【推荐1】Along with silk and paper, gunpowder is another invention by Chinese and the Silk Road helped it spread to the West. The dating of gunpowder is as early as 850 AD. The Chinese used gunpowder to make fireworks and for signal flares (信号弹). Gunpowder was also thought to have been used in medicine and in alchemy (炼金术)．

This invention seems to have been discovered in China by accident — by alchemists when doing experiments.

The gunpowder used for military purpose was first recorded in 919 AD. By the 11th century，explosive bombs filled with gunpowder were introduced and used in China. The words “fire cannon (大炮)” “rocket” and “fireball” appeared time and again in the official Song history as well as two other books written during the same period.

The first detailed description of using the “fire cannon” in warfare was in connection with a battle fought in 1126 when the Song army used it against the invading enemy. The so­called “fire cannon” was a tube made of bamboo filled with gunpowder which, when fired, threw a flaming missile towards the enemy. According to a description of a battle scene in 1132, it took two persons to carry a “fire cannon”, and the cannons were fired from a moving platform. And this platform had to be moved close to the wall of the besieged (被围攻的) city.

The Chinese invention of gunpowder reached Japan，the Islamic countries and then Europe in the 13th century and the Arabs improved gunpowder for military use. The early account of gunpowder in Europe was recorded by English philosopher Roger Bacon in the 13th century.        

One century later the Arabs used it to attack the Spanish town Baza and the next year in 1326 Florence ordered the manufacturing of cannon and cannon balls. From Italy the making of gunpowder soon spread to other European countries, and by the 1350s it had become an effective weapon on the battlefield.

1. According to this passage, we can learn that gunpowder________.

A．was invented earlier than silk and paper

B．was used for military purpose as soon as it was invented

C．was used in fireworks, medicine, alchemy and military purpose

D．was spread from the West to China

2. Gunpowder was discovered________.

A．by alchemists when they had an accident

B．by alchemists after studying it for a long time

C．accidentally by alchemists

D．experimentally by alchemists

3. Which of the following words can best describe a fire cannon?

A．Convenient.

B．Heavy.

C．Useless.

D．Simple.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Powerful Fire Cannons

B．Four Inventions of Ancient China

C．The Discovery of the Alchemists

D．Gunpowder

【推荐3】Decades ago, NASA asked experts to develop the "smell of space" in order to help prepare astronauts for the experience of outer space. Now, a perfume, Eau de Space, has attracted eager buyers.

According to the Kickstarter activity, which has been launched to sell Eau de Space, the history of the "smell of space" has been unclear owing to various accounts of its development. Ever since the first spacewalk, astronauts have been shocked by the smell.

NASA astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield said, "The only time you can smell space is when you come back from a spacewalk. As you open the hatch (舱门), there is a distinctive smell." Some astronauts and space tourists describe it as the smell of fruit, or burnt cookies. Astronaut Eugene Cerman talked of another smell he experienced: "The moon smells like spent gunpowder." The smell of space is so distinct that NASA reached out to fragrance makers to recreate the smell, according to NASA documents.

Now, the makers have cooperated with award-winning perfumers (香水制造者), and reported that they've secured commercial contracts to reproduce the smell based on astronauts' accounts.

At $ 29 per bottle, Eau de Space will help support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs for students. "For every bottle of Eau de Space you buy, we're going to donate $ 1 to a STEM program for low-income students. It's a big promise and isn't the best decision for a company trying to make a profit. But, imagine that a child who smells Eau de Space today is whipped up to become an astronaut, scientist or engineer," shows Kickstarter.

Eau de Space will be made in the UK employing low-income labor and environment-friendly practices, including zero manufacturing waste, according to the campaign. So far, about 11,000 people have become supporters.

1. Why was the Kickstarter campaign started?

A．To promote Eau de Space.	B．To attract perfume makers.
C．To explain the "smell of space".	D．To recreate the "smell of space".

2. What does the phrase "whipped up" in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Trained.	B．Inspired.
C．Forced.	D．Persuaded.

3. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Eau de Space, a Perfume Used in Space

B．Eau de Space, a Perfume on the Way

C．The History of Developing the "Smell of Space"

D．Astronauts' Different Accounts about the Space Smell

【推荐3】For 18 years after her retirement (退休), Deng Xiaolan volunteered to teach music in a village in Hebei province. Her inspirational teaching and the enthusiasm and talent of her students made the 44 children from Malan village and neighboring villages in Fuping county sing the Olympic anthem in Greek at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on Feb 4.

Deng’s involvement with the rural children can be dated back to her parents. Her father Deng Tuo was the publisher of Jinchaji Daily, a newspaper which was based in Malan village in Fuping county, Hebei province, from 1939 to 1948.   During the Japanese aggression (侵略), 19 Malan locals were killed for refusing to divulge information about the newspaper. Under the influence of her parents, who both loved music, she learned the violin and singing when she was young. She joined the school band after entering Tsinghua University, and also taught her colleagues to play the violin after graduation.

In 2003, when Deng Xiaolan returned to the village to remember the persons who were killed by Japanese invaders, a group of local children also attended the ceremony. She wanted to sing a song together with the children in commemoration (纪念仪式), but none of the children knew the well-known songs she named.

“If the children couldn’t sing, then they wouldn’t know how to appreciate music. Life would be so pale if it doesn’t have music,” Deng said. “My parents lived and fought here when they were young, and they wanted the locals to live a happy life. So I thought if I had the chance, I must teach them to sing.”

Deng began to travel between Beijing and the village since 2004 to teach the children music. She collected instruments and also rebuilt the school houses by raising funds and using her own pension (退休金). As the children had no background in music, she had to teach them basic music theory.

Two years later, she established the Malan Band.   Among more than 200 students taught by Deng, many left the mountainous village to receive university education, some of whom are studying art at university or have entered a career in art education.

1. What contributed to the 44 children sing at the opening ceremony?

A．They have a good knowledge of Greek.

B．Deng’s inspirational deeds and talent of her students.

C．The Winter Olympics Committee chose them.

D．Deng Xiaolan taught them and helped them sign up.

2. What can we know about Deng’s life in paragraph 2?

A．She was a publisher of Jinchaji Daily.

B．She majored in music in Tsinghua University.

C．Her father was killed during Japanese aggression.

D．Her parents played an important role in her love of music.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “divulge”?

A．make up

B．arrange

C．reveal

D．reflect on

4. What kind of person do you think Deng is?

A．Able and careful.	B．Helpful and devoted.
C．Creative and generous.	D．Curious and ambitious.