1 . The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) is dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing. JASNA is a nonprofit organization, staffed by volunteers, whose mission is to foster among the widest number of readers the study, appreciation, and understanding of Jane Austen’s works, her life, and her genius. We have over 5,000 members of all ages and from diverse walks of life. Although most live in the United States or Canada, we also have members in more than a dozen other countries.

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to promote the study and appreciation of Jane Austen’s writing in new generations of readers. Students worldwide are invited to compete for scholarship awards.

2023 Contest Topic: Marriages and Proposals(求婚)

The 2023 Essay Contest topic is inspired by the theme of our upcoming Annual General Meeting: Pride and Prejudice.

Submissions

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, June 1, 2023. We will begin accepting submissions in February 2023.

Essay Contest Awards

First Place: $1, 000 scholarship, plus free registration and two nights’ lodging (住宿) for JASNA’s 2023 Annual General Meeting in Denver.

Second Place: $500 scholarship.

Third Place: $250 scholarship.

Winners will also receive one year of membership in JASNA, publication of their essays on this website, and a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels.

Essay Format

Entries that do not follow the following requirements or arrive after the deadline will be disqualified.

·The essay must be written in English.

·The title of the essay should appear at the top of page one; further pages should be numbered on the top right; the student’s name must not appear on the essay.

·The essay must be 6-8 pages in length.

1. Which of the following is NOT correct about JASNA?

A．It is intended to encourage readers’ appreciation and understanding of Jane Austen’s works.

B．Its members of staff work on a voluntary basis with a shared mission.

C．It appeals to readers of different ages and from all walks of life.

D．Readers with JASNA membership all hold American or Canadian nationality.

2. What will each of the winners be awarded?

A．$500 scholarship plus free meals.

B．A set of Jane Austen’s novels.

C．Free accommodation for two nights in Denver.

D．Opportunities to take part in a meeting.

3. Which of the following will result in disqualification?

A．Essays without the student’s name.

B．Essays written in two languages.

C．Essays submitted on May 31st, 2023.

D．Essays covering 7 pages.

2 . One in four children who are feeling sad or anxious hide mental health difficulties from their parents, research shows.

BBC Children in Ned surveyed 2,502 young people aged 11 to 18, whose replies suggested that one in three regularly felt anxious or worried about their future. One in four said that they regularly felt the need to hide negative feelings, while one in three said they did not feel comfortable asking for help about feelings and emotions. One in four said they had not talked to someone they trusted about their mental health in the past six months.

Researchers also surveyed 2,500 parents, with half saying that there was insufficient support available for children struggling with’ mental health. One in six said they were not confident in recognizing signs of poor mental health in their child. Simon Antrobus, president of BBC Children in Need, said, “Some feelings of anxiety can be hidden, so empathizing (共情) with them and letting them know that you understand why they feel the way they do can make a real difference to a child’s health and can help prevent mental health problems from becoming serious.”

Meanwhile a survey of 3,014 adults by the mental health charity, Mind, suggested that the rising expenses of living is making people stressed. Half of participants said that their mental health was being negatively affected by the financial impact of the expenses of living- Sarah Hughes, Mind chief executive, said, “The uncertainty of watching as our costs rise can be difficult to bear and having so much to deal with can affect our mental health. Despite this, looking after our mental health is often last on our list.”

1. What can be learned from the survey on young people in paragraph 2?

A．Most of them have anxiety about their future.

B．One in four found it difficult to trust their parents.

C．One third felt the need to ask for help with their problems.

D．A quarter of them regularly felt it necessary to hide negative feelings.

2. What does Antrobus suggest parents do?

A．Place children’s needs first.	B．Recognize their own struggles.
C．Show understanding to children.	D．Study the reasons for children’s problems.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．We are supposed to cut down our living expenses.

B．Mental health has been attached much attention to.

C．Almost every adult has experienced financial difficulties.

D．There is a link between high living costs and mental health.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To introduce a mental health charity.

B．To discuss the causes of negative feelings.

C．To encourage studies on children’s mental health.

D．To present research findings of mental health issues.

3 . Earlier this month, TikTok announced that it will be introducing screen time limits for the accounts of users aged under 18. Children under 13 will require a parent or guardian to type in a password to continue scrolling (滚屏) through their feed, and those aged 13-17 will be asked to set their own passwords when the viewing time goes beyond the limit.

Studies suggest that 30 minutes may be the sweet spot for social media use, where users are able to stay connected with friends and family and view entertainment. However, many other studies show that overly-heavy social media use can lead to a lot of problems, such as physical issues and depression.

By suggesting 100 minutes as a hard line where a password is required to be created by the user, TikTok is gradually making the standards clear as to what may be regarded as problematic social media habit in young people. Although these passwords for older teenagers can obviously be bypassed, they are a step in the right direction in encouraging children to use social media responsibly.

Also, parents who own their own TikTok accounts will be able to link with their children’s accounts, gaining additional, such as muting notifications (消息免打扰) and customizing time limits for different days in the week.

Algorithms (算法) that could tell parents if the child has been viewing dangerous material could soon be put into use. However, the difficulty in this is the amount of content available on the internet.

Ultimately, apps such as TikTok and Instagram will need to continue introducing more measures to improve online safety for children.

Lawmakers around the world are paying close attention to the effect social media has on the young, meaning that the development of new tools to improve its use will no doubt take place soon if big tech wishes to avoid additional legal issues.

1. Why did TikTok introduce screen time limits for teenagers?

A．To protect their privacy.

B．To develop their self-control.

C．To improve family relationship.

D．To prevent overuse of social media.

2. What’s the author’s attitude towards TikTok’s new policy?

A．Favourable.

B．Objective.

C．Concerned.

D．Disapproving.

3. What can parents do to help children use social media responsibly?

A．Type in a password to stop the use.

B．Send a link to the children’s account.

C．Set time limits through their own account.

D．Use algorithms to remove dangerous content.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about concerning social media?

A．Its effects on the young.	B．Legal pressure on its improvement.
C．Its application to lawmaking.	D．Solutions to its technological issues.

4 . To nap or not to nap? Whether napping will work for you depends on a range of factors, such as lifestyle, sleep cycle length, culture, and, most importantly, the length of your snooze. If you like to nap, you are not alone. Napping is part of the culture in many countries: around 51 percent of people worldwide habitually enjoy 40 winks in the daytime.

When it comes to napping. one size definitely doesn’t fit all. If you are sleep deprived, a nap can be helpful or even essential for making it through the day. However, for those with other sleep issues, a nap may make it harder to fall asleep at night. For most of us, the timing and length of our nap will largely determine how beneficial it is to our sleep routine.

Between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., most people experience an increase in sleepiness, triggered by a slight drop in core body temperature. A nap of 30 minutes or less around this time allows you to benefit from a burst of Stage I and 2 sleep, which is good for mental and physical alertness.

Napping for 30 minutes or less can reduce stress and lower the risk of cardiovascular problems like heart attacks and strokes. One study showed that napping three times a week for 30 minutes led to a 37 percent decreased risk of dying from heart disease.

A brief nap can be beneficial for those with excessive daytime sleepiness, including people suffering from sleep   apnea(呼吸暂停) or narcolepsy, shift workers, and people with jet lag. Studies show that short naps can help improve   or reset a disrupted circadian rhythm (昼夜节律).

Naps can interfere with insomnia(失眠) treatment, which involves restricting daytime sleep to increase the likelihood of sleeping solidly at night.

Be cautious about naps of more than 30 minutes. Waking from the deep-sleep stages results in sleep inertia, a super-dizzy state where brainwaves are slow and it takes longer to adjust to the awake state.

A recent study has found that napping for more than 60 minutes a day increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 50 percent.

1. Whether a nap is needed is determined mainly by       .

A．your living habit	B．your sleep-wake circle
C．the society you’re in	D．period of time in sleeping

2. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?

A．A nap benefits all the people.

B．Not all the people fit napping.

C．A nap works on one with sleep problems.

D．A nap works for you if you’re lacking sleep.

3. Which of the following statements is true?

A．Improper length of napping leads to sleep disorder.

B．A 30-minute napping results in longer time to keep awake.

C．Napping 60 minutes a day tends to trigger certain disease.

D．Napping less than 30 minutes ensures you refreshed after wake.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Napping: Harmful or Helpful?	B．A Boost for Sleeping
C．The Timing of a Nap	D．A New Trend of Napping

5 . Air Travel Guidelines for Children

We’re here to help you prepare to fly with your children. Here’s how it works.

Booking a child’s ticket

You’ll need to buy a separate ticket if:

· You book an international flight.

· Your child is 2 years old or older at takeoff.

· Your child is a baby sitting in his or her own seat.

In some cases, children can fly for free. If everything below is true, you won’t need to buy your child a separate ticket:

· You book a domestic(国内) flight.

· Your child is a baby(less than 2 years old), at takeoff.

· Your baby sits on the legs of a traveler over the age of 12.

· No more than 1 baby is seated on the legs of a traveler.

Now for the rules, each traveler over the age of 12 may accompany(陪伴) up to 2 babies, each seated in their own seat.

Documents a child will need

The airlines determine what documents you’ll need to travel. In short, if you’re flying domestically, each child might need a photo ID. If you’re flying intemationally, each child will need a passport. Additionally, children under 18 traveling to Mexico need to provide proved documentation and letters of permission. For more information, please visit the US Embassy(大使馆) website.

Unaccompanied children on flights

· Some airlines may charge a fee for unaccompanied child service.

· Children under 5 and over 17 might be unfit for unaccompanied child service.

· Both the adult dropping the child off at the airport and the adult picking the child up are required to show identification.

Contact your airline to ask about more information.

1. Under which condition do you have to buy a ticket for your baby girl?

A．She sits on your legs.	B．She needs a domestic flight.
C．She requires a separate seat.	D．She is under the age of 2 at takeoff.

2. What document might a child need to fly within the USA?

A．A photo ID.	B．A passport.
C．Proved documentation.	D．A letter of permission.

3. Who can use unaccompanied child service?

A．A 4-year-old boy.	B．A 10-year-old boy.
C．An 18-year-old boy.	D．A 19-year-old boy.

6 . Staying alone can be both a challenging and rewarding experience. It offers a unique opportunity for self-reflection, personal growth, and independence. When we are alone, we can connect with our inner selves and discover our strengths and weaknesses.

In the quietness of being alone, we can escape the noise and distractions of the outside world. It allows us to slow down, be present, and appreciate the simple moments in life.     1     For example, we can read a book, listen to music, or pursue a hobby. Without the pressures of social interactions, we can focus on our own thoughts and feelings, gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves.

Being alone also encourages independence and problem-solving skills.     2     It teaches us adaptability as we go through challenges and uncertainties. We become more self-dependent and capable of handling various situations on our own.

    3     Taking time away from the constant demands of others allows us to focus on our own needs and refuel our energy reserves. It’s important to recognize that taking time for ourselves is not selfish, but rather a necessary part of self-care. By recharging our batteries, we ultimately become more productive and fulfilled in our personal and professional lives.

    4     While staying alone can be beneficial, humans are social beings by nature. We desire companionship, support, and shared experiences. It is important to reach out to loved ones, build meaningful relationships, and engage in social activities that bring us happiness and fulfillment.

In conclusion, staying alone can be a trans formative experience.     5     Embracing the state of being alone can lead to personal growth, inner peace, and a deeper understanding of ourselves. So, let us not fear being alone but embrace it as an opportunity for self-reflection and self-empowerment.

A．Being alone can increase your sense of connection to other people.

B．In fact, there are many disadvantages to being alone.

C．We can take the time to engage in activities that bring us joy.

D．When there is no one else around to rely on, we learn to make decisions independently.

E．It enables self-entertainment, independence, and refreshment in our own company.

F．However, it is essential to strike a balance between staying alone and social connection.

G．Moreover, staying alone allows us to recharge and refresh.

8 . Ways Your Cell Phone Affects Your Body and Mind

First, some good news. Your phone can keep you safer. A study found that 137 more lives were saved per 100,000 patients when people called 911 from a mobile phone rather than from a fixed one.     1    

Scanning your phone right before bed can cause sleep disorder. To avoid that, make a habit of not using your phone for at least 30 minutes before you close your eyes.

    2     People now spend more than five hours a day typing and tapping, and feel eyes achy. About 60 percent of Americans experience discomfort, such as dryness, eye tiredness, and even headaches. Try taking a break from screens every 20 minutes.

When you are awake, a single sound on your phone can signal the coming news. However, this can weaken your ability to focus on a task.     3     It can even encourage creative ideas when you are alone. When you’re bored, four different areas of your brain become active and work together to pull in thoughts and combine them in unique ways.

Memory suffers too.     4     Instead of relying on the instructions from your phone’s GPS, older adults choose the old way, which increases activity in a part of the brain important for memory. Taking pictures with your phone may also harm your memory.

It would be easy to avoid all these problems by simply putting down your phone. The problem: It isn’t so easy.     5     And researches have proved this real. Of course, there are many phone apps to help you control your phone addiction. Or you can just let the battery rundown and forget about it!

A．But there are plenty of worries too.

B．Your phone can do damage to your eyes.

C．Silence your phone or simply put it away can help.

D．Walking with your face in your phone can be dangerous.

E．People may feel painful when separated from their phones.

F．Your hand may feel painful when you hold your phone too long.

G．Using a map and trying to remember it may be better for your brain.

9 . Nowadays, the term “quiet quitting” has taken over the Internet, meaning lying flat, or taking a break from the overwork. It appears to have originated from a TikTok video posted by Brian Creely. Creely showed an Insider article written by senior reporter Aki Ito. The headline read, “Fed up with long hours, many employees have quietly decided to take it easy at work rather than quit their jobs.” Creely said, “More people are quiet quitting instead of leaving.” The video has received nearly 100,000 likes and more than 4,000 comments, the vast majority describing the benefits of doing the bare minimum.

Despite a number of news outlets reporting that quiet quitting is a trend that is being encouraged, Insider found many users on the app were actually warning people against doing so.

Ashley Herd, a former employment lawyer, posted two videos about quiet quitting. In her videos, she argued that while limiting work to what is specified in the job description is fine, doing so quietly can be detrimental. “If someone is stressed out, they should feel able to have that conversation with their manager,” she said.

A TikToker and consultant Mary posted a video titled “Minorities should be careful quiet quitting”. In the video, she said, “Unfortunately in America minorities are held to a different standard. We are looked at differently. So we have to go above and beyond to be successful. We can’t risk being regarded as not performing.”

In recent weeks, TikTokers have been warning workers that quiet quitting could lead to “quiet firing”, labeled as a new workplace trend. The phrase describes the longstanding practice of constructive dismissal—creating an environment that leads a worker to quit their job in order to avoid having to fire them. Creators are receiving hundreds of thousands of views that post about quiet firing and call out managers who employ the practice.

1. What aspect of quiet quitting is introduced in paragraph 1?

A．Its origin.

B．Its innovation.

C．Its value.

D．Its standard.

2. What does the underlined word “detrimental” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Strange.

B．Harmful.

C．Vital.

D．Effective.

3. What is Mary’s opinion on minorities at work?

A．They needn’t perform well.

B．They should make greater efforts.

C．They have better chances of success.

D．They are treated as equally as others.

4. Which of the following can be a sign of quiet firing in the workplace?

A．The boss asks a worker to leave the job.

B．The boss allows a worker flexible working hours.

C．The boss puts off a worker’s promotion on purpose.

D．The boss provides a worker with a new environment.

10 . A recent study conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) showed that while sportsmanship among players has improved over the years, sportsmanship in the fans and parents has reduced. It has always interested me why people in the stands often feel they have invested more than the actual participants. Is it the time and money invested into private lessons and travel teams? Is it the college scholarship we need our children to earn? Is it the fear of seeing our kids fail? In any event, we, as parents and fans, should all take a step back and determine if we are helping our kids, or undermining the experience.

As a father of four kids who enjoys participating in athletics, I have to remind myself that it is okay when my kid misses a shot, strikes out, or doesn’t play good enough defense. That fact is, it is their game and their experience, and my playing days are over. A good reminder for me when I feel that my kid needs my advice from the stands comes from the great John Wooden, basketball player and head coach at the University of California at Los Angeles. He once said, “Young people need models, not critics (批判者) .”

Instead of being upset with what my kid is not doing well, or how an official has “cheated” our team, I should focus on helping my kid learn to respect the other team. I should watch my language and the negative comments that could come from my mouth. I should respect the officials and not argue every call that is made. Perhaps most importantly, I should support my kids’ team, win or lose.

Life is tough, and life is not fair. Like life, sports are tough and not always fair. Yet sports can be a wonderful training ground for life’s challenges. Just like we win some and lose some in sports, we also deal with plenty of successes, challenges and failures in our lives. Let’s try to be good sports in both the winning and losing situations and during our successes, challenges and failures.

1. Why does the author mention NCAA’s recent study?

A．To introduce the topic of sportsmanship.

B．To prove the reduction of sportsmanship.

C．To stress the experience of sportsmanship

D．To show the improvement of sportsmanship

2. What does the underlined word “invested” mean in paragraph 1?

A．Profited.

B．Absorbed.

C．Devoted.

D．Harvested.

3. What should parents do to encourage sportsmanship according to the text?

A．Express deep concern about the other teams’ skills.

B．Make positive comments on their kids’ performance.

C．Back their kids’ team whatever the result of athletics is.

D．Respect the other players’ honor whatever cheating happens.

4. Which words can best describe the author?

A．Modest and demanding.

B．Strict and responsible.

C．Kind and warm-hearted.

D．Understanding and broad-minded.