1 . Joseph Conrad, a famous English novelist, said that his goal as a writer was “to make you hear, to make you feel, and above all, to make you see. That, and no more, is everything.”     1     Often it leaves a single sharp impression to be turned over and over in the mind. After finishing the story, the reader should have something to think about: the humor of life, its ironies, or the unpredictability of human behavior.

    2     The first and most obvious level is conveyed through the plot. Plot refers to the sequence of events, to the actions of the characters and the situations in which they are involved. To explain the plot, then, is to tell what happened in the story and to whom. In some short stories, plot is the dominating element. In other short stories, plot plays a very minor role.

In Hemingway’s story, The Old Man and the Sea, however, we must approach the content on another level.     3     To understand and appreciate the story, the reader must be able to identify its general topic or theme. The next step is to identify the device by which the author comments on this theme.     4    

Readers cannot appreciate a short story fully unless they react not only to what has been said but also to how it has been said.     5     Style grows out of the writer’s own personality and can be seen in the choice of words and phrases, the arrangement of sentences, the rhythm and tone. Structure refers to the architecture of the story, the way in which the details are selected and arranged to produce the desired effect.

A．They must look for style and structure.

B．In complex stories, careful readers may not always agree with the author.

C．The impact on the reader comes from the sudden and unexpected response.

D．A good short story tries to give the reader a sense of the actual experience.

E．Finally, the reader should be able to explain the insights which the author has given into the theme.

F．The impact of the story comes from the insight it gives us into the needs and desires of youth and old age.

G．In order to read a short story with full understanding, the reader must approach the content on two levels.

2 . The following is a list of museums that have new ways to develop creativity and spread knowledge.

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza

The museum is one of Madrid’s “Big Three” cultural institutions. Home to the world’s second largest private collection of art, it owns famous works from almost every art movement. Users can take a virtual (虚拟的）tour of the entire building or a thematic (主题的）tour covering such topics as food and fashion.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul

Since it opened its doors in 2013, MMCA has become a well-known cultural platform and leader in Korean art. With the help of Google Arts and Culture, MMCA is now offering a virtual tour of its collections. This experience takes visitors through six floors of modern and contemporary art from Korea and around the world.

The Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House, set up in 1957 in Amsterdam, tries to inform the public through educational programs and tours of the building where Anne and her family hid during World War II. To explore deeper into the story described in Anne9s diary, online visitors can watch videos about her life and look around the house where she lived before going into hiding.

The Vatican Museums

They are the public art and sculpture museums in the Vatican City. They exhibit works from the large collection collected by the Popes (教皇）throughout the centuries, including several of the most famous Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance (文艺复兴） art in the world. Virtual visitors can tour seven different sections of the complex, enjoying 360-degree views of the Sistine Chapel, perhaps best known for Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgment fresco (壁画).

1. At which museum can visitors gain knowledge of art movements?

A．The Vatican Museums.

B．The Anne Frank House.

C．The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza

D．The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

2. What does MMCA’s collection focus on?

A．Works of famous Roman artists.

B．Modem and contemporary art.

C．Public educational programs.

D．Google Arts and Culture.

3. What is special about the Anne Frank House?

A．It was built during World War II.

B．It has the largest private collections.

C．It is the oldest museum about the war.

D．It tells the story of a World War II victim.

4. What can tourists do in The Vatican Museums?

A．Learn to create sculptures.

B．Enjoy a specific thematic tour.

C．Watch videos about the Popes’ life.

D．Appreciate Michelangelo’s artworks.

5. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the text?

A．To introduce museums with virtual tours.

B．To appeal to people to visit museums in the flesh.

C．To show people ways of appreciating works of art.

D．To advise museums to perfect visitors’ experience.

3 . Children's fiction typically refers to any type of fictional work of writing that is written specifically for children.     1     The most common types include those told in poem form, stories for very young children, and works meant for older children. They can include older and traditional stories, such as nursery rhymes and fairy tales, as well as more modern stories that have been written more recently. Many works of children's fiction use songs and rhythms.     2    

Though some children's fiction is intended for children of all ages, many works are specifically written for younger or older children. Picture books, for example, are often written for very young children, including toddlers（学步的小孩）and those just beginning to develop language.     3     They are frequently written in poem form as well, and can feature word choices that are intended to help young children begin to develop language. They have a very small vocabulary, frequently repeating words to allow children to hear them many times.

Children's fiction that is written for older children, on the other hand, may deal with more complex ideas that older children can understand.     4     This allows children who are learning to read to practice with words that are repeated and familiar, while still exposing them to a wide range of words. These works of children’s fiction often still have pictures, though there may be more words than pictures.     5     They help children move from picture books toward children's literature and young adult books.

A．These books are often quite short in length.

B．They are typically meant as a bridge for children.

C．Kids aren5t the only ones reading children’s fiction.

D．There are many different types of children's fiction.

E．Books for young readers often deal with very interesting topics.

F．This allows such works to be more easily read aloud to young children.

G．These works may also repeat words, but often have a larger vocabulary.

4 . Kathleen Rooney knew that writing Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, from the point of view of a pigeon, was a risk. Rooney, perhaps best known for her 2017 bestseller, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, says her interest in a feathered narrator was excited by one of her students at DePaul University, where she is an English professor. “A student named Brian mentioned Cher Ami in a poem. It blew my mind that this pigeon was so heroic and is stuffed and on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.”

Rooney learned that Cher Ami, a British homing pigeon, helped save a group of American troops during a horrific, multi-day World War I battle. The story of this amazing pigeon and the extraordinary man who commanded the battle, Major Charles Whittlesey, was altogether attractive.

In Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, Charles reflects on his happier prewar days in New York City, where he ran a law firm with a college classmate. When it came time for battle, though, he and his fellows found themselves cut off from supply lines, surrounded by enemy German troops.

Carrier pigeons were the group’s only hope of contacting headquarters and getting the other Americans to stop dropping bombs on them. Cher Ami flew through gunfire to deliver Charles' message, which finally stopped the attack. She lost an eye and a leg, among other wounds, but was eventually able to hobble (蹒跚) on a tiny wooden prosthesis (义肢) that the Army made for her. She lived another year before dying of her injuries in 1919, but in the novel she continues speaking to readers behind glass in the Smithsonian where she’s been since her death.

There’s an interesting lesson to be learned from Charles’ decisions in the battle, too. “He was famous for something we’d describe as passive,” Rooney says. “Once they were in the pocket, he waited as long as he could. I’m an impatient, active person ... His act was stillness, waiting, keeping everybody’s spirits up. The way he did that was amazing.”

Rooney also hopes the book, with its portrayal of the charming and brave Cher Ami, will boost the appreciation of our furry and feathered friends.

1. What inspired Rooney to write the book?

A．Visiting a national museum.	B．Reading a student’s poem.
C．Some comments on her bestseller.	D．Experiences of raising pigeons.

2. What does Paragraph4 mainly center on?

A．An exhibition featuring a heroic battle.

B．Historic events happening to Cher Ami.

C．Americans’ poor strategies during the war.

D．Charles’ methods for training Cher Ami.

3. What impressed Rooney?

A．Charles’ humor and optimism.

B．Charles’ affection for carrier pigeons.

C．Charles’ patience and motivation.

D．Charles’ quick response to the attack.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A message of hope	B．Braving World War I
C．An effort to protect pigeons	D．Finding the lost commander

5 . 语法填空

Silent Spring

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published in 1962. Carson wrote the book     1     (aim) to alert people to the damaging effects of human activities     2     natural ecosystems. And she wished to see pesticides     3     (use) in a more responsible, limited and carefully monitored way. The book contained a lot of scientific information, research, examples and so on,     4     showed how precise she was as a scientist. The arguments were strong and the language was     5     (elegance) and influential. However, the book was not received positively by everyone. It quickly became a target for critics in the pesticide industry, who said that Carson’s research was not precise. Carson appeared in public and on television     6     (defend) her claims.

Carson’s message was     7     (alarm) and its influence was immediate and far-reaching. The use of DDT     8     (ban) and the EPA was established in the US. The book was considered as     9     milestone in the launch of the green movement in the Western world. Carson earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom after she passed away.

The book changed the world by increasing people’s     10     (aware) of protecting natural ecosystem.

6 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Charles Dickens

It has been 150 years since Charles Dickens died, 184 years since his first work was released to the public and 156 years since his last completed book came out. In all of this time, these novels have never been out of print. Dickens may have left us, but his work remains timeless,     1     (fascinate) the majority of those who open their pages.

Most people have read, watched or at least heard of Dickens’ stories, but what makes him and his work so popular? Since he began novel writing in his 20s, Dickens constantly produced quality classics. Year after year his awaiting fans were not left     2     (disappoint) as their minds were fed with complex tales of romance, crime, hope and despair.

In the Victorian era he lived in, much of the work Dickens produced     3     (model) on the literature before him. He was one of the first writers of the time     4     (portray) honest examples of working-class people, giving many something to relate to. He focused on unfolding the good and bad qualities of characters which allowed his readers to follow their journeys and understand     5     they may have acted in the unusual or shocking ways that they did.

Any Dickens fans will know the diverse and outrageous (耸人听闻的) characters coming to life between the pages.     6     was special about this novelist’s ability in imagining these characters’ stories is that it comes from his own life’s path.     7     a young boy left to take care of himself in a workhouse to the wealthy figure he became through his writing successes, he knew what it was like to see in different lights. This deep understanding of his characters gave his fictional stories the strong element of believability     8     is needed in a good novel.

Over a century and a half later, Dickens’ themes can be relevant to today’s world problems. His words and imagery have been transformed further into the media of modern film, television and even musical adaptations.     9     set in a time unfamiliar to readers today, his work still enables everyone to relate to the love, hardship and sense of family that pours from the narratives. It is this aspect     10     has carried Charles Dickens into the 21st century.

7 . 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.

2. What does Nine Hibiscus do to save Teixcalaanli Empire?

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.

3. Where can the text be found?

A．In a book recommendation.	B．In an art magazine.
C．In a biography.	D．In a novel

8 . I've been watching a lot of foreign-language television lately.( I do love good television.) It seems that all of a sudden there is a lot of non-American shows to watch. One night I may watch a Danish show, another night a show from Sweden or Mexico. And luckily for me, the world of children's books is following suit.

I had never heard of Gustavo Roldan before the book Juan Hormiga arrived at my door. Juan Hormiga, translated by Robert Croll, is, in a word, funny. Juan Hormiga is the one red ant among thousands of black ants, but it's not his being red that sets him apart from the rest of the colony. While every other ant is as hard-working as you might expect, busily collecting food or digging underground passages, that's just not Juan Hormiga's strengths. "If there was one way in which Juan Hormiga was second to none, it was his way of telling stories."

All those busy black ants could have hated the lazy Juan Hormiga. They could have denied him tunnel privileges or picnic pieces, but no, the other ants "didn't seem to mind too much". Juan is such a good storyteller that whenever he starts to tell a story, which seems to be whenever he's awake, all the other ants forget about their work and come close to listen to Juan tell his grandfather's adventures far beyond the world of the anthill.

It's hard to put into words what makes children's stories from other countries different from American children's stories. Certainly, European fairy tales historically have had a much darker tone than American fairy tales, as fairy tales from other countries. Language, culture, and historical context have a lot to do with what gives stories their taste, and it's no different with the Spanish Juan Hormiga. Juan Hormiga is a jewel of a story. It has everything my kids and I want from a book: silliness, adventure, daring and a satisfying ending.

1. What makes Juan Hormiga special?

A．His different color.	B．His way of telling stories.
C．His way of collecting food.	D．His talent for speaking foreign languages.

2. What do the black ants think of Juan Hormiga?

A．Lazy and dull.	B．Greedy and dishonest.
C．Smart and adventurous.	D．Gifted and appealing.

3. What do European fairy tales and the American ones differ in?

A．The background.	B．The happy ending.
C．The main tone.	D．The complicated plot.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To review a children's book.

B．To record an unforgettable experience.

C．To introduce the variety of television shows.

D．To show the close relationship between family members.

9 . The below-mentioned books are first-rate bestsellers and would be perfect additions to your reading list.

	Maybe the power of one's belief isn't the ultimate example of intelligence. Maybe, in a constantly changing world, the ability to make judgements and change one's mind accordingly is much more important. That's Adam Grant's theory, and Think Again is here to help you to look at the world around you, check your assumptions, and—you guessed it—think again. —Chris Schluep, Amazon Editor
	This book reads like fiction but tells the true story of murder and greed that troubled the Osage Nation in Oklahoma in the 1920s. When oil was discovered on their land, the Osage people became the wealthiest in the world and the targets (particularly the women) for the white men who had their sights set on marrying and murdering into their riches. I suggest you treat yourself to this exceptional read right now. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
	The subject of Isaacson’s book is Jennifer Doudna, who won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work developing CRISPR. CRISPR is the innovation that will open the door to gene control, driving the life sciences revolution for decades to come. But it will also open the door to moral problem as we ask ourselves. How far should we go in editing humans—especially before birth—and who should control those decisions? —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
	While the book unfolds during the course of a single day, flashbacks to when a group of kids were crowding around a desk and to when their rock star father abandoned them time and again reveal the complex dynamics still in force in their adulthood. After I finish this book, I would dream of these characters and their restaurant by the sea. Malibu Rising is a fun, unforgettable read. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor

1. Which book will you choose if you are interested in history?

A．The Code Breaker	B．Think Again
C．Killers of the Flower Moon	D．Malibu Rising

2. What do we know about the book The Code Breaker?

A．It solves the problem of gene control.

B．It is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novel.

C．It focuses on the 2020 Nobel Prize winners.

D．It covers Jennifer Doudna and her achievements.

3. What do we learn from the introduction of the book Malibu Rising?

A．The kids had high expectations of their father.

B．The kids ran away from their father frequently.

C．The kids' father destroyed their dream of being rock stars.

D．The kids' childhood experiences affected their adult life.

10 . From the ancient Chinese stories, to the stories in the medieval cathedrals（中世纪的教堂）in the west, it is perfectly clear that there is strong pleasure and meaning to gain from stories told through images or pictures. People are lucky enough to have had books with both pictures and words when they were children.    1    .

After the world wars, the cheap books without pictures were everywhere and it made reading books illustrated with pictures for adults a very luxurious thing. Somehow, pictures had also come to seem childish or strange.    2    Just as the ever-increasing popularity of the graphic novel（连环画小说）suggests, works both words and pictures are regarded as classics.

    3    In fact the former develops from the latter. Early writing systems such as those in Egypt and China: things in the world were expressed in written form by drawing special pictures.       4    In some languages, the sound associated with an image are separated from its original meaning.

What is the use of a book without pictures? Very little, it turns out, particularly if we consider that pictures are buried within the very symbols used to write words. As for a picture book for adults, author Tokarczuk sweeps away all doubts. She adores the picture book.    5    This kind of story is able to get through to anyone – regardless of age, cultural differences or level of education. It’s hard to disagree.

A．Because it is hard to read books with pictures.

B．And yet readers love stories told through pictures.

C．However, words and pictures are not always connected.

D．Text and picture, after all, are not so far apart.

E．For her it is a powerful, old way of telling a story.

F．Adults are thought foolish to read such books.

G．They often remember the pictures as clearly as the words.