1 . Love to write? Want to see your work published and win some cash along the way? Then read on. The national Spark a Story writing contest is calling in all young storytellers!
Who can participate?
The contest is open to students in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12, or those who are being home-schooled in the United States.
Deadline and requirements
You’re able to send your short story up to October 7th. It will be judged on creativity, originality and overall quality of writing. Your story must be original works and should be no longer than 5000 words. There is no minimum length requirements.
How can I send my short story?
There are three easy ways to send your short story:
*Online at http: // learn.hmhco.com/hmhsparkamind
*Send your short story as a PDF or Microsoft word document to Sparkahmhco.com
*Send your short story via US Mail to: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
222 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116
What will I win?
The best stories will be published next year. Winners will receive a free copy of the book and cash price of $100.
1. Which of the following children can take part in the contest?| A．Maria, grade 7, from New York. |
| B．Justin, grade 9, from London. |
| C．Catherine, grade 11, from Washington. |
| D．C.D. Bastian, home-schooled from Paris. |
| A．longer than 5,000 words. |
| B．shorter than 5,000 words. |
| C．an original work. |
| D．sent before October 7th. |
| A．Sending it online. |
| B．Sending it by email. |
| C．Sending it by US Mail. |
| D．Sending it by fax. |
2 . The United States celebrates Valentine's Day each year on February 14. Many other countries celebrate Valentine's Day, too, each in their own way. Here is a look at the Valentine's Day traditions in three countries.
Wales：land of love spoons
In Wales, it is called St. Dwynwen's Day, which takes place on January 25. The traditional romantic gift on this day is a love spoon.
Beginning in the 17th century, Welsh men made beautiful wooden spoons as a show of their love for that special person in their lives. Each shape of the spoons has a different meaning. For example, horseshoes mean good luck； keys represent the key to a lover's heart； and wheels are a sign of support.
Argentina：a week of sweets
Argentina celebrates Valentine's Day in February, but also gives a whole other week to love in July. They call it Sweetness Week. If you kiss someone, they have to give you a sugary treat.
Sweetness Week started in 1989 with a candy company called Arcor. They made an advertisement called “Candy for a Kiss”. The idea was to give the company's chocolates and other candies in exchange for a sweet kiss on the cheek. The campaign had a stronger effect than the company expected—it led to a new holiday!
Every July, couples who take part give each other candies and kisses all week long.
South Korea: three is a charm
For South Koreans, Valentine's Day happens in three parts： February 14, March 14 and April 14.
On February 14, women traditionally give men gifts of chocolate to show their love. One month later, on a holiday known as White Day, men show their thanks by giving women a sweet gift. The name “White Day” comes from the custom of giving white-colored gifts.
Let's not forget Black Day on April 14. Single people who did not get gifts on February 14 or March 14 often gather on Black Day to eat noodles with black bean soup.
1. What does a key-shaped spoon mean?| A．Strong support. | B．Good luck. |
| C．Deep love. | D．Real thanks. |
| A．In July . | B．In June. |
| C．In March. | D．In February . |
| A．White chocolates. | B．Silver spoons. |
| C．Black candies. | D．Black beans. |
3 . No human has set foot on the Moon since 1972. Now, after more than four decades of inactivity, interest in putting humans back on the Moon is finally heating up again. But who will get there first?
CHINA
On 14 December 2013, China successfully landed its Jade Rabbit rover(探测车)on the Moon. It is now working on its next exploration mission. Named Chang’e 4, the mission is scheduled to touch down in the Aitken Basin near the end of 2018. If successful, it will be the first landing on the Moon’s far side.
RUSSIA
Russia plans a manned Moon landing in 2030. It is currently working on a project whose idea is that the landers will explore the south pole of the Moon, exploring for resources such as minerals and water ice to be used to provide for a human outpost(前哨站).
INDIA
Following the success of its Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, India announced a follow-on mission. Chandrayaan-2 was meant to cooperate with Russia. But when the Russians failed to deliver the promised lander in 2013, India decided to go it alone. Chandrayaan-2 is about to be sent up in 2018.
U. S. A.
In December 2018, NASA plans to send up the Exploration Mission 1, an uncrewed test of their Orion astronaut capsule in which the craft will circle around the Moon before returning to Earth. All being well, a crewed capsule will follow in 2023. Should the mission prove a success, the astronauts will be the first humans to see the far side of the Moon with their own eyes since Apollo 17 in 1972.
1. What will China do in its next space mission?| A．Improve its Jade Rabbit rover. |
| B．Work with other countries. |
| C．Land Chang’e 4 on the Moon. |
| D．Explore the south pole of the Moon. |
| A．It couldn’t find a partner. |
| B．It didn’t get the lander as planned. |
| C．The Russians refused to work with India. |
| D．It planned to launch Chandrayaan-2 in advance. |
| A．Russia. | B．China. | C．India. | D．U. S. A. |
4 . If you are planning a tour to France, September is one of the best choices. Not only will you get to enjoy plenty of sunshine and warm weather, but the tourist season is beginning to wind down-which means cheaper airfares, lower prices at hotels, and fewer crowds. If this is your first trip to France , here is some handy information to help you!
Visiting Museums
Many museums in France have extended opening hours during the summer to adapt to the extra tourists from home and abroad, and some museums also have extended opening hours into September. Wandering around the Louvre（卢浮宫）will take you into a wonder world, where you can enjoy world- famous art. Going out of the Louvre, you can walk to the modern and fashionable Chumps Elysees to do some shopping.
Taking a Cruise（乘船游览）
The temperatures are slightly lower, but plenty of sunshine makes for perfect conditions to enjoy a barge cruise on the canals of France. Willi such comfortable weather and beautiful scenery at this time of year, nothing equals hanging out on the deck of a barge.
Wine Tasting
September is the beginning of the grape harvest season in France meaning there are plenty of wine- related events and festivals around the country. So September is a great time to visit the vineyards(葡萄园） around the country and go wine tasting. The Bordeaux, Loire and Burgundy regions are all lovely and great places to visit vineyards. Besides that, going to the castles of the Loire region between visiting vineyards on such warm and sunny days is also very enjoyable.
Besides the above, riding a bike through France's villages is also a welcome activity for young visitors in September. So, don't hesitate and start to plan your September trip to France now.
1. When do many French museums extend their opening hours?| A．In Jan. & Feb.. | B．In Apr. & May . |
| C．In Aug. & Sep.. | D．In Nov. & Dec.. |
| A．Bordeaux. | B．Loire. | C．Burgundy. | D．Champs Ely sees. |
| A．Warm but crowded. | B．Cool but much noisy. |
| C．Cold and less noisy. | D．Sunny and less crowded. |
5 . Music died here last spring，or rather，it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high school curriculum.
The committee decide that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts.Because the school system is running out of funding，it needs to make sure that students pass the test or even more money will be lost.If students fail the state standardized test，it is not the fault of drama and music classes.They are failing because the“academic”classes are in deficiency in a way.
It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing，acting，and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered.Many families cannot afford private music lessons，and many potential musicians and artists may not find their callings if they are not exposed to the arts in school.The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.
Teaching for a test does not shape students into well rounded people.It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through the arts—there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide.What happens after a test？Sure，a student might graduate，but they will have limited knowledge—certainly not a good preparation for the real world.
1. Music and drama are removed from the high school curriculum in that________.| A．some students fail the state standardized test |
| B．fewer and fewer students love to attend them |
| C．the school curriculum has been changed |
| D．the school is afraid of losing financial support |
| A．Not enough. | B．Too many. |
| C．Too boring. | D．Not proper. |
| A．motivate students in creativity and expression |
| B．make students roundshaped people in future |
| C．provide students with careful thinking |
| D．prevent students from graduating from high school |
| A．Humorously. | B．Bitterly. |
| C．Excitedly. | D．Mildly. |
6 . For Deaf People, Face Masks with Windows Mean More Than Smiles
For the last few months, Michael Conley has felt very alone. Conley is a deaf man, and he reads lips to understand what people are saying to him. However, people have been wearing masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19, a new virus that spreads from person to person when infected people breathe out virus particles (颗粒).
People who are deaf and hard of hearing communicate in many different ways. Some might learn to read lips. Many people also use American Sign Language (ASL). It is a way to communicate using gestures and signs for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
For both reading lips and ASL, being able to see someone's face and facial expressions is critically important. Particularly for ASL, facial expressions play a role in grammar and wording.
Helping Lip Readers See Mouths Move
Conley told his co-worker, Chris LaZich, about his situation. LaZich asked her friend, Helton, for help. Ingrid Helton is a costume designer with the San Diego Opera. She makes masks with plastic windows for hearing people to wear, making it possible for lip readers to see mouths move.
For a long time, lip readers have struggled to understand hospital workers who wear masks. The problem has only gotten worse during COVID- 19. Many interpreters for the deaf have not been able to enter hospitals because they could catch the virus.
More Challenges For Deaf People
Now, more people are wearing masks outside of hospitals, too. This creates even more challenges for deaf people.
When people began wearing masks, Conley felt cut off from the world. Since he could not read lips, he did not know when people were speaking to him or what they were saying.
Conley was nervous to go to the pharmacy or the grocery store. Once, he felt so nervous to enter his favorite restaurant that he waited outside for 45 minutes. He did not know what he would do if a masked worker asked him questions about his order. Luckily, the employee recognized him and pulled down her mask to talk to Conley. Conley was grateful for her action.
Not everyone knows Conley, though, and would not know he is deaf. He carries pieces of paper with him so he can ask people to write what they are saying. This way, other people don't have to remove their mask. However, it also means touching the same paper, Touching common surfaces can spread germs. Spreading germs risks contracting COVID-19. Because of that, Conley was refused service many times.
“It makes you lose your confidence,” said Conley, who has been deaf his entire life. However, Helton's windowed masks helped him get his independence back. Conley and his co-worker, Chris LaZich, tried out the masks and he had no trouble reading LaZich's lips.
1. Where can you probably read the passage?| A．In a newspaper. | B．In a diary. |
| C．In a guidebook. | D．In a medical report. |
| A．He felt the situation couldn't be changed. | B．He felt it difficult to recognize people. |
| C．He felt cut off from the world. | D．He felt lonely and angry. |
| A．To help them meet other deaf people. | B．To keep them safe from COVID-19. |
| C．To comfort them emotionally. | D．To satisfy their social needs. |
| A．Soon she started her company called Happy Laugh Masks. |
| B．The windowed masks helped slow the spread of the virus. |
| C．Through her mask's window, LaZich smiled at him. |
| D．Helton said store owners liked the masks as well. |
7 . We all know about the health benefits of swimming. It offers a great workout for the body—it builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. If you don't mind getting wet, it can be fun too. But who would enjoy swimming in water that is ice cold. Well, many people are taking the plunge, based on evidence that it can actually be good for us.
Cold-water swimming—sometimes called wild swimming—involves swimming in natural areas including ponds, rivers and the sea. Jumping in gives a short sharp shock to the body, but many participants say they get used to it. A cold dip might wake you up, but research has found it can have much bigger benefits than that for your body and mind. As well as being good exercise, spending time outdoors and by water improves wellbeing.
There is much evidence, mostly anecdotal, that suggests cold-water swimming has cured certain health conditions. One man who suffered constant pain after surgery claimed he was cured by taking a plunge in cold open water. And another swimmer, Sandria Simons, told the BBC “the immersion of your body in cold, salt water, just feeling like you're at one with nature if you like, just feels amazing. ”
But what is it that people are gaining from this chilly experience? Doctors say getting into cold water evokes a stress response, but the more you do it, your reaction to stress is reduced. It's also thought to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. But there are bigger benefits to this stress-reducing exercise. Some experts believe cold-water swimming helps 'cross-adaptation', where one form of stress prepares the body for another. For example? it also helps reduce the stress of exercising at high altitude.
So, if you're convinced that this is for you, take advice: approach it with caution, swim with a friend, and maybe start in the summer, when the water temperatures are higher!
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Swimming and health. | B．Cold-water swimming. |
| C．Reducing stress. | D．A chilly experience. |
| A．The sharp body shock. | B．The benefit. |
| C．The cold dip. | D．The research. |
| A．It brings you close to nature. | B．It cures certain health conditions. |
| C．It has cross-adaptation effects. | D．It's a great physical exercise. |
| A．Start at an early age. | B．Do it immediately. |
| C．Adapt first in cold water. | D．Safety comes first. |
8 . A good modern newspaper is an extraordinary piece of reading. It's great first for what it contains：the range of news from local crime to international politics, from sports to business，from fashion to science, and the range of comment and special feature(特写) as well，from editorial page to feature articles and interviews to criticism of books, art theatre and music.
A newspaper is even greater for the way one reads it：never completely, never straight through，but always by jumping from here to there, in and out, glancing at one piece，reading another article all the way through, reading just a few paragraphs of the text.
A good modern newspaper offers a variety(多样性) to attract many different readers, but far more than the reader is interested in. What brings this variety together in one place is its topicality(时事性), its immediate relation to what is happening in your world and your locality now. But immediacy and the speed of production that goes with it also mean that much of what appears in a newspaper has no more than transient(短暂的) value.
For all these reasons, no two people really read the same paper：what each person does is to put together, out of the pages of that day's paper, his own selection and order, his own newspaper. For all these reasons, reading newspapers efficiently, which means getting what you want from them without missing things you need and without wasting time，demands skill and self-awareness as you change and apply the techniques of reading.
1. A modern newspaper is great for all the following EXCEPT its________.| A．wide variety | B．similar style |
| C．speed in reporting news | D．popularity |
| A．people look through the news they are interested in |
| B．different people prefer different newspapers |
| C．people are rarely interested in the same kind of news |
| D．people have different views about what a good newspaper is |
| A．apply reading techniques skillfully |
| B．jump from one newspaper to another |
| C．appreciate the variety of a newspaper |
| D．usually read a newspaper selectively |
| A．How to read newspaper? | B．Where to find a good newspaper? |
| C．What is a good newspaper? | D．Newspaper. |
9 . Influenced by their families and society, many youths are infatuated with expensive famous brands. But not every youth is as rich as a millionaire and people are getting worried about this.
According to a recent survey, one out of five pupils wears clothes of well-known brands, including a belt worth 560 Yuan, more than an ordinary worker’s salary. Among the 100 middle school students surveyed, as many as 70 own famous-brand clothes, 60 have famous-brand watches and 45 possess famous-brand bicycles. Two of them even wear over 1500 Yuan worth of suits.
Most young people who come from ordinary families will try to steal money to have better food and clothing if their parents don’t satisfy their needs. A boy named Chen even killed another boy simply for 500 Yuan and was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.
People wonder how these teenagers can be independent in the future, while parents are calling for help from schools, governments and the society.
1. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?| A．More than 50 percent of the students surveyed possess things of famous brands. |
| B．An ordinary worker owns less than 560 Yuan each month. |
| C．Suits may cost as much as 1500 Yuan. |
| D．Young people now are as rich as millionaires. |
| A．steal money for better food and clothing |
| B．kill another boy for 500 Yuan |
| C．stay in prison for nine years |
| D．ask his parents to satisfy his needs |
| A．The governments | B．The schools |
| C．The society | D．All the above |
| A．Youths Run After Famous Brands. |
| B．Youths Should Own More Money |
| C．Youths As Rich As Millionaires |
| D．Youths Must Be Taken Good Care of |
10 . It was 1504, and Columbus was making another trip to the New World. Columbus and his men needed fresh water and food after three months at sea. They saw an island and went to the shore. On the island there were unfriendly Indians who refused to give food and water to them. Columbus’ men were afraid of the Indians, but he had a clever plan. He used gesture language to tell the Indians about his mysterious power to turn off the light in the sky. He knew about a lunar eclipse (月食) the next night because the information was in his almanac. Columbus told the Indians, “Tomorrow night I’ll turn off the light in the sky.” But they didn’t believe him. When the eclipse began the next night, the Indians became very frightened. They begged Columbus to turn on the light again, and they quickly gave him all the food and water he wanted. Immediately Columbus and his men hurried back to the ship and sailed away in the moonless night.
1. Columbus and his men stopped at the island because .| A．they wanted to meet the Indians there |
| B．they hoped to get supplies of food and water |
| C．they had never been on the island before |
| D．they had planned to visit it |
| A．were glad to see | B．were kind to | C．welcomed | D．were hostile to |
| A．used sign language |
| B．spoke in the language of the Indians |
| C．drew a lot of signs |
| D．wrote in the language of the Indians |
| A．the sun | B．the moon | C．the stars | D．the daylight |
| A．believed Columbus was a man with mysterious power |
| B．were interested in Columbus’ trip |
| C．wanted to help Columbus |
| D．were clever |
