1 . 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. |
2 . 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. |
3 . 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. |
4 . 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. |
5 . 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. |
6 . Living in two different cultures has its benefits and challenges. Although I was born in America, my parents emigrated (移民) to the US from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an island off the coast of India. The customs, traditions, and culture are the same in India as it is in Sri Lanka. When my parents came to the US, they continued to perform their customs and hold onto their beliefs and traditions. This has influenced me in several ways.
I have learned to speak three languages, including English. I eat a variety of foods and celebrate different holidays that have to do with my religion and culture. It is very fun when I get to interact with people of my nationality and speak to them in a different language. It is also a benefit because I get to celebrate with all my family and have different foods and learn new things about my culture. Sharing my culture and information about my nationality to others is very important to me. I feel that people should have a good understanding of who I am and what my life is like. I always try to incorporate (吸收) both American and Indian traditions, customs and foods.
Even though this can be a major advantage, there are many setbacks to be part of two cultures. All of my family was born in Sri Lanka, so I’m not a person of several different nationalities, such as Greek, Italian, German, and others. My cousins, my siblings and I are the only ones born out of Sri Lanka. Speaking a language at home and speaking another language at school can make me get confused. This is because sometimes I have trouble expressing my thoughts in English.
I have felt stuck between the two cultures at times, but I try not to think of two cultures as a setback, but as an advantage of being able to participate in different celebrations and get on with my American and Indian friends.
1. What does the author find important?| A．To learn American customs. |
| B．To speak three different languages. |
| C．To follow his own customs. |
| D．To share his own culture. |
| A．Achievements. | B．Problems. |
| C．Benefits. | D．Performances. |
| A．Living between two cultures. |
| B．Ways to live in a foreign country. |
| C．The ability to learn foreign languages. |
| D．Efforts to hold on to original traditions. |
7 . 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. |
8 . Britain is divided into different areas. Britain is one of the most diverse nations in Europe with over 250 different languages being spoken in London alone. With such a various culture, adapting to it can be a challenge for anyone.
Forget the stereotypes (陈旧观念). Many of the long-formed stereotypes simply have nothing to do with Britain today. Don’t think that everyone enjoys drinking tea or beer. Abandoning some old ideas of people and culture will allow you to be more open-minded and easily get into the culture.
Get used to small spaces. Like all European nations, Britain does not have the luxury of space. Houses, apartments and cars are all smaller.
Accept the jokes.
| A．Be polite |
| B．Make friends with them |
| C．Don’t play jokes on others |
| D．Understand the differences |
| E．Following these steps should be of great help to you |
| F．Therefore, trying to become familiar with smaller areas is very necessary |
| G．One of the most confusing aspects of British culture is humour |
9 . Armenian musician Astrid Poghosyan, a 29-year-old violinist, takes great pride in the Chinese name she picked for herself, Ma Xingxing. Last summer, she were busy making preparations for a series of in-person and online music events and cultural exchange programs. Poghosyan said she always put all her energies into the projects which she took part in, whether they were offline or online events, as she believed that every little effort would help her realize her music-related dreams.
“I believe music knows no borders, and cultural exchanges through music are especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic (流行病),” she said. Having studied and worked in China for 13 years, Poghosyan has now become a real China hand, skilled at the country’s language and culture. Such a multicultural background has certainly helped her stand out in her present job. For Poghosyan, the life she now leads is a far cry from when she first came to China in 2009 to learn to play the violin at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. At that time, Poghosyan could not speak a word of Chinese. “And my high-school-level English wasn’t of much help at that time,” she said. “So I decided to learn Chinese to solve the communication problem.”
She has a strong desire for Chinese movies, traditional festivals and history stories, all of which helped her through the difficult language-learning process. As she gradually buried herself in the Chinese language and culture, she also started to make Chinese friends and explore the energetic city life of Shanghai.
“Since I first came to Shanghai, I have always been impressed by the kindness of the people here,” she said. “Even when I couldn’t speak Chinese, in the first days, everyone I met gave me a big smile. Their smiles have made me feel the warmth of the city.”
1. What do we know about Astrid Poghosyan?| A．She is proud of her talent in music. |
| B．She came to China when she was 16. |
| C．She spoke Chinese well when young. |
| D．She usually has music lessons online. |
| A．Every country has its unique music and culture. |
| B．The COVID-19 pandemic prevented music spreading. |
| C．Poghosyan’s high-school-level English helped her a lot. |
| D．Poghosyan’s present life is quite different from that in the past. |
| A．Her exploration of the city. |
| B．Her love for Chinese culture. |
| C．Her wonderful social skills. |
| D．Her teacher’s encouragement. |
| A．Energetic. | B．Outgoing. |
| C．Humorous. | D．Friendly. |
10 . During the five-day International Labor Day holiday that began on April 30, tourist attractions that offered ancient Chinese, or guofeng, experiences attracted large crowds, some members of whom wore traditional clothing and makeup to enhance the authenticity (真实性) of their experiences.
Qujiang New District in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, charmed tourists with a new attraction on the theme of a TV serial The Longest Day in Chang’an. It offered visitors a chance to “travel back in time” and experience a day in the life of people living in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Xi’an, known as Chang’an back then, was the capital.
The World Rural Tourism Town in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, held a cultural festival with a silk and Song Dynasty (960-1279) theme. During the first three days of the holiday, the place received nearly 30,000 visits, putting it into an online list of the 10 most popular Huzhou attractions.
The Jizhou Kiln scenic area in Jiangxi province held a tourism festival with a Song Dynasty theme. Tourists, wearing period costumes and makeup, tried their hand at the ancient Chinese game of touhu — throwing arrows into a distant pot — and tasted yonghe tofu, one of the top 10 Jiangxi dishes.
COVID-19 has accelerated changes in the needs of consumers, who are increasingly pursuing comfortable and safe tourism products that benefit both the environment and people’s health. For tourism businesses, it’s important to highlight the cultural elements of tourism products by drawing inspiration from China’s traditional culture.
Hotels also took advantage of the guofeng craze to feed the growing passion for traditional Chinese culture. A guofeng hotel provided replica (仿制品) costumes from online games based on the Chinese classic Journey to the West, which the guests could try on for photos.
1. What does the underlined word “enhance” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Increase. | B．Explore. |
| C．Seek. | D．Examine. |
| A．Its delicious food. |
| B．Its beautiful scenery. |
| C．Its themed tourist attraction. |
| D．Its geographical location. |
| A．They featured local snacks. |
| B．They were popular online. |
| C．They offered traditional costumes. |
| D．They shared the Song Dynasty theme. |
| A．Guofeng Varies from Place to Place |
| B．The Traditional Culture Brings Changes |
| C．COVID-19 Affects China’s Tourism |
| D．The Ancient Culture Adds to Holiday Attraction |
