1 . Football has found its way to the most remote corners of the globe, becoming one of the hottest topics of the day     1     . According to the International Football Association, it was the origin of football as a sport.

Cuju became popular during the Warring States Period.     2    .

During the Han Dynasty, the popularity of Cuju gradually spread from the army to the royal courts and upper classes. Football matches were often held inside the Imperial Palace. A type of court called “ju cheng” was built especially for Cuju matches.     3    .

The sport was improved during the Tang Dynasty. First of all, the feather-stuffed ball was replaced by an air filled ball with a two layered hull(外壳)     4    . One was made by setting up posts with a net between them and the other consisted of just one goal post in the middle of the field.

The popularity of the sport exploded during the Song Dynasty due to social and economic development, extending to every class in society. At that time, professional Cuju players were quite popular, and the sport began to take on a commercial edge. Cuju organizations were set up in large cities called Qi Yun She or Yuan She-now known as the earliest professional Cuju club——whose members were either Cuju lovers or professional performers.

    5    .   And the 2,000 year old sport finally faded away from about the 16th century.

A．Also, two different types of goal posts showed up.

B．Both adults and children played Cuju in everyday life.

C．Cuju began its decline during the Ming Dynasty due to neglect.

D．Back then, it was used to strengthen the fighting power of soldiers.

E．Meanwhile, Cuju games were standardized as rules were established.

F．About 2,500 years ago in China there was a similar game called “Cuju”.

G．Dating back to over 2,000 years ago, it has changed and developed over time.

2 . Like reading? Interested in Chinese classical novels? Have a look at the following four books which are we known to most Chinese as Four Masterpieces.

The Water Margin

The Water Margin, also known as All Men Are Brothers in Pearl Buck’s translation, Shui Hu Zhuan in Chinese, is along chapter novel with the Song Jiang Uprising in the late Northern Song Dynasty as the main background and type of heroic legend. It is an immortal (不朽的) novel and has inspired many storytellers. The author of the novel is generally regarded as Shi Nai’an (1296~1371).

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the first full-length historical romance novel in China. Its author is Luo Guan zhong (about 1330~1400), a famous novelist in the late Yuan Dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty. Characters such as Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhuge Liang have become household names among the Chinese.

Journey to the West

Journey to the West is the first romantic chapter novel about gods and devils in ancient China. There are 100 copies of Journey to the Westin the existing Ming Publications without the author’s signature. Wu Yuxuan, a scholar of the Qing Dynasty, first proposed that the author of Journey to the West was Wu Cheng’en (1500~1582) of the Ming Dynasty.

The Dream of the Red Chamber

The Dream of the Red Chamber, also called The Story of the Stone, is said to be the greatest masterpiece of Chinese fiction. It is generally believed to be written by Cao Xueqin (about 1715~1763), a writer of the Qing Dynasty. With hundreds of persons and their stories, the story is very complex but also very interesting for its encyclopedic character(百科全书式的人物).

1. Which book should people read if they want to know something about the character Song Jiang?

A．The Water Margin.	B．Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
C．Journey to the West.	D．The Dream of the Red Chamber.

2. Who lived in the 16th century?

A．Shi Nai’an.

B．Luo Guanzhong.

C．Wu Cheng’en.

D．Cao Xueqin.

3. What column (专栏) in a magazine might the passage come from?

A．Health.

B．Literature.

C．Sports.

D．Science.

3 . 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.

4 . 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).”

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the talk mainly about?

A．Ways of saving energy.

B．The history of Daylight Saving Time.

C．The role of Daylight Saving Time in wartime.

2. When are clocks set back an hour in the United States?

A．In the spring.

B．In the summer.

C．In the autumn.

3. What was people’s opinion about Benjamin’s plan for Daylight Saving Time at first?

A．Clever.

B．Confusing.

C．Ridiculous.

4. When were the beginning and ending dates of Daylight Saving Time fixed in the U.S.?

A．In the 1960’s.

B．In the 1790’s.

C．During World War II

6 . In the American colonies (殖民地) there was little money. England did not supply the colonies with coins and it did not allow the colonies to make their own coins. Only the Massachusetts Bay Colony received permission for a short period in 1652 to make several kinds of silver coins. England wanted to keep money out of America as a means of controlling trade: America was forced to trade only with England as it did not have the money to buy products from other countries. The result during the pre-revolutionary period was that the colonists used various goods in place of money: beaver furs, Indian wampum, and tobacco leaves were all commonly used as substitutes (代替物) for money. The colonists also made use of any foreign coins they could obtain. Dutch, Spanish, French, and English coins were all in use in the American colonies.

Individual states and the Continental Congress (大陆国会) issued paper money. So much of this paper money was printed that by the end of the Revolutionary War it was actually worthless. As a result, trade-in goods and the use of foreign coins were still common during this period.

By the time the Revolutionary War had been won by the American colonists, the monetary (货币的) system was in a state of total confusion. To change this situation, the new Constitution of the United States (美国宪法), approved in 1789, allowed only Congress to issue money. The individual states could no longer have their own money supply. A few years later, the Coinage Act of 1792 made the dollar the official currency of the United States and put the country on a bimetallic (双金属的) standard. In this bimetallic system, both gold and silver were legal money, and the rate of exchange of silver to gold was fixed by the government at sixteen to one.

1. The reason why England kept money out of America was that________

A．America had to trade only with England

B．American colonies could have their own coins

C．the colonists wanted to save the money for their own country

D．too much paper money in use would lead to the decrease of value

2. What happened to the American monetary system during the Revolutionary War?

A．Individual states were forced to use paper money in trade.

B．The Continental Congress issued gold and silver coins.

C．American money replaced trade-in goods and foreign coins.

D．So much paper money was in use that it almost lost its value at last.

3. According to the passage, under the new US Constitution________

A．only the US Congress could issue money

B．the dollar was made the official currency of the US

C．the US officially went on a bimetallic monetary system

D．various state governments, including Massachusetts, could issue money

4. This passage mainly discusses________

A．American money from past to present

B．the English monetary policies in American colonies

C．the effect of the Revolutionary War on American money

D．the American monetary system during the 17th and 18th centuries

7 . 语法填空

Pompeii was     1     typical Roman Empire port city. Trading ships, busy fishing     2     (boat) and pleasure boats     3     (show) a prosperous city. But the last day of Pompeii ended with a volcanic     4     (erupt): the earth shook and buildings fell down     5     people ran away from an ash cloud that was rolling towards them. Then Pompeii was showered with ashes and     6     (burn) stones. Seventeen centuries later, Pompeii's ruins     7     (discover) with half-finished columns and paint on the walls     8     still looked fresh. The remains of Pompeii are a reminder that human life is short and vulnerable (易受伤害的)     9     the face of     10     (nature) disasters.

8 . About three hundred and fifty years ago. Africans first began to arrive in America. But they were not like other immigrants (移民) to the new American colonies (殖民地). They came unwillingly, kidnapped into slavery (奴隶). Men, women and children were forced to work on large farms owned by whites in the South. Others were slaves in the northern colonies, working in the homes or businesses of their owners. Even after the American War for Independence, slavery continued.

Slaves were bought and sold like animals. Husbands and wives, parents and children, might be traded to different owners and never see each other again. If they displeased their owners, they might be beaten or even killed. This was life for most black Americans as recently as one hundred and forty years ago.

During America's Civil War in the eighteen sixties, slavery was finally ended. But for many years after, blacks were not treated equally with whites. Blacks were often forbidden stores, eating places, theatres and hotels. They were refused good education, jobs and housing. Often, they were prevented from voting (投票).

1. The first group of Africans arrived in America in the ________century.

A．fifteenth	B．sixteenth
C．seventeenth	D．eighteenth

2. Africans were kidnapped to America and forced to work there as________.

A．farmers	B．workers
C．servants	D．slaves

3. The slavery in America continued ________.

A．until the American War for Independence	B．until the American Civil War
C．since one hundred and forty years ago	D．after the American Civil War

4. After slavery was ended, American blacks ________.

A．were still treated badly	B．could be beaten or even killed freely
C．could be traded freely	D．were not set free from their slave owners

5. The title of this passage would be ________.

A．The American Immigrants	B．The American Slavery
C．The History of the United Stases	D．The History of American Blacks

9 . The minutes leading up to a vacation are often an exciting time. As people check their homes and pack the last items into their suitcases, they often dream about the fun times that lie ahead. In Russia, however, there’s one final step that people take to ensure a good trip. Before they walk out of the door, Russians take a brief pause and silently sit on their suitcases for a few moments.

This unusual tradition started hundreds of years ago. In the years before Christianity, Russians believed that good and evil spirits lived inside their homes. They thought that the key to living a good life was to keep these spirits happy at all costs. If a person rushed out of their home before a trip, there was a good chance that they would forget something. When that person returned a few minutes later to get it, they would disturb the evil spirits in the home. In response, the spirits might follow them out of the door and accompany them on their trip. Since the spirits were offended by the person, they would bring them bad luck and possibly cause them harm.

Although many years have passed since suitcase sitting began, the practice continues to this day. As the Soviet Empire grew during the Cold War, suitcase sitting even spread throughout Eastern Europe. Although it’s rooted in superstition (迷信), suitcase sitting is actually quite practical. It can prevent people from forgetting passports, plane tickets, or keys. In addition, it also provides a brief moment of relaxation that can help get a journey started on the right foot. Besides that, if someone has packed too many clothes, suitcase sitting can help get it zipped up.

1. What is this passage mainly about?

A．A spirit that haunts anyone who attacks Russia.

B．A popular vacation spot in ancient Russia.

C．An old tradition that is based on scientific research.

D．A habit meant to bring good luck to travelers.

2. According to the passage, why do people sit on suitcases?

A．To keep spirits from following them on journeys.

B．To test the strength of their suitcases.

C．To invite good spirits to come on vacation.

D．To ask spirits to protect their homes.

3. What is NOT true about suitcase sitting?

A．It was made illegal during the Cold War.

B．It is practiced outside of Russia as well.

C．It started in Russia many years ago.

D．It is not based on Christian ideas.

4. What does the writer imply about suitcase sitting at the end?

A．It’s an old practice that should be forgotten.

B．It is no longer necessary in the digital age.

C．It often makes people stressed out before an important trip.

D．It has benefits that everyone can experience.

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。

Xi’an is     1     capital of Shaanxi province,     2     (locate) in the southern part of the Guanzhong Plain. Xi’an is recognized as one of     3     (important) cities in China, both     4     (history) and currently. Xi’an,     5     (call) Chang’an in ancient times,     6     (be) the capital region for 13 dynastic periods. It also has been the eastern end of the Silk Road, so Xi’an was the first Chinese city     7     (open) up its doors to the ancient world. Xi’an is surrounded by natural beauty,     8     (include) rivers, mountains, plains, and rolling hills. Xi’an, the eternal city,     9     (record) the great changes of the Chinese nation just like a     10     (live) history book.