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Nothing can stay amazing without constant polishing. The Math24 Tournament is no different. Since my last victory in the tournament of NPSD, I haven't been to the weekly practice at my school for math in the morning. Maybe that's why the first place eluded me this year.

Math24 is a game of quick thinking that uses simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. The goal is to make the number “24” using four different numbers once and only once. It sounds easy, but what if the best could solve a card in about half a second? That’s me for you. But during the competition, certain new cards really eluded me. This year, many larger numbered cards were made including numbers up to the '40s and '50s. I guess I softened up over the past year because I left most of my opponents a point or two free points. Yeah, I meant free points. If I'd known, I would've lost, and then maybe I would’ve been more merciless. Also, my brain had taken a beating already today since I had Olympic Day right before. The competition worked in three rounds, switching opponents every round randomly. Every player must gather as many points as possible, adding them up for a total score. There was a certain factor of luck as well. If two extremely good players meet, the points would be split evenly. For me, I got a little less luck than I wished for. In my 2nd round, I met an advanced girl. Although I still won by 15 points, the round made me lose 10 or so crucial points. I ended with 102 points respectably, but still 20 points less than last year. At that point, I had a ton of “should've”s because I knew from previous experiences that 102 wasn't winning scores.

Although my spirit coming into the final moments of the competition wasn’t great, I knew the 2^nd or 3^rd place spots were a huge possibility for me. The announcer started with 1 point, asking anyone below one point to sit. Then, counting by fives and moving all the way up. Now, from past memories, when reaching the 75 mark, there was a huge group of kids that sit down. It seemed as if 75 was a milestone and whoever passed 75 usually lasted to about 90 or so. After 75, there were about eight kids standing. My heart was pounding at the time, listening to every sound in the room. Soon, the announcer said 100, and six people remained. 105. Boom! four people sat, including me. Four kids were told to stand, and from there, we counted by one. At 101, two kids sat. At 102, another went, which meant I clutched 3^rd place. Only later did I know that the 4^th place kid had tried with me. The announcer had said “102 or above” and so 102 fitted in the parameters.

This game is about skill and luck. Whether the best player wins or not, the force of luck and fortune must favor the winner. Today, I was neither the luckiest nor the best. Fate didn’t smile upon me this Thursday.

【红霞译文】

世上没有任何东西永放光芒，口算24点锦标赛同样无法逾越这一规律。自从去年拿下北宾州学区冠军以来，我从未参加过本校每周一次的晨练集训，也许正因如此，才会导致我今年卫冕失败。

口算24点是快速思考的一种游戏，采用加减乘除四则运算，给出的四个数字只能任意使用一次，最终计算出来的和差积商都是24。听起来容易，但假如限时在半秒钟内给出答案呢？我就是这么做的。今年题卡上出现很多包括四五十以上的重量级数字，给心算带来了麻烦，而自己又缺少以往的斗志，比赛中不时送给对手一两分，没错，就是有意让他们得分。如果早知因此而影响名次，我恐怕会手下无情。再说我刚参加完校级奥林匹克运动会，脑袋瓜累得晕头转向。比赛分三轮进行，每轮随机调换对手，每位选手必须竭尽全力，三轮积分总和累计记入个人成绩。当然，运气好坏是关系到输赢成败的另一个因素，倘若两位优秀选手相遇，势必导致平分秋色，而我恰好陷入这种处境，在第二轮比赛中碰上一位实力很强的女生，尽管我以十五分的优势领先，但无奈地丢掉了十几点关键分，最终好不容易取得102分，与去年相比少廿分。此时此刻，我懊恼不已，因为凭借经验，我十分清楚102分根本无力问鼎桂冠。

虽说本人实战精神状态不好，但我明白这个成绩仍然有望获得亚季军。主持人开始公布成绩，要求得一分以下的选手坐下，接下来又说五分乃至更高。记得以前只要叫到七十五分，大部分选手将坐回到原位，因此七十五分俨然成为一个里程碑，无论谁得七十五分，极有可能拿下九十分上下的好成绩，这回超过七十五分的选手剩下八位，我每听报数，心都砰砰地直跳。不久，主持人喊起100，这时仍有六位选手。105，啪！包括我在内的四位选手一齐坐下，但很快又被要求站起来，主持人重新一个数一个数地往下念：101，有两位坐下；102，另一位坐下，这意味着我得了第三名。后来我了解到第四名的选手实际上与我并列，他也有102分，恰好符合“102分或以上”主持人所宣布的范围。

口算24点比赛需要技巧与运气，要想取胜缺一不可。今天，我一来不走运，二来竞技状态欠佳；看来这个星期四命运之神并没有朝我微笑。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2015: 2015 Olympic Day Part-III(2015年奥林匹克节之三)

2015 Olympic Day Part-II(2015年奥林匹克节之二)

2015 Olympic Day Part-I(2015年奥林匹克节之一)

2014: Mont ES Band Spring Concert(蒙小春季管乐会)

2010: 写给光华中文学校家长的一封信(A Letter to GHCS Parents)

2009: 浪漫(Romance)