1 . Christmas cards are a big tradition in the English-speaking world. In 2017, people in Britain sent and received about 900 million cards. That’s an average of about twelve cards for every person, from tiny babies to the oldest grandparents. The number of cards that are sent around Britain causes an annual headache for the postal service. Each year, the postal service has to take on seasonal staff to help with the extra mail, and postal sorting offices are stretched to their maximum capacity and sometimes beyond it.
In 1994, before the age of email and social media, the service handled about 1.6 billion cards! In spite of advertisements telling people to “Post Early for Christmas”, few people got round to sending their cards off before December 10th; and from that point on, the postal service slowed down. Until the age of faxes, emails and social media, the pre-Christmas period often caused a lot of problems for firms, as “urgent” letters and documents took several days to reach their destinations by post, which were slowed down by the mass of Christmas mail!
During the month of December in Britain, a house with no Christmas cards is like a pub with no beer. For the most part, however, people of all faiths and of no faith join in the tradition of celebrating Christmas as a festival, whether they do so for religious reasons or not. Every British home at Christmas is merrily decorated not just with hollies, but also with a display of Christmas cards received from friends, family members, neighbors, employers and a variety of other people. In some places, the number of Christmas cards people receive is seen as a measure of their status among their friends and neighbors.
As for the subjects of Christmas cards, the range, today, is enormous. At one time, two principal themes predominated (占多数): the Christmas story, with pictures of the biblical scenes; and “traditional Christmas”, with imaginary scenes of Christmas which included burning wood fires and happy-looking parents and kids sitting together. Today, while “traditional Christmas” is favored by most people, there is no limit to the variety of pictures on cards.
While more and more people send e-cards to their friends and family members, you can’t hang an e-card on the wall, and you can’t decorate a room with rows of e-cards. Sending and receiving Christmas cards is still best done by “snail mail” which includes a real card and a real envelope. It’s much more fun.
1. How did the postal service handle the problem of Christmas cards?| A．By hiring temporary employees. | B．By sending the cards off earlier. |
| C．By turning to social media for help. | D．By delaying sending letters from firms. |
| A．The popularity of Christmas. | B．The decoration of British homes. |
| C．The religious belief in Christmas. | D．The significance of Christmas cards. |
| A．The religious story. | B．The holiday gift. |
| C．The family reunion. | D．The landscape painting. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Unclear. |
2 . On April 18—the International Day for Monuments and Sites, China Daily’s digital employee Yuanxi and Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes’ official virtual cartoon figure Jiayao together introduced an interactive digital platform that hosts a virtual copy of the Mogao Grottoes’ Library Cave(藏经洞) to the world.
The platform was developed jointly by the Dunhuang Academy and the Chinese tech firm Tencent. It uses gaming technologies to show the historical scenes of the Library Cave in the digital world.
The Library Cave in Mogao Grottoes was discovered in 1900, with more than 60,000 cultural relics dating from the 4th century to the 11th century unearthed. It was one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the 20th century.
On the platform, visitors can role-play and “time travel” to ancient dynasties and talk with eight historical figures. The public can enter the platform through the Digital Dunhuang website and its WeChat mini program.
In the digital age, the model of “culture+technology” has been introduced to promote the development of Chinese culture. The digitalization rate of China’s precious cultural relics is now over 70 percent, according to the 2022 China Digital Collection Industry Research Report released by iResearch.
Institutions such as the Palace Museum have also started online digital services of their own. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology allows the public to view the interior of the buildings through the Palace Museum’s WeChat mini program.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has also encouraged the development and transformation of cultural intellectual property(知识产权) by digital means. China Central Television has created a series of digital collections with different Dunhuang themes, such as the Dunhuang divine deer(神鹿) Youyou. It was created based on the image of the nine-colored deer from Dunhuang murals(壁画). The public can see the divine deer on CCTV’s own digital platform.
Digital collections cater to the consumption habits of young people, who grow up in the information age. They not only protect the intellectual property of the collections but also bring the public closer to China’s “excellent traditional culture”, noted Dunhuang Art Institute.
Su Bomin, director of the Dunhuang Academy, told Xinhua that more efforts will be made to explore new forms for showing cultural relics and offer the public greater cultural experiences to develop Dunhuang culture.
1. What can visitors do on the interactive digital platform for the Mogao Grottoes’ Library Cave?| A．Play role-playing games set in ancient times. |
| B．Play video games featuring historical figures. |
| C．Talk to the designer of the digital Library Cave. |
| D．Design digital caves showing historical scenes. |
| A．To show the latest gaming technologies. |
| B．To help cultural institutions make a profit. |
| C．To promote the development of Chinese culture. |
| D．To encourage people to explore new forms of cultural relics. |
| A．To stress the importance of digital collections. |
| B．To describe its popularity among young people. |
| C．To present how digital collections are developed. |
| D．To introduce a successful example of digital collections. |
| A．Ignore. | B．Satisfy. |
| C．Challenge. | D．Change. |
3 . Cultural heritage is an essential part of our identity, history and traditions. It includes buildings, monuments, artworks, books, music and other artefacts.
So, what can we do to protect our cultural heritage? The first step is to raise awareness about its importance. People need to understand that cultural heritage is not just a collection of old things.
Another way to protect cultural heritage is through legislation.
Education plays a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage. Schools and universities can teach students about the value of cultural heritage and how to care for it
Technology can be a useful tool in protecting cultural heritage. Digitization allows us to preserve and share cultural artefacts with a wider audience, while also reducing the risk of damage or loss. Virtual reality can also be used to recreate historical sites and buildings, allowing people to experience them in a new and immersive way.
| A．Historic buildings are climate friendly. |
| B．It is also a symbol of our cultural diversity and creativity. |
| C．Protecting cultural heritage requires a collective effort. |
| D．To be kept alive, cultural heritage must be related to its community. |
| E．This non-renewable treasure should be passed down from one generation to another. |
| F．Governments can establish laws and regulations to protect historic sites, buildings and artifacts. |
| G．Museums and other cultural institutions can offer exhibitions and events that show the importance of cultural heritage. |
4 . No matter how many times you go, Dubai always has something new in store for its natives and tourists. Let’s take a look at a few must-dos for your first time in this impressive city in the United Arab Emirates!
●Hit the famous Dubai Mall.
Any shopaholic (购物狂) worth their salt knows about the Dubai Mall, one of the most famous and the most expensive shopping centres in the world.
●Mind your manners.
While you’re searching for the next adventure, make sure you follow some basic rules of conduct that the local law prescribes. For example, if you’re travelling with your significant other, public displays of affection are strictly forbidden.
●
Although you’ll find many tourists wearing clothes considered not entirely polite by the locals, there are certain rules that are strictly implemented in restaurants, malls, and entertainment centres. So, if you put on something considered inappropriate or revealing, you risk being asked to leave a place.
●Save some time for Jumeirah Beach.
Situated conveniently close to Burj al Arab, this spectacular stretch of the coast is a perfect way to spend some time sunbathing and enjoying the warm waters of the Persian Gulf.
●Prepare your palate for Emirati cuisine.
Have you ever had a chance to sample Al Machboos, camel meat, or Manousheh? Arabic cuisine has some of the most extraordinary delicacies you could possibly imagine, few of which are prepared in the same manner outside of their native lands.
| A．Jumeirah Beach is about 10 kilometres long. |
| B．Pay attention to your dressing requirements. |
| C．If you’re travelling with kids, you’ll find the beach perfect. |
| D．Try the authentic Arabic coffee for a flavourful taste of the East. |
| E．Dubai is indeed a destination packed with adventure and culture. |
| F．Getting drunk or using offensive hand gestures are all illegal activities. |
| G．Home to around 1,300 stores, it is a wonderful shopping place. |
5 . With the rapid pace of working and living, more and more Chinese are facing a phenomenon: They tend to forget how to write Chinese characters. Some media have described the problem as a “crisis” for Chinese characters. So how important is Chinese writing and how can we avoid “character amnesia” in the future?
Texting and typing are replacing the elaborate strokes(笔画) that make up written Chinese. And when it comes to writing down a few words, more Chinese are realising they can’t remember exactly how lo write a given character.
Professor Meng Man, associate professor of Minzu University of China, is one of the judges of the Chinese Character Dictation Contest broadcast on CCTV. She says she learnt a lot. “I was amazed by some competitors because even I couldn’t remember how to write certain characters. The writing ability of adults in China falls short of our expectations. This TV programme is really great in drawing people’s attention to writing Chinese characters.”
This is a strange new form of illiteracy. The longer people use their cellphones and computers, the less often they write with pens. Whether typing on their computers or texting on phones, most Chinese use a system where they type out the sound of the word in Pinyin, which is commonly used, and they are given a choice of characters to use. Experts say the situation may not rise the level of “cultural crisis”, but we need to be aware of the problem.
Meng said, “Chinese characters are generally square. This is meant to teach people to be upright and respectable. Typing tends to cut off the Chinese bond with the root of traditional culture. This might be potentially dangerous.”
To settle this problem, experts suggest people change mobile phone typing from Pinyin to handwriting or five-stroke typing to help avoid forgetting how to write characters. After all, writing Chinese characters and being a decent Chinese person are what we need to pass on to future generations.
1. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Writing. | B．Popularity. | C．Memory loss. | D．Usage. |
| A．She thinks highly of the Chinese Character Dictation Contest. |
| B．Most adults’ writing ability is satisfactory. |
| C．People should pay more attention to the writing of Chinese characters. |
| D．She herself could not write some characters sometimes. |
| A．Chinese characters reflect the Chinese culture in all ways. |
| B．By changing mobile phone typing to handwriting, one can improve his or her writing ability. |
| C．Experts hold the opinion that the situation has already caused “cultural crisis”. |
| D．Chinese characters are to be forgotten in the future. |
| A．To tell people how to write Chinese characters. |
| B．To introduce the mobile phone typing system— Pinyin. |
| C．To encourage people to take part in the Chinese Character Dictation Contest. |
| D．To appeal to people to write Chinese characters more often. |
6 . Top 4 Traditional Festivals in China
The Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, falls on the first day of the first lunar month. Chinese New Year is the most important festival in China. It is an important family reunion time for Chinese people around the world.
2022 Date: February 1 (Tuesday)
2023 Date: January 22 (Sunday)
The Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival, also known as Yuanxiao Jie or Shangyuan Festival, falls on the15th day of the first lunar month, it traditionally marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebration.
Tangyuan, also called yuanxiao, is a must-eat food for the Lantern Festival. Shaped like a round ball, tangyuan symbolizes people’s desires for happiness and family reunions. Besides eating tangyuan, Chinese people would also light colourful lanterns and guess lantern riddles to celebrate this festival.
2022 Date: February 15 (Tuesday)
2023 Date: February 5 (Sunday)
The Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duan Wu Jie in Chinese, falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Chinese people celebrate this festival by racing dragon boats, eating zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and hanging Chinese Mugwort to honour Qu Yuan.
2022 Date: June 3 (Friday)
2023 Date: June 22 (Thursday)
The Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Like the Chinese New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also an important time for family reunions. Chinese people would eat moon cakes, admire the full moon, and hang up colourful lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
2022 Date: September 10 (Saturday)
2023 Date: September 29 (Friday)
1. Which do people traditionally have on the 15th day of the first lunar month?| A．Realgar wine. | B．Yuanxiao. | C．Zongzi. | D．Moon cakes. |
| A．On January 22. | B．On February 5. | C．On June 3. | D．On June 22. |
| A．They’re a great time for reunion. | B．They’re only celebrated in China. |
| C．They’re in memory of a great man. | D．They’re known for colourful lanterns. |
7 . As you get older, you’ll meet a wider range of people from diverse cultures. If you haven’t met many people from different backgrounds, it can be hard to know how to respect their culture.
Know your own culture
One of the best ways to understand other people’s cultures is to first consider your own. Most of us don’t realize that our customs and beliefs might seem strange to someone else. Don’t think of your own way of life as the only normal one and everyone else’s to be strange.
Learn about a different culture
Maybe you’ve recently met someone from a different culture, or you’re curious about how different people live. When you meet people from a different culture, ask them about their lives. Also, you can read books, watch movies or listen to radio shows.
Differences between us are what make life so interesting, so just accept the differences between yourself and your friends from different cultures. The best way to respect people from other cultures is to strike a balance between curiosity and appreciation:
| A．Respect other cultures. |
| B．Appreciate the differences. |
| C．Ask questions if your friends are open to it. |
| D．In this way, you may find it hard to know your own culture. |
| E．Otherwise, it’s hard to approach those differences with respect. |
| F．Here are some tips for learning more about them and about yourself. |
| G．These will help you get an insider’s view on a different culture. |
8 . Traditional tea processing techniques and social practices in China were added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List (非物质文化遗产名录) on November 29. China now ranks first in the world with 43 items on the list.
In China, there are 44 registered items of national intangible cultural heritage related to tea. More than 40 vocational (职业的) colleges and 80 universities in China offer majors in tea science or tea culture.
Tea is everywhere in Chinese people’s daily life. You can find it at home, work, tea houses, restaurants, temples and even at social events like weddings or ceremonies.
Tea has delighted and fascinated the world for many thousands of years. It is a shared cultural treasure of mankind.
| A．It’s a big part of Chinese culture. |
| B．The techniques are related to many ways. |
| C．Tea was eventually spread to the west and beyond. |
| D．Most tea grows between 18°—37° N and 94°—122°. |
| E．E. Tea- related customs reflect Chinese people’s values. |
| F．Experts explored the long history of this universal drink. |
| G．Every year over 3,000 graduates enter tea production and art. |
9 . Papermaking is widely known as one of the Four Great Inventions of ancient Chinese civilization. Among different types of paper, Xuan paper holds an important place.
Regarded as one of the Four Treasures of the Study, Xuan paper has always been valued by the Chinese as a source of pride since it is a necessary part of the Chinese culture.
Five Oxen by painter Han Huang is acknowledged as the oldest Chinese painting on Xuan paper.
Featuring a smooth surface, pure texture (质地) and high tensile strength, Xuan paper’s most well-known feature is that it can be preserved for a long time.
| A．If it were not for the paper |
| B．It is also a witness to the Chinese history |
| C．As it has a history of more than 1,500 years |
| D．Because it has excellent water-absorbing capacity |
| E．The quality will not change for more than 1,000 years |
| F．The undamaged art piece is more than 1,200 years old |
| G．Up to now, Xuan paper has not yet been produced by modern machine |
10 . Chinese Kung Fu (Martial Arts or as popularly referred to as Gongfu or Wushu ) is a series of fighting styles which has developed over a long historical period in China.
In order to survive in an extremely hostile environment, our primitive Chinese ancestors developed primary means of defense and attack that included leaping, tumbling and kicking.
Over the centuries of development in China, Kung Fu has become a large system containing various schools or sects. It is recorded that there are over 300 distinct types of boxing existing around the country.
| A．Although being fighting styles, Kung Fu advocates virtue and peace, not aggression or violence. |
| B．The most outstanding and influential schools are listed as follows. |
| C．Although they knew how to fight with rudimentary weapons made from stones and wood, fighting with bare hands and fists became essential skills. |
| D．In the recent years, learning Chinese martial arts has been more and more popular among people of different ages and nationalities. |
| E．The styles in northern and southern China are quite different, so it is hard to be simply classified. |
| F．Nowadays, it is regarded as a traditional sport gaining more and more popularity and even stands as a representative for Chinese culture. |
