沈阳查字典中考网：2013年沈阳中考英语复习每日一练12月12日阅读理解专练。（答案及解析见下页）
根据短文内容，选择能回答所提问题的最佳答案。
Once a boy who wanted to fly covered his arms with feathers. He used wax to keep the feathers on. But he flew too close to the sun. The wax melted. The feathers came off. Down came the boy!
This is just a story. But it tells us that man has always dreamed of flying. In 1783, this dream came true. Two French brothers invented the hot-air balloon. It rose a thousand feet high.
It took almost 100 years for men to move from the hot-air balloon to the first airship. It was invented in the late 1900s. It was a powered balloon.
In North Carolina of America, less than twenty-five years later, the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane. This first flight, in 1903, lasted less than half a minute. It covered just a few feet.
1. Why did the boy come down from the sky? Because ________.
A. he covered his arms with feathers
B. he used wax to keep the feathers on
C. he flew too close to the sun
D. the wax melted and the feathers came off
2. Who invented the hot-air balloon?
A. Two French brothers. B. the Wright Brothers.
C. Benjamin Franklin. D. Einstein.
3.When was the first airship invented?
A. In the late 1900s. B. About 100 years ago.
C. A and B. D. Many years ago.
4. How about the first airplane?
A. The Wright Brothers invented the first airplane.
B. It flew less than half a minute and a few feet high.
C. This first flight was in 1903.
沈阳查字典中考网：2013年沈阳中考英语复习每日一练12月12日阅读理解专练答案与解析：
1. D。根据 Once a boy who wanted to fly covered his arms with feathers. He used wax to keep the feathers on. But he flew too close to the sun. The wax melted. The feathers came off（从前, 一个胳膊上绑着羽毛的男孩想飞向蓝天。他用蜡把羽毛粘在胳膊上，由于飞得离太阳太近，蜡融化了，羽毛脱落了）显然, 选项A和选项B都不是原因，选项C是原因，选项D才是最佳答案。
2. A。根据 Two French brothers invented the hot-air balloon（两个法国兄弟发明了热气球）就能确定选项。
3. C。根据 It took almost 100 years for men to move from the hot-air balloon to the first airship. It was invented in the late 1900s可知答案选C。
4. B。根据This first flight, in 1903, lasted less than half a minute. It covered just a few feet（1903年诞生了第一架飞机，飞行不到半分钟，仅飞了几英尺高）可知答案选B。