3 . 阅读表达
       

Lantern Festival, also called Shangyuan Festival, is celebrated on January 15 of Chinese lunar calendar. It is the first full moon night in the Chinese lunar year, symbolizing the coming back of the spring. Lantern Festival may be regarded as the last day of Spring Festival, the new-year festival of China, in other words, the Spring Festival does not end until the Lantern Festival has passed. Lasting to Lantern Festival, the busy atmosphere of Spring Festival on that day shows new visions and amorous feelings. Lantern Festival is regarded as a good day for family gather-together. According to the folk custom of China, people on that night will lighten up fancy lanterns and go out to appreciate the moon, set off fireworks, guess riddles written on lanterns, and eat rice glue balls to celebrate the festival.

The tradition of appreciating lanterns on the Lantern Festival originates from the Eastern Han Dynasty, which has a bearing on the introduction of Buddhism into China at that time. It is a Buddhist convention that the monks would visit Buddhist relics and lighten up lanterns to show respect to Buddha on Jan. 15. Therefore, Emperors of that dynasty, who were determined to promote Buddhism, ordered people to lighten up lanterns in both palaces and temples on that night to show respect to Buddha. Additionally, civilians were all requested to hang up lanterns on that night, which is why the festival is called “Lantern Festival”. In the Song Dynasty, the custom of guessing riddles written on lanterns on Lantern Festival came into being and people at that time wrote riddles on paper strips and then pasted them on the colorful lanterns for others to appreciate and guess. In the Qing Dynasty, fireworks were set off to add fun, and the Lantern Festival by then witnessed a record-breaking grand occasion.

The traditional dim sum eaten on Lantern Festival is called “yuanxiao” (rice glue ball) or commonly called “tangyuan”. A meaning of family reunion and happiness may be felt even only from such name. Yuanxiao has its appearance made into a ball shape and white sugar, sweetened bean paste, sesame as the stuffing. Besides, walnut meat, nuts, and even meat can be used as the stuffing as well. Apart from the boiling manner, yuanxiao may also be prepared through deep frying and steaming manners.

As time goes by, the Lantern Festival has enjoyed more and more celebrating activities. Some places even add traditional folk-custom performances such as playing dragon lantern, Lion Dancing, stilting, striking land boat, doing the Yangko, and striking Peace Drum. The Lantern Festival, a traditional Chinese festival which has experienced a history of over 2,000 years, is still very popular both at home and abroad, and any place where Chinese people live will witness a busy occasion on that day. 

During the Lantern Festival, Valentine’s young men and women meet with the timing, the Lantern Festival and become China’s “Valentine’s Day.” (491 words)

1. According to the folk custom of China, what will people do on the night of the Lantern Festival?
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2. How did the custom of appreciating lanterns on the Lantern Festival come into being?
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3. Do you know how to prepare yuanxiao? Tell your friends how to prepare it.
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4. What kind of celebrating activities will be held in celebration the Lantern Festival?
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5. Guess lantern riddles
(1). What has a mouth and a fork but never eats?
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(2) What has a hand but can’t scratch itself?
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(3). What has no skin or bones, yet has four fingers and a thumb?
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(4). What part of a watch was used before by someone else?
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(5). Why is an empty purse always the same?
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(6). What is something that never asks any questions but demands a great many answers?
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4 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求回答问题。
       

The Double Ninth Festival, also named Chong Yang Festival, falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, hence it gets name of Double Ninth Festival. On this day, people would like to drink chrysanthemum wine and have chrysanthemum cakes.

The chrysanthemum is a plant often used as a Chinese herbal medicine. People in ancient times believed that, in addition to detoxification, chrysanthemum could drive away evil spirits and prevent one from getting a cold in late autumn. So, making and drinking chrysanthemum could date back to many centuries, and it became the traditional food on the Double Ninth Festival, to avoid evil spirits and misfortunes. Besides, the Chinese word for wine is Jiu, a homonym of the Chinese word for long, symbolizing longevity.

Another special food for this festival is chrysanthemum cakes. The Chinese word for cake is Gao, a homonym of the Chinese word for high, symbolizing progress and promotion at work and in daily life and improvement in life year by year. In addition, mountains are high, so eating cakes can take the place of going for a climb -- by a stretch of the imagination.

Since nine is the highest odd digit, people take two of them together to signify longevity. Therefore, the ninth day of the ninth month has become a special day for people to pay their respects to the elderly and a day for the elderly to enjoy themselves. It has also been declared China’s Day for the Elderly.

 Origin

The festival is based on the theory of Yin and Yang, the two opposing principles in nature. Yin is feminine, negative principle, while Yang is masculine and positive. In ancient times people believed that all natural phenomena could be explained by this theory. Numbers were also related to this theory. Even numbers belonged to Yin and odd numbers to Yang. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a day when the two Yang numbers meet. So it is called Chong Yang. Chong means double in Chinese. Chong Yang has been an important festival since ancient times.

Legend

It is hard to say when these customs were created. But there are many stories which are closely related. As recorded in a historical book of the sixth century, in ancient times, there lived a man named Huan Jing. He was learning the magic arts from Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after many years of practicing Taoism. One day, the two were climbing a mountain. Fei Changfang suddenly stopped and looked very upset. He told Huan Jing, On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown. You must go home immediately. Remember to make a red bag for each one of your family members and put a spray of dogwood on every one. Then you must all tie your bags to your arms, leave home quickly and climb to the top of a mountain. Most importantly, you must all drink some chrysanthemum wine. Only by doing so can your family members avoid this disaster.

On hearing this, Huan Jing rushed home and asked his family to do exactly as his teacher said. The whole family climbed a nearby mountain and did not return until the evening. When they got back home, they found all their animals dead, including chickens, sheep, dogs and even the ox. Later Huan Jing told Fei Changfang about this. Fei said the poultry and livestock died in place of Huan Jing’s family, who escaped disaster by following his instructions.

Since then, climbing a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood and drinking chrysanthemum wine became the traditional activities of the Double Ninth Festival, to avoid evil spirits and misfortunes.

 A Day for Outing

The festival is held in the golden season of autumn, at harvest-time. The bright clear weather and the joy of bringing in the harvest make for a festive happy atmosphere. The Double Ninth Festival is usually perfect for outdoor activities. Many people go hiking and climbing in the countryside, enjoying Mother Nature’s final burst of color before she puts on her dull winter cloak. Some will carry a spray of dogwood.

Therefore, it is now considered the last outing of the year before the beginning of winter, for people to go climbing to get some exercise as well as enjoy the autumn scenery.

1. Why is Chong Yang Festival called the Double Ninth Festival?
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2. Why would people like to drink chrysanthemum wine and have chrysanthemum cakes on the Double Ninth Festival?
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3. Why is Chong Yang Festival also called China’s Day for the Elderly?
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4. Tell your friends the legend of the Double Ninth Festival.
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5 . 假定你是校英文报主编，编辑部已将《美丽中国》学生投稿结集成册，请你给此文集撰写序言。要点如下：
1. 感谢投稿；
2. 出版目的；
3. 邀请阅读。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
参考词汇: Beautiful China: A Collection of Student Contributions《美丽中国：学生作品集》
Dear readers,
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Yours sincerely,

Editor-in-Chief

7 . 假设Williams教授写信邀请你给留学生做一个关于中国文化的演讲。请你写信回复，信件内容包括：（1）接受邀请；（2）介绍演讲主题和要点。
注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯：3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Professor Williams,

I am honored to give a presentation about Chinese culture to international students at your invitation.

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Sincerely yours,

Li Hua