1 . 41-year-old Tracey Matayian is one of those Maasai women who fought hard to become the first-ever Maasai female referee. In an interview, Matayian said during her formative years, she couldn’t hide her passion for football and would join local boys every time she saw them play, which resulted in her being called names by other girls and occasionally getting scolded by her parents for keeping too much male company.

Matayian later joined a teachers’ training college. After graduating from college, she worked with Compassion International and would often encourage children of both genders to play football.

“It was then that I got an opportunity to referee a game between Rongai Football Club and Compassion International. There was no other referee at the time and since I was readily available, I went ahead to referee the match,” she recalled. Matayian added that after the game, she was eager to do more than just play and train the young children as she was also cultivating a lively interest in refereeing.

She would later help form football teams for both boys and girls from the local clubs. “The game occupies them as they get to spend time in the field, especially during the period they were home due to COVID-19. Football is a game of rules, and thus it ends up drilling discipline and character into young boys and girls,” said Matayian. She added that many of the youths were previously living an aimless life on account of laziness, but through football she has managed to occupy them.

Nevertheless, her efforts to follow her passion have not gone without challenges. Her dress code was criticized all the time. “This became a big issue for some people. They always complained that I was not respecting our culture by wearing shorts. But I have no option, since that’s the official dress code for the game. I often explained this to my beloved people, but it took a long time for it to be accepted by my community,” notes Matayian.

1. How did things go when Matayian first played football?

A．She was popular with local boys.	B．She was abused by other girls.
C．She was turned down by the referee.	D．She was driven out of her college.

2. How did Matayian feel after refereeing her first game?

A．Motivated.

B．Tense.

C．Exhausted.

D．Relieved.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．How football is transforming the local children.

B．How COVID-19 is impacting the community.

C．How children overcome their laziness naturally.

D．How crucial discipline and character are.

4. What situation might Matayian have been in?

A．She was trying to change some football rules.	B．She was getting soft with local people.
C．She was working hard to gain acceptance.	D．She was promoting local culture.

2 . Officials have unveiled the gold, silver and bronze medals that will be awarded at this summer’s Olympic games in Paris, and each one contains a unique souvenir: a fragment (碎片) of waste iron from the Eiffel Tower.

“It’s the opportunity for the athletes to bring back a piece of Paris with them,” Thierry Reboul, creative director of Paris 2024, told reporters last week. “The absolute symbol of Paris and France is the Eiffel Tower.”

The Eiffel Tower opened in 1889 and during the later repair work, some of the original iron was cut off and preserved over time. Now, some of those preserved metal fragments have found new homes.

Each new Olympic me dal features a piece of Eiffel Tower iron — though the signature “Eiffel Tower brown” paint has been removed. These pieces have been shaped into hexagons (六边形), which is the “shape of France”. Besides, there are words “Paris 2024”, the Olympic rings and the Games logo, which looks like a flame or the face of a woman with a bob haircut.

How did they think of such an idea? Joachim Roncin, head of design at the Paris Games organizing committee told the press, “We talked about the design many times and realized that there’s one symbol known across the world, which is the Eiffel Tower. We said to ourselves, ‘Hey, what if we approached the Eiffel Tower Operating Company to see if it’s possible to get a bit of the Eiffel Tower to integrate into the medal?’”

When the Eiffel Tower Operating Company agreed to volunteer pieces of original iron, “the dream became reality,” adds Roncin.

The medals, designed by the luxury Paris jewelry house Chaumet, make people think of the Eiffel Tower in several other ways. The pieces of iron are secured by what looks like special nails that hold the structure together, and the medals’ ribbons are decorated with patterns of the tower’s latticework structure.

The iron fragments are set in recycled silver, gold and bronze disks. Over 5,000 medals are being made.

1. What does Thierry mean by saying “bring back a piece of Paris”?

A．The athletes will buy souvenirs about Paris.

B．The athletes will take many photos of Paris.

C．Part of the athletes’ medal is from the symbol of Paris.

D．The Eiffel Tower will be left in the athletes’ memory.

2. What is mainly talked about in paragraph 4?

A．The symbolic meaning of the hexagons.

B．The shape and material of the Olympic medal.

C．The processing technique of the Eiffel Tower iron pieces.

D．The design of the Eiffel Tower iron fragment on the medal.

3. How did the designers get the idea of adding the waste iron?

A．From a strange dream.	B．By asking for the public.
C．Through their discussion.	D．By studying the Eiffel Tower.

4. What can we infer about the new Olympic medals?

A．They are innovative.	B．They are light.
C．They have six sides.	D．They are golden-colored.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Ann say about her performance in the World Championships?

A．She did better than she had expected.

B．She regretted not preparing well enough.

C．She was disappointed to win a silver medal.

2. How often does Ann practice?

A．Once a week.

B．Every day.

C．Six days a week.

3. What is Ann’s attitude towards the other competitors?

A．She avoids close contact with them.

B．She likes to communicate with them.

C．She has made good friends with them.

4. What does Ann enjoy doing in her free time now?

A．Flying kites.

B．Reading.

C．Skiing.

4 . I had been swimming for years but was ready to quit. My _________ reason was that I kept receiving “Honorable Mentions”, just because I showed up.

One day before a big swim meet, I decided to _________ the news to my grandma that I was _________ the swim team. When I told her, she said, “Baby, remember: Quitters never win and winners never quit.” I was _______   to say anything but “Yes, ma’am.”

The next day we arrived at the swim meet late, _________ my group. My coach _________ I swim with the older group. I knew she was _________ me in the race so our journey to the meet would not be wasted, and she had no expectations that I would _________ anything but eighth place as there weren’t nine _________.

As I was __________ the board, my grandmas words rang in my head. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.

SPLASH! I swam harder than ever. After a little while, I was __________ to find that I had a half-body length ________ over others. However, they soon __________ the gap. Halfway through the race, the girl to my left almost ________ me. Right then, the powerful words __________ again in my ears. I __________ my arms and legs and used every last bit of __________ to swim the last 50 meters.

I made it! Narrow victory as it was, I did win my first real __________ that day. Everything felt like a dream as I stood on the winner’s __________. Back at home, I __________ replaced all the “Honorable Mentions” on my shelf.

1.

A．laid-back

B．number-one

C．first-hand

D．ground-breaking

2.

A．break

B．deliver

C．acquaint

D．remind

3.

A．choosing

B．depositing

C．joining

D．quitting

4.

A．satisfied

B．choked

C．excited

D．exhausted

5.

A．missing

B．finding

C．departing

D．building

6.

A．assumed

B．defended

C．insisted

D．expected

7.

A．telling

B．endeavoring

C．inviting

D．including

8.

A．come out

B．come about

C．come in

D．come to

9.

A．arenas

B．lanes

C．courts

D．tracks

10.

A．assessing

B．approaching

C．inspecting

D．mounting

11.

A．surprised

B．energized

C．terrified

D．refreshed

12.

A．pioneer

B．lead

C．edge

D．session

13.

A．jumped

B．bridged

C．widened

D．narrowed

14.

A．joined up with

B．put up with

C．drew level with

D．filled up with

15.

A．blessed

B．echoed

C．called

D．clarified

16.

A．willed

B．tried

C．shook

D．swung

17.

A．confidence

B．motivation

C．strength

D．pursuit

18.

A．goal

B．medal

C．reward

D．diploma

19.

A．podium

B．orbit

C．zone

D．format

20.

A．devotedly

B．awkwardly

C．hesitantly

D．joyfully

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman?

A．An athlete.

B．A hostess.

C．A coach.

2. Who influenced Noah to start horse riding?

A．His mother.

B．His brother.

C．His sister.

3. How has Noah benefited from horse riding?

A．Ho is fitter.

B．He is calmer.

C．He is happier.

4. What will Noah probably choose to do when he gets older?

A．Train horses.

B．Teach children.

C．Take part in more races.

6 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The Champion of No Score

Maggie hated Tuesdays—Tuesdays meant gym class, gym class meant picking teams and picking teams meant Maggie would be picked last.

As a newcomer, she’d come up with a special title for each classmate to remember the other kids. There was Kevin, Champion of the Clean Desk. Lynnie, Champion of Knowing the Answer First… Thinking hard, she finally decided her own title: Champion of Quiet.

Maggie felt blue as Tuesday fell again. Mr. Murphy, the gym teacher, asked for volunteer captains to pick their own basketball teams. The usual hands shot into the air. Maggie sighed and glanced to her right. She caught the eye of Jasmine. Champion of Awkward, a girl who was sometimes picked last, too. Then Maggie had an idea. So when Mr. Murphy asked if anyone else wanted to volunteer, Maggie felt her hand slowly rise. Looking again at Jasmine, she took a big breath. Maybe it was time for her to use her voice.

“Maggie?” Mr. Murphy smiled. “You want a turn?”

“Yes,” she said.

The class whispered. Maggie leading a team?

“Yes,” she answered again, louder this time.

Mr. Murphy waved Maggie to the front, where the other three captains—Champion of Jumping Rope, Champion of Never Misses a Shot, and Champion of Doesn’t Know How to Lose—stood, ready to choose their teams.

“Maggie, you get first pick,” said Mr. Murphy. “Jasmine,” announced Maggie. The class snickered. A joke? More than once, Jasmine had tried to score on the wrong basket. Eyes wide, Jasmine took her place beside Maggie. The other three captains called out familiar names—the best players on the basketball court. It was Maggie’s turn again. “I choose Frank.” Frank (Champion of the Untied Shoelace) could not throw, or catch. He knew what it felt like to be the last pick. But not today.

Three very talented teams took shape. And then there was Maggie’s team. Maggie looked at her teammates. There stood Jasmine and Frank, plus Gillian (Champion of Chatter) and George (Champion of Sleepy). “I have chosen the worst team in the history of the world,” Maggie thought to herself.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Hand in hand, the Maggie team walked onto the court.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

They did lose big, but something positive began to unfold in them.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What will the competition try to find next year?

A．The best dancer.

B．The best actor.

C．The best singer.

2. When will the sports hall open this week?

A．At 10:30 am.

B．At 9:00 am.

C．At 8:00 am.

3. What can we learn about the swimming pool?

A．It will be free for the first week.

B．It will open earlier than expected.

C．It will be bigger than the old one.

4. Where does the conversation probably take place?

A．On a program.

B．In a gym.

C．At home.

8 . Best Poetry Writing Contests in 2024

The Poetry. com Contest

Poetry. com offers monthly contests for poets worldwide to build passion and enjoyment for the creative poem writing process! Poems remain anonymous (匿名) before applicants vote on what they believe should be the winning entry.

Top Prize: $500

Additional prizes: personalized Poetry. com gifts for runners-up

Entry fee: $25

Deadline: December 31, 2024

Wine Country Writers’ Festival Writing Contest

Welcome to the 4th annual Wine Country Writers’ Festival (WCWF) writing contest. Three categories and over$1,800 total value in cash and prizes are to be awarded. Enter your short fiction or nonfiction (2,000 words max) or up to 48 lines of poetry. Judged blindly by professional writers. No previously published works.

Top Prize: $200

Additional prizes: free registration package to the Wine Country Writers’ Festival

Entry fee: $11

Deadline: June 02, 2024

Tom Howard Poetry Contest

Welcome to the 20th annual Tom Howard Poetry Contest. Submit your published or unpublished work, a poem in any style, whether it rhymes or not.

Top Prize: $3,000

Additional prizes: $200 for 10 honorable mentions

Entry fee: $20

Deadline: October 01, 2024

The One Page Poetry Contest

One Page Poetry focuses on the art of expressing a poetic theme on a single page, whether your poem is four lines or forty, whether yours is a love poem, inspirational poem, or just one that is fun. We welcome all poetic forms, as long as they fit on a single page.

Top Prize: $2,000

Additional prizes: 2nd: 1,000; 3rd: 500

Entry fee: $25

Deadline: September 30, 2024

1. Which of the following offers the highest top prize?

A．The Poetry. com Contest.	B．WCWF Writing Contest.
C．Tom Howard Poetry Contest.	D．The One Page Poetry Contest.

2. What is unique to Wine Country Writers’ Festival Writing Contest?

A．It is held once a year.	B．It has honorable mentions.
C．It judges entries blindly.	D．It accepts other types besides poetry.

3. What do the Poetry. com Contest and the One Page Poetry Contest have in common?

A．They charge $25 for entry fee.

B．They have professionals as judges.

C．They require poems on one page.

D．They offer tailored gifts as prizes.

9 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Since Anna fell on the mattress from the horizontal bar(高低杠) four days before while doing a somersault (空翻) , she had kept her beautiful and once proud head bent. Now she was back at the Capital Airport from abroad. Upon entering the lobby, Anna wished she could hide her head under her collar. She was ashamed to face the people who had come to welcome her right at the airport, to be interviewed by the reporters, or to meet her sister and brother-in-law. She was even afraid to see the warm-hearted stewardess—one of her admirers. Each time she went abroad from the airport, this stewardess would rush up to help her with her luggage. What a shame that she had absolutely failed!

Two years before, Anna had gone abroad to take part in an international competition for the first time. Among so many girls who had already won fame abroad, she attracted little attention. Yet because her mind was kept free of her anxiety about failure, she unexpectedly won two World Titles. When she returned home that year, she was given an enthusiastic welcome in the same lobby. Many hands stretched out to her, many camera lenses focused on her. A reporter in glasses kept pestering her with the question, “What do you like best?” She was wondering how to respond when she caught sight of a bouquet of flowers. Then she said, “Flowers!” Following her remarks, bunches of flowers were at once presented out to her, too many for her to hold.

This time when Anna was a little off balance on the horizontal bar, she became so worried that she lost self-control and fell off. This failure was followed by several more in other events.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右：
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Afterwards in order to avoid people at the airport, Anna dragged behind the team.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All of a sudden, she saw a familiar figure.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . Beijing police said on Friday that a Chinese soccer fan who ran onto the field to hug soccer legend Lionel Messi during a match on Thursday in Beijing, has been detained (逮捕).

During a friendly match between Australia and Argentina in the Workers’ Stadium in the city’s Chaoyang district on Thursday, the fan, whose surname is Di, ran onto the field, giving a hug to his favorite footballer Messi. He was run after by security guards but he managed to flee and high-five Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez before being caught.

The match was only interrupted by Di’s act for a short period. On the field, Argentina triumphed over Australia with a 2-0 win eventually, although the game was likely to be remembered for other reasons.

In a series of videos posted online after the game the fan apologized to his hero for his “bad behavior”. “Messi, I’m sorry... I’m really sorry to meet you this way. I really wanted your signature , but they were running after me, so I didn’t ask for it,” he said.

The police said on Friday that Di, 18, has been given an administrative custody , with a ban of watching similar matches in stadiums within the next 12 months. The police did not tell clearly how many days Di will be detained, but under the Chinese law, punishment for such an offence is no more than 10 days. If the situation is serious, it could be expanded to 15days at most.

The police said, “There are rules of games. Players who break the rules will be punished by judges, or even get yellow or red card. Soccer fans watching games also have rules to follow. Acts that cross the lines will also be punished according to the law.”

A Chinese state media said while the fan’s passion was understandable, it did not support his behavior, adding that it would interrupt the game and end anger public safety.

Most people expressed their admiration for the fan’s courage because he did what they had wanted to do but dared not to. At the same time, they also criticized Di for not obeying the game rules and bringing many security risks to the event.

1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To give a brief introduction of the event.

B．To provide background information about the match.

C．To explain what fans should do when attending a game.

D．To warn the fans not to break the public rules.

2. Why was the Chinese soccer fan arrested by the police?

A．Because he gave a hug to the judge.

B．Because he interrupted the game for a long time.

C．Because he managed to escape punishment.

D．Because his behavior was against the rule of football match.

3. What does the underlined word “triumphed over” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Competed against.

B．Defeated.

C．Conflicted with.

D．Misunderstood.

4. What do most people think of Di’s behavior?

A．They totally admired his courage.

B．They criticized him for attacking the guard.

C．They disapproved of his breaking the rules.

D．They wanted to follow suit and hugged their favorite stars.