1 . I’m a strong believer in learning different languages, which makes you look incredibly good when you’re in a foreign country and can understand and speak the language. The following are 4 apps that will help you learn a foreign language! You can download them for free.
Babbel
Babbel’s lessons are mainly quiz-styled and use audio, pictures and words to help you with the grammar and vocabulary of your chosen language. It helps you use most of the skills needed to learn a language. Your skills are improved by carrying out different tasks, such as completing sentences with missing words, translating, placing words in order and so on.
FluentU
FluentU takes native language content like music videos, news and inspiring talks and turns them into language learning lessons. The videos all make use of interactive (交互的) subtitles (字幕) to ensure understanding, allow users to save material for later review, and make the experience more enjoyable. Clicking on a word or phrase brings up extra information, including example sentences and other video clips that use the language item.
Tandem
Rather than have you work through tasks and memorise different things, the app matches you up with people who share your interests but speak the language you want to learn. You can then have text, voice and video conversations with people to learn their native language, and in return they can learn yours, all by simply communicating with each other.
Busuu
This app is perfect if you want to learn English. There are all sorts of audio and visual learning aids. You’ll find yourself working through interactive tests and learning tools for the vocabulary and dialogue.
1. Which app suits you best if you want to learn through communication?| A．Babbel. | B．FluentU. | C．Tandem. | D．Busuu. |
| A．They cover all languages. | B．They focus on grammar. |
| C．They contain many tests. | D．They are free to download. |
| A．To sell apps to language learners. | B．To teach languages through apps. |
| C．To introduce language learning apps. | D．To teach language learners to use apps. |
2 . Are you fond of watching films? Does the colorful, natural, or spectacular scenery in the films attract you to travel to their locations? Although many films nowadays use many special effects, most scenes are captured in natural places, which can create lasting impressions on audiences. We have selected four beautiful film locations in China. Check them out!
Xixi National Wetland Park & If You Are the One
Lying in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province, less than 5 kilometers from West Lake, Xixi National Wetland Park covers a total area of 11.5 square kilometers. It has rich ecological resources, beautiful natural scenery, and profound culture. Rivers, ponds, and lakes make up over 70 percent of the park, which is China’s first national wetland park integrating (合并) urban, agricultural, and cultural wetlands.
Great Bamboo Sea of China & Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Great Bamboo Sea of China, commonly known as the Anji Bamboo Sea, is a national 4A-level tourism attraction dominated by Moso bamboo forests located in Anji county, Huzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province. It has been recognized as the largest ecological leisure and tourism area featuring bamboo culture in southeastern China.
Moso bamboo grows all over the mountains in the scenic area, creating a magnificent landscape. The largest bamboo stalk (茎), which has been exhibited at the National Agricultural Exhibition Center, has a diameter of 17 centimeters, with most stalks having a diameter of more than 10 centimeters.
Kaiping Diaolou Cultural Tourism Area & Let the Bullets Fly
Located to the southwest of the Pearl River Delta in South China’s Guangdong province, Kaiping Diaolou Cultural Tourism Area is a well-known scenic spot that also serves as a base for scientific education. The magnificent and distinctive gardens, traditional and simple folk houses, and the diaolou (a multi-story folk residence) complexly joined with Chinese and Western architectural forms are wonderfully integrated with the surrounding mountains and rivers, ponds, farms, and rice fields in the tourism area.
With a long history and profound cultural resources, Kaiping Diaolou was on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007.
Wulong Karst Tourism Area & Curse of the Golden Flower
Wulong Karst Tourism Area, located in Chongqing’s Wulong district, has unique karst landscapes including three sections and also impresses visitors with distinctive folk customs of the Tujia, Miao, and Mulam ethnic groups.
The Three Natural Bridges in Wulong is a rare geological wonder of typical karst landforms and is home to three magnificent natural limestone arch bridges. They span the Yangshuihe Canyon in parallel and connect the mountains on both sides, forming an unusual landscape of “three bridges sandwiched by two pits”.
1. Who will be most interested in the places above according to the text?| A．Cyclists and tourists. | B．Film fans and outdoor enthusiasts. |
| C．Actors and geologists. | D．Educators and writers. |
| A．It offers a well-known scenic spot. |
| B．It provides wonderful Western architectural forms. |
| C．It is a rare geological wonder of typical land-forms. |
| D．It was on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007. |
| A．They are open to special events. |
| B．They enjoy convenient transportation. |
| C．They offer unique and spectacular scenery. |
| D．They are located in the same part of China. |
3 . Empathy (同理心) is one of those strange qualities — something almost everyone wants, but few know how to truly give or receive it. In a world where self-satisfaction is emphasized, it is in short supply but high demand. This is all the more reason to teach the next generation what it means to have empathy for those around them.
What Is Empathy? — Many people confuse sympathy and empathy, but they are two distinct values. Empathy is not just the ability to understand someone's feelings; criminals often take advantage of people by appearing to understand their feelings and subsequently gaining their trust. Empathy is more than that. Not only is it the ability to recognize how someone feels, but it also values and respects the feelings of another person. It means treating others with kindness, dignity, and understanding.
Kids Need To See Adults Show Empathy — While some children are gifted with naturally kind hearts, in most cases kids need to see empathy modeled by the adults around them. It begins with the way parents relate to their children. Parents who show an interest in the things that matter to their kids and respond to emotions in a positive and caring way are teaching the skill of empathy.
Meet Emotional Needs — When children have their emotional needs met, two things happen. They learn how to meet the emotional needs of others and they are anchored in what they are receiving, meaning that they are secure enough to give to others when the need arises but first they need to receive. An empty jug cannot fill a cup.
It's a good idea to talk to kids about emotions and how other people experience them. Give their emotions names (for example, jealousy, anger, and love) and teach them that these are normal. Talk to them about how to handle emotions in a positive way and point out situations where other people are experiencing emotions. Teach them about respecting the emotions of others and show them how to act in a situation where a response is required.
1. Why is it that the next generation are taught to have empathy?| A．Because people tend to center themselves. | B．Because everyone lacks empathy. |
| C．Because empathy is a strange quality. | D．Because it's better to give than to receive. |
| A．When a mathematician is calculating the area of a farmland. |
| B．When a teacher is comforting a student about his failure in exams. |
| C．When a criminal is cheating a victim. |
| D．When a dancer is dancing to music. |
| A．An empty jug is too small to hold a cup. |
| B．It's a must to talk to kids about emotions. |
| C．Adults should set an example to kids. |
| D．Kids give empathy with their emotional needs met first. |
| A．How to train kids to have empathy. |
| B．How to distinguish sympathy and empathy. |
| C．How to help kids finish empathy-related tasks. |
| D．Whether kids can be trained to be more empathetic. |
4 . Virtual Cooking Class
| Private 1: 1 Pasta（意大利面食）Class with Nonna Nerina $400 $-600 |  |
In this 2-hour live private one-on-one online experience, you will connect with 87-year-old Italian Nonna Nerina and her granddaughter Chiara as they walk you through a mouth-watering cooking experience of one of their favorite family recipes（食谱）in the comfort of your own home—without any other guests other than you!
Once you book this class, we will reach out to you to coordinate（协调）the best time and date that works for you, Chiara and Nonna Nerina. And a week before your class, you will receive a shopping list of ingredients（原料）to buy and a link to an Amazon storefront for any tool that you may need to cook with. Not to worry—we keep it simple, you probably already have all the things that you need in your kitchen!
You will discuss with Chiara about recipes and pasta choices, select the one that you are most excited about and then decide on all the details together for a magical experience.
Each recipe that we cook will be from our own family going back generations and we will send you some of our favorite wine pairing suggestions if you are really interested!
To become the cook you have always wanted to be, please join us every week for more classes and more fun by sending your email to NonnaLive@nonnalive.com!
1. What can we know about the private course?| A．It is held in an Italian family. |
| B．It is offering a discount at present. |
| C．It is given by Nonna Nerina alone. |
| D．It is a chance to learn magic. |
| A．Share your favorite recipe and pasta. |
| B．Invite the guests to join the class. |
| C．Get something necessary ready for it. |
| D．Do cleaning to keep your kitchen in order. |
| A．By writing an e-mail. |
| B．By making a phone call. |
| C．By visiting Chiara in person. |
| D．By leaving a message on the website. |
5 . Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生),” said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “I think by 2075 we will see it and that’s a conservative estimate(保守的估计).”
At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology(纳米技术) make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what was possible in the past. “There is a great effort so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.”
However, many scientists who specialize in aging are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live. “It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know; could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life?” said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre. “At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all.”
1. By saying“we are knocking at the door of immortality”,Michael Zey means_________.| A．they have got some ideas about living forever |
| B．they believe that there is no limit of living |
| C．they are able to make people live past the present life span |
| D．they are sure to find the truth about long living |
| A．the human body is designed to last past about 120 years |
| B．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future |
| C．it is still doubtful how long humans can live |
| D．people can live from 120 to 180 |
| A．a great effort |
| B．the conservative estimate |
| C．the idea of living from 200 to 300 years |
| D．the idea of living beyond the present life span |
| A．No Limit for Human Life |
| B．Living Longer or not |
| C．Science,Technology and Long Living |
| D．Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living |
6 . Smart Home Products for Living a Connected Life
What makes something a smart home product? Generally, it’s defined by its ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network, allowing users to interact（互动）with it from their smartphones.We’ve rounded up some cool, diverse offerings that you’ll love to have in your home.
Nest Cam IQ
walmart.com
$299.00
The Nest Cam IQ is a beautifully designed home security camera that can recognize faces. It can warn you if there’s a stranger in your home. The device also supports two-way communication via built-in microphones and a powerful speaker.
Logitech Harmony Elite
amazon.com
$249.99
The Logitech Harmony Elite is one of the best universal remote controls available on the market. It can control just about every piece of electronics you own（it supports over 270，000 devices！）in every room of your house or apartment, including TVs，streaming devices, and sound systems.
Apple HomePod
bhphotovideo.com
$349.00
The Apple HomePod has better audio quality than any other smart speaker available today. Available in white or space gray, the Siri-powered device also allows you to control a number of devices with your voice.
August Smart Lock Pro
amazon.com
$279.99
The August Smart Lock Pro is compatible（兼容的）with most locks. A mobile app allows you to manage access to the lock, check its usage history, and get informed when someone opens the door. You can control it and check on the state of your door with voice commands.
1. What can the Nest Cam IQ help you do？| A．Properly use your smartphone camera |
| B．Control electronics with your voice. |
| C．Check the locks of your house. |
| D．Keep your home safe. |
| A．Nest Cam IQ. |
| B．Apple HomePod. |
| C．August Smart Lock Pro. |
| D．Logitech Harmony Elite. |
| A．Technology. |
| B．News. |
| C．Society. |
| D．Education. |
