1 . 语法填空

Learning Chinese calligraphy was listed as one of the must-do things when I came to China. Now, I’m in the course of learning this unique art,     1    is valuable in China, even across East Asia today. It is not only     2    ancient artistic form of human language, but it also     3    (reflect) Chinese traditions.

As someone who paints, draws, and loves all     4    (create) things, at first, I assumed I would be rather good at Chinese calligraphy. I was     5    (total) wrong. Using thick brush tips to produce awkward brush strokes (笔画)     6    (be) very difficult for a beginner. I have no idea about the different types of calligraphy and the meanings     7    (hide) behind each one. Also, I have to hold the paintbrush     8    a very specific way, unlike a pen or pencil, the paintbrush is held upright in the hand. I need to be extra careful when changing the angle(角度) or     9    (direct) of the brush, especially if I press too hard on the paper.

After taking the lesson, I now understand the difficulty of calligraphy and that it will take efforts and commitment     10    (master) this art form. Yet, I am grateful to learn such a special Chinese tradition.

3 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Minor Snow (小雪) refers to the time when it starts to snow, mostly in China's northern areas, and the temperature continues to drop.

Here are four things you should know about Minor Snow.

Wearing hats and scarves

In China, starting in Minor Snow, the wind blows from the northeast a lot. Because it's still not bitterly cold, many people do not wear hats or scarves yet. In fact, according to an old Chinese saying, "The head is the place where all passages of the body gather". It's sensible to keep one's head warm.

Drinking soup

During Minor Snow, indoor heating begins to work, which means the air indoors is dry and most people might find their nose and mouth feels a bit dry. According to practices in traditional Chinese medicine, this accumulation of "inner heat" in one's body can cause problems, including oral ulcers and breakouts (口腔溃疡和破损). The solution is to drink more hot soup, such as cabbage and bean curd soup, spinach and bean curd soup, and mutton and radish soup.

Making preserved pork

After Minor Snow, the temperature declines sharply and the air becomes dry. It is the best time to start making preserved pork, which by the Chinese Spring Festival would be ready to enjoy. In the past, when storage conditions were poor, people developed many ways to store food and preserved pork is one such example. So even in the bitter winter, the whole family could enjoy meat. Some even say preserved pork tastes more delicious than fresh meat.

Avoiding spicy food

On cold days, people may crave some hot and spicy food to keep warm. Experts say it's wise not to eat overly spicy food, since that will increase your inner heat.

1. Which of the following can best describe Minor Snow?

A．Snowy and cold.	B．Warm and cozy.
C．Golden and windy.	D．Comfortable and cool.

2. Why do people drink soup during Minor Snow?

A．To save food.

B．To keep warm.

C．To solve problems caused by "inner heat".

D．To chase after fashion and follow the tradition.

3. How to keep warm during Minor Snow?

A．Eat overly spicy food.

B．Do not go outside and stay in bed.

C．Make preserved pork with your family.

D．Wear hats and scarves and eat proper hot and spicy food.

4 . 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。

The Winter Solstice Festival (冬至) is one of the most important     1     (festival) celebrated by the Chinese on or around December 22. As early as 2,500 years ago, China determined the point of the Winter Solstice by     2     (observe) movements of the sun with a sundial (日晷).

The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty. The Han people     3     (regard) the Winter Solstice as a “Winter Festival”, so officials would organize activities. On this day, both officials and common people would have     4     rest. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer sacrifices (供奉)     5     Heaven and ancestors. The Qing Dynasty even had the record that “the Winter Solstice is as formal as the Spring Festival,” showing the great     6     (important) attached to this day.

The Chinese often celebrate the Winter Solstice Festival together with     7     (they) families.     8     people eat generally depends on where they come from. In some parts of North China, people     9     (traditional) eat dumplings on this day, while in parts of South China, the whole family will get together to have a meal     10     (make) of red-bean and sticky rice to drive away bad things.

5 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.

While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.

But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.

In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and

philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.

So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.

Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.

As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.

1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.

A．provide some key facts about Confucius

B．attract the readers' interest in the subject

C．show great respect for the ancient thinker

D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations

2. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students___________.

A．have a great interest in studying Chinese

B．take an active part in Chinese competitions

C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams

D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese

3. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Forgotten Wisdom in America

B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language

C．Chinese Culture for Westerners

D．Old Thinker with a Big Future

4. The passage is likely to appear in__________.

A．a personal biography	B．a history paper
C．a cultural newspaper	D．a philosophy textbook

6 . 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 63-year-old Chinese grandpa's     1     (tradition) carpentry(木工)skills attract tens of millions of viewers online as he creates woodwork without glue, screws or nails. The Chinese master carpenter, Wang Dewen,     2     (know) as “Grandpa Amu” on YouTube, has been considered as the modern-day Lu Ban. His most popular video,     3     shows him making a fantastic wooden arch bridge, rose to fame on the platform,     4     (gain) more than 42 million views.

Grandpa Amu follows an ancient Chinese mortise and tenon(榫卯) technique, which means no nails or glue are involved     5     the entire process of building the arch bridge.

For     6     (decade), Wang worked as a farmer and a carpenter, making furniture for local building projects. Several years ago, Wang left Shandong     7     (live) with his children in Mengshan county. It was a natural step to turn his skills into an opportunity to make all kinds of toys for his young grandson, and it was not long     8     his son and daughter-in-law decided to video Wang's efforts. The master carpenter     9     (attract) over 1.18 million viewers on YouTube so far. Grandpa Amu insists that he isn't an internet celebrity(名人)     10     just an ordinary farmer.