From the beginning rivers have played an
important in the life of man．Man of the earliest times used the rivers as a means of travel．Today rivers still serve as a great waterway for the transport and
people．
In ancient times, man settled near rivers or
on river banks and built up large empires．
Water is nature’s most valuable gift to man．Man needs water to irrigate his crops,
to cook and to wash．In nations all over the world,
rivers mean life and wealth．They feed and clothe the
nations around them．
Water is also a source of energy and power．Man build huge dams across the rivers
to control the water for irrigation and get the energy needed to drive
generators．The electrical power is then directed to
homes, cities, factories and television stations．
Man uses water each day．In a small way rivers help to keep man
in good health and provide for his amusements．Various
forms of water sports keep man strong and healthy．
1.Rivers have been important to man _______．
A．since they came into being B．since the last century
C．since a few hundred years ago． D．since the beginning of BC
2.Man in old times traveled from one continent to another
______．
A．by air B．by sea C．by train D．by bus
3.Generators are machines that are used ______．
A．to direct electrical power B．to control the water
C．to produce
electricit
D．to build dams y
4.Which of the following statements is true?
A．People get energy by building bridges across rivers．
B．In ancient times large empires grew up near dams．
C．People can be provided with amusements in small rivers．
D．Large rivers are still useful for transportation in modern times．
