During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.-C.E. 220),China began to trade with lands to its west over the Silk Road, a set of trade routes stretching all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. While some goods reached China from as far away as Rome, many valuable items originated in neighboring Central Asia. Perhaps the most consequential Central Asian goods were able to travel into China under their own power: horses and camels. China required a constant supply of horses for its cavalry,having learned a painful lesson in the importance of mounted horsemen from the Xiongnu, a Central Asian people whose superior horsemanship had once allowed them to invade western China.While it was difficult for the Chinese to breed their own horses, possibly due to the lack of calcium in Chinese soils and water, Central Asia had ample grasslands that were well-suited for producing horses of the highest quality. The Chinese thus traded the silk produced by their silkworms for Central Asian horses, sending tens of thousands of bolts of silk westward each year. Much of it went to the Xiongnu court, where this and other Chinese luxury goods were highly valued.
In some cases, horses arrived not as objects of trade but as spoils of war. In the early days of the Silk Road, some of the most prized horses were those from the Ferghana valley in present-day Uzbekistan.In 102 B.c.E. the Emperor Wu sent an enormous military expedition to Ferghana, capturing over 3,000 horses and forcing the defeated kingdom to deliver two additional horses to China every year. Historians have traditionally believed that these special horses were acquired for their superiority in the cavalry. Yet one historian, Arthur Waley, has maintained that the Chinese rulers desired Ferghana horses for spiritual, rather than military, reasons. At the time of Emperor Wu’s expedition, many Chinese believed in the existence of water dragons that appeared in the form of special, divine horses and often retained their dragon wings.The association of the Ferghana horses with these imaginary beasts gave them a special status.
The unprecedented prosperity of the Chinese Tang Dynasty in the 7th century led to greater levels of Chinese trade along the Silk Road and a dramatic increase in the number of foreign merchants, religious pilgrims, and other visitors to China. The large number of rich Persian merchants is suggested by the fact that the proverbial phrase “a poor Persian”was used by some Chinese to indicate an inherent contradiction. Tang China became famous for its openness to new products, ideas, and fashions. From Persia, for example, came the game of polo, in which players on horseback attempted to strike a ball through a goal using long wooden sticks. Polo, which was played by both men and women, was so popular for a time that the imperial palace had a field dedicated exclusively to the sport. Some types of horses were better suited to polo than others, and in c.E. 717 special polo ponies were imported from the kingdom of Khotan in what is now Xinjiang province. Overall, the imperial stables held some 40,000 horses for games and war.
Horses were not the only Central Asian product to figure in the cosmopolitan Tang Dynasty society. Perhaps the most representative import was the camel, which had been used there for transporting goods for thousands of years and was crucial to the functioning of the Silk Road. Aside from the ability to withstand long periods of time without drinking water, camels could survive on the scrub and thorn bushes found in the arid regions of the caravan routes, and they could transport huge loads of up to 500 pounds(about 227 kilograms). The demand for camels in Tang China grew to enormous proportions; they were used not only for transportation, but also for their valuable hair, which was woven into cloth, and sometimes for meat. Many of the colorful ceramic statuettes produced during the Tang depict camels carrying riders with beards and large noses, details that seemed exotic to the Chinese. Camels remained a common sight in some parts of China all the way into the 20th century.
1
During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.-C.E. 220),China began to trade with lands to its west over the Silk Road, a set of trade routes stretching all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. While some goods reached China from as far away as Rome, many valuable items originated in neighboring Central Asia. Perhaps the most consequential Central Asian goods were able to travel into China under their own power: horses and camels. China required a constant supply of horses for its cavalry,having learned a painful lesson in the importance of mounted horsemen from the Xiongnu, a Central Asian people whose superior horsemanship had once allowed them to invade western China.While it was difficult for the Chinese to breed their own horses, possibly due to the lack of calcium in Chinese soils and water, Central Asia had ample grasslands that were well-suited for producing horses of the highest quality. The Chinese thus traded the silk produced by their silkworms for Central Asian horses, sending tens of thousands of bolts of silk westward each year. Much of it went to the Xiongnu court, where this and other Chinese luxury goods were highly valued.
The word”consequential”in the passage is closest in meaning to
Aimportant
Bfamiliar
Cpractical
Dfamous
2
During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.-C.E. 220),China began to trade with lands to its west over the Silk Road, a set of trade routes stretching all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. While some goods reached China from as far away as Rome, many valuable items originated in neighboring Central Asia. Perhaps the most consequential Central Asian goods were able to travel into China under their own power: horses and camels. China required a constant supply of horses for its cavalry,having learned a painful lesson in the importance of mounted horsemen from the Xiongnu, a Central Asian people whose superior horsemanship had once allowed them to invade western China.While it was difficult for the Chinese to breed their own horses, possibly due to the lack of calcium in Chinese soils and water, Central Asia had ample grasslands that were well-suited for producing horses of the highest quality. The Chinese thus traded the silk produced by their silkworms for Central Asian horses, sending tens of thousands of bolts of silk westward each year. Much of it went to the Xiongnu court, where this and other Chinese luxury goods were highly valued.
Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
AThe Xiongnu taught the Chinese about horsemanship and provided China with a constant supply of horses.
BWestern China had once been invaded by the Xiongnu, a Central Asian people with superior horsemanship.
CThe invasion of western China by mounted horsemen from Xiongnu was very painful to China.
DThe experience of invasion by Xiongnu horsemen led China to demand a constant supply of horses for its cavalry.
3
During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.-C.E. 220),China began to trade with lands to its west over the Silk Road, a set of trade routes stretching all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. While some goods reached China from as far away as Rome, many valuable items originated in neighboring Central Asia. Perhaps the most consequential Central Asian goods were able to travel into China under their own power: horses and camels. China required a constant supply of horses for its cavalry,having learned a painful lesson in the importance of mounted horsemen from the Xiongnu, a Central Asian people whose superior horsemanship had once allowed them to invade western China.While it was difficult for the Chinese to breed their own horses, possibly due to the lack of calcium in Chinese soils and water, Central Asia had ample grasslands that were well-suited for producing horses of the highest quality. The Chinese thus traded the silk produced by their silkworms for Central Asian horses, sending tens of thousands of bolts of silk westward each year. Much of it went to the Xiongnu court, where this and other Chinese luxury goods were highly valued.
According to paragraph 1,the lack of calcium in Chinese soils and water may have resulted in which of the following?
AThe need to import calcium-rich foods from Central Asia
BThe superiority of Chinese silkworms
CThe failure to raise horses in China
DThe high quality of Chinese horses
4
In some cases, horses arrived not as objects of trade but as spoils of war. In the early days of the Silk Road, some of the most prized horses were those from the Ferghana valley in present-day Uzbekistan.In 102 B.c.E. the Emperor Wu sent an enormous military expedition to Ferghana, capturing over 3,000 horses and forcing the defeated kingdom to deliver two additional horses to China every year. Historians have traditionally believed that these special horses were acquired for their superiority in the cavalry. Yet one historian, Arthur Waley, has maintained that the Chinese rulers desired Ferghana horses for spiritual, rather than military, reasons. At the time of Emperor Wu’s expedition, many Chinese believed in the existence of water dragons that appeared in the form of special, divine horses and often retained their dragon wings.The association of the Ferghana horses with these imaginary beasts gave them a special status.
According to paragraph 2， which of the following was the result of Emperor Wu’s military expedition in 102 B.C.E.?
AThree thousand soldiers from Ferghana were captured by the Chinese army.
BThe Chinese gained a large supply of Ferghana horses.
CThe superiority of the Chinese cavalry led to the defeat of the kingdom of Ferghana.
DThe Chinese people stopped believing in the existence of water dragons.
5
In some cases, horses arrived not as objects of trade but as spoils of war. In the early days of the Silk Road, some of the most prized horses were those from the Ferghana valley in present-day Uzbekistan.In 102 B.c.E. the Emperor Wu sent an enormous military expedition to Ferghana, capturing over 3,000 horses and forcing the defeated kingdom to deliver two additional horses to China every year. Historians have traditionally believed that these special horses were acquired for their superiority in the cavalry. Yet one historian, Arthur Waley, has maintained that the Chinese rulers desired Ferghana horses for spiritual, rather than military, reasons. At the time of Emperor Wu’s expedition, many Chinese believed in the existence of water dragons that appeared in the form of special, divine horses and often retained their dragon wings.The association of the Ferghana horses with these imaginary beasts gave them a special status.
In paragraph 2， why does the author provide the information that horses from the Ferghana valley were associated with water dragons?
ATo provide an example of the Chinese belief in the existence of special, divine horses
BTo provide evidence that many Chinese gave a special status to imaginary beasts
CTo identify a possible spiritual reason for the Chinese rulers’ desire for the horses
DTo support the claim that the horses were acquired for their superiority in the cavalry
6
The unprecedented prosperity of the Chinese Tang Dynasty in the 7th century led to greater levels of Chinese trade along the Silk Road and a dramatic increase in the number of foreign merchants, religious pilgrims, and other visitors to China. The large number of rich Persian merchants is suggested by the fact that the proverbial phrase “a poor Persian”was used by some Chinese to indicate an inherent contradiction. Tang China became famous for its openness to new products, ideas, and fashions. From Persia, for example, came the game of polo, in which players on horseback attempted to strike a ball through a goal using long wooden sticks. Polo, which was played by both men and women, was so popular for a time that the imperial palace had a field dedicated exclusively to the sport. Some types of horses were better suited to polo than others, and in c.E. 717 special polo ponies were imported from the kingdom of Khotan in what is now Xinjiang province. Overall, the imperial stables held some 40,000 horses for games and war.
Paragraph 3 suggests that people in Tang China believed which of the following about Persians?
AThey usually visited China as religious pilgrims.
BThey were usually wealthy.
CTheir behavior was contradictory.
DThey were typically poor.
7
The unprecedented prosperity of the Chinese Tang Dynasty in the 7th century led to greater levels of Chinese trade along the Silk Road and a dramatic increase in the number of foreign merchants, religious pilgrims, and other visitors to China. The large number of rich Persian merchants is suggested by the fact that the proverbial phrase “a poor Persian”was used by some Chinese to indicate an inherent contradiction. Tang China became famous for its openness to new products, ideas, and fashions. From Persia, for example, came the game of polo, in which players on horseback attempted to strike a ball through a goal using long wooden sticks. Polo, which was played by both men and women, was so popular for a time that the imperial palace had a field dedicated exclusively to the sport. Some types of horses were better suited to polo than others, and in c.E. 717 special polo ponies were imported from the kingdom of Khotan in what is now Xinjiang province. Overall, the imperial stables held some 40,000 horses for games and war.
In paragraph 3,why does the author mention that for a time the imperial palace had a field dedicated to the Persian sport of polo?
ATo demonstrate the high level of prosperity attained by the Tang Dynasty
BTo support the claim that Tang China was open to new experiences
CTo suggest that wealthy Persians were entertained there by the emperor
DTo explain why the imperial stables held more horses for games than for war
8
Horses were not the only Central Asian product to figure in the cosmopolitan Tang Dynasty society. Perhaps the most representative import was the camel, which had been used there for transporting goods for thousands of years and was crucial to the functioning of the Silk Road. Aside from the ability to withstand long periods of time without drinking water, camels could survive on the scrub and thorn bushes found in the arid regions of the caravan routes, and they could transport huge loads of up to 500 pounds(about 227 kilograms). The demand for camels in Tang China grew to enormous proportions; they were used not only for transportation, but also for their valuable hair, which was woven into cloth, and sometimes for meat. Many of the colorful ceramic statuettes produced during the Tang depict camels carrying riders with beards and large noses, details that seemed exotic to the Chinese. Camels remained a common sight in some parts of China all the way into the 20th century.
Which of the following is NOT given in paragraph 4 as a reason why camels were essential to the functioning of the Silk Road?
AThey needed very little water.
BThey could feed themselves on the vegetation growing along the trade routes.
CThey could move through scrub and thorn bushes without getting hurt or lost.
DThey could carry very heavy loads.
9
Horses were not the only Central Asian product to figure in the cosmopolitan Tang Dynasty society.■ Perhaps the most representative import was the camel, which had been used there for transporting goods for thousands of years and was crucial to the functioning of the Silk Road. Aside from the ability to withstand long periods of time without drinking water, camels could survive on the scrub and thorn bushes found in the arid regions of the caravan routes, and they could transport huge loads of up to 500 pounds(about 227 kilograms). ■ The demand for camels in Tang China grew to enormous proportions; they were used not only for transportation, but also for their valuable hair, which was woven into cloth, and sometimes for meat. ■Many of the colorful ceramic statuettes produced during the Tang depict camels carrying riders with beards and large noses, details that seemed exotic to the Chinese. ■Camels remained a common sight in some parts of China all the way into the 20th century.
Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
Nevertheless, in the popular imagination camels remained associated with foreign lands.
Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square sentence to the passage.
10
From the Han Dynasty through the Tang Dynasty, horses and camels were among the goods imported to China from Central Asia.
ADuring the Han Dynasty, Chinese traders brought Central Asian horses along the Silk Road all the way to the Mediterranean, where they were purchased by Roman traders.
BBoth horses and camels attained cultural significance as signs of wealth, and during the reign of Emperor Wu, horses could be owned only by the emperor and his family.
CDuring the Tang Dynasty, camels gradually replaced horses for both recreation and transportation, as camels were regarded as exotic symbols of wealth and foreign style.
DThe superior horses of Central Asia were brought to China under various circumstances, some of them traded for high volumes of Chinese silk and others taken in battle.
EHorses were used in the cavalry and for sport, particularly for polo during the Tang Dynasty, and some horses may also have had spiritual significance for the Chinese people.
FCamels were well suited to transportation along the Silk Road, and they provided other products, including their meat and their hair, which could be used for cloth.
