Every April, there is a special day when people remember and honor their ancestors. It is called Tomb-Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival. This year, the day falls on April 4th.
Tomb-Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival. It began over 2000 years ago. A well-known poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu describes the day, “(1) Rains fall heavily as Qingming comes, and passersby with lowered spirits go.”
Tomb-Sweeping Day (2)_______ a public holiday on the Chinese mainland since 2008. On this day, families bring flowers, food and wine to their ancestors’ tombs. They put food like cakes and fruits in front of the tombs. After that, they sweep the dirt off the tombs and remember their dead family members.
Why do Chinese people do this? That’s because people think that visiting tombs during Qingming Festival is to show respect to their dead family members.
However, Tomb-Sweeping Day is not only about this. During that time, the weather is getting warmer. So Tomb-Sweeping Day also means finally being able to garden and enjoying outdoor activities in China. Families often get together for outings or to fly kites at this time.
1. When did Tomb-Sweeping Day begin?2. 翻译(1)处画线句。
3. 请在(2)处空格处填入一个适当的词让句意完整。
4. Why do people visit tombs during Qingming Festival?
5. What do your family often do during Qingming Festival besides visiting tombs?
2 . Most people drink tea in the world. But tea does not mean the same thing to different people. In different countries, people have different ideas about drinking tea.
In China, for example, tea is often offered when people get together. Chinese people drink it at home or in tea houses at any time of the day. They often use hot water to boil（煮沸）tea leaves.
Tea is also important in other Asian countries. People in these countries have a special way of offering tea. They hold a tea ceremony（仪式）in their houses when important guests come. It is very old and full of meaning. Everything must be done in a special way in the ceremony. There is even a special room for it in their houses.
In the United States,people usually drink tea at breakfast or they drink it after meals. Americans usually use tea bags to make tea. This way is faster and easier than the way of making tea in the teapots. In summer, most Americans drink iced tea. They like to put some ice in their tea.
1. What do Chinese people often use to boil tea leaves?（根据短文内容，简要回答问题）
2. Chinese people drink it at home
（根据短文内容，填入恰当的词）
3. In the United States, people have a special way of offering tea.(判断正误T/F)
4. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.（请把文中画线句子译成汉语）
5. Give a proper title to the passage.（请给短文拟一个恰当的标题）
Reading books is a good hobby for all kinds of reasons. First, reading books is fun. You can always keep pleased if you like reading. It is a relaxing (放松) hobby too. You can really become lost in a book.
Next, you can read a book anywhere: in a car, in a waiting-room, on a plane, in bed—even in the bath.
All you need is a book! Reading is an easy hobby because you can stop and then start again.
Another good reason for reading books is that it is useful. If you read as a hobby you will get better and better at it. This means that you will read faster and will become better at understanding what you read. As your reading becomes better, you will probably find your schoolwork becomes much easier.
Some people say that reading is out of date. This is not true. You have to be able to read on the Internet.
The better you read, the better your computer skills will be.
Good readers are most likely to be good writers, too. They are usually good at spelling as well, and have more things to write about. Reading books is a wonderful hobby. What else could be more enjoyable!
Reading is good
| Fun | Because reading can make you feel |
| Easy | Because you can read at any |
| Because if you read better, you will do better in understanding. Reading can help you do the homework | |
| Reading on the Internet can make our computer skills become better. | |
| Reading is good for |
It’s very popular to travel in modern life. As travelers, we should try our best to protect the environment. Here is some advice on how to be a green traveler.
◆Make smarter flight choices
Air travel is not an environmentally-friendly way to travel because it uses a lot of energy. If you must fly, be sure to pack light to cut down the plane’s load. And try to book a non-stop fight(预订直达航班). Connecting fights(转机航班) usually require longer periods of flying and planes will use more energy.
◆Respect(尊重) natural environment
Marked hiking tails(有指示标识的游览步道) are there usually to protect the natural environment and keep wild plants safe. In beach areas, don’t use products that are harmful to the sea water and try to protect the ocean’s ecosystem.
◆Support locals directly
Buying handmade products and art pieces created by local people can help hand down cultural tradition and create jobs. Food that is grown locally and things that are sold by local families are often better and cheaper, all while helping keep money in local pockets.
◆Find ways to give back
Consider the ways that you can help the local community and give back while traveling. This can be as simple as picking up litter in a park or volunteering to clean up a beach. If you’re planning a trip where volunteering is your main goal, make sure you won’t take jobs away from local people.
Some advice on how to be a green traveler | |
| Make | ●You can pack light and book a non-stop flight in order to save time and energy. |
| Respect natural environment | ●The natural environment and wild plants are ●Use products |
| ●Buy local products and food to help hand down cultural tradition and keep money in local pockets. | |
| Find ways to give back | ●You can pick up litter in a park or ●You can’t take jobs away from local people. |
Did you know that years have their own colors? Pantone Color Institute is an organization that gives companies advice about color. And every year, it picks one that represents trends(趋势) in international culture.
This year, Pantone’s color is a bright shade of green that it calls “greenery”. Greenery makes people think of nature and growth. The color represents hope of changing one’s life for the better or care for the environment.
Red, orange and yellow are considered “warm” colors while blue, green and purple are “cool”. But greenery has elements(元素) of both; it’s green, but it also includes a lot of yellow. This makes it able to go well with many other colors.
Pantone’s researchers start choosing the color of the year about nine months before the year begins. They look for a color that is already being used more and more often. To decide the color of the year, they look beyond fashion and home decorating. They study art, movies and lots of other things. They pick one color they expect to stay popular and announce their choice in December for the following year.
You’re likely to see greenery a lot. When you do, let it encourage you to enjoy nature and start something new.
| Title: Greenery, the Color of the | |
| Who picked the color? | An organization |
| What is the color like? | It includes both green and yellow, so it goes It represents hope of changing for a better life or care for the environment. |
| Pantone’s researchers start choosing it early each year. They look for a color that is already getting more and more popular. They do a lot of research in different areas before they make the | |
People from different countries greet each other differently. Read this article to learn more about the greeting customs in different cultures, and make sure you greet people in the right way next time.
France
French people greet each other with a handshake, but close friends kiss each other on both cheeks(脸颊) when they meet. They do this when they first meet and before they leave each other.
South Korea
In South Korea, it is a sign of respect for people to bow when greeting each other. A bow is followed by a handshake. In shaking someone’s hand, it is polite to support the right forearm(前臂) with the left hand. However, South Korean women do not shake hands with western men; instead, they bow slightly(轻微地).
Brazil
Kissing on the cheek is a common way of greeting in Brazil. But in a formal situation, a handshake is often done to show respect. Men should shake hands before and after meeting, and once they have known each other well, a light hug is often given.
Ghana
In a social situation, it’s polite to greet everyone in the room in Ghana. A handshake is used in greeting, and the palm(手掌) must directly touch the palm of the other. It’s considered impolite to touch the back of the hand.
Greeting customs in different cultures | |
| People greet each other with a handshake or by kissing each other on | |
South Korea | To show respect, Koreans greet people by |
Brazil | The common way of greeting in Brazil is kissing on the cheek. In a formal situation, a handshake is often done to show Alight hug is often given once men have known each other well. |
Ghana | A handshake is used in greeting in Ghana, but do remember not to touch the back of the |
7 . DNA is the whole “map” of the human body. It is something that all humans have, and it tells the body what to do. DNA is the reason that we look like our parents, because we get some of their DNA to make our own.
People have been trying to understand the human body for a long time. In 1860, Mr. Mendel discovered why we look similar to other people in our family. It is because of small things called “genes” in our body. In 1953, two scientists, Watson and Crick, found out that those small parts are real messages. They are written in the DNA with a special language.
In 1961, another two scientists found the first “word” that they could understand in that language. It shows how DNA tells the cell （细胞） to build its parts. So far, scientists have found all the words in the DNA map, but we do not understand what they all do. By understanding what just one “word” means, we can help to save people from several illnesses. So the more we understand, the more doctors will be able to do.
Most people hope that this will help to make better medicine to help sick people. Other people worry that when we learn more “words” and find out more information, we will use it in the wrong way, just to make people more attractive, or stop sick people getting jobs.
根据短文内容，请用完整句子回答下列问题。
1. Why do we look like our parents?
2. What did the two scientists find in 1961?
3. How can we help sick people if we understand more “words” in the DNA map?
4. What does the underlined word “They” refer to?
5. What can we know from the last paragraph?
8 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar(阴历) divides the year into 24 solar terms(节气). Lichun, the first of the 24 solar terms, lifts the curtain(窗帘) of spring. After that everything turns green and is filled with energy. People clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer. Here are some things you might not know about Lichun.
As a solar term, Lichun 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 people set Lichun as the Spring Festival.
Wearing fabric swallows(织成的燕子) is a custom in some areas in Shaanxi. Every Lichun, people like to wear a swallow made of colorful silk on their chests(胸部). The swallow is a sign of spring and a symbol of success, wealth and happiness.
In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of Lichun. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand on the first day of Lichun, he will have good luck in the future.
In many parts of China, people follow the custom of “biting the spring” on the first day of Lichun. They eat spring pancakes, spring rolls(春卷) and so on.
Complete the chart according to the passage with only one word for each blank.Lichun | |
Facts | It is the Everything turns green and is The daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer. |
| It appeared in the Spring and Autumn period. It was | |
Customs | People like to wear a swallow made of colorful silk on their chests. If someone can set the egg upright, he will be People eat spring pancakes, spring rolls and so on. |
Cooking should be considered as art just like any other activity which requires skills and knowledge. It is often said that students are supposed to learn scientific facts as well as how to prepare meals. The following will explain why cooking should be taught in schools.
Cooking is an important skill in life.
Schools are supposed to teach knowledge to the students so that they can lead successful independent lives when they are out of school. Also, they can step into the world knowing how to make a living.
Cooking helps discover future career.
When schools offer cooking lessons, students will show an interest in it and might take cooking as a career. This will give them the chance to perfect their basic skills and be creative in the kitchen.
Cooking avoids wasting money.
One of the main reasons why cooking should be taught in schools is that the students always use a lot of money to buy ready-made food, while in the real sense they could prepare a nice meal with less cost by buying the required ingredients.
Cooking betters math learning.
Schools do not just teach how to prepare delicious meals. Students are also taught to follow the instructions in a standard when mixing ingredients. If it is, ‘add 1/4 spoon of salt,’ students should only add that amount. So there is no more or less.
Cooking Should Be Taught in Schools. | ||
| Opinion | Students should learn scientific knowledge and cooking skills. | |
| An important skill in life | ·Students can lead independent lives ·Students can depend on themselves for basic living after graduation. | |
| Discovering future career. | ·Students might be ·Students can perfect their basic skills and be creative in the kitchen. | |
| Students can prepare nice dishes with less cost. | ||
| Bettering math Learning | Students are taught to follow the instructions | |
10 . Nexi is one of a new generation of robots. It moves on wheels and can pick up objects. But robots like Nexi are more than just entertaining toys.
Nexi, a social robot created by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT), can express human emotions. Roboticists at MIT call Nexi a “social robot”. A social robot is a robot that can communicate like a human. Nexi can look sad, mad, and even bored. Some social robots can also “read” our facial expressions. Roboticists believe that it won’t be long before we have social robots in our homes, helping us live better lives.
Autom is another social robot developed at MIT. Autom is a robot health coach. It has a screen where you enter information about what food you eat that day or how much you exercised. Autom has a face with eyes that move. It speaks with a synthesized（合成的）voice. Autom gives you advice about your diet and exercise and drives you to do better.
In a test, Autom helped people lose weight better than other ways of recording diet information. Roboticists think this is because Autom used facial expressions and words of encouragement. In other words, Autom communicated like a real person. In fact, many people who used Autom gave the robot a new name and talked to it. When robots use human expressions and body languages, people reply to them a lot like they reply to people.
In the future, humans may communicate with social robots just like they do with other people. Let’s wait and see what will happen in the future!
1. What can Nexi do according to the passage?2. What does the underlined word “emotions”mean in Chinese?
3. Is it possible or impossible that Autom can communicate with us?
4. Why did Autom help people lose weight better than other ways?
5. What will our life be like if we have a social robot at home?
