Did you ever wonder who invented products like Liquid Paper, Kevlar or paper bags? Most would think a man invented these items. Guess what? Women invented each of these. What? You don’t believe me? Well, read this:
Liquid Paper was invented by Bette Nesmith Graham in 1951 and originally called Mistake Out. Being a typist, Bette was increasingly irritated with being unable to erase her typing mistakes. The messy business left her hands black and the paper dirty. Bette was good at painting and remembered that an artist paints over mistakes. She applied that same principle to typing mistakes and Liquid Paper was born, making Bette into a self-made millionaire.
Kevlar, yes, the Kevlar of the bullet proof vest（防弹衣）—what police officers and soldiers wear, was invented by Stephanie Kwolek. Stephanie worked for the DuPont Company as a research chemist. She was asked to find a high-performance fiber. Originally, this fiber was intended to be used for car tires (轮胎). However, the fiber she developed in 1964 was amazing and is still used in products such as sailboats, skis, shoes, and yes, bullet proof vests. In 1995 Stephanie was named to the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame.
Margaret Knight invented a machine that revolutionized the making of paper bags. Paper bags had been made like envelopes but Margaret developed a machine that would fold and paste（粘）a flat-bottom paper bag, the very same type we still use today. Margaret’s family was poor and she started working at the age of nine. Her first invention at the age of twelve was a safety tool for a loom（织布机）. Later she worked for the Columbia Paper Bag Company. It was there that she worked on improving the making of paper bags. She was issued her patent（专利）in 1870.
So next time you use a new product or an old one, will you wonder who made it? Do some research on the web and answer a few questions like: Who invented it? How was it invented? You may be surprised at some of the stories you uncover.
1.The underlined word “irritated” in Paragraph 2 is the closest in meaning to_________.
A.annoyed B. excited C. delighted D. nervous
2.What do we know about Margaret?
A.She was a member of the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame.
B.Her first invention was made when she was twenty.
C.Her invention was designed to produce envelopes.
D.She began working when she was very young.
3.which of the following best shows the structure of the passage? (①=paragraph 1, ②=Paragraph 2,… ⑤=paragraph 5)
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.How inventions were made
B.Amazing inventions by women
C.Women and modern technology
D.You can also be an inventor
Many years ago three soldiers, hungry and tired of battles, came upon a small village. The villagers, 36 a poor harvest and many years of war, quickly 37 what little they had to eat and met the three at the village square, wringing（绞）their clothes and complaining of the 38 shortages.
The soldiers spoke quietly among themselves and the first soldier then 39 the village elders. “Your tired fields have left you 40 to share, so we will share what little we have: the 41 of how to make soup from stones.”
42 the villagers were interested and soon a fire was put to the town’s greatest pot as the soldiers dropped three smooth 43 into the pot full of water. “Now this will be a fine soup,” said the second soldier, “but a little salt and some parsley（欧芹）would make it 44 !” Up jumped a villager, crying “I’ve just remembered 45 some have been left!” She ran away, 46 with the parsley and salt. 47 the water boiled, corn, carrots, beef and cream 48 their way into the pot when all sat 49 to have a large meal.
The villagers ate and sang and danced well into the 50 , full of energy again by the meal and their new-found friends. In the next morning the three soldiers 51 up to find the whole village standing before them. At their feet 52 a bag of the village’s best bread and cheese. An elder said that the soldiers had given them the 53 gift: the secret of how to make soup from stones and they would never forget. The third soldier turned to the 54 and said, “There is no secret, but this is certain: it is only by 55 that we may enjoy a large meal.”
1.A.having B. disliking C. knowing D. suffering
2.A.threw B. hid C. covered D. collected
3.A.clothing B. money C. food D. water
4.A.called for B. believed in C. looked for D. turned to
5.A.nothing B. everything C. anything D. something
6.A.skill B. secret C. study D. story
7.A.Quietly B. Naturally C. Suddenly D. Finally
8.A.coins B. spoons C. stones D. knives
9.A.salty B. wonderful C. sweet D. beautiful
10.A.where B. when C. why D. how
11.A.leaving B. starting C. playing D. returning
12.A.while B. Though C. As D. Since
13.A.lost B. went C. found D. directed
14.A.up B. around C. by D. down
15.A.night B. morning C. afternoon D. day
16.A.stayed B. jumped C. woke D. moved
17.A.lay B. stood C. hung D. fell
18.A.greatest B. simplest C. worst D. funniest
19.A.adults B. soldiers C. workmen D. crowd
20.A.learning B. sharing C. borrowing D. trusting
Wang Feng’s _________ our school at the English speech contest proved to be a success.
A.will represent B. to represent C. representing D. represented
Do you think it _________ to argue with them? The question is not worthy_________.
A.worth; discussing B. worthwhile; to be discussed
C.worthy; to discuss D. worth; to be discussed
The new manager had a bad cold, and _________ couldn’t come to the party.
A.besides B. because C. however D. therefore
—Your brother was brave enough to tell the truth in public.
---Yes, and he will never regret_________ that. I admire him so much.
A.to do B. to be doing C. to have done D. having done
