1 . Around 60 young students from colleges in Britain participated in the Wokstar 2022 contest, with the final six battling for the top prize in Liverpool’s Lu Ban restaurant. Jean Claudine Villaneuva, a 29-year-old student at Middlesbrough College in northeastern England, became the first Wokstar winner.
For over 20 years, Villaneuva had specialized in British and French cuisine (烹饪) before his love turned to Chinese cooking.
“Wokstar is a fantastic new competition aimed at students across the UK. Our role here at Lu Ban is to talk about Chinese cuisine, Chinese culture, and introduce it to the rest of the UK. We thought, what better way to do that is to run a specifically Chinese cooking competition,” said Lu Ban’s head chef Dave Critchley. “We have had colleges from all over the country competing, and really, it’s about showcasing how fantastic Chinese cuisine is.”
Critchley said that in its founding year, the competition involved over 60 students. “I must say that the quality we’ve seen so far has been pleasantly surprising. I think it’s the enthusiasm and the love for Chinese food that is really inspiring. It’s great to see people getting really involved in this and really celebrating not just the food of China, but also the culture around it. And what we looked for in our finalists and our winner was actually someone who does understand the importance of Chinese cuisine.”
Critchley’s interest in Chinese cuisine started when he worked in Asian restaurants in Manchester before becoming head chef at Lu Ban.
“I was flown over to Tianjin in northern China, where I worked with some amazing chefs. It really opened my eyes. It was a life-changing experience and I have not looked back since,” he said.
1. Who took part in the Wokstar 2022 contest?| A．Exchange students in China. | B．Cooks in the Lu Ban restaurant. |
| C．Young students in the world. | D．College students in the UK. |
| A．To discover more talented cooks. |
| B．To understand Chinese cuisine and culture. |
| C．To attract more customers to Lu Ban restaurant. |
| D．To allow chefs to exchange their amazing cooking skills. |
| A．The great success of the contest. |
| B．The real importance of Chinese cuisine. |
| C．The richness of traditional Chinese culture. |
| D．The growing popularity of Chinese history in Britain. |
| A．To share a pleasant experience. |
| B．To recommend a healthy lifestyle. |
| C．To report a Chinese cooking competition. |
| D．To persuade readers to come to love Chinese food. |
2 . We love the idea of writing contests, but we hate con test fees. That’s why we’ve rounded up these 4 writing contests that all have no entry or reading fees. Some end soon, so be sure to apply for those right away if you’re interested.
The Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry is currently open for submissions. Poets can submit a book-length manuscript, but there is no page requirement. The winner will receive $10,000 and publication by Milkweed Editions. Deadline is March 1. To learn more, click the prize submission guidelines.
The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award is currently accepting nominations (提名，推荐). Indiana-born or Indiana-based Authors may nominate themselves or be nominated. There are several award categories. The cash awards range from $6,000 to $10,000. Deadline for nominations is March 18. To learn more, click the award guidelines.
Winning Writers is currently hosting its Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Poets can submit one humorous poem for consideration. The first place winner will receive $1,000; second place will receive $250; and 10 honorable mentions will receive $100 each. All winners will be published online. Deadline is April 1. To learn more, click the contest guidelines.
The Griffin Poetry Prize welcomes poets and translators to submit their work. Two prizes will be awarded. The Canadian Prize will go to a Canadian poet or translator who has published or translated a work. The International Prize will go to a poet or translator from any part of the world. Each prize winner will receive $65,000 CAD. Deadline is June 30, with a second deadline of December 31. To learn more, click the prize guidelines.
1. What do the four contests have in common?| A．All of them are for poetry only. | B．The winners’ works will be published. |
| C．Everyone is welcome to submit their works. | D．Application for the contests is free of charge. |
| A．The Griffin Poetry Prize. | B．Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. |
| C．The Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry. | D．The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award. |
| A．In a magazine. | B．On a website. | C．In an advertisement. | D．On a poster. |
3 . Everywhere and in every given time, children spend their days in simple but interesting games. One such game which has passed the test of time, becoming one of the oldest forms of child’s play ever known, is hoop rolling.
Hoop rolling is both a child’s game and a sport. A large hoop is rolled along the ground, generally by means of an object held by the player to keep it rolling. The aim of the game is to keep the hoop upright for as long periods of time as possible. First, the left hand supports the hoop; the right hand holds the long handle of the hook (钩). And then keep the balance of the hoop with the hook. Push the hoop to the ground, keep it rolling steadily and keep the hoop from falling. In the team competition, it is mainly about who is faster, and how far to roll.
Hoop rolling has a very long history and it has been recorded since ancient times in Africa, Asia and Europe. In Asia, the earliest records date from ancient China, and in Europe from ancient Greece. The ancient Greeks welcomed hoop rolling as a beneficial exercise for those not very strong. Besides, the game was also a common pastime of African village children.
Hoop rolling serves as evidence (证据) of everyday life about the long-gone civilization. Every year at Wellesley College, hoop rolling competition started as a memory of the May Day celebration of spring. Now it gradually becomes part of the graduation ceremony. Students celebrate by dressing up in children’s clothing and playing games. The child’s play popular in ancient times helps them escape from real-world worries.
The long history of the game shows that there indeed are inventions that are timeless. The human ability to make himself and others happy has been present since the beginning of civilization, and will be present forever.
1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about hoop rolling?| A．Its rules. | B．Its types. |
| C．Its history. | D．Its material |
| A．It offered a way to kill time. |
| B．It was fit for village children. |
| C．It could be played anywhere. |
| D．It helped the weak to exercise. |
| A．To remember the May Day celebration. |
| B．To promote a method of reducing stress. |
| C．To encourage other colleges to follow suit. |
| D．To give an example of preserving the tradition. |
| A．People’s hobbies have changed a lot. |
| B．All inventions will survive in history. |
| C．Good things can stand the test of time. |
| D．New games will always be on the way. |
4 . Here are some activities you might be interested in.
Watermedia Showcase
Prize: $2,500 first prize, $1,250 second prize
Entry Fee: $35 per entry
Requirements: Open to international artists 18 years of age and older
The Watermedia Showcase awards original art created primarily with water-based media on a surface created for water media. Judged by the editors of Watercolor Artist, all winners and honorable mentions will have their works featured in the magazine.
Jackson’s Painting Prize
Prize: £6,000 first prize
Entry Fee: £5 per entry
Requirements: Open to international artists of all ages
Jackson’s Painting Prize was created to reward excellence in two-dimensional (维度的) works of fine art. Both painting and drawing media are accepted and in addition to the main prize, there are also awards for best watercolor, and people’s choice.
The Lumen Prize for Digital Art
Prize: $4,000 first prize, with a $13,500 total prize fund
Entry Fee: $40 for two works ($ 32 for two works if submitted prior to March 24)
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide
This digital art competition is organized by Lumen Art Projects Ltd, a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to providing new opportunities for digital artists around the world. The contest guidelines are relatively loose — the only requirement is that the submitted artworks must somehow engage with technology.
Animago Award
Prize: £3,000 cash prize for Best Young Production
Entry Fee: Free
Requirements: Open to artists worldwide
For over 20 years the Animago Award competition has spotlighted talent in the fields of 3D animation (动画) and stills, visual effects, visualization, and design. Organized by the German magazine Digital Production, all winners are announced at the annual Animago conference in Munich, Germany.
1. What is special about Watermedia Showcase?| A．Artists needn’t pay any to enter it. | B．Artists of first prize will win £6,000. |
| C．No artist younger than 18 is allowed. | D．It’s organized by a non-profit organization. |
| A．Watermedia Showcase. | B．Jackson’s Painting Prize. |
| C．The Lumen Prize for Digital Art. | D．Animago Award. |
| A．A travel brochure. | B．A contest guide. | C．A course plan. | D．An academic article. |
5 . After 18 years of devotion to rhythmic gymnastics, Fanni Pigniczki claimed the gold medal on the international stage. The 23-year-old Hungarian topped the podium (领奖台) not just once but twice!
In a remarkable display of skill and determination, she secured victories in both the individual all-around and Ball at Chengdu Sport University Gymnasium. “It was an amazing feeling to see the Hungarian flag rising up,” Pigniczki said after the medal ceremony. At the Chengdu games, Hungary has secured three gold medals, with Pigniczki, the country’s only rhythmic gymnast then, responsible for two of those. But it was not without a sense of regret — her errors in the concluding pose denied her a medal in another round. Pigniczki vowed to learn from that setback. “I need to improve my stability in the coming training.” she said.
Actually, this positive attitude should be credited to her psychology background at Karoli Gaspar University in Budapest. This major benefits her athletic pursuits, helping her to better manage her emotions. “I have learned to stay calmer and think less during competition. I have also learned that I need to relax and concentrate on the ‘now’ of competition,” added Pigniczki.
“When I was a kid, I tried all kinds of activities like swimming, basketball, and ballet. Seeing the sparking outfit, I fell in love with rhythmic gymnastics instantly. But what truly attracts me is the feeling of readiness in the sport, as I could always improve more.” she said. It is this feeling that has motivated her to set numerous records for Hungarian rhythmic gymnastics. Her outstanding performances at the 2021 European championships earned her a spot at the delayed Tokyo Olympics. Pigniczki became the first Hungarian rhythmic gymnast to grace the Olympic stage since Viktoria Frater at the Sydney 2000 Games. At the Olympics, she finished 20th in the qualification round for the individual all-around. Last year, she continued to make history by becoming the first Hungarian to claim a World Cup medal in rhythmic gymnastics.
Her role in inspiring the next generation of gymnasts was recognized in May when she was honored with the Smart Scoring Shooting Star award.
1. What was Pigniczki’s notation towards her errors in competition?| A．She looked down upon them directly. |
| B．She had strong sense of regret for them. |
| C．She promised never to make them again. |
| D．She analyzed them with stable emotion. |
| A．The gold medals she won for her country. |
| B．The opportunities to perform at Olympics. |
| C．The feeling of making improvement constantly. |
| D．The attractive outfit she saw for the first time. |
| A．Motivated. |
| B．Responsible. |
| C．Dominated. |
| D．Predictable |
| A．Pride goes before a fall. |
| B．Care and diligence bring luck. |
| C．The power of example is endless. |
| D．All the roads lead to Rome. |
6 . Attention! We need to put a stop to parents doing harm to youth sports. It has gotten out of hand.
A recent study showed 26 million American children took part in non-school sports. By the age of 13, about 18.2 million quit.
No wonder kids are quitting. Many parents show no sportsmanship. They often shout happily at an injury if the injured player is on the other team. My brother Mario Widdowson got hit in the face during a soccer game. The parents from the other team were shouting gladly at his pain. All of the players were down on one knee waiting for Mario to get up, out of respect and it was the right thing to do. The kids did much better than these parents.
There are different types of parents. In the book “Parenting with Love and Logic” the authors describe two different types of parents. The first is helicopter parents, who don’t allow their kid to succeed or fail on their own. The other type is lawnmower parents, who clear anything in their child’s path to make life as easy as possible.
I have observed helicopter parents. When my brother was playing club soccer, one of his teammate’s parents shouted at their son. “Shoot the ball”. It was from about half field. He did it and the coach stopped him from playing and asked him to leave the field.
The parents are trying to coach their kids. The players on the field follow blindly and many mistakes happen. It’s not good for kids’ confidence. What is the purpose of youth sports anyway?
Problems happen in youth sports all over the United States. Parents need to behave themselves. Then the number of students who quit at the age of 13 will drop greatly.
1. What does the author want to show by using numbers in Paragraph 2?| A．American kids are sports lovers. |
| B．Parents can’t behave themselves. |
| C．Most kids give up sports half-way. |
| D．Non-school sports are popular among teens. |
| A．They lent a helping hand. | B．They cheered at his injury. |
| C．They waited for him to get up. | D．They kept shouting at their kids. |
| A．He made a mistake. |
| B．He missed his goal. |
| C．He turned to the coach again. |
| D．He didn’t want to go on with the sport. |
| A．Parents Should Respect Sports. | B．Non-school Sports Is Popular. |
| C．Encouragement Is Important for Kids. | D．Kids Need to Love Sports. |
7 . 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.
In the 1990s, Games like the beat’em up Street Fighter II and the first-person shooter Doom added variety to the increasingly popular competitive gaming scene. In the 2010s, MOBA games like League of Legends and Dota 2 became mainstream in the world of esports. In 2022, esports were announced to be officially included in the Asian Games. There are now over 40 esports games with players competing around the world at huge events.
Esports made their first appearance as a medal event at the Asian Games from Sept 23 to Oct 8, 2023. Seven games were included: FIFA Online 4, PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version, Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, Street and Fighter V.
Previously, eight esports games were scheduled at the Hangzhou Asian Games. However, virtual card game Hearthstone (《炉石传说》) was removed in March. This followed the breakdown of negotiations between Hearthstone producer, Blizzard Entertainment, and NetEase, their local partner company in China, over their rights partnership.
1. What is the current state of esports?| A．They face tough challenges. | B．They come ahead of other sports. |
| C．They have great future prospect. | D．They are no more than video games. |
| A．In the 1990s. | B．In the 2010s. | C．In 2022. | D．In 2023. |
| A．Its version was outdated. | B．Its schedule was up in the air. |
| C．Its gaming scenes were full of violence. | D．Its two parties failed to reach an agreement. |
8 . “The benefits brought to my life from running are not only physical. Running gets me out of home,” says Youyou, a visually impaired (视觉障碍) runner.
Yachi has been pacing (领跑) for Youyou for several years. They crashed into each other repeatedly when they first tried running with the 30cm-long rope between them. When they run, a 30cm-long blue rope connects Youyou’s left wrist (手腕) to Yachi’s right. They move like each other’s mirror image, using the rope as a form of communication. When Yachi’s and Youyou’s speeds are the same, the rope will naturally relax. The two don’t actually need to talk too much about running. Now, they run like each other’s clones.
Thanks to the rope, running is no longer a lonely task, explains Yachi. “This is a matter of achievements for both of us. Not only am I helping him improve, he is also pushing me to hold on and be strong,” he says.
When preparing for a competition, more pacers join them, forming a running formation. During training, Yao Ying runs in front, Yachi is on Youyou’s left, and Xiao Yu’er is at the back. Watching them run from behind, the unbreakable formation seems to surround (包围) Youyou; but in fact, all of them are surrounded by the unbreakable force of friendship.
Training is no longer the only purpose of their runs. It also allows them to hang out together as friends. When they go out to eat, Youyou doesn’t really like the restaurants that are overly attentive because he’s visually impaired, which makes him feel uncomfortable.
Yachi, Yao Ying and Xiao Yu’er all know Youyou well. No matter what they do, how much progress in running is made, and what exciting competitions are waiting, running has allowed them to connect and head into the unknown together, which in itself is a great achievement.
1. What can be inferred when the rope connecting the runner and the pacer relaxes?| A．They have different speeds. | B．Their rope should be removed. |
| C．They need further communication. | D．Their running pace is harmonious. |
| A．It is a boring task. | B．It is a win-win practice. |
| C．It stops him from running faster. | D．It requires him to push the runner. |
| A．The food is not pleasing. | B．He isn’t treated normally. |
| C．He isn’t offered enough care. | D．There are too many people there. |
| A．Pacing Is More Than Just Running | B．Friendship Develops with Competitions |
| C．An Excellent Running Team Is Being Formed | D．A Visually Impaired Runner Achieves Success |
9 . Courtney Rich of Utah, was running in the Salt Lake City marathon. But as she headed into Mile 24, she began to feel the one thing that she didn’t want to do: collapse. It began creeping up on her and then suddenly overtook her.
“I wanted them to see Mom finish strongly. Those are things I tell my kids as often as I can when things are hard or they’re playing in their own sports. ‘Just do your best and that best is going to be a little different every day,’” she said. But at that moment, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to finish the race. “When I can feel my legs slowing down and I know I’m going to disappoint my kids,” Rich said. “By Mile 24… I looked at my watch and that’s when I called my husband and was in tears,” she said. “I was just having a little pity party for myself for a minute.”
“Next thing I knew, my daughter ran out,” Rich recounted. “I kind of saw her out of the corner of my left eye and I realized it was Avery. I just put a huge smile on my face. I stuck out my hand, she grabbed it and all of a sudden, my legs that were hurting and the heaviness of my body just felt lighter and we just ran to the finish line hand in hand.”
The proud mom said Avery told her that she did what she knew her mom needed at that moment. “That is absolutely Avery’s character. She sees people. She has sympathy. She notices people and is aware of just feelings and needs,” Rich said.
“Don’t ever brush aside the inspiration to do a small act of kindness for someone because you just never know what impact that will have on people,” Rich added.
1. What happened to Rich on Mile 24?| A．She was disturbed by a party. | B．She was overcome by tiredness. |
| C．She was struggling to cross the finish line. | D．She received an unexpected call from her husband. |
| A．Confused. | B．Refreshed. | C．Astonished. | D．Worried. |
| A．She is reliable and creative. | B．She is energetic and friendly. |
| C．She is sympathetic and considerate. | D．She is ambitious and intelligent. |
| A．Failure is often the case in our life. |
| B．Inspiration is more important to a successful mother. |
| C．We should hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. |
| D．The smallest moment of kindness can have a huge impact. |
10 . 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. |
