The Invention Blog: A Place for People to Share Opinions

Today’s question is:

　　　 What do you think is the most useful invention of all time?

Posted by Cindy Wu on Saturday, April 13

There are many ---the train , the car, the airplane are useful machines, but these are not my choices. For an everyday, useful invention, I vote for the air conditioner. I live in Taibei, and during the summer the temperature can be 35degrees Celsius（摄氏度)or more. It’s so hot! I’m not joking when I say that, without an air conditioner, people here cannot work or study. A lot of people might also get sick without cool air.

Posted by Jorge on Sunday, April 14

The most useful invention of all time is surely the Internet. We can now reach people and do business faster. I own a clothing store in Mexico City, and there is a lot of competition(竞争). I also have a website. Now, people from all over the world can buy my clothing using my website. I can keep in touch with friends and family in Mexico and around the world using e-mail. It’s faster than usual mail, and it’s cheaper than using the phone.

Posted by Kazuo on Monday, April 15

Jorge, I also think that the Internet is useful. But, in my opinion, there is an ‘invention’ that is even more important, and that’s electricity. Of course, this isn’t a man-made invention, .But without electricity, many of the world’s most important invention would not work.

52. vote, it means_________

A.投票　　　　 B. 制作　　 C. 表达　　 D. 感受　　　

53. For Cindy, the air conditioner is the most useful because____________

　　 A. her apartment doesn’t smell very good　

B. she lives in a very hot place.

　　 C. she often gets sick　　　 　　　　　　

D. she likes summer

54. Jorge says that the Internet helps him to ______________

　　 A. buy clothing from all around the world.

B. keep in touch with family and friends

　　 C. use the telephone more cheaply.　　　

D. see the talk show

55. Kazuo thinks electricity is the most useful because________________

　　 A. many machines cannot work without it.　 B. it is really an invention.

　　 C. it is very cheap　　　　　　　　　　　 D. it is easy

This is a story from a meeting held by some people and two things in nature. We call it the Four-Sided Talk. Let’s “listen to” everyone carefully and find out what they think.

People: We have lived on the earth since ancient times. The earth is our home. Now we regret what we have done to our home!

1.What’s the United Nations’ decision in the Four-Sided Talk?

A. Set an Earth Day.????????????? ??????????

B. Find out what is making the pollution.

C. Hold an international meeting.??????

D. Protect and love the earth.

2.What doesn't the old tree tell us?

A. He’s afraid to be cut down some day.

B. The trees have the longest lives in the world.

C. Over-cutting teaches people a lesson.

D. People are destroying the natural environment.

3.What will people do according to the passage?

① Over-use the resources.? ② Beautify the earth.

③ Start a global group.??? ④ Protect the earth.

A. ①④????????? B. ②③??????? C. ①③????????????? ?? ???? D. ②④

Smoking in indoor public places including public working places, public transport vehicles and some other special outdoor working places has been banned(禁止)in China since January 2011.Let’s look at the following advantages of banning smoking.
First, banning smoking will not only help in saving smokers from health problems and diseases, but will also be good for passive(被动)smokers. When the smoker is smoking in a restaurant, the people around him are sure to breathe in the smoke and suffer from the diseases an active smoker gets. If smoking is banned, spread of these diseases can be controlled.
Next, banning smoking will put stress on smokers to give up.  Since a smoker is prevented from smoking, he will learn how to live without smoking for long hours. When a smoker doesn’t smell or see anybody around him smoking, it might reduce his wish to smoke too. As a result, people have to give up smoking.
Smoking in public places influences non-smokers to start smoking, especially adolescents. When teens see people around them smoking, they will follow them easily. Thus the number of teen smokers will increase. Also asthma(哮喘)and other problems are often seen in children living around smokers. So if it is banned, these places will become safe for children and teenagers.
Looking from the economic point of view, smoking should be banned to increase work productivity(生产率).Employees(雇员)who smoke usually take breaks to smoke while working. So the number of  hours they put in their work is smaller.
If you see from the environment point of view, smoking should be banned. Smoking causes air pollution. If it is banned, it will help keep the environment from getting worse.
【小题1】________doesn’t belong to a non-smoking place.