1 . Are you a sports lover looking for skill development in the off­-season (淡季)?

Joy of the Game (JG) has been working for the past 10 years. Come and join JG to develop skills as you prepare for next season.

Classroom Information
Ages	Boys 8th — 12th Grade
Skills	All Skill Levels
Days	Sunday (A 10­-Day Program) Half Day：Morning：9:00 am－12:00 pm Afternoon：1:00 pm－4:00 pm Full Day：9:00 am－4:00 pm
Schedule(课程)	Morning Period ( 9:00 am－12:00 pm )：Basketball, Volleyball, Floor Hockey Lunch Break：12:00 pm－1:00 pm ( Kids Must Bring Their Own Lunch ) Afternoon Period ( 1:00 pm－4:00 pm )：Basketball, Floor Hockey (室内曲棍球), Soccer, Relay Races (接力赛)
Costs	Half Day：$ 50 a day Full Day：$ 90 a day

1. Who can join JG according to the information?

A．A girl in the 8th grade.

B．A girl who likes playing volleyball.

C．A boy in the 11th grade.

D．A boy who wants to improve baseball skills.

2. Allan likes soccer very much, so he can choose the class ________．

A．any time on Sunday	B．from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
C．from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm	D．from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

3. The passage is probably taken from a ________.

A．sports magazine

B．novel

C．storybook

D．science book

2 . Lion dance is a valued tradition deeply rooted in South China’s Guangdong province and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asian countries. Historically, this art form was only practiced by men. However, a unique team consisting entirely of teenage girls stands out among all the male groups — they are the Nanxing Hexingtang Women’s Lion Dance Team from the town of Ren he in Guangzhou.

Nearly every village in Guangzhou has its own lion dance team. Yet as of 2018, Hexingtang had only male participants. As there was a decline in the number of young people practicing lion dance, it accepted a few young girls. The journey was far from smooth for the girls. They were once hired to perform for a family on the first day of Chinese New Year. When the family realized that it was the girls who would be performing, they erupted in anger and chased them away. Then Hexingtang decided to formally establish a women’s team to make the female lion dance leagal. They customized flags and banners printed with “women’s team”, crafted pink and purple lion heads, which are rarely seen in male lion dance, and even fashioned a lion head looking like the image of the female general Mu Guiying, a famous figure in Yue Opera.

It was hoped that after the girls won awards and proved themselves, they might be accepted by more people. Their breakthrough came in 2021 when the girls beat all-male teams and won the first prize in a competition in Guangzhou’s Baiyun district. The following year, at the 16th Guangdong Provincial Games, the girls once again got the top prize in the junior group, representing Guangzhou. Since then, they have continued to win awards. In the recent Maofeng Mountain competition just before Spring Festival in Guangzhou, the team performed a routine titled “Tramping Over Mountains and Hills Step by Step”, which mirrors the growth journey of these girls themselves as they navigate through numerous challenges. Behind this near-perfect performance is girls’ dedication and hard work.

Lion dance is not easy, especially for girls, as it demands significant strength and mastery of martial arts movements. However, girls possess unique advantages and can cultivate a distinctive style. Girls typically have a keen understanding of music, performing perfectly in both lion and instrument roles. Furthermore, their superior physical flexibility allows them to complete difficult moves. Most importantly, their sensitivity enables them to capture the expressions and behaviors of lions.

1. What do we know about lion dance?

A．It is a tradition rooted in all Asian countries.

B．Only men could practice lion dance in the past.

C．Every village in Guangzhou has its own lion dance team.

D．It’s easy for people to practice.

2. What does the underlined word “fashioned” in paragraph 2mean?

A．made.

B．bought.

C．painted.

D．had.

3. What was the turning point for women’s team?

A．They performed for a family on the first day of Chinese New Year.

B．They performed a routine titled “Tramping Over Mountains and Hills Step by Step”.

C．They won the first prize in a competition in Guangzhou’s Baiyun district.

D．They won the top prize in the junior group at the 16th Guangdang Provincial Games.

4. Which is not a unique advantage of girls in lion dance?

A．They can complete difficult moves with superior physical flexibility.

B．They have great strength and master martial arts movements.

C．They have a keen understanding of music, performing perfectly in different roles.

D．They can capture the expressions and behaviors of lions with sensitivity.

3 . “Pop” stands for popular, and a pop singer has to work very hard to stay popular. He must either give the public what they want, or he must find a new way of singing that will attract their attention. Even when he has succeeded, and his records are sold everywhere, he cannot relax. Then he must work harder than ever to remain popular, because there are always younger singers trying to become famous and to steal some of the popularity.

The life of a successful pop singer isn’t easy at all. He can only relax when he is alone, because everything he does is watched and reported in the special newspaper written for the fans. The fans are the most important people in the world for the singer. They buy his records, they go to his concerts, and they make him rich and famous. But they can be very annoying, too. Sometimes their enthusiasm (热情) is so hysterical (歇斯底里的) that they do anything to get a souvenir (纪念品). They steal handkerchief, they tear off buttons, and they even cut off pieces of unfortunate singer’s hair. Many singers have been forced to hide, and some who have not been so lucky as to escape have been stripped (剥) practically naked by their fans. A pop singer has to spend a lot of money on clothes because he must always look smart, or at any rate, different. He must have a luxurious (豪华的) car. And most importantly, he must always keep smiling for the benefit of his public.

1. Pop singer works very hard ___________.

A．to get attention

B．to stay popular

C．to get more money

D．to sell more records

2. The underlined word “annoying” in the second paragraph means__________.

A．lovely

B．friendly

C．boring

D．angry

3. A pop singer has a lot of clothes in order to keep himself _________.

A．smart and the same

B．smart and different

C．healthy and young

D．rich and strong

4. A suitable title for this passage might be _______.

A．The Way to Become a Pop Singer

B．The Fans of the Pop Singer

C．The Pop Singers

D．The Success of Pop Singers

4 . In the heart of a harsh winter, Ma Yuxing and his family found themselves caught in an unexpected blizzard as they returned to Xinjiang after the Spring Festival. The storm forced them to leave the highway and seek shelter in Guazhou Coupty, Gansu, where the local community’s warmth would soon thaw their cold predicament.

Amidst the snowstorm, local authorities rapidly transformed schools and gymnasiums into temporary shelters for stranded (受困的) travelers like Ma and his family. Despite the freezing temperatures and growing demand for accommodation, the people of Guazhou sprang into action, providing food, warmth, and medical assistance to everyone in need.

The generosity of the Guazhou residents knew no bounds. Local citizens, like Wang Yang, opened their homes to strangers, embodying a spirit of communal support and hospitality. The local governmen, along with various organizations and businesses, coordinated effectively to distribute essential supplies and ensure the safety and comfort of all stranded individuals.

This story of snowstorm turned unity highlights the kind nature of the Guazhou community, a testament to human kindness in the face of natural disaster.

1. What caused Ma Yuxing and his family to seek shelter in Guazhou County?

A．They were on holiday in Guazhou.	B．They were visiting relatives in the area.
C．They were stranded due to a snowstorm.	D．They decided to move to Guazhou.

2. How did the Guazhou community respond to the stranded travelers?

A．They ignored the travelers’ plight.

B．They provided temporary accommodation and essentials.

C．They charged a small fee for their services.

D．They offered jobs to the stranded individuals.

3. We can infer about the residents of Guazhou based-en their actions during the crisis EXCEPT?

A．They are kind to others’ suffering.

B．They provided accommodation to the strangers.

C．They are selfless and warm-hearted.

D．They are well-prepared for natural disasters.

4. Use an adjective to describe the characteristic of Guazhou people as depicted in the story.

A．in different

B．warm-hearted

C．unfriendly

D．selfish

5 . One Saturday morning, Apple Inc’s iPad table computer (平板电脑) went on sale in the United States stores across the country. The iPad can be bought in more than 200 U.S. Apple stores from Apple. Many fans even waited overnight outside some Apple stores, hoping to be the first to get one. Dozens of the people were waiting before the door opened at 9:00 a.m. Hiro Kishimoto, a Japanese computer researcher who had a meeting in San Francisco, came as early as 5:00 a.m. He wanted to read books and magazines with the iPad. “It’s much more comfortable than a laptop (手提电脑). Because the laptop is too heavy to carry all the time, when you are in the living rooms, maybe the iPad is the best one to use.” He said. The iPad models that hit the U.S. Market on Saturday with price starting from 499 dollars, only have Wi Fi (无线宽带) link to the Internet. Apple models that have both Wi Fi and 3G will be on sale in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switland and the UK in late April. With a 9.7-inch touch screen like books and magazines, iPad can let users finish many tasks including making the web, watching videos, playing games and reading e-books. Apple is trying to remake the tablet computer. The iPad doesn’t support Adobe’s Flash software (多媒体软件) that is used to watch many of the videos on the web. “It is short of a keyboard, a mouse, USB ports and multi-tasking.” some researchers said.

1. People waited outside Apple stores early, because ________.

A．they could get a gift when the store opened	B．the price of the iPad was low at first
C．they were eager (渴望) to own the iPad	D．there were a few iPads on sale

2. Hiro Kishimoto ________.

A．is from San Francisco	B．came to an Apple store at 5:00 p.m.
C．wanted to buy an iPhone there	D．thought laptops were too heavy

3. The iPad models that hit the US market on Saturday with price at least ________.

A．￥299

B．$299

C．￥499

D．$499

4. People can buy iPad computers in ________ in late April.

A．Canada, France and Russia	B．China, Japan and France
C．Spain, Australia and Germany	D．Italy, the UK and Greek

5. Which of the following is not true about the iPad?

A．It has a keyboard and a mouse.	B．It has a 9.7-inch touch screen.
C．People can read e-books with it.	D．People can play games with it.

6 . We have an English corner in our classroom. Every morning many of my classmates come to the corner. My teacher Miss Zhang comes here, too. At the corner, we all speak English.

The corner started last year. At first, there were only _________ students because many were _________ to speak English. After several weeks, more and more students came here. At first, some students just _________ to the other students. I was one of them. I was afraid to speak English. I thought someone would _________ me, but I wanted to speak. I always spoke English in my heart. My teacher went on saying, “Don’t be afraid. Open your mouth.” I tried and tried to open my mouth. At last, I said, “Hello!” to the teacher. The teacher was very _________. She said “Hello!” to me at once. From _________ on, I began to speak English. I work hard at English and I try my best _________ more. I learn _________ my teacher and my classmates at the corner. Now I can speak a little English. Every Sunday morning, I come to the corner _________.

It’s a good __________ to speak English. Please join us.

1.

A．a lot of

B．a few

C．a little

D．a bit of

2.

A．excited

B．interested

C．angry

D．afraid

3.

A．Talked

B．spoke

C．listened

D．came

4.

A．help

B．laugh at

C．stop

D．fit into

5.

A．happy

B．interesting

C．sad

D．afraid

6.

A．then

B．now

C．today

D．that

7.

A．saying

B．of talk

C．to speak

D．telling

8.

A．to

B．at

C．for

D．from

9.

A．late

B．often

C．early

D．too

10.

A．room

B．place

C．home

D．school

7 . Have you ever had an embarrassing experience? Last week we asked readers to tell us about embarrassing experiences. We received thousands of letters! Here is a selection.

Tony: My most embarrassing experience happened when I had just left university. I had just started teaching in a Liverpool middle school. One morning my alarm clock didn’t ring. I woke up at half past eight and school began at nine. I quickly washed, dressed, jumped into my car and rushed to school. When I arrived, the students had already gone into class. I didn’t go to the office, but went straight into class. After two or three minutes the students began laughing, and I couldn’t understand why! Suddenly I looked down and understood. I had put on one black shoe and one brown shoe!

Henry: The most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had happened two years ago. After seeing a film, my wife and I had lunch in our favorite restaurant in town. Then we decided to take a walk along the street. The street was very busy and we started holding hands. Suddenly my wife saw a dress that she liked in a shop window, and stopped. I started looking at some watches in the next window. After a minute or two I reached for my wife’s hand. There was a loud scream, and a woman slapped my face. I hadn’t taken my wife’s hand. I’d taken the hand of a complete stranger (陌生人)!

1. Tony arrived at school late that morning because ________.

A．he couldn’t find hid shoes	B．his alarm clock didn’t ring
C．he washed and dressed slowly	D．his car went wrong on the way

2. The students began laughing when they saw Tony ________.

A．wearing a wrong shoe	B．his alarm clock didn’t ring
C．looking down suddenly	D．rushing into the classroom

3. Henry and his wife held hands ________.

A．at the cinema	B．in the shop
C．at the restaurant	D．along the street

4. What does the underlined word “scream” mean in Chinese?

A．尖叫声

B．笑声

C．哭声

D．呼救声

5. Henry was embarrassed because he ________.

A．slapped the woman in the face	B．took the hand of a complete stranger
C．heard his wife screaming in the street	D．knocked over some watches in the shops

8 . The Best Art Competitions to Enter in 2024

Watermedia Showcase

Watermedia Showcase is back for its 15th year! Showcase your best watercolor art in this exciting competition. All winners and honorable mentions will have their works featured in the magazine. First prize winners will receive an additional $2,500 cash prize and a free Artists Network Membership. Entry fee is $45 ($30 before February 6, 2024).

Closing Date: April 11, 2024.

Jackson’s Painting Prize

Jackson’s Painting Prize was created to reward original art created with oil paints. A $7,500 total cash prize will be equally divided between the first three winning artists. There are also awards for emerging artists and best oil paintings. Winners will be given an opportunity to have their works shown in an exhibition. Entry fee is $35 per entry.

Closing Date: March 1, 2024.

The Strokes of Genius Contest

Open to artists in the United States and Canada, this contest celebrates original drawings made in pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, colored pencil and so on. Top prize is $3,500. Winning entries will be published in a special edition of The Best of Drawing. Entry fee is $45.

Closing Date: April 29, 2024.

The Sunny Art Prize

Contestants can submit works made in a diverse range of media, including drawing, sculpture, printmaking, video art, and photography. Top prize winner receives $6,000 and a silver medal. Open to artists worldwide aged 18 and over. Entry fee is $40 for one artwork.

Closing Date: June 30, 2024.

1. What is the final deadline for the submission of watercolor works?

A．April 11.

B．March 1.

C．February 6.

D．April 29.

2. What can a winner get in Jackson’s Painting Prize?

A．A silver medal.	B．A free membership.
C．A chance to exhibit his entry.	D．A qualification to publish his work.

3. What is special about the Sunny Art Prize?

A．It charges the least for each artwork.	B．It is most popular with emerging artists.
C．It is open to artists based in North America.	D．It accepts entries in multiple types of media.

9 . As Christmas Eve approached, I found myself in New York City, far from my family and friends in Taiwan. I was feeling homesick and lonely, but my Jewish friend, Rachel, who, like me, doesn’t get connected with Christmas due to any religious things, invited me to join her for a dinner in a Chinese restaurant. She explained that it was a tradition for many Jewish people to celebrate this holiday by eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

We went to Jing Fong, a fancy restaurant in Chinatown. The place was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and festive. We ordered a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, and I felt grateful to be sharing this experience with Rachel. As we ate, we talked about our families and our cultures. We laughed and joked, and for a moment, I forgot about my homesickness.

A moment later, a group of carolers (唱圣诞歌的人) came into the restaurant, singing Christmas songs. At first, I was puzzled. Why were they singing in a Chinese restaurant? But then I realized that this was part of the magic of New York City. People from all different cultures and backgrounds could come together and celebrate the holidays in their own way. Rachel and I joined in the singing, and soon the whole restaurant was filled with music. It was a beautiful moment, and I felt blessed to be part of it.

What a night! I learned that even when you’re far from home, you can still find joy and connection with others. Rachel and I may come from different cultures, but we shared amazing food, joyful music, and most importantly heartfelt company. And that’s exactly what all the holidays are all about.

1. Why did Rachel invite the author to join her for dinner?

A．To show respect to God

B．To celebrate Christmas in the Jewish way

C．To share stories about their families

D．To forget about their homesickness

2. What was the author’s initial reaction to the carolers?

A．Fearful	B．Joyful
C．Disappointed	D．Confused

3. How did the author want people to approach Christmas?

A．By focusing on religious traditions

B．By celebrating with family and friends

C．By enjoying a variety of festive dishes

D．By embracing diverse ways of celebration

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A personal blog	B．A commercial promotion brochure
C．A travel guide of New York	D．An academic article

10 . Getting rid of(丢弃) old tyres(轮胎) has long been a problem. Every year many tyres are thrown. Some of the ways might be better than getting rid of them, but they are not especially green.

Energy recovery(回收利用) is one common way. This includes burning tyres to produce electricity, or as a way to provide heat for other industrial processes. But that produces planet-warming pollution. Tyres can be whole or broken in construction projects, such as repairing roads. There are, however, worries about chemicals from the tyres coming out and polluting the ground.

So some companies have begun exploring another pleasing idea. Since tyres are mostly made from hydrocarbons(碳氢化合物), it should be possible in principle to turn old tyres into environmentally friendly materials which can be used to run some cars they came from. One of the most thoughtful companies is based in Oslo, Norway. Later this year the company will start building a huge tyre-reused factory in Sunderland in northeastern England. In a couple of years, when the factory is fully operational, it will be able to turn 8 million old tyres into new products.

The process works by dividing a tyre into its three main parts. One is steel, which is used to support the structure of a tyre and which can be easily reused. The second is powder used to improve the continuous use of the tyre. The third is rubber. Some of that will be natural rubber from the rubber trees. The carbon black can be reused to make new tyres. That is of interest to tyre makers because it helps efforts to become carbon neutral(碳中和).

1. What is the disadvantage of energy recovery of tyres mentioned in the text?

A．It is unpractical.	B．It produces pollution.
C．It costs a lot.	D．It produces less electricity.

2. How is paragraph 3 organized?

A．By giving an example.	B．By making questions.
C．By following time order.	D．By comparing differences.

3. Which of the following best describes the huge tyre-reused factory?

A．Costly.

B．Useful.

C．Dangerous.

D．Short-lived.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Tyres can be divided into three parts

B．A company built a tyre-reused factory

C．Energy recovery can deal with old tyres

D．Old tyres can become environmentally friendly materials