1 . The Ancient Chinese Game of Go
Weiqi, known in English as Go, is one of the four skills that an ancient Chinese intellectual (知识分子) could possess. It has a history of well over 4,000 years in China and remains popular. Culturally, this activity is really “more than just a game”.
History books have recorded quite a number of ardent Go fans from each dynasty. Today, there are still many in China, Japan and South Korea. Wu Yulin, a professional, explains its attraction, “In Go, you can learn the dialectics (辩证法) and military stratagems.
In fact, all of our minds can benefit from playing Go, which officially has the capacity to make you smarter. Research has shown that children who play Go have the potential for greater intelligence.
Today, the number of Go fans in China is at 36 million and rising. Some universities like Beijing University are even offering courses in Go to undergraduates.
| A．There’s always loss and gain. |
| B．It’s a war between equal powers. |
| C．That is because it motivates both the right and left sides of the brain. |
| D．You can also cultivate your character and improve your intelligence. |
| E．But more often, ancient Chinese played Go to cultivate their mind and character. |
| F．The influence of Go on Chinese society is quite evident in literature works. |
| G．Many people also love this ancient game for the Chinese philosophy it contains. |
2 . On Christmas Eve─the night before Christmas Day─children all over Britain put a stocking at the end of their beds before they go to sleep. Their parents usually tell them that Father Christmas will come during the night.
Father Christmas is very kind and hearted. He gets to the top of each house and climbs down the chimney into the fireplace. He fills each of the stockings with Christmas presents.
Of course, Father Christmas isn't real. In Jim and Kate's house, "Father Christmas" is really Mr Green. Mr Green doesn't climb down the chimney. He waits until the children are asleep. Then he quietly goes into their bedrooms and fills their stockings with small presents. When they were very young, Mr Green sometimes wore a red coat. But he doesn't do that now. The children are no longer young, and they know who "Father Christmas" really is. But they still put their stockings at the end of their beds.
1. Christmas Eve is __________.| A．the night of Christmas Day | B．the evening of Christmas Day |
| C．Christmas Day | D．the night before Christmas Day |
| A．into children's hats | B．into children's stockings |
| C．under children's beds | D．into children's shoes |
| A．know that Father Christmas is real |
| B．ask their mother to fill their stockings with presents |
| C．know that Father Christmas is really their father |
| D．know that Father Christmas is really their friend |
| A．chimney | B．back door |
| C．front door | D．window. |
3 . China’ Forbidden City----traditionally off-limit at night for anyone except emperors and visiting dignitaries (显要人物）---- was decorated with lanterns as China celebrated the end of the Chinese New Year holiday. The complex, home to Chinese emperors for five centuries, was opened at night for the first time since it was reopened as the Palace Museum 94 years ago.
The complex and palace walls were illuminated with red lanterns and a light show, designed to recreate the feelings of the royal court, while the China National Traditional Orchestra and the Peking Opera performed. An image of a treasured scroll called A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains was cast onto the palace roof.
Most of China’s 1.3 billion people, however, had to watch the show on television. Only 3,000 people were allowed in: 2,500 invited guests and 500 people who booked their tickets online. “The 3,000 visitors can show off for the whole year,” one person said on Weibo. When booking for the second day opened at midnight, the booking system crashed for more than an hour due to great demand. The free tickets were quickly taken when it reopened. A lively secondary market soon appeared. Scalpers were selling tickets for as much as 9,999 yuan on online trading sites.
The Palace Museum is now on a campaign to attract more visitors, with its former curator Shan Jixiang saying he wants to make traditional Chinese culture more accessible to the general public. More than 80 percent of the palace is now accessible to visitors, up from 30 percent in 2012. Shan has set a target of 85 percent by 2020 to mark the palace’s 600th anniversary . Creativity today has made the Palace Museum younger and drawn traditional culture closer to the public.
1. What does the underlined word “illuminate”probably mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Cared for. | B．Lit up. |
| C．Picked out. | D．Kept safe. |
| A．By watching TV at home . |
| B．By grabbing free tickets online |
| C．By buying tickets from the secondary market. |
| D．By receiving invitation from the Forbidden City. |
| A．The campaign between museums will be better. |
| B．Creativity will make the Palace Museum younger. |
| C．Traditional Chinese culture will be recreated by foreigners. |
| D．About 85 percent of the palace will be accessible to visitors. |
| A．A Brief Introduction of the Forbidden City |
| B．Difficulties in Getting Tickets to the Forbidden City |
| C．Performances During the Light Show in the Forbidden City |
| D．Forbidden City’s First Opening to General Public at Night |
