1 . How did the ancient Chinese keep food warm in winter? In fact, ancient Chinese people used their own methods of heat preservation as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

● “Wen Ding”, ancient rice cooker

One of the major functions of an electric rice cooker is to keep food warm. The “Wen Ding”, an ancient cooking container, served the same purpose. The “Wen Ding” unearthed in Nanjing in 1989 is thought to be the oldest of its kind discovered in China, dating back to the Stone Age. The craftsmanship of making the “Wen Ding” was developed in the Bronze Age. The bronze Ding from Shang and Zhou dynasties took on different shapes and structures.

● “Ran LU”, ancient small hot pot

The “Ran LU” is a small size cooking vessel (器皿) made of bronze, which can be divided into three parts. 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 it may have been used as a small hot pot and that these vessels became popular in the Warring States Period (475—221 BC).

●Bronze You, ancient kettle

The Bronze You was one of the most common wine containers during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The Bronze You can also be used to warm wine. For example, the Bronze You with beast mask design, unearthed in Jiangxi province, has an opening where charcoals could be placed. Just as people today can’t do without an electric kettle, the Bronze You allowed people to enjoy a hot drink

●Bronze Yan, ancient steamer

Although the “Wen Ding” was effective at keeping food warm, the ancient Chinese people later found that its burning produced pollution. As a result, the Bronze Yan was made with a two-tier 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. The Bronze You, unearthed in Jiangxi province, has an opening to________.

A．store wine	B．pour water
C．place charcoals	D．hold charcoal ashes

2. What is the unique advantage of the Bronze Yan?

A．It is warm	B．It is convenient
C．It is useful	D．It is environment-friendly

3. Among the following products, which one may have the longest history?

A．The “Wen Ding”	B．The “Ren LU”
C．The Bronze You	D．The Bronze Yan

3 . Top Music Festivals in 2021

Coachella

Selling out fast every year, the Indio desert becomes a fashionable place where the coolest bands are watched by trendy people and celebrities. Near the top of everyone's bucket list of festivals, Coachella is a constant source of annual expectation and a hotbed for musical discussion.

When &. where: April 9-11 &. 16-18, 2021; Indio

Ultra Music Festival

Seen as the ultimate gathering for electronic music fans across the nation and globe, the streets of Miami turn into a bold and bumping party with popular DJs playing what will be the sounds of summer.

When & where: March 26-28, 2021; Miami

South By South West

Regarded as the ultimate trend-setter and launcher of careers, SXSW is an annual showcase of music, films and interactive highlights enjoyed through performances, showcases, talks, screenings and more. Virtually taking over the city of Austin, everyone in the world of music from fans to media flock here to discover the next big thing.

When &, where: March 16-20, 2021; Austin

The Governors Ball Music Festival

Another event which proves the music loving potential of Randall's Island Park is Governors Ball, an exciting and infectious mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop and folk.   Providing a variety of music and food tastes, whether you look to kick back and relax or dance to the beats, Governors Ball has what you want.

When & where: June 11-14, 2021; New York

1. Which music festival lasts the most days?

A．Coachella	B．Ultra Music Festival.
C．South By South West	D．The Governors Ball Music Festival.

2. What is special about Ultra Music Festival?

A．It's held in a park.

B．It features electronic music

C．It's a gathering of popular DJs.

D．It's the most popular in the country.

3. Which city could you go if you love both music and movies?

A．Indio.

B．Miami.

C．Austin

D．New York.

4 . Birthday card history is said to be over a hundred years old. There is no record to tell us who sent or received the first birthday card but it is said that the tradition of sending birthday cards began in England a century ago. In those times people used to personally greet a person on a birthday, but when a well-wisher was unable to do so he sent a birthday card. Thus birthday cards were more like an apology at that time.

History of greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese who are said to have started the tradition of sending goodwill messages on New Year Day. Early Egyptians too are believed to have made used papyrus scrolls（纸莎草纸画卷）to send greetings to dear ones. During early 1400 the tradition of exchanging handmade paper greeting cards developed in Europe while Germans at that time were known to have printed New Year's greetings from woodcuts. The advancement in printing technology in 1850s helped to make greeting cards more affordable. No wonder, they soon became popular means of personal communication. During the 1980s non-event cards or the cards not made for any particular occasion became popular and helped card industry reach a new high.

Greeting cards have taken a new form in this present age of Internet technology. Today, they are being increasingly exchanged as electronic or e-greeting cards. Advancement in technology that began in the 1990s has led to a further growth in card industry. People find it easier to send e-cards as a means of exchanging greetings.

Greeting cards are an important means of communicating good wishes and love to a person. They carry a personal touch that makes them lovable and very special.

1. What is the function of the birthday card in England a century ago?

A．To send good wishes.

B．To present a personal greeting.

C．To make an apology.

D．To work as a birthday present.

2. The printed New Year's greeting card was firstly made by____________.

A．the British	B．the Chinese
C．the Egyptians	D．the Germans

3. What makes greeting cards become a popular means of personal communication?

A．The tradition of sending goodwill messages.

B．The invention of handmade paper.

C．The advancement in printing technology.

D．The development in Internet technology.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The History of Greeting Cards

B．The Importance of Birthday Cards

C．The Function of Birthday Cards

D．The Tradition of Sending Greeting Cards

5 . In the age of Amazon and the Internet, the idea of going to a public library to borrow a book may seem ever more unusual and old-fashioned in many parts of the world, but one country, at least, is holding on it tightly:the Czech Republic? There are libraries everywhere you look in the country. There is one library for every 1,971 Czech citizens——four times as many, relative to population, as the average European country, and 10 times as many as the United States, which has one for every 19,583 people.

Why so many Czech libraries? Well, for decades they were mandatory—every community, from a big city down to a tiny village, was required by law to have one. The law was enacted in 1919, soon after Czechoslovakia emerged as an independent country. The library law survived the German occupation and the breakup with Slovakia in the early 1990s. What it couldn't survive was budget pressure. To save money, the requirement was dropped in 2001, when there were about 6,019 libraries in the country；since then, about 11 percent have been combined or closed.

Now, the surviving Czech libraries are doing what they can to stay vibrant (生气勃勃的) and relevant. They serve as local meeting places, They organize reading clubs and art exhibits and offer computer literacy (读写)courses, and they welcome groups of schoolchildren and retirtees during the day. But mostly, they do what 92 percent of Czechs still want them to go on doing: They lend books.

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The rise and fall of Czech libraries.

B．The difficulties Czech libraries face.

C．The transformation of library services in Czech.

D．The amazing number of Czech libraries.

2. What does the underlined word "mandatory" in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Essential.

B．Available.

C．Compulsory

D．Particular.

3. What's the reason for Czech libraries combination or close?

A．The money shortage.	B．The German occupation
C．The government's policy.	D．The breakup with Slovakia.

4. According to the text, people go to today's Czech libraries most often to ________.

A．admire works of art	B．borrow books
C．join reading clubs	D．learn computer skills

6 . 阅读下列短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Our grandparents seems to have magic powers sometimes. Give them a Chinese lunar calendar    1    they will know what the weather will be like days or even months later.

What's the secret? They are following the 24 Solar Terms (节气),     2    were added on Nov. 30 to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (人类非物资文化遗产) by the United Nations (UN). It is a knowledge system and social practice    3    (form) through people's observations of the sun's annual movements and its influence on the climate.

The 24 Solar Terms    4    (come) into being during the Qin and Han    5     (dynasty). At that time, most Chinese people made their living on farms, so weather changes were    6    (extreme) important for them. But of course, they had no satellite, internet or weather broadcast    7    (help) them.    8    these difficulties, they managed to work out 24 Solar Terms by studying the sun's movement and also    9    (pay) attention to other natural changes such as air temperature, water and crop growth.

It is honored as China's    10    (five) great invention, after papermaking, printing, the compass and gunpowder. Now, it is still widely used in daily life even in the age of technology-based modern farming.