Readers who long imagined themselves in Harry Potter’s world have a chance to absorb themselves in another fictional universe created by J.K. Rowling. The author said that she would release (发布) The Ickabog, a new story for young readers, for free online.
The first chapter of the fairy tale about a monster known as the Ickabog was published on May 26, and further chapters will be released every week until July 10. It is targeted to readers aged 7 to 9 and will be published as a book in November. The story concerns rumors (谣言) of a fierce child-eating monster with extraordinary powers which lives in the northern tip of an imaginary land known as Cornucopia.
Rowling said she had started working on the book more than a decade ago, while she was still writing Harry Potter, and originally intended to publish it after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last of her seven-book Potter series. But she ended up keeping The Ickabog, which isn’t related to Harry Potter or any of Rowling’s other work, in her family, reading it to her young children and then putting it away until recently. “I’ve decided to publish The Ickabog for free online, so children on lockdown, or even those back at school during these strange, unsettling times, can read it or have it read to them,” Rowling said. Rowling said she would donate her royalties (版税) for the book to causes related to the coronavirus (冠状病毒) diseases.
Readers will have a chance to participate in the process. Rowling’s publishers around the world will hold an illustration (插图) competition, encouraging children to submit (提交) drawings to accompany the story. The best submissions will end up in the book’s final edition when it is published in the fall.
Rowling’s children, now teenagers, are “touchingly ecstatic” about the publication of their childhood bedtime story, Rowling wrote on her site. She started reading chapters to them again recently, which she said was “one of the most extraordinary experiences of my writing life. ”
1.It will take at least ______ for readers to finish reading The Ickabog online.
A.a week B.one month and a half C.three months D.six months
2.What do you know about the The Ickabog?
A.It is the name of an imaginary island. B.It sees teenagers as targeted readers.
C.It is a continuation of the Potter series. D.It was completed a long time ago.
3.Why does J. K. Rowling release the book free online?
A.To collect money for coronavirus research.
B.To involve readers in the illustration competition.
C.To entertain children over the COVID-19 period.
D.To appeal to Harry Potter lovers.
4.What does the underlined word “ecstatic” probably mean?
A.Disappointed. B.Worried. C.Nervous. D.Excited.
Our much-loved museums and art galleries are closing their doors due to the current outbreak of COVID-19. But don’t worry. With the help of the Internet, we can take virtual tours of them around the world. There are some fascinating exhibitions at our fingertips, which you can explore from home free of charge!
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Fancy a trip to Paris? Oui oui! This grand museum holds the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist works in the world, and you can click your way through the very best among them thanks to interactive galleries featuring Van Gogh, Cézanne, Degas and more.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Over in the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum is a treasure house of classical Dutch art, Asian artwork and 17th-century silver and porcelain. The Street View-style tour is fine, but better to stick to the brilliant online exhibitions, like the interactive guide to the master of throwing shade, Rembrandt. You can even get up close and personal with ‘The Night Watch’.
Picasso Museum, Barcelona
As well as a vast online display of Picasso’s best bits, this museum offers a 360-degree tour of some of the best-preserved Medieval architecture in Barcelona. When you’re done getting around the building, you can check out their Twitter hashtag (推特标签）#MuseuPicassoVirtual to keep up with daily news of art.
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
The Heritage Museum has everything from Chinese fine art dating back to the Qing dynasty to cutting-edge Hong Kong contemporary art. The online collection, hosted on Google Arts & Culture, is particularly strong on design, photography, porcelain and sculpture from the past century.
1.In the Rijksmuseum, you will have a better understanding of _________.
A.Van Gogh B.Rembrandt
C.Picasso D.impressionists
2.Which museum can keep you updated with news of art through social media every day?
A.Musée d’Orsay. B.Rijksmuseum.
C.Picasso Museum. D.Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
3.What is special about Hong Kong Heritage Museum?
A.It stresses contemporary art. B.It has porcelain exhibits.
C.It offers visual tours online. D.It features Chinese art.
假定你是李华，你校将举办音乐节。请写封邮件邀请你的英国朋友Allen参加，内容包括：
1. 时间；
2. 活动安排；
3. 欢迎他表演节目。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文，文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处，每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删改或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
It was Monday morning, and the writing class had just begin. Everyone was silent, wait to see who would be called upon to read his and her paragraph aloud. Some of us were confident and eager take part in the class activity, others were nervous and anxious. I had done myself homework but I was shy. I was afraid that to speak in front of a larger group of people. At that moment, I remembered that my father once said, "The classroom is a place for learning and that include learning from textbooks, and mistake as well." Immediate, I raised my hand.
Two weeks earlier, my son, Ben, had got in touch, he’d moved to England with his mum when he was three and it had been 13 years since I’d _________ seen him. So imagine my _________ when he emailed me saying he wanted to come to visit me.
I was _________! I arrived early at Byron Bay where we were supposed to _________. The bay was _________ in sunshine, and there was a group of kayakers around 150m off the shore. Getting a little _________. I realized one kayak（皮划艇）was in _________. “Something’s not _________!” I took off my T-shirt and _________ into the water. I saw there were two instructors on board and a man lying across the middle. He was __________ violently. Linking arms with one of the instructors. I helped __________ the young man out of the water. He was unconscious and as I looked at his face, something __________ to me. Those brown eyes were very __________. “What’s his name?” I asked the instructor. “Ben,” he replied, and immediately I __________. That stranger was my son!
The instructors called for an ambulance. __________, after a brief stay in hospital, Ben was well enough to be allowed to __________ and later the family met up for dinner. We chatted about everything and then Ben __________ to me. “I just want to say thank you,” he said, “You __________ my life!”
I still can’t believe what a __________ it was. I’m just so glad I was there __________ to help my son.
1.A.also B.often C.even D.last
2.A.delight B.relief C.anger D.worry
3.A.scared B.shocked C.thrilled D.ashamed
4.A.talk B.stay C.meet D.settle
5.A.bathed B.clean C.deep D.formed
6.A.faster B.closer C.heavier D.wiser
7.A.trouble B.advance C.question D.battle
8.A.real B.right C.fair D.fit
9.A.stared B.sank C.dived D.fell
10.A.arguing B.fighting C.Shouting D.shaking
11.A.lead B.persuade C.carry D.keep
12.A.happened B.occurred C.applied D.appealed
13.A.sharp B.pleasant C.attractive D.familiar
14.A.agreed B.hesitated C.doubted D.knew
15.A.Fortunately B.Frankly C.Sadly D.Suddenly
16.A.return B.relax C.speak D.leave
17.A.joked B.turned C.listened D.pointed
18.A.created B.honored C.saved D.guided
19.A.coincidence B.change C.pity D.pain
20.A.on board B.in time C.for sure D.on purpose
I experienced years of loneliness as a child. 1. His friends teased him about babysitting his sister and his interests were far different from mine. With no other kids of my age in the neighborhood, I had to spend hours by myself.
A bright spot for me turned out to be reading. My love of the written word began early as my mother read to me every evening. 2. I started reading books on my own before age 5 and my mother took me to the public library once a week to borrow several books. I quickly graduated from typical children’s books to ones with fewer pictures and longer chapters. Reading opened new worlds to me. 3.
My mother also encouraged me to make what I wanted. I tried making toy cars with cardboard boxes and constructing buildings from leftover cardboard and bits of wood my father gave me. When my mother saw my creations, she told me how creative my designs were. 4. I learned a lot about how to extend the life of objects and transform them into something new and useful. It was a trait(特点) others found helpful, and I soon had friends who wanted to make things with me.
5.My parents made it a point for their two kids to spend time outside, no matter the weather or season. My brother, of course, raced off to be with his friends, while I had plenty to do myself. There was making leaf houses in autumn, ice skating in winter, and so much more. They’re all memories I treasure today.
A.I wasn't alone any longer.
B.I enjoyed reading stories aloud.
C.I was invited to play with another kid.
D.I loved the colorful photographs in the books.
E.Another habit I formed early was being outdoors.
F.Thus, I began my lifelong interest in making things.
G.My older brother couldn’t be bothered to play with me.
