1 . Following a design shown on her cell phone, Ruan Xiyue, 35, quickly sketched a manned spacecraft on a gourd (葫芦), completing the first step of gourd sculpture, an intangible (非物质) cultural her it age of northwest China’s Gansu Province.
Coming from a family engaged in gourd sculpture for almost 90 years in Lanzhou, Ruan is not satisfied with just perfecting her technique. Instead, the fourth-generation inheritor (继承人) aims to bring traditional craftsmanship closer to young people through marketing and sharing.
Dating back over 1, 600 years, gourd sculpture was first developed as a decoration on people’s portable wine pots made of gourds. The pronunciation of “gourd” in Chinese, which resembles that of “luck and fortune”, partly explains its lasting popularity.
For Ruan, the fragrance of gourds is the smell of home. Upon graduating from college, she started learning gourd sculpture from her mother, sitting for hours every day practicing calligraphy and painting, which she views as the essential training to become a qualified sculptor. Later, Ruan developed innovative products such as gourd mirrors and gourd necklaces to tap the market potential, believing they can help the craft reach more people.
Her family opened a gourd sculpting studio in 2010, displaying their works as well as a history of the art. Ruan likes talking with visitors to the studio, and their interactions inspired her to launch a curriculum for people to experience the craft in 2016. According to Ruan, around 800 people attend the courses every year. Among them are students eager to learn something new, and young parents who bring their kids along to enjoy some lovely family time. “Many participants told me that our courses enable them to know more about the history of Lanzhou, and help make the city’s memories last longer,” said Ruan.
Under Ruan’s influence, her mother is now live streaming on social media everyday sharing her stories of gourd sculpture with viewers across the country. “Sharing is inheriting,” said Ruan. “When we share our skills and knowledge with more people, the traditional culture will naturally be spread on a wider scale,” said Ruan.
1. What do we know about Ruan?| A．She is a designer of manned spacecraft on a gourd. |
| B．She took up gourd sculpture under the influence of her family. |
| C．She first sculpted on a portable wine pot made of a gourd. |
| D．She is good at teaching young people the craftsmanship. |
| A．Inspiring and touching. | B．New and memorable. |
| C．Popular and enjoyable. | D．Lovely and practical. |
| A．Spreading the gourd sculpture is to share the stories. |
| B．Stories of gourd sculpture a reviewed across the world |
| C．Live streaming on social media is the best way to share. |
| D．Traditional culture will be spread wider through sharing. |
| A．Ruan Xiyue: an Inheritor of an Intangible Cultural Heritage. |
| B．Gourd Sculpture: a Traditional Craft Popular with the Chinese. |
| C．Social Media: a Useful Tool to Share Gourd Sculpture. |
| D．Cultural Courses: an Approach to Learning Something New. |
2 . The Spring Festival is the most important celebration in China. There are some interesting Spring Festival traditions about Don’ts & Dos. Let’s take a look!
Don’t take out the rubbish
Taking out the rubbish, on that day, is said to stand for sweeping luck and wealth from the house.
Don’t give a watch or clock as a gift
A clock is an unpopular gift at any time of the year in China, as the phrase “giving a clock” sounds exactly like the Chinese words for “song zhong”.
During the festive period, you’ll see amazing decorations all over China, and your house should be no exception.
Popular decorations include red lanterns driving away bad luck, door couplets showing wishes for the coming year, and the character(fu) meaning good fortune.
Give hongbao or fruit
Hongbao, or a red envelope containing money, is a popular gift for adults to give children.
Fruit, especially tangerines or kumquats, are safe for friends.| A．Wear red for luck |
| B．As red is a lucky color |
| C．Make your house attractive |
| D．Spring Festival is a time for delicious food |
| E．A clock also stands for running out of time |
| F．You will often see them on the table during the Lunar New Year |
| G．In fact, cleaning any kind of thing on the first day of the lunar calendar is considered unlucky |
3 . Many people still remember the magic of Father Christmas from when they were children. As parents, they try to keep that magic alive for their children for as long as they can.
That is why Letters from Father Christmas could be the perfect book for those who regard Christmas as a special time of year. The man who wrote these letters is one of the most famous names in English literature — J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings. The letters were Tolkien’s way of keeping Father Christmas alive for his four children, over a period of more than twenty years.
Every Christmas, an envelope with a North Pole stamp arrived. It was addressed to Tolkien’s children. Who could it be from? The children must have been very excited as they opened it. Inside, they would find a handwritten letter from Father Christmas. The letters were also beautifully illustrated—each must have taken its true author, Tolkien, a long time to complete.
The letters told wonderful stories about Father Christmas’s life and adventures at the North Pole. A regular character in the letters was Polar Bear, who once climbed the North Pole (an actual pole in this case) and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house. In another letter, Father Christmas complained about how he could not stop his helpers playing games with the toys instead of wrapping them up. Interestingly, the letters did not contain the usual warnings to children that they might not receive their presents if they were not good. The letters did, however, change as Tolkien’s children got older：
...but if you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite as many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world here are a terrible number of poor and starving people.
Letters from Father Christmas tells us that as well as enjoying the adventures of Father Christmas, Polar Bear and other characters at the North Pole, we can all share the true spirit of giving at Christmas time. By expressing love for his children in such a special way, Tolkien may indeed have been the real Father Christmas.
1. What is Tolkien famous for?| A．His novel The Lord of the Rings. | B．His letters to Father Christmas. |
| C．His fantasy childhood memories. | D．His introduction to Father Christmas. |
| A．They were sent from Father Christmas. | B．They were wrapped up in good boxes. |
| C．It was hard to write the different stories. | D．The beautiful pictures were hard to make. |
| A．Life will be easy if you work hard. | B．It’s no use complaining about life. |
| C．We should learn to give care to others. | D．Children love presents with pictures. |
| A．He addressed all his letters to Father Christmas. |
| B．He showed his love for his children in a special way. |
| C．He got others to know some people were starving. |
| D．He discovered the spirit of Father Christmas. |
4 . The Rise of “China-chic”
Over past years, guochao, or “China-chic” has been gaining popularity among Chinese consumers. Guochao conveys the cultural heritage and values of China.
The idea of guochao was first borrowed from some international brands, and began to win over Chinese consumers in 2015.
In its third stage, guochao became more common in everyday life. Over the past decade, guochao has expanded from consumer goods to experiential products. As consumers are showing greater interest in cultural identity and creativity, productions like the TV program National Treasure, and the dance show Night Banquet in Tang Dynasty Palace integrate cultural and historical elements with the latest audio-visual technologies.
Nowadays, guochao is moving to the next stage. No matter how the trend evolves, Chinese people’s positive attitude toward the country’s development and their recognition of and growing confidence in national culture won’t change.
| A．The trend grew in the following years |
| B．They give the viewers a totally new experience |
| C．The next stage saw the rise of China’s native fashion trends |
| D．It also expresses national pride and confidence in a new era |
| E．The second period of guochao mainly features hi-tech sectors |
| F．Its success will rely first and foremost on gaining cultural confidence |
| G．The concept of “Made in China” was recognized as the representation of Chinese culture |
5 . Living in a different country can be a culture shock for many people, so make sure you know about the food, customs and culture of the place you are planning on moving to.
The first thing that I did when I got out of the airport was to cross the road, but I looked the wrong way! In the UK the cars drive on the lefthand side of the road whereas in Spain they drive on the right. I almost got run over because I was still thinking I was in Spain. You have to be very careful when you move to another place.
Drink water
Time is different
If we are going for a proper night out at the weekend in Spain we might not meet until 10 or 11 pm at night or even later sometimes. This means we might not actually get home until 5 or 6 o’clock the following morning.
Greet everyone with a kiss
In the UK most men use a handshake to greet other men.
| A．Be careful on the road |
| B．Drive on the left side of the road |
| C．In the UK that is already past the bedtime |
| D．Different places have different cultures and rules |
| E．In Spain, most people buy large bottles of water to drink |
| F．In Spain, the days are warmer, the sun shines brightly and everyone is relaxed |
| G．If they are good friends they may give each other a quick hug but that is about it |
6 . Society tells us we should socialise to the fullest, and that those who are surrounded by people are the most successful and the happiest. These days, we’re almost always connected, whether in person or through our phone screens and online social networks. But there’s something to be said for solitude(独处), “Being alone doesn’t necessarily mean being lonely”. In fact, spending time by yourself is an essential element of self-care.
Around the globe, different cultures have wide-ranging perspectives on what it means to spend time alone. If you live or have spent time in the United States, you’re probably aware that Americans tend to reject solitude. For many younger people, weekends are packed with social activities, ranging from brunch with friends to dinner parties to game nights to drinking at bars and everything in between.
The United States isn’t the only place where you’ll find a heavy emphasis on social time. Across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom is known for being an extremely extroverted(外向型的)country. A survey of Brits found that more than half had never done and would be unwilling to do activities like going to theme parks or seeing live music alone. Most Brits spend almost twice as much of their leisure time socialising with others as they do being alone.
The home can be a place of rest, relaxation and recharge—that is, if you live by yourself or have the space to be alone in your home. The country in which people are least likely to live alone is India, at about 4 percent of the population. China is also quite fond of multiple-person households, with only about 10 percent of people living by themselves. In more collectivist cultures like these, many aspects of life are related to community. Thus, spending time alone isn’t as ingrained(根深蒂固的)as a social convention in places like these, and the good of the group takes priority over the needs of one person.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．People can benefit more from solitude. |
| B．People tend to socialise more nowadays. |
| C．Being alone generally equals being lonely. |
| D．Being alone enables people to be carefree. |
| A．Imaginative and wild. | B．Responsible and energetic. |
| C．Optimistic and dutiful. | D．Outgoing and sociable. |
| A．Because they share a specific culture. |
| B．Because they lack some local customs. |
| C．Because they possess enough home space. |
| D．Because they give priority to their own needs. |
| A．The Essence of Self-care | B．Enjoy Solitude, Enjoy Yourself |
| C．The Functions of Different Cultures | D．The Perspectives on Solitude |
7 . The following properties which the World Heritage Committee has decided to include on the List of World Heritage are in danger according to Article 11 (4) of the Convention (公约).
Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Virunga National Park, covering an area of 790,000 ha., includes an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes (沼泽和平原) to the snowfields. Mountain gorillas are also found in the park.
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (Afghanistan)
The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley stand for the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria. The area contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles (佛教寺院), as well as strong buildings from the Islamic period.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds surviving in the wild. It also has some amazing scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.
Historic Center of Vienna (Austria)
Vienna developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a Medieval and Baroque city, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It played an important role as a leading European music center, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century.
1. Which of the following world heritage sites is located in Afghanistan?| A．Virunga National Park. | B．Historic Centre of Vienna. |
| C．Okapi Wildlife Reserve. | D．Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley. |
| A．It’s closely related to Buddhism. | B．It has some fascinating natural scenery. |
| C．It has an outstanding variety of habitats. | D．It plays an important role as a leading music center. |
| A．They are all in danger. | B．They are open to the public. |
| C．They are inhabited by local people. | D．They are to be removed from the World Heritage List. |
8 . There is more of a connection between food and culture than you may think. On an individual level, we grow up eating the food of our culture. It becomes a part of who we are. Many associate food from our childhood with warm feelings and good memories and it ties us to our families, holding a special and personal value for us. Food from our families often becomes the comfort food we seek as adults in times of frustration and stress.
On a large scale, traditional food is an important part of culture. It also operates as an expression of cultural identity. Immigrants bring it wherever they go, and it is a symbol of pride in their culture and means of coping with homesickness.
Many immigrants open their own restaurants and serve traditional dishes. However, the food does not remain exactly the same. Some materials needed to make traditional dishes may not be readily available, so the taste and flavour can be different from what they would prepare in their home countries. Additionally, immigrants do not only sell dishes to people from the same countries as them, but to people from different countries. Therefore, they have to make small changes in the original dishes to cater to a wider range of customers. Those changes can create new flavours that still keep the cultural significance of the dishes.
We should not only embrace our heritage (传统) through our culture’s food, but also become more informed about other cultures by trying their food. It is important to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a window on culture, and it should be treated as such.
1. What’s the function of food mentioned in the text?| A．To help motivate homesickness. |
| B．To show cultural identity. |
| C．To reflect a country’s history. |
| D．To show a community’s superiority. |
| A．The specific traditional food. |
| B．The national culture. |
| C．A traditional expression of food. |
| D．The old-fashioned taste. |
| A．To attach cultural importance to their dishes. |
| B．To announce the beginning of their life on foreign soil. |
| C．To make the dishes popular among customers. |
| D．To present their own food culture in a new way. |
| A．Negative. |
| B．Balanced. |
| C．Unfair. |
| D．Unchangeable. |
9 . Here is a list of festivals and events taking place throughout Ontario. You can choose whatever suits you.
Winter Glow
Date: December 4-27, 2022, 5:30 p. m. -11:00 p. m. Admission: $40 per person
Experience a family-friendly outdoor winter festival as you celebrate the magic of winter with ice and snow sculptures, life size snow globes, light show and more!
Contact: Julie, Email: julie@ellevents.ca, Phone: 6477993187
Barrie Winterfest
Date: February 4-5, 2023, 10:00a. m. -5:00 a. m.
Grab your gloves 8&celebrate winter! Enjoy spectacular ice & snow sculptures, lumberjack(伐木工)shows, polar bear dip, family entertainment, drop-in activities, pancake breakfast, and skating.
Contact: Arin Donnelly, Email: arin.donnelly@barrie.ca, Phone:(705)7394285
Family Day Geocaching Event
Date: December 21, 2022 Admission: $24.35
The event will start with an introduction to geocaching(地理寻宝). After one practice, we’ll review important geocaching rules, helpful clues, and safety considerations. All equipment is provided. Children under 12 must be accompanied by paying adults.
Contact: Shawn Hermans, Email: info@geocachecanada.com, Phone: 4164026746
Bridges Festival
Date: December 12-14, 2022 Admission: $0-35
Puppetry(木偶戏)and the animation of inanimate objects are some of the oldest art forms known to humans. But giving life to lifeless objects is not an art form of the past. Wei are proud to present world class puppetry and animation shorts to local audiences in Mississauga.
Contact: Aimee Poulin, Email: info@cranecreations.ca, Phone: 5149268781
1. What do Winter Glow and Barrie Winterfest have in common?| A．They both provide activities involving ice. | B．They both have polar bear dip. |
| C．They both charge the same price. | D．They both last two days. |
| A．Family Day Geocaching Event. | B．Barrie Winterfest. |
| C．Bridges Festival. | D．Winter Glow. |
| A．Julie. | B．Arin Donnelly. | C．Aimee Poulin. | D．Shawn Hermans. |
10 . Discoveries at the famous Sanxingdui ruins in Southwest China show that the region’s ancient Shu Kingdom Civilization shared similarities with the Maya.
The Sanxingdui ruins, located in the city of Guanghan, about 60 kilometers from Chengdu, belonged to the Shu Kingdom that existed at least 4,800 years ago and lasted more than 2,000 years, while the Mayan civilization built its city states around 200 AD.
The bronze-made remains of trees unearthed at the ruins of the Shu Kingdom resemble the sacred ceiba tree, which symbolied the union of heaven, earth and the underworld In the Mayan civilization. “They are very important similarities,” says Santos, a Mexican archaeologist, stressing that “the representations of tees in both cultures provide a symbolism that is very similar”.
One notable feature of the recent discoveries at Sanxingdui was the cross-subject work and technology applied by teams of Chinese archaeologists, which allowed the unearthing of artifacts as fragile as silk remains, which other types of less careful digging methods would not have been able to manage.
Cooperation between Chinese and Mexican archaeologists could benefit projects in the Maya world, where the rainy climate and humidity are problematic for the conservation of ruins.
“Every time our cultural knowledge increases, regardless of whether we speak one language or another, what it shows us is that we continue to be sister cultures and, therefore, the exchange of such knowledge is fundamental,” says Santos.
1. What is a similarity between the Shu Kingdom and Maya civilization?| A．Their starting time. | B．Their historical origins. |
| C．Their cultural symbols. | D．Their ceremony traditions. |
| A．Damp weather. | B．Positioning of ruins. |
| C．High latitude. | D．Language barriers. |
| A．The future of the China-Mexico cooperation. |
| B．The benefits of speaking a different language. |
| C．The importance of the exchange of cultural knowledge. |
| D．The increasing sisterhood in culture between China and Mexico. |
| A．Ahistorical novel. | B．A newspaper. | C．A research review. | D．A guidebook. |
