1 . Lion dance is a valued tradition deeply rooted in South China’s Guangdong province and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asian countries. Historically, this art form was only practiced by men. However, a unique team consisting entirely of teenage girls stands out among all the male groups — they are the Nanxing Hexingtang Women’s Lion Dance Team from the town of Ren he in Guangzhou.
Nearly every village in Guangzhou has its own lion dance team. Yet as of 2018, Hexingtang had only male participants. As there was a decline in the number of young people practicing lion dance, it accepted a few young girls. The journey was far from smooth for the girls. They were once hired to perform for a family on the first day of Chinese New Year. When the family realized that it was the girls who would be performing, they erupted in anger and chased them away. Then Hexingtang decided to formally establish a women’s team to make the female lion dance leagal. They customized flags and banners printed with “women’s team”, crafted pink and purple lion heads, which are rarely seen in male lion dance, and even fashioned a lion head looking like the image of the female general Mu Guiying, a famous figure in Yue Opera.
It was hoped that after the girls won awards and proved themselves, they might be accepted by more people. Their breakthrough came in 2021 when the girls beat all-male teams and won the first prize in a competition in Guangzhou’s Baiyun district. The following year, at the 16th Guangdong Provincial Games, the girls once again got the top prize in the junior group, representing Guangzhou. Since then, they have continued to win awards. In the recent Maofeng Mountain competition just before Spring Festival in Guangzhou, the team performed a routine titled “Tramping Over Mountains and Hills Step by Step”, which mirrors the growth journey of these girls themselves as they navigate through numerous challenges. Behind this near-perfect performance is girls’ dedication and hard work.
Lion dance is not easy, especially for girls, as it demands significant strength and mastery of martial arts movements. However, girls possess unique advantages and can cultivate a distinctive style. Girls typically have a keen understanding of music, performing perfectly in both lion and instrument roles. Furthermore, their superior physical flexibility allows them to complete difficult moves. Most importantly, their sensitivity enables them to capture the expressions and behaviors of lions.
1. What do we know about lion dance?| A．It is a tradition rooted in all Asian countries. |
| B．Only men could practice lion dance in the past. |
| C．Every village in Guangzhou has its own lion dance team. |
| D．It’s easy for people to practice. |
| A．made. | B．bought. | C．painted. | D．had. |
| A．They performed for a family on the first day of Chinese New Year. |
| B．They performed a routine titled “Tramping Over Mountains and Hills Step by Step”. |
| C．They won the first prize in a competition in Guangzhou’s Baiyun district. |
| D．They won the top prize in the junior group at the 16th Guangdang Provincial Games. |
| A．They can complete difficult moves with superior physical flexibility. |
| B．They have great strength and master martial arts movements. |
| C．They have a keen understanding of music, performing perfectly in different roles. |
| D．They can capture the expressions and behaviors of lions with sensitivity. |
2 . As Christmas Eve approached, I found myself in New York City, far from my family and friends in Taiwan. I was feeling homesick and lonely, but my Jewish friend, Rachel, who, like me, doesn’t get connected with Christmas due to any religious things, invited me to join her for a dinner in a Chinese restaurant. She explained that it was a tradition for many Jewish people to celebrate this holiday by eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.
We went to Jing Fong, a fancy restaurant in Chinatown. The place was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and festive. We ordered a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, and I felt grateful to be sharing this experience with Rachel. As we ate, we talked about our families and our cultures. We laughed and joked, and for a moment, I forgot about my homesickness.
A moment later, a group of carolers (唱圣诞歌的人) came into the restaurant, singing Christmas songs. At first, I was puzzled. Why were they singing in a Chinese restaurant? But then I realized that this was part of the magic of New York City. People from all different cultures and backgrounds could come together and celebrate the holidays in their own way. Rachel and I joined in the singing, and soon the whole restaurant was filled with music. It was a beautiful moment, and I felt blessed to be part of it.
What a night! I learned that even when you’re far from home, you can still find joy and connection with others. Rachel and I may come from different cultures, but we shared amazing food, joyful music, and most importantly heartfelt company. And that’s exactly what all the holidays are all about.
1. Why did Rachel invite the author to join her for dinner?| A．To show respect to God |
| B．To celebrate Christmas in the Jewish way |
| C．To share stories about their families |
| D．To forget about their homesickness |
| A．Fearful | B．Joyful |
| C．Disappointed | D．Confused |
| A．By focusing on religious traditions |
| B．By celebrating with family and friends |
| C．By enjoying a variety of festive dishes |
| D．By embracing diverse ways of celebration |
| A．A personal blog | B．A commercial promotion brochure |
| C．A travel guide of New York | D．An academic article |
3 . The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th of the first month of the lunar calendar. This day is always the first full moon in the new year. Ancient people also called it Shangyuan Festival. Celebrations and traditions on this day began from the Han Dynasty and became popular in the Tang Dynasty.
Watching the red lanterns is one of the main traditions. Lanterns of different shapes and sizes are usually put on trees, or along river banks on show. It is said that sky lanterns were first used by Zhuge Kongming to ask for help when he was in trouble. Today, when the lanterns slowly rise into the air, people make wishes. Another tradition is guessing lantern riddles. The riddles are usually short, wise, and sometimes humorous (幽默的). The answer to a riddle can be a Chinese character, a famous person’s name, or a place name.
The most important thing is to eat sweet dumplings with different tastes. In northern China, they are called yuanxiao while in southern part they’re named tangyuan. Because making sweet dumplings is like a game or an activity, they are usually done happily by a group of friends or family members.
In old times, the Lantern Festival was also a good time for young people to find love. Watching lanterns gave young people a chance to meet each other. And there were many romantic stories about this festival. A line from Xin Qiji, a poet during the Song Dynasty, shows this, “Hundreds and thousands of times I searched for her in the crowd. Suddenly I turned, and there she stood in the dim light.”
In a word, the Lantern Festival has brought us Chinese so much fun and joy over the years. We hope the young people can carry on these traditions and take pride in Chinese culture.
1. In ancient times, sky lanterns were first used for ______by Zhuge Kongming.| A．ask for help | B．guessing lantern riddles |
| C．making wishes | D．celebrating people’s birthdays |
| A．They have different tastes. |
| B．People enjoy the process of making them. |
| C．They are named “yuanxiao” all over the country. |
| D．People usually make them with family and friends. |
| A．necessary | B．demanding | C．romantic | D．important |
4 . You may think you couldn’t live through summer without air conditioning. But in ancient China, hand fans were almost the only way to drive the heat away.
Chinese people started to use hand fans over 2, 000 years ago. The fans came in different shapes and were made from all kinds of materials. Palm leaf fans were cheap and easy to make. Feather fans marked the owner’s high status. Sandalwood fans could send out a sweet smell. Later, hand fans became far more than just something that could cool you down. They developed into works of art, in which Tuanshan-round fans, and Zheshan-folded fans, were the most common. In the shape of a fullmoon, Tuanshan were usually made of silk. Women, especially those in the royal palace, liked to use them. Poets in ancient China often compared an abandoned (被抛弃的) woman to Tuanshan. A poet in the Qing Dynasty, Nalan Xingde was a typical example. He wrote, “If only life were as beautiful as when we first met, why should the autumn wind bother to pity deserted painted fans?”
Meanwhile, men, especially the literati (文人), used Zheshan. The literati liked them because Zheshan were usually made of paper and they could paint and write poems on them. It was a way for them to show off their skills in literature, painting and calligraphy (书法).
Today, Chinese people still use these fans, though not many people write or paint on them any more. This summer, why not paint one of your own?
1. Which fans could show a person’s social position?| A．Hand fans. | B．Palm leaf fans. |
| C．Feather fans. | D．Sandalwood fans. |
| A．An abandoned woman. | B．A woman with a Tuanshan. |
| C．A woman with a Zheshan. | D．A woman in the royal palace. |
| A．They were folded fans. | B．They came in different shapes. |
| C．They had birds and flowers on them. | D．They gave them chances to show the talent. |
| A．A diary. | B．A dictionary. |
| C．A fairy tale. | D．A magazine. |
5 . Every year, people all around the world come together to celebrate Earth Day with lots of different activities.Earth Day events typically have one theme in common:the desire to show support for environmental issues and teach future generations about the need to protect our planet.
The very first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. The event, which some consider to be the birth of the environmental movement, when spring comes, while avoiding most spring breaks and final exams.He hoped to call for college and university students for what he planned as a day of environmental learning and activism.
Participants (参与者) from 2, 000 colleges and universities, primary and secondary schools, and hundreds of communities across the United States got together in their local communities to mark the occasion of the very first Earth Day. Almost 20 million Americans filled the streets of their local communities on that first Earth Day.
Earth Day is now observed in 192 countries, and celebrated by billions of people around the world.Events can be found everywhere from tree planting activities at your local park to online Twitter parties that share information about environmental issues. In 2011, 28 million trees were planted in Afghanistan by the Earth Day Network. In 2012, people rode bikes in Beijing to raise awareness about climate change and help people learn what they could do to protect the planet.
How can you get involved? The possibilities are endless. Pick up trash in your neighborhood. Make a commitment to reduce your food waste or electricity use. Plant a tree.Talk to your friends and family about environmental issues. The best part? Make every day Earth Day and help to make this planet a healthy place for all of us to enjoy.
1. From whom did Nelson hope to get support for his plan?| A．Teachers. | B．Officials. | C．Students. | D．Researchers. |
| A．Worldwide. | B．Successful. |
| C．Unique. | D．Messy. |
| A．Its challenge. | B．Its inspiration. |
| C．Its history. | D．Its influence. |
| A．Take specific action. | B．Reflect on our behavior. |
| C．Contribute good ideas. | D．Answer some questions. |
6 . 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.” |
| 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. |
| A．Using street names. | B．Leading the way. |
| C．Using landmarks. | D．Giving people a wrong direction. |
| 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 |
7 . Chopsticks
When were chopsticks invented?
In fact, before the invention of chopsticks, Chinese ancestors (祖先) actually used hands to eat, but how did they eat soup and porridge (粥)?
Who invented chopsticks?
The records of using chopsticks have been found in many written books but have no exact evidence. However, many stories are about the invention of chopsticks. One says that Jiang Ziya, an ancient wise man, created chopsticks.
How to use Chinese chopsticks?
Chopsticks are usually held in the right hand, and left-handed chopstick use is considered as improper in China. Playing with chopsticks is thought to be impolite. It is considered to be polite and thoughtful to pick up food for the elderly and children.
A chopsticks-themed museum in Shanghai.
If you are truly interested in chopsticks, you can pay a visit to the Shanghai Chopsticks Museum. The museum gathered more than 2,000 pairs of chopsticks from China, Korea, Japan and Thailand.
| A．Chopsticks manners in China. |
| B．Which hand holds chopsticks? |
| C．They had to use sticks to eat them. |
| D．There also go around some other stories. |
| E．The oldest pair of chopsticks was from the Tang Dynasty. |
| F．Using two slim sticks to pick up food is actually not difficult. |
| G．Chopsticks were introduced to many other countries because of their lightness. |
8 . People usually celebrate their traditional festivals. The Spring Festival is celebrated not only in China but also in other parts of the world. The traditional holiday is the most important to Chinese both at home and abroad.
The United Kingdom
Celebrations for Spring Festival in the UK started in 1980, with the first evening party held in 2002. Every New Year, people get together and have a lot of activities. They sing songs, dance to music, share photos with friends or enjoy films in a cinema.
The United States
Spring Festival is an important time for Chinese living or working in the US. They join in a large evening party to welcome the traditional New Year. It is a good chance for people to feel that they are not alone because they share the same culture.
Australia
On Chinese New Year, many people across Australia come to Sydney’s Chinatown. They enjoy fireworks, lion dances, dragon boat races and many other traditional activities. The celebrations are also a bridge towards better understanding between Chinese and nonChinese.
Singapore
The family dinner on New Year’s Eve is an important tradition for Chinese. They put traditional food on a table as an act of remembering their past.Then the whole family enjoys their dinner together. They usually have it at home because having it in a restaurant takes away the meaning of the tradition.
1. Celebrations for Spring Festival in the UK started in ________．| A．1890 | B．1980 |
| C．2000 | D．2002 |
| A．fireworks | B．lion dances |
| C．playing cards | D．dragon boat races |
| A．they were born in Singapore |
| B．they moved there from other places |
| C．the restaurant is far away |
| D．they want to keep Chinese tradition |
| A．all parts of the world celebrate Spring Festival |
| B．the Chinese New Year is celebrated only in China |
| C．only four foreign countries celebrate Chinese Spring Festival |
| D．Chinese around the world have a strong feeling towards Spring Festival |
9 . By drawing patterns on the surface of a cup of tea, chabaixi, an ancient Chinese tea trick displayed in a recent TV drama, has gone popular for its apparent similarity with modern latte art. However, ten years ago, this distinctive technique was close to disappearing completely.
Chabaixi can create endless patterns such as bamboos and mountains or even calligraphy. There are over a dozen steps: grind tea for fine powder (粉末), pour boiled water,stir the mixture,and draw the patterns. It is different from making latte because people use clear water as the object to put into the cup instead of milk. But when the water touches the surface of whipped tea, it turns into a white color and disappears in 20 minutes.
“Chabaixi is one of the countless forms of tea-making techniques in China. The importance of chabaixi is not only that this technique is unique in the world, but also it gives us a window into people’s lifestyle in the Song Dynasty, a period of time when leisure activities in some ways resemble what we have now,” Zhang, a practitioner of chabaixi, said.
Before chabaixi was discovered by TV audiences, the technique was listed as part of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, after it was recovered by Zhang Zhifeng. He started researching the origins of chabaixi in the 1980s and brought the technique back in 2009 after decades of trials and practice. Zhang spent nearly 30 years studying and researching the origins and making of tea, but for him it was all worthwhile.
“This technique is key to the tea culture of the Song Dynasty, and it would be a shame to let it fade. This technique must be passed on to the next generations so they can understand its history,” Zhang said.
1. Which of the following best explains “grind” underlined in paragraph 2?
| A．Dry. | B．Put. | C．Mix. | D．Break. |
| A．It uses milk to put into the cup. |
| B．It is the origin of modern latte art. |
| C．It should be enjoyed in a limited time. |
| D．It is common around the world these years. |
| A．Persistent. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Warm-hearted. | D．Knowledgeable. |
| A．It is a good leisure activity for us. |
| B．It can be seen in many places in China now. |
| C．It is the most important tea-making technique in China. |
| D．It makes us know more about Chinese traditional culture. |
10 . Four Strange American Traditions
Let’s look at four traditions Americans celebrate without even considering how strange the rest of world consider them.
Baby Showers
The custom of celebrating a new child has been around forever and is part of most cultures. In the US, however, it’s honored differently: with a baby shower. The baby shower began during the 1950s. It involves an afternoon party for the mom-to-be attended by close female friends and families. The guests play baby-themed games, and there’s always plenty of food.
Trick-or-treating
Many cultures have strong historic traditions like dressing up around the time of Halloween, but few of these involve children going door-to-door asking for candy with the words, “Trick or treat!” Typically, their parents wouldn’t allow them to talk to strangers, begging for candy in the streets at night. But all of a sudden they support such behaviors on one magical evening each fall.
Presidential Turkey Pardons
Thanksgiving in general seems to puzzle those who aren’t interested in American traditions, but perhaps no part of that turkey festival seems more unusual than the annual ceremony during which modern presidents give an official pardon to a live turkey. Interestingly, there’s also a great deal of confusion among Americans concerning the actual origins of this strange tradition.
Black Friday Shopping Sprees(疯狂购物)
People in the US have no problem lining up before the sun even rises to cash in on big deals on Black Friday. Just hours after millions of turkeys are eaten in the United States on Thanksgiving each year, the shoppers head out to get a start on their yearly Christmas gift list. Black Friday sales promotion traditionally launches this national weekend shopping activity, which continues with Small Business Saturday and ends with Cyber Monday.
1. What can the children do in Trick-or-treating?| A．Ask for candy from strangers. | B．Play some baby-themed games. |
| C．Hold a historic traditional party. | D．Support their parents to make a trick. |
| A．Baby Showers. | B．Trick-or-treating. |
| C．Presidential Turkey Pardons. | D．Black Friday Shopping Sprees. |
| A．They are fond of shopping activities. | B．They can buy some discounted goods. |
| C．They want to improve its popularity. | D．They have to prepare candy for strangers. |
