"If you want to see a thing well, reach out and touch it!"

That may seem a strange thing to say. But touching things can help you to see them better.

    Your eyes can tell you that a glass ball is round. But by holding it in your hands, you can feel how smooth and cool the ball is. You can feel how heavy the glass is. When you feel all these about the ball, you really see it. With your skin, you can feel better. For example, your fingers can tell (辨别) the difference between two coins in your pocket. You can feel a little drop of water on the back of your hand, too. You can even feel sounds against your skin. Have you ever wanted to know why some people like very loud music? They must like to feel the sounds of music.

    All children soon learn what "Don't touch!" means. They hear it often. Yet most of us keep on touching things as we grow up. In shops, we touch things we might buy: food, clothes. To see something well, we have to touch it. The bottoms of our feet can feel things, too. You know this when you walk on warm sand, cool grass or a hard floor. All feel different under your feet.

    There are ways of learning to see well by feeling. One way is to close your eyes and try to feel everything that is touching your skin. Feel the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your body, the air on your skin. At first, it is not easy to feel these things. You are too used to them!

    Most museums are just for looking. But today some museums have some things to touch. Their signs say, "Do touch!" There you can feel everything on show.

    If you want to see better, reach out and touch. Then you will really see!

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项 （A 、B 、C  和 D ）中，选出最佳选项。

    In 1841, a book was published which astonished the world. It was called “Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan”. The author John Loud Stephens had just returned from a long, difficult and dangerous journey through the thick rain forest of southern Mexico and Guatemala. He had once been there with Frederick Catherwood, an architect and artist, to search for the remains of a lost civilization known as the Mayas(玛雅). Very little was known about the Mayas at that time, but Catherwood's drawing in the book showed incredible cities with temples, pyramids and other buildings as impressive as those of their northern neighbors, the Aztecs. These cities, however, were deserted. The inhabitants(居民) had disappeared almost a thousand years before.

    Since that time, far more has been learned about this remarkable civilization. The Mayas had a highly-developed system of government and of agriculture, as well as an incredibly accurate system of measuring time. They were also wonderful engineers capable of moving huge blocks stone long distances and cutting them to accurate shapes and sizes.

    And yet although the Mayas knew about the wheel, they never used it. Neither did they use metals other than copper. What is ever more surprising is that they suddenly abandoned many of their cities and built new ones in the jungle. Some time around AD 900, Mayan civilization collapsed(崩溃). By the year 1200, their last great capital, Chichen Itza, was deserted.

    Who were these strange people and the even stranger gods they worshipped? What brought about their sudden and mysterious collapse? Some writers have tried to prove that the Mayas had contact with visitors from space and even that they themselves came from another planet. Some people believe that their civilization came to an end because the Mayas never developed a proper resistance to local germs and diseases. All we really know is that when the first Europeans appeared off their coast in 1517, this great and mysterious culture was only a memory.

    Have you ever noticed how Americans fill up their entire glass with ice and then pour their beverage(饮品) in, but Europeans take their drinks at room temperature? In the U. S., we've created fridges that give you cold ice at the press of a button, but in Britain they typically serve their tap water warm.

    This tradition—if that's what you want to call it-dates back to the 19th century. During that time, it was already commonplace for most American homes to have an ice box. Ice would be harvested in northern America or Canada and shipped across the Atlantic and sold at a high price in British department stores. Can you imagine heading to Macy's to treat yourself to a block of ice?

    Putting ice in your drink started to become somewhat of a fashion(时尚) trend for the wealthy in Britain. Some would put a few cubes in their champagne and sip on their chilled drinks at high-class parties. But, like with any fashion trend, it eventually faded, mainly because the ice was just too expensive. And even once ice boxes began appearing in homes in Britain as well, Brits never took a liking to ice in their drinks.

    So, next time you travel overseas, don't feel offended(冒犯) when your server gives you an eye roll when you ask for ice water.

    In my memory, winters always used to be really unpleasant. You had to bundle up just to keep warm when you went outside. You were often cold, wet, slip on the ice, and you'd arrive home to an ice-cold house. And that would mean turning on the heating and waiting. It's a miracle you didn't get cold to the bone.

    Fortunately, things don't have to be so challenging any more. Technology, engine ring and design have advanced giving us new solutions to old problems. It means dealing with winter needn't be like skating on thin ice.

    With a smart thermostat (温度自动调节器), our homes can be warm when we need them to be. Many models feature smartphone apps that allow you to control temperature remotely, so we can warm up the house before we arrive home. According to techradar.com, Tado's model features voice control, while the Nest 'leans' your habits and automatically heats the home for you.

    Clothes have been given an upgrade, too. Electronic thermal jackets, sweaters and coats heat up when you turn them on. What better way to keep warm in the dead of winter? At the touch of a button, or through an app on our phones, the clothing generates heat from elements placed inside. Many models offer three levels of heating which stay warm for over 12 hours. .

    Finally, there is the clothing for the head, beanie s and Earmuff, that feature speakers included in the fabric using Bluetooth technology so we can listen to our favourite music or, in some cases, have a phone callusing the in-built microphone. All while keeping the head warm and avoiding a cold.

    For many, the thought of winter used to be enough to make their blood run cold. But using technology, life needn't freeze up. With the right solutions, there's no reason why winter can't be really, really cool.

    During an earthquake, you should know what to do. If the earthquake strikes while you're inside a house, you should lie on the floor under a strong table or other furniture. If there is no furniture, you can cover your head with your arms and keep still in the corner of the room. You should keep away from windows, glass walls, or anything that can fall.

    If you are in bed, hold firmly onto your bed and make use of a pillow to safeguard your head. You may use a doorway but only when it is close to you. It should also be considered whether it is strong enough to deal with the load.

    If you are running out, do not use lifts, even if they work. Electricity may go out at any time. Many injuries happen when people try to rush out. This means you ought to stay in your house or perhaps wherever you are.

    When you stay outdoors, you should stay far from buildings, power wires or lights. You should be in the open until the quake stops. Remember that many earthquake deaths outside the house come from falling-apart walls, flying glass and other falling things.

    If an earthquake strikes and you are driving, you should pull up to the side of the highway and stop as quickly as possible. You ought not to stop under trees, buildings or energy wires. Don't stop in the middle of the street as it could trouble others.

    When trapped, you shouldn't move. Your mouth should be covered with a piece of clothing or a handkerchief. This is because it is possible for you to breathe in some dust. Do not shout whenever possible. You should only shout in the end to get help from rescuers.

Chinese brocade(云锦) has a history of 1,300 years. It {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) once for the Chinese elite. Now, young fashion{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(design) like it. Things like flames, beasts, weapons, and stars decorate the brocade. Flowers are a common pattern, like in a silk piece from the middle of the 18th century.

This art is very complex. Old craftsmen can only make about two{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (inch) of cloth a day. Traditional looms are 18 feet long and have thousands of parts. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (Operate) them needs dozens of steps. Artisans sing songs to remember the process. The made fabric is bright, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} patterns made of silk, gold, and peacock-feather yarn.

The {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (early) Chinese brocade is from the Tang Dynasty. Different regional kinds {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (develop) in places like Nanjing and Chengdu. Silk museums there let tourists buy real brocade scarves and bags. Factories can't copy this complex fabric. It can only be made on traditional looms. It is a proud symbol of cultural heritage and {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(appeal) to older Chinese people. More and more new fashion designers are working with{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (tradition) weavers. Designer Chen Liwen launched a series of scarves and accessories for Gen Z consumers last year with the hu bu tiger pattern. Ancient brocade seems closely tied {#blank#}10{#/blank#}China's future.