1 . For Icelandic visitors, Reykjavik is the gateway to wilderness adventures as well as an excellent jumping off point for chasing the Northern Lights, which you can spot from September to April. After a full day of exploring, warm up in one of the area’s hotels, enjoying comfort it offers.
Reykjavik Residence
In the heart of downtown, the luxury suites (套房) and quality apartments allow guests a comfortable degree of flexibility and independence, with larger units ideal for families and two types of breakfast—delightful breakfast baskets delivered straight to your room, and the pleasant selection at Port 9 next door.
Berjaya Marina Hotel
It is located next to the historical and still fully functioning, dry-dock called Slippur. Combining the dynamic, creative atmosphere of this rapidly developing district with the country’s strong fishing traditions, it offers everyone the opportunity to see and experience the city at its most creative and colorful points.
Hotel Borg
As one landmark in downtown, its 99 rooms and suites, with art style throughout, are elegantly appointed yet offer a set of modern elements. Enjoy a drink or cocktail in the hotel bar. Relax in the sauna, steam bath or hot pool. Full service gym with free weights, exercise bike, rowing machine, and more is available for guests of the hotel.
Apotek Hotel
Conveniently located within walking distance of a variety of shops, galleries and restaurants, it is a four-star, 45-bedroom and suite hotel, and is as welcoming as it is stylish. A perfect restoration of a historical building designed by the former State Architect of Iceland, it is truly a home away from home.
1. What could guests enjoy in Reykjavik Residence?| A．Artistic atmosphere. | B．Flexible price. |
| C．A pleasant party. | D．Two breakfast options. |
| A．Reykjavik Residence | B．Berjaya Marina Hotel |
| C．Hotel Borg | D．Apotek Hotel |
| A．They offer excellent cocktails. | B．They have advantages in location. |
| C．They are designed by artists. | D．They are 4-star hotels. |
2 . Want to know who is on tour right now? Concert Fix will bring you up to the news on tour announcements, tour guests, concert schedules, locations and venues.
That! Feels Good Tour
English vocalist Jessie Ware has announced a return to North America later in 2023 to promote her upcoming album “That! Feels Good!”. The 7-city excursion takes place in October making stops in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York and Toronto. The rising singer-songwriter recently joined British pop singer Harry Styles in late 2022 during a small portion of Harry’s Love On Tour.
Gigaton Tour
Grammy-winning rockers Pearl Jam have announced a brief 2023 tour across America promoting their recent album “Gigaton”. Joining the tour on select dates will be special guests Inhaler. The new outing follows up 2022’s Gigaton Tour which was their first since 2018. The 9-date trek takes place in August making stops in St. Paul, Chicago, Noblesville.
Angels in Science Fiction Tour
Soul favorites St. Paul & The Broken Bones have announced a massive North American tour later in 2023 to support their brand new album “Angels in Science Fiction”. The 32-city excursion kicks off September 23rd in Louisville and extends into November making notable stops in Chicago, Royal Oak, Port Chester, Washington DC, Charlotte, Dallas, Seattle and Denver.
Farm Tour
Country music singer Luke Bryan has announced another version of his annual Farm Tour visiting select farming communities across America. The new 5-city tour takes place in September making stops in Shelbyville, Millersport, Colfax, Brooklyn and Eyota. Like always, a portion of the money earned from ticket selling will be donated to students and families within these farming communities.
1. Which tour will be held in Chicago in August?| A．That! Feels Good Tour. | B．Gigaton Tour. |
| C．Angels in Science Fiction Tour. | D．Farm Tour. |
| A．Soul music concert. | B．Rock music concert. |
| C．Country music concert. | D．R&B music concert. |
| A．That! Feels Good Tour. | B．Gigaton Tour. |
| C．Angels in Science Fiction Tour. | D．Farm Tour. |
3 . Some China Podcasts (播客) to Listen to
Whether you’re an old-timer or a newcomer to China, there’s always more to learn about this awesome country. To help in your never-ending thirst for knowledge, we’ve rounded up some most entertaining China-focused podcasts that hit on everything from history to business.
Tech Buzz China by Pandaily
Tech Buzz China by Pandaily is a technology podcast about China’s innovations. Its co-hosted by Rui Ma and Ying Lu, who are both seasoned China-watchers with years of experience working in the technology space in the country. They share and discuss the most important tech news from China every week.
The China History Podcast
Started in 2010, Laszlo Montgomery presents topics that cover 5, 000 years of Chinese history and culture. The show has a lot of unknown and interesting history lessons that help provide more color as to why China is the way it is. Topics like the history of Tang poetry, or the Hokkien people are analyzed and explored.
China Untold
The China Untold podcast is a program that aims to introduce listeners to lesser-known stories from the Middle Kingdom. From urban tales and extinct religions to China’s role in the exploration of space, this podcast hosted by Matt Bossons, is your essential guide to the unusual and wonderful aspects of the world’s most highly populated nation.
The Wasai Show
The Wasai Show is hosted by Ne to Trevino from Mexico and Alice He who is a local Chinese. In each episode, stories are collected from listeners about a topic and shared in a funny way by both comedians. The first half of the show is presented in English, followed by a Chinese section.
1. Who are the podcasts intended for?| A．Foreigners in China. | B．Chinese historians. |
| C．Technology enthusiasts. | D．Podcast hosts in China. |
| A．Tech Buzz China by Pan daily | B．The China History Podcast |
| C．China Untold | D．The Wasai Show |
| A．It is a talk show about local Chinese life. |
| B．It has a single host discussing various topics. |
| C．It features two hosts sharing stories from listeners. |
| D．It includes interviews with experts on Chinese culture. |
Zhang Chenliang is
Zhang
“There are many species in our country, but people don’t
In 2019, he opened his personal account on Douyin. From that time on, he was “addicted” to
1. What is the man doing?
| A．Eating a meal. | B．Cooking a meal. | C．Having an interview. |
| A．Only recently. | B．Since he was a kid. | C．Since he was twenty years old. |
| A．To give an example. | B．To name his favorite food. | C．To show his best cooking. |
| A．Rich flavors. | B．Freshness of food. | C．Different styles of cooking. |
6 . Inventing Modern Art
25 March-13 August 2023
Rooms 1 to 8
Explore a period of great change when artists broke with established tradition and laid the foundations for the art of the 20th and the 21st centuries.
With over a hundred works by artists ranging from Picasso to Mondrian and a selection of sculptures by artists including Rodin and Camille Claudel, the exhibition follows the creation of a new, modern art, free of convention, taking in Expressionism and Abstraction. ‘The exhibition includes some of the most famous works of art created during these decades. Important loans come to the exhibition from institutions and private collections worldwide.
Ticket prices
Free for Members
Priority booking open for Members.
Join today to get early access to tickets, plus enjoy the exhibition in advance on 24 March.
Standard admission
Adults £14, children 5-17 and students £6.50, under-4s free, family £38 (two adults and two children) or £25 (one adult and three children).
We recommend allowing 50-60 minutes for your visit to the exhibition.
1. What is the probable theme of the exhibition?| A．Traditional Art. | B．Modern Art. |
| C．Western Art. | D．Expressionist works. |
| A．£25. | B．£34.5. | C．£41. | D．£38. |
| A．A textbook. | B．A travel journal. |
| C．A guidebook. | D．A research report. |
7 . Do you ever hear a friend speak on a topic with the belief that “everyone”thinks the same way? Do you often find yourself surrounded in a social media feed that is completely tailored to you and your beliefs, reading along without the immediate realization?
A social media echo chamber (回声壁) is when one experiences a tailored media experience that leave out opposing viewpoints and differing voices. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube connect groups of like-minded users together based on shared content preferences. As a result, people see and take in information according to our preexisting beliefs and opinions. Social media companies therefore rely on algorithms (算法) to assess our interests and flood us with information that will keep our attention. The algorithms focus on what we “like”, and “share” to keep feeding content that makes us comfortable.
In order to truly get access to all information and to evaluate our media, we must give ourselves the opportunity to step out of our comfort zone. While this becomes increasingly challenging, there are things we can do. The first step is to beef up your media consumption sources. Adding in a few media sources with differing opinions will allow you to at least understand what people are saying outside of your echo chamber. Next, read each thing you see with a critical eye. Make sure that each thing you accept as truth is truly fact. Lastly, attempt to search out reliable new sources that are known for trying their best to leave out false information. By accepting that our media buffet on social media is a product of our present beliefs and opinions, we can work to make sure we are not simply stuck in a social media echo chamber.
1. What is a result of the social media echo chamber?| A．People contact like-minded online users effectively. |
| B．People keep reading for more differing viewpoints. |
| C．People rely on algorithms to evaluate their interests. |
| D．People only get information confirming their beliefs. |
| A．Track. | B．Improve. |
| C．Provide. | D．Identify. |
| A．Criticizing fake news on social media. |
| B．Exposing ourselves to opposing voices. |
| C．Researching primary sources of information. |
| D．Accepting our present beliefs and opinions. |
| A．To call on people to use algorithms frequently. |
| B．To ask people not to take in information blindly. |
| C．To promote the use of various social media sites. |
| D．To inform people of new technology developments. |
8 . Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Founded in 1899 as the country’s first museum specifically made for children, today’s BCM is comprehensive, with a permanent collection of 30, 000 objects, including musical instruments, masks and dolls. Kids love the interactive World Brooklyn, a small cityscape lined by stores where children can pretend to be working as grown-ups.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Looking for interactive art that welcomes curious minds? Then head to Inside Art, the current show up at CMOM, which lets the little ones climb in and over and all around the exhibits. It’s ideas like this that make the 40, 000-square-foot so special. Learning about culture, history and science is a pride for kids aged six and under. CMOM also hosts classes-like Gross Biology for kids who are interested in insects-all designed with the latest child-development research in mind.
DiMenna Children’s History Museum
The hands-on displays at this kid-focused arm of the New York Historical Society transport children back through 350 years of US history with a special focus on NYC. Children are encouraged to climb around and interact with exhibits that highlight the lives of kids who grew up to become famous doctors, athletes and political figures. Little New Yorkers can get in on sing-alongs and crafts. Other family programs include cooking classes, games and story hours.
Staten Island Children’s Museum
Staten Island Children’s Museum nurtures creativity. It offers hands-on experiences like the Block Harbor (plenty of blocks to play with!), larger-than-life games like Connect Four and Dominoes, and even the opportunity to climb through a human-sized anthill or play firefighter at Ladder 11, so you’ll find immersive (沉浸式的)fun around every corner. Don’t forget to stop by Green LivingRoom powered by the wind energy where the kids can learn about ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
1. Who is most likely to be the target of this article?| A．Scholars. |
| B．Teachers. |
| C．Parents. |
| D．Children. |
| A．Brooklyn Children’s Museum. |
| B．Children’s Museum of Manhattan. |
| C．DiMenna Children’s History Museum. |
| D．Staten Island Children’s Museum. |
| A．It provides children with real life working experiences. |
| B．It allows children to immerse themselves in observing ants. |
| C．It gives lessons on how to develop children’s creativity. |
| D．It raises children’s awareness of self-protection. |
Just Cycle And fold away
There’s no excuse not to get on your bike this Spring. Get your indoor cycling fix and feel the benefits.
Great for general cardio (有氧运动) fitness, exercise bikes can be a convenient way of training at home. However, choosing the right bike is extremely important, which is something that Roger Black and his team recognized when creating the Roger Black Folding Exercise Bike. The special design makes the bike smaller and easier to store.
“Best present EVER are the words from my 77-year-oldfather who received his Roger Black fitness bike for his birthday. He said, it is so simple and easy to use, with no complicated (复杂的) operation. These at is VERY comfortable, so using it every day is a pleasure. It folds away neatly so it can be stored behind a door when necessary,” said Anna.
Roger Black is offering a 10% discount on the full www.rogerblackjifitness.com range of home fitness equipment for all Reader’s Digest readers. Please use discount code DIGEST10 at checkout.
1. What is special about Roger Black Exercise Bike?| A．It is an indoor exercise bike. | B．It can be folded away easily. |
| C．It is good for cardio fitness. | D．It has a creative design team. |
| A．He stored the exercise bike behind the door every day. |
| B．He received an exercise bike from the fitness company. |
| C．He complained about the complicated operation of the bike. |
| D．He felt quite satisfied with these at of the exercise bike. |
| A．£17.9. | B．£179. | C．£161.1. | D．£169. |
10 . Starting to write short stories: An online workshop with Stuart Evers
It is a common misconception that writing a short story is easier than crafting (构思) a longer form piece of fiction. Though they have fewer words, as a writer you have less time and space on the page to both capture the imagination of your readers and craft a journey for your characters that has a beginning, middle and end.
In this highly practical workshop with award-winning writer Stuart Evers, you will know about the fundamentals of the short story writing — from building tension to creating a current of events that invites interest — for constructing a story that has the emotional heft of a novel, as well as breathing life into characters that are authentic and full.
Regardless of your skillset or experience, under Stuart’s expert guidance, you will take the first crucial steps in short storytelling so that you will have a newfound confidence in your ability to continue crafting short stories, far beyond the course.
Course content
What makes a short story?
How to generate ideas for short stories
How to turn something from a situation into a story
Writing techniques that can be put into practice instantly
Post-class learning material that includes short story reading list
Course Details
Tuesday, 28 February 2023, 6pm-9pm GMT
£80 plus £4.25 booking fee
A catch-up recording will be shared after the class and will be available for two weeks.
This masterclass is available globally. If you are joining us from outside the United Kingdom, you will be sent a link to the workshop 24 hours and 30 minutes before the start time.
1. What does the workshop with Stuart Evers focus on?| A．Adding more words in a limited time and space. | B．Developing essential short story writing skills. |
| C．Planning a complete journey with the readers. | D．Distinguishing between a short story and a novel. |
| A．It is demanding but rewarding. | B．It will be replayed in two months. |
| C．It will be free to foreigners online. | D．It is practical and confidence-building. |
| A．A short story. | B．A livestream website. | C．An academic article. | D．An examination paper. |
