Harper Lee (1926—2016) was an American novelist widely known for To Kill a Mockingbird, (published in 1960), which won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. The 1962 film adaptation starring Gregory Peck won three Academy Awards.
For decades, the book was Lee’s only major work of published fiction, but it was hugely influential for generations of US readers. It has sold more than 10 million copies, and is one of the most widely taught novels in the US schools. In 2007 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions to literature.
Lee wanted to live a simple life and was never comfortable with the attention the novel won her, and she practically disappeared from public life after it appeared. The world, however, continued waiting for a new novel from her, and on occasion she suggested that she had a story in progress.
In 2015, a book did come out. Go Set a Watchman was more of a first draft, featuring Scout, the young girl who was the main character of To Kill a Mockingbird. Go Set a Watchman tells a story of Scout as an adult. Accusations (谴责) arose that the 89-year-old Lee was unable to agree to the manuscript’s release, and that various parties had signed on her behalf.
Though Lee moved to New York in 1949, she spent many years guarding her privacy (隐私) in Monroeville, which served as the clear inspiration for the setting in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In 2007, Lee suffered a stroke, but recovered and later settled in Monroeville permanently to care for her sister, Alice, who died in 2014. She was said to eat breakfast every morning at the same fast-food spot, and was friendly with her neighbors. The countless Americans knew her only through her works, and they will undoubtedly miss her.
1. What can be learned about Harper Lee from the first two paragraphs?| A．She was regarded the greatest writer in America. |
| B．She made great contributions to American literature. |
| C．She once starred in a film adapted from her own novel. |
| D．She got her novels well accepted in most American schools. |
| A．She tried to get out of accusations. | B．She wanted to write another novel. |
| C．She intended to avoid being bothered. | D．She was afraid of being criticized. |
| A．It is based on her own life story. | B．It is adapted into a famous film. |
| C．It won her lots of honors and awards. | D．It continues the story of her earlier novel. |
| A．Influential but simple. | B．Ill-tempered but productive. |
| C．Caring but stubborn. | D．Inspiring but struggling. |
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【推荐1】In 2006, Chris visited Honduras, a country where more than half the population lives poorly. He returned home with a plan to go back and help. He and his brother, Will, came up with an idea. They would start a business in Honduras to create opportunities for people living there.
But what kind of business would they start? They began by looking for a resource the country had naturally. The brothers chose to use wood from Honduras’ thick forests. Next they had to decide what they would build with that wood. Eventually, they found their way into the toy industry.
The brothers decided to make children’s blocks, drawing inspiration from the traditional wooden toys they discovered on a trip to Germany. Will and Chris decided to call their company “Tegu”, short for Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Then they staffed their factory with Honduran citizens. “We found that our workers in the factory are super proud that the name of their capital city is going out on their product and representing what they’re able to do,” said Will.
In addition to giving Honduran citizens the opportunity to work and learn about running a business, Tegu is partnered with a school that helps educate the children of families that work at the Tegucigalpa trash dump.
But Will and Chris did not feel it was enough to simply help the people of Honduras — they wanted to make sure they took good care of the land, too. They felt it was important to make toys using a natural resource in a way that is sustainable.
In order to do their part for the environment, Tegu works with woodcutting cooperatives and plantation-growers to select trees responsibly. The company also plants one, two, or three trees in place of every toy set that is produced. They’ve already planted more than half a million trees since Tegu was founded.
1. What can we infer about Honduras according to the text?| A．It’s short of natural resources. | B．It is an underdeveloped country. |
| C．It is famous for tourism. | D．It has lots of foreign businesses. |
| A．Donate money to them. | B．Set up a school. |
| C．Sell wood for them. | D．Establish a toy company. |
| A．Volunteers. | B．Foreigners. | C．Local people. | D．Poor students. |
| A．It’s faced with a serious shortage of wood. |
| B．It pays special attention to sustainable development. |
| C．It’s making efforts to open its new market in the world. |
| D．It focuses on protecting the environment rather than making money. |
【推荐2】Famous tennis coach Nick Bollettieri considered tennis star Roger Federer the greatest player of all time, saying he is “in a class of his own”. The Swiss maestro (大师) won his record eighth Wimbledon title this month, defeating Croatian Marin Cilic in the final, and going to the entire tournament without dropping a single set.
The 36-year-old now has 19 Grand Slam titles, the most in history for a male tennis player. Bollettieri, who has coached some of the most successful tennis players ever including Andre Agassi and Jim Corurier, believes Federer stands out from the rest due to all the efforts he makes on and off the court. “When you get to know the greatest player of all time, I believe you will join with many commentators in saying Roger is standing in a class of his own,” Bollettien told Saturday Sport. “He is magnificent in expecting what to do. He has improved his backhand and also he is hitting the ball much earlier, and he is one of, if not the best placement server (发球员) in the game.”
His management team headed by Tony Godsick takes care of his mind and body, time with his family, time with his foundation and time with rest. He also respects the game and his opponents (对手). Despite his impressive record, Federer has struggled against the other top players of this generation, including Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Along with Andy Murray, they are known as tennis “big four”, and Federer has a combined 50-57 record against the other three during his career.
However, Bollettieri doesn’t think that will have any impact on Federer’s greatness if he keeps on playing the way he is at his age. Bollettieri said, “Age is only a number. It is how you feel inside you. I believe a lot of people today can do a lot better if their mindset is to say I will get better every day and never use the word “retirement”. When you worry about losing, it is more difficult to win.”
1. What does Bollettieri mean by saying he is “in a class of his own”?| A．Roger is a tennis player second to none. | B．Roger is a particular favorite of his. |
| C．Roger is proud and prefers being alone. | D．Roger has difficulty getting along with others. |
| A．He is in full charge of his life and career. |
| B．Hard work is a major factor in his success. |
| C．Deep respect develops between him and Tony. |
| D．His greatest achievement is made in his thirties. |
| A．Roger’s increased age. | B．Roger’s positive attitude. |
| C．Roger’s impressive record. | D．Roger’s losing to other famous players. |
| A．Failure is nothing to fear. | B．Everyone needs to look forward. |
| C．Being positive is very important. | D．One is never too old to learn. |
【推荐3】I hate being overweight. My husband said he didn’t mind. But I knew he still hoped I had a beautiful body. Everything from my waist to legs was overweight. When I looked in the mirror, I had to comfort myself that I looked better in full clothes. I was never in the mood to go out. I’d spread my clothes out all over my bed, knowing that I wouldn’t fit into most of them. And when I finally left the house, I’d feel too embarrassed to enjoy myself.
Finally, just after Christmas last year, I decided that something had to be done. I was at my fattest ever after all those big meals and desserts.
I met Dr. Wallace and she was great. She told me I had to stop eating fast food. It was very hard for me because I was eating them three or four times a week: pizza, hamburgers, whatever I could get. But I made a promise to myself at the start that I would try my best to do it—and I did. I even cut down the booze—something I thought I could never do because I used to have two glasses of wine with dinner.
My best friend, Rachel Waterman, said I had to walk 10,000 steps every day. That, too, was very hard for me at the start. I was used to driving everywhere, including the supermarket, which was about three hundred metres from my house!
But I began to walk everywhere instead. I walked in the morning before work, and after work my husband and I took a walk in the park together. Now I never go to bed until I’ve done my 10,000 steps. Last month, my husband bought me an iPod, which keeps me going.
Losing the weight is wonderful—I feel like a different person now, and can finally buy what I want in the shops. I am so proud of myself because everyone thought I wouldn’t be able to do it—including myself.
I love my new body, and I’ll never let myself go back into my old ways.
1. Why didn’t the author like to go out much?| A．She had no beautiful clothes. | B．She was overweight. |
| C．She hated social life. | D．Her husband didn’t like her to. |
| A．Stopping eating junk food. | B．Cutting down the booze. |
| C．Giving up drinking wine. | D．Promising to be on a diet. |
| A．To protect her from injuries. | B．To help her to relax herself. |
| C．To encourage her to keep on. | D．To stop her walking too much. |
| A．Her strong willpower. | B．A balanced diet. |
| C．Exercising regularly. | D．Friends’ encouragement. |
【推荐1】A Book Review — The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty
The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages.
The theme: The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age. Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries. As the book moves to a close, James’ swimming coach says to him: “You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more. You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going.”
The characters: James is the hero of the story. He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents. Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother. The other characters in The Snake-Stone, James’ parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically.
The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James’ foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother. The only clue he has is a fossil, “the snake stone” which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: “Take good care of Sammie.” It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there.
The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother. With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found. James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels. The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel. He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger’s door fifteen years before. Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness. As a journey of self-discovery, The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, “I was home.”
1. What is the main theme of the novel?| A．Life with foster parents. |
| B．Life in the world of diving. |
| C．A journey of self-discovery. |
| D．A travel around the country. |
| A．James is a successful diver. |
| B．James is a hopeful swimmer. |
| C．James is an outgoing young man. |
| D．James is an independent young man. |
| A．a stone with an address on it |
| B．a clue left by the birth mother |
| C．a gift from the swimming coach |
| D．a fossil spotted in a country village |
| A．worthwhile | B．boring |
| C．comfortable | D．disappointing |
【推荐2】Almost no one can resist a good mystery novel or detective novel, so these novels sell thousands of copies each year. And many readers regard famous mystery author Agatha Christie as Queen of Crime, whose stories are known for their tense atmosphere and strong psychological suspense and have a great effect on the English mystery novels.
Christie was born in September 1890 in England. When she was growing up, her mother often told her stories. Christie loved these stories, which took her into a world of fantasy. Christie’s mother also encouraged her to write from a young age and also took her to travel a lot.
She married Archie Christie in 1914 at the beginning of World WarⅠ. During the war, Christie wrote her first detective story: The Mysterious Affair at Styles. She chose the crime, and then invented a detective named Hercule Poirot, ranking second to Sherlock Holmes, to solve it. She sent the book to a publisher, but it was rejected.
After the war ended, Christie sent her book to more publishers, and finally, in 1920, one published it. She earned just $25 for it. Over the next few years, Christie wrote more books and short stories, gaining experience as a writer. In spite of her literary success, life was not going well at home. In 1928, Archie and Agatha got a divorce (离婚). A short time later, she met a young archaeologist, Max Mallowan. After getting married in 1930, they began to spend some time each year in the Middle East, which provided settings for some of Christie’s novels, such as Murder at the Vicarage(1930), Murder on the Orient Express (1934) and Death on the Nile(1939).
Christie continued writing for the rest of her life. When she died in January 1976, readers around the world mourned (哀悼) her death. But her tales of mystery continue to be loved by new generations of readers. They’ve been translated into hundreds of languages and are selling well today and outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare in Britain.
1. As a whole, this text .| A．is a biography of Agatha Christie |
| B．promotes Agatha Christie’s novels |
| C．explains how Agatha Christie became a writer |
| D．is a review of Agatha Christie’s novels |
| A．He was better known than Sherlock Holmes. |
| B．He made Christie become famous. |
| C．He was good at catching criminals. |
| D．He was the only main character in the novel. |
| A．the Bible helps her works to sell in Britain |
| B．the sales of her works rank third in Britain |
| C．the works of Shakespeare don’t sell better than hers in Britain |
| D．they sell well equally in Britain |
①She had her first detective novel published.
②She finished The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
③Her mother encouraged her to write.
④Her marriage to Archie ended in divorce.
⑤She wrote Murder on the Orient Express.
| A．③②④①⑤ | B．③①②⑤④ |
| C．②①③⑤④ | D．③②①④⑤ |
【推荐3】Three Books for A More Honest View of Parent
Nowadays, it seems there are two ways to write about parenthood. I am heartily sick of both. This year I’ve decided to hug books that are inspiring and honest, yet do not avoid the pleasures of parenthood.
Life Among the Savages Shirley Jackson price: $15
Shirley Jackson, author of one of the most amazingly sinister novels of all time and of the short story The Lottery, also wrote two charming novels about raising her four children in an old farmhouse in rural Vermont. In Life Among the Savages, Jackson’s humor is as thrilling as her horror, and her children seem never to inspire in her anything worse than a fond exasperation (恼怒) .
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You Amy Bloom price: $13. 95
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You contains one of the most absolute expressions of a mother’s love in fiction. Much of it takes place in the waiting room of a gender-reassignment surgeon. It’s about a woman who is determined to be the mother that her child needs her to be. In this collection ordinary women rise to the occasion demanded by motherhood. They make mistakes but they generall succeed in making up for them.
Family Man Calvin Trillin price: $ 18
In his memoir (回忆录) Family Man, Calvin Trillin writes with humor about his wife and daughters. He gives what I think is the single most useful piece of parenting advice “Getting advice on the best way to bring up children is like getting advice on the best way to breathe sooner or later you’re probably going to forget it and go back to your regular old in-and-out.” Trillin gives the impression of being the best kind of husband.
1. Which book tells a story of raising children in the countryside?| A．The Lottery. | B．Family Man. |
| C．Life Among the Savages. | D．A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You. |
| A．A humorous mother. | B．An operation. |
| C．Offering advice. | D．Being a kind husband. |
| A．They share a theme. | B．They target the same audience. |
| C．They were written by the same author. | D．They were published in the same year. |
