初中英语社会文化类阅读试题

What are the cultural differences between China and the West？You might be able to find the answer in Cao Siyu's comics （漫画）.

Cao，32，was born in Beijing，but left home at 20 and has studied and lived in the US，the UK，and France for 12 years.Having seen so many cultures，Cao wanted to use her drawing sills to show the differences she has experienced.So she created the cartoon series Tiny Eyes Comics.

"My experience shows that although travel is much easier and faster today，the distance （距离） between cultures hasn't shortened，" Cao said.She hopes to build bridges and break down misunderstandingsbetween different cultures.One of her cartoons shows water forms in different countries.Three glasses of water are shown.The glass of water from the US has ice；the one from France is full of sparkling water （气泡水）；the one from China is steaming （冒热气的）.

Cao also uses her cartoons to show different ways of thinking and social customs.During the COVID﹣19 pandemic，she used her comics to explain why Chinese people prefer to wear masks while western people don't."Her simple pictures have played a big part in reflecting Chinese culture，" Italian magazine Grazia reported.

Many foreign readers say that Cao's comics help them understand China，while Chinese living abroad have felt that they are seen and understood.

She said that this voice has been the biggest motivation （动力） for her to keep creating.

（1）Cao Siyu shows people the cultural differences by 　 　.

A．	living abroad
B．	creating comics
C．	writing for an Italian magazine
D．	talking about her experience

（2）Cao's comic ideas come from her studies and life in 　 　counties.

A．	3
B．	12
C．	20
D．	32

（3）The underlined word"misunderstandings" means 　 　.

A．	融合
B．	交流
C．	差异
D．	误解

（4）We can infer from the passage that 　 　is more popular in China.

A.cold water

B.ice water

C.sparkling water

D.hot water

（5）The best title of the passage is" 　 　".

A．	Travel is much easier and faster today
B．	Comics show us how we are different
C．	School life abroad is busy and lonely
D．	Different ways of thinking and behaving

In recent years，red tourism（旅游业）has developed quickly and is expected to become more and more popular as the nation celebrates the 100th anniversary（周年纪念日）of the Communist Party of China（CPC）（中国共产党）.And people's hopes of learning and experiencing revolutionary（革命的）history and culture have become stronger.

From 2004 to 2019，national red tourism resources（资源）continued to increase and tourists visited an increasing number of revolutionary cultural relics（文物）.The number of such trips made by people increased from 140 million to 1.4 billion（十亿）over the same period and more and more people go to these red tourism areas，such as Yan'an in Shaanxi Province.

In Pingshan，Hebei Province，where Xibaipo is located（位于），people have depended on red tourism to develop farmhouses，gardens and tourist shops.This has helped to provide jobs for more than 80，000 local people.

Red tourism has not only met people's travel needs but also their strong wishes for knowledge on revolutionary traditions.This has led to the economic（经济上的）development of old revolutionary areas.As the 100th anniversary of the CPC is coming，the Ministry（部）of Culture and Tourism will further develop red tourism and provide people with better products and services based on Party history education.Protection of revolutionary relics will also become stronger.

（1）The Communist Party of China was founded（建立） 　 　.

A．	in 1911
B．	in 1921
C．	in 1931
D．	in 1949

（2）Xibaipo is located in 　 　.

A．	Hebei Province
B．	Hubei Province
C．	Henan Province
D．	Shaanxi Province

（3）Traveling to old revolutionary areas has led to the 　 　of these areas.

A．	development of science
B．	development of art
C．	environmental protection
D．	economic development

（4）As the 100th anniversary of the CPC is coming，better products and services based

on 　 　will be provided.

A．	ancient history
B．	modern art
C．	cultural relics
D．	Party history education

（5）The best title of the passage can be " 　 　."

A．	Tourist Shops
B．	Farmhouses
C．	Red Tourism
D．	Beautiful Gardens

One cannot discuss Chinese music without mentioning the guqin，one of the four arts-along with game of go，calligraphy（书法）and painting.It first appeared over 3，000 years ago and stands for China's solo musical instrument tradition.

   At first，the guqin had only five strings（弓玄），meaning the five elements（元素）of metal，wood，water，fire and earth.Later，in Zhou Dynasty，King Wen of Zhou added a sixth string for his son.King Wu of Zhou，added a seventh string to encourage his army to fight with the Shang.

    Ambiencewas important in playing the guqin.Usually，it was practiced in a quiet setting and never for public performance.Ancient artists enjoyed performing by a stream in the mountains.The sound of the guqin mixed with the echoes（回音）from the mountains，until the musician felt he was at one with nature.Playing it in snow was also an enjoyable activity for ancient artists，who believed the instrument was the purest of its kind in the world.Also，a night with moonlight was considered wonderful for playing the guqin.Wang Wei（701-761），a highly talented man of the Tang Dynasty，liked playing it in a bamboo forest on nights with moonlight most.

   Guqin pieces are usually three to eight minutes long，with the longest being Guangling Verse，which is 22 minutes long.Other famous pieces include Plum Blossoms in Three Movements，Wild Geese Landing on the Sandbank and Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute.

   Nowadays，there are fewer than one thousand well﹣trained guqin players and perhaps no more than fifty living masters.The original number of several thousand pieces has greatly reduced to only one hundred works by today.The guqin and its music was added to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity（人类非物质文化遗产）in 2003.

（1）Today，the guqin has 　      strings.

A．	four
B．	five
C．	six
D．	seven

（2）What's the meaning of the underlined word "Ambience" in Paragraph 3？ 　 　

A．	演奏技巧.
B．	环境氛围.
C．	天气状况.
D．	弹奏曲目.

（3）According to the passage，playing the guqin 　 　is a right choice.

A．	at a quiet restaurant
B．	at a welcome party
C．	in a peaceful yard with flowers
D．	on a dark night with rainstorm

（4）According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE？ 　     　

A．	The guqin has a history of less than 3000 years.
B．	The strings mean metal，wood，water，fire and stone.
C．	The longest guqin piece is Guangling Verse.
D．	The guqin is very popular and many people can play it.

（5）What does the passage mainly talk about？ 　     　

A．	The guqin and its music.
B．	The guqin and its players.
C．	Four Chinese traditional arts.
D．	The development of guqin music.

Playing for Friendship

Ping pong，or table tennis，might seem like an ordinary game to play with friends or family，but it holds a special place in China﹣US relations，as it has helped both countries get along for the last 50 years.This has been called "ping pong diplomacy （乒乓外交）".

Judy Hoarfrost was just 15 years old when she was sent from the US to China as part of a nine﹣ member table tennis team.The year was 1971.and for the past 20 years，relations between China and the US had been unfriendly.

But as the team toured around China，things started warming up.Hoarfrost even got to meet then﹣Premier Zhou Enlai. "The most unforgettable moment was Zhou shaking hands with me and looking into my eyes，" Hoarfrost told China Daily. "You have opened a new page in China﹣US relationships，" Zhou told the team.

In the years that followed the historic visit，ties between the two countries started to blossom.US president Richard Nixon would make a landmark （里程碑） visit to China in 1972，which also saw Chinese table tennis players make their own visit to the US，according to China Daily.Diplomatic relations between the US and China were fully established （建立） in 1979.

Players from both countries believed strongly in the idea of "friendship first.competition second".To this day，many of them remain friends.Hoarfrost thinks we should remember ping pong diplomacy in order "to understand the importance of people﹣to﹣ people exchanges in establishing bonds，human bonds between peoples. "

Seeing tension （紧张局面） between two of the world's biggest powers in recent years，Hoarfrost said China and the US should work together. "We have so much in common，and we need to build on what we have in common，" she added.

（1）What do we know about Hoarfrost？ 　 　

A．	She has played table tennis for 15 years.
B．	B She doesn't know what "ping pong diplomacy" is.
C．	She formed her own table tennis team 20 years ago.
D．	She was part of efforts to improve China US relations

（2）What is Paragraph 3 about？ 　 　

A．	The team's tour around China.
B．	Zhou Enlai's memories of the team.
C．	C Hoarfrost's meeting with Zhou Enlai.
D．	The relationship between China and the US.

（3）When were China﹣US diplomatic relations fully established？ 　 　

A．	In 1971.
B．	In 1972.
C．	In 1979.
D．	In 1991.

（4）What does the underlined phrase "establishing bonds" in Paragraph 5 mean？ 　 　

A．	Developing a relationship.
B．	Holding a competition.
C．	Understanding different countries.
D．	Understanding the spirit of sportsmanship.

（5）According to the passage，what might Hoarfrost agree with？ 　 　

A．	It's normal for countries to face tension.
B．	B China and the US should improve their relations.
C．	Playing table tennis can help people go abroad more easily.
D．	China and the US should have another table tennis exchange.

Many of us stayed at home in January because of COVID﹣19，but a special mom and her two babies took a trip.They were driven a few miles from a breeding center in northeastern Argentina to a 1.7 million﹣acre nature reserve called Gran Ibera Park.There the three jaguars were released into the wild.

    Their release was the first reintroduction of jaguars in that part of Argentina since the species（物种）almost died out there 70 years ago.Scientists hope they can turn things around for this important apex predator，meaning one that is on top of the food chain （链）.Only 200 to 300 jaguars remain in the country.

    "That is the highest level of protection that can be given in Argentina，"says Sebastian Di Martino.He's the conservation director for Rewilding Argentina，which is one of the organizations helping to restore jaguar populations.

    The jaguars' journey started in 2018 when the park was built in the Ibera Wetlands.Several thousand jaguars once lived there，along with other important species.But the jaguars' fur was valuable，so people hunted them.Then farmers cleared the land they lived on.With the jaguars gone，the ecosystem was out of balance.

    "In the absence of this species，ecosystems stop working well and may even collapse，" Di Martino says. "The main prey （猎物） of the jaguar is the capybara and the caiman.They are very abundant because of the absence of the jaguar，which causes imbalances in the ecosystem."

    The park was the first step to give jaguars a place to live.Then they needed to breed.A female named Mariua mated with a male jaguar from Brazil.Mariua then gave birth to the two baby jaguars.

    It sounds simple，but the reality is more complicated.Di Martino said that jaguars born at breeding centers have to learn how to hunt and must not become used to humans.Otherwise，they will not have success in the wild.

    The people who work at the breeding center stay out of sight.They use video cameras to watch the jaguars from several miles away."We provide live prey for them，without them realizing it comes from people，" Di Martino said.

    Mariua wears a radio collar so researchers can track her and her babies，Karai and Pord. "So far，so good.She's been hunting capybaras and wild pigs and is raising her babies very well，" Di Martino says.

（1）What can we learn about the jaguar？ 　    

A.It is found only in Argentina.

B.It is taught to hunt by humans.

C.It is not hunted by any other animal.

D.It is not considered as a rare species.

（2）Which of the following words can best describe Di Martino's job？ 　    　

A.Exciting.

B.Meaningful.

C.Surprising.

D.Successful.

（3）What does the underlined word "abundant" mean in this passage？ 　     

A.More than enough.

B.Less than enough.

C.Getting more powerful.

D.Getting less powerful.

（4）The writer mentioned Mariua 　　.

A.to give an example of jaguars' life

B.to show the importance of female jaguars

C.to introduce a way of training jaguars

D.to explain the method of rewilding jaguars

If you're riding in a "lift" or an "elevator"，or eating "chips" versus "fries"，these words all depend on whether you're in the UK or US.Although the，both speak English，there are many phrases and idioms that differ between the cultures.

   For example，have you ever just not been in the mood to go out with friends？In the US you might say you don't feel like doing that activity，but in the UK you would say， "I can't be asked. "

   Maybe you're about to take a test and feel a little anxious.In the US，you might say you are nervous，but in the UK，one could say they are "having kittens".If someone in the UK were feeling they were under pressure，they might say they are '"under the cosh".

   Even many native English speakers are often confused by the meanings of these terms.Stephanie Stone，a US native，recalls her experience studying in the UK. "People would ask， 'You all right？' For months I thought I looked unwell until I realized it just meant 'How's it going？ ".

   If you want to know more about US and UK idioms，you'd better " have a butcher's hook" at some phrase books.It can be quite interesting to find，the equivalent（对应的）phrases in your own language.

（1）What would you say in America if you are unwilling to go out with friends？ 　 　

A．	I can't be asked.
B．	I'm under the cosh.
C．	I don't feel like doing that.

（2）How might Stephanie Stone feel at first when asked 'You all right？' in the UK？ 　 　

A．	Surprised.
B．	Pleased.
C．	Tired.

（3）What does the phrase " have a butcher's hook" in the last paragraph mean？ 　 　

A．	Get many skills.
B．	Have a look.
C．	Find some words.

（4）What is the text mainly about？ 　     

A．	The meanings of phrases and idioms in the UK and US.
B．	The history of phrases and idioms in the UK and US.
C．	The differences of phrases and idioms in the UK and US.

In China，a host usually serves a visiting guest a cup of tea first when he enters his house.It is a traditional custom in China.But do you know how to serve a cup of tea to a visiting guest？Well，in different places，the ways of serving tea are different.

   In Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces，a clay cup is usually used to brew（冲泡）Longjing，Biluochun，Maojian or just green tea.Chrysanthemum tea is sometimes used in the hot summer season to reduce the hot from outside.

   Serving a cup of tea is a very popular custom in the North China cities.In the colder north﹣eastern provinces，the hosts would provide warm black tea with sugar for their guests.

   In some coastalprovinces such as Guangdong Province and Fujian Province，a pot of Oolong tea or Pu﹣er tea is the usual treat.

   Serving tea to guests is a common practice in China.However，different tea is used in different places.In Inner Mongolia（内蒙古），a guest is usually treated with milky tea.In the Jingpo family，you would be given baked tea （tea in water and baked in an oven to be made hot）.

（1）What kind of tea sets should be used to brew Longjing？ 　 　

A．	A glass cup.
B．	A paper cup.
C．	A plastic cup.
D．	A clay cup.

（2）Which kind of tea can make people feel cool in hot summer？ 　 　

A．	Oolong tea.
B．	Pu﹣er tea.
C．	Chrysanthemum tea.
D．	Milky tea.

（3）When you are visiting a friend in 　 　，you might be offered warm black tea with sugar.

A．	Suzhou
B．	Changchun
C．	Hangzhou
D．	Baotou

（4）What does the underlined word "coastal" in Paragraph 4 mean？ 　 　

A．	内陆的.
B．	边境的.
C．	沿海的.
D．	沿河的.

（5）The passage is mainly about 　 　.

A．	the ways of serving tea in China
B．	the different kinds of tea in China
C．	the ways of drinking tea in China
D．	the reasons of serving tea in China

①Animal behavior（行为）is an interesting and attractive study.Scientists research the ways animals use to look for food.They study how animals protect themselves from their predators，and which animals kill other animals for food.All of this helps us understand how useful animals can be.

②Each country or culture raises some animals for food.In the United States，people mainly eat meat from cows，chickens and pigs.In other countries，people might raise sheep or buffalo for meat.These differences come in part from weather and other environmental conditions.People around the world eat all kinds of fish and shellfish from oceans and rivers.In some countries，people don't always choose some animal groups，such as dogs，for food while in other countries such animals may become people's favorite food.

③In West Africa，animals provide humans with more than food.They have been helping people do daily work for thousands of years.Horses，oxen，and other work animals pull heavy things.Elephants；camels；and other animals carry people and things from place to place.Carrier pigeons （信鸽）have been used to send messages.

④People also receive health benefits'（利益）from animals.For example，dogs and cats can help calm people down.This is helpful for people fighting illnesses.Animals can also reduce stress，helping people to draw their attention to learning new information，such as reading.When people are walking their dogs or horses，it encourages exercise.

⑤Animals and humans share space on Earth，so keeping a healthy relationship with animals，around us is in our best interest.

（1）What is the passage mainly about？ 　 　

A．	Where animals live and how they look for food.
B．	The relationship between animals and humans.
C．	The different things animals can do in different countries.
D．	What humans should do when communicating with animals.

（2）The underlined word "predators" in Paragraph l probably means 　 　.

A．	neighbours
B．	friends
C．	children
D．	enemies

（3）Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？ 　 　

A．	People around the world eat all kinds of fish.
B．	Horses are helpful for people fighting illnesses.
C．	Elephants encourage humans to do more exercise.
D．	Africans mainly eat meat from cows，chickens and pigs.

（4）Which of the following is the structure（结构）of the passage？ 　 　

A．		B．
C．		D．

Carnival

Carnival is the last big festival in summer in Brazil，which may begin 40 days before Easter every year.During the festival，to celebrate their traditions，Brazilians sing and dance in dance halls and clubs，on the streets and beaches or anywhere else in Brazil.

    Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most popular traditional festivals celebrated in China，falling on the fifth of the fifth lunar month.The most famous and greatest tradition is holding Dragon Boat races，In addition，during the festival people make and eat Zongzi.Hanging herbs （草药） on the front door is also popular，which is meant to protect people from evil （邪恶） and illness.

    Solnal

Koreans celebrate Solnal，the lunar New Year，with other East Asian countries.Solnal is a time for Koreans to celebrate the traditions with their family.On New Year's Day，people put on traditional clothes and put food on a special table for the dead members of their family.Family enjoy activities such as kite flying and dancing.

    Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays in the US and it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year.On the day Americans say I "Thank you" to their family，friends and people that help them.On Thanksgiving，people usually have a big turkey dinner and a special party with their family.

Choose the right answer according to the passage.

（1）Where is Carnival celebrated？ 　 　

A．	In China.
B．	In Brazil.
C．	In Korea.
D．	In the US.

（2）Why do people hang herbs on Dragon Boat Festival？ 　 　

A．	To put family under protection.
B．	To prepare a big dinner for family.
C．	To have a special party with family.
D．	To offer food to dead family members.

（3）What activity takes place on Korean New Year's day？ 　 　

A．	Boat races.
B．	Kite flying.
C．	Turkey cooking.
D．	Front door cleaning.

（4）When is Thanksgiving celebrated？ 　 　

A．	About 40 days before Easter.
B．	On the last day of lunar year.
C．	On the fifth of the fifth lunar month.
D．	On the fourth Thursday of November.

（5）What do Carnival and Solnal have in common？ 　    　

A．	They are celebrated on the same day.
B．	They are both celebrated in East Asian countries.
C．	People wear the same clothes during the two festivals.
D．	People dance to celebrate their traditions during the two festivals.

The 6﹣year﹣old girl，Ruby，lived in New Orleans，Louisiana..She was supposed to go to school close to her home.But all the students in that school were white.Ruby was black.School leaders didn't want to accept her，so they made Ruby take a hard exam and hoped she would fail.But Ruby was so smart that she passed the test easily and was finally allowed to go to the school.

Ruby was excited about her new school.But when she and her mom arrived on her first day，she saw a crowd of angry people shouting very cruel things at the gate.They did not want a black child to attend the school. "I had no idea what was happening， " remembered Ruby.She thought the crowd was celebrating something.

Each day.Ruby went to school with four police officers who worked for the national government to protect her.The sight of this small girl with her big bodyguards moved the artist Norman Rockwell.He created a painting of Ruby.He called it The Problem We All Live With"，It became a very famous painting.

Ruby grew up to be a civil rights activist.She worked to protect the rights given to all citizens by the government.She even went to the White House to meet President Barack Obama.They looked at Mr.Rockwell's painting.It hung outside the Oval Office.

"We should never judge a person by the color of their skin， " Ruby said. " That's the lesson I learned in first grade. "

（1）How could Ruby get the chance to go to the school？ 　 　

A．	By meeting the president.
B．	By passing a difficult exam.
C．	By visiting the school leaders.
D．	By asking for help from the government.

（2）What was the crowd probably shouting at the school gate？ 　 　

A．	No seats for black!
B．	Congratulations !
C．	Let her in!
D．	Welcome!

（3）Why did Mr.Rockwell create the painting？ 　 　

A．	To celebrate Ruby's success.
B．	To present his painting skills.
C．	To praise the four police officers.
D．	To show the serious social problem in the US.

（4）What lesson did Ruby learn in first grade？ 　 　

A．	Fight for your rights.
B．	Intelligence （智商）is valuable.
C．	Treat people of different colors equally （平等地）.
D．	Get help from the police when in trouble.

Is there something in your community that could be changed？Is there a person in your neighborhood who could offer help？If If you're hoping for someone to make a difference，that someone could be you!

Volunteering your time is a great way to make a difference in your community.And you'll feel good about doing something that helps people or improves the places around you.

This past summer，my friends and I noticed how messy our neighborhood park was.We wanted to be different.We worked with our parents and teachers to clean up the park，We had a great time making the park even better than before，and now the whole neighborhood is able to share and enjoy it again.

Maybe cleaning up a park isn't your choice，though.No problem!You can turn anything that matters to you into a volunteer project.Do you like playing chess reading，or spending time with your pet？You can volunteer to do what you love to do.For example，you could help at an old people's center，simply by talking or playing games with them to make their days better.If you re great at math or English.you could volunteer to be a homework helper at your school.You're always needed to walk dogs or play with cats，Or you can collect things for homeless people，such as soap and toothbrushes.

You see，there is something for everyone.Whatever you do as a volunteer your time will be enjoyed and that always feels good.Kids everywhere are making a difference by volunteering.You can，too!

（1）The passage is mainly written for 　 　.

A．	kids
B．	parents
C．	teachers
D．	neighbors

（2）Last summer the writer volunteered to 　 　.

A．	walk dogs
B．	teach pupils math
C．	talk with the old
D．	clean up the park

（3）The main idea of Paragraph 4 is that 　    .

A．	collecting things has a lot of fun
B．	cleaning up a park isn't your choice
C．	the old people always need help
D．	anything can become a volunteer job

（4）We can infer （推断）that the writer is full of 　 　when writing this passage.

A．	thanks
B．	hope
C．	surprise
D．	worries

Just the other day，I was in a bookshop and found a book named How to make friends with foreigners.As a Canadian living in China for a year，I was curious to see what kind of advice a Chinese writer giving on this matter.

    One piece of advice really caught my attention and，I must say，made me feel quite angry.In the writer's opinion，foreigners are an"opportunity （机会）"to improve your oral English；whenever you see a foreigner，American or English，you should practise speaking English with him or her.If the foreigner doesn't want answer your questions，then he or she is a nude person who you wouldn't want to spend time with anyway.I think this advice is not only incorrect，but also may harm the relationship between Chinese and foreigners in China.

    Like most other "Lao Wai" living in China，I know how lonely one can sometimes feel living in a culture different from our own familiar （熟悉的） ways.However，I simply accept as part of being here.So far my time in China has been rewarding.I have improved my Chinese language skills，learned about one of the fastest developing countries in the world today and made some very close Chinese friends.

    However，I have also met many Chinese people who consider me only as an "opportunity" to improve their oral English.I have had people following me from town to my flat to trouble me to teach them English.I have had complete strangers throwing articles or speeches in my face，insisting that I help them with the English translation.I have had people asking me non﹣stop questions for half an hour at the weekly English Corner ...

    Friendship for a lot of foreigners is about spending time with someone whose company （陪伴） they really enjoy.So if there is any advice to give on making and keeping friendships with foreigners，I would say that it is this：Treat foreigners as people，not opportunities.Expect to make friendships step by step，over a period of time，not in a rush.          If your only reason for becoming friends with a foreigner is to improve your English，then you will probably find that you don't have a foreign friend for long.

（1）Where is the writer of this passage from？ 　    　

A.America.

B.China.

C.Canada.

D.England.

（2）Why is the writer of the passage interested in the book How to make friends with foreigners？ 　   　

A.Because he wants to have some more close Chinese Friends.

B.Because he has greatly improved his Chinese language skills.

C.Because no Chinese people would like to make friends with him.

D.Because he wants to know about the Chinese writer's advice on this topic.

（3）According to the writer of the book How to make friends with foreigners， 　   　.

A.his advice may make foreigners angry

B.it is rude of you to ask a foreigner questions

C.you should choose a good foreigner to practise English with

D.don't waste time on a foreigner who doesn't answer your questions

（4）In the fourth paragraph，the writer uses"I have had.." three times，because 　   　.

A.he had no better sentences to express his ideas.

B.he wanted to show how he hated to make friends with Chinese.

C.he wanted to show how he hated to be treated as an opportunity".

D.he met Chinese who wanted to make friends with him only three times.

（5）Which sentence may be the best to fill in the " 　   　" in the last paragraph？

A.True friendships stand （经得起） the test of time.

B.Learn about different cultures to make real friends.

C.Friends are about opportunities or personal advantages.

D.There's real friendship between people from different countries.

Flamenco is very popular in southern Spain.It begins with guitar music and clapping（击掌）and then dancers join the performance.Sometimes a woman dances alone and sometimes she dances with a man.The woman always wears a long，colorful dress.She moves her arms and hands slowly but her feet move in fast difficult steps.The man often wears black.Both dancers click their shoes on the floor when they dance around each other.

    Cossack dances are from Russia and Ukraine.They are very energetic — some are more like gymnastics than dancing!Dancers have to be very fit because they jump very high and kick their legs up and down.They often jump over swords（剑）.The movements are similar to traditional Cossack activities，for example，sword fighting and getting on and off horses.

    Limbo dancing is first from West Africa but today it is an important part of celebrations in the Caribbean.Young people have to dance under a pole（杆）.The pole is often on fire and the dancer mustn't touch it!After a successful "limbo"，they put the pole lower and do it again.Some dancers can dance under a pole just twenty centimeters off the ground!

    Mask（面具）dances are important for the Dogon people in Mali.Each village makes different masks.They are often huge and colorful.There are masks of people，monsters or local animals like crocodiles and monkeys.Mask dancers are always men and they dance to the sound of drums for hours after the death of a person in the village.Today，Dogon villagers also perform the dances for tourists.

（1）What do we know about flamenco dancing？ 　 　

A.Dancers begin performing before the guitar music starts.

B.A woman dancer often wears a long black dress.

C.A woman dancer moves her hands and feet at different speeds.

D.Dancers clap loudly while moving around each other.

（2）What does the underlined word "gymnastics " in Paragraph 2 refer to？ 　 　

A.A play.

B.A sport.

C.A celebration.

D.A show.

（3）Which of the following is limbo dancing？ 　 　

A.

B.

C.

D.

（4）What is the best title for the text？ 　 　

A.Dance Jumps and Moves

B.Dances for Different Ages

C.Dance Music and Clothing

D.Dances from Around the World

Which country grows the most tea？The answer is India.It grows three times as much as China.Which country drinks the most tea？It's neither China nor Japan.It's Great Britain.

In the wild，tea plants may be 9 meters tall.But a plant grown for market is pruned.Pruning keeps the plant only 0.9 or 1.2 meters tall.This is an easy height for tea picking.Only the two top leaves and bud（芽）of each new shoot are picked.So to make money，tea plantations （种植园） must be huge.

In general，there are two kinds of tea：black tea and green tea.Black tea is fermented （发酵）.In the process，the tea loses nearly all of its healthy parts.Green tea is steamed （蒸） right after the leaves are picked.Green tea keeps its healthy parts.For example，it may prevent heart illness.

How did we get tea bags？The answer：by accident.Tea businessmen used to send samples（样品）in tin（锡）boxes.This was very expensive.One businessman thought of a cheaper way.He sent samples in small silk bags.Customers would open the bag.They would make tea as usual.One customer put the bag into a pot.Then he just poured hot water over it.And the tea bag was born.

Shen Nong was the first to drink tea.He was a Chinese emperor.This was about 2737 B.C.Shen drank several cups of hot water daily.One day something happened.Leaves from a wild tea tree fell into the hot water pot.The next cup was poured.The water was now colored.Shen tasted it.He liked it.He drank it all.Shen was proud of his new drink.He served it to his guests.Word spread.People thought this way：tea is good enough for the Emperor，so it must be good enough for the people.Tea became the drink of China.

（1）The writer starts the passage by 　 　.

A．	telling an interesting story
B．	comparing some information
C．	giving several useful suggestions

（2）In Paragraph Two，the underlined word " pruned" means " 　 　" in Chinese.

A．	删除
B．	采摘
C．	修剪

（3）After reading the passage，it seems clear that 　 　.

A．	tea and tea bags were invented by accident
B．	black tea is healthier than green tea
C．	tea is better for you than any other drink

（4）The passage mainly tells us 　 　.

A．	the popularity of tea bags
B．	the ways of making green tea and black tea
C．	the discovery and development of tea

If you walk through a park in the morning or in the evening，you might see a lot of people doing these slow and beautiful movements— Carry the tiger over the mountain and White crane spreads its wings.In fact，they are doing Taichi.

    Taichi is an ancient martial art（武术）.It is a common kind of exercise in China.More than 100 million people in over 150 countries practice Taichi at present.Recently UNESCO（联合国教科文组织） has added Taichi to its Intangible Cultural Heritage List（非物质文化遗产名录）.Many taichi fans were happy to hear of it. "This will make taichi more popular around the world.Hopefully，more people will become healthier by practicing it." said Chen Bin.He is a Taichi master from the village of Chenjiagou，Henan Province.This village is the birthplace of Chen﹣style Taichi.

    It's true that doing Taichi is good for our health.It can make us walk and move more freely，and it can also make us stronger.During slow movements，we can focus on （专注） our hands and feet.We can control them better.Slow movements also help us to take deep and long breaths.

    Taichi also focuses on the harmony（和谐） between yin（阴） and yang（阳）.It shows how the ancient Chinese people saw the world.The world is full of yin and yang：dark and light，soft and hard，female and male.But they don't oppose（对立） each other absolutely（绝对地）.As we see in the picture，a white spot is in the black area and a black spot is in the white area.After a dark night，the sun will rise.Leaves fall in autumn but grow in spring.Everything keeps changing — that is how we should see the world.

    Taichi carries traditional Chinese philosophy（哲学），such as being in harmony with nature and using softness to beat hardness.It has become a symbol of Chinese culture.

（1）How many people practice Taichi in the world now？ 　　

A.About 10 million.

B.Less than 150 thousand.

C.At most 100 thousand.

D.More than 100 million.

（2）Which of the following words can best describe the movements of Taichi？ 　　

A.Slow and beautiful.

B.Slow and exciting.

C.Fast and free.

D.Strong and tiring.

（3）Why has Taichi been added to Intangible Cultural Heritage List recently？ 　　

A.Because it is a symbol of China culture.

B.Because it is from the village of Chenjiagou.

C.Because it can make us walk more freely.

D.Because it can use softness to beat hardness.

（4）What is the author's purpose in writing the passage？ 　　

A.To ask people to do Taichi in their free time.

B.To introduce an ancient martial art—taichi.

C.To teach people how to do Taichi correctly.

D.To explain why Taichi is good for our health