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.

21. Which of the following best describes Webster’s life at Yale?

A. Tough.           B. Smooth.           C. Normal.          D. Tiring.

22. What did Noah want to be after graduation from Yale?

A. A teacher.       B. A lawyer.         C. A headmaster.    D. A scholar.

23. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

24. 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.

25. The ISBN for the book of poems is ________.

A. 9781462031795                  B. 9781412027854

C. 9780595433582                  D. 978 1462058679

26 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.

27. 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.

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.

28. 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

29. 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

30. The underlined word “alerts” most probably means “___________”.

A. warns            B. protects           C. threatens            D. allows

31. 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

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.

32. 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

33. 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.

34. 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

35. 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

 (36)_______You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessarily so. however. Anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. Here, s how：

Plan your time carefully. When planning your work, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list. you should make a schedule of your time. First your time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc. Then decide a good, regular time for studying. (37)_______ A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you realize what is happening to your time.

Find a good place to study. Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or television. When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.

Make good use of your time in class. (38)_______ Listening carefully in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher says.

Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes, review the important points that your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read that material. (39)_______ If you do these things regularly, the material will become more meaningful, and you’ll remember it longer.

Develop a good attitude towards tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. They help you remember your new knowledge. The world won’t end if you don’t pass a test,so don, t be over worried.

(40)_______ You will probably discover many others after you have tried these.

A. There are other methods that might help you with your studying.

B. Don’t forget to set aside enough time for entertainment.

C. Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teacher says.

D. No one can become a top student unless he or she works hard.

E. Maybe you are an average student.

F. Make full use of class time to take notes of what the teacher asys in class.

G. This wilI help you understand the next class.