1 . J. K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, said that she had kept a fairy tale on her bookshelf for almost ten years. The story is called The Ickabog. She said that the story was the one that she wrote years ago in between writing the Harry Potter novels. She stressed, “It isn’t Harry Potter and it doesn’t include magic. This is an entirely different story.”

Ms. Rowling had always thought of the story as one that belonged to her children since she read it to them when they were younger. In recent weeks, she’s worked to bring the book to a final version.

Several weeks ago, the author said she came up with the idea of publishing the novel for free on her website to amuse children who were stuck at home because of lockdown (活动限制). She discussed the idea with her children, who are now teenagers, and they thought it was a good idea.

The Ickabog is a fairy tale set in a kingdom known as “Cornucopia”. The author described The Ickabog as “a story about the misuse of power”. She said the story wasn’t written about anything going on now but could be about any time or any country. And she hoped children could learn the results of people misusing their positions.

Because the book was first written as a read-aloud one, Ms. Rowling thought it was well-suited to being published in parts on the Internet. The book will be officially published in November as a regular book, as well as an eBook and an audiobook. The money from the sales of those books will go to support groups that have been hit hard by the pandemic (流行病). Many Fans said that they liked the idea. And they thought what J. K. Rowling was doing would make The Ickabog a second Harry Potter.

The Sad Zither (锦瑟) is a famous seven-verse poem written by Tang Dynasty poet Li Shangyin (813-858). Due to its rich imagery, the poem is regarded as one of the     1    (hard) poems to explain and translate.

At the beginning of the poem, the poet looks at his zither and recalls the death of his beloved wife. The big number of strings, which might not be the real number,     2     (be) mentioned to show his feeling. With so many strings, his zither creates complicated tones,     3     (suggest) the sorrow and depression the poet feels. The reality is so cruel that he wishes everything     4     happened were untrue. In this part, he uses four Chinese ancient     5     (myth) and legends. Zhuangzi, a philosopher, dreams of being a butterfly and couldn’t distinguish dream     6    reality; the ancient emperor Wang becomes a cuckoo and always cries; mermaid’s tears become pearl and vapor of jade from Lantian County can be seen in the sunlight. The first three stories all create     7    sad atmosphere. Though the last legend describes a beautiful scene, it’s hard     8     (reach), implicating the hopelessness.

Actually, the four stories he chooses indicate Li’s dissatisfaction with his life.

In the end, the poet directly expresses his point. He writes about his regret toward the passing years and his     9     (capacity) to change anything, even if he     10     (give) the chance to live those years again.

3 . BBC: Top 4 Wonderful English Novels

6 . Entering the drama room I am immediately surrounded by the familiar sights, smells and sounds. Streaks (条纹；线条) of light cast by the blinds of the tall _________ send shafts (杆状物) of light through the dusty air. I take a deep breath and the concrete and paint _________ tickle my nose. I _________ everything about this room.

Some of the best times of my life have been spent here. It’s ironic (讽刺的), but the _________ is the only place where I feel that I don’t have to _________ to be someone I’m not. Like many teenagers, I almost _________ think that people are judging me, but when I act, that feeling disappears. People only look at your acting ability, not your clothing, money, choice of friends, or any of the other ways people are usually ___________.

When I’m on stage, everything else vanishes (消失). All the worries and   _________ of the outside world are put on hold. Nervousness is still present, but it’s the excited and tingly kind, not the queasy (不稳定的) ___________ of being different and alone.

I __________ love to work backstage and on lighting. I __________ you could find another girl who would work on a ladder __________ her elbows in cables and dust and love every second of it. It makes me unique and gives me a sense of __________ to know that I succeed in an area where few others — and virtually (事实上) no girls — do.

High school is a difficult atmosphere, to put it __________. Like others, I’m often insecure (不安的), not __________ who I am or where I’m going in life. Wherever that may be, I will always have the confidence I get from theater.

I’m writing to reply to you. In your last letter, you ask me how to learn ancient Chinese poems. Since you are such interested in poems, I’d like to share my opinions for you. First of all, reading them repeatedly. This can help you well understand that the poets want to convey. As the old Chinese saying goes, “Read a hundred times, the meaning will appear.” Besides, you should know some background informations about them, such as the author and the historical period. Finally, I suggest I recite some poems, which can make you to enjoy the beautiful rhymes and beats of the poems. I am always willingly to offer help if you have any questions.