1 . British cinema boasts a rich diversity of films that weave appealing narratives with stunning landscapes and fascinating characters. These films celebrate the diverse beauty and cultural heritage of Britain.

Local Hero

Local Hero digs into the conflict between a giant US oil company and a remote Scottish village when the former plans to build a refinery (精炼厂). However, the exceptionally beautiful landscapes and the firm attitude of the villagers sway the company’s decision. The story has been a lasting appeal to audiences, even after over four decades.

Kes

British director Ken Loach’s first triumph, Kes, describes the touching narrative of a young Yorkshire boy taking the journey of capturing and training an eagle. The film offers a rare description of Yorkshire, filled with a tender lens that celebrates its essence.

The Dig

The delightful counties surrounding London are vividly depicted in The Dig, set against the peaceful countryside of Suffolk before World War II. Ralph Fiennes, a famous actor, plays the role of a self-taught archaeologist unearthing the mysteries of an Anglo-Saxon graveyard, adding to its fun.

Calvary

Irish director Michael McDonagh’s films set in Ireland are undoubtedly attractive, often integrating Ireland’s picturesque scenery into the story. Among these, Calvary, stands out. It records the difficult and tiring journey of a moral priest, dealing with the evil forces within his area.

1. What is the setting of the film Local Hero?

A．A Yorkshire village.

B．A remote Scottish village.

C．The countryside of Suffolk.

D．The Anglo-Saxon graveyard.

2. Which of the following films will appeal to curious history lovers?

A．Local Hero.	B．Kes.
C．Calvary.	D．The Dig.

3. What is the theme of the British films mentioned in the text?

A．The moral dilemma of an Irish priest.

B．The national and cultural heritage of Britain.

C．The beauty and diversity of British landscapes and characters.

D．The adventures of Yorkshire boys capturing and training eagles.

2 . Immersion (沉浸) in music is a remarkable way to relax. Now, music lovers he a chance to please your ears. The following four festivals must bring you great surprise.

Moab Music Festival
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug. 29 — Sept. 9

This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including there “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.

Events start at $25. moabmusicfest.org.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: June 15 — Aug. 24

Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights (最精彩的部分) this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem’s production of Alvin Ailey’s “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.

Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. jacobspillow.org.

Cheyenne Frontier Days
Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July 19 — 28

There’s something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village” and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for major money in the world’s largest outdoor stage.

Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. cfdrodeo.com.

The Glimmerglass Festival
Where: Cooperstown, New York
When: July 6-Aug. 24

Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year’s performances include Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi’s “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200^th birthdays of both composers (作曲家).

Tickets start at $26. glimmerglass.org.

1. Which date is suitable for you to enjoy a “Grotto Concert”?

A．June 15.

B．September 4.

C．August 24.

D．July 19.

2. You’re advised to go to ________ if you like Verdi.

A．Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.	B．Cheyenne Frontier Days.
C．The Glimmerglass Festival.	D．Moab Music Festival.

3. Which part of a website is the text probably chosen from?

A．Art.

B．Literature.

C．Business.

D．Education.

3 . Five weeks ago I had total hip replacement surgery (髋关节置换手术). In Canada, we have a great healthcare system. That means we get our new hips for free.

My hip had been hurting me for years before I went to the doctor. Of course, it was free. She referred me to a surgeon, but the earliest appointment was in 10 months. That is what being free gets you. Ten months later, after some free X-rays, the surgeon told me I needed surgery, which was about an 18-month wait, for some senior citizens had been on the operation list. Another 18 months! I dragged myself out of the surgeon’s office.

Walking through the hospital, I thought about the situation. As the breadwinner of a large family, I couldn’t wait that long, so I had to get to the front line. I was fully aware of what a Canadian should be like (Canadians are usually considered gentle and ca-ring), but this time I really needed to fight for myself. At that very moment, in the shop window of the hospital, I saw a sign which read, “Volunteers Needed.” Suddenly, an idea occurred to me—I would get the job. Fortunately, they signed me up immediately because the average age of the volunteers at the shop was 75. They were desperate for some young blood.

Every Friday morning, I was at the shop. While seeing the hospital staff, I’d casually be asked, What do you do? Then I'd tell them, Well, I'm getting my hip replaced—in 18 months. It’s going to be so great when the pain stops. Soon, all the staff got to know me. Naturally, in my next appointment, the surgeon recognized me. Moments later, I had a surgery date just weeks away.

I had to say it was actually my volunteering that got me to the front of the line. And I’m not ashamed of it, for I intend to stick with the volunteering. Also, even when I cheated the system, I did it in a way that benefits society.

1. What can we infer from the second paragraph?

A．She felt rather disappointed.

B．She couldn’t walk because of the pain.

C．She was too scared to have the surgery.

D．She didn’t believe what the surgeon said.

2. Why did the writer decide to be a volunteer?

A．To donate blood to the hospital.

B．To get her new hip free of charge.

C．To receive some tiny gifts from others.

D．To approach the doctor for early surgery.

3. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．How I Got My New Hip

B．The Doctor Who Saved My Life

C．How to Be a Volunteer in Hospital

D．The Problem of Canada’s Healthcare System

5 . OPENINGS AND PREVIEWS

Animals Out of Paper

Yolo! Productions and the Great Griffon present the play by Rajiv Joseph, in which an origami(折纸术) artist invites a teenage talent and his teacher into her studio. Merri Milwe directs. In previews. Opens Feb. 12. (West Park Presbyterian Church, 165 W. 86th St. 212-868-4444.)

The Audience

Helen Mirren stars in the play by Peter Morgan, about Queen Elizabeth II of the UK and her private meetings with twelve Prime Ministers in the course of sixty years. Stephen Daldry directs. Also starring Dylan Baker and Judith Ivey. Previews begin Feb. 14.(Schoenfeld, 236 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200.)

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote this musical about Alexander Hamilton, in which the birth of America is presented as an immigrant story. Thomas Kail directs. In previews. Opens Feb. 17.(Public, 425 Lafayette St. 212-967-7555.)

On the Twentieth Century

Kristin Chenoweth and Peter Gallagher star in the musical comedy by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, about a Broadway producer who tries to win a movie star’s love during a cross-country train journey. Scott Ellis directs, for Roundabout Theatre Company. Previews begin Feb. 12.(American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St. 212-719-1300.)

1. What is the play by Rajiv Joseph probably about?

A．A type of art.

B．A teenager’s studio.

C．A great teacher.

D．A group of animals.

2. Who is the director of The Audience?

A．Helen Mirren.

B．Peter Morgan.

C．Dylan Baker.

D．Stephen Daldry.

6 . We journalists live in a new age of storytelling, with many new multimedia tools. Many young people don’t even realize it’s new. For them, it’s just normal.

This hit home for me as I was sitting with my 2-year-old grandson on a sofa over the Spring Festival holiday. I had brought a children’s book to read. It had simple words and colorful pictures — a perfect match for his age.

Picture this: my grandson sitting on my lap as I hold the book in front so he can see the pictures. As I read, he reaches out and pokes (戳) the page with his finger.

What’s up with that? He just likes the pictures, I thought. Then I turned the page and continued. He poked the page even harder. I nearly dropped the book. I was confused: Is there something wrong with this kid?

Then I realized what was happening. He was actually a stranger to books. His father frequently amused the boy with a tablet computer which was loaded with colorful pictures that come alive when you poke them. He thought my storybook was like that.

Sorry, kid. This book is not part of your high-tech world. It’s an outdated, lifeless thing. An antique, like your grandfather. Well, I may be old, but I’m not hopelessly challenged, digitally speaking. I edit video and produce audio. I use mobile payment. I’ve even built websites.

There’s one notable gap in my new-media experience, however: I’ve spent little time in front of a camera, since I have a face made for radio. But that didn’t stop China Daily from asking me last week to share a personal story for a video project about the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.

Anyway, grandpa is now an internet star — two minutes of fame! I promise not to let it go to my head. But I will make sure my 2-year-old grandson sees it on his tablet.

1. What does the author think of himself?

A．Socially ambitious.

B．Physically attractive.

C．Financially independent.

D．Digitally competent.

2. What can we learn about the author as a journalist?

A．He lacks experience in his job.

B．He seldom appears on television.

C．He manages a video department.

D．He often interviews internet stars.

7 . What will restaurants look like in the future? What would your dinner taste like if a robot cooked it? A robot restaurant in Tianjin may give you the answers.

Covering an area of over 400 square meters with a total of 112 seats, the X Future Restaurant is a robot restaurant that opened in November 2018. The restaurant has amazed customers with its fully-automated (全自动的) technology, which covers every step of the dining experience, from ordering to cooking to serving the dishes and even taking payment.

Entering the restaurant, one can order dishes by simply scanning the QR codes on the table. There are over 40 choices of dishes. After taking the order, “robot cooks” prepare dishes using fixed time, temperature and ingredients designed by famous Chinese cooks.

“As the cooking is controlled by a computer system, the taste and quality of dishes can be good,” said Li Xiaokui, manager of the X Future Restaurant.

Robots also complete the delivery of dishes. Without following any designed route, the robot waiters serve meals thanks to automated driving technology, which helps each robot timely change its route when something is in the way.

These eye-catching technologies have received wide praise from customers. “The dishes taste surprisingly good. I couldn’t believe that they were made by robots, especially dishes that were difficult to cook.” one customer said. “The application of robots has increased our efficiency and cut down our costs,” Li said, “I think robot restaurants will develop fast and have a bright future.”

1. What do we know about the X Future Restaurant?

A．It covers over 112 square meters with 400 seats.

B．Robot waiters deliver dishes following fixed routes.

C．Customers could enjoy fully-automated services.

D．Robot cooks design dishes by themselves.

2. What’s special about the dishes in the X Future Restaurant?

A．They are prepared by human cooks.

B．They are not easy for robots to prepare.

C．They are not accepted by customers.

D．They are ordered by scanning QR codes.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The choices of dishes are limited.

B．It takes a long time for the robots to prepare the dishes.

C．Customers are willing to dine in the restaurant.

D．The delivery routes are designed by the waiters.

4. What is Li’s attitude toward the future of robot restaurants?

A．Hopeful.

B．Doubtful.

C．Puzzled.

D．Worried.

9 . Distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has made both physical and social connections a touch more difficult to maintain. For Stanford University student Millie Salvato, being apart from her friend on the opposite coast has proved challenging. Sometimes a text or video call is not enough, and people in Salvato’s situation often long for a way to send a comforting hug from afar. In a new study detailed in IEEE Transactions on Haptics, she and her colleagues demonstrated a wearable sleeve that can simulate (模拟) human touch and convey social messages sent electronically.

Salvato and her team measured how 37 participants expressed social messages in different situations. In each test, one person wore a pressure-sensing device on an arm, and another touched it to respond to six different scenes: attention seeking, gratitude, happiness, calming, love and sadness. After collecting 661 touch movements, Salvato and her colleagues mapped the location and pressure of each. Next, they used a machine-learning algorithm (算法) to select the movements that were most reliable part of each response. Finally, they programmed a wearable sleeve to simulate these movements using eight built-in disks that vibrate when electronically signaled. “The instant it received signals, I could feel the touch and identify its intended meaning.” One participant reported.

Even with no training, the participants correctly matched the simulated touches to the six scenes 45 percent of the time. For comparison, a previous study found participants could match scenes for touches from real human hands 55 percent of the time.

Gerling, a touch researcher at Harvard who was not involved in the study, said the invention was really surprising. But the study was small and needs to cover far larger groups of people to determine exactly which are the most desirable responses. Besides, he believes the sleeve surely will enjoy great popularity once launched on the market.

1. What were participants asked to do during the study?

A．Pick up reliable responses.	B．Model on electronic touches.
C．Respond to different situations.	D．Mark out programmed movements.

2. Why did Salvato and her team invent the wearable sleeve ?

A．To keep track of the COVID-19 pandemic.

B．To imitate human touch and express social messages sent electronically .

C．To enjoy great popularity once launched on the market.

D．To stress the significance of physical and social connections .

3. What does Gerling suggest according to the last paragraph?

A．Covering more scenes.	B．Launching on the market.
C．Conducting further research.	D．Interviewing the participants.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Electronic Sleeves Helping Feel Virtual Touch

B．New Technology Improving Social Connections

C．New Sensing Device Increasing Physical Touches

D．Electronic Sleeves Responding to Different Situations