【推荐1】As we know, there are differences between Western cultures and our Chinese culture. We can see differences when we pay attention to the way words are used. Let’s look at the words about animals and plants.

Most expressions in Chinese about the dog, for example, “a homeless dog” “a mad dog” “a running dog” and “a dog catching a mouse”, have negative (消极的) meanings. But in western countries, dogs are thought to be honest and good friends of humans. In English, people use the dog to describe positive (积极的) actions. For example, “you are a lucky dog” means you are a lucky person. And “every dog has its day” means each person has good luck sometimes. To describe a person’s serious illness, they may say “sick as a dog”. The word “dog-tired” means very tired.

However, Chinese love cats very much. But in western culture, “cat” is often used to describe a woman who is cruel (冷酷的). There are many other examples of how “cat” is used differently as well.

The rose is regarded as a symbol of love in both China and some western countries. People think the rose stands for love, peace, courage and friendship. And the rose is the national flower of England, America and many other countries.

The words about plants and animals are used in positive or negative ways in different cultures. We can learn about many differences in cultures by comparing how some words are used.

1. The word “dog” in Chinese usually ________.

A．stands for peace	B．stands for good luck
C．has a negative meaning	D．has a positive meaning

2. “Every dog has its day” means “________”.

A．Everybody in the world is lucky

B．Each person lives his own way of life

C．If one works hard, he’s sure to succeed

D．Everybody has a time in life to be lucky

3. Western people usually use “cat” to refer to (指代) “________”.

A．a tired person	B．an unkind woman
C．a homeless person	D．a brave man

4. If we put the passage into three parts, which of the following is the best?     
（①=Para. 1     ②=Para. 2     ③=Para. 3     ④ = Para. 4     ⑤=Para. 5）

A．①;②③④;⑤	B．①②;③; ④⑤
C．①②; ③④; ⑤	D．①; ②; ③④⑤

5. The best title of this pass age may be “________”.

A．Negative or Positive

B．Rose Means the Same in Chinese and English

C．Different Countries Have Different Cultures

D．Different Meanings of Words

【推荐2】根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入横线上的最佳选项。

China covers large areas and has a great population.     1     Recently, another difference between northerners and southerners became a hot one: the way they shop at markets.

    2     It is normal for them to buy half a Chinese cabbage, two potatoes and 0.25 kilograms of beef at a time.

However, one may be laughed at if he does this in the north.     3     Also, you can buy a very small amount of fruit, such as a single apple or pear, each time in the south.     4     But shop owners in the north hardly offer such service. And many fruits are sold in baskets and boxes.

The difference could be due to (由于) the different weather. Food can be kept for a long time in the north, as it is usually cold and dry there.     5     But the hot and wet weather in the south make southern Chinese buy just enough food for one meal or one day, or else the food may go bad.

A．Many northerners have the habit of storing (囤货) food, especially for the long winter.

B．Shop owners even help you peel (削皮) and cut them.

C．People from southern China say they always buy what they need for just one or two meals.

D．Shop owners will still be happy with you.

E．Instead, buying vegetables and meat enough for a week is usual for northerers.

F．Different living habits have always been an interesting topic in the country.

G．Instead, buying vegetables and meat enough for a week is usual for southerners.

【推荐3】

Tiger-head shoes and caps Tiger-head shoes and caps are traditional Chinese handicrafts （手工艺品）used for children. In Chinese culture, tigers are thought as lucky and full of energy. People often decorate shoes and caps with lively tiger-head pictures hoping that their children will become as strong and healthy as tigers. Great care is needed to make the handicrafts. Materials are usually colourful cotton fabrics（棉布）and 97-year-old Jiang Weishi in Anhui Province is one of the people who can make these handicrafts. The skill is handed down in her family from generation （—代）to generation. Jiang started to learn the skill at the age of 15 and her products are very popular with local people

Hair embroidery（刺绣） Hair embroidery is one of the treasures of ancient Chinese embroidery art called a “ unique skill of the world”. It is a kind of embroidery which uses human hair as a thread instead of other materials. According to historical records, hair embroidery first appeared in Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, more than 1,300 years ago. Usually, hair embroidery requires more time and efforts to complete than other kinds of embroidery because higher skills are needed. Hair embroidery's designs are lively with many different kinds, including animals, plants, natural views and historical people.

Fluffing cotton （弹棉花） Fluffing cotton is a traditional skill in China, even though it can hardly be seen in both city and countryside now. It used to be very popular work. Workers fluffed cotton with bowstrings （弹弓）and turned a pile of cotton into a quilt（被子）.Now, many quilts are made of synthetic fibers （合成纤维）,silk or feather down and are sold in supermarkets. With the invention of machines, this traditional skill has been slowly lost is probably gone forever. Peng Zhicheng, a 69-year-old man from Shuangfeng County, Hunan Province, has been fluffing cotton for about 50 years. He is probably the last generation who knows this traditional skill.

1. Tiger-head shoes and caps are made for________.

A．old people

B．woman

C．children

D．teenagers

2. What material is the hair embroidery made of?

A．Human hair.

B．Cotton fabrics.

C．Colourful threads.

D．Silk.

3. When did Peng Zhicheng begin to fluff cotton?

A．At the age of 15.

B．At the age of 19.

C．At the age of 50.

D．At the age of 69

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Jiang Weishi learned the skill of making tiger-head shoes and caps 15 years ago

B．Hair embroidery appeared in Anhui Province more than 1,300 years ago.

C．The quilts we use now are mostly made by machines.

D．Fluffing cotton is still very popular in the countryside.

5. The passage is mainly about________in China

A．works of art

B．historical people

C．famous cities.

D．traditional skills

【推荐1】Chess is called the game of kings. It has been around for a long time. People have been playing it for over 500 years. The chess we play today is from Europe.

Chess is a two-player game. One player uses the white pieces. The other uses the black pieces. Each pieces moves in a special way. One piece is called the king. Each player has one. The players take turns moving their pieces. If a player hands on a piece, he or she takes it. The game ends when a player loses his or her king. There are a few more rules, but those are the basics.

Some people think that chess is more than a game. They think that it makes the mind stronger. Good chess players use their brains. They take their time. They think about what will happen next. These skills are useful in life and in chess. Chess is kind of like a workout(锻炼) for the mind.

You don’t always have lots of time to think when playing chess. There is a type of chess with short time limits. It’s called blitz(闪电战) chess. In blitz chess, each player gets ten minutes to use for the whole game. Your clock runs during your turn. You hit the time clock after you move. This stops your clock. It also starts the other player’s clock. If you run out of time, you lose. Games of blitz chess are fast-paced(快节奏的).

1. How does a game of chess end according to the text?

A．One player takes all of the other player’s pieces.	B．One player makes it to the end of the board.
C．One player becomes the king.	D．One player loses his or her king.

2. What is the writer’s purpose of writing the second paragraph?

A．To explain the rules of chess.	B．To compare different types of games.
C．To talk about game pieces.	D．To ask people to play chess.

3. Which is NOT a reason that chess is a good workout for the mind?

A．Good chess players think ahead.	B．Good chess players take a lot of risk.
C．Good chess players take their time.	D．Good chess players use their brains.

4. Which best describes the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A．Players should think less.	B．How blitz chess is played.
C．How time clocks work in a game of blitz.	D．There are many different ways to play chess.

【推荐2】Films bring us more than just fun. Watching foreign films is also a good way to learn the language. Of course, there must be some difficulties. Here is my advice for you to learn English with movies.

______________

If you like action films, watch an action film like Indiana Jones. If you like comedies better, watch a comedy. Anything with Hugh Grant in always makes people laugh! If you choose something you enjoy watching in your own language, you may enjoy it better in English.

Choose something that is simple for you.

It’s best to start with something simple. Then you can understand the story of the film better. Disney films, such as The Lion King and Tangled, are great examples.

Ask friends for advice.

Maybe your friends have English films. If so, they can recommend good films to you.

If necessary, use subtitles(字幕).

For beginners, subtitles are very useful. Using subtitles in your own language is the easiest way to understand the film, but for many good learners, why not use English subtitles? In this way, you can learn more words and improve your English.

1. Which of the following statements can we put into the blank “________”?

A．Choose a Chinese film.

B．Choose a film that you enjoy.

C．Choose different kinds of films.

2. The Lion King and Tangled may be ________.

A．easy

B．fun

C．exciting

3. What does the underlined word “recommend” mean in Chinese?

A．赠送

B．翻译

C．推荐

4. As good learners, ________ can help us learn more words and improve our English.

A．using Chinese subtitles

B．using English subtitles

C．going to the movies

5. The writer wrote this passage to tell us ________.

A．different people like different kinds of films

B．watching films is a great way to learn English

C．different films can bring us different feelings

【推荐3】Do you know the word “hygge”? It’s a Danish (丹麦语的) word and also a lifestyle of Danish people. There is no English word with the same meaning as “hygge”. We may use the English word “coziness (舒适) “, but it is more than that.

Enjoying beautiful music or having a movie night is hygge. Lighting candles or making tea in china cups is hygge, too. Hygge is best shown by the feeling of sitting around a table with your family or friends, talking about the big and small things in life. Hygge is to make everyday activities special or meaningful, the BBC reported.

For Danish people, hygge is a way of fighting against the cold winter, although it doesn’t have to be a winter only thing. In Denmark (丹麦) , there can be up to 17 hours of darkness per day in winter, and it’s very cold. So people spend more time indoors and enjoy family time.

Now hygge is becoming popular in some other countries, too. In the UK and the US, there are more and more Danish restaurants, cafes and bars.

“The world may be slowly waking up to live like Danish people, “ Helen Russell, a writer, told the BBC。

1. The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 refers to (指的是) ________.

A．hygge

B．coziness

C．lifestyle

D．word

2. Danish people enjoy the feeling of sitting around a table with their ________.

A．teachers

B．friends

C．headmasters

D．pets

3. We can infer (推断) from the passage that ________.

A．having a movie night, lighting candles or making tea in china cups is hygge

B．for Danish people, hygge is not a way of fighting against the cold winter

C．more and more people in the US will enjoy beautiful music in Danish cafes

D．hygge is becoming more and more popular in China, Japan and the UK

4. The structure (结构) of the passage may be ________.
(®=Paragraph 1 ②=Paragraph 2 ③=Paragraph 3 ④=Paragraph 4

A．①/②③/④⑤

B．①②/③④/⑤

C．①/②③④/⑤

D．①/②/③④⑤

【推荐1】The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (节气). Start of Spring, the first solar term of the year, begins this year on Feb.3 and ends on Feb.18.

Start of Spring means the beginning of spring. After that everything turns green. People clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.

Here are some things you should know about Start of Spring.

Start of Spring and the Spring Festival

As a solar term, Start of Spring had already entered people’s lives in the Spring and Autumn Period. At that time, there were eight solar terms. According to some experts, the 24 solar terms were used for the first time in books during the Western Han Dynasty, when Start of Spring was set as the Spring Festival. In 1913, the first day of the first month of the lunar (阴历年) year was chosen as the Spring Festival.

Flying a kite

Spring is the best season for kite-flying. As a traditional folk activity, it has a history of more than 2,000 years. It can help build one’s health and prevent illness.

Standing the egg (立蛋)

In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of Start of Spring.It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand on the first day of the beginning of spring, he will have good luck in the future.

Biting the spring (咬春)
On the day of Start of Spring, we have the custom of “biting the spring”.People would like to eat spring pancakes and spring rolls.
1. Which is the first solar term of the year?

A．The Spring Festival.

B．Start of Spring.

C．Grain Rain.

D．The Spring Equinox.

2. How long is the first solar term this year?

A．2 days.

B．18 days.

C．16 days.

D．21 days.

3. When was the first day of the first month of the lunar year chosen as the Spring Festival?

A．In the Western Han Dynasty.

B．During the Spring and Autumn Period.

C．In the Qing Dynasty.

D．In 1913.

4. We may read this passage ________.

A．in a geography magazine	B．on a website on Chinese traditional culture
C．in a storybook	D．in a Chinese textbook

【推荐2】In Britain you may often hear “Drop in any time” or “Come to see me soon”, but you can’t really do that. People just say those things to make you feel welcome. It is better to telephone before visiting someone at home. If you receive a written invitation to an event that says “RSVP”. You should reply(回复) to let the person who sent the invitation know whether or not you plan to go.

You should never accept an invitation if you don’t really plan to go. You may refuse by saying, “Thank you for inviting me, but I will not be able to come.” If, after accepting, you are unable to go, be sure to tell those who are expecting(期待) you as soon as possible that you will not be there.

Though it is not necessary expected that you give a gift to your host(主人), it is considered(认为) polite to do so, especially if you have been invited for a meal. Flowers, chocolate, or a small gift are all appropriate(合适的). A thank-you note or telephone call after the visit is also considered polite and is an appropriate way to express(表达) your appreciation(感激) for the invitation.

1. What can you do when a British friend says, “Drop in any time”?

A．Visit him or her at any time.	B．Say no time to him or her seriously.
C．Visit him or her soon.	D．Telephone him or her before visiting.

2. What should you do if your British friend sends you an invitation but you do not want to go?

A．Do not give him or her an answer.

B．Tell another friend to go instead of you.

C．Tell him or her that you can’t be there for some reason.

D．Tell him or her that you don’t want to go there.

3. Which of the following is considered impolite in Britain?

A．Refuse the invitation without telling anyone.	B．Buy small presents when invited.
C．Write a thank-you note after a visit.	D．Give a telephone call after a visit.

4. Where would you probably see this passage?

A．In a storybook.

B．In a guidebook.

C．On a poster.

D．In a dictionary.

【推荐3】Some British people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be sad if your English friends don’t invite you home. It doesn’t mean they don’t like you! So, what should you do if you go to a party in a British’s home.

Dinner parties usually start between 7: 00 p.m. and 8: 00 p.m. and end at about 11: 00 p.m. Ask your hosts (主人) what time you should arrive. It’s polite to bring some flowers, chocolate or a bottle of wine (葡萄酒) as a gift. Usually dinners start with drinks.

Do you want to be polite? Say how much you like the room or the pictures on the wall. But remember—it’s not polite to ask how much things cost.

In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife (妻子) sits at the other end. They eat with their guests (客人).

You’ll probably start the meal with soup or something small, and then you’ll have meat or fish with vegetables. Finally, you’ll have dessert (甜品). It’s polite to finish everything on your plate and take more if you want.

Do you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts, or write them a short thank-you letter after that. British people like to say “thank you” all the time.

1. Dinner parties usually end at about ________.

A．7: 00 p.m.

B．8: 00 p.m.

C．11: 00 p.m.

D．12: 00 p.m.

2. When you are invited to a dinner party, you’d better ________.

A．ask what time you should arrive

B．take your wife with you

C．drink as much as possible

D．eat as many snacks as you can

3. It is polite to ________.

A．bring expensive gifts

B．finish some food on your plate

C．ask the price of the pictures on the wall

D．call your hosts or write a thank-you letter to them after that

4. What can be the best title for the passage? ________

A．What the British people Like

B．Say “Thank You” All the Time

C．The Customs to Go to An English Party

D．The Ways to Invite English Friends for A Meal