1 . Mesopotamia was home to some of the very first cities in existence, leading many to link it to the birth of civilization. The origin of these cities is still unknown today, although many theories exist. One suggestion is that the development and building of temples created a place where people would gather, and thus served as points of contact between different groups of people.

Others believe that people sought sanctuary from natural disasters. As the Mesopotamians were able to develop technology to help them control the nearby rivers, such as levees, they could ensure a good crop. They had no need to be nomadic, and were able to settle in one place comfortably. It is for this reason that all the early cities were built along the two major rivers.

From the moment the Sumerians began to form these cities, it forever altered human history. People went from being ruled by nature, to attempting to control it and make it work for them. By 4,500 BCE the first recorded city rose in the form of Uruk. However, the only urban structure at this point was the temple, which regulated all economic and social matters.

The central purpose of these early cities was to help regulate trade, as southern Mesopotamia was reliable on outside resources. This need encouraged the spread of urbanization. However, communication between the cities was difficult, so each city developed into an individual city-state. This led to territorial disputes and, inevitably, war.

In order to keep their cities protected, the Mesopotamians built fortifications, and walled cities rose. Migration to these cities increased, and more buildings were erected. Cities gradually expanded and rulers were proclaimed, who then began looking outwards for trade and conquest.

1. What does the underlined word “sanctuary” mean?

A．Rescue.

B．Stability.

C．Shelter.

D．Accommodation.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The function of early cities.	B．The structure of early cities.
C．The regulation of early cities.	D．The appearance of early cities.

3. What caused cities to become city-states?

A．War and conflicts.	B．Limited interaction.
C．The spread of urbanization.	D．Competition for resources.

4. What is the best title?

A．The birth of city-states.	B．The first cities in the world.
C．The urban expansion in the world.	D．The conquest of nature in Mesopotamia.

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。

The Shanghai Museum celebrated the Lunar New Year with new exhibition in February, Longing for Spring: A Celebration of the Year of the Dragon.

The dragon, or long in Chinese, is the only mythical creature among the 12 Chinese zodiac     1    (sign). It has been present in legends for thousands of years, and recognized as a national totem (图腾) and has     2     long-held spiritual importance in Chinese culture.

Dragons can     3     (find) throughout ancient Chinese art. There are many objects bearing the image of the dragon in the Shanghai Museum’s collection, among which the jade Jue dragon     4     (date) back around 7,000 years. It has a large head, with     5     (point) ears and protruding (伸出的) jaws. Jue objects are widely believed to be the earliest images of the dragon, and archaeologists have speculated that the image could     6     (original) have been based on a pig, bear or even a silkworm. Another one is a flat vase from the reign of Emperor Qianlong. It is a blue-and-white vase     7     two handles, and depicts a red dragon in clouds     8     four feet spread as if it is dancing, looking especially lively.

This is the sixth time that the museum has presented a Lunar New Year exhibition,     9     (feature) zodiac animals. They hope that visitors will find the various     10     (represent) of the dragon in Chinese culture imperial and solemn (庄严), as well as vivid, attractive and lovable.

4 . 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。

    1     (get) to know a little bit about British history will help you understand what these different names—the United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain England—mean. In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales     2     (join) to the Kingdom of England. Later, Scotland and then Ireland was added. Although the four countries have some differences, they use the same flag,     3     (know) as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and military    4     (defend).

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。

Originally unearthed in the late 1920s, the Sanxingdui Ruins have been regarded as one of the world’s greatest archaeological     1     (finding) of the 20th century. In July this year, a     2     (new) completed exhibition hall at the world-famous Sanxingdui Museum opened in Guanghan, Sichuan Province.

    3     (cover) an area of nearly 55,000 square meters, the exhibition hall is now the largest single exhibition building showcasing the cultural relics     4     (dig) from historical sites in southwest China. The new hall     5     (hold) more than 1,500 cultural items, with 600 of them on show for the first time.

One iconic (标志性的) exhibit is the four-meter-tall bronze sacred tree,     6     takes up the central position in the new hall. And it makes a much     7     (strong) visual impression than it did in the old hall. The bronze altar (青铜神坛) that was discovered last year is also     8     impressive piece of artwork. It is made up of three parts and shows ancient sacrificial (献祭的) scenes.

Divided into three themed areas, the exhibition hall makes use of a range of new technologies     9     (celebrate) the cultural features and social development of the Shu civilization. It also shows China’s latest achievements     10     archaeological research.

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

Wing Chun is a southern Chinese kung fu style descends from Shaolin Kung Fu. It has the distinction of having been founded by two women, Ng Mui and Yim Wing-chun.

The Wing Chun style is known for placing     1     (emphasize) on technique rather than strength. This style also calls for practitioners to stay relaxed while     2    (fight), allowing them to achieve a kind of softness or flexibility. This relaxed flexibility gives Wing Chun fighter     3     special kind of strength that allows them to bend, not break, just like bamboo.   

Legend has it that Wing Chun founder Ng Mui was living at Shaolin Temple     4     it was attacked and destroyed by Qing dynasty forcers. Surviving the attack, she escaped     5     the border area between Yunnan and Sichuan. There she met a young woman     6     (name)Yim Wing-chun, who     7     (final) became one of her top students. She taught Yim an improved version of Shaolin Kung Fu, known as Wing Chun now. This new martial art     8     (spread) and grown into different branches over the past two hundred years.

Ip Man, featured in the eponymous (同名的) hit films,     9    (be) a notable practitioner of Wing Chun style martial arts. He also taught the Wing Chun style to his student, Bruce Lee, who would go on to act in the beloved Hong Kong kung fu movies     10     helped make Chinese martial arts famous around the world.

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。

A type of glazed pottery(釉陶)with the main colours of yellow, green and white was very popular in the Tang dynasty. It was later called tri-coloured glazed pottery of the Tang dynasty, or Tangsancai.

Tri-coloured glazed pottery was usually used as burial    1    (object). Those human and animal figures have smooth     2     graceful(优雅的)lines. The soldier figures have strong muscles and carry swords or arrows. The human figures stand quietly,     3    (look)natural and elegant. The animal figures are mainly of horses and camels.

Tri-coloured glazed pottery of the Tang dynasty was mostly produced in Xi’an, Luoyang and Yangzhou,     4     were important cities along the Silk Road. Camels were the major form of transport     5     the ancient trade route during the Tang dynasty. Seeing these glazed pottery artworks, we can imagine the travellers and camels making their hard journey across the desert, depending on one another for     6    (survive).

Tang people were open-minded     7    (accept)different cultures from all over the world. Foreign traders, officials, and artists travelled thousands of miles along the Silk Road to visit the Tang’s capital city Chang’an. The evidence of cultural integration can     8    (find)in tri-coloured glazed pottery of the Tang dynasty.

Tri-coloured glazed pottery is the     9    (high)point of Tang pottery and it developed     10    (successful)during the dynasty’s early and middle period.

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,

The site of Changgan ancient city, unearthed in Xijie site of east China’s Nanjing City, has been confirmed to date back to 3, 100 years ago,     1    (extend) Nanjing’s history by more than 600 years, Nanjing institute of archaeology said.

The site of the ancient city, named “Changgan”, the     2    (early) known name of the city of Nanjing, features relics of a platform, ring ditches, walls, doorways and sacrificial pits.

During the excavations that began in 2017, archaeologists     3    (unearth) four ring ditches from the Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600 BC-256 BC), containing collapsed rammed-earth walls, said Chen Dahai,     4     archaeologist with the institute, who was responsible for the excavation.

“We also found more evidence supporting our     5    (conclude), including a well on the side of the ditch     6     was originally constructed during the late Shang Dynasty and the unearthed pottery     7    (decorate) with triangular and ladder patterns, ”Chen added.

According to carbon-14 dating data, it is identified that the various artifacts date back to the period ranging from the late Shang Dynasty     8     the early Zhou Dynasty.

Up to now, the excavation area at the Xijie site has reached     9    (approximate) 12, 000 square meters, with more than 500 relics of various types     10     over 10, 000 specimens (样本) of archaeological importance unearthed.

10 . The Inca Empire was the most powerful of the day, ruling western South America between 1400 and 1533. And the Inca leaders sometimes needed vacations! That’s why the Inca built Machu Picchu in what’s now Peru. All that’s left today are ruins, but about 500 years ago, it was a bustling royal residence. Peek into the past to discover the secrets of this awesome spot.

ROYAL RELAXATION

The royal family lived mostly in the mountainous capital city, Cusco. But during the winter, they could move down to the warmer Machu Picchu. Emperor Pachacuti Inc a Yupanqui likely ordered construction of it around 1450. There, the royals could feast and entertain guests. The other 750 residents served the rulers and maintained the city.

PERFECT FIT

Earthquakes are common in Peru, so Inca builders designed Machu Picchu to resist these shakes. They cut the stones to fit together, and they didn’t use any material, like cement, to bind them. This way, when the ground shook, the stones could bounce around and then settle back into place.

CODED LANGUAGE

The Inca didn’t have a written language and instead used knotted cords called quipu (KEE-poo) to send messages and keep records. Experts think the style of the knot and the color of the string contained information. Researchers are now using computers to try to untangle these long-lost codes.

1. Why did the Inca Empire build Machu Picchu?

A．For pleasure of more residents.	B．For the recreation of the leaders.
C．For relocating the capital city.	D．For appealing to more vacationers.

2. What did Inca builders do to resist the shakes?

A．They made the stones fit together.	B．They used cement to bind them.
C．They made the stones bounce around.	D．They settled the stones back into place.

3. How did the Inca share important information?

A．By telling others face to face.	B．By writing it down on large stones.
C．By using their own unique language.	D．By coloring some materials picked.