1 . The Ninth Yearly Student Review Competition

We invite you to play critics and write an original review for our Ninth Yearly Student Review Competition. You can choose to review whatever fits into a category of creative expression. But this year we’ve added a new requirement: What you review must have appeared in the first half of 2024. With this new rule, we hope to encourage students to help shape the cultural conversation about today’s world.

Here’s what all the participants (参赛者) need to know

·The review must be 450 words or fewer, not including the title.

·You must be a student aged 13 to 19, and all students under 18 must have parents’ or guardians’ permission to enter.

·The review should be written by yourself.

·Your review should also be original for this contest.

·Submit (提交) only one entry per student. And while many of our competitions allow students to work in teams, for this one you must work alone.

New for 2024

·As part of your submission, you must also submit an “artist’s statement” that describes your process. These statements, which will not be used to choose winners, help us to design and improve our competitions.

·All entries must be submitted by 11: 59 pm, August 1st, 2024, using the competition form at the bottom of this post.

1. What can be a topic for the competition?

A．Books of Shakespeare.	B．An ancient building.
C．An old famous movie.	D．The latest dress fashion.

2. Which of the following will result in being refused?

A．The review has 400 words.	B．The participant is aged 16.
C．The review is written by a team.	D．The review isn’t published anywhere.

3. What is the “artist’s statement” used for?

A．Determining winners.	B．Perfecting the competition.
C．Encouraging teamwork.	D．Introducing the participants.

2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

On a sunny day with no clouds, Sally sat on a chair in the garden, hemming (缝边) a handkerchief. All of a sudden, there came a little ant. It was in such a hurry. Finally it ran across the small stone table and stopped by her side. The sewing was not done, for Sally easily got a little bit distracted by this little ant. Suddenly, she dropped her thimble (顶针) over the little ant by accident while she was looking at it.“Can it mind? But it is only such a little tiny thing,”said Sally in doubt.

Then Sally ran away, for her mother called her to have lunch, and she forgot all about the ant under the thimble and the handkerchief outside. There the little ant was, running round and round in the dark place, with little horns on its head quivering, little perfect legs bending as beautifully as those of a racehorse, and it was very scared.

If Sally had remembered the ant, she would have heard this little ant say, “I can’t get out! I can’t get out! Is there anyone out there? Can someone help me out?” But unfortunately, till the bedtime, Sally failed to hear the little ant's silent calling and just went to sleep. In the midnight, there was thunder, lightning and heavy rain. The next day, when Sally woke up, she came to the garden, only to find the handkerchief was soaked (湿透的) as if somebody had been crying very much. When she was about to fetch it as soon as the sun shone, it suddenly came to her who was under the thimble. “Oh, how could I forget that little ant? I hope the little ant is doing fine,”said Sally, running with her worried face.

But when she lifted up the thimble, what came to her sight was the little tiny an t lay stiff and still. It seemed like this little poor thing was away from this world. “Oh, did it die of being under the thimble?”Sally said aloud with her trembling voice. “Why did you do that, Sally?”said her father, who was close by and looked unsatisfied.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“Dad, I didn’t mean to,” said Sally.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Where is the ant in such a hurry to go, Sally?” said her father.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Elephant Trunk Hill lies     1     two rivers meet, one of them is the famous Li River of

Guilin city in Guangxi, and it is the symbol of Guilin. The hill was     2     (former) named Li Hill and resembles (像) a giant elephant standing in the river, drinking water through its trunk. Thus, the mountain was named Elephant Trunk Hill.     3     (date) back to as early as the Tang and Song dynasties, the hill has been a famous tourist     4     (attract) over 1,000 years of history. The scenic area combines unique rocks, beautiful waterways, special caves and numerous cliff stone carvings, which make it enjoy a high reputation worldwide.

Ranging     5     historical significance to cultural richness, we are grateful to witness such a breathtaking landscape. The     6     (commerce) value of this site is undeniable, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe who take advantage of its beauty.    7     (be)frank, few places offer such a diverse blend of natural and historical elements. Visitors may occasionally complain about crowds, but     8     response from the authorities has been positive, aiming to enhance the overall experience. The     9     (reject) of modern developments preserves its natural beauty. The site continues to inspire future generations to come. Energetic and flexible, it     10     (adapt) to the changing times while maintaining its essence (本质).

4 . Internet addiction is on the rise. With more people in front of phone s than ever before, being glued to your digital devices (数字设备) is not something new. Here are some tips to help you break Internet addiction and live a healthier life.

Master time management

You can stop Internet addiction by focusing on a time management plan. Your phone will tell you how many hours you spend on it per day. You can test yourself to reduce your time on the Internet by checking whether you reduce your time spent on devices.     1    , you can focus more on being productive when have a time management plan.

    2    

If you want to stop your Internet addiction, spend some time in the open air.     3    . You can try outdoor activities like skiing with friends when it’s cold. Or you can enjoy hot mountain springs if you prefer the heat.

Write in a diary

Have a diary that you pour your heart into. This can be a great way to keep you away from the Internet.    4    , you can stop your Internet addiction. Having an offline and locked document that you type into to share your inner thoughts can be helpful.

Change your nightly routine

    5    , such as checking social media or shopping online, can keep us on a high level of excitement. And we will wake up and feel groggy (昏昏沉沉的) in the next morning. At night, after you brush your teeth, spend some time in bed reading a book. This will help you softly fall to sleep and relax.

A．Get outside

B．Find non-Internet activities

C．Spending time on the Internet before bed

D．Having difficulty in falling asleep at night can be terrible

E．Instead of checking your social media or popular websites

F．By writing down how you feel about your life or relationships

G．You can have wonderful moments by spending some time in nature

5 . Dropping off my three-year-old boy at preschool, I came across Jessica, a fellow mom in pain about the upcoming Valentine’s Day party craft. Despite my exhaustion (筋疲力尽), I offered to deal with it for her. Later that night, my husband Eric found me cutting out construction paper hearts for Jessica’s project, in addition to the one I’d already prepared for our son’s party. Observing my stress, he questioned why I always put myself in such situations. It was a moment of reflection on my tendency to overpromise and please others, even at the cost of my own well-being.

I often did things I didn’t want to do because I was afraid of disappointing someone. It didn’t take long on the Internet to discover that I’m a people pleaser, eager to earn the acceptance of others. Eric was right. I couldn’t go on like this. So I spoke with two experts to find out how to balance a healthier relationship with helping others.

I told psychotherapist Kate Crocco, author of Drawing the Line: How to Achieve More Peace and Less Burnout in Your Life, about offering to do Jessica's craft. “People pleasers sometimes think that if they don’t bend over backward for others, the other person won’t survive. We need to believe that our friends and family can figure out things for themselves,” she says.

Karen Ehman, author of When Making Others Happy Is Making You Miserable: How to Break the Pattern of People Pleasing and Confidently Live Your Life, says, “People pleasers are often passive about how they spend their time. They can be easily swayed and fill their time with someone else’s plans and then become overwhelmed (被压垮的).”

I wondered if I could learn to say no without feeling guilty (内疚的). Recently hosting the family Easter celebration posed a significant task for my husband, one of eight children, and I needed to help. Meanwhile, the community leader requested my assistance in teaching the kindergarten class on Easter Sunday. Politely, I turned down. The community leader expressed understanding and mentioned seeking other volunteers. While it wasn’t a completely guilt-free refusal, it marked a long-awaited step in the right direction.

1. What problem did the author have?

A．She wasn’t good at doing crafts.

B．She didn’t know how to use Internet.

C．She struggled with being a people pleaser.

D．She had difficulty getting on with Jessica.

2. What does Kate Crocco suggest?

A．Accepting others’ choices and lifestyles.

B．Allowing others to solve their own problems.

C．Being careful when making friends with people pleasers.

D．Establishing clear limits when managing work and life.

3. What does the underlined word “swayed” in the last but one paragraph mean?

A．Influenced.

B．Frightened.

C．Misunderstood.

D．Cheated.

4. How did the author react to the request of the community leader?

A．She suggested other volunteers.	B．She hesitated for a while.
C．She turned a deaf ear to it.	D．She refused it politely.

6 . The fast development of AI-generated content (AIGC), especially AI translation, is accelerating (加快) the speed at which China's online novels are being introduced to the world, while global online writers tend to flood to a common platform to expand the world's online novel market, according to the 2023 China Online Literature Exporting Overseas Trend Report.

"Online literature not only brings Chinese culture and works to the world, but also witnesses the global development of this Chinese model," said the president of a publisher.

"After going through publishing authorization (授权), overseas translation and exporting models overseas, China's online literature has reached a new stage of global IP co-creation as writers from different countries and regions work together to develop online literature IP, which has led to a new wave of globalization in online literature," he added.

"As of October 2023, an overseas website owned by the publisher, had launched about 3,600 translated works of Chinese online literature," said the report. The platform has been visited by more than 220 million users, who spend more than 1.5 hours daily on reading. More than 150,000 comments are usually made in a single day, including exchanges about works and discussions about the cities, food and culture from various countries.

With the help of AI, the translation efficiency (效率) of online novels has increased by nearly 100 times, and the cost has been reduced by more than 90 percent. "Due to these advantages, the platform WebNovel will introduce AI translation for English, Spanish, French, Japanese and other languages, to help good Chinese and foreign stories to reach a wider international audience," said Yang Chen, editor-in-chief of the publisher.

Chinese online literature has been exported overseas for more than 20 years. It has shared with the world not only excellent cultural works, but also a set of creative mechanisms (机制) and industrial models based on the digital age. As such, global industrial integration has become a significant trend in the development of online literature.

1. What's the value of China's online literature according to paragraph 2?

A．It contributes to regional cooperation.

B．It encourages global development.

C．It benefits overseas translation.

D．It helps spread Chinese culture.

2. What does the writer want to show by listing the data in paragraph 4?

A．To stress the importance of translating Chinese works.

B．To show the popularity of Chinese online literature.

C．To explain why Chinese literature develops so fast.

D．To call on people to read Chinese literature online.

3. What's the advantage of AI translation?

A．It produces better quality works.	B．It enables writers to work together.
C．It provides more language choices.	D．It's more productive and economical.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．China Online Literature Faces New Challenges

B．AI Translation Boosts Global Cooperation

C．AI Helps Chinese Web Novels Sail Overseas

D．Online Literature Goes Viral Globally

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Tai chi is a Chinese martial art often practised with the purpose of     1     (improve) health. The practice forms of tai chi are well known for relaxing, circular movements that work in harmony with breath regulation (调节). It can not only keep your mind calm     2     also make your body strong. As you focus on your breathing and movements, your mind can clear itself of its worries,     3     does your whole body good,

    4     (influence) by Taoist and Confucian thoughts, and the ideas of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice has developed into several styles,     5     (usual) named after a master, such as Chen-style and Yang-style.

Chen Bin, one of the     6     (master) of the Chen-style tai chi, has been practising the martial art since he     7     (be) six years old. More than two decades of practice has made him a master. “One’s understanding of tai chi can develop when the practice continues. As one’s experience grows, it becomes much     8     (easy) to understand its cultural meaning,” Chen Bing explains.

Tai chi has taught Chen Bing     9     (stay) calm during life’s ups and downs, and to learn about the world with     10     open mind. Moreover, the martial art encourages using gentleness to get over toughness, and making use of weakness to win strength through one’s self-awareness, which shows the wisdom of Taoism.

8 . In a new study, researchers found a link between outdoor education and science grades. The findings indicate outdoor education could be a promising tool to help close gender (性别) gaps in science. “The outdoors is a space where teachers can find tangible ways to make science come alive,” says lead author Kathryn Stevenson, assistant professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at North Carolina State University.

“The natural environment is also a place that everybody has in common. In a way, it’s also a great context for employing teaching practices like hands-on, inquiry-based learning or group work. These practices can be good for all students, but they may be particularly good for reaching students who aren’t as well-served in classroom settings,” Stevenson says.

The researchers studied the impact of an outdoor science education program called Muddy Sneakers on fifth graders’ science grades and knowledge of, and attitude about, science.

Fifth graders from western North Carolina attended between 6 and 10 days of Muddy Sneakers. They had science lessons in nearby natural areas, including state parks and school grounds, Outdoor lessons followed the standard course of study for science through hands-on activities, hikes, nature exploration, and reflections.

Researchers compared the performance of 237 students who learned about science in the classroom to 403 students who participated in the outdoor program. When researchers evaluated (评估) students’ science grades by gender, they saw that girls who participated in the outdoor science program maintained their science grades on average (平均), while girls’ average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in the outdoor program helped girls learn more about how science works on average, but traditional classrooms did not.

Boys in the outdoor and traditional class settings had fairly stable science grades on average and saw similar gains in knowledge of how science works. “Outdoor education seems to be one of those contexts that helps everyone learn, but it may be really, really helpful for some students in particular,” Stevenson says.

1. What does the underlined word “tangible” in paragraph l mean?

A．Practical.

B．Ineffective.

C．Challenging.

D．Unfair.

2. What is the purpose of the study?

A．To improve fifth graders’ science grades.

B．To provide part-time jobs for the students.

C．To learn the effect of outdoor education on students.

D．To earn some money from different kinds of courses.

3. How do the researchers reach the findings?

A．By listing numbers.	B．By interviewing students.
C．By explaining the causes.	D．By making a comparison.

4. What is Stevenson’s attitude towards outdoor education?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Unclear.

D．Objective.

9 . Karla Torres, a recent graduate of Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights, designed and created an 18th-century-inspired dress with the support of her mom to enter the yearly “Stuck at Prom” scholarship contest, sponsored by a trademarked brand of duct tape (强力胶带). The Los Angeles teen was named a finalist last week with the grand prize: a $ 10,000 scholarship.

In the beginning, Karla often spent hours online looking for clothing ideas or different styles. But it wasn't until a recent visit to the J. Paul Getty Museum — the only field trip she took in high school — that she found her inspiration from the 18th-century French paintings, featuring impressive, grand dresses.

“We’ve never made a dress, much less out of duct tape,” Karla said. “We didn’t know how much duct tape we needed. We were just doing it by trial and error.” In the end, the college-bound teen and her mom spent at least 120 hours, over many days, working on the dress, and used l4 rolls of tape.

“Tape is so tough and you can’t move it easily,” Karla said. “It was really challenging to make it all come together.” But the fashion-forward teenager overcame that challenge. Of more than 200 entries to the contest, Karla’s work was selected among the top five, judged for color, quality, originality, and the use of the brand tape.

While it’s Karla’s name officially in the contest, this whole process was more of a collective effort by her family. “It means a lot to me. The $ 10,000 prize would go a long way as I plan to attend a California State University school in August. I wouldn’t want my parents to struggle trying to find a way to pay for it,” Karla said. “It would really help my parents.”

1. What inspired Karla to create the dress?

A．Social media.

B．The encouragement of her mom.

C．Her visit to a museum.

D．The impact of other competitors.

2. How did Karla’s work stand out among the other entries in the contest?

A．It showed great skills and originality.

B．It copied the style of modern paintings.

C．It reflected a variety of fashionable ideas.

D．It used expensive and high-quality materials.

3. Why is winning the contest important for Karla?

A．It’s a recognition of her mom’s efforts.

B．It allows her to find a job in the fashion industry.

C．It ensures her admission into the California college.

D．It saves her parents from struggling to pay for her college.

4. Which of the following can best describe Karla?

A．Creative and considerate.

B．Humorous and hardworking.

C．Responsible and brave.

D．Kind and generous.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What should you know when in a hotel?

A．How to offer a tip.

B．When to use the hair dryer.

C．Where to put your luggage.

2. Which of the following is the electricity in North America?

A．130 volts.

B．110 volts.

C．220 volts.

3. Why is the long-distance call so expensive?

A．Because it is special.

B．Because the time is long.

C．Because the hotel adds a high service charge.

4. What is the speaker talking about?

A．The service in the hotel.

B．The fee of a long-distance call.

C．The charge of the hotel.