1 . The following are newly released devices all designed to help make your life more convenient, beautiful and vivid.
Tonal
$2,995 AT TONAL.COM
Tonal makes lifting and resistance training truly easy and accessible from your own home. It is great because I hate any sort of public weight training. Tonal has a remarkably easy user interface and gives data and feedback in a helpful manner. It also makes you feel great by keeping track of clear improvements.
Hisense 75” U800GR 8K ULED Roku TV
$1,800 AT BEST BUY
8k sounded like a luxury, but now that brands like Hisense, which focus on a more affordable end of the spectrum, have gotten some time with the tech, you can finally bring the deep color output and stunning detail into your living room. Calling it “affordable” may be a stretch, but compared to most 8k TV’s which all run over $5,000, it’s the most cost-efficient version of the tech we’ve got. It gets your money worth best.
VIVE Goggle
$499 AT VIVE.COM
Vive goggles will bring an extremely accessible and refreshing approach to the VR world. They are a pair of goggles not unlike something you’d wear to snowboard. They’re extremely lightweight with a lightning fast set — that’s connected with things like watching Netflix. It’s the calmest headset I’ve ever worn and uses cameras to let you control everything with just your hands. This one’s for the not-gamers.
Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde
$920 AT WALMART
For people who easily sneeze because of dog hair or something like that outside, Dyson has created a machine that saves them for time at home. This new purifier doubles as a humidifier, plus it has a cooling function, making it the end all be all for stuffy, hot, dry apartments.
1. Which device will get your money worth best?| A．Tonal. | B．Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde. |
| C．VIVE Flow. | D．Hisense 75” U 800 GR 8K ULED Roku TV. |
| A．They are user-friendly. |
| B．They help keep track of weight. |
| C．They appeal to gamers. |
| D．They are intended for who are allergic to dust. |
| A．A consumer review. | B．A magazine. |
| C．A novel. | D．A health report. |
2 . Welcome to our stand-up comedy classes
This is the workshop where beginners have grown into headliners and headliners have grown into stars. Our workshop stresses stand-up comedy writing and performing — the two key components of stand-up comedy.
Our classes are conducted by award-winning, comedy director and writer Stephen Rosenfield and his stand-up staff. They are conducted so that when it’s time for your club performance, you will have solidly written, funny material and you will be well rehearsed and ready to perform beyond your expectations. These stand-up comedy classes are offered to both beginners and advanced students. The workshop consists of group classes, private coaching sessions and a performance at Gotham or West Side Comedy Club.
Seats available: 2
Start date: May 17th
In-person show: May 20th at Gotham Comedy Club
Live streamed show: May 22nd on YouTube
Fees:
If you are a first time student: $410. If you are a returning student: $350.
We accept cash, checks or credit cards.
Your instructor: Becky Veduccio
Becky has been a professional comedian, writer and actress for over 15 years. She has performed stand-up comedy in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and London. Besides, she has appeared in commercials, theater and feature films. And she competed in the 2018 season of America’s GotTalent.
Her film works include Return to Me, Maid in Manhattan and Random Hearts. As a writer, she was chosen as one of Parenting. com’s top five “Favorite Mommy Bloggers” for her humorous articles on the website. In 2015, she won the New York Press Club Award for humorous writing. As an instructor, Becky has taught stand-up comedy to every age group — from elementary school kids and teenagers to university students and adults. She believes everyone has a comedic voice.
1. What can be learned about the workshop?| A．There are three seats left at present. | B．It focuses on both writing and acting. |
| C．There are online shows on May 20th. | D．It is specially designed for headliners. |
| A．$10. | B．$50. | C．$60. | D．$80. |
| A．She is an experienced performer. | B．She contributes a lot to magazines. |
| C．She became an overnight success. | D．She hosted America’s Got Talent. |
3 . Many libraries around the world are as amazing in their architecture and organization as they are in the huge amount of knowledge they contain. With shelves and shelves of books, various collections and amazing historical and cultural displays, there are plenty of undiscovered wonders.
Beinecke Rare Book Library (New Haven, Connecticut)
Yale University has one of the most beautiful college campuses in America, and one of its most interesting features is the Beinecke Rare Book Library. It is one of the largest buildings in the world devoted to rare books and manuscripts (手稿) of famous people. From 2015-16 the library building was closed for 18 months for major improvement. Inside there is a statue of its main founder that rises up high.
Vennesla Library (Vennesla, Norway)
Located near the southernmost tip of Norway, Vennesla Library is more than a collection of books—it’s a city cultural center and meeting place. The building hosts a coffee shop, open meeting spaces, classrooms for children and adult education courses, and a cinema. It is mainly built out of wood. The long, thin beams (横梁) on the inside were designed to look like the inside of a whale.
Suzzallo Library (Seattle)
Among the many beautiful features of the campus at the University of Washington, such as its cherry flowers and a light rail station, Suzzallo Library was built in the Collegiate Gothic style. Its buttresses (扶壁) are decorated with 18 statues featuring famous academics and writers such as Plato, Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo, Beethoven, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
Library of Muyinga (Muyinga, Burundi)
A school for deaf children, the Library of Muyinga in Burundi was built with local techniques and traditions. A rope hammock (吊床) that hangs between the first and second floors of the library serves as part of the children’s reading room, a great place for indoor activities.
More information of them is just a click away.
1. Which one is suitable for people who want to appreciate statues?| A．Beinecke Rare Book Library. | B．Vennesla Library. |
| C．Suzzallo Library. | D．Library of Muyinga. |
| A．It is mainly intended for children. | B．It is built in the shape of a whale. |
| C．It is located within the campus. | D．It is a kind of culture complex. |
| A．A culture magazine | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A website. | D．A historical book. |
4 . Featured August Programs in the National Portrait Gallery
Kinship: An Artist Talk with Sedrick Huckaby
Join us for an artist talk with Sedrick Huckaby, whose life-size paintings and sculptures refer to universal human connections and honor figures central to his life — his family members and those close to him. The artist will discuss the importance of community and kin (亲属) to his practice. This event will take place in Sedrick Huckaby’s Kinship gallery space from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 5.
Weekend Workshop: Mindfulness in the Museum
Join Art Educator Sean Murphy for an interactive workshop in mindfulness and art. Inspired by the exhibition, Kinship, participants will be guided through breathing exercises, and a mindfulness activity before visiting the galleries and creating their own mindfulness books. This workshop will take place in G Street Lobby from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 12.
Expressive Arts Workshop: Family Memory Box
Family memories can connect us to those important in our lives. Join us in this interactive art making workshop to create “family memory boxes” to hold special photos, items, and memories of loved ones. No previous art making experience is required. This workshop will take place in G Street Lobby from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Aug. 19.
Virtual Portrait Signs: A Tour in ASL
Join us for a virtual tour of 1898: Imperial Vision and Revisions, which is the first major Smithsonian museum exhibition to examine the War of 1898 and the legacy of this controversial chapter in history. This deaf-led presentation will include voice interpretation. This exhibition will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 19. The Zoom link will be emailed on the morning of the program. Questions? Please email Jonesve@si.edu.
1. Which programs share the same theme?| A．Family Memory Box and A Tour in ASL. |
| B．Mindfulness in the Museum and Family Memory Box. |
| C．An Artist Talk with Sedrick Huckaby and Family Memory Box. |
| D．An Artist Talk with Sedrick Huckaby and Mindfulness in the Museum. |
| A．It is the first major Smithsonian museum exhibition. |
| B．Its presentation will be emailed to visitors. |
| C．It is an in-gallery tour led by the deaf. |
| D．It is friendly to hearing challenged people. |
| A．To provide people with some places to visit. |
| B．To involve more people in the programs. |
| C．To train more people to become artists. |
| D．To introduce the gallery to visitors. |
5 . People have been predicting (预测) the death of cable TV (有线电视) for a long time, but this really might be it. Just a decade (十年) ago, nearly all Americans — more than 85 percent of U.S. households — paid for packages of TV channels from cable or satellite ( 卫 星) companies. That started to drop slowly at first and then far more quickly in the past few years. Now, the share of American homes that pay for traditional TV service is approaching 50 percent, according to expert Craig Moffett and S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Kagan research group.
For comparison, cellphones were around for decades before the percentage of Americans who didn’t have a landline ( 座 机) at home reached 50 percent, around 2017. Maybe it seems predictable that cable TV would go the way of the landline. I promise you that it was not necessarily obvious, even once Netflix started to take off. Old habits die hard. Old industries that make a lot of people rich die even harder. And don’t forget that some new technology habits catch on fast but don’t stick.
What may be a final drop in America’s cable TV industry is a big deal. It shows that technology can change deep-rooted ways of doing things slowly, and then suddenly.
Ian Olgeirson, a research director at Kagan who has been following America’s TV market for about 20 years, told me that he was surprised by how quickly the monthly cable bill went from being standard to outdated for many Americans. Olgeirson and other TV experts I’ve been speaking to didn’t single out a turning point in cable TV’s big drop. They said the downward trend ( 趋 势) was more like a series of progressive changes building up.
It’s clear that the cable TV system that for decades brought joy and headaches to tens of millions of Americans is wearing thin. The wild card is whether Americans keep turning away from cable and satellite TV relatively slowly, or whether it will fail suddenly.
I have always loved TV. I felt like a real grown-up when I first started to pay a huge bill for television, partly to watch my favorite football team. I had reduced my cable TV package, but then a few months ago I was told that my bill was going to increase by about $10 a month. That was it. I’m a no-cable household now, too.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us about cable TV?| A．Its falling popularity. | B．Its increasing payments. |
| C．Its various TV channels. | D．Its high service standard. |
| A．To prove technology can change the world. | B．To show it is not easy for cable TV to go away. |
| C．To illustrate there is no market left for cable TV. | D．To explain technology can bring fortune to people. |
| A．America’s TV market was down suddenly. |
| B．The death of cable TV will come in about 20 years. |
| C．Americans turned away from cable TV so quickly. |
| D．There are still many Americans showing interest in cable TV. |
| A．Cable TV won’t be replaced by satellite TV | B．Cable TV brought joy to Americans |
| C．Cable TV has existed for decades | D．Cable TV is the new landline |
6 . School Activities for Kids and Teens
July is a month of fun－filled activities for kids and teens as long as you know where to find them. When you want some fun activities for July, consider these ideas happening in this month.
| Secret_of_the_Dragon Time: Monday, July 1, 2020, 10: 30 a. m. Cost: Adult: $7.40 Children(under 15): half Bookings: Phone the booking office at 3403 2578. Address: Brisbane Botanic Gardens Note: Secret of the Dragon is a magical story about two children who are taken on a dragon. | The_Search_for_Life:_Are_We_Alone? Time: Thursday, July 4, 2020, 2: 00 p. m. Cost: Adult: $14.50 Children: $8.70 Bookings: Phone the booking office at 3403 7689. Address: Brisbane Botanic Gardens Note: Are we truly alone in space? Is there any life out there? These are the questions asked in this show. |
| Magic_Class Time: Friday, J uly 12,2020,10: 00 a. m. Cost: Free Booking: Please phone 34038470. Address: Centenary Community hub,171 Dandenong Note: Would you like to be a magician? Then join David, the magician, to learn about real magic with playing cards, coins, ring ropes and DIY projects and be able to become the life of the party. | Science_With_Me:_Making_Your_Own_Guitar! Time: Saturday, July 20,2020, 3：00 p. m. Cost: Free Booking: Please phone 3403 1226. Address: 10, Egginton Close Note: Do you want to make a guitar with Katy and her mom? Science with me is going to be with you. Please remember to bring a piece of wood, a hammer, some rubber bands and some nails with you. |
| A．7.40 | B．11.10 | C．14.80 | D．23.20 |
| A．Magic Class | B．Science with Me | C．The Search for Life | D．Secret of the Dragon |
| A．They can all be booked by phone. | B．They happen in the same place. |
| C．They are all weekend activities. | D．They are all free. |
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 . May 19 marks the 12th China Tourism Day.Chinaculture.org will hold a 24-hour lives-tream(直播)event，taking worldwide audiences on a virtual journey throughout the country.
Take an online tour of the “Panda Kingdom” in Sichuan
Wolong National Nature Reserve(保护区)，known as the “Panda Kingdom” lies in the high mountains of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province. It’s a national overall nature reserve that mainly protects rare wildlife and forests.
Watch LIVE: 9 am, May 19
Discover a China“Beyond Your Imagination”
With more than 5,000 years of history?9.6 million square kilometers of land area and rich resources，China has an amazing amount to offer. You can find amazing natural land scapes(风景)and various lifestyles，as well as mouthwatering food. Discover the real China here.
Watch LIVE: 1 pm， May 19
Best places to visit in China
From the Forbidden City in Beijing to the City Wall in Xi5an northwest China’s Shaanxi Province，from the mausoleum of Ming Dynasty(1368-1644)emperor Zhu Yuanzhang in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province，to the Shapotou scenic spot in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and the beautiful Qinghai Lake in northwest China’s Qinghai Province...Where do you think is the best place to travel?
Watch LIVE: 8 pm May 19
1. When should you watch the event if you’re interested in pandas?| A．1 pm, May 19. | B．10 am, May 19. |
| C．9 am, May 19. | D．8 pm, May 19. |
| A．The lovely pandas. | B．The delicious food. |
| C．The Forbidden City. | D．Traditional music and dances. |
| A．On a tourist website. | B．In science fiction. |
| C．In a biography. | D．In scientific research. |
9 . Harry Potter fans, get ready for the journey to Hogwarts and beyond on an official guided tour of Warner Bros. This guided experience at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London — The Making of Harry Potter is the only tour of its kind, so if you’re a fan of the magical world, it’s a must-do.
What To Expect
Upon arriving, you will be greeted by an experienced guide who reveals the wonders you’ll encounter throughout your tour of the original sets and costumes from all eight of the Harry Potter films. You will be given your own personal headset to ensure you do not miss any of the fascinating behind-the-scenes facts.
Watch a short film in the cinema before you enter the Great Hall, Visit the original Hogwarts Express locomotive (火车头) and a recreation of Platform 9¾. Climb aboard the train carriage and pose with a luggage trolley as it disappears through the platform wall.
Once the tour comes to an end, you have the option to re-enter the studio at your leisure, find that perfect souvenir at the Studio Shop, or purchase a coffee at the Studio Tour Cafe.
Additional Information
Not wheelchair accessible.
Infants (婴儿) must sit on laps.
Travelers should have a medium physical fitness level.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers.
The total duration of the tour is 5 hours, comprising a 1-hour travel time to the studios, a 3-hour guided tour, and a 1-hour travel time back to London.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 3 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel within 2 days of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
1. What can be expected throughout the tour?| A．Taking photos with the actors. | B．Knowing behind-the-scenes facts. |
| C．Creating a new Platform 9¾. | D．Watching Harry Potter series again. |
| A．Couples with little babies. | B．Adults with physical disability. |
| C．A group consisting of 16 members. | D．Teenagers with travel sickness. |
| A．On the day of registration. | B．On the exact day of departure. |
| C．3 days ahead of the departure date. | D．4 days ahead of the departure date. |
10 . British Museum
Located in Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, the British Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artifacts and is free to all visitors. The British Museums surprising collection spans over two million years of human history and culture, and it has more than 7 million objects, so it would probably take a week to see everything.
Over 6 million visitors every year experience the collection, including world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.
Admission (入场费) and opening times
Free, open daily from 10:00 to 17:30.
Open until 20:30 on Fridays,except Good Friday.
Closed on 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Large luggage (行李), suitcases and cabin baggage
For everyone’s safety, all bags, packages and personal items may be searched before entry. Wheeled cases and large items of luggage are not allowed on British Museum for safety and security reasons. Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, Kings Cross and Charring Cross.
Membership
Membership allows you to discover two million years of human history with free unlimited entry to special exhibitions.
Individual (个人) membership: $74
Under 26 membership: $54
Young friends (ages 8—15):$25
Shops
The Museum has four shops where you can buy books, souvenirs, and family gifts.
1. When can you visit the British Museum?| A．At 9:00 Friday. | B．On Christmas Day. |
| C．At 12:00 Monday. | D．On Good Friday. |
| A．At some crossings. | B．At major train stations. |
| C．In the hall of the Museum. | D．At the entrance to the Museum. |
| A．79. | B．99. | C．128. | D．148. |
