So far, the village soccer super league in Rongjiang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, has become     1     popular that it has caught the attention of famous figures such as former soccer player Michael Owen.

On June 12, former national soccer player Fan Zhiyi responded     2     an invitation from players from Guizhou's villager soccer super league. Fan expressed his     3     (excite) and promised to join them on June 22 in Rongjiang, where he will also bring his team to play a match with them on June 23.

Before this, Hong Kong movie star Natalis Chan also     4     (challenge) the village soccer super league and promised to bring his celebrity(名人) soccer team for a     5     (friend) match. The celebrity football team includes many famous     6    (star) such as Alan Tam, Eric Tsang, Andy Lau, Hacken Lee, and Jacky Cheung.

The Guizhou village soccer super league’s players,     7    come from all walks of life, include truck drivers, carpenters, shopkeepers, construction workers, farmers, and more. They all share     8     same passion for soccer and are devoted to     9     (put) on an exciting show.

Following the final match of the village soccer super league on July 29, Rongjiang will launch a national invitation competition, inviting teams from all over China     10     (participate) in the event.

7 . We are excited to announce that Brandon Hobson-author of Where the Dead Sit Talking, a National Book Award Finalist-will judge our 2023 American Short(er)Fiction Prize.

General Guidelines

Stories must be 1, 000 words or fewer. You are allowed to include up to three stories per entry. Please submit(提交)all stories in one document. Each story must begin on a new page and be clearly titled. For the title of your submission, list the story titles, separated by a comma.

The first-place winner will receive a ＄1, 000 prize and publication(出版)in a future issue of American Short Fiction (ASF). All entries will be considered for publication. Please submit your $17 entry fee and your work through Submittable. We no longer accept submissions by post.

You may submit multiple entries. We accept only previously unpublished works.

Submit your entry online between November 24, 2022-February 1, 2023.

Conflicts(冲突)of Interest

Staff and volunteers currently working with ASF are not fit for consideration or publication. Additionally, students, former students, and colleagues of the judge’s are not admitted to participate(参加). We ask that previous winners wait three years after their winning entry is published before entering again.

About writing, Hobson has said, “I’m always more interested in language than I am certainly in plot. Most of us who write literary fiction are interested in experimenting in more ways than just looking at it, especially a traditional storyline or plot that we all learned in school. ” With those words of encouragement and wisdom, good luck! We can’t wait for your submissions!

8 . If you thought running was just great for the body, then think again. Scientists have found that the sport not only keeps people fit but also improves your brain power (脑力).

The research found that people who keep fit are more likely to have larger brains, better memories and clearer thinking. They also found that unfit people tended to have smaller brains and reduced cognitive skills. The findings add to a growing body of evidence which links exercise with helping protect the brain against ageing (老化) and also helping it replace dying cells (死细胞). This might reduce the risk of many illnesses and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

One research paper within its latest issue sees scientists at Kentucky University putting 30 adults aged 59 — 69 on a treadmill (跑步机). Their heart and lung capacity was measured and an MRI scanner was used to assess the blood flow to their brains. Those who were less fit had smaller brains compared to the fitter volunteers who had larger brains. Scientists in Germany followed 21 adults aged between 60 — 77. As they went through a three-month fitness program, they saw improvements in their memory.

Researchers are not yet sure why exercise helps to protect brain cells but some research in mice has produced results. Mice, examined at the National Institute on Ageing, in Baltimore, found that cells in the hippocampus (海马体), an area of the brain used for memory, were actively reproducing while their fatter peers were in decline.

Linda Clare, professor of clinical psychology of ageing and dementia at Exeter University and a member of the Global Council on Brain Health told The Sunday Times: “Moderate intensity aerobic (有氧的) activity such as walking, cycling or running can produce changes in brain structure and function.”