A　series　of　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　were　prepared　through　a　two-step　process:　(1)　CeO2　supports　were　firstly　prepared　by　precipitation　(P),　hydrothermal　(HT)　and　sol-gel　(SG)　methods,　respectively;　and　(2)　CuO　was　deposited　on　the　above　CeO2　supports　by　deposition-precipitation　method.　The　as-synthesized　CeO2　supports　and　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　were　characterized　by　N2-physisorption,　XRD,　XPS,　Raman,　and　H2-TPR.　The　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　were　examined　with　respect　to　their　catalytic　activity　for　the　water-gas　shift　reaction,　and　their　catalytic　activities　are　ranked　as:　CuO/CeO2-P　＞　CuO/CeO　2-HT　＞　CuO/CeO2-SG.　The　results　suggest　that　the　CeO2　prepared　by　precipitation　(i.e.,　CeO2-P-300)　has　the　best　thermal　stability　and　the　most　amounts　of　surface　oxygen　vacancies,　which　make　the　corresponding　CuO/CeO2-P　catalyst　present　the　largest　pore　volume,　the　smallest　crystal　size　of　CuO,　the　highest　microstrain　(i.e.,　the　highest　surface　energy)　and　the　most　amounts　of　active　sites　(i.e.,　the　moderate　copper　oxide　(crystalline)　interacted　with　surface　oxygen　vacancies　of　ceria).　Therefore,　the　catalytic　activity　of　CuO/CeO2　catalysts,　in　nature,　depends　on　the　thermal　stability　and　the　number　of　surface　oxygen　vacancies　of　the　CeO2　supports　previously　prepared　by　different　methods.　©　2009　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC.