1 . Professor Zhu Yunxia, an award-winning researcher and educator at the University of Queensland and has an international reputation in cross-cultural management and strategy, believes that anyone can learn to overcome cultural barriers with the right approach. She offers the following suggestions.
Be prepared for surprises.
One country might contain different cultures—China, for example, is composed of 56 ethnic groups—and within these, people may act in different ways in different contexts and with different groups of people.
While speaking the language is not necessary to understand the culture, it is important to know basic greetings and courtesies (客气话) for social interaction such as “hello” and “thank you”. These everyday phrases and rituals (礼节) are entry points which allow you to access the culture. People will also appreciate that you have made the effort.
Learn to “make strange”.
In day-to-day life, we tend to take many of our own customs and behaviors for granted without recognizing that these might appear odd from others’ point of view.
Use a “cultural bridge”.
The customs of another culture can be too strange or too foreign to understand.
Don’t focus on yourself.
| A．Learn the“cultural grammar”. |
| B．Consequently, wait for the unexpected. |
| C．Develop and expand cooperative awareness. |
| D．Sometimes an “insider” can help us to bridge the gap. |
| E．Be open-minded and always try to aim for a win-win situation. |
| F．Being too self-conscious can harm your ability to interact and learn. |
| G．Learn to look at situations with fresh eyes, starting with our own culture. |
2 . Music Festivals You Need to Attend
Tomorrowland (July 21--30)
Tomorrowland is known as one of the largest, if not the largest, EDM music festivals in the world. Located at De Schorre Provincial Recreational Park in Boom, Belgium, the festival is a one- of-a-kind experience. Visitors are surrounded by beautifully crafted stages while listening to all of their favorite DJs. It’ll be a party, and most definitely a fun time.
Glastonbury (June 22--26)
It may be cloudy and rainy for most of the year, but England shines bright when it’s time for Glastonbury. Not only does this festival have some of the best musicians, it also has dance performances, comedy, theatrics, and more. There’s no need to worry about being too hot because England has the best summer weather for events like this. Artists including Elton John, Arctic Monkeys, Lana Del Rey, and Wizkid are all on the lineup (阵容) this year.
Outside Lands (August 11--13)
With San Francisco as its backdrop (背景幕布), Outside Lands is always a popular festival. There are always some famous faces in the crowds, and in years past we have seen Vanessa Hudgens and Kim Kardashian. This year, the lineup is incredibly strong, featuring Megan Thee Stallion, Lana Del Rey, Lil Yachty, Maggie Rogers, and so many others.
Mysteryland (August 25--28)
This is a festival for the EDM lovers out there. The Netherlands hosts Mysteryland each year, bringing in all of the top DJs and artists from around the world. The festival is the first of its kind in the country, so it’s a unique experience for everyone involved. Bring your rave energy because this festival isn’t for just anyone.
1. Which music festival begins the earliest?| A．Tomorrowland. | B．Mysteryland. | C．Outside Lands. | D．Glastonbury. |
| A．Lana Del Rey. | B．Megan Thee Stallion. | C．Maggie Rogers. | D．Elton John. |
| A．They’re both held once a year. |
| B．They’re both attractive to EDM lovers. |
| C．They’re both the first of its kind in the country. |
| D．They’re both the largest music festivals in the country. |
3 . Have you heard of shikumen houses (石库门) in Shanghai？ It is a type of architecture that combines Western culture and traditional Chinese residential characteristics. It uses stone as door frames (门框) and solid wood in black lacquer (漆) as door leaves (门扇)．Over the past 100 years，many significant historical events have been seen in shikumen houses, such as the first National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1921.
Unfortunately, many Shangbai locals don’t even know about shikumen houses, and they are disappearing due to the development of the city. To make a difference, a group of students from Shanghai International Studies University has established a studio called “Meeting Shikumen”. “We probably can’t stop them from disappearing,” said Mei Zi, 18, the leader of the group. “But we want to let more people know that shikumen houses exist.”
Starting in 2022, the students opened accounts on WeChat and Instagram to share information about shikumen houses, such as the significance of their architectural design and how they reflect Shanghai culture. To draw more young people’s attention to shikumen houses, they also created original IP figures called “Kuku” and “Tiantian”. The students even created a series of WeChat stickers of Kuku and Tiantian, which now have been used by more than 10,000 people.
“This project has become a tradition of our university and will be carried on by students,” Mei said. “In the future, we want to interact with international students in Shanghai, by taking them on theme tours of shikumen houses, to share shikumen with people from various cultures.”
1. What materials are commonly used in the construction of shikumen houses?| A．A mixture of clay and straw. |
| B．A mixture of glass and steel. |
| C．A combination of bamboo and wood. |
| D．A combination of stone and black-lacquered solid wood. |
| A．To prevent shikumen houses from disappearing. |
| B．To raise public awareness of shikumen houses. |
| C．To promote the architectural design of shikumen houses. |
| D．To document historical events related to shikumen houses. |
| A．Created two original IP figures. |
| B．Organised theme tours of shikumen houses. |
| C．Developed an app to introduce shikumen architecture. |
| D．Produced a documentary on the history of shikumen houses. |
| A．To preserve shikumen houses as historical landmarks. |
| B．To establish a museum featuring shikumen architecture. |
| C．To increase global recognition of shikumen houses. |
| D．To spread shikumen houses on social media platforms. |
4 . Shaping, drying, glazing and firing... in less than 5 minutes, a mini vase only millimeters in size starts to take shape as viewers watch on. As the founder of a miniature ceramics (微型陶瓷) studio, Wang Wenhua never expected that his works would surprise viewers in China, let alone those abroad, and that his short videos would earn over 45 million views and 4.2 million likes on a video application.
Having worked in China’s “Porcelain Capital (瓷都)” Jingdezhen in East China’s Jiangxi Province for 14 years, Wang said he had once seen the world’s biggest ceramic here but he had never seen the smallest, so he decided one day to try something different—making micro porcelain.
Things were not easy in the beginning, and many people doubted him. “They called me crazy and mocked me when I went to factories and asked them to help make miniature tools for me to create micro pottery. Even my wife did not support me,” Wang said.
However, Wang did not give up and after about half a year of experimentation, Wang finally made miniature tools on his own and was able to complete his first miniature porcelain—a vase.
According to Wang, the key to making a miniature ceramic work is concentration and a pair of steady hands. After numerous attempts, Wang found that the smallest works he could get were about 2 millimeters in size. “It would probably miss my original intention if I made micro pottery using a microscope, so I have focused more attention on making the smaller pieces more beautiful and complex,” said Wang.
The smallest vase that Wang has made is a bowl only 2 millimeters tall, 3 millimeters wide and 1 millimeter thick. Wang says he plans to apply for the Guinness World Records for the world’s smallest pottery work.
1. What inspired Wang Wenhua to make micro porcelain?| A．The high expectations of the viewers. |
| B．The popularity of his videos on a video application. |
| C．His decision to make something different. |
| D．The responsibility of the founder of the studio. |
| A．Ambitious and wise. | B．Brilliant and wealthy. |
| C．Talented and stubborn. | D．Determined and focused. |
| A．Using a microscope in his work. | B．Advanced tools made by himself. |
| C．Carrying out numerous experiments. | D．Attention on a thing and steady hands. |
| A．Art. | B．Fashion. | C．Education. | D．Psychology. |
5 . Imperial Bricks
Imperial (皇家的) bricks were made completely for imperial buildings, especially palaces, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Mainly made in Suzhou, the bricks were transported through the Grand Canal to Beijing. They have a fine quality, and are strong and hard. They have a pure blue-green coulor like a mirror and produce a metal sound when knocked. Given their high cost, they are properly called the golden bricks . The craft (工艺品) has been on the national-level intangible cultural heritage list since 2006.
Peking Duck
Peking duck has been a famous dish from Beijing since the imperial times, characterized by its delicious skin and meat. The cooked duck is cut into pieces and eaten with green onion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce, often with pancake rolled around fillings. It was selected as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
Shadow Play
Shadow play (皮影) is an ancient form of storytelling that uses flat cut-out figures or shadow play between a source of light and a screen. Various sight effects can be achieved by moving both the dolls and the light source. It is popular in many places along the Grand Canal, including Hebei and Zhejiang. In 2011, Chinese shadow play was listed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Kunqu Opera
Kunqu opera, one of the oldest existing forms of Chinese opera, came from Kunshan of what is now Suzhou city in Jiangsu province. Using emotional lines from poetry classics and through sweet and beautiful singing, it made progress in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and naturally reached other parts of the country via the Grand Canal.
1. Which makes Imperial Bricks get the name of golden bricks?| A．Their color. | B．Their value. | C．Their shape. | D．Their history |
| A．Theater writers. | B．Ancient stories. | C．Classic poems. | D．Famous magazines. |
| A．Shadow Play. | B．Peking Duck. | C．Kunqu Opera. | D．Imperial Bricks. |
6 . Kite Festivals around the World
Hamamatsu Giant Kite Festival, Japan
The large kites of Japan are rectangular (矩形的)，and sometimes as large as 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters! The Hamamatsu Giant Kite Festival started in the 16th century when large kites were flown in celebration of the birth of a baby son to the Lord of Hamamatsu Castle. The audience watches excitedly as the kite fliers use friction (摩擦力) to cut the lines of their matches.
Portsmouth International Kite Festival, UK
This celebration is organized by Portsmouth Oily and the Kite Society of Great Britain. The International Kite Festival is regarded as one of the best, biggest and most popular kite festivals in the world. It has thousands of amazing and colorful kites in the sky and on the ground for visitors to enjoy and appreciate, showing the art of kite flying, kite making tradition around the world and exciting kite flying competitions.
Bali Kite Festival, Indonesia
Hundreds of competing kite teams gather from all over the island to fly their traditional kites. Traditional Balinese kites are as large as up to 4 meters by 10 meters. The kite festival in Bali started off as a seasonal agricultural (农业的) festival to thank God for harvests.
The Zilker Kite Festival, US
The Zilker Kite Festival is the oldest of its kind in the United States. Created in 1929, the Zilker Kite Festival was intended to inspire the creativity of children. The festival is a beloved, family-friendly tradition: activities for all ages, a traditional kite flying competition and show, a fun run and a children’s music concert. There are many competitions held such as Most Unusual Kite, Largest Kite, Smallest Kite, and Strongest Pulling Kite.
1. Where can visitors see all kinds of kites from around the world?| A．In Bali. | B．In Zilker. |
| C．In Portsmouth. | D．In Hamamatsu. |
| A．Bali Kite Festival. | B．The Zilker Kite Festival. |
| C．Hamamatsu Giant Kite Festival. | D．Portsmouth International Kite Festival. |
| A．They include competitions. |
| B．They are international. |
| C．They started in ancient limes. |
| D．They are intended for children. |
7 . A Thai town’s popular “monkey festival” returned Sunday after a two-year break caused by the pandemic.
The fun event took place in Lopburi in central Thailand. There, thousands of monkeys ate lots of fruits and vegetables. The animals could be seen climbing on people and colorful fruit formations made of pineapples, bananas and even costly durians(榴莲).
“Today’s special is the durian, which is expensive. Lopburi monkeys like expensive things,” said Yongyuth Kitwatananusont. She has organised over 30 monkey festivals.
The huge fresh meal cost over $3,000. It is a yearly tradition for locals in Lopburi to thank the monkeys for doing their part in bringing tourists to the area, which is sometimes known as “Monkey Province”. The event takes place on the last Sunday in November.
The theme for this year’s festival was wheelchair monkeys. Yongyuth, the event organiser, planned to give 100 wheelchairs to people who have difficulty in walking.
Tourists have been slowly returning to Thailand after the government started a quarantine-free(免隔离)travel plan for vaccinated(已接种疫苗的)visitors in November. The country saw more than 100, 000 travelers in November. That is as many as the number of arrivals in the first 10 months of 2021.
The festival proved to be a popular event this year. Tourists were seen playing with monkeys with their cameras. “I’m really happy to get to see this and now I’ m thinking about going to the next festival, “ said Ayoub Boukhari, a visitor from Morocco. “It’s quite unexpected and the monkeys are quite lovely.”
The return of the tradition also pleased locals. “It’s the first time in two years that monkeys have got a chance to eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables,” said Lopburi local Thanida Phudjeeb. “I’m happy for them.”
1. What did the monkeys do on this year’s festival?| A．They went anywhere they want. | B．They were offered a special treat. |
| C．They handed out fruits to tourists. | D．They were dressed up to amuse visitors. |
| A．To protect wild monkeys. | B．To attract more foreign tourists. |
| C．To bring benefits to some people. | D．To introduce local cultural traditions. |
| A．Positive reaction from tourists. |
| B．Requirements visitors need to meet. |
| C．A big increase in the number of tourists. |
| D．Locals’ passion for the festival. |
| A．Monkeys Make Local Tourism a Success |
| B．Tourists Visit Thailand to Watch Monkeys |
| C．Animals Live Peacefully with Humans Here |
| D．Monkey Festival Returns to Town in Thailand |
8 . Crosstalk, a traditional form of comic storytelling, is making a comeback in China’s tea houses and theaters.
Audiences can laugh the night away every Saturday at the Qianxiangyi Teahouse in Tianjin, entertained by the apprentices(徒弟) of Hou Baolin, Ma Sanli or Yin Shoushan—all leading crosstalk artists of years past—for only 20 yuan.
The success in Tianjin has also caused the rejuvenation（复活）of crosstalk in Beijing and other places.
Although the art form originated in Beijing in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Tianjin became a place where rising stars formed their styles and new pieces were tried out. The city was well-known nationwide for the quality of its crosstalk performances.
Known in Chinese as xiangsheng (literally, “face and voice”), crosstalk was the chief form of comedy throughout most of the 20th century. In the old days in Tianjin and elsewhere, temple fairs and market were the main places for crosstalkers to perform, although they occasionally also appeared in teahouses or theaters.
Crosstalk pieces draw on every aspect of Chinese culture, from history and folk tales to social issues of the time. Although there’re hundreds of traditional pieces, they’re constantly rewritten to suit the times and the audience, while new works are written as well. It’s one of the features that have made crosstalk a public art form throughout its history.
“Crosstalk was in the doldrums（萎靡不振）with competition from other art forms, especially TV,” said Wang Xiaochun, headmaster of the Northern Storytelling Arts School of China (NSAS). “But it has regained its status with crosstalk fans, especially young people, growing aware of its rare qualities.”
“More and more students are coming to NSAS to study crosstalk, including some girl students,” said Wang. “We’re sure that crosstalk will have a strong market.”
1. What does crosstalk mean in Chinese?| A．Storytelling. | B．Face and voice. | C．Folk tale. | D．Dialogue. |
| A．Crosstalk first arose in Tianjin. |
| B．Crosstalk was mainly performed at teahouses in the past. |
| C．Crosstalk was the most popular art form in the 20th century. |
| D．Crosstalk didn’t appear until the Qing Dynasty. |
| A．it is a popular traditional art after all |
| B．the pieces contain some famous folk tales |
| C．the crosstalkers make it return to teahouses |
| D．the pieces are made to suit the times and the audience |
| A．Negative. | B．Doubtful. | C．Optimistic. | D．Cautious. |
9 . Some annual festivals come out of religious ceremonies or cultural events, while others come about because of marketing experiments or boredom. Here are some festivals that might make you scratch your head.
Wife Carrying World Championship — Sonkajärvi, Finland
Wife carrying started as a sport in Sonkajärvi, Finland, in 1992. Participants are asked to carry their wives in a variety of ways across a 253.5-meter track full of obstacles, from fences to water pools. The prize is awarded based on the wife’s weight in beer.
International Hair Freezing Contest — Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
International Hair Freezing Contest is a fun winter celebration that occurs every February outside at the Takhini Hot Pools. Participants in the contest put their heads in the hot water of the pools and then create frosty hairstyles by shaping their hair as it freezes in the cold air above. Temperatures in the area can reach below －30℃ at the time of the contest. Winners receive a small cash prize.
Underwater Music Festival — Looe Key Reef, Florida, USA
Held in the Florida Keys in America’s only living coral barrier reef (珊瑚礁), the festival has been running for 31 years. A local radio station sponsors the event to promote coral protection and responsible diving, and they play their sea-themed music underwater through speakers hung under boats situated above the reef. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes and play “underwater instruments” to compete for prizes.
Boryeong Mud Festival — Boryeong, South Korea
This annual festival occurs in July in the village of Boryeong. It was originally created as an outdoor marketing event for Boryeong mud cosmetics (化妆品). The mud there is rich in natural minerals and is used to make beauty products. The festival is popular with locals and tourists alike. Notable festivities include a mud pool, mud slides, mud prison and mud skiing.
1. People concerned about the environment will most probably focus on the festival held in_________.| A．Sonkajärvi | B．Whitehorse | C．Florida | D．Boryeong |
| A．Boryeong Mud Festival. | B．Underwater Music Festival. |
| C．International Hair Freezing Contest. | D．Wife Carrying World Championship. |
| A．They all started as fun sports. | B．They are all held in the open air. |
| C．They all offer cash to prize-winners. | D．They are all held in the same season. |
10 . If you're British or live in a Commonwealth nation, Christmas doesn't end on December 25.The day after Christmas is known as Boxing Day, and the relaxing holiday is a chance to allow the celebration for one more restful day.
But its name has nothing to do with the sport of boxing, and unlike the popular idea, did not appear from a need to return unwanted gifts or clean up trash produced by Christmas gifting.
There are several theories as to how that charitable tradition became known as "boxing".Some historians link the use of the term to boxes of donations that were laid in churches during the pre-Christmas season of Advent in the early days of Christianity during the second and third centuries A.D.The day after Christmas, the boxes were opened and the money was given away to the poor.
Another possible story for Boxing Day has to do with a tradition that formed in 19th century Victorian England, where servants sacrificed（牺牲）time with their own families to cater to their employers on Christmas.On the day after Christmas, employers would give the servants a rare day off and send them home with leftovers from the family's Christmas feast for their service.
Though the reasons are lost to history, Boxing Day charity eventually fell out of tradition---and was replaced with physical and material pleasures.Today, the holiday is linked with sports, with major football rugby, and cricket matches and horse races taking place on December 26.
December 26 is also a big shopping day throughout the UK and the Commonwealth.The holiday kicks off what is known as " Boxing Week" , during which retailers（零售商）try to move old stock and shoppers compete for one last bargain of the year.In recent years, though, the American tradition of Black Friday---massive sales that take place the day after Thanksgiving each November---has become popular in the United Kingdom and has largely overshadowed Boxing Week.
1. What kind of festival was Boxing Day probably in the beginning?| A．A charitable festival. | B．A religious festival. |
| C．A sports festival. | D．A business festival. |
| A．Take care of. | B．Depend on. |
| C．Put up with. | D．Pick up. |
| A．It has become an online shopping day. |
| B．It has been replaced by Black Friday. |
| C．It only covers popular sports events. |
| D．It has become less important than before. |
| A．When Did Boxing Day Come into Being? | B．Why Did People Celebrate Boxing Day? |
| C．How Is Black Friday Celebrated in the UK? | D．Why Is Black Friday Popular in the UK? |
