Question

    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 the 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 in the 11th century BC.

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. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royal people or by those in high class.

In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was commonly used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the 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 as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later in England. By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against the rain in all parts 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 different kinds of colors.

1.The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 refers to ________.

A.Italy B.the 16th century C.the umbrella D.the use of the umbrella

2.The umbrella was first widely used against the rain ________ around Europe.

A.in the Middle Ages B.by 1680 C.by the 18th century D.in the 20th century

3.Which of the following statements is true about the umbrella?

A.Some researchers exactly know who the inventor of the umbrella was.

B.The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun instead of rain.

C.The umbrella changed much in style and became lighter in weight in the 18^th century.

D.In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a kind of modern fashion.

4.This passage mainly talks about  ________.

A.the history and use of the umbrella B.why the umbrella was so popular in Europe

C.the process of making an umbrella D.when and how the umbrella was invented

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.B

4.A

【解析】

本篇文章难度适中，主要讲述雨伞的历史以及人们对雨伞的使用情况。

1.代词指代题。代词代指上文中出现的内容。根据“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 as a symbol of power”在中世纪，伞的使用几乎消失了。16世纪晚期，它又出现在意大利。它再次被认为是权力的象征。可知，it代指雨伞的使用，故选D。

2.细节理解题。根据“By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against the rain in all parts of Europe”到了18世纪，欧洲各地的人们都用伞来避雨”可知，在18世纪，雨伞首先被广泛地用于避雨，故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据“Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times”没有人知道是谁首先发明了它，但伞在非常古老的时代就被使用了。可知，排除A；根据“Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight”在这段时间里，尽管它们的重量减轻了很多，雨伞的风格没有太大变化”可知，排除C；根据“In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade”在欧洲，希腊人是最早使用伞作为遮阳伞的”可知，排除D；根据“But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain. Its first use was as a shade against the sun!”但实际上，雨伞并不是用来防雨的。它最初的用途是遮挡阳光”可知，伞最初被发明出来是用来遮挡阳光而不是用来挡雨的，故选B。

4.主旨大意题。根据“It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made in different kinds of colors.”直到二十世纪，妇女的伞才开始用各种颜色制作”以及全文可知，主要讲述雨伞的历史以及人们对雨伞的使用情况，故选A。