When we talk about boomerangs (回飞棒), we usually mean the curved devices(弯曲的设备) that return to you when you throw them, but there are actually two different kinds of boomerangs: the returning type and the non-returning type. Most returning boomerangs measure 30 to 60 cm across. Non-returning boomerangs are usually heavier and longer; typically 1 meter or more across, usually used as hunting weapons.

    Experts believe the invention of boomerangs was mostly a matter of trial and error. First let’s consider how a primitive hunter might have come up with a non-returning boomerang. In nature, there are plenty of sticks that are bent in a curve like a boomerang, and people probably threw the sorts of sticks all the time. Because of the stabilizing motion of the two branches of the stick, this sort of stick would have stayed in the air longer and would have been easier to send in the desired direction. Primitive humans noticed this and so they started specifically seeking out bent sticks. Then they started selecting the best curved sticks (thinner, longer ones work better) and were soon making some changes so they were especially suited for taking down birds and animals.

    Experts aren’t really sure when and where people first developed returning boomerangs, but the Aborigines of Australia are generally credited with the invention. The Aborigines used non-returning boomerangs, which they called kylies, widely in hunting, and the theory is that at some point, one or more Aborigines used a kylie with the particular shape of a boomerang and noticed that it traveled in a curve. That might have been a pure accident.

    The amazing flight pattern of the new discovery didn’t really help out much in hunting—it actually made it harder to aim accurately—but it was, of course, really cool. Evidently, the Aborigines perfected the boomerang design and throwing technique for the simple pleasure of it. However, the boomerang did have some limited use in hunting. The Aborigines would set up nets in trees and then throw the boomerang into the air while making a hawk（鹰）call. This would scare birds so they would fly down into the nets.

51. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A. How primitive men invented returning boomerangs.

B. How non-returning boomerangs were invented.

C. How the Aborigines of Australia use boomerangs.

D. How to throw and catch returning boomerangs.

52. We learn from the passage that returning boomerangs_________.

A. were developed from non-returning boomerangs

B. were invented earlier than non-returning boomerangs

C. are generally called“kylies”by the Aborigines

D. are heavier and longer than non-returning boomerangs

53. From the fourth paragraph, we can infer non-returning boomerangs are more suitable for hunting because _________.

A. they look more frightening

B. they can move in a circle

C. they are easier to aim

D. they are lighter to carry

54. According to the passage，it is most probable that Aborigines_________.

A. first used bent sticks to frighten animals

B. never used returning boomerangs in hunting

C. liked to play with the kylie for pleasure

D. are the inventor of returning boomerangs

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity,” said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I’ve never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it’s probably worth listening to.
Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you’re a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump(树桩) for a rabbit to run out and break its neck.
A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It’s not about going to a temple to burn some incense(香) hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it’s practical advice you can follow each day.
Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper,” was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message.
It’s easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are “lucky”, in fact, keep an open mind and don’t go through the same routine every day.
I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I’ve had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I’ve also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman’s studies I think not.
As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it’s important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem.
Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English.
【小题1】Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer’s point?

A．Make the best of a bad job.

B．Rome was not built in a day.

C．All is not gold that glitters.

D．A good heart conquers ill fortune.

【小题2】What do you know about Oprah Winfrey?

A．She became famous through her family background.

B．She was very lucky and seldom suffered setbacks in her life.

C．She is a British talk show host.

D．She became successful by her own effort.

【小题3】 The writer quoted the Chinese tale of a farmer in order to show __________.

A．luck is in your own hand

B．bad luck can turn into good

C．you should not sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you

D．man can conquer nature

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity,” said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I’ve never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it’s probably worth listening to.
Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you’re a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump(树桩) for a rabbit to run out and break its neck.
A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It’s not about going to a temple to burn some incense(香) hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it’s practical advice you can follow each day.
Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper,” was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message.
It’s easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are “lucky”, in fact, keep an open mind and don’t go through the same routine every day.
I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I’ve had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I’ve also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman’s studies I think not.
As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it’s important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem.
Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English.
【小题1】Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer’s point?

A．Make the best of a bad job.

B．Rome was not built in a day.

C．All is not gold that glitters.

D．A good heart conquers ill fortune.

【小题2】What do you know about Oprah Winfrey?

A．She became famous through her family background.

B．She is a British talk show host.

C．She became successful by her own effort.

D．She was very lucky and seldom suffered setbacks in her life.

【小题3】The writer quoted the Chinese tale of a farmer in order to show __________.

A．man can conquer nature

B．luck is in your own hand

C．bad luck can turn into good

D．you should not sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity,” said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I’ve never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it’s probably worth listening to.
Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you’re a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump(树桩) for a rabbit to run out and break its neck.
A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It’s not about going to a temple to burn some incense(香) hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it’s practical advice you can follow each day.
Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper,” was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message.
It’s easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are “lucky”, in fact, keep an open mind and don’t go through the same routine every day.
I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I’ve had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I’ve also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman’s studies I think not.
As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it’s important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem.
Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English.
【小题1】Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer’s point?

A．Make the best of a bad job.

B．Rome was not built in a day.

C．All is not gold that glitters.

D．A good heart conquers ill fortune.

【小题2】 What do you know about Oprah Winfrey?

A．She became famous through her family background.

B．She was very lucky and seldom suffered setbacks in her life.

C．She is a British talk show host.

D．She became successful by her own effort.

【小题3】The writer quoted the Chinese tale of a farmer in order to show __________.

A．luck is in your own hand

B．bad luck can turn into good

C．you should not sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you

D．man can conquer nature

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity,” said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I’ve never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it’s probably worth listening to.
Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you’re a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump(树桩) for a rabbit to run out and break its neck.
A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It’s not about going to a temple to burn some incense(香) hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it’s practical advice you can follow each day.
Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper,” was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message.
It’s easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are “lucky”, in fact, keep an open mind and don’t go through the same routine every day.
I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I’ve had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I’ve also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman’s studies I think not.
As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it’s important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem.
Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English.
【小题1】Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer’s point?

A．Make the best of a bad job.

B．Rome was not built in a day.

C．All is not gold that glitters.

D．A good heart conquers ill fortune.

【小题2】What do you know about Oprah Winfrey?

A．She became famous through her family background.

B．She is a British talk show host.

C．She became successful by her own effort.

D．She was very lucky and seldom suffered setbacks in her life.

【小题3】The writer quoted the Chinese tale of a farmer in order to show __________.

A．man can conquer nature

B．luck is in your own hand

C．bad luck can turn into good

D．you should not sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you