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。

The saying ‘All roads lead to Xianyang’ may not be widely known, but it is the     1    (true)in history. After Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, unified the country in 221 BCE, he began building state-level roads, Xianyang     2    the center. Several long roads were therefore completed,     3    (cover) a distance of about 750 kilometers, running through plains, mountains, grasslands, deserts, and finally leading to Xianyang, the capital city.

Like the Great Wall, these roads,     4    (call) Qin Zhidao, literally the Qin Direct Paths or Qin Highways, are considered another miracle in Qin Dynasty. Generally, the roads were 20 to 60 meters wide and 50 cars could run side by side at the same time on their     5     (wide) sections. The firmly made surface     6    (shape) like a turtle back above the ground to avoid standing water at that time. Another amazing fact is that grass     7    (rare)grow on the road and many parts are still in good condition even today.

The mysterious ancient roads,     8     date back over 2,200 years and predate the Roman Roads by over 200 years, are known to be     9     natural museum in the history of road construction. Historians evaluate it this way: if the Great Wall is compared to a defensive shield (盾牌), then Qin Zhidao is the weapon     10    (guard) the stability and prosperity (繁荣) of the Qin Empire.

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。

Yuanmingyuan — garden of all gardens     1    (burn) and fell into ruins in 1860. Recently my classmates had a discussion about     2     it should be rebuilt or not. Supporters of rebuilding the garden say only by doing so can we see the     3     (origin) sight of the garden, which reflects the Chinese civilization. And it will be another place of interest for     4     (visitor). If it is party rebuilt, it will provide a comparison and help us remember the history. Those     5     disagree think it more reasonable     6     (keep) the garden like this. The ruins will remind us     7     the past. We should never forget the history. Other buildings like the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace can also be symbols of the Chinese culture, so it isn’t     8     (necessity) to rebuild this garden. Some also worry that the environment will be destroyed when the construction goes on in this district.     9     (person), it is advisable to rebuild Yuanmingyuan, which will add beauty to the city. What’s more, the new scenic spot will no doubt promote     10     economic development of the local.

3 . Lisa St. Coeur Cormier, a high school science teacher in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, found a tree root. When she took a closer look, she found the shape was very strange. She realized it wasn’t a tree root though it shared the same color. She felt it was hard to break and noticed an impression of bones of what looked like some kind of animal.

Cormier sent a photo of the find to Laura MacNeil who used her knowledge in this field to confirm that what Cormier had seen really was a fossil (化石). MacNeil runs tours of sites where prehistoric fossils have been found and also helps people identify fossils. She visited the site of Cormier’s find to take more photos of it.

MacNeil contacted John Calder, a scientist, who examined the fossil and led a team of scientists to study it. John Calder said it could be as much as 300 million years old. He said it’s probably from a reptile (爬行动物) of some kind — likely one that is unknown to scientists. Scientists spent 5.5 hours carefully digging out the fossil from the ground so they could study it more in-depth and find out exactly what kind of animal it is. That research could take a year or more.

“This is an important discovery here on Prince Edward Island. It is the second of the only two articulated skeletons (关节相连的骨头) found on PEI,” Laura MacNeil said. “This creature lived about 300 million years ago. This find tells us there is a great possibility for future scientifically important fossils that could be discovered on PEI. It will lead to more researchers paying a visit.”

1. How might Cormier feel when looking at the root carefully?

A．Satisfied.

B．Surprised.

C．Concerned.

D．Proud.

2. What can we learn from the research work?

A．The scientists will have a detailed study on the fossil.

B．The scientists have identified the species of the fossil.

C．The scientists will keep the fossil under the ground.

D．The scientists discovered the first articulated skeleton.

3. What does Laura MacNeil stress about PEI in the last paragraph?

A．Its long history.	B．Its wide popularity.
C．Its scientific value.	D．Its economic importance.

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

A．A scientist’s research on fossils	B．PEI is attracting more researchers
C．Cormier’s unforgettable tour in PEI	D．A science teacher discovered a fossil

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。

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.

7 . The recently opened time capsule at the U.S. Military Academy West Point has sparked excitement and curiosity. Although the initial disappointment was palpable when the box seemed to contain only dirt, the discovery of hidden treasures has reawakened interest in the historical   significance of the artifacts.

The time capsule, believed to have been placed by West Point military students, was found inside the base of a memorial dedicated to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Revolutionary War hero. The contents of the capsule, revealed during a ceremonial opening at the military school, included six silver American coins dating from 1795 and 1828, as well as a medal commemorating (纪念) the Erie Canal from 1826.

While the live opening event did not provide the expected glimpse into historical military objects or documents, it has deepened the mystery surrounding the purpose of the time capsule. The discovery of these valuable coins and medal supports the theory that the box was buried by the military students sometime between 1828 and 1829. Additional research will be conducted to explore other potential surprises within the capsule.

The preservation and investigation of the time capsule hold immense historical value, casting light on the past and connecting the present generation with the stories and legacy of those who came before. Archeologist Paul Hudson, despite the initial letdown, remains optimistic about the ongoing research possibilities and the potential insights awaiting discovery.

As experts explore further into the remains of the time capsule, they aim to uncover any remaining artifacts and gain a better understanding of the time period and the motivations behind burying this historical treasure. The challenge lies in preserving and studying the fragile materials, considering the potential damage caused by moisture and the passage of nearly two centuries.

The exploration of this time capsule serves as a reminder of our shared history and the importance of preserving and celebrating the contributions and sacrifices made by those who paved the way for future generations. The story of the West Point time capsule continues to capture the imagination of historians, researchers, and the public, as they eagerly await further discoveries and insights from this extraordinary find.

1. What does the underlined word “palpable” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Apparent.

B．Unreasonable.

C．Lasting.

D．Impossible.

2. What does the discovery of the coins and medal confirm about the time capsule?

A．It was placed to commemorate the Erie Canal.

B．It was buried during the Revolutionary War.

C．It was treated well as a gift from a foreign country.

D．It was likely buried by military students in the 1800s.

3. What is Paul Hudson planning to do next with the remains of the time capsule?

A．Donate them to a museum.	B．Sell them to collectors.
C．Bury them again for future generations.	D．Continue studying them for further insights.

4. Why is preserving and studying the materials from the time capsule challenging?

A．They are difficult to analyze due to their small size.

B．They may have been seriously damaged over the two centuries.

C．They had been heavily damaged before the capsule was buried.

D．The time capsule had been placed in a remote and inaccessible location.

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 earliest Chinese kites     1     were made of wood were called muyuan (wooden kites) They date as far back as the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) at least two thousand years ago. After the     2     (invent) of paper, kites began to be made of this new material, paper, and this paper kite is called zhiyuan.

The method of making a kite can be divided into three parts. Firstly, use thin bamboo strips (条)     3     (make) a kite frame (框架), and according to taste, kites can have     4     (attract) shapes like a dragonfly, a swallow, a centipede or a butterfly. Secondly, glue paper onto the framework. The paper     5     (require) to be thin. Finally, decorate the kites     6     colorful paintings and ribbons.

Although the basic method remains the same, styles of kite making are presented     7     (different) in every place. The kites in the “World Kite Capital” of Weifang in Shandong Province are well known for     8     (they) fine materials, painting, sculpture and flexible flying movement. One of these kites, which was over 300 meters long and in the shape of a centipede with a dragon’s head, won the     9     (one) place in the International Kite Festival held in Italy. This kite is now shown in the Weifang Kite Museum. Every year, the World Kite Festival will be held there and is expected to draw many fans with a love for     10     (fly) kites.

10 . 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。

With just five weeks before King Charles Ⅲ’s coronation (加冕典礼), workers at Duchess China (瓷器) Factory in the central England city of Stoke-on-Trent     1     (be) busy producing “God Save The King” china teacups and plates     2     (meet) the expected demand for the historic event.

“Duchess China Factory,     3     started producing china tableware in 1888, has struggled in recent years. But this year we’ve received many orders from many countries, including New Zealand, Canada, Australia     4     America,” said Jason Simms, the company’s managing director. “We hope that the coronation will help us to sell our royal souvenirs across the globe.”

The teacups and plates for King Charles Ⅲ’s coronation feature the Union Jack (国旗)     5     (color) of red, white and blue and they are decorated     6     the words “God Save the King”. The chief     7     (design) said he was inspired by the tableware     8     (produce) in the 1930s for the coronation of King George Ⅵ,     9     (Charles) grandfather.

When Charles is crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6, the ceremony will be the UK’s first coronation since his mother, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ,     10     (become) queen almost 70 years ago.