1 . India is an ancient civilization with 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 under the Portuguese(葡萄牙人), so the scene in Goa is dotted with(点缀着) 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 exhibit 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．The Portuguese controlled the whole India two centuries ago. |
| C．Indian cultural heritage is related to religions. |
| D．The Church of Saint Catherine is the earliest one in the world. |
| A．animals | B．the sun’s power | C．ancient temples | D．ancient civilization |
| A．Several top heritage destinations in India. |
| B．The great effect that Indian religion has on culture. |
| C．India has rich cultural heritage in the world. |
| D．India is famous for its cultural heritage. |
2 . What I Know about Aboriginal During Adventure
During my adventure, what impresses me most is something about Aboriginal in Australia, which is worth mentioning. They have a complex and fascinating spiritual life. Their culture is filled with ceremonies with special meaning, among which the Walkabout coming of age ceremony for 16-year-old young men is definitely an intense one.
Traditionally, young men who are undertaking their Walkabout ceremony are dressed noticeably. So others know what they are doing. Their bodies are covered with paint and the way they are decorated varies based on region—some will even receive a permanent mark when they set out, such as removal of a tooth.
The journey can cover as much as 1, 000 miles. The landscape of Australia is famously dangerous with soaring temperatures and poisonous creatures, so the young man must be able to adequately and safely provide for himself. He needs to know how and where to get clean water, to build safe shelter, to hunt for food and to identify edible plants. He must also know which plants are medicative as to care for his own wounds and injuries.
While the physical aspect of the Walkabout helps young men prove they are capable members of their tribe, the spiritual aspect makes them a worshiper. He is expected to reflect on his relationship with his ancestral land. He is taught to sing traditional spiritual songs known as “songlines”, which describe their ancestral milestones such as rivers and rock formation. They boys are not given modern instruments such as compasses or drawn maps, so the boy makes his journey with the aid of a spoken map.
Today, the traditional Walkabout ceremony is still considered as an extremely important part of their identity by some young boys, but the physically demanding aspects of the Walkabout seem to lose out. Some young men want to complete Walkabout but do not feel comfortable doing so on foot. Others are unable to take a monthly Walkabout due to school or work. They may choose to experience the Walkabout as a road trip, driving through their ancestral lands.
Nevertheless, as long as the ceremony helps boys connect with their ancestors, the tradition will never fade.
1. How do people know about what aboriginal young people are doing at the Walkabout ceremony?| A．From their famous landscape. | B．From the communication with local people. |
| C．From the songs they often sing. | D．From the features of their dressing. |
| A．lack of efficient transportation | B．their good ability to build shelter |
| C．the harsh condition of landscape | D．the aid of a spoken map |
| A．Walkabout ceremony is the most important ceremony among aboriginal. |
| B．Ancestral milestones still have an impact on capable young man in the tribe. |
| C．The tradition of the ceremony is likely to disappear even if preserved well. |
| D．The physically demanding aspects are taken into account at the Walkabout ceremony. |
| A．criticize the negative aspects of Walkabout ceremony of aboriginal |
| B．call on us to preserve the tradition of Walkabout ceremony |
| C．appeal to us to worship our ancestors more |
| D．give an objective introduction of a traditional ceremony |
3 . On a September afternoon in 1940, four teenage boys made their way through the woods on a hill overlooking Montignac in south-western France. They had come to explore a dark, deep hole said to be an underground passage to the nearby Lascaux manor (庄园). Squeezing through the entrance one by one, they soon saw wonderfully lifelike paintings of running horses, swimming deer, wounded wild oxen, and other beings—works of art that may be up to 20,000 years old.
The collection of paintings in Lascaux is among some 150 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic period (旧石器时代)that have been documented in France’s Vezere Valley. This corner of south-western Europe seems to have been a hot spot for figurative art. The biggest discovery since Lascaux occurred in December 1994, when three cave explorers laid eyes on artworks that had not been seen since a rockslide 22,000 years ago closed off a large deep cave in southern France. Here, by unsteadily shining firelight, prehistoric artists drew outlines of cave lions, herds of rhinos (犀牛) and magnificent wild oxen, horses, cave bears. In all, the artists drew 442 animals over perhaps thousands of years, using nearly 400,000 square feet of cave surface as their canvas. The site, now known as the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave, is sometimes considered the Sistine Chapel of prehistory.
For decades scholars had theorized that art had advanced in slow stages from ancient scratches to lively, naturalistic interpretation. Surely the delicate shading and elegant lines of Chauvet’s masterworks placed them at the top of that progression. Then carbon dates came in, and prehistorians felt shocked. At some 36,000 years old—nearly twice as old as those in Lascaux—Chauvet’s images represented not the peak of prehistoric art but its earliest known beginnings.
The search for the world’s oldest cave paintings continues. On the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, for example, scientists found a large room of paintings of part-human, part-animal beings that are estimated to be 44,000 years old, older than any figurative art seen in Europe.
Scholars don’t know if art was invented many times over or if it was a skill developed early in our evolution. What we do know is that artistic expression runs deep in our ancestry.
1. According to the passage, where did the boys find the paintings?| A．In the woods on a hill. | B．In a deep cave in France. |
| C．In the Lascaux manor. | D．On an Indonesian island. |
| A．conveys concepts by using accurate numbers and forms |
| B．makes stories in contrast to scientific subjects |
| C．represents people or things in a realistic way |
| D．expresses ideas or feelings by using shapes and patterns |
| A．the Chauvet’s paintings had been sealed by a rockslide until 1994 |
| B．the style of Chauvet’s paintings is similar to that of the Sistine Chapel’s |
| C．Chauvet’s images are the earliest figurative paintings that have been found |
| D．the main objects of Chauvet’s images are part—human, part—animal beings |
| A．Value of Palaeolithic Artworks | B．Preservation of Figurative Art |
| C．Artistic Expressions of Nature | D．Searches for Cave Paintings |
4 . Robert Adolf, a 24-year-old vlogger from Germany, filmed the celebration activities of the Miao ethnic group at the Guzang Festival on Nov. 25, 2021. This marked the completion of he and his friends’ task of filming all seven of Guizhou’s native ethnic groups for a documentary (纪录片) project.
The Guzang Festival is an important celebration for the Miao ethnic group, and married women from Yegai village, Leishan county’s Langde town, will travel together back to their parents’ homes in the village during the festival. Crowds of Miao women dressed in traditional clothing have become a popular scene at the Guzang Festival, which attracts tourists from all over the world each year.
That’s one of the reasons why Adolf attended the festival. He became interested in China’s history and culture due to the Disney movie Mulan when he was a child. He said that he came to China in 2017 to work for a German company in Central China’s Hunan Province, and then moved to Lianyungang in East China’s Jiangsu Province to work in foreign trade.
Adolf speaks fluent Chinese and is commonly known as “德国的包子” on Chinese social media platforms. During a trip to China’s rural areas, Adolf was impressed by China’s ethnic cultures and decided to shoot documentaries of China’s 56 ethnic groups.
In July 2021, Adolf and his three Chinese friends initiated their documentary project by taking a car and taking road trips to record the real lives of different Chinese ethnic groups. Adolf and his friends set out from Lianyungang and filmed the customs and cultures of Tujia, Miao, Dong, Buyi, Yao and Sui ethnic groups in Hubei Province, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Guizhou Province.
When asked about Guizhou specifically, Adolf said that “I want to share Guizhou and China’s ethnic culture with the world to allow more people to learn about Guizhou and learn about China.”
1. Why did Adolf attend the Guzang Festival?| A．He had a project in Guizhou. | B．He had many friends in Guizhou. |
| C．He was hired by a Chinese company. | D．He was attracted by Chinese culture. |
| A．An important celebration. | B．A desire to realize his dream. |
| C．An impressive travel experience. | D．A deep understanding of Chinese culture. |
| A．Started. | B．Introduced. | C．Updated. | D．Continued. |
| A．To compare Chinese and Western culture. |
| B．To introduce a documentary project by Adolf. |
| C．To share Adolf’s working experience in China. |
| D．To attract more foreign visitors to China. |
5 . The Chongyang Festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, which is also known as the Double Ninth Festival.
Climbing mountains
People like to climb mountains during this festival. One reason is that the ninth lunar month, with clear autumn sky and clean air, is a good time for sightseeing.
Climbing mountains also refers to “climbing to a higher position”. Another reason why climbing mountains is valued by people, especially by the elderly, is that it has a meaning of “climbing to longevity(长寿)”. Climbing mountains on the Double Ninth Festival was already popular in the Tang Dynasty.
Drinking the chrysanthemum flower (菊花) wine
The chrysanthemum flower wine is unique in brewing. In ancient times, people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and put the mixture of them and grains into the wine.
The Double Ninth cake is also known as the “flower cake”. It is said that the cake was originally prepared after autumn harvests for farmers to have a taste of what was just in season, and it gradually grew into the present cake for people to eat on the Double Ninth Festival.
| A．Making the “flower cake” |
| B．Eating Double Ninth cakes |
| C．A lot of poems were devoted to this custom |
| D．Therefore, people love to go on an outing in this month |
| E．It would not be drunk until the same day of the next year |
| F．Here are some traditional customs of the Double Ninth Festival |
| G．However, few Chinese people are aware of the importance of the festival |
6 . Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, the aged, and children who have lost their parents, but also friends, workmates, relatives and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Many years ago, when a Cleveland man noticed that some people, such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed, too often felt forgotten and neglected, he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration, which came to be called “Sweetest Day”. Over time, the Sweetest Day’s idea of spreading cheer to the poor, the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened(扩大) to include everyone, and the day became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder(提醒人记忆之物) that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because of most people remembering to take the form of gift giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care in a positive way.
1. What can we learn about Sweetest Day from the first paragraph?| A．It’s a day to bring happiness to others. |
| B．It’s an occasion for lovers to express love. |
| C．It’s celebrated on the third Sunday in October. |
| D．It’s just an occasion for caring about disabled people. |
| A．Giving friends small gifts. | B．Giving flowers to sweethearts. |
| C．Visiting children without parents. | D．Visiting sick people in the hospital. |
| A．Hated. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Looked down on. | D．Paid too little attention to. |
| A．Give them gifts. | B．Offer help directly. |
| C．Give them some money. | D．Send them their greetings. |
7 . The Water-Splashing Festival is a traditional festival for the Dai people in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province in the southwest of China. It is the New Year for the Dai, a festival to send off the old and greet the new. Usually, the festival takes place from April 13th to15th, about ten days after the Qingming Festival.
During the festival, the door of every house is decorated with multicolored pieces of paper. All the villagers dress up in their best clothes. Sheep and cows are killed for feasting, plus delicious glutinous rice cakes, rice noodles, and rice wine. The occasion is marked by all kinds of entertainment, including singing and dancing, fireworks displays, boat racing, etc. But the most popular event is water-splashing.
On the eve of the festival, activities include fireworks displays and dragon boat racing. The second day is known as Neuter Day, which belongs to neither the old year nor the new year. On this day, according to custom, people usually stay at home.
The third day means a lot to the Dai people, because it’s their New Year’s Day. In the morning, people dress up and go to the temple to show their respect for Buddha. They sit around the pagodas to listen respectfully to scripture and historical legends, and pray for good weather. In the afternoon, every woman will carry fresh water to clean the Buddha statue so she might get his blessing. People then splash water on each other, which symbolizes the blessing, rinsing(冲洗) away sickness and disaster with holy water for a happy life.
Water-splashing is central to all because water, the symbol of holiness, goodness and purity, is the most valuable thing to the Dai. During the festival, people gather by the roadside and in public parks and squares armed with buckets and basins of water, to drench each other in wishes for good luck and a happy new year.
The Water-Splashing Festival is an important event to show the traditional culture of Dai and it provides an opportunity to study the history of Dai, which has high academic value. At the same time, the festival is an important link to strengthening the unity of all ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, which plays a positive role in the friendly cooperation and contact between the area and southeast Asian countries.
1. Why people splash water on each other according to the text?2. List some important Chinese traditional festivals you know.
8 . Do you like traditional Chinese painting and dance? They are two important parts of the traditional Chinese art. But what about when they meet each other?
This year, a dance drama titled Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (《只此青绿》) was staged at CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala and became popular.
According to CCTV, this poetic dance was inspired by the Chinese painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains(《千里江山图》). Created by the Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng, the painting is amazing in its sweeping size, rich coloration and the expressive details, reported CCTV. It shows a Chinese blue-green landscape.
When the dancers moved elegantly, audiences seemed to be looking at the moving mountains and rivers. “It brings me a pure experience of beauty. It is not only a dance drama but also an exhibition. Vast mountains and rivers are coming to life!” Internet user Mo Weisha wrote in a review. “More than a thousand years later, green mountains and rivers still impress people as they did long ago.”
Some people even decided to watch the dance again when it was staged in the theaters later. In fact, in recent years, more and more modern shows feature traditional Chinese culture and have received a warm welcome. As for the reason, it is due to people’s great love for traditional culture.
“The younger generations have grown up with a more open mindset. They embrace Chinese culture and are proud of it,” Yao Wei, director of Henan TV Station’s Innovation Center, told China Daily.
1. What’s the writing purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic. | B．To show a doubtful attitude. |
| C．To advertise a dance drama. | D．To raise some questions. |
| A．CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala. | B．A Chinese blue-green landscape. |
| C．The Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng. | D．An ancient traditional Chinese painting. |
| A．Young people are happy to see new forms of art. |
| B．Young people are more open to traditional culture. |
| C．Young people have gained more access to traditional culture. |
| D．Chinese culture has been spreading around the world. |
| A．Art Coming Alive Through Dance | B．Beauty Presented in Poetic Dance |
| C．Passion for Traditional Chinese Painting | D．Highlights of Traditional Chinese Culture |
9 . Embroidery is an important art form in Chinese culture. People often embroider handkerchiefs, bed covers, tablecloths and dresses. Sichuan embroidery, also called Shu embroidery, is one of the most famous embroidery styles in China. It is famous for its delicate and bright colors and fine stitches (针脚).
The characteristics are greatly influenced by geographical environment, customs and cultures. Called the “Land of Abundance”, Sichuan Province is rich in grain production. The people of this area also enjoy a slow lifestyle. So when embroidering, they are usually patient and willing to spend time pursuing the form’s complexity and elegance. This could also be a reason why Sichuan embroidery was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2006.
Making beautiful Sichuan embroidery products is never easy. It requires superb workmanship. Meng Dezhi was born to a family of embroiderers. She was one of the most talented employees in the Chengdu Shu Embroidery Factory. Even so, the long and repetitive nature of the process often challenges her. And in winter, when her hands and feet are freezing, things become more difficult. But her love for the work has encouraged Meng to continue. Even for an experienced master like Meng, finishing a piece requires several days or even a few months.
“These experiences may sometimes discourage me, but the love for Sichuan embroidery always gives me motivation to continue,” said Meng. Meng has also popularized the culture of Sichuan embroidery when the tradition was at risk of declining. Because many cheap products are made by modern machines, the factory Meng worked in was forced to close in 2005. To make a living, Meng rented a small space to teach Sichuan embroidery skills to the kids and young people.
“In the early days, I set up the company just for survival, but now I really feel that I have the responsibility to pass on Sichuan embroidery skills to young people. It is like sowing seeds — who knows which of them will become an inheritor (继承人) or guardian of our culture in the future?” she told China Daily.
1. What makes Meng Dezhi stick to embroidering?2. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．Art Made with Modern Machines | B．The History of Sichuan Embroidery |
| C．Passing on Sichuan Embroidery | D．A Talented Sichuan Embroidery Employee |
Sichuan embroidery
Paras, 1-2
Paras. 3-5
Though faced with many dificulties,
10 . Sneakers (运动鞋) have come a long way from when they were first invented in 1860s England for the upper-class playing croquet and tennis. But what transformed sneaker culture into a true phenomenon was the 1985 release of Nike’s Air Jordan 1.
In 1984, Michael Jordan was a talented new player who had yet to play in a professional game. Despite that, Nike — better known then as a running shoe company — saw Jordan as the future of their brand. The bet paid off. As Jordan proved to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, the sneaker’s popularity skyrocketed.
Sneaker culture began to take off beyond the basketball court too. When the influential hip-hop group Run-D. M. C. released their single My Adidas in 1986, it earned the group a first-of-its-kind endorsement (代言) deal with the brand. Soon after, Kurt Cobain of the grunge band Nirvana made Converse a symbol of rebellion and youth.
Meanwhile, another cultural shift was taking place as white-collar businesses introduced casual Fridays. Suddenly, men were allowed to put aside their suits and wear something one day a week that showed people who they really were.
Nowadays, sneakers are also how people express their beliefs — for instance, when NBA player Dwyane Wade wore hiscustom-designed, limited-edition “Black Lives Matter” Li-Nings or NFL placekicker Blair Walsh wore anti-bullying sneakers covered in the words “Speak Out.”
“It’s like art,” says Akio Evans, a Baltimore creative who specializes in turning shoes into wearable artwork. “Even though it is a sneaker that is on the shelves or inside of a box inside a store, the very first thing you are doing is admiring what you see. You look at all the pieces and decide which one appeals to your emotions.”
Decades after their first introduction to the fashion industry, sneakers are finally getting their due as part of our cultural heritage.
1. How has Michael Jordan affected sneaker culture?| A．He is a key figure in its taking over the world. |
| B．He played in a professional game in 1984 to start it. |
| C．He has created it since he became a talented new player. |
| D．He was known for wearing running shoes as advertisement for it. |
| A．To introduce Run-D. M. C. and Kurt Cobain. | B．To prove Nike the best sneaker brand. |
| C．To show the popularity of sneaker culture. | D．To emphasize rebellion and youth. |
| A．Wearing sneakers. | B．Embracing suits. |
| C．Stopping work. | D．Hiding themselves. |
| A．Famous athletes express their beliefs on sneakers just for fun. |
| B．Artists pay too much attention to turning sneakers into artwork. |
| C．Sneakers deserve the admiration and popularity nowadays. |
| D．Sneaker culture plays the most important role in fashion industry. |
