（浙江）2023-2024学年八年级上学期期中复习专练：阅读理解（话题4 节日与文化）

In Britain you may often hear  "Drop in any time. " or  "Come to see me soon. ", but you can't really do that. People just say those things to make you feel welcome. It is better to telephone before visiting someone at home. If you receive a written invitation to an event that says  "RSVP ", you should reply to let the person who sent the invitation know whether or not you plan to go.

You should never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying,  "Thank you for inviting me, but I will not be able to come. " If, after accepting, you are unable to go, be sure to tell those who are expecting you as soon as possible that you will not be there. Although it is not necessarily expected that you give a gift to your host, it is considered polite to do so, especially if you have been invited for a meal. Flowers, chocolate, or a small gift is all appropriate (合适的). A  "thank-you " note or telephone call after the visit is also considered polite and is an appropriate way to express your appreciation for the invitation.

In Canada and the United States, people enjoy entertaining (请客) at home. They often invite friends over for a meal, a party, or just for a coffee and conversation.

Here are some kinds of things people say when they invite someone to their homes:

"Would you like to come over for dinner on Saturday night? "

"Hey, we're having a party on Friday. Can you come? "

To reply to an invitation, either say thank you and accept, or say you're sorry, and give an excuse:

"Thanks, I'd love to. What time would you like me to come? " or  "Oh, sorry, I've had tickets for a movie. "

Sometimes, however, people use expressions that sound like invitations but which are not real invitations. For example:

"Please come over for a drink sometime. "

"Why not get together for a party sometime? "

"Why don't you come over and see us sometime soon? "

They are really just polite ways of ending a conversation. They are not real invitations because they don't mention a specific (确定的) time or date. They just show that the person is trying to be friendly. To reply to expressions like these, people just say  "Sure, that would be great! " or  "OK, thanks. "

So next time when you hear what sounds like an invitation, listen carefully: Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?

Every country has its own way of cooking. American people have their own way of cooking, don't they? Most people in the United States like fast food, but if you think that American people don't like cooking, you are wrong. It's true that most Americans eat fast food for their breakfast and lunch, but they also think cooking is interesting. Parents see the importance of teaching their children how to cook, and most Americans say that home-cooked meals are the best.

Americans have their own way of cooking. For example, baking is the most popular way of cooking in America. Most American families have ovens. American cooks pay attention to (注意) the balance of food. While planning a big meal, they try to cook meat, a few vegetables, some bread and sweet food. They also like to make the meal look beautiful. There are so many kinds of colorful foods, so the meal is healthy and look beautiful, too.

Beijing Opera，the most important of all the operas in China, has a long history of nearly 200 years. In 1790, at the time of the Qing Dynasty (朝代), four big opera groups from Anhui came to Beijing and combined (联合)Kun Opera, Luantan, Yiyang Opera and Han Opera to create a new one. After over half a century(世纪) of combining and developing, there came Beijing Opera now we watch.

Before1919, foreigners knew little about Beijing Opera. But now it has spread to many other places. Mei Lanfang, one of the greatest artists, first performed Beijing Opera in Japan and America, which made it known by the world. After the year 1949, China sent opera groups out. It made Beijing Opera become famous and get popular with people all over the world. Nowadays you can see traveling groups of Beijing Opera players in many foreign cities and their local Chinatowns. Beijing Opera has become a bridge between China and the West.

In Beijing，the best place to enjoy Beijing Opera is Li Yuan Theater. Many artists often play there. LiYuan means pear garden in Chinese. In the past, opera players trained in it.

Location: 1st Floor, Qianmen Jianguo Hotel, No. 175 Yong'an Road, Xuanwu District, Beijing.

Transportation: If you start from Beijing West Train Station, take Bus 57, 201 or 715 to Hufang Bridge Road East Stop. Then walk to the theatre. It is only 300 meters.

Time: 7: 30 pm - 8: 50 pm daily year round.

Booking: If you are interested in Beijing Opera, book one show for yourself on the website HYPERLINK"http: /l www. li Yuan theatre. com. cn/".

The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival with great significance, which is on the 15th of the first lunar month, marking the end of New Year celebrations. Here are some things you should know about the Lantern Festival.

A sea of lanterns

  The biggest attraction of the Lantern Festival is the sea of lanterns in different kinds of sizes and shapes. Chinese started to celebrate the Lantern Festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-221 AD), and then it became popular during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. This is a festival for people to have fun.

Watching fireworks

In the daytime, there are performances, such as the dragon lantern dance, lion dance, land boat dance, and yangge dance . At night, Most families save some fireworks from the Spring Festival and set them off during the Lantern Festival. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party. On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people become really excited by the fireworks and bright moon in the sky.

Dragon dance

The dragon dance, a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture, is often seen in some festival celebrations. The dragon dance is often performed during the Chinese New Year period. Chinese dragons are a symbol of China, and they are believed to bring good luck to people, therefore the longer the dragon in the dance, the more luck it will bring to the community.

Eating small dumpling balls

Just as the name implies, an important part of the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Festival, is to eat small dumpling balls made of rice flour. We call these balls Yuan Xiao, or Tang Yuan. The way to make Yuan Xiao also varies between northern and southern China.

Grace and I are good friends. We get_on_very_well_with_each_other,_though sometimes we fight. I remember last year we didn't talk with each other for a long time before Mid­Autumn Day. But when we met each other that day, we became good friends again.

We both study well. We like talking about problems in our studies. We also like making up stories. We made up one in English last month. It was called “Magic Sunflower Club”. I think this is a wonderful name.

Do you want to know more about us? Grace is tall and active. She does better in P．E. than me. She is good at music. She plays the piano so well that sometimes birds come to listen to her.

I'm shorter and quieter than Grace. I know a lot about science. I often have some new ideas. I'm good at math and art. Our teacher says my drawing is getting better and better.

If we don't know anything very well, we will help each other. So we never have any problems.