Did you ever wonder how some of your favorite foods, products or toys came about? Believe it or not, they may have been an accident, or a failure of some other intention. Below, we found three mistakes we’re thankful for turned out to be what they are.
1. Most historians hold that the Chinese invented fireworks in the 9th century when they discovered how to make gunpowder. Story has it that a Chinese cook accidentally mixed together what were then considered common kitchen items and noticed they burnt. When put tightly(紧紧地）in a bamboo tube(管子and lit, it blew up.
2. In May of 1886, a law led John Pemberton, a pharmacist(药剂师), to rewrite the formula(配方) for “Pemberton’s French Wine Coca”, his popular headache treatment. Containing sugar instead of wine as a sweetener, the outcome became something for Coke, which was later mixed with carbonated(碳酸) water. His bookkeeper suggested the name Coca-Cola because he thought the two C’s would look good together, which is how what we call Coca-Cola, a world-wide drink came into being.
3. During World WarⅡ, scientists at the University of Birmingham invented the magnetron(磁控管)—an important heat-producing part of the microwave oven. While working for Raytheon Corporation after the war, the American engineer Percy Spencer was testing the magnetron when a chocolate bar in his pocket melted. He went on to test other foods including popcorn kernels(仁), and found it to be a much more efficient way to cook. In 1947 Raytheon came out with the first restaurant microwave oven, which was six feet tall and weighed 750 lbs.The underlined phrase “ blew up” might mean _______ in Chinese.
| A．爆炸 | B．膨胀 | C．升华 | D．蒸发 |
Percy Spencer found the microwave efficient in cooking when he was ________.
| A．looking for a way to melt his chocolate |
| B．trying to know tow a magnetron could cook |
| C．working to know how the magnetron works |
| D．asked to invent a restaurant microwave oven |
The right time order of the three inventions should be ________.
| A．fireworks, the microwave and Coca-cola |
| B．fireworks, Coca-cola and the microwave |
| C．Coca-cola, fireworks and the microwave |
| D．the microwave, Coca-cola and the fireworks |
What can we learn from the above invention stories?
| A．Experiments makes great inventors of our time. |
| B．Nothing is impossible if one tries each day. |
| C．Inventors come out of hard work at any time. |
| D．A small incident may lead to a great invention. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．What great inventions they are! |
| B．Inventions from Three Countries. |
| C．Stories of Accidental Inventions. |
| D．The Human Inventions of time. |
There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.
I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight. Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.
From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug (拥抱). I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.
I looked forward to the return journey.The writer expected the train trip to be________.
| A．dangerous | B．pleasant | C．exciting | D．boring |
What impressed the writer most during his train trip?
| A．The friendly country people. |
| B．The mountains along the way. |
| C．The crowds of people in the streets. |
| D．The straight rows of rubber trees. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The people on the train were the villagers’ favorite relatives. |
| B．The writer spent the whole journey reading magazines. |
| C．The writer thought he enjoyed the train journey at last. |
| D．The writer’s uncle gave him a warm hug with a huge smile. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Pleasure of living in the country |
| B．Reading gives people delight |
| C．Comfort in traveling by train |
| D．Smiles brighten people up |
When I was a kid, the Easter (复活节) holidays in Australia were my favorite time of the year. As soon as they began in April, my family would head straight to the beach for a weekend of camping.
Unlike most of the world, Easter falls in autumn in Australia. This means that Easter is our last chance to enjoy the warm weather, swim in the ocean and sleep in the bush under the stars.
We’d pitch our tents(帐篷) on clear patches of grass and look out onto an almost empty beach. Often we were the only ones camping and the whole beach would be ours alone.
We used to spend all day outside – swimming, hiking and fishing. On Easter morning, my parents would wake up early and plan an Easter egg hunt for my three brothers and me. They would hide the eggs in the strangest places – in abandoned(废弃的) bird nests in the trees, under our tents and in every corner of the stones that surround(环绕着) the beach.
In Australia, instead of chocolate bunnies, we had chocolate bilbies (兔耳袋狸). Bilbies are Australian animals with long ears. Chocolate bilbies were the best treat to find and there was always one for each of us.
But sometimes, other animals found them first, and all we’d find were brightly colored wrappers(包装袋) with animal tooth marks.
After the hunt we would come back to the campsite with our bellies (肚子) full of chocolate. For us, Easter wasn’t about chocolate eggs or religious tradition. It was about being with our family in the great outdoors.The writer loved Easter because ___________.
| A．she enjoyed a great time out with her family |
| B．she could get up late during the holidays |
| C．she could eat eggs on that day |
| D．it was the most important holiday of the year |
Which of the following is TRUE of Easter in Australia?
| A．It falls in spring. |
| B．Many animals come out that day. |
| C．It’s different from that in other countries. |
| D．It’s about the rebirth of Jesus. |
The writer usually had _________ during Easter holidays.
| A．chocolate bunnies | B．chocolate eggs |
| C．chocolate bilbies | D．chocolate bars |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Holidays in Australia. |
| B．Easter celebrations in Australia. |
| C．The history of Australian Easter. |
| D．Australian traditions. |
The shock of the recent earthquake in Pakistan has brought another shock: the rise of a small, mysterious island, coming out from the water.
In the aftershock of the earthquake, people living in Gawadar, near the southwest coast, began to see a strange sight. They looked out into the Arabian Sea and saw a mountain-like shape coming out of the water. “I could see this gray, dome-shaped (穹顶形状的) body in the distance, like a giant whale,” Bahram Baloch, a local journalist, told the BBC. “Hundreds of people had gathered to watch it in disbelief (怀疑).”
So what happened? The earthquake measured 7.7 in magnitude (地震级数). The force was so strong that it moved the sea floor, releasing gas. This gas pushed the seabed, mostly rock and sand, upward and out of the water. This is how mud volcanoes (泥火山) are formed. The island that measures about 20 meters high, 30 meters long and 90 meters wide is actually the tip of the mud volcano.
Is it safe? Although people have visited this new island, scientists have found dangerous gas coming from the newly formed island. “Our team found bubbles rising from the surface of the island, which caught fire when a match was lit,” said Mohammad Danish, a scientist, to Universe Today.
These mud volcanoes are not rare. But it’s striking because this one has popped up in a populated (有人居住的) area, and not far out in the sea. However, it’s not expected to last very long. Most of these mud volcanoes are swept back under the sea within one year.After the earthquake, what did people see in the sea?
| A．a strange light | B．a blue whale |
| C．a mysterious island | D．a mountain |
Which of the following can be filled in the box to show how mud volcanoes are formed?
| A．Dangerous gas was released. |
| B．Rock and sand were mixed. |
| C．The storm blew up the sea. |
| D．Huge waves appeared. |
According to Mohammad Danish, _______.
| A．it is safe to visit mud volcanoes |
| B．it is a bad time to do research |
| C．gas from the newly formed island was dangerous |
| D．some places on the island were on fire |
From the last paragraph, we learn that mud volcanoes _________.
| A．are good places to visit |
| B．often appear far out in the sea |
| C．exist for years |
| D．will not be swept away by waves |
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace are two famous organizations in the world. They both aim at making our planet a better place to live.
World Wildlife Fund works to protect wild animals and plants. It began in Switzerland on September 11, 1961. Now, it has offices in 100 countries and nearly 5 million members all over the world. The members are from different groups, including government officials, businessmen, scientists and farmers. They have played an active role in saving animals and rainforests. One recent WWF project is protecting the Amazon rainforest. WWF has done plenty of research to find creative ways that meet the need of both people and nature.
Greenpeace was set up in 1971, with an idea of working for world peace at the very beginning. Now it is active in protecting oceans, forests, and animals as well. It also calls for the use of clean energy, like wind power and solar power. Greenpeace has offices in 45 countries such as America and Canada. Its head office is in Netherlands. Greenpeace has about 3 million members at present. Small steps lead to big changes. It has encouraged more and more people to take action.WFF has nearly ________ million members.
| A．3 | B．5 | C．45 | D．100 |
The head office of Greenpeace is in__________.
| A．Canada | B．America | C．Netherlands | D．Switzerland |
According to the passage, both WWF and Greenpeace______.
| A．protect animals | B．do plenty of research |
| C．work for world peace | D．use more clean energy |
At midnight Mr. King coughed again. He got up and took some medicine. Before he lay down again, he smoked. And he couldn’t go to sleep any longer. He found the medicine book and began to read it. He was afraid he had lung cancer. He seemed（好像）to see death（死） was waiting for him. Tears(眼泪) ran down his face. He didn’t see his wife was standing by him.
“What’s wrong with you, dear?” asked the woman.
“Nothing,” the old man answered and covered his face with his hands.
The old woman opened the book and understood at once. She said, “You must stop smoking right now.”
“I began to smoke when I was nine, you know. How can’t I do that?”
“But I think health is more important.”
Mr. King coughed again and his wife said, “Go to see a doctor tomorrow. He will be able to help you, I think.”
The doctor told Mr. King to have an X-ray examination检查）of his lungs. And then he looked at the X-ray carefully for a long time.
“Tell me the truth, doctor.” said Mr. King, “Do you see any shadows (阴影)in my lungs?”
“No, I don’t see anything.”
“Yes?” the old man said happily. “Really?”
“Yes. Your lungs are turning black. How can I see any shadows?”Mr. King got up to .
| A．smoke again | B．talk with his wife |
| C．read the medicine book | D．take some medicine |
Mr. King coughed because .
| A．he couldn’t go to sleep |
| B．he was afraid to die |
| C．he smoked too much |
| D．he was too old |
, so tears ran down his face.
| A．Mr. King thought he had lung cancer |
| B．Mr. King couldn’t understand the book |
| C．Mr. King was too sad to go to sleep |
| D．The doctors refused（拒绝）to help Mr. King |
The doctor told Mr. King to have an X-ray examination because .
| A．he was sure the man would die soon |
| B．he wanted the man to stop smoking right now |
| C．he wanted to know if there was something wrong with his lungs |
| D．he was sure the man would soon be all right |
Which of the following is true?
| A．There was nothing serious with Mr. King. |
| B．Smoking too much caused Mr. King’s lungs to turn black. |
| C．The doctor found some shadows in Mr. King’s lungs. |
| D．Mr. King decided to stop smoking at once. |