托福（阅读）模拟试卷49
阅读题
The History of the Roller Coaster
The first roller coasters were created in Russia in the 17th century. However, they were not like modern ones. They were more like big sleds. People rode down steep ice slides. These sleds required very good navigation skills to slide down safely, and there were many accidents.
At the end of the 19th century, American railway companies introduced roller coasters. They set up amusement parks to make money on the weekends, when people rarely traveled. In 1884, the first real roller coaster appeared. It was a gravity-driven train. Passengers climbed flights of stairs to board the car. Then the car was pushed from the station to move down a hill and over a few bumps. At the bottom, passengers got out of the car and workers lifted the car to the second station.
During the early 20th century, there was great progress in roller coasters. Unlike previous coasters, the new ones employed mechanical tracks. The first was built in 1912. This was a great advance. It enabled people to enjoy greater speed and steeper hills but with much more safety than previous ones. Through the 1920s, many roller coasters were built, but after World War II, the number of roller coasters significantly decreased.
Disneyland, America\’s first theme park, opened in 1955. It opened a new era for amusement parks. Disney adopted the first tubular steel roller coaster in 1959. Before this, roller coasters always had been built on wooden frames. The steel track not only offered greater stability but also opened the door for loops and corkscrews.
1.The word they in the passage refers to________.(C)
A. Russians
B. roller coasters
C. railway companies
D. passengers
解析：
2.According to paragraph 2, what can we infer about roller coasters?(A)
A. They took a lot of effort to run.
B. They were not fun to ride.
C. They were reliant on ice.
D. They had lots of enthusiasts.
解析：
3.The word employed in the passage is closest in meaning to________.(B)
A. followed
B. used
C. left
D. hired
解析：
4.According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT: ________.(B)
A. The first roller coaster was created in the 17th century.
B. After the Second World War, more roller coasters were built than ever before.
C. Disneyland opened in 1955.
D. The 20th century saw great advances in roller coasters.
解析：
5.All of the following are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT: ________.(B)
A. the setup of amusement parks in America
B. Disney’s adoption of wooden frame coasters
C. the rise in construction of coasters in the USA
D. the advantages of tubular steel construction
解析：
6.Why does the author introduce Disney?(D)
A. Because it created the first American roller coaster
B. Because it opened many amusement parks in the U.S.
C. Because it created many coasters during World War II
D. Because it first introduced the steel roller coaster
解析：
7.The guitar, which is also known as the poor man’s piano, has been cherished by many cultures. Spain made the guitar great. This country is responsible for many classical pieces. Brazil is also famous for guitar music.
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