Question

【题目】阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

In the 1830s, William Procter and James Gamble started a small factory in Cincinnati, in which candles and pieces of soap 【1】 (produce). However, the market for candles suddenly fell as a result of Thomas Edison’s 【2】 (invent) of the electric light. The situation appeared to be hopeless for Mr. Procter and Mr. Gamble, 【3】 an accident saved their company.

One day in 1879, a forgetful worker forgot 【4】 (stop) his machine when he went to lunch. A lot of air made its way into the mixture. Instead of 【5】 (throw) away the mixture, he made it into soap. The soap was cut, packed and shipped. Filled with air bubbles (气泡), the new soap was 【6】 (light) than water. 【7】 (nature), it floated. The soap was given the name “Ivory Soap”.

To 【8】 (they) surprise, Mr. Procter and Mr. Gamble received lots of letters 【9】 the buyers for that “accidental” soap. They wanted more of 【10】 soap, which floated!

You may wonder why that product was so popular. In Cincinnati, many people bathed in the Ohio River and the floating soap would never get lost. Ivory Soap became a best selling thing because of the worker’s mistake.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】were produced

【2】invention

【3】but

【4】to stop

【5】throwing

【6】lighter

【7】Naturally

【8】their

【9】from

【10】the

【解析】

本文是一篇故事。由于电灯的出现，蜡烛市场需求突然下滑；一家蜡烛和肥皂工厂的工人无意中把充满气体的混合物充进了肥皂，生产出了能够漂浮的“Ivory Soap”。

【1】考查时态语态。本文讲述过去发生的事情，所以使用一般过去时，且本句主语candles and pieces of soap与动词produce构成被动关系，所以使用一般过去时的被动语态。故填were produced。

【2】考查名词。空格处在本句中做介词短语as a result of的宾语，故用名词形式invention（发明）。句意：因为爱迪生的发明，蜡烛的市场突然下滑。故填invention。

【3】考查连词。句意：对Mr. Procter和Mr. Gamble来说，目前的情况好像没有希望了，但是一个事故挽救了他们的公司。上下文之间是转折关系，故填but。

【4】考查动词的固定用法。动词短语forget to do sth忘记要做某事；forget doing忘记做某事；句意：1879年一个健忘的工人去吃饭的时候忘记要把机器关掉。根据语境可知，应该使用forget to do sth。故填to stop。

【5】考查动名词。句意：没有把这些混合物扔掉，他把它充进了肥皂里。在英语中介词的后面通常接名词、代词或动名词做宾语，本句中要使用动名词做of的宾语。故填throwing。

【6】考查形容词比较级。因为肥皂里有气泡，所以这种新肥皂要比水还要轻。所以要使用比较级形式lighter。故填lighter。

【7】考查副词。句意：自然地，它能够漂浮起来。副词通常在句中做状语修饰形容词副词动词或整个句子。本句中naturally在句中做状语修饰整个句子。故填Naturally。

【8】考查固定短语。短语to one’s surprise让某人惊讶的是，其中要使用所有格one’s修饰surprise。句意：让他们惊讶的是他们收到了很多顾客的来信要求购买这种肥皂。故填their。

【9】考查介词。动词短语receive sth from sb收到来自某人的某物；句意：让他们惊讶的是他们收到了很多顾客的来信要求购买这种肥皂。故填from。

【10】考查定冠词。不定冠词a/an表示泛指，定冠词the表示特指；本句中定冠词the修饰soap，特指能够漂浮的肥皂。故填the。