1 . In the long history of about 5,000 years, numerous Chinese traditional festivals were celebrated in memory of gods or some significant days, some of which are passed down from generation to generation and people always practice special traditional activities in each festival.
Qingming Festival
Qingming Festival is on the 15th day after Spring Equinox, round April 4 or April 5 every year.
Double Ninth Festival
Winter Solstice(冬至)
Winter Solstice is on around December 22 or 23 of solar calendar each year. From Winter Solstice on, the daytime will be longer and longer.
In China, this festival is in late January or early February, the last day of the Lunar year. People celebrate it by having a family reunion dinner, setting off fireworks and staying up late. Breaking the dishes and bowls is a thing all the people scare, but if you did it, you have to say: “sui sui ping an”.
| A．New Year’s Eve |
| B．Spring Festival |
| C．People will go to worship their ancestors. |
| D．People always visit their friends and relatives. |
| E．That day people in different regions eat different food. |
| F．It is a pun(双关语), meaning you will be healthy every year. |
| G．It is celebrated on Sept. 9th of the Lunar Calendar, around October. |
2 . “The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence（篱笆）.”That’s an old saying in English. It means that other places often look better, more interesting than the place where you live.“Let’s go to KFC for dinner and then watch some Japanese cartoons!”We all know it: more and more Chinese kids love American and Japanese food and movies. Some people worry that young Chinese are beginning to feel that way. They see young Chinese ignoring Chinese culture and, instead, buying Japanese cartoon books, watching Korean soap operas and even celebrating western holidays.
Foreign books and soap operas are good, but Chinese writers and actors are just as good. As for holidays, Christmas is nice, but it can never have the meaning for Chinese that the Spring Festival has, and the West has nothing to compare with the Mid-Autumn Festival. China has lots of cool things in its culture: calligraphy, Beijing Opera, quick meals on the streets, and even Jay Chou! And let's not forget the part of Chinese culture I like best: its friendliness. Not all countries are as warm as China.
It’s good to enjoy other cultures and to learn from them, but they can never replace your own culture. It’s good to look on the other side of the fence, but make sure you take a good long look. You will find that the grass isn’t always greener.
Although some people become worried about that, I don’t think they should. Will we get more powerful without learning from other countries? Will Chinese people live more happily without American fast food? Besides, it's fun to learn about different cultures. Chinese kids can learn about other cultures and have fun, but they also need to learn more about their own culture. Be proud of Chinese culture and of being Chinese!
1. The author thinks young Chinese ________.| A．are ignoring our own culture | B．are foolish in learning our own culture |
| C．are interested in our own culture | D．are hating our own culture |
| A．Japanese cartoon books. | B．Korean soap operas. |
| C．The Mid-Autumn Festival. | D．Christmas. |
| A．Hard-working. | B．Friendly. | C．Brave. | D．Honest. |
| A．Chinese culture and western culture | B．Simple young Chinese |
| C．Interesting western culture | D．That grass is not always greener |
3 . When my family moved to America in 2010 from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises or jogging, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
1. The author brought the couple their food very fast because _______.| A．the manager asked him to do so | B．the couple wanted him to do so |
| C．he respected the elderly | D．he wanted more pay |
| A．nervous | B．unhappy |
| C．satisfied | D．excited |
| A．changed his way with older people | B．made friends with the couple |
| C．no longer respected the elderly | D．lost his job in the restaurant |
| A．The more the author explained, the angrier the couple got. |
| B． The author wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience. |
| C．From this experience, the author learned more about American culture. |
| D．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple. |
4 . As traditional Chinese art，paper cutting has a long history. The first and earliest paper cutting was found in China 1 ,500 years ago. But this traditional art is at risk of disappearing now.
Luckily, Vivian Woo, a Chinese immigrant in America, is trying to bring this art back to life. One Saturday in 2017, Ms. Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center near Washington. She got much fun and peace doing it. She hoped more people would enjoy it. Ms. Woo began to study the art of paper cutting as a 14-year-old girl in her hometown in China. She said all the students at school had to learn paper cutting. But she had a deep love for it. So her teacher spent
more time teaching her after class. Later, she won the second prize in a national painting and art competition. Ms. Woo went to America after she finished college in 2008. Soon after that, she took part in an activity to promote Chinese paper cutting. And then she was invited to show the art in many important activities. “It is important to promote this art to Americans or anyone who is interested in it. Maybe it will make this art more popular. ”Woo said.
From the art of paper cutting， people can know about Chinese cultural values, history and stories of people' s life. Ms. Woo uses the art as a tool to show Chinese culture to people who know little about it.
Chinese art is not only for Chinese, but also for people all over the word.
1. What did Ms. Woo do in 2017?| A．She won the second prize in a national painting and art competition. |
| B．She was invited to many activities to show paper cutting. |
| C．She held a paper cutting show at a shopping center near Washington. |
| D．She took part in an activity to promote Chinese paper cutting. |
| A．when she was fourteen | B．after she got to America |
| C．when she was in college | D．after she finished college |
| A．very popular in America | B．very popular in China |
| C．for people who know about it | D．in danger of disappearing |
5 . Whether you seek culture, community, or comfort food in America, these amazing festivals prove that small towns from coast to coast know how to throw big celebration.
Tulip Time
Go: May in Holland, Michigan
There’s no better place to celebrate Michigan’s Dutch Heritage than a town called Holland, where six million tulips are planted in private fields, city parks, and other gardens around town. First introduced in 1929, Tulip Time draws a half million visitors and features eight days of events, including three parades, an arts-and-crafts show, carnival rides, fireworks, and plenty of Dutch food tastings.
Texas SandFest
Go: April in Port Aransas, Texas
Since 1997, this artistic sand festival attracts talented amateurs and master sculptors alike to beautiful beaches of Port Aransas. A three-day event typically held over a weekend in late April, SandFest features parades, live music, entertainment, food, and sand sculpting lessons.
Burlington Steamboat Days
Go: June in Burlington, Iowa
Going strong for over 55 years, the four-day Burlington Steamboat Days draws an impressive lineup of musical headliners and new artists to this small town. Over the years, attendees have been treated to performances by Louie Armstrong, Lady Antebellum, Blake Shelton, and more. In addition to music, there are carnival games and parades, as well as a golf tournament.
National Balloon Classic
Go: July-August in Indianola, Iowa
Every summer since 1976, the small town has put on one of the largest festivals in the Midwest. The weeklong National Balloon Classic features twice-daily flights of more than 100 colorful hot-air balloons, skydiving demonstrations, and balloon rides. There’s also live music, food vendors, and a kid’s play area.
1. Which of the following has the longest history?| A．Tulip Time. | B．Texas SandFest. |
| C．Burlington Steamboat Day. | D．National Balloon Classic. |
| A．Take a balloon ride. | B．Attend sculpting lessons. |
| C．Learn steamboat’s history. | D．Enjoy great performances. |
| A．They kick off with parades. | B．They all last for a week long. |
| C．They take place in small towns. | D．They are held in the same state. |
There are all kinds of festivals and
energetic and important festivals are the ones that look forward to the end of winter and to the
Some
7 . The first day of the month of May is known as May Day. It is the time of year when warmer weather begins. People celebrate the coming of summer with customs that are expressions of joy and hope after a long winter. Today, May Day activities have been moved to the May Day holiday on the first Monday of the month. It is a public holiday when families take advantage of the time off to visit some of the UK’s many attractions, including parks, zoos, historic buildings, ancient towns and villages and beautiful countryside.
May Day celebrations have their origins in the Roman festival of Flora, the goddess of fruit and flowers, which marked the beginning of summer. People would decorate their houses and villages with leaves and flowers they picked at daybreak in the belief that the vegetation spirits would bring good luck. In the very early morning, young girls went into the fields and washed their faces with dew (露水). They believed this made them very beautiful for the following year.
May Day was an important day in the Middle Ages and was a favorite holiday of many English villages. People of the time used to cut down young trees and stick them in the ground in the village to mark the arrival of summer. This is the origin of the maypole (五月柱). People danced around them in celebration of the end of winter. Maypoles were once common all over England and were kept from one year to the next. The tallest maypole is said to have been put up in London on the Strand in 1661. It stood more than 143 feet high and was cut down in 1717, when it was used by Newton to support a new reflecting telescope (反射式望远镜) invented by Dutch scientist Huygens.
1. How do British people celebrate May Day?| A．They visit friends and family members. |
| B．They celebrate it on the first Monday of May. |
| C．They spend a lot of time shopping around. |
| D．They show great love for the long winter. |
| A．washing the face with dew |
| B．going into the fields |
| C．picking flowers at daybreak |
| D．getting up early in the morning |
| A．People climb it on May Day. |
| B．It was usually found in the cities. |
| C．It dates from the Middle Ages. |
| D．People used old, tall trees to make it. |
| A．describe Roman customs |
| B．suggest spring family activities |
| C．explain the origins of maypoles |
| D．introduce a British festival |
8 . America is a mobile society.Friendships between Americans can be close and real，yet disappear soon if situations change.Neither side feels hurt by this.Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two，perhaps a few letters for a while-then no more.If the same two people meet again by chance，even years later，they pick up the friendship.This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand，because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings，extending（延伸）sometimes deeply into both families.
Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes，share their holidays，and their home life.They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality（好客）easily.
Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives，they don't show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time.This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time.Sometimes，we，as hosts，will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend.We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends.The Americans，however，express their welcome usually at homes，but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine.They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus.And they expect that we will phone them from there.Once we arrive at their homes，the welcome will be full，warm and real.We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
For the Americans，it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes thanto go to restaurants，except for purely business matters.So accept their hospitality at，home！.
1. The writer of this passage must be______.| A．an American | B．a Chinese |
| C．a professor | D．a student |
| A．Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families. |
| B．Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives. |
| C．Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy. |
| D．Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break. |
| A．warmly welcomed at the airport | B．offered a ride to his home |
| C．treated hospitably at his home | D．treated to dinner in a restaurant |
| A．strict with time | B．serious with time |
| C．careful with time | D．willing to spend time |
| A．Friendships between Chinese |
| B．Friendships between Americans |
| C．Americans' hospitality |
| D．Americans' and Chinese's views of friendships |
