【推荐1】After-hours Events in 2021

Join us after hours for a special programme of unique events throughout 2021 at Shakespeare’s Birthplace. When the crowds have left and our beautiful buildings are quiet, we invite you to try something different.

The Art of Design with Lee Lapthorne — 9 September

Join artist Lee Lapthorne for a private evening when he will show two pieces of furniture inspired by our collections and discuss his process of reinventing pieces of furniture to create something new.

Venue (举办地点): The Shakespeare Centre

Poetry with Punch — 8 October

Come and meet Matt Windle, the “Poet with Punch” and Birmingham’s Poet Laureate 2016-2018 for a unique workshop, full of tips and advice to help you get your poetry moving. Suitable for beginners, this workshop will get you thinking about taking the next steps to create writing!

Tickets: £10 per adult

Venue: The Shakespeare Centre

Over Throne — 9 November

The frequent changing of rulers is nothing new. Join us for an evening of performance and discussion as we take a look at the bad rulers that were overthrown in Shakespeare’s plays. This is hosted by our Senior Lecturer in Shakespeare Studies, Dr. Anjna Chouhan.

Tickets: £10 per adult

Venue: The Shakespeare Centre

Herbs for Health — 12 December

Growing in the Hall’s Croft garden are the secret recipes to natural good health. Find out more about the medicine used by the Tudors that still influences our well-being (康乐) today. Using herbs and sharing recipes, you will learn the theories behind natural medicine. Reserve your spot before availability.

Tickets: £10 per adult

Venue: Hall’s Croft

1. When can you see the reinvented furniture?

A．On 9 September.

B．On 8 October.

C．On 9 November.

D．On 12 December.

2. What can you do if you attend the event hosted by Chouhan?

A．Enjoy a performance.

B．Learn to be a lecturer.

C．Visit the Hall’s Croft garden.

D．Perform in Shakespeare’s plays.

3. Which event do you need to book in advance?

A．Poetry with Punch.

B．Herbs for Health.

C．Over Throne.

D．The Art of Design with Lee Lapthorne.

【推荐3】Travel experts across the globe publish much-anticipated lists that aim to excite readers about upcoming travel trends. Here is a 2018 list that urges travelers to explore new cities, try new food, experience new cultures and gain new views.

Chile

This long, skinny slice of South America successfully packs a powerful punch, with strange charms in Valparaiso, excellent wine in the Maipo Valley and diverse landscapes across the Arcadian Desert, Chilean Patagonia and Easter Island.

Flying is the most convenient way to get around, but flights are not cheap. Buses are more wallet-friendly, and Chile’s bus system is efficient, but bus journeys can easily take 17 to 36 hours.

Montenegro

The country’s coastline is its best feature, and its winding coastal roads and mountain-meets-ocean scenery create the perfect background for a road trip. Sleepy seaside towns along the Bay of Kotor are home to mom-and-pop restaurants and elegant hotels, while the walled city of Koror offers views of the classic red rooftops of the Adriatic.

Madagascar

Madagascar，the world’s fourth-largest island one of the most biodiverse (生物多样的) places on the planet, has been rapidly affected by climate change.

Visiting the country can serve as an educational opportunity for travelers who want to understand the bad effects of global warming and irresponsible human actions, Some can’t-miss experiences in Madagascar include swimming and snorkeling around Nosy Be, spotting lemurs (狐猴) in Ranomafana National Park, admiring the rocky landscapes of Isalo National Park and a sunset walk along the Avenue of the Baobabs.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE

After 10 years of planning and nearly $2 billion in costs, the Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 11, 2017. Now, lovers of art and architecture are racing to the United Arab Emirates’ capital to sec its newest feat of modern design - the product of French architect Jean Nouvel. The Louvre Abu Dhabi’s slogan, “see humanity in a new light”, draws attention to the museum^ mission to emphasize the commonalities and celebrate the differences between Eastern and Western art.

While in Abu Dhabi, travelers can also check out the city’s other famous architectural wonder - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - which was rated the worlds second-best landmark in TripAdvisor’s 2017 Travelers’ Choice Awards.

1. Which of the following is a disadvantage of travelling by bus in Chile?

A．It is very expensive.

B．It may not help you save time,

C．Buses don’t run at busy hours.

D．Buses are always very crowded.

2. What do you know about travelling in Madagascar from the passage?

A．If$ much cheaper lo go around by bus than by plane.

B．You can take a good trip along the beautiful coastal roads.

C．You can learn more about the impacts of climate change,

D．It’s a good chance to sec green mountains and red rooftops.

3. If you are interested in art and architecture, you can travel to ________.

A．Chile	B．Montenegro
C．Madagascar	D．Abu Dhabi, the UAE

【推荐1】What do you do for fun in your spare time? Do you like reading? Do you often go to a book store? There is a store that is so different from others.

The World’s Smallest Bookstore, whose official name is just these three words, sits quietly about 100 miles northeast of Toronto.

The bookstore is about 10 feet by 10 feet, so it is easy to imagine how tiny it really is. The bookstore is open 24 hours a day. Inside the bookstore are various books, especially literary books and classic authors’ works. So if you are looking for something less popular, you may get a bit disappointed there.

Another special feature of this bookstore is that each book only costs three dollars. All the expenses are paid on the honor system, which means buyers should make a note of what they’ve bought and leave their money by themselves. So the tools of the trade in this bookstore are quite simple: pens, papers, light bulbs and a label-maker.

In order to catch passers-by’s attention, the billboards (广告牌) of the bookstore are several times bigger than the store itself. With these large eye-catchers, many people are willing to stop by and have a visit.

1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．A strange way of selling books.

B．The popular bookstores in the world.

C．The world’s smallest bookstore.

D．The popular books nowadays.

2. Which of the following books might you most probably get in the store?

A．Books on less popular science.

B．Books on economic control.

C．The year book of a university.

D．Literary books.

3. How could you buy a book from the store?

A．Choose the book(s) and leave the money there.

B．Pay on the net and then get the book(s) in the store.

C．The salesman will help you find the book.

D．The salesman will get the money for the book.

【推荐3】

GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell ¥25 (in bookstores) ¥18 (online) Gone With the Wind is a best-seller, which tells a story that happened in the American Civil War. Scarlett O’Hara is a woman in the story who is full of energy. She is strong and saves her family but is very selfish at the same time.

A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett ¥18.3 (online) Motherless Sara Crewe was sent home from India to school at Miss Minchin’s. Her father was very rich and she lived a rich and comfortable life. Then her father died and Sara lost everything. She had to learn to do with her changed life. She fought successfully against poverty (贫穷) and the scorn (嘲笑) of her fellows. It’s an excellent book with 4 tapes for children.

PETER PAN by J.M Barrie ¥15 (in bookstores) ¥12 (online) It is a children’s story full of imagination and adventures, which is about Wendy, John, and Michael Darling’s adventures in Never—Never Land with Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up. The children are happy and lovely. (with 2 tapes)

UNCLE TOM’S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe ¥20 (in bookstores) The most famous novel in American history, Uncle Tom’s Cabin talked about the struggle between free states and slave states during the American Civil War and is as powerful today as when it first came out 150 years ago.

THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett ¥35 (in bookstores) ¥30 (online) Mary Lennox, a sickly orphan (孤儿), finds herself in her uncle’s dark house. Why are so many rooms locked? Why is one of the gardens locked? And what is that crying she hears at night? Through the power of hope, friendship, and the magic (魔法) of nature, the brave girl brings the house and a long-lost garden back to life.

1. All of the following books have children as their main characters (主角) except ________.

A．PETER PAN	B．GONE WITH THE WIND
C．A LITTLE PRINCESS	D．THE SECRET GARDEN

2. We can know from the passage that ________.

A．there are only three books with tapes

B．we can buy 5 kinds of the above books in bookstores

C．two of the above books are written by Frances Hodgson Burnett

D．THE SECRET GARDEN is ¥5 cheaper in bookstores than online

3. Which of the following about the books is mentioned in this passage?

A．What Sara did to help her fellows.

B．Why Peter Pan wouldn’t grow up.

C．What kind of woman Scarlett is.

D．How Marry Lennox came into her uncle’s house.

【推荐1】If you’re one of those people who like to use apps to kill time, you’re not alone. Here are some apps for you to try out and have fun.

Duolingo

Learning a foreign language doesn’t always mean you have to sit in a class and take endless exams. An app named Duolingo has been designed to help you memorize new words and grammar in creative ways, such as online lessons, games, and interesting exercises. For example, you can practice what you’ve learned by working on translations of real-world texts from other websites. Other Duolingo users can then rate these translations and pick out the best one.

Douban FM

There is no playlist on Douban FM — songs just keep playing one by one. You can use the “heart” “trash” and “skip” buttons to mark the songs you like, don’t like and want to cut short, respectively (分别地). Those marked with a heart will be stored in another list as your favorites for you to tune in to anytime you want.

Flipboard

It is one of the hottest news apps right now. As US TV host Oprah Winfrey explained, with Flipboard, “you can find fresh ideas about living your best life, flip (翻动) through photos, discover a recipe to make tonight, get expert advice, and be inspired by quote collections.”

That might not sound much different from a regular magazine or newspaper. But the difference with Flipboard is that you can make everything personal to you. All you have to do is open up the app, “flip through” to select whatever interests you, and click the “+” button.

At the end you’ll have your own magazine, complete with a front page, news articles, and information.

1. What is Duolingo mainly used for?

A．Playing online games.	B．Body-building exercises.
C．Learning foreign languages.	D．Prạcticing translation skills.

2. What kind of songs does the “trash” button refer to?

A．Songs you like.	B．Songs you dislike.
C．Songs you want to cut short.	D．Songs you want to keep in the list.

3. In what way is Flipboard different from a regular magazine or newspaper?

A．It provides fresh ideas.	B．It helps discover a good recipe.
C．Users can get expert advice from it.	D．Users can make a personal magazine with it.

【推荐2】For generations, young people all over the world have taken an interest in social justice and found the courage to fight for their own rights and the rights of others. Here are four inspiring middle grade books that prove you’re never too young to stand up for what you believe in and make a difference.

This series follows 11-year-old Parvana, who lives under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. When her father is arrested and her family is left without someone who can work or even shop for food, Parvana, forbidden to earn money as a girl, disguises herself as a boy to help her family survive. The Breadwinner is an empowering tale with a sharp and brave heroine.

Stella lives in the separated south in 1932. Out, late one night, wandering around, Stella and her brother witness a Klu Klux Klan activity, starting an unwelcome chain of events in her otherwise sleepy town. With a compelling and courageous voice, Stella tells the story of how she and her community ban together against racism and injustice.

When Julian is sent to stay with his disinterested aunt and uncle for four months, he discovers that his Uncle’s corporation plans to cut down a group of redwood trees at Big Tree Grove and decides to take a stand to save the trees. Perfect for the young environmentalists in your life, Operation Redwood is an adventurous tale as Julian and his friends hatch scheme after scheme to save these giants of nature.

For more mature readers, this unforgettable autobiography tells the true story of Nujood Ali, a ten-year-old Yemeni girl married off at a young age, who decides to resist her abusive husband and get a divorce. A moving tale of tragedy, triumph, and courage, Nujood’s brave resistance has inspired generations of women and young girls.

1. What is the purpose of the four books?

A．To call for people to find the courage.

B．To show the definition of social justice.

C．To inspire young people to make a difference.

D．To prove young people can fight for the rights.

2. Who might be interested in the book Operation Redwood?

A．An adult who shows interest in human nature.

B．A college student who majors in human rights.

C．A middle school student who is interested in science.

D．A high school student who wants to protect the environment.

3. Which book is adapted from a real story?

A．I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced.	B．Stella by Starlight.
C．The Breadwinner Trilogy.	D．Operation Redwood.