1 . Ugandan student’s study and adaptation of traditional Chinese craft helps build bridges through art. With its balanced, rounded pot and cups, the tea set seems like Chinese ceramic (陶瓷) at first glance. But closer inspection of its pattern reveals an ancient Ugandan design. “My projects always aim to join some aspects of Chinese and Ugandan culture together,” says the tea set’s creator, Ocen Robert.
In 2015, Robert arrived in China from the East African nation to pursue a higher education in ceramic arts at Jingdezhen Ceramic University in East China’s Jiangxi province. The Ugandan is enrolled in a PhD program focusing on design, with his art pieces sold at national-level exhibitions in China.
He says, “I love it here not only because of its safety, but the raw materials and the production techniques for ceramics here are also among the best in the world.” During his time in China, Robert was given many opportunities to participate in ceramic production, exhibitions and even access to experts — all helping to grow the space where he could express his creativity.
To deepen his understanding and passion for traditional Chinese culture, Robert spends most of his free time in local museums’ culture and history sections. He also gets to know Chinese professionals inside and outside the ceramic world. “I would love to solidify my career as an artist here while helping to link Uganda and China,” Robert says.
“Ugandans are thankful, curious, and passionate about Chinese culture. I would love to introduce the artists back home to study and create ceramic artworks in China and promote them to the world.”
Robert says, “To be a modern artist in Chinese ceramics, one needs to comprehend the full flow of production, which requires years of practice and learning.” One of the most challenging areas of creating his pieces involves creating the “ideal shape and thickness”. He says “I fail at times, but I always practice and try again and again.” Robert has attained the essential spirit of Chinese ceramic arts — accepting and integrating the differences.
1. What is the goal of Robert’s art projects?| A．To promote traditional Chinese ceramics in Uganda. |
| B．To combine elements of Chinese and Ugandan culture. |
| C．To compete in the international exhibitions. |
| D．To restore and preserve ancient Ugandan arts. |
| A．joins | B．entitles | C．declares | D．extends |
| A．Creative and perseverant. | B．Kind and knowledgeable. |
| C．Humorous and passionate. | D．Courageous and intelligent. |
2 . In the day, the view of Wuzhen is dominated by white walls and brown wooden doors, but this scene changes in the night when the different lights in the water town create various stunning colors against the black sky.
Of all the shops in Wuzhen, the workshop selling traditional handmade lanterns stands out the most during the night. The man behind these amazing creations is Gu Yeguang, a 53-year-old craftsman who was born into a family of lantern makers in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.
Although Gu has spent nearly his entire life making lanterns, he has never grown weary of the profession, saying that getting to teach the craft to young people is what motivates him these days.
To craft the frame of the lantern, Gu has to chop bamboo carefully into long and thin sticks before using a candle to scorch (烧焦) the areas that need to be handled. After bending the sticks, Gu binds the ends together and wraps the completed frame with paper. All these have to be done with great skills and rich experience.
The lantern workshop is without doubt one of the most popular attractions in Wuzhen. According to Gu, the workshop would receive more than 100 people during its opening hours from 9 am to 5 pm during the peak summer season. To craft a simple round lantern costs 30 yuan ($4.54). The more unique ones cost 50 yuan each.
After a large group of people departs the workshop following their short class on lantern making, Gu returns to his seat and continues work on a complex dragon-shaped creation. But before he could even pick up his tools, a small girl and her mother enter the space.
“Mummy, mummy, I want a lantern!” the girl exclaims excitedly. Gu raises his head and gets back on his feet. “Sure, let’s get started then,” he says. “Let us begin with this bamboo stick.” And with those few words he lights up the workshop, not with his lanterns but the child’s cherubic (天使般的) smile.
1. Why is Gu still committed to making lanterns?| A．He masters better skills than others. |
| B．He regards making lanterns as a family business. |
| C．He has to earn enough money to support his family. |
| D．He wants to pass down the craft to the young generation. |
| A．Distinctive. | B．Romantic. | C．Significant. | D．Demanding. |
| A．The educational methods of Gu Yeguang. |
| B．The busy but peaceful life of Gu Yeguang. |
| C．The promising future of handmade lanterns. |
| D．The commercial value of handmade lanterns. |
3 . Once a year in a small mountain village, the Mande people gather to hear the folk stories of their traditions. The man playing an instrument called Sosso-Bala while singing is the storyteller. He holds all the folk knowledge of the Mande people.
Most of us don’t have a musical instrument that ties us together, but we have someone in our lives who’s the keeper of our folk knowledge. Often it’s a grandmother, who keeps all our stories of wisdom ready to tell upon request.
Traditionally, we share it in small units—families sharing around a dinner table.
But we don’t gather once a year to reality check our “folk stories” as the Mande people do; nor do we center our folk traditions around a musical instrument. The internet has no reality except its own and, left unchecked, its wisdom has no rhythm(节奏).
| A．It’s just chaos. |
| B．This is why we do it. |
| C．Human wisdom has been passed down through generations. |
| D．The stories can be useful for dealing with all sorts of doubts. |
| E．Nowadays, folk knowledge has expanded to digital networks. |
| F．Now the internet has made valuable folk wisdom at your fingertips. |
| G．Recently, we discovered that this very human practice isn’t limited to humans. |
4 . The Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week held in Ethiopia in November attracted over 5,000 visitors. Though the number is not extremely high, the continent is becoming a new global fashion leader, according to a UNESCO report.
Although most African fashion businesses are small and medium-sized enterprises (企业), the report identified a growing number of high-fashion brands concentrated in key markets on the continent. What makes African fashion unique is its authenticity (真实性), according to Kenyan designer Aulga Nato. “If you check most fashion houses elsewhere in the world, they have done so much that they have less creativity in what they are putting out now. Africa, on the other hand, is rich in cloth. We are huge cotton growers, and we are rich in every single way. That’s our fashion,” she explained.
Africa is a major producer of raw materials (原材料) for the fashion industry, with 37 out of 54 African countries producing cotton and textile exports from the continent averaging $15.5 billion (about 110.2 billion yuan) a year. The continent also has a huge animal population from which it sources animal skins. However, there’s a huge shortage of chemicals to make the materials needed to treat the leather (皮革) from animals used in the clothing industry. And the continent still faces challenges related to the movement of people.
Despite these challenges, African designers are giving their best to their work and leading the world in sustainable fashion and practices. African governments have also taken measures to help designers in achieving their aims. It seems that their efforts have paid off. After checking clothing exhibits at a fashion event, Ghanaian exhibitor Solomon Dodoo noticed that every single cloth is unique and there are no two pieces of cloth that look alike.
1. What makes Africa have an unusual fashion?| A．Its increasing tourism. | B．Its huge cotton production. |
| C．A report from the UNESCO. | D．The authenticity of its fashion. |
| A．A great need for animal skins. |
| B．Lack of chemicals for treating leather. |
| C．The development of cotton production. |
| D．Shortage of creativity among designers. |
| A．They are supported by African governments. |
| B．They abandon unique and sustainable fashion. |
| C．They lead the world in the clothing industry. |
| D．They check clothing exhibits at a fashion event. |
| A．African Fashion is Popular in the World |
| B．African Designers Face Difficulties in Fashion |
| C．African Countries Have Materials for the Fashion Industry |
| D．Africa’s Advantages Promote Its Fashion Industry’s Success |
5 . For a scholar focusing on Australia’s public diplomacy (外交活动), working as a recreational manager in China may never be part of his career path. But Bradley does have lots to say now about his special experience at a resort in the picturesque tropical coastal city of Sanya in South China’s Hainan province.
The 33-year-old Australian is actually a student in international relations completing his PhD through Griffith University. He came to Beijing for a cooperative research at Peking University less than two years ago. Such an academic life was just added color with a chance offered by the cultural exchanges project, “I’m in China”.
“What I liked most about the experience was it was something completely different that you would never be able to do as a regular tourist,” Bradley said in an interview. Bradley was chosen to work as a recreational manager for a Chinese wedding.
The film crew took them to many “amazing sites” and the staff at the resort taught them a lot about how to “incorporate modern Chinese features while still keeping traditional customs”, Bradley said.
“I would have to say two things stick out as the most memorable: the helicopter ride and talking with the staff at the hotel about how to organize weddings here in China,” he said.
That was Bradley’s first time to be in a helicopter, and he was too absorbed with the “stunning” view of the beautiful coastline.
“I think it is so important to show other Australians the different landscapes China has to offer. I think so many Australians, when they think about China, imagine the historical sites of Beijing and the exciting things to see in Shanghai but have no idea about other beautiful places, like Sanya or the many other places people have been taken to in this TV series,” Bradley said.
“I’m in China” is a project sponsored by China Intercontinental Communication Centre and other institutions under the guidance of China’s State Council Information Office. It invites foreign natives worldwide to experience unique jobs and participate in activities that one can find nowhere else except in China. More than 10,000 photos and articles were submitted from around the globe by over 6,00 applicants.
1. What does Bradley actually do?| A．He’s an Australian PhD student. | B．He’s a regular Australian tourist. |
| C．He’s a professional recreational manager. | D．He’s an Australian diplomat. |
| A．Get rid of. | B．Turn down. | C．Take in. | D．Keep off. |
| A．The beautiful scenery of Sanya and special activities. |
| B．Flying in a helicopter and organizing Chinese wedding. |
| C．The historical sites of Beijing and the exciting things in Shanghai. |
| D．Chinese traditional customs and many amazing sites. |
| A．unique but unattractive to foreigners |
| B．special but helpless to know about China |
| C．uninteresting and rejected by foreigners |
| D．unique and popular with foreigners |
6 . In 2001, UNESCO declared 21 May as UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. The day’s not intended to find out the uniqueness of different cultures, separating them from each other.
Visiting an exhibition or a museum dedicated to other cultures comes first since it may inspire you to create something yourself, and heighten your desire to learn about a new topic or culture.
There is perhaps no better way to experience another culture than listening to music. Even if you don’t understand the words, you can still hear the influence of other cultures. You could allow yourself to discover music from every corner of the globe on forums.
It never goes without mentioning language while embracing culture diversity. It is relatively easy to have a go at trying a new language through the many smartphone apps or through an online language exchange.
| A．Or you could listen to radio programmes. |
| B．In short, it’s never too late to learn a language. |
| C．You could also appreciate music in foreign films. |
| D．Remember language serves as a reflection and carrier of culture. |
| E．Learning about traditional stories from other cultures won’t disappoint you. |
| F．Even if you can’t visit a museum at first hand, you can select virtual exhibitions. |
| G．Instead, it’s a chance to unfold the similarities and celebrate the cultural diversity. |
7 . It’s a race against time, as generations of cultural heritage conservators at the Dunhuang Academy make a great effort to protect the artistic charm of the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, despite erosion (侵蚀) by sand and wind.
The team is devoted to protecting the 45,000 square meters of murals (壁画) and more than 2,400 painted sculptures of the 735 caves of the site, the construction of which spans about a thousand years, from the 4th century to the 14th century. The cultural relics are the product of the cultural exchanges that took place over centuries on the ancient Silk Road. “Our work, repairing murals and painted sculptures, is to better preserve the caves, which promotes the great Dunhuang spirit of inclusiveness to the world and inspires modern people,” says Su Bomin, director of the Dunhuang Academy.
Commonly seen “diseases” affecting the murals include cracking and flaking, as well as erosion that is caused by changes in temperature and humidity of the caves, and the deposition of salts. To restore a mural requires an all-rounder. Restorers should know painting, master the skills of a mason and have some knowledge of chemistry and physics, to be able to recognize the problems and their corresponding causes and deliver a solution. They must also select proper materials and tools, and conduct experiments, before formally carrying out the restoration and evaluating the effect afterward.
The restoration should respect the original work and aim to maintain the status quo of the murals rather than repainting them. When the restorers find some parts of murals missing or fading away, they never repaint them to create a “perfect” appearance in restoration. “Cultural relics are witnesses of history,” explains Su. “When you pursue the so-called intact (完好无损的) look for artistic reasons, you will lose their key meaning.”
Cave conservation is about continuously solving problems. “It needs a long-term research to better preserve the caves, over a much wider time span that goes beyond our lifetimes,” Su says. But at least, they can keep the current look of the murals for as long as possible.
1. What is the main purpose of paragraph 2?| A．To show the popularity of Dunhuang murals. |
| B．To explain the history of the ancient Silk Road. |
| C．To stress the significance of the restoration work. |
| D．To present the ways of protecting cultural heritage. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Well-paid. | C．Interesting. | D．Creative. |
| A．Spotting the faded murals in time. |
| B．Fixing the missing parts of murals. |
| C．Maintaining the current look of murals. |
| D．Repainting to perfect the appearance of murals. |
| A．The Artistic Charm of Mural Paintings |
| B．The Mural Restoration in the Mogao Caves |
| C．The Successful Experiment on Cave Conservation |
| D．The Role of the Dunhuang Spirit in Chinese Culture |
8 . You will have a fantastic experience in Quebec. It is full of great festivals for you to enjoy.
Carnaval de Québec
Carnaval de Quebec is one of the largest winter festivals in the world and welcomes celebrators every February. Its week-long programme is packed with a wide range of activities and attractions to delight all ages, which includes countless shows and a host of winter activities like skating and the classic ice boat race.
Festival d’été de Quebec
This huge July festival packs in the crowds — and it’s easy to see why. The festival’s 10-day length means it features an extensive programme that ensures there’s something to suit most musical tastes — with acts ranging from rock and pop to hip-hop and rap. As it matches the Quebéc setting, the festival also features a playlist of top French-speaking acts too.
ComediHa! Fest-Quebec
You’ll have great fun if your visit coincides with (恰逢) this 12-day festival, which brings the laughs every August. Its packed programme of indoor and outdoor shows features everything from top local talent to international acts. The festival, which takes place in Montreal as well as Quebéc City, features no fewer than 500 artists, split between some 350 shows at 15 different venues. So you’ll have every opportunity to slot a show or two during your travels.
Festival d’Opera De Québec
Those who prefer cultural charms won’t miss out during their Quebec visit. The Festival d’Opera de Quebec is held every July to August — two weeks of concerts and musical performances featuring some big-name artists and shows. Since its launch in 2011, it has marked some major milestones.
For further information please click here.
1. Which festival suits a fan for ice sport best?| A．Carnaval de Quebec. | B．Festival d’été de Quebec. |
| C．ComediHa! Fest-Quebec. | D．Festival d’Opera De Quebec. |
| A．It lasts the longest. | B．It takes place in different cities. |
| C．It is held in early summer. | D．It offers wonderful performances. |
| A．A travel website. | B．A tour guidebook. |
| C．A geography textbook. | D．An entertainment magazine. |
9 . A vague image shows a nearly naked man in a vast field of rainforest, spear held up to the sky and pointed at the helicopter circling above him—a man defending his homeland and people from outside influence.
This very scene made front-page news some years ago in the UK. It instantly highlighted the loss of ancestral homelands some tribal communities face as a result of ever-expanding plantations. However, bad news has a way of hitting the headlines, so we’re of the opinion that all aboriginal communities are in decline-and that’s not true.
During my travels through India, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the early nineties, I spent some time living with the Kalash, a tribe that inhabits three valleys in the Hindu Kush mountain range. I became firm friends with Saifullah, the chief spokesperson, and we’re still in touch to this day.
Back then I remember talking to a very serious aid worker in the American Club in Peshawar who told me straightly that the Kalash, surrounded by conservative Islam, had no chance of survival and would be gone in 10 years. That was 25 years ago. When I caught up with Saifullah recently, asked what his response was to those who believe Kalash culture is dying.
“It’s not true,” he declared. “The Kalash culture and community is as strong today as it was when you first came. We still have our festivals. We still have a shaman and bow shakers. an Oazis who are holding the culture. the religion. Our younger people are becoming prouder of the culture they know they are different and they like it. Many are learning the old ways from the fathers,” he added.
Will Millard, a TV presenter who spent a year living with the Korawai of West Papua, agree “Perhaps tribal communities aren’t in decline, but just in transition (转型),” he told me.. “As human society, we are in a constant state of change. We accuse them of losing their culture because they’re wearing clothes, or using a gun instead of arrows, but a T-shirt doesn’t make them any of a Korawai man. Culture lives below the surface,” added Millard.
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic of the text. | B．To call on people to protect forests. |
| C．To show conflicts between humans. | D．To describe tribal communities’ condition. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Disapproving. | C．Uncaring. | D．Ambiguous. |
| A．The Kalash culture has been declining. |
| B．The younger generation have lost their traditions. |
| C．Original culture has made the Kalash richer |
| D．The younger generation have become more aware of their culture’s uniqueness. |
| A．Tribal culture is worth preserving. |
| B．Tribal communities have been damaged. |
| C．Tribal communities are not in decline but in transition. |
| D．Traditional communities’ lives are changing. |
10 . Literary festivals all over the USA offer opportunities for readers to meet their favorite authors and learn about their new projects. You can start planning your next literary vacation!
Summer WordsDates: June 19-22
Price: Free
It’s one of America’s most respected literary festivals and writing conferences. Authors are able to attend advanced workshops in order to improve the craft of writing. Besides, they can meet editors and literary agents and attend public panel discussions to gain inspiration and insight.
Book BonanzaDates: June 23-24
Price: $250
It is a celebration of books covering multiple styles and always nets a huge list of incredible author attendees. What makes it stand out, however, is not just its impressive list of attendees: it’s the charitable focus. All proceeds are donated to charitable causes, including those that benefit women and children.
Los Angeles Times Festival of BooksDates: April 22-23
Price: Free, although indoor panels will require tickets
It is a massive celebration of books and the bookish community, with book signings, panel discussions with distinguished professors and experts, art performances and book giveaways. The two-day event has grown to become an essential element of the L.A. cultural scene.
Imaginarium Book FestivalDates: May 20-21
Price: Free, but VIP tickets for early entry to signing rooms ($45), tickets for the brunch ($50)
It celebrates all things about fantasy and science fiction. In addition to panels where authors will answer your questions, you’ll get to meet and acquire signed books from your favorite authors and have the option of brunching with them at the cosmic (宇宙的) brunch buffet.
1. In which literary festival can you catch a show?| A．Summer Words. |
| B．Book Bonanza. |
| C．Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. |
| D．Imaginarium Book Festival. |
| A．Its profits go to charity. |
| B．It’s meant for women and children. |
| C．It doesn’t charge admission fee. |
| D．It features workshops for notable writers. |
| A．Get an author-signed photograph. |
| B．Dine with your admiring writers. |
| C．Interact with science fiction supermen. |
| D．Obtain one-on-one reading training. |
