Festivals have a wide range of origins, including the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures, and important events. However, no matter
Of all the
Customs play a significant role in festivals, but sometimes they can change over time. Take the Chinese Spring Festival custom of lighting firecrackers as
Festivals reflect people’s wishes,
2 . Beijing Opera is a kind of Chinese opera.
The Peking Opera band mainly consists of an orchestra and percussion (打击乐) band.
It is believed that Beijing Opera gradually came into being after 1790.
In 1828, some famous Hubei troupes came to Beijing. They often jointly performed in the stage with Anhui troupes. The combination gradually formed Beijing opera’s main melodies.
| A．Many people like to watch Beijing Opera |
| B．Beijing Opera has a 200yearlong history |
| C．Beijing Opera enjoys a higher reputation |
| D．Most of them are middleaged or elderly men |
| E．The former frequently accompanies peaceful scenes |
| F．It is widely regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China |
| G．At that time the famous four Anhui opera troupes came to Beijing |
3 . Is it true that British people have a different sense of humor than people in other countries? Let’s have a look at what we laugh at in Britain.
We laugh at authority, but also sympathetically laugh with anyone who we think is treated badly.
The fact that we laugh when other people might feel hopeless is one of the oddest things to appreciate about British humor. We do have a strong sense of irony (反讽). “Not very pleasant,” we might say after some terrible experience.
Another thing that can make it difficult to understand British humor is that we don’t always laugh or even smile when we say something funny.
Do you think the British sense of humor is unique?
| A．In addition,we tend to play things down. |
| B．We often keep a straight face even when we’re making a joke. |
| C．Culture plays a big part in how funny you may find something. |
| D．We know they can’ t win,but if they do so sometimes,it’s even funnier. |
| E．Brits don’t express extreme feelings;we just“keep calm and carry on”. |
| F．Brits turn to laughter as a form of medicine when life knocks them down. |
| G．To the British,powerful and important people are often sources of laughter. |
4 . While telling others your zodiac sign (星座), you are being evaluated (评估). Evaluations are being made about your luck, your personality, future development and how you will do in a given year. So what is the Chinese zodiac, exactly? It’s a 12-year cycle labeled (标记) with animals, starting with a Rat and ending with a Pig. For example, if you were born in 2004, you are a Monkey.
The Chinese believe some animals are luckier than the others, such as the Dragon. Unlike in Western tradition, the Chinese Dragon stands for power, strength and wealth. It’s everyone’s dream to have a Dragon baby. Ma Yun’s parents must have been very proud. And they are not the only ones. In 2012, the Year of the Dragon, the birthrate in China increased by about 5%. That means another one million more babies. With a traditional preference for baby boys, the boy-girl ratio that year was 120 to 100. When those Dragon boys grow up, they will face much more serious competition in love and job markets.
According to the BBC and Chinese government reports, January 2015 saw a peak of cesarean sections (剖腹产术高峰). Why? That was the last month for the Year of the Horse. It’s not because they like horses so much, it’s because they try to avoid having unlucky Goat babies.
Tiger is another unwelcome animal, because of its dangerous and unstable (不稳定的) personality. Many Chinese places saw a considerable decline of birthrate during those years.
Perhaps one should consider zodiac in a different way, as those Tiger and Goat babies will face much less competition. Maybe they are the lucky ones. I went through the Forbes top 300 richest people in the world, and it’s interesting to see the most unwelcome two animals, the Goat and Tiger, are at the top of the list, even higher than the Dragon. So maybe we should consider that it’s much better to have less competition.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?| A．Dragon boys are much more competitive when growing up. |
| B．There were about one million dragon babies in 2012. |
| C．There were 20% more boys than girls born in 2012. |
| D．Ma Yun is proud that he is a Dragon. |
| A．People wanted to have Horse babies very much. |
| B．People considered Goat babies to be unlucky. |
| C．It’s the first month of the year. |
| D．People tried to avoid dangers. |
| A．Drop. | B．Need. |
| C．Increase. | D．Change. |
| A．They have fewer competitors. |
| B．They are difficult to get along with. |
| C．They will be more popular in job markets. |
| D．They will become richer than Dragon babies. |
5 . This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers (young people aged from 13-19) from all over the world will spend about ten months in US homes. They will attend US schools, meet US teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world.
Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George’s family. In turn, George’s son Mike spent a year in Fred’s home in America.
Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months’ study the language began to come to him. School was completely different from what he had expected-much harder. Students rose respectfully when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that were usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities.
Family life, too, was different. The father’s word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual. Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car. “Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it.”
At the same time, in America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. “I suppose I should criticize American schools,” he said. “It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens. There ought to be some middle ground between the two.”
1. The whole exchange program is mainly to ________| A．help teenagers in other countries know the real America |
| B．send students in America to travel in Germany |
| C．let students learn something about other countries |
| D．have teenagers learn new languages |
| A．There is some middle ground between the two teaching buildings. |
| B．There are a lot of outside activities. |
| C．Students usually take 14 subjects in all. |
| D．Students go outside to enjoy themselves in a car. |
| A．A better education should include something good from both America and Germany. |
| B．German schools trained students to be better citizens. |
| C．American schools were not as good as German schools. |
| D．The easy life in the American school was more helpful to students. |
| A．Praised. | B．Regretful. | C．Ignorant. | D．Blameful. |
6 . Why do more and more people show interest in cultural heritage (遗产) these days?
If you aren’t sure where your ancestors are from, a DNA test can be a good way. Companies like Family Tree DNA will sell you a testing box that teaches you what to do.
One of the most enjoyable ways to learn about your family tree is sitting down with an older relative to chat about it. Talk in person with a grandparent, great-grandparent, or any other family member who’s been around long enough to tell you about the past.
Learning a language is a unique way to connect with your ancestors and culture.
| A．Food is part of your cultural heritage. |
| B．This is a great way to learn about your ancestors. |
| C．You generally get your test results within a few weeks. |
| D．It can also let you meet new people and have more experiences. |
| E．Food can help you feel like you’re truly experiencing that culture. |
| F．People are eager to learn as much about our ancestors as possible. |
| G．Perhaps they want to have a sense of belonging in our globalized world. |
Today’s festivals have
The harvest festival is one of the most popular festivals and
Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths and attitudes towards life. They are
8 . In traditional Chinese culture, fish has rich meanings. It
“You are not
| A．produces | B．spreads | C．determines | D．represents |
| A．so | B．because | C．unless | D．though |
| A．picture | B．animal | C．food | D．symbol |
| A．used | B．afraid | C．forced | D．likely |
| A．technology | B．culture | C．transport | D．education |
| A．identity | B．application | C．shortcoming | D．insurance |
| A．selfless | B．peaceful | C．numerous | D．informal |
| A．beauty | B．strength | C．smartness | D．wisdom |
| A．helpful | B．true | C．similar | D．rude |
| A．cut off | B．taken away | C．given out | D．used up |
| A．such as | B．as a result of | C．owing to | D．in front of |
| A．names | B．owners | C．shelters | D．colours |
| A．fish | B．history | C．water | D．air |
| A．wrote | B．tested | C．performed | D．discussed |
| A．always | B．never | C．easily | D．mostly |
9 . In the long history of about 5,000 years, numerous Chinese traditional festivals were celebrated in honour 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.
The Qingming Festival
The Qingming Festival is on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox (春分), around April 4 or April 5 every year.
The Double Ninth Festival
The Winter Solstice (冬至)
The winter solstice is on around December 22 or 23 of the solar calendar each year. From that day 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 are afraid of, but if you did it, you should say “Sui sui ping an!”
| A．The Spring Festival |
| B．New Year’s Eve |
| C．People will go to commemorate (纪念) their ancestors |
| D．People always visit their friends and relatives |
| E．It is celebrated on Sep. 9th of the lunar calendar, around in October of the solar calendar |
| F．It’s a holiday which is regarded as important as the Spring Festival |
| G．It is a double-meaning word, meaning you will be safe during the new year |
In recent years, many Chinese museums have opened online stores to sell cultural and creative products. Among them, the Palace Museum stands
According to the Vice President of the Palace Museum, sales of the museum’s cultural and creative products
Among the Palace Museum’s most popular cultural and creative products
“When developing cultural and creative products, we study people’s daily needs
