Coming from India, Vikash Kumar Singh has been living in China for more than ten years and speaks Chinese very fluently. He now works as a teacher at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Vikash had been translating Qinqiang, a famous novel by Jia Pingwa, for almost two years. When the winter holiday began, Vikash had more time to work on the translation and managed to finish it before the Chinese New Year.
As part of a Chinese and Indian literature translation program supported by both governments, Vikash thought that the translation of literary works like Qinqiang would open a window for Indian people, through which they could have a better understanding of China and Chinese literature.
“I would like to thank both governments for their support for this culture program, ”said Vikash. “This is quite helpful on the mutual understanding of people from both countries.”
Getting this long-lasting work done, Vikash felt very buoyant. He could enjoy the Spring Festival in a more relaxed way.
Vikash told the reporter that most of his friends also stayed in Beijing. They visited each other and talked about how they celebrate the New Year in their home countries such as Indonesia and Bulgaria. And they felt it was also cool to stay in Beijing and enjoy the Spring Festival.
As a typical “Haidian District” parent who highly values children’s education and future development, Vikash actively interacted with the parents of his child’s classmates during the holiday.
Vikash also spoke to his family in India about his experience of the holiday by phone. Besides, he introduced the customs of celebrating the Spring Festival in detail.
Through the transnational dissemination (传播) of traditions and cultures, such as festivals and novels, Vikash deepened the mutual understanding of people from China and India with his profession.
1. What did Vikash decide to do during his winter holiday?| A．Travel around China. | B．Move to a new district. |
| C．Call on a famous writer. | D．Finish his translation work. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Unclear. | C．Supportive. | D．Worried. |
| A．Nervous. | B．Safe. | C．Tired. | D．Cheerful. |
| A．He observed the Spring Festival for the first time. |
| B．He planned to invite his parents to China. |
| C．He is very interested in educational development. |
| D．He is a messenger of cultural exchange. |
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【推荐1】BOXTEL, Netherlands — chickens roam the orchards, cows chew the cud and pigs roll in the mud on a warm day on a Dutch farm ——but the pastoral (乡村)scene is not as traditional as it seems.
The farm is owned and run by a cooperative of hundreds of local consumers and aims to change habits in a low-lying country engaged in an existential fight against climate change. Nearly 200 families decide what the farm will produce — and they will eventually eat — and employ a farmer to tend to the animals for meat and eggs and grow the dozen kinds of fruits and vegetables.
“The main aim of the members is to eat natural products, produced near to where they live, in a more sustainable (可持续的)way,” said Douwe Korting, co-leader of the Boxtel Cooperative, in the southern Netherlands. People are really starting to see that a change toward a different way of eating is essential," he added.
It costs 2,000 euros ($2,200) to join the collective (集体的)farm, which is 10 minutes by bicycle from the town, and then a weekly fee of around 10 euros per person.
In return, members receive the food they want and stress the importance of knowing what they eat is local and seasonal.
Known as Herenboderderij, or People's Farming, the guiding principle is that everything centers on the needs and riches of nature, even while using new technologies, ” said its founder Geert van der Veer. Soon the poultry (家禽) will be joined by a robot that can sense when the fruit is ripe, as well as a drone that will survey the fields to support and reduce the needs for manpower.
1. Why did the families start the farm?| A．To reduce the cost of food. | B．To improve their eating habits. |
| C．To replace the old tradition. | D．To provide more chances for exercise. |
| A．Decide what to produce and eat what they grow. |
| B．Work on the farm close to where they live. |
| C．Own and operate the farm in a more effective way. |
| D．Feed the animals and grow fruits and vegetables. |
| A．It'll provide natural products. | B．It'll be charged by new technology. |
| C．It'll cost everyone less than 10 euros. | D．It'll encourage people to love nature. |
| A．A diary. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A novel. | D．A newspaper. |
【推荐2】The lights go down, music plays, and a young woman on a bike at the front of the class encourages students to spin faster and harder. When the lights go back on, the students on the bikes pull out their notebooks, and it's clear that this is not Soul Cycle. Instead, it's a first-of-its-kind business school course at Fordham University that is taught on spin bikes in a university.
“It's the first class that I mention to anybody when anybody asks me what classes I'm taking,” said Amanda Vopat, 22, a business administration major. “I think people are really excited about it.”
The 75-minute, twice-weekly course is the brainchild of Julita Haber, a business school professor at Fordham. “I have been introducing movement and fitness in my classes for the past seven years,” she said. “I found the spin class would really allow students to exercise while a professor lectures at the same time.”
The course the students are taking while cycling is no joke. Managing Professional Relationships is an upper-level business school course taken primarily by juniors and seniors. The students are fully instrumental in each class, selecting the music, leading stretches before and after class and leading the intervals during the class.
Haber stops her lecture every 20 minutes throughout the class. While one student turns off the lights, another student turns up the music and a third student goes to a bike in the front of the class to lead their classmates in high-intensity interval that lasts two to three minutes, just enough to re-energize the students. “It's a wonderful way of engaging students and as a professor, as a teacher, that's really gratifying,” she said. “They don't have their smart phones, and they don't have laptops so they are physically engaged and also mentally engaged in what is being said.”
The course is the first of its kind at Fordham, and Haber believes it is also a first across the United States. She has authored research on the unique classroom approach, which she calls fitness integrated(综合的)learning.
Donna Rapaccioli, the head of Fordham's Gabelli School of Business, described how students were “energized” by the class and said Fordham was open to expanding it to other courses. “Definitely,” Rapaccioli answered when asked if Haber's course represents the future of learning.
1. What might Soul Cycle be?| A．A health club | B．A repair shop. |
| C．A bicycle store. | D．A music studio. |
| A．It lasts seventy-five minutes without breaks. |
| B．It was originally thought up by Julita. |
| C．It was taught in a university gym once every 2 weeks. |
| D．It is open to all students at Fordham University. |
| A．Haber has introduced the spin class seven years before. |
| B．Students pull out their notebooks while riding the spin bikes. |
| C．Haber is satisfied with her course. |
| D．The course has become popular in the US. |
| A．Humorous and clever. | B．Hopeful and cheerful. |
| C．Serious and friendly. | D．Proud and confident. |
【推荐3】Humanitarian(人道主义的)groups and lawmakers have criticized Italian authorities for preventing migrants who were not considered to be“vulnerable(脆弱的)”from disembarking(登陆)from rescue ships in Sicily on Sunday.
Charities and politicians blamed the selection process as illegal and regarded the actions of the Italian government as inhumane, reported the Associated Press news service, or AP. Italy’s new government is reportedly targeting foreign-flagged rescue ships in a new procedure that is part of a regulation brought about by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.
Italy allowed a rescue ship carrying 179 refugees and migrants to enter a port in Sicily on Sunday and then later begin disembarking children and sick or“vulnerable”people, but 35 men on board were blocked from getting off the ship, reported the Reuters news agency. Later, agencies reported that 144 people had been allowed to disembark the Humanity 1 rescue ship,which sailed under a German flag. In the afternoon,357 people were allowed off the Geo Barents ship operated by Doctors Without Borders, which sails under a Norwegian flag, but 215 people remained blocked on board.
Authorities continued to refuse safe harbor for hundreds of migrants onboard two other ships in nearby waters, said the AP. Humanity 1’s captain refused to leave the port of Catania “until all survivors rescued from great suffering at sea have been disembarked”, said SOS Humanity, the German-run charity that operates the ship. The charity strongly criticized Piantedosi’s decision to only allow vulnerable people to disembark and on Monday said it would launch legal action against the Italian government,claiming Italy’s actions violate European law and the Geneva Refugee Convention.
The BBC noted that Italy is one of the main entry points into Europe, and, according to the United Nations, 85,000 migrants have arrived there on small,overcrowded boats since the start of the year. Italy’s new prime minister,Giorgia Meloni,has promised to take action to stop those making the hazardous journeys across the Mediterranean.
Nongovernmental organizations say coastal nations are responsible by the law of the sea to rescue people who are suffering and that they are responsible to provide a safe port as soon as possible.
Till Rummenhohl，head of operations at SOS Humanity，said people were being “held hostage (人质)”onboard the Humanity 1 vessel.”“We had health authorities onboard who decided who’s weak enough, who is basically in urgent medical case and who’s not,”Rummenhohl told DW News.“The people are not really sure what’s happening to them. They have an uncertain future. They are afraid of being pushed back from Italy, into international waters or even to Libya. That’s their greatest fear,” he said.
1. Why were 35 of the 179 refugees not allowed to leave the ship to enter Italy in the beginning?| A．They were not weak people. | B．They had no certifications. |
| C．The ship was in good condition. | D．The ship sailed under a German flag. |
| A．Comfortable. | B．Thrilling. |
| C．Long. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．Italy’s actions agreed with European law and the Geneva Refugee Convention. |
| B．Illegal migrants should be pushed back into international waters. |
| C．Coastal countries should save people who are suffering at sea. |
| D．Illegal migrants were supposed to be held hostage onboard. |
| A．Italy provides safe shelters for refugees |
| B．Italy prevents migrants from leaving ships |
| C．Humanity 1’s captain refuses to leave the port of Catania |
| D．Many migrants arrive in Italy on small, overcrowded boats |
【推荐1】Dragons, a famous imaginary beast born from fantasy, are often present in stories in the west and east. In both cultures, dragons are generally recognized as massive creatures capable of flight. They have great power and are often associated with magical abilities. However, due to their different cultural roots and images, there exist significant differences in the way dragons are regarded in the west and east, particularly in China.
Chinese dragons most resemble snakes, and have four claws and no wings. They often have features of other animals, including carp, tigers, and eagles. In the contrast, Western dragons look like huge lizards with big claws and large bat-like wings, and are often shown with spines or rough scales.
In traditional Chinese culture, a dragon is a symbol of luck, power and high status. They can cause weather changes and bring rainfall to the fields to ensure rich harvests. They are considered divine creatures, which hold an important position as the head of the four spirits. Therefore, to symbolize their power, ancient Chinese emperors decorated their clothes with dragon patterns. These clothes are known as dragon robes. Many Chinese view the dragon as a national symbol, proudly referring to themselves as “descendants of the dragon”. In the west, however, a dragon symbolizes an evil creature that spreads violence and terror throughout the land. They are believed to be transformed by the devil, with the ability to breathe fire or spit poison. Many western tales show dragons being defeated and killed to protect people from danger.
Today, dragons continue to evolve, exceeding traditional boundaries and finding new significance in global culture. They are no longer associated with evil or good, but rather as complex characters with their own unique personalities and motivations. For example, Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon begins as a dangerous dragon but evolves into a misunderstood being with love and compassion. This challenges the idea of dragons as naturally evil, presenting them as complex beings with emotions and motivations.
1. What do western dragons and eastern dragons have in common?| A．They are huge and powerful. | B．They have rough skin. |
| C．They are in the shape of snakes. | D．They have big claws and wings. |
| A．Western dragons are a symbol of authority and violence. |
| B．Dragons are believed to cause chaos in western culture. |
| C．Chinese dragons can control rainfall and breathe fire. |
| D．Dragons in China can protect people from danger. |
| A．They have more diverse feelings and characters. |
| B．They have complicated motivations with born love. |
| C．They are commonly regarded as adventurous creatures. |
| D．They tend to represent human spirits facing challenges. |
| A．The Images of Dragons in Western Traditions. | B．The Origin of Dragons in Chinese History. |
| C．The Magical Animals in Different Countries. | D．The Dragon Elements in Global Culture. |
【推荐2】The Chinese word “Shanzhai” means a small mountain village, but now it becomes an accepted name for fakes (假货) after “Shenzhen Cellphones” produced by small workshops in southern China became popular in the mainland market over the past two years.
Besides “Shanzhai” has electronic products, there are “Shanzhai” movies, “Shanzhai” stars and even a “Shanzhai” Spring Festival Gala, a copy of the 25-year-old traditional show presented by CCTV on Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve.
“Shanzhai” has become a culture of its own, symbolizing anything that imitates something famous.
The phenomenon has caused a public debate over whether it is healthy or sick being a copycat.
In southwestern China’s Chongqing Municipality, a “Shanzhai” version “Bird’s Nest” woven by farmers with bamboo attracts wide attention and the “Shanzhai” version “Water Cube” is popular with tourists too. Both are copies of the famous Olympics buildings in Beijing.
Xie Xizhang, a literature critic, said that taking the “Shanzhai” Gala as an example, when the traditional CCTV program becomes less and less attractive to the audience, the “Shanzhai” version appears naturally to attract people.
“In spite of its poor techniques and operation, ‘Shanzhai’culture meets the psychological demands of common people and could be a comfort to their minds,” Xie said.
Tian Huiqun, a professor at Beijing Normal University, said that “Shanzhai” culture never copies classic things, only trendy products. In that sense, it’s like a computer virus, multiplying without meaning.
Though controversial, “Shanzhai” culture is becoming a widely accepted phenomenon.
To the mainstream culture, the rise of “Shanzhai” culture is a challenge as well as a motivation, said Xie.
Tian said different kinds of cultures developing together is an ideal situation and it is for the public to choose.
1. The Chinese Word“Shanzhai”may have its origin in _________.| A．fake cellphones | B．electronic products |
| C．Spring Festival Gala | D．Olympics buildings |
| A．steals | B．copies | C．advertises | D．cheats |
| A．The action that a person imitates famous people |
| B．anything that imitates something famous |
| C．those similar names to famous brand |
| D．products with poor techniques and quality |
| A．Will be held back by “Shanzhai” culture |
| B．will sooner or later be replaced by “Shanzhai”culture |
| C．may develop faster because of the challenging of “Shanzhai”culture |
| D．thinks nothing of the challenge of “Shanzhai”culture |
| A．“Shanzhai”culture will definitely fade out |
| B．“Shanzhai”culture –the mountain village culture |
| C．“Shanzhai”culture – the mainstream culture |
| D．“Shanzhai”culture takes on life of its own |
【推荐3】To Their Own Beat
When Los Lobos perform in concert today, audiences in the thousands cheer them on. It’s hard to believe that the group started out as just another garage band playing popular rock-and-roll tunes from the radio, In 1974 four high school friends from East Los Angeles formed Los Lobos ( Spanish for “The Wolves” ) .
Like many garage bands, these friends might have simply gone their separate ways after high school. But the members of Los Lobos wanted to keep making music together. They decided to change their musical style and began focusing on traditional Mexican music that showed their tradition.
“We pulled out all those records we used to beg our parents not to play around our friends and found an incredible wealth of music,” says Perez. “These guys (on the records) were doing amazing things with their instruments, and we started trying to pick up on it. ”
The group put aside its electric guitars for the acoustic ones used in traditional Mexican music. For several years Los Lobos played at weddings or parties—any event that needed live music. They also landed a regular engagement (合同) at a Mexican restaurant.
By 1978 Los Lobos had made enough money to record their first album (唱片) , and they sold copies of it wherever they performed. They also returned to their electric guitars to get closer to a Tex-Mex sound, which is a mixture of traditional Mexican music, rock and roll, country music, and the blues. This new, louder sound produced one unexpected result: the group was fired from the restaurant.
But it didn’t matter that Los Lobos had lost their one steady job, because they had found a position that no other group took up. They had combined electric and acoustic instruments and blended (混合) musical styles in their own way. Steve Berlin joined the band in 1983 as the saxophone and keyboard player, adding to the band’s unusual sound.
“We didn’t so much want to recycle the music we’d grown up with as much as find the common links between it and all the other styles and sounds that were all around us,” Perez explains. “It became a mission ... bringing music together to bring people together. ”
In the 1980s Los Lobos gained the attention of several record companies. They were hired to perform on the soundtrack to the film La Bamba, which earned them a Golden Eagle Award. They have since earned many awards, including two Grammys and an MTV Video Music Award. Their many records have been very successful, and they have toured the world.
Even after 30 years of making music together, Los Lobos continues to experiment with their sound. They never moved far away from their Mexican roots, however. They still include traditional music in their live performances, sharing their history—and their culture—with their fans.
1. Los Lobos recorded their first album after they_______.| A．lost their job at a restaurant |
| B．began playing acoustic guitars |
| C．won an award for a film soundtrack |
| D．added saxophone and keyboards to their sound |
| A．Paragraph 1. | B．Paragraph 4. | C．Paragraph 6. | D．Paragraph 8. |
| A．The way they recorded their first album. |
| B．Their blending of different types of music. |
| C．Their decision to play traditional Mexican music. |
| D．The fact that they performed and toured the world. |
| A．Music is best when played with traditional instruments. |
| B．Music must be recorded to be passed down. |
| C．Music should remain the same over time. |
| D．Music can show many cultures. |
