The year of the Dragon will begin on February 10, 2024. The Dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac (生肖). Dragons are not real animals. Chinese dragons can fly in the sky or swim in the sea. In stories, dragons rule over water, rainfall, wind and flood.
The Chinese dragon is a symbol of strength and good luck. The emperors of ancient China loved dragons. Their clothes were covered with pictures of yellow dragons. The dragon is very important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people are proud to call ourselves “the descendants (传人) of the dragon”. A number of Chinese sayings refer to dragons. For example, “Hoping one’s child will become a dragon”, which means hoping he or she will be successful.
Unlike in China, dragons are seen differently in Western countries. Western dragons often look like dinosaurs. They breathe fire and catch people. It is a common fairy tale about a man who becomes a hero after killing a dragon and saving a princess. In the English movie How to Train Your Dragon (《 驯龙记》), a little boy becomes much braver by killing some bad dragons. In one of the Harry Potter stories, Harry Potter has to fight against a scary dragon and get back the golden egg from its nest.
Because of this, some Chinese experts have suggested changing the English word “Dragon” into its pinyin “Long”. They believe the name “Dragon” makes Western people think badly about China. But some don’t agree. They think Chinese people can look after their own culture. Many Western people already know the differences between Chinese dragons and Western ones.
【小题1】Which power of dragons is NOT mentioned in Chinese stories?
| A．They can fly in the sky. | B．They can swim in the sea. |
| C．They can rule water and wind. | D．They can catch and eat people. |
【小题2】What does the sentence “Hoping one’s child will become a dragon” in Paragraph 2 mean in Chinese?
【小题3】Who can be called as “a hero” in Western fairy tales?
| A．A man who can train a dog. | B．A man who can get an egg. |
| C．A man who can breathe fire. | D．A man who can kill a dragon. |
【小题4】According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．There are many Chinese sayings about dragons. |
| B．The Dragon is the first sign of the Chinese Zodiac. |
| C．Harry Potter becomes much braver by killing some bad dragons. |
| D．Emperors in China liked wearing clothes with red dragon pictures. |
【小题5】Why do Chinese experts suggest changing “Dragon” into Chinese
pinyin “
Long”?
| A．Because Chinese are proud of their own pinyin. |
| B．Because dragon makes Western people think highly of China. |
| C．Because Western people know nothing about Chinese culture. |
| D．Because “Dragon” in Western countries doesn’t carry the same cultural meanings as in China. |
