1 . If you have a chance to talk with a historical figure, who would you like it to be? What would you like to know about the past or share from today? China in the Classics, a new TV show based on Chinese classics started by China Central Television (CCTV) in February, is exploring such possibilities.

In the first episode, the host of the show, Sa Beining, meets ancient Confucian scholar Fu Sheng, who interpreted Shangshu — The Book of Documents. Regarded as one of the five classics of ancient Chinese Confucianism masterpieces, the book records many firsts in the country. Even the expression zhongguo (China) is used there first.

The episode ends with the host bringing Fu to today’s modern society, where the scholar is happy to find children learning the same things he had learned in his childhood. It increased the rating of the series with viewers giving it 9 out of 10 on Douban, a film and TV show reviewing website popular among young people.

The success of China in the Classics doesn’t surprise Shen Haixiong, head of the China Media Group. Shen said in an article in the journal Qiushi, “We are happy to see the program is popular among the public, but we are prouder to find that innovative interpretation of Chinese classics is arousing young people’s interest in Chinese culture.”

Therefore, TV channels have been making bold attempts in recent years to attract today’s younger generations. The Nation’s Greatest Treasures, CCTV’s cultural show in 2017, showcased China’s history and culture through antiques in the top-class museums, and fired up the audience. The treasures include the 3,300-year-old Yinxu Ruins in Henan Province and the 1,300-year-old Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.

CCTV should make a variety of programs showcasing classics and cultural traditions to appeal to the young generation’s aesthetics, said Zhou, a professor at the School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University.

1. Why is The Book of Documents mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To introduce a historical figure.	B．To inform us of the host.
C．To show the popularity of the show.	D．To describe a new TV show.

2. What is Shen Haixiong’s attitude towards the programme on Chinese classics?

A．Surprised.

B．Confused.

C．Satisfied.

D．Neutral.

3. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．Chinese treasures.	B．Another TV programme.
C．Yinxu Ruins in Henan.	D．Young Chinese audience.

4. Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．CCTV Produces Some Famous TV shows	B．TV Shows on Chinese Classics Grow Popular
C．Scholars Focus Attention on Chinese Classics	D．China in the Classics Fires up the Audience

2 . Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her life fighting for women to be treated equally. In doing so, she became an inspiring role model for women and girls around the world.

Her passion for women’s rights began when she was young. She started off her adult life having trouble finding a job. Even though she was smart, determined, and capable of doing the job, she was passed over primarily because she was a woman. She felt like she was being treated unfairly, or discriminated against, only because she was a woman. She wanted to do something about it. But at the time there were no laws in the United States to protect her.

She decided to devote her career to being a lawyer and fighting for equal rights of women. Then, early in her legal career, when she was 29 years old, Ms. Ginsburg took a trip to Sweden to perform legal research. What she saw really focused her on fighting for women in the workplace. Seeing the progress women had made in Sweden convinced her even more that America was behind and wrong in its treatment of women.

Back in the USA, laws advocating for women’s rights were missing. She decided that she would help invent laws, write them, and defend them. Ginsburg would also become a professor to help other women to become lawyers so that they could do the same thing. And then, in 1993, after years’ practicing and teaching laws, she became only the 2nd female justice of the Supreme Court.

At only 5'1" tall and as a generally quiet person, Ms. Ginsburg’s power came from her focus, her determination, and her integrity (诚实正直). She went on to become an inspiring role model for girls and women around the world and one of the most respected justices in history. She changed the lives of many women and girls in the United States and beyond.

1. Why did Ruth fail to get a job?

A．She was not an adult.	B．Women can not work by law.
C．She did something illegal.	D．She was treated unfairly.

2. What did Ruth do to fight for equal rights of women?

A．She performed legal research in Sweden.	B．She escaped from her motherland.
C．She consulted lawyers of Sweden.	D．She fought with the USA government.

3. Which one can be used to describe Ruth?

A．Optimistic.

B．Selfless.

C．Generous.

D．Determined.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Sweden—A Birthplace of Famous Lawyers

B．Ruth—A Supreme Fighter of Women’s Rights

C．A Famous Justice—A Pioneer of Americans’ Rights

D．The USA—A Country Fighting with Discrimination

3 . Top Tokyo Unique Experiences

Tsukiji Fish Market Visit

Take a closer look at the fascinating world of sushi, extending from the ocean to your plate, during this 4-hour sushi-making class and a visit to the outer Tsukiji fish market. Tour one of the world’s largest seafood markets with a guide as you learn how fish is caught, distributed and sold. Then turn your attention to sushi-making, learning to prepare nigiri sushi with the help of a sushi master. Finish your experience by enjoying your creations for lunch.

Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku

Seeking out the well-hidden back-path bars of Tokyo’s Shinjuku district is extremely tough for outsiders. But insights into local culture in this atmospheric part of the city deserve. You can easily access tiny bars with just a few seats if you are in a small group of no more than eight people. Among them, Izakaya bar boasts (以有……而自豪) its unique drinks and snacks, which help gain much reputation for it.

Musubi Home Cooking Class

Master the basics of home-cooked Japanese cuisine in a comfortable setting. Head to the instructor’s own home for hands-on cooking lessons and learn how to prepare a meal from scratch, with one main dish plus two sides. Choose from Japanese classics like deep-fried chicken or seaweed-wrapped sushi rolls, and partake in the time-honored art of cuisine in the capital—then dine on your home-prepared delicacies.

Asakusa Rickshaw Tour

Climb aboard a traditional Japanese rickshaw (人力车) for an unforgettable view of the Asakusa district in Tokyo. Your knowledgeable guide will lead you to some of Tokyo’s many landmarks, districts and temples while clarifying the history behind them all. Enjoy scenic views of maple and cherry trees, gardens and skyscrapers. And also explore the traditional business streets, where goods of fine quality will make you too delighted to be homesick.

1. What can visitors do in both Tsukiji Fish Market Visit and Musubi Home Cooking Class?

A．Explore a local market.	B．Enjoy tasty self-made food.
C．Take a fish cooking lesson.	D．Experience a fisherman’s life.

2. What’s your best choice if you love shopping?

A．Tsukiji Fish Market Visit.	B．Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku.
C．Musubi Home Cooking Class.	D．Asakusa Rickshaw Tour.

3. Where does the text probably come from?

A．A business magazine.	B．A geographical journal.
C．A travel website.	D．A cuisine book.

5 . Recently, I was admitted to hospital for surgery. To deal with the______of long days there, I brought my computer with me. My consistent strategy during such a hard time was______.

It’s not difficult to find words have played a large part in ______ me. Every time I’m under______I keep journals. They have always been the place where I can explore my inner self. Through putting innermost thoughts into words, I can be______ of what is going wrong and finally ______the problem. Of course, I then feel relieved and cheerful. Writing is actually a______ process.

Apart from keeping journals, I______update my column online. Each week, I ______one article. Whenever seeing people______my articles and share their opinions with me, I know my stories resonate (引起共鸣) with them, which brings me a strong sense of______. The joy that writing brings me is undeniable, which inspires me to keep moving.

There is______behind the statement that writing can improve our mental well-being. James Pennebaker, a social psychologist, states, “When something______happens, the brain tends to play the non-constructive thought patterns over and over again and thus we become stuck. In such a case, writing______us to look back, construct a narrative, and then organize ideas.”

Needless to say, I have no intention of______in future as writing takes root in my life and keeps enriching my life.

1.

A．boredom

B．chaos

C．expectation

D．readiness

2.

A．dancing

B．singing

C．drawing

D．writing

3.

A．convincing

B．sustaining

C．challenging

D．astonishing

4.

A．guidance

B．consideration

C．pressure

D．treatment

5.

A．proud

B．nervous

C．conscious

D．guilty

6.

A．take down

B．struggle with

C．bring about

D．work out

7.

A．self-denying

B．self-healing

C．self-defeating

D．self-sacrificing

8.

A．finally

B．instantly

C．rarely

D．regularly

9.

A．post

B．broadcast

C．translate

D．purchase

10.

A．comment on

B．take over

C．hand out

D．look for

11.

A．responsibility

B．justice

C．accomplishment

D．freedom

12.

A．uncertainty

B．science

C．criticism

D．prejudice

13.

A．negative

B．significant

C．similar

D．interesting

14.

A．prefers

B．forbids

C．assists

D．troubles

15.

A．following

B．resigning

C．wondering

D．stopping

6 . It’s a picture we often see.     1     He is trying not to fall asleep as his teacher drills the class in the body structure of a man: the heart is here; the lungs are here… The teacher then gives the class a worksheet and asks them to answer questions like which body parts go where. At the end of the period, the only way to measure whether the students have learned anything is based on this worksheet and the unit test.

    2     Primary school students walk into a classroom and see a basic skeleton with models of the heart, lungs, and the stomach lying on a table in the center of the room. Students gather around in a circle, see the model organs, laugh, and begin to guess the name of each body part and its function. Through trial and error, they figure out where each model organ fits in the skeleton.

The differences between these two types of classes are obvious. One has students actively involved. The other relies on direct instruction, rote learning, and remembering information for the test.    3     The other relies on students memorizing information. Which lesson will leave a lasting impression?

    4     Why? Lessons should be based on students’ psychological needs and help them achieve learning outcomes. If an educator takes a child ‘s development into consideration, he or she can prepare lessons that will not only engage the student but also leave a lasting impression.

Many famous educators like John Dewey have written about student-centered learning and they think highly of it.     5     Whatever the reasons are, educators are making efforts to make a change.

A．Now imagine another picture.

B．One is memorable for students.

C．Classes should be made effective and meaningful.

D．A primary school student sits at his desk and looks bored.

E．But many teachers are still adopting a wait-and-see approach to it.

F．Teaching methods that rely on student-centered learning are more effective.

G．Students thus actively participate instead of passively receiving knowledge.

7 . When archaeologists examined a cave in Grotta dei Moscerini in 1949, they found 171 examples of tools made from clam shells. At that time, however, it wasn’t clear whether the shells had been picked up from a beach or sourced alive from the water.

A team of researchers led by Paola Villa, an archaeologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, recently revisited the collection of shell tools and found new details. Most of the shell tools had worn surfaces, which one would expect were from dry shells picked off a beach. But nearly a quarter of the clam shells had shiny, smooth surfaces -typical of shells picked alive from the seafloor. Villa and her colleagues concluded that diving for clams might have been a routine part of Neanderthal life in this region. Fishing and using coastal resources were thought to be unique behaviors to modern humans, but Neanderthals could perfectly do that.

Archaeological evidence has changed our image of Neanderthals in the last couple of decades. Later, more researchers came to the place where the shell tools were found. But it was no longer accessible because it was buried under rocks that were blown from the side of the hill during the construction of a coastal highway in the early 1970s. “Re-excavating the site will not be easy at all,” said Villa. And right now the team has no plans to try.

The prejudice against Neanderthal abilities may simply be due to a lack of widespread archaeological evidence. Unfortunately, the coastal sites that might help support the case of Neanderthal beach activities are hardly seen, and many are now underwater. During the time that Neanderthals and humans shared the planet, the climate was much colder and ice sheets stretched over larger parts of the European continent. But at the end of the last ice age, from about 19,000 to about 6,000 years ago, sea levels rose around the world by about 400 feet, swallowing the once campsites of prehistory on the shores of the ocean.

1. What were archaeologists unsure of the shells for making tools?

A．Their value.

B．Their functions.

C．Their origin.

D．Their raw materials.

2. What is Paola and her colleagues’ new finding about Neanderthals?

A．They were skilled toolmakers.	B．They built their caves near water.
C．They were capable of using sea resources.	D．They lived on collecting clams on the beach.

3. What made the Grotta dei Moscerini site difficult to restore?

A．Natural disasters.	B．Careless human activities.
C．Preservation of the site.	D．Underdeveloped technology.

4. What’s the author’s purpose for writing the last paragraph?

A．To stress the long history of Neanderthals.

B．To tell Neanderthals’ close relation with modern humans.

C．To show the influence of climate change on Neanderthals.

D．To explain the cause of underestimating Neanderthals’ civilization.

8 . Padraig ó Dubhlaoidh,an Irish master violin maker，has created the world’s first-ever vegan violin,valued at 8, 000.

An amateur violinist himself, Padraig ó Dubhlaoidh has long held the belief that animal body parts aren’t needed to create the instrument.“With our planet facing crises on almost every front, the collective voice of people wanting a fairer future grows stronger every day, ”he said.“ Ethical(合乎道德的)musicians are part of this movement and have long wished for a violin that is fully vegan yet retains all the qualities of the classic instrument.”

Traditional instruments are tightly connected to animal products.Like other wood-based instruments, violins use hide glue-a product obtained from the skins and bones of animals-as a primary adhesive(黏合剂).Violin strings and bows have also been known to contain ivory and horse tail hair. Using traditional tools and methods, Padraig chose natural replacements such as steamed pears, berries, and spring water to create the instrument. His adhesive, composed in part of spring water gathered from the hills behind his home, is 100%natural.

More than just an ethical step in the right direction, Padraig says his natural adhesive has other advantages.He said, ”During my experiments, I discovered that the vegan violin has unexpected advantages.Apart from the benefit to animals, society, and our environment, it has become very clear that animal-based glues have harmful effects on violins, inducing powerful tension on wooden components.The adhesive used in my vegan violin, however, has no such effect.This is an acoustic(声音的)improvement.”

While Padraig doesn’t think everyone will switch to the vegan violin immediately, he does think there’s a bright future ahead for his instrument and the concept of vegan instruments. He continues to make both vegan and non-vegan violins in his workshops. However, he said, “Just as petrol cars are gradually being replaced with more eco-friendly options, the same progression may happen to violins gradually, and even many other handicrafts.”

1. What’s Padraig’s original purpose in making the vegan violin?

A．To help protect the earth.

B．To have a stronger violin body.

C．To enhance the qualities of violins.

D．To inspire more musicians to play classical music.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly focus on?

A．The process of making instruments.

B．The features of traditional instruments.

C．The reasons for instruments’ containing animal products.

D．The comparison between traditional instruments and the new violin.

3. What makes Padraig surprised at his violin?

A．It does no harm to animals.

B．It produces even better sounds.

C．It needs further improvements.

D．It has many unknown functions.

4. What does Padraig think of the future of vegan violins?

A．They will face great challenges.

B．They will experience ups and downs.

C．They will be acknowledged gradually.

D．They will be sold at affordable prices soon.

9 . Writing Competitions

The Bristol Short Story Prize

It’s an international writing competition founded by the editors of the quarterly cultural magazine Bristol Review of Books in 2007. The 2022 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to everyone. The first prize is ￡1,000. Entries must be unpublished stories with 4, 000 words at most. The judges are Tom Drake-Lee, Irenosen Okojie and Jessica Taylor.

Admission fee:￡9

The Bath Novel Award

Since its launch nine years ago, the international Bath Novel Award has helped spotlight and support new writers. The prize is￡3,000. In the event of a joint win, the prize money will be shared equally between winners. It’s open to unpublished and independently published novelists. This year’s judge is Nelle Andrew. All genres are welcome. Writers must submit the first 5,000 words plus one-page synopsis of the novel.

Admission fee:￡29

The BBC National Short Story Award

The BBC National Short Story Award 2022 with Cambridge University invites entries of short stories up to 8,000 words. It’s an award that has enriched the careers of writers since it was founded seventeen years ago. The winner of the contest for single short stories will receive￡15,000. This year’s judges are author Elizabeth Day and broadcaster Katie Thistleton.

Admission fee: free

The Creative Future Writers’ Award

Founded in 2013, it’s an annual development program for talented writers who lack opportunities due to health problems or social circumstances. This year’s theme is How It Started. Prizes include￡10,000 of cash and top writing development prizes supplied by publishers and development agencies.

Writers should submit one piece of writing in one category (50-line poetry to the maximum or 2,000-word fiction to the maximum). The judges are Dorothy Koomson, Joelle Taylor, Aki Schilz and Sarala Estruch.

Admission fee: free

1. Who may act as a judge for The Bristol Short Story Prize in 2022?

A．Joelle Taylor.

B．Nelle Andrew.

C．Katie Thistleton.

D．Jessica Taylor.

2. What do the second and the fourth competitions have in common?

A．They were founded in the same year.	B．They have a strict genre requirement.
C．They set the same cash bonus.	D．They require no admission fee.

3. Which competition may favor applicants with physical disabilities?

A．The Bath Novel Award.	B．The Bristol Short Story Prize.
C．The Creative Future Writers’ Award.	D．The BBC National Short Story Award.