1 . The discovery of Liangzhu Culture

From December 1936 to March 1937, three archaeological diggings were carried out in the suburbs of Hangzhou,where loads of black ceramics and stoneware were brought to light.

Inspired by these relics, an archaeology lover named Shí Xingeng, who came from West Lake Museum in Hangzhou, wrote several detailed reports on the digging. However, he had to put his work aside when China started to fall into Japan's military aggression. Shi joined the resistance movement against Japanese invasion and died of disease in 1939. What passed away along with him during the war were many of Liangzhu's precious relics.

Fortunately, Shi's reports were finally published in Shanghai in 1938, which caught considerable attention of archaeological circles, In 1959,the name Liangzhu Culture was given to the independent regional culture by archaeologist Xia Nai. It represented an earlier civilization that had remained unknown to historians. The culture, as the radiocarbon dating applied to the relics proved, existed between 3,300 and 2,200 B.C.

It is commonly believed that the earliest known Chinese written language dates back to more than 3,000 year ago; when oracle bone script appeared in Shang Dynasty. But Liangzhu Culture might provide evidence of a written language that appeared in China at least 1,000 years ealiler.

In 2007, Liangzhu Ancient City was reported to be discovered in Hangzhou, where archaeological diggings revealed a large and early walled city in Chinese history. There were man-made hills and streams in the city area, which were very likely part of the early designed urban landscape. To protect the urban space which was formed by waterways and entrances both Inside and outside the city, a flood control system was connected to the river networks and 11 dams. In the fields outside the wall, archaeologists discovered rains of the residences, tombs, workshops, and docks with wooden boats.

1. What can we learn about Liangzhu Culture?

A．It was well preserved.	B．It was named by Shi Xingeng.
C．Many of its relics were lost during the war.	D．It was discovered In 1959.

2. Which of the following is the significance of Liangzhu Culture's discovery?

A．It proved that Chins has a long history.

B．It unearthed a great number of relics.

C．It showed the professionalism of Chinese archaeology.

D．It might prove the existence of an earlier Chinese written language

3. What can we learn about Liangzhu Ancient City from the last paragraph?

A．It was e well-designed city.	B．It showed the rules left by flood.
C．There were no hills or streams in the city.	D．It was the largest city in Chinese history.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A travel brochure.	B．A history lecture.
C．A cultural website.	D．An archaeological report.

2 . 假定你是李华，你校的“英语角社团”想邀请你校外教Smith参加本周末的活动。请你给他写封邮件。内容包括：
1. 邀请参加；
2. 主题：京剧（Peking Opera）；

活动形式：自由交流；

3. 时间和地点。
注意：1. 词数 100 左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数
Dear Smith，
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

3 . When you go to a foreign country, you often enter a new culture. The differences between cultures may make you feel stressed and you often find it difficult to adjust to the new surroundings, which is usually called “culture shock”.

The psychological and physical symptoms of culture shock may appear depending on the individuals. Some often feel anxious while adjusting to a new culture—even more so when the cultural distances are wide.     1     They remain to homesick and feel so sad about being separated from their friends back home that they long to return, especially within the first year.

    2    People adjusting to a new culture often feel lonely because the language barrier makes it hard to create new relationships. Furthermore, having trouble with the native language often makes them unwilling to interact with other people.

    3     You may do some research on the cultural aspects of the new country such as the history, customs, and religious beliefs, rather than on what to see and where to go, so you may get prepared for a culture that is different from yours. Studying the language is also a great way to help bridge the gap between the cultures.     4    

A local club provides the perfect environment to get to know people who have a similar focus, so join one so that you can meet some locals and develop new friendships.     5     There are other travelers who have the same experiences in a foreign country. Talk with them, sharing feelings, tips and insight.

A．They may lose appetite and have sleep problems.

B．Still, the most important change is communication.

C．They make a lot of effort to get used to the new surroundings.

D．The more of it is understood, the more of the new culture can be understood.

E．Learning about your future destination is a great way to get over culture shock.

F．Plus, remember that you aren’t alone in your struggle to adjust in a new country.

G．Actually, staying in a foreign country helps you to know more of the new culture.

4 . After shopping for deals in stores on “Black Friday”, or online on “Cyber Monday”, Americans and people worldwide are preparing for newly popular “Giving Tuesday”. Starting in 2012, now the global event that is celebrated annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving is the brainchild of 92nd Street Y, a cultural center in New York City and United Nations Foundation.

As the name indicates, Giving Tuesday is meant to restart the charitable season and therefore observed by raising funds for local nonprofits and schools, organizing food and clothing drives, and conducting random acts of kindness. In 2015, 700, 000 people from 71 countries came together to donate $116.7 million in cash. An additional $1.08 million was spent on gifts.

While the easiest way to participate is by donating to your favorite charity, this day can be celebrated in many other ways too. You can give back by volunteering at your local shelter or food bank, or even by donating blood. If all else fails, a purchase from the growing number of organizations that give a portion of their sales to charity will do the trick.

But perhaps the best way to celebrate the day is by helping those nearest and dearest to you. Assist a family member with a simple chore like folding laundry, cooking dinner, or even reading to a younger sibling. No matter what you do, be sure to share you good deed on social media and inspire others to celebrate Giving Tuesday as well!

1. Which of the following has the shortest history?

A．Black Friday	B．Giving Tuesday
C．Thanksgiving Day	D．Cyber Monday

2. What’s the main purpose of “Giving Tuesday”?

A．To make Thanksgiving Day enjoyable

B．To get voluntary work better known

C．To encourage more people to do charities

D．To persuade more people to shop online

3. Why does the author advise sharing good deeds on social media?

A．To keep a record of one’s experience

B．To help people make new friends

C．To donate money to local schools

D．To make Giving Tuesday more popular

4. Which section of a website does the next probably come from?

A．Education	B．Culture
C．Lifestyle	D．Business

5 . Looking for something entertaining to do? Check out some wonderful festivals around the world.

Koningsdag — The Netherland

Koningsdag or King’s Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is celebrated on 27 April (26 April if the 27^th is a Sunday), the date marking the birth of King Willem-Alexander. Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of feather boas (羽毛围巾) and body paint as crowds gather in the plazas and on the boats in the rivers. Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, with many live music events, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day.

Thai National Elephant Day — Thailand

Thai National Elephant Day is a national holiday in Thailand. Thai National Elephant Day has been celebrated on March 13^th of every year since 1998. Because the elephant is the national animal of Thailand, it is highly respected and treasured. During the festivals elephant are honored during a ceremony (典礼) in which they are fed with bananas, other fruit, and sugarcane.

The Fire Festival — Shetland

On the last Tuesday of January the entire town of Lerwick, Shetland is in flames. At the festival, you’ll find yourself sitting, dancing, or stumbling around the largest bonfire you’ve ever seen in your life. The festival lasts only one day but takes the entire year to plan. Be prepared for an evening of singing, dancing, and fast paced activities, and don’t worry about making it to work next day — it’s a national holiday!

Holi — India

Holi, the Festival of Color, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India’s most important holidays. On the last full moon day of the lunar month, usually late February or early March, the air is full of bright-colored powder. The festival is celebrated differently throughout the country, with bonfires and music, but the cheerful spirit is common throughout Hindu communities around the world.

1. The festival celebrated on March 13^th in Thailand is held to ______.

A．show people’s respect for their Queen

B．show Thai people’s respect for elephants

C．ask people to protect endangered animals

D．help people relax by singing and dancing

2. Why don’t people have to worry about working the day after the Fire Festival?

A．Because people are allowed to sleep at work next day.

B．Because the activities are too simple to get people tired.

C．Because people don’t have to go to work next day.

D．Because the festival ends very early at night.

3. Where should you go if you are interested in the Festival of Colors?

A．India.	B．Shetland.
C．Thailand.	D．The Netherlands.

6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

One of China’s largest hanfu-themed     1     (event), the annual Hanfu Cultural Festival in Xitangancient town, East China’s Zhejiang Province.     2     (hold) from October 28 to 31 last year. According to statistics from the organizer, 157,326 visitors attended     3     festival, many of     4     were hanfu-wearing enthusiasts, called “tongpao”.

    5     (original) from the collection of ancient Chinese Poetry Book of Songs, the word tongpao is-now used to describe whoever appreciates     6     (tradition) Han Chinese clothing.     7     (forbid) during China’s last feudal (封建的) dynasty，the Qing Dynasty, hanfu clothing has been little known     8     the public for many decades.

Nowadays, hanfu is making a comeback.Tongpao has risen in number over the past 15 years     9     a worker in Central China’s Henan Province named Wang Letian made a hanfu-style suit and wore     10     in public in 2003.

7 . 假定你是李华，正在加拿大访学。你看到杂志上有一篇介绍中国端午节的文章，发现文中配图是赛艇而不是龙舟。请你给编辑部写一封信，内容包括：
要点如下：
1. 赞赏对方介绍中国文化；
2. 指出错误；
3. 希望更正；
4. 词数100左右。
参考词汇：赛艇 — rowing boat                 龙舟 — dragon boat
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 假定你是李华，是红星高中的学生会主席。为让更多的人了解中国优秀传统文化，你校将举办中国传统文化展（the Traditional Chinese Culture Exhibition)，请给你的外教Mr. Green写封邮件，邀请他参加。内容包括：
1. 时间、地点以及参加人员；
2. 文化展的宗旨；
3. 展出内容：相关书籍、照片、绘画、剪纸等。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Mr. Green,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

9 . National Potato Day was back on Friday 23rd August 2013. Along with BordBia (Irish Food Board) and many other potato growers in Ireland, Keogh’s Farm brought you a day that was all about potatoes and showing love for our national vegetable.

Keogh’s invited the public to Spud Fest, which took place on Dublin’s South King Street from 12 pm to 4 pm. This festival brought the farm to the city with potato performers, face painters, balloon modeling, music, tastings and plenty of other festival fun to celebrate the most delicious day of the year. There were lots of potatoes, of course.

Keogh’s along with the support of BordBia called on everyone to enjoy at least one potato on National Potato Day. Potatoes are naturally low in fat, a great source of vitamins and minerals and are a great way to support local Irish homegrown produce and businesses.

Tom Keogh, General Manager of Keogh’s Farm said, “We can’t believe we were getting ready for our third year of National Potato Day. When we dreamt the idea up in 2011, we had no idea it would attract so many people. Since the first National Potato Day we have received nothing but interest in potatoes at home and all over the world.

“Ireland is now recognized as one of the finest producers of top quality vegetables, with the potato leading the field. We are happy that BordBia have joined us this year to bring all our fellow potato producers together and join forces to promote (提升) the enjoyment of the potato. We are hoping National Potato Day is a day to encourage everyone to love potatoes!”

1. According to the text, Spud Fest _____.

A．was open to everyone

B．lasted about five hours

C．sold different vegetables

D．was held in the countryside

2. What did Tom Keogh think of the first National Potato Day?

A．It was world-famous.

B．It was rather terrible.

C．It was very worthless.

D．It was quite successful.

3. The text is mainly to introduce _____.

A．a popular vegetable

B．a well-known capital

C．an interesting festival

D．a famous potato grower