1 . A series of books in Chinese and English covering eight classic works of Peking Opera recently released, with the aim of revealing details about the art form in a direct way.
The bilingual (双语的) books are from the Translation Series of a Hundred Jingju Classics, a project originated from 2011, which is part of the effort by the central government to promote Chinese culture overseas.
Peking Opera, with its complex and colorful costumes and make-up, as well as the unique performance combining singing, dialogue, acting and acrobatics (杂技), has become a symbol of traditional Chinese culture. Over the last 200 years, more than 1, 000 Peking Opera shows have been produced telling the most classic historical stories in China, as well as giving glimpses of society, according to Wang. The art form was listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (非物质文化遗产) by UNESCO in 2010. Famous performers such as Mei Lanfang and Cheng Yanqiu have also taken Peking Opera abroad. And though foreign fans are impressed by it, few understand the stories told on stage.
To help foreigners understand the art form better, Sun Ping, dean, School of Art, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and her team have edited the new books. Different from previous English translations of books that mostly covered the scripts (剧本) of Peking Opera plays, the new series introduces nearly all aspects of the art form, including the script, actors and actresses, performance skills, musical instruments and costumes, according to Sun, who is herself a highly regarded Peking Opera artist.
“It fills the blank in overseas promotions of Peking Opera,” says Liu Jian, a professor at the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts. “The inheritance and promotion of Peking Opera are very important. In a sense, promotion is even more important. The project sets a good example.”
Scott Ian Rainen, an expert from the United States, who works at China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, says he was happy to read the new books. Foreigners often don’t understand the plot in a Peking Opera play, but the books introduce the cultural and historical background, its character modeling, costumes and props, artistic theories and so on.
1. Why are the set of bilingual books released?| A．To stress the importance of Peking Opera. |
| B．To attract foreigners to learn Peking Opera. |
| C．To promote the diversity of Peking Opera. |
| D．To present Peking Opera more effectively. |
| A．The advantage of learning Peking Opera. |
| B．The brief introduction of Peking Opera. |
| C．The benefits of releasing these bilingual books. |
| D．The reason for people’s attachment to Peking Opera. |
| A．They cover stories about Peking Opera. |
| B．They share a more significant art value. |
| C．They are better in covering the scripts of Peking Opera. |
| D．They are overall in showing the features of Peking Opera. |
| A．Subjective. | B．Sceptical. | C．Positive. | D．Tolerant. |
2 . There is a festival in China that has three names. It’s known as the Chongyang Festival. Also, it is called the Double Ninth Festival because it falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). Finally it has been Senior’s Day (老人节) since 1989. This year, it fell on Oct 23rd.
There are many traditions for this festival. In the past, people climbed mountains, drank chrysanthemum (菊花) wine, and wore a plant called zhuyu to celebrate it. Climbing mountains in autumn brings people close to nature and it’s good for health. Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are also clean plants and they can clean houses and make people healthy.
In China, nine has the similar pronunciation with the word “forever”, meaning long life. So the Chinese government set the day as the Senior’s Day in 1989—a day to respect the old. Many companies and communities organize autumn trips for old people. Young people bring elders to the countryside to enjoy nature. They also give them gifts.
In China, it is a tradition to respect old people. In the past, if young people didn’t take good care of their parents, they would be seriously punished. Now we have the 24 Filial Exemplars (《新二十四孝》). It includes 24 things we should do for elders, such as calling them up every week and going to see them more often. On this three-named festival, remember to show your love to your elders.
1. Which is NOT a name for the festival?| A．Chongyang Festival. | B．the Double Ninth Festival. |
| C．Senior’s Day. | D．Youth Day. |
| A．Climbing mountains. | B．Calling them up every week. |
| C．Drinking chrysanthemum wine. | D．Wearing a plant called zhuyu. |
| A．思念 | B．尊重 | C．保护 | D．照顾 |
| A．History of Chongyang Festival. | B．Introduction of Chongyang Festival. |
| C．Traditions of Chongyang Festival. | D．Symbols of Chongyang Festival. |
| A．American History | B．Chinese History |
| C．Western Festivals | D．Traditional Festivals |
3 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Winter Solstice (冬至), the 22nd solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 21.
On the first day of Winter Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere (北半球) experiences the shortest day and the longest night in the year, as the sun shines directly at the Tropic of Capricorn (南回归线). From then on, the days become longer and the nights become shorter. The Winter Solstice also marks the arrival of the coldest season in the year.
There was a saying in ancient China, “The Winter Solstice is as significant as the Spring Festival.”
As early as the Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-256BC), people worshipped the gods on the first day of the Winter Solstice, which also was the first day of the new year. The Winter Solstice became a winter festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD). The celebratory activities were officially organized. On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest.
During subsequent dynasties, such as the Tang (618-907), Song (960-1279) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), the Winter Solstice was a day to offer sacrifices to Heaven and to ancestors.
During Winter Solstice in North China, eating dumplings is essential to the festival. There is a saying that goes “Have dumplings on the first day of Winter Solstice and noodles on the first day of Summer Solstice.” People in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, are accustomed to eating wontons in midwinter. In places such as Shanghai, people eat tangyuan, a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of glutinous rice flour, to celebrate Winter Solstice. In Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, people call midwinter the “Ghost Festival”. On that day, it is customary for people there to drink mutton and vermicelli soup and eat the dumplings in the soup. They give the midwinter soup a strange name “brain” and share it with their neighbors. During the Winter Solstice, Hangzhou residents traditionally eat rice cakes. In some regions south of the Yangtze River on the first day of Winter Solstice, the whole family gets together to have a meal made of red bean and glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and other evil things.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Winter Solstice?| A．The days are the shortest and the nights are the longest in the world. |
| B．The nights become longer after Winter Solstice in southern hemisphere. |
| C．The days become shorter after Winter Solstice in northern hemisphere. |
| D．The coldest season is approaching. |
| A．originated from the Zhou Dynasty |
| B．was also the first day of the Spring Festival |
| C．was a day to worship the gods and ancestors |
| D．was a holiday for people to have a rest in Song dynasty |
| A．wontons and tangyuan | B．mutton and vermicelli soup |
| C．peanuts and hazelnuts. | D．rice cakes |
| A．Winter Solstice in North China. | B．The beginning of Winter Solstice. |
| C．Different customs of Winter Solstice. | D．Reasons for eating dumplings in Winter Solstice. |
4 . Many travellers are familiar with the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. However, less is known about the organization’s List of World Heritage in Danger. It currently specifies 53 World Heritage sites under threat of “serious and specific dangers” due to factors such as climate change, armed conflict, and development pressures. The accelerated degeneration of these cultural treasures is a reality that should concern the world, since the younger generation may not have the opportunity to visit them.
For this reason, insurance company Budget Direct, and NeoMam Studios, a creative studio based in the UK, have created a series of GIFs to restore World Heritage sites and demonstrate what these ruins would have looked like if they had been preserved.
Drawing attention to sites at risk, the project aims to give everyone the opportunity to visit these sites virtually. It started with in-depth research around the sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Based on the results, the team made a selection according to two main criteria: First, they were man-made places. Second, they still had standing elements. Focusing on the selected sites, the team worked with architects Jelena Popovic and Keremcan Kirilmaz and industrial designer Erdem Batirbek to research and illustrate six of these legendary locations.
In this series of GIFs, six sites are digitally restored to their former glory. They include Hatra in Iraq, Leptis Magna in Libya, Palmyra in Syria, Portobelo-San Lorenzo in Panama, Nan Madol in the Federated States of Micronesia as well as the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls.
Time does not stand still, and neither does technology. Thanks to these photorealistic images and electronic devices, we can travel, without leaving home, to those places that, whatever their future may be, will always be part of the collective memory.
1. What does the underlined word “degeneration” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．improvement | B．increasing | C．adaptation | D．worsening |
| A．The List of World Heritage in Danger is not well-known. |
| B．Natural and human forces are destroying World Heritage sites. |
| C．Young people may lose the chance to visit some World Heritage sites. |
| D．They wondered what some World Heritage sites originally looked like. |
| A．Natural sites that had standing elements. |
| B．Man-made sites that had standing elements. |
| C．Natural sites that were damaged severely. |
| D．Man-made sites that were destroyed completely. |
| A．Technologies make travelling around more convenient. |
| B．Technologies help people visit World Heritage sites virtually. |
| C．More sites on the list are digitally restored to their former glory. |
| D．There is no need to worry about the future of World Heritage sites. |
5 . Cultural heritage is a variety of local treasures from different places. These treasures often increase people’s pride in their hometown. Thus, protecting cultural heritage is of great significance and importance. In protecting cultural heritage, countries around the world should join hands further to deal with issues. Today there are shared measures to preserve cultural heritage. However, countries still have different views on cultural heritage preservation.
Asian and European architecture is very different, for example. European buildings are often stone structures that can stand damage caused by wind and rain, while those in the East are more often wooden structures which require renovation(翻新). This leads to different views on how to preserve ancient architecture.
From the very beginning, Europeans have the opinion that people should take fewer measures in the process of protecting cultural heritage. For example, the ruins of the Roman Colosseum have simply been left as they are, but Asia has a tradition of renovation of cultural relics and we believe that this measure will not affect their authenticity(真实性). The Ise Grand Shrine building in Japan is rebuilt every 20 years from one generation to the next. Such tradition caused a debate in international cultural heritage preservation circles, as some thought that the rebuilding process would harm its authenticity. Experts around the world travelled to Japan especially to conduct on-site check and discussions, and they finally recognized that the term “authenticity” actually varies from culture to culture.
The importance of these international exchanges is that they will help the world understand Asia, and accept Asian ways to protect cultural heritage.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Protecting cultural heritage is of little significance. |
| B．Countries have the same views on cultural heritage preservation. |
| C．Cultural heritage often makes people proud of their hometown. |
| D．Countries work alone without sharing in protecting cultural heritage. |
| A．Structures. |
| B．Buildings. |
| C．Damages. |
| D．Views. |
| A．European experts fail to protect cultural relics. |
| B．Protecting cultural heritage causes many issues. |
| C．Many European ancient buildings are made of wood. |
| D．Ways to protect cultural heritage are different from area to area. |
| A．International communication is needed. |
| B．We should follow western experts’ advice. |
| C．Cultural heritage will be damaged through rebuilding. |
| D．Asian ways to protect cultural heritage are unacceptable. |
6 . 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 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 symbolized the union of heaven, earth and the underworld in the Mayan civilization. “They are very important similarities,” says Santos, a Mexican archaeologist (考古学家) stressing that “the representations of trees in both cultures provide a symbolism that is very similar”.
The findings at the Sanxingdui ruins, considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, also show a new aspect of Bronze Age culture, indicating the ancient civilization already had technologies that were thought to have been developed much later.
While the time span between the Shu kingdom and the Mayan culture is great, the findings highlight the closeness between the two civilizations. They developed in areas with comparable climates and reflected their worldview through related symbols. “In the end, man is still man, independent of time and space. What we have is that, at this latitude (纬度), both the Shu people and the Mayans looked at the same sky and had the same stars on the horizon,” the expert says.
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 register.
Cooperation between Chinese and Mexican archaeologists could benefit projects in the Mayan 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．silk was a common clothing material then |
| B．some technologies were developed much earlier |
| C．the Bronze Age started earlier than previously assumed |
| D．the Shu Kingdom and the Mayan world had close contact |
| A．Damp weather. | B．Positioning of ruins. |
| C．High latitude. | D．Language barriers. |
| A．Our cultural knowledge is increasing. |
| B．The benefits of speaking a different language. |
| C．The increasing sisterhood in culture between China and Mexico. |
| D．The importance of the exchange of cultural knowledge. |
My name is Miang. I come from Thailand. I would like to tell you about my favorite holiday, which is Chinese Spring Festival taking place in January or February every year. My family is Chinese, and we celebrate this day all together. My aunt prepares some traditional Chinese dishes, such as duck, chicken, fish, pork and so on. We will have a get-together to enjoy all these delicious food, especially a kind of food—“dumplings”.
Janine
My favorite holiday is Christmas. On Christmas, we dance, play music and sing. We have great fun on that day. We eat Christmas sweets and many special foods. We decorate our house with colorful lights. I love Christmas mainly because of holiday!
Zhenia
My favorite holiday is the New Year. We celebrate the New Year on the 31st of December. Father Frost comes with his granddaughter Snegoorochka on this night. He comes at night and puts his presents under the New Year Tree. We have a party and stay up until midnight to see the New Year in and the Old Year off. We cook tasty food for parties.
Pat
My name is Pat, and I am from Thailand. My favorite holiday is Songkran. It is a Thai New Year celebration. It takes place from the 13th to 15th of April. People pour water on each other on this holiday. It is a lot of fun. People also buy new clothes and they have big parties.
Malena
I am Malena, and I’m from Argentina. My favorite holiday is the New Year. We celebrate with fireworks at midnight. I go to Punta del Este with my family. We usually eat Arabian food (kibbe, Lajmayin and so on).
1. On Chinese New Year’s Day, Miang’s aunt may cook all of the following EXCEPT______.| A．duck | B．dumplings | C．Lajmayin | D．pork |
| A．present-sellers | B．Zhenia’s relatives |
| C．characters in tales | D．father and daughter |
| A．Janine. | B．Malena. | C．Zhenia. | D．Miang. |
| A．Because there is a lot of fun. | B．Because she doesn’t go to school. |
| C．Because she can get a lot of presents. | D．Because she can stay with her family. |
8 . Why do more and more people show interest in cultural heritage (遗产) these days?
If you aren’t sure where your ancestors are from, a DNA test can be a good way. Companies like Family Tree DNA will sell you a testing box that teaches you what to do.
One of the most enjoyable ways to learn about your family tree is sitting down with an older relative to chat about it. Talk in person with a grandparent, great-grandparent, or any other family member who’s been around long enough to tell you about the past.
Learning a language is a unique way to connect with your ancestors and culture.
| A．Food is part of your cultural heritage. |
| B．This is a great way to learn about your ancestors. |
| C．You generally get your test results within a few weeks. |
| D．It can also let you meet new people and have more experiences. |
| E．Food can help you feel like you’re truly experiencing that culture. |
| F．People are eager to learn as much about our ancestors as possible. |
| G．Perhaps they want to have a sense of belonging in our globalized world. |
9 . I am a product of mixed cultures (dad is Arab, mom is American), and I have grown up with cultural differences all my life. This has made me very conscious of watching what people do in different cultures around the world. Cross cultural understanding is really necessary if you want to get along with people from other places.
It is very common, and not considered rude to ask a person's age in Japan when you meet them for the first time. The Japanese language is a rich and complex language that has different words to use depending on the age or status of the person you are talking to. Therefore, it's important for people to know your age range so as not to offend (冒犯) you by showing you less respect than you are due.
Hand gestures and signals are always better to use only in your home country where you understand what they mean, In Turkey, for example, allowing your thumb to protrude (突出) between your first and second finger in a fist is extremely rude. Also, don t make an "OK" gesture, unless you mean to call someone a fool.
Don't touch anyone's head in Malaysia, especially babies. Pointing is also considered rude in Malaysia, where directions are normally given with an open hand.
Giving gifts in China can get you into trouble. Certain gifts in China can cause great offence, such as giving cut flowers, which is only done at funerals (葬礼). Giving a clock is seen as bad luck since the words “giving a clock” sound just like the words “attending a funeral”. A gift of shoes would be interpreted as giving a gift of evil (邪恶). Nothing is expected to be associated with the word "four" because it sounds like the word “death”.
1. Why do Japanese like to ask others' ages?| A．To express their respect. | B．To satisfy their curiosity. |
| C．To avoid offending others. | D．To appear more friendly. |
| A．A smile. | B．A fight. | C．Some help. | D．An agreement. |
| A．Sending cut flowers to others. |
| B．Opening your hands in the street. |
| C．Putting your hand on a child's head. |
| D．Purchasing a clock for your friend. |
| A．Cultural Differences Around the World |
| B．The Meaning of Culture in the Author's Eyes |
| C．Communication Is Important in Modern Society |
| D．Living Abroad Helps to Learn Different Cultures |
10 . Good manners are always good manners. That’s what I thought until I married Alexander, who is Russian.
When I first met Alexander and he said to me in Russian, “Nalei mnye chai—pour me some tea”, I got angry and answered, “Pour it yourself.” Translated into English, without a “Could you..?” or a “please”, it sounded really rude to me. But in Russian it was fine—you don’t have to add any polite words.
However, when I took Alexander home to meet my parents in the UK, I had to give him a good lesson about pleases and thank you (which he thought were completely unnecessary), and to teach him to say sorry if someone happened to step on his toes, and to smile, smile, smile.
Another thing that Alexander just couldn’t understand was why people say things like “Would you mind passing me the salt, please?” He said, “It’s only the salt, for God’s sake! What do you say in English if you want a real favour?”
He also watched in amazement when, at a dinner party in England, we swallowed some really disgusting food and I said, “Mmmm...delicious.” In Russia, people are much more direct. The first time Alexander’s mother came to our house for dinner in Moscow, she told me that my soup needed more flavouring. Afterwards, when we argued about it, my husband said, “Do you prefer your dinner guests to lie?”
Alexander complained that in England he felt like an idiot because in Russia if you smile all the time people think you are mad. In fact, this is exactly what my husband’s friends thought of me the first time I went to Russia because I smiled at everyone, and always said “please” and “thank you” in Russian.
At home we now have an agreement. If we’re speaking Russian, he can say “Pour me some tea”, and just make a noise like a grunt (咕哝声) when I give it to him. But when we’re speaking English, he has to add a “please”, a “thank you”, and a smile.
1. What can we know from what Alexander said?| A．He didn’t think politeness was necessary. |
| B．He didn’t like the writer’s politeness. |
| C．He wasn’t used to the English politeness. |
| D．He wasn’t willing to have good manners. |
| A．She was noble. | B．She was strange. |
| C．She was lovely. | D．She was impolite. |
| A．They respect each other. | B．They change a lot for each other. |
| C．They learn from each other. | D．They fail to fit in with each other. |
| A．Good manners. | B．Human relations. |
| C．Culture shock. | D．Mixed marriages. |
