【推荐3】The 16th Annual Our Own Words Teen Poetry & Fiction Writing Contest
Attention, teen writers!
Win cash, get published.
Entries will be accepted between March 8th and April 21st, 2015.
Awards ceremony at Lagerquist Hall, Pacific Lutheran University on December 27th, 2015.

Winning poems and stories will be published as written. Contest winners will read their work at the awards ceremony at Lagerquist Hall, Pacific Lutheran University on December 27th, 2015.
Your poems and stories will be judged on the basis of originality, style, general presentation, grammar and spelling. All entries will belong to Pierce Country Library System and will not be returned. Winners' names may appear in newspapers and on the Library's Website.
You may enter both the short story and poetry categories, but you can only offer one entry per category.
1. To enter the contest, you should

A．hand in a poem

B．be a teenage student from Pierce County

C．turn in published works

D．pay some entry fees

2. Your poem or story will be judged on_____.

A．how many words there are

B．when you hand it in

C．whether it is first written by yourself

D．what topic it is about.

3. What information can we get from the passage?

A．There will be 18 teenagers to be awarded in all.

B．Your work will be published in newspapers.

C．Your work will be returned to you if you fail.

D．Winners will be awarded prizes in more than half a year.

4. The passage can be classified as______.

A．a contest announcement

B．an official report

C．an art show review

D．an exhibition explanation

【推荐1】(You may read the questions first.)

Eye for an Eye William Ian Miller Analyzing the law of the talion–an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth---William Ian Miller presents an original thinking over the concept of “pay back”. “William Ian Miller has written a marvelous book that I found absolutely attractive. ---Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago $28.00: Hardback: 0-521-85680-9:304pp How New Language Emerge David Lightfoot In this pioneering study, David lightfoot explains how languages come into being, arguing that children are the driving force. Engaging and original, this book offers a pathbreaking new account of language acquisition, variation and change. $75.00: Hardback: 0-521-85913-1:208pp $29.99: Paperback: 0-521-67629-0:304pp A History of Modern Indonesia Adrian Vickers Although Indonesia has the fourth largest population in the world, its history is still relatively unfamiliar and understudied. Guided by the life and writings of the country’s most famous author, Pramoedya, Ananta Toer, Adrian Vickers takes the reader on a journey across the social and political landscape of twentieth-century Indonesia in this timely account. $70.00: Hardback: 0-521-83493-7:292pp $24.99: Paperback: 0-521-54262-6

Available at better bookstores and at www. Cambridge.org/us

1. The word “talion” in introducing the book Eye for an Eye is probably a concept of     .

A．medicine	B．trade
C．avenging	D．striving

2. The book entitled A History of Modern Indonesia has focused on     .

A．landscapes and tourist attractions in Indonesia

B．its fourth largest population in the world

C．its relatively unfamiliar and understudied economy

D．its social and political aspects in modern times

3. What do these three books have in common?

A．Their authors are introduced in detail

B．They all have a hardback and a paperback

C．Each of them is commented by a professor

D．They are published by the same publishing house

【推荐2】Buckingham Palace Tour

Watching the traditional changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace is a must when in London, and on this 4.5-hour you’ll get to experience this event, as well as other typical British traditions. The package combines three major attractions: the changing of the guard, a tour of the State Apartments and traditional afternoon tea. The guided tour passes through St. James Park before stopping to watch the guard ceremony with soldiers dressed in traditional uniforms, followed by entry into Buckingham Palace for an audio tour. After, travelers will head to a luxury hotel for traditional afternoon tea, scones and sandwiches.

Thames River Sightseeing Cruise

Afternoon tea is a British tradition, and to make this casual, elegant experience even more relaxing, you can combine it with a sightseeing cruise of London’s Thames River, the main waterway that flows through the heart of the city. Board a window-lined vessel for an hour-and-a-half voyage from Tower Pier to Westminster that includes traditional tea service with pastries, scones and sandwiches. The boat will float past iconic sites like the Tower of London, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, as well as Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre. On the return, feel free to wander the outside deck for photos and listen to informative commentary from the staff.

London Royal Parks Bike Tour

London has some spectacular parks that are located among the city’s most famous attractions and a guided bike tour is a fun and relaxing way to cover a lot of ground quickly and experience these lovely public spaces. The four-hour, morning or afternoon bike tour begins in Central London where bicycles and helmets are issued, followed by a leisurely ride through Westminster to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben with narration from the tour guide followed by busy Trafalgar Square. Next, the ride heads to all four Royal Parks: Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park and St James’s Park. Before returning to the start, riders can visit the Princess Diana Memorial at Kensington Palace.

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Day Trip

If you’re interested in exploring some of the world-famous attractions outside of London, consider booking the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Day Trip. The full-day tour departs from London in an air-conditioned bus, spans about nine hours and includes three of England’s architectural gems. The first stop is the Queen’s official residence: Windsor Castle for audio tours and a chance to see the changing of the guard followed be free time to explore the streets of Windsor. Next up is a visit to the mysterious UNESCO site of Stonehenge, followed by a walking tour of the city of Oxford. Along the way, the guide points out historical landmarks and other attractions and provides an in-depth commentary. Food and beverages are not included, but you can pick something up in Windsor.

1. Which tour is the shortest?

A．Buckingham Palace Tour.	B．Thames River Sightseeing Cruise.
C．London Royal Parks Bike Tour.	D．Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Day Trip.

2. All the above tours are in London, except________.

A．Buckingham Palace Tour	B．Thames River Sightseeing Cruise
C．London Royal Parks Bike Tour	D．Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Day Trip

3. If you choose the Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Day Trip, you may________.

A．see three gems	B．visit the Queen’s home
C．board a vessel	D．visit the Princess Diana Memorial

【推荐3】Listed as a World Heritage Site in 2001, Derwent Valley Mills has been described as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. It was here in the Derwent Valley that the essential ingredients of factory production were successfully combined. The World Heritage Site has much to meet all tastes and interests. There are walks and nature trails, shopping centres and high quality restaurants— all the ingredients for a great day out!

Wirksworth Heritage Centre A visitor centre which takes you from the Roman times in Wirksworth to the present day. Play the computer game and rescue the injured lead miner! Open: Easter Friday to September 30. Wednesday to Sunday inclusive. All hank holidays. 10:30 am- 4:30 pm. Last admission: 30 minutes before closing time. Admission: Free. Nearest TIC: Matlock Bath 01629955082

Derby Cathedral With its story going back to the tenth century, fascinating historic monuments and thriving contemporary life, Derby Cathedral offers a unique travel experience. Be sure to see the places of interest such as the early sixteenth century tower, the Bakewell Screen, Bess of Hardwick's Monument, Si. Katharine's Church, and Joseph Wright's tombstone. Guided tours are available for pre-booked groups. Open: Daily usually from 8:30 am-6 pm. Admission: Free. Guided tours— adults £3. 00, children £1.00. Nearest TIC: Derby 01332255802

Animal Farm A chance to meet some of Britain’s most endangered farm animals. Learn about their history, help with feeding and play with them in the petting area. Picnic on the open ground. There are children’s areas and roadside parking. Visit our website for the changing programme of special events and to meet our newest arrivals. Open: April to September 30, 10 am- 5 pm daily. October to Christmas Day and half-term holidays, 10 am -4 pm Saturday and Sunday only. Christmas Day to March 31, advanced bookings only. Nearest TIC: Castleton 01433620679

Carsington Water A reservoir with the superb visitor centre, shops and restaurants. Walking and cycling routes and many special events (phone for details). Cycle hire and water sports at the neighbouring centre. Open: Daily except Christmas Day. The visitor centre open daily from 10 am. Admission: Free. Parking fees apply. Nearest TIC: Ashbourne 01335343666

1. On which column of the newspaper can we most probably find this passage?

A．Entertainment.	B．Sports.
C．Travel.	D．Science.

2. Mr. Smith will pay        for the guided tour if he takes his wife and two children to Derby Cathedral.

A．£6.00.	B．£8.00.
C．£7.00.	D．£10.00.

3. What can we learn about four tourist attractions?

A．Wirksworth Heritage Centre has a short history.

B．A tenth century tower can be seen in Derby Cathedral.

C．Animal Farm runs a website to provide information.

D．Carsington Water is open from 10 am all year round.

【推荐1】Some jobs are so demanding that there is not a free moment to do something else than to recover and rest. Most physicians have great difficulty starting or even maintaining a hobby. But there are exceptions.

Take Menno Baars for instance. He works full time as a cardiologist(心脏病专家)in a hospital in Holland. "Full time" might still be an understatement-as a cardiologist he spends about 60 hours a week in the hospital. However，after a long day of work，he likes to come home and spend hours doing what is his great passion: painting.

How can he find the time and energy to live a life that few others can pursue?" "Actually it is quite simple. If you like what you do, you will find a way to do it. Don't get me wrong. I love cardiology, but it is not a very creative profession," says Baars."It is a specialty that is based on strict treatment guidelines, without much room for your own ideas and creativity. That is why painting as a hobby is so wonderful. There are no rules and I can do whatever I want."

Although there are no rules in painting, for Baars it is still some sort of a custom. The only thing that reminds the painter Baars of the cardiologist Baars is his white coat and his surgical gloves which he wears every time he is painting." I sometimes start at 10 at night and can continue working until 4:30 in the morning and still make it to work on time that same day," says Baars."That is the advantage of my training as a medical specialist. I get used to making crazy hours and long nights."

You would think that someone who is so driven by his passion for painting was already fascinated by art as a little kid." Not at all," says Baars unexpectedly." I never dreamed of becoming a painter. My parents expected me to finish college and pursue a professional career. I only realized my passion for painting after having completed medical school. Once I was attracted by a painting of Miro, but could not afford it. So I decided to paint myself. I just started painting lines, but within minutes a beautiful dove was on the canvas. I suddenly realized this is what I want to do."

A successful doctor. A successful painter. It seems unfair to have the two identities in one person. What do his fellow cardiologists think of his passion for painting？“They accept it and actually appreciate it as well. You see，if I was a cardiologist who provided suboptimal(未达最佳标准的)care for his patients，they would not agree. My chairman told me a few years ago in the hospital that he would rather see me reading cardiology books at night than see me holding a paint brush.”

“I used to pack a lot of ideas into each painting-different shapes，colors and so on. I still have tons of ideas，which is not the problem. But I do strive for more simplicity. To depict a simple idea clearly is my goal. Also my technique has improved over time. When I started out，the paint would sometimes flake(剥落)if the basis was not good，but that doesn't happen anymore these days.”

Menno Baars never has any doubts when he is painting. However，he does like the response he gets from the most important woman in his life. His wife is the first to see each newly-finished painting." Sometimes when I finish a new painting in the middle of the night, I wake her up to see if she likes it. She doesn't always like to be woken up, but she always gives an honest answer.

Even if she doesn't like it, for me the painting is finished. I won't change it afterwards. It is more of the feeling that once my wife has seen it, it is ready to be presented to the rest of the world."

1. Why does Menno Baars like painting?

A．Because he dislikes rules very much.

B．Because he feels bored with his work.

C．Because he wants to pursue a career as a painter.

D．Because he finds painting a creative process.

2. Baars wears his working uniform while painting to_______.

A．help him work late into the night	B．make himself feel easy and comfortable
C．remember his identity as cardiologist	D．remind himself to work on time next morning

3. Baars developed the hobby of painting _______.

A．when he completed a beautiful painting	B．when he was a very young child
C．to live up to his parents' expectations	D．to spend his leisure time at home

4. What is Baars' colleagues' attitude towards him?

A．They can't hide their envy at his success.

B．They don't expect too much of his paintings.

C．They think he should put his job as a doctor first.

D．They don't think he should spend time painting.

5. Baars is trying to make his paintings_______.

A．full of different colors	B．clearly convey a simple idea	C．special with creative ideas
D．improve with modern techniques

6. If Menno Baars gets a negative response from his wife, he_______.

A．will probably feel very disappointed	B．will still keep the painting and have it presented
C．will accept her advice and change the painting	D．will never ask for her opinion any more

【推荐2】It was about 10:15 p.m., when Janice Esposito arrived at the Bellport train station, New York, jumped into her Honda Odyssey, and began the 20-minute drive home. She’d just returned from visiting her mother. When she turned left on Montauk Highway, out of nowhere a car T-boned her minivan, forcing her backward some 100 feet onto the railroad tracks. She sat in the minivan, bruised (挫伤) but mostly shocked.

As it happened, Pete DiPinto, a volunteer firefighter and retired teacher, 64, was getting ready for bed. When he heard the noise of metal on metal and broken glass coming from not far outside his bedroom window, he grabbed a flashlight and, still dressed in his pajamas (睡衣), ran out of the door. “Any firefighter would have done that,” he later said. “We’re always on duty.”

The first car he came upon was the one that had hit Esposito. Once concluding the driver was OK, DiPinto looked around and spotted Esposito’s minivan straddling (横跨) the railroad tracks. And then he heard the bells signaling an oncoming train.

DiPinto dashed to the minivan and struck on the driver’s side window. She just looked at him, her eyes unfocused. “I don’t know where I am,” she said. “Honey, you’re on the railroad tracks,” DiPinto shouted. “We have to get you off right now!” He pulled on the handle, but the door was jammed shut. The heavy train, traveling at 65 miles per hour, was whistling toward them. DiPinto ran to the passenger side and threw open the door. He pushed aside the deflating (放气) airbags, grabbed Esposito’s arms, and pulled her across the seat and helped her out to safety behind a signal box a few feet away. Within six seconds, the train crashed into the minivan. “It was like a Hollywood movie,” DiPinto told reporters the next day.

The Ambulance chief told CBS New York, “The hero arrived in pajamas, not in a fire truck.”

1. What can we learn from the text?

A．Esposito was driving to her mother’s.

B．The car hitting Esposito had left the scene.

C．Dipinto was called to help Esposito.

D．Esposito was rescued by a retired teacher.

2. What does the writer intend to tell us?

A．Dipinto’s behaviour deserves respect.

B．Speeding and driving at night are not safe.

C．Carefulness is very significant while driving.

D．Every second counts in time of emergency.

3. Why did the hero arrive in pajamas instead of in a fire truck?

A．He’d just got out of bed.	B．He was careless.
C．It was urgent.	D．No fire truck was available.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．A Narrow Escape	B．A Brave Firefighter
C．A Terrible Accident	D．A Broken Minivan

【推荐3】Many of us have wondered what Earth is like beneath the surface. So have writers and scientists. In French novelist Jules Verne's masterpiece Journey to the Center of the Earth, explorers go down to Earth's center and discover amazing wonders.

But in real life, human beings haven't even come close to the planet’s core (核心). The core is over 6,000 km down. The deepest hole ever created, according to the BBC, is the Kola Superdeep Borehole in Russia, which only goes 12.3 km down.

So how do we know about everything down. below without any samples? One good way to start is to think about the Earth's density, Simon Redfern of the University of Cambridge in the UK told the BBC. ''The density of the material on Earth's surface is much lower than the average density of the whole Earth, so that tells us there's something that has greater density, '' Redfern said.

The challenge is to find out which heavy materials the core is made of. And the main material scientists have found is iron. The idea is that when Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, a lot of iron made its way down to the core, taking up about 80 percent of it. Today scientists are still working on finding out which other materials the core could be made up of.

You might also wonder how we know the size of the core. There's a one-word answer: seismology (地震学). When an earthquake happens, seismic stations around the world record the shockwaves it. sends throughout the planet. It's like hitting one side of the planet with a huge hammer and listening on the other side for the noise.

Early research found that some shockwaves, called S-waves, went missing. S-waves can only travel through solid material, but not through liquid, so they must have found something molten in Earth's center. By following the S-waves paths, scientists found out that rocks became liquid around 3,000 km down.

There are still many questions about Earth's core to answer. But the study of the dark world below isn't just for scientists' curiosity. The movement of Earth’s molten iron core builds up a powerful magnetic field. It protects us from radiation from the sun and is needed for compasses and GPS systems to work.

So perhaps none of us will ever set eyes on the core, but it's good to know it's there.

1. The author mentions Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Center of the Earth in the first paragraph to ________.

A．discuss the possibility of going down to Earth's center

B．show how much humans have discovered about Earth

C．paint a picture in our imagination of the dark world below

D．show humans deep interest in Earth's center

2. Which of the following statements is true about the current research into Earth's core?

A．Earth’s center is completely made up of iron.

B．Scientists have found samples of Earth's core from the Kola Superdeep Borehole.

C．Scientists have no idea when and how iron made its way down to Earth’s core.

D．Earth has a higher density at its core than on its surface.

3. We can learn from the article that S-waves ________.

A．are often used to predict' earthquakes	B．cannot travel through liquid material
C．are the most noticeable shockwaves produced by earthquakes	D．can travel most rapidly at 3 ,000 kilometers below Earth's surface

4. We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．research into Earth's core has hardly made any progress in recent years

B．improvements in GPS systems could help people find out more about Earth

C．Earth's core helps to protect humans from harm

D．scientists are likely to reach Earth's center within dozens of years

【推荐1】Parties and social gatherings no longer excite us the same way they once did. This is not due to a lack of desire to socialize, but the smartphone.

At parties, more people are on their smartphones than on their drinks. According to a recent International Data Corporation study, well over half of all Americans have a smartphone and reach for it the moment they wake up, keeping it in hand all day. In addition, too many people in society are using smartphones while driving and as a result, they get into car crashes. 34 percent of teenagers admit to texting while driving, and they confirm that text messaging is their number one driving interruption. People’s attachment to their smartphones is unbelievably becoming more important than the lives of themselves and others.

Just as drivers dismiss the importance of focusing while on the road, many people also fail to recognize the significance of human interaction. When with their friends, some people pointlessly check or send text messages in the presence of a friend, which sends a message to that friend: the person I am texting is more important than you.   In addition, relying on our smartphones to make friends does not give us the same advantage as being able to make new friendships in the real world. Face-to-face conversations will give us much stronger communication skills in the long run.

As many people risk their lives and the lives of people around them just to send a text or mindlessly check their messages, smartphones are in many ways more dangerous to people. The quality of this technology is hindering(阻碍) social achievements and weakening the value of communication. Not only is the smartphone affecting our desire to interact (交流) face-to-face, but it is also lowering society’s ability to communicate.

1. The purpose of this text is to ___________.

A．call for an end to use the smartphone while driving

B．appeal to us to pay attention to communication skills

C．express a concern about the overuse of the smartphone

D．advise us to be cautious about the addiction to the smartphone

2. The second paragraph is developed by ______________.

A．giving examples

B．listing figures

C．comparing facts

D．analyzing the effects

3. The author advises us to make new friends ______________.

A．by using smartphones

B．in a face-to-face way

C．in different ways

D．under a free circumstance

4. Overdependence on the smartphone leads to the fact that ______________.

A．parties and gatherings limit their social circle

B．people are more and more narrow-minded

C．people’s communication skills are weakened

D．face-to-face communication becomes less important

【推荐2】Fernando and I were arguing about why I never took any real vacations. When he suggested we go off somewhere for three entire weeks. “You decide,” I said.

He chose a little fishing village off the coast and he planned out a schedule. Our trip was full of wonder and fun, but when we got there, the shabby hotel failed to satisfy us, so we left a day early for the beach. As we drove, we passed two orphanages(孤儿院). Christmas was only a few days away, and I felt that I should stop to do something for the children.

Then Fernando came up with a plan to help the poor children we saw. We made a list of names, and then we went into town to buy new clothes, toys, and school supplies. For the rest of the day, we filled backpacks. We were excited about the celebration we-had-planned for the next day, December 26, when we'd invite the families to the beach in front of the hotel and hand out the presents.

Fernando and I were still in bed at around 9: 00 the next morning when we heard a cracking sound. “What is that?” I asked. As if in response, water started pouring into our room. The children's backpacks we had arranged so neatly on the floor began floating around. The next thing I knew was that the roof was torn off and Fernando and I were swept out. I thought I was going to die.

Under the water, I forced myself to calm down and then I popped out. Suddenly I saw Fernando only four feet away.

“What just happened?” I asked Fernando.

“Tsunami (海啸)!” he shouted to me. “Just be strong, whatever it was.” he told me, “It's all over now.” But a few seconds later, another wave buried us. I tried to grab him as he reached out to me, but he fell back under the water, and I never saw him again.

1. The author and Fernando left for the beach early because          .

A．they were afraid of being late	B．the hotel disappointed them
C．they wanted to be there ahead of others	D．they wanted to do something for the children

2. From the passage we can learn that the author and his friend          .

A．bought a lot of gifts for their children	B．intended to invite many friends to their house
C．managed to finish their trip as planned	D．tried to help each other in face of danger

3. What do you think the author would continue to write about?

A．How his trip was ruined	B．When Fernando came back to him
C．How he survived	D．Why the disaster happened

【推荐3】The Great Barrier Reef has seen its third mass bleaching (大规模白化) event in five years. For the first time, all three sections of the Australian reef have been badly affected. The damage happened in February when the area was exposed to the hottest month of water temperatures on record.

Surveys conducted by Terry Hughes at James Cook University in Australia and his team during March made it known that 25 percent of the reef had been badly bleached and 35 percent bleached to some degree. The northern, central and southern sections of the reef were all hit.

Terrible bleaching also struck in 1998, 2002, 2016 and 2017, but was limited to one or two sections. This is the first time that all three sections have experienced terrible bleaching at exactly the same time, says Hughes. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Some of the damaged corals（珊瑚）will survive, including more heat-resistant（耐热的） species. But many others were probably “literally cooked” at the peak of the heatwave in early 2020, says Hughes. Others will die more slowly from stress over the next few months, he adds. Hughes has serious concern about the southern reef, which was mostly unaffected in former bleaching events and hasn’t developed the same heat resistance as other parts.

The 2016 and 2017 events killed about half the coral on the reef. It usually takes a decade for even fast-growing corals to recover, meaning the latest damage will seriously weaken the reef’s ability to recover, says Hughes. The high frequency of mass bleaching in recent years has been driven by climate change, which results from human activity and is steadily raising ocean temperatures. The only way to deal with the problem is to immediately reduce the release of greenhouse gases, says Hughes.

1. What can we learn from the surveys by Hughes and his team?

A．The entire reef has experienced bleaching.

B．The surveys about the reef are done once a year.

C．The hottest month of water temperatures is February.

D．60 percent of the reef suffered from serious bleaching.

2. Why is Hughes worried about the southern reef most?

A．Many corals will die slowly from stress.

B．It has been badly bleached for several years.

C．It hasn’t formed the ability to fight against the heat.

D．The government hasn’t shown any concern about it.

3. What is this text mainly about?

A．Surveys on reef bleaching.

B．A report on climate change.

C．An investigation into global warming.

D．Warning messages on human activities.