最佳选项。

　　In the 1450s, Johannes Gutenberg, a German printer, developed a new printing press (印刷机). Then single letters could be __1__ in lines to create a page of text. The letters were made of metal. Each one could be __2__ to different parts of the press, depending on which words were __3__ on a certain page. This was one of the most important __4__ in the history of printing.

　　__5__， most books had been created by copying out text by hand. The __6__ of a single book would take many hours or even days. With the Gutenberg press, __7__ could be printed in several seconds, and many copies of books could be created in a few hours.

　　Gutenberg's printing press was not so much a(n) __8__， however, as an improvement of developing technologies. The Chinese were the first to use wooden blocks (木刻版), as early as the 8th century. Then great __9__ was made around 1,040.The movable type was invented by Bi Sheng in China. European __10__ the printing methods centuries later. Another contribution to Gutenberg's system also came from the East, __11__. The Chinese invented paper using __12__ materials, including old clothes. The kind of the inexpensive paper was introduced into Europe in 1000 or so.This kind of paper was __13__ for the new European printing presses, __14__ it took in the only ink requited for the metal type.

　　Printing soon became an important __15__ in a rapidly growing world. By 1500, nearly 15,000 books were in print worldwide. But the printing press did not __16__ a lot for a long time. In the 19th century, however, iron __17__ wood in the press' framework. And paper became __18__ in continuous rolls rather than more expensive single pieces. Steam engines __19__ the speed at which the press ran. In the late 1900s, the introduction of better presses greatly __20__ the time it took to turn ideas into books.

　　语篇解读：本文讲述了印刷术的发展。作者一开始介绍德国印刷工研制了一种新型的印刷机，但这只是标志着印刷技术的发展，后来中国的毕昇发明了木制活字印刷术等。

　　1．A.used　　　　　　　　 B．put

　　C．read D．written

　　解析：选B　这些单一的字母被排列成行制成一页文本。其中put sth. in lines意为"把......东西排列成行"。

　　2．A.shown B．turned

　　C．moved D．added

　　解析：选C　句意：根据版面的需要，每个字母可以移动(move)到不同的地方。据此可知每个字母都可以移动。

3．A.needed B．lost