Sci-fi stories to dream big (P1)
I. Pre-reading
Discuss the following questions with your partner:
Do you like reading science fiction?
If so, which story is your favorite? Why do you like it?
What do you think makes science fiction different from other genres?

II. Reading
Read the article and answer the following questions.
1. What will the future look like according to many Hollywood science fiction films?
Hollywood has presented us a rather bleak picture of the future, where human beings have to either fight against oppression and poverty, or battle super apes for world domination.

2. Why does Finn think a good science fiction story can be very powerful?
Because he thinks that it can inspire many people to get together to do something that they want to do.

3. What is the main purpose of Project Hieroglyph?
It is trying to bring science fiction writers and scientists together to learn from, and influence, each other – and in turn, the future.

4. How does science fiction influence our daily lives, according to Srikanth Saripalli?
This writing not only creates interesting ideas and innovations, it can also help to shape the future.

5. What does Finn think science fiction writers should do to create a blueprint for the future?
They should work together “with the reader to think about how people working together might overcome problems”.

III. After reading
Discussion:
Srikanth Saripalli said: “If the government has to decide what to fund and what not to fund, they are going to get their ideas and decisions mostly from science fiction … rather than what’s being published in technical papers.” Do you agree with what he said? Why or why not?

IV. Language study
Translate the following sentences into English.
1. 答案可能会各式各样。(varied)
Answers can be very varied.
2. 事实上，不难发现很多以往仅存于想象中的技术已经在我们的日常生活中实现。(spot)
In fact, it is not hard to spot once-imagined technology that has come true in our everyday lives.
3. 科幻小说可以帮助我们创造未来。(shape)
Science fiction can help us shape the future.
4. 他们对未来的消极想象限制了人们树立远大梦想、创新思维的能力。(vision)
Their negative visions of the future are limiting people’s abilities to dream big and think outside the box.

Think ahead, win game (P5)
I. Pre-reading
Discuss the following questions with your partner:
1. Have you ever used the game “Rock-paper-scissors” to help you settle something? Do you think it is fair?
2. Do you have any strategies to win the game?

II. Reading
Read the article and choose the best answer for each of the following questions.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A. The popularity of RPS games around the world.
B. The general rules of RPS games.
C. A game plan for RPS games.
D. The fairness of RPS games.

2. According to the article, researchers worked out some winning patterns for RPS games mainly by _____.
A. studying the rules of the game
B. analyzing game data
C. interviewing expert players
D. organizing major tournaments

3. Which of the following statements about Monica Martinez is TRUE according to the article?
A. She likes to use the same actions many times in a row when playing the game.
B. She usually follows the order of rock, scissors and paper when playing the game.
C. She is good at reading her opponent’s moves when playing the game.
D. She often wears dark sunglasses when playing the game.

4. We can infer from the last two paragraphs that _____.
A. scissors is the most popular choice of skilled RPS players
B. paper is a safer choice than rock and scissors for RPS players
C. beginners have barely any chance of winning against skilled RPS players
D. men are usually better at RPS games than women

Key:
1. B。根据RPS is a game as popular in the East as it is in the West. The rule is the same可知第二段主要讲述了猜拳的基本规则。
2. B。根据According to their data, players choose rock (35.4 percent) and paper (35 percent) more than scissors (29.6 percent)和Scientists found that winners tend to choose the same action they won with, while the loser tends to change to the next action in the order of rock, scissors, paper等内容可知科学家们主要是通过研究数据的方式来发现猜拳游戏中的一些获胜规律的。
3. C。根据“I didn’t worry about what I was going to do, I just did what I thought they were going to do,” she told The Telegraph可知Monica Martinez作为专业猜拳选手擅长预测对手动向。
4. B。根据But if you’re looking for a quick, simple winning rule for a match, choose paper. Scissors is the least popular choice, and men favor rock. Both are reasons to choose paper 可知B正确。A与文章事实不符（出现最多的实际上是rock）。C，D两项文章都没有提到。

III. Detailed reading
Answer the following questions according to the article.
1. Is the RPS game random?
It is random, but it has several winning patterns.
2. What are the general rules of RPS game?
Two players make one of the three hand signs. To decide the winner, rock breaks scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock.
3. What is the strategy that people tend to use when playing RPS?
People tend to use the “win-stay lose-shift” strategy, that is, when people win a round, they usually stick to the same choice. But when they lose, they tend to change to a more powerful move.

IV. Language focus
Fill in the blanks with proper conjunctions.
1. RPS is a game as popular in the East _____ it is in the West.
2. Scientists found that winners tend to choose the same action they won with, _____ the loser tends to change to the next action in the order of rock, scissors, paper.
3. _____ your opponent is a man or an angry person, it’s quite possible they will start the game with rock.
4. Remember, the strategy for playing RPS depends on _____ skilled your opponent is.

Key:
1. as  2. while  3. If   4. how

Angry Napoleon (P6)
I. Skimming
Read the article fast and find out why Napoleon got angry.
Napoleon got angry because he didn't like the furrier’s question of how he was feeling when hiding under the furs.

II. Scanning
Read the article again and choose the best answer for each of the following questions.
1. Napoleon entered a little furrier’s shop in order to _____.
A. ask for clues about his separated troops
B. hide himself from Russian soldiers
C. take a break and wait for his personal guards
D. hide himself so that he could better attack Russian soldiers
2. The Russian soldiers rushed in as soon as _____.
A. the furrier discovered Napoleon
B. the furrier prepared to leave his shop
C. the furrier had finished covering Napoleon with a big pile of furs
D. the furrier had agreed to let Napoleon hide in his shop
3. When he came out from the furs, Napoleon was _____.
A. not harmed at all
B. very thankful to the furrier
C. noticed by Russian guards
D. angry about the Russian soldiers’ search
4. Why did Napoleon order his guards to take the furrier outside?
A. To prevent the man from revealing his trail to the Russian soldiers.
B. To execute the man and maintain his pride as the emperor.
C. To put the man in a similar situation to the one he had just experienced.
D. To warn the man not to let out the secret that he had hidden under the furs.
5. Tears ran down the furrier’s cheeks because _____.
A. he heard the sound of a rifle
B. he thought he was going to be killed at once
C. he was blindfolded and couldn’t see anything
D. he heard the movements of Napoleon’s guards

Key:
1. B。根据第一段的“A group of Russian soldiers noticed him and began chasing him through the streets. Napoleon ran for his life and hid himself in a little furrier's shop.”可知B为正确答案。
2. C。由文中“He covered Napoleon up with furs. No sooner had he finished than the Russian soldiers burst in the door, shouting: ‘Where is he? We saw him come in.’”可知毛皮商刚帮助拿破仑藏好，俄军士兵就破门而入了，故答案为C。
3. A。由第三段的“After some time, Napoleon got out from under the furs unharmed, just as his personal guards came in the door.”可知答案为A。
4. C。由最后两段可知拿破仑让卫兵把毛皮商带出去，然后把他的眼睛蒙起来，宣称要处死他，但是由最后一段的最后一句话“Now you know”可知拿破仑此举是为了回答毛皮商的问题，让毛皮商体会他刚才所经历的一切，而不是真的要处死他，故答案为C。
5. B。由倒数第二段的“hen he heard Napoleon clear his throat and call out slowly: ‘Ready ... aim ...’ At that moment, knowing that even these few sensations were about to be taken from him forever, a feeling that he couldn't describe grew in him as tears poured down his cheeks.”可知毛皮商流泪主要是因为他认为自己就要被击毙了，所以答案为B。

III. Language study
1. No sooner had he finished than the Russian soldiers burst in the door, shouting: “Where is he? We saw him come in.”
释义：他（指那个毛皮商）刚弄完，俄国士兵就闯进门，叫嚣着：“他在哪儿？我们看见他进来了。”
分析：句型no sooner…than…的意思是”一……就……”。以no sooner开头时主句要部分倒装，并通常用过去完成时；分句则用陈述语气，并通常用一般过去时。又如：No sooner had he sat down than the phone rang.

2. At that moment, knowing that even these few sensations were about to be taken from him forever, a feeling that he couldn’t describe grew in him as tears poured down his cheeks.
释义：那一刻，毛皮商知道这一切无关痛痒的感伤都将永远离他而去，他泪流满面，一种难以形容的感觉在他心里升腾着。
分析：本句非常形象地描述了毛皮商当时复杂绝望的心情。

3. Still partially blinded by the sudden sunlight, he saw Napoleon’s eyes looking deeply into his own.
释义：他的眼睛还没有完全适应突如其来的阳光，就看见拿破仑正深深地凝视着他。
分析：句中的blind是动词，意思是”使失明，使看不见”，这里因为它跟主句的主语是逻辑上的被动关系，所以用到了过去分词的形式。See sb doing sth 看见某人正在做某事。