2 . Thanks to a rereading of Jane Austen’s fiction, I have experienced a rejuvenation (恢复) of spirit and energy that has transformed my life. Rereading for the sheer pleasure of Austen’s language and characters when I experienced some depression in my 60s initiated a process that became more serious as I continued to reread the novels in my 70s and became more and more curious about the relationship between reading, learning and the imagination.
Now I find that the processes of rereading, investigation and reflection have led me to the best time in my life. It raised issues in my mind about memory, truth telling and art. In weaving together these aspects of my own reading experiences, I discovered parts of myself that I had not previously explored.
On the one hand I felt removed sufficiently to evaluate the best and worst of times in my own life. And on the other hand, I became so deeply immersed in the reflective process that I surprisedly realized the longstanding dissatisfactions were evaporating around me.
Of course, to be worth rereading, novels must have the potential to yield new insights. For this reason, I have reread Austen’s same six novels many times. They have offered me the richness and complexity required to help me reassess where I am in my life, the quality of my relationships past and present, and the values at stake in my life choices.
When I read Pride and Prejudice at the age of 15, I read it as a domestic comedy. I loved the Bennet sisters because they were lively and, for all their bickering, they were having fun. Rereading the same novel in my 30s I put my attention elsewhere. I paid serious attention to whether I could reconcile (和解) myself to Charlotte Lucas !s view that happiness in marriage is a matter of chance.
At the age of 90, I reread, reflect and comfort myself with Elizabeth Bennet’s words, “till this moment I never knew myself’. This is the moment I have been waiting for.
1. Why did the writer begin to reread Jane Austen’s novel?
| A．To deal with depression and seek joy. |
| B．To revive her love for literature. |
| C．To evaluate the process of rereading. |
| D．To dig deeper into literature study. |
2. According to the writer, what books are worth rereading?
| A．Books themed on life choices. | B．Books with attractive characters. |
| C．Books that inspire new thinking. | D．Books that recall the best moments of life. |
3. How does the writer show the impact of rereading Pride and Prejudice?
| A．By analyzing the novel from different aspects. |
| B．By comparing her reflections at different ages. |
| C．By quoting speeches from the main characters. |
| D．By describing the perspectives of different characters. |
4. What message does the writer seem to convey in the text?
| A．Every Jane Austen’s fiction deserves rereading. |
| B．Reading books does good to depressed people. |
| C．Rereading novels sharpens people’s reading skills. |
| D．Rereading great books is a rewarding experience. |
