2 . It’s a race against time, as generations of cultural heritage conservators at the Dunhuang Academy make a great effort to protect the artistic charm of the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, despite erosion (侵蚀) by sand and wind.

The team is devoted to protecting the 45,000 square meters of murals (壁画) and more than 2,400 painted sculptures of the 735 caves of the site, the construction of which spans about a thousand years, from the 4th century to the 14th century. The cultural relics are the product of the cultural exchanges that took place over centuries on the ancient Silk Road. “Our work, repairing murals and painted sculptures, is to better preserve the caves, which promotes the great Dunhuang spirit of inclusiveness to the world and inspires modern people,” says Su Bomin, director of the Dunhuang Academy.

Commonly seen “diseases” affecting the murals include cracking and flaking, as well as erosion that is caused by changes in temperature and humidity of the caves, and the deposition of salts. To restore a mural requires an all-rounder. Restorers should know painting, master the skills of a mason and have some knowledge of chemistry and physics, to be able to recognize the problems and their corresponding causes and deliver a solution. They must also select proper materials and tools, and conduct experiments, before formally carrying out the restoration and evaluating the effect afterward.

The restoration should respect the original work and aim to maintain the status quo of the murals rather than repainting them. When the restorers find some parts of murals missing or fading away, they never repaint them to create a “perfect” appearance in restoration. “Cultural relics are witnesses of history,” explains Su. “When you pursue the so-called intact (完好无损的) look for artistic reasons, you will lose their key meaning.”

Cave conservation is about continuously solving problems. “It needs a long-term research to better preserve the caves, over a much wider time span that goes beyond our lifetimes,” Su says. But at least, they can keep the current look of the murals for as long as possible.

1. What is the main purpose of paragraph 2?

A．To show the popularity of Dunhuang murals.

B．To explain the history of the ancient Silk Road.

C．To stress the significance of the restoration work.

D．To present the ways of protecting cultural heritage.

2. Which of the following best describes the restoration work?

A．Demanding.

B．Well-paid.

C．Interesting.

D．Creative.

3. What should restoring murals focus on according to paragraph 4?

A．Spotting the faded murals in time.

B．Fixing the missing parts of murals.

C．Maintaining the current look of murals.

D．Repainting to perfect the appearance of murals.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．The Artistic Charm of Mural Paintings

B．The Mural Restoration in the Mogao Caves

C．The Successful Experiment on Cave Conservation

D．The Role of the Dunhuang Spirit in Chinese Culture

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

During China’s dynastic period, emperors planned the city of Beijing     1     arranged the residential areas according to social classes. The term “hutong”,     2     (original) meaning “water well” in Mongolian, appeared first during the Yuan Dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty, the center was the Forbidden City,     3     (surround) in concentric (同心的) circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social classes     4     (permit) to live closer to the center of the circles. The large siheyuan of these high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen often     5     (feature) beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars (柱子). The hutongs they formed were orderly, lined by     6     (space) homes and walled gardens. Farther from the center lived the commoners and laborers. Their siheyuan were far smaller in scale and     7     (simple) in design and decoration, and the hutongs were narrower.

Hutongs represent an important cultural element of the city of Beijing. Thanks to Beijing’s long history     8     capital of China, almost every hutong has its stories, and some are even associated with historic     9     (event). In contrast to the court life and upper-class culture represented by the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect     10     culture of grassroots Beijingers.

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。

Huazhao Festival has remained silent for centuries. However, the traditional festival closely     1     (connect) with spring is coming back to life because of people’s intense enthusiasm for traditional Chinese culture and a rising need for seasonal sightseeing tours.

Huazhao Festival     2     (say) to be celebrated as the birthday of the flower goddess in every second month on the Chinese lunar calendar. Its origin can date     3     the period before the Qin Dynasty and was     4     (official) set as a festival during the Sui and Tang dynasties. During the Tang Dynasty, the festival     5     (fall) on the 15th day of the second lunar month. It was one of the three nationwide celebrations back then. The other two were Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival.

However, the timing of the festival varies between regions, because of the difference in when flowering begins. As       6     result, many parts of the country took turns     7     (launch) their celebrations as if presenting a feast for the eyes in relays.

Despite various highlights, the celebrations across different regions shared the features of hanfu     8     flower appreciation. The festival also plays a key role in boosting shopping and caters to spending in nearby areas.

Its renaissance (复兴) reflects the change in young people’s aesthetic orientation (审美取向), emotional needs and consumption preferences, and indicates their     9     (recognize) of excellent traditional Chinese culture. Behind that is the     10     (grow) cultural confidence among young people.

7 . 假定你是李华，你所在的俱乐部下周将举办一场京剧(Beijing Opera)演出，请给你的外国京剧发烧友 Tom写一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1.告知活动详情；
2.邀请他线上参加。
注意：1.写作词数应为80个左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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8 . Some people say global English is no longer just controlled by British or American English, but is running free and developing uniquely local forms. Can you figure out the following terms?

“I like your smile, but unlike you put your shoes on my face.” This is a way of saying “Keep off the grass” Or “people mountain, people sea”, which means “very crowded”.

These examples are what we call Chinglish. When it comes to Chinglish, if all you know is “good good study, day day up”, you will be considered “out man”.

Nowadays, more Chinglish words have been created, for example, a Chinese idiom is translated as “smilence”, a combination by the English word smile and silence.

Chinglish usually offers a humorous look at misuses of the English language in Chinese street signs, products, and advertising. They are favoured by some English speaking tourists and visitors. Dominic Swire has been living in Beijing for a couple of years. “I think many Chinese people complain about the Chinglish and badly translated English. But you know, sometimes for us foreigners, it’s actually quite charming to see them. I think if the translations of English in China were all perfect, then something would be lost from Chinese culture.”

However, Chinglish will probably become a “cultural relic” in the near future. Beijing has made a comprehensive plan to improve foreign language services and correct Chinglish within five years. “It is very ridiculous to see Chinglish on the signs in some scenic spots. And they are a kind of barrier for communication between Chinese and people from other countries,” a Beijinger said.

Some Chinese university experts side with Chinglish. They argue that English has absorbed elements from other languages such as French and Spanish in its growth, and now it’s Chinese’s turn.

1. Which one of the following can be called Chinglish according to the examples?

A．English words which get new Chinese meanings.

B．The Chinese words which are difficult to translate.

C．The words combining English vocabulary and Chinese grammar.

D．The local words preventing foreigners from learning Chinese well.

2. What does “smilence” most probably mean?

A．Laughing at somebody.

B．Knowing little about speech.

C．Smiling without being noticed.

D．Saying nothing but to smile.

3. What is Swire’s attitude to Chinglish?

A．It helps him to learn Chinese well.

B．It seems part of Chinese culture.

C．It can show the humour of Chinese.

D．It will attract more foreign tourists.

4. Why is Chinglish likely to become a “cultural relic” in Beijing?

A．Because Beijing is determined to get rid of Chinglish signs.

B．Because Chinglish is a chance to enrich Chinese and English.

C．Because it has become a unique bridge between Chinese and English.

D．Because it improves the understanding between Chinese and foreigners.

10 . 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。

Cheering, dancing and singing, local people and tourists gathered around the fire during the Torch Festival of the Yi People in Bijie’s Hezhang county, Guizhou, on Aug 12. The festival     1     (list) as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2011. 

    2     there are many versions about the origins of the festival, it mostly related to the     3     (nature) worship of fire. For the early Yi people     4     lived in high-altitude mountainous areas, fire was essential     5     light, warm, and cook food. There was     6     old practice: Before     7     (bring) animal meat into the home, a small fire must first be lit outside the door and the meat should     8     (smoke) on the fire to drive away filth (污秽). That’s why the Yi people have a proverb that says, “Everything you eat must ‘see’ fire .” In farming, they used to light     9     (pile) of branches and leaves and bury them in the ground later, using them     10     (fertilize) the land. The Yi people used to celebrate the festival as a way to pray for a good harvest and to drive away evil from their home and farmland. Today, it has become a social event.