2 . We love all types of hugs, from the one-armed hug to full bear hugs. Open up your heart and your arms on January 21 for National Hugging Day! As you might guess, this day is a yearly event.     1    

Here are some facts about the big day National Hugging Day was created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney. Zabomey chose January 21 because it was the time between the winter holiday season and the new year’s birthday, which he noticed was a time people tended to feel in low spirits. He also felt that Americans were too embarrassed to show love in public.     2     However, he never actually thought it would become popular.

    3     It means “to comfort” in the Old Norse language, first appearing about 450 years ago. However, the history of hugging itself is a bit more uncertain, What is known is that it is only very recently(within the past 50 years)that we have seen a full acceptance of hugging in public, separating it from other distinguished displays of love such as kissing. The widespread adoption of hugging over the recent years has been debated for some reasons.     4    

Nowadays, we don’t even think about the fact that hugging in public was considered improper.     5     We also do that to say goodbye, to congratulate someone, to comfort someone, or to show support. We usually hug before sports teams begin their match, and hug to show a general sign of affection between close relationships.

A．It’s not practiced enough these days!

B．We hug to greet friends and family

C．“Hug” is believed to come from ”hugga“

D．A hug is one of the most natural gestures,

E．One is that some once thought it wasn’t so formal

F．He hoped National Hugging Day would change that.

G．It encourages us to express love in the simplest way.

4 . Nowadays, it is common to see people wearing Hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group, at parks and attractions. More and more people are falling in love with Hanfu culture. The development of Hanfu culture has witnessed (见证) numerous changes in recent years and is taking on various forms.

Zhang Xiaomin has been a fan of Hanfu for five years now. Thanks to the popularity of social media, she can easily learn the latest trends and knowledge about Hanfu online now. “People used to only collect or appreciate Hanfu privately,” Zhang said. “But now it has moved to the mass market.” In the past, many people had the misunderstanding that “Han” refers to the Han Dynasty. Now more people are knowledgeable about Hanfu, and even expert in distinguishing (区分) the differences in Hanfu from different dynasties.

Miss Tang has also noticed a similar change. “Fans have become particular about the design and style of Hanfu,” Miss Tang said. “For advanced hobbyists, those seemingly fairy-like Hanfu dresses are not enough, since this style has been adapted to meet the tastes of the masses. They care more about how original Hanfu style are, like Quju (曲裾) and Mamianqun or ‘horse-face skirts’, which look more serious and complicated.”

The development of Hanfu has also triggered (引发) different events. You Gancheng has been in Hanfu circles for 13 years. “The Hanfu festival that a museum held in April offered many interesting activities like lectures, ceremonies, concerts and fairs,” she said. “Hanfu culture weeks, festivals and academic forums all provide platforms for fans to communicate.”

The rise of Hanfu culture also means the birth of an emerging business. Miss Cang has been running a Hanfu store for four years. The store provides Hanfu rental and photography services. “Many international schools now come to us for Hanfu events on traditional holidays,” Miss Cang said. Her store also actively participates in Hanfu festivals. “We often run a stand in Hanfu fairs, selling and displaying Hanfu we’ve designed. Sometimes we even provide Hanfu as prizes for competitions,” she said.

1. In recent years, the people who are interested in Hanfu ________.

A．are now focusing on the Han Dynasty style

B．have gained a deeper understanding of Hanfu

C．tend to collect or admire Hanfu privately

D．are exploring the regional diversity of Hanfu

2. According to Miss Tang, what aspect of Hanfu do advanced hobbyists care more about?

A．Its fairy-like design.	B．Its historical accuracy.
C．Its modern adaptations.	D．Its practicality for everyday wear.

3. Why is the Hanfu store mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To give an example of a successful Hanfu store.

B．To show the increasing popularity of Hanfu culture.

C．To illustrate the impact of Hanfu culture on business.

D．To stress the role of Hanfu stores in promoting Hanfu.

4. What does the article mainly talk about?

A．The development of Hanfu culture.

B．The significance of Hanfu in Chinese society.

C．The growing interest in Hanfu around China.

D．The different types of Hanfu events and festivals.

7 . There are many differences in ways of thinking between East and West. Many of them are reflected in daily behaviour. In particular, Chinese people sometimes attach more importance to their appearance and social status than to their inner qualities, while Westerners think the opposite. However, Socrates (Ancient Greek philosopher) and Confucius share significant similarities that are universal.

Both philosophers share several teachings in common; for example, their understanding of the nature of knowledge and their opinions on education. Socrates believed “There is only one good, knowledge;and only one evil, ignorance.” Similarly, Confucius said, “Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned?” But both also acknowledge the limits of knowledge. Socrates said: “All I know is that I know nothing.” Similarly, Confucius said, “When you know a thing, to hold you know it; when you don’t know a thing, to allow you don’t know it-this is knowledge.”

However, there are important differences in their understanding of morality. Confucius believed each person should follow certain regulations according to virtue(德行). Everyone should play their role in a society where people are interdependent in order to achieve harmony in the whole society. For instance, when asked how to govern a country, Confucius stated “An emperor should act like an emperor, a subject should act like a subject.” Socrates, however, places self-knowledge over social knowledge.

Another difference between them is their attitude towards political domination(支配). Confucius believed the best way to govern a country isn’t through legal system, but through virtue. Socrates, by contrast, declared that “nothing is more important than justice”.

Why have East and West developed such different cultural values? A widely accepted theory holds that Eastern civilization was an agricultural civilization. Hence the need for a collective society and friendly relations with neighbors was strong. Western civilization, however, was nomadic(游牧的). Their mobility makes them less dependent on society after migration.

In spite of their differences, the two cultures have more in common than differences. The shared concern for moral values in the teachings of Socrates and Confucius also shows us more fundamental similarities between Eastern and Western cultures in their pursuit of virtuous lives.

1. What do the two philosophers share about knowledge?

A．The learning of knowledge is easy.	B．The learning of knowledge is endless.
C．A man without knowledge is foolish.	D．A man shall not pretend to understand.

2. Which of the following reflects the thoughts of Confucius in terms of morality?

A．Nothing is more important than a legal system.

B．I am not a Chinese, but a citizen of the world.

C．Not everyone should play his own role in society.

D．A man does what is proper to the position he is in.

3. What is the root cause of the differences between Eastern and Western cultural values?

A．The difference in political atmosphere.	B．The difference in the length of history.
C．The difference in economic development.	D．The difference in levels of social dependency.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Reasons for similarities of Eastern and Western cultures.

B．The introduction of great figures of two different cultures.

C．Comparisons of the thoughts of the two great philosophers.

D．The contributions of two great philosophers to civilization.

8 . In ancient times, people tracked the seasons by following the lunar months. Many times, the names of the moons were related with what features the seasons had.    1    It is a special name with a history dating back to Native American tribes (部落). The name is also thought to have a Celtic origin, brought over to North America by European settlers.

Regardless of where the name Wolf Moon comes from, wolves howl (嚎叫) to communicate over long distances both in North America and in Europe. It is a way of saying “here I am” to the rest of the pack or “stay away” to enemies.    2    As the late summer moves towards fall, wolves call more and more to neighbors and enemies.

    3    However, howls by a pack can last from 30 to 120 second, and longer during the breeding (繁殖) season. As a result, wolves are particularly loud in the first month of the year.    4    

Science has not shown that the Moon phase (月相) plays any particular part in the calls of wolves, but wolves are animals that are in general more active at night.    5    They point their faces toward the sky because projecting their howls upward carries the sound farther.

A．They are energetic in January.

B．Wolves howl in the direction of the Moon.

C．In spring and early summer, wolves howl to seek mates.

D．An average howl from a single wolf lasts from 3 to 7 seconds.

E．That is probably why people related January with howling wolves.

F．It doesn’t quite fit in with the traditional Full Moon naming system.

G．January’s Full Moon in North America is known as the Wolf Moon.

9 . On Sept 7, famous Chinese archaeologist (考古学家) Fan Jinshi, 85, was awarded by UNESCO for her contribution (贡献) to the protection of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang.

Called the “daughter of Dunhuang”, her story with the caves started 60 years ago. In 1963, Fan, then a 25-year-old Peking University graduate, had the chance to work at the Mogao Caves, a place she had wanted to explore for a long time.

“Seeing Dunhuang for the first time was breathtaking. But only when truly staying here did I realize that inside the caves is a world of divine (神圣的) beauty while outside is a land of blowing sand and yellow earth,” Fan told Gansu Daily.

Back in those days, the Mogao Caves were almost completely cut off from the world. Fan and her coworkers had to live in mud houses and drink salty water. They stayed inside the caves to do research, copy murals (壁画), and do whatever they could to protect and restore them.

In 2011, after 40 years of hard work, a report on 10 Mogao Caves compiled (编写) by Fan’s team was finally published. It was known as China’s first professional report on cave archaeology, reported Gansu Daily.

As time passed, Fan found a serious problem. The increasing number of tourists visiting Dunhuang might harm the caves, causing the murals inside to fade. A solution needed to be found to preserve (保护) Dunhuang’s heritage.

In the late 1980s, Fan stumbled upon computer technology by chance. She realized that this might preserve the Mogao Caves forever. After over 30 years of exploration, the Dunhuang Academy built a digital database to protect cultural relics (文物) there, allowing Dunhuang’s art to live forever and to step out of the caves to meet the world.

“In my whole life, I’ve only done one thing: protect and promote the world cultural heritage of the Mogao Caves,” she told People’s Daily. “My heart belongs to Dunhuang.”

1. What can we learn about Fan from the article?

A．She began her work at the Mogao Caves at 23.

B．She is a woman of great determination.

C．Her health was affected by her hard work.

D．She studied archaeology at Nanjing University.

2. What was Fan’s first impression of Dunhuang?

A．The environment was terrible.

B．It was an amazing place.

C．The working conditions were better than expected.

D．She felt a deep connection to the caves.

3. What pushed Fan to establish a digital database for the Mogao Caves?

A．Her desire to promote Chinese culture.

B．Her interest in computer technology.

C．The need to document the restoration work.

D．The increasing threat to the physical caves.

4. What does Fan think of her work in Dunhuang?

A．It has been her lifelong calling.	B．It has won her recognition.
C．It has inspired many young people.	D．It has promoted cultural exchange.

10 . What makes a calligrapher(书法家)one of the best of all time? The answer can be found in Weidu Fu, written by Zuo Si, an ancient Chinese writer. He wrote: “Accumulate in the way the clouds gather, and release as smoothly as the rain drops.” The description properly summarizes the way Chen Hailiang presents his calligraphy momentum(气势)on paper in a gentle, relaxed manner. It has led to the 55-year-old being considered one of the leading calligraphers of his generation.

Chen has received many accolades, including several Lanting Awards, the highest prize in the field of calligraphy.“Still, I have room to achieve maturity, even at my age,” he said at the opening of his one-man exhibition, Artistry of Original Strokes, running at the National Art Museum of China through Tuesday.

On show are more than 90 pieces of work, displaying Chen’s various works. There are self-composed poems and couplets, as well as copies of some famous, historical calligraphic masterpieces. It offers a glimpse of Chen’s efforts with different styles of calligraphy and his mastery of the cursive script (caoshu).

His accomplishments are grounded in years of hard work. “If someone truly wants to be a professional in the field,” Chen says, “they should at least practice eight hours a day. I sometimes practice much longer than that, and for the rest of the day, I write and read about calligraphy, or articles on the relationship between calligraphy and other forms of Chinese art.”

Liu Heng, a famous scholar of the China Calligraphers Association, says, “ Chen has achieved a technical brilliance, but he is far from being content with copying the styles of those great artists. He has been trying to establish his own style, and he has done it.”

1. Why does the author mention the words from Weidu Fu in paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the writer of Weidu Fu.

B．To show Chen’s excellence in calligraphy.

C．To explain the reason for Chen’s success.

D．To compare the works of Chen and Zuo.

2. What does the underlined word “ accolades” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Benefits.

B．Reviews.

C．Honors .

D．Rewards.

3. According to Chen,what is most important to be an expert in the field?

A．Keeping reading every day.

B．Getting to know the history of the field.

C．Staying in the north of China for some period of time.

D．Throwing yourself into your field that you are working on.

4. What can we learn about Chen’s works from the text?

A．They are of various styles.

B．They make the audience relaxed.

C．They are just copies of some masterpieces.

D．They combine with the forms of western art.