Read the following passage and circle the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

An American, Charles D. Seeberger, produced the first commercial moving staircase to transport people in the 1890s. He called this (25)__________ an “escalator”, taking the name from the Latin word “scala”, which means “ladder”. Escalators move people up and down short distances Lifts do the same, but only move a small number of people. Escalators have the capacity to move a lot of people (26) __________ the same time, and they can be placed in the same space as one  might install a staircase.

A non-functioning escalator can be used as a normal staircase, whereas many other conveyances become useful when they (27) __________ down.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, cities were becoming more crowded (28) __________ the first escalators were built at railway stations and in big department stores so that people could move about more quickly. Today we see escalators everywhere.

25. A. inventor                        B. invention                C. inventing                            D. inventions

26. A. at                                  B. in                            C. on                                       D. of

27. A. break                            B. broke                      C. breaking                              D. have broken

28. A. and                               B. but                          C. therefore                             D. so

Reading the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on you answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks.

The growth of cities, the construction of hundreds of new factories, and the spread of railroads in the United States before 1850 had increased the need for better illumination. But the lighting in American homes had improved very little over that of ancient times. Through the colonial period, homes were lit with tallow candles or with a lamp of the kind used in ancient Rome – a dish of fish oil or other animal or vegetable oil in which a twisted rag served as a wick. Some people used lard, but they had to heat charcoal underneath to keep it soft and burnable. The sperm whale provided superior burning oil, but this was expensive. In 1830 a new substance called “camphene” was patented, and it proved to be an excellent illuminant. But while camphene gave a bright light it too remained expensive, had an unpleasant odor, and also was dangerously explosive.

Between 1830 and 1850, it seemed that the only hope for cheaper illumination in the United States was the wider use of gas. In the 1840s, American gas manufacturers adopted improved British techniques for producing illuminating gas from coal. But the expense of piping gas to the consumer remained so high that until the mid–nineteenth century gas lighting was feasible only in urban areas, and only for public buildings for the wealthy. In 1854, a Canadian doctor, Abraham Gesner, patented a process for distilling a pitch like mineral found in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that produced illuminating gas and an oil that he called “kerosene” (from “keros”, the Greek word for wax, and “ene” because it resembled camphene). Kerosene, though cheaper than camphene, had an unpleasant odor, and Gesner never made his fortune from it. But Gesner had aroused a new hope for making illuminating oil from a product coming out of North American mines.

The word “this” in paragraph 1 refers to _______.

A. oil 

B. charcoal

C. lard

D. wick

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

According to author, what was Webster‟s aim in writing An American Dictionary of the English Language? 

A. To demonstrate the distinct development of the English language in America

B. To influence the pronunciation of English language. 

C. To respond to the need for new schoolbooks. 

D. To promote spelling forms based upon British models. 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

The word “distinct” in the passage is closest in meaning to ___________ 

A. exact 

B. new 

C. simple 

D. different 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

The word “it” in the passage refers to ___________ 

A. authority 

B. usage 

C. language 

D. dictionary 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

In how many volumes was An American Dictionary of the English Language published?

A. Four volumes 

B. Three volumes 

C. Two volumes 

D. One volumes 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

When was An American Dictionary of the English Language published?

A. 1828 

B. 1817 

C. 1824 

D. 1807 

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

The word “inadequate” in the passage could be best replaced by ___________ 

A. unavailable 

B. difficult 

C. expensive 

D. unsatisfactory

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer of the questions from 13 to 22.

Few men have influenced the development of American English to the extent that Noah Webster did. Born in West Hartford, Connecticut, in 1758, his name has become synonymous with American dictionaries. Graduated from Yale in 1778, he was admitted to the bar in 1781 and thereafter began to practice law in Hartford. Later, when he turned to teaching, he discovered how  inadequate the available schoolbooks were for the children of a new and independent nation.

In response to the need for truly American textbooks, Webster published A Grammatical Institute of the English Language, a three-volume work that consisted of a speller, a grammar, and a reader. The first volume, which was generally known as The American Spelling Book, was so popular that eventually it sold more than 80 million copies and provided him with a considerable income for the rest of his life. While teaching, Webster began work on the Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, which was published in 1806.

In 1807 Noah Webster began his greatest work, An American Dictionary of the English Language. In preparing the manuscript, he devoted ten years to the study of English and its relationship to other languages and seven more years to the writing itself. Published in two volumes in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language has become the recognized authority for usage in the United States. Webster‟s purpose in writing it was to demonstrate that the American language was developing distinct meanings, pronunciation, and spellings from those of British English. He is responsible for advancing simplified spelling forms: develop instead of the British form develope; theater and center instead of theatre and centre; color and honor instead of colour and honour.

In 1840 Webster brought out a second edition of his dictionary, which included 70,000 entries instead of the original 38,000. This edition has served as the basis for many revisions that have been produced under the Webster name.

According to this passage, which one of the following spellings would Webster have approved in his dictionaries? 

A. develop 

B. honor 

C. theatre 

D. color