三、阅读理解(16分)
A
It is usually not too hot or too cold in Suzhou. Sometimes summer can be hot and wet. Winter can be a little cold, but not too cold if the wind is not too strong.
| Months | Average Temperature | Average Rainfall(降雨量) |
| January-February | 2-10 ℃ | 5-7 cm |
| March | 7-13 ℃ | 9-10 cm |
| April-May | 12-24 ℃ | 7-9 cm |
| June-August | 22-31 ℃ | 19-22 cm |
| September-October | 17-28 ℃ | 5-7 cm |
| November-December | 5-17 ℃ | 4-5 cm |
Many of the classical gardens in the city are designed with the change of weather in mind. They show different features during different months. The Master-of-Nets Garden (网师园) is full of different kinds of trees and flowers. Each of them blooms (开花) in a different season. The view of this garden changes according to the time of year.
Rain should not be a problem. It shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your stay in Suzhou. Instead, many would say the classical gardens are at their best in rain or heavy fog.
() 1. What’s the average temperature in Suzhou in March?
A. 2-10 ℃. B. 7-13 ℃. C. 12-24 ℃. D. 5-17 ℃.
() 2. In which month might Suzhou have the least rain?
A. March. B. December. C. August. D. May.
() 3. To better tell the design features of the gardens, the writer ______.
A. gives an example B. asks a question C. makes a survey D. lists some numbers
() 4. What’s the best title for the text?
A. Gardens in Suzhou B. Rain in Suzhou C. Seasons in Suzhou D. Weather in Suzhou

B
With spring soon coming to an end, people in China are looking forward to the first solar term of summer, lixia. Lixia, or the Start of Summer, is the seventh of the 24 Chinese solar terms. It symbolizes the passing from spring to summer.
Because of the hot weather of summer, plants will grow faster. The crops also welcome the fast growing season. Therefore, farmers are usually happy to welcome the arrival of lixia. This is the best time of the year to plant early rice in the south of China. There are a lot of ancient Chinese idioms (习语) that warn people not to stay free during this period of time.
▲ For example, in some places people cook “Five-Coloured Rice”. It is usually made from five kinds of beans, including mung beans, red beans, yellow beans, black beans and green beans. It stands for people’s good wishes for a colourful life. In some areas, children will wear a bag with an egg around their necks. This is believed to help prevent abdominal distension (腹胀). It’s an ordinary illness among ancient Chinese children during summer.
On the day of lixia, people also have the tradition of eating three kinds of food: cherries, green plums, and green wheat. As there are so many different kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables from which to choose, what gets eaten during this time can affect the country. In ancient times, during lixia, emperors would give ice to their ministers (大臣).
Other lixia traditions include the singing of many kinds of folk songs. People also weigh themselves on lixia. When the summer passes, they’ll weigh themselves again to see how many kilos they have lost during the hot season.
() 5. Why are the farmers happy to welcome the arrival of lixia?
A. Because they can harvest crops. B. Because they are free at home.
C. Because it is the best time to plant. D. Because it is the first solar term of summer.
() 6. Which of the following sentences may be put in “▲”?
A. People celebrate the day of lixia in different ways in China.
B. People want to know what they should prepare for the day of lixia.
C. People sing many kinds of folk music to celebrate the day of lixia.
D. People in different areas of China have different ideas about the day of lixia.
() 7. Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
A. ①/②/③④⑤ B. ①②③/④/⑤ C. ①/②③④/⑤ D. ①②/③④/⑤
() 8. What is the best title for the text?
A. Different Food in Summer B. Enjoy the Summer Time
C. Welcome to Summer D. Activities in Summer