1 . National Public Radio (NPR) Music’s Tiny Desk Contest is back. Artists can submit an entry from this morning. This isn’t just another regular year of the Contest — it’s the 10th anniversary.
The panel (小组) of judges has doubled in size compared to previous years. The panel has a group of industry experts who are eager to see what this year’s participants can share. And there’s a great team of NPR’s Music station hosts on the panel: Amelia Mason, Novena Carmel and Stas THEE Boss.
Also new this year: Not only will the 2024 winner play a Tiny Desk concert, be interviewed on All Things Considered and go on tour with NPR Music — they’ll also be paired with a tutor in the industry who will help them navigate their music journey. Our judges are determined to give this year’s winner the support they’ll need to take their music to the next level. The winner will also be featured at two festivals this summer: Celebrate Brooklyn and the Millennium Park Summer Music series in Chicago.
And for the first time this year, the Contest is introducing a fan favorite vote. Later this spring, Contest judges will share their favorite entries as part of the annual Tiny Desk-Contest Top Shelf series on YouTube — and then artists and fans will be able to vote for their favorite among those selections.
Here’s how to enter: Record a video of you playing one original song — behind a desk, upload your video to YouTube, and submit the video on our Tiny Desk Contest website by Feb. 21 at 11: 59 p. m.
A final reminder: Entry videos don’t need to be fancy. The Tiny Desk is where artists go to simplify their big productions. Contest judges are looking for artists to submit something that’s true to them and brand new to the Tiny Desk.
1. Who are most likely among the judges?| A．News station hosts. | B．Expert musicians. |
| C．Contest participants. | D．Famous industrialists. |
| A．Sightseeing tours. | B．Festival souvenirs. |
| C．Unlimited support. | D．Professional guidance. |
| A．It has to be a masterpiece. | B．It must convey positive feelings. |
| C．It must be recorded behind a desk. | D．It has to be submitted before Feb. 21. |
Once celebrated as “the sport of kings”, polo (马球), a unique sport with ancient roots,
Different cultures developed similar games and, over time, polo evolved
During the 1930s, the modern version of the sport enjoyed a period of
Polo’s noble and warrior-like characteristics have won it many
Published by the Cultural Relics Press, the book gives a detailed introduction to polo in China, with photos of artifacts and events, and an engaging storyline
As
1. What does the speaker mainly talk about?
| A．Must-see books. |
| B．Places to travel. |
| C．Important travel experiences. |
| A．The rock. | B．The islands. | C．The ancient city. |
| A．The coast. | B．Sand stones. | C．Its culture. |
| A．In the early morning. |
| B．At late night. |
| C．At noon. |
4 . For any advanced record collector, we have a great collection for you to know about your favorite music!
The Beatles — Vol 1 Evolution (1940-64)
This is the first in die set of three-Its 116 pages cover every single, album from 1962 to 1964, all newly reviewed by top experts, forming a UK Beatles discography (录音作品名录) with comments: a must-have for fans and collectors.
The Beatles — Vol 2: Revolution (1965-67)
It is the second in the set. Covering their creative glory years in the mid-60s, up to the recording of their masterpiece, Sgt Pepper’s, it presents interviews with their great producer George Martin, Pattie Boyd and Beatles insider Tony Bramwell. 116 pages of quality reading.
The Beatles — Vol 3: Ascension (1968-2019)
It is the third in the series, covering their final years together, from the story of the White Album to the success of Abbey Road. There is analysis of what finally broke up the band.
The Rolling Stones: Making The Legend
This special magazine focusing on the archives tells the best story of the rise of The rolling Stones. It’s a must — have for fans of the world’s greatest rock roll band — and for anyone who wants to became what it is today, this is right for you.
Pink Floyd — Shooting For The Moon
It records the development of this globally loved band, from their beginnings back in 1967 to their lasting position half a century later, by the way of archive (档案，史料).
◆Buy a package of any 3 for just £18.00 UK
(£ 28.50 EU, £ 34.50 rest of world) postage packing included
◆Available to buy separately at £ 6.99 UK, £10. 49 EU & £ 12.49 rest of world postage packing included
◆For a mixed package please call us on 020 8752 8193 NOW!
1. What makes The Beatles — Vol 3 special in the set?| A．It includes interviews. | B．It accesses the archives. |
| C．It has a total of 116 pages. | D．It tells why the band came apart. |
| A．Pink Floyd — Shooting For The Moon |
| B．The Rolling Stones: Making The Legend |
| C．The Beatles — Vol 2: Revolution (965-7) |
| D．The Beatles — Vol 3: Ascension (1968-2019) |
| A．£ 37.47. | B．£ 28.50. | C．£ 34.50. | D．£ 12.49. |
1. How much in total will be used in earthquake relief?
| A．£60 million. | B．£100 million. | C．£160 million. |
| A．By contacting the radio program. |
| B．By calling a charity organization. |
| C．By leaving personal information at a website. |
| A．To forecast the weather of this week. |
| B．To praise sponsors in the disaster relief. |
| C．To update information about the earthquake. |
1. Why is the man looking for Jennifer?
| A．To apologize to her. |
| B．To give her some curtains. |
| C．To talk about a project with her. |
| A．In her office. | B．In the canteen. | C．In the meeting room. |
| A．A waitress in a canteen. |
| B．A worker in a company. |
| C．A salesperson in a clothing store. |
| A．Go to Jennifer’s house. |
| B．Buy something in a mall. |
| C．Meet some clients. |
1. Why do the speakers want to celebrate?
| A．The school term is ending. |
| B．The woman’s birthday is coming. |
| C．All the students have finished exams. |
| A．In the classroom. | B．In the library. | C．In the canteen. |
| A．Have some snacks in the cafeteria. |
| B．Have a party with friends all night. |
| C．Have a meal outside of the school. |
8 . Noted for his profound description of life along the Chinese railway, Wang Fuchun passed away on March 13th at the age of 79. His engaging photographs capture the substance of China’s ever-changing landscape.
Being artistic and good at painting and calligraphy, Wang found that photography bridged the two worlds: he could make art with his camera and increasingly he felt that his goal was not art, but life.
In the late 1970s, when he started taking his photographs, everyone on a railway platform looked reserved and orderly. By the late 1980s, a great rush to the cities had begun on the trains. He recorded young migrant workers shedding their shirts, running with sweat, seeking coolness on top of the seats. He did not ask anyone’s permission to take them, and he preferred to act secretly, like a thief in a way, as it captured the authentic (真实的) moments of people’s lives—and so mirrored all the more clearly how China was changing.
His project was all-consuming. Over 40 years he estimated he had ridden on 1, 000 trains and covered more than 100, 000 kilometers, on every line in China. Each trip was neatly noted down in a notebook; he took about 200, 000 pictures, and logged each by its place. From those pictures, he felt the migrants’ poverty too keenly, and he preferred to capture the hope that pushed people on to trains.
China was rushing to the modern world. Steam was fading; the green-skinned trains acquired fans and air-conditioning. Then came express trains, then high-speed rail. The aisles were clear, the windows sealed. However, in the reclining seats (躺椅座位), everyone reclined. In the ordinary seats, everyone’s noses were buried in their tablets and their phones.
He liked the message of hope; he was proud of what China had achieved. But how sad, he also thought that on that dashing train there was no mess, no collision of life and no good subjects for him, and that Chinese people should once again look so orderly, reserved and unconcerned about each other, even on a train.
1. How did Wang Fuchun reveal the changes in China with his camera?| A．By creating art works on railway platforms. |
| B．By documenting migrant workers’ daily life. |
| C．By recording the transformation of life on the train. |
| D．By capturing a great rush to cities along the railway. |
| A．To perform his duty. | B．To reflect reality better. |
| C．To avoid disturbing people. | D．To satisfy his curiosity. |
| A．They were only focused on themselves. | B．They were quite messy and disorganized. |
| C．They were interested in the reclining seats. | D．They were engaged in lively conversations. |
| A．Friendly and considerate. | B．Devoted and observant. |
| C．Talented and humorous. | D．Optimistic and generous. |
9 . Every year, as the surface water temperature off the United States mid-Atlantic coast rises steadily from late spring through the summer, a pocket of uncharacteristically cool and crisp water gets trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Packed with nutrients this thick band of cold water, known as the mid-Atlantic cold pool, is a vital home for shellfish species. Extending at its seasonal peak from Nantucket, Massachusetts, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the cold poll creates a diverse ecosystem ranging from algae(海藻)to fish — and some of the most valuable shellfish fisheries in the United States.
Now, however, two pressures have scientists worrying about whether the cold pool will last. The first is no surprise: climate change. Over the past five decades, climates change has destabilized the cold pool, causing it to warm and shrink. Compared with 1968, the cold pool is now 13℃ warmer and has lost more than one-third of its area.
The second concern is 1ess certain. In 2023, the US federal government approved plans to install(安装)98 wind turbines(涡轮机)off the New Jersey coast, covering an area of more than 300 square kilometers. Yet putting so many turbines to the seafloor could have unexpected consequences for the cold pool. That’s why Travis Miles, a researcher at New Jersey’s Rutgers University, and his colleagues are investigating. So far, Miles and his colleagues can’t definitively say what will happen to the cold pool, saying more research is needed to assess how climate change and offshore wind, together, could affect the cold pool. However, their initial analyses suggest the cold pool should be fine — at least in normal conditions.
New Jersey’s offshore wind plans are strongly opposed mainly by fossil fuel-industry funded efforts. Miles worries that an overabundance of caution or fear of potential impacts, including on the cold pool, might slow down the development of renewable energy. “...it’s quite clear that climate change is far more damaging than installing wind farms,” he says. “I don’t think any scientist would argue with that.”
1. What do we know about the mid-Atlantic cold pool?| A．It forms in early spring. | B．It’s a band of cold near-bottom water. |
| C．It serves as a habitat of most sea species. | D．It extends from Nantucket to New Jersey. |
| A．Break down. | B．Get polluted. | C．Dry up. | D．Become smaller. |
| A．supportive | B．dismissive | C．overcautious | D．skeptical |
| A．The Cold Pool Plays a Role on species |
| B．Opinions Divide on Offshore Wind Farms |
| C．Scientists Eye Potential Risks to the Cold Pool |
| D．Renewable Energy Helps to Race Against Climate Change |
10 . SUMMER CAMP 2024 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Welcome to the USF Youth Experiences summer camp, where music meets technology! In this camp, you will have the opportunity to explore your creativity by making music using computers, iPads, DJ decks, guitars, ukuleles, drumsets, keyboards, and vocals.
Led by Haley Garrett and Dr. David Williams from the School of Music at the University of South Florida, this camp is designed for those who have no related experience in music but want to learn skills. We will guide you through the process of songwriting, beat writing, and rapping.
Camp Details:
During the camp, you will work with a small group of peers to create your own unique sound and perform as part of a team. All the equipment you need will be provided, so all you need to bring is your creativity and enthusiasm.
Our experienced instructors will teach you how to use various tools and techniques to produce your music, from using software to playing instruments. You will learn about different genres of music and explore how to incorporate them into your own music.
Above all, this camp is designed to be fun! You will have a great time making music with new friends and discovering your own musical talents. Join us for an unforgettable summer experience and let’s make some amazing music together!
Camp Directors: Dr. David Williams and Haley Garrett
Format: In-person
Register: Now
Location: USF Tampa Campus
Grade Levels: Entering 7th–12th grade
Learning Time: 9:00 am -3:00 pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time)
Music Tech Lab Dates:
Camper Arrival Time | Thursday, June 17th,8:00 am |
Camper Pick up Time | Monday, June 21th,4:00 pm |
| A．The creative music instructors. |
| B．The skilled computer technicians. |
| C．The students in an academy of music. |
| D．The beginners with no experience in music. |
| A．Appreciate and explore music individually. |
| B．Make music by using tools and techniques. |
| C．Ask friends to discover their musical talents. |
| D．Take necessary instruments with themselves. |
| A．5. | B．6. | C．30. | D．35. |
