1 . Food festivals are a common occurrence in the UK and take place in all sorts of places and at all sorts of times. Whatever your taste, there’s a food festival to match — no matter how specialized.
1. Meatopia
This three-day, London-based festival takes place at the end of August and is a meat lover’s paradise. In addition to a range of legally sourced meat products, from juicy burgers to tender steaks, attendees can listen to live music, watch butchery demonstrations, and attend informal meat-based workshops.
2. The National Honey Show
If you have a sweet tooth, then it could be that the National Honey Show, which started in 1921 and is the largest event of its kind, is the place for you to be. This three-day event attracts many local entries who showcase their sweet golden honey, some of which is sold globally.
3. The Orange Sauce Festival
Have you heard about a festival that is devoted only to orange sauce? Held in Cumbria, this sweet, fragrant festival has been running for 3 years. What attracts people most is a competition to find the best homemade orange sauce. There are thousands of participants from over 30 different countries across the globe, bringing their local snacks to share here.
4. The Ginger and Spice Festival
If you’d prefer something with a little more kick to it, then you could attend The Ginger (姜) and Spice Festival held in Market Drayton. Unlike other food festivals, it celebrates its town’s historic connection to Robert Clive, who returned from India with ginger. Because of this, they specialize in baking gingerbread, but also sell a range of traditional spices from mild to hot.
1. What do Meatopia and the National Honey Show have in common?| A．Both of them last for three days. | B．Both of them hold workshops. |
| C．Both of them originated from London. | D．Both of them have a long history. |
| A．The Meatopia. | B．The Ginger and Spice Festival. |
| C．The National Honey Show. | D．The Orange Sauce Festival. |
| A．It has something to do with a historic figure. |
| B．The ginger used in the festival is from India. |
| C．It sells spicy food. |
| D．The food is cooked by Robert Clive. |
Many countries around Asia have unique ways of observing Lunar New Year. Some of these are famous, but Singapore has one special way,
Since its origins as
“Lo Hei”, in Cantonese (广东话)
3 . We did a quick survey of New Year traditions around the world, and couldn’t help but notice that the traditions might reflect cultural varieties? but the meanings behind them are pretty universal.
Philippines
In Philippines? families hold traditional dinner parties called Media Noche to greet the New Year. Circle-shaped fruits are their favorites, such as grapes, oranges and melons, since they look like coins, you know. Filipinos actually try to choose 12 different kinds of fruit to put on the table—one for each month in the New Year.
Make sure you leave some food in your plate. It’s bad luck to start the New Year off as a hungry wolf.
Spain
Many Spaniards will eat 12 fresh grapes at midnight—one with each strike of the clock. Each grape represents a wish for happiness and good luck for every month in the coming year. This “12 grapes in 12 seconds“ custom came from a grape farmer in the Alicante region who wanted to promote his produce about a century ago. The tradition has spread to other countries too? with a few adjustments. In Portugal? they eat 12 dried grapes. In Peru? they eat a thirteenth grape.
Denmark
In Denmark? they eat kransekage, a big horn-shaped cake, on New Year’s Eve. When they’re finished with the cake, it’s Danish custom to throw the used plates against the front doors of their friends and neighbors. It’s actually a sign of friendship.
Italy
Pork sausages are usually served on New Year’s Eve in Italy. Italians choose pork because they think pigs are fat and keep moving forward, while other animals, such as chickens or cows, move backward or stand still.
But whatever you eat into the New Year in Italy-pork, fish or chicken-make sure you stay at home. Italians throw old possessions out of the window after midnight as an out-with-the-old, make-room-for-the-new gesture.
1. How many kinds of fruit are usually served at Media Noche?| A．6. | B．8. | C．10. | D．12. |
| A．The Portuguese. | B．Spaniards. | C．Filipinos. | D．Italians. |
| A．Eating special meat. |
| B．Throwing away old things. |
| C．Leaving food in plates. |
| D．Preferring coin-shaped fruits. |
4 . Below is a list of our top things to do around Lancaster County this October.
Local Makers Market
October 2 | Shops @ Rockvale
Stop by the Shops @ Rockvale, Suite 1709 for the Local Makers Market. This market will have a variety of handmade goods including skin & body care products, candles, pottery, home decor and so much more! Grab a bite to eat from one of the food trucks on site and continue your day of shopping local.
Bridge Bust: Rivertown Redemption
October 5 | Front Street,Marietta
Vendors line Front Street, Marietta for the annual Bridge Bust! The 1-mile stretch of street is closed to traffic so visitors can shop a variety of vendors and purchase delicious food and beverages. This is an event for the whole family. It’s a chance to enjoy craft beer, shop local goods,and be part of the community.
Heritage Day & Car Show
October 11 | Star Barn Village
Calling all car enthusiasts!Enjoy an outing at the beautiful and historic 275-acre Stone Gables Estate and see a variety of makes,models, and years of cars and trucks on display. Many are classics that have been lovingly restored while others may be newer models. Take time to walk the property, enjoy concession foods, and ride the train, but most of all, have fun with your family and meet new friends.
Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival
October 15— 17 | Downtown Lancaster
Lancaster Roots and Blues is an annual festival of music and art held in beautiful downtown Lancaster Pennsylvania, USA. The event is held indoors at multiple venues all located within three blocks of each other. Attendees receive a wristband at check-in and can move about freely from stage to stage.Expect at least 60 different musical artists over the 3-day festival.
1. What can you buy at Shops@Rockvale?| A．Local handmade goods. |
| B．Foreign foods and beverages. |
| C．Classic models of cars and trucks, |
| D．Goods of historical significance. |
| A．Both take place in a street. | B．Both attract families to visit. |
| C．Both exhibit varieties of cars. | D．Both offer hands-on opportunities. |
| A．Local Makers Market, |
| B．Heritage Day &. Car Show. |
| C．Lancaster Roots &. Blues Festival. |
| D．Bridge Bust: Rivertown Redemption. |
5 . Let’s play games from different countries and learn about different cultures.
Otedama (Japan)
It is played alone with five small sandbags. The player kneels down behind the sandbags, throws one in the air, then uses the same hand to quickly pick up another bag and catch the first. Keep going until you’re holding all five. Too easy? Throw up all the bags and catch them on the back of your hand.
Fengzheng (China)
Fengzhengs or kites are believed to have been invented in China during the fifth century BC by Mozi and Lu Ban. By the fifth century AD, paper kites were being used for military purposes such as signaling and measuring distances. These days, locals commonly fly handmade kites to mark the arrival of spring. In Beijing, the kite string is traditionally cut to allow bad luck to be blown away by the wind.
Topfschlagen (Germany)
Germany is the world’s top exporter of chocolate, so no wonder this game is based on the sweet reward. Put some chocolate under an overturned cooking pot. Kids take turns crawling on the ground blindfolded and lightly strike whatever’s in their path with a wooden spoon. When the spoon hits the pot, the chocolate hunter gathers up the treasure.
EI Gatoy El Raton (Costa Rica)
It is a favorite group circle game for kids. One plays el gato (the cat); another is el raton (the mouse). The rest hold hands, forming a circle around the mouse. As the group skips and sings “the cat wants to get the mouse”, the cat runs outside the circle trying to touch the mouse. The players forming the circle raise and lower their arms to block the cat, and the mouse runs around to avoid being touched. When the cat “gets” the mouse, start over with a new cat and mouse.
1. Which game was once used for wars?| A．Otedama. | B．Fengzheng. | C．Topfschlagen. | D．EI Gatoy El Raton. |
| A．Kites. | B．Beans. | C．Meat. | D．Chocolate. |
| A．It requires at least four players in each round. |
| B．It is related with a country’s top exported goods. |
| C．It must be played by children and adults together. |
| D．It started in the East and spread all around the world. |
6 . As an old saying in China goes, “The days of the Sanjiu period are the coldest days.” “Sanjiu period”, which is in Minor Cold (小寒), refers to the third nine-day period (the 19th to the 27th day) after the day of the Winter Solstice (冬至). There are many different customs related to Minor Cold in China.
Eating hotpot
During Minor Cold people should eat some hot food to benefit the body and defend against the cold weather. Winter is the best time to have hotpot and braised mutton with soy sauce. But it is important to notice that too much spicy food may cause health problems.
Eating huangyacai
In Tianjin, there is a custom to have huangyacai, a kind of Chinese cabbage, during Minor Cold. There are large amounts of vitamins A and B in huangyacai. As huangyacai is fresh and tender, it is fit for frying, roasting and braising.
Eating glutinous rice (糯米饭)
According to tradition, the Cantonese eat glutinous rice in the morning during Minor Cold. Cantonese people add some fried preserved pork, sausages and peanuts and mix them into the rice.
Eating vegetable rice
In ancient times, people in Nanjing took Minor Cold quite seriously, but as time went by, the celebration of Minor Cold gradually disappeared. However, the custom of eating vegetable rice is still followed today. The rice is steamed and is incredibly delicious. Among the ingredients (原料), aijiaohuang (a kind of green vegetable), sausages and salted duck are the specialties in Nanjing.
1. What do we know about Minor Cold?| A．It lasts twenty-seven days. |
| B．The Sanjiu period is in this period. |
| C．It refers to the Winter Solstice. |
| D．It marks the first day of winter. |
| A．They fry and toast it. |
| B．They eat it for dinner. |
| C．They steam it with soy sauce. |
| D．They mix it with many other things. |
| A．travel | B．culture |
| C．fashion | D．science |
Beijing Opera,
Later, some other Anhui Opera troupes (班子)
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改 10 处，多者（从第 11 处起）不计分。
On New Year’s Day, I went to a stamp exhibition, what proved to be an unique experience.
At 9:30, I arrived at the exhibition with my precious stamp album, eager and excited. To my delighted, there gathered crowds of stamp lover. Immediately, I joined in them and studied the stamps one by one. I was attracted by the artists’ delicate designs and wanted to learn more. Then some of us got together in small groups to share our collections, chat cheerfully about the stamps. We even told stories behind it like old friends. Time past quickly and it was time to say goodbye to the friends.
I had a great time. Not only I appreciate beautiful stamps but also I made new friends with the same interest. This was really a specially celebration for the New Year.
9 . The old Chinese saying "as happy as spending the New Year" might be outdated now in the busy modern world. The Spring Festival is regarded as the most important festival for Chinese people and an occasion for all family members to get together, like Christmas in the West. But many traditional customs accompanying the Spring Festival, however, have weakened in practice.
Setting off fireworks was once the most typical custom of the Spring Festival. People thought the sputtering(爆裂) sound could help drive away evil spirits. However, the activity has been completely or partially forbidden in big cities for years as the government has taken security, noise and pollution factors into consideration.
"In recent years, some cities have begun to allow people to light fireworks during limited hours at the Spring Festival, surrendering to(屈从于) public demand. Respecting folk traditions is a gesture of respect toward public opinion," said Zhou Xing, a folklore researcher.
"As people gain more income and it becomes easier to buy daily goods, the New Year holiday is just like any other. After long workdays, many people use the New Year holiday to take a rest, rather than visiting friends and neighbors. The process of making and enjoying the family dinner on Spring Festival Eve is the most important thing. However, many families would like to eat out to save time and energy," said Li Shunzhi, a resident of Harbin, Heilongjiang.
"I enjoy the holidays very much in the countryside. My family has been preparing for the Spring Festival more than two weeks before the holiday, cleaning the house, buying holiday goods and decorating the house with paper cuttings. On New Year’s Eve, the whole family stays up to see the New Year in, and in the days to follow, a series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held. Without the ancient traditions, the holiday is nothing to us," said Zhang Hui, from Hebei.
1. Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?| A．Setting off fireworks has been forbidden in some big cities for years. |
| B．Nowadays, people can light fireworks in some cities at the Spring Festival. |
| C．People believe that the sound of fireworks can drive away evil spirits. |
| D．In the past, setting off fireworks couldn’t be seen almost anywhere. |
| A．what people do during the festival now is different from the past |
| B．people would like to have the family dinner on Spring Festival Eve |
| C．people prefer to visit friends and neighbors rather than take a rest |
| D．the New Year holiday is just like any other day |
| A．Zhang Hui often spends two weeks preparing for the Spring Festival. |
| B．Zhang Hui is used to spending the Spring Festival with his family. |
| C．Zhang Hui always takes part in a series of activities after the Spring Festival. |
| D．Zhang Hui lives in the urban area. |
| A．The Spring Festival is as lively as before. |
| B．The Spring Festival is outdated now. |
| C．The Spring Festival is losing its qualities. |
| D．The Spring Festival in China is more important than Christmas in the West. |
10 . “Attention, everyone!” Miss Dalrymple looked at her class of ten-year-olds. “Today we are going to create a special card for Father’s Day, which falls on this weekend.” Then she busied herself handing out the paper and art materials to her noisy pupils.
They were a mixed punch. Some came from the rich side of the town, but the majorities were from parents who struggled to get jobs. So she had not been eager to carry out this activity.
“Think about all the things that your dad does that make him special,” she said loudly as she approached the last table. “You can write a poem or short story thinking of the positive characteristics that make your dad special. The written part of this activity should be completed before you start to decorate your card.”
Andrew looked at the blank page. He had never met, spoken to, or been hugged by his dad, so how could he write about him? Once when he was looking in his grandma’s photo box, he had seen an old black and white photo but it was badly creased(弄皱) and difficult to recognize any clear features. She had quickly taken it from him and buried it deeply among the rest, never to be found again. After thinking for a while, he wrote:
Dear Dad,
You are a person I do not know and would probably not recognize as I only saw an old photo of you a long time ago. I think and wonder about you often, especially when I have no one to talk to about the Saturday fixtures(体育活动). One day when I grow up I will do an Internet search to find you, but I am not sure whether I will be successful as several attempts by the Child Support Agency have not been successful. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.
Love,
Andrew
1. What did Miss Dalrymple ask her students to do?| A．Hand out the paper and art materials. |
| B．Make a special card for their fathers. |
| C．Make a celebration plan for Father’s Day. |
| D．Carry out a school activity on the weekend. |
| A．The students were not willing to finish the task. |
| B．The students were eager to carry out the activity. |
| C．The students didn’t get along well with each other. |
| D．The students’ family conditions were quite different. |
| A．Because he had never seen his father. |
| B．Because his father was not a successful man. |
| C．Because he forgot all the things his father did. |
| D．Because he and his grandma didn’t like his father. |
| A．Andrew’s father has been dead. |
| B．Andrew’s father can’t recognize him. |
| C．Andrew is eager to meet his father. |
| D．Andrew is sure of finding his father. |
