1 . The year 2023 saw a wide variety of TV and internet variety shows in China, offering amazing entertainment to audiences. Here are some popular variety shows of the year.
Infinity and Beyond 2023
Broadcast on Hunan Television and streamed on Mango TV, the music cultural program Infinity and Beyond 2023 achieved tremendous success in the first half of this year, generating massive online attention with 8.6 billion views on the popular social platform Sina Weibo.
Become a Farmer
The farming-themed reality show took Chinese social media by storm in the first half of the year, shining a spotlight on agriculture-a crucial part of Chinese culture. The show invited 10 young men from various fields to experience farmland life. It offers insights into farming practices and modern agricultural production.
Divas Hit The Road-Silk Road
The fifth season of the reality show, Divas Hit the Road—Silk Road, featuring popular celebrities traveling to various destinations, has been airing on Hunan Satellite TV and the online video-sharing platform Mango TV since October 2023. This season saw Chinese actresses take a journey to Saudi Arabia, Croatia and Iceland. They explored the beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures of these countries.
The Big Band 3
Produced and broadcast by iQIYI, The Big Band 3 showcased various musical types, bringing together 27 bands from across China. Each week, bands competed in different groups, and via votes cast by the audience and six celebrity judges, five earned the title of the “Hot 5” by the end of the season.
1. Which show can help people know some agricultural knowledge?| A．Infinity and Beyond 2023. | B．The Big Band 3. |
| C．Divas Hit The Road—Silk Road. | D．Become a Farmer. |
| A．It introduces people to foreign cultures. |
| B．It can be seen on the online platform iQIYI. |
| C．It has already been released five seasons before it. |
| D．Its main participants are only some famous male actors. |
| A．They are both in the first half of 2023. |
| B．They are both popular musical programs. |
| C．They are broadcast on the same platform. |
| D．The participants in both programs are bands. |
2 . Each year, our education team works to create a brand-new STEM curriculum. In our 2023 program—Wonder, campers build confidence and work together to take on four exciting challenges, exploring innovation, creative problem solving and design thinking, all while developing persistence and having fun!
Catching AirIn a high-energy adventure combining physics and creativity, kids design and build a mini skate park! They will have to pick out their own mini skateboard. Then, they’ll practice persistence by constructing an awesome skate park complete with ramps, rails, ledges and other features that will put their wheels to the test.
Invention CelebrationIn this festive experience, kids take on the role of event planners as they learn about the importance of celebrating. They’ll investigate the science of sights, sounds and circuitry (线路) as they plan their party with light-up party hats, colorful bubbles, art banners and musical instruments. They will also learn about the efficiency of machines.
MimicBot (模拟机器人)Exploring nature, genetics and adaptive innovation, kids will turn a MimicBot into an animatronic (电子动物) stuffie. After receiving their bot, they take it apart to investigate its inner mechanics and what makes it move. Once they put it back together, they will personalize their stuffies and use problem-solving skills and intellectual property to protect it from the idea-stealing Copy Cat!
Pop-Up VentureThe sky is the limit as kids discover what it takes to develop and run a business of their dreams! In this creative challenge, they’ll build their own pop-up shop, making decisions and using original strategies to attract customers. Children will communicate through marketing and advertising, learning how to launch and operate their own venture.
1. What can kids learn at Catching Air?| A．Plan a celebration. | B．Design and build a skate park. |
| C．Set up and run a business. | D．Look into the inner side of machines. |
| A．They are only designed to amuse kids. |
| B．They need adults to provide guidance. |
| C．They call for the same ability to finish. |
| D．They teach kids something while having fun. |
| A．To educate. | B．To advise. | C．To introduce. | D．To advertise. |
3 . Mobile phone photography is not just a casual snap（抓拍） but an art. This article will recommend some apps for photography enthusiast to shoot various landscapes, portraits, or foods.
◆B612B612 is a photo-taking app that comes with a variety of artistic features, cute stickers, and effects that can add creativity and style to your photos. You can see the different effects before taking the photo, so you can get the best possible images. This helps you make informed decisions.
◆ManbokerManboker, known as Magic Camera, is the first app to create comic-style images directly without editing. The app offers a range of effects, and tools to give your photos a comic-like appearance. You can apply speech bubbles （气泡）, texts, and stickers to enhance the story-telling aspect.
◆SnapseedSnapseed is mainly used for photo editing rather than photo taking. The app offers a comprehensive set of editing tools, including adjustments for exposure, contrast and more. With its non-destructive editing, you can easily compare different edits and undo or adjust them as needed.
◆FoodieFoodie is an app specially designed for taking pictures of food. It allows you to capture delicious food moments with ease. Whether they are fancy cuisines or home-cooked meals, Foodie helps you showcase the colors, textures, and details of the food in the most appealing way.
Experiment with different apps, explore their features and start capturing the world around you in a whole new way!
1. If you want your photos to have a cute and creative style, which app would you choose?| A．Manboker. | B．Snapseed. | C．Foodie. | D．B612. |
| A．Manboker is designed to take comic-style photos. |
| B．Snapseed comes with artistic features and cute stickers. |
| C．Foodie is mainly used for photo-editing. |
| D．B612 features non-destructive photo shooting. |
| A．Mobile phone users. | B．Photography beginners. |
| C．Professional photographers. | D．Photography enthusiasts. |
4 . What makes a good reader? You can find the answer in Readers Club. Today, we have some books for you. Come and join the fun!
The Old Man and the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1953. A year later, Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Old Man and the Sea is generally considered by many to be his greatest achievement. The leading character in this book is a person who can face difficulties and never give up.Hardback ￥21.70 Paperback ￥16.00
Heart, written by Edmondo De Amicis from Italy, is a diary of an Italian boy Eric. In his diary, he writes about the greatest love in the world: love for the nation, for the society, and also teachers’ love, classmates’ love, parents’ love, children’s love.
Hardback ￥27.20 Paperback ￥16.40
Peter Pan, created by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie. Peter Pan is a young boy who can fly and never grows up. He spends his never-ending childhood having adventures (冒险) on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, playing happily with children both inside and outside Neverland.
Hardback ￥22.70 Paperback ￥14.60
Club members will get a discount (折扣) of 10% for hardback books and 20% for paperback books.
If you buy any of the two hardback books, e-books will be free for you.
1. Who won the Nobel Prize for literature?| A．Hemingway. | B．Leo Tolstoy. | C．Edmondo De Amicis. | D．Eric |
| A．Love. | B．Success. | C．Adventure. | D．loss. |
| A．A boy who likes keeping diaries. |
| B．A boy who always misses his family. |
| C．A boy who enjoys his never-ending childhood. |
| D．A boy who loves his teachers and classmates. |
5 . Do you want to find some books to read? If so, here is a list of them.
Journeys of a LifetimeAdapted from the favorite trips of National Geographic’s travel writers, Journeys of a Lifetime crosses the globe to highlight the world’s most famous and little-known destinations. It presents lots of possibilities, from ocean voyage around Antarctica to horse riding in the Andes. Every continent and every possible form of transport is covered.
Destinations of a LifetimeDestinations of a Lifetime takes you on a photographic tour of the world’s most impressive destinations. Hundreds of the most amazing locations—both natural and man-made—are illustrated with vivid images taken by the world-class photographers. Destinations of a Lifetime includes all the information: when to go, where to eat, where to stay, and what to do to ensure the most interesting experience.
World’s Best Travel ExperiencesPopular actor and award-winning travel writer Andrew McCarthy writes the foreword (序言) to this great book, offering 400 excellent destinations chosen by National Geographic’s family. It will appeal to active travelers looking for the next great trip as well as to the many readers who simply love dreaming of visiting faraway and peaceful destinations.
Lonely Planet’s Ultimate TravelThis collection of the 500 most unmissable sights and attractions in the world has been ranked by Lonely Planet’s global community, so big sights such as the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal battle it out for a prized place in the top 10, making this the only list you’ll ever need.
1. Which book will offer readers the information about restaurants?| A．Journeys of a Lifetime. | B．Destinations of a Lifetime. |
| C．World’s Best Travel Experiences. | D．Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel. |
| A．They offer impressive tourist information. |
| B．They recommend faraway locations. |
| C．They are included in National Geographic. |
| D．They introduce the same destinations. |
| A．Fashion. | B．Society. | C．Economy. | D．Literature. |
1. What is the man doing?
| A．Attending a course. |
| B．Conducting an interview. |
| C．Hosting a talent show. |
| A．To compete with them. |
| B．To lose weight together. |
| C．To share her problems with them. |
| A．It helps keep one honest. |
| B．It allows for friendly competition. |
| C．It ensures complete secrecy of goals. |
| A．They lack determination. |
| B．They set unrealistic goals. |
| C．They lose focus due to busy lives. |
7 . Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2024
The Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre (IWC). Described by The Irish Times as “A Dragons’ Cave for writers”, each year the Fair aims to introduce up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents.
The Prize
The twelve winners will have the opportunity to present the summary of their novels directly to industry professionals. Leading publishers and agents will be invited by the IWC to meet these writers in person or through a series of online meetings. To get fully prepared for the meeting with publishers and agents, the winners will receive a place in a workshop on “How to Promote Your Novel”, two weeks in advance. Also, applicants who are longlisted (初选) but do not make it to the shortlist of twelve will have their works evaluated and criticized by the judging panel.
How to Enter
Entry fee for application is £ 55 (Members of IWC can enter for a discounted fee of £ 45). This competition only accepts manuscripts (原稿) for novels. Applicants are required to send a summary within 300 words and up to five chapters of their novels, which should be 10,000 words (+/-10%). Manuscripts should be submitted online. There is a limit of one entry per applicant.
Entries are welcome from anywhere in the world. Before entering the competition, please ensure that you have read the Novel Fair Terms & Conditions 2024 very carefully as the Fair is open to only novelists who have never published work previously. If you have any questions about the application process, please email novelfair@irishwriterscentre.ie.
1. Why does the IWC hold the Fair?| A．To serve as a platform for writers. | B．To advertise local books. |
| C．To encourage young people. | D．To arouse enthusiasm for reading. |
| A．Improve their writing skills. | B．Deal with the judging panel. |
| C．Learn about publishing process. | D．Present their novels attractively. |
| A．A novel published in 2023. | B．A summary of 200 words. |
| C．A paper manuscript by post. | D．A submission of seven chapters. |
8 . Mental health is a growing worldwide problem. Because it can affect people at a young age, they’ll often need treatment for many years. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will surely impact every aspect of modern life and society. Scientists and doctors have already begun to explore its potential for mental health research and treatment. Join us for this year’s conference, where experts will discuss how AI will help people in their mental health therapy.
Agenda 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.Check In(Continental breakfast will be provided) 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Lecture’s topic: A Fruitful Reciprocity(互惠): The Neuroscience-AI Connection Speaker: Dr. Dan Yamins, Assistant Professor of Psychology and of Computer Science, Stanford University 11:00 a. m.-12:00 p. m. Lecture’s topic: From AI for mental health to digital therapeutics Speaker: Dr. Aldo Faisal, Professor of AI & Neuroscience, Imperial College London 12:00 p. m.-1:30 p. m. Lunch Break 1:30 p. m.-2:30 p. m. Lecture’s topic: Computational Psychiatry Speaker: Dr. Frederike Petzschner, Assistant Professor of Brain Science, Brown University 2:30 p. m.-3:30 p. m. Lecture’s topic: What can GenAI teach us about the nature of intelligence? Speaker: Dr. Blaise Arcas, Researcher at Google Research 3:30 p. m.-4:30 p. m. Lecture’s topic: Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging Speaker: Dr. Hugo Aerts, Associate Professor, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Full Professor at Maastricht University. |
1. What is the topic of this year’s conference?
| A．AI’s advantage in modern society. | B．AI’s influence on people’s daily life. |
| C．The difficulty in treating mental health. | D．Application of AI in treating mental health. |
| A．Dr. Dan Yamins. | B．Dr. Aldo Faisal. | C．Dr. Blaise Arcas. | D．Dr. Frederike Petzsch. |
| A．Three. | B．Five. | C．Seven. | D．Eight. |
9 . Successful wildlife conservation goes hand in hand with community education and engagement. Volunteers work with community leaders and schools to share their passion for conservation and the environment.
Rhino Conservation in Zimbabwe
The project is home to an internationally renowned Black Rhino Breeding and Release Programme which has supported Zimbabwe’s rhino population since the mid 1980s. To date, 20 rhinos have been born at the conservancy, with 12 rhinos successfully released back into the wild. Volunteers play a role in securing the future of this once-again endangered animal, working alongside anti-poaching rangers (反偷猎护林员), working on rhino research projects and getting involved in the daily care of both black and white rhino.
Our Rhino Conservation Programme is a unique hands-on opportunity to get behind the scenes and experience day-to-day life on a private conservancy, and be involved with the protection and conservation of Zimbabwe’s endangered black rhino.
The aim of the programme is to assist the reserve’s established Black Rhino Breeding and Release Programme, collect meaningful data and information relating to rhino and wildlife conservation and animal behaviour, and engage with the local community about wildlife conservation.
Cheetah (猎豹) Conservation
In 2021, two captive-born male cheetah were introduced to the conservancy as part of an international rewilding programme. The cheetah are now free-wandering in the reserve, and volunteers play an important role in monitoring and observing their behaviour, tracking their movements and recording their hunting rate.
Volunteer Work
Volunteers contribute to a long-term conservation project and get involved with a variety of conservation activities:
·Work alongside rhinos, cheetah and elephants
·Conservancy management
·Wildlife monitoring
·Anti-poaching patrols and snare sweeps
·Educate school-children about conservation, wildlife and the environment
·Learn about what is involved in running a conservancy
1. What can we say about Black Rhino Breeding and Release Programme?| A．Its work pays off. | B．It is limited to Zimbabwe. |
| C．It is home to two cheetah. | D．It has a history of 50 years. |
| A．Their birth rate. | B．Their hunting rate. |
| C．Their area of activity. | D．Their sleep schedule. |
| A．Those who live outside Zimbabwe. |
| B．Those who prefer to work at home. |
| C．Those who like engaging with animals. |
| D．Those who would like to make a fortune. |
10 . FOUR BEST BOOKSHOPS IN LONDON
Looking for something to read while in London? If so, you’re in luck: the British capital happens to have an incredible collection of bookshops.
Daunt Books
Are you going on a trip and want to read a novel or nonfiction book set in the place you’re
headed? This bookshop arranges books by country, so it’s easy to find anything by place. (83 Marylebone High Street. Monday-Saturday:09:00-19:30; Sunday: 11:00-18:00.)
Foyles Books
Dig, if you will, the picture: four miles of shelves holding up to 200,000 books. This legendary(传奇的) bookshop is impossible to leave empty-handed. It was once listed in the Guinness Book ofWorld Records as the biggest bookshop on the planet.(107 Charing Cross Road. Monday-Saturday: 9:00-21:00; Sunday: 11:30-18:00.)
Hatchards
In the year 1797, this London bookshop.—the oldest in the city today—first flicked on its lights.It stocks an excellent selection of fiction, nonficuon, history and other kinds.(187 Piccadilly Street. Monday-Saturday: 09:30-20:00; Sunday: 12:00-18:30.)
London Review Bookshop
There’s an excellent selection of history, philosophy, politics, new fiction and many other kinds here. Plus, there’s a nice cafe in which you can crack open that tome(巨著) for the first time and start reading.(14 Bury Place. Monday-Saturday 10:00-18:30; Sunday 12:00-18:00.)
1. Which bookstore was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records?| A．Daunt Books. | B．Foyles Books. |
| C．Hatchards. | D．London Review Bookshop. |
| A．It has a long history. | B．It is open six days a week. |
| C．It is located in London. | D．It has many nonfiction books. |
| A．83 Marylebone High Street. | B．107 Charing Cross Road. |
| C．187 Piccadilly Street. | D．14 Bury Place. |
