There have been many great inventions, things that changed the way we live. The first great invention was one that is still very important today- the wheel. This made it easier to carry heavy things and to travel long distances.
For hundreds of years after that there were few inventions that had as much effect(影响) as the wheel. Then in the early 1800’s the world started to change. There was little unknown land left in the world. People didn’t have to explore(探测) much anymore. They began to work instead to make life better.
In the second half of the 19th century many great inventions were made. Among them were the camera, the light and the radio. These all became a big part of our life today.
The first part of the 20th century saw more great inventions. The helicopter in 1909. Movies with sound in 1926. The computer in 1928. And jet planes in 1930. This was also a time when a new material was first made. Nylon came in 1935. It changed the kind of clothes people wear.
By this time most people had a very good life, Man has a desire to explore again, the world was known to man but the stars were not. Man began looking for ways to go into space. Russia made the first step. Then the United States took a step. Since then other countries, including China and Japan, have made their steps into space.
In 1969 man took his biggest step from the earth. Americans first walked on the moon. This is certainly just a beginning thought. New inventions will someday allow us to do things we have never yet dreamed of.

1. 1.

   This passage talks mainly about________.

   1. A.
      why cars were very important        
   2. B.
      when light was invented
   3. C.
      which country made the first step into space 
   4. D.
      how inventions effect people’s life
2. 2.

   Nylon came out nearly at the same time as _______.

   1. A.
      radio
   2. B.
      camera
   3. C.
      jet planes
   4. D.
      movies
3. 3.

   Which of the statements is not true?

   1. A.
      The wheel was the first great invention that is still very important today. For hundredsof years after that there were many other inventions having as much effect as the wheel.
   2. B.
      America, Russia, Japan and China began to explore the stars before1969.
   3. C.
      In the early 1800’s people began to work instead of exploring more unknown land to make life better.
   4. D.
      New invention will change our life greatly in the future.
4. 4.

   What does “ a desire” mean in the sentence “Man had a desire to explore more.”?

   1. A.
      a good way
   2. B.
      a new invention
   3. C.
      a strong wish
   4. D.
      a wonderful idea
5. 5.

   Man didn’t have a desire to explore a lot_______.

   1. A.
      at the beginning of the 1800’s
   2. B.
      in the 1960’s
   3. C.
      since the 1900’s
   4. D.
      from the 1800’s to the 1960’s

— ________ fine weather it is today!

— Let’s go for a picnic.

A. What         B. How         C. What a          D. How a

Do you have a dictionary? I think almost everyone has one.But ,how often do you use a dictionary? I don't believe that everyone makes good use of it.You may come across lots of new words in your study and you will ask someone for the answers. But if you have a dictionary ,
please don't let it sleep.You should make better use of it .It can tell you not only the meaning of the words but also the use of them.What's more, it can tell you how to use them.
It is true that dictionaries are very useful and important to us.They are like silent teachers. When you have a question, you can turn to them.They will give you the right answer.They are also like a trusted friend and stay with you forever. You can learn a lot from them .
Don't be lazy. Don't let your dictionary sleep any more. You will find it is a new world if you walk to it.
【小题1】Does everyone make good use of the dictionary?

阅读与回答问题

1970 was “World Conservation(保护) Year”. The United Nations wanted everyone to know that the world is at risk(危险).They hoped that people would do something quickly to conserve nature.

Here is one example of the problem. At one time there were 1,300 plants, trees and flowers in Holland, but now only 860 are existing. The others have been destroyed by modern man and his technology.

Here is another example. In 1620, about half the USA was covered by forests. In 1850, about a third was covered by forests. Today the forests have almost gone. A lot of good land has gone with them, leaving only sand. Today too many trees are still being cut down.

We’re changing the earth, the air and water. We can’t live without these things. If we go on like this, we shall destroy ourselves. A lot of people know that conservation is necessary. Many things have been done to save our world. For example, people plant more and more trees on the hills. In a small town in the USA a large group of girls cleaned the banks of 11 kilometers of their river. Young people may hear about conservation through a record by the name of NO ONE’S GOING TO CHANGE OUR WORLD. It was made by Scales, Cliff Richard and other singers. The money from it will help to conserve wild plants and animals. In China, a new Great Wall has been built across the northern part of the country to stop the sand from moving towards the rich farmland in the south.

1.What year was 1970?

______________________________________________________________

2.What did the United Nations hope ?

______________________________________________________________

3.How much land in the USA is covered by forests in 1850?

______________________________________________________________

4.Can you give us an example that people have done to save our world?

______________________________________________________________

5.What has a new Great Wall been built for?

______________________________________________________________