6.The hammocks were important to the Indians at that time.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　 F

5.According to the passage, hammocks can be kept dry while the ground is wet. T　 F

4.Indians swing the hammock to keep away flies, mosquitoes and other insects. T　 F

3.The Europeans invented the hammock after they made acquaintance

with the Indians.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　 F

2. The Indians had invented the hammock long before the Europeans came

to South America.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　 F

1. The passage is about ____.

　 A. the Indian way of living　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. tropical regions

　 C. Indians' gift for the Europeans　　　　　　　　　 D. a special kind of bed

8.In the fifth paragraph the word surfing means ____ in Chinese.

　A. 帆船　　　　　　　　　 B. 滑冰　　　　　　　　　　 C. 冲浪　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. 潜泳

Words per minute ______

%Comprehension _______

Passage 35　

Indian Hammocks

There are warm tropical(热带的) regions all over the globe, but only the Indians of the South American rain forests have formed the habit of sleeping in the open air. Long before they made painful acquaintance (认识) with Europeans, they had invented something that was unique (奇特的) on earth: the hammock.

Nobody really knows who first had the bright idea of making sleeping in the air the symbol of untroubled rest. The Indians see the hammock as a "gift of heaven",

something given to them a very long time ago.

In it the Indians pass away hot noon hours, napping (午睡) or chatting. Swinging it to and fro (来来回回) creates a cooling breath of air and keeps away insects(昆虫). They work and play in hammocks, are born and die there.

Hung like a suspension bridge(吊桥)between heaven and earth, a hammock is dry while the soil is damp and is safe from most wild animals.

Hammocks have the advantage (优点) over beds in that they are easy to carry and take up very little space when they have been rolled up. Indians never go on a journey without their hammocks, not even to their plantations (种植园).

　　　　　　　　　　　　 Length 202

Total Reading Time ___

_____________________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions without referring to the reading:

7.People in cold countries like skating.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

6.Thailand is a country with much rain.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

5.Baseball is played all year around.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F