1 . The “24 solar terms” (节气) originated and was first used in China. It was created thousands of years ago on the basis of practical needs of agricultural. Ancient Chinese people used it to guide agricultural production, explain special climate signs and even come up with healthy living tips. Last year, the 24 solar terms was added to UNESCO's world cultural heritage list(联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产名录). Now, it has been brought to life thanks to a creative designer from Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

On the eve of this year's Qingming Festival, Shi Changhong released (发布) his version of reproduced and packaged characters for each solar term in the form of “moving art” of gifs. Since their first release on Zcool on March 29, the gifs have won great praise among the general public and quickly flooded the social media with millions of hits during the festival period.

To maximize publicity, Shi released his work in three forms: the video, the animation and pictures. The background sounds add to the brilliance.

“When I watch the short video, I can strongly feel the Chinese-style elements hidden in it. And it is really cool to liven up traditional Chinese culture in such a unique way.” WeChat user Xiao Feifei said.

“It is really a comfort to me to see so many people like my latest work. To be honest, it would really surprise me if the work had not aroused great interest among Chinese people. The 24 solar terms is a deeply rooted concept that covers the essence of Chinese wisdom. However, only a small portion of people know all the names or the correct order of those terms. My intention is to increase Chinese people’s self-awareness to learn more about our traditional fine culture. Actually, the 24 solar terms work is only a part of my whole design program ‘Charm China’, which I started a year ago.” Shi told China Daily.

1. Which part of the newspaper does the text probably belong to?

A．Travel.

B．Culture.

C．Agriculture.

D．Education.

2. What do you think the underlined word “Zcool” refers to?

A．Newspaper.	B．Magazine.
C．Radio broadcast.	D．Website.

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

A．The background sounds of the work make the video more attractive.

B．It really surprised Shi Changhong to see so many people like his latest work.

C．Most people know all the names or the correct order of the 24 solar terms.

D．The 24 solar terms work designed by Shi Changhong was added to UNESCO’s heritage list.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce a creative designer.

B．To introduce the 24 solar terms work.

C．To introduce the origin of the 24 solar terms.

D．To introduce a design program “Charm China”.

2 . Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, “Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us.” That “quite” saddened me. I thought he was saying “we’re kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else.” Then I discovered that in American English “quite” sometimes means “very”, while in British English it means “fairly”.

So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don’t just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures.

Some of the differences may be only on the surface——dress, food and hours of work——while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate, while getting on with business.

Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality. If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your quests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word “late” because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.

1. The author was unhappy as mentioned in paragraph 1 because he thought ________

A．The American bank didn’t think much of him.

B．The American bank might hire another person.

C．It’s difficult to get used to American culture.

D．It’s easy to understand Americans.

2. The word “highlight” in paragraph 2 probably means

A．encourages	B．helps to narrow
C．increase	D．stress

3. According to the author, what should we do with most cultural differences?

A．Ask the native people for help.	B．Understand and accept them.
C．Do things in our own ways.	D．Do in-depth research.

4. When invited to a party the people who are usually punctual are ________ .

A．Italians	B．Germans
C．Greeks	D．the British

3 . 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。

The art of paper-cutting in China may date back to the second century, since paper    1    (invent)by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. As paper became more affordable, paper0cutting became one of the most important    2    (type) of Chinese folk art. Later,    3     different regions adopting their own cultural styles, this art form spread to other parts of the world.    4     (usual), the artworks are made of red paper, as red is associated with    5    (happy) in Chinese culture, but other colors are also used.

With    6    (it) long history, paper-cutting,    7    originated in China, has been very popular among the ordinary Chinese people. People put up papercuts on walls, windows and doors at wedding ceremonies or festivals     8    (strengthen) the cheerful atmosphere.

Chinese papercuts are rich in content. The auspicious（吉祥的）designs symbolize good luck and the avoidance of evil. The child, lotus and bat designs suggest a family with    9    large number of children and grandchildren. Birds, livestock, fruit, fish and worms are also familiar objects    10    (accept) by Chinese farmers. In a word, papercuts used in different occasions have different meanings.

4 . The Qingming Festival is celebrated with a three-day national holiday, whose name originates from the saying “Plants start to revive and prosper at Qingming in a clean and bright way. Thus, the festival is called Qingming,” which means clean and bright.     1    . Tomb sweeping aims to commemorate family ancestors while going on a spring outing allows everyone the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery and enjoy the season.

Traditional customs

Tomb sweeping.     2     on this day, the whole family gathers in front of their ancestral tombs. They offer fruit and wine to their ancestors and clean the weeds from around the tomb. Finally, they kowtow and pray, hoping for their ancestors' blessing for the rest of the year.

Spring outing. The time around the Qingming Festival is one of the most suitable seasons fora spring outing, as plants are thriving and flowers are blooming. People can have a great time outdoors with their friends and family.     3    

Traditional food

Qingtuan, a green rice ball tiny enough to fit into your hand, is also called Qingmingguo or Aiguo.     4     It is a mixture of sticky rice powder and green vegetable juice. stuffed with sweetened bean paste, Qingtuan tastes sweet with the fresh fragrance of Aicao, a green spring vegetable, In celebration of Qingming, people from Shaanxi make steamed buns, known as Huamo, made into different shapes.     5     Some are for peaceful family life while others represent the wish for health.

A．With each different look comes a good blessing.

B．The tradition of tomb sweeping originates from the Qin Dynasty.

C．The two main activities over the festival include tomb sweeping and going on a spring outing.

D．Family members gather together to celebrate and taste the food.

E．Playing football and flying kites are popular activities.

F．Many traditional customs are practiced to show respect for our ancestors.

G．It is popular in the southern regions of the Yangtze River.

5 . Wang Dewen, known as “Grandpa Amu” online, is a 63-year-old man. He has skills beyond the _______ of ordinary people and creates woodwork with nothing _______ a single piece of wood. He has brilliant traditional carpentry (木工) skills, _______ first-time viewers online with his woodwork.

The Chinese carpenter has been _______ Lu Ban in modern times. His most _______ video — making a wooden arch bridge, has spread quickly on overseas social platforms, _______ more than 42 million views! Grandpa Amu _______ ancient Chinese mortise and tenon (榫卯) structures in his work, a technique _______ used in traditional Chinese architecture and furniture. The entire _______ of building the arch bridge involves no nails or glue. A man ________ under the video, “A block of wood is ________ into a great work of art. You’re not a carpenter; you’re an ________.”

He has become a real ________ on overseas social platforms — so far attracting millions of fans overseas.____________, Grandpa Amu insists that he is not an Internet celebrity but just an ________ farmer. He has used his extraordinary skills mostly to ________ his young grandson, making all kinds of toys. He is also trying to________ unique Chinese techniques to the world. “We ________ the idea of making the videos because we are ________ to bring our priceless culture to others and make these ancient Chinese technique come to people’s ________,” said Grandpa Amu’s daughter-in-law.

1.

A．memory

B．boundary

C．reach

D．acknowledgement

2.

A．rather than

B．better than

C．less than

D．other than

3.

A．moving

B．astonishing

C．satisfying

D．inspiring

4.

A．compared to

B．influenced by

C．taken for

D．identified as

5.

A．precious

B．complex

C．special

D．popular

6.

A．accepting

B．gaining

C．providing

D．witnessing

7.

A．develops

B．spreads

C．employs

D．improves

8.

A．hardly

B．typically

C．really

D．recently

9.

A．process

B．progress

C．project

D．pace

10.

A．reflected

B．commented

C．explained

D．recommended

11.

A．broken

B．piled

C．transformed

D．mixed

12.

A．artist

B．inventor

C．expert

D．engineer

13.

A．winner

B．hero

C．hit

D．pioneer

14.

A．Therefore

B．Besides

C．Instead

D．However

15.

A．outstanding

B．ordinary

C．ambitious

D．actual

16.

A．entertain

B．educate

C．impress

D．encourage

17.

A．apply

B．deliver

C．adjust

D．introduce

18.

A．lived up to

B．looked forward to

C．came up with

D．made up for

19.

A．anxious

B．bound

C．confident

D．curious

20.

A．vision

B．mind

C．conception

D．knowledge

6 . 假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Michael对中国文化很感兴趣。他听说中国人很重视家风传承，在给你的电子邮件中提出想了解你家的家风以及家风对你的影响。请你给他回复一封信。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：家风 family spirit
Dear Michael,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

7 . 5 things you may not know about Grain Rain

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Rain, as the last term in spring, starts on April 20 and ends on May 4.

Grain Rain originates from the old saying, "Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains," which shows that this period of rainfall is extremely important for the growth of crops. The Grain Rain signals the end of cold weather and a rapid rise in temperature.     1     .

Key time for agriculture

Grain Rain brings a marked increase in temperature and rainfall and the grains grow faster and stronger. It's a key time to protect the crops from insect pests.

    2    

Grain Rain falls between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, with infrequent cold air moving to the south and lingering cold air in the north. From the end of April to the beginning of May, the temperature rises much higher than it does in March. With dry soil, an unsteady atmosphere and heavy winds, wild winds and sandstorms become more frequent.

Drinking tea

There is an old custom in southern China that people drink tea on the day of Grain Rain. Spring tea during Grain Rain is rich in vitamins and amino acids,     3     . It is also said that drinking tea on this day would prevent bad luck.

Eating toona sinensis

People in northern China have the tradition to eat the vegetable toona sinensis during Grain Rain. An old Chinese saying goes ”toona sinensis before the rain is as tender as silk”. The vegetable is nutritious and can help to strengthen the immune system.     4     .

Grain Rain Festival

The Grain Rain festival is celebrated by fishing villages in the coastal areas of northern China.     5     . The custom dates back more than 2,000 years ago, when people believed they owed a good harvest to the gods, who protected them from the stormy seas. People would worship the sea and stage sacrifice rites on the Grain Rain festival, praying for a bountiful harvest and a safe voyage for their loved ones.

A．Sandstorms occur

B．Spring ends

C．Grain Rain marks the start of the fishermen^ first voyage of the year

D．Here are five things that you may not know about the Grain Rain

E．It is also good for the stomach and skin

F．which can help to remove heat from the body and is good for the eyes

G．which helps people gradually develop the habit

8 . 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。

The Laba Festival is regarded as one of the traditional Chinese     1    （festival).It is celebrated on the eighth day of the twelfth month of Chinese lunar calendar,     2    (refer)to the traditional start of celebrations for the Chinese Spring Festival. "La" in Chinese means the 12th lunar month and "ba" means eight.

Legends about it also vary, one of     3    holds that over 3,000 years ago sacrificial rites(祭礼）called "La" were held in the twelfth lunar month when people offered their preys(猎物）    4    the Gods of heaven and earth. The Chinese characters for prey and the twelfth month were interchangeable then, and ever since "La"     5    (use) to refer to both. Since the festival was held on the eighth day of the last month, people    6    (late) added the number eight ( "ba" in Chinese), giving     7    (we) the current Laba.

Traditionally, the Laba rice porridge is also of great     8    (important). The porridge must be boiled for many hours and then offered as a sacrifice to ancestors. It was also a time for the ancient Chinese    9    (pray) to heaven and earth that there would be     10    abundant harvest. Many people hoped for good luck as well for the coming year.

9 . One theory is that kissing all began when cavemen began licking (舔) their neighbours’ faces for the salt on them. But whatever it might have been for, the fact remains that, in one form or another, kissing has been widespread, though it developed mostly in the West.

Ancient Greek and Roman parents kissed their children, and lovers or married people kissed each other, as did friends. In the Middle Ages (the period in European history between about 1100 and 1500 AD) knights kissed before doing battle. Early Christians were often kissed to express respect.

Kissing is very much a cultural practice, and rules and attitudes vary across the globe. The French, who have had quite a lot of kissing practice, have turned kissing into a fine social art, although these days, even they are not sure when or how to do it. Many French kiss one another three, or even more, times. It can sometimes go on for a long time. Italians are enthusiastic kissers at all times, and they have been for centuries. Arabic men greet one another with kisses, as do Arabic women. Russian men too are often seen greeting one another with kisses, and it is especially noticeable in the world of Russia, where the three-kiss greeting has become a social behavior. The British, though, remain shy about social kissing. The Japanese, along with many Asian peoples, consider kissing, at least in public, as a Western custom and sometimes even offensive (冒犯的). Kissing has, however, become more commonplace in some Asian countries in the past few years.

But kissing does seem to be on the increase. We kiss people we used to hug, we hug people we used to shake hands with, and we shake hands with those we used to nod to.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The importance of kissing.	B．Kissing in the Middle Ages.
C．Different reasons for kissing.	D．The early development of kissing.

2. What can we learn about kissing in France?

A．It influences other countries.	B．It seems a bit confusing.
C．It always changes.	D．It takes less time.

3. Where is social kissing least popular?

A．In Britain.

B．In Russia.

C．In France.

D．In Italy.

4. What does the underlined sentence try to say?

A．Kisses are more welcome than hugs.	B．People’s manners are getting friendlier.
C．Kissing is a better way to show respect.	D．There are many different forms of greeting.

10 . 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。

The fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral de Paris(巴黎圣母院) has raised questions about the condition of thousands of other cathedrals and historic     1     (structure) across the Europe. It also raises questions about whether European government     2     (do) enough to keep up and care for such buildings in the past decades. Tibor Navacies, the European Union’s top culture official, told The associated Press that “we are so used to our outstanding cultural heritage     3     we tend to forget that it needs     4     (restore) from time to time." Some people say the fire was a wake-up call , not just for Europe , but the whole world .

Large fires have long robbed humanity     5     knowledge , art and treasures . In 2015 , the German engineering company Siemens     6    (find) that Scotland had about ten    7    ( damage ) fires a year , while England lost at least a dozen listed buildings a year . In Germany , seventy historic buildings have been     8     (heavy) damaged since 2000. Experts say    9    is needed is continuous attention and maintenance. Some say world famous monuments like Notre-Dame are the driving force behind tourism and should get more respect. Sneska , who heads the heritage group Europa Nostra , noted the     10     (significant ) of such respect . " Cultural heritage is a gold mine. You cannot exploit it and then just leave the mine and go to another one.” he said.