D
To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains．But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against rain．Its first use was as a shade against the sun．
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times．Probably the Chinese were the earliest to use it in the eleventh century BC．We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade．And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor and authority．In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high offices．
In Europe, the Greeks were the earliest to use the umbrella as a sunshade．And the umbrella was allowed in mon use in ancient Greece．But it is believed that the earliest persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against rain were the ancient Romans．
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared．Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century．And again, it was considered a symbol of power and authority．In around 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later on in England．
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe．Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have bee much lighter in weight．It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made in a whole variety of colors．
【小题1】The first use of umbrella was as ．A．protection against rainB．shade against the sunC．a symbol of power and authorityD．a symbol of honor and authority【小题2】In Europe, the umbrella was first used against rain ．A．in GreeceB．in RomeC．in EnglandD．in France【小题3】From the text, we can infer that ．A．the umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century．B．no one knows why the umbrella was used in very ancient times．C．once ordinary people had no right to use umbrellas．D．during the Middle Ages the umbrella was mon in Europe．【小题4】This passage talks mainly about ．A．when and how the umbrella was invented．B．why the umbrella was so popular in Europe．C．the development of the umbrella．D．the history and use of the umbrella．B
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(答案→)B
解析：本文叙述了人们常用的伞的历史及它的用途。伞最初是用来遮阳的并不是用来挡雨的，在欧洲希腊人用伞来遮阳，后来古罗马人开始用伞来挡雨。到了十八世纪整个欧洲都用伞来挡雨，到了二十世纪出现了女士的伞被制成了多种颜色。
【小题1】细节理解题。根据Its first use was as a shade against the sun．最初的伞是用来遮阳的，故选B。
【小题2】细节理解题。根据But it is believed that the earliest persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against rain were the ancient Romans．古罗马人用伞来挡雨，故选B。
【小题3】推理判断题。根据In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royalty or by those in high offices．可推知普通老百姓不能用伞，故选C。
【小题4】主旨大意题。根据综观全文讲的是伞的历史及用途，故选D。