1 . 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。

Imperial Mountain Resort in Chengde used to be the resort of emperors of Qing Dynasty. Situated in the city of Chengde in northeastern Hebei Province, the resort is     1     (convenient) accessible by either train or long-distance bus. And the resort,     2     constructions started in 1703 and took 89 years to complete, is regarded as one of China’s four famous gardens.

Surrounded by lakes, forest and mountains, it is China’s     3     (large) existing imperial garden and the former summer capital of the Qing Dynasty,     4     (cover) an area of 5.64 million square meters. The size of Chengde Summer Resort is as big as that of the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace     5     (combine). The 10-km-long wall around it winds its way through plains and high mountains     6     the Great Wall.

The resort and the 12 Buddhist temples at its periphery (外围) were built during the Qing Dynasty. It served as the second political center of the Qing imperial court     7     the emperors of the early Qing Dynasty often spent their summers there, conducting state     8     (affair) and engaging in important political activities. The resort and its outer temples and palaces have made Chengde     9     famous historical and cultural city, and one of China’s leading scenic spots. The Imperial Resort     10     (list) in the directory of the world’s cultural heritages in 1994.

3 . It took brave European explorers less than 300 years, between 1420 and 1713, to establish that all the seas of the world formed an enormous and continuous ocean. This discovery encouraged them to _____ into areas which hadn’t been charted until then. With the discovery of new lands, new trade routes were _____. In many parts of the world, colonies and settlements were established and many odd-looking products were brought back to _____, arousing great interest and _____ wealth.

It was probably the irresistible desire for wealth that _____ persuaded Europeans of the fifteenth century to _____ their legendary dangers and explore further out into the open seas. They were also _____ by the love for their countries. Many explorers wanted to serve their kings and countries as well as gain personal _____ from their exploring.

The most effective way of gaining wealth was through _____. Silk, gold, silver and ______ stones, and more importantly spices, such as gingers and peppers, were the most profitable trade goods in Europe. Spices were of the greatest ______ because they enabled the Europeans to make their winter diet of salted meat more delicious. These items were ______ mostly from the East by a difficult overland route. The Italian ______, who bought goods from the Arabs of Alexandria, controlled the trade along this route. Other countries of the Mediterranean ______ the wealth which this trade generated and they were ______ to discover new routes which would allow them to share in it.

1.

A．sail

B．walk

C．fly

D．drive

2.

A．set back

B．set off

C．set up

D．set against

3.

A．the East

B．the Mediterranean

C．Europe

D．Italy

4.

A．inheriting

B．creating

C．saving

D．losing

5.

A．frequently

B．hardly

C．frankly

D．eventually

6.

A．recognize

B．risk

C．realize

D．foresee

7.

A．discouraged

B．praised

C．forced

D．inspired

8.

A．business

B．benefit

C．fame

D．rights

9.

A．trade

B．war

C．conquering

D．bargaining

10.

A．precious

B．rough

C．hard

D．smooth

11.

A．interest

B．efficiency

C．value

D．practice

12.

A．exported

B．imported

C．robbed

D．occupied

13.

A．soldiers

B．explorers

C．pioneers

D．merchants

14.

A．lost

B．won

C．possessed

D．envied

15.

A．disappointed

B．available

C．anxious

D．reluctant

4 . The TV dramas concerning the unique Empress of China are always hot among audiences. Actresses who play the role of Empress Wu Zetian, are indeed all beauties. What did Wu Zetian, China’s only female emperor, look like in real life? Let’s explore the possibilities.

The famous Chinese scholar Guo Moruo researched this, and he thought that an empress in a painting by Tang Dynasty painter Zhang Xuan is Wu Zetian. Zhang left many famous paintings, such as Paintings of Lady of Guoguo on a Spring Outing of the Tang Dynasty, Court Ladies Preparing Newly-Woven Silk and Lady of Wei. It is guessed that Zhang Xuan was a court painter and had met Wu Zetian before, so the portrait by him is quite reliable.

Another frequently seen image of Wu Zetian is the block-painted edition of Images of Ancient People in History, created in 1498, during the government of Emperor Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty. However, as the painting was recreated by Ming people, it is not very reliable and possibly a portrait born out of imagination.

There are also many stone statues of Empress Wu Zetian, and the most ancient one is now at her birthplace, Guangyuan in Sichuan province. The statue is said to be very close to the real appearance of Wu Zetian. When Empress Wu Zetian came into power, she built many temples and Buddha statues. Many Buddha statues in the Longmen Grottoes in today’s Luoyang in Henan province were constructed during her reign. Among them, a large Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple is considered to be a “portrait” of Wu Zetian at 44 years old. The Buddha has characteristics of an oriental beauty’s face and is honored as the most beautiful Buddha in the world. At 17.14 meters high, the face of the Buddha looks pretty and has a mysterious smile. Wu Zetian funded the statue’s construction and took part in the consecration(神圣)ceremony when it was completed. Ancient people assumed that the statue was a vivid portrait of Empress Wu Zetian.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A discussion about what Empress Wu Zetian looked like.

B．A brief introduction to Empress Wu Zetian.

C．why many stone statues were built.

D．The development of people’s ideas about Wu Zetian’s apprearance.

2. Why are people especially curious about what Wu Zetian looked like according to the passage?

A．Because there are too many puzzling possibilities.

B．Because even the famous Chinese scholar Guo Moruo researched this.

C．Because Wu Zetian is the only female empress in Chinese history.

D．Because it is human to be curious.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．How and why ancient people made stone statues resembling Wu Zetian.

B．Different stone statues assumed close to the appearance of Wu Zetian.

C．The development of Buddha statues resembling Wu Zetian.

D．The reason why Buddha statues were built during Wu’s government.

4. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A．Wu Zetian admired Buddhism.

B．The empress portrayed by Zhang Xuan is Wu Zetian.

C．Images of Ancient People in History was created during Wu’s government.

D．People now assume Vairocana is an vivid portrait of Wu Zetian.

5 . Honesty has always been a traditional virtue in China. Despite the passage of time, honesty has been passed down as a mainstream value.     1    

A famous Chinese idiom (成语), yinuo qianjin, tells such a story. In the early Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), a general named Ji Bu was known for being courageous and honest. Legend has it that whenever Ji made a promise, he would spare no effort to fulfill it.     2     There was a saying widely spread: It is better to have a promise from Ji Bu than to get hundreds of ounces of gold.

    3     During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Li Daquan, a successful businessman in Shanxi province, was visited by a friend who came up with a new idea. In ancient China, carrying a large quantity of cash was not only a heavy burden but could also put the owner in danger. His friend proposed that a draft (汇票) be issued to replace the real cash. This draft was not only a promise to pay, but also a claim that an amount of coin equals to the specified amount and the draft could be cashed everywhere. Li readily agreed and kept his word. The story soon got around, and Li’s honesty brought him a flood of customers and a booming business.     4     It is called the predecessor (前身) of the Chinese banking industry. His banking business eventually expanded into 35 branches across the country. Rishengchang has been preserved and turned into a museum now.

In today’s China, the spirit of honesty is still well-respected.     5     Their stories are broadcast across the country to set good examples and promote the virtue of honesty.

A．China selects national role models every year.

B．China is a country that values and rewards honesty.

C．Everyone should follow suit and be an honest person.

D．Honesty is priceless and honesty also brings creativity.

E．Such a virtue of honesty earned him a good popularity.

F．It is also shown in countless tales throughout China’s history.

G．Li Daquan later set up China’s first draft bank, Rishengchang.

6 . 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。

The knot button (盘扣), in Chinese, is a distinctive feature of traditional Chinese clothing Eyen today, it is still     1     (high) visible on garments like qi pao—cheongsam. Though normally     2     (associate) with tradition, the knot buttons are currently enjoying renewed popularity.

The history of knot buttons dates back to the prehistoric era, in     3     ropes were firs used as a primitive form of belts. In the 4th century BC, the knot button took     4     (it) present form and remained largely unchanged until the Qing Dynasty. In the second half of the 17th century, jackets and cheongsam of the Manchurian ruling class had     5     wider use of knot buttons.

Knot buttons come in wide     6    (variety) of forms, ranging from plain and simple straight knots to graceful flowery knots. However, generally speaking, the two major groups are distinguished     7     the basis of functions and decorations.

Recent years     8     (see) a comeback of knot buttons in contemporary clothing. Knot buttons of various shapes and sizes,     9     (represent) the creativity of their makers, are being used on different types of garments. The use of Chinese aesthetics(美学)and cultural heritage can attract both Chinese and foreigners who admire the beauty and     10     (unique).

7 . In the 17th century when a British businessman heard that there were one hundred million people in China, he was determined to go there and sell spoons. He thought even if he could earn one penny for one spoon, he would still make a lot of money.     1    

Then, why do the Chinese people use chopsticks? Some people did research on the origin of China’s chopsticks. One theory is that chopsticks were very convenient for Chinese to use because China was an agricultural society, relying mainly on vegetables for food. When we steamed or boiled food, it was difficult for us to use spoons to dip vegetables in the soup.     2     Westerners, on the other hand, travelled with their animals from place to place and lived on meat. For them, knives and forks were more practical.

Chopsticks reflect gentleness and kindness, the main moral teaching of Confucianism.     3     First, don’t use it to hit the side of your bowl or plate to make noises, because Chinese people think only beggars would do this to beg for meals.     4     It means you lay the blame on others. Also, don’t stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. That usually appears at the funerals and is believed to be impolite to the host and the seniors who are at the table.

Today, chopsticks have become a typical part of Chinese culture, symbolising the power of unity.     5     However, ten pairs of chopsticks represent strength, which means they won’t break off in any cases. We Chinese people draw on this spirit, which always inspires and encourages us to work hand in hand for a better future.

A．As a result, spoons were designed and preferred by Westerners.

B．But to his surprise, the Chinese people use chopsticks, not spoons.

C．Therefore, Chinese people cleverly invented chopsticks to pick food.

D．Besides, never point at people with your chopsticks while using them.

E．Indeed, one chopstick is useless and so delicate that it can be broken readily.

F．So these virtues have gradually become the rules people follow in their daily life.

G．There are some rules about using chopsticks that you should pay great attention to.

10 . 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。

In 2023, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on Thursday, June 22 in China. Chinese people will have    1    3-day holiday from June 22 to 24. The Dragon Boat Festival or Duan Wu Jie is celebrated    2    (recall) and show respect for Qu Yuan, a famous scholar in ancient China.

Dragon boat racing is one of the most important    3    (tradition) at the Dragon Boat Festival. The activity is    4    (wide) held in China’s Southern and southeastern areas    5    there are more rivers and lakes. The origin of the activity    6    (date) back to the Warring States Period. When Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river, the locals were very sad about it. Many fishermen rowed their boats trying to find his body. From then on, at this time every year the locals will row the dragon boats,     7    (hope) to drive away creatures under the river in this way. Eating Zongzi is also a part of the Dragon Boat Festival celebration. The taste of Zongzi is different according    8    the location and region of China. Generally speaking, people in southern China prefer the salty one while those in northern China like the sweet one.

As the festival is celebrated in memory of the    9    (die) of an ancient Chinese scholar, it is not proper to say “Happy Dragon Boat Festival” to others.     10    , you’d better greet each other with “Wish you peace and health at the Dragon Boat Festival ( Duānwǔānkāng).”