1 . While many people will turn to computer programs to help kickstart their child’s brain, there are also TV shows for young children. They will learn without realizing it!
WordGirl
This show, which first ran on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), is perfect for children who could use help to expand their vocabulary. The show follows a young superhero as she protects Fair City while also subtly teaching children how to use new words.
Arthur
This show started back in 1996 and it is still going on today. PBS has a great track record with children’s shows and Arthur is probably their finest work. This shows Arthur and his friends as they learn all about the world around them. The show touches on important themes of family, friendship, and education. Over the years there have been some famous actors on the show as well — Matt Damon, Art Garfunkel, Joan Rivers and more.
Dinosaur Train
Kids love dinosaurs and that’s just a fact. Let your children learn about our ancient friends with this lovable, exciting, and educational TV show. The computer-generated imagery (CGI) is well done and the colors pop off the screen. The show follows along as a steam train travels through time in order to soak in each era of dino-life, teaching us along the way.
Nature
Nature does a great job teaching children about the world around them. This show was first started in 1982 and it is still running on PBS to this day. Kids will learn everything there is to know about nature all over the world. Nurture your child’s fascination with the environment and the world will be better for it!
1. Which of the shows has featured some superstars?| A．WordGirl. | B．Arthur. | C．Dinosaur Train. | D．Nature. |
| A．By following a young superhero. |
| B．By watching a show started in 1996. |
| C．By following the journey of a steam train. |
| D．By observing the environment around them. |
| A．They are useful for social skills. | B．They are educational to children. |
| C．They are available on the same channel. | D．They are good for parent-child relationship. |
2 . Stuck inside his room at an assisted-living center, Bob Coleman knew he could not go out in public with the coronavirus spreading. But he could still connect with others by sharing his love for country music over the internet.
“Hello, everybody. It’s a bright day in Franklin, Tennessee,” he said into his microphone. “This is Bob Coleman, better known as the Karaoke Cowboy, coming to you from Room 3325. Let’s just jump right into it.”
Then Coleman began to play the music he loves — hits from country music stars like Hank Williams, Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley. The 88-year-old carefully chooses each song.
Coleman is a resident of Somerby Franklin, an assisted-living center about 32 kilometers south of Nashville. He formerly served in the United States Air Force. He and several other retirees have turned into disc jockeys, or DJs, for a new online radio hour known as “Radio Recliner (摇椅电台)”. The 60-minute show was launched last month, starting with retirees in middle Tennessee. It has since expanded, with residents of assisted-living centers in Georgia and Alabama taking part in the project. Many jumped at the chance to work as a DJ to ease the loneliness of social distancing rules.
A Georgia and Alabama-based marketing company called Luckie came up with the idea of Radio Recliner. One of its clients is Bridge Senior Living, which operates more than 20 centers for older adults in 14 states.
The volunteer DJs record themselves on their phones. The audio is then sent off to audio production specialists who deal with the technical side of Radio Recliner.
New shows appear weekdays at 12 o'clock. Listeners can send song requests in honor of family or friends.
Mitch Bennett is Luckie’s chief creative officer. He says the idea was to provide a sense of community to older people who have been spending a lot of time alone. “For this generation, radio was the original social media,” Bennett said. “Dedicating a song to someone you love, and having them hear it along with everyone else, is a special way of connecting. It’s a great time to bring that feeling back.”
I’m Caty Weaver.
1. Which of the following words can best describe Bob Coleman?| A．Optimistic. | B．Pessimistic. |
| C．Cautious. | D．Stubborn. |
| A．Country music. | B．Rock music. |
| C．Pop music. | D．Classical music. |
| A．To offer a platform for the music lovers to share their songs. |
| B．To provide a chance for older people to work as a DJ. |
| C．To give people an opportunity to send song requests. |
| D．To offer lonely older people a sense of community. |
| A．Bob Coleman. | B．Audio production specialists. |
| C．Mitch Bennett. | D．Caty Weaver. |
3 . Can red TV dramas awaken a strong desire in young people to learn about China’s revolutionary history? The answer is yes. Chinese TV drama Awakening Age, which narrates the story of how the Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded in 1921, ended several months ago, but it remains a hot topic on social media, where discussion shows that it has played a positive role in educating young people about China’s revolutionary history.
The TV series celebrating this year’s 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC has won high praise online. The stories of the young people in the drama — who gave everything, even their lives, to the revolution — have touched a large number of viewers. The storytelling in the show has also been hailed by viewers for successfully showing the depth of the CPC’s history and spirit, as well as the warmth of China and every family in the country.
Many audiences were inspired to find background information about the series and commented that this is their first time to voluntarily learn the history about the founding of the Party and the country. “I read many of Lu Xun’s novels such as A Madman’s Diary when I was in elementary school, but I couldn’t understand why he wrote them or the angry feelings hiding in the characters. After watching the drama, I read these novels again and found that I can now understand what they wanted to convey to readers,” said Li Lin, a 29-year-old viewer.
Some school teachers have been showing video clips from the series in classes to arouse students’ interest in the time period and help them learn more about history. A junior high school teacher from Taiyuan, in north China’s Shanxi Province, said that this has proven effective as some students told her after class that the show had left a strong impression on them.
1. What can we know about Awakening Age according to paragraph 1?| A．It inspired many students to join the CPC. | B．It described the establishment of the CPC. |
| C．Many famous actors starred in the drama. | D．It reached the most viewers among TV series. |
| A．Recorded | B．Recalled | C．Proven | D．Praised |
| A．A firm decision to be a good writer. | B．The strong desire to be a CPC member. |
| C．A better understanding of related literature works. | D．The determination to be a successful actor. |
| A．Instructive and touching. | B．Historical and delightful. |
| C．Informative and entertaining. | D．Imaginative and inspiring. |
4 . Television will turn 85 years old on September 7, 2012, and it has never looked better. In its youth, television was a piece of furniture with a tiny, round screen showing unclear pictures of low-budget programs. In spite of its shortcomings, it became popular. Between 1950 and 1963, the number of American families with a television jumped from 9% to 92% of the population.
As the audience got larger, the technology got better. Television sets became more reliable through the 1960s. The reception improved. The picture improved. The major networks started broadcasting programs in color.
Even greater improvements were coming according to Sanford Brown, who wrote an article for the Post in 1967. Surprisingly, just about every prediction he made in the article became a reality. For example: All sets in the not-distant future will be color instruments. He also predicted that TV sets would become smaller, simpler, more reliable and less expensive and may forever put the TV repairman out of work. Smaller sets do not, of course, mean smaller screens. TV engineers expect screens to get much bigger. However, today’s 3-D TV is even farther away, if it’s coming at all. There is some doubt whether the public would be eager to pay for it, in view of people’s cold reception given to 3-D movies.
But the technology with the greatest potential, according to Brown, was cable television, which was still in its early stages then. As he predicted, the future of cable television was highly interactive. It wasn’t cable television that gave Americans their electronic connection to the world, however. It was the Internet. He even foresaw the future office: using picture phones, big-screen televisions for conferences, and computers providing information at the touch of a button.
Brown ever said, “The future of television is no longer a question of what we can invent. It’s a question of what we want.”
1. What can we infer about television sets in the 1960s?| A．They showed black-and-white pictures. | B．The reception showed no improvement. |
| C．They were very popular with Americans. | D．They were out of order now and then. |
| A．less expensive. | B．more complex. | C．cheap to repair. | D．larger and larger. |
| A．Television’s good quality. | B．The future office’s model. |
| C．The invention of 3-D TV. | D．The potential of cable TV. |
| A．The shortcomings of television. | B．The development of television. |
| C．The bright future of television. | D．The invention of television. |
5 . Do you remember what happened on Sponge Bob Square Pants yesterday? The day before? If so, you may be in need of a TV timeout!
Kids today are watching more TV than they watched before, researchers say. Kids ages 6 to 11 in the United States watch more than three hours of TV each day. Ten years ago, children watched only about two hours and 40 minutes of TV each day.
Why the increase? Experts say more TV shows today are focused, or aimed, at kids.
Some people want to limit kids' TV time. Researchers say that children who watch TV shows for more than three hours a day do not do as well in school. However, some programs can help kids learn. One example is BrainSurge. Some people say the show teaches kids facts.
How do you know whether a TV show can make you smart? Think about what you learn from watching, says Aletha Huston. She is a TV expert. But, she warns, don't spend too much time watching. “Limit the amount you watch. Get off the couch and do something else.”
TV Guide
This pie chart shows how long kids ages 6－11 use different types of TV technology each week.
1. What is the main idea of the text?
| A．Kids today watch more TV than they did before. |
| B．BrainSurge helps kids learn facts. |
| C．Kids do not watch proper TV shows. |
| D．More TV shows today are created for kids ages 6－11. |
| A．unusual | B．aimed | C．suitable | D．pleasant |
| A．Three. | B．Five. | C．Four. | D．Six. |
| A．Video games | B．DVD | C．VCR | D．TV |
6 . One of the most popular street food found in China is no doubt the barbecue. A new program, called Chinese Barbecue, tells the story of this popular food cooked over hot coals on just about every street corner in cities and towns across the country. Barbecued meat is an important part of people’s nightlife.
Shown on June 20, the program has had more than 25 million clicks on the video site bilibili.com. To find the most popular barbecue stalls (摊位), the production team travelled to more than 500 locations in 30 cities across the country. Some viewers compare Chinese Barbecue to Midnight Diner, a Japanese TV program telling stories from late night informal Japanese bars.
“I’m happy to hear this comparison because Midnight Diner is a good program, and we share the same topic― night food,” Chinese Barbecue’s director Chen Yingjie said. “However, they are quite different.” He said that Midnight Diner focused more on food itself, though there was some conversation while people were eating. However, the night food scene of Chinese people means joy and a more lively atmosphere. People eating these barbecue snacks develop a feeling of connection, which can be a cure for loneliness.
The barbecue, regarded as the most ordinary and common night street snack, is different from home-made food by mothers as that is a symbol of family and kinship. The barbecue is where you go to become connected to people in society. And unlike official business lunches, during which people are rather polite, the barbecue lets people relax with old friends and new friends, leaving a lasting impression of friendship.
The world, as a whole, holds deep-rooted good feelings toward the barbecue, either for the taste or the warmth produced by fire. “What we should do is to present the Chinese barbecue just the way it is because with its special ingredients(食材)，ways of cooking and more importantly, the special environment and people, the world will recognize it and might fall in love with it just as we do.” said Chen.
1. What do we know about Chinese Barbecue?| A．It has been becoming very popular on the Internet. |
| B．It is thought highly of by most of the foreign tourists. |
| C．It mainly talks about the most famous Chinese food. |
| D．It shows the colorful nightlife in large cities of China. |
| A．It showed more kinds of food. | B．It focused more on the diners. |
| C．It showed the eating habits. | D．It was less popular than Midnight Diner. |
| A．The importance of the barbecue to family. | B．The influence of the barbecue on people’s manners. |
| C．The influence of the barbecue on people’s lifestyle. | D．The role of the barbecue in people’s relationship. |
| A．To show the feature of Chinese food. | B．To research a special way of cooking. |
| C．To help the world understand China. | D．To introduce the history of the barbecue. |
| 12:25a.m Tuesday | The Real Swiss Robinson Family Laura worried that her children have had their life too easy due to her husband’s career in big business, so she decides to take her teenagers to the Cook Islands to experience the simple life. They face storms and a lack of food, but Laura is happy as their local guide shows them the island’s wealth of rare fruits and foods. |
| 11:00a.m Wednesday | A team have come across an armed man who is holding two baby chimps who were trapped. One of them, David, is sent to a medical emergency in the forest. Later a center director, Nielsen, finds a suitable place to set free more rescued animals. |
| 7:50p.m Thursday | Lost Building of Britain Simon Thurley visits the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey(修道院), which ,before its destruction by Henry VIII, was famous for some of the most amazing stained glasses of its age. It also had a great deal of financial power, acting as the center of an influential business empire. |
1. Why is Laura worried?
| A．Because life on the Cook Islands is too simple. |
| B．Because her husband faces difficulties in his business. |
| C．Because storms are approaching her hometown. |
| D．Because her children may not know how to cherish(珍惜) life. |
| A．7:50 p.m Thursday |
| B．11:00 p.m on Wednesday |
| C．11:00 a.m on Wednesday |
| D．12:25 a.m on Tuesday |
| A．David is a farmer |
| B．Henry VIII set up a business empire in the Abbey |
| C．Nielsen is an animal-lover |
| D．Glastonbury Abbey is famous today for its stained-glass |
8 . There are probably no people on Earth who like to gossip as much as the British. If prying into (打探) other’s lives were an Olympic sport, then Team GB would surely take the gold medal.
And when the British can’t watch the lives of real people, they have another source of entertainment to fall back on — the soap opera. British soap operas are very different to US TV dramas. For one, they are normally longer running. The two most popular, Coronation Street and East-enders, have been running for 48 and 24 years respectively. Both are broadcast several times a week, so remarkably there have been more than 7,000 episodes of Coronation Street.
The most obvious difference is that, unlike US dramas, the British soap operas focus on the real world. There is little glamour (魅力), the stars are rarely rich, and they normally have boring jobs. Perhaps the appeal is that the lives of the characters often mirror the lives of the audience — but with some drama added. This means the viewer can relate to the characters and feel the pain and happiness they go through on the show.
Because these soap operas last for decades, the cast is ever changing. The shows rarely focus on one or two main characters. Like the real world, people come and go all the time. However, there are exceptions. Coronation Street’s William Roach, 76, has played the role of Ken Barlow since the very first episode of the show in 1960, and he is still a regular.
The choice of which soap opera you follow is often cultural: People from the north of British tend to watch Coronation Street as it is set in Manchester. People from the south generally prefer East-enders, which is set in the east of London. The show is generally considered grittier and is aimed at a younger audience.
1. What is the main difference between American dramas and British soap operas?| A．American dramas are longer. |
| B．British soap operas are longer. |
| C．American dramas deal with dangerous things. |
| D．British soap operas deal with real people. |
| A．They can find their own life from the operas. |
| B．They can enjoy the operas in their free time. |
| C．They can watch the operas for many years. |
| D．They care about the fate of the characters in the operas. |
| A．plays |
| B．pages |
| C．issues |
| D．parts |
| A．the characters play the same role for a long time. |
| B．the characters in the play often change |
| C．people don’t know what will happen next |
| D．there is only one or two characters in them |
