话题21 中国文化中的“龙”元素与元宵节.docx

话题21中国文化中的“龙”元素与元宵节

一、阅读理解

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TheYearoftheDragoniscoming!Ofthe12animalsoftheChinesezodiac(生肖),thedragonistheonlyunrealone.ButChinesepeopleloveitsomuchforthousandsofyears.Andtheyalwayssaythey’rethe“descendants(后代)ofthedragon”.Buthowmuchdoyouknowabouttheanimal?Doesithavethesamemeaningindifferentcultures?

Bothpeopleintheeastandwest(东西方)thinkdragonsarelikesnakes.NowinChina,wecanstillfindrecords(记录)ofdragons.Forexample,someancientjadecarvings(古玉雕)looklikesnakesinaletter“C”.Inthewest,peopleseedragonsasbigsnakesintheoldbookThePenguinBookofDragons.

However,storiesaboutdragonsareverydifferentbetweentheEastandWest.DragonsinChinahaveahorse-likehead,alongbodybutnowings(翅膀).Peoplethinktheyarebeautifulandsmart.Andtheycanalsobringgoodluck.Whiledragonsinthewesthaveshorterbodiesandbigwings.Theyoftenmeanbadluck.Someofthemcanevenblowfire(喷火)fromtheirmouth.Forexample,theevilwitch(邪恶女巫)MaleficentinSleepingBeauty,canturnherselfintoabigdragon!

Eastorwest,intheworldoffantasy,thedragonwillalwaysplayanimportantrole!

1.Whoarethe“descendantsofthedragon”?

A.PeopleinChina. B.Peopleinthewest. C.Peopleintheeast.

2.WhatdopeopleseedragonsasinThePenguinBookofDragons?

A.Ancientjadecarvings. B.Bigsnakes. C.AletterC.

3.WhichofthefollowingisTRUE?

A.Dragonsinthewestcanbringgoodluck.

B.Dragonsintheeasthaveashortbody.

C.Dragonsintheeastmeangoodluck.

4.What’sthebesttitleofthepassage?

A.Dragonsandsnakes.

B.Dragonsintheeastandwest.

C.ThehistoryofdragonsinChina.

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TheSpringFestivaliscelebratednotonlyinChinabutalsoinotherpartsoftheworld.ThetraditionalholidayisthemostimportanttoChinesebothathomeandabroad.

TheUnitedKingdom

CelebrationsfortheSpringFestivalintheUKstartedin1