1 . In Iceland, these green houses melt into the natural landscape, a technique that first appeared with the arrival of British settlers during the 9th through 11th centuries. Unlike their previous warm and wet climate, wood was rare and slow to regenerate. Turf (草皮) became their first pick to make shelters.

Across Europe, turf bricks — widely available — were cut from local bogs (沼泽) and transported for use at higher lands. The turf was then laid over a wooden structure to form walls and a thick roof — to keep cold out from tough northern climates. Turf walls were replaced as frequently as every 20 years, and even up to 70 years.

It is difficult to find out its precise origins in the archaeological record. However, evidence of similar constructions can be found in many countries throughout the ages. Historic records suggest that up to 50 percent of Icelandic houses were partly comprised of turf until the late 19th century. As populations began to gather in cities like Reykjavik, wood buildings replaced stones and earth architecture. After fires burned up the city in 1915, concrete became the material of choice. In 1918 Iceland gained independence from Denmark, setting in motion a wave of nationalism that threatened the survival of turf houses. Advocates of modernization argued that Reykjavik paled in comparison to the grand architecture that graced the skylines of Paris, Berlin, and London. Traditional techniques were criticized as “rotten Danish wood” from a troubled era, and there was a campaign to clear them in favor of modern buildings — a move later criticized by many as destruction of cultural heritage.

A tourism boom in the latter half of the 20th century encouraged Iceland to reexamine the value of traditional architecture. Do Icelanders still live in turf houses? The quickest way to answer this question would be no. You might still see an occasional grass roof but that has everything to do with architecture and Icelanders wanting to hold on to their beloved heritage rather than any need for turf as insulation (隔热) material.

1. Why did people use turf to build houses in the past?

A．It matched nature perfectly.	B．It could be changed often.
C．It was long-lasting and accessible.	D．It was a request by settlers.

2. What was a direct result of the wave of nationalism?

A．People packed into Reykjavik.	B．Traditional architecture was in favor.
C．Turf houses were almost unable to exist.	D．Concrete became a new building material.

3. What can we infer about the turf house from the last paragraph?

A．It starts coming to life.	B．It will live on.
C．Its material will improve.	D．It is out of date.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Iceland’s turf stretches brightly across Europe

B．Iceland’s turf — An important building material

C．Iceland’s turf houses — An exceptional example

D．Iceland’s turf houses survive beautifully with nature

2 . 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.

3 . 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.

4 . Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi is the first type of paper cutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in Eastern Han Dynasty in China. This art form dates back to the sixth century. Chinese women would cut shapes from gold and silver foil(箔) to paste to their hair. Families later adopted the tradition of putting paper cuttings on gates and windows on special days. Eventually, red paper cuttings became a way to express happy feelings and well wishes. At weddings, a cutting of the "喜喜" character, which represents "double happiness", is commonly used.

Hongkong paper cutting master Li Yunxia makes the craft look easy. She learned the paper cutting from her mother and grandmother from the age of six. According to Li, "all you need are paper, scissors and a lot of skill". Li was born in Shanxi province where paper cutting is still practiced and taught. Today, she teaches the ancient craft to people of all age.

Today some artists are turning paper cutting into a new art form. They often add paint and other materials to the cuttings. They mix imagination with skill to create unique designs.

Some of the most beautiful pieces of paper art come from Nahoko Kojima of Japan. She is a leader in the field of paper-cut art as "sculptures". One of her most famous pieces, Byaku, is a life-size swimming polar bear that hangs from the ceiling. Kojima created the piece from a single sheet of paper, three meters long.

Yuken Teruya of New York is known for his modern designs using old paper bags. Bags from McDonald's and other stores are turned on their sides. People peek inside to discover tiny, delicately cut trees.

No matter how simple and complicated the design is, paper cutting remains a beloved Chinese craft. The next time you see a paper cutting, take a moment to appreciate it.

1. According to the text, paper-cut art was originally from ________.

A．Metal industry	B．Wedding ceremony
C．Mood expression	D．Women's hair decoration

2. What is one of the features of the new paper-cut art form today?

A．It is greatly simplified.

B．It mixes with more materials.

C．It only focuses on imagination.

D．It abandons traditional skill totally.

3. Why are artists Nahoko Kojima and Yuken Teruya mentioned in the text?

A．They imaginatively create unique designs.

B．They once learned the skill from Li Yunxia.

C．They prefer to make works with old paper bags.

D．They require a reputation as the leader in the field.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．The skill of paper-cut art.	B．The origin of paper-cut art.
C．The school of paper-cut art.	D．The development of paper-cut art.

5 . Back in 2011,archaeologists first discovered a lost highway littered with Viking artifacts(古器物)—sleds, horse bones, walking sticks, a 1,700—year—old sweater and heap after heap of horse dung.

But now archaeologists have discovered so much more. They've published new research describing hundreds of items that have been found along Lendbreen pass: shoes, parts of sleds, and bones from packhorses. It would have remained hidden forever had the ice not rapidly begun melting, revealing all that roadside Viking litter.

The highway winds its way over the Lendbreen ice patch(流冰区) in Norway's Jotunheim Mountains, about 200 miles north of Oslo. "The pass was at its busiest during the Viking Age around 1,000 A.D., a time of high mobility and growing trade across Scandinavia and Europe," study co—author James Barrett said.

According to researchers, the highway was possibly built around the year 300. At the time, heavy snow covered rocks underfoot. Trading posts were built along the nearby Otta River. The road may have thrived for many more centuries.

“The decline of the Lendbreen pass was probably caused by a combination of economic changes, climate change and late medieval pandemics(中世纪流行病), including the Black Death,” study co—author Lars Pilo explained. “When the local area recovered, things had changed, and the Lendbreen pass was lost to memory.”

“The objects are amazingly well preserved,” study co—author Espen Finstad added. “It is like they were lost a short time ago, not centuries or millennia ago.”

For archaeologists, the Lendbreen ice patch seems like a gift from the ancient past. But it's alarming that it's unwrapping itself so rapidly. "Global warming is leading to the melting of mountain ice worldwide," said Pilo. “Trying to save the remains of a melting world is a very exciting job—the finds are just an archaeologist's dream—but at the same time, it is also a job you cannot do without deep worry.”

1. How many archaeologists joined efforts to publish the new research?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

2. What does the underlined word “thrive” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Grow weakly.	B．Develop badly.
C．Grow happily.	D．Develop successfully.

3. From the last paragraph, what feeling do the archaeologists have about saving the remains of melting world?

A．Excited and concerned.	B．Satisfied and disappointed.
C．Delighted and depressed.	D．Astonished and discouraged.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．An ancient highway lost to memory.	B．A history of the lost highway.
C．The mystery of the lost highway.	D．How to find the ancient highway.