1 . The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago connected Europe, Africa and Asia. People reached these different places along these roads. Scientists believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago. By the time the Chinese silk trade became important in the world, the Silk Road covered almost 6500 kilometers. It spread from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Traders travelling along the Silk Road carried silk, of course. They also carried and traded spices (香料), cloth, valuable stones and gold.
There is a famous old story along the old road. It is said that Roman soldiers travelled through central Asia. They started to live somewhere near the ancient Chinese village of Liqian. Sortie of these Romans married local Chinese women and the story of blue-eyed villages of China was started.
During its busiest period, the Silk Road allowed people from many different cultures and countries to meet each other and mix. The Silk Road allowed the sharing of valuable goods and new ideas. These included people and trading goods from the Mediterranean, Persian, Magyar, Armenian, Bactrian, Indian and Chinese areas. All these peoples travelled the Silk Road, and they shared goods, stories, languages, and cultures.
In modern times, the old Silk Road routes (路线) are still used, but now they are crossed by trains instead of camels and horses. There is even a Silk Route Museum in Jiuquan in China. It has over 35,000, objects from all along the Silk Road. In this way, China protects the history of many countries and peoples.
1. How many kilometers did the Silk Road cover?| A．About 3000. | B．Nearly 6500. | C．Almost 2000. | D．Over 35,000. |
| A．Silk. | B．Cloth. | C．Gold. | D．Tea. |
| A．Valuable things could not be sold along the Silk Road. |
| B．The Silk Road allowed people from different countries to mix. |
| C．Ancient Chinese along the Silk Road maybe able to speak different languages. |
| D．The objects in the museum in Jiuquan in China are from all along the Silk Road. |
| A．History and Geography. | B．Sports World. |
| C．Man and Animals. | D．Popular Science. |
2 . Different countries and different people have different manners. We must find out their customs, so that they will not think us ill－mannered. Here are some examples of the things that a well－mannered person does or does not do．
If you visit a Chinese family you should knock at the door first. When the door opens, you’ll not move before the host says “Come in, please.” After you enter the room， you wouldn’t sit down until the host asks you to take a seat. When a cup of tea is put on a tea－table before you or sent to your hand, you’ll say “Thank you” and receive it with your two hands, not one hand, or they’ll think you are ill－mannered．
Before entering a house in Japan, it is good manners to take off your shoes. In European countries, even though shoes sometimes become very dirty, this is not done. In a Malay house, a guest never finishes the food on the table. He leaves a little to show that he has had enough. In England, a guest always finishes a drink or the food to show that he has enjoyed it. This will make the host, especially the hostess pleased．
1. We must find out what the different manners are in different countries so that ________.| A．we can know what to do and what not to do when we go there |
| B．they won’t think we are ill |
| C．we won’t be thought in poor health |
| D．we can give some examples |
| A．you won’t leave | B．you won’t walk |
| C．you won’t stand in front of him | D．you won’t get in |
| A．before your visitor enters your house |
| B．before you enter the host’s house |
| C．before you visit a family |
| D．before you sit down and receive a cup of tea |
| A．you needn’t take off your shoes |
| B．you must take off your dirty shoes |
| C．you are not allowed to wear dirty shoes |
| D．you should put on clean shoes |
| A．he has enjoyed it |
| B．he needs some drink |
| C．he is not hungry at all |
| D．he can’t have any more |
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: Jun.15--Aug.24
Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights (最精彩的部分) in this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem’s production of Alvin Ailey’s “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.
Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. Jacobspillow.org.
Moab Music Festival
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug.29--Sept.9
This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.
Events start at $25. moabmusicfest.org.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July19--28
There is something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village and Old West museum” to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for major money in the world’s largest outdoor stage.
Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. cfdrodeo.com.
The Glimmerglass Festival
Where: Cooperstown, New York
When: July6--Aug.24
Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year’s performances include Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi’s “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers(作曲家).
Tickets start at $26. glimmerglass.org.
1. If you want to enjoy a “Grotto Concert”, which date suits you best?| A．June 15. | B．July 19. | C．August 24. | D．September 4. |
| A．$18. | B．$22. | C．$36 | D．$41. |
| A．Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival | B．The Glimmerglass Festival |
| C．Cheyenne Frontier Days | D．Moab Music Festival |
| A．Education. | B．Politics. | C．Business. | D．Art. |
4 . Most French people eat dinner at 8 pm or later. Some French families, especially if they do not have young children, may start dinner as late as 9 pm or 9:30 pm. The first time I went to France, I was confused that my host family hadn’t had dinner by 7 pm yet. “Are they going to skip dinner?” I wondered.
It’s not clear to me why French people eat so late. Alysa Salzberg, a French writer, guesses that the later meal time develops from typical French working hours. “French people eat late because most standard job hours are 9 or 10 to 6 instead of 9 to 5,” Alysa explains. “So, by the time everyone gets home and a meal is prepared, it’s about 8 pm.”
French people usually eat a smaller dinner, such as soup or salad with bread and dessert. Considering French people famously don’t snack, they must survive a long break between lunch and dinner. The solution is that lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Americans and people from other countries may have a simple sandwich for lunch, but French lunches are typically more considerable. I remember having a huge lunch at the host school with other French students last month. The lunch came with salad, bread, a main dish, cheese and a yogurt. It seemed like too much food the first time I saw it.
In addition, French people never eat on the way. It’s unusual to see French people eating a cheeseburger from a McDonald’s while sitting in their cars. I don’t remember seeing French people eating while walking in the street or on the subway in Paris either. French people consider it important to sit down at a table to eat and even eat a hamburger with a knife and fork.
1. Why do the French eat dinner late in Alysa Salzberg’s opinion?| A．They have a big lunch. |
| B．Dinner is less important to them. |
| C．Dinner dishes take a long time to cook. |
| D．They get off work late. |
| A．simple | B．plentiful | C．expensive | D．delicious |
| A．Cars play an important role in French life. |
| B．Fast food is not popular in France. |
| C．The French pay great attention to eating manners. |
| D．Eating in public places is not allowed in France. |
| A．He is an overseas student in France. |
| B．He enjoys French food very much. |
| C．He works as a magazine writer. |
| D．He agrees with the French way of life. |
5 . 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. |
6 . There is more of a connection between food and culture than you may think. On an individual level, we grow up eating the food of our culture. It becomes a part of who we are. Many associate food from our childhood with warm feelings and good memories and it ties us to our families, holding a special and personal value for us. Food from our families often becomes the comfort food we seek as adults in times of frustration and stress.
On a large scale, traditional food is an important part of culture. It also operates as an expression of cultural identity. Immigrants bring it wherever they go, and it is a symbol of pride in their culture and means of coping with homesickness.
Many immigrants open their own restaurants and serve traditional dishes. However, the food does not remain exactly the same. Some materials needed to make traditional dishes may not be readily available, so the taste and flavour can be different from what they would prepare in their home countries. Additionally, immigrants do not only sell dishes to people from the same countries as them, but to people from different countries. Therefore, they have to make small changes in the original dishes to cater to a wider range of customers. Those changes can create new flavours that still keep the cultural significance of the dishes.
We should not only embrace our heritage (传统) through our culture’s food, but also become more informed about other cultures by trying their food. It is important to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a window on culture, and it should be treated as such.
1. What’s the function of food mentioned in the text?| A．To help motivate homesickness. |
| B．To show cultural identity. |
| C．To reflect a country’s history. |
| D．To show a community’s superiority. |
| A．The specific traditional food. |
| B．The national culture. |
| C．A traditional expression of food. |
| D．The old-fashioned taste. |
| A．To attach cultural importance to their dishes. |
| B．To announce the beginning of their life on foreign soil. |
| C．To make the dishes popular among customers. |
| D．To present their own food culture in a new way. |
| A．Negative. |
| B．Balanced. |
| C．Unfair. |
| D．Unchangeable. |
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: June 15-Aug. 24
Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights (最精彩的部分) this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem’s production of Alvin Ailey’s “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.
Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. jacobspillow.org.
Moab Music FestivalWhere: Moab, Utah
When: Aug. 29-Sept. 9
This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.
Events start at $25. moabmusicfest.org.
Cheyenne Frontier DaysWhere: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July 19-28
There’s something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village” and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for major money in the world’s largest outdoor stage.
Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. cfdrodeo.com.
The Glimmerglass FestivalWhere: Cooperstown, New York
When: July 6-Aug. 24
Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year’s performances include Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi’s “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers (作曲家).
Tickets start at $26. glimmerglass.org.
1. If you want to enjoy a “Grotto Concert”, which date suits you best?| A．June 15. | B．July 19. |
| C．August 24. | D．September 4. |
| A．Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. |
| B．the Glimmerglass Festival. |
| C．Cheyenne Frontier Days. |
| D．Moab Music Festival. |
| A．Education. | B．Art. |
| C．Business. | D．Literature. |
8 . In Britain. Boxing Day is usually celebrated on December 26th, which is the following day after Christmas Day. However, strictly speaking. Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas. Like Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday. This means it’s a non-working day in the whole of Britain. When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is the public holiday.
The exact origin (起源) of the holiday is unclear. One of the thoughts is that during the Middle Ages, when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land, a Christmas Box was placed by a priest on each ship. Those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box. It was sealed up and kept on board until the ship came home safely. Then the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks for the success of the sailing. The priest wouldn’t open it to share the contents with the poor until Christmas.
One more thought is about the “Alms Box” placed in every church on Christmas Day. Worshippers (做礼拜的人) put gifts for the poor into it. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, that is why that day became know as Boxing Day.
Today, many businesses, organizations and families try to keep the traditional spirit of Boxing Day alive by donating their time, services and money to aid Food Banks, providing gifts for the poor, or helping families in need. Besides, spending time with family and shopping are popular Boxing Day activities now.
1. If Christmas Day is on a Saturday, Boxing Day will be celebrated on ________.| A．December 25th | B．December 26th |
| C．December 27th | D．December 28th |
| A．save the poor | B．pay for the priest |
| C．discover new land | D．pray for sailing safely |
| A．密封 | B．悬挂 |
| C．归还 | D．传递 |
| A．offering gifts to the poor | B．supporting families in need |
| C．spending time with family | D．giving money to aid Food Banks |
| A．to praise the kindness of priests |
| B．to introduce the origins of Boxing Day |
| C．to call on people to help the poor |
| D．to compare Boxing Day with Christmas Day. |
9 . Durga and Amiko became best friends shortly after Durga's family moved to Texas from India. Amiko, who was Japanese American, enjoyed hearing Durga describe her life in India. Amiko also loved being invited for dinner at Durga's house. The spicy Indian dishes that Durga's mother cooked were delicious. Durga wanted to know about life in Japan. Amiko explained that her grandparents had come to the United States from Japan but that she had never been there herself. One Saturday at the public library, Durga and Amiko saw a flyer(广告传单) about the Festival of Cultures. After reading the flyer, the two girls decided that the festival would be a great way to learn about each other's cultures as well as various cultures in other countries.
The Festival of Cultures
11–14 August
City Park
The Festival of Cultures is an annual event to celebrate the wide range of cultures found in our great state. People representing 40 cultural groups will share their traditions and customs. Here are just a few of the festival's many activities.
Crafts: See the fine art of basket weaving from Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Watch the delicate art of making paper umbrellas from Thailand and the decorative craft of papel picado, or paper cutting, from Mexico. All craft demonstrations provide a firsthand view of how things are made. You will appreciate the process involved in making these products.
Music and Dance: Experience musical instruments that you have never heard before. Listen to the music of a shô from Japan, a bull-roarer from Australia, a sitar from India, and a chakay from Thailand. You will also be entertained by folk dances from around the world, such as the troika from Russia and the mayim mayim from Israel. From 1:00 p.m. to3:00p.m. On14August, specialfolk-dancingclassesforchildrenwillbeoffered. Children ages 6–8 can learn the kinderpolka from Germany. Children ages 9–12 can learn the raspa from Mexico.
Storytelling:Listen for hours as professional storytellers charm you with captivating tales. Fables, folktales, and ballads from various countries will be told. Back by popular demand is Gwendolyn Washington, a famous African American storyteller.
Food: Enjoy irresistible foods from other countries, such as gyros from Greece, seafood paella from Spain, crêpes from France, and tandoori chicken from India. These tasty dishes will be difficult to pass up.
The Festival of Cultures is sponsored by the World Marketplace. For more information about the festival, call (800) 555-0199.
1. For a family with children ages 6–12, which day would be the best bargain for visiting the festival?| A．11 August. | B．12 August. | C．13 August. | D．14 August. |
| A．gyros | B．seafood paella | C．crêpes | D．tandoori chicken |
| A．how Durga and Amiko wanted to learn about other cultures |
| B．that Durga and her family moved to Texas from India |
| C．how Amiko's grandparents came to the United States |
| D．what kinds of spicy Indian dishes Durga's mother cooked |
10 . It is always said that China is the homeland of tea, which has a very long history of tea.
➢Color
➢Flavor(味道)
New tea is extremely clear and transparent with strong aroma(芳香), while old tea is characterized by brown color and weak fragrance. Take green tea and black tea for example, new green tea tastes a little bitter first, and then the fresh sweet taste begins to surface gradually, leaving a long and memorable after taste in mouth.
➢Place of origin
There is great gap of quality among various places of origin.
| A．Every tea leaf has its own shape. |
| B．Some varieties are identified by tightness of the leaves. |
| C．It is always advised to select tea from its main producing areas. |
| D．While you’re selecting tea, you should pay attention to following aspects. |
| E．For foreigners in China, drinking tea may seem like simple refreshment(提神). |
| F．Generally, new tea leaves look fresh and pleasing, with light green or dark green. |
| G．On the contrary, if bitter taste takes the lead and fresh sweet taste subsides(减弱), it is black tea. |
