Reading Fiction
BasicFour story elements: characters, setting, plot and theme.
- Four elements: character, setting, plot, theme.
- Setting = the time and the place.
- A mystery is the engine that pulls you through the story.
文體小知識：Characters, plot, setting.
§Text Passage
1Lily found a small key under the old tree in her garden. It was golden and warm, and it shone even when there was no sun. She did not know what it unlocked. She tried every door in the house, from the front gate to the kitchen cupboards. None of them worked.
2That night, she dreamed of a door at the end of a long hallway. The hallway was dark, but the key in her hand glowed like a little star. The key fit perfectly. Behind the door was a garden full of stars, and soft music filled the air. A white cat walked up to her and said, 'We have been waiting for you, Lily.'
3When she woke up, the key was still in her hand. She decided to find the door. Lily is a curious character, so she drew a map of the setting in her dream. It looked like the old theatre near her school, and this strange event was only the beginning. Every story has a problem, a climax and a solution, and Lily was sure hers would have a happy ending soon. A good plot keeps us guessing, and her story was just getting started.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
Lily found a small key under the old tree in her garden.
Lily 在花園那棵老樹下撿到一把小鎖匙。
It was golden and warm, and it shone even when there was no sun.
鎖匙是金色的，暖暖的，即使沒有太陽也會發光。
She did not know what it unlocked.
她不知道那把鎖匙開什麼門。
She tried every door in the house, from the front gate to the kitchen cupboards.
她試遍全屋的門，由大門試到廚房的櫃子。
None of them worked.
但全部都打不開。
That night, she dreamed of a door at the end of a long hallway.
那晚，她夢見一條長走廊盡頭有道門。
The hallway was dark, but the key in her hand glowed like a little star.
走廊黑漆漆，但她手上的鎖匙好像一顆小星星般發光。
The key fit perfectly.
那把鎖匙剛剛好能打開那道門。
Behind the door was a garden full of stars, and soft music filled the air.
門後面是一個滿天星星的花園，空氣中還有柔和的音樂。
A white cat walked up to her and said, 'We have been waiting for you, Lily.'
一隻白貓走過來對她說：「Lily，我們等了你很久。」
When she woke up, the key was still in her hand.
她一覺醒來，那把鎖匙還在手裡。
She decided to find the door.
她決定要去找那道門。
Lily is a curious character, so she drew a map of the setting in her dream.
Lily 是個好奇的角色，所以她畫了幅夢中場景的地圖。
It looked like the old theatre near her school, and this strange event was only the beginning.
那個場景好像她學校附近的舊戲院，而這件怪事只是一個開始。
Every story has a problem, a climax and a solution, and Lily was sure hers would have a happy ending soon.
每個故事都有問題、高潮同解決方法，Lily 相信她的故事很快就有個開心結局。
A good plot keeps us guessing, and her story was just getting started.
好的情節會令人想一直追看下去，而她的故事才剛剛開始。
1Summary 重點摘要
Four story elements: characters, setting, plot and theme.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Person in story.
Story line.
Time/place.
Happening.
Difficulty.
Answer.
Peak.
End.
3Step by step Steps
- CharacterStart by identifying the characters: who the main character is, what he or she is like, and what they want. Look for clues in names, in dialogue and in what others say about them. In The Golden Key, Lily is described as curious, and that one trait explains all of her actions later in the story.
- SettingThe setting covers the time and the place: when the story happens, where it happens, and what the surroundings are like. Settings often shape the plot, since a mysterious key can only be found in a garden with an old tree. Notice the adjectives the writer uses, such as old, secret and golden, because they build the mood and hint at what is coming.
- PlotThe plot is the chain of events, usually in time order. While reading, line the events up in your head: what happens first, what happens next, and how it ends. For example, Lily finds a golden key under the tree and then tries every door in the house. If you can retell the main line in two or three sentences, you have the heart of the story.
- Climax + endingThe climax is the tensest moment of the story, and the ending ties everything up. The two are usually linked: the climax settles the main problem, and the ending shows what happens to the characters afterwards. Some stories deliberately leave the ending open, and it is worth pointing that out in your answer if you notice it.
- Read for the mysteryGood fiction keeps a mystery running through it to pull the reader on. For example, Lily finds a golden key but does not know what it unlocks, and that unanswered question is exactly what makes you turn the page. Ask yourself questions as you read, such as what the key opens and what is inside, and your attention will stay sharp from start to finish.
- Watch the turning wordsTurning words are signposts for the plot. Words such as Suddenly, at last and however usually sit right beside a change in the story: after Suddenly things move fast, and at last crowns a long wait. Slow down when you meet one, ask what has changed and why, and the structure of the story will fall into place.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we break a story like The Golden Key into its four elements — character, setting, plot and climax?
- Step 1: Character — the main character is Lily, a curious girl, and it is her curiosity that drives every action she takes in the story
- Step 2: Setting — the story happens under the old tree in her garden on an ordinary afternoon, and the quiet scene sets off the mysterious discovery
- Step 3: Plot — Lily finds a golden key under the tree and tries it on every door in the house, hoping to learn what the key is for
- Step 4: Climax and ending — the climax comes when the key finally opens a secret box; the ending tells us what is inside, or leaves it as a mystery
- Step 5: Theme — the story is about curiosity and the joy of discovery, showing that those who are willing to explore are often rewarded
- Answer: Sample answer: The character is Lily, a curious girl; the setting is under the old tree in her garden one afternoon; the plot is her hunt through every door with the golden key; the climax is the moment the secret box opens; the theme is that curiosity leads to discovery and joy. When you answer, cover all four elements in order — character, setting, plot, climax — and support each one with key details such as the golden key itself.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Four elements?
Q2Climax?
Q3Setting?
Q4Problem + solution?
Q5Plot?
Q6Ending?
Q7What did Lily find?
Q8What colour was the key?
Q9What did Lily draw a map of?
8Recap Recap
- Four elements: character, setting, plot, theme.
- Setting = the time and the place.
- A mystery is the engine that pulls you through the story.
- The climax is the most tense moment.
- Say the theme in one sentence after reading.