A　series　of　CuO/ZrO2　catalysts　were　prepared　by　a　deposition-precipitation　method　using　ZrO2　calcined　at　various　temperatures　(120,　250,　350　and　450)　as　supports.　The　water-gas　shift　(WGS)　reaction　was　carried　out　on　these　catalysts　using　H2　rich　reactant　gas　(15%　CO,　55%　H2,　23%　N2,　7%　CO2).　It　was　shown　that　the　catalytic　activity　of　the　catalysts　increased　at　first　and　then　decreased　with　increasing　calcination　temperature　of　ZrO2.　The　catalyst　supported　on　ZrO2　calcined　at　250　showed　the　highest　catalytic　activity.　The　structure　and　reducibility　of　CuO/ZrO2　catalysts　were　studied　by　various　techniques,　such　as　XRD,　N2-physisorption,　N2O　titration,　H2-TPR　and　CO-TPR-MS.　The　results　show　that　the　Cu　dispersion　and　the　proportion　of　catalytically　active　Cu-[O]-Zr　species　(＇[　]＇　represents　an　oxygen　vacancy　on　ZrO2　support)　decrease　with　the　increase　of　ZrO2　calcination　temperature.　The　calcination　of　ZrO2　at　higher　temperature　leads　to　an　improvement　of　the　reducibility　of　Cu-[O]-Zr　species　and　hydroxyl　groups　on　the　CuO/ZrO2　catalysts,　resulting　in　an　easier　onset　of　the　surface　WGS　reaction　between　surface　hydroxyl　groups　and　CO　reductant.　The　two　factors　reach　a　balance　for　the　catalyst　supported　on　ZrO2　calcined　at　250　(moderate　temperature),　as　is　thought　to　be　responsible　for　the　highest　WGS　activity　of　this　catalyst.　©　2019,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.