1 . In New York City, eating on the subway is controversial. No law bans the practice, but a Democratic state senator introduced one last week. The proposed law would ban eating on the subway system and fine first time violators $250, according to the New York Times. Supporters of the bill argue that eating on the subway attracts rates. Other say the broader target should be those who carelessly drop litter in public places, rather than those who carefully sip their coffee and eat their bread on the way to work. They also argue that “street food” is an important part of New York’s culture and history. Banning its consumption in public areas such as the subway would have negative effects.

Street food and eating in public places is along-established cultural practice in cities like New York, Beijing and Paris. But commonly, it has been traditionally thought of as what the lower classes would do. Eating in public was (and in some places, still is) associated with uncivilized, poorer people. In the 19th century, eating in public was seen as a threat to morality and public health. Putnam’s (a popular magazine at the time) stated, “Eating in public may lead to a certain freedom of manner in little ladies and gentlemen. It was something people in the Victorian era did not want to encourage. A recent New York Times article drew a link between this moral panic about street food and concern over the growing populations of Irish German, Italian and Jewish immigrants who ran food carts in the 1800s. “To Victorian society, immigrant street peddlers were called ‘hucksters’, a name that still has a bit of moral judgment to this day.”

In Australia, street food is not something you see every day. Carts selling tasty snacks only come out for festivals or market days. However, eating in public places such as parks is encouraged. Outdoor barbeques at the beach or picnics in the countryside are common. While eating on public transport is discourages, it would unlikely lead to any sort of conflict in Australia. From an Australian perspective, street food is an exciting and tasty new dining opportunity, and not one I would associate with being uncivilized.

China’s street food scene is similar to that of New York City’s: It is a culturally entrenched practice and one that adds a lot of color and flavor to the scene of streets. But whether you love eating street food, or have to eat your breakfast on the run, it’s best to be considerate when enjoying a bite in public.

1. Supporters of “street food” are against the bill, because ________.

A．eating on the subway may attract undesirable pests like mice

B．consuming food on the way to work proves their carefulness

C．banning litter-dropping is more important for the environment

D．enjoying a bite in public areas is a part of the city’s culture

2. According to paragraph 2, what can be inferred?

A．Only the uncivilized, poorer people were allowed to eat in public places.

B．Street food was seen as a threat in the 19th century because they were not heathy.

C．Eating in public was considered impolite for children in the Victorian era.

D．Immigrant street peddlers were encouraged and thus welcomed in the 1800s.

3. According to paragraph 3, what is true in Australia?

A．Eating in public like parks may be seen as ill-mannered.

B．Having food on the subway system may cause serious conflicts.

C．People may feel excited about being allowed to eat in public.

D．Tasting street food may bring much enjoyment whenever possible.

4. The word “entrenched” in paragraph 4 maybe closest in meaning to ________.

A．deep-rooted

B．eye-catching

C．well-known

D．far-reaching

2 . As more and more people speak the global languages of English, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic, other languages are rapidly disappearing. In fact, half of the 6,000-7,000 languages spoken around the world today will likely die out by the next century, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In an effort to prevent language loss, scholars from a number of organizations- UNESCO and National Geographic among them –have for many years been documenting dying languages and the cultures they reflect.
Mark Turin, a scientist at the Macmillan Center, Yale University, who specializes in the languages and oral traditions of the Himalayas, is following that tradition. His recently published book, A Grammar of Thangmi with an Ethnolinguistic Introduction to the Speakers and Their Culture, grows out of his experience living, looking and raising a family in a village in Nepal.
Documenting the Tangmi language and culture is just a starting point for Turin, who seeks to include other languages and oral traditions across the Himalayans reaches of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. But he is not content to simply record these voices before they disappear without record.
At the University of Cambridge Turin discovered a wealth of important materials- including photographs, films, tap recordings, and field notes- which had remained unstudied and were badly in need of care and protection.
Now, through the two organizations that he has founded-the Digital Himalaya Project and the World Oral Literature Project- Turin has started a campaign to make such documents, found in libraries and stores around the world, available not just to scholars but to the youngers.
Generations of communities from whom the materials were originally collected.Thanks to digital technology and the widely available Internet. Turin notes, the endangered languages can be saved and reconnected with speech communities.
1. Many scholars are making efforts to ________.

A．promote global languages

B．rescue the disappearing languages

C．search for language communities

D．set up languages research organizations

2. What does “that tradition” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Having first records of the languages.

B．Writing books on language searching.

C．Telling stories about language users.

D．Linking with the native speakers.

3. What is Turin’s book based on?

A．The cultural statics in India.

B．The documents available at Yale.

C．His language research in Britain.

D．His personal experience in Nepal.

4. Which of the following best describe Turin’s Work?

A．Write sell and donate.

B．Record, repeat and reward.

C．Collect, protect and reconnect.

D．Design, experiment and report.

3 . Learning how to cope with death has always been a central part of human existence. Even the Pixar movie Coco bases its story on the Mexican traditions of Dia de los Muertos. In this article, you will find out why and how Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead.

I once visited the Museum of Mummies in the Mexican city of Guanajuato with a Swedish friend. The mummies were displayed among fake cobwebs ( 蜘 蛛 网 ), and other cheap adornments (装饰物). Confronted with this seeming lack of respect for the dead, I explained to my shocked companion that Mexicans have a peculiarly different relationship with death to other cultures. As the Nobel Prize-winning Mexican writer Octavio Paz explained in his work:

“The Mexican ... is familiar with death, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, and celebrates it. True, there is as much fear in his attitude as in that of others, but at least death is not hidden away: he looks at it face to face, with impatience, disdain (鄙视) or irony.”

The celebration of the Day of the Dead — a week of festivities from 28 October to 2 November — is an essential part of this embracement of death that is particular to Mexican national identity. The popular belief is that the dead have divine permission to visit friends and relatives on earth and enjoy once again the pleasures of life. Therefore, Mexicans visit the graves of families and friends and adorn them with colorful flowers and offerings of food. The period is a joyous celebration of life, rather than a sober mourning of its passing.

The origins of the festival lie in the 16th-century fusion of the Aztecs’ belief in death as merely one part in the wider cycle of existence, their ritual venerations (仪式崇拜) and offerings to   the goddess Mictecacihuatl   (“Lady of the Dead”) for   the deceased, and the Spanish conquerors’ desire to accommodate these festivities within the Catholic celebrations of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

In a country as socially and geographically diverse as Mexico, there is significant regional variation in the nature of festivities: the southern state of Chiapas is far more likely to focus its efforts on processions ( 队 伍 ) and public commemorations( 纪 念 ) of death than the valley of

Mexico, where the decoration of altars ( 供 坛 ) in homes and tombs of the deceased is more popular. Urbanization, too, plays a large role in regional variations. For the south and rural areas the period holds far greater social and cultural significance than in the north and large cities; families and communities in rural areas will often spend large parts of the year preparing for the occasion.

1. Why does the author say “Mexicans have a peculiarly different relationship with death to other cultures?”

A．Because Mexicans always show their respect for death in the form of mummies.

B．Because Mexicans do not fear death or respect it.

C．Because adornments like flowers can be seen everywhere during the Day of the Dead.

D．Mexicans face death bravely rather than hide it away.

2. Which statement is NOT true according to the origins of the Day of the Dead?

A．It was the Aztecs who determined how to celebrate the Day of the Dead.

B．The Aztecs believed death was part of the wider cycle of existence.

C．The Aztecs would give offerings to the goddess of death for their lost loved ones.

D．The Spanish conquerors wanted to fit the festivities into some of their Catholic celebrations.

3. Why do Mexicans visit the graves of families and friends and offer colorful flowers and food?

A．Because they can ask God to permit the dead to visit them in this way.

B．To celebrate the joy of new life in spring.

C．Because the dead will be permitted to visit their families and enjoy the pleasure of life again.

D．Because this is an essential part of embracement of death.

4. Which of the following explains the role that urbanization plays in the regional variations of celebrating the Day of the Dead?

A．People in the south and rural areas put more emphasis on the occasion.

B．People in the valleys usually decorate the alters in homes and the tombs of the dead.

C．People in the north and big cities spend large part of the year preparing for the celebration.

D．The southern states do not care about the decoration of alters at home.

4 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

I used to hate waiting in line, thinking of it as a big waste of time and a test on my patience, but     1    (live) in Israel for three years, I have changed my attitude toward it.

Probably because the country is not very big, with limited resources,     2     you’re at the bank, the post office or the bus stop, you’ll always find a straight line of people waiting. But instead of worrying or hurrying some are drinking hot coffee;     3     are chatting to each other, even though a minute ago they were just strangers.

    4     seemed to me that they were enjoying queuing and taking the chance to relax.

Gradually I came to realize that     5     (obey) rules, which can be clearly seen in queuing up, is an important part of their culture. Once I saw a young foreigner trying to jump the queue and be shouted at by an old Israeli man, with others joining in. The poor guy was so ashamed    6     he slipped away as fast as he could.

But don’t think Israeli people are cruel. If you have to leave for a short time,     7     the person behind you agrees, you can always come back and stand in front of him or her. However, if you miss him or her, you’ll have to start over. If you wait next to the basketball court or tennis court for more than five minutes, someone on the court will definitely offer     8    (switch) places with you. This has become part of the culture in Israel.

Their culture     9     (reflect) Israelis’ belief in equal opportunities, which may have played a role in helping Israel to stay on its feet in the world even after the cruel Holocaust.

Compared     10     Israel, our way of queuing up is much more casual. People always go out of their way to get the “privilege” of a shorter wait.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper from of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

We can always bear voices comparing the education systems in China and the US. It’s true that there exist a lot of differences, but this cannot be an excuse     1     having a passive attitude toward studying in China.

When I came back from the US last year and     2     (continue) my senior high school education in China, I sensed many great differences. I thought that school in China was too hard, and that we didn’t do enough fun exercise except     3     (run) around playground together. I was not patient enough and I couldn’t help but cry to my mum. In short, I could not face the changes and the pressure.

My mum had a long talk with me. After that, I realized that     4     high school life in China is harder, it can give us more. The pressure helps us learn the true meaning of competition before we step into society, which gives us a     5     (determine) heart and teaches us to step forward no matter what the reality is. It’s like climbing a mountain,     6     might make you dizzy and nervous, but the top is always there waiting for you     7     you are strong enough to take one more step.

Meanwhile,     8    easy life is not always good for us. Even some of my American Friends call     9     “lazy Americans”, because the school in the US is not always easy. When they go to college, they also need to work very hard. We complain mainly because we can’t see the whole picture.

Sometimes we just simply listen to other’s words without thinking about       10     they are true. We can’t always complain. Instead, we all need to understand that success takes efforts and tears.

6 .

The meaning of silence varies among cultural group. Silence may be     1    , or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. A silence in conversation may also show stubbornness, uneasiness, or worry. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every     2     with conversation. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a person’s needs. Many native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of     3     among people, just at some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore when a person from one of these culture is speaking and suddenly stops, what may be     4     is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing. In these culture, silence is a call for     5    .

Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with     6     among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show     7    between parties about the topic under discussion. However, Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority（权威）rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her. In still another use, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority.

Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the     8     meanings of silence wen they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing. Nurses should recognize their own persona and cultural construction of silence so that a patient’s silence is not     9     too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing     10     of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.

7 . Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
假设你是明启中学的李华，你在美国的朋友 Chris 写信询问你和你的伙伴们是怎样度过今年特殊的春节的，请给Chris 写一封电子邮件，邮件必须包含以下内容
1.今年的春节和往年不同的地方
2.你和你的伙伴们选择的度过方式和活动
3.你的感受
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8 . Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

How the British and American Tell Children’s Stories

If Harry Potter and Huckleberry Finn were each to represent British versus American children’s literature, a curious situation would emerge : In a literary competition for the hearts and minds of children, one is a wizard(巫师)- in - training at a boarding school in the Scottish Highlands, while the other is a barefoot boy drifting down the Mississippi, bothered by cheats, slave hunters, and thieves. One defeats evil with a magic stick, the other takes to a raft(筏)to right a social wrong.     1    

The small island of Great Britain is an unquestionably powerhouse of children’s bestsellers: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Significantly, all are fantasies.     2     Stories like The Call of the Wild. Charlotte’s Web, Little Women, and the Adventures of Tom Sawyer are more notable for their realistic portraits of day-to-day life in the towns and farmlands on the growing frontier. If British children gathered in the dim light of the kitchen fireplace to hear stories about magic swords and talking bears, American children sat at their mother’s knee listening tales with moral messages about a world where life was hard, obedience emphasized, and Christian morality valued. Each style has its virtues, but the British approach undoubtedly creates the kinds of stories that appeal to the furthest reaches of children’s imagination.

    3     For one, the British have always been in touch with their pagan(异教徒的)folk traditions and stories, says Maria Tatar, a Harvard professor of children’s literature. After all, the country’s very origin story is about a young king tutored by a wizard. Legends have always been accepted as history, from Merlin to Macbeth. “Even as the British were digging into these magical worlds, Americans, much more realistic, always viewed their soil as something to exploit,” says Tatar.

American write fantasies too, but nothing like the British, says Jerry Griswold, a San Diego State University professor of children’s literature. He said, “    4    ” To prove it, he mentioned Dorothy, the heroine of Wizard of Oz(绿野仙踪)who unmasks the great and powerful Wizard as a cheat. Meanwhile, American fantasies differ in another way: They usually end with a moral lesson learned - for example, in Oz, Dorothy’s journey ends with the realization: “There’s no place like home.”

A．It all goes back to each country’s distinct cultural heritage.

B．American stories are rooted in realism; even our fantasies are rooted in realism.

C．Both boys are characterized by their unique roles, thus breathing life into the fancy stories.

D．Meanwhile, the United States, also a major player in children’s classics, deals much less in magic.

E．Britain’s time-honored countryside, with ancient castles and restful farms, lends itself to fairy-tale invention.

F．Both orphans took over the world of children’s literature, but their stories unfold in noticeable different ways.

9 . Directions:Write an /English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
近年人们欢度新春佳节的方式不尽相同。有些人喜欢在家里聚会，有些人喜欢在餐馆聚餐，还有些人喜欢出国过年……请给你的父母写一封邮件，告诉他们你更喜欢哪种方式，你的文章必须包括：
1.简单陈述你喜欢的过年方式
2.建议明年家里过年的方式，并说明理由
注意：请勿透露本人真实姓名和学校名称
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10 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Every culture has set rules about how people should act. Patterns of good behavior, or manners, show respect and care for others. Yet the details of how to express respect vary.

Greeting people cheerfully is almost always considered polite. But it’s more important in some cultures than others. For example, when you enter a store in France, you should always greet the person working there. Other cultures also value greeting people. But of course the greetings vary as people speak different languages.

When I was growing up in the United States, I once participated in a performance at my church. Afterward, someone gave me a compliment, but I felt like I had done a bad job. So I tried to refuse the compliment, saying, “No, I didn’t do that well.” My mother got my attention and told me that was very rude. Later I learned that refusing a compliment is accepted and even approved of in China.

Some of the biggest cultural differences have to do with table manners. In North America,   it’s   polite to   eat as quietly as possible.   That means   chewing   with your   mouth   closed   and       not slurping（吃东西时发出的声音）your soup. The same goes for burping（打嗝）. But in parts of Asia slurping shows that you are enjoying your meal. And burping is a sign of being full and content.

There are also differences in how people eat across cultures. For example, in North America and Europe people use forks to bring food to their mouths. But in Thailand, a fork is only used to push food onto a spoon. In India and the Middle East, people eat with their hands. But eating with the left hand is forbidden. This is because the left hand is considered unclean.

Yet there are also similar points across cultures. Saying “please” and “thank you”, for example, is almost always polite. If you show appreciation and try to follow local customs, people will generally respond well. Showing kindness can bring people together, no matter what culture they come from.

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