📚 Advanced CET-4 Vocabulary & Core Expressions
🔑 CET-4 Core Phrases (Advanced)
reunite after a long absence（久别重逢）
share laughter and stories（分享笑声与故事）
create lasting memories（创造长久回忆）
celebrate in advance（提前庆祝）
welcome the new year with joy（带着喜悦迎接新年）
📖 Story｜A New Year’s Reunion at Hotpot
The first day of the Horse Year begins with gentle sunlight and an unusual sense of anticipation.
After weeks of separate schedules and unfinished conversations, my friends and I finally reunite after a long absence. By noon, we meet outside a Haidilao restaurant, laughing at how familiar everything feels.
Inside, warm steam rises from the hotpot, and the lively atmosphere immediately puts us at ease. As companions who have grown together through exams, failures, and late-night talks, we settle around the table without awkwardness.
We share laughter and stories while waiting for the food. Someone mentions that my birthday is coming soon, and suddenly the lunch turns into a small celebration. Candles appear, a song is sung a little off-key, and the moment feels unexpectedly precious.
The hotpot bubbles quietly as we talk about the past year — stressful finals, missed chances, and small victories. In this space filled with warmth and spice, every word sounds more sincere.
Being together brings a deep sense of comfort. There is no pressure to perform or explain ourselves. Time slows down, allowing us to create lasting memories.
As the meal continues, I realize how friendship continues to strengthen through simple gatherings like this. Happiness does not always arrive in dramatic ways; sometimes, it sits across the table, reaching for the same dish.
When we finally step outside into the cool afternoon, my heart feels full. The early birthday wishes, the shared meal, and the quiet understanding between us leave me with a lasting sense of fulfillment.
With friends beside me and joy in my steps, I am ready to welcome the new year with joy.
✦ Vocabulary Practice｜词汇巩固练习 ✦
Part 1 Fill in the blanks（语境填空）
Complete the sentences with the correct words from the story.
Sitting around the hot pot table with my friends instantly relieved my mental __________ after weeks of exams.
The laughter that night created an unforgettable __________ that none of us wanted to leave.
As midnight approached, we raised our glasses to __________ not only the new year, but also our friendship.
The warmth of the meal and companionship made the entire evening feel deeply __________.
Even though we were all busy with our own lives, the bond between us remained __________.
Part 2 Sentence Paraphrasing（句型改写）
Rewrite the following sentences using the words or phrases given.
The dinner helped us forget about academic pressure for a while.
(Use: temporarily)
We met to celebrate New Year’s Day and my birthday ahead of time.
(Use: in advance)
The friendship we share has lasted despite time and distance.
(Use: endure)
Part 3 Translation（中英互译）
那一刻，我意识到陪伴比任何仪式都重要。
10. 在新的一年里，我希望自己能更加坚定地向前走。
✦ Answer Key｜参考答案 ✦
Part 1
pressure
atmosphere
celebrate
meaningful
enduring
Part 2
The dinner helped us temporarily forget about academic pressure.
We met to celebrate New Year’s Day and my birthday in advance.
The friendship we share has endured despite time and distance.
Part 3
At that moment, I realized that companionship mattered more than any ceremony.
10. In the new year, I hope I can move forward with greater determination.
The New Year begins not with noise, but with warmth.
A table of friends, A boiling pot, And happiness worth remembering.
Happy New Year.
