【推荐1】Welcome to the Mercedes-Benz Museum!

Discover at first hand what has been moving the world for over 125 years. Take a fascinating stroll (闲逛) of automotive history.

Carried by lift to a height of 34 meters, you will travel back in time to the year 1886. This is when the Mercedes-Benz legend was born with the pioneering invention by Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz — the automobile.

Be fascinated by the history, present and future of mobility — on 9 levels and 16,500 square meters. Experience the automotive legends in the Legend rooms on level 4 and cross-epochal (划时代的) topics in the Collection rooms on level 3.

Both tours will finally take you to the innovations for the future in the “Fascination of Technology”.

Enjoy with all your senses: take the Mercedes-Benz legend home. The museum shop in the passage on Level 10 offers more than 1,000 products and gifts.

Try our own home-made museum cake or satisfy yourself with regional dishes at the restaurant — before or after your tour through the museum.

Opening hours

Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a. m. to 6 p. m. — ticket desk closes at 5 p. m. Closed on Mondays.

Contact and reservations

Mercedes-Benz Classic Customer Center

Phone: +49(0)711-17 30 000

Fax: +49(0)711-17 30 400

E-mail: classic@daimler. com

Address

Mercedes-Benz Museum, Mercedesstraße 100 70372 Stuttgart, Germany

Restaurant

Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a. m. to 7 p. m. Closed on Mondays.

Cafébar

Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a. m. to 6 p. m. Closed on Mondays.

Museum Shop

Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a. m. to 6 p. m. Closed on Mondays.

Online shopping

You can shop online in comfort 24 hours a day at www. mercedes-benz-classic. com/store

1. What can tourists do in the Mercedes-Benz Museum?

A．Experience the history on Mondays.	B．Have dinner after 7 o'clock p. m.
C．Watch museum cake making.	D．Enjoy an automotive collection.

2. On which level can you buy gifts?

A．Level 9.	B．Level 10.
C．Level 3.	D．Level 4.

3. Where does this passage most probably come from?

A．A museum guide.	B．A tourist map.
C．A science textbook.	D．A news report.

【推荐2】Looking for somewhere to go during the months of December, January and February? From snow-capped ski resorts to sunny islands, these are the hottest travel destinations to visit this winter.

St. Lucia

Longing for a tropical （热带的）getaway? Set your sights on St. Lucia. With Kayak reporting a 197 percent surge （激增）in interest, this Eastern Caribbean island nation is on the verge of blowing up.　Which shouldn't be a shock given that it delivers a mix of volcanic coastline, lush rainforests, dramatic mountains, coral reefs, and high-end resorts. Simply put： whether you're seeking romance or adventure, you'll find it in St. Lucia.

Mexico City, Mexico

With mouth-watering food, fashionable hotels, superb shopping, and tons of historic sites, Mexico City is definitely one to add to your list for the upcoming winter season. Since it's a major international airport, you can usually score flight deals.

New York City

While there's no bad month to experience the Big Apple, the frosty season is particularly magical. Guess that's why New York City ranks among the most searched winter travel destinations, according to Expedia. The most cherished attractions? The ice skating rink（溜冰场）at Rockefeller Center and sledding in Central Park.

Paris

“Many people frequent Paris in spring and summer,” reveals Hudson. “The trade-off for picture-perfect weather? Long lines at museums, plus a Metro chock-full of map-toting tourists. ” Based on Expedia data, the cheapest month to go to Paris is February. Our advice? Pack your most fashionable raincoat and let the winter sadness fade away in the City of Light.

1. Where will you go if you long for a risky trip?

A．St. Lucia.	B．Mexico City, Mexico.
C．New York City.	D．Paris.

2. What is special about Mexico City?

A．Its weather is always great.

B．It often offers discounted air tickets.

C．It provides magical experience in winter.

D．It is the most searched winter travel destination.

3. What can we learn about Paris?

A．It is a fashionable city.

B．Its climate is quite perfect.

C．Its winter sports are attractive.

D．It is a popular tourist destination in spring.

【推荐3】There are an unbelievable number of reasons to go to Greece; just like there are an unbelievable number of things to do once a traveler arrives there. Here is a look at just some of the great historical things to see when on holiday in Athens, Greece.

Agora

Agora lies in ruins now, but during its glory days it was a lively and active open marketplace where Greeks came to buy, sell, and exchange their goods and services. Agora has ties to common people of ancient Greece. Guided tours are available and there is also a small museum with many artifacts from this area on display.

Parthenon

One of the most famous landmarks in Athens is the legendary Parthenon. This building is still today admired by architects who are appreciative of the decorative design, as well as the engineering involved in its construction. Those interested in history will be impressed beyond belief with the opportunity to see this historic structure up close and personal.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

One of the most impressive monuments to see up close is the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Many people see this monument from far away, or even from the window of a taxi, and never stop for a first hand look themselves. This is a huge mistake as the size of it cannot truly be appreciated without visiting it up close.

Odeum of Herodes Atticus

Built into the hillside and providing a nice view of Athens is the Odeum of Herodes Atticus. This theater was constructed in the second century and was an important gathering place for both the upper and lower classes. It holds a little over 5,000 people, located just below the Acropolis, and is still used for performances to this day.

1. What did the ancient Greeks do in Agora?

A．They toured around.

B．They did business.

C．They visited museums.

D．They prayed for blessings.

2. Who will show the most interest in Parthenon?

A．Building designers.

B．Electrical engineers.

C．Ordinary visitors.

D．Religious people.

3. How can visitors fully appreciate the Temple of Olympian Zeus?

A．By looking in the distance.

B．By visiting up close.

C．By taking a bird’s-eye view.

D．By. seeing through a taxi window.

4. In what way is Odeum of Herodes Atticus different from the others?

A．It has great historical value.

B．It has ties to common people.

C．It still serves its original purpose.

D．It is famous for its architecture.

【推荐1】Students are sitting in a classroom at P.S.54, a public elementary school in Brooklyn, New York. When their teacher, Adrienne Heim, strikes a bell, they take a deep breath.

The kids are practicing mindfulness. That means they are learning to pay attention to the present moment. Why?

Being mindful can help people stay calm and focused, according to Heim. She is the founder of Green Generations. The organization brings mindfulness classes to eight schools in New York City.

Isafye Lewis, 10, has been taking in the class at P.S.54 for two years. "Mindfulness teaches me to relax, " he told TFK. "It really helps me feel better when I'm sad or angry."

At P.S.54, students practice mindfulness through deep breathing, movement, and relaxation exercises. But Heim says that mindfulness is about more than just staying calm. It also boosts confidence. "It helps children have a right attitude, " She says, "so they can make healthy decisions."

Recent research published in Developmental Psychology supports this view. The study also found that mindfulness training can help kids succeed in school. That's because it trains the brain to pay attention and manage stress.

"It doesn't solve math equations for kids," Mariam Gates, author of This Moment Is Your Life, told TFK. "But what mindfulness does for all of us is help us focus on the moment we're in, which is the only place we can learn, change, or grow."

But you don't have to be in a classroom to practice mindfulness. Gates says, "You can always bring your attention to this moment and change how you experience it."

1. Why do the students take a deep breath when the teacher strikes a bell?

A．They are afraid of the teacher.	B．They are practising mindfullness.
C．They are taking an exam.	D．They are having singing class.

2. What does Isafye learn from mindfulness?

A．How to take it easy.	B．How to stay focused.
C．How to stop being sad.	D．How to get high grades.

3. What does the underlined word "boosts" in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．shakes.

B．studies.

C．raises.

D．requires.

4. What did Mariam Gates say about mindfulness?

A．It does little to help kids' studies.	B．It helps kids make decisions.
C．It makes kids less stressful.	D．It helps kids pay attention.

5. What is this text mainly about?

A．An organization centered on mindfulness.	B．A new study on mindfulness.
C．An introduction to mindfulness.	D．The influences of mindfulness.

【推荐2】Possible Limitations of Online Learning

If eLearning is not based on solid instructional design theories and models, it may lead to the following limitations:

1. It may be a “solo” act.

It is true that, although online learning might be convenient and flexible. it is also a solo act. It will not be easy for all of your learners to feel comfortable when participating in online discussions and engaging more actively with their online instructors or their virtual classmates. Some people absolutely need personal contact with their educators or trainers in order to learn successfully. Furthermore, some types of learning problems may be difficult to address online, and some questions can be lost in a sea of requests and inquiries.    1    

2.     2    

However hard we try to fully transfer human communication to online platforms, however natural it seems to form relationships behind computer screens, a virtual environment is just not human. Nothing can replace human contact. Besides, using a computer or a tablet all the time can cause poor vision, strain pre-existing injuries, and cause other physical problems. Consider sending guidelines about the right sitting posture, desk height, etc. along with your eLearning course: it might be very useful to your audience.

3. It requires self-discipline.

If your eLearning audience lacks self-discipline, it is unlikely that they will be motivated to study on their own. Traditional learning and training have the benefit of easily tracking both progress and falling behind.    3    

4. Possible lack of control.

However carefully you design your eLearning course, there is no guarantee that your messages will get across. You offer your learners control over their eLearning experience, but are they going to use it effectively? There is always the risk of your learners just going through the material without paying close attention to any of it.     4     Unless you know exactly what you’re doing with new technologies, it is very likely that you will end up overwhelming or distracting your audience.

A．It may feel impersonal.

B．It may harm your mental health.

C．This sometimes makes learners feel they lack support and reassurance.

D．If your eLearning content is not built to make the most of the medium it will easily become disengaging.

E．Online learning requires some IT literacy, yet not every one of your learners has much experience with computers.

F．This works for many learners as well, as some people prefer their progress to be closely monitored in order to perform at their best.

【推荐3】Over the past few months, COVID-19 has caused great uncertainty around the world affecting people's lives in all aspects.Education is also greatly affected. With students all turning to online instruction, live-streamed classes have become popular among schools and universities.       1    

In China, the use of e-learning is unusual not only in size but also in depth.     2     For another, it proves how modern technology changes the way students are educated and encourages further research and development of educational technology to introduce virtual communities between students and teachers.

In fact,online instruction as an alternative teaching mode has been expanding rapidly in recent years.Many Chinese start-ups focus on AI applications in online courses,and various online educational platforms are set up.    3     The online education platform MOOC,where a wide variety of courses is available,has attracted the world's top universities to upload and share resources with students around the world.

Compared with formal instruction,online courses save abundant costs and create a flexible teaching mode(模式）－homeschooling,especially during a crisis.     4    For example,rural students with no access to the Internet and television might be left behind in this new mode.When e-learning becomes the only solution for delivering knowledge,the existing divide could be widened,further deepening education inequality.Also,the quality of teaching becomes heavily dependent on uncertain factors,such as a stable connection to the Internet and technical skills.

    5    Yet,the pandemic(流行病）has undoubtedly affected the teaching style in a sweeping manner and given educators around the world plenty of time and space to think about the alternative educational modes.

A．However,online teaching has its own disadvantages.

B．The traditional face-to-face teaching style has been challenged.

C．Chinese colleges and universities started the spring term online.

D．Moreover,online education is fairly acceptable to college education.

E．Online teaching provides a chance to reconsider the current education system.

F．For one thing,the impressive practice sets a good example to other countries.

G．So,it's early to predict how the future of the education system will look like.

【推荐2】While you’re grounded and social distancing, you can still travel the world through the pages of these novels whose setting is often the main character. Whether going back in time to Cartegna, Colombia in “Love in the Time of Cholera” or getting lost on a remote volcanic Russian peninsula in “Disappearing Earth”, these books will transport you all around the globe.

1. ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ by David Guterson

Puget Sound, Washington

While San Piedro is a fictional island in the real life San Juan Islands off Washington, the location of this haunting mystery is believed to be based on Bainbridge Island, which is more to the south in Puget Sound. But for anyone who’s been to these Pacific Northwest islands and experienced their pine and cedar forests and quiet harbors, the book’s description of San Piedro rings true: “a brand of green beauty that inclined its residents toward the poetical.”

2. ‘Disappearing Earth’ by Julia Phillips

Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

This detective fiction’s main character is Kamchatka, the remote Siberian peninsula full of unique

characters who reveal the ethnic and cultural conflicts of the region, all connected by a crime.

3. ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Cartagena, Colombia

Although the location of the book goes unnamed, it’s generally accepted that Marquez’s hometown was the inspiration for this story of unrequited love. The film adaptation was shot within the walls of the Old City.

4. ‘Florida’ by Lauren Groff

Florida

Storms, snakes, sinkholes and stories? Welcome to Florida. The fantastical tales in this collection span centuries, characters and towns, but all take place in the Sunshine State. You’ll be swept up in a wild hurricane of a ride with these lyrical stories of anger and love, loss and hope.

1. The text is especially helpful for those who ________.

A．are fond of traveling	B．are afraid of working
C．are eager to read	D．are happy to be grounded

2. Which of the following is an imaginary place?

A．San Piedro.	B．Puget Sound.
C．San Juan Islands.	D．Bainbridge Island.

3. Which book will you choose if you like the stories in the Sunshine State?

A．Snow Falling on Cedars

B．Disappearing Earth

C．Love in the Time of Cholera

D．Florida

【推荐3】Enter Our Short Story Competition 2024

Welcome to our Short Story Competition 2024 to show the world your storytelling talents! Note that there are some changes to last year’s competition rules. If you have any questions or concerns, ask us before submitting your story.

Rules

Please ensure that your submissions are completely new and not previously published. Your story must have uplifting elements and be limited between 250 and 300 words in length.

Please include your name, preferred email address or postal address for possible awards in the body of the email with the story attached. Don’t put your personal information anywhere in your story.

Prizes

There are three categories—one for adults and two categories for schools: one for children aged 12-18 and one for children under 12.

In the adults category, the winner will receive £1, 000 and the runner-up will receive £250.

In the children aged 12-18 category, the winner will receive a £200 book voucher (代金券) or a branded tablet and a £100 book voucher, and the runner-up will receive a £100 book voucher.

In the children under 12 category, the winner will receive a £100 of book voucher or a branded tablet and a £100 book voucher, and the runner-up will receive a £50 book voucher.

Other Items

Please submit your stories by June 31, 2024 either online or by posting offline.

The judge team consisting of our editors and some professional writers will pick a shortlist (入围名单) of entries, and the three best stories in each category will be posted online at on our website on August 1, 2024.

You can vote for your favourite, and the one with the most votes will win the top prize. Voting will close on November 30, 2024 and the winning entries will be published on December 31, 2024.

1. What is a qualifying story according to the rules?

A．A story which is original.	B．A story of over 300 words.
C．A story that has won some awards.	D．A story with personal information.

2. What prize can a boy aged 17 win if he takes second place?

A．As much as £250.	B．A branded tablet.
C．A £200 book voucher.	D．A £100 book voucher.

3. Who will finally determine the winners?

A．Editors.

B．Voters.

C．The judge team.

D．Professional writers.