2 . 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 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

As everyone knows，it is Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province where the local porcelain(瓷器) is highly desirable     1     is the center of world porcelain. Last year, my school held a two-day research activity,     2     (guide) by the slogan,“Exploring ceramic(陶瓷的) culture, traveling through ancient and modern times”. The aim was     3     (build) students’ awareness of traditional culture.

On our way to Jingdezhen，our guide introduced us to the basics of porcelain production. Our first stop was the Museum of Chinese Ceramics, which has     4     unique and exquisite collection of porcelain made from materials such as clay(陶土) and stone.

The guide told us of the great achievements in ceramics from ancient times until today. I listened carefully to everything.     5    (date) back to Neolithic(新石器时代) period, clay was used to make pottery(陶器)，    6     people used to carry water and food. Today, we still use porcelain but our pottery is     7     (real) far more beautiful than the products of those times.

On the second day, the team leader took us to a small DIY porcelain factory.     8     the guidance of the teacher, we     9     (give) some clay and the chance to design a piece of pottery. Although our efforts were not as beautiful as the articles in the museum, they were our own work. The two-day activity was     10     (enjoy) and meaningful. I learned a lot about porcelain and made an item on my own. It meant a lot to me.

4 . In America, each of the states likes to promote themselves with a slogan(口号). I currently live in Utah, where the slogan is “Life Elevated.” It’s a nod to outdoor entertainment in the high country, including the ski industry. I previously lived in Colorado, a land with red dirt, great mountains and golden plains. The slogan there is “Colorful Colorado.” Years ago I lived in the “Peach State” of Georgia, and I grew up in New Mexico as a little boy, whose slogan is “ Land of Enchantment(魔力).”

We never seemed to get away from dust in New Mexico, so I appreciate the story of a newcomer to the Land of Enchantment who learned about dusty breezes．She was visiting an antique shop and the owner wiped down every item before showing it．The newcomer said, “Everything gets dusty here pretty quickly, doesn’t it?”

“That’s not dust, honey,” the shop owner replied．“That’s ENCHANTMENT.”

Here was a person who took a negative and turned it into something humorous．That made the problem more acceptable, or at least live with．A Hong Kong shopping center manager was informed that an escalator(电动扶梯)broke．He posted a sign to warn customers．He chose not to use the traditional “Out of Order’’ or “Do Not Use” warnings．Instead, his sign read, “This Escalator Is Temporarily a Stairway.” He turned a minus into humor and made it a plus．

And in fact there are some things, like the weather, we can’t change. All we can change is our ways that we think and feel about them. I believe one of the best techniques to do this is to find some humor in the situation. Finding something amusing or enjoyable of a difficulty, an irritation or a troublesome problem can be one of the most creative and effective things we can do. Sometimes the only sense you can make of a situation is a sense of humor.

1. The first paragraph is severed as a(n)________．

A．predication	B．explanation
C．introduction	D．conclusion

2. How could the newcomer feel after hearing what the shop owner said?

A．Angry	B．Curious
C．Nervous	D．Relaxed

3. According to the author, what is the most important when facing with problems?

A．Accepting them bravely．

B．Holding positive attitude．

C．Ignoring them quickly．

D．Using great intelligence．

4. What’s the purpose of the writer’s writing the passage?

A．To encourage people to find the funny side in their daily life．

B．To show the effects of using slogans to raise the position．

C．To explain the skills of turning a disadvantage into humor．

D．To tell the strange experience of a bargain in an antique shop．

5. The underlined word “irritation” in the last paragraph means________

A．a sudden outburst of anger	B．something that is annoying
C．a feeling of slight pain or discomfort	D．something that is pleasant

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

When foreigners come to China, they may be     1     (surprise) at Chinese's special fondness and preference for seals (印章). To Chinese, seals are an art of deep cultural roots,     2     combines the essence of both calligraphy(书法) and sculpture and inspires generations to study, to appreciate and to collect.

It is believed that seals came out as early as 8,000 years ago     3     our ancestors could make pottery wares(陶瓷)and had private property. They tried to make marks on their own possessions     4     (prevent) them from being stolen.

When the first dynasty     5     (found).the king began to use seals to empower(投权)and to show lordly credits. Only the king's special seal was then called “Xi”     6     (represent) the highest authority. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, had his “Xi” made out of     7     is called “Heshi Bi”.

Then the local governments also needed seals for,     8     same function. Meanwhile, private seals were carved in     9     (variety) of lucky characters and vivid animal patterns.     10     (gradual), the sphragistics (印章学) came into being.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

When people sit together and enjoy the glorious moon     1    the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, an ancient poem, Prelude to Water Melody(《水调歌头》),     2    (read) for this occasion now and then. In the poem, Su Shi, a celebrated poet of the Song dynasty (960—1279), talks to the moon and discusses the changes    3    (happen) in nature and about man's fortunes. He realizes the moon may not always be bright. The imperfections, or the unsatisfactory things in life    4    (be) going on since the beginning of time.

But should we get bogged down (陷入) by the suffering of things with which we can't change? Su Shi gives his answer, a very     5    (optimism) one: Change your attitude and stay positive. He hopes that people will appreciate the fact that    6    they are, as long as the ones they love and miss are healthy and happy, they can all admire the same moon high in the sky and share the vision of     7    (it) beauty.

To this day, people still use this poem     8    (express) their good will and wishes for family members and friends    9    can't be with them,    10    (especial) during major festivals.

9 . The world is a colorful landscape of different languages, skin colors, and different cultures. It's important to have a good understanding of different cultures in order to become a well-rounded person    1    

One way is to read books written by authors from a particular culture. Reading works by authors who have a close relationship with a particular culture allows people to gain an authentic glimpse into the food, music, language, religion, and way of a life of a particular group of people.

    2    

Another way to learn about different cultures is to try to learn a foreign language.    3    A person can choose a language she has always wanted to learn and locate learning programs to help her master the language. Besides, one can enroll in a foreign language class in order to learn in a more formal setting. One can also try to visit areas of the city to establish social connection with native speakers of the language.

    4    Seek out restaurants that feature authentic food from a variety of countries. Food is an important part of different cultures and allows people to gain deep understanding into a particular cultural group's way of life.

Communicating with people from other countries through email or snail mail is another useful way to become familiar with different cultures.    5    Various websites offer pen pal services, offering to connect individuals with pen friends around the world.

A．Trying authentic food from a specific cultural group is also a great idea.

B．The Internet has made it possible to communicate with others from different countries.

C．Making contact with native speakers of the language allows one to gain firsthand knowledge.

D．There are several ways to become knowledgeable about different cultures.

E．Stories based on a local culture expose one to a different culture.

F．One way to develop this appreciation is to try to team about other cultures around the world.

G．A variety of language-learning books, software, and audio programs is available.

10 . The Spring Festival is the biggest festival for Chinese people all around the world. The celebration usually lasts for 15 days. There is a lot to do.

On the eve of the Spring Festival, family members get together and have big meals. Their favorite dish on this day is dumplings. Days before the Spring Festival, families will clean their homes. People think cleaning sweeps away bad luck. It makes the house ready for good luck.

The color red is everywhere during the Spring Festival. People think red is a happy color and will bring them a bright future. People wear red, too. They decorate their homes with pieces of red paper. Kids get a lot of “hong bao”. It is a red paper bag with money in it. Usually, older people give younger ones hong bao. They think it brings good luck.

The Spring Festival is the time to make everybody happy. So don’t say any bad words or do anything that will bring unhappiness to other people. For instance, you'd better not say any bad words like “death”. Don’t break anything. People think that it means your luck is running out.

Also, don’t borrow or lend money on these days. If you have borrowed money, return it before the Spring Festival.

1. What do most people do on the eve of the Spring Festival?

A．Family members gather for a big meal.	B．Friends eat dumplings together.
C．They borrow money from friends.	D．They give each other “hong bao”.

2. Which of the following things is Not supposed to happen during the Spring Festival?

A．Returning money before the Spring Festival.

B．Saying words that have to do with death.

C．Wearing red clothes.

D．Decorating houses with red paper.

3. The underlined phrase “running out” probably means “______”.

A．进来

B．打碎

C．耗尽

D．离开

4. We can tell from the story that the Spring Festival is ____.

A．a time of harvest and fun	B．celebrated for one whole month
C．only celebrated in China	D．a time for families to get together