（1）简单介绍“中国诗词大会”引起的反响；
（2）介绍了解中国文化的途径（如阅读相关书籍、利用媒体资源等）；
（3）表达对Chris学习中国文化的祝愿。
注意：（1）词数不少于100；
（2）可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
（3）开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：
中国诗词大会 Chinese Poetry Competition
Dear Chris,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Jin
2 . Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times. Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn .Today's festivals have many origins: some are seasonal, some for special people and some for special events.
Dragon Boat Festival celebrations take place in China on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. They are held in memory of Qu Yuan, a famous person who wrote poems in Ancient China. It was the first traditional Chinese festival added to UNESCO'S List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Thanksgiving is celebrated mainly in North America, in October or November. Traditionally, it was a chance to give thanks for a good year, Now. i is also a time for families to get together for a big dinner.
May Day s a festival to celebrate the start of summer, with celebrations held across Europe and in parts of North America. People prepare decorations with flowers and dance around poles.
The Spring Festival that is also called Chinese New Year is one of the most important Festivals in China.It stars with a new moon and ends 15 day later on the full moon, marking the beginning of spring .During this festival,people eat dumpling, fish and meat and may give children lucky money in red paper. Nowadays, more and more countries around the world are holding celebrations for Chinese Spring Festival.
Festivals let us enjoy life , be proud of our customs and forget our work for a little while.
1. How many festivals are introduced in the text?| A．Two. | B．Three | C．Four | D．Five. |
| A．May Day. | B．Thanksgiving. |
| C．The Spring Festival. | D．Dragon Boat Festival |
| A．Pies and chicken. | B．Dumplings and fish. |
| C．Noodles and meat. | D．Sandwiches and Turkey. |
| A．In China | B．Across Europe. |
| C．in North America | D．In South Africa. |
| A．The introduction of some festivals. | B．The activities of some festivals. |
| C．The customs of some festivals. | D．The history of some festivals. |
3 . Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color. Americans may say they are red hot about something unfair. They are red hot when they are very angry about something. The small hot-tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hot for their color and their fiery(辣的) taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. It comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health.
The color black is often used in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day. A blacklist(黑名单) is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.
The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or green-backs. Dollars are called greenbacks because green is the color of the black side of the paper money.
1. Americans use “red hot” to describe the following EXCEPT_______.| A．something unfair |
| B．small hot-tasting peppers |
| C．the person who is very angry |
| D．popular music like Dixieland jazz |
| A．the expression has a very long history |
| B．the color pink makes people feel happy |
| C．people think the color pink is gentler than red |
| D．healthy babies are born with nice pink skin |
| A．enjoys himself/herself in boating | B．is hit by a high wave |
| C．has a stomach ache | D．likes trees and grass |
| A．Being sent a beautiful gift | B．Passing a very difficult test. |
| C．Being refused during and important interview | D．Being invited to an exciting party |
4 . Chichen Itza is an ancient site sitting in Yucatan State, Mexico, in Central America. This site has been listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chichen Itza was an extremely important religious site for 1,000 years for the ancient Maya people. The Maya civilization began before 2000 BC and lasted until 1697 when Spain took away their last remaining city. The Maya people lived in southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western parts of Honduras and EI Salvador.
From around 600 to 1050 AD, in Chichen Itza, people were able to buy things that were difficult to find. This was thanks to its port, Isla Cerritos, which allowed the city to trade through water. In the 10th century, it became the capital of the area from central Yucatan to the north coast.
The ancient city of Chichen Itza was well planned in design. The pyramids and temples were built in groups, with paved walkways in between. People have found over 80 of these walkways all over the site. The main building groups are the Great North Platform, the Old Chichen, plus the Ossario and Central Groups.
At the center of the site is a castle in a pyramid shape. In Spanish, it's called EI Castilo, which means the castle. But its real name is the Temple of Kukulkan and it actually sits on top of a much older temple. On the 20th of March and the 22nd of September, the sun's rays create a strange shadow across the Temple of Kukulkan. It looks just like a snake slithering down the pyramid staircase. And in fact, the temple is named after the Maya feathered snake god, Kukulkan.
1. What can we learn about the Maya civilization from the text?| A．Its development totally depended on Chichen Itza. |
| B．Its ancient site was mainly in eastern Mexico. |
| C．It lasted for 1,000 years. |
| D．It was put to an end by Spain. |
| A．It was a trade center. | B．It was partly destroyed. |
| C．It took control of Yucatan State. | D．It attracted many foreigners. |
| A．is a palace built by the Spanish | B．sits under an older temple |
| C．is a temple to honor God Kukulkan | D．draw people's attention for its walkways |
| A．Economy. | B．Science. | C．Culture. | D．Art. |
| A．To encourage us to visit Chichen Itza. | B．To talk about some pyramids in Mexico. |
| C．To let us lean about the ancient Maya people. | D．To introduce some basic facts about Chichen Itza. |
Dear Rose,
I like your programs very much. I’m now writing to ask you something about American social customs. My American friends want me to join them in their dinner party. I am very happy and have decided to go, but I’m a little worried about it, too.
The social customs in my country are very different from here, so I’m afraid of making mistakes. Should I bring a present, such as sweets or flowers? Should I arrived on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Wang Lin
Letter B
Dear Wang Lin,
It’s a good idea to bring a small present when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always nice, or you may bring a bottle of wine if you know that your friend drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to be free at the dinner table. If you don’t know about choosing the right fork or knife, just watch the other people, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, ask the person next to you.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank them for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a thank-you card the day after.
Rose
1. Wang Lin wants to _______.| A．make friends with Rose | B．know some social customs for a dinner party |
| C．make her friends happy | D．give her friends a surprise |
| A．a good housewife | B．a member of the dinner party |
| C．a TV hostess | D．a friend of Wang Lin’s |
| A．some fruit | B．a bottle of wine | C．some flowers | D．a knife and fork |
| A．Get there 15 minutes earlier | B．Make yourself at home |
| C．Follow others to use forks and knives | D．Thank your friends for the meal |
| A．difficult | B．friendly | C．enjoyable | D．helpful |
When I was young, I asked my grandmother, “Why is the sea so big?” She thought for a moment and replied, “Because he knows how to combine all the rivers”, smiling. Today, I can still recall that smile on my grandmother’s face because from that lesson, I have learned the importance of integration.
Kipling said, “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet!” But now, a century later, they have met. They have met in business. They have met in education. They have met in arts. Some would argue that these meetings leave us with a choice between East and West, but I believe the best future lies in the creative combination of both worlds. We can make Western ideas, customs and technology our own, and adapt them to our use so that we can enjoy the best of all worlds. This is our best tradition.
But, do Western styles and values threaten our identity? History makes it easy for us to think so — perhaps too easy. Some people seem to think that adopting Western customs, such as a bride wearing white which has long been a color of sadness in China, instead of the traditional Chinese red for her wedding, is a betrayal of our tradition. They fear that as we become globalized, we will no longer be Chinese. However, I do not agree. The wedding of Eastern and Western cultures, whether in white gowns(礼服）or red, brings us variety. Actually, the best attitude towards the trend lies in the lesson history teaches us — a strong and confident nation is at ease in learning from the outside world.
As a lover of Chinese cuisine, our superb flavors(口味）delight me. But my Chinese taste appreciates good food from any land. I even allow the convenience of McDonald’s a place in my life without giving up my good taste. My grandfather taught me to sing Beijing opera from the time I was very young. It is deep in my spirit, part of my soul. I love Beijing opera, because it always reminds me of who I am. But I am also a fan of modern pop music, the No.1 fan of Spice Girls on campus.
Of course, it goes far beyond food, music and dance. It goes into values and ways of thinking about the world.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “integration”? (1Word )2. According to the writer, in what aspects have East and West met? ( No more than 8 words )
3. What is the most important quality of our traditions according to the passage? ( No more than 15 words )
4. What’s the best title for the passage? ( No more than 10 words )
5. What is your attitude towards “globalized”? Please explain in your own words ( No more than 20 words )
1． 时间和地点；
2． 内容：学习日常汉语、了解中国历史和传统文化、参观博物馆等；
3． 报名方式和截止时间．
注意：1． 词数：100左右
2． 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯．
Dear Tom,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
French poet Victor Hugo (1802-1885) once said: “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelt out is a spark.”
Today, when we read books, road signs and posters, it’s probably hard to imagine that only half a century ago, about 40 percent of the world’s adults were still illiterate, according to data from UNESCO. This means that two out of every five adults could neither read nor write in the 1960s. In other words, the “sparks”that now light up our world failed to do the same for theirs.
In response to this situation, UNESCO decided to name Sept. 8 as International Literacy Day, starting from 1967. Every year, the day is celebrated to highlight the importance of literacy and the progress that has been made, which itself is huge — in 2016, the global adult literacy rate rose to 86 percent, while the youth literacy rate was as high as 91 percent, according to UNESCO.
This raises a question: If the mission to boost literacy has basically been accomplished, why do we still celebrate this day?
The truth is that the definition of “literacy” keeps changing. For example, the theme for 2007 and 2008 International Literacy Day was “Literacy and health”, which targeted people’s ignorance of diseases like HIV and malaria (疟疾). For 2017, the emphasis was placed on “Literacy in a digital world”, because not knowing anything about the internet in today’s world is just like lacking basic reading abilities in the 1960s — it’s the “new illiteracy”.
The focus for this year’s International Literacy Day will be “Literacy and skills development”. But the skills in question are not job-specific skills, such as those required to be an electrician or carpenter. Instead, the focus will be on “transferable skills”— communication, critical thinking, multitasking, teamwork, and creativity, to name a few. These are the things that allow us to do our job well — any job.
This echoes what Greek philosopher Socrates said almost 2,500 years ago: “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
And with more people become literate, it’s only a matter of time before their small flame turns into a big fire.
1. What did UNESCO do to raise literacy in 1960s? (within 15 words)2. The theme of this year’s International Literacy Day will be “Literacy and skills development”. What do “skills” refer to here? (within 15 words)
3. What does the underlined word “illiterate” in paragraph 2 mean? (within 5 words)
4. What progress has been made in literacy since 1967? (within15 words)
5. What’s the title of the article? (within 10 words)
9 . People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions — and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.
Rachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly (均匀的) across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.
“We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions,” Jack said. “Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect (忽略) the mouth.”
According to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Caucasian and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral. They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.
It turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than did Westerners. “The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions,” Jack said. “Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and mouth less.”
In short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.
1. The discovery shows that Westerners_______.| A．consider facial expressions universally reliable |
| B．pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth |
| C．observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways |
| D．have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions |
| A．To classify some face pictures. | B．To get their faces impressive. |
| C．To make a face at each other. | D．To observe the researchers’ faces. |
| A．The researchers of the study. | B．The participants in the study. |
| C．The errors made during the study. | D．The data collected from the study. |
| A．do translation more successfully |
| B．study the mouth more frequently |
| C．examine the eyes more attentively |
| D．read facial expressions more correctly |
| A．is a student in University of Glasgow |
| B．studies the fields related to biology or cultures |
| C．has published a new report on human rights |
| D．shows that facial expressions are universal signals of human emotion |
| A．The Eye as the Window to the Soul |
| B．Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills |
| C．How to Increase Cross-cultural Understanding |
| D．Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions |
(1) “中医”有着悠久的历史，经过了数千年的实践和发展；
(2) “中医”也是一门科学，它的优点正得到越来越广泛的认可；
(3) 你自己对“中医”的看法。
注意：(1)词数不少于 100；
(2)可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
(3)开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：“中医” Traditional Chinese Medicine（TCM）
Dear Chris,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Jin
