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The Invention of the Zipper
The zipper is a small but great invention in our daily life. It is widely used on clothes, bags and shoes, bringing us much convenience. Its development lasted many years.
The earliest idea of the zipper came from Elias Howe in 1851. He invented a new way to close clothes. However, he paid most attention to his sewing machine and never improved this design, so it was soon forgotten.
In 1893, Whitcomb Judson created an early fastener(拉链). It was made for boots. But it was easy to break and open suddenly. It didn't become popular at that time.
Later, Gideon Sundback improved the old design. He made the teeth lock together perfectly. In 1917, his perfect modern zipper was finished. In 1923, people began to call it "zip-per" because of the zipping sound.
Great changes come from small creative ideas. The zipper shows us that success always needs improvement without stopping.
Questions:
1. Why didn't Elias Howe's early design become popular?
2. What can we learn from the invention of the zipper?

1. Because Elias Howe paid most of his attention to his sewing machine and never improved this design of the early clothes closing way, so it was soon forgotten and never became popular.
2. We can learn that great changes come from small creative ideas, and success always needs continuous unstopping improvement.

【分析】
本题为英语阅读理解问答类题目，解题思路为：先明确问题指向，再回到原文定位对应段落的关键信息，最后提取并整理成符合要求的答案。第1题需定位Elias Howe相关内容，查找其设计未流行的原因；第2题需定位拉链发明相关的感悟句，提炼学习到的道理。
【解析】
1. 从原文第二段关键句“However, he paid most attention to his sewing machine and never improved this design, so it was soon forgotten.”可提取原因：Elias Howe将大部分精力放在缝纫机上，从未改进该设计，导致其被遗忘，因此未流行。
2. 从原文最后一段关键句“Great changes come from small creative ideas. The zipper shows us that success always needs improvement without stopping.”可提炼感悟：伟大的改变源于小的创意，成功需要持续不断的改进。
【答案】
1. Because Elias Howe paid most of his attention to his sewing machine and never improved this design of the early clothes closing way, so it was soon forgotten and never became popular.
2. We can learn that great changes come from small creative ideas, and success always needs continuous unstopping improvement.
【知识点】
英语阅读理解、细节信息提取、主旨大意理解
【点评】
本题考查学生英语阅读理解中信息定位与提取的基础能力，题目设置直接对应原文内容，无复杂推理，难度较低，适合巩固基础阅读能力。
【难度系数】
0.8

1. What can the special glasses be used for?
这种特殊的眼镜可以被用来做什么？
【感知】（1）What can this machine be used for? 这台机器可以被用来做什么？
（2）This kind of wood can be used for making paper. 这种木头可以用来造纸。
【思考】（1）通过观察可知，上面句子含情态动词的被动语态。
结构:情态动词+be+过去分词
重点固定搭配:
① be used for+n./doing sth 被用来(做)
某事,强调用途。
② be used to do sth 被用来做某事
③ used to do sth 过去常常做某事
④ be used to doing sth 习惯于做某事
【运用】短语辨析填空。
be used for/be used to do/used to do
(1) Stamps sending letters.
(2) The factory pro- duce toys in the past.
(3) People can use wood to make desks. (改为被动句)
Wood make desks.
(4) The bag can be used for carrying books. (对画线部分提问)
the bag ?

(1) are used for (2) used to (3) can be used to (4) What can; be used for

【分析】
本题考查“used”相关短语的用法、情态动词的被动语态及特殊疑问句转换，解题需先明确各知识点的规则，再结合句子语境逐一推导：
1. 第(1)题：需表达“邮票被用来寄信”，对应表用途的固定搭配“be used for”，主语stamps为复数，be动词用are；
2. 第(2)题：时间状语“in the past”提示过去的动作，对应表“过去常常”的“used to”；
3. 第(3)题：主动句含情态动词can，改为被动句时，保留情态动词，结合“be used to do sth”（被用来做某事），结构为“can be used to”；
4. 第(4)题：画线部分是用途，用疑问词what提问，原句是情态动词的被动结构，故转换为“情态动词+主语+be used for”的疑问句形式。
【解析】
1. 第(1)题：“be used for”后接动名词表用途，主语stamps是复数，一般现在时，故填are used for；
2. 第(2)题：“used to do sth”表过去习惯性动作，匹配时间状语“in the past”，故填used to；
3. 第(3)题：主动句“People can use wood to make desks”改为被动句，结构为“Wood can be used to make desks”，故填can be used to；
4. 第(4)题：对“be used for carrying books”（用途）提问，用what引导，原句含情态动词can，被动结构为“can be used for”，故填What can; be used for。
【答案】
(1) are used for (2) used to (3) can be used to (4) What can; be used for
【知识点】
used短语辨析，情态动词被动语态，特殊疑问句转换
【点评】
本题围绕“used”的核心用法展开，涵盖短语辨析、被动句转换、特殊疑问句提问，是初中英语基础考点，需学生牢记固定搭配和句式结构，难度适中。
【难度系数】
0.7