2 . The ancient silk road was a once in a life time journey. It was one of the most important milestones of trade and culture in world history, and the pioneer, Zhang Qian, could not be easily forgotten by history. He was an outstanding diplomat, traveler and explorer in the Han Dynasty of China, honored as the “the first Chinese to open their eyes to see the world” and “the Columbus of the east”.

In 138 BC, at the reign of Emperor Wudi, Zhang Qian was sent to the west of China for an alliance with the Yue-chi people to fight against the Xiongnu. He started his trip from Chang’an(now Xi’an in Shanxi Province)to Longxi(in Gansu Province). Along the way, no matter how difficult the environment was, his faith was firm. But unfortunately, Zhang was caught by the Xiongnu people just as he left Han, and was held prisoner for ten years.

Zhang finally managed to escape with some of his men and continued to travel west without any dry food or drinking water. Due to the excellent skill of shooting arrows, they survived by eating some birds and other animals along the way. When Zhang at last reached the Yue-chi in Northern India, he was disappointed to find that they didn’t want to fight against the Xiongnu people. On the return journey, Zhang Qian and his men were again caught. It was not until 125 BC that they returned to Chang’an.

Though Zhang hadn’t finished his mission, he brought back first-hand information on the geography, ethnography, and societies of Central Asia. The paths Zhang Qian explored later served as the highways connecting Europe, the Middle East, Mesopotamia, Central Asia, and East Asia. Commodities, crops, animals, religions, ideas, music, technology, and artifacts have been transported by diplomats, merchants and soldiers along this network of highways, which have, since the 19th century been known as the “Silk Road”. Zhang Qian has been remembered as the great explorer that opened up a new era of cultural exchange between East and West with long-lasting treasure well observable today.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Zhang Qian and Yue-chi people.	B．The importance of the Silk Road.
C．The paths Zhang Qian explored.	D．Zhang Qian and the Silk Road.

2. The word “alliance” in Paragraph 2 has the similar meaning to ________.

A．decision

B．exploration

C．agreement

D．excitement

3. According to the passage, what is true about the Silk Road?

A．Columbus set the footprints on the ancient silk road.

B．The Silk Road was a highway to Europe in Han Dynasty.

C．Zhang Qian was a pioneer opening up the Silk Road.

D．The Silk Road has the greatest value in Chinese history.

4. Which words best describe Zhang Qian?

A．Brave and strong-willed.	B．Careful and confident
C．Proud and open-minded.	D．Honest and excellent.

3 . Who Invented Silk?

Silk is a thin, yet extremely strong, fiber. It is made from protein that silkworms produce when they make their cocoons. Thousands of years ago, ancient Chinese craftsmen began weaving silk fiber into a soft, smooth fabric. A precious textile, silk was at first reserved for exclusive use by the Chinese imperial court. Chinese officials decided that silk-making methods must remain China’s secret.     1    

The Silky Secret Gets Out

However, the existence of silk did not remain a secret. On diplomatic visits to neighboring rulers, Chinese envoys carried gifts of silk. By the first century BC, the Romans had become familiar with this exotic(异国情调的)luxury item.     2     Western rulers issued edicts (法令)that controlled silk prices. As in China, silk was designated a solely royal fabric. Trading for silk was principal motivation for merchants who searched for routes.

From Europe to the Far East

Over the centuries, different main routes developed.     3     Tradesmen travelling east or west could choose among routes that crossed many regions of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Far East.     4     Trading vessels carried goods from China and Southeast Asia across Indian Ocean to Africa, India, and the Near East. Sea routes even reached Venice, Italy, by crossing the Mediterranean.

    5    

The Silk Road played an important role in bringing diverse cultures and peoples into contact. To make successful deals, merchants had to learn the languages and customs of the countries they crossed. As they journeyed along the Silk Road, people shared knowledge about arts, crafts, literature, science, and technologies. Over hundreds of years, cultures, languages, and religions influenced one another. Perhaps Chinese silk influenced history more extensively than any single famous person you can name.

A．How Silk Changed History

B．How Silk Brought People Together

C．It soon grew wildly popular in the West.

D．In addition, sailors discovered sea routes.

E．Rulers ordered that anyone who revealed these methods to foreigners would be put to death.

F．Later they came to be known as “The Silk Road”, but the word “Road” should have been plural.

G．But, there were many roads, not just one. A German geologist named the trade routes “The Silk Road”.

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。

Dumpling is a Chinese cuisine. Actually, the tradition of eating dumplings during winter solstice has its     1     (originate) in early times.

It is said that dumplings were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a     2     (fame) physician from the Eastern-Han Dynasty. He was once     3     official in Changsha.When he returned home for private life, he saw people lived an     4    (extreme) hard life and that their ears were red with cold in the snowing winter. He was sad and let his follower cook     5     (drive) out the chill with mutton, hot pepper and some medicine. Zhang let him boil them first and cut them up, then wrap them with flour. After     6     (boil) them, he gave the medicinal food to the people there on the day of the winter solstice. Zhang Zhongjing called it “cold dispelling dumpling soup”. By eating this kind of ear-like food, people’s ears     7     (cure).

Thereafter, every winter solstice Zhang Zhongjing made “cold dispelling dumpling soup” in order to prevent and cure ailments     8     (cause) by the cold. Then there became a saying that     9     you eat dumplings during the winter solstice, then you won’t freeze your ears off.

Afterwards, Zhang Zhongjing died on the day of winter solstice.     10     honor of him, every household makes dumplings every year on the day of the winter solstice.

7 . 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。

“Food is the first necessity of the people,” said historian Sima Qian of the Western Han dynasty. Today, these words still ring true. The Chinese respect and passion for food are     1     (deep) rooted in the cultural landscape.

In Zhengzhou, the main city of Henan Province, thick noodles are braised(炖)in a rich meat soup     2     is made mainly with mutton. According to legend, Li Shimin,     3     second emperor of the Tang dynasty, was ill and tired while     4     (escape) from his enemies. A poor farmer’s wife cooked him a bowl of noodles     5     the only meat she had — some elk(麋鹿)meat.     6     (support) by the hot meal, he recovered quickly, won the battle and established himself as an emperor.

In Shanxi, sliced noodles, or daoxiao mian, is a typical one. In the 13th century, the Mongolians     7     (establish) the Yuan dynasty. The Han people lived under strict rules, including the rules about the ownership of     8     (knife). Several families shared only one knife and noodle making became almost     9     (possible). One day, a smart cook decided to use a small piece of metal to slice the dough directly into the pot, so daoxiao mian     10     (make).

8 . Human footprints in White Sands National Park in New Mexico aroused an argument two years ago when scientists found the prints to be surprisingly old.

In 2021, researchers described more than 60 footprints preserved in New Mexico. Radiocarbon dating(放射性碳定年法)of an aquatic(水生的)plant’s seeds in and around the footprints suggested that the first humans in North America came from Siberia via a land bridge between 23,000 and 21,000 years ago, almost 7000 years earlier than the long-held theory.

But some scientists noted that the aquatic plants used to date the footprints could have absorbed ancient carbon in groundwater. “There’s a possibility then for the plant to give overstated viewpoints on its age,” says Davis, who wrote a criticism of the 2021 paper.

Now, two other ways probably solving the argument, researchers report in the Oct. 6 Science. Pigati and colleagues radiocarbon-dated pollen(花粉)stuck in the same layers as some of the footprints. The pollen came from land plants, mainly pine, avoiding the groundwater carbon issue. The researchers also collected stones above the lowest footprints and used a dating method that estimates how long the stones had been buried.

The pollen gave an age range of 23,400 to 22,600 years old, and the stone an age minimum of about 21,500 years old. Both results proved the previous age estimate. Despite possible errors in the individual dating methods, “the data overall from the new study strongly indicate human presence in the Americas” around 22,000 years ago, says Bente Philippsen, a physicist at the Norwegian University.

One thing is certain: There’s still plenty to uncover about the footprints.Coauthor Kathleen Springer says, “We are learning more every time we go out there,” she says. “This paper is literally the latest chapter in the White Sands story.”

1. How many possible methods does the text mention to settle the controversy?

A．Only one.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

2. Why is it possible to overestimate the footprints’ age?

A．Aquatic plants might have absorbed groundwater.

B．Aquatic plant’s seeds in and around the footprints are different.

C．The method of radiocarbon dating is not scientifically reliable at all.

D．Groundwater carbon will affect the amount of radiocarbon detected.

3. What’s the main idea of paragraph 5?

A．How the age estimation proved to be wrong.

B．Whether radiocarbon dating method is effective.

C．Why there was human presence in the American.

D．What conclusion can be made through the research.

4. What is Kathleen Springer’s attitude to this new research ?

A．Supportive.

B．Uninterested.

C．Confused.

D．Critical .