1 . Students to Compete in 34th National Science Bowl

Thousands of students from middle and high schools across the country have committed themselves to extra study hours as they prepare to compete in the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s)34th National Science Bowl(NSB). These students are hard at work now to win their regional competitions, hoping to advance to the final competition.

The first regional event will take place on January 13th with high schools from the D. C. /Maryland area. Teams will face off in a fast-paced, question-and-answer format, and their knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics will be tested. Regionals will continue weekly until mid-March.

The winning team from each qualifying regional competition will be qualified to compete in the National Finals to be held in Washington, D. C. , from April 25-29, 2024, with all expenses paid by DOE. The national event consists of several days of science activities and sightseeing, along with the competitions.

In the National Finals, the top two teams will earn $5, 000 for their schools’ math and science departments. Schools ranking in the top 16 will receive $1, 000 for their science departments. But to many, the ultimate prize is simply the honor of winning the National Championship.

Today, the NSB annually draws more than 10, 000 middle and high school competitors. Since the first competition in 1991, approximately 344, 000 students have faced off in the NSB Finals. The 2024 competitors will follow in the footsteps of previous NSB contestants and will blaze a trail for students in science, math, and engineering. For more information, please visit the Office of Science website.

1. Which word can best describe the regional competitions?

A．Fair.

B．Interesting.

C．Special.

D．Challenging

2. What can we learn about the National Finals?

A．The championship victory is highly valued.

B．The event only involves fierce competitions.

C．Most of the expenses will be covered by DOE.

D．The prize money will be awarded to individuals.

3. What is the text?

A．A news release.	B．A survey report.
C．A learning project.	D．A scientific review.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

It might be surprising to know that ice-skating has appeared in the ancient times. Believe it or not, it     1     (be) once a warriors’ (战士的) art with ice skates. The sport was then called bingxi, and it was practiced because Manchu men needed to master the skill of moving 350 kilometers in a single day     2     (reach) their enemies.

When the Manchu men moved from the north to the capital city of Beijing     3     came to power in the Qing Dynasty, ice-skating became     4     traditional sport. Every winter, there were 200 proficient ice-skaters     5     (select) to perform on the frozen royal lake.

Ice-skaters during those times wore knee pads, and they secured their shoes with leather. Their shoes     6     (fit) with single iron blades for speed, and double blades for security. There were also     7     (compete) for figure skating, ice acrobatics (杂技), and speed skating     8     were held for the benefit of the royal family.

China being one of the oldest and longest     9     (last) civilizations in the history of the world, the ancient Chinese were also involved     10     different sports. And most of their popular sports are still being played up to the present time.