1 . During the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, there were 10 flower beds (花坛). One of the high-lights (亮点) of these flower beds was to make good use of garden waste.
One of them was in Tian’anmen Square. Its topic was “Wonderful Winter Olympics”. The five Olympic rings and the snowflake shape were at the bottom of the flower bed. To our surprise, all of these were made from garden waste. This could not only save resources but also bring people more beauty. It was generally praised by the public.
Green Olympics is one of the four main ideas of Beijing Winter Olympics. It took more than six years to prepare for the Games. In this process, the designers put the idea of green Olympics into every part. They integrated (融合) green Olympics with the city and its surroundings (环境). Green Olympics can not only make good use of waste and protect the environment, but also be good for the future development of the city. There’s no doubt that the Winter Olympics theme flower beds, which showed the “simple, safe and wonderful” requirements for the competition, added points to the unique charm (独特魅力) of the “City of the Two Olympics”.
As waste is considered as a resource that is put in a wrong place, the designers made the waste in the right place for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Besides, thrift (节俭) and hard work are the tradition of the Chinese nation. We also should save energy and make good use of waste in our daily life.
1. What is special about the flower beds?| A．The size. | B．The material. | C．The space. | D．The number. |
| A．Bing Dwen Dwen and The snowflake shape |
| B．Bing Dwen Dwen and The Olympic flag |
| C．The Olympic flag and The five Olympic rings |
| D．The snowflake shape and The five Olympic rings |
| A．boring | B．surprising | C．proud | D．serious |
(①=Paragraph 1②=Paragraph 2, …)
A． | B． | C． | D． |
2 . Weeks before Tomb Sweeping Day (清明节) on April 4 this year, hundreds of qingtuan were sold each day. The snack was still a must-have for many people.
In the southern part of China, eating qingtuan at the beginning of spring is a kind of tradition. Chinese people started to eat it more than 2,000 years ago. It is made of sticky rice (糯米) and red bean paste (红豆沙), and is famous for its softness, freshness and sweetness. The secret behind its mouth-watering taste is one of its materials—mugwort leaves (艾蒿叶). The plant is mainly found in the Yangtze River Delta (长江三角洲) where it has perfect conditions to grow.
People in this area usually put qingtuan on the tombs (墓) of their dead family members to cherish the past memory. Making qingtuan is also a chance for family members to get together at home. It really takes time and effort to make the snack.
Now, qingtuan has already spread its special taste to the northern part of China. Li Yuan, a 30-year-old engineer who grew up in Zhejiang Province, brought qingtuan back to Beijing where he works. “It tastes different in and out of my hometown,” he said. “There’s no place like home.”
Qingtuan has many different tastes inside it, such as apples and bean milk, to meet customers’ tastes. The difference of the taste shows that it’s getting more and more popular across the whole country.
Even though there is warm weather and green leaves in spring, the season wouldn’t be complete without a taste of qingtuan.
1. Tomb Sweeping Day is in ________.| A．spring | B．summer | C．autumn | D．winter |
| A．sticky rice | B．green color | C．red bean paste | D．mugwort leaves |
| A．forget | B．miss | C．sweep | D．guess |
| A．Growing up in Beijing | B．Planting Rice in Zhejiang |
| C．Meeting Customers’ Tastes | D．Marking the Start of Spring |
No.3 Middle School asked the students to take part in a survey. The question was “What is your dream job?” There were 900 students taking part in the survey. Here are the results.
The teachers may feel bad to know that only 5% of the students hope to teach in the future. But they will still try their best to help the students make their dreams come true. And here is the teachers’ advice:
First. you should understand yourself. What do you like to do?
Then, think about what is more important to you, money or happiness? There’s no right or wrong answer. So be honest with yourself.
Finally, before you try to get your dream job, you should study hard and make yourself better and better.
1. How many students want to be scientists?2. Why may the teachers feel bad?
3. What should the students do before getting their dream jobs according to the passage?
4. What is your dream job? How are you going to do that? Write 30 words or more.
Weeks before Tomb-Sweeping Day on April 4 this year, hundreds of qingtuan were sold each day. The snack was still a must-have for many people. In the southern part of China, eating qingtuan at the beginning of spring is a kind of tradition. Chinese people started to eat it more than 2,000 years ago. It is made of sticky rice (糯米) and red bean paste (红豆沙), and is famous for its softness, freshness and sweetness. The secret behind its mouth-watering taste is one of its materials—mugwort leaves (艾蒿叶). The plant is mainly found in the Yangtze River Delta (长江三角洲) where it has perfect conditions to grow.
People in this area usually put qingtuan on the tombs (墓) of their dead family members to cherish (怀念) the past memory. Making qingtuan is also a chance for family members to get together at home. It really takes time and effort to make the snack.
Now, qingtuan has already spread its special taste to the northern part of China. Li Yuan, a 30-year-old engineer who grew up in Zhejiang Province, brought qingtuan back to Beijing where he works. “It tastes different in and out of my hometown,” he said. “There’s no place like home.”
Qingtuan has many different tastes inside it, such as apples and bean milk, to meet customers’ tastes. The difference of the taste shows that it’s getting more and more popular across the whole country.
Even though there is warm weather and green leaves in spring, the season wouldn’t be complete without a taste of qingtuan.
1. Tomb-Sweeping Day is in ________.| A．spring | B．summer | C．autumn | D．winter |
| A．sticky rice | B．green color | C．red bean paste | D．mugwort leaves |
| A．loves no place | B．sells qingtuan | C．works in Beijing | D．works as a cook |
| A．How to grow up in Beijing. | B．What to mark the start of spring. |
| C．When to plant rice in Zhejiang. | D．Why to meet customers’ tastes. |
Do you know mint(薄荷)? It may be added into summer drinks to let us feel cool. Mint plays an important role in our daily life. It keeps our breath fresh and gives food and drinks a kind of fresh smell. But why is this little plant so popular with people?
Mint is found almost everywhere in the world, except in South America and Antarctica. There are 600 varieties of the plant, but a lot of them are so similar that even scientists have trouble telling the differences among them. What we have known for thousands of years, however, is that eating mint is good for our body health.
For starters, if people’s stomachs are not very comfortable, mint can be used to relieve(缓解) that uncomfortable feeling in people’s stomachs. That’s because of the acid(酸) that it contains. What’s more, if you have a common cold, drinking mint tea can reduce your sore throat.
While mint is safe to eat and used to treat people, it has its disadvantages. First of all, eating too much mint can be harmful. If you’re taking it for any health condition, don’t use it too much. Also, mint oil should not be used on the faces of children. This could cause breathing problems.
1. The writer starts the passage by ________.| A．listing numbers | B．asking a question | C．giving an example | D．comparing things |
| A．special smell | B．long history | C．similar look | D．strange taste |
| A．Because it contains acid. | B．Because it has a long history. |
| C．Because it is easy to find. | D．Because it keeps our breath fresh. |
| A．To encourage people to use mint more. | B．To explain how to rightly plant mint. |
| C．To tell us where to find mint easily. | D．To introduce why to be popular and how to use mint. |
Do you like poems? What do you know about bamboo? Let’s read the poem Bamboo in the Rock by Chinese poet Zheng Xie.
竹石
(郑燮)
咬定青山不放松，立根原在破岩中。
千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风。
Bamboo in the Rock
(By Zheng Xie)
Upright stands the bamboo amid green mountains steep,
Its toothlike root in broken rock is planted deep.
It’s strong and firm though struck and beaten without rest,
Careless of the wind from north or south; east or west.
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
“Bamboo in the Rock,” is a Chinese poem by a man named Zheng Xie, often called Zheng Banqiao. He was born in 1693. Besides being a great artist and poet, Zheng was also a government worker during a time in China called the Qing Dynasty. He didn’t like the unfair things he saw happening in the government, so he started making art and writing poems about things like bamboo, which were easy to understand but had deep meanings.
His poem paints a picture of bamboo growing strong even though it’s in a tough spot, squeezed within rocks on a mountain. No matter what difficulties the bamboo faces, like bad weather hitting it from every side, it keeps standing up straight. The bamboo is a symbol of strength and determination because it remains firm and doesn’t break under pressure.
The poem is full of beautiful words about nature, but it’s also there to teach us something important just like the bamboo, people should stay strong and focused even when life is challenging. By facing hard times, we can build our inner strength, just like the strong bamboo.
Young people can learn a lot from this poem because it shows them the importance of staying strong and determined, even when things get tough. The poem reminds teenagers that tests and difficulties can help them grow even stronger. It is an inspiring message for them to remain brave during hard times and never give up, just like bamboo standing tall among the challenges.
1. What’s the name of the poem?2. Why is the bamboo a symbol of strength and determination?
3. How can we build our inner strength, just like the strong bamboo?
4. What do you think of bamboo and why do you think so?
Tea and coffee are two of the most popular drinks in the world. However, people usually like one more than the other. These drinks also have very different uses.
Tea drinking started in China over 4,000 years ago. These days, some people drink tea for health, using it to help with stress or losing weight. However, most people in tea-drinking countries think of tea as more than just a healthy drink. In fact, tea drinking in some countries is a part of the culture. In Turkey, tea is always there when people meet. Whether in someone’s home or a company, tea is always offered as a way of welcome. In the UK, homes and offices usually have tea time. Tea and other dishes are served at tea time in the afternoon. It is a way of relaxing with friends or co-workers (同事).
Coffee came much later than tea, just over 1,000 years ago. Coffee is made from beans. Something in the coffee beans makes a person feel active. Most people do not drink coffee to relax. Instead, they drink coffee to get going. Many people drink coffee in the morning to help them wake up. Others will also drink coffee during short breaks in the afternoon to keep going through the working day. Some people may visit coffee shops just to meet and talk with friends. However, many people in coffee shops drink coffee while working on their computers.
Is tea or coffee more common in your country? Between the two, which do you like to drink more?
Tea and Coffee —Two of the Most Popular Drinks | |
Tea | Chinese people have drunk tea for Now when people feel stressed or get Most people in tea-drinking countries think tea is not only a drink but also a People in Turkey offer tea as a way of welcome. In the UK, tea is served with other dishes at tea time in the afternoon. |
Coffee | Coffee appeared over 1,000 years ago. Most people drink coffee in order to make themselves Some people go to the coffee shops to meet friends while many people go there to |
8 . Wukong, Tiangong, Tianwen... Do you know where the name s of Chinese space programs come from?
Wukong, the Dark Matter Particle Explorer satellite (暗物质粒子探测卫星), is named after a Chinese superhero the Monkey King. According to Journey to the West, the Monkey King has a pair of sharp (锐利的) eyes which can tell the difference between good and evil. The Wukong satellite is just as sharp-eyed as the Monkey King to help scientists search for dark matter in space.
The name of the space station, Tiangong, means “Heavenly Palace (天宫)”. In Chinese myths (神话), this is the home of Tian Di. Now Tiangong Space Station is a home for Chinese astronauts in space. And China welcomes foreign astronauts to Tiangong so that they can work together.
Tianwen, China’s Mars mission (火星任务), gets its name from the poem Tianwen by Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan is a well-known poet (诗人) from ancient China. In Tianwen, he had the questions about the sky, stars, nature, myths and the real world, showing his hunger for truth. Perhaps the Tianwen mission will end up answering some of Qu Yuan’s questions.
If you look into more names of Chinese space programs, you will find that they all have beautiful meanings. We, the Chinese people, have a long-cherished (珍藏已久的) space dream. So the naming of Chinese space programs is taken very seriously.
1. The underlined word “evil” means “________”.| A．诚恳 | B．善良 | C．邪恶 | D．丑陋 |
| A．It’s used for searching dark matter. | B．It’s used as a home for the astronauts in space. |
| C．It’s used to explore (探索) the Mars. | D．It’s used to send astronauts to the space. |
| A．a superhero | B．a book | C．a palace | D．a poem |
| A．They’re both sharp-eyed. | B．They’re both superheroes. |
| C．They both help the good and punish the bad. | D．They both help with scientific studies. |
| A．What Meaningful Names! | B．What Beautiful Space! |
| C．What A Famous Poem! | D．What A Sweet Dream! |
9 . We all know the folk musician Abing and his famous erhu piece Erquan Yingyue. But how much do you know about the erhu?
Erhu is a traditional Chinese instrument with a long history. The modern erhu developed from the xiqin, which was played by many ethnic minorities (少数民族) during the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, musicians began to use the erhu to perform different kinds of music, and it became quite a popular instrument. With the rise of some forms of folk art, the art of the erhu developed quickly during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It became an important accompanying (伴奏) instrument in different folk music. At present, it is used in both traditional and modern music, such as in pop, rock and jazz. It has even become a solo (独奏) instrument.
As the erhu was mainly played by common people and the playing skills were passed down orally (口头地), there are few written records about the erhu that can be found. To study the history and the development of the erhu, historians usually turn to ancient paintings. The earliest pictures of this instrument were found in Yulin Caves and Eastern Thousand Buddha Caves in Gansu Province, where five erhu pictures were discovered on murals (壁画).
1. Erhu became popular ________.| A．in the Tang Dynasty | B．in the Song Dynasty |
| C．in the Ming Dynasty | D．in the Qing Dynasty |
| A．when the erhu became an important instrument | B．who played the erhu first |
| C．the rise of different folk arts | D．the development of the erhu art |
| A．a person who studies history | B．a person who studies music |
| C．a person who plays the erhu | D．a person who writes the erhu pieces |
| A．The erhu can’t be used to play pop music. |
| B．People can find a lot of written records about the erhu. |
| C．The earliest picture of the erhu was found in Gansu. |
| D．The erhu has been a solo instrument since the Qing Dynasty. |
| A．travel | B．health | C．nature | D．culture |
10 . “We all have suffered from the air pollution. If we don’t call for an end to the firecrackers (鞭炮), the environment will get worse and worse in the future.” said Zhang Wei. He put up a notice in his neighborhood. In the notice, he called on more people to set off (引爆) fewer firecrackers during this year’s Spring Festival.
Lots of parents agreed with Zhang Wei. They said that they hated the noise of firecrackers. It often woke up their babies easily. And the babies really needed a quiet place to have enough sleep.
More Chinese are looking forward to celebrating the holiday in greener ways. Many people decide not to set off firecrackers. They decided not to waste food. They think that the new ways are fashionable (时尚的).
“My family didn’t buy firecrackers this year. Instead, we gave the money away to a charity. It’s good for the environment and the charity.” the Internet user “Fighter” wrote on the Blog.
In my opinion, it’s very important for us to celebrate our traditional festival—the Spring Festival. But it’s more important to reduce air pollution and protect our environment. We had better express our cheerful feeling and best wishes in greener ways. We need more people like Zhang Wei or “Fighter” who uses electronic ways like QQ, Wechat or Blog. I believe more and more people will join them and our environment will get better and better.
1. Where did Zhang Wei put up a notice?| A．In his office. | B．In the street. |
| C．In his house. | D．In his neighborhood. |
| A．the noise of firecrackers | B．the Spring Festival |
| C．the environment | D．a quiet place |
| A．Eating a lot of food. | B．Making more money. |
| C．Celebrating in a greener way. | D．Setting off more firecrackers. |
| A．Don’t Waste Food | B．The Spring Festival Goes Green |
| C．Firecrackers and Noise | D．The Christmas Holiday |
