2 . Tobias, a 35-year-old Belgian musician, has become popular on social media for his excellent grasp of the Shanghai dialect. He has been sharing his everyday experiences, which he _______ in Shanghai dialect, on video-sharing and lifestyle _______ Douyin and Xiaohongshu, winning thousands of followers and millions of _______

In the videos, he speaks_______ Shanghai dialect, which many non-locals believe is as difficult to learn and _______ as a foreign language. He talks about walking on the city’s streets, enjoying the food and music, and _______ his daily life in the city. Tobias started shooting and _______ these short videos for his own practice purposes. He didn’t expect so many people would be watching them, following him and sending him _______ and encouragement.

Tobias did not bury his nose in textbooks or _______ intensive study to learn Shanghainese. He said his learning __________ involved getting immersed (沉浸) in a language environment, having a positive attitude, and speaking __________ “without being afraid to make mistakes” . He was not thinking too much when he started learning the Shanghai dialect — it was just for __________.

Tobias said he did not expect he would __________ the promotion of the Shanghai dialect, but it would be an __________ and pleasure if his posts encouraged his followers to learn and pass on the dialect. “I believe a dialect is the heart of a local __________” said the musician.

3 . Smartphones allow us to do some great things.     1     The apps allow us to do even more with our phones. One app that encourages creativity among its users is TikTok, also known as Douyin.

TikTok is an app used for making music videos that can be shared with others. It provides some parts of popular songs. People can use the   songs as background music in their videos.     2     People record themselves doing dance moves, lip-syncing (对口型) with the music and just having fun. Some users like to make videos when they travel.     3     And of course, videos of cute animals moving in time with the music are always popular. Users can edit (编辑) their videos with different tools. The end results can be quite impressive (令人赞叹的).

Users can communicate with each other by leaving comments (评论) or giving “likes” on a video.     4     They are like stars with other users waiting for their next video to come out.

The app doesn’t just help make its users more popular.     5     One example is singer Christine Welch, who wrote A Million Possibilities. This song was very popular among Chinese users of the app. Because of that, Christine was invited to sing at a 2019 New Year’s concert in Beijing!

TikTok is a form of social media (媒体). It is fun for anyone who likes to be creative or enjoys the creativity of others.

4 . In this new digital era, farmers are finding ways to evolve with the times while still holding fast to their traditions.

In the quiet and excluded parts of rural China, Xiang Qing, a man born in 1990, leads a life quite unlike the bustling (熙熙攘攘的) urban existence that defines modernity. His home is Guzhang county, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture, which is located deep in western Hunan province. Xiang Qing and his 23-year-old nephew, Xiang Hong, jointly operate a video channel called “Shan Bai”. Through their videos, they showcase handicrafts and rural life in China, captivating (迷住) many young urban viewers.

“Life here unfolds at its own pace. We cultivate crops and vegetables and occasionally purchase meat at the market,” Xiang Qing said. “I’ve come across numerous comments from people who watch our videos while lying in bed at night after a busy day of work, finding them truly relaxing and comforting. I think it’s fantastic, and it’s in line with our initial intentions.”

Five years ago, Xiang Qing resigned from his job as a customer service representative in Shanghai and returned to his hometown in Guzhang county, embarking on (开始) a new journey as a video blogger. “Back in 2012, when I was a college student, film-making aroused my passion, and it has continued to be a profound and enduring interest,” he said.

Following in his uncle’s footsteps, Xiang Hong made the same life-altering decision. Having graduated from college last year, he also returned to his hometown in April from Changde, a city in Hunan, and ventured into the world of video production alongside his uncle.

Now their video channel Shan Bai has attracted more than 59.8 million followers. Xiang Qing conceptualizes, films, and edits the videos himself. Xiang Hong serves as the video presenter. Long Lingling, Xiang Qing’s wife, manages the day-to-day operations of the video account, and other family members also contribute to the video production process in different ways.

Li Ziqi is one of China’s most successful online video makers. She     1     (impress) millions with her videos, where she makes nearly everything with her own two hands. She has about 50 million fans in China and another 8 million overseas,     2     she remains a mystery to many of them. Her fans on social media platforms, both in China and internationally,     3     (include) YouTube and Weibo, number more than 58 million.

With 58 million fans worldwide, the Chinese internet celebrity is famous for her videos     4     she performs the work of a farmer with the grace of a fairy. In one video, she picks flowers on horseback in a red cape, invoking the image of Red Riding Hood. In another, she builds     5     bamboo furniture set using traditional Chinese techniques. While the videos have a cinematic quality to them, it’s her deep knowledge of food, nature, and Chinese culture that leaves a deep impression on     6     (view). Her videos make her fans feel relaxed and experience something     7     (refresh), which will help them reduce their stress and anxiety.

Li Ziqi grew up with her grandparents in a rural part of Sichuan province in southwestern China. She moved in with them after her stepmother mistreated her. When she was 14, she went to the city in search of work, but she decided     8     (return) to the countryside in 2012 to take care of her grandmother. Four years later, she began filming her life there. “When I worked in the city, it was about     9     (survive),” Li says. “Now when I work in the countryside, I feel like I’m     10     (true) living.” Li is often seen preparing tasty meals for her grandmother using basic ingredients and traditional techniques. Many foreigners say they have got to know traditional Chinese food culture via her channel.

More and more people are sending greetings by WeChat

9 . 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.