1 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

China is widely known     1     its ancient civilization. There are many factors for its     2       (survive) , one of which is the Chinese writing system.

At the beginning,     3     (write) Chinese was a picture-based language. By the Shang Dynasty, these symbols     4     (become) a well-developed writing system. Over the years, the system developed into different forms, as it was a time when people were divided     5    (geography), leading to many varieties of dialects and characters. It was during the Qin Dynasty     6     the Chinese writing system began to develop     7     one direction. The writing system was of great importance in uniting the Chinese people and culture. It has also become an important means by which China’s present     8     (connect) with its past.

Today, the Chinese writing system is still     9     important part of Chinese culture. As China plays a     10     (great) role in global affairs, an increasing number of people are beginning to appreciate China’s culture and history through this amazing language.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Kite flying dated from China and became popular around the country. With a long history, it is considered as the    1    (early) aircraft we have ever known. Kites were used for military(军事的)purposes in the very. beginning, such as measurement and signaling. Later kite flying gradually became    2    outdoor activity for recreation as well as art and    3    (be) warmly welcome for centuries.

In the past, people fastened bamboo-made whistles onto a kite. While    4    (fly) through the wind, it produced sound like the music produced by gu-zheng,     5    is a traditional Chinese instrument. Therefore, kite has    6    (it) modern name as fengzheng.

In the 7^th century, kite    7    (introduce) to neighboring countries including Korea and Japan. Around the 13^th century, Marco Polo introduced it to Europe and Arab countries.

Around the Qingming Festival, usually on early April, many people fly kites in public squares. The sky is dotted with kites of different designs, such as dancing butterflies, bounding dragons, and swimming fish. When people look at those kites, they feel as if they were flying away with the kites    8    (escape) the noisy world and step into the nature with their body and soul. Besides, it is a way for people to pray    9    blessings and fortune.

The traditional Chinese kite expresses    10    (harmonious) between human and nature, a long-held belief treasured by the Chinese people.

3 . On 2 September, 1666, the citizens of London woke to see the city's crowded wooden houses on fire. The fire started in a baker's shop in Pudding Lane in the early hours of the morning. By the time it burned Alit Otis 5 September around 13, 000 buildings had been destroyed, including the original St Paul's Cathedral, 87 churches and 52 company halls. Between 65, 000 and 80, 000 people lost their homes, although thankfully only a handful were recorded as having been killed. The estimated cost of the fire was around 10 million pounds.

Soon after the fire, several designs work put forward for the redevelopment of London,   among them once from Wren, a favorite or King Charles TI. A common theme was streets spreading out from the river and crossing with others running parallel to it. However, a lack of money to buy the land and the need to rebuild the city quickly ruined all his grand ideas.

Instead, nearly 3,000 houses were built within the first three years, mostly back on the original layout.

The task of getting London rebuilt was given to a commits of six men, including Wren. Their role was to manage surveys of ruined properties and consider the fun and scald of new buildings, and any adjustments to the streets.

The major roads were widened to reduce the risk of fires spreading in futile. For the same reason, buildings were constructed largely from brick and stone instead of wood. Guidelines were also made for the height of houses and about how much wood could be used on the outside. There was even a new rule insisting on the use of downpipes, to stop problems with rainwater flowing down from gutters（排水沟）.

Although others designed and rebuilt many properties in Lincoln after the Great Fire, Wren was the most productive architect. In total, he designed and supervised the construction of 52 churches, 36 company halls, two great hospitals and St Paul's Cathedral, all of which took 35 years to complete. Many of' these still stand today. Wren was also one of the architects of the 62 meter﹣tall Monument, a memorial to the Great Fir which stands close to the sit where it started.

1. According to the passage, the fire in London

A．lasted four days before it was out

B．started in the wealthy neighborhood

C．broke out in the afternoon

D．caused thousands deaths

2. Wren's grand ideas to rebuild the city were ruined partly because .

A．King Charles II didn't approve obit

B．they were short of money to pay workers

C．houses should be rebuilt in their fencer place

D．his design required more time than needed

3. Which of the following measures helped prevent fires？

A．All newly﹣built roads were widened.

B．All new buildings were of the same height.

C．A limited amount of wood was used.

D．A large number of downpipes were used.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph？

A．Wren designed most of the new buildings.

B．It took 35 years to build St Paul's Cathedral.

C．Today we can see some buildings designed by Wren.

D．Two architects designed the 62﹣meter monument.

5. Which is the best title for the passage？

A．Works oaf Great Architect

B．Reconstruction of London

C．The Great Fire of London

D．Measures against Great Fir.

4 . At some point in elementary school, your science teacher may explained to you that there are 365 days in a year because that's how long it takes for Earth to complete one full journey around the sun. What they might not have explained, however, is that it's not exactly 365 days—it’s actually closer to 365. 2421 days.

So, if we want our calendar year to begin right when Earth begins a new turn around the sun, we have to account for roughly an extra quarter of a day each year, or one day every four years. History.com reports that the Egyptians had already been doing this for a while before Europe finally caught on in 46 BC, when Roman Emperor Julius Caesar and astronomer Sosigenes put their heads together to come up with what we now call the Julian calendar, which includes 12 months, 365 days, and an additional ''leap day'' every four years on February 29.

But rounding 0.2421 up to 0.25 each year created an issue, because it didn't quite add up to a full day every four years—and that tiny difference meant that after 128 years, the calendar year ended up starting a day before Earth had completed its journey around the sun. By the 14^th century, the calendar year was starting 10 days before Earth finished its orbit.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII sought to correct the error by suggesting that we simply skip a leap day every so often. His Gregorian calendar, which we still use today, rules that we skip the leap day during years which can be evenly divided (被整除) by 100 but not by 400. For instance, the year 2000 included a leap day because it can be divided by 100 and 400; the year 2100, on the other hand, will not include a leap day, since it's evenly divided by 100, but not by 400.

Gregory XIII’s correction to Caesar's overcorrection is itself a bit of an under-correction, so we'll probably need to reevaluate our leap day design again in about 10,000 years.

1. What do the underlined words ''put their heads together'' in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Come across each other.	B．Bump their heads together.
C．Compete against each other.	D．Combine their efforts.

2. According to Gregorian calendar, which year may include a leap day?

A．2100.	B．1600.
C．1800.	D．2020.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Emperor Julius Caesar was also an astronomer.

B．Today's calendar exactly agrees with the sun's turning.

C．The 10-day early start in calendar will always exist.

D．The Gregorian calendar is not yet the most accurate.

4. What's the purpose of this passage?

A．To point out a mistake made by your science teacher.

B．To explain how long Earth makes a trip around the sun.

C．To explain in detail why the leap day is needed.

D．To explain the reason why we need a calendar.

5 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Happy Birthday to You is a happy song,     1     the story behind it may not be known to all. Two sisters, Mildred Hill and Dr. Patty     2    (write) a song for children     3    (call) Good Morning to All. The song was sure to be     4     success due to    5    talents. The sisters published the song in 1893.

Thirty-one years later, a gentleman by the name of Robert H. Coleman published the song without the sisters     6    ( permit). And     7    (make) matters worse, he added a second verse, which was the familiar Happy Birthday to you.

Mr. Coleman's addition of the second verse     8    (popular) the song and eventually, Happy Birthday to You, the one and only birthday song totally replaced the sisters' Good Morning to All.

After Mildred died in 1916, Patty took Mr. Coleman to court. In court, she proved that she and her sister owned the melody. Because the family     9    (legal)owns the song, they are entitled to royalties from it whenever it is sung     10    commercial purposes.

6 . Up in the air—a history of ballooning

The first kind of air transportation was the balloon. People traveled by balloon one hundred years before there were planes or jet aircraft. Those early days of ballooning were exciting, but they were also risky.     1     However, the danger did not stop the balloonists.

The first real balloon flight was in France in 1783. Two French brothers made a balloon.     2    Hot air is lighter than cold air, so it goes up. The hot air balloon went up 1,000 feet in the sky.

    3    They built a fire under the balloon to make the air hot. This made the balloon stay up in the air for a few hours. But their balloon was tied to the ground. So it could not go anywhere.

Soon balloonists tried longer flights. In 1785, an American and a Frenchman flew over the English Channel. They left England on a cold, clear January day. Halfway across, their balloon began to drop toward the water. They threw out some equipment and food to make the balloon lighter. The balloon continued to fall, so they threw out almost everything in the basket -even some of their clothes.     4    

During the nineteenth century, ballooning became a popular sport and balloons were also used by scientists to study the air and by armies in war time. After the airplane was invented, however, interest in balloons decreased dramatically. But some people today still like to go up in balloons.     5    What’s more, they have a wonderful view of the world below.

A．They filled a very large paper bag with hot air.

B．High up in the balloon basket, they find quiet.

C．Sometimes the balloons fell suddenly and sometimes they burned.

D．Back then, few people understood how they were able to fly so far.

E．Finally, after about three hours, they landed in France, cold but safe.

F．Balloon races and displays remain popular all over the world to this very day.

G．Later that same year, two other Frenchmen ascended in a basket under a balloon.

7 . “The Lion King” is one of Disney’s highest earners. But behind “The Lion King”, a true story of Sundiata Keita is still largely invisible outside his own country.

Known as the Lion of Mali, Sundiata was the founder of the Malian Empire, the largest kingdom in West Africa. His empire expanded more than 1,000 miles from the Atlantic coast all the way to the Niger River. Sundiata ruled from 1235 to 1255.

Sundiata’s father, King Naré Maghann Konaté, was told by fortune tellers that if he married an ugly woman she would give birth to a son who would become a mighty and magnificent king. He already had a wife named Sassouma Bereté and a son named Dankaran Tourman. However, Konate took Sogolon Kedjou as his second wife. She gave birth to Sundiata, who was born disabled. Though the king favored him, both Sogolon and Sundiata were unfairly teased for his disability.

Sundiata became a great leader among his people, sparking resentment from his half-brother Tourman who wanted the throne for himself. When Konaté died, many suspected that he had been murdered. Fearful of an attack on their lives. Sogolon took Sundiata and the rest of her children and fled. The Mandinka people were taken over by the cruel and unfair King Soumaoro Kante of the Sosso people.

In need of their true leader, the people sent word for Sundiata to return and take his rightful place as the king. Outside of the country, Sundiata built alliances with the king of Mema and other local rulers. He gathered an army to free the Mandinka people and defeat the Sosso king. Upon his victorious return, he adopted a new title for himself. “Mansa,” which means king or emperor in Mandinka. Sundiata’s kingdom became one of the most wealthy and powerful empires in history.

1. Why is the movie “The Lion King” mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．To show us one of Disney’s achievements.

B．To encourage a view of the movie.

C．To introduce a true story.

D．To tell us its popularity among the public.

2. Why did Konaté get married to Sogolon Kedjou?

A．Because she was a recognized beauty.

B．Because he expected her to produce a great successor.

C．Because she adored him for his immense power.

D．Because he was not content with his first wife.

3. What does the underlined word “resentment” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Inspiration.	B．Anger.
C．Admiration.	D．Guilt.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A magazine.	B．A diary.
C．A guidebook.	D．A novel.

8 . Beginning with Chinese efforts to explore and connect with Central Asia, the Silk Road consisted of massive small routes and was named after the silk cloth the Chinese produced.     1     Through these routes, Chinese silk, porcelain, lacquer work and ironware were shipped to the West, while pepper, flax, spices, grape and pomegranate entered China.

    2     They promoted flow of knowledge as well. Arab astronomy, calendar and medicine found their way to China, while China’s four great inventions and silkworm breeding spread to other parts of the world.     3     For example, Buddhism originated in India, blossomed in China and was enriched in Southeast Asia. Confucianism, which was born in China, gained appreciation by European thinkers such as Leibniz and Voltaire. Herein lies the appeal of mutual learning.

The ancient silk routes witnessed the busy scenes of visits and trade over land and ships calling at ports. Along these major routes, capital, technology and people flowed freely.     4     The ancient prosperous cities and ports developed, so did the Roman Empire as well as Parthia and Kushan Kingdoms. The Han and Tang Dynasties of China entered the golden age. The ancient silk routes brought prosperity to these regions and contributed to their development.

Some regions along the ancient Silk Road used to be a land of milk and honey. Yet today, these places are often associated with conflict, crisis and challenge.     5     Now, the Belt and Road Initiative intends to build an open platform of cooperation and a broad community of shared interests. It will not only achieve economic growth and balanced development, but also connect different civilizations. Mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual trust among different countries will be boosted.

A．More importantly ideas were also exchanged.

B．The ancient silk routes were not only for trade.

C．Goods, resources and benefits were widely shared.

D．Such state of affairs should not be allowed to continue.

E．However, silk was just one of many goods traded on these routes.

F．Large empires provided stability and protection for the trade routes.

G．The Silk Road was never an actual road, or even a single massive trade route.

9 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

When foreigners negotiate, or register in certain areas of China, they may be     1    (surprise) at Chinese’s special fondness and preference for seals. To Chinese, seals are an art of deep cultural roots,     2     combines the essence of both calligraphy(书法) and sculpture and inspires generations to study, to appreciate and to collect.

It is believed that seals came out as early     3     8,000 years ago after our ancestors could make pottery wares(陶瓷)and had private property. They were assumed to make marks on     4    (they) own possessions to prevent them from being stolen. When the first dynasty     5    (found),the king began to use seals to empower(授权)and to show lordly credits. Only the king’s special seal was then called “Xi”,     6    (represent) the highest authority. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, had his “Xi”    7    (make) out of the invaluable and beautiful jade “Heshi Bi”.

Then the local governments also needed seals for     8     same function. Meanwhile, private seals were carved in a variety of lucky     9    (character)and vivid animal patterns.    10    (gradual). the sphragistics (印章学) came into being.

10 . The word “boycott” comes to English through Irish, which can be used as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, boycott means to refuse to do something as a form of protest （抗 议）.People who boycott something are often looking for social, economic （经济的）or political change.    1    People stop using goods or services during a boycott until changes are made.     2     In the mid-1800s, a young man, Charles Boycott, worked as a land agent for the owner of a large country farm in Ireland.     3    Later, the farmers demanded lower rents. Boycott refused, and even kicked some of them out of the farm. As a result, another man named Davitt came into conflict with Boycott.

In 1879，Davitt founded a group called the Land League，which sought to help poor farmers. He suggested to the farmers that they refuse to do business with Boycott.    4     Since Boycott’s workers and servants refused to carry out his orders, the crops in his fields   went bad. The community turned their back on the Boycott's family and they were forced to move.

At the end of 1880，some British newspapers began using Boycott’s name when reporting on a protest of unfair methods or actions.    5    By the late 1880s,   The New York Times was reporting on boycotts. The word was generally used to describe labor protests against businesses. These days, consumers are able to use their buying power to boycott businesses they consider unfair.

A．The usage quickly spread.

B．In fact, it began with a man’s name.

C．This form of protest proved effective.

D．However, its original meaning is still unknown.

E．As a noun，the word boycott has a somewhat different meaning.

F．Otherwise，his last name may become a word people use when they protest.

G．Boycott’s job was to collect rents from the farmers who rented fields of the farm.