I was born a bookworm. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t read: It was almost like breathing to me. My fictional worlds took me to all the places I needed to go and I experienced everything indirectly.
My father was in the military service when I was a child, so we moved every two years, but we insisted on going to bookshops wherever we lived. He would take me to the nearest bookshop every Saturday morning and wait patiently while I browsed(随便看看) — after all, the choosing of a new book is something that cannot be rushed. And so started my lifelong love affair with bookshops. One day I was thinking up the setting for How to Find Love in a tiny bookshop when a feeling of calm, contentment,and excitement came over me. It was a feeling of perfect happiness. That was my light bulb moment: My book would be set in a bookshop, and I could explore what books meant to each of my characters and how they had shaped their lives.
The book isn’t just about discovering romantic love. It’s about finding the love of books:something that can sustain you throughout your life, and provide escape, entertainment, education,comfort and wonder. And, as I learned from my own father, it’s a love you can share with everyone. There is nothing more satisfying than sharing something you have read with someone else, knowing they will love it as much as you do.
But if we are to keep bookshops alive, we need to use them,and to encourage the next generation to make them a part of their life and view bookshops as a treat, a pleasure, an adventure,a gateway, so they become something we can’t live without. Thus my challenge to you, fellow readers, is to go to your local bookshops as often as possible and come out with something that might change your life.
1. Why did the author often move when he was a child?| A．Because her father loved travelling. | B．Because her father was in the army. |
| C．Because her parents divorced. | D．Because her parents wanted to find a better school for her. |
| A．Distant. | B．Casual. | C．Inseparable. | D．Cooperative. |
| A．How books affect people’s lives. | B．Romantic stories of the author’s parents. |
| C．How bookshops become popular. | D．Touching stories between father and daughter. |
| A．Purchase her books. | B．Go frequent book shopping. |
| C．Share books with others. | D．Sponsor local bookshops. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Joseph Conrad, a famous English novelist, said that his goal as a writer was “to make you hear, to make you feel, and above all, to make you see. That, and no more, is everything”. A good short story tries to give the reader a sense of the actual experience. Often it leaves a single sharp impression to be turned over and over in the mind. After finishing the story, the reader should have something to think about: the humor of life, its ironies (嘲笑), or the unpredictability of human behavior.
In order to read a short story with full understanding, the reader must approach the content on two levels. The first and most obvious level is conveyed through the plot. Plot refers to the sequence of events, to the actions of the characters and the situations in which they are involved. To explain the plot, then, is to tell what happened in the story and to whom. In some short stories, plot is the dominating element. In other short stories, plot plays a very minor role.
In Hemingway’s story, The Old Man and the Sea, however, we must approach the content on another level. The impact of the story comes from the insight it gives us into the needs and desires of youth and old age.
To understand and appreciate the story, the reader must be able to identify its general topic or theme. The next step is to identify the device by which the author comments on this theme. Finally, the reader should be able to explain the insights which the author has given into the theme.
Readers cannot appreciate a short story fully unless they react not only to what has been said but also to how it has been said. They must look for style and structure. Style grows out of the writer’s own personality and can be seen in the choice of words and phrases, the arrangement of sentences, the rhythm and tone. Structure refers to the architecture of the story, the way in which the details are selected and arranged to produce the desired effect.
1. Which is mentioned about a good short story after it is finished reading in the first paragraph?| A．The wise fun life carries. | B．Laughters. |
| C．Unexpected attack. | D．Actual experience of life. |
| A．plot is the most important role in understanding a short story fully |
| B．readers can understand a story well themselves by reading |
| C．we can’t approach the content of a short story on either of the two levels |
| D．we can approach the book content on another level other than plot level |
| A．The style and structure of a story. |
| B．The reader’s own personality. |
| C．The arrangement of words and sentences. |
| D．The comments the author says about the book. |
| A．a good story writer inspires with various techniques |
| B．a good story may as well be attached with an audiovisual version |
| C．a good story doesn’t relate to feelings of the readers |
| D．a good story writer employs pictures or images |
【推荐2】A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals
From New York Times bestselling author Millie Marotta comes this gorgeous celebration of the animal kingdom. Highlighting 43 endangered species, the book takes readers on a trip around the world while learning about rare and well-known animals and their habitats.
Marcovaldo
Marcovaldo is a collection of 20 short stories written by Italo Calvino. Describing the life of a poor rural man living in northern Italy, the stories unfold according to the seasonal cycle of a year. Common themes in the stories include pollution, failure and poverty.
The Art of Mondo
Over the years, Mondo has received global recognition for its incredible art posters that bring to life classic films, television shows, and comics such as Jurassic Park. For the first time, The Art of Mondo brings together this highly sought-after art in one volume that showcases the incredible creativity of the studio’s artists whose vastly different styles are united by one guiding principle: limitless passion for their subject matters.
The Coming of the Third Reich
There is no story in 20th-century history more important to understand than Hitler’s rise to power and the collapse (坍塌) of civilization in Nazi Germany. The Coming of the Third Reich, by Richard Evans, offers a masterful combination of academic work, important new research and interpretations.
Patriarchy and Capitalism
Chizuko Ueno, a leading Japanese sociologist, feminist critic and public intellectual, has been a pioneer in women’s studies and the author of many books, including Patriarchy and Capitalism.
1. Which book will you choose if you are interested in art?| A．Marcovaldo. | B．The Art of Mondo. |
| C．Richard Evans. | D．Patriarchy and Capitalism. |
| A．Millie Marotta. | B．ltalo Calvino. |
| C．Richard Evans. | D．Chizuko Ueno. |
| A．To introduce art forms. | B．To remember five writers. |
| C．To recommend quality books. | D．To compare different cultures. |
【推荐3】Grace Hemingway gifted her son, Earnest, a copy of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem Hiawatha on his sixth birthday. While it’s hard to say how much her choice of gift influenced Earnest Hemingway at the time, he grew up to become one of the most famous writers in history.
Books can make for charming gifts. Giving a book as a gift to someone is much more than a simple exchange of goods.
When giving books, think about your recipients’ (接受者) favorite. It is worth the time to try and find a rare copy, like first editions or signed copies. They’ll be delighted by the effort. Are your friends stuck in a dullness and in need of some motivation? You can gift them a book that offers inspiration. Also, not mainstream yet useful guides related to their career are helpful.
A book when received as a gift has meaning to the recipient by itself if you’ve put some thought into it. An inscription (题词) adds to the appeal of your gift by making it more individualized. Without an inscription, although still meaningful, the book is just a book indistinguishable from hundreds of thousands of copies out there. A case for not penning down an inscription is that it makes it easier for them to pass it on to someone else if they don’t like the book.
Wondering if you should give your recipient a hardcover or a paperback? There is no universal preference among readers. Some like the paperbacks because of the convenience, easy to carry around and travel with. But many people, including me, prefer hardcovers because they’re more traditional and last much longer. A study designed to find a relation between the weight of wine bottles and their prices found that in most cases the weight of a wine bottle related positively with the price. The weight helped consumers perceive the wine as better.
In a word, books can make for memorable gifts. A good book gifted thoughtfully will create a pleasant memory.
1. Why is Earnest Hemingway mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To share a book. | B．To present a fact. |
| C．To introduce the topic. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．Who the gift should be given. | B．How a book should be presented. |
| C．Where a proper book can be found. | D．What kinds of books can be chosen as gifts. |
| A．To make the book more personal. |
| B．To record the giver’s reading experience. |
| C．To make the content of the book more appealing. |
| D．To allow the book to be more pleasing to the eye. |
| A．Good wine is all in heavier bottles. |
| B．The weight of a book determines its price. |
| C．A hardcover book is often valued more as a gift. |
| D．The price of wine depends on the quality of its bottle. |
【推荐1】I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical passage about husbands and their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.” “Oh, Tom, you noticed”, she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new promise to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with sadness, “ I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me? Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?”
It took a moment for it all to be understood. Then I burst out laughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”
1. From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage______.| A．with his family | B．with Evelyn | C．alone | D．with his children |
| A．the doctor said his wife was seriously ill |
| B．he had made a lot of money in his Wall Street firm |
| C．she looked lovely in her new clothes |
| D．he was determined to be a good husband |
| A．He praised her sweater, which puzzled her. |
| B．He was so good to her that she thought she must be dying. |
| C．He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her. |
| D．She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated. |
| A．he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband |
| B．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D．he is beginning to feel regret for what he did to his wife before |
【推荐2】One day a man was asked to paint a boat by the owner. He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him.
While painting, he noticed that there was a small hole in the hull(船身), and decided to repair it. When finished painting, he received his money and left.
The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice check, much higher than the payment for painting.
“You’ve already paid me for painting the boat, Sir!” The painter said.
“But this is not for the paint job. It’s for having repaired the hole in the boat.”
“Ah! But it was such a small service. Certainly, it’s not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant.”
“My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened. When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention about the hole. When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip. They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time. When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole. Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing. Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You see, now, what you did? You saved the lives of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your ‘small’ good deed.”
So just repair all the “holes” you find, because you never know when one is in need of us or when we’re helpful and important to someone.
1. How did the painter probably feel when offered a check?| A．Disappointed. | B．Thankful. | C．Surprised. | D．Excited. |
| A．small | B．important | C．good | D．kind |
| A．He painted the boat a bright red. | B．He repaired the hole in the boat. |
| C．He mentioned the hole to them. | D．He rescued them in an accident. |
| A．Little kindness can save lives. | B．Money is not everything. |
| C．Helping others is helping ourselves. | D．Opportunities are everywhere |
【推荐3】It has always been horrible for me to picture my life in old age. My recent visits to the senior care center, however, eased some of my fears and provided valuable food for thought.
Looking for meaningful ways to spend my weekends after my exams, I signed up to a program of arts and crafts for the elderly run by my schoolmates. I was informed that the Renci Nursing Home, where the program would be held, housed some of the less fortunate elderly in Singapore. Some background research gave me the impression that many of them suffered from physical issues and had little family support. As a result, I expected the atmosphere there to be discouraging. And, judging by the lack of interest in the painting activities, I truly sensed a feeling of purposelessness there. Given that we live in a society in which the bonds between the generations are weakening, perhaps the disappointing atmosphere in the home wasn’t surprising. The people were cut off from the ties that make life meaningful.
Is it safe to say then that our lives after retirement will likely feel aimless? But after I spoke to a Portuguese-Chinese man, I thought that this wasn’t necessarily so. At the age of 90, he displayed a surprisingly strong sense of control over his life. His liveliness was exceptional among the elderly population in the home. He had spent his life either traveling around the world as a backpacker, or working hard in Singapore to save up for his trips. He had made it a rule to learn foreign languages, exercise and eat healthily — something he continued to do during his stay in the nursing home.
While he spoke to me about how his time in London had shaped his view of cultural difference. I looked into his eyes. I knew that this was the kind of control over life that I wanted for myself. I don't want to spend half of my time wandering about in foreign countries like he did, but I do want to appreciate the richness that life has to offer.
1. Why did the author go to the Renci Nursery Home?| A．Because it was run by his schoolmates. | B．Because he meant to learn arts and crafts. |
| C．Because he wanted a significant weekend. | D．Because it housed some less fortunate elderly. |
| A．a place filled with depressions | B．a place solving physical problems |
| C．a place full of impressive activities | D．a place connecting different generations |
| A．The hard work of the elderly. | B．The liveliness of an old man. |
| C．The view of cultural difference. | D．The care of the nursing home. |
| A．Caring for the Elderly. | B．Living by His Own Law. |
| C．Traveling on Our Way | D．Preparing for the Old Age. |
