Some inventions are so useful, but seem so simple, that we wonder why no one thought of them long ago. Post-it Notes, the pieces of paper that you can fasten almost anywhere and then remove without leaving any sign that they were there, are an example of such an invention.
Post-it Notes were invented about twenty years ago by Art Fry, a scientist at 3M Corporation. The idea for the product came from a frustrating experience he often had while singing in his church choir. Fry used pieces of paper as bookmarks to mark the places in his book of songs, but these bookmarks were always falling out. He knew he needed a bookmark that would stay where he put it, but that he could remove without damaging the pages.
Around that time, Fry heard about a new adhesive (粘合剂) that a workmate, Dr. Spence Silver, had created. This adhesive was special because it was sticky, but not too sticky. It was strong enough to hold papers together, but weak enough to not tear the paper when it was removed. Fry saw that the new adhesive could help solve his bookmark problem. One morning, Fry put some of the adhesive on the edge of a piece of paper. Just as he hoped, it made a perfect bookmark.
A short time later, Fry realized that his new invention had even more uses than being a great bookmark. He came to this realization when he wrote a note on one of his new "bookmarks" and attached it to a report he was going to give to a workmate. Soon, co-workers were asking Fry for more samples of his invention so that they could use the new type of notes themselves.
Fry and some other people at 3M believed so much in the new product that they persuaded the company to give away thousands of the "sticky pieces of paper" for trial use(试用). When some salespeople at 3M went to offices and showed workers just how helpful the new type of notes could be, they immediately received many orders. As more and more people discovered how useful Post-it Notes could be, the product took off.
1.The invention of Post-it Notes showed that Art Fry________.
A. had a lot of knowledge
B. was very hard-working
C. was good at creative thinking
D. loved his job in the church
2.In what way did Dr. Spence help Art Fry?
A. They worked together and often discussed science.
B. His invention of a special adhesive made Art's invention possible.
C. He advised 3M Corporation to give away lots of Post-it Notes for trial use.
D. He worked together with Art by providing the new adhesive for Art.
3.The underlined phrase "took off" means_______.
A. started to leave the ground
B. disappeared from the market
C. had even more uses
D. became popular very quickly
4.The biggest advantage of Post-it Notes is_______.
A. it can stay anywhere and leave no sign when removed
B. it is very cheap to use
C. it is good to write notes on
D. it is very thin and beautiful
We were standing at the top of a church tower. My father had brought me to this high tower in a small town not far from our home in Rome. I wondered why.
“Look down, Elsa," Father said. I gathered all my courage and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw several streets leading to the square. ‘‘See, my dear," Father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can't get to the place where you want to go by one road, try another. "
Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the bad lunches that were served at school. But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said.
When I turned to Father for help, he would not help. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a plan.
At school the next day, I poured my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I asked our cook to serve it to Mother at dinner. The plan worked perfectly. She tried one spoonful and sputtered. “The cook must have gone mad!” Quickly I told what I had done, and Mother promised that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed I often remembered the lesson Father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn’t stop working until I tried every possible way. Father’s wise words always remind me that there is more than one way to the square.
1.Father brought Elsa to the top of the church tower to_________________.
A. have sports with Elsa B. explain what he means clearly
C. enjoy the views D. have a rest there
2.Elsa wanted her mother to_____________ earlier that day.
A. do something delicious for lunch
B. know he was complaining about his lunch
C. speak to the school about lunch
D. change the terrible eating habit
3.By sharing her own experiences, Elsa tries to tell us________
A. when one road is blocked , try another
B. how bad the lunch of her school is
C. how wise her father is
D. how terrible her mother is
A subway is not just an important form of transport. It is also a window for other people to learn about local cultures.
Beijing, China
The Beijing Subway was opened in 1969 and is the oldest subway system in China. It has added some modern technologies. All stations now have touch-screen maps. In some stations, people can also see traditional Chinese cultures. For example, on the walls of a few stations of Line 8, there are some pictures of blue and white porcelain(青花瓷）.
Stockholm, Sweden
The system of the Stockholm Subway has 100 stations in use, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. The first subway line for Stockholm was opened in 1950. The Stockholm Subway is well-known for its decoration of the stations. It is called the longest art gallery in the world. Over 90 percent of its stations are decorated with paintings. A few stations are decorated with red bedrocks（岩床）. This makes you feel as if you are in a cave.
London, UK
The London Underground or the Tube is the oldest subway in the world. It was opened in 1863. During World War II, it was used to protect people from German plane attacks（袭击）on London. Now, it is a symbol of the city. There is no air conditioning in the trains, so it is very hot in summer.
New York, US
The New York City Subway has the most extensive public transportation system in the world, with 469 stations. It is also one of the world’s oldest public transit systems. The New York City Subway runs 24 hours a day. It has an express train on almost every line. You can get to your destination(目的地）safely. The trains themselves are full of fun; you will see people doing moonwalk dances like Michael Jackson, playing the guitar and singing.
1.The _____is called the longest art gallery in the world.
A. Beijing Subway B. Stockholm Subway
C. London Underground D. New York City Subway
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Michael Jackson used to dance in the New York City Subway.
B. Tourists feel cool when they take the London Underground in summer.
C. Several stations of the Stockholm Subway are built in caves.
D. Some stations of the Beijing Subway are decorated with pictures of porcelain.
3.We may read the passage from a_____.
A. travel magazine B. science book C. newspaper report D. picture book
Dear Micheal,
How's your vacation? I'm visiting my uncle in Spain. He lives in the sunny and beautiful city of Valencia, in Spain.
Yesterday, I had great fun. My uncle took me to the tomato festival in Bunol, which is just 30 miles away from where my uncle lives. You have probably never heard of this festival before. Neither had I. The tomato festival is called "La Tomatina"in Spanish. It was the biggest and messiest tomato fight in the world. When we first got to the square where the festival took place, it was very crowded with people from all around the world, and many trucks were carrying tomatoes. My uncle told me the crowded people here were around 38,000 and this was more than four times the population of Bunol.
The tomato fight started as soon as the first banger was beaten. Then everyone including me started throwing tomatoes at each other. I took red tomatoes and threw them at anyone that ran, moved, bent down, or turned around. Tomatoes must be squashed before people threw them in order not to hurt anybody.
After a little while, the streets, people and nearby buildings were splashed with red. There was no winner in this fight,but we all had fun. As soon as a second banger was beaten, people stopped throwing.
I really had a great time, I wish you were here, too. I hope I hear from you soon. Take care.
With love,
From Spain
Linda
1.From the letter,we can know ____.
A. Linda lives in Valencia
B. Linda doesn't want to go to Spain
C. Linda is visiting her uncle in Spain
D. Linda is studying in Spain
2.The population of Bunol is ____.
A. around 38,000.
B. more than 38,000.
C. more than 152,000
D. about 9,300.
3.What is the main idea of this letter?
A. "La Tomatina"is a fun and popular festival in Spain.
B. "La Tomatina"is a day for eating tomatoes.
C. Micheal has a great vacation.
D. Linda enjoyed the beautiful city of Valencia.
Leaving high school, I had to choose a career path—medicine or business—before college started in three months, but I couldn’t decide. Both my uncles suggested I work for a month in a followed by a month in a hospital before I could know what to do. It seemed like a good idea.
Then near the end of two months, I began thinking about my two . The bank had offered better working conditions. The hospital was full of excitement, but the training was hard. It seemed that the choices of was going to run out.
The Last day of my work at the hospital, I was home when I saw a boy hit by a bus and lie in the road as the bus run away. stopped. I know if the boy stayed there, he would die very soon. So, without help, I lifted him into my car.
The next day, I went to see him. His family were sitting around his bed. The doctor introduced me as “the person who saved the boy’s life”. Everyone got up, with smiles on their faces. The mother held my hands to her face, repeating again and again, “See, you are an angel!”
What a feeling this was, to help save the life of another person! , I knew I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I went to college for my medical studies.
We may spend a lot of time wondering about what to take in our lives, but sometimes you don’t really have to worry about your decisions. They are made for you by some quality(品质) in you—by what you’re to do when necessary.
1.A. teamB. companyC. gardenD. laboratory
2.A. unclesB. hobbiesC. collegesD. experiences
3.A. businessB. educationC. careerD. subject
4.A. runningB. ridingC. stayingD. driving
5.A. AllB. FewC. NobodyD. Someone
6.A. gentleB. weakC. pleasantD. grateful
7.A. LuckilyB. ProbablyC. Immediately D. Quietly
8.A. pathB. actionC. interestD. advice
9.A. bigB. personalC. quickD. fair
10.A. freeB. afraidC. readyD. careful
--- Would you mind my opening the window?
---
A. I would B. I’m afraid it’s too windy
C. Yes, please go ahead. D. Sure. I’m going to close it soon.
