1 . Stargazing Festivals in 2023
As more areas grow brighter with light pollution, national parks across the country have become dark-sky havens. Over the years, they are making a push to get certified as havens for sky-watching by the International Dark Sky Association, and they even host events like stargazing festivals to get travelers excited about astronomy.
·Bryce Canyon National Park—June 14-17
Situated in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon earned its dark-sky title in 2019. The 35,835-acre park is an ideal place to stay up late. This year, its annual astronomy festival includes guided stargazing sessions, lectures and “star stories” presentations, family-friendly activities, and even a performance by strings musicians in the northern Arizona-based Dark Sky Quartet.
·Shenandoah National Park—August 11-13
Conveniently located within a day’s drive from two-thirds of Americans, Shenandoah National Park’s night sky festival is a low-lift way to dabble in astronomy. The nearly 200,000-acre park will host ranger talks, public stargazing sessions, lectures, presentations, and activities for kids. Staffers are still working on this year’s full schedule, but past events have covered topics ranging from space weather to nocturnal(夜间的) creatures.
·Great Basin National Park—September 14-16
Great Basin is one of the least crowded national parks, making it the perfect place to quietly appreciate the mysteries of the cosmos. Its annual astronomy festival is scheduled for this fall and includes guest speakers, constellation talks, observatory tours, and a photography workshop. During the festival’s unique “Art in the Dark” program, participants will get to paint in low-light conditions and experiment with how their eyes perceive color.
·Joshua Tree National Park—October 13-14
Joshua Tree National Park, as the International Dark Sky Association notes, is the “nearest convenient place to go stargazing under a relatively dark sky” for the 18 million people who live in the Los Angeles area. It became an official dark sky park in 2017, and each year, it hosts a night sky festival in the fall. As luck would have it, this year’s dates overlap with an annular “ring of fire” solar eclipse. From Joshua Tree, the moon will appear to obscure between 70 and 80 percent of the sun.
1. What is the purpose of Stargazing Festivals?| A．To raise public interest in astronomy. |
| B．To call for action against light pollution. |
| C．To provide a platform to observe stars. |
| D．To collect money for more observatories. |
| A．Bryce Canyon National Park. | B．Shenandoah National Park. |
| C．Great Basin National Park. | D．Joshua Tree National Park. |
| A．An observatory tour. | B．A photography workshop. |
| C．A stargazing tour. | D．A solar eclipse. |
2 . Having spent more than a decade on the dance floor, ROME — Niccolo Filippi, a 23-year-old Italian dance performer, recently decided to explore Chinese culture and its traditional dance forms and believes that this experience will not only boost his career, but also broaden his horizons beyond the world of dance.
His interest in diversifying his skills grew after he stumbled upon a short video of traditional Chinese-styled dance on YouTube. “I saw it as an art that combines tradition and modernity, which was mostly the reason why I liked it,” says Filippi.
Ever since, he has been closely following Chinese dance performers and watching numerous videos to learn more about the traditional style that he admires. “I prefer the traditional style because of its light movements. It also reflects my personality with elegance,” he adds.
Filippi’s chance came when he was invited to perform for a Chinese New Year celebration in the central Italian city of Florence. He has since fully committed himself to the art form, learning several pieces and putting his newfound passion into practice.
“The biggest difference that I found (compared to other disciplines) is the change of mood and emotional expressions among dances,” says Filippi, adding that he needed to shift from the dynamic moves of hip-hop to the graceful and fluid movements of Chinese dance. Despite various obstacles, Filippi’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Two of his friends shared videos of his performances on social media, and the response was overwhelming. One video garnered 500,000 views, while the other received 200,000 views.
Filippi believes that learning about different cultures is priceless, and he sees it as a means of personal growth. “I like to think of a person as a book,” he says. “Embracing different traditions and cultures, such as Chinese culture and many others, is like adding new chapters to my book, making it more diverse and wonderful.”
1. What is the main reason why Filippi falls in love with traditional Chinese dance?| A．Its potential to boost his career. | B．Its mix of traditional and modern elements. |
| C．Its graceful and light movements. | D．Its true reflection of his elegant personality. |
| A．By listing numbers. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By sharing a story. | D．By making a comparison. |
| A．Filippi thinks little of learning from other cultures. |
| B．People prefer to write down their past experiences. |
| C．Accepting various cultures boosts personal growth. |
| D．A book with chapters on traditions is more wonderful. |
| A．Chinese-styled dance videos go viral on social media. |
| B．An Italian’s dance journey towards specialization starts. |
| C．Filippi’s desire for Chinese culture extends beyond dance. |
| D．An Italian dancer shows passion for Chinese-styled dance. |
3 . In the middle of the Pacific Ocean lies a tiny, remote island whose most famous residents stand guard along the edges of the rocky land. These legendary islanders are actually massive stone statues called moai. There are more than 800 of them on Easter Island.
Carved by the Rapa Nui people, the sculptures—known for their oversized heads—represent Rapa Nui ancestors, and they are considered sacred by descendants of the ancient civilization who still live on the island today.
However, a few of the moai are missing from their native home. One statue has been on display at the British Museum in London, England, for about 150 years and is one of the institution’s most popular exhibits.
But that may not be the case for much longer. Rapa Nui leaders recently announced that they want the statue back. Their request is not unique. A great many museums around the world are facing similar pressure to return historical objects to their homelands.
The issue has raised a debate: Do ancient artifacts belong in the places they came from or should they be displayed in popular museums where millions of people can appreciate them?
Last year, France’s President Emmanuel Macron called for thousands of artworks in French museums to be returned to the countries in Africa from which they were taken without permission.
But many experts believe certain artifacts should remain in museums, which are more accessible for people. That’s one reason officials at the British Museum believe they should keep Hoa Hakananai’a, saying roughly 6 million people visit the British Museum annually—many to see the moai Meanwhile, only about 100,000 people tour the remote stretch of land each year.
Many experts also say that fragile ancient treasures are safer in museums. On Easter Island, for example, several of the moai are worsening because of centuries of rain and winds or harmed by tourists who touch them while taking selfies.
Still, most present-day Rapa Nui people believe Hoa Hakananai’a was stolen. To them, the statue is an important part of the is land’s history that should be returned.
1. According to the passage, moai are________.| A．They are guards to protect the island. |
| B．They represent leaders on Easter Island. |
| C．They trace history back to 150 years ago. |
| D．They connect Rapa Nui and their ancestors. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Neutral | D．Opposed. |
| A．Ancient artifacts should be returned to their countries of origin. |
| B．Hoa Hakananai’a was not stolen but discovered by explorers. |
| C．Museums offer most people the chance to see famous artworks in person. |
| D．The oversized heads of Hoa Hakananai’a are the symbol of the civilization. |
| A．Stone statues like moai can be restored better indoors. |
| B．Hoa Hakananai’a is the best exhibit at the British Museum. |
| C．Tourists are to blame for the damage of all ancient treasures. |
| D．The return of ancient artworks is being requested globally. |
4 . What is heritage? The word can be difficult to define. Heritage is always something that is passed down by families or other groups for many years.
Many parts of the natural world are also important to cultural heritage. This can include bodies of water, plant life, landforms and more. One example is the Nile River.
The intangible group includes any part of cultural heritage that you can’t feel through touch. Maybe you’ve read about forms of dance, like Flamenco dancing. You might know about the music of Mariachi Bands or holidays like Eid. These are all examples of intangible heritage.
Exploring your own heritage can be fun. It can help you learn about yourself, your family, and your ancestors. But it’s also important to learn about the heritage of others.
| A．They are treasures that can be touched. |
| B．What tangible items can be part of heritage? |
| C．However, heritage isn’t limited to concrete objects. |
| D．Languages, holidays and customs also make the list. |
| E．Therefore, it’s difficult to protect them from fading away. |
| F．Doing so can help you build a stronger understanding of other cultures. |
| G．It has been part of cultural heritage in many African nations for centuries. |
5 . Like most foreigners from English-speaking countries, Holt’s first job in China was teaching English in training centers and middle schools. Since November, 2021, he has been a teacher at New Channel, a Beijing-based language training institute. “I teach them theater,” he said.
Holt was very shy as a kid. In the first grade, he was invited to “star” in Romeo and Juliet. He declined. But his teacher insisted on giving him the biggest part. “He gave me the power to empower (给予力量) myself,” Holt explained. He intended to pass on that same feeling. So he studied theater and education at the Evergreen State College in the US, and then went to Asia, first the Republic of Korea, then China.
“Teaching theater and public speaking in China is wonderful, “he said. Training aside, he and his colleagues also adapt Chinese stories, like The Monkey King, into English screenplays for students. “Children literally want to be as dramatic as possible instead of just reciting words,” he said.
But teaching is not all it’s cracked up to be. “The biggest challenge is to get the introverted (内向的) kids-or adults-to speak up,” Holt added. Making the shyest kid the director is one of his methods to build them up. And the change with them is noticeable: students who’d barely utter a word before end up being the loudest person in the room. “I love to see that turnaround,” Holt said.
His future plan is to get as many children as possible to feel more empowered, and “make theater a little bridge” between China and other countries.
Art makes for a universal conversation start. Despite disagreements among different countries, people from different countries can get along well through art. “I think it’s a really powerful thing that we can all share.” he said.
1. How did Holt react when invited to “star” in Romeo and Juliet?| A．He didn’t show interest in the least. |
| B．He turned it down owing to shyness. |
| C．He joined in without any hesitation. |
| D．He wondered if he could play the role. |
| A．It can give shy children power to speak up. |
| B．It can remove all barriers between cultures. |
| C．It can help children overcome any challenge. |
| D．It can change conventional teaching methods. |
| A．Makes up. | B．Contributes to. |
| C．Takes over. | D．Breaks down. |
| A．Art appeals to kids in China |
| B．Theater is to be a trend in teaching |
| C．Art builds a cultural bridge |
| D．Theater will make all kids love art |
6 . Two women in their 50s stand beholding in front of Guanyin of the South China Sea, an ancient Chinese sculpture in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. Over the past 20 years, they have been visiting the museum, describing the “mother Buddha” as “beautiful and tranquil, a symbol of religious traditions in China”. Measuring 2.4 meters high, 1.68 meters wide and 1.1 meters thick, the larger-than-life sculpture was carved from the trunk of a single poplar tree, which has created a sense of calm and warmth in the hall.
Since its launch in 1933, the museum has been actively collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting works of Chinese art, ranging from ceramics to furniture, and from paintings to sculptures. And its Chinese art collection contains masterpieces in various historical stages.
An exhibition on the theme of Lively Creatures—Animals in Chinese Art was held at the museum, displaying tens of Chinese ancient paintings with images of animals in many art forms. The creatures on the paintings represented celebration, personal messages, and even political and religious agendas.
Organizers of the exhibition produced a set of cards, with images of animals on one side and their cultural meanings in Chinese artistic tradition on the other. The cards are provided for visitors for free.
“I find it very interesting, and the way that the things are drawn is very cool,” says 17-year-old high school student Camden Lombard after visiting the exhibition. “I want to go to China someday to find more,” he adds.
“It’s kind of eye-opening and we’re bringing the world together,” says Makar, an educator with the school outreach and education programs of the museum. “There are so many similarities as well as beautiful differences, and we are just trying to understand and appreciate one another.”
“We’re in a moment when it’s sometimes hard to look outside of your own personal viewpoints,” says Howard, manager of volunteer engagement at the museum. “I think having access to seeing what other cultures have created, what they valued and appreciated, and what was important to them, is really important in building that understanding about all the people we share this planet with.”
1. The two women kept visiting the Nelson-Atkins Museum for ________.| A．the grand appearance of the exhibition hall |
| B．their affection for Chinese religious traditions |
| C．the great size of the ancient Chinese sculpture |
| D．their curiosity about the delicate artistic carving |
| A．The organizers gained a handsome profit. |
| B．The cards reflected multinational cultures. |
| C．The visitors had rich travel experiences in China. |
| D．The paintings displayed the charm of Chinese culture. |
| A．Instructive and romantic. | B．Imaginary and fascinating. |
| C．Informative and multicultural. | D．Educational and entertaining. |
| A．To bridge different cultures. | B．To popularize religious symbols. |
| C．To exchange personal viewpoints. | D．To demonstrate Chinese paintings. |
7 . World history has seen three ancient dramas: Greek tragedy and comedy; Indian Sanskrit drama; and Chinese opera. The first two have become historical and only Chinese opera has survived.
Chinese opera took shape in the 12th century. After developing for more than 800 years, its abundant local styles of opera are still enjoying great popularity, of which Qinqiang is one of the most ancient operas.
Qingiang opera is a thousand-year-old local opera originating in China’s inland northwestern region. It has established a unique tradition as an “opera shouted out” with its high-pitched arias(高音唱腔). Li Mei has won a reputation as one of the four greatest Qinqiang actresses. She’s also known for her passionate commitment to exploring the theatrical possibilities offered by Qinqiang.
Li Mei and her workmates are halfway through an afternoon rehearsal(排练)and most have broken into a sweat. Singing in a near-whisper, the forty-year-old opera star performs the stylized movements for the leading role—the bitter dead Lady Li Huiniang in Ghost’s Hate.
Little wonder that Li Mei is such a powerful presence on stage. She’s the greatest contributory actress who’s able to interpret a character so compellingly and tell a story so convincingly that European audiences warmly hug this unfamiliar art form.
Li Mei said, “We performed this opera in the Netherlands to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the founding of Holland’s National Theatre. We enjoyed a fifteen-minute curtain call and the audiences applauded wildly for a long time. The local press entitled me the ‘Nemesis of the Orient’ and the ‘Chinese Venus’. Why is that so? Because they’ve fully understood what the opera implied—the loyalty towards love, and dead as she may be, her love persists.
The reason why this opera was able to touch millions of hearts is that it has a beautiful story presented by a beautiful art form.
1. What can be inferred about Chinese opera from the text?| A．It made history with ancient Greek operas. |
| B．It consists of various dynamic local operas. |
| C．It has a history shorter than Indian Sanskrit drama. |
| D．It originated from the most ancient local Qingiang opera. |
| A．Because its story is easy to be fully understood by foreigners. |
| B．Because its leading role Li Mei is famous as the “Chinese Venus”. |
| C．Because it conveys the popular message of loyalty towards love. |
| D．Because it is a perfect combination of touching plot and attractive form. |
| A．Persuasively. | B．Boringly. | C．Incorrectly. | D．Partly. |
| A．She won a reputation as one of the four greatest Qingiang actresses. |
| B．She brought Li Huiniang, the bitter dead Lady in Ghost’s Hate to life. |
| C．She explored many theatrical possibilities offered by Qinqiang opera. |
| D．She spread one of Chinese traditional cultures to the other side of the world. |
8 . Let’s celebrate some festivals in summer.
The Cariwest Festival
It is one of Edmonton’s most colourful summer festivals! It’s three days of fun as Caribbean Canadians share their music, cuisine and carnival culture! Local performers bring you amazing dance, music and fun. Bring Cariwest atmosphere into your home this year with these amazing online events.
Indigenous Festival
The annual Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival (SSIF) in Edmonton has done a wonderful job to make their annual off-line festival a number of online events this year because of COVID-19. The events take place from June 1 to 21. SSIF has partnered with BMO to provide Education Days for students to learn together about indigenous history. These classes for which only a small fee will be charged include art workshops, book readings and museum tours.
Bluegrass Festival
Just 45 minutes from the heart of downtown Edmonton is the town of Stony Plain that works hard to keep ties to its agricultural background, and here you’ll see old-styled lamp posts and historical wall paintings with a long history everywhere. It’s also the site of Western Canada’s largest bluegrass festival, which has been a main attraction for more than 25 years and in July every year draws in all the big names, including Grammy winners.
Cowboy Festival
You like poetry, music, art and cowboys? Then you can’t miss it. Heading into its 24th year, Cowboy Festival in Stony Plain in August is a showcase of the cowboy life. The events include good old-fashioned BBQ meals and some other entertainment.
1. What is true about SSIF?| A．It takes place in two cities. | B．It focuses on students. |
| C．It is annually held online. | D．It is free of charge. |
| A．It’s a city with modern appearance. | B．It has produced many musicians. |
| C．It has deep roots in agriculture. | D．It often hosts national festivals. |
| A．Cowboy Festival. | B．Indigenous Festival. |
| C．Bluegrass Festival. | D．The Cariwest Festival. |
9 . The Hay Festival (of Literature&Arts) is a book festival. It takes place in Hayon-Wya, a small town in Wales. The festival is held every year, and lasts for ten days between May and June. It attracts over 80,000 visitors and many important writers give readings or discuss their works. The festival started in 1988 and is sponsored by The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Glyndebourne is a festival of opera. It’s organized in a private house: Glyndebourne, which is on the south coast of England. The festival has been held there every summer since 1934. The operas are performed in a specially-designed theatre in the gardens. The festival specializes in the works of Mozart. Visitors to the festival listen to operas in the afternoon. Then, they have picnics in Glyndebourne’s beautiful gardens.
Cheltenham is a horse racing festival held in a town in western England. One of the days falls on St Patrick’s Day (on 17th March), Ireland’s national day. The biggest race of the four-day event is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, one of the most important races in the horse racing calendar. During the festival, hundreds of millions of pounds are gambled on the 28 races.
The Great British Beer Festival is a ...beer festival. It’s held in Olympia (an exhibition centre in London) for a week every August. Over 1,000 different British and foreign beers are served. There are lots of unusual drinks to taste, such as an Oscar Wilde, the Champion Beer of Britain 2011. But the festival isn’t only about beer. There’s live music, book signings and even tutorials on how to taste beer.
1. What do these festivals have in common?| A．They all can attract art. |
| B．They are all UK festivals. |
| C．They all date from the mid-20th century. |
| D．They are all held in private houses. |
| A．The Hay Festival. | B．Glyndebourne. |
| C．Cheltenham. | D．The Great British Beer Festival. |
| A．Learn how to make beer. |
| B．Perform live music on stage. |
| C．Sign their names on books. |
| D．Sample some unusual beers. |
10 . Christmas is approaching. That means drinking hot chocolate, eating a roast dinner and making a snowman.
Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere. That means when it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s summer in Australia. So that’s right, you guessed it. Christmas time in Australia is a very hot and sweaty affair!
On Christmas Day, people don’t like to eat hot turkeys or heavy meals. They like to have a BBQ and eat outside in the evening. Many families will play sports and games together in the evening too, enjoying the cooler weather.
But some Christmas songs have been given a “hot” twist (改编).
One year, I went to Canada to see some relatives at Christmas time. On the morning of Christmas, I woke up to the sight of fresh snow outside. I was so excited. “Now this really looks like Christmas,” I thought to myself.
| A．Still, they sing the same Christmas songs, all about snow. |
| B．The followings are what Australians usually do at Christmas. |
| C．But of course, the real meaning of Christmas is to be with your loved ones. |
| D．People who live near the ocean might go to the beach and play on the sand. |
| E．For example, there is an Australian version of the famous Jingle Bells carol. |
| F．It is a nice way to acknowledge the unique way that Australians spend Christmas. |
| G．But in Australia, where I’m from, most people don’t do these things at Christmas. |
