The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divide...

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Rain (Chinese: Gu Yu)，as the last term in spring, starts on April 19 and ends on May 4.

Grain Rain came from the old saying, “Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains,” which shows that this period of rainfall is extremely important for the growth of crops. The Grain Rain marks the end of cold weather and a rapid rise in temperature. Here are five things that you may not know about the Grain Rain.

Key time for agriculture

Grain Rain brings a marked increase in temperature and rainfall and the grains grow faster and stronger. It’s a key time to protect the crops from insect pests.

Sandstorms occur

Grain Rain falls between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, with infrequent cold air moving to the south and wandering cold air in the north. From the end of April to the beginning of May, the temperature rises much higher than it does in March. With dry soil, an unpredictable atmosphere and heavy eastern winds, gales and sandstorms become more frequent.

Drinking tea

There is an old custom in southern China that people drink tea on the day of Grain Rain. Spring tea during Grain Rain is rich in vitamins and amino acids (氨基酸), which can help to remove heat from the body and is good for the eyes. It is also said in the south that drinking tea on this day would prevent bad luck.

Eating toona sinensis

People in northern China have the tradition to eat the vegetable toona sinensis during Grain Rain. An old Chinese saying goes “toona sinensis before the rain is as tender as silk”. The vegetable is nutritious and can help to strengthen the immune system. It is also good for the stomach and skin.

Grain Rain Festival

The Grain Rain festival is celebrated by fishing villages in the coastal areas of northern China. Grain Rain marks the start of the fishermen’s first voyage of the year. The custom dates back to more than 2,000 years ago, when people believed they owed a good harvest to the gods, who protected them from the stormy seas. People would worship the sea god and stage sacrifice food on the Grain Rain festival, praying for a wonderful harvest and a safe voyage for their loved ones.

1.Grain Rain got its name to show ________.

A. the cold weather is already gone

B. rain at this time is important to the crops

C. The highest temperature

D. the last term in lunar calendar

2.People in southern China drink tea on this day ________.

A. to prevent bad luck

B. to cure the eye diseases

C. to fight against the sandstorm

D. to strengthen the immune system

3.It is a custom to eat the vegetable toona sinensis ________.

A. in the coast areas            B. in the south

C. in the north                    D. in the east

4.If a fisherman wanted to get fish in the sea in the past, he would ________.

A. get the fresh vegetables

B. drink tea in this festival

C. fight against the sandstorm

D. worship the sea god

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

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.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms(节气). Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on December 7 and ends on December 22. During Major Snow, the snow becomes heavy and begins to accumulate on the ground. The temperature drops significantly.1. .

●Snowy winter

2. . The natural scenery is “ice blockading for hundreds miles and snow flying through thousands miles”. In the South, the snowflakes fly and the world turns white. About the snow, a proverb goes, “A timely snow promises a good harvest”. As the snow covers the ground, pests living through the winter will be killed by the low temperature.

●3.

Wintersweet(腊梅花)usually blossoms in mid-to-late December in some southern cities of China. Sometimes it even blooms earlier. Wintersweet originated in China and is highly appreciated in Chinese culture for its endurance in severe winters. With pine and bamboo, it is referred to as one of the Three Friends of Winter.

●Eating lamb

Lamb is the main food chosen by Chinese people during Major Snow.4.. People in Chongqing like to have potted lamb soup or stewed(炖)lamb soup with their families and friends. Nanjing residents like to stew the lamb with yams or wolfberries to make it more nutritious.

●Preventing respiratory (呼吸系统) illness

The Chinese people during this period pay attention to the outbreak of respiratory illness, which can be prevented by wearing a warm scarf to protect the neck and drinking water properly. During Major Snow, it is drier and colder, so people should drink more water.5..

A.Appreciating wintersweet

B.Blooming wintersweet

C.Here are several things you should know about Major Snow

D.At the same time, don’t drink cold water after exercise

E.But one should drink too much water at once

F.The snow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the road

G.It is excellent for nourishing the body, promoting blood circulation and providing protection against the cold.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year ________ 24 solar terms.

A.through B.from C.into D.for

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

阅读下面短文，在空白处填人1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式.

The Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. It was created thousands of years ago 1. (guide)agricultural production.

Grain in Ear(芒种)，the 2. (nine)solar term，begins on June 5 this year and signifies the ripening of wheat. Regions neat the Yangtze River 3. (be)about to enter the Plum Rains season. Plum Rains，often 4. (occur)during June and July，refer to the long period of continuous rainy or cloudy weather. It happens to be the time for plums(李子)to ripen，5.explains the origin of its name. Green plums contain a variety of natural and high-quality organic acids and are rich in minerals. 6. ，fresh plums are acerbic(酸的)and need to be boiled before serving. There was an allusion(典故)that Cao Cao and Liu Bei，two central figures in the Three Kingdoms period(AD 220—280)，talked about 7.(hero)while boiling green plums.

“An Miao”(meaning seedling protection)is a traditional farming activity of southern Anhui province that 8.(practice)since the early Ming Dynasty(1368—1644). People make different types of bread with wheat flour and color them with vegetable Juice. The bread is used 9. a sacrificial offering(祭品)to pray for a good harvest and people’s 10. (safe).

高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

In the traditional Chinese calendar, each year _________a name of 12 kinds of animal.

A. gives　　　　　 B. is given

C. has given　　　　 D. has been given

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

24 Solar Terms: 4 things you should know about Grain Buds

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Buds (小满), the 8th solar term of a year, begins on May 20 this year, and ends on June 4. In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural production. 1.. Let's see what we can do during the "Grain Buds" period.

A good season for eating fish

During the Grain Buds period, the summer harvest is about to begin. A saying about rain during this time mentions, "A heavy rainfall makes the river full." Because of the great increase in rainfall, rivers are full of water, which gives rise to great tasting fish and shrimp. This is a good time to enjoy them. 2..

Eating herb of common sow thistle

Grain Buds is a season for eating the herb (草药) of the common sow thistle, which tastes a little bitter and sour, but also sweet. It has the function of cooling the blood and detoxifying the body. It can be made into different types of dishes. 3.. Some people boil the herb with water and then squeeze out the juice, which can be used to make soup.

Tips on health preserving in Grain Buds

4.. The increase in temperature over this season may also give rise to all sorts of skin diseases. It is also important to exercise to keep healthy during the hot summer days. Walking, jogging and practicing tai chi are popular.

5.

This time is a good period of the quick growth of flowers. It is also a season when plant diseases and pests are at an all-time high, which makes caring for your garden even more critical. Flower trimming and clipping is important. And a systematic fertilized water system should be carried out.

A.Key period for flower management

B.It is also harvest season for fishermen

C.A lot of water and extra care for wild flowers

D.But the solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives

E.It means that the seeds from the grain are becoming full but are not ripe

F.People in Ningxia like to eat it blended with salt, vinegar, peppers or garlic

G.High temperatures and humidity are common during the Grain Buds period

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A year 1. (divide) into altogether 24 solar terms by the Chinese lunar calendar. Start of Spring, the first solar term of the year, begins in early February. 2. lifts the curtain of spring, after which everything turns green and becomes 3. (energy).

Spring is the best season for kite-flying. With 4. available history of more than 2,000 years, the traditional folk activity can help build up one’s 5. (strong) and prevent disease. A breath of fresh air outside can release the dirty smell 6. (collect) in winter.

In China, an old legend goes 7. the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring. But according to astronomers and physicists, 8. (set) the egg upright has nothing to do with time, but with mechanics. The most important thing is to shift the egg’s center of gravity to the 9. (low) part of the egg. In this way, the trick is holding the egg until the yolk (蛋黄) sinks as much as possible. For this, people should choose an egg about 4 or 5 days old, 10. yolk is likely to sink down.

高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Belgium is divided into three communities. Each one has its own language and traditions. But the people of Belgium are untied in their love for Belgian potato fries. The fries are prepared and sold the same way in all area of the country.

The Reuters news service reports that potatoes reached Belgium in the 16th century. But it was not until the 19th century that restaurants and others began selling fried potatoes throughout the country as a separate meal.

Recently, a Belgian group launched a campaign aimed at getting the United Nations (UN) to recognize the popular treat. The group wants the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to place the food on its cultural heritage (遗产) list.

The UNESCO list recognizes more than 300 objects, beliefs and practices. They include Turkish coffee and the traditional Chinese theater known as Peking opera. The list also includes a dance, the Argentinian tango, and the singing of the Aka pygmies of the Central African Republic. UNESCO says the list is “made up of intangible heritage elements (非物质文化遗产元素) that help show the diversity of heritage and raise awareness about its importance”.

Belgian potato fries are traditionally sold in a paper wrapper，or cone, in a “fritkot” There are about 5,000 frikots in Belgium. That means they are 10 times more common as a percentage of the population as McDonald’s restaurants in the Untied States. The national organization of fritkot owners says the small, often unfurnished buildings are much like Belgium itself. It says these buildings combine the country’s acceptance of disorder with a dislike of structures that all look the same. The group says 95 percent of Belgians visit a fried potato hut at least once a year.

1.Belgian potato fries 　　　　 .

A. were recognized by the UNESCO

B. are well received in Belgium

C. are sold in all food stores

D. didn’t become a separate meal until the 16th century

2.What’s the aim of the Belgian group?

A. To place Belgian potato fries on the cultural heritage list.

B. To prevent other countries producing Belgian potato fries.

C. To show the diversity of Belgian foods.

D. To prove the popularity of Belgian foods.

3.Which of the following is NOT listed in the UNESCO list?

A. Peking opera

B. The Argentinian tango

C. Turkish coffee

D. American restaurants.

4.What does the underlined word “fritkot” in the last paragraph probably refer to?

A. A simple house which is used to live in.

B. A kind of small, unfurnished building.

C. A place where machines are used to make goods.

D. A piece of paper, plastic, or thin metal that covers something.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

. There is a tradition of having a family dinner at home on lunar New Year’s Eve.

_____, however, the custom has changed.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析