Battered Moons Poetry Competition open now till 30th June 2019
Prizes
— 1st Prize￡700; 2nd Prize E200: 3rd Prize E100.
— Four commendations(奖励) of ￡25 each.
Fees
￡5 for the first poem and ￡4 each for the rest.
Enter the competition
We accept online entries (参赛作品) only.
Guidelines
— Open to any person of the UK aged 20 or over.
— The closing date is 30th June 2019.
— Judges Zoë Brigley Thompson and Cristina Newton will read all the entries and make shortlists (入围名单). Guest judge Zoë Brigley Thompson will choose the seven finalists.
— There is no limit(限制) to the number of entries a single entrant can make.
— Entries cannot be returned, so please keep a copy.
Results
All entrants will receive an email notification of results. Check the Battered Moons website for more information from October 2019.
Poems
—All poems must have a title and must not be more than 40 lines in length (excluding title and line spaces) or 250 words and can be on any subject.
—Entries must be written in English.
—Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on a website or online public space or used by radio or television before 6th October 2019.
Winners
—Winners and poets receiving commendations will be notified in September 2019 and invited to the Poetry Swindon Festival on 6th October 2019, where they will read their winning poems.
—All winners and commended poets will be asked to provide an introduction about themselves to appear with their winning poem on the Battered Moons website, and a photograph for the website.
1.What do we know about the poetry competition?
A.It is open to UK teenagers.
B.It sets seven kinds of prizes.
C.It gives winners money prizes.
D.It allows one entrant one poem.
2.What is one requirement for the entries?
A.They must have a fixed subject.
B.They must be handed in online.
C.They must be at least 250 words.
D.They must be kept in a special form.
3.What are winners asked to do?
A.To provide a self-introduction.
B.To make an acceptance speech.
C.To attend a national meeting.
D.To read their winning poems on TV.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
When David Carter started to study art at The University of Texas (UT)at Austin in 1971, he had big dreams of becoming an artist or a writer. But his study came to a stop at 23 after he hurt his hand in an unpleasant event. He developed schizophrenia(精神分裂症) later and spent many years without a home.
Carter liked to spend time around UT, because he dreamt of being able to continue his study in the university and becoming a writer. After running into Carter many times, UT student Ryan Chandler decided to interview him for a project for the Daily Texan, the student newspaper of UT.
“I interviewed him on Austin’s homeless problems. After I heard his story, we kept in touch and really became friends. I learned he wanted to get back to UT, so I decided to help him,” said Chandler. “He had got 87 hours, very close to a degree. Now, with changing degree requirements, he only has 64 hours to go.”
With the help of Chandler, who worked with the university office, Carter was assigned an adviser by UT’s College of Fine Arts. “It' s the greatest gift I’ve ever received,” Carter said. “He did what had to be done to get me back to school, and I couldn't have done it without him”
After seeing a magazine article about Carter, a UT schoolmate decided to pay his tuition fees (学费)without telling Chandler his name.
Doug Dempster, dean of the College of Fine Arts, said in a statement, “David Carter's decision to complete his degree is a testament (证明) to finishing well what was started, and stopped, even many years earlier. We welcome him back as we do many students each year whose education could not be completed easily. We’ re going to help him through his remaining course work.”
1.Why did Carter stop studying in the university?
A.He hurt an artist. B.He couldn’t afford his study.
C.He got a strange disease. D.He had a hand injury.
2.What was Chandler’s purpose in interviewing Carter?
A.To do a project on homelessness.
B.To know why he hung around UT.
C.To make friends with a homeless person.
D.To finish his homework on helping others.
3.Which of the following words can best describe Chandler?
A.Brave. B.Honest.
C.Warm-hearted. D.Strong-minded.
4.What can we learn from Dempster’s words in the statement?
A.He encourages Carter to study hard.
B.He supports students who never give up.
C.He calls on other students to help Carter.
D.He suggests other students learn from Carter.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When faced with the decision to get out of bed or have a few more minutes of sleep, which do you choose? Believe it or not, that decision could make a world of difference in the rest of your day.
About 85 percent of Americans use an alarm clock to wake up in the mornings, according to sleep researcher Till Roennenber. And while there are no official numbers on snoozing (打盹), a quick survey of social media makes it clear that hitting the snooze button is a popular pastime.
As to how the snooze button will affect your day, scientists have mixed opinions. Some scientists think people who hit the snooze button in the mornings are actually clever, creative and happy while some said that hitting the snooze button will ruin your life, or at the very least your day. "I feel that hitting the snooze button has got to be one of the worst things that ever happened to human sleep,” researcher Jonathan Horowitz said. "The chances of you ‘snoozing’ and actually experiencing a meaningful rest are close to zero.”
According to some sleep experts, when hitting the snooze button，you are in fact confusing your body and mind, and throwing yourself into a deep state of being sleepy. The body needs some time to wake up, so, when returning to what will be a light sleep for a brief period of time, you are putting your body back into a sleep mode before waking it again. At that point your body won’t know what it wants, resulting in a sort of half awaken state.
If you really want to take advantage of an alarm clock, the key is to form a healthy sleep cycle. Focus your efforts on getting enough sleep each night and waking up at the same time each day so that when your alarm goes off you feel rested.
1.What can we infer about hitting the snooze button from Paragraph 2?
A.People do it just for fun. B.It is a common practice.
C.People take it seriously. D.It is a bit childish.
2.What do some sleep experts think of hitting the snooze button?
A.It is meaningful in the long term.
B.It makes people become lazy.
C.It brings us a sense of satisfaction.
D.It affects our body and mind.
3.What’s the author’s suggestion on getting the best out of alarms?
A.Forming a good sleep habit. B.Trying to relax ourselves.
C.Making use of willpower. D.Using an extra alarm.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Ways to keep refreshed in the morning.
B.The snooze button and people's character.
C.Should you rely on the snooze button?
D.How to avoid the light sleep mode?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A storm hit Houston, Texas, on Tuesday. It brought heavy rains and rising flood-waters. By Tuesday night, some parts of the city had received 10 inches of rain. Police and firefighters helped people move to safe places. They also saved people from cars and buses that were stuck on roads.
Certain areas around Houston were hit really hard. In just four hours, more than seven inches of rain fell in Sugar Land in the southwest of Houston. Cars could not pass through any of the areas main roadways. On Twitter, Sugar Land city officials asked people to get to high ground.
Tuesday’s rain hit parts of Texas that Hurricane Harvey had already damaged almost two years ago. Hurricane Harvey in August, 2017 was the second most costly hurricane in US history. It caused $125 billion worth of damage in Texas. In the Houston area, 36 people died and about 150, 000 homes were flooded.
A spokesman for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management spoke with the Houston Chronicle. The spokesman said that this week’s rain is “not in any way a Harvey-level event.”
But the worst may not be over yet. People will have a break from the heavy rain on Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service, the Texas Gulf Coast will continue to experience heavy rain later in the week. "Today should be our quietest over the next few days for rainfall,” said Don Oettinger, a National Weather Service meteorologist (气象学家).
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peia warned, “As there is too much water on the ground, these are perfect conditions for flash floods, so we hope people are careful of what they’re doing and encourage them to stay home. There’s no sense in putting yourself, firefighters or anybody in danger needlessly.”
1.What are Paragraphs 1 and 2 mainly about?
A.Flood damage in Houston. B.Flood prevention in Houston.
C.Heavy floods hitting Houston. D.People fighting floods in Houston.
2.What do we know about Hurricane Harvey?
A.It caused no deaths or injuries. B.It did a lot of damage to Texas.
C.It was less serious than this week’s rain. D.It was the biggest hurricane on record.
3.What can we learn from the weather report of the National Weather Service?
A.Fine days are coming. B.It will rain a little non-stop.
C.A hurricane is unavoidable. D.Floods will continue.
4.What did Samuel suggest local people do?
A.Stay indoors. B.Join firefighters.
C.Give up needless things. D.Comfort those who lost homes.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Do you ever wish you could change something about your body? If so, you're not alone. 1. But when you get stuck on what you don't like, it can really bring down your self-esteem (自尊).
So, want to look and feel your best? Here are some ways:
Accept your body
Nobody’ s perfect. Everybody wants to be liked and accepted just as they are. Don' t body-shame yourself. When you say something negative about your own body, it hurts your self-esteem. 2. It hurts just as much as if someone else said it. Be kind and respect yourself.
Like your body
Find things to like about your looks. Maybe you like your hair, face, or hands. What about your shape shoulders, or legs? Your eyes or your smile?3. If you get stuck, think of what your good friends like about how you look. Accept those things and let yourself feel good.
Take care of your body
Eat healthy foods. Learn what foods are good for you, and how much is the right amount. Eating right helps you look your best. When you treat your body right, you feel good about yourself.
Be active every day. Your body needs to move to be strong, fit and healthy. 4. You can run, walk, swim or dance. Pick activities you like and have fun.
Keep to a healthy weight. 5. Always talk to your parents or doctor first. But don’ t try to diet on your own. Your doctor can suggest ways you can stay at a weight that’s right for you.
A.Attend to your body’s needs.
B.Tell yourself what you like and why.
C.You can be active by playing a sport.
D.You can change a thing about your body.
E.Lots of people feel unhappy with some part of their looks.
F.Being a healthy weight helps you feel good about your body.
G.That’s true whether you say it out loud or think it to yourself.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The snow trapped Taylor, but taco sauce (卷饼酱) saved his life. It all began last Sunday when Taylor, along with his dog, went to get gas for his ______, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Taylor told the police his car got ______ in the snow. After some time, he then ______ and woke up on Monday finding ______ more snow, unable to get out of the vehicle (车辆). He tried to ______ out on Monday, but the snow was too deep and made it ______ to go on foot so he and his dog ______ to the vehicle.
By Wednesday, a ______ person’s announcement was put out for Taylor, according to a report. Over the next few days ______ he was trapped in the snow, Taylor told the police he stayed ______ by “starting his car from time to time. He ______ some of the taco sauce he had as food”.
On Friday, a skater called 911 saying they had ______ Taylor. The office soon sent a construction truck to ______ out Taylor and his dog. The officers said they were just “hungry after being stuck in the ______ for five days”. Taylor was ______ to who helped him and determined to help others as possible as he could in future.
1.A.truck B.bus C.car D.boat
2.A.broken B.stuck C.lost D.changed
3.A.fell asleep B.took risks C.tried out D.kept on
4.A.also B.almost C.still D.even
5.A.put B.call C.break D.walk
6.A.difficult B.boring C.important D.possible
7.A.returned B.pointed C.tended D.appealed
8.A.learning B.working C.missing D.traveling
9.A.until B.after C.before D.unless
10.A.clean B.hot C.warm D.mild
11.A.bought B.ate C.made D.borrowed
12.A.seen B.saved C.known D.paid
13.A.send B.dig C.pick D.tick
14.A.clay B.typhoon C.thunderstorm D.snow
15.A.desperate B.awkward C.thankful D.ashamed
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确式。
Temperatures around the world are rising. Many places 1.(experience) extreme weather events such as extreme heat since the start of the new century.
Scientists have shown all that is going to get even 2. (bad). They looked at cities in the north half of the planet. They 3. (especial) paid attention to those in the US.
According 4. simple geography, the cities near Canada have cool to mild weather. Those near Mexico 5. (be) hotter and more humid(潮湿的). However, things are going to look and feel a lot different in 2080.
The scientists created a weather model 6. (study) the weather changes in 2080. They considered two important points. One was the warming of the planet by 1.5℃ to 3℃ and7. other was the increasing greenhouse gas levels. Unluckily, what the scientists found was 8. (surprise)! The cities in the north turned into ones in the south— about 500 9.(mile) south. For example, Washington, DC felt like Greenwood, Mississippi，and Mississippi felt like Mexico.
That’s bad news for people in the US, 10. it’s also bad for people everywhere because we’re all in the same boat.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，在美国加利福尼亚(California)参加夏令营期间寄宿在Mr. Smith家里。回国后，你发现你的英语词典遗落在他家，想请他帮忙寄回。请给Mr. Smith写一封邮件，内容包括：
1．陈述写邮件的原因；
2．词典可能遗落在何处；
3．邮资由你来付。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Mr. Smith，
How is it going? I'm back home in China now.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours，
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一个完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
It was a Saturday afternoon. The color of the sky was changing, first light gray, then dark gray, and finally dark and dense. The wind was blowing heavily, and the trees were swaying in the strong wind. It began to rain cats and dogs. Soon, the road was filled with puddles from the rain.
On such a stormy afternoon, my mother took my fiveyearold brother, Christopher, and me to a new big toy store she had read about in the newspaper. “So many toys，” the advertisement had shouted in full and flashy color, “that we had to get a huge warehouse to fit them all！”
Christopher and I couldn't have been more excited. We ran across the parking lot, through the cold and biting rain, as fast as our little legs could carry us. We left our mother outside to battle with the frustrating umbrella, which never worked when she wanted it to. “Christine! Take care of your young brother！” Mother shouted at the top of her voice.
“Christine! I'm going to find the Lego section (乐高积木区)! There's a new pirate ship I want, and I have four dollars! Maybe I can buy it！” Christopher exclaimed and ran off excitedly. I only half heard him. I took a right turn and, to my wideeyed delight, found myself in the midst of the Barbie (芭比) World.
I was studying a Barbie and doing some simple math in my head when suddenly an earthshaking clap of thunder roared from the storm outside. I jumped at the noise, dropping the doll to the floor. The lights flickered (闪烁) once and died, covering everything in a blanket of blackness. Thunder continued to shake the sky and lightning illuminated the store for seconds, casting frightening shadows on my mind.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2．部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1：
“Oh no，” I thought, “Where's Christopher？”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2：
“Christine, I'm here.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 困难查看答案及解析