As we all know, the Dragon Boat Festival is our country’s traditional festival, but do you know there is also a Dragon Boat Festival in South Korea, which also falls on May 5 of the lunar calendar(阴历)? It has been reported that South Korea will apply to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO 联合国教科文组织) to make the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival its own intangible cultural heritage (非物质的文化遗产). If successful, people from other countries may see the Dragon Festival as a Korean creation.
As the birthplace of the yearly event more than 2,000 years ago, China is not happy with the situation. "It would be a shame if another country successfully made a traditional Chinese festival part of its own cultural heritage ahead of China," said Zhou Heping, deputy(副) culture minister. The Ministry of Culture is even thinking of making its own application to UNESCO, covering all traditional Chinese festivals, including the Dragon Boat event.
It is thought that the festival is held in memory of the great poet Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), who lived in the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. Qu was known to be a patriot (爱国者) and admired by ordinary people.
He is said to have jumped into Miluo River, because he had lost hope in his country's future. When people heard about Qu's death, they sailed up and down the river searching for his body. They also beat the drums to frighten away the fish and threw Zongzi into the water to stop the fish touching Qu. Dragon boat racing is said to come from this search for the poet's body.
Over the years, the Dragon Boat Festival has spread throughout the world. In Japan and Viet Nam, as well as South Korea, the festival has mixed with and become part of the local culture.The Dragon Boat Festival _______.
| A．is also kept by South Korea |
| B．comes from South Korea |
| C．was created by South Korea |
| D．is South Korea’s cultural heritage |
What is the reaction of the Ministry of Culture to South Korea’s intending to make the Dragon Boat Festival its own cultural heritage ?
| A．Fighting against South Korea |
| B．Telling South Korea it’s not right to do so |
| C．Considering to do the similar thing |
| D．Asking South Korea not to do so. |
What is the purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival’s being held?
| A．In memory of Qu Yuan |
| B．In memory of all the patriots of China |
| C．To frighten away the fish |
| D．In honor of QuYuan’s birthday |
After Qu Yuan’s death, Zongzi was thrown into the water to _______.
| A．feed him. |
| B．protect his body from going bad. |
| C．prevent the fish biting his body |
| D．attract his soul |
Now, the Dragon Boat Festival has become ______ activity.
| A．a nationwide | B．a worldwide |
| C．an Asian | D．a foreign |
It is well known that the Japanese people’s love of fish is almost as a bee’s interest in honey. As fish populations were decreasing, fishing companies were forced to fish further and further away from the shore. Then they had a big challenge－how to keep the fish fresh for longer. So they decided to keep the fish stored in freezers on the boats. But the public did not like frozen fish. So again the fishing companies had a new bigger challenge. What they decided to do was to have fish tanks on their boats. After catching fishes, they would put them in the tanks and keep them living there until they got back to shore. But in this protected environment, lacking predators (掠食者)，the fish stopped moving around. The Japanese public felt these dull fish did not taste fresh, which had an unpleasant effect upon sales. Once again the fishing companies had an even bigger challenge ...
Stop for a minute! Before we go any further, I would like to ask “What are your challenges? How do you handle an unexpected challenge?” May I think it this way that you should try to attack your challenges? Conquer（战胜） them with a Swiss Army knife. Take the most proper and simple tool that you can adopt to deal with your situation.
Now back to our story. How did the Japanese finally figure out the fresh fish problem？Sharks! You might think the same. Sharks were caught and put into the tanks with other fishes. Don’t sharks eat fish? Well, they do eat a few fish, but they did also keep more fish active and alert (警觉的). The fish stay fresh because they are challenged.
Now, try to keep yourself fresh by finding your own shark to offer yourself a challenge in your own business and career.The main reason for the fishing company to fish in the far sea was that .
| A．the fish resource near the shore was on the decrease |
| B．the fishes farther away from the sea tasted fresher |
| C．people would prefer eating fresh fishes to less fresh ones |
| D．it was getting harder and harder to keep fishes fresh |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Japanese people love honey as much as a bee does. |
| B．The fish kept in tanks didn’t sell well because of their taste. |
| C．The fish stored in the protected environment tasted the best. |
| D．The fish kept in tanks didn’t taste fresh because they died before reaching the restaurant. |
The underlined part of the last paragraph means “ .”
| A．If you went fishing, you might do as the fishing companies did |
| B．Try to find a big shark, and you will meet your challenge |
| C．To succeed in life, you should always be ready to meet challenges |
| D．Sharks are usually compared to the challenges in people’s life |
The purpose for the author to write the passage is to .
| A．tell the readers “no pains, no gains” |
| B．tell the readers how the Japanese keep the fish fresh |
| C．advise readers to look for challenges to make progress |
| D．advise readers to find something difficult to do |
Packaging is an important form of advertising. A package can sometimes motivate someone to buy a product. For example, a small child might ask for a breakfast food that comes in a box with a picture of a TV character. The child is more interested in the picture than in the breakfast food. Pictures for children to color or cut out, games printed on a package, or small gifts inside a box also motivate many children to buy products—or to ask their parents for them.
Some packages suggest that a buyer will get something for nothing. Food products sold in reusable containers are examples of this. Although a similar product in a plain container might cost less, people often prefer to buy the product in a reusable glass or dish, because they believe the container is free. However, the cost of the container is added to the cost of the product.
The size of a package also motivates a buyer. Maybe the package has “Economy Size” or “Family Size” printed on it. This suggests that the large size has the most products for the least money. But that is not always true. A buyer has to know how the product is sold and the price of the basic unit.
The information on the package should provide some answers. But the important thing for any buyer to remember is that a package is often an advertisement. The words and pictures do not tell the whole story. Only the product inside can do that. The underlined words “a buyer will get something for nothing” (Paragraph 2) most probably mean that _________.
| A．a buyer will not get what he wants | B．a buyer will gain more than he loses |
| C．a buyer will get what he pays for | D．a buyer will get something useful free of charge |
Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．On seeing a well-designed container, a buyer often neglects（忽略）what is inside it. |
| B．A buyer is also attracted by the size of the container. |
| C．Children are often made to buy a product by its package with attractive pictures. |
| D．Packaging is often a successful advertisement. |
What suggestion does the author give in the passage?
| A．The best choice for a buyer is to get a product in a plain package. |
| B．A buyer should get what he needs most. |
| C．Do not buy the product which is sold in a glass or dish. |
| D．A buyer should know that the quality of a container has little to do with the quality of the product. |
Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores (杂务). I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering, I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn’t sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper … On the third day, … This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition（过渡）, that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough. But something was missing. 
A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students were going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my new found “happiness” and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That’s all. My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.
Now, it seems, the tables have turned. Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment (责任感) to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war. Most importantly, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I’ve gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!What did the writer expect to do after he retired?
| A．To stay away from busy schedules. | B．To write some great books. |
| C．To do some voluntary work. | D．To plan for his future. |
Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?
| A．He missed his students in that country. | B．He couldn’t refuse his colleague’s favor. |
| C．He was concerned about the people there. | D．He was not satisfied with his retired life. |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．My Retired Life. | B．Being the Head of a High School. |
| C．My Attitudes towards Life. | D．An Experience of Being a Volunteer. |
What does the writer think of his retired life now?
| A．Disappointing. | B．Troublesome. | C．Promising. | D．Meaningful. |
The U.S. government has repeatedly made it clear that it would welcome China’s entrance into the world arena as a power. However, a series of issues since the beginning of this year, particularly Washington's stance on the U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises and the South China Sea issue, have made the world think: Is the United States ready to recognize China as a power on the world stage?
It is easier said than done for the United States to adapt itself to China's development. Lip service is far from enough to boost the development of Sino
-U.S. relations. If Washington cannot find a way to recognize and accept China's peaceful rise onto the world stage, bilateral（双边的） ties will be like a roller coaster full of ups and downs. However, no one would like to see the negative effects rocky relations would bring to China, the United States and possibly to the world as a whole.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged China to play a greater role in solving the world's economic, environmental and political problems. She said global issues could not be solved by the United States or China alone, but without participation of the two countries, no problems would likely be solved. Washington has realized that the United States' global interest can be maintained only through changing the way it deals with China.
The Obama administration released positive signals in its relations with China, which have been interpreted as the United States showing its intention to change the traditional strategy of engagement and containment（遏制）. As a matter of fact, the general direction of Sino-U.S. relations provides a foundation on which the United States can base its foreign policies and is more complicated than an adjustment in real conditions. Issues such as arms sales to Taiwan, Google censorship, RMB exchange rates as well as finger-pointing about economic responsibility show Washington still seems confused and inpatient about relations with China.
The relationship between China and the United States is the most important and complicated bilateral relationship in the world this century. The development of Sino-U.S. relations will affect
world peace and stability, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Ian Bremmer, an American political scientist specializing in U.S. foreign policy, said, "America and China will have more than ever to gain from closer political and commercial 
ties, and must take steps to avoid a Cold War, or worse
."
In that circumstance, the United States needs both wisdom and determination to recognize and accept China, a country that is totally different from its own, as a power on the world stage.The underlined word stance in the first paragraph probably means .
| A．information | B．opinion | C．ignorance | D．criticism |
Why does the US have to change the way it deals with China?
| A．The US welcomes Chin’s entrance into the world arena. |
| B．The US hopes that China will get more powerful. |
| C．Only in this way can China meet all of its demands. |
| D．Only in this way can its global interest be maintained. |
Ian Bremmer thinks both America and China will benefit more from .
| A．a cold war. | B．keeping patient | C．better cooperation | D．developing economy |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Is it Clear that China has become world power? |
| B．Is US ready to recognize China as world power? |
C．Is US still the most powerful cou ntry in the world? |
| D．Is Sino-U.S. relationship the most important and complicated in the world. |
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