1 . Looking for something entertaining to do? Check out some awesome festivals around the world.
Koninginnedag — The Netherlands
Koninginnedag or Queen’s Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Although the birthday of the current Queen, Beatrix, is actually during the winter, she has celebrated it on April 30th, the country’s official “Queen’s Day” since 1949. Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of feather boas(围巾) and body paint as crowds gather in the plazas and on boats in the rivers. Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, with many live music events, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day.
Thai Elephant Day — Thailand
Thai Elephant Day is a national holiday in Thailand. Thai Elephant Day has been celebrated on March 13th of every year since 1998. Because the elephant is the national animal of Thailand, they are highly respected and treasured. During the festivals elephants are honored during a ceremony in which they are fed bananas, other fruit, and sugarcane.
The Fire Festival — Shetland
On the last Tuesday in January the entire town of Lerwick, Shetland goes up in flames. At the festival, you’ll find yourself sitting, dancing, or stumbling around the largest bonfire you’ve ever seen in your life. The festival lasts only one day but takes the entire year to plan. Be prepared for an evening of singing, dancing, and fast-paced activity, and don’t worry about making it to work the next day — it’s a national holiday!
Holi — India
Holi, he Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India’s most important holidays. On the day of the last full moon of the lunar month, usually late February or early March, the air is full of bright colored powder. The festival is celebrated differently throughout the country, with bonfires and music, but the cheerful spirit is common throughout Hindu communities around the world.
1. What do we know about Koninginnedag?| A．It is celebrated on the day of the current Queen’s birthday. |
| B．It is not celebrated outside the city of Amsterdam. |
| C．Everyone must wear orange clothes to celebrate it. |
| D．It has a history of more than seventy years. |
| A．show people’s respect for their Queen |
| B．show Thai people’s respect for elephants |
| C．ask people to protect endangered animals |
| D．help people relax by singing and dancing |
| A．Because people are allowed to sleep at work the next day. |
| B．Because the activities are too simple to get people tired. |
| C．Because people don’t have to go to work the next day. |
| D．Because the festival ends very early at night. |
2 . From baking pumpkin pie to celebrating the moon, here’s how autumn is celebrated across the globe.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the biggest and most widely celebrated harvest festivals in the world. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. In many Asian countries including China, the festival is celebrated as a public holiday, with families gathering and giving thanks for the harvest and full moon.
Oktoberfest is another major autumn celebration that, while originating in Germany, has inspired local versions around the globe. The world’s largest folk festival begins in September and runs for about two weeks, featuring traditional Bavarian food, music, clothing, and most importantly, lots of beer!
Thanksgiving is also an important celebration for Americans that takes place in late November every year, with seasonal dishes like yams smothered and pumpkin pies always having a place at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Walks, hikes and trips to see the changing foliage are also hugely popular, with locations like Asheville and North Carolina, boasting of some of the most beautiful autumn scenery around.
There are also several cultural and religious events that occur throughout October and November. Dia de Los Muertos, on the 1st and 2nd November, is a Mexican celebration that honours the lives of those who have passed away with food, drinks and activities that those loved ones enjoyed when they were alive. Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is another spiritual celebration of the victory of light over darkness, and good over evil, which falls on 14th November. Lighting candles all around the house and hoping for health and wealth are the chief rituals of the festival.
1. Which festival features food and trips?| A．The Mid-Autumn Festival. | B．Oktoberfest. |
| C．Thanksgiving. | D．Dia de Los Muertos |
| A．They will enjoy full moon. |
| B．They will have traditional Bavarian food. |
| C．They will eat pumpkin pies. |
| D．They will light candles. |
| A．They are celebrated for harvest. |
| B．They are held all over the world. |
| C．They are cultural and religious celebrations. |
| D．They fall in autumn. |
3 . Luis was born in Lima, Peru. He lived there with his parents. But one day his life changed completely. His parents got divorced(离婚). And his mother moved to the United States. So Luis went with her.
This move was a big change for Luis. He tried to fit into his new life. He had to go to a new school, learn a new language and make new friends. But Luis felt different from the other children. He felt that he did not belong. He wanted to return to South America. Some years later he had his chance. He was so happy to return to his original culture! But to his surprise, he did not feel at home.
Luis felt troubled. He did not know which country he was from. Luis is not the only young person to have these feelings. More and more young people are moving around the world with their parents. Their parents' work may cause the move. Families may choose to move. They hope for a better life. Such families have new experiences.They learn about other cultures. They have interesting lives. But there can also be a big problem. A lot of people do not understand how moving will affect their children. Parents may not understand their children's struggles. And they often think it will be easy for their children to return to their home country. They may expect their children to be the same as them, to have the same ideas, and to have the same beliefs.
There is a name for these children who grow up in more than one country-"third culture kids". Third culture kids are not completely part of their parents' culture. They are not completely part of the other culture they live in. Instead, they are a mix of cultures. This mixed culture is their own culture-a third culture.
1. What happened to Luis when he moved to America?| A．He couldn't fit in. | B．He liked American culture at once. |
| C．He had problem with the new language. | D．He couldn't make friends. |
| A．To look for his father. | B．To learn about the culture of Peru. |
| C．To seek a sense of belonging. | D．To compare different cultures. |
| A．Cultural Shock | B．Children's Problems |
| C．Third Culture Kids | D．Missing Home |
4 . Tipping customs differ from country to country. You need to know how to tip in the country that you're in when you travel; or you'll leave servers annoyed everywhere you go. Here are just a few guidelines to tipping in different countries.
Dubai
In Dubai it's a rule for restaurants to charge 10% tip on all restaurant and bar bills You can add a couple of dirhams (迪拉姆，货币单位)to this if you feel like it. Waiters are not paid very much in Dubai, so it is always very appreciated.
Brazil
There will always be a standard 10% service charge added to your bill, and you won't necessarily have to tip. If you do feel like being generous, an extra 5-10% will really make your server very happy. Just remember to do this as skillfully as possible - Brazilians don't make a big show of this.
Czech Republic
While locals in the Czech Republic don't leave tips, that doesn't mean you're off the hook. Foreign tourists are definitely expected to leave some kind of tip for service - as long as you're in a high tourist traffic area, like Prague for instance. The standard tip is 10%.
India
Here it is often considered appropriate for a tourist to tip your server 5-10%. You have to adjust that number by yourself though. This is how the rules go in this country. If the bill is for a small meal and totals less than 300 rupees,tip the full 10％.If the bill is higher, tip towards the 5％．
1. In which country is it OK if you don’t give a tip?| A．Dubai． | B．Czech Republic． | C．Brazil． | D．India． |
| A．The size and environment of the restaurant． | B．The service that you have received． |
| C．The rules that the restaurants make． | D．The size of the meal you are eating is． |
| A．News． | B．Culture． | C．Sports． | D．Entertainment |
5 . Understanding cultural body language in other countries is very helpful in communication, especially when we can't speak a foreign language.Here are some gestures and their meanings in different cultures.I hope these will help you when you try to interact with foreigners.
Head movements
In some parts of India, people shake their heads to show they are actively listening or agree with you.In western countries,people nod to confirm. However,in Bulgaria and Greece, nodding actually means the contrary.
Eye contacts
Some countries,such as Japan and Finland, consider constant eye contact awkward.In Caribbean cultures,children and teenagers are taught not to look at adults in the eyes when they are being corrected. Strong eye contact is common among people of the same sex in Spain and
Arabic countries.Hands
The "thumbs up" sign is used in many cultures to mean “OK”。 In France,it can mean No.1, but it has a very rude sexual meaning in Islamic countries,Cerdena and Greece. Interestingly,the＂OK"sign means “zero”or "nothing" in France,while some other European countries such as Greece,Italy,Brazil,and Russia consider it as impolite.
Greetings and goodbyes
Shaking hands is a normal and formal way to greet or say goodbye in western countries. But in Romania, only men usually shake hands.And they do it every time they meet, not just the first! In England, however,it's unusual to shake hands with someone you are introduced to in an informal setting.
Legs
Sitting with crossed legs is common in North America and European countries, but it is considered disrespectful in Asia and the Middle East where a straight and balanced posture is the norm(规范）。Body language varies from country to country. When you communicate with foreigners, one safe way is to understand, respect and follow the culture.
1. Why does the author write the first paragraph?| A．To tell us the writing purpose. |
| B．To show ways of communicating. |
| C．To stress the importance of language. |
| D．To compare the cultural differences. |
| A．Constant eye contact is advisable in Japanese. |
| B．Sitting with crossed legs is popular in the Middle East. |
| C．Shaking hands only happens between men in Romania. |
| D．The "thumbs up" sign can be considered polite in Cerdena. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Seeing is believing. |
| D．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
6 . Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said, "The British are the only people who like to be told how bad things are." This is definitely true of British comedy. Most people think humor is about happy things, but for the British, the opposite is true. We love to use our cruel sense of humor to complain and be negative.
British comedy, for example, draws a fine line between comedy and tragedy（悲剧）. BBC's The Office is a TV show, famous for its dry humor. The main character, David Brent, is a foolish man, and the show's comedy comes from his delusions. For example, he often tells himself that he is loved by everyone but the viewer can see that everyone hates him.
Stupid characters for the audience to laugh at are an old tradition in Britain. In Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, the character Malvolio is an old man whom people play tricks on. The audience will laugh away, although the reality is that this man is a truly tragic individual.
This side of British humor is reflected in friendships as well. At university, my friends and I would always laugh at one another. I had an American friend who actually found this sarcasm（挖苦）quite upsetting. She didn't realize that in Britain, the better friends you are with someone, the more you laugh at them.
This approach—laughing at everything—may sound rather depressing（让人郁闷的）, but our strange humor played a big part in British history. In World War II, along with a stiff upper lip（坚定沉着）, the British got through it by laughing. What else was there to do?
There is a saying in English: "Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and you cry alone." If you are ever on the receiving end of British sarcasm, you may feel like crying, but it's best to just laugh it off!
1. How is British humor special?| A．It is often surprising and boring. |
| B．It is often about negative things. |
| C．It often laughs at happy people. |
| D．It often makes happy things depressing. |
| A．British people will not laugh at their good friends |
| B．there is a great difference between comedy and tragedy |
| C．stupid people are often treated well in Shakespeare's plays |
| D．British humor used to give people courage in face of sufferings |
| A．Keep silent. |
| B．Cry as you like. |
| C．Don't take it seriously. |
| D．Try to hold back your laughter. |
7 . Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words, and we are often able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburger. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef, they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered. “We came from Hamburger.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like those which the men from Hamburger ate. Then he put each between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called “ hamburgers”. Today “hamburgers” are sold in many countries around the world.
Whether this story is true or not, it is certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. The reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary.
1. According to the writer, English is .| A．as old as Chinese | B．older than German |
| C．not so old as Chinese | D．very difficult to learn |
| A．a kind of food | B．a round piece of beef |
| C．the name of a village | D．a city in Germany |
| A．few Americans like hamburgers |
| B．hamburgers were made by Germans |
| C．hamburgers are made with ham |
| D．hamburgers were sold all over the world about a century ago |
| A．Where all the words come from |
| B．Where those Germans came from |
| C．The reason why a word has a certain meaning. |
| D．The reason why English is spoken around the world |
| A．China because it has a long history |
| B．England because Germans don’t speak good English |
| C．the round pieces of beef which those people from Hamburger were eating |
| D．the city of Hamburger in Germany |
The igloo if a house built of ice or snow and is still in use today in more primitive areas of Canada’s north. The Inuit people find them the best type of housing, especially when away from home on hunting or fishing trips.The igloos used o such trips are smaller and only temporary homes to be used for a few nights at most. Igloos are dome shaped（圆顶形的）and made of blocks of ice or snow.First a hole is dug out in the snow and this forms the lower part of the igloo.Then the blocks of ice or snow are built in a slope inwards and upwards from this base.Often a short tunnel leads to the door.This prevents the cold winds and snow blowing into the structure.
Tipis（or tepees）are the conical（圆锥形的）tents used by the majority of native People
across America.Some Canadian aboriginal people still prefer them to other types of housing. These structures are formed by a frame of poles covered with, usually, either buffalo hide（水牛皮）or birch bark（桦树皮）.A hole at the top lets out the smoke from the cooking fires. Native people mostly travel from place to place, following their food supple across the countryside. Tepees are easy to take down, carry and put up at the next stopping place.
Another type of house iS the long house.This is exactly what the name suggests-a long narrow building that could house ten to twenty families.Built of poles covered with hides, the houses are common to the Iroquois people of Ontario and New York.These structures are also on the west coast by the Squeamish Indians.They are usually occupied by an exended family and divided into individual rooms,each with its own cooking fire.They are decorated with totem emblems （图腾标志）and a totem pole by the front door tells the history of the family.
1. Which of the following pictures matches with the igloo?
A．  | B．  |
C．  | D．  |
| A．catch the animals | B．decorate the igloo |
| C．fasten the igloo | D．keep the igloo warm |
| A．It has a hole at the top. |
| B．It is made of poles covered with hides. |
| C．lt can be easily carried everywhere. |
| D．It has a firm base made of ice. |
| A．Squeamish Indians | B．Long houses |
| C．Families | D．Individual rooms |
| A．In a medical journal. | B．In a science report. |
| C．In a culture magazine. | D．In a biology textbook. |
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑的)in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don't know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don't know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
| A．describe the place carefully |
| B．show him a map of the place |
| C．tell him the names of the streets |
| D．refer to recognizable buildings and places |
| A．New York. | B．Los Angles. |
| C．Kansas C. Iowa | |
| A．in order to save time | B．as a test |
| C．so as to be polite | D．for fun |
| A．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
| B．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
| C．People have similar understanding of politeness. |
| D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |
