【单选题】

Did you know that the parachute was invented before the airplane This is (1) but true. The first airplane was flown in 1903. However, Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian artist-scientist, drew sketches of a (2) over 450 years ago. The first successful parachute jump was made from a tower (3) a French scientist, Sebastien Lenormand, in 1783. In 1785 J. P.Blanchard of France used a parachute to eject a dog from a hot-air balloon.

People (4) to use parachutes first for thrills and fun.Andre Jacques Garnerin, also of (5) , was the first to drop from a balloon at a (6) of 2000 feet using a parachute. Garnerin continued to parachute for a number of years, as (7) many others. It wasn’t until World War I, (8) , that the parachute became important for saving lives.By the end of the war, it had become standard safety equipment for nearly all (9) . In addition, parachutes were also worn by military passengers on (10) .
Today the parachute is used (11) several purposes. It is invaluable when firefighters must be dropped at the scene of a fire in (12) areas. These areas are often (13) isolated that they can’t be reached by other means. The parachute is also used to drop rescuers and supplies to victims of disasters. It is also used by the military to (14) soldiers and equipment.
Parachute jumping has also become a popular (15) . Many airports have schools that teach correct procedure. They also provide the airplanes to carry (16) aloft.Experienced jumpers often take up sky diving. In sky diving the jumpers don’t open their parachutes immediately. (17) they fall freely toward the earth doing various tricks, after which they then open their parachutes. They do this just in time for a safe (18) .
There are many (19) records in parachuting. The longest fall before opening a parachute for a safe landing was accomplished in 1962 by a Russian who fell over fifteen and one-half miles (20) using the parachute. The highest jump was made by anAmerican in 1960.Air ForceCaptain Joseph Kittinger, Jr., jumped from a balloon nineteen and one-half miles high.
A、soldiers
B、sailors
C、pilots
D、mechanics