1 . Culture is more than just buildings, monuments and natural wonders. It can also be oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, religious ceremonies, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe. There are intangible (无形的) parts of culture that are important, too.
ZvonCari, Croatia:
Recognized by UNESCO in 2009,this tradition features two to thirty people who ring the bells. They wear special clothes and hats, carrying a small tree through various villages. They ring their bells to request food and rest before continuing to the next village. Each of them returns to their own villages and burns any rubbish outside their homes.
Jultagi, Korean tightrope walking:
We're all familiar with tightrope-walking, but this Korean tradition—recognized by UNESCO in 2011—involves a comedic routine, fancy completions and lively music. The Jultagi Safeguarding Association provides training for the tradition.
Mongolian knuckle bone shooting:
Not all cultural heritages are about dancing and performing. Some, like this tradition from Mongolia that was recognized by UNESCO in 2014, are games. Teams of six to eight players attempt to land 30 marbles (弹珠) made of bones into a target zone. Each player uses individualized tools to achieve this. Different teams have different practices and skill sets, and games create an opportunity to exchange ideas.
Horseback shrimp (虾) fishing, Belgium:
Twelve families of horseback shrimpers collect shrimp twice a week in Oostdunkerke, Belgium, as well as during special occasions like festivals. This method of shrimping requires trust of one's self and one's horse, to say nothing of the knowledge required to read the sand. It joins other cultural traditions recognized by UNESCO in 2013.
1. What do the people do in ZvonCari?A.Protect the environment. | B.Offer community service. |
C.Ask for food from villagers. | D.Ring bells to collect clothes. |
A.ZvonCari. | B.Jultagi. |
C.Knuckle bone shooting. | D.Horseback shrimp fishing. |
A.The sand. | B.The target zone. |
C.The special clothes. | D.The comedic routine. |
2 . The holiday season is upon us and though they may feel a bit different this year — without large get-togethers, the holidays themselves are certainly not canceled. December is filled with celebrations. Here are some of the most unusual ways people bring the festivities home — all around the world.
Kentucky Fried Christmas
Japan
Kentucky Fried chicken might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Christmas, but over the years, it has become quite the holiday tradition in Japan. In order to ensure you get your hands in a holiday bucket, it is suggested that you order in advance, as nearly 4 million people choose KFC as their Christmas dinner.
Throwing of the Shoe
Czech Republic
This Christians tradition has nothing to do with trimming trees or singing carols. Rather, young women step outside their homes on Christmas Eve and instead of waiting for Santa, they throw a shoe over their shoulders. How it land is said to predict if the woman will marry next year.
Burning Effigies
Ecuador
New year's Eve comes with a whole set of traditions and customers to symbolically leave the previous year behind. Here, “monigotes” — figures that represent what went wrong in the last year, sometimes politicians are then burned into the night.
Sauna Visit
Estonia
This is a holiday tradition most people would happily get behind. On Christmas Eve, after spending the day setting up for the following day's festivities, it is traditional to sweat it out in sauna with your family.
1. Which holiday tradition do you need to book in advance?A.Sauna Visit. | B.Burning Effigies. |
C.Throwing of the Shoe. | D.Kentucky Fried Christmas. |
A.whether she will get promoted. | B.how much money she will make. |
C.whether she will get married or not. | D.how many new friends she will make. |
A.A science fiction. | B.A news magazine. |
C.A travel brochure. | D.A government report. |