1 . Best Southern winter Beer Festivals to Challenge Your Taste
Bluffton International Craft Beer Festival
This festival is considered to be “The Best Little Beer Fest in the US”. This festival shows over 125 beers from more than 40 breweries (啤酒厂) across the US and focuses on unique and new beers that you usually cant find in a grocery store. The festival even has hourly surprises of a limited quantity of rare beers as well as food for those who can arrive in time.
Bayou Beer Fest
The Bayou Beer Fest is the premier beer festival in the Bayou Region of southern Louisiana and is held at the historic 19th century sugar farm, making it a truly memorable beer festival. The festival will provide hundreds of beers from state-based, national, and even international breweries, of course, there will also be food to purchase, and several Louisiana-style musical acts to keep the festival alive.
Key Largo Brew on the Bay
It’s actually winter at this beer festival held in the largest section of the Florida Keys. The festival covers two days, and will feature at least 40 different breweries, including local breweries. Besides, because it does harm to your health to enjoy beer on an empty stomach, Brew on the Bay will feature a food court, with fresh Florida lionfish, fish sandwiches and shellfish.
Yaga’s Chili (辣椒) Quest& Beer Fest
Beer and chili go together like peas and carrots, so you will not want to miss the annual Yaga’s Chili Quest Beer Fest. The festival will feature over 100 import beers, including rare finds and a few surprises prepared for all people present. Of course,there will also be a variety of tasty chili for you to try.
1. What can you enjoy on the Bayou Beer Fest?| A．Local music. | B．Sugar juice. |
| C．Free beers. | D．Delicious food. |
| A．Bluffton International Craft Beer festival. |
| B．Bayou Beer Fest. |
| C．Key Largo Brew on the Bay. |
| D．Yaga’s Chili Quest& Beer Fest. |
| A．Surprises for people. |
| B．The most import beers. |
| C．Various vegetables. |
| D．Hot-taste food. |
2 . Each time Chinese New Year is approaching, preparations are underway around the world. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to mark the day.
London
Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is perfectly formed little firework that knows how to see in the year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics（杂技）, martial arts（武术）,dance and opera nearby.
San Francisco
San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the United States. The city was the main entry-point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between the Grant Avenue and the Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bangkok
With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty treats, clothes, toys and antiques. Sunday market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.
Mauritius
Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Established in the early years of the 20th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Chinese Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the Dragon Dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional lion dances through the streets.
1. According to the text, which of the following has the longest history?| A．London’s Chinatown. | B．San Francisco’s Chinatown. |
| C．Mauritius’s Chinatown. | D．Bangkok’s Chinatown. |
| A．It is crowded with Chinese restaurants. | B．It is the major entrance for the Chinese. |
| C．It is well-known for its gold business. | D．It is when you can enjoy fireworks. |
| A．Rue Royale in Port Louis, Mauritius | B．the Sunday market in Bangkok |
| C．the Grant Avenue in San Francisco | D．the Chinese community in London |
3 . This message is to inform all the children that Santa’s post office in Himmelpfort, Germany, is open to receive your holiday wishes. That means you can mail your letters to Santa about 6 weeks sooner than that last year. Santa knows you’ve been good and wants to make sure he and his helpers receive your wish list earlier.
Eight post offices are organized across Germany to answer all the letters children send. This year they plan to receive over 250,000 letters. Though the letters fly from over 80 different countries, Santa and his helpers can understand and make sure to answer all the letters.
In 1984, two children from Berlin sent their wish lists to Himmelpfort after spending their vacation there. Their letters were answered by postal employees and later Himmelpfort increased its helpers to meet the needs of increased mail traffic. Year after year, Santa and his crew use an eco-friendly powered vehicle to collect the thousands of letters they receive from young boys and girls. The great news for this year is that if you come to the beautiful town of Himmelpfort, you can drop off your letter and visit Santa in person, from Tuesdays to Thursdays until Christmas Eve.
Santa does not currently have an e-mail, Twitter or a Facebook account. He believes in old-fashioned communication. So get out your paper and write your wish list. Just make sure your letter is clear so you can receive an official response. Send your letters to
Santa
Christmas Post Office
Himmelpfort Germany 16798
1. This year Santa and his helpers .
| A．are eager to receive more wishes |
| B．keep traveling around 80 countries |
| C．are able to receive kids’ letters earlier |
| D．answer most of the letters for kids |
| A．children from Berlin like spending holidays in Himmelpfort |
| B．post offices send kids all the presents they ask for |
| C．Santa uses a powered vehicle because of the heavy mail traffic |
| D．children can visit Santa in the flesh before Christmas Eve this year |
| A．is not sure about the online security |
| B．trusts traditional ways of communication |
| C．prefers official and formal letters |
| D．thinks written letters are clearer than e-mails |
| A．tourists coming to Himmelpfort |
| B．teenagers preferring writing letters |
| C．parents preparing for Christmas |
| D．children planning to write to Santa |
4 . Before Christmas Eve in 1870 Richard Wagner and his wife, Cosima, had agreed not to buy each other Christmas presents. They were simply too poor. But Wagner was planning a surprise gift.
For more than two months he had been crafting a piece of music to be performed outside Cosima’s bedroom door on Christmas morning. He had based it on themes later to be used in his opera Siegfried, plus a little nursery song he had written for their children two years earlier. He completed the Siegfried Idyll three weeks before Christmas and arranged for conductor Hans Richter to choose the members of the small orchestra. Richter conducted secret rehearsals, first in Zurich then at a hotel in Lucerne.
Wagner invited philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche to the final rehearsal on Christmas Eve at the Hotel du Lac and they arrived together at the Wagners’ home in the village of Trihschen. There they found Cosima decorating the Christmas tree and preparing presents for the children.
At seven o'clock on Christmas morning the musicians arrived and quietly arranged themselves on the stairs outside Cosima’s room. They began to play.
“As I awoke to the light of dawn,” Cosima said later, “my mind passed from one dream into another. Familiar sounds from Siegfried came to my ears. It was as if the house or more accurately our entire being, was rising up in music and going up to heaven. Sacred memories, birdsong and sunrise, interwoven with music from Siegfried calmed my heart and I came to realize that I was not dreaming, and yet was experiencing the most wonderful one of all dreams. Now at last I understood all of Richard’s writing in secret.”
And yet Wagner had kept his promise not to buy his wife a Christmas present. December 25th was Cosima’s birthday.
1. Why did the Wagners agree not to buy Christmas presents for each other?| A．They both didn’t like to buy presents. | B．They were only too poor. |
| C．They were very rich. | D．They didn’t have the habit. |
| A．Cosima was sleeping. |
| B．Cosima was playing with the children at home. |
| C．Cosima was busy with the preparation for Christmas. |
| D．Cosima was cooking in the kitchen. |
| A．Christmas. | B．The musicians. |
| C．The stairs. | D．The children. |
| A．A great Christmas. | B．A great love. |
| C．A good birthday. | D．A surprise gift. |
5 . Nowadays，there is a trend that more and more people spend their holidays in foreign countries.
On a business card，write down the emergency contact's information and place it in your wallet.
To avoid being a target of crime，don't wear eye catching clothing：dress conservatively (保守地)，and don't wear or carry obvious signs of wealth (gold watches，expensive jewelry and etc.) and don't carry more cash than necessary.
To make sure of a safe journey and avoid some unnecessary trouble when traveling in foreign countries，you could never be too careful.
| A．Also，don't accept packages from strangers. |
| B．Once your wallet is stolen，you can let them know. |
| C．Good preparations can always help you out as well. |
| D．You can show it to taxi drivers when asking for directions. |
| E．It will be easier for you to keep track of your bag from a distance. |
| F．Of course everyone wants his travels to be trouble-free and enjoyable. |
| G．Include the name of anyone who should be contacted in an emergency. |
6 . Kung fu is one of a number of Chinese martial arts designed to improve the body and the mind. It is perhaps one of the most widely known martial arts, because many films include its techniques. There are hundreds of styles taught all over the world, although they can be loosely divided into two camps: Shaolin style kung fu, and other techniques, some of which have a history that outdates the Shaolin order.
Shaolin kung fix has its origins in the fifth century. Like some other martial arts, it began in religious temples, where the monks sought a mind and body discipline (训练方法). In addition to the fighting style, it also includes mental exercises and religious practices designed to balance the whole body.
Shaolin temples resembled universities, integrating a wide range of subjects of study. Therefore, traditional Shaolin styles such as Wing Chun, Crane, Praying Mantis, and Hung Gar took knowledge from fields outside martial arts, such as the healing arts and meditation. Supporters for Shaolin styles believe that they are more rounded martial arts styles, and that learners will benefit from them on a whole body level.
Other fighting styles, some of which predate the Shaolin style, are also lumped under the kung fu umbrella. They include Pa-Kua, Eagle Claw, and Eight Drunken Immortals styles. These disciplines are not considered to be Shaolin style because they did not originate in temples and are focused primarily on fighting techniques.
Whether Shaolin or otherwise, kung fu is characterized by self defense strategies that turn the energy of an attacker against him or her. Although the techniques may vary, most styles teach throws, kicks, punches, and the use of weapons. In addition to the physical discipline, most place a great importance on respect, honor, and living a balanced life.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．The reason why kung fu is important. |
| B．The different styles of Shaolin kung fu. |
| C．The functions and branches of kung fu. |
| D．The differences between Shaolin style and others. |
| A．is good for people physically and mentally |
| B．has the longest history in Shaolin temples |
| C．is something that are taught in many films |
| D．has only two important styles left at present |
| A．Shaolin kung fu was invented earlier than other styles. |
| B．Some Shaolin styles are connected with healing arts. |
| C．Wing Chun is not included in Shaolin Style kung fu, |
| D．Pa-Kua and Eagle Claw are under Shaolin Style umbrella. |
| A．They all began in religious temples in China. |
| B．They teach physical skills instead of use of weapons. |
| C．They focus on attacking the enemy first with your energy. |
| D．They require learners to be respectful and honor themselves. |
7 . China has more than 30 intangible cultural heritage(非物质文化遗产) recognized by the UNESCO, including paper-cutting, the Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture(针灸) and so on. The organization adopted a decision that China’s “The Twenty-Four Solar Terms”(二十四节气) should be put on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 in Ethiopia.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge of time and practices in agriculture, starts from the beginning of Spring and ends with the Greater Cold, moving in cycles. It developed through the observation of the sun’s annual movement in China. In ancient ti
me, the method of tugui, earth sundial(日暑), was used to measure the shadow of the sun for determining the solar terms.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial（最初的） stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.
As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it has functioned as a complete set of weather calendar(日历) to guide the agricultural production in China. It has also been introduced into North Korea, Japan and other neighboring countries and still used in Japan. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people’s way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.
1. According to the first two paragraphs, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms______.| A．was used to measure the shadow of the sun |
B．has not been listed as on e intangible cultural heritage of humanity |
| C．repeats from the Beginning of Spring to the Greater Cold every year |
| D．is the best intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO |
| A．the Twenty-Four Solar Terms only influenced spring and autumn |
| B．the Twenty-Four Solar Terms had something to do with agriculture |
| C．people cared about the changes of weather just for fun |
| D．agricultural production highly influenced the seasonal changes |
| A．is an agricultural calendar merely used in China |
| B．is strongly influenced by North Korea and Japan |
| C．is scarcely connected with natural rules |
| D．is part of traditional Chinese culture |
8 . Tipping isn’t a big part of British culture, unlike in North America, where waiters and waitresses are paid below minimum wage. Tips are usually appreciated, but offering a tip of some services can cause confusion.
In casual restaurants, where you pay for your order at a counter but food is brought to your table, tipping is uncommon. You are welcome to leave a pound or two if you wish. In restaurants where you place your order with a waiter or a waitress and receive your food and bill at your table, it’s customary to tip around 10 percent. In some restaurants, a service charge may be added to the bill automatically, typically 10 or 12.5 percent. In this case, you don’t need to add a further tip. When you pay by credit card, the machine may ask if you want to add a tip. Check your bill to see if a service charge has already been added before paying—if so you don’t need to add a tip on the machine. You can request the service charge be removed from your bill if you are unhappy with the service. In some cases a restaurant may print “service not included” on the bill or menu. This is a request for a tip. You’re not forced to offer anything, but 10 percent would be normal in this situation. Tipping in cafes and fast food restaurant is not expected.
If you use a taxi, round the fare up to the nearest pound shown on the meter. On a journey from or to the airport in a booked minicab you might wish to trip 2 or 3 pounds if the driver helps with your bags.
Be sure to check a country’s tipping culture before you start your tip. For more information, visit TripAdvisor.com.
1. According to the text, ________ in British culture.| A．it is necessary to tip if you are served in cafes |
| B．it is confusing to tip if you receive your bill at your table |
| C．it is customary to tip if “service not included” is printed on the bill |
| D．it is compulsory to tip even if the service is unsatisfying in some restaurants |
| A．the service charge can be added on the machine |
| B．the service charge must have been included in the bill automatically |
| C．the service charge can’t be refused |
| D．the service charge needn’t be checked before you pay |
| A．58.4 pounds | B．59 pounds |
| C．61 pounds | D．64 pounds |
| A．Introduction of TripAdvisor.com | B．Occasions for Tipping |
| C．Advice on Tipping in Restaurants | D．British Ways to Tipping |
9 . Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It has been regarded as the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Although it’s not an official holiday, millions of employers give their employees the day off, and many people use that day to get a jump-start on their holiday shopping. A similar day in Canada and Great Britain is called “Boxing Day”.
Black Friday has become somewhat of a marketing sensation(营销效应) in recent years. Since 2005, it has been the busiest shopping day of the year. To lure shoppers, retailers (零售商) routinely open their doors as early as 4 a. m. and offer special sales and promotions to the shoppers that arrive early. Some of the special deals offered by stores are only available in limited quantities. That is why some shoppers intent on getting the best deals often camp out in front of stores overnight so that they’ll be the first in line when the doors open.
But why Black Friday? Historians believe the name started in Philadelphia in the mid-1960s. Bus drivers and police used “Black Friday” to describe the heavy traffic that would block city streets the day after Thanksgiving as shoppers headed to the stores.
Businesses, however, didn’t like the negative tone associated with the “Black Friday” name. In the early 1980s, a more positive explanation of the name began to spread. According to this alternative explanation, Black Friday is the day when retailers finally begin to turn a profit for the year. In accounting terms (会计行业), operating at a loss is called being “in the red” because accountants traditionally used red ink to show negative amounts. Positive amounts were usually shown in black ink. Thus, being “in the black” is a good thing because it means stores are operating at a profit.
Recently, for those who are too busy to shop on Black Friday or who just don’t want to fight the crowds, the Monday following Black Friday has become known as Cyber Monday (网络星期一) for the many online deals.
1. On Black Friday，the Americans .| A．don’t have to go to work as usual |
| B．look exactly like the Canadians |
| C．are usually busy doing shopping |
| D．stay at home and relax themselves |
| A．protect | B．attract |
| C．persuade | D．remind |
| A．It is totally different from Boxing Day. |
| B．They usually lose some money on the day. |
| C．It never keeps them very busy. |
| D．It probably brings them more money. |
| A．state the development of Cyber Monday |
| B．tell the difference between red and black |
| C．introduce Black Friday to the readers |
| D．explain the meaning of Boxing Day |
10 . Moving abroad can be a challenging experience. You leave your family，friends and everything you know behind. You enter a new culture where the customs and sometimes the languages are different.
So what are the best ways to involve yourself in the new culture while living abroad?
Live with a native speaker
Socialize with the local people
The thought of making friends and mixing with the local people may seem scary at first but it's worth it.
The food in France is amazing and discovering new food is a fun experience. I've tried things that I've never tried before. My knowledge of different bread and cheese types has grown greatly.
| A．Try the local food |
| B．But it's also exciting |
| C．I currently volunteer with homeless people |
| D．You can also speak the local language every day |
| E．Improve my French vocabulary and understanding |
| F．You can meet other people in the area by joining a club |
| G．There are many advantages of living with a native speaker |
