Books, tech and Sydney... and Ozzy and The Hulk

Jul 27, 2025 9:16 am

This Week: Books, Tech, Tests and Sydney

Out of Changping and into Australia we go, as this week saw us finally post some videos from our recent trip Down Under. Not only that, after the movie we saw last week, we popped by the Huawei store to check out the newest of the new technology: the Matebook Fold. Big, expensive, and why would anyone use it?! Finally, this last week saw a couple of notable celebrities pass away, but who were they?

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🎥 This Week's Videos

📚 What makes a book worth saving? - Thoughts from Melbourne's Victoria State Library on preservation, access, and who decides what's worth keeping. 👉 Watch here
💻 Huawei Matebook Fold - Getting hands-on with Huawei's latest folding laptop technology—but HOW MUCH?!? 👉 Watch here
📝 Let's talk about the IELTS Band Descriptors! - A practical breakdown of IELTS scoring criteria for test takers. 👉 Watch here
🏙️ To Sydney! - Wandering through Sydney's downtown, from the Rocks to Chinatown and everything in between. 👉 Watch here
BONUS: Who were Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan?

📚 What makes a book worth saving?

Standing in "The Dome" on the second floor of Melbourne's Victoria State Library, surrounded by books that are off-limits, can’t help but wonder: what makes a book preservable? That is, why are some books saved and others are not? And who makes those decisions?

Should preserved books be in private collections or public? Should all books be accessible to everyone, all the time? And with digitalization changing how we read and preserve our books, is scanning everything a good way to keep them all safe?

What do you think? Are we saving the right things?

👉 Watch the full video

💻 Huawei Matebook Fold

I’d seen it shared on Threads before seeing it myself: the new Huawei Matebook Fold. The touchscreen, foldable tablet computer with a detachable keyboard. Whether landscape or portrait, the device seems to be compact except for the fact that it seems kinda delicate at the same time.

The price? 26,999 RMB for the premium model, or 24,000 RMB for the "cheap" one. That's about $6,000 Canadian! The technology is undeniably impressive, but at that price point, you really have to ask yourself if the convenience of a folding screen is worth the premium.

So, you getting one? Or waiting for Apple to release theirs?

👉 Watch the full video

📝 Let's talk about the IELTS Band Descriptors!

A look at the band descriptors that make up the IELTS scoring system. This broadcast looked through the difference assessment criteria involved and what it takes to “move up” the bands. One important thing to keep in mind is that it is NOT a knowledge test and is instead a language proficiency test, so you can basically say whatever you want as long as it makes sense.

However, it’s not always the language that trips candidates up, sometimes it’s nerves and lack of familiarity with the test itself.

Whether you're aiming for that 6.5 or pushing for an 8, knowing the descriptors helps you focus your preparation.

👉 Watch the full video

🏙️ To Sydney!

A wander through Sydney's center, taking in the essential sights of this harbor city. From the historic Rocks district where the city began, to Hyde Park Barracks, the ANZAC Memorial, through Chinatown, and ending at Hay Street Market—this is just a snippet of life Down Under.

👉Watch the full video

🏙️ BONUS: Ozzy and The Hulk

I almost feel silly for including this one in this week’s newsletter but, to say the least, two iconic representations of pop culture from the 1980s and early 1990s passed away.

Ozzy Osbourne, known as the “Prince of Darkness”, was the lead singer of a heavy metal band called Black Sabbath, though he also lead another band under his own name. He’s probably best known for crazed appearance, one that seemed to meld sinister and friendly all in one. From his onstage antics, to the music, to the reality show based on his family, Ozzy became recognized around the world as being the Father of modern rock. Do you know any of his songs?

Next was Hulk Hogan, a professional entertainment wrestler who is probably best known for taking wrestling into the mainstream. He’s the guy who was dressed all in yellow, has been bald since he was in his late 20’s, and sported a bleach-blonder handlebar mustache for his entire life. Part of the WWE (known as the WWF when I was a kid), Hogan wasn't just a wrestler, he also acted in a few movies and made public appearances... though almost always in character. Have you ever watched pro wrestling (not the Olympic-style, the scripted entertainment style)? I know it's not a very big thing in China at all.