8. What can we learn from John?
A. Being helpful. B. Learning to say no.
C. Doing things on our own. D. Making friends with kind people.
C
2024 is the Year of the Dragon on the Chinese lunar calendar. Or should that be the Year of the
Loong? The question has been argued a lot in China, as some say the two creatures are different in
Chinese and Western cultures.
The Chinese dragon is a mythical (神话的) creature that can fly and has the magical power to
control wind and rain. It’s typically seen as a symbol of power, excellence and good luck and often
described as a wise and kind creature. However, the dragon in the Western world is often described as an
evil (邪恶的), fire-breathing creature that collects treasure and causes fear among people. It’s usually a
symbol of darkness.
According to written records, the Chinese dragon was first translated (翻译) as “dragon” in The
Travels of Marco Polo in 1299. Since it is similar to the Western dragon in some ways — both are huge,
for example — “dragon” might be the best word to describe the creature at that time. But it’s far from
being able to show all the meanings that the creature bears in Chinese culture.
In recent years, people have come up with a better translation. The word “loong” is similar to the
pinyin for the Chinese character “龙” and it is easy for Westerners to pronounce.
No matter which way it is translated, we must note that the Chinese dragon is a warm and joyful
image (形象). It’s very different from the Western dragon. We should always try to explain it clearly so
that Westerners won’t get lost in the translation.
9. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A. Mythical creatures in different cultures.
B. The ways to translate the Chinese dragon.
C. The history of the Chinese dragon.
D. The differences between the dragon and loong.
10. The underlined word “bears” has the closest meaning to “ ”.
A. carries B. searches
C. needs D. understands
11. What does the writer think is important?
A. Using “loong” instead of “dragon”.
B. Learning about cultural differences.
C. Helping Westerners correctly understand loong.
D. Knowing the cultural values in Chinese symbols.
12. Which can be the best title for the passage?
A. The power of the Chinese dragon
B. Changing the way Westerners see dragons
C. Why is loong important in Chinese culture?
D. Is it the Year of the Dragon or the Loong?
D
① You probably already know that how you eat before bed affects (影响) your
sleep. But do you know that your daily eating choices may also affect your sleep?
Now, more and more research shows that dietary (饮食的) patterns can affect sleep
quality (质量) and the unhealthy ones may lead to sleep problems.
② In the US, a large percentage of the population has poor sleep quality and
sleep problems. At the same time, most Americans eat far too much fatty and processed food and too few
fruits and vegetables. Although it’s difficult to find out whether these two facts are causally (有因果关系
地) connected to each other, more and more research points to the relationships between sleep and diet.
③ Erica Jansen and her group wanted to get a deeper understanding of the possible relationship
between sleep and diet in Americans who are 18 and older, so they studied whether people who stick to
the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans get more hours of sleep. Using information from
surveys collected from 2011 to 2016, they found people who didn’t follow the advice such as eating
enough fruits and vegetables had shorter sleep periods.
④ Besides, in a separate study, they followed more than 1,000 young adults aged 21 to 30. These
adults took part in a web-based dietary study made to help them increase their daily servings of fruits
and vegetables. They found those who ate more fruits and vegetables over a three-month period reported
better sleep quality.
⑤ Research carried out outside the US also shows that healthier dietary patterns are connected with
better sleep quality and fewer sleep problems. These include the Mediterranean diet — a diet rich in
plant foods, olive oil and seafood, and low in red meat and added sugar.
⑥ However, there is not one magic food or drink that will improve your sleep. It’s better to pay
attention to healthy dietary patterns during the day.
13. The writer leads us to the topic by .
A. comparing facts B. raising a question
C. describing problems D. giving an example
14. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
A. Most Americans eat unhealthily.
B. Sleep and diet are causally connected.
C. Many Americans eat at the wrong time.
D. Many Americans are changing their diet.
15. How does the writer feel about the Mediterranean diet?
A. It is hard to follow. B. It is meaningless.
C. It is healthy. D. It is popular.
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