1 . First-time writers may find it easier to get a short story published in a magazine or in an anthology of short stories than to get a novel accepted. Yet, even though it sounds easier to write a short story, a new writer can easily write a bad short story.
Read other short stories to study how the author has plotted her story. Take notice of the story genre, the theme and how conflict is plotted in a short story. Prepare background information for your short story by making notes on characters, theme and your storyline.
Create a plot chart to help plot your short story. Draw a horizontal line on a sheet of paper and mark significant events along the line which occur in your story.
Hook in the reader with an intriguing opening and introduce the conflict early. Introduce your main character immediately and don’t spend too long setting the scene, as brevity is the key to short story writing.
Adhere to a single theme which helps to drive the plot of the short story forward. Focus on moments of conflict and how the protagonist deals with each problem. Don’t forget to incorporate suspense into your plot to keep the reader interested.
| A．A plot is the soul of the story. |
| B．It takes practice to write a story. |
| C．Write about a specific time in a person’s life. |
| D．Record what happened in your life all the time. |
| E．Hold information back until it is the right moment to reveal it. |
| F．Conclude your story in a positive or negative way. |
| G．Describe briefly how the story opens at the beginning. |
2 . Some people worry that there’s too much technology in our lives. And they may have a point, given how countless people now carry the internet around in their pocket and use it as a primary form of communication. It’s practically difficult to shun technology in our world. There are computer microchips (微芯片) in our watches, our cars, light switches, even our pets! Where will it end?
Well, if certain people have their way, it’ll go even further. We’ll have microchips implanted into our brains that call interact with the computers by thought alone. It may sound like something from the science fiction, but in many ways, things look quite promising. Thanks to the ability to send and receive information remotely via computers, microchips and other related devices have long been put into brains.
For example, electrodes have been implanted in the brains of epilepsy patients to better record and even predict the abnormal neurological (神经病学的) activity. Similarly, deep-brain stimulation, through implanted devices that cause activity in key brain regions, is an established treatment for things like-Parkinson’s disease, and is even being looked into for illnesses like depression.
However, it’s another thing to place such devices in health y individuals. There are the practical concerns, not least of which is what these chips will be made of. The inside of the brain is a mass of highly reactive chemicals and electrical activity. Implants would need to be inert (静止的) enough to not upset the delicate processes by their presence, but also sensitive enough to read and process the activity around them. Current technology has made impressive progress with this, but if it were to be rolled out to millions of people, we’d need to be 100 per cent certain that it’s safe.
How many people will actually want to have technology literally put into their brain? A surprising 60 per cent of Americans say they’d be okay with it, but that’s when it’s purely theoretical. In reality, the possibility of having strangers stick chips in your brain is likely to prove unattractive, especially for a population where millions get mad at fictional microchips in vaccines (疫苗), and even more are frightened of dentists.
Ultimately, the technology of computer-brain interface (接口) implants is still far away from us.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?| A．A summary of the article. | B．An introduction to the main topic. |
| C．An overview of the whole article. | D．An argument over the main topic. |
| A．To put something into someone’s body by an operation. |
| B．To design something new over a period of time. |
| C．To prevent something from changing rapidly. |
| D．To get rid of something steadily. |
| A．The process of human-computer interaction. |
| B．The possible treatment for particular diseases. |
| C．The future of microchips and devices alike. |
| D．The existing application of microchip implants. |
| A．Imaginary. | B．Practical. | C．Unfulfilled. | D．Impossible. |
3 . Bee protection is a big issue these days in America, with people planting native pollinator gardens, setting up bee houses, and taking part in scientific activities to monitor local bee populations. And this is for good reason — in North America, a quarter of native bee species are at risk of extinction. Bees pollinate 35percent of our global food supply and many of the wild plants our ecosystems depend on.
No Mow May, a movement that began in the U. K., is now rapidly spreading throughout the U. S. Its popularity lies in its being simple: Just give bees a little help during the crucial springtime by removing a chore from your list and letting your lawn grow for the month of May. This lets “lawn flowers” such as dandelions grow at a time when bee food is rare.
Dandelions, despite being pretty and useful, are non-native. Then why do we promote a movement that encourages their growth? Here’s the basic answer — don’t let “perfect” be the enemy of “good”. Sure, it would be great to turn your entire neighborhood into a bee kingdom of native plants, but that can take lots of time and money.
While dandelions have become the poster child for No Mow May, other plants, including native species, may also appear in your lawn. “Besides dandelions, there are many other plants that are going to be there,” says Dr. Claudio Gratton at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In Massachusetts, scientists found 63 species of plants in lawns, 30 percent of which were native to the state. Most Americans probably loved dandelions as children but have tended to hate them as adults because of American lawn culture, which allows no flowers. “No Mow May forces us to think about our relationship with nature. We should reflect on the way we have made nature suit our needs, and realize flowers play really important roles,” says Dr. Claudio Gratton.
1. What is the background to No Mow May in the U. S.?| A．Native bee species are increasing. | B．There is a tendency to protect bees. |
| C．Bees mainly depend on garden plants. | D．More people have no time to cut lawns. |
| A．It needs almost no cost. | B．Few Americans support it. |
| C．It is aimed at planting dandelions. | D．It appeals for careful attention to the lawns. |
| A．General principle. | B．Rare exception. |
| C．Typical example. | D．Difficult problem. |
| A．A bee-friendly lawn. | B．A regularly cut lawn. |
| C．A lawn growing naturally. | D．A lawn with native flowers. |
4 . It’s been 20 years since a cookbook changed my life. Before reading every page in Nigella Lawson’s Feast, I didn’t give much thought lo what I ate. Cooking was a boring task I wasn’t particularly good at. Moreover, fear of calories and not being able to fit into my jeans left little room for enjoying things like “chocolate cake”. Nigella, the author of Nigella Lawson’s Feast transformed my relationship with food, changing it from a source of panic to one of limitless pleasure. Leafing through the pages of Feast, I began to think of the women who shaped my cooking. They not only influenced me strongly with their words, recipes and passion for the art of eating, but they also left their mark on the culinary (烹饪的) world.
Take Eugénie Brazier, for example, who grew up with barely enough to eat yet with plenty of determination to achieve great things. After years of hard work on farms and later as a humble cook, she used the little savings she had to open La Mère Brazier, a restaurant that would attract the likes of celebrities. A second location followed, and in 1933, she became the first chef ever to hold six Michelin stars simultaneously (同时地). Known as the mother of modern French cooking, Brazier’s simple yet elegant food changed the way Britain ate.
What Brazier did for the UK, the passionate Julia Child did for America. At a time when TV dinners and tinned foods were gaining popularity, she inspired home cooks to try elegant recipes, teaching them about the use of quality ingredients in an approachable way.
While Julia Child tempted us with her recipes, it was the American author Fisher who enlightened us with her fine cooking prose (散文). In her brilliant essays, she praised the pleasures of the table and explored connections between food and culture. One of my favorite books is Love in a Dish, a charming collection of culinary experiences that transport you to French villages and even describe how the love of food can potentially save a marriage!
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By giving examples. | B．By raising a question. |
| C．By describing his experience. | D．By offering facts. |
| A．Friendly and determined. | B．Considerate and brave. |
| C．Generous and intelligent. | D．Ambitious and successful. |
| A．The ingredients of food. | B．The story behind food. |
| C．The significance of food. | D．The origin of food. |
| A．To motivate readers to cook at home. | B．To market high-quality cooking books. |
| C．To honor some exceptional women cooks. | D．To share his passion for cooking. |
5 . I thought I knew a lot about Hamlet. As a high school student with English literature as one of my main subjects, I have to! Shakespeare’s Hamlet is probably the most important play by the most important writer in English. Almost everybody knows “To be, or not to be”, right? Having seen quite a few productions of Hamlet and read the play many times, I was full of confidence-until the Peking Opera will came to town!
Dating back to the 18th century, Peking Opera has a over two hundred years of history. Does this mean it’s easier than a Shakespeare play to understand? To find out the answer, I just had to go and see The Revenge of Prince Zidan — the Peking Opera version of Hamlet.
...The costumes and masks were amazing. The performers of course sang in Chinese, but the music, exaggerated movements and mime helped get the meaning across to the audience. The voice themselves sounded really unique-some of the female voices were so high that I was sure they could break glass! And the stage was really simple: a decorated whip represented a horse, and a screen with Chinese characters, a study. Using such techniques, the opera had transformed a small stage into the whole universe. Easily my favourite part of the show was how the characters moved on stage. I had never seen Prince Hamlet do a backflip before! That was simply incredible. It was so dazzling and energetic that I wasn’t sure if the characters were performers or athletes!
Before experiencing The Revenge of Prince Zidan, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it. But, in fact, I was on the edge of my seat! Feeling the strong emotions of love, anger, fear and grief in the performance, I could easily recognize the me of Hamlet. So, if you want to see a show that combines music, singing, drama, poetry and costume design with explosive effect, The Revenge of Prince Zidan ticks all the right boxes.
1. Why was the writer full of confidence?| A．He had read much about Peking Opera before. |
| B．He came from the same country as Shakespeare. |
| C．He thought he had a good knowledge of Hamlet. |
| D．He knew various operas in the world. |
| A．Its explosive effect. | B．The traditional Chinese instruments. |
| C．The characters’ movement on stage. | D．The story itself. |
| A．With the help of other audience. | B．Through the music, movements and mime. |
| C．Through the performers’ costumes and masks. | D．By observing the audience’s reactions. |
| A．The two operas had the same theme. |
| B．They came from the same story in history. |
| C．The Peking Opera version was adapted from Hamlet. |
| D．The two operas used almost the same techniques. |
6 . “Our temperature’s not what people think it is,” said Julie Parsonnet, MD, professor of medicine and of health research and policy in Stanford. “or our common sense that our normal temperature is 37 ℃ or 98.6 F, is wrong.”
That standard of 37℃was made famous by German doctor Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich in a book in 1868. Modern studies, however, have called that number into question, suggesting that it’s too high.
In a latest study published in eLife, Parsonnet and her colleagues explore body temperature trends and conclude that temperature changes since the time of Wunderlich reflect a true historical pattern, rather than measurement errors or biases (偏见). The researchers propose that the decrease in body temperature is the result of changes in our environment over the past 200 years, which have in turn driven physiological changes.
The researchers analyzed temperatures from three officially-recorded datasets covering different historical periods, using the 677,423 temperature measurements from these datasets to develop a linear model (线性模型) containing the temperatures over time. They determined that the body temperature of men born in the early to mid-1990s is on average 1.06 F lower than that of men born in the early 1800s. Similarly, they determined that the body temperature of women born in the early to mid-1990s is on average 0.58 F lower than that of women born in the 1890s. These calculations match a decrease in body temperature of 0.05 F every 10 years.
The decrease in average body temperature in the US could be explained by a reduction in the amount of energy being used. The authors believe this trend may be due to a population-wide decrease in inflammation (炎症): “Inflammation produces all sorts of proteins and cytokines that speed up your metabolism (新陈代谢) and raise your temperature,” Parsonnet said. Public health has improved sharply in the past 200 years due to advances in medical treatments, more convenient environment, greater availability of food and improved living standards. The authors also argue that comfortable lives at constant surrounding temperature contribute to a lower metabolic rate. Homes in the 19th century had irregular heating and no cooling; today, central heating and air conditioning are commonplace. A more constant environment removes a need to expend energy to keep a constant body temperature.
1. What does the underlined phrase “call ... into question” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Find evidence for something. | B．Show support for something. |
| C．Regard something as nothing. | D．Express doubt about something. |
| A．0.58 F lower. | B．0.53 F lower. | C．0.28 F lower. | D．0.25 F lower. |
| A．Introduction of the latest findings of a Standford professor. |
| B．Appeal to the public to care about the temperature changes. |
| C．Possible reasons for the changes of average body temperature. |
| D．Explanation of a rather difficult academic term in plain English. |
| A．37 ℃, Still Normal Body Temperature? |
| B．The same Body Temperature between Men and Women? |
| C．The Effects Environment Has on Body Temperature |
| D．Inflammation: Key Factor to Decrease of Body Temperature |
7 . How to Grow Taller
As we all know, your height is mostly determined by your genetics. Once your growth plates (生长板) are joined together, you will stop growing taller, which usually happens between 14 and 20.
Add more protein into your diet.
Protein helps your body build healthy body mass, like muscles.
Eat an egg every day if you’re not allergic to them.
Kindergarten teachers have observed something typical and interesting. Young children who eat a whole egg daily may grow taller than kids who don’t. And this has been proved clinically. Eggs contain protein and vitamins that support healthy growth and they’re also quite affordable. Eat an egg for one meal every day to potentially help you get taller. But here is a tip for you.
Take calcium and vitamin supplements.
Dairy contains protein, calcium, and vitamins to nourish your body. While milk is a great choice, yogurt and cheese are also great sources of dairy. Include 1 serving of your favorite dairy product into your daily diet.
| A．Keep a balanced diet. |
| B．This can help you be your tallest. |
| C．Consume a serving of dairy each day. |
| D．Please ask your doctor if it’s safe for you to do so. |
| E．Minerals and nutrients play a key role in growing higher. |
| F．Luckily, taking good care of your body may still help you grow taller. |
| G．You might increase your height by about 1.3 to 5.1 cm by stretching out your spine daily. |
8 . Four unique European music traditions that are protected by UNESCO
Inuit drum dancing, Greenland
In 2021, UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) recognised Greenland’s Inuit drum dancing and singing as an intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) of humanity. The drum dance typical of the tradition can be performed by one dancer alone or accompanied by a group of people singing songs about love, humour and hunting.
Uilleann piping, Ireland
Uilleann piping was included in the UNESCO’s list in 2017. It involves playing Irish music on a particular type of bagpipe (风笛) known as the “uilleann”. It is a highly developed and complex instrument, with some functions that cannot be found elsewhere. It often accompanies music played at weddings and parties, and it’s been passed on through several generations of Irish musicians.
Kaustinen folk music, Finland
In 2019, UNESCO added to its list Finland’s Kaustinen folk music, a tradition where the violin, with or without accompanying instruments, is played by ear. The style is characterised by rhythms or accents that make it easy to dance to. The 250-year-old tradition is played during wedding parties, public concerts and at music festivals in the small village of Kaustinen.
Fado, Portugal
Fado music, which originated in Portugal in the early 19th century, is now a symbol of Portuguese culture and tradition. It combines poetry and music to create a sometimes sorrowful, and always passionate melody, usually performed by a solo singer accompanied by guitars. It was included in the UNESCO’s list in2011.
1. What is a feature of the uilleann?| A．It is easy to play. | B．It is played by ear. |
| C．It is highly developed. | D．Its functions are common. |
| A．Fado. | B．Uilleann piping. | C．Inuit drum dancing. | D．Kaustinen folk music. |
| A．An instrument ad. | B．A culture website. |
| C．A history textbook. | D．A music festival poster. |
9 . Smartwatches and fitness trackers (健身追踪器) have gained popularity recently. These tools can record your daily steps, heart rates, etc.
It’s a struggle to overcome the addiction to fitness trackers.
Of course, failing to meet your daily goal can be discouraging. You might focus on your shortcoming rather than your progress. Another problem is that you might find yourself paying too much attention to the step number rather than how your body feels.
Therefore, if you’re spending too much time looking at your smartwatch, limit your daily step count to a comfortable level.
| A．How can you tell whether you’re addicted to your fitness tracker? |
| B．Actually this addiction to step count can be risky, mentally and physically. |
| C．Don’t overuse your smartwatch. |
| D．However, do you find yourself checking your steps and heart rates too often? |
| E．After all, reaching a daily step count can be so appealing. |
| F．Besides, you can find other things to do that don’t involve checking your fitness tracker. |
| G．It doesn’t covey what you’re really feeling. |
10 . The growth mindset is the belief that intellectual abilities can be developed and are not fixed, which have received a great deal of attention in schools and among researchers.
According to a study, a teacher’s growth mindset acts as a “support” that can draw out a student's growth mindset at the very beginning and make it maintainable and actionable in the classroom. These teachers may convey how, in their classes, mistakes are learning opportunities, not signs of low ability, and back up this view with assignments and evaluations that reward continual improvement. This could encourage a student to continue acting on their growth mindset.
The study analyzed data from the National Study of Learning Mindset, which was an intervention experiment conducted with a sample of ninth-grade students’ math grades. The present focus on math grades is motivated by the fact that students tend to find math challenging and anxiety inducing, and therefore, a growth mindset might help students face those challenges productively.
In the study, researchers show that the positive effect of a short growth-mindset intervention on ninth-grade students’ math grades was concentrated among students whose teachers themselves had growth mindset. They also found that baseline students — serve as a benchmark (基准点) for comparing and evaluating the progress of other students — who reported more fixed mindset in classrooms showed a significantly positive effect on math grades.
Successfully teaching a growth mindset to students lifted math grades overall, but this was not enough for all students to reap the benefits of a growth-mindset intervention. Supportive classroom contexts also mattered.Students who were in classrooms with teachers who approved of more of a fixed mindset did not show gains in their math grades over ninth grade, whereas the same kind of students in classrooms with more growth-mind set teachers showed meaningful gains.
In general, they view the testing and understanding of the causal effect of teacher mindset as the next step for mindset science. Such research will be challenging to carry out, however.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．How a student's growth-mindset is inspired. |
| B．Why a teacher's growth mindset is important. |
| C．How mistakes turn into learning opportunities. |
| D．Why a student continues acting on growth mindset. |
| A．Students were unable to overcome maths challenge. |
| B．The positive effect was concentrated on all students. |
| C．The sample size of the experiment was insufficient. |
| D．Students at baseline were influenced considerably. |
| A．has an influence on the effectiveness |
| B．is determined by supportive classroom |
| C．always brings meaningful gains to students |
| D．plays a decisive role in students' significant gains |
| A．The Academic Performance: The Influence of Students’ Mindset |
| B．Students’ Learning Motivation: The Impact of Teachers’ Mindset |
| C．Encouraging a Growth Mindset: The Role of Teachers |
| D．Fixed and Growth Mindset: Their Relationship and Impact |
