1 . International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People 2024
Since 1971, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) has inspired young writers aged 9-15 to write letters on a given theme to win exciting prizes. The competition is an excellent way of making young people aware of the important role postal services play in our societies. It develops their skills in writing and their ability to express thoughts clearly. A group of international judges invited by the International Bureau judge the letters and select the winners.
The UPU has launched its 53rd International letter-writing Competition for Young People this year.
Competition theme
In 2024, participants will be encouraged to reflect on the future of the world under the theme: “At 150 years old, the UPU has served people around the world for more than eight generations. The world has changed enormously since then. Write a letter to future generations about the world you hope they inherit (继承).” The theme encourages young people to voice their thoughts on current global challenges and propose innovative solutions. It also allows youths to draw upon the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, providing a framework for their visions of a better world.
Competition rules
• Entries must be in the form of a letter and contain the necessary parts of a letter (heading, greeting, body, complimentary close, signature line and postscript).
• Letters must be strictly in agreement with the topic and contain no more than 800 words in the original language.
• At the national level, the competition is organized by UPU member countries. Entries must reach the UPU International Bureau no later than May 5th.
For more information, please contact us at communication@upu.int.
1. What can competitors learn from the competition?| A．The history of the UPU | B．The skills of communication. |
| C．The importance of postal services. | D．The meaning of expressing thoughts. |
| A．The enormous change in the world. | B．The world for the future generations. |
| C．Global challenges and innovative solutions. | D．Sustainable development for a better world. |
| A．Write the letters in right format. | B．Hand in their entries on May 6th. |
| C．Write a letter of at least 800 words | D．Send their entries to the official email. |
The year 2022 will be a big year for sports in China, for China will hold not only the 24th Winter Olympics in Beijing, but also the 19th Asian Games(亚运会) in Hangzhou.
On August 6th, 2018,the official emblem(徽章) for the Hangzhou Asian Games came out. The city won the hosting right for the 2022 Asian Games in 2015. It will be the third Chinese city to host the Asian Games after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
First held in 1951, the Asian Games is the largest multi-sport event in Asia. It also means a lot to China.
The Beijing Asian Games was the first large international sports event hosted by China.To make the Games a great success, Chinese people worked hard to prepare. Beijing built a great number of roads and stadiums(体育馆),including the famous Beijing Olympic Sports Center and Asian Games Village. The Games helped the world see China and its achievements. Since then. China has improved its global image(全球形象).
For the upcoming 2022 Asian Games, Hangzhou has already started building 33 sports venues. The idea of the Hangzhou Asian Games is’green,smart.economical(节俭的)and civilized(文明的)”.All the Games’ buildings will be environmentally friendly.
1. Which city will host the 2022 Asian Games?| A．Shanghai. | B．Beijing. | C．Guangzhou. | D．Hangzhou. |
| A．hosted the Beijing and Guangzhou Asian Games. |
| B．had two cities for the international sports events. |
| C．won the hosting right for the 2022Asian Games. |
| D．showed people the emblem for the2022 Asian Games. |
| A．It was the second Asian Games held in China. |
| B．Beijing built lots of roads and stadiums for it. |
| C．It helped the world know China better. |
| D．It was China’s first large international sports event. |
| A．Hangzhou is the best place to hold the Asian Games. |
| B．A large number of tourists will visit Hangzhou in 2022. |
| C．More and more people will live and work in Hangzhou. |
| D．The 2022 Asian Games will care a lot about the environment. |
3 . NPR’s Student Podcast (播客) Challenge is back — for a fifth year! This year’s competition will open for entries on January 6, 2023 and close on April 28.
As in past years, our judges will choose winners in two categories: grades five through eight and grades nine through twelve. Entries must be submitted by an educator or a student leader who’s 18 years old or older. Another important rule is that the maximum length of your podcast is within eight minutes, and longer entries will be disqualified.
Our judges will use the following criteria to narrow down and choose the winners:
Information and structure, 40 percent
Does the podcast tell a good story or teach us something new and important? Is it structured in a way that keeps listeners engaged? Can we easily follow the story you’re telling or the information you’re explaining? Have you spent time cutting out unnecessary information to make sure the main ideas come through clearly?
Personality and creativity, 40 percent
Does it have personality, or does it sound like you’re reading from a script (脚本)? Does it make us laugh or cry or leave us deep in thought?
Production, 20 percent
We’re not judging you on how fancy your equipment is and we don’t expect you to be an expert on recording and editing sound, but we hope you’ll try.
Some podcasts may use a narration (讲述) format. Others may be more of an interview format. If you use sound apart from interviews and narration, make sure it is clear and smooth.
1. What is the deadline for handing in your podcast?| A．January 6. | B．February 18. | C．March 26. | D．April 28. |
| A．All monitors. | B．Any student. | C．Teachers. | D．Parents. |
| A．They should be more than eight minutes. | B．They must be well structured and edited. |
| C．They have to adopt an interview format. | D．They must be produced with special sound effects. |
4 . We’re launching our 100-Word-Story Competition with prizes of up to £1,000 to be won. Our competition is your chance to show the world your story-telling talents. The editorial team will pick a shortlist of three in each category and post them online.
Competition Rules:
● Submissions are original, not previously published and exactly 100 words long (not including title). Don’t forget to include your full name, address, e-mail and phone number when filling in the form. We may use entries in all print and electronic media.
● There are three categories—one for adults and two categories for schools: one for children aged 12—18 and one for children under 12.
● Please submit your stories online by 5p.m. on 1st May 2022 or send an entry via post addressed to:
Warners Group Publications, West Street Bourne，PE10 9PH.
Prizes:
● In the adult category, the winner will receive £1,000 and a Serious Readers High Definition Floor or Table Light (value up to £399.99) and one runner-up will receive £250.
● In the 12—18s category, the winner will receive £200 or an 8GB Kindle Paperwhite and a £100 book voucher for their school, and the runner-up will receive a £100 book voucher.
● In the under 12 category, the winner will receive £100 or an 8GB Kindle Paperwhite and a £100 book voucher for their school, and the runner-up will receive a £50 book voucher.
Allow more time for postal entries to arrive by 1st May 2022, and insure you include your full name and address, and also clearly state the category you are entering.
1. What may disqualify a candidate from the competition?| A．Mailing the story in printed form. | B．Submitting the story in March 2022. |
| C．Submitting a story of a friend. | D．Writing a story about someone else. |
| A．£1,899. 99. | B．£1, 300. | C．£1,599. 99. | D．£1, 100. |
| A．The prizes in cash are equal for the three categories. |
| B．Three of each category will be selected and posted online. |
| C．The entry with a title must be not more than 100 words. |
| D．It is designed to find talented storytellers around the world. |
5 . Outdoor Football @ Braywick
Tue, Mar 8, 9: 00 P. M.
A friendly kick about, open to all levels. Different players each week. Newcomers welcome.
We book the pitch (球场) when we hit the minimum of 8 “yes” RSVPs (回复), which we need to do by the day before.
The cost is £ 4 to £ 6 each, depending on how many sign up (£ 50 for the pitch, divided by the number of players)
DONT BE LATE! We need to be there, changed and ready for kick - off at 9: 00 P. M. If the game is ever cancelled, we will let those who have already RSVP “yes” know.
LOCATION: Toby Carvery Stafferton Lodge
PLEASE BRING:
• Suitable boots for the outdoor 3G pitches. Artificial grass (AG) football boots are strongly recommended as the best option for the surface.
• Some cash — up to £ 6, as explained above.
RSVPTERMS AND CONDITIONS!
• When you RSVP “Yes”, we book a spot on the pitch for you. The organizer is charged for the pitch unless they cancel it at least 48 hours before the game.
• If you change your RSVP to “No” less than 48 hours before play or you are a “No Show” and nobody is able to take your spot, you will be asked to pay the price as if you took part.
BRINGING GUESTS:
You are more than welcome to bring 1 or 2 friends to play (but only if you add “+1” or “+2” to your RSVP, so that we don’t end up with too many players).
1. What is the deadline for the booking of the pitch?| A．Mar 5. | B．Mar 6. | C．Mar 7. | D．Mar 8. |
| A．Arrive at the pitch at 9: 00 P. M. | B．Wear firm - ground boots when playing. |
| C．Bring at least £ 6 to the pitch. | D．Inform cancellation 48 hours ahead. |
| A．You still need to pay. | B．You can join the next game for free. |
| C．You will be fined for it. | D．You will be banned from the games. |
6 . Climate Change — Are Tomorrow’s Needs more Important than Today’s Reality?
Can countries and the world find the critical balance between addressing today’s realities and the needs of tomorrow? An online essay competition on this topic is coming.
Terms & Conditions
1. This essay competition is open to all NUS alumni and students, as well as students of all Singapore universities and polytechnics.
2. Please indicate the following clearly in the footer of every page:
a. Page Number
b. Full Name
c. Faculty, Current Year of Study and Matriculation Number (for NUS students); OR
d. School, Faculty, Current Year of Study (for non-NUS students); OR
e. Faculty and Year of Graduation (for NUS alumni)
3. Charts, images and illustrations should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Please insert them as Annexes with clear labelling, and not as part of the main essay.
4. Please submit your essay online by 29 February 2023. Only one submission per participant will be accepted. For two or three submissions, the latest essay received by the closing date and time will be treated as final and all earlier submissions by the same participant will be disregarded.
5. An essay with several authors may well be accepted but as one single submission. If it wins, only one prize will be awarded and one author will be invited to present the ideas on stage. The remaining author(s) are welcome to participate at the event as part of the audience.
6. Winners will be contacted by mid-March 2023 via the same email address used for submission. Participants may provide a telephone number as an alternative means of contact.
1. What should a NUS alumni include in the footer of every page?| A．Faculty and Year of Graduation. |
| B．School, Faculty, Current Year of Study. |
| C．Faculty, Current Year of Study and Matriculation Number. |
| D．Page Number, Full Name, Faculty and Year of Graduation. |
| A．Submissions with illustrations. | B．An only essay per participant. |
| C．A multi-authored essay. | D．Much earlier submissions. |
| A．He will be awarded with several prizes. | B．He will be reached only by email. |
| C．He will present his ideas on stage. | D．He will learn the result before March. |
7 . The Olympic Games began more than two thousand years ago in Greece. The first Olympic Games were held in 766 BC. They went on for a thousand years and then were stopped. In 1896, 1,500 years later, the Olympic Games began again. Winter sports began to be a part of the Olympic Games in 1924.
The Olympic Symbol (标记) is five colored rings. They show the friendship of people’s. They also show five continents (洲): Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa and America. Each ring has a different color: blue, yellow, black, green and red.
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not wining but taking part in.
1. The first Olympic Games were held in ________ .| A．1896 | B．1500 | C．766 BC | D．1924 |
| A．Amusement | B．happiness | C．friendship | D．love |
| A．winning is the most important thing |
| B．taking part in is the most important thing |
| C．winning is more important than taking part in |
| D．taking part in is the same important as winning |
8 . Baseball is known as the national entertainment in America. As children, many Americans play baseball in Little League teams. Later, some go on to play in Major League Baseball teams.
The game itself is fairly easy to play. There are two teams of nine players each.
During the game, a pitcher ( 投手) from one team throws a ball to a batter (the person holding a baseball bat) from the opposing team. The batter, who is standing on the home plate, tries to hit the ball and run around the bases.
The first recorded game was played in 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey. And since then, baseball has grown in popularity.
Famous modern players include Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter who play for the New York Yankees, Manny Ramirez who plays for the Tampa Bay Rays, Joe Mauer who plays for the Minnesota Twins, and Albert Pujols who plays for the St Louis Cardinals. A player doesn’t have to be from the state he plays for, so baseball teams are very diverse.
| A．Baseball also reshaped the nation’s calendar. |
| B．In 1992, the sport was introduced as an Olympic game. |
| C．They play on a field with four bases in the shape of a diamond. |
| D．Others become sports fans and follow their team everywhere. |
| E．Baseball terms and phrases soon became part of the national vocabulary. |
| F．If he goes around the four bases and touches them in the correct order, it’s a run. |
| G．For example, Alex Pujols plays for a team in Missouri but is from the Dominican Republic. |
9 . Here is a brief guide to every sport at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Alpine skiing, 11 gold medals awarded
The disciplines include downhill, the fastest event; super-G, with more turns added; giant slalom (回转), still more turns; and slalom, the slowest and most technical event.
Biathlon (冬季两项), 11 golds
Take the endurance test of cross-country skiing and shake it up very few kilometers by having athletes stop to shoot at targets. Too many misses, and skiers must take a penalty lap. Germany, France, Sweden and Norway should dominate the medals.
Figure skating, 5 golds
The strong Russian team swept the top three spots in the women’s competition at the last world tournament, with now 17-year-old Anna Shcherbakova on top. American Nathan Chen’s potential duel (对决) with Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan, the 2014 and 2018 Olympic champion, could be a highlight of the Games.
In the pairs event, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong could bring the gold to the host nation.
Freestyle sking, 13 golds
There are six disciplines. In the aerials and the new big air event, skiers launch themselves of a ramp and perform flips (空翻) and spins. In half pipe, they perform in a U-shaped bowl, and in slope style, they ski down a course with rails and jumps. In moguls (雪上技巧赛), they ski over a bumpy course and are judged on turns, jumps and speed. The only event that is timed instead of judged is ski cross (障碍追逐赛), in which skiers race against one another in groups of four.
Speedskating, 23 golds
Long-track speed skating is dominated by the Dutch. They won seven of 14 gold medals in 2018 and eight of 12 in 2014. Short-track provided China with its gold of the 2018 Games. South Korea will also be a major contender.
1. How many disciplines does Alpine skiing include?| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
| A．Russia. | B．Sweden. | C．Norway. | D．Germany. |
| A．Anna Shcherbakova won the first place at the last world toumament. |
| B．Nathan Chen’s potential duel with Yuzuru Hanyu could be a highlight. |
| C．Sui Wenjing and Han Cong could bring a gold to China. |
| D．The Dutch won 14 gold medals in long-track speedskating in 2018. |
10 . COMPETITION
Draw a sea creature for our ocean poster
Are you a gifted artist? Do you think you can draw a prize-winning dolphin or shark? In celebration of World Ocean Day on 8 June, The Week Junior is running a competition to create an awesome poster featuring some of the world’s coolest sea creatures, and your artwork could be part of it!
How to enter
Draw a picture of your favorite sea creature and send your picture by email to competitions@theweekjunior.com with OCEAN POSTER as the subject line by 10 April 2022. Make sure you’ve included your name, age, chosen sea creature, the address and phone number of your parent or guardian.
Once the competition has closed, our judges will pick 10 of the best animal drawings. They will be looking for the most creative and colorful drawings, so don’t be afraid to go big!
What you could win
The winning pictures will be shown on a The Week Junior ocean poster.
Each winner will also receive a paint brush set worth over £80, which will be delivered to you.
Terms and conditions
The Week Junior will not share your personal details with third parties. The Week Junior will only use personal details to contact the competition winners.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries that have been lost or damaged in transit( 运送 ), any technical failure or any event that may cause the competition to stop. Entries must be received before 11:59 pm on 10 April 2022.
All winners will be informed accordingly 4–6 weeks after the competition closes. By entering the competition all participants give permission for their artwork to be published online. Entries cannot be returned to senders.
1. The drawing competition is held to ________.| A．celebrate World Ocean Day | B．help the talented artists |
| C．advertise The Week Junior | D．protect dolphins and sharks |
| A．meet the judges | B．get prize money |
| C．accept delivery of prizes | D．receive an ocean poster |
| A．The privacy of the participants. | B．The damage or loss of pictures. |
| C．The return of the artwork to the senders. | D．The computer problems in sending emails. |
