The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago linked Europe, Africa and Asia.
People reached these different places along these roads. Scientists and archaeologists（考古学家） believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3,000 years ago. By the time the Chinese silk trade became important in the world, the Silk Road had covered almost 6,500 kilometers. It stretched from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Businessmen travelling along the Silk Road carried silk, of course. They also carried and traded spices, cloth, rare jewels, slaves and gold.
During its busiest period, the Silk Road allowed people from many different cultures and countries to meet each other and mix. The Silk Road allowed the sharing of precious goods and new ideas. These included people and trading goods from the Mediterranean, Persian, Magyar, Armenian, Bactrian, Indian and Chinese areas. All these peoples travelled the Silk Road, and they shared goods, stories, languages and cultures.
In modern times, the old Silk Road routes（路线） are still used, but now they are crossed by trains instead of camels and horses. There is even a Silk Route Museum in Jiuquan in China. It has over 35,000 objects from all along the Silk Road. In this way, China protects（保护） the history of many countries and peoples. Seeing is believing. If you have a chance, please go to have a walk and have a look.
| The Silk Road | ||
| In the past | When | People began to travel the |
| What | ▲Along the Silk Road，businessmen carried and traded silk，spices，cloth and so on. ▲People from many different ▲People | |
| People used to ride camels and horses to cross the Silk Road routes. | ||
| At present | ▲The old Silk Road routes are still used because people can keep on traveling and ▲China protects the history of many countries and people by building a Silk Route Museum in Jiuquan. | |
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【推荐1】Marco Polo was born in Italy in 1254. When he was 17, he travelled across Europe and Asia along the Silk Road with his father, who wanted to do trade with the Chinese. Finally they arrived in Beijing. Although Marco was young, he was very clever and could speak four languages. The Emperor was impressed by him and they became friends. He asked Marco to serve in his court and sent him to do many important tasks across the country. Marco was amazed by how beautiful and powerful China was.
There were inventions and developments in China which couldn’t be found in Europe at that time. Marco was surprised to see Chinese people using paper money in the markets. In Europe, people didn’t pay for goods with paper! He was also puzzled by the black stones people used to burn to produce heat. The black stones were coal, but Marco had never seen coal before!
In 1291, after 17 years of service to the Emperor, Marco returned to Italy. He was now a very wealthy man. A writer wrote down all the stories that Marco told him in a book called The Description of the World, which became one of the best-selling books in Europe.
Although people enjoyed reading the book, many of them thought that Marco’s stories about China were too fantastic to be true. But Marco always stood by his tales. Just before he died, aged 70, Marco was asked the question, “Was it all true?” And this was his answer, “I have only told a half what I saw!”
1. Marco Polo and his father travelled to China to2. Marco was amazed by how beautiful and
3. Marco Polo found Chinese people using
4. The Description of the World by
5. Many people in Europe thought Marco’s stories about China were
Many of us read news every day is probably because we’d like to know what’s happening in the world. Today we can get news from TV or the Internet, but how did ancient people get news?
At the very beginning, information spread by word of mouth. People living in tribes (部落), got news from neighbors or travelers. Ancient Romans changed the way people knew about their communities. They posted a list of daily happenings at public squares in the cities. Ancient Chinese people did it in another way. The government had news sheets sent to officials in the whole country so people could know what was going on in the capital.
The fifteenth century saw big progress in printing technology in the west. The progress brought a sudden rise of news business. Printers sold whatever people loved to read. In the sixteenth century, the first real newspaper appeared. People started to form the habit of reading newspapers. They liked to share their opinions on newspapers. The invention of telegraph (电报) machines led to another big step in history. News stories were sent to the papers in minutes instead of weeks.
Now we get news in seconds from all over the world. We can become some kind of reporters by posting online what happens around us.
1. From whom did people living in tribes get news?2. Where did ancient Romans post a list of daily happenings?
3. What brought a sudden rise of news business in the 15th century?
4. When did the first real newspapers appear?
5. How can we become some kind of reporters now?
Have you ever heard of English Language Day? It was first celebrated on 23rd April, 2010. It was chosen on such a day because Shakespeare was born on April 23rd, 1564. The purpose of it is to tell people the history, culture and achievements of the language.
The story of the English language began when Germanic tribes (部落) invaded (入侵) Britain and brought their languages with them. Later, Scandinavian Vikings invaded and lived with their languages too. In 1066, Norman-French became the language of the official activity.
By Shakespeare’s time, modern English had developed. Printing had been invented and people had to start to agree on “correct” spelling and vocabulary (词汇). In both 1500s and 1600s, the English language was going through a lot of changes. And Shakespeare’s creativity in the language meant he gave hundreds of new words and phrases that are still used today. Shakespeare influenced modern English greatly.
A Special Day—English Language Day | |
| The date of the special day | April 23rd—Shakespeare’s |
| The | Telling people the history, culture and achievements of the language |
| The period of time during which the English language was going through a lot of changes | In the 16th and 17th |
| The person having a | Shakespeare, whose |
【推荐1】Thailand durian (榴莲), Chile prunes (西梅) and Boston lobsters (龙虾) used to be strangers to Chinese people. But thanks to the World Trade Organization (WTO), those foods are now common on the dining tables of Chinese families.
This year is the 21st anniversary of China’s entry into the WTO. On Dec 11, 2001, China formally became the WTO’s 143rd member. The WTO is a global trade organization, which deals with rules of trade between nations. In the WTO, agreements are made on trade between countries. The goal is to help countries do business effectively and fairly.
Joining the WTO meant China needed to follow global trade rules while opening up its market to the world, said Long Yongtu, China’s former chief negotiator (首席谈判代表) for WTO entry.
For example, the WTO calls for cutting or even removing tariffs (关税) between countries. A tariff is a tax placed on impoted or exported goods as they go from one country to another. In addition, WTO entry means Chinese companies directly face global competition.
After joining the WTO, China has worked hard to be in line with global trade rules in all areas. To open its market, China’s tariff level was dropped to 7.4 percent from 15.3 percent in 2001. China has also revised (修改) more than 2,300 laws and rules, covering trade and investment (投资).
At the same time, China has become a major trade partner of more than 120 countries. It has contributed nearly 30 percent to the growth of the world’s economy every year.
“China’s entry into the WTO has created a win-win result for China and the world,” said Yi Xiaozhun, WTO’s former deputy director-general.
1. How are the foods mentioned in Paragraph 1 now common on the dining tables of Chinese families?2. When did China formally join the WTO?
3. What is the WTO?
4. Why did Chinese government drop its tariff level from 15.3 percent to 7.4 percent in 2001?
5. What does Yi Xiaozhun think of China’s entry into the WTO?
【推荐2】请认真阅读下面短文，并根据短文内容回答问题。
The Belt and Road Forum (一带一路论坛) for International Cooperation was held from May 14 to 15 in Beijing. About 29 heads of state and government took part, as well as over 70 leaders of international organizations, 100 ministerial-level officials from around the world and 1,200 other delegates from various countries and regions.
一带一路国际合作论坛将会于5月14日至15日在北京召开。届时将会有29位国家元首参与会议，同时也会有超过70位国际组织的领导人，以及来自世界各地的100位部级官员和1200位国家和地区代表到场。
Chinese President Xi Jinping first brought up his "Silk Road Economic Belt" initiative (倡议)on a visit to Kazakhstan in 2013 and later proposed (提议) building a "21st Century Maritime (海运的) Silk Road."
中国国家主席习近平在2013年访问哈萨克斯坦时首次提出了丝绸之路经济带战略，后来又提出了建设21世纪海上丝绸之路。
Over the past three years, the One Belt and One Road initiative has had an impact on every country along the road, which together are home to over half the world’s population.
The proposed economic belt is considered as the longest economic corridor in the world, connecting the Asia-Pacific region in the east with the developed European economies in the west. The countries involved have a population of over 4.4 billion people and a combined GDP of 21 trillion dollars.
这条经济带被视为是世界上最长的经济走廊，连接了东部的亚太地区和西方发达的欧洲经济体。这些国家总人口达到44亿, GDP总额达到21万亿美元。
September 2013-The Silk Road Economic Belt concept was first introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in a speech delivered at Nazarbayev University during his visit to Kazakhstan.
2013年9月，丝绸之路经济带的概念首次由中国国家主席习近平在他访问哈萨克斯坦期间对纳扎尔巴耶夫大学发表讲话时提出。
October 2013-President Xi offered guidance on constructing a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to promote( 促进) international maritime cooperation.
2013年10月，习近平主席提出了建设海上丝绸之路的战略指示，以促进国际海上合作。
November 2014-President Xi announced that China will contribute 40 billion dollars to set up a Silk Road Fund to finance Belt and Road projects.
March 2015-China released an action plan on the principles, framework, and cooperation priorities and mechanism of the Belt and Road initiative.
2015年3月，中国发布了关于一带一路倡议原则，框架以及合作优先顺序和机制的执行计划。
January 2016-The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a China-initiated multilateral bank to support the initiative, started operations.
2016年1月，由中国发起的多国参与的银行——亚洲基础建设投资银行针对一带一路倡议展开了运营。
May 2017-China hosted The Belt and Road forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. President Xi Jinping made a wonderful speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday provided the world a full and rich picture of the “project of the century” which will benefit people across the world.
1. How long did the Belt and Road Forum last?【推荐3】Students in primary and secondary schools across China are not allowed to bring their mobile phones to school unless they have a real need and their parents make written applications(申请), according to a policy(政策) at the website of the Ministry of Education on February 1.
In case there are written applications, the students who do bring their mobile phones to school have to hand in their phones instead of taking the phones to classrooms.
The move is said to protect students’ eyesight and make students focus on studying instead of surfing the Internet and playing games.
For the communication between students and their parents, schools are required to find some ways such as setting up public phones or allowing students to use watches with phone functions.
Student Ni said he had never brought a phone to school and only used it at home. “I understand the policy because it is to avoid distraction(分心).”
Wang Yuran, another student said, “I limit my own screen time and would never stay up late to play games. It’s about reasonable use.”
Li, the teacher, says parents support this move. “They can still get in touch with us when there is a real need.”
1. Where can you find the policy?2. Do students hand in their phones or take the phones to classroom while at school?
3. How many ways are mentioned to help with the communication between students and their parents?
4. Why does Ni understand the policy?
5. Who can parents get in touch with when there is a real need?
【推荐1】
In China, the 12th month of the lunar calendar(阴历) is called Layue. The month is full of interesting festivals and customs.
Laba Festival, which is on the 8th day of Layue, is the first festival in this month. From this day on, people begin to get ready for the Chinese New Year.
On Laba Festival, people eat hot Laba porridge. There are usually eight things in the porridge: rice, red beans, peas, dried lotus seeds, dates, and three different kinds of fruits and nuts. The porridge is not just good for your health, but a blessing for the coming of Chinese New Year.
Laba porridge is not the only tasty food in Layue. Laba garlic(腊八蒜) is popular in the north. People begin to soak garlic in vinegar from that day on, and eat it with dumplings during the Chinese New Year. While in the south, people like making sausages.
Another major celebration before Spring Festival is Xiaonian. It is usually on the 23rd or 24th day of the last lunar month. Traditionally it is an important day when people offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God who looks after the family.
Don't forget to clean your home. This is also an important thing to do to prepare for the Chinese New Year. It means sweeping away the dust of the old year and welcoming a fresh start. Now, the last thing for you to do is to wait for the coming Spring Festival.
1. When is Laba festival?2. What do people often eat on Laba Festival?
3. Is Laba garlic popular in the south?
4. What do people do on Xiaonian?
5. Why do people clean their homes before the Spring Festival?
In today’s world,children enjoy more freedom than ever before.Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
As children,they are the “result” of modern society.Their parents have jobs that keep them busy all day long.They hardly have a free day in a week.This doesn’t allow them to keep an eye on their children.
On the other hand,as a child,he doesn’t know how to grow up by himself until a certain age.That is why he needs schools and parents to be by his side all the time.If he doesn’t have one of these,he may make a lot of mistakes.
Many of the children today are rebels .They are rude.They behave differently.They are given too much freedom by their families.These are their parents’ mistakes.They should know that the freedom they give to their children is misunderstood.
For example,it is a bad thing for a 13-year-old child to go out in the late evening.Parents are also guilty of the way their children show up in the street or at school.The same guilt belongs to the teaching system as well.Students shouldn’t be allowed to dress like they were on a fashion presentation at school.
Another important fact of the freedom of children is their free will of spending money.Parents shouldn’t allow their children to spend money on whatever they want.I think children are given too much freedom not only by their parents,but also by society.The latter one is more responsible for it!
1. The underlined word “This” in Paragraph 2 refers to ________.| A．modern society | B．a free day in a week |
| C．parents being kept busy | D．parents working outside |
| A．Children must learn to grow up by themselves. |
| B．Children need proper control to help them grow up. |
| C．Children are heavily dependent on their parents. |
| D．Schools and parents must pay for children’s mistakes. |
| A．parents often misunderstand what they do |
| B．Parents don’t spend much time teaching them to behave |
| C．Parents don’t tell them how to show up in the street |
| D．Parents give them more freedom than they can manage |
Do you agree with your parents?Why or why not?
【推荐3】How to lead a balanced life
Many students suffer from stress in their daily lives. They are (A)
Here are some (C) methods to deal with stress and bring balance to your life.
Learn to relax.
Force yourself to take a break from your studies and worries about exams. You can do this by taking a walk, reading a book, going to a concert or seeing a (D)
Take up a hobby.
Learn to paint, take up skating, or start playing a musical instrument .When (E)你忙于一个业余爱好，you will leave all your worries behind.
Take care of your body
Stress is your body’s enemy. (F)Taking regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep are all the things that can help you.
1. 在(A)和(D)处分别填入适当的单词2. 写出 (B)和(C)的同义词和近义词
3. 将 (E)译成英语
4. 将(F) 改写为:
5. 在文中找出说明主旨大意的词语
