1 . Statistics show that most toddlers (刚学走路的小孩) learn how to say about 20 words by 18 months. Talking is easy. If you ask anyone, none will remember how they started doing it, it just comes naturally.
But what might not flow as smoothly as words, is body language. It's a whole different deal when you're using your hands, eyes or head instead of your tongue. And what makes it even more complicated is the fact that body language differs all around the world.
I find it shockingly amazing how just a small finger gesture could mean one thing in the east and the completely opposite in the west. For instance, in Japan bowing is the most common greeting. It shows respect and Japanese pay a lot of attention to the details like the timing, posture and movement. A bow in Japan represents sincerity, respect and graciousness. While in New Zealand Maori, the pressing of noses and foreheads is the traditional greeting. They call it "hongi”; which is regarded as the breath of life.
For most of us, nodding our head up and down often means agreement, but not for the Bulgarians or Greeks. In both cultures, nodding one's head up and down actually means“no”. The American goodbye wave could actually be interpreted (领会) as a“no”in many parts of Europe and Latin America. And the Italian goodbye wave would be understood in America as a “come here” and the American “come here” gesture would actually be seen as an insult (侮辱) in most of Asia.
So before you travel to explore a different culture, make sure you're aware of alternate meanings for body language. We live in a world with many different cultures, so don't forget how differently one hand gesture can be interpreted!
1. What makes body language misunderstood often?| A．Its wide uses. | B．Its smooth flowing. |
| C．Its difficulties in understanding. | D．The background of different cultures. |
| A．Breath. | B．Respect. | C．Tradition. | D．Greeting. |
| A．America. | B．Greece. | C．New Zealand. | D．Japan. |
| A．The Origin of Body Language | B．The Limitation of Culture |
| C．Body Language Around the World | D．The Difference of Culture Around the World |
2 . How different can other cultures be？Very different！People probably speak different languages and have beliefs and customs very different from yours. They can eat different foods and live in different types of houses. However，they can also be similar in ways of connecting with each other. We sometimes call these means of communication universal（共同的）languages.
Some legends hold that，thousands of years ago，there was a single language spoken by everyone on Earth. Of course，historical evidence does not support this，but it is fun to think about a time when everyone may have been able to communicate in the same language.
Today，there are thousands of languages spoken around the world. Yet，there are some means of communication that go beyond words and allow people of different backgrounds to communicate and share emotions and feelings. For example，some people believe music is a universal language. There may be some scientific support for this idea. Experts have learned that，across cultures，people can recognize three common emotions in music:happiness，sadness and fear.
So what other types of universal languages might there be？Some people believe dance is a universal language. Along with music，dancing seems to be a common interest shared by people all over the world. Do you think you could see a dance from another culture and make some reasonable（合理的）guesses about the ideas and emotions behind it？We bet you could！
Another universal language that you might not have thought of is mathematics! If you think about it now, it just makes sense. The value of pi is roughly 3. 14159 no matter where you are on Earth. Similarly, figuring out the value of something involves the same mathematical calculations, regardless of whether you' re counting in dollars, pesos or coconuts.
1. The first paragraph is mainly to tell us that ___________.| A．cultures are extremely different |
| B．people like eating different foods |
| C．people can communicate in similar ways |
| D．people now live in all kinds of cultures |
| A．the view that people used one language |
| B．the fact that there used to be many languages |
| C．the evidence that proves old languages funny |
| D．the doubt that people didn't understand each other |
| A．it can be easier to understand than languages |
| B．many of the people like listening to music |
| C．it usually comes from different backgrounds |
| D．it helps people to share common feelings |
| A．Mathematics, English and art. |
| B．Music, dance and mathematics. |
| C．Politics, economy and culture. |
| D．Diet, clothes and health. |
3 . People from all over the world have different wedding traditions and marriage customs.The one thing that all wedding ceremonies commonly seem to have is the commitment(承诺)of love for all time during a public ceremony.
Everyone at a wedding hopes for great happiness between the wedding couple.Wedding traditions are usually a way of showing signs of the hope for great happiness.Some of these traditions are very interesting.
In Sweden，the traditional bride will wear three rings by the end of the wedding ceremony.The first is the engagement (订婚)ring that she entered the ceremony with.The second，the wedding ring，is added to the first.A final ring，however，is added as well.This ring is known as the “motherhood” ring.This is said to show that marriage is about more than just love.It is about building a family.
Wedding traditions in the Philippines include the Pandango，a dance which can last for hours.During the Pandango，guests pin (用大头针别住)money to the bride's dress to pay for their honeymoon.
A traditional Irish bride may wear a blue wedding dress－believing blue to be a lucky color.English Lavender (薰衣草)is often mixed with her wedding flowers.It is traditional for the bride to braid her hair (梳头发)－as it is considered a good way to bring luck to the new couple.
There are many wedding traditions around the world which may differ from what they are used to，but if you are about to plan a wedding，you may find it interesting to include some of these traditions in your own wedding.
1. What do all wedding ceremonies seem to have in common?| A．The commitment of love for all time. |
| B．Happiness between the wedding couple. |
| C．An interesting life. |
| D．Building a happy family. |
| A．the duties of the new couple |
| B．the great love between the new couple |
| C．the bride will be not only a wife but also a mother |
| D．the bride will take care of not only her husband but also his mother |
| A．the bride | B．the bridegroom |
| C．their parents | D．the visiting guests |
| A．The reason for different wedding traditions. |
| B．Interesting wedding traditions from different countries. |
| C．The way to prepare for a wedding ceremony. |
| D．Interesting engagement traditions around the world. |
4 . Embroidery is an important art form in Chinese culture. People often embroider handkerchiefs, bed covers, tablecloths and dresses. Sichuan embroidery, also called Shu embroidery, is one of the most famous embroidery styles in China. It is famous for its delicate and bright colors and fine stitches (针脚).
The characteristics are greatly influenced by geographical environment, customs and cultures. Called the “Land of Abundance”, Sichuan Province is rich in grain production. The people of this area also enjoy a slow lifestyle. So when embroidering, they are usually patient and willing to spend time pursuing the form’s complexity and elegance. This could also be a reason why Sichuan embroidery was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2006.
Making beautiful Sichuan embroidery products is never easy. It requires superb workmanship. Meng Dezhi was born to a family of embroiderers. She was one of the most talented employees in the Chengdu Shu Embroidery Factory. Even so, the long and repetitive nature of the process often challenges her. And in winter, when her hands and feet are freezing, things become more difficult. But her love for the work has encouraged Meng to continue. Even for an experienced master like Meng, finishing a piece requires several days or even a few months.
“These experiences may sometimes discourage me, but the love for Sichuan embroidery always gives me motivation to continue,” said Meng. Meng has also popularized the culture of Sichuan embroidery when the tradition was at risk of declining. Because many cheap products are made by modern machines, the factory Meng worked in was forced to close in 2005. To make a living, Meng rented a small space to teach Sichuan embroidery skills to the kids and young people.
“In the early days, I set up the company just for survival, but now I really feel that I have the responsibility to pass on Sichuan embroidery skills to young people. It is like sowing seeds — who knows which of them will become an inheritor (继承人) or guardian of our culture in the future?” she told China Daily.
1. What makes Meng Dezhi stick to embroidering?2. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．Art Made with Modern Machines | B．The History of Sichuan Embroidery |
| C．Passing on Sichuan Embroidery | D．A Talented Sichuan Embroidery Employee |
Sichuan embroidery
Paras, 1-2
Paras. 3-5
Though faced with many dificulties,
Marriage can vary
A man and a woman may choose to get married for many
The
The parents of the bride and the groom arranged the marriage in order to end a fight between the two families without either family
6 . China has more than 30 intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO, including paper-cutting, the Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture (针灸) and so on. The organization adopted a decision that China’s “The Twenty-Four Solar Terms” (二十四节气) should be put on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 in Ethiopia.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge of time and practices in agriculture, starts from the Beginning of Spring and ends with the Greater Cold, moving in cycles. It developed through the observation of the sun’s annual movement in China. In ancient time, the method of tugui, earth sundial (日暑), was used to measure the shadow of the sun for determining the solar terms.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.
As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it have functioned as a complete set of weather calendar (日历) to guide the agricultural production in China. It has also been introduced into North Korea, Japan and other neighboring countries and still used in Japan. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people’s way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.
1. According to the first two paragraphs, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms_________.| A．was used to measure the shadow of the sun |
| B．has not been listed as one intangible cultural heritage of humanity |
| C．is the best intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO |
| D．repeats from the Beginning of Spring to the Greater Cold every year |
| A．the Twenty-Four Solar Terms only influenced spring and autumn |
| B．agricultural production highly influenced the seasonal changes |
| C．people cared about the changes of weather just for fun |
| D．the Twenty-Four Solar Terms had something to do with agriculture |
| A．is part of traditional Chinese culture |
| B．is strongly influenced by North Korea and Japan |
| C．is hard to explain |
| D．is an agricultural calendar merely used in China |
