How do we take part in dinner party in foreign countries ? Have you ever experienced it ? I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, "I'm having a dinner party" means: " I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the cheque evenly, no matter what you eat." Worse, in Manhattan, there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone knows I have nowhere to go.
But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations. In New York, the mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's a well-known department store.
For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York, people would think it was a usual new club.
1. What does the word "shot", in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Choice. | B．Try. | C．Style. | D．Goal. |
| A．There is a strange mix of people. | B．The restaurants are expensive. |
| C．The bill is not fairly shared. | D．People have to pay cash. |
| A．Easy-going. | B．Self-centred. | C．Generous. | D．Conservative |
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【推荐1】HOLIDAY FUN AT THE POWERHOUSE
Join in the holiday fun at the powerhouse this month linked to our new exhibition, evolution&Revolution: Chinese dress 1700s to now. DON'T FORGET our other special event, the Club Med Circus School which is part of the Circus (马戏团)! 150 years of circus in Australia exhibition experience!
●Chinese Folk Dancing: Colorful Chinese dance and musical performances by The Chinese Folk Dancing School of Sydney. Dances include: The Golden stick dance and the Chinese drum dance. A feature will be the Qin Dynasty Emperor’s court dance. Also included is a show of face painting for Beijing Opera performances.
Sunday 29 June and Wednesday 2 July in the Turbine Hall, at 11:30 am &1:30 pm.
●Australian Chinese Children’s Arts Theatre: Well-known children’s play experts from Shanghai lead this dynamic youth group. Performance include Chinese fairy tales and plays.
Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 July in the Turbine Hall, at 11. 30 am &1. 30 pm.
●Chinese Youth League: A traditional performing arts group featuring performance highlights such as the Red scarf and Spring flower dances, and a musician playing Er Hu.
Sunday 6 to Tuesday 8 July in the Turbine Hall, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.
●Kids Activity: Make a Paper Horse: Young children make a paper horse cut-out. (The horse is a frequent theme in Chinese painting, indicating a kind of advancement.) Suitable for ages 8-12 years.
Saturday 28 June to Tuesday 8 July in the Turbine Hall, 12:00 pm to 1:00pm.
●Club Med Circus School: Learn circus skills, including the trapeze (空中飞人), trampolining (蹦床) and magic. Not only for children over 5. There are 40 places available in each I hour and these must be booked at the front desk, level 4, on the day.
Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 July at 11:30 am &1:00pm.
Enjoy unlimited free visits and many other benefits by becoming a Family member of the Powerhouse. Our family membership covers two adults and all children under the age of 16 years at the one address.
Members receive Powerline, our monthly magazine, discounts in the shops and the restaurants, as well as free admission to the Museum. All this for as little as $50,000 a year! Call (02) 92170600 for more details.
1. When can you watch the Chinese drum dance?| A．On July 2. | B．On July 3. | C．On July 6. | D．On July 8. |
| A．Kids Activity | B．Chinese Youth League |
| C．Children's Arts Theatre | D．Club Med Circus School |
| A．Calling (02) 92170600. | B．Gaining family membership. |
| C．Coming for the holiday fun. | D．Paying Powerline $50,000 a year. |
【推荐2】Nowadays, many people do not have the time to even take a deep breath.
Settle your house.
Go for a walk or a jog. Rather than sitting at home doing nothing in your spare time, you can always consider going for a long walk or even a jog.
Visit some tourist attractions in your city. Think about visiting some famous tourist spots in your city that you have never visited before. You can choose to go on this little trip alone or-with your friends. You will appreciate your city more during the process.
| A．Sign up for a dance class. |
| B．Take a dance class alone or find a partner. |
| C．Also, you will learn a great deal about these tourist spots. |
| D．You should keep your house clean and get various things in order. |
| E．So you should feel lucky that you have some free time on your hands. |
| F．There are many ways to get to know about a famous tourist attraction. |
| G．Doing these two things will really help you gather your thoughts and keep healthy. |
【推荐3】
WHAT’S ON STAGE Russian dances: The famous “Little White Birth” Dance Troupe will travel from Russia to present performances in Beijing. The troupe, founded in 1948, is famous for their combination of Russian folk dance sand classical dancing art. It has been invited by the Beijing Foreign Culture Exchange Co. to give four performances in Beijing. Tickets are available through ticket hotlines and website such as www.paio.com.cn., www.Chinaticket.com and www.Ticket.elong.com. Time: 7:30 p.m., January 18-21 Place: Beizhan Theatre, 135, Xiwai Dajie, Xicheng District Tel: 6606-4258 EXHIBITIONS Kite show: All together 81 kites collected by the China National Art Museum is on show in the Yanhuang Art Museum. Kong Xiangze, an expert on Chinese kites, published a book on kites, explaining the origins of the Kite-making process. The exhibited kites are made in a traditional Chinese style. Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. until February 11 Place: 9 Huizhong Road Tel: 6491-2902 CONCERTS Folk music: A concert of classics of Chinese folk music will greet audiences on the first day of the Year of Rat at the Beijing Concert Hall. The China Song and Dance Ensemble will perform dozens of traditional instrumental pieces, such as “Full of Joy”, “Colourful Cloud Chasing the Moon” and “Spring Festival Suite”. Time: 7:30 p.m., January 24 Place: 1, Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District Tel: 6559-8285 EVENTS Flower festival: The Beijing Botanical Garden is bringing people a blooming festival with the beautiful flowers in its tropical (热带的) plants greenhouse. The garden has introduced nearly 80 kinds of flowers abroad for the exhibition. There is also an exhibition of potted narcissus (水仙) landscapes. More than 300 mini landscapes involving imported narcissus will be displayed, people can get a preview of the show by visiting www.Beijingbd.com., the garden’s website. Time: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. until January 28 Place: Wofosi Lu near the Fragant Hills Tel: 8259-5547 |
| A．In a science magazine. | B．On their social platform. |
| C．In a calendar. | D．In an information board. |
| A．Russian dances. | B．Kite show. | C．Folk music. | D．Flower festival. |
| A．6606-4258 | B．6491-2902 | C．6559-8285 | D．8259-5547 |
【推荐1】One key to getting along well with people is knowing when to say you’re sorry. But it’s hard to apologize.
Show your regret. The other person needs to see that you have suffered, too.
Repair the damage.
Use good timing.
Remember, it’ s not about who “won” or “lost”. It’ s about keeping a strong friendship.
| A．Take responsibility and explain. |
| B．An apology must correct the injury. |
| C．Apologize right away for little things. |
| D．Many of us are ashamed or have too much pride. |
| E．Come right out and say you are sorry or ashamed. |
| F．Sometimes little comments or actions can hurt or defend others angry. |
| G．You may know it right away that you have done something hurtful. |
| A．Offer you hand first. |
| B．Shake for no more than three seconds. |
| C．How do people shake hands correctly? |
| D．Don’t shake too strongly or too weakly. |
| E．It is not polite to refuse a person’s hand. |
| F．When do people in the United States shake hands? |
| G．Make sure your hands aren’t sweaty when you do this. |
【推荐3】Don’t we all hope to understand one another better? How can you get a good idea of what kind of person your new friend is? The people around us can give a lot of information about themselves without even knowing it. They express it in the little things that they do.
1. Their body language.
Interpreting someone’s body language can be a powerful tool in helping you understand their personality, attitudes and feelings. For example, facial cues like smiling convey happiness, and biting at your lip means you’re worried or anxious, clenched fists indicate anger or frustration, crossed arms are a sign of defensiveness.
2. The way they dress.
Another great way you can learn a lot about a person without ever talking to them is by observing the way they dress.
3.
American author Dave Berry once said, a person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person. The way in which you treat people of lower social status than you or people who have nothing to offer you is a telling aspect of your character. When someone is rude or disrespectful to a stranger like a barista or a server, it shows that they’re superficial and over-privileged.
4. How they make eye contact.
Appropriate eye contact is a good way for someone to signal that they’re paying attention to you and that they’re interested in what you’re saying.
It is important that we know how to assess people so we can make better decisions about them. These tips can come in handy in the dating pool, making friends, job hiring and can help you make a good first impression.
| A．The way they speak |
| B．How they treat strangers |
| C．All you have to do is observe carefully |
| D．This is actually an amazing thing in a conversation |
| E．However, those who often look away during a conversation may be uncomfortable or distracted |
| F．Generally speaking, those who dress casually are often easygoing people who value comfort over style |
| G．Learning how to better read others’ body language can go a long way in helping you understand what they are thinking even if they don’t say a word to you |
【推荐1】When Xu Shixiao went to work as usual in a company in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, five years ago, she was surprised to get a call from her previous coach, asking about her willingness to return to canoeing (皮划艇)and compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games. Xu quickly made her decision.
“I quit my job as a manager, told my family and went back to training three days later. There was not much time left for me to prepare for the Olympics,” Xu thought back.
On Aug 7, 2021, Xu and her partner, Sun Mengya, won the gold medal in the first women’s canoe double 500m event at the Tokyo Games. It was also the first Olympic gold medal for China in the event.
Yet Xu’s journey to the Olympics was bumpy —— she faced lots of difficulties, such as her condition after years of retirement and her parents’ disagreement because they thought it was time for her to get married.
“It was really a hard decision for me to go back to being an athlete after four years of retirement,”said Xu, “I didn’t want to regret not competing for a gold medal. I desired to be a champion. I had nothing to lose even if I failed.”
To catch the chance to go back to canoeing on the international level, Xu started her unbearable training. She began her daily exercises in the early morning and ended at 10:30 pm. It was a hot July in 2017 in Nanchang, where it could be 40 degrees centigrade in summer. Xu stayed in the sun for hours every day on her canoe. But her daily schedule was hardly influenced. “ At the beginning, it really hurt. When the pain reached the highest point, I couldn’t feel my arms after that，” she added.
More than two months of such hard training finally paid off. Xu won two gold medals at the 13th National Games in two women’s canoe events. In 2019, she partnered with Sun to get their ticket for the Tokyo Olympics by winning the gold medal at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. Finally, they achieved success in Tokyo.
Compared with athletes who were in their early 20s, Xu’s recovery was slower. But the active time for athletes got longer. “ Age is not a problem anymore for an athlete in the age of technology,” said Xu.
The Olympic medalist will go for competitions at home and abroad this year. She is also looking forward to taking part in the Paris Olympics in 2024.
1. What did Xu Shixiao do when her coach asked her willingness to compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games?| A．She asked for her parents’ advice. |
| B．She went back to training after 3 days. |
| C．She went to the company to ask for leave. |
| D．She went to the training center immediately. |
| A．Hard. | B．Smooth. | C．Pleasant. | D．Achievable. |
| A．The hot weather in training. |
| B．The disagreement from her parents. |
| C．Her willingness to get married right now. |
| D．Being absent from training for a long time. |
| A．By receiving one month of hard training in Nanchang. |
| B．By winning three gold medals at the 13th National Games. |
| C．By winning a gold medal at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. |
| D．By starting her daily exercises in the early morning and ending at 9： 30 pm. |
| A．To explain ways to solve the age problem of athletes. |
| B．To show the difficulty of a retired athlete back to training. |
| C．To introduce the necessary qualities of a canoeing champion. |
| D．To share a story of an athlete fighting for the Olympic gold medal. |
【推荐2】He Jiang, who was the first person from China to deliver a Harvard University commencement (学位授予典礼) address, has made the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 List.
Forbes’ 30 Under 30 is a set of lists issued annually by Forbes magazine. On Tuesday, the magazine published the sixth annual 30 Under 30, featuring 600 young inventors and leaders who challenge conventional wisdom and rewrite the rules for the next generation.
The list recognizes 30 game-changers in each of 20 industries. All under 30 years old, the candidates were examined by a group of judges in their fields. “The winners are the people that will run every field for the next 50 years,” said Randall Lane, editor of Forbes.
He, a 29-year-old postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was chosen for the healthcare category. He was recommended by his professors at Harvard.
At Harvard, He used a new technology to understand more about how flu infects cells, and discovered human genes with strong anti-viral effects. He is now applying the same techniques to white blood cells. He hopes the lab research he did could be put to practical use in healthcare.
He grew up in a small village with limited educational opportunities. By studying hard, he graduated from the University of Science and Technology of China with a bachelor’s degree in 2009, and was accepted into Harvard’s PhD program on a full scholarship the same year.
In May, the biochemistry PhD delivered a speech representing the university’s 13 graduate and professional schools at the ceremony. In the speech, he talked about the unbalanced distribution of science and medicine into places they aren’t reaching, like his own village, where his mother once treated his spider bite with fire.
1. Why can He Jiang be on the 2017 Forbes under 30 list?| A．He was recommended by Randall Lane. |
| B．He has made outstanding contributions in healthcare. |
| C．He made a speech at the Harvard commencement. |
| D．He changed the regulations for the next generation. |
| A．Know more about the infection of flu. |
| B．Apply the same technology to blood cells. |
| C．Put his research into practice in medical care. |
| D．Discover human gene’s strong anti-viral effects. |
| A．His mother is a doctor. | B．He wants to help backward areas. |
| C．He got a full PhD scholarship. | D．His university has only 13 graduates. |
【推荐3】One cold day last November, my wife and I came home from work to a sick young daughter and we decided to stay at home for the night. Problem was, we had two tickets to see Miranda July, the performance artist, being interviewed at the Herbst Theatre. We decided to sell them online for ＄50. One hour before the event, a guy named Peter called me and said he wanted to buy the tickets. Since the time was limited, I told Peter to pay me the next day. Peter seemed touched and we said a fond goodbye.
However, a month later, Peter still didn’t pay me back. A few more weeks passed. Another month. There’d been one e-mail promising to mail the check, then silence.
Maybe he was having a hard time, I thought. But truth was, Peter seemed to be having a pretty normal time. According to the pictures and messages on his Facebook, he had been playing golf, dancing happily with his friends, and traveling on a boat. But he just refused to answer my calls, or reply to my e-mails or messages. So I tried reaching him with my wife’s phone one night. And he didn’t pick up when I called,but texted right back, playfully wondering who might be calling him.
“You should go to his office,”my wife said, “He would have to give you the money if all his coworkers were watching.”
But I didn’t want to become a debt collector. My efforts to reach Peter over these months had been light and I wanted to keep it that way. My initial exchange with Peter had been just two regular people agreeing to handle things humanly. There was a rare niceness in that, and I still wanted to keep that balloon in the air, however disappointing it was starting to look. I wanted to believe we could still trust each other.
1. For what reason did the author and his wife decide to sell the ticket?| A．They thought it was too cold that night. |
| B．They needed to look after their daughter. |
| C．They wanted to save some money. |
| D．They were going to be interviewed. |
| A．knew he might not get the ＄50. | B．felt a little hesitant. |
| C．thought he could trust Peter. | D．was moved by Peter’s kindness. |
| A．Because he didn’t remember it. | B．Because he was too busy to pay. |
| C．Because he didn’t want to pay. | D．Because he was having a tough time. |
| A．He would never trust strangers. |
| B．He might call the police for help. |
| C．He would go to Peter’s office to talk to him. |
| D．He still hoped Peter would pay him back. |
