2015-05-21

【Aiden in English】

        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 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 40’s and 50’s. 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 much points as possible, adding them up for a total score. There was a certain factor of luck as well. If two extremely god players meet, the points would be split evenly. For me, I got a little less luck than I wished for. In my 2^nd 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 weren’t winning score.

        Although my spirit coming into the final moments of the competition weren’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 the past memories, when reaching the 75 marks, 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 ones. 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 tired 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 on this Thursday.

【紅霞譯文】

        世上沒有任何東西永放光芒，口算24點錦標賽同樣無法逾越這一規律。自從去年拿下北賓州學區冠軍以來，我從未參加過本校每周一次的晨練集訓，也許正因如此，才會導致我今年衛冕失敗。

        口算24點是快速思考的一種遊戲，採用加減乘除四則運算，給出的四個數字只能任意使用一次，最終計算出來的和差積商都是24。聽起來容易，但假如限時在半秒鐘內給出答案呢？我就是這麼做的。今年題卡上出現很多包括四五十以上的重量級數字，給心算帶來了麻煩，而自己又缺少以往的鬥志，比賽中不時送給對手一兩分，沒錯，就是有意讓他們得分。如果早知因此而影響名次，我恐怕會手下無情。再說我剛參加完校級奧林匹克運動會，腦袋瓜累得暈頭轉向。比賽分三輪進行，每輪隨機調換對手，每位選手必須竭盡全力，三輪積分總和累計記入個人成績。當然，運氣好壞是關繫到輸贏成敗的另一個因素，倘若兩位優秀選手相遇，勢必導致平分秋色，而我恰好陷入這種處境，在第二輪比賽中碰上一位實力很強的女生，儘管我以十五分的優勢領先，但無奈地丟掉了十幾點關鍵分，最終好不容易取得102分，與去年相比少廿分。此時此刻，我懊惱不已，因為憑藉經驗，我十分清楚102分根本無力問鼎桂冠。

        雖說本人實戰精神狀態不好，但我明白這個成績仍然有望獲得亞季軍。主持人開始公布成績，要求得一分以下的選手坐下，接下來又說五分乃至更高。記得以前只要叫到七十五分，大部分選手將坐回到原位，因此七十五分儼然成為一個里程碑，無論誰得七十五分，極有可能拿下九十分上下的好成績，這回超過七十五分的選手剩下八位，我每聽報數，心都砰砰地直跳。不久，主持人喊起100，這時仍有六位選手。105，啪！包括我在內的四位選手一齊坐下，但很快又被要求站起來，主持人重新一個數一個數地往下念：101，有兩位坐下；102，另一位坐下，這意味着我得了第三名。後來我了解到第四名的選手實際上與我並列，他也有102分，恰好符合“102分或以上”主持人所宣布的範圍。

        口算24點比賽需要技巧與運氣，要想取勝缺一不可。今天，我一來不走運，二來競技狀態欠佳；看來這個星期四命運之神並沒有朝我微笑。