The umbrella is a very common object. It keeps the rain and the sun off the people. Most umbrellas can be folded up, so it is easy to carry them.

However, the umbrella has not always been as an ordinary object. In the past, it was a sign of importance. Some African countries still use umbrellas in this way. Someone carries an umbrella and walks behind the king or important person.

Umbrellas are very old. The Chinese had them more than 3,000 years ago. From there, umbrellas travelled to India and Egypt. In Greece and Rome, men wouldn't use them. They believed umbrellas were only for women.

When the Spanish explorers(探险者) went to Mexico, they saw the kings using umbrellas. English explorers saw Native American princes carrying umbrellas on the east coast(海岸)of North America. It seems that people in different parts of the world invented umbrellas at different times.

England was probably the first country in Europe where common people used umbrellas against the rain. England has a rainy climate and umbrellas are very useful there.

Everybody uses umbrellas today. The next time you carry one, remember that for centuries only great men and women used them. Perhaps you are really a king or queen, a princess or a prince.

1.Today, people use umbrellas for_________.

A.the rain B.a sign of great people C.the sun D.A, B and C

2.India and Egypt learned about umbrellas from_________.

A.England B.African countries C.China D.Spanish explorers

3.In which country are umbrellas not very useful in the 4 pictures below?

A. B. C. D.

4.Paragraph 4 is mainly about________.

A.Spanish explorers went to Mexico to find umbrellas.

B.English explorers found Native American princes used umbrellas.

C.Maybe umbrellas were invented at different times in different places around the world.

D.Explorers from two countries found people used umbrellas in different parts of the world.

5.Which would be the best title for this passage?

A.The Invention(发明)of the Umbrella B.The History of the Umbrella

C.Umbrellas are Useful Today D.The Chinese and the Native Americans Invented Umbrellas.

阅读理解

Soon computers and other machines will be able to remember you by looking at your eyes! The programme works because everyone’s eyes are different. So in the future you won’t have to remember a number when you want to use a machine or take money out of a bank. You’ll just have to look at the machine and it will be able to tell who you are. The eye-recognition(眼睛识别) programme is tested in shops and banks in the USA, Britain and Italy.

Scientists are working on other systems, such as knowing you from the shape of your face or hand or even your smell! And machines can already tell who you are from your voice or your fingerprint(指纹). But eye-recognition will replace other ways of finding out who you are. It is better, because your eyes don’t change as you get older, or get dirty like hands or fingers. And even twins have different eyes, so the programme can be up to 94% correct, depending on how good the technology is. In Britain, it was found that 91% of people said that they liked the idea of eye-recognition.

根据短文内容,选择正确答案。

1.Where has the programme for remembering eyes been tested?

A.Banks and factories. B.Banks and shops.

C.Schools and computers. D.Schools and shops.

2.How does the eye-recognition programme work?

A.You look at the machine and type a number. B.You need to speak and then look.

C.The machine looks at your face. D.You look at the machine.

3.Which recognition technology is already in use?

A.Remembering eyes or smell. B.Remembering fingerprints or voices.

C.Remembering faces or voices. D.Remembering hands or faces.

4.What problems could there be with the eye-recognition programme?

A.Some eyes are the same. B.Eyes can change.

C.It is not always correct. D.Eyes can get dirty.

5.What is the advantage of the eye-recognition programme?

A.You needn’t remember a number. B.You needn’t take money with you.

C.You don’t need to look at the machine. D.People think it’s interesting.

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