1 . How to watch Cubs and White Sox exhibition games?
Want to watch the Chicago Cubs and White Sox (two baseball teams) “summer camp” exhibitions? Here’s what you need to know.
When do the Cubs and White Sox play?
The teams are scheduled to play practice games against each other at 7:05 p. m. Sunday at Wrigley Field and at 7:10 p. m. Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
On Wednesday night, the Cubs host the Minnesota Twins at 6:05 and the Sox welcome the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 as a prelude(前奏) to season openers set for next Friday.
What channels will the Cubs and White Sox be on?
If you live in the Cubs TV market, you’ll find their games on Marquee Sports Network, its app and website, assuming you subscribe to a cable, satellite or streaming service that has a carriage arrangement (转播权)with the new channel.
Sox games are on NBC Sports Chicago, its app and website if you have a service that has a carriage arrangement. Both channels will have both Cubs-Sox exhibitions. Although they will be blacked out inside the Chicago TV market and the Indiana TV market, ESPN also will carry Sunday’s Cubs-Sox rehearsal and MLB Network will have Wednesday’s Twins-Cubs battle.
Where will announcers(播音员)call the games from?
ESPN’s Jon Sciambi, Chipper Jones and Rick Sutcliffe (who’s an occasional Marquee contributor) will work Sunday’s game remotely from their homes the way the network has handled its coverage of South Korean ball games.
NBC Sports Chicago’s Jason Benetti and Steve Stone will announce all of the Sox games, including Sunday’s at Wrigley, from their booth setup at Guaranteed Rate Field, as they will all season regardless of where the games are played. Ditto for Marquee’s Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies working at Wrigley Field regardless of where the Cubs are.
The home team’s TV crew will be responsible for producing a videotape everyone can share. So games from Wrigley will be produced by Marquee and games from Guaranteed Rate Field will be produced by NBC Sports Chicago.
1. How many games will the Cubs have before season openers?| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．On MLB Network. |
| B．In the Indiana TV market. |
| C．In the Chicago TV market. |
| D．On Marquee Sports Network. |
| A．They are all good baseball players. |
| B．They only announce practice games. |
| C．They don’t have to be at the game site. |
| D．They will help produce videotapes for players. |
2 . The Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon have developed from the garden party atmosphere of the first meeting in 1877, witnessed by a few hundred spectators, to a highly professional tournament attracting an attendance of close to 500, 000 people. Players from over 60 nations regularly compete in front of a crowd of millions worldwide, through the press, radio, the internet and television.
The Championships start six weeks before the first Monday in August and last approximately a fortnight, until all events are complete. The following schedule is a guide and may be changed at the decision of the Referee. Matches may also be delayed due to circumstances beyond the AELTC’s control, e. g. weather, player injury etc.
Day | Schedule |
Mon 3 July Tue 4 July | Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Singles First Round |
Wed 5 July Thu 6 July | Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Singles Second Round Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Doubles First Round |
| … | … |
| Thu 13 July Fri 14 July | Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Singles & Doubles Semi-finals |
Sat 15 July Sun 16 July | Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Singles & Doubles Final |
2023 Ticket Prices July
A ticket is not required for those under five; however, children under five are not allowed into the Show Courts (Centre, No.1, No.2, No.3, Court12 and Court18). Children over five and under 16 are welcome, provided they are accompanied by an adult at all times and have their own seat.
1. Why do hundreds of thousands of people come to Wimbledon every summer?| A．To watch tennis matches. | B．To attend garden parties. |
| C．To compete in a tournament. | D．To appreciate its scenery. |
| A．£ 255 | B．£ 230 | C．£ 220 | D．£ 200 |
| A．Centre court. | B．No. 1 court. |
| C．No. 3 court. | D．Grounds Passes. |
3 . Yeva Klingbeil’s high school track career was cut suddenly when she was diagnosed (诊断) with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that affects muscle tissue. Klingbeil, 18, had to go through months of chemotherapy (化疗) and radiation treatments after her diagnosis, which left her too weak to compete.
The COVID-19 left Klingbeil away from her teammates as school went virtual and track meets were canceled. She faced another challenge recently when doctors discovered her cancer had returned, leading to more chemotherapy.
Despite the challenges, Klingbeil’s track coach, Rob Cloutier, reached out to her to see if she would like to join her teammates in a tradition in which seniors run the 4x100 race at the last home track meet of the season. “I told her to run the anchor leg, which is the final leg of the race,” said Cloutier. “I wanted her to be able to do it one last time.”
Hearing the news, Klingbeil was excited. Meanwhile, Klingbeil was just starting to walk again after using a wheelchair due to complications (并发症) from chemotherapy, but she was committed to running her high school track one last time with her teammates.
Klingbeil had a chemotherapy treatment on the day of the last track meet, May 24, and then put on her team uniform for the first time in over a year. When it was her turn, her three race teammates came to her side and walked the track with her. The entire Shen High School track team also walked along with Klingbeil from the field and then rushed and cheered for her when she crossed the finish line. “That was a great surprise,” Klingbeil said, “I feel accomplished because crossing the line was a perfect end of my high school track career.”
Cloutier said he had watched Klingbeil go through her cancer battle with that same level of determination, saying “She’s worked through this challenge in her life without a single complaint and with a smile on her face. Everyone who has witnessed her can learn a little bit from that.”
1. Why couldn’t Klingbeil continue her track career?| A．She hurt her muscle badly. | B．She must focus on her study. |
| C．She had little time for running. | D．She suffered from a severe disease. |
| A．He made a wheelchair for her. | B．He asked her to join a special team. |
| C．He made her run her track one last time. | D．He organized her teammates to help her. |
| A．She had a treatment after it. | B．She didn’t make it to the finish line. |
| C．She had a sense of achievement after it. | D．She walked the track with all her teammates. |
| A．Caring and optimistic. | B．Determined and positive. |
| C．Responsible and sensitive. | D．Powerful and independent. |
4 . The marathoner Molly Seidel was the third American woman in history to win an Olympic medal in the marathon, but her road to success was not smooth. She skipped the 2016 U. S. Olympic trials to make her mental health a priority. Seidel thought her career might be over back in 2016. Treatment changed everything. She became a better athlete than ever. When she crossed the finish line at the Tokyo Olympics, she screamed with joy.
In a world that rewards constant toughness, Seidel’s breakthrough was a case study in the value of patience and self care. Despite the conventional wisdom that the career of a professional athlete should be an unbroken upward path to peak performance, Seidel stepped away to protect her health, recovered, and came back stronger.
Many of the most storied moments in Olympics history are simplified examples of athletes pushing past pain, injury and mental exhaustion to compete. Who can forget Kerri Strug who in 1996 vaulted on an injured ankle, then was carried off the mat to receive her medal? But the story of this most recent Olympics was athletes choosing to protect their health instead of sacrificing it to compete.
The gymnast Simone Biles was a typical example, when she declined to compete after experiencing a bad case of “the twisties”. Top athletes across global competitions this year spoke openly about stepping back from competition to recalibrate. The British cricketer Ben Stokes recently announced an “indefinite break” from the game to check into treatment for his mental health; the tennis star Naomi Osaka dropped out of the French Open; and the British swimmer Adam Peaty celebrated winning two gold medals in Tokyo with the announcement that he’s taking a month off to take care of himself.
Seidel’s Olympic performance proves this approach: Giving yourself time to heal and rest is not just the compassionate thing to do for your health. It can be also the smartest strategy for success. It’s a powerful lesson in how to handle the natural derailments (脱轨) of life. We’re seeing burnout. Olympians, are warning us to the problems of an overly goal-oriented society.
1. Seidel gave up the 2016 U.S. Olympic trials to ________.| A．attend the Tokyo Olympics | B．receive mental treatment |
| C．put and end to her athlete career | D．improve her performance |
| A．value patience and self care | B．take a break when necessary |
| C．keep up training until they succeed | D．protect their health instead of sacrificing it |
| A．To give advice on how to win gold medals. |
| B．To emphasize how cruel the competition is. |
| C．To show athletes caring more about their health. |
| D．To tell training stories of some successful athletes. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Cautious. | D．Unclear. |
5 . Rachael Blackmore walked along the track the evening before the Grand National. The jockey (赛马师) was determined, and she would fight to the last bit of her strength to win.
But the way for her to be a jockey was not easy. She grew up a farmer’s daughter. “Being a professional jockey was something I had never thought of,” she said. She studied science at university. But through all that time she was riding because “I just love riding. And I love winning too.” When finishing college at 25, she assumed her riding days were over because “I had to get a real job.”
However, fortune smiled on her because she was filled with talent and banging on the door. Her coach said he would turn her professional. It was harder for female to get rides and open doors, yet she did not tell her story as a victory over hardship. “Once you break down that initial barrier, then you are fine.” she said.
On the day of the Grand National, she thought her horse, Minella, would take well to the fences. But the race was dominated by Jett at first. Rachael did not give up. It was with the last two fences to jump when Jett was fading. “I was beside him and Minella seemed to grab the opportunity.”
They jumped the last with a lead. “I couldn’t hear or feel another horse behind me and Minella was still going forward for me. I tried to keep balance and we hit the line,” she said, “I definitely started crying.”
She became a history maker but she was not proud at all. “I am looking forward to next year, looking at my upcoming races. I know, my best race is certainly the next one!” she said.
1. What does “that initial barrier” in paragraph 3 refer to?| A．The financial hardship. |
| B．The improper education background. |
| C．The lack of an excellent and qualified jockey coach. |
| D．The prejudice against being a professional woman jockey. |
| A．Rachael’s difficult process of being a real jockey. |
| B．The fortunes Rachael had when growing up. |
| C．The friendship between Rachael and her coach. |
| D．The good personalities helping Rachael succeed. |
| A．She lost her chance. | B．She fell off Minella. |
| C．She was stopped by a line. | D．She won the Grand National. |
| A．Reflective. | B．Carefree. |
| C．Ambitious. | D．Practical. |
6 . The FIFA World Cup Trophy (奖杯) is arguably one of the most iconic prizes in the sporting world. So far, two different trophies have been used in the history of the FIFA World Cups.
The Jules Rimet Trophy was the first trophy awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cups. Initially, the old trophy was originally named “Victory”. However, this trophy was renamed “the Jules Rimet Trophy” in 1946. This change was made to honor former FIFA president Jules Rimet, who voted to organize the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. French sculptor Abel Lafleur designed the trophy in 1930. The trophy was 14 inches in height and weighed 8.4 pounds. It was comprised of a winged representation of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory and was inspired by the Nike of Samothrace statue.
Uruguay became the first champion and kept the trophy in 1930. The trophy was eventually retired when Brazil won the World Cup final for the third time in 1970. Following their success in Mexico, Brazil was allowed to keep the trophy permanently. However, the original trophy was stolen for a second time in 1983. It was never recovered, and it was claimed that it had been melted down into gold bars. Following the retirement of the Jules Rimet Trophy, FIFA needed a new cup. Eventually, Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga’s design was selected as the new World Cup trophy.
The modern FIFA World Cup trophy describes two human figures holding the earth on top of their heads. The base of the trophy has “FIFA World Cup” engraved (刻). Furthermore, following every World Cup, the name of the winning team and the winning year is also engraved at the base. The trophy weighs 13.61 pounds. Unlike the Jules Rimet Trophy, the winning nations and future winners don’t get to hold the original trophy anymore. The new regulations state that it remains in FIFA’s possession. Instead, winners are given a gold-plated bronze replica (青铜复制品) provided by FIFA. West Germany was the first nation to lift the modern World Cup trophy in 1974.
The new trophy can hold up to seventeen names and years and is likely to be retired following the 2038 World Cup.
1. Why was the first World Cup trophy renamed?| A．To remember the designer of the cup. | B．To welcome a new global soccer event. |
| C．To expand the popularity of the World Cup. | D．To show great respect for the former FIFA president. |
| A．Italy. | B．Mexico. | C．Brazil. | D．Uruguay. |
| A．It is made of gold and bronze. | B．It is owned by FIFA instead of the winners. |
| C．It bears the word “Victory” at the bottom. | D．It varies the design every seventeen years. |
| A．The rules of the World Cup. | B．The history of the World Cup trophy. |
| C．The growing trend of watching the World Cup. | D．The inspiration for creating the World Cup trophy. |
7 . Let’s take a look at these traditional events in the UK.
World Gurning Championships
Gurning is a British word meaning to pull a funny facial expression. The World Gurning Championships sets out to crown(加冕) a contestant who can pull the strangest face of all. The contest takes place every year in Egremont, Cumbria, as part of the town’s Crab Fair, which dates back to 1267.
Nettle eating contest
Hosted by the Bottle Inn pub in Marsh wood, Dorset every year, this 20-year-old nettle eating contest sees dozens of competitors take part in eating as many nettle stalks(荨麻茎) as possible within one hour. Winners normally eat around 70ft of nettle stalks!
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival
Every January, the Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival takes place, which dates back more than 200 years. The strange festival consists of a performer wearing a five-stone metal and straw bear costume, while parading through the town streets with a group of Appalachian and Morris dancers.
Wife carrying race
If you think your husband is strong enough to carry you in a race, then you may be in with a chance of winning this odd tradition, held in Dorking, Surrey every March. The sport actually originates from the Viking invasion(入侵) of 793 AD. The tradition wasn’t revived in the UK until 2008, but now comes with a friendlier feel. The winner receives £100, while the carrier of the heaviest wife is given a pound of sausage.
1. What do we know about World Gurning Championships?| A．It was briefly banned. | B．It is part of another activity. |
| C．It attracts funny-looking players. | D．It originates from an English word. |
| A．Wife carrying race. | B．Nettle eating contest. |
| C．Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival. | D．World Gurning Championships. |
| A．They are held in the wild. | B．They are yearly events. |
| C．They are invented by farmers. | D．They’re only for strong players. |
8 . Qatar World Cup Stadiums
For the 2022 World Cup, Qatar has gone all out to build and rebuild eight breathtaking stadiums. All of them are located in its capital Doha and the neighbouring cities, and will host 32 teams in 64 matches. The average capacity (容量) of the stadiums is as high as over 53,000.
Qatari officials made a budget that they may need to pay up to $10 billion to complete the stadiums for this World Cup, but they have managed to get it done for less. The cost for all eight World Cup stadiums stands at around $6.5 billion.
All the stadiums are powered by solar-panel farms, and, given Qatar’s hot climate, their cooling systems have been particularly designed. In fact, Qatar’s devotion to sound environmental practices has earned all the stadiums four or five stars from the Global Sustainability Assessment System. It’s also very impressive.
Here are four stadiums of the eight modern marvels.
Al Bayt Stadium
Location: Al Khor. Cost: $847 million. Capacity:60,000.
Matches planned: Opening match and all matches through to the semi-finals.
Khalifa International Stadium
Location: Aspire. Cost: $374 million. Capacity: 40,000.
Matches planned: Group matches, round of 16, and play off for third place game.
Lusail Stadium
Location: Lusail. Cost: $767 million. Capacity: 80,000.
Matches planned: Until the final match.
Stadium 974
Location: Ras Abu Aboud. Cost: Unknown. Capacity: 40,000.
Matches planned: Group matches and round of 16.
1. How much do all eight Qatar World Cup stadiums cost to complete?| A．$767 million. | B．$10 billion. | C．$847 million. | D．about $6.5 billion. |
| A．Al Khor. | B．Aspire. | C．Lusail. | D．Ras Abu Aboud. |
| A．They hold the same number of audience. | B．They are environmentally friendly. |
| C．They are of the same size and design. | D．They are far away from the capital Doha. |
9 . National Music Theater Competition
The 2024 National Music Theater Competition (NMTC) will be held. It was launched in 2011 as the first national competition for the emerging professional music theater soloist (独唱者). NMTC has provided industry connections for past competitors and winners that have led to their success on Broadway and other venues.
Prizes (each prize only for a person)
The champion: $5,000 plus a concert at the next national conference of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), a $1,000 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard, a Career Management Services package from Stage Door Connections.
The runner-up: $2,500 plus a $500 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard.
The third place: Louise Lerch Prize; $1,000 cash prize.
The fourth place: Bill Hayes Prize; $750 cash prize.
Qualification
Singers aged from 20 to 28 as of September 15, 2023.
Entrance Procedure
Application requires a fee of $900, but for these students of NATS members the fee is $75. Application fees due to cancellation by the applicant won’t be returned. All application materials must be submitted by September 15, 2023. If you are planning to submit your application for the online round, you must complete the submission by September 15, 2023, but you’ll have 30 days after the deadline to upload your audition (试唱) videos. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Where to Audition
The preliminary (预选的) round
Live auditions: November 1 to 10, 2023 in New York City.
Online auditions: Video submission deadline is October 15, 2023.
Semifinal and final rounds
Live auditions: The semifinal round: January 3 to 9, 2024; the final round: January 15 to 20, 2024.
The semifinal and final rounds will be held in New York City as part of the 2024 NATS Winter Workshop.
1. Why was the National Music Theater Competition launched?| A．To make people like music. |
| B．To promote the leisure industry. |
| C．To popularize Broadway musicals. |
| D．To seek promising talents. |
| A．A $500 Gift Certificate and Louise Lerch Prize. |
| B．$2,500 in prize money and a Gift Certificate. |
| C．A Career Management Services package. |
| D．A chance to perform at a concert. |
| A．Being at least 28 years old. |
| B．Applying for membership of NATS. |
| C．Submitting application materials on time. |
| D．Uploading audition videos by September 15. |
| A．Competitors can enter the semifinal round on January 18, 2024. |
| B．Both online and live auditions are available in any round. |
| C．There are three rounds in the competition in total. |
| D．Application submission deadline is October 15, 2023. |
| A．To call on people to explore their potential in music. |
| B．To attract young singers to apply for the competition. |
| C．To appeal to young singers to become NATS members. |
| D．To encourage people to enter the musical industry. |
10 . The Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon, an endurance race of 875km, was considered the toughest in the world. It used to be a five-day race, with only the world-class athletes daring to attempt it. Most athletes who took part in this ultramarathon were under 30 years of age.
Cliff was a farmer from Australia with a dream of running a race. When he attended the race, he was 61 years old. He had no specialized sportswear. Instead, he wore galoshes overalls. When he appeared at the venue, the onlookers thought he was probably a spectator. To their surprise, Cliff picked up a race number.
Having grown up on a farm, Cliff had to go out to round up the sheep every time there was a storm, because his family could not afford horses or tractors. Two thousand sheep scattered across two thousand acres of land—it took him as long as three days of chasing the animals, but he always succeeded.
The race began, and the strong and young racers started leaving Cliff behind. The racers had a strategy. They would be running hours each for the five days of the race, and sleep for the remaining 6 hours. Nonetheless, Cliff had no such strategy! Being an amateur athlete, he was not familiar with any such game plan. So, he just ran on and on, and the next morning, when the other athletes woke up, they found that the old man had caught up with the others by jogging all night. By the final night of the race, he had surpassed the other competitors and became the champion.
The next time Cliff caught attention again when he was 76. He took up the challenge of running along Australia’s border, across a distance of 16,000 km with the aim of raising money for homeless children. Unfortunately, his crew member fell ill, and Cliff had to withdraw from the race, after running for 6520 km.
Cliff, a simple farmer, created a one-of-a-kind history. Instead of withering away, he started his new life, and showed the world that it’s never too late to start following the heart and pursuing dreams.
1. Why the age of the athletes is mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To explain the rule of the race. | B．To introduce the level of the race. |
| C．To show the popularity of the race. | D．To stress the toughness of the race. |
| A．His hard training. | B．His advanced sportswear. |
| C．His working experience. | D．His well-designed strategy. |
| A．Intelligent and generous. | B．Persevering and sympathetic. |
| C．Ambitious and optimistic. | D．Determined and insightful. |
| A．Cliff, the winner of many running races |
| B．Cliff, a senior farmer pursuing his dream |
| C．Cliff, a kind charitarian keen on raising money |
| D．Cliff, a simple Melbourne ultramarathon runner |
