Story Continuation
AdvancedMatch the original style.
- Before continuing, read the whole original: person, tense and character.
- Plant a mystery or a clue, then pay it off — never leave it hanging.
- Inner conflict gives turning points weight; do not just report events.
文體小知識：Continue given story.
§Text Passage
1When I opened the old box in my grandmother's attic, I expected dusty photographs. Instead, I found a letter addressed to me — dated thirty years in the future. The attic smelled of dust and old wood, and sunlight fell through a small round window. The handwriting was unmistakably mine. My hands trembled as I unfolded the yellow paper.
2In the letter, my future self warned me to say 'yes' when Mr Chan asked for a volunteer on Friday. I laughed at the ridiculous idea and folded the letter away. Part of me wanted to believe it; another part wanted to throw it away. Still, the words stayed in my mind for the rest of the week. I could not decide whether it was a joke, a dream or something stranger.
3On Friday, Mr Chan stood in front of the class with the inter-school speech competition form. “Would anyone like to represent our class?” he asked. The class went silent, and someone at the back whispered my name. My heart pounded as the words from the letter echoed in my ears. Slowly, I raised my hand — and everything changed.
4Training was harder than I had imagined; I practised for an hour every day after school. My voice shook at first, and I forgot my lines twice in front of the mirror. But on the day of the competition, I spoke clearly and even made the audience laugh. I did not win first prize — yet I walked home feeling like a different person. Maybe the letter was never really about winning. Months later, I finally understood its message: say yes to chances, and let courage do the rest.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
When I opened the old box in my grandmother's attic, I expected dusty photographs.
當我打開外婆閣樓裡那個舊箱子，以為會看到布滿灰塵的舊照片。
Instead, I found a letter addressed to me — dated thirty years in the future.
誰知竟然有一封寫給我的信——日期是三十年後。
The attic smelled of dust and old wood, and sunlight fell through a small round window.
閣樓有一股灰塵與舊木的氣味，陽光從一個小小的圓窗透進來。
The handwriting was unmistakably mine.
這些字跡明明是我的。
My hands trembled as I unfolded the yellow paper.
我打開那張發黃的紙時，雙手直發抖。
In the letter, my future self warned me to say 'yes' when Mr Chan asked for a volunteer on Friday.
信裡面，未來的我提醒我：星期五陳老師問誰想做義工時，要答應。
I laughed at the ridiculous idea and folded the letter away.
我笑這個想法荒謬，把信摺了起來。
Part of me wanted to believe it; another part wanted to throw it away.
我一半想相信，一半想把它丟掉。
Still, the words stayed in my mind for the rest of the week.
不過，這封信的字句整個星期都在我腦海裡面。
I could not decide whether it was a joke, a dream or something stranger.
我分不清它是玩笑、是夢，還是更奇怪的東西。
On Friday, Mr Chan stood in front of the class with the inter-school speech competition form.
星期五，陳老師拿著校際演講比賽報名表站在全班面前。
“Would anyone like to represent our class?” he asked.
「有沒有人想代表我們班？」他問。
The class went silent, and someone at the back whispered my name.
全班安靜下來，後面有人低聲喊我的名字。
My heart pounded as the words from the letter echoed in my ears.
信中的字句在耳邊迴響，我的心跳得很厲害。
Slowly, I raised my hand — and everything changed.
我慢慢舉起手——一切都不同了。
Training was harder than I had imagined; I practised for an hour every day after school.
訓練比我想像中辛苦；我每日放學練一小時。
My voice shook at first, and I forgot my lines twice in front of the mirror.
起初我嗓音發抖，對着鏡子還忘了兩次詞。
But on the day of the competition, I spoke clearly and even made the audience laugh.
但到比賽那天，我講得清清楚楚，還令觀眾笑了。
I did not win first prize — yet I walked home feeling like a different person.
我沒有拿到冠軍——但回家時，我覺得自己已經不一樣了。
Maybe the letter was never really about winning.
或者這封信從來都不是關於贏。
Months later, I finally understood its message: say yes to chances, and let courage do the rest.
幾個月之後，我終於明白它的訊息：機會來到就答應，剩下的交給勇氣。
1Summary 重點摘要
Match the original style.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Continue.
Story line.
Person.
Place/time.
Peak.
Unexpected.
Speech.
Finish.
3Step by step Steps
- ReadFirst, read the whole original: note the person (first-person I), the tense (past) and each character's personality — the narrator moves from shy to raising a hand, and Mr Chan is the form teacher; the continuation must not bend them out of shape.
- ContinueContinue naturally from the last line: the original ends “I did not win first prize — yet I walked home feeling like a different person”, so the next paragraph shows life after the change — never jump to another story.
- AddAdd dialogue and description: quoted speech (“Would anyone like to represent our class?”), inner feelings (My heart pounded) and actions (Slowly, I raised my hand) — plain reporting of events is the lowest-scoring style.
- EndKeep the ending believable: winning is not required — this story loses the prize but ends “feeling like a different person”; growth plus a theme (say yes to chances) is the high-mark close.
- Pay off the suspenseSuspense must be cashed in: the letter says say yes on Friday, and Mr Chan really brings out the inter-school speech competition form on Friday — a planted clue must return, never left dangling.
- Tense agreementStay in the past tense throughout: opened, found, raised, practised — slipping into the present halfway is a common mark-loser; present tense belongs only inside quoted speech.
- Balance the lengthFast opening, solid middle, deep ending: one paragraph sets time, place and people, the struggle gets the detail (an hour of practice daily, forgetting lines twice in front of the mirror), and two or three sentences close the theme — never top-heavy.
5Worked example Example
This story opens with a letter dated thirty years in the future. Analyse how it builds suspense, uses inner conflict, pays off its clue, and why the imperfect ending works best.
- Step 1: The hook is the premise itself: a letter addressed to me, dated thirty years ahead, in my own handwriting.
- Step 2: Inner conflict drives the middle: 'Part of me wanted to believe; another part wanted to throw it away'.
- Step 3: The clue pays off on schedule: the letter says say yes on Friday, and Mr Chan really asks for a volunteer that Friday.
- Step 4: The process feels real: an hour of practice a day, forgetting lines twice in front of the mirror.
- Step 5: The ending flips the expectation: no first prize, but a changed person — 'say yes to chances, and let courage do the rest'.
- Answer: The story demonstrates four techniques every continuation needs. It opens on a mystery — a letter from the future in the narrator's own handwriting — which makes the reader ask how it can exist. The middle runs on inner conflict: half of the narrator believes the letter, half wants to throw it away, so raising a hand on Friday carries real weight. The clue pays off precisely when promised, and the preparation is believable — an hour of practice daily and forgotten lines in front of the mirror — instead of an effortless win. Most skilfully, the ending refuses the trophy: the narrator loses the competition yet 'walked home feeling like a different person', revealing the letter's true message. Continuations earn marks by answering the opening and ending with growth.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Need?
Q2Characters?
Q3Plot?
Q4Dialogue?
Q5Tense?
Q6Ending?
8Recap Recap
- Before continuing, read the whole original: person, tense and character.
- Plant a mystery or a clue, then pay it off — never leave it hanging.
- Inner conflict gives turning points weight; do not just report events.
- Show the struggle and practice; success only convinces when it costs something.
- The ending need not be victory — growth plus a message scores highest.