1 . Poetry Contest

The contest is open to anyone aged thirteen and up who writes poetry. Enter your poem for a free chance to win prizes! You can submit a poem on any topic, employing whatever style you prefer.

Information

No entry fee is required for the contest. The main contest is held twice a year. Contest dates are January 1—June 30 and July 1—December 31. All winners will receive a letter and their prize via regular mail. The first place winner will be contacted by phone or email and asked to call our office to confirm their identity before their prize is mailed. As soon as the complete list of winners is drawn up, it will be posted on the home page.

Rules

·Only submit ONE poem, ONE time. Only one poem per household will be accepted.

·Poem must be 26 lines or fewer, including stanza breaks but not including the title, and lines may be no more than 55 characters across, including spaces.

·Do not use “texting” lingo. Properly spell out all words and typing the first word of each line in capital letter.

·All poems must be written in English.

Prizes

Both contests award one first place prize of $ 2, 000. 00 and a first prize wall plaque(匾牌)($ 100. 00 value); twenty second place prizes of $ 100. 00 each and a second place wall plaque($ 75. 00 value); one hundred third place winners of a third place gift certificate($ 25. 00 value). Sixty to seventy percent of all entries become semi-finalists and receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing.

1. What do we know about the poetry contest?

A．It is a free contest.	B．Anyone can enter for it.
C．All poems will be published.	D．Each contestant will get a reward.

2. Which of the following will cause disqualification?

A．Submitting one poem.	B．Composing a poem of 23 lines.
C．Writing a poem in English.	D．Typing the poem in capital letters.

3. What will be awarded to a third place winner?

A．A wall plaque.

B．A gift certificate.

C．$25. 00.

D．$75. 00.

2 . Want to know all the ins-and-outs regarding the Paris 2024 Olympics? Then you’ve come to the right place! Below you will find all the information about the new Olympic sports.

Olympic skateboarding

Who will follow in the footsteps of Momiji Nishiya, the first Olympic skateboarding champion, who was crowned at the last Games at the age of 13? The answer will be revealed in Paris this summer. Speed, technique, mastery of the board will be required to successfully perform the most beautiful tricks.

Olympic sports climbing

With its second time entering the Olympics, sports climbing has three branches: Speed, Bouldering (抱石攀岩) and Lead. Speed is all about the speed of climbing. Bouldering is all about climbing a boulder on a wall and Lead requires athletes to climb a difficult route 20 meters high.

Olympic surfing

The Olympics will be held in Paris, but what about Olympic surfing? There is one venue (场地) that is literally on the other side of the world. The location Teahupoo, on the island of Tahiti, is where Olympic surfing will take place. This island is part of French Polynesia, between Australia and South America.

Olympic breakdancing

Breakdancing is the new Olympic sport that will make its first appearance in Paris 2024. How to establish a grading system without taking away the artistic freedom at the same time? The points should be based on creativity and musicality, a gray area that depends a lot on feeling and thus has a lot of subjectivity to it.

Looking for a handy list of all sports? Click here! Throughout Paris there are all kinds of stadiums and arenas (竞技场) where sporting events are held. Not only Paris itself, but also the surrounding suburbs of the capital of France set the stage for the Olympic Games!

1. Which sport is entering the Olympics for the first time in Paris 2024?

A．Olympic skateboarding.	B．Olympic sports climbing.
C．Olympic surfing.	D．Olympic breakdancing.

2. Which of the following statements is correct?

A．Olympic skateboarding requires a high level of physical strength.

B．Three branches of Olympic sports climbing evaluate various sides of skills.

C．All the above four Olympic events will be held in Paris.

D．The scoring of Olympic breakdancing is highly objective.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A sports website.	B．A health magazine.
C．A travel brochure.	D．An Olympic news report.

3 . Cash Composition Contest

In support of Financial Literacy Month (April), Michigan State University Extension and 4-H, a youth organization, are coordinating (协调) the Cash Composition Contest. Youths residing in Michigan are encouraged to answer this year’s essay question with an essay of 300 words or less. The 5 top-scoring essays will each win a $100 gift card thanks to the generous sponsorship by Extra Credit Union.

Timeline

April 30, 2023: Essay submission due by 11:59 pm

May 31, 2023: Winners notified

Cash Composition Topic

What is the difference between a need and a want? Discuss how you determine if something is a need or a want. How can you make sure you have enough money to get your needs and still enjoy some of your wants? Share how needs and wants might change throughout one’s life.

Grading Standards

● Quality of Writing

● Organization and Information

● Grammar

Guidelines
Participants must:

● Between 9—12 years of age as of January 1, 2023 living in the state of Michigan.

● Have knowledge of money management such as saving, spending, borrowing, and planning appropriate for age and grade level.

Requirements

● Youths must have parental or guardian permission to apply and participate.

● The application form must be completed by a parent/guardian.

● Youths must write an essay (300 words or less)on the assigned topic above.

● Essays must be submitted on the contest registration page.

● The essay must be the work of the student submitting it. It is highly recommended that youths write their essay prior to completing the registration/submission form.

1. Who will sponsor the contest prizes?

A．Michigan State University.	B．Extra Credit Union.
C．A local youth organization.	D．The state of Michigan.

2. What will be focused on in the entry?

A．The changes throughout one’s life.

B．The ways to improve quality of writing.

C．The need for charity management.

D．The discussions on needs and wants.

3. Which will result in disqualification for an applicant?

A．Submitting the essay on April 29.	B．Writing an essay of 300 words.
C．Filling the application form in person.	D．Finishing the essay before registration.

4 . Sharing China 2023 is calling for photos and videos from all over the world until Feb.12, 2023. Welcome to send us your memorable moments from Chinese New Year celebrations.

What We are Looking for

Suggested themes include: traditional customs, modern customs and new trends, folk activities, foreigners experiencing the Spring Festival and celebrations around the world.

Awards and Prizes

We will select 50 photos (single or group) and 10 short films. Each winner will be awarded 1,000RMB.

Timeline

Starting time and deadline: from Dec.20, 2022 to Feb.12, 2023.

Selection and ranking: from Feb.13 to May 15, 2023.

Result announcement: June, 2023.

The Rules

Photos:

1. All works must be real and not doctored or edited.

2. Works can be single photos or a series of photos.

3. Works should have titles and a short photo description.

Short films:

1. Size: 1GB maximum, less than 4 minutes.

2. Dubbing and subtitles (配音和字幕): If the video is dubbed, the language could be either Chinese or English, but subtitles should be bilingual (双语的).

3. Caption: English or Chinese words to give a brief introduction.

How to submit (提交)

You can submit your works to China Culture’s Facebook. For further information, click here.

1. Which time is proper if you want to hand in your works?

A．Dec.10, 2022.	B．Jan.12, 2023.
C．Feb.15, 2023.	D．Jun.16, 2023.

2. Which of the following meets the rules?

A．An edited photo.	B．A 3-minute video.
C．A photo without a title.	D．A video with only English subtitle.

3. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A science report.	B．An encyclopedia.
C．A story book.	D．A website.

5 . On Sunday, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia shocked the running world by breaking the women’s world record for the marathon by over two minutes. Assefa finished the Berlin Marathon in just 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds.

But Assefa’s record was far beyond what most people expected. After all, it was only her third time running a marathon.

“I wanted to break the marathon world record,” she said, “But I couldn’t imagine that it would result in a time under 2:12.”

When Assefa was younger, she started by running short races, called sprints. Then she became a middle-distance runner, running the 800 meters (half mile) race. Her best time in the 800 meters was 1 minute and 59 seconds.

Last March, she ran her first marathon. Then last September, she entered the Berlin Marathon. She won, and set a new women’s record for the course, finishing in 2:15:37.

This year, she ran almost four minutes faster than she did last year. In both races, Assefa ran faster in the second half of the race than she did in the first half.

Her time of 2:11:53 was over two minutes faster than the old women’s record (2:14:04), which was set in Chicago in 2019 by Brigid Kosgei of Kenya.

When she finished the race, Assefa kneeled down and kissed the pavement before raising her arms in victory.

Though Assefa made it look easy, she said winning the race “…was the result of hard work.” Assefa was coached by Gemedu Dedefo, who has helped train many Ethiopian star runners.

1. What is Assefa’s latest record for the marathon?

A．2:11:53.

B．2:14:04.

C．2:15:37.

D．1:59:00.

2. What does Assefa think of her victory?

A．It is what she expected.	B．It is a piece of cake for her.
C．It is due to great effort.	D．It is because of her coach.

3. Which word best describes Tigst Assefa as a runner?

A．Talented.

B．Friendly.

C．Humorous.

D．Warm-hearted.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Dedefo Helps to Train Many Star Runners

B．Kosgei Holds the Women’s Marathon Record

C．Assefa Sets a Good Example to Other Runners

D．Assefa Breaks the Women’s Marathon Record

6 . Ready to show off your art to the world? Check out our guide to some of the best art contests to enter this year.

Watermedia Showcase

Prize: $2,500 first prize, $1,250 second prize.

Entry Fee: $35.

Requirements: Open to international artists 18 years of age and older.

The Watermedia Showcase awards original art created primarily with water-based media. Judged by the editors of Watercolor Artist, all winners will have their work featured in the magazine.

The Lumen Prize for Digital Art

Prize: $4,000 first prize, with a $13,500 total prize fund.

Entry Fee: $40.

Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.

This digital art competition is organized by Lumen Art Projects Ltd, which provides new opportunities for digital artists around the world. Categories include Still, Moving Image, XR, 3D/Interactive and Artificial Intelligence.

World Illustration Awards

Prize: A cash prize of $2,540 and more publicity opportunities.

Entry Fee: $37.

Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.

Illustrators are invited to submit works to 8 different categories. Winners will win not only a cash prize, but also a feature in a major exhibition in central London, and an invitation to the Awards Evening in October.

Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing

Prize: $2,000 first prize, $1,000 second prize.

Entry Fee: $45.

Requirements: Open to artists in the United States.

The Strokes of Genius Competition celebrates original work made in drawing mediums, including pencil, charcoal and even some wet paint mediums. Winning entries (参赛作品) will be published in a special edition publication, The Best of Drawing.

1. Which competition is related to technology?

A．Watermedia Showcase.	B．The Lumen Prize for Digital Art.
C．World Illustration Awards.	D．Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing.

2. What chance can winners of World Illustration Awards have?

A．To host the Awards Evening.	B．To hold art exhibitions globally.
C．To sell their entries at high prices.	D．To become known to the public.

3. How is the Strokes of Genius Competition different from the others?

A．It is free of charge.	B．It awards the largest prize in amount.
C．It is a national competition.	D．It has an age limit for participants.

7 . Enter to Win Scholarship for College

The American Fire Sprinkler Association created the college scholarship program to help with the educational and training pursuits of students just like you. So, if you meet the contest requirements, please enter and good luck!

Applicant Requirements

The High School Senior College Scholarship Contest is open to high school seniors who are citizens legally living in the USA. Home-schooled students may apply as long as the course of study is equal to that of a senior in high school. Relatives of AFSA staff or NATIONAL board members may not enter.

Scholarship Contest Deadline

Scholarship contest entries will be accepted from September 1, 2023 until January 1, 2024.

Entry Details

Scholarship entries are ONLY accepted online through the AFSA scholarship website (www. afsascholarship. org).

Entrants must submit a completed entry form with all required information. If ANY false or misleading information is submitted on the form, the student will be disqualified.

Each entrant is allowed only ONE ENTRY submittal. Any attempt to enter again under a different name, address, etc. will automatically disqualify the entrant.

Prizes

A total of $5,000 is awarded. Five winners will receive a scholarship of $1,000 each. The scholarship is paid directly to the educational institution in the student’s account to be used to cover tuition fees. The scholarship may be used over a period not to exceed four years. AFSA will contact each winner by email and phone within 12 days of contest end-date, using the contact information given by the entrant during the application process.

1. Who is likely to enter the contest?

A．A college senior living in the USA.

B．A close relative of an AFSA employee.

C．A member working in NATIONAL board.

D．A homeschooler learning high school courses.

2. What should you do if you want to enter the contest?

A．Hand in your entry on the website.

B．Sign your name on the entry form.

C．Apply for the scholarship once again.

D．Submit your entry in February 2024.

3. What can we know about the prizes?

A．Each winner will get an award of $ 5000.

B．The winners will be contacted in two weeks.

C．No limit is set to the duration of the scholarship.

D．The scholarship is used for educational expenses.

8 . Writing Competitions

The Bristol Short Story Prize

It’s an international writing competition founded by the editors of the quarterly cultural magazine Bristol Review of Books in 2007. The 2022 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to everyone. The first prize is ￡1,000. Entries must be unpublished stories with 4, 000 words at most. The judges are Tom Drake-Lee, Irenosen Okojie and Jessica Taylor.

Admission fee:￡9

The Bath Novel Award

Since its launch nine years ago, the international Bath Novel Award has helped spotlight and support new writers. The prize is￡3,000. In the event of a joint win, the prize money will be shared equally between winners. It’s open to unpublished and independently published novelists. This year’s judge is Nelle Andrew. All genres are welcome. Writers must submit the first 5,000 words plus one-page synopsis of the novel.

Admission fee:￡29

The BBC National Short Story Award

The BBC National Short Story Award 2022 with Cambridge University invites entries of short stories up to 8,000 words. It’s an award that has enriched the careers of writers since it was founded seventeen years ago. The winner of the contest for single short stories will receive￡15,000. This year’s judges are author Elizabeth Day and broadcaster Katie Thistleton.

Admission fee: free

The Creative Future Writers’ Award

Founded in 2013, it’s an annual development program for talented writers who lack opportunities due to health problems or social circumstances. This year’s theme is How It Started. Prizes include￡10,000 of cash and top writing development prizes supplied by publishers and development agencies.

Writers should submit one piece of writing in one category (50-line poetry to the maximum or 2,000-word fiction to the maximum). The judges are Dorothy Koomson, Joelle Taylor, Aki Schilz and Sarala Estruch.

Admission fee: free

1. Who may act as a judge for The Bristol Short Story Prize in 2022?

A．Joelle Taylor.

B．Nelle Andrew.

C．Katie Thistleton.

D．Jessica Taylor.

2. What do the second and the fourth competitions have in common?

A．They were founded in the same year.	B．They have a strict genre requirement.
C．They set the same cash bonus.	D．They require no admission fee.

3. Which competition may favor applicants with physical disabilities?

A．The Bath Novel Award.	B．The Bristol Short Story Prize.
C．The Creative Future Writers’ Award.	D．The BBC National Short Story Award.

9 . There are some great winter sports that are just waiting to be explored. Some or more extreme than others, but still definitely worth a try...

Ice Skating

Invented more than 4000 years ago by the Finnish, it remains loved by so many all over the world. People of all ages can take advantage of this fun sport, as it is a great way to be outdoors and get a bit of exercise. Experts say that the more you practice, the belter your balance, co-coordination, and flexibility will become. So put on a pair of skates and get moving on the rink.

Snowcross

Snowcross is a sport suitable for people who are a bit more adventurous. Over the last several years, snowcross has increased in popularity and is one of the most sought-after forms of snowmobile races and a really trendy winter sport. Snowcross is popular in the USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. Sound fun? Why not give it a try?

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is not just one of the most popular winter Olympic sports but has also recently become a common international sport. Ice hockey is fast passed and full of energy that also involved numerous intricate (复杂精细的) tricks and movements. It doesn’t only have a competitive side, it also is super fun!

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is another really fun snow sport that is definitely worth trying this winter. It’s not the same as skiing, the main difference between snowboarding and skiing is that snowboarding does not use poles and most people use softer boots for flexibility. Snowboarding has only recently been added to the winter Olympics. There are hundreds of different resorts around the world that allow you to experience this popular sport.

1. What can we know about Snowcross?

A．It needs more practice.	B．It suits those willing to take risks.
C．It covers numbers of tricks and movements.	D．It is popular only in Europe.

2. Of the following sports, which is new in the winter Olympics?

A．Ice Skating.

B．Snowcross.

C．Ice Hockey.

D．Snowboarding.

3. What do the listed sports have in common?

A．They have a long history.	B．They appeal to people of all ages.
C．They are full of fun.	D．They are more extreme than any other sport.

10 . 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。

For the sake of your fitness or slimness, besides dieting—cutting out junk food, you need to participate in sports as well, starting from some easier ones    1    more skillful and    2     (compete) ones, such as doing push-ups, jogging, track and field, soccer(playing the captain is even more interesting), skiing or even boxing and marathon as long as you have enough strength. You can also go to the gym for graceful gymnastics because working out makes you sweat. At the beginning you will find it hard, but before long you will make    3    .

Remember the 2018 Beijing Olympics, which    4    (host) in China as a huge success with numerous spectators? So many international athletes got    5    (involve) in various events,    6    the Chinese athletes did awesome jobs, with some masters    7    (create) legends and championships, winning medals and glory for our countries, and setting amazing examples. Even if they suffered    8     (injure)(sometimes their bones fell apart) and failures now and then, they persevered instead of losing heart or    9    (quit) with positive and strong determination, believing    10    they have stuck to with willpower will eventually make a difference, which does make sense.