1 . What My Year Abroad Taught Me About Cultural Differences
Imagine going to study abroad. You walk into the local shop and bam!, Golliwogs (黑面木偶) everywhere. I’m talking salespeople dressed as Golliwogs. Surprised, you go to the junk food section as that’s the only thing that will give your body the sugar rush it needs to shock your body out of the state of bewilderment (困惑). And there they were: Golliwog cookies.
I’m using the word “Golliwogs” because to a British person abroad that’s what they are. But in the Netherlands and Belgium the image is known as Zwarte Piet (Black Pete). There has been much discussion about whether or not it’s racist.
Working as a trainee with the European Commission, I met people from all over the world, not just Europe. Working alongside my German, Spanish and Italian colleagues, I learned some valuable lessons.
Another lesson was the value of the coffee break. Coffee breaks in Brussels were not just time to get coffee. It was a chance to develop new ideas with colleagues in a more informal setting. At first I declined the invitation to attend, but after a while I began to notice that almost everyone went on these trips to the coffee machine and decided to join them.
Graduates and students who have worked abroad gain an understanding of what it means to be truly European and how this can benefit you at work. Not only do you bring home experiences, skills and practices from other countries, but you also seek to take your work further afield (向远方).
| A．You might be amazed by the quantity of work and innovative concepts that can emerge during informal coffee breaks. |
| B．This marked my initial experience in comprehending diverse cultures. |
| C．As British people, we need to stay low-profile in what we do. |
| D．So, how did I apply these acquired abilities? |
| E．As individuals from Britain, we must produce more influence in our pursuits. |
| F．This was my first lesson in understanding British cultures. |
2 . As Christmas Eve approached, I found myself in New York City, far from my family and friends in Taiwan. I was feeling homesick and lonely, but my Jewish friend, Rachel, who, like me, doesn’t get connected with Christmas due to any religious things, invited me to join her for a dinner in a Chinese restaurant. She explained that it was a tradition for many Jewish people to celebrate this holiday by eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.
We went to Jing Fong, a fancy restaurant in Chinatown. The place was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and festive. We ordered a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, and I felt grateful to be sharing this experience with Rachel. As we ate, we talked about our families and our cultures. We laughed and joked, and for a moment, I forgot about my homesickness.
A moment later, a group of carolers (唱圣诞歌的人) came into the restaurant, singing Christmas songs. At first, I was puzzled. Why were they singing in a Chinese restaurant? But then I realized that this was part of the magic of New York City. People from all different cultures and backgrounds could come together and celebrate the holidays in their own way. Rachel and I joined in the singing, and soon the whole restaurant was filled with music. It was a beautiful moment, and I felt blessed to be part of it.
What a night! I learned that even when you’re far from home, you can still find joy and connection with others. Rachel and I may come from different cultures, but we shared amazing food, joyful music, and most importantly heartfelt company. And that’s exactly what all the holidays are all about.
1. Why did Rachel invite the author to join her for dinner?| A．To show respect to God |
| B．To celebrate Christmas in the Jewish way |
| C．To share stories about their families |
| D．To forget about their homesickness |
| A．Fearful | B．Joyful |
| C．Disappointed | D．Confused |
| A．By focusing on religious traditions |
| B．By celebrating with family and friends |
| C．By enjoying a variety of festive dishes |
| D．By embracing diverse ways of celebration |
| A．A personal blog | B．A commercial promotion brochure |
| C．A travel guide of New York | D．An academic article |
3 . Harvest Days
Event Details
Harvest Days has returned bigger and better than ever. This family-fun event falls on 7th & 8th, October from 10:00 a. m. to 5:00 p. m. on Saturday and 11:00 a. m. to 5:00 p. m. on Sunday. This year’s event includes a two-day silent auction (拍卖), staged in the Firehouse. Bid (投标) on a variety of heritage pieces inspired by objects preserved in the museum’s collection. Also, up for bid are a variety of museum passes, experiences, art, wine, beer, and more. All the money will benefit the museum through the work of the Landis Valley Associates.
Tickets will be available at the front gate.
Used to celebrate the harvest of a year’s hard work, Harvest Days is Landis Valley’s oldest and largest family event. Come for demonstrations, exhibits, live music, and children’s activities. Taste varieties of apples and watch them become apple butter and drink. Witness wool go from sheep to clothes. Pick a pumpkin of your very own and then decorate it. All of these and more are packed into two fun-filled days.
This year’s event offers food demonstrations, such as apple butter, processing pork, bake oven and heart h cooking; craft demonstrations, such as coopering, blacksmith, leather, brooms, millinery, weaving, woodwork; craft sales, such as jams & jellies, potteries, soap, candles.
Food will be available for purchase on site. Free parking.
LOCATION: Landis Valley Village & Far m Museum
ADDRESS: 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
CONTACT: 717-569-0401
1. Where will the money from the auction finally go?| A．To the bidders. | B．To the museum. |
| C．To the government. | D．To the villagers. |
| A．Adventure and exploration. |
| B．Celebration and education. |
| C．Presentation and advertising. |
| D．Entertainment and exchange. |
| A．There is no charge of parking. |
| B．Apple juice is served for participants. |
| C．It will be held on an open farm in Landies Valley. |
| D．Collection’s of Landis Valley Associates are for sale. |
4 . Here are four festival s around the world that can offer you special and unique experiences.
Carnival of Oruro, Bolivia
As one of the largest events in South America which has been held since the 18th century, it was recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Every year, dozens of groups wear colorful costumes or masks and perform folk dances that draw crowds up to 400,000 annually, celebrating pre-Columbian traditions.
Underwater Music Festival, the USA
It starts from 1985 and its founder took music festival s to a whole new level with the aim to protect the corals (珊瑚). The event houses radio playlists and ocean-themed songs streaming live from underwater speakers along with musician-divers and local people playing instruments with strange shapes.
Day of the Little Candles, Colombia
This festival can date back to 1854 and Colombia’s windows, balconies, and sidewalks would come alive on the night of every December 7. And houses and streets are decorated with candles in varying colors and paper lanterns by families. Many people also consider it the unofficial start of the Christmas season when cities and towns debut (初次登场) their Christmas lights and decorations.
World Toe Wrestling Championship, England
This competition is not a new competition, with its history going back to 1976. The sport involves two opponents who lock feet in an attempt to pin each other’s foot down in the least time possible, similar to arm wrestling. There are three rounds played on a best of 2 out of 3 bases. Rounds kick-start with the right foot, then left and followed by right again.
1. What do we know about Carnival of Oruro?| A．It features colorful costumes and folk dances. |
| B．It is a time for families to reunite. |
| C．It is no use for the local economy. |
| D．It only has one single presentation. |
| A．Body strength. | B．Colorful candles. |
| C．Underwater creatures. | D．Christmas goods. |
| A．Carnival of Oruro. | B．Day of the Little Candles. |
| C．Underwater Music Festival. | D．World Toe Wrestling Championship. |
5 . The remains of German World War II steamer Karlsruhe, found in the seabed off the coast of Poland by Baltictech divers in late September 2020, may house more than the typical Nazi artifacts. It could contain Russia's legendary Amber Room. Often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the treasure was last seen in Königsberg, Germany — present-day Kaliningrad, Russia — before it disappeared into thin air in 1945.
“We have been looking for the wreckage (残骸) since last year when we realized there could be the most interesting, undiscovered story lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea,” Baltictech diver Tomasz Stachura said in a statement.
The Karlsruhe sailed from Königsberg on April 11, 1945, carrying 1,083 passengers and hundreds of tons of goods. The massive vessel was part of Operation Hannibal, one of the largest sea evacuations (撤离) in history. It was organized to rescue Nazi troops and civilians in Prussia and Poland from the Soviet military and ship them to Germany and Nazi-occupied Denmark. While many of the rescue ships made it safely to their destination, the Karlsruhe was not among them. Just two days after its departure, the ship was bombed by Soviet airplanes a few miles away from the shores of Poland, where it lay undisturbed until its recent discovery.
While exploring the wreckage, the divers found well-preserved artifacts, including WWII German military vehicles, porcelain, and, most interesting of all — sealed boxes. The Baltictech team speculates the wooden chests may be housing the long-lost Amber Room!
“We don’t want to get excited, but if the Germans were to take the Amber Room across the Baltic Sea, then Karlsruhe Steamer was their last chance,” the Baltictech team expressed on Facebook.
While the thrilling theory certainly sounds true, the mystery of the missing Amber Room will remain unsolved — at least for now. That's because there are currently no plans to explore the chests. But that may change soon!
1. What does the author want to tell us in paragraph 1?| A．What was steamer Karlsruhe. |
| B．Who are Baltictech divers. |
| C．The Amber Room might be found. |
| D．The chamber disappeared suddenly. |
| A．To withdraw Germans. |
| B．To send troops to fronts. |
| C．To fight with Soviet forces. |
| D．To avoid being attacked. |
| A．Proves. | B．Infers. | C．Worries. | D．Inspects. |
| A．The Germans dislike the Amber Room. |
| B．The Amber Room will return to Germany. |
| C．The Baltictech divers kept calm after the discovery. |
| D．The Amber Room is most likely on Karlsruhe Steamer. |
6 . Ugandan student’s study and adaptation of traditional Chinese craft helps build bridges through art. With its balanced, rounded pot and cups, the tea set seems like Chinese ceramic (陶瓷) at first glance. But closer inspection of its pattern reveals an ancient Ugandan design. “My projects always aim to join some aspects of Chinese and Ugandan culture together,” says the tea set’s creator, Ocen Robert.
In 2015, Robert arrived in China from the East African nation to pursue a higher education in ceramic arts at Jingdezhen Ceramic University in East China’s Jiangxi province. The Ugandan is also enrolled in a PhD program focusing on design, with his art pieces sold at national-level exhibitions in China.
He says, “I love it here not only because of its safety, but the raw materials and the production techniques for ceramics here are also among the best in the world.” During his time in China, Robert was given many opportunities to participate in ceramic production, exhibitions and even access to experts-all helping to grow the space where he could express his creativity.
To deepen his understanding and passion for traditional Chinese culture, Robert spends most of his free time in local museums’ culture and history sections. He also gets to know Chinese professionals inside and outside the ceramic world. “I would love to solidify my career as an artist here while helping to link Uganda and China,” Robert says.
“Ugandans are thankful, curious, and passionate about Chinese culture. I would love to introduce the artists back home to study and create ceramic artworks in China and promote them to the world.”
Robert says, “To be a modern artist in Chinese ceramics, one needs to comprehend the full flow of production, which requires years of practice and learning.” One of the most challenging areas of creating his pieces involves creating the “ideal shape and thickness”. He says “I fail at times, but I always practice and try again and again.” Robert has attained the essential spirit of Chinese ceramic arts——accepting and integrating the differences.
1. What is the goal of Robert’s art projects?| A．To promote traditional Chinese ceramics in Uganda. |
| B．To combine elements of Chinese and Ugandan culture. |
| C．To compete in the international exhibitions. |
| D．To restore and preserve ancient Ugandan arts. |
| A．He intended to earn money in China. |
| B．He desired to achieve a doctoral degree abroad. |
| C．China has the best ceramic materials and craft. |
| D．China is safer than any other country. |
| A．By visiting famous masters of Chinese history. |
| B．By comparing it with Ugandan traditions and customs. |
| C．By acquiring related knowledge from local museums. |
| D．By participating in art festivals and academic meetings. |
| A．Creative and perseverant. | B．Kind and knowledgeable. |
| C．Humorous and passionate. | D．Courageous and intelligent. |
7 . It’s a race against time, as generations of cultural heritage conservators at the Dunhuang Academy make a great effort to protect the artistic charm of the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, despite erosion (侵蚀) by sand and wind.
The team is devoted to protecting the 45,000 square meters of murals (壁画) and more than 2,400 painted sculptures of the 735 caves of the site, the construction of which spans about a thousand years, from the 4th century to the 14th century. The cultural relics are the product of the cultural exchanges that took place over centuries on the ancient Silk Road. “Our work, repairing murals and painted sculptures, is to better preserve the caves, which promotes the great Dunhuang spirit of inclusiveness to the world and inspires modern people,” says Su Bomin, director of the Dunhuang Academy.
Commonly seen “diseases” affecting the murals include cracking and flaking, as well as erosion that is caused by changes in temperature and humidity of the caves, and the deposition of salts. To restore a mural requires an all-rounder. Restorers should know painting, master the skills of a mason and have some knowledge of chemistry and physics, to be able to recognize the problems and their corresponding causes and deliver a solution. They must also select proper materials and tools, and conduct experiments, before formally carrying out the restoration and evaluating the effect afterward.
The restoration should respect the original work and aim to maintain the status quo of the murals rather than repainting them. When the restorers find some parts of murals missing or fading away, they never repaint them to create a “perfect” appearance in restoration. “Cultural relics are witnesses of history,” explains Su. “When you pursue the so-called intact (完好无损的) look for artistic reasons, you will lose their key meaning.”
Cave conservation is about continuously solving problems. “It needs a long-term research to better preserve the caves, over a much wider time span that goes beyond our lifetimes,” Su says. But at least, they can keep the current look of the murals for as long as possible.
1. What is the main purpose of paragraph 2?| A．To show the popularity of Dunhuang murals. |
| B．To explain the history of the ancient Silk Road. |
| C．To stress the significance of the restoration work. |
| D．To present the ways of protecting cultural heritage. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Well-paid. | C．Interesting. | D．Creative. |
| A．Spotting the faded murals in time. |
| B．Fixing the missing parts of murals. |
| C．Maintaining the current look of murals. |
| D．Repainting to perfect the appearance of murals. |
| A．The Artistic Charm of Mural Paintings |
| B．The Mural Restoration in the Mogao Caves |
| C．The Successful Experiment on Cave Conservation |
| D．The Role of the Dunhuang Spirit in Chinese Culture |
8 . Norwegians would perhaps highlight their custom of “gå på tur”— going on a journey on foot or on skis. In Denmark, everyone knows what “hygge” is — to freely enjoy the good life with the people you love. They’re the issues of “intangible cultural heritage”, things that cannot be physically touched such as traditions, stories, music, dance and craft skills.
In 2003, UNESCO, the education, science and culture organization of the United Nations, adopted an agreement to “preserve the intangible” and many developing-world countries were quick to get their traditions included on the official list. But it would take almost 10 years for “Agreement for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” to be approved by the Scandinavian countries.
Annika Sjöberg is responsible for managing the work of the agency in Sweden. She has been, and continues to be, flooded with suggestions of intangible cultural heritage worthy of protection, submitted by committed citizens and organizations wanting to see their particular traditions included on the list that should be ready sometime in the next couple of years.
Suggestions have also been received concerning various maritime traditions: old shipwright skills such as the building of wooden hulled vessels, are in decline and at risk of being lost forever.
“Our work has attracted considerable attention as it is regarded as being a little out in left field,” says Sjöberg. “In addition, it’s also opened people’s eyes to the fact that the things we can’t physically touch indeed have a major bearing on the way in which we live. Even in an urbanized society, there is knowledge we carry with us that we’ve inherited from previous generations-knowledge that’s important to preserve and take care of.”
Sjöberg explains that the point is not to preserve this cultural heritage in a stony rigid form, as traditions must be allowed to change and evolve. She also emphasizes that her work should not be interpreted as a nationalistic project, rather as a means of multicultural spreading.
It’s actually a matter of documenting the knowledge that exists in the various traditions. What is most exciting is the diversity that now exists and the ways in which different cultures interact with each other.
1. Why are “gå på tur” and “hygge” mentioned at the beginning of the text?| A．To remind people to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. |
| B．To introduce the main topic of the text. |
| C．To appeal to the world to mind physical cultures. |
| D．To highlight how special the northern European countries are. |
| A．Date back to 2003. | B．Last for ten years old. |
| C．Meet the agreements of UNESCO. | D．Be in the developing country. |
| A．She is working for the UNESCO agency in Switzerland. |
| B．She monitors the protection of physical cultural heritage. |
| C．She tries her best to restore the world-wide particular traditions. |
| D．She has been managing the cases of the intangible cultural heritage. |
| A．Creation of the UNESCO. |
| B．Annika Sjöberg’s daily routine. |
| C．Intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. |
| D．Safeguarding the cultures of the Scandinavian countries. |
9 . UNESCO has added Italian opera singing, along with more than 50 other practices from around the world, to its list of Intangible (无形的) Cultural Heritage. The agency created the list in 2008 to help safeguard traditions, festivals, rites of passage, art forms and other practices across the globe. It also recognizes culturally and historically significant buildings, structures and properties with its well-known list of World Heritage Sites. It originates from the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023.
With UNESCO’s decision, opera singing joins several other Italian traditions on the list, like pizza making. “Performed by people of all genders, Italian opera singing is associated with specific facial expressions and body gestures and involves a combination of music, drama, acting and staging,” writes UNESCO.
The practice dates back to the Medici family in Florence in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Jacopo Peri’s Dafne, which was performed for the Medicis in 1598, is considered the first Italian opera. “This is a confirmation of what we’ve already known: Opera singing is a world excellence,” says Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s culture minister, in a statement.
A wide variety of cultural practices, food dishes and festivals also made the list at UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage meeting in Botswana. The committee narrowed down nominations submitted by 72 nations, ultimately selecting 55 to add to the list. The full list now includes 730 practices from 145 countries. Six of the new additions are “in need of urgent safeguarding”, according to UNESCO. These include Syrian glassblowing, olive cultivation in Türkiye and a traditional Malaysian performance called Mek Mulung. The non-urgent additions include several annual events, such as the Rotterdam Summer Carnival in the Netherlands, the Sango Festival of Oyo in Nigeria, the Junkanoo in the Bahamas and the Shuwalid festival in Ethiopia.
1. Why was Italian opera singing added to the UNESCO’s list?| A．To prove its perfection. | B．To preserve this art form. |
| C．To strengthen its competitiveness. | D．To celebrate this art’s 20th anniversary. |
| A．Its features. | B．Its prospects. | C．Its origin. | D．Its cost. |
| A．It has a long history. | B．It awaits confirmation. |
| C．It has received high recognition. | D．It comes from a well-known performance. |
| A．The Art Forms in Italy |
| B．The Introduction to UNESCO |
| C．730 Practices Are Ready to Be Added to the UNESCO’s List |
| D．The UNESCO’s List Welcomes Italian Opera Singing & Other Practices |
10 . The Longtaitou Festivl, which means “dragon-raises head” in Chinese, is a traditional Chinese festival held on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar. So, it’s also called Eryueer Festival. In Chinese culture, the dragon is an auspicious (吉利的) animal that dominates clouds and rains. The 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month is thought to be the day when dragon awakes and raises its head according to the Chinese folk legend. So the day is called Dragon Heads-raising Day. After the day, spring is coming and there will be more and more rain. People think these credits (功劳) go to the dragon. So the day is also called Spring Dragon Festival. Since the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Chinese people have had the custom of spending the Spring Dragon Festival.
The most popular custom on the Dragon Heads-raising Day is cutting hair. Dragon is highly honored for its dignity (尊贵) and power for good. It is thought to be auspicious to cut hair on the Dragon Heads-raising Day. Luck and opportunities will always knock you in the year. So, on that day, barbershops’ (理发店的) businesses are growing and full of customers.
The most common foods for celebrating the festival are popcorns, pancakes, noodles, dumplings, fired soy beans and pig’s head. People in different areas have different traditions about the food on the day. In Beijing, people eat Lvdagunr (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour) and spring pancakes on the day. In Shanxi, people like to eat fried dough twists (油条) and pancakes. In Shandong, fried soy beans, noodles and dumplings are the festival food. In Fuzhou, the salted porridge made of glutinous rice, celery, scallion, garlic, fry dried shrimps and shredded meat is eaten. These show people’s hope to be blessed (保佑) with favorable weather and plentiful grain harvest by the dragon.
1. Which of the following is true about the Longtaitou Festival?| A．It dates back to Song Dynasty. |
| B．It is celebrated for two days. |
| C．It attracts fewer people than other festivals. |
| D．It suggests the return of spring. |
| A．It is the most popular custom. |
| B．It is in honor of dragon’s dignity and power. |
| C．It is people’s wish for luck and opportunities. |
| D．It is a sign of barbershops’ prospering businesses. |
| A．People in China share the similar traditional foods on he day. |
| B．Foods for celebrating the festival usually bear people’s best wishes. |
| C．Salted foods are used to celebrate the festival throughout China. |
| D．Traditional foods on the day are prepared for the dragon to eat. |
| A．The Dragon Heads-raising Day. |
| B．The celebrations of the Longtaitou Festival. |
| C．The origin of the Longtaitou Festival. |
| D．The purpose of the Dragon Heads-raising Day. |
