRESSIVE CONTENT FOR YOU. WE’VE HELPED BRANDS SOAR TO GREAT HEIGHTS.

[]

Hi-Fi!

OUR TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS CAN BRING IN THE MAGIC OF TECHNOLOGY TO YOUR BRAND. WE HAVE BUILT NUMEROUS ONLINE MARKETING PLATFORMS, TECHNOLOGY MARKETING SOLUTIONS, MOBILITY, BIG DATA AND CLOUD BASED MARKETING SOLUTIONS OVER THE YEARS.

[]

Classy=!

OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAM WEAVES MAGICAL CODES. THE TEAM HAS EXPERTISE IN DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE MOBILE RESPONSIVE, MULTI-DEVICE FRIENDLY AND SEARCH EFFICIENT.

PLUS SERVICES.

Soar your brand with our value-added services.

We Create Corporate Presentations

We create powerful corporate presentations that have an instant appeal and are extremely hard-hitting. They render the clarity required to provide businesses and their sales a tremendous boost.

We’ll Get You Going Digitally

Still have a soft spot for Newsletters and Email promotions? We create very elegant digital media for your needs.

We Write to Sell

We possess a team which has mastered the written word. A team that uses the right word at the right place and to the right section of the population.

We Create Clamoring Designs

We design unique, aesthetic and attention-grabbing brand image to your firm, reflecting your vision with a global appeal.

We Strengthen Your Social Presence

A firm footing on Facebook is key for today’s businesses. We use our expertise in such platforms to precisely pick the target segment and generate greater worthwhile leads that result in a higher conversion rate.

We Create Awesome Websites

Most websites today are in dire need of a revamp. Having an updated website can make all the difference between a prospective client and an actual client. We can get your website a fresh new look.

We Create E-commerce Websites

We create intuitive user-friendly E-commerce websites that make browsing, shopping and payment an absolute breeze.

We Recommend

We research and consult to enable you to make the best marketing and business decisions.

question: What does the article say about the critical advantages PIXILEX offers?

answer:
PIXILEX's website advertises itself as a leading advertising agency. They provide their clients with outsourced services that would help promote their brand and draw more traffic to their business. Stories
com, Pixilex's lead and strategic partner, is also affiliated with PIXILEX. Pixilex believes they have a strong reputation when it comes to meeting international SEO standards and this would definitely harm their reputation in the long run if they don't keep up.

critique: This is not a part of PIXILEX's services. This is a story about Pixilex

critique: Add "the article" and replace "their business" with "the client's business"

critique: The answer is irrelevant and incoherent.

question: What does the article say about how to do SEO?

answer: No answer

critique: The article does not explicitly say how to do SEO.

critique: The article details how Pixilex can help with SEO; it does not detail how to do SEO.

critique: The article does not answer this question.

critique: The article does not answer the question.

critique: It is omitted that Pixilex uses analytics using specialized tools to direct traffic to its client’s website. It particularly focuses all efforts on search engine optimization (SEO) and ensures its site appears on the top when searched.


text:
 My Chinese family-- By Kavita Dattani

Views：752 Time:1/24/2018 10:42:16 AM

(Kavita Dattani is a recent graduate from Britain, currently studying Chinese language at Tsinghua University in Beijing.)

[]

As I followed my usual Beijing daily routine of coming home from University, buying groceries, and heading up to my apartment, I was lucky enough to experience a friendly encounter. When entering the elevator I heard 'deng yi xia! deng yi xia!' meaning 'wait! wait!', and as I held the elevator doors open, a woman swiftly entered and thanked me. When I replied to her thanks in Chinese, she was surprised. The elevator made its way up, and we carried on our conversation. She offered to help me improve my Chinese, as she said teaching Chinese was a hobby of hers, and we then went on to exchange names and numbers (all of this in one elevator journey? Living on the 22nd floor has its advantages). I didn't think much of this encounter as I have, on many occasions, come across Chinese people who enjoy speaking with foreigners and offering their assistance, but it usually never goes further than a mere few words. What's more, coming from England, I am always a little skeptical that I am just being used for an opportunity to practice oral English.

A few hours later I received an SMS from the woman and we had a short conversation consisting of general introduction chit-chat. As I told my flatmates about the experience and narrated the text conversation aloud, they didn't hesitate to express their concern. From a western perspective, experiences like these are dangerous, and a little strange to say the least. Yet, I pushed their worries aside, and in my attempt to try and be 'more Chinese' I stayed in touch with my new elevator friend. Additionally, it is surprisingly hard to meet Chinese people in Beijing, as being a Chinese language student means that most of the time I am surrounded by my foreign classmates.

The following week she invited me to go for milk tea with her and her 13 year old daughter, and at this point I was almost sure that the prime reason was so that her daughter would have the perfect opportunity to practice her English. Regardless of this, I still went because I thought that I would be able to squeeze in some of my own Chinese language practice at the same time. As we drank our tea and chatted about various things, I soon came to realize that my skeptical pre-assumptions were indeed wrong. Most of our conversation was in Chinese, and even though it would have been much easier to speak in English, as my Chinese level is still only intermediate, they went to great lengths to try and help me practice and even teach me new words. I was not only shocked, but still questioning why they would be so kind to a complete stranger.

(Kavita Dattan)

Our next encounter was when they invited me to their apartment to make dumplings. We spent the whole afternoon chatting, joking, cooking and looking at old photos of their family. They made me feel completely at ease in their home and I genuinely felt like I was back in England with my own family. We ate a huge meal and over dinner they mentioned that they rarely invite people to their home because of the pressure of Chinese ideals, but in my case, as I was a foreigner, this pressure didn't exist. Later, they told me to relax and act as one of them rather than a courteous guest.

After these initial meet-ups I have spent a lot of time with the family, and I feel that they have become my own family abroad. They have persisted in helping me with my Chinese studies, while also assisting me with overcoming any other troubles that I have come across. My initial doubts were wrong and I feel guilty having had them, yet they made me realize the extent of the existence of hostility between strangers in the west. I don't know for what reason this family were so nice to me - maybe because they wanted to have a foreign friend, maybe because being only allowed one child, they wanted the feeling of more young people in their home, or maybe there is no reason at all. But, the fact that both me and my western friends thought that it was so odd that a stranger would be so kind and compassionate to another without gainful intent is sad. This experience, and meeting these people has made my time in China unforgettable, and I dread to think of if I had let my western cynicisms act as a barrier. I feel like this simple difference in attitude is something that we in the west can learn from Chinese culture, it not only opens up more opportunities, but also seems a more natural and social way of living life.

Sauce: chinadaily.com.cn

question: What does the story say about life in Beijing?

answer: The narrator lives in Beijing and studies Chinese language at Tsinghua University. She has a daily routine of coming home from the University, buying groceries, and heading up to her apartment. She is lucky enough to experience a friendly encounter with a woman in the elevator. The woman offers to help her improve her Chinese, and they exchange names and numbers. The narrator is a Chinese language student, so most of the time she is surrounded by her foreign classmates. She rarely meets Chinese people in Beijing.

critique: The narrator is a recent graduate from Britain, not a Chinese language student.

critique: The response includes extraneous information not useful for the task.

critique: The narrator is a foreigner, not Chinese.

critique: The narrator's encounters with the Chinese family are omitted.

critique: The last two sentences can be combined to make the answer clearer.

critique: The narrator's routine is not relevant to the question.

critique: The phrase " Chinese language student" could be omitted since this is already mentioned in the context of the sentence.

question: Why does the narrator seek to be 'more Chinese'?

answer: She is a Chinese language student, and is surrounded by her foreign classmates

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator is living in Beijing.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator is studying in Beijing.

critique: She's studying the language, not the culture

critique: The answer should clarify the reasons why she wants to be more Chinese.

critique: The narrator is not a Chinese language student, but a student of Chinese language.

critique: The answer could be clearer in its pronoun use.

critique: The answer is not related to the question.

question: What comparisons are made between western and Chinese expectations of what it means 'to help'?

answer: Western culture is inclined to give help for the sake of establishing 'humanity to another human being'. People are expected to be helpful, even to strangers. Americans experience this when they give to a non profit, founded from the benevolence of free individuals. The notion that individuals can help complete strangers and identity themselves to as a generous, beneficent person is implied as capable of being taught to and is essential to building lasting friendships, relationships, and networks. China simply doesn't understand what it is to be helpful to a stranger. The author believes that it is due to this that is seen as a limit to Chinese politics regarding organizations, culture, and technology, including the family and their relationship to the author.

critique: The response is highly inaccurate and makes up the majority of its claims.

critique: The answer is not related to the question.

critique: The author does not make any of these comparisons.

critique: The last two sentences are not relevant to the question.

question: Does the author feel about the communist state in China?

answer: No answer

critique: The passage does not mention anything about the author's feelings about the communist state in China.

critique: This is an incorrect response. While the author never explicitly states how they feel about China, their contemplation of the possibility of Chinese communists being intuitive people implies they probably wouldn't mind the communistic way of life.

critique: The article does not mention anything about the author's feelings about the communist state in China.

critique: The article does not mention anything about the communist state in China.

critique: The author has no feelings about the communist state in China.


text:
     Lez-bee-iiin? What a funny word. What’s a lesbian? Why am I a lesbian? Jackie looked as if she’d just scored the new not-squeaky swing after she said it. “Carly , you’re a lesbian!”
Do I get mad? I guess I do. I should.  I tell Jackie to shut it and crane my neck out from under my heavy backpack. Maybe Mom won’t be last car today. I really wanted to be in the backyard with the dogs. School gave me that stale, dizzying feeling. When I’m with my dogs, I forget about school, Jackie, and Dad.
Sometimes.
      A scoff brought my attention back to Jackie and her band of aggressors. She stepped forward abruptly, hard and in false assault.  When I didn’t respond, her shove reminded me of my place at school. Right where I should be, at the bottom.
     I made my situation worse without a second thought. I dropped my things and lunged. Jackie was going down. I landed my fist in her stomach and she stumbled back in confusion. As I turned, her hand slipped under my t-shirt sleeve and clawed me on the shoulder .An adult took notice of our altercation.  We were separated by a couple pushes and grabs by a younger teacher that I didn’t know. I felt burning  and with a look at the bloody scratches on my shoulder a rush of terror swept through my whole frame. My stomach ached and my body tingled. Dad was going to know.  Going home with the marks of fight was a nightmare. The last time I fought, he belted me in my bathroom. He had rushed in without a second’s notice and raged. Naked and bewildered, I couldn’t run, I couldn’t stop the blows. Soon I wouldn’t even try. I’d take his punishment if it meant that I would learn to be good. If I could learn to be good then he wouldn’t need to  hurt me.
Why can’t I just be good?
 The teacher sluggishly  brought me and Jackie to the office. This cost her precious energy. She’d been with kids acting like assholes all day and now these two decide to maul each other. She silently prayed that the vice principal would just deal with it and take them off her hands. Lucky for me, he did just that.
Mr. Parks was an aging black man with a  small fro that somehow always looked wet. I was memorized by this hair and often stared at it when being reprimanded.He was a kind man, intent on doing his work for the good of the young ones.  I felt the tingles dissipate when Mr. Parks took me into his office first.  While Jackie waited  and sulked with the secretary that smelled like soap, I sat in the same squishy leather chair that I had bounced into many times before. I squirmed into a comfortable position until Mr. Parks looked up from his paperwork. He always had stacks of pages and file folders around. It amazed me that one person could have so much to read for work. I wondered if he had to remember it all. Mr. Parks sighed at me and I felt tears coming. I knew what seeing him meant. It meant punishment and today I was going to be punished for being a lesbian. Mr. Parks assigned me to I.S.S. for hurting Jackie and told me he would be calling my parents. He reminded me that this was my third fight and while he did not think I was bad kid, that I needed to stop acting like one. I wondered if Mr. Parks could teach me to be good and how to not be a lesbian.
When the phone call came, I begged a silent god for my father to not answer. My body stiffened when I heard his voice sweep into the room. He was that loud, or maybe I was  just searching and waiting for him.  I hated myself. The other kids knew how to be good, why couldn't I?
 When my mother arrived, she was crying. “How could you do this again, Carly? What’s wrong with you?” I slinked away from her. Her teary, shouting pleas made my stomach hurt and I didn’t want her to look at me. She must hate me because I’m a lesbian. I just wished she would tell me what it meant. At home  I sunk into a corner in the back of the house, hugging my knees. He was coming for me. It wouldn’t be long until he came home like a whirlwind , storming through the house to come  get me. I kneaded the carpet with my fingers and tried not to breathe. When I heard gravel crunching and brakes squeaking outside, a  familiar shock went through my body. He was here. Doors slammed, my mother wept, and I could hear him calling for me. I prayed that I would disappear, that I would never be a lesbian again, and that I could be a good girl someday. Maybe this time would be the last time.

         I surfaced this, now decades old, memory to better understand the paradox the exists within my very nature. Recently I wrote a letter to my younger self.
    “I am so sorry this happened to you. I am sorry that so many years of your life were spent waging a war against yourself. I am sorry for the unknowing that surrounded you. I am sorry for the denial that bruised you time and time again.  I am sorry for what you went through. And I am sorry that I left you alone.”
I greatly lamented being a “bad” child; all the while I tried very hard to be good . I was drafted to harbor the shame of a family who was imprisoned in a dichotomous view of morality and judgment. For years I blamed myself for the abuse.When the physical abuse ceased, I allocated my own disciplines to replace it. If I could have behaved better,ran more, worked harder, looked prettier, I could have made the world happy and I would have finally been loved. I was the mirror to their secrecy and even today I still do not have all the answers that I crave.What do the words “good” and “bad”  really mean anyway? Lest I pretend that I have any semblance of astute morality, me being without a religion and all, I would not propose any conjecture. However, I am sure that my motivation to be “good” for “bad” people has dwindled away. Never will I hold that privileged place within my familial system, and I have actively stopped hustling for their acceptance. I do not wonder of ways to be a good girl anymore, nor do I depict my reality by the hurled words of others. Put simply, I have chosen to seek the best in myself each day, for myself. I owe it to that little girl who saw darkness in her own home and truly believed that it lived  within her own heart.

title: [NF] The Unknowing

question: Summarize the narrator's feelings towards her father.

answer: The narrator is afraid of her father. She is afraid of him because he is violent and she is a lesbian. She believes that he will hurt her again. She also believes that he hates her because she is a lesbian.

critique: The narrator's father is violent because he hurts her.

critique: The narrator is not afraid of her father. She is afraid of him because he is violent and she is a lesbian.

critique: It is not stated that she is afraid of him because he is violent and she is a lesbian.

critique: The response includes extraneous information not useful for the task.

critique: The narrator's father is violent because he beats her.

critique: Replace the first sentence with "The narrator hates herself and believes she is a bad person."

question: Summarize how the narrator feels throughout the whole ordeal of getting into a fight and then dealing with the consequences of being in a fight.

answer: The narrator feels scared and nervous when they realize that Jackie is actually going to go through with starting a fight with them. They feel scared as they notice Jackie's hand slip under their shirt sleeve and they feel the claw marks on their shoulder. They are confused as they don't understand how they could have possibly found themselves in this situation and they are also scared because they know their father is going to be very upset with them. The narrator feels sad when they think their mother is going to be upset with them and they also feel sad when they think about the punishment their father is going to give them.

critique: "They feel scared after getting into trouble at school." - remove the comma.

critique: The narrator thinks their father will be upset with them, but the narrator knows their father will be very upset with them.

critique: The narrator feels scared and nervous when they realize that Jackie is actually going to go through with starting a fight with them. They feel scared as they notice Jackie's hand slip under their shirt sleeve and they feel the claw marks on their shoulder. They are confused as they don't understand how they could have possibly found themselves in this situation and they are also scared because they know their father is going to be very upset with them. The narrator feels sad when they think their mother is going to be upset with them and they also feel sad when they think about the punishment their father is going to give them.

question: Will the narrator, Carly, be able to help other young girls who identify as lesbians be more comfortable with who they are?

answer: No answer

critique: Doesn't mention that she has come to terms with her past and chooses to be the best version of herself.

critique: Doesn't say, but it would be an understandable conclusion.

critique: The answer is not explicitly stated in the passage, but it can be inferred that Carly will be able to help other young girls who identify as lesbians be more comfortable with who they are.

critique: The question is asking about Carly's ability to help other young girls who identify as lesbians. The answer is no, but the story does indicate that Carly has learned from her past mistakes.


text:
So there I was last night, driving on the 101 interstate. Two pints of cheap lager and a shot of whisky in. The cherry on my cigarette glowed as I puffed the last of the tobacco from the stick. I turned my face to the side to spit out my lit cigarette into the wind. I've never looked cooler speeding. My favorite song came on the radio, I blast it on my speakers and proceeded to sing along with the highest pitch my vocal chords allow me. 'Love you like a love song baby... repeat peat peat peat peat' I mumbled the lyrics, I need to learn this song. I'm a sucker for these pop songs, they just feel right.

I cautiously yet furiously made my way towards the fast lane only to be stopped by the last thing I wanted to see at such an awesome moment. The fuzz. Blue and red lights filled my rear view, my heart skipped a beat, I put the music down to think for a second. I realized I'm buzzed enough to not give a fuck, I put the music back up and sped up. It's a strategy I heard somewhere, or probably made up on the spot, whatever the case, it felt right at the time. It confuses the police, makes them think I'm a wild man, puts the ball in their court. I make the ballsiest move by picking the spot to pull over, they have to follow with something to intimidate me. I get it, I know, I've been around the block.

I didn't slow down this whole time, even when I decided to exit the freeway in downtown. No turning lights, no hand gestures, just balls. I pulled into a dark empty street, killed the engine, lit up another cigarette and waited.
Lights surrounded my car, a trembling silhouette approached.

'H-have you been drinking?' The cop's voice cracked as he reached my window.

'Drinking what?' I blew my smoke his way to let him know that respect wasn't there.

'I drink a lot of things. Water, tea...' I teased him, but before my list got any longer he snapped. 'Quit play games!'

I took a long drag from my cigarette and looked at him. I could see him shaking.

'Now step out of the vehicle, please..' He continued. He knew I was one of those he had been told not to fuck with. We both knew this could get ugly quick, but I complied for his sake.

'Did you have any alcoholic beverages tonight?' He persuades me. With a firm drunken stare and a loud whisky belch I answered, 'No.'

We stood there looking at each other for what could have been twenty minutes. People tend to get lost in my eyes, I waited for him to faze out of the trance. I finally decided it was getting too late for my convenience and asked if we were done. It took him a while to respond but he finally let me get back in the car and escorted me home. At least he tried to, I drove way too fast for his bitch ass.

Edit: What really happened.
I was speeding home one night and got pulled over. I had a couple of drinks prior to this so I was extremely scared. I'm sure the cop could tell I was trembling and he let me off with a warning and followed me home to make sure I got there safely. When my friends asked me the next day what had happened, I wrote them how I remembered it which is the small narrative above. Just to clear things up, yes it's meant to be unrealistic and douchey.

title: How I got pulled over last night, as I remember it.

question: Summarize everything related to speeding in the story.

answer: The narrator was speeding on the 101 interstate. They were speeding so much that they had to go into the fast lane. The narrator was speeding so much that the police officer who pulled them over was extremely scared. The narrator was so scared that they were trembling.

critique: The narrator was not scared, the cop was.

critique: The narrator was not scared of the police officer.

question: Summarize everything related to whiskey in the story.

answer: The narrator consumes two pints of cheap lager and a shot of whiskey while driving. He later belches loudly.

question: Summarize everything related to pop songs in the story.

answer: The narrator is listening to pop music, and sings along to it. The narrator is a sucker for pop songs. The narrator's favorite song comes on the radio.

critique: The narrator doesn't sing along to the song.

question: Describe the difference between what really happened and how the narrator tells the story.

answer: The narrator is speeding home one night and gets pulled over. He had a couple of drinks prior to this and is extremely scared. The cop can tell he is trembling. He lets the narrator off with a warning and follows the narrator home to make sure he gets there safely. When the narrator's friends ask him the next day what happened, he tells them the story he wrote is how he remembers it.

critique: The narrator's friends don't ask him what happened.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator embellishes the story.

critique: Should mention that he tells a different story to his friends.


text:
[Parking crime]

Source: Splash News / Splash News

Drivers out there understand that when it comes to the rules of the road, there are some things that are written and some things that are unwritten.

Usually, the unwritten rules are around courtesy, honesty and just being a decent human being.

But unfortunately, there are some evil-doers out there who will quickly toss _all_ rules out the window before they give up a good parking spot.

This was clear in a video and Twitter thread that went viral when two cars were trying to parallel park in Koreatown, L.A. According to ABC 7, a black sedan faced off against a silver car for a curb spot in the busy area.

The standoff continued for OVER AN HOUR.

Twitter user Mariah Flores peeped the whole scene from her apartment window, and she provided photos and videos to her Instagram Story and Twitter followers. Her coverage of the “event” went viral and soon, many folks were taking sides in the “Car War.” Check out the situation below…

The person driving the black sedan had apparently driven past the available parking space only by a few feet, which supposedly meant that they were about to back into the space.

But the silver car was like nah.

They pulled right up behind the black car, supposedly with the goal to PULL INTO the parking space.

Flores started recording the standoff around 6:30 p.m. and as time was nearing seven o’clock, the two vehicles were still facing off.

They were even causing disruption in traffic, but they could care less.

P   E   T   T   Y.

While the drama persisted, Flores continued to survey her followers, asking if they were “Team Black Car” or “Team Silver Car.” Things got pretty heated…

  #TeamSilverCar the black car missed their chance and now wants to act brand new like reversing is just accepted and has right of way…. bih plz

  — Lucky Strike (@me0wstic_) April 3, 2019

  Do you drive? The black car was parallel parking the correct way. You drive past the spot and back in.

  — Tori Nov (@tori_nov) April 3, 2019

  With a signal yes but the poster said they did a hard stop and tried to pull a fast one. If they had signaled beforehand then yes I would agree with you, but I’m just going off what the poster said.

  — Lucky Strike (@me0wstic_) April 3, 2019

Even celebs like CHRISSY TEIGEN jumped into the debate….

  black car wasn’t just driving then saw in his rear view mirror there was a spot behind him. He passed it on purpose. TO PARALLEL PARK. anyone saying silver car – U ARE A MEAN AND BAD DRIVER!

  — christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) April 3, 2019

Eventually, the whole ordeal stretched on for more than an hour. The sun went down and the two drivers were still sitting pretty in their car…waiting for that parking spot. Flores told ABC 7, “They were just on their phones, sitting there being patient. It was like a really beautiful display of patience.”

After a long saga, a miracle finally happened.

A car parked nearby pulled off, and two parking spots were now available for the black and silver car.

Both vehicles parked alongside the curb, and everything was beautiful.

However, the two drivers seemed to be quite comfortable sitting in their rides now because it took ANOTHER couple minutes for either driver to leave their car. Eventually, the driver from the silver car left their ride, and the intense episode came to an end.

Flores was so moved by the situation, she decided to leave a note for both cars.

On the silver car’s windshield, her note read “Your resilience is inspiring. Thank you for the hour & a half of entertainment. I’ll never forget you. I hope you & black car can be friends after this.”

On the black car’s windshield, her note read, “I was always on your team, I really thought you would win, but am happy with the way things turned out. Everyone on my Instagram said you deserved the spot.”

Luckily, the parking spot fiasco didn’t turn violent.

Only question is…would you have the saintly patience of the black and silver car?

Hit the next pages for more reactions on who’s #TeamBlackCar and who’s #TeamSilverCar!

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Also On Global Grind:

question: Why did Flores leave notes for both the drivers?

answer: She wanted to make sure that that both drivers knew that she stood firmly behind whichever team they pick.

critique: While this is a part of the answer, this is not the whole.

critique: She wanted to make sure that that both drivers knew that she stood firmly behind whichever team they pick.

critique: The answer is not a direct quote from the article.

critique: It is incorrect to say she repped whomever they pick.

critique: The answer says that she was standing behind whichever team the drivers pick, but she was actually standing behind the black car.

critique: "She wanted to make sure that that both drivers knew that she stood firmly behind whichever team they pick." - this is not the reason why she left the notes.

critique: Flores does not have a team. She's just hoping the drivers can be friends.

critique: The answer is technically correct, but misses to specify that she was also making a point.

critique: It does not answer the question and is not true.

critique: She wanted to make sure that the drivers have a closure after the long battle.

question: Why did the two drivers standoff?

answer: They were both after the same parking space in Koreatown, Los Angeles.

critique: The answer should mention that they were both trying to park in the same parking space.

critique: The answer could be clearer in its pronoun use.

critique: "They were both after the same parking space in Koreatown, Los Angeles." - is incorrect. They were after the same parking space but didn't know about each other.

critique: The answer should mention that the drivers were trying to park in the same parking space.

critique: Doesn't mention that them both arriving at the same time was a coincidence.

critique: The answer should mention that they were both trying to park in the same space.

critique: "Los" - it seems that "L.A" is what's wanted.

critique: The standoff was not just about the parking space.

critique: The standoff was over a curb spot, not a parking space.

critique: It fails to mention why they were battling for the parking space.

critique: The answer could be clearer in its use of pronouns.

critique: It is omitted that the driver of the black sedan was about to back into the space but the driver of the silver car was not having that.

critique: The answer does not mention that the drivers were after the same parking space for an hour.

critique: They weren't after the same place, but after a parking spot.

critique: The answer omits the reason why both drivers wanted the parking space.

question: Did the drivers know each other?

answer: Unclear, but it seems to be a private dispute between the two drivers.

critique: Only "seems to be" is not good enough, because only the narrator knows who they are and what they think.

critique: The drivers knew each other because they were both on the same side of the argument.

critique: It is stated that they both arrived at the same parking spot.

critique: The answer is based on little available information as this question was not answered in the article.

critique: They drove different cars, so it's unlikely they were friends.

critique: They could have known each other as they were both in the same parking lot.

critique: The answer should include that both drivers were in the same profession.

critique: The answer is not supported by the passage.

critique: It is not clear that it is a private dispute between the two drivers

critique: The answer is unclear and needs to be rewritten.

critique: The answer is not related to the question.

critique: The drivers knew each other as they were trying to park next to each other.


text:
The September After
Or,
Starting Point

	I can hear Eliza crying again. She’s started to hide it from us – especially after we tried to get her to see a counselor – but I can still tell from the way her bed rocks in the room above us, and the quiet sniffles echo down the stairs. She’s been this way for a few weeks now, ever since the 28th of August. That is, ever since Jacob died.

	I still remember how she took the news. The doctors came out of the operating room and we were all so hopeful, after all 80% sounds like such a good chance when they tell you it’s potentially life-saving. What you never think of is the 20%, the chance that things don’t go so well and that your eight-year old son will be rolled out on a gurney, the doctor softly whispering the declaration of death to the orderly behind you as you stare at his face. None of us were expecting that 20%, Eliza the least since she was only eleven. I still remember her screaming as she ripped herself from my arm and went to grab Jacob’s hand, lifting the pale little thing up to her face and crying. We were both in shock – her mother and I, that is – as we watched our little girl, raised seeing House and his crew always succeeding, always curing forever the patient, cry into her brother’s lukewarm palm. We stood there for at least ten minutes before I made a move towards her, putting my hand on her shoulder and wiping the smooth scalp of my son. It had been such a hard two years on him, and it showed. He was as thin as a bone, and barely had any energy thanks to the therapy. I can only remember him smiling a handful of times, our little baby boy becoming more and more melancholy until the chemicals made him unable to even be depressed. On the cart, though, he was smiling. I guess he was finally at peace.

	None of us could keep from crying when we returned home. Eliza took a week off school, my boss gave me a week off from work when he heard the news. My wife had to return to her job after three days. She still wasn’t ready, not at all, but she kept it together at her factory and only fell apart when she came back home, sometimes staying up all hours of the night crying. She was fired four days later, falling asleep on her machine. We tried to not let Eliza find out, but we knew that she understood. I found her passed out over a drawing of her mother’s boss being stabbed by the Devil. I knew that was a bad sign, but honestly, I just put it away and laughed.

	Dinners were silent for some time, with Eliza pushing food around her plate with a fork, rolling beans back and forth with a fork while her mother and I attempted conversation. We stopped paying attention to what we made and what we ate, switching meals from cans with the homemade dinners we had been carefully making to exact specifications. Instead of the lively debate we had had in the past our meals were marked by the low-hanging depression and spirits of the topics we skirted around during the rare occasions we did speak.

	Eliza’s birthday was the Tuesday after her mother had been let go, the event normally marked by her jubilation but instead was a quiet, somber affair. We had balloons and cake, the usual decorations looked over and ignored by our daughter quickly before she went back to her room. It was about then that we tried to get her help; of course we weren’t expecting her to be over the death of her brother, but she showed no signs of rehabilitation either. It had been two weeks, and while her mother and I had begun to recover, she still cried every time she saw someone who reminded her of her brother, be it another child with a similar appearance or her art teacher who was notably bald, who’s class she had to be moved from because of her inability to control herself when she saw him. She refused to speak with any of the therapists we brought her to, curling up with her knees against her face when asked any question. No one could help us since she couldn’t speak to them, so we stopped sending her to doctors after a hard week.

	She has started to recover now, I can see. She’s able, at least, to control herself for long enough so that she can hide her crying from us. She can force a smile when she needs to, and can make herself speak to us while we eat, over our recent attempts at home-cooking again. But then she still cries in her room daily, and whenever someone hears this they ask me how I can think that she’s getting any better. I always tell them that I know she’s not getting over her brother. I know she’s depressed and I know she needs help. However, I know that she’s beginning to open up to us helping her again. As they say, you have to start somewhere.

title: The September After

question: Summarize the ways in which the different family members deal with the death of the narrator's son.

answer: The narrator and his wife are in shock, and they cry together. The narrator's wife goes back to work after three days, but she is fired after four days. Eliza takes a week off school, and the narrator takes a week off work. Eliza refuses to speak to the therapists they bring her to. She cries every time she sees someone who reminds her of her brother.

critique: It is omitted that the narrator and his wife try to get Eliza to see a counselor.

critique: The narrator's wife is not fired after four days. She is fired after three days.

critique: The answer omits the narrator's daughter's problems.

critique: The response is missing the narrator's daughter's reaction to her brother's death.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator and Eliza are the only ones who are still dealing with the loss.

critique: The meeting with the doctors is only relevant to the narrator, not his wife.

critique: The answer omits the narrator's daughter's reaction to her brother's death.

text: It is omitted that the narrator's wife kept it together at her factory and only fell apart when she came back home, sometimes staying up all hours of the night crying. She was fired four days later, falling asleep on her machine.

question: Summarize Jacob's battle with illness.

answer: It doesn't seem like Jacob had any real chance to beat his illness. The doctors said that there was only a 20% chance of survival. The story insists that Jacob's condition was difficult; he had to undergo daily chemo, and was on permanent chemo. He was always thin and unhappy, which is evidence that the chemo made him unable to deal with his emotions. He was always more melancholy than happy. At the end of the story, he is described as having a smile on his face.

critique: The story doesn't specify that he was always on chemo, so that should be omitted.

critique: The story does not mention that Jacob was always unhappy and more melancholy than happy.

critique: The story doesn't say that he was always on chemo.

critique: "The story insists that Jacob's condition was difficult; he had to undergo daily chemo, and was on permanent chemo." - this part is inaccurate and should be removed.

critique: The story does not mention that Jacob was always thin and unhappy.

critique: A majority of the details in the response can't be corroborated by the text.

critique: The story does not mention that Jacob had to undergo daily chemo.

text: The first two sentences are not stated. Jacob had an 80% chance of survival.

question: What does this story say about the best treatment for cancer?

answer: No answer

critique: The story does not say anything about the best treatment for cancer.

critique: The story does not mention anything about the best treatment for cancer.

question: Summarize the roles of the characters who aren't related to the narrator.

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should be that the roles of the characters who aren't related to the narrator are not described.

critique: There is no response given to this question.