| A．were sent | B．sent | C．have sent | D．have been sent |
2 . Visitors who travel to Jiayu county, Xianning city, in Central China’s Hubei province for the first time are often impressed with its culinary offerings, especially the fish and lotus roots.
Almost every restaurant offers dishes featuring these ingredients. Xiao Wo, a poet from Beijing, once remarked on how amazing it is that some restaurants can make an entire table of dishes with either ingredient.
Located in the south of Hubei, renowned as a province of a thousand lakes, Jiayu covers an area of 1,017 square kilometers, and about one-third of that is covered in water. It has 21 lakes, is home to 15 types of fish and yields 60,000 tons of lotus roots a year.
Jiayu, which literally means “good fish” in Chinese, is one of two counties named after the aquatic creatures. The other is Yutai in Shandong province.
Jiayu got its name from the following lines of the poem The South Produces Good Fish from The Book of Songs, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, dating back to between the 11th and 6th century BC:
“The south produces good fish, and the fish swim and wag their tails.
There is fine wine at the gentlemen’s banquet, and guests feast and drink merrily.” Aside from its pescatarian-friendly cuisine, Jiayu is also famous for its lotus roots, wudu (a clay instrument) and culture of the Three Kingdoms (220-280) period.
With the title of the National Garden City conferred by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China, Jiayu’s appeal to visitors is strongest in spring, when sprouts emerge from willow branches by the lakes.
1. What is Jiayu county in Hubei province famous for, especially among first-time visitors?| A．Its historical sites. |
| B．Its beautiful gardens. |
| C． Its culinary offerings. |
| D．Its clay instruments. |
| A．It covers an area of 1,017 square kilometers, all of which is water. |
| B．It is home to 15 types of lotus roots. |
| C．It is named after a line from an ancient poem. |
| D．It is the only county named after aquatic creatures. |
| A．15 tons |
| B．60,000 tons |
| C．21 tons |
| D．1,017 tons |
| A．The blooming lotus flowers. |
| B．The sprouting willow branches by the lakes. |
| C．The cultural festivals related to the Three Kingdoms period. |
| D．The national garden city title awarded by the government. |
3 . The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Double Fifth Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. It is a time for family reunions, dragon boat races, and the eating of zongzi (rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves).
The Origin of the Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival is said to commemorate the ancient poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Miluo River during the Warring States period. People paddled dragon boats to search for his body and threw rice dumplings into the river to feed the fish, hoping to prevent them from eating Qu Yuan's body.
Festival Customs
Dragon Boat Races: The most exciting part of the festival is the dragon boat races. Teams of rowers compete in long, narrow boats painted with dragon heads and tails. The races are held on rivers and lakes, attracting crowds of spectators.
Eating Zongzi: Zongzi, made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, are a traditional food eaten during the festival. They can be filled with different ingredients such as red beans, dates, and meat. Eating zongzi is a way to remember Qu Yuan and his patriotism.
Wearing Sachets: Wearing sachets filled with herbs and spices is a custom that is believed to protect people from evil spirits and diseases.
Modern Challenges
However, with the rapid development of society and the popularity of Western festivals, some traditional customs of the Dragon Boat Festival are gradually being forgotten. Many young people are unaware of the significance and origins of the festival, and some even consider it just another holiday to have fun and relax.
Preserving the Tradition
Efforts are being made to preserve and promote the tradition of the Dragon Boat Festival. Cultural festivals and exhibitions are held to educate people about the history and customs of the festival. Schools also organize activities such as dragon boat races and zongzi-making workshops to engage students in the tradition.
1. What is the main purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival?| A．To celebrate a victory in a war. | B．To commemorate the poet Qu Yuan. |
| C．To hold dragon boat races. | D．To promote tourism. |
| A．Eating zongzi. | B．Wearing sachets. |
| C．Lighting fireworks. | D．Watching dragon boat races. |
| A．The author believes that traditional customs should be preserved at all costs. |
| B．The author is indifferent to the fading of traditional customs. |
| C．The author is concerned about the fading of traditional customs. |
| D．The author thinks that new customs should replace old ones. |
4 . I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her things had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier (更脏乱的). She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Then, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started shouting. She shouted back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, crying. Obviously, she could not go through that alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and the floor, even on her side. I was so buried in my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried with her expression of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to hold mine. I looked up into her eyes. she smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned how to live together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?| A．By explaining causes. | B．By describing a process. |
| C．By showing differences. | D．By following time order. |
| A．She couldn’t find her books. | B．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill. | D．She heard the author shouting loud. |
| A．she was scareded by Kate’s anger | B．she hated herself for being so messy |
| C．she wanted to show her care | D．she was asked by Kate to do so |
| A．My Friend Kate | B．Hard Work Is Rewarding |
| C．How to Be Organized | D．Learning to Be Roommates |
| A．6. | B．7. | C．8. |
1. What difference does the speaker talk about first?
| A．Some expressions. | B．Traffic rules. | C．The food. |
| A．Burning hot. | B．Great. | C．Uncomfortable. |
| A．At 5 p. m. | B．At 8:30 p. m. | C．At 9 p. m. |
| A．To the club. | B．To the gym. | C．To the restaurant. |
1. What did the man do on Sunday?
| A．He went to the museum. | B．He visited the old castle. | C．He watched a football match. |
| A．Special. | B．Interesting. | C．Boring. |
| A．The man’s friend. | B．The man’s wife. | C．The man’s daughter. |
| A．Italian food. | B．Thai food. | C．Chinese food. |
1. When does the meeting end?
| A．At 8: 30. | B．At 9: 00. | C．At 10: 30. |
| A．She was late for work today. | B．She will be the man’s assistant. | C．She is a new worker of the company. |
1. What sport did Paul play?
| A．Golf. | B．Football. | C．Basketball. |
| A．Tom. | B．Anne. | C．Susan. |
| A．How to choose a good movie. | B．Where to see a movie. | C．What movie to see. |
