Have you ever seen lions dancing in the streets? The lions dance to the beat of a drum. Of course, they are not real lions. They are dancers in lion costumes (服饰). Lion dancing first started in China centuries ago. It is meant to bring good luck in the coming year.
Usually, a lion is made up of two dancers. One dancer controls the head. The other controls the tail.
“I think of it as a sport,” says Anthony Huang, aged 16. He is a member of the New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club. Anthony performs as the lion’s head. It can weigh 20 pounds. Lion dancing is important to Anthony. “This tradition really lifts me up,” he says.
In the past, lion dancing was performed mostly by men. But it is different today. LionDanceMe is a lion dancing group in San Francisco, California. There are boys and girls on its team. They dance together. “Anyone can take up lion dancing. You have to believe that you can do it,” says Ananda Tang-Lee, a 17-year-old girl.
Lion dancing will continue to evolve (演变). But a team’s sense of community will never change.
“We call it a family,” Ananda says. “It’s really great, because we always have each other’s backs.”
1. Why do People perform lion dancing?| A．To sell lion-dancing costumes. | B．To wish for a lucky new year. |
| C．To protect the lions in the wild. | D．To show skills of playing the drum. |
| A．The lion’s head. | B．The lion’s tail. | C．The drummer. | D．The dresser. |
| A．they bring happiness to the family | B．they call lion dancing a family game |
| C．they live together in a big family | D．they support(支持) each other like a family |
| A．Jobs. | B．Education. | C．Culture. | D．Science. |
相似题推荐
I’m a pig. My son is a rabbit. I have snakes for daughters, and my wife, believe it or not, is a rat! Do I live in a zoo? No, of course not!
Depending on the year of your birth, each person has an animal for a sign. That’s why I am a pig and my wife is a rat. I was born in the year of the pig.
Pigs are widely used in the English language. To say that something is unlikely to happen you can use “Pigs might fly!”
Are you hungry? Well then, you can use “pig out”.
| A．It means you can eat lots of food. |
| B．I am talking about our Chinese zodiac signs.（十二生肖） |
| C．The year of the pig is filled with good fortune. |
| D．Let’s take a closer look at this interesting animal. |
| E．Almost every part of the animal can be used. |
| F．The pig is more lovely than the rabbit. |
【推荐2】Last summer I went to one of the world’s most famous historical places, the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It was the home of the emperors of the last two dynasties (朝代) in China, the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The Forbidden City was built in 1420.The palace has over 10,000 rooms. It was where the emperors dealt with the official business with their ministers.
In Mandarin, the Forbidden City is called the Purple Forbidden City. However, the color of the palace itself is not purple. The color purple stands for power of the great emperors of China. It was so sacred (神圣的) that the commoners could not even dream of ever going in.
The emperors also had some of the largest festival celebrations at the Forbidden City. During Chinese New Year, the emperor would invite all the members of his family and his officials to a banquet. The banquet had a hundred and eight Chinese dishes. It was such an expensive banquet that it could feed many commoner’s families.
Right now the Forbidden City is known as a historical site for tourists from all over the world. Everyone can go there. It is a museum with priceless Chinese antiques (古董) and treasures in it.
I really learned a lot about the Chinese culture and its history from this trip to the Forbidden City. It was like a dream come true to go on the trip and see the things that I have always wanted to see.
1. How long is the history of the Forbidden City?| A．About 600 years. | B．More than 700 years. | C．1,420 years. | D．Over 10,000 years. |
| A．power | B．fame | C．wealth | D．health |
| A．表演 | B．比赛 | C．展览 | D．宴会 |
| A．The Emperor lived there. | B．The walls of the Forbidden City are purple. |
| C．It is a historical place for visiting. | D．The emperor had festival celebrations there. |
| A．the beauty | B．the treasures | C．the changes in use | D．the building process |
【推荐3】When you walk in a Chinese city early in the morning, you’re likely to see groups of people exercising in the park. You’ll see them moving through a series of slow graceful movements. As their bodies flow from one exercise to the next, their minds are focused only on their deep, relaxed breathing.
Tai chi is part of national cultural heritage (遗产) which Chinese people take pride in. This ancient mind-body exercise is known as tai chi, and you don’t have to live in China to benefit from it. According to a survey in 2007, more than 2 million Americans are currently practicing tai chi.
Tai chi is called a mind-body type of exercise because it combines meditation (冥想), focused breathing, and physical movement. Because it’s also a low-impact (低强度的) exercise, it may be particularly suitable for older adults, but it’s a helpful exercise for people of all ages.
Tai chi developed in China as a type of Wushu. Today tai chi is used to develop fitness, meditation, balance, breathing, and well-being.
If tai chi is something you might like to try, look for a tai chi class near you. Keep in mind that training programs are different in many ways. You might want to ask around for a recommendation or try a class before you sign up. Ask some tai chi instructors about their training and experience.
Tai chi is generally considered a low-risk exercise that is both safe and enjoyable. If you have any physical or medical problems, talk with your health care provider before starting any exercise program. And remember, although tai chi has many advantages, it can’t take the place of regular medical care.
1. Why does the author give the example in paragraph 1?| A．To describe a scene. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To summarize the text. | D．To guide the readers around the city. |
| A．Some foreigners are interested in tai chi. |
| B．Tai chi makes people happy, wise and energetic. |
| C．Chinese people don’t take tai chi seriously now. |
| D．Tai chi was considered a way to lengthen one’s life. |
| A．Different Schools of Tai Chi around the World |
| B．Tai Chi—a National Heritage and Wonderful Exercise |
| C．The Origin and Forms of Tai Chi |
| D．The Advantages and Disadvantages of Practicing Tai Chi for the old |
【推荐1】Go on a road trip? Check out these roadside attractions and museums.
World’s Largest Ball of Paint
In 1977, Michael Carmichael created the biggest ball of paint. Starting with a baseball as the center, he painted layer(层)after layer. After over 20.000 layers of paint. the ball weighs over 1. 300 pounds. Visitors can paint the balls themselves and become part of history.
Dinosaur Park
The land can be found outside Rapid City. On a hill overlooking the city, dinosaurs made out of brightly painted concrete(混凝土) stand guard. The park was built as a work project in 1936 by Debbie Sardone. The five dinosaurs are life-sized and can be seen from miles away.
The Museum of Dirt
The museum is the idea of Glenn Johanson. labeled glass bottles contain dirt from the Great Wall of China and sand from a desert in Sandi Arabia and Omaha Beach in France. Johanson has collected material from the Amazon River and from Times Square after a New Year's Eve celebration, lava(火山岩)from Mt Fuji in Japan and shells from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Best of all, visiting this museum is free.
Paper House
Ellis Stenman built a two-room house almost completely out of newspapers in 1922. At that time, “recycling" wasn't even a word yet. The house was framed(框起来) with wood, but the walls were made of 215 layers of newspapers. The furniture was also made of newspapers. In all. it used about 100, 000 newspapers.
1. If you want to paint the balls, you can visit .| A．Paper House | B．Dinosaur Park |
| C．World’s Largest Ball of Paint | D．The Museum of Dirt |
| A．they were built on a hill |
| B．they were built outside Rapid City |
| C．they were made out of brightly painted concrete |
| D．they were built to be as big as the real one |
| A．Paper House | B．Dinosaur Park |
| C．The Museum of Dirt | D．World's largest Ball of Paint |
| A．Glenn Johanson | B．Elis Stenman |
| C．Michael Carmichael | D．Debbie Sardone |
| A．material | B．shells | C．sand | D．lava |
【推荐2】People go to parks for fun on weekends. Now, dogs have their own fun park, too. A park in England opened its doors to man’s best friends — dogs. In the park, dogs can enjoy roller coasters（过山车）. If your dog is very tired, he needs a rest, there is also a hotel for dogs. It has drinks and snacks for dogs. Man’s four-legged friends can enjoy five-star service（服务）there. So the dog can have a good rest. Dog owners and dogs welcome the park very much.
Before it opened, the park had asked five dogs to try the facilities（设施）. These dogs enjoyed the rides a lot.
This is the first fun park for dogs in the world. Come and have a good time with your dog soon!
1. The dog park was opened in________.| A．America | B．China | C．Japan | D．England |
| A．food | B．roller coasters | C．park | D．hotel |
| A．Dogs can enjoy four-star service in the hotel. |
| B．The dog can eat and drink in the hotel. |
| C．Dogs can have fun in the park. |
| D．The park is the first fun park for dogs. |
| A．Because there are roller coasters in the park. |
| B．There is a hotel in the park. |
| C．Dogs can enjoy five-star service in the park. |
| D．Dogs can enjoy themselves and have a good rest. |
| A．Five-star Service | B．A Park in England |
| C．The First Fun Park for Dogs | D．Dogs Welcome the Park! |
【推荐3】At 8, 844.43 meters high, Mount Qomolangma is the tallest mountain on Earth. While it is famous for its beautiful views, parts of the mountain are facing a problem: rubbish. Every year, thousands of visitors throw away tons of rubbish, such as bottles and plastic bags.
According to the UN, over 140 tons of rubbish has been left on the mountain. To reduce rubbish, China is limiting the number of people who are allowed to climb up the north side of the mountain. Only 300 people will be allowed to climb it, and only during spring.
Local people cleaned the mountain last year, removing rubbish at a height of 5,200 meters. They collected about 8.4 metric tons of rubbish. This year, the local government plans to spend 4 million yuan on a new clean-up activity. The local government is also setting up stations to sort (分类), recycle and break down rubbish collected from the mountain. A group of artists will also try to turn the rubbish into art works. They will show these works of art to remind people not to leave rubbish when climbing the mountain.
1. What problem are parts of Mount Qomolangma facing?| A．Air pollution. | B．Rubbish. | C．Water pollution. |
| A．140. | B．5,200 | C．300. |
| A．使用 | B．装上 | C．清理 |
| A．teach people to make works of art |
| B．help people to know about Qomolangma |
| C．remind people not to throw rubbish on Qomolangma |
| A．A notice. | B．News. | C．A story |
