1 . Occurring on October 31, November 1, and November 2, the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday held to honor those who have died, brings people from all walks of life to Mexico. But cities across the United States are also joining in on the fun. Here is where you can find this year’ s best Day of the Dead celebrations without traveling south of the border.
The Historic Olvera Street in Los Angeles
For over three decades, the businessmen of Olvera Street have annually transformed the busy outdoor marketplace into a top destination for visitors. Starting on October 25 and coming to a close on November 2,this year’s event will include a collection of live performances, face painting, and a traditional May an procession(游行).
The East Village in Manhattan
Want to get a taste of the Day of the Dead while taking a bite out of the Big Apple? Come to East yard of St. Mark’s in-the-Bowery, a church in Manhattan. Besides watching performances, you can purchase all kinds of traditional Mexican food.
San Francisco’s Mission District
San Francisco has celebrated the Day of the Day for half a century. Every November 2, people flood to the Mission District - a colorful neighborhood rich in Mexican culture. At this popular event, visitors are invited to dress up in traditional Day of the Dead clothes, and go through the neighborhood all by the candlelight.
Downtown San Antonio
This year, the Day of the Dead will arrive early in San Antonio, Texas. On October 26 and 27, people can visit Hemisfair, the city’ s popular outdoor cultural center, with craft workshops, musical performances, and live poetry.
1. Where can visitors enjoy traditional Mexican food?| A．In The Historic Olvera Street in Los Angeles. |
| B．In San Francisco’s Mission District. |
| C．In The East Village in Manhattan. |
| D．In Downtown San Antonio. |
| A．For 30 years. | B．For 50 years. | C．For 26 years. | D．For 27 years. |
| A．Light candles. | B．Make faces painted. |
| C．Wear traditional clothes. | D．Hear some great poems. |
A group of researchers and scientists from China and other countries are working together
The Mogao Caves have been playing an important role in different cultures and are part of the history of many countries. By
One researcher,
3 . There are many classical cultures in China. All of them have a very long history. Here we introduce four of them.
 | Chinese Handwriting Chinese handwriting is a special art to Asian cultures. Brush handwriting is much loved around the world. Wang Xizhi is very famous for his handwriting. He made a great difference to the development of Chinese handwriting. |
 | Chinese Folk Music Chinese folk music has a long history. It is connected with Chinese ancient stories. One of the classics, Shijing, includes some folk songs in 15 different areas from the West Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period. Traditional Chinese musical instruments include guqin, guzheng, pipa, erhu, xiao and so on. |
 | Chinese Painting Chinese painting is one of the oldest traditional painting forms in the world. Most of the Chinese paintings in ancient China were done on paper or silk. Traditional Chinese painting includes mountains and water, figures (人物), flowers and birds. The paintings show different features during the different historical periods. |
 | Weiqi Weiqi, called “yi” in ancient China, is a smart board game between two players with a history of over 3, 000 years. The game can be treated as the beginning of all ancient chess games. It was introduced to Korea about 2, 000 years ago and was popular among the higher classes. |
| A．piano | B．violin | C．pipa | D．guitar |
| A．mountains and water | B．figures |
| C．flowers and birds | D．dogs |
| A．It is a game between two people. |
| B．It is only popular in China. |
| C．It has a history of over 2, 000 years. |
| D．It was introduced to Korea about 3, 000 years ago. |
4 . The world’s craziest festivals
Crazy festivals all over the world are out there just waiting to be celebrated. Join Cornelia Kumfert on a trip to the most unusual events taking place around the globe.
Burning Man Festival
Every year in Nevada (US) there is artwork and cunosities galore to marvel at when the Black Rock Desert changes into a mammoth art exhibition.
In August and September, some 70,00 people come here to celetrate the Burning Man Festival.
San Diego Comic Con
Surely superheroes don’t queue? Well, at San Diego’s Comic Convention they do. Each July hey open their dos to fans of Superman and other comic figures. More than 100,000 annual visitors have paid homage to their mythical heroes.
Crying Baby Festival, Tokyo
At the Crying Baby Festival in Tokyo (Japan), sumo wrestlers do what they can to bring babies to tears.
Sadists run riot? Certainly not! It’s a 400-year-old tradition based on a Japanese proverb, which says that crying babies grow fastest and parents believe the event brings good health to their children.
Palio Contest, Siena
Fame and honour await the winner of the Palio contest in Siena (Italy).
In July and August, ten inhabitants of different districts of the city jockey for first place in a spectacular horse race.
The trophy goes to the contestant whose horse crosses the finishing line first—whether he’s still in the saddle or not.
1. Which of the festivals offers a view of art?| A．Burning Man Festival. | B．Palio Contest, Siena. |
| C．Crying Baby Festival, Tokyo. | D．San Diego Comic Con. |
| A．On the basis of a proverb. | B．Based on a phrase. |
| C．According to a story. | D．At the request of the public. |
| A．A burning man show. | B．A comedy play. |
| C．A horse race. | D．A baby-crying show. |
