2 . Little New Year usually falls a week before the lunar New Year. It is also known as the Festival of the Kitchen God, the deity(神) who oversees the moral character of each household. Here are five things you should know about the Little New Year, another sign of the start of spring.

1.Offer sacrifices to Kitchen God

One of the most distinctive traditions of the Little New Year is the burning of a paper image of the Kitchen God, who will report on the family’s conduct over the past year. The offerings to the Kitchen God include pig’s head, fish, sweet bean paste, melons, fruit, boiled dumplings, barley sugar, and Guandong candy. Most of the offerings are sweets of various varieties. It is thought that this will seal the Kitchen God’s mouth and encourage him to only say good things about the family when he ascends to heaven to make his report.

2.House cleaning

According to Chinese folk beliefs, during the last month of the year ghosts and deities must choose either to return to Heaven or to stay on Earth. It is believed that in order to ensure the ghosts and deities’ timely departure people must thoroughly clean both their persons and their houses, down to every last drawer and cupboard.

3.Paste paper-cuts to windows

In the Little New Year, old couplets and paper-cuts from the previous Spring Festival are taken down, and new window decorations, New Year’s posters, and auspicious(吉利的) decorations are pasted up.

4.Bath and hair-cut

As the old Chinese saying goes, whether they’re rich or poor, people often have a haircut before the Spring Festival. The activity of taking bath and haircut is often taken on the Little New Year.

5.Preparations for the Spring Festival

People start to stock up necessary provisions for the Spring Festival since the Little New Year. Everything needed to make offerings to the ancestors, entertain guests, and feed the family over the long holiday must be purchased in advance.

1. What is the Kitchen God’s duty in the man’s world?

A．Collecting the information of the man’s world.

B．Protecting the character of each home.

C．Gathering sacrifices for other Gods in heaven.

D．Watching out for the moral people in the world.

2. Why are most of the offerings sweets?

A．Because the Kitchen God loves sweet foods.

B．As it is the traditional customs.

C．As people hope the God says good for them.

D．Because sweets are the best sacrifices.

3. What do we know from the passage?

A．Little New Year always falls in February.

B．House cleaning is to welcome the New Year.

C．In the Little New Year only paper-cuts are pasted up.

D．People will make full preparations for the coming New Year.

4. What is the most unusual tradition in the Little New Year?

A．Offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God.

B．Burning paper image of the Kitchen God.

C．Preparing the necessity for the New Year.

D．Cleaning house and people themselves.

4 . 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.     1     They remove the weeds growing on the ancestors’ tombs to make them clean, so this festival is also called Tomb-sweeping Festival. In some areas, people are forbidden to use fire to cook food, so they only eat cool food.

Double Ninth Festival

    2    The Chinese character of September is the same as 9, so we get this special name. Chinese people, especially the north Chinese, climb the mountains to the peak to enjoy the wonderful scenery, and admire the beauty of chrysanthemum.

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.     3     In the northern region, people eat dumplings and wonton(馄饨), while in the southern region rice balls.

    4    

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”.     5    

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.

5 . China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them. This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for the start of spring and farming. This year, the day falls on March 4th.

The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the “descendants (传人) of the dragon”. Therefore, people celebrate the Dragon Head Raising Day with many customs about dragons.

On the day in ancient times, people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to “lead the dragon into the house”. People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest in autumn.

Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat “dragon whisker (细须)” noodles and dumplings called “dragon teeth”.

Today, many customs have faded away. But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother’s brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.

1. Why is the dragon deeply rooted (扎根) in Chinese culture?

A．Chinese people think the dragon is a symbol of power.

B．Chinese people see the dragon as a symbol of good luck.

C．Chinese people think the dragon stands for the start of spring and farming..

D．Chinese people consider themselves the descendants of the dragon.

2. The underlined word in the last paragraph means ________.

A．disappear gradually	B．become stronger
C．run away	D．die off

3. On the day in ancient times, why did people put ashes in the kitchen?

A．Because the dragon liked the ashes.

B．Because the ashes led the dragon into the house.

C．Because the ashes brought a good harvest.

D．Because the ashes could bring good luck.

4. Which custom has been kept according to the passage?

A．Putting ashes in the kitchen.	B．Eating dragon whisker noodles and dumplings.
C．Cutting hair.	D．Eating special foods.

6 . Reading Oktoberfest

Palmer Park is the perfect place to host the first Reading Oktoberfest, which takes place 15-18 September 2016.

You can experience everything that makes Oktoberfest, held in a huge Beer tent. We’ll have live music and DJs and thousands of people going crazy.

Opening hours:
Thursday 15 September 17:00-23:30
Friday 16 September 17:00-23:30
Saturday 17 September 12:30-23:30
Sunday 18 September 12:30-19:00
Ramsbottom Festival

With its riverside location (位置), Ramsbottom Festival is one festival which can truly be called beautiful. Here you can enjoy a mix of music, great arts and family shows, as well as a variety of Great British and international food.

Ramsbottom Festival takes place 16-18 September 2016 at Ramsbottom Cricket Club, Bury, easily reachable by public transport from Manchester city centre.

The Willow Festival Dorset

The Willow Festival — the world’s largest festival showing new and undiscovered live music bands and artists is coming to Dorset. Fun for all the family, the event also has a shopping area, a world food village, and plenty of activities for kids.

Tickets are just £10.00, which covers a come-and-go attendance (出席) for all three days.

River Cottage Festival

It’s our first ever family-friendly music festival, right here at River Cottage HQ in Devon.

On 17-18 September 2016, the farm will be filled with live music from popular bands in the UK. In between all that dancing you’ll be able to watch shows from local craftspeople (匠人) and make your own piece of jewelry.

Tickets will cost you just £35, or £10 for children under 12 (babies under 2 go free).

1. What can visitors enjoy at Ramsbottom Festival?

A．Family shows.

B．Dancing on the farm.

C．Making beautiful things by hand.

D．International bands’ performances.

2. Both The Willow Festival Dorset and River Cottage Festival _____.

A．are held in 2016 for the first time

B．ask visitors to pay the same price

C．take place near a river

D．are family-friendly

3. Which festival lasts the most days?

A．River Cottage Festival.

B．Ramsbottom Festival.

C．Reading Oktoberfest.

D．The Willow Festival Dorset.

8 . Mother’s Day

The second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is a special day for everyone! On that day, children usually give their mothers cards, presents and flowers. But most of the people like giving their mothers carnations (康乃馨).

Father’s Day

Father’s Day is on the third Sunday in June. Some Americans thought that if we had Mother’s Day, we should have a Father’s Day. On Father’s Day there is no party. But children will give their fathers some presents and the best wishes. Fathers are great. We should give the best wishes to them.

Halloween

Halloween is on October 31st. On this day, in front of the house there are a lot of pumpkin lights. They are very beautiful. Every family has a lot of sweets. When children go to knock at their doors, people will give them sweets.

Thanksgiving Day

The fourth Thursday of November every year is a special day in America. Some Americans think Thanksgiving Day is more important than Christmas Day. On that day, all people have supper with their family. Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks, have family gatherings and enjoy holiday meals. People like to eat turkey and some fruits. On that day people are all happy. But in Canada Thanksgiving Day falls on the second Monday in October.

1. On which day can children ask for and get sweets?

A．Father’s Day.	B．Thanksgiving Day.
C．Halloween.	D．Mother’s Day.

2. What will Americans do on Thanksgiving Day?

A．They say thanks.	B．They have gatherings with friends.
C．They go on holiday.	D．They buy many cards.

3. What can be known about the festivals in the text?

A．Father’s Day is a festival with a long history in the U.S.

B．Turkey is the traditional food in Western countries.

C．Thanksgiving Day is more important than Christmas.

D．Mother’s Day is to honour mothers’ devotion to children.

9 . Music festivals in Europe

Visiting a festival abroad can be a great reason to travel and a way to experience different cultures. These days there is such a number of choices that it’s possible to spend the whole summer watching live music in exciting places. Of course, it’s also a chance to meet people from across the world.

Melt! Festival, Germany

This festival takes place on the site of an open air museum for industrial machinery. There’s also a lake which can be used for swimming when it’s hot. This year’s line-up has over 120 different bands (乐队). Around 90% of the people attending the festival are German providing a perfect chance to practise speaking the language.

Exit Festival, Serbia

Set on the banks of the Danube in an old fortress (城堡), the festival began as a way to show people’s dissatisfaction with the government. These days it’s less political (政治的) but still worries about people who are poor, ill, old, etc and tries to help them. This year’s festival will host many famous bands. From electronic music and dance music to hard rock, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Open’er Festival, Poland

Held in an airfield near the northern city of Gdansk, each year Open’er has a seriously good selection of bands. This year is no exception, with many famous bands set to play. Not only are there amazing artists, but both Poland and the festival itself also provide very excellent value for money.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Scotland

Set on a Scottish estate (庄园) near Inverness, this year Belladrum will welcome artists from around the world. The most enjoyable part of the weekend is the ceilidh (traditional Scottish dance and party) which is always a lively event. It doesn’t even matter if you’re a beginner because the band teaches you each dance.

1. What is special about Melt! Festival?

A．It provides German lessons.	B．It is held by a local museum.
C．The bands are from 120 countries.	D．Most of the festival goers are German.

2. Why did Exit Festival begin?

A．For political reasons.	B．For personal reasons.
C．To help stop a fight.	D．To offer help to the poor.

3. What makes Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival different from the others?

A．It falls in summer.

B．It is a live music festival.

C．It teaches people Scottish dances.

D．It invites the most famous bands.

10 . I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles”(风格)of directions every time I ask “ How can I get to the post office?”
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

2. What is the place where people measure distance in time?

A．New York.	B．Los Angles.
C．Kansas                 C. Iowa

3. People inYucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ________ .

A．in order to save time	B．as a test
C．so as to be polite	D．for fun

4. What can we infer from the text?

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.