Question

Ancient people made clay pottery because they needed it for their survival. They used the pots they made for cooking, storing food, and carrying things from place to place. Pottery was so important to early cultures that scientists now study it to learn more about ancient civilizations. The more advanced the pottery in terms of decoration, materials, glazes, and manufacture, the more advanced the culture itself.

The artisan who makes pottery in North America today utilizes his or her skill and imagination to create items that are beautiful as well as functional, transforming something ordinary into something special and unique.

The potter uses one of the Earth’s most basic materials, clay. Clay can be found almost anywhere. Good pottery clay must be free from all small stones and other hard materials that would make the potting process difficult. Most North American artisan potters now purchase commercially processed clay, but some find the clay they need right in the earth, close to where they work.

The most important tools potters use are their own hands; however, they also use wire loop tools, wooden modeling tools, plain wire, and sponges. Plain wire is used to cut away the finished pot from its vase on the potter’s wheel.

After a finished pot is dried of all its moisture in the open air, it placed in a kiln and fired. The first firing hardens the pottery, and it is then ready to be glazed and fired again.

For areas where they do not want any glaze, such as the bottom of the pot, artisans paint on melted wax that will later burn off in the kiln. They then pour on the liquid glaze and let it run over the clay surface, making any kind of decorative pattern that they want.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. Different kinds of clay.

B. The training of an artisan.

C. The making of pottery.

D. Crafts of ancient civilizations.

2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as a way that ancient people used pottery?

A. To hold food.　　　　   B. To wash clothes.

C. To cook.　　　　　　   D. To transport objects.

3. According to the passage, how do most North American potters today get the clay they need?

A. They buy it.

B. They make it.

C. They dig it from the earth.

D. They barter for it.

4. According to the author, what do potters use to remove the pot from the wheel?

A. Melted wax.　　　　 B. A wire loop.

C. A sponge.　　　　   D. Plain wire.

5. The word“pattern”in the last sentence is closest in meaning to which of the following?

A. Model.　　　　   B. Color.

C. Puzzle.　　　　   D. Design.

 

Answer 1

答案：1C2B3A4D5D
解析：

1、此题属主旨题，即找出该文章的中心思想。A、B、D都与内容有关，但只是文章的一部分，C才是最佳答案。 2、由文章第一段第二句可看出，古代人用陶瓷cook, store food, carry things，没有提到wash clothes. 3、第三段中purchase意为“购买”。 4、Plain wire is used to cut away the finished pot from its vase on the potter’s wheel. 根据这句可知答案。 5、他们制作any kind of decorative pattern that they want, pattern意为“式样”，相当于design。