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（啟示）to the reader, sudden and golden like sunlight cracking through heavy cloud．I went on to say that in my opinion a “real” short story was closer to poetry than to the 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 （微型畫）．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．”

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

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

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

　　　 A．a(chǎn)t most 10, 000 words　　　　　　　 　 B．below 500 words　　　

　　　 C．over 5, 000words　　　　　　　　　 　 D．a(chǎn)round 2, 000 words

66．The underlined word “undergoes ” in the third paragraph probably means “______ ”．

　　　 A．experiences 　　　　 B．discovers　　 　　　 C．discusses　　 　　 D．a(chǎn)ppreciates

67．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?

Central Park covers more than three hundred and forty hectares（公頃）. It was the first public park built in the United States.

In 1858, a design competition was held to find the best idea for planning the huge area in the center of New York City. The winners were two landscape designers, American Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux from Britain.

It was not easy to create this park. It may look like a natural environment of lakes and woodlands, but it was entirely built by human labor.

Workers moved millions of cubic meters of stone and earth to clear the area. They brought in more than fourteen thousand cubic meters of fertills soil from New Jersey to make it possible to grow trees and other plants.

It took fifteen years to complete the project. Central Park was a huge success and helped create a movement across the United States for creating public gardens.

Here are a few facts that help show just how big and busy Central Park is. It contains seven kilometers of paths for horseback riding and about 93 kilometers of walking paths, When you get tired from all that walking, there are more than 9,000 benches where you can sit down.

There are 21 playgrounds for children as well as areas to play basketball, baseball, football and even chess. There is also a zoo. And, every summer, visitos can watch plays by William Shakespeare in an out-door theater. About twenty-five million people visit Central Park each year to enjoy its many sights and activities.

The park is also important for natural life. It contains more than twenty –six thousand trees. And hundreds of kinds of birds have been sighted in the park which serves as a stopping area for birds as they fly to other places.

60．What is mainly talked about in the passage?

       A．The design competition that took place in 1858.

       B．How workers built Central Park.

       C．Central Park attracts millions of visiters every year.

       D．The first public park in the United States.

61．Central Park is a good place for natural life, so           .

       A．migrating birds stay in Central Park and then go on with their journey

       B．hundreds of kinds of animals can be seen

       C．more than nine thousand benches are provided for birds to stay for a rest

       D．many kinds of birds like it and live there for many centuries

62．We can infer from the passage that           .

       A．the building of Central Park is a miracle

       B．the soil used to be fertile before Central Park was built

       C．large quantities of stones were brought in from New Jersey to build Central Park

       D．people can enjoy plays by William Shakespeare in an outdoor theater throughout the year

63．Visitors can enjoy doing the following EXCEPT       in Central Park.

      A．playing basketball B．visiting animals

       C．riding horses                                       D．swimming

On Christmas Day, a young man, tall and thin with dark hair, was making his way south on Interstatete（洲際的） 85 just below High Point, North Carolina，trying to hitch_a_ride.

He hadn't been home for two years: his family not had heard nothing from him. He and his mother had fight before, and he set off across the country，going from town to town, from one job another. However, now he was ready to return home.

A ride was hard to find. For half a day no car was seen to have run past him. “Mom，” he said to himself, “I'm tired and hungry, but I'm coming home.” The cold wind blew and then he heard a voice call his name. “Mike! Hey，Mike，come here！”

To his surprise, his father was waving, calling him from his truck. Mike ran across the highway. “Get in, son. We're going home.” Mike put his bag into the back of the truck and hugged his father. “Dad，” he said，“how did you happen to be here？I didn’t call.”

“Your mother sent me here. Last night，she had a dream that you were coming home and that you were on Interstate 85 just below High Point. She asked me to come here to pick you up.”

For a moment, the two men looked at each other without saying a word. Then the father started the motor and said “She's waiting for you，son.”

56．Why did the young man leave his family?

　　 A．He wanted to find a job somewhere else.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　 B．He didn’t want to be with his parents.

　　　 C．He has a fight with his mother.

　　　 D．He wanted to learn how to make a living.

57．The underlined phrase “hitch a ride” in Paragraph 1 probably means “________ ”．

　　　 A．wait for somebody to pick one up　　　　

　　　 B．a(chǎn)sk the police to help one go home

　　　 C．wait for the bus to take one to one’s destination

　　　 D．get a free ride in someone else’s car

58．According to the text, Mike’s father got to Interstate 85 just below High Point　　　　 .

　　　 A．on purpose　　　　 B．by chance C．by mistake　　　　　 D．on his regular visit

59．What can we conclude from the passage?

　　 A．The young man had called his mother the day before.

　　　 B．The young man’s mother was very worried about him.

　　　 C．The young man had written a letter to his mother.

　　　 D．The young man’s father has super powers.

When I met my husband, Mark, I found out that his parents speaks only Spanish. As our relationship 36 I know that I has to take it upon myself to learn the language. It was terrifying, but 37 and I wanted to make the effort. I thought that the best way to show his parents how much I 38 about their culture and their son was to enroll in（注冊(cè)）a Spanish school in Mexico to study and learn their 39 language. I know, I could have taken Spanish class anywhere, but I 40 that if I was going to REALLY learn the language, I should 　41 it.

So I 　42 to San Miguel Allende, a small Spanish colonial（殖民的）town in central Mexico, I 　43 a house and enrolled in classes for a month. His parents were so 44 at it that they wanted to come and live with me for that month. We would be 45 ! It actually 　46 great. We cooked and shopped together, and in the evenings we would go into the town square and listen to 　47 music. It so 　48 that there were several friends of them living near the language school. We were often invited to attend their family 49 and social clubs. There I met some more friends 50 they really helped me a lot in learning Spanish.

It was 　51 . In the beginning, I only knew how to say “Hola”, but by the 52 of that trip I has a basic vocabulary and has started a great 　53 with Mark’s parents. On the last day of school my husband flew down and we had a grand party to celebrate my “ 54 ”. Needless to say, my trip to Mexico was well 55 it!

36．A．improved　　　　　　 B．progressed　　　　　 C．matched　　　　　　 D．envered

37．A．exciting　　　　　　　 B．tiring　　　　　　　　　 C．easy　　　　　　　　　 D．frightening

38．A．set　　　　　　　　　　 B．brought　　　　　　　 C．cared　　　　　　　　 D．talked

39．A．oral　　　　　　　　　　 B．spoken　　　　　　　 C．foreign　　　　　　　 D．native

40．A．figuared　　　　　　 B．counted　　　　　　　 C．doubted　　　　　　　 D．underlined

41．A．SPEND　　　　　　　 B．LIVE　　　　　　　　　 C．WORK　　　　　　　 D．ENJOY

42．A．removed　　　　　　 B．a(chǎn)rranged　　　　　　 C．a(chǎn)dvanced　　　　　　 D．moved

43．A．rented　　　　　　　　 B．hired　　　　　　　　　 C．employed　　　　　 D．managed

44．A．disappointed　　　 B．interested　　　　　　 C．delighted　　　　　　 D．a(chǎn)stonished

45．A．roommates　　　　 B．friends　　　　　　　 C．members　　　　　　 D．teammates

46．A．took out　　　　　　 B．looked out　　　　　 C．set out　　　　　　　 D．turned out

47．A．local　　　　　　　　　 B．popular　　　　　　　 C．folk　　　　　　　　　 D．countryside

48．A．occurred　　　　　　 B．broke out　　　　　　 C．happened　　　　　　 D．took place

49．A．meetings　　　　　　 B．parties　　　　　　　　 C．reunion　　　　　　　 D．weddings

50．A．so　　　　　　　　　　　 B．but　　　　　　　　　　 C．or　　　　　　　　　　　 D．a(chǎn)nd

51．A．impossible　　　　　 B．believable　　　　　　 C．magical　　　　　　　 D．classical

52．A．time　　　　　　　　　 B．end　　　　　　　　　　 C．year　　　　　　　　　 D．stop

53．A．organization　　　　 B．realization　　　　　 C．hardship　　　　　　 D．relationship

54．A．graduation　　　　　 B．return　　　　　　　　 C．work　　　　　　　　 D．employment

55．A．valuable　　　　　　　 B．important　　　　　　 C．helpful　　　　　　　 D．worth

Up to now, Hope Project has helped thousands of students who would       have dropped out of school.

       A．therefore             B．a(chǎn)nyway               C．nevertheless         D．otherwise

The agreement was made quickly as both sides were satisfied with the conditions of       .

       A．the other             B．a(chǎn)nother                C．others                 D．either

While taking notes, she often uses colored pens for different topics to catch the eye and make things     .

       A．give out               B．drop out              C．stand out             D．go out

The university will build a new library as the number of books is growing        .

       A．smaller                B．fewer                  C．more                   D．larger

Learning to        makes it easier for one to get along well with others in work and life.

       A．create                 B．live                     C．share                  D．learn

I am quite         the plan that we go out and enjoy ourselves on Sunday.

       A．in honor of                                          B．in terms of

       C．in view of                                           D．in favor of