Write a winning story!
You could win ￡1,000 in this year’s Fiction Prize and have your story printed in Keep Writing magazine. Ten other lucky people will win a cheque for ￡100.
Once again, we need people who can write good stories. The judges, who include Mary Littlejohn, the novelist, Michael Brown, the television reporter, and Susan Hitchins, the editor of Keep Writing, are looking for interesting and original stories. Detective fiction was extremely popular last year, although the competition winner produced a love story. You can write down about whatever you want but here’s some advice to start your thinking:
Write about what you know
This is the advice which every writer should pay attention to and, last year, nearly everyone who wrote for us did exactly that. Love, family, problems with friends ---- these were the main subjects of the stories. However, you need to turn ordinary situations into something interesting that people will want to read about. Make the reader want to continue reading by writing about ordinary things in a new and surprising way.
Get your facts right
It’s no good giving a description of a town or explaining how a jet engine works if you get it wrong. So avoid writing anything unless you’re certain about it.
Hold the reader’s attention
Make the beginning interesting and the ending a surprise. There is nothing worse than a poor ending. Develop the story carefully and try to think of something unusual happening at the end.
Think about the characters
Try to bring the people in your story alive for the reader by using well-chosen words to make them seem real.
Your story must be your own work, between 2,000 and 2,5000 words and typed, double-spaced, on one side only of each sheet of paper.
Even if you’re in danger of missing the closing date, we are unable to accept stories by fax or email. You must include the application form with your story. Unfortunately your story cannot be returned, nor can we discuss our decisions.
You should not have had any fiction printed in any magazine or book in this country ---- a change in the rules by popular request ---- and the story must not have happened in print or in recorded form, for example on radio or TV, anywhere in the world.
Your fee of ￡5 will go to the Writers’ Association. Make your cheque payable to Keep Writing and send it with the application form and your story to:
Keep Writing
75 Broad Street Birmingham
B12 4TG
The closing date is 30 July and we will inform the winner within one month of this date. Please note that if you win, you must agree to have your story printed in our magazine.How should writers deal with ordinary situations while writing?
| A．They should make them appealing to readers. |
| B．They should copy others’ ideas. |
| C．They should change some facts to make them interesting. |
| D．They should describe them as they are. |
What shouldn’t a writer do?
| A．Making the contents interesting. |
| B．Getting the facts right. |
| C．Meeting the deadline. |
| D．Making the end ordinary. |
Writers should present their works in the following ways except that ____________.
| A．they should write originally |
| B．they can type their stories as they like |
| C．they should follow some rules |
| D．they should hand in their stories in time |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Late stories can be faxed if necessary. |
| B．Entry needs no fee. |
| C．Winners can have their stories printed in other magazines. |
| D．All stories should be presented by mail |
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad．I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia．On the night we arrived, we discovered that "our family" was living in a trailer（活动房车） that was in poor conditions．A crew had been wolfing on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced．
We decided the only reasonable solution was to bridle a new house – something unusual but necessary under these circumstances．The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen．
On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family's three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children suavity ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, "I just want a bed．"
The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats．That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift．On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding．
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise．We could hardly contain ourselves. It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning．
That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us．Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway．
As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?"
"A pillow," he replied．
"What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask
"When you go to sleep, you put your head on it," I answered softly．Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow．
"Oh．．．that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly．
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?"
We know exactly what he means．The author's first volunteer project was .
| A．working on a poor trailer |
| B．helping a poor family |
| C．donating beds and bedding |
| D．dealing with a housing problem |
On hearing Josh's answer, the author was shocked because .
| A．the family lived in a trailer |
| B．Josh didn't know what a bed was |
| C．Josh expected to get some toys |
| D．The boys had no bed to sleep in |
By "We could hardly contain ourselves．", the author means that they all
| A．felt confused | B．felt excited with joy |
| C．couldn't help laughing | D．failed to keep the secret |
From the passage, we can learn that what Eric had never seen before is .
| A．a trailer | B．a bed |
| C．a pillow | D．a truck |
From the last two paragraphs, the author's father means that
| A．what the author wants to get may be unnecessary |
| B．the author should not waste money on small things |
| C．the author should do more volunteer work for the poor |
| D．what he will buy is not what the author wants but a pillow |
The Museum: The Charles Dickens Museum in London is the world's most important collection of material relating to the great Victorian novelist and social commentator．The only surviving London home of Dickens （from 1837 until 1839） was opened as a museum in 1925 and is still welcoming visitors from all over the world．On four floors, visitors can see paintings, rare editions, manuscripts, original furniture and many items relating to the life of one of the most popular and beloved personalities of the Victorian age．
Opening Hours
◇ The Museum is open from Mondays to Saturdays 10:00-17:00; Sundays 11:00-17:00．
◇ Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time．
◇Special opening times can be arranged for groups, who may wish to book a private view．
Admission Charges: Adults: ￡5．00; Students: ￡4:00; Seniors: ￡4．00; Children: ￡3．00; Families:￡14．00（ 2 adults & up to five children）
Group Rates: For a group of 10 or more, a special group rate of ￡4．00 each applies．
Children will still be admitted for ￡3．00 each,
Access: We are constantly working to improve access to the Museum and its collection．Our current projects involve the fitting of a wheelchair ramp for better access, a customer care kit and an audio tour for visitors with impaired (受损的） vision．Our Handling Sessions are also suitable for the visually impaired．The Museum has developed an online virtual tour through the Museum．Click here to visit all the rooms in the Museum online．
Hire the Museum: The Museum can be hired for private functions, performances soirees（社交晚会） and many other social occasions．
Find Us: The Museum may be reached by using the following buses: 7, 17, 19, 38, 45,46, 55, 243．And by these underground services: Piccadilly Line; Central Line．For a map, please click here．The British Museum and the Foundling Museum are within walking distance．The passage is probably from a（n） .
| A．book | B．website | C．newspaper | D．announcement |
Compared to going there separately, if a family with two adults and five children go to the Museum together they will save
| A．￡25．00 | B．￡14．00 | C．￡ 9:00 | D．￡11．00 |
In the Charles Dickens Museum, people can not find .
| A．paintings | B．rare editions | C．manuscripts | D．cars |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The Museum is not very far from the British Museum． |
| B．In any case people cannot visit the Museum after 17:00． |
| C．Visitors with poor vision cannot enjoy the Museum． |
| D．Anyone cannot hire the Museum for other users． |
The passage is written to .
| A．persuade readers to visit London． |
| B．inform readers about the history of the Charles Dickens Museum． |
| C．offer readers some information about the Charles Dickens Museum． |
| D．tell readers how to make use of the Charles Dickens Museum． |
Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship; some give protection, and some do hard work which man cannot do for himself. Dogs, which serve man in all three capacities, are found in various species in all countries of the world. The Husky can live in the cold polar regions, and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa. The inhabitants of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous places, is a familiar sight.
Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require.
All domestic animals need proper food. It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps(剩饭), and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.
Even well cared for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free or at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health. What main idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?
| A．There exists thousands of species of animals in the world. |
| B．Man came to establish a close relationship with a number of animals. |
| C．In some regions a donkey seems to be a very useful beast. |
| D．An animal will be useless unless domesticated. |
When an animal doesn’t get enough food, it will probably _________.
| A．refuse to obey its master | B．immediately fall ill |
| C．require its master to offer some food | D．seek for food on its own |
Which of the following is NOT true of dogs according to the passage?
| A．They can act as friends, guards, and servants to man. |
| B．They have great adaptation for the environment. |
| C．There live a great variety of species of dogs on the globe. |
| D．The Husky and the Saluki are the strongest species ever known in the world. |
To keep a domestic animal physically fit, its owner is advised _________.
| A．not to hesitate to spend enormous amount of money on it |
| B．to pay attention to its proper feeding |
| C．not to allow it to take excessive amounts of exercise |
| D．to join some sort of pet-keeping organizations |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Domesticated Animals—Man’s Best Friends. |
| B．Proper Diet—the Road to Health. |
| C．The Advantages of Raising Domestic Animals. |
| D．Some Tips on Pet-keeping. |
Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries. Here is some information you may need.
| Name: Susan Lane Age: 22 Place: Reykjavik, Iceland, 2010. Cost: $7,000 Organization: AFS Experience: “I think it was a turning point in my life. I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
| Name: Sara Small Age: 23 Place: Crivitz, Germany, 2012. Cost: $8,000 Organization: EF Foundation Experience: “I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends. I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it was worth it I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
| Name: David Links Age: 16 Place: Stuttgart, Germany, 2012.. Cost: $6,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “I wanted to try something that was very different in culture. In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled. The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
| Name: Tom Jennings Age: 21 Place: Conflans, France, 2011.. Cost: $7,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture. You just have to play each situation as it comes. If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchahge program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
| Name: Linda Marks Age: 19 Place: Chonburi Province, Thailand, 2010. Cost: $3,500 Organization: Rotary International Experience: “There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more. I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost _________.
| A．from $6,000 to $8,000 | B．from $3,500 to $8,000 |
| C．anything from $3,500 | D．no more than $7,000 |
Which organization held more foreign exchanges?
| A．EF Foundation | B．AFS |
| C．Rotary International | D．SCCE |
The students who refer to both the good and bad times as an exchange student include _________.
| A．Susan Lane and Sara Small | B．Linda Marks and David Links |
| C．Tom Jennings and Linda Marks | D．Susan Lane and Tom Jennings |
As a result of his experience in the foreign exchange program Tom Jennings learnt to become _________.
| A．independent and adaptable | B．determined and independent |
| C．selfish and defensive | D．defensive and determined |
If a student wanted to take part in a foreign exchange program, but had not enough money, then the best place would be _________.
| A．Iceland and America | B．Thailand and France |
| C．Germany and Iceland | D．Germany and Thailand |
Clothes can make phone calls, play music, dial your pal’s number, keep you warm during cold weather and operate your computer?
This is not a fantasy. A British company, called Electrotextiles, has created a wide range of clothes—clothes that have minds of their own! Scientists, working for the company, have invented a kind of fabric that can be blended(混合) with flexible electronic materials to create intelligent clothing. The result are electronic garments.
If you think the wearer has to be wired to different devices, think again. These designer clothes are wire-free, soft to touch and washable! Like any electronic device, these high-tech clothes have to be powered. Currently, a tiny nine-volt battery serves the purpose. But the researchers hope that in the near future the clothes will generate electricity by using body heat. These clothes are 100 percent shock proof, they say.
The Electrotextiles team has also created the world’s first cloth keyboard. This keyboard can be sewn into your trousers or skirt. To use this device, you will have to sit down and tap on your lap! These ‘lap-tap’ gadgets(器具) are all set to take over laptop computers!
Another useful garment is the shirt-cum-mobile phone. This handy invention enables drivers to chat comfortably with others at the wheel! Other popular electronic wear include the denim(牛仔布) jacket with flexible earphones sewn into the hood(风帽) and the electronic ski jacket with a built-in heater. The ski jacket is also programmed to send signals to a satellite. This technology is known as global positioning system and can be used to track lost skiers and wandering kids.
Having completed the cloth keyboard, scientists have already started to work on a new project—a necktie that can be used as a computer mouse. What is the next? Do you have any idea?The electronic garments are similar to other electronic devices in that _________.
| A．they feel smooth and soft | B．they use electricity as power |
| C．they can be washed in water | D．they are made from flexible materials |
How will researchers improve these high-tech clothes?
| A．Body heat will be used as power. | B．The wearer will not get shocked. |
| C．A tiny nine-volt battery will work. | D．They will get charged automatically. |
What does the underlined phrase “This handy invention” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．The laptop computer. | B．The electronic ski jacket. |
| C．The shirt-cure-mobile phone. | D．The world’s first cloth keyboard. |
If you are going on a ski adventure, which device do you need?
| A．The cloth keyboard. | B．The electronic ski jacket. |
| C．The necktie to be used as a mouse. | D．The denim jacket with earphones. |
The main purpose of the text is _________.
| A．to advertise for an English company | B．to predict the future trend of science |
| C．to show how rapidly science develops | D．to introduce some intelligent clothing |
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