OneofChina’smostpopularfolkartsispapercutting（剪纸）.Archaeological(考古学的)findstracethetraditionbacktothe6thcentury;itissupposedthatthebeginningsofpapercuttingwereevenafewcenturiesearlier.Paper

　　OneofChina’smostpopularfolkartsispapercutting（剪纸）.Archaeological(考古学的)findstracethetraditionbacktothe6thcentury;itissupposedthatthebeginningsofpapercuttingwereevenafewcenturiesearlier.Papercuttingsareusedforreligious(宗教的)purposes,fordecoration(装饰)andaspatterns(图案).

　　Today,papercuttingsaremainlyusedasdecoration.Theyornamentwalls,windows,doors,columnsmirrors,lampsandlanternsinhomes.Theyarealsousedfordecorationonpresents,andaregivenaspresentsthemselves.Theyareofspecialimportanceatfestivals.AttheSpringFestivalforexample,entrancesaredecoratedwithpapercuttingswhicharesupposedtobringgoodluck.

　　Papercuttingsarenotproducedbymachine,butbyhand.Therearetwokindsofpapercuttings;scissor(剪刀)cuttingsandknifecuttings.Scissorcuttingsarefashionedwithscissors.Severalpiecesofpaper---uptoeightpieces---arefastenedtogether.Themotif(图形)isthencutwithsharp,pointedscissors.

　　Knifecuttingsarefashionedbyputtingseverallayers(层)ofpaperonarelativelysoftfoundationconsistingofamixtureoftallow(动物脂)andashes.Followingapattern,theartistcutsthemotifintothepaperwithasharpknifewhichheusuallyholdsvertically(垂直地).Theadvantageofknifecuttingsisthatconsiderablymorepapercuttingscanbemadeinoneoperationthanscissorcuttings.

　　Inthecountryside,papercuttingsareusuallymadeonlybywomenandgirls.Thisusedtobeoneoftheskillsthateverygirlwastomasterandthatwereoftenusedtojudgebrides(新娘).Professionalpapercuttingartistsare,ontheotherhand,almostalwaysmenwhohaveguaranteed(保证)incomesandworktogetherinworkshops.

　　小题1:Papercuttingscanbeusedfor______________.A．decorationB．decorationonpresentsC．presentsD．alloftheabove小题2:Theunderlinedwordornamentmeans______________.A．tobeaddedtoandmakesomethingbeautifulB．tobeusedasC．tobecutinD．tobemadeon小题3:Whichisthebesttitleofthispassage?A．ThewaysofpapercuttingB．Thereasonsforpapercutting