1 . Fire was discovered many thousands of years ago. The first time humans saw fire was probably when a tree was destroyed by lightning(闪电). Humans soon learned how to make fire. They probably made the first fire by rubbing (摩擦) two sticks together.
Fire was very important to humans. They needed to keep warm at night. They used fire to cook food. They used fire to keep enemies and wild animals away. In some parts of the world fire was used to send messages. The Indians in America, for example, used fire to make smoke(烟雾) as a message. In some other countries people lit fires to warn their friends of danger.
Fire was also used to give light. Before the invention of the oil lamp(灯), humans burned sticks to get light.
One man even used fire to tell the time. He invented a candle clock. He made a candle that took exactly twelve hours to burn. Then he marked this candle in twelve equal(相等的) parts. He lit the candle and could tell the time by counting the number of parts left of the burning candle. But the candle clock did not always work well. If there was a wind blowing on the candle, it burned too quickly.
（一）根据短文内容简要回答问题。
1. How did Indians in America use fire?
2. What happened to the candle if there was a wind blowing on it?
（二）将短文中划线的句子译成汉语。
3.
4.
（三）请给短文拟一个适当的标题。
5.
2 . Everyone loves money! But do you know where money came from? Who were the first people to use money? Scientists say that over 10,000 years ago, people in Swaziland(斯威士兰), Southern Africa, were using red dye(染料) as a type of money around that period of time. Later, people in several places used shells and other valuable things as a type of money to “buy” or “trade for” things they wanted. This is known as a form of trade where some goods are exchanged for other goods.
Many things have been used as “money” from pigs to salt. For a long time, pepper(胡椒粉) could be used to “pay for” things in Europe. On the Micronesian island of Yap, people used very big stone “coins”, some of which were up to eight feet wide and weighed more than a small car.
But the most convenient forms of money were pieces of valuable metals like gold and silver. Historians think that the Lydians were the first people to introduce the use of gold and silver coins around 650 BC. Gold and silver are still quite valuable today.
The first banknotes(纸币) appeared in China in the 7th century, and the first banknotes in Europe came out in 1661.
Money has changed through the ages. However, it is more important today than ever before.
1. How long ago did people start using money?| A．Perhaps 1,000 years ago. |
| B．Perhaps 100,000, 000 years ago. |
| C．Perhaps 10,000 years ago. |
| D．Perhaps 1,000, 000 years ago. |
| A．Pigs, pepper and dyes. |
| B．Lines, dyes and butterflies. |
| C．Dyes, coins and bananas. |
| D．Bananas, rocks and pencils. |
| A．The first money was used only in Swaziland. |
| B．Shells were used as clothing a long time ago. |
| C．The banknotes appeared in China and Europe at different times. |
| D．Large stones, pigs, salt and pepper were used as early types of money. |
| A．dye and pepper | B．pigs and salt |
| C．shells and stones | D．gold and silver |
| A．Everyone loves money. |
| B．People have used different forms of money for a long time. |
| C．People have used money for only a short time. |
| D．Spending money is fun. |
