1 . When visitors to the Palace Museum feel a need to sit down for a cup of tea or find a bathroom without a long line, they soon will be able to turn to their smart phones for the information they need.
This modern day solution comes thanks to an agreement signed on Friday by the museum and Huawei Co., the telecommunication giant, to build a “smart network” using 5G technology. Under the agreement, 5G Wi-Fi signals will cover the Palace Museum, China's royal palace from 1420 to 1911, and the branch museum of the institution under construction in northwestern Beijing.
“It’s essential to always stay close to the latest technology to better serve the public,” said Shan Jixiang, former director of the Palace Museum. Shan said there is still much room for improvement in the handling of a huge number of cultural relics (文物)，such as when the priceless painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival is exhibited again in the future. When it was last exhibited in 2015, visitors stood in long lines until 3 am to get a glimpse. The museum ended up preparing instant noodles to serve the hungry visitors. “I don't want that scenario to reoccur," Shan said. “Our operation can be done in a more scientific way.
The new system will also make use of the closed--circuits television cameras that are set up all over the Palace Museum to safeguard the museum's precious relics. More than 1.86 million of them are housed at the museum, which recorded nearly 20 million visits from the public last year, topping all museums worldwide. “How can we make sure no single visitor who might have evil ideas threatens these treasures?" Shan said. “After adopting the internet of things, we can instantly detect any motion involving the artifacts to prevent such threats.”
The 5G network also will be used to improve remote consultation through webcams, which will facilitate conversations with overseas scholars to jointly find the best answers for restoration and preservation issues.
1. What do we know about the Palace Museum?| A．Its visitors won't have to queue up for the bathroom. |
| B．It has served as China's royal palace for over 500 years. |
| C．It will cooperate with Huawei to promote its management. |
| D．It will set up advanced television cameras for the purpose of safety. |
| A．Disaster. | B．Situation. | C．Operation. | D．Exhibition. |
| A．It is better than any other museums. | B．It has a rich collection of cultural relics. |
| C．It enjoys great popularity all over the world. | D．It faces a tough challenge of protecting relics. |
| A．A Feast for Museum Visitors | B．A Revolution in Exhibition |
| C．A Protector of Cultural Relics | D．A Connection Between Old and New |
2 . A trip across the Pacific will guarantee you a different experience with a tipping culture you’ve never come across in China.
In the US, giving a little extra money to service workers on top of your bill is a common practice.
Though US national law requires that businesses pay workers at least $7.25 (45 yuan) per hour, employees receiving tips—often waiters and waitresses—are the exceptions. They usually only receive at least $2.13 an hour, and tips make up the difference. As The Wall Street Journal put it, “ The American system of tipping holds the promise of great rewards for waiting staff.”
So how should you tip if you are in the US?
Normally you pay tips as a percentage of the bill. Offering an extra 15 percent of the bill to the waiter or waitress in a restaurant and to the delivery man or woman is customary and expected. You can offer more for great service and less for poor service.
Yet there is an exception. For take-out food, you don’t have to provide tips, though some people say that filling an order still requires work and time that deserve a little extra—but maybe a little less.
Tips are not expected at fast food restaurants, pizza parlors, cafés or ice cream shops either, though a tip jar might be right by the cash register (收银机). Don’t feel obligated to throw some money in, but also remember that it doesn’t hurt. Those workers do not rely on tips.
Other service workers also receive tips. For taxi drivers, 15 percent is the norm (标准), more if they help with your bags. Hairdressers often receive about 15 percent of the bill. The same goes for spa therapists(理疗师) and tour guides.
Today, you can even pay tips on a credit card. When receiving a copy of the bill to sign, you are free to fill in how much you’d like to tip.
Though thinking about when to tip and how much you should tip causes a big headache for many Chinese people, it’s important to bear in mind that as long as you show respect and use your reasoning, things will be just fine.
1. What is the article mainly about?| A．How tipping culture started in the US. |
| B．New ways to give tips in the US. |
| C．How to give tips properly in the US. |
| D．The different attitudes that people have toward tipping. |
| A．Paying waiters and waitresses less than $7.25 per hour. |
| B．Refusing to give tips to your tour guide. |
| C．Tipping taxi drivers less than 15% because of poor service. |
| D．Ignoring the tip jar at fast food restaurants, cafés, or ice cream shops. |
| A．being forced to do something |
| B．being grateful for something |
| C．being surprised at something |
| D．being embarrassed about something |
| A．don’t necessarily have to follow the tipping rules in the US |
| B．should use their credit cards to give tips |
| C．should take it easy and give the correct tips for different occasions |
| D．must argue about the amount of tip they have to pay |
3 . Welcome to the Civic Art Museum's Exhibit of West African Art, showing pieces from our collections.
Background
The peoples of West Africa, including the Yoruba, the Dogon, the Igbo, and the Akan, have a long art tradition. Tribes (部落) in the area have developed different styles of art and architecture that are suited to the climate and available materials and based on their traditions.
Gallery A: Photographs of Traditional West African Architecture
This section shows historical and contemporary photographs of traditional West African architecture. Of particular interest are the photographs of the Dogon village. The design of the Dogon village is based on the human figure. Certain types of buildings are placed in particular areas according to the Dogon's complex philosophical tradition. For example, the men's houses are placed in the “head” of the village, the leader's house is in the “chest,” and the women's houses are in the “hands.”
Gallery B: West African Masks
The art of mask making is well developed in West Africa. Masks are important to West African traditions and have clear social, political, and economic roles. However, most masks are worn only at particular times or on special occasions. For example, among the Dan and the Kota, certain people wear special masks to show their power when they act as judges and policemen within the community. Among the Bambara of Mali, headdresses are worn during planting and harvest celebrations.
Gallery C: West African Sculptures
West African sculptures are made from materials such as metal or wood. They are based on tribal traditions and are quite different. The Dogon are especially known for making figures of their ancestors (祖先). They believe their ancestors, called Nommo, came down from the sky at the beginning of time. Nommo figures are often shown with their hands reaching out to the sky. The collection contains several wonderful examples of Nommo sculptures.
1. What is special about Dogon houses?| A．They are shaped like human beings. |
| B．They are designed by the village leader. |
| C．They are grouped according to tradition. |
| D．They have many photographs inside them. |
| A．have recently developed |
| B．play many different roles |
| C．are mainly worn at harvest time |
| D．show the everyday life of the Dan |
| A．They are afraid of Nommo figures. |
| B．They make statues of their ancestors. |
| C．They believe they will return to the sky. |
| D．They straighten their arms to show respect. |
4 . Welcome to Edinburgh, the world's leading festival city.
Edinburgh International Science Festival
Time: 6 April to 20 April
Edinburgh International Science Festival, founded in 1983, is the world's first public science festival. The two-week festival gives audiences amazing experiences through a diverse program of inspiring events. Alongside the annual festival in Edinburgh, the organization has a strong focus on education and runs a touring program that visits schools around Scotland throughout the year.
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Time: 10 August to 20 August
Edinburgh International Book Festival is the largest public celebration of the written word in the world, which was first held in 1997. Every August around 1,000 writers and thinkers from across the world gather with the audiences in Edinburg. Here book lovers can rub shoulders with world-renowned authors --- or just relax in the sunshine with a deckchair, a drink and a favorite read.
Scottish International Storytelling Festival
Time: 19 October to 31 October
Beginning in 1989, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival is the largest storytelling event in the world. Drawing heavily on traditional tale-tellers from Scotland — as well as international guests with stories from their own cultures, the festival is a very special celebration of the oral tradition. Skilled storytellers draw their audiences in, bringing together past and present, real and unreal, for an attractive 10 days.
Edinburgh International Children's Festival
Time: 25 May to 2 June
Edinburgh International Children's Festival is the one dedicated specifically to children. It brings some of the world's best theatre, dance and plays made for young people to Edinburgh for nine days of inspiring and entertaining shows and special events. The Festival began in 1980 and is now spread over 10 activity fields, attracting a loyal audience of 10,000 families, schools and artists.
1. What is the duration of Edinburgh International Science Festival?| A．About one week. | B．Less than 10 days. |
| C．About two weeks. | D．More than half a month. |
| A．Meet world-famous authors. | B．Buy all their favorite books. |
| C．Relax by listening to stories. | D．Share stories with audiences. |
| A．Edinburgh International Science Festival. |
| B．Edinburgh International Book Festival. |
| C．Scottish International Storytelling Festival. |
| D．Edinburgh International Children's Festival. |
5 . 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. |
6 . Some 30,000years ago, artists who lived in caves in Europe painted pictures of the animals around them: panthers, hyenas, rhinos, cave lions, mammoths and other creatures which have been extinct for a long time. The paintings were highly realistic. Some even showed movement.
The artwork, more than a thousand drawings, is considered the oldest group of human cave drawings which have ever been discovered. They were preserved because the cave was sealed--closed off--for more or less 23,000 years.
Fast forward to December 18, 1994, a group of French cave scientists were exploring caves in southern France. Jean-Marie Chauvet, who led the group then, describes the process of discovering the cave paintings.”At that time I was in the front, Eliette just walked behind me, Christian behind. Eliette said she saw two marks made with red ochre and she said, ‘They came here.’And at this very moment everything began. The drawings and everything linked to the parietal art (壁画). That is where it started.”
Cave art expert Jean Clottes reviewed the paintings. “I was amazed at the number of paintings there were and paintings of their quality and particularly in front of the panel of the horses.”
Scientific analysis confirmed the prehistoric date of the artwork. Studies showed the drawings were created tens of thousands of years ago, before human history was written. The United Nations’cultural agency UNESCO lists the cave as a World Heritage Site. They say that the drawings form a remarkable expression of early human artistic creation of grand excellence and variety.
The Chauvet Cave has been named after the explorer who first entered it. However, its environment and drawings are too fragile to be visited by human beings. So the cave is closed, and only people there for scientific purposes can go inside and see the artwork.
However, French authorities asked experts to create an exact copy of the cave, called Pont d’Arc Cavern. The copy, which we also call replica, cost more than 59million dollars to build. It opened at the end of April in France.
Pascal Terrasse is the president of the cavern. He says everyone will be able to experience the thrill of looking at drawings made by the first humans in Europe. He says the place is magic because it is done so well. Authorities say they think as many as 400,000people will be allowed to visit Pont d’Arc Cavern every year.
1. According to the passage, the first scientist to enter the cave was ________.| A．Christian | B．Eliette |
| C．Clottes | D．Chauvet |
| A．abstract | B．superior |
| C．creative | D．inspiring |
| A．It was closed off for more than 30, 000years. |
| B．It is thought to be the origin of modern parietal art. |
| C．The environment and artwork there are very easy to damage. |
| D．The majority of drawings there are about the extinct animals. |
| A．show admiration for the earliest artists in Europe |
| B．arouse visitors’awareness of protecting ancient art |
| C．offer visitors chances to view the wonderful artwork |
| D．collect money for the perseverance of the Chauvet Cave. |
7 . Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi is the first type of paper-cutting design, since paper was invented in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China.
It’s a very distinguishing visual art of Chinese handicrafts. The art form later spread to other parts of the world with different areas adopting their own cultural styles. After hundreds of year’s development, now they’ve become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women. The paper-cuts are also used to decorate doors and windows, and therefore they’re sometimes referred to “chuang hua”, meaning Window Flower. Paper-cuts are chiefly used as decorations. However, today, Chinese paper-cuts are also used for religious and ceremonial purpose, and they’re buried with the dead and burned at funerals.
Chinese people believe the red paper-cuts on the door can bring good fortune and happiness to the whole family. The paper-cuts are more often seen during traditional Chinese festivals, particularly in Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival. They’re also given as gifts to friends or other family members.
Paper-cuttings aren’t produced by machine, but by hand. There’re two methods of manufacture (制造): one uses scissors, the other uses knives. Knife cuttings are fashioned by putting several layers of paper on a relatively soft foundation (衬底). Following a pattern, the artist cuts the motif into the paper with a sharp knife he usually holds vertically. The advantage of knife-cuttings is that considerably more paper cuttings can be made in one operation than with scissor cuttings.
It’s easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but difficult to master it with perfection. One must grasp the knife in an upright fashion and press evenly (均匀地) on the paper with some strength. Flexibility is required but any hesitation will damage the whole image.
People find hope and comfort in expressing wishes with paper-cutting. For instance: for a wedding ceremony, red paper-cuttings are a traditional decoration on the tea set, the dressing table glass, and on other furniture. A big red paper character ‘Xi’ (happiness) is a traditional must on the newlywed’s (新婚夫妇) door.
1. It can be learned from the second paragraph that ___________.| A．paper-cuts are mainly used as presents |
| B．females are better at paper-cutting than males |
| C．paper-cutting varies from area to area |
| D．paper-cuts are used in various ceremonies but funerals |
| A．Forms of paper-cutting. | B．Means of paper-cutting. |
| C．Advantages of knife cuttings. | D．Characteristics of paper-cutting. |
| A．paper-cutting requires great strength |
| B．pause in paper-cutting makes no difference |
| C．it is by no means easy to acquire paper-cutting skills |
| D．it is fashionable to learn paper-cutting |
| A．using examples | B．making comparisons |
| C．analyzing causes | D．describing processes |
8 . China’ Forbidden City----traditionally off-limit at night for anyone except emperors and visiting dignitaries (显要人物）---- was decorated with lanterns as China celebrated the end of the Chinese New Year holiday. The complex, home to Chinese emperors for five centuries, was opened at night for the first time since it was reopened as the Palace Museum 94 years ago.
The complex and palace walls were illuminated with red lanterns and a light show, designed to recreate the feelings of the royal court, while the China National Traditional Orchestra and the Peking Opera performed. An image of a treasured scroll called A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains was cast onto the palace roof.
Most of China’s 1.3 billion people, however, had to watch the show on television. Only 3,000 people were allowed in: 2,500 invited guests and 500 people who booked their tickets online. “The 3,000 visitors can show off for the whole year,” one person said on Weibo. When booking for the second day opened at midnight, the booking system crashed for more than an hour due to great demand. The free tickets were quickly taken when it reopened. A lively secondary market soon appeared. Scalpers were selling tickets for as much as 9,999 yuan on online trading sites.
The Palace Museum is now on a campaign to attract more visitors, with its former curator Shan Jixiang saying he wants to make traditional Chinese culture more accessible to the general public. More than 80 percent of the palace is now accessible to visitors, up from 30 percent in 2012. Shan has set a target of 85 percent by 2020 to mark the palace’s 600th anniversary . Creativity today has made the Palace Museum younger and drawn traditional culture closer to the public.
1. What does the underlined word “illuminate”probably mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Cared for. | B．Lit up. |
| C．Picked out. | D．Kept safe. |
| A．By watching TV at home . |
| B．By grabbing free tickets online |
| C．By buying tickets from the secondary market. |
| D．By receiving invitation from the Forbidden City. |
| A．The campaign between museums will be better. |
| B．Creativity will make the Palace Museum younger. |
| C．Traditional Chinese culture will be recreated by foreigners. |
| D．About 85 percent of the palace will be accessible to visitors. |
| A．A Brief Introduction of the Forbidden City |
| B．Difficulties in Getting Tickets to the Forbidden City |
| C．Performances During the Light Show in the Forbidden City |
| D．Forbidden City’s First Opening to General Public at Night |
9 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?| A．It promoted the sales of artworks. | B．It attracted a large number of visitors. |
| C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
| A．They are setting the fashion. | B．They start many fashion campaigns. |
| C．They admire super models. | D．They do business all over the world. |
| A．learning from | B．looking down on | C．working with | D．competing against |
| A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
| B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
| C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
| D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |
10 . The old Chinese saying "as happy as spending the New Year" might be outdated now in the busy modern world. The Spring Festival is regarded as the most important festival for Chinese people and an occasion for all family members to get together, like Christmas in the West. But many traditional customs accompanying the Spring Festival, however, have weakened in practice.
Setting off fireworks was once the most typical custom of the Spring Festival. People thought the sputtering(爆裂) sound could help drive away evil spirits. However, the activity has been completely or partially forbidden in big cities for years as the government has taken security, noise and pollution factors into consideration.
"In recent years, some cities have begun to allow people to light fireworks during limited hours at the Spring Festival, surrendering to(屈从于) public demand. Respecting folk traditions is a gesture of respect toward public opinion," said Zhou Xing, a folklore researcher.
"As people gain more income and it becomes easier to buy daily goods, the New Year holiday is just like any other. After long workdays, many people use the New Year holiday to take a rest, rather than visiting friends and neighbors. The process of making and enjoying the family dinner on Spring Festival Eve is the most important thing. However, many families would like to eat out to save time and energy," said Li Shunzhi, a resident of Harbin, Heilongjiang.
"I enjoy the holidays very much in the countryside. My family has been preparing for the Spring Festival more than two weeks before the holiday, cleaning the house, buying holiday goods and decorating the house with paper cuttings. On New Year’s Eve, the whole family stays up to see the New Year in, and in the days to follow, a series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held. Without the ancient traditions, the holiday is nothing to us," said Zhang Hui, from Hebei.
1. Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?| A．Setting off fireworks has been forbidden in some big cities for years. |
| B．Nowadays, people can light fireworks in some cities at the Spring Festival. |
| C．People believe that the sound of fireworks can drive away evil spirits. |
| D．In the past, setting off fireworks couldn’t be seen almost anywhere. |
| A．what people do during the festival now is different from the past |
| B．people would like to have the family dinner on Spring Festival Eve |
| C．people prefer to visit friends and neighbors rather than take a rest |
| D．the New Year holiday is just like any other day |
| A．Zhang Hui often spends two weeks preparing for the Spring Festival. |
| B．Zhang Hui is used to spending the Spring Festival with his family. |
| C．Zhang Hui always takes part in a series of activities after the Spring Festival. |
| D．Zhang Hui lives in the urban area. |
| A．The Spring Festival is as lively as before. |
| B．The Spring Festival is outdated now. |
| C．The Spring Festival is losing its qualities. |
| D．The Spring Festival in China is more important than Christmas in the West. |
