Bicycles are very popular around the world today．People ride their bicycles for exercise and enjoyment．In some places，people use a bicycle to get to work．In other places，bicycle riding is a very popular exercise to people who live in cities．But who invented the first bicycle? In 1791，a Frenchman named Comte de Sivrac invented and owned the first bicycle．Mrs. Sivrac rode（騎）the bicycle in Paris．The handles（把手）and the seat were wooden．This bicycle was very difficult to move．A rider even had to pick up the front wheel to change direction．Finally，the bicycle had no brakes for stopping or pedals for the feet! Riding a bicycle was a great risk．

In 1817，a German named Baron von Drais de Sauerbrun made the first bicycle better．The seat became more comfortable．The wheel could now change direction．His ride in the forest took only one hour instead of three hours on foot，which surprised people at that time．

Sauerbrun brought this kind of bicycle from Germany to France．Then Denis Johnson，an Englishman，made a bicycle for women．It had space for their dresses to hang down．But these bicycles still had no brakes or pedals，and riders often got hurt．These bicycles and the people who rode them were not very popular．

It took another forty-five years for the bicycle to become popular．More than 100 years later，bicycle riding is more popular than ever．In fact，in India and China，there are still many more bicycles than ears．

1．Which of the following best describes the first bicycle?

A．Very popular．                                    B．Easy to carry．      

C．Ugly-looking．                                    D．Difficult to ride．

2．Why was it a risk to ride the first bicycle?

A．Because it had no pedals for the feet．

B．Because it was difficult to control（控制）．

C．Because people would laugh at you．

D．Because handles and the seat were wooden．

3．Which of the following was not improved by Sauerbrun to the first bicycle?

A．Brakes were added to it．

B．It was made to go faster．

C．The wheel could now change direction．

D．The seat was made more comfortable．

4．What’s the major difference between Denis Johnson’s bicycle and the earlier ones 7

A．It was more comfortable．                          B．It was faster and safer．

C．It had space for the rider's dress．               D．It had metal handles and seat．

5．The best title（題目）for the passage would be                 ．

A．Bicycles Around the World                          B．How to Ride a Bicycle

C．The Greatest Invention                                D．The First Bicycle

In England, people often talk about the weather because they can experience（經(jīng)歷）four seasons in one day．In the morning the weather is warm just like in spring．An hour later black clouds come and then it rains hard．The weather gets a little cold．In the late afternoon the sky will be sunny, the sun will begin to shine, and it will be summer at this time of a day．In England, people can also have summer in winter, or have winter in summer．So in winter they can swim sometimes, and in summer sometimes they should take warm clothes．When you go to England, you will see that some English people usually take an umbrella（傘）or a raincoat with them in the sunny morning, but you should not laugh at them．If you don't take an umbrella or a raincoat, you will regret（后悔）later in the day．

1．Why do people in England often talk about the weather?

A．Because they may have four seasons in one day．

B．Because they often have very good Weather．

C．Because the weather is warm just like in spring．

D．Because the sky is sunny all day．

2．From the story we know that when _______ come, there is a heavy rain．

A．sunshine and snow                               B．black clouds

C．summer and winter                                     D．spring and autumn

3．"People can also have summer in winter．" Means "it is sometimes too _______ in winter．"

A．warm             B．cool                  C．cold              D．rainy

4．In the sunny morning some English people usually take a raincoat or an umbrella with them because _______．

A．their friends ask them to do so                  B．it often rains in England

C．they are going to sell them                      D．they are their favorite things

5．The best title（標(biāo)題）for this passage is _______．

A．Bad Seasons                                 B．Summer or Winter

C．The Weather in England                      D．Strange English People