“Funny”, a made-in-China emoji, seems to have recently moved beyond China. Now, it is more than an emoji, but a cultural expansion.

l Reaching Global Markets

A series of “funny” emoji-based bolsters (抱枕) have attracted the attention of Japanese customers. Even if one bolster is more than three times as expensive as in China, it doesn’t kill their desires to buy it.One Japanese customer Miki said, “They are just so cute and I bought three bolsters at one time for my family. And every time I see them, my mood just brightens suddenly.”

A Japanese netizen Kiro Kara said, “I think the emoji implies very complicated meanings. My dad will send it when he doesn’t agree with someone but he has to say something and behave politely.”

l Addition to Domestic Social Media

Compared with Japanese impressions of the “funny” emoji, Chinese netizens prefer to use the emoji to tease one another on social media.

One commonly seen online comment is, “We strongly suggest stopping the usage of the emoji. Because every time other people send me the emoji, I feel very uncomfortable and consider myself as a fool.”

Regarded as the most popular emoji, the “funny” emoji has received much attention since its release in 2013. In fact, the “funny” emoji is the updated version of its original one; “funny” has a smiley mouth, two eyebrows and a naughty look. All these characteristics present users a sense of satire (讽刺).

l In Everyday Use Abroad

It’s not the first time the Chinese emoji takes the world stage. Earlier this year, one emoji from the Chinese basketball celebrity Yao Ming has been spread through the Middle East region. In a city in southern Egypt, Yao’s smiling emoji has appeared frequently in local traffic signs to remind people the road ahead is one-way. Many locals do not know Yao Ming but are familiar with his emoji and nickname “Chinese Funny Face”.

As a new online language, emojis have become a necessary part of people’s daily life, helping people express their views in a more vivid and precise way. Also, it can help foreigners learn about Chinese culture. But how to properly use “the fifth innovation in China” without hurting others and turn them into commercial advantages still need answers.

21. Why do the bolsters attract Miki’s attention?

A. They are inexpensive. B. They help reach an agreement.

C. They help brighten the mood. D. They are helpful to express desire.

22. Emojisare so popular worldwide mainly because people use them to ______.

A. express their views more vividly B. present their sense of satire directly

C. imply very complicated meanings properly D. tease one another on social media purposely

23. The main purpose of the text is to ______.

A. promote the emoji worldwide B. teachus how to use the emoji

C. explain the meaning the emoji D. show us the popularity of the emoji

B

When school started on that warm August day, I threw myself into everything I did, including playing volleyball. I decided to become beautiful, or at the very least, skinny. I stopped eating completely. Soon I began losing weight, which thrilled me, and I even grew to love the tiredness and lightheadedness that came with my poor diet, for those feelings meant that I was winning.

As the season progressed, things had become tense between my head volleyball coach, Coach Smith, and me. She felt that something was wrong with my health. She talked with me about my eating and was angry that I wouldn’t listen to her when she tried to make me eat. She tried to persuade me in a determined way and so we fought constantly. Then my hunger started to affect my performance. I was so tired that practice and games were becoming a struggle. One afternoon, with hurt in her eyes, Coach Smith asked me what I had eaten and I told her nothing yet, but I was going to. She looked at me, disappointment in her eyes, knowing she couldn’t make me stop, and walked away.

A couple of weeks later I attended a formal dinner for our volleyball team. I stood there as my coach managed to say something nice about me. I realized then that I had ruined my senior year by being disrespectful, and I had probably ruined hers as well. So that evening I wrote her a letter apologizing and thanking her.

Then one Saturday, as I was reading in the library, I felt someone gently take my arm and say softly, “Lynn Jones, how are yodoing?” I looked up and saw the familiar face. “Thanks for the letter,” she said. “It meant a lot.”

When I think of a coach, I think of someone above me, someone who gives instruction—not a friend. But Coach Smith is different, and, like any other good friend, she dealt with my problem in a determined way even when I hated her for it at that time. I didn’t deserve her kindness, but she gave it anyway. I will forever be grateful for her help, and now for her friendship.

24. When the author ate a poor diet and had a sense of tiredness, she felt ______.

A. stupid B. proud C. funny D. nervous

25. The author fought with Coach Smith because ______.

A. she refused to go on a diet B. she caused failure of her team

C. she changed the training course D. she kept her idea of losing weight

26. Why did the author write a letter to Coach Smith?

A. She felt sorry for eating too little food.

B. She decided to improve her performance.

C. She was grateful for Smith’s care for her health.

D. She wanted to build a close relationship with Smith.

27. What is the best title for the passage?

A. Unexpected Friendship B. A Fight with My Coach

C. A Strict Volleyball Coach D. My Way of Losing Weight

C