1 . “What if I told you that I murdered Basil?”

“You couldn’t murder anyone, Dorian. He probably fell into the Seine from a bus. By the way, where’s that wonderful portrait he did of you? Oh! I remember now. You told me years ago that you sent it to Selby Manor and that it got lost or stolen on the way. What a pity! I wanted to buy it. I wish I had now.” Lord Henry said.

“I never really liked it,” said Dorian.

“How have you kept your youth, Dorian? You must have some secret. I’m only ten years older than you are, and I’m wrinkled and old. Please, tell me your secret. To get back my youth, I’d do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.”

When Dorian arrived home that night, he sent his servant to bed, and sat down on the sofa in the library. Then he began to think about his life.

“I’ve been an evil influence on my friends, and I’ve ruined the lives of many good young people,” he thought, “Ah! Why did I pray for the portrait to grow old, and for me to stay young? I worshiped beauty and eternal youth, but they ruined me. It’s better not to think of the past. Nothing can change that. I must think of the future. James Vane is dead. Alan Campbell is dead, too. He shot himself one night in his laboratory.”

“I’m safe now,” he continued. “Basil painted the portrait that ruined my life. I can’t forgive him for that. Everything is the portrait’s fault.”

He began to wonder about the portrait. “If I’m good, maybe the portrait will become beautiful again,” he thought. “I’ll go and look.”

He took the lamp from the table and went upstairs. As he unlocked the door, he smiled. “Yes, I’ll be good,” he thought, “I won’t be frightened of this portrait any more.”

He went upstairs to the room and locked the door. Then he pulled the purple cloth off the portrait. He gave a cry of pain. The portrait was more horrible. His face looked more evil. There was new blood on the hand and on the feet.

Dorian trembled with fear. Dorian looked round the room and saw the knife that stabbed Basil Hallward. It was bright and shining.

“This knife killed the artist, and now it will kill the artist’s work,” he thought.

He grabbed the knife, and then he stabbed the portrait with it.

1. What do we know about Lord Henry from the passage?

A．He doubted slightly whether Dorian murdered Basil.

B．He would do whatever he could to get back his youth.

C．The portrait he wanted to buy was stolen by Selby Manor.

D．The truth about how Dorian kept his youth was hidden from him.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Dorian admitted he was badly affected by his friends.

B．Alan Campbell shot himself one night in his laboratory.

C．Dorian blamed his sufferings on the portrait and Basil.

D．Dorian wanted to kill himself so that the portrait could become normal.

3. What does the underlined word “worshiped” mean in paragraph 6?

A．Admired.

B．Deserved.

C．Maintained.

D．Ignored.

4. Why did Dorian stab the portrait at the end of the story?

A．Because the portrait aroused too much curiosity of his friends.

B．Because the portrait reflecting his soul made him suffer great pain.

C．Because he was jealous of the portrait which would never grow old.

D．Because he thought the portrait would take his youth and beauty away.

2 . Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2024

The Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre (IWC). Described by The Irish Times as “A Dragons’ Cave for writers”, each year the Fair aims to introduce up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents.

The Prize

The twelve winners will have the opportunity to present the summary of their novel directly to industry professionals. Leading publishers and agents will be invited by the IWC to meet these writers in person or through a series of online meetings. To get fully prepared for the meeting with publishers and agents, the winners will receive a place in a workshop on “How to Promote Your Novel”, two weeks in advance. Also, applicants who are longlisted (初选) but do not make it to the shortlist of twelve will have their works evaluated and criticized by the judging panel.

How to Enter

Entry fee for application is £55 (Members of IWC can enter for a discounted fee of £45). This competition only accepts manuscripts (原稿) for novels. Applicants are required to send a summary within 300 words and up to five chapters of their novel, which should be 10,000 words (+/-10％). Manuscripts should be submitted online. There is a limit of one entry per applicant.

Entries are welcome from anywhere in the world. Before entering the competition, please ensure that you have read the Novel Fair Terms & Conditions 2024 very carefully as the Fair is open to only novelists who have never published work previously. If you have any questions about the application process, please email novelfair@irishwriterscentre.ie.

1. What’s the purpose of the Fair?

A．To advertise local stories.

B．To encourage literary reading.

C．To serve as a platform for writers.

D．To arouse enthusiasm for writing.

2. What can the workshop help the winners do?

A．Deal with the judging panel.

B．Improve their writing skills.

C．Learn about publishing process.

D．Present their novels attractively.

3. Which of the following meets the requirement of the Fair?

A．A summary of 200 words.

B．A novel published in 2023.

C．A paper manuscript by post.

D．A submission of seven chapters.

3 . If you want to understand China but can’t afford an expensive international flight, these four books can give you a complete overview of the country.

River Town

River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hessler-This book is a journal of the author’s two years spent teaching English in a small town called Fuling, situated on the banks of the Yangtze River. Hessler writes about his experiences living in a foreign culture and observing the lives of the town’s residents. The book was published in 2001 and has won several awards, including the Kiriyama Prize.

Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

It is a book that tells the story of China’s modernization. It was written by Ezra Vogel and published in 2011. The author describes how Deng Xiaoping’s policies led to significant changes in China’s economy and society. The book has received critical honors and won the Lionel Gelber Prize In 2012.

The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence

This book is a comprehensive history of China from the Ming dynasty to the present day. The author, a prominent scholar of Chinese history, provides a detailed analysis of the social, cultural, and political changes that have taken place in China over the past 500 years. The book was first put out in 1990 and has since been revised and updated several times. This book was the top bestseller for years.

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China

Written by Leslie T. Chang, this book, published in 2008, is reportage on the lives of young women who leave their rural homes to work in factories in China’s cities. Chang, a former New York Times correspondent (someone who is employed by a newspaper or a television station etc. to report news from a particular area or on a particular subject), interviewed hundreds of factory girls to provide insight into the social and economic changes in China.

1. What kind of book is River Town?

A．Science fiction.	B．Nonfiction.
C．A travel guide of Fuling.	D．A reference book.

2. What is TRUE about The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence?

A．It was published 500 years ago.	B．It was written by a history teacher.
C．It was very popular.	D．It has remained the same since its first publication.

3. Which book is written by a reporter?

A．River Town.

B．Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China.

C．The Search for Modern China.

D．Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China.

5 . 阅读下面材料, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Dream of the Red Chamber,     1     epic masterpiece in Chinese literature,     2    (stage) as an original ballet show by the National Ballet of China (NBC) this coming Friday, according to the troupe at a media event.

Considered as one of the four great classical     3    (novel) of Chinese literature, the Dream of the Red Chamber, through the perspective of Jia Baoyu, narrates a story about the fall of his large wealthy family and     4     (he) complex relationship with Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai. It shows the beauty of women and complicated ancient Chinese society from all angles,     5     has a far-reaching influence and world-renowned reputation.

The ballet dance drama will present this Chinese classic novels through a romantic Western-style narration,     6     (offer) a visual feast with carefully designed winter snow stage setting and the costumes of the characters. By integrating Chinese silk into the ballet skirts, the designer Yang Donglin commits himself     7     achieving a “combination of Eastern and Western aesthetics (美学)”.

”You can imagine     8     appealing it is to see the use of Western ballet to tell a classic Chinese story, "chief choreographer Tong Ruirui told the Global Times on Thursday.

“NBC has done     9    (remarkable) in adapting this wonderful classic into a ballet. It’ll definitely help the story gain much     10     (wide) recognition around the world, ” commented Zhang Qingshan, president of Chinese Society of Dream of the Red Chamber.

6 . 语法填空

The Million Pound Bank Note

It was the summer of 1903. Two old and wealthy brothers, Roderick and Oliver, made a bet. Oliver believed that with a million pound bank note a man could survive a month in London. His brother Roderick doubted it. At that moment, they saw a penniless young man    1     (wander) on the pavement outside their house. It was Henry Adams, a businessman,     2     was lost in London and did not know what he should do. The two brothers invited Henry in. They asked Henry some questions and they knew Henry was an American and it was the first time that he    3     (come) to London. As a matter of fact, Henry landed in Britain    4     accident. Back home Henry had his own boat. About a month before, he was sailing out of the bay. Then, towards nightfall Henry found himself    5     (carry) out to sea by a strong wind.

The next morning Henry had just about given himself    6     for lost    7     he was spotted by a ship. And it was the ship    8     brought Henry to England. In England, Henry earned his passage by working as an unpaid hand, which accounts for his appearance.     9     (hear) Henry's story, the two brothers gave Henry a letter    10     (contain) a million pound bank note. Their bet began…

8 . 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。

A seminar (研讨会) was held in Beijing recently. According to its report, the Chinese TV series     1    (adapt) of Liu Cixin’s Three-Body Problem, the first Asian novel to win the Hugo Award, has gained popularity overseas.

Statistics show that     2     series has gained a rating of 7.9 out of 10 on the foreign review company IMDb and has accumulated 5 million views on YouTube, one of the     3    (popular) video platforms in the world.

Gao Changli, director-general of the TV drama department at the National Radio and Television Administration, said that the drama contains a lot of thoughts and knowledge     4    (inspire) by China’s traditional philosophy and culture,     5    (offer) a distinctive edge for homegrown tales in the world’s sci-fi landscape. He also mentioned that the drama has been     6     preparation and production for seven years and has done a good job of bringing to life the typical     7    (scene) described in the novel.

Producers have also revealed that currently they     8    (produce) Three-Body Ⅱ: The Dark Forest,     9     is the second episode in Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy. Meanwhile, more quality works will be produced to     10    (positive) publicize Chinese culture in the overseas markets.

9 . This passage is adapted from Jane Eyre by Charloue Bronte.

Seeing me, she recovered herself: she made a sort of effort to smile and expressed a few words of congratulations, but the smile disappeared, and the sentence was abandoned unfinished. She put up her glasses and pushed her chair back from the table.

“I feel so astonished,” she began, “I hardly know what to say to you, Miss Eyre. I have surely not been dreaming, have I? Sometimes I half fall asleep when I am sitting alone and fancy things that have never happened. It has seemed to me more than once when I have been in a doze (打盹), that my dear husband, who died fifteen years since, has come in and sat down beside me; and that I have even heard him call me by my name, Alice, as he used to do. Now, can you tell me whether it is actually true that Mr. Rochester has asked you to marry him? Don’t laugh at me. But I really thought he came in here five minutes ago and said that in a month you would be his wife.“

“He has said the same thing to me,” I replied.

“He has! Do you believe him? Have you accepted him?”

“Yes.”

She looked at me confused. “I could never have thought it. He is a proud man; all the Rochesters were proud; and his father at least liked money. He, too, has always been called careful. He means to marry you?”

“He tells me so.”

She surveyed my whole person: in her eyes, I read that they had there found no charm powerful enough to solve the mystery.

“It passes me!” she continued, “but no doubt it is true since you say so. How it will answer I cannot tell:I really don’t know. Equality of position and fortune is often advisable in such cases; and there are twenty years of difference in your ages. He might almost be your father.”

“No, indeed, Mrs. Fairfax!” I protested, annoyed, “he is nothing like my father! No one, who saw us together, would suppose it for an instant. Mr. Rochester looks as young, and is as young, as some men of twenty-five.”

“Is it really for love he is going to marry you?” she asked.

I was so hurt by her coldness and skepticism that tears rose to my eyes.

“I am sorry to make you unhappy,” continued the widow (寡妇), “but you are so young, and so little acquainted with men,I wished to put you on your guard. It is an old saying that’ all is not gold that glitters’; and in this case,I do fear there will be something found to be different to what either you or I expect.”

“Why? Am I a monster?” I said. “Is it impossible that Mr. Rochester should have a sincere affection for me?”

“No, you are very well; and much improved recently. and Mr. Rochester, I dare say, is fond of you.I have always noticed that you were a sort of pet of his There are times when, for your sake, I have been a little uneasy at his marked preference and have wished to put you on your guard; but I did not like to suggest even the possibility of wrong. I knew such an idea would shock, perhaps offend you; and you were so discreet (谨慎的) and so thoroughly modest and sensible, I hoped you might be trusted to protect yourself. Last night I cannot tell you what I suffered when I sought all over the house, and could find you nowhere, nor the master either. and then, at twelve o’clock, saw you come in with him.”

“Well, never mind that now,” I interrupted impatiently; “it is enough that all was right.”

“I hope all will be right in the end,” she said. “But, believe me, you cannot be too careful. Try and keep Mr. Rochester at a distance: distrust yourself as well as him. Gentlemen in his station are not accustomed to marrying their governesses.”

1. In this passage Miss Eyre’s feelings about her relationship with Mr. Rochester can be best described as ______.

A．grateful

B．incredible

C．sensitive

D．confident

2. We may infer from the passage that both Miss Eyre and Mrs. Fairfax agree that ______.

A．Mr. Rochester is fond of Miss Eyre

B．Mr. Rochester will break Miss Eyre’s heart

C．Mr. Rochester should not marry his governess

D．Mr. Rochester and Miss Eyre are of the same social class

3. By saying “Gentlemen in his station are not accustomed to marrying their governesses.”, Mrs. Fairfax means that Mr. Rochester ______.

A．is brave enough to challenge the society to marry Miss Eyre

B．will treat Miss Eyre like a governess after marriage

C．is incapable of loving Miss Eyre for his whole life

D．may not be sincere about his marriage proposal

10 . Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle is an icon of British literature, world renowned for his crime fiction creation, “Sherlock Holmes”. His ability to create exciting stories filled with mystery still resonates with readers today, and modern reincarnations (再生) in both film and television mean Holmes is as popular as ever. The creation of such an extraordinary world would be an impossible task for most, so where did Doyle find the inspirations behind its conception?

The topics, characters and events that unfold within Doyle’s creations may seem far removed from you or I, but for Arthur, they were much closer to home. The main inspiration for Holmes was Arthur’s professor at Edinburgh Medical School, Dr. Joseph Bell. The doctor, armed with fantastic scientific knowledge and remarkable abilities in observation and deduction (演绎), would know someone’s occupation and habits from the tiniest details. On one occasion, he shocked his class by deducing the occupation of a patient simply from his accent, schedule, and hands. Additionally, working with murder investigations, illnesses and dead bodies through his studies, Doyle became very knowledgeable about this area.

Since school, Doyle’s talent as a writer was clear as fellow pupils paid him in sweets just to continue his stories, so you would have to assume that the success of Sherlock on the national stage brought Doyle great happiness, right?

Well, not quite. Few people know that it didn’t take long for Doyle to get frustrated with the character. While he ranked his work highly, he actually felt that his career had, “gone off the rails” and wrote to his mother saying, “I must save my mind for better things.” Doyle saw Sherlock as an unwelcome distraction from more serious work which is why he killed him off in The Final Problem. Holmes and Moriarty plunge to their deaths at the Reichenbach Falls and Sherlock Holmes was finished.

But, as with any Holmes tale, there is a twist! Fans were extremly angry and canceled their subscriptions for The Strand Magazine in record numbers. The continuous pressure from fans and publishers finally led Doyle to publish a new story, The Hound of Baskervilles, in 1901. This, however, was set before the death of Sherlock so the complete resurrection (复活) happened in 1903, with The Adventure of the Empty House, in which it is revealed that only Moriarty fell and Holmes faked his death.

1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．The success of Sherlock Holmes made Doyle instant famous.

B．The invention of film and television has helped to promote Sherlock Holmes.

C．Doyle found inspiration mainly from Dr. Joseph Bell and his teacher in school.

D．Doyle’s writing capabilities was long recognized by his peers.

2. Why did Doyle feel frustrated with Sherlock Holmes?

A．The character was not as keen as Dr. Joseph Bell.

B．He couldn’t make much money from the book.

C．The book kept him from writing serious literature.

D．He was attacked by the fans of the book.

3. What can you infer from the passage?

A．Doyle didn’t show talent for writing until he met Dr. Joseph Bell.

B．The success of Sherlock Holmes was bitter-sweet to Doyle.

C．Many movies are adapted from the story of Sherlock Holmes.

D．Doyle was involved in murder investigations in order to write Sherlock Holmes.

4. This passage is most probably taken from ________.

A．a booklet of Doyle museum	B．a website for fans of Holmes
C．a literary magazine	D．an academic report