《2025年5年中考3年模拟英语湖南专版》

Passage 3(2024岳阳二模)
The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of joy, reunion, and celebration. Every year, it falls between January 21 and February 20, and each year is named after an animal from the Chinese Zodiac(生肖). 2024 is the Year of the Dragon in China. The Dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which has 12 animal signs in total.

Dragons in the West are seen as monsters that need to be overcome by heroes. The dragon is a symbol of evil who can breathe out fire from their mouths. And it can be cruel to kill others. This is totally opposite to its character in Chinese culture.

To us Chinese, the dragon is a symbol of power, dignity(高贵), and prosperity. The dragon was closely connected to the royal(皇家的) family: the emperor’s robes(礼袍) have symbols of gold dragons with five claws. Some people think that if you were born in the Year of the Dragon, you are intelligent, brave, and a natural leader.

The dragon is also a symbol of the Chinese nation. So it is an important part of traditional Chinese ____ festivals, particularly during Chinese New Year and other celebrations. Dragon dances and parades are a common sight. Performers dress up in costumes, simulating(模仿) the movements of a dragon as they dance through the streets. These performances are not just for entertainment but also serve as a way to pray for good luck and wealth in the coming year.

8. What do you know about the Chinese New Year?
A. It’s a time of joy, reunion and celebration.
B. 2024 is the Year of the Rabbit.
C. Every year, it falls on a different day of the lunar calendar.

9. What’s the probable meaning of the underlined word “prosperity” in Paragraph 3?
A. Danger.
B. Success.
C. Happiness.

10. Which of the following is true?
A. The Dragon is the 12th sign of the Chinese Zodiac.
B. Dragons in the West are seen as heroes.
C. The dragon is a symbol of the Chinese nation.

11. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Dragon Boat Festival
B. The Spring Festival
C. The Year of the Dragon in China

答案： 8.A 细节理解题。根据第一段第一句“The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of joy, reunion, and celebration.”可知，中国的新年，也被称为春节，是一个欢乐、团聚和庆祝的时刻。故选A。 9.B 词义猜测题。根据“To us Chinese, the dragon is a symbol of power, dignity, and prosperity.”可知，prosperity与power和dignity并列，意义相近，因此推测这里表示“成功”。故选B。 10.C 细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句的“The Dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac”可知A项不正确。根据第二段第一句“Dragons in the West are seen as monsters that need to be overcome by heroes.”可知B项不正确。结合第四段第一句“The dragon is also a symbol of the Chinese nation.”可知，龙是中华民族的象征。故选C。 11.C 最佳标题题。本文主要介绍了2024年为龙年，并引出龙在中西方文化中的不同意义与象征，接着通过举例讲述了龙在中国文化中的重要性。C项“中国龙年”适合作为标题。