1 . Peter is a high school student and he lives in Suzhou. His family often take a trip to cities, such as Nanjing and Hangzhou. But Peter always hoped to visit Shanghai. This year, his dream finally came true.
On June 22nd, Peter’s family took the train to get to Shanghai. Their first destination was Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. After arriving there, they tasted many delicious foods first. Then they watched Kunqu Opera performances and hanfu shows.
On the second day, Peter’s family went to Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park. They not only watched many animals, but also joined in some traditional activities about the Dragon Boat Festival. For example, they made zongzi and joined in a boat race. Peter also played an ancient game — touhu. This was the first time he had tried the game. It was so interesting. They also went to At Life Hub@ Anting Square.
On the last day, Peter’s family enjoyed the old Shanghai songs and guofeng music at the concerts. They also went to Jiabei Country Park. They had fun at a music festival and took many photos at a Chinese art show.
“The three-day vacation was a great experience for me,” Peter said, “I learned a lot about Chinese traditional art and history.”
1. Which city did Peter always hope to visit?| A．Suzhou. | B．Nanjing. | C．Shanghai. | D．Hangzhou. |
| A．They visited some parks. | B．They took many photos. |
| C．They watched hanfu shows. | D．They tasted many delicious foods. |
| A．Watching animals. | B．Making zongzi. |
| C．Enjoying a boat race. | D．Playing touhu. |
| A．Jiabei Country Park. | B．At Life Hub@ Anting Square. |
| C．Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. | D．Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park. |
| A．Tiring. | B．Great. | C．Boring. | D．Safe. |
2 . Women’s Poetry Competition 2024
Welcome to Mslexia, the only magazine where every reader is a potential contributor too. Almost every part of the magazine is open to submission by any woman writer. Our competition is open to unpublished poems of any length. Your £10 entry fee allows you to submit up to three poems. The judge this year is the outstanding and award-winning writer Pascale Petit.
Prizes
1st: £2,000; 2nd: £500; 3rd: £250 (Each prize goes for one person.)
Unpublished Poetry Prize for the best poem by a previously unknown poet: £250.
The four winners, plus sixteen additional finalists will have their poems published in the May issue of Mslexia.
Results
The deadline for all entries is 23:59 GMT, 6 March, 2024
The winners and finalists will be announced on 1 April, 2024
How to enter
Add the entry fee to your basket and go to the checkout. Once the order is completed, you’ll be taken to a submit page where the entry form is located. Click the “Enter Now” button. You can submit at a later date by typing into your Mslexia online account and going to the “competitions” bill.
Visit our Entry Instructions for a more comprehensive guide on how to enter, and be sure to read our Rules before submitting your entries.
Frequently-asked questions
Have a question about formatting, eligibility(资格), or anything else?
Ready to enter? Please see our Entry Instructions. For any further information, call us at 0191 204 8860 or email competitions@mslexia.co.uk.
1. How many winners will get prize money?| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Sixteen. | D．Twenty. |
| A．Submitting two poems. | B．Visiting Entry Instructions. |
| C．Writing a poem of 120 words. | D．Mailing your entry on April 1. |
| A．In a textbook. | B．In an art magazine. | C．On a website. | D．In a local newspaper. |
3 . With video meetings, taking selfies (自拍) and posting on social media, it’s easier to see one’s own image online. And for some people, this can lead to feelings of appearance dissatisfaction. In the past few years, screen time has increased for both adults and children. What’s worse, recent research suggests that the video and photo images we see of ourselves are distorted (扭曲的).
One study found that those who spent more time comparing their appearance during a video call experienced lower appearance satisfaction. This study also found that people who used more photo-editing features in video chat were more likely to compare themselves with others and spend more time looking at themselves on video calls.
A 2023 study found that discomfort with one’s appearance during video meetings led to an increased attention to appearance, which in turn led to poor work performance. Researchers also suggest that appearance dissatisfaction is connected with boredom in online meetings. The research reports that this could be due to negative attention to oneself and worry about being looked at or being negatively treated based on appearance.
If you find yourself criticizing (批评) your appearance every time in a video call, it may be time to be intentional about paying more attention to what other people are saying instead of looking at your own face.
When it comes to helping others who have difficulty with appearance dissatisfaction, it is important to care more about the person’s qualities beyond appearance. When viewing yourself or your partners on video and social media, try viewing the person as a whole and not as parts of a body.
Reducing screen time can make a difference as well. Research shows that reducing social media use by 50% can improve appearance satisfaction in both teens and adults. When used in a right way, video chatting and social media are tools to connect us with others, which finally is a key piece in satisfaction and well-being.
1. Who is more likely to suffer from appearance dissatisfaction?| A．Children who like taking selfies. |
| B．Adults who often attend video meetings. |
| C．Teenagers who enjoy posting on social media. |
| D．People who always compare appearance in video chatting. |
| A．Less focus on one’s own image. |
| B．Harmful effects on work performance. |
| C．Anger about being looked at by others. |
| D．Boredom of looking at one’s own face. |
| A．By taking their words seriously. | B．By caring much about their faces. |
| C．By viewing them as parts of a body. | D．By placing importance on their qualities. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Balanced. | D．Worried |
4 . Many youngsters in China enjoy gathering a couple of good friends and taking a relaxing walk through the streets, which is a popular form of visiting a new city, that is, Citywalk. They can follow a special urban route (路线), exploring old building, drinking a cup of coffee, or eating local snacks. It can be a special guided trip for a small group of people, or simply a relaxing walk for one or two to explore new areas, sticking to the key point: avoiding famous tourist attractions and big crowds to get a more interesting experience of the places you visit.
In China, the Citywalk trend (趋势) is spreading from big cities like Beijing and Shanghai to other cities, encouraging more people to take part. Xiao Yiyi is a young visitor from Changsha exploring new possibilities while traveling. Recently she tried six Citywalk routes to walk in different cities and posted them on her social media account, with the aim of sharing experiences to “walk in open-air museums”.
Citywalk not only offers a way for young people to interact with a city but also provides an opportunity for people who share the same interests and ideas to easily make friends. Xiao Yiyi said her group usually includes a few or so people and her trips last around half a day.
Even though Citywalk is a new trend, industry insiders say that its future possibility is huge. It is offering a beneficial change to travelers as they can better choose the experiences that suit their interests and needs. At the same time, Citywalk gives an opportunity for tour guides and travel service providers to offer a more professional service to meet ever-changing market needs.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us about Citywalk?| A．What it is. | B．Why it is popular. |
| C．Who take part in it. | D．What routes are popular. |
| A．It offers many routes to choose from. |
| B．It enables travelers to socialize with others. |
| C．It attracts people to famous tourist attractions. |
| D．It allows people to spend more time on travel. |
| A．To introduce a new travel trend. |
| B．To encourage readers to organize a trip. |
| C．To point out the importance of Citywalk. |
| D．To explain why Citywalk becomes popular. |
5 . For centuries, the power of Chinese emperors rose and fell with their control of the Grand Canal. Today, this waterway is shorter than it once was, but it is still the longest man-made river in the world. Importantly, the Grand Canal continues to provide a significant cultural and economic link for modern China.
The original canal system began around the year 605. China’s Emperor Yang realized that he needed a better way to move food quickly to his army from China’s southern rice-growing region to the country’s north. So about one million people-mostly farmers-worked on the construction of the first section of the Grand Canal, which took six years.
Over the next 500 years, the canal’s importance grew. However, by 1127 , parts had begun to deteriorate. In 1279, Kublai Khan began to repair and build new parts of the canal, which created a more direct north-south route to and from Beijing. Future rulers continued to expand and improve the waterway, and it eventually became an important national lifeline.
In addition to moving rice around China, the Grand Canal was an important cultural connection. Soldiers, businessmen,and artists transported ideas, regional foods, and cultural practices from one part of China to another. According to ancient stories, this is how Beijing acquired two of its best-known trademarks. Peking duck,a dish from Shandong Province, and the Peking opera, from Anhui and Hubei regions,were both brought north by the canal.
For more than a thousand years, goods have been transported along the Grand Canal.Even today, the country’s watery highway plays an important economic role in China. Boats continue to carry tons of goods. In addition, local governments-eager to in-crease tourism and real estate (房地产) development-are beautifying areas along the canal.
In 2005, a group of citizens proposed that the historic Grand Canal be made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was officially granted (批准) in 2014. The hope now is that the Grand Canal-one of the world’s great engineering achievements -will continue to link north and south China for centuries to come.
1. Why was the Grand Canal originally built?| A．To enable more people to visit distant parts of China. |
| B．To allow the army to move quickly from the north to the south. |
| C．To promote the cultural and traditional connection of south China. |
| D．To transport food from the southern regions of China to the north. |
| A．It took six years to complete its first section. |
| B．Even today, it is the longest man-made river in the world. |
| C．Around a million people worked on the first part of the canal. |
| D．It allowed Peking duck and the Peking opera to spread to southern China. |
| A．Get worse. | B．Get destroyed. | C．Get shorter. | D．Get repaired. |
| A．Renewed Importance. | B．Cultural Connections. |
| C．The Army’s Highway. | D．The Origins of the Peking Opera. |
| A．Construction of the Canal began. |
| B．New parts of the Canal were built. |
| C．The Grand Canal became a World Heritage Site. |
| D．The Grand Canal was proposed as a UNESCO Heritage Site. |
6 . More and more people are using crowd-funding to pay for their projects and create new products. Crowdfunding is when a per-son or business gets many small payments from a large number of people. Usually, the way to do this is to use the Internet. In-stead of trying to get a few people to give thousands of dollars, you get hundreds of people, maybe thousands, to give a few dollars. But this is still not easy. You want people to see the value of your idea. How will you get them to give the dollars they earn to you?
*Successful projects are those that got the money they wanted.
There are websites that make this opportunity possible. Kickstarter and GoGet-Funding are popular. You create a short video to explain your project. The most important part is getting your message across. Just because you’ve made your idea known doesn’t mean you will get the money you need. You still need to sell your idea. Many people begin by explaining what the product is and then telling why people need it. For example, one of the most popular crowdfunded products is a watch. The Pebble watch connects with in-formation on a smartphone that will send information to the watch. More than 65,000 people gave money for this product.Crowdfunding raised $10.3 million for it.However, it’s not just products that people use crowdfunding for. People use it for their music, film, art, or writing projects.
Projects usually get from 25 to 40 per-cent of their money from crowdfunding sites. Who is giving all the money? When people need money, they often ask their friends and family. Crowdfunding often works the same way, but once you create your video and message, your friends share it with their friends. If you’ve created a message that people can connect to, you get many more people to give. Why do these people give? First, there is the “feel-good” factor. Giving money makes people feel good. Second, many small businesses offer rewards to people. Third, sometimes the reward is simply getting to use the product. And this is part of the success of crowdfunding. You could make a difference.
1. Where do people usually get crowdfunding?| A．In newspapers. | B．On the Internet. |
| C．On the streets. | D．In shopping centers. |
| A．Art. | B．Music. | C．Publishing. | D．Film and video. |
| A．People use crowdfunding only for products. |
| B．The Pebble watch sends information to the smartphone. |
| C．You can post a short video for crowd-funding on Kickstarter. |
| D．You will get the money you need once you get your message across. |
| A．They feel great | B．They will receive praise |
| C．They can use the product | D．They will get some rewards |
| A．To give advice on crowdfunding. | B．To persuade people to give money. |
| C．To help people to get more money. | D．To give an introduction to crowd-funding. |
7 .
Tech Heaven Courses for the digital age Course A:Animation(动画) This course is for creative people who like to draw. You don’t have to have amazing drawing skills but you need to have some artistic talent. You start learning how to draw on the computer and you finish by making interactive films. You work very closely with teachers to learn the essential techniques. You choose to do either game design or animation. There is a huge gaming library at the camp so you will have the opportunity to test your gaming skills against other students in our gaming tournaments. Course B:Web This course is for teens who want to create their own web pages and websites. On this course, you will learn the foundations of web development. The primary focus of the course is HTML, which makes up the building blocks of the Internet. You will leave the camp with your own web page and you will be able to go home and create other web pages. Course C:Coding(编程) This course is ideal for students with some programming experience who want to improve their coding skills. Most devices, programs, computers and robots run on software applications so you must have programming and coding skills to get a job with a digital company. You will learn from experienced and supportive staff and you will leave the school equipped with the basic skills. There are two hours of outdoor sports activities a day to get some fresh air. Course D:Robotics This course is all about robots. You will work in small teams and learn how to use VEX Robotics Design System. You will build a robot that will compete in robo—football. You will learn how to build robotic arms and advanced sensors. Every day will present you with a new challenge and every day will be more fun and more inspiring than the last. |
| A．Animation. | B．Web. | C．Coding. | D．Robotics. |
| A．Making interactive films. | B．Getting a digital job. |
| C．Developing web pages. | D．Building robotic arms. |
| A．Web creating skills are primary for software applications. |
| B．Most programs, computers, etc. run on software applications. |
| C．Excellent drawing skills are needed for software applications. |
| D．Robot designing skills are necessary for software applications. |
| A．They all require team work. | B．They all have outdoor activities. |
| C．They are all related to computer techniques. | D．They all provide learners with advanced skills. |
| A．A report. | B．An advertisement. | C．A course review. | D．A course schedule. |
8 . Mr Guo is a teacher from Xi’an. He asked his students to hand in their homework through a QR code (二维码). “We spent an hour or two in class learning how to generate (使产生)the codes, and in the end everything gets easier, ” said Guo. “When students finish the homework, they keep it on WeChat (微信). Then, each student makes his own QR code and gives it to me. So I can check their work everywhere using my computer or telephone. ”
The QR codes can be sent to Mr Guo by email, QQ and WeChat. When Guo scans (扫描) his students’ QR codes, their homework appears on his phone. He finds that their homework becomes more creative (创新的), with many pictures, music and even videos.
Guo’s students like the new way and think it is interesting. “We are living in the information age. Many students like to work with computers, which makes learning more fun,” said Tingting, a student of Guo’s.
“The paper is not easy to keep, but the code is easy to keep and share,” Guo said. “It is worth trying to use new technology in education. Education itself is a kind of creation. I don’t want my students to fall behind the times.”
However, some parents are worried. They are afraid that their children will spend too much time on computers and less time communicating with teachers. But in fact, it’s unnecessary. Students still need to look up information in books and write it down when they do their homework. They only use the code when they hand in their homework, which doesn’t take them too much time. Also for teachers, it allows them to check the students’ work at any time. And it’s also an easy way to share homework with other students.
1. According to the passage, students can keep their homework on .| A．WeChat | B．QQ |
| C．email | D．blog(博客) |
| A．strange | B．boring |
| C．interesting | D．unnecessary |
| A．The paper is not easy to keep. |
| B．Keeping and sharing the code easily. |
| C．Trying to use new technology in education. |
| D．Education itself is a kind of creation. |
| A．talk with teachers face to face |
| B．spend too much time on computers or phones |
| C．not like the new way of handing in homework |
| D．find the QR codes too difficult to use |
| A．Teachers needn’t check homework any more. |
| B．Students needn’t hand in homework any more. |
| C．Using QR codes makes checking homework easier. |
| D．Some parents are worried about their children. |
9 . The kids of the community got started early at the fair (露天游乐场) on Friday, making their way through the chicken house and corn box before heading over to the rides. The children enjoyed a few hours of free rides, sweets and food.
Organiser Barry Dishman said, “We started this programme 24 years ago. The reason we always have done Fair Day is that it’s a huge tradition for most Warren locals. So it has become a tradition for the children who couldn’t afford to go to the fair.” He added, “We usually get sponsorship (赞助) for those children every year, so they can do unlimited rides. Some of the food booths (摊位) are just wonderful and give us free meals for the children.”
The kids stayed from about 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. on Fair Friday and ended the day with either a free cotton candy or candy apple. About 125 children came to the fair to take part in various festivities, such as ball games, dancing and riding. Over 20 volunteers were present to help lead the kids in groups.
The kids of the community have programmes throughout the year after school, on Saturdays, on school vacation. According to Dishman, the children coming to the fair spend about 30, 000 hours in June and July with the programmes.
1. What can kids do at the fair?| A．Enjoy free rides. | B．Make corn boxes. | C．Build chicken houses. |
| A．It is Dishman’s donation. | B．It has become a tradition. | C．It offers the kids free food. |
| A．Organisations. | B．Communities. | C．Activities. |
| A．He cares much for children. |
| B．He gives free meals to children. |
| C．He works at the fair as a volunteer. |
10 . A man named Randy liked to look for big trees and old trees. He made maps to show where these trees were. He did not want to cut them down. He wanted people to take care of them.
Randy was told that there was a very tall tree on Vancouver Island. The tree was said to be 314 feet tall. That would make it the tallest tree in Canada. Randy started to find the tree.
But someone else found it first. It was found by a logger (伐木工). Loggers wanted to cut down Canada’s tallest tree and all the trees around it.
Randy made a path in the forest so people could see the tallest tree. The tree was so big and beautiful that it would bring them enjoyment. More and more people wanted to save that forest. Thanks to these people, that forest is now a park. Canada’s tallest tree is still there.
1. Why did Randy make maps of big trees and old trees?| A．To carry out his duty carefully. | B．To avoid getting lost in forests. |
| C．To show where these trees were. | D．To get information for selling them. |
| A．Take care of it. | B．Cut it down. | C．Take pictures of it. | D．Make it famous. |
| A．To help people cut it. | B．To help people see it. |
| C．To help people water it. | D．To help people move it. |
| A．The path. | B．The forest. | C．The tallest tree. | D．The park. |
| A．It is now a park. | B．People burned it down. |
| C．It will disappear soon. | D．People lost interest in it. |
