五、传统文化阅读理解。
Chinese stone lions are special to Chinese people. We can often see them in front of the gates of traditional buildings. It is amazing that all the beautiful Chinese stone lions are carved(雕刻)by hand.
It's interesting that there was no lion in ancient China until the Han Dynasty. With trade and cultural exchanges through the Silk Road, lions were introduced into China. At that time, most people in ancient China had never seen a real lion. So Chinese stone lions' looks are different from what we are familiar(熟悉的)with.
Features(特征)
Stone lions of different dynasties are not the same.
The ones of the Han and Tang dynasties looked very strong, while the thin but powerful ones were from the Yuan Dynasty. As to the stone lions of the Ming and Qing dynasties, they looked gentle. Besides, stone lions have local styles in different parts of China. For example, the ones from South China look more alive with many decorations.
Cultural meanings
In traditional Chinese culture, the lion is a mythical(神话的)figure rather than a real animal. Some people believe that the lion can drive away bad luck and bring safety. That is why people used to put Chinese stone lions in front of their gates.
It's also popular to decorate bridges with Chinese stone lions. The best known of these is the Lugou Bridge. It has about 500 Chinese stone lions and they have different sizes and shapes. When we talk about the bridge, a famous saying will come to our mind, “The Chinese stone lions on the Lugou Bridge are countless.”
(
B
)1. 新考法Lions were introduced into ancient China through the
B
of the Silk Road.
A. farming development
B. trade and cultural exchanges
C. military(军事的)cooperation
D. building technology development
(
B
)2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Chinese stone lions aren't made by hand.
B. There was no lion in ancient China before the Han Dynasty.
C. Stone lions from North China are more alive.
D. The Lugou Bridge has about 500 Chinese stone lions with the same shape.
(
A
)3. If a new traditional - style building is built in China now, what may people do?
A. Put stone lions in front of its gates.
B. Carve stone lions that look thin and weak.
C. Refuse to use stone lions as decorations.
D. Make stone tigers.
(
B
)4. 新考法What is the author's attitude towards Chinese stone lions?
A. Doubtful.
B. Admiring.
C. Uninterested.
D. Critical(批评的).