1 . No FIFA World Cup would be complete without “psychic(通灵的)” animals predicting the winners, and Qatar 2022 was the same. A range of animals—big and small—have tried to predict the scoreline.

It all started with Paul, the ”psychic“ octopus(章鱼). He put TV experts to shame with an unbelievable group of correct World Cup winner predictions at the Aquarium Sea Life Center in Oberhausen, Germany. He correctly predicted eight World Cup matches at South Africa’s tournament in 2010, including Spain beating the Netherlands in the World Cup final.

Paul’s successor, Rubio the octopus, did not end well. It became a star in Japan for its 100%success in predicting group-stage matches, including Japan’s win against Colombia in the 2018 World Cup held in Russia. Rubio did not get the chance to make its prediction for the Round-of-16 after it was cut into pieces and turned into seafood.

Taiyo the otter had good news for Japanese fans at the 2022 World cup in Qatar, correctly predicting Japan’s group-stage win over Germany. From his home at the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa in Japan, Taiyo was given three buckets(桶)to choose from—Japan(blue), draw (yellow)and Germany(red)—and did not hesitate about picking up his tiny football and placing his bet on Japan. He was widely praised online for his action.   

And let’s not forget another star—Marcus, the “mystic pig”. In the 2018 World Cup, Marcus predicted a World Cup victory for England after selecting apples with the England flag on British morning television. However, Marcus’ fortune-telling record was shattered when England was knocked out in the semi-final.

Nelly the elephant from Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Germany, also meant business when she had a group of 30 out of 33 matches correct predictions in the 2006 World Cup, the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euro.

Camilla the ”mystic“ camel from Melton Mowbray in England did have good news for England, however. She correctly predicted the Three Lions’ group-stage win over Iran at the Qatar World Cup. Her owners said that their camel was ”never wrong“.

1. What can we learn about Rubio?

A．It ended up being eaten.	B．It missed the 2018 World Cup.
C．It performed much better than Paul.	D．It became famous after the Round-of-16.

2. What quality of Taiyo was stressed in Paragraph 4?

A．It knew Japanese players well.	B．It could recognize many colors.
C．It was quick at decision-making.	D．It was good at catching a football.

3. What does the underlined word ”shattered“ in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Updated.

B．Shared.

C．Removed.

D．Broken.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards psychic animals?

A．He doesn’t give his opinion.	B．He is doubtful about them.
C．He thinks them interesting.	D．He is supportive to them.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What did the woman do last night?

A．She watched a game.

B．She attended a party.

C．She studied at home.

2. How does the man feel about Barcelona?

A．They should have played better.

B．They have a poor goalkeeper.

C．They played well as usual.

3. What does the man ask the woman to do?

A．Telephone a few people.

B．Make a plan on the games.

C．Watch the next game at his house.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker think of his first marathon?

A．Boring.

B．Satisfying.

C．Difficult.

2. Why does the speaker find the race in Kuala Lumpur hardest?

A．He was too nervous.

B．He lacked training beforehand.

C．He didn’t take his running shoes.

3. What made the speaker shocked in the race in Russia?

A．He got the third place.

B．He completed his challenge.

C．It took place in hot weather.

4 . What happens when the player shoots successfully from outside the line?

A．He breaks a rule.

B．He wins the game.

C．He gets three points.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或所给单词的正确形式。

What a coincidence it is! This year’s Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday came on the same day with the hosting of Hangzhou Asian Games,     1     (set) off a wave of sports and sports-related consumption across China.

Data from Pinduoduo, shows that sales in the sports and outdoor category on the platform     2     (increase) by over 40% since September.     3     the nationwide sports craze (狂热), sales of home fitness equipment and related products have     4     (significance) grown by more than 28% compared to August.

Besides, sports events have also driven growth in other aspects,     5     (include) accommodation, tourism, and transportation. A report from Tsinghua University indicates that China’s sports-related consumption is expected     6     (reach) 2.8 trillion yuan by 2025.

In Hangzhou,     7     host city of the Asian Games in 2023, “Having City Boat in Hangzhou” has become a new way for young people to join in the Asian Games. People are sharing tips on platforms like Dianping, offering     8     (detail) guides, — “Go straight to Sunset Beach, on     9     you can find     10     (option) like kayaks and giant rubber duck pedal boats. Avoid crowds on weekends.”

6 . Participating in art competitions is essential for students to gain formal recognition and impress college admission officers. Today, we have a list of art competitions on regional, national, and international scales.

EarthX Eco-Art Competition

It invites young artists aged 5-22 to create 2-D or 3-D art that illustrates the theme: Protectors for the Planet. The theme can be interpreted in various ways, including individuals taking action towards a more sustainable planet, or highlighting the efforts of environmental leaders working to sustain ecosystems.

Deadline: March 8, 2024

The Children’s Drawing Contest

Sponsored by International Certification Organization Network, the contest, whose theme this year is “Passing on Our Precious Earth to The Future”, invites children aged 7-15 worldwide to draw the kind of natural environment they would like to live in. 48 winners will receive special memorabilia. All entrants will receive a participation prize. Medium: Drawings with any type of paint, pastel, etc.

Deadline: May 31, 2024

Science without Borders Challenge

The competition is open to children and young people under the age of 16. We welcome entries from both groups and individuals to create art to promote public awareness of the need to preserve, protect, and restore nature. The theme is “The Sixth Extinction” and you can focus on the protection of endangered species. Acceptable media include paint, pencil, marker, crayon, ink, felt, and oil pastel.

Deadline: March 4, 2024

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the longest-running literary and art competition in the US, provides opportunities and academic awards for creative young people to express their talent. The theme this year is “Tell Your Climate Story”. Students in the 9th to 12th grades can submit poetry, fiction and nonfiction to show their understanding of environmental issues.

Deadline: June 10, 2024

1. On which date can participants send their entries to EarthX Eco-Art Competition?

A．May 6, 2024.

B．March 15, 2024.

C．April 28, 2024.

D．February 9, 2024.

2. Which competition best suits teenagers good at writing poems?

A．EarthX Eco-Art Competition.	B．The Children’s Drawing Contest.
C．Science without Borders Challenge.	D．The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

3. What do the four competitions have in common?

A．They target students under the age of 20.	B．They are about environmental protection.
C．They require participants to write a story.	D．They only accept entries from individuals.

7 . What happens when the player shoots successfully from outside the line?

A．He breaks a rule.

B．He wins the game.

C．He gets three points.

8 . Winter 2024 Story Contest

OUR WINTER CONTEST is open to all fiction and nonfiction writers. Entries must be previously unpublished, no longer than 15,000 words, and must not have been previously chosen as a winner, finalist, or honorable mention in another contest.

Narrative winners and finalists have gone on to win Whiting Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and the Atlantic prize, and have appeared in collections such as Best American Short Stories, Best American Non-required Reading and many others.

As always, we are looking for works with a strong narrative drive, characters we can respond to, and language, situation, and insight that are intense and total.

We welcome and look forward to reading your pages.

Awards: First Prize is $2,500, Second Prize is $1,000, Third Prize is $500, and up to ten finalists will receive $100 each. All entries will be considered for publication.

Submission Fee: There is a $27 fee for each entry. With your entry, you’ll receive three months of access to Narrative Backstage at no cost.

Timing: The contest closes on March 31,2024, at midnight, Pacific Standard Time.

Judging: The contest will be judged by the editors of the magazine. Winners and finalists will be announced to the public by April 30,2024. All writers who enter will be informed by email of the judges’ decisions, which will be final. Please make sure info@narrativemagazine.com is in your address book and your email settings permit messages from www.narrativemagazine.com.

Submission Guidelines: Please read our Submission Guidelines for contributions formatting and other information.

1. What is required of the entries?

A．They should be related to winter 2024.

B．They should be based on real-life events.

C．They should be submitted before April 30.

D．They should be limited to 15,000 words.

2. What will each of the participants get?

A．A copy of excellent narrative works.	B．Access to the Pulitzer Prize.
C．Free visits to Narrative Backstage.	D．A collection of winners’ works.

3. How can participants know the contest’s final results?

A．By entering the official website.	B．By checking an email.
C．By attending the awards ceremony.	D．By making a phone call.

9 . A cheerleader amazed everyone at the Nebraska State High School Cheer & Dance Championship (锦标赛).

Just two weeks before the competition, something unexpected happened. Morrill High School cheer coach (教练) April Ott _________ the sad news to 17-year-old Katrina that she was the only one left on the cheer squad (拉拉队) after three girls _________ for personal reasons. The coach added the only choice for them was to watch other girls in action, but Katrina had other _________. She made up her mind to go at it _________.

And that was exactly _________ Katrina did. It was the first time that a cheerleader had competed on her own. Surprisingly, she had the _________ audience when she was _________. She was greeted by huge cheers. And despite not being able to be _________ the same as other competitors, her _________ ended up eighth out of the 12 squads.

“It was the last competition in my high school life. It was certainly out of my comfort zone,” said Katrina. “That was not something I would __________ do by any means, but I didn’t want to end my senior year on a(n) __________ note.”

Katrina’s story __________ her coach and many other people. “Katrina __________ herself,” Ott said, “I feel like this is a story for everyone. Never quit. Whatever the __________ are, just keep going.”

As for her advice to others, Katrina smiled, “Never back off. You’re __________ than you think you are.”

1.

A．acquired

B．reminded

C．broke

D．exchanged

2.

A．hurried up

B．gave up

C．broke up

D．shot up

3.

A．conditions

B．potentials

C．resources

D．ideas

4.

A．equally

B．informally

C．originally

D．alone

5.

A．where

B．why

C．what

D．when

6.

A．funniest

B．loudest

C．youngest

D．strictest

7.

A．dancing

B．advancing

C．watching

D．struggling

8.

A．viewed

B．directed

C．judged

D．encouraged

9.

A．adventure

B．management

C．operation

D．performance

10.

A．mainly

B．normally

C．finally

D．immediately

11.

A．usual

B．passive

C．wrong

D．low

12.

A．inspired

B．attracted

C．comforted

D．discouraged

13.

A．kept up with

B．broke away from

C．stood up for

D．took advantage of

14.

A．efforts

B．challenges

C．desires

D．opportunities

15.

A．stronger

B．luckier

C．smarter

D．kinder

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写一段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The cafeteria (自助食堂) conversation on Monday was all about hockey (冰上曲棍球) again. Jade usually fit in with the sports crowd, but now she was not included in the conversation.

“When will you get out on the ice, Jade?” Hazel asked. Jade was a soccer star at her old school in California. “I’m inviting her to play hockey.” Hazel told other players at the table.

Jade lowered her voice. “I can’t make it to open skating time because I have to look after my younger brother Calvin until 6:30.”

But Hazel had been friendly since their first meeting and she wasn’t going to give upon this. “A rink (溜冰场) is behind the stadium. I can practice with you thereafter the closing time. You can buy skates from Ms. Silva, the facility manager. 7 o’clock this evening at the rink!” Hazel told Jade excitedly.

However, Jade didn’t tell Hazel she couldn’t afford the skates and hockey stick. After school Jade hurried home to look after Calvin. When she was cleaning the crumbs (面包屑) under Calvin’s highchair with a broom, she got an idea. At 6:35, Jade grabbed the broom and an old tennis ball.

At the rink, Hazel hadn’t turned up yet. In her dirty shoes, Jade practiced hitting the ball with the broom independently. Surprisingly, she scored a goal. But her smile disappeared as she saw Ms. Silva walking over.

She looked down at Jade’s feet pitifully. “Your shoes made the rink dirty. Those aren’t skates and hockey stick.”

“I’m really sorry for the dirt,” Jade apologized. “I don’t have money for those.”

“You didn’t tell me that!” Hazel appeared, holding Jade’s hands.

“Want a weekend job?” Ms. Silva advised gently. “I’ll teach you how to remove the dirt and leaves. A month later you may get new skates!” “Definitely.” Jade replied. “I’ll be there with you!” Hazel said.

注意：1.续写词数应为100词左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

In the following month, Jade was a dutiful staff and practiced with Hazel in the rink every night.

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