1 . As Christmas Eve approached, I found myself in New York City, far from my family and friends in Taiwan. I was feeling homesick and lonely, but my Jewish friend, Rachel, who, like me, doesn’t get connected with Christmas due to any religious things, invited me to join her for a dinner in a Chinese restaurant. She explained that it was a tradition for many Jewish people to celebrate this holiday by eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

We went to Jing Fong, a fancy restaurant in Chinatown. The place was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and festive. We ordered a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, and I felt grateful to be sharing this experience with Rachel. As we ate, we talked about our families and our cultures. We laughed and joked, and for a moment, I forgot about my homesickness.

A moment later, a group of carolers (唱圣诞歌的人) came into the restaurant, singing Christmas songs. At first, I was puzzled. Why were they singing in a Chinese restaurant? But then I realized that this was part of the magic of New York City. People from all different cultures and backgrounds could come together and celebrate the holidays in their own way. Rachel and I joined in the singing, and soon the whole restaurant was filled with music. It was a beautiful moment, and I felt blessed to be part of it.

What a night! I learned that even when you’re far from home, you can still find joy and connection with others. Rachel and I may come from different cultures, but we shared amazing food, joyful music, and most importantly heartfelt company. And that’s exactly what all the holidays are all about.

1. Why did Rachel invite the author to join her for dinner?

A．To show respect to God

B．To celebrate Christmas in the Jewish way

C．To share stories about their families

D．To forget about their homesickness

2. What was the author’s initial reaction to the carolers?

A．Fearful	B．Joyful
C．Disappointed	D．Confused

3. How did the author want people to approach Christmas?

A．By focusing on religious traditions

B．By celebrating with family and friends

C．By enjoying a variety of festive dishes

D．By embracing diverse ways of celebration

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A personal blog	B．A commercial promotion brochure
C．A travel guide of New York	D．An academic article

4 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

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     1     (day) activity for Chinese people throughout the history.

After being spread to different parts of the world, tea has received top-level global recognition     2     a shared cultural treasure of mankind. “The     3     (practice) of greeting guests with tea are shared among multiple ethnic groups. They provide     4     sense of identity and continuity for communities, groups and individuals     5     (concern),” states a document from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to UNESCO.

This explanation can be fully manifested by weilu zhucha, which     6     (mean) boiling tea at a stove, a social tea activity going viral among the young generation of Chinese people. By the end of November, 2022, videos recording or introducing this activity     7     (play) 1.14 billion times, and related posts had attracted 11.58 million views on social media platforms, reported CCTV.

Weilu zhucha might be a replacement in the cold seasons for the camping craze.     8     (sit) around with friends and families with a stove, some tea, fruit and refreshments on the table, people may chat, view the surrounding scenery,     9     be immersed in traditional Chinese culture by boiling tea together in person. “    10     appeals to me most is its warm atmosphere when boiling tea.” an Internet user commented on Sina Weibo.

7 . 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.

2. According to the text, if a group of Englishmen, Americans and Italians hold a meeting, who will be the last to arrive?

A．The Englishmen.	B．The Americans.
C．The Italians.	D．All.

3. What do the Japanese like to do at lunchtime?

A．To drink.	B．To get to know each other.
C．To talk business.	D．To sing.

8 . 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.

2. Who created the Cannes Film Festival?

A．A director.

B．An actor.

C．A French artist.

D．A French official.

3. What do the Menton Lemon Festival and the Nice Carnival have in common?

A．Both feature folk songs.	B．Both are held in February.
C．Both attract people at night.	D．Both have high sculptures.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Tea is commonly considered native to Southern China. However, in a garden in Geling village in Metog county in the Tibet autonomous region, the morning air is filled with the sweet aroma of     1     (fresh) picked tea.

Tsering Yangdron, a 25-year-old Monba, one of the ethnic groups     2     live in this region, skillfully makes her way through the garden, carefully picking tender tea leaves and tossing them into a bamboo basket tied to her waist. Tea picking     3     (become) a habit for her over the past five years. After she is done, Tsering Yangdron goes back home, where she also runs a homestay. “We have come up with       4     dish of fresh tea buds fried with eggs,” she said. A kilogram of fresh tea buds       5     (sell) for 300 yuan. Once     6     (dry) and processed to make green tea, their value increases significantly.

Geling was once inaccessible as a result of the dense forests,     7     the opening of the Metog highway in 2013 significantly improved connectivity and created opportunities for economic growth. Prior to Huang Jiabin’s appointment     8     the village’s Party secretary, the tea plantation in Geling was a neglected piece of land.

“    9     (realize) the valley was suitable for growing tea, since 2018, we have improved the management of the tea plantation, introduced advanced planting techniques and provided training for     10     (village),” Huang said.