1 . While conducting a survey by airplane of northern Guatemala, researchers detected an ancient Maya site. “We can now see the entire landscape of the Maya region” in this section of Guatemala, said Carlos Morales-Aguilar, one of the researchers from the Department of Geography and the Environment at the University of Texas.

The findings were the result of the survey using lidar (雷达), or light detection and ranging, which has been revolutionary for studying historic sites. In lidar, lasers are sent out and the reflected light is used to create imagery of a landscape. The technology is particularly beneficial in areas with limited visibility such as the rainforest in maya site, as lasers can enter the heavy tree canopy, the thick cover formed by the leafy upper branches in a forest.

The lidar data showed “for the first time an area that was integrated politically and economically, and never seen before in other places in the Western Hemisphere (西半球),” Carlos wrote in the study. Using data from the scans, the team identified more than 1,000 settlements dotting the region. They were interconnected by 100 miles of causeways that the Maya likely traveled on foot. They also detected the remains of several large platforms and pyramids, along with canals and reservoirs used for water collection.

So what made this region so attractive that the Maya would want to settle there in the first place?

“For the Maya, the Mirador-Calakmul Karst Basin was the ‘Goldilocks Zone’,” Ross Ensley wrote, partner of Carlos, a geologist from the Institute for Geological Study of the Maya Lowlands in Houston, Texas. “The Maya settled in this region because it had the right mix of uplands for settlement and lowlands for agriculture.” Uplands lie above the level where flooding occurs. They provided a source for limestone, their primary building material, and dry land to live on. The lowlands are mostly seasonal swamps (沼泽), which provided space for wetland agriculture as well as organic-rich soil for use in terraced agriculture.

Researchers hope lidar technology will help them explore sections of Guatemala that have remained a mystery for centuries.

1. Why did the researchers use lidar in the survey?

A．It detects a wide range of lasers.	B．It pictures quick and clear imagery.
C．It passes lights through forests easily.	D．It improves the visibility of rainforests.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Why Maya drew great attention.	B．How Maya people made a living.
C．The research process after surveying the Maya.	D．The findings through observing the Maya region.

3. What can we infer about the Maya people according to Ross Ensley?

A．They transformed the land to survive.	B．They were good at upland agriculture.
C．They preferred to build houses using limestone.	D．They made a sound choice about where to settle.

4. Which is the best title for the text?

A．The Perfect Habitat for the Maya People

B．The Secrets of the Ancient Maya Civilization

C．Revolutionary Use of Lidar Reveals Maya Settlements

D．Lidar Technology Unlocks New Discoveries of Rainforests

2 . Guangzhou has long been famous for various kinds of flowers and local people have developed their enthusiasm for flowers since the time of Nanyue King in the Western Han Dynasty, which was founded over 2,000 years ago.

According to historical records, in the Western Han Dynasty, blooming flowers were seen everywhere in ancient Guangzhou, also known as Canton. Many people, whether men or women, wore flowers as decorations (装饰). There were even more varieties of flowers and plants grow n in the royal garden owned by Zhao Tuo, the founder of Nanyue Kingdom.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, Huadi, the land of flowers in Chinese, located in present-day Fangcun area of Guangzhou, was where Datong Port (港口), a major harbor for foreign trade, lay. Many businessmen from different places brought various flower seeds to the port by sea, turning a large wetland into flower fields. Besides, Cantonese farmers also grew flowers on the farmlands of thirty-three villages located south of the Pearl River.

The flower trade also contributed to the boom (繁荣) of Canton, which was the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road (海上丝绸之路). As early as the Western Han Dynasty, people of Lingnan region had sailed to Sri Lanka. In the Tang and Song dynasties, a shipping route of over 14,000 kilometers was established, allowing people to travel to as far as the Persian Gulf. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, several ocean-crossing routes had connected Canton with many other parts of the world. In the period of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, Canton was served as the only port open for foreign trade.

Starting off from the Lingnan region, all kinds of flowers found their way to the West, including camellia and Chinese rose, which were developed into more varieties in only 300 years.

The ancient Maritime Silk Road played a key role in supporting the selling of locally-grown flowers of the Lingnan region to other countries. It also brought special foreign flowers from countries and regions along the route to Canton, which promoted the city’s fame for giving people excellent views of blossoms of flowers in all seasons.

1. What’s the function of paragraph 2?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To make a comparison.
C．To raise readers’ interest.	D．To support the content above.

2. What was Huadi known for during the Tang and Song dynasties?

A．Being a major harbor for foreign trade within China.

B．Developing new varieties of flowers in only 300 years.

C．Growing various flower seeds brought by businessmen.

D．Serving as the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 4 ?

A．The ancient Maritime Silk Road led to the flower trade in Canton.

B．Emperor Qianlong paid special attention to Canton’s development.

C．Canton developed into the starting point of the long world trade route.

D．Trade with foreigners decreased to a large degree in the Qing Dynasty.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Huadi had an important effect on the development of Canton.

B．Canton’s economic success roots back to the Western Han Dynasty.

C．The long-standing tradition of flower contributed to Canton’s history.

D．The Maritime Silk Road was formed due to the flower trade in Canton.

3 . Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a Sphinx statue (狮身人面像) with a smiley face near the Hathor Temple, one of the country’s best preserved ancient sites. The smiling Sphinx is much smaller than the famous Sphinx in Giza, which is 20 metres high. The stone work of art, believed to be a stylized representation of an ancient Roman emperor, was found inside a two-level tomb near the temple in southern Egypt.

Next to the beautifully and accurately carved Sphinx, researchers had found a Roman stone written in hieroglyph (象形文字). Once fully translated, the stone may unveil the identity of the sculpted ruler, who could be Emperor Claudius.

The smiling Sphinx is among a series of discoveries announced over the past few months. The country has uncovered major archaeological discoveries in recent months, primarily in the Saqqara cemetery (墓地) south of Cairo as well as in Giza, home to the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Recently, Egypt announced the discovery of a hidden nine-metre passage inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, which may lead to the actual burial room of pharaoh (法老) Khufu, or Cheops. Further south, in Luxor, archaeologists had discovered a 1,800-year-old complete residential city from the Roman times.

Hathor Temple, about 500 kilometres south of the capital Cairo, was home to the Dendera Zodiac, a heavenly map which has been displayed at the Louvre in Paris for more than a century. Since Frenchman Sebastien Louis Saulnier took it out of the temple in 1922, Egypt has been attempting to get it back.

Some experts see such announcements as having more political and economic weight than scientific, as Egypt is counting on tourism to revive its vital tourism industry in a severe economic crisis. The government aims to draw in 30 million tourists a year by 2028.

1. What do we know about the smiling Sphinx?

A．Its owner was confirmed as an ancient Roman ruler.

B．It has been the best-preserved Sphinx till now.

C．It is as high as 20 metres like the Sphinx of Giza.

D．It was discovered close to the Hathor Temple.

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

A．Reveal.

B．Seek.

C．Deny.

D．Maintain.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The diversity of cultural relics in Egypt.

B．The discoveries made recently in Egypt.

C．The status of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

D．The new discovery about pharaoh Khufu.

4. What does Egypt expect most from the recent discoveries?

A．Scientific progress.

B．Political position.

C．Economic advance.

D．Cultural exchange.

4 . As archaeologists (考古学家) examined ancient tombs in Turfan in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar relics. Though hardened from over 1,000 years, there sat little dumplings.

Exactly who invented dumplings remains a mystery. But some scholars suspect they were first spread by nomadic (游牧的) Turkic peoples living in western China and Central Asia. This is thought to be the case because “manti,” meaning “dumpling” or “steamed bun” in many Turkic languages, appears to be the root word for dumpling in several other languages. Ancient Turkic people probably filled their dumplings with meat. But it’s unclear when this practice began, or whether they learned the art of dumpling-making from others. However this happened, dumplings certainly gathered steam in ancient China.

Dumplings continued to take off and diversify in China over the next thousand years. Instead of the traditional meat filling, some communities chose vegetarian (素食) dumplings. People developed new cooking methods. The relationship between Chinese dumplings and those in other areas is tricky to trace, but food historians have made their best guesses based on available clues.

Besides Turkic tribes, some scholars believe that the Mongol Empire also contributed to the spread of dumplings, perhaps introducing them to parts of Eastern Europe. These dumplings could have come by way of China or directly from some of the Turkic peoples the Mongols hired to run their empire. One theory is that this gave rise to dumplings like pelmeni in Russia, pierogi in Poland and vareniki in Ukraine. The Mongol Empire also controlled Korea and might have likewise introduced dumplings there. Later, after Chinese dumpling varieties were introduced to more countries, English speakers began calling them dumplings, which means “little lumps”. During the Second World War, Chinese “jiaozi” were brought to Japan. So what about the Italian dumpling-like pasta? Some historians think it might be brought by Arab conquerors.

It’s unlikely that all dumpling dishes came from the same root tradition. However, we can appreciate the mysterious historical web that made dumplings so various.

1. What made Turkic peoples suspected to first spread dumplings?

A．The languages they used.	B．Their eating habits.
C．Their dumpling-making skills.	D．The newly found tombs.

2. What does the phrase “gathered steam” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Originated.	B．Stabilized.
C．Got well-cooked.	D．Became popular.

3. What does paragraph 4 focus on?

A．The spreading process of dumplings.

B．The possible origins of dumplings.

C．Differences between various dumplings.

D．Reasons for the popularity of dumplings.

4. Which of the following best describe dumplings according to the passage?

A．Delicious.

B．Diverse.

C．Unusual.

D．Regional.

6 . Walled Cities Of The World

There are numerous historical walled cities across the world, whose walls date back several centuries. These walls were fortification (碉堡), a necessity throughout medieval eras for defense. They have been preserved as historical monuments and popular tourist attractions in the modern time.

York, England

The city of York is a medieval city situated in the north of England. Historically, the city was ruled by the Romans, Angles, and the Vikings before being incorporated as part of the Kingdom of England in 954. Located in the city are walls built in 71 AD which have been restored and extended with time.

Xi’an, China

The city of Xian is one of the oldest cities in China. It prospered economically as the eastern last station of the Silk Road. The existing walls were originally built in 770 BC and reconstructed in the 14th century under the Ming Dynasty. The walls are well preserved and are a major tourist attraction in the city.

Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City was a colonial (殖民地的) town which was fortified by the settling Europeans. The walls began to be built in 1608 under both British and French regimes (政权). A fort was constructed by the British as an additional defensive measure and remains undamaged to date. The city’s fortifications were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

Mexico City, Mexico

Historically, the City of Mexico gained importance as the Aztec Capital. The Spanish then drove out the Aztecs and rebuilt it as the Spanish Capital. The walls protecting the city were built in 1521. Mexico City is also home to numerous colonial-era buildings which together with the walls are major tourist attractions in the city.

1. Which city has walls of the longest history?

A．York, England.	B．Xi’an, China.
C．Quebec City, Canada.	D．Mexico City, Mexico.

2. What do Quebec city and Mexico city have in common?

A．They were once colonies of other countries.

B．They were once the capital of the Aztec empire.

C．Their walls were once built under British regime.

D．Their walls were once damaged after construction.

3. In which section of a magazine may this text appear?

A．Culture.

B．Entertainment.

C．Science.

D．Society

7 . Two thousand years ago, the ancient Roman city of Caesarea had the largest harbor on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was a wonder of engineering for its time. Then disaster struck. Written records say a huge wave destroyed the harbor. What kind of wave caused it? Did it ally happen? No one had ever found the evidence of the wave... until now.

Dr Goodman is part of a team of scientists studying samples at Caesarea to figure out what happened in the past. A sample is taken by striking a tube into the seafloor. When the tube is pulled up, it contains sediments (沉淀物) that have collected on the seafloor for hundreds or thousands of years. Looking down through the mixture of sand, stones and other sediments is like looking back in time.

That’s what Dr. Goodman was doing when she found something astonishing. It was a layer (层) of shells — all came from the time the harbor was destroyed. Dr. Goodman knew this shell layer had a story to tell.

Usually, shells are part of the mixture of sediments collected on the seafloor. A shell layer is as thin as your finger. Yet Dr. Goodman was staring at a layer nearly 1 meter thick! Almost all the shells were broken.

The thick layer of broken shells meant a sudden, powerful event swept these shells into the area. The broken shells were evidence that a huge wave really did destroy the harbor. Dr. Goodman could even tell the direction of the wave from the way the shells lined up.

Here’s what Dr. Goodman thinks happened. First, an earthquake struck north of Caesarea along the coast. Energy from the movement of rock during the earthquake caused a tsunami. This huge wave raced across the sand and kicked up shells along the way and broke them into pieces. Finally, the wave crashed into the harbor and destroyed it.

Dr. Goodman plans to gather evidence for other ancient tsunamis along the Mediterranean coast. This will help her predict what areas are likely to be struck by future tsunamis. Then people can avoid building in these areas.

1. What can be learned about the Caesarea harbor?

A．It was the largest in the world.

B．It was destroyed by a tsunami.

C．It is a mystery whether it existed.

D．It is studied by many engineers now.

2. How did Dr. Goodman obtain the sample at Caesarea?

A．By studying underwater.	B．By analyzing the mixture.
C．By digging for ancient shells.	D．By collecting sediments in a tube.

3. Which is the evidence to solve the historical mystery?

A．The direction of the wave.	B．The diversity of sediments.
C．The way the shells lined up.	D．The thick layer of broken shells.

4. Which can be the best title of the passage?

A．Shells Tell the Story	B．Scientists Predict Disasters
C．Underwater Clues for Future	D．Sea Exploration of Mediterranean

9 . The phrase Stolen Generation refers to the countless number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families under government policy and direction. This was active policy during the period from the 1910s into the 1970s, and arguably still continues today under the banner of child protection.

The removal of Indigenous (本土的) children was rationalized (合理化) by various governments by claiming that it was for their protection. A further reason used by the government of the day was that it was believed that “Pure Blood” Aboriginal people would die out and that the “Mixed Blood” children would be able to assimilate into (融合) society much easier, this being based on the prejudice that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were racially inferior to people with Caucasian (白人) background.

Once a child was removed from their family, they were forced to assimilate into the White Society. This included being forbidden to speak their traditional language or participate in any form of cultural practice or activity, and having to adopt new names and identities. Many of these children were informed that their families had either given them up or had died. For some of them, they developed a shame of their Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage and as they grew older and started their own families, they continued to hide their heritage from their family.

On the 13th February 2008, Kevin Rudd, the then Prime Minister of Australia, made an apology to the members of the Stolen Generation. Although the period known as the Stolen Generation technically ended in 1969, the effect of the Stolen Generation is still being felt by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples today. Many Aboriginal families have experienced inter-generational trauma (创伤). The Stolen Generation has resulted in traditional knowledge being lost as this knowledge was not able to be passed down to the next generation.

1. What does the underlined part “under the banner of” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．With the aid of.	B．With the intention of.
C．In the name of.	D．In the hope of.

2. What can be inferred about the removed children from the text?

A．They have succeeded in assimilating into the White Society.

B．They have failed to pass down their own tradition and heritage.

C．They had been abandoned by their families or had lost them.

D．They have forgotten the trauma caused by the removal policy.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

A．The Indigenous children were racially secondary to Caucasians.

B．The removed children could keep their own original identities.

C．The government still denied what they did to the removed children.

D．Some removed children were not willing to reveal their heritage.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Removal Policy	B．The Lost Children
C．The Stolen Generation	D．The Abandoned Children

10 . A waterworks maintenance team discovered a possible one-of-a-kind Roman road in a field in Worcestershire that may date back 2,000 years.

If asked to name a place where you might make a once-in-a-lifetime archaeological (考古的) discovery, your mind may go to the pyramids of Egypt or the peaks of the Andes...not a field in Worcestershire. But a field in Worcestershire is exactly where workmen recently discovered what is thought to be a Roman road up to 2,000 years old！

The road was discovered during routine (常规的) waterworks maintenance by Severn Trent. Archaeological experts from Wychavon District Council were called to the scene and immediately recognised the find’s significance.

Wychavon District Council’s archaeology officer Aidan Smyth said, “When I first saw it, it took my breath away. If proven to be from the first century AD, it would be beyond rare.”

Experts say it is constructed in a traditional Roman technique, with similar roads only being found in Rome and Pompeii. Ruts (车辙) in the stones show that it was used by carts for a long time. A team from Historic England is expected to investigate further to determine the exact origin of the structure.

This is actually not the first significant historical discovery in Worcestershire. A number of possible forts have been suggested in Worcestershire since the 1950s, and Worcestershire is thought to possibly have been the site for the Roman town of Vertis.

It is too early to say without 100 per cent certainty that the road is Roman, but even if it is a road in the Middle Ages, it will still be a nationally significant discovery. If it is indeed a first-century Roman road, then it is the only one of its kind in Britain.

1. Why does the author mention the pyramids of Egypt?

A．To make a comparison with the Andes.

B．To identify the importance of pyramids.

C．To show the find in Worcestershire is rare.

D．To prove the archaeological discovery is true.

2. What can the road discovery be described as?

A．Long expected archaeology news.

B．The result of a careful exploration.

C．The effort of world archaeologists.

D．An unexpected result of a repair service.

3. How does Aidan Smyth sound when called to the scene?

A．Excited.

B．Confused.

C．Annoyed.

D．Satisfied.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A once-in-a-lifetime archaeological literature.

B．An unfortunate waterworks maintenance team.

C．A nationally significant event in ancient Rome.

D．A possible Roman road discovered in a field in Britain.