1 . 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。

Silk was invented in China in 3000 BC. It was well integrated into the Chinese economy during the Han Dynasty,     1     plain silks and products of peasant households were used as the main form of tax paid to the government. Fancy silk clothes were worn by the wealthy     2     symbols of status from the Han Dynasty on.

Women played     3     major role in the production of this vital product. In many households, the laborious task of raising the silkworms (蚕) originally     4    (restrict) to women.

Producing silk is a     5    (relative) lengthy process and demands constant close attention. The worms need a certain degree of     6    (warm) to survive. Sometimes the tiny eggs were sewn into little cotton bags and worn beneath the clothes. When hatched (孵出), they might be placed in shallow baskets or on shelves in the house     7     fed fresh mulberry leaves night and day. When they became cocoons (茧), dipping them into hot water to loosen the tightly woven filaments (细丝) and then     8    (wind) these filaments onto a spool (线轴)     9    (produce) the silk threads woven into cloth were also     10    (woman) work. Today, silk factories still mainly employ women for these tasks.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

If you have the chance to go back to ancient China and ask     1     educated man what his biggest dream was. He would tell you that he wants to become a zhuang yuan, a title     2    (give) to the scholar     3     came first in the highest imperial examination.

In ancient China, it was not that     4    (ease) to be an official. You have to take exams first. The exams are very difficult and have many     5    (procedure). The outcome has to be confirmed by the Emperor     6    (he). The number one scholar with the best score in the imperial exam is called zhuang yuan. Once you     7    (select) as zhuang yuan you will be appreciated by the Emperor and appear in a parade downtown     8     a red robe and a tall, strong horse. Zhuang yuan is referred to the elite scholars. Now the imperial competitive examination     9    (cancel) for many years.

However, people still like to call     10    (good) person in their field a zhuang yuan. An old saying goes that there are 360 trades and every trade has his master, or zhuang yuan.

3 . The Manly History of Knitting (编织)

Knitting has seen a massive return lately.     1     Today, it’s mainly thought of as a woman’s pastime (消遣), although more and more men are picking up knitting needles as well. That’s not an odd thing at all — in fact, they’re following in the footsteps of centuries of manly knitters.

It’s been suggested that the earliest roots of knitting were found in the minds and hands of fishermen. The theory, although it’s unproven, says that catching fish one at a time with a single line was difficult and time-consuming.     2    They used the nets to catch fish, and the roots of knitting were born.

The earliest knitted objects we have ever found are some pretty impressive Egyptian socks. The socks have some small, complex patterns on them. The art form had been just about perfected around the 10th century.     3     It was something for the upper class. Knitted items were found in the tombs (墓) of Spanish royalty.

In the 1400s came the establishment of guilds (公会) to teach the art of knitting. The guilds only consisted of males, and the process that was required to join them was extremely difficult. Teenage boys who were destined (注定) for the knitters’ guild had six years of training ahead of them before they could even think about becoming an official knitter.     4    

The shift in knitting from a male-only occupation to a female-dominated hobby came in the Victorian era. With the invention of knitting machines, it was no longer necessary for tradesmen to go through all the years of training.     5     By 1880, the idea of women knitting scarves, socks, and gloves for a lover was a notion romanticized in poetry.

A．The history of knitting is a little foggy.

B．Fishermen tied ropes together to form nets.

C．Women began to take up knitting as a hobby.

D．European knitting came around by 1275 or so.

E．They would be required to create a knitted carpet.

F．Social media is full of people sharing their latest creations.

G．Men would then need to complete an entrance exam for the guild.

4 . Pineapples(菠萝) were so popular in colonial(殖民的) times that people would rent them for a day to use as a party decoration. Yes, at one point in history, the pineapple was too expensive to eat. Even today, fake pineapples are seen to be used as decorations, while images and carvings of the fruit often appear in historic buildings. Where did pineapple get its status?

Early in the colonial era, explorers (including Christopher Columbus) brought rare crops back to Europe. Pineapples were among those imports. But the pineapple couldn’t grow in European climates. Planting the fruit, even in the controlled environment of a hothouse, was extremely formidable. Still, the rich liked the taste of the fruit so much that they were willing to pay a high price to get their hands on one, which had to be imported from across the Atlantic Ocean.

In the 17th century, only extremely wealthy people could afford pineapples. Royals enjoyed eating the sweet fruit, which represented their great fortunes and social status. King Charles Ⅱ, who ruled England until 1685, posed with a pineapple for one of his official portraits(肖像). The treat also was in demand in colonial America. George Washington praised the fruit in his diary and said, “None pleases my tastes like the pineapple.”

What did the high demand mean for the price? In today’s money, a George Washington-era pineapple would cost as much as $8000. Similar price tags were also recorded in Europe.

Because of their shortage and price, pineapples were originally served only to most-honored guests. That idea was translated into pineapple images so that those who couldn’t afford the fruit itself could still share the idea. Towns inns and even individual households would display pictures or carvings of the fruit to convey a sense of welcoming. This cultural meaning continues to this day. For example pineapples are sometimes included in housewarming fruit baskets. Several hotels use pineapples in their branding, including Preferred Hotels & Resorts and the Staypineapple collection of boutique hotels.

1. What can be inferred about pineapples from the first paragraph?

A．They’ve been used to make cakes for centuries.

B．They enjoyed huge popularity in history.

C．They originally lacked a good mouthfeel.

D．They appeared as common food on dinner tables.

2. What does the underlined word “formidable” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Necessary.

B．Rewarding.

C．Difficult.

D．Practical.

3. What happened to pineapples in the 17th century?

A．They symbolized wealth and nobility.	B．They were introduced to America.
C．They were merely served to royal families.	D．They were improved to meet the great demand.

4. What is mainly talked about in the last paragraph?

A．The change in pineapple consumption groups.

B．The wide application of the pineapple images.

C．Pineapples’ symbolic meaning in modern days.

D．Pineapples cultural meaning.

5 . 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。

Yellow Crane Tower,     1     is one of the most renowned towers in the southern area of the Yangtze River, has been located on the top of Snake Mountain for     2    (century) with its highest point lifted into the sky, overlooking a large number of boats on the Yangtze River. White clouds float     3    (gentle) around the tower.

Its cultural significance led to its     4    (make) the symbol of Wuhan city. This excellent architecture     5    (date) back to the Three Kingdoms Period. Due to the ideal location, it was built by Sun Quan, King of Wu,     6     a watchtower for his army.

During the Tang Dynasty (618— 907) , many popular poems     7    (write) in praise of the tower. These poems endeared(使受喜爱) the tower to the people. It stands 51.4 meters high. The tower’s     8    (appear) is the same regardless of the direction it is viewed from. The roof is covered by 100, 000 yellow glazed tiles(琉璃瓦). With yellow upturned eaves(屋檐), each floor seems to be designed     9     (look) like a yellow crane spreading its wings as if about to fly.

From the top of the tower, visitors are treated to a wonderful bird’s-eye view of the Yangtze River     10     the surrounding buildings of Wuhan.

6 . 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。

Many people around the world may know that paper is one of the Four Great Inventions of ancient Chinese civilization,    1    few would know that more than 1,500 years ago, ancient Chinese craftsmen invented a new type of paper,    2    was called Xuan paper and used mainly for writing and painting.

Xuan paper was first made in ancient Xuan Prefecture, now    3    (know) as Jingxian County in Anhui Province. The traditional process of making Xuan paper is    4     (extreme) demanding and involves over 100 steps. The whole process can take as long as two years    5    (complete), and the skills have been passed down for    6    (generation).

Xuan paper is highly water absorbent, making it a perfect medium for conveying artistic effect in both Chinese calligraphy and ink wash painting. In addition, Xuan paper    7    (design) to be able to last for more than 1,000 years and still keep the freshness of the ink and color on it.

Today in Jingxian County, there    8     (be) many Xuan paper factories and workshops, where the paper is still made by master craftsmen using traditional techniques. And because of    9    (it) long history and the essential role it has played     10    the culture of Chinese painting and calligraphy, Xuan paper was included on the first list of China’s national intangible cultural heritages(非物质文化遗产)in 2006.

7 . Try to picture the world before refrigerators. That may be difficult!     1     They may also help store leftovers there after dinner. Yes, life today would be quite different without refrigerators. How did people keep their food fresh before these machines were around?

    2     In cold areas, ancient people could freeze their food. They could then store it in ice and snow. Warmer places allowed for drying food in sunlight. Experts say these early practices gave people the option to settle and form communities.

One advanced method of food storage arose in Persia around 400 BC. People there stored food in structures called Yakhchal, which were buildings made from mud brick to keep ice frozen during even the warmest summer months. During the Middle Ages, people stored meat by salting or smoking it.     3     These foods could then be stored in cool places, like caves, allowing people to save food for difficult times.

Later, buildings called ice houses or ice pits were built upon the idea of the Yakhchal. Such ice houses were very common by the 1800s. At the end of the 19th century, many people kept their food fresh in iceboxes made of wood.     4     Ice delivery businesses grew with more homes requiring ice to store food.

By the 1930s, many people were using electric refrigerators to keep food fresh.     5     Many refrigerators today come with built-in ice makers. Some people even choose smart refrigerators that can help them with meal plans and grocery shopping.

A．They would also dry many foods, including grains.

B．These containers held large blocks of ice to keep food cool.

C．No one knows for sure how people first learned to store food.

D．After all, kids today are used to grabbing a snack from the fridge after school.

E．Since then, growth in technology has led these machines to become more advanced.

F．With no means to store food, ancient people often went hungry or even died.

G．Actually, people found different ways to keep their food fresh thousands of years ago.

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。

The Great Wall of the ancient Qi State,the oldest    1    (exist) Great Wall in China, stretches across Shandong for more than 600 kilometers. It    2    (build) during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

“Historical records say the Qi State built the wall here to defend itself    3    its enemies, as well as to stop flooding    4    (effective),” says An Xingzhu, who worked at the town’s culture station for more than three decades. A key task of the station is    5    (protect) cultural relics.

In the 1970s，parts of the rammed earth wall(夯土墙)were dug out and used by farmers for their land, but since the early 1990s, the local government    6    (start) to take measures to protect the wall.

Rapid development and    7    (construct) have brought many new problems and challenges in protecting the wall.    8    is necessary to provide a solid legal guarantee for its conservation. To tackle the challenges, Shandong Province has passed a regulation protecting the structure    9    will take effect on Jan. 1.

It states that local governments will establish a dynamic conservation system using remote sensing satellites, drones, information platforms and other technological    10    (mean) to monitor the Great Wall.

9 . 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。

China boasts its brilliant and long history, in    1     the Song Dynasty (AD 960 —1279) was very wealthy with its large population and fast-growing economy. At the    2     (high) of its power, a huge number of technological innovations    3     (emerge) with many practically significant applications.

Bi Sheng of the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960 —1127) invented the movable type printing, using individual blocks. The blocks could each print a single character and then be used     4     (repeated). To be more efficient, he prepared two sets of iron boards. When    5     was being used for printing, the other could be used to arrange characters for the next page. This time-honored technology, the movable type printing, was one of the     6     (important) inventions in the Song Dynasty, and greatly improved the speed and quality of printing, having     7     influence on the world. However, it was not until around 15th century     8     this technology eventually showed up in Europe. Furthermore, the Chinese were also the first     9     (invent) the compass, which changed sailors’ navigation in the sea.     10     (accompany) with star charts, another Chinese invention, the compass made sea travel much easier.

10 . Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. Wide spread use of written language would not have been possible without some cheap and practical material to write on. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed and distributed. Together with the printing press, paper provided an extremely important way to communicate knowledge.

How much paper do you use every year? Probably you cannot answer that question quickly. In 1900 the world's use of paper was about one kilogram for each person a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person a year. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden use more paper than other countries.

Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Egyptians wrote on a kind of material made of a water plant. Europeans used parchment for many hundreds of years. Parchment was very strong; it was made from the skin of certain young animals. We have learnt of the most important facts of European history from records that were kept on parchment.

1. What's the meaning for the word 'parchment'? ________

A．The skin of young animals.

B．A kind of paper made from the skin of certain young animals.

C．The paper used by European countries.

D．The paper of Egypt.

2. Which of the following is not mentioned about the invention of paper? ________

A．More jobs could be provided than before.

B．More people could be educated than before.

C．More books could be printed and distributed.

D．More ways could be used to exchange knowledge.

3. When did the Egyptians begin to use paper widely? ________

A．Around 1400.

B．Around 1900.

C．Around 400.

D．Around 900.

4. Which of the following countries uses more paper for each person a year? ________

A．China.

B．Sweden.

C．Egypt

D．Japan.