No one knows when the first kite was made. The first record of a kite was more than 2,000 years ago in China. Han Xin, the leader of an army, wanted to kill the king. He decided to dig a tunnel(隧道) into the king’s palace. He flew a kite over the wall of the palace to make sure of the length(长度) of its string(线). In this way, he could determine(测定) how long the tunnel should be. His men in the tunnel took the kite string with them. When they reached the end of the string, they knew how to dig up.
Kites have been flown in Japan for hundreds of years. In the 1700s, kites were flown in autumn to give thanks for a good harvest. They were also flown to send good wishes to couples who had their first son. Today in Japan, kites are often flown as part of a celebration, such as the beginning of a new year. And kite festivals are held each year in many parts of the country.
Kites have been used for scientific purposes in the western world. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin tied a key to a kite and flew it in a storm to find out that lightning was a form of electricity. In the 1890s, Lawrence Hargrave invented the box kite to test ideas about flight. From 1898 until 1933, the United States Weather Bureau(气象局) used box kites to collect weather data. The Wright brothers also experimented(做实验) with kites. What they learnt helped them make the first airplane flight in 1903.
1. Why did Han Xin want to dig a tunnel?| A．To pull down the palace. |
| B．To fight against the king. |
| C．To search for the king’s treasure. |
| D．To find out the length of the kite string. |
| A．to give thanks for a good harvest in summer |
| B．to express good wishes to the first-born daughter |
| C．to celebrate the beginning of a new year |
| D．to hold kite festivals all over the country |
| A．In 1752. | B．In 1898. | C．In 1903. | D．In 1933 |
| A．The History of Kites | B．The Experiments of Kites |
| C．The Invention of a Kite | D．The First Record of a Kite |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Most people around the world are right- handed. This also seem to be true in history. In 1799, scientists studied works of art made at different times from 1500 B C to the 1950s. Most of the people shown in these works are right-handed. So the scientists guessed that right-handedness has always been common through history. Today, only about 10% to 15% of the world’s population is left-handed.
Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones?Scientists now know that a persons two hands each have their own jobs. For most people, the left hand is used to find things or hold things. The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain. The right side of the brain, which makes a person’s hands and eyes work together, controls the left hand. The left side of the brain, is the center for thinking and doing problems.These findings show that more artists should be left-handed, and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs.
No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed. Scientists have found that almost 40%of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged when they are born. However, this doesn’t happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become left-handed. One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents. If receive the gene（基因）, he/she may become either right-handed or left-handed according to the chance and the people they work or live with.
Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness, people no longer think left-handed people art strange or unusual. Along long time ago, left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children.
1. What did the scientists find after studying works of art made at different times in history?| A．The art began from 1, 500 BC. |
| B．The works of art ended in the 1950s. |
| C．Most people shown in the works of art are right-handed. |
| D．Most people shown in the works of art are left-handed. |
| A．It’s used to work with things. |
| B．It’s used to find or hold things. |
| C．It’s used to make a persons eyes work together. |
| D．It’s the center for thinking and doing problems. |
| A．Left-handedness is cleverer than right-handedness. |
| B．Today children are not made to use their right hands only |
| C．No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed. |
| D．Scientists think there must be some reason why people become left-handed. |
| A．Scientists’ New Inventions. |
| B．Left-handed People. |
| C．How Brains Control Hands. |
| D．Which Hand, Right or left? |
【推荐2】Paper was not made in southern Europe until the year 1100. Though Scandinavia (斯堪的纳维亚) now makes a great deal of the world’s paper, it had not begun to make it until 1500. It was a German named Schaefief who found out that one could make paper from wood. After that, forest countries, such as Canada, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the United States, became important in paper-making. Today in Finland, for example, no industry is bigger than the forest industry. And the paper industry is the most important part of it.
Modern paper-making machines are very big, and they make paper very fast. The biggest machines can make a piece of paper (750 meters long and 6 meters wide) in one minute.
When we think of paper, we think of newspapers, books, letters, envelopes and writing papers. But there are many other uses. Each year, more and more things are made of paper. We have had paper cups, plates and dishes for a long time. But now we hear that chairs, tables and even beds can be made of paper. The newest thing made of paper in the world may be a paper house. It is not a small house for children to play in, but a real, big house for people to live in. It is not expensive. You can put up a paper house by yourself in a few hours, and you can use it for about 5 years.
1. When was paper made in southern Europe?| A．The year 1500. | B．The year 1400. | C．The year 1200. | D．The year 1100. |
| A．A Canadian | B．A German | C．An American | D．A Chinese man |
| A．Finland. | B．Sweden. | C．Norway. | D．The United States. |
| A．In a day. | B．In an hour. | C．In a minute. | D．In a second. |
| A．Paper cups. | B．Plates, dishes. |
| C．Chairs, tables, beds and houses. | D．All of above. |
China launched(发射) the Shenzhou XIV manned spaceship on June 5, 2022. Three astronauts — Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe will enter the core module(核心舱) of China’s space station to work on their six-month task. This is the nation’s ninth manned spaceflight.
Launch conditions
Main tasks
There are many tasks for the astronauts, so they have a busy plan. They will work with ground controllers to connect the Wentian and Mengtian space labs(实验室) with the Tianhe core module(核心舱), which is the biggest and heaviest spacecraft in China.
Back time
Later this year, China will send the Shenzhou XV(神舟十五号) to the space station.
| A．Scientists can launch and track(追踪) a spacecraft more easily. |
| B．Here are some facts about the Shenzhou XIV. |
| C．The Shenzhou XIV and XV astronauts will meet inside the Tiangong and work together. |
| D．Wentian will be launched in July and Mengtian in October. |
| E．In China, there are four space launch centers. |
 | Digitally preview your haircut A techcompany is setting up a 139-square-meter hair salon in London, which will allow customers to test out new hair colors with AR(增强现实) technology. Customers can also get information and videos when they point to a product on a shelf in the salon. In April, the company said it’ll take public bookings “in the coming weeks”. |
 | A “magic” floating(飘浮) bulb(灯泡) A light bulb that floats in the air is a unique product made by a Sweden-based company. The bulb floats because of magnetic levitation (磁悬浮) and is powered through the air. Its eco-friendly base is made of wood. By touching the base, you can turn the light on and off. If you remove the bulb, you can also use the base to charge your smartphone! |
 | ▲ A pair of smart glasses can take pictures and short videos, play music and make phone calls. It looks like just a normal pair of glasses as the electronics are hidden. For example, there’s a camera in each side and a small button for taking pictures on the right. The glasses only weigh a little more than a normal pair, making them comfortable to wear for a long time. |
| A．TECH TALK | B．MAGIC WORLD |
| C．NEW PRODUCTS | D．FUNNY INVENTION |
| A．watch videos about the hair salon |
| B．book a seat a few weeks ahead |
| C．see how they look before deciding |
| D．change their hair styles without moving |
| A．the base probably does less harm to the environment |
| B．the bulb may help your smartphone more powerful |
| C．a normal pair of glasses weighs much more than a smart one |
| D．a camera and a small button are necessary for taking videos |
| A．Sunglasses in the future. | B．Sunglasses with cameras. |
| C．Magic sunglasses coming soon. | D．Smart sunglasses. |
| A．They make companies famous. |
| B．They stand for power of a country. |
| C．They give people convenience. |
| D．They are only used for making money. |
【推荐2】Look at the cool thing in the picture. It is a new product (产品) of 2023. What do you think it is? Is it a dress? Or is it a sofa?
Well, its name is the Wearable Beanbag. As the name suggests (表明), this is a chair that you can actually wear! The Wearable Beanbag comes in four different colors. And it comes in three different sizes (S, M, and L), which can fit (适合) children of all ages and adults (成年人). The small size is about $60. The medium is about $80, and the large is about $120.
The beanbags have four openings for your head, arms, and lower body. Of course, you can use them like a chair or a sofa, but the real fun comes when you’re wearing them. You can just sit down anywhere you like, in your living room, bedroom, or garden!
Are you interested in the Wearable Beanbag? If so, just go and buy one for yourself !
根据语篇内容，选择最佳选项。
1. When did the product come out?
| A．In 2021. | B．In 2022. | C．In 2023. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. |
| A．200 dollars. | B．180 dollars. | C．140 dollars. |
| A．The Wearable Beanbag is a kind of special dress. |
| B．It’s very interesting to wear the beanbags. |
| C．People can only use the beanbags in their rooms. |
(①＝Paragraph 1 ②＝Paragraph 2…)
A． | B． | C． |
【推荐3】
 Dear Rita， How are you？ Last time you asked me about the greatest invention in my eyes．I have also discussed it with my best friends， Anna， Sue and Kris． We have different ideas． Anna thinks it is the high﹣speed railway；Sue，the shared bike；Kris，the online shopping； and I prefer the Internet． The Internet is just like a net，and it connects us with the world． In the past，it was nearly impossible for people to communicate immediately with people in other countries．They had to spend a long time to reach their destinations （目的地）， and not everyone could do that． But the Internet has made the impossible possible．Now we can communicate with foreigners online． The Internet also helps us know what is happening around the world，and has made our life and work easier．In recent years， shopping online is very popular．We can just stay at home and buy what we need online．We can also do online office work and distance education．Besides，we can watch movies，listen to music and even play games to relax ourselves on the Internet． So，I think that the Internet is one of the greatest inventions．It has changed our world! Although there are still many problems with the Internet，they will be solved in the near future．As a student we should make good use of the Internet! Yours， Martin |
| A．Rita | B．Sue | C．Anna | D．Martin |
| A．the high﹣speed railway | B．the shared bike | C．the Internet | D．the online shopping |
| A．People spent a long time to reach their places | B．Many things can be done now because of the Internet |
| C．People could hardly talk with foreigners | D．The Internet is just like a net |
| A．know the world news | B．do online shopping | C．watch movies | D．learn how to drive |
| A．To warn others how to make use of the Internet． |
| B．To tell people the communication ways in the past． |
| C．To talk about his opinions about the greatest invention． |
| D．To make people know about the problems of the Internet． |
【推荐1】People can travel without much money by staying in other people’s house. Sometimes the travelers may sleep for a few nights on other people’s couch (沙发) for free. This way of travelling is called couch surfing.
Couch Surfing.org is an organization that connects travelers all around the world. Members of it can find a place to stay when they travel or share their homes and hometowns with travelers from other places. In this way strangers can help strangers in order to make the world a better place.
The organization has millions of members in 238 different countries and it has changed the way of travel forever. Jamie from Australia has traveled in this way all over the world. “When I travelled before, I used to find a cheap hotel to save money, now I stay in really nice houses and apartments. But the best thing isn’t the free living condition, it’s the people you meet. A couch surfing host will usually cook you a meal which helps break the ice. Then they’ll often introduce you to their friends and take you to the places they enjoy. Couch surfing allows you to experience a country and its culture.”
___62___ Delphine, an experienced host from Paris, has an answer. “They say that money makes the world go round but I try to help people go round the world without much money!” she says with a smile. So far she has received more than 100 travelers. “I enjoy meeting people from different cultures and I’ve made friends from all over the world,” says Delphine, who is also a professional cook. “And of course, I like sharing French food with them. Usually my guests love trying it but I’ve had problems sometimes. Once I cooked roast lamb for a guest but unfortunately, when she got here, she told me she was only used to eating vegetables!”
The idea of travelling the world for free has even been made into a TV series. Alex and Zsolt from the US set out with no money at all. They relied on social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter to ask for help. They say, “wherever we went we were always provided with food. All over the world, food is a common bond.”They travelled sixteen different countries and the results were turned into the TV show Around the World for Free.
1. Couch surfing is a way for people______.| A．to make money from their couches |
| B．to meet other travelers |
| C．to travel with less money |
| D．to get food from the locals |
| A．learn how to cook from the host |
| B．stay in a dear hotel and make friends |
| C．always get a great meal |
| D．know different people and their cultures |
| A．hit the ice into pieces |
| B．make people feel at home |
| C．have icy drinks |
| D．enjoy their free living condition |
| A．Why do people agree to let a stranger sleep on their couch? |
| B．How do you prefer to eat when you're on a holiday? |
| C．What does a traveler gain from couch surfing? |
| D．How can you make more money from going round the world? |
| A．enjoys cooking for people |
| B．wants to provide vegetables |
| C．wants to help people go round the world |
| D．expects to be a famous cook |
| A．people drink fine wine |
| B．food brings people together |
| C．it is important to bring your own food |
| D．it’s not easy to travel without money |
【推荐2】Now people in England, the U. S. and many other countries celebrate Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is on the second Sunday of May. On this day, children give flowers, cards, chocolate and other things to their mothers, but they don’t give money to them. And they also make presents for their mothers. And some of them get up early to cook breakfast for their mothers. They also help their mothers do housework. They want to show their love to their mothers. They know if they have no mothers, they can’t live a happy life.
Many people in China celebrate this festival for their mothers because they want to show their love to their mothers, too. In every Chinese family, the mother looks after the children, does the housework and cooks meals for the family, so she is quite hard-working and she is always busy in the family. Now more and more people celebrate Mother’s Day in China.
1. When is Mother’s Day?| A．On the first Sunday of May. | B．On the second Sunday of May. |
| C．On the first Sunday of February. | D．On the second Sunday of February. |
| A．Flowers, money and cards. | B．Flowers, money and chocolate. |
| C．Flowers, cards and chocolate. | D．Money, cards and chocolate. |
| A．make presents | B．cook breakfast | C．get up late | D．do housework |
| A．勤劳的 | B．聪明的 | C．美丽的 | D．困难的 |
| A．Because they know Mother’s Day. | B．Because their mothers are very busy. |
| C．Because they have mothers. | D．Because they love their mothers very much. |
Earth is about 75% water. But most of that water is salty. Only about 2.5% of Earth’s water is fresh water — the kind we can drink and that plants need to grow. Much of Earth’s fresh water is locked up in ice caps. In all, just 1% of Earth’s water can be used for washing, drinking, cooking, and watering crops.
In some countries, people don’t usually worry about having enough clean, fresh water. People just turn on a faucet(水龙头) and there it is. In some countries, though, water is scarce(稀缺的). People in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have serious water shortages.
What causes water shortages? In some places, well water is being used faster than wells can refill. In other places, droughts — long periods without enough rain—mean there is not enough water. Some parts of the United States are now having water problems because of drought. Evaporation(蒸发) is a big problem in some parts of the world. When the sun shines on water, the water turns into vapor(水蒸气) and rises into the air. The water is gone before it can do any good. The ground becomes dry. Nothing can grow. Not all fresh water is safe to drink. Water in wells, lakes, and rivers may have bad things that cause illness. When water is dirty, it can be dangerous to drink. Dirty water is making children sick. It is dangerous to get a drink or even wash your hands.
But the news isn’t all bad. Mansoor Ali, who works for the United Nations, says water problems can be solved. Kids and adults are learning how to protect water and how to use it wisely.
1. How much of Earth’s water can be used for washing, drinking, cooking, and watering crops?
| A．1%. | B．2.5%. | C．25%. | D．75%. |
| A．Water problems can’t be solved. |
| B．All of the fresh water is safe to drink. |
| C．People in America have serious water shortages. |
| D．Evaporation is one of the reasons for water shortages. |
| A．Crops can’t grow. | B．Vapor will rise into the air. |
| C．Water will become dirty. | D．Wells can refill. |
| A．acceptable | B．meaningless | C．harmful | D．special |
| A．We should stop using the fresh water. |
| B．There is too much water to be used up. |
| C．Everyone should protect water and use it wisely. |
| D．Only a few places in the world face water shortages. |
