Henry Ford’s parents left Ireland during the potato famine and settled in the Detroit area in the.1840s. Ford was born in what is now Dearborn, Michigan. His formal education was limited, but even as a youngster, he was handy with machinery. He worked for the Detroit Edison Company, advancing from machine-shop apprentice to chief engineer.
In 1893, Ford built a gasoline engine, and within a few years, an automobile, still a novelty item of the rich or do-it-yourself engineers. In 1899, Ford left Edison to help run the Detroit Automobile Company. Cars were still built essentially one at a time. Ford hoped to incorporate ideas from other industries----standardized parts as Eli Whitney has used with gun manufacturing, or assembly line methods George Eastman tried in photo processing ----to make the process more efficient. This idea struck others in his field as crazy, so before long, Ford quit Detroit Automobile Company and began to build his own racing cars. They were good enough to attract backers and even partners, and in 1903, he set up the Ford Motor Company.
He still met resistance to his ideas for mass production of a car the average worker could afford. But he stuck to his goal and finally in 1908, began production of the Model T. Ford gradually adapted the production line until in 1913, his plant incorporated the first moving assembly line. Demand for the affordable car soared even as production went up: before Ford stopped making the model T in 1927, 15 million had been sold, and Ford had become the leading auto manufacturer in the country. In addition to the moving assembly line, Ford revolutionized the auto industry by increasing the pay and decreasing the hours of his employees, ensuring he could get enough and the best workers. During the Model T era, Ford bought out his shareholders so he had completed financial control of the now vast corporation. He continued to innovate, competitors (growing more powerful though fewer in number) began to cut into Ford’s market share.
Ford and his family spent a food deal of time and money on charitable work. They set up a historical museum in Greenfield Village, Michigan, and most notably set up the Ford Foundation, which provides grants for research, education, and development.
“A bore (討厭鬼) is a fellow who opens his mouth and puts his feats (技藝) in it,” said Ford

  1. 1.

    The main idea of the first paragraph is _________.

    1. A.
      Ford’s education           
    2. B.
      Ford’s family
    3. C.
      Ford’s quickness to learn  
    4. D.
      Ford’s interest and handiness in machinery
  2. 2.

    Which of the following statements is right?

    1. A.
      Ford created the idea of standardized parts in industry
    2. B.
      Ford is the first to imply production line in manufacturing
    3. C.
      Ford is the first to create the idea of mass production of a car affordable for the average workers.
    4. D.
      Ford is the first to make cars.
  3. 3.

    The reason why Ford left Detroit Automobile Company probably was that _________.

    1. A.
      he was fired for his crazy idea
    2. B.
      he hoped to carry out his own idea on car-making
    3. C.
      people didn’t like to work with him
    4. D.
      he wanted to set up his own car factory
  4. 4.

    According to the passage, Henry Ford can be probably described as a man of _______.

    1. A.
      stubbornness 
    2. B.
      caution  C. determination 
    3. C.
      well-education
  5. 5.

    Which of the following quotes means most similarly with the last sentence of the passage?

    1. A.
      You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.
    2. B.
      Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected from happening.
    3. C.
      The greatest thing you can do is surprise yourself
    4. D.
      For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.
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科目:高中英語 來源:陜西省西工大附中2010屆高考下學(xué)期第四次模擬考試試卷(英語) 題型:閱讀理解


When early colonial settlers went to America, they took many forms of dance to their new home. Square dancing, one of the oldest forms of American folk dancing, developed from several different Old World group dances, mainly English country dances, and the French quadrille(四對方舞).
In the American version of square dancing, four couples form a square and dance to music. An American addition to square dancing is the caller. What do you think a caller does?
The callers---someone who calls out the dance steps in time to the music--- was a completely American invention. At first dancers memorized all the steps for a particular dance, but eventually the dances became so complicated that it was necessary to have someone call out cues (提示) so that dancers didn’t have to remember so many steps. The caller didn’t just call out “do-se-do your partner”; a good caller also came up with colourful sayings or witty lines that he said in between the cues such as “Don’t be shy and don’t be afraid. Swing on the corner in a waltz promenade (步伐).” A caller might also come up with new dance steps and routines.
Although popular for years, square dancing seemed to be going out of style and fading away until the early 1930s, when Henry Ford helped revive interest in it. Ford, the automobile manufacturer, used to vacation at the Wayside Inn in Massachusetts, where he enjoyed the dance programme run by a man named Benjamin Lovett. Ford asked Lovett to come to Detroit and teach dances, but Lovett said he couldn’t because he had a contract with the inn. Ford solved that problem by buying the inn and Lovett’s contract. He took Lovett back to Detroit, where together they established a programme for teaching squares and rounds. Square dancing was updated and groups began forming all over the country.
53. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Different Steps of Square Dancing
B. The Origin and Development of Square Dancing
C. Who Was the Inventor of Square Dancing?
D. Why Did Square Dancing Go Out of Style?
54. What does the underlined part “their new home” refer to?
A. The United Kingdom.            B. France.
C. Africa.                          D. America.
55. Why did the caller call out the steps for the dancers?
A. Because the dance was invented by the caller.
B. Because the dancers didn’t know the names of the steps.
C. Because the steps were very particular.
D. Because it was hard for the dancers to remember all the steps.
56. Why did the author mention Henry Ford in the last paragraph?
A. Because he was the man who made the first car.
B. Because he was vey fond of dancing.
C. Because he helped make square dancing popular again.
D. Because he taught people how to dance.

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科目:高中英語 來源:湖北省武漢市武昌區(qū)2010屆高三下學(xué)期五月調(diào)研測試試卷(英語) 題型:閱讀理解


Barack Obama
In the past hundred years, the U.S. presidency has turned more and more to the left – not in policy, but in handedness. Barrack Obama is the latest to join a long list of left – handed presidents from the 20th century: James Garfield, Herbert Hoover, Henry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were all southpaws.
What makes lefties so electable? Some experts think left-handed people have a greater aptitude for language skills, which may help them craft the rhetoric necessary for political office. And as for the bout of recent left-handed presidents, some think it’s because teachers only recently stopped working to convert lefties to rightist at an early age.
Bill Gates
Claiming the nation’s richest man among their number is a source of considerable pride for America’s society of southpaws. In fact, the Microsoft titan and philanthropist(巨頭兼慈善家) is one of a surprising number of U.S. business moguls to be left-handed, including Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller and former IBM head Lou Gerstner. But the club seems to be a guys-only fraternity — research suggests that while left-handed men tend to earn more than their right-handed colleagues, there is no similar advantage for women. A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research floated the idea that left-handed men favor "divergent" thinking, a form of creativity in which the brain moves "from conventional knowledge into unexplored association." Maybe that’s what it takes to develop a net worth estimated at $ 57 billion.
Oprah Winfrey
The talk-show queen doesn’t need much more to set her apart from the rest — what with her estimated $ 2.7 billion fortune and a magic ability to sell books just by glancing at them — but she also has the distinction of being a member of the left-handed club. Since men are more likely to be left-handed than women, that makes Oprah doubly impressive. She’s in good company: Other show-business ladies of the left – handed  persuasion include Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie
Marie Curie
Not only was atomic scientist Marie Curie left-handed, but she was the matriarch of a whole family of accomplished, southpaw scientists. Curie, who discovered the principles of radioactivity and won two Nobel Prizes, was married to fellow lefty Pierre Curie, who was instrumental in helping Marie’s atomic research and shared one of her Nobel awards. Historians believe their daughter, Irene, was also left-handed. Irene went on to win a Nobel Prize of her own with her husband — who, you guessed it, was also left-handed.
59.The underlined word “southpaws” in the last sentence of Paragraph 1 means_______.
A.people coming from the south B.powerful presidents
C.people who use their left hand D.forceful speakers
60.What makes it so easy for lefties to be elected as presidents according to the passage?
A.Their great gift for foreign language.
B.Their great language skills to make speeches.
C.The need of left – hinders in the political office.
D.Teachers stopping to force them to use their right hand.
61.It can be implied that Bill Gates, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller and Lou Gerstne_______.
A.have creative thinking              B.have formed a special club.
C.earn more money than their wives   D.a(chǎn)re wealthy philanthropists
62.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 “She is in good company” means “_______”.
A.she works in a very good company   B.she has many good friends
C.she has got on well with others        D.she is among many female lefties

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科目:高中英語 來源:2011—2012學(xué)年江西省贛縣中學(xué)南北校區(qū)高一9月聯(lián)考英語試卷 題型:閱讀理解

Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap,strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of cars because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is,he made many cars of the same kind.Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer,but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit(底特律)where he worked as a mechanic(機(jī)械師).By the age of 29,in 1892,he had built his first car.However,the car made in this way,the famous “ Model T ” did not appear until 1908. Five years ago, Ford started his great motor car factory.This kind of car showed to be well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty year.Since Ford’s time,this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would be very expensive.
【小題1】Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.

A.cheap and strongB.cheap and long
C.fast and expensiveD.strong and slow
【小題2】Ford was able to sell millions of cars,because_____.
A.he made many carsB.his cars are many
C.he made lots of cars of the same kindD.both A and B
【小題3】The young man became a mechanic,_______.
A.which was his father’s willB.which was against his own will
C.which was against his father’s willD.which was his teacher’s will
【小題4】The “ Model T ” was very famous_____.
A.before 1908B.between 1982 and 1908
C.before 1892D.a(chǎn)fter 1908
【小題5】Ford built his own car factory_____.
A.in 1903B.in 1908 C.in 1913D.in 1897

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科目:高中英語 來源:2011-2012學(xué)年江西省會昌中學(xué)高一第一次月考英語卷 題型:閱讀理解

Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap,strong and fast.He was able to se11 millions of cars because he could produce them in large numbers at a time;that is,he made many cars of the same kind.Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer,but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit(底特律)where he worked as a mechanic(機(jī)械師).By the age of 29,in 1892,he had built his first car.However,the car made in this way,the famous “ Model T ” did not appear until 1908. Five years ago, Ford started his great motor car factory.This kind of car showed to be well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty year.Since Ford’s time,this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would be very expensive.
【小題1】Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.

A.cheap and strongB.cheap and long
C.fast and expensiveD.strong and slow
【小題2】Ford was able to sell millions of cars,because_____.
A.he made many carsB.his cars are many
C.he made lots of cars of the same kindD.both A and B
【小題3】The young man became a mechanic,_______.
A.which was his father’s willB.which was against his own will
C.which was against his father’s willD.which was his teacher’s will
【小題4】The “ Model T ” was very famous_____.
A.before 1908B.between 1982 and 1908
C.before 1892D.a(chǎn)fter 1908
【小題5】Ford built his own car factory_____.
A.in 1903B.in 1908 C.in 1913D.in 1897

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Steve Jobs made technology fun.The co-founder of Apple died last Wednesday at the age of fifty-six He had fought for years against cancer.Mourners gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world.
Tim Bajarin, president of a high-tech research and consulting company, said "If you actually look at a tech leader, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life.Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar."
Steve Jobs was a college dropout.He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant.They supported his early interest in electronics.
He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer—now just called Apple—in nineteen seventy-six.They stayed at the company until nineteen eighty-five.That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a dispute(分歧)with the chief executive.
Mr.Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer.He rejoined Apple in nineteen ninety-seven after it bought NeXT.He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today.
Steve Wozniak, speaking on CNN, remembered his longtime friend as a "great visionary and leader'' and a "marketing genius(天才)".
President Obama said in a statement: "By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity.By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun."
David Carroll is a professor at Parsons School of Design in New York City.He says Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business.
"The fact that he was able to redesign American commerce top to bottom and across is really stunning (令人驚奇的).He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the great[s] of all time." David Carroll said.
Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August because of his health.He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement.Apple's new chief, Tim Cook, will also have to deal with the new Kindle Fire tablet computer from Amazon.com.It costs less than half as much as an iPad but also does less.

  1. 1.

    Why did people all over the world mourn Steve Jobs?

    1. A.
      He was very courageous in the face of cancer.
    2. B.
      He became very rich though dropping out college.
    3. C.
      He released a new iPhone version before death.
    4. D.
      He revolutionized technology and made it enjoyable.
  2. 2.

    Which of the following can easily prove that Jobs is a "marketing genius"?

    1. A.
      After Apple, he founded NeXT Computer.
    2. B.
      He made Apple very valuable once again in the world.
    3. C.
      He developed a series of Apple products.
    4. D.
      He was considered the greatest industrial figure of all time.
  3. 3.

    What does the underlined part in Paragraph 7 mean?

    1. A.
      Jobs was a typical example of American spirit of creation.
    2. B.
      Jobs enriched the American spirit of science and freedom.
    3. C.
      Jobs eventually realized his American dream.
    4. D.
      American people are good at inventing things.
  4. 4.

    Which of the following is true according to the text?

    1. A.
      Jobs's parents discouraged him from working on electronics
    2. B.
      Jobs stayed in Apple as chief executive for about 24 years.
    3. C.
      Jobs started his career in his family garage.
    4. D.
      Run unsuccessfully, Apple was sold to NeXT Computer.

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