1 . American Dream
The American Dream is the belief held by many in America.
The American Dream was a driving factor not only in the gold rushes of the mid to late 1800s, but also in the waves of immigration throughout that century and the one following.
During the 19th century the writer Horatio Alger, Jr. became famous for his novels that idealized(理想化)the American Dream.
In the 1990s, the pursuit(追求)of the American Dream could be seen in the Dotcom boom.
| A．Ordinary people started new companies from their garages and became millionaires. |
| B．Just as the Chinese people are running after their own dream. |
| C．All over the world, people became crazy at whatever could bring them good luck. |
| D．His novels about down-and- out bootblacks(擦鞋匠)who were able to achieve wealth and success helped to firmly establish the dream within popular culture. |
| E．Since then, the idea has been rooted in the United States Declaration of Independence. |
| F．They think that through hard work, courage, and determination one can achieve a better life for oneself. |
| G．People in the US, as well as the rest of the world, poured their energy into the new Gold Rush. |
2 . Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship.
In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics.
| A．Instead, be friendly and praise your host’s team. |
| B．You may feel free to ask your Latin American friends similar questions. |
| C．Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable in a particular culture. |
| D．In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. |
| E．In addition, discussing one’s salary is usually considered unsuitable. |
| F．They enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. |
| G．As a general rule, it’s best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends. |
3 . Thanksgiving Day is a special holiday in the United States and Canada. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for the blessing.
Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. This is why it is celebrated in late fall, after the crops are in. But the first thanksgiving in America had nothing to do with a good harvest. On December 4,1619, the Pilgrims(新来移民) from England landed near what is now Charles City, Virginia, where they knelt down and expressed thanks for their safe journey across the Atlantic.
The first New England Thanksgiving did celebrate a rich harvest. The Pilgrims landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. They had a difficult time and the first winter was cruel. Many of the Pilgrims died. But the next year, they had a good harvest. So Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast. The Pilgrims invited Indian friends to join them for their special feast. Everyone brought food.
As time went by, other colonies(殖民地) began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving. But it took years before there was a national Thanksgiving Day. During the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale persuaded Abraham Lincoln to do something about it. In 1863, he announced the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving. Today, Americans celebrate this happy harvest festival on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day in much the same way as their American neighbours. But the Canadian Thanksgiving Day falls on the second Monday in October.
Thanksgiving Day is observed by church services and family reunions; the turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving feast. There are slight differences in Canada's and the United States' Thanksgiving in dates but the tradition is very similar. Other countries celebrate Thanksgiving Day as well.
1. The first group of people in America to have thanksgiving were __________.| A．some people from England | B．the American Indians |
| C．Sarah Josepha Hale | D．Governor Bradford |
| A．in the U.S.A. | B．in Great Britain |
| C．in Canada | D．on some island off the Atlantic |
| A．It's about how Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the U.S.A. |
| B．It's about how Thanksgiving Day came into being and the different ways it is celebrated. |
| C．It's about that Thanksgiving Day is in fact a harvest holiday. |
| D．It's about how the way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day changed with time and places. |
4 . Italy is shaped like a boot. Ancient Rome was one of the world's most powerful empires more than 2 000 years ago. The Romans’ ideas about roads，laws，government and buildings still influence us today.
The Colosseum in Rome was built during the time of the Roman Empire，in the first century A.D.
Italy is well--known for its designers，who create cars，handbags，clothes，shoes and other items that are in demand for their style and fine workmanship.
Today, the economy of Italy is stronger than in the past.
Italy is a member of the European Union，a group of countries that join together for better trade. The currency，or money，they use is called the“euro”.
Food and eating good meals are important to Italians. Popular foods include pasta，risotto，minestrone and pizza.
Many families still eat their main meal in the middle of the day.
| A．The northern part of the country is the main manufacturing center. |
| B．It could seat about 50 000 people，who went to see fights between animals and people. |
| C．Italy has several islands off the coast.. |
| D．McDonald's is also popular there. |
| E．The country used to depend on agriculture. |
| F．Mountains cover about three fourths of the country |
| G．The family is very important to the Italian way of life. |
5 . Fathers Day is a day to thank fathers for all the love and support they give to their children. It is celebrated on different dates in different countries. Some countries like the US, the UK, Canada and India celebrate this festival on the third Sunday of June.
Many men didn't like the creation of Father's Day though. They laughed at the holiday's sentimental attempts to celebrate Father's Day with flowers and gift-giving, and they laughed at the creation of such holidays as a commercial trick to sell more products - often paid for by the father himself.
During the 1920s and 1930s, in the US there was a movement to promote the combination of Mother's Day with Father's Day to be a new holiday, Parents' Day. Every year on Mother's Day, Parents' Day supporters would gather in New York City's Central Park to remind the public that both parents should be loved and respected.
However, this attempt failed due to the Great Depression. Struggling retailers(零售商)and advertisers made more efforts to make Father's Day a"second Christmas" for men, promoting goods such as neckties, hats, socks, pipes and tobacco, golf clubs and other sporting goods, and greeting cards.
When World War II started, advertisers began to argue that celebrating Father's Day was a way to honor American troops and support the war. By the end of the war, Father's Day may not have been a federal holiday, but it was a national event.In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed an announcement making Father's Day a federal holiday at last. Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than SI billion each year on Father's Day gifts.
1. Why didn't some men like the idea of Father's Day？| A．They thought it was a"second Christmas"for men. |
| B．They hated flowers and gift-giving. |
| C．They had to pay for the gifts. |
| D．They thought it was too sentimental for men and it was a commercial trick. |
| A．Because of the Great Depression. |
| B．Some men were not in favor of it. |
| C．Some women were not in favor of it. |
| D．Businessmen made their efforts to prevent it. |
| A．Parents' Day supporters movement. |
| B．The Great Depression. |
| C．The presidential re-election campaign. |
| D．Advertisers promotion during World WarⅡ. |
| A．Father's Day: Its Orign and Development. |
| B．Father's Day: the Same as Christmas. |
| C．Father's Day: the Great Man. |
| D．Father's Day and Mother's Day |
6 . Venice International Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival takes place every year in late August or early September at the historic Palazzo del Cinema, in Venice, Italy; its main award is the Golden Lion.
Cannes International Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival is a famous film festival. It has been held annually in Cannes, in the south of France, since 1946 with a few exceptions. Given massive media exposure, the festival is attended by many film stars and is a popular venue for film producers to launch their new films and attempt to sell their works to the distributors who come from all over the globe.
The most famous award given out at Cannes is the Golden Palm for the best film; this is sometimes shared by multiple films in one year.
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards are the most prominent film award in the United States. The awards are granted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy Awards are nicknamed “Oscars”, which is also the nickname of the statuette (小雕像). The name is said to have been born when Margaret Herrick saw the statuette on a table and said,“It looks just like my uncle Oscar!”
Berlin International Film Festival
It is one of the “A” festivals in Europe. The Berlin International Film Festival, also called the "Berlinale", is held annually in February and started in 195I after an initiative of the American, who was stationed in part of the city after World War Ⅱ. The jury (评审团) always place special emphasis on representing films from all over the world. The awards are called Golden and Silver Bears (as the Bear is the symbol of Berlin).
1. Which award can be shared by multiple films in one year？| A．The Golden Lion. | B． The Academy Awards. |
| C．The Golden Palm. | D． The Golden and Silver Bears. |
| A．It’s the nickname of the Academy Awards. |
| B．It’s also the nickname of the statuette. |
| C．It got its name because Margaret said the statuette looked like her uncle. |
| D．It’s an award in France. |
| A．The Golden Lion. | B．The Academy Awards. |
| C．The Golden Palm. | D．The Golden and Silver Bears. |
| A．It looks like a bear. | B．The bear is the symbol of Berlin. |
| C．It is made up of bear fur. | D．The bear is rare in Berlin. |
7 . In fact, afternoon tea is a relatively new English custom. Though the custom of drinking tea dates years back to Ancient China and became popular in England in the 17th century, the idea of "afternoon tea"didn't appear until about 200 years later.
It is said that the afternoon tea was introduced into England by Anna Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford,in the mid-19th century. The evening meal was usually served around 8 o'clock at that time, thus leaving a rather long period of hunger between meals. The Duchess therefore added a tray of tea and some light snacks during the late afternoon. It later became her habit, and she started to invite other friends to join her.
This extra"meal"of tea and desserts later became a popular social event. During the 1880safternoon tea was usually served in the drawing room between 4 and 5 o'clock, and women from high society would dress themselves up with long gowns, gloves and hats for it.
Traditional afternoon tea usually includes delicious sandwiches, scones(烤饼), cakes, other desserts, and most importantly, tea. Nowadays, however, in most British households, afternoon tea is more likely to be just a cup of tea out of teabags, with some biscuits or small cakes。
1. What can we infer from the passage?| A．Afternoon tea dates back to Ancient China. |
| B．The concept of"afternoon tea"didn't appear until the 19th century. |
| C．The custom of drinking tea became popular in England after the 19th century. |
| D．The custom of drinking tea was introduced into England by Anna Russell. |
| A．is richer than traditional one |
| B．consists of a cup of tea made by a teabag, some biscuits or cakes |
| C．is less popular than before |
| D．includes delicious sandwiches, scones, cakes and other desserts |
| A．Want a Cup of Tea? | B．What Is Afternoon Tea? |
| C．The Development of Afternoon Tea | D．New Forms of Afternoon Tea |
8 . Maaseik, a city in Belgium, has opened an exhibition of about 200 relics and treasures of the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), showing China’s golden age of ancient civilisation (文明).
The exhibition, which opened on May 11 and will continue until Oct. 20, is part of the city's effort to create a centre of Chinese culture. Belgian Princess Mathilde formally announced the beginning of the exhibition, titled “China’s Golden Age: Treasures from the Tang Dynasty”.
The items, including gold plates and silver wares for royal families, Tang Dynasty tri-colour glazed figurines (小雕像) of women and paintings, have recently been on exhibit in the Dutch city of Assert.
All of the exhibited items are from Shaanxi Province, China. Its provincial capital Xi’an was the most populous (人口多的) city in the world and once the capital of the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang period is generally regarded as a high point in Chinese civilization-equal to, or better than that of the earlier Han Dynasty (202 BC—220 AD), a golden age of Chinese culture.
Several years ago, said Dirk Verlaak, vice-mayor of Maaseik, his city and Assen teamed up to host history and culture exhibitions of China’s first two imperial dynasties, the Qin (221 BC—206 BC) and the Han. The Chinese relics and treasures attracted 350,000 visitors in Assen and 190,000 in Maaseik.
“Westerners don’t know much about China’s ancient civilisation and history, and we hope the new exhibition in Maaseik can attract more visitors,” said Verlaak.
1. Maaseik held the exhibition in order to .| A．make money | B．educate people |
| C．attract foreign visitors | D．spread Chinese culture |
| A．Dirk Verlaak is interested in Chinese history |
| B．All the items in the exhibition are from China |
| C．Assert attracted more visitors than Maaseik several years ago |
| D．This is the first time that Maaseik has held such an exhibition. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Consent. |
| C．Worried. | D．Excited |
| A．Tang Dynasty Treasures Exhibited in Belgium |
| B．Tang Dynasty Treasures Discovered in Belgium |
| C．Chinese Culture Goes Around the World |
| D．Chinese Civilisation Attracts Foreigners |
9 . Which literary character are you dressing up this year? Share your pictures and be part of a worldwide celebration of books and reading.
World Book Day, the annual celebration of books, authors and illustrators(插图画家), sees many schools transformed on March 2018. It's an opportunity to inspire a love of reading in students-and also for pupils and teachers to dress up as their favourite fictional characters.
We'd love to see what you're wearing for your characters. Last year, there was such an impressive range sent in that we had trouble picking our favorites. Highlights included The Lord of the Rings characters, the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland and The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe.
Send us a photograph of you or your colleagues wearing a World Book Day costume and tell us a bit about what you're doing with your class to celebrate. If children appear in the picture, please make sure you have permission from the parent or guardian(监护人).
How to contribute? You can share your photographs or videos of your World Book Day costume by clicking on the blue "contribute" button on this web-page or you can download the free app if you have a smart phone. Please use the description field to tell us more about the photo or video.
1. According to the passage, what do people do to celebrate World Book Day?| A．Teachers recommend books for students to read. |
| B．Teachers and pupils read books together for fun. |
| C．Pupils and teachers dress up as their favourite literary characters. |
| D．Teachers download the app for their students to use. |
| A．Send them to the organizers by email. |
| B．Click on the red "contribute" button on the web-page. |
| C．Pay for the app. |
| D．Click on the blue "contribute" button on the web-page or download the free app. |
| A．The bright part of a picture or photograph. |
| B．The best, most interesting characters last year. |
| C．The strong light used during night. |
| D．Areas of hair that are lighter |
10 . Are Potato Fries a Cultural Treasure?
Belgium is divided into three communities. Each one has its own language and traditions. But the people of Belgium are united in their love for Belgian potato fries. The fries are prepared and sold the same way in all areas of the country.
The Reuters news service reports that potatoes reached Belgium in the 16th century. But it was not until the 19th century that restaurants and others began selling potato fries throughout the country as a separate meal.
Recently, a Belgian group launched a campaign aimed at getting the United Nations to recognize the popular treat. The group wanted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to place the food on its cultural heritage list.
The UNESCO list recognizes more than 300 objects, beliefs and practices. They include Turkish coffee and the traditional Chinese theater known as Peking Opera. The list also includes a dance, the Argentinian tango, and the singing of the Aka pygmies of the Central African Republic. UNESCO says the list is "made up of intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate the diversity of heritage and raise awareness about its importance".
To appear on the list, each item needs an expression of support from a minister of culture. Belgium has three such ministers— one for each part of the country.
Belgian potato fries are traditionally sold in a paper wrapper or cone in a "fritkot", a small house or shack. There are about 5,000 fritkots in Belgium. That means they are 10 times more common as a percentage of the population as McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. The national organization of fritkot owners says the small, often unfinished buildings are much like Belgium itself. It says these buildings combine the country’s acceptance of disorder with a dislike of structures that all look the same. The group says 95 percent of Belgians visit a potato fries shack at least once a year.
1. Belgian potato fries .| A．were recognized by UNESCO |
| B．are well received by the Belgians |
| C．are sold in various ways throughout the whole country |
| D．were not sold as a separate meal until the 16th century |
| A．To place Belgian potato fries on the cultural heritage list. |
| B．To avoid Belgian potato fries9 disappearance. |
| C．To show the diversity of Belgian foods. |
| D．To prove the popularity of Belgian foods. |
| A．Peking Opera. |
| B．The Argentinian tango. |
| C．Turkish coffee. |
| D．American country music. |
| A．A simple house where the people live. |
| B．A kind of small, unfinished building. |
| C．A place where machines are used to make goods. |
| D．A piece of plastic that covers something. |
