1 . JESSICA WELLS had always wanted to be a nurse. In 2006, she
Eventually, Wells, who is deaf, blossomed,
After college administrators asked an employee whether Wells, a
On January 22, however, just before the spring 2008 semester began, Wells received a letter from the school,
“She’d done just fine in her training,” says Wells’s lawyer, Rita Sanders. "The school’s decision had no
However, the college replied, arguing that the loss of hearing will
| A．turned | B．admitted | C．ceased | D．applied |
| A．Unfortunately | B．Surprisingly | C．Finally | D．Unbelievably |
| A．extracted | B．rejected | C．enrolled | D．inquired |
| A．tendency | B．belief | C．performance | D．assessment |
| A．but for | B．thanks to | C．apart from | D．up to |
| A．interpreters | B．editors | C．professors | D．advisers |
| A．hearing-disabled | B．strong-willed | C．kind-hearted | D．short-sighted |
| A．ambitious | B．successful | C．tough | D．reasonable |
| A．skipping | B．employing | C．escaping | D．dismissing |
| A．seldom | B．slightly | C．totally | D．greatly |
| A．social | B．academic | C．clinical | D．athletic |
| A．goes against | B．turns down | C．calls for | D．gets through |
| A．consequences | B．grounds | C．faiths | D．theories |
| A．yield | B．mark | C．switch | D．pose |
| A．recognition | B．dilemma | C．prejudice | D．preference |
2 . 2023 Illustration Competition
Welcome to enter for the Communication Arts Illustration Competition, most respected and admired in the industry for creativity in illustration. Selected by distinguished professionals, the winning entries will be distributed worldwide in the Communication Arts Illustration Annual and on commarts. com, ensuring important exposure of the creations. Each winner will receive a professionalized Award of Excellence, made from solid aluminum, and an award certificate. Communication Art’s Award of Excellence is one of the most desired awards. If chosen, winning places you in the highest ranks of your industry.
What To Enter With
Any illustration first published or produced from Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2024 is qualified. Entries may originate from any country. Descriptions in English are necessary for the judges to read.
Entries Can Be Submitted In The Following Formats
Digital Images: RGB images in JPG format with a maximum file size of 2 MB. GIF images may be livelier, but would be turned down, and so would the PNG ones.
Illustration Competition Categories & Entry Fees
| Category | Single illustration | Series of illustrations |
| Books (covers, jackets, etc.) | $ 40 | $ 80 (limit of 5) |
| Motion (media for films, videos, etc.) | $ 90 | $ 180 (limit of 3) |
| Student Work | $ 20 (Image) $ 45 (Video) | $ 40(Images, limit of 5) $ 90 (Video, limit of 3) |
For more categories, please download the category PDF.
Late Fees
Entries must be registered no later than Jan. 13, 2024. Entries registered after that date will be charged a fee of $ 10 each. No entries can be registered after Jan. 27, 2024.
1. What will the winner attain?| A．A tailor-made award certificate. | B．Exposure to distinguished works. |
| C．A bonus from Communication Arts. | D．Wide recognition in the profession. |
| A．A student work from Uganda with English depictions. |
| B．A newly produced motion entry. |
| C．A PNG image with a file size of 1 MB. |
| D．A series for covers of three illustrations. |
| A．$ 80. | B．$ 120. | C．$ 110. | D．$ 90. |
3 . Animal appear to predict earthquakes by sensing electricity in the air — the first study to find reliable evidence of the phenomenon has shown.
Cameras revealed an “amazing” drop in the number of animals up to 23 days before a major quake hit their rainforest home at Yanachaga National Park in Peru. Lead scientist Dr Rachel Grant, from Anglia Ruskin University, said, “The results showed that just before the earthquake, animals’ activity dropped right down.”
On a normal day the cameras placed around Yanachaga National Park record between 5 and 15 animals. But in the 23 days before the earthquake, the number of animals dropped to five or fewer per day. No animals were photographed at all on five of the seven days immediately before the quake.
Another study showed that animal activity remained normal in the park over a different period when seismic (地震的) activity was low. Co-author, professor Friedemann Freund, said, “The cameras were located at an altitude of 900 meters. If air ionization occurred, the animals would escape to the valley below, where there were fewer positive ions ( 离子). With their ability to sense their environment, animals can help us understand small changes that occur before major earthquakes.”
Other evidence suggested that before the earthquake, the air around the high mountain sites filled with positive ions that can be produced when rocks are placed under stress. Positive ions have been known to cause ill effects in humans as well as animals. Scientists believe the animals were made to feel uncomfortable by the positive ions, leading them to avoid the area. They are thought to have escaped to lower ground, where the air was less ionized. The findings may help experts develop better short-term seismic forecasts.
1. How did scientists conduct the study?| A．By comparing different animals’ habits. |
| B．By observing animals in high mountains. |
| C．By explaining the positive ion phenomenon. |
| D．By analyzing images of animals they obtained. |
| A．The ground at a lower altitude is less ionized. |
| B．Cameras normally record more animals per day. |
| C．Earthquake warnings can be detected in lower places. |
| D．The activity of animals and earthquakes is consistent. |
| A．The findings make for accurate seismic forecast. |
| B．Animals tend to be uneasy with more positive ions. |
| C．Positive ions make humans and animals depressed. |
| D．All the animals remain abnormal before the earthquake. |
| A．Negative Influence of Positive Ions. |
| B．Ions’ Destruction to the Environment. |
| C．Animals’ Behavior Before Earthquakes. |
| D．Creatures’ Ability to Predict Earthquakes. |
4 . A Danish company named Too Good To Go has been working to combat food waste in the United States and around the world. In the U. S., more than a third of food produced goes uneaten, contributing to environmental issues. Too Good To Go addresses this problem by partnering with restaurants to sell their end-of-day leftovers at discounts, typically ranging from 60% to 80% off.
The app of the same name, which started in Denmark in 2015, has expanded to 17 countries and multiple U. S. cities, including New York, Phoenix, and Seattle, with Los Angeles proving to be one of its most successful markets. The company is now looking to expand its footprint in the southeast.
While the cost savings for customers and businesses are significant, the primary focus of Too Good To Go is reducing food waste, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The app allows users to track their environmental impact by displaying the electricity and carbon emissions prevented through their purchases. To date, the app claims to have saved over 250 million meals, making a substantial impact.
Food waste contributes to climate change in several ways, including the emission of methane gas from rotting food in landfills, the resources used to grow the food, and the energy expended in food transportation and preparation. Too Good To Go estimates that its efforts are equal to taking about 135, 000 cars off the road for a year, and it plays a crucial role in addressing the approximately 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions caused by food loss and waste in the U. S.
Alexandria Coari, the vice president of food waste nonprofit ReFED, recognizes the potential of apps like Too Good To Go. She believes that they have the capacity to reduce the carbon emissions equal to 870, 000 cars in a year, positioning them as one of the top 10 solutions to combating food waste and climate change.
While the app has been successful in the restaurant industry, its expansion into grocery stores and manufacturing is still a work in progress.
1. What do we know about the app Too Good To Go?| A．It primarily operates in Los Angeles. |
| B．It has saved over 250 million dollars so far. |
| C．It focuses on fighting against food waste. |
| D．It helps sell fresh groceries at full price. |
| A．To show the environmental impact of the app. |
| B．To highlight the cost savings for customers. |
| C．To emphasize the company’s expansion plans. |
| D．To illustrate the app’s success in reducing resources. |
| A．Skeptical | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Supportive. |
| A．The history of food waste reduction efforts. |
| B．Challenges Too Good To Go’s expansion faces. |
| C．The impact of climate change on the food industry. |
| D．Strategies for reducing food waste in grocery stores. |
5 . A mystery man, known as Benny, has been spreading love—one $100 bill at a time for more than three years in and around Salem, Oregon.
He randomly
It is
The bills are so
| A．covers | B．counts | C．loses | D．hides |
| A．tricking | B．delighting | C．testing | D．honoring |
| A．returns | B．collects | C．signs | D．checks |
| A．claimed | B．wasted | C．reported | D．charged |
| A．keep track of | B．take control of | C．throw light on | D．take part in |
| A．amazed | B．offended | C．alarmed | D．amused |
| A．enjoy | B．purchase | C．donate | D．reject |
| A．understandable | B．acceptable | C．remarkable | D．memorable |
| A．transport | B．clothing | C．food | D．shelter |
| A．magic | B．failure | C．pity | D．trouble |
| A．sellers | B．losers | C．finders | D．beggars |
| A．humorous | B．heartwarming | C．romantic | D．depressing |
| A．Instead of | B．Apart from | C．But for | D．Thanks to |
| A．expected | B．admired | C．protected | D．treasured |
| A．challenge | B．reminder | C．chance | D．record |
6 . Normally giving food to wild animals is not allowed, but the situation in Florida with over 1,000 manatees (海牛) dying from hunger leads officials to consider a plan to feed them. “We’ve never done such a thing with any wildlife, but the situation has become such an emergency that it has to be considered,” said Patrick Rose, the Executive Director of Save the Manatee Club. “This is a necessary but temporary measure. But I believe the impact is lasting.”
The plan will be carried out in one specific Florida location to test how it works. It will be an experiment involving lettuce, cabbage, and other greens delivered in a controlled manner. “Under no circumstances do we want people feeding manatees. It’s illegal, and remains so,” Rose said.
Manatees have long struggled to survive with humans, whose activities bring many harmful effects. Hundreds of the slow-moving animals are struck by boats every year. However, they just account for a small part of the loss of manatees. The hunger threat has led to a record of 1,017 manatee deaths as of Nov. 19,2021, according to state figures. That has been caused mainly by man-made pollution, which promotes growth of blue-green algae and other harmful organisms. They block light needed by seagrass, destroying the main food source for manatees.
“Actually, saving manatees is part of saving the ecosystem. If we take care, manatees will grow well. If we don’t, they won’t,” Rose said. “We’re in the most critical position.” Manatees were listed as endangered when the government started to protect them in 1967. Increased protections helped manatee numbers increase from around 1,000 to 8,000 by 2017 enough to have their position to be downgraded from “endangered” to “threatened”.
1. What can be learned about the plan to feed manatees?| A．It is the first of its kind. | B．It is a long-term strategy. |
| C．It is carried out across Florida. | D．It is aimed at saving the ecosystem. |
| A．The boat accident. | B．The hunger threat. |
| C．The growth of blue-green algae. | D．The destruction of ecosystem. |
| A．To explain challenges faced by manatees. |
| B．To prove manatees’ value in the ecosystem. |
| C．To show the necessity of humans’ protections. |
| D．To encourage people to feed manatees actively. |
| A．Severe Consequences Caused by Human Activities |
| B．Increasing Ecological Crises Threatening Manatees |
| C．Manatees Suffering from Serious Starvation in Florida |
| D．A Special Feeding Plan for Starving Florida Manatees |
7 . I had just delivered a memorable speech, and I was about to learn how the judges decided my performance. The audience leaned forward and a period of silence fell across the room. I felt the drum rolled in my heart.
The third-place winner was announced. The name was not mine. Then the second-place winner, still not me. At last, the moment of truth came. I was about to either enjoy the warmth of victory or regret the months’ preparation. My heart felt closer to the latter.
Losing is a part of life, and I have dealt with it on more than one occasion. However, it was an indescribable feeling to drive a 200-mile round trip, get up very early on a freezing Saturday morning, and yet still finish fourth out of four competitors in my group. After Lincoln lost the 1858 Illinois Senate race, he said, “I felt like the 12-year-old boy who kicked his toe. I was too big to cry and it hurt too bad to laugh.” Oh yeah, I could relate.
I had spent many hours in front of a computer and in libraries doing research for the Lincoln Bicentennial Speech Contest. After not placing in the first year of the contest, I really wanted to compete again. Lincoln had many failures, but he never allowed them to defeat his spirit or ambition, so I was not going to give up on a second contest! I reworked my speech for the following year, but again I did not place.
I couldn’t accept the fact that I failed twice in something that I had worked so hard on, until I thought about my hero. Never mind the lost prize money and praise—through learning stories about Lincoln, I discovered that I can fail successfully.
1. How did the author feel after finishing his speech?| A．Annoyed. | B．Nervous. | C．Confused. | D．Hopeful. |
| A．He was regretful about his not being fully prepared. |
| B．He felt upset for getting up early on a chilly morning. |
| C．He once kicked and hurt his toe when he was 12 years old. |
| D．He turned out to be the last one of his group in the contest. |
| A．Tough and strong-willed. | B．Determined and talented. |
| C．Enthusiastic and generous. | D．Hardworking and attractive. |
| A．Never mind others’ judgments. | B．Don’t rely too much on others. |
| C．Stand up from where we tripped over. | D．Learn to appreciate the highlight in life. |
8 . Whether you’re looking for a steamy cup of coffee or a wide range of sweet treats, there are endless selections of cafes that have something for you.
The Salfee Bar
Check out the newly opened branch at Quarry Bay, featuring a wide selection of salads and coffee. This vegan-friendly bar classifies salads based on their health benefits, including immune boost, heart guardian and anti-aging. You can also choose a fruity coffee to go green and go along with your salad.
The Salfee Bar, G/F, 34 Hoi Kwong Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Knockbox
Found in the jam-packed neighbourhood of Wan Chai, Knockbox puts emphasis on the colors in coffee, encouraging customers to visualize their coffee-drinking experiences with the shop front. A cup of “red honey catuai” is only as different as a “long black”. Let Knockbox lead you to see the beauty in coffee and to “taste” out of the box.
Knockbox, 3 Burrows Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Cosha
This warm-coloured cafe situated in Central is the perfect place for a brunch. The beautifully colored juices that pair up with the savoury dishes are also worth a try. Let an icy Super Strawberry Juice or Mango Hill Juice help you beat the sweltering heat.
Cosha, G/F, 61 Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong
Yama Coffee
Located in the busy neighbourhood of Yau Ma Tei, Yama Coffee takes you on a short vacation to Japan, as its design is based on a Japanese theme. The cafe is divided into two floors—the lower level mainly serves takeaway, while the upper level provides a variety of services, including reading and writing. Their latte is crafted with Hokkaido coffee beans and milk, giving it a rich, silky aftertaste.
Yama Coffee, 15 Pitt Street, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong
1. Which cafe would you choose if you have a taste for vegetables?| A．The Salfee Bar. | B．Knockbox. | C．Cosha. | D．Yama Coffee. |
| A．The wide variety of coffee. | B．The inviting colors in coffee. |
| C．The perfect place for a brunch. | D．Pleasant spaces for coffee and study. |
| A．To compare the features of the cafes. | B．To inform readers of different cafes. |
| C．To share studies of some special cafes. | D．To evaluate the products of the cafes. |
9 . A few days ago, my husband, Russ, and I lost our house of 28 years to a California wild fire.
On that night, we had to leave our house and sleep in the back seat of our Ford. The next morning, we had to drive three and a half hours to find a hotel that had an available room. Only later, in the local newspaper, did we see photographs of the destruction. Our house had been consumed by the fire along with most of our neighborhood.
How are we going to rebuild after this? I thought, rounding a corner in the sidewalk on my walk back to the hotel. Is it even possible?
I noticed something up ahead—a pair of nickels, shining like precious jewels. They were just nickels, but they somehow felt special. I bent down and picked them up. If these were lucky coins, I could use all the luck I could get.
A few days later, I made a trip to the store to buy essentials. The enormous task of replacing everything we’d lost put a heavy weight on me. I was about to leave when I felt the urge to stop and turn my head to the right. I could hardly believe it—there on nickela shelf, was a nickel! Okay, maybe this is more than luck, I thought and put the nickel in my pocket.
I told myself that I had found the nickels just by chance. Then I found one next to my plate at a restaurant—on Thanksgiving, no less, when I was missing our house more than ever. It seemed that a nickel appeared whenever my spirits plummeted.
Whenever I reached my breaking point, I’d find another nickel. In the grass at the park, or near the tire of my car in a parking lot. Once, my change for a quick lunch was given entirely in nickels. “I’m sorry,” the cashier said. “It’s all we have.”
It’s all I needed!
One day, I was sitting at the desk when my phone rang. It was a real-estate agent I’d been working with.
“I have a new listing,” she said.
“When can we see it?”
A few hours later, Russ and I were following the agent down the driveway toward the house.
I didn’t think long. Because there, in the driveway, …
1. After the wild fire, the couple ________.| A．lived in their car for one night |
| B．took some photos of the destruction |
| C．could hardly afford their Thanksgiving dinner |
| D．saved precious items from the burned down house |
| A．Remained. | B．Changed. | C．Strengthened. | D．Sank. |
| A．Luck for the foreseeable future. |
| B．Hope during challenging times. |
| C．Signs of a huge fortune to come. |
| D．Reminders of what had happened. |
| A．I spotted a flash of silver in the sun, two nickels, both heads up. |
| B．I found an old nickel, which seemed to tell a story from the past. |
| C．I saw a mysterious locked box, and thought perhaps it was full of nickels. |
| D．I looked up and imagined something on a cloud, a giant nickel, just for me. |
10 . I received a private message on Facebook. It began harmlessly enough: “Hi, girl. Wanted to
But what killed Facebook for me was when I
To recreate the simplicity of those days and set a
I started to
I stopped looking at the world through my cell phone. I felt completely
| A．invite | B．help | C．contact | D．reward |
| A．commenting | B．researching | C．focusing | D．relying |
| A．ruining | B．promoting | C．instructing | D．running |
| A．posted | B．took | C．copied | D．designed |
| A．warm-up | B．wake-up | C．follow-up | D．come-up |
| A．liberation | B．patience | C．approval | D．sympathy |
| A．unknowingly | B．understandingly | C．dramatically | D．willingly |
| A．major | B．healthy | C．single | D．plain |
| A．assignment | B．performance | C．platform | D．account |
| A．answering | B．checking | C．designing | D．sending |
| A．carried | B．bought | C．ordered | D．reviewed |
| A．expect | B．recognize | C．treat | D．reject |
| A．strangers | B．specialists | C．opponents | D．friends |
| A．responsible | B．typical | C．present | D．confident |
| A．concern | B．message | C．origin | D．break |
