1 . Rome was founded in 753 BC by its first king, Romulus. It grew into a rich and powerful (强大的) city during the next few hundred years.
Roman legend (传说) says that Romulus has a twin (双胞胎) brother. As babies, they were thrown in the area which later became Rome. A she-wolf, a kind of wild animal living in the forest, found and raised them. When Romulus grew up, he became the first ruler of Rome!
By 117 AD, the Roman Empire (帝国) included the whole of Italy, all the lands in the Mediterranean and much of Europe, including England, Wales and parts of Scotland. Thanks to their strong army, the Romans built such a huge empire and conquered (征服) new lands.
However, the Romans didn’t spend all the time fighting—they were amazing engineers, too! They built roads and walls—things without which we can’t live now. What’s more, they were so smart that they even built channels (水道) and bridges to carry water to public baths and toilets in order to bring water to their cities!
The Romans liked to enjoy their food, often lying down on a couch while eating with their hands. They sometimes used a spoon, but they would never use a knife and fork.
1. When was Rome founded?| A．In 753 BC. | B．In 117 AD. | C．In 753 AD. |
| A．妇人 | B．女王 | C．母狼 |
| A．Rome had conquered new lands. |
| B．Romulus was a very strong king. |
| C．There was a great army in Rome. |
| A．They spent all the time fighting. |
| B．They built roads and walls that we have used until now. |
| C．They lay down and enjoyed the food with a knife and fork. |
2 . The name of every British town and city has a long history.
Two thousand years ago, most people living in Britain were Celts (凯尔特人). Even the word “Britain” is Celtic. Then the Romans arrived and built camps. These camps became cities called “castra”. This is why there are so many place names in England that end in “-chester” or “-caster”. Manchester is one example.
After the Romans left Britain, it was attacked by Anglo-Saxon people and became its new owners. These people were from the area that is now Germany and the Netherlands (荷兰). The names of their villages often ended in “-ham” or “-ton”. Some got their names from the leaders of the villages, so Birmingham, for example, means “Beormund’s village”.
Twelve hundred years ago, Vikings (维京人) came to England. They traded with the Anglo-Saxons but lived in their own villages. These often ended in “-by” or “-thorpe”. The name “Kirkby” means “a village with a church (教堂)” and Scunthorpe was the village of a man called Skuma. Finally, in 1066, England became Norman (诺曼人的)—the Normans gave us the place name “grange”, which means “farm”.
And how about London? Experts cannot agree! The Romans called the city Londinium, but they were not the first people there. People once believed that the United Kingdom’s capital city was named for the castle (城堡) of a king called Lud, but this is almost impossible. Our best guess today is that the name comes from a Celtic word meaning “a fast-flowing river”.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。1. Why are there so many place names in England that end in “-chester” or “-caster”?
| A．Because some place names were from the leaders of the villages. |
| B．Because camps built by Romans later became cities called “castra”. |
| C．Because there were many farmers in these places. |
| D．Because people in these places traded with the Anglo-Saxons. |
| A．practiced | B．hit. | C．explained | D．reported |
①Vikings came to England and trade with the Anglo-Saxons.
②The Romans arrived in Britain and built camps.
③England became Norman and was named “grange”, which means farm.
④The Anglo-Saxons attacked Britain.
| A．①④②③ | B．②③①④ | C．①②④③ | D．②④①③ |
| A．It was named for the castle of a king called Lud. | B．It was from a village of a man named Skuma. |
| C．It came from a Celtic word meaning fast-flowing river. | D．It was called Londinium by the Romans. |
| A．Different kinds of people in Britan. | B．Different lives of people in Britain. |
| C．Different histories of place names in Britain. | D．Different names of people in Britain. |
3 . If you want to tell the history of the whole world, a history that does not privilege one part of humanity, you cannot do it through texts alone, because only some of the world has ever had texts, while most of the world, for most of the time, has not. Writing is one of humanity’s later achievements, and until fairly recently even many literate (有文字的) societies recorded their concerns not only in writing but in things.
Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do just that, but in many cases we simply can’t. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate history is perhaps the first conflict, at Botany Bay, between Captain Cook’s voyage and the Australian Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain’s record of that terrible day. From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in fight after his first experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.
In addition to the problem of miscomprehension from both sides, there are victories accidentally or deliberately twisted, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing side often have only their things to tell their stories. The Caribbean Taino, the Australian Aboriginals, the African people of Benin and the Incas, all of whom appear in this book, can speak to us now of their past achievements most powerfully through the objects they made: a history told through things gives them back a voice. When we consider contact (联系) between literate and non-literate societies such as these, all our first-hand accounts are necessarily twisted, only one half of a dialogue. If we are to find the other half of that conversation, we have to read not just the texts, but the objects.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．How past events should be presented. |
| B．What humanity is concerned about. |
| C．Whether facts speak louder than words. |
| D．Why written language is trusted. |
| A．His report was scientific. | B．He represented the local people. |
| C．He ruled over Botany Bay. | D．His record was one-sided. |
| A．Problem. | B．History. | C．Voice. | D．Society. |
| A．How Maps Tell Stories of the World | B．A Short History of Australia |
| C．A History of the World in 100 Objects | D．How Art Works Tell Stories |
4 . The first castles were built in Europe around the 9th century. These castles were very strong buildings where a king or prince could live safely with his army around him. Such castles let the king or prince watch out for attacks and keep out the people he did not like. The castles also let the king or prince watch the people who lived around the castle.
There were not many castles in Europe around 900 AD, but around 1000 AD things changed. Suddenly, many people were building castles because there was an increase in the fighting in Europe during this time. In 1066, William the Conqueror ordered that many castles must be built in England because he was trying to control the people of England. But William was not alone. Because there were many kings and princes fighting in Europe, many more castles were built. These castles were built to be very strong, so some of them can still be seen today.
The first castles used a simple design. A tower was put on top of a lot of earth. All this earth was put under the tower to make it very tall. Moving all this earth made a huge hole all around the tower. Often, this large hole was filled with water. Stone or wood bridges were used to go across this water to get into the tower. A wall was built around the open area near the tower. The family of the king or prince and some of the people who served him lived within this area so that they would be safe. The first castles were made largely of wood in the beginning, but stone became more popular over time. This was because wood catches fire and burns easily. Stone was a better choice for castles.
1. The first castles were built in Europe so that a king or prince ______.| A．stopped their enemies attacking |
| B．kept out the animals he did not like |
| C．watched the people who lived far away from the castle |
| D．lived a rich and happy life with his family around him |
| A．William the Conqueror let people do it |
| B．there were more fights during that time |
| C．more people wanted to control England |
| D．many kings tried to make them stronger |
| A．Stone. | B．Earth. | C．Wood. | D．Water. |
| A．To introduce the fights in Europe. | B．To introduce the castles in Europe. |
| C．To describe kings’ or princes’ lives. | D．To describe William the Conqueror. |
5 . People have painted pictures for at least 30,000 years.
The earliest pictures were painted by people who hunted animals. They used to paint pictures of the animals they wanted to catch and kill. Pictures of this kind have been found on the walls of caves in France and Spain. No one knows exactly why they were painted there.
| A．The old have difficulty understanding some of them. |
| B．So it is said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip. |
| C．They drew simple pictures or signs to represent things and ideas. |
| D．Perhaps the painters thought that their pictures would help them to catch these animals. |
| E．The Egyptians used to record information and to tell stories by putting writing and pictures together. |
The Silk Road went from China to Eastern Europe. It went along the north of China, India, and Persia and ended up in Eastern Europe near today’s Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea.
It was called Silk Road because one of the major products (产品) traded was silk cloth from China. Chinese silk was soft and of high quality. So people all over the Asia and Europe loved it very much.
Besides silk, the Chinese also sold tea, salt, sugar and porcelain (陶瓷) .
Traders travelled in large caravan (旅行队). They would have many guards with them.
Although there was some trade between China and the rest of the world for some time, the silk trade developed quickly during the Han Dynasty which ruled from 206 BC to 220 AD.
| A．The Silk Road was important. |
| B．Most of the goods were expensive. |
| C．The Chinese sold silk for thousands of years. |
| D．The Silk Road was full of wealth as well as danger. |
| E．Traveling in a big group like a caravan helped in protecting themselves. |
| F．Later, under the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, trade China along the Silk Road was fully developed. |
7 . 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. |
8 . The British Museum is one of the biggest museums in the world. Inside, you feel smaller than usual. There are many things to see.
The story of the British Museum dates back three hundred years or so to one unusual man, Sir Hans Sloane, a doctor of King George II. The doctor collected books, drawings, clothes, money, animals, and flowers from all over the world. The doctor wanted everything to stay together before he died, so that people could come and have a look. The British Museum began. King George II gave away his library, and the museum started to grow.
The British Museum opened in 1759, six years after Sir Hans Sloane died. At first, the museum was only open three days a week and only ten people could enter in an hour. There wasn’t much time to see things. Visitors had to run through the rooms.
By about 1800, things began to get better. Wonderful statues, three thousand years old, arrived from Egypt. King George IV sold all his books to the museum secretly. A hundred years ago not only old books but also new ones arrived at the museum, and more people came to read them. Since then many famous men have written and studied there. And the library is growing faster and faster. There are four kilometers of new shelves every year and there are about six million visitors each year.
1. When you go inside the British Museum, you feel smaller than usual because ________.| A．the museum is empty | B．the museum is very big |
| C．there are too many things in it | D．you are too small |
| A．1753 | B．1759 | C．1765 | D．1800 |
| A．Because he was the first king to support the British Museum. |
| B．Because he gave away all his books to the British Museum. |
| C．Because he sold all his books to the British Museum. |
| D．Because he made the British Museum famous in the world. |
| A．At first the museum was only open three days a week. |
| B．There weren’t many people visiting the museum every day at first. |
| C．There are about six million visitors every year to the museum now. |
| D．The second paragraph is about why King George II loved the British Museum. |
| A．the things in the museum | B．the history of the British Museum |
| C．some famous museums in the world | D．British kings and their museums |
9 . By December of 1914, Britain and Germany had been fighting against each other in World War I for five months. On Christmas Day, something amazing happened. Soldiers of both sides temporarily(临时的) stopped fighting and enjoyed a day of peace.
It all started on the morning of December 25th when the German soldiers climbed out of their deep trenches and crossed the battlefield. “Merry Christmas!” they shouted towards the British. Although the British soldiers did not trust the Germans at first, they did not shoot. Slowly, the British understood that the Germans wanted a short truce(停战) to celebrate Christmas in peace. After a short talk, the British soldiers agreed to it and put down their guns.
Both sides exchanged small presents and cigarettes with their enemies. The Germans and British agreed to let each other collect their dead from the area. A German soldier who was a barber(理发师) before the war gave a British soldier a trim(理发). One of the British soldiers took out a soccer ball and both sides kicked it around.
The Germans and British stopped fighting for most of the day. Some people got very unhappy about this. The leaders of both sides were especially furious. They wanted the men to keep fighting, even on Christmas. Newspapers did not report on the truce until a week later. The Christmas Truce of 1914 is still remembered today. It is an example of how people can stop fighting and come together in peace.
1. According to the article, what happened on Christmas Day in 1914?| A．The British and Germans fought a war. |
| B．World War I began. |
| C．The British and Germans stopped fighting. |
| D．The British and Germans went back home. |
| A．attacked the Germans |
| B．followed their leaders |
| C．didn’t agree with the Germans |
| D．exchanged small presents with them |
| A．Buy cigarettes. | B．Post presents. | C．Shoot their guns. | D．Collect their dead. |
| A．dangerous | B．angry | C．energetic | D．excited |
| A．British and German soldiers had fought with each other for 5 months in World War I. |
| B．British soldiers shouted “Merry Christmas” to the Germans. |
| C．The newspapers reported the truce the next day. |
| D．People with the same value might come together in peace, though they might have disagreement. |
Up, up, and away! How could a superhero fly through the sky and take down bad guys without a cape? But superheroes aren’t the first to wear this fashionable (时尚的) clothing. People have worn capes for a long time.
With most closing at the neck, any outer covering without sleeves (衣袖) can usually be called a cape. Cape styles have changed quite a lot, starting with those worn by the ancient Romans. They were fastened (扎着) or tied at the front. Or they were fixed at the shoulder with a small piece of metal. The ancient Romans wore capes for protecting the clothes from bad weather, providing warmth, and showing social position. As time went on, capes became more important in social position. For example, capes made with fur were worn by kings. Capes were also seen as part of senior soldiers’ uniforms. Once women began wearing them in the 1800s, however, the cape became more about fashion. The cape remained a favorite in women’s fashion until the 1950s.
When Superman came on the scene in the 1930s, his red cape was seen as a superhero’s uniform. It was always connected with bravery and physical power. Capes had another interesting reason for appearing on superheroes. Since most superheroes first appeared in comic (漫画) books, comic book artists could use a cape to show which way and how quickly a character was moving. When you saw a superhero’s cape sticking straight, you knew he was flying as fast as he could to save the day.
1. Picture _______ shows the meaning of the underlined sentence.A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．marking the social position | B．keeping warm in cold days |
| C．protecting the clothes inside | D．showing the physical power |
| A．superman is the first to wear the cape in the history |
| B．people wear capes inside clothes to provide warmth |
| C．capes used to be worn by senior soldiers as well |
| D．capes were popular with women before the 1800s |
| A．how much the superhero has changed in style |
| B．how fashionable the superhero’s clothing was |
| C．how important the superhero was in social position |
| D．how fast the superhero flew and moved in the sky |
| A．the history of capes | B．the wearers of capes |
| C．the styles of capes | D．the importance of capes |
