Most of the fruits we eat today might not look or taste like their wild ancestors at all. They become popular after going through development over a long period of time in different parts of the world.
Tomatoes were first grown in the western part of South America. As early as the 16th century, people discovered wild tomatoes. Those were the ancestors of tomatoes we see today. Although the Spanish and Italians began eating tomatoes over two centuries ago, the British and Americans continued to avoid them because they thought tomatoes with bright red color were poisonous (有毒的). In the 19th century, Americans began using them commonly in cooking. Tomatoes were only used as ornamental (装饰性的) plants in gardens in China until the early 1900s. Since then, it has quickly become a popular food in China.
Peaches are also a kind of very old plant. People have worked for centuries to create modern peaches. The ancestors of today’s peaches used to be small, sour and had pit (核) that took up 35 percent of the fruit itself. Peaches became what we eat today as a result of great efforts.
The watermelon is one of the most common fruits today. The pink, juicy and delicious part is also the result of centuries of development. In the 7th century, Indians began to plant watermelons, which made their way to China in the 10th century. However, they were smaller and less sweet than modern melons. Fruits with fewer seeds (种子) and a more juicy part were developed in the 17th century as a result of European farmers’ experiments. That is how we ended up with the delicious watermelon today.
1. What is the first paragraph written for?| A．Introducing the topic. | B．Showing the result. |
| C．giving an example. | D．Answering a question. |
| A．larger, sourer and have a bigger pit | B．smaller, sourer and have a bigger pit |
| C．larger, sweeter and have a smaller pit | D．smaller, sweeter and have a smaller pit |
| A．Chinese people could eat tomatoes in 1854. |
| B．Chinese people might have had watermelons in 1030. |
| C．Americans might have planted tomatoes in 1678. |
| D．The British could buy watermelons in 660. |
| A．To advise people to develop fruit plants. |
| B．To share how to change wild fruits to modern ones. |
| C．To introduce wild fruits in different parts of the world. |
| D．To let people learn more about the development of fruits. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Coffee has become the most popular American drink. Today people in America drink more coffee than people in any of the other countries. People drink coffee at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner and between meals. They drink hot coffee or coffee with ice in it. They drink it at work and at home. They eat coffee ice-cream and coffee candy. Coffee is black and verystrong. Different people like to drink it in different ways. Some people like coffee with cream or sugar in it. Other people like coffee with both cream and sugar in it. In all ways it is served. Coffee has become an international drink.
1. Coffee is an _________drink.| A．interesting | B．international | C．ice-cream | D．American |
| A．at work | B．with cream or sugar | C．in different ways | D．between meals |
| A．as much as | B．less | C．most | D．more |
| A．坚固的 | B．淡的 | C．清的 | D．浓的 |
| A．Black tea | B．Coffee | C．Water with ice | D．Whisky |
【推荐2】Food is colorful. Some food is green, some food is red, and some is black. Now, more and more people like to have black food—black rice, black beans, black grapes. Why do they like black food?
Black food can make gray hair into black hair. Black hair is good for the heart. Black food can help children become smart. Black food can help women look young.
Black food is very good, but we need food with different colors. So we had better eat all kinds of food.
1. Now more and more people like to eat ________.| A．red food | B．green food | C．black food | D．rice |
| A．eyes | B．ears | C．nose | D．heart |
| A．smart | B．young | C．old | D．tall |
【推荐3】Do you know about rice? Rice is a very important kind of food for more than half of the world’s people. Rice is eaten at every meal in many Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea and India.
Rice is used to make a lot of food in China, such as rice cakes and noodles. In many other countries, it is good with many dishes. For example, it is good with onions and beef, tomatoes and eggs and orange chicken. Before we make these dishes, we must learn how to cook rice.
Put two cups of rice in a pot. Wash the rice with some cold water. After that, add three cups of water.
| A．It’s really easy for most people, so you can try it yourself. |
| B．It’s known to us that some rice needs lots of water to grow. |
| C．There are more than seven thousand kinds of rice in the world. |
| D．Then cook until there is very little water in the pot. |
| E．Many places of the world have grown rice for thousands of years |
【推荐1】A team of scientists wanted to do an experiment to see if it was possible to build a house out of used diapers (尿布). They just tried.
At the beginning of the experiment, scientists collected recycled diapers in the recycling center. Then they brought them back to the science lab. There, they washed and dried the diapers. They made six different samples. Next, they went to the new factory and put the samples in a special machine to test how strong they were. Finally, they could tell how much diaper waste they could use because too much made the building materials (材料) weak.
The scientists made a plan and built a small house in the garden next to their lab because it had an open area. The house had two bedrooms and a bathroom. Diapers could replace 27% of the materials in the house’s load—bearing (承重) parts. Diapers were very useful because some parts of the house didn’t have to hold a lot of weight, such as walls that divided rooms.
What did people think of this try? Some thought it was good because reusing diapers meant less rubbish in landfills. It might also make houses cheaper but others believed it was not so good because separating out diapers from other waste and washing them took a lot of work. Besides, not all the parts of diapers could be used.
1. Where did the scientists test the diapers?| A．In the new factory. | B．In the garden. |
| C．In the recycling center. | D．In the science lab. |
| A．Diapers made the houses stronger. | B．Picking diapers out took little work. |
| C．Every part of the diaper could be used. | D．People had different ideas on the try. |
| A．New Use of Old Diapers | B．New Ways to Wash Diapers |
| C．New Ideas to Fix Gardens | D．New Methods to Divide Waste |
【推荐2】You may think that bacteria (细菌) should be kept away from priceless old works of art. But some people are using bacteria to bring art back to life!
According to Popular Science, special microbes (微生物) have been used on everything from centuries-old frescoes (壁画) to oil paintings to ancient walls. People use them to clean and bring back the bright color of these pieces of cultural heritage (文物). Recently, an Italian art restoration (修复) team tried to clean the marble (大理石) in the Medici Chapel in Florence. It was carved (雕刻) by the famous artist Michelangelo (1475-1564). They chose eight of the most promising(有前景的) types of bacteria from about 1,000 and tested them on the marble. The bacteria successfully cleaned the contaminants (污染物) while leaving the marble unharmed.
“Biocleaning”—using bacteria to clean art works—was first used in the 1990s by Italian biologist Giancarlo Ranalli. A team was trying to clean frescoes at a cemetery (公墓) in Pisa, Italy. When the cemetery was destroyed in World War II, people used animal glue to hold the works together. The team wanted to clean away the glue. They turned to Ranalli and asked: “Dr Ranalli, can’t you do anything with your bugs?”
It turns out that bacteria are perfect for this kind of job—if you choose the right one. For Ranalli, it was Pseudomonas stutzeri (施氏假单胞菌). It ate through the animal glue while leaving the original(原本的) color of the artworks. Now scientists have grown different types of bacteria for certain contaminants, reported Forbes.
It is the artists who create art works, but it is the bacteria that help people enjoy them in the future.
1. How did the Italian art restoration team clean the marble?| A．They used eight kinds of harmless bacteria to clean the marble. |
| B．They washed the marble with 1,000 types of bacteria. |
| C．They cleaned the marble with animal glue. |
| D．They used both traditional and biological ways to clean it. |
| A．frescoes | B．animal glue | C．bacteria | D．contaminants |
| A．bacteria for cleaning art are easy to grow | B．few contaminants can be cleaned by bacteria |
| C．not all types of bacteria can be used to clean art | D．Pseudomonas stutzeri can be used to deal with bugs |
| A．For about 30 years | B．Since World War II | C．For centuries | D．When Ranalli found Pseudomonas stutzeri |
| A．Microbes influence our lives in different areas. | B．Biocleaning is a good way to clean art works. |
| C．We should take care of our cultural heritage. | D．Anew microbe was found to help clean art works. |
【推荐3】Today many people all over the world ride bicycles. This is because it’s a wonderful means of transportation. It is also an excellent form of exercise. Bicycles don’t pollute the air, either. At present, there are about a billion bicycles in the world. But how much do you know about bicycles?
About 100 million bicycles are made around the world each year. Now there are over a half billion bicycles in China alone. Bikes were first brought to China in the 1800s. Today bicycles are very important for transportation in the world.
Then who invented the bicycle? A long time ago, Leonardo Da Vinci drew some rough pictures that looked like a bicycle. But he is not the inventor of a bicycle. In 1690, a Frenchman named De Sivrac invented the first bicycle. But it didn’t have pedals(脚蹬). Pedals were added in 1840 by a Scottish named Kirkpatrick Macmillan. He is considered as the real inventor of the bicycle.
Riding a bicycle has a number of health benefits. Riding for three hours or thirty kilometres every week cuts your risk of heart disease in half. Many people in Asia and Europe use their bicycles when travelling short distances. However, Americans only use their bicycles once in a hundred trips. If they use their bicycles a lot, they would save a lot of gas and help protect the environment.
1. ________ bicycles are made around the world each year.| A．About 1 billion | B．About 100 million | C．About 1 million | D．About 100 billion |
| A．It doesn’t pollute the air. | B．It’s an excellent form of exercise. |
| C．It helps people to make good friends. | D．It’s a wonderful means of transportation. |
| A．The types of the bicycle. | B．The advantages of the bicycle. |
| C．The problems of the bicycle. | D．The inventor of the bicycle. |
| A．Leonardo Da Vinci. | B．A Frenchman named De Sivrac. |
| C．Kirkpatrick Macmillan. | D．The passage doesn’t tell us that. |
| A．Americans ride bicycles less than Asians | B．Europeans do not have heart diseases |
| C．Asians are too poor to buy cars | D．Americans use bicycles a lot |
【推荐1】Sitting in front of the television may be relaxing, but spending too much time in front of it may take years off your life.
Australian researchers collected information from more than 11,000 people over the age of 25. The study found that if people watched an average(平均) of six hours of TV a day, they lived about 4.8 years less than those who didn’t watch any television. Also, people over the age of 25 lose 22 minutes of life for each hour of TV they watch. The more TV you watch, the less physically active you are. And if you get less exercise, it will be possible for you to have diseases such as heart problems.
Lennert Veerman, one of the researchers, is the main writer of the study. He thinks that the habit of sitting and watching TV for long periods of time can lower life expectancy(预期寿命) even when people have a good diet. Besides, the poor diet advertising on TV also plays a role in lowering people’s life expectancy. Veerman suggests doctors ask their patients about how much time they spend watching TV. This may be a better way than just asking their patients to get more exercise or have a healthy diet.
Veerman advises people to turn off the TV and get off the couch to get some exercise. Even light physical activity improves health.
1. Where does Lennert Veerman come from?| A．China. | B．America. | C．Britain. | D．Australia. |
| A．身体上 | B．物理上 | C．精神上 | D．物质上 |
| A．People under 25 lose 22 minutes of life for each TV hour. |
| B．11,000 people took part in the study. |
| C．People won’t have heart problems if they don’t watch TV. |
| D．The more TV people watch, the more chances they may get ill. |
| A．if people have a good diet, they can watch TV for a long time |
| B．doctors only need to know their patients’ diet |
| C．the poor diet the TV is advertising helps people to live longer |
| D．even a little exercise can improve health |
| A．Australian researchers did a health research. |
| B．Watching too much TV may lower life expectancy. |
| C．People younger than 25 can watch more TV. |
| D．Doctors should ask their patients to get more exercise. |
【推荐2】There was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries.
Then one day, some visitors from the city arrived. They told the villagers there were some people who liked to eat frogs’ legs. However, they didn’t have enough frogs of their own, so they wanted to buy frogs from other places. This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were useless to the villagers. All they had to do was to catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent to the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect frogs and hand over the money. For the first time, the villagers were able to dream of a beautiful future. But the dream didn’t last long.
The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed that the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and there seemed to be more insects around lately.
The villagers decided that they couldn’t just wait to see the crops falling and the children getting weak. They would have to use the money earned to buy pesticides（杀虫剂）and medicine. Soon there was no money left.
Then the villagers realized what was happening. It was the frog. They hadn’t been useless. They had been doing an important job—eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, the insects were increasing more rapidly. They were damaging the crops and spreading diseases.
Now, the villagers are still poor. But in the evenings, they sit in the village square and listen to the sounds of insects and frogs. These sounds of the night now have a much deeper meaning.
1. From paragraph 1 we learn that the villagers ________.| A．worked very hard for centuries | B．were poor but satisfied |
| C．dreamed of having a better life | D．lived a different life from their forefathers |
| A．There were too many insects. | B．The crops didn’t do well. |
| C．The visitors brought diseases. | D．There were too many frogs. |
a. Crops didn’t grow well and children got ill.
b. Villagers bought pesticides and medicine.
c. Some visitors arrived at the village to buy frogs.
d. Villagers had no money left.
e. Children went to the fields to catch frogs.
| A．ceabd | B．decab | C．cbead | D．daecb |
| A．Happiness comes from peaceful life in the country. | B．Health is more important than money. |
| C．The balance between man and nature is important. | D．Good old days will never be forgotten. |
【推荐3】ChoreMonster: make chores fun for kids!
ChoreMonster is a must-have app for families. It makes chores fun.
Kids get points by finishing their chores.
Kids get gifts like ice-cream, an hour of computer games, or a camping trip.
Parents plan their children’s chores and the gifts they can get.
Here’s what ChoreMonster users and newspapers said:
I’ve always been surprised since I downloaded the ChoreMonster app. My girls can’t wait to help around the house!——Jenny
The kids were excited about ChoreMonster. They woke up early and asked for more chores.
——Lisa
ChoreMonster seems to make the room tidy and the clothes clean.
——The New York Times
ChoreMonster is best for kids from 4 to 12. If you need help in teaching your kids how to do chores, download ChoreMonster today.
1. What does ChoreMonster help kids do?| A．Make ice-cream. | B．Play computer games. | C．Plan camping trips. | D．Do housework. |
| A．Amy’s three-year-old boy. | B．Jack, an 11-year-old student. |
| C．Mary, a 15-year-old girl. | D．Betty, a 17-year-old teenager. |
| A．Kids can get money by using ChoreMonster. |
| B．Parents plan what gifts their kids can get. |
| C．People need to pay for downloading ChoreMonster. |
| D．ChoreMonster can help kids with their homework. |
