1 . The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms (节气). Cold Dew (寒露), the 17th solar term of the year, begins this year on Oct. 8 and ends on Oct. 23. At this time, the dew is greater and colder and there will be less rain. Autumn crops will be ripe. Here are three things you should know about Cold Dew.
Foggy autumn
Temperatures drop significantly in October. When the cold air encounters autumn rain, the abundant water vapor in the air soon reaches saturation (饱和状态), and then it turns into fog. When the humidity is high, there will be foggy regions formed in many areas of China.
Season for fishing
People always say that fishing in shallow water in autumn makes sense. That’s because during the Cold Dew period, temperatures decrease quickly and sunshine doesn’t reach deep water thoroughly. Fish swim to shallow water areas where the water temperature is relatively high.
Season for drinking chrysanthemum (菊花) wine
Chrysanthemum is the iconic flower of Cold Dew. To prevent autumn dryness, many regions in China have the custom of drinking chrysanthemum wine. This is a tradition of the Double Ninth Festival, which often falls around Cold Dew. According to ancient records, drinking wine made with chrysanthemums, poria cocos mushroom and pine oleoresin grants (给予) people long-lasting youth.
1. What is NOT the characteristic of Cold Dew?| A．Wet weather. | B．Low temperatures. |
| C．Foggy conditions. | D．Fully-grown crops. |
| A．Because fish become mature in autumn. |
| B．Because fish move slowly in cold water. |
| C．Because fish eat more in low temperatures. |
| D．Because fish tend to gather in warm areas. |
| A．Celebrating Cold Dew. | B．Relieving people from autumn dryness. |
| C．Ensuring people a stronger build. | D．Keeping people warm in low temperatures. |
