For you, the “Clear and Bright” day that falls in every April might be no more than just another holiday- the fact that it comes with three days off school matters to most students much more than the fact that it is part of the 24 solar terms.
But the UNESCO has recognized the importance of the 24 solar terms. This ancient system that Chinese people have used to keep track of the time of year was added to the UNESCO list of Intangible (非物质的) Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov. 30, 2016.
To be fair, the terms do sound old; they were invented thousands of years ago to offer weather information for agricultural activities. But the truth is that they still have an influence on our lives today, even if we don’t realize it most of the time.
For starters, you may have heard your mon say, “The sanfu days are almost over. The heat won’t be here for long.” The snafu days are a period of time that talls in summer, somewhere between Minor Heat (in July) and Autumn Equinox (in September). The coldest days, or the sanjiu days, are similar. They cover the 27 days following Winter Solstice
In some places, solar terms guide people’s lives through special foods, cultural events and healthy living tips. For example, people from northern China are in the habit of eating dumpling on the day of Winter Solstice. And on Start of Autumn, some treat themselves to a big feast, especially of meat, something they call “putting on autumn weight”, or tieqiubiao.
But no matter how differently people celebrate the 24 solar terms, they have been here for a long time and could last forever.
According to Chinese writer and academic Yu Shicun, unlike many other examples of intangible cultural heritage - Peking Opera and Chinese Zhusuan (knowledge and practices of mathematical calculation through the abacus), for example – the solar terms are neither regional nor a hype of art or skill. Instead, the system is a philosophy of time, which applies to everything. And this means they are unlikely to die out.
1.Most students think the “Clear and Bright” is important mostly because ________.
A. it is a holiday with days off school
B. it is a part of the 24 solar terms
C. it is used to keep track of the time of year
D. it belongs to Intangible Cultural Heritage
2.What can we infer from the article?
A. The sanfu days usually fall between June and September.
B. The 24 solar terms decide people’s daily habits by informing them of the weather.
C. People still depend on the 24 solar terms when they arrange agricultural activities.
D. There are many Chinese customs related to the 24 solar terms.
3.Which of the following would Yu Shicun agree with?
A. It is their long history that makes the solar terms so important.
B. The solar terms show ancient wisdom about ideas of time.
C. The solar terms show how important it is for Chinese people to keep up old traditions.
D. The solar terms share a lot in common with other examples of intangible cultural heritage.
4.The main purpose of the article is to ________.
A. describe the functions of the 24 solar terms
B. encourage people to celebrate the 24 solar terms
C. explain the influence and wisdom of the 24 solar terms
D. celebrate the 24 solar terms being recognized by UNESCO
When I was 12, all I wanted was a signet (图章) ring. It was a in thing and it seemed every girl except me had one. On my 13th birthday, my mum gave me a signet ring with my initials carved into it. I was in heaven.
What made it even more special was that it was about the only thing that wasn’t being “replaced”. We’d been burnt out in fires that swept through our area earlier that year and had lost everything - so most of the “new” stuff (东西) we got was really just to replace what we’d lost. But not my ring. My ring was new.
Then, only one month later, I lost it. I took it off before bed and it was missing in the morning. I was sad and searched everywhere for it. But it seemed to have disappeared. Eventually, I gave up and stopped looking for it, And two years later, we sold the house and moved away.
Years passed, and a couple of moves later, I was visiting my parents’ when Mum told me that she had something for me. It wasn’t my birthday, nor was It Easter or Christmas or any other gift-giving occasion. Mum noticed my questioning look. “You’ll recognize this one,” she said, smiling.
Then she handed me a small ring box. I took it from her and opened it to find my beautiful signet ring inside. The family who had bought our house 13 years earlier had recently decided to do some redecoration, which included replacing the carpets. When they pulled the carpet up in my old bedroom, they found the ring. As it had my initials carved into it, they realized who owned the ring. They’d had it professionally cleaned up by a jeweler before sending it to my mother. And it still fits me.
1.The underlined “in” in the first paragraph probably means ________.
A. funny B. correct, C. practical D. fashionable
2.When she got the ring back, the writer was about ________.
A. 28 years old B. 26 years old C. 15 years old D. 13 years old
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. the writer never stopped looking for her ring.
B. The writer’s family moved several times.
C. The writer’s ring was cleaned up by the new house owner.
D. The writer lost her ring in the morning when she took it off.
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. My new ring B. An expensive ring
C. Lost and replaced D. Lost and found
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Future success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn:
◆ What the three barriers to study are, and what to do about them.
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◆ Twenty-six simple drills to help you learn how to study easily, rapidly and with full understanding.
Buy and read Basic Study Manual and use it to improve your ability to study.
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L. Ron Hubbard’s study technology for teenagers opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated (配插图) for easy understanding.
How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Hardcover: $34.90
In spite of billions of dollars spent on “educational research,” children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. In fact, a search of educational books for children found not one that told them how to use a dictionary. Written for children 8 to 12, this fully illustrated book will teach your children:
◆ How to find words in a dictionary.
◆ The different ways that words are used.
◆ What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean.
◆ How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words.
This book includes a part for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education. What’s more, you’ll just pay 50 percent for it before September, 1, 2018.
1.The book Study Skills for Life was illustrated to ________.
A. make the book more attractive
B. make the book suitable for different readers
C. persuade readers to buy the book
D. help readers understand the book
2.Which of the books is written for 8 to 12-year-olds to use a dictionary?
A. Basic Study Manual B. How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children
C. Study Skills for Life D. All of them.
3.According to the advertisements, the three books are all intended for ________.
A. adults B. women C. children D. teachers
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.When will they set out from the school?
A. At 7:50. B. At 8:00. C. At 8:15.
2.How will they get to the destination?
A. By bus. B. By bike. C. On foot
3.What will they do on Friday afternoon?
A. Tell stories. B. Go hiking. C. Sing songs.
4.What does the speaker remind the students to Ho?
A. Bring lunch. B. Bring enough luggage.
C. Ask parents for permission.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why is the man shouting At his grandpa?
A. Because they are quarreling with each other.
B. Because his grandpa can’t hear well.
C. Because he is in a very bad mood today.
2.Why does everybody respect the old man?
A. Because he is kind to everybody.
B. Because he always helps others.
C. Because he is the oldest man in the town.
3.What does the man’s grandpa do every morning?
A. He does some gardening.
B. He does some cooking.
C. He does some exercise.
4.How old was the man’s granny when she died?
A. 75. B. 67. C. 65.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What’s the probable relationship between the two speakers?
A. Servant and customer. B. Husband and wife. C. Employer and employee.
2.What is the man doing?
A. He is watching TV. B. He is listening to songs. C. He is writing some reports.
3.When does this conversation take place?
A. Late into the night B. In the afternoon. C. In the morning.
