Dear Friend,
The recent success of children's books has made the general public aware that there's a huge market out there.
And there's a growing need for new writers trained to create the $3 billion worth of children's books bought each year ... plus stories and articles needed by over 650 publishers of magazines for children and teenagers.
Who are these needed writers? They're ordinary folks like you and me.
But am I good enough?
I was once where you might be now. My thoughts of writing had been pushed down by self-doubt, and I didn't know where to turn for help.
Then, I accepted a free offer from the Institute to test my writing aptitude（潜能）, and it turned out to be the inspiration I needed.
The promise that paid off
The Institute made the same promise to me that they will make to you, if you show basic writing ability:
You will complete at least one manuscript（手稿） suitable to hand in to a publisher by the time you finish our course.
I really didn't expect any publication before I finished the course, but that happened. I sold three stories. And I soon discovered that was not unusual at the Institute.
Since graduation, I have authored 34 nationally published children's books and over 300 stories and articles.
Free test and brochure
We offer a free aptitude test and will send you a copy of our brochure describing our recognized home-study courses on the basis of one-on-one training.
Realize your writing dream today. There's nothing sadder than a dream delayed until it fades forever.
Sincerely,
Kristi Holl, Instructor
Institute of Children's Literature
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From the first three paragraphs, we learn that.
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| 2． |
When finishing the course, you are promised to.
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| 3． |
Kristi Holl mentions her experience mainly to.
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As we all know, it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of the Independence. He wrote it in two weeks, and after a few changes, it was accepted by the Congress. As a result, he became famous.
Born in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, a brilliant student at school and almost talented lawyer later, was much interested in politics.
Jefferson was elected Governor of Virginia in 1779, and he was sent to France as the representative of the American government in 1784. Sixteen years later, at the age of 57, he was elected president after Washington and Adams.
Far from a handsome man, he was tall with long arms and big hands. Jefferson, who was an amusing talker in conversation but a poor speaker, was generally good-natured.
Jefferson was regarded as a defender of freedom on America. As a president, he protected the right of free speech. Interestingly enough, in his eight years as President, Jefferson never vetoed a bill which Congress had passed. He did a lot in organizing the new University of Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson died on July the fourth, 1826, the 50th anniversary of American Independence.
From the passage we can infer that America won its independence in ___.
| A．1786 | B．1776 | C．1842 | D．1800 |
How old was Thomas Jefferson when he became Governor of Virginia?
| A．He was 26. | B．He was in his forties. |
| C．He was 36. | D．We don’t know. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Jefferson was not only very talented but also very handsome. |
| B．Jefferson was not an easy person to get along with. |
| C．Jefferson was an amusing talker, but not good at speaking in public. |
| D．Not being politically-minded, Jefferson never vetoed a bill passed by the Congress. |
Jefferson’s greatest contribution in American history should be that ___.
| A．he did a lot in organizing the new University of Virginia |
| B．he was strongly against the slavery |
| C．he was for the right of free speech |
| D．he wrote the Declaration of Independence |
More than seven hundred years ago, the Prince of Wales had a very big and brave dog called Gelert. One day the Prince wanted to go hunt-ing with his men. He told his dog to stay at home and look after his baby son. The baby was in a wooden cradle, which was like a small bed. When the Prince came back from hunt-ing, Gelert ran out to meet his master. He wagged his tail and jumped up to put his paws on the Prince's chest. Then the Prince saw the blood on Gelert's jaws and head.
"What have you done?" the Prince said. He rushed into his house and looked for his baby son. The cradle was lying on its side on the floor. The clothes were torn and there was blood on them.
"So you have killed my son?" the Prince said angrily. "You unfaithful dog!" He took out his sword and killed the dog. Just as Gelert was dying, he managed to bark. Then the Prince heard a baby call to the dog.
The Prince ran out of the house and saw his son lying on the ground unhurt. Near him was a dead wolf. Then the Prince knew that Gelert had defended the baby and killed the wolf.
The Prince ran back into the house but he was too late. Gelert was dead. The Prince was very sad indeed. Tears ran down his face when he realized 'he had killed his faith-ful friend. The Prince carried the body of his brave dog to the top of a mountain and buried him there. After this, the Prince never smiled again. Every morning at dawn, he walked up the mountain and stood by the dog's grave for a few minutes.
If you go to Mount Snowdon in Wales, people will show you where Gelert is buried. There is a sign by his grave. It reminds peo-ple of a brave and faithful dog.
Gelert was the dog of the Prince of ___.
| A．Scotland | B．England | C．Ireland | D．Wales |
The Prince told the dog to _____ when he was leaving.
| A．watch the door | B．take care of his baby at home |
| C．welcome his friends | D．stop the strangers |
The dog was very ____ when his master came back from hunting.
| A．glad | B．fearful | C．afraid | D．tired |
The Prince never smiled again because __
| A．the wolf was killed by Gelert | B．he had buried the dog on the top of mountain |
| C．he had killed his faithful friend Gelert | D．Gelert had killed his baby son |
He's an old cobbler (修鞋匠) with a shop in the Marais, a historic area in Paris. When I took him my shoes, he at first told me: “I haven't time. Take them to the other fellow on the main street ; he'll fix them for you right away.”
But I'd had my eye on his shop for a long time. Just looking at his bench loaded with tools and pieces of leather, I knew he was a skilled craftsman (手艺人). “No,” I replied, “the other fellow can't do it well.”
“The other fellow” was one of those shopkeepers who fix shoes and make keys “while-U-wait” -- without knowing much about m
ending shoes or making keys. They work carelessly, and when they have finished sewing back a sandal strap (鞋带) you might as well just throw away the pair.
My man saw I wouldn't give in, and he smiled. He wiped his hands on his blue apron ( 围裙), looked at my shoes, had me write my name on 
one shoe with a piece of chalk and said, “Come back in a week.”
I was about to leave when he took a pair of soft leather boots off a shelf.
“See what I can do?” he said with pride. “Only three of us in Paris can do this kind of work. ”
When I got back out into the street, the world seemed brand-new to me. He was something out of an ancient legend, this old craftsman with his way of speaking familiarly, his very strange, dusty felt hat, his funny accent from who-knows-where and, above all, his pride in his craft.
These are times when nothing is important but the bottom line, when you can do things any old way as long as it “pays”, when, in short, people look on work as a path to ever-increasing consumption (消费) rather than a way to realize their own abilities. In such a period it is a rare comfort to find a cobbler who gets his greatest satisfaction from pride in a job well done.
Which of the following is true about the old cobbler.'?
| A．He was equipped with the best repairing tools. | B．He was the only cobbler in the Marais. |
| C．He was proud of his skills. | D．He was a native Parisian. |
The sentence “He was something out of an ancient legend.” ( paragraph 7 ) implies that
| A．nowadays you can hardly find anyone like him |
| B．it was difficult to communicate with this man |
| C．the man was very strange |
| D．the man was too old |
According to the author, many people work just to .
| A．realize their abilities | B．gain happiness | C．make money | D．gain respect |
This story wants to tell us that ________ .
| A．craftsmen make a lot of money | B．whateve r you do, do it well |
| C．craftsmen need self-respect | D．people are born equal |
Seattle International Film Festival ：Future Wave Shorts Program
Seattle Washington
May/June annually
Deadline：March
A presentation of original short films created by youth aged 18 and under. Entries must be no longer than 10 minutes（including end titles）.The juried Future Wave winner receives a $500 each prize！
http://www.siff.net
Contact：Dustin Kasper 【dustin.Kasper @siff.Net 】
Entry fee：$20
University if Toronto Film and Video Festival
Toronto
February
Deadline：January
Annual Festival accepting all lengths and genres（流派），with an emphasis on student work.Submission （提交）form on festival website.
http://www.uoftfilmandvideofestival.ca
Contact: Steven Hoffner 【uoftfilmfest@harthousetheatre.ca】
Entry fee：$15 (early) $20（final）
Young Cuts Film Festival
Toronto Ontario
August 23th-27th
Deadline：April 30th
The Young Cuts Film Festival is one of the world’s most important film festivals for film makers under the age of 25 and is for student film makers and non-student film makers alike. It’s important because we not only evaluate young film m
akers’ short films for our own Festival competition，but we can also evaluate your film with an eye to establishing its market potential. For more information please go to our website at www.youngcuts.com or emai
l us at info@youngcut.Com
Contact：Peter Bailey 【info@youngcut.Com】
Entry fee：$60.00—$90.00
Scene First Student Film Festival
Wilmington North California
June 14th-16th
Deadline：May
The 3-day national film competition provides student film makers with an opportunity to show their short films， network with industry professionals， and learn from academic and industry leadership ——all in a relaxed social environment.
http://www.scenefirstfestival.com
Contact： Sam Connelly 【sam
c@campusentertainment.net】
Entry fee：$12
If you want to enter Seattle Int
ernational Film Festival，you have to ______.
| A．be above 18 years of age |
| B．apply before May |
| C．make a film no more than 10 minutes in length |
D．make a film with end titles |
Those who enter Young Cuts Film Festival can _______.
| A．win some prize money |
| B．have their films sold at the film market |
| C．meet very professional film makers |
| D．know whether it is possible for their films to go into market |
If a student film maker want to ask famous film makers for advice，he should go to ________.
| A．Seattle International Film Festival |
| B．University if Toronto Film and Video Festival |
| C．Young Cuts Film Festival |
| D．Scene First Student Film Festival |
How many people have I met who have told me about the book they have been planning to write but have never yet found the time ? Far too many.
This is Life, all right, but we do treat it like a rehearsal (排演) and, unhappily, we do miss so many of its best moments.
We take jobs to stay alive and provide homes for our families always making ourselves believe that this style of life is merely a temporary state of affairs along the road to what we really want to do. Then, at 60 or 65, we are suddenly presented with a clock and several grandchildren and we look back and realize that all those years waiting for Real Life to come along were in fact real life.
In America they have a saying much laughed at by the English：“Have a nice day” they speak slowly and seriously in their shops, hotels and sandwich bars. I think it is a wonderful phrase, reminding us, in effect, to enjoy the moment: to value this very day.
How often do we say to ourselves, "I'll take up horse-riding (or golf, or sailing) as soon as I get a higher position," only to do none of those things when I do get the higher position.
When I first became a reporter I knew a man who gave up a very well paid respectable job at the Daily Telegraph to go and edit a small weekly newspaper. At the time I was astonished by what appeared to me to be his completely abnormal (反常的) mental state. How could anyone turn his back
on Fleet Street in central London for a small local area？I wanted to know.
Now I am a little older and possibly wiser, I see the sense in it. In Fleet Street the man was under continual pressure. He lived in an unattractive London suburb and he spent much of his life sitting on Southern Region trains.
The first paragraph of the passage tells us that .
| A．we always try to find some time to write a book |
| B．we always make plans but seldom fulfill them |
| C．we always enjoy many of life's best moments |
| D．we always do what we really want to do |
The underlined phrase "turn his back on" (paragraph 6) most probably means .
| A．leave for | B．return to | C．give up | D．rely on |
The man ( paragraph 6) left his first job partly because he was .
| A．in an abnormal mental state | B．under too much pressure |
| C．not well paid | D．not respected |
What is probably the best title for the passage?
| A．Provide Homes For Our Family | B．Take Up Horse-riding |
| C．Value This Very Day | D．Stay Alive |