I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.
I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.
It takes confidence to make a new-start there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there. ” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.
Then I met an agen(代理商)who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.
The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal — that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.
It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck — of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract(合同)of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding(有回报的).
31. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A.I was seeking to find an admirable job. | B.I was waiting for good fortune . |
C.I was being aimless about an appropriate job. | D.I was doing several jobs for more at a time. |
32. Why did the author begin to write a novel?
A.Because the author wanted to finish the writing course. |
B.Because the author aimed to fulfill his dream. |
C.Because the author would like to meet readers’ needs. |
D.Because the author intended to earn more money. |
33. How did the author feel halfway with the novel?
A.Unsure | B.Ashamed | C.Confident | D.Embarrassed |
34. What is the best title for the passage?
A.Good luck makes a difference. |
B.Hard work can lead to success. |
C.The early bird catches the worm. |
D.It pays to stick to one's dream. |