Masterclasses---Researching your novel
When it comes to fiction, research skills are as important as writing skills. Whatever your theme or setting, research skills are an invaluable resource for any writer.
On this course, novelist Alex Preston will show you how to use various research sources to write convincing , powerful stories. You’ll explore online horizons far beyond Wikipedia, and access vast resources of the un-sohuable.
Course description
Through a mix of talks and practical exercises, you’ll learn how to weave
professional-standard research into the fiction writing process to improve all aspects of your work.
Topics include
Resources for research ---using the Internet , libraries and media to enrich your story
Backgrounds---how to use your research to make your story interesting
Shortcuts ---how to research on a tight budget
Writing the past and the present --- how to use detail to bring the world of your story to life
Theories of research--- from Laurent Binet to Hilary Mantel, looking at how the masters work
Practical exercises--- a series of writing exercises designed to inspire and instruct
This course is for you if …
You are an experienced writer currently writing or planning a novel which requires more research than you’ve previously undertaken
You are a new fiction writer struggling with building a convincing world.
You are currently having plotting or structural problems with a novel
Tutor profile
Alex Preston is a prize-winning novelist and journalist. He appears regularly on BBC television and radio and writes for The Observer and GQ Magazine
Details
Date: 21 December 2015
Times: 10 am-5 pm. Check-in begins 30 minutes before the start time.
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price:
Early bird special£199 ( limited in number)
Regular price £229
( all prices include VAT, booking fee, lunch and refreshments)
Event capacity: 16
Tickets may be paid back if you contact us at least 7 days before the course start date.
Book now and join our masterclasses ASAP!If you want to make your story real and vivid, you should focus on “_______”
| A.Backgrounds |
| B.Practical exercises |
| C.Resources for research |
| D.Writing the past and the present |
The course is targeted at those who _________
| A.are trying their best to work out ideal characters in a story |
| B.are popular writers with several works completed |
| C.write for famous magazines regularly |
| D.lack enough persuasive writing skills |
Which of the following is Not true according to “Details” ?
| A.Only less than twenty people can be admitted into the course. |
| B.The favourable price includes lunch and desserts. |
| C.Those who book in advance can get a 15% discount |
| D.The whole course lasts seven hours. |
Downing the last drop of an expensive famous brand H2O as well as remembering to throw the empty bottle in the recycling bin, makes you feel pretty good about yourself, right? It shouldn’t. Even when the bottles are recycled, there are all kinds of other consequences of swallowing bottled water, says Melissa Peffers, the air-quality program manager for Environmental Defense.
The containers are often filled in faraway lands, then shipped from abroad, and stored in refrigerators at your local store. Compare that with the influence on environment of turning on your tap, filling a glass, and drinking up!
Anyone who is choosing bottled water for health reasons is misguided, says Peffers, “Most bottled water is just tap water.” And what comes out of your tap is carefully monitored to follow the strict rules. Consider another fact that bottled water is surprisingly expensive, especially when compared with the alternative, which is almost free, and it is astonishing that America’s desire for bottled water seems impossible to satisfy, reaching nearly 30 billion bottles a year.
“My parents’ generation never had bottled water,” says Isabelle Silverman, an Environmental Defense legal adviser. She has made a commitment to going bottle free. “You don’t need to fetch it home from the store, and it’s cheaper,” she adds.
Bottled water’s role as a status symbol needs to change, Peffers points out. So when a waiter at an expensive restaurant offers “And what’s your drink?” that’s no reason to forget your conviction(信念). “Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I’ll have tap.’ Say it loud enough that the other tables nearby can hear you,” Peffers says. “And then spend that money on a dessert.”In the first paragraph, the underlined sentence “It shouldn’t.” suggest that people _______.
| A.shouldn’t feel pleased with finishing the water in the bottle. |
| B.shouldn’t feel good about drinking an expensive brand H2O. |
| C.shouldn’t be pleased with just recycling empty bottles. |
| D.shouldn’t be satisfied with drinking only bottled water. |
According to the author, tap water is _______.
| A.as safe as bottled water | B.morel likely to be polluted |
| C.healthier than bottle water | D.less convenient than bottled water |
The underlined part “going bottle free” (in Para. 4) means “_______”.
| A.making bottled water free | B.giving up bottled water |
| C.recycling use water bottles | D.providing free water containers |
Why does Peffers ask people to say “I’ll have tap.” Loudly?
| A.To encourage them to set an example for others to follow. |
| B.To advise them to save the money for one more dessert. |
| C.To remind them to be aware of their social status. |
| D.To persuade them to speak confidently in public. |
John Blanchard was studying the crowd making their way through the station. He was looking for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose.
When reading a book in a Florida library a year before, John became interested not in the contents of the book, but in the notes penciled in the margin. The handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and beautiful mind. He discovered the former owner's name in the front of the book: Miss Hollis Maynell.
He located her address and wrote a letter introducing himself. The next day he was shipped overseas to serve in the army. During the next year, they grew to know each other through the mail and their friendship developed. John requested a photograph, but she refused, saying if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return home, their first meeting was suggested — 7:00 p.m. at the Grand Central Station in New York.
She wrote, “You’ll recognize me by the red rose I wear on my coat.” So now John was in the station to meet the girl with a rose.
As a pretty and slim girl in green came over, John noticed her blue eyes like flowers in spring. He walked directly towards her, entirely forgetting she was not wearing a rose. As John came closer to her, he saw another woman with a red rose stood nearby. Well past 40, this woman had graying hair done under a worn hat. Seeing the girl in green walk quickly away, John felt as if he were split in two. He desired to follow that girl, but longed for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and supported him.
The woman looked gentle and sensible. John went to her, saying, “I’m Captain John Blanchard. You must be Miss Maynell. I am glad to meet you here. May I take you to dinner?”
She replied with a smile, “I don’t know what this is about. But the lady in green who just went by, begged me to wear this rose on my coat. She said if you asked me out to dinner, I’d tell you she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”John was eager to know the former owner of the book because he______.
| A.was very interested in the contents of the book |
| B.was impressed by the notes written by its owner |
| C.wanted to improve his handwriting |
| D.wanted to discuss the book with her |
What happened to John after getting in touch with Miss Hollis Maynell?
| A.He served in the army abroad. |
| B.He went overseas for vacation. |
| C.He went on a business trip in New York. |
| D.He visited Miss Maynell. |
What do we know about the woman with a rose?
| A.She was Miss Maynell’s close friend. |
| B.She was a waitress in the big restaurant. |
| C.She was probably a passerby. |
| D.She was paid to meet John at the Station. |
Which would be the best title of the text?
| A.An Interesting Book | B.A Woman With a Rose |
| C.A Brave Soldier | D.A Love Test |
We often hear people talking about a generation gap (代沟). The name is new,but the idea is old. Young people and their parents don’t understand each other. The world has always kept changing. During the second century after Christ a wise man said, “Bury me on my face because in a little while everything will be turned upside down.” There has always been a gap between generations, but more people talk about it now. Old Mr. Ellis thinks he understands what has happened. “When I was a boy, I thought the world was a beautiful place. My life was very pleasant. But when I was older, I learned about people who were treated badly, people who didn’t have enough to eat. I wanted to help them, and I married a girl who wanted to help them, too. We went to meetings and talked a lot, but it didn’t seem to make much difference. ”“Our children grew up in a world at war. They didn’t know when the fighting would stop. They wanted their children to have nice clothes and toys. They didn’t want to think about the future. They thought nothing could be done about it.” “Now I have grandchildren, and they have their own ideas. They are trying to make the world better. They are trying to help other people. They’re making people listen to them. I am proud of their generation.” The wise man mentioned in the text told people to bury him on his face so that when everything is turned upside down he will _____.
| A.lie on his stomach | B.lie on his back |
| C.stand quietly | D.sit in peace |
Which generation did NOT want to do anything to make the world a better one?
| A.Mr. Ellis’ generation | B.His children’s generation |
| C.His grandchildren’s generation | D.None of the above. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the generation gap?
| A.Unacceptable. | B.Awful. | C.Funny. | D.Common. |
The home computer industry has been growing rapidly in the United States for the last ten years . Computers used to be large, expensive machines that were very difficult to use . But scientists and technicians have been making them smaller and cheaper while at the same time they have been made easier to use. As a result, their popularity has been increasing as more people have been buying computers for their homes and businesses. Computers have been designed to store information and compute problems that are difficult for human beings to work out. Some have voices that speak with the operators. Stores use computers to keep records of their inventories(库存货物) and to send bills to their customers(顾客) . Offices use computers to copy letters, record business and keep in touch with other offices. People have been using computers in their homes to keep track of the money they spend.
One important new use for computers is for entertainment(娱乐). Many new games have been designed to be played on the computers. People of all ages have been playing these games, People also have been buying home computers to play computer games, watch movies and listen to concerts at home. They have become very popular indeed. Computers used to _____.
| A.work rapidly | B.be large and expensive |
| C.be easy to use | D.be used for fun |
In recent years , computers are being made ______.
| A.larger and more expensive | B.smaller and cheaper |
| C.more difficult to use | D.to work more slowly |
Home computers can be used for ______.
| A.writing letters | B.playing games |
| C.doing business | D.all of the above |
Salesmen use computers mainly to ______.
| A.check the list of goods and materials that are kept in the store house |
| B.play games for pleasure |
| C.talk with their friends |
| D.write letters |
A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so began, “My name is Stone, and I’m even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or there’ll be trouble. Don’t try any tricks (诡计) with me, and then we’ll get on well together.”
Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name, “Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly,” he said, “and don’t forget to call me ‘sir’.”
Each soldier told him name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent and so Captain Stone shouted at him, “when I ask you a question, answer it! I’ll ask you again: “What’s your name, soldier?”
The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied,“My name’s Stonebreaker, sir,”he said nervously (紧张地).According to what the officer said, _____
| A.trouble would come if anybody made tricks. |
| B.obeying his orders would sometimes bring no trouble. |
| C.he always got on well with his soldiers. |
| D.he often had trouble with his soldiers. |
The last soldier remained silent because _____
| A.he didn’t like the way the officer spoke to them. |
| B.he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name. |
| C.he wanted to see what would happen if he disobeyed his order. |
| D.the question was funny for him to answer. |
According to the officer, how to answer the question, “How old are you ?” _____
| A.(sadly) Twenty, sir. |
| B.(clearly) Twenty. |
| C.(quickly) Ten years younger than you, sir |
| D.(loudly) Twenty, sir |