To us, it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains. But in fact 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, back in the eleventh 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 and power . In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office or by royal people such as the kings or queens. In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. The umbrella was in common use in ancient Greece, but it is believed that the first people in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans. During the middle ages in Europe, the use of the umbrella almost disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it became a symbol of power. 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 the umbrellas for women began to be made in all kinds of colors. Ancient people first used umbrellas as _ . A) a symbol of honor B) protection against the sun C) a symbol of power D) protection against the rain
B

Now people who are in different parts of the world communicate easier than before. But it is a little hard to understand each other well. Some of them may not understand others' words, so it's easy to make a few mistakes. For example, an important question about eating out, is who pays for the meal. If a friend of yours suggests you have lunch with him, you might simply say something like this, "I'm afraid it will have to be some place inexpensive, as I have very little money." The other person might say, "OK. I will meet you at McDonald's." This means it is agreed that the two will go Dutch, that is, each person pays for himself. He might also say, "Oh, no. I want to take you to lunch at Johnson's", or " I want you to try the steak there. It is great." This means that the person intends to pay the bill for both of you. If you feel friendly towards this person, there is no reason why you shouldn't accept this invitation. You might simply say, "Thank you. That would be very nice." ,. By reading the text, how do you feel about the communication of the world today? A) People who are in different parts can understand each other easier. B) People who are in different parts can understand each other harder. C) It gets harder . D) It gets easier.
D

On a cold winter day, a fox told Mother Bear that he would teach her how to fish. For she wanted to learn, he took her to a hole in the ice, and told her to put her tail down into the water. He told her to keep the tail there for a long time. Then when she pulled the tail out of the water, she would find fish around the tail. The bear was foolish enough to believe what the fox said. She sat for a long time with her tail in the water. She was waiting for the fish. But when she tried to pull her tail out of the water she found that it was frozen in the ice. She asked the fox to pull her out, but the fox laughed to itself and ran away. So she called Father Bear to help her. Father Bear came. He pulled her hard and at last got her out. But a part of her tail was in the ice. That is why people find the bear's tail so short. What did a fox tell Mother Bear to do on a cold winter day? A) It told her to swim in the lake. B) It told her to play by the lake. C) It told her to catch fish for him. D) It taught her how to fish.
D

Trip1 The Green Mountain Bring your strong shoes for the hiking in a beautiful area of the Green Mountain. You can also find many kinds of wild animals living in this area. Time: May 8--May 14 Tel: 64639818 Adult: $110.00 Child: $55.00 Trip 2 The Heaven Garden This is a beautiful garden with different kinds of flowers. Take your camera and enjoy the wonderful sight here. It is also a good place for fishing. Time: May 20--May 22 Tel: 63986432 Adult: $ 50.00 Child: $ 25.00 Trip 3 The Dungog Valley Put on your warm clothes, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. Many of the plants you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. Time: May 16--May 18 Tel: 63875629 Adult: $ 30.00 Not for children Trip 4 By the sea Wear your sun hat and enjoy wonderful sunshine all the time from morning to evening. You can also take a boat to different places for swimming. Time: May 23--May 27 Tel: 67538293 Adult: $ 80.00 Child: $ 40.00 Lucy wants to know something about plants. _ suits her well. A) Trip 1 B) Trip 2 C) Trip 3 D) Trip 4
C