1 . Chinese New Year is a celebration marking the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring. This is decorating with plants, fruits and blooming flowers carries special significance. They represent the earth coming back to life and wishes for new beginnings. Here are some of the most popular and their special meanings.
Oranges
Orange trees are more than decoration, they are a symbol of good fortune and wealth. They make great gifts and you see them many lines decorated with red envelopes and messages of good fortune. The fruits are also some of the “lucky” foods, which are a must during the celebrations.
Bamboo
Chinese love their “Lucky Bamboo” plants and you will see them often in their homes and offices Certainly during the holiday period, this plant is a must. Bamboo plants and stems are used frequently in fengshui and are associated with health, abundance and a happy home. They are easy to care for and make great presents.
Brunches of Plum Blossoms
The beautiful tong branches covered with pink-colored buds make fantastic decorations. The plum trees are the first to flower even as snow is melting after a cold winter. They represent the promise of spring and a renewal of life.
Peonies
Peonies represent prosperity and peace and are considered as China's national flower, they are often a subject of classical paintings. The peony is also known a, the “king of flowers” and represents royalty, virtue and honor name in Chinese is literally translated as “most beautiful”.
Narcissus
Narcissus flower right around Chinese New Year and are considered as a symbol of luck and wealth. Their sweet fragrance is also highly respected in Chinese culture.
1. If you are not good at growing plants, which will you probably choose?| A．Bamboo. | B．Plum blossoms. | C．Peonies | D．Narcissus |
| A．Oil painters prefer painting it. | B．Its plants are usually used in fengshui. |
| C．It bears fruits considered as lucky food. | D．Its Chinese name means “most beautiful”. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Health. | C．Culture. | D．Science. |
2 . I’m a strong believer that learning different languages makes you look incredibly good when you’re in a foreign country and can understand and speak the language. The list below is 4 apps that will help you learn a foreign language! You can download them for free.
Babbel – Learn Languages
Babbel is an excellent language tool to help you progress step by step with learning a new language. It helps you learn grammar along the way as you work your way through the tasks and assignments. You need to pay a monthly subscription(定金), but this will still be cheaper than taking physical lessons with a tutor!
Duolingo: Learn Languages Free
The app has many languages to choose from and will work through the basics all the way to advanced words and sentences. It’s all completely free too! It’s incredibly well designed, looks great and will help you learn, remember and progress with just a little bit of time every day.
Tandem: Language Exchange
Rather than have you work through tasks and memorize different things, the app lets you match with people who share your interests but speak the language you want to learn. You can then have text, voice and video conversations with people who want to learn your native language, and in return you learn theirs, all by simply communicating with each other. It’s a great way to learn with only $1 a day.
Learn English – busuu
This app is perfect if you want to learn English. There are all sorts of audio and visual learning aids. You’ll find yourself working through interactive tests and learning tools for vocabulary and dialogue.
1. What is the purpose of the passage?| A．Sell apps to language learners. | B．Introduce language learning apps. |
| C．Teach language learners to use apps. | D．Teach languages through apps. |
| A．Babbel – Learn Languages | B．Tandem: Language Exchange |
| C．Duolingo: Learn Languages Free | D．Learn English – busuu |
| A．It is completely free to use. | B．It is specially for English learning. |
| C．It is unsuitable for beginners. | D．It is the most effective（有效的）app. |
| A．They cover all languages. | B．They focus on grammar. |
| C．They contain many tests. | D．They are free to download. |
3 . We’ve collected some of the greatest royal (皇家的) palaces and castles to visit in Britain. Here are our picks.
Windsor Castle, Berkshire
Windsor Castle is the oldest castle in the world. It used to be an official accommodation for Her Majesty the Queen and was the place where the wedding of Prince Hary and Meghan Markle was held. The site of Windsor Castle was chosen and built by William in around 1070 to guard the western ways to London from a possible attack.
Open all year round to the public.
Buckingham Palace, Westminster
The official accommodation of the King and Queen and one of Britain’s most recognized historic sites, Buckingham Palace is often used for national celebrations and events. It was bought in 1761 by George II for his wife Queen Charlotte.
Buckingham Palace is open to the public during the summer months and for a limited number of tours in December, January and at Easter each year.
Kew Palace, Richmond-Upon-Thames
Sitting on the banks of the River Thames in London, Kew Palace might be the smallest of the royal palaces. With the big Kew Gardens around, the palace was built in 1631 for the London silk businessman, Samuel Fortreas.
Kew Palace is open for the summer season.
Hampton Court Palace, Surrey
Set on the edge of the River Thames, Hampton Court Palace in Surrey was a Tudor palace created by Cardinal Wlosey in the early 16th century and was once home to Henry VII over the years. There are beautiful gardens nearby and the palace was opened to the public in 1838 by Queen Victoria.
Open all year round, except 24-26 December.
1. Why was Windsor Castle built?| A．To promote western culture. |
| B．To find new ways to the west. |
| C．To guard London from attacks. |
| D．To protect the roads to London. |
| A．They are very small. |
| B．They are near the River Thames. |
| C．They were built by a businessman. |
| D．They were opened to the public by a Queen. |
| A．Windsor Castle. | B．Buckingham Palace. |
| C．Kew Palace. | D．Hampton Court Palace. |
4 . Many of the most memorable advertisement campaigns around tend to be funny. Advertisers use this
The best products to sell using humor tend to be those that consumers have to think the least about. Products that are relatively inexpensive, and often
Another point to consider when using humor in advertising is that different things are
Humor in advertising tends to improve
| A．activity | B．memory | C．strategy | D．product |
| A．surprised | B．entertained | C．inspired | D．welcomed |
| A．influenced | B．remembered | C．understood | D．noticed |
| A．available | B．incredible | C．consumable | D．memorable |
| A．fun | B．wisdom | C．freedom | D．humor |
| A．jewelry | B．furniture | C．tobacco | D．computers |
| A．influential | B．beneficial | C．important | D．funny |
| A．bad | B．impressive | C．strong | D．flavorful |
| A．steady | B．target | C．competitive | D．weak |
| A．company reputation | B．brand recognition | C．consumer image | D．product quality |
| A．In other words | B．In a word | C．On the other hand | D．On the contrary |
| A．stopped | B．created | C．affected | D．chosen |
| A．contrast | B．honesty | C．variety | D．imagination |
| A．changed | B．reviewed | C．launched | D．criticized |
| A．live | B．hide | C．stay | D．die |
5 . Read any interesting books lately? We want to hear about them,so we’re hosting a Review Blitz! We want reasonable reviews in one month! These reviews must be your honest opinions. Don’t rush through writing them,because we’ll be paying attention to quality!
Deadline: Feb. 1, 2023
Rules: You must be a teen (aged 13-19) with a Teen Creativity account to enter.
●Submissions(提交作品) must relate to the topic.
●Each review must have a minimum of 250 words.
●There is no limit to the number of pieces you can submit.
Guidelines:
●Give a brief summary of the book. Don’t explain the entire plot or tell your reader how the book ends.
●Tell the reader what you like or dislike about the book, such as theme,characters,writing style,etc.
●Recommend the book to certain readers. Is the book more suitable to older teens? Would science fiction fans be interested in this book? It’s helpful for readers to think about the book in the context of other books they’ve read.
Prizes:
●All participants will receive a certificate.
●First prize winners will each have one review published in Teen Creativity magazine and get a free 6-month magazine subscription.
●Second prize winners will each get a free 3-month magazine subscription and receive a $25 gift card.
●You’ll receive these prizes before Sep. 28,2023.
Submit your works to teencreativity. com. We hope reviewing books brings you joy.
1. The participants of Review Blitz ________.| A．need to be at least 12 years old | B．can submit more than one review |
| C．should upload works before Sep. 28 | D．must express opinions within 250 words |
| A．The main character Bill survives at last. |
| B．The author’s use of imagery is masterful. |
| C．The talk between the cousins is unbelievable. |
| D．Fans of the Harry Potter series will love this book. |
6 . If there is one thing I’m sure about, it is that in a hundred years from now we will still be reading newspapers. It is not that newspapers are a necessity. Even now some people get most of their news from television or radio. Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday. But for most people reading a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation.
The nature of what is news may change. What basically makes news is what affects our lives—the big political stories, the coverage of the wars, earthquakes and other disasters, will continue much the same. I think there will be more coverage of scientific research, though. It’s already happening in areas that may directly affect our lives, like genetic (基因的) engineering. In the future, I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do—as we develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are.
It’s quite possible that in the next century newspapers will be transmitted electronically from Fleet Street and printed out in our own home. In fact, I’m pretty sure that it will happen in the future. You will probably be able to choose from a menu, making up your own newspaper by picking out the things you want to read — sports and international news, etc.
I think people have got it wrong when they talk about competition between the different media. They actually feed off each other. Some people once foresaw that television would kill off newspapers, but that hasn’t happened. What is read on the printed page lasts longer than pictures on a screen or sound lost in the air. And as for the Internet, it’s never really pleasant to read something just on a screen.
1. In the writer’s opinion, in the future, ___________.| A．more and more people will watch TV |
| B．newspapers will cover more scientific research |
| C．more big political affairs, wars and disasters will make news |
| D．newspapers will not be printed in publishing houses any longer |
| A．the writer believes some media will die out |
| B．television will take the place of the newspaper |
| C．newspapers will stay with us together with other media |
| D．newspapers will win the competition among the different media |
| A．depend on | B．compete with |
| C．fight with | D．kill off |
| A．The Best Way to Get News | B．Make Your Own Newspaper |
| C．The Changes of Media | D．The Future of Newspaper |
7 . How to be a better reader
Reading is an extremely important skill.
Know your reading purpose.
Use all the information in the book. Good textbooks are well-organized with title subtitles， introductions， summaries or conclusions. Many books also have pictures with captions(说明文字).
Use your dictionary wisely. A common mistake of ESL students is to look up each unknown word in the texts they are given to read.
| A．Choose the right time to read. |
| B．Choose a right place to read. |
| C．Look at all these first before starting to read. |
| D．But it takes a long time and can be very boring. |
| E．The wider your vocabulary is， the easier you will find your reading. |
| F．Reading is also an excellent way to improve your general English. |
| G．the way you read a book or a text depends largely on your reasons for reading it. |
8 . Product placement (植入式广告) is a form of advertising in which a company pays a content creator to place its products on the set of a movie, TV show or music video. The oldest examples of products appearing in films date back to the production of a French motion picture in 1896. Recent years have witnessed the bloom of product placement. With viewers migrating to web videos, this trend makes sense.
When watching web videos, about 90% of consumers either skip or ignore those traditional ads that run before the video. So as advertisers struggle to reach potential consumers, they’re increasingly turning to product placement, spending their advertising budgets to get their ads into media content in ways that the ads can’t be skipped. Studies have shown product placement can increase viewer’s awareness of products and their positive attitudes toward them.
But not all product placement works as intended, and research has shown that advertisers need to engage in delicate dance with viewers to effectively influence them. Viewers tend to be turned off if the product placement is too obvious — as when a character in the show holds the product and talks about it. Most viewers don’t want to be immersed (沉浸) in an intense drama only to be reminded that they’re being targeted by corporations.
In contrast, viewers are most influenced by product placement in which the product or the brand name is spoken by one of the characters but not shown. These pieces of product placement are more likely to be noticed by viewers than those where products are simply shown on the screen. Also, viewers may be more attracted to product placement that appears earlier in a show or movie. Because they become more engaged as a movie or a show progresses. If the placement at the climax — the moment when their attention is fixed on what will happen next — they’re either less likely to notice the placement or more likely to be annoyed by it if they do notice it.
With increasing online viewers and better designed product placement, perhaps advertisers will consider product placement as their first choice. After all, it’s incredibly effective at getting the targeted audience interested without influencing their viewing experience.
1. What can we know about product placement?| A．It’s still popular nowadays. | B．It first appeared in TV shows. |
| C．It was overlooked in the 1890s. | D．It aims to make videos interesting. |
| A．It has a lower price. | B．It’s more interesting. |
| C．It’s less likely to be ignored by viewers. | D．It makes advertisers understand customers well. |
| A．Gain satisfaction. | B．Get confused. | C．Feel funny. | D．Lose interest. |
| A．Product Placement: the Future Trend for Advertising |
| B．Product Placement: a New Driving Force Behind Movies |
| C．Product Placement: a Mirror of the Advertisement History |
| D．Product Placement: the Perfect Companion to Online Videos |
9 . Language clubs are friendly and supportive places where like-minded students can learn and practice a different language.
Chinese Club
The Chinese Club offers chances for you to appreciate the most widely spoken language in the world. In the club, we not only have conversation hours to practice speaking Chinese, but also watch films and listen to music.
French Club
Russian Club
It is a club for both knowledge exchange and personal growth to students who want to learn about Russia. We offer a chance to discover Russian culture and history while making new friends.
Italian Club
It is a club for those who share a strong interest in Italian culture and language. Join our extra-curricular activities to meet native Italian speakers, make pizzas, and host opera workshops! We meet every Monday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Overseas Student Center.
Make new friends and join us today! For more information about the latest activities, please feel free to contact languageclubs2023@gmail.com.
| A．If you are interested in museum visits |
| B．Here are some clubs that you need to know |
| C．Moreover, we also celebrate traditional festivals |
| D．It is a club for those who long to learn cooking skills |
| E．Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced speaker |
| F．Besides cultural events, we also run many weekly lessons |
| G．It is a club offering group events about language and history |
10 . Attractive lakeside cottages and cabins
Lafitte’s Landing Guest Quarters, Uncertain, Texas
There are five cottages featuring high ceilings and spacious bedrooms. Lafitte’s is a certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat, so you don’t have to go far for bird-watching. Explore the lake on a steamboat, or head to Caddo Lake State Park for night adventures such as Owl Nights and Bat Watches.
Rates: Summer nightly rates range from $559 to $1,899
Lake Placid Lodge, Lake Placid, New York
With 17 cabins sitting along the shores of Lake Placid, the arts-and-crafts-style Lake Placid Lodge offers an exciting summer lake experience. Lakefront cabins come outfitted with hand-built beds and stone fireplaces. Go for a hike, or hit the lake for swimming, fishing, or boating.
Rates: Rates are $120 per night for double occupancy; each additional person is $20 per night.
Lake Crescent Lodge, Olympic National Park, Washington
Its cottages and cabins are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Choose between one-and two-bedroom Singer Tavern Cottages, or stay in the always favored (and often booked) Roosevelt Fireplace Cabins. Spend your days hiking in the surrounding Olympic National Park, or exploring Lake Crescent by boat.
Rates: Nightly rates for cottages and cabins range between $317 and $398.
Tamarack Lodge Resort, Mammoth Lakes, California
It is on the peaceful shores of the Twin Lakes. Choose between recently built Deluxe Cabins and old wood-and-stone cabins. Swimming, fishing, boating, biking, and hiking are popular pastimes.
Rates: Summer cabin rates range from $369 to $999 per night.
1. Where can you observe bats at night?| A．At Caddo Lake State Park | B．At Lake Placid |
| C．At Olympic National Park | D．At the Twin Lakes |
| A．$60 | B．$120 | C．$140 | D．$360 |
| A．Cottages at Lafitte’s Landing Guest Quarters | B．Cabins at Lake Placid Lodge |
| C．Deluxe Cabins | D．Roosevelt Fireplace Cabins |
