Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: "Colour" and "color","favourite" and "favorite"... Have you ever wondered why Americans spell those words without a "u"? Is it because they are lazy? Of course not. In fact,the difference in spelling was created by Noah Webster (1758-1843). He is a teacher who reformed English to make American identity stronger. Linguists celebrated his 250th birthday on October 16. After the Revolutionary War (1775~ 1783),Webster believed that Americans should have their own dictionary,rather than rely on British versions . He dropped the British "u" in some words. And he changed "centre" into "center" for children to learn English by spelling words more like they sounded. Webster wasn't shy about expressing his opinions. In defining preposterous (unreasonable),he wrote: "A republican government in the hands of females is preposterous." Webster spent 28 years on the project before completing the 70,000-word dictionary in 1828 with his American-style spellings. He also added local words. His dictionary was widely used in schools. Linguists believed it helped a new nation achieve unity and cultural independence at a time when most were focused on political freedom. "He was the shaper of our language and the shaper of American identity,"said Joshua Kendall,who is working on a biography about Webster. "He at last bonded us through our language." Question: According to the passage,when he worked on his dictionary, Noah Webster did all of the following EXCEPT _ . Options: A: voicing his opinion B: changing "centre" into "center" C: adding local words D: dropping "u" in all the British words
Ans: D

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Tears came into this mother's eyes when she talked about waking up her son. Every morning, her ten-year-old boy puts up one finger with his eyes still closed, begging for one more minute to sleep. Why is he so sleepy? Because, like thousands of student "early birds" in China, he has to get up before 6 a.m. every morning. School students usually need eight to ten hours' sleep a night. But in Shanghai, it's reported that 90% of the students do not get enough sleep. And studies show that without a good night's sleep, students seem to be weaker than they should be. Many become near-sighted as a result. Li Ming, a student at Qinghua High School, said that he usually goes to bed after 11 p.m. But when he has exams coming up, he can stay up as late as midnight. This "night bird" lifestyle has made many students nod off in class. Li Ming said that it is during afternoon classes that he feel most sleepy. "My parents are usually happy to see me studying so late," he said. "They think I work very hard and they make me cups of coffee." However, not all parents are happy about this. "My daughter gets up so early. She looks tired and it really hurts me." said one of the parents. Why don't so many students get enough sleep? Now many members of society began to think about it. Question: How does Li Ming's mother feel to see him studying late? Options: A: Sorry. B: Worried. C: Not unhappy. D: Angry.
Ans: C

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: MOOCs, an acronym for "massive open online courses," mark an important, possibly revolutionary, development in education. These courses are online, free of charge, and open to anyone in the world who has a laptop and an Internet connection. Moreover, they are mainly offered by elite universities like Standford, Berkeley, Harvard and Columbia. The courses, like normal college courses, are sequenced by difficulty, enabling students to progress from beginners to the advanced. The courses cover not only a broad range of technical subjects such as math and computer science, but also courses in the social sciences and the humanities . Though MOOCs are not offered for credit and degree, many students enroll in the courses for real skills or knowledge which they can put to some practical use. Some students even form online study groups, or in-person groups with students who live nearby. The format seems superior to the traditional school class. The average quality of the lecturer is much higher, because students do not have to stick with a mediocre lecturer. Besides, students can scroll back or forward--in short, they can go at their own learning speed, which they cannot do in a live lecture. And, of great importance, they do not have to travel anywhere to attend an online lecture. One can obtain a first-class American college education wherever he or she lives and however little money he or she has. There is a problem of asking questions of the lecturer in a class of ten thousand students, but some MOOCs have solved it by allowing students to post questions online for a vote, and only the most popular questions are put to the lecturer. In a knowledge era, lifelong learning is not confined to a traditional classroom. Of course, students enrolling in MOOCs cannot be compared with those who are in traditional universities, but we need to rethink what a "students" is. Students in MOOCs are very clever, have work experience, and in many cases, have already developed a set of core competences. Moreover, they also offer... Question: Which word is the best to describe students enrolling in MOOCs? Options: A: Mediocre B: Creative C: Practical D: Competent
Ans: C

Ques: Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Every person is unique and so are our sleep needs. But in today's busy world, how much sleep should we be getting each night? Research suggests that most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Children and teens need even more sleep than adults. The following is a breakdown of the recommended number of hours of sleep people need by age: INFANTS (0 to 2 months): .........................15 to 18 hours (2-12 months): ...........................14 to 15 hours CHILDREN (12-18 months): ........................13 to 15 hours (18 months-3 years): .................12 to 14 hours (3-5 years): ................................11 to 13 hours (5-12 years): ...............................9 to 11 hours TEENS (13-19 years): .............................8.5 to 9.5hours ADULTS (more than 20 years): .................7 to 9 hours As children grow, they go through many changes, including changes in sleep. Children and teens, like adults, need a regular sleep and wake timetable, even on weekends. Sleep should follow a relaxing bedtime plan. The bedroom should be cool, dark and quiet. Getting a good night's rest may become more difficult as they grow older because of more responsibilities and activities, the influence of TV, computers and so on. However, sleep is still an important part of teens' health and overall quality of life. So, how do teens measure how much sleep they need? If a teen has trouble staying awake during school, they probably are not getting enough quality sleep. Most sleep problems are treatable. If teens are having trouble in getting enough sleeps they need, it is important to see a doctor or other health experts. Question: The _ a person grows, the less sleep he needs. Options: A: taller B: older C: stronger D: thinner
Ans:
B