1 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.

While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.

But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.

In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and

philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.

So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.

Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.

As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.

1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.

A．provide some key facts about Confucius

B．attract the readers' interest in the subject

C．show great respect for the ancient thinker

D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations

2. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students___________.

A．have a great interest in studying Chinese

B．take an active part in Chinese competitions

C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams

D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese

3. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Forgotten Wisdom in America

B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language

C．Chinese Culture for Westerners

D．Old Thinker with a Big Future

4. The passage is likely to appear in__________.

A．a personal biography	B．a history paper
C．a cultural newspaper	D．a philosophy textbook

2 . Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboos (禁忌) in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art and customs. They expect questions about their family and are sure to show pictures of their children. You may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be interesting ---- and they can cover pretty much or any topic ---- as long as they occur in a respectful and intelligent manner.

In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do not share much about their thoughts, feelings, or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away the harmonious (和谐的) business relationship they’re trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children.

As a general rule, it’s best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends. This can get you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different views. In addition, discussing one’s salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world, although be careful not to criticize a national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host’s team.

1. The author considers politics and religion ________ with business friends.

A．sensitive topics	B．cheerful topics
C．rude topics	D．encouraging topics

2. According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT that ________.

A．it is important to be aware of cultural customs during conversations

B．the French consider arguments to be interesting if conducted properly

C．Saudi Arabians would like to share the information about their family

D．sports is typically considered a friendly topic in most places in the world

3. Why are people from Asia more private in their conversation with others?

A．They don’t want to talk with others much.

B．They value their good relationship with others.

C．They are afraid to argue with their colleagues.

D．They want to keep their feelings to themselves.

4. Which of the following do you think is improper (不合适) according to the passage?

A．Asking Latin Americans about their family.

B．Discussing hobbies with American people.

C．Arguing with the French respectfully.

D．Criticizing your foreign friend’s national sports.

3 . Culture shock refers to the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, uncertainty, confusion, etc.) people feel when they have to operate within a different and unknown cultural or social environment, such as a foreign country.

Generally speaking, we could say that there are four stages of culture shock. The first stage is called “the honeymoon”. In this stage, you are excited about living in a different place.    1    

The next stage is “the hostility(敌意)stage”. In this stage, you begin to notice not everything is as good as you originally thought it was.     2    Moreover, people don’t treat you like a guest anymore.

Then you come to the third stage called “recovery”. In this stage, you start to feel more positive.     3    The whole situation starts to become more favorable and you begin to learn to adapt yourself to it.

The last stage of culture shock is called “adjustment”. In this stage, you have reached a point where you actually feel good.   You have learned enough to understand the new culture. The things that originally(起初) made you feel uncomfortable or strange are now things that you understand.     4    

Not all individuals visiting another country will experience all these four stages.     5    It also occurs within cultures as individuals move from place to place or from one setting to another (e.g., from high school to college).

A．You feel that friends should help each other to deal with culture shock.

B．And you come to understand everything you don’t understand.

C．In addition, culture shock is not limited to the overseas visitor.

D．You become tired of many things about the new culture.

E．Now you have adjusted to the new culture and you feel comfortable.

F．You begin to understand you need to travel a lot.

G．And everything seems to be wonderful and everybody seems to be so nice to you.

4 . What does the man mean?

A．Jane is eager to return home.

B．Jane is on her way home.

C．Jane won’t spend Christmas at home.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When did Keiko start to live in America?

A．In 2011.

B．In 2013.

C．In 2016.

2. What was Keiko’s trouble?

A．He didn’t look like Japanese.

B．He was not Japanese any more.

C．He acted a little different from other Japanese.

3. Why does Keiko like Japanese culture?

A．Because Japanese people have different opinions from others.	B．Because of the good relationship between Japanese people.
C．Because Japanese take each other for granted.

6 . A student's life is never easy.     1     A lot of preparations are needed so you can be sure to go back home with a diploma and a bright future waiting for you. The following are some basic things you need to do before even seizing that passport and boarding on the plane.

●Knowing the country.

You shouldn't bother researching the country's hottest tourist spots or historical places. You won't go there as a tourist, but as a student. It'll be helpful to read the most important points in their history and to read up on their culture.    2     You surely don't want to face legal problems, especially if you're away from home.

●Studying their language.

Don't expect that you can graduate abroad without knowing even the basics of the language. Before leaving your home country, take online lessons to at least master some of their words and sentences.    3       Doing this will also prepare you in communicating with those who can't speak English.

●     4    

Check the conversion（兑换）of your money to their local currency, set up your bank account so you can use it there, get an insurance, and find an apartment. The Internet or your intended school will be very helpful in finding an apartment and helping you understand local currency.

Remember, you're not only carrying your own reputation but your country's reputation as well. If you act foolishly, people there might think that all of your country men are foolish as well.    5    ．

A．Packing your clothes.

B．Preparing for other needs.

C．Most importantly, read about their laws.

D．This will be useful in living and studying there.

E．That would surely be a very bad start for your study abroad program.

F．Going with their trends will keep it from being too obvious that you're a foreigner.

G．And it is even more difficult if you will have to complete your study in a foreign land.

7 . I came to Rio, Brazil to work one year ago. So what have I found here?

You need to learn Portuguese

I started studying Portuguese about two years ago. I didn’t end up improving my Portuguese as much as I’d hoped before I came here. While Spanish and Portuguese are structurally quite similar, there are huge differences between the two. You can’t just magically understand Brazilians if you speak Spanish.

I didn’t need to bring heels.

Going out in cities like Buenos Aires is a big deal. You get dressed up, you do your hair, and you definitely wear heels—at least if you’re going out to dance. I had no idea how wrong I was. Yes, Rio is a city, but it’s a city on the beach. Of course, there are fancy clubs that probably expect everyone to show up in dress shoes(时装鞋), but most of the places I’ve been to are fine with sneakers, even for dancing.

Learning about pop music is a must.

Whenever I go out and a pop song comes on, every single other person there sings along to all the words. I still haven’t understood if there are only 25 songs that get played in public or if people really do just have a fantastic memory for lyrics, but either way, I wish I’d spent a bit more time practicing Brazilian pop music so I wouldn’t look like such a lost foreigner.

Airplanes are a surprisingly sensitive subject

In Brazil, the credit for modern flight goes to Alberto Santos Dumont. Brazilians say the Wright Brothers’ use of a catapult(飞机弹射器) was technically cheating and point to their man as the real pioneer of the plane. Therefore, be careful before bringing up the subject of planes in Brazil unless you’re ready for a lecture.

1. What can we infer about Brazilians?

A．They are fond of dancing.	B．They understand Spanish.
C．They have a good memory.	D．They are informally dressed.

2. How did the author react when the others were singing?

A．She felt like an outsider.	B．She felt ashamed.
C．She sang along.	D．She pretended to be lost.

3. What topic should you avoid in Rio?

A．Pop music.	B．Dressing styles.
C．The history of planes.	D．Spanish.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To tell us something about Brazil.

B．To give foreigners in Rio some suggestions.

C．To share her life in Rio as a foreigner.

D．To encourage us to learn a foreign language.

8 . This holiday weekend will be about more than Thanksgiving treats and extra days off from school for eighth-grader Shreya Nair. Shreya will also spend some of her time conducting an interview that will end up in the Library of Congress.

Shreya, 13, is participating in a StoryCorps initiative called The Great Thanksgiving Listen. The project encourages students to interview family members and friends about their lives in an effort to preserve the stories and voices of an older generation.

“ It would be interesting to see her view on life and how it’s different from mine based on the circumstances she grew up in,”Shreya said about her interview.

StoryCorps' aim is to use audio to preserve the stories of people of all ages and backgrounds. Students will be able to record their interviews using a new app and upload them to the StoryCorps Archive at the Library of Congress.

Shreya’s English teacher decided to get involved in spreading the word about the project, by assigning the interview as homework. Alison Matthews teaches Shreya at McCall Middle School in Winchester, Massachusetts. She incorporated(纳入) the StoryCorps interview assignment into a unit on the book, The Giver. Matthews describes the novel as a“story about this community where there’s one man — the giver — who holds all the memories of the community.”

“The StoryCorps project fit in so perfectly. The Library of Congress is the keeper of our memories. So I asked kids to think about the importance of memory in our society,” Matthews said.

Shreya said that her classmates like the assignment.”It’s an interview that will help us not only understand the book we’re reading right now, but help us later in life,” Shreya said.  “One of the things I like about the project is that you get to hear so many other people’s voices,”she added. “Sometimes in this world it feels like our opinion is the only one, but when you sit down and listen, it’s amazing what it can bring.”

1. Whom might Shreya meet this holiday weekend?

A．Her grandmother.	B．one of her cousins.
C．Her English teacher.	D．one of her classmates.

2. What is the purpose of the project?

A．To start a new tradition.

B．To narrow the distance between people.

C．To record history through oral communication

D．To teach students to communicate more effectively.

3. Why does Matthews support the project?

A．It fits in a lesson perfectly.

B．It is a new teaching method.

C．Her students want to learn about interviewing.

D．Her students want to visit the Library of Congress.

4. What might be the best title of the passage?

A．A Holiday Weekend.

B．A Girl Participating in a New Project.

C．An Interview to the Older Generation.

D．A Meaningful Thanksgiving Day.

9 . 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。

Frost’s Descent (霜降), the 18th solar term of the year, begins this year on Oct 24 and ends on Nov 7.

Frost’s Descent is the last solar term of autumn, during     1     time the weather becomes much     2     (cold) than before and frost begins to appear. As Frosts Descent comes, the world     3     (fill) with the atmosphere of late autumn.     4     (eat) persimmons (柿子) during Frost’s Descent can help people resist the cold and protect     5     bones.

In south Fujian province and Taiwan, it’s     6     custom to eat duck on the first day of Frost’s Descent. There is a saying in Fujian which goes, “    7     nourishing (滋补) all year is not as good as nourishing the human body on the first day of Frost’s Descent Eating duck is a way for people there     8     (gain) weight.

People in areas such as Daxin county in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region celebrate the first day of Frost’s Descent. In the Frost’s Descent Festival, the Zhuang people offer     9     (sacrifice), dance and sing folk songs.     10     a history of more than 360 years, the festival is to commemorate Cen Yuyin, a heroine in battles against foreign aggression.

10 . The big fire in April that tore through the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris(巴黎圣母院) is still fresh in people’s minds. The 800-year-old landmark suffered great damage to its top, but thankfully the most valuable religious relics and cultural treasures were undamaged.

So a US publishing company GoArchitect organized the People’s Design Competition to invite designers, worldwide to share their ideas of rebuilding the French landmark. The open call attracted more than 200 proposals from 56 countries and regions. In the end, Chinese architects Cai Zeyu and Li Sibei won the competition with their striking design. They are both the post-90s generation.

Named “Paris Heartbeat”, the design replaces the old top with a kaleidoscope( 万花筒) of multifaceted mirrors, which is combined with a mirror roof, reflecting the ever–changing urban environment.

The kaleidoscope is the floating “time capsule”, at the top using magnetic levitation(磁悬浮) technology, which is meant to open every half century. The “time capsule” moves up and down, breathing and beating together with the city.

“I believe that the ‘time capsule’ can be achieved with present technology,” Cai told the Global Times.

The pair hoped that their design, Paris Heartbeat, could meet people’s high expectations for the rebuilding. As Cai and Li told GoArchitect, “Notre Dame witnessed Parisian history. It burns, survives and co-breathes with the ever-changing world…The 2019 fire will mark a new era.”

Though people still don’t know what kind of design the French government will choose, it’s clear that people around the world hope that the lost beauty of Notre Dame will come back. Once rebuilt, it will certainly become a permanent part of history and the Parisian skyline again.

1. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．A open call for the recovery of Dame Cathedral.

B．The design of Paris Heartbeat by two Chinese architects .

C．A big fire which destroyed Dame Cathedral.

D．A French government’s decision.

2. How are Paragraphs 3 and 4 developed?

A．list figures	B．give examples
C．make a comparison	D．make an explanation

3. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Two thirds of the Notre Dame Cathedral was damaged in the big fire.

B．The French government organized the People’s Design Competition.

C．The kaleidoscope is designed using traditional architecture technology.

D．It remains to be seen whether “Paris Heartbeat” will be adopted.

4. Where is the passage possibly taken from?

A．an entertainment magazine	B．a newspaper
C．a geography textbook	D．a guide book