I think this short story is interesting,exciting,and full of surprises.I believe a story requires carefully planned plotlines and the use of rich expressive techniques.Short stories usually capture meaningful moments in life,featuring few character and relatively simple relationships,but with a tight structure.This short story uses foreshadowing,presenting readers with an unexpected ending that is thrilling to read.
教学团队
课程特色
视频(49)
作业(48)
考试(1)
下载资料(1)
最新学员
Unit 3 Further Discussion
How do you like this short story? How can a story be both short and gripping? What important features do good short stories usually have concerning the plot, characterization, description, choice of words, etc.? Can you discuss at least one feature using this short story as an example?
61 回复
-
-
As far as I'm concerned,this storycombines literary quality and drama,which leaves quite a deep impression on me.In terms of novels I have read before,I think the plot which is full of twists and turns,and the fascinating beginning and ending is very important to create a gripping story.In addition,what features they have is that they usually use very few characters but are very helpful to promote the development of the plot.Also,the beginning must be eye-catching as well as the plot with ups and downs.For instance,in this story,it introduces Ausable's occupation at the very beginning and pigues the readers'curiosity about what will happen next.
-
1.I think this story is stimulate and attractive
2. To be a thrilling story, it needs an exciting plot and a tense atmosphere.
3. Their important characteristics are that the plot is compact, the characters are distinct, and the background and atmosphere of the article are described appropriately to attract readers' interest in reading.
4. This novel is characterized by tension, excitement and rapid development of the story.
-
I think this story is fascinating and logical. The pace and progress of the story need to be advanced, and the tense atmosphere should be utilized to narrate thrilling plots. Good novels focus on clear plots and profound and full character portrayals. This story lays the groundwork for the plot, making it reasonable and logical.
-
I think this novel is very great. A short story needs a captivating plot and a surprising ending to be engaging. An excellent novel should have a tightly-knit plot with clear logic, well-developed characters, and concise and elegant descriptions.
-
I think the story was admirable .
For this story,the author describe a image of spy in extraordinary novels.It makes readers feel fanciful and attract reader's interest in reading.The author not only do well in hte description but also the plot is well-written.The plot layers of progressive and well-organized and orderly.This makes readers more immersed in the story and want to know what will happen next.
-
I thoroughly enjoyed "Midnight Visitor" for its clever construction. A story can be short yet gripping by concentrating a high-stakes conflict and a sharp twist into a concise narrative, as seen here. Effective short stories often rely on a tight plot, economical characterization, and precise word choice.
A key feature is plot twist through strategic misdirection. The story’s brilliance lies in how Ausable invents a fictional balcony in casual, irritable dialogue. This single fabricated detail—accepted by Max as truth—directly leads to the antagonist’s downfall and the story’s surprising, satisfying conclusion, all achieved with remarkable brevity.
-
This story is impressive and exciting.
Focusing on the core conflict and make the characters lively.
The plot must closely connect with the theme, characters should have vivid and distinct personalities, and word choice must suit the current context, among other requirements.
Ausable looked fat but he was calm and clever;Max looked slender and cunning,but he died finally.When they had conflicts,Ausable took the opportunity to tell a lie that there was a balcony,so when the “police” came,Max believed Ausable and jumped out of the window.
-
1. I think this short story is particulary exciting and its reversal is excellent.
2. A story can be short yet gripping by mastering precision and potency——compressing maximum emotional or intellectual impact into minimal space.
3. The plot: (1).Single Central Conflict (2).Efficient Three-stage Method (3).Inevitable Accident
Characterization:Eternal Light in a Moment (1).Representative moment (2).Action is character (3).The Symbolism of Details
Description:(1).Sensory Dominance Principle (2).Environment as Psychological Map (3).Expressive restraint
Language:(1). The mixed use of long and short sentences(2).The use of subtext
(3).Unique narrative perspective
4.Plot:"Spring-Loaded" Plot Structure
Core Feature :Extreme Reuse of Limited Elements The Spring's Three Turns and Releases
-
A short story is gripping when it distills tension, emotion, or insight into every line—it doesn’t waste space, yet leaves a lasting impression. The key is to balance brevity with depth: it must hook readers quickly, hold their attention through focused storytelling, and resonate beyond the final sentence.
-
1.I really enjoy the this short story it's ending make me feel so surprised and that's i never thought
2.I think if a story wants be both short and gripping it must have exciting plot and the characters must have their own personality and make people feel impressed the writer also has a really good ability of summarizing
3.I think the most important features is plot
4. I choose the plot. I think a good story must have a great plot first it should be ups and downs only this can appealing readers and it's plot must be complete so that can make readers understand the story well
-
I really like this short story. "The Nightingale and the Rose" is a masterpiece full of profound meaning and emotional resonance.I really like this short story.In terms of plot, good short stories often have a clear beginning, middle, and end, with a well - defined conflict and resolution. In "The Nightingale and the Rose", the conflict is the young student's need for a red rose to win the love of the girl, and the resolution is the tragic sacrifice of the nightingale. Regarding characterization, short stories need to create vivid and memorable characters quickly. The nightingale is portrayed as a selfless and passionate lover, willing to give up her life for the sake of true love. The student, on the other hand, is shown as naive and shallow, only concerned with his own desires. In description, short stories should use vivid and evocative language to set the scene and create an atmosphere. Wilde's description of the garden at night, the color of the rose, and the song of the nightingale all contribute to the enchanting and tragic atmosphere of the story.
-
I think this story is great. Making a story short yet captivating usually involves setting up suspense and creating conflicts. Good novels typically have well-developed characters that make the protagonist come alive, a tight plot, and careful word choice without excessive or redundant phrases. In this novel, Ausable fabricated the balcony trap, which is related to Ausable's living environment and is quite convincing. Moreover, the story uses the foreshadowing of the pitch-dark night to confirm that a good novel does not have too many distinctive features in word choice.
-
I like "The Midnight Visitor" very much. It's short but exciting.
A short story can be gripping if it has a clear problem and a clever, unexpected solution. Everything in the story should work together to build up to one powerful moment.
Good short stories usually have:
A strong plot: Simple, fast, and with a clever twist at the end.
Clear characters: We quickly understand who they are by what they do and say.
Careful details: Only descriptions that help create the right feeling or move the story forward.
Simple, powerful words: Every sentence should matter.
Meaningful theme: easy to understand but makes you think.
The best feature in this story is the twist. The author makes us believe the lie about the balcony along with the villain, Max. When Max jumps out the window, we are as surprised as the character Fowler. This sudden, smart solution ends the story perfectly and shows how a calm mind can win against a gun. This twist makes the story short, memorable, and very exciting.
-
"The Midnight Visitor" is a great short story because it's short but exciting! It starts with a spy meeting, but then has a clever twist when Max arrives. Good short stories like this have:
Simple plot :No extra details, just the main action
Clear characters :You understand them quickly (Ausable is funny, Max is scary)
Surprising end :The trick with the fake police is cool.
It proves short stories can be fun and gripping even when they're not long.
-
I really enjoy The Midnight Visitor—it’s a tightly crafted, gripping short story. A story can be both short and compelling by centering on immediate conflict (like Max’s sudden intrusion into Ausable’s room) and using sharp, unexpected twists to sustain tension without extra fluff.For key features of good short stories, The Midnight Visitor exemplifies subversive characterization and clever plot twists well. First, its characterization is brilliant: Ausable defies spy stereotypes (he’s fat, unassuming, and has a New England accent) but proves to be sharp-witted—his calm demeanor lets him outmaneuver Max. Second, the plot twists are masterful: the "balcony" (which doesn’t exist) and the "police" (a lie) trick Max into panicking; his attempt to escape via the fake balcony leads to his death, and the knock at the door is just a waiter with drinks. These elements make the story tight, surprising, and memeriable。
-
Yes，l like the story.A great short story is a spark that ignites the imagination. To be both short and gripping, it must be efficient and impactful.
Plot: A clear, focused conflict with a purposeful structure (often a turning point or revelation).
Characterization: Swift, suggestive details that imply depth.
Description: Precise, sensory language that serves the mood and theme.
Choice of Words: Every word must earn its place; implication is powerful.
In Middlenight Visitor,the plot is foucs on the conflict between Ausable and Max.The story is twists and turns,full of neverous confrontation and unexpected turning point.
-
1.I think this short story make me surprised and very great.
2. It‘s short but gripping，the plot unfolds quickly.
3. his story focuses on one core and resolves it in a few pages, with no unnecessary details.
4. Ausable is defined by contrast: his "fat, ordinary" . Ausable’s "wheezy" voice and casual lies.
-
1.I think this novel is very thrilling.
2.The climax has a great twist.The plot should be vivid and drive the readers' emotions.Ausable's earlier complaints revealed to Max that there was a balcony outside the window. Max believed it to be true and ended up falling down.
3.An excellent short story should have an unconventional plot and a thrilling, heart-pounding climax. Its characters ought to be well-rounded, vivid, and lifelike. Descriptions and diction should serve the plot and characters, being vivid and imagery-rich to immerse readers completely in the story.
4.Ausable's earlier complaints revealed to Max that there was a balcony outside the window. Max believed it to be true.The final twist reveals that there was no balcony at all.
-
I find Midnight Visitor really thrilling and clever. It’s a short piece but never feels rushed, and I was curious about the outcome the whole time.A key feature here is the tight, twisty plot. The story introduces the conflict (intruder appearing) right away, and every moment builds the suspense: the main character’s quick thinking, the back-and-forth between the two characters, and the final twist (like the intruder being outsmarted in a clever way). There’s no unnecessary setup, so the short length still feels full of action and surprise.
-
I really like this short story. I think it uses a lot of action description and environmental description to make the story more instense and vivid. It always expressed in a implicit way. Example: The description of Ausable's feature is "very fat ",it makes a contrast with his wisdoms. The description of environment about the balcony is "pressing blackly" and this description make a foreshadowing for the following passage.
-
I think this story is very wonderful. It is short but captivating, creating suspense and setting up conflicts. Good novels usually have well-defined characters and a tight plot. In this novel, Ausable created the balcony and his words and actions were very convincing.
-
I think this short story is great. A story needs to be told around the key points to be short and gripping. This novel is accurate, concise and not jumbled. The novel unfolds in the unusual image of a spy, but at the end it shows the wit and courage expected of an agent
-
I think The Visitor at Midnight is really interesting. It's short, but when you're reading it, you're totally hooked and don't find it boring at all. To make a story short but captivating, you just gotta skip the useless plot and highlight the core conflicts and suspense. That way, readers are drawn in right away and follow the plot. There's a knack to good short stories in all aspects. Take plot design, for example. A good short - story plot is super compact. There's no extra stuff, and it often has some twists or suspense. Even if it's short, it can leave a deep impression on readers. And then there's character building. You don't need a long - winded introduction. A few details and a couple of lines of dialogue can bring a character to life. It's really vivid.
-
I find this short story excellent. A story can be both short and gripping through intense focus and narrative efficiency.
One crucial feature of good short stories is that every element serves multiple purposes. The plot, description, and word choice must all work together compactly to build atmosphere, develop character, and advance the theme simultaneously.
For example, in this story, the narrative technique of a limited, tense perspective is used masterfully. The story focuses tightly on a single, high-stakes situation (like the late-night knock). The choice of words creates immediate unease, the descriptions are economical yet vivid to build tension quickly, and the characterization is revealed through action and dialogue under pressure, not lengthy backstories. This concentrated approach ensures no word is wasted, making the story impactful despite its brevity.
-
1.I think this novel is very thrilling.
.The climax has a great twist.The plot should be vivid and drive the readers' emotions.Ausable's earlier complaints revealed to Max that there was a balcony outside the window. Max believed it to be true and ended up falling down.Its characters ought to be well-rounded, vivid, and lifelike. .Ausable's earlier complaints revealed to Max that there was a balcony outside the window. Max believed it to be true.
-
-
-
1. How do you like this short story?
I really enjoyed it.It was exciting and full of surprises. It kept me interested from the beginning to the end.2. How can a story be both short and gripping?
A short story can be gripping by starting with action or a problem right away,focusing on one main event, and having a twist or surprise ending that makes you think.3. What important features do good short stories usually have?
Good short stories often have:· A clear and simple plot that moves quickly.
· Only a few important characters.
· Careful choice of words — every sentence should matter.
· Strong descriptions that help you imagine the scene.
· A surprise or twist at the end.4. Can you discuss at least one feature using this short story as an example?
One important feature in"Midnight Visitor" is the plot twist at the end.
For example, throughout the story, we think Ausable is in danger from the man with the gun. But in the final moment, we learn that the "balcony" he invented doesn't even exist — and the visitor accidentally falls out of the window. This surprise makes the story exciting and memorable, and it shows how clever Ausable really is. -
I think this short story is excellent. It's a concise and captivating novel. I believe what's important are the title, character description, and the content's elevation. This article first grabs the reader's attention through the beginning, then precisely portrays the characters, sets up suspense in the middle, and elevates the main theme at the end.
添加回复
您确定给 “0” 位老师发送协议吗？
UMOOCS用户服务协议
问题分类：
--
