Almost every machine with moving parts has wheels, yet no one knows exactly when the first wheel was invented or what it was used for. We do know, however, that they existed over 5,500 years ago in ancient Asia.
The oldest known transport wheel was discovered in 2002 in Slovenia. It is over 5,100 years old. Evidence suggests that wheels for transport didn't become popular for a while, though. This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.
But it could also be because of a difficult situation. While wheels need to roll on smooth surfaces（光滑表面）, roads with smooth surfaces weren't going to be built until there was plenty of demand for them. Finally, road surfaces did become smoother, but this difficult situation appeared again a few centuries later. There had been no important changes in wheel and vehicle design before the arrival of moden road design.
In the mid-1700s, a Frenchman came up with a new design of road—a base layer (层) of large stones covered with a thin layer of smaller stones. A Scotsman improved on this design in the 1820s and a strong, lasting road surface became a reality. At around the same lime, metal hubs (the central part of a wheel) came into being, followed by the pneumatic tyre(充气轮胎) in 1846. Alloy(合金) wheels were invented in 1967, sixty years after the appearance of tarmacked roads (柏油路). As wheel design took off, vehicles got faster and faster.
1. What might explain why transport wheels didn't become popular for some time?
A. Few knew how to use transport wheels.
B. Humans carried farming tools just as well.
C. Animals were a good means of transport.
D. The existence（存在）of transport wheels was not known.
2.How is the last paragraph mainly developed?
A. By giving examples.
B. By making comparisons.
C. By giving discussion
D. By making classifications.(分类)
3.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The beginning of road design.
B. The development of transport wheels.
C. The history of public transport.
D. His invention of fast-moving vehicles.
With all the responsibilities（责任） we face in our daily lives, it’s often hard to get a good night’s rest. The problem really lies in the stress that many of us experience. Stress robs you of the rest that you need by putting you in a state of pressure and worry. There are, of course, some methods that can help you relax, but only a few of them give you a good night’s sleep. One of them is soothing (舒缓的)music for sleep.
Sleep music is not just for encouraging relaxation, it also can be used for various situations. Want to have a relaxing evening by yourself? Practice yoga in a comfortable environment? Think over something important? Then put on your favorite sleep music. Sleep music is not only fit for adults, but has also been known to be good for children. Soothing music helps your children go to sleep more easily.
Massage therapists (按摩治疗师)can also benefit from using soothing music for sleep in their clinics(诊所). This allows clients（客户） to benefit more from the session. For example, massage therapists can provide the relaxation of the body through their techniques, and the music helps clients relax their minds, helping them to relax deeper and feel more refreshed after the session.
You’ll never run out as there are some artists and companies that make sleep music. Choosing the right music is important as well. Like most music that you can find and buy in stores, sleep music has different styles, sounds, and subjects. There are those that are specifically for relaxation, while some are intended to help you go to sleep.
The great thing about sleep music is that it will be something you’ll be using for months, even years to come. If you want a deeper relaxation and better sleep, give some soothing music for sleep a try.
1. According to the text, people often don’t sleep well because _______.
A. they often hear heavy music
B. they have too much stress
C. they are very tired
D. they have little time to relax
2.We can learn from the text that ______.
A. sleep music is first used in massage
B. all the sleep music is intended to help people to go to sleep
C. clients during massage use sleep music to help them go to sleep
D. clients will feel more refreshed after the massage using sleep music
3. In the last paragraph, people are advised to______.
A. have a rest to reduce the stress
B. try some sleep music to relax and have a good sleep
C. do a massage by sleep music
D. choose a suitable sleep music
4. The text is written mainly for those_________.
A. who stay up late
B. who often do massage
C. who want to get a good sleep
D. who like to listen to sleep music
"To educate a girl is to educate a thousand people," says Maimouna Samaké, a mother of six children(including five girls). "If you put one seed(种子) in the ground and rain comes, it will grow to produce many seeds."
Samaké, one of 2,000 residents, lives in a small village, Sounkala, in one of the world’s poorest countries. Now she has a chance to see this wish come true thanks to build On, an American non-profit organization that is building a school in her community.
For 17 years, build On has been sending American high school students overseas to create schools in places where literacy(文化)and formal education are usually out of reach. The organization has built about 300 schools in Mali, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Nicaragua and Haiti. Its goal is to get young Americans in mostly urban(城市) areas to get involved in education. At the same time it can bring literacy to children and adults in poor villages in the developing world.
Sounkala’s school only has about 70 children; mud floors, poor lighting, few desks and an absence of books mean that the school is not the most ideal learning environment. Therefore they certainly could use build On’s help.
Samaké hasn’t been to school, but she wants a better future for her five daughters, including Ramatou, 12, and Mariam, 10. "When a woman attends school, she will teach what she learns to her children," said Ramatou, who wants to become a doctor. "She will also know how to take better care of her family."
Build On tries to build schools for grades one to three. If things go well over those three years, they return to help build another school for grades four to six, and then set up evening adult literacy classes.
Ramatou and Mariam will not learn inside the walls of build On school since they are already in the sixth grade, but Samaké hopes that they will be able to attend evening classes to continue learning.
1.Which of the following aspects of build On is NOT mentioned in the text?
A. Its history. B. Its goal.
C. Its approach. D. Its sources of money.
2.According to the text, build On is most likely to help a school _________.
A. in a village in a developed country
B. in an urban area in a developing country
C. in a rural area in a developing country
D. in an earthquake-stricken area in a developed country
3.What do we know about Samaké and her family?
A. Samaké only has daughters.
B. Samaké is well-educated.
C. Ramatou is a doctor.
D. Mariam is in the sixth grade.
4.The text mainly tells us about __________.
A. people’s education conditions in poor areas
B. a woman’s dream of going to school
C. an organization that helps build schools for people in poor areas
D. build On’s great contributions to education
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of these places:
. Visit art museums. They offer some activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings(签名) by children's favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts.
. Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
. Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet (木偶) making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
.Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building.. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums.
1.If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit_________.
A. a natural history museum B. an art museum
C. a Youtheater D. a hands-on science museum
2.What can kids do at a Youtheater?
A. Look at rock collections.
B. See dinosaur models.
C. Watch puppet making.
D. Give performances.
3.What does "hands-on science" mean in the last paragraph?
A. Science games designed by kids.
B. Reading science books.
C. A show of kids' science work.
D. Learning science by doing things.
4. Where does this text probably come from?
A. A science textbook. B. A film review.
C. A news report. D. A museum guide.
书面表达
假设你参加所在年级的英文写作比赛，请按下面文字中的道理完成一篇短文：
A drop of water +two drops +many drops =sea
A tree +two trees +many trees = forest
One person +two persons +man persons =society
短文改错
As we all know , walking is an useful way of exercising and is beneficial to our health. It can not only reduce the risk of many kinds of diseases but also builds up the bones. It’s safe than many other ways of exercising, especially for the elderly and it’s easy to do without consider rules. Beside, walking can also help us lose weight.
What should we pay attention during the walk? First, we should wear loose clothes or good shoes so that we can relax. Second, we should walk fast enough to cause us to breath with difficulty but still be able to talk. Third, that is very important to walk with our arms moving freely. Most important, we should do it every day.
