1 . Many cosplay activities are being organized in China, making the subculture popular among some youths. Cosplay means costume play, in which participants wear costumes and fashion accessories (配饰) to represent a specific character.

What’s the reason why youths are interested in cosplay?     1     Cosplay participants often interact with each other to dress up as characters from animes (动漫), cartoons, comic books, films, TV programs and video games. Youths who love cosplay have their own sets of jokes, which “outsiders” rarely understand.     2    

Cosplayers are almost always young, most of them under 25, and as they grow older, they tend to give up the practice.     3     Instead, they should treat such youngsters as normal youths, but at the same time warn them never to cross the social and moral boundaries.

The cosplay subculture is a kind of performing arts. Cosplayers usually get the costumes in these ways. First, through some companies that make and sell packaged suits for cosplay. Second, through some individuals that make costumes and accessories.     4    

With capital flowing into the ACG (二次元) industry, more specific and mature business models help the industry develop further.     5     Since then the domestic animation and game industry has been developing healthily with a stronger sense of using legal products. China’s ACG industry is likely to see higher growth in 2019.

A．Based on a research, 2015 proved to be a turning point.

B．The cosplay industry is expected to witness more success.

C．Therefore, there is no need for parents to overreact to cosplay.

D．So regulators should strictly monitor such events to prevent improper behaviors.

E．And besides, by making them themselves.

F．That’s because it’s a way for youths to express virtual love.

G．Perhaps that’s why some people dislike them.

2 . “Most children,” Asher Svidensky says, “are a little afraid of golden eagles. However, Kazakh boys in western Mongolia start learning how to use the huge birds to hunt for foxes and hares at the age of 13.” Svidensky, a photographer and travel writer, shot five boys learning the skill as well as the girl, Ashol Pan. “To see her with the eagle was amazing,” he recalls. “She was a lot more comfortable with it, a lot more powerful with it and a lot more at ease with it.”

The Kazakhs in western Mongolia are the only people that hunt with golden eagles, and today there are around 400 practising eagle hunters. Ashol Pan, the daughter of a famous hunter, may well be the country’s only girl hunter.

They hunt in winter, when the temperatures can drop to -40℃. A hunt begins with days of traveling on horseback through a snow mountain or ridge (山脉) giving an excellent view of prey for miles around. Hunters generally work in teams. After a fox is discovered, riders rush to frighten it into the open, and an eagle is released (释放). If the eagle fails to make a kill, another is released.

“The skill of hunting with eagles,” Svidensky says, “lies in bringing an unexpected force of nature under control. You don’t really control the eagle. You can try and make her hunt an animal, and then it’s a matter of nature. What will the eagle do? Will she make it? How will you get her back afterwards?”

Svidensky describes Ashol Pan as a smiling, sweet and shy girl. “Ashol Pan stands for something about Mongolia in the 21^st century,” says Svidensky. “Everything there is going to change and is going to be redefined (重新定义), and the possibility is amazing.”

1. What makes Asher Svidensky much surprised?

A．The colorful and powerful eagles.

B．The special way of hunting by the Kazakhs.

C．The wonderful performance of Ashol Pan.

D．The young age of Kazakh eagle hunters.

2. What does the underlined word “prey” in the third paragraph mean?

A．The scenery to be enjoyed.

B．The creature to be caught.

C．The option to be argued.

D．The future to be expected.

3. What can we infer from the fourth paragraph?

A．Man can overcome nature.

B．All efforts will pay off one day.

C．Making use of existing resources is important.

D．Never think about controlling others.

4. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．A photographer and travel writer’s traveling experience.

B．A girl eagle hunter in Mongolia.

C．The true life of the eagle hunters in Mongolia.

D．The future of the traditional way of eagle hunting.

3 . Garden parties are one of the traditions that began in the United Kingdom and France a number of centuries ago. Both the British and French versions have roots in the weekend getaways that were enjoyed by the upper classes. In the afternoons and evenings, the grounds of the estates (房产) would be softly lit with candles and lanterns, food prepared and set in long buffet tables for the guests, and comfortable seating always within reach.

People tended to dress up for these types of outdoor events, which made them quite a festive occasion. String bands often provided a graceful melody that served as one of the ways that the elegant tone of the occasion was set and maintained.

Today, the concept lives on around the world. No longer just an event for the well to do, the garden party is a weekend gathering in many neighborhoods. Neighbors are invited to come enjoy the outdoors by attending a cookout, complete with plenty of grilled food, lots of seating, and usually plenty to drink. It is not unusual for a few simple games to be available as well, depending on the size of the space. Music does not necessarily have to be provided by a live band anymore, although some people prefer the chatter and laughter of people enjoying themselves to any type of musical accompaniment.

The modern version can be very free form, or use a special occasion or theme as the basis for the event. For example, a birthday is a great reason to throw this type of party. Major patriotic holidays often provide the theme, with the decorations revolving around the national colors and other symbols. Fun times, such as Valentine’s Day or and Easter egg hunt, can also be the reason for putting together a party. As long as the event takes place outdoors, has people to interact, and includes food and drink, the event is complete.

1. Why did the upper classes hold garden parties centuries ago?

A．To entertain themselves.

B．To get away from home.

C．To show off their estates.

D．To know other upper class people.

2. What do we know about garden parties that are held today?

A．They are still held mainly for the rich.

B．They have very different concepts now.

C．They always have live band performances.

D．They can be enjoyed by common people.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Garden parties have become informal today.

B．Garden parties have various themes today.

C．Garden parties are usually held on birthdays.

D．Garden parties are not always held outdoors.

4. Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．History of Garden Parties

B．Garden Parties Today

C．Customs of Garden Parties

D．Garden Parties

4 . More and more people in America are celebrating the Indian holiday Diwali. Diwali is Hindi for “row of lights.” It is the most important holiday in India.

Many people around the world are beginning to celebrate it as well. The United States is one of the places where the festival is becoming more common. Diwali celebrations can now be found at American landmarks like Disney land in California and New York City’s Times Square. They are also held in many parks and museums.

Neeta Bhasin created the Times Square event. She said Indian immigrants (移民) have found great success in America. But, she said, many Americans still do not know much about India. So, she decided to act. “I felt it’s about time that we should take India to mainstream America and show India’s rich culture, heritage, arts and variety to the world,” she said, “And I couldn’t find a better place than the center of the universe: Times Square.”

Bhasin came to the United States from India 40 years ago. She is president of ASB Communications, the marketing firm behind Diwali at Times Square. Tens of thousands of people attend the event, now in its fourth year.

In India, Diwali is a five-day harvest festival held just before the Hindu New Year. The exact dates change from year to year but Diwali is always in the fall. Celebrations include lighting oil lamps or candles called diyas. The lights represent “a victory of knowledge over ignorance, light over darkness, and good over evil.”

A Diwali celebration will light up Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim this year. Visitors can watch pertormances of traditional Indian dances and take part in a Bollywood dance party. The event is part of a Festival of Holidays program at the theme park to show cultural traditions from around the world.

1. Which is the main symbol in the Indian holiday Diwali?

A．Clothes.

B．Lamps.

C．Foods.

D．Dances.

2. Why did Neeta Bhasin set up the Times Square even?

A．To make the American culture rich.

B．To create a new business to make a living.

C．To make Indian culture better known in the US.

D．To show off the achievements of Indian immigrants.

3. What do we know about Diwali in India?

A．It is held in autumn.

B．It is held in a fixed date.

C．It lasts five days in America.

D．It takes place around the Hindu New Year.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Diwali is mainly celebrated in Disney Parks.

B．Many American cities compete to hold Diwali.

C．Diwali is the most popular festival in America.

D．Indian Holiday Diwali Lights Up America, Too.

5 . Moving abroad can be a challenging experience. You leave your family，friends and everything you know behind. You enter a new culture where the customs and sometimes the languages are different.     1    .It's a time to discover new things，make new friends and begin a new adventure.

So what are the best ways to involve yourself in the new culture while living abroad?

Live with a native speaker

    2    .First，you have a friend！Living alone can be a lonely experience，especially if you're far from home. I've also had the opportunity to meet my housemate's friends and socialize (交往) with them.     3    .In addition，you have someone to tell you about the cultural customs and interesting places in the area.

Socialize with the local people

The thought of making friends and mixing with the local people may seem scary at first but it's worth it.     4    ，attending an evening class or participating in a language exchange with people that are interested in learning your native language.

    5    

The food in France is amazing and discovering new food is a fun experience. I've tried things that I've never tried before. My knowledge of different bread and cheese types has grown greatly.

A．Try the local food

B．But it's also exciting

C．I currently volunteer with homeless people

D．You can also speak the local language every day

E．Improve my French vocabulary and understanding

F．You can meet other people in the area by joining a club

G．There are many advantages of living with a native speaker

6 . Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble (发牢骚) afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, “For instance, I’m much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you’re dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed.”
In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons.
● Not making introductions
Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because “talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache”. Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves.
● “Quite” good
Using “quite” to mean “very” happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as “quite good” if you want to express high praise. To Britons’ ears, “quite” ______ the “good”: the meal was OK but could have been better.
● Money Talk
Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, “Talking about how much we make is unthinkable — even 1ess so than discussing our feelings.”
● Over-politeness
“It’s not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: ‘How are you today?’” says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as “honey” or “sweetie”. But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating.
1. Margolis’ dining experience in Paragraph 1 shows that_______.

A．Britons are particular about foods

B．Britons are not good at complaining

C．Americans usually complain directly

D．Americans complain more than Britons

2. Which of the following might Margolis agree with?

A．Britons enjoy talking about their feelings.

B．Americans introduce themselves at parties.

C．Americans dislike talking to strangers at parties.

D．Britons feel happy if treated like close friends.

3. The underlined phrase “detracts from” in the text probably means ____.

A．differs greatly from	B．increases the quality of
C．reduces the strength of	D．draws attention away from

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．How to get on well with westerners.

B．How to start conversations with Britons.

C．Ruth Margolis’ tips on public behavior.

D．Some American habits that annoy Britons.

7 . Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic (经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?

In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.

It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt (破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的)and do not like change.

Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward . If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different , even though that might be the more risky choice.

1. What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?

A．Some of them are not attractive.

B．Most of them ate too expensive to preserve.

C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings.

D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area.

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

A．We should reproduce the same old buildings.

B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings.

C．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in.

D．No one understands why people speak against new buildings.

3. By “move things forward ” in the last paragraph , the author probably means“      ”

A．destroy old buildings

B．put things in a different place

C．respect people’s feelings for historical buildings

D．choose new architectural styles

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To explain why people dislike change.

B．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas.

C．To warn that we could end up living in caves.

D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings.

8 . Over time, the custom of kissing developed as a way for adults to express their love and affection for one another. The roots of this form of affection can be traced back to primitive times, when mothers fondled their children, much as mothers do today.
　　Much later, in the sixth century, society apparently accepted the custom of kissing between adults as an expression of their affection. Not surprisingly, France first accepted kissing in courtship (求爱). There, figure dancing was popular, and each dance was sealed with a kiss.
　　The custom of kissing swept from France through Europe to Russia, where Russian nobility loved to imitate the French. Eventually, the kiss was incorporated into marriage ceremonies, and today lip locks couples into sweet matrimony.
　　The custom of kissing today, as well as in ancient times, serves to pay homage to another. Early Romans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another in a manner they thought to be dignified. One Roman emperor even ranked a person's importance by the body part he was allowed to kiss. He allowed important nobles to kiss his lips, less important ones to kiss his hands, and the least important ones to kiss his feet.
In Russia, the highest sign of recognition from the Crown meant a kiss from the Tsar himself. Today, natives of many African tribes pay homage to their Chief by kissing the ground over which he has walked.
1. What’s mainly talked about in the passage?

A．The way to express love and respect.	B．The expression of affection.
C．The custom of kissing.	D．The function of kissing.

2. Which of the following can best explain the underlined word “homage” in the 4^th paragraph？

A．recognition

B．respect

C．importance

D．loyalty

3. It can be learned from the passage that ___________.

A．kissing is a widely accepted way to show love and affection

B．kissing used to be a proper way to show love on the wedding ceremony

C．kissing is a widely accepted way of greeting in the world

D．kissing from the Tsar is only sign of being accepted from the Crown

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．It was France that made the custom of kissing go to the whole world.

B．Early Africans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another.

C．One Roman emperor allowed important nobles to kiss his nose.

D．Russian nobility followed the custom of kissing from the French.

5. We can infer from the passage that __________.

A．mothers created the custom of kissing

B．kissing means differently on different occasions

C．figure dancing was usually sealed with a kiss in Russia

D．society found it hard to accept kissing in public in the sixth century

9 . When my family moved to America in 2010 from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises or jogging, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
By Jack
1. Jack brought the couple their food very fast because _______.

A．the manager asked him to do so

B．he respected the elderly

C．the couple wanted him to do so

D．he wanted more pay

2. When Jack called the couple “elderly”, they became _______.

A．nervous

B．satisfied

C．Unhappy

D．excited

3. In Jack’s hometown, _______.

A．people dislike being called “old”

B．people are proud of being old

C．many people reach the age of seventy or eighty

D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants

4. After this experience, Jack _______.

A．lost his job in the restaurant

B．made friends with the couple

C．no longer respected the elderly

D．changed his way with older people

5. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got.

B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience.

C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple.

D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture.

10 . Around the world there are some festivals that for some of us may sound bizarre.

In England they celebrate the rolling cheese race, which occurs every year during the last Monday in May. This festival’s characteristic is a contest where an official rolls cheese down a steep hill and festival-goers go chasing after it. The winner is the first one to reach and catch the cheese.

Another festival celebrated in England is the world championship of grimaces (鬼脸). It is a celebration that dates back to 1297 and is celebrated during the month of September. The task is to perform the best grimace using anything you can to win.

The worldwide championship of wife lifting is celebrated in Finland. The game is based on Viking traditions where a man should carry away his neighbor’s wife. According to the rules, any woman above 17 is considered as a wife, so if you are within this age, take care while visiting this country during the month of July.

Many of you have watched Pirates of the Caribbean and have known something about pirates. The 19^th of September has been declared worldwide as the day to talk like a pirate. Plenty of people have celebrated it thanks to the publicity (宣传) on the Internet.

First staged in 1998, the Boryeong Mud Festival is an attraction that pulls more than a million visitors to the South Korean City. As you all know, the town is said to be rich in minerals, so there is no shortage of mud. Mud is trucked onto Daecheon Beach for tourists and locals to enjoy the festival to their best.

The Monkey Buffet Festival is held in Thailand to develop tourism. It’s an unusual feast held for about 600 monkeys. The Monkey Buffet Festival is held in honor of the Hindu gods Ram and Hanuman and involves 3,000 kilograms of vegetables and fruits being laid out for monkeys to stuff themselves.

1. What does the underlined word “bizarre” in Paragraph1 probably mean?

A．Dangerous

B．Strange

C．terrible

D．Familiar

2. If a participant wants to win in the rolling cheese race, he/she should __________.

A．roll as much cheese down the hill as possible

B．find the largest piece of cheese rolling downhill

C．perform the best grimace when chasing the cheese

D．be the first one to catch the cheese rolling downhill

3. According to the writer, a girl above 17 should be careful when enjoying __________.

A．the worldwide championship of wife lifting

B．the world championship of grimaces

C．the Boryeong Mud Festival

D．the Monkey Buffet Festival