Spring is a good time for kite flying -- a popular activity in China. On a sunny day with a good breeze(微风), you'll see hundreds of colorful kites flying in the sky. They have all kinds of shapes like swallows and peaches. Some of the shapes have special meanings. For example, swallows mean good luck and peaches bring you a long life.
The city of Weifang in Shandong is the home of the kite. The city holds an international kite festival in April every year. There are competitions for kite-flying skills and new styles of kites. The most famous is the competition for the "Kite King ". Thousands of kite fans from more than 30 countries visit the city to take part in the competitions, or to just enjoy this colorful event(事件).
The largest kite in the world is a big "octopus (章鱼)". It's about 1,100 square meters, twice as big as a basketball court. Li Jingyang, a kite fan in Jilin, spent eight months making it in 2008.
The kite was invented by Chinese people over 2,000 years ago. According to historical (历史的) record, kites were first used by soldiers to send news to their friends. In the Tang Dynasty, flying kites became a popular game played by everyone.
As it was introduced to the West in the ll00s, the kite brought a great influence(影响) on Western life.
In 1782, the lightning rod (避雷针) was invented with the help of a kite. Modern aircraft came from kites, too. At the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, a board reads: "The earliest man-made aircrafts were the kites and missiles (投射武器) of ancient China."
【小题1】 What activity is very popular in spring?
| A．Eating peaches. | B．Feeding swallows. | C．Flying kites. | D．Going to competitions. |
【小题2】 What do people hope for when flying kites shaped like swallows?
| A．Good luck. | B．A long life. | C．A lot of money. | D．Good health. |
【小题3】Why do thousands of people visit the city of Weifang in April every year?
| A．Because they enjoy this colorful event. |
| B．Because of the beauty of Weifang. |
| C．Because they have new styles of kites. |
| D．Because they are the winners of the “Kite King”. |
【小题4】 When did Chinese people invent the kite?
| A．In 2008. | B．In 1782. | C．About 1000 years ago. | D．Over 2000 years ago. |
【小题5】Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
| A．The largest kite is three times as big as a basketball court. |
| B．In the Qing Dynasty, flying kites became a popular game played by everyone. |
| C．People invented kites to help swallows fly. |
| D．People got the idea of inventing the lightning rod from kites. |
