text:
A couple of people asked me to post this on an askreddit thread when I mentioned it, so I thought I'd post it here, it seemed like it fitted.

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Michael stood with his back to the body of his dead wife, and took a long, weary drag on his cigarette. A lonely pearl of sorrow rolled down his pale cheek, and fell to the ground below. He was told it would help to cry. He was told it would give him ‘closure’. But all it did was remind him how much he missed her. He breathed out, allowing a suited arm to fall to his side and watched, detached, as the smoke drifted away on the breeze, carefree and untroubled by the worries of men.

The cigarette was nearing its end. A second tear cruised down his cheek. He sighed.

"Dadda”

That one word carried for him more emotion than anything he had heard in his miserable life, a stark contrast to the innocence with which it was muttered. Michael turned with a heavy heart to see the short, stunted steps of his beautiful son.
His cigarette was almost entirely finished now. Another tear crawled towards his chin.
Felix’s messy, blonde hair matched his fathers, but he had his mother’s eyes, pools of wisdom, fascinating and vivid. But they only served to remind Michael of his guilt. Her eyes had been the last thing Michael saw that day. She had died of asphyxiation, from the smoke of the fire. The emergency services were already there when he returned from the shop with Felix. The stove had been left on; Michael had been the one to cook that night.

The cigarette was gone now, lost in the jungle of grass. Michael shed one final tear, before wiping the sadness from his face and pulling his son into a tight embrace.

Michael took a deep breath, and they turned to face her together. He resolved there and then to do everything to protect Felix, all he had left in the whole world, and to never let him go.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael was at war. He slashed left and right through the enemy, dragging them to their knees. But all too soon it was over, and Michael stood, resolute among the bodies of the fallen, his vindication shining through the destruction surrounding him.

He knew it had been necessary, to protect his son. His young, vulnerable son. He found relief, not pleasure in his actions, seeking only to shield Felix from the world.

Only then was the billhook allowed to fall to the ground, replaced by a can of petrol. Michael spent a minute catching his breath, before dousing the ground in petrol. He reached into the recesses of his pocket, withdrew a box of matches, and lit one; it twirled through the air on to the bed of nettles. He looked on grimly as they slowly began to wither and curl in the flames, painfully aware that he could not prevent their return.

Michael lit a cigarette.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael sat in the empty, desolate shell of his house, on a dark September morning gripped in the throes of an autumnal battle, and watched the son he had spent 19 years nurturing and protecting leave his life.

He was not a happy man. He had spent the years since his wife’s death keeping his son away from the world, and now he had failed. His son was leaving for a university on the other side of the country, where Michael could not protect him. Where Michael could not ensure he went to bed at the right time, or ate well, or went to the doctor for every tiny ache and pain.

So he wept. He allowed the cascade of emotion to erupt from his very soul, and welcomed the feel of pain in his chest, comforting him with its familiarity, until no more tears came.

Then he lit a cigarette. But it did not hold the same appeal now, the arid smoke slowly choking him like ash filling up his battered lungs. So he cast it aside, and once again began to weep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael stood with his back to the body of his dead son, and stared out across the rolling green ocean stretching out in front of him, punctuated by regular markers of death. There were no tears now; he had none left to give. He knew now it would not help to cry. He knew he would never get ‘closure’.

He turned, this time alone, to face the graves of his family. He remarked on their passing to himself. A fire and a car accident. His son had been drunk. It was the last in a chain of mad stunts. Michael blamed his constant restraint and protection. To him, his grave was here now too.

This time, there was no cigarette.

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EDIT: Some formatting stuff

title: Smoke - A story about an overprotective father and his beloved son

question: Summarize everything relating to the theme of loss.

answer: Michael touched by his wife's passing and mourns her throughout the story. He is sad that he couldn't save his son from dying as well. He burns his cigarettes as a symbol of his inability to take steps to save his son. He still has tears in his eyes at the end of the story, with no cigarette.

critique: "He still has tears in his eyes at the end of the story, with no cigarette." - this might be correct, but it conflicts with the last paragraph and needs more details

critique: "He is sad that he couldn't save his son from dying as well." - this is incorrect. Michael was not sad that he couldn't save his son from dying. He blamed himself for his son's death.

critique: The response misses to mention that Michael's son died in a car accident.

critique: The response inaccurately mentions that Michael is sad that he couldn't save his son from dying. However, it was his son who died.

critique: The response contains inaccurate information.

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

question: What does the story say about the type of father Michael is?

answer: Michael is a very overprotective father. He is so overprotective that he does not allow his son to go to school or to the doctor. He also does not allow his son to go to the university. He is so overprotective that he is willing to kill his son.

critique: The answer is wrong. Michael is not willing to kill his son.

critique: The story does not say that Michael is willing to kill his son.

critique: The story does not indicate that he doesn't let his son to school.

critique: The story does not say that Michael does not allow his son to go to school or to the doctor. He also does not allow his son to go to the university. He is so overprotective that he is willing to kill his son.

critique: The answer should include the reason for his overprotective behavior.

critique: The story doesn't say he doesn't allow his son to go to the doctor.

critique: The story does not say that Michael does not allow his son to go to school or to the doctor. He also does not allow his son to go to the university.

question: What does the story say about the theme of moving on?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer could include more about the theme.

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


split: train

text:
The _NINTENDO CHANNEL_, known as the _EVERYBODY'S NINTENDO CHANNEL_ (みんなのニンテンドーチャンネル _Minna no Nintendō Channeru_) in Japan, is a defunct online service, which was accessed through the use of WiiConnect24 on Nintendo's Wii game console. The channel offered viewing of videos from Nintendo, support for reading through game articles and also an online-based DS Download Station for the Nintendo DS to play demo versions of various Nintendo DS games. Users could send recommendations to Nintendo about a Wii or Nintendo DS game that they played, although Nintendo DS game cards had to be in the system's Slot-1 and locally connected to the Wii via Download Play in order to be eligible in the survey.

The Nintendo Channel debuted in November 27, 2007 in Japan, May 7, 2008 in America, and May 30, 2008 in Europe and Australia, and an update was released at a later point which changed the user interface and various other things.

A North American-exclusive show called _Nintendo Week_ was also distributed via Nintendo Channel.

Nintendo ended support for the Nintendo Channel on June 28, 2013 along with 4 more Wii channels as WiiConnect24, which the channel required, was permanently disconnected. Most of Nintendo Channel's functions were succeeded by the Nintendo eShop.

Features

The Nintendo Channel offers and videos about Wii or Nintendo DS games, with the option to see further details or purchase the software from the Wii Shop Channel. DS demos can be transmitted to the user's Nintendo DS.

The Nintendo Channel also allows the user to recommend games that they have played.

DS Download Service

The DS Download Service was a place for users to download demos or additional data to the Nintendo DS, DSi, DSi XL, or 3DS systems. Downloadable DS demo titles included:

-   Fossil Fighters: Champions
-   Kirby Mass Attack
-   Okamiden
-   Ghost Trick Phantom Detective
-   Sonic Colors
-   Crafting Mama
-   Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Demo
-   Ivy the Kiwi? Demo
-   Dragon Ball: Origins 2
-   Picross 3D
-   America's Test Kitchen Pots de Creme Demo
-   America's Test Kitchen Roasted Red Potatoes Demo
-   Rooms DS
-   Battle of Giants: Dragons
-   Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects
-   Ace Attorney INVESTIGATIONS: Miles Edgeworth
-   James Patterson Woman's Murder Club: Games of Passion
-   Fossil Fighters Gift Fossil (Neutral)
-   Fossil Fighters Gift Fossil (Water)
-   Fossil Fighters Gift Fossil (Fire)
-   Fossil Fighters Gift Fossil (Earth)
-   Fossil Fighters Cleaning Demo
-   Mega Man Star Force 3 (until 9/20/2009)
-   Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (until 9/20/2009)
-   Rhythm Heaven
-   Personal Trainer: Math
-   Personal Trainer: Cooking Mac & Cheese Demo (until 12/21/2008)
-   Personal Trainer: Cooking Lasagna Demo (until 3/22/2009)
-   Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir
-   Crosswords DS-Crosswords Demo
-   Crosswords DS-Wordsearch Demo
-   Crosswords DS-Anagrams Demo (until 7/27/2008)
-   Brain Age 2 Demo
-   Brain Age Demo
-   Flash Focus Demo
-   Jam Sessions
-   Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
-   Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends
-   Disney Friends
-   Ninja Gaiden® Dragon Sword
-   Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero (until 12/21/2008)
-   Soul Bubbles Demo (until 12/21/2008)
-   PICTOIMAGE (until 1/18/2009)
-   Carnival Games (until 7/6/2008)
-   The Incredible Hulk
-   Kung Fu Panda DS Demo
-   Walt Disney Pictures Bolt Demo (until 1/18/2009)

Availability

The Nintendo Channel was available on the Wii Shop Channel for 0 Wii Points, which is free. The Nintendo Channel was available until services of the channel had been discontinued on June 28, 2013.

Category:Wii

title: Nintendo Channel

question: What does the text say about downloading full versions of games via the Nintendo Channel?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should mention that the text doesn't say anything about downloading full versions of games.

question: What does the text say about the limitations of the Nintendo Channel service?

answer: Nintendo Channel was initially limited in that it required the use of WiiConnect24 in order to submit recommendations through it. Wii owners could not provide offline recommendations for the game for which they wanted to provide feedback on. Later, however, users could also provide offline feedback to Nintendo via a loyalty survey that came with the channel, required a card to be inserted into Slot-1 and connected to the Wii via Download Play on the mandatory Nintendo DS titles mentioned in the list of demo titles provided initially.

critique: The second sentence is confusing and unnecessary.

critique: First sentence does not add much to answer the question

critique: The second sentence is very confusing and doesn't make sense.

critique: The first sentence is confusing and doesn't make sense.

critique: The answer is confusing and hard to understand.


text:
[Margrethe Vestager, Europe’s competition chief, said on Wednesday that Google had unfairly promoted its own services, like mobile search and its Chrome web browser, with cellphone manufacturers.]

Credit...Francois Lenoir/Reuters

-   April 20, 2016

Google has long stressed that Android, its popular mobile software, is open for anyone to use, including its rivals.

But the company’s claims are now under threat after Europe’s antitrust authorities on Wednesday charged the company with unfairly using Android to promote its own services — like mobile search — over those of its rivals. In doing so, regulators brought particular scrutiny to Google’s relationships with some of the world’s biggest cellphone makers, which have helped expand the reach of Android.

Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s antitrust chief, said Google had required some of the cellphone manufacturers to preinstall the company’s services, including its Google Play smartphone application store, and had given them unfair financial incentives to favor Google’s services on their mobile devices. Those practices undermined competition and consumer choice, she said.

“Google has abused its dominant position,” Ms. Vestager said on Wednesday. The company’s “behavior has harmed consumers by restricting innovation in the wider mobile space.”

The company denies it has broken European competition rules, and the charges may not lead to financial or other penalties against Google, which now has three months to respond to the accusations.

“We take these concerns seriously,” Kent Walker, Google’s general counsel, said in a blog post. “But we also believe that our business model keeps manufacturers’ costs low and their flexibility high, while giving consumers unprecedented control of their mobile devices.”

By taking aim at Android — the mobile software that holds more than 80 percent of the worldwide market share for smartphone operating systems — Europe has opened the latest chapter in its continuing battle with American technology companies.

These players, including Amazon and Facebook, dominate how Europe’s 500 million people use digital services, including social media, online movies and e-commerce. Google is facing separate charges, filed last year, in Europe over whether it unfairly favored some of its search services over those of rivals.

Europe’s antitrust claims highlight Google’s increasingly thorny relationships with smartphone manufacturers such as HTC and Samsung, among others. Ms. Vestager said Android’s prominent role in the mobile market was not in question but that she was concerned the contracts the company signed with smartphone manufacturers had made it difficult, if not impossible, for rival search engines and smartphone app stores to compete in the European Union.

“If a company is dominant, that’s fine,” Ms. Vestager told reporters. “But if that dominance is abused, then we have an issue.” She declined to name which cellphone manufacturers might be affected, citing their right to privacy.

The device makers, already struggling against cutthroat competition, have become reliant on Google’s digital services available on Android, even as they have tried to persuade consumers to try their own mobile services or those of Google’s competitors. Some, including Samsung, have backed rival operating systems to loosen Android’s grip, but such efforts have so far proved unsuccessful.

And while global cellphone manufacturers once profited from using Android to expand rapidly, particularly in emerging markets, their growth has since slowed.

Analysts say these cellphone makers’ inability to wean consumers off Google’s popular mobile mapping, email and other services has potentially shut them out of billions of dollars in extra revenue as people’s digital habits — including online search and e-commerce purchases — shift to mobile devices.

“Their attempts at beating Google’s services haven’t worked,” said Neil Mawston, a mobile analyst at the technology research group Strategy Analytics. “For most companies that want to operate in the smartphone market, there isn’t another option but to use Google.”

Representatives from the leading smartphone manufacturers declined to comment on their relationship with Google.

The dominance of Android, at least in Europe and the United States, is almost absolute.

The basic Android software can be downloaded for free and modified by device makers and telecom operators.

But they must sign contracts that place a selection of Google’s services in prime spots on smartphone screens and link to the company’s app store, from which Google takes a cut of each application sold. The search giant also generates income from advertising from mobile search queries, though manufacturers are free to include their own applications as part of the mobile software.

In total, Google’s version of Android powers more than 98 percent of the Android-based smartphones in Europe and the United States, according to Ian Fogg, a senior director at IHS, a technology consultancy in London.

Only in China, where Google is banned, and Russia, where the local search engine Yandex holds a significant market share, does Google not dominate in mobile.

“If someone buys an Android device in Europe or the U.S., it’s almost certainly Google’s version,” said David McQueen, research director at ABI Research in London.

Google says its relationships with cellphone manufacturers are voluntary and that rival mobile services, including those from the likes of Amazon and Facebook, are readily available on its Android software, which does not restrict people from downloading competitors’ applications.

The search giant has also pointed to smartphones from Amazon and Nokia that are based on the free version of Android and that do not come packaged with Google’s mobile services as signs of healthy competition. Those devices, particularly Amazon’s Fire smartphone, have not proved popular with consumers.

Kirt McMaster, the chief executive of Cyanogen, an American start-up that makes a mobile operating system based on Android, said he was cautiously optimistic that the regulatory intervention could improve innovation on the operating system.

“There are ways to enable next-generation services on top of Android today, even within the confines of the existing relationships,” he said. “But there are scenarios that will be beneficial for the ecosystem if Android was even more open.”

If Google is found to have broken European rules, the company may face fines of as much as 10 percent of its annual revenue. Given the company’s recent annual revenue, that could be roughly $7 billion. Such a high financial penalty is unlikely, however, according to legal experts.

The company could also be forced to alter its Android software to give competitors a greater position in its mobile software or to change its existing contracts with cellphone makers.

That would potentially provide Europeans with a wider choice of mobile services than would be available to their American counterparts. Most people in the 28 member states of the European Union, though, still rely primarily on Google services for many daily activities.

Such remedies, if eventually imposed on Google, would be reminiscent of similar steps taken by Microsoft, which in 2009 agreed to offer consumers a choice of rival web browsers to end a European antitrust investigation into its dominance of Internet browsers at that time.

Paulo Trezentos, chief executive of Aptoide, a rival Portuguese Android app store that is one of the complainants in the European competition case against Google, said his company would welcome greater access to Android users.

“Google makes it difficult for people to install applications from rivals,” Mr. Trezentos said. “It’s actively making it harder to compete.”

In the United States, some lawmakers on Wednesday called on the Federal Trade Commission to more closely scrutinize Google after Europe’s charges. In 2013, the F.T.C. closed a two-year antitrust investigation into Google’s search business, citing a lack of evidence for pursuing a case. The F.T.C. said it did not comment on or confirm investigations.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, said regulations and laws differed in Europe and the United States but “the spirit and goal of our laws is very similar.”

“There is now clearly a need for exacting and penetrating scrutiny,” Mr. Blumenthal said in an interview. “Perhaps it is overdue. But it is now clearly necessary.”

question: Summarize the motivation behind the charges Europe's antitrust authorities are leveling against Google.

answer: The authorities want Google to stop requiring some of the cellphone manufacturers to preinstall Google services and promoting its own services over those of its competitors; this promotes Google's services resulting in favoritism that harms others.

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

critique: It's omitted that the authorities want Google to stop giving the cellphone manufacturers financial incentives to favor Google's services.

critique: Europe's antitrust authority is mentioning "consumer harm" specifically. Change how "harm" is evoked

critique: The answer should mention that the European Union's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, is the one leveling the charges.

critique: The answer should mention the harm to consumers.

critique: The answer should mention Google's Android products.

question: What does this article say about consumers>

answer: These consumers include Europe and the United States that rely primarily on Google services. Data suggests that 98% of smartphone users in Europe and the United States use Google services. Android holds the majority share of global smartphone operating system.

critique: The answer should mention the harm done to consumers.

critique: The second sentence is irrelevant to the question.

critique: The answer should mention the impact of Android on the consumers.

critique: The answer should mention the effects of Google's practices on consumers.

question: What does the article say about the outcome of the charges?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should mention that the charges have not resulted in any penalties for Google.

critique: The answer should mention the potential outcomes of the charges.

critique: The answer should mention that the outcome is uncertain.


text:
This will ideally be a multi-part story dealing with the aftermath of a tragic event.

Part 1 -  Letters/The people we wish we knew

A.
She worked in an office where she made 12$ an hour and the coffee looked terrible. She punched numbers into a spreadsheet and wrote cash reports by hand, scrawled in pencil and she laughed at the jokes. The racist jokes, the sexist jokes, the jokes about menopause and children and shit. She read a book while she worked and brought a new one in every week. Jane Austen, Bukowski, and Dostoyevsky and Salinger and Aristotle. She listened to them talk about their husbands while she collected papers and added numbers up, she listened to them berate their boyfriends and butcher foreign politics while she made paper clip necklaces. It was the kind of  job where  you didn’t make much and the coffee was terrible and you still drank at least three cups every shift.

She wore stockings with tears  in them and sweater dresses and worn boots. She wore a leather jacket and big sunglasses and crooked half-smile. She chewed on her pens and her pencils and she got so lost in her own thoughts that the girls she worked with would  call her half a dozen times before she heard them and her eyes would light up like fireworks when she came to.

I didn't work in her office, I didn't know her name, but I felt like I knew  her. I sat in security and the screens surrounding me were a blanket of black and grey and the images were a blur of bodies and movement, and there she was, sitting still as the the grainy world catapulted around her.

B.
He wore beat up runners and a three day stubble, I never quite caught his name. His uniform was too big on bony shoulders and he was intense looking; with eyes that made you feel naked and vulnerable. He had an easy smile and the kind of tan you get from working outdoors, he was always humming The Smiths under his breath. I thought about him when I got home and drank a glass of wine, pulled off my work clothes and washed off my face, touched myself as I lay on the couch: eyes closed, for a minute, I thought of him.

Every few days I’d pick up a different bottle of wine and he’d be wearing the same stubble and the same stare as he packed my purchases into paper bags. Sometimes he would ask me how my day was, or what the weather was like outside. He noticed when I cut my hair and always told me to enjoy the book crooked under my arm. I liked him more than most people I worked with, that I saw every day, but I never quite caught his name.

I imagined him going home to a girl with a cheap haircut and a part time job who loved him more than life itself. I imagined him going home to a ramshackle house, rented, with sunflowers growing in the front yard. I imagined him smoking a joint and strumming on an acoustic guitar, calling to the girl for a beer and thinking about not exactly anything when the bottle pressed against his lips. I wish I knew him, I still do.

C.
We rode the subway together every morning, sat in the same train, and read the same newspaper. He had a kid with him, two or three, pressed next to him and chattering away in that way that kids do: no purpose or drive, just words strung together and volume up and down. He always looked calm like he’d just finished a yoga class or something and I’m sure that cup he carried was filled with green tea and not the triple sweetened, whipped-cream-covered, diabetes-in-a-cup in my own travel mug. I always wondered he stayed that way, even when the train stalled and the kid screamed and spilled juice all over his paper, he stayed calm. When it was raining and snowing and it was hot as all hell, he was calm.

I never said hello to him or even smiled at him and I don’t think I ever caught his eye but he was the kind of person that just made you feel better, just to be around him. I wish I had asked him how he stayed that calm, I wish I had known his girl’s name, I wish I had brought her candy on halloween. Her and her father dressed in matching costumes; Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss . Sometimes he read to her, on halloween he read that to her and she was so quiet that for a moment she looked just like he did, eyes went placid and focused all at once.

I wonder what happened it was like for her, after it had ended. I wonder if she ever found her daddy’s calm again. I wish I knew her, I wish I could tell her that I’m sorry.

title: [RF] After it ended/ notes and letters

question: Summarize everything relating to the tragic event.

answer: No answer

critique: There is no information in the passage to answer this question.

critique: There is no information relating to the tragic event in the text.

critique: The tragedy doesn't looms large enough in the story.

question: What does the story say about the type of person the woman in part A is?

answer: Her co-workers described her as someone who took her job seriously. She listened to them drone about their boring jobs and their boring personal lives. She was immersed in her thoughts that she had to be called out by her friends and coworkers to physically hear them. She had a heart of gold and was never angry, just amused by her co-workers' sad personal lives.

critique: The woman's co-workers don't describe her as someone who took her job seriously.

critique: She is not amused by their sad personal lives, she does not engage in their personal lives and does not find them sad

critique: The narrator describes the woman as someone who has a heart of gold and is never angry, just amused by her co-workers' sad personal lives. There is no evidence that her co-workers described her as someone who took her job seriously.

critique: The response contains some information not provided in the passage.

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

critique: The woman's co-workers didn't say she took her job seriously.

critique: The woman's co-workers did not describe her as someone who took her job seriously.

critique: The answer is inaccurate, especially the first sentence.

critique: She is not described as having a heart of gold.

critique: The answer should mention her bookishness.

critique: This response is not very accurate and should be re-written.

critique: "She was immersed in her thoughts that she had to be called out by her friends and coworkers to physically hear them." - is false because her co-worker would call her six times before she noticed to tell her something.

critique: There is no evidence to suggest that she had a heart of gold.

critique: "She listened to them drone about their boring jobs and their boring personal lives." - this is inaccurate. She didn't listen to them drone about their boring jobs and their boring personal lives. She listened to them talk about their husbands, boyfriends, and kids.

critique: The woman's co-workers said nothing about her heart of gold or her never being angry.

question: Summarize everything relating to beverages.

answer: The woman in A works with a girl named Christine. On their breaks, they get coffee and cake slices. The narrator assigns to read a book each week while at the job. The narrator thinks of how they wish they knew the girl. It evokes memories of Janes Austen, Bukowski and Dostoevsky. The narrator imagines the girl reading these books. The narrator advises the girl to not give up on living after the tragedy happens.

critique: There is no evidence that the woman in A works with a girl named Christine.

critique: The narrator is a girl, not Janes Austen.

critique: The girl's name is Jane Austen, not Christine.

critique: This isn't true. Replace with "The girl and a coworker of hers drink coffee"

critique: It is omitted that the woman in B serves the narrator.

critique: The girl is not named Christine and they don't get coffee and cake slices.

critique: The narrator does not imagine the girl reading these books.

critique: The narrator doesn't assign a book to read each week. These are the books the narrator brings to work.

critique: The narrator doesn't mention the girl's name.

critique: The narrator never assigns a book to read each week.

critique: The narrator doesn't assign to read a book each week.

critique: The narrator imagines the girl's life after the tragedy. She does not advise the girl to not give up on living.

text:
- There is no one named Christine in the woman's office.
- The narrator does not get assigned a book each week.
- The narrator offered advice to no one.
- The response in its entirely has nothing to do with the question.

category: accuracy

refinement: The woman in A works with a girl named Christine. On their breaks, they get coffee and cake slices. The narrator assigns to read a book each week while at the job. The narrator thinks of how they wish they knew the girl. It evokes memories of Janes Austen, Bukowski and Dostoevsky. The narrator imagines the girl reading these books. The narrator advises the girl to not give up on living after the tragedy happens.

question: Summarize everything relating to positive emotion.

answer:
A. Jane Austen's books makes the worker happy.

B. The worker thinks of the young checkout worker and feels a well of calm from the experience.

C. Seeing the father play with his daughter creates a sense of well-being.

critique: There is no evidence that Jane Austen's book made the worker happy.

critique: The answer is missing the worker's feelings about the narrator.

critique: The answer does not address positive emotion as related to Jane Austen's book and the young checkout worker.

critique: "Seeing the father play with his daughter creates a sense of well-being." - this is incorrect and not true at all. This should be deleted.

critique: The daughter plays a role in the first response.

critique: The response misses to mention that the worker feels a positive emotion in relation to the father and daughter because they read Dr. Seuss's books on Halloween and the little girl was silent for a moment.

critique: The answer should mention the narrator's feelings about the father.

critique: It misses to mention about the feelings toward Jane Austen, the worker, and the father.

critique: The answer can contain more information from the text.

critique: It is omitted that the narrator and the checkout worker are sentimental.

critique: These sentences are incorrect and should be rewritten.


text:
I will not recount here the details of the tragedy that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12, nor the responses that followed which mirrored the views of White supremacists, or the views of those of us who are firmly in opposition to such hatred and bigotry. We are all aware of the words of the President of the United States who said that both sides were to blame for the violence that tragically took the life of Heather Heyer. I join with all who insist that there is a complete lack of shared blame or moral equivalency between the group that blatantly displayed their symbols of hatred and bigotry and the group that opposed those vicious and inhumane views. It was also a day when two Virginia State Patrol policemen lost their lives, and 19 people were injured.

What I will recount here are instances in my own story that explain why I was so profoundly frightened and outraged by what took place in Charlottesville. I was frightened because I have personally witnessed such displays of White supremacy. In recalling my outrage I lift up the last words that our shero, Heather Heyer, wrote on her Facebook page: “If you are not outraged you are not paying attention.” I will also speak to what I strongly feel we can and must do in response to the brutal outpouring of hatred that took place in Charlottesville.

Many among the protesters in Charlottesville wore symbols and shouted out words associated with the Ku Klux Klan, Nazis, and other White supremacist groups, including swastikas and the robes and hoods of the Klan. Seeing all of those objects of hatred, especially men in the garb of the Ku Klux Klan, took me back to that day when I, a 20-year-old graduate student, had come to my home town of Jacksonville, Florida, with another graduate student who was my fiancé…. a White American man. A telephone call was made to our home with this threat: “If that nigger-lover white man doesn’t get out of town there could be a cross burning or something worse at your house.”

The shouts, signs, and symbols of White supremacy in Charlottesville conjured up the terror about lynchings that I experienced as a youngster living in Jacksonville, Florida. Even though I had never had to witness one, I knew that lynchings took place; and I was taught the basic rules of what I must never do or say that could put me in the way of such brutal harm. A recent study by the Equal Justice Institute indicates that there were 3,959 racial terror lynching in America between 1877 and 1950. Charlottesville had 90 confirmed lynchings in that period; and Florida, the state that I was born in and where I was living in 1950, had lynched more Black people per capita than any other state.

I shuddered when I saw and heard men in Charlottesville shouting “Jews will not replace us,” for I know that such horrific sentiments, spoken in different words and in different languages, were spewed out during the Holocaust. It is such words that have an indelible association with the genocide in which 6 million European Jews were killed because of the ideology and actions of Adolf Hitler and those who followed him.

During the Jim Crow era in which I grew up, I saw signs that said, “No niggers, Jews or dogs allowed.” Over the years as my consciousness expanded, I became aware that there were signs in Texas that said, “No Mexicans or dogs allowed”; and in some parts of the U.S. there were signs that targeted Asians in what were known as Sundown Towns.

On that tragic day in Charlottesville, in addition to shouts of you will not replace us and Jews will not replace us, there were shouts of F — k you faggots; commie scum, and White lives matter. All of which reflect how White supremacists manage to spew out and act on their hatred for any and all people who are outside of their definition of “the superior White race.”

While I grew up in those wretched days of legal segregation and ubiquitous racism, I also grew up in a family and a community that taught me that no matter my fear of being harmed by racist acts, I had a responsibility to push through my fear and to do whatever I could to act against injustices. A sense of that responsibility has stuck with me, and leads me in the wake of Charlottesville to pose this question: What can and must we do? Doing nothing is not an option, for as Audre Lorde reminded us: “Your silence will not protect you.”

Here are five actions that we can and must take.

1) WE MUST ENGAGE IN RESISTANCE AGAINST INTOLERANCE, BIGOTRY, AND HATRED IN ALL FORMS. How critical such a posture is as we deal with the realities of these troubling times. Resistance can take multiple forms, from having courageous conversations with a colleague, family member, or stranger overheard using racist language, to participating in one of the many demonstrations and protests taking place all over our country against bigotry and hatred and in support of all instances of human rights. As I think about our responsibility to resist domination and oppression, I am reminded of the critical point that bell hooks made when she said:

It is important to remember as we think critically about domination, that we all have the capacity to act in ways that oppress, dominate, wound (whether or not that power is institutionalized). It is necessary to remember that it is first the potential oppressor within that we must resist — the potential victim within that we must rescue — otherwise we cannot hope for an end to domination, for liberation.

2) WE CAN AND MUST REMAIN CONNECTED TO OUR FUNDAMENTAL VALUES SUCH AS RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIVERSITY AND THE NEED TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS. Those of us who are associated with or work for organizations that have made their diversity and inclusion values public and even published them have an additional responsibility — to call on the leaders of those organizations to reaffirm those values. As Mahatma Gandhi said:

Your beliefs become your thoughts

Your thoughts become your words

Your words become your actions

Your actions become your habits

Your habits become your values

Your values become your destiny.

3) WE CAN AND MUST TAKE CONCRETE ACTION. The most obvious one is to call on our elected officials to stand up and to speak out against hatred and bigotry in any and all forms. As difficult as it may be to reach out to and to lobby elected officials who we know do not share our values, we have a responsibility to do so. Let us follow the example of Bernice Jagger who has said, “ I don’t believe in lobbying only progressive and liberal members of congress. I don’t believe in doing interviews only with those who share my views. I want to reach a wider audience.”

4) WE CAN AND MUST READ! Reading is a powerful means to learn about the lives of people who are different from oneself. As the late senator S.I. Hayakawa said, “It is not true that we have only one life to live. If we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.” When we read the stories of others, we can also discover the multiple ways in which, in addition to the lines that divide us, there are ties that bind us. As C.S. Lewis reminds us, “We read to know we are not alone.”

5) LASTLY, BUT EVER SO IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST NEVER SUCCUMB TO HOPELESSNESS. We dare not give into White supremacy, racism, Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, classism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, and ableism. As Helen Keller has said, “Optimism is the fate that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

In these days, months, and years that follow what took place in Charlottesville, as we continue the many faceted struggles for social justice, let us remember these words of Caesar Chavez: “Perhaps we can bring the day when children will learn from their earliest days that being fully man and fully woman means to give one’s life to the liberation of the brother (and the sister) who suffers.”

question: What does the article say about how to oppose racism observed in Charlottesville?

answer: The author suggests five actions to oppose racism in Charlottesville. The first action is to engage in resistance against intolerance, bigotry, and hatred in all forms. The second action is to remain connected to fundamental values such as respect for human diversity and the need to create and sustain inclusive environments. The third action is to take concrete action. The fourth action is to read. The fifth action is to never succumb to hopelessness.

critique: The fourth action isn't numbered. This doesn't make sense to readers.

critique: The author is the one who suggests the actions.

critique: The first step should be rephrased to remove the use of "the"

critique: The author is the one who suggests the actions, not the article.

critique: The response misses to mention that the author also suggests to call on elected officials to stand up and speak out against hatred and bigotry in any and all forms.

critique: The author is not the one suggesting the actions.

question: What are the scary parts of what the author saw in Charlottesville?

answer: The author saw the Ku Klux Klan, swastikas, and the robes and hoods of the Klan. The author also saw men shouting "Jews will not replace us" and "F—k you faggots; commie scum, and White lives matter."

critique: The author also saw the anti-Semitic chants of "Jews will not replace us"

critique: The author was scared of the displays of white supremacy because she grew up in an era of legal segregation and ubiquitous racism.

critique: The author also saw the anti-Semitic chants of "Jews will not replace us" and "F—k you faggots; commie scum, and White lives matter."

critique: The author also mentions that the words were similar to those used during the Holocaust.

critique: This is accurate but doesn't answer the question.

critique: It's omitted that the town had 90 confirmed lynchings in a certain period and more Black people than any other state.

question: What does the text say about race baiters?

answer: No answer

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

critique: The text does not mention anything about race baiters.


text:
_Vibrant health depends on balanced emotions and strong stress-management skills just as much as it does on smoothies and salmon. For some of us, it’s a healthy diet that’s the struggle – for others, its stress and finding ways to relieve anxiety naturally.  _

_We’ve been talking about some of the most popular pharmaceuticals out there and how we can help readers find non-drug related solutions to their wellness woes. Learning to manage anxiety and reduce stress takes more than just the list below, but it’s a good start. Don’t underestimate the power of these simple suggestions from functional medicine pro, Dr. Josh Axe –be honest with yourself and take a good look at how you’re doing on each point.. _

Sometimes inching through rush-hour traffic, studying for an important exam or preparing for a big presentation is all it takes to trigger a full-blown anxiety attack, setting off a slew of symptoms like restlessness, muscle pain, fatigue and headaches.

Aside from these short-term symptoms, anxiety can also take a real toll on other components of health. It can impair immune function, wreck libido, zap energy levels and may even be linked to the development of heart problems, respiratory issues and digestive disorders.

Conditions like panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or PTSD can certainly play a role in the development of anxiety symptoms, but even external factors like work, school, personal relationships and financial issues can skyrocket stress levels and trigger anxiety.

Fortunately, by using a couple of natural treatments and adopting a few new healthy habits, you may be able to help relieve symptoms and keep your anxiety under control — no pharmaceuticals required.

Here are a few simple remedies that can cut back on stress and ease your anxiety:

Clean Up Your Diet | What you put on your plate can have a big effect on just about every aspect of health — including your anxiety. Skipping the sugary junk and getting in a few servings of anti-inflammatory whole foods, like fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, can maximize neurotransmitter synthesis to boost brain health, balance your mood and minimize anxiety. Learn how to clean up your diet here.

Cut Back on Caffeine | While the occasional cup of morning joe is totally fine, throwing back a few cups a day can cause a caffeine overdose, contributing to symptoms like restlessness, jitters, heart palpitations and, of course, anxiety. Keep your caffeine intake in check by limiting your intake of energy drinks, soda and coffee. Alternatively, opt for decaf or swap the coffee for a soothing cup of black or green tea every once in a while instead.

Try Aromatherapy | Just a few drops of essential oils applied directly to the skin, sprinkled into a warm bath or added to a diffuser can provide powerful, natural relief from anxiety. If you’re just getting started, give lavender oil and Roman chamomile a try. Both are commonly used to calm nerves, promote relaxation and ease symptoms of anxiety, quickly and effectively.

Hit the Gym | The benefits of regular exercise extend way beyond your waistline; in fact, studies show that physical activity can help combat stress and anxiety and even alter levels of important neurotransmitters in your brain. Practicing exercises that promote deep breathing like yoga and tai chi may be especially effective, but other types of activity like walking, running and dancing can have anxiety-busting benefits as well.

Set a Sleep Schedule | Between balancing work, school, family and friends, most of our schedules are jam-packed to the point that getting enough sleep every night can quickly take a backseat. However, a lack of sleep has been shown to directly impact regions of the brain involved in emotional processing and may contribute to anxiety. Setting a strict sleep schedule to ensure you’re getting in at least seven to nine hours per night can help reduce stress, decrease anxiety and stabilize your mood.

Meditate | If you’re feeling super stressed and anxious, one of the best things you can do for your health is to simply take a moment to meditate. Meditation helps reduce levels of stress hormones and can even boost productivity, enhance sleep quality, and decrease symptoms of anxiety. Start with just five to ten minutes per day and slowly work your way up; guided meditation is a great option if you’re a beginner.

_Dive deep and explore all our contenton stress + anxiety. This supplement is much discussed. _

_The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.
All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program. _

question: Summarize what the text states about cleaning up your diet.

answer: The text states that cleaning up your diet can maximize neurotransmitter synthesis to boost brain health, balance your mood, and minimize anxiety. The text also states that skipping the sugary junk and getting in a few servings of anti-inflammatory whole foods, like fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds can maximize neurotransmitter synthesis to boost brain health and minimize anxiety. The text also states that the foods should be anti-inflammatory.

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

critique: Being redundant with "the text also states" is unnecessary, remove the last sentence.

critique: The text does not state that the foods should be anti-inflammatory.

critique: The second sentence is redundant and should be removed.

critique: The first sentence is redundant and should be omitted.

question: Summarize what the text states about setting a sleep schedule.

answer: The article states that setting a sleep schedule would help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety. It discusses the importance of a sleep schedule and the ways to set it. The text also notes that sleep deprivation can increase the risk of anxiety.

critique: The answer should mention the recommended amount of sleep.

critique: The article states seven to nine hours sleep per night. The answer implies the sleep time has been already determined.

question: How valuable would a person who has anxiety find the tips given in this article?

answer: They would find it useful to learn about the types of remedies that could help them alleviate their condition.

critique: The answer should mention that the tips are for relieving anxiety.

critique: The answer should mention that the remedies are natural.

critique: The general feeling of the person isn't taken into account. It should be said that the remedies given in this article might help a person who has anxiety alleviate or lessen their symptoms.

critique: The answer should add that the remedies are non-drug related.

critique: The answer should mention the level of efficacy of the solutions.

critique: The answer should mention that the tips are natural remedies.

question: What is the article's view on using pharmaceuticals for relieving anxiety?

answer: The article suggests that there are other ways to relieve anxiety without pharmaceuticals.

critique: The article does not say anything about using pharmaceuticals.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not explicitly state its view on pharmaceuticals.


text:
Summary

Short description

Flagship Silver Muse heralds a new era of luxury

Our Flexibility Promise

With our Flexibility Promise, you can change the date and/or destination of your Wexas holiday up to 35 days before departure, free of charge. Book by 31st December 2020 for travel completed by 31st August 2021.

At a glance

Ship Tonnage
40,700 TONNES

In pictures

About

RECOMMENDED FOR:
Ocean cruise

Having made her maiden voyage in April 2017, Silver Muse redefines ultra-luxury ocean travel, enhancing the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations that are the hallmarks of the Silversea experience.

Butler-served suites, many with private verandahs and all with ocean views, are designed with comfort in mind, BVLGARI bath amenities and pillow menus among a whole host of luxurious features. Meanwhile, six sumptuous dining venues showcase menus ranging from gourmet lobster to theatrical teppanyaki as open-air bars allow you to embrace life at sea with the finest views.

There’s also a spa, pool deck and Jacuzzi for relaxing between ports, while the ship's enrichment programme provides expert insight into the history, culture and cuisine of each port, with everything from guest lectures to wine tastings. Elsewhere, there’s the chance to enjoy full-scale productions in the Venetian Lounge, or sip cocktails at Dolce Vita, an Italian-inspired lounge with a live pianist.

Cabins and Deck Plans

-   Cabins
-   Deck Plans

Vista Suite

[]

The Vista Suite provides generous living space for all travellers. The Vista Suite offers all the comfort and attention to detail that you can expect aboard. A generous expanse of interior comforts — elegant décor, stunning marble bathroom and ample seating area, make this a cosy home away from home. The seating area of the Vista Suite has plenty of room to relax, while large picture windows frame panoramic ocean views, the perfect backdrop for breakfast in bed.

Classic Veranda Suite

[]

The Classic Veranda Suite provides generous living space for voyagers. Located lower bow, the Classic Veranda Suite offers all the comfort and attention to detail that you can expect aboard — both inside and out. A generous expanse of interior comforts — elegant décor, stunning marble bathroom and ample seating area, make this a cosy home away from home. But perhaps this suite’s finest asset lies just outside, as floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto a private veranda, making every sunset feel as if it is yours alone.

Superior Veranda Suite

[]

Located on the upper deck, and offering spectacular sunset views, the Superior Veranda Suite has all the comforts and luxury that you can expect aboard. A comfortable living space, attention to detail and a generous expanse of amenities, this stunning suite makes for a cosy home while on the seas. But perhaps this suite’s finest asset lies just outside, as floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto a private veranda, making every sunset feel as if it is yours alone.

Deluxe Veranda Suite

[]

The Deluxe Veranda Suite offers a comfortable living space, close to the heart of the ship. With its preferred mid-ship location and all the comfort and attention to detail that you can expect aboard, the Deluxe Veranda Suite is the savvy traveller’s paradise— both inside and out. Elegant décor, stunning marble bathroom and ample seating area, make this a cosy home away from home. But perhaps this suite’s finest asset lies just outside, as floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto a private veranda, making every sunset feel as if it is yours alone.

Silver Suite

[]

Step onto your terrace and bask in the calm feeling of the ocean breeze. Dissolve into the comfort of your king size bed. Prepare for the evening in the beautiful marble bathroom. The upper deck location gives the most spectacular of sea views, the spacious living area allows for comfortable relaxing where cosy nights in become veritable experiences in themselves. The two-bedroom configuration of this suite makes this it the ideal option for families.

Royal 1 Suite

[]

Designed with the values of the culture of living in mind, the Royal Suite offers a vast, eloquent space. Precise lines, authentic Italian craftsmanship and fine materials make up just some of the details of this stunning suite. Commanding and majestic, the Royal Suite boasts a lavish living area perfect for entertaining, plush interior furnishings and sweeping seascapes from the private terrace. The comfort of the spacious apartment makes this the ideal space for those wanting to feel the true comfort and luxury of the Silversea philosophy.

Grand 1 Suite

[]

Indulge in the epitome of ultra-luxury cruising. The Grand Suite is for those who want to experience sailing in style. The sophistication of the Silversea philosophy coupled with ample interior and exterior space makes this the perfect choice for serious travellers. With the biggest verandas on board, enjoy entertaining new friends or simply sharing intimate meals while contemplating spectacular sunsets. Savour the sense of well-being offered by the luxurious furnishings and modern amenities. Offering an unprecedented level of relaxation, the Grand Suite is the perfect romantic getaway.

Owner's 1 Suite

[]

Picture yourself taking a delicious breakfast on your private veranda. Imagine watching the sun set, a flute of chilled champagne in hand, setting sail for your next destination. Prestigious, classic and sophisticated, this stylish apartment suite offers the ultimate in finest accommodation on board. Set aside for those who seek a superlative level of space, comfort and service, the Owner’s Suite has it all. The adjoining bedroom, with its en-suite bathroom, offers its own spectacular sea views.

Meet our experts

Speak to a tailor-made specialist on 020 7590 0796

-

    [Norire Arakelyan]

    Norire Arakelyan

-

    [Lisa Ayling]

    Lisa Ayling

-

    [Sophie Sadler]

    Sophie Sadler

-

    [Becky Theriault]

    Becky Theriault

-

    [Charlie Pritchard]

    Charlie Pritchard

-

    [Sophie Cole]

    Sophie Cole

-

    [Saija Kokkonen]

    Saija Kokkonen

-

    [Steff Sargeant]

    Steff Sargeant

-

    [Pippa McCarthy]

    Pippa McCarthy

-

    [Emma Sanger-Horwell]

    Emma Sanger-Horwell

-

    [Alice Somerset]

    Alice Somerset

-

    [Angela Perro]

    Angela Perro

-

    [Maddalena Cardone]

    Maddalena Cardone

-

    [Debbie Mayger]

    Debbie Mayger

-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

Meet the team

question: What does the text say about travel during COVID-19?

answer: No answer

critique: The text does not mention anything about the COVID-19 virus.

critique: The question is asking about any stances the text has on travel during the declared pandemic. There's a statement about how the cruise line is designed to promote groups of people. The article also says one of their tours are on the Galapagos Islands, which are "no more than five rooms apart, encouraging casual introductions and conversation."

critique: The text doesn't say anything about travel during COVID-19.

critique: The answer could mention that the text does not mention COVID-19.

question: What does the text say about the Silver Muse?

answer: Silver Muse is the ocean cruise flagship of Silversea Cruises. It was made to enhance the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations hallmarks of the Silversea experience.

critique: The ship was made to enhance the experience of the small ships to elevate them to the richness of amenities aboard sleek ocean liners on par with those of larger ships.

critique: The answer should mention the ship's features.

critique: The answer should mention the amenities of the ship.

critique: The answer omits that Silver Muse is a cruise ship, which is the main topic of the article.

critique: It is omitted that the ship has 40,700 tonnes.

critique: The answer should mention the ship's amenities.

question: What are the different entertainment, dining, and leisure areas on the Silver Muse?

answer: There are several venues on board the ship. There are the dining facilities that offer different food types. There is a spa, a pool deck, and a Jacuzzi where travellrers can relax between ports. Silver Muse's enrichment programme also provides expert insight into the history, culture, and cuisine of each port. Lastly, travellers can also enjoy full-scale productions in the Venetian Lounge, or sip cocktails at Dolce Vita.

critique: Thefinal line sounds too busy. I added "or sip cocktails..." to reflect the original text to mention that there are restaurants and bars.

critique: "There are several venues on board the ship. There are the dining facilities that offer different food types. There is a spa, a pool deck, and a Jacuzzi where travellrers can relax between ports. Silver Muse's enrichment programme also provides expert insight into the history, culture, and cuisine of each port. Lastly, travellers can also enjoy full-scale productions in the Venetian Lounge, or sip cocktails at Dolce Vita." - this is irrelevant and should be removed.

critique: The answer should mention the lounge with a live pianist.

critique: The answer should mention the different suites.

critique: The answer should mention the different types of suites.

question: What does the text say about the most expensive accommodation on board the Silver Muse?

answer:
At least three, and possibly four, categories of suites are mentioned as being more expensive.

The Silver Suite is the most expensive on the vessel, and offers a two-bedroom configuration for families. The Royal 1 Suite is designed with the culture of living in mind and offers a vast, eloquent space. The Grand 1 Suite is for those who want to experience sailing in style. The Owner's 1 Suite offers an unprecedented level of space, comfort, and service for those who seek a superlatively level of service.

critique: Only the Lavish Lifestyle suites are mentioned as premiums, as per the first paragraph. Two other categories of suites are acclaimed as "cheapest" or merely "more expensive" than others.

critique: The answer omits mention of the Deluxe Veranda Suite.

critique: The text doesn't say that the Owner's Suite is the most expensive. It says it's the most prestigious.

critique: The answer should mention the price of the suites.

critique: The answer should mention the price of the Owner's Suite.

critique: The Owner's Suite is not mentioned as the most expensive.

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

text: The text doesn't explicitly state which accomodation is the most expensive.

refinement:
At least three, and possibly four, categories of suites are mentioned as being more expensive.

The Silver Suite is the most expensive on the vessel, and offers a two-bedroom configuration for families. The Royal 1 Suite is designed with the culture of living in mind and offers a vast, eloquent space. The Grand 1 Suite is for those who want to experience sailing in style. The Owner's 1 Suite offers an unprecedented level of space, comfort, and service for those who seek a superlatively level of service.


text:
 Market Analysis

Once again, a major political event didn't roil markets.

Time and again in 2016, pundits warned major political events would cause an earthquake for markets. Brexit. Donald Trump winning the US election. And now Italy's Senate reform referendum, which failed Sunday, taking Prime Minister Matteo Renzi down with it. Yet each time, after the widely feared thing actually happened, stocks were fine. Sometimes within a couple days, as with Brexit, and sometimes within a couple minutes, as with Italy, giving investors another chance to learn a crucial lesson: Don't overrate political events.

Markets are efficient and very, very good at discounting widely discussed events before they happen. Such was the case with Italy's referendum. Unlike Brexit and the US election, referendum polls pretty soundly signaled the referendum's defeat weeks beforehand. Conversation has long since moved from, "Will it pass or fail?" to, "What happens after it fails?" Even the related "if" over whether Renzi would stay in power seemed mostly resolved before the vote. After flip-flopping on whether the vote was also a referendum on his leadership (first he said it was, then-after seeing David Cameron go down post-Brexit vote-walked it back), in the campaign's final days, Renzi made it pretty clear he'd go if he lost. Hence markets weren't shocked when, after 60% of voters rejected the ballot measure, Renzi announced his intent to mozie over to President Sergio Mattarella's office and hand in his papers.

Italian stocks dipped as much as -2.1% intraday Monday, but by day's end they'd clawed most of it back, and the benchmark FTSE MIB closed just -0.2% down on the day. Most everywhere else, markets were buoyant. The UK's FTSE 100, Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 all topped 1% (in local currencies), enjoying pleasant mornings. The S&P 500 was up all day, finishing 0.6% higher.[i] Finance blogger (and CNBC pundit) Josh Brown-aka "The Reformed Broker"-sums the reaction up as "crisis fatigue. If everything is a crisis, then nothing is." Calling it "the boy who cried wolf" would be a bad analogy, so we won't do it, but you get the drift: When people repeatedly hear events are certain negatives for stocks, and reality proves the warnings wrong, at some point, people get wise and start brushing them off.[ii]

As for what comes next, Italy will get its eighth government since 2000 and 64th since Il Duce. No one knows who will lead yet, but we'll gain clarity in the coming days as Mattarella meets with party leaders and decides whether to call snap elections, instruct Renzi's Democratic Party (DP) to form a new administration or appoint a technocratic government. Of those options, the first seems least likely, considering Mattarella is a staunch europhile and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) seems poised to do well in a snap vote. Most expect Italy to get a technocratic government with a narrow mandate to focus on electoral law reform that would limit the possibility of a hung parliament. For now, though, Renzi will stay in power (at Mattarella's request) until Parliament approves the next budget.

In other words, Italy likely maintains the status quo: A gridlocked government that can't push through labor market or other long-delayed reforms, but can't do any harm either. It would also keep pro-euro leaders in power until 2018 at least, limiting populism's march. M5S may be polling neck and neck with the DP now, but a lot can change in a year and a half, especially if M5S-led local governments continue floundering. It's fair to point out that in Italy, "status quo" means economic and political basketcase, but again, markets are efficient. By most measures, Italy is in a far better place than in 2011 and 2012, when the eurozone crisis threatened to take it down. If global markets could handle Italy then-when Silvio Berlusconi was a going concern, the economy was shrinking and debt service costs were spiraling-they can handle Italy now. For all the hand-wringing, its economy is growing, and low interest rates have pulled down borrowing costs.

We think Italy's referendum is most compelling when viewed in concert with Austria's presidential revote, which also occurred Sunday, pitting the former leader of the Green Party Alexander Van der Bellen against the Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer. Both are technically populists, as the establishment candidates both fell in the first round earlier this year. But Van der Bellen is regarded as a pro-euro statesman, while the anti-EU Hofer would have been Europe's first democratically elected far-right head of state since the 1940s. In May, Van der Bellen narrowly won, but Hofer challenged, and the courts ruled there were irregularities and overturned the results. This time around, polls had Van der Bellen ahead 51% to 49%, but he won 53% to 47%-a stronger showing and rebuke to all those fears of a post-Brexit domino effect.

Remember this next year, as the Netherlands, France and Germany go to the polls with anti-euro populists polling well. Populism doesn't beget populism, and pro-euro parties are more resilient than they usually get credit for. French voters just said "non, merci" to former President Nicolas Sarkozy in his party's presidential primary, rejecting his populist turn in favor of free-market reformer FranÇois Fillon-a former Prime Minister who is about as "establishment" as it gets. Spain's pro-euro government just returned to power after two elections and 10 months of deadlock, sidelining the populist Podemos party. Angela Merkel is running for a fourth term in Germany and presently has no clear rival (though that could change as the other parties get more organized). Fears of populism splintering the eurozone are just another iteration of euro breakup fears, which markets have dealt with ad infinitum since 2010.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[i] Everything in this paragraph comes from FactSet, as of 12/5/2016.

[ii] You're probably wondering why it would be a bad analogy. Well, the boy who cried wolf was eventually right, and when no one listened to him, it got pretty ugly. We do realize the events that do wallop markets are the ones no one sees coming or everyone writes off, but in that scenario, you probably don't have a boy crying wolf. Unless you do. Anyway all analogies are bad analogies.

question: What does the article say about Italian politics?

answer: The Italian Senate reform referendum failed on Sunday, taking Prime Minister Matteo Renzi down with it. The reform was a ballot measure that would change the way the senate is elected. The reform would have made it harder for populist parties to gain power. The Italian stock market dipped as much as -2.1% intraday, but by day's end they'd clawed most of it back, and the benchmark FTSE MIB closed just -0.2% down on the day. Most everywhere else, markets were buoyant.

critique: It's made-up that the reform would make it harder for populist parties to gain power. It is also not what the reform was.

critique: The answer doesn't mention the options for the next Italian government.

critique: The answer should mention the options for the next government.

critique: The answer omits the options for the future of Italy's leadership.

critique: "The reform would have made it harder for populist parties to gain power." - this information is not found in the passage and should be deleted.


text:
	She sat at the edge of her hospital bed looking out to the misty morning rolling over the city. She watched the birds roll and play with the wind that came off of the sea; she did this every morning. It had been hard for her these past few weeks, ever intensive treatments or  experimental drugs, she was fighting but losing her stamina.
	She got up slowly cringing at the feel of the chilled floor on her bare feet. She supported herself with the iv, she found it sad that  she was so young but she needed help just to walk down the hall.
	She was on her usual morning stroll around the hospital to see if there was any new excitement this morning. She noticed her favorite nurse and gave her a wave but she looked right past her with very sad look on her face. This wasn’t uncommon some mornings, they were always busy.
She walked to one of her favorite hallways, it was her favorite because of the pattern on the carpet in this section of the hospital. Also it was one of the most used hallways in the hospital and from here she could sit in one of the big couches and watch people as they came or left. She loved watching people leave, walking out into the morning daylight, she was envious.
	It was then that she noticed the kind looking elderly man sitting contently alone on one of the couches, it looked as though he was pondering something with a happy gaze on his face. She didn’t know what it was but there was something about this kindly looking old man that seemed so familiar to her, and so she decided to make a friend this morning.
	She loved talking to new people and hearing their stories of why they were there, Sometimes she comforted, sometimes she waited with people expecting new family members. Those were her favorite, seeing the joy on the family's faces when they got to see a new baby; she hadn’t felt that kind of joy ever.
	As she approached the old man he broke his stare into the distance and greeted her with a kind warm smile.
	“What’s your name my dear?” he asked with  a slightly trembling deep voice as she sat down next to him.
	“Katherine, but my friends just call me Kathy. You can call me Kathy.” she said so sure of herself, though she appeared so weak.
	“Ahhh Katherine, what a beautiful name. You know I had a daughter named Katherine, she was so beautiful.” he replied giving the young girl a slight wink.
	She giggled at this, “So what brings you here today mister?”
	“Ahh, just visiting someone. I was waiting for them to come get me, you see I can’t walk that well anymore.” He said with a slight grin showing in his eyes.
	“Well...” Katherine coughed slightly “Well, I can’t walk that well either so that makes both of us!” She smiled at the old man.
	“What is your favorite animal Kathy?” The old man asked softly.
	“Well any type of bird really.” She responded with happiness in her weak voice.
	“Have I got a story for you.” Said the old man.
	He told her all about birds and it was the most amazing story she had ever heard. He told about his time as a pilot, flying so fast and gracefully with the birds, rolling and playing on the currents of winds. She was entranced. He told her about his time paragliding, “Sometimes it was as if I had wings, just like the birds.” he told her.
	They talked for hours it seemed but no one came to meet the old man.
	“Well I’ve taken up enough of you time mister I really should get back to my bed.” Kathy started to get up.
	“Do you have time for just one more story Kathy?” The old man asked.
	“Well I guess just one more.” She sat back again getting comfortable.
	“Well this one is about a strong young girl. She was so beautiful, but she had such a horrible illness.” There was a hint of sadness in his voice. “She fought for so long, but she got so tired.”
	Kathy saw a tear rolling down the old man’s face. She looked away and noticed her parents rushing into the hospital through the big glass doors tears in their eyes. She got up as fast as she could calling to them, but they just kept on walking to the elevators and got in.
	She turned around to the old man confused and said “What’s going on mister?”
	They can’t hear you sweetie, that’s why I’m here.
It was then that she knew exactly who he was, she knew he’d seemed familiar.
	“But why did you make me fight, why did you make me feel all that pain? Why would you do that to me?” She was becoming upset.
	Another tear rolled down his face. “My sweet Kathy, all the pain you felt I felt doubly, I tried to let you fight it, I really did. You are one of the strongest people I’ve ever watched over, I wanted you to win, but some fights we just can’t. Please, understand I was always with you, I was always holding you through the worst of it.” There was pain in his voice.
	She walked back to him and wiped the tears from his face, she was walking more stable now. “It’s okay, I know it’s time.”
	With this the old man slowly stood up. “I have and will always love you so very much Kathy, you are always so strong.” The wrinkles had faded from his face now as he stood up.
	“Would you like to go for a nice walk Kathy?” The man inquired.
	“Only if you’ll tell me those wonderful stories again.” She said with a smile.
	“Come, I’ll show you.” He took her hand and they walked through the big glass doors together, into the beautiful morning light.

title: The Visitor

question: Summarize the narrator's movements over the course of the story.

answer: The narrator is in a hospital, where she has been for weeks undergoing intensive treatments and experimental drugs. She walks down the hall and into the hallway where she likes to sit and watch people. She approaches an old man and they sit together on a couch. They talk for hours, and she walks back to her bed. The old man stands up and offers to take her for a walk. They walk through the big glass doors together.

critique: The narrator's name is Katherine, not the narrator.

critique: "They talk for hours, and she walks back to her bed. The old man stands up and offers to take her for a walk. They walk through the big glass doors together." - this is incorrect. The narrator walks back to the old man and they walk out of the hospital together.

critique: It is omitted that she gets up to approach the old man.

critique: The narrator is Katherine, not an unnamed character. Rephrase to mention who the narrator is.

critique: It is omitted that she approaches the old man to make a friend.

critique: The narrator is Katherine, not the old man.

text: The narrator doesn't walk back to her bed. She tries to approach her parents, but they can't see or hear her.

question: Summarize everything relating to God.

answer: The old man tells Katherine that he had a daughter named Katherine. He says that he was waiting for someone to come and get him. He tells Katherine that he was always with her. He says that Katherine is one of the strongest people he's ever watched over. He says that he loved Katherine very much. He takes Katherine's hand and they walk through the big glass doors together.

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

critique: The old man's words about Katherine are irrelevant to the question.

critique: The answer omits the old man's identity.

critique: Doesn't mention that Katherine realizes the old man is God, who has come to take her to heaven.

critique: The last three lines are irrelevant to the question.

question: Summarize everything relating to Kathy's upbringing.

answer: No answer

critique: The response needs to have a response to the text.

question: Summarize everything relating to negative emotions.

answer: The narrator is in the hospital and finds it sad that she's so young but needed help just to walk down the hall. She's envious of the people walking out into the morning daylight. The old man has a sad expression on his face as he tells her a story about a girl who had a horrible illness. She's upset at the old man after he tells her that she's dying.

critique: She's not envious of the people walking out into the morning daylight. That line should be removed.

critique: The narrator is Katherine, not the old man.

critique: The answer omits the narrator's emotions.

critique: The old man doesn't have a sad expression on his face.

critique: The old man's experience isn't mentioned in the text.

text: The answer should mention the tears, both on the old man's face and in the eyes of Katherine's parents.

category: coverage


text:
[cliche-career-advice]

Does this sound familiar? You’re trying to figure out your future and you’re in the midst of some serious career planning, when all of a sudden you’re inundated on all sides by a hurricane of advice on what to do, what not to do, and how to move forward.

The truth is, when it comes to career planning most people think they have all the right answers when they’re dishing out clichéd and uninformed advice to others, and if you’re the unwitting recipient of these tired tips from everyone in your life you’re likely feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn.

Don’t bother doing a blind search on the Internet for career tip guidance—you’ll only encounter the same sort of tired advice that contradicts itself and takes all sides and forms depending on where you look. So, with all of this “career noise” at every turn, how do you know what to believe and follow?

You should always do what you love.

This is a nice thought, and it would be an interesting world if everyone got to do exactly what they want to do or love. But the truth is, reality sometimes holds a different view of how our careers should play out. While it can be a good idea to pursue a dream, it can be foolhardy to pursue it forever—after all, a noble pursuit like following your dream won’t pay your bills. Besides, it’s possible to find happiness and fulfillment while pursuing a backupplan. Use logic and reality as your guide when deciding between pursuing your dream and choosing an acceptable alternative.

Don’t leave your current job until you have a new one lined up.

This job advice tidbit is as old as it gets—but does that necessarily mean it’s sound advice? This tip gets particularly murky if your job environment is especially toxic or unhealthy. Sure, it makes sense to have a steady paycheck and job history while job hunting and until something new comes along, but life is short and if you’re really in a difficult or miserable spot, then it may be worthwhile to see if you can survive if you left your job. Besides, it’s easier to job hunt when you have more time to focus on it. Once again, fully weigh your situation, along with the pros and cons, and decide wisely.

Don’t leave a job before you’ve been there for at least a year.

Everyone has heard this one before, but is it actually sound advice? Employers like to work with people who stick around since it’s so expensive to recruit and train them.”

However, they also suggest that reality might not be so black and white: “While you want to avoid having _lots _of short stays in your job history, most people will understand if there was a particular situation that wasn’t great. If it’s your boss or the day-to-day nature of your work that’s not what you expected, keep in mind that there are sometimes options to change positions without leaving the organization. Start by looking for new responsibilities and discussing a transfer to another team. If, after that, you’re still itching to get out, update your resume and re-start your job hunt.”

If you change your field you’ll have to start at the bottom.

Are you finding yourself in a position where you’re thinking of a complete career overhaul? If so, then you’ve undoubtedly encountered this advice, which came from the notion that you always have to “pay your dues” when starting out in an industry and work your way up from the bottom. But whoever originally came up with this one obviously never thought about the value of transferable work experience and skills. According to The Muse, “if you’ve already put time into your current career, you probably have more skills that transfer from field to field than you recognize. Not just that, but your years of work have also taught you how to network, which can play a role in getting off the ground floor.” Bottom line: recognize your value and transferable skill set when considering what positions in other fields make sense for you, and don’t let this tired old cliché deter you from pursuing a new career in a new field.

There you have it—a fresh look on some old career tip clichés. Use the information provided here to help declutter your brain when it gets too full of competing advice and you’ll be on your way to make smart career decisions in no time.

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About the author

[]

Eric Titner

Eric is a NYC-based editor and writer, with years of experience in career-focused content development across a wide range of industries.

question: What does the text say about working two jobs?

answer: No answer

critique: The article does not mention anything about working two jobs.

critique: The text covers the working two jobs question so it can be answered.

critique: The text does not mention anything about working two jobs.

critique: The article does not talk about working two jobs.

critique: The text does not say anything about working two jobs.

question: What does the text say about old career tip clichés?

answer: The author of the text says that when it comes to career planning, most people think they have all the right answers when they're dishing out clichéd and uninformed advice to others. The author says that when it comes to career planning, most people think they have all the right answers when they're dishing out clichéd and uninformed advice to others. The author says that when it comes to career planning, most people think they have all the right answers when they're dishing out clichéd and uninformed advice to others.

critique: The repetition of the same sentence is unnecessary.

critique: The word the doesn't need to precede a sentence with a negative.

critique: The repetition of the first line is unnecessary.

question: What does the text say about always doing what you love?

answer: The text says that while it's a nice thought, reality sometimes holds a different view of how our careers should play out. Pursuing a dream can be foolhardy, and it's possible to find happiness and fulfillment while pursuing a backup plan. The text also says that pursuing a dream won't pay your bills.

critique: The text also says that you should use logic and reality as your guide when deciding between pursuing your dream and choosing an acceptable alternative.

critique: The answer should mention that the text also says that pursuing a dream can be a good idea.

critique: "Pursuing a dream can be foolhardy, and it's possible to find happiness and fulfillment while pursuing a backup plan." - this is redundant and should be deleted.

critique: The answer doesn't mention that the text also mentions that it's good to pursue a dream.

critique: The text also says that pursuing a dream can be foolish if you don't have a backup plan.

critique: The answer should mention that the text suggests that it's okay to pursue a dream as long as you have a backup plan.

critique: The second sentence is confusing and should be rephrased.

question: What does the text say about not leaving a current job until a new one is lined up?

answer: It is old advice, but it may be sound advice in some cases. If the job environment is toxic or unhealthy, it may be worthwhile to see if you can survive if you left your job. It is easier to job hunt when you have more time to focus on it.

critique: The answer omits that the advice is to not leave a job before you've been there for at least a year.

critique: It is omitted that the article suggests that if you are in a difficult or miserable spot, it may be worthwhile to see if you can survive if you left your job.

critique: It is omitted that the article says that employers like to work with people who stick around since it's so expensive to recruit and train them.

critique: This advice is mentioned in the second section. It is included in the first.

critique: The answer omits the fact that the advice is sound in general.

critique: It is not stated that it is easier to job hunt when you have more time to focus on it.

critique: The answer should mention that the advice is to not leave a job before you've been there for at least a year.

critique: The answer should mention that the article advises against this.

text: It is inaccurate that the article says 'but it may be sound advice in some cases'. It asks if it is necessary sound advice.


text:
BRAIN CIRCULATION is the circular movement of skilled labour across nations.

Brain circulation differs from brain drain which describes skilled labour from certain countries emigrating to other countries in search of better opportunities. In India one witnessed large-scale emigration of engineers from its premier engineering institutes ) in the sixties, seventies and eighties.

The late nineties and the early years of the 21st century however saw large numbers of these emigrants returning to India as prospects in India improved markedly, brought on by important economic reforms initiated in the early nineties.

Brain circulation vs. brain drain

There has been debate whether outflow of high skilled labor mobility should be regarded positively or negatively. The core theoretical framework for studying human capital flows dates back to at least John Hicks (1932), who noted that “differences in net economic advantages, chiefly differences in wages, are the main causes of migration”. Classic literature back in 1950s~1980s also follows Hicks’ work, and has come to a consensus on receiving countries having benefits; however, sending countries lose human capital, and thus have potential negative effects of the skilled emigration (Bhagwati and Hamada, 1974).

Since the 1990s, a growing literature discusses the positive effect of high-skilled labor outflow, and argues that under certain circumstances, the brain drain may ultimately prove beneficial to the source country, and to do this while accounting for the various fiscal and technological externalities that were at the heart of the pessimistic models of the 1970s. Outflow of high-skilled labor can form a diaspora abroad, which promotes trade between the sending countries and countries that have the diaspora (Rauch and Trindale, 2002).

Some high skilled workers come back to their home countries, even though they once leave their home countries for various reasons such as political instability and wage gap. They still have connections with home countries through their extended families and friends, which can be an incentive for them to return home. Wahba (2014) points out that most migrants ponder and plan their move back home throughout their migration experience. There are growing evidences that show some immigrants decided to come back and start their new life in home countries. For example, 20 to 50% of immigrants return home or relocate to a different country within five years of their arrival (OECD, 2008). Also, almost one-third of the migrants who came to the U.S. between 1908 and 1957 returned to their home countries (Jasso and Rosenzweig, 1982). Moreover, nearly one-quarter of male migrants who came to Canada in 1996 left within five years (Aydemir and Robinson, 2008).

It is true that some high-skilled workers return to home countries, not just moving out abroad. Then, why do they come back? First, they return home because they cannot adopt themselves to a new environment abroad. If they have trouble finding a job or making social connections, they might consider returning home. Dustmann and Görlach (2016) point out that if migrants struggle to assimilate or learn the language, this can contribute to their desire to return home.

Second, they return home because home countries have economic opportunities. One of the most critical reasons of high skilled outflow is wage gap between home countries and host countries. Many highly educated people go abroad to find a better job with higher salary. If home countries have a better job environment with reasonable salary, they are more likely to return home. Whether countries focus on tertiary industry or not can also be an important sign for high skilled labor abroad to return home. If countries have more budget for R&D and focus on a knowledge-based economy, workers would expect that they are more likely to get a suitable job where they can make use of their experiences abroad and contribute. Shin and Moon (2018) mentioned that some migrants abroad were interested in engaging their home countries but did not want to permanently return. Thus, it is important for governments to supplement return migration support policies.

Third, they return home because home countries offer benefits for returning from the diaspora abroad. Countries need many high skilled workers to stimulate their economic development. Thus, some countries offer benefits to highly educated people such as tax exemption, housing, and legal benefits.

Returning migrants can contribute to their home countries in various fields. First, return migration improves financial capital, entrepreneurship and social networks. They return home with a significant amount of financial capital, and a large portion of these savings is generally invested in housing and new businesses. Also, return migration has social networks around the world, which strengthens social networks within home countries and across the world (Adda et al., 2014). When migrants return home, they enhance social networks in several key ways. They build ties with other returnees and local non-migrants in job findings. They can also connect with diaspora members who remain overseas. These connections expand valuable social networks as well as professional ones.

Second, return migrants improve human capital and wage increases. The use of skills and knowledge acquired abroad can stimulate development and produce higher earnings at home. They also can show the importance of education through their successful career with higher education, which can increase people's expectations toward education.

Third, return migrations improve social norms and democracy. Many migrations from developing countries go to developed countries, where most countries have higher social norms with a democratic political system. Migrants are exposed to a host country's institutions, legal systems and other cultural norms. Batista and Vicente (2011) note that international migration can increase demand for improved governance. Countries can have more transparent political and economic systems through return migration.

Outflow of high-skilled labor has been considered as brain circulation, and they can potentially contribute to the home countries by bringing back their work experiences abroad.

title: Brain circulation

question: Detail the ways in which brain circulation helps societies.

answer: It enhances financial capital and economic growth; it improves human capital and widens the possibilities for higher wages; it improves social norms and improves the standard of living in political systems; it increases returns and multiplies the odds of a better, nationalized political and economic system by engaging the international diaspora.

critique: The answer is a bit too long and should be more concise.

critique: The answer is a bit too long and should be trimmed down.

text: This answer needs periods instead of semi-colons.

category: coherence