The 2024 Science Fiction Short Story Contest
The 2023 Science Fiction Short Story Contest just came to an end. Welcome to our 2024 Science Fiction Short Story Contest sponsored by Science Fiction Association in our city. The contest is to encourage amateur and semi-professional writers to reach the next level of proficiency. We will look for engaging openings, good character development, well-structured plotting, powerful imagery, humorous language, unique word or phrasing choices, and convincing endings. Come to show the world your fantasy imagination and storytelling talents!
Requirement
A qualifying story must have strong science fiction or fantasy elements and must be shorter than 7, 500 words. Your entries must be original works of fiction. If you have received prizes for your fiction writing from any source or your story has been published in any paying publication, you are no longer qualified.
Past winners of our contest are no longer qualified.
No reprints, fan fiction or poetry, please.
Judge and Prize
Judges will provide feed backs for all qualifying contest entries. First-round judges will consist of Science Fiction Association members and volunteers. The professional writers' decision is final.
The champions, runners-up and honorable mentions will receive prizes including cash prize, a certificate of achievement, Science Fiction Association Press books, and a free membership to Science Fiction Association, All winners can select their books and either take them immediately or ask for them to be shipped later.
Deadline
The contest will be limited to the first 60 qualifying entries. While the submission deadline is September 30th, 2024, we may close off the entry for the year sooner if the response is larger than expected. The winners will be published on December 31st.
Notice
Please place your contact information for possible awards.
There is no entry fee. Please submit only one entry per author.
As a young woman, Pei Aimin, now 49, hid her natural gift for writing, hoping nobody in her farming village would notice and accuse her of neglecting(忽视)work and family.
That was the way of things when Pei was young in her village. In the past, girls often dropped out of school at an early age to get married and settle into the regular routines of rural life.
A few, like Pei, how ever, yearned for a wider world and looked for ways to express themselves. Pei began to write in middle school and mailed her stories to publishers. Two of them were published, one in a newspaper, another in a magazine.
After her marriage, she had to create secret opportunities. Sometimes she would water useless land just so she could read or write outdoors without being observed. Sometimes she sat under a tree, expressing her feelings on paper until somebody came, and she would hurriedly hide the papers and pen.
"Few women in my village could read or write, "Pei said. "All my family members thought it was a waste of time. "
After reading and writing like that for years, Pei took everyone by surprise when she published a book, Diary of Aunt Vole. It is a collection of 365 short diary entries that describe the natural scenery of the northwestern countryside, the daily routine of the local people, and interesting things that happened in the village.
Pei said she hoped the book would help readers understand that farm work consists of both hardship and fun.
Now Pei's family no longer objects to her hobby. "Although women in the village still don't read, many have changed their minds about it, "Pei said. "Learning, after all, is useful. "
One of China's greatest resources is no doubt its diverse food. One of the most popular foods to be found is no doubt the street snacks that make up a large part of everyday life. "Compared with A Bite of China, which show eases chefs' cooking processes and delicious food on air, Chinese Barbecue(烧烤)is more down-to-earth in describing the people, "commented a viewer
A new documentary series, called Chinese Barbecue, tells the story of this popular food option that sizzles over hot coals on just about every street corner in cities and towns across the country. Barbecued meat shining over hot coal containers, while not as elegant as some of the fine dining options in China, are an essential part of people's night life. The pleasant smell and atmosphere surrounding the grilled(烤的)street food are "something that could entice a girl to fly downstairs at night wearing her pajamas, "the documentary claims.
In many Chinese's eyes, barbecue, regarded as the most ordinary and common night street snack, is different from homemade food by mothers as that is a symbol of kinship(亲情), Barbecue is where you go to become connected to people in society. And unlike official business lunches, during which people are rather reserved and polite, barbecue lets people cut loose and relax with old friends and newly made friends, leaving a lasting impression (friendship).
On the other side of the world, in the United States, BBQ, well received by all ages, demonstrates the even more enthusiastic personality of Americans, who grill large steaks on their outdoor stoves at home and enjoy competing to see who has the better cooking skills. It's safe to say that the world, as a whole, holds deep-rooted good feelings toward barbecue, either for the taste or the warmth generated by fire.
There is some truth to the old belief that achy joints are a sign that bad weather is on the way. Research shows a relationship between pain levels and changes in weather, particularly for people who suffer from chronic conditions such as arthritis(关节炎).
A2019 UK study analyzed the daily pain logs of 13, 000 residents with arthritis. Using GPS data from participants' smartphones, the researchers found connections between pain and humidity(湿度), air pressure and wind speed. Participants were more likely to experience pains on stormy, windy days and least likely to do so when conditions were dry and calm.
It's unclear why changes in weather may influence pain severity for some people and not for others. "Everyone experiences pain differently, "says Sin Bevan, chief science officer at Arthritis Society Canada." There are a lot of factors that could impact pain tolerance, including sleep, stress and depression. "
"It's a good idea to track your symptoms and how certain weather conditions may affect your pain levels, "says Bevan." From there you can manage expectations for what can be done on days when symptoms are worse. "
Not surprisingly, there's evidence that the weather may also impact your mood. There are multiple reasons for this connection, according to Dr Max Pemberton, a UK-based psychiatrist. "Less sunlight affects your levels of melatonin, a hormone(激素)directly involved in mood regulation. "
Besides, bad weather may contribute to social isolation and loneliness because we can't go outside and do things we enjoy with friends and family, explains Pemberton.
Once you understand how the weather impacts you physically or mentally, there are strategies you can try. For example, if you're sensitive to cold and damp weather, a hot bath could provide relief for achy joints. Regular exercise—even if it has to be indoors—is also known to improve mood and is an important part of pain control.
ANIMAL BODY LANGUAGE
Human beings are not only ones who communicate. Here is a quick look at how some of our animal friends send messages to us and to each other.
When a dog is happy, its ears will stand up and its eyes will be wide open. The dog will start barking. moving its tail, and running around in circles or jumping up and down to show you that it wants to play. A dog that is afraid will lay on its back and close its eyes. The dog may show its teeth and lower its body so that it is close to the ground. The dog may also shake, and it will put its tail between its legs. When a dog is angry, its main body language is showing its teeth and growling(低声叫). The dog will try making itself look as big as possible. The tail will stand straight out from the body.
Elephants also use noises and body language to express themselves. An elephant's sense of smell is highly developed. An elephant can smell how another elephant is feeling and even tell if it is sick. The elephant's nose, or trunk, is also used to make noises. and to welcome other elephants. Different noises have a variety of meanings they can mean "I am hungry", "I am angry", or "Good to see you!" If an elephant spreads its ears, it means" Watch out!" To show friendship, elephants will touch each other with their trunks and stand close to each other, putting their heads together.
Dolphins are social animals. An angry dolphin will sometimes hit its tail on the surface of the water. The movement and noise let other dolphins know that something is wrong. If a dolphin wants to send a message over a long distance, or if it wants to show how strong it is, it will jump high out of the water and land on its side, making a loud noise. A dolphin's favorite activity is leaping into the air while playing with its friends. When dolphins are tired and need to rest, they will swim in small groups close to the surface.
A. Dogs are human's loyal friends. B. If you see them doing this, you should not disturb them. C. An elephant's body language includes ear signals and gestures. D. They live in groups and love showing each other their feelings. E. Dogs use sounds, body movements, and their tails to communicate. F. If an elephant senses its partner is falling sick, it will also make a noise. G Animals use body language to tell each other how they feel and what they think |
Five-year-old Willard Wigan struggled to tell the difference between an M and a W or a 6 and a 9. Unfortunately, his schoolteacher knew nothing about dyslexia(阅读障碍症), a learning disability that can make letters and numbers confusing. She didn't try to1 him.
Not2 , Willard didn't like school. Usually, his mind drifted(游荡)to playing outside, to his dog Maxie, or to the ants that lived near his family's garden bed. Willard was especially3 about those ants. He felt like them4 and insignificant.
Willard5 that the ants were coming and going from a hole in the dirt. One ant was carrying a piece of grass, and Willard thought, "He's trying to build a house, so I am going to help him!"
Willard constructed a small house for ants. At school, Willard still6 , but now he knew he could do something special. Maybe he wasn't a7 after all. Though he had8 with his reading or maths, life isn't all about reading or maths. Willard later went home and created tiny furniture(家具)for the ant house.
His artistic skill9 , and a love for little things began to grow in his heart. When he showed his mother his carved works, she said, "This is what you do well. You must make every10 to be the best in the world. "
With her11 , Willard continued. When he quit school at age 15 to help12 his family, Willard still spent his spare time carving. His confidence grew as more people13 his talent.
Because of their beauty and rarity, Willard's sculptures have made him a(n)14 man. But he says, "15 isn't about material things like an expensive watch or a costly ring; it's about determination and achieving your dreams."
Cold temperatures, biting wind, heavy snow and slippery roads are the common challenges that trouble or even interrupt winter commutes. (通勤)However, for students and teachers at a college in Northeast China, have been severely affected by the recent cold wave, their commute has been made easy, warm and safe thanks to the newly (build) sky walks(天桥)on campus.
In the northeastern region, students have been sharing their challenging experiences of walking to classrooms, cafeterias, dormitories, and other school (facility)in snowy weather on social media. Some online videos show students wearing thick coats struggling against strong winds, and even falling heavily their way.
In contrast, students at Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin, the capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, have entirely different experience.
They (comfortable)move between classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, dormitories, and the gym in short sleeves through the sky walks, all within a 5-minute walk Some students have even been spotted (enjoy)ice cream while admiring the snowy scenery along the pathways.
In addition to connecting (vary)school buildings, the sky bridges as the school's new landmark will serve different functions. In the future, some sections (equip)with power outlets, LED lighting, network interfaces(接口), WiFi and even fitness equipment to offer more spaces for study and (relax).
Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U. S. education system. Remarkably, he could read. Yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve-year-old. Yet, Steve went unnoticed . . . until Miss White.
Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve loved her! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes off his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.
In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things, as the day went on. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shutout the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone, because no one was sober(清醒的)enough to care. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school.
One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams.
"Steve!" Startled, he turned to look at her.
"Pay attention!" she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.
"You all did pretty well, "she told the class, "except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but. . "She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face.
"The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!"
She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
After that, Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn.
"Just try it! ONE WEEK!" He was unmoved.
"You are smart enough! You'll see a change!" Nothing fazed him. "
Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!" Nothing.
"Steve! Please! I care about you!"
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM?!
续写要求：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右：2. 续写部分分为两段, 每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1:
Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon.
Paragraph 2:
The following Monday, Miss White, gave a quiz on the weekend homework.
