1 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Summer（立夏）, the 7th term of the year, falls on May 5th this year. Here is something you need to learn about the Start of Summer.
Greeting Start of Summer
Start of Summer is an important time for the harvest（丰收）of summer plants. Ancient Chinese emperors in different dynasties took the Start of Summer seriously. In the Zhou Dynasty, the emperor led his officials to hold a welcome ceremony for the Start of Summer and encouraged his people to make full use of this key time to do farm work. It’s said that most of the things were prepared in the color red, including the dresses, the horses and the flags, in order to pray for（祈求）a good harvest for the coming year.
Checking one’s weight
It was believed the custom of weighing people at the Start of Summer would bring health and good luck to the people weighed. After lunch on the day of Start of Summer, the young and old took turns to get weighed while the person checking the weight would offer good wishes. It is said those who were weighed would stay healthy in the hot summer and those who weren’t would be ill.
Eating eggs
In ancient China, people believed a round egg was the symbol of a happy life and eating eggs on the day of Start of Summer was the hope for good health. They put tea into boiled water together with eggs and the original “tea egg” was created. Today tea egg has become a traditional snack in China.
Egg Competitions
As an old Chinese saying goes “hanging an egg on children’s chest (胸膛) can prevent them from getting summer illnesses”, parents will prepare boiled eggs and put them in a bag before hanging them on their child’s chest. At school, children get together to play egg competitions by hitting each other’s eggs in pairs and the one whose egg is not broken wins.
Take care of the heart
According to Chinese traditional medicine, Start of Summer is a key time to protect the heart. You’d better eat more vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, watermelons, pears and strawberries to fight against the hot and wet weather during this special period.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。
1. Which solar term is the Start of Summer of the year?
| A．The fifth. | B．The seventh. | C．The twenty-first. | D．The twenty-fourth. |
| A．Eat vegetables and fruits. | B．Get weighed. | C．Have egg competitions. | D．Ride horses. |
| A．To pray for a good harvest for the coming year. |
| B．To get a happy life and keep healthy. |
| C．To prevent themselves from getting some illnesses. |
| D．To encourage other people to do farm work. |
| A．A good year depends on good preparations for 24 solar terms. |
| B．Hanging something red on the day of Start of Summer is good for the body. |
| C．Start of Summer is one of the most important solar terms both in the past and at present. |
| D．People should take Chinese medicine to fight against the hot and wet weather. |
| A．In a guide book. | B．In a science book. |
| C．In a fashion magazine. | D．In a movie poster. |
2 . On May 31, 2021, China introduced a new policy（政策）, allowing all families to have up to three children. The three-child policy is expected to fight the drop in the nation’s birthrate（出生率）and deal with the challenge of a rapidly aging（老龄化的）population.
The number of newborns in China has fallen for four years in a row（连续）. The country’s total fertility rate（生育率）—the average number of children born to each woman—stood at 1.3 in 2020. But to have a stable（稳定）population, the number should be 2.1. On the other hand, the proportion of the over-60 population rose from 10.3 percent to 18.7 percent over the past 10 years. This means there will not be enough young workers.
However, not all people have shown their support for this new policy. Some couples complained about the rising costs of raising a child. An internet user named Qinfeng said, “The high cost of education and both the physical and mental exhaustion stopped me from having more than one child.” Also, many women areunwillingto give birth because that could mean losing good job opportunities.
To give stronger support to families, the government will make policies in terms of marriage, births, parenting and education, reported China Daily. The government will also enhance（改善）tax（税收）and housing policies, and protect the legal rights of women in job markets.
1. According to the new policy, ________.| A．the only child in a family needs support |
| B．parents should care more about their children |
| C．three-child families are very common |
| D．Chinese families can have three children |
| A．the number of newborns in China has fallen for five years in a row |
| B．the country’s fertility rate stood at 2.1 in 2020 |
| C．there will not be enough young workers |
| D．all people have shown their support for this new policy |
| A．热衷于 | B．不愿意 | C．讨厌 | D．不擅长 |
| A．The high cost of education. | B．The physical and mental exhaustion. |
| C．The risk of losing jobs. | D．Both A and B. |
| A．The three-child policy in China. | B．The birthrate in China. |
| C．The aging problems in China. | D．The tax problems in China. |
There are many different kinds of music in the world. Now let’s study some of them.
Classical Music
Classical music is a form of music which needs high musical skills. If you want to learn this kind of music, you have to go through proper training.
Metal（金属）music
Metal music came out after World War II. The melody（旋律）of the song is heavily influenced by the structure（结构）of it. It is also known as “information music”. In metal music, songwriting is based on a form.
Hip-hop Music
This kind of music always includes the use of instruments such as the guitar, violin, piano, bass（低音电吉他）, drum and so on. In this kind of music, the bass is the main instrument. It was first played by a group of traveling singers and poets of West Africa.
Opera Music
It first appeared in Italy in the 1600s. It has a great mixture of theatrical（戏剧的）art and musical invention and is used in theaters.
Jazz Music
This kind of music has strong and complex（复杂的）melodies. The main musical instruments are the comet（小号）, trumpet and violin, which help carry the melody.
1. Learning classical music needs proper training.2. Hip-hop music is known as information music because of its melody.
3. Bass is the main instrument of the opera music.
4. Comet, trumpet and violin carry the melody of jazz music.
5. The passage mainly tells about five kinds of music.
For the first time ever, plants from Earth are growing on the moon. The China National Space Administration (中国国家航天局) showed photos of cotton plants. The administration said the cotton plants were among several plants that were “growing well”. Other plants that are now growing on the moon are vegetables.
The plants are part of a project to the far side of the moon. Project leader Liu Hanlong says the cotton seeds were the first to come up. He said the plants were chosen because they were small, strong and could grow in the difficult conditions on the moon’s surface.
Professor Hanlong said the project’s aim was to understand more about how plants grow outside of Earth. The long-term aim is to develop plants that can grow not only on the moon but also on the Mars (火星).
The professor said: “We have considered the future survival live in space. Learning about these plants growing in a low-gravity (低重力) environment would allow us to know that in the future humans may live in the space.”
1. Plants have never grown on the moon before this project.2. Chinese scientists showed photos of tea plants growing on the moon.
3. Cotton seeds were the first plants to come up.
4. Scientists said their long-term aim is to grow plants on Venus (金星).
5. There are no chances of survival in space.
5 . Zhurong, the name of China’s first Mars rover (火星车) ,was announced on April 24th, 2021, China’s Space Day. The name of Zhurong comes from a character in ancient Chinese stories.
The way it was named is the same as other space programs like Chang’e, Tianwen and Beidou. In ancient Chinese stories, Zhurong is a fire god. He is a proud man dressed in the soldier’s clothes.
holding a sword and riding on a large tiger. And he is famous for stopping his son from causing floods for humans successfully. Besides according to the words’ Chinese meanings “Zhu” means “wish” which can be used to express the good wishes for humans’ study of the universe (宇宙) . And “rong” means “integration” which shows Chinese people would like to use the space with other countries peacefully, and to build a community with a shared future for human beings.
Zhurong, the Mars rover, is 1.85 meters high and weighs about 240 kilograms. It has six wheels and four solar panels (太阳能面板) and it can move at 200 meters an hour on the planet’s surface. With six scientific instruments, it can work for at least three months. On the Mars, it can do a lot of surveys and collect information, such as the make-up of the planet’s surface, the weather and environment conditions on the Mars. Zhurong shows that China’s space programs have taken a huge step forward again.
1. Zhurong, Chang’e, Tianwen and Beidou are all the names of Chinese ________.| A．IT programs | B．space programs | C．paintings | D．poems |
| A．融合 | B．象征 | C．忍受 | D．担当 |
| A．What Zhurong looks like. | B．Why Zhurong is a fire god. |
| C．How Zhurong got its name. | D．When Zhurong got its name. |
| A．Zhurong can work for only three months. |
| B．Humans don’t want to study the universe. |
| C．Zhurong is 1.85 meters high and weighs about 200 kilograms. |
| D．China wants to use the space with other countries peacefully. |
| A．China’s Space Day | B．China’s Space Culture |
| C．China’s first Mars rover—Zhurong | D．China’s Space Industry |
Chinese people have been celebrating the Spring Festival and enjoying dumplings for centuries. Dumplings are always a kind of popular food in Northern China and are often found on the table during the Spring Festival. Dumplings are in the shape of Yuanbao. They carry people’s wishes to the New Year. Eating dumplings during the Spring Festival means “Bring in health and treasure”. Dumplings are also a symbol of home and warmth.
There are many legends (传说) about the origin (起源) of dumplings, but no one knows who invented dumplings exactly. Nowadays, many agree that dumplings were first created by medical Saint Zhang Zhongjing in the Eastern Han Dynasty. At that time, dumplings were used for medicine. It is said that Zhang noticed that many people’s ears were frostbitten (冻伤) when he returned to his home-town one winter. He decided to help them. So he wrapped (包) mutton, pepper and some warming medicinal (药用材料) in dough (面) . Folding them into the shape of an ear. Then he boiled them in water before giving them to the poor. This food was first called “Jiao’er” for its shape, and later the name slowly became Jiaozi.
Nowadays, dumplings are popular around the world. Many people have regarded them as a symbol of Chinese culture.
1. Dumplings are always a kind of popular food in western China.2. Dumplings are in the shape of Yuanbao and also a symbol of home and warmth.
3. Dumplings were used for medicine in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
4. Zhang Zhongjing created dumplings to tell people the importance of ears.
5. The article is mainly about dumplings’origin and culture.
7 . Once upon a time, a king went on a visit to his neighboring country and was given a pair of baby parrots (鹦鹉) as a gift, a red one and a blue one. They were the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. So, after returning to his country, he called for a bird trainer and asked him to train the parrots.
The king also set a place in the palace garden for the parrots. He often looked at them from his palace window. One day, the trainer came to the palace and told the king that the red parrot was flying high in the sky. However, the other one was not moving from his branch (树枝) since the day he had arrived.
Hearing this, the king sent for other trainers from the nearby countries. They all tried their best, but couldn’t make the parrot fly! He even asked many other people to try to make the parrot fly. But they all failed. The parrot was not moving from his branch at all. Finally, after trying everything, the king thought that maybe he needed someone who might know their nature well. He asked a minister to get a farmer from the countryside and take him to the parrot to see if he could solve the problem.
The next morning, the king was excited to see the parrot flying high above the palace garden. He asked his minister to call that farmer to meet him. When the farmer came and stood before the king. The king asked him, “How did you make the parrot fly?”
With his hands folded politely, the farmer said to the king, “It was very easy, my king. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting. If he always stayed at the branch without any challenges, he will never want to fly up.”
1. How did the king get the parrots?| A．His minister gave him. |
| B．He bought himself. |
| C．His neighboring country gave him as a gift. |
| D．A trainer bought for him. |
| A．He trained the parrots to make them fly. |
| B．He set a palace in the garden for the parrots. |
| C．He asked many people to make the parrots fly. |
| D．He enjoyed watching them from the window. |
| A．The king. | B．The minister. | C．The trainer. | D．The farmer. |
| A．Neither the two parrots can learn to fly quickly. |
| B．The farmer knew the nature of parrots well. |
| C．The king didn’t like the parrots so he wanted them to fly away. |
| D．The blue parrot couldn’t fly because he got hurt. |
| A．Stay away from strangers and protect yourself. |
| B．Think carefully about what to say and what to do. |
| C．Working hard will make you happy and successful. |
| D．Stepping out of comfortable situation helps you grow. |
8 . Internet buzzwords (热词), a newly-born form of cultural expression, have become popular among young people.
Why do buzzwords become so popular? Because people prefer to search for similar groups. In the similar groups, people use the same way to express themselves, which makes them feel they belong here and are accepted by each other. Buzzwords are just this kind of way for people to find such groups.
However, some argue that the buzzwords cause people’s poor language use. It is not true, for Internet buzzwords should never be regarded as a simple symbol. For example, “yyds” expresses that one person admires somebody. It may seem that these people are not using complete words, but in fact, what they are doing is adding colors to daily life.
Sometimes young people can not express themselves through the common language. But the problem can be solved by encouraging them to read books. The popularity of buzzwords should not be the culprit. We cannot regard it as a wrong thing. Only by accepting new cultural forms with an open mind can we move ahead step by step and make progress in the coining rimes.
根据短文内容，选择最佳答案。
1. Which of the following is a newly-born form of cultural expression?
| A．Dramas. | B．Buzzwords. | C．Poems. | D．Songs. |
| A．it is easier for people to use | B．people feel too bored |
| C．people prefer to use new words | D．people prefer to search for similar groups |
| A．causes poor language use | B．is the best way to express people’s feelings |
| C．adds colors to daily life | D．encourages people to read books |
| A．cause of a problem | B．way of expression |
| C．perfect plan | D．useless culture |
| A．We must refuse these buzzwords. |
| B．We’d better use buzzwords every day. |
| C．We should accept buzzwords with an open mind. |
| D．We can’t solve the problem caused by buzzwords. |
9 . With the support of technology, robots with different uses have played important roles in Shanghai’s fight against the latest COVID-19 outbreak (爆发).
Inside a hospital in Shanghai New International Expo Center, the first 28 “disinfection (消毒) robots” have been put into use. Each of them can work 24 hours a day. At the same time, a group of “5G indoor cloud robots” can send over 20 boxed meals at a time, and go to certain places for patients to get their food themselves. The service robots have helped to cut down the risk of cross-infection (交叉感染) between patients and make sure the safety of medical workers.
According to the local government, more than 200 robots will soon join the service. More 5G-based intelligent robots are also being prepared to work at hospitals. The data (数据) collected by 5G robots can be processed and sent in time, which can help people know about the latest news of the COVID-19 outbreak.
We believe that the people of Shanghai will be able to overcome it and return to normal life as soon as possible.
根据短文内容，判断句子正（T）误（F）。
1. A disinfection robot can work 24 hours a day.
2. All robots can send over 20 boxed meals at a time.
3. The service robots can increase the risk of cross-infection.
4. The 5G robots can collect data and send it to people in time.
5. The passage is mainly about the robots in Shanghai’s fight against the latest COVID-19 outbreak.
10 . Chuanjiang Chants (川江号子) is a form of folk singing performed by Chuanjiang boatmen in order to unify (使联合) their movements and rhythms (节奏). Chongqing and eastern Sichuan are the main birthplaces of the Chuanjiang Chants.
In the age of wooden boat shipping for thousands of years, the power (动力) of wooden boats on the river came from the body of the boatmen. Whenever they headed up against the river or when the boat crossed a shoal, the boatmen had to pull together. Moreover, the long journey was boring and boatmen needed something to relax, and the Chuanjiang Chants came into being.
Chuanjiang Chants are both technical and artistic. Boatmen control the direction of the boat just like a driver is responsible for that of a car. And chants are like the accelerator (油门) of a car, controlling the speed of the boat. Therefore, the chants can adjust (调整) the force of the boatmen through its rhythm, and the ship can move forward smoothly. At the same time, the chants are always sung in bright voice, a good tone, and a beautiful sound. Therefore, it is also an art.
However, with the development and popularity of modern ships, Chuanjiang Chants are likely to be forgotten by people, facing an endangered situation. Our country paid great attention to the protection of it and it was included in the first batch (批) of national intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) list. Hope that more and more people can get the chance to know the wonderful culture.
1. Chongqing and eastern Sichuan are the main birthplaces of the ________.| A．paintings | B．calligraphy (书法) | C．paper cutting | D．Chuanjiang Chants |
| A．what Chuanjiang Chants are | B．how to sing Chuanjiang Chants |
| C．why Chuanjiang Chants appeared | D．who sings Chuanjiang Chants best |
| A．the boat | B．the direction | C．a boatman | D．the accelerator |
| A．Chuanjiang Chants are not only seen as a technology but also an art. |
| B．The boatmen can adjust their force according to the rhythm of the chants. |
| C．Chuanjiang Chants are forgotten by people because they’re difficult to sing. |
| D．Chuanjiang Chants were used by boatmen as a way to relax during the long journey. |
| A．Chuanjiang Chants—A Culture We Need to Protect |
| B．Chongqing—The Birthplace of Chuanjiang Chants |
| C．How Chuanjiang Chants Appeared |
| D．How to Sing Chuanjiang Chants |
