After a long winter, spring is the ideal time for sightseeing and exploring London's green spaces.
Explore London's parks and gardens
Springtime is one of the perfect times of year to explore London's parks and gardens, when the city's Royal Parks will be blooming with flowers. Go and admire the rainbow of azaleas (杜鹃花) at Richmond Park or hire a deckchair in St James's Park with a view of Buckingham Palace.
Enjoy entertainments (娱乐活动) at a spring festival
There are a good many festivals and events held in London throughout spring. Make the most of the cultural exhibitions at the British Library Spring Festival, the Sundance Film Festival or the London Literature Festival; head to Shakespeare's Globe, which hosts open-air Shakespeare performances from late April to early October.
Get active
Warmer weather means there's no excuse for staying indoors, so go for a walking or cycling tour of London. Alternatively (或者), walk the Thames Path, which follows the river all the way from central London to the countryside; make the most of London's Boris Bikes, which are available for hire all around the city and are free of charge for the first half hour. If you're really looking for a challenge, sign up for the famous London Marathon, held annually in April.
Take to the waters
Whether cruising (乘船游览) along the River Thames, hiring a rowing boat in Hyde Park or riding a canal boat around Little Venice, there are lots of fun ways to get out on the water in London. Held every year since 1829, the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race allows teams from England's most famous universities to compete against each other, and draws huge crowds of people to watch.
Shortly after its opening on the first day of Chinese New Year, The Wandering Earth began to gain momentum (展现强劲势头). In a little over a week, it made 2.8 billion yuan in the domestic market alone. The film's popularity and success has come as a surprise to many reviewers especially since there hasn't been that much success for Chinese-produced science fiction in the past. Many agree that this film will change the embarrassing situation and bring in a new age for Chinese science fiction.
As a genre (类型), Chinese science fiction has lagged behind general fiction in both the film and publishing industries. Even Liu Cixin's (the author who wrote the short story on which The Wandering Earth is based) The Three Body Problem —which is currently quite popular — didn't have many readers until it was translated into English and won the Hugo Award (雨果奖) in 2015. Personally, I haven't read much of any genre written in Chinese, but I do notice that there aren't many separate sections of the bookstore dedicated to science fiction. I cannot speak for everyone, but some people seem to have misunderstandings regarding the genre.
My parents were the type who tried to steer me in the direction of non-fiction and the classics. They believed that science fiction and fantasy were "unrealistic nonsense" and would "rot my brain." Actually, great science fiction writers do their research. More often than not, one can learn a great deal about science and its possible development from reading science fiction. Sure, some of the concepts may be confusing or technical in nature, but that is also part of the appeal. Things like the internet, electric cars and tablet computers were first theorized (建立理论) in science fiction before they were invented. The author simply uses a combination of science and their imagination to create worlds different from the Earth of today, from which we can get bits and pieces that can be turned into a reality.
The world is changing. There may very well be a time when Earth is no longer able to sustain the entire population. We could be living on Mars or in giant spaceships; perhaps we will be forced to move Earth to a new solar system just like The Wandering Earth. Each of these scenarios has appeared in science fiction multiple times. If we are to be prepared for what is to come, we can look into modern science fiction for a window into the future.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is developing guidance on data protection and the "Internet of Things" (IoT) in response to concerns raised by the consumer (消费者) watchdog, Which?, over "data harvesting" by smart home devices (设备).
Which? examined how businesses collect data from various devices like smart speakers, washing machines, TVs, video doorbells, and security (安全) cameras. They discovered that businesses behind these devices are collecting more data than they need Rocio Concha from Which? stated that consumers have already paid for smart products, in some cases thousands of pounds, so it's unfair that they have to continue to "pay" with their personal information.
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires organizations to collect personal data that is necessary in relation to the purposes for which it is processed.
"To keep trust in these products, companies must be open about the data they collect and how they use it, and ensure that the data is not used or shared in ways that people would not expect." said Stephen Almond, ICO's executive director of regulatory risk. He said businesses behind connected devices can expect the ICG to "act where we don't see the rules being followed."
The promise of action comes at a time when the ICO has opened a separate review into how fertility (生育力) tracking apps process users' personal data due to concerns raised in a survey. The survey found that over half of women have concerns over data security, and more than half of people who use the apps have noticed an increase in baby or fertility-related ads (广告).
The ICO encourages users to share their experiences through a survey to identify any possible harm from these apps. Emily Keaney, deputy commissioner of regulatory policy of the ICO, sand that they expect organizations running health apps to safeguard their users privacy and have clear guidelines in place.
"This review aims to find out both the good and bad of how the apps are working at present. We will take action to protect the public if necessary," said Keaney.
There has been a recent wave in Hollywood where studios take popular animated (动画的) films and "improve" upon them by changing them into live-action remakes. The thought that live-action movies are better because they follow the laws of the natural world degrades the style of animation.
The beauty of animation is that its use of caricatures (漫画) and exaggerations (夸张) reflects an amazing amount of creative depth in characters stories that reality cannot. Looking at the bigger picture, it becomes clear that the true purpose of Disney's ever growing list of live-action remakes is not to comment on the value of animation, although it indirectly does, but a quick way to take advantage of nostalgic (怀旧的) fans.
For evidence, look no further than Disney's 2019 The Lion King live-action remake, a retelling of the 1994 animated classic. It broke several box office records, raking in a whopping $
543.6 million globally in box office sales alone. However, in comparison to the original, the audience satisfaction with the remake decreased greatly on Rotten Tomatoes. This is similar to the the remakes of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Dumbo, Aladdin, and the countless other live-action remakes Disney has produced within the last 5 years. This means that Disney no longer needs to come up with new and original content because they can make a big profit just by taking beloved stories and remaking them.
In fact, Disney looks at itself as a business, and therefore considers making a profit as one of their main aims.
The problem with this mentality (心态) is that, while Disney makes a huge profit, audiences, artists, and art suffer. They may no longer create new stories or art styles, but rather serve as money-making machines that require directors to produce the same stories with a fresh coat of paint every 10 years or so. If this cycle continues, artists will be held back from creating new lovable characters and stories full of creativity. The feeling of nostalgia when we see old Disney films could possibly never happen-to newer generations if this cycle does not stop.
How to Host a Book Swap
If you love the written word, you probably have a pile of books somewhere in your home. If you're becoming alarmed at the price of new books, hold a book swap. The idea is pretty simple Guests bring books to share, and the accumulated books are then redistributed to new owners. If you've never held a book swap before, here are a few tips.
Send out invitations. A formal invitation should include the address, date and duration. A 2 to 3 hour party gives everyone a chance to enjoy the time and leave happy. Three books is pretty standard. If you want extras around, don't set a maximum.
Provide enough space. Some people use one large dining table and start piling up books when they run out of space. They can offer people a chance to consider their selections without having to juggle piles of books while they're doing it.
To make sure guests can find what interests them, the easiest way to do this is to mart sections on the table for specific types of books. When people arrive, hand out a brief set of instructions, asking them to place their books in the right category.
Make it a party.When you're in the planning stages, think party and you'll be one step ahead of the game. Create some good interactions with a little background music. Have an area set aside for coats and bags. Remember, you are hosting a party!
A.Organize books by types.
B.Prepare different kinds of books.
C.Offer food that's easy to eat in a bite or two
D.However, the area around the book table may be small.
E.But there's always a new book around that interests you.
F.Actually, a couple of tables can take care of the problem.
G.It's also a good idea to limit the number of books guests bring
My phone was an extension of myself. I couldn't go anywhere 1 it. I scrolled through my friends' 2 into late night and turned my phone on before my eyes were fully open. I enjoyed having it until that day when I realized that what had started as a useful tool had turned into a(n) 3 . So, I made a 4 decision to turn off that smartphone and 5 my old dumb phone out of hiding.
When I was watching TV shows or movies and there was a boring part, I 6 picking up the phone and checking out "what everyone else was doing." Now I had to pay attention or find a way to 7 myself with my thoughts instead. When I visited New York City, I had to write out 8 and ask people where an intersection (十字路口) was 9 pulling out my phone.
I have welcomed silence into my life with open arms and am enjoying the increased 10 from not constantly having to fight with the 11 to check my phone while I'm trying to get something done. I am allowing my thoughts to speak to me instead of my phone. I am connecting with others in a 12 way that isn't all about me. Instead of always posting about what's going on in my 13 perfect life, I am connecting with my friends one-on-one, talking about the reality of our lives and being there for them from a place of 14 .
As much as having a smartphone was 15 , not having one is freeing on a much bigger level.
"Add Oil" is the literal English translation of the Chinese phrase "Jiāyóu" (Cantonese "Ga Yau"), which is used to express encouragement, (excite), or support to others. It's used in sporting events (encourage) a friend, and in many other conversations!
"Add Oil" has now been added to the Oxford English Dictionary. The (describe) of this entry in the Oxford English Dictionary is "chiefly Hong Kong English", and notes its earliest appearance in a book (publish) back in 1964.
Some people believe that the phrase (invent) at the Macau Grand Prix (澳门汽车大奖赛) during the 1960s, where the crowd would shout at the pit teams (加油团队) to "Add Oil!" to the racing cars. The meaning of the Chinese characters is to add (jiā) oil (yóu), which means (add) oil/fuel to an engine to fire it up.
In places such as Hong Kong, where a mixture (混合) of Chinese and English is (common) used among friends, the English phrase often replaces the Chinese characters, and this is the reason the phrase has been added to the dictionary.
The latest addition Oxford English Dictionary is by no means a stand-alone. So far, other Chinese phrases that (enter) daily English include "long time no see" and "no can do".
1.清明节的概况：时间、活动、意义等；
2.你今年清明节的安排；
3.邀请James来中国感受传统节日。
注意：
1.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
2.词数100词左右；
3.参考词汇：pay respects to 祭拜 sweep tombs 扫墓 offer sacrifices 供奉祭品
Dear James,
Yours,
Li Hua
Jane was still sleeping when the phone rang in the living room. She opened her sleepy eyes and looked at the clock on the table. It was already nine o'clock! Although Jane was still very sleepy, she knew she had to get up because her mother was working in her office and she couldn't expect her younger brother Tom, who was sleeping like a pig, to answer the Phone. She quickly put on a coat and ran to the living room. When she picked up the receiver, on the other end came the warm greeting, "Good morning!"
It was from her father, who was a seaman and rarely came back. Suddenly, Jane's sleepiness disappeared.
Born in a not-so-rich family, Jane and Tom felt the stress of life, but they were happy to enjoy the family atmosphere. At school, they were straight-A students and took part in various after-school activities. They were the pride of the family.
"Good morning, Dad. Why do you call us so early on the weekend?" Jane said and pretended to be annoyed. "Tom and I have been very nice recently." "My dear, today is your mother's birthday, and I have ordered a cake online and it will be sent to our home late in the afternoon. Do remember to take the cake. It is my surprise for your mother."
Hearing her father's words, Jane felt a little ashamed. How could she forget her mother's birthday?!
While she was chatting with her father, Jane looked around the room and saw a lot of dirty clothes on the sofa. The floor hadn't been cleaned for a few days since her mother had to work all this week.
She looked at the clock again and was sure that she still had enough time to prepare a surprise for her mother.
"Well, Dad, now I'm going to wake Tom up. We will give Mum a surprise, too!" Jane said and hung up the telephone.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Jane hurried to Tom's room and shared her plan with him.
"Happy birthday, Mum!" Jane and Tom shouted when their mother opened the door.
