What do you think are the most important inventions of the past 2,000 years? The

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What do you think are the most important inventions of the past 2,000 years? The TV? The printing? The telephone? Or the computer? A report shows that these are not the only important inventions. Here are four other important ones.
Paper is one of the most important inventions. You can’t have printing without paper. In 105 AD, Cai Lun invented paper in China. Long before the printing and Internet, Cai Lun’s invention allowed us to write down information, stories and history.
One of the simplest (最简单) inventions to save life is the toilet. Before toilets, waste ran into the rivers from people’s houses. Illnesses were common (普通的) in big cities, and it was often difficult to find clean drinking water.
Animal food is another invention. Before the invention, most animals were killed every autumn because there was not enough food for them in the winter. After hay (干草) became a kind of common animal food, animals could live through the long winter.
Reading glasses is the fourth invention. People start getting far-sighted (远视) from the age of 45. Glasses mean that anyone can read, write and do “close work” after that age. Without glasses, the world would be difficult for the people above 45.
小题1:Cai Lun’s invention of paper makes it possible to ______.

A．have printing	B．feed animals
C．drink clean water	D．do “close work”

小题2:The invention of the toilet can stop people from ______.

A．saving water	B．getting ill
C．living in big cities	D．finding clean water

小题3:Why couldn’t the animals live through the winter?

A．It was very cold in winter.	B．They didn’t have enough food to eat.
C．They had no drinking water.	D．They died of illness.

小题4:From the last paragraph we learn that ______.

A．all people need reading glasses

B．anyone must do “close work” after 45

C．reading glasses are useful

D．life is more difficult for the people under 45

答案

小题1:D
小题2:A
小题3:D
小题4:C
小题5:B

解析

试题分析：这篇短文介绍了2000年以来人类最重要的几项发明，即蔡伦的造纸术、厕所、食物和老花镜的发明。
小题1:根据Paper is one of the most important inventions. You can’t have printing without paper.描述可知造纸术的发明让印刷成为可能。故选A。
小题2:根据Before toilets, waste ran into the rivers from people’s houses.及下文描述可知厕所的发明可以防止人们得病。故选B。
小题3:根据Before the invention, most animals were killed every autumn because there was not enough food for them in the winter.描述可知选B。
小题4:根据Glasses mean that anyone can read, write and do “close work” after that age.及上下文描述可知老花镜很有用。故选C。
点评：本文浅显易懂，各个小题都能在文中找到适当依据。只要认真阅读短文，注意前后联系，就能顺利完成阅读。文章所设试题主要考察细节查找，做题关键是找出原文的根据，认真核查小题和原文的异同。