1 . The annual South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on Sunday, March 17, beginning at 1 p.m. ET. This is the 119th-annual parade for the historically-Irish city, and always falls on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick’s Day. This year, it luckily falls on the day of the holiday itself.
The Route
According to the Allied War Veterans Council, the parade will start at 1 p.m. at Broadway station and move up West Broadway. It will continue on East Broadway, take a right on P Street, then a right onto East Fourth Street.
From East Fourth Street, it will turn left onto K Street, then right onto East Fifth Street, where it will continue until taking a left onto G Street. It will stay left of South Boston High School to Thomas Park, and follow the park until it takes a left at Telegraph Street and another left to Dorchester Street. The parade will stay on Dorchester Street until its end in Andrew Square.
How to participate
If you’re local to the area or traveling especially to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, you can, of course, attend the parade in person. But for everyone else, there are a few options on how to watch it live.
Local stations NBC10 Boston and NECN will air the parade on television or stream on various platforms starting at 1 p.m. ET, including on Peacock, Roku and on its YouTube channel.
USA TODAY is also providing coverage for the parade in Boston, as well as celebration in other U.S. cities over the weekend, including New York City and Chicago. You can watch the parade at the top of this page or on USA TODAY’s YouTube channel.
1. Where will St. Patrick’s Day parade start?| A．Broadway station. | B．Dorchester Street. |
| C．K Street. | D．South Boston High School. |
| A．To call for donations. | B．To recommend a traditional holiday. |
| C．To inform people of an activity. | D．To explain a period of history. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A history book. |
| C．The internet. | D．A travel brochure. |
2 . Weddings are one of life’s biggest celebrations, and they are observed in just about every country and culture on the planet. Here are some wedding traditions from around the world.
Scotland
Scottish weddings usually feature the handfasting ceremony. During the ceremony, the bride (新娘) and bridegroom each hold a piece of cloth. These are carefully wound around the couple’s joined hands. When they pull their hands apart, the pieces become tied into a knot (结) — a symbol of the new union.
Germany
Guests at a German wedding get to see an interesting sight: the newly married couple — still dressed in their suit and wedding dress — cutting a length of a tree in half with a two-person saw (锯). In this way, they show their ability to work as a team to face any challenge they will meet in life.
Norway
A Norwegian wedding cake is made up of progressively smaller layers of iced cake rings, which give the cake the shape of Christmas tree. The inside is empty and has gifts or even a bottle of wine. The bride and g room lift the top ring of the cake, and the number of layers that stick to it is said to represent the number of children they will have!
England
Brides in England typically wear “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” for their big day. The modern practice comes from a traditional English song, and the things themselves represent protection, cheerfulness, good luck, and purity, respectively.
Though the customs might vary, the feeling remains the same. Across the world, weddings are times to celebrate love, happiness, and family.
1. Why is a two-person saw used in the German wedding?| A．To entertain the wedding guests. | B．To mark the couple’s united efforts. |
| C．To represent the upcoming challenges. | D．To keep the couple from hurting each other. |
| A．The Scottish wedding. | B．The German wedding. |
| C．The Norwegian wedding. | D．The English wedding. |
| A．Rules to follow. | B．Special customs. |
| C．Ways to treat guests. | D．Cultural backgrounds. |
3 . Eat up at the 4 best specialty food festivals in the US.
Cheese Curd (奶酪) Festival—Ellsworth, Wisconsin
They don’t call Wisconsin the Dairy State for nothing. It’s the number one cheese-making state in America. Cheese curds are the stars of the show at the Cheese Curd Festival. Events include a craft beer and curd pairing, live music and a craft market. It’s a celebration of all dairy products, with ice cream tastings being especially popular.
Pizza City Fest—Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California
Warm and cheese, pizza is the most tasty comfort food. Dive deeper and you’ll find that pizza is a catchword for a variety of styles. Today, Pizza City Fest promotes the diversity of pizza styles. Pizza City Fest is held in both Chicago, known for deep-dish pie, and LosAngeles, a hotbed of Neapolitan-style pies.
Vermont Cheesemakers Festival—Greensboro, Vermont
Arguably the country’s top cheese state, Vermont plays host to the Annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival each summer at Highland Centre for the Arts. This single-day event offers an unparalleled chance to meet the state’s best cheesemakers and taste their world-class products, alongside other local foods, craft beer, wine and spirits.
Italian Market Festival—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
South Philadelphia’s lively Italian Market has been going strong for over a century. It is one of the city’s cultural treasures, home to Italian restaurants, butcher shops and bakeries. The Italian Market Festival is a giant block party held at this outdoor market each spring, with dozens of vendors (小贩) lining the streets for a tasty, two-day anniversary.
1. Which state is called the Dairy State?| A．Wisconsin. | B．California. | C．Vermont. | D．Pennsylvania. |
| A．Deep-dish pie. | B．Craft beer. | C．Wine. | D．Pizza. |
| A．Pizza City Fest. | B．Cheese Curd Festival. |
| C．Italian Market Festival. | D．Vermont Cheesemakers Festival. |
4 . Each year Canada Chocolate Town, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, celebrates our community’s rich and delicious heritage with our annual Chocolate Fest. Now in its 30th year, this week-long, family-oriented festival is “choc—full” of activities, fun events, and all things chocolate—related. Our beloved mascot, the Great Chocolate Mousse, and his lovely wife Tiffany, invite you to join us this August for the sweetest festival of the year—Chocolate Fest!
Carma Charlotte County Coffee Morning
9：30 a.m. to 12 noon
Location：St. Stephen Town Square
Come out and join us for a Starbucks coffee, cup of tea or juice and scrumptious home—baked goods, many featuring chocolate. Sponsored (赞助) by Carma Charlotte County and adoption programs (收养项目) —caring for homeless and feral cats.
Dots Delecto Birthday Party
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location：Boys and Girls Club of Charlotte County
Who does St. Stephen love? Dot Larsen! Please join us for chocolate cake and chocolate milk and help celebrate Dot’s birthday. Come and play in our indoor/outdoor playground, have your face painted and enjoy a barbecue, to help raise funds for the Barracuda Swim Team. For details call BGCCC, 466-4300.
Lucy the Lady Bug’s 1st Birthday Party
12 noon to 3 p.m.
Location：Kings brae Garden, St. Andrews
Come to celebrate with Lucy and her friends for a picnic on our front lawn (草坪) —bring your own picnic or have lunch at our Garden Cafe. At 2 p.m., join Lucy and her friends for an amazing race adventure through the big maze (迷宫), find treasure in the fantasy garden and much, much more!
Cost：$16/Adult, $12/Students and Seniors, Free/Children 6 and younger.
1. When is the Dots Delecto Birthday Party open?| A．9：30 a.m.—12：00 a.m. | B．11：00 a.m.—2：00 p.m. |
| C．12：00 a.m.—3：00 p.m. | D．2：00 p.m.—3：00 p.m. |
| A．$44 | B．$16 | C．$28 | D．$32 |
| A．To introduce a sports game. |
| B．To arrange some activities. |
| C．To advertise an annual fest. |
| D．To promote a cats brand. |
5 . I experienced the Naadam Festival in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for the first time this year. The festival falls on the fourth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar, usually lasting for three days. Naadam means “games” in Mongolian, and it is represented by three events: horse racing, wrestling, and archery, which are all so exciting to watch!
On the first day, I set off to the games early with my friend Burin. I saw a lot of people wearing fancy Mongolian robes. Some were feeding their horses, some were practising archery, and others were chatting or taking photographs. Burin told me that Mongolians travel every year from near and far to attend the festival, just as their ancestors had done for centuries.
After the opening ceremony and some amazing performances,the wrestling competition began. Mongolian wrestling is different from the wrestling in the Olympic Games. There are no rounds,and wrestlers are not separated by weight. The wrestler loses if any part of his body above his knee touches the ground. After singing some songs, the competitors danced onto the green field, waving their arms in the air as if they were eagles. I was quite moved by their show of strength and grace.
I absolutely enjoyed the archery, too, but the horse races were my favourite part. However, I was surprised to see that the riders were boys and girls! I heard it is because children are lighter and the horses can run faster and farther. At first, I was a little worried about the children’s safety, but Burin said, “Don’t worry. They’ve been riding horses all their lives. They’ll be just fine.” That was the moment I started to understand why people say “Horses are at the heart of Mongolian culture”. ...
I’m finally back home now, feeling really tired, but celebrating Naadam with my friend was totally worth it. He invited me back for the winter to stay in a traditional Mongolian tent and eat hot pot. I can’t wait!
1. How long does the Naadam Festival last?| A．2 days. | B．3 days | C．4 days. | D．5 days. |
| A．has a long history | B．only allows men to take part in |
| C．has only three events | D．falls on the fifth day of the sixth month |
| A．Archery | B．Wrestling | C．Horse racing | D．The opening ceremony |
| A．Amazing | B．Horrible | C．Graceful | D．Outstanding |
6 . ReCreate summer camps are a super-fun and affordable way to spend your summer. Our camps are 100% fun with some valuable skills in Science, Tech, Engineering, Art and Math through the weeks.
June 24th-28th ReCreate Goes to Market(Ages 8-14)
Campers will explore different making skills and through the design thinking model, use those skills to invent something for the purpose of selling. Skills will include 3D Design, design and use of logo, T-shirt design, programming and more. They will get marketing and budget (预算) skills along the way. This fast-moving camp was a huge hit last year!
July 8th-12th Girl-Powered Tech Club(Ages 8-13)
This camp is to give girls a chance to develop and sharpen their skills in programming and understanding technology. They will explore computer skills and more, in an open and fun camp! Girls will bring their robotic animals “to life” through the use of programming and artistic expression.
Notes:
Camps are Monday through Friday at ReCreate from 9: 00 a. m.-3:30 p.m.
(9:00-12:00morning session (场)，12:30-3:30afternoon session )
Camps are limited (限定) to 14 campers in total, so sign up before camps fill up!
Campers should bring their own snacks and lunch.
Half Day AM or PM is 8140. // Full Day Camp is $265.
To register, visit recreate. org/summercamps/.
For more information , please call 916-770-9880.
1. Which agrees with the ReCreate Goes to Market?| A．It improves children’s grades. |
| B．lt helps with children’s creativity. |
| C．It pays most attention to marketing skills. |
| D．It makes children fall in love with art. |
| A．8140. | B．$265. | C．$405. | D．$530. |
| A．They take place at the same time. |
| B．All children can attend the camps. |
| C．Campers must pay for snacks and lunch. |
| D．They can hold a certain number of campers. |
7 . Most of us consider winter a great time to stay inside with a good book. Yet the winter months offer great outdoor events.
The Ice Festival at Lake Khovsgol, March 2, 3
Lake Khovsgol, called the Blue Pearl of Mongolia, freezes up to 1.5 meters deep. Each year local residents have a two-day celebration, sharing their traditional songs and dances. Activities including sled races, skating and much more take place on the frozen lake. Visitors from different countries are always surprised to see how much weight the lake can hold.
Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, February 27~March 8
North America’s largest winter festival takes place in Anchorage, Alaska. In the past, the fur trade was one of the state’s most important industries. The festival’s 86th anniversary this year will celebrate Alaska’s pioneer way of life. People can enjoy nearly 70 different activities.
Winter games and sports are a special feature as visitors celebrate the season. Tourists come from around the world to attend the festival.
Troms International Film Festival, January 12~18
If film is your passion, then Norway’s Troms film festival is for you! You will get to meet and interact with people from the international film industry. And you’ll be able to view some of the world’s best international films on Troms’s enormous outdoor screen. More than 50,000 people attend the festival each year.
Grindelwald World Snow Festival, January 19~24
Every January, ice art takes center stage in the beautiful Swiss village of Grindelwald. Artists from around the world arrive in mid-January to accept the ice challenge. They start with meter-high blocks of ice and spend six days creating spectacular sculptures (雕塑). Festival-goers are delighted to see the process as well as the finished pieces.
Don’t let the cold weather keep you inside this season. There are lots of fun and exciting events to attend!
1. What is the purpose of this text?| A．To explain why winter is not a good time to stay inside. |
| B．To introduce some fun-filled winter festivals. |
| C．To tell about the history of the winter festivals. |
| D．To show benefits of some exciting winter festivals. |
| A．It has activities related to ice. | B．It is specially fit for film-lovers. |
| C．Its visitors are from all over the world. | D．It is held on the frozen lake. |
| A．The Ice Festival at Lake Khovsgol | B．Troms International Film Festival |
| C．Anchorage Fur Rendezvous | D．Grindelwald World Snow Festival |
8 . Themysteriousworld is where you can explore unknown and most interesting facts about living planet, universe and lifestyle of people. We tried our best to cover all possible information about a particular subject within the posts on our site online. Here are some top unmissable festivals in the world.
Rio Carnival, Brazil
It is a five-day festival which takes place forty days before Easter. Rio de Janeiro has earned its title as the Carnival capital of the world with its famous samba dancing, colorful eye-catching costumes and live music.
Holi Festival, India
Holi is a Hindu spring festival, also known as the “festival of colors”. It is a sign of the victory of good over evil, the end of winter, and the arrival of spring. Starting with a nighttime bonfire where people gather, sing and dance, Holi is celebrated the next day by people throwing colored powder and water at each other.
St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland
Held on March 17 every year, it is a celebration to mark the death of Ireland’s patron saint (守护神) Saint Patrick. Since 1996, an entire festival of parades, fireworks as well as food and drinks has surrounded the celebration. Enjoy traditional song and dance, watch musical street theater shows and get decorated in all green as you celebrate Irish heritage and culture.
Burning Man Festival, United States
As a week-long event at the end of August in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, it attracts tens of thousands of people from all over the world each year. Tickets to Burning Man are not cheap. But once you’re there, you will surely have an unforgettable experience. The main event is burning a giant wooden statue on Saturday night, followed by a big dance party that lasts all night long.
1. Which festival lasts the longest in celebration?| A．Rio Carnival. | B．Holi Festival. |
| C．St. Patrick’s Day. | D．Burning Man Festival. |
| A．There is no need to buy tickets. |
| B．People are all dressed in traditional clothes. |
| C．Dance is a generally accepted way to celebrate. |
| D．They center on specific traditions of a religion. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A newspaper. |
| C．A website. | D．A travel brochure. |
9 . St Patrick’s Day: All you need to know about your local parades
Thousands of people will crowd around cities, towns, and villages all over the country on Friday for the annual St Patrick’s Day festivities.
Cork
Cork City’s St Patrick’s Day parade will start at 1 pm, with the event also live-streamed from 12:45 pm for those unable to be there in person. Featuring Cork’s long-established bands and hundreds of sports and dance groups, the parade will also have a special multi-cultural focus, in the form of the migrant support group Together Razem.
Limerick
A huge turnout is expected in Limerick on Friday to watch the parade which kicks off at midday from O’Connell’s St. Serving as Grand Marshall is Limerick native and star of D’Unbelievables and the Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin, Jon Kenny, who is looking forward to his “starring role” in this year’s celebrations.
Waterford
Following the success of last year’s first-ever three-day festival, Waterford City is hoping to top the 2022 celebrations. The fun kicks off with live music in the Cultural Quarter on Thursday night. On Friday, the parade will set off from the Quays at 1 pm, led by Grand Marshall, boxing champion Kelyn Cassidy. The rest of the weekend will be filled with more music, workshops, and dancing, and there will be a fairground for the kids to enjoy.
Clare
Beginning at 11 am from Clare County Council’s headquarters, the parade in Ennis will celebrate the commitment of Clare’s sporting heroes to their local communities. The parade’s hosts are former president of Ennis Rugby (英式橄榄球) Club Jimmy O’Brien, Barefield athlete PJ Purcell, and great-grandniece of Kilnamona boxer Michael McTigue, Aisling Rynne.
1. Where are parents with kids most likely to go?| A．Cork. | B．Limerick. | C．Waterford. | D．Clare. |
| A．Play rugby games. | B．Enjoy live music. |
| C．Meet sports athletes. | D．Watch boxing matches. |
| A．To introduce local activities. | B．To present city legends. |
| C．To promote sports products. | D．To hire parade organizers. |
10 . There are four fun festivals throughout the year in Brazil.
Festa Junina
Festa Junina is celebrated all over Brazil for the entire month of June as a yearly celebration of Saint John. It celebrates country life with typical clothes, food and dances inside a large tent, with decorations such as colored flags, beautiful table cloths and balloons.
Oktoberfest
The Germanic roots of the south of Brazil brought this traditional German festival to Brazil, where it has become one of the most popular beer festivals. Held in the middle of October every year in Blumenau, it celebrates typical German cuisine and plenty of beer. There’re all kinds of German foods at the festival.
Festival de Cachaça
Every year in the town of Paraty, Festival de Cachaça is held for cachaça, the national alcohol (酒) made from sugarcane (甘蔗). This festival is held over a long weekend in August and it gives you a chance to try cachaça. There are also shows of samba (桑巴舞) and food trucks. It’s also a great opportunity to get to know the beautiful town of Paraty.
Parintins Folklore Festival
The festival held every year in Parintins is the second largest in Brazil after the carnival. It goes over a period of three days at the end of June and celebrates the Amazonian legend of a resurrected ox (复活的牛). The main attraction of the festival is the competition between the two teams Garantido and Caprichoso that compete to retell the story of the ox through a mix of dancing and singing.
1. Which festival lasts the longest time?| A．Oktoberfest. | B．Festa Junina. |
| C．Festival de Cachaça. | D．Parintins Folklore Festival. |
| A．Taste German food. | B．Watch shows of samba. |
| C．Drink the national alcohol. | D．Listen to the story of the ox. |
| A．They are yearly activities. |
| B．They enjoy global popularity. |
| C．They focus on food and dancing. |
| D．They are celebrated all over Brazil. |
