No one really knows how the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. But Maureen Clemmons has a theory (理论). She thinks the Egyptians may have used kites.

“If you look at ht top center of every monument (纪念碑), you see wings,” Clemons said. “I think the Egyptians have been trying to tell us in pictures for 3,000 years that this is how they built the pyramids.”

She thinks that earliest Egyptian workers might make use of kites to lift the stones with the help of the desert wind. She got a team of aeronautic (航空的) engineers to help her test the theory.

Yesterday, in the Mojave Desert, they put their theory to the test using a nylon kite, three pulleys (滑轮) and an obelisk (石塔) that weighs nearly four tons. The wind speed had to be just right. And amazingly, it worked.

“There’s absolutely no evidence(证据) for kites in ancient Egypt,” said Professor Carol Redmount of the University of California. “There’s no evidence of pulleys as we know them today.”

Redmount says the historical evidence points to the “Charlton Heston method,” which basically relies on the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling huge stone blocks to create the pyramids.

But the kite-lifting group will have none that.

“All I can remember from history is that Egyptians drank beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and as someone who has done field research on drinking beer, I know after I’ve had two beers and it’s really hot. I’m not pushing or pulling anything,” Clemmons said. “So, I figured I’d try to think another way.”

 

1. How did Clemmons prove that her idea was reasonable?

  A. She built a pyramid by using kites

  B. She had an argument with Professor Redmount.

  C. She persuaded a team of aeronautic engineers to test her idea.

  D. She had an experiment done to lift a large stone by using pulleys and a kite.

2. What made Clemmons think of her kite-lifting idea?

  A. Her job of making kites.             B. The discovery of pulleys.

  C. The wings on the monuments.   D. The Charlton Heston method.

3. Why did Clemmons NOT agree with the theory of the muscle of slaves pushing and pulling stones to create the pyramids?

  A. Because at that time no pulleys were used in Egypt.

  B. Because of the Egyptians’ habit of drinking beer at three meals and the beer effect on people.

  C. Because there were no enough slaves to finish the great project.

  D. Because she knew Charlton Heston very well.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

  A. An Unknown Mystery      B. Two Different Theories

  C. Kites and Pyramids          D. Kites and Pulleys

The sun was shining when I got on No. 332 bus. We passengers sat jammed together in heavy clothes. No one spoke. That’s one of the 1 rules. Although we see the same faces every day, we prefer to 2 behind our newspapers. People who sit so close together are suing those thin 3 of newsprint to keep their distance.

As the bus came near the Mile, a 4 suddenly rang out: “ 5! This is your driver speaking.” Stillness, we looked at all the back of the driver’s head. “Put your papers down. All of you.” The 6 came down. “Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go 7.”

Surprisingly we all did it. Still no one smiled. I face an older woman, her head wrapped 8 a red scarf. I saw her nearly every day. Our eyes met. We waited for the next 9 from the driver. “Now repeat after me. Good morning, neighbor!”

Our voices were 10. For many of us, these were the 11 words we had spoken that day. But we said hen together, like 12, to the strangers beside us. We couldn’t help 13. there was feeling of relief (解脱), that we were not being 14. But more, there was the sense of ice being 15. “Good morning, neighbor.” It was not so hard after all. Some of us repeated it, others shook hands, many laughed.

The bus driver said nothing more. He didn’t 16 to. Not a single newspaper went 17. I heard laughter, a warm sound I had never heard before in 18.

When I reached my stop, I said 19 to my seatmate, and then jumped off the bus. That day was 20 off better than most.

 

1. A. unwritten

B. strict 

C. bus

D. city

2. A. read

B. sit 

C. talk 

D. hide

3. A. piece

B. sheets

C. maps

D. things

4. A. message

B. warming

C. suggestion 

D. voice

5. A. Attention

B. Minding

C. Help

D. Listen

6. A. papers

B. passengers 

C. driver

D. tears

7. A. on

B. round

C. ahead

D. down

8. A. in

B. on

C. off 

D. with

9. A. turn

B. talk 

C. order 

D. remark

10. A. loud

B. neat

C. slow

D. weak

11. A. first

B. last 

C. best 

D. only

12. A. passengers

B. citizens 

C. patients

D. school children

13. A. shouting 

B. crying

C. smiling 

D. wondering

14. A. stolen

B. robbed

C. fought

D. commanded

15. A. formed

B. heated

C. broken 

D. frozen

16. A. need 

B. want 

C. like

D. begin

17. A. wrong

B. out

C. back up

D. along with

18. A. my life

B. bus No. 332 

C. public

D. other words

19. A. good morning

B. good-bye

C. hello

D. thanks

20. A. starting

B. seeing

C. taking

D. turning

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