Liu Ruying,
“Sometimes I was tired,“ she said. ”I had to balance my studies and other
When Liu got the news that her region would have a cultural exchange with other countries, she had the idea of
“I
2 . In the long history of about 5,000 years, numerous Chinese traditional festivals were celebrated in memory of gods or some significant days, some of which are passed down from generation to generation and people always practice special traditional activities in each festival.
Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival is on the 15th day after Spring Equinox, round April 4 or April 5 every year.
Double Ninth Festival
Winter Solstice(冬至)
Winter Solstice is on around December 22 or 23 of solar calendar each year. From Winter Solstice on, the daytime will be longer and longer.
In China, this festival is in late January or early February, the last day of the Lunar year. People celebrate it by having a family reunion dinner, setting off fireworks and staying up late. Breaking the dishes and bowls is a thing all the people scare, but if you did it, you have to say: “sui sui ping an”.
| A．New Year’s Eve |
| B．Spring Festival |
| C．People will go to worship their ancestors. |
| D．People always visit their friends and relatives. |
| E．That day people in different regions eat different food. |
| F．It is a pun(双关语), meaning you will be healthy every year. |
| G．It is celebrated on Sept. 9th of the Lunar Calendar, around October. |
3 . Unlike western New Year, which always take place on January 1, Chinese New Year changes each year — here is a guide for learning something about Chinese New Year celebrations.
What date is Chinese New Year in 2018?
It begins this year on Friday, February 16 and usually runs for about two weeks. Chinese New Year takes place on a different date each year, because it is based on the lunar calendar.
How is Chinese New Year celebrated?
Chinese New Year is celebrated globally with an explosion of light and sound, involving bell ringing, lighting firecrackers and watching traditional lion dances. Chinese families gather together for a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, and clean their houses to sweep away bad luck on New Year’s Day. Traditionally, children would be given red envelopes stuffed with “lucky money” and positive wishes on New Year’s Day. Some teens now have red envelope apps, so their relatives can transfer cash digitally.
Which animal represents 2018?
2018 is the Year of the Dog. The Chinese zodiac moves in a 12-year cycle, and those born in 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, and 2018 are also known as Dogs.
1. How long does Chinese New Year celebration last according to the passage?| A．One day. | B．Seven days. | C．Fifteen days. | D．One month. |
| A．Great wealth | B．Good health | C．High grades | D．Best wishes |
| A．2019 | B．2028 | C．2030 | D．2042 |
Jul 1-Jul 30, 2018
Location ： Several locations tn New York
The Blue Note Jazz Festival in New York City is the city’s most popular jazz festival and focuses on bringing big-name artists to small crowds and up-and-coming acts to the public. The event takes over 15 places across the city and includes Questlove, Michael Bolton and Aretha Franklin.
Grant Park Music Festival 2018
Jun 14-Aug 19, 2018
Locations: Jay Pritzker Pavilion, South Shore Cultural Center, & Harris Theater for Music and Dance | 201 East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois
Listening to classical music is said to improve your intelligence. Whether that’s true or not, the Grant Park Music Festival will provide you with free, classical music, and you’d be smart to attend. The music at these concerts will leave you begging for more. It’s free to attend, so come and enjoy some great music with your family and friends.
Lake Park Friends Wonderful Wednesdays 2018
Jun 21-Jul 26, 2018
Location: Lake Park | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Energy is way too contained (被压抑) in an indoor music place. Let that energy go where it wants through a series of outdoor concerts with Lake Park Friends Wonderful Wednesdays. Wednesday is no longer the most boring day of the week. This time, there’s something fun to do. A list of live music acts has made the middle of the week something to look forward to.
YouthCUE Festival of Youth Choirs (合唱队) 2018
Augl0-Aug 22, 2018
Locations: Washington National Cathedral | 3101 Wisconsin AVE NW Washington, DC
YouthCUE Festival of Youth Choirs in Washington gives students the rare opportunity to perform in the Washington National Cathedral, a famous historic place. The festival is a showcase of student choirs (唱诗班) from all over the local professional orchestra.
1. What can people enjoy at the Blue Note Jazz Festival?| A．Performances by famous singers. |
| B．Lively performances by public. |
| C．Performances by artists from 15 countries. |
| D．High quality performances with free admission. |
| A．Blue Note Jazz Festival |
| B．Grant Park Music Festival |
| C．Lake Park Friends Wonderful Wednesdays |
| D．YouthCUE Festival of Youth Choirs |
| A．New York. | B．Chicago. |
| C．Milwaukee. | D．Washington DC. |
5 . Nowadays, people in China are increasingly interested in celebrating foreign festival, especially those western festivals.
A survey conducted recently by Sina. Com showed that among the 18,222 people surveyed 63.9% said celebrating Christmas is just another way of recreation, nothing serious while 17.85% surveyed considered the festival as a fashion act, showing they were not “out”. These two parts clearly indicate the general opinion of the young. 10.45 percent people involved said the celebration of a religious western festival with so much enthusiasm is absolutely ridiculous pursuit of foreign goodness. Only 7.8% of people define Christmas as a kind of festival colonization(殖民).
The arising of celebrating foreign festivals clearly has something to do with the advancement of China’s economy. In my opinion of view, Christmas and other festivals celebrated in China have difference from the origin. They have lost their religious background and turned into a big occasion to have fun and enjoy life. Shop owners' pockets are filled, the public's hunger for happiness is filled, and that is enough. Foreign festivals in China are more like carnivals giving people pleasure and enjoyment.
The crisis(危机) of traditional Chinese festivals that are losing their attraction may be linked to the culture tradition and background of the festivals. Most Chinese festival culture is related more or less to real life.
But the western culture shows much of romance. Some festivals have their religious background while others have much to do with culture and people. At this point, food seems to be too plain. Flowers and chocolates are more welcomed.
Foreign festivals in China today are celebrated for fun. They give people opportunities to relax and to show appreciation and gratefulness. The acceptance of foreign festivals generally depends on the openness of the public, the familiarity with the western culture, and most importantly, on people’s economic status.
1. From the survey we know that among the people surveyed _________| A．Most think celebrating foreign festivals is ridiculous |
| B．Many fear that traditional Chinese festivals will disappear soon |
| C．Some think that celebrating foreign festivals is a sign of foreign goodness chasing |
| D．half think celebrating foreign festivals makes people not go out of faction |
| A．have lost their religious background |
| B．are the same as those celebrated in the west |
| C．can give more fun than traditional Chinese festivals |
| D．may reduce the hunger of public people |
| A．Foreign festivals can make Chinese shop owners’ pockets full quickly |
| B．The food at foreign festivals is too simple |
| C．Chinese festivals always have something to do with culture |
| D．Foreign festivals are romantic while traditional Chinese ones are connected with reality |
| A．People can relax themselves . |
| B．People can show their thanks to others |
| C．Foreign festivals have longer histories than Chinese ones |
| D．People have known more about the western culture. |
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑的)in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don't know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don't know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
| A．describe the place carefully |
| B．show him a map of the place |
| C．tell him the names of the streets |
| D．refer to recognizable buildings and places |
| A．New York. | B．Los Angles. |
| C．Kansas C. Iowa | |
| A．in order to save time | B．as a test |
| C．so as to be polite | D．for fun |
| A．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
| B．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
| C．People have similar understanding of politeness. |
| D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |
