1 . The Chinese Students and Scholars Association in the UK held a Spring Festival gala (庆典) on Wednesday in London to count down to the Chinese New Year. More than 900attendees, including representatives from British universities and education institutions, as well as Chinese students and scholars, joined to enjoy a feast of Chinese culture.
This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, and 2024 is the year of the dragon based on the Chinese zodiac. The dragon is considered by the Chinese people to represent dignity, prestige, and fortune.
The festival gala, with a theme of “Soaring Dragon’s Spring Melody”, featured Chinese folk music, dance, singing, martial arts performance and more.
During the event, Zheng Zeguang, China’s ambassador to the UK, made a speech to the attendees, highlighting major accomplishments achieved in the past year and stating China’s future development focuses.
He pointed out that China will determinedly pursue high-quality development and Chinese modernization to advance the great rejuvenation (复兴) of the Chinese nation. China will also call for an equal and orderly multipolar (多级的) world as well as for inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, Zheng noted. “Our motherland has bright prospects for future growth,” he said.
The ambassador praised Chinese students and scholars for being hardworking and behaving in a controlled way, saying that the number of Chinese students in the UK has significantly increased due to the transformation of China. “I hope you will carry on the tradition of patriotism. I hope you will ai m high and work hard. I hope you will unit e and help each other, as well as make friends widely. I hope you will grow into the backbone of the nation in the near future,” he said.
Alistair Fitt, vice-headmaster of Oxford Brookes University, extended warm wishes of good fortune and prosperity in the year of the dragon and expressed hope for progress in Sino-British relations. “I am very sure that our two great nations will continue to expand all of our very successful relationships,” he said.
1. What does the underlined word “prestige” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．The condition of being strange and alone. | B．The condition of being respected and admired. |
| C．The condition of being large and frightening. | D．The condition of being followed and monitored. |
| A．Advertising activities have been organized well in China to promote British universities. |
| B．Chinese students are most attracted by the scenery in the UK. |
| C．The education fees in the UK have been reduced. |
| D．Great changes have taken place in China. |
| A．His suggestions. | B．His surprises. | C．His arrangements. | D．His expectations. |
| A．Spring Festival gala brings joy to Chinese students in UK |
| B．Chinese students in UK count down to Chinese New Year |
| C．Warm wishes of good fortune expressed in year of dragon in UK |
| D．China’s ambassador to UK states China’s future development focuses |
2 . Editor’s note: An increasing number of Chinese people, especially the young, are more willing to celebrate Western festivals. Should we celebrate foreign festivals? Forum readers share their opinions. You’re welcome to add yours.
Dinah (China)
I enjoy the happy atmosphere of both Chinese and Western festivals. As long as it is meaningful for me, I will celebrate it with my boyfriend, and my parents! I like Western festivals and often celebrate them without even knowing the origins of them. Why? Because what I really appreciate is just the happy atmosphere.
SharkMinnow (Canada)
Western Festivals are more like parties or games for some Chinese. Also, spending money = good for economy. Most Chinese don’t take Western festivals as seriously as their own. It’s like a game or party in my eyes. A way to blow off steam and have fun (and spend money).
Travis (UK)
As an Englishman teaching here in China for two years, my friends have got used to and enjoy celebrating my festivals. My school also likes it as well, although this year they asked me not to scare the teachers so much on Halloween. My Chinese friends enjoy taking part in my festivals, as they also learn more about my culture, and the history that goes with it…
Leesinchina (US)
Cherish your own festivals. It would be a pity if the Chinese accepted these Western days — first, because they have absolutely nothing to do with traditional Chinese culture. Second, they are a big trick by the big stores to get more money out of you. Stick to your own festivals — they actually mean something to you — rather than following western customs for no good reason.
1. What matters most according to Dinah?| A．The atmosphere when celebrating festivals. |
| B．The people with whom to celebrate festivals. |
| C．Celebrating Chinese festivals with her family. |
| D．Celebrating Western festivals in a good atmosphere. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Indifferent. | C．Neutral. | D．Negative. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Science. | C．Culture. | D．Education. |
3 . The Tomatina Festival(西红柿节) is a festival that is held in a town named Bunol in Spain, on which people throw tomatoes for fun. It is held on the last Wednesday of August each year.
In 1945, during a parade(游行) in the town one day, young men who wanted to be in the parade started a fight in the town square. They used tomatoes as weapons(武器).This is the most popular story about how the Tomatina Festival started.
At around 10: 00a.m.on Wednesday, activities that are organized to celebrate the festival begin. The first one is climbing a pole with a ham on top. When a person is climbing, some people sing and dance. When the person drops the ham off the pole, the tomato fight starts. The tomatoes come from Extremadura. The tomatoes there are less expensive and are grown specially for the festival. The number of tomatoes used is about 150, 000. After exactly one hour, the fight ends. The whole square becomes red because there is tomato juice everywhere. Then hoses are used to clean the square and to wash away the tomato juice on people’s bodies. After that, the town goes back to the way it was.
The local government has made some rules for the safety of people. One of them is as follows: People have to squash(把……挤软) the tomatoes before throwing in order not to hurt other people.
The Tomatina Festival has inspired other similar celebrations in other parts of the world, for example, in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, a tomato fight is held on October 19th.
1. During the Tomatina Festival in Spain, people throw tomatoes .| A．to show they are angry | B．to make money | C．for fun | D．for exercise |
| A．rules for | B．activities during | C．future of | D．origin of |
| A．in Extremadura | B．in October | C．near a river | D．in August |
| A．The tomato fight in Spain lasts for a day. |
| B．The local government made rules in order to protect people. |
| C．The tomatoes used during the Tomatina Festival in Spain are expensive. |
| D．The tomato fight in Guangdong is on the same day as the Tomatina Festival in Spain. |
4 . You’ve heard the phrase “home for the holidays”, but I would like to introduce a new phrase: hygge for the holidays. A hygge holiday is all about peaceful, quiet and cozy(温暖舒适的) surroundings. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Holiday hygge is easy and comforting. Most people are already doing at least some of these simple hygge holidays without even knowing it.
Hygge is a Danish word originally coming from an old Norwegian word meaning well-being and protection from the outside harm. It’s known that winters in Denmark are severe and last long. The concept of hygge has been used by Danish people to keep themselves mentally positive in the dark winter season and fill their homes with comfort and love.
Hygge is a very important word to Danish people, often used to describe what their culture is all about and it is not necessarily a thing, something you can buy, but rather more of something you feel. Hygge really is a reflection of one aspect of Danish living, and, happily, in the last five years the concept of hygge has made its way to the US and many other countries. I mean what’s not to like about nurturing(培育)peace and quiet and coziness?
Here are some more descriptive words for hygge: comfort, familiarity, friendship, laughter, and even seasonal homemade food and drinks. While it is possible to achieve hygge any time of the year with hygge activities-an outdoor BBQ with friends and a movie under the stars with family are good examples of summertime hygge, it is most commonly associated with the colder months because of its ability to lift one’s spirits during dark winter months.
Hygge is the most suitable for the November and December holiday season because it’s all about peaceful and cozy surroundings that fill you with contentment. There is indeed something you can do to bring holiday hygge into your home this season.
1. Why do Danish people choose a hygge holiday?| A．To deal with cold and long winters. | B．To follow the latest holiday trend. |
| C．To fight against nature physically. | D．To spend more time with their family. |
| A．It reflects Danish living totally. | B．It is mainly about some feeling. |
| C．It is limited to Denmark and the US. | D．It represents ancient Danish culture |
| A．People do hygge in more ways. | B．Hygge is preferred in summertime. |
| C．Hygge is still perfect for winter. | D．People access hygge in certain time. |
| A．Ways of hygge celebrations. | B．Tips on achieving hygge. |
| C．Different opinions about hygge | D．Benefits of bringing hygge into home. |
5 . Coming from India, Vikash Kumar Singh has been living in China for more than ten years and speaks Chinese very fluently. He now works as a teacher at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Vikash had been translating Qinqiang, a famous novel by Jia Pingwa, for almost two years. When the winter holiday began, Vikash had more time to work on the translation and managed to finish it before the Chinese New Year.
As part of a Chinese and Indian literature translation program supported by both governments, Vikash thought that the translation of literary works like Qinqiang would open a window for Indian people, through which they could have a better understanding of China and Chinese literature.
“I would like to thank both governments for their support for this culture program, ”said Vikash. “This is quite helpful on the mutual understanding of people from both countries.”
Getting this long-lasting work done, Vikash felt very buoyant. He could enjoy the Spring Festival in a more relaxed way.
Vikash told the reporter that most of his friends also stayed in Beijing. They visited each other and talked about how they celebrate the New Year in their home countries such as Indonesia and Bulgaria. And they felt it was also cool to stay in Beijing and enjoy the Spring Festival.
As a typical “Haidian District” parent who highly values children’s education and future development, Vikash actively interacted with the parents of his child’s classmates during the holiday.
Vikash also spoke to his family in India about his experience of the holiday by phone. Besides, he introduced the customs of celebrating the Spring Festival in detail.
Through the transnational dissemination (传播) of traditions and cultures, such as festivals and novels, Vikash deepened the mutual understanding of people from China and India with his profession.
1. What did Vikash decide to do during his winter holiday?| A．Travel around China. | B．Move to a new district. |
| C．Call on a famous writer. | D．Finish his translation work. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Unclear. | C．Supportive. | D．Worried. |
| A．Nervous. | B．Safe. | C．Tired. | D．Cheerful. |
| A．He observed the Spring Festival for the first time. |
| B．He planned to invite his parents to China. |
| C．He is very interested in educational development. |
| D．He is a messenger of cultural exchange. |
6 . Culture shock (冲击) is the emotional (情感上的) and mental reaction to being in a completely new cultural environment. This is often a very difficult experience for many people. It contains several stages until someone successfully adapts to (适应) being in a new culture.
The “honeymoon stage”is usually the first stage that people go through in a different culture. Everything is new and fun.
During the “frustration stage”, the newcomers begin to think about problems in the new culture.
After the “frustration stage” ends, the “adjustment stage” begins.
Those newcomers who enter the“mastery stage”have completely adapted to the values and beliefs of the new culture.
| A．You can do things that remind you of home. |
| B．You need to know not everyone feels all the stages. |
| C．During this stage, a strong feeling of dissatisfaction starts. |
| D．Culture shock is a natural part of a cross-cultural experience. |
| E．People often feel excited about their new cultural surroundings. |
| F．They keep some of their own original (原有的) cultural values at the same time. |
| G．You slowly begin to feel comfortable with everything in your new environment. |
7 . In China under imperial rule, National Day was a celebration of the Emperor’s birthday or his rise to the throne. On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the formation of the People’s Republic of China.
The first seven days of October are referred to as the Golden Week. This is a time of travel and leisure that is celebrated differently in various parts of China. People in cities often travel to rural areas to relax and enjoy the quiet surroundings. People from urban areas also travel to other cities throughout China to take part in celebrations.
Beijing’s National Day festivals are filled with military performances, food vendors, live music, and various other activities. In Beijing and other cities, musical and dance concerts are held to celebrate National Day. Crafts, painting, and a range of other activities can be enjoyed by people of various ages.
In addition to patriotic celebrations, National Day in China is also a time for people to enjoy being with their families. Family members of all ages will often use this as an opportunity to travel to a central location to reconnect after months of working.
Although National Day is entered around patriotism and China’s history, National Day is also a time of shopping.
| A．On the evening, a grand and elaborate fireworks demonstration is performed. |
| B．Beijing is the center of the largest National Day activities. |
| C．Many companies offer very large discounts on products during Golden Week. |
| D．Ever since then, the first day of October has been a day of patriotism and national celebration. |
| E．On National Day, thousands of soldiers and civilians take part in the massive parades. |
| F．This helps eliminate the stress of work and helps make sure that families remain close. |
| G．China celebrates the Chinese National Day on October 1st every year, |
8 . 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 |
9 . Activities for the St. Patrick’s Day
Celtic Journey with the Nashville Symphony (交响乐)
Enrico Lopez-Yañez, the Principal Pops Conductor of the Nashville Symphony, leads the Nashville Symphony joining the Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance for a night of Irish music and dancing. Put on your best green dress and get ready for a night of entertainment you’ll never forget.
615-687-4040
All ages. Schermerhorn Symphony Center, One Symphony Place, Nashville. $38~$126.
St. Patrick’s Day Hands-on Cooking Class
Learn the techniques for silky braised meat such as Lamb Stew & Corned Beef, as well as Irish classics Colcannon & Rarebit. Participate in karaoke and enjoy St. Patrick’s Day-inspired snacks.
615-942-7169
Adults. Green Door Gourmet, 7007 River Road Pike, Nashville. $55.
Annual St. Patrick’s Music City Long-distance Running
Runners will start on Victory Avenue, onto South First Street, continue into Shelby Park, turn left to Greenway, 1oop (环绕) around Sevier Lake, then exit Sevier Lake, and go onto Shelby Bottoms till the finish point. For 10K runners, turn around to complete a second loop of the above course.
615-898-1862
Ages 18-50. Nissan Stadium, One Titans Way, Nashville. $60 for the 5K and $80 for the 10K.
Note: For group participants (at least 3 people), there is a 10% discount for the registration.
Lucky Leprechaun Hunt
Bounce on inflatable mats(充气垫)and search for gold coins for prizes. Here we can give kids their best birthday party. It’s the perfect place for great, bouncy fun with huge bounce houses and plenty of games - there is even a special birthday throne!
615-893-8386
Ages 3-6. Bounce U Murfreesboro, 1222 Park Ave., Murfreesboro. $11.95.
1. What can visitors do at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center?| A．Learn how to conduct bands from Enrico. | B．Acquire some cooking techniques. |
| C．Enjoy a feast of music and dancing. | D．Dance with the performers on stage. |
| A．$162. | B．$180. | C．$200. | D．$216. |
| A．Schermerhorn Symphony Center. | B．Green Door Gourmet. |
| C．Nissan Stadium. | D．Bounce U Murfreesboro. |
10 . You might think of martial arts movies when you see people performing graceful moves down the river, all standing on a bamboo strip, but actually it is a form of intangible cultural heritage: bamboo drifting (漂流).
Over 2,000 years ago, the high-quality wood, nanmu, in Guizhou was in great demand by the royal court more than 2,000 kilometers to the north. With no better transportation, people had to stand on one log (原木) to drift down the river. Later, local people began to compete along the way and the game of wood drifting was born. In the Qing Dynasty, wood drifting became bamboo drifting because of bamboo’s lower price. Due to the skills it takes for one to master this act, bamboo drifting was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list last year.
Yang Liu, a 24-year-old inheritor of bamboo drifting, learned it at 7. “Usually, the bamboo under your feet is about 9 meters long, and the bamboo in your hands is about 5 meters. If the length or diameter (直径) of the bamboo is not long enough, it will not float. Keeping our feet firmly positioned on the narrow bamboo pole is the key, so we should fight against the current by constantly changing the angle. I lost my balance and fell in the water many times while practicing. Once I fell, I gave it another try until I knew how to handle the most difficult part, ” she said.
The love for the ancient skill keeps Yang going. In the past 17 years, she has drifted all year round, in winter cold and summer heat. A hanfu culture has been on the rise, Yang started wearing hanfu while performing, creating a more beautiful feel. In 2020, Yang began to post her videos on social media. “I’m extremely proud to get responses from viewers that bamboo drifting makes the line between what is possible and impossible unclear. It’s my mission to keep it alive and known to more people,” Yang Liu told China Daily.
1. What can be learned from the first two paragraphs?| A．The martial arts movie is a form of cultural heritage. |
| B．Nanmu was delivered to the north by land. |
| C．Bamboo was costly in Guizhou 2,000 years ago. |
| D．Bamboo drifting involves lots of skills. |
| A．Finding the proper bamboo. | B．Holding the bamboo firmly in hands. |
| C．Maintaining a fixed angle. | D．Keeping balance. |
| A．Unbelievable. | B．Elegant. | C．Confusing. | D．Complicated. |
| A．Transporting Bamboo down the River |
| B．Intangible Cultural Heritage in Guizhou |
| C．Balancing with Grace |
| D．Yang Liu: A Creative Performer |
