In earliest times, men considered lightning （闪电）to be one of the great mysteries（神密） of nature． Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons(武器) of the gods．

    In reality lightning is a flow of electricity （电流）formed high above the earth． A single flash（闪烁） of lightning 1.6 kilometers long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs．

    The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752． In the same year he also built the first Lightning Rod (避雷针)． His device（发明物） protects buildings from being damaged by lightning．

     Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning contains more than 15 million volts(伏特)． A spark（火花） between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second．Scientists estimate (估计) that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year． Lightning hits the Empire, State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year． In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day．

    The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car． Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under trees． Also, one should stay out of water and away from metal fences． Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things．

    With lightning, it's better to be safe than sorry.?

Lightning is actually ＿＿＿＿＿．

  A．weapon     B．electricity     C．light     D．mystery

People once thought that lightning came from ＿＿＿＿＿＿．

  A．scientists     B．ground    C．lightning rod     D．gods

Benjamin Franklin ＿＿＿＿＿＿．

  A. made the first lightning rod    B．built the Empire State Building

  C. invented electricity           D．prevented lightning from hitting cars

＿＿＿＿＿＿is the best place to be in during an electricity storm．

  A．Swimming pool   B. A high place   C．Under a tree  D．A car

In earliest times, men considered lightning （闪电）to be one of the great mysteries（神密） of nature． Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons(武器) of the gods．

    In reality lightning is a flow of electricity （电流）formed high above the earth． A single flash（闪烁） of lightning 1.6 kilometers long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs．

    The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752． In the same year he also built the first Lightning Rod (避雷针)． His device（发明物） protects buildings from being damaged by lightning．

     Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning contains more than 15 million volts(伏特)． A spark（火花） between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second．Scientists estimate (估计) that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year． Lightning hits the Empire, State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year． In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day．

    The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car． Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under trees． Also, one should stay out of water and away from metal fences． Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things．

    With lightning, it's better to be safe than sorry.?

Lightning is actually ＿＿＿＿＿．

  A．weapon     B．electricity     C．light     D．mystery

People once thought that lightning came from ＿＿＿＿＿＿．

  A．scientists     B．ground    C．lightning rod     D．gods

Benjamin Franklin ＿＿＿＿＿＿．

  A. made the first lightning rod    B．built the Empire State Building

  C. invented electricity           D．prevented lightning from hitting cars

＿＿＿＿＿＿is the best place to be in during an electricity storm．

  A．Swimming pool   B. A high place   C．Under a tree  D．A car

Long long ago people made fires from lightning(闪电)。 But they had to keep the fire burning, for they couldn’t start it again if there was no lightning. Later, they found out hitting two piece of stone together could make a spark (火花). The spark could fire dry leaves. In this way they could make the fire again if it went out. Them people also learned to make a fire by rubbing. They made a hole on a big piece of wood and put a smaller stick into the hole. They turned the stick again and again. After a few minutes they got a fire.

As years went by, people learned other ways to make a fire. Sometimes they used the heat from sun. they held a piece of glass in the right way and made a piece of paper on fire.

About two centuries ago, people began to make matches (火柴). Matches brought people a quick and easy way to make fire. Today matches are still being used, but people have more new ways to make fires. One of them is to use an electric fire starter. Of course an electric fire starter is much more expensive than a box of matches. But it is more useful.

1.A spark can _________.

2.We can also get a fire by _________.

3.Matches have been used _________.

4.From this passage we know _______.

5.Choose the right order of the ways to make fires people got to know _________.

a. with a match   b. from the sun   c. from lightning 

d. by rubbing   e. with an electric fire starter.

Long long ago people made fires from lightning(闪电)。 But they had to keep the fire burning, for they couldn’t start it again if there was no lightning. Later, they found out hitting two piece of stone together could make a spark (火花). The spark could fire dry leaves. In this way they could make the fire again if it went out. Them people also learned to make a fire by rubbing. They made a hole on a big piece of wood and put a smaller stick into the hole. They turned the stick again and again. After a few minutes they got a fire.
As years went by, people learned other ways to make a fire. Sometimes they used the heat from sun. they held a piece of glass in the right way and made a piece of paper on fire.
About two centuries ago, people began to make matches (火柴). Matches brought people a quick and easy way to make fire. Today matches are still being used, but people have more new ways to make fires. One of them is to use an electric fire starter. Of course an electric fire starter is much more expensive than a box of matches. But it is more useful.

1. 1.

   A spark can _________.

   1. A.
      fire any leaves
   2. B.
      burn anything
   3. C.
      burn dry leaves
   4. D.
      keep fires burning
2. 2.

   We can also get a fire by _________.

   1. A.
      making a hole on a big piece of wood
   2. B.
      putting a smaller stick into the hole
   3. C.
      turning the stick hard for a while
   4. D.
      doing all the above together
3. 3.

   Matches have been used _________.

   1. A.
      for about two thousand years
   2. B.
      for about two hundred years
   3. C.
      since people began to use fire for cooking
   4. D.
      since people used the heat from the sun.
4. 4.

   From this passage we know _______.

   1. A.
      using matches is the easiest and most useful way to make fires
   2. B.
      people don’t use matches any more since they had electric fire starters
   3. C.
      today there are only two ways to make fires
   4. D.
      some forest fires happen from lightning
5. 5.

   Choose the right order of the ways to make fires people got to know _________.
   a. with a match   b. from the sun   c. from lightning 
   d. by rubbing   e. with an electric fire starter.

   1. A.
      d ,b, c, a,e
   2. B.
      d, c, b, a, e
   3. C.
      c, d, b, a, e
   4. D.
      c, b, d, a ,e