Stop motion movies
Stop motion is a special type of movie-making. It uses real objects—instead of drawings—to tell a story. The story characters can be people, animals, or even everyday objects. You can make them out of clay (橡皮泥) or just use some small toys.
Give it a try, and be creative! Get your parents and friends together and show your film!
| YOU WILL NEED | |
Make up short story. Make sure it has a beginning, middle and end. Then write down your story. Pick a place where you’re going to shoot the movie. Make sure you’ll have enough room to take pictures. Collect or make the characters you’ll need for your movie, then prepare any backdrops (背景幕布) (Even a piece of cloth will work). | *A smart phone or camera that shoots videos *A support with three legs used for the phone or camera *Your imagination and a story to tell *Characters (Use action figures (动态木偶), toys, etc., or make some with clay) *A good place to shoot a movie *Whatever else you need for your story |
Set up your first shot (拍摄). Put your characters and props (道具) at the right place for your first scene. Keep your “movie camera” steady (稳定的) and in the same place. Repeat the step above over and over and over until you complete your story. | |
1. Stop motion is a special way to make________.
| A．characters | B．movies | C．props | D．backdrops |
| A．real objects | B．drawings | C．real people | D．real animals |
| A．To shoot a movie. | B．To make characters. |
| C．To support the backdrops. | D．To keep the phone or camera steady. |
| A．how to make a movie | B．how to tell a story |
| C．how to pick a place | D．how to set up your first shot |
| A．adults | B．kids | C．parents | D．teachers |
The Chinese version of TikTok, called Douyin(抖音), has amassed(积累) 400 million daily active users, parent company ByteDance revealed in its annual report this week. This is an impressive growth for the addictive(上瘾的) video app, which had 250 million daily active users in January last year.
The report, which describes the user behavior and trends, illustrates(表明) the cultural difference between China and the U.S., said Katherine Wu, an investor at New York-based firm Notation Capital. "Things that trend in these two countries are quite different. For example: knowledge-based content is extremely popular in China, and less so in the U.S. Also, this was wild to me: those creators that did the most dance videos in China are users born in the 60s (!!), whereas in the US, it seems that it's mostly teenagers who are creating the dances," she wrote.
ByteDance claimed (宣称) that Douyin has established itself as the largest knowledge, culture and art platform in China. (Douyin is only available in mainland China.) Indeed, 14.89 million "knowledge-based content videos" were shared on the app last year, it claimed.
1. According to the annual report, how many active users can Douyin amass in one day?| A．14.89 million | B．250 million | C．400 million | D．150 million |
| A．extremely popular | B．more popular than that in China |
| C．less popular than that in China | D．as popular as that in China |
| A．A Chinese woman who was born in the 60s. |
| B．An American woman who was born in the 60s. |
| C．A Chinese teenager who was born in the 90s. |
| D．An American teenager who was born in the 90s. |
| A．The Chinese version of TikTok is called ByteDance. |
| B．This app has become a knowledge, culture and art platform in China. |
| C．Teenagers in the U.S. are not active users on TikTok. |
| D．Douyin is available all over China. |
| A．An annual report of Douyin. | B．The Difference of Douyin in China and the U.S. |
| C．A Great App for people of 60s. | D．An Addictive App—Douyin. |
3 . Sharing Wall
| Dear readers, Where do you usually read books? Please share your ideas. Thank you! | |
In a tree. Perhaps it seems a little strange. But for me, it's really a good place. You can listen to the singing of birds and the green leaves around make you peaceful. David | At home. East or west, home is the best. Home is the warmest place in the world. You can lie on the sofa or just sit on the floor. Quietly, you can enjoy reading books like talking with good friends. Anna |
In the reading club. After reading a good book, maybe you can't wait to share it with your friends. It's really amazing to talk about a good book. Everyone has his own ideas about the book. You can learn more by sharing a book. Peter | In a coffee shop. The taste of coffee smells so nice! On sunny days, you can enjoy the sunshine through the window. On rainy days, you can listen to the sound of rain. Also, you can watch different people pass by. They may walk into your book and become part of it. Linda |
1. You can most probably see the sharing wall __________.
| A．in the reading club | B．at home |
| C．in a coffee shop. | D．in a tree |
| A．Anna | B．Linda | C．David | D．Peter |
| A．listen to the singing of birds |
| B．enjoy the sunshine or the sound of rain |
| C．talk about good books after reading them |
| D．lie on the sofa or sit on the floor |
| A．Peter thinks he can learn more by sharing a good book. |
| B．Anna enjoys reading at home. |
| C．David thinks a library is the best place to read books. |
| D．Home is the warmest place in the world. |
| A．where to borrow books | B．how to share books |
| C．how to make friends | D．where to read books |
4 . The opening of the Beijing—Zhangjiakou high-speed railway took place in December, 2019. The railway is a milestone in China’s railway development because it has used the latest technologies in railway building.
The railway is 174 kilometers long, with 10 stations. The stations are managed by one control center, which is described by China Railway Beijing Group — also known as CR Bejing — as an “intelligent (智能的) brain”. The center collects and shares the stations’ real-time information. “With the information, the workers in the center can control the stations’ lighting and temperature, monitor (监测) trains’ operation and deal with emergencies(紧急情况).” said Zhu Dianping, from CR Beiing.
Zhu said some trains on the Bejing—Zhangjiakou line are “smart” as they provide 5G signals and wireless charging (无线充电) for passengers, as well as intelligent lighting. These trains can start and stop, open and close doors, and deal with emergencies themselves.
All the ten stations provide e-ticket services. Travelers who have bought tickets online can use their ID cards instead of waiting in line for paper tickets.
At Qinghe Railway Station in Beijing, China’s first visual remote ticket vending machine (远程可视售票机) has been installed (安装) to help passengers who are not able to afford tickets online. Passengers keep in touch with the conductor through the machine and buy tickets according to video instructions.
In addition, the Badaling Great Wall Station, the deepest underground railway station in China, is another great example of the country’s achievements in railway building.
1. What does the word “milestone” mean in Chinese?| A．英石(重量单位) | B．垫脚石 | C．里程碑 | D．里程表 |
| A．CR Beijing | B．Railway Beijing Group | C．a railway station | D．an “intelligent brain” |
| A．Each station has a control center. |
| B．All the trains can start and stop themselves. |
| C．All the stations have visual remote ticket vending machines. |
| D．The Badaling Great Wall Station is the deepest underground railway station in China. |
| A．can buy cheaper tickets | B．needn’t wait in line for paper tickets |
| C．can only buy tickets online | D．can buy paper tickets |
| A．Fast and cheap. | B．Long and deep. | C．Smart and intelligent. | D．Expensive and steady. |
5 . How did people tell the time before clocks were invented?
At first, the ancient people looked up at the sun and could tell it was the middle of the day when the sun was directly overhead in the sky. They also knew when it was morning or evening.
Later, the Egyptians used sticks. These sticks measured (测量) time during the day. The sun shone on the tall stick and the stick made a shadow (阴影). As the sun moved across the sky, the position (位置) of the shadow changed. This would let people tell what time it was.
Over time, the Chinese first used sundials instead of shadow sticks. The sundial has a type of shadow stick on it. As the sun shines on it, a shadow appears on the numbers. Each number stands for an hour of the day. But sundials don't work at night or on a cloudy day! There are no shadows unless the sun is out.
Water clocks used water to measure time at night. Water dripped (滴落) slowly from one bowl into another. The level of the water in the bowls showed the time.
People also used sand-glasses. You may have seen one. Some games still use sand-glasses. The sand falls from the top of the sand-glasses to the bottom. It measures short amounts of the time. The more sand falls, the more time has passed. When the sand has finished falling, you have to turn the sand-glasses over.
1. At first, the ancient people told the time by looking at ________.| A．the stick | B．the shadow | C．the sun | D．the moon |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．sunny | B．rainy | C．cloudy | D．snowy |
| A．Sticks measured time in Egypt day and night. | B．Sundials were first used in ancient Egypt. |
| C．Sand-glasses usually measure a long time. | D．The water clock told the time by the water level in the bowls. |
| A．Something about sundials. | B．How to tell the time by looking at the sun. |
| C．How to tell the time in the past. | D．Some inventions in China. |
6 . Many children use the Internet to get useful knowledge(知识) and information, and to relax in their free time. But some of them are not using it in a good way. Here are some rules to make sure you are safe and have fun on the Internet.
◆Make rules for Internet use with your parents. For example, when you can go online, for how long and what activities you can do online.
◆Don't give your password(密码) to anyone else, and never give out the following information: your real name, home address, age, school, phone number or other personal information.
◆Check with your parents before giving out a credit(信用) card number.
◆Never send a photo of yourself to someone in e-mail unless(除非) your parents say it's OK.
◆Check with your parents before going into a chat(聊天) room. Different chat rooms have different rules and attract different kinds of people. You and your parents will want to make sure it's a right place for you.
◆Never agree to meet someone you met on the Internet without your parent's permission(允许). Never meet anyone you met online alone.
◆Always remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Treat (视为)everyone online as if they were strangers.
◆If something you see or read online makes you uncomfortable(不舒服), leave the site. Tell a parent or teacher right away.
◆Treat other people as you'd like to be treated. Never use bad language.
◆Remember—not everything you read on the Internet is true.
1. The writer tells children to ________.| A．send their own photos to him | B．make rules for Internet use with parents |
| C．believe everything they read on the Internet | D．give out their personal information |
| A．give password to others | B．get useful knowledge and information |
| C．give out a credit card number | D．go into a chat room as they'd like to |
| A．Using bad language | B．Sending messages and e-mails |
| C．Leaving the site if you feel uncomfortable | D．Treating everyone online as strangers |
| A．read anything on the Internet |
| B．relax in your free time |
| C．have a face-to-face meeting with anyone you met online |
| D．treat other people as you'd like to be treated |
| A．How to use computers | B．Surfing on the Internet |
| C．Information on the Internet | D．Internet safety rules |
7 . Songs about growing up
Thousands of songs about growing up are available (可得到的). They can always get a response (反应) from teenagers in some way. While listening to the songs, old or new, teenagers can always feel themselves or understand themselves.
a. Songs about being a teenager
Growing up isn't always easy. Teens always want to be independent, but parents have a hard time letting go. There can be moments of worry, uncertainty and even anger. Some songs speak of (2) those feelings and can help them get through this period.
b. Songs about(3)___________
As teenagers grow. They're likely looking toward the day when they'll be able to work hard to achieve their dreams. The Westlife's song I have a dream is well-known. The key lyrics (歌词) are "I have a dream, a song to sing. To help me cope (处理) with anything... You can take the future even if you fail". This song has encouraged so many teenagers to fight for their dreams.
c. Graduation songs
Graduation songs usually speak of the joy of this season of their life. These songs are perfect for graduation parties and get-togethers with friends. As they graduate, they can sing "Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten...".
When teenagers grow up, they find childhood is a bittersweet (苦乐参半的) time. (5) They've looked forward to the day for so many years and finally it is here. However, they may not be sure about whether they're ready for it. At this time, listening to songs about the sweet days of childhood can always make them relaxed.
1. What is the response from teenagers while they are listening to the songs?2. What does "those feeling" refer to?
3. Complete the subtitle (副标题) for "b".
4. What are graduation songs about according to the passage?
5. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
8 . Yun Siqi from Beijing is a 19-year-old young pianist（钢琴家). He started to learn the piano at age 4 and it has been his favourite hobby since then. Before that, he often heard his elder sister playing the violin and he loved the classical music she played. "I wanted to beat her in something and I chose the piano," Yun said.
At 4, several minutes of practice a day was enough. As Yum grew up, at ages 7 and 8, he had to practise for four hours a day. The time kept going up after Yun was 12. Now, he needs to practise at least seven hours every day. He sleeps for only five to six hours a day, but he is still full of energy(活力).
Yun never got tired of the piano. In fact, he had great fun playing it. "Music is my special luck, and it is a real enjoyment to be with it every day," he said.
Yun worked hard and soon he stood out. From 2013 to now, Yun shone at different music festivals, concerts and competitions. Yun said successes or failures（失败）were not important and they would not affect his understanding of music or his plan for the future. "If you lose, think carefully about it, and if you win, just work harder," the young pianist said "I still need to practise more to become better, to bring out the real beauty of classical music through the piano. It may take a lifetime."
1. Yun Siqi began to learn the piano in___________.| A．2003 | B．2005 | C．2007 | D．2009 |
| A．he was not able to play the violin |
| B．it was easy to learn to play the piano |
| C．he wanted to be better than his sister in something |
| D．his sister refused to play his favourite classical music |
| A．He lived a happy life at the age of 4. |
| B．He was not good at playing the piano. |
| C．He practises playing the piano very hard. |
| D．He doesn't have enough sleep but he is healthy. |
| A．允许 | B．维持 | C．放弃 | D．影响 |
| A．Yun played the piano really well. |
| B．Yun was tired of playing the piano. |
| C．Yun didn't think he needed more practice. |
| D．Yun said one should work harder if he lost. |
The Notting Hill is only a small area in west London, but the Notting Hill Carnival (诺丁山狂欢节) attracts millions of people from all over the world to have fun. The carnival is at the end of August each year, and the main days are Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday.
The festival started as a local West Indian event, but from a small procession (游行) through the streets of Notting Hill, it's a huge multi-cultural arts festival now. In fact, it is the largest street carnival (嘉年华会; 狂欢节) in Europe. Only the Rio Carnival in Brazil is bigger.
At the heart of the festival is a spectacular (壮观的) parade (游行). The carnival route (路线) is three miles long and hundreds of groups move along it. There's music, decorated floats, elaborated costurnes and dancing. There are also live stages where artists from all over the world perform, but there is a lot more to the festival than just music. There are 300 food stalls selling international food so you can't get hungry. There's theatre, arts and crafts, too.
You can sing and dance or you can just watch. But there's no need to be quiet.
You can buy whistles and blow them to make lots of noise! The Notting Hill Carnival welcomes visitors and tourists.
1. How often does the carnival take place?| A．Every August | B．Every two years. | C．Every month. | D．Every three years. |
| A．It was from a small music festival. | B．It was from a small Brazilian festival. |
| C．It was from a small West Indian event. | D．It was from a small national holiday. |
| A．面具 | B．水枪 | C．口哨 | D．荧光棒 |
①a small procession
②300 food stalls
③decorated floats
④music and dancing
| A．①②③ | B．①②③④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．The festival attracts many people all over the world. |
| B．The Carnival is on Saturday and Sunday. |
| C．People may enjoy Chinese food during the festival. |
| D．You can use whistles to make noise. |
Imagine mountains wrapped in silver water, shining in the spring sun. Summer sees the mountains turn bright green with growing rice. During autumn, these same mountains are gold, and in winter they are covered with white frost(霜). These are the colors of the Longji Rice Terraces(龙脊梯田).
These terraces were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people. Guangxi is home to them. Starting in the Yuan Dynasty, work on the terraces took hundreds of years until it was completed in the early Qing Dynasty.
So why did these people go to so much trouble to turn the mountains into terraces?
Firstly, there are few large and flat areas in the region they built terraces to have more areas to grow rice.
Secondly, although the region has plenty of rain, the mountains are1.steepand the soil is 2.shallow. The flat terraces catch the rainwater and prevent the soil from being washed away.
But perhaps what is most important is the way in which people have worked in harmony with(和谐相处) nature to make these terraces and grow rice. The terraces are cleverly designed with hundreds of waterways that connect with each other. The rainwater moves down the mountains and into the terraces along the waterways. 3.These terraces also provide a perfect environment for birds and fish, they feed on insects that can harm the rice crops.
Although modern technology could help produce more crops, these terraces still mean a lot to the local people for whom traditions hold much value. Today, the Longji Rice Terraces attract thousands of visitors every year.' They visit this great wonder created by people and nature working together.
1. How many reasons about turning the mountains into terraces are mentioned?
2. Guess the meanings of the underlined words in paragraph 5.
3. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
4. In what other ways do people live in harmony with nature? Give examples. (at least one)
5. Give a proper title to the passage.
