Pillows have been used in China for thousands of years and hold a significant place in Chinese culture. In modern times, we enjoy a wide range of pillows
Based on historical records, the development of pillows in China can be learned
The origins of pillows can be traced back to the middle Paleolithic period. During that time, people
References to pillows can also be found in historical documents in ancient China. For instance, a stanza of Shijing, the
During the Warring States period, pillows in China presented a certain level of craftsmanship and
Have you ever had this kind of childhood memory: a family sits together casually during a holiday, drinking and tasting tea after lunch or dinner? This has been a
After being spread to different parts of the world, tea has received top-level global recognition
This explanation can be fully manifested by weilu zhucha, which
Weilu zhucha might be a replacement in the cold seasons for the camping craze.
3 . 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. |
Han Guorui, a folk artist specializing in making Dongming grain pictures, is generally busy in autumn as he needs to collect materials for his work. This year, he has been even busier, as he has attended fairs to demonstrate his skills and promote grain art.
The grain pictures, which take their name from Dongming county in Heze, Shandong province, are a traditional folk craft with a history of more than 200 years. The practice was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage(非物质文化遗产) in 2016 by the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
After being treated to prevent decay and insect infestation, grains, grass and vegetable seeds are glued together to form a picture.
“We use the different shapes and colors of grains and seeds, which are all collected from the field,” says Han.
Born in Dongming, a county along the banks of the Yellow River, he attended a regional fair in mid-October. His pictures attracted many children who asked questions, such as, “will these seeds sprout”, and “can these grains be eaten?”
Han answered the children’s questions while showing them how to use grains and seeds to make a picture.
“Only now, when food is sufficient, can people make a picture with surplus grain,” he says.
To make pictures that more people like, Han works in the style of Chinese ink and Western oil paintings. Now his grain pictures are not only sold in cities across China, but also to overseas markets, including some European countries, South Korea and Japan, he says.
“Grain pictures have become a cultural product that is helping to enrich farmers living on the Yellow River plain,” says Han.
The Yellow River, the country’s second longest, is considered the cradle of Chinese civilization. For thousands of years, the people living along its banks have nurtured rich and vibrant cultures that have endured to this day.
To give people the opportunity to familiarize themselves with its rich culture and plentiful products, Shandong province has organized fairs named after the river throughout the year, with some events held in communities to involve more people.
At the fairs, intangible cultural heritage items, handicrafts, local delicacies, performances, and agricultural products are available.
At one fair in a community in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong, in late October, more than 10 types of handicrafts were on show, including gourd-carving, paper-cutting, textiles and hemp rope weaving.
“The fair builds a bridge between intangible cultural heritage producers and consumers. Using items that are embodied with traditional culture is a good way to pass on culture,” says Sun Xicai, deputy director of Jinan Folk Literature and Art Association.
At the fair, 60-something Yu Shaoqing, who was selling animal-shaped textile products, attracted a lot of buyers.
“Many young people show an interest in my products. They buy them to decorate their rooms and cars,” says Yu.
Yu, who worked in embroidery design before retiring, designs her products, which take the shape of animals like tigers, rabbits and ducks. Currently, she is working on a dragon design for next year to welcome the Year of the Dragon.
1. What do the grains undergo before being used in the artwork?| A．Grains are carefully selected, painted in various colors and air-dried. |
| B．Grains and seeds are bonded following certain preservative treatment. |
| C．Grains and seeds are well preserved so that they will spout. |
| D．Grains are carved and then assembled into a picture. |
| A．due to advancements in technology |
| B．because of nurtured rich and vibrant cultures along the Yellow River |
| C．in situations where there is a sufficient and excessive supply of grains |
| D．as a result of government’s financial supports for local artists |
| A．Electronics and fashion items; performances showcasing modern technology |
| B．Handicrafts, local delicacies, performances, and items embodied with traditional culture |
| C．Industrial machinery and tools; demonstrations of manufacturing processes |
| D．Luxury goods and designer fashion; fashion shows featuring international designers |
5 . If you think about World Heritage Sites, you probably think of places connected with ancient art and culture, historical buildings and monuments. And of course, many of these are on the World Heritage List (WHL) (世界遗产名录). But the WHL contains a lot of sites that are not so obvious. Let’s look at a few of them.
Robben Island in South Africa
This island was used through the centuries a s a prison, a hospital and a military base. But it’s probably most famous as a maximum-security prison for political prisoners in the twentieth century. Nelson Mandela was one of its most famous residents. The WHL says it represents “the victory of democracy (民主) and freedom over oppression (压迫) and racism (种族主义).”
Borders of France and Spain
This is an area of great natural beauty and the mountains have many interesting geological formations. But it is also an area of small farm. People there still use a type of agriculture that used to be common in mountainous areas of Europe but that has almost complete disappeared in modern times.
The city of Brasilia, Brazil
Brasilia is a capital city that was created from nothing in 1956. The WHL calls it “a landmark in the history of town planning”. The different areas of the city and the buildings themselves were all designed at the same time carefully. Every part of the city shows the ideas of the planner and architect.
Simien National Park, Ethiopia
Simien National Park was one of the first sites to be listed in 1978. It is one of the highest mountainous areas in Africa, and the WHL calls it “one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world”. It is also important for its wildlife. The population of some rare animals is getting smaller and smaller.
1. Which of the following sites was listed on the WHL for its political symbol?| A．Simien National Park, Ethiopia. | B．Robben Island in South Africa. |
| C．Borders of France and Spain. | D．The city of Brasilia, Brazil. |
| A．Robben Island in South Africa. | B．Borders of France and Spain. |
| C．The city of Brasilia, Brazil. | D．Simien National Park, Ethiopia. |
| A．the remains of ancient cultures on the WHL |
| B．the household heritage sites on the WHL |
| C．important places of art and culture |
| D．some of the less well-known sites on the WHL |
| A．Peru. | B．Britain. | C．Mexico. |
7 . Canada is diverse and vast, and the festivals celebrated there reflect this. Here are some exciting ones that attract visitors worldwide.
Vancouver Celebration of Light
The largest fireworks competition in the world is held every summer in Vancouver. It consists of concerts, food stalls, and the Seawall Challenge, a popular urban adventure race. The festival, which lasts about a week, makes for a great way to get to know the city from a local standpoint.
Edmonton Folk Festival
From its humble beginning in 1980, Edmonton Folk Festival has grown to be one of the world’s famous folk festivals. Held each August, the lineup of the 10-day-long festival is always outstanding and ticket prices stay reasonable. Edmonton is also a gateway to Jasper and the Canadian Rockies, about two hours away in case you have extra time to explore after the festival.
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the leading film festivals in the world, ranking closely with Cannes and Sundance. Films such as Hotel Rwanda, American Beauty, and The Big Chill made their premieres (首映) at this famous star-filled event held each September. The 11-day-long festival is also known as the kick-off of awards season, with many films that make their first public performance at TIFF going on to get nominated for Oscars and Golden Globe awards.
Montreal Comedy Festival
Since 1983, Montreal Comedy Festival, or, Just for Laughs as it is more commonly known, has been inviting people to get together just for fun, just for entertainment-just for laughs. The festival, which takes place every year for two weeks in July, has grown in popularity and reputation and today features some of the world’s greatest comedians and it also resulted in a television show that is broadcast internationally.
1. What do Vancouver Celebration of Light and Edmonton Folk Festival have in common?| A．They feature fireworks. | B．They require admission tickets. |
| C．They consist of concerts | D．They are held annually. |
| A．Edmonton Folk Festival. | B．Montreal Comedy Festival. |
| C．Vancouver Celebration of Light. | D．Toronto International Film Festival. |
| A．Vancouver. | B．Edmonton. | C．Toronto. | D．Montreal. |
| A．Riddles. | B．Poems. | C．Figures. |
9 . Traveling to every part of the world gets easier, but how well do we know and understand each other? Here is a simple test. Imagine you are planning to hold a meeting at four o’clock. What time should you expect your foreign business friends to arrive? If they are Germans, they’ll arrive on time. If they are Americans, they’ll probably be 15 minutes early. If they are British, they’ll be 15 minutes late, and you should allow up to an hour for the Italians.
The British seemed to think since the English language is widely used in the world, and people would always understand what they do. However, they found they were completely wrong. For example, the Englishmen are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters and have a drink during the meal. The Japanese prefer not to work while eating. Lunch is a time for them to relax and get to know each other and they don’t drink at lunchtime. The Germans like to talk business before dinner. The French like to eat first and talk afterwards. They have to be well fed and watered before they discuss anything.
1. What do the Germans prefer when they go to a meeting?| A．They prefer to be on time. | B．They prefer to arrive very early. |
| C．They prefer to arrive very late. | D．They prefer to wait others. |
| A．The Englishmen. | B．The Americans. |
| C．The Italians. | D．All. |
| A．To drink. | B．To get to know each other. |
| C．To talk business. | D．To sing. |
10 . Four European Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss in 2023
Berck-sur-Mer Kite Festival
For over two decades,more than half a million visitors have come to watch the splendid display of kites flying over the seaside town of Berck-sur-Mer. Taking place every March or April,the festival sees giant dragons, whales, and various cartoon characters in the skies over the sandy beach. The festival also plays host to the International Kite Championships of the World every two years. During this time, experts from all over the world compete against the wind and each other.
Cannes Film Festival
Film lovers will no doubt want to head to the world’s most famous movie festival, the Cannes Film Festival. The red-carpet event was created by a French Minister of Education and Fine Arts. He wanted to establish an international cultural event in France to rival(与……抗衡)the Venice Film Festival. And it’s safe to say, he succeeded. More than 30, 000 professionals, such as directors, actors and actresses from all over the world attend the annual festival.
Menton Lemon Festival
Held over two weeks in February, the Lemon Festival celebrates all things concerning lemons in the city of Menton. More than 200. 000 visitors come to watch the colorful floats(花车)and sculptures created from lemons and oranges. During the daytime, parades of fruit-covered floats make their way through the streets as wind musicians and drummers entertain the crowd.
Nice Carnival
Taking place every February, the famous Nice Carnival is one of the largest carnivals in the world. It is also the most important event on the French Riviera. Over a million people take to the streets of Nice during the day and night. More than 1, 000 dancers and musicians from around the world perform at the magnificent carnival.1. What is Berck-sur-Mer famous for?
| A．Kites. | B．Beaches. | C．Whales. | D．Cartoons. |
| A．A director. | B．An actor. | C．A French artist. | D．A French official. |
| A．Both feature folk songs. | B．Both are held in February. |
| C．Both attract people at night. | D．Both have high sculptures. |
