1 . 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. |
2 . 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. |
3 . In England, recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seemed all at sea and looked embarrassed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised by just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn’t agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty.
1. The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen .| A．were foreigners | B．didn’t have tickets |
| C．made a loud noise | D．didn’t line up for the bus |
| A．learn the language of the country |
| B．understand the manners and customs of the country |
| C．have enough time and money |
| D．make friends with the people there |
| A．Tired. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Confused. | D．Pleased. |
| A．pass food with the left hand |
| B．use the right hand for passing food at table |
| C．shake your head |
| D．nod your head |
4 . Traveling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier. We live in a global (全球的) village.
Greetings
How should you behave when you meet someone for the first time? An American or Canadian shakes your hand while looking you straight in the eyes.
Clothes
Food and drink
In Italy, Spain and Latin America, lunch is often the biggest meal of the day, and can last two or three hours.
Doing business
| A．In many parts of Asia, there is no physical touch at all. |
| B．Sometimes, social events end with singing and dancing. |
| C．But this doesn’t mean that we all behave in the same way. |
| D．For this reason many people eat a light breakfast and a late dinner. |
| E．Many countries have rules about what you should and shouldn’t wear. |
| F．In many countries, business hours are from 9 or 10 to 5 or 6. |
| G．In most countries, showing business cards is important for all introductions. |
5 . Black Friday in the United States
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the USA and falls on the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November.
Many people have a day off work or choose to take a day from their quota (定额；配额) of annual leave on Black Friday. Some people use this to make trips to see family members or friends who live in other areas or to go on vacation. Shopping for Christmas presents is popular on Black Friday. Many stores have special offers and lower their prices on some goods, such as toys.
Public life
Black Friday is not a federal holiday, but is a public holiday in some states. Many people take a day off on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Many organizations also close for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Public transit systems may run on their normal schedule or may have changes. Some stores extend their opening hours on Black Friday.
Background
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA.
The other theory is that the term “Black Friday” comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.
More recently, Black Friday has been exported to nations outside of North America such as the United Kingdom by major online retailers like Amazon or Apple.
| A．It is a busy shopping day and is a holiday in some states. |
| B．Black Friday is popular as a shopping day for a combination of several reasons. |
| C．In 2011, IBM reported online Black Friday sales were up by 24.3% according to a study that includes 500 retailers. |
| D．What do people do? |
| E．History of Black Friday |
| F．There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday. |
| G．There can also be jams on roads to popular shopping destinations. |
6 . China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them. This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for the start of spring and farming. This year, the day falls on March 4th.
The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the “descendants (传人) of the dragon”. Therefore, people celebrate the Dragon Head Raising Day with many customs about dragons.
On the day in ancient times, people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to “lead the dragon into the house”. People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest in autumn.
Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat “dragon whisker (细须)” noodles and dumplings called “dragon teeth”.
Today, many customs have faded away. But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother’s brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.
1. Why is the dragon deeply rooted (扎根) in Chinese culture?| A．Chinese people think the dragon is a symbol of power. |
| B．Chinese people see the dragon as a symbol of good luck. |
| C．Chinese people think the dragon stands for the start of spring and farming.. |
| D．Chinese people consider themselves the descendants of the dragon. |
| A．disappear gradually | B．become stronger |
| C．run away | D．die off |
| A．Because the dragon liked the ashes. |
| B．Because the ashes led the dragon into the house. |
| C．Because the ashes brought a good harvest. |
| D．Because the ashes could bring good luck. |
| A．Putting ashes in the kitchen. | B．Eating dragon whisker noodles and dumplings. |
| C．Cutting hair. | D．Eating special foods. |
7 . Chinese New Year has been welcomed in Britain with its biggest ever program of events and celebrations.
From London's Trafalgar Square to major cities across Britain,tens of thousands of British people have joined Chinese communities to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. In Manchester there was a Dragon Parade(舞龙表演）,led by a very impressive 54-meter long dragon,ending in Chinatown where there was traditional Chinese entertainment, more than 6, 000 lanterns,street food villages and a fireworks show. Celebrations also took place in Liverpool, Birmingham, Durham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Newcastle.
Academic Dr Wu Kegang said that the Chinese New Year event in Britain “is now bigger than ever and it is growing every year”. When Wu arrived in Britain 26 years ago from Guangdong,the first thing he noticed was that Chinese New Year was celebrated mainly in towns and cities with big Chinese communities. “You would go to London Chinatown and join your countrymen to celebrate, or to Chinatowns in places like Liverpool and Manchester for events almost only held for Chinese people, ”Wu recalled.
“Now it is so different, and we are seeing local communities all over the country taking part alongside their own Chinese populations, ” he said. “It is clear to me that the celebrations will continue to grow in Britain. Chinese New Year has earned its place in the calendar of events in Britain,and is here to stay. ”
1. Where did the Dragon Parade take place?| A．In London. | B．In Liverpool. |
| C．In Manchester. | D．In Birmingham. |
| A．celebrated mainly by Chinese communities |
| B．celebrated by local communities all over the country |
| C．only celebrated in London, Liverpool and Manchester |
| D．celebrated by tens of thousands of British people with Chinese people |
| A．It will lose its attraction. |
| B．It will become a British official holiday. |
| C．More and more British people will join in the celebrations. |
| D．It will become the most important one in the calendar of events in Britain. |
| A．How Chinese New Year is celebrated in Britain. |
| B．Where Chinese New Year is celebrated in Britain. |
| C．Chinese culture is more attractive than British culture. |
| D．Chinese New Year has become more and more popular in Britain. |
8 . Chinese people love food made of flour, whether it be dumplings, or flatbread. In the hands of sill artisans (手艺人), flour is made into lovely models of people or animals to be enjoyed and played with, which brings a unique kind of pleasure. This art form is called dough figurine (面塑). Among the various at styles of dough figurines, Beijing’s Dough Figurine Lang is a unique folk art, which is filled with the rich history and customs of the capital city. Their delicate and lovely handicrafts are storytellers of old and new Beijing. In 2008, it was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.
It was created by Lang Shao’an. Most of the dough figurines are animals and characters from legends, historical stories, and local operas. The finished product is either put at the end of a thin stick, or on a table for display. Some are mostly for children to eat or play with, with simple forms and vivid decorations, while some are delicate pieces of artwork for display only. For this reason, during the making process they are often mixed with additives (添加剂) to prevent them from breaking up, being eaten by insects or growing moldy. Over the course of his long career, Lang Shao’an developed a set of sill fingers with an elegant artistic sense.
Lang Jiaziyu, born in 1995, is the third-generation inheritor of Dough Figurine Lang. When he was 15, he created Beijing Olympic Mascot shaped dough figurines which were highly praised. He looks a bit more fashionable than other folk artisans. In his skilled hands, pop culture icons such as figures based on Marvel comics characters and Chinese mythological figure Nezha with smoky makeup, are resonating with young people.
Like most of the other intangible cultural heritage handicrafts in China, Dough Figurine Lang does not get as much attention from the public. Few young people are willing to take the time to master a skill that does not make money, which has led to a decline in the number of those who are devoted to the handicraft. Good handicrafts need the devotion of artisans from one generation to another.
1. What is special about Dough Figurine Lang?| A．It reflects Beijing’s culture. |
| B．It is created by many famous artists. |
| C．It shows people’s lifestyles and beliefs. |
| D．It is popular with both tourists and the locals. |
| A．To make dough figurines taste good. |
| B．To keep colors brighter and last longer. |
| C．To help shape dough into various forms. |
| D．To better preserve the finished products. |
| A．Suggestions for other folk artisans. |
| B．Different art styles of dough figurines. |
| C．Lang Jiaziyu’s achievements as an artisan. |
| D．The popularity of modern dough figurines. |
| A．To call on people to master a skill. |
| B．To appeal to people to value this folk art. |
| C．To teach people ways to appreciate the handicraft. |
| D．To persuade people to protect national cultural heritage. |
9 . Crosstalk, a traditional form of comic storytelling, is making a comeback in China’s tea houses and theaters.
Audiences can laugh the night away every Saturday at the Qianxiangyi Teahouse in Tianjin, entertained by the apprentices(徒弟) of Hou Baolin, Ma Sanli or Yin Shoushan—all leading crosstalk artists of years past—for only 20 yuan.
The success in Tianjin has also caused the rejuvenation（复活）of crosstalk in Beijing and other places.
Although the art form originated in Beijing in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Tianjin became a place where rising stars formed their styles and new pieces were tried out. The city was well-known nationwide for the quality of its crosstalk performances.
Known in Chinese as xiangsheng (literally, “face and voice”), crosstalk was the chief form of comedy throughout most of the 20th century. In the old days in Tianjin and elsewhere, temple fairs and market were the main places for crosstalkers to perform, although they occasionally also appeared in teahouses or theaters.
Crosstalk pieces draw on every aspect of Chinese culture, from history and folk tales to social issues of the time. Although there’re hundreds of traditional pieces, they’re constantly rewritten to suit the times and the audience, while new works are written as well. It’s one of the features that have made crosstalk a public art form throughout its history.
“Crosstalk was in the doldrums（萎靡不振）with competition from other art forms, especially TV,” said Wang Xiaochun, headmaster of the Northern Storytelling Arts School of China (NSAS). “But it has regained its status with crosstalk fans, especially young people, growing aware of its rare qualities.”
“More and more students are coming to NSAS to study crosstalk, including some girl students,” said Wang. “We’re sure that crosstalk will have a strong market.”
1. What does crosstalk mean in Chinese?| A．Storytelling. | B．Face and voice. | C．Folk tale. | D．Dialogue. |
| A．Crosstalk first arose in Tianjin. |
| B．Crosstalk was mainly performed at teahouses in the past. |
| C．Crosstalk was the most popular art form in the 20th century. |
| D．Crosstalk didn’t appear until the Qing Dynasty. |
| A．it is a popular traditional art after all |
| B．the pieces contain some famous folk tales |
| C．the crosstalkers make it return to teahouses |
| D．the pieces are made to suit the times and the audience |
| A．Negative. | B．Doubtful. | C．Optimistic. | D．Cautious. |
10 . When you walk along a street in a big city in the United States, you may see clocks in most stores. Radio announcers give the correct time during the day. People there think that it is important to know the time. Most Americans have watches. They do not want to be late.
Not all people all over the world value time. Suppose you visit a certain country in South America, you would find that people living there do not like to rush. If you had an appointment(约会)with someone, he would probably be late. He would not care about arriving on time. In some countries in South America, even the radio programs may not begin right on time, nor do the radio announcers think it important to announce the right time. Many people regard a clock as a machine. It seems to them that a person who does everything on time is controlled(控制)by a machine. They do not want a clock or any machine to have that much power over their lives.
1. There are clocks in most stores in the US cities because ________.| A．people in the stores want to sell these clocks |
| B．bosses want to make their stores beautiful |
| C．people there think it important to know the time |
| D．they needn’t wear watches when they are away from home |
| A．run | B．race |
| C．hurry | D．move |
| A．he didn't have a watch with him |
| B．he forgot to have a look at a watch or a clock |
| C．he didn't think it important to arrive on time |
| D．he didn't like an appointment with someone |
