1 . Chinese Teapot Escaping from British Museum Goes Viral
Chinese state media has praised a viral video series, Escape from the British Museum, which tells the story of a jade teapot coming to life and escaping from the British Museum to make its way back home.
In the video series released online on Sept 5th, a female vlogger plays the role of an ancient Chinese jade teapot, while her male partner acts as a journalist who helps it return to China.
The plot line taps into growing criticism of the British Museum after reports last month that more than 1,500 priceless objects, including gold jewelry, gems and glass items, were missing, stolen or damaged, which made headlines around the world. Also, the jade teapot’s reaction reflected the “casual attitude of the British Museum toward Chinese cultural relics, as many of them are crammed into just one cabinet for exhibition”. Problems in the management and security of cultural objects in the British Museum exposed have led to the doubts about a long-standing and widely-spread claim that foreign cultural objects are better protected in the British Museum.
The video series stirred up the emotions of Chinese people after first being released by independent vloggers on Douyin by showing how the teapot experienced the happiness of returning to China to see pandas and watch a flag-raising ceremony on Tiananmen Square. Many netizens expressed their eagerness for cultural artifacts overseas to return home with dignity and honor.
In August the state media Global Times also called for the return of Chinese artifacts from the museum “free of charge” in the wake of the controversy. It strongly supported the video series for touching on a “powerful message” about the importance of cultural heritage and reflecting “Chinese people’s strong and emotional desire for the repatriation of the Chinese cultural relics”.
State broadcaster CCTV gave the short films a glowing review saying “We are very pleased to see Chinese young people are passionate about history and tradition. We are also looking forward to the early return of Chinese artifacts that have been displaced overseas.”
1. What is the writing purpose of paragraph 3?| A．To discuss the problem in management. | B．To introduce the content of the video series. |
| C．To express criticism to the British Museum. | D．To provide background of the video series. |
| A．Return. | B．Reserve | C．Repair | D．Reflection. |
| A．Chinese netizens expressed anger towards it. | B．The Chinese media showed appreciation for it. |
| C．The British Museum took it quite seriously. | D．The viewers were eager to learn history from it. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A story book. |
| C．A news report. | D．A book review. |
2 . Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his time at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Chinese class, he quickly changed his mind.
“I think Chinese would be beneficial than Latin,” said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language. He speaks Chinese to order food at Chinese restaurants and reads social media posts from his Chinese-speaking friends. While it’s a difficult language to master, the high school student, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be important for his career. “Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power,” he said.
Many experts agree that proficiency (熟练) in a language spoken by about 1.4 billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy.
“People’s interest in Chinese is growing fast,” said Marty Abbott, director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. “We’re seeing it in all parts of the country.”
Abbott predicts that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Chinese in public and private schools, throughout the US. She said the US government had designated (指定) Chinese as an “important needs” language and provided professional development programs for teachers. “Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness,” Abbott added.
At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes (孔子学院) set up in many US states. For example, the Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas has been the home of a Confucius Institute for more than 10 years. It sponsors Confucius Classrooms at 21 local public and private schools, where tens of thousands of students are learning Chinese.
1. What is Thomas Cheatham’s attitude towards learning Chinese?| A．He thinks it’s a waste of time and effort. |
| B．He finds it difficult but necessary for his career. |
| C．He doesn’t care about learning Chinese at all. |
| D．He thinks it’s easy to learn Chinese. |
| A．advantage | B．quality |
| C．outside | D．challenge |
| A．To learn more about Chinese history and politics. |
| B．To promote Chinese culture and language. |
| C．To improve international security. |
| D．To compete with other countries in the global economy. |
| A．To establish better relations between China and the US. |
| B．To spread knowledge of Chinese culture and history. |
| C．To promote Chinese language learning in the US. |
| D．To provide financial support for Chinese students in the US. |
3 . More and more Chinese international students have chosen to wear traditional Chinese clothing to their graduation ceremonies, leaving a profound impression on netizens.
One particular instance involved Zhang Lan, a female student studying in the United States, who confidently dressed in Hanfu, a traditional Chinese clothing, while proudly holding the Chinese national flag. Her clothing attracted applause and admiration from observers.
“When wearing traditional clothing at important moments in life, I truly feel a sense of pride. As the only Chinese person in my department, I have been striving to incorporate elements of our Chinese culture into my everyday life, bringing forth the essence of who we are as Chinese people.” Zhang explained her action of wearing Hanfu for her graduation ceremony.
Similarly, a student studying in Australia shared a video of herself attending her graduation ceremony wearing a horse-faced dress, complemented by floral hair adornments (装饰).
Netizens were deeply moved by their display, not only appreciating the cultural significance and richness of traditional Chinese attire but also expressing joy at witnessing the students’ confident promotion of Chinese culture.
Moreover, it’s worth noting that it wasn’t only Hanfu that made an appearance. Several international students chose to wear their own ethnic costumes, further highlighting the diversity and richness of Chinese culture.
For instance, on May 21st, Shama Pacha, a girl from Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, participated in a graduation ceremony in the United States dressed in Yi ethnic costumes. She expressed the significance and honor of wearing her ethnic clothing in a foreign land, taking pride in showcasing China’s diverse cultures to foreigners, particularly on such a special occasion.
The sight of international students proudly donning their traditional ethnic costumes at graduation ceremonies serves as a symbol of cultural exchange and celebration. It powerfully reminds both local and international communities of the richness and beauty found within China’s diverse cultures, leaving a lasting impression on all those who witness it.
1. What can we know about Zhang Lan?| A．She graduated with honors. |
| B．She was the only Chinese student in her university. |
| C．She integrated Chinese culture into her overseas life. |
| D．She wore a horse-faced dress at her graduation ceremony. |
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Indifferent. | D．Anxious. |
| A．To become famous. | B．To prove her uniqueness. |
| C．To show China’s rich cultures. | D．To receive admiration from observers. |
| A．Studying. | B．Wearing. | C．Admiring. | D．Purchasing. |
4 . By drawing patterns on the surface of a cup of tea, chabaixi (茶百戏), an ancient Chinese tea trick displayed in a recent TV drama, has gone viral for its apparent similarity with modern coffee art. However, ten years ago, this distinctive technique was close to disappearing. Zhang Zhifeng, a practician of chabaixi, found scenes of chabaixi in the drama aroused great interest among ordinary people.
Chabaixi can create endless patterns such as bamboos and mountains or even calligraphy. There are over a dozen steps, from grinding (碾碎) tea for fine powder, to pouring boiled water, stirring the mixture for thick froth, and finally drawing the patterns. It is different from making latte because people use clear water as the object to put into the cup instead of milk. But when the water touches the surface of whipped tea, it turns into a white color and disappears in 20 minutes. The process before the drawing is known as the tea-making technique, diancha. The quality of diancha is crucial to whether patterns can be successfully produced later.
“Chabaixi is one of the countless forms of tea-making techniques in China. The importance of chabaixi is pot only that this technique is unique in the world, but also it gives us a window into people’s lifestyle in the Song Dynasty, a period of time when leisure activities in some ways resemble what we have now,” Zhang said.
Before chabaixi was discovered by TV audiences, the technique was listed as part of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, after it was recovered by Zhang Zhifeng. He started researching the origins of chabaixi in the 1980s and brought the technique back in 2009 after decades of trials end practice. Zhang spent nearly 30 years studying and researching the origins and making of tea, but for him it was all worthwhile.
“This technique is key to the tea culture of the Song Dynasty, and it would be a shame to let it fade. This technique must be passed on to the next generations so they can understand its history,” Zhang said.
1. What do the underlined words “gone viral” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Received good protection. | B．Started declining gradually. |
| C．Become popular quickly. | D．Maintained highly competitive. |
| A．It develops based on coffee art. | B．It is painted with whipped milk. |
| C．It mainly describes beautiful scenery. | D．It involves complicated tea-making skills. |
| A．Zhang Zhifeng - A Practician of Chabaixi |
| B．Chabaixi - A Famous Tea-making Technique |
| C．Ancient Chinese Tea Trick Starting New Trends |
| D．Ancient Tea Technique Finds New Popular Recognition |
5 . A perfect performance of Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu amazed hundreds of audiences in Bowers Museum in US Southern California on Sunday.
This Kung Fu demonstration by Shaolin monks (僧人) was a highlight of the 2023 Shaolin Cultural Day, a rare cultural event for the Orange County community in Southern California.
“The event offers a unique opportunity for the Orange County community to actively engage with Shaolin culture and gain firsthand experience in various Shaolin activities,” said Anne Shih, chairwoman of the Board of Governors of Bowers Museum. “Whether it’s learning from Kung Fu masters or enjoying interactive Shaolin activities, these experiences will help audiences to experience the Chinese culture and better understand Chinese traditions,” Shih said.
With a history of over 1, 500 years, Shaolin Kung Fu is one of China’s most treasured cultural heritage items, and has been practiced by Kung Fu lovers around the world.
Larry Lee, a 72-year-old resident of Orange County, said he has been practicing Kung Fu for over 50 years. “The traditional Chinese martial arts have deep intelligence in it. They relate to a way of life that goes much deeper than just fighting.” Lee said besides Kung Fu, he is also interested in Chinese medicine and other elements of the Chinese culture.
The 2023 Shaolin Cultural Day served as a fitting finale (场) to the 2023 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, providing a platform to honor and appreciate the contributions of the AAPI community.
“The event will help people of other communities to be better informed about China and the Chinese culture, and therefore developing understanding and friendship,” said Cultural Counselor (参赞) of the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles Wang Taiyu. “We hope through such activities, we can promote friendship between Chinese and American peoples, and contribute to China-US relations.” he said.
1. What can we infer about Shaolin Kung Fu from paragraphs 1 and 2?| A．It was performed on a school’s playground. | B．Orange County didn’t enjoy it often. |
| C．Its performance lasted two weeks. | D．Its attracted vistiors all over the world. |
| A．Helping Southern Californians learn Chinese quickly. |
| B．Helping audiences become Kung Fu masters through practice. |
| C．Helping audiences have a better knowledge of Chinese traditions. |
| D．Helping Orange County attract more Kung Fu lovers around the world. |
| A．They include wisdom in them. |
| B．They focus mainly on fighting. |
| C．They represent Chinese culture and history. |
| D．They inspire you to be expert at Chinese medicine. |
| A．To stress the importance of communities. | B．To advise how to understand each other. |
| C．To compare different cultures. | D．To build up better friendships. |
6 . Do you like Chinese traditional painting and dance? They are two important parts of the traditional Chinese art. But what about when they meet each other?
This year, a dance drama titled Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (《只此青绿》) was staged on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala and became popular.
According to CCTV, this poetic dance program was inspired by the 900-year-old Chinese painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains (《千里江山图》), created by Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng at about 18. The painting is amazing in its sweeping size, rich coloration and the expressive details, reported by CCTV. It shows a Chinese blue-green landscape: mountains and groupings of infinite (无限的) rise and fall between cloudless sky and rippling (涟漪的) water.
When the dancers moved elegantly, audiences seemed to be looking at the moving mountains and rivers. “It brings me a pure experience of beauty. It is not only a drama but also an exhibition. Vast mountains and rivers are coming to life!” Internet user Mo Weisha wrote in a review. “More than a thousand years later, green mountains and rivers still impress people as they did long ago.” Some people even decided to watch the dance again when it was staged in the theaters later. In fact, in recent years, more and more modern shows have featured Chinese traditional culture and received warm welcome. As for the reason, it is due to people’s great love for traditional culture.
“The younger generations have grown up with a more open mind. They accept Chinese culture and are proud of it,” Yao Wei, director of Henan TV Station’s Innovation Center, told China Daily.
1. What’s the writing purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To raise a question. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To describe the art world. | D．To show a doubtful thought. |
| A．CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala. | B．A Chinese blue-green landscape. |
| C．Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng. | D．An old Chinese traditional painting. |
| A．Traditional culture is accepted and loved by people. |
| B．Green mountains and rivers greatly impress people. |
| C．The poetic dance can be staged in the theaters later. |
| D．Increasing modern shows feature Chinese traditional culture. |
| A．It explains why Chinese art enjoys popularity. |
| B．It shows us art can come to life through dance. |
| C．It highlights the beauty of Chinese traditional art. |
| D．It tells us the love for Chinese traditional painting. |
7 . The 2023 Shanghai Coffee Culture Week opened on May 13, with a variety of activities integrating industry, culture and lifestyle scheduled.
Shanghai, home to more than 8,00 coffee houses, has hosted the event since 2021. This year’s Coffee Culture Week is organized by the Shanghai Cultural and Creative Industry Promotion Association, and will run through to June 2.
Coffee has become a key part of Shanghai culture, showcasing the city’s characteristics of opening-up and inclusiveness(包容),local officials said at a news conference in early May.
On the event’s opening day, Yongpu Coffee, in collaboration with the food delivery platform Eleme and China Construction Bank, offered 30,000 cups of coffee for free. Multiple coffee brands such as Luckin Coffee and McCafe will also provide free coffee and coupons (优惠券) during the event.
From May 18 to 21, West Bund International Coffee and Lifestyle Festival is taking place in Xuhui Binjiang area, involving more than 100 coffee brand outlets (销售点) located along a 5-kilometer shoreline of the Huangpu River.
It is the first time that Shanghai has launched such a large coffee-themed market, organizers said. In addition to enjoying freshly brewed coffee, visitors can attend diverse activities such as exhibitions, performances and workshops to experience coffee culture.
Many cultural sites in the city are also participating in the coffee culture week. Sinan Mansions in downtown Shanghai is holding the Bonjour Coffee Art Fair from May 19 to 21,which has attracted some 20 coffee staff members and 80artists.
The Shanghai History Museum will launch the Square Coffee Festival, inviting fans and industry experts to share their knowledge about coffee. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Books and Periodicals Distribution Association will hold a coffee-themed book fair in more than 80 stores across the city.
Organizers said they hope these events will boost the consumption of coffee and cultural products, and promote the coordinated development of the two industries.
The Shanghai Coffee Industry Summit will take place on May 26, which includes two roundtable discussions and about 10 seminars. Corporate leaders will discuss the latest consumer trends and offer their insights into hot topics.
According to data from domestic tech and retail giant Meituan, the value of China’s freshly brewed coffee industry is expected to reach 15.79 billion yuan ($2.25 billion) this year. It was valued at 8.97billion yuan in 2021.
1. Why was the Coffee Culture Week hosted?| A．To hold diverse activities. | B．To spread knowledge about coffee. |
| C．To show the city’s unique features. | D．To promote coffee industry and culture. |
| A．Get coupons and make freshly brewed coffee. |
| B．Enjoy free coffee and read coffee-themed books. |
| C．Visit coffee exhibitions and put on performances. |
| D．Share ideas about coffee and get employed in workshops. |
| A．Coffee consumption is increasing rapidly in China. |
| B．Meituan has benefited a lot from coffee industry. |
| C．The Coffee Culture Week has boosted the coffee industry. |
| D．Freshly brewed coffee industry is the most promising industry. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Culture. | C．Health. | D．Science. |
8 . In traditional stick puppet shows in Shanxi, puppeteers hold up and manipulate (操控) the puppets using three rods (杆). The puppets are dressed in traditional costumes and frolic (嬉戏) on stage. They are able to change their facial expressions and perform complicated movements.
Such art can’t be created without the painstaking effort of puppet makers like Wang Maowei, 40, who is from Xiaoyi, Shanxi.
“When I chose puppet-making as a teenager, I gradually fell in love with it and decided to dedicate myself to the craft,” Wang said. In 2008, Xiaoyi’s stick puppet plays were added to the national intangible cultural heritage list.
It takes 40 to 50 days to make a stick puppet. The average height of a puppet is 75 centimeters to 1 meter, and they have different costumes to fit various plays and plots. “To make puppets, you need to have sensitivity and a basic foundation in the fine arts,” Wang said.
Traditional Xiaoyi puppet plays use the style of local operas, which are appealing to the elderly. Years ago, Wang realized that plays must cater to the market. He decided to start with the appearance of the puppets.
Stick puppets are traditionally carved from wood and are both time-consuming to make and heavy to hold. Wang found that a special kind of kraft paper is a perfect substitute (替代品). It means craftspeople can put things inside the puppets’ heads to allow them to be operated — the nose, eyes and mouth of a puppet can all move via the use of rods.
Journey to the West, a classic Chinese novel, has been frequently adapted in puppet shows. In the tale, the Monkey King can use his eyes to distinguish monsters from ordinary human beings. To recreate this power in his show, Wang makes the Monkey King puppet shoot laser beams (激光) from his eyes and spit (喷) fire from his mouth.
“It requires time and energy to create a delicate piece of work... These puppets are like my own children and I always take good care of them,” Wang said.
1. According to Wang Maowei, what specific skills are required for making stick puppets?| A．Creativity and imagination. |
| B．Patience and physical strength. |
| C．Sensitivity and a basic knowledge of fine arts. |
| D．Engineering and technological skills. |
| A．To reduce production time and effort. |
| B．To make puppets look more beautiful. |
| C．To reduce the costs of making puppets. |
| D．To make them lighter and easier to operate. |
| A．By making it sing and dance. |
| B．By making it spit fire from its mouth. |
| C．By making it fly across the stage. |
| D．By making it shoot laser beams from its ears. |
| A．tell | B．appreciate | C．enjoy | D．prevent |
9 . When Chinese people think of wushu, what often comes to mind is wuxia novels, a kind of historical novel that involves wushu warriors.
| A．Wuxia stories most often take place in the jianghu |
| B．Central to the idea of the wuxia hero is the concept of xia |
| C．Most often, there are some fantastic elements to these novels |
| D．Wuxia has a long literary history dating back as far as Sima Qian |
| E．As a master storyteller, he wove fact and fiction in a fantastic way |
| F．And he is willing to battle to help those in need and make a better society |
| G．Typically, wuxia stories begin with a hero who experiences personal trouble |
10 . Few women would consider a pair of scissors to be daily essential that they need to have in their purses. But for Shi Qinling, who is currently working at the Fenglin community cultural center in Shanghai, this tool has been with her everywhere she goes for the past decade —not as a means of self-protection but artistic expression.
“Paper-cutting is not about cutting random patterns from paper. Writers tell stories using words. I do the same, but with a pair of scissors,”Shi said.
Shi developed an interest in craft (工艺) when she was a child. This interest later developed into a passion, one that she decided to pursue by majoring in arts and crafts design during her time in university. After graduation, however, she found herself working at a ship design company as she was unsure about what she wanted to do with her future. About a year later, the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Research Institute offered her a position in their paper-cutting department. Realizing that she still had a love for the craft, she made the career switch.
In 2010, Shi started learning paper-cutting from Xi Xiaoqin, a paper-cutting expert. Three years later, one of her works, The Fighting Fish, won third place at the
Baihua Cup, a competition for Chinese arts and crafts. Over the past decade, Shi’s works have been exhibited in 23 exhibitions.
Although Shi is already so skilled in the craft that she can create an animal pattern in 10 minutes without even having to draw the outlines, she continues to improve her skills every day. The reason is that she views paper-cutting as not just an art form, but also a form of learning about traditional Chinese culture. She thinks she has the responsibility to attract people from different age groups and different fields to try paper-cutting.
1. Why does Shi Qinling always carry a pair of scissors with her?| A．To fix things on the go. |
| B．To show off her creativity. |
| C．To make paper cuts anytime. |
| D．To protect herself from dangers. |
| A．What Shi Qinling did in university. |
| B．How Shi Qinling got rid of the boredom. |
| C．How Shi Qinling started paper-cutting career. |
| D．Why Shi Qinling resigned from her previous job. |
| A．Selfless and adaptable. | B．Creative and humorous. |
| C．Devoted and generous. | D．Talented and responsible. |
