1 . The Best Computer Science Competitions for High Schoolers
Imagine Cup
Microsoft runs the competition, and each year, students around the world compete in it. Students work in teams of up to three members to design a tech solution to a social or health problem.
Qualification: Student must be 16 or older.
Prizes: Each winning team is awarded $100,000.
First Robotics Competition
Students work in teams of at least 10 along with 2 adult mentors to design and build an industrial-sized robot. They then must program the robot to compete in a sophisticated field game at competitions. Annual team registration fees are usually about $5,000.
Qualification: High school students in the U.S.,
Prizes: Various scholarships and cash prizes for top scorers.
Technovation Challenge
It is designed to get more girls worldwide interested in coding and computer science. Girls work in teams of 1-5 and with volunteer mentors to use technology to design an app that helps solve real world problems such as climate change and hunger.
Qualification: Must identify as female and be between 10 and 18 years old.
Prizes: Prizes and scholarships up to $2,000.
American Computer Science League
To compete, your school has to have registered and paid the registration fee. Before the competition, the coach teaches coding with a focus on ACSL exam categories. Then, students work in teams of 3 or 5 students to complete four tests. Students can code in Python 3, Java 8, or C++ as defined on the programming platform. Top-scoring teams advance to regional, statewide, and eventually global competitions.
Qualification: Students whose schools have registered for the competition.
Prizes: Winners of the ACSL All-Star Contest receive prizes.
1. Which competition has the largest number of students in a team?| A．Imagine Cup. | B．First Robotics Competition. |
| C．Technovation Challenge. | D．American Computer Science League. |
| A．It is run by Microsoft. | B．It is only for U.S. students. |
| C．It has a gender limitation. | D．It allows mentors to assist. |
| A．Register for the competition independently. |
| B．Have chances to take higher-level competitions. |
| C．Design an app using programming knowledge. |
| D．Receive various scholarship and cash prizes. |
2 . South Africa’s Natalie Du Toit reached her personal goal of participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, carving her place in history as the third amputee (截肢者) to qualify for the Olympics. This talented swimmer finished in 16th place in the woman’s 10-kilometre open water race, which took competitors about two hours to complete.
Swimming at an Olympic Games event has always been a goal for Natalie. She narrowly missed qualifying for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and was determined to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but in 2001, due to a traffic accident, Natalie had her left leg terribly injured and amputated at the knee. Many may have seen this as the end of her Olympic dreams, but three months after losing her leg, this strong-minded young woman was back in the pool doing what she loved best—swimming.
Natalie admitted that it has been a long road which has taken an incredible amount of determination and hard work. She was rightfully proud of her achievement and felt that she deserved her place at the Olympics, which had nothing to do with whether she is disabled or not.
It was the first year that the 10-kilometr e open water marathon had been included in the Olympic Games and Natalie chose to train with this race as her goal. She felt that she was more suited to this long-distance open water race because there is less emphasis on the start and there are no rolling turns to deal with, both of which may have put her at a disadvantage. The open water event may have levelled the playing field a little for Natalie, but she was nevertheless up against some intense competition and gave an impressive performance.
Natalie was thrilled to have had the opportunity to compete in an able-bodied race at the Beijing Olympics but admitted that having set a personal goal to place in the top five, she was a little disappointed in her performance which saw her finish 1 minute 22.2 seconds behind Russian gold medalist, Larisa Ilchenko.
Although in demand as a motivational speaker, Natalie does not consider herself a campaigner for athletes with physical disabilities. She has her personal dreams and perseveres in achieving her personal goals—and she encourages and inspires others to do the same.
1. Which is true about Natalie’s achievement?| A．She placed 16th in a swimming event at the Beijing Olympics. |
| B．She spent two hours completing the 10-kilometre open water race. |
| C．She took part in both the Sydney Olympics and the Athens Olympics. |
| D．She was the third disabled athlete to qualify for an Olympic swimming event. |
| A．Natalie felt delighted to qualify for the Olympics as a disabled swimmer. |
| B．Natalie’s disability was an important reason why she could qualify for the Olympics. |
| C．Natalie thought it was more difficult for a disabled athlete to attend the Olympics. |
| D．Natalie earned her place at the Olympics because she persevered in working for it. |
| A．It was a good way for her to improve skills. |
| B．It was less likely to put her at a disadvantage. |
| C．It took less effort for her to prepare for the event. |
| D．It was the first time the event was included in the Olympics. |
| A．How Natalie got through the pain of losing her leg. |
| B．How Natalie’s story has motivated disabled people. |
| C．How Natalie has pursued her personal goals despite her disability |
| D．How disabled athletes can take part in able-bodied Olympic events. |
Fall marks cricket fighting season in China, a sport
Here’s
The owners poke a special reed (芦苇) in to brush their crickets, which drives them to fight. A referee closely monitors the tiny fighters, noting
Zhao Jiuling is a
1. Who gave the woman her first mountain bike?
| A．Her uncle. | B．Her father. | C．Her brother. |
| A．The road was full of rocks. |
| B．She was too tired to speed up. |
| C．Someone appeared on the road suddenly. |
| A．Doing sports to keep fit. |
| B．Looking at the route in advance. |
| C．Making sure the bike is in good condition. |
| A．They’re tight. | B．They’re pretty. | C．They’re comfortable. |
5 . There is a saying in France that states: “The government could fall, the Louvre could be broken into, or aliens could land on Earth, but if any of the these things happened during the Tour de France (环法自行车赛), no one would notice.”
The Tour de France, held in July every year, consists of twenty one-day stages, plus several rest days. The course follows a clockwise route around France, and often neighboring countries, including Luxembourg, Belgium, and Italy. The winner is the rider who completes all twenty stages of the race in the shortest overall time.
The Tour de France first started on July 1, 1903, when sixty cyclists left from in front of The Alarm Clock Café, just outside of Paris, and rode 467 kilometers to Lyon. Maurice Garin, the most popular cyclist in France at that time, won the first race and received 2,000 francs. It took him 94 hours and 33 minutes to ride all 2,428 kilometers of the race. Over the weeks during the race, the idea of the Tour de France slowly caught on with the people of France. The race has been held every year since that time, except during the years of World Wars I and Ⅱ.
The Tour de France has developed several special honors for which racers compete. The yellow jersey is given to the leading racer each day of the Tour de France. Each day, the officials who keep track of the all of the rider’s time compare each rider’s total time up to that point. The racer with the lowest overall time wears the yellow jersey during the following day’s race. Green jersey is for the best racer in a fixed short distance, and the white jersey with read dots for the best rider in the mountains along the route.
Over the years of the race, the competitors have gained more than a medal. If a lead rider falls off his bike, the following riders would slow down to allow the fallen rider to catch up. German rider Jan Ullrich, who came in runner-up in.2002 after waiting for winner Lance Armstrong, says, “Of course I would wait. If I would have won this race by taking advantage of someone’s bad luck, then the race was not worth winning.”
1. What can we infer from the saying?| A．Strange things often happen in France. | B．The Louvre is attractive for thieves. |
| C．The Tour de France enjoys great popularity. | D．Aliens come for the Tour de France. |
| A．The cyclist ride along the borders of France. |
| B．The winner is the first cyclist to finish all stages of the race. |
| C．The Tour de France has been an annual event since 1903. |
| D．It took French people several years to accept the race. |
| A．The best racer of two days. | B．The fastest cyclist over short distances. |
| C．The fastest cyclist up to a point in a day. | D．The best racer in the valleys. |
| A．Some interesting stories in the race. | B．Sportsmanship in the race. |
| C．Great cyclists in the race. | D．Strict rules about the race. |
China beat South Korea 3-2 from two goals down in the dramatic final of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on Sunday night, winning the championship for the
Despite being two goals behind South Korea in the first half, the Chinese women’s national football team got three in the second half with two goals
Countless people posted on social media platforms that “Only the faithful soccer fans in China know how
The success of the Chinese women’s national football team
The 24th Winter Olympic Games will be open in Beijing on Feb 4,
China's successful-bid for the Games have encouraged millions of people
Jeanette Han, who organized the event, said
With interest in winter sports
8 . Halfway through the women’s slalom event at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, 18-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin held a commanding lead over the greatest women’s slalom skiers in the world. On her final run, she burst from the start house at top speed, zigzagging around the poles. Suddenly, her left ski slid out, causing her to temporarily lose control. It seemed as if her dreams of a gold medal might slide down the mountain, out of her reach. But in the blink of an eye, Mikaela stopped her mini-skid and rocketed through the rest of her run. She became the youngest slalom skier ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
Skiing has always been a big part of Mikaela’s life. At two and a half years old, Mikaela made her first ski run down her steep driveway on plastic skis. From ages 8 to 11, she worked hard, repeating hundreds of training runs on small hills to learn the correct techniques. When Mikaela was 11, she enrolled at the Burke Mountain Academy, a Vermont boarding school for skiers.
According to headmaster Kirk Dwyer, “What separated Mikaela from others was the degree of her commitment to be the best. Mikaela practiced more than anyone and believed in herself then and now.” At age 14, Mikaela began her international career when she raced in the world championships for 13-and 14-year-olds. And she won! By the time she was 17, she had already won her first World Cup race.
For Mikaela, working hard is a full-time job. In the summer, when Mikaela is off the ski slopes and in the gym, her daily training consists of six to seven hours of weightlifting, core body work, and biking to improve her strength and agility.
“If you’re passionate about your goals, whatever they are,” she says, “there’s no limit to what you can achieve. Give it your all!”
1. What happened to Mikaela at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games?| A．She fell behind others at first. |
| B．She overcame the accident and completed her run. |
| C．She lost control and slid down the mountain. |
| D．She was the first slalom skier to win an Olympic gold medal. |
| A．One | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Demanding and curious. | B．Ambitious and diligent. |
| C．Caring and brave. | D．Patient and intelligent. |
| A．Zigzagging to Success | B．The Strength of Confidence |
| C．The Value of Failure | D．An Exciting Slalom Event |
9 . A brand of salami (萨拉米香肠) known as Galileo is celebrating 75 years of making the cured (腌制的) meats by welcoming salami fans into their family with a chance to win a unique cooking experience in a seaside region of Italy.
But don’t worry; you don’t have to speak Italian. All you have to do is simply share a photo of yourself on Instagram using the hashtags #GalileoFamily and #Sweepstakes and tag @GalileoSalame. If you follow the rules of the contest, you are automatically entered for a chance to win a weeklong trip for two to Italy to explore the history and cooking riches of the seaside region.
“For the better part of a century, we’ve been curing authentic Italian salami with the idea of family and tradition,” said Jeremy Kross, Brand Manager at Galileo, a company that was started in 1945 by Frank Sorba in San Francisco. “The ‘Welcome to the Family’ program celebrates our Italian heritage and, of course, the deliciousness of salami.”
The winners will learn about the history of the Galileo brand and explore incredible destinations there like Ancona, a city and seaport that sits along Italy’s Adriatic coast; Mount Conero, known as a “small piece of heaven” on the Adriatic Sea with some of the clearest water; and finally, San Marino, said to be the world’s oldest surviving republic. While in Sant’Angelo in Vado, the winners will visit La Tavola Marche, a unique hands-on cooking experience where guests can immerse themselves in Italian culture and food.
The trip for two will last for seven days, six nights, and is valued at $7,500 U.S. The contest ends on October 21, after which they will do a random drawing to determine the winner.
1. What is essential if you want to win the chance?| A．Learning to speak Italian. | B．Sharing a photo online. |
| C．Knowing Italian history. | D．Having good cooking skills. |
| A．It is more than sightseeing. | B．It offers winners $7,500 U.S. |
| C．It ends on October 21. | D．It includes a random drawing. |
| A．Galileo Is Celebrating His 75th Anniversary of Birth |
| B．Volunteers Are Wanted to Practice Cooking at Home |
| C．Match Is Held to Promote Tourism in Italy. |
| D．Food Family Invites Fans to Experience Traditional Cooking |
10 . Each year, the women of Olney and Liberal compete in an unusual footrace. Dressed in aprons (围裙) and headscarves, they wait at both towns’ starting lines. Each woman holds a frying pan with one pancake inside. At the signal, the women flip (轻抛) pancakes and they’re off!
This “pancake racing” tradition is said to have started on Shrove Tuesday, 1445, in Olney. Shrove Tuesday is the day before the Christian season of Lent (大斋戒) begins. During Lent, many people decide to give up sugary or fatty foods.
Legend says that in 1445, an Olney woman was making pancakes to use up some of her sugar and cooking fats before Lent. She lost track of time and suddenly heard the church bells ring, signaling the beginning of the Shrove Tuesday service. Realizing that she was going to be late for church, she raced out the door still wearing her apron and headscarf and holding her frying pan with a pancake in it. In the following years, the woman’s neighbors imitated her dash to church, and pancake racing was born.
The rules are simple. Racers must wear the traditional headscarf and apron. They must flip their pancakes twice - once before starting and once after crossing the finish line. After the race, there are Shrove Tuesday church services. Then Liberal and Olney connect through a video call to compare race times and declare a winner.
In both towns, the races have grown into larger festivals. Olney’s festival is an all-day event starting with a big pancake breakfast. Liberal’s festival lasts four days and includes a parade, a talent show, and contests that feature eating and flipping pancakes. Although the women’s race is still the main event, both towns now hold additional races for boys and girls of all ages.
1. How did pancake racing start?| A．A woman in Olney created it. |
| B．Women made pancakes before Lent. |
| C．A woman dashed to church with a pancake. |
| D．People followed the suit of an interesting incident. |
| A．They can wear fashionable headscarves and aprons. |
| B．They must flip their pancakes once in the race. |
| C．They must flip their pancakes at the beginning of the race. |
| D．They can flip their pancakes in the middle of the race. |
| A．People can show their talent in Olney festival. |
| B．People can enjoy a one-day holiday in Liberal. |
| C．The race is not only intended for women now. |
| D．People can have a big pancake breakfast in both towns. |
| A．The origin of pancake racing. |
| B．The history of pancake racing. |
| C．The development of pancake racing. |
| D．The introduction to pancake racing. |
