1 . Magic (魔术) is believed to have begun with the Egyptians, in 1700 BC. A magician named Dedi of Dedsnefu was reported to have performed for the pharaoh (法老), or the king. He was also known to have entertained (使娱乐) the slaves who built the pyramids. The “Cups and Balls” trick that he was particularly good at is still performed by magicians all over the world today.

The ancient Greeks and Romans were also fascinated by the idea of magic. Actually, one of their main interests was the art of deception (欺骗). This explains why at that time the priests even built magic devices into their temples. These devices made it possible for doors to open by themselves and wine to flow magically out of statues’ mouths. This was done mainly to make people believe that the priests had unusual power.

Magic however, was not well accepted before the 1800s. Magicians were thought to be freaks(怪物) and, were only allowed to perform in a circus. It was in the 19^th century that the magician Robert Houdin came along and changed people’s views and attitudes about magic. It was because of Robert Houdin that many magicians were able to add Dr. or MD to their names. Today magicians try hard to find new ways to show their practiced skills. Magic is now entertainment for families all over the world.

1. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Magical Tricks	B．A Great Magician
C．Magic as Entertainment	D．The History of Magic

2. The underlined word “fascinated” in Paragraph 2 means _______.

A．amused

B．encouraged

C．attracted

D．moved

3. In ancient Greece, what did the priests do to show people they had unusual power?

A．They performed magical tricks to entertain people.

B．They made the statues in the temples drink wine as they wished.

C．They treated the people with wine flowing down from statues’ mouths.

D．They built magic devices in the temples to make doors open by themselves.

4. What did people think of magic before the 1800s?

A．Magic should be used only in temples.

B．Magic could only be performed in a circus.

C．Magic was performed by freaks and doctors.

D．Magic was the major daily activity for the pharaohs.

5. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Magic began about 3,700 years ago.

B．Dedi of Dedsnefu performed magic for kings only.

C．Robert Houdin was the first magician to perform magic.

D．The “Cups and Balls” trick has been performed for about 1,700 years.

2 . When was the first Olympics held?

A．In 1806.

B．In 1896.

C．In 1869.

3 . 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.