To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains. But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain. Its first use was as a shade against the sun!
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese, back in the eleventh century B.C.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in common used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans.
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France, and later on in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe. Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made, in a whole variety of colours.
1.According to this passage, the umbrella was probably first invented in ancient _______.
A. China B. Egypt C. Greece D. Rome
2.Which of the following statements is not true about the umbrella?
A. No one exactly knows who was the inventor of the umbrella.
B. The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun.
C. The umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century.
D. In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade.
3.A strange feature(特征) of the umbrella’s use is that it was used as _______.
A. protection against rain B. a shade against the sun
C. a symbol of honour and power D. women’s decoration
4.In Europe, the umbrella was first used against the rain ___________.
A. during the Middle Ages B. by the eighteenth century C. in Rome D. in Greece
When he thought of the past, my grandfather would sometimes show us photographs of himself at school. They were brown and faded, and it was hard to believe that the blurred(模糊) figure of the little boy in the short trousers and socks could ever have been Grandfather. Besides, he wore a cap --- all the boys in the photographs wore caps pulled so far forward that half of their faces were obscured. When Grandfather asked us to pick him out from the group, we would surely point to the wrong boy.
On one such occasion my younger sister, aged six, burst into tears when Grandfather proudly guided her finger to the right boy. "How could that boy be you?" she cried. "He should have a beard." We were, of course, all convinced that grandfathers should have beards, preferably white and bushy, like our own grandfather's.
"I was a good scholar," Grandfather would say, wagging his beard over the photographs. "I should have been top of the class if I hadn't had to get up at six every morning to milk the cows and chop the wood, and again when I came home from school."
"But Saturdays? What did you do on Saturdays?"
"Saturdays, if it was fine, I'd be out all day in the fields with the men," replied Grandfather. "And if it was wet, I'd be helping my mother with odd jobs round the house. There wasn't much time for studying."
We all tried hard to imagine what it would have been like to have seen Grandfather getting up at crack of dawn and never, obviously, having a moment for himself. It seemed we had learnt something from what Grandfather had said about his childhood.
1.In the first paragraph of this passage, what the author really tells us is that ________ .
A. his grandfather used to wear short trousers, socks and a cap as well
B. it was difficult to tell which of the boys in the photographs was Grandfather
C. he didn't believe Grandfather wore a cap pulled forward when he was at school
D. it was fun to watch boys in the photographs wearing caps pulled forward
2.The author's sister burst into tears because________.
A. she did not get a chance to pick out Grandfather in the photographs
B. she was told which was the right boy before she herself could pick him out
C. other children did not agree with her that Grandfather should have had a beard
D. she found Grandfather in the photographs did not have a beard
3.When Grandfather said, "I should have been top of the class...", he meant ________ .
A. if he had had more time for studying, he would have been the best in his class
B. he should have spent more time studying rather than playing ball games
C. his school days should not have been so hard and miserable
D. he could have never been the best student even if he had studied still harder
4.In the last paragraph the author said, "We all tried hard to imagine..." because ________ .
A. the figures of the boys in the photographs were small and blurred
B. the children had never experienced life like that of Grandfather
C. the photographs Grandfather showed them were brown and faded
D. Grandfather failed to tell them about his childhood in detail
Since my family were not going to be helpful, I decided I would look for one job by myself and not tell them about it till I'd got one.
I had seen an agency advertised in a local newspaper. I rushed out of the 1_ in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as 2_ as if I were going on the stage. Finding the 3_ quite easily, I ran breathlessly through a door which said " Enter without knocking, if you please. "
The simple atmosphere of the office 4_ me. The woman looked carefully at me 5_ through her glasses, and then 6_ me in a low voice. I answered softly. All of a sudden I started to feel rather 7_ . She wondered why I was looking for this sort of 8_ . I felt even more helpless when she told me that it would be 9to get a job without 10_ . I wondered whether I ought to leave, 11_ the telephone on her desk rang. I heard her say:
“ 12_ , I've got someone in the 13_ at this very moment who might 14_ . " She wrote down a 15_ . and held it out to me, saying: "Ring up this lady. She wants a 16immediately. In fact, you would have to start tomorrow by cooking a dinner for ten people."
"Oh yes, " said I—— 17_ having cooked for more than four in my life. I 18_ her again and again, and rushed out to the 19_ telephone box. I collected my thoughts, took a deep breath, and rang the number. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for.
I spent the next few hours 20_ cook books.
1.A．bed B．house C．agency D．office
2.A．proud B．please C．nervous D．worried
3.A．family B．door C．place D．stage
4.A．calmed B．excited C．frightened D．disturbed
5.A．as usual B．for a while C．in a minute D．once again
6.A．advised B．examined C．informed D．questioned
7.A．encouraged B．dissatisfied C．hopeless D．pleased
8.A．place B．job C．advice D．help
9.A．difficult B．helpless C．possible D．unusual
10.A．ability B．experience C．knowledge D．study
11.A. after B．since C．until D．when
12.A． Above all B．As a matter of fact C．As a result D．In spite of that
13.A． family B．house C．office D．restaurant
14.A． hire B． accept C．suit D．offer
15.A． letter B．name C．note D．number
16.A． cook B．help C．teacher D．secretary
17.A． almost B．never C．nearly D．really
18.A． answered B．promised C．thanked D．told
19.A. outside B． local C．closest D．nearest
20.A． burrowing B．buying C．reading D．lending
I was really anxious about you. You _______ have left home without a word.
A. mustn't B. shouldn't C. needn't D. couldn't
___ reading books in my spare time, I also surf on the internet sometimes.
A. Including B. Except C. But D. Besides
Work means much to me. It is ______ of my life ______ air, water and sunlight.
A. as much a part; as B. as a part as much; as
C. as a part much; as D. so much a part; as
