Question

In China, writing brushes, ink sticks, paper and ink stones are called the Four Treasures of Study. Among the high-quality (质量)treasures, the writing brush produced in Huzhou, the ink stick produced in Huizhou, the xuan paper made in Xuancheng and the ink stone made in Duanxi are the best-known.

The writing brushes can be used to draw the pictures on painted potteries (陶器). They are mainly made of the hair of animals. Those made of wool are called yanghao and those made of the weasel's(鼬) tail hair are called langhao. Their artistic effects (效果)in writing and painting cannot be copied by any other pens.

The ink stick is the pigment(颜料)used in writing and painting. The ink stick produced in Huizhou is of high quality. A story goes like this: Two famous skilled men Xi Chao and his son produced a kind of high-quality ink stick. As a result, the Emperor Li Yu in the Southern Tang Dynasty agreed to give them the family name "Li". From then on, the fame of the Li Ink Stick was widespread. In the Song Dynasty, its producing area was changed into Huizhou, and it was then called the Hui Ink Stick.

Paper is among the four great inventions in ancient China. The famous xuan paper appeared in the Sui and Tang dynasties. In Xuanzhou, Anhui Province where the xuan paper is produced, it's said that Cai Lun's pupil Kong Dan took the job of producing paper but failed to make perfect white paper. Later he happened to see the ebony (檀木)in the rivers. It was wet with the water and turned white. Then he used the bark (树皮)to produce the world-famous xuan paper.

The ink stone was already very popular in the Han Dynasty. The Ming and Qing dynasties saw the appearance of the Four Famous Ink Stones - Duan Ink Stone, She Ink Stone, Tao Ink Stone and Chengni Ink Stone. They can not only be used in writing and painting but also for admiration.

1.What are the writing brushes mainly made of?

_______________________________________

2.Why did Xi Chao and his son get the family name from the Emperor Li Yu?

_______________________________________

3.What does it in paragraph 3 refer to (指的是)?

_______________________________________

4.How did Kong Dan find the way to make the famous xuan paper by accident?

_______________________________________

5.When did the Four Famous Ink Stones appear?

_______________________________________

6.What's the title (标题) for the passage? (不超过10个词)

_______________________________________

Answer

1.They are mainly made of the hair of animals.

2.Because Xi Chao and his son produced a kind of high-quality ink stick.

3.Li Ink Stick.

4.He happened to see the ebony in the rivers and used the bark to produce the world-famous xuan paper.

5.They appeared in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

6.The Four Treasures of Study./ The History of The Four Tresures of Study.

【解析】

笔墨纸砚是文房四宝，这篇短文给我们介绍了这四宝各自的用途、产地以及背后的历史。

1.

根据短文第二段“They are mainly made of the hair of animals.”可知，毛笔主要是用动物的毛制成的。故答案为They are mainly made of the hair of animals.

2.

根据短文第三段“Two famous skilled men Xi Chao and his son produced a kind of high-quality ink stick. As a result, the Emperor Li Yu in the Southern Tang Dynasty agreed to give them the family name "Li".”可知，奚超父子制出了质量非常高的墨，南唐皇帝李煜赏赐了他们家国姓“李”。故答案为Because Xi Chao and his son produced a kind of high-quality ink stick.

3.

根据语境“From then on, the fame of the Li Ink Stick was widespread. In the Song Dynasty, its producing area was changed into Huizhou, and it was then called the Hui Ink Stick.”李墨的名声传开后，到了宋代，墨的产地变成了徽州，被称为徽墨。it指代的是上面提到的Li Ink Stick。故答案为Li Ink Stick.

4.

根据短文第四段“Later he happened to see the ebony (檀木)in the rivers. It was wet with the water and turned white. Then he used the bark (树皮)to produce the world-famous xuan paper.”可知，蔡伦的学生孔丹偶然看到了水中的檀木，被水弄湿，变成了白色，因此他就用树皮生产出了著名的宣纸。故答案为He happened to see the ebony in the rivers and used the bark to produce the world-famous xuan paper.

5.

根据短文最后一段“The Ming and Qing dynasties saw the appearance of the Four Famous Ink Stones - Duan Ink Stone, She Ink Stone, Tao Ink Stone and Chengni Ink Stone.”可知，四种著名的砚台——端砚、歙砚、洮砚和澄泥砚出现在明清时期。故答案为They appeared in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

6.

根据文意可知，这篇短文给我们讲述的是中国的文房四宝的相关知识、历史背景、产地等。用“文房四宝”作为题目，能概括短文的中心大意。故答案为The Four Treasures of Study./The History of The Four Treasures of Study.