1 . The annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is coming soon to the Canton Tower. St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish cultural and religious celebration occurring annually on March 17. The festival celebrates the life of St. Patrick, who helped the poor and taught the Irish people good things.The Canton Tower has become one of the premier(最初的) party sites for this international and lively event. As part of the celebration, the tower will brighten the night with brilliant light shows. Participants are sure to enjoy the festive atmosphere.
As in the past years, camping lovers will gather to spend a night beneath the Canton Tower. The time for the camping adventure will be from 3 p.m. on March 17 to 9 a.m. on March 18. The event offers people a great chance to enjoy this special and free camping site.
Artists will perform a range of music with instruments played typically in Irish folk music, featuring tin whistles and wind pipes. Foods will also be a treat, as the taste of traditional Irish food will surely attract everyone.
To celebrate this festival, dancers dressed in Irish green, the colour of Ireland, will pop up around the Canton Tower. The parade will go along the main streets and thousands of people will watch, waving flags. Good luck if you meet these “green spirits”.
1. What can we infer about the Canton Tower from the passage?| A．It lies in the birthplace of St.Patrick in Ireland. |
| B．It’s decorated with brilliant lights at night. |
| C．It’s been a place to celebrate St.Patrick’s Day for long. |
| D．It was first built on March 17 as a cultural site. |
| A．Artists waving flags. |
| B．Cooks making Irish food. |
| C．Pop stars singing songs. |
| D．People in green. |
| A．A group of people marching for celebrations. |
| B．A traditional holiday that is held every year. |
| C．A historical place where people often gather. |
| D．A programme specially designed by local people. |
| A．The Canton Tower |
| B．St.Patrick’s Day |
| C．The Life of St.Patrick |
| D．The Irish Tradition |
2 . People perform graceful moves, all while standing on a bamboo strip in the river. You may think it’s a scene from an art movie, but actually it is a form of intangible cultural heritage: bamboo drifting(独竹漂).
Bamboo drifting dated back to over 2,000 years ago in the Chishui River area of Guizhou. During the Qin Dynasty,the Bozhou district of Zunyi city was known for its high-quality nanmu. It was in great demand by the royal court more than 2,000 kilometers to the north. With no transportation along the Chishui River， people had to stand on one log(原木)to drift down the river. Later, local people began to compete along the way and the game of wood drifting was born. In the Qing Dynasty, wood drifting became bamboo drifting because of bamboo’s lower price.
Now, communities in Guizhou hold bamboo drifting competitions every year during Dragon Boat Festival. Due to the great strength and balance it takes for one to get the hang of this act, bamboo drifting was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.
Yang Liu,24,is an inheritor(继承人) of bamboo drifting.Yang said the most challenging part of bamboo drifting was keeping one’s balance. “I fell in the water several times when I was practising,” she said.
But the love for the ancient skill keeps Yang going. In the past 17 years, she has drifted all year round, in winter cold and summer heat.
Yang also produces new ideas when spreading the culture of bamboo drifting. For example, she connects dance with bamboo drifting to make it more graceful and wears hanfu when performing, creating a beautiful feel. In 2020, Yang registered on social media platforms and posted her videos. “I want to spread it to other countries so that more people around the world will like Chinese culture,” she told China Daily.
1. Why did bamboo drifting replace wood drifting?| A．The bamboo was cheaper. | B．The bamboo was more beautiful. |
| C．The bamboo was more convenient. | D．The bamboo was much easier to control. |
| A．Prepare. | B．Change. | C．Master. | D．Improve. |
| A．Designing moves. | B．Transporting goods. |
| C．Choosing bamboos. | D．Keeping balance. |
| A．She inherits bamboo drifting creatively. |
| B．She learned bamboo drifting very easily. |
| C．She has become the leader of bamboo drifting. |
| D．She began learning bamboo drifting at 17. |
3 . It may seem as if Mother’s Day was invented by a company named Hallmark, but people have been taking time on the calendar to give a shout-out to their mums for a long time. The Greeks and Romans had mother goddess festivals—although their celebrations didn’t involve the menfolk taking their underappreciated mothers out to dinner. A more recent tradition was Mothering Sunday, which developed in the British Isles during the 16th century. On the fourth Sunday of Lent(大斋节), young men and women who were living and working apart from their families were advised to return to their mothers’ houses.
Mother’s Day as it is observed in the United States started in the 1850s with Ann Jarvis, a West Virginia woman who held “Mothers’ Work Days” to promote health and hygiene(卫生) at home and in the workplace. During the Civil War, Jarvis organized women to improve sanitary conditions for soldiers on both sides, and after the war she became a peacemaker, furthering the cause by bringing together mothers of Union and Confederate soldiers and promoting a Mother’s Day holiday.
Jarvis’ work inspired another 19th-century woman, Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe published her “Mother’s Day Proclamation”, which envisioned the day not as appreciation of mothers from their children but as an opportunity for women to exercise their collective power for peace. Howe started holding annual Mother’s Day celebrations in Boston, her hometown, but after about a decade she stopped footing the bill and the tradition faded away.
It was Jarvis’ daughter Anna Jarvis who succeeded in getting Mother’s Day recognized as a national holiday. After her mother died in May 1905, Anna started holding yearly ceremonies on the anniversaries and conducting a tireless PR campaign to have the day made a holiday. In 1908 she succeeded in enlisting the support of John Wanamaker, the Philadelphia department store magnate and advertising pioneer, and by 1912 West Virginia and a few other states had adopted Mother’s Day. Two years later, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution declaring the second Sunday in May a national holiday.
It wasn’t long, though, before whatever ideals the day was supposed to celebrate were buried under a number of greeting cards and candies. By the 1920s Anna Jarvis was campaigning against the holiday she had been instrumental in creating. “I wanted it to be a day of emotionalism, not profit,” she said.
1. Who played the most important role in developing Mother’s Day?| A．Ann Jarvis. |
| B．Julia Ward Howe. |
| C．Woodrow Wilson. |
| D．Anna Jarvis. |
| A．Because it was an emotional day. |
| B．Because the festival was not profitable. |
| C．Because the celebrations went against the original spirit. |
| D．Because the day was buried under greeting cards and candies. |
| A．The Objection to Mother’s Day |
| B．The Argument on Celebrating Mother’s Day |
| C．The Story Behind the Creation of Mother’s Day |
| D．Different Forms of Celebrations on Mother’s Day |
4 . Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
London
Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is a perfectly formed firework that knows how to present itself with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics(杂技), martial arts, dances and operas nearby.
San Francisco
San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the USA. The city was the main entry-point for the Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bangkok
With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty food, clothes and toys. Sunday Market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also famous for its gold dealers, and there are lots of gold shops along the road.
Port Louis
Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Built in the early years of the 20th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the dragon dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional dragon dances through the streets.
1. Which of the following has the longest history?| A．London’s Chinatown. |
| B．San Francisco’s Chinatown. |
| C．Port Louis’ Chinatown. |
| D．Bangkok’s Chinatown. |
| A．It is crowded with Chinese restaurants. |
| B．It is the major entrance for the Chinese. |
| C．It is well-known for its gold business. |
| D．You can enjoy fireworks there. |
| A．Rue Royale in Port Louis | B．Sunday Market in Bangkok |
| C．Grant Avenue in San Francisco | D．the Chinese community in London |
5 . Chinese painting with a long history has its unique and independent system. Using brushes, ink, and Chinese pigments (颜料), Chinese painting is drawn on a special kind of paper (Xuan paper) or silk. The traditional subjects are figures, landscapes, flowers and birds.
In comparison with Western painting, Chinese painting has its own artistic characteristics. After a careful study of the object, a painter can discover the rules of its structure and frame, and then produce it by the mind’s eye. Not only is it a simple copy, but it combines the object with the artistic concept of the painter, turning a natural image into an “artistic image”. The image can convey the artist’s feelings and personality to achieve the effect of “being alike not only in spirit, but also in appearance”. Not all objects are to be drawn on the paper, and much space is left for imagination. The use of lines is important in Chinese painting. Clear, swift, sharp and changeable lines are combined with the push, point and press of the brush and ink to show the quality of the object and variations of the tone(色调). Ancient Chinese artists listed 18 different ways of drawing lines with the brush in figure painting. Different ways of creating lines were used when painting a landscape, flowers and birds, clouds and bamboos.
Traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy are different branches of art dating from the same origin. They use the same kind of tools and all the lines used in painting are variations of the points and lines of calligraphy. Though they are different artistic forms, they are closely linked in terms of their expression of thoughts and feelings. They influence each other to create another artistic feature.
1. The writer believes that a traditional Chinese painter’s picture ________ .| A．reflects social problems of his times |
| B．mainly describes a natural image |
| C．expresses his thoughts |
| D．tells a true story |
| A．traveling |
| B．learning to draw lines |
| C．reading |
| D．studying calligraphy before drawing |
| A．Using similar techniques. |
| B．Starting from the same period. |
| C．Belonging to the same artistic form. |
| D．Covering the same themes. |
6 . A fun way to learn about the people in the destinations you travel to around the globe is to drop into a friendly local bar off the beaten tourist track and enjoy a sip of something the region is famous for. To help you have fun, we’ve rounded up how to say “Cheers!” around the world.
Who doesn’t dream of living the good life in France? The food alone is well worth the trip since the French basically invented fine cuisine. They also invented a little golden liquid called the Champagne! Just before your first sip, look at your friends in the eyes and simply say their “cheers”: avotresante!
Is it just us, or is the Italian treat called prosecco sweeping the nation by storm? It’s lovely anytime: brunch, to celebrate something, or just to slowly sip while catching up with a dear friend. It originated in Italy’s Veneto region but is now available all over the world. When in Italy, the most common toast is “salute” or “cincin” (pronounced ChinChin), which has its origins in China. However, do not use this as a toast in Japan. It is what could get you kicked out of a bar or possibly the entire country. If you find yourself in the land of the rising sun, stick with “Kampai!” which means, “Cheers!”
If you haven’t been to Ireland — what are you waiting for? It’s the friendliest place, and one of the funniest on the planet, and the pubs are full of stories, where locals and visitors gather to lift a glass of Guinnessor. The Irish language can be a bit tricky for visitors to grasp but, again, practice makes perfect. Simply say, “SlainteItsw,” pronounced Slawn (to rhyme with pawn) cha (as in cha cha cha). Bottoms up!
1. What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 3 refer to?| A．An Italian wine. | B．A toast from China. |
| C．A Japanese custom. | D．A french expression. |
| A．It is famous for food. |
| B．Its language is simple. |
| C．It makes perfect wines. |
| D．It is well worth visiting. |
| A．Ways of making friends in bars. |
| B．World famous wines that can’t be missed. |
| C．Suggestions on drinking regionally. |
| D．Some famous tourist destinations. |
7 . Working or learning in a foreign country can be a difficult experience, both professionally and personally, due to the cultural shock.
The hardest part of working abroad isn’t to find a place to stay or learn the language but to overcome the cultural shock. The anthropologist (人类学家) Kalvero Oberg first put forward the term “culture shock”. He reported that it was caused by the “anxiety” that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols of communication while living and working in another culture.
These things are part of daily life, and include gestures, facial expressions and customs. When we enter a new culture, these signs are usually so different that they’re no longer comprehensible (可理解的) to us. “When an individual enters a strange culture”, wrote Oberg, “all or most of these familiar signs are eliminated. He or she is like a fish out of water, however broad-minded he or she may be.”
This is what happened to Lara, a young IT consultant from America who began to work in southern Europe last year. Three weeks after arriving in Europe, she sent a desperate e-mail begging to return home. “The people are so rude,” she wrote. “They eat at strange hours and I’m starting to feel appetizing to local food. I can’t get anything done because their way of doing business is so efficient. I just want to be home.”
What Lara and other IT consultants meet on their work abroad is a culture shock. While we can’t prevent it from happening, we can still take steps to weaken its effects.
1. What is the most challenging for a worker living abroad for the first time?| A．Learning the new language. |
| B．Finding a place to stay. |
| C．Adapting to the new culture. |
| D．Earning a high income. |
| A．Removed. | B．Accepted. | C．Questioned. | D．Challenged. |
| A．Life abroad is always in a mess. |
| B．Colleagues abroad aren’t easy-going. |
| C．Working abroad isn’t a wise choice. |
| D．Culture acceptance matters much for a foreigner. |
| A．Measures taken to further understand culture shock. |
| B．Measures taken to explore the causes of culture shock. |
| C．Measures taken to reduce the influences of culture shock. |
| D．Measures taken to rid the influences of culture shock. |
8 . Traveling abroad is becoming increasingly popular these years. Some people are afraid of making linguistic (语言的) mistakes while traveling. Actually, cultural mistakes may be more serious, which can lead to serious misunderstanding.
●Touching Someone
In Thailand, the head is considered sacred — never even pat a child on the head.
●Talking over Dinner
In some countries, like China, Japan and some African nations, food is important, so don’t start chatting about your day’s adventures while everyone else is digging into dinner.
●Removing Your Shoes or Not
Take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party and the hostess will find you rude, but fail to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands and you’ll be considered disrespectful. So, if you see a row of shoes at the door, start undoing your shoelaces.
Once you are on the ground of a different country, remain highly sensitive to native behavior.
| A．If not, keep the shoes on. |
| B．You’ll be likely to meet with no response. |
| C．Never be completely surprised by anything. |
| D．Personal spaces are different among countries. |
| E．As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” |
| F．Watch out for the following cultural mistakes and try to avoid them. |
| G．The linguistic mistake means that someone is not fully expressing his idea. |
9 . Liverpool, my hometown, is a unique city. It is so unique that in 2004 it became a World Heritage Site.
I recently returned to my home city and my first stop was a museum on the River Mersey. Blanketed in mist(薄雾), Victorian architecture rose from the banks of the river, responded to the sounds of seabirds, and appeared unbelievably charming. When I headed toward the centre, I found myself surrounded by buildings that mirror the best palaces of Europe. It is not hard to imagine why, on first seeing the city, most visitors would be overpowered by the beauty of the noble buildings, which are solid signs of Liverpool’s history.
As if to stress its cultural role, Liverpool has more museums and galleries than most cities in Britain. At the Walker Art Gallery, I was told that it has best collections of Victorian paintings in the world, and is the home of modern art in the north of England. However, culture is more than galleries. Liverpool offers many music events. As Britain’s No.1 music city, it has the biggest city music festival in Europe, and its musicians are famous all over the world. Liverpool is also well-known for its football and other sports events. Every year, the River Festival Liverpool attracts thousands of visitors, making the city a place of wonder.
As you would expect from such a city, there are restaurants serving food from around the world. When my trip was about to end, I chose to rest my legs in Liverpool’s famous Philharmonic pub. It is a monument(纪念碑) to perfection, and a heritage attraction itself.
Being a World Heritage Site, my home city is certainly a place of Outstanding Universal Value. It is a treasure house with plenty of secrets for the world to explore.
1. What can first catch visitors’ attention in Liverpool?| A．Charming banks. |
| B．Famous museums. |
| C．Wonderful palaces. |
| D．Attractive buildings. |
| A．By analyzing causes. |
| B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the order of time. |
| D．By providing different examples. |
| A．To show Liverpool is a well-known city for its restaurants. |
| B．To prove Liverpool is an impressive place full of attractions. |
| C．To explain a pub is a wonderful place for visitors to relax themselves. |
| D．To stress a pub is a perfect choice for visitors to end their journey. |
| A．The universal value of Liverpool. |
| B．The beautiful historic sites of Liverpool. |
| C．The special cultural atmosphere of Liverpool. |
| D．The author’s exciting experience in Liverpool. |
10 . While tea originated in China, now there are many countries all around the world that have tea woven into their food culture and traditions. This is one of the very special parts of tea as it has a way of connecting people all over the world in diverse ways and ceremonies, which finally brings about a group of people sitting together and enjoying a cup of tea.
Chinese tea culture
Since China is viewed as the birthplace of tea, it is no wonder that Chinese tea culture is rich in history and tradition. Today, Chinese tea continues to be used in Chinese medicine and is commonly consumed on both casual and formal occasions both for personal enjoyment and to represent Chinese cultural traditions.
Japanese tea culture
Japan also has a long history with tea, especially Japanese Matcha, which is a kind of ground green tea that is commonly used in Japanese tea ceremonies and has only become popular in Western culture in recent years.
British tea culture
When many people think of tea, British tea culture is what comes to mind. A cup of hot English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea serves with a little milk and a biscuit in the afternoon as a pick-me-up for the day. Even though tea may not be native to England, this British tea tradition is still going strong today.
Moroccan tea culture
When you visit Morocco, it is hard to miss the outstanding tea culture that is such a large part of Moroccan hospitality. Before any gathering, negotiation, or sale of a product, a pot of mint tea is always prepared and served among the hosts and guests. This is an expression of Moroccan tradition and hospitality, which should always be accepted by guests as a sign of appreciation and respect to the hosts.
1. Why can tea find its way into various food cultures?| A．It originated in China. |
| B．It forms different ceremonies. |
| C．It gets people connected easily. |
| D．It allows people to sit together. |
| A．They both have a long history. |
| B．They both are used in medicine. |
| C．They both are famous for ground green tea. |
| D．They’ve both gained worldwide recognition for a long time. |
| A．To get new energy. |
| B．To bring out respect. |
| C．To show hospitality. |
| D．To observe a tradition. |
| A．Healthy You. | B．Social Insight. |
| C．Cultural Corner. | D．Itchy Feet Travel. |
