1 . Nathan was a boy in my band class as well as in my math class. I never really liked him. He didn’t have any friends at all and always sat _________ at the lunch table listening to music with his phone. People just walked past him without _________. In class, whenever he was asked a question, he would take a long time to answer it, which made the whole class get _________. Whenever he got an answer _________, the whole class would _________.

One day, when I walked into band class and was _________ to play my flute (长笛) , Mr. Kohler began the class. After we had played _________ for a little while, Mr. Kohler asked the class, “Who can tell what _________ it is just by hearing the pitch (音高)?” Nobody raised their hands except Nathan. When I saw him, I laughed and thought he couldn’t do anything _________. How could he possibly guess the note when the pitch was played?

Even Mr. Kobler laughed a little and then told Nathan “Come here, buddy.” Nathan __________ and went to the front of the class. Mr. Kohler had a tuner (校音器). He played a pitch and asked Nathan to __________ it. Nathan said, “E flat.” Mr. Kohler said, “OK. Good.” He played another pitch. “F sharp,” Nathan said. The whole class went __________. Mr. Kohler __________ Nathan by playing two pitches together. “C and B flat,” Nathan said. “Good job, go back to your seat.” he said.

Then I got surprised. Nathan had guessed all the pitches __________. That day I realized I shouldn’t judge people __________ little things I saw and that I needed to see the great things people can do.

1.

A．alone

B．lazily

C．happily

D．hopelessly

2.

A．listening

B．caring

C．praising

D．sharing

3.

A．satisfied

B．excited

C．confused

D．annoyed

4.

A．wrong

B．long

C．brief

D．puzzling

5.

A．shout

B．laugh

C．cry

D．help

6.

A．nervous

B．afraid

C．ready

D．free

7.

A．movies

B．jokes

C．games

D．music

8.

A．note

B．beat

C．tune

D．song

9.

A．independently

B．carefully

C．properly

D．bravely

10.

A．came

B．rose

C．jumped

D．sat

11.

A．repeat

B．guess

C．play

D．sing

12.

A．crazy

B．noisy

C．silent

D．blank

13.

A．tricked

B．bothered

C．encouraged

D．challenged

14.

A．correctly

B．luckily

C．seriously

D．confidently

15.

A．related to

B．leading to

C．based on

D．deciding on

2 . Aron Ralston was a pretty normal guy, but he always had an extremely adventurous desire to travel and see the world. During his childhood, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, a place offering many opportunities to climb mountains, explore, and eventually become the adventurer he’d always wanted to be. Back in 2003, Ralston was climbing in the remote, mountainous area of Southwestern Utah, when the unthinkable happened: Aron got stuck in a crevice (裂缝) in the rocks and pinned by a big stone that weighed over 360 kilograms. The weight of the rock crushed his arm, and he was pinned by it. Aron took photos of his bad situation (which was going to get a lot worse), hoping rescue teams (救援队) would know where he was and came to remove the rock so that he could get out and home safe.

But rescuers never came. Aron waited for them for days till he lost his hope. He knew he had to do something. He was 18 meters above the floor of the valley where he was pinned in, and he had a pocketknife. He made what must have been one of the most difficult decisions of his life: to cut his own arm in order to survive. Aron cut the lower part of his arm off, having to wrench (扭动) his forearm against the big stone to break the bones, and then got himself down to the bottom of the valley, where he would begin to walk and search for help. Luckily, help arrived in the form of a helicopter (直升机) that spotted him, covered in blood. Aron had tied off the wound to keep himself from bleeding to death pretty successfully and would eventually make it out alive.

Ralston went on to become an inspiring speaker and continued to travel and climb mountains—he didn’t let an incident that forced him to cut his own arm off, stop him from doing what he really loved.

1. What can be inferred about Aron’s getting stuck?

A．It was unavoidable.	B．It resulted from his being lost.
C．It was unexpected.	D．It was caused by a moving stone.

2. Why did Aron take photos of his bad situation?

A．To send them to rescuers for help.	B．To keep a record of his adventure.
C．To remind his friends of the danger.	D．To tell the doctors about his wound.

3. What did he do to survive when no rescue was expected come?

A．He waited for the rescue to come.

B．He cut the stone using his pocketknife.

C．He moved off the stone using all his might.

D．He cut his lower part of his arm and broke the bones.

4. What helped Aron Ralston survive?

A．His cruelty and anger.	B．His effort and bravery.
C．His talent and creativity.	D．His calmness and determination.

4 . I used to think my life was perfect. My mom had her dream job and a beautiful office and I had my own room with a computer and a garden to _________. But one Sunday, everything changed. A hurricane _________ our neighborhood while we were visiting my grandparents in Raleigh. Our kitchen was destroyed, and our clean and comfortable home was in ruins.

But something _________ happened. Our neighbors, the Flores family, came to our aid. They helped clear _________ pieces and offered us a place to stay. Their _________ was most impressive. We had never_________ spoken to them before, but they _________ their home to us and made us feel like family.

We started a new_________ of having weekend dinner together. We invited other families from the neighborhood to join us, and our _________ were filled with laughter and delicious food. It was a beautiful thing to see our __________ come together in the wake of a disaster.

I __________ knew Rosica, their daughter, before the hurricane. But she quickly became my __________. She had a gift for storytelling and our evenings together were filled with adventure and laughter.

Looking back, I realize that the hurricane__________ unexpected benefit. It brought us closer to our neighbors and __________ our lives in ways we never could have imagined. Sometimes, it takes a(n) __________ to bring out the best in people.

1.

A．tend to

B．worry about

C．dream of

D．deal with

2.

A．visited

B．skipped

C．approached

D．swept

3.

A．invisible

B．unexpected

C．impossible

D．unlucky

4.

A．invisible

B．hidden

C．broken

D．useful

5.

A．belief

B．request

C．wealth

D．kindness

6.

A．really

B．carefully

C．naturally

D．clearly

7.

A．sold

B．rented

C．showed

D．opened

8.

A．business

B．project

C．tradition

D．life

9.

A．reunions

B．gatherings

C．journeys

D．memories

10.

A．family

B．volunteers

C．community

D．supporters

11.

A．soon

B．never

C．already

D．also

12.

A．sister

B．friend

C．student

D．classmate

13.

A．brought about

B．resulted from

C．made up for

D．got away with

14.

A．saved

B．controlled

C．enriched

D．recorded

15.

A．instant

B．effort

C．party

D．disaster

6 . On July 20, Yu Yifei, a medical student, made his way home in a subway train after his first day’s training. When a downpour struck the city, he _________ about a dozen people trapped in a flooded subway train as the rainfall reached 201.9 millimeters between 4 pm and 5 pm, a totally new _________ in the history of Zhengzhou.

Flood _________ through a barrier and entered the underground area. The train came to a sudden stop before the water began _________ in the carriages, trapping passengers inside. Thus, Yu, _________ to leave and fearful of his life, made a _________ call to his father.

As water continued to flow into the carriages, passengers’ _________ rose. When subway workers arrived to rescue them, Yu _________ to get out. However, as he made his way to safety, he heard a cry for help. He quickly _________ the white coat given to him at the hospital __________ and returned to the platform to save other passengers. On seeing him, a number of frightened people were greatly encouraged and their spirits __________.

As more passengers were pulled from the __________, Yu instructed others in the key steps to save a victim from drowning. He __________ CPR (心肺复苏) on those unconscious and near death from drowning. One of the passengers, a female doctor, nearly died. After __________ consciousness, she joined Yu in treating others. Yu was very __________ yet he gathered up his strength and tried to provide help to those in need. In the end, Yu and the other rescuers managed to save many lives from the flooded subway train. Yu’s actions proved that even in the darkest of moments, there is always hope for humanity.

1.

A．asked

B．prevented

C．thought

D．saved

2.

A．record

B．number

C．point

D．depth

3.

A．worked

B．watered

C．crashed

D．pulled

4.

A．rising

B．waving

C．building

D．disappearing

5.

A．uncertain

B．unfortunate

C．unusual

D．unable

6.

A．alarming

B．unique

C．considerate

D．desperate

7.

A．disappointment

B．fears

C．feelings

D．thrills

8.

A．managed

B．failed

C．intended

D．hesitated

9.

A．tried on

B．took on

C．put on

D．carried on

10.

A．later

B．further

C．earlier

D．former

11.

A．gained

B．lifted

C．sank

D．lowered

12.

A．seats

B．hospital

C．boat

D．water

13.

A．introduced

B．performed

C．explained

D．taught

14.

A．recovering

B．refreshing

C．repeating

D．reporting

15.

A．bored

B．heartbroken

C．worried

D．exhausted

7 . A Florida teen is gaining national attention with her graduation speech and a basket of strawberries. “Care for some strawberries?” Brenda said at her graduation from Mulberry High School. After jokingly acknowledging there might not be enough, she went on, “These are no ordinary strawberries.” She held up a series of strawberries, revealing what each represents: sweat, dirt, aches, and pains.

Brenda described herself as the daughter of two tireless farmers who immigrated from Mexico and spent most of their days working in fields of strawberries, blueberries, and cucumbers. “My motivation has been rooted in my immigrant culture.” Because of this, she chose to focus on that in her address. “Many students used to be ashamed of their upbringing but today, we’re proud of what makes us.”

She explained how she grew up under poor conditions. “I’m motivated by my parents’ hands that lose feeling from laborious work. Despite the hot sun and body pains, they back me up heart and soul in my education, which weighs more strongly with me than anything else. I must work hard and succeed.” Brenda’s heading to Stanford University this fall. She also credited some of her outstanding achievements to her teacher Higgins, who helps immigrant students and the poor.

Her speech has been viewed by thousands online. “Hearing it touched other people’s hearts who said they understood my message, I’m struck the same,” Brenda said later. The principal of Mulberry High School, Michael Young, was one member of the audience getting emotional. “The speech was very powerful—her fruit did help paint a good picture of things she wanted to convey,” Young said.

As for her message to young people struggling, Brenda said, “Past circumstances aren’t in charge of your future. If you’re from a poor family, use every resource and try to better yourself. You’re the author of your story.”

1. Why did Brenda bring strawberries to her graduation?

A．To share her home-grown fruit.	B．To show hardship her parents faced.
C．To better illustrate her speech’s topic.	D．To explain the importance of motivators.

2. What affected Brenda most in terms of her academic success?

A．Help from her teacher.	B．Her life experience.
C．Her native culture.	D．Support from her parents.

3. How did Brenda feel about the viewers’ response online?

A．Proud.

B．Sympathetic.

C．Awkward.

D．Moved.

4. What did Brenda convey to the young?

A．Life is what you make it.	B．Every cloud has a silver lining.
C．Everyone deserves a good life story.	D．Resources in hand decide your future.

9 . Women’s Poetry Competition 2024

Welcome to Mslexia, the only magazine where every reader is a potential contributor too. Almost every part of the magazine is open to submission by any woman writer. Our competition is open to unpublished poems of any length. Your £10 entry fee allows you to submit up to three poems. The judge this year is the outstanding and award-winning writer Pascale Petit.

Prizes

1st: £2,000; 2nd: £500; 3rd: £250 (Each prize goes for one person.)

Unpublished Poetry Prize for the best poem by a previously unknown poet: £250.

The four winners, plus sixteen additional finalists will have their poems published in the May issue of Mslexia.

Results

The deadline for all entries is 23:59 GMT, 6 March, 2024

The winners and finalists will be announced on 1 April, 2024

How to enter

Add the entry fee to your basket and go to the checkout. Once the order is completed, you’ll be taken to a submit page where the entry form is located. Click the “Enter Now” button. You can submit at a later date by typing into your Mslexia online account and going to the “competitions” bill.

Visit our Entry Instructions for a more comprehensive guide on how to enter, and be sure to read our Rules before submitting your entries.

Frequently-asked questions

Have a question about formatting, eligibility(资格), or anything else?

Ready to enter? Please see our Entry Instructions. For any further information, call us at 0191 204 8860 or email competitions@mslexia.co.uk.

1. How many winners will get prize money?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Sixteen.

D．Twenty.

2. Which of the following will result in disqualification?

A．Submitting two poems.	B．Visiting Entry Instructions.
C．Writing a poem of 120 words.	D．Mailing your entry on April 1.

3. Where can the text be found?

A．In a textbook.

B．In an art magazine.

C．On a website.

D．In a local newspaper.

10 . Four new books to read

The books that are included in this list can meet your reading needs at any time of year.

Nobody Will Tell You This but Me

Bess Kalb

In this book, the author shares the advice her beloved grandmother Bobby left her. Bobby was a powerful woman who should never be underestimated, and she was very knowledgeable about the family’s traditions and secrets. The book proves that family bonds can endure through generations and beyond death.

We Came Here to Shine

Susie Orman Schnall

We Came Here to Shine focuses on the strong female friendship between an aspiring journalist and an unlucky actress at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Leaning on each other, these two ambitious women struggled against adversity (困境) at a time when women had little say.

A Star Is Bored

Byron Lane

Favored by television star Jonathan Van Ness, this novel is partly based on the author’s experiences as the former personal assistant to Carrie Fisher, a legendary American actress. The book follows Charlie Besson, the new assistant to the Hollywood icon, Kathi Kannon. Their three-year journey together is an unforgettable adventure that is funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful.

Fast Girls

Elise Hooper

The story in Fast Girls took place during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where Betty Robinson, Louise Stokes, and Helen Stephens overcame difficult pasts to attain Olympic glory as the world’s fastest female athletes. Beyond the athletic journey, they also aimed to challenge the social standards of what females can achieve.

1. Who is the character in Bess Kalb’s book?

A．Bobby.

B．Susie Orman Schnall.

C．Carrie Fisher.

D．Betty Robinson.

2. What kind of book is A Star Is Bored?

A．A biography.	B．An industry report.
C．A real-life based novel.	D．A fictional adventure story.

3. Which of the following books will you choose if you are interested in sports?

A．We Came Here to Shine	B．Nobody Will Tell You This but Me
C．A Star Is Bored	D．Fast Girls