历史、社会与文化

阅读理解

Passage 1

Each year in different parts of the world， many countries celebrate different kinds of flower festivals where you can witness some splendid views in the world.

Chelsea Flower Show （London， the United Kingdom）

London celebrates the world’s most famous flower festival for five days in May with flower arrangements every year. There are innovation and creativity， both of which make the event one of the most lively festivals in the UK. Every year， London gathers the best garden designers， plant specialists， and nurseries to make the flowers one of the most beautiful flower exhibits around the world.

Floriade Festival （Canberra， Australia）

From mid-September to mid-October， Canberra celebrates Floriade every year with some of the amazing events and beautiful sights of blossoms （花朵） with different colors and patterns. It is one of the biggest festivals in Australia. Hosted in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park， the event is a 30-day celebration with lots of food， entertainment， music， etc.

Pasadena Rose Parade （California， the United States）

Pasadena Rose Parade is celebrated on January 1st as an American New Year tradition with some extremely fantastic flower parades and music celebrations. You can either witness this personally or even see the live broadcast which takes place throughout the local channels across the country.

The Rose Festival （Kazanlak， Bulgaria）

The Rose Festival is one of the most popular events in Bulgaria. The celebration for the blossom of the roses takes place in the first week of June every year. This is the season when the gentle Kazanlak roses come to bloom， filling the air with its sweet smell. During the festival， the most beautiful girl in the city is chosen in a beauty pageant （选美比赛）.

1. What is special about Chelsea Flower Show？

A. The beautiful roses. B. The flower parades.

C. The exhibits created by the best artists. D. The event hosted in Commonwealth Park.

2. Which festival lasts the longest？

A. Floriade Festival. B. The Rose Festival.

C. Pasadena Rose Parade. D. Chelsea Flower Show.

3. What do Floriade Festival and Pasadena Rose Parade have in common？

A. They are watched by live broadcast. B. They have music celebrations.

C. They are hosted in the National Park. D. They hold the beauty contest show.

Passage 2

Book clubs are no longer limited to living rooms， and bookstores offer much more than just books with a whole new place opening up for gatherings and a wide range of choices centered around reading.

When entering BookBar on Tennyson Street， shoppers are greeted by a lovely smell of coffee and small plates. Nearly nine years ago， Nicole Sullivan， a great lover of books， hoped she could attend a book club meeting anywhere besides someone’s living room. From that thought， BookBar was born. The bookstore now also sees local teenagers’ meetings and study. “Now I see the future of bookstores is community bookstores，” Sullivan says.

Some bookstores， like The Hermitage Bookshop in the Cherry Creek area of Denver， stick to a more traditional model， however. Robert Topp has owned his book business for 50 years， making it one of the independent bookstores having the longest history in the city. His store features collections， out-of-print books， antiquarian books （古籍）， magazines and art and 20% of the goods are considered collectible.

Topp originally thought his customers would grow old with him， but instead， he has seen something different. “On Saturdays， almost everyone in the bookstore is under 40，” he said. He also said one misconception about young readers is that they only read romances and horror. Topp thought people are generally too hard on them. “Too many people have the thought out of unconscious prejudice，” he explained. “Observing carefully， you’ll find their reading preferences various and positive.”

After devoting nearly 30 years to reading to children in public schools， Topp founded Read Me a Story， Ink， providing stories to listen to， stories to read， and book recommendations. Besides， he also has strong online bookselling business. “Many bookstores may be under financial pressure， but with the creative ideas， we can turn things around，” he said.

1. Why did Sullivan start BookBar？

A. To pursue her passion for reading. B. To create a community store for local people.

C. To make her study convenient. D. To have a public space for book club meetings.

2. What can we learn about The Hermitage Bookshop？

A. It’s home to many rare books. B. It’s the oldest bookstore in Denver.

C. It attracts mainly old readers. D. It faces competition from online sellers.

3. What is Topp’s attitude to young people’s reading preferences？

A. Negative. B. Optimistic. C. Tolerant. D. Critical.

4. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. More young customers go to bookstores. B. Creative activities attract people to books.

C. Bookstores adopt new ways to reach readers. D. Transformation of book businesses is urgent.

Passage 3

The topic of China’s “slash youth”， referring to those refusing to be defined or bound by just one personal identity and choosing to undertake multiple careers， has fueled heated debate on social media， drawing attention to the diverse pursuits of the younger generation. On a Chinese social networking platform， the topic “slash life on and off work” has attracted about 11，000 posts and has been viewed over 400 million times.

The “slash youth”， which could also be called slashers or slash-generation， are ready to share their slash youth stories， presenting as multiple and sometimes distinct identities， such as a nurse and model， a teacher and stand-up comedian， and an engineer and band player. Rather than material comforts， they pursue meaningful achievements.

A diverse career can enable them to develop new experiences and talents as well as social and professional networks， leading to greater flexibility in life and work， recognition and satisfaction.

A study on “slash youth” published in the China Youth Study magazine analyzes the background of this phenomenon： With part of modern society’s structured organization and stability norms （规范） broken， flexible labor markets and structural unemployment have emerged， eliminating the sense of job security of the young people in employment. Young people also face the dilemma of self-actualization （自我实现）， including the sense of powerlessness， lost sense of value and lack of self-identity in the profession， which forces them to re-find the meaning of work.

“The ‘slash life’ shows that， along with China’s economic development， our society is becoming more and more diversified and inclusive， and it welcomes everyone’s self-fulfillment，” said Shi Yanrong， an associate researcher from Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences. “Young people no longer have to rely on work and money for their sense of self-worth. They tend to create their own identities.” The researcher added that against the background that people have multiple interests and are willing to pay for these interests nowadays， the “slash life” of the youth would drive the growth of a new economy.

1. What can we learn about the “slash youth”？

A. They tend to take on different jobs. B. They are eager to pursue material comforts.

C. They enjoy posting photos on social media. D. They adjust themselves to challenges in life.

2. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about？

A. The importance of flexible labor markets. B. Young people’s pursuits in their profession.

C. Causes of losing self-identity among the youth. D. Reasons for the emergence of “slash youth”.

3. What does Shi Yanrong think of the “slash life”？

A. It enables young people to earn more. B. It helps young people to be independent.

C. It makes the youth realize their self-worth. D. It inspires young people’s creativity at work.

4. What is the purpose of the text？

A. To provide career guidance. B. To analyze a cultural difference.

C. To share a unique life experience. D. To introduce a social phenomenon.

Passage 4

The xiao， a traditional vertical bamboo flute （长笛）， is now attracting more and more attention with its long history and rich cultural meanings.

In ancient China， bamboo symbolized integrity， and a spirit of striving to make progress. So， many used it to refer to their pursuits in poems. For example， the poet Su Shi once wrote， “Better to eat without meat than live without bamboo”， suggesting the importance of bamboo. Therefore， the xiao， made of bamboo， was much more than an instrument， but something often reminding the ancient literati （文人） of their pursuits.

As a xiao player， Shen Yingbiao spent much time learning to play the instrument and teaching others， and now is still working to promote the instrument and its culture.

“Since the Tang Dynasty， the xiao was often used in gatherings of the educated. It was so popular，” says Shen. “But the instrument kept its unique attractiveness， which paved the way for it to be revived （重新流行）. It produces heavenly music， which agrees with the traditional Chinese aesthetic （审美的） idea， ‘the greatest music has the faintest notes’.”

In Shen’s view， compared with others， the xiao is an extremely simple instrument. Since it is so simple that you can hardly make any changes on it， you can only change yourself to make your music performance better and better.

1. Why is Su Shi’s poem mentioned in Paragraph 2？

A. To imply Su Shi’s talent. B. To say Su Shi liked bamboo.

C. To praise the bamboo’s spirit. D. To show the importance of bamboo.

2. Why can the xiao be revived according to Paragraph 4？

A. It can produce wonderful music.

B. It is popular among the educated.

C. It is easy to match with other instruments.

D. Its faint notes suit the traditional Chinese artistic idea.

3. What quality does a better xiao player need according to the text？

A. Commitment. B. Flexibility. C. Patience. D. Carefulness.

4. What is the best title for the text？

A. What Makes the Xiao Special

B. Why the Xiao Is Beloved by Poets

C. Shen Yingbiao， A Well-known Xiao Player

D. The Xiao， Sound of the Past， Note for the Future

阅读七选五

Passage 1

Like it or love it， social media is a major part of life. Teens spend more than half of their waking hours online. They use some of that time to post pictures and create profiles on social media accounts. 1 .

Clicking on a thumbs-up or a heart icon is an easy way to stay in touch. 2 . Some social media sites use those likes to determine how many people eventually see a post. One with many likes is more likely to be seen and to get even more likes.

What’s more， viewing posts with a lot of likes activates （激活） the reward system in our brain. 3 . For example， posts related to alcohol may encourage teens to drink. That means that what you like online has the power to influence not just what others like， but even what they do.

4 . And not always in a good way. For example， in a study， teens doing a driving task in a lab took more risks when their friends were around. Researchers also looked at the teens’ brains during this task. They saw activity in a part of the brain that’s involved in rewards， which suggests the teens were changing their behavior to try to get social approval.

Joining social media can give people a sense of being in the know. 5 ， making them appear much happier than we are. And that can， inappropriately， make us feel less successful than them.

A. It can also lower the viewer’s self-control

B. A popular post doesn’t necessarily mean it is a quality post

C. It’s no surprise： Comments from peers affects how teens behave

D. Their brains respond to those likes by turning on the reward center

E. But posts may exaggerate how well our friends and others are feeling

F. But those “likes” can have power that goes beyond a simple connection

G. Most of what they do is read and respond to posts by friends and family

1. _______________" 2. ____________ " 3. ____________ " 4. ____________ " 5. ____________

Passage 2

What is heritage？ The word can be difficult to define. Heritage is always something that is passed down by families or other groups for many years. 1 It can also be the customs， traditions， and values shared by groups of people. One way to think about heritage is to break it down into three groups. These are the tangible （有形的）， the natural， and the intangible.

2 It can include many human-made objects that hold cultural value. Some examples are national monuments and works of art. Many ancient sites are also part of this group. On a smaller scale， a family home can be part of an individual’s heritage.

Many parts of the natural world are also important to cultural heritage. This can include bodies of water， plant life， landforms and more. One example is the Nile River. 3 Efforts to protect natural heritage are key in many cultures.

The intangible group includes any part of cultural heritage that you can’t feel through touch. Maybe you’ve read about forms of dance， like flamenco dancing. You might know about the music of Mariachi Bands or holidays like Eid. These are all examples of intangible heritage. 4

Exploring your own heritage can be fun. It can help you learn about yourself， your family， and your ancestors. But it’s also important to learn about the heritage of others. 5 It can also lead you to find things you may have in common with others！

A. They are treasures that can be touched.

B. What tangible items can be part of heritage？

C. However， heritage isn’t limited to concrete objects.

D. Languages， holidays and customs also make the list.

E. Therefore， it’s difficult to protect them from fading away.

F. Doing so can help you build a stronger understanding of other cultures.

G. It has been part of cultural heritage in many African nations for centuries.

1. ____________ " 2. ____________ " 3. ____________ " 4. ____________ " 5. ____________

完形填空

Passage 1

Wu Ming， a young German born after 1995， is a big fan of Chinese culture. As he thought some diseases can’t be treated 1 with Western medicine， he decided to 2 traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. In 2015， Wu came to Henan Province， where a strong TCM culture can be 3 . After a year of learning， he 4 the language barrier and started to learn Chinese medicine. Wu always 5 some Chinese herbal medicine by himself to know their flavors and effects， just like Shennong， a character in Chinese legend. In Wu’s opinion， TCM is one of the best-preserved 6 of Chinese culture.

Studying TCM also 7 Wu’s mind and lifestyle. He used to be 8 to electronic devices， playing video games every night. Instead of being trapped in the fast-paced but unhealthy daily 9 ， he now lives a 10 and peaceful life， practicing good habits like drinking tea and reading.

Wu 11 what he has learned to help his family. He always provides his family members with some advice about staying fit after 12 their skin or tongues online. Over time， his family gradually began to understand his 13 for TCM.

Wu thinks there’s no big gap between China and Western countries. “ 14 comes from being out of touch，” said Wu. He plans to run a traditional Chinese clinic in Germany， which could serve as a 15 between the two countries and publicize TCM and its culture.

1. A. immediately B. gradually C. thoroughly D. consistently

2. A. turn over B. dig into C. look up D. work out

3. A. created B. enjoyed C. advanced D. acknowledged

4. A. overcame B. seized C. divided D. shifted

5. A. selected B. sorted C. cooked D. tasted

6. A. aspects B. standards C. themes D. means

7. A. trapped B. secured C. expanded D. changed

8. A. exposed B. accustomed C. restricted D. addicted

9. A. businesses B. recreations C. routines D. tasks

10. A. rigid B. wealthy C. humble D. healthy

11. A. employs B. promotes C. outlines D. conveys

12. A. noticing B. checking C. exploring D. comparing

13. A. concern B. wish C. demand D. passion

14. A. Misunderstanding B. Destruction C. Stress D. Failure

15. A. source B. basis C. bridge D. path

Passage 2

Australia’s last Sanity music store has closed its doors for the final time. It marks the official 1 of a past age—the era of the high street music franchise （特许经营）. It’s an era when teens with music dreams could find a first job that perfectly captured their 2 .

As someone who spent a decade working in record shops， I feel sad that my children will 3 this important tradition. Being into music was a（n） 4 when I was 18. Since then， I have been determined to work in music in the future. So I devoted unlimited energy and wholeheartedly strived for it. Being 5 about music meant reading a vast of music papers to gain more skills. It’s worth mentioning that it took me two attempts to pass the 6 exam of a local record shop， a qualification that still means a lot to me now. This was my first 7 of professional knowledge. As time went on， I gradually became more 8 than most people.

The 9 of the high street store reflects the fact that new albums （专辑） rarely 10 the mainstream narrative. We don’t frequently 11 music with the people at the local record shop. Although hit songs emerge endlessly， they also disappear quickly without 12 profound significance on music.

13 ， after decades of downward sliding， CD sales have made a slight recovery. Surviving record shops report a 14 interest in silver discs. Teens are returning to the storage room for classics. 15 my days working in record shops， I’m glad I lived through the coolest time.

1. A. effect B. end C. definition D. feature

2. A. imagination B. interest C. curiosity D. trust

3. A. change B. challenge C. follow D. lose

4. A. pursuit B. habit C. innovation D. relaxation

5. A. anxious B. serious C. confused D. careful

6. A. music B. selection C. employment D. art

7. A. introduction B. desire C. concern D. taste

8. A. aware B. popular C. thoughtful D. flexible

9. A. adjustment B. competition C. disorder D. decline

10. A. defeat B. judge C. influence D. determine

11. A. teach B. create C. connect D. share

12. A. measuring B. breaking C. missing D. leaving

13. A. Naturally B. Suddenly C. Luckily D. Clearly

14. A. renewed B. similar C. common D. puzzling

15. A. Thinking back to B. Looking forward to C. Relying on D. Caring about

语法填空

Passage 1

According to a survey conducted by an online survey platform， some 96 percent of surveyed youth said they were willing to purchase guochao products， 1 refer to products by home-grown brands. At the same time， 91.6 percent of respondents 2 （voice） their expectations of more video programs digging deeper 3 traditional Chinese culture. The age group of the interviewees ranged from the post-80s to the post-00s generations， with the latter 4 （account） for 22.1 percent.

“Nowadays we are deeply connected with most countries in the world， which results in a comprehensive understanding of the outside world， yet we still have confidence in our own culture. This sense of pride 5 （base） on rational thinking，” said professor Su Junbin of Xiamen University.

Unlike before， when they might favor Western culture and brands， today’s Chinese youth were born and raised when the 6 （country） economy was taking off， so they tend to have strong confidence in their national identity and culture. They have gained 7 full understanding of the outside world， and after several rounds of 8 （compare）， have finally found 9 （they） to be in a strong position. So the time， 10 （push） forward cultural products imprinted with traditional Chinese cultural features， is perfect.

1. ____________ " 2. ____________ " 3. ____________ " 4. ____________ " 5. ____________

6. ____________ " 7. ____________ " 8. ____________ " 9. ____________ " 10. ""____________

Passage 2

Why do Chinese people drink hot water？ Many Westerners think it so 1 （interest） that they always see Chinese people carrying a vacuum cup （保温杯） no matter which season it is.

For lots of Chinese people， nothing is more common than drinking hot water every day. But for most of the Westerners， 2 idea of drinking plain hot water （白开水） is really odd since they drink cold water even in winter. Why do Chinese people drink hot water？ Hot water vs. cold water， which one is better？ Follow us 3 （find） an ideal answer.

It is well known 4 Chinese people prefer hot meals every day， and they’re also used to 5 （have） hot drinks with them. Moreover， some parents always teach 6 （they） children to drink hot water with meals， because they think mixing cold liquids with hot meals is really bad for 7 （stomach）. And cold liquids may solidify fats in your stomach， which cause digestive problems， whereas hot liquids aid in 8 （digest）.

According to the eating habits in Western countries， they prefer “raw” food， 9 they also prefer their water “raw”. In the meantime， they are fond of hamburgers， cheese and fried stuff， which 10 （be） all with high calories. As a matter of fact， they need cold drinks to cool them off.

1. ____________ " 2. ____________ " 3. ____________ " 4. ____________ " 5. ____________

6. ____________ " 7. ____________ " 8. ____________ " 9. ____________ " 10. ____________

应用文写作

假定你是李华，你校计划下周五举行中西文化交流活动（the Sino-Western cultural exchange activity）。请你写一封邮件邀请你校交换生Peter参加，内容包括：

1. 发出邀请；

2. 介绍内容；

3. 期待到来。

注意：

1. 写作词数应为80左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

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