1 . One of the best essay contests of 2024, this competition sponsored by the Writer’s Digest promotes nonfiction of all kinds: “personal or political, traditional or experimental”, but your essay should be at least 1,000 words and 1,500 words at most.

Eligibility (资格):

Students are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U. S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas. Students may be attending a public or private school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted.

Submission:

Fill out the online registration form. All fields on the online form are required, including uploading a Microsoft Word (doc. or docx.) file of your original work with a title in English which should include a comprehensive list of sources consulted. Entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman.

Teacher or parent: Student registration forms must have a teacher or parent name. That person may review the submitted essay and act as the key contact.

Do not place your last name or your school’s name on any of the pages of the essay.

Your essay will be disqualified if it does not meet the requirements or is submitted after the submission date of 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 1, 2024.

Prizes:

$1,000 to the writer of the winning essay, in addition to an all-expense paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference! The runner-up wins a writing coaching package valued at $650 and the third, a diversity editing package valued at $350.

1. Who can participate in the contest?

A．A Chinese teenager.	B．A high school teacher.
C．An American tenth-grader.	D．A professional writer.

2. What is a requirement for the entry?

A．Uploading a Word version of the original work.

B．Writing personal name on the first page of the entry.

C．Filling in the application form and posting it in time.

D．Making sure of the words of the entry beyond 1,500.

3. What will be the second prize?

A．A free trip.	B．A cash prize.
C．A diversity editing package.	D．A writing coaching package.

2 . What left the man a deep impression?

A．Food.

B．Animals.

C．Northern Canada.

3 . How much does it cost to play tennis for two hours on Sunday?

A．$4.

B．$6.

C．$12.

4 . Four Best Classic Books for You to Read

If you’ve always wanted to tackle the classics but never known where to begin, we’ve got you covered. We’ve selected four best classic books for you to read.

The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling

This short novel tells the story of two British men visiting India under Britain’s control. The men trick their way to a remote region where one of them comes to be respected as King. A tale warning against letting things go to your head, this funny story has been made into a classic film starring Michael Caine and Sean Connery.

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

Born in the first hour of India’s independence, Saleem Sinai is gifted with the power of an extraordinary sense of smell. He soon discovers that there are 1, 001 others with similar abilities, who can help him build a new India. The winner of the Booker prize in 1981, Salman Rushdie’s groundbreaking novel is a great achievement of magical realism. This great success was followed by his another novel Shame (1983).

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

If you’re not familiar with Dickens, his evergreen Christmastime classic is the perfect introduction. It’s a slim 104-page book — a true Christmas surprise from an author with a tendency towards the tome (大部头书) like his Great Expectations, which is another classic! It’s the perfect book for you to read in winter just when you want to feel that warm holiday atmosphere.

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

Meet John Singer, a deaf and mute (哑的) man who sits in the same café every day. Here, in the deep American South of the 1930s, John meets various kinds of people and acts as the silent and kind keeper of their stories — right up until an unforgettable ending that will blow you away. It’s hard to believe McCullers was only 23 when she wrote this classic.

1. Which book won a prize in 1981?

A．Shame.	B．Midnight’s Children.
C．The Man Who Would Be King.	D．The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.

2. How is A Christmas Carol different from Great Expectations?

A．It’s more popular.	B．It’s Dickens’ first tome.
C．It’s shorter in length.	D．It’s written in Indian.

3. What does John Singer probably do in the same café?

A．Work as a waiter.	B．Help the disabled.
C．Read stories to others.	D．Observe different people.

5 . 听下面一段长对话，回答小题。
1. Where did the man most probably lose his phone?

A．In a restaurant.

B．At the workplace.

C．On the underground.

2. What will the man do before five o’clock?

A．Meet the woman.

B．Buy a new phone.

C．Make a call to the bank.

3. How does the man feel in the end?

A．Surprised.

B．Grateful.

C．Doubtful.

6 . 听下面一段长对话，回答小题。
1. What does Miyako want to do?

A．Make a call.

B．Send a card.

C．Hold a party.

2. What is the man doing?

A．Making an apology.

B．Giving an explanation.

C．Sharing an experience.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why is the woman dissatisfied with the man?

A．He didn’t talk with her.

B．He came here late again.

C．He ignored her messages.

2. What’s the biggest problem of having a mobile phone in the woman’s view?

A．Wasting much time.

B．Doing harm to our health.

C．Taking us away from real life.

3. What does the one who uses the phone first need to do?

A．Take a photo.

B．Send a message.

C．Buy some coffee.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why was Jim unable to find Susan’s home?

A．He hadn’t been told how to get there.

B．He forgot to bring the map Susan gave him.

C．He just spent thirteen minutes searching for her house.

2. What does Jim want Susan to do now?

A．Come and get him.

B．Give him a new map.

C．Tell him the direction again.

3. How will Jim go to Susan’s home?

A．On foot.

B．By bike.

C．By bus.

9 . What is the total value of the toy cars?

A．£ 50.

B．£ 130.

C．£ 150.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What will the headmaster do tomorrow morning?

A．Meet the listeners in the library.

B．Introduce the school to the listeners.

C．Take photos in the lab building.

2. Where will the listeners visit on Tuesday morning?

A．Central Park.

B．Brooklyn Bridge.

C．The Statue of Liberty.

3. What will be held on Tuesday evening?

A．A talk show.

B．A party.

C．A lecture.

4. When will the listeners go to Washington?

A．On Wednesday afternoon.

B．On Wednesday morning.

C．On Tuesday afternoon.