1 . The winter solstice(冬至)is an important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar, and means the coming of winter. It generally occurs between December 21st and 23rd. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, one year is divided into twenty-four solar terms. On this day, in the northern hemisphere the period of daytime is the shortest of the year and the period of night is the longest.
In northern China there is a custom of eating dumplings during the winter solstice. The tradition of eating dumplings during the winter solstice has its origin in early times. It is said that dumplings were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a well-known doctor in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
One winter, he noticed that many people's ears were frostbitten, which made him sad. In order to prevent and cure the freezing injury caused by cold, he asked his followers to boil mutton, chilies and other ingredients with medicinal properties in a pot for fending off cold. After these were boiled, they ladled(舀)the mutton and other ingredients out of the pot, cut them into pieces, and then wrapped them in dough skins in the shape of ears. Afterwards, they put these into the pot to boil again.
On the day of the winter solstice, people whose ears were frostbitten were sent to eat the dumplings. People who ate dumplings felt warm from head to toe and had their cold injury healed. Thereafter, people ate dumplings every winter solstice. Then it became a custom that if you eat dumplings during the winter solstice, your ears won't get frostbite.
Afterwards, Zhang Zhongjing died on the day of the winter solstice. In order to honour him, every year on the day of the winter solstice every household makes dumplings.
1. Which of the following should be the best title for the passage?| A．The Custom of Eating Dumplings |
| B．The Inventor of Dumplings |
| C．The Importance of Eating Dumplings |
| D．The Origin of the Winter Solstice |
| A．The winter solstice is the most important among twenty-four solar terms. |
| B．Australia in the southern hemisphere has the longest period of daytime on the winter solstice. |
| C．If people don't eat dumplings, they will have their ears frostbitten. |
| D．China has the longest period of daytime on the winter solstice. |
| A．they want to honour Zhang Zhongjing, who invented dumplings to cure people's freezing injury |
| B．they want to celebrate the important solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar |
| C．dumplings boiled with mutton, chilies and other ingredients with medicinal properties taste delicious |
| D．they can feel warm from head to toe and have their freezing injury healed |
2 . Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday.The day after it has been known as Black Friday.It is the start of the holiday shopping season,and it has been the busiest shopping day of the year in the US since 2005.
Most stores offer big sales on Black Friday.They open their doors quite early in the morning.They try to attract shoppers with big discounts(打折).Some items(商品) like TVs and clothes are much cheaper than usual.
Black Friday is a great time to go shopping.However,there are problems.The biggest one is that there are not enough low-priced items.Each store may only have a few.These items are in great need,so people stand in long lines to get them.
The situation makes people worried.Some Black Friday events have been crazy.There have been fights over toys among shoppers.Some workers have even been hurt by large crowds.But most Black Friday events are safe and fun.
So where does the name “Black Friday” come from?It was first used in Philadelphia in the 1950s.
Now people all over the country take part in Black Friday events.
| A．Still,if you plan to go,you will expect large crowds and a bit of pushing. |
| B．People may feel disappointed if they cannot get them. |
| C．They may wait three to four hours before a store opens. |
| D．It is even spreading to other parts of the world. |
| E．Stores may even lose money on these items. |
| F．It attracts people all over the world. |
| G．The police called this day Black Friday because of the heavy traffic it caused. |
3 . Spanish Weddings
Weddings are big and important things in Spain. You’re likely to find the whole family and the whole village turn out to celebrate.
Traditional Spanish weddings do not include bridesmaids (伴娘) or groomsmen.
During the wedding reception, the bride and groom go from table to table carrying a basket with small wedding presents. The men will be offered a cigar or a mini-bottle of wine. And the women will be offered a little present. This may be the time in which guests also “hand back” the preferred wedding gift: money in envelopes.
| A．Most Spanish weddings are connected with coins. |
| B．But today, with Hollywood’s influence weddings change a bit. |
| C．The couple stand together at the altar (圣坛) with no one else. |
| D．Therefore, you will find the traditional weddings are crowded. |
| E．In Spain, the wedding ring is worn on the ring finger of the right hand. |
| F．Invitations are usually sent out one or two weeks before the wedding ceremony. |
| G．Some couples also send out the number of a bank account along with the invitation. |
4 . Fantastic Fall Festivals You Won’t Want to Miss
Seymour Apple FestivalAdmission to the Seymour Apple Festival is free and so is the entertainment! More than 15,000 people from all over the region come out to take part in the activities, ranging from drawings, vendor booths, food, apple contests, bike decorating contests, and more.
Marionville Apple FestivalThe popular Marionville Apple Festival is home to countless activities and events. The carnival, pony rides, and games will keep the kids busy, while adults will enjoy watching the pie-eating contest and browsing dozens of craft vendor booths.
Humansville Fall FestivalThe Humansville Fall Festival may be hosted by a small town, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking big fun. Perfect for all ages, this fall festival is celebrating its 70th year and will provide three full days of fun. This year’s festival will feature live music from fantastic local musicians, which will definitely make it different from the ones in other years. You’ll also find fun carnival rides, talented artisans selling their goods, and an amazing parade to wrap up the event on Saturday.
Southside Fall FestivalThe Southside Fall Festival is perfect for family celebrations, with an alcohol-free environment and free admission. Enjoy a colorful parade and float contest, delicious food vendors, live music, karaoke, and more.
Fall Into Arts FestivalMake sure to bring the kids along for this festival that celebrates all things creative. The Fall Into Arts Festival features a host of kid-friendly activities like a lego build, sand art, bubble stations, chalk the sidewalk, a jump house, and more. Parents will have plenty to do as well, with an excellent variety of artists, festival food, a mini film festival, and much more.
1. Which festivals are free of charge?| A．Seymour Apple Festival and Southside Fall Festival. |
| B．Southside Fall Festival and Fall Into Arts Festival. |
| C．Humansville Fall Festival and Fall Into Arts Festival. |
| D．Seymour Apple Festival and Marionville Apple Festival. |
| A．Fun activities on Saturday. |
| B．The duration of the festival, |
| C．The area of the hosting town. |
| D．Musicians’ live performance. |
| A．families with kids | B．modern artists |
| C．visitors of all ages | D．Movie lovers |
5 . While telling others your zodiac sign (星座), you are being evaluated (评估). Evaluations are being made about your luck, your personality, future development and how you will do in a given year. So what is the Chinese zodiac, exactly? It’s a 12-year cycle labeled (标记) with animals, starting with a Rat and ending with a Pig. For example, if you were born in 2004, you are a Monkey.
The Chinese believe some animals are luckier than the others, such as the Dragon. Unlike in Western tradition, the Chinese Dragon stands for power, strength and wealth. It’s everyone’s dream to have a Dragon baby. Ma Yun’s parents must have been very proud. And they are not the only ones. In 2012, the Year of the Dragon, the birthrate in China increased by about 5%. That means another one million more babies. With a traditional preference for baby boys, the boy-girl ratio that year was 120 to 100. When those Dragon boys grow up, they will face much more serious competition in love and job markets.
According to the BBC and Chinese government reports, January 2015 saw a peak of cesarean sections (剖腹产术高峰). Why? That was the last month for the Year of the Horse. It’s not because they like horses so much, it’s because they try to avoid having unlucky Goat babies.
Tiger is another unwelcome animal, because of its dangerous and unstable (不稳定的) personality. Many Chinese places saw a considerable decline of birthrate during those years.
Perhaps one should consider zodiac in a different way, as those Tiger and Goat babies will face much less competition. Maybe they are the lucky ones. I went through the Forbes top 300 richest people in the world, and it’s interesting to see the most unwelcome two animals, the Goat and Tiger, are at the top of the list, even higher than the Dragon. So maybe we should consider that it’s much better to have less competition.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?| A．Dragon boys are much more competitive when growing up. |
| B．There were about one million dragon babies in 2012. |
| C．There were 20% more boys than girls born in 2012. |
| D．Ma Yun is proud that he is a Dragon. |
| A．People wanted to have Horse babies very much. |
| B．People considered Goat babies to be unlucky. |
| C．It’s the first month of the year. |
| D．People tried to avoid dangers. |
| A．Drop. | B．Need. |
| C．Increase. | D．Change. |
| A．They have fewer competitors. |
| B．They are difficult to get along with. |
| C．They will be more popular in job markets. |
| D．They will become richer than Dragon babies. |
6 . You might think of martial arts movies when you see people performing graceful moves down a river, all standing on a bamboo strip, but actually it is a form of intangible cultural heritage: single bamboo drifting (独竹漂).
Over 2,000 years ago, the high-quality wood, nanmu, in Guizhou was in great demand by the royal court in the north. With no better transportation, people had to stand on one log 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 single bamboo drifting because of bamboo’s lower price. Due to various skills it takes for one to master this act, single bamboo drifting was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021.
Yang Liu, an inheritor(继承者) of single bamboo drifting, learned it at 7. “Usually, the bamboo under our feet is about 9 meters long, and the bamboo in our hands is about 5 meters. If the length of the bamboo is not long enough, it will not float. Keeping our feet firmly positioned on the narrow bamboo pole is the key, so we should fight against the current(水流) by constantly changing the angle. I lost my balance and fell into the water many times while practicing. Once I fell, I gave it another try until I knew how to handle the most difficult part,” she said.
The love for the ancient skill keeps Yang going. Yang also shows creativity when spreading the culture of single bamboo drifting. For example, she includes dance in single bamboo drifting to make it more graceful. As hanfu culture has been on the rise, Yang started wearing hanfu while performing, creating a more beautiful feel. In 2020, Yang began to post her videos on social media. “I’m extremely proud to get the response from viewers that single bamboo drifting makes the line between what is possible and impossible unclear. It’s my mission to keep it alive and make it known to more people,” Yang Liu told China Daily.
1. What can be learned from the first two paragraphs?| A．Nanmu was delivered to the north by land. |
| B．Single bamboo drifting needs lots of skills. |
| C．Bamboo was costly in Guizhou over 2,000 years ago. |
| D．The martial arts movie is a form of cultural heritage. |
| A．Keeping balance. |
| B．Maintaining a fixed angle. |
| C．Finding the proper bamboo. |
| D．Holding the bamboo firmly in hands. |
| A．It’s confusing. | B．It’s impossible. |
| C．It’s unbelievable. | D．It’s effortless. |
| A．Balancing with Grace |
| B．Chinese Cultural Heritage |
| C．Yang Liu: a Creative Performer |
| D．Transporting Bamboo down the River |
7 . India is an ancient civilization with its rich cultural heritage,and its cultural heritage has something to do with all major religions of the world. Here we take a look at some of the top heritage destinations in India.
Sun Temple,Konark
As the name suggests this temple is all about the power of the sun God. A huge chariot (二轮战车) drawn by seven horses and twelve pairs of wheels reflects the importance which ancient people placed on the power of the sun. The pictures of animals and humans give this place a special look.
Churches Goa
Goa is the only Indian state which was controlled by the Portuguese,so the scene in Goa is dotted with Portuguese style churches.Some of the famous churches include the Church of Saint Catherine,Church of Saint Augustine and Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.These churches show beautiful paintings and flower designs which make them a must-visit.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves
These caves contain well-designed paintings which are widely regarded as the most outstanding works of Buddhist religious art.
Taj Mahal,Agra
Built on the bank of the Yamuna River,it is an excellent building.The writing and paintings on the outside structure provide the finest examples of the outstanding style of buildings.
Sanchi
Sanchi is a UNESCO world heritage site with numerous Buddhist temples dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries.
On your visit to India,be sure to visit some of these heritage destinations.An Indian journey is not wonderful without experiencing the beauty of these heritage destinations.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．Ellora Caves only have statues of animals. |
| B．Indian cultural heritage has something to do with religions. |
| C．The Portuguese controlled the whole India two centuries ago. |
| D．The Church of Saint Catherine is the earliest one in the world. |
| A．Animals and food. | B．Ancient civilization. |
| C．Ancient temples. | D．The sun’s power. |
| A．Introducing several top heritage destinations in India. |
| B．The great effect that Indian religions have on culture. |
| C．India has its rich cultural heritages in the world. |
| D．India is famous for its cultural heritage. |
| A．Sun Temple,Konark. | B．Churches Goa. |
| C．Ajanta and Ellora Caves. | D．Sanchi. |
8 . Monkey Buffet Festival, Thailand
On the very last Sunday of November, if you find yourself in Lopburi, Thailand, you can attend this strange and wonderful festival. In an ancient temple, an impressive feast is held for the local macaque monkeys (猕猴). After the ceremony, the furry guests of honor begin to enter the temple. Sheets are then pulled from tables and towers which feature a bright and dazzling pile of fruits, vegetables, candies, and even ice cream! Just come to watch these precious animals feed on the food happily. Actually it sounds like a party to us too.
El Colacho, Spain
This strange festival actually dates all the way back to 1620. Babies that are under 1 year of age are all welcome to participate. These babies are laid out on mattresses (褥垫) in the middle of the procession (队伍) route. Men dressed as devils will then wait for the beat of a drum to signal they should begin. Holding whips, they make their way around the route, jumping over each mattress with the baby on it. Locals feel that the event will bring their children health, luck, and guard them against evil spirits.
Cheese Rolling Festival, England
When it was first started, locals of the English town of Brock worth, Gloucestershire would gather at Cooper’s Hill. Nowadays, this festival attracts competitors from all over the world every May. From the very top, a 3-4 kg wheel of cheese is sent rolling down the hill. Participants take off after it, trying to catch the speeding cheese wheel. If nobody manages to catch the rolling cheese, the first person to cross the finish line would be the winner. The prize is the wheel of cheese, of course. The trip after the cheese is so difficult that doctors wait at the bottom to provide first aid to unlucky participants in need.
1. What is exactly Monkey Buffet Festival?| A．A ceremony for religious beliefs. |
| B．Showing off diverse food. |
| C．Action taken for protecting monkeys. |
| D．A feast for certain animals. |
| A．To amuse children. |
| B．To bless babies. |
| C．To frighten devils. |
| D．To educate tourists. |
| A．Rich knowledge. |
| B．Keen curiosity. |
| C．Athletic build. |
| D．Responsibility. |
9 . Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 7 and ends on Dec 20, marking the start of the season. It begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude (天文经度) of 255° and ends when it reaches 270°
By the start of Major Snow, most of China has already seen the start of winter.
During Major Snow, people often eat jujube cakes, made from red jujube dates (枣) which are rich in vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients.
In some areas, cured meats become a specialty product, as a way to store meat over the winter months. As the saying goes, small snow seals the ground, heavy snow seals the river.
Major Snow is an excellent season for people to replenish their bodies. There is another saying, “Replenishing your body in winter means you will be strong enough to fight a tiger in early spring.”
| A．A timely snow promises a good harvest |
| B．You can also eat some foods that nourish your Yin |
| C．A large number of citrus fruits, high in vitamin C, are in season |
| D．Temperatures have now dropped to below 0 °C in some northern regions |
| E．There is an old Chinese saying that “Three dates a day means no one gets old” |
| F．Now, many rivers are frozen, and people can go ice-skating with friends and family |
| G．At this time of year, it tends to snow more frequently over a wider area of the country |
10 . Culture often refers to things like food, holidays, clothing, and music, but it also goes much deeper than that.
One of the best ways to understand others’ cultures is to first examine your own. Do you take your shoes off when you go inside?
However, sometimes, learning a lot about a different culture can lead you into a trap. You may think you know much about a culture, which may lead you to show off your knowledge when you meet someone from that background. But it’s a problem to assume that everyone from one particular culture has the same attitudes and experiences. Your assumptions that lead you to pre-judge against others can be harmful.
Differences between us are what make life so interesting. So accept the differences between yourself and your friends from different cultures.
| A．It is a simple thing, but it’s a huge marker of culture! |
| B．Learning is another great way to understand different cultures. |
| C．Behaviors, customs, beliefs, and values are also part of your culture. |
| D．To achieve it, do strike a balance between curiosity and appreciation. |
| E．So don’t do it to others even if you understand their culture really well. |
| F．The more you learn, the more used you get to respecting cultural differences. |
| G．Wherever you live, there are probably immigrant communities (侨民团体)with their own customs. |
