“This material is called xiangyunsha,” said Song Fei, while she introduced a traditional cheongsam (旗袍) to customers in a flagship shop. “Dyed with pure plant extracts and unpolluted river mud, the time-honored silk cloth is named ‘soft gold’ in the textile (纺织的) industry.”
To everyone’s surprise, the knowledgeable Song, who has unbelievable insights into cheongsam, a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women, has practiced law for 10 years in Chengdu City. In 2017, she traveled to Suzhou to learn design and handicraft skills of cheongsam and traditional costumes, becoming a cheongsam designer.
At first, Song’s family and friends were not optimistic about her choice to switch from a distinguished career to an artistic field. Knowing little about clothing, Song met with a huge challenge. “The pain was unthinkable, but since I had chosen that profession, I had to stick to it. I want a career that I truly enjoy,” said Song.
Song returned to Chengdu with new skills and creative passion in 2019 and founded her design brand. “To be honest, compared with my previous job, this one is harder and leaves me with much greater financial pressure. But my sense of satisfaction is beyond comparison when my works are recognized and appreciated,” said Song.
“Traditional cheongsams are one-piece tailored dresses of Chinese origin that require making with natural materials by hand. However, modern cheongsams are often made with artificial materials and produced by machine,” Song said. “In the face of rapid social and economic changes, traditional cheongsams are receiving less attention due to the popularity of mass-produced cheongsams.”
To save the beauty of traditional culture, Song wants to blend people’s daily lives with time-honored handicrafts, believing that traditional culture should not be the zone of museums. She aims to pass on traditional Chinese culture, which is a meaningful type of work with social responsibilities.
1. Where did Song probably work in the past?A.In a design room for costumes. | B.In a museum of traditional culture. |
C.At an office of legal affairs. | D.At a flagship shop of cheongsams. |
A.Love for traditional costumes. | B.Persuasion from family and friends. |
C.Unthinkable pain from the former job. | D.Great financial pressure. |
A.The future development of cheongsams. |
B.The main producing process of cheongsams. |
C.The original materials of traditional and modern cheongsams. |
D.The difference between traditional and modern cheongsams. |
A.Rid. | B.Combine. | C.Compare. | D.Exchange. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Can you imagine what you wear can reveal a story about you?
Recent research shows that you can tell a lot about someone’s personality, politics, status, age and income just from looking at a photo of their shoes or clothes. Did you ever notice that when former US president Barack Obama addressed a crowd of working class Americans, he would speak with no jacket and his sleeves rolled up? That silently and instantly communicated to the audience that he too was a hard worker.
When you’re dressing or grooming, consider what it says about you and whether it’s in line with the message you want to communicate. There’s no right or wrong. It’s all about context (情景). A tie can make you look reliable and rooted in tradition. This might be important at an investment firm, where clients want to know that you’re serious about managing their capital, a formal party like meeting the elders or even a wedding ceremony. But it can also come off as stuffy (刻板的) and resistant to change, which may be inappropriate for a newly-built tech company.
Of course, dressing smart is also important for your confidence and sense of self-empowerment. But your style does more than just send messages, to your mind or to others. New research shows it actually impacts how you think. Professional dress, one study found, increases abstract thinking and gives people a broader perspective. So that tie might actually be switching on your creativity button. “The formality (正式) of clothing might not only influence the way others perceive a person, and how people perceive themselves, but also could influence decision making in important ways through its influence on processing style,” the study says. Professional clothes create social distance. When we are more socially distant, we tend to think in more distant, abstract terms.
Taking intentional command of how you dress and present is a good step in empowering yourself, accomplishing your goals, and living a more lucid life at the helm of your decisions. So pay attention!
1. What may we know by looking at a photo of a person’s clothes?A.Whether he has been married. | B.Whether he is outgoing or shy. |
C.Whether he likes playing volleyball. | D.Whether he is working at an international company. |
A.delivered a speech | B.wrote a letter to | C.dealt with | D.conveyed support to |
A.want to take part in a wedding party |
B.want to look dependable to your clients |
C.want to apply for a job in a new technology company |
D.want to meet your fiancée’s (未婚妻的) parents for the first time |
A.Smart dress can build up your confidence. |
B.Your dressing style will affect how you think. |
C.What you wear will send messages to you and others. |
D.Professional dress will make people more socially distant. |
For girls, the 70s are back. Wide-legged jeans, platform shoes and skirts that reach the feet are again in fashion among UK teens, topped off with colored, shining eyeshadow. Girls can have fun mixing and matching bright shades. Colors like pink, orange and light yellow-green are all perfectly fit. Shorts and mini-skirts are still popular in cold weather. By wearing a pair of tights underneath (在……底下), girls can stay warm as well as fashionable in the winter.
How about boys? To look lively, fans of skateboards and snowboards can dress in skinny jeans accompanied by a T-shirt topped off with a baseball cap or a woolen hat. Music is often an inspiration for fashion, and hip-hop music fans like to dress in baggy jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps and sneakers. For those who can afford it, designer clothing is a must, especially if the logo is showing.
1. The underlined words “cost the earth” in Paragraph 1 probably mean ______.A.be difficult | B.be important |
C.be special | D.be expensive |
A.skinny jeans | B.designer clothing |
C.a woolen hat | D.a full-length skirt |
A.Old clothes look hot this year. |
B.Music can affect fashion trends. |
C.A T-shirt is really a good choice for fans. |
D.Designer clothing is what teens must have. |
A.look fashionable |
B.choose brands |
C.spend money when young |
D.stay warm in the winter |
【推荐3】Perhaps there is no sport in the world more connected to sneakers than basketball. Many NBA players wear them to send important messages and showcase their personalities on court.
And now, thanks to a new policy, the NBA will strengthen its status as the most stylish sports league in the world. When the 2018-2019 NBA season kicked off in October, the NBA lifted its color restrictions on players’ sneakers. It is the first time in the league’s 72-year history that it has allowed shoes to be of any color a player likes, as long as no reflective (反光的) material is included.
In the past, the NBA required “uniformity (一致性) of uniform”, meaning each players’ shoes had to match those worn by the rest of the team. Their sneakers had to be at least 51 percent black or white, with an element of team color.
This landmark rule change is part of the NBA’s collective effort to support players “statements” on and off the court. “ More and more people realize that limitation of the color of players’ shoes actually constrains (限制) their personal expression and storytelling,” CNN News noted.
Sometimes a shoe was worn in a memorable game, or the design of a shoe has meaning for the player.
Before Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, nicknamed “the Black Mamba”, retired, it was said that he wore a new pair of sneakers to each game and stored his used sneakers.
Bryant brought the low-top style of sneaker with a Mamba print to the forefront in 2008 to symbolize the spirit of perseverance and bravery. In 2013, Bryant added nine red stitches (缝针) to the back of his shoe to represent the nine stitches from his Achilles tendon surgery. “It has become an attitude. That is my Mamba personality,” Bryant told Sports Illustrated magazine.
Kyrie Irving of the Boston, Celtics wears probably the most famous signature sneakers. Inspired by his mother, who died when he was four, he has a rose on one side of his shoe to represent her. All of his sneakers are also inscribed (刻) with the words, “JBY (Just Be You)”. “Just Be You is the motto I live by every single day, because I’m happy to be an individual. It’s a beautiful thing,” Irving told UK media site GiveMeSport.
There is no end to the stories about sneakers in basketball. It’s certain that they will remain a platform for players who want to use them to express their ideas and personalities.
1. According to the new policy, the NBA players ________.A.may choose sneakers they like without restriction |
B.should wear sneakers in their own team color |
C.have to choose sneakers either in black or in white |
D.have more freedom in choosing personal sneakers |
A.Uniformity guarantees better results. |
B.The new rule leads to controversy. |
C.The NBA cares little about players’ statements. |
D.Players’ personal expression also counts. |
A.A rose. | B.JBY. |
C.A Mamba print. | D.Nine red stitches. |
A.The NBA lifts color restrictions. |
B.Our shoes have stories. |
C.Bryant has a unique dress style. |
D.The NBA players are particular about the colors of their sneakers. |
【推荐1】What could be perfect for the partner, who embarrasses you on the dance floor? Smart socks, which can teach people to dance, may be the answer for anyone with two left feet.
At first, the socks have been developed as a running tool to help runners improve their skills. Thanks to the socks, users can accurately record not only how far and fast they run but also how well. It means the user maximizes their performance, and reduces damage to body and prevents hurt. The hi-tech socks are made of special fibers (纤维) that watch the movements of your feet. They look, feel and can be washed like normal clothes.
Sensors record each movement and send it by an ankle transmitter (脚踝发射器) to a smart phone. Then a “virtual coach” application shows the information and can tell the user what they are doing wrong, and help to improve skill in any task with feet.
The socks should be useful to athletes and weekend joggers. “People think running is so easy and of course everybody can do it but not necessarily safely and well,” Dr Davide Vigano said. A recent study showed that between 60 and 80 percent of runners got hurt per year. This is petty much more than any other human activity. Researchers say the technology can also be developed to teach people how to dance, play sports such as golf, or even to help to teach women to walk better in high heels.
Mr. Vigano said, “People could all benefit from the idea. We have had interest from all sorts of sports, like skiing, football, cycling and golf. Anything where you have to use your feet can use it. It could even be put in high heels to help women walk in them safely.”
Socks are just the start, and the technology could be used in gloves, hats and bots. The socks, anklet and software package, are expected to be sold for around £120, which will go on sale in March.
1. What does the underlined part “anyone with two left feet” refer to in paragraph 1?A.People who are disabled. | B.People who do not like dancing. |
C.People who are good at dancing. | D.People who are poor at dancing. |
A.To help women walk safely. | B.To teach people to dance. |
C.To improve runners’ performance | D.To record dance movement. |
A.They are expensive to produce. |
B.They can monitor the movement of feet. |
C.They feel much softer than normal clothes. |
D.They should be washed in a special washing machine |
A.The technology could bring a potential market. |
B.All people can run safely and well thanks to the socks. |
C.The technology has been widely used in all sorts of sports. |
D.Only professional athletes can benefit from the technology. |
【推荐2】Singer Liu Genghong is enjoying great popularity recently after posting online fitness videos on TikTok. In the videos, he often works out to the fast-paced music of his friend JayChou. Now his TikTok account has rocketed to 55 million fans and 53 million likes, inspiring people’s interest in indoor exercise.
According to Pu Zhengning, a professor of Southeast University in Nanjing, the COVID-19 has limited access to gyms and fitness centers, so simple aerobic (有氧的) exercises that do not need equipment are perfect for people to perform at home. And that is exactly the demand that Liu has come up on his social media platforms.
Since the COVID-19 broke out, the increasing downloads of fitness apps indicates the growing popularity of online fitness. The number of fitness videos on the platform in 2021 increased by 134 percent, while followers of fitness trainers were up by 208 percent.
Wei Fang, a student at Shandong Normal University, is one of Liu’s fans. “My major requires me to sit for a long time,” she said. “So how could I refuse a star singer as a personal trainer? Besides, when watching the live stream, I feel like I’m taking exercise with friends, which encourages me to keep going,” added Wei, who claims to have lost 3.5 kilograms in just seven days and also have a more positive mood.
According to the 2022 Sports and Fitness Consumption Trend Report, the sales of yoga and dance products have achieved fast growth since March. Along with social media plat-forms, China’s sports governing body launched online games on April 28. Ding Dong, an official with the General Administration of Sport, said: “The aim of the games is to inspire the mass enthusiasm for fitness.”
Now it seems that “cloud fitness” offers a great choice to gym memberships. In the past, aerobic exercises on TV were popular, and now it’s even easier to follow along and learn from instructors on short-video platforms.
1. Why does Liu Genghong become popular online recently?A.People love his online fitness videos. |
B.He dances to the fast-paced music of Jay Chou. |
C.The gyms and fitness centers are too expensive. |
D.People are interested in taking exercise in the gym. |
A.She dislikes a star singer as a personal trainer. |
B.She often works out with Liu to lose weight. |
C.She refuses to exercise together with friends. |
D.She benefits physically and mentally from exercise. |
A.The mass enthusiasm for fitness needs improving. |
B.Online sports games have appeared on the market. |
C.More and more people take part in aerobic exercises. |
D.Yoga and dance on TikTok are developing together. |
A.Come to Exercise with Trainer Liu |
B.The Followers of Fitness Instructors |
C.Downloads of Various Fitness Apps |
D.Go to Post Cloud Fitness Short Videos |
The Obamas began their trip in Mumbai, India, the financial and economic center of the country, on November 6. There, they met with government officials, business leaders and school groups. Up first on the schedule was a visit to a memorial at the TajMahal Palace and Tower Hotel. Obama’s second day in India was lighter than the first. The Presidential visit took place on Diwali, or the Festival of Lights. The five-day religious festival is celebrated each year by Hindus, Sikhs and others. The Obamas spent the holiday visiting with local schoolchildren.
On Monday, Michelle Obama joined 15 Indian school girls on a field trip to a museum of Indian craft work. During the tour, the First Lady stressed to the students the importance of education. Most of the children on the trip are the first girls in their families to attend school. Mrs Obama also encouraged the young women to stay fit, telling them that she likes to exercise because “women have to stay strong”.
Early tomorrow, the Obamas will travel to Indonesia, the country in which the President spent four years as a boy. After that, they will fly to Seoul, South Korea, to attend the Group of Twenty, or G-20, economic summit. The conference brings together leaders from 20 wealthy and developing nations and the European Union. They meet twice a year to address challenges that affect the global economy.
The final leg of the tour will be in Japan, where Obama will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
1. According to Paragraph 1, what are the goals for the ten-day tour?
a. To improve ties between the US and Asia.
b. To do sight-seeing in the countries.
c. To help economy grow faster.
d. To help create more jobs.
A.abc | B.acd | C.ad | D.abcd |
A.What the First Couple did in India. |
B.How long the First Couple stayed in India. |
C.Introduction to a traditional holiday in India. |
D.What the First Couple thought of their tour in India. |
A.asked why only the first girls could go to school |
B.told the students the importance of craft work |
C.explained why women must stay strong |
D.encouraged the students to study hard |
A.will stay in Indonesia for four days |
B.will stay in Japan for the shortest time |
C.hasn’t attended the Group of Twenty before |
D.will attend an important conference in Seoul |
A.3. | B.4. | C.5. | D.6. |
【推荐1】Imagine a relay race. During this race, an athlete holds a stick as he runs a certain distance. Then he passes the stick to the next runner. That person runs faster, and then passes the stick to a third runner. Now imagine that the runners do not pass a stick. Instead they pass shiny silk, as well as gold, fruit, and glass. Imagine that the race does not move forward in just one direction. Instead the runners go back and forth along a road. They trade goods all along this route (路线) and at each end of it. Now imagine that the runners are businessmen. They lead caravans (商队) or lines of camels that carry things to sell. They travel on the ancient Silk Road to earn their living.
The Silk Road was a complex trade network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It stretched from eastern China, across central Asia and the Middle east, to the Mediterranean Sea. Businessmen traveled on the Silk Road from about 200 B.C. to about 1300 A.D.. Then sea travel began to offer new routes. Some people called the Silk Road the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road included many routes -- not just one smooth path. The routes ran through mountains and across deserts. They passed through an area that now includes 18 countries. The Silk Road had many dangers. These dangers ranged from hot sun and deep snow to thieves and wars. Only expert traders could survive.
The Silk Road got its name from its most prized goods. People used silk as money. They could pay taxes or buy goods with it. Traders carried more than just silk, though. They had gold, silver, and glass from Europe. People in the Middle East and Asia wanted these things. Businessmen also took horses from flat, grassy areas in central Asia and brought them to China and other areas. The horses changed the way people farmed and ran their armies. Indian businessmen traded salt and rare, beautiful stones. Chinese merchants traded medicine and china. They also traded paper, which quickly replaced animal skins in the west. Businessmen carried apples from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to combine different trees to create new kinds of fruit. They taught this science to others, such as the Romans. The Romans began to grow apples for food. The Silk Road led to worldwide commerce 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.
The people along the Silk Road did not share only goods. They also shared beliefs. Monks, priests, and other faith leaders taught their religions to others. The Silk Road created pathways for knowledge, diplomacy, and religion.
1. People turned to the sea for new routes after around 1300 A. D. because _____.A. the Silk Road included many routes |
B.the Silk Road passed through many areas |
C.people traveled on the Silk Road for too long |
D.there were more dangers along the Silk Road |
A.Influential | B.Private | C.Valuable | D.Useful |
A.The Silk Road helped spread religions to more people. |
B.The Silk Road gave people the idea to build highways. |
C.Some people probably died while travelling. |
D.Westerners probably used to write on animal skins. |
A.silk Road was built by China. |
B.there used to be deaths along the path |
C.trade went along with religion |
D.many apple trees used to grow along the path |
A.Science. | B.Travel. | C.Sports. | D.Culture. |
【推荐2】Culture is a way to bring harmony to society via exchange of knowledge and thoughts, and also the respect of others’ belief and cultural heritage. Before I came to China to study business, my only information about the country was what I had read in our school books, TV shows on Pakistan national TV, and Chinese movies.
But once I arrived in China, my view changed. China has made great leaps in development, keeping a strong link to their ancestors’ heritage, hard work and courage. The announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (倡议) (BRI) by President Xi Jinping in 2013 has provided trade opportunities for participating countries, and can also be a meeting place for the exchange of ideas, thoughts, knowledge and culture.
Being a combination of diverse cultural and traditional systems, the BRI promotes harmony, and through the heritage of the Silk Road, these diversified cultures can treat one another with respect and exist together peacefully. China can play a leading role to maximize identity, cohesion (凝聚力) and creativity of the diverse cultures, nations and people to combine resources along the belt and road and ensure all the countries involved receive mutual (相互的) benefit.
International students coming to China and Chinese students going abroad for studies are cultural ambassadors. They learn the language, local customs, arts and exchange thoughts. The BRI is a chance for the Chinese dream to become reality. China has a lot to share with the BRI countries. China has a rising number of Chinese language learners around the world. Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education whose stated aim is to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges. As of 2014, there were over 480 Confucius Institutes in dozens of countries on six continents. The Ministry of Education estimates 100 million people overseas are learning Chinese, and the program is expanding rapidly and aims to establish 1, 000 Confucius Institutes by 2020. These institutes are playing an important role for local students to learn Chinese, meaning more job opportunities for BRI projects.
Since ancient times, the Silk Road culture has supported diversity. Accordingly, China needs to maintain relationships with the countries of the ancient Silk Road civilization.
A discussion meeting on how to better carry out the BRI Cultural Development Action Plan was held in Beijing by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Through cooperation and exchanges between countries, the BRI can revitalize (振兴) traditional Silk Road culture by opening up overseas markets, introducing advanced ideas to every participating country.
1. The change in the author’s understanding of China corresponds with the saying, “__________”.A.Seeing is believing. |
B.Actions speak louder than words. |
C.One is never too old to learn. |
D.There is no royal road to learning. |
A.will remove cultural barriers |
B.may achieve a win-win result |
C.will join hands in resource protection |
D.may keep peace with other countries |
A.To acquire more knowledge about China today. |
B.To communicate with Chinese-speaking people. |
C.To gain benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative. |
D.To serve as cultural ambassadors in BRI countries. |
A.need to restore their ancient civilization via the BRI |
B.have a long tradition of respecting different countries |
C.will spread their traditional culture to other countries |
D.are eager to exchange advanced ideas with each other |
A.it’s a non-profit public institution affiliated by the Chinese Ministry of Education |
B.it can promote Chinese language and culture |
C.it supports local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges |
D.it supplies more job opportunities for BRI projects |
【推荐3】On January 17, the “Chinese Bridge” Cultural Experience & Exchange Programme kicked off at Chongqing Bashu Secondary School. International students will attend Humanities, Languages, Cultures Winter Camp online during the next week. “Chinese Bridge” is a large- scale programme for international Chinese language education sponsored by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation. Since its launching in 2002, “Chinese Bridge” has been serving as a vital platform for Chinese language learning, understanding of China, and Chinese culture experiencing and a bridge connecting Chinese and foreign young people.
Aside from Chinese language courses, the Programme also opens courses on tea culture, Tai Chi, calligraphy, and illustration painting and holds lectures on Bayu culture. Chinese students and international students in Chongqing will be invited to share their studies and life in this city. As a result, they can help promote Chinese culture, assist attendees of the Programme in understanding China’s developments, build friendships with the attendees, and draw more international students to study in the country.
“Chongqing is attracting foreign students to study in China, more than just sending Chinese students to study abroad. It has turned into a cultural pioneer from an inheritor (继承人). Becoming the programme host proves that Chongqing has made remarkable achievements in international cooperation and educational reform,” said Li Bin, Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Division, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission.
At the end of the first day of the winter camp, students shared how they felt. Hellen from Altai State University in Russia said with excitement, “I love the Chinese classical dance and instrument performances! But my favourite is the chorus, which is said to be the theme song of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. It is so beautiful, and I will learn to sing it.” Jac, a Chinese language teacher from KCE International School Cambodia, praised the adequate preparation by the Bashu Secondary School, and said it would be a fun and valuable learning experience for students.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?A.To provide the background. | B.To introduce the topic. |
C.To make readers interested. | D.To show the importance of the “Chinese bridge”. |
A.The ways to attract more international students. | B.The popularity of Chinese courses. |
C.The importance of painting. | D.The content and the positive result of the courses. |
A.Enough. | B.Terrible. | C.Common. | D.Original. |
A.Entertainment. | B.Health. | C.Education. | D.Science. |