辽宁省葫芦岛市第一高级中学2015-2016学年高一上学期期中考试 英语试题
第一部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项
（A）
Whether you rely on your bike for transportation or exercise, you’ll enjoy these fun facts on this two-wheeled vehicle.
In 1817, Karl von Drais, a German baron, invented a horseless carriage that would help him get around faster. The two-wheeled, pedalless device moved by pushing your feet against the ground. The machine became known as the “draisine”, and led to the creation of the modern-day bicycle. The term “bicycle” was not introduced until the 1860s, when it was coined in France to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive.
Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who built the first flying airplane, operated a small bike repair shop in Dayton, Ohio. They used their workshop to build the 1903 Wright Flyer. Fred A. Birchmore, 25, circled the globe by bicycle in 1935. The entire trip, through Europe, Asia, and the United States, covered 40,000 miles. He pedaled about 25,000 miles. The rest was traveled by boat. He wore out seven sets of tires.
In the 1980s, bicycle delivery services developed into an important industry, especially in cities, where the couriers(快递员) earned a reputation for their high speed and traffic-weaving skills.
Americans use their bicycles for less than one percent of all urban trips. Europeans bike in cities a lot more often---in Italy 5 percent of all trips are on bicycle, 30 percent in the Netherlands, and 7 out of 8 Dutch people over age 15 have a bike.
The Tour de France is one of the most famous bicycle races in the world. Established in 1903, it is considered to be the biggest test of endurance out of all sports. Lance Armstrong, an American cyclist, is the only rider to have won 7 titles after surviving cancer.
21. The underlined word “coined” in the second paragraph can be replaced by __________.
A. bought B. discovered C. printed D. created
22. Who made the most important contribution to the bike?
A. Karl von Drais. B. The Wright brothers
