1 . The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago connected Europe, Africa and Asia. People reached these different places along these roads. Scientists believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago. By the time the Chinese silk trade became important in the world, the Silk Road covered almost 6500 kilometers. It spread from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Traders travelling along the Silk Road carried silk, of course. They also carried and traded spices (香料), cloth, valuable stones and gold.
There is a famous old story along the old road. It is said that Roman soldiers travelled through central Asia. They started to live somewhere near the ancient Chinese village of Liqian. Some of these Romans married local Chinese women and the story of blue-eyed villages of China was started.
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 valuable 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 the history of many countries and peoples.
1. How many kilometers did the Silk Road cover?| A．About 3000. | B．Nearly 6500. | C．Almost 2000. | D．Over 35,000. |
| A．Silk | B．Cloth. | C．Gold. | D．Tea. |
| A．European soldiers. | B．African soldiers. | C．Roman soldiers. | D．American soldiers. |
| A．Valuable things could not be sold along the Silk Road. |
| B．The Silk Road allowed people from different countries to mix. |
| C．Ancient Chinese along the Silk Road may be able to speak different languages. |
| D．The objects in the museum in Jiuquan in China are from all along the Silk Road. |
| A．History and Geography. | B．Sports World. | C．Man and Animals. | D．Popular Science. |
2 . The Silk Road was an ancient trade route (古代贸易路线) that connected (连接) the East and the West together. It is more than six thousand miles from Asia to Europe. The Silk Road got its name from the silk.
Few traders went along the Silk Road. The route was too long. There were also difficulties along the way. In some places, people along the road didn’t think the traders were right. Some countries would not let traders from other countries go through their countries.
Traders thought of an idea. They made staging points (中转站) on the Silk Road. They put their goods (货物) at one point. Then they traveled to another point. There, they would give the goods to the next group of drivers.
Traders from the East brought silk, gold and other useful things to the West. People wanted to have treasures from far-off lands very much.
More goods were moved along the Silk Road. Ideas from other lands were moved, too. They heard new languages. Knowledge about science was passed along.
1. It is more than ________ from Asia to Europe.| A．5,000 miles | B．6,000 miles | C．6,000 kilometers | D．5,000 kilometers |
| A．Because the road was too long and there were many difficulties. |
| B．Because they didn’t know how long it was. |
| C．Because it was ended in Europe. |
| D．Because people along the road thought they were wrong. |
| A．The Asian. | B．The European. | C．The traders. | D．The countries. |
| A．many countries were kind to traders | B．some traders worked in the staging points |
| C．clothes were brought from the West to the East | D．people wanted to have silk and gold from Europe |
| A．Traders had many difficulties along the Silk Road. |
| B．Goods were moved along the Silk Road. |
| C．Knowledge were passed along the Silk Road. |
| D．The Silk Road connected the East and the West. |
3 . The Great Sphinx of Giza (吉萨狮身人面像) is one of the most famous places of interest in the world. Most scientists believe it was built around 2,500 B.C. (公元前). But John Anthony West, a writer and film-maker, says that it’s much older. If he’s right, everything that we have learned about ancient civilizations (文明) would have to be completely revised.
West began to study ancient history after studying the work of a French researcher. The researcher said Egyptian (埃及的) civilization could have developed as early as 30,000 years ago rather than 4,500 years ago, as most experts believe.
West joined a scientist to do research together. Their research suggested that the Sphinx had been worn out (磨损) over the years by water rather than by sand and wind.
Wait a minute? Water? The Sphinx is in the Sahara Desert, which has been dry for 12,000 years! However, it was very green before that time. If it’s true that water wore down the Sphinx, then West thinks that it must have been built centuries earlier.
Whether West is right or wrong, it’s important to challenge accepted ideas. That’s how science progresses. West gave some advice to kids: If you are interested in a topic, read everything that you can find on it. Do your own research. Don’t always believe everything. Ask lots of questions, and find your own answers.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。
1. When was the Great Sphinx of Giza built according to most scientists?
| A．About 2,500 B.C. | B．About 4,500 years ago. | C．About 30,000 years ago. |
| A．联系 | B．创造 | C．修改 |
| A．The sand. | B．The water. | C．The wind. |
| A．The place where West did his research. | B．The reason why West holds his opinions. | C．The technology which was used to build the Sphinx. |
| A．Science progress is made by giving different opinions. |
| B．Egyptian civilization is more important than the others. |
| C．Kids should believe what their teachers say at any time. |
4 . Hundreds of years ago, a Roman army came north from England to make war on Scotland. The Scots, a brave people, loved their country very much. They fought hard to drive the enemy out of Scotland, but there were too many of the Romans. It looked as if the Romans would win.
One night, the leader of Scots marched his soldiers to the top of a hill. “We will rest here tonight, my men,” he said ,“Tomorrow we will fight one more battle. We must win or we will die.”
They were all very tired, so they ate their supper quickly and fell asleep. There were four guards on duty, but they too, were very tired ,and one by one, also fell asleep.
The Romans were not asleep. Quickly they gathered at the foot of the hill. Slowly they climbed up the hillside, taking care not to make a sound. Closer and closer they came to the sleeping Scots. They were almost at the top. A few minutes more, the war would be over. Suddenly, one of them put his foot on a thistle (蓟). He cried out and his sudden cry woke the Scots. In a moment, they were on their feet and ready for battle. The fighting was hard but it did not last long. The Scots wiped out the Romans and saved their country.
The thistle is not a beautiful plant. It has sharp needles all over it. Few people like it. But the people of Scotland liked it so much that they made it their national flower.
1. Hundreds of years ago there was a war between________.| A．Roman army and North England | B．Roman army and the Scots | C．England and Scots | D．A brave people and the Scots |
| A．the Scots were not brave | B．the Roman army was so strong | C．the Romans had the support from the Scottish | D．they are lazy |
| A．they were sure to win | B．they couldn’t escape from death |
| C．they would win and then they would die | D．they must try hard to win, otherwise they would die |
| A．it is a beautiful plant | B．it is fresh and lovely | C．it had so many sharp needles all over it | D．it was the thistle that helped the Scots to win the battle |
5 . What’s the Silk Road? In history, it was an important international trade route（商路） between China and the Mediterranean（地中海）. The Silk Road began in the Western Han Dynasty and has a history of more than 2000 years.
In the past, the road started in Chang’an （now Xi’an） and ended in Eastern Europe near the Mediterranean. It was about 6500 kilometers long and went across 1/4 of the world.
The Silk Road got its name in the 19th century because Chinese silk was famous, and the traders also carried China’s porcelain（瓷器） and other things to the West. And glass, gems and food like carrots from the West came to China.
The Silk Road was very important to both China and the rest of the world. It was more than an international trade route. Lots of arts and science of other countries came to China through the Silk Road. In this way, languages and culture influenced each other. Today, China is trying to make the dream of the Belt and Road come true.
1. When did the Silk Road begin?| A．In the 18th century. | B．In the 19th century. |
| C．In the Eastern Han Dynasty. | D．In the Western Han Dynasty. |
| A．It was about 6500 meters long. | B．It went across 1/3 of the world. |
| C．It went across 1/4 of the world. | D．It was about 5000 kilometers long. |
①silk
②glass
③porcelain
| A．①② | B．①③ | C．②③ | D．①②③ |
| A．The Silk Road was only an international trade route in the past. |
| B．China is trying to sell everything to other countries through the road now. |
| C．The Silk Road got its name because traders carried silk along this road. |
| D．Through the Silk Road, traders only brought the food of other countries to China. |
| A．In a history book. | B．In an art magazine. |
| C．In a health book. | D．In a PE magazine. |
6 . Language and Power (权力): Cameroon’s Story
By Elisa Grant, 2 Oct
In the modern world, being able to speak English is often a way to get power. However, this is not true for English speakers in Cameroon in Africa (非洲), To know why things are different in this African country, we need to go back one hundred years.
In 1919, Kamerun (the name of Cameroon at the time) was cut into two parts: one belonged to (属于) France, and the other belonged to the UK. In 1960, the French Cameroon became the Republic of Cameroon, and the UK’s part joined it in 1961. The new country changed it name to the Federal Republic of Cameroon. Both French and English are Cameroon’s official languages, but only around 20％ of its people speak English. Also, the government (政府) has been in French speakers’ hands since (自从) the two parts became one country.
For a long time, Cameroon’s English speakers feel they are not welcome in their own country. For example, it is very difficult for them to find jobs in the government, and they are often asked to speak French in companies and at official events (事件). They are more resentful at the government and decided to fight for themselves. A few years ago, the English speakers started to try to build their own country. In October, 2017, they said in a meeting that they were not part of Cameroon any more. They are now a new country, “Ambazonia”. When the police tried to stop the meeting, at least eight people were killed. Read more
1. What happened in Cameroon in 1961?| A．Cameroon changed its name to the Republic of Cameroon. |
| B．The two parts of Cameroon became one. |
| C．The English part had an important meeting. |
| D．English became an official language of the country. |
| A．Excited | B．Angry | C．Careful | D．Surprised |
| A．It plans to treat Ambazonia as a new country. |
| B．It needs Ambazonia for money and help. |
| C．It does not want to be part of Ambazonia. |
| D．It does not agree that Ambazonia is a country. |
| A．Why speaking English is a way to get power. |
| B．Why English speakers in Cameroon have less power. |
| C．Why the two parts of Cameroon became one country. |
| D．Why only 20% of the people in Cameroon speak English. |
7 . The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago connected Europe, Africa and Asia. People reached these different places along these roads. Scientists 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 covered almost 6,500 kilometers. It spread(扩散) from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Traders travelling along the Silk Road carried silk, of course. They also carried traded spices(香料), cloth, valuable stones and gold. There is a famous old story along the old road. It is said that Roman soldiers travelled through Central Asia. They started to live somewhere near the ancient Chinese village of Liqian. Some of these Romans married local Chinese women and the story of blue-eyed villages of China was started.
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 valuable goods(货物) 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 the history of many countries and peoples.
1. How many kilometers did the Silk Road cover?| A．Almost 2,000. | B．About 3,000. | C．Nearly 6,500. | D．Over 35,000. |
| A．Valuable things could not be sold along the Silk Road. |
| B．People from different countries in the Silk Road were difficult to mix. |
| C．The old Silk Road routes still can be used by camels and horses. |
| D．Ancient people along the Silk Road shared the languages and cultures. |
| A．History and Geography. | B．Sports World. |
| C．Man and Animals. | D．Popular Science. |
On Sept. 30, I watched a film on the Chinese People’s Volunteers who joined the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea（抗美援朝）（1950-53）— The Battle at Lake Changjin. It was directed
More than 70 years ago, many Chinese
| A．of | B．with | C．for | D．by |
| A．offered | B．improved | C．discovered | D．afford |
| A．instead of | B．such as | C．as well as | D．because of |
| A．watching | B．looking | C．seeing | D．listening |
| A．so | B．such | C．too | D．very |
| A．seriously | B．beautifully | C．normally | D．carefully |
| A．required | B．spread | C．volunteered | D．forced |
| A．connection | B．expectations | C．exceptions | D．communication |
| A．missed | B．remembered | C．found | D．forgotten |
| A．present | B．polite | C．proud | D．afraid |
9 . We see humans all around us. But when was the first human seen? Early humans did not leave behind any written records. However, they left behind many paintings on the walls of the caves (洞穴) where they lived. These paintings tell about their life, and we know these early humans walked on four limbs (四肢) like apes (猿). Also, they did not live at one place but moved from place to place in search of food and water.
Without any tools, early humans used stones, bones of animals, and sharp pieces of wood to dig, hunt and cut their food. They also used these to protect themselves from animals. Since stones were used to make tools, this age was called Stone Age.
With time going, tools made of bones and stones were replaced with metal ones which were stronger, sharper, and longer-lasting. Metals were also used for farming and making knives. Copper (铜) was the first metal to be used.
The first fire that early humans noticed was natural fire caused by lightning. With fire, early humans could now light up dark caves. They could keep themselves warm during cold weather and cook meat. Also the fire could drive animals away.
Early humans noticed new trees growing from the seeds that fell to the ground from the fruits. This gave them the idea that they could make their own food by planting seeds, which led to farming. With the beginning of farming, early humans began to settle down. They moved out of the caves and lived on farms and near the fields together, then the first villages came up.
Raising animals was a big event in human history that changed the life of early humans. The wild dogs were probably the first animal to be raised. As time went, goats, sheep, cows, donkeys, and horses were kept, too. This led to herding (畜牧业). Milk, meat and wool came from these animals.
1. Why did early humans have to move around?| A．To find more caves to live in. | B．To protect themselves from animals. |
| C．To look for food and water. | D．To make kinds of tools. |
a. Metal tools appeared.
b. People used bones of animals to hunt.
c. People started to live on farms.
d. Dogs were raised by people.
| A．a-d-c-b | B．a-c-d-b | C．b-a-c-d | D．c-b-a-d |
| A．When they could walk on two feet. | B．When they could use metals. |
| C．When they knew how to farm. | D．When they knew how to use fire. |
| A．The first tools were made of copper. |
| B．The first fire noticed by early humans was caused by lightning. |
| C．The first villages came up before farming appeared. |
| D．The first animal to be raised was sheep. |
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