1 . Why pay for expensive language softwares when you can use dozens of language learning websites for free? These websites can help you learn a new language just as expensive programs do.
Duolingo
Duolingo is one of the best places for learning a new language for free. The website is clear and easy to grasp and you're motivated to learn through a virtual currency (货币) . At any time, you can switch to a different language to start that course without losing your place in your current one.
Languages you can learn: English, German, Greek, Chinese.
Memrise
Memrise provides techniques for remembering each and every concept you run across. Some of these courses are provided by Memrise and others are created by users like you. You collect points as you complete courses, and there's a leaderboard you can use as inspiration to keep learning and compete with other members.
Languages you can learn: English, French, Duteh, Japanese.
Busuu
Busuu features beginner, elementary, and intermediate language learning lessons. You can skip to any lesson you want and easily monitor the progress of all of them from one page. There's also a social tool that lets you chat with native speakers of the language you're learning.
Languages you can learn: English, Italian, Korean, Russian.
123TeachMe
123TeachMe lets you learn Spanish for free with games, quizzes, lessons, and audio files. A Spanish placement test can tell you where you should start learning if you're unsure. There are lots of free language learning resources here, but if you want no ads and extra features, you can subscribe to the Premium Content package.
Language you can learn: Spanish.
1. What can you do on Memrise?| A．Learn through a virtual currency. | B．Establish your own courses. |
| C．Chat with a native speaker. | D．Subscribe to a content package. |
| A．It is not free. | B．It provides points. |
| C．It only offers Spanish. | D．It requires membership. |
| A．Duolingo. | B．Memrise. | C．Busuu. | D．123TeachMe. |
2 . Best spring destinations in Tibet
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has long been an ideal and mysterious destination for visitors who are passionate about exploring remote lands. Here we recommend some of the best tourist destinations in Tibet.
Peach Blossom Valley, Nyingchi
The peach blossoms in Nyingchi have been dubbed as “the most beautiful peach flowers in the world”. The annual festival has become a signature tourism event on the plateau. Peach trees bloom depending on the altitude and climate, so visitors will have the chance to enjoy the blossoms.
Ranwu Lake
Ranwu Lake is renowned for its tranquility (平静) and its purity of blueness. Scenery along the lakeside varies a good deal with grass, forest, autumn leaves, white waterfowl and snow mountains clearly reflected in the mirror-like water. Spring coming, a reflection of green trees dances on the lake and people feel like they are walking into a romantic dreamland.
The Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world. With a total length of about 500 kilometers, its altitude spans from 7,782 meters to 550 meters around the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley. Visitors can enjoy both the peach blossoms and the snow-capped mountains.
Nanyi Valley
Nanyi Valley is known as “the highest green mysterious place on Earth”. Surrounded by mountains and shrouded in clouds, Nanyi Valley is an ideal spring destination for visitors, where you can find peach and azalea blossoms everywhere.
There are some other attractions. For more information, please click the following link http://en.chinaculture.org/.
1. If you are a festival lover, which destination will you choose?| A．Nanyi Valley |
| B．Ranwu Lake |
| C．The Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon |
| D．Peach Blossom Valley, Nyingchi |
| A．Admiring snow mountains. |
| B．Watching white waterfowl. |
| C．Enjoying peach blossoms. |
| D．Appreciating azalea flowers. |
| A．A book review | B．A website |
| C．A magazine | D．A travel brochure |
1. What do the speakers talk about first?
| A．The man’s favorite actor. |
| B．The man’s favorite country. |
| C．The woman’s favorite movie. |
| A．The weather. | B．The people. | C．The food. |
| A．The city is noisy. | B．The life is colorful. | C．The cost of living is high. |
| A．Reading. | B．Playing volleyball. | C．Having a barbecue. |
4 . Here come four most popular clubs in our school! Join us, and we will help you to find your own shining points, lead you to find beauty and to create beauty, and make your campus life as fulfilling and happy as a dream.
Basketball Club
Students will be able to develop their basketball skills further and have the opportunity to compete in basketball games with members from other international schools in Beijing. The club will be available to 10-16 members from Grades 5 to 8, and will practice twice weekly.
Public Speaking Club
The Public Speaking Club will be centered around the personal development of students along with developing public speaking skills. The club will be interested in focusing on all skills in delivering better speeches and improving communication skills. The club will be available to 10-12 members from Grades 7 to 12, and will meet once weekly (Wednesday).
Yoga Club
Yoga not only improves balance, flexibility, and joint stability, but also serves as a peaceful escape from the stress of daily life. Our students will have the chance to physically exercise while reducing some stress from their life. The club will be available to 10-16 members from Grades 7 to 12, and will meet once weekly (Tuesday).
Media Club
The Media Club teaches students the basics of journalism. The club engages in a wide range of activities like interviewing teachers and students, writing about big events on campus, and operating the weekly school radio broadcasts. The club will be available to 8-12 members from Grades 6 to 12 and will meet once weekly (Monday).
1. Which club will attract students who want to get both mental and physical benefits?| A．Basketball Club. | B．Public Speaking Club. | C．Yoga Club. | D．Media Club. |
| A．Set up a school radio. | B．Write imaginary stories. |
| C．Learn public speaking skills. | D．Interview teachers and students. |
| A．In a school introduction. | B．In a research paper. |
| C．In a history textbook. | D．In a guidebook. |
Tom and Tim are in a restaurant
| Menu | |||
| Sandwich | Drinks | ||
| Chicken | $ 5.20 | Yogurt | $ 2.00 |
| Egg | $ 3.60 | Orange Juice | $ 1.70 |
| Beef | $ 4.50 | Coke | $ 2.50 |
| Turkey | $ 6.50 | Coffee | $ 2.80 |
| Rice | Desserts (甜食) | ||
| Fried | $ 3.50 | Pizza | $ 2.50 |
| With chicken | $ 4.80 | Banana milk shake | $ 3.50 |
| With meat | $ 4.50 | chocolate | $ 5.50 |
| A．three | B．four | C．five |
| A．coffee | B．yogurt | C．orange juice |
| A．yogurt or orange juice | B．coke | C．pizza |
| A．$ 1.70 | B．$ 4.80 | C．$ 6.50 |
| A．an ad | B．a report | C．a science book |
6 . The best online language classes for kids
We’ve researched the best language classes for kids and provide a list of them below.
Preply
Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Arabic, Chinese
Ages: No age limit
Preply is an online platform that connects children to over 140,000 tutors (私人教师) for 1-on-1 language classes. Because Preply tutors set their own prices, you can find someone to fit you with hourly rates starting from just $10.
Bilingual Bebe
Languages: English, French, Chinese and Spanish
Ages: 3-12 years old
Bilingual Bebe offers small group online language classes for kids. The instructors use various methods to attract students: playing games, singing songs, reading books and socializing with classmates. All classes are 45 minutes long, and pricing ranges from a monthly subscription of 1 class per week for $149 to5 classes a week for $745.
Language Workshop for Children
Languages: French, Italian and Spanish
Ages: 2+
The Language Workshop for Children provides 1-on-1 private language lessons to students either online or in person. For private lessons, parents can buy a set of 10, 20, 30, 45, or 60-minute classes. Tutoring ranges from $110 to $125 an hour.
Duolingo
Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Russian
Ages: 3+
Duolingo is a free app for language learning. It offers a wide variety of language courses broken down into bite-sized lessons focused on reading, listening, and vocabulary.
1. Which class is fit for a two-year-old child to learn Chinese?| A．Preply. | B．Duolingo. |
| C．Bilingual Bebe. | D．Language Workshop for Children. |
| A．Learn Italian. | B．Make friends. |
| C．Choose tutors. | D．Take private lessons. |
| A．It is free of charge. | B．It has course packages. |
| C．It offers offline teaching. | D．It is only conducted online. |
7 . College Undergraduate Poetry (CUP) Competition
AWARDS
Two winners will be chosen for the College Undergraduate Poetry Competition, one receiving the Edna Meudt Memorial Award; the other receiving the Florence Kahn Memorial Award. For each winner, prizes include:
●$500 cash prize.
●Publication of the manuscript (原稿) as a book & marketed through Amazon.com.
●75 free copies of the book.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
●Application and Manuscript. Complete the application form and upload your manuscript file online at https://nfsps.submittable.com/submit.The manuscript must be a single document that contains only your title page followed by ten poems. Once you have uploaded the file, you cannot make edits.
●Fees.There is a $10 contest submission fee and no charge to open an account at Submittable.com.
●Submission Period. From the first minute of December 1 to midnight on January 31.
MANUSCRIPT GUIDELINES
Not following ALL guidelines disqualifies a submission.
●No Identification. There must be no author identification on any page of the manuscript.
●Title Page and Ten Poems. The manuscript will include only the title page and 10 original, unpublished poems.
●Titles. Except for haiku and related Japanese forms, each poem must be titled.
JUDGING and NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS
●Judging.Up to 60 entries will be sent to a judge who will remain anonymous (匿名的) until the winners are announced. Manuscripts are judged blind (identified only by machine-generated number). Decisions are final.
●Notification of Winners. Winners will be announced in the April issue of Strophes, available at nfsps.com.
●Contact Information. If there is any change in your contact information, please contact Jessica at jessica.NFSPS@gmail.com.
1. What is different for the two winners?| A．Cash prize. | B．Copies of the book. |
| C．The title of the awards. | D．Publication of the manuscript. |
| A．Once published poems. |
| B．Only the title page and 10 originals. |
| C．No author identification on the manuscript. |
| D．Some related Japanese forms without a title. |
| A．They will be announced online. |
| B．They will be judged by machine first. |
| C．They will be given a number randomly. |
| D．They will be classified according to the content. |
8 . Soon there will be a Review Blitz! In a month, we are searching for reasonable reviews that reflect your sincere opinions. Just keep in mind that the deadline for your reviews is October 23, 2023.
Rules:
To enter, you must be a teen (aged 13-19) with a Teen Creativity account.
Submissions ought to be relevant to the topic.
Each review must be no more than 250 words.
There is no restriction on the number of pieces you can submit.
Guidelines:
Give a brief summary of the book. Avoid explaining the entire plot or telling your reader how the book ends.
Inform the reader what you like or dislike about the book.
Recommend the book to specific readers. Does the book lend itself well to older teens? Would science fiction enthusiasts show interest in this book? It’s helpful for readers to think about the book in light of other books they’ve read.
Remember that it’s okay to have a strong opinion! Don’t start sentences with “I think”, “I believe” or “In my opinion”.
Prizes:
All participants will be given a certificate.
First prize winners will respectively have one review published in Teen Creativity magazine and obtain a free 6-month magazine subscription.
Second-place winners will each receive a free 3-month magazine subscription.
You’ll receive these prizes before December 28, 2023.
Submit your works to www.teencreativity.com. We hope reviewing books brings you joy.
1. Which of the following meets the requirement of Review Blitz?| A．A person can present no more than one piece of work. |
| B．Each piece of work can have a maximum of 250 words. |
| C．Reviews must be written by people under 20 years old. |
| D．Works must be uploaded by the end of October 2023. |
| A．The likes and dislikes of the book. |
| B．The recommendation to all readers. |
| C．Statements containing “In my opinion”. |
| D．A summary that demonstrates the whole plot. |
| A．Self-learners. | B．Teaching staff. |
| C．Professional trainers. | D．Bookish adolescents. |
9 . Four Hotels That Will Make Your Life Easier
Marriott Detroit Airport
It’s such an ideal option for business travelers in a hurry. Here is the basic idea: You download the iPhone or Android app. The night before, you can “check-in” virtually. When you arrive you get a message that the room is ready and your key, which is already tied to your reservation, is waiting for you at the desk.
Yotel New York
The self-service kiosks (一体机) at this high-tech New York hotel are open 24x7 and work just like the ones you’d see at an airport. There are just five-steps to register and obtain your room card. There’s even a luggage robot. You tap in the number of bags you’re carrying, then wait for a robot arm to swing down and store your luggage in a locker.
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Business travelers like the fast kiosk check-in works. Like the Yotel, the kiosk asks you to put in your credit card. The whole process takes about three minutes. When travelers leave, they can be equally impressed with the fast check-out. You never have to wait in line.
Radisson LaCrosse
The Radisson is trying to make the kiosk process even faster, you use a mobile app to register and then receive a password by email or text. When you get to the kiosk, you can scan the password to get your key without any other steps required. It’s incredibly fast.
1. Which hotel has the self-service luggage locker?| A．Marriott Detroit Airport. | B．Yotel New York. |
| C．Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. | D．Radisson LaCrosse. |
| A．They provide key-free service. |
| B．They both have the fastest check-in process. |
| C．Travelers need to check in with a credit card. |
| D．Travelers can check in with their mobile phones. |
| A．To assess the service of the hotels. | B．To criticize the service of the hotels. |
| C．To recommend hotels with fast service. | D．To help customers check in and check out. |
10 . We are pleased to announce the call for entries for Strokes of Genius by The Best of Drawing! Win prizes and publication by entering this exciting drawing competition, brought to you by Artists Network and Artists Magazine.
How to Enter
★You need to create a free Submittable account in order to download the forms.
★Fill out the Entry Form. This information will be reproduced exactly as submitted if you are selected as a winner.
★Upload a single digital image. Once you have uploaded your image, you will see a payment due.
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit. You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
The Submittable platform works best on Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are not supported.
Deadlines and Notification
Super Early Bird Deadline: May 28, 2023
Entry Fee: $15 for Artists Network Members; $20 for nonmembers
Early Bird Deadline: June 16, 2023
Entry Fee: $25 for Artists Network Members; $30 for nonmembers
Final Deadline: August 20, 2023
Entry Fee: $35 for Artists Network Members; $40 for nonmembers
The final deadline is August 20, 2023 at 11:59 p. m. EST. Winners will be informed by email on or before September 20, 2023.
Prizes & Awards
First-Place Winner: $2,000 in cash
Second-Place Winner: $1,000 in cash
Third-Place Winner: $500 in cash
10 Honorable Mentions: $50 ArtistsNetwork.com Gift Card
Award winners will receive a free Artists Network Membership for 1 year ($99.99 value). Winning entries will be published in The Best of Drawing.
1. What is necessary to participate in the contest?| A．Uploading a family photo. | B．Setting up a bank account. |
| C．Completing an entry form. | D．Registering on Internet Explorer. |
| A．By submitting entries in person. | B．By submitting entries in early May. |
| C．By submitting entries as a professional. | D．By submitting at least two entries. |
| A．Cash prize and a free magazine. | B．$50 ArtistsNetwork.com Gift Card. |
| C．One-year discounted membership. | D．The publication of the winning entry. |
