Question

    Kite flying is a sport of sending up into the air by means of the wind, a light frame covered with paper, plastic or cloth.

People have been making and flying kites for about 2,000 years. But no one knows exactly when or how the first kite was made. In 478B.C., a Chinese philosopher, Mo Zi, spent three years making a wooden bird. Later, his student Lu Ban began to use bamboo to make kites. Another record of kite flying was in about 200B.C. when the Chinese General Han Xin flew a kite with a flute tied to it. The flute made some sounds along with the Chu song as the kite rose into the air, which crashed the morale(士气) of the enemy quickly. The ancient Chinese also used bird-kites—usually made of the traditional silk—to carry ropes across rivers and valleys.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo wrote about how the shipping businessmen flew the huge kite in the wind before the ship set sail. They predicted the voyage in this way. If the kite went high and straight, it meant a quick and successful voyage, but if it did not fly well, it was a bad omen(预兆).

Kites have also been used for scientific purposes in the western world. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin tied a key to a kite and flew it in a storm to find out that lighting was a form of electricity. In the 1890s. Lawrence Hargrave invented the box kite to test ideas about flight. From 1898 to 1933, the United States Weather Bureau used box kites to collect weather data. The Wright brothers also experimented with kites. What they learnt helped them make the first airplane in 1903.

Today, most people fly kites as a hobby. Kite festivals are organized in many cities in all parts of the world.

1.Which of the following was NOT be used to make kites in ancient times?

A.Wood B.Bamboo C.Plastic D.Silk

2.Prom Paragraph 2, we can know that ________.

A.the first kite was created by Mo Zi B.no one really knows who invented the kite

C.Han Xin was the first one to record kite flying D.the ancient Chinese once made kites out of birds

3.Why did the shipping businessmen fly a huge kite in the wind before the ship set sail?

A.To cut down wind resistance. B.To predict whether they would succeed in their trade.

C.To define wind speed during their voyage. D.To make sure whether their sailing would be smooth.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

A.The United States Weather Bureau used box kites to predict the weather.

B.Benjamin Franklin invented electricity with the aid of a kite.

C.The first airplane was inspired by box kites to some degree.

D.Kites have promoted the development of scientific research.

5.The passage is mainly about ________.

A.the invention of kites B.different forms of kites

C.the history of kites D.some latest records about kites

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.B

4.D

5.C

【解析】

文章大意：文章主要描述了风筝在不同历史时期分别有哪些不同的作用等等。

1.

细节理解题。根据第二段中“spent three years making a wooden bird”“花费三年做了一个木头鸟”，“his student Lu Ban began to use bamboo to make kites”“他的学生鲁班开始用竹子做风筝”和“made of the traditional silk”“用传统丝绸做的”可知，除了塑料，都可以，故选C。

2.

细节理解题。根据第二段中“But no one knows exactly when or how the first kite was made.”可知没有人确切地知道第一个风筝是什么时候以及如何被制作的。故选B。

3.

细节理解题。根据第三段中“They predicted the voyage in this way. If the kite went high and straight, it meant a quick and successful voyage, but if it did not fly well, it was a bad omen.”可知，他们就是这样预测航程的，如果风筝飞得又高又直，那就意味着一次又快又成功的航行，但是如果它飞得不好，那就是一个不祥的预兆。故选B。

4.

细节理解题。根据倒数第四段中“What they learnt helped them make the first airplane in 1903.”可知，他们所学的知识帮助他们在1903年制造了第一架飞机。故选D。

5.

主旨大意题。文章主要描述了风筝在不同历史时期分别有哪些不同的作用，故答案为C。