In the 19th century, millions of Europeans went to the USA because they wanted to find a better life. Many of them couldn’t find work in cities like New York.【小题1】The people, called settlers, traveled west through the mountains on the Oregon Trait.

Some of these people hoped to find gold in California. The journey sometimes took more than one year.There are a lot of films, called Westerners, about the settlers on the trail. In most of the film, we see the Native Americans (American Indians) attacking the settlers,and the “Indians" killing many white people. But the truth is that the Native Americans were not the biggest problem for the settlers. In fact, most of them were very helpful to the settlers.

【小题2】 Many of them walked 3,200 kilometers, the whole length of the trail.They had wagons, but the wagons were often too full,so people could not travel in them.【小题3】The people were very poor and many did not even have shoes--they walked the whole trail barefoot, in extremely, cold temperature.

More than 50,000 people, including many women and children, died on the trail. A lot of people died of illnesses like cholera, because the drinking water wasn’t clean.

【小题4】Many people died under the wheels of wagons, or from accidental gunshots.

In ancient times, Chinese used plant leaves or bird feathers as a fan during the summer time. This was the earliest form of the fan. The first real fan was made back in the era of Yao and Shun period thousands of years ago. Since then, Chinese-made fans have become a vital part of Chinese art and culture. At the beginning, the fan functioned as a tool to generate a current of air in the hot weather. Now electric fans such as ceiling fans and other technological breakthroughs have taken the place.

Long ago, fans caught the attention of ancient Chinese artists by chance. Thereafter, a unique fan art gradually took shape in the history of Chinese culture. Fan art usually includes Chinese calligraphy, paintings, or poems on the sectors（扇区）. Special skills are needed to write or paint on them.

Due to its history and partly because of its unique shape, Chinese would soon develop the tradition of using fans as ornaments（装饰品）. Fans are made in different sizes and different colors to meet the needs of each request. Other Chinese ornaments, such as the Chinese knot, the green jade, and the Spring Festival picture, are often combined in each design.

The value of fans depends mainly on the materials used and the level of craftsmanship that is involved during the process. Feather, paper, jade, bamboo and silk have all been used as ideal materials to make fans. Ancient Chinese even made iron fans to serve as deadly weapons（武器）in Chinese martial arts. Fans made by famous craftsmen are often characterized by pretty designs and detailed workmanship, and thus become favorites of collectors. Fans with masterpiece fine art like calligraphy or paintings are even more valuable.

Honesty has always been a traditional virtue in China. Despite the passage of time, honesty has been passed down as a mainstream value. 【小题1】

A famous Chinese idiom (成语), yinuo qianjin, tells such a story. In the early Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), a general named Ji Bu was known for being courageous and honest. Legend has it that whenever Ji made a promise, he would spare no effort to fulfill it. 【小题2】 There was a saying widely spread: It is better to have a promise from Ji Bu than to get hundreds of ounces of gold.

【小题3】 During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Li Daquan, a successful businessman in Shanxi province, was visited by a friend who came up with a new idea. In ancient China, carrying a large quantity of cash was not only a heavy burden but could also put the owner in danger. His friend proposed that a draft (汇票) be issued to replace the real cash. This draft was not only a promise to pay, but also a claim that an amount of coin equals to the specified amount and the draft could be cashed everywhere. Li readily agreed and kept his word. The story soon got around, and Li’s honesty brought him a flood of customers and a booming business. 【小题4】 It is called the predecessor (前身) of the Chinese banking industry. His banking business eventually expanded into 35 branches across the country. Rishengchang has been preserved and turned into a museum now.

In today’s China, the spirit of honesty is still well-respected. 【小题5】 Their stories are broadcast across the country to set good examples and promote the virtue of honesty.