All human societies play games. Kicking a ball can be found everywhere whether just a ball of cloth , or a skin
In China for well over 2,000 years, people played the game of“kickball”-cuju.The members were often young men from wealthy families though there were also professional kickballers whom you could stick with in your team as sleepers.
Cuju was played as entertainment at formal dinners or the
As you’d expect in a Confucian society, kickballclubs
| A．filled | B．held | C．found | D．annoyed |
| A．destination | B．speech | C．competition | D．party |
| A．were ready for | B．were tired from | C．fell in love with | D．were addicted to |
| A．warmth | B．politeness | C．curiosity | D．freedom |
| A．rude | B．pleasant | C．skillful | D．aggressive |
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England-many people are confused by what these different names mean. So what is the difference between them, if any? Getting to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.
In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales was joined to the Kingdom of England. Later, in the 18th century, the country Scotland was joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Ireland was added to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, in the 20th century, the southern part of Ireland broke away from the UK, which resulted in the full name we have today: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most people just use the shortened name: “the United Kingdom” or “the UK”. People from the UK are called “British”, which means the UK is also often referred to as Britain or Great Britain.
The four countries that belong to the United Kingdom work together in some areas. They use the same flag, known as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and military defence. However, they also have some differences. For example, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have different education systems and legal systems. They also have their own traditions, like their own national days and national dishes. And they even have their own football teams for competitions like the World Cup!
The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore, which can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions. Almost everywhere you go in the UK, you will be surrounded by evidence of four different groups of people who took over at different times throughout history. The first group, the Romans, came in the first century. Some of their great achievements included building towns and roads. Next, the Anglo-Saxons arrived in the fifth century. They introduced the beginnings of the English language, and changed the way people built houses. The Vikings came in the eighth century, left behind lots of new vocabulary, and also the names of many locations across the UK. The last group were the Normans. They conquered England after the well-known Battle of Hastings in the 11th century. They had castles built all around England, and made changes to the legal system. The Normans were French, so many French words slowly entered into the English language.
There is so much more to learn about the interesting history and culture of the United Kingdom. Studying the history of the country will make your visit much more enjoyable. The capital city London is a great place to start, as it is an ancient port city that has a history dating all the way back to Roman times. There are countless historic sites to explore, and lots of museums with ancient relics from all over the UK. The UK is a fascinating mix of history and modern culture, with both new and old traditions. If you keep your eyes open, you will be surprised to find that you can see both its past and its present.
| When? | What happened? | What changed? |
| Romans arrived | ||
| Anglo-Saxons came | ||
| Vikings came | ||
| 11th century | ||
| 16th century | / | |
| 18th century | ||
| 19th century | ||
| 20th century |
1 Throughout history, the great thinkers of the world have often rather romantically referred to their academic struggles as being like “war”.
However, for most of them, the “war” has been purely symbolic. Real war is never romantic as it brings suffering and immense challenges.
2 In 1937, the aggression of the Japanese army brought disaster to China's three great universities: Peking University and Tsinghua University were occupied by Japanese troops, while Nankai University was completely destroyed by bombing. To save their educational and intellectual heritage, the three universities joined together in Kunming as National Southwest Associated University, otherwise known as Lianda.
3 Professors and students alike in the three universities made an epic journey over a distance of more than 2, 000 kilometres, most of them on foot. Their bed was the dusty road and their roof was the open sky, often lit up by exploding Japanese bombs. Conditions were little better once they reached the remote and mountainous south-west part of China. They had to live in rough buildings, packed 40 to a room, like sardines. There were dire shortages of food, books, and equipment. Furthermore, classes were frequently disrupted due to fierce air attacks and often had to be held before 10 am and after 4 pm.
4 However, despite the immense hardships and the daunting challenges, it was right in this place, over a period of eight long years, that the nation's intellectual heritage was not only guarded but fortified by the passion and belief of the worthy academics of Lianda. It is no wonder that many, if not most, of China's leading scholars and scientists emerged at Lianda, including the two Nobel Prize-winning physicists, Yang Zhenning and Li Zhengdao. “Lianda laid the foundation for every achievement I have made,” Yang recalled. He still remembers learning in a temporary classroom that had no glass in the windows. “On windy days, we had to hold down the paper on the desk, which would otherwise be blown away,” he said.
5 With the country at war, students at Lianda were not going to shirk their duty. Driven by a sense of commitment, a great many joined the army to resist the Japanese invaders and defend the honour of the nation. In fact, Lianda provided the largest number of student-soldiers from any campus in China. Of the thousands of college students from all over China who served as interpreters.
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