Some people think pen is small, needless to say. They think pen isn't useful, especially in the modern life. But what are you holding in your hand while you are taking the examinations in your classroom? Right. A pen.

It is through the pen that our messages can be recorded and passed on. That is why we have been able to know our history. The pen has changed the history, improved the trade of countries, recorded events, carried news, and done far more work for human beings than all other tools. The moment our pen scratches on the paper, it seems as if our thoughts are floating like a boat, traveling on an unending journey around a much more colorful world.

Progress without it would have been almost impossible. The invention of the wheel, the introduction of steam engine, the use of electricity, all these have changed the lives of millions of people, but the pen has done more. It has taken away mountains, and it has prepared the way for all progress and development of the society.

In the past the pen did all the work if people wanted to keep any writing for some time. The lawyers took up their pens and wrote the law of the country from the days when papyrus (纸莎草纸) was first used. The most famous letters in the world were written with a pen. It was with a pen that the greatest thinkers of all time wrote down their thoughts.

The pen is very utilitarian. We cannot sign a bill or write a letter or buy a house without our pen. An agreement is worthless till our name is written with a pen. The writers encourage the world with it. The students take their examinations with it as well.

Our coming into the world is recorded with a pen. Before we have been at school, our name is written on the name list with a pen. We cannot be married till we have signed. A pen records the important events in our life.

Let us remember that we hold in our hand the most powerful instrument which man owns. The pen is a magic tool. While the lazy are trying hard to avoid the trouble of using the pen, the wise can hardly wait to make the best use of it to create a joyful and meaningful life. So whenever you use it, please enjoy it.

1.What is the writer trying to do in this passage?

A.Describe what a pen looks like. B.Introduce the history of the pen.

C.Advise people to prepare a pen. D.Show the importance of the pen.

2.The word "mountains" in Paragraph 3 probably refers to "something to ________".

A.stop the social development B.prepare for the social progress

C.explain the use of electricity D.change the social lives of people

3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A.A Magic Record B.An Important Event

C.A Powerful Tool D.An Exciting Invention

Keep Calm and Carry On

Stuart Manley and his wife, Mary, run a second-hand bookshop called Barter Books in Alnwick, Northumberland. In2000, they bought a box of old books. When Stuart got them back to the shop, he discovered a poster at the bottom of the box. The poster read "Keep Calm and Carry On". Neither Stuart nor Mary knew anything about the history of the poster, but they liked it so much that they decided to hang the poster in their bookshop.

At the start of World War Ⅱ, the British government designed three posters and the Keep Calm poster was one of them. Two of the three posters were released (展示) in public in order to encourage the British people. Although nearly 2.5 million copies of the Keep Calm poster had been printed, the British government decided not to release them. In 1940, most of the copies were recycled into other paper products. Only a few were left.

The poster started its second life when Manley's poster began attracting the attention of customers in his shop. He printed copies of the poster to sell. Soon other companies began to sell products with the slogan (标语). It appeared on everything from mugs to shopping bags.

The reasons for the popularity of this rediscovered poster aren't hard to understand. Shortly after the poster made its appearance in 2000, a worldwide economic (经济的) downturn began. People were in need of something to raise their spirits. The saying "Keep Calm and Carry On" seems to be the perfect slogan to bring courage and hope to people. Besides the encouraging message, the simple design of the poster helped lead to its popularity.

Today the now-famous wartime slogan has been rewritten in many fun ways. Some people have created phrases like "Keep Calm and Dance On", "Keep Calm and Call Mom" or "Keep Calm and Eat a Cupcake". The slogan has become part of popular culture. The explanations of the slogan are often lighthearted, but it is important to remember its purpose when it was first designed.

1.Where did Stuart discover the poster?

_____________________

2.Did Stuart know anything about the history of the poster when it was discovered?

_____________________

3.When was the poster first designed?

_____________________

4.Why did the poster become popular?

_____________________

5.Please rewrite the Keep Calm slogan to encourage your classmates before an important exam.

_____________________

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