1 . Between the 16th and 17th century, the efforts of France’s Jesuits played a key role in the transportation of science and culture between China and the West. Their first mission to reach China dates back to 1552, when St. Francis Xavier arrived on a Chinese island. He died on the island a year later, having never reached the mainland. But three decades later, the Jesuits made a second and successful attempt. During their stay, the Jesuits introduced Western science, mathematics, astronomy, and visual arts to China and took part in philosophical conversations with representatives of Confucianism. Importantly, the Jesuits also took precious art and cultural artworks back to France. Their furniture, architecture and design all became influenced by the Chinese style.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the popularity of chinoiserie (中国风格) continued to increase, particularly in England. Many of the architectures were covered with chinoiserie wallpaper relating to flowers, birds and trees. But shortly after, the popularity began to wane. The appeal of China and East Asia had to compete with other tastes, such as Turkish, Egyptian and Greek.

The first three decades of the 20th century witnessed a revival (复兴) in the popularity of chinoiserie both in Europe and America. Chinese dragons were drawn on cushions, curtains and wallpaper, while Chinese coats and hairstyles proved popular with women. The style was associated with modernity and was a by-product of World War I. Chinoiserie was associated with wealthy, stylish women and attached itself to the boom in entertainment as people dressed up to visit cinemas.

In 2024, chinoiserie is making yet another comeback. The rise of social media and home blog lifestyle pages has seen demand increase for imitations (模仿) of Chinese artwork and furniture. But critics point out how much of it is based on an idea of Chinese art and design and who actually creates it.

1. What happened to the second attempt of France’s Jesuits to China?

A．It ended up as a total failure.

B．It took the Jesuits 3 decades to finish.

C．St. Francis Xavier died on the mainland.

D．The Jesuits exchanged with China in many aspects.

2. Which of the following is likely to replace the underlined word“wane”?

A．Disappear.	B．Increase.
C．Reduce.	D．Exist.

3. How does the passage develop?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By providing examples.
C．By following the order of time.	D．By listing data.

4. In which part of a newspaper can we find the passage?

A．Culture.	B．Science.
C．Art.	D．Philosophy.

2 . Resting her phone on a stand and making the light more suitable, 49-year-old Lyu Min started her livestreaming session — her daily job during the COVID-19 outbreak. Dressed in a qipao, a traditional Chinese dress, Lyu started the livestreaming session from her workshop at 10 in the morning, sharing the art of making Chinese knots with many handicraft (手工艺) lovers. Lyu, an inheritor (继承人) of the art of making Chinese knots, which is listed as an intangible (非物质) cultural heritage, became a livestreaming host.

“Though the sales of Chinese knots have dropped a lot, I’m still confident that I can get out of the trouble brought by the outbreak. I can make full use of this period to improve my skills and develop this traditional handicraft online,” she said. Lyu is quite new to the world of livestreaming, having bought all the necessary equipment (设备) after following her friends advice. She practises livestreaming every day and records a large number of educational videos. As face-to-face interaction is still impractical for many, even as the outbreak has been largely brought under control in China, she thinks livestreaming classes can meet more Chinese knot lovers’ needs to learn the handicraft.

She has integrated the anti-epidemic spirit into her works, expressing the determination (决心) and confidence of the Chinese people to win against the COVID-19. “I love Wuhan, where I showed my works in 2019. Chinese knots are popular among many local people, and I made lots of friends there,” Lyu said. She designed a special Chinese knot to express her thanks to the medics who were sent to support Wuhan several months ago.

She has more than 200 followers right now. There are more and more Chinese knot lovers on her online platform. She is using a length of colored string and determination to keep this traditional art of Chinese knots alive online and help more people understand the culture.

1. The underlined word “livestreaming” in Paragraph 1 is close to “_______”.

A．sending out while happening	B．equipment for recording videos
C．sending out after recording	D．equipment for making handicrafts

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Lyu Min advised her friends to livestream traditional handicraft online.

B．Lyu Min’s friends provided the necessary equipment for her to livestream.

C．Chinese knots sell very well in Lyu Min’s workshop through the Internet.

D．More Chinese knot lovers want to learn the handicraft because of Lyu Min.

3. What does Lyu Min think of the future of Chinese knots?

A．Unexpected.

B．Hopeful.

C．Difficult

D．Doubtful.

4. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Having online classes during the outbreak	B．Introducing an intangible cultural heritage
C．Livestreaming the art of making Chinese knots	D．Expressing thanks to the doctors and nurses

4 . In 2001, UNESCO declared 21 May as UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. The day’s not intended to find out the uniqueness of different cultures, separating them from each other.     1     Here are a few modest and simple ways to mark the occasion.

Visiting an exhibition or a museum dedicated to other cultures comes first since it may inspire you to create something yourself, and heighten your desire to learn about a new topic or culture.     2     For example, you can see the British Museum’s collection online, and the National Gallery has a digital tour of 18 rooms that lets you get up close to the paintings.

    3     It’s a great way to expand your knowledge of the world. Many traditional folk tales have universal themes, but at the same time, shine a light on particular aspects of another culture. So now might be a great time to dive into the storybooks and read folk tales.

There is perhaps no better way to experience another culture than listening to music. Even if you don’t understand the words, you can still hear the influence of other cultures. You could allow yourself to discover music from every corner of the globe on forums.     4     After all, series of musics are on the air, often with strong international influences.

It never goes without mentioning language while embracing culture diversity. It is relatively easy to have a go at trying a new language through the many smartphone apps or through an online language exchange.     5    

A．Or you could listen to radio programmes.

B．In short, it’s never too late to learn a language.

C．You could also appreciate music in foreign films.

D．Remember language serves as a reflection and carrier of culture.

E．Learning about traditional stories from other cultures won’t disappoint you.

F．Even if you can’t visit a museum at first hand, you can select virtual exhibitions.

G．Instead, it’s a chance to unfold the similarities and celebrate the cultural diversity.

5 . Minor Cold: A sugary feast to get through the freezing winter

Minor Cold, or “Xiaohan” in Chinese, is the 23rd of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar     1       We’ve outlined below how people deal with the Minor Cold and its significance in Chinese culture.

Why do people eat eight treasures rice pudding?

Eight treasures rice pudding or “babaofan” in Mandarin is a special sweet rice dish enjoyed during Minor Cold and Chinese New Year dinner. In Chinese, the number eight is pronounced as “ba”, which is similar to another Chinese word “fa”.     2    . Because of its pronunciation, this traditional Chinese dim sum is regarded as a symbol of wealth and health.

What else do people eat?

    3    . Different regions in China have different eating habits. People in Nanjing and Shanghai usually cook vegetable rice while in Guangzhou, it is a tradition to eat sticky rice on the morning of Minor Cold.

Nationwide: Preparing for the Spring Festival

For Chinese people, this time of year also sees preparation for the most important festival of the year: the Spring Festival.     4    . In the old days, Chinese families would usually start to purchase the necessities for the Spring Festival, write couplets and make paper cuts by themselves.

Forecasts from animals

The ancient Chinese noticed the slight changes in seasons by observing the movements of the birds. Wild geese would usually start to fly back to the north while the magpies (喜鹊) make their nests. These animals remind people of the beginning of the suitable farming and life for Minor Cold.     5    . Therefore, more attention should be paid to domestic animals’ warmth.

A．It means getting rich or booming in business.

B．However, “babaofan” is not the only traditional food for Minor Cold.

C．For most areas of China, Minor Cold is the beginning of the coldest period.

D．Even though temperatures drop suddenly at this time, spring is not far away.

E．The last lunar month, known as “Layue”, usually begins around Minor Cold.

F．Cabbage is easy to preserve in the winter and tastes better after being preserved.

G．With each solar term, there comes a set of customs that are related to the time of a year.

6 . When I first met Nao Junior, he was in his 40s and one of only nine members of his Indigenous(土著的) group, Great Andamanese, who still spoke the idiom of his ancestors. As a language specialist, I had researched more than 80 Indian languages. I was on the islands to document their Indigenous voices before they faded into whispers.

Words in this language consisted of two classes: free and bound. The free words were all nouns that referred to the environment and its inhabitants, such as ra for “pig”. They could occur alone. The bound words were nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs that always existed with markers indicating a relation to other objects, events or states. The markers came from seven zones of the body and were attached to a root word to describe concepts such as “inside”, “outside”, “upper” and “lower”. For example, the morpheme(词素) er-, which qualified most anything having to do with an outer body part, could be stuck to -cho to yield ercho, meaning “head”.

Just as a head, a bound word, could not conceptually exist on its own, the mode and effect of an action could not be divided from the verb describing the action. Great Andamanese had no words for agriculture but a great many for hunting and fishing, mainly with a bow and arrow. Thus, the root word shile, meaning “to aim”, had several versions: utshile, to aim from above; arashile, to aim from a distance; and eshile, aiming to make a hole with a sharp object.

The studies established that the language seems to be truly old in origin. In a multistage process of development, words describing diverse body parts had changed into morphemes referring to different zones and combined with content words to yield meaning. The structure alone provides an insight into an ancient worldview in which the macrocosm(宏观世界) reflects the microcosm, and everything that is or that happens inseparably connects to everything else.

1. What is the purpose of the author’s stay on the islands?

A．To meet with an old friend.	B．To teach Indigenous idioms.
C．To record an ancient language.	D．To trace her ancestors.

2. “Aim at a pig’s head from afar” in Great Andamanese may be ______.

A．Arashile raercho	B．Arashile ercho
C．Eshile ercho	D．Eshile raercho

3. What can we infer from the verbs in Great Andamanese?

A．A verb could describe more than one action.	B．Some of the verbs could be used on their own.
C．The locals probably live off seafood and meat.	D．The tools used in people’s daily life are diverse.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Great Andamanese is the origin of multiple languages.

B．Great Andamanese is a doorway to the ancient wisdom.

C．Great Andamanese tells the development of the community.

D．Human body shapes Great Andamanese’s unique worldview.

7 . Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an ancient system of health and wellness that’s been used in China for thousands of years. It has saved millions of lives around China’s vast territory by providing vital information on diagnosis (诊断), treating common medical problems and diseases, and emphasizing prevention. If you do not have previous experience with Chinese culture or medicine, be prepared for a cultural experience.     1    

Several thousand years ago, The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor put forward the principle that one should develop yang energy in spring and summer,     2     And in China’s long history, the principle has proven of great value for good health and longevity of life.

According to TCM theory, yang energy is the power for inner organs.     3     “Summer treatment” takes advantage of abundant yang energy in nature during summer, when yang energy is outward and upward. It is the right time to supplement (补充) yang energy by internal or external traditional Chinese medicine methods. This helps to adjust to the balance of yin and yang in the body, resulting in a more effective outcome.

    4     Therefore, it is the best time for the human body to supplement essence and store vital substances throughout the whole year. TCM holds that Gao Fang, the cream formula, is the best choice for tonification (滋补) in winter. By adjusting qi, blood, yin and yang of the body, it can achieve the effects of treatment, regulation, and nourishment.

“Sprouting in spring, growing in summer, harvesting in autumn and storing in winter” is the law of development in the nature.     5     It needs to be in agreement with timing and the seasons. With such direction, ancient Chinese people handed down to later generations medical texts for an orderly-arranged daily life.

A．while protecting yin energy in autumn and winter.

B．It’s necessary to the function of various body parts.

C．The same is true for the way of health preservation.

D．when the body engages in active digestive processes.

E．It will relieve your medical condition and enrich your life.

F．Winter is the season for storage of everything, including energy.

G．Summer is a good season to build up your bodies through exercise.

8 . India’s touring (流动的) cinemas are dying, and being reborn. And India is perhaps the most film-mad country in the world while it also has the lowest ratios of screens to human beings.     1     The screens that do exist are unevenly distributed. PVR, India’s biggest cinema operator, has more screens in Chandigarh, a prosperous city of about a million people, than it does in Rajasthan, a poor stale of 80 million. If Muhammad could not go to the movies, the movies had to come to Muhammad. Twenty years ago, there were 1,400 odd touring cinemas in Pusegaon.     2     However, today there are only 52 travelling cinemas.

    3     One is smartphone and internet expansion, which leads to the other reason for the collapse of the touring cinemas:     4     Sushil Chaudhary, the founder of a new chain of touring cinemas called Picture Time, is making a different bet on the possibilities of cinema. Mr. Chaudhary started his company in 2015 and has since set up 37 moving screens seating between 100 and 250 people. The touring cinema was nothing like the one in Pusegaon.     5     The picture was crystal clear and the sound used Dolby. Picture Time’s tickets are cheap, at between 30 and 70 rupees, compared with an average ticket price of 191 rupees at PVR’s cinemas.

A．they failed to change over time.

B．Fewer people can afford to go to cinemas.

C．The floor was carpeted and there were plastic chairs.

D．The following are the reasons leading to this phenomenon.

E．It was in this world that the touring cinemas played a crucial role.

F．The collapse of the touring cinemas was for two interlinked reasons.

G．It is one more paradox (悖论) among the millions of contradictions there.

10 . While the term cultural heritage is used to refer to both physical and intangible qualities, it is not limited to physical objects. It can also refer to beliefs, traditions, language, and food. These are often passed down from generation to generation.     1    The preservation of these cultural treasures can help promote global understanding and mutual respect.

    2    Determining what constitutes(构成) “cultural heritage” is often a challenging and contentious task, and advocates of cultural preservation and integrity are often accused of making false assumption(假设)about the cultures they study.

It is important to recognize that cultural heritage is not limited to physical objects and monuments. It also includes living expressions of culture inherited from our ancestors. Intangible cultural heritage refers to knowledge and practices related to the environment and traditional crafts.     3    It is essential to protect these valuable assets for their protection and appreciation.

    4     It is essential to preserve these objects in order to preserve their significance. And it is necessary to protect the intangible cultural heritage, because it is often overlooked. These works of art have symbolic and aesthetic(美学的) value and are valuable to the people of the country. Some of them are even more significant than the physical objects.

As cultural heritage is a part of a culture, it can be protected. However, if someone is trying to patent a design, you have to ensure that you do not copy it.     5    Whether they’re paintings, sculptures, or food, they’re worth protecting. Fortunately, it’s important to protect and conserve our cultural heritage. It’s the legacy of the culture and the way it was once lived.

A．They are a source of pride and identity for a society.

B．Cultural heritage includes the inheritance of a culture.

C．These can be valuable as a tool for future generation.

D．Cultural heritage is a vital part of any society.

E．It is an important part of international policy.

F．First, consider what cultural heritage is.

G．The same is true of cultural objects.