四、阅读理解
“No building comes without carvings(雕刻), and carvings make buildings more valuable,” goes an old saying in Minnan, an area in southern Fujian Province. The saying refers to brick carvings, which were an important feature of the old red brick buildings in the area.
“The carvings were once commonly found on either side of main entrance of Minnan's buildings. However, with development, the number of ancient red brick buildings has decreased(下降), and Minnan's brick carvings have gradually(渐渐地)disappeared from sight,” said Wu Jiandong, a young master brick carver from Fujian's Quanzhou City.
The 42-year-old carver has learned the traditional skill and now connected it with modern tastes to develop his style of brick carving. Wu said that he hoped to be able to help the traditional craft(工艺)continue through *innovation*.
“Market requirements have changed in recent years, and so has our thinking,” Wu said. “We must add modern elements(元素)to help pass down and develop traditional crafts.”
People in Minnan love tea, so Wu created a series of carved brick tea decorations, including tea plates, cup holders, pot holders and other items. They have been warmly received by local people and foreign visitors.
Earlier this year, a pendant(挂件)decorated with a swallow tail ridge and a bright moon was bought by an overseas(海外的)Chinese from the Philippines. The customer(顾客)told Wu that he would hang the pendant in his office as a reminder of the buildings and the moon of his hometown.
Because of the praise of his work, Wu will be able to pass down the craft and further develop his pieces, and the popularity(流行)of short videos has also given his new hopes of spreading Minnan brick carvings.
The art form started during the Song dynasty and became popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is now an important part of national cultural heritage(遗产).
(
C
) 1. Why does the writer begin the text by using the old saying?
A. To attract more people to visit Minnan.
B. To give advice on developing brick carvings.
C. To show the importance of brick carvings in Minnan.
D. To introduce an area in southern Fujian Province.
(
D
) 2. The underlined word “innovation” in the passage probably means “______”.
A. ways to make something famous
B. ancient ways of doing something
C. ways to make something special
D. new methods of doing something
(
B
) 3. We can infer(推断)from the sixth paragraph that ______.
A. Wu's most customers came from abroad
B. brick carvings become symbols of homesickness for some people
C. the pendant of brick carving becomes popular
D. Wu's brick pieces are warmly received all over the world
(
A
) 4. How did Wu feel about his brick art pieces?
A. Confident.
B. Worried.
C. Hopeless.
D. Surprised.
(
C
) 5. What is probably the best title for this passage?
A. An Artist with His Own Style of Brick Carvings.
B. The Ancient Red Brick Buildings in Minnan.
C. Minnan's Brick Carving Art Is Coming Back.
D. The History of Minnan's Brick Carvings.
