瓷器中的中華文化

廣東 李奕群

主題語(yǔ)境：人與社會(huì)

篇幅：350詞

建議用時(shí)：8分鐘

1Porcelain(瓷器),one of ancient China's oldest and greatest inventions,has played a significant role in the country's long history.The word“porcelain”was probably first used by the celebrated traveler Marco Polo when he brought it from China to Europe in the 14th century.The fact that porcelain is also popularly known as“china”in English speaks of the common recognition of its ori?gins and identification with China.

2By the late Paleolithic (舊石器時(shí)代的) Age,ancient Chinese people had already made pottery (陶器).Pieces discovered from the Xianrendong Cave in Jiangxi Province are believed to be the world's earliest pottery,dating back about 20,000 years.

3Some 18,000 years later,with technological advancements,such as the use of raw materials,the firing techniques,protoporcelain appeared during the Shang Dynasty.These early items shared some basic characters with porcelain,but they were not yet as pure as porcelain.

4By the late Spring and Autumn Period and the early Warring States Period,large quantities of protoporcelain began to be made in present?day Zhejiang Province.These items were cheaper and easier to get than the bronze pieces of the day,which were pre?ferred by most people.

5However,it wasn't until the Eastern Han Dynasty that porcelain in its modern form appeared.It was first developed in Zhejiang Province.Then some of the most well?known porcelain kilns (窯) began to make their mark during the Tang Dynasty.One of them was the Yue Kiln.These lines from a poem by the Tang poet Lu Guimeng describe the sight of porcelain being made at the Yue Kiln: When the Yue Kiln opens in late autumn,the ver?dant celadon(青瓷)covers a thousand mountain peaks.

6Jiang Yu,director at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum,said,“Our ancestors mas?tered the craft of producing porcelain,which has since been highly regarded,not only by the Chinese,but also by people all over the world.It has become an important part of Chinese culture.”

Reading Check

1.How is the text developed?

A.By space. B.By comparison.

C.By time. D.By importance.

2.What is the difference between protoporcelain and porcelain?

A.Porcelain is purer than protoporcelain.

B.Porcelain is more delicate than protoporcelain.

C.Porcelain is more affordable than protoporcelain.

D.Porcelain is more well?known than protoporcelain.

3.What can we infer from the lines of the Tang poet Lu Guimeng in paragraph 5?

A.Yue Kiln is very cheap. B.Yue Kiln is very popular.

C.Yue Kiln is very beautiful. D.Yue Kiln is very expensive.

4.Why are Jiang Yu's words mentioned in the last paragraph?

A.To increase the sales of porcelain.

B.To show the importance of porcelain.

C.To promote the culture of porcelain.

D.To introduce the beauty of porcelain.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Useful expressions

play a significant role in 在……起重要作用

refer to 指的是

as well as 和；以及

Ⅱ.Difficult sentences

1.The fact that porcelain is also popularly known as“china”in English speaks of the common recognition of its origins and identification with China.瓷器在英語(yǔ)中也被普遍稱為“china”，這一事實(shí)表明了人們對(duì)其源于中國(guó)且與中國(guó)密切相關(guān)的普遍認(rèn)知。

【點(diǎn)石成金】that 在該句中引導(dǎo)的是一個(gè)同位語(yǔ)從句，porcelain is also popularly known as“china”in English是fact的內(nèi)容；speak of意為“表明；說(shuō)明”。

2.Our ancestors mastered the craft of producing porcelain,which has since been highly regarded,not only by the Chinese,but also by people all over the world.我們的祖先掌握了瓷器的生產(chǎn)工藝，這不僅受到中國(guó)人民還受到世界各地人民的高度重視。

【點(diǎn)石成金】which 在該句中引導(dǎo)的是一個(gè)非限制性定語(yǔ)從句。not only...but also...意為“不僅……而且……”。