1 .

A．The final begins next week.

B．The man should check with his doctor again.

C．She wants the man to attend the final with her.

D．She hopes the man will be able to play in the final.

2 . NEW STORY CONTEST

Ah, the New Year — a time for visiting friends and family as we ring out the old, ring in the new and imagine all the new adventures that await us in the year ahead.

Who knows what you’ll find when you open the door to your dryer or gaze up at the night sky? Will you write about a visit from a mythical creature, or maybe a lost animal? Will the visitor cause a problem — or solve one?

Whoever your visitor is, every buggy in Cricket (an American children’s magazine) Country will be gathered around the mailbox, awaiting the visit of your best story — just 350 words or less, please — featuring a surprising or unexpected visitor. Happy New Year!

Contest Rules

Your contest entry must be original. Ideas and words should not be copied.

Your entry must be signed by your parent or guardian, saying it is original, that no help was given, and granting Cricket permission to publish prize-winning entries in the May 2024 issue or on our website.

Be sure to include your name, age and full address on your entry.

Only one entry per person, please.

If you want your work returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for each entry.

Incomplete entries cannot be considered. Your entry will be incomplete if you forget to include your age or the signature of your parent or guardian that confirms that your work is original.

Your entry must be received by April 25, 2024.

Send entries to Cricket League, P. O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354. (No faxes or email submissions, please!)

1. The theme of the new story contest is “_________”.

A．new adventures	B．New Year’s resolution
C．unexpected visitors	D．surprising inventions

2. Every contest entry must ________.

A．be sent by means of email	B．arrive after January 25,2018
C．be the contestant’s own work	D．contain no less than 350 words

3. Each contestant’s parent or guardian must sign the entry to agree that ________.

A．the prize-winning entry can be publicized on the media

B．all the required information has been included

C．the content of the story is based on a real event

D．editors can make revision to the participant’s entry

3 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. competing     B. incredibly     C. issued     D. influential     E. barely F. hosting     G. highlight       H. stage     I. diagnosis     J. related K. commitment

Shanghai Is Full Speed Ahead

After decades of experience in the field, Shanghai is strengthening its reputation as a global leader in     1     top-level, professional sports events.

Last month’s Shanghai Sailing Open, held from March 26—31 on Dishui Lake, was a typical example of the city’s world-famous excellence, attracting over 300 competitors, including a six—time world champion of Poland, a gold medalist at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and China’s former Olympic champion Xu Lijia;     2     in sailboats and yachts, sailors sang praise on the competition environment and overall atmosphere of the event.

Shanghai’s     3     to developing its sports scene has been key to this success. In 2015, the Shanghai government     4     a plan to speed up the development of its sports industry, including a proposal to develop the city into a world-renowned sports hub within 10 years.

According to the “2023 Shanghai sports event influence     5     report”, Shanghai held 118 major sports events last year, with 36 of those international-level events, including the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters, the Shanghai Marathon, and the Shanghai Half Marathon, which were rated as the city’s most     6     sports events last year.

This year, besides the recent Shanghai Sailing Open and various district-organized half marathon events, the city will continue to     7     sports competitions such as the Shanghai Half Marathon, the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, and the Olympic Qualifier Series.

The success of sports development in Shanghai is closely     8     to a policy of top-level construction. In addition to top—level international competitions, top—tier home teams, and professional leagues, brand events are staged year-round to     9     the city’s characteristics. Linking sports with culture, commerce, tourism, and exhibitions is another feature of the city’s sports environment, helping to     10     maximize the economic benefits. Spectators can expect to be treated to the very best in urban sports and that organizers will strive to provide a warm atmosphere of sports, art, music, and culture.

4 . There are few shirts in football as celebrated as the Manchester United No. 7, a grand tradition that is generally considered to go all the way back to George Best. The reality, though, is a little more complex.

At Manchester United, the No. 7 clearly means something to supporters and the club itself. From Best to Ronaldo, this is the story of United’s No. 7 shirt.

George Best played in the days before permanent squad numbers, when it wasn’t uncommon for footballers to wear multiple numbers in the same season. Best certainly did wear the No. 7 on occasion, most famously during the 1968 European Cup final victory over Benfica, but he didn’t actually wear it particularly often — only in 30 per cent of his Manchester United games. The idea that Best started United’s grand history of the No. 7 shirt isn’t entirely unfair, but Best himself evidently didn’t actually care.

Another United Legend, Eric Cantona did care — although he played a variety of numbers during his days in France, he insisted on wearing the No. 7 shirt at United. So it was Eric Cantona, rather than Best, who really made the No. 7 iconic at Manchester United. It was rare to see that number being worn by a forward, instead of a midfielder, but that somehow fitted into the aura of Cantona: a player who interpreted his role in an unusual way.

When Cantona left, Alex Ferguson decided to honour David Beckham with the No. 7 at his request. As a right-sided midfielder, Beckham fitted the No. 7 perfectly. He became so associated with the number that he incorporated it into his own fashion brand known as DB07. He enjoyed six years with the No. 7 shirt until his move to Real Madrid.

Upon Beckham’s departure in 2003, United signed the perfect replacement as No. 7 — Cristiano Ronald. Ronaldo played on the right of midfield, so the shirt number made sense, although he had initially requested No. 28. However, Ferguson insisted on him taking No. 7. It proved a fine decision. Not only did Ronaldo shine on the pitch, but he also replicated Beckham by incorporating the number into a fashion range: CR7.

After Ronald’s transfer to Real Madrid and Ferguson’s retirement, it became clear that United, a club increasingly’ obsessed with branding, wanted to further the legacy and history of the No.7. However, then there was a period when no one seemed to want it. To fill the huge gap left by Ronald’s departure, to be frank, is always something extremely challenging. And whoever comes next must be a confident player who is happy to invite that added scrutiny.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The number 7 in the football world is usually worn by a forward player.

B．George Best often wore the No. 7 during his time at Manchester United.

C．In 1960s, players started to wear fixed numbers during the same season.

D．Eric Cantona truly helped United’s No. 7 become a famous sporting icon.

2. Which of the following is Not one of the similarities between Beckham and Ronald?

A．Both of them have played for Manchester United and Real Madrid in their career.

B．They each have successfully created a fashion brand related to their No. 7 shirt.

C．Neither of them has voluntarily asked their coach Sir Alex for the No.7 shirt.

D．When representing United, they played the same position on the football pitch.

3. None of the players wanted to wear the No. 7 shirt after Ronald probably because ______.

A．the value of United’s No.7 has been decreasing significantly

B．United has shifted attention from football to gaining commercial success

C．the pressure brought by fans’ heightened expectation is overwhelming

D．Sir Alex Ferguson has officially retried from the football world

4. What might be the best title for the passage?

A．The Story of Great Players.	B．The Legendary Number.
C．Who’s the Next United’s No.7?	D．Glory Glory Man United.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答一下小题。1.

A．5.

B．16.

C．42.

D．21.

2.

A．See his championship belt.

B．Appear in his superhero films.

C．Learn the wrestling skills from him.

D．Exchange photos with him.

3.

A．It treats children who suffer from serious illnesses.

B．It helps sick children to see their favorite celebrities.

C．It keeps track of Guinness World Record holders.

D．It protects children from violence and crimes.

6 .

A．Give up the game.	B．Make a new plan.
C．Have tough training.	D．Avoid the opponent.

7 .

A．He’s going to play football with Jim.

B．He will take Jim to see a football match.

C．He’s going to watch the World Cup on TV.

D．He will catch the opportunity to win the World Cup.

8 .

A．Predictable.

B．Boring.

C．Tense.

D．One-sided.

9 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. unanticipated       B. moments       C. evolved       D. basically E. explored       F. clearly       G. navigate       H. rituals I. integral       J. access       K. inspiring

Boat of Power

Dragon boat racing began in China more than 2,000 years ago as part of a cultural community event to memorize the ancient poet, Qu Yuan. The traditional holiday was a time to perform    1    for good fortune and well-being, and to drive off evil spirits. Over time, dragon boat racing    2    into a global sport.

The Toronto-based Dragons Abreast team stands out at this sport for a few reasons. For one, the79-member team includes people ranging in age from 30 to 93. Prior to joining Dragons Abreast, some members hadn’t been part of a sports team since childhood and wouldn’t have described themselves as particularly athletic ones. And what has brought these women together is something    3     — living with breast cancer.

The breast cancer survivors on this team are in the same boat in every way. For many, being part of a community that knows    4    how life changes after breast cancer is as beneficial as the physical gains. The team offers a supportive space to    5    all the complexities of survivorship.

“I was so surprised at how    6    the racing was for me,” says Liz Johnston Hill, the race coordinator for Dragons Abreast. “It’s almost overwhelming how people encourage, no matter what.”

Being out on the water and connecting to the environment is an important aspect of dragon boating for many of the team members. They talk about how it provides    7    of peace and encourages mindfulness, something we could all use more of in our lives. Outside of dragon boat, the members are a(n)    8    part of each other’s life. “We’ve all been through    9    the same thing in our various ways,” says the race coordinator Liz Johnston Hill. While the number of breast cancer survivor teams grows, barriers to the sport remain such as cost, time,     10    to water and practice facilities and the lack of cultural and language diversity. But there are ongoing efforts to introduce more people living with breast cancer to dragon boat.

10 .

INNOVATION CUP 2022 Great minds come together at Merck

What’s in it for me? If you are a post-graduate student with an interest in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, the Merck Innovation Cup is your chance to gain in-depth knowledge about research and development, to network with top students from around the world and to build a business case together with experienced professionals. Who can apply: Advanced students and postdocs in the fields of life science, data science and business administration from all over the world can apply: Sciences: Post graduate students on their way towards a PhD in biology, medicine, biotech, bioinformatics, data sciences, biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacy, physics or engineering. Business: Advanced MBA students and recent MBA graduates with an interest in the pharmaceutical and chemical business and a science background. The Innovation Cup will comprise the following team topics: oncology, immuno-oncology, autoimmunity, drug discovery technologies digitalization.

How it works: During a one-week Summer Camp, 50 selected students will attend in-depth presentations about the pharmaceutical and chemical industry given by Merck researchers and managers. The participants will be divided into teams, work together to develop a business plan and present it to a grand jury, who will award the Merck Innovation Cup for the best plan along with a cash prize of EUR 20,000 plus EUR 5,000 for the runner-up. A conference with alumni of previous Innovation Cup editions will be held on the first day of the Summer Camp. Further information about the program and how to apply online from November 1, 2021, until January 31, 2022: http://innovationcup.merckgroup.com Location: Near Frankfurt, Germany, June 20 - 26, 2022. Travel, accommodation and food expenses will be paid by Merck.

1. Who can apply to participate in the event?

A．High school students interested in life science.

B．Post-graduate students majoring in mathematics.

C．MBA graduates knowledgeable about finance.

D．Exceptional students specializing in developing new drugs.

2. What’s the purpose of this passage?

A．To deepen top students’ interest in innovation.

B．To attract talent to the Innovation Cup competition

C．To promote the Merck company around the world.

D．To inform alumni of an important conference.

3. Which of the following is true about the event?

A．Merck will cover the expenses of travel, research and food.

B．The event plans to select 50 researchers to give presentations.

C．The top two winners of the Cup will be awarded cash prizes.

D．Applicants should apply online within a duration of two months.