雅思 2021.

9-12 月口语题库高分参考答案

说明：目前题库已经基本稳定，此题库适用于 9-12 月考试。 根

据 9 月口试的情况，整理出了雅思口语考试完整版的题卡， P1 一共

有 13 道新题和 19 道保留题，Part 2&3 一共有 22 道新题和 32 道保留

题，口语题库基本稳定。

特别提示：素材内容仅供参考，请勿直接背诵。因为传播很广，在考

场上很有可能考官听到类似的素材而影响你的分数。建议您参考思

路，并修改形成自己的答题思路进行回答。p3 没有题库，仅提供部

分收集到的问题进行展示回答思路。
目录
P1 新题...................................................................................................................6
1. Handwriting................................................................................................6
2. Concentration............................................................................................. 7
3. Shoes.......................................................................................................... 8
4. Public gardens and parks..........................................................................10
5. Pets and animals....................................................................................... 12
6. App........................................................................................................... 14
7. Headphones and microphones..................................................................16
8. Weather.....................................................................................................17
9. Color.........................................................................................................19
10. Getting lost............................................................................................. 21
11. Science....................................................................................................23
12. New places............................................................................................. 24
13. Cooperation............................................................................................ 25
P1 保留题.............................................................................................................26
1. Special costumes...................................................................................... 26
2. Flowers..................................................................................................... 28
3. Advertisement...........................................................................................30
4. Barbecue...................................................................................................32
5. Sky............................................................................................................34
6. Car trip......................................................................................................36
7. Relax.........................................................................................................37
8. Environmental protection......................................................................... 38
9. Primary school..........................................................................................39
10. Wild animals...........................................................................................40
11. Wallet......................................................................................................41
12. Holidays..................................................................................................42
13. Festival................................................................................................... 43
14. Work or study......................................................................................... 45
15. Home/Accommodation.......................................................................... 48
16. Hometown.............................................................................................. 51
17. Name...................................................................................................... 54
18. The area you live in................................................................................ 55
19. TV program............................................................................................ 56
P2&P3 新题......................................................................................................... 57
1. 早起的经历............................................................................................. 57
2. 有创造力的人......................................................................................... 60
3. 咖啡馆..................................................................................................... 63
4. 令人激动的书......................................................................................... 66
5. 善待不喜欢的人..................................................................................... 69
 6. 浪费时间的活动..................................................................................... 72
7. 机智解决问题的人................................................................................. 75
8. 难学的技能............................................................................................. 78
9. 敬佩的商人............................................................................................. 81
10. 花费超过预期的物品........................................................................... 84
11. 搬到新家/新学校..................................................................................87
12. 成功完成的事....................................................................................... 90
13. 优质服务............................................................................................... 93
14. 困难的决定........................................................................................... 96
15. 有名的运动员....................................................................................... 99
16. 为家人骄傲......................................................................................... 102
17. 小学印象最深的人............................................................................. 105
18. 自行车/摩托车/汽车旅行...................................................................108
19. 有趣的外国人..................................................................................... 111
20. 等待特殊事情..................................................................................... 114
21. 假期旅行............................................................................................. 117
22. 希望养成的习惯................................................................................. 120
P2&P3 保留题................................................................................................... 123
1. 智力游戏............................................................................................... 123
2. 朋友的争执........................................................................................... 125
3. 想提升的天赋....................................................................................... 127
4. 想生活的城市....................................................................................... 129
5. 环保法律............................................................................................... 131
6. 当地新闻............................................................................................... 133
7. 生活计划............................................................................................... 135
8. 微笑的场合........................................................................................... 137
9. 高楼....................................................................................................... 139
10. 帮助朋友............................................................................................. 141
11. 健康文章............................................................................................. 143
12. 海边活动............................................................................................. 145
13. 分享..................................................................................................... 147
14. 尊敬的老人......................................................................................... 149
15. 雇佣很多员工的公司......................................................................... 151
16. 喜欢的电影......................................................................................... 153
17. 做手工................................................................................................. 155
18. 社交媒体趣事..................................................................................... 157
19. 禁用手机的场合................................................................................. 159
20. 安静的地方......................................................................................... 161
21. 喜欢的歌手或演员............................................................................. 163
22. 街市购物............................................................................................. 165
23. 不太成功的经历................................................................................. 167
24. 学习工作之余的活动......................................................................... 169
25. 告诉朋友实情..................................................................................... 171
26. 现场体育比赛..................................................................................... 173
27. 发挥想象力......................................................................................... 175
28. 许下的承诺......................................................................................... 177
29. 对家庭重要的东西 ........................................................................... 179
30. 给别人建议......................................................................................... 181
31. 电脑罢工............................................................................................. 183
32. 无聊的经历......................................................................................... 185
 P1 新题

1. Handwriting

1、Do you like handwriting?

Not really. I only write by hand when I have to, ‘cause honestly my handwritten
characters aren’t very elegant. They even look clumsy. I especially don’t like to sit
paper exams because of my awkward handwriting, you know. So, yeah, I really
don’t like it.

2、Do you think handwriting is important?

Well, on some occasions, yes. Say if you are writing a Thank You card, it’s better to
write by hand to show your sincerity. Also, handwriting today is more of a form of
art that all students should practice. So it’s definitely an important skill.

3、Which do you prefer, handwriting or typing?

Well, as I mentioned earlier, I would rather type than write by hand. For one, I’m a
fast typer. It’s always easier for me to type things. And for another, my handwriting
can be clumsy. I really don’t want to show that to people only when I have to.

4、What's the differences between handwriting and typing?

It is more efficient to type on a computer compared to writing with a pen. If you
want to produce a long article, and maybe some edits are required when you finish,
typing on the computer is recommended. However, when it comes to creative
writing, some visual aids are necessary, which are not convenient to complete on
computer.
2. Concentration

1、 Is it difficult for you to stay focused on something?

Well, if I’m in a quiet environment, I can easily dive into what I intend to do.
However, if there’s noise around me, I find it really difficult to concentrate. I am
just easily distracted by noise and by what’s happening around me. So, yeah, it
depends.

2、 What do you do to help you concentrate?

When I need to stay focused, I would find a quiet place that can disconnect me
from other people, or from the outer world. Also, I sometimes mute my phone or
even put it in the pilot mode to help myself concentrate on what I must do.

3、 What may distract you when you’re trying to stay focused?

For me, some of the biggest sources of distraction come from email, social media,
and cell phones. You know, when my phone beeps, I just can’t help checking it.
Also people talking and laughing bothers me when I’m trying to concentrate.

4、 When do you need to be focused?

Generally when I’m writing an essay, or reading academic books, I need to stay one
hundred percent focused, otherwise, I’d be just lost and have to start over again.
Apart from that, if I’m listening to some good music, I don’t want to be bothered
either.
3. Shoes

1、Do you like buying shoes? How often?

I like buying shoes of course. I will never get tired of new shoes. Generally, I will
buy new shoes at the turn of the season because I need new sandals or boots for the
coming summer or winter. Also, it is a period for shoe brands to launch their latest
products. In addition, I may also buy new shoes before Christmas since everything
gets cheaper by then.

2、Have you ever bought shoes online?

Many of my shoes were brought online. For some brands, they don’t have offline
stores in China. Once I saw a pair of sandal on Instagram and found out that I could
only buy it through its website online. It took me roughly two months to finally get
my new shoes. I also buy sneakers online because there are often better discounts
on shopping apps compared to stores offline.

3、Will you spend a lot of money on shoes?

It depends on how you define a lot of money. I think it’s ok for me to spend one
thousand or so for a pair of shoes. I will think twice if the price exceeds one
thousand RMB. Once I saw a pair of leather boots that’s really just my type. It was
about five thousand RMB? I persuaded myself finally and bought one because I
think I can wear it for at least several years. So, as long as I think it's worth it, I will
buy shoes at a high price.

4、How much money do you usually spend on shoes?

Usually, I spend about 1000 yuan on each pair of shoes. I think that’s an affordable
price for me since I only pay for classic designs that I may wear on multiple
occasions. However, if I long for some shoes of limited edition or from a luxury
brand, of course, I need to have more budget for that.

5、Which do you prefer, expensive shoes or comfortable shoes?

I prefer comfortable shoes, but I think many expensive shoes are also comfortable.
I think PRICE is not the most important thing for shoes. As long as it wears
comfortable and looks great, I will buy it. I don’t care much about the branding and
some expensive shoes are expensive simply because of their brands. Then, I will
not pay for that.

6、Which do you prefer, fashionable shoes or comfortable shoes?

Under most circumstances, I prefer comfortable shoes. It will be a disaster for me
to wear some fashionable high heels to hang out with friends. I don’t want to have
such a torture for my feet. However, when I need to go see a client or meet on some
formal occasions, it’s really necessary to have a pair of fashionable shoes that go
with my fancy clothes.
4. Public gardens and parks

1、Would you like to play in a public garden or park?

I’d like to play in a public park because I think a public park has all the exercise
equipment I need like bars and parallel bars. Besides, if I play in a public park, I
don’t have to worry about ruining those delicate flowers or plants along the road.
Playing in a public park makes me feel more relaxed and carefree.

2、What do you like to do when visiting a park?

A growing number of parks and green spaces now have free-to-use gym equipment
like pull-up bars, step-ups, static bikes and parallel bars, so I'd like to do some
outdoors gym there on week days. In addition, as a pet owner, I love taking my pets
outside for some fresh air and exercise.

3、How have parks changed today compared to the time when you were a
kid？
When I was a kid, there weren't many public parks around in rural areas. So, my
family and I had to take public transportation to go there. Nowadays, the number of
parks has been growing exponentially. And honestly, the design of modern-day
parks is much more exquisite and fun. You get to play a variety of games with your
friends and families in today's park.

4、Would you prefer to play in a personal garden or public garden？

I'd like to play in a personal garden because I can be more carefree in my own
space and have a lot more fun. For instance, I can cut flowers and leafy stems to
display indoors, pick herbs such as mint and chamomile to make herbal tea. I can
even freeze fruit, herbs and edible flowers in ice cube trays for decorative drinks.
These wonderful things are never allowed in a public garden.
5. Pets and animals

1、What pet will you keep if you want?

I will keep a dog if I have a chance. The presence of a dog, small or big, makes me
chuckle at my gloomiest. They show their affection in many different ways: making
your hand their favorite chew toy, scratching every corner of your house - leaving
no piece of furniture or clothing unscathed. But that is all in good fun. Their joy is
infectious and they are always excited for playtime!

2、Are there many people keeping pets in China?

Given the high degree of urbanization and people's rising incomes, pet raising has
become so popular in China. It's not as difficult as before when keeping pets were
mostly for the bourgeois. Now, in cities across China, you'll see people walking
their dogs in the park. I guess Chinese people have really taken it to heart the
concept of keeping pets as human's beloved companion.

3、Do you like to see animals in the zoo？

I don't like to see animals in the zoo because zoo is an extremely uncomfortable
place for all animals especially wild animals like lions and tigers who roam freely
in a space that is many times larger than the cages they are kept in. As far as I'm
concerned, zoos are just one of the ways to torture animals. They are held captive
just for human entertainment and thus, are deprived of their freedom.

4、What's your favorite animals？Why?

Tiger is my favorite animal always and forever. Tiger is not only my favorite
animal but also my inspiration too. It is a solitary animal and does not stay in a
group except in captivity. I like Tiger because it maintains the ecological balance in
its habitat and also protects the forests from overgrazing.

5、What is the most popular animal in China？

The most popular animal in China is the Giant pandas. I think "the looks of a teddy
bear" are what makes pandas so popular. Pandas appeal to our "cuteness recipient"
because they have large, front-facing eyes, and are extremely furry, so we therefore
think of them as cuddly and cute.

6、Where do you prefer to keep your pet, indoors or outdoors？

I'd like to keep my dog outdoors for most of the time because in that way, my dog
gets more exercise and gets happier. Dogs are incredibly active creatures who need
a lot of physical exercise and movement to burn their energy to remain healthy both
mentally and physically. Insufficient physical activity is detrimental to their health.
But while my dog is playing outside, I'll put a GPS collar on to keep it from being
stolen.

7、Have you ever had a pet when you are young?

Yes, I did have a pet when I was a child but it was a small goldfish with a very
unique color. This tiny creature had two giant bubbles around its eyes and I loved it
very much. But its life only lasted for several months and when it died, I felt
extremely terrible. Since then, I have never had other pets because I am afraid of
facing their death.
6. App

1、Do old people in your country like to use apps?

-No, based on what I've observed, old people in my country don't like to use apps.
Take my grandma for example, she is 74-years old but can only use the smartphone
to make calls and texts. She told me that she still prefers to get her news from the
newspaper and her friends will text her old Nokia phone to let her know if there's a
good film on TV.

2、What was the first app you used?

The first app I used is a game app on Nokia called snake. I guess it is indeed an
entire generation’s obsession. I remember playing Snake II when I was as young as
six or seven. I would play it on my mom’s old Nokia during car rides home from
school. Snake just challenges the most primal part of you. You see it growing with
each thing it eats and you can’t help but keep going.

3、What's the most popular app in your country?

The most popular app in my country is WeChat. WeChat is China's most popular
messaging app with a monthly user base of more than 1 billion people. But it offers
so much more than messaging, allowing its users to do everything from payments
to the ability to book flights and hotels.

4、What kinds of apps would you like to have in future?

A “slack for families”. An app that tracks all family members and keeps everyone
updated (without them doing anything). Notifications such as “X left home”, “Y is
arriving at work”, “Z is at Safeway” keep the family automatically updated on
where they are, and let them have conversations around it “While you’re at
Safeway get some milk”.

5、What kinds of apps do you often use?

-I often use mobile game apps because they put me in a different mindset — and
apparently a much better mood — than social apps like Facebook and Twitter.
When playing mobile games, I feel relaxed and focused. A huge chunk of all the
games available on the AppStore and Google Play are free-to-play. That means I
don't have to spend a dime but can have all the fun.

6、What app have you recently used？

-I recently used Bilibili, a video sharing like YouTube. But what's special about it is
its real-time captioning system that displays user comments as streams of scrolling
subtitles overlaid on the video playback screen. Such subtitles are simultaneously
broadcast to all viewers in real-time, creating a chat room experience in which
users feel like watching and playing together with others.

7、What kinds of apps are you usually interested in？

-I'm interested in memory training apps because improving memory for names,
faces, information and other data can be helpful for my daily life. Yet not only can
these apps train my brain to concentrate, relax, learn, accomplish goals, they are
themselves interesting to play with. I find them a great way to kill time.
7. Headphones and microphones

1、Do you use headphones？

Yeah, I use it every day. Well, I live in a shared flat with three roommates. We all
love to listen to music and watch shows before bed. And the thing is that, we have
very different tastes in music. So, without headphones, I’m afraid we’d be very
unhappy with each other.

2、What kind of headphones do you use？

Well, I use the shut-back earphones. Actually, I’ve tried many different types of
earphones, the in-ears ones, on-ears ones and earbuds as well. I found that the
shut-back earphones offer better solid quality. And they can completely disconnect
you from the outer world.

3、What do you do with them? Why？

Well, as I mentioned earlier, I use them to listen to some music and watch shows on
a daily basis. But these days I’ve also been using them for some online classes, due
to the COVID-19 lockdown. Yeah, they’ve kinda become living necessities for me.

4、Which ones do you use more in your country？

Do you mean what type of headphones we use more in China? Well, the most
widely advertised ones in the market are the on-ears headphones, I think. They are
small and easy to carry. Besides, they are relatively cheap so even students can
afford them. So, yeah, those ones are more popular.

5、When would you use headphones？

I use them when I want to enjoy some good music. You know, with the headphones,
 I can get better solid quality of the sound. And also, when I’m having online classes,
I need the headphones, ‘cause then they help me focus on the class content, rather
than being distracted by the outside noise.

6、In what conditions, you won't use headphones？

I never use the headphones when I’m in the car, or on a plane. ‘cause I feel that
there’s already enough noise from the vehicle running, my ears really can’t afford
any more of that. As much as I love to enjoy music, I do worry about my hearing
safety.

8. Weather

1、What kind of weather do you like most?

-I like rainy days. Rain is one of the most beautiful phenomena from Mother Nature.
Most people love to spend time watching the rain, smelling the aroma of rainy earth
and listening to the sounds of the rain. i love to enjoy the rain, as I find peace and
joy during rainy days. Who doesn’t love the feeling of rain droplets touching their
cheeks with a relieving rhythm?

2、Do you prefer dry or wet weather?

-Dry weather all the way, humid weather is too uncomfortable at all temperatures. I
could really live in a semi-arid place, I guess. Rain is nice, but I don't need the air
to be humid the rest of the time. And unlike the rainy seasons, the weather in dry
seasons are very predictable. You are free to go anywhere you want without
worrying about rain.

3、What kind of weather is typical in your hometown?

I live in Northern part of China. The weather in my hometown is typical cold and
dry in winters, hot and humid in summers. Spring is a good time for travel in my
hometown because the climate is much milder than in winter and summer. While
it's true that spring can be rainy, you won't find the extreme temperatures, and
therefore sightseeing can be much more enjoyable.

4、Do you like the weather in your hometown?

Yes, I like the weather in my hometown. Fall is my favorite time. The weather is
usually pretty glorious and because we're in the north, we have a number of
opportunities to see fall foliage. I really love fall foliage. In addition, because the
weather in my hometown is relatively dry, there aren't many cockroaches. I really
hate those creatures.
9. Color

1、What's your favorite color?

-My favorite color is blue. I like blue because Blue is a non-threatening color that
calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity. While seeing the color blue, I feel
like being surrounded by the sea and sky. Both are enormous and placid. I once
read an article that said people who like blue are reliable and trustworthy. This is
exactly who I am.

2、What's the color you dislike? Why？

-I dislike the color white because it triggers emptiness to me, a feeling I don't like.
In addition, throughout Chinese history, the white color has been tied to death as
opposed to red which often symbolizes good luck in our culture. So the white color
often reminds me the death of my beloved ones and evokes strong feelings of anger,
aggression, fear, and sadness.

3、What colors do your friends like most?

-My friend Amy likes pink color so much so that it occupies a majority of clothes in
her closet. I guess the main reason is that many people immediately associate the
color with all things feminine and girly, and my friend likes to be seen as feminine
and girly. Moreover, the color might also bring to the mind romance and holidays
such as Valentine's Day. And who don’t like romance?

4、What color makes you uncomfortable in your room?

Red color makes me uncomfortable in my bedroom. I did some research and it is
said that the human brain has a visceral response to the color red because it's the
color of blood, and we associate it with danger, so it gets the blood running and the
heart beating faster. That explains why the red color makes me uncomfortable
while I'm trying to fall asleep at night.
10. Getting lost

1、Have you ever lost your way？

Of course. I still remember ten years ago when I was a middle school student, I
went to Beijing for travelling with my parents. One day when we arrived at a
famous tourist spot, my mom went to the toilet and she told me to wait for her
outside. However, I was attracted by something and wandered away, and that’s how
I lost my way. Fortunately, I met some nice tourists and ultimately, they helped me
find my mom.

2、How can you find your way when you are lost？
I think there are loads of ways to find my way. When I go somewhere new and get
lost, the most effective way to find directions I suppose, should be using mapping
apps. Besides, I can also use car-hailing applications like Uber or DiDiChuXing to
go back the way I came. Even if the phone battery is died or fails to connect to the
Internet, I can still ask people for directions.

3、Can you read a map when you get lost？

Certainly. Since I was a child, my parents told me how important reading a map
was when getting lost somewhere. Actually, I can tell you some helpful steps to
read a map. Firstly, you should choose the right type of map and check its
orientations. Secondly, make a note of the longitude and latitude, paying attention
to its scale. Finally create checkpoints to keep from losing your way. See, it’s not an
easy thing, right?

4、Have you ever helped someone who got lost？

Yes, I have. Last year, I met a freshman on campus and it seemed that she lost her
way. She told me that it was the first time she came to the university and didn’t
know how to go to the study hall. Then I showed her the way, but she still had no
idea how to go there, so I just took her to the building.
11. Science

1、Do you like science?

Of course, I do, when I was a little kid, my parents took me to many stunning
science museums and galleries, which really broadened my horizons. Also, science
provided me a deeper understanding of the earth.

2、When did you start to learn about science？

I started to learn about science since I was 10. At that time, I was in grade 4 in
primary school and I took a class called “science”. In that course, we did a lot of
physics experiments including paper planes, mini-rocket and so on. I did not know
that was physics knowledge but I felt that it was pretty interesting and willing to
learn more in the future.

3、Which science subject is interesting to you?

I like biology the most. We started to learn biology in the middle school. Because I
am very into human bodies, I am deeply attracted to how human body functions
which is a core part in biology. I am obsessed with how cells work with each other
to become organs, blood and many other important parts in our body.

4、What kinds of interesting things you have done with science?

I used to do an experiment related to nutrition on myself. I was curious about the
impacts of carb on human body, so I decided to stop taking in carbs for a week to
see if there are any changes on my body. I felt tired and anxious on the fourth day
after stopping eating carbs and felt a bit dizzy on the fifth day. So, I stopped the
experiment on the sixth day because I felt really bad.
12. New places

1、Do you feel nervous when you travel to new places？

Well, if I’m travelling alone to a new place, I would be nervous, yes. I’d especially
be worried that I’d get lost. However, if I’m travelling with some friends, I don’t
get nervous. Somehow, I feel that if I have company, I’m safe.

2、Can you read a map when you travel to new places?

I can read the digital map on my phone. Well, actually, wherever I go, I’d make
sure my phone is fully charged so I have access to google map or Baidu map
whenever necessary. You know, I have a poor sense of directions. I really need to
read the map to know where I am.

3、Have you ever helped someone who got lost?

Of course. I don’t mind helping people find their ways. I’ve met people on the
street asking me for directions. I usually try to use simple language to instruct them
the directions, but sometimes if the place is really hidden, I would just show them.
13. Cooperation

1、Would you prefer to study alone or with others?

Honestly, I like to study in the library where there are many other people studying,
‘cause when everyone around me is focused, well, at least, when they look focused,
I can manage to concentrate as well. So, studying with others can be more
effective.

2、Do you remember a time when you need to cooperate with others？
Yep! Last summer, I signed up for an English training course where the teacher
asked us to work in groups to perform the English dialogues. It was challenging
‘cause we really needed to always keep pace with one another. But it was lots of
fun as well! We laughed so much and achieved a lot by the end. I totally enjoyed it.
P1 保留题
1. Special costumes

(1) Do you like to wear special costumes?

No, I don't like to wear special costumes. I realize that some people are big fans
and they have the courage to wear special costumes in front of the public. I really
admire their courage but I would not do it myself. I think it’s just simply because
I don't like to get all the attention from other people because of what I wear, and
they might upload the pictures online which will make me feel more
embarrassed.

(2) Did you try any special costumes when you were young?
As far as I know, I think there was only one time. When I was 10 or 11, my
parents brought me to Hong Kong and of course, we went to Disneyland like all
the other tourists. My parents asked me to put on the princess costume because
they thought it was super cute. I’m never a big fan of Disney princesses, but I
still tried the Snow-White costume. To be honest, I didn't like it.

(3) When was your last time to wear special costumes?

I think the last time I wore a special costume was the time I just told you, when I
was 10 or 11, my family and I went to Disney Hong Kong, and I tried the
Snow-White costume. I was not a big fan of Disney princesses, so I didn't really
enjoy that experience. From then on, I have never tried any other special
costumes. I don't think I would ever try it again.

(4) Do you ever buy special costumes?

No, I have never bought any special costumes as well. As I said, I don't like to
attract the attention of other people because of what I wear. Actually, all my
clothes are quite normal and standard. I don't follow the trend and I am not a big
fan of any special costumes. So, I doubt that I will buy any special costumes in
the future.
2. Flowers

(1) What kind of flowers do you know?

I like roses and daisies. I like roses because they represent love, but do you know
that roses have a variety of colors and not all the colors represent the love between
lovers? Some of them represent the love of family, some of them friends. For
daises, I like them simply because of the color. The yellow flower core and white
petals look very fresh, making me feel like lying on the grass.

(2) Are there any flowers that have special meanings in China?
Yes, there are. For example, carnations represent mothers in China, so we always
send carnations to mothers on Mother's Day. For another example,
chrysanthemum represents grief in China, which is given to relatives and friends
who passed away. In China, you must not send chrysanthemums when you visit a
patient in a hospital, otherwise the patient will be very angry.

(3) Have you planted any flowers?

Yes, I have planted quite a lot of flowers. But most of the plants I have at home
are green plants, not flowering plants. There are all kinds of plants on the balcony
of my house. But I now have two pots of flowering plants in my home, one is a
blue daisy and the other is a pink phalaenopsis. I have the habit of keeping a
phalaenopsis at home because I believe that it brings luck and good fortune.

(4) Have you sent flowers to others?

Yes, of course. I always send carnations to my mother, my grandmother and my
aunt for Mother’s Day, and they are always happy to receive them. Sometimes I
bring flowers to my female friends’ birthday parties. Actually, I have never sent
any flowers to my father because I feel like it’s just a bit weird to send him
flowers. But maybe he would like them too! I can try to send him some flowers on
Father’s Day this year!
3. Advertisement

(1) What kinds of advertisements do you watch?

I don't like to watch advertisements in general so it’s more like I’m forced to
watch them because I can’t skip them. I’m not a member of any video platforms.
Therefore, I would say I watch all kinds of advertisements. But if I have to say
which kinds of advertisements that I like to watch I would say the creative ones.
You know, like the ads between Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

(2) Where can you see advertisements?

People can see advertisements almost everywhere, from TV to online video
platforms like YouTube, from the street to the train. Advertisements are
everywhere. You know that even in the sky, people can rent drones or small planes,
let them emit smoke advertisements, or hang banners on the planes. This is
actually a relatively novel form of advertising.

(3) Have you ever bought something because of its advertisement?

Oh yes, too many. Although I’m not a big fan of advertisements, but I have to
admit that I can’t say no to the products on the ads. For example, I bought the foot
massager because of the ad, and it turned out that I don't even use it. I have a
stepping machine at home and now it’s just collecting dust in the living room. I
bought so many useless stuffs because of the ads.

(4) Do you watch advertisements from the beginning to the end?

If I am forced to do so then I have to watch them from the beginning to the end.
Like I said before, I am not a member of any video platforms so I can’t skip the
ads. But for some super long ads, I get the option to skip them and of course I skip
them all the time. So, I would say it depends.
4. Barbecue

(1) Do Chinese people like barbecue?

Yes, we absolutely do. I remember when I was in elementary school, we had a
barbecue picnic once a year in the spring. Our teachers were in charge of the fire
and everyone brought some food from home. The most popular barbecue food
was sausage. For now, our family still has the tradition of having barbecues in the
garden in the summer.

(2) What kind of food do you like to eat for barbecue?

I like sausages and steaks the most, especially Croatian sausages and cheese
sausages. Croatian sausages are quite fatty and spicy. When you bit it, the oil
comes out and it tastes amazing. Recently I found a new recipe: cream cheese
with mushrooms! So, you just need to put any type of cream cheese you like, say,
the herb cream cheese, and fill it in the mushroom then you grill it for 20 minutes.
Hmm, taste like heaven!

(3) Would you like to have barbecue with your family or your friends?
Yes, I love it! In fact, I always have barbecue with my family. Like I said before,
my family has the tradition of having barbecues in the garden in the summer. So
normally on Sundays, as long as it’s sunny outside, we gather in the garden and
my dad is always in charge of barbecuing for everyone. Sometime my friends
come over and join us as well.

(4) Did you have barbecue when you were a child?

Yes, I did have barbecue when I was a child. Like I said, my elementary school
teachers took us out for a barbecue picnic once a year in the spring. But since we
were all kids, we were not in charge of the fire and grill. Our teachers did
everything for us and we just needed to eat. But of course, each person had to
bring one kind of food to the group.
5. Sky

(1) Do you like to look at the sky? Why?

Yep, I do. I grew up in the countryside where the sky was blue and clean. I
remember those nights when I looked at the sky with my mother, counting the
stars. My mother told me many fairy tales about the moon and the stars. That
experience makes me very interested in the sky.

(2) Can you see the moon and stars at night where you live?
Sometimes. Well, I live in the city now and you know how bad the air pollution is
in Chinese major cities! The haze is so heavy that you can’t even see the sky
clearly even during the day, let alone at night, which is very unfortunate, I think.

(3) Do you prefer the sky in the morning or the sky at night?
Probably at night. You see, I’m always in a hurry in the morning so I don’t really
pay attention to it. But at night, usually when everything is quiet, I get to enjoy
some private time looking at the sky and thinking about some important matters in
life. That’s the most enjoyable moment of the day!

(4) Is there a good place to look at the sky where you live?
I’m not sure if my balcony counts? Well, the building that I live in is one of the
many skyscrapers in my city. Generally, I would say the best place where you can
appreciate the beauty of the sky is the mountain top, however, the nearest
mountain is two hours away by car! So, the best sky view I can get is on my
balcony.

(5) Do you like to see the stars at night?

As I said earlier, I do enjoy the night sky view. After a day’s work or study, when I
 finally get to have some time for myself, I love to sit quietly on my balcony to
look into the sky. I’m not sure whether that’s a kind of meditation. But just
watching the stars and the moon, I let the thoughts cross my mind. That’s the best
time of the day!

(6) Do you want to live on other planets?

Interesting question! Well, I never thought of immigrating to another planet,
honestly. But since you asked, I guess I won’t mind experiencing another planet if
it’s possible. Scientists say that the Mars is livable, don’t they? So yeah, if
travelling to the Mars becomes affordable to us, why not?
6. Car trip

(1) Do you like travel by car?

Absolutely. I love to go to the mountains, especially the undeveloped ones where
they still keep the original appearance. However, these places are usually not quite
accessible by public transport. So, it’s only convenient when I drive a car myself.

(2) When do you travel by car?

Well, I take most trips by car, unless it’s an urgent business trip. You see, I got my
driver’s license when I was 18 and since then, I fell in love with driving on the
highway. For some reason, I get to connect with my own free spirit when I’m on
the road. So yeah, travelling by car is like a daily routine to me.

(3) Where is the farthest place you have traveled to by car?

That would be Yunnan. My hometown is in the middle of the country, where it
takes over a day’s driving to Yunnan. I went there with two other friends. We had
to take turns driving. Gees it’s a long trip! Driving made us exhausted, but Yunnan
was just so beautiful. It’s worth the trouble!

(4) Do you like to sit in the front or back when travelling by car?
I prefer to sit in the backseat. Well, it’s got more room at the back! I can stretch
my legs and arms when I’ve been sitting for too long. However, if I’m sitting in
the front, doing so can be dangerous. Also, for some reason, I feel that sitting in
the back is safer. So yeah, as long as the backseat is available, I would take it.
7. Relax

(1) What would you do to relax?

Ah, there are many things I do for relaxation. But often I find fast walking most
relaxing. Well, my family were financially struggling when I was a kid so they
couldn’t afford to buy me a bike. As a result, I had to walk for half an hour to get
to school And I took that trip four times a day. That’s probably how this habit
grew on me. Now I just find walking such a great way to wind down.

(2) Do you think doing sports is a good way to relax?

Yes, definitely. Exercises can do wonders to our mental health, I think. It can help
us better manage our stress. For me, personally, I love to jog and play badminton.
Doing sports can shift my attention away from daily affairs. So, I think it is great
as a form of relaxation.

(3) Do you think vacation is a good time for you to relax?

Absolutely! You know, taking time away from the job or study can have a lot of
physical and psychological benefits. I feel that when I’m on vacation, I barely feel
any stress, and can actually enjoy myself. After a vacation, I can return to my
daily life in better condition. So yeah, holidays are definitely good for relaxation.

(4) Do you think students need more relaxing time?

I would say yes. Students nowadays are highly stressed. Many kids simply don’t
have time to enjoy themselves any more once they start school. Their time is filled
with all sorts of tutoring arrangements and schedules. Yet, kids need to play! We
should give them a break, and let them be kids!
8. Environmental protection

(1) Would you like to work in a company related to environmental protection?

Yep, why not? But companies that relate to environmental protection tend to be
technologically advanced. I reckon that they would want to hire people who
graduate from prestigious universities or have plenty of related work experiences.
So, I will have to work hard to be qualified, I guess.

(2) How can we protect the environment?

Well, I think recycling is a good way to take care of our environment. If we
recycle, we will produce fewer wastes, which helps improve our environment
quality because the earth doesn’t have to digest as much pollution as it now has to
do.

(3) Do you think you’ve done enough to protect the environment?

I’m afraid not. Though I am actively advocating environmental protection, there
are times I do harm to the environment by making unnecessary consumptions,
such as using too many plastic bags when I could have carried my items in a
reusable bag.

(4) Is there education about environmental protection at school?

Yes, in my country, most children get educated about how to better look after our
environment since primary school. They were taught how to classify wastes -
green waste, toilet waste, general waste, etc., and almost every child knows that
growing plants will do good to our environment. So yeah, such education on
environmental protection at school is quite prevalent in China.
9. Primary school

(1) What did you like to do the most when you were in primary school?
I enjoyed the long walk to school with my best buddy. Back then, I didn’t have a
bike or any other means of transportation that could take me to school. So, I had to
walk about half an hour to get to school. It was a long walk, but with my friend’s
company, the trip to school was always so much fun!

(2) How did you go to your primary school?

Well, just as I mentioned. I went to school on foot. My parents were too busy to
send me to school. Also, since they were financially struggling, they couldn’t
afford to buy me a bike. So, I had to walk to school every day.

(3) How do you like your primary school?

I love my primary school very much. It was the best school in my hometown, with
well-built entertainment facilities, new buildings, and lovely teachers. Most
importantly, we never had much homework! I think I was lucky to have gone to
such a nice school.

(4) What did you do in your leisure time in your primary school?
I spent a lot of time playing with my little fellas. Also, if my memory serves, we
played hide-and-seek almost every day at school. I built genuine friendships with
my classmates through playing games together. So yeah, I put my leisure time to
good use back to my primary school years.
10. Wild animals

(1) Do you like to watch TV programs about wild animals?

That’s a big yes. My favorite TV program is BBC Wildlife. It’s great fun watching
how animals in the wild environment manage to survive. You’d be amazed to find
how strong an animal’s will to survive is! Also, I get to see so many rare animals
in this program.

(2) Did you learn something about wild animals at school?

Yes. The school had a complementary course called ‘Nature’, in which we were
taught about wild animals, insects, plants, etc. But the course only talked about the
common wild animals, such as giraffes, kangaroos and some giant snakes. I think
schools should extend the subject and spend more time teaching children about the
wildlife though.

(3) Where can you see wild animals?

Apparently, Australia and Africa hold the richest varieties of wild animals. You
can see kangaroos and koalas in Australia. And in Africa, there are big lions,
rhinos and giant snakes. It’s amazing how different regions of the world become
the habitats of different species.

(4) In which country do you think you can see many wild animals?
I think it should be in South Africa. From what I’ve learnt, South Africa has
thousands of species of native wild animals. From big cats to charismatic
penguins, majestic elephants and speedy cheetahs, South Africa is home to a
diverse range of wildlife. I hope that one day, I could visit this country and
witness the wild animals myself.
11. Wallet

(1) Do you use wallet?

No, not really. I rarely bring any cash with me when going out. Often, I just use
WeChat or Alipay for small payments. So, there’s no need to bring a wallet with
me. But I do carry a small bag to keep my phone and ID card.

(2) Have you ever lost your wallet?

Unfortunately, I have. When I was in middle school, my mother bought me a
wallet as a birthday gift. It looked so cool! I took it with me to school almost
every day. However, only after about two weeks, I found it missing! I was so sad
that day and refused to go to school without it. Since then, I never owned a wallet
again.

(3) Have you ever sent a wallet to someone as a gift?

Yes, I have. I bought a wallet for my dad on Father’s Day last year. My Dad is
old-fashioned and still uses cash when going to the stores. But his wallet was
worn out. I thought a new wallet would be perfect for him. He loved it!

(4) Do most of your friends use wallet?

No, I don’t think any of my friends uses wallets. In fact, I bet most of them find
wallets unnecessary, just like myself. When you only need a phone and an ID card
for travelling, why bother carrying a wallet，right?
12. Holidays

(1) Where did you go for your last holiday?

I went to a local mountain last month with my family. Because of the coronavirus,
it’s not safe to have long-distance trips. But visiting local tourist spots made me
realize how beautiful my own hometown is! We spent two days in the mountain.
The night there was so quiet. I had never had such great sleep quality.

(2) Do you like holidays? Why?

I like holidays because it gives me time for myself to rest for a while. Often
during the holiday, I can spend time on myself, think for myself, enjoy myself,
and connect with my inner self. I think that’s the reason why I enjoy holidays.

(3) Which public holiday do you like best?

My favorite holiday is the Chinese New Year. Because that’s the time for family
reunion. We would cook big meals together while chatting with one another.
Family is very important to me. I suppose that’s why I enjoy the Spring Festival
traditions so much!

(4) What do you do on holidays?

I like to travel, visit new places, and take photos in other cities and countries. But
if I don’t have a lot of disposable cash some years, I like doing little road trips to
cool places with my friends. Overall, I love to spend my holidays outdoors.
13. Festival

(1) How do you celebrate festivals in your country?

China has a long history of celebrating festivals. Different festivals are celebrated
differently. For example, we make dumplings and arrange family reunions on
Spring Festival, but make sticky-rice dumplings on the Dragon Boat festival. But
there’s one thing in common for almost every festival in China, which is the
holiday provides people with the opportunity to travel to other places.

(2) What special food and activities do you have for these festivals?
Well, like what I said, we make different kinds of food for different festivals. For
example, we make sweet soup balls for Lantern Festival and organize the dragon
and lion dances. On the Tomb Sweeping Day, we commemorate the Chinese
soldiers who sacrificed themselves to create a better country for us. So, yea, it all
depends on what festival it is.

(3) How do you celebrate Spring Festival?

Well, in my family, Lunar New Year is a time for family reunion We paste
traditional Chinese paper-cuts on windows and give lucky money in red envelopes.
On New Year’s Eve, we usually watch the Spring Festival Gala on the TV together
while enjoying the family dinner. Spring Festival is the best time of the year. I
love it!

(4) What is your favorite festival?

As what I said, my favorite festival is the Chinese New Year. I have a harmonious
family, so when we get together on Spring Festival, we usually exchange gifts
with one another and have warm chit-chats. I just can’t think of any time better
than this!
14. Work or study
(1) What subjects are you studying?
I study English literature.

(2) Do you like your subject?

Of course. I think it is my love towards this subject that keeps me continuing my
study. Studying English actually broadens my horizon. Learning English helps me to
enhance my knowledge of every field over the world through reading English
documents which are not only in books, newspapers but also on the internet.

(3) Why did you choose to study that subject?

First of all, I think English is a beautiful language. As the saying goes, “Interest is the
best teacher.” Moreover, English is the most commonly spoken language in the world.
English is the official language of 53 countries. It is said that one out of five people
can speak English or at least understand.

(4) Is it interesting?
I think so. First of all, studying English literature means that you can not only learn a
language but also get to know a culture. Moreover, it gives me a chance to read a lot
of great books. I will never pick up some of the books if they hadn't been on the
syllabus. Whilst the occasional book or style of writing may not resonate with you, it's
really interesting and important to read books out of the box.

(5) Do you prefer to study in the mornings or in the afternoons?

I prefer to study in the morning. I need a quiet environment to study and I prefer to
study alone. Therefore, early mornings are the tranquil and quiet time. What’s more,
my mind is fresh and clear in the morning. I want to study before I get bombarded
with more tasks and stress throughout the day. Also, in the morning, I can wake up my
brain with a hot cup of freshly-brewed coffee, sweetened with the perfect amount of
sugar and cream.

(6) Are you looking forward to working?

Yes, I love my job and I have a great career. Because I enjoy coming into the
classroom to impart my knowledge.

(7) What work do you do?

I am an English teacher in a senior high school. Besides teaching English, I also teach
my students how to read and write well, how to understand what they read, how to
learn from their peers, and how to have productive and challenging conversations. I
think my students can understand more complex thoughts and ideas than others.
Therefore, I start having intelligent, challenging discussions with them. I will bring
the classics like Shakespeare or Chaucer, and open up their minds to a world of
reading that doesn't just revolve around vampire books.

(8) Do you like your job?

Of course, I do. Teaching is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done. I’ve been
a teacher for 2 years, and in that time I've had moments of enormous satisfaction and
joy as I've watched students light up with the excitement of learning, struggle through
a difficult task, break out of their shells and become more than they were, and move
on to amazing adulthood.

(9) Why did you choose to do that type of work?

I chose to be a teacher because teaching is not just a profession, it is a mission. I have
always loved to give young people the best start in life. Interacting with students is
great, whether in the educational grounds or recreational activities, it is a lot more fun
interacting and learning with students.

(10)Do you miss being a student?

Always. Those times were when I asked a lot of questions and got answers from the
teachers. Now when I teach it's just me telling and them listening. Moreover, being in
a position where your only goal is to absorb knowledge, where the whole year and its
events are well-designed by experienced and caring teachers, where choices and
chances go hand in hand, is something I want to have again.
15. Home/Accommodation
(1) Do you live in a house or a flat?
Well, I live in a house with my family in suburb areas. Far away from city center as it
is, we own 3 spacious rooms, a beautiful balcony and a garden where we can have
barbecue almost all-year around. Although the living infrastructure nearby is still
under construction, it is still worthwhile to live here.

(2) Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?

I prefer living in a house. I think house is better than flat. Firstly, many houses have a
backyard where the pet can live and play. Also, you can have a garden in the backyard,
and plant some flowers to decorate your house.

(3) Can you describe the place where you live?

I live in a comfortable and cozy flat. It is a duplex apartment. I live on the 21st floor.
From the window of my bedroom, I can overlook the garden in the housing estate. It
is not very big, but I still have enough space.

(4) Who do you live with?

I live with my cat Max. I thought I might feel lonely if I live alone, so I decided to
have Max. It proved to be a very good decision. Max is a gray British Shorthair and I
love him so much. Even though my cat can’t speak, he is constantly trying to find
ways to communicate with me. Every time I get home, he greets me with a passionate
“meow”.

(5) How long have you lived there?

I’ve been lived in that flat for almost one and a half years. I rented the flat through an
APP called “Ziroom”, which is a Chinese-based apartment rental services company.
(6) Do you plan to live there for a long time?
Well, now that I am very satisfied with this flat. Because it has a good location and a
good environment. Living there means less commuting time. Therefore, as long as I
do not change my job or the landlord doesn’t raise the rent, I do plan to live there for a
long time.

(7) What kinds of housing/accommodation do you live in?

Recently, I live in a house of three-story and five-bedrooms in outskirts of our city.
We own spacious rooms with king size beds and a big garden where we can trim the
grass. By the way, we enjoy a big housing estate where gym and supermarket are
equipped.

(8) Are the transport facilities to your home very good?

Quite good. My apartment is 5 to 10 minutes’ walk from the subway station.
Therefore, it is very convenient to go to work from my place. Also, there are a lot of
shared bikes nearby. So, if I want to go to the shopping mall, I can just ride a bike.

(9) What do you usually do in your house/flat/room?

Well, I like to do whatever makes me feel relaxed in my flat. When I get home, the
first thing I would do is playing with my cat. Then I would lie in the sofa and watch
my favorite TV series. On weekends, I do Yoga in the living room or cook a nice meal
for myself.

(10)What part of your home do you like the most?

My favorite part of that flat is my bedroom. I carpeted my room with many soft mats,
so I can walk around my bedroom with bare feet. Moreover, I have a queen-size bed
which is extremely soft. Lying in my bed is like lying on the clouds. It makes me feel
completely relaxed.
(11) Which room does your family spend most of the time in?
If I return to my hometown, I would live with my parents. At that time, we would
spend most of the time in the living room. There is a huge LCD television in the
living room. Every evening, we watch TV shows together after dinner. We would
laugh out loud together.

(12)What is the difference between where you are living now and where you have
lived in the past?
I used to live in a small bungalow. I even found a snake in our bathroom. Roaches,
wall lizards, mosquitoes were frequent guests/regulars. There was a cherry tree in our
small yard. I used to climb on the tree to pick the sweet cherries. Now both my
parents and I have moved to a flat. Of course, there are few insects in our home now.

(13)Please describe the room you live in?

Well, my room is bright and well-furnished.To be more exact, a king-size bed, a
minimum style desk , and a vintage bookshelf are equipped in my room. Plus, I own a
wall decorated with all my photos and painting, which recalls me the old memories
from time to time.
16. Hometown
(1) What's (the name of) your hometown (again)?
My hometown is Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province.

(2) Please describe your hometown a little.

It is located in southwest China. It is the capital of Sichuan province and metropolis of
southeast China. It is a big city with a convenient traffic system. The surrounding
Chengdu Plain is also known as the "Country of Heaven" and the "Land of
Abundance". I am very proud of my hometown.

(3) Is that a big city or a small place?

Chengdu is a big city. I think it is the biggest city in southwest China. Moreover, it is
a fast-developing city. What’s fascinating about Chengdu is that it is not only a
comfortable city for senior citizens to enjoy their old ages, but also a city with a lot of
opportunities where young people can work hard and fulfill their dreams.

(4) How long have you lived there?

I’ve lived here for 18 years. I left for Beijing when I went to college. It’s quite
challenging for me to get out of my comfort zone. However, I made it.

(5) Do you like living there?

Of course, I do. In my opinion, Chengdu is the best place for living, as long as you
like spicy food. I mean, Chengdu has the most convenient and economical traffic
systems than any other cities in southwest China. Moreover, the weather is good, the
air is not so dry here, and the food is spectacular.

(6) Do you like it?

I like it so much. I like the leisurely and slow-paced lifestyle that many people live.
What's more, I can find the most delicious food here, which is the hotpot. Though
there are lots of hot pot restaurants in other cities, only in Chengdu can you find the
most authentic flavor.

(7) Is there anything you dislike about it?

Actually, it’s a difficult question for me. If I have to say one thing that I dislike about
Chengdu, it is also the spiciness of the food. I love spicy food and I won’t enjoy a
meal if it’s not spicy. However, sometimes Sichuan food is too spicy for strangers.
One of my friends got stomach flu after eating the hot pot.

(8) What do you like (most) about your hometown?

There is plenty of things that I love about Chengdu. The most thing I like is the food
here. Chengdu cuisine is one of China's four most famous food styles. Known as
Chuan style food, it is well-known for its delicious spiciness. It is not spicy, just to be
spicy, but each dish is unique and flavorful.

(9) Do you plan to continue living there?

Yes, I do. I think Chengdu would definitely be the city that I would live in when I
retired. Chengdu people live a leisure lifestyle. You don’t hustle in Chengdu. Also,
Chengdu is developing really fast now. It is the transit hub in southwest China. The
second airport is under construction. Chengdu is going to be the third city with 2
airports in China.

(10)Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?
Yes, I think it would be a good choice. As I have said before, it is a great place to
enjoy your life. It is also a thriving city with plenty of opportunities. Many
well-known companies have established branch offices in Chengdu.

(11) Where would you like to live?

I want to live in Chengdu. I love the weather, the food, the transportation, and
everything. It is a city with incredible sceneries. It is a thriving and vibrant city.
Chengdu hosts many international companies and more than 12 consulates. More than
260 Fortune 500 companies have established branches in Chengdu.
17. Name

(1) Is it easy for you to remember people's names?

Honestly, it's not easy for me. You know some people are good at remembering
others’ faces, not names. And I'm just like that. I can easily remember a person's
face. For example, if I meet a new friend at a party and after three days, I can still
remember her face, but I will forget her name.

(2) How do you remember people's names?

Well, I can't think of a good method to remember other people's names, since I
even can't do that. But I suppose if you call a name every day, then you will
probably remember it. So, I guess repetition is the best way. Just repeat the same
name over and over again.

(3) How do you feel when people can't remember your name?
I will feel really upset when people can't remember my name, because I think
remembering others’ names is a sign of respect for them and means you pay
attention to them. If people can't do that to me, it means they don't value me.
They don’t even care about me. So, I will be sad and disappointed.

(4) Do you often forget people's names?

I don't do that very often, but sometimes I'll forget other people's names. If you
ask me the name of one of my primary school classmates, I can't tell you
immediately, because I haven't called them for years. But if you ask me the name
of one of my university classmates, I can answer you right away because I call
them every day now.
18. The area you live in

(1) Where do you like to go in that area?

The city library is where I frequently visit in the place I live, because I prefer a
tranquil atmosphere and people in the library are always silent. So, even if I don't
want to read, going to the library to work/study is also what I would do. Besides, there
are many activities held by the library regularly, which I may find meaningful to
participate in.

(2) Do you know any famous people in your area?

I remember that some popular singers in China come from where I live now, who
have won several singing competitions, and produced songs which enjoy great
popularity. And in ancient times, this land also cultivated a large number of productive
poets who made a valuable contribution to the development of Chinese poetry.

(3) What are some changes in the area recently?

According to my observation, the biggest change that took place here is that there are
more and more entertaining venues now. People here have come up with a variety of
stuff to relax recently, so accordingly, a lot more related facilities have been
constructed. And another difference is that, the public transport system is far more
completed, with more metro lines being built.

(4) Do you like the area that you live in?

Honestly speaking, not very much. Although I can see how much this area has
developed, I am still not very satisfied with the current situation. One reason is that, I
suppose this place is so overpopulated, so commuting is really a torture for me every
day. Meanwhile, the air quality here is also terrible, and I am afraid that I will get
some lung diseases one day if I keep living here.
19. TV program
(1) Do you often watch programs on the TV or on your cellphone?
I spend more time watching programs on my cellphone, because there are various
apps on the phone to watch programs. If you watch them on TV, you need to wait
until that point of time and wait in front of the TV. But if you have a mobile phone,
you can watch my favorite shows anytime on the app. I think this is more
convenient.

(2) What kind of TV programs do you like?

I prefer to watch entertainment programs. The first is that I like a lot of celebrities,
and seeing their interaction and performance on the entertainment programs
makes me think I can get to know them better. The second is that it’s easy to
watch entertainment programs, because they are generally funny and interesting. I
think this is a good way to relax.

(3) Do you like watching the same kind of program all the time?
It depends. In most cases, like I said, I like to watch entertainment programs
because they are easy and interesting. But sometimes, I also watch some
educational programs, such as answering questions online. Funny to say, I like to
answer the questions by myself, and then see if the answers announced by the host
are the same as mine, and then I score myself.

(4) Do you talk with your friends about the program you watched?
Of course. My friend and I both watch the same show, because we both like the
same stars. So, every time we watch the show, we will get together to chat about
the content of the show and the performance of our favorite stars. Of course, we
also have a rule that those who watch it first cannot reveal the content of the show,
and we will discuss it only after everyone has watched it.
P2&P3 新题
1. 早起的经历
Describe a time when you got up early
You should say:
When it was
What you did
Why you got up early
And how you felt about it

早起去考驾照
去年寒假，我和我的搭档参加一场辩论赛，但驾驶教练突然让我第二天回家
参加驾驶考试。那晚我乘最后一班公交车赶回家，第二天早上 6 点就起床了，并
很早完成了考试，拿到了驾照。之后，我又回成都完美地做了最后一次演讲。虽
然很疲惫，但结果还是非常令人满意的。

Last winter vacation, I was participating in a debate tournament with my partner in

Chengdu, when my driving coach suddenly asked me to return to my hometown and
take the driving test the next day. He claimed that I could not delay it because my bid
for the test was about to be overdue(过期).

I was in a dilemma （两难）since I needed to debate at 9 o’clock the next morning,

which was the most important speech. If I failed to make it, my partner would also
have to quit（放弃）the tournament. In this situation, the whole tournament would not
have enough teams to continue the contest. Such a chain effects（连锁反应）would be
really grave（严重的）. Therefore, I rushed back home that night on the last bus and
got up at 6 o’clock the next day. I gave some money to the coach and requested to be
tested as early as possible. I supposed the money worked instead of my words. They
say “Money Talks”. Anyway, I managed to finish my test and get my license before 8
o’clock. After that, I rushed back to Chengdu, which was 40 minutes away from my
hometown, and delivered my last speech in the tournament.

It turned out that I was awarded as the best speaker in the tournament. I really
felt fagged out（疲倦的）but thrilled（激动地）, because I had only slept for about four
hours that night but in that single day, I was recognized by both the driving coach and
debate coach. It was extremely satisfying.
(1) Why do people get up early?
People may get up early for different reasons under various circumstances. Young
students may get up early for the class starting at 8 a.m. in the morning. For those at
work, they may need to get up at 6 or even 5 a.m. to catch an early flight or train and
embark on a business trip. For housewives with small babies, they are often the first
to get up in the family to prepare breakfast for their loved ones and keep the house
tidy from time to time. Apart from these cases, some people are just used to getting up
early. My grandparents, for instance, go to bed early at 9 p.m. and get up at 5 a.m.
everyday. They have been sticking to this schedule for several years.

(2) What kinds of occasions need people to arrive early?

People may arrive early for important meetings, interviews so that they can get better
prepared for these crucial moments. For those who are new to working places, they
often arrive at team meetings in advance to take another look at the meeting materials.
People in charge of those significant business meetings may also arrive several hours
in advance to have an informal chat with their partners and talk about the contracts to
be signed. University students may arrive minutes earlier to have a final practice for
their job interviews. To conclude, arriving early is a good habit to show that one
values and cherishes the opportunity.
 2. 有创造力的人
Describe a creative person whose work you admire
You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
What creative things he/she has done
And explain why you think he/she is creative

乔布斯
作为苹果公司的创始人,乔布斯既是一个发明家，也是一个企业家。我最早
在一部纪录片里认识了他，他的设计和营销观念都非常创新，虽然他没能读完大
学,但他却能够利用已有的知识设计出苹果电脑。在我看来，领导者和跟随者的
区别在于创新——而我的偶像乔布斯生来就是要改变世界的。

Steve Jobs is a commonly recognized（大家都认识的） name for almost everyone

alive. he is the creative person that I truly admire. I first got to know him through a
documentary about his life. As the founder of the Apple Company, he bent over
backwards to （ 努 力 做 某 事 ） make it the most valuable corporation there is in
America. Even in China, whoever can afford it owns at least one Apple product as
their basic daily necessity（日常必需品）.

He was an inventor, an entrepreneur, and an icon of an age （ 时 代 的 标 志 ） . His

designs and the marketing concept（市场理念） are both innovative, which swept
across（席卷） the world as a new trends. Although he didn`t make it through(完成)
his college, The knowledge he learned there played a key rule in his design of his first
Apple computer. He was never a person who would easily be content with（对。。。
满足） the answers he got. The willingness of relentlessly asking questions made him
the most creative person throughout the whole world.
He is my idol, and he always will be. The difference between a leader and the
followers is the innovation. He was born to（生来做某事） change the world. It is a
pity that he passed away at a relatively（相对的） early age. But still, I presume he
could proudly say, “ Mission accomplished”.
(1) Do you think you are a creative person？
Yes, I think I am a creative person. For me, creation is a way to express myself. In my
spare time, I like writing short stories that reflect my real life, which is definitely a
creation process. Some of the plots are taken from my own living experience, but
some of them are created through my imagination. Additional to that, I am a creative
and resourceful person at work, because I always bring up new and exciting ideas to
the team. Those ideas are so fresh that my colleagues would be very impressive,
giving me a feeling of accomplishment and encouraging me to be more creative.

(2) What kinds of jobs need creative ability?

In a broader sense, I believe all jobs require different level of creativity. But designers
should be the most creative ones because they are actually selling their creativities to
the market. For example, visual designers convey their thinkings to the audience by
creating visual arts. Fashion designers express their life perspectives by creating
fashion goods. Game designers need to dig out people’s preference and create games
which entertain or educate the audience. They are all using their brainpower to create
wonderful things from nearly nowhere. Moreover, similarly, I believe writers, movie
directors, artists are all different kinds of designers in their own area, and they really
need creative ability to do their job well.
 3. 咖啡馆
Describe a café you like to visit
You should say:
Where it is
What kinds of food and drinks it serves
Who you usually go there with
What you do there
And explain why you like to go there

星巴克
星巴克在大城市几乎各处都有，很大众化。店内环境整洁、比较热闹，有各
式各样的咖啡、甜品和主食等。周末，休假时我会和亲朋好友到店里闲聊，也看
到很多人在星巴克相亲或者交友，在星巴克你可以随意交谈，不会影响他人。

Well, speaking of a cafe that I like to visit, I guess that would be Starbucks. You see,
Starbucks is the leading brand(领导品牌) in the coffee industry, in my view, and there
are branches all over the world. It is also pretty easy to find in China and almost
everywhere in the metropolis. Besides, the food and beverages（饮品） they provide
are not only tasty but also creative，coffee, sandwiches and cookies of various tastes.
They seem to have endless inspiration(无尽的灵感) for new products. You can see
new things on their menu almost every month. There are plenty of chain cafes in
China, but very few of them really have such R&D（研发） capabilities（能力）.

Actually I mostly go there on weekends together with my friends and family, because
it has a pretty comfortable environment for us to have intimate conversations . Simply
grabbing a latte and some delicious cookies is enjoyable enough for an afternoon with
my loved（亲爱的） ones. Besides, it's not only a family place. Sometimes you can
see people on dates there, you know, like a blind date or something. I know it sounds
pretty hilarious（好笑的） but often blind dates are one of the main ways Chinese
young people get to know each other and start a relationship. So for me, Starbucks is
definitely a nice cosy place filled with harmony(和谐) and romance.
(1) What kind of people will go to drink coffee？ (would like to go to a café）
First of all, of course coffee lovers who like drinking coffee! For example, I am a true
coffee lover, and I’ve been drinking coffee every day for about 7 years. I love the
aroma from coffee and cannot live without it. Second, anyone who treats coffee as an
energy drink because they need caffeine. For instance, white-collar workers who need
a lot of brain power. Third, people who just want to find a place to study or work –
they don’t really care about what kinds of drink they get; they just need a table and
probably a chair or sofa, and the most importantly, a power outlet.

(2) Why do young people like studying in a café instead of at home?

First, because the environment of a café is usually very cozy, with nice decoration
and chill music. It feels very comfortable to stay in a café, enjoy a hot cappuccino and
do some reading. Second, concentration. In a café, all you can do is to grab a drink
and stare at your screen. Personally, I prefer to stay in café to study because there are
too many distractions at home – TV, kitchen, switch, and my dog. Third, there are
other people also working or studying in the café, helping create an atmosphere of
productivity. It just feels good to belong to a group instead of soloing.
 4. 令人激动的书
Describe an exciting book you have read
You should say:
When you read it
What kind of book it is
What it is about
And explain why you think it is exciting

福尔摩斯
初中时我读了《福尔摩斯探案集》，这是我最喜欢的小说。这部小说讲述了
19 世纪末伦敦的侦探福尔摩斯和他的搭档华生一起侦破各大小案件的故事。福
尔摩斯是小说界传奇的侦探，可以通过一个人的相貌举止推断出他的职业。我很
喜欢读这些剧情跌宕起伏的故事，因为我从小就喜欢刺激的推理，作者很巧妙地
将读者带入这些情节里，让我们在阅读的过程中不断思考推理，很激动人心。

I first read the series of Sherlock Holmes during my junior high school after I watched
its TV drama version cast by Benedict Cumberbatch and produced by BBC. This
mystery and detective novel (悬疑探案小说) is also one of my favorites. It depicted a
story in the19th century. The protagonist ( 主 角 ) Sherlock Holmes is a British
detective who lived in Baker Street, and he solved several crime cases with his partner
doctor Watson and confronted his old opponent Moriarty. Besides Agatha Christine' s
detective Poirot, Holmes was a legendary (传奇般的) detective in the literature field.

He was so good at uncovering mysteries that he could tell a person's career by

observing his appearance and behaviors. Among the stories in this novel, The Study
in Scarlet and The Sign of 4 are the most popular ones. He was a character portrayed
by Conan Doyle who wrote the novel in a narration of Watson's perspective. I really
enjoyed reading this series, because I have been favoring stories with exciting
problem solving and unexpected endings since I was a child. During the process of
writing, the author attracted readers with excellent skills of storytelling and plot
settings.

Moreover, the book motivates us to constantly think and detect the case introduced in
each chapter, and it also makes us guess the murderer and how they conduct those
mysterious crimes through the provided clues. For me, the ending in Sherlock Holmes
could always provide me with surprises and intrigue me into further reading.
(1) Do you think it is very important to read the book before watching the movie
version of it？
I don’t think reading the book is necessary or important before watching the movie
version of it. First of all, I may get less interested in the story plots when I am
watching the movie version since I know clearly the story line and I could hardly
enjoy the climax, the ups and downs of the story. Secondly, I think when an art piece
is recreated, it should be viewed as a new piece of work. That is, we should not expect
the movie to be 100% the same as the book since everyone has his own interpretation.
As a result, reading the book before watching the movie may make me more
frustrated if I find certain scenes contradictory to my understanding.

(2) Do boys and girls like the same kinds of books？

I think for some kinds of books, boys’ and girls’ interests may converge. For instance,
the Harry Potter series are popular among teenagers regardless of their gender. These
fancy stories attract people’s attention with their special story setting and
all-embracing character setting. Both boys and girls can find their favorite characters
when reading the book. However, from some other books like those princess fairy
tales, it is narrated mostly from a female perspective. In this sense, boys can hardly
resonate with the story and thus these books are often only popular among girls.
 5. 善待不喜欢的人
Describe a time you were friendly to someone you didn't like
You should say:
When and where it happened
Who he/she was
Why you didn't like this person
And explain why you were friendly to him/her on that occasion

同一个部门的同事
我去年遇到一个很自私的同事。在年终报告会上，我和她作为同一个项目的
负责人向经理做汇报。我们一起合作准备了 PPT，但汇报当天 PPT 出了问题，
底稿也突然不见了，她向经理说这全是因为我昨天没有做好备份。我虽然很生气，
但还是冷静地向技术部门的同事求助，最终成功修复了 PPT。我不喜欢她自私，
但我并未计较，她的态度也让我变得成熟稳重。

When I got this topic, a lesson that I used to take several years ago suddenly occurs to
me. It was in my junior years, our head teacher used to arrange one special class for
us, the topic was Saying Thanks to All the People in Your Life.I still remember the
saying that if you were well treated you should absolutely（当然） say thanks, while if
you were ill-treated（不被善待）, you still should say thanks because the person was
teaching you how to be tolerant（宽容） and more importantly, to be smarter next
time.

I suddenly think of a colleague that I ever met in my team. The story took place last
year when we were prepared for the annual report（年度报告）. I was arranged to
work with that colleague, we had worked together to make the PPT and other
materials. However, when the manager was ready to listen to our report, I found there
was something wrong with the PPT and that our report draft（草稿） was missing.
What a big problem. While I was struggling to （ 拼 尽 全 力 ） find a solution, my
colleague complained that it was all my fault, it was really embarrassing and unfair
for me. But I told myself to keep calm, the first thing was to solve the problem, so I
called the technology department to make the PPT rework. Fortunately, the report was
a success.

After the report, I didn't go to the colleague for any enquiry because I think she also
taught me to be more careful next time. I am still friendly to her now and she treats
me in a polite manner in return.
(1)Why are people friendly with the person they don't like？
First, maybe the person is so kind that he does not want to hurt anyone’s feeling. I
believe that people are born to be kind, if he accepts kindness from a young age.
Therefore, any offensive behaviors are not proper for them even though they are
facing annoying people who they don’t like. Second, perhaps there is a conflict of
interest between them or they are working in a team to achieve something. No matter
how you feel about the other person, if your relationship will affect your benefits, it is
better to maintain the relationship until you achieve what you want.

(2) What kinds of people are usually friendly？

Kind people. Again, people who are really kind do not want to hurt anyone else. They
believe in the goodness in the others. Therefore, they are positive, kind, and friendly
for the whole time, believing people should be treated in a good way. Also,
People-pleaser who keeps trying to please others to win some friends, even he does
not feel comfortable. This kind of people is usually friendly with everyone, but he
might not intend to do so – all he wants is that everyone could like him, even though
he does not like himself.
 6. 浪费时间的活动
Describe an activity you usually do that wastes your time
You should say:
What it is
When you usually do it
Why you do it
And explain why you think it wastes your time

刷社交媒体
刷社交媒体很浪费我的时间。我一般会在工作间隙看微博、抖音等社交媒体，
因为我想刷新周围人最新的动态，同时可以释放一下工作的压力。这件事很浪费
时间因为它会让人从工作中分心，不知不觉花费掉很多时间导致工作无法按时完
成。

As the Internet is becoming more and more popular these days, it has taken up a
significant amount of people’s daytime（占据大量时间）. As I can catch up with the
latest news of people around me, and release pressure from work at the same time,
there come so many occasions that I waste hours digging in（沉浸在）social networks
like Weibo and TikTok in working time. Maybe today I can share with you one
among those moments.

Last Tuesday, I went to the office earlier than usual. That meant I had 30 minutes for
my personal things before starting a new working day. After turning on the computer,
I thought it was okay if I checked my friends’ updates on Tiktok for a while. However,
as I went through（浏览） my newsfeed, I saw an interesting video shared by a friend.
I was soon attracted to the video and clicked into the page to watch more of it. It was
not until my colleague called me to ask for the documents that I realized that I ended
up（最终以…收尾）without doing anything about my work.
Though surfing the Internet or joining in social networks can bring me a lot of
benefits or knowledge, in such a mentioned situation, it was really a waste of time as I
had other tasks to finish. To be honest, sometimes, it can easily make us distracted,
especially from work and study（从工作和学习中分心）. If I had continued to watch,
I couldn’t have met the deadlines（赶在最后期限前完成）for my task, and that could
lead to a serious consequence, not only for me but also for the company on the whole.
(1) Will you continue doing something when you are aware that it's a waste of time？
I think it all depends. On one hand, if I were aware that what I was doing was a total
waste of time while there should be no value in the long run, I would definitely give
up. For I would get nothing from it such as playing computer games. However, on the
other hand, if it's just wasting my time in the short term, while bringing me benefits
sometime later, I might continue. For example, I am investing in the stock market,
although I earned little in recent years, but I still continue to buy because it's a kind of
investment for me, I just put my pocket money into a basket which might bring me
good fortune.

(2) What kinds of things make people feel pressured？

You might have already heard about 996, which has been very normal in companies
in China now. It stands for starting work at 9 am, while stopping at 9pm every day,
then working 6 days a week. I think it is the first thing that makes people feel
pressured. Because people hardly have time for relax. And what's more, people are
driven by various deadlines and presentations every day. It's driving people crazy. In a
word, in my opinion, trying to meet deadlines and working without flexibility in time
really put people under pressure.
 7. 机智解决问题的人
Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way
You should say:
Who the person is
What the problem was
How he/she solved it
And explain why you think he/she did it in a smart way

晚会上的脱口秀表演
我在大学时曾参加过一次精彩的汇报演出，作为工作人员，我们做了很多前
期准备确保万无一失。可就在最后的时刻，校领导电话告诉我们他在路上堵车了，
然而他的发言被安排在晚会一开始。就在大家焦头烂额的时候，主持人提议可以
在晚会开始前加入一个脱口秀环节，这位主持人便自告奋勇说起了脱口秀。最后
校领导赶到的时候脱口秀刚刚结束，整场晚会顺利完成。那个脱口秀更是点睛之
笔，真是一个机智的化解办法。

I once was the member of the Student Union at college. During the four years, I took
part in many colorful activities but among which I was most impressed with(印象深
刻 ) a certain performance which I joined in. It was the opening ceremony for the
Week of School Art. My teammates and I were very excited to make plans and finally
settled the whole process down. We were fully prepared for （ 准 备 充 分 ） the
ceremony, from tools to the guests, we had confirmed twice（再三确认）to make sure
the performance would be smoothly finished（顺利完成）.

However, it was right before the performance that the headmaster called us to say that
he was caught in the traffic jam and that he was sorry to be late. What's worse was
that he should make a speech at the beginning. We were quite at loss（不知所措）.
Suddenly someone suggested that we might as well（不妨） hold a very short talk
show ahead of the performance. It was the host herself. She was also the president of
the student union. We all agreed with her suggestion.

To our great surprise, the talkshow was very popular among the audience, the
atmosphere（气氛）was very great. The headmaster arrived at the spot shortly after the
talkshow, the whole performance was accomplished beyond our expectation（超出预
期）. I think the host was very intelligent, for she solved such a tricky problem in a
smart way. The talkshow really highlighted（点睛之笔）the whole performance.
(1)Do you think children are born smart or they learn to become smart？
From my own experience, I think children learn to become smart as they become
more involved in the daily affairs. We barely know anything about this world when
we were born, yet almost everyone gets to know how to speak and how to solve
problems as they grow up. I learn from my parents that I can use tools to cook food
and I learn from my peers that I can entertain with games. These skills are passed
down as experience for younger generations to learn. As a result, I believe our
wisdom is not innate, but rather accumulated as we get connected with others.

(2) How do children become smart at school？

Children may learn from teachers and their peers at school so that they can get
cleverer and cleverer. On the one hand, teachers may tell them different skills at
different classes. For instance, kids can train their mathematic skills and learn more
formula from their math teacher. On the other hand, children may also get smarter
when they are playing with their peers at school. Take doing sports as an example,
when playing basketball with their classmates, children may observe the practice of
others and learn more strategies from them. Thus, they become smarter and better
at the game.
 8. 难学的技能
Describe a skill that was difficult for you to learn
You should say:
When you learned it
Why you learned it
How you learned it
And explain how you felt when you learned it

日语
我高中的时候喜欢看动漫，梦想长大后能独自去日本旅游，于是便开始自学
日语。因为没有老师的指引，我只能在一些媒体平台获得教学资源，为了提高口
语能力，看动漫和日剧的时候我会模仿主角的语音语调。起先我以为作为母语是
汉语的中国人，学日语应该很简单，但随着更深入的学习，我越发吃力。我发现
虽然日语借鉴了很多中文体系，但仍需要天赋和努力去学习。

When I was in high school, I enjoyed watching Japanese animation, so I dreamed of

traveling to Japan alone when I grew up. Therefore, I began to learn Japanese by
myself. Because there was no teacher's guidance, I could only obtain ( 获 得 ) study
resources on some media platforms like bilibili where I could acquire basic grammar
skills.

In order to improve my speaking skills, I imitated (模仿) the tone and intonation (语
调) of the character in some of my favorite Japanese animations and Japanese dramas.
At the beginning of this self-learning process, I had this naïve thought (天真的想法)
that Japanese should be very simple for a native Chinese because they have many
similar characters. But as I went through in-depth study, I found it a lot more difficult
than I expected.
In writing and speaking, there will be different grammatical rules according to
different contexts (语境). For example, people speak in different ways to their teacher,
family, or friends. Besides, the adoption of grammatical persons ( 人 称 ) also varies
depending on the person they are talking to, and the wrong choice of words could be
very embarrassing in Japanese society. And those really confused me a lot. Although
many words look similar to Chinese as I mentioned before, their pronunciation is very
different, and sometimes one word can be pronounced in several distinct ways.
Although Japanese was developed from Chinese language system, people who
determine to (坚持) learn it still need to acquire talent and continuous effort.
(1) Is it hard for students to learn skills？
I think it is not hard for students to learn skills. Here, I regard the students to be young
students who are under 30. For students who are in the school, they have a great
environment that encourages and supports them to absorb knowledge. The teachers
will organize the learning materials and give quiz and test to make sure the students
are following the study plan. Also, if the student has questions, there is a very
supportive community that could address the question in a timely manner. With so
many help and supports, it is not hard for students to learn skills.

(2) Is it hard for old people to learn new skills？

I would agree that it is rather hard for old people to learn new skills. First of all, it is
about the natural decay of human body. When people get old, they will be slower in
terms of processing and understanding new information, compared to the young.
Second, sometimes the old refuse to accept new concepts or skills, let alone to learn.
They still feel that the old way is the best way. For example, my grandma refuses to
learn to use electronic payment because she believes the cash is the most secured
payment method and everyone should get back to the old way.
 9. 敬佩的商人
Describe a businessman that you admire
You should say:
Who this person is;
How you got to know this person;
What this person does;
And explain how you think of this person

曹德旺
说到敬佩的商人，我不得不提曹德旺。可能很多人还不知道他的名字，但他
的确是商界的巨头之一。我在网络上看过很多关于他的报道，他被誉为玻璃大王，
是福耀玻璃的创始人。但是他非常低调，几乎没有负面新闻，并且一直在履行社
会责任，每当灾难面前，他总能第一时间伸出援手。我认为这很难得，他是当之
无愧的德才兼备的人。

Speaking of the businessman that I admire most, I would definitely say Cao Dewang,
who is the founder of Fuyao Glass and is named the father of glass manufacture(制造)
in China. Now almost everyone knows Jack Ma, but there are fewer people knowing
Mr Cao. I got to know him from news reports.

He was born in a poor family in Fujian province in 1946. He didn't get to school until
he was nine, but at the age of fourteen, he was forced to drop off from school（被迫辍
学） to support his family. As a young teenager, he used to try different jobs such as
selling newspaper, squeezing fruit juice（榨果汁） in the factory and so on. However,
those hardships made him stronger, he tried very hard to learn from the factory. Then
in 1987, he established （ 成 立 ） his own factory. Until now, it has been the top
exporter（出口） of glasses around the globe.
The reason why I admire Mr Cao is because of his good reputation（声誉）. Although
he has been very successful, he still works and lives like ordinary person. What's
more, he fully shoulders the social responsibility（承担社会责任）, it's reported that
he has donated over 80 billion in total since the foundation of the company. From the
big earthquake in Sichuan province in 2008 to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hubei
province in 2020, Mr Cao has been taking the lead in raising money and goods for the
stricken areas. Mr Cao also helps to build schools and libraries in poor countries in
remote areas in China. I think he is the truly great man and he demonstrates the spirit
of entrepreneurship.
(1) What kinds of qualities do people need to run their own business？
The first quality is to have problem-solving mindset. When people are running their
own business, it usually means that they build up from nothing with limited
experience. Therefore, a lot of new problems spring up, and it is quite important to
handle the problems properly with problem-solving skills. The second quality is
honesty. A lot of entrepreneurs choose to hide some facts that could harm the business,
but the truth will come to the surface one day. If you lose the trust of your customers
or investors, it would be really hard to win it back!

(2) What do you think are the key factors that contribute to the success of a
business？
Sometimes, it really depends on the market trends. When you are selling something
trendy, people will flow in and purchase no matter what. Also, the business founder’s
business sense is important. The leaders need to figure out the market demands and
supply, the competition landscape in order to create something that meet the business
needs of the market. Last but not least, the product or service. Quality of your delivery
is the key to the success. Bad quality can ruin your reputation quickly, and then drive
all your clients away. If I am a business owner, nothing matters more than quality
check.
 10. 花费超过预期的物品
Describe an item on which you spent more than expected
You should say:
What it is
How much you spent on it
Why you bought it
And explain why you think you spent more than expected

防脱发洗发水
我大四那年在备考研究生，由于我经常熬夜学习，所以脱发很严重。我曾经
买过防脱发洗发水，让我觉得很不值，首先我买的价格远远超过预期，并且比我
身边朋友买的要贵很多。我花了 500 多元，而我朋友在药店买的只有 350 元。后
来我发现这个价格远远超出预期，当时由于微商推荐地很热情，我就下单了，但
是用了三个月，发现并没有什么效果，所以这个价格让我觉得非常昂贵。

When I was in my senior year at college, I used to spend a great amount of time(大把
时间) studying for postgraduate application, I had always stayed up late into the night
（熬夜）. Therefore my hair was beginning to fall out in handfuls（成把脱落）, from
then on, I had suffered from hair loss for a long time.

Then one day, under the help of a friend of my mother's, I got to know a certain kind
of hair lotion （ 洗 发 水 ） that could help with hair growth. After the passionate
introduction of the seller from wechat, I bought two bottles at spot, which cost over
500 yuan.

About three months later, I came across one of my schoolmates by accident who had
also tried hard to get rid of hair loss. He told me that he had bought two bottles of hair
lotion in the pharmacy（药店）but it didn't make any sense. I immediately shared with
him the one that I bought, only to find(意外发现) that we were using the same brand.
But what made me depressed was that he spent only 350 yuan on the two bottles,
compared with which I spent much more than expected. What's more, I also found
nothing improved after three months. It seemed that I shouldn't have bought it without
a second thought.

But fortunately, my hair loss has improved a lot these days because I sleep early every
day, besides, I take regular exercise and keep a very balanced diet. I think nothing
works better than the healthy lifestyle.
(1)Do you often buy more than you expected?
Sometimes. I think it will make me feel secure. The logic goes like this: if owning
some material possessions, such as a roof, clothing or reliable transportation, brings
me security, then owning excess will surely result in even more security. Also, it will
make me happy. Nobody would ever admit they search for happiness in material
possessions. We buy bigger houses, faster cars, cooler technology, and trendier
fashion hoping we will become happier because of them. We seek fulfillment in
material things. And we try to impress other people with the things that we own

(2)Do you think it is important to save money？Why?

Yes, I agree that it is important to save money. Firstly, an emergency fund setting
aside to cover unexpected expenses is necessary. That emergency might be an
unexpected car repair, expensive medical bills, or a sudden job loss. If you were to
lose your job, you'd be thankful you socked away a good amount of money to tide you
over. Secondly, saving money also allows us to do what we love. We can save up to
pay for our passions when they arise. Maybe you love gardening and want to invest in
some higher-quality flowers for next spring. But without enough money that you’ve
saved, you may not be able to afford that kind of investment when the time comes.
 11. 搬到新家/新学校
Describe a time when you moved to a new home or school
You should say:
When it happened
Where you moved
Why you moved
And explain how you felt about it

从国内转到国外的学校
大二时，我去美国交换学习，飞往了美国的南卡罗来纳州。这里不像纽约洛
杉矶一样繁华拥挤，生活是简单的田园风格。虽然长时间的飞行加上时差让我很
不习惯，而且美国以面包为主的饮食生活也让我不太适应，但我很享受那里的校
园生活。结识了来自不同国家的朋友，学习生活之余我也对西方文化有了更直观
的了解。

When I was a sophomore, there was an opportunity to exchange to America for study.
I've never been to the United States, so I'm very curious about the western culture
there. With the support of my parents, I immediately applied for this overseas project.
During the summer vacation, I had my visa done and went through all those trivial
procedures ( 琐 碎 的 程 序 ). As the new semester began, I flew to the US with
excitement.

The state of the college I transferred to was South Carolina, in the southeast of the
United States. The place is not as prosperous (繁华的) and crowded as New York and
Los Angeles. It was more of country style and life here was very simple. Although I
was exhausted about (感到疲惫) the long flight and suffered from jet lag (时差), plus
I was not used to the western eating style in which food were cooked sweet and salty,
I enjoyed the campus life there very much.
On the first day of school, I made friends with several international students from
different countries around the world like Korea, Japan, and Italy. We spent a lot of
time doing cooking and shopping together, and we also went for travel outside the
state as long as there was a vacation. Besides that, by taking literature and politics
modules (课程), I got to know western cultures more. The experience there taught me
to respect cultural differences and appreciate them in American melting pot (美国文
化大熔炉), moreover, to feel the enthusiasm and sincerity of the local people.
(1) What problems will people face after moving to a new place？
It's definitely true that people will need some time to get accustomed to new
environment, during which there are always many problems occurring. For example,
people need to be familiar with the new friends or neighborhood. It's challenging for
many people to overcome such difficulty because they are reluctant to show
themselves to strange people. Second, people need to be acquainted with the
surroundings such as where to go shopping or where the restaurants are. So moving to
a new place is a big event for them.

(2) How do people solve these problems？

To overcome the difficulties after moving to a new place, I think the first step is to
persuade oneself to actively get into the swing of things. For example, people should
take initiative to make friends, try to visit your neighborhood with some little gifts or
just invite them into your house for supper. Secondly, join in the community group to
know more people around you. At last, people should hang out very often to get
familiar with the surroundings. After all, it's the place where one will stay for quite a
long time.
 12. 成功完成的事
Describe a time you had to do something and had a positive result
You should say:
When it happened
What it was
How you achieved a positive result
And how you felt about it

减肥
大概半年前，我发现我有点超重，医生说我需要减肥，否则可能会有健康隐
患。我决定减掉 5 公斤。我减重的方法是少吃碳水、多吃蔬菜，并且每天运动一
小时，最终我成功达成了目标。我为恢复正常体重感到开心，同时也感到整个人
更有活力了。

About 6 months ago, my doctor told me that I was a bit overweight for my age, and I
was at the risk of（有…的风险）being diabetic. Needless to say, the doctor’s findings
came to me as a piece of shocking news because, frankly speaking, I never really
needed to worry about my health or diet in the past as I had remained a reasonably
healthy figure（保持健康身材） for the most part of my life, except suffering from
some occasional flu and fever. But, it happened and I needed to get rid of（摆脱） that
extra 5 kilos, which I gained over the years.

So, the first thing was to start consuming less carbohydrate, especially, the
freshly-made “round flatbread” made from brown flour, which I just loved eating for
my breakfast. The diets for my lunch and dinner also changed from eating meat and
fishes to consuming vegetables. The diet control continued for a good 3-month time
or so, but unfortunately, I wasn’t getting the expected result in my weight loss. Of
course, the doctor also had told me that I would need to do some intensive physical
exercises（大量身体锻炼） every day for at least 6 months, but I was just too lazy to
do that because it would put me on a tight schedule（日程很紧） to finish my job on
time. However, I still took the risk and started running for about an hour every day.
Finally, after some extensive physical work and diet control, I lost about 6 kilos.

I felt really happy and relieved about the result, particularly, after making a lot of
adjustments with my regular work and life schedules. Besides, after losing that extra
weight, I felt that I had become more energetic than before as I felt much better and
confident about myself as far as my look and shape were concerned.
(1) What kinds of things do children usually feel very hard to do？
For a child, it is pretty difficult to discipline themselves. For example, many primary
school students do not want to finish their homework before they start to play.
Usually, they need to be monitored by the parents to finish their homework. Also,
some children do not want to follow the rules no matter where, because they want to
feel special. Sometimes you will find a child talk loudly in the middle of a class just to
show he is fearless. Actually, it is understandable in that it requires willpower to
control oneself, which most children haven’t had yet.

(2) How can parents encourage children to do something difficult？

Parents can encourage children to try difficult things by providing rewards. For
example, when I was learning English at about 8 years old, I felt the learning curve
quite steep and discouraged. My dad told me that if I can get “A” grade in the next 3
quizzes, he will buy me a Barbie doll which I was craving for at that time. Compared
to the happiness by getting a Barbie doll, the pain to study English went away
immediately! I feel that providing rewards is one if the best ways to motivate people,
no matter that’s a child or an adult. It always works!
 13. 优质服务
Describe a good service you received
You should say：
What the service was
When you received it
Who you were with
And explain how you felt about it

在互联网公司享受的服务
今年寒假我去字节跳动实习，刚到公司，就收到了一本书作为入职礼物。这
个公司有许多很周到且人性化的服务。疫情期间，每天领取一个口罩，为了方便
员工办公，站台也提供各种文具包括笔橡皮本子和便利贴。公司同时也很贴心地
为女员工提供各种卫生用品，为大家提供舒适的办公环境。我认为这些服务非常
人性化，首先它可以给公司营造很好的氛围，也可以留住很多优质年轻的劳动力。

During this winter vacation, I went to an Internet company headquartered in (总部设

立 于 ) Beijing for an internship. It is called Bytedance, a company with a big scale
which creates the Tiktok (抖 音). When I first arrived at the company with my new
colleagues, the front desk sent us a book about a successful leader’s biography (自传)
for free. The staff said that today was a reading day when the company give
employees a book as a gift to enhance their cultural sentiment (文化素养) and spread
the company culture.

After that, I gradually found out that Bytedance possessed many a lot of humanized
services. The entrance had a ‘refueling’ station ( 补 给 站 ) that provided employees
with a bunch of daily commodities. It was the pandemic period during that time, so
you can receive a mask here for each day at work. Moreover, in order to support
employees' office work, the platform also provided various stationery ( 文 具 )
including pens, rubber, notebooks and post-it notes (便利贴). Most importantly, what
warmed my heart was that the company also offered various sanitary products for
female employees.

With the help of such services, the company provides a comfortable and convenient
working environment for everyone including workers and visitors. I think these
services are very user-friendly. I believe such methods can create a great atmosphere
for the company and retain a lot of high-quality young blood who requires a high
level of life.
(1) As a customer, what kinds of services would you expect to receive from a
company？
I expect services that is well designed and properly executed. I need to feel that the
company has invested time and money to develop this service and has made sure that
this service is of high quality. For example, when I go to a hotel for tourism, I expect
that I get a cozy and comfortable room which I have paid for. I expect the staff in the
hotel are warm and nice, treating me as a valued guest. If the service fall under the
standard, I need to get a proper apology and refund if applicable. This will be a
reasonable service level I expect to receive from a company.

(2) Why should companies react quickly when customers have difficulties？
When customers have difficulties, they must be very anxious, helpless or angry. It is
the timing to see how the company responses to crisis. If the company does not react
quickly, the customer might become increasingly upset, and in their mind, the
reputation of the company gets worse. Maybe they will post the experience on social
media, which could create a lot of troubles for the company. Social buzz has
surprising power nowadays, and a complaint, no matter big or small, can lead to
severe economic blow.
 14. 困难的决定
Describe a difficult decision that you once made
You should say:
What the decision was
When you made your decision
How long it took to make the decision
And explain why it was difficult to make

大学毕业后选择的工作城市
我去年毕业时面临了选工作的抉择。一是在上海的一家咨询公司，另外一份
是在青岛做人力资源工作。我纠结了一个月才决定留在上海，这个决定之所以非
常难是因为上海和青岛都是我梦想的工作城市，上海是大都市，有更多机会和挑
战，会有更广阔的发展前景，而青岛是我从小生长的地方，那里有熟悉的亲人朋
友和悠闲的休息时光。纠结再三，最终我还是决定挑战自己，留在了上海。

I believe almost everyone has ever made difficult choices, after all, making decisions
is of vital importance （ 至 关 重 要 ） , especially in terms of the big events. I was
confronted with（面临） such a dilemma（两难境地） as which offer to choose from
last summer when I was about to finish my undergraduate. I got good credits during
school year so I applied for many positions in large companies , then I received two
offers, one of which was from a private company based in（位于） Qingdao, while
another was from Shanghai, a sales position in the top 3 consulting business.

The reason why it's a tricky（困难的）problem for me was that both Shanghai and
Qingdao were my ideal cities to live. On one hand, as the largest metropolis, Shanghai
was sure to be more prospective （ 有 前 景 的 ） , which means I would have more
opportunities, half of my schoolmates have chosen to stay in Shanghai. But on the
other hand, I was born in Qingdao where I spent my childhood and there were many
relatives and friends in Qingdao. What's more, unlike Shanghai, Qingdao is more
famous for its beautiful scenery and slower pace of life. Therefore, I could hardly tell
which city I preferred.

It took me over one month to make the final decision, during which I turned to my
supervisor for advice and he encouraged me to stay in Shanghai so that I could
experience a more challenging career. I followed his advice. Until now, I do not regret
about the choice.
(1) Which is easier, making a decision by yourself or making a decision after group
discussion?
I think is it easier to make a decision by myself. I think the most difficult part of
making a decision is to choose one from several options. During the group discussion,
on the one hand, people may come up with more ideas and thus offer more
alternatives for me to decide. On the other hand, different people may voice out their
different standards for the choice. In this sense, I not only need to cross out more
choices during the decision-making process, but have to take into consideration the
requirements of different people. As a result, I think it is just all the way easier for me
to do that on my own.

(2) Why are many young people unwilling to follow their parents' advice?
I think many young people don’t want to follow their parents’ advice because of
generation gap, which refers to the different sets of believes and values. For instance,
on choosing the university or work, parents are more realistic and thus may value the
future prospects. They will carefully calculate how much you can earn and whether
you will be fired when an economic crisis breaks out. However, young people are
often more romantic. They have some big dreams and pursuits. In this sense, often,
there will be disagreements on, say, whether to study economics or arts, and whether
to work as a government official at hometown or join business start-ups in big cities.
 15. 有名的运动员
Describe a famous athlete you know
You should say：
Who he or she is
How you know him or her
What he or she has achieved
And explain why he/she is famous

苏炳添
今年看东京奥运会的时候我碰巧通过电视认识了这个运动员，他代表中国参
与男子一百米短跑，同时也在这次奥运会上冲进 100 米决赛，他也是历史上第一
个进入 100 米决赛的亚洲人。不过他在决赛错失了奖牌。但我想说的是，虽然中
国在奥运会上赢得了很多奖牌荣誉，但苏炳添创造的是历史性的进步，他向世界
证明了亚洲人的实力。

I want to talk about a China's track and field athlete (田径运动员) Su Bingtian. When
I watched the Tokyo Olympic Games this year, I happened to know this athlete
through the live telecast (电 视 直播 ). He participated in the men's 100-meter sprint
(100 米赛跑) on behalf of China.

During this year’s event, he broke the 10-second barrier (打破 10 秒记录) of the 100
meters event in track and field. His personal best of 9.83 seconds in the 100
metres made him the current holder of the 100 m Asian record, being the first Asian
to enter the 100-meter final in history, although he missed a medal in the final game.
All in all, what I want to express is that although China won plenty of medals and
honors in this year’s Olympic Games, what Su Bingtian has achieved cannot be
ignored for it created historic progress. He has proved to the world what an Asian and
Chinese can accomplish and got rid of many stereotypes and prejudices (偏见陈规)
towards Asians.
I believe that the so-called competitive spirit in Olympics is reflected not only in the
number of medals that a country wins, but also reflected in the progress a country
makes. And that’s also why he became famous and won his reputation through this
year’s Olympic Games and the country chose him but not other medal holders as the
flag bearer (举旗手) in the closing ceremony.
(1) What characteristics do you think an athlete should have？
Persistence. I cannot imagine how hard it could be to get trained to be a top athlete.
They are going to tolerate the pain that normal people cannot stand for a very long
time in order to train their body to be one of the best in the world. Therefore, if an
athlete does not have persistence, he or she will be kicked out of the game at an early
stage. Moreover, I think a positive mindset is a key to athletes too. In competitive
sports, win or lose is like a badge for athletes. It would be much healthier if the athlete
can see these results in a positive way, instead of thinking too much about the results.

(2) Why are there so few top athletes?

There are so many famous athletes who won fame and fortune so that many athletes
want to be the top. Hence, there is a lot of competition is in this field. But I think it is
the true meaning of athlete – if there are athletes everywhere, it does not make sense
to call them top athletes, right? Also, considering the high costs to support a top
athlete, not every athlete can afford. In China, the government will take care of the
cost but only for the top athletes who are already successful enough. For other athletes,
it is not that easy to pay all the bills by themselves if they are fulltime athletes.
 16. 为家人骄傲
Describe a family member that you are proud of
You should say:
Who this person is
What he/she did make you proud
Where and when it happened
And explain why you are proud of him/her

善良的哥哥
从小到大，我最佩服的人是我哥哥。哥哥很关心身边的人，当他们需要帮助
时，总是及时伸出援手。有一次哥哥班里一名同学在教室外中暑晕倒了。是哥哥
第一时间赶到这位同学身边，从容镇定地背上同学并把他送到了医务室。后来医
生说还好送来的及时，否则后果不堪设想。那位同学康复后和他的家人还亲自上
门感谢了哥哥。我为有这样一位优秀的哥哥而感到骄傲。

The family member that I’m proud of is definitely my elder brother because he is
so kind and loving.

I still remember when we were growing up, my brother never ate meat. That really
confused（对......感到疑惑） me and I always wondered why he insisted on（坚持）
being a vegetarian（吃素的人，素食主义者）. Then one day, I just asked him and
his answer was that he cared about animals so much that（so......that...... 太......
以至于......） he really didn’t want to see them get hurt.

Apart from（除......之外） that, my brother also has deep concerns about（关心，

挂 念 ） people around him and is willing to help those in need. It was on a
swelteringly hot（酷热） day in summer, one of my brother’s classmates collapsed
outside the classroom because of heat stroke（中暑）， which scared other students
out of their wits（吓得惊慌失措）. However, my brother was calm and it was he
who （it was...who/that... 强调句 型） put the student on his back and struggled
forward to the infirmary under the scorching sun. When he finally went into the
infirmary, his clothes were wet through（衣服湿透了）.

According to the doctor, if it wasn’t for my brother’s kindness, the student would
be in a dangerous consequence because it was such an emergency. Later, the
student and his parents went to our home and conveyed their gratitude（表达感谢）
to my brother. To be honest, he really sets me a good example and I’m so proud to
have a family member like him.
(1) When would parents feel proud of their children？
I believe parents will feel proud of their children when they see the progress that
the children have made. For example, when a child first learns to walk, I believe the
parents will scream or even cry proudly. Or, I remember that when I won the first
prize in a writing competition, my dad was so proud that he brought the certificate
to his work place to show off. I think it is not about how big the accomplishment is,
it is about the tiny step the child make, which will make the parents feel proud.

(2) On what occasions would adults be proud of themselves?

An adult would be proud of themselves when they see themselves making progress.
But compared to parents, some adults have a higher standard for themselves. They
will be really proud after they invest a lot of time and energy into something and
see the good result. For example, I become very proud of myself when I succeeded
in an interview for an internship after intensive preparation. I know that I can do
that job, and I am so proud that I can push myself to achieve what I want. But I
would say the situation is different for each of us, and I could only share my own
experience here.
 17. 小学印象最深的人
Describe a person who impressed you most when you were in primary school
you should say：
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
Why he/she impressed you most
And how you feel about him/her

数学老师 Jasmine
我的小学数学老师 Jasmine.很有亲和力，令我印象最深的事三年级的时候有
次班费丢了，作为生活委员的我很慌张，她却没有因此而责怪我，也没有去怀疑
是否是班上的同学拿走了。直到毕业多年她才跟我说这么做是不希望任何学生因
为被莫名怀疑而留下心理阴影。我对她更加敬佩了，觉得她是温柔却又力量的好
老师。

For this part, I'd like to talk about Jasmine, my Math teacher in primary school.
Beside teaching us mathematics, she was also the dean of studies(教导主任) in our
school. I remember on my first day of school, she had her hair tied in a knot,
standing on the stage and saying hello to everyone. Despite being so exuberant and
dignified( 优 雅 有 气 质 ), she was also easygoing and always smiled at us. In
addition, she taught us so patiently in class and treated all students equally without
discrimination, regardless of good or bad grades.

Moreover, there was one thing happening in my third grade that impressed me most.
At that time, as the student cadre(班干部) in charge of collecting class fee, I found
the money was missing. I was so flustered that(太慌张以至于) I cried. However,
Jasmine did not blame on me, nor did she suspect whether it was a classmate who
took it away. Luckily it turned out in the end that( 最 终 ) I put the money in the
corner of my drawer and forgot it. I was ashamed to tell Jasmine about the situation
and grateful for her trust.

It was not until I went back to my Alma mater(母校) to visit my teacher after many
years’ graduation did Jasmine told me that she did so because she did not want to
leave any students scarred( 留下心 理 创伤 ) in their childhood because they were
unsuspected. It was not conducive to( 对 … 不 益 ) the mental health of children. I
think she is a good teacher with gentleness but strength, which made me admire her
more.
(1) Why do people always miss their childhood？
One apparent reason is that childhood is so carefree. All children have to do is
studying and having fun, nothing else. My childhood memory was all about a park
and several fellows playing until very late. However, for adults, the fast pace of life,
endless to-do list, and the toughest thing render me unable to hide for a moment;
you need to confront it, pretending you are positive and strong. Another thing is
that adult life is very sophisticated, I mean the way people get along with each other.
It's very tiring to deal with the people you are not into. There rarely is a moment we
are totally out of all our disguise.

(2) Are kids happier than adults？Why？

I don't think so. From an adult's point of view, kids have it made. What do they
have to be stressed out about? Pre-adolescent children spend their days playing and
goofing off, all of their needs are satisfied, and they don't have to worry about jobs,
responsibilities or taking care of kids. But from a child's perspective, a bad day is
still a bad day, and it feels just as bad as an adult's bad day. Think about all your
worries for a moment. Entertaining all sorts of ideas won’t help you feel less
stressful and someone out there you don't know has even bigger problems. Rather
than age, it is how a person deals with emotion that determines whether he is happy
or not.
 18. 自行车/摩托车/汽车旅行
Describe a bicycle/motorcycle/car trip you would like to go
You should say:
Who you would like to go with
Where you would like to go
When you would like to go
And explain why you would like to go by bicycle/motorcycle/car

台湾环岛骑行
我打算明天 7 月和大学同学去台湾环岛骑行，台湾是中国的一部分，也是一
个美丽的海岛，气候宜人，风景秀丽，非常适合骑行，骑行可以更好的体验台湾
的风土人情，给我们大学毕业留下一段美好的回忆。

I am planning on going for a trip to Taiwan next July before I graduate from my
university.

I want to have my classmate Amy with me as another member of this trip. We have
been classmates and roommates ever since the beginning of university. She is sort of
the best friend I have from university. And I wouldn’t have too many memories
without her. Taiwan is part of China, so it will not take us too long to travel there.
Actually I’ve already checked the airplane tickets. A little bird told me that tickets to
Taiwan are often on huge discount in January. I already downloaded the ticket
booking App and will keep an eye on the ticket prices.

As for the transport we will choose for sightseeing( 观 光 ） on the island, we are
thinking about renting a bike.Well, we are both enthusiastic cyclists, you know. The
geographical advantages( 地理优 势）of Taiwan make it easy and smooth for all
cyclists. That is one of our reasons for choosing it. Besides, Taiwan is quite famous
for its natural scenery（自然美景）and pleasant climate (宜人的气候）. I think we will
get to go hiking in the mountains and take lots of fascinating pictures there. We've
heard of them enough and we would really like to experience them for ourselves. Last
but not least, it will create some beautiful memories for both of us . So I am really
looking forward to it.
(1) Which form of vehicle is more popular in your country, bikes, cars or
motorcycles？
Cars are the most popular vehicles. As the income level is increasing, more and
more people can afford a car. There are too many cars in the city that a license is
very hard and expensive to get in big cities. Also, in many places, motorcycles and
bikes are hardly seen because there are a lot of new restrictions on them. Especially
for motorcycles, it is really difficult to have a license now, even harder than a car
license because the government is restricting the amount of motorcycles for safety
reasons.

(2) Do you think people need to change the way of transportation drastically to
protect the environment?
I do think human beings need to protect the environment by reducing the carbon
emission. However, it is kind of unrealistic to drastically change the transportation
ways because there are too many stakeholders such as the powerful automotive
makers, the governments who benefit a lot from the tax and countless car owners.
From my perspective, what we can do is to build a better public transportation
system that will naturally attract more people to change their ways of
transportation.
 19. 有趣的外国人
Describe a foreign person who you have heard or known that you think is
interesting
You should say:
Who the person is
How you knew this person
What kind of person he/she is
And explain why you think this person is interesting

Ranulph
4 年前我在一个国际英语夏令营当志愿者的时候认识了 Ranulph，当时他刚
参加完高考，来中国当志愿者老师。他来自英国，会说三门语言：英语、法语、
西班牙语。他经常给我们讲笑话，逗得志愿者们哈哈大笑。最有意思的是他还能
说一口带东北味的中国话。他告诉我们他的中文老师来自中国东北部的吉林省吉
林市，所以他的中文带有东北口音。

When it comes to（当提到......;就......而论） this topic, I want to talk about my

friend Ranulph who is 25 years old and comes from the UK. I met him 4 years ago
when I volunteered in an International English Summer Camp, and he was one of
the volunteer teachers.

At the time, he just finished his A-Level exam and waited for admission from his
dream college. He was young, dynamic（有活力的）, and curious about（对......
充满好奇） Chinese culture. He told me that his father was British and mother was
French, so he was able to speak English, French and Spanish. He was the funniest
person I’ve ever met. Each day after class, he always volunteered （ 自 告 奋 勇
做......） to tell jokes for us and made us laugh. To name just one example（仅举一
例） which impressed me a lot（给我留下深刻的印象）. It goes like this: The son
asked his father, “Dad, what’s an alcoholic?”. His father answered, “ Do you see
these two dogs? An alcoholic would see 4 dogs.”. Then the boy cried in superise,
“Dad, there’s only one dog”.

What’s more, another thing that I felt really interesting was that he could also speak
fluent（流利的） Chinese with the accent of northeastern mandarin. Actually it’s a
kind of dialect（方言） of mandarin spoken in Northeast China, which I believe is
the most lovely and interesting accent in China. He told me that he learned Chinese
from a teacher who came from Jilin city, Jilin province, which is located in the
northeastern China, and that’s why his Chinese with that accent. Spending some
time together, I can tell that Ranulph is really a nice and interesting person.
(1) Do you have any foreign friends and do you think having foreign friends is a
good way to know other countries?
I have some foreign friends, we have known each other since college, so we have
been old friends now. I agree that communicating with foreigners is a great way to
know other countries. For example, one of my friends was from America, she has
introduced a lot about her culture and customs to us by showing photos and videos.
I visited her family in my summer session last year, during which she showed me
around the city. I think only local people know the best place to visit.

(2) What abilities do people need to have when working in an international

company？
If one wants to work in an international company, I think there are some basic
abilities that he or she must have. First, good command of English is the
fundamental skill because members in a team often come from different nations,
speaking English as the official language. Second, one needs to be knowledgeable
enough to avoid culture shock in the communication with foreign colleagues, which
would help him to get along better with the team. Last but not least, being diligent
is a must. It's often very busy in the multinational company so people always need
to work overtime. I think the above abilities are actually applicable to most jobs.
 20. 等待特殊事情
Describe a time that you waited for something special
You should say:
When and where it happened
What you waited for
Why you waited for it
How long you waited and what you did while waiting
And explain how you felt about it

五月天演唱会
五月天是我最喜欢的乐队，大概两年前，我的朋友告诉我，他们会在我的城
市举行第一场演唱会，我花了大约一年的时间等待这场音乐会，我倒数着演唱会
的日期，最后功夫不负有心人，他们来到了我的城市，演唱会很成功，现场可以
用“神奇”的这个词来描述它。整个音乐会相当成功，阿信的歌把我带回我的中
学年代，我很是怀念。

Speaking about a time that I waited for something special, I wanna talk about once
when I waited for a concert which was going to be held by Mayday, a well-known(家
喻 户 晓 的 ) band from Taiwan. As this is my favorite band that I have loved for so
many years, watching one of their concerts had been the most highly anticipated（最
期待的） thing ever on my wish list.

Two years ago, I was informed（得知） by my friend that they were going to hold
their first concert in my city, I was too excited to even speak（说）. Then I started to
count down（倒数）the days, hoping the day would come soon. In spite of that, I still
spent around a year waiting for the concert. It was an amazing concert, and I have
to say it was worth the long wait.
Even now when I recall( 回 忆 ) that concert, I can only use the word fantastic to
describe it. The whole concert was quite a success. And during the concert, the lead
singer, Ashin, sang lots of songs which brought me back to my middle school years
when I first heard their music and immediately( 立刻 ) fell in love with them. I can
still remember after that, every day I listened to their songs when I did my
homework. More importantly, their songs were playing （播放 ） in the bathroom
when I took a bath, because only in this way, time would slow down and I could
enjoy their music in my most relaxed moments. So if there are other chances for me
to attend one of their concerts, I can wait even longer.
(1) On what occasions do people usually need to wait？
In banks or hospitals, I need to wait when there are a lot of people queuing in front of
me. Also, I will wait for a very long time, let’s say, three to four hours, for a table in
an extremely popular restaurant. What’s worse, when I am applying for the housing
allowance from the local government, it takes over 3 months and all I could do is to
be patient and wait. I think nobody like to wait, we only wait when there is nothing
you can do about it.

(2) Who behave better when waiting, children or adults？

Of course, adults behave better when waiting. In my perspective, children usually do
not have good self-control. They lose their interests and patience quickly, and they
barely understand the consequence of breaking the rule. Therefore, we often see
children get bored in a queue and ask the parents or grandparents to leave the queue,
or even jump the queue. But to be honest, some adults will jump the queue using
children as an excuse, which is very annoying.
 21. 假期旅行
Describe a place you visited on vacation
You should say:
Where it is
When you went there
What you did there
And explain why you went there

乌镇
去年暑假我和三个室友去了乌镇。它是年轻大学生的热门旅游目的地，吸引
着来自世界各地的人们。我们都非常喜欢这个城市，因为一个名人——作家茅盾，
他出生在那里。在他的书里我们可以看到乌镇日常生活的反映。我们去了茶馆喝
下午茶，谈论我们的大学生活。然后我们走在河边的旧石路上拍照和购物。晚上，
我们坐在河边的一个酒吧里，随着潺潺的音乐喝酒唱歌，旅途很是愉快。

I went to Wuzhen with my three roommates last summer vacation. It is a popular

tourist destination for young college students. Wuzhen is a town in Northern
Zhejiang, China with very long history. Surrounded by three big cities, it attracts
people from all over the world.

We planned a two-day-and-one-night trip. We were all very fond of this town

because of a celebrity – a writer, Maodun, who was born there. He wrote a novel
about The Lin's Shop. In this book, we can see the reflection of ordinary life in
Wuzhen. We wanted to explore the true life here instead of looking through books.

When we arrived there, we saw plenty of criss-cross watercourses (河道，river canals)

and boats. The town also contains lots of interesting legends, for example, the story
of Fanglu Pavilion. It talks about a moving story between two people. Lu tong saved
(救了，rescued) Lu Yu by accident. In return (作为报答，in reward for him), Lu Yu
helped him establish the teahouse. This place is preserved until now. We went to that
teahouse for an afternoon tea and talked about our university life. Then we walked
through the old stone road by the riverside for photo taking and shopping. At night
we sat in a bar near the river, drinking and singing with flowing music.

That was a god-given (难得的，hard-won) night shared by us. In Wuzhen, we almost

forgot the annoying essay feedback and upcoming exams, only to enjoy the peaceful
night in this soft town.
(1) What do young people and old people think about when making travel plan?
From my own observation, young people are more casual when making travel plans.
Many of my friend only book the hotel before the travel, and barely look at which
part of city or town they are going to. The whole morning will be wasted in the hotel
and they plan to go out and chill in the afternoon. In the contrast, old people will
make a very detailed travel plan including how long they will stay in each tourism
attraction. Normally the time schedule will be very packed, because they want to
visit as many places as possible.

(2) How do people get to know a new place?

Personally, I know a new place by browsing social media. When I am using the app
“Red”, the app would recommend a lot of amazing places to me, and the contents are
all produced by other users, which looks trust-worthy. Then I will search for that
place on “Flying Pig” to discover more about the hotels and air ticket. Additionally, I
will know a new place by talking to friends who have visited that place in the past. I
trust their comments and experience so that I would consult friends when I have a
new place in mind where I want to visit.
 22. 希望养成的习惯
Describe a habit your friend has and you want to develop
You should say:
Who your friend is
What habit he/she has
When you noticed this habit
And explain why you want to develop this habit

避开随身携带本子
艾伦是我相处了 10 年的好朋友。我们从中学开始就是好朋友。他这么多年
一直保持着夜跑的习惯。我以前没有注意到，直到去年夏天，我一直过敏和生病，
而艾伦连一粒药也没吃过。询问过才知道这和他长期坚持跑步有关系，我也才意
识到积极锻炼能能够改善体质，有益健康。所以我也要坚持每天跑步和锻炼。

As an old proverb goes that( 俗 话 说 ) one shall benefit from his good habits for
lifetime, I came to realize the importance of keeping good habits since last year. I was
suffering from diseases last summer because I was so allergic to（过敏） the dust that
I almost couldn't get rid of running nose （ 流 鼻 涕 ） , which brought me a lot of
inconvenience, for example, I gave up going hiking in the countryside because of the
peak season of pollen（花粉季）. What's more, I couldn't even make up due to the
running nose and bad health condition.

On the contrary(与此相反), my friends Allen, whom I have known for more than ten
years, has never been infected with（感染） any flus or allergies. He didn't even take
any medicine. I couldn't help feeling admire for his good health condition. I asked
him for advice, knowing that he had kept running for about two years. He told me that
he would stick to（坚持） running at night every day no matter what happened.
Allen said that nothing could stop him from running, even in cold winter. His father
asked him to do so two years ago, but after a short while, he couldn't help loving this
sport, running lets him be energetic, he also took part in the half marathon. Then I
was convinced that keeping exercise was greatly beneficial. Therefore, I determined
that I would run with Allen every day. I believe as long as I hold on to this good habit,
my allergy will be better off(改善).
(1) What habits should children have?
In my perspective, the most important habits is to take care of themselves. It may
sound very broad, but it is so true to me in that I have a young brother who is very
good at taking care of himself. When he wakes up, he will automatically get up and
go to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face, then he goes to his parents’
room to greet them. Does he sound like an angel? Many parents suffer a lot from
childing refusing to get up but my younger brother regards “getting up and putting
himself together” as a daily routine, or, a habit.

(2) What should parents do to teach their children good habits?

Parents are the first teachers that children have ever met in their life, because
children will copy and paste what they see. Therefore, the best way to teach children
good habits is to set an example, which means the parents should have the good
habits themselves first. Then, the parents should intentionally show their good habits
in front of the children and explain to them the importance in a natural way.
P2&P3 保留题
1. 智力游戏
Describe a puzzle you have played(Jigsaw, Crossword, etc.)
You should say:
What it is like
How easy or difficult it is
How long it takes you to solve
And how you feel about it

我学习英语作为我的第一外语，我曾经买过一个这是一个大概有二十个词的填
字游戏。当时我仅仅学习了英语一年左右，词汇量非常低。所以大概 70%的词
我都拼不出来。我一开始挺沮丧的，但是还是决定继续努力下去。每一天，我
会花上半小时的时间查阅字典，并且请教了我的英语老师。整个过程大概花费
了一周的时间。虽然过程比较漫长，但是我在这其中找到了学习英语的快乐，
有了一定的成就感，并且更有信心继续学习下去了。

My first foreign language is English and I once purchased an English crossword

puzzle to help me master more vocabulary （掌握更多的词汇） .

It was a twenty-word crossword puzzle which is designed for first-stage learners

（初学者） . Others might find it an easy task, but I had only studied English for
about a year at the time and had a very limited vocabulary. As a result, I couldn't
work out 70% of the words. I was initially disappointed, but I persevered （决定）
and eventually finished it. I decided to make a plan to complete at least five words
every day. At first, it was very hard and I spent about half an hour every day, but
after a while, I finished them more quickly and only spent around fifteen minutes
doing so. In the end, there were still two words pending, so I consulted my English
teacher and asked her for help to assist me in working out the final two words.

It took me about a week to complete the whole puzzle. Despite the length of the
task, I found it to be a fun way （有趣的过程） to learn English and it kept me
motivated. I also felt a sense of satisfaction as well. Thanks to this crossword
puzzle, I was more secure （更有信心） in my ability to continue learning English.
(1) Why do parents let their children play puzzles?
Well, I think playing puzzles has its certain merits. For example, it can improve
children’s intelligence of solving problems. They will keep practicing their
imagination by finding each piece of puzzle and making them up into a
complete picture, just like detectives who often solve crimes. Instead, doing
puzzles will cost a large amount of time. Because you can never reach the goal
unless you finish the whole picture, children can enhance their concentration
and perseverance through this activity. Furthermore, I believe this will help
them in other areas of learning like doing mathematic, playing instruments, or
doing sports as well.

(2) What kinds of puzzles improve people's intelligence?

Besides the jigsaw puzzle which requires assembly of pictures, I do recommend
puzzles that include figures or letters. This is a Japanese puzzle called sudoku.
It is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle which requires
logical thinking and calculation. People can practice their scientific ability by
doing this, and as I know, even people over 60 still keep doing sudoku as a
daily hobby. There are puzzles like crossword that ask players to spell different
words in the form of a square. I think this can also stimulate people’s literal
sense and avoid getting Alzheimer in their old age.
2. 朋友的争执
Describe an argument two of your friends had
You should say:
When it happened
What it was about
How it was solved
And how you felt about it

Mary 即将过生日，我和我的另外两个朋友准备一起送她礼物。上周，一个人认
为她需要一整套的哈利波特书籍，另一个人认为 Mary 需要一整套化妆品。两个
人都认为自己的礼物最好，因此争吵了起来。我不希望偏帮谁，所以我让他们理
解到这两份礼物都会让她很高兴。我提议向 Mary 征求意见。Mary 告诉我们她已
经收集了一整套的哈利波特，因此更想要化妆品。于是，我们一起去购买了一套
化妆品。我很开心这两位朋友没有继续争吵下去以至于伤害友谊，也很高兴能够
可以让 Mary 满意。

Even among the closest of friends （最亲密的伙伴） , arguments are inevitable.

Once, one of my friends Mary was about to celebrate her birthday, so a couple of
friends and I arranged a special present for her.

Since Mary is a huge Harry Potter fan, one of my friends came up with the idea
（想到一个点子） of a whole series of Harry Potter books, while another friend
believed she would like a full collection of cosmetics (一套完整的化妆品）, since
most girls adore （喜 欢） make up. Unfortunately, they ended up getting into a
heated debate （一场激烈的争吵） because both of them thought their idea was
better. They then began arguing loudly, so I had to intervene （打断）. I didn't want
to take sides （选择立场）, so I told them that both options were good. I suggested
having a direct conversation with Mary and asking her opinion （征求她的意见） .
They eventually calmed down （安静下来） , and we called Mary who told us that
she would prefer makeup because she had a complete collection of Harry Potter
books already.

So, as a result, we all went shopping for cosmetics together. I was so relieved that
my friends had calmed down and forgotten about their argument, as it could have
harmed their relationship. I was also delighted that Mary was pleased with her gift.
(1) Do you think argument is important?
Of course. Argument helps us learn to clarify our thoughts and articulate them
honestly and accurately and to consider the ideas of others in a respectful and
critical manner. The purpose of argument is to change people's points of view or to
persuade people to a particular action or behavior. We can get to know our friends
and relatives better through arguments while practicing our critical thinking as well.
But I have to say that stubborn and endless quarrels are unnecessary, because they
obscure the original purpose of argument that is to exchange ideas and educate
others. Ultimately, it will become a negative conflict that can only worsen people’s
relationships.

(2) What do family members usually have arguments about?

Well, family members argue for a bunch of reasons. Money is a big one, of course.
From fighting over inheritance to disagreeing about who will pay for aging parents
or family events, financial conflicts are always the most serious ones. Because
families accompany us most of the time, we also have arguments on a lot of trivial
things. For example, we often argue about topics related to major and even minor
events, on issues such as: who is on the invite list, who is paying for what, which
dates work for everyone, the location of the event, and who to use as vendors, etc.
3. 想提升的天赋
Describe a natural talent (sports, music, etc) you want to improve
You should say:
What it is
When you discovered it
How you want to improve it
And how you feel about it

我最想提升的天赋是唱歌。我认为唱歌好不仅可以在一些场合上展现自己的技
能，还可以表达自己的情绪。初中因为着迷于英国歌手 adele 我便开始自学唱歌，
我会经常哼歌，或者和朋友去 ktv 唱偶像的歌曲。但我认为我的唱歌水平还是非
常业余，我希望能接受更专业的培训，和一些专业歌手进行交流来提高自己的能
力。如果可以，我甚至想要学习学习编曲写歌词，每当我经历了一些情感挫折和
人生起伏时，我都想通过创作来进行表达，所以我认为练好唱歌可以得到一定情
绪宣泄和自我表达。

I want to improve my singing skills most. Singing is quite helpful to me because it

can not only be used on certain public performances, but it also expresses my
emotions and thoughts. I was fascinated by a British female singer called Adele in
my junior high school. She motivated me to learn to sing by myself. Therefore, I
often hummed ( 哼 唱 ) some simple melodies and practiced some of my favorite
songs at karaoke with friends.

Nevertheless, I am still not confident at singing and consider myself an amateur (业

余 ). I hope to attend some formal lessons and communicate with professional
singing artists if possible. By doing so, I can improve my ability. I also want to
learn composing (编曲) because it always comes hand in hand with singing. I learnt
piano in my childhood and know how to read stave (五线谱), which can assist me
in the future.

Whenever I get upset and encounter difficulties, I find it helpful to overcome these
problems through singing or writing. Some rappers and artists have dramatically
changed their lives by creating music and writing lyrics, and I really admire their
work, so my dream is to possess (拥有) the same talent as they do.

Singing and composing are really great ways to express people’s identities and
inner feelings, and that is why I want to improve them.
(1) Do you think artists with talents should focus on their talents?
That’s tricky question. It probably depends on their wills. But I do suggest those
with talents focus on their talents, because not everyone has a gift given by God.
If you make use of it, you will have a relatively easier life compared to those
who don’t have. You can still search for other interests and hobbies, but your
talent might help you gain more knowledge and reputation. With that, you can
also contribute to art and achieve outstanding results. Sometimes, it would be
better to be a master of something than a Jack of all trades.

(2) Is it possible for us to know whether children who are 3 or 4 years old will
become musicians and painters when they grow up?
I think it’s very hard, because no one can foresee what will happen in the future.
Art hobbies always become just childhood hobbies for most people when they
grew up. They might give up these activities due to excessive workload or family
rejection. And in fact, there are a few children who are 3 or 4 years old consider
music or art as their career when they become an adult, not even to say
outstanding artists. This is true according to scientific data. But if children are
really talented and passionate in learning an extracurricular subject, it would be
nice to give it a try.
4. 想生活的城市
Describe a town or city where you would like to live in the future
You should say:
Where it is
How you knew it
What it is famous for
And why you would like to live there

我最想生活在日本北海道的小樽。因为我最喜欢的电影就是岩井俊二的情书，取
景地在小樽。这个电影讲诉了学生时代青涩的爱情，让我印象深刻。小樽因为它
地处北海道常年积雪，再加上它有历史悠久的玻璃工坊而出名。我想生活在这里
原因首先是因为我非常喜欢日本和那里的文化，我也曾经去过这个城市，我被那
里的自然风景、人文情怀所吸引，那里的人也非常淳朴真实，没有大城市里的繁
忙和嘈杂。

The city I want to live in in the future is Otaru (小樽), which is located in Hokkaido
(北海道), Japan.

I got to know this city in my junior high school when I watched a Japanese film
named Love Letter, directed by Shunji Iwai. The film was set in Otaru, a quiet town
with heavy snow. This movie depicted an adolescent love story, but the two
protagonists (主角) broke up in the end. The film left an impression on me and is
still actually my favorite movie. Otaru snows most of the year due to its geographic
(地理的) location. It is also famous for its historical glass factory.

I love this city because of its beautiful landscape and delicate culture. Besides, I am
also really into Japanese culture due to my passion for animation. I can travel to
Tokyo by train in only an hour if I get the chance to live here. I have visited Otaru
once and I really loved the mountainous features and skiing activities, and the
people there are honest and hardworking. Unlike those in the big cities, they have a
slow-paced life and focus on their lives rather than fame and wealth. I think that is
the ideal life I want to have in the future, as the cultural environment is very
important in cultivating one’s outlook (理念) and temperament (性情).
 (1) Why do more and more people live in the city?
Firstly, big cities have more opportunities for young people to find a decent job.
There are big transnational corporations, state news agency, and national
government offices, and they all provide good salary and welfare. Secondly, living
in the city gives people a more expedient and convenient life. Shopping malls and
supermarkets can be found everywhere on the street due to the dynamic financial
and commercial chain in cities. Besides, diverse businesses emerge along with
contemporary people’s high demand, such as the uncountable gyms, spa, and
karaoke. As long as one has enough money, he or she can enjoy a diverse lifestyle
in cities.

(2) How does this affect the environment and nature?

The fast-paced development of big cities will undoubtedly cause negative
consequences to the environment. The excessive exploitation of natural resources
to meet the demand of citizens’ household need is one example. Besides, the use of
private cars on the street is harmful to the air quality. Almost every household in
cities has a car, and the emission of carbon dioxide will lead to greenhouse reaction
and global warming. There is a little space for lakes and forests in cities, which
might cause unbalanced ecosystem as well, so people must notice the
environmental protection while building up the urban area.
5. 环保法律
Describe a law on environmental protection
You should say:
What it is
How you first learned about it
Who benefits from it
And explain how you feel about this law

我想谈一谈中国的放射性污染防治法。因为最近经常听到关于日本排放核污水到
海洋的新闻，所以我去网上学习了我们国家关于核污染的法律。该法律提到公民
或者工厂机构不得随意将带有放射性元素的液体排入公共区域，这条法律的受益
者其实是全国各地的老百姓，只有这样他们才能免于核辐射的危害，享用干净的
水资源。所以我认为日本排放核污水的行为是无法容忍的，它对世界造成了极大
威胁。世界各地都应该行使这条法例来保护地球。

I want to discuss the Radioactive Pollution Prevention and Control Act in China.
The reason why I am interested in it is because of the recent backlash（强烈反击）
over the Japanese government’s decision to release nuclear sewage （核废水） into
the Atlantic ocean. I wondered how a government could make such an irrational
decision, which would inevitably （ 不 可 避 免 地 ） lead to criticism from the
international community（国际社会）. Therefore, I visited my country’s websites to
learn how the relevant laws work in China.

This act mentions that citizens or factories have no right to release radioactive
sewage into the public areas. In fact, this law benefits all citizens in China, since it
prevents them from getting infected （被感染） by nuclear radiation（核辐射）.
Although factories may incur higher costs to address their wastewater, citizens can
enjoy clean water if this act is strictly obeyed by everyone. Like one famous
Chinese diplomat said, the Pacific Ocean is not a Japanese dumping ground (垃圾
场).

From my perspective, I strongly disagree with what the Japanese government did to
their nuclear sewage, which brought a tremendous threat to the world in terms of
the environment. I think similar laws like the one in China should be implemented
in every country to protect our planet. It is not only about our health, but also the
health of our future generations. This environmental issue deserves more spotlight.
 (1) Are there laws about education in China?
Of course, laws about education are complicated. Briefly speaking, children have
nine years of voluntary education for free, from primary school to middle school.
They must pay for their tuition fee after going to high school. Besides, the college
entrance examination, or gaokao in China, is the official channel for students to get
to universities. Students should study mathematic, Chinese, English, and three
subjects of either liberal arts or natural science in order to take gaokao examination.
Students from ethnic minority groups in China can take gaokao with bonus points,
which achieves certain levels of equality in education. In my opinion, I am rather
satisfied with China’s laws of education.

(2) What kinds of rules do schools in China have

It depends on whether schools are in rural area or urban area. Due to the imbalance
distribution of educational resources, schools in rural area are slightly lagged. For
instance, rural students are required to study English when they enter the Grade 3
while urban students learn English from Grade 1. It is rather difficult to say that this
rule is unfair, but the reality is the lack of English teachers in rural area hinders the
development of English education. Thanks to the online learning platforms, this
inequality of English learning is gradually compensated by MOOCs and other
online courses.
6. 当地新闻
Describe a piece of local news that people are interested in
You should say:
What it was about
Where you saw/heard it
Who was involved
And explain why people were interested in it

我所在的市前几天刚刚发布了一则关于调整上班时间的新闻。每天中午增加了 15 分钟的睡
眠时间，这则新闻一经发布便引起了强烈反响。我从手机 APP 中关注到了这则新闻。市民
们都非常感兴趣，因为这个规定关系到每一个上班族的生活，我认为这些规定虽然很小，但
却实实在在影响着每一个人，这也正是大多人关注和感兴趣的原因。

I remember a piece of surprising news in our city that working hours in summer
were shortened (缩短) by 15 minutes. In other words, people would have 15 more
minutes to get ready before arriving at work in the morning. To be honest, I
couldn’t agree more with this decision because sleep makes the world go round.
Better sleep enables people to work more effectively and efficiently. （高效工作）

I saw this story on a news app and it was liked by more than 100,000 followers.
The news stirred up the waves（引起激烈反响）among the public because everyone
got behind the decision, and most people showed great interest in it because it
benefitted us all. Most people praised the government for being kind and
considerate（考虑周到的） to citizens. From my own perspective, I think it was a
wise decision because it’s so hot in summer that workers and students struggle to
get to work and school on time. If we could have 15 more minutes to rest or to
commute to（交通） work, we would be less hurried and tired.

In my opinion, while it’s not as difficult as building a new park or community

centre, for example, it’s just as beneficial to people, so I’m glad to see this kind of
change in our city.
(1) Do people read newspaper where you live?
Well from what I have observed, young people don’t read newspapers anymore.
They read news on their phones or other electronic devices instead. I live in a
university town in a rural region of Shanghai, where I am surrounded by people of
my age and I’ve never seen somebody reading a newspaper. But I think some of the
elderly still have the habit of reading newspapers. Sometimes when I go to those
quiet neighborhoods with a long history, you know, those in downtown Shanghai,
like Huangpu District, I can still see some elder citizens sitting in the sun and
reading newspapers with their glasses.

(2) Do people prefer local or international news?

I think it depends. Some people may prefer local news but some are just more
interested in international news. I think in my school, where most of the students
study majors like foreign languages or international relations, we just tend to pay
more attention to international news, especially that is related to the languages or
the regions we study. But my parents, my grandparents or some of my neighbors,
who don’t need to interact with things like international relations, seem to prefer
local news, for example, which area will be developed next year, or who lost lots of
money because of telecom fraud kind of thing.
7. 生活计划
Describe a plan in your life (that is not related to work or study)
You should say:
What it is about
Why you make it
What you need to do first
And explain how you feel if it is successful

由于我体质一直很弱，每当流感来袭，我必首当其冲。因此我给自己制定了一个
健身计划。我每天下午晚饭后半小时便会去健身房跑步、骑单车、举哑铃等。另
外，每周我还会上 1-2 次瑜伽课，为了保持形体，也为了放松身心。要坚持这项
计划，我首先要认真对待它，然后选择一个比较好的健身房。我相信，如果能长
期坚持下去，我的体质一定会得到改善，有了健康的身体才能生活得更幸福。

I always think it’s best to make plans before taking any action, and this is exactly
what I have done many times, so I’m going to talk about a new plan that I just came
up with recently.

My plan is to start going to the gym for exercise every day. The reason why I’ve
decided to do this is that I want to become stronger and healthier. Since I was a
little girl, I have always been weak, and this influenced my decision to get fitter, so
as to resist (抵抗) any infectious diseases（传染性疾病）.

I’m going to work out in the gym after dinner every evening, so I searched on the
internet for different ways to gain weight and keep fit. I eventually decided to run
on the treadmill（跑步机）for 30 minutes, ride a bike for about 15 minutes and then
do some weightlifting（举重）. Additionally, I’m going to take yoga lessons once or
twice a week for the purpose of （目的是）both keeping body shape and relaxing.

As an old Chinese proverb goes ‘a good beginning is half done’（好的开始是成功

的一半）, so I need to take this plan seriously （重视）. I’ve made many plans
before, but unfortunately, I hardly finished any of them. So this time, I must
prioritize（优先考虑） it and make it a habit. Choosing a good place where there
are professional teachers and a range of facilities（设施）is important, and I believe
that if I can succeed in persisting with this plan, I will be better off in terms of my
health, which will lead to a better all-round lifestyle.
(1) Should parents make plans for children?
I think it depends. If the children are little babies, who can barely speak or express
their feelings clearly, maybe parents should decide when they should eat, when they
should put on more clothes, etc. But when the children get older, maybe the wiser
choice would be parents listening to children’s opinions, making suggestions when
necessary, and encouraging children to make their own plans and take
responsibility for their own life. Parents cannot be with their children all the time;
their children will all be grown-ups one day, and they will need to learn to make
their own plans sooner or later.

(2) When should children start to make plans for themselves?

I think as soon as children can communicate with people, they should start to make
plans for themselves. The reason is that, as long as they can communicate with
others, it’s possible for parents to know or to find out their true feelings, and it’s
reasonable to expect them to understand what’s good and what’s not. When
effective communication is possible, it’s time that children should be cultivated as
responsible people. Even for those three-or-four-year-old, you can teach them to
make plans by themselves, for example, you can let them decide whether they
would like to go to bed earlier to listen to some bedtime stories or just play with
their new toys tonight.
8. 微笑的场合
Describe an occasion when many people were smiling
You should say:
When it happened
Who you were with
What happened
And explain why most people were smiling

我有过很多开心的时刻，其中最令我难忘的就是高中的毕业典礼上。那是 2018
年的夏天，我们学校取得了历史最好成绩，80%的学生都考进了一本大学。因
此那个毕业典礼另我们格外难忘。我和所有老师同学一起按照安排的座位就
坐。学校给我们准备了精彩的节目，末尾还给每位同学准备了一份小礼物，虽
然很普通，但对我们来说意义非凡。因此每个人都露出了发自内心的笑容。

There have been many blissful ( 幸 福 的 ) moments in my lifetime, but the most
unforgettable one was my graduation ceremony from high school. It was in the
summer of 2018 when our school achieved the best grades ever in its history, with
80 percent of its students being admitted to college（被大学录取）. You might also
know that the college entrance exam is one of the biggest tests in China, which
demonstrates（证明） whether a school is competent at teaching or not.

For the event, our school put up huge posters and arranged a very special farewell
ceremony（告别典礼）. My classmates and I completely forgot about the stress we
had been under （不堪重负的）, which is why the graduation ceremony was so
memorable for me. Unlike traditional ceremonies, we experienced a totally
different one, with funny performances and touching stories.

Our teachers also prepared a wonderful song for us, which was the highlight（推向
高潮） of the night. In the end, we also received a small gift from our school. What
I received was a beautifully decorated notebook, and although it was quite ordinary,
it meant a lot to me. So, everyone smiled from the bottom of their hearts. I’ve been
more confident in my studies since then, and it was a good farewell to the past.
(1) Do you think people who like to smile are more friendly?
I don’t think so. I think people who like to smile may look more friendly but they
are not necessarily really friendly. Maybe they are just trained to do so or maybe
they just pretend they are friendly by smiling. On the other hand, people who do
not like to smile are not necessarily unfriendly, maybe they are just not accustomed
to expressing their feelings overtly. I think the reason why people would think those
who like to smile are more friendly is that we like to judge others by what we see,
especially if we are not familiar with them.

(2) Why do most people smile in photographs?

To be honest I’ve never thought about this question. But I guess it’s because
photographs are used to capture those memorable and happy moments. When
people feel happy or excited or grateful for what they are going through, for
example, having a party with good friends, travelling to places with astounding
views, they would feel like taking photos which will help remember the memorable
moments. Maybe that’s why people are always smiling in photos. We are not likely
to be taken photos when we are upset right?
9. 高楼
Describe a tall building in your city you like or dislike
You should say:
Where it is
What it is used for
What it looks like
And explain why you like or dislike it

坐落在上海的东方明珠是一座我非常喜欢的高层建筑。东方珍珠电视塔是世界
上最高的传输塔之一，它不仅仅是一个电视塔，这个多功能的建筑还兼具购物
场所、博物馆、旋转餐厅和观景台的功能。东方明珠主要由球体结构组成。我
喜爱东方明珠的原因是，我在上小学的时候，在这座建筑有过一次难忘的旅行。
从那时起，我便深深的爱上了这座城市和这座建筑。

I am going to describe a high-rise building that I like a lot. It is called the Oriental
Pearl TV Tower, located in the center of Shanghai, where I am currently living.

The tower is one of the world’s highest transmission towers. Since its completion in
1994, it has become Shanghai’s most recognizable landmark. 有名的地标 More
than just a TV tower, this multi-functional marvel offers unique shopping, an
informative museum, a revolving restaurant 旋转餐厅 and some of the best views
in Shanghai.

The tower rises about 450 meters from the ground 塔高约 450 米。 It is largely
comprised of sphere structures. The roofs of the two largest spheres are at heights
of 300 meters and 120 meters, the upper sphere is 45 meters in diameter and the
lower one is slightly larger at 50 meters. There's also a much smaller sphere known
as the space capsule which is 350m tall but only 14m in diameter. There are also 5
small spheres between the two large spheres which are surrounded by 3 large
columns that connect the two spheres.

The reason why I like the Oriental Pearl Tower so much is that I had an
unforgettable trip to this building when I was in primary school. I travelled to
Shanghai with my parents for a week. I still remember the tour guide taking us to
visit the Orient Pearl Tower in the evening where we ascended to the top 登上顶层.
I was stunned by the amazing night views of the city. The light trails from cars,
trams and even boats on the Huangpu River dazzled me. 令我眼花缭乱 From that
moment, I was deeply in love with this city, and specifically in love with the
Oriental Pearl Tower.
(1) What are the disadvantages of living in tall buildings?
Well, I have a say on this question because my family lives in a high-rise
apartment building. For me, the biggest disadvantage of living in a tall building is
the long wait for the elevator. Especially during rush hours and I happen to be in a
hurry, the long waiting will really drive me crazy. And it will be even more
miserable if I accidentally encounter power failure or daily maintenance of the
elevator. In addition to virtually increasing the time cost of the residents, the
higher the floor, the more elevators are likely to be installed, thus the greater the
shared account of expense.

(2) Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?
Yes, I think tall buildings will be a trend. With the development of urban
economy, the demand for housing and office space is increasing. Therefore, on
the basis of a certain area, the higher the floor, the larger the available space. At
the same time, larger available space also symbolizes higher value of an
individual building and bigger return for property developers. From another point
of view, tall buildings can also be a city's business card. When tall buildings have
become city landmarks, it is a way to stand out from the crowd and declare to the
world the vitality of the city.
10. 帮助朋友
Describe a time when you helped a friend
You should say:
When it was
How you helped him/her
Why you helped him/her
And how you felt about it

上周末，我答应我的朋友 David 照顾他的狗，因为他需要紧急出差。因为我是

他在这座城市唯一熟悉的老朋友，我感到很有义务答应帮助他。他开车送来他
的狗，还有狗粮和狗绳。我一天两次的带它下楼散步，并且准时喂它。当 David
回来时，我们俩已经难舍难分。我很高兴我在 David 需要的时候帮助了他。在
这两天里，我感受到了由宠物陪伴着的温暖。从那天起，养宠物的想法首先在
我的心中扎根。

I would like to talk about my experience of taking care of a friend's dog while he
went on a business trip.

Last Friday, my old friend David called me in the afternoon, asking if I could help
him take care of his dog Lily that weekend, because he was asked to go on a
business trip to meet an important customer in another city. He needed to leave for
the airport in two hours.

Upon hearing his request, my first thought was to refuse it, as I had never had any
experience of keeping pets, let alone caring for a dog for two whole days. However,
David told me I was the only one he could seek help from, as he had just moved to
this city and I happened to be his only acquaintance. Therefore, I felt obliged to
grant his request 答应他的请求.

So, he hurriedly drove to my place to drop off his dog Lily, together with a bag of
dog food and a leash. After he left, I was at a loss 手足无措 and didn’t know what
to do with Lily. Fortunately, she was a sweetheart and always kept silent inside my
apartment. I fed her on time and she always finished the food quietly. And when I
took her for a walk twice a day, she acted like a naughty child, running happily in
the park. We had a harmonious weekend together and quickly formed a strong
emotional connection over the two days. When David came back on the Sunday
evening, it was a little hard to see her go.
(1) How do people usually help each other?
Take myself as an example, my friends and I usually ask each other to do favors
in the power. For example, since I rent a house outside the university, when I
forget to take access key to the building, I will trouble my classmates who live in
the same block to go downstairs and help me open the door. Other times I just ask
them to help me take an express or some other trivial matters like this. Sometimes
I will ask my friends some questions in their area of expertise which I am not
very good at. For example, a friend of mine who majors in computer science is
very helpful when I have trouble with my laptop.

(2) How is online help different from real-life help?

From my perspective, there is no more difference between online help and face to
face help if you are an acquaintance. Sometimes a phone call or a WeChat
message is all it takes. For example, when I am in a bad mood, I will call my
friends in different places to tell my bothers, the online communication is also
very helpful for my psychological relief. However, if the one online is a stranger
to you, online help may be more difficult than real-life help. If you haven't met
someone in person or have no idea about them before, they may be unwilling to
take the time to address your problems and frustrations. Worse still, they will
even approach you with their own purposes.
11. 健康文章
Describe an article on health you read on magazine or the Internet
You should say:
What it was
Where you read it
Why you read it
And how you felt about it

我曾经读过一篇关于健康作息的文章，里面介绍了例如应该几点起床、几点锻炼、
几点睡觉的日程。它刊登在一位著名营养学医生的博客上。我的作息时间比较混
乱，所以我的朋友转发了他的文章给我推荐我看。我也想要改变我的作息，所以
我进入了博客读那篇文章。我把他的建议打印下来，并加入了这位医生组建的社
群，和大家一起坚持健康生活。我觉得这篇文章对我非常有用，因为坚持了一个
月健康生活后，我变得更有精力了。因此我很感谢这位医生以及这篇文章，并且
打算坚持下去。

I once read an article about creating a balanced lifestyle, which included

information such as when you should wake up, when you should exercise, and
when you should go to bed. It appeared on the blog of a well-known doctor who
specializes in （ 专精 于 ） nutrition. Since my schedule was so messy, a friend
forwarded （转发） this article to me and suggested I read it. I really wanted to live
a better lifestyle and improve my health, so I went to the blog and read the post.

According to the article, it is best to get up at 7 a.m. and go to bed before 10 p.m.
The article also recommended making a habit of eating a variety of vegetables and
nuts every day, as well as consuming an apple daily. In addition, regular exercise
and keeping a positive attitude are also critical for maintaining good health. After
carefully reading the whole article, I summarized his advice, typed it out, and taped
it to my desktop in order to remind me to live according to the plan. I also joined
the doctor's online community （线上社群） where we could all log in （打卡）
and encourage others.

This article was really helpful because I felt more energetic when working and even
happier after sticking to the plan （坚持执行这个计划）, even after only a month.
I am truly thankful to both the doctor and his advice.
(1) Do you think people are healthier now than in the past?
Well, I beg to differ. Although the official figures show that people are living
longer than before due to better health care and social services, those serious
illnesses tend to be more easily found out on younger people. At the same time,
many people living in cities are also in a state of sub-health for a long time. Due
to the development of modern life and the increasing pressure of social
competition, many bad living habits especially those of young people, such as
unbalanced diet and nutrition, often staying up late lead to today's phenomenon
that people are not as healthy as before.

(2) How can you tell whether a website is reliable or not?

First, I will check if the article on the website is published by authority. Generally
speaking, authors and references are often cited on reliable websites. Try a
browser search of the author's background and other works to verify the
reliability of the page's content. If the article is authoritative, it will mostly be
documented on other websites and books as well. Secondly, I will check whether
the content of the article is supported by data and experiments. If it only outputs a
large number of brainwashing ideas and applies too many absolute conclusions,
the website is not reliable in most cases.
12. 海边活动
Describe a leisure activity on/near the sea that you want to try
You should say:
What it is
What you need to prepare
How easy or difficult it is
And explain why you want to try it

我想尝试沙滩排球。一般来说，打沙滩排球前我需要准备一只排球，以及相关的
服装。除此以外，还需要准备防晒霜，来保护我的皮肤免受太多紫外线的伤害。
总的来说，我认为沙滩排球不是非常难，因为我玩过陆地上的排球，并且了解沙
滩排球的规则。我认为我只要适应一下沙滩的环境就可以了。我之所以想要尝试，
是因为玩沙滩排球可以欣赏海边的美丽景色，促进团队合作能力，对我的健康有
好处。

I'd like to try beach volleyball, which appeals to me greatly （非常吸引我）. In

general, before playing the sport, I’ll need to get a volleyball and appropriate sports
clothes ready. Furthermore, sunscreen is important for it protects the skin from
excessive UV damage（保护皮肤免受大量紫外线的伤害）. Of course, since beach
volleyball is not an individual sport, I’ll need to invite some friends to join me.

In general, I don’t think beach volleyball will be that difficult in my opinion, since
I’ve scored a lot of points （得了很多分） while playing traditional volleyball. In
addition, I’ve watched a lot of matches on television, which has enabled me to get a
better understanding of the rules. I believe all I need to do is adapt to （适应） the
beach environment.

I've never played it before and the reason I want to try it is that it will allow me to
enjoy the beautiful view of the sea, compared to just the view of a closed sports hall
（密闭的体育馆） when playing traditional volleyball. Also, it will give the us the
opportunity to work as a team, because you need good communication skills to
know who is going to hit the ball and who is going to pass it, which will greatly
improve our teamwork. Of course, it also offers a decent amount of exercise （较大
的运动量） which will be good for my health. So, I'm very interested in trying this
sport.
 (1) What are the advantages and disadvantages of vacations to the seaside?
Spending a holiday on the beach is one of the best ways to celebrate. A top benefit
of a beach vacation is that it's the ideal place to relax. The beach is the easiest place
you can kick your feet up and not do one single thing. Also, a holiday at the seaside
is a quick way to get our vitamin D. Sunshine immediately lifts our spirit and takes
away stress that has been dragging us down. However, too much sun can have the
opposite effect, so we have to use sunscreen and hang out beneath a beach
umbrella.

(2) Why do people like spending time on the sea?

Spending time on the sea is a popular activity for several reasons. Firstly, we are
able to do more exercise on the sea and thus live an active lifestyle. Whether it’s
swimming in the sea, surfing or sailing, exercising on the sea is so much more
enjoyable. Plus, the salty sea air will do wonders for our respiratory system, giving
us plenty of energy. Apart from physical benefits, we can expect to meet lots of new
people and enjoy a vibrant social life on the sea. Most coastal areas are renowned
for having a friendly, close knit community, which are great for learning and
making friends.
13. 分享
Describe a time when you shared something with others (or another person)
You should say:
What you shared
Who you shared it with
Why you shared it
And explain how you felt about sharing it

去年我过生日的时候，我的父母给我订了一个生日蛋糕。收到蛋糕的那一刻，
我就决定要和我的室友一起分享我的生日蛋糕。一方面，我和我的室友们都是
关系很亲近的朋友，经常一起出去玩或分享有趣的东西，另一方面，他们都他
们都给我准备了精美的生日礼物，所以我决定通过分享蛋糕，来和他们分享过
生日的快乐，便把蛋糕带回去分给了大家吃。我们插上蜡烛，唱了生日歌，最
后品尝了蛋糕。我觉得，分享生日蛋糕使我快乐加倍，也让我和室友的关系更
加亲密了。

On my birthday last year, my parents ordered a birthday cake for me. No sooner
had I received the cake than I decided to share it with my roommates. (收到蛋糕的
那一刻，我就决定要和我的室友一起分享我的生日蛋糕)

My roommates and I are very close friends and we often hang out and share
interesting things with each other. Whenever someone gets good news or finds an
amazing restaurant, we share the news with each other in our group chat. As a
result, as some sort of reciprocal duty, I took the cake back and shared it with them.
Also, they all prepared gifts for me, which really made my day! They had candles,
sang birthday songs and finally we wolfed down (狼吞虎咽) the cake since it was
an ice-cream cake. They smeared ice cream on my face like naughty children and
we played monopoly all night long. For that night, we were on cloud nine (非常开
心).

Because of sharing, my happiness doubled or even tripled. I believe that sharing is

of utmost importance to the maintenance of any relationship, be it friendship or
kinship. It is the process of sharing these little things that keeps our hearts refreshed.
(正是分享这些小事的过程唤醒了我们的心灵)
 (1) Do you like to share?
Yes, sharing is important in our life, because I believe love only grows by sharing.
You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others. As a traditional
Chinese, I have always been taught since childhood that sharing is a critical merit
in our culture, and I have always lived by the principle. As a child, I learned to
share my toys, our crayons, and our rooms. When I grew older, my toys and
personal space become larger and more expensive, and I share them less and less,
but I still value the idea of sharing. Sharing can benefit us personally and socially,
and it can make the world a much better place.

(2) What are the consequences if children don’t like to share?

Children have difficulty sharing, especially young children. This is a normal part of
the development process. However, if they don’t like to share and parents neglect to
teach them, it can exert negative influence on children. They will definitely fail to
make friends because other children can naturally feel that people who don’t share
are selfish, and are unwilling to get along with them. Also, children who don’t like
to share have fewer opportunities of learning the sense of responsibility, which is
harmful for their own development, making them less competitive in life and
career.
14. 尊敬的老人
Describe someone who is older than you that you admire
You should say:
Who this person is
How you knew this person
What kinds of things you like to do together
And explain how you feel about this person

我非常欣赏我的父亲。自我有记忆以来，我的父亲就陪伴我成长。我们经常一
起看书、运动、旅游。他常常同我分享读书的心得，会在我运动疲惫时鼓励我，
也会带我去世界各地体验风土人情。我对他既感恩，又敬佩。在我成长过程中，
每当我遇到困惑，他总是支持我、开导我。我希望我以后也能成为像他一样的
人，不仅关心呵护自己的家人，还有自己的独立思考，做一个有担当的人。

A person that I admire is my father. For as long as I can remember, my father has
been by my side and accompanied my growth. As a scholar, he has never gone
ballistic ( 大 怒 ) even in the worst of scenarios. He is always patient towards
everyone around him, as he deems it his motto that “men are like steel; when they
lose their temper, they lose their worth.” (他对周围的人总是很有耐心，因为他认
为自己的座右铭是："人如钢铁，一旦失去脾气，就会失去价值")

We read books on cozy afternoons while lying together on the couch, and play
sports and sweat profusely (大汗淋漓) on hot summer days. We also travel to many
little corners of the globe. He often shares his reading with me, encourages me
when I feel tired or upset, and takes me to different places where we immerse
ourselves in (沉浸在) exotic cultures and chitchat with people from all walks of life
(各行各业).

I am both grateful and in awe of (敬佩) him. During my adolescent years, he was
always there to support me and lead me like a guiding light whenever I felt
confused. Every time I got trapped in a dilemma, he always pointed out a new
perspective for me and helped me analyze the issue. I hope I can become a person
like him in the future, who not only cares for his family in a responsible manner,
but always thinks independently with a critical eye.
 (1) What can young and old people learn from each other?
As is always true, old people can teach young people a thing or two. But education
is a two-way street, and old people can also learn from young people. The old can
teach the young about basic knowledge and life lessons due to years of experience.
As old people have gone through ups and downs in life, they surely have a better
understanding of what they are trying to do with their lives and why. As for
younger people, they can teach old people new technologies that will impact their
lifestyle, and the importance of diversity that can benefit the world.

(2) How old people’s life quality improved when compared to the past?
Over the past decades, there have been many significant changes in the way that
old people live. To start with, people were not able to travel such long distances in
such short period of time. The planes were not that popular then because they used
to be a very expensive means of transport. Nowadays, we have become very mobile.
We have fast and comfortable cars and more and more people also travel by plane.
Another improvement is the fact that nowadays the access to education is much
easier. And it is much easier to find the educational materials that you need thanks
to the Internet. All things considered, it is an obvious conclusion that life quality
has changed significantly for old people.
15. 雇佣很多员工的公司
Describe a company where you live that employs a lot people
You should say:
What it does
How many people it employs
What kind of people work there
How you feel about it

字节跳动是中国的一个互联网巨头公司，其员工人数接近十万。字节跳动是中
国北京的一家信息科技公司，也是最早将人工智能应用于移动互联网场景的科
技企业之一。许多字节跳动的员工都是学计算机或人工智能的工程师，当然也
有负责市场、销售等等不同任务的工作人员。除了正职之外，也有很多大学生
在字节跳动实习。我就曾经在那里做过实习生，我觉得字节跳动是个年轻、有
活力的公司。人们在那里可以弹性工作，发挥他们的创造力。

ByteDance is an Internet Giant in China home to (拥有) dozens of the hottest apps
nowadays, including Tiktok. It has over 60,000 employees and 15 research and
development centers around the globe.

As an IT company based in Beijing, ByteDance is one of the first technology

companies to apply artificial intelligence in the context of the internet economy (互
联网经济背景). Many of ByteDance’s employees are engineers studying computer
science or artificial intelligence. Of course, there are also staff responsible for other
tasks such as marketing and sales. In addition to these regular positions, there are
also many university students who work at ByteDance as interns.

Actually, I was once an intern there. During my internship, I joined a group

responsible for advertising management where I learned a lot about the internet
industry from my mentor. I practiced using professional software and developed my
communication skills. Apart from that, there was also afternoon tea and other perks
including a staff gym. It is precisely these care-oriented services that make
ByteDance a popular and ideal choice for many youngsters. (正是这些以人文关怀
为导向的服务，使字节跳动成为许多青少年的理想选择) I think the company is
a young and dynamic one where people can work flexibly and exercise their
creativity.
 (1) Should big companies be punished more seriously if they break the law?
Yes, I think so. People often say that big companies are too big to care about
breaking the law, which in my opinion means that with considerable profit and
supporters, the cost of breaking the law for them is extremely low. Thus, equal
punishment to big companies and small companies seems unfair as far as I am
concerned, because it cannot pose the same deterrence to them. As a result, in order
to maintain the dignity of law, big companies should bear more severe fine or
sanction if they break the law.

(2) Should big companies donate more to charities?

Yes, I agree with the idea. On the one hand, big companies have the ability to offer
more. As a famous saying in Batman goes, with great power comes great
responsibility. It is less of a burden to big companies than to smaller ones. On the
other hand, it is also a precious chance for them to build an outstanding image in
society. Donation is an important element in showing corporate social responsibility,
which can in return bring a rise in sale. In all, it is a win-win to the companies and
the society.
16. 喜欢的电影
Describe a movie that you like
You should say:
When you watched it
Where you watched it
What it was about
And explain why you like it

我很喜欢电影《寻梦环游记》。几年前，我和朋友去电影院看了《寻梦环游记》。
电影讲述了热爱音乐的小男孩米格和落魄乐手埃克托在五彩斑斓的神秘世界
开启了一段奇妙冒险旅程的故事。我之所以很喜欢这部电影，是因为这部动画
片的制作非常精细，亡灵世界的设计非常震撼。更重要的是，它讲述的亲情羁
绊非常感人，令我对爱、重逢等话题有了更深刻的感悟。

My favorite movie is “Coco” which is an American computer-animated fantasy

film produced by Pixar and released by Disney. In 2017, my friend and I went to
the cinema to watch this animation, the protagonists of which are Miguel, a young
boy who loves music, and Ector, a down-on-his-luck ( 倒 霉 的 ) musician, who
embarks on an amazing adventure in the mysterious world of the Land of the Dead.

Inspired by the Mexican holiday the Day of the Dead, in Spanish, Día de Muertos,
Coco tells a story of dreams and realities, kinship and love. (讲述了一个关于梦想
与现实、亲情与爱情的故事) In the end, Miguel not only helps his
great-great-grandfather reunite with his family in the Land of the Dead, but also
succeeds in persuading his family to support his dream of becoming a musician.

I really like this colorful, beautifully animated, and culturally sensitive movie not
only because of the dazzling and stunning (璀璨夺目) setting of the Land of the
Dead, but more importantly, the touching story about the bond of family. In the
story, music is a taboo word for Miguel’s family because they believe Ector
discarded his family for the pursuit of music. (在故事中，音乐对米格尔的家人来
说是一个禁忌词，因为他们认为埃克托为了追求音乐而抛弃了自己的家庭) In
the end, when the truth is revealed, Ector reconciles with ( 和 解 ) his family and
Miguel manages to pursue his dream of becoming a musician. By watching this
film, I have a deeper understanding of topics such as love and union.
 (1) Are films a waste of money?
I don’t think so. All people love to watch movies from time to time. I believe
movies allow us to experience a life that we may never really get to experience by
placing ourselves on the shoes of the characters on the movie being watched. Real
life story movies, on the other hand, allow us to admire others on how they are able
to solve and endure their real life challenges. Science fiction is a different thing,
which makes us imagine what would happen if things that are not yet possible
today become possible in the future. Sci-fi movies are an attempt to predict the
conditions of the future through a movie. By watching movies we get to relax from
our daily activities and learn important lessons in life.

(2) Are movie stars important to a movie?

I think it depends. Traditionally, it is thought that a producer needs to cast a
well-known actor for a successful development of a film. Having a name actor
attached will open doors to the financing needed to get the film made, even though
it does not ensure box office success. This logic goes well with commercial films.
In contrast, some of the most successful films have no stars in the entire cast. Stars
don’t matter if it’s important for the movie to be a cast of ordinary people. In
addition, stars don’t usually matter for genre films, such as horror movies that
speak to small audiences. An unknown actor with a strong director is also a
reasonable recipe for success.
17. 做手工
Describe an art or craft activity (e.g. painting, woodwork, etc.) that you had
(at school)
You should say:
What you made
How you made it
What it looked like
And how you felt about the activity

我曾经去绘画工作室画过一副油画。首先，我挑选了一个临摹画作，接着，我
在空白画布上画出简单的线稿，再选取了需要的颜料挤在调色板上开始绘画。
我选择的是一个风景画，画面的上半部是落日余晖，下半部是树林的剪影。在
简单的铺色完成后，我开始勾勒细节，最后装上画框，完成了创作。整个创作
过程非常有趣，我发挥了自己的想象力和创造力，也调剂了自己的工作学习，
是个非常不错的娱乐方式。

I once went to a DIY studio and painted an oil picture. First, I chose a copy of the
painting as a sample for me to imitate since I am a layman (门外汉) when it comes
to art. Afterwards, I made simple sketches on the canvas ( 画 布 ) to have a basic
outline of the drawing. Next, I chose the paint I needed, squeezed it out onto a
palette and started painting. By painting, it is better and more vivid to refer to it as
smearing (与其说绘画，其实涂抹这个词更形象一些) since I just took a big brush
and colored the majority of the canvas with black paint.

The picture that I chose to imitate was a landscape view with a sunset in the top
half and a silhouette of the woods (树林剪影) in the bottom half. After laying down
the colors (铺色), I began to outline the details, finally put the frame on and then
called it a day (收工).

The whole process was quite fun. I felt that I became an artist and freed my
imagination and creativity. The next time I’m tired, I will definitely try it again
since it is a great way to mix up (调剂) my work and study.
(1) What traditional handcrafts are popular in China?
China has been considered as the home to handcrafts such as paper-cut, umbrella
made of oiled paper, and embroidery works. As far as I know, these three
handcrafts represent different historical backgrounds and cultures. For example,
paper-cut was created over 1500 years ago, which reflected the art form during that
period. Even nowadays, people are interested in them because Chinese people are
becoming more and more confident in our traditional culture. I love them too
because I believe only people cherish them and thus pass them down from
generation to generation could these traditional arts be well-preserved.

(2) What do young people think of traditional handcrafts?

I’m really glad to see the trend that young generations are becoming more and more
interested in traditional handcrafts. For example, you may notice that many young
people bring their shoes to a store where they could be decorated with some
embroidery patterns. Young people are cherishing such handcrafts, and they come
to know the importance of preserving traditional culture and art. However, there are
still many young people considering traditional handcrafts out of date. I think there
should be more promotion activities among the young, raising their awareness of
protecting such spiritual heritage.
18. 社交媒体趣事
Describe a time you saw something interesting on social media
You should say:
What it was
Where you saw it
What you saw
And explain why you think it was interesting

最近我在抖音上刷到了一个很有趣的视频，叫糖果实验，也有人叫耐心挑战。
视频中，大人会在宝宝的面前放一些糖果或者好吃的东西，然后告诉他们要等
大人回来之后才可以吃，再假装离开，用手机拍下来宝宝的反应，看他们会不
会偷吃。特别有趣的一点在于，孩子们会十分努力克制自己吃糖的欲望，有的
宝宝还会哼一些歌，劝诫自己耐心一点，等父母回来。而有的小朋友在百般纠
结之后还是会忍不住把糖果吃掉。小朋友们奶声奶气的反应非常可爱，让我觉
得很有趣。

I would like to talk about a video I saw on Tiktok, which was a challenge that has
gone viral (风靡) recently online. The challenge is called the “Candy Challenge,”
while some also refer to it as the “Patience Challenge.” In the video, the vlogger,
Kylie Jenner, filled a bowl of candy, put it in front of her toddler and told her that
she can have some if she waits for her to return from the bathroom. The kid was
then given the test to refrain from (忍住) eating the candy until her mom returned.
The interesting part was that Jenner filmed the whole process to see if her kid
passed the challenge and managed to keep herself from eating the candy.

When Jenner left, the little girl Stormi tried her best to stay strong. Eyeing the
chocolates, she nearly grabbed one before restraining herself. When I saw her cute
face twisted, mumbling “patience, patience” to persuade herself not to eat any, I fell
about laughing ( 大 笑 ). Finally, when Jenner returned, Stormi squealed in
excitement and leapt toward the chocolates. (最后，当 Jenner 回来时，Stormi 兴
奋地尖叫起来，向巧克力跃去)

I was amused by the setting of the challenge. As an adult, I can barely stay
disciplined when faced with such snacks, not to mention a little toddler. For her, it’s
both a test and torture. Yet, it was her adorable reaction and self-control that
amazed everyone, including me. (强调句：然而，正是她可爱的反应和自我控制
能力让屏幕前的其他人包括我都感到惊讶)
(1) Why do people like to use social media?
Social media has become a must to people, and there are several reasons why
people like to use them. First of all, people could send messages and receive a reply
in a minute, which saves a lot of time compared with making a phone call or
sending an e-mail. For another reason, people have been more dependent on the
Internet than ever, and we feel free when surfing the internet, we could see
whatever we are interested in and say anything without thinking too much about
others. However, I think we should be less reliant on social media despite its
convenience. Face-to-face communication is more important after all.

(2) What kinds of things are popular on social media?

In nowadays society, almost all social activities could be done on social media.
Here are some popular things on it. The first thing that I want to mention is the
short videos. Tik-Tok is now world-famous with over 500 million active users
every day. The short videos involved all aspects of our daily life from travelling to
education. So people are keen on watching them. Besides, news is also popular
among people. Users are eager to be up to date with the world, so they pay much
heed to the news every day. I agree that social media is important and convenient,
but people should also use them in the right way.
19. 禁用手机的场合
Describe an occasion when you were not allowed to use your mobile phone
You should say:
When it was
Where it was
Why you were not allowed to use your mobile phone
And how you felt about it

两个月前的一天，我去工作地附近的瑜伽训练班体验。在做冥想练习时被要求不许使
用手机，因为冥想要求精神全面集中，而手机会是一种干扰。
由于手机是我接触各种外在信息的至关重要的来源，所以一开始我很不习惯。但后来，
在课堂音乐的氛围里，我的精神逐渐集中在自己的身体上，接着在老师带领下，逐渐
沉浸到了她描述的环境中，慢慢忘记了对手机的依赖，体会到了彻底的放松。这次不
允许使用手机的经历让我认识到，我们应该避免将所有时间花在手机上，花一些时间
放松自己。

Two months ago, I went to a yoga class near my workplace after work. It was my
first experience of yoga, and during meditation practice, we weren’t allowed to use
our mobile phones.

In fact, the teacher asked us to turn them off and put them in the storage box
outside the training room. The reason for this is that meditation requires us to
concentrate on our minds, and mobile phones are a distraction, so they’re not
allowed in the classroom. It is vital that no one uses their phone in the class in order
to keep the environment quiet.

It was extremely difficult for me to be apart from my phone. For me, it is a vital
source of information, including news and communication with friends. Not used to
it at first (定语前置：一开始我很不习惯), I was worried about missing important
calls and messages, and even thought I could hear it ringing from time to time. But
later, in the atmosphere of classroom music, I tried my best to focus. Under the
guidance of the teacher, I gradually immersed myself in ( 使 沉 浸 在 ) the
environment she created, slowly forgetting about my dependence on my phone, and
completely winding down（彻底放松） .

This was the first time that I was forbidden from using my phone. It was after this
experience that ( 强 调 句 ) I realized that endlessly using one might be fun and
entertaining, but it will also keep you in a state of stress. We shouldn’t use them so
much, and we should spend some time doing other activities instead.
(1) How do young and old people use mobile phones differently?
Recently the government released a file to the whole society to call on people to take
extra care of the old people when they are required to use mobile phones. You know,
in China everyone should show a special scan-code as a passport to public places such
as shopping malls, hospitals or libraries. It’s no big deal to young people, but it’s a
tough task for the old generation. Young people and the old use mobile phones quite
differently. Young people depend on them to do everything from shopping to working,
while the old only use them to make a phone call, so the old generation feels it hard to
live in the internet era. So I think we should do something to help them to get
accustomed as soon as possible.

(2) What positive and negative impact do mobile phones have on friendship?
A mobile phone does have an impact on friendship. For one thing, it brings people
closer to each other by creating more chances for communication. In addition, there
are many things that people could share through mobile phones such as a funny game
or a beautiful picture that would push friends to share the same interest. However,
every coin has its two side, mobile phones sometimes have a negative impact on
friends. For example, online chatting via text messages is not as vivid as face-to-face
talk, so it’s more likely to make some misunderstanding between friends.
20. 安静的地方
Describe a quiet place you like to spend your time in
You should say:
Where it is
How you knew it
How often you go there
What you do there
And explain why you like the place

我喜欢在家里的阳台上独处，因为住在老旧房子里，通风不好没阳光一股子霉
味。10 岁生日搬家的时候有幸得到了一个小阳台，不大但足以让我心动不已。
在那里我家人不打扰我，我每周末可以看书浇花，有时候就只是沉浸在秋日微
风之中。阳台是我自由和隐私的象征，因为现在人都被噪音和负面情绪裹挟，
很少有机会给自己充电。若是没了我的阳台，我是很难活力满满地去面对生活
中的困难的。

Well, this topic reminds me of several relaxing afternoons on the balcony at my

place. The reason why I fancy my balcony is that I used to live in a
poorly-ventilated and stale flat where the sunshine was rarely seen（通风不好没阳
光一股子霉味） . So, since my childhood, I'd been longing for a grand balcony
decorated with flowers and armchairs.

Fortunately, my dream came true on my 10th birthday, as our whole family moved
to the new house. Hardly had I entered the new place did I rushed towards the
balcony which seemed tiny but fairly breathtaking. （倒装：一进门就冲向了小而
令人心动的阳台） With no doubt, it is a fantastic place for me to take a rest on
weekend afternoons.

The most reassuring thing is that my parents won’t disturb me because staying on
the balcony is a signal for them to leave me some private time. After being
overloaded（过载） with knowledge at school, that is the very place which I could
chill out （放松一下）and recharge myself（给自己充电）. I read novels, water the
flowers and have a snack. Sometimes I simply stayed there to immerse myself in
the gentle autumn breeze and enjoy the tranquility. （沉浸在秋日微风中享受独处
的安静）

The balcony is a symbol of my freedom and privacy. Nowadays a majority of

places are congested with noise and negativity（被噪音和负面情绪裹挟）, which
means there is little room left for individuals to loosen up their nerves and examine
themselves（放松神经，审视自己）. So thanks to my balcony, without which（没
有 它 就 … ） I would not have been so many difficulties energetically and
confidently.
(1) Is it hard to find quiet places in cities?
Cities have always been related to noise because there is the hustle and bustle
around all cities. It’s true that people living in the cities are trying to find
somewhere peaceful to relax. It’s not easy in the past because most people were
still struggling to survive. But things changed a lot in recent years, people have
been aware of the importance of pacing down, so quiet places in cities are
blooming such as galleries, museums as well as different kinds of coffee shops
where people could appreciate artworks quietly without being disturbed. I think it’s
beneficial to people.

(2) Why is it quieter in the countryside?

The countryside is quieter than the city, there are many reasons for this. First of all,
there are fewer people in the countryside who contribute to less noise. More and
more people moved to the city for better living conditions, so the countryside is left
empty. Second, life is dull compared with that in the city. In the countryside people
only work, stay with family and then take part in activities outdoors. But in the city,
life is richer and more colorful, so it’s less peaceful. Lastly, there are fewer cars and
vehicles in the countryside, which made it quieter.
21. 喜欢的歌手或演员
Describe your favorite singer or actor
You should say:
Who he/she is
What his/her personality is like
What kinds of style his/her music/acting belongs to
And explain why he/she is your favorite singer/actor

我最喜欢的歌手是 Lady Gaga，她是一个充满激情和冒险精神的人，此外，她

也非常有才华因为她从四岁开始弹奏钢琴。Lady Gaga 的音乐风格类似于 80
年代的经典流行音乐和 90 年代的欧洲流行音乐。我喜欢 Gaga 的理由有很多，
其中包括她是一个很棒的歌者，她的舞台表现能力很强，此外，她的歌曲的
MV 都有很强的叙事性。最后一点理由是她很关心她的粉丝，我的人生梦想就
是去观看她的演唱会。

I would like to talk about my favorite singer, Lady Gaga, who is a famous and
successful artist from America.

Lady Gaga is passionate and adventurous, often opting to seek new ways of
thinking 选择寻求新的思维方式, rather than following a typical plan. Besides, she
is also extremely talented as she has been playing the piano since the age of four.
She was clearly born to play music. She is so naturally gifted at playing the
instrument that she sometimes has a weird approach to it.

Her vocal ability is often compared to that of Madonna, while her style of music is
said to be similar to 1980s classic pop and 1990s Europop. Her music’s critical
reception 批判性的接受, her sense of fashion, and her persona are all combined in
her musical form.

I love Lady Gaga for numerous reasons. First of all, she has an incredible voice.
Her singing talent sometimes goes unnoticed 被 忽 视 as everyone’s too busy
watching her dance or judging what she’s wearing. Secondly, there’s never a dull
moment 沉 闷 的 时 刻 when she’s on stage because she loves being theatrical,
dramatic and creative when it’s her turn in the limelight. She can pull off an
awesome live performance as though she’s on Broadway. Last but not least, she
genuinely cares for her fans. Not only has she spent thousands on pizza for her fans
waiting to get signed autographs, but she’s even brought them up on stage with her.
This intimate and emotional moment at her Born This Way Tour in Rio proves just
how passionate the singer is about her fans.

Sadly, I have never been to one of her concerts, but it is my life dream to see her
perform live.
 (1) What kind of music do people like at different ages?
People of different ages like different types of music. The old generation like our
granny, tends to like those songs composed during the world war because they were
born during a chaotic time, so they would recall the old memories by listening to
such music. While for the adults like our parents, they tend to appreciate the music
in a more diversified form. For example, my mother likes both Chinese folk songs
and country music in the west. For our generation, hip-hop is becoming more and
more popular. But all in all, music is an essential part of our life because it not only
fulfills our heart but also represents a period in history.

(2) What kind of music is popular in China now and what kind will be in the
future?
Chinese ancient music has been widespread with the popularity of short videos.
Many young people even dress themselves to cosplay the Han dynasty in China.
It’s acknowledged by authorities and there are some festivals to celebrate such
activity. The ancient Chinese music was composed with beautiful lyrics that were
chosen from old Chinese poems. I like it too. I think it could help to spread Chinese
culture to the whole world. Thus, I believe this kind of music will also be popular
in the future because the lyrics are so eye-catching, and people could imagine we
are brought back to history. It’s awesome. However, we should also be alerted of
bawdy music.
22. 街市购物
Describe a time when you bought something from a street (or outdoor) market
You should say:
When it was
Where the market was
What you bought
And how you felt about it

在疫情爆发之前，我去了一次德国，在法兰克福的跳蚤市场我买了一条古董项
链。这个跳蚤市场就在街边，人特别多，卖什么的都有，非常热闹。首饰，衣
物，甚至还有古董家具。我在一个小摊上看到了一条银项链，不过由于时间的
关系，看起来已经很旧了。但是我第一眼就喜欢上了这条项链，回国后，我还
拿去专业的首饰店进行清洗，现在它已经闪闪发光像新的一样了。我特别喜欢
这条项链，我总是不停地想是谁曾经拥有过它，它又经历了什么呢。

Before the epidemic（疫情）, I traveled to Germany and bought an antique necklace

at a flea market（跳蚤市场） in Frankfurt.

The efficient（严肃的） Germans really show their romanticism in their outdoor

markets. To attract a large number of tourists and locals, they sell all sorts of
interesting items and antiques that you wouldn’t really find elsewhere. You can find
anything in their street markets. In addition to vintage-style clothing, there are old
books, paintings, ceramics, silverware, jewelry, old records and even big antique
furniture. What surprised me most was seeing vendors selling German sausages and
beer! It was like a street party!

I wandered around the different stalls until I spotted a silver necklace. The necklace
looked very old but it still caught my eye（吸引了我的目光）. The pendant of the
necklace was a round coin-like thing with portraits on both sides. Although I didn't
recognize which country the coin was from, or whose heads the portrait showed, I
could feel the mystery and beauty of it. The stall owner asked for 10 euros, which I
thought was very cheap for a silver necklace. I fell in love with it at first sight（一见
钟情）, so I immediately took out my wallet and bought it.

After returning to China, I took the necklace to a professional jewelry store to be

cleaned, and now it is shining like new. I love it so much and I can’t help but
wonder（情不自禁地想） who has owned it and what it has gone through.
(1) What kinds of markets are there in China?
In cities, there are big shopping malls where people can find all kinds of shops
selling clothes, shoes, accessories, cosmetics and there will always be restaurants
and cinemas as well. And supermarkets, where people can find almost everything
from clothes, beddings to all kinds of food. And we’ve got food markets as well.
These markets are always in roofed open space instead of in buildings with walls.
At food markets people can find vegetables, fruit, poultry, and some cooked food
like roasted duck. In some less developed rural areas, these used to be a special
kind of market. It’s like, people gather on regular days, for example, on Sundays, to
trade food, poultry and other living necessities. But nowadays these markets are
gradually disappearing, because now the transportation is more convenient and
people can go to nearby towns to buy stuff or they can just choose online shopping.

(2) Do you think small markets will disappear in the future?

I’m not sure, but I guess in China they will not, because not all places can have big
markets like those fancy shopping malls. I think big markets are always located at
places with a big population, but obviously there are thousands of small cities in
our country, and tens of thousands of villages as well. In smalls towns and rural
areas, small markets will always have their places because people need them, like
the food markets I have mentioned. In small cities like the place where I grew up,
people go to food markets instead of supermarkets to find their everyday food,
because there are only a few supermarkets in this city but food markets are
everywhere.
23. 不太成功的经历
Describe a time when you tried to do something but was not very successful
You should say:
When it was
What you tried
Why it was not very successful
And how you felt about it

这让我想起了去年夏天的一次面试，当时我在网上投递了自己的简历并收到了
HR 的面试邀请。于是我尽全力为面试做了很多准备。小心翼翼地结束面试之
后，我却收到了 HR 的拒绝邮件。我没被录用的主要原因是我缺乏足够的相关
工作经验，并且在面试中过于紧张以至于经理认为我不能胜任。收到邮件的那
一刻，我非常沮丧和绝望。但当我仔细回想 HR 的回复和建议时，我释然了，
虽然我没有得到这个实习机会，但是在准备过程中，我收获了更多对工作、对
面试的经验。

Well, this reminds me of an interview I had last summer, which was an

unsuccessful experience that disappointed me. At the time, I sent my resume online
and received an interview invitation from their HR department. Being both excited
and nervous,（伴随状语：既紧张又兴奋） I checked the invitation again and again
because it was a very precious opportunity. I had been looking forward to
participating in the company’s summer internship for so long.

So, I tried my best to prepare for the interview. I first searched a lot of information
about the company on the Internet, and collected questions and problems
encountered by previous interviewers. Then, I asked some seniors about the content
and requirements of this internship in order to find out something that could meet
these requirements from my past experience. I even bought a formal suit and
spruced up （ 打 扮 整 齐 漂 亮 ） for the interview in the hope of making a good
impression on the interviewer（希望给面试官留下好印象）. After scrupulously
finishing the interview, which was absolute torture, I received a rejection email
from HR. The main reason I was not hired was that I lacked sufficient relevant
work experience. Also, I was so nervous during the interview that the manager
thought I was not qualified for the position.

Tears streaming down my face（眼泪流下来，独立主格）, I was very frustrated and

desperate the moment I received the email. But when I carefully reviewed HR's
suggestions, I sighed with inward relief after releasing these emotions（在释放这些
情绪 之后内 心 释然 地长出 了一 口 气 ） . Although I did not get this internship
opportunity, I gained more understanding about work and broadened my horizons
in the application process.
(1) What’s your definition of success?

In my opinion, knowing what I really want and living a life that I really want is
success, although it seems very hard to achieve. Sometimes I feel that although we
live in a world where we seem to be free to choose many things, like we can choose
where we live, or who we are married to, but actually most of the time we are
making choice as we are expected to: we study hard to go to good universities, then
we find a well-paid job because this is the way to achieve so-called success. But is
this really what we want? The success in other people’s eyes? Not necessarily. For
me following my own heart is more like success.

(2) What things do children try to succeed in?

I think most of the children just study very hard to be “successful”. Like I
mentioned, we live in a world where power and money are worshiped, and it is
believed that going to a good university and finding a well-paid job is the way to
power and money and success. So, children are pushed to study hard, they believe
or they are made to believe that only if they succeed in school, they can succeed in
the future. Besides this, some children also try to be successful in their hobbies,
singing, musical instruments, etc.
24. 学习工作之余的活动
Describe an activity that you do after school/ work
You should say:
What it is
When and where you do it
Who you do it with
And how you feel about it

我喜欢做瑜伽。听起来有点不像我的年龄，但是我喜欢这种安静的运动。我一
般在最后一节课下课后会直接去学校外面的瑜伽馆，我在那里办了会员。有的
时候我会和室友一起去，不过大多数时候都是我一个人去。我喜欢安静地享受
身体被拉伸的感觉，每次做完瑜伽后我都觉得身上轻松了不少。我很喜欢这个
活动。

I like to do yoga after school. This activity sounds a bit incompatible with（不符合）
my age because many people may think that I like playing badminton or staying in
the dormitory to play online games after class, but I actually enjoy this quiet
exercise.

Yoga originated in（起源于） India. Its postures use ancient but easy-to-master（易
于 掌 握 的 ） techniques to improve people's physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual health. It is an exercise that achieves the harmony and unity of body, mind
and spirit（达到身体，心灵和精神的和谐统一）. Yoga includes body-adjusting
techniques, breathing-adjusting exercises and mind-adjusting meditations（冥想）
to achieve unity of body and mind.

I usually go directly to the yoga studio outside the campus after the last class about
three or four times a week. I signed up for a membership（办理了会员）for 3 years
so the fee was very cheap. Another advantage is that there are not many students
who like to do yoga, so every time I go, it’s pretty quiet, which is very suitable for
（适合） quiet practice. I like to practice with a teacher because they can guide my
breathing and observe my movements so that I can do various movements correctly.
Sometimes I go with my roommate, but most of the time I go by myself.

I like yoga very much because I like to quietly enjoy the feeling of stretching（身体
被拉伸的感觉）, and every time I do it, my body feels so refreshed. Also, since I
started going, I feel that I have become thinner and more confident!
(1) Why do some people enjoy extreme sports?

Well, I suppose that the main reason should be what people can feel when doing
extreme sports. You know, extreme sports are often exciting and exhilarating,
which is an attraction for people, especially those sensation-seekers. They can
forget those stressful things for the moment when doing extreme sports, like
bungee jumping, sky-diving, etc. At that moment, people can yell shriek, and even
cry out, and this is a nice way to vent, to release all their pent-up emotions. In
addition, more and more people are challenging themselves by doing these extreme
sports. It offers an opportunity to overcome inner fears, and it's just the expression
of individuality.

(2) Are men more likely to do extreme sports than women?

Well, to be honest, I think it’s a very strange distinction to make. It is difficult to

use gender as a differentiating condition. Actually, I think it just varies so much
from person to person. Probably, many women don’t like extreme sports, but
meanwhile, there are a lot of women who are really fans of extreme sports, and
they can do those sports even better than men. And I think the same thing applies to
the men. This conclusion might be true that men are more likely to do extreme
sports than women, largely because men are often stronger than women and have
an advantage over them in terms of physical strength. But it is not absolute. If a
woman is a thrill seeker and has enough courage and determination, she would be
more likely to do extreme sports than most men. So I think the men-women
distinction is not a good one to make here.
25. 告诉朋友实情
Describe a time when you told your friend an important truth
You should say：
Who your friend is
What the truth was
What your friend’s reaction was
And explain why you think it was important to tell your friend the truth

向朋友坦白我在看心理医生
我在上周告诉了我的好朋友 Cathy 一件非常重要的事实：其实我一直看心理医
生。我一直没有告诉她是因为不想让她为我担心。Cathy 追问了我很久我最近
为什么情绪不好，我才告诉了她。她非常感谢我愿意和她分享这个实情，她认
为我对她有足够的信任才会这样。然后，她花了很长的时间听了我的故事。我
认为告诉她我的心理的创伤就等于认证她为我最亲密的人之一，这对我们两都
非常重要。

My friend Cathy is one of my best friends who I’ve known for more than 10 years.
She’s such a trustworthy（值得信赖的） person that I tell her everything about my
life. However, I did keep one secret from her （对她保密）, but last week, I decided
to tell her my secret and a very important truth about me: I've been seeing a therapist
（心理咨询师） for a long time.

I didn't tell her in the beginning because I didn't want her to worry about me. Also, I
was afraid she would treat me like a patient afterwards. She noticed that I’d been
down（情绪不佳） for a while and asked if I was willing to share my feelings several
times. So, I finally told her all about it after a session with my therapist because my
decision to believe in her would be the first step in releasing my emotions instead of
holding them back.

Fortunately, Cathy was more than grateful that I was willing to share this truth with
her, and that I had enough trust in her（足够信任她） to do so. She then spent a long
time listening to my story, comforting me and supporting me. I thought that telling
her about my trauma would be like certifying her as one of my closest friends, which
was very important for both of us. Actually, my father doesn’t support my decision to
see a therapist because he thinks it’s a waste of money and that I’m just too sensitive,
so I really appreciated it when Cathy showed her understanding. I’m so glad and
proud of myself that I told her the truth.

(1) Do you think we should tell the truth at all times?

I don’t think so. Sometimes, white lies are beneficial for all parties in a certain
conversation. The truth hurts on some occasions. For example, if you tell a
 5-year-old girl that her mother who lives in another city passes away, she would
probably cry and become sad for a long time. But if you say her mother goes to
heaven because she becomes an angel, it will be another story for the girl. Even
the girl found out the truth when she grows up, it is good for her to believe in the
idea that her mother went somewhere better in this stage. “White lies” are
kindness in some cases.

(2) How do you know when others are telling lies?

When people are telling lies, research says that they will look to the right up
corner. It is a very interesting fact and I have examined it several times. It
actually worked! Therefore, if I want to find out if a person is telling a lie, I
would look into their eyes and observe if they are looking in a certain direction.
This is just a trick, but most of the time I cannot tell whether the person is telling
a lie or not. If I found that what the other person says contradict my knowledge, I
would not regard him as a liar, but I will try to verify the truth with others.

(3) Do you think it’s more important to win a game or follow the rules in sports?
I believe it is more important to follow the rules in sports. Sports are made of
rules. If we do not follow rules, it is meaningless for the players or athletes to
compete. Also, following the rules is showing respect to other athletes. If we won
a game by breaking rules, it is not glorious. It is like cheating on an exam. If no
one finds out, you are lying to yourselves. If your misconduct is found out by the
school, all the grades you got will be cancelled. No matter what, breaking a rule
in order to win is a silly thing to do.

(4) Sometimes people should tell lies. Do you agree?

I agree. Sometimes people tell lies just to make everyone’s life easier. This kind
of lies will not hurt anyone, this is the number one rule. However, this highly
depends on the situation because in many cases, the boundaries of good lies and
bad lies are blurred. We must keep in mind that “white lies” are acceptable, but
integrity is one thing we can never forget. Only “white lies” should be permitted,
and we should never make excuses that “I’m lying for your own good” to benefit
ourselves. I truly believe that we should always be upright people for all time.
26. 现场体育比赛

Describe a live sport match that you have watched

You should say:
What it was
When you watched it
What it was like
And how you felt about it

看英超足球比赛
我记得上高中的时候去英国旅游，曾经看过一场英超足球比赛，阿森纳对切尔西。
这场比赛是德比战，非常的激烈。很多球迷去看比赛还有支持自己的球队。比赛
很精彩，两支球队轮流得分，难分高下。切尔西最后赢得了比赛，我很兴奋。尽
管我不是一个足球迷，但英国本土的足球文化很独特，我看的很过瘾

A live sports event that I attended was a football match in London. It was about four
years ago when I went to the UK with my family for a vacation. We did some
sightseeing and shopping, and on the fourth day after we arrived in London, we
watched a football match together. Actually, I’ve never watched any live sports
matches in China, so I was pretty excited.

It was a Premier League game (英超比赛) between Arsenal and Chelsea. This was a
highly anticipated game because there was a lot of trash（流言） talk between the two
teams in terms of who would be the best team in London. The stadium was packed
with people on matchday and there were many supporters from both teams, and
everyone wore their team’s shirts. Most of the fans sang songs to support their teams
and the atmosphere was quite amazing. Everything was pretty exciting. When one
team scored, the crowd cheered and it was a really cool derby match（德比战）. In the
end, Arsenal came out on top.

Personally speaking, I’m not a big fan of football but the match was still very
enjoyable for me because of the vibe and all the tension building up to the game, and I
was delighted that the Arsenal team eventually came through（艰难胜出） because
they deserved their victory. It was a wonderful feeling. I think that’s the thing about
sport - you don’t have to be a fan or a player to enjoy a good sports event.
(1) Do you prefer to watch live sports or watch it on TV?
Well, if I were to pick, I would probably go with watching live sports. It’s simply
because it provides audiences with an excellent and thrilling atmosphere. Like the
supporters in the stadium would sing songs and cry out to support their teams. And
you can actually get involved in the sports game. Apart from that, you will have the
opportunity to see your favorite sports stars in person. You know I feel that it’s not
that exciting to watch sport on TV. A lot of advertisements would pop in during the
match. So I am gonna go with watching live sports.

(2) Why do some people like to watch live sports?

Um. I suppose the main reason is that it provides audiences with an excellent and
thrilling atmosphere. Like the supporters in the stadium would sing songs and cry out
to support their teams. And you can actually get involved in the sports game. Like I
watched national basketball matches in my hometown a few times. I would say that is
a great way for people to relax and have a good time. Just like other entertainments
such as concerts and movies. Besides, you will have the opportunity to see your
favorite sports stars in person. So I guess those are the reasons why people enjoy live
sports.

(3) What kinds of sports do Chinese people like to watch?

Actually, there are quite a few differences among different groups of people.
Generally speaking, most male audiences enjoy watching intensive sports like football,
basketball and tennis. You know NBA games and Premier League have become the
most popular sports events in China. Those games are highly anticipated, and each
team has a huge number of fans here in China. What’s more, superstars like Messi and
Ronaldo are becoming the icon as well. But there are also other people who enjoy
watching slow sports such as golf and snooker. I guess it’s probably because some of
them are a great fan of those sports.

(4) Do you think competition is good for students?

Well, in my opinion, most competitions are beneficial to students in general. Whether
it’s about the academic, about sports and about creativity. I suppose students can learn
lots of things from all kinds of competitions. Like in sports competition, they can
learn about teamwork and fighting spirit. I believe that most competitions require
students to take challenges and with tackling all the barriers, they can be more
confident in their future career. Plus, competitions always force you to develop your
potential in order to win. So I think students somehow learn how to deal with
pressures.
27. 发挥想象力

Describe a time you needed to use your imagination

You should say:
When it was
Why you needed to use imagination
How difficult or easy it was
And explain how you felt about it

发挥想象力给侄子编故事
大概两个月前，我的表哥和表嫂出差了，他们拜托我照顾好他们的儿子。我的侄
子不好照顾，很爱玩也很喜欢听故事。他让我给他讲故事，我真不太会讲。所以
我就编了个故事讲给他听。对我来说这还挺难的因为我从小就不爱看故事书。经
过这次经历我深切感受到照顾小孩的不容易

Every time I have to tell stories to my nephew I need some imagination. The last time
was about 2 months ago. My nephew’s only 4 and a half and he’s already quite a pain
（让人头痛的家伙）. My older brother had an urgent business meeting, and his wife
was out of town, so he asked me to take care of him.

It was my first time being alone with a kid this young and I didn’t have any
experience with kids. My nephew loves stories so he asked me to tell him one. I
couldn’t think of any to tell him so I decided to make one up (编一个). I remember
when I was young, I was pretty good at imagining all kinds of stories, so I tried to
remember those childhood tales that I made up when I was young.

After the story, my nephew wanted me to tell him another one, and it was a big
challenge for me because I’m not good at making up stories now that I’m older. I
tried so hard to make one up that could engage his attention and at the same time
teach him something.

After this experience, I asked my brother how they put up with（忍受） all this and he
said they’re used to it. I suppose that’s the thing about having kids - these are things
we have to deal with. Now that I think back, I feel really bad for my parents because
they had to deal with me as well.
(1) Do you think adults can have lots of imagination?
Well, I suppose there is no connection between the two. I mean, the age has nothing to
do with the amount of imagination. Children and old people could have a lot of
imagination as well. I think this has something to do with education background and
professions. Like for example, artists and designers are quite creative and they have
had more inspiration to create artworks. So they might have more imagination than
normal people. Another great example is the story writers. They have way more
imagination than ordinary people for sure since they have to write new stories
regularly.

(2) Do you think imagination is essential for scientists ?

Um. I guess imagination is not that necessary in terms of scientific areas. I don’t think
their work requires a lot of imagination. I mean, a scientist requires lots of qualities
like diligent, meticulous, intelligent and being patient. You know, scientists usually
have a heavy workload every day and they have to write lots of reports and do tons of
experiments. In addition to this, strong academic skills are also required to be a
scientist. However, compared to the scientist. I guess imagination plays a more
important role in professions like artists and story writers. Because those jobs require
creation.

(3) What kinds of jobs need imagination?

Well, to be honest, I am not an expert in that area, but I believe that there are quite a
few jobs that require imagination. Especially for many creative professions. Like for
example, artists and designers are quite creative and they have more inspiration to
create artworks. So they might have more imagination than normal people. Another
great example is the story writers and magazine authors. They have way more
creativeness than ordinary people for sure since they have to write new stories
regularly. So I guess those jobs I said earlier would require more imagination than
others.

(4) What subjects are helpful for children's imagination?

Um. I feel that there are actually quite a few subjects that are good for children’s
imagination such as art and music. It’s commonly believed that learning how to paint
and how to compose songs can enhance people’s imagination. It’s simply because
those subjects require children to have a creative state of mind. They have to use their
imagination to create a new piece of artwork in the class. So it would somehow help
to improve their creativity and imagination. Besides that, science subjects like biology
are also beneficial to their imagination as well. Because students can do many
hands-on experiments.
28. 许下的承诺

Describe a time you made a promise to someone

You should say:
What the promise was
To whom you made it
Whether it was easy or difficult to keep
And explain why you made it

对外婆许下却没能兑现的承诺

我记得我在去年春节的时候，我向我外婆做出了一个承诺：每年要回家看她至
少 3 次。但是，维持这个承诺真的非常困难。我在上海工作，回家看外婆的话
需要花 5 个小时在路上。平时我的工作很忙，没有办法抽出时间，只有在放假
的时候才能有机会放松一下心情。在假期里，我更希望去和朋友一起出去旅游。
去年，我只回了家 2 次，还觉得已经尽了自己最大的努力。我许下承诺的目的
也是想让外婆开心一些，却没有好好想自己到底能不能做到。下次许下承诺的
时候我要三思，许下不能实现的承诺还不如不要说。

I remember making a promise to my grandmother during the Spring Festival last

year that I would go home to visit her at least 3 times a year. But gradually, I
realized that it was impossible to keep my word.

You see, I’m working in Shanghai and it takes 5 hours to get home to see her. I
have a very busy schedule in the week, so there’s no way to spend time with my
family. Only on holidays can I have the chance to see them.
However, during holidays, I prefer to travel with friends, so last year I only went
home twice but felt I had tried my best（尽力了）.

I made the promise because I wanted to make my grandmother happy, but I didn't
really think about whether I could fulfill my commitment. She was very sad when
she heard that I couldn’t go home at the end of December because she knew that if I
didn’t go home during New Year, she wouldn’t see me until Chinese New Year. She
even prepared a lot of treats for me and waited for me to get home because she
assumed that I would keep my promise. I felt guilty when I let her down（让她失
望 ） . I had to call her again and again to explain until she forgave me, but the
damage had been done. I'll think twice（三思） before making a promise again. It's
better not to say anything than to promise something I can't keep.
1. What kinds of promises do people often make?
People always made easy promises like “Let’s have lunch or dinner together next
time” but “next time” never came. I think this is a kind of promise that does not bring
any consequences if not kept seriously. Sometimes, they are just a sign of being nice
but do not actually mean anything. Also, people like making promises that will not be
realized in a short time, like “I will lose 10 kg weight by the end of 2022” and any
kind of new year resolution. They are good wishes for themselves, and making this
kind of promise makes people feel good about themselves.

2. Do parents in China make promise to their children?

I usually hear parents promise that they will buy gifts for their children if they can
meet their demands. For example, my father used to tell me that he would buy me a
Barbie doll if I can practice the piano 5 times a week. This trick actually worked! I
truly believed in this promise and tried hard to impress my father and kept mentioning
this promise to him. I did not remember if he kept the promises, but I can tell every
parent that promises mean a lot to a child. This is a great way to motivate a child to
improve himself.

3.Do children keep their promises?

Yes, definitely. I think children take promises seriously. Only when children grow up,
they gradually find that it does not hurt that much if you break certain kind of
agreements and they start to follow what the adults do – failing to keep promises. I
think children are born to be kind and righteous, and they look for order and discipline
in the chaos in this world. I really hope in one’s adolescence, no one will show up and
tell them to comprise what they originally believe, and then he or she becomes an
upright adult who takes promises seriously.

4. Why do some people fail to keep their promises?

Because they did not realize the weight of their commitments. If we do not have
punishment for breaking promises, people can fail to keep them easily because there
are no serious consequences. However sometimes, people break promises not because
of their own will but the environment has a lot of impacts. For example, I fail to keep
my promises of visiting my grandmother in the Spring Festival in 2020 because of
Covid-19. I apologized but my grandmother did not blame me at all. I sent her gifts to
make it up and she was very satisfied and showed off the gift to her friends.
29. 对家庭重要的东西

Describe something important that has been kept in your family for a long time
You should say:
What it is
When your family had it
How your family got it
And explain why it is important for your family

扫地机器人
有一样东西对我家庭很重要，就是我家的扫地机器人。4 年前我们一家人参加
了一个科技展，我们在抽奖的环节抽中了大奖，这台扫地机器人就是奖品。在
这之前我都不知道有这种科技的存在。直到使用过之后，我们一家人都觉得这
机器人太实用了，它清洁得很干净。而且还节省了很多做家务的时间。

Something my family has kept for a long time is a cleaning bot. It’s a robot that helps
sweep the floor. My mom and I got it as a prize when we attended a convention.
About 4 years ago, I went to a tech show with my mom and there was a lucky draw
(抽奖), and to my surprise, my number was called out! I’d never won anything before,
so it was unbelievable.

When I went to receive the prize, I found out that actually I won the grand prize（大
奖） which was the cleaning bot. I didn’t know such a thing existed. It didn’t look
like a robot to me, in fact, it just looked like a round plate with wheels that moves
around your apartment. It turned out that it’s extremely useful and practical because it
has sensors（探头） that detect（探测） objects, so it’s able to efficiently clean the
floor.

Since having this cleaning bot, my life has become a lot easier. I used to sweep the
floor every morning but with this gadget, I just have to turn it on and it will do
everything for me. I’ve now started to embrace（接受）other robots. We’ve had it for
many years now and it’s become a necessary part of our life. In my mind, it really
helps to save us the hassle of （免去....的繁琐）doing part of the housework.
(1) What things do families keep for a long time?

Well, people do keep things for a long time and I suppose family would keep things
that are memorable and maybe useful. For example, many families in China would
keep old photos of family members. Most of these photos really capture the most
important and happiest moments, like the photos taken at the wedding and the photos
taken at the graduation ceremony. Another thing that has been kept by the family
would be something that is useful and durable, like the furniture and the ornaments at
home. I guess it’s mainly because most people get used to their living environment
and they would consider those things as treasure.

(2) What's the difference between things valued by people in the past and today?

Well, I guess it’s actually quite different. Back in the days, the most valuable things
for people were mostly material stuff such as luxurious handbags and supercars. You
know, those things were quite precious in the past and most people were not able to
afford them. However, that is quite different nowadays. People are no longer keen on
fancy items, they value things that are more important and down to earth. Like people
care about their health, their relationships with families and friends. Because those
things are priceless and they should be the most valuable things.
30. 给别人建议

Describe a time when you gave advice to others

You should say:
When it was
To whom you gave the advice
What the advice was
And explain why you gave the advice

上个假期，我的朋友想和家人一起去西安旅行，但是过去参加旅行团的困窘经历
让他们放弃了被旅行社安排的行程，而对自助旅行产生了兴趣。我是自助旅行的
爱好者，有比较丰富的安排行程的经验，自然成为了她求助的对象。基于我准备
自助旅行的经验，我建议她从观光、住宿、交通和饮食四个方面查阅相关的旅行
网站和书籍，并推荐了两个预定住宿的 app，推荐了值得游览的景点和主要的地
方特色美食。我认为设计行程本身就是一段旅行体验的开始，准备的过程不仅是
了解旅行背景知识的过程，更是通过自己的努力，将对于旅行的个性化期待一点
点变成现实的宝贵经历。

The modern era has witnessed enhanced social respect for individuality (现代社会对
个性愈发尊重), with DIY, in other words, “do it yourself”, being a popular keyword.

In this context, characterized by independence and freedom, DIY trips, or

self-designed trips, have become an important option for modern citizens. Last
summer vacation, my best friend planned to travel to Xi’an with her family, which
was the capital of the 13 dynasties (十三朝古都). However, severely bothered by her
previous travel experience with a tourist group, she refused to endorse faith in any
arranged travel plans and instead developed an interest in DIY trips. Personally, I’m a
DIY trip lover with rich experience having planned my own trip on several vacations.
Besides, my past two trips to Xi’an also enhanced my credibility (变得更加可靠) as a
reliable source of information. Based on my previous experience of DIY trips, I
advised her to search for information in four major areas, namely sight-seeing,
transportation, accommodation, and food. I also recommended two reliable mobile
apps for booking hotels. Moreover, drawing inspiration from my own trips to Xi’an, I
recommended several tourist sites and local dishes that she couldn’t afford to miss. To
avoid the drowsiness and fatigue of a tight travel schedule, I also suggested that she
optimize the route and schedule based on the physical conditions and daily routines of
her family (虚拟语气，优化路线和行程), especially the elders.
So, cut a long story short, I was passionate about sharing my experience of DIY trips
with my friend, in the firm belief that planning the trip itself was the very start of a
meaningful journey. The preparation not only enables us to acquire background
knowledge about the trip, but also furnishes a valuable opportunity to transform our
individualized expectations about travelling into reality.
 (1) What are the personalities of people whose job is to give advice to others?

People whose job is giving advice to others such as psychologists and consultants
might be generous and accommodating, and they might show greater interest in
solving problems that others met than they do their own. I think this type of person is
usually very organized and also good at playing a very supportive role with others
because they are normally very caring, thoughtful and compassionate. What’s more,
they are patient and tend to be good listeners. For instance, psychologists are always
patient with people who suffer from mental illnesses, listen carefully to those stories
and then give feedback to help their patients solving problems.

(2) What are the problems if you ask too many people for advice?

As far as I am concerned, there are some disadvantages if people keep asking different
people for advice. First, people might be increasingly reliant on others and eventually
unable to think independently. Of course, sometimes there are various problems in our
daily life and we cannot solve all of them, then we have no choice but to turn to our
families or friends for help. However, in the long term, we are easy to form a bad
habit and ask for help as long as we encounter difficulties. Besides, so many
suggestions are likely to muddle our minds, which hardly solves problems but makes
things worse.
31. 电脑罢工
Describe a time when your computer broke down
You should say:
When it was
What you were doing
What you did about it
And how you felt about it

上网课的时候
这次疫情来了之后，我们学校所有的课都改成网课了。事情就发生在上周三，
我在家里用电脑上学校的网课，突然电脑就黑屏了。不管我按哪个键都没有反
应，重启也没用。我很着急，因为马上就要期末考试了。我打电话给懂电脑的
表哥，按他的方法去操作也没用。然后只能抱着电脑找到了维修店，他们也用
了两个小时才修好。我觉得很懊恼，因为电脑出问题没能上到课。不过好在我
的好朋友帮我录了屏，我晚上在家又补上了缺掉的课。

After the outbreak of the epidemic （疫情爆发） , all classes in my school were
delivered online.

So, last Wednesday morning, I was using my computer at home to take an online
class, which I remember was a math class. I’m not really good at maths and the
teacher was talking about the content related to（有关…的内容）the final exam, so
I was really concentrating（专心做某事）. Suddenly, the screen went black! No
matter which key I pressed, there was no response. Even though I pressed restart, it
was useless. I was very anxious, because the final exam was about to come（即将到
来）, and obviously I didn't want to miss any of the class. My parents weren’t at
home, so I immediately called my cousin who knows computers and I operated the
computer as he suggested. Unfortunately, his method didn’t work. He suggested
that I go and find a repair shop straightaway（立刻） because only they could fix it.
So, I immediately took a taxi to the nearest repair shop.

After inspecting the computer, the staff told me that one of the wires in the
computer was broken, and this wire was connected to the screen, which is why my
computer had a black screen. They nearly spent two hours fixing it, by which time
my class had unfortunately finished.

I felt very annoyed because it wasn’t my fault, and I started worrying about the
exam. Fortunately, my best friend in the class noticed that my computer had a
problem, so she recorded the class and I was able to make up（补偿） the rest of it
at home that night.
(1) What do people use computers for?
People can do many things with computers. For example, after the outbreak of the
epidemic, online learning has become very popular. You can find almost
everything on the Internet. No matter what you like or want to know, you can help
yourself with just a click. Secondly, online shopping has also become an
indispensable activity in people’s life. If you have a computer, you can use online
shopping to realize the idea of shopping without going out. Also, many young
people use computers to play games. There are many games on the computer, they
can choose according to their age and preferences.

(2) Should students be allowed to use computers at school?

I think students should not be allowed to use computers at school unless the
computer is equipped by the school and is a necessary tool for classes. First of all,
if students are allowed to bring their own computers instead of using the
computers provided by the school, the school cannot know and control the
software installed by the students on their computers. If used in class, students can
play games or chat online. Students using their own computers is the precise
reason why the school cannot monitor the screen. This undoubtedly gives students
a reason not to participate in classes, which is very detrimental to their studies.

(3) What do you think of people who are addicted to computers?

Internet addiction is very harmful. It makes people lose their eyesight, have
circadian clock disorder and neurasthenia, and even reluctance to communicate
with others. Many computer-addicted teenagers have poor communication with
others and even their parents. They tend to be emotionally unstable, irritable,
changeable and lack of self-control. Therefore, I think, for people who are
addicted to computers, we should help them to control themselves, use the Internet
correctly, pay attention to the combination of work and rest, get close to nature
and cultivate a positive and optimistic attitude.

(4) Do you think computers make our life simpler or more complex?
It depends. Let me give a simple example. In the era when there was no computer,
when people wanted to look up information, they needed to go to the library and
read books or magazines to get information, and most of the information was out
of date. With a computer, we only need to click on the page or enter what we want
to check in Google to find thousands of web pages containing the information we
want. It seems that our life has become a lot easier. But in fact, the information
contained in these web pages does not all match the information we want. Instead,
people need to spend more time to get rid of irrelevant contents, which makes our
life more complicated.
32. 无聊的经历
Describe a time when you felt bored
You should say:
When it was
Who you were with
What you were doing
And explain why you felt bored

上周参加中秋节的家庭聚会，来了几个很久不见的远方亲戚。我本来就不是非常
外向，见到不是很熟的人更是找不到话题。长辈们似乎聊得很开心，但是跟我年
龄相仿的，工作比较忙的表姐和准备考研的表弟都没有参加，所以这几个小时对
我来说非常无聊，只好趁爸妈不注意偷偷玩手机。

Last week I was forced into a family reunion party, like, literally forcibly dragged
there (被强行拖到那里) by my mum, because as you may have noticed, I’m not a
terribly extroverted (外向的) person. I’m even worse before meeting people I don’t
know well. Unfortunately, several distant relatives came for Mid-Autumn, you know,
cousins of my father, twice removed (隔两支的旁系血亲) sort of relatives, people I
barely even know.

And of course, just like what happens at a typical (典型的) Chinese family party, the
elderly get almost disturbingly excited and enthusiastic as they eat and drink, whilst I
just can’t find any topic with which I can communicate with them for more than five
minutes. Tragically, my cousin, who’s already started working, was too busy to attend,
and another younger one was studying round the clock preparing his exams for a
postgraduate programme (硕士研究生项目), which left me the only one there from
my generation.

After a while, they started asking me very personal questions, like ‘have you got a
boyfriend’ or ‘are you planning to get married’, and so on. I mean, I can understand
their concerns, but first, it’s none of their business, and second, I don’t even talk about
these topics with my parents. Anyway, I managed to get out of their interrogation and
find a window (找机会) to play with my mobile for a little while before my parents
could notice. Seriously, those three hours were like hell to me. It was just way too
tedious.
(1) What can people do when they feel bored?
Well, I believe there are a number of activities that people can do when they get bored.
They can watch their favorite movies, listen to some music, take a bubble bath, or just
stay with their pets so as to have fun. Besides, they can have video calls with their old
friends or just play games online. In the long term, they can also develop some skills
such as doing yoga, playing the piano or guitar and so on, because doing these
activities can not only make people happy, but also help them develop a useful skill to
improve themselves.

(2) Do people get bored about daily routines?

It depends. Some people including me do not think daily routines are bored because
we just get accustomed to them. For example, every morning when we get up, the first
thing that comes to our minds might be brushing our teeth or drinking a cup of water.
We won't really feel bored you know since it has been a part of our daily life and we
can’t live without it. But I have to admit, it sometimes feels like we’re unhappy when
we don’t want to go to school or work but have to do it, then I think at this point,
we’ll feel bored and a little bit irritated at the routine.