3 . Traveling without a map in different countries. I find out about different ways of giving directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”

Foreign tourists are often puzzled in Japan because most streets there don’t have name signs. In Japan, people use landmarks (标志性建筑) to give directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the comer. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”

People in Los Angeles, the US, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance by time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “It’s about five minutes from here.” You don’t understand completely. “Yes, but how many miles away is it, please?” To this question you won’t get an answer, because most probably they don’t know it themselves.

People in Greece sometimes do not even try to give directions because tourists seldom understand the Greek language. Instead, a Greek will often say, “Follow me.” Then he’ll lead you through the streets of the city to the post office.

Sometimes a person doesn’t know the answer to your question. What happens in the situation? A New Yorker might say. “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People there believe that “I don’t” is impolite. They usually give an answer, but often a wrong one. So a tourist can get lost very easily in Yucatan! However, one thing will help you reach your destination everywhere in the world. It’s body language.

1. Which of the following is probably an example of Japanese directions?

A．“The post office is at Street Kamira.”

B．“Turn right at the hospital and go past a school.”

C．“The post office is about five minutes from here.”

D．“Go south two miles. Turn west and then go another mile.”

2. Why don’t people in Los Angeles give directions in miles?

A．They prefer to lead you the way.

B．They prefer to use body language.

C．They use landmarks to give directions instead of distance.

D．They often have no idea of distance measured by miles.

3. How do Greeks give directions?

A．Using street names.	B．Leading the way.
C．Using landmarks.	D．Giving people a wrong direction.

4. According to the last paragraph, we can learn that ______.

A．people in Mexico know street names well

B．body language makes you get lost in Yucatan

C．people in Mexico prefer to use body language

D．people in Yucatan sometimes give wrong directions

4 . Statistics show that most toddlers (刚学走路的小孩) learn how to say about 20 words by 18 months. Talking is easy. If you ask anyone, none will remember how they started doing it, it just comes naturally.

But what might not flow as smoothly as words, is body language. It’s a whole different deal when you’re using your hands, eyes or head instead of your tongue. And what makes it even more complicated is the fact that body language differs all around the world.

I find it shockingly amazing how just a small finger gesture could mean one thing in the East and the completely opposite in the West. For instance, in Japan bowing is the most common greeting. It shows respect and Japanese pay a lot of attention to the details like the timing, posture and movement. A bow in Japan represents sincerity, respect and graciousness. While in New Zealand Maori the pressing of noses and foreheads is the traditional greeting. They call it “hongi”, which is regarded as the breath of life.

For most of us, nodding our heads up and down often means agreement, but not for the Bulgarians or Greeks. In both cultures, nodding one’s head up and down actually means “no”. The American goodbye wave could actually be interpreted (领会) as a “no” in many parts of Europe and Latin America. And the Italian goodbye wave would be understood in America as a “come here” and the American “come here” gesture would actually be seen as an insult (侮辱) in most of Asia.

So before you travel to explore a different culture, make sure you’re aware of alternate meanings for body language. We live in a world with many different cultures, so don’t forget how differently one hand gesture can be interpreted!

1. What makes body language misunderstood often?

A．Its wide uses.	B．Its smooth flowing.
C．Its difficulties in understanding.	D．The background of different cultures.

2. What does the pressing of noses and foreheads mean in New Zealand?

A．Greeting.

B．Respect.

C．Tradition.

D．Breath.

3. In which country does nodding mean “no”?

A．America.

B．Greece.

C．New Zealand.

D．Japan.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Origin of Body Language	B．The Limitation of Culture
C．Body Language Around the World	D．The Culture of Maori

5 . The Discovery of Liangzhu Culture

Three archaeological diggings were carried out in the suburbs of Hangzhou from December 1936 to March 1937, where loads of black ceramics (陶瓷) and stoneware were brought to light. Inspired by these relics, an archaeology lover named Shi Xingeng, who came from West Lake Museum in Hangzhou, wrote several detailed reports on the digging. However, he had to put his work aside when China started to fall into Japan’s military aggression. Shi joined the resistance movement against Japanese invasion and died of disease in 1939. What passed away along with him during the war were many of Liangzhu’s precious relics.

Fortunately, Shi’s reports were finally published in Shanghai in 1938, which caught considerable attention of archaeological circles. In 1959, the name Liangzhu Culture was given to the independent regional culture by archaeologist Xia Nai. It represented an earlier civilization that had remained unknown to historians. The culture, as the radiocarbon dating applied to the relics proved, existed between 3,300 and 2,200 B.C.

It is commonly believed that the earliest known Chinese written language dates back to more than 3,000 year ago, when oracle bone script appeared in Shang Dynasty. But Liangzhu Culture might provide evidence of a written language that appeared in China at least 1,000 years eelier.

In 2007, Liangzhu Ancient City was reported to be discovered in Hangzhou, where archaeological diggings revealed a large and early walled city in Chinese history. There were man-made hills and streams in the city area, which were very likely part of the early designed urban landscape. To protect the urban space which was formed by waterways and entrances both inside and outside the city, a flood control system was connected to the river networks and 11 dams. In the fields outside the wall, archaeologists discovered rains of the residences, tombs, workshops, and docks with wooden boats.

1. What can we learn about Liangzhu Culture?

A．It was well preserved.	B．It was named by Shi Xingeng.
C．Many of its relics were lost during the war.	D．It was discovered in 1959.

2. Which of the following is the significance of Liangzhu Culture’s discovery?

A．It proved that Chins has a long history.

B．It unearthed a great number of relics.

C．It showed the professionalism of Chinese archaeology.

D．It might prove the existence of an earlier Chinese written language

3. What can we learn about Liangzhu Ancient City from the last paragraph?

A．It was a well-designed city.	B．It showed the rules left by flood.
C．There were no hills or streams in the city.	D．It was the largest city in Chinese history.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A chemical paper.	B．A cultural website.
C．A math textbook.	D．A medical report.

6 . Jill stared at the wall sadly. Pedro, her lab mate, hesitated before whispering, “Jill, what’s up?” Jill opened her mouth slowly and answered, “Nothing, thanks!” She slowly turned back to her computer, leaving Pedro puzzled.

Originally from Argentina, Pedro spent the first 2 years of his Ph. D. in Germany before his adviser moved the lab to the United States. Jill is new in the lab. Until now, she seemed like the most easygoing person he could imagine. And then Pedro decided to invite her to have tea together outside. Sitting in a quiet corner of their busy campus, Pedro realized what had happened to Jill.

Jill had been busy writing an application for her first research grant. She wanted to get some feedback from her adviser. She was happy when she got the draft back, but she didn’t like what she saw—15 pages full of pure criticism.

Pedro fell silent and wondered how to approach the situation. Finally, he turned to Jill and said, “When I worked in his lab at first, I secretly called him Mr. Ice Age. But now I consider him to be kind-hearted. His character is upright and he cares about his lab members. When he gives feedback, he’s direct, which is a cultural thing. He grew up in Germany, where the cultural standards around criticism are different.”

Pedro went on to talk about how he felt after moving here. The Americans and Germans approached work discussions similarly by using a direct approach. However, things sometimes began to diverge when it came to negative feedback. For him, the biggest challenge at the beginning of graduate school was the lack of personal connection. “When I first met the boss, he just told me about the project and wished me good luck. That was it.”

“I did my Ph. D. in Spain. On the first day, we had a huge brunch together to celebrate my arrival.” Jill told him. Pedro smiled. “That is what we would do in my home country as well.” “They do it different everywhere, don’t they?” “Yes, they do,” answered Pedro.

1. Why did Jill feel sad according to the text?

A．Her application was refused.	B．She made mistakes in her research.
C．She was criticized for her application.	D．She lacked confidence in her research.

2. What can we learn about Jill’s adviser from the text?

A．He likes to find fault with his students.

B．He is good at correcting others’ mistakes.

C．He is an upright but mean professor.

D．He is direct about his lab members’ problems.

3. What does the underlined word “diverged” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Extend.

B．Differ.

C．Improve.

D．Pause.

4. What might Jill come to realize at last?

A．The cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings.

B．Everyone should work to understand one another better.

C．Communication is always influenced by people’s attitude.

D．Culture shock is beneficial to the development in science.

7 . You don’t have to be a fan of math to get excited about Pi (“n”) Day. While the event may start with some calculations, it is more than likely to conclude with a slice or two of delicious pie. The holiday is held every March 14, because “n” is widely recognized as 3.14.

The tradition of honoring “n” began at San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum. On March 14, 1988, physicist Larry Shaw convinced his colleagues to mark the day by marching around one of the museum’s circular spaces and consuming fruit pies. The celebration was made official in 2009 when the U. S. House of Representatives set aside March 14 as Pi Day.

Today, Pi Day is observed in many creative ways. Students at the California Institute of Technology in Los Angeles host a pie-eating event, which begins at 1:59 a.m. and features 26 pies, each of five different flavors. Though that might seem random (随机的), the date (3.14), time (159), number of pies (26), and number of varieties (5) recreate the first nine digits of “n”: 3.14159265!

Students applying for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge eagerly wait for the day every year to find out if they have been accepted. However, instead of sending out the offers at 3:14 p.m., the institution waits till 6: 28 p. m. 6.28 is referred to as “tau”, which is “n” multiplied by 2. The number is believed to be much more reliable than “n” by some experts and even has its own celebration on June 28. Since 2017, MIT has also used Pi Day as a fundraiser (资金筹集活动) to support its students, departments and programs.

This day is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so the town of Princeton, New Jersey, where Einstein lived until his death in 1955, celebrates the occasion with multi-day festivities that end on March 14. Visitors can participate in concerts, shows, as well as pie-eating, pi-recitation, and Einstein-lookalike contests.

1. Where was Pi Day originally celebrated?

A．In San Francisco.	B．In Los Angeles.
C．In Cambridge.	D．In Princeton.

2. What does MIT do on Pi Day according to the passage?

A．Inform applicants of application results.	B．Conduct a calculating test.
C．Organize a march around the campus.	D．Make desserts of different flavors.

3. What can we know about Pi Day?

A．It is in memory of physicist Larry Shaw.

B．Students in America host a pie-eating event.

C．Students have to eat 26 pies within 159 minutes.

D．Much money is raised to help students in MIT.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To propose a suggestion.	B．To make an introduction.
C．To state an idea.	D．To give an explanation.

8 . Oct. 23rd is the beginning of Shuangjiang or Frost’s Descent in English, the 18th of 24 solar terms(节气)in the Chinese lunar calendar. It refers to the time when frost(霜)starts to fall across China, or “the dews(露水)were frozen into frost” because of the coldness, as recorded in ancient Chinese books.

By the time of Shuangjiang, most of the harvesting work is already completed in northern China, and farmers are now able to enjoy a period of rest. But in the south the harvest is still on the go. Farmers have to take home the sweet potatoes before they are destroyed by the coming frost. After a year of farming, it is the time to plow the fields and prepare the soil for next year both south and north.

Autumn might be the most colorful season China with the leaves turning from golden yellow to red. Hiking has become popular since the ancient times as people can enjoy the special autumnal scenery. Du Mu, a well-known poet from the Tang Dynasty wrote the beautiful scenery in a poem: “I stopped the coach as charmed by the maple woods, Frosted autumn leaves out shine February flowers in redness.”

The Double Ninth Festival also falls during the season, a festival for the elders. Going hiking in the highlands is part of the celebrations practiced by the ancient Chinese people.

“Keeping warm” becomes a most important thing at this time of the year as the weather is getting colder. Persimmon(柿子)is the favored fruit in many areas. The Chinese believe that persimmons could not only keep off the coldness, but strengthen the muscles and bones. Also, chicken or mutton soup is believed to be good for the sleep and advised for the diet.

Shuangjiang brings the frost and freezing wind, and autumn has come to an end. But for most Chinese, it is not necessarily a sad time because in winter, they are able to have different but equally beautiful scenery.

1. Shuangjiang is the ______ of the twenty-four solar terms.

A．10th

B．15th

C．18th

D．20th

2. What is the main idea of the 5th paragraph?

A．Tell the differences of the harvest in China’s south and north.

B．Explain why Shuangjiang gets its name.

C．Advise some activities to enjoy the colorful season.

D．Introduce the ways to stay warm before the coming of winter.

3. Which of the following statement about Shuangjiang is TRUE according to the text?

A．People believe eating persimmons in Shuangjiang can help get rid of coldness.

B．Shuangjiang is the best time for people hoping lose weight to take exercises.

C．Farmers in the south of China can enjoy a great rest during Shuangjiang.

D．Shuangjiang is the end of summer and the beginning of autumn of a year.

4. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．What Causes Frost’s Descent	B．Time to Say Goodbye to Autumn
C．Enjoy the Beautiful Autumn	D．Prepare for a Good Harvest

9 . If you travel to nearly any Chinese city in the summertime, you will see people, mostly men wearing T-shirts, sitting out on the sidewalks on low chairs in the shade, playing a game with large round disks of wood.     1     Xiangqi dates back as early as the Warring States period. While experts have different opinions as to who created Niangqi and how it is linked to Western chess, there is no doubt that by the Tang Dynasty Xiangqi was a popular game in China.     2     And in the 20th century both Sun Yat-sen and Zhou Enlai were big fans of the game.

And, though it may look quite a bit different than Western chess, Xiangqi is actually quite similar in what the pieces can do and how the game is played. Like Western chess, the object of the game is to capture the other player’s “king”. Actually, in Xiangqi he is just a general.

    3     Another big difference between Western chess and Xiangqi is that there is a large empty space in the middle of the board, which the elephants cannot cross.     4     This space refers to an area in China where Liu Bang and Xiang Yu had a life-or-death war. The war was so influential that “the Chu River and the Han Boundary” has become a metaphor (隐喻) referring to any boundary between two opposing armies. When the Chinese people today see this name on the board, the battle scenes come to their mind, as though they are surrounded by thick smoke, able to hear the beating of war drums.     5     .

A．Unlike Western chess, the pieces are placed on the intersections of lines, not in squares.

B．During the Qing Dynasty its popularity grew.

C．It is called “the Chu River and the Han Boundary”.

D．The game is called Niangqi, a game of ordinary people.

E．There are many differences between Xianggi and Western chess.

F．An intense battle is about to take place on this small chessboard.

G．Several sayings related to Yiangqi are in common use in China today.

10 . Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times. Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn. Today’s festivals have many origins: some are seasonal, some for special people and some for special events.

Dragon Boat Festival celebrations take place in China on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. They are held in memory of Qu Yuan, a famous person who wrote poems in Ancient China. It was the first traditional Chinese festival added to UNESCO’S List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Thanksgiving is celebrated mainly in North America, in October or November. Traditionally, it was a chance to give thanks for a good year. Now, it is also a time for families to get together for a big dinner.

May Day is a festival to celebrate the start of summer, with celebrations held across Europe and in parts of North America. People prepare decorations with flowers and dance around poles.

The Spring Festival that is also called Chinese New Year is one of the most important Festivals in China. It starts with a new moon and ends 15 day later on the full moon, marking the beginning of spring. During this festival, people eat dumplings, fish and meat and may give children lucky money in red paper. Nowadays, more and more countries around the world are holding celebrations for Chinese Spring Festival.

Festivals let us enjoy life, be proud of our customs and forget our work for a little while.

1. Which of the following is held to honor a special person?

A．May Day.	B．Thanksgiving.
C．The Spring Festival.	D．Dragon Boat Festival.

2. What do people traditionally eat in the Spring Festival?

A．Pies and chicken.	B．Dumplings and fish.
C．Noodles and meat.	D．Sandwiches and turkey.

3. Where is Thanksgiving mainly celebrated according to the text?

A．In China.	B．Across Europe
C．In North America.	D．In South Africa.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The introduction of some festivals.	B．The activities of some festivals
C．The origin of some festivals.	D．The history of some festivals.