Zhoukoudian is a small village situated about 50 kilometers to Beijing City. In the 1920s, archaeologists discovered some prehistoric human bones there which changed people’s view of China’s history. They came from an unknown species of man and were the first evidence of human life in China thousands of years ago. The remains were three teeth!
In 1929, a complete skull was also discovered. Eventually, archaeologists found almost 200 items, including six skulls and more than 150 teeth. These discoveries proved the existence of a human species who lived in the area between 700,000 and 200,000 years ago. Four sites where Peking Man and their relatives lived were discovered on the northern face of Longgushan. They lived in the caves in the area.
However, the lifespan of Peking Man was short. About 70% of the people probably died before the age of 14. Fewer than 5% lived to the age of 50. Ashes were found alongside the fossils, which showed they had used fire for cooking food and also for light, warmth, and protection against wild animals. This is the earliest evidence of the use of fire in the world. They also made tools of bones and stones.
Unfortunately, when Japan invaded China in 1937, excavations at the Peking Man Site stopped and most of the fossils disappeared, including a Peking Man skull. After the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, the work started again.
Zhoukoudian was listed as a World Heritage Site in December 1987. It has not only given us important information about prehistoric Asian societies, but also provided amazing evidence about the process of evolution. Today, parts of the caves have been badly eroded (侵蚀) by rain. Some areas are almost completely covered in weeds, causing serious damage. Pollution from the nearby factories has also contributed to the problem. This is a very serious matter and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is trying to raise public awareness of it.
1. According to the passage, archaeologists ______.| A．thought that Zhoukoudian was a beautiful village |
| B．thought that the findings wouldn’t change the history of China |
| C．discovered some prehistoric human bones in Zhoukoudian |
| D．thought that the findings were the first evidence of human life in Asia |
| A．The digging was delayed by the Japanese invasion in the 1930s. |
| B．These ancient Chinese were the first people to use fire in daily life. |
| C．Some valuable things excavated from the site are still missing. |
| D．The digging of Zhoukoudian is famous and is well funded. |
| A．Peking Man had a short life |
| B．Peking Man lived in the caves of Longgushan |
| C．the work of excavating the Peking Man Site didn’t proceed smoothly |
| D．archaeologists found six complete skulls and more than 150 teeth in 1929 |
| A．The digging of Zhoukoudian is still under way. |
| B．Zhoukoudian plays an important part in the study of prehistoric societies. |
| C．Zhoukoudian is a World Heritage Site. |
| D．Zhoukoudian is in great need of protection. |
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【推荐1】The Home of My People
When Lewis and Clark stepped onto the Weippe Prairie in present-day Idaho in September 1808, they met the Nez Perce Indians. In the following years, the white explorers（探险者）began to fight with the Indians for their land. Some Nez Perce chiefs signed agreements with the U.S. government, selling part of their lands. But the government always broke those agreements and demanded more land.
Other chiefs refused to go along with the government’s plans. The most famous was Chief Joseph, whose people lived in the Wallowa Valley（present-day Oregon）.
“In order to have all people understand how much land we owned, ”he once explained, “my father planted poles around it and said: ‘Inside is the home of my people…It circled around the graves（坟墓）of our fathers, and we will never give up these graves to any man. ’”
But in 1874, the U.S. government declared the valley open for white settlement and ordered the Nez Perce onto a reservation（保留地）. Seeing that resistance was useless, Chief Joseph agreed to move.
Later, fighting broke out between the Nez Perce and U.S. soldiers. Chief Joseph tried to lead his people to Canada, winning several battles against the soldiers during their flight. But finally, he was forced to give in.
1. Which historic site （on the map）lies in the south of today’s Nez Perce Reservation?| A．Buffalo Eddy. | B．Dug Bar. |
| C．Joseph Canyon Viewpoint. | D．Chief Looking Glass Camp. |
| A．They were in the state of Oregon. |
| B．They have become a historic site. |
| C．They have become much smaller. |
| D．They were limited to the Wallowa Valley. |
【推荐2】Ivy League schools are considered to be the most prestigious of all colleges in the United States. These schools are primarily located in the Northeastern part of the country. There are eight total colleges that are considered to be Ivy League. These schools are Brown, Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, Dartmouth, Yale, and Columbia universities and the University of Pennsylvania. Of all institutions of higher learning, these elite schools are considered to be the most outstanding and the most sought-after in terms of acceptance and graduation.
The term “Ivy League” came about in 1954 when the NCAA athletic conference for Division I was formed. At the time, the elitism of these schools was really due to their prestige in the realm of sports like basketball. Although the term “Ivy League” was not created until the 1950s, many of these schools were in existence as far back as 1636, when John Harvard became the first benefactor of Harvard University.
Although this group of elite schools is considered to be part of one big league of the elite, there have been plenty of internal rivalries over the years. The sports that these colleges play were so popular that some teams began playing games in New York City so spectators could come from far away and watch the games. The popularity of both the athletes who played and the college team rivalries brought in a good deal of attention to the schools as well as revenue from ticket sales. There have also been academic rivalries between schools. Mostly, these rivalries are a matter of opinion in terms of which school has the most honor graduates, which schools offer the most prestigious scholarships, and what famous graduates have come from each school.
Each Ivy League college has its own unique accomplishments that make it important. All carry a certain reputation with them, and each school has programs that excel primarily in the medical and law fields, making them some of the most sought-after schools in the world. Their admission process is very selective, which helps the schools ensure that they only accept the best and brightest. Many famous people have graduated from Ivy League schools, including recent presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. This prestige leads many to believe that these colleges are only for the wealthy and elite. Often, companies look for Ivy League graduates as potential employees, usually preferred by law firms, medical facilities, and large corporations. It has long been coveted to have earned a degree from an Ivy League school. Today, the Ivy League schools are still excellent in both academia and in sports, and they have left a legacy of higher education with an exceptional track record and reputation to go along with them.
1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?| A．Ivy League schools were initially famous for their reputation in sports. |
| B．Ivy League schools didn’t come into existence until the 1950s. |
| C．Ivy League schools do not compete with each other within the league. |
| D．Ivy League schools are most popular for their excellence in the medical and law fields. |
| A．The history of the Ivy League |
| B．The rivalry of the Ivy League |
| C．The accomplishments and cultural impacts of the Ivy League |
| D．The future development of the Ivy League |
| A．Because they are the most sought-after schools in the world. |
| B．Because they have selective admission process to help ensure the quality of their students. |
| C．Because many famous people have graduated from Ivy League schools. |
| D．Because many companies look for Ivy League graduates as potential employees. |
| A．advocated | B．desired | C．restricted | D．sponsored |
【推荐3】Believe it nor not, ancient Chinese people had their own methods of heat preservation in winter.
• “Wen Ding”, ancient rice cooker
The “Wen Ding”, an ancient cooking container, preserved heat by burning fuels like charcoal. The one unearthed in Nanjing in 1989 is thought to be the oldest of its kind discovered in China, dating back to the Stone Age.
• “Ran Lu”, ancient small hot pot
The “Ran Lu” is a small-sized cooking vessel (器皿) made of bronze. A charcoal stove forms the main structure, with a bottom tray to hold charcoal ashes, and a movable cup at the top. Some experts have concluded that the vessel’s structure suggests that these vessels became popular in the Warring States Period (475—221 BC).
• Bronze You, ancient kettle
The Bronze You, one of the most common wine containers during the Shang and Zhou, dynasties, could also be used to warm wine. For example, the Bronze You with beast mask design, unearthed in Jiangxi province, had an opening where charcoals could be placed, allowing people to enjoy a hot drink.
• Bronze Yan, ancient steamer
Although the “Wen Ding” was effective at keeping food warm, ancient Chinese people later found that its burning produced pollution. As a result, the Bronze Van was made with a two-tier (双层的) structure and used to steam rice and other grains. After the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-AD 220), further improvements to the Bronze Yan led to the modern day steamer.
1. When did the “Ran Lu” begin to gain popularity?| A．In the Zhou Dynasty | B．In the Warring States Period. |
| C．In the Eastern Han Dynasty. | D．In the Stone Age. |
| A．place hot charcoals | B．pour hot water |
| C．keep wine warm | D．hold charcoal ashes |
| A．it was useful | B．it was convenient |
| C．it was environment-friendly | D．it was warm |
| A．The “Wen Ding”. | B．The “Ran Lu”. |
| C．The Bronze You. | D．The Bronze Yan. |
【推荐1】Mention the terms Italian culture and Renaissance art and one is immediately reminded of the mysterious smile of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
The Renaissance had a deep effect on the development of European culture. Having its beginnings in Italy, by the 16th century, it had spread to the rest of Europe. Its influence was felt in different fields such as philosophy, literature, religion, science, politics, and, of course, art. The scholars of the Renaissance period applied the humanistic method to every field of study, and wanted to have human emotion and realism in art.
Renaissance scholars studied the ancient Latin and Greek texts, searching the libraries of Europe for works of ancient times that had become obscure, in their hunt for reforming and perfecting their worldly knowledge. However, that does not mean that they refused religion. In fact, many of the greatest works of the Renaissance period were devoted to it, with the church supporting a lot of the works of Renaissance art. However, there were slight changes in the manner in which the scholars began to treat religion, which affected the cultural life of society, which in turn influenced the artists of that period and therefore was reflected in their art.
In Raphael’s The School of Athens, for example, some well-known people were described as classical scholars with Leonardo da Vinci given as much importance as Plato in his time. Giotto di Bondone, 1266-1337, a Florentine, who is regarded as the greatest Italian painter just earlier than the Renaissance period, is thought to be the first artist who treated a painting as a window into space.
However, it was only after the writings of Filippo Brunelleschi, 1377-1446, who is considered the first great builder of the Italian Renaissance, that perspective (透视法) was formally accepted as an artistic technique.
1. What makes Italy stand out in a way in world history?| A．Its artists during the Renaissance were numerous. | B．It was the center of the European countries. |
| C．It had many famous inventors in different fields. | D．It was home to the Renaissance. |
| A．meaningless and hard to recognize | B．clear and meaningful to guiding people |
| C．unclear and difficult to understand or see | D．easy to understand but having little meaning |
| A．After the completion of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. |
| B．After Leonardo da Vinci’s being compared to Plato. |
| C．After Giotto di Bondone’s paintings were respected. |
| D．After Filippo Brunelleschi’s completing his writings. |
| A．Italy’s Renaissance art and artists | B．the famous artists in Italy’s history |
| C．Italy’s influence on the world in culture | D．the hardships during the Renaissance in Italy |
【推荐2】In the fall of 1915, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance (耐力号) sank off the coast of Antarctica. While all of the expedition’s 28 crew eventually were rescued, the ship’s final resting place has remained a much-discussed maritime mystery. That is, until today. A team of researchers has announced they’ve located the wreck at the bottom of the Weddell Sea, almost the northernmost part of Antarctica.
Endurance was backed by the British government and private donors and supported by Winston Churchill to deliver a group of explorers to the coast of Antarctica and then travel overland across the continent via the South Pole.
It set out from South Georgia on December 5, 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. But the enemy that Shackleton and his men faced was of a different sort. The Weddell Sea, covering an area of more than a million square miles, is one of the most remote and unforgiving environments in the world, littered with icebergs and roiled by strong surface winds. Shackleton called it “the worst sea in the world.”
The expedition made good progress at first, but as the Antarctic winter of 1915 closed in, the men found themselves trapped in the sea ice on Tuesday, October 26. The next day, the men removed tools, instruments, and provisions and set up camp on the ice floe. Endurance finally sank on November 27. Shackleton famously said, “What the ice gets, the ice keeps.” . But Endurance’s story did not end with the ship’s sinking.
In 2019, the Falklands Heritage Maritime Trust began its first expedition to find the ship but had been unable to locate the wreck. This winter, they tried again, organizing and funding Endurance22.
One of the toughest problems, besides the sea ice, was establishing the ship’s location. After Endurance was initially trapped in the ice, it continued to drift as the floes moved with the current. Due to poor visibility on the day the men abandoned the ship, however, the captain had been unable to take proper measurements that would help calculate the direction and speed of the floes.
1. Which can show the positions of Weddell Sea and Antarctica?A． | B． |
C． | D． |
| A．Endurance hasn’t been found since the fall of 1915. |
| B．Endurance was only supported by Winston Churchill. |
| C．Ernest Shackleton died and sank off the coast of Antarctica in the fall of 1915. |
| D．Ernest Shackleton’s goal was to travel across the Antarctica via the South Pole. |
| A．The sea ice. |
| B．The Antarctic winter. |
| C．The things they carried. |
| D．The captain’s unreasonable command. |
| A．The way how to establish the ship’s location. |
| B．The reason why locating the ship is difficult. |
| C．The measurements that the captain took to locate the ship. |
| D．The time when Endurance22 was organized and funded. |
【推荐3】When the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (巴黎圣母院) was on fire, it seemed as if the nation had lost a piece of its soul. A similar tragedy took place in 19th century Russia. And the rebuilding effort of the Russians might offer some inspiration for the French.
Standing in the heart of the Russian capital, with 60,000 square meters of floor space and 1,500 rooms, the Winter Palace was among the world’s grandest building. On Dec. 17, 1837, a fire broke out at the Winter Palace. By the morning of Dec.19, only the structure’s framework remained.
For the czar (沙皇) , the fire presented a political challenge. Fearing that Russia's enemies would cast the fire as a blow to the czarist orders, the czar’s supporters quickly worked together to shape the description of the fire in Russia and abroad. They wanted the country to appear united. And they certainly didn't want despair to become the story.
The first full account of the fire was written in French by the poet Petr Viazemskii. A Russian translation appeared two months later. That text and others painted a highly idealized picture of the response to the tragedy. The accounts noted that the czar forcefully directed the fire’s containment. Soldiers were selfless to save the palace. The Russian people felt the loss just as deeply as the czar.
To erase the shame of the fire, the czar set a nearly impossible goal: rebuild the palace within 15 months, and he ordered that rebuilt palace look exactly as it had before.Thousands of workers labored on the construction site. They made rapid progress. On Match 25, 1839, the czar celebrated the rebirth of the Winter Palace.
Outwardly identical to the old version, the new palace featured more iron and brick in its structures---and less wood. It was far less fire-prone than the original.
Notre Dame hasn’t experienced the same level of destruction as the Winter Palace, if the Russian phoenix of 1839 is any indication, there is hope that a renewed Notre Dame will once again grace the banks of the Seine.
1. What do we know about the fire in the Winter Palace?| A．It burnt down 60,000 rooms |
| B．It lasted more than 24 hours |
| C．It was set by Russia’s enemies |
| D．It completely destroyed the palace |
| A．To secure his power |
| B．To challenge his enemies |
| C．To unite French people |
| D．To celebrate his birthday |
| A．The scene of the fire |
| B．The selflessness of the czar |
| C．The Russians’ joint effort to fight the fire |
| D．The ideal result achieved by the Russians. |
| A．To describe a fire at the Winter Palace |
| B．To praise the renewal of the Winter Palace |
| C．We express sympathy for the Notre Dame |
| D．To inspire confidence in rebuilding the Notre Dame. |
