The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago connected Europe, Africa and Asia. People reached these different places along these roads. Scientists believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago. By the time the Chinese silk trade became important in the world. The Silk Road covered almost 6500 kilometers. It went from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Merchants travelled along the Silk Road to carry silk, of course. They also carried and traded other things like spices (香料), cloth, jewels and gold.
Along and around these ancient path(小路), have come many fascinating and mysterious stories.
It is said that Roman soldiers who lost a war travelled through central Asia. They decided to live somewhere near the ancient Chinese villages. Some of these Romans married local Chinese women and the legend of the blond-haired, blue-eyed tribes of China was started.
Some historians believe that the people of Kashmir were taken away from their country Israel. They were prisoners (俘虏) of war almost 2800 years ago. People say that these people travelled along the Silk Road. They kept their Jewish way of life for a long time.
During its busiest period, the Silk Road allowed people from many different cultures and countries to meet each other and mix. The Silk Road allowed the sharing of valuable things and new ideas. It included people and trading goods from different areas. All these peoples travelled the Silk Road. And they shared goods, stories, languages, and cultures.
In modern times, the old Silk Road routes (路线) are still used, but now they are crossed by trains instead of camels and horses. There is even silk route museum in Jiuquan in China. It has over 35, 000 objects from all along the Silk Road. In this way, China protects the history of many countries and peoples.
41．It is clear that ___________.
A．the Silk Road was divided into Europe, Africa and Asia
B．Roman soldiers would like to travel along the Silk Road
C．people could travel to different countries along the Silk Road
D．people shared only silk on the Silk Road
42．The underlined word “Merchants” in the passage probably means_______.
A．foreigners B．businessmen C．soldiers D．prisoners
43．According to the passage, _________.
A．the Silk Road began with the wars
B．the Silk Road covered almost 6500 kilometers in China
C．people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago
D．people from Israel were not included among people on the Silk Road
44．The old Silk Road routes are still used because .
A．there are many old stories about them
B．the historians and scientists think highly of them
C．China will make good use of the Silk Road again
D．people can keep on traveling and trading along them
45．The best title for the passage can be .
A．Stories along the Silk Road B．Silk Route Museum
C．Trade for Silk D．The West and the Far East
41．C
42．B
43．C
44．D
45．A
【分析】
本文是一篇说明文，主要介绍了丝绸之路。
41．细节理解题。根据第一段第2句People reached these different places along these roads.可知选C。
42．词义猜测题。根据第2段Merchants travelled along the Silk Road to carry silk, of course. They also carried and traded other things like spices, cloth, jewels and gold.（商人沿着丝绸之路旅行，当然要带丝绸。他们也携带和交易其他东西，如香料，布，珠宝和黄金。）结合句中trade（交易）可知Merchants是商人。选B。
43．细节理解题。根据第一段第3句Scientists believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago. 可知选C。
44．细节理解题。据短文最后一段第一句In modern times, the old Silk Road routes (路线) are still used, but now they are crossed by trains instead of camels and horses.可知选D。
45．最佳标题。本文主要介绍了丝绸之路。根据本文主要内容可知选A。