1 . In China, tea has become an important part of everyday life for thousands of years. As the tea-processing methods and tea culture have evolved over the years, tea sets have also changed to meet the practical and cultural needs.
During the Tang Dynasty(618~907AD), tea leaves were traded across the country and Asia. For the convenience of transportation and storage, tea leaves were pressed into bricks. To prepare tea, drinkers had to cut them into small pieces and boil them in heat-resistant teapots.
By the Song Dynasty(960-1279), drinkers started to turn the hard bricks into powders (粉末) that could be whipped (搅打) in a cup with boiled water. This whipped tea is most commonly associated with Japanese tea ceremonies today.
By the 1500s, tea bricks gave way to the form of rolled leaves. This innovation led to the invention and use of teapots as we know them today. These teapots originally came from the Yi Xing region of China and were soon copied throughout the world. Then Japanese teapot-makers moved the handle from the side to the top of the teapots.
Tea finally reached Europe in the 1600s, along with the necessary tea sets made in Japan and China. As English teapot-makers began to adapt the tea sets to their country men’s tastes, they eventually added a handle to the tea bowl because of the English habit of drinking hot black tea, which was consumed at higher temperatures. The size of teacups also grew to accommodate milk and sugar in their tea.
By the early 1900s, innovations in tea drinking became an American affair. The most revolutionary one was the tea bag, which was accidentally commercialized by Thomas Sullivan. He had been sending customers tea wrapped in silk bags. Rather than take the leaves out of the bags, as Sullivan intended, the customers put the bags into their teapots instead. Not only did the tea bags push the teapot back to the sidelines of tea service, they were also too large for teacups and led to the modern practice of drinking tea from mugs.
1. Which was used to make the whipped tea in Japan?| A．Rolled tea leaves. | B．Freshly picked tea leaves. |
| C．Powdered tea leaves. | D．Loosely pressed tea leaves. |
| A．Tea bags and mugs. | B．Tea bowls with handles. |
| C．Heat-resistant teapots. | D．Teapots with top handles. |
| A．Customers are very creative. | B．Innovations are relatively easy. |
| C．Marketing strategy is critical. | D．Good ideas can be born by accident. |
| A．The Development of Tea Sets | B．Varieties of Tea Leaves |
| C．Various Tea-making Methods | D．The Spread of Tea Trades |
2 . If you are looking for culturally and globally unique experiences, here are four fascinating festivals that you can try from different corners of the world.
Holi Festival in India
Holi Festival in India is a colorful celebration of the arrival of spring. This festival, which falls in February or March, is celebrated with much enthusiasm and excitement all across the country. During Holi, people smear(涂抹) each other’s faces with brightly colored powders and spray colored water using water guns called pichkaris.
Carnival of Venice in Italy
This is a festival when you can see the streets of Venice flooded with colorful masks and carefully prepared costumes. Participants engage in a series of events ranging from parades and costume contests to masquerade balls(化装舞会). There is a popular event at the carnival, in which a girl in a traditional costume descends a rope from a tower to the square below.
Carnaval de Oruro in Bolivia
This carnival is a visual performance that takes place every year. The carnival features colorful and intricate(复杂精细的) costumes worn by tens of thousands of dancers and musicians who parade through the streets of Oruro over several days. The carnival is devoted to the Virgin of Candelaria, resulting in a fascinating and unique display of cultural heritage and artistic expression.
Day of the Dead in Guatemala
The Day of the Dead is a gift to the loved ones who are dead. The festival is a mixture of traditional Mayan culture and Catholic traditions. It takes place on November 1st and involves flowers, candles, and food offerings for the loved ones who are dead.
1. What is special about the Holi Festival in India?| A．Costume contests and masquerade balls. |
| B．Brightly colored powders on people’s faces. |
| C．Colorful and intricate costumes of dancers. |
| D．Beautiful flowers and good food offerings. |
| A．They are celebrated for the rich. |
| B．They just cost a little money. |
| C．They feature carefully prepared costumes. |
| D．They are in memory of famous musicians. |
| A．It is a weekly celebrated festival. |
| B．It is an event with some parades. |
| C．It is a mixture of six different traditions. |
| D．It is a festival for the dead people love. |
3 . When Chinese people think of wushu, what often comes to mind is wuxia novels, a kind of historical novel that involves wushu warriors.
| A．Wuxia stories most often take place in the jianghu |
| B．Central to the idea of the wuxia hero is the concept of xia |
| C．Most often, there are some fantastic elements to these novels |
| D．Wuxia has a long literary history dating back as far as Sima Qian |
| E．As a master storyteller, he wove fact and fiction in a fantastic way |
| F．And he is willing to battle to help those in need and make a better society |
| G．Typically, wuxia stories begin with a hero who experiences personal trouble |
4 . The Mogao Grottoes were a center of Buddhist life and some of the world’s great cultures for hundreds of years. However, by the late Qing Dynasty they had been abandoned and nearly forgotten and many of the caves had become damaged by the elements. Around 1900, with the discovery of a library of thousands of ancient documents, the caves received new interest from Chinese and foreign researchers. Unfortunately, this resulted in tens of thousands of items from the caves being taken to foreign museums
In the 1940s, many researchers and artists visited the area to study traditional Chinese art. Copies of some of the artwork painted by respected artists such as Zhang Daqian and GuanShanyue helped people all over the country learn about Dunhuang. These artists were also inspired by the artwork they saw in the caves and it began to influence their painting styles. Others staved in the desert for much longer, Chang Shuhong stayed for the rest of his life — struggling to record the cultural treasures and protect them from the weather. As a result of their efforts the Dunhuang Academy was formed to protect and study the Mogao Grottoes.
In 1987, the Mogao Grottoes were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the caves are open to the public, access is now limited in order to protect the artwork. However, the caves can be seen online in digital form so that people around the world can study and enjoy them.
Despite its remoteness, the Mogao Grottoes continue to draw visitors. And just as the sand and desert have survived largely unchanged through the centuries, this small art gallery in the desert has also survived largely unchanged providing an amazing look at a world long ago past.
1. When did the Mogao Grottoes regain the world’s attention?| A．Hundreds of years ago. |
| B．In the late Qing Dynasty. |
| C．In the late eighties of the 20th century. |
| D．Around the beginning of the 20th century. |
| A．To learn about their works. |
| B．To show how hard they worked. |
| C．To compare their different styles. |
| D．To appreciate their contributions. |
| A．they can do researches online |
| B．they can enjoy the digital versions |
| C．they can watch copies in art galleries |
| D．they can study them in foreign museums |
| A．The Mogao Grottoes — Center of Buddhist Life |
| B．The Mogao Grottoes — Art Gallery in the Desert |
| C．Respected artists — Protectors of the Mogao Grottoes |
| D．An Amazing Tourist Attraction — The Mogao Grottoes |
5 . Spooky (幽灵般的) season is finally upon us! But it looks a little different to how it did 100 years ago...
Halloween has been around for centuries, as a pagan (异教徒的) holiday in ancient Ireland during which people celebrated and “communicated” with visiting spirits. Initially Halloween was all about mischief, which may sound harmless, but used to have far more negative connotations. Before the 1930s, “trick-or-treating” was associated with groups of young men going door to door to play tricks such as throwing cabbages at houses or stealing garden gates.
Nowadays, trick-or-treaters tend to be children on the hunt for sweets. Going door to door for treats in Ireland was accompanied by the phrase, “Help the Halloween party”. It was only in the 1980s that it became standard to hear choruses of “trick or treat”, thanks to the classic 1982 film ET. As with many American cultural imports, not everyone was pleased about this development--in fact in 2009, The Telegraph ran the headline, “Halloween: Trick, Treat And A Total Travesty?”.
In the 20th century, typical treats included candy apples, jelly beans and candy corn. These days, you are more likely to be met with Haribo Starmix and fun-sized Mars Bars (although if you are old enough to be reading Reader’s Digest, you can probably expect to be turned away at the door should you attempt to go trick-or-treating this year).
The most popular Halloween costumes have also changed in the last hundred years, shifting from cowboys and witches to Marvel superheroes. This year, after a Halloween night spent braving horror films and turning away children desperate for free sweets, you can at least sleep easy at night knowing that things have changed since the 1920s--and you’ll probably wake up with your garden gate where you left it!
1. What can be learned from Paragraph 2?| A．In ancient Ireland it was a national tradition to celebrate Halloween. |
| B．At Halloween ancient people could possess the power of visiting spirits. |
| C．Generally a century ago the mischief at Halloween did no harm to others. |
| D．At Halloween the mischief once left some people disturbed and annoyed. |
| A．To show the rapid development of the festival. | B．To indicate the growing popularity of the phrase. |
| C．To prove existing dissatisfaction with Halloween. | D．To discuss the proper behaviour at Halloween. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Critical. | C．Aggressive. | D．Serious. |
| A．The Development of Halloween in America | B．Halloween: An Unsuccessful Cultural Import |
| C．Fun But Harmless Mischief at Halloween | D．Changes to Halloween in the Past Century |
6 . Few women would consider a pair of scissors to be daily essential that they need to have in their purses. But for Shi Qinling, who is currently working at the Fenglin community cultural center in Shanghai, this tool has been with her everywhere she goes for the past decade —not as a means of self-protection but artistic expression.
“Paper-cutting is not about cutting random patterns from paper. Writers tell stories using words. I do the same, but with a pair of scissors,”Shi said.
Shi developed an interest in craft (工艺) when she was a child. This interest later developed into a passion, one that she decided to pursue by majoring in arts and crafts design during her time in university. After graduation, however, she found herself working at a ship design company as she was unsure about what she wanted to do with her future. About a year later, the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Research Institute offered her a position in their paper-cutting department. Realizing that she still had a love for the craft, she made the career switch.
In 2010, Shi started learning paper-cutting from Xi Xiaoqin, a paper-cutting expert. Three years later, one of her works, The Fighting Fish, won third place at the
Baihua Cup, a competition for Chinese arts and crafts. Over the past decade, Shi’s works have been exhibited in 23 exhibitions.
Although Shi is already so skilled in the craft that she can create an animal pattern in 10 minutes without even having to draw the outlines, she continues to improve her skills every day. The reason is that she views paper-cutting as not just an art form, but also a form of learning about traditional Chinese culture. She thinks she has the responsibility to attract people from different age groups and different fields to try paper-cutting.
1. Why does Shi Qinling always carry a pair of scissors with her?| A．To fix things on the go. |
| B．To show off her creativity. |
| C．To make paper cuts anytime. |
| D．To protect herself from dangers. |
| A．What Shi Qinling did in university. |
| B．How Shi Qinling got rid of the boredom. |
| C．How Shi Qinling started paper-cutting career. |
| D．Why Shi Qinling resigned from her previous job. |
| A．Selfless and adaptable. | B．Creative and humorous. |
| C．Devoted and generous. | D．Talented and responsible. |
7 . Unique Birthday Traditions
The editors of our international editions share traditions reserved for counting yourself one year older.
Lithuania
“In my native country, it is customary for the birthday person to sit in a decorated chair and to be lifted up by the party guests,” says editor Eva Mackevic. “How many times the chair is raised will correspond with his or her age.”
Japan
In Japan, when a child turns one, a ceremony called erabitori is held, where the birthday child chooses from a selection of items spread out around that represent the potential future. When a person turns 20, a coming-of-age celebration will be held on the second Monday January.
The Netherlands
When someone turns 50, a large doll will be placed in the birthday person’s garden or by heir front door; men have an “Abraham” doll, women a “Sarah”, based on a Bible passage.
Australia
A child’s first birthday is often celebrated with balloons and specially made “fairy bread”. Some families in Australia also mark the age of 21 with a souvenir “key to the door”, representing the young adult’s privilege to come and go from the family home as they please.
Germany
“In Germany, when unmarried men turn thirty, they are supposed to sweep the stairs of the local church or town hall,” editor Michael Kallinger says, “while women have to deal with the door handle.” This public act is meant to embarrass the person and motivate them to marry.
1. Which is part of a one-year-old boy’s birthday celebration in Japan?| A．Predicting the boy’s future. | B．Deciding the boy’s career. |
| C．Seeking items at the birthday party. | D．Holding a coming-of-age ceremony. |
| A．Love from parents. | B．Time to move out. |
| C．End of the 21st birthday. | D．Recognition of independence. |
| A．Germany. | B．Australia. |
| C．Lithuania. | D．The Netherlands. |
8 . Every November, as Thanksgiving Day approaches, one memory comes to my mind. At my big Turkish family’s get-togethers, baklava (果仁蜜饼) is the norm at the dessert table. There’s rolled baklava, nut-filled baklava and chocolate-dipped baklava.
One year, though, back when I was in high school, my cousin Johnny decided to change things up a bit. He showed up at my parents’ house for Thanksgiving with two items that had never been served before--apple pie and a can of cream.
Those two items caused one of the biggest arguments. I distinctly remember my mom and aunts whispering in the kitchen.
“Apple pie?” one of my aunts said. “What to do with this?”
I can still recall my mom’s puzzled expression at it all. If there’s one thing in this world my mom distrusts, it’s fruit-filled desserts, a no-no in our cuisine culture. “Why would you bake fruits into a dessert when you can eat them fresh?” she often says.
The cream only made things worse. My mom didn’t want to hurt Johnny’s feelings. In a true act of love, she put the pie out on the dining room table, accompanied by the cream. It went mostly untouched.
Nowadays, things are different. We actually have pie at Thanksgiving--my mom regularly makes pie (the fear of fruit-filled sweets continues, but desserts topped with fruits or nuts have been given the okay). We still laugh about the drama caused by Johnny’s apple pie. I’ll never forget it. It wasn’t just about the pie for me. Growing up, I sometimes felt like an outsider because of my culture. That Thanksgiving, though, was one of the first times I realized that my family’s oddness was actually a good thing. It’s what made us.
What about you? Which Thanksgiving sticks out as your most memorable one?
1. The purpose of the first paragraph is to introduce ________.| A．the unique family tradition | B．the background of the story |
| C．different kinds of baklava | D．the customs of Thanksgiving Day |
| A．ruined the festival atmosphere | B．challenged family traditions |
| C．resulted in a family quarrel | D．contributed to a heavy meal |
| A．Serious and honest. | B．Generous and strict. |
| C．Humorous and caring. | D．Considerate and flexible. |
| A．The author is at ease with his family members. |
| B．The author is aware of the importance of customs. |
| C．Cuisine culture helps shape our identity. |
| D．Culture shocks make a harmonious family. |
9 . Stargazing Festivals in 2023
As more areas grow brighter with light pollution, national parks across the country have become dark-sky havens. Over the years, they are making a push to get certified as havens for sky-watching by the International Dark Sky Association, and they even host events like stargazing festivals to get travelers excited about astronomy.
·Bryce Canyon National Park—June 14-17
Situated in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon earned its dark-sky title in 2019. The 35,835-acre park is an ideal place to stay up late. This year, its annual astronomy festival includes guided stargazing sessions, lectures and “star stories” presentations, family-friendly activities, and even a performance by strings musicians in the northern Arizona-based Dark Sky Quartet.
·Shenandoah National Park—August 11-13
Conveniently located within a day’s drive from two-thirds of Americans, Shenandoah National Park’s night sky festival is a low-lift way to dabble in astronomy. The nearly 200,000-acre park will host ranger talks, public stargazing sessions, lectures, presentations, and activities for kids. Staffers are still working on this year’s full schedule, but past events have covered topics ranging from space weather to nocturnal(夜间的) creatures.
·Great Basin National Park—September 14-16
Great Basin is one of the least crowded national parks, making it the perfect place to quietly appreciate the mysteries of the cosmos. Its annual astronomy festival is scheduled for this fall and includes guest speakers, constellation talks, observatory tours, and a photography workshop. During the festival’s unique “Art in the Dark” program, participants will get to paint in low-light conditions and experiment with how their eyes perceive color.
·Joshua Tree National Park—October 13-14
Joshua Tree National Park, as the International Dark Sky Association notes, is the “nearest convenient place to go stargazing under a relatively dark sky” for the 18 million people who live in the Los Angeles area. It became an official dark sky park in 2017, and each year, it hosts a night sky festival in the fall. As luck would have it, this year’s dates overlap with an annular “ring of fire” solar eclipse. From Joshua Tree, the moon will appear to obscure between 70 and 80 percent of the sun.
1. What is the purpose of Stargazing Festivals?| A．To raise public interest in astronomy. |
| B．To call for action against light pollution. |
| C．To provide a platform to observe stars. |
| D．To collect money for more observatories. |
| A．Bryce Canyon National Park. | B．Shenandoah National Park. |
| C．Great Basin National Park. | D．Joshua Tree National Park. |
| A．An observatory tour. | B．A photography workshop. |
| C．A stargazing tour. | D．A solar eclipse. |
10 . Four European Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss in 2023
Festival Medieval (中世纪的) de Sedan
For an unforgettable slice of Medieval France, head to Festival Medieval de Sedan in May. Held at the largest medieval castle in Europe, the Chateau de Sedan, the festival brings the spirit of the Middle Ages alive. Exciting tournaments and atmospheric parades take place around the castle grounds. Around 15,000 people come to explore the castle. Just be prepared to climb a lot of stairs!
La Fete de la Musique
There’s music in the air throughout France on 21 June. This is when La Fete de la Musique (Music Day) takes place. The first all-day musical celebration was first held in Paris in 1982 but later became celebrated in 120 countries around the world. During the festival, thousands of musicians gather in the streets, bars, and cafes giving free public performances.
Festival d’ Avignon
Another fantastic French festival not to miss is the Festival d’ Avignon. The annual theater festival is held in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes in Avignon. During this time, Avignon transforms its architectural heritage into various grand performance venues. Tens of thousands of theater lovers of all ages come to enjoy theatre, dance, visual arts, and live music.
Bastille Day
Celebrated nationwide on 14 July, Bastille Day is the biggest and most important festival in the French calendar. It marks the day that Parisian civilians and peasants stormed the fortress (堡垒) and prison of Bastille. This caused events that would end the monarchy (君主制) and start the age of liberty and equality. Celebrations are held all over France, including large-scale public events and parties.
1. Which of the following holidays takes place earliest?| A．Bastille Day. | B．Festival d’ Avignon. |
| C．La Fete de la Musique. | D．Festival Medieval de Sedan. |
| A．Enjoy beautiful music. | B．Explore some castles. |
| C．Make delicious coffee. | D．Learn about the monarchy. |
| A．In May. | B．In June. | C．In July. | D．In August. |
