1 . 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.

2. On which of the following dates can the participants submit their works?

A．June 12, 2024.	B．July 1, 2024.
C．June 20, 2024.	D．July 15, 2024.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

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.

2 . 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.

2. Which candidate is qualified for the 2024 Future For Nature Award?

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.

3. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A magazine.

B．A brochure.

C．A guidebook.

D．A website.

3 . 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.

2. What will a teenager get if he/she wins the competition?

A．A prize worth £399.99.	B．£100 of book vouchers.
C．A £200 book voucher.	D．An issue of Reader’s Digest.

3. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A speech.

B．A website.

C．A guidebook.

D．A news report.

4 . 2023 Hot List: The Best New Restaurants in the World

Place des Fêtes — New York City

This famous wine bar provides a spot with a rare sweet and warm atmosphere. For date night, go to the bar with views of the open kitchen, or fill up the large table in the back with a group and taste the entire 20-item menu. Either way, do not miss the famous mushroom soup.

Le Doyenné — Saint-Vrain, France

Australian chefs James Henry and Shaun Kelly transformed the former stables (马厩) of a 19th-century private estate into a working farm, restaurant, and guesthouse driven by the principles of regenerative agriculture. More than one hundred varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs make their way into Henry’s cooking after being carefully nurtured by Kelly.

Mi Compa Chava — Mexico City

Seafood is a hangover cure in Mexico, and almost everyone eating here is devoted to fixing last night’s damage from drunkenness and getting a head start on creating today’s. On the sidewalk, crowds of locals and tourists alike line up for fisherman Salvador Orozco’s creative takes on Sinaloa and Baja seafood. Anything from the raw half of the menu is a sure bet, though cooked dishes like fish can help fill out a meal.

Vilas — Bangkok

Can a dish inspired by a Spanish recipe using Japanese ingredients still be considered Thai? For Chef Prin Polsuk, one of Bangkok’s most famous Thai chefs, it most certainly can. At his latest restaurant, a small dining room at the base of Bangkok’s landmark King Power Mahanakhon Tower, he draws inspiration from King Chulalongkorn’s 1897 journey around Europe and the foreign ingredients (原料) and cooking techniques he added to the royal cookbooks.

1. What does the author highly recommend at Place des Fêtes?

A．Red wine.

B．Fried fish.

C．Baja seafood.

D．Mushroom soup.

2. What is the best choice for people who were drunk last night?

A．Place des Fêtes.

B．Le Doyenné.

C．Mi Compa Chava.

D．Vilas.

3. What does the text aim to do?

A．To compare the origins of some restaurants.	B．To state the similarities of some restaurants.
C．To recommend some foods of some restaurants.	D．To introduce the features of some restaurants.

5 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:

Disneyland, California

Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.

Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida

Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

EPCOT, Disney World, Florida

EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.

Disney­MGM Studios, Florida

MGM’s streets are the home for some great movie­themed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.

Universal Studios, Florida

Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.

1. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?

A．Disneyland & Magic Kingdom.

B．Disneyland & Universal Studios.

C．EPCOT & Disney­MGM Studios.

D．Magic Kingdom & Universal Studios.

2. Which park has the longest history?

A．Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida.

B．Disney­MGM Studios, Florida.

C．EPCOT, Disney World, Florida.

D．Disneyland, California.

3. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To attract tourists to these theme parks.

B．To increase the sales of Amusement Today.

C．To introduce world’s best amusement parks.

D．To compare attractions in different theme parks.

7 . There are many podcasts (播客) that teach English and you can listen to them anytime. Here is a list of some of the best podcasts that you must see.

Learn English Podcast

This podcast has three levels.The first is for beginners, the second is for intermediates (中级学生) and the third is for upper intermediates. If a person wants to learn Business English,then episodes are also made for him.Every podcast is short but very informative. Worksheets and vocabulary tasks are also included.

Speaking Broadly

This podcast is made for advanced learners. Explained through discussion and interviews, each episode has non-native English speakers and every recording also has expert feedback. You will see some common mistakes made by English learners and you can improve your English by learning from those mistakes.

The English We Speak

This podcast airs one episode daily and every episode is only three to four minutes, which talks about phrases and idioms.There are two people in each episode who communicate with each other. Whatever level you are,you will find it rewarding

Elementary Podcast

This podcast is mainly for beginners and intermediate level learners. The length of a podcast is around 25 minutes but you can pause it anytime and continue whenever you want. The hosts of each episode are different.

1. Which podcast provides exercises going with it?

A．Learn English Podcast.	B．Speaking Broadly.
C．The English We Speak	D．Elementary Podcast.

2. What do we know about Speaking Broadly?

A．It records just expert speakers.	B．It aims at beginners.
C．It presents some typical mistakes.	D．It provides feedback from listeners.

3. What do The English We Speak and Elementary Podcast have in common?

A．They have the same length.	B．They are both interactive.
C．They share the same contents.	D．They are suitable for beginners.

8 . The Million Pound Bank Note (1953)

Directed by Ronald Neame
Written by Mark Twain (story), Jill Craigie
Genre (类型): Comedy (more)
Plot Outline: Two rich British men offer a penniless American a loan, without telling him that the amount is one million pound, and this in the form of a single bank note.(more)
User Comments: Great fun... you can bank on it! (more)
Cast Overview: Gregory Peck... Henry Adams; Ronald Squire... Oliver Montpelier; Joyce Grenfell... Duchess of Cromarty; A. E.Matthews... Duke of Frognell; Maurice Denham... Mr Reid (more)
Also Known As: Man with a Million (USA)
Runtime: 90 minutes
Country: UK
Language: English
Color: Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix: Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification: Australia: G/Finland: S/Sweden: Btl/UK: U/USA: Approved
Trivia(花絮): The story is set in 1903. The one million pound note at the time would be worth about $100, 000, 000 nowadays or ￡65, 000, 000. (more)
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase in the passage?

A．rely on.

B．look on.

C．carry on.

D．take on.

2. Mark Twain set the story The Million Pound Bank Note in the year         ．

A．1953.

B．1903.

C．2002.

D．1890.

3. The passage most probably appears in        ．

A．a film poster

B．a newspaper

C．a magazine

D．a web page

9 . Wonderful Destinations You Can Explore in the World

While travel is still just a dream for many, we know that some of you are now eager to pencil in your next adventure. We are now taking bookings for our 2021 and 2022 tours, offering the following destinations.

The Dolomite Mountains in Italy

8 days; September 6, 2021

Go on a gentle outdoor tour through the impressive Dolomite Mountains where scientists investigate several scientific phenomena including geology, ecology, deep time and astronomy.

The gateway to the solar system in Iceland

8 days; November 20, 2021

Visit the sites where scientists test space mission in the world. You will visit remote lava fields, glaciers and Mars rover (巡视器) test sites to explore how technology can help us research other worlds, as well as adapt to our own climate challenges.

The Fjords of Norway

7 days; January 18, 2022

Explore the Fjords of Norway as you start the winter voyage to watch the wonderful northern lights and underwater life of the Arctic. Learn about the science behind the northern lights, watch whales from the sea, try your hand at dog sledding or simply relax around a campfire under the stars.

The volcanic fields in Italy

8 days; September 3, 2021

Experience the beauty and power of two of the world’s most impressive active volcanoes on Mount Etna and Mount Stromboli. Explore the Aeolian Islands of Lipari and Vulcano while enjoying scenic landscapes and Italian warmth.

Whether you are ready to book or just want to carry on dreaming for now, we expect you to enjoy looking through some of the new tours we have created. For more information on all our new tours for 2021 and 2022, visit www. new scientist. com/tours.

1. What do the first two destinations have in common?

A．They are main lava fields.	B．They focus on science.
C．They open on the same day.	D．They are space mission bases.

2. What can visitors do in the Fjords of Norway?

A．Feed whales from the sea.	B．See the wonders of the Arctic.
C．Enter the gateway to the solar system.	D．Explore Sea life in the company of scientists.

3. Where can visitors explore active volcanoes?

A．In Mars rover test sites.	B．In the Fjords of Norway.
C．On Mount Etna and Mount Stromboli.	D．On the Dolomite Mountains and Aeolian Islands.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A website.

B．A newspaper.

C．A guide book.

D．A research report.

10 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours

San Francisco Winery Tour
Running: February 1st through April 30th

This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)

Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.
Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st

This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.

Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st

Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.

Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd

This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.

Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?

A．San Francisco Winery Tour.	B．Back to the Fifties Tour.
C．Spooky Hallowen Tour.	D．Holiday Lights Tour.

2. What can tourists do on Back to the Fifties Tours?

A．Go to Treasure Island.	B．Enjoy the holiday scenes.
C．Have free ice cream.	D．Visit the Presidio district.

3. What are tourists required to do to go on Holiday Lights Tour?

A．Take some drinks.	B．Set off early in the morning.
C．Wear warm clothes.	D．Make reservations in advance.