1 . In the long history of about 5,000 years, numerous Chinese traditional festivals were celebrated in memory of gods or some significant days, some of which are passed down from generation to generation and people always practice special traditional activities in each festival.
Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival is on the 15th day after Spring Equinox, round April 4 or April 5 every year.
Double Ninth Festival
Winter Solstice(冬至)
Winter Solstice is on around December 22 or 23 of solar calendar each year. From Winter Solstice on, the daytime will be longer and longer.
In China, this festival is in late January or early February, the last day of the Lunar year. People celebrate it by having a family reunion dinner, setting off fireworks and staying up late. Breaking the dishes and bowls is a thing all the people scare, but if you did it, you have to say: “sui sui ping an”.
| A．New Year’s Eve |
| B．Spring Festival |
| C．People will go to worship their ancestors. |
| D．People always visit their friends and relatives. |
| E．That day people in different regions eat different food. |
| F．It is a pun(双关语), meaning you will be healthy every year. |
| G．It is celebrated on Sept. 9th of the Lunar Calendar, around October. |
Palmer Park is the perfect place to host the first Reading Oktoberfest, which takes place 15-18 September 2016.
You can experience everything that makes Oktoberfest, held in a huge Beer tent. We’ll have live music and DJs and thousands of people going crazy.
Opening hours:
Thursday 15 September 17:00-23:30
Friday 16 September 17:00-23:30
Saturday 17 September 12:30-23:30
Sunday 18 September 12:30-19:00
Ramsbottom Festival
With its riverside location (位置), Ramsbottom Festival is one festival which can truly be called beautiful. Here you can enjoy a mix of music, great arts and family shows, as well as a variety of Great British and international food.
Ramsbottom Festival takes place 16-18 September 2016 at Ramsbottom Cricket Club, Bury, easily reachable by public transport from Manchester city centre.
The Willow Festival Dorset
The Willow Festival — the world’s largest festival showing new and undiscovered live music bands and artists is coming to Dorset. Fun for all the family, the event also has a shopping area, a world food village, and plenty of activities for kids.
Tickets are just £10.00, which covers a come-and-go attendance (出席) for all three days.
River Cottage Festival
It’s our first ever family-friendly music festival, right here at River Cottage HQ in Devon.
On 17-18 September 2016, the farm will be filled with live music from popular bands in the UK. In between all that dancing you’ll be able to watch shows from local craftspeople (匠人) and make your own piece of jewelry.
Tickets will cost you just £35, or £10 for children under 12 (babies under 2 go free).
1. What can visitors enjoy at Ramsbottom Festival?| A．Family shows. |
| B．Dancing on the farm. |
| C．Making beautiful things by hand. |
| D．International bands’ performances. |
| A．are held in 2016 for the first time |
| B．ask visitors to pay the same price |
| C．take place near a river |
| D．are family-friendly |
| A．River Cottage Festival. |
| B．Ramsbottom Festival. |
| C．Reading Oktoberfest. |
| D．The Willow Festival Dorset. |
On one full-moon night every fall, the river and lakes of Thailand are dotted with twinkling (闪烁的) candles. The Thais are celebrating “Loi Krathong” or “Floating Leaf Cup Day”.
No one knows for sure how this lovely holiday got started. But however it began, it is delightful today. It is simply a time to have fun.
Families always used to make their floats, or little boats, from banana leaves torn into pieces and made into the shape of a bowl. Then they beautifully decorated them with flowers. Now, while many families still make their own floats, others simply buy them. Modern floats may be made of banana leaves or plastic. All of them still hold a lighted candle, a flower, a stick or two of sweet-smelling incense (香), and a coin.
On the holiday evening, families gather at parks near lakes, rivers, or canals for outdoor dinners. Adults sit on mats and visit with their neighbors while children play hide-and-seek. Ion some cities, flaming fireworks and dancers in shining silk clothes entertain the crowd.
Many men and woman sell things. People sell floats to those who have not made them at home. Other people sell balloons in various shapes and colors or clever toys made of bamboo. Food sellers offer noodle soup, dried fish, candy, little cakes, roasted chicken, and bamboo tubes filled with sticky rice cooked in coconut milk. They pour soft drinks into small plastic bags, whirl a rubber band around the top, and stick in a short straw.
Then, when the full moon rises, families light the candles and set their little boats afloat. The waterway soon twinkles like a fairyland with candles moving up and down in their floats and fireworks reflecting in the water.
1. Why do people celebrate the holiday today? (不多于 3 个词)2. What are modern floats made of? (不多于 4 个词)
3. What is the passage about? (不多于 4 个词)
4 . I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office？”
Foreign tourists are often confused 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 away 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 Angeles. | C．Kansas. | D．Iowa. |
| A．To show cultural differences in showing directions. |
| B．To show how to ask the way properly in different countries. |
| C．To explain why people have similar understanding of direction. |
| D．To share the experience of traveling around the world. |
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. |
Fun day To celebrate the Year of the Pig Organized by Lam Tin Youth Centre and Kwun Tong High school Date：2 January 2019 Time：10 am – 5 pm Place：Kwun Tong Playground Fee: $ 20 (buy three get one free) Programme：drama, lion dance, magic show and ballet performance Highlights: 1) enter the lucky draw to win a digital camera 2) learn to make festival food Join us on the Fun day! Free Soft Drinks. All are welcome! Note: ★Ticket are available at the General Office of Lam Tin Youth Centre. ★For those who would like to be a volunteer, please contact Miss Olivia Wong one week before the activity. |
1. What is going to take place on 2 January, 2019?
| A．A big event to welcome a Chinese new year. |
| B．A social gathering to raise money for wildlife. |
| C．A party for close friends to meet and have fun. |
| D．A meeting of Kwun Tong High School students. |
| A．$20 | B．$40 | C．$60 | D．$80 |
| A．Tickets are sold in Kwun Tong High School. |
| B．It’s unnecessary to take soft drinks with you. |
| C．Free digital cameras are provided for everybody. |
| D．Students can have festival food as much as they can. |
7 . Exposure to different cultures is one of the main reasons I enjoy visiting other countries. There are other types of food, interesting people, new experiences.
A country usually has its own money, such as RMB in China, rupee in India, and rufiyaa in Maldives.
If you’ve ever been to the U.K., you will know the Queen’s head is on every banknote and every coin. I was living in the Quebec province of Canada last year and money there surprised me greatly.
| A．There are new historical figures on the pound notes. |
| B．They have the British Queen on their $20 banknotes. |
| C．Money represents preference and development of a county. |
| D．Of course, there’re many countries using euros or US dollars. |
| E．You will also be amazed by the images on the money. |
| F．One more thing to mention in a new country is a different currency. |
| G．It’s part of the cultural experience to hold money with a foreign figure. |
8 . There are some Christmas traditions between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Letters to Santa Claus
In the United States, kids usually write letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox. However, in England we throw them directly into the fire. We don't plan to make kids cry because burning the letters can send them to the North Pole where Santa can read your Christmas wishes in the smoke. It may seem strange but it does save on postage.
Hanging stocking
Traditionally, American kids hang stockings around the fireplace for Santa to fill with presents. But in the UK. we hang stockings around the bed; being surrounded by presents is a fantastic way to wake up on Christmas morning.
Christmas pudding
Americans prefer to have pumpkin and pecan pies for the Christmas dessert; while we British are fond of Christmas pudding. which is a cake flavored with dried fruits and spices.
Dealing with Christmas tree
We British chose to take down the Christmas trees and the decorations within 12 days of Christmas, because we hold the belief that keeping then beyond that time can bring bad luck. This is probably a tradition that Americans should consider adopting. I have seen people keep their old, brown, dry and withered Christmas trees until almost July 4.
1. How do the British people deal with "Letters to Father Christmas"?| A．Emailing them to Santa. | B．Hiding them in the mailbox. |
| C．Putting them in the stockings. | D．Throwing them straight into the fire. |
| A．To stop it from drying | B．To expect good luck. |
| C．To save money. | D．To reuse it for the next year. |
| A．Writing letters to Santa. | B．Making pumpkin pudding. |
| C．Hanging stockings around the bed. | D．Keeping Christmas trees for months. |
9 . The Four Famous Embroideries (刺绣) of China refer to the Xiang embroidery in Hunan Province, Shu embroidery in Sichuan Province, Yue embroidery in Guangdong Province and Su embroidery in Jiangsu Province.
Xiang embroidery
The earliest piece of Xiang embroidery was unearthed at the No. 1 Tomb of Mawangdui, Changsha City of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. —A.D. 220). The weaving technique was almost the same as the one used in modern times, which shows that embroidery had already existed in the Han Dynasty. In its later development, it absorbs the characteristics of traditional Chinese paintings and reaches a high artistic level. Xiang embroidery crafts include valuable works of art, as well as products for daily use.
Shu embroidery
Shu embroidery has formed its own unique characteristics: smooth, bright, neat, etc. The works choose flowers, animals, mountains, rivers and human figures as their themes. The craftsmanship of Shu embroidery involves a combination of fine art and practical uses, such as the facings of quilts, pillowcases, coats and screen covers.
Yue embroidery
Influenced by national folk art, Yue embroidered pictures are mainly of dragons and phoenixes (凤凰), and flowers and birds, with neat designs and strong, contrasting colors.
Gold-and-silk thread embroidery is widely used, even for crafts of daily use.
Su embroidery
The weaving techniques of Su embroidery are characterized by the flat surface, dense lines, even pictures and harmonious colors. Su embroidery products fall into 3 major categories: costumes, decorations for halls and crafts for daily use. Double-sided embroidery is an excellent representative of Su embroidery.
1. The unearthed embroidery at Mawangdui shows Xiang embroidery’s _______.| A．time-honoured history | B．excellent designs |
| C．artistic value | D．advanced techniques |
| A．Xiang embroidery | B．Shu embroidery |
| C．Yue embroidery | D．Su embroidery |
| A．All are rooted in folk art. | B．All are valuable artworks. |
| C．All share the same themes. | D．All have practical use. |
10 . Welcome to the Civic Art Museum's Exhibit of West African Art, showing pieces from our collections.
Background
The peoples of West Africa, including the Yoruba, the Dogon, the Igbo, and the Akan, have a long art tradition. Tribes (部落) in the area have developed different styles of art and architecture that are suited to the climate and available materials and based on their traditions.
Gallery A: Photographs of Traditional West African Architecture
This section shows historical and contemporary photographs of traditional West African architecture. Of particular interest are the photographs of the Dogon village. The design of the Dogon village is based on the human figure. Certain types of buildings are placed in particular areas according to the Dogon's complex philosophical tradition. For example, the men's houses are placed in the “head” of the village, the leader's house is in the “chest,” and the women's houses are in the “hands.”
Gallery B: West African Masks
The art of mask making is well developed in West Africa. Masks are important to West African traditions and have clear social, political, and economic roles. However, most masks are worn only at particular times or on special occasions. For example, among the Dan and the Kota, certain people wear special masks to show their power when they act as judges and policemen within the community. Among the Bambara of Mali, headdresses are worn during planting and harvest celebrations.
Gallery C: West African Sculptures
West African sculptures are made from materials such as metal or wood. They are based on tribal traditions and are quite different. The Dogon are especially known for making figures of their ancestors (祖先). They believe their ancestors, called Nommo, came down from the sky at the beginning of time. Nommo figures are often shown with their hands reaching out to the sky. The collection contains several wonderful examples of Nommo sculptures.
1. What is special about Dogon houses?| A．They are shaped like human beings. |
| B．They are designed by the village leader. |
| C．They are grouped according to tradition. |
| D．They have many photographs inside them. |
| A．have recently developed |
| B．play many different roles |
| C．are mainly worn at harvest time |
| D．show the everyday life of the Dan |
| A．They are afraid of Nommo figures. |
| B．They make statues of their ancestors. |
| C．They believe they will return to the sky. |
| D．They straighten their arms to show respect. |
