Harbin’s enchanting Ice Festival draws record crowds and sparkles with winter magic

admin 2024年4月17日

Beginner

world news, world news - beginner

©REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Have you ever heard about an event called the Ice Festival?
Have you ever participated in snow activities?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

border /BAWR-der/

[noun] – the line separating two countries or areas
The river forms a natural border between the two countries.

sculpture /SKUHLP-cher /

[noun] – the art of forming solid objects that represent a thing, person, idea, etc. out of a material such as wood, clay, metal, or stone, or an object made in this way
The artist displayed a beautiful sculpture of a horse in the gallery.

attend /uh-TEND/

[verb] – to go to an event, place, etc.
Many students attend the weekly science club meetings after school.

tourism /TOOR-iz-uhm /

[noun] – the business of providing services such as transportation, places to stay, or entertainment for people who are on vacation
The city’s economy relies heavily on tourism, with many visitors exploring its historical sites.

social media /SOW-shuhl MEE-dee-uh/

[noun] – forms of media that allow people to communicate and share information using the internet or mobile phones
She discovered the news about the festival through social media, where people were sharing pictures and stories.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

Harbin, a city near the Russian border in China, is currently hosting its stunning annual Ice and Snow Festival, which spans a vast area of 810,000 square meters. Lit up with colorful lights, the festival features an impressive 250,000 cubic meters of intricately carved ice sculptures, some reaching several stories high. These sculptures depict Chinese-style buildings, fairy-tale castles, and even a captivating rendition of Beijing’s iconic Temple of Heaven. People can enjoy delightful ice slides for both kids and adults, adding to the festival’s popularity. This year, around 30,000 visitors attend daily, a significant rise from 2018’s 18,500, leading to fully booked hotels and a substantial boost to Harbin’s tourism.

Harbin in Heilongjiang province has become a winter hotspot, drawing over 163,200 visitors to the New Year’s Ice and Snow Festival, generating 46.18 million yuan ($6.45 million). Termed an “ice and snow miracle,” Harbin is now a sought-after destination, especially for visitors from warmer regions, fueled by captivating stories on social media. This transformation marks a thriving phase for the city’s growing “ice and snow” economy, adding allure to its identity.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

Harbin is located near the Russian border in China.
The Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin features 300,000 cubic meters of intricately carved ice sculptures.
The sculptures at the festival depict only Chinese-style buildings.
The number of daily visitors to the festival has decreased from 2018 to the present.
The article suggests that the growth in tourism has had a negative impact on Harbin’s economy.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

border

sculpture

attend

tourism

social media

The travel agency uses various platforms of ___________ to promote exotic destinations and attract more customers.
The _________ between France and Germany is marked by the Rhine River.
The government is investing in infrastructure development to enhance the overall experience for _________.
It’s essential to _________ the safety seminar to learn about emergency procedures and protocols.
The art museum is displaying an exquisite marble _________ created by a renowned sculptor.