1 . The year 2023 saw a wide variety of TV and internet variety shows in China, offering amazing entertainment to audiences. Here are 4 popular variety shows of the year. It’s never too late to start enjoying them.
Become a Farmer (Feb. -Jul., iQIYI)
The farming-themed reality show took Chinese social media by storm, shining a spotlight on agriculture. In an effort to connect young urban Chinese with the agricultural industry, the show invites 10 young men from various fields to experience life on the farmland.
Great Escape Season 5 (May-Sept., Mango TV)
This reality show has taken viewers on an immersive journey. It enlisted well-known celebrities, who faced challenges within intricately designed escape rooms. They had to search for hidden clues, solve puzzles and decipher codes to. unlock the rooms in which they are trapped.
The Big Band 3 (Aug. -Oct., iQIYI)
The Big Band 3 showcases various musical genres with 27 bands from China. In the 2023edition, folk Chinese musicians took center stage, with notable performances by Wayina from Guangxi and Anda Union from Inner Mongolia.
Call Me By Fire, Season 3 (Aug. -Nov., Mango TV)
Featuring a lineup of 32 male entertainers, this season showcased performances in both group and solo formats, with participants ranging in age from 27 to 55. Throughout the season, the participants showcased their versatility by exploring various forms of artistic expression, including singing, dancing and acting.
1. Which show will make audiences feel immersive?| A．Become a Farmer. | B．The Big Band 3. |
| C．Call Me By Fire, Season 3. | D．Great Escape Season 5. |
| A．They centre on farming. | B．They were produced by iQIYI. |
| C．Their participants are male. | D．They showcase various musical genres. |
| A．They made a hit in 2023. | B．They featured well-known celebrities. |
| C．They were aired in the first half of 2023. | D．They showcased various musical performances. |
2 . Unlike other major destinations, Rome doesn’ t have a huge number of hostels (旅社). In fact, there are less than 40 listed on Hostelworld. So we’ ve analyzed each hostel to bring you detailed information about hostels in Rome.
TYPICAL ROME HOSTEL PRICES
Hostels in Rome are generally reasonably priced. Most hostels, regardless of quality, will start around € 25 -- € 32 / night in the summer. You might be able to find some around € 20 / night but those are tough to snag (抢先获得). The cheapest hostels will cost around € 18 / night -- but don’t expect very good quality.
Check Hostelworld to get exact prices for your dates as prices are always varying.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT ROME HOSTELS
Cheap Beds & Good Hostels Go Early : Hostel prices are fairly standardized but the quality does vary. The best options get booked up quickly (especially in the summer).
Tourism Tax : Rome requires all hotels, hostels and apartment rentals to collect a tourist tax from all guests. It’ s usually € 3.50 / night / person so don’ t be surprised by this extra fee.
Areas & Neighborhoods : Most of Rome’ s hostels are located near Rome’ s Termini train station. It’ s not the best part of town but it’ s not that bad ( just be a little extra careful at night ).
Check the Hostel Type : Every hostel has its own personality so we suggest picking a hostel that matches up to your travel style. For example, some hostels are “party” hostels so these are great for having a fun time but not great for sleeping.
Check-In Times : A lot of hostels have late check-in times ( around 2 pm — 4 pm ) but nearly all will let you store your luggage if you arrive before check-in.
1. What might be the minimum cost if you stay in a Rome hostel for two nights ?| A．€ 18. | B．€ 32. | C．€ 43. | D．€ 47. |
| A．Comfort. | B．Security | C．Price. | D．Transport. |
| A．Quality service. | B．Tourism tax relief |
| C．A quiet sleeping environment. | D．Luggage storage before check-in. |
3 . What is PayQuick?
PayQuick is a fast payment service for shopping in the biggest supermarket in UK — Tesco. It allows you to add your credit or debit card details to the app so you can use your smartphone to pay for your shopping with just one scan, which means you can go wallet-free in all UK Tesco stores.
What are the benefits?
●Collect your Tesco points automatically
●Pay for your weekly shopping up to £250
●Use PayQuick offline, even with no signal
●Track your spending in Tesco
However, only one qualifying deal per week will collect the extra Tesco points. Additional payments in the same week won’t receive extra points. Tesco points will be added to your future Tesco points statement.
How to get your PayQuick?
Available to new customers who sign up by 3rd March 2024, the PayQuick app can be downloaded from the App Store or our official website. Once you have the app on your phone, register your personal details on the app to get an account. Note that for each customer, only one account is allowed and a family shared account will not be acknowledged. Finally, with all the preparation work done, you’ll be ready to shop using just your phone.
Plus, there’s no need to worry about your bank details being stored on your phone — they’re all securely protected in our data centers. So not only is it quicker and easier, it’s safer than going shopping with your wallet as well.
1. If customers use PayQuick in UK Tesco stores, they can ______.| A．purchase things only offline |
| B．get their Tesco points automatically |
| C．keep track of their daily spending |
| D．pay for their shopping without limit |
| A．To register by 3rd March 2024. |
| B．To download the PayQuick app. |
| C．To bring their phones with them. |
| D．To share the account with their family. |
| A．To ensure the safety of PayQuick. |
| B．To stress the importance of PayQuick. |
| C．To popularize the use of PayQuick. |
| D．To illustrate the application of PayQuick. |
4 . Great Places to Enjoy Books
Sinan Books，ChinaSinan Books offers a space for learning and thinking to the general public living in the city. Its door has red decoration, showing Sinan Books’ attitude of openness, and its reading space is beautifully decorated with yellow lights. The color green sets off the exhibition spaces. Spaces on the fourth floor are decorated with black and white colors to encourage readers to face themselves.
Paju Book City，South KoreaAs the name suggests, it’s a city of books. The bookstores make lots of book lovers come here. In particular, the yearly Booksori book festival attracts nearly one million visitors. At the festival, the organizers present Paju Book Awards to the great Asian writers, editors, and designers. Besides, you can give your old books in return for those books you want to read in these bookstores. The most popular bookstore is Bomulseom, which carries a quality selection (挑选) of Korean, English, and Japanese books, as well as magazines and albums.
Bonjinsha，JapanBonjinsha is a bookstore dedicated to (致力于) the teaching and learning of the Japanese language. The store in Tokyo has a wide variety of teaching materials for all levels, from beginners to advanced learners. If you are studying or living in Japan and need to improve your Japanese language skills, then Bonjinsha will be a good place to start. Not only is Bonjinsha an established bookstore, but it’s also a famous publishing house in Japan.
College Street，IndiaAlthough it is only 0.9 km long, there is a range of bookstores and publishers right on the street. Perhaps the most well-known bookstores in this neighborhood are Dasgupta & Co., the first bookstore on College Street founded in 1886 with a large number of rare books, and the Bani Library, a family-run business for five generations housing all kinds of textbooks related to all things academic.
1. What is unique about Sinan Books?| A．It’s more popular with teenagers. |
| B．It uses colors to create a better reading atmosphere. |
| C．It often introduces the latest good books to readers. |
| D．It often holds colorful reading festivals. |
| A．communicate with some famous writers |
| B．visit many bookstores with particular themes |
| C．get a special discount on books in Korean |
| D．exchange used books in the bookstores |
| A．Both have a small space. | B．Both encourage guests to buy used books. |
| C．Both have a long history. | D．Both offer rare books at affordable prices. |
5 . Bristol Old Vic
When the Theatre Royal (now Bristol Old Vic) was built, electricity hadn’t been discovered. For over 250 years the people who have owned, worked inside and visited the theatre have kept records about their activity. These are kept safe at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, and you’ll discover a range of documents which record the history of the theatre, from its foundation in 1764 up until the present day. Here are some of them.
BEGINNING
In 1764 businessmen Alexander Edgar and Thomas Symons suggested building a new theatre between Baldwin Street and the back of Coopers’ Hall in King Street. The estimated cost was f2, 000 to be split among 40 subscribers, but the building work cost more than expected. Owning shares allowed them to influence decisions about the theatre.
SILVER TICKET
Each of the original Bristol Old Vic shareholders was given a silver ticket that promised sight of any performance held at the theatre. As the holders were clever businessmen, they insisted that the silver tickets could be loaned or traded. This enabled them to make some extra money but made it extremely difficult for the theatre managers to keep track of who was allowed to see shows for free.
250TH BIRTHDAY
In May 2016, the theatre celebrated its 250th birthday! As the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, it deserved a proper party, so Bristol-based Limbic Cinema was hired to create a film of the theatre’s historical highlights which was projected (放映) onto the theatre itself.
1. Where can you find the three mentioned documents?| A．At Baldwin Street. |
| B．At Coopers’ Hall in King Street. |
| C．At Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| D．At the University of Bristol Theatre Collection. |
| A．By creating a film about its history. |
| B．By building Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| C．By releasing silver ticket in memory of the birthday. |
| D．By making a film projected in theatres across England. |
| A．To compare the theatre and others. |
| B．To change people’s view on Bristol Old Vic. |
| C．To introduce some information of Bristol Old Vic. |
| D．To recommend a movie related to the theatre. |
6 . The 2024 “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreigners across the Globe—Calligraphy and Painting Challenge has been officially announced.
This competition invites painting, calligraphy, and Chinese language enthusiasts from all around the world to take part in this exciting event.
Participants are encouraged to submit their creative themes for the contest, with the theme selection process being determined through public nominations.
If you’re interested, feel free to submit the theme that you believe fits best with the requirements of the competition.
Here are the requirements:
Who Can Apply
The call for creative themes for the Calligraphy and Painting Challenge is open to any Chinese language enthusiasts worldwide, with no limit to age or nationality.
Submission Dates
Submissions will be accepted from June 15, 2024, to 12:00 PM on June 30, 2024(Beijing Time.)
Announcement Date
The selected theme for the Calligraphy and Painting Challenge will be announced on July 1, 2024, which also marks the official start date of the submission period for works under the selected theme.
Submission Methods
Participants can send their theme and related information to chinesebridge@chineseplus.net. “Chinese Bridge” also accepts direct messages on its official account on Facebook, Instagram, WeChat, and Weibo.
1. Who can be invited to the competition?| A．Tom who is crazy about Spanish. |
| B．Sandy who is creative in writing. |
| C．Lucy whose nationality is Chinese. |
| D．Bill who loves Chinese and calligraphy. |
| A．June 12, 2024. | B．July 1, 2024. |
| C．June 20, 2024. | D．July 15, 2024. |
| A．To build a competition organization. |
| B．To provide information about a competition. |
| C．To announce the opening of a competition. |
| D．To collect creative themes for a competition. |
7 . Typing.com is an online typing tutor for students of all ages. Typing.com’s proven curriculum helps students from beginners to advanced learners, focusing on technique, accuracy, and speed. The following are some frequently asked questions about typing on our website.
How long does it take to type without looking at the keyboard?
An average student without learning differences will learn to touch type within eight to ten hours. They may be touch typing at a very slow speed (8-15 words per minute).
Is it bad to look at the keyboard when typing?
Yes. Not only does it prevent you from practicing your fingering, but it also slows you down and makes you type less accurately. It's far more difficult to notice mistakes when you're not looking at the screen.
How do you get faster at typing?
The most important technique to learn to type faster is touch typing. This is a technique based on developing muscle memory for your fingers.
How can I learn to type correctly?
Focus on accuracy rather than speed. Use the entire keyboard correctly. Learn some keyboard shortcuts. Practice every day.
How do I increase my typing speed?
Arrange your fingers properly. The most important step in improving your typing speed is ensuring that you place your fingers correctly on the keyboard. Rest the index finger (食指) of your left hand on the “F” key and the index finger of your right hand on the “J” key.
Is typing. com free?
Typing. com is a free online typing tutor and digital literacy (读写能力) platform used by millions of students and education professionals around the world. We aim to provide valuable learning tools to as many school teachers and students as possible.
1. What do we know about typing.com?| A．It charges very little. | B．It is suitable for every student. |
| C．It helps to improve writing skills. | D．It can automatically correct typing errors. |
| A．Managers. | B．Salesmen. | C．Athletes. | D．Teachers. |
| A．To promote a typing website. | B．To share typing experience. |
| C．To correct typing mistakes. | D．To teach typing skills. |
8 . Every year, young, talented, and ambitious nature conservationists from all over the world shoot their shot for the Future For Nature(FFN)Award, an honorable international award.
The Future For Nature aims to
•Reward and fund individuals for their outstanding efforts in the protection of species of wild animals and plants.
•Stimulate award winners to keep up their dedicated work.
•Help winners to raise their profile, extend their professional network and strengthen their funding basis.
Benefits
•The winners each receive 50,000 euros and may make their own decision to spend the money in the service of nature conservation.
•FFN offers the winners a platform and brings their stories to the attention of conservationists, financiers and a wide audience, allowing them to increase their impact and gain more access to funds.
•FFN is building a growing family of winners, dedicated people who form a community of people with the same interest. FFN offers them the opportunity to meet each other and continue to learn with each other in order to continue their fight for nature as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Qualifications
The candidate
•Must be born on or after the 31st May 1988 and before the 31st May 2005.
•Is able to explain his/her conservation work in fluent English(written and spoken).
•Has achieved substantial and long-term benefits to the conservation status of one or more animal or plant species.
•Must be determined to continue his/her conservation work, as the award aims to stimulate the winner’s future work. It is not an “end of career” prize.
Additional Remarks
For the 2024 Future For Nature Award, we are again searching for natural leaders, who have proven that they can make a difference in species’ survival.
From all applications, 6 to 10 nominees(被提名者)will be selected. These applicants will be asked to provide additional information, which will be used to select the final awardees. Ultimately, three inspiring wildlife heroes are selected as the winners.
Application Process: Apply online—click Apply Now link.
Application Deadline: May 1st, 2024.
1. Which is one of the aims of the Future For Nature?| A．To fund more green groups. | B．To inspire future conservation efforts. |
| C．To increase environmental awareness. | D．To advocate further academic education. |
| A．A male is 16 year old now. |
| B．A female who has financed many families. |
| C．A male who has fluency in written English only. |
| D．A female who is committed to continuing her conservation work. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A brochure. | C．A guidebook. | D．A website. |
9 . 假如你是天津国际中学的学生李华，协助国际学生服务中心工作。为增进国际学生知华、友华情怀，学校现在寒假期间面向本校外国学生开展“My China Surprise”短视频征集活动，从自身视角讲述在中国学习和生活的经历与感悟。作品上传学校网站 www.tjinternationalmiddleschool.org。请你在广播中发出英文通知。要点如下：
1. 活动介绍；2. 视频要求(如格式，时长，截止日期等)；3. 鼓励参加。
注意：
1. 词数不少于100； 2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Ladies and gentlemen,
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10 . To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Reader’s Digest(读者), we’re relaunching (重新推出) our much-loved 100-Word-Story Competition with prizes of up to £1, 000 to be won.
Our 100-Word-Story Competition is your chance to show the world your story-telling talents. There are three categories—one for adults and two for schools: one for children aged 12-18 and one for children under 12. Your stories should be new, unpublished, and exactly 100 words—not a single word shorter or longer! Multiple entries are allowed per person.
The editorial team will pick a shortlist of three in each category and post them online on1st November 2023.
You can vote for your favourite, and the one with the most votes will get the top prize. Voting will close on30th November 2023 and winners will be published in our December issue.
More details:
·Complete the entry form below to enter. Include your full name, address, email and phone number when filling in the form.
·Prizes:
Adults category: the winner will receive £1, 000 and a Serious Readers High Definition Floor or Table Light (value up to £399.99).
12-18s category: the winner will receive a £200 book voucher.
Under 12 category: the winner will receive £100 of book vouchers.
·Need some help with writing your story? Click here to checkout our handy guide!
·Please keep an eye on our Twitter or Facebook for more up-to-date news.
1. How many categories are there in the story competition?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．A prize worth £399.99. | B．£100 of book vouchers. |
| C．A £200 book voucher. | D．An issue of Reader’s Digest. |
| A．A speech. | B．A website. | C．A guidebook. | D．A news report. |
