1 . As the birthplace of kites in the world, Weifang, Shandong province of China, produces beautiful, vivid, colorful and high-quality kites. Now, more than 70% of kites in the world are exported from Weifang. If you want to see various shapes and sizes of kites covering the sky, you cannot miss the Weifang Kite Festival held on the third Saturday of every April.
But this year, tens of thousands of Chinese participants gathered in Weifang, from Sept 26 to 29 for the 37th International Kite Festival. Held since 1984, the International Kite Festival is an annual event to “exhibit the excellence of the kite lovers to the public,” according to the festival's website.
During the festival, kite lovers can enjoy stunt (特技表演) kite flying, also known as aerial ballet. Controlled by either a single person or a group, the kites form different shapes in the air. People always devote a lot of time and wisdom to making their own kites. From animals that crawl (爬行) on the ground or swim in the water to legends like Monkey King, everything can fly in the sky at the festival. One of this year's highlights was the giant kites decorated with images of medical staff and the Long March 5 rocket, which reflect the hot topics this year.
“Flying a kite is like flying your dream. All the cultural symbols from ancient and modern times can be found in the sky of Weifang,” noted Medium. After more than three decades of development, the festival has become a place to appreciate kites. But most importantly, it serves as a unique cultural event to promote international exchange.
1. What does the text mainly talk about?| A．A kite festival. | B．A kite birthplace. |
| C．The future of kites. | D．Kite performances. |
| A．To enjoy animals flying in the air. | B．To show kite-lovers' brilliance. |
| C．To perform specialized kite flying. | D．To enhance Weifang's global impact. |
| A．It takes a lot of trouble to make a kite. | B．Stunt kite flying is the only highlight. |
| C．Imagination can be shown in the kite. | D．Decorations matter least in the show. |
| A．It helps organize an international event. |
| B．It offers tips on how to appreciate kites. |
| C．It helps make the place known worldwide. |
| D．It enhances international cultural exchange. |
2 . February has long been a month of romance.With the sweet smell of roses in the air，romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day，it is customary for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner，buy her flowers and chocolates，write poems，sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals!
This is the scene that greets you on Valentine's Day，named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome.When the emperor decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives，he banned marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret.When his actions were discovered，the emperor had him put to death.
While in prison，it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard.Before his death，he wrote her a letter，which he signed “From your Valentine”， an expression that is still in use today.
Valentine died for what he believed in and so was made a Saint，as well as becoming one of history's most romantic figures.
Nowadays，Valentine's Day wins the same popularity among Chinese young people.It is a time when students “don't want to be alone” according to Gao Shunjie，a student reporter for 21st Century Teens in Jinling High School，Nanjing.Some of her classmates are planning to make Valentine's cards for parents，teachers and friends.Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heartshaped cakes.The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St Valentine.
1. Why is February a month of romance?| A．Because people will enjoy the pleasant feeling that the sweet smell roses bring them. |
| B．Because a lot of romantic films will be on show in February. |
| C．Because people can read a lot of love stories in newspapers or magazines. |
| D．Because Valentine's Day is on the 14th February，when many romantic things will happen. |
| A．was not satisfied with the marriage ceremonies held by priests |
| B．thought a single man was better than a married man as a solider |
| C．envied men marrying women |
| D．thought marriage was evil |
| A．a man also called Valentine |
| B．her pet called Valentine |
| C．her boyfriend who is also called Valentine |
| D．her lover |
| A．a love story happening between Valentine and a daughter of a guard |
| B．the history of Valentine's Day and it wins popularity among Chinese young people |
| C．a priest who loved bravely facing pressure from the emperor |
| D．that February is a month of romance |
3 . 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 |
4 . 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. |
5 . Whether you admit it or not, people’s love for Christmas Jumper (毛衣) around Christmas has increased over recent years. And while you may be less willing to get involved in the Christmas jumper trend, Christmas Jumper Day now enables you to do more with your jumper than build up sweat in an incredibly warm office.
The origin of the Christmas jumper can date back to the late 19th century in the USA. Americans in the 1930s knitted(编织) for Christmas to create an item of clothing to keep them “warm” during the Great Depression when people led a poor and miserable life. They copied the jumpers they saw their favorite stars wearing on the big screen. From the 1950s, it was common to see American families wearing festive jumpers as they sat down to eat their Christmas dinner.
Now, alongside wearing a festive jumper for the fun of it, there are other positive outcomes. Christmas Jumper Day has been set up to stimulate people to make the world better and raise funds for Save the Children by wearing a Christmas jumper and making a minimum donation of￡1. Ladbrokes, a company in the UK, is running a competition in which all you have to do is to take a selfie (自拍) outside of one of their shops while wearing a jumper — the winner will win a good prize and for every submission. Ladbrokes will donate￡5 to St. Luke’s Hospice charity. For you, it’s a win-win situation.
If you’re still unconvinced that it’s about time you bought yourself a Christmas jumper, then maybe the fact that Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg have all been spotted wearing Christmas jumpers will raise your enthusiasm. Retailer (零售商) such as Topshop, Burberry and H&M have also become devoted to Christmas Jumper Day and have their very own types of Christmas jumpers.
1. Which statement is true according to paragraph 1?| A．Wearing Christmas jumpers in the office has been a trend. |
| B．Wearing Christmas jumpers can make you incredibly warm. |
| C．Christmas jumpers have gained huge popularity. |
| D．Christmas jumpers serve many functions. |
| A．To protect them from cold weather. | B．To lift their spirits. |
| C．To follow the stars. | D．To form a tradition. |
| A．demand | B．advise |
| C．encourage | D．persuade |
| A．To ask people to donate Christmas jumpers. |
| B．To show the importance of Christmas Jumper Day. |
| C．To prove Christmas jumpers are popular among stars. |
| D．To persuade readers to buy a Christmas jumper. |
6 . More than half a century ago, there were 4,000 drive-in theatres in the United States, and watching a movie from your car was a popular way to spend an evening. But with the number of drive-ins reduced to just a few hundred, the outdoor movie has appeared suddenly across the nation. Going to an open-air theatre has become a modern summer entertainment for a growing number of movie fans.
In recent years, outdoor movie screenings have appeared in parks, vacant lots（场地）and shopping malls around the nation. On average, about 1,000 people watch each movie every night. It attracts a lot of young professionals, young workers and residents nearby. For some, the outdoor movies bring back the memories of the drive-in theatres of their youth. But for the most, they think it is similar to the feeling of drive-ins, as they can bring friends, food, good wine, and watch the movie together.
The returning of Americans’ love for outdoor movies makes Stephen Bastas ever busier. His seven workers set up screens in different places mostly in the Washington area every day during the whole summer. They are doing pretty well and they hope to continue the tide. And it looks like they are going to. That’s because many fans say there is nothing like watching a movie on a breezy（有微风的）summer evening under the stars.
1. In the first paragraph, the author tries to tell us ______.| A．outdoor movies attract more movie lovers. |
| B．summer brings back more drive-in movie fans. |
| C．drive-in theatres have already disappeared. |
| D．watching a movie in your car is becoming more popular. |
| A．have snacks before the movie. |
| B．cheer up with young friends. |
| C．bring back good old days. |
| D．enjoy the relaxing feeling. |
| A．a moviemaker. |
| B．an outdoor movie fan. |
| C．a movie director. |
| D．an open-air theatre operator. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Anxious. | D．Disappointed. |
7 . Small talk is a good way to make friends. If you travel to other countries or have friends from abroad, do you know how to use small talk to make conversation?
In Britain, the best topic is the weather. British weather is changing all the time.
Besides weather, it's good to talk about gardens with British. You could say "Those roses look really beautiful, don't they?'*
In America, people like to talk about sports news, such as American football and basketball.
| A．English people love their pets. |
| B．Americans also talk about clothes. |
| C．Politics or religion is not a good topic. |
| D．Only a few topics are not used for small talk. |
| E．There are also a lot of topics to avoid during small talk. |
| F．You can start chatting by saying "It's a lovely day today, isn't it?" |
| G．Friends are important to us all, but how to make friends is a problem. |
8 . JINAN — A ceremony was held in eastern China’s Shandong Province Friday to celebrate the 2,569th birthday of Confucius, an ancient Chinese educator and philosopher. The ceremony, held in the city of Qufu, Confucius’ hometown, attracted government officials, UNESCO officials, scholars, students and descendants of Confucius. More than 1,400 students and residents recited classic quotes from Lunyu, or the Analects, a collection of ideas and sayings from the Chinese philosopher, while ceremonial dancing was performed at the Confucius Temple.
“The dancing performance, In commemoration (纪念) of Confucius, explains Li, or rites (礼教), in Confucianism,” said Kong Xiangsheng, a 75th-generation descendant of Confucius.
In the city of Quzhou in East China’s Zhejiang Province, representatives from Confucius institutes in 10 countries attended a ceremony at Nanzong Confucius Temple, one of the Confucius family temples.
Preetema Atmekoemarie, director of the Confucius Institute at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname, said she has always been fascinated by the wisdom of the ancient Chinese thinker. “As a country having so much esteem for Confucius, China is bound to bring more positive changes to the world,” said Preetema.
In Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, officials, scholars, students and descendants of Confucius from home and abroad attended a ceremony held at the Confucius temple in Jianshui County. More than 2,100 people from 1,080 families also participated in a ceremony in which they observed traditional Confucian etiquettes (礼仪) to mark the beginning of their education, childhood and adulthood.
Covering an area of 76,000 square meters, the Confucius temple in Jianshui is the second largest of its kind in the country.
For thousands of years, Confucius has been regarded as a symbol of China’s traditional culture as well as the country’s intellectuals.
Confucius (551-479 B. C.) founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life. He is believed to have been born on Sept. 28. Annual commemorations of Confucius started in 478B. C., the year after his death.
1. What can be the best title for the news report?| A．Confucianism deeply influenced later generations |
| B．2,569th birthday of Confucius celebrated in China |
| C．People are fascinated by the wisdom of Confucius |
| D．Representatives from Confucius institutes attend Confucius, birthday ceremony |
| A．To observe traditional Confucian etiquettes. |
| B．To participate in a dancing performance. |
| C．To recite classic quotes from Lunyu, or the Analects. |
| D．To attend the opening ceremony of the temple. |
| A．Someone who is in a position of authority in an organization. |
| B．Someone whose job is in politics, especially a member of the government. |
| C．Someone who spends much time studying and thinking about complicated ideas. |
| D．Someone who has acquired the technique of an art or other area of specialization. |
| A．was born in a rich family |
| B．is believed to have died on Sept. 28 |
| C．generally enrolled students from noble families |
| D．was the first Chinese person to found private schools |
9 . In every British town, large and small, you will find shops that sell second-hand goods. Sometimes such shops deal mostly in furniture, sometimes in books, sometimes in ornaments（装饰） and household goods, sometimes even in clothes.
The furniture may often be “antique”, and it may well have changed hands many times. It may also be very valuable, although the most valuable piece will usually go to the London salerooms, where one piece might well be sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. As you look around these shops and see the polished wood of chests and tables, you cannot help thinking of those long-dead hands which polished that wood, of those now-closed eyes which once looked at these pieces with love.
The books, too, may be antique and very precious; some may be rare first printings. Often when someone dies or has to move house, his books may all be sold, so that sometimes you may find whole libraries in one shop. On the border between England and Wales, there is a town which has become a huge bookshop as well. Even the cinema and castle have been taken over, and now books have replaced sheep as the town’s main trade.
There are also much more humble shops, sometimes simply called “junk shops”, where you can buy small household pieces very cheaply. Sometimes the profits（利润）from these shops go to charity. Even these pieces, though, can make you feel sad; you think of those people who once treasured them, but who have moved on to another country or to death.
Although the British do not worship（崇拜）their ancestors, they do treasure the past and the things of the past. This is true of houses as well. These days no one knocks them down; they are rebuilt until they are often better than new. In Britain, people do not buy something just because it is new. Old things are treasured for their proven worth; new things have to prove themselves before they are accepted.
1. Books found in second-hand book shops may .| A．be copies of the earliest printings | B．be on sale for the first time |
| C．never be worth very much | D．never be rare |
| A．Its sheep. | B．Its bookshops. |
| C．Its cinema. | D．Its castle. |
| A．does not respect old things because they are not fashionable |
| B．likes to build new houses simply because it is fashionable to do so |
| C．likes to buy new things because they are fashionable. |
| D．does not like to buy things simply because they are fashionable |
| A．junk shops | B．profits from shops |
| C．old things | D．old houses |
10 . Recently, a couple in New Zealand were forbidden from naming their baby son 4Real. Even though New Zealand has quite liberal rules about naming children, names beginning with a number are not allowed.
In many countries around the world, unusual names for children are becoming more popular, especially since the increasing trend for celebrities to give their children unusual names.
Some parents choose names which come from popular culture. For example, there have been six boys named Gandalf after the character in the Lord of the Rings novels and films.
Other countries have much stricter rules when it comes to naming children. Countries including Japan, Denmark, Spain, Germany and Argentina have an approved list of names from which parents must choose. In China, there are some rules about what you may call a child – no foreign letters or symbols are allowed.
In Britain, some names which were previously thought of as old-fashioned have become more popular again, such as Maisie or Ella for a girl, or Alfie or Noah for a boy. But the most popular names are not the strange ones. The top names are fairly traditional – Jack, Charlie and Thomas for boys and Grace, Ruby and Jessica for girls.
| A．The parents finally came up with a plan. |
| B．They decided to call him Superman instead. |
| C．Names related to sport are also fairly common. |
| D．Other parents like to make up or combine names. |
| E．You can call a child almost anything you like in Britain. |
| F．A couple were recently banned from calling their baby @. |
| G．Parents there are to blame for naming their child an unusual name. |
