Answering Temporal Questions on Tables (Read them carefully)

You will be answering temporal questions based on the information provided in a table.

In particular, your task is to provide the

  1. correct answer to the given question, and
  2. explanation behind the answer you wrote,

based on 

  1. the time-related facts presented in the table (using only the table), and
  2. your understanding of what you believe most people know about the world (temporal common sense)

Please follow these guidelines to ensure accurate and concise answers. ​

✔ Preferred ✔

  • ✔ Assume the current year to be 2022.
  • ✔ ​Read the table and question carefully to understand the table information.
  • ✔ Use only the information in the table to answer the question.
  • ✔ Keep your answers concise and to the point.
  • ✔ Use common sense to provide additional context where necessary.
  • ✔ Use proper grammar and punctuation in your reasoning steps.

✘ Avoid ✘

  • ✗ Use outside knowledge or information not present in the table.
  • ✗ Use names of people, places, or organizations not mentioned in the table.
  • ✗ Provide answers that are overly verbose or unclear.
  • ✗ Provide explanation steps that are incomplete or ambiguous.
  • ✗ Include opinions or assumptions in your explanation steps.
  • ✗ Use abbreviations or acronyms that are not defined in the table or the question

[Important] Avoid using information that you may know if you believe that it is not generally known.

The table below and the following examples clarify the instructions. Please go over these examples carefully.
Joe Biden
46th President of the United States
Incumbent
Assumed Office January 20, 2021
Vice President Kamala Harris
Preceded By Donald Trump
47th Vice President of the United States
In Office January 20, 2009 - January 20, 2017
President Barack Obama
Preceded By Dick Cheney
Succeeded By Mike Pence
United States Senator from Delaware
In Office January 3,1973 - Janurary 15, 2009
Preceded By J. Caleb Boggs
Succeeded By Ted Kaufman
Personal Details
Born Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. November 20, 1942,(age 79) Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political Party Democratic (1969 - present)
Other Political Affiliations Independent (before 1969)
Spouse(s) Nelia Hunter (m. 1966; died 1972)
Jill Jacobs (m. 1977)
Website Campaign Website
White House website
Other offices
2007-2009 Chair of the International Narchotics Control Caucas
2001 -2003, 2007-2009 Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
1987-1995 Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee

 

​​Answer the question based on time-related facts from the table, and provide a clear and concise explanation for your answer using information from the table.
Question1: How many years after the second marriage did Joe Biden become POTUS?
Answer: 44 years
Reason:  Joe Biden assumed the presidency on January 20, 2021. He married Jill Jacobs in 1977, which means there were 44 years between his second marriage and his presidency.
 
Question 2: Who was Joe Biden married to when he was first elected to the Senate?
Answer: Unmarried
Reason: Joe Biden was elected to the Senate from Delaware in 1972, and he assumed office on January 3, 1973. He married Nelia Hunter in 1966, and she died in 1972. Joe Biden married Jill Jacobs in 1977. Therefore, he was unmarried when he was first elected to the Senate.
 
Question 3: At what age does Joe Biden join the democratic political party?​
Answer: 27
Reason: Joe Biden was born on November 20, 1942. He became involved in politics during his college years and initially identified as an independent. He joined the Democratic Party in 1969, two years before he was first elected to the Senate, at the age of 27. 
​Answer the question based on time-related facts from the table, and provide a clear and concise explanation for your answer using information from the table.
Question 1: What positions did Joe Biden hold in 2008?
Answer: The United States Senator from Delaware, Chair of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Reason: Joe Biden served as the United States Senator from Delaware from January 3, 1973, to January 15, 2009. In 2008, he was also serving as the Chair of the International Narcotics Control Caucus (2007-2009) and Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (2007-2009, and previously 2001-2003)
 
Question 2: How many total years (terms) does Joe Biden hold as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?
Answer: 6 years (2)
Reason: Joe Biden served as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for two terms - first from 2001-2003 and then again from 2007-2009. Therefore, the total years he served as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was 6 years - from 2001 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2009.
 
​Question3: Who was the US senator from Delaware in Dec 1972?
Answer: J. Caleb Boggs
Reason: Joe Biden began serving as the United States Senator from Delaware on January 3, 1973, which means he was not in office in December 1972. J. Caleb Boggs, who was the predecessor of Joe Biden, served as the United States Senator from Delaware from 1960 to 1973, including the month of December 1972. Therefore, J. Caleb Boggs was the United States Senator from Delaware in December 1972.
​Answer the question based on time-related facts from the table, and provide a clear and concise explanation for your answer using information from the table.
Question1:  Who was the better half of Joe Biden in 1970?
Answer: Neilia Hunter
​Reason: "Better half" is a reference to one's spouse or partner. Joe Biden's spouses were Nelia Hunter (married in 1966, died in 1972) and Jill Jacobs (married in 1977). Therefore, in 1970, Joe Biden was married to Nelia Hunter.
 
Question2:  What was the relationship status of Joe Biden in 1979?
Answer: Married
​Reason: Marital status refers to whether someone is single, married, divorced, etc. In 1979, Joe Biden was married to his second wife, Jill Jacobs, whom he married in 1977.
 
Question3:  How many parties does Joe’s Biden’s is associated with in his entire lifetime?
Answer: one
​Reason: Before 1969, Joe Biden was registered as an Independent, which means he did not have a political party affiliation. However, since 1969, he has been associated with the Democratic Party, and he has been a member of that party ever since. Therefore, Joe Biden has been associated with one political party in his lifetime - the Democratic party (1969 to present).

 

 
 
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