1 . It is a long time since I took up teaching. During my teaching career, I often ask my students to read the text until they can recite them, and I tell them that recitation is an important part of their homework. However, some of my students are tired of doing so, thinking that it is both hard and useless. They argue that it takes a long time to recite a text from memory and text itself never appears in a test paper.

In my opinion, it does take time to recite a text, but it is worth doing so. When you are able to recite a text, you are sure to be familiar with the words and expressions. When you need them in reading or writing or doing exercises, they will come to your mind quickly, and so you will give quick response to all kinds of language situation. How can we say that it is useless?

Besides, many students complain that they soon forget what they were once able to recite. This is true, but you don't need to worry. While you are reading and forgetting the texts, your language level is being raised. Sure you don't remember your Chinese texts that you once read in the primary school, but now you are able to read novels and newspaper. So , recitation of the texts will help you improve your language ability．

1. What do the students think about the teacher's advice? ______

A．The English teacher asks them to do something useless．

B．The English teacher is very kind to them．

C．The English teacher should let them study on their own．

D．The English teacher tries his best to help them with English．

2. According to the text，which of the following is correct? ______

A．The teacher thinks the students are too naughty to learn English well．

B．The students think they spend a lot of time in reciting the texts and get nothing．

C．The students say that they often forget the words．

D．The students take no interest in English．

3. When the students are against his suggestion, the writer ______ ．

A．often criticizes them

B．wants to give up his idea

C．patiently explains to them why they should recite the texts

D．is afraid that he is criticized by the headmaster．

4. Why does the writer suggest that the students recite the text? ______

A．Reciting the texts can greatly improve the classroom teaching．

B．Reciting the texts is the best way of learning English．

C．The students should remember all the texts that the teacher has taught them．

D．Reciting the texts can improve the ability of applying (应用)English．

2 . The Chinese invented paper in 105 A. D. They mixed the bark of a tree and rags (破布) with water, put a screen into the mixture, and lifted out a thin piece of wet paper. They dried the paper in the sun.
The Chinese kept their secret of how to make paper until a war with Muslims in the ninth century. The art of papermaking soon spread throughout the Muslim world.
The Mayan Indians in Central America and Pacific Islanders also discovered how to make paper, but their knowledge never spread to the rest of the world.
For centuries, all paper was made by hand. Rags were the main material. Then a French scientist discovered that people could make paper from wood, too. Finally, in the eighteenth century. a Frenchman invented a machine to make paper from wood.
1. Who discovered how to make paper?

A．The Chinese.	B．The Pacific Islanders.
C．The Mayan Indians.	D．All of the above.

2. When did the Chinese invent paper according to the passage?

A．About 1 ,800 years ago.

B．About 1, 900 years ago.

C．About 2, 000 years ago.

D．About 2, 100 years ago.

3. How was papermaking introduced into the rest of the world from China?

A．Through wars.

B．Through the Muslims.

C．Through the Mayan Indians.

D．Through the Pacific Islanders.

4. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．The Invention of Paper.

B．The History of Papermaking.

C．Different Ways of Making Paper.

D．The Invention of a Papermaking Machine.