1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Layue falls on the     1     (twelve) month of the traditional Chinese calendar. The Chinese character “La” holds historical significance,     2     (appear) in ancient texts such as Book of Changes and Rites of Zhou.     3     (original), “La” meant “cured meat”. Layue is also the month with the richest traditional customs in one year.

The eighth day of Layue marks the Laba Festival, whose custom on this day is to enjoy Laba porridge. It is a delightful     4     (mix) of grains, peanuts, chestnuts, red dates, lotus seeds, and other ingredients (配料), all of     5     are mixed together to make it a main course of the Laba Festival. In the northern part of China, there is a saying, “Children, don’t be too eager; right after Laba, the new year is     6     its way.” Celebrating Laba means the approach of the Chinese New Year.

The Kitchen God Festival is a widespread custom     7     (observe) across the country. On this day, people would hang images of the Kitchen God     8     his wife around the kitchen stove (炉子). Today, many rural areas still uphold this tradition.

Layue     9     (regard) as preparation for the upcoming Spring Festival. If the Spring Festival is considered the most joyful celebration of the year, many would agree that the joy, noise and expectation of Layue are no     10     (little) significant than the main event.

2 . Different countries celebrate festivals in their own unique ways. The same goes for the New Year. Let’s take a look at some unique New Year traditions from around the world.

Smashing (打碎) plates

If you walked out of your front door to find a load of smashed plates, you might be a bit confused. But that’s exactly what people in Denmark hope to find after midnight, as it represents good luck. Danish people go and smash a plate in front of a friend’s door on New Year’s Eve to bring good luck over the next 12 months.

Dropping things

In New York City, Times Square is the centre of the countdown to midnight. But the thing that everyone is looking forward to is called the “ball drop”, which is when a glowing (发光的) ball is lowered down a big flag pole (旗杆), marking the start of the New Year. Other cities in America now have their own traditions of dropping things on New Year’s Eve. For example, in Vincennes, Indiana, people drop watermelons from high places.

Eating grapes

When the clocks hit midnight in Spain, you’ll find people reaching for grapes. This is because there is a tradition of eating one grape each time the clock strikes midnight. The idea is that this will bring people 12 lucky months in the year ahead.

Walking with an empty suitcase

In some South American countries like Colombia, you might see some people on New Year’s Eve walking around with an empty suitcase. Some hold the belief that taking a “suitcase walk” means they will have a year full of adventures.

1. Why do Danish smash plates on New Year’s Eve?

A．To have fun.	B．To honor a poet.
C．To celebrate the harvest.	D．To bring good luck.

2. What do Spanish do when the clocks hit midnight on New Year’s Eve?

A．They exchange gifts.	B．They eat grapes.
C．They dress up as bears.	D．They drop halls from high places.

3. Which country has the tradition of carrying empty suitcases on New Year’s Eve?

A．Denmark.

B．USA.

C．Colombia.

D．Spain.

3 . This collection of annual events along the world’s coastlines is worth penciling in your diary.

Festa de Yemanjá, Brazil

It is an annual national party in the country’s oldest city of Salvador. Honouring the Afro-Brazilian Yoruban heritage and the history of the Bahia state capital, this cultural event sees street parades and performances as crowds are dressed in white. The food stands in the city give out fresh cakes to mark the occasion.

Biennale de Dakar, Senegal

Art takes centre stage in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, each summer season for the event. Founded in 1990, the event is the biggest and most exciting in the African art calendar. The energetic capital city makes an amazing backdrop for introducing African artists to a global audience and inviting international artists onto the streets of the city.

Printemps de la Sardine, France

The French town of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on the Atlantic coast is recognized as the sardine (沙丁鱼) capital of the country. Here, the arrival of the little fish kickstarts the party that takes over the town each spring. From tastings and walking trails to sardine-focused menus at local restaurants and discussions about their role in literature, the two-week celebration lets the delicious local speciality become a focus.

Rock Oyster Festival, the UK

With musical performances from the likes of Nile Rodgers, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Groove Armada and more, the three - day festival also showcases some of the best chefs and restaurants from around Cornwall as well as cooking demonstrations (展示) and masterclasses. Well-known chefs such as Olia Hercules and Andi Oliver share their stories, while over at Mussel Beach, there’s a celebration of live fire cooking.

1. Where does Festa de Yemanjá take place?

A．In Salvador.	B．In Dakar.
C．In Cornwall.	D．In Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.

2. Which of the following highlight Biennale de Dakar?

A．Amazing calendars.	B．Delicious cakes.
C．Street parades.	D．African art shows.

3. What do the last two festivals have in common?

A．They focus on literature.	B．They last for two weeks.
C．They provide tasty food.	D．They have online training.

4 . Mother’s Day is the time to celebrate the great women who raised us.     1     With Mother’s Day nearly upon us, a lot of people are looking for last minute presents—but it’s not too late! Here are four most popular Mother’s Day gifts that will give you some inspiration.

Pick the gift of relaxation. For the mum who is always rushing around, looking after everyone but herself, a day of rest and relaxation at the spa is the perfect gift. Your mum deserves a break, and many spas offer special Mother’s Day packages with relaxing massages and facials.     2     She can use it when she can fit it in her busy schedule.

Say it with flowers. Flowers are a classic Mother’s Day gift for a reason, and an arrangement of her favourite blooms is sure to bring a smile to her face.     3     You can just make your own arrangement with flowers from the supermarket, and wrap them in brown paper for a nice look on your budget.

    4     Why give one gift when you can give her a gift every month? Booking monthly gifts is more popular than ever. From flowers to wines of the month, and even fresh coffee beans from local producers, you can show your appreciation for all she does for the whole year, rather than just one day.

Spend some quality time. It’s lovely to get presents, but what your mum probably wants more than everything is to spend some quality time with you. Treat her to a day out with an activity she’ll love, whether she’s into wine tasting or an elegant afternoon tea.     5    

A．Keep the gifts coming.

B．Show your gratitude with gifts.

C．Book her in for a day, or buy her a gift card.

D．Try to make something with her name or birthstone on it.

E．However, it can be difficult to find a gift to show your appreciation.

F．Or spend the day at home, letting her put her feet up while you cook.

G．You don’t have to spend hundreds on expensive bouquets in the flower shops.

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

China has been working hard to promote exchanges between its young people and the ones from other countries around the world on culture, innovations, working skills and entrepreneurship. China launched (发起) an activity, which is dedicated to promoting the     1     (develop) of young people worldwide.

So far, some big companies in China     2     (start) different projects and benefited young individuals from 19 countries, including Laos, Vietnam, Uganda and Portugal.     3     typical example is a project in Uzbekistan by a Chinese company. It offers some excellent college graduates opportunities for employment and to learn in China.     4     is worth mentioning is that some local youths got access to training courses and lectures and some youths     5     (invite) to China to visit some projects last year. Leaders from these Chinese groups say this effort is not just about jobs and learning but about building various     6     (bridge) between cultures and making the world a more connected place. They’re planning to grow this project even more and get more companies     7     (involve).     8     short, an important platform is offered to let youths engaged in International communication, and it is expected     9     (improve) passions of the young generation. The goal is to let young people around the globe     10     (extensive) understand China and each other, hoping to make the future brighter for everyone.

6 . While I was working at a French school, I was often preparing my work in the staff room. Sometimes I would hear the school secretary talking. At first I thought she was talking to me, as there was no one else in the room except me, so I tried to respond to her. However, I soon realized that in fact, she was talking to herself. I noticed a lot of people do this in France. In the UK, people might think you’re a bit strange if you talk to yourself at work, but there it seemed quite normal. It really did confuse me at times, because I was not sure whether people were talking to me or just talking to themselves.

Another area of confusion involved the French language. In French, there are two ways to say “you”: “tu” is the informal form while “vous” is the formal form. This is an aspect of French which, even now, I do not really understand. When I learnt French, I was taught to call everyone vous unless they were my family or friends. So I was surprised that virtually everyone in France used the informal tu all the time. School children used tu when they stayed with their teachers and all the staff called the head teacher tu. But I continued to use vous because I didn’t want people to think I was impolite.

As you might know, school children in the UK traditionally wear school uniforms but in France pupils do not wear a uniform. It was a culture shock for me to see children wear Spiderman T-shirts and baggy (宽松的) blue jeans in the classroom.

I found the differences puzzling at times, but I couldn’t deny what a great opportunity it was to live and work in another country. The UK and France are only separated by a small channel of the sea, but there are many differences between the two countries.

1. In the staff room, the school secretary ________.

A．always chatted online

B．interrupted the writer

C．talked to herself often

D．always made speeches

2. Why did the author always use “vous” when talking to others?

A．She tried to be polite to others.

B．She couldn’t tell tu from vous at all.

C．She didn’t have close friends in France.

D．She couldn’t understand French very well.

3. How did the author feel seeing French kids wear Spiderman T-shirts at school?

A．Pleased.	B．Embarrassed.
C．Frightened.	D．Surprised.

4. What made the author feel happy to live in France?

A．Experiencing different cultures.

B．Communicating in an informal way.

C．Traveling along the channel of the sea.

D．Having a chance to work with French teachers.

7 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A red envelope is simply a long, narrow, red envelope.     1     (tradition)red envelopes are often decorated with gold Chinese characters, such as the characters for     2     (happy)and wealth.

During Chinese New Year, money     3     (put)inside red envelopes. Parents, grandparents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends give them to younger generations. Red envelopes are also popular gifts     4     birthdays and weddings.

It depends on the situation as to how much money should be put into a red envelope. For     5     (young)children, the equivalent (等量) of about $7 is fine. More money is given to older children and teenagers. The amount (金额) is     6     (usual)enough for the child to buy a gift, like a T-shirt. If you go to     7     wedding, the money in the red envelope should be equivalent to a nice gift     8     would be given at a Western wedding.

For all occasions, certain amounts of money are     9     (avoid). Any amount with the number four in it is best avoided because four     10     (sound)similar to death in Chinese. Even (偶数的) numbers, except four, are better than odd ones-as good things are believed to come in pairs. For example, gifting $20 is better than $21.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

This year, a board game     1     (name) “Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum” is popular around the United States. It is a competitive Dim Sum collection board game for five players. The pieces of the game are vivid, including five popular Chinese dishes, like shrimp dumplings and barbecue buns. The rules are very simple: Players collect food     2     (token) and Fortune cards     3     (benefit) themselves or to play against others. Once a set of Steamers of five Chinese dishes are collected, the player will get the     4     (high) score and win the game. The game     5     (create) by Pauline Kong and came online last year. As she said, the game will provide     6     opportunity for people to play and learn about Chinese culture     7     a fun way. People like it because it’s a medium-light game,     8     is suitable for a family to play. Parents can enjoy their quality time with the kids. Many board game lovers recommend that “Steam Up” have all of the elements of a family classic. It looks great and has an     9     (attract) theme and simple rules that are easy to teach.     10    , that’s not to say that the game is easy to play — it is full of very difficult decisions. Come and have a try!

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式，并将答案填写 在答题卡上。

“Alone holding an oil-paper umbrella, I wander along a long lane in the rain.” is quoted (引用) from A Lane in the Rain by Dai Wangshu,     1     famous Chinese poet in the 20th century.

The oil-paper umbrella, with a history of over 1, 000 years in China, used to be a water-proof (防水的) tool for daily use. People used a kind of paper     2     is painted with oil to make the umbrella’s surface. The umbrella has been of     3     (important) in traditional Chinese culture, standing for romantic and faithful love. In the area where the Yao people live, it has been used     4     a gift when they express their love to a lover.

In the past, the shops making oil-paper umbrellas were everywhere around the country. However, in the 1980s, the handmade oil-paper umbrella     5     (replace) by the nylon umbrella. Nowadays not many people are involved in     6     (produce) it. What’s more, the production of traditional oil-paper umbrellas     7     (require) skilled and time-consuming labor, resulting in higher costs.     8     the oil-paper umbrella is no longer a common tool for rainy days, it has never disappeared from people’s lives. Many places around China still keep the tradition of gifting a red oil-paper umbrella     9     (celebrate) birthdays, newborns, and moving houses. It is also     10     (wide) used in ceremonies honoring ancestors.

10 . Bells ringing around the necks of dairy cows eating grass lazily on a green field may sound peaceful, but if you live next door, it can be noisy.

Two residents( 住 户 )who recently moved to the small village of Aarwangen in the Swiss Alps, which has a population of just 4, 700 people, complained about the ringing of cowbells. They asked for the cows’ bells to be removed at night so they can sleep.

Long-term residents and the village’s remaining farmers were angry. They felt it was an attack on their traditional culture. Cowbells have been used in rural Switzerland for centuries. They were once useful for tracking herds( 牧 群 )in the Alps in summer. Older farmers say they could hear each individual cow by the sound of its own bell. Another resident, Mr Andreas Baumann, said cowbells were an important part of the Swiss soul. Referring to the sound of cowbells, he said, “As soon as I hear them, I know I’m back home.”

The noise level of these cowbells is usually between 90 and 113 decibels(分贝) —which is equal to the noise from an alarm clock, hairdryer or some power tools. In modern times, however. many farmers have changed to using electronic chips instead of bells.

This year’s argument is not the first time residents have complained about cowbells. In 2015, a Zurich court( 法 庭 )ordered a farmer to remove the bells from his 27 cows from 10 pm to am since they were safe in a farm and always keeping the neighbors awake.

Next month, Aarwangen’s villagers will gather for a public meeting to vote on the future of their bells. They will decide how the sound of the bells can continue without breaking noise pollution laws.

1. Why did the new residents complain about the ringing of cowbells?

A．It affected their rest at night.	B．It was an attack on culture.
C．It was not attractive.	D．It couldn't be heard clearly.

2. What is Baumann’s attitude to the sound of cowbells?

A．Uncaring.

B．Worried.

C．Doubtful.

D．Supportive.

3. What’s the topic of the meeting to take place next month?

A．How to make laws.	B．How to keep the bells.
C．When to vote on the bells.	D．Whether to remove noise pollution laws.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．An introduction to cowbells.	B．An argument about pollution.
C．Cowbells: a trouble or a tradition.	D．Farmers: for or against raising cows.