1 . A series of outdoor basketball games in southwest China’s Guizhou province attracted more than 50 million online viewers in only four days. This is the second time that Guizhou bas held the “Gorgeous Countryside” basketball tournament, which is an amateur inter-village basketball tournament.

The final of this year’s tournament took place in Taipan Town, Taijiang County on Tuesday night. Over 10,000 people came here to watch it. For the winning team, the prize was only a cow weighing 650 kilograms, and for the team in second place, two goats.

Started across the province in 2021, the “Gorgeous Countryside” tournament grew rapidly with more local sports fields built. And across Guizhou province, almost every town has a basketball field. “We used to play on dirt ground, and made baskets by ourselves. With the development of sports facilities in the countryside, we now have a true basketball field in our village and can train better,” said Wang Shenglong, a member of the Taijiang County team. Since April, more than 4,200 basketball games have been organized in Guizhou, none of which would have happened if it weren’t for the fact that more basketball fields were built for the public.

In 2018, the basketball games were included in the Chi Xin Festival, which celebrates harvest on the sixth of June on the lunar calendar. Since then, thanks to the introduction of the “Gorgeous Countryside” tournament, Taipan Town has attracted many not only from nearby, but some who need to drive all the way from Guiyang, the provincial capital more than 200 kilometers away, to experience the unique atmosphere in Taipan.

The tournament is an example of local development, and will promote local development further. The games are liked by the locals more than ever, and will hopefully encourage them to build a brighter future.

1. What do we know about the tournament?

A．About 10,000 people watched it online.	B．It was held in Guizhou for the first time.
C．It was popular but lasted only four days.	D．The participants were not professional players.

2. Why did the tournament grow rapidly?

A．More basketball fields were built.	B．The prize was attractive to the villagers.
C．The locals paid more attention to health.	D．Villagers had more free time than before.

3. How will the tournament benefit the locals according to the last paragraph?

A．They are inspired to work harder.	B．They will have a different lifestyle.
C．They can make more money from it	D．They can learn to play basketball for free.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Health.

B．Education.

C．Sports.

D．Science.

2 . It was an overwhelming Friday afternoon. There were hundreds of students, who _________ to cheer their favorite team up.

I have always loved running, but my_________to compete for a long-distance race was terrible for me. I was_________to compete in a four-hundred-meter race, yes, it was indeed _________. When the competition finally began. I found my nervous self _________. I ran with my strength, but still did not make_________to the top three. My teammates, whom I have expected to comfort me_________to doubt my ability to compete in the next event. They never wanted me to be in the next track game. This belief motivated me to_________more.

I wanted to prove myself._________I decided to work more on my endurance(耐力)skills. As soon as I noticed my time__________were getting better. I signed up for the next track game. This time I not only __________to be one of the top three competitors, but also earned a medal for my team.

Nothing was more__________ than the medal I won at that moment. I was appreciated by the members of my team, who__________rejected my wish to compete on that game. I learned that whatever one puts their__________to do, that person will__________be the best at what he is aiming for.

1.

A．gathered

B．walked

C．supported

D．offered

2.

A．ambition

B．strength

C．inability

D．memory

3.

A．forced

B．assigned

C．suggested

D．applied

4.

A．meaningful

B．interesting

C．comfortable

D．challenging

5.

A．losing

B．abandoning

C．shaking

D．cheering

6.

A．it

B．me

C．him

D．them

7.

A．figured out

B．turned out

C．came out

D．worked out

8.

A．hope

B．risk

C．push

D．create

9.

A．so

B．but

C．or

D．yet

10.

A．paces

B．experiences

C．influences

D．evidences

11.

A．managed

B．succeeded

C．tried

D．kept

12.

A．enjoyable

B．valuable

C．possible

D．interesting

13.

A．quietly

B．purposely

C．previously

D．friendly

14.

A．subject

B．body

C．mind

D．team

15.

A．quickly

B．constantly

C．exactly

D．definitely

3 . Beautiful Britain Photo Competition

What represents the beauty of Britain for you? Is it rolling green hills and hidden valleys of the countryside? Here’s your chance to capture it in a photo! The competition will be judged by professional photographer James Eckersley. The judge’s decision is final and winners will be informed by email or post.

How to Enter Take a high-resolution photo with either a phone or digital camera. Ensure that pictures are original, not previously published and taken specically for this competition. Email your photos to photocomps@readersdigest.co.uk by 5pm, May 12, 2023. Make sure you include your full name, location and contact number.

The Prizes We will select three winners who will be awarded the following prizes: First place £ 400 Amazon voucher (代金券) and a Royal Photographic Society membership. Second place £ 250 Camera World voucher. Third place An Experience or Workshop & Course voucher from Jessops.

You must own the rights to the photograph you submit for entry. You must be able to supply a high-resolution copy of the photograph suitable for print publication. Competition is open to residents of the UK, aged 18 or over, except Reader’s Digest employees and any associated partners or attached companies. There is no cash alternative and prizes are not transferable. Multiple entries will be accepted. Winners must agree to publication of their winning photograph, along with their name. The winning entries will be published in our July issue, with the top winner gracing the back cover. Contributions become world copyright of Vivat Direct Ltd (t/a Reader’s Digest). Your information will only be used in accordance with our privacy policy. Entry implies acceptance of these rules. For more details, tips and guides, visit readersdigest.co.uk/inspire/photo-competition

1. Which of the following will lead to disqualification?

A．Living in the UK.	B．Sending a published photo.
C．Providing more than one photo.	D．Emailing the entries on May 11, 2023.

2. What can the winners do after the competition?

A．Use the photos freely.	B．Change the prize for money.
C．Buy a camera at a discount.	D．Become one member of a photo club.

3. Where will the winning photos be published?

A．In Reader’s Digest.	B．In a travel brochure.
C．On a textbook cover.	D．On the Amazon website.

4 . WALKIE TALKIE TOWER CLIMB

Dare to take the stairs for a run challenge! Sign up and climb up London’s Walkie Talkie building on 4 March 2023. Run or walk up the Walkie Talkie building, and raise money to help seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Climb over 35 floors and 896 steps before being rewarded with a celebratory drink.

gosh. org/get-involved/fundraising-events

RACE TO REMEMBER

Why not take on Race to Remember. Join Team Combat Stress on 11th November 2023 and help raise funds for veterans (老兵). Choose from a 76km or a 36km walk or run. All races finish at the HMS Victory in Portsmouth. The registration fee is 75 (76km event) or 40 (36km event).

events. combatstress.org.uk

TIME TO RUN

Run for research and take on 50 miles in 50 days! Take on this virtual run anywhere, anytime between 1 March and 19 April. We’re investing in pioneering projects that could slow, stop or change Parkinson’s completely. And we aim to deliver the next new treatment in years. By taking part in Time to Run, you’re funding Parkinson’s UK research. Your fundraising will help us fast track the most promising treatments. Sign up today for just 5.

events. parkinsons.org. uk/TTR23

LONDON MARATHON

Get your running shoes on and join Depaul UK for the TCS 2023 London Marathon. We’ll cheer you on as you help raise vital funds for young people affected by homelessness. Starting in Greenwich Park, you’ll run over Tower Bridge towards a memorable finish on The Mall. Join us at the start line and show your support for young people, To secure your place, sign up today.

kurt. sullivan.depaulcharity.org. uk

1. Which website would you visit if you want to climb stairs?

A．events. combatstress.org. uk

B．events. parkinsons.org. uk/TTR23

C．kurt. sullivan.depaulcharity.org. uk

D．gosh. org/get-involved/fundraising-events

2. Who will benefit from TIME TO RUN?

A．Sick children.

B．Veterans.

C．The homeless.

D．The Parkinson’s patients.

3. What are these activities aimed for?

A．Fun.

B．Health.

C．Charity.

D．Workout.

5 . Mike Leach, the bad-tempered and pioneering college football coach who helped completely change the passing game with the Air Raid offense (进攻), died from a heart condition at the age of 61. “Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather. He was able to take part in organ donation at UMMC as a final act of charity,” the family said in a statement.

In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107. His impact on all levels of football—from high school to the NFL—over the last two decades runs deep and will continue for years to come. Mississippi State President Mark Keenum said, “His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football.”

Leach’s teams were continuing winners at programs where success did not come easy. And his quarterbacks put up massive passing statistics, running a relatively simple offense called the Air Raid that he did not invent but certainly mastered.

“You have to make choices and limit what you’re going to teach and what you’re going to do. That’s the hard part,” Leach told the AP about the Air Raid’s economical playbook. After years of questions about whether Leach’s spread offense could be successful in the nation’s most talented football conference, the Bulldogs set an SEC record for yards passing in his very first game against defending national champion LSU.

In 1987, he broke into college coaching at Cal Poly, but it was at Iowa Wesleyan where he found his muse. Head coach Hal Mumme had invented the Air Raid while coaching high school in Texas. At Iowa Wesleyan, with Leach as offensive coordinator (协调者), it began to take hold and completely change the way football was played.

From then, the Air Raid spread like wild and became the noticeable way offense was run in the Big 12.

1. Which word best describes Mike Leach as a football coach?

A．Friendly.

B．Generous.

C．Influential.

D．Demanding.

2. What makes the Air Raid popular?

A．Leach’s profitable playbook.	B．Leach’s spread of it.
C．The defending of Leach’s teams.	D．The easy access to it.

3. What does the underlined word “muse” refer to in paragraph 5?

A．Fan.

B．Boss.

C．Invention.

D．Inspiration.

4. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To explain passing skills.	B．To encourage donations.
C．To honour Mike Leach.	D．To introduce Hal Mumme.

6 . 阅读下列短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The skeleton is one of the strangest-named    1    (sport) of the Olympics. The skeleton is named    2    the shape of the metal sleds used in the 1890s, when the sport first started. The skeleton is a downhill sled race    3    (usual) on ice. This sport looks a little like the luge(雪橇), where a person sits on the back of the sled with his or her feet forward. But the skeleton is a lot    4    (exciting) and dangerous than that. In the skeleton, a person lies on his or her stomach on the sled, with his or her head pointing downhill!

7 . If sports are something that interests you, obviously you would want to be good at them. Succeeding at a sport takes skill, and skill takes patience and determination.     1     Skill alone may take you far, but you’ll never go all the way unless you have the right attitude and team spirit to back it up.

Begin from basics first.

It’s common that young athletes want to jump into the advanced skills quickly. This isn’t an effective way to spend training time. If you’re new to a sport, take as much time as you need to get the basic movements down properly.     2    

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Everyone should make a point of eating a diet that benefits their body. This is especially true if you want to be great at sports.     3     Base your diet on vegetables, leafy greens, lean proteins, and whole grains.

Set great goals for yourself.

This does not mean being unrealistic, or saying you’re going to go professional within a year.     4     Give yourself a suitable amount of time to achieve that goal, and break it down into smaller parts if the goal is especially big.

    5    

Being good at sports means more than physical strength and speed. In order to be truly great, you need to apply positive attitude to the way you treat other players, even if they’re on the other team. If you lose a match, accept the loss and show respect to the other player for their victory.

A．Let yourself have fun.

B．Show good sportsmanship.

C．However, there are other things you need to think about.

D．It will make advanced skills a lot easier to grasp in the long run.

E．If you stop practicing, chances are that someone more determined will beat you.

F．Eating junk food will work against whatever efforts you make in the gym.

G．Instead, you should take a look at what you are, and figure out where you’d like to be.

8 . 假定你是某英文报记者李华。上周日三明市举办了一场名为“Cycling Your Way to A Low-carbon Life”为主题的环城骑行比赛活动。请以此为题写一份英文报道。内容包括：
1.活动目的；
2.活动过程（如参加人员，出发地等）；
3.活动影响。
注意：
1.写作词数应为100词左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Cycling Your Way to A Low-carbon Life

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . 语法填空(共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)

Qatar “wonton wrapper prince” big hit

卡塔尔“馄饨包装王子”大热(November 26)

Without the men’s     1    (nation) team to support this time around, Chinese soccer fans are rallying behind this year’s FIFA World Cup mascot (吉祥物) instead.

The official mascot for the event, which is     2    (current) taking place in Qatar, is La’eeb — a figure     3     name means “super-skilled player” in Arabic. But Chinese fans have affectionately dubbed the mascot the “wonton wrapper” because     4     its resemblance (像) to the dumpling-like food.

The positive attention directed toward the mascot has also made     5    Qatari youngster a social media sensation (轰动) in China.

During the live broadcast of the opening match between Qatar     6    Ecuador, a young fan in the audience     7    (wear) a kaffiyeh, a traditional male headdress in the region, grabbed people’s attention by making dramatic facial expressions showing his unhappiness about his team’s     8    (perform). The Qatari team ultimately lost the match.

Chinese fans began     9    (post) screenshots (截图) of him next to La’eeb making the same poses and facial expressions, and he was dubbed (配音) the “wonton wrapper prince”. People have also drawn cartoons of him and made his facial expressions into memes (表情包，模因).

According to China Central Television, the teen is actually Abdulrahman Fahad al-Thani. Based on his family name,     10     is believed that the 16-year-old who said Cristiano Ronaldo is his favorite player — could be a member of the Qatari royal family. During the interview, he also greeted the Chinese audience in Chinese.

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。

The FIFA World Cup 2022 has kicked     1     in Qatar, fueling passion of the football fans all over the world.     2    Team China is missing out on the competition, Chinese elements shine at the World Cup.

From a stadium to souvenirs, from transportation to    3    (accommodate), “Made in China” appears both on and off the field at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The Lusail Stadium, the biggest one in Qatar and the venue for the final with 92, 000 seats, covering     4    area of 190, 000 square meters, was designed and built by China Railway International Group with     5    (advance) energy-saving technologies and sustainable material in 2021. Besides, more than 1, 500 buses from China’s leading bus maker Yuyong are zooming down the streets of Qatar for the duration of the event, some of     6     are electric, offering shuttle service for thousands of officials and journalists and fans from different countries.

Goods from Yiwu in Zhejiang Province also have an enormous presence during the World Cup,     7    (account) for 70% of the souvenir market share. Additionally, Chinese companies offer more than 10 thousand container houses. A double room costs about $200 a night, much    8    (cheap) than starred hotels. Recently, a power plant built and designed by China     9    (put) into operation, providing green electricity for games. While the spotlight is     10    (firm) focused on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two pandas that have jetted in also make waves.