Ever since the first skyscraper(摩天大楼) was built in Chicago in 1883, more and more buildings that reach for the skies have been constructed in the large cities of the world.

For many years, the Empire State Building in New York City was the tallest building in the world. It was 1250 feet high when it was opened in 1931. Then in 1951 a TV transmission⑨ tower was added for radio and television broadcasts. This tower added 222 feet to its height.

Soon other skyscrapers were built. The World Trade Center in New York, 1350 feet high, and Chicago’s Sears Tower, 1450 feet high. No one can say how much higher skyscrapers will go in the future.

Early skyscrapers were built with thick heavy walls of solid brick, stone, or concrete. Now the new skyscrapers are built with a steel framework⑩ that supports the weight of the building. The solid walls are no longer needed, and the framework makes it possible to build to greater heights.

Built at first mainly for offices and shops, some skyscrapers are now becoming homes for people who want to live in the center of the city. The 100-story John Hancock Center, a Chicago skyscraper that opened in 1970, is an example. Between the first and 43rd floor, there are offices and shops. There is a swimming pool on the 44th floor. From the 45th floor to the 92nd there are apartments. The people who live in these apartments can look down on the clouds instead of up at them.

67.What happened to the Empire State Building in 1951?

A. It was no longer the tallest building in the world.

B. A tower was added to it, which increased its height.

C. It was transformed into a radio and television broadcasting station.

D. It provided homes for people who wanted to live in the city center.

68.We cannot know how much taller skyscrapers will become in the future because _______________.

A. a TV transmission tower can be added

B. solid walls of brick, stone or concrete are no longer needed

C. the steel framework makes it possible to build to greater heights

D. some skyscrapers are now becoming homes

69.Originally, skyscrapers were built as _______________.

A. business centers and offices

B. radio and television broadcasting stations

C. apartment complexes

D. apartment and shops

70.How do people benefit from living in the John Hancock Center?

A. They can enjoy looking at the clouds above the building.

B. They have all the city center facilities nearby.

C. They can use the swimming pool on the top of the building.

D. They can work at offices inside the building.

Ever since the first skyscraper(摩天大楼) was built in Chicago in 1883, more and more buildings that reach for the skies have been constructed in the large cities of the world.

For many years, the Empire State Building in New York City was the tallest building in the world. It was 1250 feet high when it was opened in 1931. Then in 1951 a TV transmission⑨ tower was added for radio and television broadcasts. This tower added 222 feet to its height.

Soon other skyscrapers were built. The World Trade Center in New York, 1350 feet high, and Chicago’s Sears Tower, 1450 feet high. No one can say how much higher skyscrapers will go in the future.

Early skyscrapers were built with thick heavy walls of solid brick, stone, or concrete. Now the new skyscrapers are built with a steel framework⑩ that supports the weight of the building. The solid walls are no longer needed, and the framework makes it possible to build to greater heights.

Built at first mainly for offices and shops, some skyscrapers are now becoming homes for people who want to live in the center of the city. The 100-story John Hancock Center, a Chicago skyscraper that opened in 1970, is an example. Between the first and 43rd floor, there are offices and shops. There is a swimming pool on the 44th floor. From the 45th floor to the 92nd there are apartments. The people who live in these apartments can look down on the clouds instead of up at them.

67.What happened to the Empire State Building in 1951?

A. It was no longer the tallest building in the world.

B. A tower was added to it, which increased its height.

C. It was transformed into a radio and television broadcasting station.

D. It provided homes for people who wanted to live in the city center.

68.We cannot know how much taller skyscrapers will become in the future because _______________.

A. a TV transmission tower can be added

B. solid walls of brick, stone or concrete are no longer needed

C. the steel framework makes it possible to build to greater heights

D. some skyscrapers are now becoming homes

69.Originally, skyscrapers were built as _______________.

A. business centers and offices

B. radio and television broadcasting stations

C. apartment complexes

D. apartment and shops

70.How do people benefit from living in the John Hancock Center?

A. They can enjoy looking at the clouds above the building.

B. They have all the city center facilities nearby.

C. They can use the swimming pool on the top of the building.

D. They can work at offices inside the building.

Cloze Test

Read the following passage, and choose the one that best fits into the passage.

　　The Aswan High Dam was completed in 1970. It was built for several 1 . First, the River Nile used to 2 large areas every year and destroyed 3 and crops. The Aswan High Dam 4 the waters of the Nile 5 they now run regularly all through the year. Second, 6 can now be made from the water which rushes 7 the base of the dam.

　　 8 they began to build the dam, people 9 knew that there were going to be several 10 . As a 11 of the dam, the water level of the lake was going to 12 by 63 meters. It would be 13 to move 53, 000 people from their villages. 14 , around the area of Aswan there are a lot of important old temples, 15 date from about 1250 BC. These temples were in 16 ; when the dame was finished, many of them would be covered by the waters of the new 17 .

　　One of the most important temples in danger was 18 at Abu Simbel. It was carved in rock and had on the outside four large stone 19 , each of which was 20 meters high. Engineers studied the problem and made several different 20 for rescuing the temple.

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阅读理解

　　It hasn't always been easy to know the time. A long time ago people looked at the sun, the sun was their clock. They could tell the time of day by the position of the sun in the sky: morning, Boon, or afternoon.

　　After many years people began to see something else about the sun. When the sun shone on something, it made a dark shadow behind it. This was the place that didn't get sunlight. As the sun moved across the sky, the shadow moved too. People could tell time better by the shadows of things than by the sun. They set something long and pointed in the ground so the shadow was easier to see.

　　About the same time people began to make sundials. A sundial has round flat part called a dial. A long, thin, pointed stick stands in the center. There are 12 lines in the dial to divide the day into 12 parts. When the shadow of the stick fails on a certain part, people know it is a certain part of the day.

　　Around the year 1250, someone made the first mechanical(机械的)clock. It was a mechanical clock because it was a machine that ran by itself. It did not need the help of anything in nature.

　　People began to use the hourglass around 1400. An hourglass is made from glass, and is wide at the top and bottom but very narrow(狭窄的)in the middle. There is sand in one part. When people want to keep time, they place the hourglass on the table with all the sand on top. The sand takes an hour to run from the top into the bottom part. At the end of every hour people turn the glass over and begin again.

　　People carried the first watch in their pockets. Then during World War I men started wearing their watch on their wrists(手腕), not in their pockets. It was easier and faster to tell the time in this way. Now almost everyone wears a wristwatch.

　　Today people want to know the exact time. The time they have must be the right time, not a few minutes early or late. Radio and TV stations, train, airplanes, science, and business all need to know that they have the same exact time.

1．After many years in ancient times, people found they could tell time better by ________.

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2．The mechanical clock was invented ________.

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3．An hourglass is ________.

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A．made from glass and is narrow at the top

B．made from sand and is narrow in the middle

C．made from glass and wide at the top and bottom

D．is full of sand and narrow at both ends

4．The timepiece which is more popular than most others is ________.

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5．Choose the best title for the passage.

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　　For almost forty years the Empire State Building in New York City was the world's tallest skyscraper． The building reaches a height of 1250 feet． It has 102 floors．

　　The use of steel frames made its height possible． Steel walls can rise high without needing to be thick． Steel-frame construction is strong． All plates are fastened together by metal bolts called rivets． When set in place, rivets are usually red-hot． One end is already rounded． A riveter uses a special hammer to shape the other end． Then the rivet cools． It holds the plates firmly．

　　High winds can move this strong building． A wind at a hundred miles an hour has swayed it almost one and a half inches．

1．The author says that the Empire State Building_____．

A．was finished in 1931　　 B．is in New York City

C．has fewer floors than the new World Trade Center D．None of the above

2．The account states that the building______．

A．was for many years the highest skyscraper B． reaches a height of 1250 feet

C．has 102 floors D．All of the above

3．In steel-frame building, the bottom walls______．

A．do not need to be thick　　B．must be very thick

C．must be two feet wide　　 D．need to be propped by wood

4．Rivets are described as being______．

A．picked up by tongs when red-hot B．usually caught in a scoop

C．usually put in place when red-hot D．held by an anvil during hammering

5．The riveter's task is to______．

A．drill holes for the rivet　　B．flatten the rounded end

C．shape the flat end　　　　D．cool the rivet

6．The amount of sway from the building's center in a high wind is given as______．

A．1．45 inches B．almost 1 ½ inches C． 2 ½ inches D． 1 ½ feet