Ever since man began to use the telephone, there have been new problems arising from the carrying of messages. At first, each message was carried by a pair of overhead wires. As a result, telephone exchanges were soon surrounded by thousands of wires. The wires were then replaced by cables (电缆)，each containing many pairs of wires. Each cable is capable of carrying many messages. These cables, laid underground, replaced the overhead wires.
The more extensive telephone services have become, the more demand for these services has increased, particularly the demand for long-distance services. In China, for example, this growth is now over 30% every year. Long-distance telephone exchanges are usually in crowded cities, where is not easy to lay new labels for expanding services.
The use of radio to send telephone message and to link all telephone exchanges makes it possible to get rid of overhead wires and some underground cables.
Now man has invented the microwave system ( 微波系统 ). In a microwave system messages from various places can be brought together, and then they are sent out and received by radio. After that, the messages are split into their original form. Finally, they are sent to the places where they are going to be sent.
小题1:The word “message” ( in paragraph 1) is close in meaning to “______”.
A．electricity
B．industry
C．information
D．wave小题2:A cable is different from an overhead wire, because it ________.
A．is made of wood
B．needs more exchange
C．carries more messages
D．is much longer小题3:What does the word extensive mean？
A．growing
B．using
C．holding
D．understanding小题4:The best title for the passage would be “________”.
A．The Telephone and Its Past
B．From the Wire to the Microwave System
C．The Needs for Better Telephones
D．How to Use the Telephone
小题1:C
小题2:C
小题3:A
小题4:B
题目分析：这篇文章是介绍信息的传送媒介，从电线发展到微波系统的过程和优势。
小题1:猜词题：从第一段的句子：Ever since man began to use the telephone, there have been new problems arising from the carrying of messages.可知是运送信息的时候出现了困难。选C
小题2:细节题：从第一段的句子：The wires were then replaced by cables (电缆)，each containing many pairs of wires. Each cable is capable of carrying many messages.可知电缆比电线携带的信息多。选C
小题3:猜词题：从第二段的句子：the more demand for these services has increased, particularly the demand for long-distance services.可知这里是“增长”的含义。选A
小题4:主旨题：从全篇文章可知：这篇文章是介绍信息的传送媒介，从电线发展到微波系统，选B
点评：这篇文章是介绍信息的传送媒介，从电线发展到微波系统的过程和优势。题目对猜词的技能要求较高，考生可以对原文句子中的关键词进行替换。把原文中的一些词换成意义相近的词，成为正确选项。词性或者语态的变化。把原文中的一些词变换一下词性，或者改变原文句子的语态，给考生制造障碍。语言简化。把原文中的复杂语言现象进行简化，成为正确答案。
