1 . My husband and I just spent a week in Paris.
The place wasn’t entirely authentic, though. Unlike a normal Parisian apartment, the plumbing (水管) worked.
Parisians are different from you and me. They never look lazy or untidy. As someone noted in this paper a couple of weeks ago, they eat great food and never gain weight.
In France, quality of life is much more important than efficiency.
You can tell this by cafés life. French cafés are always crowded.
A.Not all the customers are tourists. |
B.The quality of life in France is equally excellent. |
C.There was a nice kitchen and a comfortable bed. |
D.The amazing food is mainly consumed by local farmers. |
E.That’s not the only reason the French eat less than we do. |
F.Our aim was to see if we could live, in some way, like real Parisians. |
G.The food is so delicious that you don’t need much of it to make you happy. |
Many people have the hobby of collecting things, e.g. stamps, postcards or antiques. In the 18th and 19th centuries,
The parts of a museum open to the public
Many museums are lively places and they attract a lot of visitors. As well as looking at exhibits, visitors can play with computer simulations (模拟) and imagine
Decorating with Plants, Fruits and Flowers for Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is a
These are some of the most popular in many parts of the country:
Oranges: Orange trees are more
Bamboo: Chinese love their “Lucky Bamboo” plants and you will see them often in their homes and office.
Branches of Plum Blossoms (梅花): The
4 . A housewarming party is a special party to be held when someone buys or moves into a new apartment or house. The person who bought the house or moved is the one who throws the party. The party is a chance for friends and family to congratulate the person on the new home.
Housewarming parties get their name from the fact that a long time ago people would actually bring firewood to a new home as a gift.
A.This isn’t usual though. |
B.It is traditional to bring a gift to a housewarming party. |
C.You can also bring food or drinks to share with the other guests. |
D.If you’re lucky enough to receive gifts, keep them in a safe place. |
E.It also gives people a chance to see what the new home looks like. |
F.The best housewarming parties encourage old friends to get together. |
G.This was so that the person could keep their home warm for the winter. |
5 . For people who are planning a trip, a visit to a museum might not be the first thing they think of. After all, there are plenty of ways to appreciate the world’s civilization, gain exciting experiences and spend quality time with family and friends.
Museums are where people learn something new, at every age! Are you interested in something specific?
Museums support tourism. They are tourism promoters in small towns and large cities. Museums aren’t a burden on tax revenue (税收) or a separate concern from other city projects.
Museums shape communities. They have activities and exhibitions through which visitors can learn about local history. Museums are places where a shared heritage is celebrated and a collective identity is formed. They provide an interesting public space where people meet and talk to each other.
A.Museums bring out the best qualities in children. |
B.Museums often deliver kids-centered exhibitions. |
C.Instead, they generate funding and fuel employment. |
D.Then, visit a local museum to learn about that subject. |
E.Even shopping at the gift shop there is an opportunity for connection. |
F.On the contrary, they consume a small percentage of city funds annually. |
G.The fact, however, is that museums offer magical benefits in many ways. |
In 1998, an eco-museum was established in Suojia Miao, Yi and Hui Township, China’s Guizhou Province. Consisting of 12 villages, including Gaoxing Village, the eco-museum is different from traditional ones. It isn’t enclosed by walls and
Xiong Shaozhen, a 77-year-old resident of Gaoxing Village, weaves every day with a loom (织布机) in a wooden house, her daughter-in-law busy
A decade ago,Gaoxing Village
There are 25 such eco-museums in the province, which are in line
It was a dark and stormy night. The ferocious wind shook the windows wildly, as though someone outside were beating on the glass. It was also New Year’s Eve. We were having our annual party and had a house full of people just starting to celebrate.
Suddenly, we heard loud explosions. Looking outside and up into the hills, we saw sparks(火花) flying from electrical transformers(变压器). One area after another went dark up in those hills. Then there was the loudest explosion of them all and our house went dark too. I tried to find every candle we had and lit them. The candles made everything look lovely. But we had problems. We had fifteen people standing around and we still had to cook dinner. How would we do that without electricity?
The barbecue! Why not cook on the barbecue? We men went outside, some holding flashlights and others cooking. We did a wonderful job. The women stayed inside and got the salads ready. Everything was delicious. There were still a few hours to go before the beginning of the new year, so we all sat around the dining room table and sang up until a few minutes before midnight. We couldn’t watch the ball drop in Times Square on television but that wouldn’t stop us from celebrating. I stood on a chair and, with the help of someone’s watch to tell us the time, we all counted down and I dropped a tennis ball! We all screamed Happy New Year. We didn’t need electricity for that!
Nowadays, we still get together with the same group to celebrate the New Year and we still talk about that special night. I don’t think we have ever laughed so much as we did on that New Year’s Eve.
1. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 1? (1 word)2. What made dinner preparation difficult according to Paragraph 2? (no more than 6 words)
3. How did the people celebrate on New Year’s Eve according to the passage? (no more than 10 words)
4. How does the author feel about that particular New Year’s Eve? (no more than 8 words)
5. What do you think is the most necessary quality when dealing with an unexpected difficult situation? Please explain why. (no more than 25words)
A music concert “Echoes of Ancient Tang Poems” jointly performed by iSING! Suzhou and the Philadelphia Orchestra was staged at Kimmel Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia on Jan. 6.
Another concert featuring Tang poetry was
The iSING! Suzhou International Young Artists Festival
The performances were also held to commemorate(纪念) the
For Greek photographer George Doupas, Beijing is home now. During the past decade, he has been photographing the city, capturing its beauty
“This
With rich historical heritage, Beijing
Doupas is determined to continue with his career in China, hoping to serve as
“I call Beijing my home now,” he said, “I’ll keep sharing photos of China
10 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?A.It promoted the sales of artworks. | B.It attracted a large number of visitors. |
C.It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D.It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
A.They are setting the fashion. | B.They start many fashion campaigns. |
C.They admire super models. | D.They do business all over the world. |
A.learning from | B.looking down on | C.working with | D.competing against |
A.Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
B.A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
C.Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
D.Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |