【推荐2】Few things have helped create the look of the English countryside more than hedges（树篱）. Hedges have been used for a long time in England, yet for all their ancientness, much of the familiar checkerboard pattern they help create is of very recent age.

Hedges have been used as field boundaries in England since the times of the Romans. Archaeological discovery at Farmoor(Oxon) shows Roman hedges were made of thorn（荆棘）. The Anglo-Saxons also used hedges widely, and many that were used as estate boundaries still exist. Although these early hedges were used as field enclosures（圈地）or to mark the boundaries of one person’s possessions, there was no systematic planting of hedges in England until the first enclosure movement of the 13th century.

The pressures of population expansion led to a widespread clearing of land for agriculture, and the new fields needed to be marked clearly. Later, farming expansion in the 15th century led to more widespread hedge planting, but the greatest use of hedges came in the Enclosure Movement of the 18th and 19th centuries. The Enclosure Movement is a fancy term that historians use to describe the habit of wealthy landowners enclosing common fields for their own use, usually for the purpose of raising sheep.

Hedges are used as field boundaries in the lowland of England. In the highlands, such as the Yorkshire Dales, dry stone walls are commonly used. So great was the need for hedges during the Enclosures that a whole new industry sprang up supplying hawthorn（山楂）plants to be used in planting new hedges.

In the process of enclosure many rural labourers lost their livelihood and had to move to the new industrial urban centres. So the next time you sigh over the timeless quality of the English hedge-shaped countryside, spare a thought for the pain and hardship caused by the expansion of hedged fields to much of England’s rural population.

1. What were hedges originally used for in England?

A．Enclosing common lands.

B．Marking the limits of fields.

C．Protecting agricultural crops.

D．Protecting sheep from the wolves.

2. What played the key role in the rapid expansion of hedges?

A．Immigration.	B．Conflicts.
C．Agriculture.	D．Tourism.

3. Which period saw the most hedges appear in England?

A．Roman times.	B．The 13th century.
C．The 15th century.	D．The 18th century.

4. Why were hawthorn plants badly needed according to paragraph 4?

A．They made good hedges.

B．They produced nice fruits.

C．They had beautiful shapes.

D．They were suitable food for sheep.

【推荐1】For one overseas student who has been in China for over a decade, learning the moves and culture associated with Chinese martial arts(武术) has been his most valuable experience.

So uley mane Hima Oumarou, a Nigerien student at Hebei University in Baoding, Hebei province, first came to the university in 2012 as an undergraduate, not only for an education, but also to achieve his dream of learning the Chinese martial art of kung fu. He became a fan of kung fu after watching movies starring famous martial artists such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

During his studies in Baoding, Oumarou joined the university’s martial arts association and studied under Duan Shuxing, one of the association’s instructors. Following Duan’s instructions, Oumarou began to practice basic moves in 2015, including Eight Extremities Fist, or bajiquan, as well as the associated art of tai chi.

“Learning martial arts has not been easy because I was not young when I started,” the 36-yea--old said, adding that he was forced to overcome difficulties and make more of an effort to learn more advanced moves.

As far as his instructor is concerned, Oumarou is hardworking and energetic. “He always trains hard and has made great progress in the past seven years,” Duan said.

So far, Oumarou has mastered multiple boxing techniques and knows how to use many traditional Chinese weapons.

Apart from the skills he’s learned, martial arts have brought him more. He has made many Chinese friends through learning kung fu and has been to many places around China to participate in competitions.

Oumarou is now a doctoral student and is expected to graduate this year. In the future, he plans to open a kung fu center in Niger after he graduates, and to become an instructor and teach youngsters martial arts. He thinks that will also help him better understand the spirit of martial arts, and also become a cultural communicator between China and Niger.

1. What can we learn about Oumarou from paragraph 1 and paragraph 2?

A．He went abroad to realize his dream over ten years ago.

B．He came to China only to learn Chinese martial arts.

C．He had a terrible experience travelling around China.

D．He had a passion for kung fu after becoming an actor.

2. Why is learning martial arts challenging to Oumarou?

A．He didn’t set out to practice martial arts at an early age.

B．He took a negative attitude toward learning martial arts.

C．He encountered an extremely impatient instructor.

D．He had to deal with too much schoolwork every day.

3. What will Oumarou probably do after graduation?

A．He will compete in more competitions in China.

B．He will become an artist starring in action movies.

C．He will travel in China together with his friends.

D．He will instruct children in martial arts in Niger.

4. Which words can best describe Oumarou?

A．energetic and humorous

B．determined and hardworking

C．generous and talented

D．selfless and positive

【推荐2】A Taste of Chinese Tea Culture

China’s traditional tea-making practices have been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage items.    1    

The origins of tea

Tea is believed to have originated in China. Ancient Chinese people first chewed on raw tea leaves for medicinal purposes, then added them to soups or greens, and brewed tea to drink.

The functions of tea

Ancient books recorded tea’s positive health effects, such as curing indigestion and improving brain function.     2     . For example, Myoan Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist priest, praised the value of tea as a medicine in his book.

    3    

Tea has gained widespread popularity since the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty. especially in literary circles, including with the famous Chinese poets Bai Juyi, Su Shi, and Lu You, who all wrote poems about tea.

Tea making crafts

Since ancient times, Chinese people have been planting, picking, making and drinking tea. Traditional tea processing techniques are mainly found in four major regions for tea production in China. Associated social practices, however, are spread throughout the country and shared by multiple ethnic groups.    4    

Tea’s role in building cultural bridges

    5    . going back to when it was important produce on the ancient Silk Road and the ancient Tea Horse Road.

A．Cultural value of tea

B．Famous tea lovers in history

C．Let’s have a taste of Chinese tea culture

D．In 2020 China ranked first in the world for tea leaves production

E．Together with reprocessed teas, there are over 2. 000 tea varieties in China

F．Chinese tea’s medical purposes are also recognized in other parts of the world

G．Tea has long been a means of building peace and friendship between China and the world

【推荐3】To Their Own Beat

When Los Lobos perform in concert today, audiences in the thousands cheer them on. It’s hard to believe that the group started out as just another garage band playing popular rock-and-roll tunes from the radio, In 1974 four high school friends from East Los Angeles formed Los Lobos ( Spanish for “The Wolves” ) .

Like many garage bands, these friends might have simply gone their separate ways after high school. But the members of Los Lobos wanted to keep making music together. They decided to change their musical style and began focusing on traditional Mexican music that showed their tradition.

“We pulled out all those records we used to beg our parents not to play around our friends and found an incredible wealth of music,” says Perez. “These guys (on the records) were doing amazing things with their instruments, and we started trying to pick up on it. ”

The group put aside its electric guitars for the acoustic ones used in traditional Mexican music. For several years Los Lobos played at weddings or parties—any event that needed live music. They also landed a regular engagement (合同)   at a Mexican restaurant.

By 1978 Los Lobos had made enough money to record their first album   (唱片) , and they sold copies of it wherever they performed. They also returned to their electric guitars to get closer to a Tex-Mex sound, which is a mixture of traditional Mexican music, rock and roll, country music, and the blues. This new, louder sound produced one unexpected result: the group was fired from the restaurant.

But it didn’t matter that Los Lobos had lost their one steady job, because they had found a position that no other group took up. They had combined electric and acoustic instruments and blended (混合) musical styles in their own way. Steve Berlin joined the band in 1983 as the saxophone and keyboard player, adding to the band’s unusual sound.

“We didn’t so much want to recycle the music we’d grown up with as much as find the common links between it and all the other styles and sounds that were all around us,” Perez explains.   “It became a mission ...   bringing music together to bring people together. ”

In the 1980s Los Lobos gained the attention of several record companies. They were hired to perform on the soundtrack to the film La Bamba, which earned them a Golden Eagle Award. They have since earned many awards, including two Grammys and an MTV Video Music Award. Their many records have been very successful, and they have toured the world.

Even after 30 years of making music together, Los Lobos continues to experiment with their sound. They never moved far away from their Mexican roots, however.   They still include traditional music in their live performances, sharing their history—and their culture—with their fans.

1. Los Lobos recorded their first album after they_______.

A．lost their job at a restaurant

B．began playing acoustic guitars

C．won an award for a film soundtrack

D．added saxophone and keyboards to their sound

2. Which paragraph writes about the great success of the band?

A．Paragraph 1.

B．Paragraph 4.

C．Paragraph 6.

D．Paragraph 8.

3. What makes Los Lobos special and successful?

A．The way they recorded their first album.

B．Their blending of different types of music.

C．Their decision to play traditional Mexican music.

D．The fact that they performed and toured the world.

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Music is best when played with traditional instruments.

B．Music must be recorded to be passed down.

C．Music should remain the same over time.

D．Music can show many cultures.