It's always a good idea to put on your seat belt when you're in a car. Why? Think about this example: You put an egg on a skateboard and give it a push. If the skateboard hits a stone, it will stop, but the egg won't. It will fly through the air, hit the ground and break.
Now, think what would happen if you tied the egg to the skateboard. When the skateboard hits a stone, the egg won't go flying; it will stay safely on the skateboard.
Volvo, a famous Swedish carmaker, was the first to use seat belts in 1959.
Air bags are also very important for car safety, because sometimes a seat belt isn't enough. If the car is going really fast and runs into something, seat belts could even hurt the people who wear them. Most new cars have air bags in front of and next to the seats. When a car hits something, its air bags will come out quickly in less than one second to keep the people inside safe.
(1).The passage mainly tells us _____ .
A.two important ways to keep safe in cars
B.how air bags work to make cars safe
C.how seat belts work to make cars safe
D.why we must tie the egg to the skateboard
(2).The writer gives the example of the egg to _.
A.tell us that eggs are easy to break
B.show how to wear a seat belt
C.show why it's important to wear a seat belt in a car
D.tell us what a skateboard is
(3).Seat belts can make us safer because_____.
A.we are interested in them
B.they can stop us from hitting other cars
C.they can help us stay safely on the seats
D.they are made of strong materials
(4).Air bags are important for cars because _.
A.they are made of plastic
B.they can also help us to keep safe in a car
C.they can keep cars running slowly
D.they are put in front of and next to the seats
(5).Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?
A.It won't be dangerous if there are seat belts or air bags in a car.
B.Now most of new cars still have only one air bag.
C.When a car hits something, its air bags will come out a few minutes later.
D.Volvo was the first to use seat belts.
2.A lot of teenagers are good at art at school, but how would you feel if people called you “the new Picasso(毕加索)” or if presidents and other famous people collected your paintings?
Alexandra Nechita was ten when her paintings became famous all over the world. She visited Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and her family’s native place (祖籍) Romania where 5,000 fans came to see her at the airport. Alexandra said, “When it all started, I was moved. It was very exciting and I loved the traveling, but I got very tired. And I missed home.”
Alexandra is a good student. Her studies always come first. She only starts painting after she’s done her homework. She works on two or three paintings at a time. The paintings sell for thousands and Alexandra’s parents have given up their jobs to work for their daughter. Life for the Nechita family is very different from what it was like a few years ago.
Alexandra’s father Niki left Romania for political reasons in 1985. At first he tried his best to learn English and had different kinds of low-paid jobs. In 1987, he brought his wife and Alexandra, who was then 18 months old, to America. The family was very poor. Alexandra began to draw at the age of three.
She was drawing for four or five hours a day. Soon people offered to buy her paintings and she had her first art show at the age of eight. Stories about this child appeared in the newspapers and television. They now live in a large house with a swimming pool. Her mother said, “We started without anything, but thanks to Alexandra, we have everything we ever dreamed of.”
(1).Alexandra became well-known all over the world for her paintings at the age of _______.
A.18months
B.three
C.eight
D.ten
(2).Which country does Alexandra live?
A.America.
B.Britain.
C.Romania.
D.France.
(3).Alexandra’s painting _________.
A.took her a lot of time at school
B.made her drop out of school
C.didn’t influence her studies at school
D.made her fall behind others in studies at school
(4).When her family arrived in America in 1987, _________.
A.their life was very hard
B.they lived by selling Alexandra’s paintings
C.Alexandra began to draw her painting
D.her parents left their jobs and worked for her
(5).From the passage, we can learn ________.
A.Alexandra was not interested in travelling
B.Alexandra’s success changed her family’s life
C.Alexandra’s parents were good at English
D.Alexandra’s stories appeared often on the radio and TV
