[A]

    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. He was 90 years old when doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They expected to find out that he needed sleep of some kind. But they were surprised. Though they watched him every hour of the day, they never saw Herpin sleeping. He did not even own a bed. He never needed one.
    The closest that Herpin came to resting was to sit in a rocking chair(摇椅) and read some news papers. The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. Herpin offered the only probable explanation of his condition. He remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born.
1. The point of this story is that _______.
A. We needn't feel surprised to find someone who doesn't sleep
B. one person was found who actually didn't need any sleep
C. everyone needs some rest to stay alive
D. not sleeping may help one to live longer
2 The doctors came to visit Herpin hoping to _______.
A. find a way to cure him of his sleeplessness
B. find out that his sleeplessness was not really true
C. find out why some old people didn't need any sleep
D. find a way to free people from needing any sleep
3. After watching him closely, the doctors believed that Al Herpin _______.
A. needed some kind of sleep        B. slept while one was watching
C. needed no sleep at all            D. nearly slept in a rocking chair
4. One suggested explanation of Herpin's sleeplessness was _______.
A. his old age B. his not having a bed
C. his magnificent physical condition
D. his mother's injury while carrying him
5.The writer of the story obviously thinks that Al Herpin's sleeplessness ___.
A. could be cured                 B. could be explained
C. was healthful                   D. was uncommon

[B]

    If you wish to become a better reader, here are four important points to remember about rate, or speed, of reading:
1. Knowing why you are reading---what you are reading to find out ---will often help you to know whether to read rapidly or slowly.
2. Some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing something, arithmetic problems, science and history books, which are full of important information. You must read such things slowly to remember each important step and understand each important idea.
3. Some things should be read rapidly throughout. Examples are simple stories meant for enjoyment, news, letters from friends, items, or bits of news from local, or hometown paper, telling what is happening to friends and neighbors.
4. In some of your readings, you must change your speed from fast to slow to fast, as you go along. You need to read certain pages rapidly and then slow down and do more careful readings when you come to important ideas which must be remembered.
6. According to the passage, your reading speed depends on _______.
A. whether the reading material is easy or difficult
B. what you are reading
C. what your prupose in reading something is
D. both B and C
7. If one wants to be relaxed by reading, one should take up__________
A. a story book
B. a book on science and technology
C. news, letters from friends
D. some material full of information
8. Which of the following readings should you read slowly and carefully?
A. Fairy tales.
B. Aesop’s Fables.
C. Directions for use of a machine.
D. An evening paper
9. Which of the following can best express the main idea of the passage？
A. How to decide your reading speed.
B. How to raise your reading speed.
C. How to improve your reading skills.
D. How to choose your reading materials