文章大意:本文是记叙文。文章讲述了19世纪初期,新英格兰的农民迁移到中西部地区寻找肥沃的土地进行耕作,但遇到了土壤粘附铁犁的问题,铁匠约翰·迪尔发明了一种新犁来解决这一难题。
In the early 19th century, New England farmers, tired of wrestling with their poor land, journeyed to the Midwest. In states like Illinois and Iowa, they found rich, black soil. Unfortunately, many soon felt like thirsty sailors in the middle of the ocean—water everywhere but not a drop to drink. They were surrounded by fertile soil, but had to stop every few seconds to remove the sticky dirt off their iron plows (犁) with large wooden paddles. This dilemma caught the attention of John Deere, a blacksmith who moved to Illinois in 1836.
Deere decided to look into the problem. From his previous work on plows, he knew that dirt was less likely to stick to highly polished metal. That thought was in the back of his mind when he visited a sawmill (锯木厂) in 1837 and noticed a broken saw made of steel. Deere brought it home and began making a better plow. The plow he wanted would have to cut deep into the soil at a sharp angle so that dirt would fall off, yet it could not put too much burden on the horses pulling it. After several experiments, Deere constructed a new plow that featured wood handles. It proved a success. Unlike the old iron plows, Deere’s not only had a blade from which dirt fell away cleanly, but it also turned the soil more efficiently and quickly.
Demand for Deere’s plows increased sharply, but production was limited by the shortage of polished steel. Initially, Deere could only produce a few plows each year. However, Deere’s persistence paid off as he sourced cheaper steel from Pittsburgh. Amazingly, in 1857, his company manufactured and sold 10, 000 plows!
Deere, a perfectionist, continually improved his plows, introducing multiple new versions in a single year. While this slowed down his production ability, it ensured Deere a solid reputation among his customers. Deere plows became world famous in the 1870s when they outshone the competition in a demonstration in France. That same decade, his company built its first riding plow and designed the leaping deer as its trademark.
4. What was the main problem the newly settled farmers met?
A.A shortage of fresh water. | B.A lack of rich farming land. |
C.The trouble in handling the soil on plows. | D.The difficulty of growing plants in season. |
5. Which aspect of the new plow does paragraph 2 focus on?
A.Its unique features. | B.Its operating method. |
C.Its invention process. | D.Its working efficiency. |
6. The last paragraph is mainly about Deere plows’____.
A.wide recognition | B.marketing strategy |
C.technical standards | D.production challenges |
7. Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A.A Famed Farmer | B.A Successful Company |
C.A Sticky Problem | D.A Historical Experiment |