情景导入
科技节上，老师举起一只保温杯问：When was it invented?（它是什么时候被发明的？）又拿起一支圆珠笔：Who was it invented by?（它是由谁发明的？）最后指着黑板上的茶叶图片：What is it used for?（它是用来做什么的？）
三个问题，三种句式，共同点是主语都是"发明物"——它们是被发明、被使用的一方，所以谓语一律用 be + 过去分词。由于发明发生在过去，be 要用 was / were。记住这组黄金句型：was/were invented in + 年份（时间）、by + 人（发明者）、be used for doing / to do（用途）。有了它们，从纸张到高铁，任何一项发明你都能介绍。
核心词汇
发明与创造话题核心词汇：
| 单词/短语 | 意思 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| invent / invention / inventor | 发明 / 发明物 / 发明家 | Cai Lun's invention changed the world. |
| be used for | 被用于（做某事） | Paper is used for writing. |
| by accident | 偶然，意外地 | Tea was discovered by accident. |
| discover | v. 发现（本来存在的事物） | Tea was discovered thousands of years ago. |
| according to | 根据 | According to the story, tea was found in a pot. |
| happen to do | 恰好做某事 | He happened to see the leaves fall in. |
句型与语法
① 基本结构： ——主语单数用 was，复数用 were；动词只用过去分词。
- The telephone was invented in 1876.（电话是 1876 年发明的。）Cars were not used widely a hundred years ago.（一百年前汽车还没被广泛使用。）
② 三大问句句型（本单元核心）
| 提问角度 | 句型 | 例句与回答 |
|---|---|---|
| 时间 | When was it invented? | It was invented in 1885. |
| 发明人 | Who was it invented by? | It was invented by Karl Benz. |
| 用途 | What is it used for? | It is used for travelling. |
③ 被动语态的疑问词提问要保留 be：Where were these shoes made? / How was the problem solved?（不能写成 Where these shoes made?）
④ 三个"用来"的表达：be used for + doing（It is used for cutting.）；be used to + do（It is used to cut paper.）；be used as + 名词（The room is used as a library.）；另外 used to do 意思完全不同，表示"过去常常"——I used to play football.
听说训练
发明小知识问答（同桌一问一答，用被动语态）：
- A: When was the mobile phone invented? — B: It was invented in the 1970s, and it is used for calling and paying now. / A: Who was the seismograph invented by? — B: It was invented by Zhang Heng in the Han Dynasty.
跟读要点：invented 结尾读 /ɪd/（in-ven-tid）；was/were 弱读但不能丢，"was invented" 连起来听像 /wəzɪnˈventɪd/。
辨析对比
① invent 与 discover
| 词 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| invent | 发明（原本不存在） | The light bulb was invented by Edison. |
| discover | 发现（本来存在） | America was discovered in 1492. |
② be used to 的三种面孔：be used to do（被用来做，被动）：Knives are used to cut things.；be used to doing（习惯于做）：I am used to getting up early.；used to do（过去常常）：There used to be a small shop here.
③ 一般过去时主动 vs 被动：Zhang Heng invented the seismograph.（主动，主语是发明人）→ The seismograph was invented by Zhang Heng.（被动，主语是发明物）——转换时别忘了把原主语放到 by 后面。
文化角
中国古代四大发明——造纸术（paper making）、印刷术（printing）、指南针（the compass）、火药（gunpowder）——都常出现在中考阅读里：Paper was invented in China about two thousand years ago. 而茶的故事更有趣：传说茶叶是偶然落进一锅热水里被发现的（Tea was discovered by accident.）。杭州与这两件事都有缘：中国茶叶博物馆就在龙井路旁，馆里用英文写着 Tea was first used as medicine.；而如今这座城市里的移动支付、无人配送，正在成为写给未来的"新四大发明"。
易错点
- 时间是过去却用 is：The paper is invented long ago. ❌ → was invented ✅
- 漏掉过去分词的 -ed/不规则形式：It was invent by him. ❌ → was invented ✅
- by 与 in 混用：It was invented by 1876. ❌ → invented in 1876（时间用 in）、invented by Bell（人用 by）✅
- be used to 三义混淆：This machine is used to cutting paper. ❌ → used to cut / used for cutting ✅
中考真题
— The high-speed train is really amazing! Do you know when it ______ in China?
— In 2008. Now it ______ by millions of people every day.
A. invented; is used B. was used; used C. was used; is used D. is used; was used
✏️ 点击查看解答
答案：C
解析：第一空的主语 it（高铁）是动作的承受者，且时间状语 In 2008 表示过去，因此用一般过去时的被动 was used，A 项主动语态 invented 不对（且高铁在中国是"投入使用"，用 use 更准）。
第二空 every day 表示现在的经常性动作，用一般现在时的被动 is used；B 项第二空 used 是主动，D 项两空时态颠倒。做题口诀：先看主语是否被动，再看时间定 be 的形式。
考点
- 一般过去时的被动语态是中考必考点，常与说明文阅读（介绍某项发明）搭配出现；
- 三个必背问句：When was it invented? / Who was it invented by? / What is it used for?
- be used to 的三种含义是最爱设的陷阱题，务必区分 to do、doing 与 used to do；
- 书面表达"介绍一项发明"可用三句式结构：何时被发明 → 由谁发明 → 有什么用途 + 一句评价。
诵读 Read Aloud
Tea is drunk by more people than any other drink in the world, but few of us know how it was found. According to an old Chinese story, tea was discovered by accident about 5,000 years ago. A ruler named Shen Nong was boiling water under a tree. Some leaves happened to fall into the pot, and a brown drink was made. The ruler tasted it and found it sweet, so tea was born.
At first tea was used as medicine. Later it was grown in many places, and it was carried to other countries along the Silk Road. In the Tang Dynasty, a book about tea was written by Lu Yu, and it is still read today.
Today the best Longjing tea is still picked by hand near the West Lake in Hangzhou. When friends come from far away, a cup of green tea is served with a smile. A drink that was found by accident has become a gift from China to the world.
诵读小贴士：数一数文中的被动语态（was discovered、was made、was used、was carried、was written、is picked、is served……），并注意 was/were 与 is/are 的切换点——过去的事用 was/were，如今的事用 is/are。这段短文可直接改写成"介绍一种中国传统饮品"的作文。