【推荐1】China's box office numbers continue to grow rapidly. It is estimated that the revenues( 收入) may pass the U. S. market's as soon as this year. However, this cinematic party could be over just as it's getting started. Some companies are working to convince consumers that the ultimate viewing experience is not on the big screen.

Instead, it's on the small ones that are already in their pockets-thanks to the technology of virtual reality.

Already,VR experience centers are popping up in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. They give customers the opportunity to watch VR movies or play VR games for about the same price as a discount movie ticket. Online video sites, meanwhile, are also moving into the VR field. Some of them, like Youku, have launched(推出) their own VR apps and channels.

China has more than 700 million smartphone users. A large percentage of them are already more than willing to download and watch TV shows and even full-length movies on their handsets. This potentially makes them more likely to embrace VR content than Americans and Europeans.

But in fact, it's not just Chinese companies and video websites that believe VR will pull viewers away from movie theaters. International production companies that, for years, have made block busters (大片) for cinema audiences are also warning that disruptive change is around the corner.

Maureen Fan, chief executive of the Silicon Valley VR start-up Baobab Studios, after bringing her company's animated VR short Invasion to the Shanghai International Film Festival last year, concluded that the field had been evolving much more rapidly than she expected. "What I thought would take ten years has happened in one or two," she said. However, she also noted that the industry needs more people who can create great stories to move VR beyond a niche product(小众产品 ) and into the mass market. "The technology is already there. What continues to be lacking is good content," Fan said. "There's a certain amount, but we would love to see more."

1. What is the main idea of the article?

A．China's box office numbers might see a slight decline in the coming years.

B．People don't need to mind their manners when watching VR movies.

C．Movie theaters in China will be increasingly challenged by virtual reality.

D．More and more Chinese online video sites have had their own VR channels.

2. According to the article, Chinese people might be readier for VR movies than Westerners because________.

A．China's box office numbers have been growing faster than those in the West

B．more Chinese people have experienced virtual reality than Westerners

C．China has been more supportive of the development of VR than Western countries

D．more Chinese people have been watching shows on handsets than Westerners

3. According to the article, it could be hard for VR movies to move into the mass market until________.

A．VR movies become available in theaters

B．online video sites launch more VR channels

C．VR experience centers appear in smaller cities

D．there is a larger amount of good content

4. Which of the following statements would Maureen Fan probably agree with?

A．VR movies will completely replace traditional movies sooner or later.

B．Virtual reality has been experiencing an enormous development.

C．Content matters more than technology when it comes to making movies.

D．The West will catch up with China in terms of the development of VR.

【推荐2】For many students, maths and science have always been boring and even difficult subjects. Teachers have long tried a variety of ways to get students excited about STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and maths.     1    .

The use of robotics is on the rise in today’s world.     2     Not only does it give them a head start in subjects like computer programming, maths and science, it can also develop an interest in careers students may have never considered before.

Robots are most often related to technology and other STEM-related fields. However, playing with robots has educational benefits beyond simply learning to build and program the robots themselves. Robots can be used to in problem-based learning to develop students’ problem-solving skills and get them working cooperatively and more. In this learning model, students are presented with a problem they must solve.     3    . This inspires creativity, critical thinking and cooperation—all important 21s-century skills.

Robots aren’t just for students who need a challenge.     4     Students with autism who may shy away from interaction with a human being are more likely to open up to a robot, and the risk of failure or embarrassment in front of the robot is much lower. Robots can provide a way for them to practice social skills without the pressure of interacting with a real person.

There are a wide variety of robots available for classroom use.     5     It now makes robots designed for students in elementary and middle school. The robots can be programmed using a computer or tablet and a simplified programming app. This introduces the basics of programming and robotics to younger students who might then choose to study further in high school and college.

Robots are only going to become a bigger part of everyday life in the future. Using robots in the classroom is a proven way to get kids excited and increase learning.

A．Allowing students to play with robots and learn how they work can have huge benefits for them.

B．Instead of following a teacher’s directions, students work out their own solutions to the problem.

C．One of the most popular is from LEGO, the company that first made engineering fun for kids.

D．It turns out one of the best ways to get kids interested in STEM is through the use of robots.

E．Playing with robots can have additional benefits for students with disabilities.

F．Research into this possibility has already begun.

G．Robots are naturally fun and exciting for kids.

【推荐3】At the end of 2019, I learned that HereAfter AI, whose goal is to let the living communicate with the dead, was looking for applicants of its new AI project. Interested in what it was promising, I applied to experiment the software on my very-much-alive parents.

At first, I thought it would be just a fun project to see what was technologically possible. Then their health condition added some urgency to the experiment. I was frightened that my parents might die since my father had been diagnosed with cancer and my mother was recently developing symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease, and that with the distance between us, I might never have the chance to say goodbye.

The first step was an interview. My parents were asked questions by a technician for hours — about everything from their earliest memories to what they believe will happen after they die. Whether through illness-generated concerns or a willingness to humor their daughter, my parents put up zero resistance. The company then took their responses and started to create the voice assistants. A few months later, my virtual parents arrived via email attachment.

When I communicated with them through the app on my phone, my hands were shaking. I hadn’t seen my actual, real parents for six months. They told me personal stories I’d never heard. They gave me life advice and told me things about their childhoods, as well as my own. It was mesmerizing.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about my experiment. I’m glad to have my virtual parents. They’ve enabled me to learn new things about my parents, and it’s comforting to think that those bots will be there even when my parents aren’t. On the other hand, I can’t help but find it sad that it took a stranger interviewing my parents for me to properly appreciate the complex people they are. But I feel lucky to have had the chance to grasp that — and to still have the precious opportunity to spend more time with them and learn more about them, face to face, no technology involved.

1. Why did the author initially join the AI project?

A．To preserve her parents’ voice.	B．To test out the new technology.
C．To learn more about her parents’ life.	D．To remove the worry about her parents’ health.

2. What can we learn about the author’s parents?

A．They liked talking a lot.	B．They died from the illnesses.
C．They provided data for the project.	D．They opposed joining the project at first.

3. What does the underlined word “mesmerizing” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Fascinating.

B．Alarming.

C．Inspiring.

D．Entertaining.

4. What does the author realize at last?

A．AI means never saying goodbye to our parents.

B．The real connection with our parents matters most.

C．The advances in AI technology have pros and cons.

D．AI allows us to learn more about our virtual parents.

【推荐1】Kids Connect is a camp specifically for children with physical and mild(轻微的) intellectual(智力的) disabilities aged 9-16 (Individual consideration given to those over the age of 16). It is held in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland. Sometimes we require meeting a child before camp to make sure we are able to meet their needs during the camp.

Our camps are conducted by experienced people. We take every effort to give your children a safe and enjoyable weekend. Our aim is that every child comes away with lasting memories of what they have experienced, explored and enjoyed at our camp.

We focus on building strong, healthy relationships with other children (with and without physical disabilities) and with group leaders.

We have a weekend full of activities, action and fun:

●Team games and competitions, songs

●Outdoor sports

●Discussions, great food and lots of fun!

The camp fee is about $135 (subject to change). We also accept payment by way of Ministry of Health carer support forms.

Day visits and fees can be organized on an individual basis if a full weekend stay is unsuitable

For a registration form or for more information, please email info@cbm.org.nz or phone 09 630 5271 Kids Connect.

Box 8774, Symonds Street Auckland 1150

Website: www.cbm.org.nz

1. Why is it sometimes necessary to meet a child before camp?

A．To give the child a medical test.

B．To learn more about the child’s life.

C．To build a connection with the child.

D．To serve the child’s needs.

2. What can children do at the camp?

A．Learn to cook.	B．Enjoy outdoor activities.
C．Carry out research activities.	D．Practise their favourite hobbies.

3. Who is the text probably written for?

A．Teachers.

B．Parents.

C．Travelers.

D．Teenagers.

【推荐2】The management and staff are happy to welcome you and will do all they can to make your stay an enjoyable one.

MEAL TIMES

Our overnight charge includes a continental-type breakfast.

Breakfast: 7:30-9:30 a. m.

Lunch: 12:00-2:00 p. m.

Afternoon tea: 4:00-5:30 p. m.

Dinner: 7:00-9:15 p. m.

Meals can be served in rooms at a small extra charge. We regret that meals cannot be served outside these times.

Light refreshments including tea, coffee, biscuits and sandwiches, can be served in rooms between 10:00 a. m. and 11:00 p. m. except during the meal times listed above. Cold drinks are available in the room refrigerator.

ROOM CLEANING

Please hang the appropriate sign on your door handle if you do not wish to be disturbed. It will be easier for the maids if you can leave the room temporarily at any time between 9 : 30 a. m. and 4 : 00 p.m.

VALUABLES

We are not responsible for the loss of money, jewellery, or other valuables unless they are kept in the safe and signed for by the manager.

DEPARTURES

Please inform receptionists of your intended leaving before 9:30 a. m. of the day concerned and leave the room by noon to allow for its preparation for incoming guests. If circumstances (情况) require, luggage can be left in the charge of the hall porter.

A SPECIAL REQUEST

We would respectfully suggest that in consideration of the comfort of other guests, the volume of radios and televisions should be turned down after 11:00 p. m.

1. Meals can be served _______.

A．in rooms at 9:00 p. m.

B．in the dining-room at 6:00 p. m.

C．outside the room at 3:00 p. m.

D．in the dining-room from 7:30 a. m. to 9:15 p. m.

2. Where is this notice most likely to be found?

A．In hotels.

B．In shops.

C．At restaurants.

D．In the newspapers.

3. What can we conclude from the last paragraph?

A．You should respect the other guests.

B．You are not allowed to use radios and televisions.

C．You shouldn’t make the radios and televisions too loud after 11:00 p.m.

D．To comfort others, you should turn off radios and televisions after 11:00 p.m.

【推荐3】Tea Obreht’s Favorite Novels

Téa Obreht’s new novel, Inland, tells the stories of an outlaw crossing the American West and a homesteader awaiting the return of her husband. Below, she recommends other novels shaped by place.

The Meadow

James Galvin (1992)

Galvin narrows his novel’s focus to a river in south-eastern Wyoming, the site of three generations’ struggle and achievements. “I often find myself reading each sentence twice, just to enjoy the unexpected twists of Galvin’s prose (散文).”

What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours

Helen Oyeyemi (2016).

Everything about this story collection delights and puzzles the soul, in a way of experiencing the terrifying fairy tale for the first time. Each story feels like working around you in a kind of harmony you can’t even begin to comprehend until the final line.

Orange World

Karen Russell (2019).

“Every new book of Russell’s instantly takes its previous book’s place as my favorite.” Place, in each of these time-jumping, world-warping stories—which unfold a map of place both real and imagined—provides physical, social, and emotional pressures on both character and reader.

The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison (1970)

“Morrison’s novel remains my favorite, possibly owing to the particular feelings produced by its place and personhood, and its suggestion that how you experience the world is governed by age, race, and whether or not one grows up loved.”

1. Who does “I” refer to in the text?

A．James Galvin.

B．Téa Obreht.

C．Karen Russell.

D．Toni Morrison.

2. What kind of book is What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours?

A．A biography.

B．A love story.

C．A fairy tale.

D．A prose.

3. What do the four novels have in common?

A．They are shaped by place.	B．They have the same background.
C．They have similar plots.	D．They are written by Tea Obreht.