1 . WELCOME TO THE 2021 HAL LEONARD VOCAL COMPETITION

The annual Hal Leonard Vocal Competition was founded in 2011 to encourage young singers from all over United States and Canada, from children through college undergraduates. Thousands of singers have participated in the competition, with top placing videos from 35 states and provinces, and over 40 colleges and universities. The Hal Leonard Vocal Competition was one of the first music competitions held entirely on YouTube.

This year with many singers studying at home and unable to meet in person with teachers, we hope the 2021 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition can be a rewarding project for all participants to experience growth, community, and enrichment. The competition offers a thread of connection between all singers who enter, by seeing and hearing their peers (同龄人) online.

The rules of the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition have alwa ys required that a recorded accompaniment (伴奏) must be an official Hal Leonard recording. Because of the special circumstances we are in, for the 2021 competition, we will allow a singer to use an accompaniment recording made that is not an official Hal Leonard recording, provided that the accompaniment recorded matches exactly the edition of the songs from books chosen on the required repertoire (全部曲目) list. The accompaniment must be piano or keyboard only.

Unlike almost every other music competition, there is no entry fee in the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition. We deliberately want young singers from any location in North America to be able to enter, without the expense of travel to an audition (试镜) site. And singers can view and hear others on YouTube from around the US and Canada who are in their own age group. Voice teachers have told us that it is instructive to hear hundreds of singers from other studios.

It is important to us to encourage the study of art song as well as musical theatre, with four age categories for each ：

• Children, 12 and under

• Early Teens, 13-15

• High School, 16-18

• College Undergraduates/Young Adults, 18-23

1. What does the competition allow participants to do?

A．Meet their teachers personally.	B．Hear people of their age online.
C．Receive videos of famous singers.	D．Get some gifted books on singing.

2. What are participants required to do?

A．Travel to an audition site ahead of time.

B．Prepare and record some original songs.

C．Use non-official Hal Leonard recording.

D．Provide accompaniment to the entry song.

3. What is special about the competition?

A．It is free to participate.	B．It is held on YouTube.
C．It is attended by students.	D．It can be watched online.

2 . If you're out for a run, what difference does it make if you're able to tough it out for another 50 seconds? If you're less than a minute from the top of the hill, that extra time can make the difference between having reached your goal and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

How do you get those extra seconds of energy? A research team at the Texes Tech University developed a study to measure what effect listening to music would have on exercise tolerance. The researchers based the study on a stress testing. As part of the testing, they noted any changes in heart rate and blood pressure as participants underwent physically stressful exercise.

The tests were done on treadmills (跑步机), which increased in both speed and incline (坡度) through three stages. In the final stage, the treadmills moved at 10 miles per hour at a 14-percent grade. Most of these tests were designed to last up to 40 minutes. The average gym-goers lasted 30 minutes. For this study, they divided 127 participants into two groups. One listened to upbeat(快节奏) music, while the other group had earbuds in but did not listen to music.

The group that listened to music was able to outlast the non-music group by an average of 50.6 seconds. Again, being able to go an extra minute may seem like a no-brainer ,but “after 30 minutes, you feel like you are running up a mountain, so even being able to go 50 seconds longer means a lot," said the study's lead author, Waseem Shami, MD.

The study has confirmed something runners and gym-goers have suspected for years: Listening to music during workout can be beneficial to your endurance. "Our findings reinforce the idea that upbeat music can help you exercise longer and stick with a daily exercise routine," said Shami. When doctors are recommending exercise, they might suggest listening to music, too."

1. Why did Shami’s team conduct the research?

A．To test the effect of music on health.	B．To know the cause of failure in sports.
C．To improve runners' exercise tolerance.	D．To record the body change of participants

2. What did the researchers than about the Participants in the stress testing?

A．They ran much faster than average runners.	B．They created a new record of indoor sports.
C．They could run a little longer with music on.	D．They all enjoyed extreme physical challenge

3. What do the underlined words “a no-brainer” mean in paragraph 4?

A．A dull activity.	B．A foolish action.
C．A demanding task.	D．An easy practice

4. What did Shami suggest us doing in the last paragraph ?

A．Developing a daily exercise routine.	B．Listening to music while working out
C．Participating in physical stress testing.	D．Taking exercise as doctors recommend.

3 . Race walking shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.

Race walkers are conditioned athletes. The longest track and field event at the Summer Olympics is the 50-kilometer race walk, which is about five miles longer than the marathon. But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing and one foot remain in contact (接触) with the ground at all times. It’s this strange form that makes race walking such an attractive activity, however, says Jaclyn Norberg, an assistant professor of exercise science at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.

Like running, race walking is physically demanding, she says, According to most calculations, race walkers moving at a pace of six miles per hour would burn about 800 calories(卡路里) per hour, which is approximately twice as many as they would burn walking, although fewer than running, which would probably burn about 1,000 or more calories per hour.

However, race walking does not pound the body as much as running does, Dr. Norberg says. According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step, while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step.

As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers. But the sport’s strange form does place considerable stress on the ankles and hips, so people with a history of such injuries might want to be cautious in adopting the sport. In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper technique, she says. It takes some practice.

1. Why are race walkers conditioned athletes?

A．They must run long distances.

B．They are qualified for the marathon.

C．They have to follow special rules.

D．They are good at swinging their legs.

2. What advantage does race walking have over running?

A．It’s more popular at the Olympics.

B．It’s less challenging physically.

C．It’s more effective in body building.

D．It’s less likely to cause knee injuries.

3. What is Dr. Norberg’s suggestion for someone trying race walking?

A．Getting experts’ opinions.

B．Having a medical checkup.

C．Hiring an experienced coach.

D．Doing regular exercises.

4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to race walking?

A．Skeptical.	B．Objective.
C．Tolerant.	D．Conservative.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式.

The mascot (吉祥物) for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games     1    (show) to the public at Beijing’s Shougang Ice Hockey Arena on September 17th, 2019. The name of the mascot is “Bing Dwen Dwen”, which is     2    (close) associated with the host nation’s culture.

The image of it is designed based     3    the giant panda.     4    (dress) in a full body suit of ice, a symbol of purity and     5    (strong), the panda wears a helmet with colored halo (光环). The lines of the halo represent the snow     6     (track) and 5G technology. The heart shape in its left palm represents the host country’s hospitality.

The name “Bing Dwen Dwen” is a     7     (combine) of several meanings in the Chinese language. “Bing” is the Chinese character for ice, while “Dwen Dwen” is     8     common nickname (绰号) in China for children that implies the healthiness and cuteness.

The mascot perfectly combines the best elements and characteristics of China to show China’s warm invitation to friends from all over the world. It is also designed     9    (promote) the Olympic spirit. There is no doubt     10     it will be a wonderful ambassador for China and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

5 . They are probably the longest-standing and biggest rivals (对手) in international sport— Chinese badminton player Lin Dan, with his deadly smashes (扣球) and drop shots, and his Malaysian rival Lee Chong Wei, who is known for his spirit and determination.

Over the years, the two have competed with each other many times, and both have experienced victory and defeat. But Lin beat Lee the first two times they faced each other in the Olympic Games—in Beijing in 2008 and then in London in 2012.

And that was inadmissible for Lee. In fact, according to BadmintonBlaze.com, Lee once said that if he had the choice between winning an Olympic gold and beating Lin, he would absolutely choose victory over his old rival.

And he eventually did, at the 2016 Rio Games. When he beat Lin that day, Lee dropped to the floor, covered his face with his hands and looked around the stadium like a gold-medal moment although Lee eventually lost out in the final to another Chinese player, Chen Long.

All the years of trying to outdo each other have not only driven Lin and Lee to surpass (超越) themselves as players, but also developed a special friendship between the two.

They care for and encourage each other. They invited each other to their own weddings. And right before this year’s Malaysia Open, Lee, who wasn’t able to compete there on account of his nose cancer, wrote on social networking site Facebook, “My friend Lin Dan, you have my best wishes for this Malaysian Open. If I were to hope for a non-Malaysian to win the men’s singles title, I hope that it’s you my friend, my greatest rival.”

Lin and Lee are now pushing 36 and 37 respectively—ages by which most athletes would have retired—but they are planning to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, in the hope that they can play each other once again.

It’s as Badminton Association of Malaysia vice president David Wee once said of the two, “they bring out the best in each other”.

1. Which phrase can best describe their relationship?

A．Familiar strangers.	B．Friends and enemies.
C．Colleagues and rivals.	D．Teammates and competitors.

2. What does the underlined word “inadmissible” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Unacceptable.	B．Inescapable.
C．Unexpected.	D．Impossible.

3. What did Lee’s reaction at the 2016 Rio Games indicate?

A．He mistakenly believed he had won the gold medal.

B．He was confident to defeat Lin Dan next time.

C．He didn’t care about the Olympic gold medals.

D．He took his victory over Lin most seriously.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Lin ranks second to Lee in the world badminton.

B．Lin is sure to compete against Lee at the 2020 Olympics.

C．Lee has no intention to quit playing badminton in spite of his nose cancer.

D．Lee wished Lin to win the men’s singles title in this year’s Malaysia Open.

6 . Cycling or Running?

Aerobic (有氧) exercise is an effective tool to assist with fat loss. It can be fun and help build up your body. Running and cycling, for example, are both good for you.     1     Read on and make an informed decision.

Metabolic (代谢) Level

At the metabolic level, fast running beats fast cycling. There is also the fact that when you’re riding downhill, you’re essentially at rest because you’re coasting. Not so with running.     2     You’re also getting more of a total body workout with running than you get with cycling.

Difficulty Of Adoption

You could ride a bike for hours. With no pounding on your joints, you can go far and fast. Now compare that to taking up running. The first few times you try running, you will breathe heavily, wondering why on earth you’re putting yourself through such suffering. It takes enormous determination for most people to become runners.     3    

Racing

Foot races are popular the world over. There are 5Ks, 10Ks, half and full and ultra-marathons. Any decent-sized city will have your choice of races.     4     It forces you to train and pushes you to get better. Contrarily，it’s harder to find many races for cycling.

Convenience

In terms of convenience, running can’t match cycling. You will reach a specific destination way faster on a bike than by running. It’s also easier for carrying things on a bike.

    5     Both cycling and running have something to offer. It’s about analyzing their respective advantages and deciding what’s right for you.

A．Truth be told, there is no winner.

B．Entering them can be very motivating.

C．You can do more caloric burn in less time with running.

D．So it’s not hard to find that cycling is just easier to get into.

E．It is definitely beneficial to take part in both of the two sports.

F．But maybe you are in two minds about which one to engage in.

G．You can handle any kind of bad condition when it comes to running.

7 . The true Olympic spirit has been displayed by Canadian cross-country ski coach Justin Wadsworth, who helped Russian athlete Anton Gafarov with his broken ski during the Men’s Sprint Free Semifinals.

Gafarov’s start wasn't smooth. He fell three times, crashing early in the race and breaking his ski. It was clear that Gafarov was out of the race for the men's finals and wouldn't be able to compete for medals. Still, he wanted to finish in front of the home crowd. but his left ski was too badly damaged in the crash and its base had come off. The Russian skier faced finishing the race by walking to the line, not skiing.

However, the Russian's fall was seen by Canadian coach Justin Wadsworth, who immediately ran on to the course and helped Gafarov. “I went over and gave him one of Alex Harvey's, a member of the Canadian team who didn’t qualify for the finals. It was about giving Gafarov some dignity so he didn't have to walk to the finish area,” Wadsworth said. “We help because we know everyone works so hard in our sport,” says Wadsworth, who was an Olympic skier for the S before becoming a coach. “Everyone wants fair results. It was a matter of allowing Gafarov to finish the race.”

Gafarov was thoughtful about his performance. “My fall cost me a broken ski and a pole,” said Anton Gafarov, adding that he decided to continue fighting for the finals despite all the difficulties.

Gafarov believed the race should be finished in any way possible. “It was a matter of principle to hold on to the end,” he added. He is not devastated (毁灭) by his failure and is eager to take part in the next Winter Olympics despite back problems due to injuries.

1. What happened to Gafarov during the Men's Sprint Free Semifinals?

A．He dropped his ski in the unlucky crash.

B．He gave up the race after falling three times.

C．He lost the gold medal for the men's finals.

D．He had his ski broken in the early race.

2. What do we know about Wadsworth

A．He felt pity for Gafarov's bad luck in the race.

B．He knew what price Gafarov paid for the competition.

C．He was angry with his player' s not qualifying for the finals.

D．He once worked hard to become an Olympic skier for Canada.

3. According to the text, which statement may Gafarov agree to?

A．Every dog has its day.	B．Rome isn't built overnight.
C．There is no end to learning.	D．Never give up in face of difficulty.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Olympic Spirit.	B．The Touching Moment.
C．The Meaning of Sports.	D．The Winning Gold Medal.

8 . The annual marathon in my town occurred as scheduled. My job was to follow behind the runners in an ambulance in case any of them needed medical attention. As the athletes began to pace themselves, the front runners started to disappear. It was then that my eyes were drawn to the woman in blue running shorts and a baggy white T-shirt.

I knew we were already watching our “last runner”. Her feet were turned in, yet her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so crippled ( 跛足的 ) and bent that it seemed impossible for her to walk, let alone run a marathon.

The driver and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We would move forward a little bit, then stop and wait for her to gain some distance. Then we’d slowly move forward a little bit more. As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself breathing for her and urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I prayed that she wouldn’t.

Finally, she was the only runner left in sight. I sat on the edge of my seat and watched with respect and amazement as she pushed forward with sheer determination through the last miles. When the finish line came into sight, the cheering crowds had long gone home. Yet, standing straight and proud waited a man. He was holding one end of a ribbon tied to a post. She slowly crossed through, leaving both ends of the ribbon fluttering (飘动) behind her.

I don’t know this woman’s name, but that day she became a part of my life — a part I often depend on.

For her, it wasn’t about beating the other runners or winning a prize. It was about finishing what she had set out to do. When I think things are too difficult or I get those “I-just-can’t-do-it,” I think of the last runner. Then I realize how easy the task before me really is.

1. What words can best describe the woman?

A．Proud and determined.	B．Strong-willed and honorable.
C．Modest and courageous.	D．Diligent and considerate.

2. What has the author learnt from the woman?

A．Don’t depend on others when facing hardships.

B．Nothing is too tough to accomplish if one is brave enough.

C．The disabled can also run a marathon despite their walking difficulty.

D．It’s not winning but holding on straight to the end that really matters.

3. What could be the best title for the text?

A．A Crippled Woman.	B．An Unforgettable Job.
C．The Last Runner.	D．The Annual Marathon.

9 . Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. Given that it's so easy to take up the sport, a lot of beginners jump right into running without actually knowing what it takes to establish a healthy routine.

    1    . If you are just starting out, avoid the following things to help you increase your chances of running success.

Doing too much too soon

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is doing too much too soon. Picking up a new hobby like running is no doubt exciting. Runners need to ease into the sport before increasing the distance.    2    .

    3    

Beginners might think they need to run nearly every day to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn't be further from the truth.    4    ， especially for beginners whose muscles and bones haven't yet been conditioned for such intense (剧烈的) exercise. So it's important to give your body ample rest between workouts. Follow a training plan that includes rest days.

Comparing yourself to others

    5    , You're excited about running, so you are probably reading running blogs, magazines and message boards where you might start to feel inadequate about your own running pace. Instead of getting down on yourself， remember that every runner was once a beginner and use their success as motivation!

A．Not running every day

B．Not taking rest days

C．Running is a demanding activity which can be really hard on your body

D．As mentioned, a healthy routine is what they attach importance to

E．When starting out with running, it's tough not to compare yourself to others

F．Many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (干扰) with training or lead to injury

G．It will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue with your new running routine

10 . If you are already making the time to exercise, it is good indeed! With such busy lives, it can be hard to try and find the time to work out.     1     Working out in the morning provides additional benefits beyond being physically fit.

Your productivity is improved. Exercising makes you more awake and ready to handle whatever is ahead of you for the day.     2    

Your metabolism(新陈代谢) gets a head start.     3     If you work out in the mornings, then you will be getting the calorie(卡路里) burning benefits for the whole day, not in your sleep.

    4     Studies found that people who woke up early for exercise slept better than those who exercised in the evening. Exercise energizes you, so it is more difficult to relax and have a peaceful sleep when you are very excited.

    5     If you work out bright and early in the morning, you will be more likely to stick to healthy food choices throughout the day. Who would want to ruin their good workout by eating junk food? You will want to continue to focus on positive choices.

There are a lot of benefits to working out, especially in the mornings. Set your alarm clock an hour early and push yourself to work out! You will feel energized all day long.

A．You will stick to your diet.

B．Your quality of sleep improves.

C．You prefer healthy food to fast food.

D．There is no reason you should exercise in the morning.

E．You can keep your head clear for 4-10 hours after exercise.

F．After you exercise, you continue to burn calories throughout the day.

G．If you are planning to do exercise regularly, or you’re doing it now, then listen up!