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 . 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. |
4 . 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. |
5 . 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. |
6 . 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 |
7 . 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. |
8 .
It was very cold that night. At about 11:40, a few passengers were talking and playing cards, but most people were getting ready for bed or were already asleep. For Frederick Fleet, he had something more important to do than sleep. High up in the “crow’s nest (桅杆瞭望台)”, he was watching the sea. It was quiet and the stars were shining (闪耀).
The Titanic changed direction (改变方向) right away, but it was moving too fast. The ship was still turning when it hit the iceberg.
Lots of people lost their lives that night.
选择恰当的选项，补全对话。
| A．Then Frederick saw something. |
| B．There were over 2, 200 people on it. |
| C．Unluckily, a long hole opened along its side under the water. |
| D．Frederick was one of the 705 lucky people who survived (幸存). |
| E．The Titanic was the largest and most expensive ship of its time. |
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 |
10 . 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 from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Traders traveling 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 traveled 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 people traveled 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. Which of the following goods is not mentioned in the passage?| A．Silk. | B．Cloth. | C．Gold. | D．Tea. |
| A．About 3, 000. | B．Nearly 6, 500. | C．Almost 2, 000. | D．Over 3, 500. |
| A．Valuable things could not be sold along the Silk Road. |
| B．The Silk Road was only good for Chinese people. |
| 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．Man and Animals. |
| C．Sports World. | D．Popular Science. |
