E
It doesn’t matter when and how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That’s what all doctors thought, until they heard about Al Herpin. Al Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves.
Al Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day, they never saw him sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one.
The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. They asked him many questions, hoping to find an answer. They found only one answer that might explain his condition. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason? No one could be sure.
Herpin died at the age of 94.
47. The main idea of this passage is that_____
A. large numbers of people do not need sleep  
B. a person was found who actually didn’t need any sleep
C. everyone needs some sleep to stay alive
D. people can live longer by trying not to sleep
48. After watching him closely, the doctors came to believe that Al Herpin_____
A. needed some kind of sleep         B. was too old to need any sleep  
C. needed no sleep at all             D. often sleep in a chair
49. One reason that might explain Herpin’s sleeplessness was _____
A. his mother’s injury before he was born
B. that he had gradually got rid of the sleeping habit
C. his magnificent physical condition
D. that he hadn’t got a bed
50. Al Herpin’s condition could be regarded as ______
A. a common one         B. one that could be cured
C. very healthy            D. a rare one

Attending a university is an important part of a person’s life. Today, many people go to a university to study and train for a future job in subjects like law, medicine, or education. But the university is not a modern invention. It has a history that is over a thousand years old.

The world’s oldest university, Al-Azhar, is in Cairo, Egypt. It was first built as a mosque in A.D. 972. A few years later, learners and teachers began meeting in the mosque in “tutoring circles”. They read and talked about the subject of law. Around 988, leaders in the city of Cairo decided to create a school for higher learning and the University of Al-Azhar was founded.

At Al-Azhar, there were many university ‘firsts.’ Courses were created. The earliest ones taught at Al-Azhar were in law and religion. In a course, students read and studied with the teacher, but there was also free discussion. Often, students and teachers talked about a topic, and there was no ‘right’ answer. Finally, scholars from around the world came to Al-Azhar to teach and do research. At the university, people studied the past, but it was also a place for sharing new ideas.

Over a thousand years later, Al-Azhar is still an important university in the world. Its library contains more than 250,000 of the world’s oldest and most valuable books. Today, many of the world’s most important universities such as Oxford and Harvard still follow the traditions started at Al-Azhar.

1.What’s this passage mainly about?

2. The first university was founded over _____ years ago.

3.The oldest university in the world is _____.

4. What does the underlined word “course” mean in this passage?

A. A series of lessons.                                    C. A period of time.

C. A series of actions.                                    D. A group of professors.

5.What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?

Attending a university is an important part of a person’s life. Today, many people go to a university to study and train for a future job in subjects like law, medicine, or education. But the university is not a modern invention. It has a history that is over a thousand years old.
The world’s oldest university, Al-Azhar, is in Cairo, Egypt. It was first built as a mosque in A.D. 972. A few years later, learners and teachers began meeting in the mosque in “tutoring circles”. They read and talked about the subject of law. Around 988, leaders in the city of Cairo decided to create a school for higher learning and the University of Al-Azhar was founded.
At Al-Azhar, there were many university ‘firsts.’ Courses were created. The earliest ones taught at Al-Azhar were in law and religion. In a course, students read and studied with the teacher, but there was also free discussion. Often, students and teachers talked about a topic, and there was no ‘right’ answer. Finally, scholars from around the world came to Al-Azhar to teach and do research. At the university, people studied the past, but it was also a place for sharing new ideas.
Over a thousand years later, Al-Azhar is still an important university in the world. Its library contains more than 250,000 of the world’s oldest and most valuable books. Today, many of the world’s most important universities such as Oxford and Harvard still follow the traditions started at Al-Azhar.
【小题1】What’s this passage mainly about?

Mrs. Blake teaches English in a large school in the inner area of a big city on the west of coast. Even since she was a young girl,she has wanted to become a teacher. She has taught eight years now and hasn‘t changed her mind.
After she graduated from high school， she went on to college. Four years later， she received her bachelor’s degree （B A） in English and her teaching certificate（证书）. Then she went to teach in the secondary schools of her state. In the summers， Mrs. Blake takes more classes； she hopes to get a master‘s degree （M A）. With an MA， she will receive a higher salary and if possible.  She hopes to get a doctor’s degree as well.
The school day at Mrs. Blake‘s high school， like that in many high schools in the United States， is divided into one hour each. Mrs. Blake must teach five of these periods. During her free period， which for her is from 2 to 3 P.M.  Mrs. Blake must meet with parents， make out examinations， check assignments at al.， Mrs. Blake works continuously from the time she arrives at school in the morning till the time she leaves for home late in the afternoon.
1. How long is it since Mrs. Blake graduated from middle school？
A. four years    B. eight years    C. twelve years    D. twenty years
2. According to the article，which is the right order of the degrees a person can receive after going to university？
A. a doctor‘s degree – a bachelor’s degree – a master‘s degree
B. a bachelor’s degree – a master‘s degree – a doctor’s degree
C. a master‘s degree—a bachelor’s degree – a doctor‘s degree
D. a bachelor’s degree – a doctor‘s degree—a master’s degree
3. How many degrees has Mrs. Blake achieved so far？
A. one    B. two    C. three     D. none
4. Which of the following sentences is not true？
A. Mrs. Blake teaches in the inner area of big city on the east of the United Sates
B. Mrs. Blake has turned her wish of becoming a teacher into reality.
C. Mrs. Blake is still studying in her holidays in order to get higher degrees.
D. The working hours in the school where Mrs. Blake works are similar to those of many other high schools in the states.
5. According to that third paragraph，Mrs. Blake is ______ during the school day.
A. lonely   B. free   C. funny    D. busy

It doesn’t matter when or how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That’s what all doctors thought, until they heard about Al Herpin. Al Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves.
Al Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day, they never saw Herpin sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one.
The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were puzzled by his strange continuous sleeplessness. They asked him a lot of questions, hoping to find an answer. They found only one answer that might explain this question. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason? No one could be sure.
Herpin died at the age of 94.
【小题1】The doctors came to Herpin’s home in order to __________.