Now that we have briefly explored the history of the short story and heard from a few of its creators, let us consider the role of the reader. Readers are not empty vessels that wait, _______ raised, to receive a teacher’s or a critic’s interpretation. They bring their unique life experiences to the story. With these_______ , the best readers also bring their attention, their reading skills, and most importantly, their_______ to a reading of a story.
My students always_______ me to discuss, analyze, interpret, and evaluate the stories we read without destroying the excitement of being beamed up into another world. For years I _______with one response after the other to this challenge. Then one day I read an article by a botanist who had explored the beauty of flowers by x-raying them. His illustrations showed the rose and the lily in their_______ beauty, and his x-rays_______the wonders of their construction. I brought the article to class, where we discussed the benefits of examining the internal structure of flowers, relationships, current events, and short stories.
A short story, _______ , is not a fossil to admire. Readers must ask questions, guess at the answers,_______what will happen next, then read to discover. They and the author form a partnership that brings the story to life. Awareness of this partnership keeps the original excitement alive through discussion, analysis, interpretation, and ________. Literary explorations allow the reader to admire the authors’________ as well as their artistry. In fact, original appreciation may be enhanced by this x-ray vision. The final step is to appreciate once again the story________— to put the pieces back together.
Now it is your turn. Form a partnership with your author. During your________in reading, enter into a dialogue with the published scholars featured in Short Stories for Students. Through this________with experts you will revise, enrich, or________your original observations and interpretations.
During this adventure, I hope you will feel the same as the listeners that surround the neck of my Pueblo storyteller.
1.A.hands | B.sails | C.flags | D.lids |
2.A.considerations | B.explorations | C.associations | D.interpretations |
3.A.imagination | B.eagerness | C.determination | D.affection |
4.A.begged | B.supported | C.encouraged | D.challenged |
5.A.dealt | B.struggled | C.fought | D.engaged |
6.A.external | B.artificial | C.classical | D.traditional |
7.A.ensured | B.analyzed | C.revealed | D.delivered |
8.A.however | B.furthermore | C.therefore | D.besides |
9.A.interpret | B.anticipate | C.predict | D.tell |
10.A.conclusion | B.evaluation | C.summary | D.appreciation |
11.A.craftsmanship | B.intentions | C.depth | D.character |
12.A.by itself | B.in vain | C.in question | D.as a whole |
13.A.observation | B.involvement | C.experiment | D.adventure |
14.A.journey | B.process | C.dialogue | D.contact |
15.A.recall | B.confirm | C.identify | D.cancel |