There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student entered the exam room and got seated before the committee. This student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all.
The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK.
Then the professor asked about the cure (药剂) for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right.
“Good,” said the professor, “ and how much will you give the patient?”
“A full spoon”, answered the student.
“Now you may go out and wait for what you can get.”, said the professor. At the same time, the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. “ A full spoon is too much,” he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, “Mr Professor, I’ve make a mistake! A full spoon is too much for a patient. He can take only five drops.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Said the professor coldly, “But it’s too late. Your patient has died.The students were afraid of the professor because_________.
| A．they often angered and disappointed him |
| B．their answers often astonished him |
| C．their answers seldom satisfied him |
| D．he often misunderstood(误解) them and give them bad marks |
The student’s description of the illness was _____.
| A．not correct | B．not satisfied | C．completely discouraging | D．accepted. |
Before he left the room the student was almost sure that ______.
| A．he had passed the exam, and the only thing was to wait for the mark |
| B．his last answer was satisfying |
| C．he had made a mistake |
| D．he had not done well in the exam. |
Which of the following is Not true?
| A．The patient will be in danger if he’s taken as much as a full spoon. |
| B．The doctor will be in trouble if he’s given the patient a full spoon. |
| C．Since one spoon is less than five drops, the patient will be all right soon if he takes only one full spoon at a time. |
| D．If the patient wants to remain safe, he should take no more than five drops at a time. |
Which guess is the most reasonable from the passage?
| A．The student must have passed the exam. |
| B．The student may not have passed the exam. |
| C．The student must have been very happy when he heard, “Your patient has died.” |
| D．The professor must have been very pleased and given the student a good mark. |
Many people believe that all ice cubes are created equal, but they are not. At least that’s what the folks at California’s Glace Luxury Ice Company would like us to believe. The Davisbased company says that the ice cubes they make are healthier and last longer than the ones that we throw into our drinks on a daily basis. What’s more, the company also says that their ice cubes do mot leave behind an aftertaste(余味)in drinks, like regular ones do.
In order to create these unique ice cubes, Glace Luxury begins with water that has been rid of the hazardous impurities(杂质)that the company says can lead to cancer and exist in regular ice. They then freeze it in large blocks. Once ready, the ice is carved into perfect cubes and each cube measures 2.5 inches across. Besides being healthier, these ice cubes apparently also take longer to melt. The company says that each ice cube can last up to 30 minutes.
Of course, those ice cubes do not come cheap. Those that wish to have a taste of this “tasteless” frozen perfection will have to pay $325USD for a bag of 50 ice cubes. That comes to $6.50USD for a single cube of ice!
The unique product is the brainchild of Robert Sequeira, a former business school lecturer who said that he wanted to establish a profitable business that could be easily scaled. Given that he can make as mush Glace Luxury ice as he needs for as little as $0.12USD per cube, he thinks that the idea certainly meets the standard. Now, if he can find that the few people can afford to buy this Glace Luxury ice, life would be great!People at California’s Glace Luxury Ice Company probably want consumers to believe that _____.
| A．ice cubes are healthy for people to use |
| B．their ice cubes add tastes to drinks |
| C．all ice cubes are created the same |
| D．their ice cubes are different |
What does the underlined word “hazardous” in paragraph 2 mean?
| A．Active | B．Regular | C．Dangerous | D．Powerful |
Compared with regular ice cubes, the ice cubes created by Glace Luxury Ice Company_____.
| A．taste much bette |
| B．look much more beautiful |
| C．have more different shapes |
| D．are healthier and melt more slowly |
What does the author think of the ice cubes created by Glace Luxury Ice Company?
| A．They will be a big success |
| B．They are too costly to make. |
| C．They are just regular ice cubes. |
| D．They are too expensive for consumers |
If you and your friends wish to share a secret, you can write it in code, and no one else will be able to read it. Codes are one way of writing in secret Ciphers(暗码)are another. In a code each word is written as a secret code word or a code number. In a cipher each letter is changed.
Codes and ciphers have played an important role in the history of the world. Julius Caesar, the Roman ruler who defeated almost all the countries in Europe about 2,000 years ago, used a cipher when he sent secret messages to his troops. During the American Revolution, George Washington’s spies used a kind of code to send his information about the enemy before his military action. In World War Ⅱ. the Americans ”broke” or figured out Japan’s most important navy codes and got enough information to destroy a powerful Japanese fleet.
Storekeepers use codes to mark their goods. The codes show how much is paid for the goods or when they are added to the stock. Businessmen use codes to hide plans from their business enemies. Sometimes personal letters or diaries are written in code. Many people enjoy figuring out codes and ciphers simply as a hobby.
In the 16th century, codes and ciphers Were very popular among scientists. They wrote messages to each other in code so that no one else would learn their secrets. Geronimo Gardano, all Italian astrologer(占星家), mathematician, and doctor, invented the trellis cipher.
He took two sheets of paper and cut exactly the same holes in each one. Then he sent one sheet, which he called a trellis, to a friend and kept the other for himself. Whenever he wanted to write a message. he put his trellis over a clean sheet of paper and wrote the secret message through the holes. There he removed the trellis and filled the rest of the paper with words that would make sense. When his friend received it, he put his trellis over the writing and read the secret message.The best title of this passage would be _______.
| A．Codes and Ciphers |
| B．Differences between Codes and Ciphers |
| C．History of Codes and Ciphers |
| D．Inventors of Codes and Ciphers |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Ciphers can be broken or figured out more easily than codes. |
| B．You could read some words in Geronimo’s letter without his trellis. |
| C．The first person who ever used a cipher in history was Julius Caesar. |
| D．Fondness of using codes was the hobby of the scientists in the 1600s. |
According to Geronimo Gardano, a trellis is _____________.
| A．a piece of paper with many small holes |
| B．a secret message with a lot of small holes |
| C．a letter with unreadable words and sentences |
| D．a sheet of paper with groups of Arabic figures |
It is NOT mentioned in the passage that codes and ciphers are used for the purpose of _________.
| A．military affairs | B．commercial secrets |
| C．scientific achievements | D．personal enjoyment |
Talking plants might sound like characters in a fairy tale. But recent scientific studies have shown that plants communicate with each other and with other living things in a surprising number of ways. To understand them, scientists say, we just have to learn their language. Farmers are especially interested in what plants have to say.
“Plants are able to communicate with all sorts of organisms(有机体). They can communicate with giant bacteria, with other plants and with insects. They do this chemically, ”said Cahill, an Ecology Professor of the University of Alberta in Canada.
Plant scientists are just beginning to understand this chemical “language”. Cahill says studies have shown, for example, that plants can evaluate conditions in their immediate environment and take appropriate actions. Plants have an ability, for example, to signal pain or discomfort caused by anything from temperature extremes to an insect attack. Jack Schultz, a professor of chemical ecology at the University of Missouri, says when a plant senses that it’S being eaten, it cannot walk away from trouble；on the contrary, it will release a chemical vapor that alerts other plants nearby.
“Their language is a chemical language, and it involves chemicals that move through the air, which are easily to be changed, and most of all are smells that we are familiar with, ” Schultz explained.
“All plants responded to the attack by changing their chemistry to defend themselves, ” Schultz recalled. “But we were quite surprised to find that nearby plants also changed their chemistry to defend themselves, even though they were not part of the experiment. ”
Studies have also shown that plants under attack release pleasant chemicals. Those chemicals attract friendly insects that attack the pests eating the plant.
In the end, plants’ability to communicate their needs－and our ability to understand them－could help farmers reduce the use of poisonous chemicals, cut operating costs and limit damage to the environment.The recent scientific studies have shown that plants can __________.
| A．communicate with other living things in a chemical way |
| B．hardly react to any sudden change in temperature |
| C．use a very special chemical language which is familiar to us |
| D．respond to the attack by giving off poisonous chemicals |
When being eaten by a pest, the plant will ___________.
| A．walk away from trouble |
| B．change its chemistry to kill the insect |
| C．release a chemicaI vapor to “ask” other plants for help |
| D．give off nice chemicals to attract friendly insects to a tack the pest |
The underlined word “alerts” most probably means “___________”.
| A．warns | B．protects |
| C．threatens | D．allows |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Communication between Plants |
| B．A Chemical “Language” |
| C．Plants Can Talk |
| D．How Plants Protect Themselves |
  Because of his family’s Jewish background, they are sent to live in the concentration camps(集中营). Scared and alone, Joshua one day makes frinds with a little mouse he calls Bethlehem who becomes his closest friend. |
  In his More Things in Heaven, Bill Bosworth presents the highlights of his 83 years of life, including his trips to India and the study of the writings of several great spiritual leaders. More things in Heaven will appeal to anyone who insists on finding the deepest meaning for their existence based on their own experience. |
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  It is an easy-to-read collection of poems originally written to encourage in faith and to be a cure for chronic depression(长期抑郁)…cure to strengthen identity and purpose. |
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  Were humans created, or did they evolve? How old is the Earth? The debate between science and religion continues to be heated. In Creation or Evolution, Michael Ebifegha examines these two opposed world views within the structure of empirical(实证的) science. |
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  Seeking the Edge provides the tools and techniques to find that edge in one’s life. －driving readers to achieve success whether in your current job, finding a new job, in education, family,or even hobbies. |
Who wrote the story about a little boy and a little mouse?
| A．Bill Bosworth. | B．Michelle O. Donovan. |
| C．Dr. Joseph I. Rose. | D．Gloria Coykendall. |
The ISBN for the book of poems is ________.
| A．9781462031795 | B．9781412027854 |
| C．9780595433582 | D．978 1462058679 |
What kind of readers will probably like reading More Things in Heaven?
| A．Those who are searching for the meaning of life. |
| B．Those who are trying to be spiritual leaders. |
| C．Those who study the art of writing. |
| D．Those who like traveling abroad. |
Which of the following books explores the origin of humans?
| A．Seeking the Edge. |
| B．Creation or Evolution. |
| C．Joshua, Helmut, and Bethlehem. |
| D．More Things in Heaven. |
Noah Webster, born on October 16, 1758, is known for The American Dictionary of the English Language. He has been called the" Father of American Scholarship and Education. " His " Blue-Backed Speller" books were used to teach spelling and reading to five generations of American children. But how much do you know about him beyond that?
At the age of 16, Noah Webster began attending Yale College, Unfortunately, he spent his four years at Yale during the American Revolutionary War, and, because of food shortages, many of his college classes were held in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Later, he served in the army. Having graduated from Yale in 1778, Webster wanted to continue his education in order to earn his law degree. He had to teach school in order to pay for his education. He set up many small schools that didn’t survive, but he was a good teacher because instead of forcing his students to learn, like what most teachers did, he rewarded them.
He earned his law degree in, 1781, but did not practice law until 1789. Once he started he found the law was not to his liking. Webster did not have much money.
In 1793, Alexander Hamilton lent him $ 1500 to move to New York City to edit a newspaper. In December, he founded New York’s first daily newspaper, American Minerva, and edited it for four years. For decades, he published textbooks, political essays, a report on some diseases, and newspaper articles for his party. He wrote so much that a modern list of his published works required 655 pages.
Noah Webster died on May 28, 1843 and was buried in the Grove Street Cemetery.Which of the following best describes Webster’s life at Yale?
| A．Tough. | B．Smooth. |
| C．Normal. | D．Tiring. |
What did Noah want to be after graduation from Yale?
| A．A teacher. | B．A lawyer. |
| C．A headmaster. | D．A scholar. |
What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
| A．Webster was a most productive author. |
| B．Webster led a miserable life in New York City. |
| C．Webster’S books added up to 655 pages. |
| D．Webster didn’t write any political Works. |