1 . In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus that they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seemed all at sea and looked embarrassed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn’t agree. But in many parts of India, a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty.
1. Why did the British people try to push the three gentlemen out of the way?| A．They were foreigners. | B．They didn’t line up for the bus. |
| C．They didn’t have tickets. | D．They made a loud noise. |
| A．have enough time and money |
| B．learn the language of the country |
| C．make friends with the people there |
| D．understand the manners and customs of the country |
| A．Puzzled. | B．Tired. |
| C．Pleased. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．help yourself at table | B．eat food with your hands |
| C．pass food with the left hand | D．use the right hand for passing food at table |
2 . It’s a typical cold English Sunday afternoon in March. The light is slowly fading, but all-over British people are working in their gardens. They’re digging, cutting leaves and planting new seeds. By summer, their gardens will be full of bright colours.
The British love their gardens. A British newspaper recently asked people for their opinions about them. Seventy percent of the people felt it was important to spend time in the garden, and over half of these described gardening as the most enjoyable thing they ever did.
Only one in ten houses in Britain do not have a garden. People who live in houses without gardens often rent land cheaply from the government to grow flowers or vegetables. You can, of course, just grow house plants inside or on your balcony.
In the nineteenth century, however, gardening became a hobby. About the same time, better transport meant people could buy different kinds of seeds and plants for their gardens. Although roses, sunflowers, onions and tomatoes are often grown in British gardens, they originally grew wild in other countries.
In many villages and towns there are competitions for the gardens that are best looked-after. This year the winner was a little village in Northern Ireland called Ahoghill. It’s already won four prizes for its beauty. People also take part in competitions to grow the largest vegetables, but don’t expect to win: Britain’s biggest carrot is almost six metres long.
1. We can learn from the first three paragraphs that ________.| A．most British families have their own gardens |
| B．British people only work in their gardens on warm days |
| C．British people spend quite a fortune on their gardening hobby |
| D．in the UK, old people love gardening more than young people do |
| A．Gardens were mainly used to produce food to eat. |
| B．Gardening became a popular activity for poor people. |
| C．Transportation development added variety to garden plants. |
| D．Local garden plants were introduced to overseas countries. |
| A．How to look after a garden. | B．What British gardens look like. |
| C．The history of gardening in the UK. | D．The British public’s love of gardens. |
3 . When HarmonyOs, the Chinese self-developed operating system for Huawei mobile devices, was released on Aug 9, it quickly became a hot topic on social media. Many believe it not only represents the rise of the country as a tech power, but also shows respect to classical Chinese culture by naming the system “Hongmeng” in Chinese.
“Hongmeng” is a classical word from Zhuangzi. In the ancient times of Chinese legend and myths(神话), “Hongmeng” was used to describe the original state of the universe before matter existed. For HarmonyOS, “Hongmeng” indicates the developers’ aim to make an innovative operating system, unlike any other.
Besides “Hongmeng”, Huawei has also registered many of its products under the names of legendary creatures from Chinese myths. For example, the company’s Kirin mobile chip got its name after a lucky monster called “Qilin”. And its server chip is called “Kunpeng”, a creature that changed from a fish into a giant bird.
Many Chinese Internet users and media have praised Huawei’s use of these names, “as they stand for Chinese wisdom and ancient people’s imagination and spirit of exploration”, Global Times noted.
In fact, Huawei is not alone in using traditional culture for modern ventures. Ne Zha, the new film, also portrays traditional culture in a modern context. The movie is loosely based on the well-known work of classical Chinese myth The Investiture of the Gods. Earlier this month it became the biggest animated movie in China and was called “the glory of domestic anime(国产动漫)”.
Indeed, the long history and splendid classic works have given China a profound culture. Myths and legends are the creative woks of tremendous imagination. As Global Times put it, today by revisiting a modern context, “ancient myths has the power to inspire imagination in young people”. After all, imagination is the beginning of creation.
1. What do we know about HamonyOS?| A．Its release raised a storm of objections. |
| B．It is named after creature in myth. |
| C．It combines high technology and culture. |
| D．It’s the best operating system. |
| A．creative | B．modern |
| C．popular | D．intelligent |
| A．The film Ne Zha is not adapted from myths. |
| B．The film Ne Zha is a big hit. |
| C．More businesses follow Huawei’s lead. |
| D．Ancient myths is a good choice for entertainment. |
4 . The New Year is a time for celebrations for almost everyone around the world. In Britain, people go to pubs and nightclubs to dance the old year away, and to welcome in the new one at midnight.
In recent years, street parties have become more popular. Thousands of people gather in squares, main streets or on the river banks to listen to bands playing and to see fireworks displays.
For people who stay at home, most are attracted by the special, live New Year shows on TV. They are waiting for the countdown, along with the presenters, from 10 to 1 as the last seconds of the old year tick away and the bells of the New Year are rung.
In Scotland people visit their neighbors and drink, dance on New Year’s Eve. If you’re invited to a Scottish home that night, it’s important to know what to bring with you: a lump of coal, some shortbread and some whisky.
The coal shows warmth, so you’re wishing that the people you visit will have enough heat in the coming year. The shortbread represents food, so you’re hoping that the people will have enough to eat in the New Year. Some Scots call whisky “the water of life”, so when you hand over your bottle to your hosts, it means you want them to have enough to drink over the next 12 months.
And there’s one more key task you still have to perform if you can. The first person to knock on a neighbor’s door is supposed to be a tall, dark and handsome man who will bring good luck to the household. But what if that’s not you? Well, don’t ring the bell just yet. Wait a while and the right person is sure to turn up soon!
1. People staying at home till midnight on New Year’s Eve are mostly ________.| A．learning to countdown numbers | B．talking with the presenters |
| C．enjoying the live TV programs | D．ringing the bells for New Year |
| A．Sharing good food and warmth. | B．Showing richness and generosity. |
| C．Helping those poor families. | D．Sending best wishes for the family. |
| A．a lump of coal | B．good luck |
| C．a bottle of whisky | D．some shortbread |
| A．British people will fire some fireworks in public places to celebrate the New Year |
| B．street concerts have become more popular on the midnight of the New Year Eve |
| C．British people hate to think of the old year and wish to dance it away quickly |
| D．people will stay at home doing nothing but wait for the bell of the New Year to ring |
5 . China has been drinking tea since the time of Shennong, 5,000 years ago. Britain’s relationship with tea is much shorter, but tea enjoys pride of place as the UK’s national drink. According to the UK Tea Council, British people drink an average of three cups a day or a national total of 165 million cups every day.
With figures like these, it is no surprise that time spent taking tea affects the working day in Britain. A recent survey found that 24 minutes a day are lost to making, buying and drinking tea and coffee. That is, £400 a year is lost in working hours per employee, or 190 days over a lifetime. So, should employers be worried about this lost working time, or does the tea break make up in other ways?
One argument is that caffeine improves mental state: a drink of tea or coffee can make you active and focus on work.
Professor Rogers of the University of Bristol disagrees. After years of studying caffeine he sees nothing can prove that. “Workers would perform equally well if not drinking it at all,” he says. “But if they’re often drinking it and then go without, they’ll feel tired and won’t work well.”
Psychologist Cooper instead emphasizes the role tea breaks play in office life, and in building social relationships. “We need to make people more active and see other people. The tea break is one way of doing this,” says Cooper.
And Professor Rogers also points out the comfort effect of a hot drink: “We warm our hands on them on a cold day; they’re comforting and play a big role in our everyday life. Whatever the caffeine’s doing, I’d say these 24 minutes aren’t wasted.”
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Tea Breaks cannot make people more active at work. |
| B．British people drink more tea than people in other countries. |
| C．Tea break plays an important role in people’s life in Britain. |
| D．A lot of time has been wasted drinking tea in the working day. |
| A．£400 is lost in working hours for each person |
| B．tea breaks take up 24 minutes in a working day |
| C．people spends 190 days drinking tea and coffee each year |
| D．people drink 165 million cups in working hours every day |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Doubtful. |
6 . China has been drinking tea since the time of Shennong, 5,000 years ago. Britain’s relationship with tea is much shorter, but tea enjoys pride of place as the UK’s national drink. According to the UK Tea Council, British people drink an average of three cups a day or a national total of 165 million cups every day.
With figures like these, it is no surprise that time spent taking tea affects the working day in Britain. A recent survey found that 24 minutes a day are lost to making, buying and drinking tea and coffee. That is, £400 a year is lost in working hours per employee, or 190 days over a lifetime. So, should employers be worried about this lost working time, or does the tea break make up in other ways?
One argument is that caffeine improves mental state: a drink of tea or coffee can make you active and focus on work.
Professor Rogers of the University of Bristol disagrees. After years of studying caffeine he sees nothing can prove that. “Workers would perform equally well if not drinking it at all,” he says. “But if they’re often drinking it and then go without, they’ll feel tired and won’t work well.”
Psychologist Cooper instead emphasizes the role tea breaks play in office life, and in building social relationships. “We need to make people more active and see other people. The tea break is one way of doing this,” says Cooper.
And Professor Rogers also points out the comfort effect of a hot drink: “We warm our hands on them on a cold day; they’re comforting and play a big role in our everyday life. Whatever the caffeine’s doing, I’d say these 24 minutes aren’t wasted.”
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Tea Breaks cannot make people more active at work. |
| B．British people drink more tea than people in other countries. |
| C．Tea break plays an important role in people’s life in Britain. |
| D．A lot of time has been wasted drinking tea in the working day. |
| A．£400 is lost in working hours for each person |
| B．tea breaks take up 24 minutes in a working day |
| C．people spends 190 days drinking tea and coffee each year |
| D．people drink 165 million cups in working hours every day |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Doubtful. |
7 . Culture shock isn’t a clinical term or medical conditions. It’s simply a common way to describe the confusing and nervous feelings a person may have after leaving a familiar culture to live in a different culture.
Everyone feels the pressure to fit in at one time or another—whether they’ve lived in the area for days or years. But don’t feel like you need to change everything about yourself so you can stand out less.
Here are a few tips for making sure your new culture doesn’t overpower the old:
Educate people about your culture. Just because you’re the one entering the new culture doesn’t mean you should be the one doing all the learning.
Find a support group. Find kids in your class or neighborhood who recently moved, too. You can share experiences.
Remember, it’s important to be yourself.
| A．Keep in touch with home. |
| B．Understand the new culture. |
| C．But the good news is that culture shock is temporary. |
| D．When you move to a new place, you’re bound to face a lot of changes. |
| E．Try not to force yourself to change too fast or too many things all at once. |
| F．All of your experiences before you came to your new home are part of you. |
| G．Take the opportunity to teach classmates and new friends about your culture. |
8 . If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how “foolish” the Finnish people are.
Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare of two US dollars a kilometer. You can go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to, and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least signs of anxiety.
The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diners. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration cards to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friends to dine free of charge.
The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss at the rate. From then on they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly.
With so many loopholes(漏洞) in everyday life, surely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take “petty advantages”. But the strange thing is that all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fares after they have attended to their business and that not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers always give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As the Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone to a real “gentleman”.
1. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?| A．While taking a taxi in Finland, you can get off without first paying your fare. |
| B．In a big hotel in Finland, you can enjoy free meals if you’re living in the hotel. |
| C．The bosses in Finland pay the employees according to the registration of their working hours. |
| D．The workers are always honest with their working hours. |
| A．the Finnish society is of very high moral level |
| B．there are many loopholes in everyday life in Finland |
| C．in Finland, most taxi drivers will not charge you anything |
| D．everyone in Finland is like a gentleman, for they have faith in themselves |
| A．Life in Finland | B．A Society with “Foolish” People |
| C．What a Life | D．Honest accounts of the Finns |
9 . January means it’s time for coats and gloves and cold weather. While many of us are preparing ourselves for the cold weeks ahead, in some cities winter is the “hottest” season of all because it’s the time for winter festivities.
Every year 2 million people visit the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan. This internationally well-known event began in 1950, when some local high-school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. Since then, the festival has grown to include lots of snow sculptures as well as a snow-sculpting contest that draws competitors from all over the world.
In December, Finland created its 13th annual Snow Village, which will remain open until April, if weather permits. Snow Village lies nearly 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. The village is designed by builders skilled in working with snow and ice. Visitors can take a tour of the village, eat in a restaurant made of ice or go dancing in the disco igloo(拱形圆顶小屋). They can also spend the night in a hotel made of snow. There’s even an ice chapel(小礼拜堂) for couples who want to get married in Snow village.
Since 1935, the Fur Rendezvous has been held every February in Anchorage, Alaska, America’s most northern state. Among the festival’s many attractions is the World Championship Sled Dog Race, which draws sled dog teams from many countries. Dogs also take center stage in the Dog Weight Pull, in which dogs compete to see which one can pull the heaviest weight. The festival features sports like skiing, basketball, boxing and softball as well as the Grand Prix Auto Race in downtown Anchorage. True to the festival’s name, there’s also a fur auction(拍卖), where buyers buy real Alaskan furs. The first Fur Rendezvous lasted only three days. Now it’s a 10-day event that attracts thousands of visitors.
1. What can we learn about the Sapporo Snow Festival from the second paragraph?| A．How it got started. | B．How long it lasts. |
| C．Who is in charge of it. | D．How much it costs to attend it. |
| A．Skating matches. | B．Design contests. |
| C．Indoor weddings. | D．Cooking competitions. |
| A．buy what he wants | B．play any sports he likes |
| C．attend a strength competition | D．come across different sled dogs |
Head over to South Bank and enjoy a winter feast，cocktails（鸡尾酒）and a nice view of the fireworks. You can choose to sit in their famous snow globes that give the best view of the fireworks. Four Globes are available for a wonderful winter feast. Each globe costs £3，000，which seats up to 10 people. The tickets are priced at £30 each.
New Year's Eve at the Roof Gardens
The Roof Gardens in Kensington has developed an event ensuring this is a New Year's Eve you'll never forget. They aim to transport you to the Hollywood Hills for a charming night. From popular DJs and special cocktails to a live band，delicious food from the BBQ grills，the night is full of food，drink and fun. Tickets are priced at f120 for club members, with standard tickets costing £160
London New Year's Eve Fireworks
This year，the New Year's Eve fireworks display will kick off with the legendary sound. Get your tickets and ensure a spot to see the show, and welcome New Year in the most festive way. The show is enjoyed by over 100. 000 people as well as being broadcast online for many more to see. Tickets are priced at just £10.
The Blitz Party by Bourne & Hollingsworth
Step into a true British air-raid shelter（防空洞）complete with sandbags. Hurricane lamps and maps for this 1940s themed party hosted by Bourne & Hollingsworth. Dress up as a uniformed soldier or lady and dance to live music.
And be careful The Blitz Party operates a strict 1940s dress rule. Tickets from £55.
1. How much should eight people pay in all if they want to enjoy the winter feast in a snow globe?| A．£3,240. | B．£3,000. |
| C．£240 | D．£240,000. |
| A．be served with cocktails |
| B．enjoy classic music of the past |
| C．dress up in the manner of the past |
| D．enjoy the nice fireworks at middle night |
| A．Foreign visitors to London. | B．New Year celebrations. |
| C．Birthday celebrations. | D．Music enjoyment, |
