1 . Shan Tianfang was a leading performer of the traditional Chinese art form pingshu, which translates as "storytelling".
Pingshu dates from the Song Dynasty when performers entertained villagers by telling stories in a particularly emotive style. It remains particularly popular in Northeast China. Performers wear traditional dress and use very basic props - often a folded fan and a gavel. Pingshu is sometimes performed in teahouses and small theatres, but many Chinese associate the art form with radio. And in a country where sleeping problems are common, pingshu is still popular as a way of helping people to wind down at bedtime.
Shan Tianfang was born in 1934. His family introduced him to folk arts from a young age and he began learning pingshu when he was 19. He became known in Liaoning for his work on stage and in local teahouses during the 1950s and 1960s, and performed in an art troupe around the region. During the 1980s, Shan made the transition （转型） to state - run radio, and his attractive storytelling became comfort listening for people across the country. By the 1990s, Shan had become a well-known face on state TV. He has died aged 83 following a long illness.
Shan performed over 12, 000 stories on TV and radio. His stories attracted people of all ages. One of his most praised performances is The Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. He also gave countless performances of the " Four Classic Novels" （四大名著） and helped to bring lesser-known classical Chinese literature to the new audience.
He was able to use the media to attract his audience and in the process he helped to popularise classical Chinese literature. But in his later years, the growth of online and digital media exposed the challenges of keeping his art form alive. Shan turned his efforts towards writing books and opening performance schools to teach pingshu to young people. They included the Shan Tianfang Culture and Media Academy in Beijing, a Shan Tianfang teahouse and storytelling base in Anshan, Liaoning Province. Meanwhile, modern productions of pingshu reference（参考）contemporary culture to draw in new performers and audiences. Performers like Guo Heming have appeared, putting a modern spin on pingshu by adapting popular works, including the Harry Potter stories.
Although he wasn't particularly active on social media, he had more than one million fans on the Sina Weibo platform. A memorial service was held for him on 15 September, 2018, but millions of Chinese will miss his voice.
1. What's the main purpose of writing the passage?| A．To call on readers to listen to pingshu. |
| B．To encourage readers to read Chinese literature. |
| C．To help readers have a brief understanding of pingshu. |
| D．To introduce the artist Shan Tianfang. |
| A．It is particularly popular in the east of China. |
| B．Its performers wear traditional dress and use a huge hammer. |
| C．It is still a way to help people struggling to sleep. |
| D．It is usually performed in teahouses and theatres. |
| A．in order of place | B．in order of time |
| C．by giving examples | D．by making comparisons |
| A．brought the "Four Classic Novels" to a wide audience |
| B．was particularly active on the Sina Weibo platform |
| C．founded the Shan Tianfang Culture and Media Academy in his hometown |
| D．adapted the Harry Potter stories |
2 . The summer before my senior year of high school, I was eating in a dining hall with some other high school students, and one girl asked me, “Do you live in a teepee (圆锥形帐篷)?” It was such a silly question that, at first, I thought she was joking! I said, “Are you serious?” She said, “Oh, wait, I’m sorry. Is that something I shouldn’t ask?” She wasn’t trying to be rude, so it didn’t bother me. I just said, “No, I have a house with electricity and running water. I’m not disconnected from the world!” But the truth is, I did grow up differently.
I’m a Native American, and I’m from a reservation in California. A reservation is a place that’s reserved for Native American tribes (部落) by the federal government.
People often have misconceptions about what living in a reservation means. In reality, though, my life probably looks a lot like yours. But there are ways that my life has been different. The reservation is an hour from town, and there’s a big connection to the land. Our house is surrounded by a mountain, a river, and a farm. We have 23 animals including 10 chickens. It’s not just for show! We collect eggs from the chickens, use manure (粪肥) from the animals to fertilize soil, and pick fruits and vegetables from our garden.
I’ve also learned how to hunt and fish. When hunting for deer, my tribe has two rules: never shoot a female deer, because she might be pregnant; if you kill a deer, find a way to use all of it.
Going to college has been a big change for me. There were only 25 people in my graduating class, and now I go to school with thousands. In my reservation, I was surrounded mostly by Natives, but at college, the Native population is only 0.07%. It’s intimidating but also exciting.
I’m studying to become a vet — there aren’t any in my reservation. If an animal gets sick, you have to drive an hour to get help. My goal is to open a veterinary clinic that will help my reservation develop.
1. Why did the girl ask the author if he lived in a teepee?| A．Because she was silly. |
| B．Because she liked teepees. |
| C．Because she was just curious. |
| D．Because she was rude to the author. |
| A．pretty hard | B．very boring |
| C．close to nature | D．just like city life |
| A．quite eco-friendly | B．easy to respect |
| C．very unreasonable | D．difficult to understand |
| A．tiring | B．annoying |
| C．interesting | D．frightening |
3 . The Torch Festival (火把节) is a traditional festival which is celebrated among some ethnic groups in southwestern China, such as the Yi, Bai, Hani, Lisu, and Lahu, etc. It usually falls on the 24th or 25th of June, with three days of celebrations. The festival came from worship (崇拜) of fire by ancestors (祖先). For some ethnic groups, it’s a tradition in the festival for elders to share farming experience with young people and educate them about taking care of crops.
During the festival, big torches are made to stand in all villages, with small torches placed in front of the door of each house. When night falls, the torches are lit and the villages are bright. At the same time, people walk around the fields and houses, holding small torches and placing the torches in the field corners. Inside the villages, young people are singing and dancing around the big torches that keep burning throughout the night. Other activities like horse races are also held during the festival.
In a horse race of the Yi people in Yunnan, torches are used to form hurdles for riders to get through. The Hani people in Yunnan traditionally tie fruits to torches with strings. When the strings are broken after the torches are lit, people struggle for the fruits for good luck.
For the Lisu people in Sichuan, the festival is an occasion for holding torch parades. Big torches are carried by teams of people, which is like a fire dragon. If different teams meet, it’s a tradition to exchange the big torches with one another.
1. What can we know about the Torch Festival from the first paragraph?| A．It has nothing to do with farming. |
| B．Its celebrations usually last two days. |
| C．It is a traditional festival of all China. |
| D．It is a festival to show worship of fire. |
| A．ancestors. | B．young people. |
| C．elders. | D．ethnic groups. |
| A．Why the festival is enjoyed. | B．Where the festival is celebrated. |
| C．How the festival is celebrated. | D．What torches are used for the festival. |
| A．Holding torch parades. | B．Tying fruits to torches with strings. |
| C．Struggling for fruits for good luck. | D．Using torches as hurdles for a horse race. |
4 . The world is a colorful landscape of different languages, skin colors, and different cultures. It's important to have a good understanding of different cultures in order to become a well-rounded person
One way is to read books written by authors from a particular culture. Reading works by authors who have a close relationship with a particular culture allows people to gain an authentic glimpse into the food, music, language, religion, and way of a life of a particular group of people.
Another way to learn about different cultures is to try to learn a foreign language.
Communicating with people from other countries through email or snail mail is another useful way to become familiar with different cultures.
| A．Trying authentic food from a specific cultural group is also a great idea. |
| B．The Internet has made it possible to communicate with others from different countries. |
| C．Making contact with native speakers of the language allows one to gain firsthand knowledge. |
| D．There are several ways to become knowledgeable about different cultures. |
| E．Stories based on a local culture expose one to a different culture. |
| F．One way to develop this appreciation is to try to team about other cultures around the world. |
| G．A variety of language-learning books, software, and audio programs is available. |
5 . The New Year is a time for celebrations for almost everyone around the world. In Britain, people go to pubs and nightclubs to dance the old year away, and to welcome in the new one at midnight. Everyone wants to kiss someone special (boyfriend, girlfriend or even a complete stranger! ) as the bells ring out at midnight.
In recent years, street parties have become more popular. Hundreds or even thousands of people gather in squares, main streets or on the river banks to listen to bands playing and to see fabulous fireworks displays.
For people who stay at home, most watch special, live New Year shows on TV and countdown, along with the presenters, from 10 to 1 as the last seconds of the old year tick away and the bells of the New Year are rung.
In Scotland, on New Year’s Eve, people visit their neighbours and drink, dance and generally have a good time. If you’re invited to a Scottish home, it’s important to know what to bring with you: a lump of coal, some shortbread and some whisky.
The coal shows warmth so you’re wishing that the people you visit will have enough heat in the coming year. The shortbread represents food, so you’re hoping that the people will have enough to eat in the New Year. Some Scots call whisky “the water of life”, so when you hand over your bottle to your hosts, it means you want them to have enough to drink over the next 12 months.
There’s one more key task you still have to perform if you can. The first person to knock on a neighbour’s door is supposed to be a tall, dark, handsome man. If you are, you’ll bring good luck to the household. But what if that’s not you? Well, don’t ring the bell just yet. Wait a while and the right person will turn up soon!
1. What is the best title for this passage?| A．Seeing the old year off in Britain. |
| B．Celebrations of a Scottish New Year. |
| C．Visiting Scottish homes on New Year. |
| D．Sending good luck in the New Year. |
| A．British people hate to think of the old year and wish to dance it away quickly |
| B．street concerts have become more popular on New Year’s Eve |
| C．British people let off fireworks in public places to celebrate the New Year |
| D．people stay at home doing nothing but wait for the bell of the New Year to ring |
| A．To share good food and warmth. |
| B．To help those poor families. |
| C．To send best wishes to the families. |
| D．To show respect and richness. |
| A．the host of a special TV show |
| B．a tall, dark, handsome man |
| C．a man with coal, shortbread and whisky |
| D．a neighbor |
6 . 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．making wishes | B．celebrating birthdays |
| C．getting aid | D．guessing lantern riddles |
| A．They have different tastes. |
| B．They are named “yuanxiao” all over the country. |
| C．People enjoy the process of making them. |
| D．People usually make them with family and friends. |
| A．boring | B．humorous |
| C．romantic | D．important |
7 . A total of 17 paintings worth between 10 and 15 million euros were stolen at a museum in northern Italy.
Three armed men with masked faces broke into the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona. Located inside a castle which was built in 1354, the Castelvecchio Museum is one of the most important museums in the northern city.
The stolen paintings included masterworks from Andrea Mantegna, Jacopo Tintoretto, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacopo Bellini, Hans de Jode and other world-famous artists. The group controlled the only private security guard who was there and the cashier, and then forced the guard to accompany them to the rooms where they stole the paintings.
Verona Mayor Flavio Tosi, who stayed at the scene until late in the night, said that surely someone sent them,because they acted professionally, and knew what they were looking for. “ The paintings stolen, ” he added, “ basically were the most valuable works on display. ” An investigation was opened into the theft.
The museum displays a very important collection of Italian and European art in 29 rooms on various levels exhibiting early Christian finds, Lombard goldwork, sculptures from the 10th to the 14th century, medieval arms and armor, and paintings from the 14th to the 18th century.
The museum’s director, Paola Marini, called herself shocked by the theft. The experienced art historian,who is about to leave her post after over 20 years, was receiving an award in a nearby restaurant when she was informed of what had happened.
The theft came just a day after two stolen paintings recently recovered by Italian heritage police were displayed in Rome during a ceremony attended by President Sergio Mattarella and Culture Minister Dario Franceschini.
1. What do we know about the Castelvecchio Museum?| A．It is used as a castle. |
| B．It was built in 1354. |
| C．It is in the north of Italy. |
| D．It was the most important museum in Italy. |
| A．The stolen paintings are never on display. |
| B．The cashier asked the burglar to do it. |
| C．The security guard was killed. |
| D．The burglars were sent to do it. |
| A．was charged with the theft |
| B．was about to leave the museum when the theft happened |
| C．was having dinner outside when the theft took place |
| D．has been in charge of the museum for many years |
8 . Of all the traditional Chinese festivals，the Spring Festival is perhaps the most colourful and important.
To celebrate the biggest and most important festival，people do a lot of preparations for it. Early from December 23rd in the Chinese calendar，people begin to clean their houses.
On the eve of the Spring Festival，red couplets（对联）and posters are posted on doors.
On the Spring Festival，people wear new clothes to welcome the New Year's coming.
| A．There are lots of other activities celebrating the Spring Festival |
| B．After the dinner，all family members share the Spring Festival Gala，a performance on CCTV loved by people at home and abroad |
| C．In the evening，people go out to hold a parade |
| D．They symbolize happiness，prosperity（繁荣）and good luck in the New Year |
| E．Early in the morning，people greet relatives and friends with congratulations and wish good luck to each other |
| F．This is called Spring Cleaning |
| G．The Chinese people make some preparations in advance，like singing and dancing |
9 . Thanksgiving Day is a special holiday in the United States and Canada. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for the blessing.
Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. This is why it is celebrated in late fall, after the crops are in. But the first thanksgiving in America had nothing to do with a good harvest. On December 4,1619, the Pilgrims(新来移民) from England landed near what is now Charles City, Virginia, where they knelt down and expressed thanks for their safe journey across the Atlantic.
The first New England Thanksgiving did celebrate a rich harvest. The Pilgrims landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. They had a difficult time and the first winter was cruel. Many of the Pilgrims died. But the next year, they had a good harvest. So Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast. The Pilgrims invited Indian friends to join them for their special feast. Everyone brought food.
As time went by, other colonies(殖民地) began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving. But it took years before there was a national Thanksgiving Day. During the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale persuaded Abraham Lincoln to do something about it. In 1863, he announced the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving. Today, Americans celebrate this happy harvest festival on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day in much the same way as their American neighbours. But the Canadian Thanksgiving Day falls on the second Monday in October.
Thanksgiving Day is observed by church services and family reunions; the turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving feast. There are slight differences in Canada's and the United States' Thanksgiving in dates but the tradition is very similar. Other countries celebrate Thanksgiving Day as well.
1. The first group of people in America to have thanksgiving were __________.| A．some people from England | B．the American Indians |
| C．Sarah Josepha Hale | D．Governor Bradford |
| A．in the U.S.A. | B．in Great Britain |
| C．in Canada | D．on some island off the Atlantic |
| A．It's about how Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the U.S.A. |
| B．It's about how Thanksgiving Day came into being and the different ways it is celebrated. |
| C．It's about that Thanksgiving Day is in fact a harvest holiday. |
| D．It's about how the way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day changed with time and places. |
10 . Are Potato Fries a Cultural Treasure?
Belgium is divided into three communities. Each one has its own language and traditions. But the people of Belgium are united in their love for Belgian potato fries. The fries are prepared and sold the same way in all areas of the country.
The Reuters news service reports that potatoes reached Belgium in the 16th century. But it was not until the 19th century that restaurants and others began selling potato fries throughout the country as a separate meal.
Recently, a Belgian group launched a campaign aimed at getting the United Nations to recognize the popular treat. The group wanted the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to place the food on its cultural heritage list.
The UNESCO list recognizes more than 300 objects, beliefs and practices. They include Turkish coffee and the traditional Chinese theater known as Peking Opera. The list also includes a dance, the Argentinian tango, and the singing of the Aka pygmies of the Central African Republic. UNESCO says the list is "made up of intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate the diversity of heritage and raise awareness about its importance".
To appear on the list, each item needs an expression of support from a minister of culture. Belgium has three such ministers— one for each part of the country.
Belgian potato fries are traditionally sold in a paper wrapper or cone in a "fritkot", a small house or shack. There are about 5,000 fritkots in Belgium. That means they are 10 times more common as a percentage of the population as McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. The national organization of fritkot owners says the small, often unfinished buildings are much like Belgium itself. It says these buildings combine the country’s acceptance of disorder with a dislike of structures that all look the same. The group says 95 percent of Belgians visit a potato fries shack at least once a year.
1. Belgian potato fries .| A．were recognized by UNESCO |
| B．are well received by the Belgians |
| C．are sold in various ways throughout the whole country |
| D．were not sold as a separate meal until the 16th century |
| A．To place Belgian potato fries on the cultural heritage list. |
| B．To avoid Belgian potato fries9 disappearance. |
| C．To show the diversity of Belgian foods. |
| D．To prove the popularity of Belgian foods. |
| A．Peking Opera. |
| B．The Argentinian tango. |
| C．Turkish coffee. |
| D．American country music. |
| A．A simple house where the people live. |
| B．A kind of small, unfinished building. |
| C．A place where machines are used to make goods. |
| D．A piece of plastic that covers something. |
