Few parlor games (室内游戏) have left a larger global impact than mahjong, which is at once a mainstay at immigrant family gatherings.
Mahjong is a four-player game that, like poker, operates on the interplay between chance and skill. Chinese icons are visible in tiles’(麻将牌) “suits”, which include bamboos and circles, which represent ancient Chinese currency; arrows or “dragons”, which symbolize the ancient art of archery; and flowers, which represent the four Confucian plants, including chrysanthemum and orchid.
There are more than 40 versions of the game across the world, according to Annelise Heinz, author of the bestselling Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture. She says the material connection and core tile design keep it recognizable.
The rhythms of mahjong are especially conducive to building community, Heinz says. Whereas the shuffling of cards in between poker games takes mere seconds, mahjong players must sit through extended pauses to reset tiles after every round. The interval encourages conversation.
In the early 1920s, American businessman Joseph P. Babcock brought the game to the U.S., where it became an “enormous national fad” that Heinz says reflected the country’s shifting cultural norms. Dubbed “the game of a hundred intelligences” and “the gift of heaven”, the first imported mahjong sets quickly sold out at Abercrombie & Fitch in New York City.
Over the past century in the US, mahjong has changed into a staple that extends far beyond the Chinese immigrant family. More recently, the record-shattering 2018 romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, which features a crucial mahjong scene, brought the game back into popular culture, fueling interest among Asian American millennials and Gen Zers. Mahjong’s lasting popularity, Heinz says, speaks to rapid cultural changes that have unfolded over the past century. “It also offers a kind of hopeful vision of positive identity building and community building that this game can be a part of into the future,” she says.
【小题1】Which of the following is the synonym for underlined word “mainstay” in Para.1?| A．Backbone | B．Guest | C．Maintainer | D．Decoration |
| A．Confucian plants and thoughts. |
| B．Chinese arrows or “dragons”. |
| C．Ancient forms of art. |
| D．Ancient Chinese currency. |
| A．Quick shuffling between rounds. |
| B．Extended pauses to reset tiles. |
| C．Interplay between chance and skill. |
| D．Complex game rules and strategy. |
| A．The rhythms of mahjong is catchy. |
| B．The imported mahjong sets are costly. |
| C．It is outdated for the young generations. |
| D．It is widely influential and promising. |
I have been in England for three months now. I hope you don’t think I’ve forgotten you. There have been so many places to see and so many things to do that I’ve not had much time for writing letters.
I shall soon be starting my studies at King’s College in London. So far I’ve been learning about England and British ways of living. There are lots of books you can read and lots of pictures you can look at about this famous city. I’m sure you’ll be more interested to know what I think about life here.
I find some of the customs interesting. People here do not shake hands as much as we do in the mainland of Europe. During the first few weeks I was often surprised because people did not put out their hands when I met them. Men raise their hats to women but not to each other.
【小题1】The writer came to London from ______.| A．Asia. | B．the mainland of Europe. |
| C．America. | D．Africa. |
| A．she had forgotten her friend. |
| B．she was lonely and sad in this strange land. |
| C．she was too busy to write. |
| D．she was too busy studying at King’s College. |
| A．to study. | B．to make a living. |
| C．to learn British ways of living. | D．for sightseeing (观光) only. |
Using Google's unique digital(数字的)technology, the stories of some English Heritage(遗产)sites around the country-from Tintagel Castle in Cornwall to Chesters Roman Fort on Hadrian's Wall-are brought to life and shared by way of the Google Arts & Culture platform.
 Stonehenge Skyscape | English Heritage's Stonehenge Skyscape enables people around the world to experience the skies above the stone circle, to learn about movements of the sun, moon and planets. Experience a live and special sunrise over Stonehenge, see the journey of the stars and the moon from within the stone circle and learn more about the design of Stonehenge and how its builders may have understood their place in the universe. |
 Osborne, Isle of Wight | Take a 360 video tour of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's palatial(豪华的)holiday home on the Isle of Wight in the company of English Heritage director Michael Hunter, including the Italian terraces(露台)with views over the Solent, which reminded Prince Albert of the Bay of Naples, and the Indian-inspired Durbar Room, designed to show Queen Victoria's position as Empress of India. |
 Audley End House and Gardens, Essex | Explore the story of one of the greatest houses of early 17th-century England, deep in the heart of the Essex countryside, and fly over the great formal gardens designed by Capability Brown. |
 Tintagel Castle, Cornwall | Explore this medieval(中世纪的)castle set high on Cornwall's north coast. Linked with the legend of King Arthur, for centuries this impressive castle and coastline has inspired the imaginations of writers, artists and even the brother of a king. Discover the Early Medieval history of a distant outpost(哨站)trading objects from Spain, North Africa and Turkey. |
【小题1】Which heritage can you choose if you are interested in a unique sunrise?
| A．Stonehenge Skyscape. | B．Osborne, Isle of Wight. |
| C．Audley End House and Gardens, Essex. | D．Tintagel Castle, Cornwall. |
| A．Both were built for their kings. |
| B．Both were built in the same age. |
| C．Both are related to previous rulers. |
| D．Both are palatial holiday homes for the rulers. |
| A．History. | B．Travel. |
| C．Geography. | D．Culture. |
The Unity (和谐) of Man and Nature
The “unity of man and nature” is necessary and important in the cultural tradition of China. The Chinese believe in the unity of man and nature, a basic way to their philosophy (哲学) of life.
The idea of unity of man and nature has been in the heart of Chinese people.
Most of the Chinese, especially the young, are willing to protect the natural environment. China is now working with all other countries to make the earth a better place to live.
| A．Each of the three has its own way. |
| B．The power is from water, wind, and sunlight. |
| C．There are plenty of great people in the history of China. |
| D．The ancient Chinese never placed themselves above nature. |
| E．It encourages modern Chinese to take action (采取行动) to protect natural environment. |
| F．Nature and man depend on each other. |
| G．Most traditional Chinese festivals build a right order of relationships among humans. |
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