1 . Tell us your story
“China and Me, Five Years from Now”
| Dear friends, You’re welcome to tell your China story. As China is well on its way to achieving its 14th Five-Year Plan goals, the country is more open ever and more appealing to every member of society. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to capture your memorable moments in China through your lens or put them into words? We would be so happy to hear your voice in this contest. Please feel free to share your memories and impressions with us by article or video. Just check the contest procedures below and let’s get started! |
| About the contest Co-organized by authoritative organizations This contest is hosted by China Daily and is co-sponsored by the Bank of China and the Society for International Human Resources Development of the Institutions of Higher Learning (SIHRDIHL). Prestigious award ceremony A prestigious award ceremony and online forums will be held in July in Beijing. Awesome prizes await you While reviewing the submitted works, online forums will be held for international students. Also, China Daily website will set up special areas for collecting and displaying works. |
| Works will be posted on * China Daily website * China Daily app * China Daily social media platforms |
| Who can enter The contest is open to international students and expats (旅居国外者). Regardless of whether you are in China or not, you are welcome to send us articles or videos showing your China story if you know China, love China or look forward to discovering more of the country. The contest is not open to organizations for companies. Please participate as an individual. When to submit   |
| The Rules Articles and Photos Word count: Between 500 and 1,000 English words Photo format: JPG or PNG Photos should reflect the theme of the article, including but not limited to photos of people or landscapes. You can upload no more than 10 photos, each within 5MB. Every photo should has a caption of no more than 200 English words. Videos Format: MP4 or MOV Dimensions: 1280×720 pixels File size: The video file size should not exceed 4 GB, and the maximum video length should be 4 minutes. Submit a caption about the content of the work, and when and where the video was taken in 200-500 words. Requirements The submitted works and videos should be copyrighted; do not use the materials or video clips with copyright disputes. |
| How to submit Click on one of the two icons below to fill in the following information and upload your material or videos below.
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1. What do you know about the contest?
| A．The contest is designed to celebrate economic development. |
| B．Only the Bank of China sponsored the contest. |
| C．Submitted works will be printed in newspapers. |
| D．Works should be handed in before June 20, 2021. |
| A．Have works shown in a certain section of the website. |
| B．Have a chance to display works at online forums. |
| C．Get a prize with their colleagues as a team. |
| D．Take part in a great award ceremony online. |
| A．Writing an article of 600 English words. |
| B．Preparing five photos, each with an illustration of 400 English words. |
| C．Shooting a video of 4 minutes in a MOV format. |
| D．Having the exclusive legal right of the works submitted. |
2 . Clocking 16 hours, 46 minutes, nine seconds, the athlete Chris Nikic didn’t finish with the shortest time when he recently completed his first Iron Man Race, but he did quite well.
After swimming 2.4 miles, the 21-year-old Floridian cycled 112 miles. Even after suffering a fall from his bike during the second leg of the race, he called on his inner strength to get back up, keep going and get the job done. And then he ran a 26.2-mile marathon to become the first competitor with Down’s Syndrome (唐氏综合征) in the world to successfully cross the finish line in the history of the Iron Man Race. For his efforts, Nikic also earned himself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“To Nikic, this race was more than just a finish line and a celebration for the success,” his dad said. The race has served as a chance to become one step closer to his goal of living a normal life. It’s about being an example to other kids and families that face similar difficulties. Those with Down’s Syndrome will be prompted to live a life like normal persons.
Nikic trained between four and six hours a day to prepare for the event, and that training paid off.
Goal set and achieved, Nikic posted on Instagram, where he has 33,000 new followers. “Time to set a new and bigger goal for 2021.”
One of Nikic’s biggest fans, all-time tennis great Billie Jean King, tweeted the perfect response: “No limits. No boundaries. Keep dreaming big and going for it!”
As for that medal he won for completing the race, he gifted it to his loving mom. With hope of competing in the 2022 Special Olympics scheduled in Orlando, it looks as if Chris Nikic has plenty of big dreams yet to come true.
1. What did Nikic’s performance during Iron Man Race prove?| A．He is strong. | B．He is confident. | C．He is kind. | D．He is careful. |
| A．Praised. | B．Surprised. | C．Supported. | D．Encouraged. |
| A．He wanted to make Nikic famous. |
| B．He wanted to encourage Nikic. |
| C．He wanted to show respect for Nikic. |
| D．He wanted to show his relationship with Nikic. |
| A．Chris Nikic encourages people to exercise |
| B．Chris Nikic won first place in Iron Man Race |
| C．Athlete with Down’s Syndrome makes history |
| D．Special Iron Man Race was held for special athletes |
3 . Cheerleading is the fastest growing girls' sport, yet more than half of Americans do not believe it is a sport. In addition, they fail to distinguish between sideline cheerleaders and competitive ones. Sideline cheerleaders’ main goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers, which should not be considered a sport.
Competitive cheerleading includes lots of physical activities. The “fliers” are thrown in the air, held by “bases” in different positions that require strength and cooperation with other teammates. And just as basketball and football have guidelines for competitive play, so does competitive cheerleading.
Some people argue cheerleaders are just “girls in skirts” with their only job to entertain the crowd.
| A．Cheerleaders must learn to perform in public. |
| B．Competitive cheerleaders’ goal is to be the best. |
| C．Cheerleading follows these guidelines, so it is a sport. |
| D．However, competitive cheerleading is a sport. |
| E．Cheerleading is recognized as a sport by many schools. |
| F．The whole routine has to be completed in less than 3 minutes and 15 seconds. |
| G．Actually, cheerleading has become as well-known a sport as football and basketball. |
4 . Most people would tremble at the idea of getting caught up in a 73.5-foot wave. But for Brazilian pro-surfer Maya, it presented the perfect opportunity to break her 2018 world record for the largest wave surfed by a female. The athlete skillfully maneuvered (操控) the massive wave at the World Surf League (WSL) Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge in Praia do Norte, Portugal, where she established her first world record by riding a 68-foot wave.
“When I let go of the rope, I had a feeling it could be the one but wasn’t sure. The speed was very high, but the noise that the wave made when it broke made me realize that this was probably the biggest wave I’d ever ridden.
Her record, earning her WSL’s 2020 women’s Biggest Wave Award, was two feet higher than Dupont’s wave, who had ridden the largest wave. It was also 3.5 feet higher than the 70-foot wave ridden by the 2020 men’s Biggest Wave Award winner Kai Lenny!
“Our sport is very male-dominated, with the performances on the male side being often much stronger than ours as females,” she said. “This year, a woman did surf the biggest, tallest wave of the year. It opens the idea that in other categories and other areas of surfing, this could be accomplished, too.”
Though Maya, who has been surfing competitively since she was 15, seemed to effortlessly move over the monster surf, it has not all been smooth sailing. Her first attempt at pursuing the world’s biggest wave in Nazare, Portugal, in 2013 could have ended her career. The surfer suffered a disastrous wipeout that broke her ankle and almost caused her to drown. However, it did not reduce her determination to create her record as one of the world’s greatest surfers!
1. What was Maya’s result in WSL Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge in 2018?| A．71.5 feet. | B．68 feet. |
| C．70 feet. | D．73.5 feet. |
| A．The noise of the wave. | B．The speed of the wave. |
| C．The size of the wave. | D．The height of the wave. |
| A．It reflected people’s idea about surfing. |
| B．It represented the highest level of surfers. |
| C．It proved the ability of female surfers. |
| D．It indicated the domination of males. |
| A．Her strong will. | B．Her talent. |
| C．Her attempt. | D．Her frustration. |
5 . Writing contests are a great way for high school students to showcase their creative skills. Here are some of the top free writing contests for high school students.
Young Lions Fiction Contest
Award Amount: $10,000
Deadline: Usually in September
The Young Lions Fiction Contest was established in 2001 by the New York Public Library. Five finalists are recognized, with one taking home the grand prize of $10,000. To qualify, the author must be 25 or younger and submit a novel or a collection of short stories.
53-Word Story Contest
Award: Publication in Prime Number Magazine
Deadline: 21st of each month
Hosted by Prime Number Magazine, writers are put to the test and have to respond to a prompt (提示) with a 53-word story. The prompt changes each month, and the responses must be 53 words exactly. Only stories are permitted and only one submission per writer per month is allowed.
Signet Essay Contest
Award Amount: $1,000 to be used towards your higher education
Deadline: April 22, 2021
I£ you are a Wuthering Heights fan, then the Signet Essay Contest is the one for you. Five high school juniors or seniors can win an award for their two to three — page essays. You must select one of the five prompts1 based on the events and characters in Wuthering Heights.
Ocean Awareness Contest
Award Amount: Scholarships up to $1,500
Deadline: June 15, 2021
The Ocean Awareness Contest aims to recognize writers while raising awareness about the climate crisis. Students can submit visual art, film or music. Each category has specific qualifications, so make sure to check.
1. How many people can get the grand prize in Young Lions Fiction Contest?| A．One. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Ten. |
| A．It is held on the last day of each month. |
| B．The participants can choose any topic. |
| C．It awards winners a large sum of money. |
| D．The entry must contain exactly 53 words. |
| A．They are all free of charge. |
| B．They provide scholarships. |
| C．They accept various forms of works. |
| D．They center on environmental issues. |
6 . Alysa Liu is an ice skater. In 2016, the then 10-year-old girl became the youngest intermediate figure skating （花样滑冰）champion in U.S. history. In 2018, Liu became the youngest to compete in and win the U.S. junior championships.
In January, 2019, she made history again at the Geico U.S. Women's Figure Skating Championships. At the championships, things were initially going well for the defending U.S. champion Bradie Tennell. But later Tennell had a falling in her performance. Meanwhile, Liu became the first and youngest U.S. woman to land three triple axels （三周半跳）in competition.
Though Liu made them look, easy, triple axels are extremely challenging. The skater has to jump from the outside edge of one skate, turning in the air. "Double" or “triple" refers to the number of rotations （旋转）the skater completes before landing. The term is a little misleading given that the skater has to do an extra half rotation, meaning that for a triple, the skater is actually completing 3.5 rotations. To be successful, the skater has to have both incredible body strength and control.
When asked about her great performance, Liu thought it was not worth showing off. And she was enthusiastic about preparing for bigger games. But Liu was ineligible to compete at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships in Japan due to the minimum age requirement of 15. However, that didn't bother her.
Liu fell in love with ice skating during her first lesson at a center. She showed such talent that Laura Lipetsky, who was teaching the group lessons, asked her father to let her receive private lessons. Lipetsky said, “She wanted to learn, and I wanted to guide." The two have been inseparable since then. In 2017 Laura sent Liu to the University of Delaware for a certain analysis that researchers have created to help outstanding American skaters improve their jump techniques.
Liu has been homeschooled since the age of 10. She gets her homework done between daily practices, and usually eats dinner in the car on her way home. Though that might appear to be a lot for someone so young, Liu takes it happily.
1. What achievement did Alysa make at the age of 13?| A．She won the U.S. junior championships. |
| B．She was allowed to compete in the 2019 championships in Japan. |
| C．She became an intermediate figure skating champion. |
| D．She defeated the defending U.S. champion Bradie Tennell. |
| A．The requirements for figure skating. |
| B．The difficulty of carrying out triple axels. |
| C．The skills needed in skating rotations. |
| D．The differences between double axels and triple axels. |
| A．Lacking time. | B．Lacking confidence. |
| C．Having no qualification. | D．Showing little enthusiasm. |
| A．She was good at teaching group lessons. |
| B．She instructed Liu's father in figure skating. |
| C．She made a contribution in Liu's progress in sports. |
| D．She obtained great support from Liu and her father. |
7 . Over half of Tokyo’s residents don’t think the postponed 2020 Olympics should be held in 2021, backing either a further delay or complete cancellation because of fears for the coronavirus, according to a poll(民意调查) published on Monday.
The survey carried out by two Japanese news organizations is only a single data point, but comes after health experts warned that even a year’s delay may not be enough to hold the Games safely.
The poll found 51.7 percent of respondents hope the Games in 2021 are postponed again or canceled, while 46.3 percent want to see the rescheduled Olympics go ahead. Among those opposed to the 2021 Games, 27.7 percent said they want them canceled altogether, while 24 percent would prefer a second postponement.
The telephone poll, conducted by Kyodo News and Tokyo MX television between Friday and Sunday, received 1,030 replies. Of those who said they want to see the Games held in 2021, 31.1 percent said the event should be on a smaller scale, while 15. 2 percent said they want to see fully developed Olympics.
Tokyo 2020 was postponed in March as the coronavirus spread across the globe, causing the worst disruption(中断) to the Olympics since two editions were canceled during World War II. The Games are now scheduled to begin on July 23, 2021, although they will still be known as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Officials from Japan and the International Olympic Committee(IOC) have warned that it will not be possible to postpone them again, and even the year-long delay has created significant financial and logistical(后勤的) headaches.
Earlier in June, the mayor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike told AFP that the rescheduled Olympics will be safe despite the coronavirus pandemic, promising to make a “120-percent effort” to ensure the first-ever postponed Games can go ahead. Koike has been heavily involved in preparations for the Games, traveling to Rio for the handover ceremony after the last Summer Olympics.
1. What can we learn about the poll from the text?| A．It lasted two days in total. |
| B．It was conducted by the IOC. |
| C．It was carried out on the phone. |
| D．It aimed to evaluate the safety of the Games. |
| A．About 533 respondents don’t want to see the Games held in 2021. |
| B．There are more respondents hoping to delay the event rather than cancel it. |
| C．Over half of the respondents would like to see the delayed Games go ahead. |
| D．Some respondents support delaying the event because they need full-scale Olympics. |
| A．The athletes are strongly opposed to it. |
| B．COVID-19 will be under control soon. |
| C．They have made full preparations for them. |
| D．It will be too costly to bear a second time. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Optimistic. |
| C．Worried. | D．Indifferent. |
8 . Esports (electronic sports) are organized competitions where players — often referred to as “athletes” — face off against each other in video games. They are not just games in a sense. Actually, they are a sport that can improve the players’ thinking ability, hand-eye coordination, willpower and team spirit.
The esports industry has experienced significant growth in recent years around the world, though it’s still in the nascent stage, which means it has huge growth potential going forward.
While the assumption is that esports are only a recent phenomenon, in reality the first esports-like event was held back in 1972, when some Stanford University students competed against one another in the game Spacewar. The prize? A year-long subscription to Rolling Stone magazine.
The ’80s saw the first true videogame tournament, with over 10,000 players gathering for the Space Invaders Championship. However, most of the period saw that players focused on beating each other’s highest scores rather than competing in organized tournaments.
As gaming became more popular, the ’90s became the first decade when esports (a term which wasn’t yet coined) began to really take off, with companies such as Nintendo and Sega holding professional gaming tournaments. This is also when we began to see money becoming a factor in professional gaming. But it is the 1997 Red Annihilation Quake tournament that is considered the world’s first real esports event. Only a few weeks later, the Cyberathlete Professional League was formed — an organization which is considered a pioneer of esports.
Due to the normalization of gaming and the Internet (along with technological advances), the real surge ( 激增 ) of esports came in the recent decade. It was then that we began seeing what we now know to be modern-day esports. As streaming platforms such as YouTube took off, people began to show interest in not only playing videogames but watching them too. Popular tournaments now sell out stadiums and professional players can earn millions from prize money, advertising and salaries.
1. What does the underlined word “nascent” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Beginning. | B．Peak. |
| C．Mature. | D．Final. |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the order of time. | D．By following the order of importance. |
| A．They spread worldwide overnight. |
| B．Prize money appeared in the 1990s. |
| C．The first real esports event was held in 1972. |
| D．The athletes in esports are programmers. |
| A．They are getting popular. |
| B．They become too commercialized. |
| C．They boost the normalization of the Internet. |
| D．Their development relies on advertising. |
9 . Welcome to the International Science Drama Competition 2022
This competition is an annual event aimed to promote science through drama. It involves teams from Singapore and overseas, and will be a great opportunity for you to showcase your talents on an international level.
What is the theme for the International Science Drama Competition 2022?
The theme for 2022 is “Sustainable Agriculture for a Better Future”.
Your performance should combine scientific content and drama. Examples of some possible topics include but are not limited to the following:
Farming using renewable energy sources
Hydroponics(水栽培)and Aquaponics(养种共生)
Food security
Protecting the environment as we meet society's food and textile needs
How do I participate in the International Science Drama Competition 2022?
Junior Category
All participants must be age 12 or below, excluding teachers or adults who can help as backstage crew.
Open Category
Teams will compete in this category when at least one member is above age 12.
Short Films Category
There is no age limit for participants. You may participate with your friends, families or community groups. You may represent your school or an organization or just form a team and compete on your own.
Mark your calendars!
| Date | Programme |
| March 8,2022 | Submission of Entry Forms |
| May 5,2022 | Video Submission Deadline |
| May 19,2022 | Announcement of Shortlisted Finalists' Videos |
| June 7,2022 | Video Submission Deadline for Finalists |
| June 14~23,2022 | LIVE Online Polling of Finalists' Videos |
| June 28,2022 | Results Announcement |
| July ~ September,2022 (Date to be confirmed) | GRAND FINALS! (Online) |
1. What do we know about the competition?
| A．Its theme is limited to four topics. |
| B．It's held in many different countries. |
| C．It's intended to promote science through drama. |
| D．Its participants will go from one category to another. |
| A．You must have an adult coach. |
| B．You must represent your school. |
| C．At least one member is above age 12. |
| D．All participants must be age 12 or below. |
| A．By March 8, 2022. | B．By June 7, 2022. |
| C．By June 28, 2022. | D．By September 14, 2022. |
Shooting down an ice-covered track, a bobsled（大雪橇）can go faster than 80 miles an hour, and riders can feel force five times stronger than the pull of gravity. A race can be won or lost by one hundredth of a second. How do bobsleds go faster than cars on a highway? The answer is a combination of athletics and science.
At the start of a race, the crew push their sled, building up speed before they jump in for the ride. For months before the race, the crew have built up power in their legs. The push is the crew's only chance to add speed. All other work goes into keeping friction and drag（摩擦力和阻力）from slowing the sled down.
The design of the sled's runners（滑板）reduces their friction with the ice. The friction of a moving runner melts a little ice right under the runner, and the runner rides on that thin layer of water. The runners are rounded on the bottom. Runners that are too flat may not melt enough ice for fast ride. Runners that are too round may become too warm, softening the ice and slowing the sled down. No amount of rounding is perfect for all races because the hardness of the ice depends on the weather on race day.
Bobsleds used to be open. The riders did not sit inside a hull（外壳）. As the crew sped down the track，the air would create drag. Today, a sled's hull reduces drag by splitting the air in front of the sled and making it flow smoothly along the slides. As with the runners，strict rules apply to the hull. For example，no team may add any part that would create helpful air currents.
Reducing friction and drag creates another challenge: high speeds. “The faster the sleds car travel on the run, the more thrilling the race,” one research team wrote. “But the track must not be too fast: he crew still need to be able to reach the bottom safely.”
1. What's the text mainly about?| A．The shape of the sled. | B．The design of the runners. |
| C．The safety rules applying to the sled. | D．The elements relating to the sled's speed |
| A．Proper amount of melted ice is needed for a fast ride. |
| B．The rounder the runners are, the faster the sled goes. |
| C．Thin layer of water would drag the runners backward. |
| D．A sled's movement has nothing to do with weather. |
| A．It's comfortable to sit in. | B．It leads to beneficial air flow. |
| C．It helps to create a safe ride. | D．It's free from strict rules. |
| A．Safety is the most important. | B．Keeping high speed is difficult. |
| C．Riders' desire to win is understandable. | D．The crew's cooperation is necessary. |
