Topic 1
世界贸易组织成立于 1995 年 1 月 1 日，目的是确保一个稳定的全球和贸易经济环境。在当
今世界上的 190 多个国家中，世界贸易组织的成员国(member country)有 158 个。在处理国
家之间的贸易规则方面，世界贸易组织是唯一的全球性国际组织。世贸组织的事务应该引起
我们的关注，因为世贸组织制定的规则对我们国家的经济和国民生活都有一定的影响。
The WTO (World Trade Organization), established on January 1, 1995, aims to ensure a stable
trade and economic world environment. The WTO is an association of 158 member countries, of
more than 190 countries in the world today. The WTO is the only global international organization
dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The business of the WTO should be of interest to
us because the rules that are being decided therein have an impact on our national economy, and
people’s lives.
Topic 2
奥运会是国际性的体育盛会(sporting events)，体育项目种类繁多，分为夏冬两季，均是每 4
年举办一次。最初有记载的奥运会于公元前 776 年在希腊的奥林匹亚(Olympia)举行。奥运
会是最大的媒体活动之一。2000 年悉尼奥运会上，有超过 1.6 万名播音员和新闻记者参与报
道。据估计，有 38 亿观众通过电视收看了此届盛会。然而，奥运会的发展也是奥运会面临
的一个大问题。
er
sporting events. The summer and winter games are each held every four years. The original
Olympic Games were first recorded in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. The Olympics are one of the
largest media events. In Sydney in 2000 there were more than 16 000 broadcasters and journalists,
development of the Olympics is one of the largest problems the Olympics face today.
Topic 3
《三国演义》由罗贯中创作于 14 世纪，是一部中国历史题材小说。小说以汉朝末年和三国
时期的历史演变为背景，叙述了在这个动荡(turbulent)时期发生的一系列重大事情。整个故
事情节从公元 168 年开始一直到公元 280 年领土统一(reunification)时结束。小说篇幅长达 80
万字，分为 120 个章节，共描述了 1 191 个人物角色，堪称中国文学史上四大经典小说之一。
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese
historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the
Three Kingdoms era, starting in AD 168 and ending with the reunification of the land in AD 280.
It is acclaimed as one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, with a grand total
of 800 000 words, 1 191 characters, and 120 chapters.
Topic 4
秧歌舞(Yangko)是中国汉族的一种传统民间舞蹈，通常在北方省份表演。秧歌舞者通常穿上
明亮多彩的表演服装 (costume)，他们的表演动作有力而迅速。在农历春节、元宵节等节日
期间，人们一旦听到锣(gong)鼓声，不管外面天气有多冷，他们都会蜂拥到街上观看秧歌舞
表演。近年来，中国东北某些城市的老年人自发组织了秧歌队，队员常年通过跳秧歌舞来保
持健康，同时他们也乐在其中。
The Yangko dance is a traditional folk dance of the Han Chinese, commonly performed in the
northern provinces. Yangko dancers usually wear bright and colorful costumes, and their
movements are vigorous and quick. During holidays such as lunar New Year and the Lantern
Festival, as soon as people hear the sound of drums and gongs they swarm into the streets to watch
Yangko dance performances, no matter how cold it is outside. In recent years, elderly people in
some cities in Northeast China have been organizing themselves into Yangko teams, with the
dancers mostly enjoying themselves while keeping fit all year round.
Topic 5
中国人喜欢在一起吃饭，这个传统可以追溯到很久之前。这反映出中国人喜欢团圆、不愿分
离的观念——圆桌、圆盘、圆碗都象征着团圆和美满。盘子通常放在桌子的中央,这样坐在
桌子面前的所有人都可以吃得到。一锅热汤尤其可以增加和谐、团圆的气氛。朋友们也喜欢
在一起吃饭、生活。最近一位美国汉学家(Sinologist)的著作认为，中国人的集体观念(collective
tradition)就是从一同吃饭发展而来的。
Chinese like to eat together, which is a tradition that can be traced back a long time ago. It reflects
the Chinese notion of union versus division—round tables, round dishes, and round bowls all
symbolize union and perfection. Dishes are usually placed at the center of the table so that
everyone around the table can share them. A hot pot, in particular, adds to the atmosphere of
harmony and union. Friends also like to eat and live together. A recent book by an American
Sinologist held that the Chinese collective tradition developed out of the practice of eating
together.
Topic 6
川剧(Sichuan Opera)就像四川火锅以及其他的名菜一样动人、丰富。变脸(Face Changing)是
川剧中的一大亮点。据说古人在他们的脸上作画，以便赶走野生动物。川剧吸收了这一古老
的技艺并将其升华为一门艺术。变脸是一门神奇的艺术。演员在不到 20 秒的时间内要换十
多次脸谱。通过举手、摆袖或摇头，演员使用不同的脸谱来表现不同的情绪，并通过看得见
摸得着的脸谱表达出看不见摸不着的感情。
Face Changing is the highlight of Sichuan Opera. It is said that ancient people painted their faces
to drive away wild animals. Sichuan Opera absorbs this ancient skill and perfects it into an art.
Face Changing is a magical art. Actors change more than 10 masks in less than 20 seconds. By
raising the hand, swinging a sleeve or tossing the head, an actor uses different masks to show
different emotions, expressing invisible and intangible feelings through visible and tangible
masks.
Topic 7
长城作为世界上最伟大的奇观之一，是古代中国在不同时期为抵御北方游牧民族（nomadic
tribe）侵袭而修筑的规模浩大的军事工程的统称。如同巨龙一般，长城自东向西绵延 8 800
多公里。距今已有 2 000 多年历史的万里长城很多地方已经变成了废墟，但是它仍然是世界
上最具吸引力的地方。1987 年，长城被联合国教科文组织（UNESCO）列为世界文化遗产。
The Great Wall, one of the greatest wonders in the world, is the general name of a series of
tructions during different periods in ancient China, hoped for the
defense against the invasion of nomadic tribes from the north. Just like a gigantic dragon, the
Great Wall stretches over 8 800 kilometers from east to west of China. With a history of more than
2 000 years, many sections of the Great Wall have been in ruins now. However, it is still one of the
most appealing attractions all around the world. In 1987, the Great Wall was listed as a World
Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
Topic 8
光棍节，又称“双十一”，最初是由大学生发起的单身人士的情人节，现在已经从最初的庆祝
单身变成了中国人的一个网购狂欢节。过去六年里，中国的电商（e-commerce）巨头们开始
利用这一商机，通过打折促销吸引顾客，提高销售收入。天猫(Tmall.com)双十一一天的销售
额从 2009 年的 5 000 万飙升至 2013 年的
亿 。邮政部门（the State Post Bureau）表
示由于准备充分，尽管订单增加，快递业务仍然运行正常。
Singles’ Day, also named the Double 11 Day, which originated with college students as an
alternative to Valentine’s Day for single people, now has transformed its original function as a day
of celebration for the great unloved into a day of crazy online shopping for the Chinese people.
Over the past six years, Singles’ Day has been taken advantage of by Chinese e-commerce giants
by offering discounts and launching sales campaigns on that day to attract customers and boost
sales income. Sales at Tmall.com on Singles’ Day have snowballed from 50 million yuan in 2009
to 35 billion yuan in 2013. The State Post Bureau said that thanks to adequate preparation, express
deliveries were running on schedule despite the increase in orders.
Topic 9
对于中国人来说，“面子”十分重要，它指的是一个人根源于自尊的名誉观。大部分中国人都
认为，有面子是最重要的事情之一，丢面子则会带来巨大的痛苦。因此，人们必须了解并遵
守面子规则，如果违反就会受到严厉的惩罚。然而，有时候一个人丢面子不仅仅是因为他们
的行为不符合社会的要求，还可能是由于别人的行为没有符合他个人的期待。
Face is immensely important for the Chinese. It can be defined as a notion of one’s reputation
ne of the most
valued things, while to lose face is a cause of great anguish. Thus, people are expected to know
and abide by the rules of face and are penalized harshly if they break them. However, sometimes a
person could lose face not only because of his failure to match up to society’s obligations on him,
but also from the failure of others to act in accordance with his expectations of them.
Topic 10
武术在我国源远流长，是中国传统文化的瑰宝(gem)。我们知道，一个民族的优秀文化遗产
不仅仅属于一个民族，它会逐渐传播到世界的其他地方而成为人类的共同财富。为了更好地
推广武术，使其与奥运项目接轨，中国武协和国际武联(the Chinese Wushu Association and the
International Wushu Federation)做了艰苦卓绝的工作。现在武术已被列为一种与保龄球
(bowling)和国际标准舞(international standard dance)有同等地位的奥运表演项目。
With a long history in China, wushu is a gem of Chinese traditional culture. As we all know, the
excellent cultural heritage of a nation doesn’t belong to the nation alone but will be spread to the
rest of the world gradually to be shared by all humanity. The Chinese Wushu Association and the
International Wushu Federation have been working very hard to popularize wushu and move it
closer to the Olympic events. Now, wushu has been accepted as an Olympic demonstration event
with the same status as bowling and international standard dance.
Topic 11
旗袍(Qipao)是中国独特的传统服饰。旗袍原本是满族(Manchu)妇女的服装，穿在身上非常
宽松，直上直下，中间没有腰线。后来一些汉族的女性对这种服饰进行了改造，使它更加合
身、性感。20 世纪 20 年代，旗袍在上海的女学生中变得非常流行。旗袍一般是由丝绸制成，
领口、袖口和腋襟上都绣有精细的花边。旗袍体现了中国女性的端庄、温柔和美丽。
Qipao is a unique kind of traditional Chinese attire. Originally worn by Manchu women, Qipao
fitted loosely and hung straight down the body with no waistlines. And then some Han Chinese
ladies carried out some improvements on the design, making it more fitting and sexier. When it
came to the 1920s, Qipao became very popular among the girl students in Shanghai. Qipao is
usually made of silk, and embroidered with delicate laces at the neckline, cuffs and edges. Qipao
embodies Chinese women’s modesty, softness and beauty.
Topic 12
中国石窟(grotto)主要反映的是佛教文化艺术。敦煌莫高窟、大同云冈石窟、洛阳龙门石窟、
天水麦积山石窟，号称中国四大石窟艺术景观。佛教石窟随山雕凿、彩绘，形象生动自然，
将崇高美(sublimity)与世俗情(secular feeling)融为一体，把天然造化与人工创造有机结合，是
由建筑、绘画、雕塑等组成的博大精深、绚丽夺目的综合艺术殿堂。其艺术成就为世界所瞩
目，已成为重要的世界文化遗产。
Chinese grottoes mainly reflect the art of Buddhist culture. In China, there are four major art
landscapes of grottoes: the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, the Yungang Grottoes at Datong, the
Longmen Grottoes at Luoyang, and the Maijishan Grottoes at Tianshui. Carved and painted on
mountains, the Buddhist grottoes mingle both sublimity and secular feelings together, presenting
us a vivid and natural appearance. They embody the systematic combination of both the
exceptional artistry of great nature and the extremely fine craftsmanship of mankind. The Chinese
Buddhist grottoes are regarded as a profound and stunning general art gallery, displaying the art of
architecture, painting, sculptures and etc. The artistic achievements of Chinese grottoes have
attracted the attention of the world, and have become an important international cultural heritage.
Topic 13
中国古典文学包括诗歌、散文、小说及词(ci)、赋(fu)、曲(qu)等多种文体，艺术表现手法丰
富各异。小说历史悠久，并在明清时期达到巅峰。小说中的《三国演义》
《水浒传》
《西游记》
《红楼梦》被称为中国四大古典文学名著，至今在国内外都有着广泛而深远的影响。研读四
大名著能够了解中国传统人文社会、民俗，是汲取古代文明精粹、处世为人策略与智慧的重
要途径。
Chinese classical literature includes poetry, prose, fiction, and ci (new lyrics written to preexisting
tunes), fu (
songs and dramatic arias), and many other styles. Its artistic expressions are various in techniques.
Chinese fiction has a long history, reaching its peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Four classics
of Chinese literature are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Pilgrimage to the West,
national and international level. Through reading “the four famous novels” carefully, you can
understand traditional Chinese society and human culture, and its folklore. And it is an important
way to absorb the quintessence of ancient culture as well as to pick up strategies and wisdom on
how to get along with others.
Topic 14
泰山(Mount Tai)位于山东中部，占地 426 平方千米，最高峰“玉皇顶(the Jade Emperor Peak)”
海拔约 1 545 米。泰山以恢宏的自然景观著称于世，山上点缀着寺庙、石碑和石刻(stone
inscription)。身为中国五大名山之首，泰山备受佛教(Buddhism)和道教(Taoism)的推崇。中国
的很多皇帝都曾到泰山敬拜天地。传统观念认为泰山是每天太阳最先升起的地方。因此为了
到泰山之巅看日出，成千上万的人午夜就开始攀登泰山。
Located in central Shandong Province, Mount Tai covers 426 square kilometers with its highest
peak, the Jade Emperor Peak, reaching about 1 545 meters above sea level. Mount Tai earns a
reputation for its imposing natural scenery festooned with a chain of temples, stone tablets and
stone inscriptions. As the first of the “Five Great Mountains” in China, Mount Tai is revered both
in Buddhism and Taoism. Many emperors in China visited it to hold the Heaven Worship
ceremony. Traditional belief maintains that each day begins with the sun rising at Mount Tai, thus
thousands of sun worshipers climbed it from as early as midnight in order to appreciate sunrise at
its peak.
Topic 15
中国古代四大艺术中的“画”特指国画。其绘画形式是用毛笔蘸墨、颜料作画于绢或宣纸之上，
古代称之为水墨丹青
。为区别于西方的油画而称之为中国画，简称“国画”。
其题材有人物、山水、花鸟等。技法可分为工笔(fine brushwork)和写意
。
国画的艺术特质在于“笔墨”，强调以形写神，画尽意在。国画在艺术创作上反映了中华民族
的审美意识和情趣。
Painting in the four art forms in ancient China particularly refers to traditional Chinese painting.
Traditional Chinese painting is done with a brush dipped into black or colored ink and is painted
painting”, short for traditional Chinese painting. The subject matters of Chinese paintings are
typically figures, landscapes, birds and flowers. The drawing skills and techniques employed by
d brushwork.
The artistic characteristics of Chinese painting lie in “the writing brush and ink”. Chinese painting
emphasizes using the shape to convey the feelings of the painter. Even though a painting is a
finished product, it endlessly conveys a meaning. In terms of the artistic creation, Chinese painting
is a reflection of the aesthetic consciousness and artistic sentiment of the Chinese people.
Topic 16
瓷器(porcelain)是中国最为重要的手工艺品之一。中国瓷器有 3 500 多年的历史，明清时期
尤其繁荣。瓷器不仅可以用作日常餐具(dinnerware)、花瓶等，精美的瓷器更是常常被人们
用来装饰家居。作为高档艺术品的象征，真品瓷器常常具有极高的艺术价值和经济价值，因
此，常被很多人视为珍藏品。中国瓷器受到各国人民的欢迎，经常被用作表达中外友谊的礼
物。
Porcelains are one of China’s most important handicrafts. Chinese porcelains have a history of
more than 3 500 years, their most prosperous period being Ming and Qing Dynasties. Porcelains
can be used as daily dinnerware and vases, and delicate porcelains are even commonly used for
often of extremely high artistic and economic value and therefore they are often regarded as
precious collections by many people. Chinese porcelains are popular with people around the world,
and they are often used as presents for expressing friendship between Chinese and foreign people.
Topic 17
酒是中国人生活中的重要饮品之一。中国制酒源远流长，享誉中外。在中国最具有代表性的
酒莫过于白酒(liquor)了，从某种角度上来说，中国的酒文化就是白酒文化。酒在中国人眼
里更多的是一种交际的工具。酒在中国人生活中占有重要的位置，渗透于(permeate)整个中
华五千年的文明史中，包括文学创作、娱乐、烹饪、养生保健等各方面。
Alcohol is one of the important drinks in Chinese people’
g has a
long history and has been renowned at home and abroad. In China, no alcohol is more
representative than Chinese liquor and at some point, Chinese alcohol culture is Chinese liquor
culture. Alcohol is more of a communication tool in Chinese people’s eyes. Alcohol has permeated
5 000 years’ civilization of the whole Chinese history, which plays an important role in every
aspect of Chinese people’s life, from literary creation and entertainment to cooking and health
preservation.
Topic 18
11 月 11 日由四个 1 构成，因此每年此日就是光棍节(Singles’ Day)。20 世纪 90 年代，南京
众多大学首先开始庆祝光棍节。正如其名，这个新节日是专门为单身人士设立的。近年来，
中国成为世界上互联网用户最多的国家，而单身人士是网购的主力军(main force)，许多电子
商务平台(platform)就在光棍节当天开展促销活动以吸引中国不计其数的单身人士前来购物。
目前，光棍节已成为中国人疯狂网购的日子。
Singles’ Day falls on every November 11th because the date is comprised of four “ones”. It was
initially celebrated at many universities in Nanjing during the 1990s. As the name indicates, this
new holiday is one exclusively for people who are still living a single life. In recent years, as
China has become a country with the world’s biggest population of Internet users and the single
people are the main force of China’
promotion campaigns on the day in order to attract countless single people around China to their
websites. Singles’ Day has become a day of crazy online shopping among the Chinese now.
Topic 19
随着城市化(urbanization)进程的加快，越来越多的农民工(migrant worker)在城市里安顿下来。
他们把子女接到城里来，希望孩子能接受到更好的教育。然而，这些农民工发现现实并不像
他们预期的那么美好。城市公立学校的设施和师资远远不能满足大批农民工子女的需求。幸
运的是，农民工子女的教育已成为政府议事日程上优先处理的问题。
With the acceleration of urbanization, an increasing number of migrant workers settle down in the
cities. They bring their children along with them to the cities, with the hope of their children
receiving better education. However, the migrants find the reality is not as promising as they’ve
expected. The facilities and faculties in the urban public schools are far from enough to meet the
needs of the big group of migrant children. Luckily, the education problem of the migrant children
has become a priority on the government’s agenda.
Topic 20
杭州市拥有世界上最大的公用自行车系统(bike sharing system)。目前杭州市共有 2 700 个公
用自行车租赁站点，共计 66 500 辆车。计划至 2020 年，公共自行车的数量将增至 175 000
辆。租用自行车需要智能卡(smart card)，可在任意站点租车、在任意站点还车。租车骑行 1
小时内免费，1 小时以上则按每小时 1 元收费。公用自行车系统对缓解杭州市的交通拥堵
(congestion)起到了很大的作用。
With 66 500 bikes in 2 700 renting stations in the city now, Hangzhou owns the largest bike
sharing system in the world. It plans to increase to 175 000 bikes by 2020. For renting a bike, one
needs a smart card. One can rent a bike and return it at any station. Bike users can ride for free for
the first hour and pay 1 yuan per hour for the extra time. The system is of great help to relieve the
traffic congestion in Hangzhou city.