Do you know insurance? Buying insurance is a 1 by which people can protect themselves 2 large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay 3 sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only 4 will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes out of the sums of money it has 5 .

　　The first modern fire insurance company was 6 in London, England, in 1666. A great fire had just 7 most of the city, and people wanted protection against 8 losses. The first company 9 rapidly. Soon other companies were founded in other areas.

　　Bemjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752. He also 10 a new kind of insurance for 11 . The new insurance would offer protection against the loss of crops 12 storms.

　　In 1795, Benjamin Franklin helped start 13 new insurance company in America. This company, 14 offered life insurance, collected some money 15 from many different men. 16 a man died, his family was given a large sum of money. Today, this company is 17 in business.

　　Over the years, people have 18 from many new kinds of insurance when they have suffered from 19 accidents as car and plane crashes. 20 , almost everyone has some kind of insurance.

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In earliest times, men considered lightning to be one of the great mysteries of nature. Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons of the gods.

In reality, lightning is a flow of electricity formed high above the earth. A single flash of lightning 1.6 kilometres long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs .

The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752. In the same year he also built the first lightning rod (避雷針). This device protects buildings from being damaged by lightning.

Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning has a voltage (電壓) of more than 15 million volts (伏特). A flash of lightning between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second.

Scientists judge that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year. Lightning hits the Empire State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year. In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day.

The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car. Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under tress. Also on,e should stay out of water and away from metal fences. Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things.

With lightning, it is better to be safe than sorry.

1.People once thought lightning came from ________.

A．the gods	B．the earth
C．the sky	D．nature

2.According to the passage what do you think all buildings need?

A．Metal fences.	B．Machines.
C．Electricity.	D．Lightning rods

3.Lightning can travel ________.

A．a(chǎn)s quickly as water	B．not so quickly as electricity
C．a(chǎn)t very high speed	D．a(chǎn)t very low speed

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A．In the U.S about one person per day dies from lightning.

B．Swimming during a thunder storm is a good idea.

C．The Empire State Building frequently gets hit by lightning.

D．A closed car is the best place to be during an electrical storm.

 

In earliest times, men considered lightning to be one of the great mysteries of nature. Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons of the gods.
In reality, lightning is a flow of electricity formed high above the earth. A single flash of lightning 1.6 kilometres long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs .
The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752. In the same year he also built the first lightning rod (避雷針). This device protects buildings from being damaged by lightning.
Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning has a voltage (電壓) of more than 15 million volts (伏特). A flash of lightning between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second.
Scientists judge that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year. Lightning hits the Empire State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year. In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day.
The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car. Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under tress. Also on,e should stay out of water and away from metal fences. Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things.
With lightning, it is better to be safe than sorry.
【小題1】People once thought lightning came from ________.

A．the gods	B．the earth
C．the sky	D．nature

【小題2】According to the passage what do you think all buildings need?

A．Metal fences.	B．Machines.
C．Electricity.	D．Lightning rods

【小題3】Lightning can travel ________.

A．a(chǎn)s quickly as water	B．not so quickly as electricity
C．a(chǎn)t very high speed	D．a(chǎn)t very low speed

【小題4】Which of the following is NOT true?

A．In the U.S about one person per day dies from lightning.

B．Swimming during a thunder storm is a good idea.

C．The Empire State Building frequently gets hit by lightning.

D．A closed car is the best place to be during an electrical storm.

Buying insurance (保險(xiǎn)) is a way in which people can protect themselves against large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay small sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only a few will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes out of the small sums of money it has collected.

        The first modern fire insurance company was formed in London, England, in the 1760s. A great fire had just destroyed most of the city, and people wanted protection against further losses. The first company grew rapidly. Soon other companies were founded in other areas.

         Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752, and then a new kind of insurance for farmers was suggested. The new insurance would provide protection against the loss of crops from storms.

         Later on another new insurance company was started in America. This company, which offered life insurance, collected small sums of money regularly from many different men. If a man died, his family was given a large sum of money.

         Over the years, insurance companies have offered new kinds of insurance protection. The new kinds of insurance cover losses from such accidents as car and plane crashes. Today, most people have some kind of insurance.

1.Who helped set up the first company in America?

A. Benjamin Franklin.                                             B. Businessmen.

C. The first insurance company in London.        D. Farmers.

2.Insurance means ____.

A. Protection against the losses from the storms

B. protection against illness

C. Protection against accidents         

D. all of the above

3.The first modern insurance company offered ____.

A. life insurance       B. fire insurance       C. a new kind of insurance        D. both A and B

4.Why do most people buy some kind of insurance today?

A. Insurance will keep their homes from burning.

B. People can protect themselves against large losses.

C. Insurance will pay for safety.            

D. The insurance companies grow rapidly.

 

　　Do you know insurance? Buying insurance(保險(xiǎn))is a 1 by which people can protect themselves against large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay 2 sums of money 3 an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only 4 will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes 5 the sums of money it has collected.

　　The first modern fire insurance company was 6 in London, England, in 1666. A great fire had just 7 most of the city, and people wanted protection against 8 losses. The first company 9 rapidly. 10 other companies were founded in other areas.

　　Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752.He also 11 a new kind of insurance for 12 The new insurance would offer protection against the loss of crops 13 storms.

　　In 1759, Benjamin Franklin helped start 14 new insurance company in America. This company, which offered 15 insurance, collected some money 16 from many different men. 17 a man died, his family was given a large sum of money. Today, this company is still in business.

　　Over the years, 18 have been benefited(受益)from many new kinds of insurance when they have suffered from 19 accidents as car and plane crashes. Today almost everyone has 20 kind of insurance.

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