请阅读下面这篇文章，根据所提供的信息，回答后面的问题。
Thang-ga(唐卡) is a special kind of painting. It was found only in Xizang, China. It started from the Tang Dynasty(唐朝). Thang-ga paintings show Xizangan people’s lives. In recent years, Thang-ga paintings have caught the public’s attention. At the same time, the Chinese government has also tried hard to protect the art.
The colors of Thang-ga paintings look wonderful and special. Because of the special environment of Xizang and the excellent skills of artists, the paints(颜料) used in Thang-ga are different from other paints. They were made from minerals like gold and silver, as well as some plants. The paints were made by hand and the beautiful colors could last for hundreds of years.
However, with the development of technology, people now use cheaper and more easily-made chemicals to make Thang-ga paints. The traditional paints used in Thang-ga paintings took a lot of work and they were made in many secret ways. Later people stopped making the paints and forgot about them. So the skills needed to make them were almost lost. The traditional Thang-ga paintings are difficult to find now.
【小题1】What is Thang-ga?【小题2】What do Thang-ga paintings show?
【小题3】What were Thang-ga paints made from?
【小题4】How do people make Thang-ga paints now?
【小题5】Why are the traditional Thang-ga paintings are difficult to find now?
【小题6】书面表达
假如你是刘梅，升入九年级后你的学习和生活都发生了很大的变化。请你根据下面的内容提示给你的笔友Maria写一封电子邮件，介绍一下你最近在学习和生活上的变化。
内容提示：1.学习任务及家庭作业方面的变化；
2.课余时间方面的变化；
3.自己的业余爱好及周末活动的变化；
4.个人心境的变化。
作文要求：
1.不得在作文中出现学校的真实名称和自己的真实姓名；
2.语句连贯，词数80个左右。作文的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Maria,
How are you?
My life has changed a lot since I became a student of Grade 9.
Yours,
Liu Mei
