1 . 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.

2 . With the DJ shouting in a strong local accent and viewers seating themselves wherever they could find a spot to view the game, two teams of basketball players who were no other than the local villagers played under professional-class format and the game became tense in the last seconds at the fourth quarter.

The rescheduled final game of Guizhou country basketball league, known as “Village Basketball Association“, was played in Taipan Village, a remote rural area with a population of only 1,200,in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou Province on Monday after a local storm hit on Sunday night. Team Qiandongnan beat Team Zunyi by a score of 68 to 65.

There were more viewers for this game, although it was a weekday, compared with the 30,000-strong crowd seen during the past weekend when the third-place game went viral. The festival-turned-competition is a gathering which is attractive to local villagers and visitors looking for a special local experience.

How can a grass-roots competition become more attractive than professional games to people like me? I think it’s because sport essentially originates from the grass roots and everybody can find the most available social connections by being part of it.

The Village BA reminded me of my tour in Yangshuo of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region where I was getting tired of the landscape scenery until I ran into a local basketball game on my way back to the hotel. I decided to take a rest and sat on the bare ground by the court rubbing shoulders with locals and visitors and letting out whatever I wanted to give out. Like the players of the Village BA in Guizhou,the winning team in Yangshuo was awarded with nothing more than local products such as live ducks and cooked meat.

The sudden popularity of the Village BA could be due to the universal social media and the users’ tendency to explore something different from their surroundings. But what may remain lasting and grow even bigger is people’s pursuit of spiritual nutrition and the grass-roots sport is one of the top destinations that are easy to reach.

1. What do we know about the Village BA?

A．Its players are amateurs.	B．It is divided into two quarters.
C．Its audience are local villagers.	D．It is tenser than professional games.

2. What does the author think of the grass-roots competition?

A．It is available to everyone.	B．It trains professional players.
C．It is played without strict rules.	D．It helps people find social connections.

3. Why does the author mention his travel in Yangshuo?

A．To show the popularity of the Village BA.

B．To praise the place for its beautiful landscape.

C．To reflect the financial problems of the Village BA.

D．To prove the players of the Village BA are famous.

4. What is most important for the popularity of the Village BA?

A．People’s fame concer.	B．People’s spiritual needs.
C．People’s desire for wealth.	D．People’s passion for exploration.

3 . The 19th Asian Games, also known as the Hangzhou Asian Games, was scheduled to be held from September 10 to 25, 2022 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. As with any major sporting event, the Hangzhou Asian Games has its own official mascot (吉祥物). The mascot, named “Smart Triplets,” was shown on September 9, 2019.

Design Inspiration

The design of the Smart Triplets was inspired by culture, history and nature of Hangzhou. Hangzhou is known for its beautiful scenery and rich cultural history. The inspiration for the Smart Triplets came from the three UNESCO World Heritage sites in Hangzhou: West Lake, the Grand Canal, and Mount Putuo. The mascot designers also drew inspiration from the Qianjiang New City area, which is the main venue or the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Design Concept

The Smart Triplets are a group of three young pandas, each with its own unique personality and skillset. The first panda, called “Ping Ping”, represents the passion and energy of sports. The second panda, “Cheng Cheng”, symbolize s the intelligence and innovation of Hangzhou as a technology hub. The third panda, “Fu Fu”, represents the harmony between humans and nature, which is an important value in Hangzhou’s culture.

Appearance of Smart Triplets

Each panda has its own color scheme and special outfit. Ping Ping’s outfit consists of a sleeveless shirt and shorts in yellow, the color of sports events. Cheng Cheng wears a pink outfit with a bowtie and suspenders, which are commonly seen in the tech industry. Fu Fu wears a light green outfit with a straw hat, which represents the harmony between humans and nature.

In general, the public response to the Smart Triplets has been positive. Many people appreciate the design and concept as well as their message of friendship, innovation and harmony.

1. What inspired the design of the Smart Triplet according to the passage?

A．Sports, culture and technology of China.

B．History, nature and culture of Hangzhou.

C．Nature, culture and technology of Hangzhou.

D．Culture, sports and arts of Zhejiang Province.

2. What can we know about the design concept?

A．The Smart Triplets share the common personality and skillset.

B．Ping Ping represents intelligence and innovation of Hangzhou.

C．Hangzhou’s technology is the only source of the design concept.

D．The harmony between humans and nature is valuable in Hangzhou.

3. Which column of a newspaper may the passage be taken from?

A．Science.

B．Travel.

C．Business.

D．Sports.

4 . On Oct. 11, hundreds of runners competed in a cross-country race in Minnesota. Melanie Bailey should have _________ the course earlier than she did. Her _________ came because she was carrying a _________ across the finish line.

As reported by a local newspaper, Bailey was more than two-thirds of the way through her _________ when a runner in front of her began crying in pain. She _________ to help her fellow runner, Danielle Lenoue. Bailey took her arm to see if she could walk forward with _________. She couldn’t. Bailey then _________ to let Lenoue climb onto her back and carried her all the way to the finish line, then another 300 feet to where Lenoue could get _________ attention.

Once there, Lenoue was _________ and later taken to a hospital, where she learned that she had serious injuries in one of her knees. She would have struggled with extreme __________ to make it to that aid checkpoint without Bailey’s help.

As for Bailey, she is more __________ about why her act is considered a big __________. “She was just crying. I couldn’t __________ her,” Bailey told the reporter. “I feel like I was just doing the right thing.”

Although the two young women were strangers before the __________, they’ve since become friends. Neither won the race, but the __________ of human kindness won the day.

1.

A．designed

B．followed

C．changed

D．finished

2.

A．delay

B．chance

C．trouble

D．excuse

3.

A．judge

B．volunteer

C．classmate

D．competitor

4.

A．race

B．school

C．town

D．training

5.

A．agreed

B．returned

C．stopped

D．promised

6.

A．courage

B．aid

C．patience

D．advice

7.

A．went away

B．stood up

C．stepped aside

D．bent down

8.

A．medical

B．public

C．constant

D．equal

9.

A．interrupted

B．assessed

C．identified

D．appreciated

10.

A．hunger

B．pain

C．cold

D．tiredness

11.

A．worried

B．ashamed

C．confused

D．discouraged

12.

A．game

B．problem

C．lesson

D．deal

13.

A．leave

B．cure

C．bother

D．understand

14.

A．ride

B．test

C．meet

D．show

15.

A．secret

B．display

C．benefit

D．exchange

5 . 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。

On February 13, 2023, Wu Yibing made history, beating John Isner in an exciting three-set final at the Dallas Open to become the first man from China     1    (win) an ATP title.

Originally encouraged by his parents as     2     exercise to lose weight, Wu soon had his talent     3    (discover) by his provincial junior team, starting a journey     4     would change the face of men’s tennis in China. In 2017, Wu Yibing became famous after winning the US Open boys’ tournament at 18. In 2018, Wu won his first ATP Challenger title in Shanghai.    5    , injuries forced him to be away from the ATP Tour for about three years. He made his return last year and won three ATP Challenger titles before qualifying for the US Open.

“    6    (look) back, I feel like I wouldn’t have been here if not for the ups and downs over the past few years. I see all the struggles     7     an asset (资产) that helps me grow up     8    (mental) now. I’m very proud of    9    (I) and especially thanks to all the fans and my team who came here to support. I couldn’t do this without any of you guys. I need to keep going and keep my body     10    (health). I’m sure there’s more to come.” said Wu.

6 .

China’s women’s basketball team was beaten by the United States in the final of the FIBA World Cup in Sydney. The silver medals that the Chinese were left with still represented their country’s best finish in the global showpiece in 28 years. Not since 1994 – in a tournament (锦标赛) held, like this one, in Australia – had they won a medal of any colour.

At the World Cup, China played a total of eight matches, winning six of them. They entered the final of a major international competition for the first time in almost three decades, before losing to defending champions the United States to finish runners-up for the second time in history.

China’s performance at the tournament received much attention from Chinese people both at home and abroad, especially as the final fell on the country’s National Day. Chinese flags were waved and the national anthem (国歌) was sung in the stadium, giving people a feeling that the team was playing on their home court.

Although losing the game, the team was met with praise and encouragement from Chinese netizens as people have walked away from a “medal-oriented” mentality, and started to accept more the spirit of sportsmanship and “perform your best” spirit. Many Chinese netizens said they were proud of the players for trying their best and fighting until the last minutes which showed the true sportsmanship. The mental strength and quality of the Chinese women’s basketball team are even more valuable than being the runner-up in the World Cup, they said. The Chinese women’s basketball team is already the champion in our hearts, commented an internet user.

“We should admit the gap in the strength between the two teams. However, the women basketball players have presented an exciting game, playing good defense and never hesitating to attack. I am so proud of them, and it is special our National Day.” said one Weibo user.

1. What makes this final most impressive?

A．Winning the six matches as a whole.

B．Entering the final competition of all time.

C．Meeting with our country’s National Day.

D．Receiving much attention home and abroad.

2. How do Chinese netizens feel about China’s winning silver medals?

A．Surprised and upset.	B．Excited and inspired.
C．Annoyed and grateful.	D．Encouraged and curious.

3. Why do people feel that the team was playing on the home court?

A．The team won the silver medals after 28 years.

B．The match received amounts of attention globally.

C．China’s women’s basketball team entered the final.

D．Chinese flags and anthem sprang up in the stadium.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Our country’s National Day.	B．Our gratitude to the coach.
C．The FIBA World Cup history.	D．A special gift for the National Day.

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。

China impressed the whole world with its smooth hosting of the 24th Olympic Winter Games. Beijing has thus become the first city to have     1     (success) hosted both a summer and winter games,     2     (make) a new history for the Olympics.

The mascots, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon,     3     (win) a place in people’s affections since then. It’s also a     4     (commerce) success. Bing Dwen Dwen is a panda with a high sense of science and technology. The inspiration came from traditional Chinese snack “ice-sugar gourd”, also     5     (know) as Tanghulu. Shuey Rhon Rhon is a Chinese lantern child     6     is ready to welcome friends from around the world for a big party.

In comparison with Beijing’s 2008 Summer Games, there is a     7     (tend) that China is more confident in     8     (it) and focuses more on the community with a shared future for mankind. It is time to present a modern China     9     ordinary Chinese people, especially the younger generation, to the world instead of always focusing on the country’s 5,000-year history.

Art, culture and sports all combine to make the Olympics     10     exciting and memorable lifetime event. Although they have finished, for China, it is just a new start to build up more connections with the world in the global communication and cooperation.

8 . 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。

The last time Tokyo hosting the Summer Olympic Games was in 1964.     1     (welcome) athletes and fans from around the world, some 75,000 people roared with applause at the opening ceremonies. The athletes snaked through crowds of fans     2     (wave) flags during the torch relay (火炬传递).

But this year, Tokyo looked and felt nothing     3    those Games — or any other Olympics of the past. There were no spectators in     4    Tokyo area. For the first time, an Olympics     5     (postpone) due to the coronavirus pandemic (流行病)     6    has spread throughout the world. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as it is still branded despite being held in summer 2021, was     7     (large) a virtual and muted (无声的) affair. With a summer resurgence (复苏) of COVID cases in Tokyo and the global rise of the delta variant (变异), Olympics officials in early July decided no ticketed spectators would be allowed at     8     (competition) in and around Tokyo.

Brand new Olympic venues remained vacant of fans as athletes competed. Marathon runners and race walkers competed in     9     (silent) without any crowds cheering them on. Perhaps the     10     (different) part was that fans could click the “Cheer” button on the Olympics virtual-viewing platform.

9 . Chinese volleyball superstar Zhu Ting has inspired a new English word. "Stay awesome and ZHUperb!" wrote a blogger at a US-based volleyball website. The word combines "Zhu" and "superb (卓越的)", to describe the 27-year-old player.

Zhu's excellent scoring performances put her among the Top 10 Global Outstanding Athletes for this year's Heracles Prize of the Big Ben Award. As the captain, Zhu "created the new golden age of women's volleyball in China", the award said. Zhu is considered a national hero by many in China, with good reason. Before this year's World Cup victory, she helped the national volleyball team win the 2015 FIVB World Cup, the 2015 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship, and the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Although she's a superstar now, it hasn't been easy for Zhu to get to where she is. Born to a farming family in Henan province, Zhu earned a chance to attend a local sports school at age 13. She became well known to the public by helping China's U20 team win the 2013 FIVB U20 World Championship. Shortly after, Zhu joined the national team and began playing under legendary coach Lang Ping.

At first, the 1. 98-meter-tall Zhu found it difficult to move quickly and stay balanced. But Lang Ping took advantage of her height and trained her to jump high and smash balls. Her work paid off. Zhu is now an outstanding player. "Hard work and talent are equally important. I'll move forward step by step," she told People's Daily.

1. Why was "ZHUperb" created?

A．To create a new game.	B．To introduce a volleyball website.
C．To describe the volleyball superstar.	D．To celebrate her winning of World Cup.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us?

A．Zhu Ting's training.	B．Zhu Ting's personal qualities.
C．Zhu Ting's achievements.	D．Zhu Ting's future plan.

3. When did Zhu Ting become famous to the publics

A．In 2000.

B．In 2013.

C．In 2015.

D．In 2016.

4. What was the purpose of Lang Ping's plan for training Zhu Ting?

A．To build up her confidence.

B．To make use of her advantages.

C．To train her to be the captain of the team.

D．To instruct her to move forward step by step.