1 . By drawing patterns on the surface of a cup of tea, chabaixi, an ancient Chinese tea trick displayed in a recent TV drama, has gone viral for its apparent similarity with modern latte art (咖啡拉花艺术). However, ten years ago, this distinctive technique was close to disappearing completely. Zhang Zhifeng, a practitioner of chabaixi, found scenes of chabaixi in the drama aroused great interest among ordinary people.
Chabaixi can create endless patterns such as bamboos and mountains or even calligraphy. There are over a dozen steps, from grinding (碾碎) tea for fine powder, to pouring boiled water, stirring the mixture for thick froth, and finally drawing the patterns. It is different from making latte because people use clear water as the object to put into the cup instead of milk. But when the water touches the surface of whipped (搅打起泡沫的) tea, it turns into a white color and disappears in 20 minutes. The process before the drawing is known as the tea-making technique, diancha. The quality of diancha is crucial to whether patterns can be successfully produced later.
“Chabaixi is one of the countless forms of tea-making techniques in China. The importance of chabaixi is not only that this technique is unique in the world, but also it gives us a window into people’s lifestyle in the Song Dynasty, a period of time when leisure activities in some ways resemble what we have now,” Zhang said.
Before chabaixi was discovered by TV audiences, the technique was listed as part of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, after it was recovered by Zhang Zhifeng. He started researching the origins of chabaixi in the 1980s and brought the technique back in 2009 after decades of trials and practice. Zhang spent nearly 30 years studying and researching the origins and making of tea, but for him it was all worthwhile.
“This technique is key to the tea culture of the Song Dynasty, and it would be a shame to let it fade. This technique must be passed on to the next generations so they can understand its history,” Zhang said.
1. What do the underlined words “gone viral” probably mean?| A．Received good protection. | B．Maintained highly competitive. |
| C．Started declining gradually. | D．Become popular quickly. |
| A．It is painted with whipped milk. |
| B．It involves complicated tea-making skills. |
| C．It mainly describes beautiful scenery. |
| D．It develops based on latte art. |
| A．The significance of chabaixi. | B．The uniqueness of chabaixi. |
| C．The origin of chabaixi. | D．The development of chabaixi. |
| A．He teaches people the tea culture of the Song Dynasty. |
| B．He is leading young generations to innovate chabaixi. |
| C．He is committed to developing chabaixi through media. |
| D．He encourages people to pass on the technique of chabaixi. |
2 . It is that time of the year, when a handful of world’s leading scholars, social activists and researchers are rewarded with what is often cited as the most prestigious acknowledgement of human effort-the Nobel Prize. Here’s a look at who has won the prize and for what.
Physiology or Medicine
Swedish geneticist Svante Peabo won the first Nobel of the year, for starting the field of ancient DNA studies. He is well-known for extracting, sequencing, and analyzing ancient DNA from Neanderthal bones.
Physics
Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger’s work in quantum (量子) technology landed them the second Nobel Prize announced in 2022. Although Aspect is from France, Clauser from the U.S, and Zeilinger from Austria, the three separately performed “groundbreaking experiments” as one team. “Their results have cleared the way for new technology,” the committee stated.
Chemistry
The Nobel Prize for chemistry went to another trio, Carolyn R. Bertozzi from the U.S., Morten Meldal from Denmark and K. Barry Sharpless from the U.S. “for the development of click chemistry and biorthogonal chemistry,” the committee stated. Dr. Bertozzi is the eighth woman chemist to be awarded the prize, while Dr. Sharpless is the fifth scientist to be awarded two Nobel Prizes.
Economics
The Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to three American economists, Ben S. Bernanke, Douglas W. Diamond and Philip H. Dybvig “for research on banks and financial crises,” the Nobel Prize committee announced on Monday. By studying the history of American economics, particularly the Great Depression of the 1930s,they improved how we understand the role of banks during times of hardship and the bank’s impact on societal functions.
1. What prize is related to the research with bones?| A．Physiology. | B．Chemistry. | C．Physics. | D．Economics. |
| A．About societal functions. | B．About the history of America. |
| C．About banks and financial crises. | D．About the Great Depression of the 1930s. |
| A．Their winners are from different countries. | B．They have three winners. |
| C．They improve new technology. | D．They help people understand hardship. |
3 . Communication Tips
Here are some suggestions about making your talk with your parents turn out for the best.
Be honest.
If you’re always honest, your parents will be likely to believe what you say. If you sometimes hide the truth, parents will have a harder time to believe what you tell them.
Be brave and start talking.
It’s easy to say “Hi, Mum” or “Dad, can you pass the potatoes?”
If you have a disagreement, can you consider things from your parents’ points of view? If you can, telling your parents you understand their views and feelings helps them be willing to understand yours, too.
Try not to argue.
Using a friendly and respectful tone makes your parents more likely to listen to you and take what you say seriously.
What if it doesn’t work? If you still can’t talk to your parents, seek other adults’ help.
| A．Explain your situation. |
| B．Try to understand them. |
| C．If you lie, they’ll find it hard to trust you. |
| D．Parents are the most important people in your life. |
| E．But it can be harder to start talking about personal topics. |
| F．It also makes it more likely that they’ll talk to you in the same way. |
| G．Find a relative or a teacher who will listen to, understand and care about you. |
4 . The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was established in 1958, which has many famous tourist attractions.
Shapotou, Zhongwei
Shapotou scenic zone, 16 kilometers west of Zhongwei County in the northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, has become a must-see for tourists who visit Ningxia. Wang Wei, a famous poet in ancient China, recorded the beauty of Shapotou in a poem on a mission to the frontier.
The park has many activities on offer, which include drifting on the Yellow River and sliding from a sand dune.
Scenic Spot Level: AAAAA
Ideal Sightseeing Season: May to early October
Ticket Price: 80 yuan ($11.7)
Half Price:
①Minors between the ages of 7 and 18;
②Full-time university bachelor or junior degree students with a registered student ID card.
Shahu Lake, Shizuishan
Shahu Lake, one of the top 10 destinations for holidays in Shizuishan city, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Northwest China, is surrounded by large marshlands(沼泽) and desert, and is known as the “pearl of the desert” along the Silk Road. The location of the 1995 movie A Chinese Odyssey attracts many visitors.
Scenic Spot Level: AAAAA
Ideal Sightseeing Season: May to early October
Ticket Price: 50 yuan ($7.32)
Half Price:
①Minors between the ages of 7 and 18;
②Full-time university bachelor or junior degree students with a registered student ID card.
Mingcui Lake National Wetland Park, Yinchuan
Nfingcui Lake National Wetland Park is perhaps the best ecological wetland in China. It is the first national wetland park of the Yellow River Basin. The first established and expanding water and land sports base in the northwest integrates outdoor training, science education, leisure and fishing.
Scenic Spot Level: AAAAA
Ideal Sightseeing Season: March to May
Ticket Price: 40 yuan ($5.9)
HalfPrice: Full-time university bachelor or junior degree students with a registered student ID card.
Zhenbeipu Western Film Studio, Yinchuan
Zhenbeipu Western Film Studio, located in Yinchuan city, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, has produced many world-famous films, one of which is Zhang Yimou’s Red Sorghum.
Zhenbeipu functioned as a frontier in the Ming Dynasty, but today, the studio has become a tourism destination fully integrating sightseeing, entertainment, relaxation, dining and shopping.
Scenic Spot Level: AAAAA
Ideal Sightseeing Season: Late April to early October
Ticket Price: 80 yuan ($11.7)
Half Price: Full-time university bachelor or junior degree students with a roistered student ID card.
1. How much should a couple with a full-time university bachelor pay for travelling to Shapotou?| A．80 yuan. | B．120 yuan. | C．160 yuan. | D．200 yuan. |
| A．Shapotou, Zhongwei. |
| B．Shahu Lake, Shizuishan. |
| C．Mingcui Lake National Wetland Park, Yinchuan. |
| D．Zhenbeipu Western Film Studio, Yinchuan. |
| A．A research paper. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A science journal. | D．A geography textbook. |
5 . In 2013, Gabby Frost founded Buddy Project when she was 15. At that time her best friend had been diagnosed (诊断) with a mental health condition, and that was the first time she was made aware of what mental illness was. She wanted to learn more and develop a good support system for her.
Mental illness affects tens of millions of people in the United States each year, yet only half receive treatment, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Buddy Project’s website says the service is not a substitute for therapy or other types of mental health care, and that it directs people to resources for further help.
Since founding the organization as a high school student, Frost has helped more than 200,000 participants find a new friend. On the day when Buddy Project was launched, she used her powerful social media presence to attract nearly 3,000 participants. “This was around the time when teens really began talking about mental health and found a supportive community online to talk about it,” she said.
One of the biggest social barriers she had to jump over was that people didn’t view her seriously because she was a 15-year-old girl, and even now, she’s still a young woman. “Sometimes it’s frustrating because people don’t think what I do is needed or they don’t think I’m professional,” she said. “Most people are blown away that a 20-year-old girl is running this and that it’s one person doing this but not a whole team. I’m just lucky that I’ve found a support system that has been able to help my mum and me with the project.”
1. Why did Gabby Frost set up Buddy Project?| A．To treat her mental disease. |
| B．To know what causes mental illness. |
| C．To help her friend to fight the mental disease. |
| D．To cure those with mental illness. |
| A．Americans pay little attention to mental health. |
| B．Many Americans have trouble with mental health. |
| C．Buddy Project provides financial aid for patients. |
| D．Buddy Project can cure those with mental illness. |
| A．She couldn’t get support from her mother. |
| B．She couldn’t help so many patients at a time. |
| C．She wasn’t able to attract enough participants. |
| D．She wasn’t thought well of because of her age. |
| A．Completely defeated. | B．Totally convinced. |
| C．Strongly impressed. | D．Fully satisfied. |
6 . I was never very neat while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but my always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Overtime, Kate got neater and I got my merriser. She moved to push my dirty clothing over and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
Who broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! why under my bed!” Suddenly I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up. She quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, crying. Obviously. that was something she could not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bad. Cleaned the suckers and swept the floor even on her side. I got so absorbed into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching. Her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. What made Kate so angry one evening?| A．She couldn’t find her books. |
| B．She heard the writer shouting loud. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill. |
| D．She saw the writer’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| A．Because she was scared by Kate’s anger. |
| B．Because she hated herself for being so messy. |
| C．Because she wanted to show her care. |
| D．Because she was asked by Kate to do so. |
| A．By analyzing courses. |
| B．By showing differences. |
| C．By describing a process. |
| D．By following time order. |
| A．My Friend Kate. |
| B．Hard Work Pays off. |
| C．How to Be Organized? |
| D．Learning to Be Roommates. |
7 . Ranjan and Summer were good friends. They went to the same school and were in the same class.
Ranjan was not strong. He could not play football or other games with boys of his age. All that he did was to watch Summer and other boys play. He usually went with them to the playground. When they ran off to play, he would sit under a tree and read storybooks. Books became his best friends. The reading made him successful in all the exams. He always stood first in the class.
Summer was tall and strong. He spent most of his time running, swimming or riding bicycles. He was an extremely good player in every game. He was a member of the school’s football team and cricket team. The PE teacher thought he would make it big in the game when he grew up.
One day, the two friends went for a walk. Ranjan got tired soon. “I have no strength. What is the use of all this knowledge if I am not healthy? I would give away all my knowledge if I could be half as healthy and strong as you,” said Ranjan.
Summer was surprised and replied, “So you are not happy with yourself too? I always wished I could have done as well as you did in the studies. I even thought I could have given away my sporting skills for better grades in those exams.” The two friends looked at each other and cried out at the same time. “The grass looks greener on the other side of the hill.”
1. What did Ranjan usually do when he went to the playground with Summer?| A．He studied for the exams. |
| B．He played with his friend. |
| C．He read his favorite books. |
| D．He took care of the clothes. |
| A．Summer was very tall. |
| B．Summer was very strong. |
| C．Summer was good at doing sports. |
| D．Summer spent a lot of time playing sports. |
| A．Ranjan was proud of his knowledge. |
| B．Summer was unhappy with his studies. |
| C．Summer could do as well as Ranjan did in the studies. |
| D．Ranjan and Summer decided to learn from each other. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Nobody knows his own advantages. |
| C．Grass usually appears greener in faraway places. |
| D．We always want something better and feel unhappy. |
8 . A British friend told me he couldn’t understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds (嗑瓜子) as a snack so much. “I’ve met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth, I believe that’s from cracking the seeds,” he said.
I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware. I realized that whenever I’m watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn’t like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so much just to get one small seed.
When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go door-to-door on Chinese New Year’s Eve to check out what every family was making.
I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. Out in the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with fancy tablecloth, ready-made dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds. Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then.
I don’t think it’s right to criticize (批评) one’s choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem.
It’s not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins your breath. They think it’s delicious, and it’s connected to their certain culture. I think it’s a wonderful tradition.
1. Why can the British friend not understand when he found Chinese love eating sunflower seeds?| A．Because the seeds are too hard to crack. |
| B．Because he thinks they are harmful to teeth. |
| C．Because he doesn’t think the seeds are worth eating. |
| D．Because he doesn’t think the seeds are good. |
| A．The families get together for it. | B．Children can eat delicious food on that day. |
| C．The traditions of celebrating it disappear. | D．Eating sunflower seeds is related to it. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Negative. | C．Understandable. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Eating habits come from a certain culture. |
| B．It is good to form healthy eating habits. |
| C．Changing your eating habits will change your life. |
| D．One kind of food doesn’t necessarily suit everyone. |
9 . People will tell you the only way to really learn a language is to completely immerse(浸入)yourself in a country where that language is spoken. Not all language learners, of course, will have the opportunity to spend some time in an immersion environment. But if you can't actually fly across the world to learn a new language, you can always create an immersion environment where you can talk to native speakers.
That's where Babbel comes in. Babbel is one of the most popular language learning apps on the market for studying new languages at your own pace. The app emphasises real-life conversational skills, so you won't be stopped by grammatical structures and verb patterns.
And right now, you can get 15%off a lifetime subscription (订阅)to Babbel Language Learning（$150; stacksocial. com）.A lifetime subscription is huge when it comes to getting the most out of the app, since you'll be able to return to lessons time and time again and brush up on whichever section or topic you might need.
So how does it all work? First, you'll choose one of the 14 languages. While Babbel offers familiar languages like Spanish and Italian, it also offers less commonly studied ones like Polish, Indonesian and more. Once you pick your language, you'll choose a wide range of real-life topics. Each course takes about 10 to 15 minutes, so you can pick one up on the way to work, during your lunch break, or really at any point you have some time to kill.
Beyond this, Babbel includes a ton of additional features tailored to making sure you learn the language in a real, practical and accurate way. The app uses speech recognition technology to make sure your pronunciation is accurate compared with how native speakers would say certain words.
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly tell us?| A．The terrifying experiences of travelling. | B．The importance of language learning environment. |
| C．Different ways to learn a new language. | D．Opportunities to communicate with native speakers. |
| A．It's a tool for learning languages. | B．It is designed in various types. |
| C．It focuses more on grammar structures. | D．It's the most popular app in the market. |
| A．Choose the place to learn a course. | B．Pick the language they want to learn. |
| C．Calculate the reading time. | D．Choose a proper topic. |
| A．To represent its additional features. | B．To meet the needs of native speakers. |
| C．To compare differences between words. | D．To make the pronunciation correct. |
10 . Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in Chinese calendar. The festival typically involves family getting together to share mooncakes while watching the moon. Typical Chinese mooncakes are round in shape, and measure around 10 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm in thickness. Most mooncakes consist of a thin tender skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling.
Above all, full preparations should be made, including materials such as dough (生面团), flour, water, sugar and vegetable oil, and fillings—lotus seed paste (莲子蓉) and eggs.
Mix together all the materials to get a dough.
Next, separate the egg yolks from the whites and salt the steamed yolks. While the oven is preheating to 180 degrees Celsius, roll the lotus paste and the dough into small balls.
Then, shape up with each consisting of a dough wrapper, one ball of lotus paste, and one half of a salted egg yolk. Make a hole in a ball of lotus and put the yolk inside. Similarly, cover the lotus ball (with the yolk inside) with a wrapper.
Remember to wait to eat the mooncakes for two days when they will be soft and also look shiny.
| A．A mooncake ball is made. |
| B．Prepare the salted egg yolks. |
| C．Finally, put all mooncakes into the oven. |
| D．Flatten each piece of dough into a thin wrapper. |
| E．There're many stories about mooncakes and Chang'e. |
| F．Mooncakes are the must-eat food for the Mid-Autumn Festival. |
| G．Covered with plastic wrap, it should be set aside for at least 3 hours. |
