small friends quiz +1 +2 +3 +4 -1

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT Big movies on a small budget. Do you need millions of dollars to make a movie? No. Do you need millions of dollars to make a successful movie? Most people would answer 'Yes' to that question. But would they be right? We're used to hearing about really expensive Hollywood films. The 1997 Oscar-winner Titanic cost $200 million to make, and more recently, Spider Man 3, one of the most successful films of 2007, had a budget of more than $250 million. To be successful, however, a film doesn't need to be as expensive as the big Hollywood blockbusters. An example of this is the 2010 movie Monsters, which cost less than half a million dollars to make. Monsters is set in Mexico and is the story of two people trying to escape from aliens and get back to the USA. The film won several awards and got very good reviews from many film critics-for example, the website Moviefone put Monsters at number 3 in its list of the best sci-fi films for 2010. How did they make the film so cheaply? First of all, it only took three weeks to film, and the film crew was just seven people in a van. Secondly, the man who made the film, Gareth Edwards. decided to film it with digital video, which is cheaper than the usual 35mm film. (The film equipment cost only $15,000 altogether) There is also the fact that they used real locations, not a studio. And the cast of the film were Edwards himself and two friends of his all the extras in the film were people who were just there, and they weren't paid. Most importantly, Edwards did most of the production work himself. He spent eight months editing Monsters and then five months creating the special effects. And he did it all at home on his computer, using non-professional software. The amazing thing is that the final film looks nearly as professional as big, fancy Hollywood productions. Not everybody liked Monsters, of course. One person said: "That's 90 minutes of my life that I'll never get back. But overall, it was very well received. And at least it wasn't expensive to make.

Growing up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a small city surrounded by endless plains, I've found unexpected echoes of home in China's smaller towns — from the warmth of locals in Huaihua, Central China's Hunan province, to the quiet charm of Yangshuo, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. With an itch to see more of China's lesser-visited regions, I began planning a trip to the northwest with seven friends — five Americans, one Pakistani, one Zimbabwean, and one Colombian. We bought round-trip tickets from Shanghai to Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, for less than $120 each. From there, we planned to rent a car and drive to Xining in Qinghai, then on to Qinghai Lake, and finally to Lanzhou, Gansu. To make that possible, several of us applied for Chinese driver's licenses, a process that involved translating our US licenses into Mandarin and passing a short test on traffic laws. Within a day, we were licensed. As we piled into two rental cars in late March to begin our eight-day journey, it became clear that this wasn't just a road trip — it was the culmination of our four years in China, the Mandarin we had so diligently studied, and our ongoing effort to contribute to US-China people-to-people relations. Right away, we drew curious reactions. At the Yinchuan airport, taxi drivers offered us rides into the city, only to stare in astonishment when we told them we had rented cars. "You're driving? In China?" one driver asked, visibly surprised. It was a reaction we'd encountered multiple times during our trip, as foreign drivers are rare in China, especially in remote regions. In Yinchuan, we stocked up on snacks and adjusted to the chilly desert air. From there, we headed west, navigating wide highways framed by dramatic landscapes: arid plains, jagged mountains, and occasionally, a herd of sheep crossing the road. The vastness of the Northwest was humbling — and as someone who grew up on the wide-open prairies of South Dakota, it felt oddly familiar. One of the highlights of our trip was camping by Qinghai Lake, the largest saltwater lake in China. A few summers ago, Santiago Solano, one of my classmates from the US, cycled from Xi'an in Shaanxi to Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region over the course of a month and met many kind strangers along the way. One of them was Geng San, a Tibetan lamb herder who managed a piece of land right next to Qinghai Lake and graciously invited us to camp there. "That's what China is — it's the people. The quiet generosity of an old Tibetan nomad who, years after we first met, still offered us a place to rest on his land," said Solano, who is also part of the group on this trip. But apparently, we underestimated just how cold it would be to camp next to Qinghai Lake in late March. It was deathly freezing. In preparation for the trip, we had ordered two tent kits and eight sleeping bags. However, when the temperature eventually dropped to — 10 C, all of us piled into the cars and turned the heaters on. So much for camping. From Qinghai Lake, we drove to Lanzhou, where we visited many food markets and tried every type of noodle on offer. Since we are college students, we rented a gaming hotel room — something I've only ever seen in China. At night, instead of attending local parties as we had before, we stayed in the hotel and gamed late into the morning. For me, the trip was as much about the journey as it was about the destinations. Driving through Northwest China gave us a unique perspective on the region's natural beauty and its people. At gas stations, shopkeepers greeted us with curiosity and kindness, often offering recommendations for nearby attractions. At roadside carts, we sampled local specialties, grabbing a quick skewer and a mango for the road. And at every stop, we were touched by the warmth and hospitality that make traveling in China so rewarding. As an American who has lived in China for several years, I'm often asked about my experiences here. Trips like this one remind me of the similarities between the two countries, despite their differences. Just as road trips are a quintessential part of American culture, they've become my favorite way to explore China. Whether it's driving through the rolling hills of South Dakota or the deserts of Ningxia, there's something universal about the freedom and camaraderie that come with having complete control over where you end up. Written by Charlie Howes, a 22-year-old American who has lived in China since 2019. He completed his final year of high school at Beijing No 80 High School and is currently studying at New York University Shanghai. He has founded a company in China focused on facilitating US-China trade and plans to continue living in Shanghai long term. He enjoys road trips, cycling around the world, learning languages, and meeting new people.

Dia for María Ratona was a cat named Mouse. She was small and gray, and had a tiny squeaky meow. She liked to sit in a hole in the shed wall. Ratona lived for a long time. Eight months ago, she died. I'm not sad anymore, but I think about her often. One day, Mamá was setting up Tía Teresa's ofrenda, a special altar, for Day of the Dead. Teresa passed away when I was a baby. "Mamá, can we celebrate pets?" I asked. "This is mostly for family, though I suppose Ratona was part of ours," Mamá said. "We can celebrate her the day before," I suggested. Later, Mamá and I went to the market in Puebla. We got paper banners, sugar skulls, and marigolds. On October 31, my friends came over. Adriana brought her dog, Sal. or Salt. She had a photo of Sal's sister, Pimienta, or Pepper, who died last summer. Gloria had a picture of Raúl the rooster, a pet she had lost. We set up the banners, marigolds. and photos where Ratona used to sit. "Once, Pimienta stole a pound of cheese from our cooler. She got into the trash and ate it later! I have cheese for Pimienta," Adriana said. "My mother makes pumpkin seeds for my great-grandfather's ofrenda. Raúl jumped up and ate them! My mother was so mad. I brought some for Raúl," Gloria said. "If someone had ice cream, Ratona went Squeak! Squeak! until you let her lick the bowl. I have ice cream for Ratona," I said. I gave Adriana and Gloria sugar skulls before they left. I thought about funny little Ratona. On the last day of celebrations, my family walked to the graveyard. Everyone from the area came. There were fireworks and even a band. Tía Teresa's gravestone was piled with flowers, sweet bread, and candles. Mamá smiled to herself. "One day, María, your Tía Teresa heard a tiny squeak coming from the grass. It was a little gray kitten. Teresa named her Ratona," Mamá said. She continued, "When Teresa died, I took Ratona. You loved her right away. You reminded me of Teresa." Everyone was laughing and dancing. I was too young to remember Tía Teresa, but we had both loved Ratona. That made me happy. Mamá took my hand. "I think it's time to dance!" she said.

Check reading comprehension of the following text:Last weekend was one of the most exciting weekends of my life. My friends and I decided to go on a hiking trip to the nearby forest. We started early in the morning, and as we walked, we chatted and laughed, enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing, and we felt free and adventurous. We were wearing comfortable shoes and carried backpacks with snacks and water. As we walked deeper into the forest, we suddenly heard a rustling sound in the bushes. We stopped and listened, and soon enough, a small black bear emerged from the trees. We froze, not knowing what to do, but our guide quickly instructed us to stay still and not to make any sudden movements. The bear seemed to be curious and sniffed around us, but eventually wandered off back into the forest. After the encounter with the bear, we were a bit shaken but also excited. We continued our hike, keeping a closer eye on our surroundings and being extra cautious. We talked about the bear encounter for the rest of the trip, and it became a story to tell to our friends and family back home. Even though it was a scary moment, it made the adventure even more memorable.

Food and Talk Top 10 Table Manners for Kids Wait for your turn. Avoid interrupting when someone else is talking. At the dinner table, you should wait your turn to speak when talking about news, friends, how school was, and other interesting subjects. Use please and thank you If you ask for seconds or ask someone to pass something, you should make your request with 'please'. You should also say 'thank you' to the person who prepares the meal, as well as those who serve you or pass you things. Chew with your mouth closed Take "just right" bites Chewing with your mouth closed and not talking when your mouth is full are two cardinal (基本的) rules of good table manners. You should also avoid stuffing your mouth. Remember to take small bites and never wolf down(狼吞虎咽) the food. One way you can develop this habit is to put your fork down between bites. You can even put your hands on your lap while you chew.

Catch up (with sb) – догнать, наверстать (в учебе, новостях) I ran to catch up with my friends. (Я побежал, чтобы догнать друзей.) She stayed late to catch up on her work. (Она задержалась, чтобы наверстать работу.) 2. Keep up (with sb/sth) – успевать, не отставать He walks too fast—I can’t keep up! (Он идёт слишком быстро—я не успеваю!) It’s hard to keep up with the news. (Трудно следить за новостями.) 3. End up – в конечном итоге оказаться We got lost and ended up in a different city. (Мы заблудились и в итоге оказались в другом городе.) 4. Bring up – поднять (тему), воспитать (ребенка) She brought up an interesting question. (Она подняла интересный вопрос.) He was brought up in a small town. (Его воспитали в маленьком городке.) 5. Show up – появиться, прийти He didn’t show up to the meeting. (Он не пришёл на встречу.) 6. Set up – организовать, установить They set up a new business. (Они открыли новый бизнес.) Can you help me set up the printer? (Ты можешь помочь мне настроить принтер?) 7. Take up – начать (хобби), занимать (место/время) She took up painting last year. (Она начала заниматься рисованием в прошлом году.) This sofa takes up too much space. (Этот диван занимает слишком много места.) 8. Turn up – появиться, увеличить (громкость) My keys finally turned up in my bag. (Мои ключи наконец нашлись в сумке.) Can you turn up the volume? (Можешь сделать громче?) 9. Hold up – задержать, поддерживать The traffic held us up. (Пробка нас задержала.) These pillars hold up the roof. (Эти колонны поддерживают крышу.) 10. Mix up – перепутать I mixed up the dates and missed the exam. (Я перепутал даты и пропустил экзамен.) 11. Put up (with sb/sth) – терпеть I can’t put up with his rudeness anymore. (Я больше не могу терпеть его грубость.) 12. Give up (on sb/sth) – перестать надеяться, бросить попытки Don’t give up on your dreams! (Не отказывайся от своих мечт!) 13. Build up – накапливать, развивать He built up his confidence over time. (Он постепенно развил уверенность в себе.) 14. Blow up – взорвать(ся), разозлиться The bridge blew up in the movie. (В фильме мост взорвался.) She blew up at me for being late. (Она на меня накричала за опоздание.) 15. Back up – поддерживать, делать резервную копию

Seasons Spring In the spring, fresh winds blow. We plant new seeds, and green buds grow. Eggs hatch open. Little chicks sing. The sun is out. It must be spring! The grass gets wet. Splish! Splash! Splish! When we step, we hear a squish. Summer Then summer is here and it gets hot. We are not in school. We play a lot. Bugs buzz and hum. The plants grow tall. Next to them, I look small. Summer goes fast, and when it ends, we will go back to school with all our friends.

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