Mark was walking home from school one day when he saw the boy in front of him fall over and drop all of the books he was carrying, along with two sweaters, a basketball and a walkman（随身听）. Mark stopped and helped the boy pick up these things. Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry some of his things. As they walked, Mark knew that the boy’s name was Bill, that he loved computer games, basketball and history, and that he was having lots of troubles with his other subjects and that he had just broken up with his girlfriend.

They arrived at Bill’s home first and Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed happily with a few laughs and some small talk, and then Mark went home. They often saw each other at school, had lunch together once or twice, and then they both finished middle school. They ended up in the same high school where they sometimes saw and talked with each other over the years. At last just three weeks before they finished high school, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.

Bill asked Mark if he still remembered the day years ago when they had first met. “Did you ever think why I was carrying so many things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see, I cleaned out my locker(锁柜) because I didn’t want to leave anything for anyone else. I had put away some of my mother’s sleeping pills and I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time together talking and laughing, I began to understand that if I killed myself, I would have missed that time and so many others that might follow. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life.”

1.When Mark met him the first time, Bill was going _______.

A. to have a basketball game        B. to his classroom

C. to see Mark                     D. back home

2. From what Bill was carrying, we can know that he _______.

A. was a good student               B. liked sports and music

C. liked all the subjects in school D. was a good friend

3.Mark and Bill _______.

A. were in the same middle school and high school

B. were in the same middle school but not in the same high school

C. often had lunch together at school

D. had known each other before they began to study in middle school

4.In this passage, the phrase “break up” means _______.

A. 相处很好   B. 和好如初    C. 关系破裂    D. 保持联系

5.When Mark helped Bill to pick up some of his things, he _______.

A. knew he could save Bill’s life

B. knew who Bill was and wanted to help him

C. didn’t know why he was going to help him

D. didn’t know what he was doing was very important to Bill

In a recent class I was asked “What is a short story?” My first answer was that it was something that could be read in one sitting and brought an illumination（启示）to the reader, sudden and golden like sunlight cracking(破裂, 砸开) through a heavy cloud. I went on to say that in my opinion a “real” short story was closer to poetry than to a novel.

Here are some definitions of the short story. My favorite is Benet's: “something that can be read in an hour and remembered for a lifetime”. One writer said, “The theme of a novel won't fit into the framework of a short story; It's like trying to squeeze a large painting done on a wall into the frame of a miniature （微型画）。 And as in a miniature painting, the details need to be sharp. ”

The short story is an example of one aspect of human nature. Often a character undergoes some event, something that offers him or her change. This is why it’s said that short stories usually “say something ”， often a small something, but sometimes delivered with such accuracy that the effect is strongly felt, even a life-moment for some readers, something similar to a religious experience or to witnessing a never-to-be-repeated scene in nature.

Ok, let’s form a definition here: A short story is an account, rarely over 10, 000 words or below 500 words-more commonly 1, 500 to 5, 000 words-a single-sitting read, but with enough time and weight to move the reader. It is narrow and focused to produce an effect through the story, most commonly through events affecting some change in an individual.

Writer Isabelle Allende once wrote: “Novels are, for me, adding up details, just work, work, work, then you're done. Short stories are more difficult-they have to be perfect, complete in themselves. ”

1.The writer of the passage is probably a ______.

A. poet            B. painter           C. teacher            D. student

2.What should the ideal short story be in length?

A. at most 10, 000 words        B. below 500 words    C. over 5, 000words         D. around 2, 000 words

3.The underlined word “undergoes ” in the third paragraph probably means “________ ”。

A. experiences    B. discovers       C. discusses          D. appreciates

4.What’s the difference between novels and short stories?

A. Novels are too long for us to read.

B. Short stories are too short for us to read.

C. Short stories have more details than novels.

D. Short stories are more perfect and difficult than novels.

5.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. How Do You Write a Short Story?        B. What Exactly Is a Short Story?

C. Is a Short Story Similar to Poetry?      D. Are Short Stories Perfect and Complete?

1.最富有生气而又最重要的节日，就是告别冬天、迎来春天的日子。

The most energetic and important festivals are the _____ that _____ _____  ____ the end of winter and the coming of spring.

2.他可不能让雍慧哄骗别人后跑掉。

He could not _____ Yong Hui ____ ______ ____ telling people lies.

3.事实上我靠做义工来顶替船费，这就是我为什么衣冠不整地原因了。

The fact is ____ I earned my passage ___ working as an unpaid hand, which ___            _____ my appearance.

4.它(地球)猛烈的爆炸喷出了烈火与岩石，最终产生了碳、氮气、水蒸气和其他多种气体，从而形成了地球的大气层。

It exploded loudly with fire and rock. They were______  _____ to produce carbon, nitrogen, water vapor and other gases, which ______  ______ make the earth’s atmosphere.

5.那天下午表姐妹俩登上火车落了座。

That afternoon______ the train, the cousins______ ______ _____ their seats.