Architects have long turned to the past for inspiration. In this age of concrete and steel, however, they’re more likely to look for aesthetic (美学的) influence than technical know-how. But an ancient Chinese construction technique called dougong is a remarkable exception.
Consisting of a series of wooden brackets (支架) with no nails or fasteners, it is 500 years old and commonly found in Chinese architecture, such as the Forbidden City in Beijing. Many structures built during the Tang and Song dynasties featured “curtain walls” which were non-load-bearing. As a result, the unsupported wood shouldering the weight might break. Designers needed a technique which would more regularly spread the burden across their structures. Their solution was dougong.
Engineering has come a long way since the ancient Chinese building technique was fashion. But there’s a timeless quality to it. Modern designers in many areas are adopting it to produce amazing and stable work of architecture. Among them is Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who used dougong-inspired methods for his recent buildings: Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum and Cafe Kureon, a2, 120-square-foot restaurant.
For architect Terrence Curry, the attraction of using ancient methods is about finding something that can “speak to Chinese identity”. His structure Dougong Cube(立方), now part of the School of Architecture, Tsinghua University in Beijing, was constructed using classical-style brackets and over2, 000boards. “It has fundamental structure of dougong, but we just aren’t using it in the way it was intended to be used. We’re really pulling it out-emphasizing its beauty and complexity, and the way it works,” said Curry, “The shape and function of dougong is directly related to properties of wood, and the ability of people who make these buildings. In this way, there’s little need for decoration because the structure and design give it its distinctive look.”
1. Why is dougong referred to as an exception?| A．It uses less concrete and steel. |
| B．It can meet decorative needs. |
| C．It enjoys a long history. |
| D．It has a brilliant structure. |
| A．Unstable. |
| B．Unbearable. |
| C．Unbreakable. |
| D．Unconventional. |
| A．It changes the basic style of dougong. |
| B．It is more practical than previous Chinese buildings. |
| C．Its charm can be brought out by its materials and designers. |
| D．Its unique design remains unknown to the public. |
| A．Dougong reflects Chinese wisdom in architecture. |
| B．Chinese identity can be revealed through its architecture. |
| C．Chinese architecture has a lasting influence on the world. |
| D．Dougong Cube presents a combination of innovation and tradition. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】It has become easy for students to find and copy published material. But copying another person’s writing without giving them credit can get students and other scholars into big trouble.
American copyright law protects original works of authorship including books, movies, music, images and artworks.
The idea is that copyright helps society. If people can gain from their own creations, which are called their intellectual property (知识产权), then more people will want to create original works. The law, however, permits the unlicensed use of copyrighted works under what is called fair use. Fair use can include criticism, comment, news reporting, education and research.
Just as it is easy to copy, it is also easy for professors to know if a student has plagiarized. First, there are computer programs and artificial intelligence, tools that compare students’ papers to large databases of published writing.
| A．This behavior is called plagiarism. |
| B．However, there are some limitations. |
| C．Plagiarism is punished in different ways. |
| D．Students must follow university policies on academic behavior. |
| E．They can identify whether students have copied published writing. |
| F．For example, it can automatically create citation s and combine them into a list. |
| G．The protection extends to computer software and the design of buildings and structures. |
【推荐2】If you want to improve your memory, you need to know how your brain works. You might be surprised to hear that your lifestyle habits might be making it difficult for you to correctly record each piece of information, experience, or learning.
It would appear that the secret to improving your memory is really simple. It’s to take breaks. As a matter of fact, the brain has more limited (有限的) energy resources than you probably think. Therefore, it tires quickly and its levels of attention begin to drop after about 30 to 45 minutes.
The hippocampus (海马体) is the area of your brain that’s responsible for consolidating (巩固) your short-term memories in the long term. Furthermore, for this consolidation to be possible, there must be an connection with different areas of the cerebral cortex (大脑皮层). At the present time, we know that, for best connectivity (连接), we must rest. Therefore, factors such as tiredness, bad feelings, or stress make it difficult to connect one area to the other.
Michaela Dewar, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, conducted a study with other experts to understand how to improve memory consolidation processes. What they found was that something as simple as taking breaks for between 9 and 15 minutes improves memory, both in healthy people and in those with neurological damage (神经系统受损).
However, there’s one small detail that’s important. The rest must be a real rest. In other words, you should go to a quiet space and give up anything that takes your attention away. This includes not having your cellphone nearby. The secret to improving your memory requires you to rest for between 10 and 15 minutes leaving your mind completely empty.
Your lifestyle plays an extremely important role in the way your memory functions (运转). Rest isn’t wasting time. In fact, allowing yourself small breaks is good for your health and well-being.
1. What is the secret to improving memory?| A．Forming good habits. | B．Having breaks. |
| C．Recording every details. | D．Learning about brain. |
| A．Happiness. | B．Excitement. | C．Sadness. | D．Satisfaction. |
| A．Organised. | B．Produced. | C．Began. | D．Found. |
| A．A textbook. | B．A course plan. | C．A dictionary. | D．A science report. |
【推荐3】Scientists working in NASA say they have made a significant discovery that a huge star seems to have disappeared from the universe. The star is part of the Kinman Dwarf galaxy, pictures of which were taken in the past by a camera attached to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. But since the galaxy is so far away, researchers have not been able to clearly observe its stars. Astronomers had, however, identified important “signatures”, or signs, that the massive star existed. Now they are searching for answers to why it is no longer possible to see them.
A team of scientists from the European Southern Observatory reported it had been observing the star with its Very Large Telescope, VLT, for at least 10 years. The team said its observations repeatedly showed evidence that the Kinman Dwarf galaxy contained the massive star, which was estimated to be about 2.5 million times brighter than our sun. Researchers said the evidence suggested that the star was “in a late stage of its evolution”. They added that the star was a kind considered to be “unstable”. This means it could go through major changes in brightness or lose some of its mass.
Andrew Allan, the project’s leader, said the researchers wanted to learn more about how massive stars end their lives. The massive object observed in the Kinman Dwarf galaxy seemed like the perfect target. But when astronomers turned the VLT toward the distant galaxy in 2019, they could no longer find any signs of the massive star. “Instead, we were surprised that the star had disappeared,” Allan said in a statement.
The astronomers are now exploring two possibilities. The first is that the star might have become less bright and could be partly blocked by dust. The other possibility is that it collapsed into a black hole without producing a super powerful explosion.
The astronomers plan to keep observing the galaxy for signs of the missing star. They will likely need to wait a few years before confirming what happened to this particular star.
1. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．The stars. | B．The galaxies. | C．The signatures. | D．The astronomers. |
| A．It was once clearly observed. | B．It experienced a temporary change. |
| C．It could only be traced with the VLT. | D．It evidently existed in the distant galaxy. |
| A．It exploded. | B．It lost some of its mass. |
| C．It evolved into a black hole. | D．It was damaged by dust and became less bright. |
【推荐1】The U.K. has lots of strange traditions.
One of the most famous pancake races is the Rehab Parliamentary Pancake Race. This takes place on the morning of Pancake Day in London, outside the Houses of Parliament.
Another important aspect of the race is the official starter. The starter is seen as a respectable role and is usually given to a British news host.
| A．One of those is pancake racing. |
| B．The race is a competition between two teams. |
| C．But the starter usually has a hard time controlling the race. |
| D．Besides a bit of fun, the race is also held for a good cause. |
| E．Some schools or businesses hold special Pancake Day events. |
| F．The racers have to run holding a frying pan with a pancake in it. |
| G．Pancakes in the UK are large and thin and can be topped with juice. |
【推荐2】After Donald Trump became the 45th American president, a new video of his granddaughter Arabella went popular once again on the Internet. In this video, the little girl wore a qipao, a kind of traditional Chinese dress. She stood in front of a table to recite(背诵)ancient Chinese poems. These poems are familiar(熟悉的) to most Chinese people and they are often recited by Chinese kids. Arabella made the video to remember Chinese Monkey Year, which ended on January 27th, 2017.
Arabella’s family are interested in Chinese culture. They can even make Chinese dumplings and sing Chinese songs. Arabella began to study Chinese when she was 18 months old. Now she can speak very good Chinese. Early in February, 2016, 4-year-old Arabella, recited a Tang Dynasty poem in Chinese. Her mother sent her video online and won lots of “likes” from all over the world.
On Sonia Weibo, many users thought Arabella was a wonderful and surprising girl. “I’m glad to see the little angel loves Chinese culture.” Wrote a user called “orange”.
“At least her video shows that Trump is serious about education and never closes the door to foreign culture,” said another user named “stAU79”.
1. What did Arabella wear in the new video?| A．A coat. | B．A T-shirt. | C．A qipao. | D．A skirt. |
| A．Chinese kids | B．ancient Chinese poems |
| C．Arabella’s family | D．Chinese dumplings |
| A．When she was 18 years old. | B．When she was 4 years old. |
| C．When she was 6 years old. | D．When she was 18 months old. |
| A．She is 18 months old. | B．She is 7 years old. |
| C．She is 4 years old. | D．She is 18 years old. |
【推荐3】People all over the world have some strange hobbies, and one of the most unusual in Britain is "trainspotting".
The idea goes back as far as 1942. That year, a young man named Ian Allan was working at Waterloo railway station in London.
The first 2,000 copies were all sold in days, and by the 1950s, a million copies of British Railways Locomotives were selling every year. Ian Allan went to become a successful publisher, and got an Order of the British Empire(OBE,大英帝国勋章) from the Queen in 1995.
| A．But he should do it in his own time |
| B．The young man spent much time on it |
| C．They're looking for the trains they've taken |
| D．Well, they're collecting information about trains |
| E．It's usually men over the age of 40, but not always |
| F．He died in 2015, but his trainspotting hobby lives on |
| G．It was his job to answer letters from people about trains |
【推荐1】Life is noisier than ever before — there are louder and more TVs, speaker, and electronic device notifications in public spaces and open-plan offices. Across Europe, about 450 million people live with noise levels that are dangerous to health. All this has serious effects on our mental health, our physical health, and our ability to generate creative work.
We define “ noise ” as all the unwanted sound and mental stimulation (刺激) that interferes with our ability to make sense of the world and our ability to act upon our intentions. In this sense, noise is more than a nuisance. It’s a primary barrier to being able to identify and carry out solutions to the challenges we face as individuals, organizations, and even whole societies.
So, how can we build cultures that honor the importance of silence? At some organizations, it’s “no email Fridays” or “no meeting Wednesdays.” At others, it’s removing the expectation of being available on electronic devices during weekends or after 5 pm. For some workplaces, a redesign of the work space might help specific kinds of workers get the focus that they need. One solution might be permitting uninterrupted periods of time during the workday. Another might be giving up on the open floor plan and moving the whole office to a new building.
Across our society today, norms of noisiness run deep. In most office cultures, workers are required to stay connected all the time and they have to remain competitive. In many organizations, it’s common to interrupt workers who are absorbed in their work. All these lead to more noises. But there are simple strategies we can employ in order to find our own personal shelters and to slightly change broader cultures. By reclaiming silence in the workplace, we can create the conditions for reducing burnout and improving creative problem solving. Even in an increasingly noisy world, we can be quiet together.
1. What does the underlined word “nuisance” in paragraph 2 man?| A．Difficulty. | B．Shock. | C．Disappointment. | D．Annoyance. |
| A．Not sending email on workdays. | B．Being available for work on Sundays. |
| C．Not interrupting workers for some time. | D．Designing larger offices for workers. |
| A．Demands of constant connectivity exist. | B．Various office cultures are developing. |
| C．Workers’ attention is always well valued. | D．Personal space is often highly desired. |
| A．Noise kills | B．Let’s be quiet |
| C．A noisy culture | D．Why to be quiet? |
【推荐2】With the rapid development of intelligent systems and new-age transit networks,life in the big cities will likely be more efficient and comfortable.
After all,more than 60 percent of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050 , according to a UN report. The answer to making these cities more livable for so many people lies in creating “smart” cities. These cities will use 5G networks and the “Internet of things”(IoT) to make everyday life safer and more convenient. Some cities are already using smart technology to improve the lives of residents.
But what exactly does a smart city do? In the United States cities of Boston and Baltimore, smart trash cans can sense how full they are and inform cleaning workers when they need to be emptied. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, traffic flow and energy usage are monitored and adjusted according to real-time data gathered from sensors(传感器)around the city. And in Copenhagen, Denmark,a smart bike system allows riders to check on air quality and traffic condition as they ride.
Smart cities will be interactive ，allowing their residents to feel like they’ re truly shaping their environment,instead of merely existing in it.“One of the most important reasons to have a smart city is that we can actually communicate with our environment in a way that we never have in the past,”said Mrinalini Ingram,head of a telecom company.
Smart cities will also allow us to save resources. By using sensors and 5G networks to monitor the use of water，gas and electricity,city managers can figure out how to distribute and save these resources more efficiently. Emissions of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants can be more closely monitored in smart cities as well.
Of course,it will take time and money to turn our current cities into the smart cities of the future. But as we’ve already seen, more cities around the world are already adopting smart technology in smart ways. China, for instance,is making investments in big cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou to make them “smarter”. It won’t be long before even more cities start to develop their own smart infrastructure( 基础设施).
1. What calls for the development of smart cities?| A．The rapid progress in 5G networks. |
| B．The marked increase in world population. |
| C．The growing number of residents living in cities. |
| D．The major concern over the safety of living in cities. |
| A．By making a contrast. | B．By telling a story. |
| C．By listing figures. . | D．By giving examples. |
| A．By interacting directly with our environment. |
| B．By keeping track of the way we usually live. |
| C．By ensuring no emission of air pollutants. |
| D．By educating residents to save resources. |
| A．Smart City Closer to Reality. | B．The Rise and Fall of Cities. |
| C．How to Save Natural Resources. | D．Ways to Feed the World Population. |
【推荐3】This is the digital age, and the advice to managers is clear. If you don’t know what ChatGPT is or dislike the idea of working with a robot, enjoy your retirement. So, as for the present you should get for your manager this festive season, a good choice may be anything made of paper. Undoubtedly, it can serve as a useful reminder of where the digital world’s limitations lie. Several recent studies highlighted the enduring value of this ancient technology in several different aspects.
A study by Vicky Morwitz of Columbia Business School, Yanliu Huang of Drexel University and Zhen Yang of California State University, Fullerton, finds that paper calendars produce different behaviours from digital calendars. Users of old-fashioned calendars made more detailed project plans than those looking at an App, and they were more likely to stick to those plans. Simple dimensions seem to count. The ability to see lots of days at once on a paper calendar matters.
Here is another study from Maferima Touré-Tillery of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Lili Wang of Zhejiang University. In one part of their study, the researchers asked strangers to take a survey. Half the respondents were given a pen and paper to fill out a form; the other half were handed an iPad. When asked for their email address to receive information, those who used paper were much likelier to decide on a positive answer. The researchers believe that people make better decisions on paper because it feels more consequential than a digital screen. Paper-and-pen respondents were more likely than iPad users to think their choices indicated their characters better.
Researchers had other findings. They found shoppers were willing to pay more for reading materials in printed form than those they could only download online. Even the sight of someone handling something can help online sales. Similarly, people browsing(浏览) in a virtual-reality(虚拟现实) shop was more willing to buy a T-shirt if they saw their own virtual hand touch it.
1. How does the author lead in the topic?| A．By telling a story. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By raising questions. | D．By describing a situation. |
| A．They are a better reminder. |
| B．They can show more detailed plans. |
| C．They provide chances for people to practice writing. |
| D．They provide a better view of many days’ plans at a time. |
| A．Decision. | B．Sympathy. | C．Efficiency. | D．Responsibility. |
| A．Paper posters will greatly promote sales online. |
| B．E-magazines are thought less valuable than paper ones. |
| C．Seeing others buy will increase one’s purchasing desire. |
| D．People prefer items made of paper instead of other materials. |
