2 . Nasugraq Rainey Hopson is an author and illustrator (插图画家). She has written short stories and made art inspired by her Iñupiaq culture. The Iñupiaq people are native to Alaska, the US. Hopson’s first and only novel to date, Eagle Drums, is set in Iñupiaq tales about a great festival. The great festival is still celebrated locally today.

In the book, the hero Pina struggles with the suffering from losing his brothers, who have traveled to a nearby mountain and never returned. Pina decides to go to the same mountain, trying to uncover the facts, where he happens to meet Savik, who gives Pina a choice: To follow him or to meet the same fortune as his brothers. Pina’s decision takes himself on a journey that exposes himself to the dances and songs that are part of Iñupiaq culture. Eagle Drums describes aspects of Iñupiaq life as a world that doesn’t exist much in the current world, such as walking in the tundra (苔原) and imagining mythological beings and talking animals everywhere. It will definitely inspire the teen magical thinking in its beauty.

Hopson wants to write more Iñupiaq stories. “We have a lot of oral history and stories in our culture,” she says. Hopson explains that Iñupiaq people use their voices, facial expressions and movements to express emotions as they tell a story. “But you can’t do that when you’re writing,” she says. “It’s very uncomfortable, in a way, to have to write down something that is a performance.” But she’s up for the challenge.

Eagle Drums is for anyone who is looking for a vivid adventure. Hopson says that when Iñupiaq kids read her work, they get excited about seeing something from their own area and their own culture. Other kids who read her work tell Hopson they’re excited about experiencing a story they’ve never experienced before in a new place. “You know, that’s the best part, hearing feedbacks,” she says.

1. What do we know about Eagle Drums?

A．It is based on the author’s culture.	B．It is about a world-famous festival.
C．It is one of the author’s best novels.	D．It is rich in illustrations on each page.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about Eagle Drums?

A．Its intention.	B．Its background.
C．Its content.	D．Its comment.

3. Why does Hopson think it uncomfortable to write Iñupiaq stories?

A．The Iñupiaq people are poor performers

B．The Iñupiaq culture is too rich for words.

C．The Iñupiaq language is difficult to catch on.

D．The Iñupiaq stories are little known by people.

4. What is the text?

A．A news report.	B．A childhood story.
C．A diary entry.	D．A book review.

3 . 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形式。

Falling     1     the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn festival is all about the full moon and family reunion it represents. When people sit together at night and enjoy the glorious moon, an ancient poem, “Prelude to Water Melody”(水调歌头), is often read for this occasion.

Critics say it’s     2     (probable) the best poem on the Mid-Autumn. After it    3     (write), all the other poems on the harvest moon (丰收之月) could be well-forgotten. So why is this poem so special?

The story     4     (date) back to the Mid-Autumn Festival of the year 1076. Su Shi, a great writer of the Song Dynasty (960—1279), could not sleep that night, missing his geographically separated dear brother Su Zhe.     5     (look) at the moon and thinking of his brother, as well as the ups and downs (沉浮)of his own life, Su Shi drank some wine and composed a poem, or more specifically a “ci”,     6     (call) “Prelude to Water Melody.”

For the first two lines, the writer compares the life of a man with the changing face of the moon. A full moon represents perfection and unity,     7     a gloomy (黑暗的) night may remind people of their bad luck.

However, he soon realizes that no one has an easy ride(一帆风顺), just like the moon may not always be bright. The imperfections, or the unsatisfactory things have been going on since the beginning of time. That’s why     8     poet says so.

So Su Shi gives his optimistic answer: change your attitude and stay positive. The poet hopes people can avoid indulging in(沉湎于) the sorrow of life and instead appreciate the fact that no matter where they are, as long as the ones they love and miss are     9     (health) and happy, they all can admire the same moon high in the sky and share this eternal(永恒的)    10     (beautiful).

4 . This spring’s best page-turners

Run Towards the Danger

by Sarah Polley

Director and actor Sarah Polley last examined her personal history in her 2012 documentary, Stories We Tell. Her first book, a collection of biographic (传记的) essays, reconstructs her difficult childbirth, injuries, stage fright, and how she deals with these memories in order to move past them.

The Candy House

by Jennifer Egan

This new novel involves many of the same characters as Egan’s 2011 bestseller, A Visit from the Goon Squad. The new novel describes a social media network which allows users to upload and download their memories using futuristic technology. Egan lives up to her unpredictable reputation, writing chapters as series of tweets, emails and dialogues.

Trust

by He man Diaz

Anyone in need of an escape from reality will enjoy Diaz’s story set in the 1920s. It’s about Benjamin and Helen Rask, a pair of wealthy, strange business people in Jazz Age New York whose tricks and secrets threaten to destroy their lives.

This Time Tomorrow

by Emma Straub

Emma Straub’s novels offer fresh twists (转折) on the everyday relationships that form the glue of our lives. Her latest adds a fantasy to the mix. Alice is a middle-aged school admissions officer who’s transported back into her 16-year-old body, giving her the opportunity to reconnect with her father and correct the mistakes that separated them.

1. Who works in the acting industry?

A．Sarah Polley.

B．Jennifer Egan.

C．He man Diaz.

D．Emma Straub.

2. What kind of book is The Candy House?

A．A folk tale.

B．A biography.

C．A sci-fi story.

D．A detective story.

3. Which book focuses on family relationships?

A．Stories We Tell.	B．A Visit from the Go on Squad.
C．Trust.	D．This Time Tomorrow.

5 . I remember dreading (惧怕) having to sit through fifty-five whole minutes of a poetry class when I was in high school. But walking into that class _________ my life.

Before I took the _________, I believed poetry was all fluff (没多大意义的娱乐) — just rhymes about rainbows, flowers, love and the stars. I soon _________ that poetry could be about that, but it was also so much more. Poetry is about _________ yourself in a completely raw form and using phrases other than “the sky is blue”. Poetry is a reminder that it’s okay to feel pain._________ is supposed to evoke emotion.

Through that high school poetry class, I found I was able to _________ the perspectives of so many lives. People I only knew the names of became people I was _________ invested in because I was forced to try to understand the experiences they had to _________. Before the class, I was aware of the hardships my classmates suffered, but the poetry class let me _________ the same emotions they had through their poetry.

Since high school, I have taken two more poetry classes.__________ these classes, my writing has been strengthened, my listening skills have __________ and my public speaking has developed greatly.

My poetry classes helped me to view the world with a(n)__________ set of eyes and have taught me to __________ criticism with open arms.

Critical thinking, writing and public speaking are __________ in the workforce, and my poetry classes have enabled me to __________ those tools. Poetry has really changed my life.

1.

A．changed

B．ruined

C．simplified

D．threatened

2.

A．chance

B．job

C．test

D．class

3.

A．claimed

B．realized

C．considered

D．hoped

4.

A．expressing

B．praising

C．examining

D．proving

5.

A．Pain

B．Love

C．Poetry

D．Rhyme

6.

A．challenge

B．understand

C．adopt

D．control

7.

A．emotionally

B．wisely

C．initially

D．widely

8.

A．talk about

B．learn from

C．deal with

D．make up

9.

A．release

B．display

C．hide

D．experience

10.

A．Instead of

B．Apart from

C．Because of

D．Regardless of

11.

A．helped

B．appeared

C．remained

D．improved

12.

A．different

B．objective

C．complex

D．additional

13.

A．avoid

B．silence

C．accept

D．voice

14.

A．unnecessary

B．important

C．similar

D．missing

15.

A．measure

B．share

C．choose

D．sharpen

6 . 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形式。

For thousands of years, people have told fables (寓言)     1     (teach) a lesson or to pass on wisdom. Fables were part of the oral tradition of many early cultures, and the well-known Aesop’s fables date to the     2     (six) century, B. C. Yet, the form of the fable still has values today,     3     Rachel Carson says in “A Fable for Tomorrow.”

Carson uses a simple, direct style common to fable. In fact, her style and tone (口吻) are seemingly directed at children. “There was once a town in the heart of America,     4     all life seemed to enjoy peaceful existence with its surroundings,” her fable begins,     5     (borrow) some familiar words from many age-old fables. Behind the simple style, however, is a serious message     6     (intend) for everyone.

    7     (difference) from traditional fables, Carson’s story ends with an accusation instead of a moral. She warns of the environmental dangers facing society, and she teaches that people must take responsibility     8     saving their environment.

The themes of traditional fables often deal with simple truths about everyday life. However, Carson’s theme is a more weighty     9     (warn) about environmental destruction. Carson proves that a simple literal form that has been passed down through the ages can still     10     (employ) today to draw attention to important truths.

7 . Poetry Writing Contest

Contest information

Deadline: November 30th

Results: Announced on December 31st

Prizes: Win $ 1,600 in prize money

Guest judges: Ken Liu, Brian Evenson, and Faylita Hicks

Entry requirements

Your poetry can be laid out as you wish, as we understand that form often relates to the effect of a poem. However, please be sure to stick to a maximum of 3 pages per poem.

Submission guidelines

We accept works, written in English, from anywhere in the world. But we don’t accept works previously published elsewhere.

Writers over the age of thirteen are welcome to participate. Please note that if you’re aged 13-16 and your work is selected for publication, we’ll require a signature from a parent or a guardian.

Please include your name and contact information in your cover letter only and remove any identifying information from both the submitted work and the file name.

We edit every piece accepted for publication whether your work is selected for publication through our online blog or in our print magazine. For this cooperative process we’ll pair you with one of our senior editors. All our editors have been trained to help guide the development of each piece to reach its fullest potential in keeping with the author’s vision. This doesn’t mean we’ll take on a wild jumble of words and half-formed thoughts.

Notes

The contest reserves the right to NOT award a winner if the submissions don’t reach a publishable standard. In this case, the winner won’t be announced. Although this has rarely come to pass in our six-year publishing history, our top priority must remain with the quality of the work we publish.

1. What do you have to avoid in order to participate in the contest?

A．Writing a 3-page-long poem.

B．Writing your work in English.

C．Providing your contact information.

D．Submitting your entry after November 30th.

2. What do we know about the contest?

A．It is held on an annual basis.

B．It is intended for teenagers only.

C．It is open to global poetry lovers.

D．It is aimed at making poetry more popular.

3. What are you expected to do if your poem is selected for publication?

A．Make sure that it is original.

B．Polish it as you’re required to.

C．Go to receive the prize on time.

D．Give your permission to publish it.

8 . Four Modern Poets Who Are Making a Difference

Shonto Begay

Shonto Begay was born in 1954. He is an artist, writer, poet and filmmaker. His experiences of growing up in Native American culture and spending 10 years in the National Park Service as a ranger (护林员) stir up all of his art and writing. Begay’s works try to keep the traditional culture alive while also expressing the realities and struggles of modern native Americans.

Sarah Kay

Sarah Kay was born in 1988 and lives in New York City. She is well known for her spoken word poetry. Kay has published four poetry collections. Her works have inspired people of all ages to be the best they can be. Young and extremely passionate, she is out there making the world a better place by doing charity work.

Cathy Park Hong

Cathy Park Hong is a Korean-American poet and professor. She has published three volumes (卷) of poetry: Translating Mo’um, Dance Dance Revolution, and Engine Empire. She is best known for her style of “code switching”—the use of mixed languages. She does this to create interactive possibilities and social experimentation.

Amber Tamblyn

Amber Tamblyn was born in 1983 and is an American actress and poet. Her work in both television and movies has influenced her poetry. Apart from two self-published books of poetry, she holds three poetry collections: Free Stallion, Bang Ditto, and Dark Sparkler, the last of which explores the lives and deaths of child star actresses. She also co-founded the Write Now Poetry Society which is devoted to creating poetry programs.

1. What influenced Shonto Begay’s works?

A．Native American culture.

B．Modern young Americans.

C．His work as a filmmaker.

D．His childhood in the National Park service.

2. Who is devoted to the public service?

A．Shonto Begay.	B．Sarah Kay.
C．Cathy Park Hong.	D．Amber Tamblyn.

3. Which of the following books is about child stars?

A．Free Stallion.	B．Bang Ditto.
C．Dark Sparkler.	D．Engine Empire.

9 . Never Let Me Go is a novel by British author Sir Kazuo Ishiguro. It combines science fiction, horror, and coming-of-age elements in a beautiful but cruel story, which deals with the power of friendship, the pains of growing up, and self-sacrifice in the face of a cruel situation.

The book centers on Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy, who tells the story. It describes their childhood at a strange boarding school called Hailsham House, where the children all have excellent medical care but a very low quality of life. The students and teachers also act very strangely. A frightening reality is revealed: The students are all “donors”—clones of other people—who were created to donate their organs once they grow up.

The novel Never Let Me Go is not the only one by Sir Kazuo Ishiguro. He has also written six other novels, a number of short stories, four screenplays, and a handful of song lyrics. His moving words are highly regarded by both readers and critics. He has been nominated (提名) for the well-known Man Booker Prize four times, and he won in 1989 with his novel, The Remains of the Day. In 2017, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Though Ishiguro has written screenplays, he was not the one who adapted Never Let Me Go into a film. The film version was released in 2010 and still stayed true to the novel. Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield played Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy. I was on the whole a success with critics and was well-liked at film festivals around the world. The movie version, however, could not live up to the book in the end. Although audiences generally praised the movie and the actors’ performances, the film version did not reach the same level of success as the novel.

1. What makes the boarding school strange?

A．It is at a non-profit.	B．It serves an immoral purpose.
C．The students have physical problems.	D．The students are all from poor families.

2. What can we know about the film version of Never Let Me Go?

A．It differed from the novel.	B．It was a screenplay adapted by Ishiguro.
C．It got much praise from the audience.	D．It was more successful than the novel itself.

3. Which of the following best describes Ishiguro as a writer?

A．Humorous.

B．Ambitious.

C．Active.

D．Productive.

4. What style is the text?

A．A news report.

B．A book review.

C．A children’s story.

D．A diary entry.

10 . Charlotte Grainger explains that it was her primary school teacher who first speculated that she might write a novel. “I thought the height of achievement would be to write a book because it seemed such a challenge and anyway I didn’t know what other teenagers were doing, like being in the Olympics, for example. When I turned 13, I thought I may be as well attempt this now. Recently I told my ex-teacher about it and she was astonished. She told me she’d meant I’d do it when I was 30 or 40. That had never occurred to me — I couldn’t understand why I’d be expected to put something on hold that I had a chance of being good at.”

It’s a winter afternoon, in the offices of Charlette’s publishers. The public relations representative for the book is keeping us company in case Charlotte might need defending. But she needs neither parental nor professional support. She’s her own person: spirited, with an alert face and great intelligence, but also a steadiness that prevents any overconfidence she could be forgiven for feeling.

She has a theory about teenagers and the way they are “betrayed” by the fiction that is specifically aimed at them. There are, she maintains, three types of teenagers depicted in novels. “There’s the outsider who becomes acceptable to society, the naive teenager who knows nothing about the big wide world, and the awkward teenage character who is socially skilled. The overall impression teenagers can get from some writers is teenagers can’t possibly know who they are because they are not experienced enough to know the truth. And when that is being pushed onto them by writers, it can undermine their self-belief. ”

Charlotte has always been a keen reader of famous fantasy writers, some of whom you might suppose she’d be grateful to, but in fact they almost put her off writing entirely. “Books by my favorite fantasy writers explore deep things about psychology and about life. I was asking myself: is this seriously what I have to be doing to write a good book and am I really up to it?” She does, however, praise the influence of a book called “How Not to Write a Novel. “It tells you that if the reader starts to guess what’s going to happen, the suspense has probably gone. ”

1. Why did Charlotte write her first novel at 13?

A．She considered it something she might be good at.

B．She wanted to live up to her teacher’s expectations.

C．She wished to prove age was no barrier to success.

D．She felt it impossible to delay doing anything.

2. What does the author say about Charlotte in paragraph 2?

A．She needs to be more confident.	B．She is more modest than expected.
C．She should take more advice from others.	D．She should be allowed more independence.

3. What does the underlined word “depicted” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Mentioned.

B．Identified.

C．Betrayed.

D．Described.

4. How did Charlotte feel about those famous fantasy writers’ works?

A．They were too boring to read.	B．They offered inspirations for her novel.
C．They nearly made her frightened of writing.	D．They taught her the skill of creating suspense.