To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains.But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection.against the rain,It was first used as a shade against the sun! (42)Nobody knows who first invented it but the umbrella was used in very ancient times.Probably the first to use it were the Chinese,way back in the eleventh century B C.We know that the umbrella was also used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. (43) And there was a strange thing connected with its use--it became a symbol of honor and authority.In the Far East in ancient times,the umbrella was allowed to be used only by royal people or by those in high office.n Europe,the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade.And the umbrella was in commonly use in ancient Greece. (44) But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrellas as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans.Duringthe Middle Ages,the use of the umbrella practically disappeared.Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century.And again it became a symbol of power and authority. Umbrellas have hot changed much in style. during all this time,though they have become much lighter in weight. (45) It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women ’s umbrellas began to made in a variety of colors. 41___________________________________________ 42___________________________________________ 43___________________________________________ 44___________________________________________ 45___________________________________________