Cute lion heads,loud gongs (锣) and drums, an excited crowd—these are all parts of the lion dances you often see during Chinese holidays or at the openings of new shops and restaurants.
Ancient Chinese people thought the lion stood for (代表) braveness. It can drive away bad things and bring good luck. As one of the most well-known folk dances in China, the lion dance has been performed for more than 2,000 years. It was very popular during the Tang Dynasty (618—907).
Wang Rentao, 41, has been performing the lion dance for 28 years. Born in Zhongkeng village in Dongguan, Guangdong, Wang watched villagers perform it when he was young. “It’s a historical tradition here and the love for lion dance is in everyone’s blood,” Wang said.
Now the head of the village’s lion dance performers, Wang is proud of the group’s achievements. “We’ve won many prizes and taken part in many important events, including the celebration of the 70th birthday of New China at Tian’anmen Square,” Wang said.
Wang’s group is famous for dancing on quincuncial piles (梅花桩), one of the most difficult lion dance skills. Performers jump from one pile to another at a height of about 2.5 meters. The distance between the piles can be as far as 1.8 meters.
“The training is really difficult. Performers need to have lots of good practice of kung fu skills first. Even with that, they can fall from the pile and get hurt,” Wang said. “But that’s also the amazing part of lion dance, the part that makes it valuable heritage.”
The lion dance is popular not just in China, but in overseas Chinese communities. Many overseas Chinese see the lion as a symbol of China. The lion dance reminds them of the culture of their homeland.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。
1. What did the lion stand for in ancient China?
| A．Bad things. | B．Good luck. | C．Kindness. | D．Braveness. |
| A．For more than 200 years. | B．For no more than 200 years. |
| C．For over 2,000 years. | D．For less than 2,000 years. |
| A．2.5 meters. | B．1.8 meters. | C．7 meters. | D．2 meters. |
| A．遗产 | B．资源 | C．友谊 | D．经历 |
| A．You can’t see lion dance at Tian’anmen Square. |
| B．Not everyone in Zhongkeng village loves lion dance. |
| C．The lion dance was very popular during the Han Dynasty. |
| D．In the eyes of many overseas Chinese, the lion is a symbol of China. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Many Chinese people will wonder what presents to get for their mums on Mother’s Day, but not many know Mother’s Day is actually a festival from overseas. Mother’s Day originated (起源) in America during the early 20th century. The festival spread to China as early as in the 1980s and was widely accepted.
Why did a foreign festival become popular in China? In fact, Chinese traditional culture has always encouraged filial (孝顺的) devotion to parents. There are many stories which show filial respect in ancient China. For example, the story of Taste Liquid Medicine for Mother (《亲尝汤药》) tells us the filial virtue (美德) of Emperor Wen of the Western Han Dynasty. His mother had been sick for three years. He often stayed up by her bedside and cared for her day and night. He tasted the liquid medicine first before she drank it. Also, mother’s love is an eternal (永恒的) subject in Chinese ancient poems, like Song of the Parting Son by Meng Jiao, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. Now this poem is still a must-read in school textbooks. Children in China are brought up with the education of filial devotion. On special days, people often use the rose or the forget-me-not (勿忘我) to express love. The carnation (康乃馨) is considered as the perfect flower for mothers around the world, but few know that China has its own flower for mothers — the tiger lily.
Love for mothers can have different ways of expression. What matters most is love, not the festival itself. What mothers truly want is perhaps just a simple expression of love from their children.
1. When did Mother’s Day spread to China?| A．In the 1920s. | B．In the 1980s. |
| C．In the Western Han Dynasty. | D．In the Tang Dynasty. |
| A．The filial virtue of Emperor Wen. | B．Caring for the old. |
| C．Traditional Chinese Medicine. | D．A mother’s love for her son. |
| A．The rose. | B．The forget-me-not. |
| C．The carnation. | D．The tiger lily. |
| A．A big dinner. | B．A celebration party. |
| C．Greetings of the festival. | D．Expensive presents. |
| A．Because it’s widely spread in many countries. |
| B．Because it’s about a Chinese ancient stories of respecting parents. |
| C．Because it’s in accord with (符合) Chinese traditional cultural values. |
| D．Because it’s a simple way of expressing love. |
【推荐2】As children grow up, they have a birthday every year. But in modern China, a birthday held at the age of 18 has special meaning. It’s the celebration of coming of age (成年) .
In ancient China, the coming of age ceremony was very important for the young people.According to the book Li Ji (《礼记》) , it was the symbol of their right to get married and their duty to share family responsibilities. Only after the ceremony could the young people be called “adults”.
At the coming of age ceremony, after all the guests sat in the right position, the parents would give a short speech. A respected elder that was chosen to hold this ceremony would wash hands and do the guan li or ji li in several steps. Then, the child would kneel on the ground and listen to his or her parents’ expectations and words that were used to educate the child. After showing thanks to the guests, he or she could stand next to his or her parents as a real adult.
In modern China, the coming of age ceremony in some universities and senior high schools is getting popular. Besides a traditional ceremony mentioned above, some young people may wear traditional Chinese clothing or modern clothing and take professional photos to record this special event. Some choose to make a charitable donation (慈善捐赠) such as money or time to a charity or an organization. They also think back to their achievement s to make better plans for their future education, career or personal development.
1. After the coming of age ceremony, the young people should ________ in ancient China.| A．hope for a job | B．get married at once |
| C．read the book Li Ji | D．be responsible for the family |
| A．Why the celebration was held. | B．How the celebration was held. |
| C．Where the celebration was held. | D．When the celebration was held. |
| A．Volunteer at a hospital. | B．Wear expensive clothing. |
| C．Make some money. | D．Wash hands and give a speech |
| A．To compare different kinds of cultures. |
| B．To invite kids to join in a special celebration. |
| C．To introduce a traditional ceremony in China. |
| D．To show the writer's hope for becoming an adult. |
The art of Chinese paper cutting, or jianzhi, has a history of thousands of years. The art form is said to date back to the Han Dynasty. During that time, paper was very expensive. During the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people started using paper for artistic expression. Paper cutting became popular.
Common themes of paper cutting include animals, plants and traditional Chinese characters like fu, shou and xi. They are often seen during Chinese New Year. In the past paper cutting was usually used as decorations (装饰) for festivals. It was put up on windows and doors for good luck.
Chinese paper cutting has become more than just a traditional art form. It is also a symbol of Chinese culture. In recent years, Chinese paper cutting has been enjoyed by people all over the world. It is not only for decorative purposes, but also in fashion, design, advertising and more areas.
Chinese paper cutting is a fragile (脆弱的) art form. On the one hand, the beautifully shaped designs can easily be broken. On the other hand, the traditional skills used to create them are at risk of being lost. Luckily, some people are trying to keep this tradition alive. Groups such as the China National Paper-Cutting Association (中国剪纸协会) are working to promote the art form. They want to make sure that it will be passed down to many more generations.
1. When did paper cutting become popular in China?| A．During the Han Dynasty. |
| B．During the Tang Dynasty. |
| C．During the Song Dynasty. |
| A．People use it in many fields widely. |
| B．People see it as a traditional art form. |
| C．People use it for decorative purposes. |
| A．Because it’s hard to create beautiful shapes. |
| B．Because we may lose the traditional themes. |
| C．Because the traditional skills might disappear. |
| A．To pass down the traditional art forms. |
| B．To discover more traditional art forms. |
| C．To introduce traditional art forms to foreigners. |
| A．A Way to Celebrate Festivals |
| B．A Symbol of Chinese Culture |
| C．A Tool for Creating Artistic Themes |
After 10-year laughs, the US sitcom Modern Family has come to an end. The last two episodes (集) of its 11th and final season aired on April 8. Since it started in 2009, it has become one of the most beloved TV series (电视连续剧) in the US, taking home 22 Emmy Awards and 75 nominations(提名).
The show follows three families who move in and out of each other’s lives. The first one is a typical American family: the working dad Phil, stay-at-home mom Claire and three children. The second family is made up of Jay, his young Hispanic (西班牙裔的) wife and her son. Jay, 65, is Claire’s father. The third family is made up of a couple - Mitchell and Cameron - and their adopted (收养的) daughter Lily. Mitchell is Jay’s son.
Modern Family has no superheroes, aliens or ghosts - it’s just about common people. So what’s its secret to being such a hit?
The Los Angeles Times said it’s because of “its presentation of today’s US society”. The show presents a typical central family: two parents, a big house and two or three children. It deals with serious problems that many people are familiar with, such as fights between brothers and sisters, disagreements between parents about how to raise their children, and so on.
Phil and Claire have different but fun personalities. For example, when there’s a fight between their kids, Phil wants to be the “cool dad”, while traditional mom Claire lives by the saying, “an eye for an eye”. She always forces Phil to punish the troublemaker.
“There really is no more of a general American family in its true sense” than the characters on Modern Family, said US research institute The Hartman Group.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Modern Family?| A．It has 10 seasons in total. | B．It was first aired in 2009. |
| C．It has won 97 Emmy Awards. | D．It is about three families—superheroes, aliens and ghosts. |
| A．A great success. | B．A sudden event. |
| C．An act of hitting. | D．A result of a search on the Internet. |
| A．Because it tells stories of many American families. |
| B．Because it presents fights between family members. |
| C．Because it shows and describes US society nowadays. |
| D．Because the characters on it are more famous than other sitcoms. |
| A．Modern Family teach people how to deal with family problems. |
| B．Characters in Modern Family are common people. |
| C．Modern Family presents American society. |
| D．It introduces a popular sitcom and it’s achievement. |
【推荐2】Art is a powerful tool for telling a scientific(科学的) story. Many scientific fields study the strangest of the animal kingdom, like animals with a lot of eyes and bodies so different from our own. Art can help us experience these hard-to-imagine parts of the natural world and light new scientific discoveries.
Alia Payne, an art professor, came to the National Museum of Natural History to work with the live jellyfish(水母) collections. She always got the same question from visitors. “How do jellyfish stings(蜇刺) work?” She had the scientific answer but found it difficult to explain without a clear sight. An idea went through her mind. She built a 3D model of one of the stinging cells that visitors could touch. “I have always loved art for education.” said Payne. “We learn more easily when we have something to play with.”
While art helps people experience science. It also helps scientists understand the natural world. Dr Osborn, a zoologist at the museum, studies the surprising sea animals of the ocean’s largest habitat(栖息地)—the midwater. Midwater sea animals have special features to survive in their habitat, and Osborn’s research helps us understand what these animals look like. “So I started learning photography,” Osborn explained. “It was really important because these animals don’t look so great when they are put in the glass box in the museum’s collections.”
Artistic creativity provides a chance to show off the bright colours, special body shapes and good adaptations(适应性) of these animals to the museum’s scientists, visitors and the world. In turn, art connects scientists to their own creativity and helps with their scientific process(过程) and the communication of their discoveries. By joining science with imagination and storytelling, art helps show the beauty of the sea animals—even those fit for horror movies—and connects people with their curiosity for the strangeness of the animal kingdom.
1. What can we learn about art from Paragraph 1?| A．It helps us catch the strangest animals. |
| B．It can tell us a lot of stories about scientists. |
| C．It can tell the differences between nature and science. |
| D．It can provide us with a new view for exploring science. |
| A．She wants to show off. | B．She needs to get that job. |
| C．She wants to explain science in a simple way. | D．She hopes visitors can buy jellyfish in the museum. |
| A．It helps them have more creativities. | B．It allows them to make friends with visitors. |
| C．It makes them experience the life of animals. | D．It brings much trouble to them. |
【推荐3】Chinese New Year Painting, or nianhua in Chinese, is a kind of traditional paintings to be put upon walls and windows during the Spring Festival. Its bright colors and different subjects show the Chinese great expectation for happiness and wealth.
Chinese New Year Painting is an old handicraft. Its original (最初的) form was a picture of a door god during the Tang Dynasty. Later, more subjects such as the Kitchen God, women and babies were included. As the Chinese New Year arrives, every family puts up its New Year paintings in order to say goodbye to the past and welcome the future. One of the most famous woodblock(木刻版画) New Year paintings comes from Yangjiabu of Shandong Province. It covers all kinds of themes and forms. They reflect people’s everyday life.
As time went by, people found New Year paintings old-fashioned. Besides, they considered the door god too scary to hang in their homes. They wanted something more artistic. So in the middle of the 1980s, the sales of New Year paintings dropped greatly.
Usually, colorful woodblock New Year paintings are produced in four steps. Firstly, artists draw a simple sketch(素描) on the paper. Secondly, they make the simple sketch on the wood board and print a few samples(样品). Thirdly, they add color to the sample. Lastly, when the preparation is finished, the printers paint color on the color board, and then put paper on the wood board and brush the paper. Then the colorful woodblock New Year paintings are ready.
There are four main themes in the Chinese New Year paintings...
1. Which is the first form of Chinese New Year Painting?| A．A picture of babies. | B．A picture of a door god. |
| C．A picture of women. | D．A picture of the Kitchen God. |
| A．Because they wanted something that was more artistic. |
| B．Because they found New Year paintings unimportant. |
| C．Because they thought the door god couldn’t bring good luck. |
| D．Because they found it hard to produce New Year paintings. |
| A．The history of Chinese New Year Painting. |
| B．The development of Chinese New Year Painting. |
| C．The process of creating Chine New Year Painting |
| D．The introduction to main themes of Chinese New Year Painting. |
One day, he sees a monkey and says, “I am hungry, monkey. Go to the village and get me something to eat.” “I can’t do that now, tiger,” the monkey says, “There is another tiger over there. He will not let me get anything for you to eat. I am afraid of him.” “What?” cries the old tiger. “Take me to that tiger. I will talk to him.” The monkey and the tiger get to the bridge over the river. “Now look down at the water.” Says the monkey. “Do you see the tiger?” “Yes, I do,” cries the old tiger. “I will eat him.” With these words, the tiger jumps into the river.
1. An old tiger lives ____.
| A．in the zoo | B．in the garden | C．in the forest |
| A．Two tigers and two monkeys. |
| B．One tiger and one monkey. |
| C．One tiger and two monkeys. |
| A．they are afraid of him |
| B．only they can look for some food |
| C．they are his friends |
| A．goes to get something to eat |
| B．gets to the bridge with the tiger |
| C．knows there is another tiger |
| A．The tiger is very clever. |
| B．The monkey eats the tiger. |
| C．The tiger jumps into the water. |
This term we have a new English teacher. His name is Mr. Peterson. He is American. He is not very tall and he is thin. He has a round face and small blue eyes. He wears glasses and they make him look smart. He has dark brown hair.
Mr. Peterson works very hard. In class, he has many good ideas to make the class very interesting. We all like his class. After class, he always encourages us to speak more English. Sometimes he plays games with us. He is very strong and he can play basketball and football very well. Sometimes he plays table tennis with us, but he doesn’t play it very well. Mr. Peterson loves living in China very much. He enjoys lots of things in China. He really loves eating Chinese food. He loves traveling in China, too. He is going to visit Xi’an next month.
1. What does Mr. Peterson do?
| A．He is a doctor. | B．He is a teacher. | C．He is a farmer. | D．He is a worker. |
| A．tall | B．thin | C．smart | D．hard-working (辛勤的). |
| A．4. | B．3. | C．2. | D．1. |
| A．阻止 | B．嘲笑 | C．逼迫 | D．鼓励 |
| A．Mr. Peterson is a very good English teacher. |
| B．Mr. Peterson enjoys playing computer games. |
| C．Mr. Peterson is good at playing football. |
| D．Mr. Peterson enjoys his life in China. |
【推荐3】 One night in December, Roy got on the subway for Brooklyn to pick up his son from his grandmother’s.
Roy knew he needed to open the green folder（文件夹）on his legs，because inside lay his son's math excises that father and son were supposed to complete together.
His son，who was in fourth grade，had just failed a test. Roy，40，was never great at math. He opened the folder and started on a problem，but wasn't sure if he was doing it correctly. Then a man got on the train and sat next to him.
"He looked like a teacher or something knowledgeable，"Roy thought，"he might know something about math. "
Like most New Yorkers. Roy didn't often talk to others on the subway. But this time，he shared his problem with the stranger. To his surprise，the man offered to help. The two men talked through the math problems. The stranger helped Roy understand them，so he could later teach his son.
The moment was captured（拍摄）by Jean Stoker，who was heading home from her job and saw the pair doing homework. She posted the photo online. "I really love seeing things like this especially in New York，"she wrote. "To be a dad…and put his pride aside and learn from a complete stranger…it was so cool. "
The 20-minute subway lesson gave Roy high hopes that his son would pass the next test. "He's going to knock it out of the park. "Roy said.
1. The story happened ______________.| A．on Roy's way to work | B．on a winter evening | C．between a father and his son |
| A．opening his son's folder | B．working on a math problem | C．talking with a teacher |
| A．She shared the story online | B．She took a photo with Roy. | C．She volunteered to help Roy. |
| A．go crazy | B．ask for help | C．do a good job |
| A．Father and his son | B．A helpful stranger | C．A moving moment on the subway |
