2 . Wherever we go, we are surrounded by history. Across the globe, cultural heritage is passed down through generations. It is in the buildings and structures around us. It is in the arts and artifacts (手工艺品 ) we treasure. It lives in the languages we speak and the stories we tell. But today, it is under attack as never before. Not only is the damage of time intimidating our cultural heritage, but wars, climate change, globalization and tourism are all exacting a heavy price. Technology is now the most important weapon in the battle. Here’s how technology is preserving our cultural heritage.

As you can imagine, creating the replicas (复制品 ) via crowdsourced 2D images is extremely time-consuming. Increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to do all the required sourcing, allowing millions of images to be stored in a matter of hours. AI will also make restoration-and-preservation of existing cultural heritage far easier and much better than former methods.

Virtual reality (VR) technology will play a leading role in preserving our cultural heritage in the coming years. Many of the most important sites and architecture are easily damaged. Human interaction with these locations is doing a great deal of harm. Wastes left could be seen everywhere, causing many problems. As more cultural heritage sites and objects are digitally mapped and recorded, VR technology will increasingly become the way that people experience them. We’ll all eventually be able to walk through places, look at and touch artifacts and works of art without ever seeing them with our own eyes.

Finally, our cultural heritage will be preserved via technology. Efforts in research, innovation (创新), data sharing and project work will help promote and preserve the cultural heritage of countries all across the world.

1. What does the underlined word “intimidating” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Fading.

B．Preserving.

C．Recording.

D．Threatening.

2. How does VR help to preserve cultural heritage?

A．By recycling huge amounts of waste.

B．By stopping visitors touching artifacts.

C．By reducing human effects on the sites.

D．By educating people about the sites’ importance.

3. What is the author’s attitude to technology in preserving the cultural heritage?

A．Positive.

B．Unclear.

C．Doubtful.

D．Unsupportive.

4. Which can be the best title for this passage?

A．How Technology Changes Arts

B．What Cultural Heritage Means to Us

C．Prepare for an Innovation in Technology

D．Preserve the Ancient with the Advanced

4 . Four schools from Beijing were in Hull to put on a show.

The schools, all from the Fengtai District in Beijing, have close ties to the city. Groups of students from Beijing and Hull regularly visit each other as part of a cultural and educational exchange programme.

Today’s special performance at Hull City Hall included various forms of traditional Chinese music, dance and acrobatics (杂技).

Lewis Anderson, 26, started learning Chinese at the age of 13 and acts as a translator and organiser when the Chinese students visit the UK. He also currently studies at a university in China.

He said, “Cultural exchanges are really important because children start to appreciate everything in life. They start to learn that there isn’t only their view on things and they start to look at other cultures and appreciate their history and beauty. For example, when Hull students visit China, they might visit the Great Wall and enjoy traditional dancing and opera, and then they come home and think ‘What do we have that is the equivalent (相等的东西) of that?’ and they look at all the different things that we have and it starts to open their minds.”

The Chinese students are on a 12-day visit to the UK, visiting eight different cities, including four days in Hull. As part of their visit to Hull, they were invited to visit various museums, galleries and tourist sites in the city.

Lewis said, “The children love exploring Hull because it’s rich in history and everywhere you look it’s old, beautiful and attractive.”

At Hull City Hall the Chinese students performed a traditional Peking Opera, which combines music, vocal performance, dance and acrobatics. The performance is famous for featuring fantastic costumes and dazzling make-up.

1. What did Lewis think of cultural exchanges?

A．They benefit students in their development.

B．They should get more public attention.

C．They inspire more children to study in China.

D．They bring tradition to life.

2. Which of the following best describes the students’ visit to Hull?

A．It put them on the road to explore the nature.

B．It was a month-long tour.

C．It changed their attitudes to the costumes.

D．It was a journey into history.

3. What did the students do at Hull City Hall?

A．They only told Chinese stories to the locals.

B．They performed Peking Opera.

C．They taught the locals Peking Opera.

D．They introduced their schools to the locals.

4. What is the text?

A．A diary.

B．A play review.

C．A news report.

D．A school notice.

6 . Craftsman Qian Gaochao and his son recently spent more than six months making three “chicken-blood” stone carvings showing the taekwondo and wrestling competitions of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. As a national inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) of the chicken-blood stone carving technique, Qian Gaochao says that he is working on the other carvings related to the Asian Games in the chicken-blood stone museum in Changhua town, Zhejiang Province.

Chicken-blood stone is one of China’s most prized decorative materials and has been used for centuries to create carved works with characteristic red markings. With its bright blood-red color, bright crystal-like jade texture, quality and shape, chicken-blood stones are celebrated the world over. The artistic value of Changhua chicken-blood stone lies in its adaptability, which can be made into decorations of various sizes and forms. It is not only a mineral specimen (标本) that records geological changes, but also a cultural relic that reflects the productivity of different eras, living conditions and folk customs.

The stone has become a cultural symbol of deepening bilateral friendship in diplomatic (外交的) activities. For example, in 1972, the Chinese premier gave Changhua chicken-blood stones to Japan as State gifts. In 1986, a seal of Changhua stone was presented to the US. In 2016, the Changhua stone sculpture “Haliaeetus Albicilla Dud a Portrait Seal” was presented to Poland. In September 2016, 36 sets of portrait seals were given as gifts to guests who attended the 11th C20 Summit held in Hangzhou.

“As a craftsman, I’m not only doing carving work but also recording the development and changes of our society and remembering the era through the medium of my carvings,” Qian Gaochao says. He has created fascinating works, many of which are related to important events in Chinese history and famous people who have made significant contributions to the country.

“We are also recruiting qualified people to continue to inherit and innovate these traditional skills,” Qian Gaochao says. “Additionally, we often hold research activities and provide training courses, enabling more young students to understand and learn Chinese traditional culture,” he adds.

1. What do Qian Gaochao and his son’s recent works describe?

A．Famous athletes.	B．Beautiful natural scenery.
C．International sporting events.	D．Ancient folk customs in Changhua.

2. What highlights the artistic value of Changhua chicken-blood stone?

A．It is rare for its unique shape.	B．It is a mirror of the local climate.
C．It features a bright blood-red color.	D．It has high adaptability to different designs.

3. What are the examples in paragraph 3 for?

A．Presenting the popularity of chicken-blood stone.

B．Showing the role of chicken-blood stone in diplomacy.

C．Explaining the approaches to promote Changhua’s economy.

D．Proving the importance of Chinese culture in connecting the world.

4. What do we know about Qian Gaochao from his words?

A．He provides free carving courses for qualified students.

B．The innovation of traditional culture faces great challenges.

C．Learning carving skills is not attractive to modern young people.

D．He devotes himself to recording China’s development through carving.

7 . Imagine walking through an ancient city, then climbing a gate tower to take in a wonderful view of the city and its more than 600-year-old walls. You can hear the city’s heartbeat in the air. This is the Ancient City of Pingyao in Shanxi Province, a place that is most likely to be on your travel plan if you enjoy history or ancient architecture since its history can go back to more than 2,700 years ago.

Situated in the center of Shanxi Province, Pingyao is the hometown of Jin businessmen. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the city’s agriculture and manufacturing (制造) industries developed rapidly. Following China’s reform and opening-up in the 1980s, Pingyao struggled with the change from a managed economy to the market-oriented economy (市场经济). During this time, the city government identified new ways to break through this economic bottleneck.

Finally in the winter of 1997, chances came knocking. Through the efforts of the city government, Pingyao earned its place on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which caused the entire world to take notice of the city.

Since the city’s fame has risen, locals in Pingyao-have deepened their understanding of the efforts preserving the historical relics in their hometown. Meanwhile the city government has continued to upgrade itself through a proposal that follows the centre of “entrepreneurship (创业), development and protection”.

Recently, the city is focused on establishing a sustainable (可持续发展) industry that will enable it to continue to grow while also protecting its relics and introducing them to the world.

1. What made Pingyao popular with tourists?

A．Its view and fresh air.	B．Its history and architecture.
C．Its weather and traditions.	D．Its tourist attractions and people.

2. What does “chances came knocking” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The city’s name was replaced.	B．The economy of Ping Yao was rising.
C．Ping Yao became known to the world.	D．The architecture was rebuilt in the city.

3. What measure is taken to further develop the city?

A．Preserving more historical relics.

B．Learning from other cities in the world.

C．Connecting economy with cultural protection.

D．Introducing more overseas industries to the city.

4. How is the text developed?

A．By giving examples.	B．By raising questions.
C．By listing reasons.	D．By following time order.

8 . Four Interesting Festivals Around the World

Noosa Festival of Surfing, Australia

Noosa is one of the world’s best surfing destinations. Big waves crash onto the sunny and expansive beaches, backed by bars, cafes and the Noosa National Park, attracting talents even from the world’s greatest surf spots like Hawaii, California and New Zealand. Lighthearted activities such as art shows, live music and dog surfing competitions accompany the more serious competitions.

Hangout Music Festival, Alabama, the USA

For a celebration of some of the finest creators reaching the highest position in the music charts, head to the coast of Alabama for the start of the summer festival season. The annual music festival on the white-sand beaches of the city of Gulf Shores in the southeastern US state is an all-out musical feast, with some huge names in the music world singing live.

Cartagena International Film Festival, Colombia

As the oldest film festival in Latin America, Cartagena International Film Festival will enter its 64th year in 2024. The colourful streets of the Caribbean coastal city, Cartagena, come to life with screenings. The city becomes an attraction for fans every year during the festival. Celebrating creative freedom and expression, the film festival is the best opportunity to dive into filmmaking culture.

Copenhagen Photo Festival, Denmark

The Danish capital hosts the largest photo festival in Northern Europe, showing international photography of present day in a surprising setting at the water’s edge in an urban coastal wilderness, formerly an industrial shipyard site. The 10-day festival appeals to photographers around the region, with the 2023 festival turning the lens(镜头)to the idea of “rewilding”.

1. Which festival is likely to attract an adventurer?

A．Noosa Festival of Surfing.	B．Cartagena International Film Festival.
C．Hangout Music Festival.	D．Copenhagen Photo Festival.

2. What can you do in Hangout Music Festival?

A．Learn about the surfing culture.

B．Enjoy live music performances.

C．Appreciate amazing photography.

D．Watch an excellent creative movie.

3. What do the four festivals have in common?

A．They last more than ten days.

B．They attract the sports lovers.

C．They are related with art shows.

D．They take place in coastal areas.

10 . This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers (young people aged from 13 to 19) from all over the world will spend about ten months in US homes. They will attend US schools, meet US teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new language and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world.

Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George’s family. In turn, George’s son Mike spent a year in Fred’s home in America.

Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months’ study, the language began to come to him. Schools were completely different from what he had expected—much harder. Students rose respectfully when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities.

Family life, too, was different. The father’s word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual. Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car.

“Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it.”

At the same time, In America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. “I suppose I should criticize American schools,” he says, “It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens. There ought to be some middle ground between the two countries”.

1. The world exchange programme is mainly to ______.

A．help teenagers in other countries know the real America

B．send students in America to travel in Germany

C．let students learn something about other countries

D．have teenagers learn new languages

2. Fred and Mike agreed that ______.

A．American food tastes better than German food

B．German schools were harder than American schools

C．Americans and Germans were both friendly

D．There were more cars on the streets in America

3. What is particular in American schools is that ______.

A．there is some middle ground between the two teaching buildings

B．there are a lot of after-school activities

C．students usually take fourteen subjects in all

D．students walk outside to enjoy themselves

4. After experiencing the German school life, Fred thought ______.

A．The life in Germany schools was easier for students

B．German schools had a lot of outside activities

C．American schools were not as good as German schools

D．The life in American schools was easier for students

5. After experiencing the American school life, Mike thought ______.

A．a better education should include something good from both America and Germany

B．German schools trained students to be better citizens

C．American schools were as good as German schools

D．the easy life in the American schools was more helpful to students