英语阅读练习

ReadingTest

Thefollowingpassagereferstoquestions8through14.

Inthe16thcentury,anageofgreatmarineandterrestrialexploration,FerdinandMagellanledthefirst

expeditiontosailaroundtheworld.AsayoungPortuguesenoble,heservedthekingofPortugal,buthebecame

involvedinthequagmireofpoliticalintrigueatcourtandlosttheking'sfavor.Afterhewasdismissedfrom

servicebythekingofPortugal,heofferedtoservethefutureEmperorCharlesVofSpain.

Apapaldecreeof1493hadassignedalllandintheNewWorldwestof50degreesWlongitudetoSpainandall

thelandeastofthatlinetoPortugal.MagellanofferedtoprovethattheEastIndiesfellunderSpanishauthority.

OnSeptember20,1519,MagellansetsailfromSpainwithfiveships.Morethanayearlater,oneoftheseships

wasexploringthetopographyofSouthAmericainsearchofawaterrouteacrossthecontinent.Thisshipsank,

buttheremainingfourshipssearchedalongthesouthernpeninsulaofSouthAmerica.Finallytheyfoundthe

passagetheysoughtnear50degreesSlatitude.MagellannamedthispassagetheStraitofAllSaints,buttodayit

isknownastheStraitofMagellan.

OneshipdesertedwhileinthispassageandreturnedtoSpain,sofewersailorswereprivilegedtogazeatthat

firstpanoramaofthePacificOcean.ThosewhoremainedcrossedthemeridiannowknownastheInternational

DateLineintheearlyspringof1521after98daysonthePacificOcean.Duringthoselongdaysatsea,manyof

Magellan'smendiedofstarvationanddisease.

Later,MagellanbecameinvolvedinaninsularconflictinthePhilippinesandwaskilledinatribalbattle.Onlyone

shipand17sailorsunderthecommandoftheBasquenavigatorElcanosurvivedtocompletethewestward

journeytoSpainandthusproveonceandforallthattheworldisround,withnoprecipiceattheedge.

1.The16thcenturywasanageofgreatexploration.

A.cosmic

B.land

C.mental

D.commonman

E.Noneoftheabove

2.MagellanlostthefavorofthekingofPortugalwhenhebecameinvolvedinapolitical.

A.entanglement

B.discussion

C.negotiation

D.problem

E.Noneoftheabove

3.ThePopedividedNewWorldlandsbetweenSpainandPortugalaccordingtotheirlocationononesideor

theotherofanimaginarygeographicalline50degreeswestofGreenwichthatextendsina

direction.

A.northandsouth

B.crosswise

C.easterly

D.southeast

E.northandwest

4.OneofMagellan'sshipsexploredtheofSouthAmericaforapassageacrossthecontinent.

A.coastline

B.mountainrange

C.physicalfeatures

D.islands

E.Noneoftheabove

5.Fouroftheshipssoughtapassagealongasouthern.

A.coast

B.inland

C.bodyoflandwithwateronthreesides

D.border

E.Answernotavailable

6.Thepassagewasfoundnear50degreesSof.

A.Greenwich

B.Theequator

C.Spain

D.Portugal

E.Madrid

7.Inthespringof1521,theshipscrossedthenowcalledtheInternationalDateLine.

A.imaginarycirclepassingthroughthepoles

B.imaginarylineparalleltotheequator

C.area

D.landmass

E.Answernotavailable

Thefollowingpassagereferstoquestions8through14.

MarieCuriewasoneofthemostaccomplishedscientistsinhistory.Togetherwithherhusband,Pierre,she

discoveredradium,anelementwidelyusedfortreatingcancer,andstudieduraniumandotherradioactive

substances.PierreandMarie'samicablecollaborationlaterhelpedtounlockthesecretsoftheatom.

Mariewasbornin1867inWarsaw,Poland,whereherfatherwasaprofessorofphysics.Atanearlyage,she

displayedabrilliantmindandablithepersonality.Hergreatexuberanceforlearningpromptedhertocontinue

withherstudiesafterhighschool.Shebecamedisgruntled,however,whenshelearnedthattheuniversityin

Warsawwasclosedtowomen.Determinedtoreceiveahighereducation,shedefiantlyleftPolandandin1891

enteredtheSorbonne,aFrenchuniversity,wheresheearnedhermaster'sdegreeanddoctorateinphysics.

MariewasfortunatetohavestudiedattheSorbonnewithsomeofthegreatestscientistsofherday,oneof

whomwasPierreCurie.MarieandPierreweremarriedin1895andspentmanyproductiveyearsworking

togetherinthephysicslaboratory.Ashorttimeaftertheydiscoveredradium,Pierrewaskilledbyahorse-drawn

wagonin1906.Mariewasstunnedbythishorriblemisfortuneandenduredheartbreakinganguish.

Despondentlysherecalledtheircloserelationshipandthejoythattheyhadsharedinscientificresearch.Thefact

thatshehadtwoyoungdaughterstoraisebyherselfgreatlyincreasedherdistress.

Curie'sfeelingofdesolationfinallybegantofadewhenshewasaskedtosucceedherhusbandasaphysics

professorattheSorbonne.Shewasthefirstwomantobegivenaprofessorshipattheworld-famousuniversity.

In1911shereceivedtheNobelPrizeinchemistryforisolatingradium.AlthoughMarieCurieeventuallysuffered

afatalillnessfromherlongexposuretoradium,sheneverbecamedisillusionedaboutherwork.Regardlessof

theconsequences,shehaddedicatedherselftoscienceandtorevealingthemysteriesofthephysicalworld.

8.TheCuries*collaborationhelpedtounlockthesecretsoftheatom.

A.friendly

B.competitive

C.courteous

D.industrious

E.chemistry

9.Mariehadabrightmindandapersonality.

A.strong

B.lighthearted

C.humorous

D.strange

E.envious

10.WhenshelearnedthatshecouldnotattendtheuniversityinWarsaw,shefelt・

A.hopeless

B.annoyed

C.depressed

D.worried

E.Noneoftheabove

11.MariebyleavingPolandandtravelingtoFrancetoentertheSorbonne.

A.challengedauthority

B.showedintelligence

C.behaved

D.wasdistressed

E.Answernotavailable

12.sherememberedtheirjoytogether.

A.Dejectedly

B.Worried

C.Tearfully

D.Happily

E.Irefully

13.HerbegantofadewhenshereturnedtotheSorbonnetosucceedherhusband.

A.misfortune

B.anger

C.wretchedness

D.disappointment

E.ambition

14.Eventhoughshebecamefatallyillfromworkingwithradium,MarieCuriewasnever.

A.troubled

B.worried

C.disappointed

D.sorrowful

E.disturbed

Thefollowingpassagereferstoquestions15through19.

MountVesuvius,avolcanolocatedbetweentheancientItaliancitiesofPompeiiandHerculaneum,hasreceived

muchattentionbecauseofitsfrequentanddestructiveeruptions.Themostfamousoftheseeruptionsoccurred

inA.D.79.

Thevolcanohadbeeninactiveforcenturies.Therewaslittlewarningofthecomingeruption,althoughone

accountunearthedbyarchaeologistssaysthatahardrainandastrongwindhaddisturbedthecelestialcalm

duringtheprecedingnight.Earlythenextmorning,thevolcanopouredahugeriverofmoltenrockdownupon

Herculaneum,completelyburyingthecityandfillingtheharborwithcoagulatedlava.

Meanwhile,ontheothersideofthemountain,cinders,stoneandashraineddownonPompeii.Sparksfromthe

burningashignitedthecombustiblerooftopsquickly.Largeportionsofthecityweredestroyedinthe

conflagration.Fire,however,wasnottheonlycauseofdestruction.Poisonoussulfuricgasessaturatedtheair.

Theseheavygaseswerenotbuoyantintheatmosphereandthereforesanktowardtheearthandsuffocated

people.

Overtheyears,excavationsofPompeiiandHerculaneumhaverevealedagreatdealaboutthebehaviorofthe

volcano.Byanalyzingdata,muchasazoologistdissectsananimalspecimen,scientistshaveconcludedthatthe

eruptionchangedlargeportionsofthearea'sgeography.Forinstance,itturnedtheSarnoRiverfromitscourse

andraisedthelevelofthebeachalongtheBayofNaples.Meteorologistsstudyingtheseeventshavealso

concludedthatVesuviuscausedahugetidalwavethataffectedtheworld'sclimate.

Inadditiontomakingtheseinvestigations,archaeologistshavebeenabletostudytheskeletonsofvictimsby

usingdistilledwatertowashawaythevolcanicash.Bystrengtheningthebrittleboneswithacrylicpaint,

scientistshavebeenabletoexaminetheskeletonsanddrawconclusionsaboutthedietandhabitsofthe

residents.Finally,theexcavationsatbothPompeiiandHerculaneumhaveyieldedmanyexamplesofclassicalart,

suchasjewelrymadeofbronze,whichisanalloyofcopperandtin.TheeruptionofMountVesuviusandits

tragicconsequenceshaveprovidedeveryonewithawealthofdataabouttheeffectsthatvolcanoescanhaveon

thesurroundingarea.Today,volcanologistscanlocateandpredicteruptions,savinglivesandpreventingthe

destructionofothercitiesandcultures.

15.Herculaneumanditsharborwereburiedunderlava.

A.liquid

B.solid

C.flowing

D.gas

E.Answernotavailable

16.Thepoisonousgaseswerenotintheair.

A.abletofloat

B.visible

C.abletoevaporate

D.invisible

E.abletocondense

17.ScientistsanalyzeddataaboutVesuviusinthesamewaythatazoologistaspecimen.

A.describesindetail

B.studiesbycuttingapart

C.photographs

D.chart

E.Answernotavailable

18.haveconcludedthatthevolcaniceruptioncausedatidalwave.

A.Scientistswhostudyoceans

B.Scientistswhostudyatmosphericconditions

C.Scientistswhostudyash

D.Scientistswhostudyanimalbehavior

E.Answernotavailableinarticle

19.Scientistshaveusedwatertowashawayvolcanicashfromtheskeletonsofvictims.

A.bottled

B.volcanic

C.purified

D.sea

E.fountain

Thefollowingpassagereferstoquestions20-24.

ConflicthadexistedbetweenSpainandEnglandsincethe1570s.Englandwantedashareofthewealththat

SpainhadbeentakingfromthelandsithadclaimedintheAmericas.

ElizabethI,QueenofEngland,encouragedherstaunchadmiralofthenavy,SirFrancisDrake,toraidSpanish

shipsandtowns.Thoughtheseraidswereonasmallscale,Drakeachieveddramaticsuccess,addinggoldand

silvertoEngland'streasuryanddiminishingSpain'ssupremacy.

Religiousdifferencesalsocausedconflictbetweenthetwocountries.WhereasSpainwasRomanCatholic,most

ofEnglandhadbecomeProtestant.KingPhilipIIofSpainwantedtoclaimthethroneandmakeEnglanda

Catholiccountryagain.TosatisfyhisambitionandalsotoretaliateagainstEngland'stheftofhisgoldandsilver,

KingPhilipbegantobuildhisfleetofwarships,theSpanishArmada,inJanuary1586.

Philipintendedhisfleettobeindestructible.Inadditiontobuildingnewwarships,hemarshaled130sailing

vesselsofalltypesandrecruitedmorethan19,000robustsoldiersand8,000sailors.Althoughsomeofhisships

lackedgunsandotherslackedammunition,PhilipwasconvincedthathisArmadacouldwithstandanybattle

withEngland.

ThemartialArmadasetsailfromLisbon,Portugal,onMay9,1588,butbadweatherforceditbacktoport.The

voyageresumedonJuly22aftertheweatherbecamemorestable.

TheSpanishfleetmetthesmaller,faster,andmoremaneuverableEnglishshipsinbattleoffthecoastof

Plymouth,England,firstonJuly31andagainonAugust2.ThetwobattlesleftSpainvulnerable,havinglost

severalshipsandwithitsammunitiondepleted.OnAugust7,whiletheArmadalayatanchorontheFrenchside

oftheStraitofDover,EnglandsenteightburningshipsintothemidstoftheSpanishfleettosetitonfire.

Blockedononeside,theSpanishshipscouldonlydriftaway,theircrewsinpanicanddisorder.Beforethe

Armadacouldregroup,theEnglishattackedagainonAugust8.

AlthoughtheSpaniardsmadeavaliantefforttofightback,thefleetsufferedextensivedamage.Duringtheeight

hoursofbattle,theArmadadriftedperilouslyclosetotherockycoastline.Atthemomentwhenitseemedthat

theSpanishshipswouldbedrivenontotheEnglishshore,thewindshifted,andtheArmadadriftedoutintothe

NorthSea.TheSpaniardsrecognizedthesuperiorityoftheEnglishfleetandreturnedhome,defeated.

20.SirFrancisDrakeaddedwealthtothetreasuryanddiminishedSpain's.

A.unlimitedpower

B.unrestrictedgrowth

C.territory

D.treaties

E.Answernotavailableinarticle

21.KingPhiliprecruitedmanysoldiersandsailors.

A.warlike

B.strong

C.accomplished

D.timid

E.inexperienced

22.TheArmadasetsailonMay9,1588.

A.complete

B.warlike

C.independent

D.isolated

E.Answernotavailable

23.ThetwobattleslefttheSpanishfleet.

A.opentochange

B.triumphant

C.opentoattack

D.defeated

E.discouraged

24.TheArmadawasononeside.

A.closedoff

B.damaged

C.alone

D.circled

E.Answernotavailableinthisarticle

Thefollowingpassagereferstoquestions25-29.

ThevictoryofthesmallGreekdemocracyofAthensoverthemightyPersianEmpirein490B.C.isoneofthe

mostfamouseventsinhistory.Darius,kingofthePersianEmpire,wasfuriousbecauseAthenshadintercededfor

theotherGreekcity-statesinrevoltagainstPersiandomination.Inangerthekingsentanenormousarmyto

defeatAthens.Hethoughtitwouldtakedrasticstepstopacifytherebelliouspartoftheempire.

Persiawasruledbyoneman.InAthens,however,allcitizenshelpedtorule.Ennobledbythisparticipation,

Athenianswerepreparedtodiefortheircity-state.Perhapsthiswasthesecretoftheremarkablevictoryat

Marathon,whichfreedthemfromPersianrule.OntheirwaytoMarathon,thePersianstriedtofoolsomeGreek

city-statesbyclaimingtohavecomeinpeace.ThefrightenedcitizensofDelosrefusedtobelievethis.Not

wantingtoabettheconquestofGreece,theyfledfromtheircityanddidnotreturnuntilthePersianshadleft.

Theywerewise,forthePersiansnextconqueredthecityofEritreaandcaptureditspeople.

TinyAthensstoodaloneagainstPersia.TheAthenianpeoplewenttotheirsanctuaries.Theretheyprayedfor

deliverance.Theyaskedtheirgodstoexpeditetheirvictory.TheAtheniansrefurbishedtheirweaponsand

movedtotheplainofMarathon,wheretheirlittlebandwouldmeetthePersians.Atthelastmoment,soldiers

fromPlataeareinforcedtheAtheniantroops.

TheAthenianarmyattacked,andGreekcitizensfoughtbravely.ThepowerofthemightyPersianswasoffsetby

thelovethattheAthenianshadfortheircity.AtheniansdefeatedthePersiansinbotharcheryandhandcombat.

GreeksoldiersseizedPersianshipsandburnedthem,andthePersiansfledinterror.Herodotus,afamous

historian,reportsthat6,400Persiansdied,comparedtoonly192Athenians.

25.AthenshadtheotherGreekcity-statesagainstthePersians.

A.refusedhelpto

B.intervenedonbehalfof

C.wantedtofight

D.givenordersforalltofight

E.defeated

26.DariustookdrasticstepstotherebelliousAthenians.

A.weaken

B.destroy

C.calm

D.irritate

E.Answernotavailable

27.TheirparticipationtotheAthenians.

A.gavecomfort

B.gavehonor

C.gavestrength

D.gavefear

E.gavehope

28.ThepeopleofDelosdidnotwanttotheconquestofGreece.

A.end

B.encourage

C.thinkabout

D.daydreamabout

E.Answernotavailable

29.TheAthenianswerebysomesoldierswhoarrivedfromPlataea.

A.welcomed

B.strengthened

C.held

D.captured

E.Answernotavailable

Thefollowingpassagereferstoquestions30-32.

TheTrojanWarisoneofthemostfamouswarsinhistory.Itiswellknownforthe10-yearduration,forthe

heroismofanumberoflegendarycharacters,andfortheTrojanhorse.Whatmaynotbefamiliar,however,is

thestoryofhowthewarbegan.

AccordingtoGreekmyth,thestrifebetweentheTrojansandtheGreeksstartedattheweddingofPeleus,Kingof

Thessaly,andThetis,aseanymph.Allofthegodsandgoddesseshadbeeninvitedtotheweddingcelebrationin

TroyexceptEris,goddessofdiscord.Shehadbeenomittedfromtheguestlistbecauseherpresencealways

embroiledmortalsandimmortalsalikeinconflict.

Totakerevengeonthosewhohadslightedher,Erisdecidedtocauseaskirmish.Intothemiddleofthebanquet

hall,shethrewagoldenapplemarked"forthemostbeautiful."Allofthegoddessesbegantohaggleoverwho

shouldpossessit.ThegodsandgoddessesreachedastalematewhenthechoicewasnarrowedtoHera,Athena,

andAphrodite.Someonewasneededtosettlethecontroversybypickingawinner.Thejobeventuallyfellto

Paris,sonofKingPriamofTroy,whowassaidtobeagoodjudgeofbeauty.Parisdidnothaveaneasyjob.Each

goddess,eagertowinthegoldenapple,triedaggressivelytobribehim.

"I'llgrantyouvastkingdomstorule/'promisedHera."Vastkingdomsarenothingincomparisonwithmygift,"

contradictedAthena."ChoosemeandI'llseethatyouwinvictoryandfameinwar."Aphroditeoutdidher

adversaries,however.ShewonthegoldenapplebyofferingHelen,daughterofZeusandthemostbeautiful

mortalintheland,toParis.Paris,anxioustoclaimHelen,setoffforSpartainGreece.

AlthoughParislearnedthatHelenwasmarried,heneverthelessacceptedthehospitalityofherhusband,King

MenelausofSparta.Therefore,MenelauswasoutragedforanumberofreasonswhenParisdeparted,taking

Helenandmuchoftheking'swealthbacktoTroy.MenelauscollectedhisloyalforcesandsetsailforTroyto

beginthewartoreclaimHelen.

30.Eriswasknownforbothmortalsandimmortals.

A.schemingagainst

B.creatingconflictamongst

C.feelinghostiletoward

D.ignoring

E.comforting

31.EachgoddesstriedtobribeParis.

A.boldly

B.effectively

C.secretly

D.carefully

E.Answernotavailable

32.AthenaHera,promisingParisvictoryandfameinwar.

A.disregardedthestatementof

B.defeated

C.agreedwith

D.restatedthestatementof

E.questionedthestatementof

Refertothefollowingpassageforquestions33-37.

OneofthemostintriguingstoriesoftheRussianRevolutionconcernstheidentityofAnastasia,theyoungest

daughterofCzarNicholasII.DuringhisreignoverRussia,theczarhadplannedtorevokemanyoftheharshlaws

establishedbypreviousczars.Someworkersandpeasants,however,clamoredformorerapidsocialreform.In

1918,agroupofthesepeopleknownasBolsheviksoverthrewthegovernment.OnJuly17or18,theymurdered

theczarandwhatwasthoughttobehisentirefamily.

Althoughwitnessesvouchedthatallthemembersoftheczar'sfamilyhadbeenexecuted,therewererumors

suggestingthatAnastasiahadsurvived.Overtheyears,anumberofwomenclaimedtobeGrandDuchess

Anastasia.PerhapsthemostfamousclaimantwasAnastasiaTschaikovsky,whowasalsoknownasAnna

Anderson.

In1920,18monthsaftertheczar'sexecution,thisterrifiedyoungwomanwasrescuedfromdrowninginaBerlin

river.Shespenttwoyearsinahospital,wheresheattemptedtoreclaimherhealthandshatteredmind.The

doctorsandnursesthoughtthatsheresembledAnastasiaandquestionedheraboutherbackground.She

disclaimedanyconnectionwiththeczar'sfamily.Eightyearslater,however,sheclaimedthatshewasAnastasia.

ShesaidthatshehadbeenrescuedbytwoRussiansoldiersaftertheczarandtherestofherfamilyhadbeen

killed.TwobrothersnamedTschaikovskyhadcarriedherintoRomania.Shehadmarriedoneofthebrothers,

whohadtakenhertoBerlinandleftherthere,pennilessandwithoutavocation.Unabletoinvoketheaidofher

mother'sfamilyinGermany,shehadtriedtodrownherself.

Duringthenextfewyears,scoresoftheczar'srelatives,ex-servants,andacquaintancesinterviewedher.Manyof

thesepeoplesaidthatherlooksandmannerismswereevocativeoftheAnastasiathattheyhadknown.Her

grandmotherandotherrelativesdeniedthatshewastherealAnastasia,however.

Tiredofbeingaccusedoffraud,AnastasiaimmigratedtotheUnitedStatesin1928andtookthenameAnna

Anderson.ShestillwishedtoprovethatshewasAnastasia,though,andreturnedtoGermanyin1933tobring

suitagainsthermother'sfamily.Thereshedeclaimedtothecourt,assertingthatshewasindeedAnastasiaand

deservedherinheritance.

In1957,thecourtdecidedthatitcouldneitherconfirmnordenyAnastasia'sidentity.Althoughitwillprobably

neverbeknownwhetherthiswomanwastheGrandDuchessAnastasia,hersearchtoestablishheridentityhas

beenthesubjectofnumerousbooks,plays,andmovies.

33.SomeRussianpeasantsandworkersforsocialreform.

A.longed

B.criedout

C.begged

D.hoped

E.thoughtmuch

34.Witnessesthatallmembersoftheczar'sfamilyhadbeenexecuted.

A.gaveassurance

B.thought

C.hoped

D.convincedsome

E.Answernotavailable

35.Tschaikovskyinitiallyanyconnectionwiththeczar'sfamily.

A.denied

B.stopped

C.noted

D.justified

E.Answernotavailable

36.Shewasunabletotheaidofherrelatives.

A.locate

B.speakabout

C.callupon

D.identify

E.know

37.IncourtshemaintainingthatshewasAnastasiaanddeservedherinheritance.

A.finallyappeared

B.spokeforcefully

C.gavetestimony

D.gaveevidence

E.Answernotavailable

Refertothefollowingpassageforquestions38-39.

KingLouisXVIandQueenMarieAntoinetteruledFrancefrom1774to1789,atimewhenthecountrywas

fightingbankruptcy.TheroyalcoupledidnotletFrance'sinsecurefinancialsituationlimittheirimmoderate

spending,however.Eventhoughtheministeroffinancerepeatedlywarnedthekingandqueenagainstwasting

money,theycontinuedtospendgreatfortunesontheirpersonalpleasure.Thislavishspendinggreatlyenraged

thepeopleofFrance.Theyfeltthattheroyalcoupleboughtitsluxuriouslifestyleatthepoorpeople'sexpense.

MarieAntoinette,thebeautifulbutexceedinglyimpracticalqueen,seemeduncaringabouthersubjects'misery.

WhileFrenchcitizensbeggedforlowertaxes,thequeenembellishedherpalacewithextravagantworksofart.

Shealsosurroundedherselfwithartists,writers,andmusicians,whoencouragedthequeentospendmoney

evenmoreprofusely.

Whilethequeen'sfavoritesgluttedthemselvesonhugefeastsattheroyaltable,manypeopleinFrancewere

starving.TheFrenchgovernmenttaxedthecitizensoutrageously.Thesehightaxespaidfortheentertainments

thequeenandhercourtsoenjoyed.Whentheministeroffinancetriedtostoptheseroyalspendthrifts,the

queenreplacedhim.TheintensehatredthatthepeoplefeltforLouisXVIandMarieAntoinettekeptbuilding

untilitledtotheFrenchRevolution.Duringthistimeofstruggleandviolence(1789-1799),thousandsof

aristocrats,aswellasthekingandqueenthemselves,losttheirlivesattheguillotine.PerhapsifLouisXVIand

MarieAntoinettehadreinedintheirextravagantspending,theeventsthatrockedFrancewouldnothave

occurred.

38.Thepeoplesurroundingthequeenencouragedhertospendmoney.

A.wisely

B.abundantly

C.carefully

D.foolishly

E.joyfully

39.Theministeroffinancetriedtocurbtheseroyal.

A.aristocrats

B.moneywasters

C.enemies

D.individuals

E.spenders

Refertothefollowingpassageforquestions40-45.

Manygreatinventionsareinitiallygreetedwithridiculeanddisbelief.Theinventionoftheairplanewasno

exception.AlthoughmanypeoplewhoheardaboutthefirstpoweredflightonDecember17,1903wereexcited

andimpressed,othersreactedwithpealsoflaughter.Theideaofflyinganaircraftwasrepulsivetosomepeople.

SuchpeoplecalledWilburandOrvilleWright,theinventorsofthefirstflyingmachine,impulsivefools.Negative

reactions,however,didnotstoptheWrights.Impelledbytheirdesiretosucceed,theycontinuedtheir

experimentsinaviation.

OrvilleandWilburWrighthadalwayshadacompellinginterestinaeronauticsandmechanics.Asyoungboys

theyearnedmoneybymakingandsellingkitesandmechanicaltoys.Later,theydesignedanewspaper-folding

machine,builtaprintingpress,andoperatedabicycle-repairshop.In1896,whentheyreadaboutthedeathof

OttoLilienthal,thebrothers'interestinflightgrewintoacompulsion.

Lilienthal,apioneerinhang-gliding,hadcontrolledhisglidersbyshiftinghisbodyinthedesireddirection.This

ideawasrepellenttotheWrightbrothers,however,andtheysearchedformoreefficientmethodstocontrolthe

balanceofairbornevehicles.In1900and1901,theWrightstestednumerousglidersanddevelopedcontrol

techniques.Thebrothers'inabilitytoobtainenoughliftpowerfortheglidersalmostledthemtoabandontheir

efforts.

Afterfurtherstudy,theWrightbrothersconcludedthatthepublishedtablesofairpressureoncurvedsurfaces

mustbewrong.Theysetupawindtunnelandbeganaseriesofexperimentswithmodelwings.Becauseoftheir

efforts,theoldtableswererepealedintimeandreplacedbythefirstreliablefiguresforairpressureoncurved

surfaces.Thiswork,inturn,madeitpossibleforthebrotherstodesignamachinethatwouldfly.In1903the

Wrightsbuilttheirfirstairplane,whichcostlessthan$1,000.Theyevendesignedandbuilttheirownsourceof

propulsion-alightweightgasolineengine.WhentheystartedtheengineonDecember17,theairplanepulsated

wildlybeforetakingoff.Theplanemanagedtostayaloftfor12seconds,however,anditflew120feet.

By1905,theWrightshadperfectedthefirstairplanethatcouldturn,circle,andremainairborneforhalfanhour

atatime.Othershadflowninballoonsandhanggliders,buttheWrightbrotherswerethefirsttobuildafull-size

machinethatcouldflyunderitsownpower.Asthecontributorsofoneofthemostoutstandingengineering

achievementsinhistory,theWrightbrothersareaccuratelycalledthefathersofaviation.

40.Theideaofflyinganaircraftwastosomepeople.

A.boring

B.distasteful

C.exciting

D.needless

E.Answernotavailable

41.PeoplethoughtthattheWrightbrothershad.

A.actedwithoutthinking

B.beennegativelyinfluenced

C.beentoocautious

D.beenmistaken

E.actedinanegativeway

42.TheWrights'interestinflightgrewintoa.

A.financialempire

B.plan

C.needtoact

D.foolishthought

E.Answernotavailable

43.Lilienthal'sideaaboutcontrollingairbornevehicleswastheWrights.

A.provenwrongby

B.oppositetotheideasof

C.dislikedby

D.acceptedby

E.improvedby

44.Theoldtableswereandreplacedbythefirstreliablefiguresforairpressureoncurvedsurfaces.

A.destroyed

B.invalidated

C.multiplied

D.approved

E.notused

45.TheWrightsdesignedandbuiltt