As a young girl, Margaret “Mattie” Knight never played with dolls, preferring to make toys for her brothers instead. In 1849, Knight went to work in a cotton factory where she witnessed a “shuttle,” a device that carries thread back and forth across a textile loom（纺布机）, fly off the machine when the thread broke, striking and killing a young boy about her own age.
The 12-year-old Knight developed a safety mechanism that made it impossible for a shuttle to leave the loom. The design was so effective, soon virtually every new power loom carried her invention, saving countless workers from injury or death. Being so young, she didn’t bother to patent the device, so she never received payment.
Knight wouldn’t make the same mistake later in life when she invented a machine that could produce flat-bottomed paper bags. Knight had built a small wooden model in her home, but she needed a metal version to show it could hold up to the stress of mass production. So she hired Charles Annan to make the full-sized machine for her, only to have him try to claim the patent for himself. When Knight sued（起诉）, Annan’s argument was that the design had to be his, because no woman could possibly understand the complex mechanics. Knight proved him wrong when she brought back her wooden prototype and explained how every part worked. She won the case in 1871, making her the second woman to hold an American patent. Over a hundred years later, her design is still used as the basis for many modern flat-bottom bag machines.
But that wasn’t the last the world heard of Mattie Knight. During her lifetime, she made about 90 inventions and received 26 patents, becoming one of the most productive female inventors of the 19th century.
1.We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.
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A．Knight behaved like boys |
B．Knight had an unhappy childhood |
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C．Knight did a poor job of making toys |
D．Knight liked inventing things as a child |
2.What do we know about Knight’s first invention?
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A．It is still used today. |
B．It brought her great profit. |
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C．It was made when he was 20. |
D．It reduced injuries at textile plants. |
3.Knight sued Charles Annan because he _______.
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A．stole the wooden model for the machine she invented. |
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B．failed to make the full-sized machine for her |
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C．tried to patent her invention for himself |
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D．kept the metal version for himself |
4.What would be the best title for the text?
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A．Mattie Knight’s fight for her patent |
B．A great woman in the 19th century |
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C．“The female Edison”, Mattie Knight |
D．Great inventions, great woman |
When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d 36 known. When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t 37 lives, he was planting trees.
The good doctor had some 38 theories on planting trees. He believed in “No pains, no gains”. He never 39 his new trees, which was 40 many people. Once I asked why. He 41 that watering plants spoiled them, and that if you water them, each following tree generation will 42 weaker and weaker. So you have to make things 43 for them. He talked about how watering trees 44 shallow roots, and how trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots in 45 of water. I came to understand that he meant deep roots were to be 46 . I planted a couple of trees a few years back and I took good care of them. Two years of 47 has resulted in trees that expect to be waited on hand and foot. Whenever a cold wind blows, they 48 and tremble their branches. Funny things about those trees of Dr. Gibbs’. The lack of water seemed to 49 them in ways comfort and ease never could.
I used to 50 for my sons that their lives will be easy. But 51 I’ve been thinking that it’s time to 52 my prayer. I know my children are going to meet 53 , and I’m praying they will be strong. The prayer for comfort is seldom met. What we need to do is to pray for deep roots, 54 when the winds blow, we won’t be 55 away.
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--- The free gift doesn’t look good.
--- _____, madam, but if you want good quality, you have to pay for it.
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A．No doubt |
B．No offence |
C．No problem |
D．No way |
The book, ____ are true stories about great scientists of the 20th century, is well worth reading.
|
A．which |
B．what |
C．in which |
D．of which |
--- I’d like to try something different as I’ve got tired of watching cartoons all the evenings.
--- __________
A. Go ahead. B. It depends. C. What for? D. Like what?
––I didn’t go to work yesterday because my car broke down.
––You _____ mine. I wasn’t using it then.
A. might borrow B. should borrow C. must have borrowed D. could have borrowed
