The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Chinese people created this overall framework to mark the annual passage of time based on observations of the surfs motion. In the international meteorological field (国际气象界), the 24 solar terms are honored as “the fifth great invention of China”.
The 24 solar terms begins with Start of Spring, followed by Rain Water, Insects Awaken... and ends up with Minor Cold and Major Cold. Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice are two days of the year with the longest and shortest amount of daylight respectively, while Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox are days with the most balanced amount of daytime and nighttime. Through these four parts, a year is divided into four parts: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
In ancient times this system not only guided agricultural production, instructing farmers to expect the changes in temperature, spring planting and autumn harvest, but also directed Chinese folk customs. For example, Winter Solstice was the first one set among 24 terms and later developed into a festival to worship Heaven and ancestors. Every year at Winter Solstice, emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties would go to the temple of Heaven to hold a ceremony to worship Heaven, for good weather for their crops, and peace and prosperity for the country.
Nowadays, the 24 solar terms could not only be applied to farming, but also guide Chinese everyday life. They remind people to adapt to the changes in the seasons through suitable food and cultural rituals (文化仪式). Seasonal customs are still the rage, such as eating spring pancakes at Start of Spring, sweeping ancestors’ tombs at Qing Ming, gaining weight to keep warm at Start of Autumn and eating nutritious food to store energy at Start of Winter. They have actually became indispensable rituals in Chinese life.
The 24 solar terms is a common cognitive system among Chinese. It reflects the emotional bond, the wisdom and creativity of Chinese, who respect and live in harmony with nature.
1.How were the 24 solar terms created in ancient China?
A.They were set based on the movements of the sun.
B.They were created according to the change of the weather.
C.They were the results of learning from each other.
D.They were gradually developed from the practical experience.
2.What is a common feature of Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox?
A.They were set only for guiding agricultural activities.
B.They both play the role in dividing a day into day and night.
C.They are the days on which the length of a day is longer than night.
D.They both have the same amount of day and night time.
3.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.Change. B.Fashion.
C.Appreciation. D.Honor.
4.What’s the text mainly about?
A.The reasons for the recognition of the 24 solar terms.
B.The ways to handle the relationship between human and nature.
C.The origin and influence of the 24 solar terms in China.
D.The traditions and customs of the 24 solar terms in ancient China.
A trip to the theater, museum or art gallery could help you live longer. And the more often you get that culture fix the better, a new study suggests.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) found that people who engaged in the arts more frequently—every few months or more—had a 31% lower risk of dying early when compared to those who didn’t. Even going to the theater or museum once or twice a year was linked with a 14% lower risk.
“While other health behaviors like smoking, alcohol and exercise are undoubtedly bigger predictors of death rate, these leisure and pleasure activities that people don’t think as a health related activity do support good health and longevity.” said Daisy Fancourt, an associate professor at UCL’s Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health.
The study looked at a range of economic, health and social factors to try and explain why there is a link between “arts engagement” and living longer, although as an observational study it can’t establish cause. Part of the reason, the study said, comes down to social and economic differences among those who go and don’t go to museums, exhibitions and art galleries.
Wealth, they found, explained about 9% of the association. Cognitive differences, social and civic engagement, mental health, mobility and deprivation also played a role. Things like free time and occupational status made no material difference.
The study says that engaging with the arts can reduce stress and build creativity that allows people to adapt to changing circumstances. It also helps people build social capital—accessing emotional support and information that helps people age more successfully.
Everyone should have the chance to take part in cultural activities and the study added weight to growing concerns about the decline in arts subjects in schools and universities.
1.What are the statistics in Paragraph 2 about?
A.Connection with art.
B.Risk of dying early.
C.Chances of healthy living.
D.Frequency of art engagement.
2.What does Fancourt think of going to the concert?
A.It contributes to living healthier and longer.
B.It can improve peopled cultural awareness.
C.It is a good behavior like smoking or exercise.
D.It offers people opportunities to become artists.
3.What can we infer from the text?
A.People who have more free time enjoy visiting museums.
B.Social status plays an important role in leading a happy life.
C.Everyone taking part in art related activities can live longer.
D.There should be more arts subjects in schools and universities.
4.Why did the researchers carry out the study?
A.To find the cause of building creativity.
B.To promote the mental health of the old.
C.To analyze the link between arts and life.
D.To influence the social behavior of people.
When Jen Harris was laid off from her job at MPC Computers in Idaho last October, she tweeted the message “just been laid off from MPC”, “By the time I left the parking lot, I had a job offer from a friend that had a Web development company in town, “ she told CNNMoney.
It’s difficult to know how many people are actually finding work this way. But it’s obvious from interviews with job-seekers, employers, coaches and managers that the Twitter phenomenon is fundamentally changing the way people search for jobs.
“A lot of companies aren’t advertising jobs in traditional ways,” says Jason Rivera, a graphic artist who teamed up with other San Francisco Twiners “to lead the pink-slip party (失业聚会) movement” for the networking messes. Rivera says Twitter allows companies to easily “follow” potential candidates online, while giving job hunters a backdoor peek at companies where they may be interested in applying for a job.
“It’s a great way to get up-to-the-minute information about a company and its latest products,” Rivera says, “as well as give you a shot at actually talking to a hiring manager on Twitter，as opposed to having your e-mailed resume end up as the 500th in his in-box. At the same time, Twitter gives managers faster, more efficient ways to get through the mess, and that save them money.”
Paul Mabray knows that firsthand. As a chief strategy officer for Napabased VinTank, a wine industry think tank （智囊团），he used Twitter to spot and then practically “follow’’ the 23-year-old job candidate and gifted Twitter, Ashley Bellview. “We got to learn about her personality, her work ethic and her thought process by the information she’d linked to in her tweets and by how she communicated with other people on Twitter,” Mabray says.
1.Jen Harris is mentioned in the first paragraph to show that ________.
A.Twitter is becoming an important tool for job seekers
B.more people lose their jobs recently
C.it’s easier for IT workers to find jobs
D.there are less jobs than we have expected
2.Twitter can give job hunters a chance to ________.
A.visit the companies
B.learn more about the companies
C.receive training about the computer operation
D.have a face-to-face talk with the managers
3.We can know from the last paragraph that Ashley Bellview ________.
A.has a large circle of online friends
B.proves to be a gifted actress
C.is not experienced in wine making
D.is considered a gifted candidate
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.The Popularity of Twitter
B.Twitter Helps Find Jobs
C.The Ways People Search for Jobs Are Changing
D.How to Get Jobs on Twitter
★ Spanish River Park
Location: 3001 Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton.
Admission: $16 per vehicle on weekdays, $18 on weekends and major holidays.
Special Comments: About 95 acres, more than a half-mile of beach with lifeguards. No alcohol or pets. Covered shelters and boat docks. 1,680-foot nature path and large playground area.
Food/Dining: Picnic areas with barbecue grills.
Phone: (561)393-7811
Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.
★ Red Reef Park
Location: 1400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton.
Admission: $16 per vehicle on weekdays, $18 on weekends and major holidays.
Special Comments: Developed beach ( 67 acres) with lifeguards. No alcohol or pets permitted. 680-foot boardwalk along dune (沙丘)line. Offers grills and a small playground area.
Food/Dining: Picnic areas available.
Phone: (561)393-7812
Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.
★ South Beach Park
Location: 400 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton.
Admission: $15 per vehicle on weekdays, $17 on weekends and major holidays.
Special Comments: 1,670 feet of beach, 25 acres, lifeguards, 955 feet of developed beach south of Boca Inlet with lifeguards, lifeguard rescue boat operation.
Food/Dining: Picnic areas available.
Phone: (561)393-7813
Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.
★ Coconut Cove Water Park
Location: 11200 Park Access Road, Boca Raton.
Admission: Adult $7; Children (4~12) $5; 3 and under free.
Special Comments: The water park offers Sea Monster walk pool, Meandering River, Twin Tubes water slide and a waterfall. No alcohol or pets permitted.
Food/Dining: Concessions .
Phone: (561)274-1140
Restrooms: Restrooms and showers available.
1.If you want to go to South Beach Park, you will phone ________ for its information.
A.(561)393-7811 B.(561)393-7812
C.(561)393-7813 D.(561)274-1140
2.If you want to take up jogging, which park is more suitable for you?
A.Spanish River Park. B.Red Reef Park.
C.South Beach Park. D.Coconut Cove Water Park.
3.If a couple with two children aged four and one child aged two go to visit Coconut Cove Water Park, they should pay ________.
A.$22 B.$19
C.$29 D.$24
假设你是李华，你校的英国交换生Chris暑假要回国。他想要给他的好朋友买些有中国传统文化特色的礼物，希望你能给他些建议。请给他回复一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1. 表示荣幸；
2. 你的建议及理由；
3. 购物安排。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以便行文连贯；
3.结束语已为你写好。
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best regards,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Of all the recreations we enjoyed, a morning walk might be the most rewarding. In city like Chengdu and Hangzhou where can hardly avoid heavy traffic, it’s only in the morning that the roads are not crowded. It is hardly any traffic and one can enjoy the walk. In the morning the nature is at its best. Having a look at leaves of trees and you’ll find pearls of dew (露水) on it. Flowers wave their heads gentle and spread their pleasant smell. A walk in a big park or the bank of a stream is even more refreshing. A 20-minute walk every day gets people to look 5 years young.
