八年级初中英语阅读范文 第二课.docx

八年级初中英语阅读范文 第二课
Interesting Ice Cream
Summer has gone, but the taste of ice cream is still there in our minds. What kinds of ice cream did you have this summer? What flavors did you try?

This summer, Moutai ice cream came on the market in China. There is Moutai in the ice cream. Some people asked, “Does having Moutai ice cream before driving count as drunk driving?” Well, there is only about two percent of Moutai in the ice cream. But still, it’s better not to drive after eating it. Also, people under 18 mustn’t buy it.

There are also other interesting flavors. A cultural and creative store named “Pick up the Past Time” in Beijing offers flavors like Douzhir and Erguotou. Chongqing is famous for its spicy food. So spicy chili oil ice cream is popular in the city. People wait in lines to get the ice cream. In Taiyuan, Shanxi, people can buy a vinegar-flavored ice cream. It’s better to buy a bottle of cold vinegar drink, too. It is a good match with the ice cream!

The ice cream of different flavors makes our mouths water. It also offers us a chance to spread traditional food culture. Isn’t it funny how meaningful little things such as ice cream can be?

Virtual Humans
The age of the virtual human is here — are you prepared?

Virtual humans never age or die. They can not only do what cartoon characters do, but they can also do what humans do!

The most commonly seen virtual humans are virtual idols. Virtual idols sing and dance and talk to people. They usually have their own identities. Some of them are students, such as Tsinghua’s Hua Zhibing; some are singers like Ling Yuan yousa; some are characters from books, TV shows or computer games like Barbie and Seraphine; and some don’t even look like humans, such as Nobody Sausage and Good Advice Cupcake. There are real people working behind the virtual idols. These people have their own talents like singing, dancing or working with technologies. It needs a team of talented people to create a virtual idol.

Virtual humans can do jobs as well as humans. They can be reporters, spokesmen, designers, TV hosts, actors and actresses, etc. Tencent once created five virtual humans to work for the company. They have different skills and there are different technologies behind each of them. Another virtual human, Xiaozheng, works as a reporter and astronaut.

Virtual humans improve a lot of things. They are easy on the eye. They use their skills, identities and personalities to help people and cheer people up. And with the help of the people behind them, the virtual humans make the world a better place.