1 . Pillows(枕头) are a universal part of our lives and there are more choices than there have ever been, each with its own claim of support and comfort. While the idea of pillows being a soft place to rest your head is not a new concept, it certainly wasn’t its original purpose.
The earliest pillows date back over 9,000 years to Mesopotamian, or modern-day Iraq. Formed from stone, the top was carved in a half-moon shape to support the neck. The idea obviously wasn’t comfort. The basic function of the pillow was to keep the head off the ground and prevent insects from crawling (爬) into mouths, noses and ears.
The Egyptians believed that the head was an important spiritual and life center for the body, so pillows were created to hold and protect it. Pillows were carved of wood and reserved mainly for wealthy people.
The Chinese on the other hand, created decorated pillows from many materials including wood, stone, bamboo and jade (玉). Though they had the knowledge and ability to create soft pillows, they believe that such pillows stole energy from the body while one slept and were ineffective at keeping the bad spirits away.
Ancient Greeks and Romans used pillows more similar to those we know today—cloth bags filled with materials such as feathers or straw. By the Middle Ages in Europe, however, pillows had fallen out of favor with many. Many men viewed pillows as a sign of weakness, and their use was primarily limited to people with health problems.
Pillows did not become nearly as universal as they are today until the Industrial Revolution. The improvements in technology made mass production of pillows possible, meaning everyone could sleep with a pillow at night.
For such a simple idea, it’s amazing to see that pillow is still changing—new materials and shapes arise constantly. The pillow has been an important piece of human culture throughout much of our history and continues to be today.
1. Why were the earliest pillows invented?A.To make people comfortable. | B.To protect the head from insects. |
C.To provide energy for the body. | D.To drive away bad spirits at night. |
A.The rich. | B.The mass. | C.Patients. | D.Spirits. |
A.many people nowadays view pillow as a sign of weakness |
B.more and more Europeans began to favor pillows in the Middle Ages |
C.the ancient Chinese believed decorated pillows could keep bad spirits away |
D.ancient Greaks and Romans used pillows in a quite different way from today |
A.Pillows throughout the ages | B.Technology changes pillows |
C.Mass production of pillows | D.Ways of promoting sleep |
2 . Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum
Location and History
Arbeia Roman Fort is situated on Hadrian's Wall. It was the most important structure built by the Romans in Britain, and now it has been a World Heritage Site. Built around AD 160, Arbeia Roman Fort was the military supply base for the soldiers who were stationed along Hadrian's Wall. The fort has been gradually uncovered and some original parts have been revealed. There are reconstructions that show how Arbeia Roman Fort would have looked.
The Reconstructions
The reconstructions of the Commanding Officer's house and soldiers' quarters are strikingly different. The accommodation for soldiers is dark and uncomfortable, while the Commanding Officer's house is spacious and luxurious, with courtyards with fountains for him and his family to enjoy.
The Museum
Visit the museum and see many objects that were found at Arbeia. They are historically important and show what daily life was really like at that time. You will see weapons, tools, jewellery, and so on. You can also discover how the Romans buried their dead and see tombstones which survive to this day. There is a "hands-on" area allowing visitors to dig on a certain site and study their findings with the help of museum staff. You can piece together pottery (陶器), or try writing just as the Romans would have done. For children, they can build this Roman fort with building blocks by themselves.
Opening Times and Getting There April 1—October 31: Monday to Saturday 10:00am—5:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm—5:00pm. November 1—March 31: Monday to Saturday 11:00am—4:00pm, closed Sunday. (Closed December 25—26 and January 1) Entry is free. Arbeia is only a ten—minute walk from the bus station at South Shields. Free car park nearby. Website: www.twmuseums.org.uk/arbeia |
A.was related to the military | B.got reconstructions around AD 160 |
C.was built in a small area in Rome | D.provided a comfortable life for soldiers |
A.See historical objects. | B.Build tombstones for the dead. |
C.Write to Romans, | D.Try using old tools and weapons. |
A.On April 1. | B.On October 31. |
C.On November 1. | D.On December 26. |
3 . Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. Wide spread use of written language would not have been possible without some cheap and practical material to write on. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed and distributed. Together with the printing press, paper provided an extremely important way to communicate knowledge.
How much paper do you use every year? Probably you cannot answer that question quickly. In 1900 the world's use of paper was about one kilogram for each person a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person a year. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden use more paper than other countries.
Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Egyptians wrote on a kind of material made of a water plant. Europeans used parchment for many hundreds of years. Parchment was very strong; it was made from the skin of certain young animals. We have learnt of the most important facts of European history from records that were kept on parchment.
1. What's the meaning for the word 'parchment'? ________A.The skin of young animals. |
B.A kind of paper made from the skin of certain young animals. |
C.The paper used by European countries. |
D.The paper of Egypt. |
A.More jobs could be provided than before. |
B.More people could be educated than before. |
C.More books could be printed and distributed. |
D.More ways could be used to exchange knowledge. |
A.Around 1400. | B.Around 1900. | C.Around 400. | D.Around 900. |
A.China. | B.Sweden. | C.Egypt | D.Japan. |
4 . Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi is the first type of paper cutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in Eastern Han Dynasty in China. This art form dates back to the sixth century. Chinese women would cut shapes from gold and silver foil(箔) to paste to their hair. Families later adopted the tradition of putting paper cuttings on gates and windows on special days. Eventually, red paper cuttings became a way to express happy feelings and well wishes. At weddings, a cutting of the "喜喜" character, which represents "double happiness", is commonly used.
Hongkong paper cutting master Li Yunxia makes the craft look easy. She learned the paper cutting from her mother and grandmother from the age of six. According to Li, "all you need are paper, scissors and a lot of skill". Li was born in Shanxi province where paper cutting is still practiced and taught. Today, she teaches the ancient craft to people of all age.
Today some artists are turning paper cutting into a new art form. They often add paint and other materials to the cuttings. They mix imagination with skill to create unique designs.
Some of the most beautiful pieces of paper art come from Nahoko Kojima of Japan. She is a leader in the field of paper-cut art as "sculptures". One of her most famous pieces, Byaku, is a life-size swimming polar bear that hangs from the ceiling. Kojima created the piece from a single sheet of paper, three meters long.
Yuken Teruya of New York is known for his modern designs using old paper bags. Bags from McDonald's and other stores are turned on their sides. People peek inside to discover tiny, delicately cut trees.
No matter how simple and complicated the design is, paper cutting remains a beloved Chinese craft. The next time you see a paper cutting, take a moment to appreciate it.
1. According to the text, paper-cut art was originally from ________.A.Metal industry | B.Wedding ceremony |
C.Mood expression | D.Women's hair decoration |
A.It is greatly simplified. |
B.It mixes with more materials. |
C.It only focuses on imagination. |
D.It abandons traditional skill totally. |
A.They imaginatively create unique designs. |
B.They once learned the skill from Li Yunxia. |
C.They prefer to make works with old paper bags. |
D.They require a reputation as the leader in the field. |
A.The skill of paper-cut art. | B.The origin of paper-cut art. |
C.The school of paper-cut art. | D.The development of paper-cut art. |
5 . The theatre in Shakespeare’s time was much different than it is today. Authors wrote plays for the masses, especially those who couldn’t read or write.
The theatre changed a lot during Shakespeare’s lifetime. The authorities didn’t like it and didn’t allow acting in the city itself. They thought it had a bad influence on people and kept them from going to church. Queen Elizabeth, on the other hand, loved acting and helped the theatre become popular.
The theatre in Shakespeare’s time was full of life. People did not sit all the time and it was not quiet during the performance. The audience could walk around, eat and drink during the play.
Theatres were open arenas or playhouses that had room for up to three thousand people. There was almost no scenery because the dialogue was the most important part of the play. Colourful and well-designed costumes were very important and told the people about the status of a character. Women never performed in plays, so young boys played female characters. The performances took place in the afternoon because it was too dark at night.
There was no stage crew as there is today. Actors had to do everything themselves — from making costumes to setting the stage. Plays were organized by acting companies. They performed about 6 different plays each week because they needed money to survive. They had almost no time to rehearse (排练).
The companies in Shakespeare’s time had a rank system. The companies belonged to shareholders and managers. They were responsible for everything and got most of the money when the company was successful. Sometimes they even owned their own buildings. Actors worked for the managers and after some time became a permanent member of the company. Apprentices (学徒) were young boys and were allowed to act in unimportant roles. They also played female characters in plays.
1. Why was the theatre banned by the authorities?A.It was much different than before. |
B.They thought it affected people negatively. |
C.They thought it kept people going to church. |
D.The queen didn’t like it. |
A.Stages. | B.Stores. |
C.Companies. | D.Systems. |
A.They could drink during the play. |
B.They were rich by running acting companies. |
C.They had stage crew to help them. |
D.They were too busy to practice. |
A.To remember Shakespeare. |
B.To show his love of Shakespeare’s plays. |
C.To introduce theatres in Shakespeare’s time. |
D.To discuss the company’s rank system. |
6 . MEXICO CITY, April 1(Xinhua)——Discoveries at the legendary Sanxingdui ruins in southwest China show that the region’s ancient Shu state civilization shared similarities with the Maya, according to the director of the Chichen Itza archaeological site, Marco Antonio Santos.
The Sanxingdui ruins, located in the city of Guanghan, about 60 kilometers from Chengdu, belonged to the Shu Kingdom that existed at least 4,800 years ago and lasted more than 2,000 years. China announced on March 20 that archaeologists uncovered gold, ivory and jade objects dating back about 3,000 years in six sacrificial pits.
Santos told Xinhua that the bronze-made remains of trees buried at the ruins of the Shu Kingdom recall the Maya’s sacred ceiba tree, which symbolized the union of heaven, earth and the underworld for the civilization that flourished in Mesoamerica. “They are very important similarities.” said Santos, stressing that “the representations of trees in both cultures provide us with a symbolism that is very similar”.
“One notable feature of the recent discoveries at Sanxingdui was the interdisciplinary(跨学科的)work and technology applied by teams of Chinese archaeologists.” said Santos. “The technology allowed the unearthing of artifacts as fragile as silk remains, which other types of less careful excavation methods would not have been able to manage.” he said. “Cooperation between Chinese and Mexican archaeologists could benefit projects in the Maya world, where the rainy climate and humidity are problematic for the conservation of objects.” said Santos.
“Every time our cultural knowledge increases, regardless of whether we speak one language or another, what it shows us is that we continue to be sister cultures, and, therefore, the exchange of such knowledge is fundamental.” said Santos.
1. What does the underlined word “excavation” in Paragraph 4 mean?A.research | B.examination | C.digging | D.discovery |
A.The sacred ceiba tree is also found at the ruins of the Shu Kingdom. |
B.The recent discoveries at Sanxingdui featured interdisciplinary work and technology. |
C.Only the unearthing of silk remains needs to be managed with more careful methods. |
D.The language barrier is an issue that affects the cooperation between China and Mexico. |
A.China and Mexico continue to exchange cultural knowledge. |
B.The discovery of the Sanxingdui ruins in south west China shocks the world. |
C.Cooperation between Chinese and Mexican archaeologists benefits projects in both countries. |
D.The discovery of the Sanxingdui ruins shows similarities between ancient Shu state and the Maya. |
A.A newspaper. | B.A historical novel. | C.A research review. | D.A guidebook. |
7 . Although we spend one-third of our lives in bed, we hardly ever think about beds. While we may consider them little more than a mattress(床垫), pillow and blanket, they in fact have a fascinating history.
The first beds were hollows(坑洼) dug in cave floors by our African ancestors around 77,000 years ago. The basic idea of the bed and its structure have remained the same for thousands of years. Malta and Egypt were using raised frames with mattresses 5,000 years ago, according to Brian Fagan, the author of What We did in Bed. Early Egyptian beds consisted of wooden frames with legs and a leather sleeping platform. The mattress was little more than a sack(袋子) with grass, straw and hay in it. In Mongolia and China, heated stone platforms called kang were used in inns as early as 5000 BC.
The basic idea of who slept in the bed, however, has changed a lot through the years. Many family members or friends sleeping together in a single bed used to be completely normal for much of human history. Travelers would not expect privacy at inns. In fact, they had to share a bed with complete strangers. The greatest example of this was the Great Bed of Ware, a huge bed built in 1590 for an English inn. “A total of 52 people—are said to have spent a night in the Great Bed in 1689,” according to Fagan.
Throughout the 19th century, beds gradually became a private space. Rapid urbanization during the Industrial Revolution sped up this process as compact row houses were built with small rooms, each for a different purpose, including sleeping. So the next time you head to bed, be thankful you have your own.
1. What do we know about the ancient beds?A.The history of beds went through a long and difficult process. |
B.In Africa, the basic idea of beds' structure has changed a lot. |
C.Our ancestors were imaginative and creative in designing beds. |
D.The ancestors in different countries were satisfied with their beds. |
A.There was a single bed in one room. |
B.They liked spying on others' lives. |
C.It was convenient to look after each other. |
D.It was a good way to make new friends. |
A.Human civilization. | B.Rapid urbanization. |
C.Social interaction. | D.Room function |
A.A fiction novel. | B.A tourist guidebook. |
C.A science report. | D.A culture magazine. |
8 . Tea, the most typical of English drinks, is a relative latecomer to British shores. Although the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium (一千年) BC in China, it was not until the mid-17th century that the drink first appeared in England. It was the Portuguese and Dutch traders who first imported tea to Europe, reaching the Continent by the way of Venice around 1560, with regular shipments by 1610.
Curiously, it was the London coffee houses that were responsible for introducing tea to England. One of the first coffee house merchants to offer tea was Thomas Garway. He sold both liquid and dry tea to the public as early as 1657. Three years later he issued a broadsheet advertising tea at £6 to £10 per pound, touting ( 兜 售 ) its virtues at “making the body active and lusty (健壮的)”, and “preserving perfect health until extreme old age”.
Tea gained popularity quickly in the coffee houses, and by 1700 over 500 coffee houses sold it. This distressed the pub owners, as tea cut their sales of beer, and it was bad news for the government, who depended upon a steady stream of revenue (税收) from taxes on liquor sales. By 1750 tea had become the favoured drink of Britain’s lower classes.
A 1676 act taxed tea and required coffee house operators to apply for a license. This was just the start of government attempts to control, or at least, to profit from the popularity of tea in Britain. By the mid-18th century the duty on tea had reached a ridiculous 119 percent. This heavy taxation had the effect of creating a whole new industry — tea smuggling ( 走 私 ). Ships from Holland and Scandinavia brought tea to the British coast, then stood offshore while smugglers met them and unloaded the precious cargo in small vessels. The smugglers, often local fishermen, secretly moved the tea inland through underground passages and hidden paths to special hiding places. One of the best hiding places was in the local church!
Even smuggled tea was expensive, however, and therefore extremely profitable, so many smugglers began to adulterate (掺假) the tea with other substances, such as willow and sloe leaves. Used tea leaves were also redried and added to fresh leaves.
Finally, in 1784 William Pitt the Younger introduced the Commutation Act, which dropped the tax on tea from 119% to 12.5%, effectively ending smuggling. Adulteration remained a problem, though, until the Food and Drug Act of 1875 brought in severe punishment for the practice.
1. According to the passage, tea drinking _______.A.is the favorite pastime of the Dutch |
B.is an important British tradition |
C.was well-received by the Portuguese centuries ago |
D.could be found everywhere in the world in 1560 |
A.Coffee house owners. | B.Wine sellers. |
C.Britain’s lower classes. | D.Smugglers. |
A.Churches provided convenience for smuggling. |
B.Fishermen and farmers contributed a lot to tea industry. |
C.Underground passages and boats were ideal hiding places for tea. |
D.The government encouraged tea smuggling for taxes on tea. |
A.By passing an act related to a tax rise. |
B.By imposing mild punishment. |
C.By punishing those who sold fake tea. |
D.By mixing redried used leaves with fresh tea leaves. |
9 . The idea that history is an outdated course of study that will lead to limited career options has spread.
Understanding where people come from is key in understanding who we are.
Learning from the past prevents future mistakes.
A.You will understand the world much better. |
B.History degrees can lead to well-paying careers. |
C.Many people don’t know well about themselves. |
D.Learning history can change how you think. |
E.But the truth is that studying history is still important. |
F.The idea that history repeats itself is rooted in truth. |
G.History has shaped cultures, attitudes, and social structures. |
10 . The Origins of Famous Brands
Our lives are full of brand names and trademarked products that we use every day. Although many brand names are simple acronyms(首字母缩略词) or versions of their founders names, some of the companies we trust every day actually have fascinating and surprising back stories.
Starbucks
It seems fitting that the most famous coffee brand in the world would take its name from one of the world’s greatest works of literature. The inspiration for the name of the coffeehouse came from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. The founders’ original idea was to name the company after the Captain Ahab’s ship, but they eventually decided that Pequot wasn’t a great name for coffee, so they chose Ahab’s first mate, Starbucks, as the name instead.
Google was originally called Backrub, for it searched for links in every corner of the Web. In 1997, when the founders of the company were searching for a new name showing a huge amount of data for their rapidly improving search technology, a friend suggested the word “googol”. When a friend tried to register the new domain (域) name, he misspelled “googol” as “google”.
Nike
Originally founded as a distributor for Japanese running shoes, the company was originally named BRS, or Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1971, BRS introduced its own soccer shoe, a model called Nike, which is also the name for the Greek goddess of victory. In 1978, the company officially renamed itself as Nike, Inc.
The right name is essential to a company’s success, and a great origin story is just as important as a great product. An attractive origin story is one more thing that keeps customers guessing, wondering, and buying its products.
1. What is the name of the Captain Ahab’s ship?A.Moby Dick. | B.Starbucks. |
C.Pequot. | D.Herman Melville. |
A.They mistook their name. |
B.They wanted new customers. |
C.The company’s original name was too long. |
D.The company’s search technology was improving rapidly. |
A.It can change the company’s image. |
B.It can add myth to the company. |
C.It explains the development of the company to customers. |
D.It makes customers imagine and purchase its goods. |