Traveling to another country is exciting and fun. But if you don’t learn about local customs, your trip may get into trouble. Here are some cultural taboos (禁忌) in several countries.
Mexico
In Mexico, bringing an expensive gift to someone’s home is a no-no. For local people, some simple things like flowers are good gifts. But you shouldn’t take along red flowers, because in Mexican culture, they are symbols of death and can be connected with witchcraft (巫术) .
The US
Americans have a custom of tipping (给小费) . You should tip nearly anyone with a service job, such as waiters, taxi drivers, hotel doormen, etc.
Pay attention when you talk with Americans. Questions like “How old are you?” may be common between friends. But as tourists in the US, it is not polite to ask people’s age.
Britain
From the supermarket to the underground station, queuing (排队) is very common in Britain. Usually, it takes a British person six months of his or her life in queues. If you jump the queue there, you may make them angry.
Japan
You should never wear shoes indoors in Japan. When visiting someone’s home, it is rude to enter with shoes on. Shoes should be taken off at the door and replaced with indoor slippers. This is also the same when you try clothes on in a clothes shop. You should take off your shoes before going into the fitting room. There are indoor shoes prepared for customers inside.
1. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?It refers to “
2. Who should be tipped in the US?
3. How long does it usually take a British person in queues?
It usually takes a British person
4. Which word means “粗鲁的” in the last paragraph?
It’s “
5. What is the passage mainly about?
It is mainly about
In the 2024 Spring Festival Gala (春节联欢晚会), which program impressed (使……印象深刻) you most? Maybe you will say 《山河诗长安》. And it’s also my favorite program. I was shocked by the scene that thousands of people recite(朗诵) a poem by Li Bai together. Li Bai, who is also called “immortal poet (诗仙) ” is one of the greatest poets in the Tang Dynasty. Most of his poems were produced in the rise and fall period of the Tang Dynasty. Many people think he is romantic (浪漫的) and free, just like an immortal (神仙). However, in the Chinese cartoon movie《长安三万里》, we see a different Li Bai.
In the movie, Li dreams about being an officer. But he faces challenges after challenges. He can’t take keju (科举) because of his family. Later, he makes a mistake and is banished (流放). He has difficulties and problems just like every one of us.
However, his poems give us inspiration and confidence (自信), especially when we are in hard times. When he enjoyed nature, he said, “Its torrent dashes down three thousand feet from high; As if the silver river fell from the blue sky (飞流直下三千尺，疑是银河落九天).” When he had a setback (挫折), he said, “Heaven has made us talents; we’re not made in vain. A thousand gold coins spent, more will turn up again (天生我材必有用，千金散尽还复来).”
Li Bai might not be as perfect as we think. But it doesn’t really matter. Maybe we should thank his imperfect life, or we will lose a great poet in the world. As long as his poems are here with us, he is always the “immortal” in our hearts.
1. How does the writer start the passage?The writer starts the passage by
2. Li Bai is also called
3. In which poem of Li Bai, can we read the lyries “举头望明月，低头思故乡”?
The name of the poem is
4. Why do people love Li Bai’s poems?
Because his poems give people
5. What do you think of Li Bai?
He is
3 . Doorbells are the bells for people to ring at a door. When someone hears it, he or she can open the door. Do you know that you can ring a doorbell for fish, too?
Every spring, millions of fish migrate (洄游) along the river in the city to find better places to lay eggs. But in the river, there are many locks (水闸). They stop fish from swimming through. Weerd Lock in Utrecht, is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. When fish get there, they have to wait a long time before the lock opens for boats to pass through. The lock keeper (看守者) there is glad to open the lock for fish, but he cannot tell when fish want to get through. So in 2021, Mark van Heukelum, a scientist, came up with a good idea to help solve this problem by using the fish doorbell.
Under the water near the lock, there’s a camera. People around the world can visit a website to see fish through the camera. When you see a group of fish waiting, you can ring the doorbell on the screen. And when the lock keeper notices it, he will open the lock for the fish.
In its first spring season in 2021, people around the world rang the fish doorbell more than. 100,000 times. If you want to join them to help fish, visit the website and ring the fish doorbell next spring!
1. How does the fish doorbell work?①lock keepers opening the lock ②lock keepers noticing the ringing
③Internet users ringing the doorbell ④Internet users seeing a group of fish on the screen
| A．①②③④ | B．①②④③ | C．④①③② | D．④③②① |
| A．The camera is above the water near the lock. |
| B．Fish groups swim through Weerd Lock every spring. |
| C．The lock keeper doesn’t know when fish wait to get through. |
| D．In 2021, Mark van Heukelum invented the fish doorbell. |
| A．Life. | B．Technology. | C．Health. | D．Sports. |
4 . Actress Jia Ling has become a hit on social media these days during the Chinese Lunar New Year. People were amazed by how she lost 50 kilograms while making her movie Yolo (Re La Gun Tang). This made everyone talk about living a health y lifestyle. Many people on Weibo were discussing Jia’s weight loss journey, like “Jia’s story of losing weight” and “Jia Ling completely surprised me.” They were wondering if it’s time to start to develop healthier habits, especially during the Spring Festival.
One moviegoer (常看电影的人) named Li Qiaoya, who goes to the gym to lose weight, said. “Her success is really inspiring and is worth seeing in the movie.” Li also felt guilty for eating too much during the Spring Festival.
Jia used to be known for her funny laughter and emotional performances. She shared her new look after losing weight on social media, and her fans were shocked at her mandibular line (下颌线) and how radiant (容光焕发的) she looked. Jia said that the movie is not about boxing or losing weight, but a heartwarming story of learning to love yourself.”
However, not everyone agrees with Jia’s weight losing plan. To finish filming the movie, Jia had to gain 20 kilograms before starting to lose weight. “Not everyone can deal with the challenge of losing so much weight,” said Jiang Chong, a fitness expert from Chongqing. “It’s not just a physical challenge, but also a mental (心理上的， 精神上的) one.”
In interview s before the movie was released (发布), Jia emphasized (强调) the importance of getting realistic (切实可行的) goals when talking about her weight losing journey. She also said that. having achievable goals is important. It’s not a bad thing to have a movie reminding many people to lose weight in a health y way. It’s good to have a schedule (日程) and stick to it, instead of doing extreme (极端的) things to lose weight.”
1. How did people feel when seeing Jia Ling’s weight loss?| A．People were disappointed. | B．People were surprised. |
| C．People were indifferent (冷漠的). | D．People were angry. |
| A．难过的 | B．焦虑的 | C．内疚的 | D．漠不关心的 |
| A．Boxing and losing weight. | B．Developing healthier habits. |
| C．Learning to love yourself. | D．Achieving realistic goals. |
| A．Because it was part of her movie role. | B．Because it was a mental challenge. |
| C．Because it was a physical challenge. | D．Because it was necessary for her health. |
According to the traditional Chinese calendar, there are 24 solar terms in a year. The 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agriculture production (农业生产). But solar term culture is still useful today to guide people’s lives through cultural activities and special foods that go with each term.
There are six solar terms in winter. They are beginning of winter, light snow, heavy snow, winter solstice (冬至), lesser cold (小寒) and greater cold.
Beginning of winter usually falls on November 7th or 8th. After beginning of winter, most parts of the country can start to expect cold weather. On this day, after a year of hard work, people are happy to have a rest and spend time with family. The northern China celebrates beginning of winter as the “Small Spring Festival”. People usually have dumplings on the day.
Light snow usually falls on November 22nd or 23rd and heavy snow is on December 7th or 8th. When winter solstice comes, it brings the shortest days of the year and the longest nights. Many places around the country can expect the coldest weather. People often start counting “nine cold periods” starting from winter solstice. Every cold period has nine days. People believe that after 81 cold days, spring will come.
Greater cold comes after lesser cold. The field is covered with snow. All Chinese are ready to welcome the Spring Festival after it. Of course, a new round of solar terms will start.
1. How many solar terms are there in winter?There are
2. How do people celebrate beginning of winter?
They celebrate it by
3. When is light snow?
It’s usually
4. What does the underlined “it” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
It refers to
5. According to the passage, which solar term is the last one in a year?
6 . We know many musical instruments well, such as pianos, violins and drums. What about the erhu? The erhu is a traditional Chinese instrument. It is the most popular of the huqin family, and it has 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. One of the most famous musical pieces played on the erhu is Erquan Yingyue.
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 (历史学者) 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 mural (壁画).
1. When did the erhu become a popular instrument?| A．In the Tang Dynasty. | B．In the Song Dynasty. |
| C．In the Qing Dynasty. | D．In recent years. |
| A．play the most famous erhu pieces |
| B．listen to different kinds of folk music |
| C．get help from ancient paintings |
| D．read some books about ethnic minorities |
| A．The huqin belongs to the erhu family. |
| B．Folk art stops the development of the erhu. |
| C．People can find plenty of written records about the erhu. |
| D．The erhu is used in both traditional and modern music now. |
| A．culture | B．business | C．health | D．nature |
7 . My name is Valeriia. I’m from Kyrgyzstan and I’m studying in a university in Xi’an. I’ve been to some cities in China, such as Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing, but I’m always happy when I come back to Xi’an. It is warmer and more colorful than Beijing. The best thing in Shaanxi Province for me is mountains. I used to see mountains around the city in my childhood. And I really love it. So, Xi’an city in Shaanxi Province feels like my second hometown in China.
Culture is another thing which can surprise people. In China, we can see all those stories about ancient China like Silk Road, wars and so on. We can feel the history when we are walking in city, hear it by listening to drums of Bell Tower, see it by looking at Terracotta Warriors, touch it by touching stones of Xi’an City Wall.
As we know, now environment has been a worldwide problem and it was exciting to know the government is trying to make Xi’an a Sponge City. Rains can be dangerous sometimes and I believe that after realizing the plan, the city will be safer in rain seasons and can be used as an example for others.
What I really want to say is that the Chinese government gives great chances to foreigners not only to get education, but also to get knowledge about China, the country with so long history and fantastic language.
1. What does the writer think is the best in Shaanxi?| A．Mountains. | B．Culture. | C．Environment. | D．Language. |
| A．by telling stories about ancient China |
| B．by listening to drums of Bell Tower |
| C．by looking at Terracotta Warriors |
| D．By touching stones of Xi’an City Wall |
| A．It has been a worldwide problem. | B．It is dangerous sometimes. |
| C．It will be safer in rain season. | D．It was first made by Xi’an. |
In the past, many students practiced English with their pen friends—they sent letters to people all around the world. However, we now send emails to others and chat with people who live quite far away on the Internet.
Here’s some advice on how to succeed in your online language exchanges (交流):
How to start a conversation when speaking English online? When you speak to somebody online, start by asking “Yes or No” questions. Use questions such as “Do you like...?” or “Can you...?” or “Have you ever...?”
Remember your goal. You are trying to learn about the other person. Think about things you enjoy and share your own experiences to find that you have similar interests. If you only ask questions, you will sound like a policeman or a policewoman!
How to keep a conversation going? Listen carefully. In that way, you can get to know somebody well. When you know him or her well, you will have more to talk about. Then ask follow-up questions. After you “listen”, use what you “hear” to learn more about that person. Use “open ended” questions, such as “What do you think of...?” or “What was the most interesting experience...?”
Besides, remember some basic rules for online language exchanges:
Be patient. Do not try to find a good friend right away.
Be careful. Don’t give any personal information on the Internet, especially your address, telephone number, and even your real name. It’s very dangerous.
1. How many pieces of advice does the writer give us?2. Who did many students practice English with in the past?
They practiced English with
3. What should you do in order to find similar interests?
We should think about things we enjoy and
4. What does the writer think of giving personal information online?
It’s
5. What does the writer want to tell us?
The writer wants to tell us
9 . Thirty years ago, Lake Ponkapog in Hartwell, New Jersey, was full of life. Many birds and animals lived beside the water, which was full of fish. But the lake water is polluted now.
How did this happen? First, we must think about how water gets into Lake Ponkapog. When it rains, water comes into the lake from all around. In the past, there were forests all around Lake Ponkapog, so the rainwater was clean.
Now there are many homes around the lake. People often use chemicals(化学物品) in their gardens. There are also many factories. Factories use chemicals in their machines or shops. Other chemicals fall onto the ground from cars or trucks. When it rains, the rainwater picks up all the chemicals from homes and factories and then carries them into the lake. They pollute the water and kill the animals.
Boats on the lake are also a problem. Lake Ponkapog is a popular place for motorboats. But oil and gas from boats often get into the lake. So more bad chemicals go into the water this way.
People in Hartwell are worried. They love their lake and want to save it. Will it be possible?
A clean lake must have clean rainwater. Clean rainwater is possible only if people are more careful about chemicals at home and at work. They must also be more careful about gas and oil and other chemicals on the ground. And they mustn’t use motorboats any more on the lake. All these may change people’s lives. Only then can Lake Ponkapog be a beautiful, clean lake again.
1. Which of the following can not pollute the water in Lake Ponkapog?| A．Rainwater from the forest. | B．Oil and gas from motorboats. |
| C．Chemicals in people’s gardens. | D．Chemicals from the factories. |
| A．They should use less water. | B．They should grow fewer plants in the gardens. |
| C．They should be more careful about chemicals. | D．They should use more motorboats on the lake. |
| A．Motorboats on Lake Ponkapog. | B．Many big factories in Hartwell. |
| C．Rainwater from many places. | D．Why the water is dirty in Lake Ponkapog. |
10 . Some people like to play baseball. Others like basketball or soccer. However, for some people, those sports aren’t fun enough. Some people think that the best sports are the scary sports. Sports that are very scary and dangerous are called extreme sports (极限运动). Bungee jumping (蹦极) is one of them. And bridges are probably the most popular places for bungee jumping.
Most people say that bungee jumping is a very scary experience. They say that when they are falling, they really think that they’re going to die. In fact, some people try their best to do it, but they don’t succeed. When they stand on the bridge and look down, they get too scared, and they give up.
Why do people go bungee jumping? Some people want to overcome their fears. For example, maybe a person is afraid of being in high places. That person might think, “If I can go bungee jumping, I will never be afraid of being in high places again.” Other people enjoy bungee jumping because they say it feels just like flying. Some people just want to try something new and exciting.
Though it sounds crazy, many people like it. Today, people do it in countries around the world. They don’t just go bungee jumping from bridges, either. People go bungee jumping from buildings, mountains, and even planes!
1. The most popular places for bungee jumping are ____________.| A．mountains | B．buildings | C．bridges | D．planes |
| A．Because they want to experience the feeling of death. |
| B．Because they want to overcome their fears and try something new. |
| C．Because they want to try a new sport. |
| D．Because they want to be different. |
| A．How to Go Bungee Jumping |
| B．Where to Go Bungee Jumping |
| C．A Safe Sport—Bungee Jumping |
| D．An Extreme Sport—Bungee Jumping |
