Question

Besides entertainment and beautiful lanterns, another important part of the Lantern Festival, or Yuanxiao Festival is eating small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour. We call these balls Yuanxiao or Tangyuan. Obviously, they get the name from the festival itself. It is said that the custom of eating Yuanxiao originated during the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the fourth century, then became popular during the Tang and Song periods.

The fillings inside the dumplings or Yuansiao are either sweet or salty. Sweet fillings are made of sugar, Walnuts, sesame（芝麻）, osmanthus flowers(桂花), rose petals, sweetened tangerine（橘子）peel, bean paste, or jujube paste（棗子醬）. A single ingredient or any combination can be used as the filling . The salty variety is filled with minced meat（肉末兒）, vegetables or a mixture.

The way to make Yuanxiao also varies between northern and southern China. The usual method followed in southern provinces is to shape the dough of rice flour into balls, make a hole, insert the filling, then close the hole and smooth out the dumpling by rolling it between your hands. In North China, sweet or nutmeat stuffing is the usual ingredient. The fillings are pressed into hardened cores, dipped lightly in water and rolled in a flat basket containing dry glutinous rice flour. A layer of the flour sticks to the filling, which is then again dipped in water and rolled a second time in the rice flour. And so it goes, like rolling a snowball, until the dumpling is the desired size.

The custom of eating Yuanxiao dumplings remains. This tradition encourages both old and new stores to promote their Yuanxiao products. They all try their best to improve the taste and quality of the dumplings to attract more customers.

Which of the following is NOT true?

 A. The custom of eating Yuanxiao dates back to the fourth century.

 B. Sugar, rose petals and minced meat are all fillings of Yuanxiao.

 C. Sweet Yuanxiao are usually made in southern China.

 D. People in northern China usually make Yuanxiao by rolling like a snowball.

Which country does the Lantern Festival come from?

A. China  B. South Korea C. Jin Dynasty  D. Tang and Song periods.

Choose the right order of making Tangyuan in southern provinces.

① make a hole and insert the filling 

② roll the dough between your hands 

③ shape the dough of rice flour into balls  

④ close the hole  

⑤ prepare some rice flour

 A. ⑤③②①④  B. ③⑤①②④  C. ③①④②⑤  D. ⑤③①④②

What is the best title of this passage?

A. The Lantern Festival                        B. The ingredients of Yuanxiao

C. The difference between Yuanxiao and Tangyuan.  D. China’s traditional food—Yuanxiao.

Why do we eat Yuanxiao today?

A. Because it’s a tradition.

B. Because it’s a tasty food.

C. Because we love our country.

D. Because this food can make money.

Answer 1

【小題1】C

【小題2】A

【小題3】D

【小題4】D

【小題5】A

解析:

【小題1】綜合細節題。文中沒有提到只有南方人吃甜元宵。要特別注意題干中的NOT一詞。

【小題2】簡單推測題。第一段中說明它起源于金代，盛行于唐宋，說明是中國的。

【小題3】細節順序題。prepare some rice flour文中未提，但應該在前。

【小題4】主旨大意題。文中說了元宵的起源、制作材料和方法以及流行情況，只有D能概括全文。

【小題5】推理判斷題。文中顯示我們吃元宵主要是因為它是傳統。