英語(yǔ)四級(jí)基礎(chǔ)閱讀訓(xùn)練 Text 29

Text 29

To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains. But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against rain. Its first use was as a shade against the sun.

Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese, was back in the eleventh century　B.C.

We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor and authority. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high offices.

In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in common use in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against rain were the ancient Romans.

During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered a symbol of power and authority. By1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later on in England.

By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe. Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn't until the twentieth century that women's umbrellas began to be made in a whole variety of colors.

1.The first use of umbrella was as_______.

A.protection against rain　　　B.a shade against the sun

C.a symbol of power　　　　D.a symbol of honor

2. ________ were the people who first used umbrellas.

A.Chinese　　B.Romans　　C.Greeks　　D.Egyptians

3.The umbrella was used only by royalty or by those in high offices_______.

A.in Europe in the 18th century　　　　B.in ancient Egypt and Babylon

C.in the Far East in ancient times　　　D.during the Middle Ages

4.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A.Women enjoy using umbrellas with varied kinds of colors nowadays.

B.The inventor of the umbrella is unknown.

C.Once ordinary people had no right to use umbrellas.

D.Umbrellas were popular and cheap in ancient times.

5.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A.When Was the Umbrella Invented　　B.The History of Umbrella

C.Umbrella — A Symbol of Honor　　　D.Who Used Umbrella First

長(zhǎng)難例句分析

［長(zhǎng)難例句］But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against rain were the ancient Romans.

［結(jié)構(gòu)分析］本句中，it是形式主語(yǔ)，真正的主語(yǔ)是后面由that引導(dǎo)的名詞從句，而這個(gè)名詞從句是一個(gè)主系表結(jié)構(gòu)，其中the first persons in Europe是主語(yǔ)，不定式to use...是定語(yǔ)，系動(dòng)詞是were，表語(yǔ)是the ancient Romans。

［參考譯文］可我們認(rèn)為在歐洲最初用傘防雨的人是古羅馬人。

［長(zhǎng)難例句］It wasn't until the twentieth century that women's umbrellas began to be made in a whole variety of colors.

［結(jié)構(gòu)分析］本句是一個(gè)由it引導(dǎo)的強(qiáng)調(diào)句，轉(zhuǎn)換成正常語(yǔ)序則應(yīng)是Women's umbrellas did not begin to be made in a whole variety of colors until the twentieth century，其中not until the twentieth century作句子的時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)。

［參考譯文］直到20世紀(jì)，女士們的傘才開始被做成各種各樣的顏色。

全文參考譯文

對(duì)我們來說，下雨時(shí)打傘防雨看起來是很自然的。但事實(shí)上傘并不是為了遮雨而發(fā)明的，它最初的用途是遮陽(yáng)。

事實(shí)上無(wú)人知道最早發(fā)明了傘的人是誰(shuí)，但它在遠(yuǎn)古時(shí)代就已被使用?？赡茉缭诠?1世紀(jì)，中國(guó)人就開始使用傘了。

我們知道在古埃及和古巴比倫傘被用來遮陽(yáng)。并且有一件奇怪的事情和傘的使用相關(guān)：它成為榮譽(yù)和權(quán)利的象征。在古時(shí)的遠(yuǎn)東地區(qū)，只有皇親國(guó)戚、達(dá)官貴人才能使用傘。

在歐洲，最早用傘遮陽(yáng)的是希臘人。并且傘在古希臘被廣泛使用?？晌覀冋J(rèn)為在歐洲最初用傘防雨的是古羅馬人。

傘的使用在中世紀(jì)事實(shí)上消失了。后來在16世紀(jì)晚期它又重現(xiàn)在意大利。并且又一次被視為權(quán)利和權(quán)威的象征。到1680年，傘出現(xiàn)在法國(guó)，而后是在英格蘭。

到18世紀(jì)，在歐洲的多數(shù)地區(qū)，人們用傘來防雨。一直以來，傘在樣式上沒有太大的變化，雖然它們?cè)谥亓可蠝p輕不少。直到20世紀(jì)，女士們的傘開始被做成各種各樣的顏色。

題目答案與解析

1.最初傘被用來_________。

A.防雨　　B.遮蔽陽(yáng)光　　C.作為權(quán)利的象征　　D.作為榮譽(yù)的象征

【答案】B

【解析】本題的依據(jù)是第一段的最后一句話Its first use was a shade against the sun，因此B項(xiàng)為正確答案。

2.最早使用傘的是_________。

A.中國(guó)人　　B.羅馬人　　C.希臘人　　D.埃及人

【答案】A

【解析】本題的依據(jù)是文章第二段的最后一句話Probably the first to use it were the Chinese，因此A項(xiàng)為正確答案。

3.在_________，只有貴族或高官才可以使用傘。

A.18世紀(jì)的歐洲　　　B.古埃及和古巴比倫

C.古時(shí)的遠(yuǎn)東地區(qū)　　D.中世紀(jì)

【答案】C

【解析】本題的依據(jù)是文章第三段的最后一句話In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high offices，因此C項(xiàng)為正確答案。

4.按照本篇文章，下面哪項(xiàng)是錯(cuò)誤的？

A.女士喜歡使用各種顏色的傘?！　　.傘的發(fā)明者現(xiàn)在還不知道。

C.普通人曾經(jīng)沒有使用傘的權(quán)利。　　D.在古代傘既便宜又普遍。

【答案】D

【解析】綜觀全文，只有D項(xiàng)文中并未提及，因此D項(xiàng)是正確答案。

5.下面哪項(xiàng)是本文最好的標(biāo)題？

A.傘是何時(shí)發(fā)明的　　B.傘的歷史　　C.傘——榮譽(yù)的象征　　D.誰(shuí)最早使用傘

【答案】B

【解析】從文中內(nèi)容可知，作者是按照時(shí)間順序講述傘的歷史。因此B項(xiàng)是正確答案。