1 . Traditional Marriage Ceremonies
Belgium
The groom（新郎）comes to the bride’ s（新娘）house and gives her flowers. They go to the church and the man is inside when the bride’s father brings her to her future husband. When they come out, the family throws rice on them.
Germany
Some days before the wedding, friends and relatives bring old porcelain (瓷器) and kitchenware to throw on the ground in front of the bride and groom. This is supposed to grant them a happy, lucky life; that’s why this evening event is called Polterabend—the evening with lots of broken porcelain. The Polterabend often develops into an informal and casual party.
El Salvador
When a wedding is celebrated, the wedding ceremony service starts without the bride. The groom and all the people who have been invited to the ceremony are waiting for her during the service. A group of seven men goes to the bride’s home. The bride and her family are waiting for seven white cars which accompany the bride’s car until they arrive at the church.
Japan
The couple drinks Japanese rice wine in front of a priest ( 牧 师 ). First, the bride drinks the wine from a small cup. Next, the bride passes the cup to the groom and he also drinks the wine from the cup. They drink three times. This means that they make a commitment to love each other forever.
Turkey
When a girl gets married, all her female friends write their names inside her bridal shoes. After the wedding ceremony, if someone’s name has been rubbed off and can’t be read anymore, it means this person is going to get married next.
1. Why do people throw porcelain before the wedding ceremony in Germany?| A．To enjoy a casual party. | B．To respect the guests present. |
| C．To wish the couple good luck. | D．To start the wedding party. |
| A．Belgium. | B．Germany. | C．El Salvador. | D．Turkey. |
| A．Drinking wine three times. | B．Throwing rice to their guests. |
| C．Writing their names in the shoes. | D．Going to the church first with a priest. |
2 . Chinese culture values family bonds （纽带）very much. Family members don't just gather during the holidays. In fact, they often live under one roof all year round.
In most East Asian cultures, extended families（大家庭）are common.
In many Western countries, most families are nuclear families （小家庭）.These are made up of children and their parents.
Besides, the duties parents have toward their children can also be different.
In most Western countries, however, kids usually move out of the house after they turn eighteen.
While the East cares more about close family bonds, the West values privacy （隐私）and independence.
| A．But in the end, east or west——home is best. |
| B．But different cultures have different family values. |
| C．Nuclear families are the most common type in China. |
| D．Both Easterners and Westerners value quality family time. |
| E．These families have three or even four generations living together. |
| F．In China, many parents look after their children all the way into adulthood. |
| G．Many young people need to take out loans and work part - time jobs to pay for college. |
3 . There are no right or wrong signals, only cultural differences. Lack of cultural understanding will lead to disagreement among people from different cultures. Meeting with other cultures is actually very interesting and fun. It is certainly a great topic to discuss over a cup of coffee and cakes.
The gesture “thumbs-up” is commonly misunderstood. In English, it is known as “thumbs up”, though the action is commonly performed with only one hand. English-speaking Caucasians use it to signal “OK”, which is the same meaning as OK ring gesture. The two can in fact be used instead of each other.
To most Europeans, it signals the number 1, since they count from 1 to 5 beginning with the thumb for 1 and ending with the little finger for 5. Other nationalities, like Americans, usually start counting on the index finger for 1, and end with the thumb.
Avoid using this gesture in Southern Sardinia or Northern Greece unless you want to invite a fight. While Americans, the British and Australians would use the thumbs-up sign to signal for hitch-hiking, this message will not encourage a Northern Greek driver or motorist to stop to give them a ride.
What does the “OK” sign mean to you? If you are an English-speaking Caucasian, it means “OK” or “good”. The French understand it as “zero” or “worthless”. The Japanese would read it as “money”.
Don’t show this gesture to a Greek. Ancient Greek vases have been found showing this gesture as an insult. So, if you use this sign in Greece to tell a person that he is “OK”, he will feel insulted. Other regions where this sign can be insulting are Turkey, Malta, Sardinia, Tunisia, Russia, the Middle East, Paraguay, and Brazil.
1. What does the “thumbs-up” gesture show among English-speaking Caucasians?| A．Agreement. | B．Respect. | C．Calmness. | D．Disappointment. |
| A．1. | B．2. | C．4. | D．5. |
| A．Asking for a lift. | B．Giving the “OK” sign. |
| C．Trying to speak English. | D．Showing the gesture “thumbs-up”. |
| A．The function of body language. | B．How to communicate with foreigners. |
| C．The different meanings of two gestures. | D．The importance of learning about other cultures. |
4 . Last week, Education Secretary Arne Duncan declared a war on paper textbooks. “Over the next few years," he said in a speech at the National Press Club, “textbooks should be abandoned." In their place would come a variety of digital-learning technologies, like e-readers and multi-media websites.
Such technologies certainly have their place. But Secretary Duncan is threatening to light a fire to a tried-and-true technology that has been the foundation for one of the great educational systems on the planet. And while e-readers and multi-media may seem appealing, the idea of replacing an effective learning platform with a widely hyped (炒作) but still unproven one is extremely dangerous,
An expert on reading, Maryanne Wolf, has recently begun studying the effects of digital reading on learning, and so far the results are mixed. She worries that Internet reading, in particular, could be such a source of distractions for the student that they may cancel out most other potential benefits of a web-linked, e-leaning environment, and while it's true that the high-tech industry has sponsored considerable amounts of research on the potential benefits of Web-based learning, not enough time has passed for longitudinal (纵向的) studies to demonstrate the full effects.
In addition, digital-reading advocates claim that lightweight e-books benefit students' backs and save schools money. But the rolling backpack seems to have solved the weight problem, and the astonishing costs to equip every student with an e reader, provide technical support and pay for regular software updates promise to make the e-textbook a very pricey choice.
As both a teacher who uses paper textbooks and a student of urban history, I can't help but wonder what parallels exist between my own field and this sudden, wholesale abandonment of the technology of paper.
1. What does the underlined part “a tried-and-true technology" in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Foundation | B．Paper | C．E-books | D．Platform |
| A．Its price. | B．Its efficiency. | C．Its content. | D．Its weight. |
| A．E-readers and multimedia websites are learning methods that are proved effective. |
| B．the results of digital reading effects are understandable |
| C．digital reading can't provide potential benefits for users |
| D．students may not focus on leaning by digital reading |
| A．Objective. | B．Supportive. | C．Positive. | D．Disapproving. |
When I was young, I asked my grandmother, “Why is the sea so big?” She thought for a moment and replied, “Because he knows how to combine all the rivers”, smiling. Today, I can still recall that smile on my grandmother’s face because from that lesson, I have learned the importance of integration.
Kipling said, “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet!” But now, a century later, they have met. They have met in business. They have met in education. They have met in arts. Some would argue that these meetings leave us with a choice between East and West, but I believe the best future lies in the creative combination of both worlds. We can make Western ideas, customs and technology our own, and adapt them to our use so that we can enjoy the best of all worlds. This is our best tradition.
But, do Western styles and values threaten our identity? History makes it easy for us to think so — perhaps too easy. Some people seem to think that adopting Western customs, such as a bride wearing white which has long been a color of sadness in China, instead of the traditional Chinese red for her wedding, is a betrayal of our tradition. They fear that as we become globalized, we will no longer be Chinese. However, I do not agree. The wedding of Eastern and Western cultures, whether in white gowns(礼服）or red, brings us variety. Actually, the best attitude towards the trend lies in the lesson history teaches us — a strong and confident nation is at ease in learning from the outside world.
As a lover of Chinese cuisine, our superb flavors(口味）delight me. But my Chinese taste appreciates good food from any land. I even allow the convenience of McDonald’s a place in my life without giving up my good taste. My grandfather taught me to sing Beijing opera from the time I was very young. It is deep in my spirit, part of my soul. I love Beijing opera, because it always reminds me of who I am. But I am also a fan of modern pop music, the No.1 fan of Spice Girls on campus.
Of course, it goes far beyond food, music and dance. It goes into values and ways of thinking about the world.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “integration”? (1Word )2. According to the writer, in what aspects have East and West met? ( No more than 8 words )
3. What is the most important quality of our traditions according to the passage? ( No more than 15 words )
4. What’s the best title for the passage? ( No more than 10 words )
5. What is your attitude towards “globalized”? Please explain in your own words ( No more than 20 words )
6 . 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. |
7 . HEY boys, attention please! If you want to go to the US, you’d better be fully prepared, because, well, you and the boys in the US are a bit different.
Firstly, know how to knot a tie. In the US, every boy above school age wears suits when they go to weddings.
Secondly, be a gentleman. I know in China some boys are still proud of being strong. But in the US, a good man should also be polite.
The last is to learn something about football and baseball. Chinese boys like ping-pong, basketball and soccer, but American boys love football and baseball. They get very happy when they play and watch these sports.
| A．Many boys are fans of football or baseball in America. |
| B．In my opinion, you’d better try to do the following things. |
| C．The stronger you are, the more highly people will think of you. |
| D．My friend Madison from Virginia said it shows respect to others. |
| E．However, all this doesn’t mean that the American way is always the right way. |
| F．It’s not necessary to be a fan of football or fix your TV channel to baseball games. |
| G．Here are two examples: holding the door for people behind you and giving the seat on a bus to old people. |
8 . Culture can affect not just language and customs, but also how people experience the world on surprisingly basic levels.
Researchers, with the help of brain scans, have uncovered shocking differences in perception(感知) between Westerners and Asians, what they see when they look at a city street, for example, or even how they perceive a simple line in a square, according to findings published in a leading science journal
In western countries, culture makes people think of themselves as highly independent entities(实体) .When looking at scenes, Westerners tend to focus more on central objects than on their surroundings. East Asian cultures, however emphasize inter-dependence. When Easterners look at a scene, they tend to focus on surroundings as well as the object.
Using an experiment involving two tasks, Dr Hedden asked subjects to look at a line simply to estimate its length, a task that is played to American strengths. In another, they estimated the line's length relative to the size of a square, an easier task for the Asians.
The level of brain activity, by tracking blood flow, was then measured by Brain Scanners. The experiment found that although there was no difference in performance, and the tasks were very easy, the levels of activity in the subjects’ brains were different. For the Americans, areas linked to attention lit up more, when they worked on the task they tended to find more difficult--estimating the line's size relative to the square. For the Asians, the attention areas lit up more during the harder task also--estimating the line's length without comparing it to the square. The findings are a reflection of more than ten years of previous experimental research into east-west differences
In one study, for instance, researchers offered people a choice among five pens, four red and one green. Easterners were more likely to choose a red pen while Westerners were more likely to choose the green one.
Culture is not affecting how you see the world, but how you choose to understand and internalize(使内化) it. But such habits can be changed. Some psychological studies suggest that when an Easterner goes to the West or vice versa, habits of thought and perception also begin to change. Such research gives us clues on how our brain works and is hopeful for us to develop programs to improve our memory, memory techniques and enhance and accelerate our learning skills.
1. According to the passage, Chinese people are most likely to_________.| A．emphasize independent thinking more |
| B．always focus more on their surroundings |
| C．focus on the context as well as object |
| D．think of Westerners as highly independent entities |
_________.| A．the task is much easier |
| B．the blood flow is tracked |
| C．people begin to choose colors |
| D．the task is more difficult |
| A．They indicate that culture has a great impact on the way people talk and behave. |
| B．They show that Easterners and Westerners have great differences in perceiving the world |
| C．They suggest that people's habits of thought and perception can be changed in different cultures. |
| D．They make it clear that Easterners and Westerners lay emphasis on different things |
| A．Easterners prefer collectivism to individualism |
| B．East Asian cultures lay more emphasis on independence |
| C．It took over ten years to find out how to improve our brainpower |
| D．Americans will change their habits of perception when they're in Britain |
9 . 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 |
10 . International tourism is becoming interestingly popular, and large numbers of people from all over the world come to visit famous places such as the Great Wall of China and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
As for the damage, there are many different causes. For example, the paintings in the Sistine Chapel are being damaged by people breathing onto them when they visit.
In short, it is necessary to control tourism at famous places.
| A．For example, special paths can be built. |
| B．What can we do to deal with these problems? |
| C．The Great Wall was built over 2,000 years ago. |
| D．However, these visitors have caused many problems. |
| E．Traveling is the best way for us to get to know the world. |
| F．If we do not do this, these places will disappear from our planet. |
| G．Their breath contains very small drops of water that are present in the air. |
