A well-known poem by Tang dynasty poet Du Mu tells of a scene in early April: “Rains fall heavily as Qingming comes, and passersby with lowered spirits go.”
This scene takes place on Tomb Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival. Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival. Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival. It began in the Zhou dynasty, over 2, 500 years ago. Chinese people celebrate it to remember and honor their ancestors(祖先). This year, it falls on April 4. Tomb Sweeping Day became a public holiday in the Chinese mainland in 2008. People have one day off for that day.
On this day. families bring flowers, food and wine to the grave sites(墓地) of their ancestors. They place cakes, fruits in front of the grave and some may bum joss paper as money for the dead. After that, they sweep the tombs and cherish(怀念) the memories of their dead family members.
Tomb Sweeping Day gives us a chance to show respect to our ancestors and family members who have passed away and show that we miss them. This tradition shows that family values are an important part of Chinese culture.
Tomb Sweeping Day is also the beginning of the time for gardening and outdoor activities in China. Families often get together for outings or to fly kites at this time.The Chinese meaning of the underlined word “passersby” is ______.
| A．行人 | B．陌生人 | C．故人 | D．古代人 |
Tomb Sweeping Day is celebrated for people to ______.
A. go out to fly kites
B. B. have a public holiday
C. get together with their families
D. remember and honor their ancestorsWhat can people take to the grave sites according to the passage?
| A．Flowers, food, fruits and umbrellas. |
| B． Flowers, food, wine and joss paper. |
| C．Food, fruits. joss paper and kites. |
| D．Flowers, wine and pets. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．We have one day off for Tomb Sweeping Day. |
| B．Tomb Sweeping Day began in the Zhou dynasty. |
| C．People in the world celebrate Tomb Sweeping Day. |
| D．Family values play an important role in Chinese culture. |
What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．People bring many things to the grave site. |
| B．Du Mu wrote a poem about Qingming Festival. |
| C．Tome Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival. |
| D．Qingming Festival is a good time for outdoor activities. |
Some time ago, an old businessman had a large store in Boston. He wanted a boy to work for him, and he put an advertisement in the newspaper. The next morning, many boys came to the old man's office, asking for the job.
There was a post(柱子)by his desk, and there was a nail(钉子）in it. He took a walking stick and said, "Everyone has three chances. If anyone can hit the nail on the head with this stick more than once, I will give him the job."The boys thought it was easy. They all tried, but nobody could make it. So the old man said, "I'm sorry I can't take any of you."And they left.
He kept the advertisement in the paper, and the next morning many more boys came, and among them he saw a thin boy who had been there the day before. The boy hit the nail successfully for three times. The old man felt surprised and asked how he did that. "Yes," said the boy, "I failed yesterday, but I thought that if I kept on trying a while, I could do it. So I went home and practiced hitting a nail with a stick till I could do it, and I got up very early this morning, and tried again."
The old man said, "You are the boy for me." And he gave him the job. Whatever the boy had to do, he tried to do his best. It was not very long before he became the best clerk in the store.
Answer the questions according to the passage.What could they use to hit the nail?
How many chances could everyone have to hit the nail?
Who got the job on the first day?
Did the boys know the advertisement on TV or in the newspaper?
Why could the boy hit the nail successfully?
Robert was a clever boy and got on well with his classmates. After he left the middle school, one of his legs was hurt in a traffic accident. He had to go back to his village and help his father to manage the farm. He read a lot of books on farming and did well in it. He got much money and bought a few farms.
Ten years later, he became the richest farmer in his village. One day, Robert met several friends in London. He asked them to visit his farm. They saw a beautiful house with a big garden when his friends got there. They found he had a lot of sheep, pigs and cows. It was so large that they couldn't see the other end.
"It'll take you two days to reach the other end of my farm by car!" Robert said happily.
"Are you kidding? I think something is wrong with your car!" One of the guests said with a smile.
Fill in the blanks according to the passage .Only one word for each blank.
Robert was a clever and friendly boy. After he finished middle school, he hurt one of his legs in a traffic accident. He had to to his village and helped his father on the farm. He was
at farming. He made a lot of money and bought some farms.
ten years, he was very rich. One day, he invited some friends to visit his farm. The farm was
large to see the other end. Robert said, "You'll
two days reaching the other end by car." His friend laughed at him.
Choose the best choice from A, B or C according to what you read.
Where can you learn to play the drums?
A. In Music Club
B. In National park
C. In Art MuseumIf you want to ride a horse, you can go to .
A.25 Jiefang Road
B.120 Xinjin Street
C.95 the Fifth AvenueYou are eleven. If you and your parents visit Art Museum, how much should you pay?
A.$10 B.$15.50 C.$25.50If you want to know more information about boating, you can call .
A.420-258-1200
B.208-683-340
C.307-864-2997Which of the following is Not True according to the passage?
A. You can pay $20 each for the guitar lesson.
B. There are no pictures in Art Museum.
C. A 15-year-old boy can pay $15 for riding a horse.
"The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. "That's an old saying in English. It means other places often look better, more interesting than the place where you live. Some people worry that young Chinese are beginning to feel that way. They see young Chinese ignoring Chinese culture and, instead, buying Japanese cartoon books, watching Korean soap operas and even celebrating Western holidays.
Foreign books and soap operas are good, but Chinese writers and actors are just as good. As for holidays, Christmas is nice, but it can never have the meaning for Chinese that Spring Festival has, and the West has nothing to compare with Mid-Autumn Festival. And let's not forget the part of Chinese culture I like best: its friendliness. Not all countries are as warm as China.
It's good to enjoy other cultures and to learn from them, but they cannot replace your own culture. It's good to look on the other side of the fence, but make sure you take a good long look. You will find that the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.
Judge the following sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the passage.The Spring Festival is more meaningful for Chinese people.
The saying means the place where you live looks better than other places.
Foreign culture can't replace Chinese culture.
Some people worry that young Chinese ignore Chinese culture.
This passage mentioned three Chinese festivals.
A"Gap Year" is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university. It is often spent travelling or working. It can give young people useful learning experiences and new skills. It's very popular in foreign countries.
Although you don't have to go abroad to experience gap years, most gap year students catch the chance to travel abroad. You are able to work out who you are and what you are for. The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons. You can learn more about the world and get to know yourself better.
A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation, but also a time to face challenges. Gap year students usually work, volunteer or take service projects. You have to learn how to get along in the real world. This process isn't always easy, but it is an important part of growing up. Only in this way can you enjoy life and have fun.
There's a common thought that gap years are only for rich students, but it's not true. Actually, taking a gap year can save your money. Gap year students often take a part-time job. Besides, at the end of a gap year, students are much more likely to know what to study in college. Clear learning goals can keep the students working hard instead of wasting time and money playing.
Imagine an admission officer trying to admit(录取) only one between two students. Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation. Who do you think the admission officer will choose?
Choose the best topic from A to F according to the meaning of the passage.