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{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Conrad Moffat Black , Baron Black of Crossharbour , ( born 25 August 1944 ) is a Canadian-born British former newspaper publisher and author . He is a non-affiliated life peer . \n \n Black controlled Hollinger International , once the world 's third-largest English-language newspaper empire , which published The Daily Telegraph ( UK ) , Chicago Sun-Times ( U.S. ) , The Jerusalem Post ( Israel ) , National Post ( Canada ) , and hundreds of community newspapers in North America , before he was fired by the board of Hollinger in 2004 . \n \n In 2004 , a shareholder-initiated prosecution of Black began in the United States . Over $ 80 million in assets were alleged to have been improperly taken and/or spent by Black . [ http : //www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20070712/black_verdict_070713/ `` Black guilty on 4 charges , including obstruction '' ] , CTV , 13 July 2007 . He was convicted of three counts of fraud and one count of obstruction of justice in a U.S. court in 2007 and sentenced to six and a half years ' imprisonment . In 2011 , two of the charges were overturned on appeal and he was re-sentenced to 42 months in prison on one count of mail fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.BBC News [ http : //www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13912405 `` Conrad Black ordered back to prison '' ] , bbc.co.uk , 24 June 2011 . Black was released on 4 May 2012 , after serving a total of 37 months in prison . \n \n Early life and family \n \n Black was born in Montreal , Quebec , Canada , to a wealthy family originally from Winnipeg , Manitoba . His father , George Montegu Black , Jr. , C.A. , was the president of Canadian Breweries Limited , an international brewing conglomerate that had earlier absorbed Winnipeg Breweries ( founded by George Black Sr. ) . Conrad Black 's mother was the former Jean Elizabeth Riley , a daughter of Conrad Stephenson Riley , whose father founded the Great-West Life Assurance Company , and a great-granddaughter of an early co-owner of The Daily Telegraph . \n \n Biographer George Toombs said of Black 's motivations : `` He was born into a very large family of athletic , handsome people . He was n't particularly athletic or handsome like they were , so he developed a different skill – wordplay , which he practiced a lot with his father . '' Black has written that his father was `` cultured [ and ] humorous '' and that his mother was a `` natural , convivial , and altogether virtuous person . `` Black , C. ( 1993 ) . A Life in Progress . Key Porter Books ; ISBN 1-55013-520-1 . Of his older brother George Montegu Black III ( Monte ) , Black has written that he was `` one of the greatest natural athletes I have known , '' and that though `` generally more sociable than I was , he was never a cad or even inconstant , or ever an ungenerous friend or less than a gentleman . `` [ http : //fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/10/22/conrad-black-remembering-my-older-brother-monte/ # more-54903 `` Remembering my older brother Mario Monte '' ] , National Post , 22 October 2011 . \n \n Education \n \n Black was first educated at Upper Canada College ( UCC ) , during which time , at age eight , he invested his life savings of $ 60 in one share of General Motors . Six years later , according to Tom Bower 's biography Dancing on the Edge , he was expelled from UCC for selling stolen exam papers . He then attended Trinity College School where he lasted less than a year , being expelled for insubordinate behaviour . Black eventually graduated from a small , now defunct , private school in Toronto called Thornton Hall , continuing on to post-secondary education at Carleton University ( History , 1965 ) . He attended Toronto 's Osgoode Hall Law School of York University , but his studies ended after he failed his first year exams . He completed a law degree at Université Laval ( Law , 1970 ) , and in 1973 completed a Master of Arts degree in History at McGill University . \n \n Black 's thesis , later published as a biography , was on Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis . Black had been granted access to Duplessis ' papers , housed in Duplessis ' former residence in Trois-Rivières , Newman , P. ( 1983 ) . The Establishment Man . Seal Books ; ISBN 0-7704-1839-2. which included `` figures from the famous Union Nationale Caisse Electorale ( the party war chest ) , a copy of the Leader", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 199, "text": "hollinger internation" } ], "id": "sfq_9893--Conrad_Black.txt", "qid": "sfq_9893", "question": "Ownership of which worldwide publishing concern gave Conrad Black control of the Daily Telegraph?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Insects ( from Latin ' , a calque of Greek [ ' ] , `` cut into sections '' ) are a class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum that have a chitinous exoskeleton , a three-part body ( head , thorax and abdomen ) , three pairs of jointed legs , compound eyes and one pair of antennae . They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet , including more than a million described species and representing more than half of all known living organisms . The number of extant species is estimated at between six and ten million , and potentially represent over 90 % of the differing animal life forms on Earth . Insects may be found in nearly all environments , although only a small number of species reside in the oceans , a habitat dominated by another arthropod group , crustaceans . \n \n The life cycles of insects vary but most hatch from eggs . Insect growth is constrained by the inelastic exoskeleton and development involves a series of molts . The immature stages can differ from the adults in structure , habit and habitat , and can include a passive pupal stage in those groups that undergo 4-stage metamorphosis ( see holometabolism ) . Insects that undergo 3-stage metamorphosis lack a pupal stage and adults develop through a series of nymphal stages . The higher level relationship of the Hexapoda is unclear . Fossilized insects of enormous size have been found from the Paleozoic Era , including giant dragonflies with wingspans of 55 to 70 cm ( 22–28 in ) . The most diverse insect groups appear to have coevolved with flowering plants . \n \n Adult insects typically move about by walking , flying or sometimes swimming ( see below , Locomotion ) . As it allows for rapid yet stable movement , many insects adopt a tripedal gait in which they walk with their legs touching the ground in alternating triangles . Insects are the only invertebrates to have evolved flight . Many insects spend at least part of their lives under water , with larval adaptations that include gills , and some adult insects are aquatic and have adaptations for swimming . Some species , such as water striders , are capable of walking on the surface of water . Insects are mostly solitary , but some , such as certain bees , ants and termites , are social and live in large , well-organized colonies . Some insects , such as earwigs , show maternal care , guarding their eggs and young . Insects can communicate with each other in a variety of ways . Male moths can sense the pheromones of female moths over great distances . Other species communicate with sounds : crickets stridulate , or rub their wings together , to attract a mate and repel other males . Lampyridae in the beetle order Coleoptera communicate with light . \n \n Humans regard certain insects as pests , and attempt to control them using insecticides and a host of other techniques . Some insects damage crops by feeding on sap , leaves or fruits . A few parasitic species are pathogenic . Some insects perform complex ecological roles ; blow-flies , for example , help consume carrion but also spread diseases . Insect pollinators are essential to the life-cycle of many flowering plant species on which most organisms , including humans , are at least partly dependent ; without them , the terrestrial portion of the biosphere ( including humans ) would be devastated . Many other insects are considered ecologically beneficial as predators and a few provide direct economic benefit . Silkworms and bees have been used extensively by humans for the production of silk and honey , respectively . In some cultures , people eat the larvae or adults of certain insects . \n \n Etymology \n \n The word `` insect '' comes from the Latin word ' , meaning `` with a notched or divided body '' , or literally `` cut into '' , from the neuter singular perfect passive participle of , `` to cut into , to cut up '' , from in- `` into '' and secare `` to cut '' ; because insects appear `` cut into '' three sections . Pliny the Elder introduced the Latin designation as a loan-translation of the Greek word ( éntomos ) or `` insect '' ( as in entomology ) , which was Aristotle 's term for this class of life , also in reference to their `` notched '' bodies . `` Insect '' first appears documented in English in 1601 in Holland 's translation of Pliny . Translations of Aristotle 's term also form the", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 146, "text": "chitinous" } ], "id": "bb_3599--Insect.txt", "qid": "bb_3599", "question": "What is the extremely strong natural glucose-derived polymer of fungi cell walls, crustacean/insect exoskeletons, etc., also used in pharmacy and industry?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Adeline Virginia Woolf ( née Stephen ; 25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941 ) , known professionally as Virginia Woolf , was an English writer and one of the foremost modernists of the twentieth century . \n \n During the interwar period , Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a central figure in the influential Bloomsbury Group of intellectuals . Her most famous works include the novels Mrs Dalloway ( 1925 ) , To the Lighthouse ( 1927 ) and Orlando ( 1928 ) , and the book-length essay A Room of One 's Own ( 1929 ) , with its famous dictum , `` A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction . '' \n \n Woolf suffered from severe bouts of mental illness throughout her life , thought to have been what is now termed bipolar disorder , and committed suicide by drowning in 1941 at the age of 59 . \n \n Early life \n \n Virginia Woolf was born Adeline Virginia Stephen at 22 Hyde Park Gate in Kensington , London . Her parents were Sir Leslie Stephen ( 1832–1904 ) and Julia Prinsep Duckworth Stephen ( née Jackson , 1846–1895 ) . Leslie Stephen was a notable historian , author , critic and mountaineer . He was a founding editor of the Dictionary of National Biography , a work that would influence Woolf 's later experimental biographies . Julia Stephen was born in British India to Dr. John and Maria Pattle Jackson . She was the niece of the photographer Julia Margaret Cameron and first cousin of the temperance leader Lady Henry Somerset . Julia moved to England with her mother , where she served as a model for Pre-Raphaelite painters such as Edward Burne-Jones . Julia named her daughter after the Pattle family : Adeline after Lady Henry 's sister , Adeline Marie Russell , Duchess of Bedford ; and Virginia , the name of yet another sister ( who died young ) but also of their mother , Julia 's aunt . \n \n Woolf was educated by her parents in their literate and well-connected household . Her parents had each been married previously and been widowed , and , consequently , the household contained the children of three marriages . Julia had three children by her first husband , Herbert Duckworth : George , Stella , and Gerald Duckworth . Leslie had first married Harriet Marian ( Minny ) Thackeray ( 1840–1875 ) , the daughter of William Thackeray , and they had one daughter : Laura Makepeace Stephen , who was declared mentally disabled and lived with the family until she was institutionalised in 1891 . Leslie and Julia had four children together : Vanessa Stephen ( later known as Vanessa Bell ) ( 1879 ) , Thoby Stephen ( 1880 ) , Virginia ( 1882 ) , and Adrian Stephen ( 1883 ) . \n \n Sir Leslie Stephen 's eminence as an editor , critic , and biographer , and his connection to William Thackeray , meant that his children were raised in an environment filled with the influences of Victorian literary society . Henry James , George Henry Lewes , and Virginia 's honorary godfather , James Russell Lowell , were among the visitors to the house . Julia Stephen was equally well connected . She came from a family of beauties who left their mark on Victorian society as models for Pre-Raphaelite artists and early photographers , including her aunt Julia Margaret Cameron who was also a visitor to the Stephen household . Supplementing these influences was the immense library at the Stephens ' house , from which Virginia and Vanessa were taught the classics and English literature . Unlike the girls , their brothers Adrian and Julian ( Thoby ) were formally educated and sent to Cambridge , a difference that Virginia would resent . The sisters did , however , benefit indirectly from their brothers ' Cambridge contacts , as the boys brought their new intellectual friends home to the Stephens ' drawing room . \n \n According to Woolf 's memoirs , her most vivid childhood memories were not of London but of St Ives , Cornwall , where the family spent every summer until 1895 . The Stephens ' summer home , Talland House , looked out over Porthminster Bay , and is still standing , though somewhat altered . Memories of these family holidays and impressions of the landscape , especially the Godrevy Lighthouse , informed the fiction Woolf wrote in later years , most notably To the Lighthouse . \n \n The sudden death of her mother in 1895 , when Virginia was 13 , and that", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 0, "text": "adeline virginia woolf" } ], "id": "odql_10224--Virginia_Woolf.txt", "qid": "odql_10224", "question": "Born Adeline Stephen in 1882, which writer lived at Monks House in Sussex until her death in 1941?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The `` '' ( English : `` Song of Germany '' , ; also known as `` '' or `` The Song of the Germans '' ) , or part of it , has been the national anthem of Germany since 1922 , except in East Germany , whose anthem was `` Auferstanden aus Ruinen '' ( `` Risen from Ruins '' ) from 1949 to 1990 . \n \n Since World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany , only the third stanza has been used as the national anthem . The stanza 's beginning , `` '' ( `` Unity and Justice and Freedom '' ) is considered the unofficial national motto of Germany , [ https : //books.google.com/books ? idY85XAAAAYAAJ & q \n einigkeit+und+recht+und+freiheit+motto+federal+republic & dqeinigkeit+und+recht+und+freiheit+motto+federal+republic & hl \n de & saX & ei \n tHSeUt_UCMXbswan34HwCA & ved=0CEQQ6AEwAg The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems , James Minahan , Google Books ] and is inscribed on modern German Army belt buckles and the rims of some German coins . \n \n The music was written by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn in 1797 as an anthem for the birthday of Francis II , Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and later of Austria . In 1841 , the German linguist and poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the lyrics of `` '' to Haydn 's melody , lyrics that were considered revolutionary at the time . \n \n The song is also well known by the beginning and refrain of the first stanza , `` '' ( `` Germany , Germany above all else '' ) , but this has never been its title . The line `` Germany , Germany above all else '' meant that the most important goal of 19th-century German liberal revolutionaries should be a unified Germany which would overcome loyalties to the local kingdoms , principalities , duchies , and palatines ( Kleinstaaterei ) of then-fragmented Germany . Along with the flag of Germany , it was one of the symbols of the March Revolution of 1848 . \n \n In order to endorse its republican and liberal tradition , the song was chosen as the national anthem of Germany in 1922 , during the Weimar Republic . West Germany adopted the `` '' as its official national anthem in 1952 for similar reasons , with only the third stanza sung on official occasions . Upon German reunification in 1990 , only the third stanza was confirmed as the national anthem . \n \n Melody \n \n The melody of the `` '' was originally written by Joseph Haydn in 1797 to provide music to the poem `` Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser '' ( `` God save Franz the Emperor '' ) by Lorenz Leopold Haschka . The song was a birthday anthem honouring Francis II ( 1768–1835 ) , Habsburg emperor , and was intended as a parallel to the British `` God Save the King '' . \n \n It has been conjectured that Haydn took the first four measures of the melody from a Croatian folk song . Supporters of this theory note that a similar melody appears in a composition by Telemann . This hypothesis has never achieved unanimous agreement ; the alternative theory is that Haydn 's original tune was adapted from a folk song of different origin . \n \n The same melody was later used by Haydn as the basis for the second movement ( poco adagio cantabile ) of his Opus 76 No . 3 , a string quartet , often called the `` Emperor '' or `` Kaiser '' quartet . The melody in this movement is also termed the `` Emperor 's Hymn . '' \n \n Historical background \n \n The Holy Roman Empire , stemming from the Middle Ages , was already disintegrating when the French Revolution and the ensuing Napoleonic Wars altered the political map of Central Europe . However , hopes for the Enlightenment , human rights and republican government after Napoleon I 's defeat in 1815 were dashed when the Congress of Vienna reinstated many small German principalities . In addition , with the Carlsbad Decrees of 1819 , Austrian Chancellor Klemens von Metternich and his secret police enforced censorship , mainly in universities , to keep a watch on the activities of teachers and students , whom he held responsible for the spread of radical liberalist ideas . Since reactionaries among the monarchs were the main adversaries , demands for freedom of the press and other liberal rights were most often uttered in connection with the demand for a united Germany , even though many revolutionaries-to-be had different opinions about whether a republic or a constitutional monarchy would be the best solution for", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 994, "text": "joseph haydn" } ], "id": "sfq_23063--Deutschlandlied.txt", "qid": "sfq_23063", "question": "The German national anthem Der Deutschlandlied with words by Hoffman, has a tune by which composer?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Nathaniel `` Natty '' Bumppo is the protagonist of James Fenimore Cooper 's pentalogy of novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales . \n Fictional biography \n \n Natty Bumppo , the child of white parents , grew up among Delaware Indians and was educated by Moravian Christians . In adulthood , he is a near-fearless warrior skilled in many weapons ; chiefly the long rifle . He is most often shown alongside his Mohican foster-brother Chingachgook . \n \n Novels \n \n Bumppo is featured in a series of novels by James Fenimore Cooper collectively called the Leatherstocking Tales . The novels in the collection are as follows : \n \n The tales recount significant events in Natty Bumppo 's life from 1740 to 1806 . \n \n Aliases \n \n Before his appearance in The Deerslayer , Bumppo went by the aliases of `` Straight-Tongue , '' `` The Pigeon , '' and the `` Lap-Ear . '' After buying his first rifle , he gained the name of `` Deerslayer . '' He is subsequently known as `` Hawkeye '' and `` La Longue Carabine '' in The Last of the Mohicans , `` Pathfinder '' in The Pathfinder , `` Leatherstocking '' in The Pioneers , from which the collective title for all the novels is drawn , and `` the trapper '' in The Prairie . \n \n Portrayal \n \n Bumppo has been portrayed most often in adaptions of The Last of the Mohicans . He was portrayed by Harry Lorraine in the 1920 film version , by Harry Carey in the 1932 film serial version , by Randolph Scott in the 1936 film version , by Kenneth Ives in the 1971 BBC serial , by Steve Forrest in the 1977 TV movie and by Daniel Day-Lewis in the 1992 film version . Day-Lewis received a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Actor in 1993 , won an Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor in 1993 , and won an ALFS Award for British Actor of the Year in 1993 for his interepretation of the character . In the 1992 film however the character 's name is changed from Natty Bumppo to Nathaniel Poe . \n \n Adaptions of The Deerslayer have seen Bumppo played by Emil Mamelok in the 1920 film The Deerslayer and Chingachgook , by Bruce Kellogg in the 1943 film , by Lex Barker in the 1957 film , and by Steve Forrest in the 1978 TV movie . \n \n Adaptions of The Pathfinder have seen Bumppo played by Paul Massie in the 1973 5-part BBC mini-series and Kevin Dillon in the 1996 TV movie . \n \n Additionally he was portrayed by George Montgomery in the 1950 movie The Iroquois Trail , by John Hart in the 1957 TV series Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans , by Hellmut Lange in the 1969 German TV series Die Lederstrumpferzählungen , by Cliff DeYoung in the 1984 PBS mini-series The Leatherstocking Tales ( which compressed The Deerslayer , The Last of the Mohicans and The Pathfinder into four episodes ) , and by Lee Horsley in the 1994 TV series Hawkeye . \n \n In popular culture \n \n * Bumppo appears as a character in John Myers Myers ' 1949 novel Silverlock . \n * Thomas King 's 1993 novel Green Grass , Running Water satirizes the character of Natty Bumppo by renaming him Nasty Bumppo and having him shoot himself ( while he attempts to shoot his friend , Chingachgook ) . \n * Natty Bumppo is also the name of the author of The Columbus Book Of Euchre and House Of Evil . \n * The character of Hawkeye Pierce from M * A * S * H takes his nickname from the Native American name given to Natty Bumppo . In both TV series and the original novel on which it is based , it is stated that The Last of the Mohicans is the only book Pierce 's father had ever read . \n * Bumppo is known as Dan ' l `` Hawkeye '' Bonner in Sara Donati 's series , meant as a sequel to The Last of the Mohicans books , beginning with Into The Wilderness . The series centers around Hawkeye and Cora 's son , Nathaniel Bonner . \n * Bumppo is featured in the comic book series Jack of Fables , both in name and as `` Hawkeye '' , along with Slue-Foot Sue ( Pecos Bill 's first wife ) . \n * Bumppo is referred to in the graphic novel series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen as being part of the 18th century incarnation of the league . \n * Near the end of Mississippi", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 57, "text": "fenimore cooper" } ], "id": "qg_2017--Natty_Bumppo.txt", "qid": "qg_2017", "question": "What 19th century author wrote the pentalogy of Leatherstocking Tales novels featuring the protagonist Natty Bumppo?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The River Severn ( Welsh : Afon Hafren , Latin : Sabrina ) is the longest river in the United Kingdom , at about 220 mi . It rises at an altitude of 2001 ft on Plynlimon , close to the Ceredigion/Powys border near Llanidloes , in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales . It then flows through Shropshire , Worcestershire and Gloucestershire , with the county towns of Shrewsbury , Worcester and Gloucester on its banks . With an average discharge of 107 m³/s at Apperley , Gloucestershire , the Severn is the greatest river in terms of water flow in England and Wales . \n \n The river is usually considered to become the Severn Estuary after the Second Severn Crossing between Severn Beach , South Gloucestershire and Sudbrook , Monmouthshire . The river then discharges into the Bristol Channel which in turn discharges into the Celtic Sea and the wider Atlantic Ocean . The Severn 's drainage basin area is 4409 sqmi , excluding the River Wye and Bristol Avon which flow into the Severn Estuary . The major tributaries to the Severn are the Vyrnwy , Clywedog , Teme , Warwickshire Avon and Stour . \n \n Etymology and mythology \n \n The name Severn is thought to derive from a Celtic original name * sabrinn-â , of uncertain meaning . That name then developed in different languages to become Sabrina to the Romans , Hafren in Welsh , and Severn in English . A folk etymology later developed , deriving the name from a mythical story of a nymph , Sabrina , who drowned in the river . Sabrina is also the goddess of the River Severn in Brythonic mythology . The story of Sabrina is featured in Milton 's Comus . There is a statue of 'Sabrina ' in the Dingle Gardens at the Quarry , Shrewsbury , as well as a metal sculpture erected in 2013 also in the town . As the Severn becomes tidal the associated deity changed to Nodens , who was represented mounted on a seahorse , riding on the crest of the Severn bore . \n \n Tributary rivers \n \n The River Stour rises in the north of Worcestershire in the Clent Hills , near St Kenelm 's Church at Romsley . It flows north into the adjacent West Midlands at Halesowen . It then flows westwards through Cradley Heath and Stourbridge where it leaves the Black Country . It is joined by the Smestow Brook at Prestwood before it winds around southwards to Kinver , and then flows back into Worcestershire . It then passes through Wolverley , Kidderminster and Wilden to its confluence with the Severn at Stourport-on-Severn . \n \n The River Vyrnwy , which begins at Lake Vyrnwy , flows eastwards through Powys before forming part of the border between England and Wales , joining the Severn near Melverley , Shropshire . The Rea Brook flows north from its source in the Stiperstones and joins the Severn at Shrewsbury . The River Tern , after flowing south from Market Drayton and being joined by the River Meese and the River Roden , meets the Severn at Attingham Park . \n \n The River Worfe joins the Severn , just above Bridgnorth . The River Stour rising on the Clent Hills and flowing through Halesowen , Stourbridge , and Kidderminster , joins the Severn at Stourport . On the opposite bank , the tributaries are only brooks , Borle Brook , Dowles Brook draining the Wyre Forest , Dick Brook and Shrawley Brook . \n \n The River Teme flows eastwards from its source in Mid Wales , straddling the border between Shropshire and Herefordshire , it is joined by the River Onny , River Corve and River Rea before it finally joins the Severn slightly downstream of Worcester . Shit Brook near Much Wenlock was culverted to flow into the Severn . \n \n One of the several rivers named Avon , in this case the Warwickshire Avon , flows west through Rugby , Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon . It is then joined by its tributary the River Arrow , before finally joining the Severn at Tewkesbury , Gloucestershire . \n \n The port of Bristol is on the Severn Estuary , where another River Avon flows into it through the Avon Gorge . \n \n The River Wye , from its source in Plynlimon , Wales ( 2 mi from the source of the Severn ) , flows generally south east through the Welsh towns of Rhayader and Builth Wells . It enters Herefordshire , flows through Hereford , and is shortly afterwards joined by the River Lugg , before flowing through Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth , and then southwards where it forms part", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 10, "text": "severn" } ], "id": "odql_1670--River_Severn.txt", "qid": "odql_1670", "question": "Which river flows through Worcester and Gloucester?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Charles John Huffam Dickens ( ; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870 ) was an English writer and social critic . He created some of the world 's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era .. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime , and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius . His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity . \n \n Born in Portsmouth , Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors ' prison . Despite his lack of formal education , he edited a weekly journal for 20 years , wrote 15 novels , five novellas , hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles , lectured and performed extensively , was an indefatigable letter writer , and campaigned vigorously for children 's rights , education , and other social reforms . \n \n Dickens 's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers . Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity , famous for his humour , satire , and keen observation of character and society . His novels , most published in monthly or weekly instalments , pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction , which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication . The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience 's reaction , and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback . For example , when his wife 's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities , Dickens improved the character with positive features . His plots were carefully constructed , and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives . Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them , opening up and inspiring a new class of readers . \n \n Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age . His 1843 novella , A Christmas Carol , remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre . Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted , and , like many of his novels , evoke images of early Victorian London . His 1859 novel , A Tale of Two Cities , set in London and Paris , is his best-known work of historical fiction . Dickens 's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism , comedy , prose style , unique characterisations , and social criticism . On the other hand , Oscar Wilde , Henry James , and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth , loose writing , and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism . The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings , such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters . \n \n Early years \n \n Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on 7 February 1812 , at 1 Mile End Terrace ( now 393 Commercial Road ) , Landport in Portsea Island ( Portsmouth ) , the second of eight children of John Dickens ( 1785–1851 ) and Elizabeth Dickens ( née Barrow ; 1789–1863 ) . His father was a clerk in the Navy Pay Office and was temporarily stationed in the district . He asked Christopher Huffam , rigger to His Majesty 's Navy , gentleman , and head of an established firm , to act as godfather to Charles . Huffam is thought to be the inspiration for Paul Dombey , the owner of a shipping company in Dickens 's eponymous Dombey and Son ( 1848 ) . \n \n In January 1815 John Dickens was called back to London , and the family moved to Norfolk Street , Fitzrovia . When Charles was four , they relocated to Sheerness , and thence to Chatham , Kent , where he spent his formative years until the age of 11 . His early life seems to have been idyllic , though he thought himself a `` very small and not-over-particularly-taken-care-of boy '' . \n \n Charles spent time outdoors but also read voraciously , including the picaresque novels of Tobias Smollett and Henry Fielding , as well as Robinson Crusoe and Gil Blas . He read and reread The Arabian Nights and the Collected Farces of Elizabeth Inchbald . He retained poignant memories of childhood , helped by an excellent memory of people and events , which he used in his writing . His father 's brief work as a clerk in the Navy Pay", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 2150, "text": "great expectations" } ], "id": "odql_4259--Charles_Dickens.txt", "qid": "odql_4259", "question": "In which Charles Dickens novel does the character 'Bentley Drummle' appear?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Geneva ( , , , , , ) is the second most populous city in Switzerland ( after Zürich ) and is the most populous city of Romandy , the French-speaking part of Switzerland . Situated where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva , it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva . \n \n The municipality ( ville de Genève ) has a population ( ) of , and the canton ( which is essentially the city and its inner-ring suburbs ) has residents . In 2014 , the compact agglomération du Grand Genève had 946,000 inhabitants in 212 communities in both Switzerland and France ( [ http : //www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/02/03/blank/data/gemeindedaten.html Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics ] 2009 data accessed 25 March 2010 \n \n Of the built up area , industrial buildings made up 3.4 % of the area while housing and buildings made up 46.2 % and transportation infrastructure 25.8 % , while parks , green belts and sports fields made up 15.7 % . All the forested land area is covered with heavy forests . Of the agricultural land , 0.3 % is used for growing crops . Of the water in the municipality , 0.2 % is in lakes and 2.9 % is in rivers and streams . \n \n The altitude of Geneva is , and corresponds to the altitude of the largest of the Pierres du Niton , two large rocks emerging from the lake which date from the last ice age . This rock was chosen by General Guillaume Henri Dufour as the reference point for surveying in Switzerland . \n The second main river of Geneva is the Arve which flows into the Rhône just west of the city centre . Mont Blanc can be seen from Geneva and is an hour 's drive from the city centre . \n \n Climate \n \n The climate of Geneva is temperate , oceanic ( Köppen : Cfb ) . Winters are cool , usually with light frosts at night and thawing conditions during the day . Summers are pleasantly warm . Precipitation is adequate and is relatively well-distributed throughout the year , although autumn is slightly wetter than the other seasons . Ice storms near Lac Léman are quite normal in the winter . In the summer many people enjoy swimming in the lake , and frequently patronise public beaches such as Genève Plage and the Bains des Pâquis . Geneva , in certain years , receives snow in the colder months of the year . The nearby mountains are subject to substantial snowfall and are suitable for skiing . Many world-renowned ski resorts such as Verbier and Crans-Montana are just over two hours away by car . Mont Salève ( 1400 m ) , just across the border in France , dominates the southerly view from the city centre . The famous Mont Blanc is visible from most of the city , enclosed in the mountain alp range surrounding nearby Chamonix , which is one of the closest French skiing destinations to Geneva . There are a number of other Northern Alps ski resorts that are easily accessible from Geneva Airport including those of the Grand Massif such as Samoens , Morillon and Flaine as well as Le Grand Bornand and La Clusaz . \n \n During the years 2000–2009 , the mean yearly temperature was 11 °C and the mean number of sunshine-hours per year was 2003 . \n \n The highest temperature recorded in Genève–Cointrin was in July 2015 , and the lowest temperature recorded was −20.0 °C ( −4.0 °F ) in February 1956 . \n \n Politics \n \n Administrative divisions \n \n The city is divided into eight quartiers , or districts , sometimes composed of several neighborhoods . On the Left Bank are ( 1 ) Jonction , ( 2 ) Centre . Plainpalais , and Acacias , ( 3 ) Eaux-Vives , and ( 4 ) Champel , while the Right Bank includes ( 1 ) Saint-Jean and Charmilles , ( 2 ) Servette and Petit-Saconnex , ( 3 ) Grottes and Saint-Gervais , and ( 4 ) Paquis and Nations . \n \n Government \n \n The City Council ( Conseil administratif ) constitutes the executive government of the City of Geneva and operates as a collegiate authority . It is composed of five councilors ( ) , each presiding over a department . The president of the executive department acts as mayor ( maire ) . In the governmental year 2015/2016 the City Council is presided by Madame la maire de Genève Esther Alder . Departmental tasks , coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the City Parliament are carried by the City Council . The election of the", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 0, "text": "geneva" } ], "id": "bb_7093--Geneva.txt", "qid": "bb_7093", "question": "The World Trade Organization was founded in 1995 in which European city?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Kenya ( ; ) , officially the Republic of Kenya , is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community ( EAC ) . Its capital and largest city is Nairobi . Kenya 's territory lies on the equator and overlies the East African Rift covering a diverse and expansive terrain that extends roughly from Lake Victoria to Lake Turkana ( formerly called Lake Rudolf ) and further south-east to the Indian Ocean . It is bordered by Tanzania to the south , Uganda to the west , South Sudan to the north-west , Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east . Kenya covers , and had a population of approximately 45 million people in July 2014 . \n \n Kenya has a warm and humid tropical climate on its Indian Ocean coastline . The climate is cooler in the savannah grasslands around the capital city , Nairobi , and especially closer to Mount Kenya , which has snow permanently on its peaks . Further inland , in the Nyanza region , there is a hot and dry climate which becomes humid around Lake Victoria , the largest tropical fresh-water lake in the world . This gives way to temperate and forested hilly areas in the neighbouring western region . The north-eastern regions along the border with Somalia and Ethiopia are arid and semi-arid areas with near-desert landscapes . Kenya is known for its safaris , diverse climate and geography , and expansive wildlife reserves and national parks such as the East and West Tsavo National Park , the Maasai Mara , Lake Nakuru National Park , and Aberdares National Park . Kenya has several world heritage sites such as Lamu and numerous beaches , including in Diani , Bamburi and Kilifi , where international yachting competitions are held every year . \n \n The African Great Lakes region , which Kenya is a part of , has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic period . By the first millennium AD , the Bantu expansion had reached the area from West-Central Africa . The borders of the modern state consequently comprise the crossroads of the Niger-Congo , Nilo-Saharan and Afroasiatic areas of the continent , representing most major ethnolinguistic groups found in Africa . Bantu and Nilotic populations together constitute around 97 % of the nation 's residents . European and Arab presence in coastal Mombasa dates to the Early Modern period ; European exploration of the interior began in the 19th century . The British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895 , which starting in 1920 gave way to the Kenya Colony . Kenya obtained independence in December 1963 . Following a referendum in August 2010 and adoption of a new constitution , Kenya is now divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties , governed by elected governors . \n \n The capital , Nairobi , is a regional commercial hub . The economy of Kenya is the largest by GDP in East and Central Africa . Agriculture is a major employer ; the country traditionally exports tea and coffee and has more recently begun to export fresh flowers to Europe . The service industry is also a major economic driver . Additionally , Kenya is a member of the East African Community trading bloc . \n \n Etymology \n \n The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya . The origin of the name Kenya is not clear , but perhaps linked to the Kikuyu , Embu and Kamba words Kirinyaga , Kirenyaa , and Kiinyaa which mean `` God 's resting place '' in all three languages . If so , then the British may not so much have mispronounced it ( 'Keenya ' ) , as misspelled it . Prehistoric volcanic eruptions of Mount Kenya ( now extinct ) may have resulted in its association with divinity and creation among the indigenous Bantu ethnic groups , who are the native inhabitants of the agricultural land surrounding Mount Kenya . \n \n In the 19th century , the German explorer Johann Ludwig Krapf was staying with the Bantu Kamba people when he first spotted the mountain . On asking for the name of the mountain , he was told `` Kĩ-Nyaa '' or `` Kĩĩma- Kĩĩnyaa '' probably because the pattern of black rock and white snow on its peaks reminded them of the feathers of the cock ostrich . The Agikuyu , who inhabit the slopes of Mt . Kenya , call it Kĩrĩma Kĩrĩnyaga in Kikuyu , which is quite similar to the Kamba name . \n \n Ludwig Krapf recorded the name as both Kenia and Kegnia believed by most to be a corruption of the Kamba version . Others say that this was—on", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 545, "text": "somalia" } ], "id": "wh_3859--Kenya.txt", "qid": "wh_3859", "question": "Kenya shares the vast majority of it’s East border with which country ?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . The Steelers compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) , as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) North division . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC . \n \n In contrast with their status as perennial also-rans in the pre-merger NFL , where they were the oldest team to never win a league championship , the Steelers of the post-merger ( modern ) era are one of the most successful NFL franchises . Pittsburgh has won more Super Bowl titles ( 6 ) , and hosted more ( 11 ) conference championship games than any other NFL team . The Steelers share the record for most AFC championships with the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos ( 8 ) , and the record for most conference championship games played in with the San Francisco 49ers ( 15 ) . The Steelers share the record for most Super Bowl appearances with the Patriots , Broncos , and Dallas Cowboys ( 8 ) . The Steelers lost their most recent championship appearance , Super Bowl XLV , on February 6 , 2011 . \n \n The Steelers were founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8 , 1933 , by Art Rooney , taking its original name from the baseball team of the same name , as was common practice for NFL teams at the time . To distinguish them from the baseball team , local media took to calling the football team the Rooneymen , an unofficial nickname which persisted for decades after the team adopted its current nickname . The ownership of the Steelers has remained within the Rooney family since its founding . The current owner is Art 's son , Dan Rooney , who has given much control of the franchise to his son Art Rooney II . Long one of the NFL 's flagship teams , the Steelers enjoy a large , widespread fanbase nicknamed Steeler Nation . The Steelers currently play their home games at Heinz Field on Pittsburgh 's North Side in the North Shore neighborhood , which also hosts the University of Pittsburgh Panthers . Built in 2001 , the stadium replaced Three Rivers Stadium which hosted the Steelers for 31 seasons . Prior to Three Rivers , the Steelers had played their games in Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field . \n \n Franchise history \n \n The Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL first took to the field as the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 20 , 1933 , losing 23–2 to the New York Giants . [ http : //www.profootballhof.com/history/team.jsp ? franchise_id=25 Team – Pro Football Hall of Fame ] Through the 1930s , the Pirates never finished higher than second place in their division , or with a record better than .500 ( ) . Pittsburgh did make history in by signing Byron White , a future Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court , to what was at the time the biggest contract in NFL history , but he played only one year with the Pirates before signing with the Detroit Lions . Prior to the 1940 season , the Pirates renamed themselves the Steelers . \n \n During World War II , the Steelers experienced player shortages . They twice merged with other NFL franchises to field a team . During the 1943 season , they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles forming the `` Phil-Pitt Eagles '' and were known as the `` Steagles '' . This team went 5–4–1 . In 1944 , they merged with the Chicago Cardinals and were known as Card-Pitt ( or , mockingly , as the `` Carpets '' ) . This team finished 0–10 , marking the only winless team in franchise history . [ http : //www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_150100.html World War II Steagles to be honored at tonight 's game – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ] \n \n The Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in , tying for first place in the division at 8–4 with the Philadelphia Eagles . This forced a tie-breaking playoff game at Forbes Field , which the Steelers lost 21–0 . [ http : //www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pitindex.htm Pittsburgh Steelers Team Encyclopedia – Pro-Football-Reference.com ] That would be Pittsburgh 's only playoff game for the next 25 years ; they did qualify for a `` Playoff Bowl '' in 1962 as the second-best team in their conference , but this was not considered an official playoff . [ http : //www.mmbolding.com/BSR/The_Playoff_Bowl.htm The Playoff Bowl ( Bert Bell Benefit Bowl ) ] \n \n In , the year they moved into Three Rivers Stadium and the year of the AFL-NFL merger , the", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 2915, "text": "40" } ], "id": "qg_393--Pittsburgh_Steelers.txt", "qid": "qg_393", "question": "In what Super Bowl did the Seahawks face the Steelers?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Solomon ( ; ISO 259-3 Šlomo ; Shlemun ; ' , also colloquially : ' or ' ; Solomōn ; ) , also called Jedidiah ( Hebrew ) , was , according to the Bible ( Book of Kings : 1 Kings 1–11 ; Book of Chronicles : 1 Chronicles 28–29 , 2 Chronicles 1–9 ) , Qur'an , and Hidden Words a fabulously wealthy and wise king of Israel and a son of David , the previous king of Israel . The conventional dates of Solomon 's reign are circa 970 to 931 BC , normally given in alignment with the dates of David 's reign . He is described as the third king of the United Monarchy , which would break apart into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah shortly after his death . Following the split , his patrilineal descendants ruled over Judah alone . \n \n According to the Talmud , Solomon is one of the 48 prophets . In the Qur'an , he is considered a major prophet , and Muslims generally refer to him by the Arabic variant Sulayman , son of David . Solomon ( Arabic سليمان Sulaymān ) was , according to the Qur'an , a king of ancient Israel as well as the son of David . The Qur'an recognizes Solomon as a prophet and a divinely-appointed monarch . Islamic tradition generally holds that Solomon was the third king of Israel and was a just and wise ruler for the nation . \n \n The Hebrew Bible credits him as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem . It portrays him as great in wisdom , wealth , and power beyond any of the previous kings of the country , but ultimately as a human king who sinned . His sins included idolatry and turning away from Yahweh , and led to the kingdom 's being torn in two during the reign of his son Rehoboam . Solomon is the subject of many other later references and legends , most notably in the 1st-century apocryphal work known as the Testament of Solomon . In later years , in mostly non-biblical circles , Solomon also came to be known as a magician and an exorcist , with numerous amulets and medallion seals dating from the Hellenistic period invoking his name . \n \n Biblical account \n \n Childhood \n \n Solomon was born in Jerusalem , the second born child to David and his wife Bathsheba , widow of Uriah the Hittite . The first child ( unnamed in that account ) , a son conceived adulterously during Uriah 's lifetime , had died before Solomon was conceived as a punishment by Yahweh on account of the death of Uriah by David 's order . Solomon had three named full brothers through Bathsheba , Nathan , Shammua , and Shobab , besides six known older half-brothers through as many mothers . \n \n Succession and administration \n \n According to the First Book of Kings , when David was old , `` he could not get warm . '' `` So they sought a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel , and found Abishag the Shunammite , and brought her to the king . The young woman was very beautiful , and she was of service to the king and attended to him , but the king knew her not . '' \n \n While David was in this state , court factions were maneuvering for power . David 's heir apparent , Adonijah , acted to have himself declared king , but was outmaneuvered by Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan , who convinced David to proclaim Solomon king according to his earlier promise , despite Solomon being younger than his brothers . \n \n Solomon , as instructed by David , began his reign with an extensive purge , including his father 's chief general , Joab , among others , and further consolidated his position by appointing friends throughout the administration , including in religious positions as well as in civic and military posts . \n \n Solomon greatly expanded his military strength , especially the cavalry and chariot arms . He founded numerous colonies , some of which doubled as trading posts and military outposts . \n \n Trade relationships were a focus of his administration . In particular he continued his father 's very profitable relationship with the Phoenician king Hiram of Tyre ( see 'wealth ' below ) ; they sent out joint expeditions to the lands of Tarshish and Ophir to engage in the trade of luxury products , importing gold , silver , sandalwood , pearls , ivory , apes and peacocks . Solomon is considered", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 2127, "text": "bathsheba" } ], "id": "sfq_13945--Solomon.txt", "qid": "sfq_13945", "question": "In the Bible, who was the mother of Solomon?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "A musical ensemble , also known as a music group , is a group of people who perform instrumental and/or vocal music , with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name . Some music ensembles consist solely of instruments , such as the jazz quartet or the orchestra . Some music ensembles consist solely of singers , such as choirs and doo wop groups . In both popular music and classical music , there are ensembles in which both instrumentalists and singers perform , such as the rock band or the Baroque chamber group for basso continuo ( harpsichord and cello ) and one or more singers . In classical music , trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families ( such as piano , strings , and wind instruments ) or group together instruments from the same instrument family , such as string ensembles ( e.g. , string quartet ) or wind ensembles ( e.g. , wind quintet ) . Some ensembles blend the sounds of a variety of instrument families , such as the orchestra , which uses a string section , brass instruments , woodwinds and percussion instruments , or the concert band , which uses brass , woodwinds and percussion . \n \n In jazz ensembles , the instruments typically include wind instruments ( one or more saxophones , trumpets , etc . ) , one or two chordal `` comping '' instruments ( electric guitar , piano , or Hammond organ ) , a bass instrument ( bass guitar or double bass ) , and a drummer or percussionist . Jazz ensembles may be solely instrumental , or they may consist of a group of instruments accompanying one or more singers . In rock and pop ensembles , usually called rock bands or pop bands , there are usually guitars and keyboards ( piano , electric piano , Hammond organ , synthesizer , etc . ) , one or more singers , and a rhythm section made up of a bass guitar and drum kit . \n \n Music ensembles typically have a leader . In jazz bands , rock and pop groups and similar ensembles , this is the band leader . In classical music , orchestras , concert bands and choirs are led by a conductor . In orchestra , the concertmaster ( principal first violin player ) is the instrumentalist leader of the orchestra . In orchestras , the individual sections also have leaders , typically called the `` principal '' of the section ( e.g. , the leader of the viola section is called the `` principal viola '' ) . Conductors are also used in jazz big bands and in some very large rock or pop ensembles ( e.g. , a rock concert that includes a string section , a horn section and a choir which are accompanying a rock band 's performance ) . \n \n Classical chamber music \n \n In Western classical music , smaller ensembles are called chamber music ensembles . The terms duet , trio , quartet , quintet , sextet , septet , octet , nonet and dectet describe groups of two up to ten musicians , respectively . A group of eleven musicians , such as found in The Carnival of the Animals , is called either a hendectet or an undectet ( see Latin numerical prefixes ) . A soloist playing unaccompanied ( e.g. , a solo piano piece of a cellist playing a Bach suite for unaccompanied cello ) is not an ensemble because it only contains one musician . \n \n Four parts \n \n Strings \n \n A string quartet consists of two violins , a viola and a cello . There is a vast body of music written for string quartets , as it is seen as an important genre in classical music . \n \n Wind \n \n A woodwind quartet usually features a flute , an oboe , a clarinet and a bassoon . A brass quartet features two trumpets , a trombone and a tuba . A saxophone quartet consists of a soprano saxophone , an alto saxophone , a tenor saxophone , and a baritone saxophone . \n \n Five parts \n \n The string quintet is a common type of group . It is similar to the string quartet , but with an additional viola , cello , or more rarely , the addition of a double bass . Terms such as `` piano quintet '' or `` clarinet quintet '' frequently refer to a string quartet plus a fifth instrument . Mozart 's Clarinet Quintet is similarly a piece written for an ensemble consisting of two violins , a viola , a cello and a clarinet , the", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "qw_6407--Musical_ensemble.txt", "qid": "qw_6407", "question": "\"Which band had a hit record in 1980 with \"\"Smells Like Teen Spirit\"\"?\"" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Yeardley Smith ( ; born Martha Maria Yeardley Smith ; July 3 , 1964 ) is an American actress , voice actress , writer , author , comedian , and painter . She is best known for her long-running role as Lisa Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons . \n \n She was born in Paris and moved with her family to Washington , DC , in 1966 . As a child , Smith was often teased because of her voice . She became a professional actress in 1982 after graduating from drama school and moved to New York City in 1984 , where she appeared in the Broadway production of Tom Stoppard 's The Real Thing . She made her film debut in 1985 's Heaven Help Us , followed by roles in The Legend of Billie Jean and Maximum Overdrive . She moved to Los Angeles in 1986 and received a recurring role in the television series Brothers . In 1987 , she auditioned for a role in a series of animated shorts about the Simpson family on The Tracey Ullman Show . Smith intended to audition for the role of Bart Simpson , but the casting director felt her voice was too high , so she was assigned the role of Lisa , instead . She voiced Lisa for three seasons on The Tracey Ullman Show , and in 1989 , the shorts were spun off into their own half-hour show , The Simpsons . For her work as the character , Smith received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992 . \n \n Alongside The Simpsons , Smith appeared in the sitcom Herman 's Head as Louise , and had recurring appearances as Marlene on Dharma & Greg and Penny in two episodes of Dead Like Me . She has appeared in several films , including City Slickers , Just Write , Toys and As Good as It Gets . In 2004 , Smith performed her own off-Broadway one-woman show entitled More at the Union Square Theatre in New York City . Aside from The Simpsons , Smith has recorded few voice-over parts , only commercials and the film We 're Back ! A Dinosaur 's Story . Smith starred in and served as executive producer for the independent romantic comedy Waiting For Ophelia , which had its world premiere at the Phoenix Film Festival in April 2009 . \n \n Smith was married to actor Christopher Grove from 1990 to 1992 and Daniel Erickson from 2002 to 2008 . She enjoys writing and painting . During the first season of Herman 's Head , Smith taught herself to paint by copying other artists . She released a children 's book titled I , Lorelei in 2009 and her story `` The Race '' was included in the book Just Humor Me . \n \n Early life \n \n Smith was born Martha Maria Yeardley Smith on July 3 , 1964 , in Paris . Her father , Joseph Smith , worked for United Press International in Paris and moved to Washington , DC , in 1966 , where he became The Washington Post 's first official obituary editor . Her mother , Martha Mayor , was a paper conservator for the Freer and Sackler Galleries at the Smithsonian Institution . Smith 's parents later divorced . Smith labeled her family `` upper crust and reserved '' . As a child , Smith was often teased because of her unusual voice . Smith has stated : `` I 've sounded pretty much the same way since I was six . Maybe [ my voice is ] a little deeper now . '' She made her acting debut in a sixth-grade play . \n \n Career \n \n Early career \n \n Smith became a professional actress in 1982 after graduating from drama school . After appearances in a number of school plays , she joined the local Arena Stage theater group on an apprenticeship , featuring in their production of Peter Pan . She went on to star in several other plays in Washington . She moved to New York City in 1984 and appeared in the Broadway production of Tom Stoppard 's play The Real Thing alongside Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close . \n \n Smith 's first film role came in Heaven Help Us ( 1985 ) . She then played Putter in The Legend of Billie Jean ( also 1985 ) . The film was a box office bomb and critically panned , although Smith `` thought it would be the movie that launched my career . And then it was out at the box office about 10 days before it died . '' When filming was over", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 252, "text": "simpsons" } ], "id": "qw_9960--Yeardley_Smith.txt", "qid": "qw_9960", "question": "Which cartoon series relies on the voices of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria & Harry Shearer?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Solar panel refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun 's rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating . \n \n A photovoltaic ( in short PV ) module is a packaged , connected assembly of typically 6×10 solar cells . Solar Photovoltaic panels constitute the solar array of a photovoltaic system that generates and supplies solar electricity in commercial and residential applications . Each module is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions , and typically ranges from 100 to 365 watts . The efficiency of a module determines the area of a module given the same rated output an 8 % efficient 230 watt module will have twice the area of a 16 % efficient 230 watt module . There are a few commercially available solar panels available that exceed 22 % efficiency and reportedly also exceeding 24 % . [ University of New South Wales . `` Milestone in solar cell efficiency achieved : New record for unfocused sunlight edges closer to theoretic limits . '' ScienceDaily . ScienceDaily , 17 May 2016 . ] A single solar module can produce only a limited amount of power ; most installations contain multiple modules . A photovoltaic system typically includes a panel or an array of solar modules , a solar inverter , and sometimes a battery and/or solar tracker and interconnection wiring . \n \n The price of solar power , together with batteries for storage , has continued to fall so that in many countries it is cheaper than ordinary fossil fuel electricity from the grid ( there is `` grid parity '' ) . \n \n Theory and construction \n \n Solar modules use light energy ( photons ) from the sun to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect . The majority of modules use wafer-based crystalline silicon cells or thin-film cells based on cadmium telluride or silicon . The structural ( load carrying ) member of a module can either be the top layer or the back layer . Cells must also be protected from mechanical damage and moisture . Most solar modules are rigid , but semi-flexible ones are available , based on thin-film cells . \n \n Electrical connections are made in series to achieve a desired output voltage and/or in parallel to provide a desired current capability . The conducting wires that take the current off the modules may contain silver , copper or other non-magnetic conductive [ transition metals ] . The cells must be connected electrically to one another and to the rest of the system . Externally , popular terrestrial usage photovoltaic modules use MC3 ( older ) or MC4 connectors to facilitate easy weatherproof connections to the rest of the system . \n \n Bypass diodes may be incorporated or used externally , in case of partial module shading , to maximize the output of module sections still illuminated . \n \n Some recent solar module designs include concentrators in which light is focused by lenses or mirrors onto an array of smaller cells . This enables the use of cells with a high cost per unit area ( such as gallium arsenide ) in a cost-effective way . \n \n Efficiencies \n \n Depending on construction , photovoltaic modules can produce electricity from a range of frequencies of light , but usually can not cover the entire solar range ( specifically , ultraviolet , infrared and low or diffused light ) . Hence , much of the incident sunlight energy is wasted by solar modules , and they can give far higher efficiencies if illuminated with monochromatic light . Therefore , another design concept is to split the light into different wavelength ranges and direct the beams onto different cells tuned to those ranges . This has been projected to be capable of raising efficiency by 50 % . Scientists from Spectrolab , a subsidiary of Boeing , have reported development of multi-junction solar cells with an efficiency of more than 40 % , a new world record for solar photovoltaic cells . The Spectrolab scientists also predict that concentrator solar cells could achieve efficiencies of more than 45 % or even 50 % in the future , with theoretical efficiencies being about 58 % in cells with more than three junctions . \n \n Currently the best achieved sunlight conversion rate ( solar module efficiency ) is around 21.5 % in new commercial products typically lower than the efficiencies of their cells in isolation . The most efficient mass-produced solar modules have power density values of up to 175 W/m2 ( 16.22 W/ft2 ) . Research by Imperial College , London has shown that the efficiency of a solar panel can be improved by studding the light-receiving", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 242, "text": "photovoltaic panel" } ], "id": "bb_1882--Solar_panel.txt", "qid": "bb_1882", "question": "A photovoltaic module is more commonly known as what?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Bavaria ( ; ; ) is a federal state of Germany . In the southeast of the country with an area of 70,548 square kilometres ( 27,200 sq mi ) , it is the largest state , making up almost a fifth of the total land area of Germany , and , with 12.6 million inhabitants , Germany 's second most populous state . Munich , Bavaria 's capital and largest city , is the third largest city in Germany . \n \n The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and formation as a duchy in the 6th century CE ( AD ) through the Holy Roman Empire to becoming an independent kingdom and finally a state of the Federal Republic of Germany . \n \n The Duchy of Bavaria dates back to the year 555 . In the 17th century CE ( AD ) , the Duke of Bavaria became a Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire . The Kingdom of Bavaria existed from 1806 to 1918 , when Bavaria became a republic . In 1946 , the Free State of Bavaria re-organised itself on democratic lines . \n \n Bavaria has a unique culture , largely because of the state 's Catholic majority ( 52 % ) and conservative traditions . Bavarians have traditionally been proud of their culture , which includes festivals such as Oktoberfest and elements of Alpine symbolism . The state also has the largest economy of any of the German states , giving it a status as a rather wealthy German region . \n \n Modern Bavaria also includes parts of the historical regions of Franconia , Upper Palatinate and Swabia . \n \n History \n \n The Bavarians emerged in a region north of the Alps , previously inhabited by Celts , which had been part of the Roman provinces of Raetia and Noricum . The Bavarians spoke Old High German but , unlike other Germanic groups , probably did not migrate from elsewhere . Rather , they seem to have coalesced out of other groups left behind by Roman withdrawal late in the 5th century . These peoples may have included the Celtic Boii , some remaining Romans , Marcomanni , Allemanni , Quadi , Thuringians , Goths , Scirians , Rugians , Heruli . The name `` Bavarian '' ( `` Baiuvarii '' ) means `` Men of Baia '' which may indicate Bohemia , the homeland of the Celtic Boii and later of the Marcomanni . They first appear in written sources circa 520 . According to Czech chronicler David Solomon Ganz ( 1541–1613 ) , who quotes historian Cyriacus Spangenberg , Bavaria ( German : Bayern ) takes its name from an ancient king named Boiia , the founder of Prague.Tzemach Dovid , David Solomon Ganz , Warsaw , 1878 , p. 71 ( [ http : //www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx ? req21930 & st \n & pgnum72 & hilite \n p. 72 ] in pdf ) . ( Translated from the Hebrew ) : `` [ 2 ] 455 ( anno mundi ) . Boiia reigned over Ashkenaz during the days of king Ashketāris , around the year [ 2 ] 455 [ anno mundi ] , and was a strong and valiant king , and a man of war , and he conquered and built a good and large land , calling it after his own name , Bayern ( Bavaria ) . He also built a large city on the Inn river , and called it Boioduron . It is the city whose name was changed afterwards to Passau , unto this very day . King Boiia also conquered that fat and broad land , and called it Boihaem ( Bohemia ) , after his own name , to this very day . Also in the very midst of the country Boihaem he built a large city and called it after his name , Boiinhaem , which is the city whose name was afterwards changed to Prague . Thus did write Spangenberg , etc . '' He gave his name to the city that lay around the place where Prague now stands , calling it Boiinhaem . Saint Boniface completed the people 's conversion to Christianity in the early-8th century . Bavaria was , for the most part , unaffected by the Protestant Reformation that happened centuries later . \n \n From about 554 to 788 , the house of Agilolfing ruled the Duchy of Bavaria , ending with Tassilo III who was deposed by Charlemagne . \n \n Three early dukes are named in Frankish sources : Garibald I may have been appointed to the office by the Merovingian kings and married the Lombard princess Walderada when the church forbade her to King Chlothar I in", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 2343, "text": "bayern" } ], "id": "bb_1250--Bavaria.txt", "qid": "bb_1250", "question": "Bayern is the German name for which region of Germany?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the head of Her Majesty 's Government in the United Kingdom . The prime minister ( informal abbreviation : PM ) and Cabinet ( consisting of all the most senior ministers , most of whom are government department heads ) are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Monarch , to Parliament , to their political party and ultimately to the electorate . The , Theresa May , leader of the Conservative Party , was appointed by the Queen on 13 July 2016 . \n \n The office is not established by any constitution or law but exists only by long-established convention , which stipulates that the monarch must appoint as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons ; this individual is typically the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber . The position of Prime Minister was not created ; it evolved slowly and erratically over three hundred years due to numerous acts of Parliament , political developments , and accidents of history . The office is therefore best understood from a historical perspective . The origins of the position are found in constitutional changes that occurred during the Revolutionary Settlement ( 1688–1720 ) and the resulting shift of political power from the Sovereign to Parliament . Although the Sovereign was not stripped of the ancient prerogative powers and legally remained the head of government , politically it gradually became necessary for him or her to govern through a Prime Minister who could command a majority in Parliament . \n \n By the 1830s the Westminster system of government ( or cabinet government ) had emerged ; the Prime Minister had become primus inter pares or the first among equals in the Cabinet and the head of government in the United Kingdom . The political position of Prime Minister was enhanced by the development of modern political parties , the introduction of mass communication ( inexpensive newspapers , radio , television and the internet ) , and photography . By the start of the 20th century the modern premiership had emerged ; the office had become the pre-eminent position in the constitutional hierarchy vis-à-vis the Sovereign , Parliament and Cabinet . \n \n Prior to 1902 , the prime minister sometimes came from the House of Lords , provided that his government could form a majority in the Commons . However as the power of the aristocracy waned during the 19th century the convention developed that the Prime Minister should always sit in the lower house . As leader of the House of Commons , the Prime Minister 's authority was further enhanced by the Parliament Act of 1911 which marginalised the influence of the House of Lords in the law-making process . \n \n The Prime Minister is ex officio also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service . Certain privileges , such as residency of 10 Downing Street , are accorded to Prime Ministers by virtue of their position as First Lord of the Treasury . \n \n Authority \n \n As the `` Head of Her Majesty 's Government '' the modern Prime Minister leads the Cabinet ( the Executive ) . In addition the Prime Minister leads a major political party and generally commands a majority in the House of Commons ( the lower house of the legislature ) . As such the incumbent wields both legislative and executive powers . Under the British system there is a unity of powers rather than separation . In the House of Commons , the Prime Minister guides the law-making process with the goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party . In an executive capacity the Prime Minister appoints ( and may dismiss ) all other cabinet members and ministers , and co-ordinates the policies and activities of all government departments , and the staff of the Civil Service . The Prime Minister also acts as the public `` face '' and `` voice '' of Her Majesty 's Government , both at home and abroad . Solely upon the advice of the Prime Minister , the Sovereign exercises many statutory and prerogative powers , including high judicial , political , official and Church of England ecclesiastical appointments ; the conferral of peerages , knighthoods , decorations and other honours . Although they may sometimes appear to be heavily under the influence of their aides , in reality the Prime Minister is in control . \n \n Constitutional background \n \n The British system of government is based on an uncodified constitution , meaning that", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "wh_3533--Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom.txt", "qid": "wh_3533", "question": "When Lord Salisbury left office as Prime Minister in 1902, he was succeeded by his nephew. Who was that ?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Dallas is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2 , 1978 , to May 3 , 1991 . The series revolves around a wealthy and feuding Texan family , the Ewings , who own the independent oil company Ewing Oil and the cattle-ranching land of Southfork . The series originally focused on the marriage of Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes , whose families were sworn enemies with each other . As the series progressed , oil tycoon J. R. Ewing grew to be the show 's main character , whose schemes and dirty business became the show 's trademark . When the show ended in May 1991 , J.R. was the only character to have appeared in every episode . \n \n The show was famous for its cliffhangers , including the `` Who shot J.R. ? '' mystery . The 1980 episode `` Who Done It '' remains the second highest rated prime-time telecast ever . The show also featured a `` Dream Season '' , in which the entirety of the ninth season was revealed to have been a dream of Pam Ewing . After 14 seasons , the series finale `` Conundrum '' aired in 1991 . \n \n The show had a relatively ensemble cast . Larry Hagman stars as greedy , scheming oil tycoon J.R. Ewing , stage/screen actress Barbara Bel Geddes as family matriarch Miss Ellie and movie Western actor Jim Davis as Ewing patriarch Jock , his last role before his death in 1981 . The series won four Emmy Awards , including a 1980 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series win for Bel Geddes . \n \n With its 357 episodes , Dallas remains one of the longest lasting full-hour primetime dramas in American TV history , behind Law & Order : Special Victims Unit ( 366+ episodes ) , Bonanza ( 430 episodes ) , Law & Order ( 456 episodes ) , and Gunsmoke ( 635 episodes ) . In 2007 Dallas was included in TIME magazine 's list of `` 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME '' . \n \n Dallas also spawned the spin-off series Knots Landing in 1979 which also lasted 14 seasons . In 2010 , TNT announced it had ordered a new , updated continuation of Dallas . The revival series , continuing the story of the Ewing family , premiered on TNT on June 13 , 2012 , and ran for three seasons , ending its run on September 22 , 2014 . \n \n Original premise \n \n Dallas debuted on April 2 , 1978 , as a five-part miniseries on the CBS network . Producers initially had no plans for expansion ; however , due to the show 's popularity , it was subsequently turned into a regular series and broadcast for 13 full seasons , from September 23 , 1978 , to May 3 , 1991 . The first five episodes , originally considered a miniseries , are now referred to as season one—making fourteen seasons in total . \n \n The show is known for its portrayal of wealth , sex , intrigue , and power struggles . Throughout the series , the main premise is the longtime rivalry between the Ewings and the Barneses which came to head when the Barneses ' daughter Pamela ( Victoria Principal ) eloped with a Ewing son , Bobby ( Patrick Duffy ) , in the first episode . \n \n The back story was that , in the 1930s , wildcatter John Ross `` Jock '' Ewing , Sr. ( Jim Davis ) had allegedly cheated his one-time partner , Willard `` Digger '' Barnes ( David Wayne and later Keenan Wynn ) , out of his share of their company Ewing Oil , and married Digger 's only love , Eleanor `` Miss Ellie '' Southworth ( Barbara Bel Geddes ) . Ellie 's family were—in contrast to Jock—ranchers , with great love for the land and the cattle . Following the marriage of Ellie and Jock , the Southworth family ranch , Southfork , became the Ewings ' home , where Jock and Miss Ellie raised three sons : J.R. ( Larry Hagman ) , Gary ( Ted Shackelford ) and Bobby . \n \n J.R. , the eldest Ewing son , unscrupulous and unhappily married to a former Miss Texas , Sue Ellen Shepard ( Linda Gray ) , was frequently at odds with his youngest brother , Bobby , who had the morals and integrity that J.R. lacked . Middle son Gary was Ellie 's favorite as he displayed Southworth traits ; however , Gary had been in conflict with both Jock and J.R. since childhood and was dismissed as", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "qb_2790--Dallas_(1978_TV_series).txt", "qid": "qb_2790", "question": "Who played Jenna Wade in the US tv series ‘Dallas’?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Louis Armstrong ( August 4 , 1901 – July 6 , 1971 ) , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops , was an American trumpeter , composer , singer and occasional actor who was one of the most influential figures in jazz . His career spanned five decades , from the 1920s to the 1960s , and different eras in jazz . \n \n Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an `` inventive '' trumpet and cornet player , Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz , shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance . With his instantly recognizable gravelly voice , Armstrong was also an influential singer , demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser , bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes . He was also skilled at scat singing . \n \n Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing , Armstrong 's influence extends well beyond jazz music , and by the end of his career in the 1960s , he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general . Armstrong was one of the first truly popular African-American entertainers to `` cross over '' , whose skin color was secondary to his music in an America that was extremely racially divided . He rarely publicly politicized his race , often to the dismay of fellow African-Americans , but took a well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Little Rock Crisis . His artistry and personality allowed him socially acceptable access to the upper echelons of American society which were highly restricted for black men of his era . \n \n Early life \n \n Armstrong often stated that he was born on July 4 , 1900 , a date that has been noted in many biographies . Although he died in 1971 , it was not until the mid-1980s that his true birth date of August 4 , 1901 was discovered by researcher Tad Jones through the examination of baptismal records . \n \n Armstrong was born into a poor family in New Orleans , Louisiana , and was the grandson of slaves . He spent his youth in poverty , in a rough neighborhood known as `` the Battlefield '' , which was part of the Storyville legal prostitution district . His father , William Armstrong ( 1881–1922 ) , abandoned the family when Louis was an infant and took up with another woman . His mother , Mary `` Mayann '' Albert ( 1886–1927 ) , then left Louis and his younger sister , Beatrice Armstrong Collins ( 1903–1987 ) , in the care of his grandmother , Josephine Armstrong , and at times , his Uncle Isaac . At five , he moved back to live with his mother and her relatives , and only saw his father in parades . \n \n He attended the Fisk School for Boys , where he most likely had early exposure to music . He brought in some money as a paperboy and also by finding discarded food and selling it to restaurants , but it was not enough to keep his mother from prostitution . He hung out in dance halls close to home , where he observed everything from licentious dancing to the quadrille . For extra money he also hauled coal to Storyville , and listened to the bands playing in the brothels and dance halls , especially Pete Lala 's , where Joe `` King '' Oliver performed as well as other famous musicians who would drop in to jam . \n \n After dropping out of the Fisk School at age eleven , Armstrong joined a quartet of boys who sang in the streets for money . He also started to get into trouble . Cornet player Bunk Johnson said he taught Armstrong ( then 11 ) to play by ear at Dago Tony 's Tonk in New Orleans , although in his later years Armstrong gave the credit to Oliver . Armstrong hardly looked back at his youth as the worst of times but drew inspiration from it instead : `` Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine—I look right in the heart of good old New Orleans ... It has given me something to live for . '' \n \n He also worked for a Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant family , the Karnofskys , who had a junk hauling business and gave him odd jobs . They took him in and treated him like family ; knowing he lived without a father , they fed and nurtured him . He later wrote a memoir of his relationship with the Karnofskys titled , Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 0, "text": "louis armstrong" } ], "id": "qf_2730--Louis_Armstrong.txt", "qid": "qf_2730", "question": "Which musician was known as 'Satchmo'?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Legal tender is a medium of payment recognized by a legal system to be valid for meeting a financial obligation . Paper currency and coins are common forms of legal tender in many countries . Legal tender is variously defined in different jurisdictions . Formally , it is anything which when offered in payment extinguishes the debt . Thus , personal cheques , credit cards , and similar non-cash methods of payment are not usually legal tender . The law does not relieve the debt obligation until payment is tendered . Coins and banknotes are usually defined as legal tender . Some jurisdictions may forbid or restrict payment made other than by legal tender . For example , such a law might outlaw the use of foreign coins and bank notes or require a license to perform financial transactions in a foreign currency . \n \n In some jurisdictions legal tender can be refused as payment if no debt exists prior to the time of payment ( where the obligation to pay may arise at the same time as the offer of payment ) . For example , vending machines and transport staff do not have to accept the largest denomination of banknote . Shopkeepers may reject large banknotes : this is covered by the legal concept known as invitation to treat . However , restaurants that do not collect payment until after a meal is served must accept any legal tender for the debt incurred in purchasing the meal . \n \n The right , in many jurisdictions , of a trader to refuse to do business with any person , means a purchaser may not insist on making a purchase and so declaring a legal tender in law , as anything other than an offered payment for debts already incurred would not be effective . \n \n Etymology \n \n The term `` legal tender '' is from Middle English tendren , French tendre ( verb form ) , meaning to offer . The Latin root is tendere ( to stretch out ) , and the sense of tender as an offer is related to the etymology of the English word `` extend '' ( to hold outward ) . \n \n Demonetisation \n \n Coins and banknotes may cease to be legal tender if new notes of the same currency substitute them or if a new currency is introduced replacing the former one . Examples of this are : \n \n * The United Kingdom , adopting decimal currency in place of pounds , shillings , and pence in 1971 . Banknotes remained unchanged ( except for the replacement of the 10 shilling note by the 50 pence coin ) . In 1968 and 1969 decimal coins which had precise equivalent values in the old currency ( 5p , 10p , 50p - 1 , 2 , and 10 shillings respectively ) were introduced , while decimal coins with no precise equivalent ( ½p , 1p , 2p equal to 1.2d ( old pence ) , 2.4d , 4.8d respectively ) were introduced on 15 February 1971 . The smallest and largest non-decimal circulating coins , the half penny and half crown , were withdrawn in 1969 , and the other non-decimal coins with no precise equivalent in the new currency ( 1d , 3d ) were withdrawn later in 1971 . Non-decimal coins with precise decimal equivalents ( 6d ( = 2½p ) , 1 and 2 shillings ) remained legal tender either until the coins no longer circulated ( 1980 in the case of the 6d ) , or the equivalent decimal coins were reduced in size in the early 1990s . The 6d coin was permitted to remain in large circulation throughout the United Kingdom due to the London Underground committee 's large investment in coin-operated ticketing machines that used it . Old coins returned to the Royal Mint through the UK banking system will be redeemed for legal tender without time limits , but coins issued before 1947 have a higher value for their silver content than for their monetary value . \n * The successor states of the Soviet Union replacing the Soviet ruble in the 1990s . \n * Currencies used in the Eurozone before being replaced by the euro are not legal tender , but all banknotes are redeemable for euros for a minimum of 10 years ( for certain notes , there is no time limit ) . However , in Italy Mario Monti declared Italian Lira banknotes unredeemable for euros some months before the regular expiration of the 10-year term , and this is also true when the banknotes were lost before and then are found after the expiry of the term ; all this became law even", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "qw_14279--Legal_tender.txt", "qid": "qw_14279", "question": "December 31 1960 was the last day for which coin, first minted in England in the 13th century, to be legal tender in the United Kingdom?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The British Empire comprised the dominions , colonies , protectorates , mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom . It originated with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries . At its height , it was the largest empire in history and , for over a century , was the foremost global power . By 1922 the British Empire held sway over about 458 million people , one-fifth of the world 's population at the time , and covered more than 13000000 sqmi , almost a quarter of the Earth 's total land area . As a result , its political , legal , linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread . At the peak of its power , the phrase `` the empire on which the sun never sets '' was often used to describe the British Empire , because its expanse around the globe meant that the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories . \n \n During the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal and Spain pioneered European exploration of the globe , and in the process established large overseas empires . Envious of the great wealth these empires generated , England , France , and the Netherlands began to establish colonies and trade networks of their own in the Americas and Asia . A series of wars in the 17th and 18th centuries with the Netherlands and France left England ( and then , following union between England and Scotland in 1707 , Great Britain ) the dominant colonial power in North America and India . \n \n The independence of the Thirteen Colonies in North America in 1783 after the American War of Independence caused Britain to lose some of its oldest and most populous colonies . British attention soon turned towards Asia , Africa , and the Pacific . After the defeat of France in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars ( 1792–1815 ) , Britain emerged as the principal naval and imperial power of the 19th century ( with London the largest city in the world from about 1830 ) . Unchallenged at sea , British dominance was later described as Pax Britannica ( `` British Peace '' ) , a period of relative peace in Europe and the world ( 1815–1914 ) during which the British Empire became the global hegemon and adopted the role of global policeman . In the early 19th century , the Industrial Revolution began to transform Britain ; by the time of the Great Exhibition in 1851 the country was described as the `` workshop of the world '' . The British Empire expanded to include India , large parts of Africa and many other territories throughout the world . Alongside the formal control it exerted over its own colonies , British dominance of much of world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of many regions , such as Asia and Latin America . Domestically , political attitudes favoured free trade and laissez-faire policies and a gradual widening of the voting franchise . During this century , the population increased at a dramatic rate , accompanied by rapid urbanisation , causing significant social and economic stresses . To seek new markets and sources of raw materials , the Conservative Party under Benjamin Disraeli launched a period of imperialist expansion in Egypt , South Africa , and elsewhere . Canada , Australia , and New Zealand became self-governing dominions . \n \n By the start of the 20th century , Germany and the United States challenged Britain 's economic lead . Subsequent military and economic tensions between Britain and Germany were major causes of the First World War , during which Britain relied heavily upon its empire . The conflict placed enormous strain on the military , financial and manpower resources of Britain . Although the British Empire achieved its largest territorial extent immediately after World War I , Britain was no longer the world 's pre-eminent industrial or military power . In the Second World War , Britain 's colonies in South-East Asia were occupied by Imperial Japan . Despite the final victory of Britain and its allies , the damage to British prestige helped to accelerate the decline of the empire . India , Britain 's most valuable and populous possession , achieved independence as part of a larger decolonisation movement in which Britain granted independence to most territories of the empire . The transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997 marked for many the end of the British Empire . Fourteen overseas territories remain under British sovereignty . After independence , many former British colonies joined the Commonwealth of Nations ,", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1613, "text": "american war of ind" } ], "id": "qb_9898--British_Empire.txt", "qid": "qb_9898", "question": "General Benedict Arnold switched allegiance to the British side during which war?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "In the sport of cricket , batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat to score runs or prevent the loss of one 's wicket . A player who is currently batting is denoted as a batsman , while the act of hitting the ball is called a shot or stroke . The term specialist batsman is also used generically to describe players who specialise in batting ( as opposed to e.g . bowlers who specialise in bowling ) , and the term bowler is also used in this context . The latter term can , however , refer to any player during their turn at bat . In women 's cricket , the term batswoman is sometimes encountered , as is batter , but the `` male '' form is widely used in both men 's and women 's cricket . \n \n During an innings two members of the batting side are on the pitch at any time : the one facing the current delivery from the bowler is denoted the striker , while the other is the non-striker . When a batsman is out , he is replaced by a teammate . This continues until the end of the innings or until 10 of the team members are out , whereupon the other team gets a turn to bat . \n \n Batting tactics and strategy vary depending on the type of match being played as well as the current state of play . The main concerns for the batsmen are not to lose their wicket and to score as many runs as quickly as possible . These objectives generally conflict – to score quickly , risky shots must be played , increasing the chance that the batsman will be dismissed , while the batsman 's safest choice with a careful wicket-guarding stroke may be not to attempt any runs at all . Depending on the situation , batsmen may forgo attempts at run-scoring in an effort to preserve their wicket , or may attempt to score runs as quickly as possible with scant concern for the possibility of being dismissed . \n \n As with all other cricket statistics , batting statistics and records are given much attention and provide a measure of a player 's effectiveness . The main statistic for batting is a player 's batting average . This is calculated by dividing the number of runs he has scored , not by the innings he has played , but by the number of times he has been dismissed . In limited overs cricket an additional important statistic is the strike rate , the rate at which a batsman scores his runs ( number of runs scored divided by number of balls faced ) . \n \n Sir Donald Bradman set many batting records , some as far back as the 1930s and still unbeaten , and he is widely regarded as the greatest batsman of all time . \n \n Orthodox technique and strokeplay \n \n Over time a standard batting technique has been developed which is used by most batsmen . Technique refers to the batsman 's stance before the ball is bowled as well as the movement of the hands , feet , head and body in the execution of a cricket stroke . Good technique is characterised by quickly getting into the correct position to play the shot , especially getting one 's head and body in line with the ball , one 's feet placed next to where the ball would bounce and then swinging the bat at the ball to make contact at the precise moment required for the particular stroke being played . \n \n The movement of the batsman for a particular delivery depends on the shot being attempted . Front-foot shots are played with the weight on the front foot ( left foot for a right-hander ) and are usually played when the ball is pitched up to the batsman , while back-foot shots are played putting the weight onto the back foot , usually to bowling that is pitched short . Shots may also be described as vertical bat shots , in which the bat is swung vertically at the ball ( e.g . when playing a drive or leg glance ) , or horizontal or cross-bat shots , in which the bat is swung horizontally at the ball ( e.g . when playing the pull or cut shot ) . \n \n While a batsman is not limited in where or how he may hit the ball , the development of good technique has gone hand in hand with the development of standard or orthodox cricket shots played to specific types of deliveries . These ``", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1033, "text": "10" } ], "id": "qw_4404--Batting_(cricket).txt", "qid": "qw_4404", "question": "How many ways can a batsman be dismissed in cricket?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Opera ( ; English plural : operas ; Italian plural : opere ) is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text ( libretto ) and musical score , usually in a theatrical setting . In traditional opera , singers do two types of singing : recitative , a speech-inflected style and arias , a more melodic style . Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre , such as acting , scenery , and costumes and sometimes includes dance . The performance is typically given in an opera house , accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble , which since the early 19th century has been led by a conductor . \n \n Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition . It started in Italy at the end of the 16th century ( with Jacopo Peri 's lost Dafne , produced in Florence in 1598 ) and soon spread through the rest of Europe : Schütz in Germany , Lully in France , and Purcell in England all helped to establish their national traditions in the 17th century . In the 18th century , Italian opera continued to dominate most of Europe ( except France ) , attracting foreign composers such as Handel . Opera seria was the most prestigious form of Italian opera , until Gluck reacted against its artificiality with his `` reform '' operas in the 1760s . In the 2000s , the most renowned figure of late 18th-century opera is Mozart , who began with opera seria but is most famous for his Italian comic operas , especially The Marriage of Figaro ( Le Nozze Di Figaro ) , Don Giovanni , and Così fan tutte , as well as The Magic Flute ( Die Zauberflöte ) , a landmark in the German tradition . \n \n The first third of the 19th century saw the high point of the bel canto style , with Rossini , Donizetti and Bellini all creating works that are still performed in the 2000s It also saw the advent of Grand Opera typified by the works of Auber and Meyerbeer . The mid-to-late 19th century was a `` golden age '' of opera , led and dominated by Wagner in Germany and Verdi in Italy . The popularity of opera continued through the verismo era in Italy and contemporary French opera through to Puccini and Strauss in the early 20th century . During the 19th century , parallel operatic traditions emerged in central and eastern Europe , particularly in Russia and Bohemia . The 20th century saw many experiments with modern styles , such as atonality and serialism ( Schoenberg and Berg ) , Neoclassicism ( Stravinsky ) , and Minimalism ( Philip Glass and John Adams ) . With the rise of recording technology , singers such as Enrico Caruso and Maria Callas became known to much wider audiences that went beyond the circle of opera fans . Since the invention of radio and television , operas were also performed on ( and written for ) these mediums . Beginning in 2006 , a number of major opera houses began to present live high-definition video transmissions of their performances in cinemas around the world . In 2009 , an opera company offered an online download of a complete performance . \n \n Operatic terminology \n \n The words of an opera are known as the libretto ( literally `` small book '' ) . Some composers , notably Richard Wagner , have written their own libretti ; others have worked in close collaboration with their librettists , e.g . Mozart with Lorenzo Da Ponte . Traditional opera , often referred to as `` number opera '' , consists of two modes of singing : recitative , the plot-driving passages sung in a style designed to imitate and emphasize the inflections of speech , and aria ( an `` air '' or formal song ) in which the characters express their emotions in a more structured melodic style . Vocal duets , trios and other ensembles often occur , and choruses are used to comment on the action . In some forms of opera , such as singspiel , opéra comique , operetta , and semi-opera , the recitative is mostly replaced by spoken dialogue . Melodic or semi-melodic passages occurring in the midst of , or instead of , recitative , are also referred to as arioso . The terminology of the various kinds of operatic voices is described in detail below . During both the Baroque and Classical periods , recitative could appear in two basic forms , each of which was accompanied by a different instrumental ensemble : secco ( dry ) recitative , sung with", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "wh_251--Opera.txt", "qid": "wh_251", "question": "\"Who wrote the opera \"\"The Bartered Bride\"\"?\"" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Three Men in a Boat ( To Say Nothing of the Dog ) , The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently : Three Men in a Boat : To Say Nothing of the Dog ! published in 1889 , is a humorous account by English writer Jerome K. Jerome of a two-week boating holiday on the Thames from Kingston upon Thames to Oxford and back to Kingston . The book was initially intended to be a serious travel guide , Jeremy Lewis ' introduction to the Penguin edition . with accounts of local history along the route , but the humorous elements took over to the point where the serious and somewhat sentimental passages seem a distraction to the comic novel . One of the most praised things about Three Men in a Boat is how undated it appears to modern readers – the jokes seem fresh and witty even today . \n \n The three men are based on Jerome himself ( the narrator Jerome K. Jerome ) and two real-life friends , George Wingrave ( who would become a senior manager at Barclays Bank ) and Carl Hentschel ( the founder of a London printing business , called Harris in the book ) , with whom Jerome often took boating trips . The dog , Montmorency , is entirely fictional but , `` as Jerome admits , developed out of that area of inner consciousness which , in all Englishmen , contains an element of the dog . `` Geoffrey Harvey ( 1998 ) . `` Introduction '' , Oxford World 's Classics edition of Three Men in a Boat ; Three Men on the Bummel . The trip is a typical boating holiday of the time in a Thames camping skiff.The boat is called a double sculling skiff in the book – that is , a boat propelled by two people , each using a pair of one-handed oars ( sculls ) . A camping skiff is a boat with an easily-erected canvas cover . This effectively turns the boat into a floating tent for overnight use . This was just after commercial boat traffic on the Upper Thames had died out , replaced by the 1880s craze for boating as a leisure activity . \n \n Following the overwhelming success of Three Men in a Boat , Jerome later published a sequel , about a cycling tour in Germany , titled Three Men on the Bummel ( also known as Three Men on Wheels , 1900 ) . \n \n Summary \n \n The story begins by introducing George , Harris , Jerome ( always referred to as `` J . `` ) , and Jerome 's dog , a fox terrier called Montmorency . The men are spending an evening in J . 's room , smoking and discussing illnesses from which they fancy they suffer . They conclude that they are all suffering from `` overwork '' and need a holiday . A stay in the country and a sea trip are both considered . The country stay is rejected because Harris claims that it would be dull , the sea-trip after J. describes bad experiences of his brother-in-law and a friend on sea trips . The three eventually decide on a boating holiday up the River Thames , from Kingston upon Thames to Oxford , during which they will camp , notwithstanding more of J . 's anecdotes about previous mishaps with tents and camping stoves . \n \n They set off the following Saturday . George must go to work that day , so J. and Harris make their way to Kingston by train . They can not find the right train at Waterloo Station ( the station 's confusing layout was a well-known theme of Victorian comedy ) so they bribe a train driver to take his train to Kingston , where they collect the hired boat and start the journey . They meet George further up river at Weybridge . \n \n The remainder of the story describes their river journey and the incidents that occur . The book 's original purpose as a guidebook is apparent as J. , the narrator , describes passing landmarks and villages such as Hampton Court Palace , Hampton Church , Magna Carta Island and Monkey Island , and muses on historical associations of these places . However , he frequently digresses into humorous anecdotes that range from the unreliability of barometers for weather forecasting to the difficulties encountered when learning to play the Scottish bagpipes . The most frequent topics of J . 's anecdotes are river pastimes such as fishing and boating and the difficulties they present to the inexperienced and unwary and to the three men on previous boating trips .", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1118, "text": "montmorency" } ], "id": "dpql_824--Three_Men_in_a_Boat.txt", "qid": "dpql_824", "question": "What was the name of the dog who accompanied the Three Men In A Boat?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The Norman Conquests is a trilogy of plays written in 1973 by Alan Ayckbourn . The plays were first performed in Scarborough , before runs in London and on Broadway . A television version was first broadcast in the UK during October 1977 . \n \n Outline \n \n The small scale of the drama is typical of Ayckbourn . There are only six characters , namely Norman , his wife Ruth , her brother Reg and his wife Sarah , Ruth 's sister Annie , and Tom , Annie 's next-door-neighbour . The plays are at times wildly comic , and at times poignant , in their portrayals of the relationships among the six characters . \n \n Each of the plays depicts the same six characters over the same weekend in a different part of a house . Table Manners is set in the dining room , Living Together in the living room , and Round and Round the Garden in the garden . Each play is self-contained , and they may be watched in any order , some of the scenes overlap , and on several occasions a character 's exit from one play corresponds with an entrance in another . The plays were not written to be performed simultaneously , although Ayckbourn did achieve that some twenty-five years later in House & Garden . \n \n Production history \n \n The plays were first performed in Scarborough , before a season in London , with a cast that included Tom Courtenay as Norman , Penelope Keith as Sarah , Felicity Kendal as Annie , Michael Gambon as Tom , Bridget Turner as Ruth , and Mark Kingston as Reg . \n \n The plays originally premiered on Broadway in 1975 for 69 performances at the Morosco Theatre , directed by Eric Thompson and featuring Richard Benjamin , Ken Howard , Barry Nelson , Estelle Parsons , Paula Prentiss , and Carole Shelley . \n \n The first major London revival of The Norman Conquests was presented at The Old Vic Theatre in 2008 with Matthew Warchus directing a cast including Stephen Mangan as Norman , Jessica Hynes as Annie , Ben Miles as Tom , Amanda Root as Sarah , Paul Ritter as Reg and Amelia Bullmore as Ruth . The Old Vic auditorium was transformed to a theatre in the round , known as the CQS Space , especially for this production . \n \n The 2008 Old Vic production opened on Broadway with the London cast at the Circle in the Square Theatre on 7 April 2009 , official opening 23 April , and scheduled closing on 25 July 2009 . \n \n Television adaptation \n \n In 1977 the plays were adapted for television by Thames Television . Penelope Keith reprised her role as Sarah . The rest of the cast featured Tom Conti as Norman , Penelope Wilton ( who had played Ruth in the original 1974 London stage production ) as Annie , Richard Briers as Reg , David Troughton as Tom and Fiona Walker as Ruth . The three plays were directed by Herbert Wise and produced by Verity Lambert and David Susskind . Keith won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress for her performance . \n \n Awards and nominations \n \n ; 2009 Tony Awards \n \n * Best Revival of a Play ( winner ) \n * Best Direction of a Play- Matthew Warchus ( nominated ) \n * Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play – Stephen Mangan and Paul Ritter ( nominated ) \n * Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play – Jessica Hynes and Amanda Root ( nominated ) \n * Best Scenic Design of a Play – Rob Howell ( nominated ) \n ; 2009 Drama Desk Awards \n \n * Outstanding Ensemble Performance ( winner ) \n * Outstanding Revival of a Play ( winner ) \n * Outstanding Director of a Play – Matthew Warchus ( winner ) \n * Outstanding Music in a Play – Gary Yershon ( nominated ) \n * Outstanding Set Design of a Play – Rob Howell ( nominated ) \n * Outstanding Costume Design – Rob Howell ( nominated ) \n \n ; New York Drama Critics ' Circle \n * Special citation , Matthew Warchus and the cast of The Norman Conquests \n \n ; Outer Critics Circle Awards \n * Outstanding Revival of a Play ( winner ) \n * Outstanding Director of a Play ( winner ) \n * Outstanding Ensemble Performance ( winner )", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 62, "text": "alan ayckbourn" } ], "id": "qb_7521--The_Norman_Conquests.txt", "qid": "qb_7521", "question": "Who wrote the trilogy of plays ‘The Norman Conquests’?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Thor is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character , based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name , is the Asgardian god of thunder and possesses the enchanted hammer Mjolnir , which grants him the ability of flight and weather manipulation amongst his other superhuman attributes . \n \n Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books , the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery # 83 ( Aug. 1962 ) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee , scripter Larry Lieber , and penciller-plotter Jack Kirby . He has starred in several ongoing series and limited series , and is a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers , appearing in each volume of that series . The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series , clothing , toys , trading cards , video games , and movies . \n \n Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor , The Avengers , Thor : The Dark World and Avengers : Age of Ultron and will reprise his role in Thor : Ragnarok and both parts of Avengers : Infinity War . Thor placed 14th on IGN 's list of `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time '' in 2011 , and first in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' in 2012 . \n \n Publication history \n \n The Marvel Comics superhero Thor debuted in the science fiction/fantasy anthology title Journey into Mystery # 83 ( cover-date Aug. 1962 ) , and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee , scripter Larry Lieber , and penciller-plotter Jack Kirby . A different version of the mythological Thor had appeared previously in Venus # 12-13 ( Feb.-April 1951 ) . Lee in 2002 described Thor 's genesis early in the Marvel pantheon , following the creation of the Hulk : \n \n In a 1984 interview Kirby said `` I did a version of Thor for D.C. in the Fifties before I did him for Marvel . I created Thor at Marvel because I was forever enamored of legends , which is why I knew about Balder , Heimdall , and Odin . I tried to update Thor and put him into a superhero costume , but he was still Thor . '' And in a 1992 interview , Kirby said `` [ I ] knew the Thor legends very well , but I wanted to modernize them . I felt that might be a new thing for comics , taking the old legends and modernizing them . '' \n \n Subsequent stories of the 13-page feature `` The Mighty Thor '' continued to be plotted by Lee , and were variously scripted by Lieber or by Robert Bernstein , working under the pseudonym `` R. Berns '' . Various artists penciled the feature , including Jack Kirby , Joe Sinnott , Don Heck , and Al Hartley . With Journey into Mystery # 101 ( Feb. 1964 ) , the series began a long and definitive run by writer and co-plotter Lee and penciler and co-plotter Kirby that lasted until the by-then-retitled Thor # 179 ( Aug. 1970 ) . \n \n Lee and Kirby included Thor in The Avengers # 1 ( Sept. 1963 ) as a founding member of the superhero team . The character has since appeared in every subsequent volume of the series . \n \n The five-page featurette `` Tales of Asgard '' was added in Journey into Mystery # 97 ( Oct. 1963 ) , followed by `` The Mighty Thor '' becoming the dominant cover logo with issue # 104 ( May 1964 ) . The feature itself expanded to 18 pages in # 105 , which eliminated the remaining anthological story from each issue ; it was reduced to 16 pages five issues later . Comics historian Les Daniels noted that `` the adventures of Thor were gradually transformed from stories about a strange-looking superhero into a spectacular saga . '' Artist Chic Stone , who inked several early Thor stories , observed that `` Kirby could just lead you through all these different worlds . The readers would follow him anywhere . '' \n \n Journey into Mystery was retitled Thor ( per the indicia , or The Mighty Thor per most covers ) with issue # 126 ( March 1966 ) . `` Tales of Asgard '' was replaced by a five-page featurette starring the Inhumans from # 146–152 ( Nov. 1967 – May 1968 ) , after which featurettes were dropped and the Thor stories expanded to Marvel 's then-standard 20-page length . Marvel filed for a trademark for `` The Mighty Thor", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 226, "text": "hammer" } ], "id": "jp_1754--Thor_(Marvel_Comics).txt", "qid": "jp_1754", "question": "What type of weapon is carried by Thor?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Perdita ( ) is an inner satellite of Uranus . Perdita 's discovery was complicated . The first photographs of Perdita were taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986 , but it was not recognized from the photographs for more than a decade . In 1999 , the moon was noticed by Erich Karkoschka and reported . But because no further pictures could be taken to confirm its existence , it was officially demoted in 2001 . However , in 2003 , pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope managed to pick up an object where Perdita was supposed to be , finally confirming its existence . \n \n Following its discovery in 1999 , it was given the temporary designation of S/1986 U 10 . It was named Perdita ( Latin for 'lost ' ) after the daughter of Leontes and Hermione in William Shakespeare 's play The Winter 's Tale . The moon is also designated Uranus XXV . \n \n The moon orbits between Belinda and Puck . The above-mentioned Hubble measurements prove that Perdita does not follow a direct Keplerian motion around Uranus . Instead , it is clearly caught in a 43:44 orbital resonance with the nearby moon Belinda . It is also close to an 8:7 resonance with Rosalind . \n \n Perdita belongs to the Portia group of satellites , which also includes Bianca , Cressida , Desdemona , Portia , Juliet , Cupid , Rosalind and Belinda . These satellites have similar orbits and photometric properties . Little is known about Perdita apart from its orbit , radius of 15 km and geometric albedo of 0.08 .", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 37, "text": "uranus" } ], "id": "bt_3147--Perdita_(moon).txt", "qid": "bt_3147", "question": "Perdita is a moon of which planet in the Solar System" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Azerbaijan ( ; ) , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan ( ) , is a country in the Transcaucasian region , situated at the crossroads of Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe . It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east , Russia to the north , Georgia to the northwest , Armenia to the west and Iran to the south . The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east , Iran to the south and west , while having a short border with Turkey in the north west . \n \n The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 . The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920 as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic . The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991 , prior to the official dissolution of the USSRin December 1991 . In September 1991 , the disputed Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh region re-affirmed its willingness to create a separate state as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic . The region and seven adjacent districts outside it became de facto independent with the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994 . These regions are internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan pending a solution to the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh , found through negotiations facilitated by the OSCE . \n \n Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic . The country is a member state of the Council of Europe , the OSCE and the NATO Partnership for Peace ( PfP ) program . It is one of six independent Turkic states , an active member of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community . Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations . It is one of the founding members of GUAM , the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons . A member of the United Nations since 1992 , Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly on 9 May 2006 . Its term of office began on 19 June 2006 . Azerbaijan is also a member state of the Non-Aligned Movement , holds observer status in World Trade Organization and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union . \n \n The Constitution of Azerbaijan does not declare an official religion , and all major political forces in the country are secularist , but the most people and some opposition movements adhere to Shia Islam . Azerbaijan has a high level of human development which ranks on par with most Eastern European countries . It has a high rate of economic development and literacy , as well as a low rate of unemployment . \n \n However , corruption in Azerbaijan is widespread , especially in the public service . The ruling party , the New Azerbaijan Party , has been accused of authoritarianism and human rights abuses . \n \n Etymology \n \n According to a modern etymology , the name of Azerbaijan derives from that of Atropates , a Persian satrap under the Achaemenid Empire , who was later reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander the Great . The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the once-dominant Zoroastrian religion . In the Avesta , Frawardin Yasht ( `` Hymn to the Guardian Angels '' ) , there is a mention of âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide , which literally translates from Avestan as `` we worship the Fravashi of the holy Atropatene . '' \n \n Atropates ruled over the region of Atropatene ( present Iranian Azerbaijan ) . The name `` Atropates '' itself is the Greek transliteration of an Old Iranian , probably Median , compounded name with the meaning `` Protected by the ( Holy ) Fire '' or `` The Land of the ( Holy ) Fire '' . The Greek name was mentioned by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo . Over the span of millennia the name evolved to Āturpātākān ( Middle Iranian ) then to Ādharbādhagān , Ādharbāyagān , Āzarbāydjān ( New Persian ) and present-day Azerbaijan . In Armenia , the country is called Adrbejan , yet another archaic form . Ultimately , the name Azerbaijan comes from Azar-Payegan . This word is translatable as Guardian of Fire , `` The Treasury '' and `` The Treasurer '' of fire or `` The Land of Fire '' in Modern Persian . \n : In dictionaries \n F. Steingass : \n * [ http : //dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl ? c.0:1:1321.steingass āẕar-bād-gān ] \n * [ http : //dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl ? c.0:1:1315.steingass āẕar-abād-gūn ] \n * [ http : //dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl ? c.0:1:1312.steingass āẕar , āẕur ] \n * [ http :", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "sfq_5864--Azerbaijan.txt", "qid": "sfq_5864", "question": "What is the capital city of Azerbaijan?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Nicholas Matthew OBE ( born 25 July 1980 in Sheffield ) is an English professional squash player who has won the two most prestigious tournaments in the professional game , the British Open and the World Open , three times each . He reached a career-high world ranking of World No . 1 in June 2010 . His home club is Hallamshire Tennis and Squash Club in Sheffield which has named 'The Nick Matthew Showcourt ' . \n \n He married Esme Taylor , a sports physiologist who has worked with British Cycling , in 2013 and the couple celebrated the birth of their first child Charlotte Rose on 9 September 2014 . \n \n Career overview \n \n Nick Matthew , who attended High Storrs School , first came to the squash world 's attention as an outstanding junior player . He was the 1999 British Junior Open under-19 champion , a semi-finalist at the 1998 World Junior Championships , and a member of the England team which won the 1998 world junior team title . He made his first appearance on the professional tour in 1998 . \n \n In 2006 , Matthew became the first English player to win the British Open men 's title since 1939 . In the final , against Thierry Lincou of France , he came back from 0–4 down in the fifth game to win 11–8 , 5–11 , 11–4 , 9–11 , 11–6 . In 2007 , Matthew won the US Open title , beating James Willstrop in the final 11–7 , 11–4 , 11–7 . \n \n Matthew won the British National Championship title in 2006 and 2009 . In 2006 , Matthew played Lee Beachill in a tight final , which he won 11–9 , 6–11 , 11–9 , 10–12 , 12–10 . In 2009 , he defeated Adrian Grant in the final 11–4 , 11–3 , 11–9 . Matthew was a member of the England team which won the World Team Squash Championships in 2005 and 2007 . \n \n 2009 saw Matthew soar up in rankings to world No . 4 in December . His best achievement of the year is by winning the Qatar Classic Open title in November . In the Saudi International Open , Matthew 's fine run was halted by Ramy Ashour who beat him in the final that decided the next world No . 1 . Matthew lost in 110 minutes in a gruelling 5-game match . \n \n June 2010 , Matthew topped the world rankings for the first time . \n \n In the men 's singles final of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi , Matthew defeated compatriot James Willstrop 11–6 , 11–7 , 11–7 in 66 minutes to win the gold medal . \n \n December 2010 Matthew won the World Open Squash Men 's Title , becoming the first Englishman in the premier event 's 35-year history to win the PSA World Championship \n \n Matthew won the PSA 2010 World Open , defeating James Willstrop of England in the final by 3 games to 1 in 74 minutes at The Sunset Beach Resort in Saudi Arabia on Friday 10 December 2010 . \n \n Matthew won the PSA 2011 World Open , defeating Gregory Gaultier of France in the final by 3 games to 1 in 92 minutes at the Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam , The Netherlands on Sunday 6 November 2011 . \n After struggling with an injury in late 2011 , Matthew entered the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions , beating then world number 1 James Willstrop . He has since regained his position as world number 1 . \n \n He won his 3rd British Open title on 20 May 2012 , becoming the first Englishman to win the title three times in the professional era . \n \n Matthew won his third PSA 2013 World Open , defeating Gregory Gaultier of France in the final by 3 games to 2 in 111 minutes in the Central arena Manchester , England on Sunday 3 November 2013 . The 33-year-old world number one from Sheffield joined a select and distinguished group of players – Australian Geoff Hunt ; Pakistanis Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan ; and Egyptian Amr Shabana – who have three world titles to their name . \n \n In February 2014 , Matthew won a record sixth British National title with victory over fellow Englishman James Willstrop in the final before getting the better of Willstrop once more in the final of the Canary Wharf Classic to win his fourth title at the London event . \n \n 2014 saw more 2014 Commonwealth Games success for Matthew despite a knee injury , sustained in training , which overshadowed his preparations .", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 83, "text": "squash" } ], "id": "sfq_22723--Nick_Matthew.txt", "qid": "sfq_22723", "question": "Nick Matthew and Laura Massaro are current British World champions in which sport?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "An atom is the smallest constituent unit of ordinary matter that has the properties of a chemical element . Every solid , liquid , gas , and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms . Atoms are very small ; typical sizes are around 100 pm ( a ten-billionth of a meter , in the short scale ) . However , atoms do not have well-defined boundaries , and there are different ways to define their size that give different but close values . \n \n Atoms are small enough that attempting to predict their behavior using classical physics - as if they were billiard balls , for example - gives noticeably incorrect predictions due to quantum effects . Through the development of physics , atomic models have incorporated quantum principles to better explain and predict the behavior . \n \n Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus . The nucleus is made of one or more protons and typically a similar number of neutrons . Protons and neutrons are called nucleons . More than 99.94 % of an atom 's mass is in the nucleus . The protons have a positive electric charge , the electrons have a negative electric charge , and the neutrons have no electric charge . If the number of protons and electrons are equal , that atom is electrically neutral . If an atom has more or fewer electrons than protons , then it has an overall negative or positive charge , respectively , and it is called an ion . \n \n The electrons of an atom are attracted to the protons in an atomic nucleus by this electromagnetic force . The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are attracted to each other by a different force , the nuclear force , which is usually stronger than the electromagnetic force repelling the positively charged protons from one another . Under certain circumstances the repelling electromagnetic force becomes stronger than the nuclear force , and nucleons can be ejected from the nucleus , leaving behind a different element : nuclear decay resulting in nuclear transmutation . \n \n The number of protons in the nucleus defines to what chemical element the atom belongs : for example , all copper atoms contain 29 protons . The number of neutrons defines the isotope of the element . The number of electrons influences the magnetic properties of an atom . Atoms can attach to one or more other atoms by chemical bonds to form chemical compounds such as molecules . The ability of atoms to associate and dissociate is responsible for most of the physical changes observed in nature , and is the subject of the discipline of chemistry . \n \n History of atomic theory \n \n Atoms in philosophy \n \n The idea that matter is made up of discrete units is a very old idea , appearing in many ancient cultures such as Greece and India . The word `` atom '' was coined by ancient Greek philosophers . However , these ideas were founded in philosophical and theological reasoning rather than evidence and experimentation . As a result , their views on what atoms look like and how they behave were incorrect . They also could not convince everybody , so atomism was but one of a number of competing theories on the nature of matter . It was not until the 19th century that the idea was embraced and refined by scientists , when the blossoming science of chemistry produced discoveries that only the concept of atoms could explain . \n \n First evidence-based theory \n \n In the early 1800s , John Dalton used the concept of atoms to explain why elements always react in ratios of small whole numbers ( the law of multiple proportions ) . For instance , there are two types of tin oxide : one is 88.1 % tin and 11.9 % oxygen and the other is 78.7 % tin and 21.3 % oxygen ( tin ( II ) oxide and tin dioxide respectively ) . This means that 100g of tin will combine either with 13.5g or 27g of oxygen . 13.5 and 27 form a ratio of 1:2 , a ratio of small whole numbers . This common pattern in chemistry suggested to Dalton that elements react in whole number multiples of discrete units—in other words , atoms . In the case of tin oxides , one tin atom will combine with either one or two oxygen atoms . \n \n Dalton also believed atomic theory could explain why water absorbs different gases in different proportions . For example , he found that water absorbs carbon dioxide far better than it absorbs nitrogen.Dalton ,", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "qw_650--Atom.txt", "qid": "qw_650", "question": "What does the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom relate directly to?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Michael Kitchen ( born 31 October 1948 ) is an English actor and television producer , best known for his role as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle in the ITV drama series Foyle 's War since 2002 . He also played the role of Bill Tanner in two James Bond films and John Farrow in the critically acclaimed comedy series , Brian Pern , on BBC Two . \n \n Early life \n \n Kitchen was born in Leicester , Leicestershire . As a young boy ( circa 1960 ) he was head chorister in the Church of the Martyrs choir , where he was a regular soloist . He attended the City of Leicester Boys ' Grammar School , where he appeared on stage in a production of Cymbeline . [ http : //www.nothing-fancy.com/michaelkitchen/interviews/hostage.htm Michael Kitchen interview in The Leicester Mercury ] 13 August 1992 . Retrieved 2015-03-19 . He worked with the National Youth Theatre and the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry before attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art . In 1969 , while still at RADA , he won the `` Emile Littler Award '' for 'outstanding talent and aptitude for the professional theatre ' . \n \n Career \n \n Television and film \n \n Kitchen was discovered at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ( RADA ) by talent agent Peter Froggatt of Plant & Froggatt Ltd . \n In the early 1970s , Kitchen appeared in small roles in films such as Unman , Wittering and Zigo ( 1971 ) and the Hammer film Dracula A.D. 1972 ( 1972 ) before becoming a fixture of British television . His early TV appearances include roles in Play for Today ( Hell 's Angels by David Agnew , 1971 ) , Thriller , Tales of the Unexpected and Beasts . He then played the role of Martin in the original 1976 production of Dennis Potter 's Brimstone and Treacle , Peter in Stephen Poliakoff 's Caught on a Train , Edmund in the BBC Television Shakespeare production of King Lear , the Antipholi in the same series ' production of The Comedy of Errors , Private Bamforth in the 1979 BBC television play of The Long and the Short and the Tall , Larner in the film Breaking Glass ( 1980 ) , Rochus Misch in The Bunker ( 1981 ) , Berkeley Cole in the film Out of Africa ( 1985 ) , the King of the United Kingdom in To Play the King ( 1993 ) , an English land agent during the Irish Famine in The Hanging Gale ( 1995 ) , and a recurring role as Bill Tanner in the Pierce Brosnan Bond films GoldenEye ( 1995 ) and The World Is Not Enough ( 1999 ) . His later films include The Russia House ( 1990 ) , Fools of Fortune ( 1990 ) , Enchanted April ( 1992 ) , The Trial ( 1993 ) , Fatherland ( 1994 ) , Doomsday Gun ( 1994 ) , The Hanging Gale ( 1995 ) , Kidnapped ( 1995 ) , Mrs Dalloway ( 1997 ) , The Railway Children ( 2000 ) , Proof of Life ( 2000 ) , Lorna Doone ( 2001 ) and My Week with Marilyn ( 2011 ) . \n \n From 2002 to 2015 , Kitchen starred in the ITV mystery-drama Foyle 's War as the lead character , DCS Christopher Foyle . He was also a producer for the show . \n \n Other noted appearances include The Buccaneers as Sir Helmsley Thwaite ( 1995 ) , Dandelion Dead ( 1994 ) , A Royal Scandal ( 1996 ) , The Last Contract ( Sista Kontraktet,1998 ) a Swedish film about the assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme , Paul Abbott 's Alibi in 2003 , Andrew Davies ' dramatisation of Falling in 2005 , ITV 's three-part drama series Mobile ( 2007 ) and Channel 4 's phone hacking comedy Hacks ( 2012 ) . He has guest-starred in roles in other popular British television shows such as The Professionals , Minder , Chancer , Inspector Morse , A Touch of Frost , Between the Lines , Pie in the Sky and Dalziel and Pascoe . \n \n Kitchen played Richard Crane in Reckless and John Farrow in the mockumentary The Life of Rock with Brian Pern . \n \n Theatre \n \n Kitchen is also a noted actor in British theatre . His roles have ranged from Ptolemy in Caesar and Cleopatra at the Belgrade Theatre in 1966 to Will in Howard Brenton 's Magnificence at the Royal Court in 1973 to William Hogarth in Nick Dear 's The Art of Success in 1986–87 . \n \n He played Mercutio in Romeo", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1362, "text": "zigo" } ], "id": "qw_867--Michael_Kitchen.txt", "qid": "qw_867", "question": "\"A film released in 1971, starring David Hemmings and Michael Kitchen, based on a 1958 radio play by Giles Cooper, was called \"\"Unman, Wittering and \"\" who?\"" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "In modern politics and history , a parliament is a legislative , elected body of government . Generally a modern parliament has three functions : representing the electorate , making laws , and overseeing the government ( i.e. , hearings , inquiries ) . \n \n Although some restrict the use of the word parliament to parliamentary systems , it is also commonly used to describe the legislature in presidential systems ( i.e . the French parliament ) , even where it is not in the official name . \n \n Historically , parliaments included various kinds of deliberative , consultative , and judicial assemblies ( i.e . the mediaeval parlements ) . \n \n Etymology \n \n The term is derived from Anglo-Norman , from the verb parler 'talk ' . The meaning evolved over time : originally any discussion , conversation , or negotiation ( attested around 1100 ) , through various kinds of deliberative or judicial groups , often summoned by the monarch . By 1400 , it had come to mean in Britain specifically the British supreme legislature . \n \n Origins \n \n Various parliaments are claimed to be the oldest in the world , under varying definitions : \n \n * Cortes of León : Kingdom of León ( Spain ) in 1188 . Alfonso IX of León created a parliament ( Cortes ) including representatives of the nobles , the church and the populace . According to the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme , it is the oldest documentary manifestation of the European parliamentary system . \n * The Sicilian Parliament , whose first assembly was convened in 1097 . \n * The Icelandic Althing , year 930 , but only including the main chiefs . \n * The Faroese Løgting . \n \n Proto-parliamentarian institutions \n \n Since ancient times , when societies were tribal , there were councils or a headman whose decisions were assessed by village elders . This is called tribalism . Some scholars suggest that in ancient Mesopotamia there was a primitive democratic government where the kings were assessed by council . The same has been said about ancient India , where some form of deliberative assemblies existed , and therefore there was some form of democracy . However , these claims are not accepted by most scholars , who see these forms of government as oligarchies . \n \n Ancient Athens was the cradle of democracy . The Athenian assembly ( , ekklesia ) was the most important institution , and every citizen could take part in the discussions . However , Athenian democracy was not representative , but rather direct , and therefore the ekklesia was different from the parliamentary system . \n \n The Roman Republic had legislative assemblies , who had the final say regarding the election of magistrates , the enactment of new statutes , the carrying out of capital punishment , the declaration of war and peace , and the creation ( or dissolution ) of alliances . The Roman Senate controlled money , administration , and the details of foreign policy . \n \n Some Muslim scholars argue that the Islamic shura ( a method of taking decisions in Islamic societies ) is analogous to the parliament . However , others highlight what they consider fundamental differences between the shura system and the parliamentary system . \n \n England \n \n Early forms of assembly \n \n England has long had a tradition of a body of men who would assist and advise the king on important matters . Under the Anglo-Saxon kings , there was an advisory council , the Witenagemot . The name derives from the Old English ƿitena ȝemōt , or witena gemōt , for `` meeting of wise men '' . The first recorded act of a witenagemot was the law code issued by King Æthelberht of Kent ca . 600 , the earliest document which survives in sustained Old English prose ; however , the witan was certainly in existence long before this time . The Witan , along with the folkmoots ( local assemblies ) , is an important ancestor of the modern English parliament . \n \n As part of the Norman Conquest of England , the new king , William I , did away with the Witenagemot , replacing it with a Curia Regis ( `` King 's Council '' ) . Membership of the Curia was largely restricted to the tenants in chief , the few nobles who `` rented '' great estates directly from the king , along with certain senior ecclesiastics . William brought to England the feudal system of his native Normandy , and sought the advice of the curia regis before making laws . This is the", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "sfq_26142--Parliament.txt", "qid": "sfq_26142", "question": "Which country's parliament is called the Folketing?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Andrew Barron `` Andy '' Murray , OBE ( born 15 May 1987 ) is a Scottish professional tennis player currently ranked world No . 2 in singles . Murray represents Great Britain in his sporting activities and is a three-time Grand Slam tournament winner , Olympic champion and Davis Cup champion . His elder brother is former world No . 1 doubles player Jamie Murray . \n \n He was first ranked as British No . 1 on 27 February 2006 . He achieved a top-10 ranking by the ATP for the first time on 16 April 2007 , and reached a career peak of world No . 2 on 17 August 2009 . \n \n At the 2012 US Open , Murray became the first British player since 1977 , and the first British man since 1936 , to win a Grand Slam singles tournament , when he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final in five sets . This title made him the only British male to become a Grand Slam singles champion during the Open Era . On 7 July 2013 , Murray won the 2013 Wimbledon Championships , becoming the first British player to win a Wimbledon senior singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977 , and the first British man to win the Men 's Singles Championship since Fred Perry , 77 years previously . \n \n Murray is the 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist , having defeated Roger Federer to become the first British singles champion in over 100 years . He won a silver medal in the 2012 mixed doubles with Laura Robson . \n \n He is the only male player to date to have won Olympic Gold and the US Open in the same calendar year , as well as the third man to hold the Gold Medal and two majors on different surfaces ( after Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal ) . Subsequent to his success at the Olympics and Wimbledon , Murray was voted the 2013 BBC Sports Personality of the Year . In the 2016 Gentlemen 's Singles , Murray won his second Wimbledon title , beating Canadian Milos Raonic to become the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since Fred Perry in 1935 . \n \n After reaching the final of the 2016 French Open , Murray became the tenth player in the Open Era to reach the final of all four Grand Slam events and is joint ninth on the list for finals reached . He is only the second British player ( after Fred Perry ) of either sex to have reached the final of all four majors . \n \n Murray has been the runner-up in eight other singles Grand Slam finals : the 2008 US Open , the 2010 , 2011 , 2013 , 2015 and 2016 Australian Opens , the 2012 Wimbledon Championships , and the 2016 French Open losing three to Roger Federer and five to Novak Djokovic . He is the first man in the Open Era to achieve five runner-up finishes at the Australian Open , after losing to Djokovic in the final of the 2016 Australian Open . In 2011 , Murray became only the seventh player in the Open Era to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slam tournaments in one year . \n \n He featured in Great Britain 's Davis Cup winning team in 2015 , winning 11 matches ( 8 singles and 3 doubles ) as they secured their first Davis Cup title since 1936 . Murray was voted the 2015 BBC Sports Personality of the Year , while the Davis Cup team won the 2015 BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year Award . \n \n Early and personal life \n \n Murray was born in Glasgow , Scotland , the son of Judith `` Judy '' Murray ( née Erskine ) and William Murray . His maternal grandfather , Roy Erskine , was a professional footballer in the late 1950s . Murray is an avid supporter of Hibernian Football Club , the team his grandfather represented . Murray 's elder brother , Jamie , is also a professional tennis player , playing on the doubles circuit . Murray was born with a bipartite patella , where the kneecap remains as two separate bones instead of fusing together in early childhood , but was not diagnosed until the age of 16 . He is seen to hold his knee due to the pain caused by the condition and has pulled out of events because of it . Murray began playing tennis at the age of three when his mother Judy took him to play on the local courts . He played in his first competitive tournament at age five and", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1360, "text": "laura robson" } ], "id": "sfq_22401--Andy_Murray.txt", "qid": "sfq_22401", "question": "Who partnered Andy Murray to win the 2012 Olympic tennis mixed doubles silver medal?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up , Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys , interacting with fairies , pirates , mermaids , Native Americans , and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland . In addition to two distinct works by Barrie , the character has been featured in a variety of media and merchandise , both adapting and expanding on Barrie 's works . These include a 1953 animated film , a 2003 dramatic/live-action film , a TV series and many other works . \n \n Origin \n \n J. M. Barrie first used Peter Pan as a character in a section of The Little White Bird ( 1902 ) , an adult novel where he appears as a seven-day-old baby in the chapter entitled Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens . Following the success of the 1904 play , Barrie 's publishers , Hodder and Stoughton , extracted chapters 13–18 of The Little White Bird and republished them in 1906 under the title Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens , with the addition of illustrations by Arthur Rackham . \n \n He returned to the character of Peter Pan as the centre of his stage play entitled Peter Pan , or The Boy Who Would n't Grow Up , which premiered on 27 December 1904 in London . Barrie later adapted and expanded the play 's story line as a novel , published in 1911 as Peter and Wendy . \n \n Physical appearance \n \n Barrie never described Peter 's appearance in detail , even in his novel , leaving it to the imagination of the reader and the interpretation of anyone adapting the character . In the play , Peter 's outfit is made of autumn leaves and cobwebs . His name and playing the flute or pipes suggest the mythological character Pan . Barrie mentions in Peter and Wendy that Peter Pan still had all his `` first teeth '' . He describes him as a beautiful boy with a beautiful smile , `` clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that flow from trees '' . \n \n Traditionally , the character has been played on stage by a petite adult woman . In the original productions in the UK , Peter Pan 's costume was a reddish tunic and dark green tights , such as that worn by Nina Boucicault in 1904 . This costume is exhibited in Barrie 's Birthplace . The similar costume worn by Pauline Chase ( who played the role from 1906 to 1913 ) is displayed in the Museum of London . Early editions of adaptations of the story also depict a red costume but a green costume ( whether or not made of leaves ) becomes more usual from the 1920s , and more so later after the release of Disney 's animated movie . \n \n In the Disney films , Peter wears an outfit that consists of a short-sleeved green tunic and tights apparently made of cloth , and a cap with a red feather in it . He has pointed elf-like ears , brown eyes and his hair is red . In Hook ( 1991 ) , the character is played as an adult by Robin Williams , with blue eyes and dark brown hair ; in flashbacks to him in his youth , his hair is light brown . In this film his ears appear pointed only when he is Peter Pan , not as Peter Banning . His Pan attire resembles the Disney outfit ( minus the cap ) . In the live-action 2003 Peter Pan film , he is portrayed by Jeremy Sumpter , who has blond hair and green eyes . His outfit is made of leaves and vines . \n \n In the novel Peter Pan in Scarlet ( 2006 ) , Geraldine McCaughrean describes him as having blue eyes and light hair ( or at least any colour lighter than black ) . In this novel , Never Land has moved on to autumn , so Peter wears a tunic of jay feathers and maple leaves . In the Starcatcher stories written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson , Peter is described with carrot-orange hair and bright blue eyes . \n \n In the 2011 TV miniseries Neverland , released by Sky Movies in the UK and SyFy network in the US , Peter ( played by Charlie Rowe ) is portrayed with dark brown hair and eyes . He plays a flute instead of pan pipes . \n \n Age \n \n J.M .", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "qz_4090--Peter_Pan.txt", "qid": "qz_4090", "question": "Which author gave the copyright of the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews . The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls , forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows pilots-in-training to safely advance their real-time piloting , navigation and warfighting skills without the danger of overextending their abilities alone in a fully featured aircraft . \n \n Civilian pilots are normally trained in a light aircraft , with two or more seats to allow for a student and instructor . The aircraft may be modified to withstand the flight conditions imposed by training flights . \n \n Tandem and side by side \n \n The two seating configurations for trainer aircraft are : pilot and instructor side by side , or in tandem , usually with the pilot in front and the instructor behind . The side-by-side seating configuration has the advantage that pilot and instructor can see each other 's actions , allowing the pilot to learn from the instructor and the instructor to correct the student pilot . The tandem configuration has the advantage of being closer to the normal working environment that a fast jet pilot is likely to encounter . \n \n It is now the norm for pilots to begin their flight training in an aircraft with side by side seating and to progress to aircraft with tandem seating . This , however , has not always been the case . For example , it was usual to find tandem seating in biplane basic trainers such as the Tiger Moth and the Jungmann , and the British used side by side seating in the operational conversion of some of its fast jets such as the English Electric Lightning . \n \n Phases \n \n Given the expense of military pilot training , air forces typically conduct training in phases to elininate unsuitable candidates . The cost to those air forces that do not follow a graduated training regimen is not just monetary but also in lives . For example , for many years the Indian Air Force operated without a suitable advanced training aircraft , leading to a high casualty rate as pilots moved to high performance MiG 21 aircraft without suitable assessment of their aptitude for supersonic flight . \n \n There are two main areas for instruction , flight training and operational training . In flight training a candidate seeks to develop their flying skills . In operational training the candidate learns to use his or her flying skills through simulated combat , attack and fighter techniques . \n \n Ab initio \n \n Typically , contemporary military pilots learn initial flying skills in a light aircraft not too dissimilar from civilian training aircraft . In this phase pilot candidates are screened for mental and physical attributes . Aircraft used for this purpose include the Slingsby Firefly , as at one time used by the United States Air Force Academy , and the Scottish Aviation Bulldogs of the RAF . The U.S. replaced the Firefly and the Enhanced Flight Screen Program ( EFSP ) with the Diamond DA20 and the Initial Flight Screening ( IFS ) program . At the end of this stage , pilot trainees are assessed as to where their attributes lie , as fast jet , multi-engine or rotary wing pilots . Those who are judged unsuitable for a pilot commission , but show other attributes , may be offered the chance to qualify as navigators and weapons officers . \n \n Smaller and more financially restricted air forces may use ultra-light aircraft , gliders and motor gliders for this role . \n \n Basic training \n \n After the ab-inito phase a candidate may progress to basic , or primary , trainers . These are usually turboprop trainers , like the Pilatus PC-9 and Embraer Tucano . Modern turbo-prop trainers can replicate the handling characteristics of jet aircraft as well as having sufficient performance to assess a candidate 's technical ability at an aircraft 's controls , reaction speed and the ability to anticipate events . Prior to the availability of high performance turboprops , basic training was conducted with jet aircraft such as the BAC Jet Provost , T-37 Tweet , and Fouga Magister . Those candidates who are not suitable to continue training as fast jet pilots may be offered flying commissions and be trained to fly multi-engined aircraft . \n \n Advanced training \n \n Those that progress to training for fast jet flying will then progress to an advanced trainer , typically capable of high subsonic speeds , high-energy manoeuvers , and equipped with systems that simulate modern weapons and surveillance . Examples of such jet trainer aircraft include the supersonic", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "odql_3199--Trainer_(aircraft).txt", "qid": "odql_3199", "question": "Which aeronautics company built the advanced trainer the 'Gnat', for the RAF in 1968?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid particles . This is used with a can or bottle that contains a payload and propellant under pressure . When the container 's valve is opened , the payload is forced out of a small hole and emerges as an aerosol or mist . As propellant expands to drive out the payload , only some propellant evaporates inside the can to maintain a constant pressure . Outside the can , the droplets of propellant evaporate rapidly , leaving the payload suspended as very fine particles or droplets . Typical payload liquids dispensed in this way are insecticides , deodorants and paints . \n \n An atomizer is a similar device that is pressurised by a hand-operated pump rather than by stored propellant . \n \n History \n \n The concepts of aerosol probably go as far back as 1790.Bellis , Mary \n [ http : //inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/aerosol.htm The History of Aerosol Spray Cans ] The first aerosol spray can patent was granted in Oslo in 1927 to Erik Rotheim , a Norwegian chemical engineer , and a United States patent was granted for the invention in 1931 . The patent rights were sold to a United States company for 100,000 Norwegian kroner . The Norwegian Postal Service , Posten Norge , celebrated the invention by issuing a stamp in 1998 . \n \n In 1939 , American Julian S. Kahn received a patent for a disposable spray can , but the product remained largely undeveloped . Kahn 's idea was to mix cream and a propellant from two sources to make whipped cream at home — not a true aerosol in that sense . Moreover , in 1949 , he disclaimed his first four claims , which were the foundation of his following patent claims . It was not until 1941 that the aerosol spray can was first put to good use by Americans Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan , who are credited as the inventors of the modern spray can . Their design of a refillable spray can dubbed the `` bug bomb '' , is the ancestor of many popular commercial spray products . Pressurized by liquefied gas , which gave it propellant qualities , the small , portable can enabled soldiers to defend against malaria-carrying mosquitoes by spraying inside tents and airplanes in the Pacific during World War II . Goodhue and Sullivan received the first Erik Rotheim Gold Medal from the Federation of European Aerosol Associations on August 28 , 1970 in Oslo , Norway in recognition of their early patents and subsequent pioneering work with aerosols . In 1948 , three companies were granted licenses by the United States government to manufacture aerosols . Two of the three companies , Chase Products Company and Claire Manufacturing , still manufacture aerosols to this day . The `` crimp-on valve '' , used to control the spray in low-pressure aerosols was developed in 1949 by Bronx machine shop proprietor Robert H. Abplanalp . \n \n In 1974 , Drs . Frank Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina proposed that chlorofluorocarbons , used as propellants in aerosol sprays , contributed to the depletion of Earth 's ozone layer . In response to this theory , the U.S. Congress passed amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1977 authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the presence of CFCs in the atmosphere . The United Nations Environment Programme called for ozone layer research that same year , and , in 1981 , authorized a global framework convention on ozone layer protection . In 1985 , Joe Farman , Brian G. Gardiner , and Jon Shanklin published the first scientific paper detailing the hole in the ozone layer . That same year , the Vienna Convention was signed in response to the UN 's authorization . Two years later , the Montreal Protocol , which regulated the production of CFCs was formally signed . It came into effect in 1989 . The U.S. formally phased out CFCs in 1995 . \n \n Aerosol propellants \n \n If aerosol cans were simply filled with compressed gas , it would either need to be at a dangerously high pressure and require special pressure vessel design ( like in gas cylinders ) , or the amount of payload in the can would be small , and rapidly deplete . \n Usually the gas is the vapor of a liquid with boiling point slightly lower than room temperature . This means that inside the pressurized can , the vapor can exist in equilibrium with its bulk liquid at a pressure that is higher than atmospheric pressure ( and able to expel the payload ) , but not dangerously high .", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 617, "text": "insecticides" } ], "id": "qg_2859--Aerosol_spray.txt", "qid": "qg_2859", "question": "During World War II, U.S. soldiers used the first commercial aerosol cans to hold what?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Malcolm Timothy Gladwell , CM ( born September 3 , 1963 ) is an English-born Canadian journalist , bestselling author , and speaker . He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996 . He has written five books , The Tipping Point : How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference ( 2000 ) , Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinking ( 2005 ) , Outliers : The Story of Success ( 2008 ) , What the Dog Saw : And Other Adventures ( 2009 ) , a collection of his journalism , and David and Goliath : Underdogs , Misfits , and the Art of Battling Giants ( 2013 ) . All five books were on The New York Times Best Seller list . \n \n Gladwell 's books and articles often deal with the unexpected implications of research in the social sciences and make frequent and extended use of academic work , particularly in the areas of sociology , psychology , and social psychology . Gladwell was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 30 , 2011 . \n \n Early life \n \n Gladwell was born in Fareham , Hampshire , England . His mother is Joyce ( née Nation ) Gladwell , a Jamaican-born psychotherapist . His father , Graham Gladwell , is a mathematics professor from Kent , England . \n \n Gladwell has said that his mother is his role model as a writer . When he was six his family moved from Southampton to Elmira , Ontario , Canada . \n \n Gladwell 's father noted that Malcolm was an unusually single-minded and ambitious boy.Preston , John . [ http : //www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/6416229/Malcolm-Gladwell-interview.html Malcolm Gladwell Interview ] . The Telegraph . October 26 , 2009 . When Malcolm was 11 , his father , who was a Professor of Mathematics and Engineering at the University of Waterloo , allowed him to wander around the offices at his university , which stoked the boy 's interest in reading and libraries.Grossman , Lev . [ http : //www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1858880,00.html `` Outliers : Malcolm Gladwell 's Success Story '' ] , Time.com , November 18 , 2008 . During his high school years , Gladwell was a middle-distance runner and won the 14 year old boys 1,500 meter title at the 1978 Ontario High School Championships in Kingston , Ontario , with a time of 4:05.2 seconds . In the spring of 1982 , Gladwell interned with the National Journalism Center in Washington , D.C . He graduated with a degree in History from University of Toronto , Trinity College , Toronto in 1984 . \n \n Career \n \n Gladwell 's grades were not good enough for graduate school ( as Gladwell puts it , `` college was not an ... intellectually fruitful time for me '' ) , so he decided to go into advertising . After being rejected by every advertising agency he applied to , he accepted a journalism position at The American Spectator and moved to Indiana.Sample , Ian . [ http : //www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/oct/17/what-the-dog-saw-gladwell-review What The Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell Review ] . Guardian . October 17 , 2009 . He subsequently wrote for Insight on the News , a conservative magazine owned by the Rev . Sun Myung Moon 's Unification Church . In 1987 , Gladwell began covering business and science for The Washington Post , where he worked until 1996 . [ http : //cooper.edu/news-events/news/malcolm-gladwell-will-be-the-cooper-union-s-152nd-commencement-speaker/ Malcolm Gladwell will be The Cooper Union 's 152nd Commencement Speaker ] . The Cooper Union . March 22 , 2011 . In a personal elucidation of the 10,000 hour rule he popularized in Outliers , Gladwell notes , `` I was a basket case at the beginning , and I felt like an expert at the end . It took 10 years—exactly that long . '' \n \n When Gladwell started at The New Yorker in 1996 he wanted to `` mine current academic research for insights , theories , direction , or inspiration . '' His first assignment was to write a piece about fashion . Instead of writing about high-class fashion , Gladwell opted to write a piece about a man who manufactured T-shirts , saying `` it was much more interesting to write a piece about someone who made a T-shirt for $ 8 than it was to write about a dress that costs $ 100,000 . I mean , you or I could make a dress for $ 100,000 , but to make a T-shirt for $ 8 – that 's much tougher . '' \n \n Gladwell gained popularity with two New Yorker articles , both written in 1996 : `` The Tipping Point '' and `` The Coolhunt '' McNett", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1512, "text": "malcolm gladwell" } ], "id": "bb_7167--Malcolm_Gladwell.txt", "qid": "bb_7167", "question": "Who wrote the best selling book The Tipping Point?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The James Bond series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming , who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections . Since Fleming 's death in 1964 , eight other authors have written authorised Bond novels or novelizations : Kingsley Amis , Christopher Wood , John Gardner , Raymond Benson , Sebastian Faulks , Jeffery Deaver , William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz . The latest novel is Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz , published in September 2015 . Additionally Charlie Higson wrote a series on a young James Bond , and Kate Westbrook wrote three novels based on the diaries of a recurring series character , Moneypenny . \n \n The character has also been adapted for television , radio , comic strip , video games and film . The films are the longest continually running and the third-highest-grossing film series to date , which started in 1962 with Dr. No , starring Sean Connery as Bond . As of , there have been twenty-four films in the Eon Productions series . The most recent Bond film , Spectre ( 2015 ) , stars Daniel Craig in his fourth portrayal of Bond ; he is the sixth actor to play Bond in the Eon series . There have also been two independent productions of Bond films : Casino Royale ( a 1967 spoof ) and Never Say Never Again ( a 1983 remake of an earlier Eon-produced film , Thunderball ) . \n \n The Bond films are renowned for a number of features , including the musical accompaniment , with the theme songs having received Academy Award nominations on several occasions , and two wins . Other important elements which run through most of the films include Bond 's cars , his guns , and the gadgets with which he is supplied by Q Branch . The films are also noted for Bond 's relationships with various women , who are sometimes referred to as `` Bond girls '' . \n \n Publication history \n \n Creation and inspiration \n \n As the central figure for his works , Ian Fleming created the fictional character of James Bond , an intelligence officer in the Secret Intelligence Service , commonly known as MI6 . Bond was also known by his code number , 007 , and was a Royal Naval Reserve Commander . \n \n Fleming based his fictional creation on a number of individuals he came across during his time in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II , admitting that Bond `` was a compound of all the secret agents and commando types I met during the war '' . Among those types were his brother , Peter , who had been involved in behind-the-lines operations in Norway and Greece during the war . Aside from Fleming 's brother , a number of others also provided some aspects of Bond 's make up , including Conrad O'Brien-ffrench , Patrick Dalzel-Job and Bill `` Biffy '' Dunderdale . \n \n The name James Bond came from that of the American ornithologist James Bond , a Caribbean bird expert and author of the definitive field guide Birds of the West Indies . Fleming , a keen birdwatcher himself , had a copy of Bond 's guide and he later explained to the ornithologist 's wife that `` It struck me that this brief , unromantic , Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed , and so a second James Bond was born '' . He further explained that : \n \n On another occasion , Fleming said : `` I wanted the simplest , dullest , plainest-sounding name I could find , 'James Bond ' was much better than something more interesting , like 'Peregrine Carruthers ' . Exotic things would happen to and around him , but he would be a neutral figure—an anonymous , blunt instrument wielded by a government department . '' \n \n Fleming decided that Bond should resemble both American singer Hoagy Carmichael and himself and in Casino Royale , Vesper Lynd remarks , `` Bond reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael , but there is something cold and ruthless . '' Likewise , in Moonraker , Special Branch Officer Gala Brand thinks that Bond is `` certainly good-looking ... Rather like Hoagy Carmichael in a way . That black hair falling down over the right eyebrow . Much the same bones . But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth , and the eyes were cold . '' \n \n Fleming also endowed Bond with many of his own traits , including sharing the same golf handicap , the taste for scrambled eggs and using the same", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "bt_778--James_Bond.txt", "qid": "bt_778", "question": "Who recorded Nobody Does It Better for one of the Bond films" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Dave Dee , Dozy , Beaky , Mick & Tich were a British pop/rock group of the 1960s . Two of their single releases sold in excess of one million copies each , and they reached number one in the UK Singles Chart with the second of them , `` The Legend of Xanadu '' . \n \n Biography \n \n Five friends from Wiltshire , David John Harman ( Dave Dee ) , Trevor Leonard Ward-Davies ( Dozy ) , John Dymond ( Beaky ) , Michael Wilson ( Mick ) and Ian Frederick Stephen Amey ( Tich ) , formed a group in 1961 , originally called Dave Dee and the Bostons . They soon gave up their jobs ( e.g . Dave Dee was a policeman ) to make their living from music . Apart from performing in the UK , they also occasionally played in Hamburg ( Star-Club , Top Ten Club ) and in Cologne ( Storyville ) . Ward-Davies had acquired his nickname when he unwrapped a chocolate bar before absent-mindedly discarding the bar and attempting to eat the wrapper . \n \n Vocalist Dee , the ex-policeman , was at the scene of the motoring accident that took the life of the American rock and roller Eddie Cochran and injured Gene Vincent in April 1960 . \n \n In summer 1964 , the British songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley became interested in recording them . The band was set up in the studio to make recordings with Joe Meek . These recording sessions failed to get off the ground as an interview with Dee stated that Meek `` had very strange recording techniques . He wanted us to play the song at half speed and then he would speed it up and put all these little tricks on it . We said we could n't do it that way . He exploded , threw coffee all over the studio and stormed up to his room . His assistant [ Patrick Pink ] came in and said , 'Mr Meek will not be doing any more recording today . ' That was it . We lugged all our gear out and went back home '' . While these recording sessions proved unsuccessful they eventually gained a recording contract with Fontana Records . \n \n Ken Howard said that : `` We changed their name to Dave Dee , Dozy , Beaky , Mick and Tich , because they were their actual nicknames and because we wanted to stress their very distinct personalities in a climate which regarded bands as collectives . '' The distinctive name , coupled with well produced and catchy songs by Howard and Blaikley , quickly caught the UK public 's imagination and their records started to sell in abundance . Indeed , between 1965 and 1969 , the group spent more weeks in the UK Singles Chart than the Beatles and made the odd tour 'down under ' to Australia and New Zealand , where they had also experienced some marked chart success during this period . \n \n They also scored a Number One hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1968 with `` The Legend of Xanadu '' . The combined sales figures were in excess of one million copies . Their other top 10 UK hits included `` Hideaway '' , `` Hold Tight ! `` , `` Bend It ! `` , `` Save Me ! `` , `` Touch Me , Touch Me '' , `` Okay ! `` , `` Zabadak ! '' and `` Last Night in Soho '' . \n \n `` Bend It ! '' was a big hit in Europe , including a Number One in Germany . To obtain a bouzouki sound on the recording , an electrified mandolin was used . The combined UK and European sales were over one million . However , in October 1966 , the British music magazine NME commented that dozens of US radio stations had banned the record , because the lyrics were considered too suggestive . The group responded by recording a new version in London with a different set of words , which was rush-released in the US , as the original single was withdrawn from sale . \n \n The band were big sellers elsewhere in the world , particularly in British Commonwealth countries . In New Zealand , the group had three number one hits , and 7 other songs reached the top 10 . In Australia , they reached the top 10 with `` Hold Tight ! `` , `` Bend It ! `` , `` Zabadak ! '' and `` The Legend of Xanadu '' . In Canada , the band scored two top 10", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 241, "text": "legend of xanadu" } ], "id": "sfq_10501--Dave_Dee,_Dozy,_Beaky,_Mick_&_Tich.txt", "qid": "sfq_10501", "question": "What was the only number 1 record for Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The Prime Minister of Turkey ( Turkish : Başbakan ) is the head of government of Turkey . The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament ( Meclis ) and the leader of the cabinet . The current holder of the position is Binali Yıldırım of the Justice and Development Party ( AKP ) , who took office on 24 May 2016 . \n \n History \n \n In the Ottoman Empire , the prime minister of the Ottoman sultan was called Grand Vizier . After the Tanzimat period in the 19th century , the grand viziers came to assume a role more like that of the prime ministers of contemporary Western European monarchies . Later , with the Ottoman constitution of 1876 , a parliament was established to oversee the prime minister , and with the amendments to the constitution during the Second Constitutional Era , the prime minister was made answerable to the parliament rather than the sultan . Finally , with the declaration of republic in 1923 , the appointer of the prime minister became the president , instead of the sultan . \n \n List of Prime Ministers \n \n Living former Prime Ministers \n \n Longest track records \n \n Timeline \n \n ImageSize = width:800 height : auto barincrement:12 \n PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20 \n AlignBars = late \n \n DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy \n Period = from:01/01/1920 till:26/05/2016 \n TimeAxis = orientation : horizontal \n ScaleMajor = unit : year increment:10 start:1920 \n \n Colors = \n id : ind value : rgb ( 0.8,0.8,0.8 ) \n \n BarData = \n barset : PM \n \n PlotData= \n width:5 align : left fontsize : S shift : ( 5 , -4 ) anchor : till \n barset : PM \n \n from : 03/05/1920 till : 24/01/1921 color : red text : '' Atatürk '' fontsize:10 \n from : 24/01/1921 till : 09/06/1922 color : red text : '' Çakmak '' fontsize:10 \n from : 12/06/1922 till : 04/08/1923 color : red text : '' Orbay '' fontsize:10 \n from : 14/08/1923 till : 27/10/1923 color : red text : '' Okyar '' fontsize:10 \n from : 01/11/1923 till : 21/11/1924 color : red text : '' İnönü '' fontsize:10 \n from : 21/11/1924 till : 06/03/1925 color : red text : '' Okyar '' fontsize:10 \n from : 06/03/1925 till : 27/09/1937 color : red text : '' İnönü '' fontsize:10 \n from : 27/09/1937 till : 25/01/1939 color : red text : '' Bayar '' fontsize:10 \n from : 25/01/1939 till : 09/07/1942 color : red text : '' Saydam '' fontsize:10 \n from : 09/07/1942 till : 07/08/1946 color : red text : '' Saracoğlu '' fontsize:10 \n from : 07/08/1946 till : 09/09/1947 color : red text : '' Peker '' fontsize:10 \n from : 10/09/1947 till : 16/01/1949 color : red text : '' Saka '' fontsize:10 \n from : 16/01/1949 till : 22/05/1950 color : red text : '' Günaltay '' fontsize:10 \n from : 22/05/1950 till : 27/05/1960 color : blue text : '' Menderes '' fontsize:10 \n from : 28/05/1960 till : 05/01/1961 color : ind text : '' Gürsel '' fontsize:10 \n from : 20/11/1961 till : 20/02/1965 color : red text : '' İnönü '' fontsize:10 \n from : 20/02/1965 till : 27/10/1965 color : ind text : '' Ürgüplü '' fontsize:10 \n from : 27/10/1965 till : 26/03/1971 color : green text : '' Demirel '' fontsize:10 \n from : 26/03/1971 till : 17/04/1972 color : ind text : '' Erim '' fontsize:10 \n from : 17/04/1972 till : 15/04/1973 color : yellow text : '' Melen '' fontsize:10 \n from : 15/04/1973 till : 25/01/1974 color : ind text : '' Talu '' fontsize:10 \n from : 25/01/1974 till : 17/11/1974 color : ind text : '' Ecevit '' fontsize:10 \n from : 17/11/1974 till : 31/03/1975 color : ind text : '' Irmak '' fontsize:10 \n from : 31/03/1975 till : 21/06/1977 color : green text : '' Demirel '' fontsize:10 \n from : 21/06/1977 till : 21/07/1977 color : red text : '' Ecevit '' fontsize:10 \n from : 21/07/1977 till : 05/01/1978 color : green text : '' Demirel '' fontsize:10 \n from : 05/01/1978 till : 12/11/1979 color : red text : '' Ecevit '' fontsize:10 \n from : 12/11/1979 till : 20/09/1980 color : green text : '' Demirel '' fontsize:10 \n from : 12/09/1980 till : 12/09/1980 color : orange text : `` Feyzioğlu '' fontsize:10 \n from : 20/09/1980 till : 13/12/1983 color : ind text : '' Ulusu '' fontsize:10 \n from : 13/12/1983 till : 31/10/1989 color : yellow text : '' Özal '' fontsize:10", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 22, "text": "turkey" } ], "id": "qb_5587--Prime_Minister_of_Turkey.txt", "qid": "qb_5587", "question": "Bulent Ecevit was Prime Minister of which country from 1999 to 2002?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "René Descartes ( ; ; Latinized : Renatus Cartesius ; adjectival form : `` Cartesian '' ; 31 March 1596 - 11 February 1650 ) was a French philosopher , mathematician , and scientist . Dubbed the father of modern western philosophy , much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings , which are studied closely to this day . He spent about 20 years of his life in the Dutch Republic . \n \n Descartes 's Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments . Descartes 's influence in mathematics is equally apparent ; the Cartesian coordinate system—allowing reference to a point in space as a set of numbers , and allowing algebraic equations to be expressed as geometric shapes in a two- or three-dimensional coordinate system ( and conversely , shapes to be described as equations ) —was named after him . He is credited as the father of analytical geometry , the bridge between algebra and geometry , used in the discovery of infinitesimal calculus and analysis . Descartes was also one of the key figures in the scientific revolution . \n \n Descartes refused to accept the authority of previous philosophers , and refused to trust his own senses . He frequently set his views apart from those of his predecessors . In the opening section of the Passions of the Soul , a treatise on the early modern version of what are now commonly called emotions , Descartes goes so far as to assert that he will write on this topic `` as if no one had written on these matters before '' . Many elements of his philosophy have precedents in late Aristotelianism , the revived Stoicism of the 16th century , or in earlier philosophers like Augustine . In his natural philosophy , he differs from the schools on two major points : First , he rejects the splitting of corporeal substance into matter and form ; second , he rejects any appeal to final ends—divine or natural—in explaining natural phenomena . In his theology , he insists on the absolute freedom of God 's act of creation . \n \n Descartes laid the foundation for 17th-century continental rationalism , later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz , and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes , Locke , Berkeley , and Hume . Leibniz , Spinoza and Descartes were all well-versed in mathematics as well as philosophy , and Descartes and Leibniz contributed greatly to science as well . \n \n His best known philosophical statement is `` Cogito ergo sum '' ( ; I think , therefore I am ) , found in part IV of Discourse on the Method ( 1637 ; written in French but with inclusion of `` Cogito ergo sum '' ) and §7 of part I of Principles of Philosophy ( 1644 ; written in Latin ) . \n \n Life \n \n Early life \n \n Descartes was born in La Haye en Touraine ( now Descartes , Indre-et-Loire ) , France , on 31 March 1596 . When he was one year old , his mother Jeanne Brochard died after trying to give birth to another child who also died . His father Joachim was a member of the Parlement of Brittany at Rennes . René lived with his grandmother and with his great-uncle . Although the Descartes family was Roman Catholic , the Poitou region was controlled by the Protestant Huguenots . In 1607 , late because of his fragile health , he entered the Jesuit Collège Royal Henry-Le-Grand at La Flèche where he was introduced to mathematics and physics , including Galileo 's work . After graduation in 1614 , he studied two years ( 1615–16 ) at the University of Poitiers , earning a Baccalauréat and Licence in Canon and Civil Law , in accordance with his father 's wishes that he should become a lawyer . From there he moved to Paris . \n \n In his book Discourse on the Method , Descartes recalls , \n I entirely abandoned the study of letters . Resolving to seek no knowledge other than that of which could be found in myself or else in the great book of the world , I spent the rest of my youth traveling , visiting courts and armies , mixing with people of diverse temperaments and ranks , gathering various experiences , testing myself in the situations which fortune offered me , and at all times reflecting upon whatever came my way so as to derive some profit from it . \n \n Given his ambition to become a professional military officer , in 1618 , Descartes joined the Dutch States", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 2488, "text": "cogito" } ], "id": "bb_1129--René_Descartes.txt", "qid": "bb_1129", "question": "What does the well known Latin phrase 'cogito, ergo sum', commonly attributed to René Descartes, translate as in English?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by placing tiles , each bearing a single letter , onto a gameboard which is divided into a 15×15 grid of squares . The tiles must form words which , in crossword fashion , flow left to right in rows or downwards in columns . The words must be defined in a standard dictionary , or present in specified reference works ( e.g. , the Official Tournament and Club Word List , the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary ) , which provide a list of officially permissible words . \n \n The name Scrabble is a trademark of Hasbro , Inc. in the United States and Canada and has been sold by Hasbro 's Parker Brothers division since 1999 . Prior to 1999 , it was sold as a Milton Bradley game . Outside the United States and Canada , Scrabble is a trademark of Mattel . The game is sold in 121 countries and is available in 29 languages ; approximately 150 million sets have been sold worldwide and roughly one-third of American and half of British homes have a Scrabble set . There are around 4,000 Scrabble clubs around the world . \n \n Game details \n \n The game is played by two to four players on a square board with a 15×15 grid of cells ( individually known as `` squares '' ) , each of which accommodates a single letter tile . \n In official club and tournament games , play is between two players or , occasionally , between two teams each of which collaborates on a single rack . \n \n The board is marked with `` premium '' squares , which multiply the number of points awarded : eight dark red `` triple-word '' squares , 17 pink `` double-word '' squares , of which one , the center square ( H8 ) , is marked with a star or other symbol ; 12 dark blue `` triple-letter '' squares , and 24 light blue `` double-letter '' squares . In 2008 , Hasbro changed the colors of the premium squares to orange for TW , red for DW , blue for DL , and green for TL . Despite this , the original premium square color scheme is still the preferred scheme for Scrabble boards used in tournaments . \n \n In an English-language set , the game contains 100 tiles , 98 of which are marked with a letter and a point value ranging from 1 to 10 . The number of points of each lettered tile is based on the letter 's frequency in standard English writing ; commonly used letters such as vowels are worth one point , while less common letters score higher , with Q and Z each worth 10 points . The game also has two blank tiles that are unmarked and carry no point value . The blank tiles can be used as substitutes for any letter ; once laid on the board , however , the choice is fixed . Other language sets use different letter set distributions with different point values . \n \n Tiles are usually made of wood or plastic and are 19 x square and 4 mm thick , making them slightly smaller than the squares on the board . Only the rosewood tiles of the deluxe edition varies the width up to 2 mm for different letters . Travelling versions of the game often have smaller tiles ( e.g . 13 x ) ; sometimes they are magnetic to keep them in place . The capital letter is printed in black at the centre of the tile face and the letter 's point value printed in a smaller font at the bottom right corner . \n \n S is the most valuable letter in English-language Scrabble because it easily goes on the ends of words ; Alfred Butts included only four instances to avoid a game that was `` too easy '' . Q is considered the most problematic letter , as most words with it also contain U ; a similar problem occurs in other languages like French , Dutch , Italian and German . J is also difficult to play due to its low frequency and a scarcity of words having it at the end . C and V may be troublesome in the endgame , since no two-letter words with them exist , save for CH in SOWPODS . \n \n History \n \n In 1938 , American architect Alfred Mosher Butts created the game as a variation on an earlier word game he invented called Lexiko . The two games had the same set of letter tiles , whose distributions and point", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 1655, "text": "8" } ], "id": "qb_245--Scrabble.txt", "qid": "qb_245", "question": "How many points is the ‘J’ tile worth in the game of Scrabble?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The Sixteen Men of Tain is the tenth studio album by guitarist Allan Holdsworth , released in March 2000 through Gnarly Geezer Records ( United States ) , Polydor Records ( Japan ) and JMS–Cream Records ( Europe ) ; a remastered edition was reissued in 2003 through Globe Music Media Arts . The album 's title is a reference to the Glenmorangie distillery in Scotland . This was the last recording to be made at Holdsworth 's personal recording studio The Brewery . \n \n Critical reception \n \n All About Jazz described The Sixteen Men of Tain as a `` very comfortable listen '' and recommended it highly , whilst noting that the album is less rock-orientated than past Holdsworth releases . David R. Adler at AllMusic gave it 4.5 stars out of five , calling it `` startlingly superb '' and `` full of fresh ideas and unadulterated improvisational brilliance '' . Both reviews also highlighted Holdsworth 's more restrained use of the SynthAxe , an instrument featured prominently on all of his albums since Atavachron ( 1986 ) . \n \n Track listing \n \n Personnel \n \n * Allan Holdsworth – guitar , SynthAxe , engineering , mixing , production \n * Gary Novak – drums ( except track 6 ) \n * Chad Wackerman – drums ( track 6 ) \n * Dave Carpenter – bass \n * Walt Fowler – trumpet \n * Duncan Aldrich – engineering \n * Chris Bellman – mastering", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 332, "text": "glenmorangie" } ], "id": "sfq_5439--The_Sixteen_Men_of_Tain.txt", "qid": "sfq_5439", "question": "Which Scottish malt whisky is produced by 'the sixteen men of Tain'?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "The International System of Units ( , SI ) is the modern form of the metric system , and is the most widely used system of measurement . It comprises a coherent system of units of measurement built on seven base units . It defines twenty-two named units , and includes many more unnamed coherent derived units . The system also establishes a set of twenty prefixes to the unit names and unit symbols that may be used when specifying multiples and fractions of the units . \n \n The system was published in 1960 as the result of an initiative that began in 1948 . It is based on the metre-kilogram-second system of units ( MKS ) rather than any variant of the centimetre-gram-second system ( CGS ) . SI is intended to be an evolving system , so prefixes and units are created and unit definitions are modified through international agreement as the technology of measurement progresses and the precision of measurements improves . The 24th and 25th General Conferences on Weights and Measures ( CGPM ) in 2011 and 2014 , for example , discussed a proposal to change the definition of the kilogram , linking it to an invariant of nature rather than to the mass of a material artefact , thereby ensuring long-term stability . \n \n The motivation for the development of the SI was the diversity of units that had sprung up within the CGS systems and the lack of coordination between the various disciplines that used them . The CGPM , which was established by the Metre Convention of 1875 , brought together many international organisations to not only agree on the definitions and standards of the new system but also agree on the rules for writing and presenting measurements in a standardised manner around the world . \n \n The International System of Units has been adopted by most developed countries ; however , the adoption has not been universal in all English-speaking countries . While metrication in the United States is consistent in science , medicine , government , and various fields of technology and engineering , common measurements are mostly performed in United States customary units , although these have officially been defined in terms of SI units . The United Kingdom has officially adopted a policy of partial metrication . Canada has adopted the SI for most governmental , medical and scientific purposes and for such varied uses as grocery weights , weather reports , traffic signs and gasoline sales , but imperial units are still legally permitted and remain in common use throughout many sectors of Canadian society , particularly in the building trade and the railway sector . \n \n History \n \n The metric system was first implemented during the French Revolution ( 1790s ) with just the metre and kilogram as standards of length and massThe differences between `` weight '' and `` mass '' were only formally qualified in 1901. respectively . In the 1830s Carl Friedrich Gauss laid the foundations for a coherent system based on length , mass , and time . In the 1860s a group working under the auspices of the British Association for the Advancement of Science formulated the requirement for a coherent system of units with base units and derived units . The inclusion of electrical units into the system was hampered by the customary use of more than one set of units , until 1900 when Giovanni Giorgi identified the need to define one single electrical quantity as a fourth base quantity alongside the original three base quantities . \n \n Meanwhile , in 1875 , the Treaty of the Metre passed responsibility for verification of the kilogram and metre against agreed prototypes from French to international control . In 1921 , the Treaty was extended to include all physical quantities including electrical units originally defined in 1893 . \n \n In 1948 , an overhaul of the metric system was set in motion which resulted in the development of the `` Practical system of units '' which , on its publication in 1960 , was given the name `` The International System of Units '' . In 1954 , the 10th General Conference on Weights and Measures ( CGPM ) identified electric current as the fourth base quantity in the practical system of units and added two more base quantities—temperature and luminous intensity—making six base quantities in all . The units associated with these quantities were the metre , kilogram , second , ampere , kelvin and candela . In 1971 , a seventh base quantity , amount of substance represented by the mole , was added to the definition of SI . \n \n Early development \n \n The metric system was developed from", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "wh_1917--International_System_of_Units.txt", "qid": "wh_1917", "question": "What is the S.I. Unit of radioactivity ?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Italy ( ) , officially the Italian Republic ( ) , is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe.The Italian peninsula is geographically located in Southern Europe , while North Italy can be placed partly or totally in Central Europe . Due to cultural , political and historical reasons , Italy is a Western European country . Italy covers an area of 301338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate or Mediterranean climate ; due to its shape , it is often referred to in Italy as lo Stivale ( the Boot ) . With 61 million inhabitants , it is the third most populous EU member state . Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea , Italy shares open land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , San Marino and Vatican City . \n \n Since classical times , ancient Phoenicians and Greeks , Etruscans , and Celts have inhabited the south , centre and north of the Italian Peninsula respectively , with various Italic peoples dispersed throughout Italy alongside other ancient Italian tribes and Greek , Carthaginian , and Phoenician colonies . The Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom , which eventually spread throughout Italy , assimilating and conquering other nearby civilizations and forming the Roman Republic . Rome ultimately emerged as the dominant power , conquering much of the ancient world and becoming the leading cultural , political , and religious centre of Western civilisation . The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the global distribution of civilian law , republican governments , Christianity and the Latin script . \n \n During the Middle Ages , Italy suffered sociopolitical collapse amid calamitous barbarian invasions , but by the 11th century , numerous rival city-states and maritime republics rose to great prosperity through shipping , commerce , and banking , and even laid the groundwork for capitalism . These independent city-states and regional republics , acting as Europe 's main port of entry for Asian and Near Eastern imported goods , often enjoyed a greater degree of democracy in comparison to the monarchies and feudal states found throughout Europe at the time , though much of central Italy remained under the control of the theocratic Papal States , while Southern Italy remained largely feudal , partially as a result of a succession of Byzantine , Arab , Norman , Spanish , and Bourbon conquests of the region . \n \n The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe , bringing a renewed interest in humanism , science , exploration , and art with the start of the modern era . Italian culture flourished at this time , producing famous scholars , artists , and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci , Galileo , Michelangelo , and Machiavelli . Explorers from Italy such as Marco Polo , Christopher Columbus , Amerigo Vespucci , and Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered new routes to the Far East and the New World , helping to usher in the European Age of Discovery . Nevertheless , Italy 's importance as a hub of commercial and political power significantly waned with the opening of trade routes from the New World , as New World imports and trade routes became more influential in Europe and bypassed the East Asian and Mediterranean trade routes that the Italian city-states had dominated . Furthermore , the Italian city-states constantly engaged one another in bloody warfare , with this tension and violent rivalry culminating in the Italian Wars of the 15th and 16th centuries , a series of wars and foreign invasions that left the Italian states vulnerable to annexation by neighboring European powers . Italy would remain politically fragmented and fall prey to conquest , occupation , and general foreign domination by European powers such as France , Spain , and Austria , subsequently entering a long period of decline . \n \n By the mid-19th century , a rising movement in support of Italian nationalism and Italian independence from foreign control lead to a period of revolutionary political upheaval known as the Risorgimento , which sought to bring about a rebirth of Italian cultural and economic prominence by liberating and consolidating the Italian peninsula and insular Italy into an independent and unified nation-state . After various unsuccessful attempts , the Italian Wars of Independence , the Expedition of the Thousand and the capture of Rome resulted in the eventual unification of the country , now a great power after centuries of foreign domination and political division . From the late 19th century to the early 20th century , the new Kingdom of Italy rapidly industrialized , especially in the so-called Industrial Triangle of Milan , Turin and Genoa in the", "qas": [ { "answers": [], "id": "bb_288--Italy.txt", "qid": "bb_288", "question": "In cycling, what colour jersey is worn by the leader of the Tour of Italy?" } ] } ] }

{ "paragraphs": [ { "context": "Year 49 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar . At the time , it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Lentulus and Marcellus ( or , less frequently , year 705 Ab urbe condita ) . The denomination 49 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period , when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years . \n \n Events \n \n By place \n \n Roman Republic \n \n * Consuls : Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus , Gaius Claudius Marcellus Maior . \n * The Great Roman Civil War commences : \n * * January 1 – The Roman Senate receives a proposal from Julius Caesar that he and Pompey should lay down their commands simultaneously . The Senate responds that Caesar must immediately surrender his command . \n * * January 10 – Julius Caesar leads his army across the Rubicon , which separates his jurisdiction ( Cisalpine Gaul ) from that of the Senate ( Italy ) , and thus initiates a civil war . In response , the Roman senate invokes the senatus consultum ultimum . \n * * February – Pompey 's flight to Epirus ( in Western Greece ) with most of the Senate . \n * * March 9 – Caesar advances against Pompeian forces in Spain . \n * * April 19 – Siege of Massilia : Caesar commences a siege at Massilia against the Pompeian Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus . He leaves the newly raised legions XVII , XVIII and XIX to conduct the siege . Decimus Brutus — victor over the Veneti ( see 56 BC ) — is in charge of the fleet to blockade the harbor . \n * * June – Caesar arrives in Spain ; seizes the Pyrenees passes against the Pompeians L. Afranius and Marcus Petreius . \n * * June 7 – Cicero slips out of Italy and goes to Salonika . \n * * July 30 – Caesar surrounds Afranius and Petreius 's army in Ilerda . \n * * August 2 – Pompeians in Ilerda surrender to Caesar and are granted pardon . \n * * August 24 – Caesar 's general Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in North Africa by the Pompeians under Attius Varus and King Juba I of Numidia ( whom he defeated earlier in the Battle of Utica ) , in the Battle of the Bagradas River , and commits suicide . \n * * September – Brutus defeats the combined Pompeian-Massilian naval forces in the naval Battle of Massilia , while the Caesarian fleet in the Adriatic is defeated near Curicta ( Krk ) . \n * * September 6 – Massilia surrendered to Caesar , coming back from Spain . \n * * October – Caesar appointed Dictator in Rome . \n \n Births \n \n * \n \n Deaths \n \n * Gaius Scribonius Curio ( suicide ) ( b . 90 BC ) \n * Xuan , emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty ( b . 91 BC ) \n * Zheng Ji , general during the Han Dynasty", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_start": 604, "text": "caesar" } ], "id": "qg_605--49_BC.txt", "qid": "qg_605", "question": "Crossing the Rubicon, meaning passing the point of no return, was coined when who marched his army across the river on his way to Rome in 49BC?" } ] } ] }