1 . Writers of science fiction often feel more prescient (预知的) than others. Whether the threat to women’s rights in the work of Margaret Atwood, the architectural and social dystopias (反乌托邦) of J. G. Ballard’s novels, or the internet-predicting world of E M. Forster’s The Machine Stops, the genre are filled with prescient writers dealing with ever more familiar issues.
Out of all such writers, few seem more likely to predict our times than the American author Philip K. Dick, who died in 1982. In the 30-year period of work, Dick wrote 44 novels and countless short stories, adaptations of which went on to redefine science fiction on screen.
Dick had a surprising ability to predict what would happen in modern world. The famous science-fiction and fantasy author Stan Nicholls suggests Dick’s work is prescient because it explored the future through the then-present. “His stories supposed the popularity of the Internet, virtual reality, facial recognition software, driverless cars and 3D printing,” Nicholls said—while also pointing out that “it’s a misinterpretation that prediction is the primary purpose of science fiction. The genre’s hit rate is actually not very good in that respect. Like all the best science fiction, his stories weren’t really about the future, they were about the here and now.”
Whether his visions were, as he believed, a product of small problems in the simulation or his fading mental health, one thing is for certain—the world in which the work of Philip K. Dick is well known today feels ever closer to the ones imagined by this most unique and exceptional writer.
1. Why does the author mention three writers in paragraph 1?| A．To explain how great their novels are. |
| B．To explain the women’s rights in the future. |
| C．To show science fictions have the foresight. |
| D．To show the same interest of science fictionists. |
| A．He had the capacity to predict the present age. |
| B．He adapted his four short stories for the screen. |
| C．He often had ideas different from the editor’s. |
| D．He died in the USA in the 21st century. |
| A．They are all about other planets. | B．They all focus on the present |
| C．They should develop various themes. | D．They should make readers feel satisfied. |
| A．Philip K Dick had a great impact on science. |
| B．Philip K. Dick had traveled into the future then. |
| C．People don’t agree to Philip K. Dick’s prediction. |
| D．The world in Philip K. Dick’s works is similar to today’s world. |
2 . Could J. K. Rowling please leave Harry Potter in peace? 2010 was a good time to move on. We all know that Harry Potter’s last adventures hit the bookstore in 2007, and three years later the Warner Bros adaptations ran their course in cinema, too. For many fans, the young wizard had worked his magic through most of their childhood. But in 2018, a new Harry Potter extended universe film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald, was out.
I love Harry Potter series and I always will. It’s all there in my memory: I remember the first delight at reading “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal”. The wizarding treasure hunt, thrown by my parents for my ninth birthday with my dad dressed as Hagrid in the garden, was so clear in my mind. I remember deciphering (破译) my copy of the Deathly Hallows, the first book I read in English, and having to check the French for “wand”. The 2001 trip to the cinema to see Philosopher’s Stone, and all the ones that followed are kept clearly.
However, someone needs to call a halt to the endless afterlife of Potter’s fictional universe. It was enough in the seven books and eight films. We didn’t and don’t need a community website, a theatre play, the printed script of said movie, and even more movies.
Rowling has created 21st-century modern literary classic. I always look up to her as the textbook classy writer: respectfully drawing attention from readers, successful but wise enough to withdraw. She also cares much about the causes she holds dear. In 2011 alone, she donated 16% of her net worth to charities. Of all contemporary authors who hit gold, Rowling remains one of the very most inspirational.
The saddest thing is that Rowling helped with the writing of the Cursed Child. She regularly “revealed” new details about Potter’s magical world on Twitter. Today, I decided to give up: I don’t follow Rowling on Twitter. I don’t want to see the new film. Thank you, Joanne Kathleen Rowling. I have enough valued stories—I don’t need new ones any more.
1. The last book of Harry Potter series was published in ______ .| A．2007 | B．2010 | C．2011 | D．2017 |
| A．felt rather easy to understand Harry Potter series |
| B．was quiet fond of Harry Potter series and its films |
| C．read Harry Potter series with the help of his parents |
| D．missed the time of watching Harry Potter movies with his parents |
| A．Share. | B．Appreciate. | C．Stop. | D．Change. |
| A．The talent J. K. Rowling has. |
| B．The author’s praise for J. K. Rowling. |
| C．The influence of J. K. Rowling’s works. |
| D．The author’s expectations of J. K. Rowling. |
3 . Every year, Barnes & Noble picks the 10 best books of the year, covering all genres and age groups. If you’re looking for an amazing book to grab before the end of 2021, here are some of the best books of the year.
Cloud Cuckoo Land
This novel is both a historical and futuristic science fiction story that connects five characters across hundreds of years through their relationship to a book: “Cloud Cuckoo Land.” The book they find is about a shepherd named Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird, so he can live a carefree life forever. As each character finds this book, from a l5th century kid to a young teen on a futuristic interstellar ship, their stories meet in this complex yet fascinating read.
Crying in H Mart
When Michelle Zauner was 25, her mother s cancer changed her life forever and forced her to accept her Korean American identity in a desperate attempt to stay connected to her mother. As a talented musician, Michelle had previously been divorced from her cultural roots, but quickly turned to food to keep her mother's memory alive in this powerful and heartbreaking memoir.
Pony
It is a historical, middle-grade adventure novel intended for adolescents. It talks about a 12-year-old boy named Silas who is woken in the middle of the night to see his father being taken away by three horsemen. With only his horse named Pony by his side, Silas sets off on a life-changing mission to find his father.
You Will Get Through This Night
It is a nonfiction read about mental health that offers both a personal and professional outlook on how to survive the hardest mental health days. Dividing the book into three chapters — This Night, Tomorrow, and The Days After — Daniel Howell wants readers to not just survive the hard nights but properly care for our mental health.
1. What do Cloud Cuckoo Land and Pony have in common?| A．Plot. | B．Literary form. | C．Characters. | D．Writing background. |
| A．Cloud Cuckoo Land. | B．Crying in H Mart. |
| C．Pony. | D．You Will Get Through This Night. |
| A．It is about psychological health. | B．It helps cure physical disabilities. |
| C．It is a collection of personal stories. | D．It mainly solves sleeping problems. |
4 . People who argue that William Shakespeare isn’t responsible for the plays attributed to his name are known as anti-Stratfordians (from the name of Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon). They think that Shakespeare simply was not educated enough or from a high enough social class to have written plays with such a wide range of subjects like history and international culture. Shakespeare was the son of a glove-maker. He only had a basic grade school education, and he never set foot outside of England — so how could he have written in such detail about historical figures and events, or about different cultures and locations around Europe? But in fact, most anti-Stratfordian arguments can be refuted (反驳) with a little background about Shakespeare’s time and upbringing.
First of all, those who doubt Shakespeare’s authorship often point to his common birth and brief education as blocks to his writerly talents. Although it’s true that Shakespeare did not come from a noble class, his father was a very successful glove-maker and his mother was from a very wealthy land-owning family — so he would have been educated accordingly. Also grade school education in Shakespeare’s time was actually quite strict and exposed students to classic drama through writers like Seneca and Ovid. It’s not unreasonable to believe that Shakespeare received a very solid foundation in poetry and literature from the courses at school.
Next, anti-Stratfordians tend to question how Shakespeare could write so extensively about countries and cultures he had never visited before (for example, Romeo and Juliet was set in Italy). But again, this criticism doesn’t hold up to close scrutiny (推敲). For one thing, Shakespeare was living in London, a business, political and cultural center of Europe. Among the daily crowds of people, Shakespeare would certainly have been able to meet travelers from other countries and hear firsthand accounts of life in their home country. For another, it was also the age of the printing press. Such technology made it possible to print and circulate books much more easily than in the past. This allowed people to read about life and ideas throughout Europe. One needn’t travel the continent to learn and write about its culture.
1. What is the main purpose of this text?| A．To explain two sides of an argument. |
| B．To criticize a theory by presenting evidence. |
| C．To give some historical background about a literary figure. |
| D．To encourage readers to be skeptical about famous writers. |
| A．By referring to Shakespeare’s educated parents. |
| B．By insisting upon Shakespeare’s natural talent. |
| C．By comparing Shakespeare with other writers of his time. |
| D．By explaining grade school education in Shakespeare’s time. |
| A．International travel was extremely rare in Shakespeare’s time. |
| B．Until recently, classical drama was only taught in universities. |
| C．In Shakespeare’s time, glove-makers weren’t part of the upper class. |
| D．Some writers in Shakespeare’s time wanted to harm his reputation. |
| A．It’s Shakespeare’s most famous play. |
| B．It was inspired by Shakespeare’s trip to Italy. |
| C．It’s an example of a play set outside of England. |
| D．It was unpopular when Shakespeare first wrote it. |
5 . If you’ve found yourself stuck in reading burnout lately, you are not alone. Thankfully, a short reading book may be a good solution to this. Here are four books under 250 pages that are certainly worth your attention.
Assembly by Natasha Brown
With her unique narrative voice, Brown covers everything from the workplace to the British colonialism. In just the 100-page fiction, Brown manages to cover more fertile ground than many of the celebrated books six times its size.
Intimations by Zadie Smith
There are few writers who could excite us with the concept of an essay collection focusing on the experience of living in the disease lockdown, but an exception must always be made for Smith. Written before 2020 was even half-way through. Intimations is a window into the authors’ reflection on the special time we have lived through.
We Live in Water by Jess Walter
It is the first collection of short fiction from the bestselling author. Walter’s slim collection of short stories offers the same observation you can find in his novel, The Financial Lives of the Poets. As for Walter’s nonfiction, you will fall in love with it again each time you read one of his novels.
The Poetry Pharmacy by William Sieghart
Sometimes, only poetry will do. Offering a cure for any spiritual pain, these poetic wise words of advice offer comfort, delight and inspiration for all. From everyday worries to finding the strength to deal with life’s great difficulty, this is the perfect volume to have by your side.
1. How is Intimations different from the other three books?| A．It is a bestseller. |
| B．It is a short reading book. |
| C．It is related to the disease lockdown. |
| D．It is about famous British workplaces. |
| A．Assembly and Intimations. |
| B．Assembly and We Live in Water. |
| C．Intimations and The Poetry Pharmacy. |
| D．We Live in Water and The Poetry Pharmacy. |
| A．Natasha Brown. | B．Zadie Smith. |
| C．Jess Walter. | D．William Sieghart. |
6 . The best science fiction books of 2021
We take a look at the most exciting new science-fiction books of 2021. No matter what kind of science fiction fan you are, we're sure you'll find something to add to your reading list.
The Saints of Salvation
By Peter F. Hamilton
The Olyix have laid siege（围攻）to Earth, harvesting people for their god. Cities are ru¬ined by their weapons and millions have either fled to seek refuge in space or are fighting a war that seems unwinnable. As Earth's defeat draws ever closer, a team are sent to enter the Olyix's air-ship secretly. Their plan? This is the final science fiction in Peter F. Hamilton's extremely surprising series The Salvation Sequence.
A Desolation Called Peace
By Arkady Martine
This impressive sequel（续集）to Arkady Martinets Hugo Award-winning science fiction book sees the Teixcalaanli Empire facing an alien threat which could bring about its complete destruction. Fleet captain Nine Hibiscus sends a person to negotiate with the mysterious invaders...
Jack Four
By Neal Asher
Jack Four-one of twenty human clones-has been created to be sold. His purchasers are the aliens and they only want him for their experimentation program. But there is something different about Jack. No clone should possess the knowledge that's been loaded into his mind.
Rabbits
By Terry Miles
Rabbits is a secret, dangerous and sometimes deadly underground game. The rewards for winning are unclear, but there are rumors of money or it might unlock the universe's greatest secrets. Everyone knows that the deeper you get, the more deadly the game becomes-and the body count is rising. Since the game first started, ten rounds have taken place. The eleventh round is about to begin, and what happens in the game, stays in the game...
1. What can we know aboutThe Saints of Salvation?| A．It's about the war among people on earth. |
| B．The Olyix are defeated in the end. |
| C．It belongs toThe Salvation Sequence. |
| D．It's the last novel of Peter F. Hamilton. |
| A．He gives the alien a complete destruction. |
| B．He lets someone negotiate with the alien. |
| C．He fights against the alien bravely. |
| D．He makes the alien face a threat. |
| A．In a book recommendation. | B．In an art magazine. |
| C．In a biography. | D．In a novel |
7 . Are you a book lover? Here are some of the hottest books of the season.
The One Thing You’d Save
The One Thing You’d Save is about a homework assignment. Ms. Chang has students choose what they’d save if their home was on fire. Some choose baseball cards or animal toys. One picks a sweater that was passed down for generations. Another chooses a box of memories about a sister who died. This book helps readers learn to figure out what matters most in life.
War and Millie McGonigle
It’s 1941. Millie McGonigle, a 12-year-old girl, was supposed to be living a carefree life. However, she lives in the shadow of World War Ⅱ. War and Millie McGonigle is an inspiring story that tackles the topic of life and death. The story line is driven by vivid characters and their relationships. The interaction between Millie and her little sister, Lily, mirrors the real-life sibling (兄妹) relationships in many families.
Simon B. Rhymin’
Simon is starting fifth grade and hopes to become a famous singer. But he’s shy about using his voice to express his ideas and thoughts. When a teacher asks the class to give an oral presentation, Simon must find the strength to change and overcome his fears. Simon B. Rhymin’ is a book that gives confidence to readers who are going through similar struggles.
Rez Dogs
Rez Dog is a book about an eighth grader named Malian. She’s visiting her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation when COVID-19 hits. To stay safe, Malian has to stay away from school” and her friends. Many kids will understand this tough situation. During the lockdown, Malian learns to think about what other people have gone through and how they are feeling during the pandemic (疫情).
1. How can The One Thing You’d Save influence us?| A．It gets us to preserve sweet family memories. |
| B．We may find it essential to ensure home safety. |
| C．We will try our best to improve our academic performance. |
| D．It reminds us to discover what we should treasure most in life. |
| A．They are both inspirational stories. |
| B．They are both set in cruel war times. |
| C．They both reflect character weaknesses. |
| D．They both involve principles of survival. |
| A．The One Thing You’d Save. | B．War and Millie McGonigle. |
| C．Simon B. Rhymin’. | D．Rez Dogs. |
8 . Book Reviews
Will H’s Reviews
Dear Earthling
By Pen Avey｜Publisher: Common Deer Press
Review: This book is about friends giving advice and sending advice to one another by letter. I like the book because it is funny. The author describes the characters very well and they are very believable. I also like the author's writing style.
Lexi's Reviews
The Miracle of Hanukkah
By Malachy Doyle｜Publisher: Bloomsbury Education
Review: I like this book and the way it tells the story of Hanukkah. We did read the story of Hanukkah at school in year l in RE and so l have known some of this already. It is nice to hear the story again and remind me of the special words like “Menorah" which I have forgotten.
Lenny's Reviews
The Dogon
By Joanne White｜Publisher: Other
Review: This story is really fun and it's cool how the dog is a dragon at night. It is a nice short story to read before bed and my class fiends enjoy the book.
Charlotte's Reviews
Queen of Darkness
By Tony Bradman｜Publisher: Bloomsbury Education
Review: I enjoy this book very much but it can be too scary if I am younger than 7 years old. It is an interesting way to learn about Boudica and British history. The book is exciting and unpredictable. The main character is Rihanna and I find her very reliable.
1. Why does Will like the book Dear Earthling?| A．It offered much advice to him. | B．It’s interesting and well written. |
| C．He once heard the story in it. | D．He likes the unreliable characters. |
| A．Pen Avey's. | B．Malachy Doyle's. | C．Joanne White's. | D．Tony Bradman's. |
| A．Dear Earthling. | B．The Miracle of Hanukkah |
| C．The Dogon. | D．Queen of Darkness. |
