Question

【题目】

You can buy a box of Crayola crayons in 152 colors today, but way back in 1903, they only came in eight colors. And that box of Crayola crayons was a huge improvement over the first crayons, which only came in black.

Wax crayons were mostly used for industrial purposes until cousins Edwin Binney and Harold Smith introduced their brightly colored crayons for kids. Edwin’s wife made up the name Crayola by putting “craie”（French for chalk）together with“ oleaginous”（which means oily）. In other words, oily chalk!

It’s hard to understand just how modern crayons are different from those in the past without look at the history of the crayon. In 1864 Edwin’s dad, Joseph Binney, started a chemical factory in New York City. It made a black pigment by burning oil. When the two cousins took over the factory in 1885, they started making a number of industrial art products for home and school use, but from 1900 to 1902, they started making pencils and dustless chalk for school blackboards in American classrooms. Soon after that, colored crayons were made. But the crayons they first made were not safe for kids, so they developed crayons that would be safe. The first box they sold-the one with eight colors--cost just five cents.

To celebrate the hundredth birthday of Crayola crayons in 2003, a special 100-color box was created, adding four new colors to the existing 96-color box. Over the years, as the company grown, it has introduced more than 400 different colors. Today there are over a hundred types of Crayola Crayons. They are available in boxes printed in 11 languages including Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Italian, German, French, Finnish, English, Dutch and Danish. Two billion Crayola Crayons are produced yearly. Also you can find crayons that smell good, crayons that wash out of clothes, and even egg-shaped crayons. Nowadays, plenty of other companies make colored crayons for children, too.

【1】What color were the first crayons?

A.BlackB.RedC.YellowD.Green

【2】The first eight-color Crayola crayons started to be sold in the year__________.

A.1864B.1885C.1903D.2003

【3】Which of the following statements are TRUE about Crayola crayons?

A.The name Crayola was a mixture of two English words.

B.The first Crayola crayons were not safe but very expensive.

C.The company invented four more colors for its 100th birthday.

D.Today Crayola crayon boxes are now also printed in Chinese language.

【4】What’s the passage mainly about?

A.The changes of the colors of Crayola crayons.

B.The history of the invention of Crayola crayons.

C.The two cousins who made Crayola crayons.

D.The reason why Crayola crayons are still popular.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】C

【3】C

【4】B

【解析】

本文讲述了儿童用的彩色蜡笔是怎么发明出来的，还介绍了彩色蜡笔的改进等情况。刚开始彩色蜡笔不安全但很便宜，为了庆祝Crayola crayons在2003年的100岁生日，一个特殊的100色的盒子被创造出来，在现有的96色盒子的基础上增加了4种新的颜色。多年来，随着公司的发展，它已经推出了400多种不同的颜色。

【1】细节理解题。根据“And that box of Crayola crayons was a huge improvement over the first crayons, which only came in black.”可知这盒蜡笔与第一批蜡笔相比是一个巨大的进步，第一批蜡笔只有黑色，故选A。

【2】推理判断题。根据“To celebrate the hundredth birthday of Crayola crayons in 2003”可知为了庆祝2003年Crayola蜡笔的100岁生日，可推测出是1993年开始的，故选C。

【3】推理判断题。根据“Edwin’s wife made up the name Crayola by putting “craie”（French for chalk）together with“ oleaginous”（which means oily）.”可知埃德温的妻子把“craie”(法语中粉笔的意思)和“oleaginous”(油质的)放在一起，创造了“Crayola”这个名字，与选项A内容不符；根据“the crayons they first made were not safe for kids”及“cost just five cents.”可知第一批蜡笔并不安全，很便宜，与选项B内容不符；根据“a special 100-color box was created, adding four new colors to the existing 96-color box.”可知一个特殊的100色的盒子被创造出来，在现有的96色盒子的基础上增加了4种新的颜色，与选项C内容相符；根据“They are available in boxes printed in 11 languages including Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Italian, German, French, Finnish, English, Dutch and Danish. ”可知有11种语言，没有汉语，与选项D内容不符；故选C。

【4】主旨大意题。根据本文讲述了儿童用的彩色蜡笔是怎么发明出来的，还介绍了彩色蜡笔的改进等情况，故选B。