1 . When my school offered the opportunity to take part in a School Challenge, I didn’t hesitate to sign up for the initial meeting.     1     We decided to plan a three-week adventure in Romania.

Of course, it was not a case of simply signing up and paying the money.     2     We arranged a variety of events for the purpose. We had decided to go to a remote rural village and to work with a team of local people to improve the school buildings.

We had been warned that our trip would not be a holiday and that things would not always go to plan. We certainly experienced the difficulties during the trip.     3     This meant that they were too weak to continue walking and we were not able to travel as far as we had intended. In fact, one of the team quit the journey.

    4     I never got tired of watching the sun rise every morning over the pine forests. Feeding the bears in the sanctuary was also incredible. I would never have imagined that these powerful creatures could be so gentle and calm. My best memory, though, was working on the school building project. I will never forget the hospitality and kindness of the villagers. They cooked us amazing meals and did everything they could to make us feel comfortable and welcome.

My School Challenge trip influenced my life in so many ways. It gave me a taste for independence and adventure, and certainly made me want to travel more.     5     Not having television, internet and hot running water for three weeks was certainly a challenge, but in many ways enjoyed living a simpler life for a short time.

A．This had to be raised by us to fund the trip.

B．Despite the obstacles, it was a truly amazing trip.

C．Above all though, it has made me realise how easy my life is.

D．It was much more challenging than I thought it would be at times.

E．This was where we met other team members and chose our destination.

F．However, we wouldn’t be spending any time there until the end of the trip.

G．For example, a few people became ill because we were so high up in the mountains.

2 . In any field, constant reflection helps identify areas for improvement, and one is ________ see positive changes with consistent practice.

A．bound to

B．hard to

C．easy to

D．eager to

3 . As technology advances, the demand for traditional crafting techniques remains strong, with new opportunities ________ the horizon.

A．at

B．in

C．on

D．with

4 . In his workshop, he devoted himself to perfecting the art of embroidery, knowing that his reputation would ________ his attention to detail.

A．get on

B．bank on

C．pass on

D．take on

5 . AI developers are encouraged to ________ in their designs by striving to think of solutions that have never been considered before.

A．slow down

B．cut corners

C．break new ground

D．try their best

6 . Museums provide detailed information for cultural relics to help visitors ________ these items with the ancient societies they came from.

A．associate

B．take

C．restore

D．discover

7 . In the field of digital art, artists must polish their skills continuously to ________ each piece to ensure it meets the high standards of modern aesthetics.

A．craft

B．recall

C．preserve

D．collect

8 . To ________ one’s confidence in social interactions, it’s crucial to ________ praise sincerely rather than ignoring them.

A．boost; acknowledge

B．express; win

C．gain; give

D．share; refuse

9 . Childhood can bring a lot of awe (敬畏). Research also suggests that awe is important in promoting well-being beyond our individual lives — it can encourage our children to care for others.

A recent study by researchers Eftychia Stamkou, Keltner, and their colleagues invited children aged 8-13 to take part in an experiment. In the awe group, children were offered a short part of a movie that features a child transformed into a seal (海豹) and exploring the sea while in the joy group, children were offered a short part of another movie where friends were celebrating.

Researchers measured children’s kindness toward poor families by inviting children to support their food drive by spending as much time as they wanted in counting donated things, to make sure the poor got access to the donated food as quickly as possible. They also invited children to donate the reward they earned from taking part in the research (e.g., a snack or a museum ticket) to a poor family.

The results? Children who watched the awe-inspiring video spent more time counting food donations and donated their rewards to poor families more often compared to the children who watched the joy-inspiring video. These findings highlight that awe-inspiring art can motivate children to be sympathetic toward people who have been forcibly displaced (离开家园) from their countries of origin.

As parents, we can also seek out everyday experiences of awe in our communities to share with our children, like wall paintings of the city scenery and folk art. Awe can be inspired by music, like the harmonious sounds of a wooden guitar and the beat of a drum. Awesome architecture, like symphony halls, museums, and even features like staircases, can be a way to experience awe with our children.

1. What does the research find?

A．Awe should be inspired early.	B．Awe helps kids be more generous.
C．Individual lives affect kids’ health.	D．Training awe gives kids excitement.

2. What do we know about the children in the experiment?

A．They watched different movies.	B．They commented on the videos.
C．They were asked some questions.	D．They donated money to poor families.

3. Why did the awe group support the food drive more?

A．They learned this from a video.	B．They were motivated by the movie.
C．They liked to contribute to charity.	D．They were reminded by the homeless.

4. What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?

A．Give reasons for feeling awe.	B．List experiences of awe.
C．Show benefits of awe to kids.	D．Appeal for developing awe in kids.

10 . ACL 500 Word Story Competition

We are pleased to announce the launch of the ACL 500 Word Story Competition. This time the theme is “Awakening”. We’re looking for our community to pen a story that quickly catches our attention and tells a great tale. You can submit (提交) an entry as an individual achievement or as a team effort — we want to read both kinds! Our judges will include a range of our experienced instructors, staff and local Essex Author Sarah Armstrong.

Sarah Armstrong is the author of three novels, most recently The Wolves of Leninsky Prospekt and The Starlings of Bucharest, the first and second in the Moscow Wolves series. She is also the author of A Summer of Spying, a book mainly about her own experience. Sarah teaches undergraduate and postgraduate creative writing with The Open University, and lives in Essex with her husband and four children.

Rules:
◆ Your story can be a poem, an essay or any other kinds of writing.
◆ Entries will need to be in a Word format. PDF files are unacceptable.
◆ Please ensure your story is suitable for all to read.
◆ Use the given submission form to submit your details and story. The deadline for submissions is 12th April.
Benefits:
◆ Prizes include a book voucher (代金券), a short creative writing course, and your work published.
◆ Discover new and exciting skills at writing while exploring your creative writing and sharing inspirational moments with others. We have a fantastic range of Creative Writing courses for you to choose from.
1. What do we know about the competition?

A．It’s organized in honor of Sarah Armstrong.

B．It looks for both individual and group works.

C．It aims to awaken an interest in writing.

D．It’s targeted at undergraduates and postgraduates.

2. Which is a requirement for the entries?

A．They should be submitted as a Word file.	B．They must be poems or essays.
C．They must be based on personal experience.	D．They should be about life in Essex.

3. What can participants get?

A．A voucher for a course.	B．An expert training class by Sarah.
C．A vast range of courses.	D．An improvement to writing skills.