1 . In China, the year 2024 is known as long nian in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Over a long period of time, it has been called the Year of the Dragon in English. But actually, there are a lot of differences between the Chinese long and the Western dragon.

The Chinese long is made up of parts of some gentle animals, such as a rabbit’s eyes and an ox’s ears. In Chinese mythology, long is able to fly. In addition, it can also spray (喷洒) water from its mouth to create rain.

However, in Western culture, a dragon breathes fire and has the body of a snake and big wings of a bat. What’s more, you will find most of the Western dragons in dark colors because they usually stand for evil (邪恶). As a result, normally at the end of the stories, the evil dragon will be beaten by the superheroes.

What makes such differences? In fact, they have something to do with the cultural differences. In Chinese Confucian (儒家的) ideas, kindness and harmony (和谐) are very important. It is our duty to help each other and live a peaceful life. Western culture, on the other hand, prefers individual heroism (个人英雄主义). Whenever something terrible happens, there will be a superhero who is brave enough to stand out, fight against the enemy on his own, and, of course, save the whole world.

In recent years, Chinese have tried to translate long in another way. For example, Zhejiang’s Loong Air has already written long as Loong. One of the reasons is that Loong sounds the same as the Chinese character long. Besides, the letters “oo” in the word Loong look like the two big eyes of the animal, which makes it easier to memorize this word.

Anyway, no matter how long is translated, there is one thing for sure: the Chinese long is different from the Western dragon, and it is a symbol of good luck.

Wish you and your family the best in the Year of Loong!

1. Which of the following is the picture of a Western dragon?

A．

B．

C．

D．

2. According to the Chinese Confucian ideas, what might be the reason for long to spray water?

A．To fight against the evil dragon.	B．To help the farmers in the dry weather.
C．To show its power and ability.	D．To make itself the superhero in this world.

3. Which of the following is True according to the passage?

A．A dragon breathes fire and has the body of a bat.

B．2024 is the year of Loong in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

C．The Western dragon is a symbol of good luck.

D．Long can’t fly because it has no wings.

4. ________ make Loong the new translation of the Chinese character long according to the passage.

A．The historical background and cultural meaning	B．The historical background and spelling
C．The pronunciation and spelling	D．The cultural meaning and pronunciation

5. In which part of a magazine may we find this passage?

A．Healthy Life.

B．Creative Art.

C．Amazing Animals.

D．Colorful Culture.

2 . ①There are a few ways in which Chinese restaurants are different from Western restaurants. Chinese restaurant culture is broad and profound.

②Consider how Westerners go about eating at restaurants. Everyone always gets their own menu and orders their own food. And, since the tables are usually small, it is quite difficult to talk to—or even see—more than a few people during the meal.

③While in modern China there are many Western-style restaurants, the traditional Chinese restaurant experience is quite different from in the West. Usually, everyone sits at large, round tables where it is easy to see and talk with each other, even if it is a rather large group. One person orders the food for everyone, after considering the likes and dislikes of the other people in the group. Then, when the food comes, all of it is put in the middle of the table. Everyone then serves themselves by taking a small bit of food and putting it on their own plates.

④Just as in the West, people can choose what they want to eat. However, while in the West, importance is placed on the individual (个人) and having one's own preferences, in China importance is placed on sharing and community. Instead of seeing themselves as individuals first, and part of the group second, Chinese people generally see themselves as part of the group first and individuals second. Everyone still gets what they want, but it is a shared experience.

⑤Finally, since people are seated at a round table, everyone is treated equally. No one person is given greater importance over another. However, respect is still shown to older people or people of higher status, as they always sit at the far end of the room facing the door.

⑥China has many different styles of food and a wide range of ingredients and cooking methods. And so, when you are in China, you should make an effort to enjoy Chinese food as much as possible. However, you should also make an effort to enjoy it as the Chinese do-as a group experience-a time for sharing. family, and friendship.

1. In China, what is placed in an important place about choosing the food by Chinese people?

A．The individual.

B．Price.

C．Sharing.

D．Their own preferences.

2. The writer mainly develops his idea by _______.

A．listing numbers

B．raising questions

C．telling a story

D．comparing facts

3. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Chinese restaurant culture isn’t only just food.

B．The Western restaurants.

C．The Chinese food.

D．The different food in the world.

4. What’s the structure of the passage?

A．①②/③④/⑤⑥

B．①/②③④/⑤⑥

C．①②/③④⑤/⑥

D．①/②③④⑤/⑥

3 .

Eating and drinking in China can be an enjoyable cultural experience. However, there are likely to be many surprises along the way. We would like to prepare you for, and even warn you of, the main differences between eating and drinking in China and in the West.

Be prepared for your Chinese host placing food in your bowl, usually without even asking. The host will often put chicken legs or other parts of the meal in the guest’s bowl. Though Westerners may see this as interfering (干涉) with one’s independence and personal space, it is a sign of hospitality (好客) in China.

Though in the West it is sometimes considered rude to put one’s elbows on the dining table, this is quite acceptable in China, especially when eating noodles. However, you may want to avoid this in some restaurants. Using your own antiseptic wipes (消毒湿巾) may help to put your mind at ease in some situations.

In China it is also common practice to spit things out on the table or the floor. However, in more upper-market restaurants in China or in the West, people usually use one of the methods below rather than spitting. Using chopsticks, forks, or tissues (餐巾纸) is a polite way around the problem. You might want to ask for a side plate or an extra bowl for the bones (骨头), etc. Be warned if seeing piles of things that came out of someone’s mouth may put you off your food. You may want to order dishes with no bones.

We realize Westerners usually come to China to experience things you don’t have at home. Our customers usually want to eat different things. If you want to enjoy Chinese food and experience the eating and drinking in China, see our recommended (被推荐的) China tours.

1. What can we infer from the paragraph 2-3?

A．It’s a sign of hospitality in China when the host puts a chicken leg in your bowl.

B．Chinese hosts want to interfere with your personal space when they place food in your bowls.

C．Westerners usually put their elbows on the table.

D．Chinese always put their elbows on the dinner table.

2. What does the underlined word “spit” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．扔掉

B．吐出

C．收拾

D．发泄

3. Which one is more unacceptable for westerners when eating something with bones?

A．Asking for a side plate.	B．Spitting on the ground.
C．Using tissues.	D．Asking for an extra bowl.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Westerners want to enjoy eating and drinking in China.

B．There are many surprises in China.

C．Major different table manners between China and Western countries.

D．Westerners usually come to China to experience things you don’t have at home

4 . Have you ever watched a silent film and tried to guess what the characters were saying? Body language, like facial expressions, is the mirror of a person’s feelings: It helps us communicate without saying much at all.

Sometimes we can share the common sense from culture to culture. Turning red—faced shows one’s anger, shock, or excitement. The wide eyes with a half —opened mouth mean surprise. Also, some other body movements can express the same meanings in different cultures. For example, being back in one’s seat and yawning at a talk show people are not interested, and looking at the watch from time to time in a conversation means people have something to do in a hurry.

However, not all body languages can show the same meanings in different cultures. What holds true for Indians may not be the same in Africa. First of all, in some cultures, people respect and encourage the direct eye contact. In English, there is a saying, “Don’t trust anyone who won’t look at you in the eye.” In many countries, direct eye contact between two people is considered important. According to most Western cultures, if a person looks directly at you, it is a sign that the person is honest and sincere and even can be trusted. While many cultures believe that direct eye contact from a child to an adult is an act of disrespect.

The OK sign, which is commonly used in many cultures, also has different meanings across the cultures. It ·means agreement in North American culture. But to French, it means “zero” or “valueless”, not “fine” or “OK”. Touching is another example. At times, saying hello could turn into a disaster if one does not consider the use of touch in another culture. A general and accepted way of saying “Hello” in Western culture is a simple handshake. A great deal of importance has been placed on how one should shake hands.

So, the next time you decide to. travel to another country, besides looking up places to visit, a quick search or a book can also guide you on how to use proper body languages to better communicate with the local people, and avoid being impolite to them during your stay!

1. What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．A silent film.

B．The mirror.

C．Body language.

D．A person’s feeling.

2. According to the passage, which one has the similar meaning from culture to culture?

A．Turning red-faced.	B．Direct eye contact.
C．The OK sign.	D．A simple handshake.

3. Which picture shows the structure (结构) of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Body language is more important.	B．Body language helps you go travelling.
C．Body language changes among cultures.	D．Body language influences communication.

5 . 阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的五个选项中选出能填入短文空白处的最佳选项，使短文通顺、连贯，意思完整。

Food in China and western countries is different. Chinese people choose food very carefully. They only use fresh materials (原料) to make food. For example, they only eat fresh fish. Chinese have a lot of ideas for cooking. They can cook a chicken in over ten ways.     1    

Western countries, like England or America, don’t have fresh food because they buy their food from supermarkets which only sell stored materials. Western people also prefer fast food like hamburgers and chips.     2     Besides, western people do not have many skills for cooking, and mostly they only boil, steam (蒸) and bake the food.     3     They can make very good cakes and chocolate.

In China, the person who invites other people for meal would pay for the meal, but it’s not the same way in western countries. In western countries, people will think you only invite them.     4     Because they think they can afford (负担) them by themselves.

    5     Chinese people use chopsticks but western people use knives and forks.

A．They are not good for man’s body.

B．That’s why Chinese food is so popular around the world.

C．However, they are very good at making desserts (甜点) and chocolate.

D．There is another difference in eating.

E．They won’t be happy if you pay for them.

6 . 阅读短文，从文后所给的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，其中有一个多余的选项。

Today, people all over the world have the same hobbies, watch the same movies, and wear the same clothes. We are not very different. However, our cultures are still quite different. In the East and in the West, social rules are not the same.

In the East, it can take a long time to become someone’s friend. People are very close to their friends. When people from the West meet you, they will call you a friend right away.     1    

When people from the East meet you, they often ask questions. They want to know about your age, your family, and if you are married. To people from the West, these are not polite questions. They don’t like to talk about these personal things.

    2     In the East, family is always a part of life. Kids there live with their parents for a long time. They still listen to them after they grow up.

However, in the West, independence (独立) is very important. Parents prepare their kids for life. Then, after their kids grow up, they say goodbye and leave home.     3     They don’t have to listen to their parents.

In the East and in the West, people think differently too. People in the West think about small details (细节). They also think less and act more.     4     And they often keep their opinions quiet. That keeps relationships happy.

A．Family is important for everyone.

B．Parents teach you much about your life.

C．That doesn’t mean they are close to you.

D．In the East, people notice relationships between things.

E．Later, the kids can choose to start a family or not.

8 . 任务型阅读
Dear Laura,

Thanks for your message. Yes, I’m having a great time on my student exchange program in France. I was a bit nervous before I arrived here, but there was no reason to be. My host family is really nice. They go out of their way to make me feel at home. The grandmother has a teenage granddaughter about my age. She’s really kind and she always talks to me in French to help me practice. You wouldn’t believe how quickly my French has improved because of that.

My biggest challenge is learning how to behave at the dinner table. As you can imagine, things are very different from the way they are at home. For example, you shouldn’t put your bread on your plate. You should put it on the table! I thought that was pretty strange at first, but now I’m used to it. Another example is that you shouldn’t eat anything with your hands except bread, not even fruit. Another thing is it’s impolite to say that you’re full. If you don’t want any more food, you should just say, “That was delicious.” Also, you shouldn’t put your elbows (肘部) on the table. I have to say that I find it difficult to remember everything, but I’m gradually getting used to it. I don’t find French customs (习俗) so strange any more.

I’ll write again soon and tell you more about my life in France. Hope you’re having a good school year.

Yours,

Wang Kun

1. Why is Wang Kun in France?
________________________________
2. How did she feel before she arrived in France?
________________________________
3. What is the biggest challenge she is facing?
________________________________
4. 请将文中划线句子翻译成汉语。
________________________________
5. What customs at the dinner table in France are mentioned? (Please list two pieces. )
________________________________

9 . In America, it is not polite to telephone someone very early in the morning. The time of the call shows that the matter is very _________ and requires quick reply. It is the same to _________ telephone calls after 11 p.m. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he thinks it’s a matter of life and _______. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.

In social life, time ________ a very important part. In America, guests may ________ that they are not highly respected (尊重) if they get the invitation to a dinner party only three or four days before the party date. But it is not the _______ in all countries. In other parts of the world, it maybe ________ foolish to make an appointment too early because it is easy to be forgotten.

The ________ of time is different in different parts of the world. So misunderstandings happen between people from cultures that treat time differently. To be on time is valued ________ in American life. For example, if people are not on time, others may think they are impolite. In the United States, no one would keep a business partner ________ an hour because it would be too impolite. A person who is five minutes late will say a few words of explanation to show his apology.

1.

A．relaxing

B．important

C．slow

D．save

2.

A．make

B．reply

C．get

D．repeat

3.

A．love

B．anger

C．death

D．happiness

4.

A．turns

B．leads

C．treats

D．plays

5.

A．touch

B．feel

C．smell

D．hear

6.

A．simple

B．good

C．same

D．wrong

7.

A．chosen

B．valued

C．requested

D．thought

8.

A．color

B．symbol

C．meaning

D．diffenence

9.

A．highly

B．quickly

C．mainly

D．luckily

10.

A．staying up

B．waiting for

C．going with

D．learning about

10 . Boris, a foreign student at Communication University of China, often shares his experiences of Chinese culture on his vlog (视频博客).

In one video, ________, Boris shared how he had learned the Chinese word dongxi. He ________ each part separately (分开地) into “east west”. And he introduced one ________ about how dongxi came to mean “things”. He told people that all marketplaces in ________ Chinese cities were set up (建立) along a single ________ that ran from east to west. So when you would say qu mai dongxi. you’d be saying, “I’m going to buy things.” Some other ________ show his reading Chinese poems and performing kung fu, which are quite welcome among his 40, 000 ________.

Like many foreigners, Boris once ________ that all Chinese could do kung fu, flying onto roofs and walking over walls. Besides, he thought the country was not that developed. But after he went to study in China in 2019, his view ________. “China is developing quickly, but many people’s impressions of China are still stay in the ________,” Boris said. “That’s why I started to shoot vlogs to ________ Chinese culture in 2019.”

Boris has posted more than 40 vlogs online. But making these vlogs is not ________. Take reading the poem Second Farewell to Cambridge by Xu Zhimo as an example. “I can understand and read every ________ in the poem,” Boris said. “But while reading, I need to use proper feelings to ________ readers.” So he needed to look for much background (背景) information and make his feelings suit each part of the poem.

Boris said that he wanted to keep ________ the differences between two cultures. “This goal may not be achieved easily, but I will try my best to do my part.”

1.

A．in fact

B．of course

C．for example

D．so far

2.

A．turned

B．entered

C．returned

D．translated

3.

A．reason

B．way

C．subject

D．suggestion

4.

A．modern

B．old

C．well-known

D．developed

5.

A．road

B．building

C．bridge

D．block

6.

A．videos

B．books

C．interviews

D．pictures

7.

A．sisters

B．followers

C．classmates

D．friends

8.

A．noticed

B．wondered

C．believed

D．hoped

9.

A．failed

B．continued

C．fell

D．changed

10.

A．1970s

B．2020s

C．2050s

D．2300s

11.

A．enjoy

B．share

C．forget

D．renew

12.

A．interesting

B．difficult

C．expensive

D．easy

13.

A．novel

B．story

C．word

D．joke

14.

A．know

B．touch

C．understand

D．tell

15.

A．bridging

B．gathering

C．repairing

D．picking