Beth Reekles, a 17-year-old Welsh high school student, posted her first novel online at a story-sharing site. There it got more than 19 million views—not to mention the eyes of editors at Random House Children’s Publishers U.K. The publishers (出版商) reached out, which led to the publishing of The Kissing Booth, a novel about teenage love, in Britain. The girl talked about her inspirations (灵感) and beyond in a recent interview.
Q: What made you want to start writing a book?
Beth: I was looking for something to read, but everything was vampires and fallen angels. I was just sick of it. I wanted something that was teen fiction. So I decided to write my own. I started writing around April of 2019, and shortly after I began, I started posting it online, chapter by chapter.
Q: Beth, do you think there’s a benefit (益处) to being a teenager writing for teens?
Beth: I don’t know if I’m better at it, but I think it’s a bit different to be writing about teens when I’m still a teen. I’m still learning and making mistakes and doing everything teens do. I don’t have the advantage of hindsight (事后的觉悟) in all this that an adult writer has. When I wrote the book, I was really writing for myself, and I tried to write it quite honestly.
I wanted to write the book I wanted to read.
Q: How do you balance writing with your schoolwork and life? Do you write every day?
Beth: I’ve managed to work it into my schedule (计划 表). I always find time to write when I want to write, whether that means leaving my homework until later or getting my homework out of the way first. I don’t write every day, but sometimes I’ll write for hours on end, days on end, and I can’t stop. Sometimes I won’t write for a few weeks, when I’m busy with schoolwork and just don’t have time.
Q: Was it your dream to become a writer?
Beth: I always thought it would be nice to be a writer. It’s always been a hobby. But I thought my career would lead to physics. I still plan to study physics at university.
1. When did Beth Reekles first start writing a book?________________________________________________________
2. Why did she decide to write a book?
________________________________________________________
3. How did Random House get to know her?
________________________________________________________
4. She hasn’t delayed homework even once because of the writing, has she?
________________________________________________________
5. What can we learn from Beth’s success? Explain it in two or three sentences.
________________________________________________________
| Name | Jim Green |
| School | Hilltop High School |
| Term ending | 8th, July |
| Maths | He is a little weak in this subject, but he has tried his best to catch up with others. |
| Science | He can work out many difficulties. Well done. |
| English | He is the best in the class. Keep it up. |
| French | His reading is very good. He can remember many words. |
| History | He is not so good at this, but has done better than before. |
| Geography | He is familiar with the names of many places in the world. |
| Music | He doesn’t like pop songs, though he sings very well. |
| Conduct (品行) | Quite good. |
| Absence (缺席) | 2 |
| Remark (评语) | Jim has the ability to do a lot better. |
| Read teacher | Sue Black |
| Principle (校长) | Andrew Robinson |
| School reports | 18th, July |
| A．a studying plan of Jim Green |
| B．a teaching report of Sue Black |
| C．a school report about Jim Green |
| D．a working plan of Andrew Robinson |
| A．P.E. | B．Music | C．Maths | D．History |
| A．Science | B．French | C．Geography | D．English |
| A．One | B．Two | C．Eight | D．Eighteen |
| A．Science and Maths | B．Maths and History |
| C．History and French | D．Music and Geography |
| A．Jim doesn’t like pop music at all. |
| B．Jim can do better if he works harder next term. |
| C．Jim doesn’t always obey the school rules. |
| D．Jim learns two languages in school. |
Katy Sullivan is an actress, an athlete, and a person who refuses to use the words “no” or “I can’t”. She was the first person in the world with two prosthetic legs（义肢）to take up running as a competitive sport. She made it to the 100-meter finals in the 2012 London Paralympics（残奥会）. After that, she was interviewed by the TV station. (J= journalist, S=Sullivan)
J: Were there any differences in your childhood because of the prosthetic legs?
S: No. I feel lucky because my family has treated me the same way they would treat any. I grew up in Alabama, US and had an active childhood. I kept up with my sisters and brothers at the gym and in the swimming pool.
J: Why did you want to be an actress as a teenager?
S: I saw a movie that made a big impression on me. Before it was over, I had decided to be an actress.
J: What did you do about that?
S: I earned a degree in theater and then moved to Los Angeles, where I have played roles in many theaters, televisions and movies.
J: Why do you start running then?
S: Because my friend asked me whether I’d like to try running, and I said “yes”. I was given a pair of running legs and started running. At the beginning, when I couldn’t get used to my prosthetic legs, I had fell down for many times, but every time I had my family and friends behind me to encourage me.
J: Your family, friends and fans look up to you as an example. So what do you want to share with them?
S: 6. ____________________________
1. What is Sullivan’s job?
2. How did Sullivan feel about the way her family has treat her?
3. A movie made Sullivan decide to be an actress, didn’t it?
4. Where has Sullivan played role in theaters, televisions and movies?
5. Who asked Sullivan to try running?
6. What might be Sullivan’s answer to the Journalist’s last question?
| Saturday, March 24 Dear Kelly Hi. We have arrived in the wet, hot city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand. All the different smells made us want to try the foods. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel where we are staying is cheap, but very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days to visit some places and then travel to Chiang Mai in the north. Best wishes Benn | Kelly Wang Flat B 22/F Flower Mansion Shanghai 200000 China  |
| Tuesday, March 27 Dear Kelly Bangkok is wonderful and surprising. The places in Bangkok are interesting. We visited the most famous market which is on the water and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful and we took hundreds of photos already. Later we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take a train there and stay for two days. Then we will catch a bus to Chiang Lai. Best wishes Benny | Kelly Wang Flat B 22/F Flower Mansion Shanghai 200000 China  |
| Friday, March 30 Dear Kelly Our trip to Chiang Lai was long and boring. We visited a village in the mountains in Chiang Lai today. The people there live a very quiet life---no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say “Hello”. We can only say a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness.55. And we will go back by air tomorrow. Best wishes Benny | Kelly Wang Flat B 22/F Flower Mansion Shanghai 200000 China  |
1. Benny and his family visited Thailand in _________.
| A．spring | B．summer | C．autumn | D．winter |
| A．by air | B．by bus | C．by train | D．by boat |
| A．on the road | B．on the water | C．in the countryside | D．in the city centre |
| A．Helping others makes yourself happy and pleased. |
| B．Happiness means showing kindness to others. |
| C．We feel good here and hope to come back again next year. |
| D．We feel sorry here and don’t want to stay here any more. |
| A．They spent about a week visiting Thailand. |
| B．Chiang Mai is in the north of Thailand. |
| C．They are not good at the Thai language. |
| D．Life in the village in Chiang Lai is poor and noisy. |
5 .
A. | |
B. | |
| C. All our meals are made with food coming from this area. | |
| D. At Fine Food supermarket we want to help you eat well. | |
| E. Visitors Please take off your shoes in the temple. | |
| F. Wanted. Shop assistant. $10 per hour. |
| Public libraries Most towns in Britain have a public library. A library usually has a large selection of books and other resources. Library members can use and borrow books for free. |
| Britain's First Public Library The first public library in Britain opened in Manchester in1852．Its first librarian was a man called Edward Edwards. Edwards attended the library’s opening ceremony and two famous writers called Charles Dickens and William Thackeray were there, too. |
| How to Join a Library To join a library in Britain, you need go to your local library and fill in a form. You’ll receive a library card which is needed when using library services. |
| Mobile Libraries In Britain, not everyone can go to a library. Some people live far away from towns and cities, other people find it awkward to go out because they have an illness or a disability. Thanks to mobile libraries, these people can still borrow books. Most libraries store books in buildings. Mobile libraries usually keep their books in a mini-bus. The back of the mini-bus has shelves for the books, and it is big enough for borrowers to step inside and look around. A driver takes the mini-bus to a certain place at a certain time, so people know when to expect it. They can then return their books and borrow some more. |
| All Aboard the Library A school in London didn’t have space for a library inside the building. However, everybody agreed that it was still important to have a school library. So the head of the school, Graham Blake decided to park an old bus on the school car park and changed it into a library. Students helped to paint the bus, and after eight months, the new library was ready. |
1. ________ was the first librarian of the first public library in Britain.
| A．Charles Dickens | B．William Thackeray |
| C．Edward Edwards | D．Graham Blake |
| A．Anyone living in Britain | B．A person with a library card |
| C．Newspaper or book writers | D．All people in Britain |
| A．store books in buildings | B．offer special services to students |
| C．keep books at the back of the mini-bus | D．stop at a certain place all the time |
| A．difficult | B．enjoyable |
| C．silly | D．super |
| A．the bus was big enough | B．the school didn't have enough money to buy books |
| C．students liked reading on a bus | D．the school didn't have enough space inside the building |
| A．Public library services | B．Mobile libraries |
| C．Libraries | D．A library on the bus |
What will man be like in the future — in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make a guess, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today, for man is slowly changing all the time. Now look at the chart below, and you’ll find some differences.
Body part | Changes | Reasons |
Height | Grow taller | About 3 inches taller than 500 years ago |
Head | Larger | Man uses brains more and more |
Eyes | Grow stronger | |
Arms and legs | Grow weaker | Used less |
Fingers | Grow more sensitive | Used a great deal in modern life |
Hair | Disappear | Does not serve a useful purpose any longer |
Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very attractive creature(生物) to look at! This may well be true. All the same, in spite of all these changes, future man will still have a lot in common with us. He will still be human being, with thoughts and emotions(情感) similar to our owns.
1. The height of man will __________ in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now.| A．grow shorter | B．steady | C．grow taller | D．disappear |
| A．began to change five hundred years ago | B．never stops changing |
| C．stops changing | D．has recently begun to change |
| A．grow faster than at present | B．not be used |
| C．play an important part | D．be used more and more |
| A．shorter | B．thicker | C．longer | D．more sensitive |
| A．grow darker | B．disappear |
| C．stop growing completely | D．grow longer |
| A．have strong eyes | B．have weaker eyes |
| C．have one eye | D．have to wear better glasses |
When did you last take the time to listen to the birds sing? One afternoon, artist Liu Yi recorded the bird songs and shared them on his WeChat Moments. Soon, many of his friends sent him their won recordings of bird songs. The artist then decided to start a project called “Birds Chorus Radio.” Here is an interview with Liu about this project.
Q: How many recordings have you received?
A: So far, there have been more than 230 recordings, and the number keeps growing. People have helped me collect recordings and send them to me by e-mail. I’ve even received recordings from many other countries.
Q: You’ve been sharing bird songs for over a month now. How do you feel about it?
A: It is very heart-warming. It’s not just because of the beautiful bird songs that I love, but also some warm exchanges between people.
Q: What do you plan to do with these recordings?
A: Well, there is going to be a bird singing concert for kids, especially for the blind children. Now I’m getting ready for it with my partners.
1. Where did Liu Yi share the bird songs he recorded?2. What’s name of Liu’s project?
3. How does Liu receive recordings from other people?
4. Why does Liu think sharing bird songs is heart-warming?
5. What will Liu and his partners do with these recordings?
6. What do you think of this project? Give your reason.
9 . Nowadays, we have many chances to have space trips. Read the two advertisements.
Advertisement A
Come and see real UFOs! Two nights at the Fairview Mountain Hostel Many UFO sightings from this mountain! Binoculars(双筒望远镜) provided Kitchen area to cook your own food $345 per person Ph: (702)555-1876 Email :info@fairviewtours.com |
Advertisement B
Desert(沙漠) UFO Adventure Four-day trek(徒步) in the Dream Sky Desert Stopping at seven places where UFOs have been seen Tents and Binoculars provided Bring your own sleeping bag All food cooked for you $680 per person Ph: (702)555-3989 Email :ufo_trek@dreamskytours.com |
1. How much does the four-day trek cost?
2. Which advertisement allows you to see UFOs in mountain regions, Advertisement A or B?
3. Do you need to take your own food with you if you take the trip in Advertisement B?
4. How long can you stay in the hostel if you take the trip in Advertisement A?
5. Which trip are you interested in? Why?
Calvin waited and then walked into Trudy’s bedroom. Then it happened — a scream（尖叫）, a very loud scream. Calvin ran to his room and dived into bed.
He heard Mama coming down the hall.
‘Did you do this?’ his mother asked. Calvin looked out from under the covers. His mother stood over him, holding a rubber spider.
‘Do what?’ he asked.
‘You put that thing in my bed,’ Trudy told him, stepping out from behind Mama.
‘Don’t think that just because it’s your birthday you can do something like this,’ Mama scolded (责骂).
‘You do want your present, don’t you?’ That wiped the smile off Calvin’s face.
‘Of course I do,’ he said.
‘Then you apologize.’
Calvin dropped his head. ‘Sorry, Trudy,’ he muttered (嘟囔).
‘Here,’ Mama said, ‘Happy birthday.’ At the breakfast table she handed Calvin an envelope. Inside were tickets to the show of Lomax the Magnificent, the world-famous magician and hypnotist（施行催眠术的人）. ‘You’ve got two tickets there,’ Mama said, ‘and I know someone who’d really love to go along.’ She smiled at Trudy.
‘You don’t mean here, do you?’ Calvin asked, eyeing his little sister.
‘Well, that would be really nice. But those tickets are yours. If you want to ask somebody …’ Calvin didn’t wait for his mother to finish. ___________________________ Rodney, his friend next door. The two of them were going to see the show Lomax the Magnificent.
1. Who screamed at the beginning?2. What did Calvin do to Trudy?
3. Did Calvin say sorry to his sister?
4. Where did Calvin get his present?
5. What did Calvin do with the tickets at last?
6. Finish the sentence in the last paragraph in less than ten words.
