1 . People like to celebrate when they move into a new home. Maybe it’ s the first flat someone has owned, a couple’ s first home since getting married or maybe a growing family has moved to a bigger house. For whatever reason, the home is new. It represents a change and an exciting new beginning, with walls to paint, rooms to decorate and neighbors to meet. And what better way to meet people than to throw a party?
Parties to celebrate moving into a new home are called “house-warming” or “flat-warming” parties. If you think about it, they are appropriate names because an empty house with no people or furniture in it is a cold shell of a place. A house full of people, on the other hand, often requires some open windows or air conditioning to keep from getting too hot.
So what are house-warming parties like? Usually, the hosts invite their new neighbors as well as their friends. They usually provide some food and drinks and guests usually bring house-warming gifts. The gift might be something for the house，like a plant, or something for the guests to share, like a bottle of wine. There may be a dress code or theme. For example, if it is a “Hat Party”, people will wear unusual or funny hats. This helps break the ice by making people laugh. This makes it easier to meet new people and creates a fun and cheerful atmosphere.
There’ s an old saying that home is where the heart is. When people throw a house-warming party,they’ re opening their hearts as well as their homes to the people around them. So if you’ re ever invited by new neighbors to a house-warming, go! Then invite them to your home another time. Your home might already be warm, but new friends are the surest way to warm your heart.
1. People hold a house-warming party to celebrate ______.| A．finding a new job | B．having a new baby |
| C．getting married | D．moving into a new home |
| A．It’s the opposite of a house-cooling party. |
| B．A house or flat with people in it seems to be lively. |
| C．When people drink wine at these parties they get very warm. |
| D．At these parties there is always a fire that people sit around to warm themselves. |
| A．It means to get conversation flowing(流畅). |
| B．It means to make a hole in the ice through which to fish. |
| C．It means conversation is very difficult because people don’ t know each other. |
| D．It means the atmosphere at a house-warming party is very cold and unfriendly. |
| A．It can show your politeness to your neighbors. |
| B．Everyone should have a house-warming. |
| C．Making new friends will make you happy. |
| D．Inviting them will warm up your cold house. |
2 . On a warm spring morning in 1984, Dong Yao-hui and his two young friends pulled on backpacks and set out on a hike of the Great Wall. Their walk began in Shanhai Pass.
The walk of 17 months and 8,850 kilometers tested persistence.
On completing their journey, they published their experiences in a book. As they shared their adventures, it became clear that it was not just the physical demands but also the emotional impact that left lasting impressions.
The Cultural Relics Administrative Department has been given control over the overall protection of the Great wall.
Dong places his hands on the weathered wall, as he did 35 years ago. But today, he thinks more deeply on a mission grander than his own journey. "Someone dug up some earth, making it into a brick," he says. "Someone else brought it all the way up the mountain and built a wall. Then many people guarded the wall for hundreds of years. The Great Wall is definitely alive.
| A．It isn't just a cold, stone wall. |
| B．Preservation requires the efforts of all society. |
| C．From there they went forward to the vast west. |
| D．It wound its way and reached into the Bohai Sea. |
| E．It made them the first ever to walk the whole length. |
| F．Meanwhile, local villagers have recently been hired to act as guardians. |
| G．Preservation work began when the Great Wall was listed as a World Heritage Site. |
3 . Culture is an idea that isn’t easy to understand. People often use the term to refer to things like food, holidays, clothing and music.
Maybe you’ve recently met someone from a different culture you find interesting.
Read books by and about people who are different from you. Reading memoirs (回忆录), biographies and other nonfiction books is an obvious way to learn about a country or someone’s life.
| A．Say goodbye to them. |
| B．Make friends with him/her. |
| C．There are many ways to understand other people’s cultures. |
| D．You may think you know a lot about a culture or place. |
| E．Differences between us are what makes life so interesting. |
| F．But it also goes much deeper than that. |
| G．Also don’t ignore novels that have been translated from other languages. |
4 . In some parts of China, mainly in Anhui Province and Zhejiang Province, spread groups of grey-tiled and white-walled houses, forming one of the most typical scenes captured in traditional Chinese landscape paintings. It is Hui-style architecture, one of the major Chinese architectural styles of ancient times.
Hui-style architecture developed into a significant building school in the Song Dynasty. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, gardens and houses constructed with Hui styles developed very quickly along with the success of Hui commerce (商业). Hui-style architecture soon stepped out from Huizhou and was introduced to big towns.
Hui-style architecture is characterized by the arrangement of villages together with nature, and a simple and beautiful exterior (外观).
Hui-style houses are usually ones with skylights (天井). With a square skylight surrounded by houses from four sides or from left, right and backside, these houses can reduce the beat of sunshine and enjoy ventilation (通风). All the houses gathers water from the skylight which means fortune will not run off outside.
In ancient times, the colors used for buildings were very strict Bright colors could only be used in palaces, temples and for government officials. So people in Huizhou chose the black and white colors to paint their houses.
Generally speaking, the exterior appearance of Hui-style buildings differs little while their interior can vary a lot based on the wishes of the owners. Home decoration is characterized by three types of Hui carving: stone carving, wood carving and brick carving.
To take a look at the Hui-style architecture, Xidi Village in Yixian County, Anhui Province, is the best place to go. It is a site of typical Hui houses, and one of the “Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui” that have been collectively listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
1. What can we learn about Hui-style architecture?| A．It is common across China. | B．It differs greatly exteriorly. |
| C．It focuses on landscape paintings. | D．It wins international recognition. |
| A．Its interior appearance. | B．Its roof structure. |
| C．Its practical functions. | D．Its strange shapes. |
| A．Bright colors were strictly controlled. |
| B．Bright colors caused fortune to run of. |
| C．Light colors best fit in with nature. |
| D．Light colors could reflect sunshine. |
| A．To advertise UNESCO. | B．To share information on visits. |
| C．To introduce a heritage site. | D．To call for protection. |
5 . Maaseik, a city in Belgium, has opened an exhibition of about 200 relics and treasures of the Tang Dynasty(618 AD - 907 AD), showing China’s golden age of ancient civilisation (文明) .
The exhibition, which opened on May 11 and will continue until Oct. 20, is part of the city’s effort to create a centre of Chinese culture. Belgian Princess Mathilde formally announced the beginning of the exhibition, titled: China’s Golden Age: Treasures from the Tang Dynasty”.
The items, including gold plates and silver wares for royal families, Tang Dynasty tri-colour glazed figurines (小雕像) of women and paintings, have recently been on exhibit in the Dutch city of Assen.
All of the exhibited items are from Shaanxi Province, China. Its provincial capital Xi’an was the most populous (人口众多的) city in the world and once the capital of the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang period is generally regarded as a high point in Chinese civilisation-requal to, or better than that of the earlier Han Dynasty(202 BC-220 AD), a golden age of Chinese culture.
Several years ago, said Dirk Verlaak, vice-mayor of Maaseik, his city and Assen teamed up to host history and culture exhibitions of China’s first two imperial dynasties, the Qin (221 BC-207 BC) and the Han. The Chinese relics and treasures attracted 350, 000 visitors in Assen and 190, 000 in Maaseik.
“Westerners don’t know much about China’s ancient civilisation and history, and we hope the new exhibition in Maaseik can attract more visitors,” said Verlaak.
1. Maaseik held the exhibition in order to ________.| A．make money | B．educate people |
| C．attract foreign visitors | D．spread Chinese culture |
| A．Dirk Verlaak is interested in Chinese history |
| B．All the items in the exhibition are from China |
| C．Assen attracted more visitors than Maaseik several years ago |
| D．This is the first time that Maaseik has held such an exhibition |
| A．Doubtful | B．Content | C．Worried | D．Disappointed |
| A．Tang Dynasty Treasures Exhibited in Belgium |
| B．Tang Dynasty Treasures Discovered in Belgium |
| C．Chinese Culture Goes around the World |
| D．Chinese Civilisation Attracts Foreigners |
6 . 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 seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的). No one had told them about the British custom (习惯) 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 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 (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .
In that country, you shake your head to mean ‘yes’— a nod means ‘no’. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid (避免) touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done in Thailand.
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．to use the right hand for passing food at table |
| B．to pass food with the left hand |
| C．to eat food with your hands |
| D．to help yourself at table |
| A．a common habit | B．an important manner |
| C．a serious trouble | D．a bad manner |
| A．People’s Everyday Life |
| B．Mind Your Manners |
| C．Shaking and Nodding Head |
| D．Taking a Bus in England |
7 . A 63-year-old Chinese grandpa's traditional carpentry (木工) skills are delighting tens of millions of viewers online as he creates woodwork without glue, screws or nails.
The Chinese master carpenter, Wang Dewen, known as “Grandpa Amu” on YouTube, has been regarded as a modern Lu Ban, a famous Chinese structural engineer during the Zhou Dynasty, thanks to his vast carpentry knowledge. His most popular video, which shows he made a fantastic wooden arch bridge, went viral on the platform, gaining more than 42 million views.
Grandpa Amu follows an ancient Chinese mortise and tenon technique (榫卯技术), which means no nails or glue are involved in the entire process of building the arch bridge. Grandpa Amu has also made several wooden toys for his grandson using the same technique. Among all the items, a walking Peppa Pig and a bubble blowing toy are his grandson's favorites.
It was not long before his son and daughter-in-law decided to video Wang's efforts. The master carpenter has so far attracted over 1. 18 million subscribers on YouTube, but Grandpt Amu insists that he is just an ordinary farmer. Just like LiZiqi, who lives in a village of southwest China's Sichuan Province, has made a name for herself by making various Chinese dishes on YouTube since 2016. Grandpa Amu now in fact is also trying to spread unique Chinese techniques and Chinese culture to the world.
Grandpa Amu's son and daughter-in-law now work full time on his videos, hoping that the channel's popularity would help local villagers better sell their farm produce. “We came up with the idea of making the videos because we wanted to bring our rural culture to others and let people learn about these ancient Chinese techniques,” said Huang Chunmei, Grandpa Amu's daughter-in-law, in an interview with South China Morning Post.
1. What is Granda Amu famous for?| A．A fantastic toy. | B．A pig. |
| C．His carpentry skills. | D．The toys for his grandson. |
| A．By using an ancient Chinese technique. | B．By applying modern skills. |
| C．By following the videos. | D．By studying carpentry knowledge. |
| A．They are good for selling toys. | B．They make Grandpa Amu busier. |
| C．They contribute to introducing China. | D．They help Grandpa Amu earn much money. |
| A．Best Popular Video On YouTube |
| B．Granda Amu: A Chinese Master Carpenter |
| C．Unbelievable Traditional Carpentry Skills |
| D．China: A Nation Full Of Amazing Technology |
8 . The Hope Festival is a not-for-profit music festival supporting different charities each year. It kicks off the summer music festival season and is a place to have a great time! The Hope Festival is a celebration of love and life and originally started 30 years ago as a wedding party. Today it is an energetic festival in which you can grab some great food, listen to live music and enjoy the joys of camping! The Hope Festival starts officially at 12 noon on Friday but you may arrive any time on Friday. If you like an extra night in a tent, you can arrive on Thursday afternoon and pay £10 per person to the farmer for camping.
The Hope Festival has the following attractions:
Over 70 live acts and 3 music stages including the Main Stage, the Windmill-Inn Bar Stage and the Festival Folly Stage — place to the Hope's Got Talent competition.
The Piano Tent — a great place to enjoy some amazing prepared music!
The Campfire — warm yourself by our campfire.
The Kids Workshops Tent — great fun and games for the kids of the festival where they make their costumes for our Kids Procession at midday on Sunday. The Kids Procession ends with a magic show performed in the Piano Tent on Sunday afternoon.
We also have cafes, juice bars and licensed bars with great real ale.
Note: NO DOGS are allowed on site!
There is a £10 increase in adult ticket prices if you want to buy tickets at the box office. Tickets are refundable up to 30 days before the event, and available to purchase until Wednesday 23rd May at 11 p.m., subject to availability.
1. What can we know about the Hope Festival?| A．It starts at 12 noon on Thursday. | B．It focuses on a wedding celebration. |
| C．It has a history of about three decades. | D．A family will be charged ￡10 if camping. |
| A．In a licensed bar. | B．In the Piano Tent. |
| C．In the Kids Workshops Tent. | D．On the Main Stage. |
| A．Pets are not allowed in. | B．The admission fee is £10 per person. |
| C．Kids should take their own costumes. | D．The prices of adult tickets paid at the box office are higher. |
9 . 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 on 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 neighbour’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 19th 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 annual feast held for about 600 monkeys. The Monkey Buffet Festival is held in honour of the Hindu gods Ram and Hanuman and involves 3, 000 kilograms of vegetables and fruit being laid out for monkeys to stuff themselves.
1. What does the underlined word “bizarre” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Dangerous. | B．Strange. | C．Scary. | D．Familiar |
| 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. |
| A．Enjoying the worldwide championship of wife lifting. |
| B．Enjoying the world championship of grimaces. |
| C．Enjoying the Boryeong Mud Festival. |
| D．Enjoying the Monkey Buffet Festival. |
| A．England. | B．Finland. | C．South Korea. | D．Thailand. |
10 . 5 of the Most Interesting Customs in the World
Switzerland—Honesty shopping
There are little shops in the middle of the Swiss Alps that allow you to buy your fresh cheese, milk, bread, honey, and butter without anyone to watch you. In fact, no one watches these shops because they are owned by farmers who are out taking care of the animals.
South Korea—NOT tipping
Tipping is in the blood for someone who is raised in the United States along with many other European countries. But in South Korea, employees in the food service industry are given fair wages and take pride in their work, and it is insulting to attempt to tip them.
Iceland—Christmas Eve books giving
People puzzle over the eternal question of Christmas gifts. Iceland has solved this problem with the Christmas Eve tradition of giving a book. After everyone unwraps the books, they spend the evening reading together.
Japan—Pushers on the subway
Japan's subway is crowded during rush hours. But instead of settling for the inefficiency that personal space demands, Japan has "pushers". They are exactly what they sound like-employees whose only job during rush hour is to push more people onto the train.
Russia—Offering vodka
It is the custom to welcome new friends with shots of vodka. What better way to break the ice than with some stomach- warming shots of this Russian tradition? That's something we can all toast to, or, as they say in Russia, "Na zdorovye!".
1. In which of countries is it a tradition to give books as a Christmas gift?| A．Japan. | B．South Korea. | C．Russia. | D．Iceland. |
| A．It is a tradition for Swiss to welcome guests with vodka. |
| B．No one watches you shop in Switzerland because people are busy. |
| C．"Pushers" in Japan help you get off the train faster. |
| D．Tipping is in the blood for people in South Korea. |
| A．Those who intend to travel in their home country. |
| B．Those who want to study abroad. |
| C．Those who are interested in diverse customs around the globe. |
| D．Those who are fond of natural sceneries. |
