1 . As technology makes communication easier and quicker, handwritten letters are nearly a thing of the past.
But it is making a comeback on Feng Shengji’s desk. The 34-year-old from Chengdu started an online letter-writing business in February last year, writing and mailing hundreds of letters on behalf of others. She has written letters of appreciation, apologies for wrongdoings, love letters and breakup letters. Her story has spread on social media, triggering wide discussion on the lost art of letter writing. It has been viewed more than 14 million times on Sina Weibo.
The idea of writing letters for others came when Feng tried to draw and write on her iPad to beat boredom during COVID-19. Then, she opened an online store for letter writing. Up till last month, she worked for a local design company in the day, and worked on her online business as a letter writer at night.
In mid-March last year, a doctor from Sichuan became her first client. He was assigned to help fight COVID-19 in Wuhan during the 76-day lockdown. The doctor contacted Feng to help him write thank-you letters to the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital and the hotel he stayed in for their care and support during his time in Wuhan. As mailing services were stopped during the lockdown, Feng wrote the letters on her iPad and emailed the letters. “I told him that I wanted to write the letters free of charge, but he insisted on paying.” Feng recounts.
Since then, her business has taken off. As of January, she has written more than 700 letters , with each letter ranging from dozens of words to thousands. Depending on the length of the letters, each letter can cost from dozens of yuan to less than 100 yuan.
“Letter writing is a meaningful thing, and I want to make it into a lifetime career.” says Feng, smiling. She resigned from her design job and became a full-time letter writer from June.
1. What does the underlined word “triggering” mean in the second paragraph?| A．holding | B．arousing |
| C．witnessing | D．expecting |
| A．To kill time during the pandemic. |
| B．To revive the lost art of letter writing. |
| C．To help the doctors to keep in touch. |
| D．To earn extra money in her spare time. |
| A．Her first customer got the service for free. |
| B．Her business suffered a lot from COVID-19. |
| C．Her business is well received and successful. |
| D．Her letter writing store was started in Chengdu. |
| A．Fighting COVID-19 with handwritten letters |
| B．A creative and successful woman writer |
| C．A written art revived by an online business |
| D．Letter writing — an art calling for preservation |
2 . A Kartchner Caverns State Park is running limited cavern tours by reservation only. No same day cave tour reservations. Masks or a face covering that covers both the mouth and nose will be required to enter the cave. This is for your safety as well as the safety of our staff and other visitors. The tour size will be limited to six visitors per tour. At this time the cavern tours will be limited to age 7 and over. Please be advised: video or photography inside the cave is not permitted.
| CAVERN TOUR | ADULTS 14+ | YOUTH 7—13 | CHILDREN UNDER 7 |
| Throne Tour | $ 23.00 | $ 13. 00 | $5.00 |
| Big Room Tour | $ 23.00 | $ 13. 00 | N/A |
| Headlight Tour | $ 30. 00 | $ 30. 00 | N/A |
Throne Tour
Length: 0. 5 mile. Time: 1. 5 hours.
This tour is half a mile in length and takes about an hour and a half to complete, 50 minutes of which is underground. You will see the discoverers' original track and the largest column formation in Arizona.
Available until October 15, 2021.
Big Room Tour
Length: 0. 5 mile. Time: 1. 75 hours.
This tour is available from mid-October to mid-April and is scheduled throughout the day. It is half a mile long and takes an hour and 45 minutes to complete, one hour of which is underground. Be amazed at the strange and colorful formations. Learn about the cave animals, both living and ancient.
Headlight Tour
Length: 0. 5 mile. Time: 1. 25 hours.
Experience the cave as the discoverers did in 1974 using only the light provided by the headlight on your helmet, which is available by the entrance. The Kartchner Caverns story is about amazing discoveries past, present, and future. Tours are available year-round.
Park and Facility Hours
Gates are usually closed from 10:00 p. m.—6:00 a. m. Thanksgiving: 8:00 a. m.to 2.00 p. m.; Christmas Eve: 8:00 a. m. to 1:00 p. m. (Christmas: Closed).
1. How much should a couple pay to take the Throne Tour?| A．23 dollars. | B．26 dollars. | C．36 dollars. | D．46 dollars. |
| A．Live cave animals. | B．Colorful plants. |
| C．The discoverers' rooms. | D．Colorful paintings. |
| A．At 1 p.m. | B．At 2 p.m. | C．At 5 p.m. | D．At 10 p.m. |
3 . Friends and Buddies
This program is planned for children who have special needs with the goal of meeting within a community with other peers. The purpose of the program is that it will lead to a better understanding of friendship. Gym, Swim, Surprise Guest, and Pizza are included. Ages 12—18, numbers of members are limited. Contact: Gloria Bass. This program is held 2 Fridays per month. For free.
Club Saturday Swim
This program is available to anyone aged 5—14 who is challenged by mental, physical, or emotional trouble. The program will be held free of charge each Saturday afternoon, 12:00—12:30 pm or 12: 30—1:00 pm.
Sibshops
Sibshops is a program for siblings of children with challenges. It includes group activities and talk treatment ways with the focus on improving sibling relationships and whole family happiness. Ages 10—13. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Wednesday: 4:00—5:00 pm. Fees: $50/$65
Banana Splits
Banana Splits is an educational support group for children in family trouble. Children aged 9—13 will have the opportunity to meet other children whose parents have separated or divorced, learn to recognize feelings, think of healthy coping skills and have a place to share their struggles through verbal, physical, and artistic experiences. Location: Hope Church, Wilton CT. Tuesday: 4:30—5:30 pm. Fees: $50/$65
1. Activities on how to lead to a better understanding of friendship are held ______.| A．2 Fridays per month | B．each Saturday afternoon |
| C．4:30—5:30 pm, Tuesday | D．4:00—5:00 pm, Wednesday |
| A．They are all held at the same place. | B．They are all free of charge. |
| C．They are all intended for children. | D．They all hold activities each week. |
| A．help children deal with their trouble | B．encourage children to be happy and brave |
| C．list some problems children meet with | D．advertise some programs for children |
4 . Children's Books That Teach Empathy and Kindness
Little Blue Truck
By Alice Schertle
Little ones are introduced to Blue, a little pickup truck that gets stuck pushing a dump truck out of the mud in this board book. Thankfully, Blue made a group of animal friends along the way that are happy to do whatever they can to help him get back on the road. The main themes are kindness and the benefits of helping others.
Most People
By Michael Leannah
The book is an amazing lesson for kids that want to do good in the world and that there are plenty of good people out there. Told in the third person, the book tells the story of two pairs of siblings (兄弟姐妹) and the people they meet.
If You Plant a Seed
By Kadir Nelson
A mouse and a rabbit teach children how to plant and grow food, while also passing along some valuable lessons. After learning that a carrot seed will grow a carrot, and a cabbage seed will result in a cabbage, children also learn the value of thoughtfulness and how a seed of kindness can bear sweet fruit.
Save Me a Seat
By Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Joe lived in the same town all his life and felt perfectly pleased until his best friend moved away. Ravi's family recently moved from India to the US and he's struggling to find where he belongs. Even though Joe and Ravi at first believe that they don't have much in common, they both realize they have a common enemy-the biggest bully (仗势欺人者) in their class. Save Me a Seat is a story about the true meaning of friendship and understanding.
1. What can children get from reading Little Blue Truck?| A．Happiness of helping others. | B．Importance of protecting animals. |
| C．Ways of dealing with trouble in mud. | D．Being friendly to strangers around you. |
| A．Little Blue Truck. | B．Most People. |
| C．If You Plant a Seed. | D．Save Me a Seat. |
| A．Joe was regarded as a bully by Ravi. | B．Ravi was used to living in India soon. |
| C．Ravi and Joe had nothing in common. | D．Ravi and Joe became friends at last. |
5 . Here are some of the movies that inspire you to travel.
The Lord of the Rings
The story is about Frodo, his friends and their adventurous journey through Middle-earth. Filmed in about 150 locations all over New Zealand, this travel movie shows its beauty. From the rolling hills of Matamata to the volcanic region of Mt Ruapehu, this is the best movie to see New Zealand. Also, this travel movie might have the only distinction of being inspired by travel. The director of the movie Peter Jackson first read the novel on a train going from Wellington to Auckland when he was just seventeen.
Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventure Collection
Indiana Jones and travel are inseparable. Everyone remembers the red line on the world map that shows up on screen when he flies. The Egypt scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed in Tunisia. Temple of Doom was filmed mostly in Sri Lanka and Macau. Last Crusade was filmed in Italy, Spain and Jordan including an excellent view of Petra. Unlike the other films, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was filmed almost entirely in the United States. However, their shots of Iguazu Falls are amazing.
Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile
This movie series focuses on a romantic writer Joan and her adventures with a soldier of fortune named Jack. In Romancing the Stone Joan goes to Colombia to save her sister who is kidnapped. In the sequel (续集) Joan goes to the fictional kingdom of Kadir in the Middle East. Romancing the Stone’s scenes were shot mostly in Mexico. For The Jewel of the Nile, the scenes were mostly shot in France and Morocco.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Tom Ripley is a working class young man. Through a case of mistaken identity, he is asked to go to Italy to convince a wealthy businessman’s son to come home. This travel movie starts in New York and heads to the fictional resort of Monticello. The last section of the movie is filmed mostly in Rome and Naples. The locations are beautiful. They also do a good job of showing Italy as it looked in the 1960s.
1. If you are interested in Europe, you probably watch the film ______.| A．Temple of Doom |
| B．Last Crusade |
| C．Raiders of the Lost Ark |
| D．Kingdom of the Crystal Skull |
| A．It is the best movie made in New Zealand. |
| B．It was shot from Wellington to Auckland. |
| C．It has increased tourism in New Zealand. |
| D．The novel about it caught the director’s attention long ago. |
| A．owns a large amount of fortune. |
| B．helps a father persuade his son to come home. |
| C．goes sightseeing in Rome and Naples. |
| D．becomes wealthy by always working hard. |
6 . Stand Up Straight and Feel Better with the Perfect Walker
It's a cruel fact of life, as we age, gravity (重力) takes over. We find ourselves walking less and less — and that only makes matters worse.
Well, cheer up! There's finally a product designed to enable us all to walk properly and stay on the go. It's called the Perfect Walker, and it can truly change your life.
Traditional walkers simply aren't designed well. They require you to put pressure on your back, neck, wrists and your hands. Over time, this makes walking uncomfortable and can result in health problems. That's all changed with the Perfect Walker. Its upright design and padded elbow will make you more comfortable.
Its special frame gives you plenty of room to step, and the oversized wheels help you move across the floor. The height can be easily adjusted (调节) with the push of a button. Once you've reached your destination you can use the hand brakes to gently slow down, and there's even a handy seat with a storage space.
Why do you spend another day making walking uncomfortable? Call now, and find out how you can try out a Perfect Walker for yourself in your own home. You'll be glad you buy it.
Telephone number： 1-888-884-1571
Please mention the promotion code (优惠码) 113409.
For more information, visit www. ThePer fect Walker. com.
1. what's the main purpose of the text?| A．To find out who needs the Perfect Walker. |
| B．To show how to choose a good product. |
| C．To tell readers how to buy a walker. |
| D．To advertise the Perfect Walker. |
| A．The old. | B．The climbers. |
| C．The babies. | D．The race walkers. |
| A．By asking for an e-mail. | B．By visiting the website. |
| C．By calling 1-988-884-1571. | D．By showing the promotion code. |
7 . International Summer Camps for Teenagers
What do you do with a teen whose summer holiday plans amount to sleep and WeChat? Try an international summer camp.
Village Camps
Salavas, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France
+33475881681
Best for: River fun
Suitable for: 11-17 years;￡1996 (13nights), starting 30 June or 14 July
This granddaddy of European camps (now in its 49th year) has sites in Austria, Portugal, Switzerland and elsewhere, but few can boast(有)a location as spectacular as the Summer River Experience Camp on the banks of the Ardeche.
It's a well-run operation with rock climbing and canoe(独木舟)training ending in a two-day 30km canoe descent of the Gorge with an overnight sleep in a tent.
Camp Adventure Academy
Lethem, Germany
+4940410094900
Best for: Survival
Suitable for: 7-16 years; ￡375 for one week, June 23-August 31
Set in the beautiful Luneburger Heide National Park, Survival Camp is the ultimate(终极的)outdoor adventure.
Survivors head into the forest to learn survival techniques and face the toughest challenges from lighting fires and building shelters to crossing rivers.
At the end of the week, each participant will receive a certificate, proclaiming them a true survivor and ready to battle the most difficult of situations.
Ocean Youth Trust
Gosport, England
Best for: Seafaring
Suitable for: 12-25 years; six-night sail-￡575 person from 16 to 22 July, 29 July to 1 August or 4 to 11 August.
Not truly a camp, but this has adventure, friendship and sheer thrills in spades(大量). OYT gives sail training to hundreds of disadvantaged children each year and during the holidays, offers places to children from mainstream backgrounds too.
Youngsters learn to sail, navigate and cook on OYT's 32-metre boat Prolific, crewing the boat (with expert help) on voyages to France and the Channel Islands.
1. What’s the advantage of Village Camps?| A．Teenagers can learn some survival techniques. |
| B．Teenagers can experience some adventures. |
| C．Each participant will receive a certificate. |
| D．Teenagers can get canoe training. |
| A．Village Camps. | B．Camp Adventure Academy. |
| C．Ocean Youth Trust. | D．None. |
| A．Ocean Youth Trust. | B．Village Camps. |
| C．Camp Adventure Academy. | D．Ocean Youth Trust and Village Camps. |
1. How many news headlines are broadcast?
| A．4. | B．5. | C．6. |
| A．A Russian rocket was sent up． |
| B．A tour bus slid off a highway． |
| C．Three aid workers were killed． |
| A．At least 4. | B．About 30. | C．Over 40. |
9 . Art Activities for Teens
Art & Design Lab for Teens
Friday, 3 p.m.——5 p.m.
Start your weekend off with some art and inspiration（灵感）! Each Friday we offer new gallery adventures, different materials, and techniques to feed your creativity. Stay the whole time or stop by to connect with artists and other creative teens.
For ages 13——18, no registration (登记)required.
Fee: Free.
Five-Day Course
Monday, July 17——Friday, July 21
This year's Teenage Art School explores how artists react to a place, combining text and pictures to create statements about life. Artist-producer Sarah Yates will guide your exploration of working with paint.
This free course is for 14-to 17-year-olds. Whether art is just a hobby or something you are studying, Teenage Art School will help you develop your skills as an artist. There is also a chance to win Bronze Arts Award.
China in the Making
Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.——3 p.m.
What can art-making materials tell us about the natural world, global trade, social and cultural frameworks, and artists' ideas? This series of gallery conversations and studio experiences immerse（浸入)participants in hands-on exploration while exploring the history of a material once so highly valued in China that it was known as "white gold".
Materials provided; Pre-registration required.
Fee：$50（members：$30）.
Contemporary Gallery
July 26——August 2, 4:00 p.m.——5:30 p.m.
Join us as we close out our Teen Artist Academy with an exhibition and a dance performance. Artworks created by youth in our Teen Artist Academy, a 3-week summer camp where teens, ages 14-17, learned to plan public artworks will be on exhibit. This event is free and open to the public.
1. What's the purpose of "Five-Day Course"?| A．To offer you some inspiration for painting. |
| B．To develop your interest in painting. |
| C．To make sure you get an award. |
| D．To teach you some skills in art. |
| A．You have to pay for it. |
| B．You can join in it without registration. |
| C．You can take part in it at any time. |
| D．You can learn about Chinese arts there. |
| A．Five-Day Course. | B．Contemporary Gallery. |
| C．China in the Making. | D．Art & Design Lab for Teens. |
10 . The COVID-19 pandemic led to a great number of rescheduling release dates（上映日期）.Despite how the reality of the calendar develops，these are some films we're crossing our fingers that well get to see this next year.
Malcolm & Marie
Release date: February 5
Director: Sam Levinson
A director and his girlfriend's relationship is tested after they return home from his movie premiere（首映）and await critics' responses. he romantic drama is directed by Sam Levinson.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Release date: July 9
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
It's about time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe（漫威电影宇宙）to have its first Asian superhero on the silver screen. And there are few better heroes to pick than Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu, who has the knowledge of nearly every martial art. This upcoming film will feature a 98% Asian cast.
West Side Story
Release date: December 10
Director: Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg's new adaptation of the famous Broadway musical of the same name, which itself was based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, is finally seeing the light of day in late 2021.
The Matrix 4
Release date: December 22
Director: Lana Wachowski
Lana Wachowski is set to bring us another sci-fi action-adventure set in the digital world she helped create way back in 1999.
1. What type of film is Malcolm & Marie?| A．Comedy. | B．Fantasy. | C．Romance. | D．Sci-fi. |
| A．It is Marvel Studio's upcoming superhero film. |
| B．It stars Destin Daniel Cretton. |
| C．Its hero knows everything about martial art. |
| D．It is a film with an all-Asian cast. |
| A．Malcolm & Marie. |
| B．Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. |
| C．West Side Story. |
| D．The Matrix 4. |
