You want your children to do well in school. You want them to have nice friends and interesting hobbies and to not go out with strangers. You may even want them to be happy. But in this computer game, you can always start over with a new digital child if things don't work out as planned.
A new game in China puts players in control of those most fearsome of characters: Mom and Dad. The mission? Raise a son or daughter from kindergarten to college.
In a nation of famously demanding, scolding and, yes, sometimes loving mothers and fathers, the game, Chinese Parents, is a hit. Since its release in September, it has found a huge audience on Steam, an online marketplace run by the American game maker Valve Corporation. There are no official figures for how many people have downloaded the game but it has caused heated discussion online while earning tens of thousands of reviews.
Yang Gee Yelling, a founder of Moy wan Games, the independent studio that developed Chinese Parents, said he hoped to produce an English version this year. The success of the game, which costs $9. 99 to play, does not appear to be driven by people hoping to exact revenge for their own upbringings. Quite the opposite: Some fans have written that, by letting them experience childhood from their parents' perspective, it had moved them to tears.
"I used to not understand many things my mom made me do when I was little, "said Kang Shang hero, 19, a professional blogger in the northeastern city of Qinhuangdao. "But when I play the game and try to increase figures for my son so he can unlock more achievements and marry the prettiest girl in school, start to understand my parents more.
All the joys and trials of raising children are here. Players choose between pushing their digital generation to attain conventional success and allowing them some appearance of childhood innocence. They must give career guidance and tolerate (just barely) their teenager's first dates. Everything leads up to the gaokao, the highly competitive college entrance exam that decides the fortunes of so many young Chinese people.
1.What's the function of the first paragraph?
A.To attract readers to the topic. B.To present the parents' expectations.
C.To arouse argument among readers. D.To state clear fact.
2.How do we know this computer game Chinese Parents is popular?
A.It is produced as expected.
B.It has aroused heated discussions and received many comments online.
C.Many parents have been engaged in playing this computer game.
D.It is hoped that an English version of this computer game will come out this year.
3.What's the author's attitude towards this computer game?
A.Pessimistic. B.Cautious.
C.Supportive. D.Disgusted.
4.What's the author's purpose in writing the text?
A.To introduce the computer game Chinese Parents.
B.To encourage children to play this computer game Chinese Parents.
C.To persuade parents to be strict with their children.
D.To let parents understand their children better.
A
I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.
I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.
It takes confidence to make a new start — there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published ,
I put it aside.
Then I met an agent（代理商）who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.
The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal — that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.
It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck — of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding.
1.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?
A.I was waiting for good fortune.
B.I was trying to find an admirable job.
C.I was being aimless about a suitable job.
D.I was doing several jobs for more pay at a time.
2.The author decided to write a novel ______ .
A.to finish the writing course
B.to realize her own dream
C.to satisfy readers’wish
D.to earn more money
3.How did the writer feel halfway with the novel?
A.Disturbed. B.Ashamed. C.Confident. D.Uncertain.
4.What does the author mainly want to tell readers in the last paragraph?
A.It pays to stick to one’s goal.
B.Hard work can lead to success.
C.She feels like being unexpectedly lucky.
D.There is no end in sight when starting to do something.
What’s On?
Electric Underground
7.30pm－1.00am Free at the Cyclops Theatre
Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an exciting evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract(合同)? If so, come early to the talk at 7:30pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce you music.
Gee Whizz
8.30pm-10.30pm Comedy at Kaleidoscope
Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00pm with drinks and snacks.
Simon’s Workshop
5.00pm-7.30pm Wednesdays at Victoria Stage
This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.
Charlotte Stone
8.00pm-11.00pm Pizza World
Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.
1.Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?
A.Jules Skye. B.Gee Whizz.
C.Charlotte Stone. D.James Pickering.
2.At which place can people of different ages enjoy a good laugh?
A.The Cyclops Theatre. B.Victoria Stage.
C.Kaleidoscope. D.Pizza World.
3.What do we know about Simon’s Workshop?
A.It teaches comedy writing. B.It lasts three hours each time.
C.It is run by a comedy club. D.It is held every Wednesday.
Travelling with friends can be an absolutely amazing experience where you could make lifelong memories or it could end up ruining your friendship. 1. Here are some rules you should follow to make sure your next trip with friends goes as smoothly as possible.
2. Sure，you and your friends probably have some similar interests，but that’s not always the case. In an effort to keep everyone happy，go over travel plans and expectations ahead of time. Have each person categorize activities or sights into“must—see”“want to see”and“would go if we have time”. Plan accordingly and make sure everyone can see some of their top attractions.
·Communicate and respect each other. Everyone has personal preferences when travelling—from getting the bed closest to the bathroom or sitting in the airplane’s window seat. But sometimes things don’t go as you like. In this case，share your requirements directly with your travel companions. 3. Have a conversation when problems arise，for communication is the key.
·Don’t disappear. When travelling with a group—or even just one other person—you may want some alone time. That’s completely fine，but make sure your friends know where you are and have a way of contacting you. 4.
·Get off your phone. Of course，your friends will understand if you need to take a call from a family member，or in the event of a work emergency，but other than that，try to stay off your phone. 5. After all，the appeal of this type of trip is to spend time with friends. Just enjoy it!
A. Give each other some space.
B. Include at least one activity for everyone.
C. And remember that consideration and respect go a long way.
D. At the same time，listen to their concerns and be respectful of them.
E. Don’t respond to non-urgent work contact or send messages frequently.
F. It’s especially true of travelling in foreign countries or unfamiliar places.
G. So it's important to make sure you and your friend(s)are on the same page.
We’ve all experienced peer pressure (同伴压力) . It happens to everybody. However, people have different reactions. Confident people refuse to do things they don’t want to do, but shy and anxious people often give in. It may be because they want to be liked. It may be because they worry that their friends will make fun of them, or perhaps they’re just curious about trying something new. 1.
It’s hard being the only one who says no and the question is: how do you do it? 2.
If you think that missing maths, or smoking, or going somewhere you know your parents wouldn’t like is a bad idea then the answer is simple: don’t do it. It’s your decision, nobody else’s. You don’t need to be aggressive. You don’t need to shout and scream, but you must be confident and you must be firm. You need to say, “No thanks. I don’t want to do that.”
Being on your own against everybody else is very hard, so it can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who will say no too. 3.You want friends who will support you when you’re in trouble. You don’t want people who will always agree with the majority. Remember, the most popular people aren’t always the most trustworthy.
4. You can learn a lot from people of your own age. They can teach you great football skills or the best way to do your maths homework. They can recommend music and advise you on fashion. And don’t forget you can tell them things too, and that always feels great. So, find friends who have similar interests. And remember, friendship isn’t about feeling depressed and guilty. 5.
A. It may be because they were all born to be stubborn.
B. Depression and guilt will surely give you peer pressure.
C. Whatever the reason, some people end up doing things the really don’t want to.
D. Of course, peer pressure isn’t completely bad.
E. Choose your friends carefully.
F. Firstly, you must decide what you believe in.
G. It’s about sharing experiences and having fun.
Bad communication, either written, oral, or body language, can send the wrong message in more ways than one. Here are some tips that will improve your communication skills.
1. Stand up straight, and it will show confidence. Smile, and you will seem approachable. Don’t cross your arms over your chest, because this tells people you disapprove. Keep your hands to your side, or if you are sitting, keep them in your lap.
Have confidence when you speak. If you are shy and quiet，project your voice. 2. Never turn your head away from someone when you are speaking to them, because it may show them you don’t care enough to give them your full attention, and it will make it harder for the other person to hear what you are saying.
3. If you always say “I’ve no idea of it”, it will make others feel like you don’t care enough to give a response, or that you aren’t knowledgeable enough to answer. When people ask questions, they want answers. 4. Say something like “I’m in the middle of something, can I get back to you?” or “I don’t want to ill advise you, let me find out for you.”
In written communication, always he clear. Before you send an e-mail, or any type of written communication, read over it at least once, to be sure it makes sense. 5. Written forms of communication can be tricky, because there is no way to put your tone of voice in, so if you feel like you are writing a message on a touchy subject that could he misunderstood, it’s probably best to have a face to face conversation.
A. Have good body language.
B. Listen to the person attentively.
C. Never answer with “I don’t know”.
D. Don’t give the person you are speaking to a quick response.
E. Always look the person in the eye when you are speaking to them.
F. If you aren’t sure it’s clear, have someone else read it before you send it.
G. If someone puts you on the spot, you don’t have to answer them right away.
