I have a fifteen-year-old son. He
Last summer he worked to earn money for his new bicycle instead of
On November 10, my birthday, when I went to the kitchen to start the milk and bread in the morning, I
Chinese astronauts in Tiangong space station opened
There
3 . Chinese fancy knots (中国结), also called Chinese knots, are very important in Chinese culture. They began as a form of traditional art in the Tang and Song Dynasties (朝代) in China, and became popular in the Ming Dynasty. Long ago, they found their way to Japan and other Southeast Asian countries, and were well received there. Now they are regarded as one of the symbols of Chinese culture.
As for the name itself, it is surely meaningful. The Chinese word for “knot”, jie, means “connection”. And the pronunciation of the Chinese word jie is very close to that of ji, “good luck”. As a result, Chinese knots are used as a way to express people’s strong wishes for marvellous things like happiness, love and good luck.
The knots are used widely in everyday life. They come in different sizes. Small ones are connected to jewellery (珠宝), clothes and gifts in order to draw people’s attention, while large ones are used to make a living room or study more beautiful. Whether large or small, they are named after their shapes and usages. For example, Double Coin Knots are called Shuangqian Jie because they are in the shape of two ancient Chinese coins, meaning “good things come in pairs”. Besides, Chinese knots are famous for their bright colors. Different colors have different traditional cultural meanings. Red means good luck and happiness, green means health, and yellow means wealth.
All in all, the famous Chinese fancy knots fully show the Chinese culture. These brightly colored knots with their endless chains (链条) of knots mean that life on earth will continue forever.
1. What did the writer want to express in this passage?A.Ask people to buy Chinese fancy knots. |
B.Introduce a traditional Chinese art form. |
C.Teach people how to make a Chinese knot. |
D.Describe the usages of Chinese fancy knots. |
A.pronunciation | B.size | C.shape and meaning | D.color |
A.The Chinese word for “knot” means “luck”. |
B.Chinese knots became popular in the Song Dynasty. |
C.All of the Chinese knots have the same sizes and colors. |
D.Chinese knots mean that life on earth will continue forever. |
A.Chinese Culture | B.Chinese Knots | C.Chinese Colors | D.Chinese Life |
4 . This may look like a mud-covered swamp (沼泽) creature, but it’s actually a kid enjoying Mud Day, an annual summer tradition at Nankin Mills Park in Wayne County, Michigan. Each July, thousands of people play in a mud-filled hole measuring 21 by 46 metres.
“It’s been one of the county’s most successful events,” says Beth Hughes, a representative of Wayne County. “The kids just love it.”
It might look like a lot of fun to dive into a huge pool of mud. But is this dirty activity safe? In general, mud is mostly harmless, says Steven Davis, a doctor in San Antonio, Texas. But mud can contain things like bacteria that can cause infections. If you’re planning on diving into the mud anytime soon, try to avoid getting it in your mouth, eyes, or nose, warns Davis. Also, wash off really well when you are finished. And if you have an open cut, the safest bet is to just stay out of the mud.
In some cases, covering your body with mud can actually be a good thing. Some mud, like that from the Dead Sea in the Middle East, is rich in elements (元素) that could be beneficial for the skin, such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. It’s also why some spas (休闲健身中心) offer mud baths as a beauty treatment.
“One of the reasons why people lie in the Dead Sea or cover themselves in mud is that the minerals in it may reduce swelling,” says Davis. A layer of mud may also act as a seal(密封) on the skin to trap in moisture (水分). Besides, the warmth of a mud bath just makes people feel good.
1. Mud Day is a tradition which .A.is celebrated twice a year |
B.is celebrated in June |
C.is very popular with children |
D.is the most successful event in Michigan |
A.Use a cloth to cover your mouth and nose while in the mud. |
B.Wash yourself simply as soon as you come out of the mud. |
C.Wash yourself before diving into the mud. |
D.Stay away from the mud if you have an open cut. |
A.hold in | B.prevent |
C.get rid of | D.absorb |
A.the minerals that mud contains |
B.the benefits of mud |
C.the history of Mud Day |
D.the medical use of mud |
The Internet brings us many advantages.
Internet use seems to cause a fall in psychological(心理的) health, according to research at Carnegie Mellon University.
The fact that Internet use reduces time used for family and friends may be the reason for the drop in health, researchers said. Faceless, bodiless “virtual(虚拟的)” communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversations, and the relationships formed through it may not be so deep.
6 . BBC: Top 4 Wonderful English Novels
Great Expectations
By Charles Dickens, 1861
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2023/5/27/3246719200747520/3339457143980032/STEM/fbbd8b9c09bf4eac9736b15a6e2009ea.png?resizew=550)
Mrs Dalloway
By Virginia Woolf, 1925
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2023/5/27/3246719200747520/3339457143980032/STEM/bf90827b5c0647ac96a0ea05bf1d3040.png?resizew=550)
Middlemarch
By George Eliot, 1874
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2023/5/27/3246719200747520/3339457143980032/STEM/e6fd9a913b5a4b28b52dfbf9f5d72d16.png?resizew=119)
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2023/5/27/3246719200747520/3339457143980032/STEM/7d71c08fe96f44209d8a456d9442b2aa.png?resizew=470)
Wuthering Heights
By Emily Bronte, 1847
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2023/5/27/3246719200747520/3339457143980032/STEM/74b3041815c04f13a9513aac2263585f.png?resizew=550)
1. Which of the following might be the purest British novel?
A.Great Expectations. | B.Mrs Dalloway. |
C.Wuthering Heights. | D.Middlemarch. |
A.In 1847. | B.In 1861. | C.In 1874. | D.In 1925. |
A.Its plot is very simple. |
B.It describes the hero’s events in one day. |
C.It is powered by more psychological energy than any other book. |
D.It is the greatest social and psychological novel written in English. |
A.George Eliot. | B.Virginia Woolf. |
C.Emily Bronte. | D.Charles Dickens. |
“Du Fu: China’s Greatest Poet”, a 58-minute documentary released recently on BBC, introduces Du Fu to the Western world for the first time
Born in 712, Du Fu lived through the violent fall of China’s brilliant Tang Dynasty. He had the desire to serve his country, but his life
The documentary compared Du to Shakespeare to help audiences
During an interview, the director even quoted a line from Du to encourage the people
8 . The Chongyang Festival falls on the 9th day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, so it is also known as the Double Ninth Festival.
The festival is held in the golden season of autumn, at harvest-time. The bright clear weather and the joy of bringing in the harvest make for a festival happy atmosphere. The Chongyang Festival is usually perfect for outdoor activities. Climbing a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood (茱萸) and drinking chrysanthemum (菊花) wine have become the traditional activities of the festival.
The dogwood is a plant with a strong fragrance(香气), and is often used as a Chinese herbal medicine. People in ancient times believed it could drive away evil spirits and prevent one from getting a chill (寒意) in late autumn. So its history as a medicine goes back many centuries. But the custom of carrying a spray of dogwood during the Double Ninth Festival is slowly dying out and many people in the cities do not even know what a dogwood spray looks like.
Early in Han Dynasty, about 2000 years ago, people used to climb a high platform outside the capital city of Chang’ an on the occasion of the Chongyang Festival. For many, it was the last outing of the year before the onset of winter. The custom evolved (发展成) into present form, when people go climbing to get some exercises as well as enjoy the autumn scenery.
But what about those people who live in plains far from any mountain? The problem is solved by going for a picnic and eating cakes. The Chinese word for “cake” is “Gao”, a homonym (同音异义词) of the Chinese word for “high”. Mountains are high, so eating cakes can, by a stretch of the imagination, take the place of going for a climb.
1. Why do people carry a spray of dogwood on Chongyang Festival?A.Because the dogwood is a plant with a strong fragrance. |
B.Because the dogwood can be used as a Chinese herbal medicine. |
C.Because the dogwood has a long history as a medicine. |
D.Because people believed the dogwood could drive away evil spirits and prevent one from chill. |
A.to have a last outing of the year before the onset of winter |
B.to get some dogwoods |
C.to climb a high platform |
D.to get some exercise as well as enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery |
A.the Chinese word for “cake” is “Gao” |
B.the Chinese word “Gao” for “cake” has the same sound with the Chinese word for “high” |
C.they often take cakes to go for a picnic on the festival |
D.they like eating cakes |
A.The Double Ninth Festival is on September 9th. |
B.People climbed mountains to celebrate the Chongyang Festival in Han Dynasty. |
C.People often celebrate the Chongyang Festival in the open air. |
D.Eating cakes is just like climbing mountains. |
9 . Teenagers’ fitness is now a major concern,and physical exercise is very important. It reduces stress and improves fitness. Exercise makes your body strong,and helps you to keep the right body weight. Sports scientist Dr. Helen Lopez offers the following advice to teenagers:“First,you need to find out your present level of fitness. Then you can design a programme that will help you become healthier.”
Dr. Lopez suggests that there are three levels of fitness that need a change of lifestyle.“Overweight”means that the person gets very little exercise and often has a serious weight problem. “Inactive” means that the person does not join in many physical activities,but is not seriously overweight.“Active”refers to people who take part in sports and other physical activities,but do not have a high fitness level.
According to Dr. Lopez,overweight teenagers should work out to keep healthy.“Ride a bike,play volleyball or basketball for a while,and go for a twentyminute walk each day. All these will help to burn calories.”Inactive teenagers should do similar activities, but add some bending and stretching exercises, such as pushups and situps, starting with twenty of each a day.“Inactive people can take a little more exercise than overweight people because their bodies are stronger,”Dr. Lopez said. The same rule applies to active teenagers.
Dr. Lopez suggests one hour a week or more on running and other forms of intensive exercise,together with fifteen minutes a day spent on stretching and bending activities.“These are really important in order to prevent injuries,” Dr. Lopez said. Some weighttraining and other bodystrengthening exercises could also be planned in the programme in order to increase the person’s strength.
1. What can we learn from the passage?A.Active people always have a high fitness level. |
B.Overweight people always take more exercise. |
C.Keeping fit means changing teenagers’ lifestyle. |
D.Inactive teenagers are not seriously overweight. |
A.Physical exercise can make the teenagers grow taller. |
B.Physical exercise can help teenagers become healthier. |
C.Physical exercise can help to burn up calories. |
D.Physical exercise can increase teenagers’ strength. |
A.walking exercises | B.streching and bending |
C.riding | D.weighttraining |
A.Doing Exercise |
B.Teenagers’ Fitness |
C.Different Lifestyles |
D.Overweight Teenagers |
The coronavirus pandemic has so far swept the world. Social distancing is playing an important role in the battle
Coca-cola, for example, ran
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