1 . The 2024 Peace Poetry Awards

The awards contest is to encourage people to explore peace and the human spirit. There are three age categories: Adult (19 & over), Youth (13-18), and Youth (12 & under). The yearly contest is open to people worldwide. Your poems must be unpublished, and in English.

Deadline

All entries must be submitted by July 1st. 2024.

Entry Fee

Adult (19 & over) — $15

Youth (13 - 18) — $5

Youth (12 & under) — no fee

Notes

1. You may submit up to three unpublished poems. At most 30 lines per poem.

2. Include name, address, email, telephone number, and age in the upper right-hand corner of each poem. For the Youth (12 & under) category, please also include your school’s name and your teacher’s name.

3. Title each poem.

4. Please keep copies of all entries as we will be unable to return them.

5. Email your entries to: cwarner@napf.org and Click here to pay your entry fee online; or send your entries and entry fee to Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 1622 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

Awards

Adult Winner — $1,000

Youth (13-18) Winner — $200

Youth (12 & under) Winner — $200

Winners will be announced by October 1st, 2024 on our website. Winners will be notified by email. Past years winning poems can be found here.

1. What does the contest encourage people to explore?

A．Development and challenge.	B．Cooperation and competition.
C．Peace and human spirit.	D．Disease and health.

2. What can we learn about the contest?

A．It includes two categories.

B．It is held every three years.

C．It only accepts poems in English.

D．It is only open to people aged 12 and over.

3. You should write the following in the upper right-hand corner of each poem EXCEPT ______.

A．name

B．email

C．age

D．fax

4. To enter the contest, a 12-year-old boy must ______.

A．pay an entry fee of $5	B．write a poem of at least 30 lines
C．submit his entry by October 1st, 2024	D．include his teacher’s name in his entry

5. What will an adult winner get?

A．$200 in prize money.	B．$1,000 in prize money.
C．A collection of this year’s winning poems.	D．A collection of past years winning poems.

3 . 阅读表达

On March 19, Malala Yousafzai, a 15-year-old Pakistani student and women’s education activist, returned to the classroom for the first time since being violently attacked by a member of the Taliban — a terrorist organization-on October 9,2012. Malala was shot on her way home from school in Mingora, Pakistan. A Taliban group took responsibility for the attack, claiming that the attack should serve as a warning toothers. Members of the group believe girls are not permitted to go to school. Malala was attacked because she was asking for girls’ rights to education in Swat Valley, Pakistan.

Malala recovers from the attack at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England. After a long period of recovery, Malala is starting as a nine-year student at Edgbaston High School. It is the oldest independent girl school in Birmingham, England. Though she has no plans to return to Pakistan, Malala still speaks out as a voice for change in her country and everywhere.

“I am excited that today I have achieved my dreams of going back to school. I want all girls in the world to have this basic opportunity,” Malala said in a statement. “I miss my classmates from Pakistan very much but I am looking forward to meeting my teachers and making new friends here in Birmingham.”

Malala has been an Internet blogger, or writer, since she was 11 years old. In 2011 she was awarded Pakistan’s National Peace Award for her bravery in writing about difficulties of life and education in the shadow of Taliban. She has spoken publicly about children’s rights and been nominated for an international children’s peace prize.

After the attack in 2012, support for Malala poured in from around the world. The United Nations declared November 10 Malala Day. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the day honors Malala and shows the world that people of all sexes, all backgrounds and all countries stand behind the heroine.

1. When was Malala violently attacked by Taliban? (No more than 10 words)
___________________________________________________________
2. What would Malala do though she couldn’t return to Pakistan?(No more than 12 words)
___________________________________________________________
3. Why did The United Nations declare November 10 Malala Day7 (No more than 12 words)
___________________________________________________________
4. What does the underlined words mean? (No more than 3 words)
___________________________________________________________
5. What do you think of Malala? Please share your reasons. (No more than 25 words)
___________________________________________________________

5 . 假设你是晨光中学的李津，近期，你收到了正在学中文的法国朋友Chatham送给你的凡尔纳(Jules Verne)写的一本书Around the World in Eighty Days 《八十天环游地球》。作为回礼，你想送一本能体现中国文化的书，请给Chatham写封电子邮件，内容包括：
要点：
1. 对他表达感谢和对这本书的理解；
2. 简单介绍你赠送的这本书名和内容；
3. 希望他来中国并了解中国文化。
注意：1. 词数不少于100；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . I had worried myself sick over Simon’s mother coming to see me. I was a new teacher, and I gave an honest _________ of the students’ work. In Simon’s case, the grades were awfully low. He couldn’t read his own handwriting. _________ he was a bright student. He discussed adult subjects with nearly adult comprehension. His work in no way reflected his _________.

So when Simon’s mother entered the room, my palms(手掌心)were _________. I was completely _________ for her kisses on both my cheeks. “I came to thank you,” she said, surprising me beyond speech. _________ me, Simon had become a different person. She talked of how he _________ me, he had begun to make friends, and for the first time in his twelve years, he had _________ spent an afternoon at a friend’s house. She wanted to tell me how grateful she was for the _________ I had nurtured(培养)in her son. She kissed me again and left.

I sat, stunned(惊呆), for about half an hour, __________ what had just happened. How did I make such a life-changing difference to that boy without __________ knowing it? What I finally came to __________ was one day, several months before, when some students were __________ reports in the front of the class, Jeanne spoke __________, and to encourage her to raise her voice, I had said, “Speak up. Simon’s the expert on this. He is the only one you have to convince, and he can’t hear you in the __________ of the room.” That was it. From that day on, Simon had sat up straighter, paid more attention, __________ more, and became happy. And it was all because __________ to be the last kid in the last row. The boy who most needed __________ was the one who took the last seat that day.

It taught me the most __________ lesson over the years of my teaching career, and I’m thankful that it came early and positively. A small kindness can indeed __________.

1.

A．introduction

B．favour

C．discussion

D．account

2.

A．Or

B．And

C．But

D．So

3.

A．courage

B．abilities

C．feelings

D．dream

4.

A．hurting

B．trembling

C．sweating

D．clapping

5.

A．desperate

B．responsible

C．unprepared

D．unsuitable

6.

A．Because of

B．In addition to

C．Apart from

D．As for

7.

A．loved

B．envied

C．pleased

D．criticized

8.

A．gradually

B．constantly

C．recently

D．obviously

9.

A．self-respect

B．self-doubt

C．self-pity

D．self-defence

10.

A．imaging

B．observing

C．wondering

D．regretting

11.

A．also

B．even

C．still

D．ever

12.

A．expect

B．remember

C．believe

D．accept

13.

A．writing

B．reviewing

C．editing

D．giving

14.

A．quietly

B．repeatedly

C．quickly

D．firmly

15.

A．entrance

B．middle

C．front

D．back

16.

A．slept

B．smiled

C．shouted

D．quarreled

17.

A．intended

B．pretended

C．refused

D．happened

18.

A．change

B．praise

C．thanks

D．visits

19.

A．painful

B．stressful

C．valuable

D．enjoyable

20.

A．take power

B．have a point

C．make a difference

D．catch attention

8 . Almost everything was fantastic in the camp except for a girl, Elizabeth. When I saw her sitting alone in the hot sun at lunch, I asked her to eat with us under a_________tree. However, Elizabeth refused my kind _______. When we invited her to play volleyball with us, Elizabeth_______ our invitation, too. After a few more _______ refusals like that, I _______ to stay away from Elizabeth.

It _______ that we were going on a hike and our instructor paired everyone up with a partner. _______who my partner turned out to be. It was Elizabeth!

“What do you like to do for fun?”I asked, trying to make small _______ as we started out. “ I like to _______ in peace and quiet,” Elizabeth ________. So we had the quietest and most peaceful hike in the world ________ we saw a bird. “I think his wing is hurt. Poor little bird, ”Elizabeth said ________ “He might be taking a rest over there.” I said. Elizabeth nodded. Then she whispered, “But what if he’s in ________, like my granddad?” “Your granddad?” I said. “He ________ and broke his leg the day the camp started. He’s ________ in hospital and is in so much pain,”Elizabeth explained. I noticed she was crying “I’m sorry for what I have done. For some reason, whenever I get really sad, act rudely and want to be ________ ,”she added.

“I get it, ” I said. “I don’t always know how to ________ it when I’m feeling down, either.” “Thanks,” she said, wiping off her ________.

After that, Elizabeth seemed to get along well with us, and I think she actually ________the last few days of the camp.

Next time, if someone is unfriendly, give him a second ________. Maybe he’s going through a tough time and just doesn’t know how to deal with it.

1.

A．tall

B．shady

C．warm

D．pretty

2.

A．suggestion

B．help

C．symbol

D．order

3.

A．turned over

B．turned in

C．turned out

D．turned down

4.

A．unfair

B．unfit

C．unfriendly

D．uncertain

5.

A．decided

B．agreed

C．pretended

D．managed

6.

A．seemed

B．appeared

C．looked

D．happened

7.

A．Guess

B．Suppose

C．Believe

D．Determine

8.

A．changes

B．adjustment

C．talk

D．mistake

9.

A．jog

B．work

C．live

D．walk

10.

A．replied

B．insisted

C．complained

D．shouted

11.

A．unless

B．though

C．until

D．since

12.

A．happily

B．coldly

C．sadly

D．luckily

13.

A．silence

B．pain

C．peace

D．trouble

14.

A．lay

B．sat

C．ate

D．fell

15.

A．still

B．yet

C．already

D．ever

16.

A．crazy

B．alone

C．kind

D．unique

17.

A．ruin

B．recognize

C．repair

D．handle

18.

A．sweat

B．tears

C．kisses

D．face

19.

A．enjoyed

B．planned

C．hated

D．avoided

20.

A．life

B．bird

C．chance

D．try

9 . Spring lifts our spirits. It's a time for Nature to bring us back to life after a cold season. I live not far from the Kairaku Park, which is one of the largest gardens in Japan, and famous for its near 10,000 plum trees. I am fortunate to have them all outside my backyard, and take advantage of the walking paths daily.

I see the same trees and swans every day, but that day was different. At the edge of the small lake, I saw some new -born black swans. They were pretty and cute. They stayed with their mom.While taking a few photos of the sunset, I was interrupted by a high sound going on for some time. So, I turned around and saw one little swan was stuck by two stones. Its mother was trying to make it out but failed. I tried to get near but the mother was ever so angry! She wouldn't allow me to get close, so I turned to an old man sitting on the bench and said,“Excuse me, the swan baby can't move and I want to help it, but the mother is extremely angry! Could you please do me a favor?"

After hearing my words, the man smiled at me first and then agreed to help me. He drove the mother away with great efforts, and for several times, he was almost hurt by the mother. Thanks to him, I was able to get there and push the little swan out of the gap finally. Oh, I really hoped it wasn't injured, but at least it was alive and swimming!

In spring, I become more physically active. Things around don't make us, but Nature does, and it keeps us going. I am positive that all of us have a little piece of nature in our own neighborhoods. Somewhere we will be reminded why natural life is so important-- -because we grow with it! Personally, I am happy that baby birds can put a smile on my face! I struggle for having a small number of "things" in life, and being filled with simple reality--at one with Nature.

1. What can we know about the author from Paragraph 1?

A．Her favorite season is spring.	B．She enjoys doing outdoor sports.
C．Her backyard is filled with plum trees.	D．She is satisfied with her living environment.

2. Why was that day special for the author?

A．She took a few photos of the sunset.

B．She made a little swan's mother angry.

C．She met some swans and helped one of them.

D．She met an old man and made friends with him.

3. What kind of person is probably the old man?

A．Well-known.

B．Warm-hearted.

C．Selfish.

D．Outgoing.

4. What makes us more physically active according to the author?

A．Nature.

B．kindness.

C．The garden.

D．The things around.

5. It can be inferred from the text that the author__________.

A．is really a nature lover	B．is short of some life skill
C．asks people to help the weak	D．calls on more people to protect the environment

10 . Interschool Sports Programme

Interschool Sports Programme is coming. It will start on 30th April and end on 15th June.

Students in our school will join the boys' basketball games. Each Wednesday the players will travel by bus to Sports Centre, Erinvale Street, Corinda. They will leave school at 12: 20 p.m. It will take them about 20 minutes to get there. The games will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. Players must wear their school clothes and sports shoes. It will be great if they can bring large water bottles.

If you are good at playing basketball and want to join the games, please go to Mr. David's office (Room503) before 15th April to fill in form. We will choose 15 players.

Volunteers are also needed. Anyone who wants to be a volunteer needs to send an email to Mr David (davidss@qq.edu.au) to introduce yourself before 20th April.

For more information, please call Mr David (6783-5682) or visit his office.

1. Interschool Sports Programme is about             long.

A．half a month

B．one month

C．one and a half months

D．two months

2. The basketball games will begin at             .

A．12:20 p.m.

B．12:40 p.m.

C．1:00 p.m.

D．2:30 p.m.

3. If Peter wants to join the basketball games, he needs to             .

A．practise every Tuesday

B．buy new sports clothes

C．call Mr David

D．fill in a form

4. If one wants to be volunteer, he or she needs to        .

A．know something about basketball	B．send an email to Mr David
C．bring a large water bottle	D．wear sports shoes

5. The material is a            .

A．school notice

B．news report

C．teacher' email

D．students' entail