1 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A.experience B. associated C.position D.claim E.accompanied F.conducted G.duration H.preserve I.breeze J.representative K.weighed |
One of the British royal traditions is that the king or queen can
Several years ago, when I was living in London, I went along to
The Uppers themselves are a mix of old boys and younger men-all dressed in uniforms. They paddle their way upriver in a fleet of wooden boats, shiny with gold detailing. Flags flutter behind them in the
The small fleet is
Not long after, the traditional call goes out: “All up!” it’s the first catch of the day. The Uppers carefully
2 . Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
In ancient China, the coming-of-age ceremony was a ritual in which a person would come to be declared and accepted as an adult by their own clan (宗族) and the wider society. That is to say, they would start taking on
This ritual first came to be practiced by the nobles of the Zhou dynasty before later
The coming-of-age ceremony was key to Confucian rites (仪式,礼节) and was part of the “four rites” of life, which also included
At the ceremony, respected elders would put a special cap, or “Guan (冠)” on a young man’s head and tie up the hair of a young woman using a hair ornament named “Ji”. The young adults would be dressed up in the relevant robes and accessories (装饰品) of their gender. One would keep this new look as a grown-up.
The soon-to-be adult would then be
In the end, the young adults would take up a cup of wine, pour some of the wine on the ground in
The ceremony wouldn’t be over just yet. The young adults would kneel on the ground listening to their parents’
The age-old ritual was
Despite changes in the styles and details, the essence of the coming-of-age ceremony remains
A.noticeable | B.relevant | C.apparent | D.various |
A.subject | B.polite | C.qualified | D.available |
A.distributing | B.spreading | C.shifting | D.approaching |
A.delighted | B.ridiculous | C.understandable | D.acceptable |
A.schooling | B.marriage | C.dining | D.working |
A.awarded | B.encouraged | C.rewarded | D.deprived |
A.turn to | B.refer to | C.look to | D.talk to |
A.name | B.respect | C.priority | D.honor |
A.driven | B.run | C.meant | D.finished |
A.praise | B.scold | C.instruction | D.complaint |
A.gratitude | B.respect | C.expectation | D.kindness |
A.banned | B.reinforced | C.flourishing | D.preserved |
A.therefore | B.however | C.meanwhile | D.moreover |
A.essential | B.critical | C.unchanged | D.possible |
A.mind | B.mood | C.phase | D.awareness |
3 . In recent days, a netizen left a comment on the official website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, urging the relevant authorities to issue a statement to encourage residents to not be influenced by superstition and continue with their marriage plans as usual during the Year of the Dragon.
The Social Affairs Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs promptly responded, stating that they would pay attention to this issue. The department explained that there is a year in the lunar calendar that does not have the beginning of spring solar term (节气), which occurs approximately once every two to three years.
The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is celebrated on the first day of the first lunar month each year. However, its date on the Gregorian calendar (公历) varies from year to year. Start of Spring, which is the first of the 24 solar terms, is considered the official beginning of spring.
Why did the ancients think that “no spring year” was not suitable for marriage? As the weather warms up and spring arrives, the earth awakes from its winter hibernation. The rain falls, the thunder surges, and everything in the world comes alive once again. At such a good time, they usually associated the beginning of spring with fertility. If spring does not come, reproduction will not be prosperous. “No spring” means “no child”, and getting married is the most taboo. Superstitions about this time of year often focus on avoiding marriage or other important events because it is believed to be unlucky.
The Social Affairs Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs emphasized that these superstitions, which mean false beliefs without scientific evidence, should not have the final say about people's decisions about their marriages or other important life events. They encouraged residents to continue with their plans as usual during this period and not be influenced by superstition.
The department also reminded the public that marriage is a personal decision that should be based on love, mutual respect, and consideration for each other’s future. They emphasized that the government will continue to provide support and assistance to ensure that all citizens can enjoy a stable and happy life.
1. What was the reason behind the netizen’s comment on the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ website?A.To request detailed information about the spring solar term this Year of the Dragon. |
B.To express dissatisfaction with the government policies to issue a ban on marriage this year. |
C.To motivate inhabitants to resist the impact of unscientific beliefs in the Year of the Dragon. |
D.To criticize the Ministry of Civil Affairs for their delayed response. |
A.Due to unfavorable weather conditions in the “no spring” solar term. |
B.Because it was believed to bring bad luck and misfortune. |
C.As a result of scientific evidence proving it was unlucky. |
D.To avoid conflicts with traditional customs and the wedding ceremonies. |
A.Encouraging residents to follow traditional superstitions by getting married as planned. |
B.Discouraging people from getting married during the Year of the Dragon. |
C.Emphasizing that unscientific beliefs should not have an impact on marriage decisions. |
D.Urging the public to protest against the complicated traditional Spring Festival celebrations. |
假如你是浦韵中学的高一学生李文(Li Wen), 你们校刊的“Tradition and Culture”栏目正在举办征文活动, 征文主题为“我与中国传统节日(Chinese Traditional Festival and Me)”。你的征文必须包括:
●一个具体节日;
●你的体验和认识。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A. noble B. might C. distinct D. splendour E. significantly F. integrated G. predominantly H. shaped I. integral J. generating K. underlying |
Welcoming the Year of the Dragon or the Loong?
As communities worldwide, both within and outside China, participate in diverse festivities to welcome the Year of the Dragon, the mythical creature has become the subject of debate. Some call it a dragon, while others prefer the term “loong”,
Do dragon and loong convey the same meaning, or do they represent different creatures with
In the Chinese language, more than 100 idioms incorporate the word “dragon”,
Why has the loong been translated into English as dragon? In the early 19th century, British missionary Robert Morrison compiled the first Chinese-English, English-Chinese dictionary in history, in which he translated the Chinese loong as dragon. The impact of this dictionary was profound, leading to the widespread adoption of the term dragon in the West. Language
With China becoming more
Round table
The most affectionate memory of my childhood is about
When I was still little, my entire family would reunite on almost every traditional festival to have dinner. While the grown-ups were discussing about something
When I got a bit older, my aunt brought back her boyfriend, a tall and shy man, and my grandma joyfully added another seat to the round table. It seemed a little bit
When I was 12, my grandpa passed away because of cancer, but when the entire family reunite once again, his chair, his bowl and his chopsticks remain the same.
We all have a table like this in our homes, which is a symbol of the reunion of our families,
The food on the table may change with time; the people sitting beside it may come and go; the reasons why we come together may be various, but the sensation behind it remains, year after year, the same.
Every year, an annual epic migration takes place in China. Hundreds of people, men and women, young and old, the rich and the poor, the dead and the alive, will find a way to go back home and go to the round table
The power that drives him to do so has been a power that has been sustaining Chinese civilization for thousands of years. And the lives of us, or even the history of our nation have been the stories of looking for a running to the round table
7 . What My Year Abroad Taught Me About Cultural Differences
Imagine going to study abroad. You walk into the local shop and bam!, Golliwogs (黑面木偶) everywhere. I’m talking salespeople dressed as Golliwogs. Surprised, you go to the junk food section as that’s the only thing that will give your body the sugar rush it needs to shock your body out of the state of bewilderment (困惑). And there they were: Golliwog cookies.
I’m using the word “Golliwogs” because to a British person abroad that’s what they are. But in the Netherlands and Belgium the image is known as Zwarte Piet (Black Pete). There has been much discussion about whether or not it’s racist.
Working as a trainee with the European Commission, I met people from all over the world, not just Europe. Working alongside my German, Spanish and Italian colleagues, I learned some valuable lessons.
Another lesson was the value of the coffee break. Coffee breaks in Brussels were not just time to get coffee. It was a chance to develop new ideas with colleagues in a more informal setting. At first I declined the invitation to attend, but after a while I began to notice that almost everyone went on these trips to the coffee machine and decided to join them.
Graduates and students who have worked abroad gain an understanding of what it means to be truly European and how this can benefit you at work. Not only do you bring home experiences, skills and practices from other countries, but you also seek to take your work further afield (向远方).
A.You might be amazed by the quantity of work and innovative concepts that can emerge during informal coffee breaks. |
B.This marked my initial experience in comprehending diverse cultures. |
C.As British people, we need to stay low-profile in what we do. |
D.So, how did I apply these acquired abilities? |
E.As individuals from Britain, we must produce more influence in our pursuits. |
F.This was my first lesson in understanding British cultures. |
A.Open. | B.Selfish. | C.Friendly. | D.Reserved. |
A.They stay quiet. |
B.They read a book. |
C.They talk about the weather. |
D.They chat with fellow passengers. |
A.She was always treated as a foreigner. |
B.She was eager to visit an English castle. |
C.She was never invited to a colleague’s home. |
D.She was unwilling to make friends with workmates. |
A.Houses are much quieter. |
B.Houses provide more privacy. |
C.They want to have more space. |
D.They want a garden of their own. |
A.Rings made of tubes. | B.Coins with a hole. |
C.Rings made of coins. | D.Coins with an ancient sign. |
A.When to give it. | B.When to buy it. |
C.The occasion on which people wear it. | D.The hand on which people wear it. |
A.Transformation of wedding rings. | B.Ways to make wedding rings. |
C.Customs related to wedding rings. | D.Commitment in wedding rings. |
A.Make a plan for the new year. | B.Say a few words of celebration. |
C.Have a trip during the Spring Festival. | D.Go back home for the Spring Festival. |