Tree-planting Day is the day when some countries widely advertise (宣传) the helpful effects of forests, and encourage people to plant trees. In this way, people can be inspired to plant and love forests, and the environment will be improved. Many countries in the world have set their Tree-planting Day based on their own real situations.
Tree-planting Day is on March 12 every year in China. There are two reasons for it. One is the sunshine, because spring is very warm and good for trees to grow. The other is to memorize SunYat-sen, who is considered the “Father of Modern China” for his role in the events that led to the end of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China. Sun Yat-sen passed away on March 12, 1925. When he was alive, he paid much attention to forests. China takes the death day of Sun Yat-sen as Chinese Tree-planting Day to memorize him. March 12, 2024 is China’s 46th Tree planting Day.
In America, Tree-planting Day is a state festival, so there is no nationwide date, but America will organize tree-planting activities in April or May every year, and even take a day off in some states. The first Tree-planting Day was held on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska. People planted over one million trees on that day.
Every year, Cambodia celebrates Tree-planting Day (also called Arbor Day) in each of the twenty-five provinces of the country on July 9, with a tree-planting ceremony attended by the king of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
1. The first paragraph tells of the advantages of forests.2. March 12 is the date when Sun Yat-sen passed away.
3. Americans planted more than one million trees in April every year.
4. The king of the Kingdom of Cambodia takes Arbor Day seriously.
5. The passage is mainly about Tree-planting Day in different countries.
2 . Water is important for all living things on Earth. The water cycle (循环) is a natural process that takes water from the ground and the sky and brings it back to the earth again. It is a cycle that happens the whole year and is most active from March to June in China.
The water cycle always begins with water vapour (蒸汽). When it’s hot outside, you can see clouds forming in the sky. These clouds are made of water vapour that comes from the ground, plants and rivers. As water vapour rises into the sky, it cools down and becomes clouds. After that, clouds travel through the sky and fall back to Earth as rain or snow. Then, water runs through rivers and oceans and finally returns to the earth again in different forms like rainwater or snow.
The water cycle plays an important role in protecting our Earth’s climate (气候). It provides us with water to drink and keeps our climate healthy. On top of that, it takes water from rivers and oceans and brings it to the areas that don’t have enough water. Without the cycle, we would face many problems. When there is too much water in one place, it becomes a flood. When water is badly in need, it becomes a drought. Besides, water vapour can take heat from the sun and keep our planet cool.
The water cycle is a natural process that keeps our planet alive. It’s important for plants and animals to drink water and for our rivers to stay flowing with water. Understanding the water cycle can help us enjoy the beauty of nature, know how our planet works and develop better methods to protect our Earth. And that is a responsibility we should take on.
1. Which is the right order of the water cycle according to the text?① Water returns to the ground. ② Rain or snow falls down.
③ Water vapour rises up. ④ Clouds are formed in the sky.
| A．③②④① | B．④②③① | C．④③②① | D．③④②① |
| A．It brings warm weather. | B．It shows the beauty of nature. |
| C．It keeps the climate healthy. | D．It cleans the air and the ground. |
| A．Earth’s climate. | B．Water vapour. |
| C．The water cycle | D．Drinking water. |
| A．洪涝 | B．沙尘暴 | C．泥石流 | D．旱灾 |
| A．To encourage people to save water. |
| B．To call on people to protect our planet. |
| C．To inspire people to get close to nature. |
| D．To help people solve water problems. |
3 . China has just opened its FAST radio telescope (射电望远镜) to international scientists. It means scientists across the world can apply for using the telescope to do astronomical observations.
FAST is short for Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope. It was completed in September 2016 and it officially began operating in January 2020. Measuring 500 meters in diameter. FAST is the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, and is 10 times more sensitive than the 100-meter Radio Telescope Effelsberg in Germany.
The major scientific task of the telescope is the observation of pulsars (脉冲星). The study of pulsars can help to confirm the existence of gravitational radiation (引力辐射) and black holes, and help solve many other major questions in physics. Another major scientific goal of FAST is to search for life outside the Earth.
The telescope is located in a naturally deep and round karst depression (喀斯特洼地) in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. The first advantage of the selected site is the altitude (海拔). The average altitude of Guizhou is about 1,100 meters. Generally, the higher the altitude, the more the telescope can observe. Secondly, the radio telescope needs to have a “big pan” to receive better signals. The huge natural depression could reduce the difficulty of construction. Moreover, the selected site in Guizhou is far away from cities, and has a low population density, which reduces the interference (干扰) caused by wireless devices such as TVs, mobile phones and radios from human activities.
So far, FAST has found over 300 pulsars. Experts predict that the number could reach 1,000 in five years and that the telescope could find and locate the first pulsar outside the Galaxy.
1. Who can use FAST?| A．Chinese scientists. | B．Scientists from all countries. |
| C．Soldiers and policemen. | D．All Chinese citizens. |
| A．In 2015. | B．In 2016. | C．In 2020. | D．In 2021. |
| A．The advantages of the selected site for FAST. |
| B．Guizhou Province has the highest altitude in China. |
| C．The reasons for using mobile phones less. |
| D．FAST is built in a pan-shape place to keep people out. |
| A．Identify more than 300 pulsars in five years. |
| B．Discover the first pulsar outside the Galaxy. |
| C．Locate wireless devices around the world. |
| D．Collect all kinds of sounds in space. |
| A．Human and Nature | B．Geography 101 |
| C．Animals and Plants | D．Scientific World |
4 . Celebrating Chinese New Year with Chinese friends can be great, but because of the culture gap, it can be really easy to give the wrong gift for Chinese New Year. Here are five things you should not give as a Chinese New Year gift.
Wallet—Loss of fortune
In traditional Chinese culture, giving a wallet as a gift means giving away all your money and you might lose all your finances (财源) and luck. However, it is no problem to give a wallet to your family member who already share your financial accounts and money.
Handkerchiefs—Saying goodbye forever
People generally give handkerchiefs at the end of a funeral (葬礼). Handkerchiefs are a symbol of saying goodbye forever. Giving someone a gift like this may suggest that you are saying goodbye forever.
Umbrellas—Break up
Umbrellas are a bad idea to give as gifts, because the Chinese word for “umbrella” sounds like the word for “breaking up”. Giving somebody an umbrella can mean that you feel your friendship has fallen apart.
Sharp objects—Cut off relationship
Giving anything sharp, such as a knife or scissors, is also a bad idea, as it’s thought to cut off the relationship. A common Chinese saying “one cut and it is in two parts” means the end of a relationship between people.
Shoes—Evil
Shoes are a bad idea as a present for Chinese New Year because the Chinese word for “shoes” sounds exactly the word for bad luck or “evil”. On top of that, shoes are something that you step on, and they are considered as derogatory (贬义的) gifts.
1. Why can’t you give a wallet as a gift during the Spring Festival in China?| A．Because it is too expensive to buy a wallet. |
| B．Because it is a symbol of saying goodbye forever. |
| C．Because your family members won’t let you do that. |
| D．Because it means that you may give away all your money and luck. |
| A．give advice to others | B．find |
| C．make people think | D．decide |
| A．you will break up with him/her |
| B．you are saying goodbye forever to him/her |
| C．you will develop a relationship with him/her |
| D．you don’t want to share something with him/her |
①Because shoes are hard to match with a person’s feet.
②Because shoes are often seen as derogatory gifts in Chinese culture.
③Because “giving shoes” stands for giving bad luck in Chinese culture.
④Because the sound of “shoes” in Chinese is similar to the sound of “evil”.
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．③④① | D．④②① |
| A．Rome was not built in a day. |
| B．No man is wise at all times. |
| C．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| D．Respect yourself, or no one else will respect you. |
We use money every day to pay for things we buy. We pay with either coins or paper notes. This sort of money is known as cash.
Almost anything can be used as money. In the past people have used shells, beads, cocoa beans, salt, grain and even cattle. Coins have become popular because they are easy to carry around and they last for a long time.
Coins were first used in China. Ancient Greeks also used them as early as 600BC. They were stamped with the mark of the country for which they were made. The stamp also showed how much each coin was worth.
Early coins were made of silver and gold and were worth a lot of money. Later coins were made of cheaper metals but people agreed they were worth the amount (金额) stamped on them. Later, people began to use paper money as well as coins. The value of the paper was not high but banks agreed they were worth the amount written on them.
The earliest form of trade was when people simply swapped things. This was called bartering. |
Money has been made in all sorts of shapes and sizes, especially in ancient China. |
American Indians used beads and shells made into decorative patters as money. |
Coins have been used for centuries. They are easy to make and last a long time. |
Banknotes are a written promise to pay a certain amount of money. |
Credit cards and cheques are sometimes used instead of money. |
1. People can only use paper notes to buy things.
2. Chinese people used coins before 600BC.
3. Stamps are a kind of money as well.
4. If you travelled to ancient China, knife-shaped money might be seen.
5. One advantage of coins is that they are long lasting.
Do you hear of the Old Tea Forest of Jingmai Mountain? The mountain is in the city of Pu’er, Yunnan province. On September 17, 2023, this cultural landscape (文化景观) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List (《世界遗产名录》). It includes nine villages, three old tea planting places and three forests.
In the tenth century, the ancestors (祖先) of the Blang (布朗族) people came to the mountain. They discovered wild tea trees and started to produce tea from them. Later, the Dai and some other ethnic groups (民族) also came to live here with their colorful cultures. These cultures added something more to Jingmai.
Here, the locals hold important festivals. The Shankang Festival of the Blang people, for example, honors their “tea ancestors.” Another example is the Water Festival of the Dai people. During these festivals, they give their thanks to the tea trees. They also make good wishes for the tea forests.
In Blang culture, every tea tree is said to have a spirit (灵魂). For this reason, the Blang people there do not use pesticides (杀虫剂) on their tea trees. They use natural ways to get good tea.
In this place, the mountain nurtures (养育) tea, and tea nurtures people. Tea is an important part of the locals’ lives. They are thankful for the gifts from nature!
1. Jingmai Mountain is in Yunnan.2. The ancestors of the Dai people came to the mountain in the 10th century.
3. During the festivals, people there only give their thanks to the tea trees.
4. The Blang people think every tea tree has a spirit in their culture.
5. The passage tells us something about the Old Tea Forest of Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er.
7 . China’s Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar every year. It is a traditional folk holiday focusing on good health and long life. Let’s take a look at some key words related to this festival.
Nine
Nine is an important number in Chinese culture because its pronunciation means “long” in Chinese. According to the Book of Changes (《易经》), the number six is considered yin while nine is yang. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month in the Chinese calendar features two nines, so the day is given the Chinese name “Chongyang”.
Plants
When it comes to the Double Ninth Festival, two important plants, the cornel (茱萸) and chrysanthemum (菊花), have to be mentioned.
Cornel, famous in traditional Chinese medicine, is widely planted in the north and south of China. Ancient people believed that wearing the cornel on this day could help prevent illness and avoid disasters.
They also believed that the chrysanthemum could drive away bad luck and prevent one from getting a cold in late autumn. So, drinking chrysanthemum wine has always been a traditional custom at this festival.
Elders
As times change, the festival has been given more meaning. In 1989, the Chinese government set it as a day for the elders, to encourage all to respect and love them, so as to build a beautiful, age-friendly society.
1. What does the Double Ninth Festival focus on?| A．Wealth and happiness. | B．Good luck and healthy life. |
| C．Success and fame. | D．Good health and long life. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．Technology. | B．Culture. | C．Nature. | D．Business. |
| A．The Double Ninth Festival falls on August 9th each year. |
| B．The number nine is considered yin while six is yang. |
| C．People plant cornel widely in the north and south of China. |
| D．It was believed that the chrysanthemum could bring wealth. |
| A．Two Important Plants | B．An Important Number |
| C．A Traditional Folk Holiday | D．Key Words in Double Ninth Festival |
A video of a black sun bear at the Hangzhou Zoo has become popular. In the video, the bear stands on its back legs and the fur (毛) on its behind is loose (松散的). Many people thought it was a person standing in a bear suit.
The zoo workers said that the sun bear was real. “If a person did wear a bear suit, they would be falling down within minutes because of the hot weather in summer. ”
Later, the zoo made a statement (声明) in the name of “Angela”, the sun bear. “Some people think I stand like a person. It seems you don’t understand me very well,” the statement said. “Let me say again to everyone that I am a sun bear—not a black bear, not a dog—a sun bear!”
Sun bears live in the forests of Southeast Asia. They are the smallest bears in the world. They are only about the size of a large dog. They can be 1.1-1.5 meters tall while standing on their back legs. They can weigh from 25 to 75 kilograms.
Sun bears are the least studied out of all the 8 kinds of bears. Maybe this is because they are shy and live far away from people. They are listed as vulnerable (易危的) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their numbers in the wild have fallen by 35% over the past thirty years, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). They need more protection.
1. The sun bear at the Hangzhou Zoo was a person standing in a bear suit.2. Sun bears are the smallest bears in the world.
3. A sun bear is much taller than an adult man.
4. There are eight kinds of bears in the world.
5. From the last paragraph, we know sun bears need more protection.
Do you know “guo nian hao” means “Happy New Year”? But in China, New Year isn’t the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is a big festival in China. It means the beginning（开始）of a new year. In the Spring Festival, people welcome the new year and say goodbye to the old year.
People often do many things for the Spring Festival. They clean their houses. They buy new clothes. They make a big dinner.
During the Spring Festival, we can see some red things. In China, red is the symbol（象征）of good luck. Some people love to wear red clothes. Lanterns are red. Children can get red envelopes（红包）. Their parents or grandparents always put some money in red envelopes. Children are always happy when they get red envelopes.
1. In China, the Spring Festival is New Year.2. For the Spring Festival, people often do many things.
3. All the people love to wear red clothes during the Spring Festival.
4. Parents or grandparents always put some cards in red envelopes.
5. This passage is about the Spring Festival.
Are you interested in space? Do you want to be an astronaut? Let’s come close to them and know more.
Can anyone be an astronaut? Of course not. You don’t have to have a science degree, but most astronauts do. Most of them are pilots too. Life in a spaceship is hard so you must have a healthy body and mind. You need to be easy-going and helpful to spend so much time in a small space with other people.
What’s the training like? People have to train for a year to learn how to stay healthy and safe. They practice space walking and living in zero gravity (重力). They train in difficult situations to learn how to solve problems and to work on a team. Everyday life like eating, washing and sleeping can be difficult in a spaceship. There is no running water to wash hands. It’s hard to enjoy the dry food that astronauts have to eat. And to sleep, you must cover your eyes because the sun rises every 90 minutes on the International Space Station. You also must tie yourself to something, so you don’t fly away!
What health problems do astronauts have? Astronauts often get backache (背痛) because you grow in space-up to 8 centimeters! It’s also common to feel terrible at the beginning. So you must do a lot of exercise in space to stay healthy. And you must have vitamins to take the place of fresh fruit and vegetables.
1. Astronauts need to be easy-going and helpful.2. People can wash hands with running water in a spaceship.
3. The sun rises every ninety minutes on the International Space Station.
4. Astronauts often get backache because they do a lot of exercise in space.
5. The article is about the importance of being an astronaut.
