What do you think are the most important inventions of the past 2,000 years? The TV? The printing? The telephone? Or the computer? A report shows that these are not the only important inventions. Here are four other important ones.
Paper is one of the most important inventions. You can’t have printing without paper. In 105 AD, Cai Lun invented paper in China. Long before the printing and Internet, Cai Lun’s invention allowed us to write down information, stories and history.
One of the simplest (最简单) inventions to save life is the toilet. Before toilets, waste ran into the rivers from people’s houses. Illnesses were common (普通的) in big cities, and it was often difficult to find clean drinking water.
Animal food is another invention. Before the invention, most animals were killed every autumn because there was not enough food for them in the winter. After hay (干草) became a kind of common animal food, animals could live through the long winter.
Reading glasses is the fourth invention. People start getting far-sighted (远视) from the age of 45. Glasses mean that anyone can read, write and do “close work” after that age. Without glasses, the world would be difficult for the people above 45. Cai Lun’s invention of paper makes it possible to ______.
| A．have printing | B．feed animals |
| C．drink clean water | D．do “close work” |
The invention of the toilet can stop people from ______.
| A．saving water | B．getting ill |
| C．living in big cities | D．finding clean water |
Why couldn’t the animals live through the winter?
| A．It was very cold in winter. | B．They didn’t have enough food to eat. |
| C．They had no drinking water. | D．They died of illness. |
From the last paragraph we learn that ______.
| A．all people need reading glasses |
| B．anyone must do “close work” after 45 |
| C．reading glasses are useful |
| D．life is more difficult for the people under 45 |
I came to study in the USA a year ago. Yet I did not know the real American society until I injured (伤害) in an accident, because after the accident I had to see a doctor --- and to court (法院).
After the accident, my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and decided to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $ 200 for what he had done. I was very surprised. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible (负责) for my injury. I’d have to have a good lawyer (律师). And only a good doctor can help me get a good lawyer. Now that he had helped me find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every time I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another, yet he charged me $ 115 each time. The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $ 215.
My lawyer knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided not to ask for him again. And he made me pay him $ 770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Because of my inexperience, I told the insurance company (保险公司)the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time, and I left without getting a cent.
My experiences taught me two things about America: firstly, in a country like America money is everything. It is more important than friendship or honor. Secondly, foreigners are still being unfairly treated. So when we talk about America, we should see both its good and bad sides. The writer’s roommate offered to help him because ______.
| A．he thought it was a chance to make some money |
| B．he felt sorry for the writer |
| C．he knew the doctor was a very good one |
| D．he wanted the writer to have a good lawyer |
A good doctor is necessary for the writer to ______.
| A．be properly treated |
| B．talk with the person responsible for the accident |
| C．become healthy before he leaves America |
| D．finally get the responsible party to pay for his injury |
The word “charge” in this passage means “______”.
| A．be responsible | B．be careful |
| C．ask as a price | D．get an answer |
What can you get from the story?
A. Going to court is something very common in America.
B. Money is more important than other things in the USA.
C. There are more bad sides in America than good sides.
D. One must be very careful while driving a car.
Americans love to drive. They have drive-in movie theaters, drive-through restaurants and driving vacations. It’s often called the “Great American Road Trip”: Your whole family gets into a van or recreational vehicle (RV, 旅行房车), and hits the road for a summertime trip across the country.
American cars are always big, but RVs are the biggest. These are houses on wheels. RVs have kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. All across the country you can find RV parks – places to park your RV and spend the night. And, if you can’t find one, you can always make your home in a grocery store parking lot.
As big as RVs are, they still seem very small to a family who has to spend every hour of every day together. With your little brother kicking you in the face all night in your tiny bed under the table, the dog barking and Mom playing her country music on the radio, your family is not at its best.
What’s worse, RVs are always breaking down. So it’s possible to spend a lot of time watching dad under the RV on the side of a dusty road.
But RV travel can be a great time with the family, too. You can see the country in the comfort of your own “home”. You can spend every night in a different, natural and beautiful place, or just stay where you are. You don’t have to pay for hotels or restaurants, only gas. But, best of all, you are free to go wherever you want at any time in your home-away-from-home.
RVs have the following EXCEPT____.
| A．Bathrooms | B．Bedrooms | C．Kitchens | D．Gardens |
Why do American people like to travel in RVs?
| A．Because RVs can go faster than other cars. |
| B．Because they can listen to music on the radio. |
| C．Because RVs never break down on the road. |
| D．Because it’s like traveling in their own home. |
If you travel in RVs, you only have to pay for____.
| A．Hotels. | B．Gas. | C．Food. | D．Drinks. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Traveling in RVs is more expensive than living in hotels. |
| B．RVs are big enough for families traveling together. |
| C．It is not difficult to find parking places for RVs and spend the night. |
| D．It is less fun to travel in RVs than to stay in hotels. |
Last Tuesday, after doing all the family shopping in town, I wanted to have a rest before catching the train. So I bought a newspaper and some chocolate and went into a station coffee shop with long tables to sit at. I put my heavy bag down on the floor, put the newspaper and chocolate on the table to keep a place, and went to get a cup of coffee.
When I came back with my coffee, there was someone sitting near to me. It was one of those strange-looking young men, with dark glasses, torn clothes, and long hair. But I wasn't surprised at such a young man. What surprised me most was that he had started to eat my chocolate!
I was rather uneasy about him, but I didn't want to get into trouble. I just looked down at the front page of the newspaper and took a bit of chocolate. The boy looked at me. Then he took a second piece of my chocolate. I could hardly believe it. Still I didn't say anything. When he took a third one, I felt more angry than uneasy. I thought, "Well, I shall have the last piece." And I got it.
The boy gave me a strange look and then stood up. As he left, he shouted out, "This woman is crazy!" Everyone looked at me. That was embarrassing（令人难堪） enough. But it was worse when I finished my coffee and ready to leave. It wasn't my chocolate I had eaten a moment before. Mine was just under my newspaper. The woman telling the story went to town to_______.
| A．catch the train |
| B．buy some chocolate and coffee |
| C．have a rest |
| D．do some shopping for her family |
The woman was not happy because_______.
| A．the train was late |
| B．she was afraid of the young man |
| C．she thought the chocolate was hers |
| D．she couldn't find her coffee |
According to the story, who got angry at last?
| A．The young man | B．The woman |
| C．Neither of them | D．Both of them |
The woman found she had made a mistake
| A．just after she saw the young man next to her |
| B．when the young man was leaving |
| C．after she finished reading her newspaper |
| D．right before she was about to leave the coffee shop |
We can go to _______ to know the history of our city.
| A．City Art Museum | B．African Safari Park |
| C．Bell Tower Trips | D．Country Club |
If eight students go to see the animals in the zoo on Sunday, they should pay _______.
| A．$ 35 | B．$ 70 | C．$ 120 | D．$ 280 |
What can you do if you only have time between 4p.m. to 5p.m. on Saturday?
| A．Dance with your sweet heart |
| B．Enjoy the scenery from the top of the Bell Tower |
| C．Go to see the photo show |
| D．See animals without cages in your own car |
There have always been a lot of commonly believed but false(虚假的) ideas about being fat and doing exercise. Some people believe that they can't help putting an weight as they get older, while others hold that if they stop exercising, their muscles(肌肉) will turn into fat. Here are some more myths.
I’ll never lose weight--I come from a fat family
Wrong! While we can't change the body type we are born with, we can't blame our genes(基因) for making us fat. There's plenty of evidence that fatness runs in families, and the main reason is that they share the same habit of eating too much and exercise too little.
I am fat because I burn calories slowly
Wrong! Fatness is not caused by a slow metabolism(新陈代谢). In fact, although fat people consume(消耗) more energy than slim people, they also fail to realize how much they eat. Keeping a diary can help you work out your daily food intake more accurately(精确地).
Exercise is boring
Wrong! Anything will become boring if you do it again and again. The key is to develop a balanced and varied(各种的) program that's fun as well as progressive(不断进步的). If you enjoy a Sunday walk, take a different mute. If you do yoga(瑜伽), try a tai chi class.
No pain, no gain
Wrong! Exercise is not meant to hurt. Indeed, pain is your body telling you something's wrong, and continuing to exercise could lead to serious injury(伤害). You may experience mild discomfort as you begin to exercise regularly, but this is your body adapting to the positive changes in your lifestyle and the aches should disappear quickly. If they don't, rest and ask for medical advice.What does the writer think about being fat?
| A．It is the family genes that make people fat. |
| B．People are fat because they consume too little energy. |
| C．A diary of exercise can prevent people from becoming fat. |
| D．It is the result of people's unbalanced lifestyle. |
According to the writer, how can we make exercise more interesting?
| A．By taking all kinds of exercise. |
| B．By choosing simple exercise. |
| C．By doing regular exercise. |
| D．By sticking to outdoor exercise. |
What is the writer's opinion about "No pain, no gain" in exercising?
| A．Keeping fit is essentially a painful experience. |
| B．Exercise should be stopped if continuous pain is felt. |
| C．Pain in exercise is a precondition(前提) for reaching your goal. |
| D．Getting used to pain leads to positive changes in your body. |
The underlined words “adapting to” means “_______” in Chinese.
| A．适应 | B．顺从 | C．摆脱 | D．陷入 |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To show the importance of keeping fit. |
| B．To clarify(澄清) some misconceptions(误解) about fatness and exercise. |
| C．To confirm what has long been believed about keeping fit. |
| D．To explain some medical facts about being fat and doing exercise. |
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