1 . Over 40 years ago, a country music DJ convention was held every year in Nashville, Tennessee. Many country performers used to attend the convention to give their performances. Fans would go to Nashville hoping to see their favorite performers. In the end, so many fans began showing up in Nashville that a festival named Fan Fair was born.
The first Fan Fair was held in April 1972, in Nashville for four days. Some of the biggest country music stars attended. There were about fifty thousand fans. The first Fan Fair was so successful that planning began almost immediately for 1973. The date was changed to June, when the weather would be better. Over one hundred thousand fans attended the second Fan Fair.
Every year brought so many performers and fans to Fan Fair that, in 1982, it was moved to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. Fan Fair stayed at the Fairgrounds for another nineteen years.
There was always the unexpected during the festival. In 1974, former Beatle Paul McCartney attended. In 1992, more than six hundred reporters from Europe, Asia, and South America went to cover the appearance of a popular star, Billy Ray Cyrus, who had introduced a new country line dance. In 1996, Garth Brooks, who made a surprise appearance, signed autographs for 23 hours.
In 2001, Fan Fair returned to downtown Nashville as the world’s biggest country music festival. Nowadays, over one hundred and twenty-five thousand country music fans go to Nashville every June. As you can imagine, those who want to attend Fan Fair must plan ahead. For example, they need to buy a ticket several months ahead of time. Of course, there’s much more to prepare.
1. The second Fan Fair________ .| A．was held in the spring of 1972 |
| B．was more popular than the first one |
| C．was attended by former Beatle Paul McCartney |
| D．was moved from Nashville to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds |
| A．To explain how Fan Fair started. | B．To ask people to attend Fan Fair. |
| C．To introduce three famous musicians. | D．To show why Fan Fair has been popular. |
| A．Advice for fans. | B．Music in America. |
| C．Education in Nashville. | D．The future of country music. |
2 . “Melting pot” means a place where people from many different ethnic groups or cultures form a untied society.
A Frenchman who was living in America expressed the idea more than 200 years ago. J.Hector St. John de Crevecoeur published a book called Letters From an American Farmer in 1782.
People learn from each other and cultures also evolve and change with the development of the society.
Some experts who study immigration say they now compare American society not to a melting pot, but to a salad bowl.
| A．A salad is made of many different foods. |
| B．The idea comes from heating metals in a container. |
| C．A melting pot is very different from a bowl of salad. |
| D．Some are resisting learning American culture and language. |
| E．He wrote that America had people from many different countries. |
| F．New groups of immigrants from Asia and Latin America are changing the Untied States today. |
| G．For many years, Americans generally accepted the idea of describing their country as a melting pot. |
3 . Water flying through the air, loud music, and an excess of brightly-coloured shirts can only mean one thing – it’s Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year.
Though several countries throughout Southeast Asia observe this Lunar New Year celebration, Thailand’s wet and wild festivities have gained global attention with international travellers flocking to the kingdom to experience city-wide water fights.
The dates for Songkran are 13–15 April each year, though sometimes the national holiday is extended if it falls on a weekend. Traditionally, each day was coupled with different customs, such as cleaning the house or preparing food for local monks. Many people still follow these practices, but not necessarily on specific days.
In its simplest form, Songkran is a time where families come together. Those living and working away from their family home will travel to spend a few days with their relatives. Younger generations will pour silver cups of jasmine-scented water over the hands of older family members, and everyone will show their respect to Buddha statues by doing the same.
Thais are typically calm, modest people, but they also place great importance on fun and Songkran is seen as a time to let loose. April is typically the hottest time of the year and everyone can use a break from the heat as well as the usual social conventions.
The custom of water splashing seems to have evolved from the tradition of people dipping their fingers into the bowls of fragrant water and sprinkling them on others as a show of respect. Over time, the gentle water blessings gradually became mass water fights where everyone grabs a water gun or bucket to spray and splash all around, filled with a sense of fun and playfulness.
1. How long will Songkran usually last if it meets the weekend?| A．Three days | B．Four days. | C．Five days | D．Six days |
| A．settle down | B．go ahead | C．run away | D．gather together |
| A．They want to pay respect to Buddhas. | B．They want to wash their dirty hands. |
| C．They want to rid the dirt of statues. | D．They need a way to let loose. |
4 . A British friend told me he couldn't understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds (葵花子) as a snack so much. “I've met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth; I believe that's from cracking the seeds,” he said.
I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware. I realized that whenever I'm watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn't like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so hard just to get one small seed.
When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go door - to - door on Chinese New Year's Eve to check out what every household was making.
I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. In the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with a fancy tablecloth, ready - made dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds.
Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then.
I don't think it's right to criticize one's choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem.
It's not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins their breath. They think it's a delicacy, and ifs connected with their culture. I think it's a wonderful tradition.
1. When did the writer become aware of her habit of cracking sunflower seeds?| A．She had a crack in her front teeth. | B．Her British friend reminded her. |
| C．She realized when she was watching TV | D．She typed a report about seeds. |
| A．The traditions of celebrating it disappear. |
| B．Children can eat delicious food on that day. |
| C．The families would get together for it. |
| D．Eating sunflower seeds is related to it. |
| A．One kind of food doesn't necessarily suit everyone. |
| B．It is good to form healthy eating habits. |
| C．Eating habits come from a certain culture. |
| D．Changing your eating habits will change your life. |
5 . Wherever we go, we are surrounded by history. Across the globe, cultural heritage is passed down through the generations. It is in the buildings and structures around us. It is in the arts and artifacts (手工艺品) we treasure. It lives in the languages we speak and the stories we tell. But today, it is under attack as never before. Not only are the damages of time threatening our cultural heritage, but conflicts, climate change, globalization and tourism are all exacting a heavy price. Technology is now the most essential weapon in the battle. Here’s how technology is preserving our cultural heritage.
As you can imagine, creating the replicas (复制品) via crowd sourced 2D images is extremely time-consuming. Increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms (算法) are being used to do all the required sourcing, allowing millions of images to be stored in a matter of hours. AI will also make restoration and preservation of existing cultural heritage far easier and vastly superior to previous methods.
Virtual reality (VR) technology will play a leading role in preserving our cultural heritage in the coming years. Many of the most important sites and architecture are extremely fragile. Human interaction with these locations is doing a great deal of harm. Wastes accumulate everywhere, causing enormous problems. As more cultural heritage sites and objects are digitally mapped and recorded, VR technology will increasingly become the way that people experience them. We’ll all eventually be able to walk through places, look at (and touch!) artifacts and works of art without ever seeing them with our own eyes.
Finally, our cultural heritage will be preserved via technology. Efforts in research, innovation, data sharing and project work will help promote and preserve the cultural heritage of countries all across the world.
1. What does the underlined word “exacting” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Paying. | B．Cutting. | C．Receiving. | D．Demanding. |
| A．It generates 2D images. | B．It makes restoration easier. |
| C．It makes preservation safer. | D．It creates replicas in seconds. |
| A．By recycling huge amounts of waste. | B．By reducing human impact on the site. |
| C．By forbidding visitors from touching artifacts. | D．By educating people about the sites’ importance. |
| A．Ignoring. | B．Compromising. | C．Approving. | D．Disagreeing. |
6 . World Food Day falls on October 16 in memory of the day when the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN was formed. The events of the day usually focus on reducing, or rather, removing hunger from the face of the earth. Farmers and government officials are often given tips on how to get rid of hunger with better effect.
World Food Day was created by FAO member countries in November 1979. It was during their 20th General Conference that the observance (纪念、庆祝) of World Food Day was decided. It was not observed until 1981 when the specific date was determined. Pal Romany, the then Hungary's Minister of Agriculture and Food, played an important role in the founding of World Food Day during the 20th General Conference. Many people at the conference welcomed the idea.
World Food Day is not only celebrated by FAO and the United Nations, but several other organizations concerned with food security, hunger reduction, consumption of balanced diet and health also take part in the celebration. On the day, which is usually observed in more than 150 countries in the world, a number of activities like marathons, concerts, agricultural inventions, and cultural exhibitions and shows are usually organized.
Each year has its own theme to celebrate World Food Day. The themes are always related to food production, availability, and consumption. The themes are always set so that the public can come up with suggestions and ideas that are effective in dealing with hunger, poverty, and famine. In fact, most themes are agriculture related. This is because agriculture is the chief source of food.
World Food Day hopes to bring awareness to help people from around the globe solve issues concerning hunger and famine. It is meant to help farmers attain modern skills that would help achieve food security. The day is also set aside to encourage the government to think of methods to keeping food security in a country.
1. What have you got to know about World Food Day?| A．Its celebrations have the same theme relevant to agriculture. |
| B．It has been celebrated across the globe ever since it was created. |
| C．It is meant to make people realize the importance of food security. |
| D．It is celebrated to remember one of the former crucial ministers. |
| A．Food shortage is a worldwide issue. | B．Creativity is essential to agriculture. |
| C．The hunger problem has reduced. | D．World Food Day is well-received. |
| A．World Food Day ABC | B．Why to Advocate Agriculture |
| C．World Food Day History | D．How to Solve Hunger Issues |
7 . I was born and raised in England in a culture where privacy and “keeping yourself to yourself”were valued traditions. Speaking to strangers was not encouraged. People were most hospitable (好客的) and friendly — but only once they had been introduced to new people.
However, I have been lucky enough to spend some time in both Italy and the US, where I found traditions of hospitality and politeness to be very different.
I experienced Italian hospitality first-hand on a crowded railway carriage traveling, one afternoon, from Genoa to Florence. Sinking gratefully into an empty seat, I was berated (斥责) in rapid Italian by a gentleman who was returning to this seat — it had not been “spare” after all. I apologized in English, and got up to allow him back into the seat. The gentleman obviously had no understanding of the English language, but he, too, realized my genuine mistake. He smiled and gestured for me to remain in the seat, and he himself remained standing in the corridor for the rest of the journey. The other passengers of the carriage smiled and nodded at me and made me feel quite welcome amongst them. I feel that if this had been in England, a foreigner who made a mistake would not always be so kindly treated.
Transport was also obvious in the differences I noticed between English and American culture. I flew to New York on a plane with mainly English passengers. We sat together in near silence. Nobody spoke to me nor, as I expected, to anyone else they did not know. They felt it was not polite to disturb someone else’s privacy. However, when I traveled across the United States, whether by plane or Greyhound bus, I was never short of conversation. Conversation was going on all around me and whoever sat next to me was happy to introduce themselves and ask me about myself. They obviously felt it would have been rude not to speak to another person, whether they were strangers or not.
1. What do we know about the passengers of the carriage when the author was travelling in Italy?| A．They were all on the side of the gentleman. |
| B．They all laughed at the author for this mistake . |
| C．They all showed their understanding of the author’s mistake. |
| D．They would not bear a mistake like the author’s in public. |
| A．they were too tired to speak |
| B．they were all strangers to each other |
| C．everybody had their own share of privacy |
| D．privacy was a valued tradition in England |
| A．his traveling experience |
| B．how to adapt ourselves to a new culture |
| C．the culture shock he experienced in Italy and the US |
| D．cultural differences in hospitality and politeness |
8 . The 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago in China to guide agricultural production. They also reflect China’s rich history through the seasonal festivals, special foods, cultural ceremonies, family gatherings and even healthy living tips that correspond with each solar term.
Rain Water signals the increase in rainfall and rise in temperature. With its arrival, lively spring-like scenery starts blossoming: the river water defreezes, wild geese move from south to north and trees and grass turn green again.
During Rain Water period, extra care is needed to deal with a returning cold spell and humidity, which is the amount of water in the air.
The wet and humid weather during Rain Water period is considered harmful for people’s spleen and stomach according to Chinese medical practice.
| A．With Rain Water coming, insects become more active. |
| B．A bowl of nutritious porridge is the best choice to nourish the body. |
| C．Therefore, Rain Water is considered as a key period to water the fields. |
| D．According to an old Chinese saying, the rainfall in spring is as precious as oil. |
| E．The temperature in most of the basin areas increases quickly during Rain Water. |
| F．One of the 24 solar terms, which is very important in spring, is called Rain Water. |
| G．The fast increase in air humidity due to rainfall can result in lower temperature and wet weather. |
9 . Each year, the women of Olney and Liberal compete in an unusual footrace. Dressed in aprons (围裙) and headscarves, they wait at both towns' starting lines. Each woman holds a frying pan with one pancake inside. At the signal, the women flip (抛) their pancakes and they're off!
This “pancake racing” tradition is said to have started on Shrove Tuesday, 1445, in Olney. Shrove Tuesday is the day before the Christian season of Lent (大斋戒) begins. During Lent, many people decide to give up sugary or fatty foods.
Legend says that in 1445, an Olney woman was making pancakes to use up some of her sugar and cooking fats before Lent. She lost track of time and suddenly heard the church bells ring, signaling the beginning of the Shrove Tuesday service. Realizing that she was going to be late for church, she raced out, still wearing her apron and headscarf and holding her frying pan with a pancake in it.
In the following years, the woman’s neighbors imitated her dash to church and pancake racing was born. Olney women continue this Shrove Tuesday tradition more than 500 years later.
In 1950, inspired by a picture of the Olney Pancake Race in a magazine, a resident of Liberal wanted his town to join in the fun. He called Olney to set up a friendly competition, and the people of Olney accepted.
The rules are simple. Racers must wear the traditional headscarf and apron. They must flip their pancakes twice —once before starting and once after crossing the finish line. After the race, there are Shrove Tuesday church services. Then Liberal and Olney connect through a video call to compare race times and declare a winner.
In both towns, the races have grown into larger festivals. Olney's festival is an all-day event starting with a big pancake breakfast. Liberal’s festival lasts four days, including a parade, a talent show, and contests that feature eating and flipping pancakes.
1. What can we know about Olney Pancake Race?| A．It was founded by a Olney woman. |
| B．It begins during Lent. |
| C．Its origin can date back to 15th century. |
| D．It has been held annually since 1445. |
| A．Wear their traditional clothes. |
| B．Throw and catch the pancake twice. |
| C．Have the pancake cooked while running. |
| D．Hold the pancake all the way. |
| A．Olney’s festival is held for four days. |
| B．Olney’s festival has more various competitions. |
| C．Liberal’s festival starts with a delicious breakfast. |
| D．Liberal’s festival has varieties of activities. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Objective. | D．Subjective. |
10 . A British friend told me he couldn't understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds (葵花子) as a snack so much. “I’ve met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth; I believe that's from cracking the seeds,” he said.
I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware. I realized that whenever I’m watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn't like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so hard just to get one small seed.
When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go doortodoor on Chinese New Year’s Eve to check out what every household was making.
I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. In the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with a fancy tablecloth, readymade dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds.
Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then.
I don’t think it’s right to criticize one’s choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem.
It’s not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins their breath. They think it’s a delicacy, and it’s connected with their culture. I think it’s a wonderful tradition.
1. What lesson can we learn from the passage?| A．One kind of food doesn’t necessarily suit everyone. |
| B．Eating habits come from a certain culture. |
| C．It is good to form healthy eating habits. |
| D．Changing your eating habits will change your life. |
| A．She had ever typed a report about seeds. |
| B．She ate various snacks while watching TV. |
| C．She has a habit of cracking sunflower seeds. |
| D．She damaged her teeth by eating sunflower seeds. |
| A．The traditions of celebrating it disappear. |
| B．Children can eat delicious food on that day. |
| C．The families would get together for it. |
| D．Eating sunflower seeds is related to it. |
| A．acceptable | B．critical |
| C．neutral | D．doubtful |
