1 . Tea originated in China over two thousand years ago. Today, the country owns over 2,000 varieties of tea, differing in taste, sweet and purpose. Some teas, such as Huang Shan, refresh the sense of taste with their special flavor, while others, such as spicy chai, are added with spices (香料) .
China first started exporting tea during the Ming dynasty (1368—1644), and the drink has since come to lead humanity’s drinking habits far beyond Asia. It is the most widely consumed drink on Earth today, aside from water and coffee.
In Chinese mythology, tea was first discovered by Chinese Emperor Shennong (“Divine Farmer”) in 737BC， when a soft wind carried some leaves into a pot of boiling water. However, the oldest dependable evidence comes from ancient plant remains found in 2016 in Xi’an and western Tibet, showing that tea was grown at least 2,100 years ago during the Western Handy nasty when it was most likely used as medicine.
Generation after generation of tea makers experimented with different brewing (冲泡) techniques, leaves, and ceremonies, resulting in today’s tea culture full of life. There’s no doubt that China’s tea culture has become one of the most popular, diverse, and unique traditions in the world.
China is already the world’s largest tea exporter. The inclusion of the country’s traditional tea-making process on the UNESCO list will obviously generate practical benefits for tea makers in the country and across the world as more resources are given to protect and preserve such millennia-old tea culture and technical practices. As additional attention is brought to this traditional technique, the Chinese tea sector will further tap its potential and improve its growth.
As one of China’s oldest cultural practices, traditional tea processing techniques show the spirit of modesty (谦逊), peace, and comity (礼让). No matter your preference for green or dark tea, with milk or without, Chinese tea isn’t just brews. Instead, it is a bridge connecting different cultures and peoples.
1. What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?| A．Chinese tea has a fresh taste. | B．Chinese tea is added with spices. |
| C．Chinese tea has a long history. | D．Chinese tea has a rich variety. |
| A．In about 737 BC. |
| B．Two thousand years ago. |
| C．During the Ming dynasty. |
| D．During the Western Handy nasty. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Objective. | C．Careless. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Chinese Tea Benefits the Globe a Lot |
| B．Chinese Protect and Develop Its Tea Culture |
| C．Chinese Tea Is Included in the UNESCO List |
| D．China Plays a Vital Part in Cultural Diversity |
2 . If it had not been for Fan Jinshi and her team, the world cultural heritage of Dunhuang Mogao Caves in a remote Chinese desert might have long been destroyed by sand, weather or humans.
Born in Beijing and raised in Shanghai, Fan has spent half a century fighting an uphill battle to preserve the ancient Buddhist wall paintings at Dunhuang, in Northwest China’s Gansu Province. The 1,653-year-old Dunhuang Mogao Caves are a huge collection of Buddhist art—more than 2,000 buddha figures and 45,000 square metres of paintings spread among 735 caves. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeologist Fan was sent to Dunhuang after graduating from Peking University in 1963. While in Dunhuang, a remote village in the desert then, Fan lived in an abandoned temple. At first, she did not even dare to go out to the toilet at night. To protect the treasures from sand and dampness, Fan and other workers put doors on the caves, planted trees and started monitoring temperature and humidity in the caves. They also controlled the number of visitors.
In the late 1990s, with tourism booming nationwide since national holidays were extended, the local government planned to go public with Dunhuang Mogao Caves, but found Fan firmly in_their_way. “The heritage would have been destroyed if it had been listed，” she said.
Dunhuang Academy has now photographed and cataloged online all the sculptures and paintings. “Despite our efforts to minimise damage, we can’t completely stop them from being eroded. But the digital database will last.”
Fan was grateful when her husband joined her in Dunhuang in 1986 after 19 years of separation. Her two sons grew up seldom with her accompany. “I have not been a good mother or wife. With regard to my family, I’m full of guilt，” she said. Fan, 81, retired four years ago as the director of Dunhuang Academy but continues her efforts as a national political adviser.
1. When was Fan separated from her husband?| A．In 1963. | B．In 1967. |
| C．In 1986. | D．In the late 1990s. |
| A．Go to a place. |
| B．Be in favour of something. |
| C．Reject something. |
| D．Give in to something. |
| A．The history of Dunhuang Mogao Caves. |
| B．The attractions of Dunhuang Mogao Caves. |
| C．Fan’s devotion to preserving Dunhuang Mogao Caves. |
| D．The appeal for the protection of Dunhuang Mogao Caves. |
| A．Considerate. | B．Kind. |
| C．Humorous. | D．Devoted. |
Palmer Park is the perfect place to host the first Reading Oktoberfest, which takes place 15-18 September 2016.
You can experience everything that makes Oktoberfest, held in a huge Beer tent. We’ll have live music and DJs and thousands of people going crazy.
Opening hours:
Thursday 15 September 17:00-23:30
Friday 16 September 17:00-23:30
Saturday 17 September 12:30-23:30
Sunday 18 September 12:30-19:00
Ramsbottom Festival
With its riverside location (位置), Ramsbottom Festival is one festival which can truly be called beautiful. Here you can enjoy a mix of music, great arts and family shows, as well as a variety of Great British and international food.
Ramsbottom Festival takes place 16-18 September 2016 at Ramsbottom Cricket Club, Bury, easily reachable by public transport from Manchester city centre.
The Willow Festival Dorset
The Willow Festival — the world’s largest festival showing new and undiscovered live music bands and artists is coming to Dorset. Fun for all the family, the event also has a shopping area, a world food village, and plenty of activities for kids.
Tickets are just £10.00, which covers a come-and-go attendance (出席) for all three days.
River Cottage Festival
It’s our first ever family-friendly music festival, right here at River Cottage HQ in Devon.
On 17-18 September 2016, the farm will be filled with live music from popular bands in the UK. In between all that dancing you’ll be able to watch shows from local craftspeople (匠人) and make your own piece of jewelry.
Tickets will cost you just £35, or £10 for children under 12 (babies under 2 go free).
1. What can visitors enjoy at Ramsbottom Festival?| A．Family shows. |
| B．Dancing on the farm. |
| C．Making beautiful things by hand. |
| D．International bands’ performances. |
| A．are held in 2016 for the first time |
| B．ask visitors to pay the same price |
| C．take place near a river |
| D．are family-friendly |
| A．River Cottage Festival. |
| B．Ramsbottom Festival. |
| C．Reading Oktoberfest. |
| D．The Willow Festival Dorset. |
4 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and
philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．attract the readers' interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a personal biography | B．a history paper |
| C．a cultural newspaper | D．a philosophy textbook |
5 . Each year thousands of U.S. families open their homes and hearts to student visitors from all over the world. In a homestay, students can observe, learn and experience a new lifestyle and culture, while practicing English skills in a home environment.
Successful homestay experiences can help to ease homesickness. Often students feel that they have found a second family who loves and cares for them. This experience can also help students make a smooth transition into an American university or enable them to reach a future career goal.
Hosts involve their student guests in day-to day family activities and also include them in social gatherings such as summertime barbecues, holiday celebrations, or trips to local attractions.
Homestay hosts will reflect the variety of the region in which they live. They may be single parents, retired couples, widows, or families with young children. They will come from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. What they will have in common is a desire to share their homes and their time with international students.
Usually, international visitors enjoy staying with hosts who have family members of similar ages or with similar interests. The homestay coordinator will consider a student's needs, interests and requests before matching the student with a host.
Living in a homestay will always require an adjustment period. There may be simple house rules or guidelines about Internet usage, laundry, television viewing, meal times, cleanliness, and money matters.
Universities that offer homestays programs set certain standards for hosts. For example, at the University of Delaware, all hosts living more than one mile from campus must provide students with transportation to and from campus every weekday. Hosts must also provide each student with a private, furnished room and access to a shared or private bathroom.
The homestay coordinators carefully screen host applicants to make sure they have a passion for hospitality and an interest in other cultures. Coordinators will also interview and visit applicants to determine the suitability of the living space and meet the family members. Regular meetings, phone calls, and emails keep the hosts up to date in order to keep high standards of operation within the homestays.
1. What benefits do students who live in a homestay have?| A．They can experience a new lifestyle and culture. | B．They can practice their English skills day and night. |
| C．They can be admitted to American universities. | D．They can reach their future career goals easily. |
| A．A big house to hold holiday celebrations. |
| B．Enough space for having summertime barbecues. |
| C．A desire to share their homes and time with students. |
| D．Time for taking trips to local attractions with students. |
| A．The hosts' needs, interests and requests. |
| B．The students' needs, interests and requests. |
| C．The hosts' socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. |
| D．The students and their family's education backgrounds. |
| A．Making house rules or guidelines. | B．Setting certain standards for hosts. |
| C．Screening host applicants. | D．Adjusting to the household. |
6 . Londoners are great readers. They buy large numbers of newspapers, magazines and books-especially paperbacks, which are still cheap in spite of ever-increasing rises in the costs of printing. They still continue to buy “proper” books, too, printed on good paper.
There are many streets in London containing bookshops. Perhaps the best known of these is Charing Cross Road in the very heart of London. Here bookshops of all sorts and sizes are to be found, from the famous one which is said to be “the biggest bookshop in the world” to the dusty little places which seem to have been left over from Dickens’ time. Some of these shops stock or will make efforts to get any kind of books, but many of them specialize in second-hand books, in art books, in foreign books, in books on economics, politics or any other subjects about which books may be written. One shop in this area specializes only in books about ballet.
Although it may be the most convenient place for Londoners to buy books, Charing Cross Road is not the cheapest. For really cheap second-hand books, collectors must go to Farringdon Road, in the East Central district of London. Here there is nothing so impressive as bookshops. The booksellers come along each morning and put lots of books onto small hand-carts (手推车) which line the streets. The collectors, some professionals and some amateurs (业余爱好者), who have been waiting for them, run quickly towards the books. In places like this one can still, sometimes, pick up for a few pence an old book that may be worth many pounds.
1. “Londoners are great readers” means that _________.| A．Londoners are great because they read many books | B．Only great readers live in London |
| C．Londoners are readers who read only great books | D．Londoners read a lot |
| A．is in the suburbs of London | B．is famous for its bookshops |
| C．contains only big shops | D．is the cheapest place for Londoners to buy books |
| A．It is the most convenient place for Londoners to buy books. |
| B．Cheap second-hand books can be found there. |
| C．It is in the West Central district of London. |
| D．Few people like to buy books there. |
| A．bookshops in London | B．the biggest bookshop in the world |
| C．Charing Cross Road | D．Londoners are great readers |
7 . You might have heard a lot about ancient towns and ancient cities in China. Here, we list several of the most beautiful ancient villages in China.
Baoshan Stone City, Yunnan Province
Baoshan Stone City was built on a huge mushroom-shaped rock, and only has about one hundred houses. The houses are laid out in an orderly way, built on the rock, and linked by stone steps. The Naxi people there still lead an original life and grow crops in terraces(梯田); you can experience the colorful culture of the Naxi ethnic(民族的) group there.
Tuvas Village in Kanas, Xinjiang
Kanas Tuvas Village is near the mysterious Lake Kanas. The small village is located in a valley, and only has about 80 houses. These Swiss-style wooden houses are all surrounded by wooden fences. Tuvas is an ancient minority group. They traditionally lived as hunter-gathers. You can visit a local family, go herding(放牧) with the locals and experience the peaceful ancient village life.
Jiaju Tibetan Village, Danba, Sichuan Province
Jiaju Tibetan Village is known as the “Tibetan fairyland”. It stands on a mountain slope, and consists of about 140 houses. These unique houses are all built with crown-shaped roofs, red caves, and white walls, which make the houses look like little castles among the forest.
Xijiang Miao Village, Guizhou Province
If you’re interested in the Miao Minority, Xijiang Miao Village can be a great destionation for deepening your understanding of Miao history and culture. It’s the largest Miao village in China, and now has 1,432 households with a population of over 5,000, of which 99.5% are Miao ethnic group. It’s also famous for the houses built on poles of different heights.
1. What can you do in Kanas Tuvas Village?| A．Hike in terraces. | B．See houses of a foreign style. |
| C．Go hunting with the locals. | D．Learn about houses built on poles. |
| A．In Baoshan Stone City. | B．In Kanas Tuvas Village. |
| C．In Jiaju Tibetan Village. | D．In Xijiang Miao Village. |
| A．They remained secret to the outside world in the past. |
| B．They were originally built to defend their homeland. |
| C．They are still cut off and difficult to access nowadays. |
| D．They are the ethnic villages with unique architecture. |
8 . The last few days before Christmas passed quickly and it was soon Christmas Eve. That night when everyone went to bed, Bunny couldn’t sleep. He still couldn’t think of what he wanted his Christmas gift to be. He wondered how Father Christmas would know what to bring him if he didn’t know himself.
As he was sitting up in bed, Bunny heard a big noise on the roof (屋顶) and a sound downstairs. It was Father Christmas, he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and raced down the hall to the stairs hoping to have a look at the old man with his own eyes.
By the time Bunny reached the bottom of the stairs, though, everything was again silent. Beautiful gifts were piled (堆积) under the Christmas tree, but Father Christmas was gone. He looked for him for a few minutes, but it was already too late. Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry.
“Hello, ” said Bunny. “Is somebody there?”
He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of gifts to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. Bunny might have mistaken it for a dog, if it hadn’t been for the antlers (鹿角) on its head.
“Are you a reindeer (别鹿)?” asked Bunny.
“Yes,” replied the animal. “My name is Ralph.”
“And you were pulling Father Christmas’s led (雪橇)?”
“I was until I got airsick (晕机),” replied Ralph. “I’m afraid I wasn’t cut out for the job. Now I’m stuck here and I don’t know how to get back to the North Pole.”
“Well, if you like, yon can stay with us as a friend,” said Bunny. As he made the offer, Bunny suddenly realized the gift he wanted from Father Christmas was a new friend!
1. Why couldn’t Bunny fall asleep on Christmas Eve?| A．He was thinking of what gift he would get. |
| B．He was disturbed by a big noise. |
| C．He had a lot of things to do. |
| D．He wanted to have a look at the reindeer. |
| A．Afraid of. | B．Fit for. |
| C．Proud of. | D．Interested in. |
| A．A Strange Christmas Tree | B．A Lovely Reindeer |
| C．A Quiet but Smart Boy | D．A Special Christmas Gift |
9 . In 1947 a group of famous people from the art world headed by an Austrian conductor decided to hold an international festival of music, dance and theatre in Edinburgh. The idea was to reunite Europe after the Second World War.
It quickly attracted famous names such as Alec Guinness, Richard Burton, Dame Margot Fonteyn and Marlene Dietrich as well as the big symphony orchestras(交响乐团). It became a fixed event every August and now attracts 400,000 people yearly.
At the same time, the “Fringe” appeared as a challenge(挑战) to the official festival. Eight theatre groups turned up uninvited in 1947, in the belief that everyone should have the right to perform, and they did so in a public house disused for years.
Soon, groups of students firstly from Edinburgh University, and later from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Durham and Birmingham were making the journey to the Scottish capital each summer to perform theatre by little -- known writers of plays in small church halls to the people of Edinburgh.
Today the “Fringe”, once less recognized, has far outgrown the festival with around 1,500 performances of theatre, music and dance on every one of the 21 days it lasts. And yet as early as 1959,with only 19 theatre groups performing, some said it was getting too big.
A paid administrator(行政人员) was first employed only in 1971, and today there are eight administrators working all year round and the number rises to 150 during August itself. In 2004 there were 200 places housing 1,695 shows by over 600 different groups from 50 different countries. More than 1.25 million tickets were sold.
1. What was the purpose of Edinburgh Festival at the beginning?| A．To bring Europe together again. | B．To honor heroes of World War II. |
| C．To introduce young theatre groups. | D．To attract great artists from Europe. |
| A．They owned a public house there. | B．They came to take up a challenge. |
| C．They thought they were also famous. | D．They wanted to take part in the festival. |
| A．unpopular groups | B．non-official groups |
| C．foreign groups | D．local groups |
| A．has become a non-official event | B．has gone beyond an art festival |
| C．gives shows all year round | D．keeps growing rapidly |
10 . Mother’s Day
The second Sunday in May is Mother's Day.Mother’s Day is a special day for everyone! On that day, children usually give their mothers cards,presents and flowers.But most of the people like giving their mothers carnations(康乃馨).As for the origin of Mother's Day, there is a famous saying, "God could not be everywhere and he made mother.”
Father’s Day
Father's Day is on the third Sunday in June.Some Americans thought that if we had Mother’s Day.we should have a Father’s Day (On Father’s Day, there is not any party, But children will give their father some presents and the best wishes, Father is great.We could give the best wishes to them.
Halloween
Halloween is on October 31st.On this day, in front of the house there are a lot of pumpkin lights.They are very beautiful.Every family has a lot of sweets.When children go to knock at their doors, people will give them sweets,
Easter
Easter is from 22nd March to 25th April.Easter is an important holiday in Western countries, Many children buy chocolate and Easter eggs.They also make Easter eggs.Some people like this holiday because it is interesting.
Thanksgiving Day
Every last Thursday of November is a special day.Some American think Thanksgiving Day is more important than Christmas Day.On that day, all people have supper with their family together.Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks, have family gatherings and enjoy holiday meals.People like to eat turkeys and some fruits. On that day people are all happy.But in Canada Thanksgiving Day is the second Monday in October.
1. On which day can children ask for and get sweets?| A．Father's Day. | B．Thanksgiving day. |
| C．Halloween. | D．Easter. |
| A．They say thanks. | B．They have friend gatherings. |
| C．They go on holiday. | D．They buy many cards. |
| A．Father's Day is a festival with a long history in US. |
| B．Eater Eggs are traditional food in western countries. |
| C．Thanksgiving Day is more important than Christmas. |
| D．Mother's Day is to honor mothers' devotion to children. |
