A
A list of Benjamin Franklin's inventions reveals a man of many talents and interests.His natural curiosity about things and the way they work made him try to find ways to make them work better.
Ben had poor vision and needed glasses to read.He got tired of constantly taking them off and putting them back on，so he decided to figure out how his glasses would let him see both near and far.He had two pairs of glasses cut in half and put half of each lens (镜片) in a single frame.Today，we call them bifocals(双光眼镜)．
Everyone knows the story of Ben's famous kite flight.Although he made important discoveries and advancements，Ben did not “invent” the electricity.He did，however，invent the lightning rod which protects buildings and ships from lightning.
In colonial America，most people warmed their homes by building a fire in a fireplace even though it was dangerous and used a lot of wood.Ben figured that there had to be a better way.His invention of an iron furnace stove allowed people to warm their homes less dangerously and with less wood.The furnace stove that he invented is called the Franklin Stove.Interestingly enough，Ben also established the first fire company and the first fire insurance company in order to help people live more safely.
As a postmaster，Ben had to figure out routes for delivering the mail.He went out riding in his carriage to measure the routes and needed a way to keep track of the distance.He invented a simple odometer (里程表) and attached it to his carriage.
Later，other famous inventors，like Tomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell，followed in Ben's footsteps by trying to find ways to help people live better.
【解题导语】 本文主要讲述了本杰明·富兰克林的一系列的实用发明物。
21．How many things invented by Benjamin Franklin are mentioned in the passage?
A．3. B．4.
C．5. D．6.
解析：选B 细节理解题。本文从上至下讲述了本杰明·富兰克林的发明有：双光眼镜、避雷针、铁皮炉子和里程表四种。
22．What do we know about the Franklin Stove?
A．It is made of iron and easy to carry.
B．It is much safer and can save wood.
C．It is much smaller than the traditional stove.
D．It reaches the requirements of the fire company.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第四段的描述“His invention of an iron furnace stove allowed people to warm their homes less dangerously and with less wood.”可知B项正确。
23．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Franklin invented the bifocals because of his poor vision.
B．Franklin invented the odometer to make his riding easier.
C．Franklin first invented the electricity and then the lightning rod.
D．Franklin invented the odometer when he worked in a post office.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段的叙述可知，富兰克林在邮政局工作时，“发明了一个简单的里程表，并把它装在了他送邮件的车上”，故D项正确。
24．What characteristic did Franklin，Edison and Bell have in common?
A．They had a strong desire to make life better.
B．They were excellent students at school.
C．They were born in the same age.
D．They made people's life simple.
解析：选A 推理判断题。根据最后一段的“by trying to find ways to help people live better”可推知，这些科学家们都有强烈的使人们的生活更加美好的愿望，故A项正确。
