1 . Using Google’s unique digital technology, the stories of some English Heritage Sites around the country — from Tintagel Castle in Cornwall to Chesters Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall — are brought to life and shared by way of the Google Arts & Culture platform.
 Stonehenge Skyscape | The English Heritage’s Stonehenge Skyscape enables people around the world to experience the skies above the stone circle, and learn about movements of the sun, moon and planets. Experience live and special sunrise over Stonehenge, see the journey of the stars and the moon from within the stone circle and learn more about the design of Stonehenge and how its builders may have understood their place in the universe. |
 Osborne House, the Isle of Wight | Take a 360⁃degree video tour of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s palatial (富丽堂皇的) holiday home on the Isle of Wight in the company of English Heritage director Michael Hunter, including the Italian terraces (露台) with views over the Solent, which reminded Prince Albert of the Bay of Naples, and the Indian-inspired Durbar Room, designed to show Queen Victoria’s position as Empress of India. |
 Audley End House and Gardens, Essex | Explore the story of one of the greatest houses of early 17th-century England deep in the heart of the Essex countryside, and fly over the great formal gardens designed by Capability Brown. |
 Tintagel Castle, Cornwall | Explore this medieval (中世纪的) castle set high on Cornwall’s north coast. Linked with the legend of King Arthur, for centuries this impressive castle has inspired the imaginations of writers and artists. Discover the early medieval history of a distant outpost (偏远村镇) trading objects from Spain, North Africa and Turkey. |
| A．Stonehenge Skyscape. |
| B．Osborne House, the Isle of Wight. |
| C．Audley End House and Gardens, Essex. |
| D．Tintagel Castle, Cornwall. |
| A．Both were built for their kings. |
| B．Both were built in the same age. |
| C．Both are related to previous rulers. |
| D．Both were palatial holiday homes for the rulers. |
| A．Language. | B．Education. | C．Geography. | D．Culture. |
2 . Mid-Autumn Festival, a typical agricultural harvest and get-together festival, falls on lunar August 15. I disliked it not because it’s
Last year, finding I had little in common with my classmates, I felt
Later, in spite of my unwillingness, I was still invited to
In brief, I
| A．originally | B．immediately | C．previously | D．horribly |
| A．experience | B．atmosphere | C．belief | D．joy |
| A．romantic | B．lonely | C．capable | D．selfish |
| A．disappearing | B．harvesting | C．passing | D．approaching |
| A．significant | B．inner | C．medium | D．autonomous |
| A．church | B．wedding | C．classroom | D．branch |
| A．awarded | B．decorated | C．removed | D．observed |
| A．rolled | B．battled | C．surfed | D．cheered |
| A．represent | B．greet | C．figure | D．prove |
| A．features | B．envelopes | C．regions | D．congratulations |
| A．talent | B．impact | C．respect | D．philosophy |
| A．settled down | B．marched on | C．broke away | D．gave up |
| A．charge | B．cure | C．enjoy | D．defend |
| A．click | B．reflect | C．press | D．depend |
| A．beautiful | B．effective | C．generous | D．legal |
3 . Many of China’s ancient architectural treasures crumbled into dust before Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng began documenting them in the 1930s. The husband and wife team were among the first preservationists to operate in China, and by far the best known. Their efforts have since inspired generations of people to speak out for architecture threatened by the rapid development.
Becoming China’s best architectural historians was no easy accomplishment. The buildings they wanted to save were centuries old, often located in distant parts of the country. In many cases, they had to journey through dangerous conditions in the Chinese countryside to reach them. Exploring China’s remote areas during the 1930s meant traveling muddy, poorly maintained (养护) roads by mule (骡子), or on foot. Inns (客栈) were often dirty, food could be polluted, and there was always risk of violence from rebels, soldiers and robbers.
Their greatest discovery was the Temple of Buddha’s Light, in Wutai County, Shanxi Province. The breathtaking wooden temple was rebuilt in 857 A.D., making it the oldest building known in China at the time.
Liang and Lin crawled into the temple’s most forbidding, forgotten areas to determine its age, including one hideaway inhabited by thousands of bats and millions of bedbugs, covered in dust and littered with dead bats. “In complete darkness and among awful smell, hardly breathing, with thick masks covering our noses and mouths, we measured, drew, and photographed with flashlights for several hours. When at last we came out to take a breath of fresh air, we found hundreds of bedbugs in our bag. We ourselves had been badly bitten. Yet the importance and unexpectedness of our find made those the happiest hours of my years hunting for ancient architecture.” Liang wrote of the experience in an account included in the book “Liang and Lin: Partners in Exploring China’s Architectural Past”.
1. What does the underlined word “crumbled” mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Were stolen. | B．Fell down. |
| C．Looked old. | D．Closed up. |
| A．Transport and accommodations. |
| B．Personal safety and weather. |
| C．Communication with locals and food. |
| D．Road conditions and funds. |
| A．They considered their work was the most important. |
| B．They were well-equipped before entering the temple. |
| C．They found some surprising things in the temple. |
| D．The conditions inside the temple were common to them. |
| A．Tough Conditions in China’s Remote Areas |
| B．Partners in Documenting China’s Architectural Treasures |
| C．The Reason for Liang and Lin’s Exploration |
| D．The Difficulties China’s Architectural Historians Are Facing |
4 . Around 6,200 years ago, farmers living on the eastern edges of Europe, in what is now Ukraine, left their villages. They moved into an area between the modern cities of Kiev and Odessa. They built new settlements up to 20 times the size of their old ones. Scientists believe the civilization might be an early attempt at urbanization. But it isn’t clear whether the sites, or perhaps the earliest cities, were fully inhabited (居住) year round and there is heated debate over what they were for.
This puzzling culture, known as the Cucuteni-Trypillia, predates the earliest known cities in Mesopotamia. Researcher Monica Smith, the author of Cities: The First 6.000 Years, thinks the very large sites may have had something in common with Gobekli Tepe in modern Turkey. It is a building complex which is at least 10,000 years old and seems to have been a place where people gathered together periodically for special gatherings.
By contrast, scientist Johannes Muller believes the very large sites were fully occupied all year round. But the inhabitants left the lightest of footprints in the landscape, and no human remains have been found. “Not a finger, not a tooth,” says researcher Alexey Nikitin. The evidence is extremely difficult to collect because Trypillians periodically burned their houses down in a controlled way.
Uruk and Tell Brak, which arose in Mesopotamia early in the 4th millennium BCE, are usually considered the world’s first cities. Their remains point to an increased density (密度) of habitation and a hierarchical (等级制度的) social structure-two features that are considered essential to the definition of a city. But the Trypillian sites don’t meet either of those standards.
Scientists John Chapman and Bisserka Gaydarska agree, saying. “Trypillian sites were a social system based on the belief that everyone was equal.” These were cities, but of a very different kind from the slave-owning (拥有奴隶的) societies of Mesopotamia a few centuries later. And our definition of a city may need expanding, argue Chapman and Gaydarska.
1. What might have been the purpose of the Trypillian sites according to Monica?| A．Protecting cities. | B．Attracting settlers. |
| C．Holding events. | D．Entertaining villagers. |
| A．It has little clear evidence. |
| B．It is mainly based on unusual ideas. |
| C．The data he collected is not convincing. |
| D．The research method he used is unscientific. |
| A．Trypillia had more houses. |
| B．Trypillia was densely populated. |
| C．Trypillia was a society full of equality. |
| D．Trypillia created a greater civilization. |
| A．Prehistoric remains in Ukraine |
| B．A different urban life of Trypillians |
| C．Mesopotamia’s slave-owning societies |
| D．The mysterious culture that invented civilization |
Guan Yu, an ancient general known for his loyalty and bravery in battles, has been widely worshipped (敬奉). The Temple of Guan Yu in Xiezhou, North China’s Shanxi Province, is the
In 2020, a research institute
Across the country, historical and cultural heritage sites are protected and studied to discover and learn about traditional Chinese culture, amid the nation’s efforts
In Shanxi, with local protection work
6 . “The arrow shot is so straight that it hits the bull’s eye, the young people will have good luck…” Dargye sang as he worked on his handmade bag.
Dargye, 56, an artist who excels at traditional craftsmanship and Tibetan folk music in Drinba village in Dragyib district, Nyingchi, Tibet autonomous region, remembers many folk songs he learned from his father and uncle. Now, it’s his turn to pass them on.
“I have liked traditional songs and dances since I was a child,” said Dargye, who has four apprentices (学徒).“The songs tell the histories of our ancestors and carry our unique culture, and-it’s always a lot of fun to perform these traditional songs and dances at various gatherings.” The song topics vary from archery, love, to labor and praise for the land. In addition to teaching these songs to/his family members and apprentices, he also uses social media platforms such as WeChat to teach songs.
His daughter, Chok Butri, also admires the folk culture. After posting a video of her daughter, Tsering Kyi, dancing on Douyin, she gained a lot of new fans on the popular short-video platform. “We are modern people living in a modern era, so it’s important and our responsibility that we use modern tools to pass on our traditional culture to make it last forever.” said Chok Butri, adding that she often posts songs and dances on WeChat and Douyin.
Dargye and his fellow villagers also recreate songs, adding modern elements such as aircraft and trains to the lyrics. Besides singing and dancing, Dargye makes handicrafts decorated with Tibetan cultural elements, including various hide and hair ropes, bags made of leather and cloth, and knife sheaths.
The local government encourages villagers to inherit (继承) and develop folk songs and other forms of traditional culture. Dargye’s efforts to preserve folk culture have been acknowledged by the government. In 2014, he was chosen as a county-level intangible (无形的) cultural inheritor and receives funds every year.
1. Why does Dargye want to pass the culture on?| A．He wants to satisfy his interest. | B．He wants to learn from the seniors. |
| C．He wants to bring people fun. | D．He wants to inherit and develop it. |
| A．To show folk music’s effect on her. | B．To stress Dargye’s influence on her. |
| C．To emphasize her love for folk culture. | D．To reveal the popularity of folk culture online. |
| A．Ambitious and honest. | B．Talented and curious. |
| C．Devoted and creative. | D．Generous and determined. |
| A．All efforts to preserve culture pay off |
| B．Craftsman carries tunes to preserve culture |
| C．An artist prefers traditional songs and dances |
| D．Tibetan culture is being protected and passed on |
7 . “When I first started learning calligraphy, I just copied the teacher’s strokes (笔画), and my work was ugly.” said Aryan from Afghanistan. He is currently a graduate student in Beijing,
During his six-year stay in China, he discovered the
To his surprise, the curriculum for foreign students in China
“Initially, I didn’t know much Chinese and thought calligraphy would be difficult,” Aryan said.” Later on, I found out that calligraphy can help me
He used to
Not only did Aryan gain a deeper
| A．majoring | B．settling | C．bringing | D．resulting |
| A．problem | B．pattern | C．richness | D．resource |
| A．native | B．official | C．international | D．formal |
| A．goes against | B．takes up | C．takes over | D．goes beyond |
| A．conferences | B．activities | C．subjects | D．competitions |
| A．economy | B．life | C．work | D．pleasure |
| A．competition | B．content | C．combination | D．contact |
| A．improve | B．recognize | C．adjust | D．find |
| A．hold | B．oppose | C．break | D．suspect |
| A．positive | B．contradictory | C．wrong | D．objective |
| A．direction | B．step | C．attitude | D．effort |
| A．supply | B．represent | C．sense | D．recall |
| A．responses | B．admissions | C．reactions | D．keys |
| A．function | B．ability | C．form | D．knowledge |
| A．stressed | B．inspired | C．determined | D．interrupted |
8 . One day in elementary school, a friend asked me “What are you eating?” as she glanced at my lunchbox. “It smells,” she said, nose crinkled.
I was eating bhindi roti, my favorite Indian snack, which my mom had packed for me. But feeling embarrassed for having a “smelly” lunch and wanting to fit in, I quietly shut my lunchbox. That day, I went hungry.
Most days after that, lunchtime at school felt like a battle. If I wasn’t trying to hide my lunch or sneak quick bites when no one was looking, I’d insist on bringing in the same peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich as the other kids. My mom, who didn’t grow up eating American food, tried her best, but the sandwiches never looked, or tasted, as good as the food I devoured(津津有味地吃) at home.
I didn’t know that I wasn’t alone. Many kids with immigrant parents encounter(遭遇) what’s known as “the lunchbox moment” at school: the experience of being judged for bringing in food considered culturally different and so being made to feel like an outsider.
For this article, I talked with kids who could relate. But they also surprised me:They dealt with “the lunchbox moment” differently than I did. For example, Satya Singh, 6, who takes her mom’s Indian cooking to lunch most days, told me that one day a classmate said that her aloo, or potatoes, looked like poop. Another time, someone said that the dal, or lentils, looked like “throw up”. The next day, Satya brought enough dal to share with her entire class — and they loved it. From then on, she says, “My teacher at school made a rule: Don’t yuck someone’s yum.”
Looking back, I wish I’d had the wisdom of Satya and offered my friend a bite of my lunch, or just told her it was delicious — especially because now, as an adult, I see that Indian food is universally loved by my friends. Some even try to cook Indian lentils or chickpeas at home! And when I’m hungry, guess what? I miss my mom’s bhindi roti and her care in making it for me. Food is an expression of culture, tradition, family and love. And that’s something to celebrate, not hide.
1. Why did the writer go hungry one day in elementary school?| A．She didn’t like her smelly lunch. | B．Her classmates ate up her bhindi roti. |
| C．Her mom didn’t prepare lunch for her. | D．She skipped her lunch to fit in with others. |
| A．She enjoyed the lunchtime at school. |
| B．Her parents are immigrants from India. |
| C．She liked peanut- butter-and-jelly sandwich best. |
| D．She would bite her bhindi roti quickly when someone was looking. |
| A．She threw away her lunch box. |
| B．She asked her teacher to make a rule. |
| C．She ate American food instead of her mom’s Indian cooking. |
| D．She brought more Indian cooking to share with her classmates. |
| A．Food is something to celebrate, not hide. |
| B．Never should you yuck someone’s yum in any case. |
| C．Indian food is delicious and universally appreciated. |
| D．The lunchbox moment is when one can taste different foods. |
9 . Body language is the most secret and powerful language of all! It speaks
Body language is particularly
Clearly, a great deal is going on when people
| A．straighter | B．louder | C．harder | D．further |
| A．hope | B．receive | C．discover | D．mean |
| A．immediate | B．misleading | C．important | D．difficult |
| A．well | B．far | C．much | D．long |
| A．For example | B．Thus | C．However | D．In short |
| A．trade | B．distance | C．connections | D．greetings |
| A．strangers | B．relatives | C．neighbours | D．enemies |
| A．in other words | B．on the other hand | C．in a similar way | D．by all means |
| A．disturbing | B．helping | C．guiding | D．following |
| A．closer | B．faster | C．further | D．shorter |
| A．stepping forward | B．going on | C．backing away | D．coming out |
| A．talk | B．travel | C．laugh | D．think |
| A．different | B．appropriate | C．internal | D．fake |
| A．curiosity | B．excitement | C．misunderstanding | D．nervousness |
| A．chance | B．time | C．result | D．advice |
10 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (节气). The year starts from Beginning of Spring and ends with Greater Cold, moving in cycles. The solar term culture is still useful today to guide people’s lives through special foods, cultural ceremonies and even healthy living tips.
Grain Buds (小满) is the 8th solar term of the year. It means that the seeds (种子) from the grain are becoming full. During Grain Buds, the summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, “Heavy rainfall makes the river full.” Because of the great increase in rainfall, rivers are full of water. This is a good time to enjoy fish. It is also a harvest season for fishermen.
Frost’s Descent (霜降), the 18th solar term of the year, is the last solar term of autumn. The weather becomes much colder than before and frost begins. The apple is one kind of recommended fruit during Frost’s Descent. There are many sayings about apples’ benefits (益处) in China, such as “ Eat an apple after meals. Even old men can be as strong as young men.”
Minor Cold (小寒) is the 23rd one. For most areas of China, it marks the start of the coldest days of the year and people always start preparing for Chinese New Year. According to traditional Chinese medicine thoughts, people need to eat food that has more yang energy to prevent cold from harming their bodies. Another important traditional food for Minor Cold is Laba porridge (腊八粥).
1. Which is the last solar term of a year?| A．Frost’s Descent. | B．Greater Cold. |
| C．Minor Cold. | D．Beginning of Spring. |
| A．Beginning of Spring. | B．Grain Buds. |
| C．Frost’s Descent. | D．Minor Cold. |
| A．An apple a day keeps the doctor away. |
| B．It’s more useful for old men to eat apples than young men. |
| C．If old men eat apples after meals, they will never die. |
| D．Old men will grow into young men after eating an apple. |
①prepare for Chinese New Year ②have Laba porridge
③say goodbye to the coldest days ④wear warmer clothes
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．①②④ | D．①③④ |
