Dragon Head Raising Day: time for a haircut
China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them.
This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for (代表) the start of spring and farming. This year, the day fell on March 10.
The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the “descendants (传人) of the dragon”. Therefore, people celebrate theDragon Head Raising Day with many customs about dragons.
On the day in ancient times, people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to “lead the dragon into the house”. People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest (收成) in autumn.
Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat “dragon whisker (细须)” noodles and dumplings called “dragon teeth”.
Today, many customs have faded away (消退). But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother’s brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.
1. The Dragon Head Raising Day is one of the ______ festivals.| A．English | B．French | C．American | D．Chinese |
| A．March 10 | B．February 2 | C．March 4 | D．March 8 |
| A．Because the dragon liked the ashes. |
| B．Because the ashes led the dragon into the house. |
| C．Because the ashes stood for the harvest. |
| D．Because the ashes could bring good luck. |
| A．the dragon boating | B．to eat Zongzi |
| C．the cutting of hair | D．to eat mooncakes |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Here are some of the world’s most unusual events.
☆ World Ice Golf (高尔夫) championship, Greenland.
For more than 10 years the World Ice Golf championship has been seen as the most extreme golf competition in the world. In 1997, architect Rolf Henning-Jensen was asked to design the world’s first ice golf course among huge icebergs (冰山) and heavy snows of Uummannaq, a small town on the west coast of Greenland- 600km north of the Arctic Circle. There golfers face extreme temperatures as their first task to deal with. Then it will take player time and patience to accommodate themselves to white “green” and orange balls to play with. Determined by weather conditions, this event is scheduled for March each year in Greenland.
☆ Balloon Fiesta, the United States.
Have you ever been taken to the sky in a hot air balloon? The yearly Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta gives you the chance to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the city and countryside. Since 1972, perfect October weather, blue skies and wind known as the “Albuquerque Box” have worked together to allow balloonists to control their way thanks to the direction of blowing winds. This is the only place in the world to enjoy balloons flying in the blue skies each October.
☆ El Colacho, Spain.
The world’s most dangerous festival takes place every year in a small Spanish village Castrillo de Murcia near Burgous. El Colacho means devil’s (魔鬼) jump and in fact this is the act of baby-jumping. Its purpose is to force a devil to leave the child’s body. Men dressed as devils jump over small babies to guard them against illness and bad spirits. Many consider the festival to be dangerous as “jumping devils” could hurt babies. But locals believe the action protects their babies from bad things and organise the jump in the streets, so people can watch or even join.
1. What does the schedule of World Ice Golf Championship depend on?| A．Transport. | B．Weather. | C．Economy. | D．Golfer’s time. |
| A．It is held in autumn | B．It is held every two years. |
| C．It is known as “Albuquerque Box” | D．It is known for watching birds in the sky. |
| A．To wish babies good health. | B．To celebrate babies’ birthdays. |
| C．To attract large numbers of visitors. | D．To catch the bad spirits hidden in the babies. |
【推荐2】Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, the aged, and children who have lost their parents, but also friends, workmates, relatives and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago, when a Cleveland man noticed that some people, such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed, too often felt forgotten and neglected, he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration, which came to be called "Sweetest Day". Over time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor, the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a positive way.
1. What group of people is the Sweetest Day intended for?| A．The sick. | B．The aged. | C．The orphans. | D．All the people. |
| A．Ignored. | B．Forgotten. | C．Remembered. | D．Loved. |
| A．He felt lonely and wanted to be noticed. |
| B．He wanted to be helpful to those who need love. |
| C．He needed someone to give out some small gifts. |
| D．He was helped by his friends and neighbors. |
| A．A gift is always needed on Sweetest Day. |
| B．Only those sick and children need to be remembered. |
| C．Sweetest Day is limited to families and friends. |
| D．It's a chance for everyone to express your care. |
【推荐3】Here are several not-to-be-missed events. Mark your calendar!
Flowers on the Mimosa Route
The Mimosa Route covers 130 km of wilderness and coastal towns in France, with stops and festivals in bloom to honour a flower that has become the symbol of the Cote d’Azur. This is the perfect opportunity to discover gardens with their feet in the water or the flower floats (花车) of the corsos.
* From 3 to 18 February
Nice Carnival
Mimosa, roses, lilies thrown to the public... The Battle of the Flowers is a highlight of the Nice Carnival and a nod to this France city’s gardening history. The biggest festival on the Cote d’Azur also includes a carnival-style parade, with floats competing in creativity, with dizzying figures up to twenty metres high. The theme of the 2024 edition is “Pop Culture”.
* From 17 February to 3 March
The Menton Lemon Festival
The programme of the Lemon Festival in Menton, France includes various floats. For 15days, the town celebrates its golden fruit with a touch of madness. With the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games just a few months away, the 90th edition of the Lemon Festival promises to be a great event with the theme “From Olympia to Menton”.
* From 17 February to 3 March
The Trail des Merveilles
The Roya Valley in France is the setting for the Trail des Merveilles, which starts in Breil-sur-Roya. Over a distance of around 30 kilometres, with a positive difference in altitude of 2,000 metres, the race takes competitors along wild paths with views of the snow-capped peaks of the Mercantour National Park and the Mediterranean Sea. A shorter, more accessible 17-kilometre route will delight lovers of running and beautiful scenery. Ready, set, go!
*5 March
1. What is the significance of the Battle of the Flowers?| A．To popularize the tradition culture. | B．To vote for the most creative float. |
| C．To prove people’s passion for flowers. | D．To show respect for the city’s gardening. |
| A．Nice Carnival. | B．The Trail des Merveilles. |
| C．Flowers on the Mimosa Route. | D．The Menton Lemon Festival. |
| A．They are around the theme of flowers. | B．They are of the same duration. |
| C．They take place in the same country. | D．They are to celebrate the end of winter. |
【推荐1】Nickname is a shortened form of a person's name. A nickname also can be a descriptive name for a person, place or thing. Many American cities have nicknames. These can help establish an identity, spread pride among citizens and build unity.
A few years ago, some marketing and advertising experts were asked to name the best nickname for an American city. The winner was the nation's largest city, New York. The top nickname was The Big Apple.
You might wonder how New York got this nickname. In the early nineteen seventies, the city had many problems. The number of visitors was falling. So a campaign was launched to give the city a new image. The head of the New York Conventions and Visitors Bureau decided to call the city, The Big Apple.
There are several explanations for where this name came from. Language expert Barry Popik studied the question and wrote about it on his Web site. He says John Fitz Gerald, a writer for a New York newspaper, used the name The Big Apple to mean New York in the nineteen twenties. Mister Fitz Gerald wrote about horse races. He heard the name used by men who worked at a racetrack in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Mister Fitz Gerald wrote: "The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There's only one Big Apple. That's New York."
In horse racing, the expression meant "the big time," the place where large amounts of money could be won. The Big Apple became the name of a night club in the Harlem area of New York City in nineteen thirty-four. It also was the name of a popular dance and a hit song in the nineteen thirties.
But it is not the only nickname for America's largest city. Barry Popik's web site lists almost one hundred nicknames that describe New York. The best known are The Capital of the World. Empire City. Gotham. The City So Nice They Named it Twice. And, The City That Never Sleeps. You can hear about the city in the song, "New York, New York," by Frank Sinatra.
1. Why do many American cities have nicknames?（回答词数不超过15个）2. What did John Fitz Gerald write about for the New York newspaper?（回答词数不超过5个）
3. Besides “The Big Apple”, how many best known nicknames that describe New York are listed according to Barry Popik's web site?（回答词数不超过2个）
【推荐2】Imagine this: You’re at the movies seeing the latest box-office hit. The leading actor chases down the film’s bad guy before winning over the beautiful leading lady. What does he do next? He sucks on a cigarette.
What’s wrong with this picture? Doesn’t the beautiful woman see her hero’s yellow teeth? Doesn’t she smell his smoky breath? And wouldn’t the good guy have trouble chasing, since smoking causes a person to cough?
But you don’t see any of that when someone smokes cigarettes in the movies. And there is a lot of smoking in movies. Actors light up in more than 50 percent of youth-rated (G, PG, PG-13) movies, according to the American Legacy Foundation, which aims to put an end to smoking among young people. That means that Hollywood is showing 14 billion images of smoking to young people every year.
All that exposure to on-screen smoking can influence teens to smoke. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) argues that 44 percent of teens who begin smoking do so because they’ve seen smoking in movies. The CDC reports that teens are two to three times more likely to start smoking after seeing repeated smoking scenes in movies than teens who are lightly exposed to smoking in movies.
Several organizations are working to remove smoking in youth-rated movies. And adults are not the only ones who care about this issue. Many teens are actively involved. Livia Clandorf, 16, of Chatham, New York, is a member of Reality Check, an organization that educates teens about what it considers to be the manipulative(巧妙处理的) practices of tobacco companies. Livia participated in an event called a “movie stomp(跺脚)”. Reality Check rents out a movie theater and screens a youth-rated film that shows smoking, they stomp their feet and show disapproval by shouting “boo”.
1. What purpose does Paragraph 1 serve in the passage?| A．To provide background information of a movie. |
| B．To attract readers’ attention to the topic. |
| C．To describe a plot in a movie. |
| D．To offer some basic knowledge of cigarette. |
| A．It’s touching. | B．It’s beautiful. |
| C．It’s frightening. | D．It’s unreasonable. |
| A．Over 50 percent of teens smoke. | B．Teens should watch more movies. |
| C．Many movies cause teens to smoke. | D．Teens are less likely to smoke than adults. |
| A．When they are active. | B．When they are excited. |
| C．When they feel like smoking. | D．When they see smoking scenes. |
【推荐3】You can tell a lot about a country by what's on its television sets. Britain's TV screens are completely steeped in class, and have long been so.
From laughing at poor people in reality shows to laughing at posh people in Downton Abbey, this is how Britain likes to unwind in the evening: by laughing at other classes, and laughing at people for laughing about class.
Like it or loathe it, many see the class system as a quite essential element of British life, together with our obsession for tea and cake and talking about the weather.
Whether you are a lord, a lady, or just the king of your own middle class kingdom, everyone in the UK fits into the class system. How the class system works is a hard question even for a British person to answer.
There are four main groups in the British class system: lower, working, middle and upper class. Although recently the BBC has tried to confuse everyone even more by adding three more categories.
The British are very aware of class; it is often said that we have an in-built 'class radar'; we pick up on subtle social clues which indicate which class a person comes from. Class is not just about your job, where you live and how much you earn. It's about who you are.
1. According to the passage ,what Britain are not likely to talk about?| A．Weather | B．Class |
| C．Jokes | D．Tea and cake |
| A．Five | B．Three |
| C．Seven | D．Four |
| A．Because many see the class system as a typical part of British life. |
| B．Because class is about who you are. |
| C．Because how the class system works is a hard question even for a British person to answer. |
| D．Because there are different groups in the British class system. |
The views of the Crimean coast from the top of 1,234-metre high Ai-Petri Mount are amazing. The hanging bridges built in recent years can reach the top of the mount. If just walking across the bridges is not dangerous enough, it also happens to be one of the windiest places in the world. It is said that the bridges blow from side to side as wind speeds reach 170 kilometres per hour for 125 days of the year. It’s also very foggy, so you may not be able to see clearly!
U Bein Bridge, Myanmar
This five-metre-high, 1.2-kilometre wooden footbridge does not look as dangerous as the others, but do not be fooled. It was built in the 1850s and it’s certainly feeling its age! Some of the old wood is not as strong as it used to be. It is easy to lose your footing. Although there is no handrail (栏杆), large numbers of tourists cross it every day. When the tourists arrive in the evening to watch the beautiful sunset, this bridge could become the most dangerous of them all!
The Trift Bridge, Switzerland
At 100 metres high and 170 metres long, this is one of the highest bridges in the world. Built in 2004, the bridge is hidden among the high Swiss Alps. You wouldn’t have wanted to walk across the bridge before its repair in 2009. But if you have the courage to cross this bridge, you’d better do it quickly!
The Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan
In the mountainous area of Northern Pakistan, the Hussaini Hanging Bridge helps travelers cross the Borit Lake. However, you will not feel too confident when you get close to this bridge. It’s one of the oldest bridges in Pakistan and many locals use it every day to travel to work and school — imagine losing your homework over the side of this bridge! It’s made from rope, with a few pieces of wood that have large gaps (空隙) between them. Step carefully!
1. What can we learn about U Bein Bridge?| A．It’s very popular at sunset. |
| B．It’s safest for people to cross. |
| C．It’s the oldest bridge in the world. |
| D．It’s made from rope without handrails. |
| A．U Bein Bridge | B．Ai-Petri Bridges |
| C．The Trift Bridge | D．The Hussaini Hanging Bridge |
| A．All require serious repair. |
| B．All top highest in their country. |
| C．All have a history of one century. |
| D．All require plenty of courage to cross. |
【推荐2】For millions of years, sea turtles (海龟) have been making the great journey from Costa Rican beaches to the ocean.
Female sea turtles come to shore to nest (筑巢) on the same beach where they were born. Scientists are not sure how sea turtles remember where they were born, but they believe that sea turtles can use the Earth’s magnetic field (磁场) to help them find their way back. Mother sea turtles usually nest every two to three years, but they might lay two or three nests in one year.
Unlike most animals, the temperature inside the nest determines whether the turtles will be male or female. Warmer nests produce more female turtles. It can take from six weeks to two months for baby turtles to appear from the nest. Once they sense cooler nighttime temperatures, they will begin their perilous journey towards the sea. The little turtles’ journey to the ocean isn’t a leisurely walk on the beach. In fact,on some beaches, only 10 percent of them make it to the ocean.
Natural hunters are not the only threat to sea turtles. Humans and their activities have also severely reduced the number of sea turtles in the oceans. Fishing activities, boat traffic, artificial (人工的) lighting, and pollution are making the trip from beach to ocean difficult. Due to a variety of these threats, six out of seven sea turtle species worldwide are considered endangered or threatened.
While sea turtles may face several threats to their survival, there are many opportunities for humans to help them. For example, avoid fishing in waters that are known to have sea turtles. If you do accidentally hook (钓) a turtle, do not remove the hook. Instead, call local wildlife authorities to help with removal. Lights draw baby turtles away from the ocean. Turn off your lights at night when you are near a sea turtle nesting area. Another way to help sea turtles is to reduce your plastic use. Plastic litter is among the number one causes of deaths of sea turtles. Last, get involved with sea turtle protection efforts.
1. Which of the following are scientists unsure about?| A．How often a sea turtle nests. | B．What makes sea turtles male. |
| C．How sea turtles find their birthplace. | D．Whether male sea turtles outnumber female ones. |
| A．Short. | B．Emotional. | C．Dangerous. | D．Comfortable. |
| A．They are threatened to die out. | B．They are primarily influenced by fishing. |
| C．They are well adapted to human activities. | D．They are getting a lot of public attention. |
| A．Reduce plastic use effortfully. | B．Light sea turtles’ way to the ocean. |
| C．Help baby sea turtles find their mothers. | D．Remove any turtle they hook as soon as possible. |
【推荐3】Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students buy cars with large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the street. Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, weather and the life of American people. Most of the radio programs are music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is called western or country music. This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music, about country life and love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.
1. ___ kinds of music are mentioned in this passage.| A．Two | B．Three | C．Four | D．Five |
| A．make much money | B．make a CD or tape |
| C．are loved by all the young people | D．are wanted to sing on the radio |
| A．common life of Americans | B．country life of and love stories |
| C．life of workers | D．school life of in America |
| A．All students in America like popular music. |
| B．Students with cars in America don’t like to listen to music while driving. |
| C．Adult drivers in America listen to music all the time while driving |
| D．Everyone in America wants to meet pop singers wherever they go. |
| A．American music. | B．Pop music. | C．History of music. | D．Western music. |
【推荐1】The following are the events with the most reviews this week.
Free Comedy Show
Phone number: （646）410-0503
From: Friday, Sep 7, 7:30pm
To: Friday, Oct 5, 9:00pm
Comedy Evening is a completely free comedy show every Friday at 7: 30 pm in the heart of the West Village featuring comedians who have appeared on TruTv, Comedy Central and more!
The show takes place in the downstair basement of the venue. Please note that you must be over 21 years old to attend as the venue is a bar. While there is no cover or item minimum for the show, it is recommended that you get a drink（soda, beer, wine, etc.）or food item to support the bar and help keep the show free.
Chile Pepper Festival 2018
Phone number: （718）307-7133
From: Sep 26, Sep 29,12:00 am
To: 6:00pm
Enjoy six world-class musical acts, including the Grammy-winning Lost Bayou Ramblers and global talents Coreyah, Doctor Nativo, Dahka Band, Nation Beat and more.
Yelp's Tour Of Jersey City
Phone number: (201)216-2677
From: Thursday, Oct 4, 10:00 am
To: Sunday, Oct 7, 7:00 pm
Yelp's mission is to connect people with great local businesses. As a part of the Jersey City Art &. Studio tour, Yelp can take you on a photo tour of Jersey City. We've made a gallery of some of the most awe-inspiring photos that were uploaded to Yelp by users and business owners. Help us celebrate Jersey City and the local businesses that make our five-star city shine. Don't forget to support local and share your adventures with us on Yelp!
EgyptWoodbury, NY11797
Phone number: (516)367-4584
From: Friday, Sep 21, 6:00pm
To: Sunday, Sep 30, 6:00 pm
This cultural experience includes an exclusive tour through different Pharaonic Kingdoms. Have fun in the Egyptian theme photo booths followed by tasting delicious authentic homemade Egyptian dishes.
1. What are people advised to do when attending Comedy Evening?| A．Book tickets in advance. |
| B．Help perform on the show. |
| C．Bring their kids on Friday. |
| D．Consume some drinks or food. |
| A．（646）410-0503. | B．（718）307-7133. |
| C．（201）216一2677. | D．（516）367-4584. |
| A．Free Comedy Show. |
| B．Chile Pepper Festival 2018. |
| C．Yelp's Tour Of Jersey City. |
| D．EgyptWoodbury, NY 11797. |
【推荐2】Soaps are television serial (连续的) dramas of a highly dramatic and sentimental (情感的) nature. They are called soaps because many of them were originally funded by soap companies. They were appealing to an audience primarily made up of house wives. Soaps tell us a lot about the viewers they are produced for. These long-running serials, with potentially endless episodes (集), are concerned with everyday life. They are generally aimed at the lower classes in a country.
In the US, the most popular soaps usually feature the lives of the rich, the charming and the beautiful. Their houses are always beautiful, big and well decorated. The characters lead exciting lives. Most of these characters are very ambitious. One of the most popular soaps is The bold and the Beautiful. The name says it all really! It is set in Los Angeles and centred on the attractive and wealthy Forrester family and their impossibly gorgeous fashion house business. It is probably the most watched soap in the world.
The British prefer to see ordinary characters rather than the gorgeous high-flyers of the US soaps. They prefer to view on TV what they have experienced personally and what they actually see around them. They believe that one should accept one’s station in life and not attempt to be more than one actually is.
Coronation Street, first shown in 1960, is the longest-running British TV soap opera. It is watched by about one-third of the British population, more often by women, by older people, and especially by people from lower socio-economic groups. EastEnders is another popular British show, though it appeals to a younger generation. Again the characters tend to be working class. In addition to women, young people and men are also given strong roles in order to reach a wider audience.
Thus the soaps can teach us a lot about the audience that they are intended for. The characters, settings and even the story lines can show us what appeals to British and American people.
1. What’s the relationship between soaps and soap companies according to Paragraph 1?| A．Soap companies are named after soaps. |
| B．Soap companies support soaps financially. |
| C．Soap companies depend on soaps for promoting their products. |
| D．Soap companies make soaps appealing to the public. |
| A．By using examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By analyzing causes. | D．By describing processes. |
| A．The audience they are intended for. | B．Their popularity and influence. |
| C．The characters’ class and the settings. | D．Their tradition and history. |
| A．To show his love for soaps. |
| B．To remember some of the classic soaps. |
| C．To introduce American and British soaps. |
| D．To encourage audience to watch more soaps. |
【推荐3】When Buffett was asked about the secret to his success, he said that he read every day—500 pages, to be exact. Unfortunately, if you’re already working 9-5, you might not have the time to read at all, let alone an entire book a day. But if you want to make some changes in your life, the following 4 most-read books on self-improvement may help you start.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living written by Dale Carnegie
Are you wondering why you can’t stop worrying about something? No matter how hard you try, do you focus on the same problem? By finding out the reason of your stress, you can overcome this. In this book Carnegie came up with some effective ways that can help you stop worrying about the same thing again.
Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do written by Amy Morin
You can’t escape bad luck in life. But you can change how you react to it. Do you struggle to overcome your failures? Or think about things out of your control? This book will help you overcome these difficulties, which can have a great effect on your everyday life.
How Will You Measure Your Life written by Clayton Christensen
This book will give you some suggestions on how to balance your work and your life. What would make you happier at work? Perhaps a little more money or more admiration from others is what you want. Although career success can be satisfying, ignoring your family and friends can be harmful.
Finding Your Element written by Ken Robinson
This world often wants us to follow a certain life plan. If you don’t know what your passion is, it just means you haven’t discovered it yet. Or maybe it just disappeared early in life. This book will help find out how you can get away from the world’s strict rules and find your real passion in life.
1. Whose book can help you if you can’t stop worrying about things?| A．Amy Morin’s |
| B．Dale Carnegie’s |
| C．Ken Robinson’s |
| D．Clayton Christensen’s |
| A．Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do |
| B．How to Stop Worrying and Start Living |
| C．Finding Your Element |
| D．How Will You Measure Your Life |
| A．Four Books Interest You |
| B．Four Books Occupy Your Free Time |
| C．Four Books Change Your Life |
| D．Four Books Help You Relax |
