What goes into mind when you think of kung fu, also known as wushu? Maybe the image of Shaolin monks(和尚) fighting with a serious look in their eyes, or popular children’s movies like Kung Fu Panda.
Recently, Laurence J. Brahm, a documentary filmmaker from the United States. Brahm began a journey of a kung fu pilgrimage(朝圣), traveling to cities in China and the US to search for the origin(起源). Brahm himself is a kung fu lover who has been practicing for more than 40 years. For him, practicing this craft was more than fun.
Around 10 years ago, Brahm was unable to use one of his legs for about two years. But by practicing martial arts(武术), he was able to recover step by step. Now kung fu has become a daily activity for him. “Martial arts can help us connect our body, connect our blood flow, and also help connect us into our environment to increase our awareness.” Brahm said. Still others find other meanings in the practice.
“Chinese kung fu is full of Chinese philosophies(哲学) and core(核心) values”. Hong Kong actor Bruce Leung told Xinhua. Non-fight is one of these values, which is shown both in the name and the practice. Wu, is made up of two characters—dagger-ax, and zhi, meaning “to stop”. So Brahm’s sees Kung fu as “a mirror of Chinese culture”.
The traditional values of kung fu, actually, are in the minds of all Chinese people. “Why does China want to be in harmony with other nations?” It’s part of the psychology(心理). Brahm also believes that today’s world needs to restart equal exchanges between countries, and that culture and sports, such as kung fu.
1. What does Laurence J. Brahm explore in searching for kung Fu?| A．Styles of kung fu. | B．People’s impressions of kung fu. |
| C．Functions of kung fu. | D．The history and meaning of kung fu. |
| A．It’s a way to kill time. | B．It’s a way to make money. |
| C．It’s a way to stay healthy. | D．It’s a way to keep awake. |
| A．It influences China’s policy about sports |
| B．It can spread Chinese culture worldwide. |
| C．It shows the world the importance of Chinese culture. |
| D．Its values are seen in China’s attitude to other countries. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Would you eat the poop（粪便）of a young child to live longer? It may sound gross（恶心的）but it actually works for the African killifish（非洲青鳞鱼）. A German study found that older killifish live longer after they’ve eaten the poop of younger fish, reported the Daily Mail. The study was done by a team from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne, Germany.
In the past, studies found a link between gut bacteria（肠道菌群）and ageing（老化）in some animals. For example, when humans and mice become old, they lose some of the diversity（多样性）in their gut bacteria. It makes them get sick more easily.
Dario Valenzano, the lead researcher of the study, said this happens to killifish too. The bacteria in the fish’s guts at a young age are almost as diverse as in mice and even humans. What’s more, African killifish can only live three to nine months, which makes them good subjects for ageing research.
To do the study, researchers first got poop from some 6-week-old killifish. They put the poop in an aquarium（鱼缸）. Then they put some 9-and-a-half-week-old killifish in. While killifish don’t eat poop, they touch and bite it. The gut bacteria of the young fish then get in and grow inside the older fish’s guts. The study found that those fish lived 37 percent longer than fish that received no “young poop”!
Can we use the method to help humans live longer? Valenzano said it’s still too early to consider it. But even if it does work, would you try it?
1. It is _________ for older killifish to eat the poop of young fish.| A．impossible | B．dangerous | C．true | D．humorous |
| A．秘密 | B．关系 | C．条件 | D．清单 |
| A．three | B．six | C．nine | D．twelve |
| A．what killifish eat | B．the number of killifish |
| C．the step of doing the study | D．who did the study |
| A．sports survey | B．history book | C．chemistry report | D．science magazine |
【推荐2】Since May 12, a computer virus named WannaCry has infected (感染) more than 300,000computers in over 150 countries, according to Reuters.
Wannacry is spread by using a weakness in Microsoft's Windows operating system. Once the virus gets into the computer, it locks all the papers and asks the user for money to unlock them. At first, it asks for $300, but if the user doesn't send the money in 72 hours, the price doubled. Papers are locked forever if the user doesn't pay in seven days.
The virus has brought bad results. For example, in the UK, the virus left the country’sNational Health Service in a mess. Some hospitals had to cancel patient appointments(预约), reported The Telegraph. In China, the virus has hit thousands of computers, according to Qihoo360. One of the most hard-hit groups in China were university users. Many students' graduation papers were locked. They felt nervous and frightened. Also many gas stations were seriously hit, and the payment system didn’t work.
WanaCry is the latest example of the cyber security(网络安全) problem. Matthew Hickey, who set up the security company Hacker House, said, "The attack is not surprising. It shows that many organizations do not use updates(更新) fast enough. According to a survey, nearly half of the people said, “We are not satisfied with the way software updates work.”
As China Daily wrote, “We can’t completely protect our computers against these kinds of viruses, as this cat and mouse game will continue forever. The best choice for most users is to take care online and always install(安装)software updates.”
1. What is WannaCry?| A．A video game. | B．A computer software. | C．A computer virus. | D．A TV programme. |
| A．$150. | B．$300. | C．$600. | D．$900. |
| A．giving reasons | B．giving examples | C．comparing computers | D．comparing numbers |
| A．Matthew Hickey thinks the attack on computers is very surprising |
| B．all the people are pleased with the way software updates work |
| C．the computers can be completely protected against these viruses |
| D．we should take care online and update software fast enough |
【推荐3】In a digital age, we almost never write things by hand. However, new brain research, led by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, confirms handwriting has many benefits. It results in better learning and memory over using a keyboard.
The study was conducted using equipment to track and record brain wave activity. The participants included 12 young adults and 12 children. Each was asked to write by hand and type on a keyboard while wearing a hood (风帽) with over 250 electrodes (电极). The sensors (传感器) in the electrodes are very sensitive and pick up the electrical activity that takes place in the brain. Each person took turns to have a 45-minute examination.
The results showed that the brain in both young adults and children is much more active when writing by hand than when typing on a keyboard. According to Van der Meer, plenty of senses are activated by pressing a pen on paper. These sense experiences build contact between different parts of the brain, opening the brain up for learning.
Van der Meer believes that the results stress the importance of children being challenged to draw and write at an early age, especially at school. “Learning to write by hand is a bit slower process, but it’s important for children to go through the tiring phase of learning to write by hand,” she said.
The hand movements used to form the shapes of letters are beneficial in several ways. “If you use a keyboard, you use the same movement for each letter. Writing by hand requires control of your fine motor (精细动作) skills and senses. It is important to put the brain in a learning state as often as possible,” Van der Meer added.
1. What do we know about the study?| A．The study involved 24 children in altogether. |
| B．All the participants were divided into two groups. |
| C．Sensors were used to record brain wave activity. |
| D．Participants took examinations at the same time. |
| A．It makes people become smarter. | B．It improves people’s motor skills. |
| C．It helps people get more patience. | D．It arouses people’s interest in learning. |
| A．To present a new research on handwriting. |
| B．To tell people the history of handwriting. |
| C．To show the importance of writing by hand. |
| D．To teach people how to improve handwriting. |
David Stringer is a star in the Chinese community in New Zealand’s South Island. He is famous for his great skills in the traditional Chinese musical instrument hulusi.
Recently, Stringer played the Chinese folk music Deep in the Bamboo Forest using hulusi at the concert organized by the Chinese community.
Although it is easy to play hulusi at a basic level, “Deep in the Bamboo Forest requires lots of skills, which is a Grade 6 exam piece,” said Stringer, who preferred to be called Qin Dawei, a Chinese name he really likes.
“From a young age, I was introduced to the Chinese culture. More recently, I have been learning Chinese and made many friends in the Chinese community. Like New Zealanders, I find they are friendly and encouraging,” Stringer said. Nowadays, many people move to New Zealand.
“I have been making friends with many Chinese people.
| A．And people enjoyed his performance very much |
| B．However, people found it difficult to understand |
| C．So Chinese culture has played a bigger part there |
| D．Now, he has a total of five hulusi of different kinds |
| E．Hulusi is a musical instrument that comes from China |
| F．His friend showed him some basic rules on how to play it |
| G．I found the friendships formed good for me and for my language learning |
【推荐2】Welcome to www. chineseculture. com! Here are some introductions about the Chinese traditional skills. You will not only enjoy beautiful work of art, but also learn something interesting.
| Chinese lantern, you will know it is a symbol of China. The warm light provided by a Chinese lantern will make you understand why they’re so popular and well known. Chinese lantern was invented in Western Han Dynasty (202 B.C.—A.D.8) (公元前202年—公元8年), which is more than 1,800 years ago. Every fifteenth day of first Chinese lunar month on Chinese Lantern Festival, people will hang red lantern, which means gathering of family. |
| Chinese paper cutting is one of the oldest handicrafts in China, and it’s a hollow-out(挖空) art. Paper cutting appeared during the Northern Dynasty(A.D.386—A .D.581). It has a history of more than 1,500 years. Paper was not created at that time, so people did this hollow-out art in cloth, leather, gold foil and other materials. The content varies from the animals and plants to the vividly daily life scenes. Some are cut into many creatures in the world on one sheet with great imagination. |
| Kite is a symbol of the Chinese handicraft. It is from the Warring States Period (475 B.C.—221 B.C.). Lu Ban was said to be the inventor. Flying a kite is a very popular activity in all generations in China. It is easy to find the scene that when in the holidays, there are large numbers of people gathering to the squares and holding lines to control beautiful kites in the blue sky. |
| Tianjin Clay Figurines Zhang is a school of clay figurine in Northern China, which was set up by Zhang Mingshan in the late Qing Dynasty. It’s a kind of painted figure made of clay. As a traditional Chinese art, the Clay figurine Zhang even received praises from the world. There is a museum about clay figurine Zhang in Tianjin. More than 300 sets of clay figurines are collected in the museum. It attracts many people who have interest in clay figurine to visit. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Paper. | B．Water. | C．Leather. | D．Cloth. |
| A．Paper cutting. | B．Lantern. | C．Kite. | D．Clay figurines. |
| A．Chinese lantern was invented in Eastern Han Dynasty. |
| B．Chinese paper cutting has a history of less than 1,500 years. |
| C．Kite was surely invented by Lu Ban in Northern Dynasty. |
| D．Clay Figurine Zhang was set up in the late Qing Dynasty. |
| A．Amazing Chinese traditional skills | B．The history of China |
| C．Ancient Chinese Cartoon | D．Chinese ancient gesture art |
This year is the Year of the Tiger.
Do you know anyone born in the Year of the Tiger? What’s their personality like? Are they brave, strong and determined (有决心的)? If so, then they are a typical “tiger”.
In Chinese culture, tigers are seen as the king of all animals.
But in the West, tigers are also seen as very powerful. In English, if you want someone to calm down you can say to them “easy tiger”. Another famous phrase is “eye of the tiger”, which means to have fierceness (凶猛) and strength.
根据短文内容，从下列选项中选出能填入文中空白处的最佳选项，有一项是多余选项。
| A．What does tiger mean in cultures? |
| B．They stand for power, energy, and protection. |
| C．Tigers and lions are called kings of the wild animals. |
| D．Instead of tigers, in the West, lions are considered the king of all animals. |
| E．Tigers have an important cultural meaning not just in China, but across Asia. |
【推荐1】I gave the young man I had rescued bread and water I had saved. After his run and hiking to the cave, he was tired out. I showed him a blanket and a blanket and he fell quickly asleep.
As I studied him, I guessed his age at around twenty-six. He was tall with straight strong limbs (肢). The young man slept for only about a half hour before crawling out of the cave. Again he made gestures (手势) to show that he was grateful to me.
We communicated primarily by gestures at first. Soon my new servant showed himself much better at learning my language than I was at learning this. I called him Friday, for it was on Friday that I rescued him. He quickly learned “yes” and “no” and the names for various items.
We spent a full day at the cave, then returned to the beach to see if his captors (野人) remained. They had gone. Over time, Friday told me that when two tribe (部落) went to war, the victor always took away the bravest warrior (士兵) of the enemy tribe. They even ate him to get the ferocity (残暴) and courage of the warrior. I felt sick after hearing this. It sounded more than a little disgusting to me. However, Friday felt it was as natural as breathing.
—Extracted from The Adventure of Robinson Crusoe
1. I gave Friday the following things EXCEPT ________.| A．clothes | B．blanket | C．food | D．water |
| A．He was a tall and strong man at the age of thirty-six. |
| B．He was so tired that he slept for about an hour. |
| C．He was so clever that he was better at learning my language than me. |
| D．He was good at communicating with my new servant. |
①. I gave him the name Friday.
②. He learnt some gestures and communicated well with me.
③. He had a short sleep and pulling himself out of the cave.
④. I saved the young man and gave him food and water.
| A．②③④① | B．④②③① | C．④③①② | D．②③①④ |
| A．The two tribes went to war to fight for bread, water and other items. |
| B．The two tribes had servants to take away the bravest warrior. |
| C．The bravest warrior became the victor of the two tribes after the war. |
| D．The bravest warrior was eaten because his ferocity and courage were wanted. |
【推荐2】As a foreigner who has lived in China for several years, I’ve always liked watching Chinese cooking videos. But what I like the most shows me more than just cooking.
My favorite food vlogger (视频博主) is Rose. Known as “African Li Ziqi”, she has uploaded more than 400 videos and has got nearly 12 million followers and 200 million likes on her posts on Douyin!
Filmed in her village home in Lishui, Zhejiang, Rose shows her audiences how to make delicious Chinese meals and snacks. From lighting a fire under a big pot, to washing and preparing the ingredients, you see dishes like a whole roast lamb (烤全羊) and dumplings come to life.
What makes Rose special is that she’s a master of Chinese cooking, but she’s not Chinese. She comes from Uganda, Africa. She first came to China when she was 20 years old. After arriving, her Chinese husband, who is a chef (厨师), taught her the Chinese language and cooking.
She speaks Chinese very well as she chats and laughs with the other villagers, showing a true connection to Chinese culture and society. As a foreigner, this is inspiring (有启发的) to watch. Deep down, we all want to connect with each other. And Rose shows us how this can be done, with her positive energy. She is a real bridge between cultures. People see her as “the foreign wife who most understands the ways of the world” in China.
1. How many likes has the food vlogger Rose got so far?| A．Nearly 12 million. | B．Nearly 20 million. |
| C．Nearly 200 million. | D．Nearly 400 million. |
①Rose filmed in her village home.
②Rose came to China.
③Rose learned Chinese and cooking.
④ Rose has got nearly 200 million likes.
| A．①②③④ | B．②③①④ | C．③②①④ | D．④①③② |
| A．Speaking Chinese well. | B．Making delicious Chinese meals. |
| C．Connecting with each other. | D．Uploading Chinese cooking videos. |
| A．A Foreign Cook | B．African Rose | C．A Food Vlogger | D．African Li Ziqi |
Now I know at some point in history, the meanings of some common words that we see every day meant something much different. The English language is developing all the time.
Nice
Generally speaking, the word “nice” is quite an expression of praise. However, back in the late 12thcentury, if someone said you were “nice”, it was far from saying good words about you.
Very long ago, “nice” was used to mean “foolish” and “stupid”. That sounds more like the kind of words that would start a fight, not put a smile on someone’s face. Later on in the 13thcentury, ‘nice” came to mean “shy and nervous”. During the 14thcentury, it even meant “being careful”. But finally in the 18thcentury, it changed to the kinder meaning we know today, and ever since then, people have been using it in a lovable way.
Sad
All of us get sad from time to time. It’s a usual part of life. A loved one passes away. We expect too much progress in an exam. Or the store is out of our favourite drink. These are all things that can make us sad.
However, once upon a time, “sad” had a very different meaning. Back in the 14thcentury, it was the perfect word if you had eaten too much food at dinner.
Through the years, the meaning of “sad” changed to “heavy” and then “tired”. Interestingly, when “sad” took on its present meaning, it was actually used instead of “unrot”, an old English word that was the opposite of “rot” that meant “cheerful” or “glad”.
1. When did "nice" come to mean "shy and nervous"?
| A．In the late 12th century. | B．In the 13th century. |
| C．During the 14th century. | D．In the 18th century. |
| A．a loved one passes away |
| B．we expect too much progress in an exam |
| C．the store is out of our favourite drink |
| D．we have eaten too much food at dinner |
| A．the meanings of all words are different at some point in history |
| B．my cousin learns English well because of his learning materials |
| C．we should know about all the different meanings of words in history |
| D．the meanings of some words are changing because language is developing |
