1 . Accompanied by the rhythmic sound of bamboo strips (竹板), Yang Ziqi, 17, from Xi’an Qujiang No l High School, listens to interesting stories in the Shaanxi dialect. The stories range in subject greatly from the story of the Monkey King to instructions on garbage sorting.
“Shaanxi kuaiban is amazing. It can not only bring you great joy, but also broaden your horizons” said Yang. Shaanxi kuaiban is a traditional Chinese form of storytelling in the Shaanxi dialect to the rhythm of bamboo clappers. In June, it was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage at the national level. It can be performed by a group or solo. The art form can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644 — 1911). According to its performers, the art was originally used by farmers to share their knowledge and earn money. But now, more people perform Shaanxi kuaiban on different occasions-for example, at festival celebrations, parties and art shows.
Yang Jinlong, 45, is an experienced Shaanxi kuaiban artist. He first learned the art at the age of 9. Before that, he often went with his father, an amateur performer, to watch kuaiban performances.
“As a young boy, I was attracted to the art form because many of the stories are about heroes. The performer tells stories while playing kuaiban, and it’s easy for the audience to remember the stories since all the lines rhyme,” Yang said. He has practiced Shaanxi kuaiban for more than 30 years. Since 2003, he has been teaching the art form to young people. At 9 am on weekdays, he drives to primary and middle schools in Xi’an and teaches students about Shaanxi kuaiban until about 6 pm. Then, he returns home to prepare classes for the next day. On the weekends, he teaches for six hours each day at art education institutions in Xi’an.
Yang has made some adaptations to the art form to relate more to students. When he tells modern stories, Yang abandons the traditional gown and wears a suit. He also integrates many pop elements like tap dance, ballet, jazz dance and the rhythm of popular music into kuaiban performances. His stories focus on more trendy topics, like stories of heroes who have worked to alleviate poverty (扶贫), as well as the Chinese Olympic team.
“Art education is important for students in China. Just as many students learn to play Western musical instruments like the piano and violin, there are many people learning traditional Chinese folk arts, including Shaanxi kuaiban. They are committed and passionate,” Yang said.
1. What do we know about Shaanxi kuaiban?| A．It dates back to the late Ming Dynasty. |
| B．People perform it in Shaanxi dialect. |
| C．It was originally used by teachers for teaching. |
| D．It focuses on Chinese ancient literature. |
| A．Because all the lines rhyme. | B．Because he liked stories about heroes. |
| C．Because it was away to earn money. | D．Because he wanted to be like his father. |
| A．He wore local clothes of Shaanxi. |
| B．He told stories about superheroes. |
| C．He added pop elements to performances. |
| D．He performed Shaanxi kuaiban in We stem countries. |
| A．Talented and modest. | B．Patient and capable. |
| C．Determined and creative. | D．Humorous and responsible. |
2 . Challenges are part of life and something we can all expect to encounter at one point or another during our lifetime. We handle challenges differently;some of us choose to face them head-on, while others flee in uncertainty.
Educate ourselves. The reason why some issues prove challenging for us is that we aren’t familiar with them.
Be persistent. This is what is required to accomplish anything, especially when it comes to overcoming challenges. No matter how difficult our challenges might be, we must be willing to push through and try again and again until we achieve victory over them.
Ask for help. There are times when we can’t go it alone and need others to help us conquer whatever challenges we face.
| A．Meet them head-on. |
| B．Adapt a different strategy. |
| C．It is said that two heads are better than one. |
| D．If we give up, we allow the challenges to conquer us instead. |
| E．Therefore, our knowledge and ability to conquer them is limited. |
| F．Whatever our positions, we all wish to conquer them and move on. |
| G．Some challenges can be overwhelming, making us question our ability to overcome them. |
3 . Getting around Valencia can be exhausting on foot if you want to see it all, but luckily, the city is very bike-friendly.
Valencia Bike Tour From The City To The BeachDuration: 3 Hours
This 3-hour Valencia bike tour takes you on a lovely journey from the historic center to the beach where you’ll enjoy a drink at the end. If you’re looking for a truly personalized experience, this is it. The guide is super knowledgeable and gives lots of inside information about the sites you pass and local culture along the way.
Valencia By Night Bike TourDuration: 2 Hours
With the warm lights of the historic center’s cobbled streets, cycling around Valencia is so different than in the day. The tour takes you through Turia Park to the City of Arts and Sciences which is impressively lit up at night. As you cycle past different tourist attractions, the guide will let you in on the history and culture of the city.
Valencia Bike TourDuration: 3 Hours
Being one of the classical guided bike tours Valencia offers, this takes you to the main tourist attractions in the old town like the Valencia Cathedral, the Silk Exchange, and the Serranos Towers. You’ll bike in Valencia’s longest park, Turia Park, which leads to the City of Arts and Sciences and a must-visit on any trip to the city. On different stops, the guide will fill in with history and anecdotes about the places you pass.
Valencia Group Half-Day Bike TourDuration: 3 Hours
This tour takes you through the old town of Valencia where you’ll see the top tourist spots like the Valencia Cathedral and the Silk Exchange along the way on your own. You’ll pass the City Hall and the complex on your way to Turia Park where Valencia’s bike paths are at their best. Eventually, you’ll reach the City of Arts and Sciences where you can admire the modern architecture and learn more about the impressive complex.
1. What can we know about Valencia?| A．It is a city where you’ll feel tired. |
| B．It has the longest park in the world. |
| C．Its public transport needs improving. |
| D．It is well equipped with bicycle roads. |
| A．Valencia Bike Tour. |
| B．Valencia Group Half-Day Bike Tour. |
| C．Valencia By Night Bike Tour. |
| D．Valencia Bike Tour From The City To The Beach. |
| A．It leads to the Silk Exchange. |
| B．It is a tour without a guide. |
| C．It offers a drink at the end. |
| D．It takes longer to finish the tour. |
5 . The goal of the “clean ＆ Green” home recycling initiative (倡议) is to assist households in reducing their environmental footprint by providing step-by-step instructions on effective recycling practices.
Understanding Recycling Types
Plastics: These include bottles, containers and other packaging materials. Always clean plastics before recycling to avoid pollution.
paper: Newspapers, magazines, and cardboard are recyclable. However, soiled or wet paper should be discarded as regular waste.
Glass: Bottles and jars of all colors can be recycled. Ensure they are free of food waste.
Metals: Common recyclables are aluminum cans and tin foil (锡纸). Remove any food waste before disposal.
Steps for Effective Home Recycling
Collection: Use separate bins for each type. Mark containers to avoid confusion.
Preparation: As mentioned above, clean the items. This prevents waste and increases the recyclability of the materials.
Storage: Avoid overfilling recycling bins. Overpacked bins might lead to improper sorting at recycling facilities.
Drop-off: If your city doesn’t offer roadside pickup locate your nearest recycling drop-off point.
Stay Informed: Recycling guidelines can change. Regularly check city websites for “clean ＆ Green” updates.
Recycling DOs and DON’Ts
DO: encourage neighbors and friends to adopt recycling habits;
invest in composting (堆肥) if possible; it’s another great way to reduce waste;
DON’T: mix different types in one bin;
recycle dangerous or electronic waste with regular recyclables;
Benefits of Recycling:
Reduces landfill (垃圾填埋) waste.
Conserves natural resources and energy.
Prevents pollution by reducing the need for raw materials.
Supports public health by minimizing exposure to harmful things.
Join the “clean ＆ Green” initiative today and play your part in creating a bright future for the next generations!
1. The primary goal of the “clean ＆ Green” initiative is to ______.| A．sell recycling bins | B．encourage composting |
| C．update recycling guidelines frequently | D．reduce households’ environmental footprints |
| A．Paper. | B．Metals. | C．Plastics. | D．Glass. |
| A．It’s important to stay updated on recycling guidelines. |
| B．Electronic waste can be recycled with regular recyclables. |
| C．You should mix different types in one bin to save space. |
| D．Wet paper is preferred for recycling as it’s easier to process. |
6 . Resilience (适应力) is the ability to renew from hardship and possibly also grow stronger in the process.
Turning hardest moments into learning opportunities requires self-reflection. When we encounter difficulties, it’s essential to take a step back and ask ourselves tough questions.
Life’s challenges often bring us into contact with the suffering of others. Experiencing hardship can promote empathy for those with similar difficulties. This newfound empathy can lead to a desire to help and support others. Turning our pain into an opportunity to connect with others on a deeper level can be incredibly rewarding.
As irony as this may sound, life would be incredibly boring and possibly meaningless if we had no problems to solve. Difficult moments often require us to think critically and find solutions to complex problems in ways we wouldn’t otherwise.
| A．Where was I from? |
| B．What led to this situation? |
| C．Hardship often reveals our true resilience. |
| D．By dealing with challenges, we learn how to face hardship. |
| E．It is a quality to turn hardest moments into learning opportunities. |
| F．By offering support, we not only help others but also create satisfaction. |
| G．These challenges can be seen as opportunities to develop problem-solving skills. |
7 . Peter worked at a grocery store. Recently, he
Although the job was boring, there were times Peter especially
The children began to cry and Angela tried to
The next day Angela returned to the store and explained to Peter, “Thanks for your kindness. It really
“Well, I am
Angela was grateful for Peter’s help. Peter’s actions and
| A．watched over | B．put aside | C．took up | D．gave up |
| A．shopping | B．schooling | C．travelling | D．housing |
| A．enjoyed | B．expected | C．deserved | D．imagined |
| A．quiet | B．noisy | C．dirty | D．crowded |
| A．interest | B．impression | C．attention | D．feelings |
| A．decide | B．afford | C．promise | D．expect |
| A．calm | B．save | C．encourage | D．protect |
| A．continuing | B．preferring | C．offering | D．preparing |
| A．toys | B．food | C．clothes | D．drinks |
| A．improves | B．wastes | C．changes | D．means |
| A．tough | B．positive | C．unique | D．natural |
| A．hardly | B．basically | C．slightly | D．completely |
| A．efforts | B．words | C．requests | D．suggestions |
| A．troubles | B．rights | C．styles | D．choices |
| A．impress | B．rescue | C．remind | D．comfort |
8 . Why is it important to learn a foreign language? Basically, the advantages of learning foreign languages have the ability to set you up for success in many aspects of your life.
We all know the business world is developing fast.
Studies have proved the cognitive (认知的) benefits of learning another language, no matter how old you are. They have shown that people who can speak two languages tend to have bigger brains and better memories.
Learning a foreign language can actually bring you an opposite psychology. You will have a better understanding of your cultural customs. Besides, you’ll pay more attention to the grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation patterns of your first language.
| A．Check out these reasons to study a foreign language |
| B．It is all about learning how to truly connect with others |
| C．Foreign language study is simply part of a very basic education |
| D．More companies than ever are doing business in many countries |
| E．Those people are usually more creative and better problem solvers |
| F．Speaking a foreign language can open up a number of probable friends |
| G．This possibly explains the reasons of your improvements in language skills |
9 . If humans were truly at home under the light of the moon and stars, we would go in darkness happily, the midnight world as visible to us as it is to the vast number of nocturnal (夜间活动) species on this planet. Instead, we are diurnal creatures, with eyes adapted to living in the sun’s light. This is a basic evolutionary fact, even though most of us don’t think of ourselves as diurnal beings. Yet it’s the only way to explain what we’ve done to the night: We’ve engineered it to receive us by filling it with light.
The benefits of this kind of engineering come with consequences — called light pollution — whose effects scientists are only now beginning to study. Light pollution is largely the result of bad lighting design, which allows artificial light to shine outward and upward into the sky. Ill-designed lighting washes out the darkness of night and completely changes the light levels — and light rhythms — to which many forms of life, including ourselves, have adapted. Wherever human light spills into the natural world, some aspect of life is affected.
In most cities the sky looks as though it has been emptied of stars, leaving behind a vacant haze (霾) that mirrors our fear of the dark. We’ve grown so used to this orange haze that the original glory of an unlit night — dark enough for the planet Venus to throw shadows on Earth — is wholly beyond our experience, beyond memory almost.
We’ve lit up the night as if it were an unoccupied country, when nothing could be further from the truth. Among mammals alone, the number of nocturnal species is astonishing. Light is a powerful biological force, and on many species it acts as a magnet. The effect is so powerful that scientists speak of songbirds and seabirds being “captured” by searchlights on land or by the light from gas flares on marine oil platforms. Migrating at night, birds tend to collide with brightly lit tall buildings.
Frogs living near brightly lit highways suffer nocturnal light levels that are as much as a million times brighter than normal, throwing nearly every aspect of their behavior out of joint, including their nighttime breeding choruses. Humans are no less trapped by light pollution than the frogs. Like most other creatures, we do need darkness. Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself.
Living in a glare of our own making, we have cut ourselves off from our evolutionary and cultural heritage — the light of the stars and the rhythms of day and night. In a very real sense, light pollution causes us to lose sight of our true place in the universe, to forget the scale of our being, which is best measured against the dimensions of a deep night with the Milky Way — the edge of our galaxy — arching overhead.
1. According to the passage, human beings .| A．prefer to live in the darkness |
| B．are used to living in the day light |
| C．were curious about the midnight world |
| D．had to stay at home with the light of the moon |
| A．The night. | B．The moon. | C．The sky. | D．The planet. |
| A．provide examples of animal protection. |
| B．show how light pollution affects animals. |
| C．compare the living habits of both species. |
| D．explain why the number of certain species has declined. |
| A．The Magic Light. | B．The Orange Haze. |
| C．The Disappearing Night. | D．The Rhythms of Nature. |
10 . Poetry has a place in the curriculum of primary schools. It can be taught as part of reading, writing, and language lessons, and it fits easily into classroom themes, projects, and celebrations.
Build Reading, Speaking & Listening Skills
The unique thing about poetry is that we often read aloud, repeat often, and share in groups. When children are listening to poems orally, they are building their listening skills
Explore Language & Vocabulary
Inspire Writing
Learn about how poems are created and the words they contain. It is the first step in writing.
Poetry is a form of expression. Writing it lets us get out our feelings and thoughts on a subject while reading it encourages us to connect and find meaning in our experiences. Poetry can have a positive impact on the social and emotional learning of children. It may offer them a new way of thinking about something. It can put things into words that children may not know how to express otherwise.
| A．Build a Love for Reading |
| B．Encourage Creative Thinking |
| C．It can add additional value to our studies |
| D．Poetry often contains words that rhyme for effect |
| E．Different types of poems have various components |
| F．Children have a natural curiosity to foster and encourage with poetry |
| G．They learn to attend to the words they hear and think about what those words mean |
