1 . The Chinese version of the French book, Pourquoi les Chinois ont-ils le temps (Why Chinese People have Time), has been recently published by SDX Joint Publication Co. The author, Christine Cayol, who has lived in China for more than 20 years, shares her observations in her writing on Chinese wisdom towards "time".

In the western world, the concept of time is often measurable, which can date from the Industrial Revolution. This view of time always reminds people of progress, improvement and efficiency.

Unlike the western "race mode", the Chinese view of time is more like a "flowing water mode". In Cayol's eyes, Chinese people can become friends with time. "For the Chinese, time is neither a flying arrow at the target nor an hourglass measuring quicksand, but running water," she said. "Water can devour us, but it carries us and holds us as well; it seems weak, but is strong actually, and nothing can stop it from flowing into the sea."

Cayol used to be uncomfortable with the way Chinese dealt with time when she first came to China: They never make appointments, and always change the time for a meeting. However, as she became more familiar with Chinese culture, Chinese wisdom has been gradually understood by her.

Life in China led Cayol to experience a different view of time, which invites people to listen to their heart, to think and to love. Time in China seems to be internal, beneficial and cherished. It is life itself: It can be solid and liquid, fast and slow, hard and soft at the same time.

Now, Cayol likes spending five hours with friends making dumplings or noodles. She believes it's a way to get along with each other, and no one will measure the time it takes. "I'm not introducing a method; I just want to reveal a new view of time, which is completely different from that in the West. Adopting it will be just like using a foreign language - it gives us greater freedom in the modern world," Cayol said. She hopes that Pourquoi les Chinois ont-ils le temps can be a cure for Westerners' worried hearts.

1. The western view of time can have the following features EXCEPT ________.

A．the mode of race	B．the flowing water mode
C．the focus on efficiency	D．the focus on progress

2. The underlined word "devour" in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.

A．help

B．shelter

C．track

D．destroy

3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．The Chinese tend to feel worried about time.

B．Cayol studied people's different attitudes towards time in China.

C．On arriving in China, Cayol admired the way Chinese dealt with time.

D．How the Chinese treat time is closely related to the Chinese culture and wisdom.

4. What type of writing is the passage?

A．A travel journal.	B．An introduction to a book.
C．A summary of a book.	D．An advertisement for a book.

2 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. Inspired       B. respect       C. series       D. extraordinary E. facility       F. particular       G. journey       H. expand I.   Determined       J. limitless       K. require

Life of Pi

Ang Lee’s “Life is a miraculous achievement of storytelling and a landmark of visual mastery.     1     by a worldwide best-seller that many readers must have assumed was unfilmable, it is a triumph over its difficulties.

The story begins in a small family zoo in Pondicherry, India, where the boy Piscine is raised. Piscine translates from French to English as “swimming pool”, but in India where many more speak English than French, his playmates of course nickname him “pee”.     2     to put an end to this, he adopts the name “Pi”, demonstrating a(n)     3     ability to write down that mathematical constant(常量) that begins with 3.14 and never ends. If Pi is   a(n)     4       number, that is the perfect name for a boy who seems to accept no limitations.

The zoo goes broke, and Pi’s father puts his family and a few valuable animals on a ship bound for Canada. In a forceful     5     of falls, a zebra, an orangutan (猩猩)，a hyena (戢狗)and the lion tumble into the boat with the boy, and are swept away by high seas. His family is never seen again.

The heart of the film focuses on the sea     6    , during which the human - that he can think with great cleverness and the tiger shows that it can learn.

Pi and the tiger Richard Parker share the same possible places in and near the boat. Although this point is not specifically made, Pi’s ability to     7     the use of space in the boat and nearby helps promote the tiger’s     8     for him. The tiger is accustomed to believing it can rule all space near him, but now humans     9     the animal to rethink that belief.

During the course of 227 days, they come to a form of recognition. The tiger, in     10    , becomes aware that he sees the boy not merely as victim or prey, or even as master, but as another king.

3 . 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。

Many people still remember the magic of Father Christmas from when they were children. As parents, they try to keep that magic alive for their children for as long as they can.

That is why Letters from Father Christmas could be the perfect book for those     1     regard Christmas     2     a special time of year. The man who wrote these letters is one of the most famous     3     (name)in English literature—J. R. R. Tolkien,       4     English writer, poet and university professor. The letters were Tolkien’s way of keeping Father Christmas alive for his four children, over a period of more than twenty years.

Every Christmas, an envelope with a North Pole stamp arrived. It     5     (address)to Tolkien’s children. The children must have been very     6     (excite)as they opened the letter to see who     7     could be from. Inside, they would find a handwritten letter from Father Christmas. The letters were also     8     (beautiful)illustrated—each must have taken its true author, Tolkien, a long time     9     (complete).

Letters from Father Christmas tells us that as well as     10     (enjoy)the adventures of Father Christmas, Polar Bear and other characters at the North Pole, we can all share the true spirit of giving at Christmas time.

4 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages 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.

Loving Legacy

Magic wands, flying broomsticks, terrifying monsters... these are the features of the fantasy genre. And over the last few decades, Harry Potter has remained at the top of the list for     1     looking to journey into a magical world. Where many authors have tried, J. K. Rowling—with the help of numerous fans—has succeeded in bringing her characters to life     2     books, movies, theaters, theme parks and so much more.

Harry Potter might have started off as     3     book meant for young children to read and perhaps forget a few years down the line. Few expected that the young boy with messy jet-black hair, green eyes and a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead     4     (manage) to take us all along on an unforgettable journey. Critics of the series claim that certain characters do not have enough depth, or the writing cannot compare with the likes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. However, they     5     hardly deny the massive impact of Harry Potter on the literary world.

I grew up reading Harry Potter. Like millions of other children, I waited on my eleventh birthday for an owl carrying a letter to inform me that I     6     (accept) into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For the younger me, the wizarding world was so fantastic and attractive that I always wanted more. As a new book was only released every year or two, I had plenty of time     7     (explore) other worlds of fantasy. And I loved every moment of it.     8     I have not picked up a Harry Potter book in about a decade, I still make a beeline for (直奔) the fantasy section each time I am in a bookstore. Most importantly, I came to love the simple act of reading.

Some may think that fantasy or science fiction has no place in literature, as they corrupt the mind and provide no useful lessons. These people are wrong. Characters in popular fantasy or science fiction novels are not much different from those in classic literature novels. Each embodies the emotion, character and thought     9     the author is trying to convey. So,     10     unrealistic the plot may seem, good novels teach, and keen readers learn.

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 . Not all brilliant reads are behind the paywall, some classics are much more accessible—click and download.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is a really, really good book. A little bit rigid, a little bit repressed, a little bit tender, and painfully class conscious, it’s the full English romance package. Now more than 200 years old, the novel has been retold time and again, finding new audiences each time. Still, there’s no substitute for the original.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

From the Cheshire Cat to Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Alice’s adventures are as strange and wonderful today as they were 150 years ago. Complete with Arthur Rackham’s wonderful illustrations there’s still nothing quite like it. Everyone should go down the rabbit hole at least once.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Perhaps no book does a better job of condensing Charles Dickens’ brilliance than his 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities. Taking place in London and Paris against the background of the French Revolution, the story has inspired countless projects since—even Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. And the best thing? If you like it, all Dickens’ other books are ready and waiting to be read too.

Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

Although Mary Shelley’s central message of people being destroyed by the monsters they create has been largely ignored in the years since publication, the tale itself continues to be very popular indeed, and with good reason. The book’s masterful combination of horror, romanticism, and science fiction makes it as attractive today as it would have been in 1818. Just the thing for nighttime reading.

1. What can you read about in Pride and Prejudice?

A．Cute animals.	B．French Revolution.
C．Scientific discoveries.	D．Class consciousness

2. Which book best suits people who like to read at midnight?

A．Frankenstein.

B．A Tale of Two Cities.

C．Pride and Prejudice.

D．Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

3. What do the four novels have in common?

A．They are romantic novels.

B．They can be read for free.

C．They were created in the early 1900s.

D．They were ignored when first published.

7 . 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

8 . Ray Bradbury Award for Science Fiction & Fantasy

About this award

Sponsored by the Ray Bradbury Foundation, the Ray Bradbury Award for Science Fiction & Fantasy offers $ 1, 000 scholarships for up to six students who use science fiction and fantasy themes in their writing. All students in the U.S. in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) can participate.

What is Science Fiction & Fantasy?

Science Fiction & Fantasy uses supernatural, magical, futuristic, scientific, and technological themes as a key element of the writing. Popular examples of science fiction and fantasy include Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451, as well as more modern fiction series like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

Your voice can imagine alternative worlds or the future of our planet, and in turn, teach us about the present. Even if you are new to writing science fiction and fantasy, this award is for you!

How do I apply?

Enter your work to any category in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. When selecting the category of your work, choose "Ray Bradbury Award for Science Fiction & Fantasy". You will be required to include a personal statement on your work.

What should I write for the personal statement?

Your personal statement should be 50 words or more and answer the following questions:

Why do you think your work falls into the category of science fiction and fantasy?

Why are you specifically interested in using science fiction and fantasy themes, compared to more realistic ones?

Submissions

Submissions open on September 1, 2021 and the deadline is December 1, 2021. Do not base characters or plots on already published works(books, movies, comics, etc.). Works that are novel-length should be submitted to the Novel category.

1. What can we infer about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards?

A．It is a TV program for artists and writers.

B．It is an activity that students can participate in.

C．It is a website containing various award categories.

D．It is a school where students are trained for competitions.

2. What should be included in the personal statement?

A．Why you are interested in science.

B．Why you like science fiction and fantasy.

C．Why you want to be a science fiction writer.

D．Why your work is right for this award category.

3. Which of the following is what you are required to do?

A．Submit your work by December 1.	B．Complete your work on September 1.
C．Complete your work with over 50 words.	D．Submit your work to the Novel category.

9 . 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.

10 . Jules Verne was a Frenchman who was born in 1828 and died in 1905. He read a great many scientific books and wrote a number of exciting books about the things which he thought that scientists and inventors would one day be able to do. Years later, many of the things really happened. At that time, however, his stories seemed like fairy tales.

Jules Verne’s most famous book is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.（A league is an old word meaning a distance of about three miles《海底二万里》）. In those days submarines（潜艇） had not been invented but he described an underwater ship very like a modern one.

Many of the things Jules wrote about in his books more than a hundred years ago to look into the future, however, were almost the same as we see today. In his book From the Earth to the Moon he wrote at the age of about forty, three men and a dog made a journey around the moon in a hollow ship fired from a gun. After going around the moon, they returned to the earth and splashed down into the sea not far from where the first real moon traveler landed in July, 1969.

1. Jules wrote a lot of exciting books partly because he ________.

A．liked reading on science	B．liked reading fairy tales
C．was a great inventor	D．was a famous scientist

2. Some of what Jules described in his books ________.

A．is almost the same as what happened years later

B．is quite different from what happened years later

C．never comes true

D．seems impossible to the people today

3. Many of the things really happened ________.

A．as soon as Jules’ books were published

B．some years after his books were published

C．at that time

D．when Jules was in his forties

4. The thing Jules described in his book From the Earth to the Moon is ________.

A．as large as the spaceship today

B．similar to the spaceship today

C．a gun used to send up a ship

D．an underwater ship

5. What does the underlined word “splashed” in the last paragraph mean?

A．walked

B．slept

C．fell

D．spent