You may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It’s just that they do not recognize that their idea could be the start of an invention.

Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don’t let them slip away.

For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took too long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself.

Like Cochrane’s, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem.

You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. You can ask grandparents or neighbors if they remember ever saying:“I wish someone would invent something for…”Or you can look at people in different areas such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement.

Remember to record your ideas and work. This will help you develop your invention and protect it when it is completed.

The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied, and unusual ways.

You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle(角度)or thinking about it in a new way.

Example 1—instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from your feet.

Example 2—instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you by delivery or growing your own.

Example 3—instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders?

And if one solution doesn’t work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes(N次贴) came about—a “failed”adhesive(粘合剂)experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too!

After all, most inventions are not brand new. They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exist(存在).

And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention.

This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world?

1. The main idea of this story is________________.

A. how to improve the world around you

B. that you can invent and how you will be able to do so

C. problem-solving technique

D. how inventors invent

2. What makes inventors different from other people is probably that________________.

A. they consider every new idea as an invention

B. they are full of creative ideas

C. they enjoy solving problems

D. they look for problems and try to solve them in a new and better way

3. What made Josephine Cochrane decide to invent the dishwasher?

A. Her love of parties.

B. Her dislike of dishwashing.

C. Her desire for something that could do the dishwashing better.

D. Her love of inventing.

4. Which of the following is one of the ways to find a problem?

A. Look at the world from a different angle.

B. Find out things that people are not satisfied with.

C. Do experiments.

D. Never let a practical idea slip away.

5. The underlined phrase“come about”probably means to________________.

A. come into being　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    B. put to use

C. work　　　　　　    　　   　　　　　　　　　　　　    D. become

Improve the world around you

You may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It’s just that they do not recognize that their idea could be the start of an invention.

Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don’t let them slip away.

For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took too long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself.

Like Cochrane’s, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem.

You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. You can ask grandparents or neighbors if they remember ever saying:“I wish someone would invent something for…”Or you can look at people in different areas such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement.

Remember to record your ideas and work. This will help you develop your invention and protect it when it is completed.

The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied, and unusual ways.

You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle(角度)or thinking about it in a new way.

Example 1—instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from your feet.

Example 2—instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you by delivery or growing your own.

Example 3—instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders?

And if one solution doesn’t work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes(N次贴) came about—a “failed”adhesive(粘合剂)experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too!

After all, most inventions are not brand new. They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exist(存在).

And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention.

This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world?

1. The main idea of this story is________________.

A. how to improve the world around you

B. that you can invent and how you will be able to do so

C. problem-solving technique

D. how inventors invent

2. What makes inventors different from other people is probably that________________.

A. they consider every new idea as an invention

B. they are full of creative ideas

C. they enjoy solving problems

D. they look for problems and try to solve them in a new and better way

3. What made Josephine Cochrane decide to invent the dishwasher?

A. Her love of parties.

B. Her dislike of dishwashing.

C. Her desire for something that could do the dishwashing better.

D. Her love of inventing.

4. Which of the following is one of the ways to find a problem?

A. Look at the world from a different angle.

B. Find out things that people are not satisfied with.

C. Do experiments.

D. Never let a practical idea slip away.

5. The underlined phrase“come about”probably means to________________.

A. come into being　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    B. put to use

C. work　　　　　　    　　   　　　　　　　　　　　　    D. become

阅读理解

　　YOU may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It's just that they do not recognize that their ideas could be the start of an invention.

　　Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don't let them slip away.

　　For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself.

　　Like Cochrane's, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem.

　　You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. * You can ask grandparents or neighbors if they remember ever saying:“I wish someone would invent something for...”* Or you can look at people in different areas--such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement. * Remember to record you ideas and work. * This will help you develop your invention and protect (保护) it when it is completed.

　　The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied (各种各样的), and unusual ways.

　　You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle (角度) or thinking about it in a new way.

　　Example 1-instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from you feet.

　　Example 2-instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you--by delivery or growing your own.

　　Example 3-instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders?

　　And if one solution doesn't work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes (N次贴) came about ----a“failed”adhesive (粘合剂) experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too!

　　After all, most inventions are not brand new (全新的). * They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exit (存在).

　　And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention.

　　This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world?

　　Choose the best choice according to the story.

(1)The main idea of this story is ________.

[　　]

A．how to improve the world around you

B．that you can invent and how you will be able to do so

C．problem-solving technique

D．how inventors invent

(2)What makes inventors different from other people is probably that _______.

[　　]

A．they consider every new idea as an invention

B．they are full of creative ideas

C．they enjoy solving problems

D．they look for problems and try to solve them in a new and better way

(3)What made Josephine Cochrane decide to invent the dishwasher?

_______.

[　　]

A．Her love of parties.

B．Her dislike of dishwashing.

C．Her desire for something that could do the dishwashing better.

D．Her love of inventing.

(4)Which of the following is one of the ways to find a problem?

[　　]

A．Look at the world from a different angle.

B．Find out thing that people are not satisfied with.

C．Do experiments.

D．Never let a practical idea slip away.

The underlined phrase“came about”probably means to _______.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　YOU may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It's just that they do not recognize that their ideas could be the start of an invention.

　　Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don't let them slip away.

　　For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself.

　　Like Cochrane's, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem.

　　You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. * You can ask grandparents or neighbors if they remember ever saying:“I wish someone would invent something for...”* Or you can look at people in different areas--such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement. * Remember to record you ideas and work. * This will help you develop your invention and protect (保护) it when it is completed.

　　The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied (各种各样的), and unusual ways.

　　You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle (角度) or thinking about it in a new way.

　　Example 1-instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from you feet.

　　Example 2-instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you--by delivery or growing your own.

　　Example 3-instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders?

　　And if one solution doesn't work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes (N次贴) came about ----a“failed”adhesive (粘合剂) experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too!

　　After all, most inventions are not brand new (全新的). * They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exit (存在).

　　And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention.

　　This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world?

　　Choose the best choice according to the story.

(1)The main idea of this story is ________.

[　　]

A．how to improve the world around you

B．that you can invent and how you will be able to do so

C．problem-solving technique

D．how inventors invent

(2)What makes inventors different from other people is probably that _______.

[　　]

A．they consider every new idea as an invention

B．they are full of creative ideas

C．they enjoy solving problems

D．they look for problems and try to solve them in a new and better way

(3)What made Josephine Cochrane decide to invent the dishwasher?

_______.

[　　]

A．Her love of parties.

B．Her dislike of dishwashing.

C．Her desire for something that could do the dishwashing better.

D．Her love of inventing.

(4)Which of the following is one of the ways to find a problem?

[　　]

A．Look at the world from a different angle.

B．Find out thing that people are not satisfied with.

C．Do experiments.

D．Never let a practical idea slip away.

The underlined phrase“came about”probably means to _______.

[　　]

If I were writing a history of my family, some of the darkest moments recorded would be those surrounding Christmas trees. One would certainly think otherwise; selecting and putting up our trees have always been filled with risk. For example, one afternoon dangerously close to Christmas Eve my mother bought what she thought to be a bargain, a glorious tree that was so full and tall that we could hardly get it into the house. Once we did, my father immediately realized that we would have to hire a carpenter to build a stand for it. Another December, perhaps the very next one, we bought a tree earlier than we ever had before. We were happy with its shape and delighted that its size was manageable. We easily placed it in a stand, decorated it from top to bottom, and then self-satisfiedly sat back by the fire in its soft light. Two or three days passed and the truth could not be hidden; we had bought a tree cut so long ago that its needles were coming off. There was nothing to do but undecorate it, take it down, and begin tree shopping again. Our most recent Christmas tree offered still another difficult task. When we brought it home, once again it seemed larger than it was in the great outdoors. To complicate matters, we had bought a new stand, one whose nuts （螺帽） and bolts （闩子） worked more mysteriously than those of our old stands. I persuaded two young neighbors to stop playing basketball and to help us get the tree into the house and set it correctly in the stand. Unfortunately, no one noticed the mud on our helpers' shoes, so only after removing several reddish brown spots from the carpet were we able to discuss the question of where the lights and ornaments （装饰）were stored. Perhaps those who cut their own trees have tales more painful than these. I don't care to hear them, as my family's experiences are enough to cause me to make the following suggestion:" Let's forget the tree next Christmas. Let's simply hang some flowers on the front door and over the mirror in the hall. "

1.The darkest moments in the writer's family were with the fact that _____.

2.We can learn from the passage that the writer would like to _____.

3.When the writer said " my mother bought what she thought to be a bargain", he means ____.

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?