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Do you know some great inventors and their inventions?
What factors (因素) are needed for their success?
Well, good timing for a start. You can have a great idea which the public simply doesn’t want … yet. The Italian Giovanni Caselli invented the first fax（传真）machine in the 1860s. Although the quality is excellent, his invention quickly died a commercial(商业的) death. It was not until the 1980s that the fax became very common in every office… too late for Giovanni Caselli.
Money also helps. The Frenchman Denis Papin (1647-1712) had the idea for a steam engine （蒸汽机）almost a hundred years before the better-remembered Scotsman James Watt was even born… but he never had enough money to build one.
You also need to be patient (it took scientists nearly eighty years to develop a light bulb which actually worked)… but not too patient. In the 1870s, Elisha Gray, a professional inventor from Chicago, developed plans for a telephone. Gray saw it as no more than “a beautiful toy”. However, when he finally sent details of his invention to the Patent Office(专利局) in February，1876, it was too late. Almost the same invention had arrived two hours earlier and the young man who sent it , Alexander Graham Bell, will always be remembered as the inventor of the telephone.
Of course what you really need is a great idea—but if you haven’t got one, a walk in the country and a careful look at nature can help. The Swiss scientist, George de Mestral, had the idea for Velcro(魔术贴) when he found his clothes covered in sticky seed pods after a walk in the country. During a similar walk in the French countryside some 250 years earlier, Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur had the idea that paper could be made from wood when he found an abandoned wasps’ nest(蜂巢).
You also need good commercial sense. Willy Higinbotham was a scientist doing nuclear (核能的)research in the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, USA. In 1958 the public were invited to an exhibition in the Laboratory to see their work, but both parents and children were more interested in a tiny 120cm screen with a white dot which could be hit back and forth over a “net” using a button and a knob. Soon hundreds of people were ignoring the other exhibits to play the first ever computer game—made from a simple laboratory instrument called an “oscilloscope”. Higinbotham, however, never made money from his invention: he thought people were only interested in the game because the other exhibits were so boring!
1.How many factors do inventors need?
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 6.
2.The word “ignoring” in last paragraph probably mean?
A. having no idea of B. making no sense to
C. getting no chance of D. paying no attention to
3.What can you learn from the passage?
A. Giovanni Caselli invented the first fax machine in the 1980s.
B. Denis Papin afforded to build a steam engine a hundred years ago.
C. Elisha Gray missed the chance to be the inventor of the telephone.
D. George de Mestral got the idea from a walk in a French countryside.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. How to be a successful inventor.
B. How to get a great idea from nature.
C. How to have good commercial sense.
D. How to make money from inventions.
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Do you know some great inventors and their inventions?
What factors (因素) are needed for their success?
Well, good timing for a start. You can have a great idea which the public simply doesn’t want ... yet. The Italian Giovanni Caselli invented the first fax(传真)machine in the 1860s. Although the machine was excellent, his invention quickly died a commercial(商业的) death. It was not until the 1980s that the fax became very common in every office... too late for Giovanni Caselli.
Money also helps. The Frenchman Denis Papin (1647-1712) had the idea for a steam engine (蒸汽机)almost a hundred years before the better-remembered Scotsman James Watt was even born... but he never had enough money to build one.
You also need to be patient (it took scientists nearly eighty years to develop a light bulb which actually worked)... but not too patient. In the 1870s, Elisha Gray, a professional inventor from Chicago, developed plans for a telephone. Gray saw it as no more than “a beautiful toy”. However, when he finally sent details of his invention to the Patent Office(专利局) in February， 1876, it was too late. Almost the same invention had arrived two hours earlier... and the young man who sent it, Alexander Graham Bell, will always be remembered as the inventor of the telephone.
Of course what you really need is a great idea—but if you haven’t got one, a walk in the country and careful look at nature can help. The Swiss scientist, George de Mestral, had the idea for Velcro（魔术贴）when he found his clothes covered in sticky seed pods after a walk in the country. During a similar walk in the French countryside some 250 years earlier, Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur had the idea that paper could be made from wood when he found an abandoned wasps’ nest（蜂巢）.
You also need good commercial sense. Willy Higinbotham was a scientist doing nuclear（核能的） research in the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, USA. In 1958, the public were invited to an exhibition in the Laboratory to see their work, but both parents and children were more interested in a tennis video game on the screen. Soon hundreds of people were ignoring the other exhibits to play the first ever computer game—made from a simple laboratory instrument called an “oscilloscope”. Higinbotham, however, never made money from his invention: he thought people were only interested in the game because the other exhibits were so boring!
1.How many factors do inventors need according to the passage?
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 6.
2.The word “ignoring” in the last paragraph probably means “_____”.
A. having no idea of B. doing no good to
C. getting no chance of D. paying no attention to
3.What can you learn from the passage?
A. Giovanni Caselli invented the first fax machine in the 1980s.
B. Denis Papin afforded to build a steam engine a hundred years ago.
C. Elisha Gray missed the chance to be the inventor of the telephone.
D. George de Mestral got an idea from a walk in a French countryside.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. How to be a successful inventor
B. How to get a great idea from nature
C. How to have a good commercial sense
D. How to make money from inventions
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Many teenagers don’t get along well with their parents and they don’t know what to do. If you face such a problem, what I’m saying now might be 1.(有用的) to you.
Have you ever thought of 2.(谈话) to your parents to find out why you don’t get along well with each other? When I was a 3.(青少年), I didn’t get on well with my parents,4.(也). We sometimes argued with each other. I am sorry that I had such an 5.(经历). Now I’m a mother of four girls. Of course we have different opinions, but I6.(鼓励) them to communicate with me. We cherish(珍惜) the time we spend with each other. In this way I make sure that they believe me and come to me for anything. As a 7.(结果), we get along very well.
Arguing with your parents will make them angry and you won’t feel good. Also, remember that the most important thing is to solve problems. Try your best to be calm. If you cannot 8.(控制) your feelings, you can go to a doctor or your teacher who could give you some 9.(建议) on your problem.
Remember that your parents love you. Sometimes they do something that you find it 10.(困难的) to understand. For example, you may want to be a singer in the future, but your parents want you to do something else. If so, try to think in their shoes.
Life is too short and family is important! Try your best to get along well with your parents.
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Do you know what an eagle(鹰) does when a storm is coming?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits， it opens its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages(激烈进行) below， the eagle is flying above it.
The eagle does not shirk the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come to us--- and all of us will experience them--- we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief， like an eagle does. The storms do not have to beat us. We can use the nature’s power to lift us above them.
We are able to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness， tragedy， failure and disappointment in our lives. We can fly above the storm.
Remember， it is not the burdens(重担) of life that weigh us down， it is how we face them.
1.Why can an eagle fly when there’s a storm?
A. Because the cloud protects it.
B. Because the wind lifts it up.
C. Because the wings are big enough.
D. Because the storm is not strong enough.
2.What should we do when the storms of life come to us?
A. Encourage ourselves to rise above them.
B. Be ready to lose our belief.
C. Run away before they come.
D. Use the nature’s power to hide ourselves.
3.The writer wants to tell us ____.
A. to learn knowledge of birds
B. to fly like an eagle
C. to keep safe in a storm
D. to face the challenges in life
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We know many great inventions which have changed the world. Have you ever had a wonderful idea and thought it would make a great invention, but didn't know what to do next? 1. They will help you make your dreams come true and become a famous inventor.
The first thing that you should do is to do some research on the Internet to see if anyone else has invented it. If not, you should search through the US Patent (专利) information to see if a patent was ever created for your type of invention. 2..
The easiest thing to do is working with a company that can help you to make your dreams a reality. It can help you present your ideas and get your product to the right companies. One company that is very reputable (声誉好的) is "Lambert and Lambert in Minnesota". 3. If they think your product is marketable (有销路的), they will help you to get it to the right company.
Call the company and make an appointment. You will want to bring in a model of your invention and a complete description of your ideas. 4. Then when you meet with them, you can present it and they will tell you how marketable it is. If they decide to help you, they will work to present it to different companies and help you to go to the next step.
Once your invention has been sold to a large company, get ready to get the benefits of becoming the next great inventor.
5. But the benefits are worth the wait.
A.It may take a year Or two.
B.Write down-exactly about your invention.
C.If there is no patent, go to the next step.
D.You will find something new on the Internet.
E.Here are some steps that you can take.
F.They offer free advice for good ideas.
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Take a look around your school and you’ll find all kinds of great inventions developed by some really amazing minds. Here are just a few of the people who have helped make schools great.
James Pillans
The blackboard and colored chalks (粉笔)
This headmaster in Edinburgh, Scotland, was the first to use a blackboard and colored chalks in the 1800s. He used them to teach geography.
Anna Breadin
The school desk
This designer designed the first school desk. Her design included storage (储存)space under the table area for books and a folding seat.
John Lee Love
The pencil sharpener (卷笔刀)
The American inventor, John Lee Love, invented a simple portable (便于携带的)pencil sharpener which was known as the “Love Sharpener”.
Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith
Crayons
Crayons were invented by cousins, Edwin Binney and C, Harold Smith. At first, they only had eight colors-black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow and green. Today, they come in hundreds of colors.
Douglas Engelbart
The computer mouse
This American inventor from Oregon invented the computer mouse. The name "mouse" came from the little tail that came out of the end of it.
根据表格内容，选择最佳答案。
1.What subject did James Pillans teach?
A.History. B.English. C.Geography. D.Physics.
2.Who was the first school desk invented by?
A.Anna Breadin. B.James Pillans. C.C. Harold Smith. D.Douglas Engelbart.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Edwin Binney and John Lee Love were cousins.
B.John Lee Love invented a simple pencil sharpener.
C.The “Love Sharpener” was invented by a German.
D.The first school desk didn’t have a folding seat.
4.Which color crayons didn’t they have at first?
A.Red. B.Green. C.Black. D.White.
5.The computer mouse was invented by a(n) _______.
A.Australian B.American C.British D.French
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--What do you think of the 3-D printer?
--It’s great although it still needs further ______.
A. invention B. education
C. information D. development
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Do you know the person ________ first invented the umbrella?
A.what B.whom C.which D.who
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补全对话（10分）
A：Hi, Jack. Do you know what the Four Inventions are ?
B: Yes, I have just learned about them from my Chinese teacher. 1.
A: 2.
B: They were great inventions at that time. 3.They are great gifts to the world from ancient China.
A: Really? Can you describe them in detail?
B: Sure. Let me give you an example. Before the compass was invented, sailors had to depend on the stars to find directions. After it was invented, the oceans were open to travel. 4.
A: You are great. You know much about China.
B: 5.
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Most people use their mouths to talk, but do you know same people use their hands to speak? Some people who cannot hear use their hands to communicate messages to others. This is called sign language. These people make shapes with their fingers, movements with their hands, as well as different faces in order to talk to other people.
One way people speak with their hands is by making shapes for letters with their fingers. For example, if you make an "OK" sign with your thumb and finger, that is the shape for the letter "f" in American sign language. Each letter has a hand shape. This way people can spell words using their hands. For example, if you want to spell "fun", you need to make three shapes. First you make the shape for the letter "f", then the shape for the letter "u", and then the shape for the letter "n".
___________. If you move your hand from your nose to your chin(下巴), you can say“mother” in American sign language. Of course, you have to use the correct hand shape, too. That shape is like holding your hand open with all five fingers showing. If you move your hand from the top of your head to your chin, you can say "father＂， Again, you have to use the same hand shape that you used for "mother".
Finally, people can change their faces to communicate in a sign language. For example, if you want to ask a question, you need to make your eyebrows (眉毛) go up. You also need to move your head forward a little.
If you want to say "I do not know", you need to make your eyes smaller and make your eyebrows go down.
1.If you want to spell the word "nice", you need to make _______ hand shapes.
A. one
B. two
C. three
D. four
2.Which of the following can be put in the blank in Paragraph 3?
A. People also need to learn sign language
B. People also make hand shapes to communicate
C. People also move their hands to talk in a sign language
D. People also make different faces to express their meanings
3.You need to use your _______ to say "I do not know" in American sign language.
A. eyes and eyebrows
B. eyes and head
C. hand and head
D. fingers and eyes
4.The purpose of the passage is to _________.
A. help people know more about America
B. introduce American sign language to readers
C. teach readers how to make hand shapes
D. encourage people to use more sign language