2 . The Sydney Science Festival (SSF) is pleased to inform you of the sixth annual Curiosity Challenge. The challenge invites, even dares school students to create artwork or a piece of writing that shows their curiosity and how it inspires them to explore their world.

Students are being dared to draw a picture, write an article, take a photo or write a poem to show what they are curious about. To enter the challenge, all artwork or pieces of writing should be sent to the Science Festival Committee, MT Museum, 265 Mass Avenue, Sydney 02139 by Friday, February 8th.

Students who enter the Curiosity Challenge and are selected as winners will be honored at a special ceremony on Sunday, April 2 1st. Guest speakers will also present prizes to the students. Winning entries will be published in a book. Student entries will be exhibited and prizes will be given. Families of those who take part will be included in the celebration and brunch will be served.

Between March 10th and March 15th, each winner will be given specifics of the closing ceremony and the Curiosity Challenge celebration. The program guidelines and other related information are available at the campus website.

1. Who can take part in the Curiosity Challenge?

A．School students.	B．Sydney locals.
C．SSF winners.	D．MIT artists.

2. When will the prize-giving ceremony be held?

A．On February 8th.	B．On March 10th.
C．On March 15th.	D．On April 21st.

3. What type of writing is this text?

A．A tour guide.	B．An official report.
C．An announcement.	D．An art show review.

5 . The popularity of niche（小众的）sports has increased, thanks in large part to pop culture interest. From the traditional Japanese martial arts to ancient Greek combat sports. Here are some trendy options you won't want to miss.

Kendo

This Japanese martial art is gaining popularity in China, partly because of Japanese sports manga（日本漫画）series such as One Piece（海贼王）. In many major cities, it's not uncommon to see young athletes carrying the bamboo swords used for Kendo.

Kendo is a form of swordsmanship（剑术）that requires concentration, discipline and constant repetition, but the benefit goes beyond physical fitness. According to the South China Morning Post, practicing kendo can effectively relieve stress and relax one's mind.

Boxing

Some of the greatest English-language writers, like Ernest Hemingway, Jack London and TS Eliot, were hardcore boxers. After reading their portrayals of tough boxers, some readers have been inspired to pick up their own pair of boxing gloves and enter the ring.

Boxing is more than just a workout. Sure, it can give you a lean and strong body. But according to boxing expert Hollywood Hino, it's a kind of addiction as well. Boxing gives you "the challenge of learning technique, as well as the general empowering feeling of hitting something", he told Yahoo Sports.

Parkour

The James Bond blockbuster Casino Royale (2006) introduced parkour to the mainstream, with an intense action scene that shows Bond using skills to go through an urban landscape. That's parkour in a nutshell: the art of moving quickly and creatively through unconventional obstacle courses. Parkour gives young people a way to improve themselves, both physically and psychologically.

1. Which of the following is the benefit of practicing kendo?

A．Popularity.	B．Concentration
C．Easiness.	D．Constant repetition.

2. Some readers would pick up their boxing gloves after reading Hemingway's works because__________.

A．Hemingway was a hardcore boxer.

B．boxing could give them a lean and strong body.

C．boxing gave them the challenge of learning technique.

D．they were encouraged by the spirits of tough boxers created by Hemingway

3. If you want to move quickly and go through obstacle courses in a city, you may choose__________.

A．ancient Greek combat sports	B．parkour
C．boxing	D．kendo

6 . This activity will melt away the pounds, build your body and leave you on an emotional high. Yet the form of exercise, the fitness trend of the year, does not require gym membership or a personal trainer. All you need to do is walk.

"Walking is a refreshing alternative to complicated aerobic （氧）routines and overpriced gym membership," says personal trainer Lucy Knight, author of a new book on the exercise. “It is free, enjoyable and already a part of everyday life. All you need to do is correct your technique, walk faster and for longer and you will lose weight?"

There is much evidence of the benefits of walking. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh recently discovered that overweight people who walked briskly （快）for 30 to 60 minutes a day lost weight even if they didn't change any other lifestyle habits. Another American study found that people who walked for at least four hours a week gained less weight than couch potatoes as they got older. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts medical school found that people who walked every day had 25 percent fewer colds than those who sat a lot. Best of all, walking makes you feel good about yourself "For people suffering from depression, walking three to four times a week for 30 minutes has been shown to lift their mood,” says Knight.

But how to walk your way to weight loss and wellness? Health experts recommend that we should walk 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy. Actually, you would probably need to walk at least 16,000 steps a day to lose weight. "Your workout plans depend on your level of fitness. You should aim to progress by increasing your walking time by five minutes every two weeks, and walk a bit faster. In just three months, the results should speak for themselves," says Knight.

1. What is the latest fitness trend according to the passage?

A．Brisk walking.	B．Losing weight.
C．Working out in a gym.	D．Exercising with a personal trainer.

2. The underlined word "overpriced" in paragraph 2 means           .

A．expensive	B．worthy
C．prepaid	D．discountable

3. Studies and researches are mentioned in the passage to show walking           .

A．is gaining increasing popularity	B．benefits people in different aspects
C．is an enjoyable way to lose weight	D．involves different groups of people

4. It can be learned from the last paragraph that           .

A．1600 steps a day is needed for weight losses

B．the effect of walking is noticeable over time

C．your fitness level depends on your health experts

D．changing the walking time every day is necessary

7 . What is body surfing?

Bodysurfing is related to riding on a wave with no help from aid tools such as a surfboard. That’s why it is called the “purest” form of surfing. In fact, it is one of very few extreme sports—free climbing and cliff diving are. others—that can be practiced using nothing but the human body.

How do you do it?

To catch a wave, swim to where the waves break and, as one approaches, start swimming towards the beach. You must try to travel at the same speed as the wave and, if you do it correctly, you will feel the wave lifting you and pushing you forwards. Then try and cut along the surface of the wave.

What do you need?

It is more enjoyable and safer if you use flippers (large flat rubber shoes). This is because they enable you to swim faster and surf along them more easily. A wetsuit is also advisable. Another aid is a handboard, a mini-surf board about the size of an iron, held in one hand to speed up along the wave. If you are lucky enough to be surfing in warm water, make sure you have your boardshorts at the ready.

Unofficial world championship

Bodysurfing is not a professional sport, but in Hawaii there is such a festival called the Pipeline Bodysurfing Classic each year. Local bodysurfers compete against athletes from places such as Australia, Brazil, Japan or France. Famous bodyboarder Mike Stewart has won the event no fewer than 12 times, and Kelly Slater, the greatest surfer in history, has also competed.

1. How does a bodysurfer surf while in the sea?

A．Only using the human body.	B．Only relying on a surfboard.
C．Only following a wave.	D．Only swimming along the beach.

2. Which can make you surf faster?

A．Flippers and a wetsuit.	B．A wetsuit and a handboard.
C．A handboard and boardshorts.	D．A handboard and Flippers.

3. What can we know about the Pipeline Body surfing Classic?

A．It is for local bodysurfers.	B．It is held annually in Hawaii.
C．All famous bodysurfers favor it.	D．Mike Stewart attends it every year.

8 . Dear young poets, TIME For Kids has a challenge for you: Write a rhyming poem and enter it in the TFK Poetry Contest. It must be a poem that does not copy another poet’s works.

How to enter: This contest will begin 12 pm on April 14, 2019 and will end 12 pm on June 14, 2019. To enter online, visit timeforkids.com/2019poetrycontest and follow instructions to submit the following: (a) an original and previously unpublished poem; (b) the entrant’s first name only and e-mail address; (c) a parent’s e-mail address. Limit one entry per person or e-mail account.

Judging: All entries will be judged by poet Kenn Nesbitt, based on the following criteria: creativity and originality (50%), use of language and rhyme (25%) and appropriateness to contest theme (25%). Winners will be notified by e-mail during the month of July and must respond within five days.

Eligibility (参赛资格)：Open to legal citizens of the United States who are primary school students and are 8 to 13 years old at time of entry.

Prizes: Our judge will select four semifinalists, from whom one grand-prize winner and three finalists will be chosen. The one grand-prize winner will receive an online class visit from Kenn Nesbitt. All the semifinalists will receive a signed copy of Bigfoot Is Missing, which is worth about $ 275. The semifinalists’ poems will be published at timeforkids.com.

1. How long will the Poetry Contest last?

A．One month.	B．Two months.
C．Three months.	D．Four months.

2. What does the Poetry Contest value most?

A．Whether the poem is novel.

B．Whether the poem is humorous.

C．Whether the poem is written in rhyme

D．Whether the poem is suitable for the contest theme.

3. What can the finalists get?

A．A $ 275 bonus.	B．An online class visit.
C．The position of assistant editor.	D．A signed copy of Bigfoot Is Missing.

9 . Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition

Take part in the world–famous Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition–open to young photographers from 4 January to 25 February 2016. For more than 50 years, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has championed honest and positive wildlife photograph. The competition rewards artistic innovation and technical excellence.

Ages and submissions. Open to photographers aged 17 and under. Submissions can range from animal portraiture, action or behavior, as well as the wider habitats of wildlife, to artistic accounts of the natural world.

Rules and translation. Read the rules before entering the competition and submitting images. The competition categories and rules are translated into 12 languages. You can download them as PDFs below.

Awards and prizes. Handsome awards, global recognition, chances to enjoy widespread coverage in the media and online and to take center stage at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards ceremony held on 24 May in the Natural History Museum building in London.

Key dates. Competition closes on 25 February 2016 at 11:30 GMT. Original and high–resolution files requested from 29 March until 11:30 GMT 8 April 2016. Winners will be contacted by 13 May 2016.

Keep up to date with the latest Wildlife Photographer of the Year news on our blog, or find us on Twitter and Facebook.
1. Who can take part in the competition?

A．Old artists.	B．London locals.
C．Wildlife protectors.	D．Young photographers.

2. When will the prize–giving ceremony be held?

A．On 25 February.	B．On 24 May.
C．On 13 May.	D．On 29 March.

3. Where does the passage come from?

A．A magazine.	B．A newspaper.
C．A website.	D．A guidebook.