1 . The Nazca Lines are a collection of giant geoglyphs (地画), located in the Peruvian coastal plain about 250 miles south of Lima, Peru. Created by the ancient Nazca culture in South America, the 2, 000 year old Nazca Lines can only be fully viewed from the air given their massive size.
There are three basic types of the Nazca Lines: straight lines, geometric designs and pictorial (图画的) representations. More than 800 straight lines are found on the coastal plain, some of which are 30 miles long. Additionally, there are over 300 geometric designs, which include basic shapes such as triangles, rectangles, as well as arrows, zigzags and wavy lines. The Nazca Lines are perhaps best known for the representations of about 70 animals and plants, some of which measure up to 1, 200 feet long. Examples include a spider, hummingbird, monkey, whale, dog, duck, flower, and tree.
More recent research suggested that the Nazca Lines’ purpose was related to water, a valuable thing in the desert. The geoglyphs weren’t used as an irrigation system or a guide to find water, but rather as part of a ritual (仪式) to pray to the gods — an effort to bring much needed rain.
The Nazca Lines are located in the desert plains of the Rio Grande de Nasca river basin. The desert floor is covered in a layer of deep red color rocks. The ancient people created their designs by removing the top 12 to 15 inches of rock, revealing the lighter-colored sand below. They likely began with small scale models and carefully increased the models’ proportions (规模) to create the large designs.
Given the small amount of rain, wind and erosion in the desert, the geoglyphs have remained largely unharmed throughout the centuries. But the geoglyphs aren’t completely safe. In 2009, the Nazca Lines suffered the first recorded rain damage. Five years later, the environmental group Greenpeace damaged an area near the hummingbird geoglyph during a media stunt.
1. Why should the geoglyphs only be fully appreciated from the air?| A．The geoglyphs occupy a massive area of land. |
| B．The geoglyphs are in the centre of the desert. |
| C．The geoglyphs are only accessible by plane. |
| D．The geoglyphs are so diverse in design. |
| A．To record ancient culture. |
| B．To guide water to the land. |
| C．To pray to the gods for rain. |
| D．To show ancient people’s talents. |
| A．How the geoglyphs were created. |
| B．Where the geoglyphs are located. |
| C．Why the geoglyphs were created. |
| D．What the proportion of the geoglyphs is. |
| A．The geoglyphs are damagefree. |
| B．The geoglyphs need protection. |
| C．The geoglyphs are in perfect condition. |
| D．The geoglyphs get media’s protection. |
ANCIENT CHINESE ART ON SHOW
The Richfield Museum of Fine Art is proud to present our new exhibition, “From Shang to Qing: Chinese Art Through the Ages.” Join us as we explore more than 3,000 years of wonderful art from the Middle Kingdom. From bronze bowls to ceramic vases, and jade sculptures to ink wash paintings, our goal is to display the Chinese artistic genius from ancient times.
The highlight of this exhibition is the painting Clearing After Snow on a Mountain Pass, one of the great works of Tang Yin (1470－1524). Born during the Ming Dynasty, Tang sought and failed to gain entry into the civil service, so he turned to painting instead. In time, he gained recognition as one of the greatest artists China has ever known. This painting, showing high mountains, trees, and houses covered in snow, was made with extraordinary skill. Though it is over 500 years old, it looks as fresh and full of life as the day it was created.
Also of primary note is a collection of nearly 100 bronze objects from the Shang Dynasty(1600 BCE－1046 BCE). While the artists who made these great works are not known, they showed great skill in creating these beautiful pieces. Some of the items on display are thought to have come from the collection of Emperor Qianlong(1711－1799), a great admirer of Shang Dynasty bronze.
Finally, we have many fine examples of Tang Dynasty (618－907) sculptures. Most of these are of Buddhist origin. Even though Buddhism entered China much earlier, it did not really begin to show expansion until the seventh century.
During this same period, trade along the Silk Road also boomed. Chinese sculpture thus found itself highly influenced by Buddhist art brought from India and Central Asia through the Silk Road. These works were intended to spread Buddhism and they are of exceptional beauty and quality. Looking at the faces of the figures in these sculptures, one sees the faces of the past. History is brought to life.
This is just a small taste of what is in store for you in this exhibition. We guarantee that “From Shang to Qing: Chinese Art Through the Ages” will transport you to another time with its amazing collection of works.
“From Shang to Qing: Chinese Art Through the Ages” will run until November 25.
Opening hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from Tuesday to Sunday (the museum is closed on Mondays). No one will be admitted into the exhibition after 4:30 p.m.
Admission: $10 for adults: $8 for students; $5 for children under 12; free for children under 5.
No photos or food and drink are allowed in the museum.
1. Which of the following is NOT true about the exhibition?| A．It covers a history of more than 3,000 years. |
| B．It only exhibits bronze bowls, ceramic vases and jade sculptures. |
| C．It displays the Chinese artistic genius from ancient times. |
| D．Its theme is “From Shang to Qing: Chinese Art Through the Ages”． |
| A．He gained entry into the civil service. |
| B．He was born in the Qing Dynasty. |
| C．He was recognized as one of the greatest artists. |
| D．His painting Clearing After Snow on a Mountain Pass was painted 400 years ago. |
| A．are imported from the West |
| B．were intended to spread Daoism |
| C．are of exceptional beauty and quality |
| D．are rarely shown in the public |
| A．go to the museum on November 26 |
| B．visit it on Monday |
| C．have lunch in the museum |
| D．visit it from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday |
| A．$20 | B．$25 | C．$28 | D．$18 |
3 . The first men and women came to Britain over two and a half million years ago. As the climate got warmer at the end of the second ice age, tribes of hunters and gatherers of food, who used simple stone tools and weapons, made their way into Britain. It was normal for them to move from place to place so they could find new resources. But the British Isles only became islands separated from the rest of Europe about 8,500 years ago, when melting ice formed the English Channel!
3,000 years after Britain became an island, new tribes who came by boat from the mainland introduced farming. These tribes built earthworks for protection and as tombs for their dead. Many of these manmade hills can still be seen.
Later on, people learned to build stone monuments. The most amazing is Stonehenge, a circle of huge stones about 4,500 years ago. Stonehenge is the world’s most famous prehistoric (史前的) monument. We don’t know what it meant or what it was used for, though many different suggestions have been made.
3,000 years ago the climate in Britain became colder and wetter than before, and people had to move down from high ground. A bit later iron started to be used for tools and weapons instead of bronze. Knowledge of iron working may have been brought by the Celts, a new wave of immigrants (移民) who started to arrive from southern Europe in about 500 BCE.
What we know about the first people in Britain has been worked out by archaeologists from the remains they left behind them. Pytheas, a Greek, was the first person who could read and write to come to Britain. His visit was in about 330 BCE, over 2,000 years after Stonehenge was set up. Unfortunately, what Pytheas wrote has been lost, so we don’t have any written record of Britain until the Romans came, almost 300 years after he did!
1. Why did people move to low ground 3,000 years ago?| A．Because iron tools were used for farming. |
| B．Because the climate made it unfit for man to live there. |
| C．Because more people arrived from southern Europe. |
| D．Because the Celts forced them to do so. |
| A．the arrival of the Celts |
| B．Stonehenge was set up |
| C．Pytheas’s visit |
| D．the Romans came |
| A．The dawn of history in Britain. |
| B．How English Channel was formed. |
| C．How the British made a living millions of years ago. |
| D．When humans appeared on the British Isles. |
4 . “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue” is how the children’s nursery rhyme begins. However, more than 90 years before the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, a huge fleet of ships set sail from Nanjing. It was the first of a series of voyages that would, for a brief period, establish China as the leading power of the age. The voyage was led by Zheng He. In fact, some people think he was the original model for the legendary Sinbad the Sailor.
In 1371, Zheng He was born in what is now Yunnan Province to Muslim parents, who named him Ma Sanbao. When he was 11 years old, he was castrated and made to serve as a eunuch (宦官) in the imperial household. Ma befriended a prince who later became the Yong Le Emperor, one of the Ming Dynasty’s most distinguished. Brave, strong, intelligent and totally loyal, Ma won the trust of the prince who gave him a new name. Yong Le was an ambitious emperor who believed that China’s greatness would be increased with an “opendoor” policy regarding international trade and diplomacy. In 1405, he ordered Chinese ships to sail to the Indian Ocean, and put Zheng He in charge of the voyage. Zheng went on to lead seven expeditions in 28 years, visiting more than 40 countries.
Zheng’s fleet had more than 300 ships and 30,000 sailors. The largest vessels, 133meterlong “treasure ships”, had up to nine masts and could carry a thousand people. Along with a Han and Muslim crew, Zheng opened up trade routes in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. The voyages helped expand foreign interest in Chinese goods such as silk and china. In addition, Zheng He brought foreign items back to China, including the first giraffe ever seen there. At the same time, the fleet’s obvious strength meant that the Emperor of China commanded respect and inspired fear all over Asia.
Though Zheng He died in 1433 and was probably buried at sea, a grave and small monument to him still exist in Jiangsu Province. Three years after Zheng He’s death, a new emperor banned the construction of oceangoing ships, and China’s brief era of naval expansion was over. Chinese policy turned inward, leaving the seas clear for the rising nations of Europe. Opinions vary on why this happened. Whatever the reason, conservative (保守的) forces gained the upper hand, and China’s potential for world domination was not realized. Records of Zheng He’s incredible voyages were burned. Not until the early 20th century did another fleet of comparable size take to the seas.
1. Why did Zheng He sail to the ocean?| A．Zheng He befriended the Yong Le Emperor and won his trust. |
| B．The emperor tried to increase China’s greatness by an “opendoor” policy. |
| C．The voyages helped expand foreign interest in Chinese goods. |
| D．Zheng He wanted to promote culture and religious visits with foreign countries. |
| A．They established China as the leading power from then on. |
| B．They spread diplomacy, established trade routes and returned with riches and foreign items never seen before in China. |
| C．They provided pathways for religious communication between Han and Muslim crew. |
| D．They speeded up the process of imperial reform of Ming Dynasty. |
| A．Because the successive emperor banned the construction of oceangoing ships. |
| B．Because the people of Ming Dynasty feared doing business with other rising nations of Europe. |
| C．Because the imperial policy turned inward. |
| D．No reason had been assigned in this passage. |
5 . A castle was the fortress(堡垒)and home of a king or nobleman.
Most of the castles we think of today were built in Europe. They were constructed from about 1,000 AD to about 1,500 AD, during a period known as the Middle Ages.
Castles played an important role after the fall of the Roman Empire. When a king granted land to nobles, the nobles promised in return to serve the king and provide him with soldiers. Nobles built castles on the lands given to them. But some nobles simply claimed land as their own and built a castle on it. That was asking for trouble. There were many power struggles between nobles and kings, and among the nobles themselves.
A typical stone castle had several main parts. At the centre of the castle was a tall and very strong building called the keep. This is where people in the castle made their last stand if the outer defences failed. The keep was set in a courtyard, where there were workshops, stables, and a kitchen.
High, thick walls surrounded the keep and the courtyard. Strong, round defensive towers stood at the corners of the walls. Guards walked along the tops of the walls and towers.
Many stone castles were surrounded by a wide ditch called a moat. Some moats were filled with water, but many were not. The only way into the castle was across a wooden drawbridge over the moat. If enemies attacked, the defenders raised the bridge. Then they lowered a heavy iron-and-wood barrier called a portcullis to block the entrance to the castle.
A well-built castle was a pretty safe place to be. Attackers had a hard time getting in. But they still had some options. They could go over the walls using ladders. They could smash (撞碎) through the walls or doors. Or they could dig under the walls and try to get part of the wall to fall down. If none of those things worked, they could just camp outside until the defenders ran out of food.
Attackers sometimes brought large machines called siege engines with them to break through castle doors or walls. This was a heavy wooden beam with a metal cap. In the early 1500s, cannons entered wide use in warfare. Cannonballs could dig into the base of stone walls and weaken them. The walls then fell under their own weight. As a result, castles were no longer needed.
1. The underlined word “That” refers to the fact that ________.| A．nobles built castles on the lands given to them |
| B．the nobles promised to serve the king in return |
| C．some nobles simply claimed land as their own |
| D．the nobles provided the king with soldiers |
| A．3 | B．4 | C．5 | D．6 |
| A．Some castles were built to attract more visitors. |
| B．Kings in ancient Europe were more generous. |
| C．Portcullises were used to break through castle doors. |
| D．Warfare must be frequent from 1,000 AD to about 1,500 AD. |
| A．Attacking a castle |
| B．Weakness of a castle |
| C．Pretty safe place |
| D．Siege engines |
6 . In about 1450, European scholars became more interested in studying the world around them. Their art became truer to life. They began to explore new lands. The new age in Europe was eventually called “the Renaissance”. Renaissance is a French word that means “rebirth”. Historians consider the Renaissance to be the beginning of modern history.
The Renaissance began in northern Italy and then spread through Europe. Italian cities such as Naples, Genoa, and Venice became centres of trade between Europe and the Middle East. Arab scholars preserved the writings of the ancient Greeks in their libraries. When the Italian cities traded with the Arabs, ideas were exchanged along with goods. These ideas, preserved from the ancient past, served as the basis of the Renaissance. When the Byzantine Empire fell to Muslim Turks in 1453, many Christian scholars left Greece for Italy.
The Renaissance was much more than simply studying the works of ancient scholars. It influenced painting, sculpture and architecture. Paintings became more realistic and focused less often on religious topics. Rich families became patrons and commissioned great art. Artists advanced Renaissance style of showing nature and depicting the feelings of people. In Britain, there was a flowering in literature and drama that included the plays of William Shakespeare.
1. The underlined part in the first paragraph refers to ________.| A．from about 1450 to 1453 |
| B．before about 1450 |
| C．from about 1450 to now |
| D．from the 15th century to the 16th century |
| A．The Renaissance began in Asia. |
| B．The Renaissance is one of the biggest cities in Italy. |
| C．The Renaissance began in Italy and was developed in Britain. |
| D．The Renaissance started in the northern part of Italy and then appeared in Europe. |
| A．Because Italy was the centre of trade. |
| B．Because the Byzantine Empire fell to Muslim Turks in 1453. |
| C．Because Italy was between Europe and the Middle East. |
| D．Because they wanted to trade with the Italians. |
7 . A perfectly preserved wreck (沉船) that has lain unnoticed in the icy Baltic Sea for over 500 years has finally been confirmed. The European ship was first observed in 2009,when a sonar (声呐) exploration by the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) indicated a large object in the area. However, it was not until early 2019 that researchers from Soton and MMT found evidence of the sunken ship using underwater robotic cameras.
When the team observed the pictures of the 60-foot-long shipwreck, they were surprised to discover it was 99 percent complete. The scientists considered that the wreck’s good condition is due to its place in the Baltic Seabed, where the oxygen levels are low. Oxygen is key to most ocean life’s survival. Therefore, such an environment where the shipwreck stays reduces or completely removes the creatures that feed on rotting wood.
So although this ship is contemporary to the times of Christopher Columbus, it shows a remarkable level of preservation after 500 years at the bottom of the sea. Dr. Pacheco-Ruiz, who led the MMT effort, said, “It’s almost like it sank yesterday. It’s a truly astonishing sight.”
The scientists are unsure what let the ship sink. However, the ship’s guns, which are in their “ready to fire” positions, indicate it may have been the victim of a naval battle. Since the ship dates back to the early 16th century, historians predict it may have sunk during Sweden’s three year independence war with its Danish rulers between 1521 and 1523.Alternatively,it could also have been involved in the border dispute (争端) between Russia and Sweden from 1554 to 1557.
The ship is by far the best-preserved shipwreck ever found from the Age of Exploration, when Europeans explored the world by sea.
What’s more exciting is that the ship is similar to the Pinta and La Nina, which Columbus famously sailed toward North America. The scientists, who continue to observe the shipwreck hope the boat’s design will expose some of the technologies available to the Italian explorer during his 1492 voyage of discovery.
1. What scientific achievement did Soton’s and MMT’s researchers make?| A．Discovering a wreck using sonar. | B．Getting the wreck out of icy water. |
| C．Identifying the object found by SMA. | D．Making the ancient wreck well preserved. |
| A．It is generally unfit for creatures to live in. | B．It is tough for scientists to do research. |
| C．It contains too many harmful gases. | D．It is filled with rotting wood. |
| A．His curiosity about the time when the ship sank. |
| B．His amazement at the ship’s previous grandness. |
| C．His surprise at the wreck’s well-preserved condition. |
| D．His shock at the sinking of the great European ship. |
| A．The damage to the ship. | B．The causes of the ship’s sinking. |
| C．The construction of the ship. | D．The possible function of the ship. |
8 . The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and the finest example of the late style of Indian architecture. It is in northern India.
The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jehan,who ruled India in the seventeenth century. It was in memory of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu Bagam, known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The building was designed by a local architect (建筑师), Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The Taj Mahal stands at one end of the garden tomb with marble (大理石) paths. The room is softly lighted by the light that passes through double screens of carved marble set high in the walls. The building now is kept in good condition.
The Taj Mahal took about 20 years to build. Shah Jehan planned a similar building,but in black instead of white, to lie on the other side of the river. But before it could be built, Shah Jehan was imprisoned (监禁) by his son and buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.
1. The Taj Mahal was built for .| A．Mumtaz |
| B．Shah |
| C．either Mumtaz or Shah |
| D．both Mumtaz and Shah |
| A．why the Taj Mahal was built |
| B．the love story between Shah and Mumtaz |
| C．some information about the Taj Mahal |
| D．the Taj Mahal—the pride of Indians |
| A．the Taj Mahal looks more beautiful than before |
| B．the Taj Mahal doesn’t exist now |
| C．the Taj Mahal has completely changed |
| D．the Taj Mahal has become a place of interest |
9 . Pizza is almost everyone’s favorite food. Recently, it has even received recognition from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)!
Pizza has been a part of Italian culture for centuries. In the 1700s and the 1800s, the city of Naples in Italy was an independent kingdom, known for its large working class. Pizza began as a “poor man’s food”— as a way to feed poor people quickly and at a low cost.
In 1889, King Umberto Ⅰ and Queen Margherita visited Naples, which had by then come under a unified Italy.
When Italians from Naples moved to the United States, they brought more than just their desire for a better future.
The art of pizza spinning.
The skills for pizza making have been passed down in the city for generations, and those who know them are called “pizzaiuoli”.
According to UNESCO, about 3,000 pizzaiuoli work in Naples right now. In the city, there is also a pizza museum and an academy in which 120 students each year can train to become pizzaiuoli themselves.
| A．The history of pizza |
| B．The popular types of pizza |
| C．Pizzaiuoli are a select group of people |
| D．Pizza shops opened in New York and other cities |
| E．On their visit, the royal couple enjoyed pizza from a local eatery |
| F．Pizza fans and pizzaiuoli alike are excited about UNESCO’s decision |
| G．On the streets of Naples, Italy, tradition is found in the art of pizza spinning |
10 . Life for miners on the goldfields in Victoria, Australia during the 1850s was quite difficult.The name to a miner at that time was “digger”.Few diggers actually found any gold and even fewer struck it rich.Mostly diggers struggled in poor conditions.They struggled with the weather and living conditions in an often poor environment and they were often ill-equipped.
The worst thing about being a digger was the requirement to pay for a mining licence（许可证）.This licence allowed a miner to search for gold.Without the licence a digger had to pay money as a punishment.The police always went to mining camps to check mining licences.Few miners could afford the money to get a licence and hated the law which they believed was unjust.In June 1854 Governor Hotham announced that the police would carry out mining licence checks twice a week.This made the miners outraged and set them towards armed rebellion（叛乱）against the police.
The rebellion at the Eureka diggings in 1854 is often referred to as the Eureka Stockade.Led by Peter Lalor, the diggers constructed a wall preventing people from going through and burned their unfair licences as a form of rebellion.The miners said, “We stand truly by each other to protect our rights.”
The diggers lost the battle of the Eureka Stockade but they won the legal battle that their rebellion led to.In 1855 the Victorian Government introduced a mining tax（税）, as a tax on gold found, to take the place of the unfair miner’s licence which had to be paid no matter whether the miner found gold or not.In Australia’s history the Eureka Rebellion is the only time armed rebellion has been used to change unfair laws.
1. What is a digger in the next?| A．A gold miner. | B．A citizen in Victoria. |
| C．A machine for digging. | D．A rebellious Australian. |
| A．The weather on the goldfields. |
| B．Having to pay a mining tax. |
| C．Having to pay for a licence. |
| D．Poor living conditions. |
| A．Angry. | B．Worried. | C．Doubtful. | D．Ashamed. |
| A．The miners won. | B．It resulted in a new tax. |
| C．The wall was brought down. | D．It led to the introduction of new licences. |
