1 . How would human beings react if we found out we’re not alone in the universe? What if we knew an alien civilization was to invade (入侵) Earth? What would we do?

These are the questions asked in The Three-Body Problem. When a secret military project sends signals into space to get in touch with aliens, an alien civilization in face of destruction receives the signals and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, people begin to separate into different groups: those who welcome aliens and those who want to fight against them.

The novel was written by Chinese author Liu Cixin and published in 2008. Translated into English in 2014 and almost 20 languages since, it was called an absolute “must-read in any language” by Booklist magazine. Liu has won several awards for it and in 2015, he became the first Asian to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the highest award in science fiction.

Just from the title, one could imagine that the text might be heavy with physics terms (术语). But as US writer Jason Heller said: “Indeed this science fiction is full of lengthy passages explaining technical terms. But Liu Cixin supports all of that burning-brain theory with empathetic (感同身受的) characters and thrilling story plots.”

At the very heart of science fiction — and what makes it truly appealing to readers — is the concept of an uncertain future. This allows the author to push the boundaries of readers’ imaginations. Liu fully uses this approach to keep readers anxiously turning the page. While reading, they ask themselves, “What would I do?”

In an interview with The New York Times, Liu said, “China is on the path of rapid modernization and progress, kind of like the US during the golden age of science fiction in the 1930s to the 1960s. The future in the people’s eyes is full of attractions and hope, but also threats and challenges. That makes for very fertile soil.”

2 . Romanticism in Poetry

Romanticism was a literary and artistic movement of the late 18th and mid-19th centuries. Romantic emotions were expressed in poems, stories, art and music.     1    

William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

William Wordsworth was a famous Romantic poet in England. In fact, his name is synonymous (与……密切相关的) with the English Romantic movement. Wordsworth grew up in one of the most beautiful areas of England. This area is called the Lake District.     2     Wordsworth’s childhood greatly influenced his later poetry.

As an adult, Wordsworth worked together with the fellow poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In 1798, they published a book of poetry called “Lyrical Ballads”. This book announced the beginning of the English Romantic movement.     3     The book was a great change from the poetry of the past.

Li Bai (701-762)

    4     Li Bai, one of China’s greatest poets, wrote during the Tang Dynasty, hundreds of years before Wordsworth. His free and vivid style of poetry is in many ways an early form of the Romanticism of 19th-century Europe. As with Wordsworth and his contemporaries, Li Bai’s poems are about beautiful natural scenes and the people who touched his heart.

Li Bai was born in Suiye, an area of China. As a boy, he lived in Sichuan with his family. At the age of 25, he began travelling around the country.     5     His travels were the basis for his life’s works of more than 2, 000 poems, of which about 1, 800 have survived to be read today.

Rachel Carson was a scientist by profession, but she published her book Silent Spring in 1962. By imagining     1     world without birds, she aimed to alert people to the damaging effects of human activity on natural ecosystems-    2     particular, to the harmful use of pesticides, such as DDT. Carson urged people     3    （make）themselves aware of the facts and do something about the situation. Carson's message was very alarming,     4    （cause）a great increase in environmental     5    （aware）. Its impact was immediate and far-reaching. Therefore, Silent Spring     6    （regard）as a milestone in the launch of the green movement in the Western world.

Silent Spring was not, however, received     7    （positive）by everyone. The book quickly became a   target for critics in the pesticide industry. But Garson remained     8    （determine）to stand by her research.

Personally, I enjoy Carson's book. Half a century later it remains a book     9     deserves to be reread today, so that we can once again feel ourselves warm to the fire of its     10    （passion）message.