1 . Two armchairs are in the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. Denise, a blogger with past experience of homelessness, is sitting in one armchair, waiting for questions. A person sits opposite her, asking if it’s OK to give money to homeless people on the street. “It’s down to personal choice,” replies Denise. “Some worry it is enabling addictions, but it’s also providing someone with money to pay for shelter.” The dialogues are part of a performance artwork called Are you sitting comfortably? The work was part of the opening International Arts and Homelessness Festival.

At the festival there were also the works of artists, many of whom had experience of homelessness like Lawrence. Lawrence now has become an enthusiastic gardener, filling second-hand containers with soil and seeds. He has also written poetry to deal with life’s hardships. “My life started the day I stepped into this place.” he said. “Everyone has some genius, I think, and they help bring it out.”

The festival ended with “an immersive (沉浸式的) opera” Man on Bench, written by and starring Tovey. His story covers a string of bad luck, including being diagnosed with cancer. Tovey was once homeless and desperate on a park bench when a guard started a conversation with him. The result was that Tovey moved into a night shelter and started taking photos and began winning photography competitions. That was five years ago. He now gives talks and runs events all over the country.

Man on Bench doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of life on the street. “But we do want to change people’s minds,” he said. In a safe environment, focusing on drawing, people are more likely to get to know their problems. Then they will think about how to change. That’s why it’s so powerful. It gets people thinking.

1. What is Denise’s attitude towards giving money to the homeless?

A．Objective.

B．Uncaring.

C．Negative.

D．Active.

2. How did Lawrence get through his suffering?

A．By joining in the festival.

B．By creating numbers of artworks.

C．By doing gardening and writing poems.

D．By solving poor people’s personal problems.

3. What can be inferred from “Man on Bench” according to the passage?

A．It hides the real life of the homeless.

B．It is probably based on Tovey’s real life.

C．It encourages the homeless to find shelter.

D．It is a piece of poetry composed by Tovey.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Art Reflecting Life.	B．Art Festival Is Going on.
C．Life of the Homelessness.	D．Art Changes the Life of the Homeless.

2 . In China, people in different areas have their own ways to celebrate the Spring Festival. Especially between Northern China and Southern China, there are many differences.    1    

One is about the food on the night before the Spring Festival. In Northern China, people usually eat dumplings during this time. For luck, people may put sugar in dumplings.    2    People in the south usually eat Niangao or Tangyuan on New Year’s Eve. Both foods are also considered to bring a better life. There are many causes. For example, Northern China grows lots of wheat (小麦) while Southern China grows lots of rice.    3    People in Northern China usually love food made by wheat.

    4    In Northern China, people often put up paper cuttings on windows to wish for happiness of the coming year. In many parts of the south, people no longer put up paper cuttings for the Spring Festival. Instead, they decorate their house with a kumquat (金橘) tree bearing fruit.

It’s true that Northern China and Southern China have differences in celebrating the Spring Festival.    5    After all, many Chinese are moving from one place to another. When reaching a new place, they also bring their customs there. So now many people in Northern China also eat Tangyuan.

A．Here are some examples.

B．Many foods are made of rice.

C．The differences bring many bad results.

D．But the differences are gradually disappearing.

E．As a result, people in Southern China often prefer rice.

F．That way, they believe life in the next year will be “sweet”.

G．China’s north and south also have a difference in New Year decorating.

3 . Differences do set us apart, but we often forget that we are all human, and our culture is much more representative (有代表性的) of our differing environment than truly different people. Here are some tips on how to understand and admire cultural differences.

    1     In almost every single case, the only thing required to bridge cultural differences is an introduction. This isn't always easy, but the best thing to do is make an effort — go to the international folk music festival, eat in a restaurant where English isn't the first language, and say hello to the new family down the street.

Invite other cultures into your home.     2     Some people open their homes to exchange students with apps like Air BnB, while others might work through a church or charity to help provide for traveling groups. Even easier, you can simply invite people from other cultures over for dinner.     3    

Read as much about the local culture as you can before arriving. It is irresponsible to arrive in a new place without knowing how things usually run. You may get immediately shocked upon landing, which can make it harder to accept the culture later on.    4     Read online, check some books, and generally arrive well-informed. Having some knowledge beforehand will help with any culture shock.

Share parts of your own culture and life to encourage others to share theirs. One of the best things to bring while traveling is a set of photos from home, allowing you to bring people into your own life and culture from anywhere.    5     And learning is the key to understanding and, finally acceptance.

A．You can accept travelers or exchange students.

B．Therefore, be ready for some shocks or changes in the real world.

C．Seek out experiences, foods, and people who seem foreign to you.

D．Get out to see new places, pushing your comfort zone as much as possible.

E．Giving a little bit of yourself is the best way to learn a little bit about others.

F．You'll be surprised how much most people want to meet and talk to foreigners.

G．The best way to understand and admire cultural differences is over food and friendship.

4 . Read Across America Day

Read Across America (RAA) is a day held annually on March 2nd that encourages children in every community to read and also encourages parents and teachers to celebrate the joy of reading. It’s a holiday that has been celebrated since 1998 and falls on the same day as children’s book author Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

This holiday dates back to May of 1997. This is when a small group of people at the National Education Association (NEA) came up with the idea to create a day of the year that celebrates reading among children. They reasoned that since many school football programs could get children engaged in the sport through pep rallies (鼓舞士气的集会), then why couldn’t the same thing be done for reading? So they decided to turn to a Read Across America program that was officially launched on March 2, 1998, and ever since it has continued to grow in size. Today, more than 50 national nonprofit and association sponsors (资助者) and more than 3. 3 million NEA members support the effort every year.

This holiday is celebrated in numerous ways. All over the country, libraries, schools and community centers hold special Read Across America events that promote reading in their communities. Teachers also develop special events on this day to encourage their students to read. The NEA also sponsors reading round tables and has an online store that allows people to buy everything they need for their RAA celebrations. This includes Dr. Seuss hats, RAA bookmarks, special RAA flash drives and even RAA mugs.

While recommended student reading lists vary from community to community, there are some books that always seem to pop up. Below is a partial(部分的) list of some of the books read by elementary, middle school and high school students.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．Parents in America like reading.	B．RAA has a history of over 50 years.
C．Teachers are popular with children.	D．Dr. Seuss was born on March 2nd.

2. What inspired NEA to come up with RAA?

A．School football programs’ practice.	B．Millions of NEA members’ support.
C．The NEA members’ love for reading.	D．American local official’s encouragement.

3. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The special events for reading activities.	B．The celebration of Read Across America.
C．The encouragement of community centers.	D．The children’s devotion to reading activities.

4. What may be talked about following the last paragraph?

A．The promising future of RAA.	B．The awards given to the children.
C．Student reading list recommended.	D．Parents and teachers’ praise for the program.

5 . You might be crazy about Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” as an English learner, but what do you think British teenagers studying Chinese are crazy about? Well, it’s Cao Xueqin’s classic, “The Dream of the Red Chamber”.

On December 18, nine British students arrived in Beijing for a seven-day trip after winning a Chinese Speaking Competition in Britain.

More than 170 students from 36 secondary schools took part in that competition last month. It was organized by the British Council. Three of the students coming to Beijing won first prizes for Language Ability. The other six were first prize winners for a dramatic performance in Chinese entitled (剧名为)“A New Home for Lin Daiyu”.

“We chose to perform this drama because we all love the characters in the tragic story. They’re traditional and loveable,” said Imogen Williams, 13, who played the lead role, in Daiyu. Williams said her group spent all their lunch breaks for nearly two months together, watching the drama, studying the characters, and practicing.

“We were excited to win the grand prize — the trip to Beijing. My mum even cried when she heard the news！” recalled Alice Clark-Edwards, who was “Wang Xifeng” in the drama.

These students have fallen in love with Chinese literature and are crazy about Chinese music and movies. “I love Jay Chou, Wilber Pan and the boy band Flowers. As for actresses, Zhang Ziyi is my favorite,” said Nishat Ali, 16.

1. Nine British students came to Beijing to ________.

A．perform “Romeo and Juliet”	B．go on a seven-day trip
C．watch “The Dream of the Red Chamber”	D．take part in the competition

2. The Chinese Speaking Competition was organized by ________.

A．the British Council

B．the drama college

C．Beijing

D．the middle school

3. From the passage, these students from Britain ________.

A．are crazy about Chinese literature	B．fall in love with Cao Xueqin’s classic
C．are not fond of “Romeo and Juliet”	D．don't like traditional performance

4. What can we infer from the passage？

A．“Wang Xifeng” in the drama is well-known in Britain.

B．Stars and singers like Zhang Ziyi and Jay Chou are known.

C．Chinese music and films have an effect on British students.

D．Williams and her group practice often in the school.

6 . Throughout our lives, we have been told to take care of our physical health. But what is often ignored is mental health. That’s why World Mental Health Day was created.     1    .

●When is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day is on October 10th. Though there is one specific date for it, it is often times celebrated and observed over the course of a week.     2    , it allows more people to know about the importance of mental health and it educates the public about the “why”, “how”, and “what” of mental health.

●What is the history of World Mental Health Day?

    3    . When it first started, the day had no theme, but instead was an excuse for medical workers to educate the public on what was not always openly discussed — what mental health is and the issues that surround it. Mental health affects everything from our emotional state to our physical state, and everything in between. In the first few years, organizers usually hosted a global live broadcast, leading to live telephone participation from all over the world.

●    4    ?

You can volunteer in or donate some money to mental health services to improve the livelihoods of people struggling with mental illnesses. Besides, too often we are too busy to slow down and take a breath. If you take a mental health day, you are giving yourself the space to grow and take care of your mental health. Lastly, you should check on your friends. Go for a walk with them or have an extended phone conversation if you are far away.     5    .

A．Why mental health is so important

B．How to observe World Mental Health Day

C．By celebrating it in a week instead of a day

D．If we value the importance of mental health

E．The first World Mental Health Day began in 1992

F．In this article, let’s explore World Mental Health Day

G．You might be surprised at how much you can help them relax

7 . On a warm spring morning in 1984, Dong Yao-hui and his two young friends pulled on backpacks and set out on a hike of the Great Wall. Their walk began in Shanhai Pass.     1     By sunset, they took shelter in ancient towers where soldiers once stood guard, perhaps watching for invaders from the north.

The walk of 17 months and 8,850 kilometers tested persistence.     2     The trip would not only change their lives but the fortunes of the wall itself, helping preserve it and lift it to the status it holds today.

On completing their journey, they published their experiences in a book. As they shared their adventures, it became clear that it was not just the physical demands but also the emotional impact that left lasting impressions.

    3     Since then, China has made a number of measures to protect the attraction. In 2006, for instance, the State Council issued the Regulation on the Protection of Great Wall to strengthen laws concerning its preservation and regulate activities on the structure.

The Cultural Relics Administrative Department has been given control over the overall protection of the Great wall.     4    

Dong places his hands on the weathered wall, as he did 35 years ago. But today, he thinks more deeply on a mission grander than his own journey. "Someone dug up some earth, making it into a brick," he says. "Someone else brought it all the way up the mountain and built a wall. Then many people guarded the wall for hundreds of years. The Great Wall is definitely alive.     5    "

A．It isn't just a cold, stone wall.

B．Preservation requires the efforts of all society.

C．From there they went forward to the vast west.

D．It wound its way and reached into the Bohai Sea.

E．It made them the first ever to walk the whole length.

F．Meanwhile, local villagers have recently been hired to act as guardians.

G．Preservation work began when the Great Wall was listed as a World Heritage Site.

8 . The Irish have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 every year for over 1,000 years. On this day, Irish families would attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon.

Patrick, born in Roman Britain, was brought to Ireland at the age of 16. He was thought to bring Christianity to its people. During the centuries after Patrick’s death that is believed to be on March 17,461, the story of his life became popular in the Irish culture.

However, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade (游行) took place not in Ireland but in America. Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17,1601 in Florida. More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English army marched in New York City on March 17, 1772 to honor the Irish saint (圣人). Interest in the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York City, Boston and other early American cities grew from there. In 1848, several New York Irish societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Today, the parade is the world’s oldest parade and the largest in the United States. Each year, nearly 3 million people watch the parade, which takes more than five hours. In 2020, the New York City parade was one of the first major city events that were canceled as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic (流行病) and people are still not allowed to attend it this year.

Although North America is home to the largest one, St. Patrick’s Day is also celebrated around the world, including Japan, Singapore and Russia. In 1995, the Irish government began to use interest in St. Patrick’s Day to drive tourism and show Ireland and Irish culture to the rest of the world.

1. What nationality was St. Patrick?

A．Roman.

B．Irish.

C．English.

D．American.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.

B．The result of the COVID 19 pandemic.

C．The life of St. Patrick.

D．The history of St. Partick’s Day parade in the USA.

3. What does the underlined word “canceled” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Applied for.

B．Left alone.

C．Stopped.

D．Expected.

4. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To show the Irish culture.

B．To remember a famous person.

C．To tell a story.

D．To introduce a festival.

9 . The sun rises over the Cordillera mountain ranges in the Philippines, lighting up the beautiful terraced rice fields. Rows of terraces（梯田）wrap around the mountainsides from the ground to the very mountaintops, as far as the eye can see. Built with stone walls at least 1, 000 years old, possibly 2, 000 years，they are maintained by the ancient tradition and the lifestyle of the local Ifugao people. But life here is changing，and with it comes threats（威胁）to this World Heritage（遗产）Site.

Young people are influenced by modern media and no longer want to work such long hours. More educational opportunities mean that many choose to make a life outside of the villages and rice fields. Roads are being built, allowing trucks bearing agricultural goods and buses bringing more tourists to and fro. More tourists mean the need for more water and food, and the production of more waste and pollution. Ugly tall buildings, rather than beautiful traditional wooden homes，spring up in some villages.

Can these changes be managed so that the terraces continue to produce rice, and remain a beautiful part of our world heritage？Jimmy Padchanan, an official of the village of Mayoyao, said in an interview, “We are combining the old societies with the new，while maintaining many of our values.” He and the local people were confident that they would keep the best of the new and the strength of the past to protect the terraces, which are deseribed as “a living cultural landscape of breathtaking beauty”.

1. What do we know about the Cordillera terraces from the first paragraph?

A．They are often lit up at night.

B．They are covered with various crops.

C．They are built at the foot of the mountain.

D．They are maintained in old ways.

2. What does the underlined “it” refer to?

A．The changing life.

B．The maintenance of terraces.

C．The ancient tradition.

D．The lifestyle of local people.

3. Which problem are the Cordillera terraces facing nowadays?

A．Media pay too much attention.

B．Many youths left the area.

C．Tourists cause safety concerns.

D．Agricultural land is largely taken up.

4. According to the text, what will the local people do in the future?

A．Stop the modernization of the region.

B．Open our mind to new ideas.

C．Have a mix of old and new.

D．Involve more development in the area.

10 . The Chinese Spring Festival

The Chinese Spring Festival is regarded as the most significant festival of the year among the Chinese.     1    .

There are a number of things people usually do before the Chinese Spring Festival. One of these is cleaning the house for the Lunar New Year. Dust makes people think of old things.     2    . Another important custom is to decorate their doors with red couplets. The phrases on the couplets express hopes for a new year.

The most important custom of the Chinese Spring Festival is the big family dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year. This is usually a big reunion of grandparents, parents, and children.     3    . That is why millions of Chinese people travel long distances to get home before the eve of the Lunar New Year.

When the New Year comes, there are many interesting festival activities such as “lucky money” in red envelopes or greetings with “Xinnian Hao” or “Gongxi Facai”. Another part of this custom of is to pay visits to relatives and bring them gifts.     4    . In addition, friends and family go out to enjoy loud and colourful fireworks, spend time at temple fairs, and watch exciting dragon and lion dances.

    5    . It is a special occasion to return home and reunite with family members. This deeply rooted tradition has been a necessary part of Chinese culture for a very long time, and will continue to live forever in the hearts of the Chinese people.

A．Commonly exchanged gifts include food, wine or tea

B．They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life

C．It reflects people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life

D．It reflects how important family is to Chinese people around the world

E．It lasts 15 days but the days of preparation beforehand are considered important

F．Therefore, sweeping dust is a way of saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new

G．The Chinese Spring Festival symbolizes a farewell to the old and a welcome to the new