We do not know when man first began to use salt, but we do know that it has been used in many different ways in history. Historical evidence shows, for example, people ate salted fish 3,000 years ago. Thousands of years ago in Egypt, salt was used to preserve the dead.

Stealing salt was considered a major crime during some periods of history. In the 18^th century, if a person was caught stealing salt, he could be put in prison and his ears could be cut.

In the Roman Empire, one of the most important roads was the one that carried salt. Guards were stationed(就位) along the route(路线) to protect against salt thieves; and they received their pay(报酬) in salt, thus bringing the English word, salary. Any guard who fell asleep while on duty was thought to be “not worth his salt”, and as a result he would get less salt on his next payday. The expression, “not worth his salt”, is still used today in English.

In the modern world, salt has many uses besides eating. It is used in making glass and airplane parts, in the growing of crops, and in the killing of weeds(杂草). It is also used to make water soft, to melt(融化) ice on roads and highways, to make soap and to fix colors in cloth.

Salt can be got in many other ways besides the underground mines. Salt water from the ocean, salt water lakes or small seas can be used to make salt. Yet, no matter where it comes from, salt will continue to play an important role in the lives of people everywhere.

【小题1】In the Roman Empire, many people were employed as guards to ________.

A．protect the city of Rome	B．watch people carrying salt
C．stop thieves from stealing salt	D．carry salt from the mines to Rome

【小题2】The expression “not worth his salt” used today refers to the one who ________.

A．fails to do his work well	B．should not be paid in salt
C．doesn’t go to work at all	D．should use less salt

【小题3】According to the text, today, salt can be used to ________.

A．keep dead bodies	B．punish thieves
C．pay guards	D．make industrial products

【小题4】What does the underlined word “evidence” mean in the last paragraph ________?

A．故事

B．资料

C．证据

D．事件

【小题5】The main purpose of the text is to tell readers ________.

A．how salt was found and got	B．salt is important in people’s life
C．salt was difficult to get in the past	D． what salt brings to the English language