“I didn’t like the ending,” I said to my favorite college professor. It was my junior year of undergraduate, and I was doing an independent study on Victorian literature. I had just finished reading The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, and I was heartbroken with the ending. Prof. Gracie, with all his patience, asked me to think about it beyond whether I liked it or not. He suggested I think about the difference between endings that I wanted for the characters and endings that were right for the characters, endings that satisfied the story even if they didn’t have a traditionally positive outcome. Of course, I would have preferred a different ending for Tom and Maggie Tulliver, but the ending they got did make the most sense for them.

This was an aha moment for me, and I never thought about endings the same way again. From then on, if I wanted to read an ending guaranteed to be happy, I’d pick up a love romance. If I wanted an ending I couldn’t guess, I’d pick up a mystery. One where I kind of knew what was going to happen, historical fiction. Choosing what to read became easier.

But writing the end — that’s hard. It’s hard for writers because endings carry so much weight with readers. You have to balance creating an ending that's unpredictable, but doesn’t seem to come from nowhere, one that fits what’s right for the characters.

That’s why this issue of Writer’s Digest aims to help you figure out how to write the best ending for whatever kind of writing you’re doing. If it’s short stories, Peter Mountford breaks down six techniques you can try to see which one helps you stick the landing. Elizabeth Sims analyzes the final chapters of five great novels to see what key points they include and how you can adapt them for your work.

This issue won’t tell you what your ending should be — that’s up to you and the story you’re telling — but it might provide what you need to get there.

1.Why did the author go to Prof. Gracie?

A To discuss a novel.

B To submit a book report.

C To argue for a writer.

D To ask for a reading list.

解析：选A。细节理解题。由第一段内容可知，作者在大学三年级时正在进行一项关于维多利亚文学的独立研究，并刚刚读完乔治·艾略特的《弗洛斯河上的坊》。他去找教授讨论小说的结局，故选A项。

2.What did the author realize after seeing Gracie?

A Writing is a matter of personal preferences.

B Readers are often carried away by character.

C Each type of literature has its unique end.

D A story which begins well will end well.

解析：选C。推理判断题。由第二段内容可知，作者在教授的启发下意识到，不同类型的文学作品有其特有的结局。如果想要读一个结局保证是幸福的，就读爱情小说;如果想要一个猜不出的结局，就读悬疑小说。每种类型的文学作品都有其独特的结局，故选C项。

3.What is expected of a good ending?

A It satisfies readers’ taste.

B It fits with the story development.

C It is usually positive.

D It is open for imagination.

解析：选B。推理判断题。由第三段内容可知，一个好的结局需要平衡创造性和不可预测性，同时又不能显得突兀，还需要符合角色的发展。故选B项。

4.Why does the author mention Peter Mountford and Elizabeth Sims?

A To give examples of great novelists.

B To stress the theme of this issue.

C To encourage writing for the magazine.

D To recommend their new books.

解析：选B。细节理解题。由第四段内容可知，作者提到Peter Mountford和 Elizabeth Sims是为了说明本期《Writer'sDigest》杂志的主题，即帮助读者了解如何写出一个好的结尾。故选 B项。