1 . Chinese food is well-known for its rich sorts and distinct flavors from different areas. This article highlights four classic dishes that represent the wide range of Chinese cooking.
Dongpo porkDongpo pork is a delicious dish from Zhejiang Province, China. It’s made by cooking streaky pork (五花肉) slowly with ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and sugar. This makes the meat very soft and full of flavor. The tasty sauce is great for mixing with rice. The dish is named after a famous poet, Su Dongpo.
Hot candied milk tofuHot candied milk tofu is a sweet specialty from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is crisp (酥脆的) on the outside and soft on the inside. It tastes sweet and is suitable for people of all ages to eat. It’s also great for getting more calcium.
Steamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soupSteamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soup is a famous Sichuan cuisine. It is made with the hearts of Chinese cabbage from the north. It’s cooked with chicken, duck, and pork bones to make a clear flavourful soup, which is seasoned with minced chicken or pork. Some chicken oil is drizzled on top. The Chinese cabbage, cooked in the soup, keeps its crisp freshness and soaks up (吸收) the soup, offering a tasty experience.
Steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppersIn Hunan Province, the love for spicy food is obvious in a famous traditional dish, steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppers. The fish head is marinated (腌) with a generous amount of red chilli peppers and then steamed to perfection. The combination of the fish’s natural freshness and the chilli peppers’ heat creates an unforgettable taste experience.
1. What is the first dish named after?| A．A famous chef. | B．A historical figure. |
| C．A traditional festival. | D．A specific cooking technique. |
| A．Dongpo pork. |
| B．Hot candied milk tofu. |
| C．Steamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soup. |
| D．Steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppers. |
| A．Sweet and sour. | B．Sweet and fresh. |
| C．Salty and sweet. | D．Spicy and fresh. |
2 . Traditions are customs and beliefs that form a part of our culture. They are practiced to remind us of our history and are passed down from generation to generation. Some traditions are interesting and widespread, while others are quite strange and practiced only by a small group of people. Continue reading to dig more into some interesting traditions from around the world.
Smigus Dyngus in PolandAlso known as “Wet Monday”, Smigus Dyngus is a unique tradition practiced in Poland, where people throw water at each other. It is celebrated annually on Easter Monday. The traditional way to do it is for boys to throw water at girls, and it is believed that the girl who receives the most water has the greatest chance of getting married.
Hanging coffins (棺椁) in Sagada, the PhilippinesThere is an old tradition in Sagada where people hang their coffins in stone caves. It was carried out by the Igorot tribe (部落) of Mountain Province. The people there believe this custom prevents large animals from taking the dead bodies, and also purifies or blesses the departed soul.
The Polterabend custom in GermanyFamily members and friends of future married couples meet at dinner, and break a lot of porcelain (瓷器). The couple is then asked to clean up the entire mess. This is supposedly to teach them the importance of unity and hard work, and bring good luck. Germans think this tradition is essential in making marriages last a lifetime.
Boryeong Mud Festival in the ROKThe Boryeong Mud Festival in the ROK is a fascinating and unique celebration that draws crowds from around the world. It is a major cultural event, attracting over a million visitors annually. People participate in various mud-related activities, including mud baths, mud wrestling and even a mud marathon. The festival features live music, food stalls, and wonderful street performances.
1. Why are the coffins hung in caves in Sagada?| A．To pray for good luck. |
| B．To protect the dead bodies. |
| C．To ensure a future reunion. |
| D．To conserve more land resources. |
| A．Smigus Dyngus. |
| B．Hanging coffins in Sagada. |
| C．The Polterabend custom. |
| D．Boryeong Mud Festival. |
| A．Throw water at girls. |
| B．Learn about Igorot culture. |
| C．Meet famous people. |
| D．Enjoy mud baths. |
3 . The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Autumn, the 13th solar term, reflects the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The fruitful season is approaching. The following are several things you should know about it.
“Autumn Tiger”
Although Start of Autumn indicates the beginning of autumn, hot weather won’t come to an end. The period of hot days after Start of Autumn, is called “Autumn Tiger”. Because of decreasing rainfall, it is even more sweltering (闷热的) during this period than during Major Heat.
Eating longans
The Start of Autumn period is harvest time for Taiwan longan. People believe that eating longan will help their children become senior officials.
Eating red beans
Starting from the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, people in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, have eaten red beans on Start of Autumn day. They take 7 to 14 little beans, swallowing them with well water. When taking the beans, one must face west, it is said, so as not to get dysentery (痢疾) during the autumn.
Eating gourds (葫芦)
During the Qing Dynasty, people would put gourds outside for a day before the Start of Autumn, and eat them on Start of Autumn day to drive off the summer heat.
Today people in Tianjin still keep this custom, believing that eating melons such as towel gourd, white gourd and bitter gourd can prevent diarrhea (腹泻) in autumn.
1. What causes “Autumn Tiger” according to the passage?| A．The reducing rainfall. | B．The ending of summer. |
| C．The approaching autumn. | D．The beginning of the solar term. |
| A．To avoid heat. | B．To keep the custom. |
| C．To prevent diseases. | D．To help children become senior officials. |
| A．Sports. | B．Culture. | C．Entertainment. | D．Politics. |
4 . Tips for Hiding the Afikomen on Passover (逾越节)
Hiding the afikomen — a broken piece of pancake — is often a beloved part of the Passover Dinner among families, giving children a game of searching. Here is best advice for hiding the afikomen.
Make it a little more interesting. Finding the afikomen often comes with a reward or a small gift. Sometimes it is a toy, money or a game — in some families it is a big gift, some just a kiss.
Find a hiding spot. While there’s technically only one afikomen at the dinner, families might also choose to change tradition to give larger groups of kids a better chance of success. Some families may find a way to hide a few.
Trick their eyes. Leaving the afikomen out in the open might seem a little too easy, but it can present a surprising challenge.
Increase the difficulty. The serious hiders skip easy-to-see spots for more intensive, nearly impossible places, for example, in a drawer, under all the kids’ art projects or in the bathroom under four out of seven towels. So kids have to work hard for it.
| A．Set some ground rules. |
| B．Or the same afikomen is hidden repeatedly. |
| C．Well design the interactive and enjoyable game. |
| D．It is fun but the house may be a mess after the searching. |
| E．The kids have to truly focus on things they see every day. |
| F．The kids may feel like everyone has the chance to be the designer. |
| G．More competitive families also offer the finder something special, like a dollar coin. |
5 . Literary (文学的) festivals are all over the UK and Ireland this month. Here are four of them.
Hay Festival
Set on the beautiful Wales-England border, this year’s Hay Festival includes travel writer Kapka Kassabova delivering the 2023 Jan Morris Lecture, Ray Mears discussing the British woodland, and Bear Grylls and Ranulph Fiennes celebrating a love of wild spaces. Author-led tours with Wayfair Walks explore the Brecon Beacons.
Date: From 25 May to 4 June
Guernsey Literary Festival
Celebrating great writing and big ideas in the beautiful island of Guernsey, this event includes activities such as a talk by Susie Dent centred on her book An Emotional Dictionary — Real Words For How We Feel, and family-focused drawing classes from painter Rob Biddulph. The festival also offers poetry competitions, writing workshops and the chance to stretch your legs on Guernsey’s coastal trails and nature walks.
Date: From 2 to 14 May
International Literature Festival Dublin
The ancient streets that were once inspiration for James Joyce, W·B Yeats and Oscar Wilde welcome Ireland’s leading literary festival this May. The 10-day event celebrates the best Irish and international writers, poets, playwrights and screenwriters. Book-themed guided walks are also offered.
Date: From 19 to 28 May
The Bath Festivals
Founded in 1948, The Bath Festivals is a year-round creative learning program that inspires and connects different people and communities through various activities. For example, we have Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair in May and Bath Children’s Literature Festival in September. Our other year-round hands-on music and literature projects give children and young people opportunities to gain real-world experience.
1. Who will discuss the British woodland at Hay Festival?| A．Bear Grylls. | B．Ray Mears. |
| C．Ranulph Fiennes. | D．Kapka Kassabova. |
| A．From 2 to 14 May. | B．From 20 May to 4 June. |
| C．From 19 to 28 May. | D．From 25 May to 4 June. |
| A．It mainly attracts adults. | B．It runs throughout the year. |
| C．It has a variety of activities. | D．It offers author-led city walks. |
6 . Food Festivals to Look Forward to This Summer
Taste of Park Ridge
11: 00 am to 10:30 pm, Thursday, July 13, in Uptown Park Ridge, 100 Summit Ave
There will be a variety of foods, including ice cream, Mexican foods, Filipino dishes, corn dogs, Indian and Nepali cuisine, pizza, cupcakes, barbecue, and more. Don’t miss the drinks and wine. Most importantly, there is Giant Turkey Leg Eating Contest at 2: 30 pm. Free.
Antioch Taste of Summer
4: 00 pm to 10: 00 pm, Friday, July 14, at the Antioch Bandshell
You will find the classic pub fare, Crazee Ice, and more, plus carnival (嘉年华) rides, games, sidewalk sales and crafters. Music from The Beach Bum Band is on at 7: 00 pm and themed musical light show at 8: 00 pm. Free.
Taste of Westmont
5:00 pm to 9: 30 pm, Sunday, July 16, on Cass Avenue in Westmont
It features local restaurant food vendors serving Thai, Mexican, and Greek foods, pizza, barbecue, and more. There will be carnival, craft show, kids’ activities, and a car show. Music from Tom Petty band starts at 6: 00 pm. Free.
Sugar Grove Corn Boil
5:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Sunday, July 23, at Volunteer Park, Main Street
Wander among corn boil, and other tasty foods, craft show, and carnival while enjoying live music and fireworks. Car show starts from 3:00 pm. This attractive festival takes you to music from The Boy Band Night at 7:30 pm. Free bus service. Reserve tickets before availability.
1. Which of the four festivals begins the earliest?| A．Taste of Westmont. | B．Sugar Grove Corn Boil. |
| C．Taste of Park Ridge. | D．Antioch Taste of Summer. |
| A．Listen to music from Tom Petty band. | B．Set off fireworks at Volunteer Park. |
| C．Join in Giant Turkey Leg Eating Contest. | D．Enjoy themed musical light show. |
| A．Book a ticket in advance. | B．Order some delicious food. |
| C．Take a bus before 5: 00 pm. | D．Park your car on Main Street. |
7 . Imagine looking for your lost dog. You step into a cave. But instead of the dog, you find beautiful cave paintings. You see paintings of horses, deer, and bison that were drawn in black, brown, red and yellow. Your first question would probably be “Who did this?”
This is what happened to four French boys in 1940. They found the Lascaux caves. The paintings the boys discovered in those caves are about 17,000 years old. They were drawn by the ancient people called Cro-Magnons.
Cro-Magnons looked much like people of today. They used tools, such as fishing nets. But their art was extremely good. The main cave at Lascaux is called Great Hall of Bulls, which has a picture of bulls and horses in many colours. The largest animal is 18 feet long. There are smaller animals, such as bison, stags and a bear. There is also a strange spotted two-horned (两只角的) animal.
To the left of the main cave are the most famous paintings that are the drawings of animals in many different colours. One painting is called Little Horses. On the ceiling are horses and cows. The most unusual sight may be in The Shaft of the Dead Man where there is a rhinoceros, a carefully drawn dead man, an injured bison and a bird.
Why did Cro-Magnon artists do these beautiful drawings on cave walls? Did the drawings call upon some magic power? Did the Cro-Magnon people hope that the drawings would bring good luck? There is one thing the paintings seem to tell us. The CroMagnons were interested in the world. They looked at beauty and they understood it.
1. The author uses the word “You” in Paragraph 1 to .| A．attract readers’ attention |
| B．make it clear that this is a true story |
| C．give readers good directions to find the caves |
| D．compare modern people with Cro-Magnon people |
| A．boys | B．tools | C．humans | D．animals |
| A．The cave paintings are beautiful. |
| B．Who found the beautiful cave paintings. |
| C．The Lascaux caves hold colourful ancient paintings. |
| D．Drawings of horses are on the walls of the Lascaux caves. |
| A．a research paper | B．a cultural magazine |
| C．a science newspaper | D．a travel guide |
8 . Here are four activities in October. Go and get yourself out of your house.
Activity 1: Hope with Every Step 5K Race
It will be held on Saturday, October 7 at Taglienti Field on the Spruce Mountain High School campus. This event is held in honor of Josh Brochu, 13 and his sister Brook Brochu, 10, both of whom have a rare disease that affects children. All the money collected from the event will go to the A-T Childrens’ Project, a non-profit (非盈利的) organization which raises money for medical research and health centers. Visit www. atcp. org for more information.
Activity 2: A Free Movie Supported by Farmington Baptist Church
It will be shown at 7: 00 pm on October 3 at 194 Whittier Road in Farmington. The movie When the Game Stands Tall tells the true story of the De La Salle Spartans High School football team, which set 151-game winning streak (连胜) record. Football coach Bob Ladouceur’s belief always was, “We don’t expect you to play perfectly, but to give a perfect effort.”
Activity 3: Wilton Free Public Library’s Birthday Party
The library is turning 100 years old! All are welcome to attend the party celebrating 100 years of the beautiful library building. From 10: 00 am to 1: 00 pm on October 3, families are welcome to come to the library for some food and fun! There will be historical displays, fun book-themed food, face painting, and games and presents for kids. Please come and celebrate!
Activity 4: The Fourth Annual Pumpkin Festival
It will take place on Saturday, October 7. There will be various family activities, including movies, dog shows and children’s gifts.
All events will take place in the Front Street Neighborhood. For more information, please visit the website: farmingtonpumpkin festival. net.
1. Where will the Fourth Annual Pumpkin Festival be held?| A．At 194 Whittier Road. | B．At Taglienti Field. |
| C．In Wilton Free Public Library. | D．In the Front Street Neighborhood. |
| A．To collect money. | B．To explore nature. |
| C．To celebrate something. | D．To start an organization. |
| A．At 10: 00 am on October 3. | B．At 7: 00 pm on October 3. |
| C．At 7: 00 pm on October 7. | D．At 1: 00 pm on October 7. |
9 . Edinburgh summer festivals 2023
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Set up in 1947, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest performance arts festival. Only the Olympic Games and the World Cup sell more tickets and it takes over venues (场馆) all over the city for most of August. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society publishes a free programme every year containing most of the performances — which can be picked up in venues across Edinburgh before and during the event.
The Edinburgh International Festival
First held in 1947, the Edinburgh International Festival has taken place every year since. It sees famous figures from the fields of music and the performing arts invited to perform in the city. Traditionally the majority of events are classical music concerts, opera, theatre productions, and dance performances.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival
Established in 1947, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s oldest uninterruptedly (不间断地) running film festival. Threatened by financial problems last year, including the closing of its Edinburgh Filmhouse home, it is coming in 2023 as a downsized event showing a selection of films from around the world.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival
First taking place in a single tent in 1983, the Edinburgh International Book Festival was originally held every two years but became a yearly literary celebration in 1997. It invites hundreds of authors, journalists, politicians and famous faces from around the world to come to the city to speak about both their books and those of others.
1. How long does the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last?| A．About a week. | B．Almost a month. |
| C．More than 40 days. | D．Around half a year. |
| A．It kicked off in an old tent half a century ago. |
| B．It is the world’s largest performance arts festival. |
| C．It is the third largest event in terms of ticket sales. |
| D．It has been continually held since it started. |
| A．The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. |
| B．The Edinburgh International Festival. |
| C．The Edinburgh International Film Festival. |
| D．The Edinburgh International Book Festival. |
10 . While tea may have its origins in Asia, now it has found its way into their food culture and traditions in many countries. It is a special way of connecting people all over the world in different ways and ceremonies. That finally all results in a group of people sitting together and enjoying a cup of tea.
Chinese tea culture
Since China is considered as the birthplace of tea, it is no wonder that Chinese tea culture is rich in history and tradition. Today, Chinese tea continues to be used in Chinese medicine and is commonly used on both formal and informal occasions either for personal enjoyment or as a Chinese cultural tradition.
Japanese tea culture
Japan also has a long history with tea, especially Japanese Matcha, which is a kind of ground green tea. Japanese tea is commonly used in Japanese tea ceremonies and only in recent years has become popular in western culture.
British tea culture
When it comes to British tea, British tea culture is what comes to mind. A hot cup of Earl Grey tea often serves with a little milk and a biscuit in the afternoon as a pick-me-up for the day, which makes you feel better and more energetic. Even though tea may not be native to England, this British tea tradition is still going strong today.
Moroccan tea culture
When you visit Morocco, it is hard to miss the outstanding tea culture that is such a special way to welcome guests. Before any gathering, a pot of mint(薄荷)tea is always prepared and served among the host and guests. This is an expression of Moroccan tradition and kindness, which should always be accepted by guests as a sign of appreciation and respect to the host.
1. What do Chinese and Japanese tea cultures have in common?| A．They have a long history. |
| B．They are used in medicine. |
| C．They are well known for green tea. |
| D．They have long been widely recognized. |
| A．To show kindness. |
| B．To get new energy. |
| C．To bring out respect |
| D．To observe a tradition. |
| A．Honest. |
| B．Confident. |
| C．Grateful. |
| D．Friendly. |
