Mary likes to invent things. She creates a new language and teaches it to her friend, Jean. Mary and Jean like to talk to each other in their own language because they think no one understands them and it is funny. When they go shopping, they say things like: “Look! He is fat.” “This CD is awful.” “I want to eat free hamburgers.” A clerk comes but he can’t understand what they say. He asked them: “May I help you?” Mary and Jean just laugh. What fun it is to create something new.

1.Which is Mary’s invention?

A. Teaching her friend.  

B. A new language. 

C. Go shopping.  

D. Making hamburgers.

2.Why does Mary like speaking her new language with her friend Jean?

A. Because they can talk but no one knows what they say.

B. Because it’s easy to speak new language.

C. Because her friend Jean likes it.

D. Because she wants free hamburgers.

3.What do they do in the store?

A. They buy some things.

B. They talk with the clerk.

C. They want to understand what people say.

D. They use their new language and talk about people and things.

4.The clerk may think that ________, so he comes to help them.

A. maybe they need help  

B. they talk about him   

C. they laugh at him  

D. they invent things

5.According to the passage, creating something new is _____.

A. boring    

B. interesting   

C. hard   

D. easy

 

 

 

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 9^th 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 in a bamboo tube 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.

1.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 fireworks

2.Percy Spencer found the microwave efficient in cooking when he was ________.

A.  looking for a way to melt his chocolate

B.  trying to know how a magnetron could cook

C.  working to know how the magnetron works

D.  asked to invent a restaurant microwave oven

3.The underlined phrase “ blew up” might mean _______ in Chinese.

     A. 爆炸                B. 膨胀         C. 升华         D. 蒸发

4.What can we learn from the above invention stories?

A.  Experiments make 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.

 

One day after school Mr. Tillman found Philo Farnsworth making drawings on the blackboard in the school-room.
“What are you doing?” Mr. Tillman asked with interest. “ What are these drawings?”

“I want to invent things,” Philo answered, “and these are drawings of my first inventions.”
Mr. Tillman smiled to himself, “What is your invention?”
“I have an idea for a way of sending pictures through the air,” The boy answered. “Please just let me tell you about it. You are the only person who can understand what I have done.”
In 1922, even radio was new. The United States had fewer than 30 radio stations. But in 1922, a boy of 16 showed his teacher drawings for television!
In 1926, Philo worked as an office boy in Salt Lake City. Many important businessmen came into the office where he worked. One of these, George Everson , was from San Francisco. Like Mr. Tillman, Everson soon became interested in Philo. The shy, hard-working boy was like other office boys who Everson had known.
One evening Everson asked Philo to have dinner with him. After the meal, Philo began talking about his idea for Television. At first, Everson was not much interested in the invention. He listened only to be polite.
Many years later, Everson wrote a book telling about that evening with Philo. “As Farnsworth talked, he seemed to change,” Everson wrote, “His eyes lighted up , and he was no longer shy.” Talking freely about his invention, Philo Farnsworth was no longer an office boy--he was a scientist.
At the end of the evening, Everson was more interested than ever in Philo. And he was also interested in Philo’s idea for television.
After talking with Philo , Everson returned to San Francisco. There he brought together a number of important businessmen . Philo told them about his invention. The men became so interested in the young inventor that they gave $25,000 to help him work on his idea. Philo was only 20 years old, but here was his chance.
【小题1】What kind of drawings was Philo making on the blackboard one day?

A．Drawings of his school-room.	B．Drawings of his invention.
C．Drawings of his interest.	D．Drawings for Mr. Tillman.

【小题2】Philo’s new idea was to _______________.

A．tell his teacher all about his invention

B．show Mr. Tillman about his idea by drawings

C．send pictures through air

D．make other people see things by pictures

【小题3】George Everson first became interested in Philo because he ________________.

A．did his work well as an office boy

B．was quite different from other office boys

C．was shy and did not work hard

D．was also interested in Philo’s drawings

【小题4】When talking about his invention, Philo ____________.

A．listened to Mr. Everson politely

B．became more interested in the businessman

C．seemed to change his idea

D．looked like a scientist

【小题5】Which of the following is true?

A．Philo made his television only four years later.

B．Mr. Everson helped Philo to invent the television with his own money.

C．Mr. Everson himself was an important businessman.

D．The businessmen in Salt Lake City gave Philo the money for his invention.

Today we’ll talk about the history of blue jeans. For many people, blue jeans stand for (代表) American culture.
The history of blue jeans usually began with a man named Levi Strauss. He did not invent jeans. But he is the first person to produce and sell them in large numbers. Levi Strauss was born in Germany. In 1847, he and his family moved to the United States. He opened a small store and sold jeans. These pants were especially useful for miners (矿工) in California. They needed strong clothing. Levi Strauss worked with Jacob Davis, who had invented a step for making rivets (铆钉) for jeans. They helped make the blue jeans stronger.
In 1873, Strauss and Davis received a patent (专利) to own this invention. Nineteenth century workers would probably be surprised to know that their pants would one day become fashions. Today, jeans are worn by people of all ages. Jeans come in many colors other than blue and in many styles and prices. Fashion designers even create very costly jeans.
Writer James published a book called Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon (偶像). In the book, he says jeans serve as a sign for two American values, creativity and rebellion (叛逆).
【小题1】 Why did Jacob use rivets for jeans?

A．Because they made the blue jeans stronger.	B．Because they had a history.
C．Because they are fashionable.	D．Because they were dear.

【小题2】Which of the following is WRONG about blue jeans?

A．Miners like to wear strong clothing.

B．Jeans have only one color — blue.

C．James wrote a book about jeans.

D．Levi Strauss is the first person to produce jeans in large numbers.

【小题3】The two American values are rebellion and _____________.

A．protection

B．ambition

C．friendship

D．creativity

【小题4】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Jeans are popular.	B．Jeans become fashions.
C．The history of blue jeans.	D．Levi Strauss was a German.