text:
804 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON (804 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy, formed in November 1939 from part of 769 NAS Sea Gladiators which had been detached to RNAS Hatston. The squadron was merged into 800 NAS in June 1944 and subsequently reformed in September.[1]

World War II

During World War II, she was equipped with various aircraft types in differing roles. When formed at Hatston, 804 used Gloster Sea Gladiators in defence of the naval base at Scapa Flow, but was transferred in April 1940 to to provide air cover for the ferrying of 269 Squadron RAF's Gladiators to Norway after the German invasion. This was a brief assignment and in early May the squadron was transferred to at Campbeltown, thus missing _Glorious_{{'}}s sinking. Between May and September 1940 804 squadron returned to Hatston, and was subsequently recognised as one of the two FAA squadrons that operated with RAF Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain.[2]

[The last picture of _Glorious_ before her final battle, escorted by ] In October 1940 804 Squadron was re-equipped with Martlet I fighters, and first operated the new fighters out of RNAS Skaebrae in the Orkney Islands in October 1940. On 25 December 1940, two of the squadron{{'}}s Martlets shot down a Junkers Ju 88 off Scapa Flow, thus scoring the first aerial victory in Europe by any variant of the Grumman F4F Wildcat.[3] Further re-equipping occurred in February 1941 at RNAS Yeovilton with Fulmar IIs and Sea Hurricanes.[4]

In April 1941 the squadron was assigned to operate from catapult-armed ships (CAM ships and fighter catapult ships) until this role was taken over by the RAF's Merchant Ship Fighter Unit in May 1942. During this assignment, the squadron had aircraft on , (until sunk on 27 September 1940), , and (until sunk on 2 June 1941).[5] In August 1941, an 804 Squadron Sea Hurricane from HMS _Maplin_, piloted by Robert Everett, shot down an Fw 200 Condor, the first such victory for a catapult launched aircraft.[6]

In July 1942, the squadron escorted Gibraltar convoys on board and later, in October, now equipped with the Sea Hurricane IIc, joined for the North African landings. The squadron was re-equipped yet again in August 1943 Hellcat Is and in October joined No 7 Naval Fighter Wing. Two months later they embarked on and accompanied a US-bound convoy.[7]

[A Fleet Air Arm Hellcat F.I] The squadron participated in the successful attack on 3 April 1944 on the German battleship Tirpitz (Operation Tungsten) in Altafjord, northern Norway. Fleet Air Arm Barracuda dive-bombers from and were covered by the 7th Naval Fighter Wing, including 804 NAS.[8]

In June 1944, 804 was absorbed into 800 squadron.[9] The squadron reformed in September 1944 at Wingfield airfield, South Africa with 24 Hellcat IIs and in January 1945, they embarked on to provide cover during the landings on Ramree Island, and subsequently missions over Sumatra and Malaya. In April 1945 the squadron embarked on and also for attacks on the Andaman Islands and the coast of Burma, returning to HMS _Ameer_ in June for attacks on Sumatran airfields and Phuket Island, only returning to the United Kingdom after VJ Day in November 1945.[10]

Post-war

She participated in the Korean War, flying off HMS _Glory_.[11] She was recommissioned at RNAS Lossiemouth on 1 March 1960. The squadron was equipped with 6 Supermarine Scimitar F MK1 aircraft under the command of Lieutenant Commander T. Binney RN. The 800 Series of Naval Air Squadrons were allocated to carrier and land based operational squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. After a four-month work up period the Squadron embarked in . Other than for two periods ashore at Lossiemouth, the squadron operated from _Hermes_ until the unit disbanded in September 1961. The squadron took part in both the Farnborough Airshow and the Paris Air Show in 1961, operating from the deck of _Hermes_ rather than a shore base and flying directly to and from the shows.

[1]

[2]

[3] Angelucci, pp. 226-227.

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

title: 804 Naval Air Squadron

question: Summarize everything that happened in 1940.

answer: In May of 1940, the squadron was transferred to at Campbeltown, thus missing the sinking of Glorious. Between May and September they returned to Hatston. In October they were re-equipped with Martlet I fighters. In December, two of the squadron's Martlets shot down a Junker Ju 88 off Scapa Flow, thus scoring the first aerial victory of a variant of the F4F Wildcat in Europe.

critique: The answer omits the sinking of Glorious.

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

critique: Does not mention the sinking of Glorious.

critique: "In October they were re-equipped with Martlet I fighters." - the squadron started operating with Martlet I fighters as early as October 1940. This should be replaced with Martlet III (there were only two variants).

critique: The response is missing a detail about the 804 squadron.

critique: The response misses to mention that the squadron was formed in November 1939.

critique: "Thus scoring the first aerial victory" - the first aerial victory was scored by two of the squadron's Martlets, not one.

text: The answer omits that the 804 used Gloster Sea Gladiators to defend the naval base at Scapa Flow, but was transferred in April 1940 to provide air cover to ferry 269 Squadron RAF's Gladiators to Norway after the German invasion. It should include this detail.

question: Summarize everything that took place on an island.

answer: 804 Squadron was formed at Hatston. It was transferred to Campbeltown in early May 1940, missing the sinking of Glorious. In October 1940, it was re-equipped with Martlet I fighters and operated out of RNAS Skaebrae in the Orkney Islands. In August 1941, an 804 Squadron Sea Hurricane shot down an Fw 200 Condor. In July 1942, the squadron escorted Gibraltar convoys on board and later joined for the North African landings. In April 1945, the squadron embarked on and also for attacks on the Andaman Islands and the coast of Burma.

critique: Respones should be consolidated so they do not repeat themselves.

critique: The squadron was formed on an island, but it did not take place on an island.

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

question: What does the text say about 1961?

answer: In 1961, the 804 Naval Air Squadron was recommissioned at RNAS Lossiemouth on March 1. The squadron was equipped with 6 Supermarine Scimitar F MK1 aircraft under the command of Lieutenant Commander T. Binney RN. The 800 Series of Naval Air Squadrons were allocated to carrier and land based operational squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. After a four-month work up period, the squadron embarked in Hermes. Other than for two periods ashore at Lossiemouth, the squadron operated from Hermes until the unit disbanded in September 1961. The squadron took part in both the Farnborough Airshow and the Paris Air Show in 1961, operating from the deck of Hermes rather than a shore base and flying directly to and from the shows.

critique: The squadron's activities in 1961 are irrelevant to the question.

critique: "The squadron took part in both the Farnborough Airshow and the Paris Air Show in 1961, operating from the deck of Hermes rather than a shore base and flying directly to and from the shows." - these are irrelevant and should be deleted.

critique: The squadron's participation in the air shows is irrelevant.

critique: The squadron's participation in the Farnborough Airshow and the Paris Air Show is irrelevant.

critique: The answer should mention the squadron's actions during its time in 1961.

critique: The answer should mention the squadron's activities in 1961.

critique: The squadron operated from Hermes during the airshows.

text:
'In 1961, the 804 Naval Air Squadron was recommissioned at RNAS Lossiemouth on March 1. The squadron was equipped with 6 Supermarine Scimitar F MK1 aircraft under the command of Lieutenant Commander T. Binney RN. The 800 Series of Naval Air Squadrons were allocated to carrier and land based operational squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. After a four-month work up period, the squadron embarked in Hermes.'
These sentences did not occur in 1961 and should be removed.

question: What does the text say about prime ministers?

answer: No answer

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

text: The answer should state that the text does not discuss prime ministers.


split: train

text:
from Love & Chemicals: The Memoir

Rostov-on-Don, ‘Gateway to the Caucasus’,
population one million,
is located just on the safe side
of the southwest corner of Russia,
nearby Chechnya, Georgia and Armenia,
it acts like a land-locked port city
between the feudal tribal lands and Moscow (Putin)...
I had just accepted a one-year contract to work there,
with a hefty bonus if I completed my obligations,
so my spirits were soaring with optimism
as my wife and I began to explore this new region.

We ventured outside for the 1st time
from our new subsidized apartment
located beside the calm Don River,
happy to be in warmest climate possible in the Slavic world.
The 1st stranger we encountered in the autumn afternoon
was completely and absolutely F’d out of his skull,
and we shook our heads as we walked by,
even laughed a little at his misfortune.
The 2nd and the 3rd person we passed by were even worse,
a pattern which quickly wiped away our coy smiles
as we approached the central market.

Later that evening we attended an Expat Meet-Up,
thankful for the fruit of the growing internet.
We met the 2 residing managers of an IKEA
that had opened 6 months earlier as a corporate experiment.
An ethical international company that refused to pay bribes,
the store was still not connected to the Central Power Authority.
Eight portable diesel generators ran non-stop in the parking lot
to keep the feeding frenzy for cheap furniture open to the public,
as the corruption issue continued behind closed doors.

Sven told us about the time when he was sitting at a local bar
chatting up the waitress between shots with business partners,
as a cocktail glass came flying from the corner of the room
inadvertently aimed just centimeters shy of his left ear.
The Swede took his cue and left the premises,
but not before marking who the perpetrator was.
“From the Caucasus, an F’n Muslim, of course.”

My wife is Muslim, and we had just gotten married a month before.
I was the first non-Islamic person, never mind Jewish,
to be allowed to wed in her town’s central mosque.
A gracious donation from her faithful grandmother
was able to arrange a meeting with the Imam,
who then stated that no matter his personal beliefs
his G-d wouldn’t forgive him
if he denied the Love he witnessed
in our conversation together.

Stefan told us about the time when he was riding in a taxi,
dozing off in the backseat crossing the congested city,
where the next thing he knew he woke up in the forest,
in his underwear, bound, and left alone.
After escaping and finding a small village in the distance
no one answered the door as he asked for assistance
until one young man decided to save his life.
This savior refused any reimbursement upon Stefan’s safe return,
just the promise to never tell anyone that he had helped him,
there was no reason to raise the suspicion of the watchful neighbors.

My first week of teaching was with a private student,
a middle-aged man who had won Teacher of the Year
from the government of the Republic of North Ossetia,
currently occupied by the Russian Federation.
He was from the town of Beslan, and taught in the building
beside the school that housed the infamous hostage crisis
that left 186 children killed, and 783 injured.
His reward for the honor was 2 weeks of lessons with me, and an iMac,
and I hope I was worth more than the hardware.
He had been inspired as a teenager to be a Soviet MiG Pilot
after watching ‘Top Gun‘ on a friend’s smuggled VHS tape,
but his training was abruptly cancelled when the USSR collapsed
only a year away from graduation.

It was then a friend of a friend who introduced him to Depeche Mode,
which inspired him again, but this time to understand and teach the English language.
Every class he taught thereafter was introduced to Maverick and Goose,
to help his students deal with loss.

2 weeks later, my wife and I were jumped outside a café
for the unspeakable act of using English too loudly.
A group of young men attacked us from behind,
kicking us to the ground with their Nike sneakers,
the distinct smell of McDonald’s on their breath
as they instinctively screamed, 'Yankee, go home!’

We escaped when a passing taxi driver finally had some sympathy
and interrupted the impromptu show of force.
This savior refused any reimbursement upon our return home,
just the promise to never tell anyone that he had helped us,
there was no reason to raise the suspicion of his usual customers.

We met a New Zealander a few weeks later
who was the manager of the 1st golf course ever in the area,
and he invited us out for a day on the links.
We only made it to the driving range because of overcast skies,
where my wife got her 1st chance to swing a 1 wood.
She lucked out a few times and found the sweet spot,
the pain from her black eye forgotten
as she looked back and smiled coyly at me.

We spent the next year holed up in our apartment,
the price to pay for being in public had proved too alarming.
We quietly cursed the screaming children every Saturday morning
at the daycare center located on the ground floor of our building,
but the result was that our relationship grew stronger than before.
We knew we could live through anything,
what was most important
was to remain close to each other.

title: [NF] Hell in Rostov-on-Don, Russia

question: Summarize everything related to racism.

answer: The narrator and his new wife are jumped by a group of young men who scream "Yankee, go home!" at them. The narrator and his wife are attacked for speaking English too loudly. The narrator is from a Jewish background and his wife is Muslim. The narrator's wife's town's central mosque allows him to wed there despite his religion. The narrator's wife's grandmother had to donate to the Imam to be able to arrange a meeting with him to allow the narrator to wed her there.

critique: The answer omits the narrator's first week of teaching with a private student who was a teacher of the year and taught at the school where the infamous Beslan hostage crisis took place.

critique: The response provides several important details of the passage, but unrelated to racism.

critique: The narrator's wife is not attacked for speaking English too loudly.

critique: The narrator's wife's grandmother donated to the Imam to arrange a meeting with him to allow the narrator to wed her there.

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

critique: The narrator's wife's grandmother did not donate to the Imam.

question: Summarize everything relating to business.

answer: The narrator had just accepted a one-year contract to work in Rostov-on-Don. He was working at an IKEA that had opened six months earlier. The narrator's first week of teaching was with a private student who had won Teacher of the Year from the government of the Republic of North Ossetia. He taught in the building beside the school that housed the infamous hostage crisis that left 186 children killed and 783 injured. His reward for the honor was two weeks of lessons with the narrator and an iMac.

critique: The response is missing some information about the narrator's business in Rostov-on-Don.

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

critique: This is irrelevant to the question and should be omitted.

critique: The narrator's first week of teaching was with a private student who had won Teacher of the Year from the government of the Republic of North Ossetia. He taught in the building beside the school that housed the infamous hostage crisis that left 186 children killed and 783 injured. His reward for the honor was two weeks of lessons with the narrator and an iMac.

question: Summarize everything relating to the narrator's biological relatives.

answer: No answer

critique: The input mentions the narrator's wife being Muslim and the narrator being Jewish. This is evidence of a biological relative, the narrator's parents.

critique: The narrator's wife is Muslim, and the narrator is Jewish. The narrator was the first non-Islamic person, never mind Jewish, to be allowed to wed in her town's central mosque.

question: Summarize everything negative that happens to the characters in the story.

answer: First they are jumped by a group of young men who kick them to the ground. Then they are jumped again by a group of young men who kick them to the ground and call them Yankees. A year later, they are jumped a third time by a group of young men who kick them to the ground and call them Yankees.

critique: The response contains inaccurate information.

critique: The answer is incorrect. The couple was jumped by a group of young men who kicked them to the ground.

critique: The response is needlessly specific over stupid details.

critique: The response is not a summary but a list of events.

critique: The answer is incorrect. The couple was never jumped a third time.

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


text:
We asked leading screening experts Smiths Detection for an insight into challenges and innovations in screening and a look at the recent electronics ban…

[smiths-detection-security-screening]

Getting the balance right

The trend of increasing passenger numbers continues to be a challenge for airlines and airports. This has driven the growth of new processes to help manage the demand: From online ticketing and check-in, self-service kiosks and bag drop to RFID baggage trackers. In fact, the smart airports market is expected to exceed more than US$19 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of more than 10 percent.

To that end, it is inevitable that airports embrace technology if they want to effectively cope with burgeoning passenger inflow and outflow. This is especially necessary in Asia Pacific and the Middle East where passenger traffic reported strong growth in the first nine months of the year, and grew 10 percent and 12 percent respectively in September 2016 alone. In fact, APAC and the Middle East account for eight of the world’s top 20 airports with respect to passenger traffic according to the Airports Council International (ACI). Some of these locations such as Singapore, Sydney and Hong Kong, have had to plan and build new airports and runways aimed at handling increased capacity, especially with wide-body aircrafts such as theBoeing 777.

The smart airports market is expected to exceed more than US$19 billion by 2024…

Against this backdrop, airports are challenged to balance the optimisation of the travel experience against improving security measures that would be required in the face of rising threats. Thanks to new and emerging technologies, airports can simultaneously benefit from not only a reduced burden on airport operations, but also increased passenger satisfaction. Since research shows that passengers who report high levels of satisfaction at an airport tend to spend up to 45 percent more on an average at retail stores, it is win-win all around.

Airport vulnerability

However, the aviation industry is almost unique in its vulnerability to ‘events’ driven by those with an intent to cause catastrophic damage to them and the travelling public. This threat continues to evolve and as recent events have shown can occasionally require drastic changes to airport and airline operations to manage the resultant risks.

The impact of the imminent ban on electronics in the cabin for some routes is unclear at the moment but likely to lead to disruption to operations and frustration for passengers. A ban is a last resort measure but the goal is to mitigate the risks to a level that allows the business – trade and travel – to continue and grow.

Passengers who report high levels of satisfaction at an airport tend to spend up to 45 percent more on an average at retail stores…

How well the appropriate authorities and industry achieve this goal – getting the balance right – depends on the range of technologies and processes in place or available to them.

When airports and regulators work together to ensure the right technology and processes are in place there are high levels of confidence that this provides an effective deterrent. The airside screening methods currently employed across the globe are broadly seen as effective. As such, terrorists are now focusing their attention to other more exposed areas of the airport infrastructure which has resulted in the landside attacks seen in Brussels and Istanbul.

The landside area of an airport can be considered an ‘unregulated’ space when compared to airside so it is vital that responsibilities are clear and security objectives are met by continuing cooperation between the authorities and airport operators.

Airport operators do not want to create prisons or fortresses and are looking at how they can maintain high levels of security throughout the entire airport while maintaining their open approach for the facilitation of travel and business. While it is not possible for airports to be completely free of risks, it is important to actively take steps to improve the whole of airport security and screening capabilities to close any gaps while continuing to promote a free and open facility.

Risk based screening

Risk based screening (RBS) is using information about a traveller to inform the type of security/screening an individual undergoes at the airport. One of the ways of applying RBS is to identify individuals who are low risk – which is the vast majority of passengers – when adequate information exists on the passenger, so they can have a different screening experience which supports the efforts of the airport and the regulator to manage screening in an efficient way. Assessing a passenger is one way to look at where an individual may sit when viewed through a ‘risk’ lens.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the USA is an organisation that has benefited from this new way of managing security risks. TSA uses Pre-Check or CBP Global Entry to capture information about the traveller which is verified through the application process that then allows those individuals to have a different screening experience.

This creates an expedited screening experience providing increased throughout compared to normal travellers. This different screening experience allows travellers to leave electronics and liquids in bags, while no longer having to remove shoes, belts and jackets. While PreCheck lines may now be longer than the standard lines, they still move faster. It is this increase in screening efficiency that drives operational efficiencies which saves on operating costs, with the TSA saving US$120 million per annum.

However, the current threat level and associated ban on electronics on certain flights means that even individuals registered on these schemes have to follow the new requirements – an example of risk based decision making.

Beyond RBS, there are also other measures that airports around the world have adopted in an effort to balance the passenger experience and safety requirements. Osaka’s Kansai International Airport uses an integrated checkpoint solution and Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport trailed a Smart security solution in Q4 2015 which demonstrated significant benefits in facilitation, staff and passenger experience.

The balancing act

In the wake of recent attacks and changes in threat, security operations will be reviewed by the appropriate authorities and the aviation industry. This review should be based on an individual airports’ threat profile and where it sees it is exposed. A layered approach using continuous and random screening, human intelligence, and risk based screening approaches to the airports are all valid methods to change the security stance. No single element addresses all the risks and it is only when these elements are considered in an integrated approach are the benefits realised.

Thankfully, airports and regulators are starting to see the benefits of reviewing their current security procedures and implementing solutions that are better aligned with the changing passenger habits. All airports are challenged to find the right balance between operational efficiency, security effectiveness and passenger experience.Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, for example, has worked hard on enhancing the passenger experience, and is now seen as leading the industry in this regard. Finding this balance has driven different approaches to security screening and we see some airports focus heavily on achieving high facilitation rates in order to generate the operational benefits available from an efficient operation.

Focusing on each individual layer, such as the checkpoint and making this layer of security more effective and efficient as possible is a significant area of development across the globe. Opportunities to have a more ‘joined up’ approach on how information is integrated through the different security layers to inform the physical security screening process for passengers, their bags and staff in the airport is one area of consideration among the various stakeholders who are involved in different layers of security.

One thing that recent attacks have driven home is that it is a combination of people, process and technology, and not solely technology that will provide the robustness required to ensure we can manage and mitigate the risks of today and tomorrow.

question: What does the story say about reviewing airports' current security procedures?

answer: Regulators are starting to see the benefits of reviewing their current security procedures and implementing new solutions that are better aligned with the changing passenger habits. Many airports begin to focus on achieving high facilitation rates in order to generate the operational benefits available from an efficient operation.

critique: The answer should mention the balancing act it is referring to.

critique: The article doesn't say anything about the benefits to the airports.

critique: The first sentence doesn't address the question directly. I've omitted it and added more details.

critique: The answer omits that airports are challenged to find the right balance between operational efficiency, security effectiveness, and passenger experience.

critique: The answer does not mention airports' use of risk-based screening.

critique: 'Regulators' is not mentioned anywhere in the text.

critique: It's omitted that a layered approach using continuous and random screening, human intelligence, and risk-based screening approaches to the airports are all valid methods to change the security stance.

critique: The airport that is referenced to that has worked hard on enhancing the passenger experience is not included in the response.

critique: Note that the TSA is one of the airports that are reviewing their current security procedures

critique: The answer should mention the TSA's Pre-check.

critique: The answer omits that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the USA is an organization that has benefited from this new way of managing security risks.

question: What does the story say about the electronics ban?

answer: Issues of the ban appears in the story after it was declared that electronics are no longer allowed inflight on some routes. This means disruptions to security and passenger operation.

critique: The answer is irrelevant to the question.

critique: "Issues of the ban appears in the story after it was declared" is unclear and should be removed.

critique: The answer does not mention the purpose of the ban.

critique: The answer should mention the goal of the ban.

critique: The article doesn't say anything about the ban being declared.

critique: The response misses to mention how airports are currently dealing with the ban.

critique: The response fails to mention that the ban is a last resort measure to mitigate the risks to a level that allows the business to continue and grow.

critique: The answer could be more specific about the ban.

critique: The answer should mention the reason for the ban.

critique: "Issues of the ban appears in the story after it was declared that electronics are no longer allowed inflight on some routes. This means disruptions to security and passenger operation." - this doesn't describe the ban. The ban isn't mentioned in the text.

critique: This answer isn't specific enough and doesn't answer the question.

critique: Discussions of how the airlines and airports can handle the ban took place months before it was declared. Include this information in the response.

question: What does the article say about risk-based screening (RBS)?

answer: Noting the majority of passengers (those who pose no risk), and managing their screening process, they can easily be screened at the airport. RBS helps airports to carry out their screening process by categorizing passengers according to their risk level. Also, passengers who are assessed on their risks can have a different screening experience.

critique: The answer is a little misleading. It should mention the benefits of RBS.

critique: The response contains inaccurate information.

critique: The response contains a grammatical error.

critique: It's omitted that RBS helps airports to carry out their screening process by categorizing passengers according to their risk level. Also, passengers who are assessed on their risks can have a different screening experience.

critique: The response includes irrelevant information.

critique: The assessment of passengers is not mentioned in the article. The second line should simplify to "RBS helps airports manage their screening process".

critique: The response misses to mention the idea of RBS is to save time and money.

critique: The article doesn't mention the process of RBS.

critique: The answer is missing a few key details.

question: What does the story say about airport attack statistics?

answer: No answer

critique: Most of the discussion focuses on the vulnerabilities of airports and the security measures being adopted to counter the threat.

critique: The discussion of airport attacks is present in the first four paragraphs.

critique: There are no statistics about airport attacks in the article.

critique: There's a paragraph about airport vulnerability and security at the very back of the article, which is about airport security.

critique: The response misses to mention that the author states that the statistics are not available.


text:
Bad things happen to good people, and bad credit is sometimes one of them. It can be a pain: A poor credit score makes it tougher to get approved for credit cards and loans. And when you are approved, the interest rates are sky high.

So for those of you with bad credit, it’s no surprise if you’ve written off becoming a homeowner. But don’t give up just yet. It is possible to get a mortgage with bad credit.

What Is Considered Bad Credit When Buying A House?

“Bad credit” can mean different things depending on whom you ask. That’s because you actually have dozens of credit scores, all of which vary depending on the credit bureau and scoring model. However, your FICO score is what’s used by 90 percent of lenders when making decisions.

According to credit reporting agency Experian, this is how FICO credit scores break down:

-   800 or higher: Exceptional

-   740-799: Very good

-   670-739: Good

-   580-669: Fair

-   579 or lower: Very poor

Experian notes that those who fall into the “fair” range are considered to be subprime borrowers. That means they represent a higher risk to lenders and, in general, are going to be subject to higher interest rates and fees when borrowing money. A score under 580 means your credit is in pretty rough shape and there’s a good chance you won’t be approved for a loan at all.

When it comes to what’s considered bad credit by mortgage lenders, it varies. Different lenders have different underwriting standards, and credit scores can play a bigger or smaller role in your overall approval chances depending on other factors, such as income, assets and the property you’re financing.

Typically, however, you’ll experience some friction if your score is between 620 and 740, according to Yves-Marc Courtines, a certified financial planner and former mortgage banker who now runs Boundless Advice in Manhattan Beach, California. He said a score in this range can result in a slightly higher interest rate, having to paymortgage points or being restricted in how much you can borrow.

A credit score of 620 is considered the cutoff for getting a mortgage from traditional lenders.

“Buying a home with poor or bad credit is an option, but you may need to go through lenders of unconventional means,” said Abel Soares III, a former loan officer who is now a certified financial planner and CEO of Hui Malama Advisors in Honolulu. “This means that you may have to go through private lending or mortgage brokers and not your local bank.”

Bad Credit Mortgage Lending Options

Soares noted that with mortgages through private lenders (which include individual investors and “hard money” lenders that often finance individual properties), the interest rate for a borrower with bad credit will be higher and the minimum down payment will likely be heftier. “Keep in mind that if interest rates rise, you will be stuck with the existing mortgage and rate, so you want to make sure that you can afford the payment for the long haul,” he said. However, it might be better to rehab your credit score and refinance at a lower rate in the future. If you had to accept a prepayment penalty on the loan, check that the terms don’t make a refi even more expensive. Also, watch for “creative” loan structures that can saddle you with unaffordable payments after the first few years.

You might also be subject to stricter underwriting standards, which are the lender’s requirements to prove you qualify for the loan.

“There are often different underwriting guidelines, and the lenders may have you submit documentation different than your standard mortgage application,” Soares explained. In other words, be prepared to jump through a few more hoops if your credit is fair or very poor.

But private lenders aren’t your only options. Here’s a look at what else you can do to get approved for a mortgage with bad credit.

Give Government-Backed Loans A Shot

According to Courtines, a mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is probably your best bet if your credit score is under 620. In fact, even with a score as low as 580, you can qualify for an FHA mortgage with as little as 3.5 percent down. If your score is lower than that, you’ll be required to put at least 10 percent down. The credit score cutoff for FHA loans is 500.

However, there are a couple of downsides. FHA loans require you to pay an upfront mortgage insurance premium of 1.75 percent of loan value, plus monthly private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums of 0.45 to 1.05 percent of the loan value. If you put less than 10 percent down, you have to pay PMI for the duration of the loan. Plus, the loan amount is capped at $679,650.

If you’re a service member or veteran, you might qualify for a VA loan. According to Courtines, VA mortgage lenders typically require a credit score of at least 620, but it is possible to find some that will accept a 580. VA loans don’t require a down payment, but you do have to pay a funding fee, typically 2.15 percent of the loan value. Most loans are capped at $453,100.

Make Up For Bad Credit With More Cash

Since a low credit score is a sign to lenders that you’re a riskier borrower, offsetting some of that risk can help increase your chances of getting approved for a mortgage. One way to do that is to offer up a bigger down payment.

According to a National Association of Realtors study from December 2016 to November 2017, 61 percent of first-time homebuyers put down 6 percent or less. But offering 20 percent or more will put enough of your own skin in the game that a lender might decide to lend to you despite your less-than-great credit. Plus, with more money down, you’ll enjoy lower monthly payments and won’t have to pay for private mortgage insurance.

Lower Your DTI

Another factor lenders consider is your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. This figure represents how much of your income goes to monthly debt obligations, such as credit card, student loan and car loan payments.

The lower your DTI, the better, since you’ll have more income available to handle a mortgage payment. Usually, lenders require a DTI of 43 percent or less, though 36 percent is ideal. If you have bad credit, a low DTI ratio might make you a more attractive borrower. You can lower your DTI by either increasing your income or paying off some debt (or both).

Enlist A Co-signer

If you have a close family member or friend with good credit, you could consider having them co-sign the loan. A co-signer essentially lets you use their good credit to get approved ― but it’s not a decision that should be taken lightly.

Though the mortgage would be in your name, your co-signer would be equally on the hook for payments. So if you missed a mortgage payment, their credit would take a hit. If for some reason you decided to stop paying your mortgage, the lender could go after your co-signer for the money. Obviously, working with a co-signer requires a trusting relationship ― one that could be broken if you don’t handle your mortgage loan responsibly.

Consider Doing This Instead

Sometimes taking out a mortgage under less-than-ideal circumstances is the only way to get your foot in the door, so to speak. But, if you can, consider waiting and repairing your credit first.

“Over the years, working hard to improve... credit has yielded great returns for individual clients,” said Courtines. With good credit, you can save yourself the cost of higher interest rates and less favorable terms. It might seem like a lot of work now, but it can save you thousands in the long run.

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Pinterest Home Trends 2018

question: What are the disadvantages of having a credit score of less than 669?

answer: A credit score of less than 669 will mean that you'll have fair or very poor credit and be considered a subprime borrower, which means that you'll be subject to higher interest rates and fees when borrowing.

critique: The answer should mention that the credit score is also used to determine whether you can get a loan at all.

critique: The answer should mention that you may not be approved for a loan at all.

question: What are the options for people with a score of 620 or less?

answer: They can go through lenders of unconventional means, e.g. private lenders, mortgage brokers, and not their local bank. Lending through a bank is not guaranteed as the credit score is used as one of the determining factors.

critique: The answer should mention that there are options to improve their credit score before getting a loan.

question: How should you aim to mitigate the high-interest rates going forward

answer: It is possible to get a mortgage with bad credit. If you have a score between 620 and 740, you may be subject to higher interest rates, having to pay mortgage points, or being restricted in how much you can borrow.

critique: This answer is not related to the question.

critique: The answer should mention that you can lower your DTI.

critique: The last sentence is irrelevant to the question.

critique: The answer should mention that you should consider working on your credit score to get better rates.

critique: The answer should include the option of paying a higher down payment to offset the risk lenders see in borrowers with bad credit.

critique: It is omitted that a great way to lower your risk as a borrower is by putting down a large down payment.


text:
Run. Stop. Run. Take a deep breath. Run some more. This is basically my night. I really shouldn't have taken up Gary's offer to hang out. I mean, I love Gary, he's really awesome. However, his friends, they're huge douche bags. They're always wanting to start some shit. Whether it be a fight with some random guy, or getting arrested for shoplifting, they're always in something. They just had to drag me into it. I swear to God, if I make it out of this night, I am beating their white asses into the ground.

I guess I should really start at the beginning, I do that a lot, get ahead of myself I mean. Gary lives two streets away from me, so I sort of grown up with the kid. We're 14 now. He started hanging out with the jackasses: Josh, Barry, and Mitchel, when he was about 13. At first. they seemed alright. Then they started to "live on the edge" as they like to say it. Anyways, Gary asked me to hang out with him tonight, since I was home alone, and I had nothing better to do, so I joined him. While I was expecting to just watch some movies and talk, his friends wanted to go start some shit, again.

I get there and they are already discussing how they wanna "live" today. Barry suggesting to go steal some stuff, while Josh wants to go get pick up some chicks.(All three of these assholes are swagfags by the way.) However, Mitchel actually had a legit idea; graffiti. An interesting idea from such a jackass, comes once in a blue moon. It seemed actually like a fun idea. I've always wanted to do something like that. I just want my opinion to be out in the world, to be honest. After everyone agreed and we got the things together, we set out to have an adventure.

Two hours later and we'll in alleys pasting pictures of war and words. Of course, Josh had to go and start being an idiot. He was throwing colors on to the wall and drawing penises and other dirty drawings. I tried to ignore it, until he dumped paint on top of my head. I was drenched in neon blue paint and holy shit, was I mad. I grabbed a pale of pink and threw it all over his shirt. In a matter of seconds, everyone started throwing paint on each other and started to laugh way to loudly.Porch lights went on and people came out. People started to yell, "We're calling the police!" But it took a few seconds to register what they were saying. Before we knew it, the police cars were being heard and we took off like lightning. "Shit, shit!" Was all I kept on saying as we sprinted in the opposite directions of the cars.

Corner after corner we turned hoping to lost the police. My heart started to beat faster and faster as we heard the sirens get closer closer. Gary soon yelled out, "SHIT." As we saw police cars coming towards you. We cut through lawn after lawn hoping to find a safe haven. All of us started to lose speed and Mitchell soon began to work, as he panted. More and more police cars began to swarm around us. Not knowing what else to do, I simply started to sprint in some random direction. The police had to deal with the other boys, since they had a record and I didn't. Street after street I passed, until I finally reached my home. I flew open the door and shut it with a loud bang. I found a mirror and looking myself over, I was covered in neon blue paint that dried over my head, my jeans have been ripped and I had small cuts from running through bushes. I couldn't help but chuckle at my appearance. This sure was one hell of a night, that I don't want to relive.

title: Here's a second story. Reviews? Be honest, bro.

question: What does the story say about how the narrator spends the evening?

answer: The narrator spends the evening hanging out with his friend Gary and his friends who are always causing trouble. The narrator joins them and they go to do graffiti. They go to hang out and do graffiti and other things that attract the police. They get away and the narrator goes home. He enters his house and checks himself in the mirror. He is covered in paint, his jeans are ripped, and he has some cuts.

critique: The narrator doesn't go home after getting away from the police.

critique: The whole endeavor is seen as an adventure by the narrator. Change the second sentence to reflect this.

critique: The narrator doesn't go home immediately after the police show up.

critique: The response is missing the part of the evening where they run from the police.

critique: The answer omits the narrator's conflict with the other boys.

critique: It's omitted that the narrator gets into a fight with Josh.

question: What does the story say about the narrator's relationship with Gary?

answer: The narrator and Gary grew up together. They are 14 years old now. Gary invited the narrator to hang out with him and his friends. The narrator accepted the invitation and went to Gary's house. The narrator and Gary are good friends.

critique: The narrator and Gary are not good friends.

question: What does the story say about the narrator's and Gary's school?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should mention that the story does not mention anything about the narrator's and Gary's school.


text:
“*In the beginning, there was the Room.  Then from the room came the Rule and Man.  Man learned from the rule, and from the rule, built upon the planet*.”   This was the opening line of The Rule, a preamble to how people should act around The Room.  The rule was simple “*You may enter the room one for every cycle, but you may never tell anyone what you see inside*” From this rule, the wise rulers and scientists of the nations of man entered the Room, and from their experiences, they developed a civilization.  Many years passed in this manner until one man entered the Room.  He was sent from a small village after winning a lottery and entered the temple, like the others, naked and empty-handed.  For it is known that the Room provides for all who enter.  As The One approached the great steel door, he heard otherworldly noises as ancient gears sprang to life, swinging open the metal door and bearing the maw within.  Quickly and quietly, the man entered, unsure about what would happen next.  Suddenly, the door slammed shut and light began emanating from the walls.  In the room he learned about the technology kept inside the room of a past civilization.  As he prepared to leave, he was approached by a figure.  This new man was as ancient as the Room itself, but he flashed a knowing, mischievous, and lively smile.  As he introduced himself as “The King” he gave The One a new machine and then disappeared in a blink.  This machine was one that no one had created before; it could capture images with far superior speed and appearance to even the best artist, and with it, The One captured every inch of the room in the image machine, and then donned the coat over the clothes given to him by one of the machines of the room, and left.

After he performed the necessary ceremonies, The One stole back to his village a continent away from the one the Room was on.  Once there, he began building his own Room, but this time it would be open to all.  The other people in the village, and soon many others, backed The One’s venture, and scientists lent their own ingenuity to create a Room even better than the one before.  Once completed, the Room stood grander that the one before.  It became the heart of a University, and soon word reached the Original Room’s teachers and scholars.  In anger for this blasphemy, the teachers and scholars tried to get people to leave the new room, citing everything from loss of tradition to an outbreak of Lyme disease.  But the ones who already entered the room and learned from it knew better.

Unfortunately, those who didn’t know better sided with tradition, and soon a great conflict split the world down the middle.  Great armies clashed, each man wielding a weapon from one of the Rooms, each being more devastating than the last.  After a long and bitter struggle, the scholars of the Old Room began to slip, but instead of loose, they unleashed the secret weapon of the Room.  As orbital strikes prepared to ignite the planet into hellfire, The One issued an order.  This order was spoken from his secure bunker inside the New Room, the bunker contained only the most important creations of humanity: Longevity, Human cloning, communication, and some small things, like some paper, and old Camera that he kept on his desk.  The order issued was one that scared the receiving General, because he knew what would happen if he issued it.  Knowing it was for the greater good, he activated The One’s orbital strikes as well.  Just like everything else from the New Room, it had been improved on from the original and when the strikes hit, just for a second, everything was peaceful, as each side realizes what the other had done.  Then the planet stopped living.  Everything was destroyed in the same instant.  The earth was lifeless, even the Rooms themselves were wiped out.  The only thing left standing was the bunker where The One had been.  As he looked at video feeds across the lifeless wastes, he smiled.  This smile that he would have recognized had there been a mirror nearby, but why would a King care about his appearance when all his subjects were ash.

He began working on a way to clone humans and let them again populate the planet.  After years of working, simple life returned to the planet and he decided it was time to releases his humans upon it.  After they went off to re-populate the earth, he finally got the punch line of a joke he had told himself once.  He sat down at a bench with his paper and began writing with a smile on his face and a camera around his neck: “*In the beginning, there was the Room…*”

title:
The Room and The Man (822 words)
(I have never submitted anything before, so suggest whatever you want)

question: What does the story say about what happens in The Room?

answer: The room is found by a man, who tells the story. The room is a massive temple. It houses technology from a past civilization, and it produces for anyone who enters. The one who originally enters, who is called the One, receives a device from the room. It can capture images just like an artist's and it allows him to record everything. He takes the machine back to his village and builds a room of his own, this one open to all. The scholars of the old room are outraged at this and begin to attack the room, and its people. The One uses his technology to call down orbital strikes and destroy everything, including the room.

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

text: The answer is a summary of the story and doesn't answer the question.

category: coherence

question: What does the story say about how the Earth is destroyed?

answer: The story starts with the Room, which is a place that provides for all who enter. The One enters the room and learns about the technology of a past civilization. He leaves the room and builds his own room, which is open to all. The scholars of the old room are angry about this and try to get people to leave the new room. They unleash a secret weapon, which destroys the planet.

critique: The response is missing the part where the scholars of the old room activate The One's orbital strikes, which destroys the planet.

critique: The answer does not explain how the scholars of the original Room's secret weapon destroyed the planet.

critique: The answer does not mention the war between the two Rooms.

critique: The story does not mention the scholars of the old room trying to get people to leave the new room.

critique: The response also misses some of the story's events that lead up to the destruction of the planet.

critique: The answer does not mention the great armies that clashed.

critique: The response is missing the part where the scholars of the old room activate The One's orbital strikes.

critique: The answer should mention the war that breaks out.


text:
AVVO.COM is an online marketplace for legal services, that provides lawyer referrals and access to a database of legal information consisting primarily of previously answered questions. Lawyer profiles may include client reviews, disciplinary actions, peer endorsements, and lawyer-submitted legal guides.

History

Avvo was founded in Seattle, Washington in 2006 by Mark Britton, a former legal counsel for Expedia, Inc. Britton said he developed the idea while vacationing in Italy and was still receiving inquires from friends and colleagues seeking legal advice. Rich Barton, the founder of the Expedia, Inc. and real-estate database Zillow.com, was a key advisor during the initial ideation stages and still serves on the board of directors. Avvo was derived from _“avvocato”_, the Italian word for lawyer.[1]

The company was initially financed with $13 million in venture capital from Benchmark Capital and Ignition Partners.[2] Subsequently, Avvo raised $71.5 million in financing in 2015, which brings the company's total financing to $132 million.[3]

In January 2018, Avvo entered a deal to be acquired by Internet Brands.[4]

Business model

Avvo generates revenue by selling legal services, advertising, and other services primarily to lawyers. Avvo operates as a scraper site to generate its lawyer listing pages causing the District of Columbia Bar Association to specifically object to its business practices.[5] An additional source of revenue for Avvo is through a $49.95/mo subscription service called “Avvo Pro” which allows lawyers to remove advertisements from their profile, including advertisements by competing lawyers which may appear on non-“Avvo Pro” lawyer profiles.

Avvo also connects consumers directly with lawyers for telephone consultations and for a limited assortment of flat fee legal services. Service availability may vary by state.[6]

Lawyer directory

According to the website, the directory provides comprehensive profiles, client reviews, peer endorsements, and its own proprietary rating for more than 97% of all licensed attorneys in the United States. Avvo lawyer profiles are aggregated from public records provided by state bars and additional attorney licensing entities. Avvo will not delete any lawyer's profile,[7] and has been criticized for including profiles of deceased lawyers.[8][9]

As of 2010, Avvo's directory includes ratings of lawyers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.[10] The District of Columbia Bar Association released its position about Avvo:

  The Bar has not entered into any agreement with Avvo; instead, Avvo has obtained Bar member information directly from the Bar’s Web site, in violation of our restrictions on use, and used that information for its own commercial purposes. The Bar has asked Avvo to remove all improperly acquired D.C. Bar member information from its Web site, cease all attempts to acquire such information from the Bar’s Web site, and cease using improperly acquired information for any commercial purpose.[11]

Lawyer ratings

Avvo presents ratings of lawyers that are included in its directory, based upon a proprietary algorithm. Avvo cautions users that a rating “is not an endorsement of any particular lawyer, and is not a guarantee of a lawyer's quality, competency, or character. Nor is the Avvo Rating a predictor of the outcome of any matter in which such lawyer is involved.”[12]

Avvo's rating system has been criticized and has inspired some controversy.[13] When sued by lawyers who object to the ratings, Avvo has successfully defended against the lawsuits by asserting that the ratings constitute a constitutionally protected opinion.[14][15]

Browne v. Avvo

A lawsuit was filed on June 14, 2007, nine days after Avvo's launch, by Seattle attorneys, John Henry Browne and Alan Wenokur. The suit alleged that Avvo's rating system made false claims of being factual and was therefore deceptive and libelous and violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act.[16][17] United States District Court Judge Robert Lasnik ruled that the rating system was only an opinion and was thus protected by the First Amendment right of free speech.[18] The judge wrote, “Neither the nature of the information provided nor the language used on the Web site would lead a reasonable person to believe that the ratings are a statement of actual fact.”[19]

After the ruling, an editorial in _The Wall Street Journal_ endorsed the website for providing “at least some measure of transparency” of the legal profession.[20]

New Jersey

The New Jersey State Bar Association sent an inquiry to the Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics asking if New Jersey attorneys may participate in certain online, non-lawyer, corporately owned services specifically naming Avvo and other online services.[21] As a result of that inquiry, the Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics, Committee on Attorney Advertising, and Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law issued a joint opinion. The joint opinion stated that New Jersey attorneys may not participate in Avvo services as it is against the rule of professional conduct.[22][23][24][25]

Doctor directory

The doctor directory launched on November 1, 2010.[26] Avvo's health business was sold to HealthTap on November 29, 2012.

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title: Avvo

question: What does the article say about the history of the company Avvo?

answer: Avvo was founded in Seattle, Washington in 2006 by Mark Britton, a former legal counsel for Expedia, Inc. Britton said he developed the idea while vacationing in Italy and was still receiving inquires from friends and colleagues seeking legal advice. Rich Barton, the founder of the Expedia, Inc. and real-estate database Zillow.com, was a key advisor during the initial ideation stages and still serves on the board of directors. Avvo was derived from “avvocato”, the Italian word for lawyer. The company was initially financed with $13 million in venture capital from Benchmark Capital and Ignition Partners. Subsequently, Avvo raised $71.5 million in financing in 2015, which brings the company's total financing to $132 million. In January 2018, Avvo entered a deal to be acquired by Internet Brands.

critique: The answer should mention the company's business model.

critique: The answer is too long and should be rewritten.

critique: The answer should mention that the company was acquired by Internet Brands.

critique: The answer should mention that the company was criticized for including profiles of deceased lawyers.

question: What does the article say about Avvo's lawyer directory?

answer: Avvo's lawyer directory provides comprehensive profiles, client reviews, peer endorsements, and its own proprietary rating for more than 97% of all licensed attorneys in the United States. Avvo lawyer profiles are aggregated from public records provided by state bars and additional attorney licensing entities. Avvo will not delete any lawyer's profile, and has been criticized for including profiles of deceased lawyers.

critique: The answer should mention that Avvo's lawyer directory is available in all 50 states.

critique: The answer should mention the District of Columbia Bar Association's objection to Avvo's business practices.

critique: The reference to declining Avvo's profiles of deceased lawyers is not relevant to the question and should be deleted.

question: What does the article say about what kind of health business Avvo stated?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer doesn't refer to any relevant information in the passage, making it completely irrelevant and deducting it points.

critique: The response misses to mention that the article does not state what kind of health business Avvo stated.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not mention what kind of health business Avvo started.

critique: The answer should mention that the article doesn't mention anything about the kind of health business Avvo started.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not mention anything about Avvo's health business.

critique: Avvo's health business was sold to HealthTap.

critique: The answer should state that the article does not say anything about Avvo's health business.


text:
Crypto trading card game 'Gods Unchained' looks pretty sweet in first gameplay trailer

[Looks familiar, but also pretty well done.]
Looks familiar, but also pretty well done.
Image: Gods Unchained/Youtube

Cryptocurrency-based gaming is growing up.

_Gods Unchained_, an upcoming trading card game (TCG) based on Ethereum, has released its first gameplay trailer, and it looks great.

On the surface, _Gods Unchained_ is a clone of _Hearthstone_, Blizzard's game that made the genre immensely popular after it launched in 2014. You collect cards, which give you various traits and abilities, build a deck, and then try to defeat opponents in turn-by-turn play.

But the game is different in one key aspect — its cards live as non-fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Non-fungible tokens or NFTs are cryptographic tokens which are unique, contrary to fungible tokens (think ethers or bitcoins) which are all exactly alike and interchangeable (for technical details, go here).

This means that once you purchase a _Gods Unchained_ card (which you can easily do with ether, Ethereum's currency), it's literally yours — no one can alter it (unless the code of the smart contract that defines it allows it). This trait should resonate with gamers who are annoyed by Blizzard's constant changing of _Hearthstone_'s rules, with certain cards being nerfed (i.e. made less powerful) and others boosted in order to balance gameplay.

Fuel Games, the Sydney-based company behind the game, received a $2.4 million seed round of funding in May, with Coinbase Ventures participating. It also created quite a bit of buzz among would-be-players, who spend tens of thousands of dollars on rare cards well before the game's planned launch. In total, the company says it sold over 1.5 million cards.

  To date, we’ve sold over 1.5 million Gods Unchained cards to thousands of gamers all around the world. We are so excited to finally show them what we've been working on.

  — Gods Unchained (@GodsUnchained) November 15, 2018

Games based on non-fungible Ethereum tokens aren't new; one often cited example is _Cryptokitties_, a digital kitty trading card game whose popularity brought Ethereum's network to a screeching halt earlier this year. But _Cryptokitties_ (which recently received a big round of funding of its own) is quite a simple affair, while Gods Unchained appears to be fully-fleshed out with beautiful graphics and tons of features.

The game is also different in the way it interacts with Ethereum's blockchain. In _Cryptokitties_, everything happened on the blockchain; with _Gods Unchained_, the gameplay takes place on the company's servers. This means that the game should probably perform well and not clog Ethereum's network once it goes live — but it also means it's not very decentralized, which is an important trait of many Ethereum-based projects.

CoinDesk reports that the game will enter a closed beta period in the "next couple of weeks," during which the players who have pre-ordered cards will be able to try it out. A three-month open beta period is scheduled after that, followed by a full launch.

_Disclosure: The author of this text owns, or has recently owned, a number of cryptocurrencies, including BTC and ETH. The author is also quite sure he had once purchased some_ Gods Unchained _cards, but for the life of him, he can't find them now. _

question: What does the article say about the cryptocurrency aspect of the game 'Gods Unchained'?

answer: 'Gods Unchained' is a trading card game based on Ethereum. Its cards are non-fungible tokens which makes it very secure if someone buys them and want to trade. The game is interactive with Ethereum's blockchain, which means it won't be clogging their network. Players spend tens of thousands of dollars buying rare cards, but it appears that most of the buying and selling of the cards take place outside of the matchmaking.

critique: The card-buying and selling is a trait of non-fungible tokens.

critique: The answer does not mention that the cards live as non-fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.

critique: The answer omits the reason why non-fungible tokens are useful.

critique: The answer is a bit confusing and should be rewritten.

text:
God's Unchained can actually clog the Ethereum network, the only it may not is because the gameplay takes place on the company's server, not Ethereum's.

The last line of the response cannot be verified.

category: accuracy

refinement: 'Gods Unchained' is a trading card game based on Ethereum. Its cards are non-fungible tokens which makes it very secure if someone buys them and want to trade. The game is interactive with Ethereum's blockchain, which means it won't be clogging their network. Players spend tens of thousands of dollars buying rare cards, but it appears that most of the buying and selling of the cards take place outside of the matchmaking.


text:
T-155 FIRTINA (English: Storm) is a Turkish 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. The howitzer is essentially a modified version of Republic of Korea K9 Thunder which is developed by Samsung Techwin, now Hanwha Systems and T-155 shares main systems[1] of the K9 Thunder, including the South Korean designed 155/52 calibre gun system, majority of the chassis, automatic ammunition feeding mechanism and the German designed MTU-881 KA 500 diesel engine. However, some modifications were made by Turkey and a few subsystems such as Fire-control Main systems of T-155 were added by Turkey as well. The first batch of eight self-propelled howitzers were made by Samsung Techwin in Republic of Korea and the rest were produced in Turkey under license, which makes T-155 a licensed product and a modified variant of Republic of Korea K9 Thunder.

Features

The T-155 is essentially a modified Republic of Korea Army K-9 Thunder as both howitzers share the main systems such as the South Korean designed 155/52 caliber gun system, the majority of the chassis, the automatic ammunition feeding mechanism and the German designed MTU-881 KA 500 diesel engine which was employed in the original K-9 Thunder, but has minor differences in its turret design, parts of the chassis, the navigation system, and electronic systems (such as the radio and fire control system), which were developed in Turkey. The T-155 lacks a commander's digital panoramic sight, which the K9 has. Through the Inertial Navigation System produced by ASELSAN, the howitzer is able to determine the coordinates of the targets at 17.5 meters deviation. Fırtına can open fire within 30 seconds.[2]

According to the licence agreement with Samsung Techwin, the first eight T-155s were built in South Korea, while the remaining batch of more than 300 units would be produced in Turkey.[3] The total reported cost of purchase and technology transfer for the Turkish government was $1 billion.[4]

The T-155 Fırtına has a maximum firing range of 40 km, depending on the type of ammunition. It can reach a top speed of 66 km/h and has an operational range of 480 km.

The T-155 howitzers are built at the 1st Army Maintenance Center Command of the Turkish Army in Adapazarı. The gun is produced by MKEK.[5] The production rate of the T-155 is 24 units per year. More than 350[6] T-155 Fırtına howitzers were planned to be produced.[7] 281 have been delivered between 2005 and 2010.[8]

An upgraded version dubbed “Firtina 2” was to begin production in 2017, featuring improvement to range and rate of fire. The new vehicles were to be fitted with remote weapons stations capable of carrying 12.7mm, 7.62mm machine guns and 40 mm grenade launchers.[9]

Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle

The Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV) is an indigenous vehicle with an ammunition transfer system similar to that of the South Korean K10 ARV. The vehicle has a boom that is extended towards the rear of the T-155 Fırtına turret, where the resupply takes place. The Poyraz ARV has an auxiliary power unit, which the K10 ARV lacks, that allows the vehicle's crew to use electronics and communication systems, and to run an ammunition transfer system economically without the main engines being turned on.[10]

The Poyraz ARV can carry up to 96 155 mm shells and is able to transfer 48 shells in 20 minutes. It has a range of 360 km.[11]

Operational history

The T-155 Fırtına was first deployed in Turkey's Operation Sun at the end of 2007 into January 2008 to fight the PKK militants in the northern part of Iraq.[12] It was used in 2012 Syrian–Turkish border clashes and again during both the Jarabulus offensive (2016) and the Afrin offensive (2018).

Operators

Current operators

-   350. The Turkish Armed Forces placed an order to manufacture 350 vehicles in total, with a claimed 1.6 million USD license fee per vehicle to be paid to South Korea.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The first 8 vehicles were produced in South Korea while the rest has been produced domestically in Turkey according to the license agreement with Samsung Techwin.[20]

Future operators

-   -   [21]

-   [22]

[1] https://www.armyrecognition.com/turkey_army_artillery_vehicle_weapon_systems_uk/t-155_firtina_155mm_self-propelled_howitzer_technical_data_sheet_specifications_pictures_video.html

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[9]  Savunma ve Teknoloji|access-date=2017-07-13|language=tr-TR|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715122433/http://savunmaveteknoloji.com/tskya-firtina-2ler-geliyor/%7Carchive-date=2017-07-15%7Curl-status=dead}}

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[21] https://www.armyrecognition.com/february_2019_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/turkey_to_sell_self-propelled_howitzers_to_qatar.html

[22]

title: T-155 Fırtına

question: What does the text say about the Firtina 2?

answer: The Firtina 2 is an upgraded version of the Firtina. It was to begin production in 2017 and feature improvements to the range and rate of fire. The new vehicles were to be fitted with remote weapons stations capable of carrying 12.7mm, 7.62mm machine guns, and 40mm grenade launchers.

critique: The answer omits that the Firtina 2 was to feature an improved range and rate of fire.

critique: The answer should mention that the Firtina 2 was to be an upgraded version of the Firtina.

critique: The Firtina 2 was to feature improvements to the range and rate of fire, not the Firtina.

critique: "..and the 40mm grenade launchers." Both of those enhancements didn't make it to production, per the text.

critique: The answer should mention the Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle.

critique: The Firtina 2 was to be fitted with remote weapons stations that could carry 12.7mm, 7.62mm machine guns, and 40mm grenade launchers.

critique: The answer omits that the Firtina 2 is an upgraded version of the T-155 Firtina.

question: What does the text say about the differences between the Firtina and the K9 Thunder?

answer: Some differences between the Firtina and the K9 include the modification of the turret design and parts of the chassis. The K9 also has a commander's digital panoramic sight, which the Firtina lacks. The Firtina can open fire within 30 seconds while the K9 can open fire within 10 seconds. The K9 also has an Inertial Navigation System produced by ASELSAN, which the Firtina doesn't have.

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


text:
My name is Chris Smith. I am 15 years old and I live in the middle of a forest in Kansas. I am home schooled by my mom, and my dad is a business man in a town nearby. He leaves for work early and gets home late so I rarely see him. I am an only child and my best friend Taylor lives about a mile away. My favorite part about living in a forest is my shed.. I go there all the time, and it is filled with my favorite things.
Last night, my mom told me about a man who killed a lot of people in a town not far from where my dad works. His name was Damien, but people usually called him Zarius. He lived there in the 1800s and he was caught and executed 6 years after the murders and that was the end of the story.
Today, when I woke up, I felt a little strange. I was very tired, despite sleeping for more than usual, and my whole body felt numb. Then, I felt as if something was pulling me towards the shed. It felt like there was something I needed to see. It felt like, fate was puling me to it.
I walked to it, and it felt suspicious. As I got closer, my need to go in it grew exponentially. There was a strange light coming from it. I walked in to see what was going on.
When I walked in, I felt something. I lost all control of my body and I couldn't move. It was completely black and I felt lonely, as if all in the world was slowly leaving me. After a few minutes, I was unconscious. I couldn't see or feel, rather than seeing and feeling the nothingness that surrounded me.
Suddenly, I woke up. I had no idea where I was or what time it is. There was the dim light of the darkness, so I knew I was seeing actual things. And, I could feel. I felt the wet floor under me and I could hear dripping.
I got up and looked around. Nothing gave me any clue to where I was. I heard a noise at the end of the corridor. I grabbed a piece of wood and waited. I saw a silhouette of what seemed like a man. I yelled “Hello” but rather than responding, it made a groaning sound. I heard the wet footsteps of his running and shortly after, it turned it's lantern on. It came around the corner and I got a good look at it.
It had the basic shape of a human, but it was still very deformed. It had a very ugly face and no eyes. It looked as if there was an “x” stitched where it's eyes should be. It had no nose and it didn't seem like it had ears or hair.
It walked towards me. I tried to stay still but I wanted to run. Just as I was about to book it, I heard a loud thump. The monster hit the ground and I lay there, confused and tired. Just then I lost consciousness.
I woke up in a big room filled with candles and lanterns. As I sat up and tried to orientate myself, I hear footsteps. I jumped up, only to hear a woman's voice.
“Whoa, calm down buddy” she said. “We felt a newcomer so we went to check it out, I guess we were a little too late.”
“Where am I- Where are we? What is this place?” I asked, nervously.
“It's not what it is, it's what it isn't. It may not be very believable, but we are in another universe. Now I know this isn't the kind of news someone can expect to hear on a peaceful Saturday morning, but yes, it is true”
“Will we ever get out?”
“We can only hope” She said, as she walked away, motioning me to come.
I walked with her. We walked past a few other people. I didn't know where we were going, but for some reason, I felt safe. It was reassuring to be away from those “things”. For now, at least.
Speaking of which, I've heard they're called “walkers”. I heard a loud crash come from the other side of the room. I saw a shadow, only it was floating. It was very interesting.
I heard someone yell “Run! It's the others!”. I ran with the group and I could see the destruction behind me. There was no stopping now, I had to run.
As I was running, I noticed how fast I was going. I ran past everybody and I couldn't see where everyone was. I still heard them yelling in the distance. I looked around. It looked strangely familiar even though I was fairly certain I haven't been there before.
After standing there for a moment I heard small footsteps. It wasn't the same footsteps I heard before, it wasn't trudging and it didn't sound as heavy. It also sounded faster.
The story will be finished soon :P

title: The Darkness (I'm only 13 tell me what you think)

question: Summarize how the narrator introduces themselves.

answer: The narrator introduces themselves as Chris Smith. They are 15 years old and live in the middle of a forest in Kansas. They are home schooled by their mom and their dad is a business man in a town nearby. They are an only child and their best friend lives about a mile away.

critique: The narrator's favorite part about living in a forest is his shed.

question: Summarize the order of events that occurred after the narrator's mom told him about Zarius.

answer: The narrator feels strange and his need to go to the shed grows exponentially. He feels a strong pull as he gets closer to the shed. When he gets there, he loses all control and falls unconscious. He wakes in a big room with candles and lanterns, and a woman explains to him that they are in another universe. Then he hears footsteps, and a monster chases after him. Finally, he wakes up with some people and is running from the monster with them.

critique: I would remove the last sentence as it covers where he has been before, and he runny coming upon the others in the first place.

question: Will the narrator and others escape from the walkers?

answer: The story is not finished yet.

critique: The story does not end with the narrator and the others escaping from the walkers.

critique: It is possible to infer that the answer is "no" from the ending.


text:
ERIK LASHAWN WALDEN (born August 21, 1985) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Middle Tennessee State and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, and Tennessee Titans. With the Packers, he won Super Bowl XLV in 2010.

Early years

Walden attended Dublin High School where he practiced football, basketball, and track. In football, he played as a running back and defensive end. In basketball, he received All-state honors as a junior and senior.

He moved on to Middle Tennessee State University and became a four-year starter at defensive end. As a junior, he was an All-Sun Belt Conference selection. Against Central Michigan in the 2006 Motor City Bowl he led his team with six tackles and two quarterback sacks.[1]

Walden was injured most of his senior season, which limited his effectiveness, but was still named All-Sun Belt, after finishing second in conference history in career sacks. He ended his college career after playing in 44 games (34 starts) with 152 tackles (40 for loss), 22.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 4 passes defensed and one interception. He owns the school's career (22.5) and season (11.5) sack records.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Walden was selected in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.[2] He was waived on August 30 during final cuts.

Kansas City Chiefs

A day after being let go by the Cowboys, hoping he would clear waivers and enabling them to sign him to their practice squad, he was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs on August 31, 2008. He played in 9 games, making 10 special teams tackles and was released on November 18.

Miami Dolphins

He was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins on November 20, 2008. He played in 6 games and recorded 5 special teams tackles. The next year, he was inactive for 5 games and finished with 8 special teams tackles. He was waived on September 9, 2010.

Green Bay Packers

Walden was signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers on October 27, 2010, because they were experiencing several injuries on the defensive side. In just his second career start he had a breakout game and was named NFC Defensive Player of the week, after playing against the Chicago Bears, while leading the team with 16 tackles and 2 sacks.[3] He was declared inactive in Super Bowl XLV because of an ankle injury.

In 2011, he became a full-time starter (15 starts) for the first time in his career and posted 86 tackles (50 solo), 3 sacks, 2 passes defensed and a fumble recovery that he returned for his first career touchdown. The next year his starts were reduced to 9 games after the Packers drafted Nick Perry. He finished with 69 tackles (38 solo), 3 sacks, 4 passes defensed and his first 2 career interceptions.

Indianapolis Colts

On March 12, 2013, Walden signed a four year, $16 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts.[4][5] In Week 11 against the Tennessee Titans, he pulled Delanie Walker's helmet off and head-butted him, which resulted in a penalty for unnecessary roughness and a one-game suspension.[6] He finished the season with 15 starts, 58 tackles (33 solo), 3 sacks, 3 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

In 2014, Walden set a then career-high in sacks with 6, while also recording 57 tackles (40 solo) and one forced fumble in 15 games (14 starts). The next year, he started 15 games, posting 3 sacks and one forced fumble. The next year, he started 15 games at outside linebacker, posting 57 tackles (9 for loss), 3 sacks, one forced fumble and 12 quarterback hits.

In 2016, Walden started 16 games at outside linebacker and had a career year, setting a new career-high in sacks with 11, while making 42 tackles (9 for loss), 3 forced fumbles and 17 quarterback hits.

Tennessee Titans

On July 28, 2017, Walden signed with the Tennessee Titans.[7] He was a backup at outside linebacker behind Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan. On September 17, 2017, in Week 2, Walden recovered a Blake Bortles fumble in a 37–16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.[8] Walden finished the 2017 season with 36 tackles, four sacks, and four tackles for loss. He wasn't re-signed after the season.

Seattle Seahawks

On August 17, 2018, Walden signed with the Seattle Seahawks.[9] He was placed on injured reserve on September 1, 2018, and later released with an injury settlement.[10]

Personal life

Walden has two children with an ex-girlfriend, Erica Palmer.[11] On November 25, 2011, he was arrested for an alleged physical altercation that sent Palmer to the hospital. Police stated they had enough evidence to hold him under felony charges through Monday, as his case could not be processed over the Thanksgiving weekend.[12] Charges were later dropped, and Walden was not suspended by the league.[13]

On March 19, 2015, it was reported that Walden and an unnamed female companion had been attacked by Palmer. She allegedly confronted Walden at his Braselton, Georgia home with a gun and a baseball bat, and while he was able to take the gun from her, Palmer used the bat to break the arm of the unnamed woman. Palmer then fled, but returned to attack Walden, slashing his arm with a knife. Palmer was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, family violence aggravated assault, theft by taking, and first-degree burglary.[14][15]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4] Colts sign former Packers OLB Erik Walden

[5] “NFL Free Agency: Best, worst contracts from Week 1” SportsIllustrated.com. Retrieved 2013-Mar-18.

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

title: Erik Walden

question: What does the article say about Eric Walden's professional career?

answer: Eric Walden was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was waived during final cuts. He was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs, but was released after playing in 9 games. He was signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers. He was declared inactive in Super Bowl XLV because of an ankle injury. In 2011, he became a full-time starter for the first time in his career. He signed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts in 2013. He was released with an injury settlement in 2018.

critique: The first line of the answer referred to the Dallas Cowboys, so it's incorrect to then state he was waived during final cuts. The model should thoroughly read the article and note details about an aspect of Walden's career.

critique: Doesn't mention his career with the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, and Seattle Seahawks.

critique: The answer should mention Walden's time with the Tennessee Titans.

critique: The answer should mention that he was signed by the Tennessee Titans in 2017.

question: What does the story say about Walden's education?

answer: Walden attended Dublin High School where he practiced football, basketball, and track. In football, he played as a running back and defensive end. In basketball, he received All-state honors as a junior and senior. He moved on to Middle Tennessee State University and became a four-year starter at defensive end. As a junior, he was an All-Sun Belt Conference selection. Against Central Michigan in the 2006 Motor City Bowl he led his team with six tackles and two quarterback sacks. Walden was injured most of his senior season, which limited his effectiveness, but was still named All-Sun Belt, after finishing second in conference history in career sacks. He ended his college career after playing in 44 games (34 starts) with 152 tackles (40 for loss), 22.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 4 passes defensed and one interception. He owns the school's career (22.5) and season (11.5) sack records.

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

critique: The answer should mention Walden's college career.

critique: The last two sentences are unnecessary for the question.

critique: The answer is irrelevant to the question.

critique: This information is not relevant to Walden's education at Middle Tennessee State University.

text: The answer states more information regarding the game than Walden's education.

question: What does the story say about Walden's ex-girlfriend Erica Palmer?

answer: Walden has two children with Erica Palmer, an ex-girlfriend. Palmer allegedly attacked Walden and his unnamed companion at his home in Braselton, Georgia. Palmer was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, family violence aggravated assault, theft by taking, and first-degree burglary. Palmer was also charged with an alleged physical altercation that sent Palmer to the hospital.

critique: The answer should mention Palmer's attack on Walden's companion.

question: What does the story say about whether Palmer was sentenced to prison?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should acknowledge that an appropriate response can't be found in the article.

critique: The answer should mention that the story doesn't mention anything about Palmer's sentence.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not mention anything about Palmer's sentence.


text:
JOHN HAROLD PICKERING (February 27, 1916 – March 19, 2005) was a founding partner of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, which became one of Washington, D.C.'s most prominent law firms. He was best known for his role as an appellate lawyer in cases with national significance. He also had a long record of pro bono work for the poor and elderly and for the cause of civil rights.

John Harold Pickering was born in Harrisburg, Illinois. He graduated in 1938 from the University of Michigan and in 1940 from the University of Michigan Law School. He started his law career in New York with the firm now called Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he met his future partner Lloyd N. Cutler. He then served for two years as a law clerk to Justice Frank Murphy of the United States Supreme Court, a former governor of Michigan known as a defender of civil liberties. Justice Murphy's belief in the importance of the law as a tool for the public good had a lasting influence on Pickering. In World War II, he served in the Navy, where he advanced to the rank of lieutenant commander.

After the war, he practiced law in Washington, D.C. One prominent Supreme Court case, in which he and Bruce Bromley were involved, was the steel seizure case in 1952, in which the Supreme Court set limits on presidential authority. In 1962, together with Lloyd N. Cutler and Richard Wilmer, he co-founded a firm called Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, which initially had 19 lawyers. The firm's strengths included regulatory matters, securities law, communications law, and antitrust. Over time, the firm opened offices in London, Brussels, Berlin, and New York and grew to several hundred lawyers. John Pickering was remembered by his colleagues as an exceptional mentor who always took a personal interest in young lawyers and staff. He also promoted the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in the law and was a strong advocate of pro bono service. In 2004, the firm merged with a Boston firm, Hale & Dorr, to become Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr (often called WilmerHale), one of the largest law firms in the world.

Pickering's practice focused on appellate work, in which he represented a number of major corporate clients. His pro bono work involved civil rights in Mississippi, doctor-assisted suicide, affirmative action in admissions at the University of Michigan, the financing of legal services for the poor, the rights of the elderly, and the House's expulsion of Representative Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Democrat of New York. He was active in the D.C. Bar, serving on the Board of Governors from 1975-1978 and a term as president in 1979–1980, and in the American Bar Association. In 1999 he received the highest honor bestowed by the ABA, the ABA Medal, for “conspicuous service in the cause of American jurisprudence.” He received other awards noting his work in the areas of civil rights, social justice, and the needs of the elderly.

His first wife was Elsa Mueller Pickering of Newark, New Jersey, to whom he was married for 47 years and who died in 1988. He married his second wife, Helen Patton Wright, widow of Judge J. Skelly Wright of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in 1990. He was survived by his wife Helen, two daughters, Victoria Pickering of Bethesda, Maryland and Leslie Pickering Francis of Salt Lake City, Utah, a stepson, James S. Wright Jr. of Washington, D.C., and five grandchildren, and predeceased by one grandchild.

His one million dollar philanthropic gift to the University of Michigan was used to establish a Frank Murphy seminar room.[1]

Sources

-   New York Times, March 22, 2005, “John H. Pickering, 89, a Founder of a Leading U.S. Law Firm, Is Dead”
-   John H. Pickering Dies at 89; Attorney Co-Founded D.C. Firm
-   Firm Mourns Loss of John H. Pickering
-   Commemoration and Dedication, Lloyd N. Cutler and John H. Pickering, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Door LLP, Sept. 6, 2006
-   Washington Lawyer (magazine published by D.C. Bar), May 2005, “John Pickering Dies”

Notes

[1] University of Michigan Law Quadrangle Notes on Frank Murphy.

title: John H. Pickering

question: Describe some interesting facts about John Harold Pickering.

answer: He was a founding partner of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, which became one of Washington, D.C.'s most prominent law firms. He was best known for his role as an appellate lawyer in cases with national significance. He also had a long record of pro bono work for the poor and elderly and for the cause of civil rights.

critique: The answer should mention his service in WWII.

critique: The answer should include Pickering's personal traits.

question: Describe the work Pickering did.

answer: He was an appellate lawyer. He represented a number of major corporate clients. He did a lot of pro bono work for the poor and elderly and for the cause of civil rights.

critique: "He represented a number of major corporate clients." - this is irrelevant and should be deleted.

critique: The response omits the work he did with law and the community bar.

critique: Pickering's work for the poor and elderly is not relevant to the question.

critique: The answer should mention his work for the University of Michigan.

critique: Doesn't mention his work in the Supreme Court.

critique: The answer should mention his work for the poor and elderly.

critique: The answer should mention his work in the Supreme Court.

question: What was Pickering's relationship like with his wife, Elsa Mueller Pickering?

answer: They were married for 47 years before she died in 1988.

critique: The answer should mention that they had two daughters.

critique: The answer should mention that the article doesn't say anything about their relationship.

critique: Elsa Mueller Pickering was Pickering's first wife.


text:
Norfolk makes the most of its natural beauty and fascinating history and these are some of the best attractions to visit. History buffs should start with Norwich’s Castle Museum – you can’t miss it sitting atop the hill in our capital city. Not only is it a spectacular place to get a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, but you can also discover Norwich’s Anglo-Saxon and Norman heritage.

Dust off that National Trust membership and head to one of Norfolk’s most spectacular Jacobean buildings, Blickling Hall, for another dose of history. This is where Anne Boleyn lived – and supposedly still haunts – making it the perfect place to visit around Halloween.

Learn more about the rural way of life at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse near Dereham. Whatever the weather, you can learn the ways of farmers in the local countryside with a historic workhouse, traditional farm and lots of indoor displays. Thrillseekers should head to Pleasure Beach, Great Yarmouth. The park first opened in 1909 and has been operating ever since. The largest and most popular ride at the park is the Roller Coaster which was built in 1932.

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Our picks

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Blickling Hall

[Blickling Hall]
Blickling, Norwich NR11 6NF

Nobody ever forgets their first sight of Blickling. The breath-taking Jacobean mansion and ancient yew hedges sit at the heart of a magnificent garden and historic park in the beautiful Bure meadows. Surrounding the house, the formal garden is the result of three centuries of inspired planting, and the gently undulating historic parkland is great for exploring. Grab a map of way-marked walks or the multi-use trail and head out into the park. Keep your eyes open for intriguing landmarks, stunning views and wildlife. Visit website

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Castle Rising Castle

[Castle Rising]
Lynn Rd, King’s Lynn PE31 6AH

Castle Rising Castle is one of the most famous 12th-century castles in England. The stone keep, built in 1140 AD, is amongst the finest surviving examples of its kind anywhere in the country and, together with the massive surrounding earthworks, makes Rising a castle of national importance. In its time Rising has served as a hunting lodge, royal residence, and for a brief time in the 18th century even housed a mental patient. The most famous period in its history was when it was lived in by the mother of Edward III, Queen Isabella, following her part in the murder of her husband Edward II. The Castle passed to the Howard family in 1544 and it remains in their hands today, the current owner being a descendant of William D’Albini II, the Norman baron who built the Castle. Visit website

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Stories of Lynn

[Museum]
Saturday Market Pl, King’s Lynn PE30 5DQ

King’s Lynn’s fascinating history is brought vividly to life in this stunning new exhibition ‘Stories of Lynn’. Set within the magnificent, newly-revealed vaulted undercroft of the 15th century Trinity Guildhall, Stories of Lynn invites you to come in, and discover stories of the seafarers, explorers, merchants, mayors, magistrates and miscreants who have shaped King’s Lynn, one of England’s most important medieval port towns, over more than 800 years of history. Visitors can tour the old gaol cells, try on mayor’s robes, see the magnificent King John Cup, and more! Visit website

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Mannington Estate

[Pigeons]
Mannington, Norwich NR11 7BB

The gardens around the medieval moated manor at Mannington feature a wide variety of plants, trees and shrubs in different settings. In the heritage and modern rose gardens are roses in designs reflecting their date and origin. On the south lawn you’l find a classic temple and the sensory garden with water feature and plants selected for touch, sound and taste, scent and colour. The hall itself was built in 15th century, and was purchased by the first Lord Walpole in the 18th century. It is still the Walpole family’s home today. The ground floor of the hall is often included in garden tours and on special event days, including the Vintage Fair. Mannington Hall boasts Gothic windows and stunning motif chimneys. The facade of the hall is made from snapped local flints and two turrets stand proud on the south side of the building. Visit website

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Broads Tours

[Norfolk Broads]
The Bridge, Wroxham, Norwich NR12 8RX

Everyone should see the Norfolk Broads! And the way to appreciate the Broads at their very best is from the water with the award-winning visitor attraction, Broads Tours of Wroxham. Choose a river trip, sit back and do it in style with entertaining live commentary, light refreshments and licensed bar. Or pack a picnic, hire one of the day boats and enjoy the freedom of doing your own thing. Either way, Broads Tours are sure it will leave you wanting to do it all over again! Wroxham is the perfect location for a boat trip, there’s plenty to see and do before and after your river trip, and it’s ideally-located to continue your travels around the beautiful county of Norfolk. Visit website

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Like these? Try these…

Norfolk restaurants and cafes

Norfolk shopping

Norfolk nightlife venues

Norfolk cultural attractions

IMAGE CREDITS: ©Christopher Keeley/David Hughes/Pavel Losevsky/stock.adobe.com; National Trust Images/Andrew Butler/nationaltrust.org.uk; Pleasure Beach

question: What does the text say about Castle Rising Castle?

answer: Castle Rising Castle is one of the most famous 12th-century castles in England. It is amongst the finest surviving examples of its kind anywhere in the country. The Castle Rising Castle has survived many different uses through its time, including as a hunting lodge and royal residence.

critique: The answer omits the most famous period in the Castle's history.

critique: Evelyn Crowe was said to have lived in the Castle. This detail wasn't mentioned.

text: It is omitted that the Castle passed to the Howard family in 1544 and it remains in their hands today.

category: coverage