1 . 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. |
2 . 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 |
3 . The 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago in China to guide agricultural production. They also reflect China’s rich history through the seasonal festivals, special foods, cultural ceremonies, family gatherings and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.
Rain Water signals the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. With its arrival, lively spring-like scenery starts blossoming: the river water defreezes, wild geese move from south to north and trees and grass turn green again.
During Rain Water period, extra care is needed to deal with a returning cold spell and humidity, which is the amount of water in the air.
The wet and humid weather during Rain Water period is considered harmful for people’s spleen and stomach according to Chinese medical practice.
| A．With Rain Water coming, insects become more active. |
| B．A bowl of nutritious porridge is the best choice to nourish the body. |
| C．Therefore, Rain Water is considered as a key period to water the fields. |
| D．According to an old Chinese saying, the rainfall in spring is as precious as oil. |
| E．The temperature in most of the basin areas increases quickly during Rain Water. |
| F．One of the 24 solar terms, which is very important in spring, is called Rain Water. |
| G．The fast increase in air humidity due to rainfall can result in lower temperature and wet weather. |
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 . China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them. This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for the start of spring and farming. This year, the day falls on March 4th.
The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the “descendants (传人) of the dragon”. Therefore, people celebrate the Dragon Head Raising Day with many customs about dragons.
On the day in ancient times, people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to “lead the dragon into the house”. People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest in autumn.
Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat “dragon whisker (细须)” noodles and dumplings called “dragon teeth”.
Today, many customs have faded away. But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother’s brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.
1. Why is the dragon deeply rooted (扎根) in Chinese culture?| A．Chinese people think the dragon is a symbol of power. |
| B．Chinese people see the dragon as a symbol of good luck. |
| C．Chinese people think the dragon stands for the start of spring and farming.. |
| D．Chinese people consider themselves the descendants of the dragon. |
| A．disappear gradually | B．become stronger |
| C．run away | D．die off |
| A．Because the dragon liked the ashes. |
| B．Because the ashes led the dragon into the house. |
| C．Because the ashes brought a good harvest. |
| D．Because the ashes could bring good luck. |
| A．Putting ashes in the kitchen. | B．Eating dragon whisker noodles and dumplings. |
| C．Cutting hair. | D．Eating special foods. |
6 . In the long history of about 5,000 years, numerous Chinese traditional festivals were celebrated in memory of gods or some significant days, some of which are passed down from generation to generation and people always practice special traditional activities in each festival.
Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival is on the 15th day after Spring Equinox, round April 4 or April 5 every year.
Double Ninth Festival
Winter Solstice(冬至)
Winter Solstice is on around December 22 or 23 of solar calendar each year. From Winter Solstice on, the daytime will be longer and longer.
In China, this festival is in late January or early February, the last day of the Lunar year. People celebrate it by having a family reunion dinner, setting off fireworks and staying up late. Breaking the dishes and bowls is a thing all the people scare, but if you did it, you have to say: “sui sui ping an”.
| A．New Year’s Eve |
| B．Spring Festival |
| C．People will go to worship their ancestors. |
| D．People always visit their friends and relatives. |
| E．That day people in different regions eat different food. |
| F．It is a pun(双关语), meaning you will be healthy every year. |
| G．It is celebrated on Sept. 9th of the Lunar Calendar, around October. |
7 . Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving. On this day, crowds of shoppers flood into stores all over the country to take advantage of the season’s biggest holiday bargains. But the real story behind Black Friday is a bit complicated.
The most commonly repeated story behind the post-Thanksgiving shopping-related Black Friday tradition links it to retailers (零售商). As the story goes, after an entire year of operating at a loss, recorded in red ink, stores would supposedly earn a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving, because holiday shoppers blew so much money on discounted products. Though it’s true that retail companies used to record losses in red and profits in black when doing their accounting, this version of Black Friday’s origin is not an accurate story behind the tradition.
The true story behind Black Friday, however, is not as sunny as retailers might have you believe. Back in the 1950s, police in the city of Philadelphia used the term to describe the chaos that happened on the day after Thanksgiving, when tens of thousands of suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city in advance of the big Army-Navy football game held on that Saturday every year. Not only would the police not be able to take the day off, but also they would have to work extra-long shifts dealing with the additional crowds and traffic.
The term didn’t spread to the rest of the country until much later, however, and as recently as 1985 it wasn’t in common use nationwide. Sometime in the late 1980s, however, retailers found a way to reinvent Black Friday and turn it into something that reflected positively on them and their customers. The result was the “red to black” concept mentioned earlier. The Black Friday story stuck, and pretty soon the term’s darker roots in Philadelphia were largely forgotten.
1. What is usually believed to be the origin of Black Friday?| A．The great profit retailers may gain. | B．The way retailers do their accounting. |
| C．The much money shoppers spend. | D．The biggest bargains on this day. |
| A．They had to compete with more shoppers for bargains. |
| B．They had to give up the big Army-Navy football game. |
| C．They had to work more hours to deal with the chaos. |
| D．They had to advance to suburb to fight against floods. |
| A．to attract more customers to shop | B．to create the “red to black” concept |
| C．to make profits by this special event | D．to change people’s impression of it |
| A．To introduce the real history of Black Friday. |
| B．To explain a term with various meanings. |
| C．To show the biggest shopping holiday in US. |
| D．To remind readers of a forgotten truth of red and black. |
8 . In China, tea has become an important part of everyday life for thousands of years. As the tea-processing methods and tea culture have evolved over the years, tea sets have also changed to meet the practical and cultural needs.
During the Tang Dynasty(618~907AD), tea leaves were traded across the country and Asia. For the convenience of transportation and storage, tea leaves were pressed into bricks. To prepare tea, drinkers had to cut them into small pieces and boil them in heat-resistant teapots.
By the Song Dynasty(960-1279), drinkers started to turn the hard bricks into powders (粉末) that could be whipped (搅打) in a cup with boiled water. This whipped tea is most commonly associated with Japanese tea ceremonies today.
By the 1500s, tea bricks gave way to the form of rolled leaves. This innovation led to the invention and use of teapots as we know them today. These teapots originally came from the Yi Xing region of China and were soon copied throughout the world. Then Japanese teapot-makers moved the handle from the side to the top of the teapots.
Tea finally reached Europe in the 1600s, along with the necessary tea sets made in Japan and China. As English teapot-makers began to adapt the tea sets to their country men’s tastes, they eventually added a handle to the tea bowl because of the English habit of drinking hot black tea, which was consumed at higher temperatures. The size of teacups also grew to accommodate milk and sugar in their tea.
By the early 1900s, innovations in tea drinking became an American affair. The most revolutionary one was the tea bag, which was accidentally commercialized by Thomas Sullivan. He had been sending customers tea wrapped in silk bags. Rather than take the leaves out of the bags, as Sullivan intended, the customers put the bags into their teapots instead. Not only did the tea bags push the teapot back to the sidelines of tea service, they were also too large for teacups and led to the modern practice of drinking tea from mugs.
1. Which was used to make the whipped tea in Japan?| A．Rolled tea leaves. | B．Freshly picked tea leaves. |
| C．Powdered tea leaves. | D．Loosely pressed tea leaves. |
| A．Tea bags and mugs. | B．Tea bowls with handles. |
| C．Heat-resistant teapots. | D．Teapots with top handles. |
| A．Customers are very creative. | B．Innovations are relatively easy. |
| C．Marketing strategy is critical. | D．Good ideas can be born by accident. |
| A．The Development of Tea Sets | B．Varieties of Tea Leaves |
| C．Various Tea-making Methods | D．The Spread of Tea Trades |
9 . While tea may have its origins in Asia, now it has found its way into their food culture and traditions in many countries. It is a special way of connecting people all over the world in different ways and ceremonies. That finally all results in a group of people sitting together and enjoying a cup of tea.
Chinese tea culture
Since China is considered as the birthplace of tea, it is no wonder that Chinese tea culture is rich in history and tradition. Today, Chinese tea continues to be used in Chinese medicine and is commonly used on both formal and informal occasions either for personal enjoyment or as a Chinese cultural tradition.
Japanese tea culture
Japan also has a long history with tea, especially Japanese Matcha, which is a kind of ground green tea. Japanese tea is commonly used in Japanese tea ceremonies and only in recent years has become popular in western culture.
British tea culture
When it comes to British tea, British tea culture is what comes to mind. A hot cup of Earl Grey tea often serves with a little milk and a biscuit in the afternoon as a pick-me-up for the day, which makes you feel better and more energetic. Even though tea may not be native to England, this British tea tradition is still going strong today.
Moroccan tea culture
When you visit Morocco, it is hard to miss the outstanding tea culture that is such a special way to welcome guests. Before any gathering, a pot of mint(薄荷)tea is always prepared and served among the host and guests. This is an expression of Moroccan tradition and kindness, which should always be accepted by guests as a sign of appreciation and respect to the host.
1. What do Chinese and Japanese tea cultures have in common?| A．They have a long history. |
| B．They are used in medicine. |
| C．They are well known for green tea. |
| D．They have long been widely recognized. |
| A．To show kindness. |
| B．To get new energy. |
| C．To bring out respect |
| D．To observe a tradition. |
| A．Honest. |
| B．Confident. |
| C．Grateful. |
| D．Friendly. |
10 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms, which reflect the Chinese people’s understanding of time. Here several special solar terms are listed.
Rain Water
Rain Water signals the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. With its arrival, the river water defreezes, wild geese move from south to north, and trees and grass turn green again. Extra care is needed to cope with a returning cold spell in this period. The wet and damp weather during Rain Water period is considered harmful for people’s spleen (脾) and stomach according to Chinese medical practice. Therefore, a bowl of nutritious porridge is the best choice to nourish the body.
Awakening of Insects
As the third solar term in the lunar year, its name implies that animals sleeping in winter are awakened by spring thunder and that the earth begins to come back to life. It is the key time for spring agricultural activities. Modern meteorological science shows that around this period, the earth becomes wet, the hot humid air from the north is strong and creates frequent winds. For this reason, thunder often occurs.
Spring Equinox
Spring Equinox signals the equal length of the day and night time. On the day of the Spring Equinox, the sun is directly above the equator. After the equinox, the sun moves northwards, resulting in gradually longer day time in the Northern Hemisphere. Standing an egg upright is a popular game during this period. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand, he will have good luck in the future.
Grain Rain
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 and people are busy working on the land. 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. With dry soil, an unsteady atmosphere and heavy winds and sandstorms become more frequent.
1. What can we know about Rain Water?| A．River water starts to freeze. |
| B．Taking off the thick coats is advisable. |
| C．Lively spring-like scenery can be seen. |
| D．It falls between the end of spring and the start of summer. |
| A．Farming season. | B．Animal activities. |
| C．Air temperature. | D．Frequent thundering. |
| A．Rain Water. | B．Grain Rain. |
| C．Spring Equinox. | D．Awakening of Insects. |
