1 . If you want to tell the history of the whole world, a history that does not privilege one part of humanity, you cannot do it through texts alone, because only some of the world has ever had texts, while most of the world, for most of the time, has not. Writing is one of humanity’s later achievements, and until fairly recently even many literate (有文字的) societies recorded their concerns not only in writing but in things.
Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do just that, but in many cases we simply can’t. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate history is perhaps the first conflict, at Botany Bay, between Captain Cook’s voyage and the Australian Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain’s record of that terrible day. From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in flight after his first experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.
In addition to the problem of miscomprehension from both sides, there are victories accidentally or deliberately twisted, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing side often have only their things to tell their stories. The Caribbean Taino, the Australian Aboriginals, the African people of Benin and the Incas, all of whom appear in this book, can speak to us now of their past achievements most powerfully through the objects they made: a history told through things gives them back a voice. When we consider contact (联系) between literate and non-literate societies such as these, all our first-hand accounts are necessarily twisted, only one half of a dialogue. If we are to find the other half of that conversation, we have to read not just the texts, but the objects.
What does the underlined word “conversation” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Problem. |
B.History. |
C.Voice. |
D.Society. |
2 . For the past five years, Paula Smith, a historian of science, has devoted herself to re-creating long-forgotten techniques. While doing research for her new book, she came across a 16th-century French manuscript (手稿) consisting of nearly 1,000 sets of instructions, covering subjects from tool making to finding the best sand.
The author’s intention remains as mysterious (神秘) as his name; he may have been simply taking notes for his own records. But Smith was struck mainly by the fact that she didn’t truly grasp any of the skills the author described. “You simply can’t get an understanding of that handwork by reading about it,” she says.
Though Smith did get her hands on the best sand, doing things the old-fashioned way isn’t just about playing around with French mud. Reconstructing the work of the craftsmen (工匠) who lived centuries ago can reveal how they viewed the world, what objects filled their homes, and what went on in the workshops that produced them. It can even help solve present-day problems: In 2015, scientists discovered that a 10th-century English medicine for eve problems could kill a drug-resistant virus.
The work has also brought insights for museums, Smith says. One must know how an object was made in order to preserve it. What’s more, reconstructions might be the only way to know what treasures looked like before time wore them down. Scholars have seen this idea in practice with ancient Greek and Roman statues. These sculptures were painted a rainbow of striking colours. We can’t appreciate these kinds of details without seeing works of art as they originally appeared-something Smith believes you can do only when you have a road map.
Smith has put the manuscript’s ideas into practice. Her final goal is to link the worlds of art and science back together: She believes that bringing the old recipes to life can help develop a kind of learning that highlights experimentation, teamwork, and problem solving.
Back when science — then called “the new philosophy” — took shape, academics looked to craftsmen for help in understanding the natural world. Microscopes and telescopes were invented by way of artistic tinkering (修补), as craftsmen experimented with glass to better bend light.
“If we can rediscover the values of hands-on experience and craftwork,” Smith says, “we can marry the best of our modern insights with the handiness of our ancestors.”
According to Smith, the reconstruction work is done mainly to ________.A.restore old workshops |
B.understand the craftsmen |
C.improve visual effects |
D.inspire the philosophers |
3 . The wrecks were first discovered in October 2022 by Shenhai Yongshi after about 500 exploratory dives. They were identified as being from the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) and were later named the No 1 and No 2 shipwrecks near the northwest continental slope of the South China Sea.
The relatively well-preserved wrecks contain a large number of cultural relics of important historical, scientific and artistic value. The discovery is not only a major breakthrough for China’s deep-sea archaeology, but also ___________________.
A.a significant psychological discovery on a international level |
B.a milestone scientific discovery on a national level |
C.a landmark point in archaeology in China |
D.a significant archaeological discovery on a global level |
REACHING OUT ACROSS THE SEA
Trade and curiosity have often formed the foundation of mankind’s greatest achievements. To complete the great map of the world was a strong passion for the people of early civilisations. Marco Polo’s tales inspired European explorers to search for sea routes from west to east. However, merchants and explorers from the East set sail from east to west many years before Columbus first did.
In ancient times, silk from China found its way overland to India, the Middle East, and Rome, along what became known as the Silk Road. A trading route across the sea was also extended along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, centred around Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ). Here, merchants from China and many other places met to negotiate trade deals, which also led to more awareness of each other’s cultures. Over the centuries, further trading allowed more exploration of the regions to the west of China, as recorded in Du Haun’s Record of My Travels in the eighth century.
Later, the Ming Dynasty further developed relations with these regions. Between 1405 and 1433, seven large fleets sailed west on voyages of trade and exploration. These fleets were a sight to behold and were in a league of their own at that time. Under the command of Zheng He, they set sail from the South China Sea across the Indian Ocean to the mouth of the Red Sea, and then to the east coast of Africa. African royal families sent gifts such as giraffes as gestures of friendship in return for gold, silk, and spices. Although China withdrew from further expeditions after 1433, these land and sea routes remained active channels between other cultures for centuries.
To reach out across the sea remains a strong desire today. The ancient sea routes travelled by Zheng He are being revisited with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. The aim of this initiative is to encourage cooperation and trade across the historic Silk Road areas, and strengthen the bonds between China and the rest of the world. Trading has grown greatly in recent years, and will continue to do so in years to come. China has invested billions in systems and services along these routes, which will help to greatly develop the whole area for the benefit of future trade and cultural exchange.
China has also joined its friends across the sea on other important projects. Although the ancient sea routes of Zheng He have been travelled many times, there are still many other places left to explore. In recent years, China has joined other nations on several expeditions to explore the Arctic. From a scientific point of view, there is an urgent need to study the Arctic in order to understand climate change and its effects.
Hundreds of years on, and with the latest technology in hand, the need to trade and the desire to enhance relationships will drive China to reach out across the sea far into the future.
1. What’s the main idea of the text?A.The stories of sailors. | B.Ocean exploration changed human history. |
C.Ocean exploration of China. | D.The change of the ocean transport. |
A.The future of China to reach out across the sea. B.The meaning of trade and curiosity. C.The ancient Silk Road. D.The Ming Dynasty’s relations with some regions. E.The Belt and Road Initiative. F.The other Chinese important projects. |
Para.5
3. Why did merchants and explorers try to explore the seas across the world?
A.Because they liked to do it. | B.Because they were forced to do it. |
C.Because they needed to complete the world map. | D.Because they were inspired by Marco Polo. |
A.Sending troops in the war time. | B.Trading only silk among countries. |
C.Learning cultures from other countries. | D.Bridging the trade and cultures among countries. |
A.Critical. | B.Supportive. | C.Indifferent. | D.Doubtful. |
A.To sell tea to western countries. |
B.To make business with neighbouring countries. |
C.To spread Chinese culture to other countries. |
D.To strengthen the bond between China and other countries. |
Trade and curiosity often form the
Marco Polo’s tales inspired European explorers
Later, the Ming Dynasty further developed relations with the regions to the west of China. Seven large (fleet)
To reach out across the sea remains
China has joined
(1)The ancient sea routes travelled by Zheng He are being revisited with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road,which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
①
②
(2)Although the ancient sea routes of Zhen He have been travelled many times,there are still many other places left to explore.
①
②
5 . Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do just that, but in many cases we simply can’t. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate history is perhaps the first conflict at Botany Bay between Captain Cook’s voyage and the Australian Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain’s record of that terrible day. From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in flight after his first experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.
What does the author indicate by mentioning Captain Cook in paragraph?A.His report was significant |
B.He represented the local people. |
C.He ruled over Botany Bay. |
D.His record was one-sided. |
6 . A rare 765-year-old gold coin found on farm land in Devon in south-west England is expected to sell for up to half a million pounds at auction. It is believed that the coin was made more than 750 years ago, during the rule of the English King Henry III. It is one of only eight known to exist.
Featuring a picture of King Henry III on one side and a cross and roses on the other, the coin is around 2.5 centimetres across. It was made with gold that came from north Africa. It was found in September last year by a detectorist (someone who looks for items buried underground using a metal detector) in Hemyock village. The detectorist had no idea how rare the coin was until he posted a photo of it on social media, where it was spotted by a history expert.
The finder, who doesn’t want to be named, was told to take the coin to the British Museum, where it was confirmed that the coin was very rare. According to the law, the finder is allowed to keep it because it’s a single coin and not part of a bigger haul but he has decided to sell it. He told the BBC, “The coin was found in an unappealing field and could quite easily have never been recovered. Now it is protected for future generations to enjoy.”
The coin is especially valuable because it was one of England’s first gold coins. The country’s coins were made of silver until King Henry III, who ruled from 1216 until his death in 1272, introduced gold ones with his picture on them.
Professor David Carpenter at King’s College London, has traced the coin back to a man called John de Hidon, who was the lord of Hemyock Manor. Carpenter thinks the coin may have fallen out of someone’s pocket—either de Hidon himself or one of his staff.
The correct order of the events that happened is____________.
①The value of the coin was confirmed.
②A coin was unearthed in the field.
③The coin was on display at the British Museum.
④The coin was intended for sale.
⑤The coin caught the attention of a history expert.
A.①③②④ | B.②⑤①④ |
C.②①⑤④③ | D.④②①③⑤ |
A SHORT HISTORY OF WESTERN PAINTING
What is Western art? It is hard to give a precise definition. As there have been so many different styles of Western art, it is impossible to describe them all in a short text. Perhaps the best way to understand Western art is to look at the development of Western painting over the centuries.
The Middle Ages (from the 5th to the 15th century)
During the Middle Ages, the purpose of Western art was to teach people about Christianity. Thus, artists were not interested in painting realistic scenes. Their works were often primitive and two-dimensional, and the main characters were often made much larger than everyone else to show their importance. This began to change in the 13th century with Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337). While his paintings still had religious themes, they showed real people in a real environment. In particular, his paintings are set apart from other paintings by their realistic human faces and deep emotional impact.
The Renaissance (from the 14th to the 17th century)
New ideas and values gradually replaced old ones from the Middle Ages. As a result, painters concentrated less on religious themes. They began to adopt a more humanistic attitude to life. An important breakthrough during this period was the use of perspective by Masaccio (1401-1428). Influential painters such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Michelangelo (1475-1564), and Raphael (1483-1520) built upon Giotto and Masaccio’s innovations to produce some of the greatest art that Europe had ever seen.
Another innovation was the use of oil paints. With their deep colours and realism, some of the best oil paintings look like photographs. While painters as early as Da Vinci had used oil, this technique reached its height with Rembrandt (1606-1669), who gained a reputation as a master of shadow and light.
In subject matter, the emphasis increasingly shifted from religious themes to people and the world around us. Kings, nobles, and people of high rank wanted to purchase accurate pictures of themselves and the people they loved. Others wanted paintings showing important historical events or stories from mythology. Finally, most clients wanted paintings that were beautiful and interesting to look at.
Impressionism (late 19th to early 20th century)
The development of Western art slowed until the invention of photography in the mid-19th century. After that, paintings were no longer needed to preserve what people and the world looked like Hence, painters had to find a new way of looking at their art. From this, Impressionis emerged in France. The name of this new movement came from the painting by Claude Monet (1840-1926) called Impression, Sunrise. In this work, Monet’s aim was to convey the light and movement in the scenethe subjective impression the scene gave him-but not a detailed record of the scene itself.
While many Impressionists painted scenes of nature or daily life, others, such as Renoir (1841-1919), focused on people. Unlike the cold, black-and-white photographs of that time period, Renoir’s paintings are full of light, shadow, colour, and life. He sought to show not just the outer image of his subjects, but their inner warmth and humanity as well.
Modern Art (from the 20th century to today)
After Impressionism, subsequent artists began to ask, “What do we do next?” Painters such as Picasso (1881-1973) tried to analyse the shapes which existed in the natural world but in a new way, with Cubism. Others gave their paintings a realistic but dream-like quality Still others turned to abstract art. What they attempted to do was no longer show reality, but instead to ask the question, “What is art?”
1. What’s the main idea of the text?A.How religious paintings developed. |
B.How Western art developed. |
C.How oil paintings developed. |
D.How Impressionist paintings developed. |
A.More humanistic B.Religious faith C.Abstract and realistic D.Subjective |
(2)The Renaissance
(3)Impressionism
(4)Modern Art
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Paintings in Middle Ages were very abstract. |
B.Western art has changed a lot since the 5th century. |
C.Impressionist paintings were painted mainly indoors. |
D.Modern Art began in the Renaissance. |
A.painted religious scenes in a more realistic style |
B.focused more on religion than on humans |
C.began to paint outdoors |
D.had to find a new way of looking at their art |
A.Giotto di Bondone. |
B.Masaccio. |
C.Claude Monet. |
D.Pablo Picasso. |
A SHORT HISTORY OF WESTERN PAINTING | Para.1: The introduction to the topic | The best way to understand Western art is to look at the |
Para.2: The Middle Ages | The works were often The works still had | |
Paras.3-5: The Renaissance | Painters adopted a more ·An important breakthrough was the use of ·Another innovation was the use of oil paints. | |
Paras.6-7: Impressionism | ·It emerged in Its aim was to convey the | |
Para.8: Modern Art | Painters tried to analyse the Others gave their paintings a |
7. Analyse and translate the sentences.
(1)As there have been so many different styles of Western art,it is impossible to describe them all in a short text.
(2)Influential painters such as Leonardo da Vinci(1452-1519),Michelangelo(1475-1564),and Raphael(1483-1520)built upon Giotto and Masaccio’s innovations to produce some of the greatest art that Europe had ever seen.
(3)While painters as early as Da Vinci had used oil,this technique reached its height with Rembrandt(1606-1669),who gained a reputation as a master of shadow and light.
(4)In this work,Monet’s aim was to convey the light and movement in the scene—the subjective impression the scene gave him—but not a detailed record of the scene itself.
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 AngloSaxons 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 and left behind lots of new vocabulary, as well as the names of many locations across the UK. The last group were the Normans. They conquered England after the wellknown 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.
1. Match the main idea of each paragraphA. The four countries of the UK. B. How the UK came into being. C. The four groups of people in the history. D. Introduce the topic to the readers. E. The history and modern culture make the UK fascinating. |
2. What can help us find out the difference between some different names of the UK?
A.British languages. | B.British history. |
C.British location. | D.British education. |
A.Britain. | B.Scotland. |
C.Wales. | D.Ireland. |
A.The flag. | B.The currency. |
C.The military defence. | D.The education system. |
A.Building towns and roads. |
B.Changing the way of building houses. |
C.Leaving behind many new vocabulary. |
D.Changing the legal system. |
A.Teachers. | B.Students. |
C.Tourists. | D.Guides. |
What’s in a name | Rise a question | What is the |
Explain the question | How did the UK come into being? | |
The same and different areas | The share the same | |
The have different | ||
A long and interesting history | You will be surrounded by | |
The advantage of studying the history | Make you visit much more |
A.标出句中含有情感变化的词汇。
(1)The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England—many people are confused by what these different names mean.
(2)Getting to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.
(3)The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore, which can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions.
(4)Studying the history of the country will make your visit much more enjoyable.
B.在课文中找出表示情感变化的句子。
(1)
(2)
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 |
There are not many nations that can say their national dish has become international.
The word “pizza” came from the Latin word “pinsa” meaning flatbread. Long ago, pieces of flatbread, topped with mushrooms and herbs (香料), were a simple and tasty meal. They were mostly for those who didn’t have enough money to buy plates, or who were on the go. In the 18th century, Naples, in southern Italy, had become one of the largest cities in Europe, and it was growing fast. Lots of city people were poor and they were always rushing around to look for work.
It was in America that pizza found its second home.
For a lot of people in western countries, when they cannot decide what to eat, they order pizzas.
A. Nobody knows where pizza came from.
B. Italy has two such dishes, spaghetti and pizza.
C. They needed food that was cheap and easy to eat.
D. In 1905, the first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, was opened in New York City.