1 . Food festivals are a common occurrence in the UK and take place in all sorts of places and at all sorts of times. Whatever your taste, there’s a food festival to match it — no matter how special.

The Meatopia

This three-day, London-based festival takes place at the end of August or in early September and is a meat lover’s paradise. In addition to a range of legally sourced meat products, from juicy burgers to tender steaks, attendees can listen to live music, watch butchery demonstrations, and attend informal meat-based workshops.

The National Honey Show

If you have a sweet tooth, then it could be that the National Honey Show, which started in 1923, is the place for you. This three-day event attracts many local participants who showcase their sweet golden honey, some of which is sold globally.

The Orange Sauce Festival

Have you heard about a festival that is devoted only to orange sauce? Held in Cumbria, this sweet, fragrant festival has been running for many years. What attracts people most is a competition to find the best homemade orange sauce. There are thousands of participants from over 30 different countries across the globe, bringing their local snacks to share here.

The Ginger (姜) and Spice Festival

If you’d prefer something with a little more kick, then you could attend the Ginger and Spice Festival held in Market Drayton. Unlike other food festivals, it celebrates its town’s historic connection to Robert Clive,who returned from India with ginger. Because of this, people here specialize in baking gingerbread, and sell a range of traditional spices from mild ones to hot ones.

1. What do Meatopia and the National Honey Show have in common?

A．They have a long history.	B．They hold workshops.
C．They originated from London.	D．They last three days.

2. If you are interested in foreign food, which festival do you like best?

A．The Meatopia.	B．The National Honey Show.
C．The Orange Sauce Festival.	D．The Ginger and Spice Festival.

3. What is special about the Ginger and Spice Festival?

A．It sells spicy food.

B．The ginger used in the festival is from India.

C．It has something to do with a historic figure.

D．The food is cooked by Robert Clive.

3 . When it comes to an ox, very similar to a bull, people will think of 2009, the Year of Ox. The Ox is a representative of the farming culture of China. In the farming economy, oxen are the major animals pulling plows (梨).

Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing. In fact, they are seen as “boats on land” for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.

In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities. For example, some people who live in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16^th day of the first month by the lunar calendar, and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.

Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people are very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.

1. The second paragraph focuses on ______.

A．the qualities of oxen	B．creatures for pulling plows
C．treasures of the folk culture	D．tools in the farming economy

2. From the third paragraph, we know that ______.

A．Oxen are no more important today than in the past

B．Ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup

C．Oxen are treated as human in some areas of China

D．People run with oxen to shake off diseases every month

3. Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?

A．The special role of oxen in farming.

B．People’s respect and love for oxen.

C．The practical value of an ox’s body.

D．The contribution of oxen to the economy.

4. Why does the author write the text?

A．To stress the importance of oxen in history.

B．To introduce the Chinese folk culture.

C．To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.

D．To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.

5 . Students’ Journey to Empower Rural Heritage

From Aug 18 to 22 a team of 15 Tsinghua University students, representing diverse backgrounds from China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia, set foot on an overseas research exploration focusing on rural revitalization (振兴) in Indonesian villages, particularly within Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB).

With the diverse cultural heritage, Indonesia is home to over 83,000 villages, each radiating its own charm and character.     1    

The research mission took the students to Sukarara and Sade villages, two of NTB’s tourist destinations.     2    . Sukarara and Sade are a world apart from the busy cities to which most of the students are accustomed, but the villages are a living test to Indonesia’s rich culture and its devotion to preserving traditions. Revitalizing these villages goes beyond mere economic development.     3    . The weaving skills and architectural techniques of Sukarara and Sade villages are not only beautiful, but they are also an inseparable part to the identity of these communities. It’s essential that they strike a balance between progress and preservation.

    4    . They carried with them not only the memories of their experiences there, but also the responsibility to make a positive impact on these remarkable places.     5    . They were optimistic that Indonesian villages could experience meaningful development, ultimately leading to increased opportunities for employment and an improved quality of life.

A．In Sukarara, a local tradition requires girls master weaving skills before marriage

B．They decided to be a bridge between tradition and progress, united for their growth

C．Both were selected for revitalization efforts led by the Village Revitalization Team

D．While these villages possess undeniable fascination, many remain underdeveloped

E．It’s about preserving the cultural heritage and ensuring traditions being passed down

F．As the journey came to an end, all the students regarded it as a rewarding experience

G．This effort includes the knowledge exchange between the students and local villagers

6 . Psychologists tell us that there are four basic stages that human beings pass through when they enter and live in a new culture.

Culture begins with the “honeymoon stage”. This is the period of time when we first arrive in a country where everything about the new culture is strange and exciting. We may be suffering from “jet lag” but we are thrilled to be in the new environment, seeing new sights, hearing new sounds and language, eating new kinds of food.

Unfortunately, after we have settled down into our new life, we can become very tired and begin to miss our homeland and our family, friends, pets. All the little problems in life seem to be much bigger and more disturbing when you face them in a foreign culture.

The third stage is called the “adjustment stage”. This is when you begin to realize that things are not so bad in the host culture. Your sense of humor usually becomes stronger and you realize that you are becoming stronger by learning to take care of yourself in the new place. Things are still difficult, but you are now a survivor.

The fourth stage can be called “at ease at last”. Now you feel quite comfortable in your new surroundings. You can cope with most problems that occur. You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are strong enough to deal with them.

There is a fifth stage of culture shock which many people don’t know about. This is called “reverse culture shock”. Surprisingly, this occurs when you go back to your native culture and find that you have changed and that things there have changed while you have been away. Now you feel a little uncomfortable back home. Life is a struggle!

1. How do you feel during the first stage of culture shock?

A．Happy and excited.	B．Bored and homesick.
C．Lonely and depressed.	D．Angry and frustrated.

2. One’s sense of humor becomes stronger in the “adjustment stage” because________.

A．he gradually gets used to the language and culture

B．he has to understand jokes in a new culture

C．humor can help him to become stronger

D．he often plays jokes on others to be popular

3. Why might reverse culture shock be a problem?

A．It hardly ever happens.	B．It is extremely stressful.
C．It is unexpected.	D．It only happens to young people.

7 . When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict (描绘) birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals.

Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive (破坏性的) action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside.

Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated (恶化) and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

1. What does the underlined phrases “pays heed to” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．discovers	B．watches
C．notices	D．affects

2. According to the text, which animals appear most often on the cave walls?

A．birds	B．wild dogs
C．horses	D．wild cats

3. Why was painting inside the Lascaux complex a difficult task?

A．It was completely dark inside.

B．The caves were full of wild animals.

C．Painting materials were hard to find.

D．Many painting spaces were difficult to reach.

4. What happened to the Lascaux caves in 1963?

A．Visitors were prevented from entering.	B．New lighting system was fixed.
C．Another part was discovered.	D．A new entrance was created.

8 . Minor Cold is the 23rd solar term of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms. For most areas of China, it marks the start of the coldest days of the year. Still, bitter cold can’t prevent people from enjoying their lives.     1    

Enjoy Mutton hot pot and baked sweet potato.

Mutton hot pot, and baked sweet potato are two recommended foods for Minor Cold.     2     It can help prevent cold from harming their organs. The yang energy in the three types of food is strengthened through their method of cooking: boiling, stir frying and baking.

Eat Laba porridge.

Another important traditional food for Minor Cold is Laba porridge.     3     Local people in Beijing often cook Laba porridge on the night of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. After one night’s slow simmering, all the ingredients melt into the porridge in the morning of the eighth day, becoming a warm delicacy to enjoy on cold days.

    4    

People in Nanjing used to take Minor Cold quite seriously, and they still keep a custom of eating vegetable rice to celebrate this solar term. The rice is steamed with aijiaohuang, sausage and salted duck that are all the specialties in Nanjing.

Make Chinese traditional herbal medicine.

    5     Many people need them to prepare new medicines, which will be consumed before the Lunar New Year.

A．Stock up for New Year.

B．Taste Nanjing vegetable rice.

C．It is made from over 20 kinds of nuts, cereals and dried fruits.

D．Minor Cold is also the busiest time for doctors and pharmacies,

E．Here are some things that help us stay warm during Minor Cold.

F．Beef, sesame and walnuts are also good choices for Minor Cold.

G．According to Chinese tradition, people eat food containing more yang energy.

9 . The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms (节气). Cold Dew (寒露), the 17th solar term of the year, begins this year on Oct. 8 and ends on Oct. 23. At this time, the dew is greater and colder and there will be less rain. Autumn crops will be ripe. Here are three things you should know about Cold Dew.

Foggy autumn

Temperatures drop significantly in October. When the cold air encounters autumn rain, the abundant water vapor in the air soon reaches saturation (饱和状态), and then it turns into fog. When the humidity is high, there will be foggy regions formed in many areas of China.

Season for fishing

People always say that fishing in shallow water in autumn makes sense. That’s because during the Cold Dew period, temperatures decrease quickly and sunshine doesn’t reach deep water thoroughly. Fish swim to shallow water areas where the water temperature is relatively high.

Season for drinking chrysanthemum (菊花) wine

Chrysanthemum is the iconic flower of Cold Dew. To prevent autumn dryness, many regions in China have the custom of drinking chrysanthemum wine. This is a tradition of the Double Ninth Festival, which often falls around Cold Dew. According to ancient records, drinking wine made with chrysanthemums, poria cocos mushroom and pine oleoresin grants (给予) people long-lasting youth.

1. What is NOT the characteristic of Cold Dew?

A．Wet weather.	B．Low temperatures.
C．Foggy conditions.	D．Fully-grown crops.

2. Why is Cold Dew a time for fishing?

A．Because fish become mature in autumn.

B．Because fish move slowly in cold water.

C．Because fish eat more in low temperatures.

D．Because fish tend to gather in warm areas.

3. Which is the function of drinking chrysanthemum wine?

A．Celebrating Cold Dew.	B．Relieving people from autumn dryness.
C．Ensuring people a stronger build.	D．Keeping people warm in low temperatures.