The twenty-four solar terms are an important part of traditional Chinese culture. They were created to reflect changes in weather and help people plan farming activities. These terms also influence many parts of daily life. Among them, Start of Winter marks the cold season’s start.

The Start of Winter is the first solar term of winter, marking the official beginning of winter season in Chinese lunar year. In Chinese culture, winter is a time when everything in nature seems to rest. Animals start to hibernate (冬眠), and people store the food they harvested in autumn for the cold months.

After the Start of Winter, the weather becomes much colder and drier in most parts of China. The land freezes over in the northeast, and crops and forest trees begin to overwinter. The “Three Autumns” in the Jianghuai region are coming to an end. The south of the country needs to plant late winter wheat crops, while the north comes to the wintering period. What’s more, the air tends to dry up after the Start of Winter, and the soil holds less water, therefore efforts on forest fire prevention begin at this time.

People in China believe that winter is a good time to eat nutritious food. Eating well helps them stay warm and healthy through the cold season. In the past, most people worked as farmers. They saw the Start of Winter as a day to rest and enjoy a good meal with their families, rewarding themselves for a whole year’s hard work.

The Start of Winter shows how Chinese people live in step with nature, making it a special part of life.

1.1. What is the main purpose of the solar terms?

A To reflect weather and help farming.

B To predict future events.

C To celebrate cultural festivals.

D To study animal behaviors.

解析：选A。A细节理解题。根据第一段的“They were created to reflect changes in weather and help people plan farming activities”可知，二十四节气的主要目的是反映天气变化并辅助农耕。B选项“预测未来事件”未提及；C选项“庆祝文化节日”偏离重点；D选项“研究动物行为”与内容无关。故选A。

2.2. What do people do to prepare for winter?

A Store food harvested in autumn.

B Plant late winter wheat crops.

C Build new houses.

D Visit friends often.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句 “Animals start to hibernate, and people store the food they harvested in autumn for the cold months” 可知，人们会储存秋天收获的食物来应对寒冷月份。选项 B “种晚冬作物”、C “建新房”、D “常拜访朋友” 均与原文内容无关。故选 A。

3.3. Why do people start preventing forest fires after Start of Winter?

A Because it rains a lot.

B Because it snows often.

C Because air gets dry.

D Because wind is strong.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第三段最后一句“What’s more, the air tends to dry up after the Start of Winter, and the soil holds less water, therefore efforts on forest fire prevention begin at this time” 可知，立冬后空气变干燥、土壤含水量低，由此可知干燥的空气是开展森林防火的原因。故选C。

4.4. What can we learn about farmers’ view on Start of Winter in the past?

A It was the busiest farming season.

B It was a time to rest and reward.

C It was a day to prevent forest fires.

D It was the best time to harvest crops.

解析：选B。B细节理解题。根据第四段的“They saw the Start of Winter as a day to rest and enjoy a good meal with their families, rewarding themselves for a whole year’s hard work”可知，过去的农民将立冬视为休息和犒劳家人的日子。故选B。

5.5. Where is this passage most probably from?

A A storybook.

B A science report.

C A sports newspaper.

D A culture magazine.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。全文围绕中国传统二十四节气中的 “立冬” 展开，介绍了立冬的意义、自然变化及相关生活习俗，核心是传递中国传统文化知识。选项 D “文化杂志” 常刊登传统习俗、文化现象类文章，与本文内容匹配。故选 D。