A Chinese dance drama, Li Bai has become popular on social media platforms (媒体平台) abroad recently. Millions of people outside of China have watched it.
This is not the first time that a symphony orchestra (管弦交响乐队) and traditional Chinese music have been put together. Two other great dance dramas, Confucius and Princess Zhaojun, were also arranged (安排) this way. The musicians believe that this is the best way to introduce Chinese music and culture to the world.
Li Bai has gotten many likes from people around the world. Someone described it as “beautiful and interesting”, while another said, “It was amazing!”
The dance drama shows a few important moments of Li Bai’s life. It helps people understand him better as a persistent (坚持不懈的) and brave person. People may also know that Li Bai is a man with talent. Although the dance drama doesn’t tell a 100% true story, it does introduce a true Li Bai to the world.
More importantly, Li Bai does not only show the beauty of Chinese music and culture, it also tells the world that we are not that different. No matter which part of the world we come from, we are all human beings and share the same feelings when we see beautiful things. As Hu Yang, the actor playing Li Bai, said, “Each person has their own Li Bai.”
1. What two things did the team behind Li Bai put together?2. How many other dance dramas were arranged like Li Bai?
3. Who has given the dance drama Li Bai many likes?
4. What kind of person is Li Bai according to the passage?
5. Does the dance drama Li Bai show the beauty of Chinese music or culture?
Life today moves faster than ever before. Thanks to technology, the speed of people’s life has increased over the past century. Time-saving inventions, like e-mail and ATM, have made daily work more efficient (有效率的). People today need speed. A recent CNN survey shows that sixty percent of Americans say they won’t wait longer than 15 minutes for food or service. A popular restaurant in Japan is very special. Its customers have to pay by time spent at table, not by what they eat!
Unluckily, studies show that life’s hurried pace (步伐) produces stress and leads to health problems. An online survey (调查) at sina. com showed that fifty-six percent of people in China usually feel short of time. They are always busy and feel nervous all the time. Maybe people need to take time to slow down and smell the roses.
However, whether you enjoy speed or prefer a slower pace, it’s easy to be amazed at the speed of our life. And with tomorrow’s technology, it will probably get even faster.
1. ________ has made the speed of people’s life increase so quickly.| A．Pressure | B．Work | C．Technology | D．Pleasure |
| A．much happiness | B．health problems | C．time to relax | D．much laziness |
| A．Its customers have to pay less money if they eat more food there. |
| B．Its customers have to pay more money if they eat more food there. |
| C．Its customers have to pay less money if they spend more time eating there. |
| D．Its customers have to pay more money if they spend more time eating there. |
| A．People all over the world don’t need speed nowadays. |
| B．No Americans mind waiting for food or service for long. |
| C．Time-saving inventions have made daily work more efficient. |
| D．An online survey at sina. com showed all Chinese feel short of time. |
| A．People will never feel nervous all the time. |
| B．People won’t feel surprised at how fast life moves. |
| C．People will slow down their life’s hurried pace to relax. |
| D．The speed of people’s life will get even faster in the future. |
The earth is our home. We must take care of it. Life today is easier but there are some new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious. With the fast growing of people, man is slowly polluting the whole world. In other words, the more people, the more pollution. Pollution is beginning to harm our health and even our life.
Many countries don’t let people burn anything bad for air in houses and factories in the city. Pollution by SO2 is now the most dangerous pollution. It’s partly caused by heavy traffic. People say it’s best to ride bicycles. When you are riding, there is no pollution.
Plastic has been one of the most used products in the world. But it is dangerous for plant, human and animal life. When people don’t know what to do with plastic bags, they drop them into the ocean. Instead, we can use paper bags and bottles which are made of environment-friendly materials.
The most important thing to know about plastic bags is that they will take millions of years to decompose (分解). Environmentalists have been encouraging people to stop the use of plastic bags almost in every country. It would be very helpful if more and more people make this world a better place with the help of recycling and not using plastic bags.
| Problem: | Pollution | |
| Reason: | People | |
| Result: | Pollution is | |
| Kinds: | Air pollution | Reasons: 1. Burning something bad. 2. Heavy traffic Pollution by SO2 is a |
| Advice: 1. Don’t burn something bad. 2. It’s best to ride bicycles because there is no pollution. | ||
| Plastic pollution | Reason: 1. Plastic bags. Plastic is widely used in the world, but people don’t know how to | |
| Advice: 1. Stop the use of plastic bags. 2. Use paper bags while shopping. 3. Carry on the | ||
4 . Many people attend physical exercise every day. For the first time in recent 10 years, the United States government has changed its guidance（指导）on how much exercise people need to stay healthy and when they should start.
The new guidance says that children as young as 3 years old need to exercise. Earlier guidance used to begin at the age of 6. Dr. Girior says that the most important time for children to begin exercising is between 3 and 5. He notes that boys and girls in this age group need at least three hours of activities every day.
Doctors say it is important to begin at a young age. They add that from the birth to the age of 5, a child’s brain develops more than at any other time in life. These developments have a lasting effect on a child’s ability to learn and to succeed in study and in life. As for children between 6 and 17, at least one hour a day.
For adults, the suggested time for exercise remains the same — 150 minutes per week. However, those people who are over the age of 65 should include activities that help their balance. Better balance means fewer falls and less chances of injury.
Many people are excited and satisfied with this guidance. But some find that it has changed nothing about the dangers of sitting too much. Because there are still lots of people who sit too much every day. It is harmful and can even undo（破坏）the benefits of exercise you may have gotten. Because of that, let’s sit less and start young.
1. What is the difference of the new guidance from the old?| A．The time people should spend on their study. |
| B．The subject people should take. |
| C．The age of children should begin to exercise. |
| D．The activities people should do. |
| A．three | B．seven | C．fifteen | D．twenty-one |
| A．Because they have more free time to play. |
| B．Because they can learn things very fast. |
| C．Because their parents expect them to attend them. |
| D．Because they are helpful for their study and life in the future. |
| A．reduce the risk of falls and injure | B．have a good sleep at night |
| C．never fall and injure while exercising | D．fall and injure easily than before |
| A．don’t want to take exercise | B．works in the office |
| C．don’t work anymore | D．believe taking too much exercise is harmful |
5 . You pick up your phone and look at it, and the screen unlocks (解锁) right away. The phone knows who you are. It recognizes the shape of your face. This kind of face recognition technology is called Face ID. Nothing has been more simple, natural and effortless.
Actually, your face isn’t the only part of your body you can use as a password (密码). Many smartphones already accept fingerprints. Other systems check the shape of the ear, patterns in the eye, or the way a person walks. All of these are special enough to say who you are. People like using body parts as the password because it’s easy and convenient. Besides, it’s also usually very safe. It’s hard to make another person’s body parts, isn’t it? However, it is not impossible. The face may be one of the easiest body parts to copy. Most teenagers put plenty of their own photos online. These could help some bad people easily hack into a system of their phone like Face ID.
There is one more thing that worries experts. It would be easy for someone else to hold your phone in front of your face to unlock it. For example, your brother may unlock your phone against your will and see something you don’t want to show him. Some people don’t worry about that. It’s just so cool to be able to unlock a phone with a quick look.
What do you think? Is facial recognition a good thing, or are you worried about its safety?
1. How many kinds of body parts can be used as a password?| A．Four. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Seven. |
| A．Many phones can be unlocked by recognizing fingerprints. |
| B．Many experts worries about Face ID technology. |
| C．The disadvantages of face recognition technology. |
| D．The shape of your ear is special enough to say who you are. |
| A．the face recognition technology being safe |
| B．teenagers sharing their photos online |
| C．using our body parts as the password |
| D．copying another person’s body parts |
| A．侵入 | B．改善 | C．退出 | D．保护 |
| A．Good ways to keep your phones safe | B．Technology called Face ID is impossible |
| C．Face recognition: safe or not | D．Face recognition a perfect technology |
6 . China has grown and developed a lot over the years. Many people worked hard to make this happen. To show respect for them, the country awarded 42 people, including both Chinese citizens and foreigners. Eight people received the Medal of the Republic, six foreigners received the Friendship Medals, and 28 people received the National Honorary Titles. Let’s meet some of them!
Yuan Longping, 89, agriculturalist
He is the “Father of Hybrid Rice”. Its output is much greater than common rice. His study helped Chinese people have enough food.
Tu Youyou, 89, pharmacologist(药理学家)
She found artemisinin and won the 2015 Nobel Prize. People use artemisinin to save thousands of lives every year.
Ye Peijian, 74, aerospace engineer
He is the one of the most outstanding scientists in China’s space program. He played a key role in lunar probe mission.
Guo Lanying, 89, opera singer
You probably know her famous song My motherland. She has a beautiful voice. She is an expert in music arts.
1. Our country awarded ________ people with the Medal of the Republic.| A．forty-two | B．twenty-eight | C．eight | D．six |
| A．贡献 | B．产量 | C．成就 | D．作品 |
| A．Yuan Longping. | B．Tu Youyou. | C．Ye Peijian. | D．Guo Lanying. |
| A．scientist | B．engineer | C．doctor | D．musician |
| A．from news | B．in stories | C．from ads | D．in novels |
7 . Peking Opera is a traditional form of Chinese culture. In Peking Opera, each character has their face painted in a specific(特定的)way. By looking at the face painting, the audience can know who the good guy is and who the bad guy is.
Where did this kind of face painting come from? An old story told us that it had something to do with the Prince of Lanling. This prince was one of the four most handsome men in ancient China. Some soldiers in the prince’s army thought that he was weak because of his good-looking face. So, to make himself look more powerful, the prince wore a mask with an ugly face painted on it.
Another story about face painting was related to Li Longji, an emperor in the Tang Dynasty. He loved opera very much. One day, a clown actor(丑角)fell ill right before a performance. The emperor decided to play this role himself. He covered his face with a piece of white square jade(玉)so that others wouldn’t be able to recognize(认出)him. Ever since then, clown actors have continued to paint white squares on their faces.
As time went on, face painting started being used to show the personality of different roles. It has become one of the many special art forms of Peking Opera.
1. The Prince of Lanling wore a mask because he wanted to ______.| A．hide his good looks | B．look much stronger |
| C．frighten his soldiers | D．learn face painting |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．jobs | B．hobbies | C．habits | D．characters |
| A．The art of face painting | B．Chinese traditional art forms |
| C．The history of Peking Opera | D．Different actors in Peking Opera |
8 . Everybody, Smile! Let’s Take a Photo
Take a look at these funny photos! A happy lion, a cute fish and two fighting kangaroos. They made the judges of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards laugh!
The closing date for entering this competition is June 30. The judges have received thousands of photos from around the world. They have posted some of their favourite ones online to attract more people to send in their photos.
In 2015, two Englishmen, Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, started the competition. They wanted to show people the lighter side of wildlife photography and help to save wild animals through the use of humour. Each year, the competition supports a different animal charity. This year, it is helping to save wild orangutans(红毛猩猩)in Indonesia.
“To save animals, we need people to fall in love with them,” said Paul, “These photos show us the lovely and funny side of the animals in our natural world!”
1. How many kinds of animals are mentioned in the text?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．get more photos | B．fall in love with them |
| C．make people laugh | D．learn about animals |
| A．keep money for future use | B．keep ... safe |
| C．build a garden for | D．do some collecting |
| A．teacher | B．painter | C．zookeeper | D．photographer |
In early spring, the changing temperature usually makes a number of Chinese people uncomfortable. Cold air, bringing rain or even snow, easily tears up the warmth of the spring within a night(一夜之间).
However, with the coming of Guyu—the Grain(谷物) Rain, the blue sky and gentle winds would finally stay. Falling usually on or around April 20 every year, Guyu is the sixth of the 24 solar terms(节气). It means the beginning of a lively summer and people get busy from now on.
Sow(播种) grains
This is an important period of the growth of grains. The ancient Chinese already knew that as Guyu comes, the weather will become warm enough for sowing. The farmers usually catch the chance to plant rice, corn and beans.
Hope for safety and harvest
For those living near the sea, they will hold some ceremonies(仪式) on Guyu, hoping for safety as well as harvest during the coming fishing season.
Watch the peony(牡丹)
It’s also a great time to enjoy the peony, which is known as “the Queen of All Flowers” in Chinese culture. As a result, watching peonies becomes one of the most enjoyable activities for many. The flower is said to be the favourite of Empress(女皇) Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, who was the only woman ruler in Chinese history.
Pick tea leaves
Tea leaves picked before Guyu are among the best tea leaves. People believe that the tea leaves picked on the day of Guyu can make eyes clear and drive away bad luck. So the habit of drinking tea at this time of year has become a tradition in some places of China.
1. When does Guyu usually come every year?2. Why is Guyu an important time for sowing grains?
3. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
4. List(列举) activities on Guyu according to the passage (at least two).
5. Give a proper title to the passage.
10 . The Internet is a great place to meet new people and find information. However, it’s important to pay attention to the information you share and the people you communicate with online. Here is some advice on how to stay safe.
Think before you post
It’s fun to share photos with your friends, but don’t post photos of yourself where strangers can see them. Check your privacy settings. Make sure that only your friends can see your information or photos.
Protect your personal information
We use passwords to enter a lot of websites, and we often need to register (注册) at those sites, using personal information. But be careful! There are people online who want to steal your personal information. So, make sure you don’t share your passwords with anyone. What’s more, choose passwords carefully and change them often.
Think twice before you communicate with strangers
There are a lot of great people communicating on the Internet. However, some people online are not so nice. If you receive e-mails from someone you don’t know, think carefully before you reply. And if someone invites you to meet somewhere, tell your parents about it before you make a decision.
Be careful when you open attachments
Someone you won’t know might send you an e-mail with an attachment (附件) that has a computer virus (病毒). A virus can cause all kinds of trouble. It can stop your computer from working. Or it might make it work very slowly. So never open a file(文件) or message from someone you don’t know! Be safe by hitting “Delete” instead.
So have fun when you use the Internet. But remember to stay safe!
| Some advice on how to stay safe online | |
| Think before you post | Check your privacy settings. Make sure |
| Don’t tell your passwords to others. Choose passwords carefully and | |
| Think twice before you communicate with strangers | Think carefully before you |
| Be careful when you open attachments | Be careful of a computer virus. Delete a file or message from someone you don’t know |
