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 Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.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 agent（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（有回報(bào)的）.
小題1:What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?
A．I was waiting for good fortune.
B．I was trying to find an admirable job.
C．I was being aimless about a suitable job.
D．I was doing several jobs for more pay at a time.
小題2:The author decided to write a novel ______ .
A．to finish the writing course
B．to realize her own dream
C．to satisfy readers’ wish
D．to earn more money
小題3:How did the writer feel halfway with the novel?
A．Disturbed.B．Ashamed.C．Confident.D．Uncertain.
小題4:What does the author mainly want to tell readers in the last paragraph?
A．It pays to stick to one’s goal.
B．Hard work can lead to success.
C．She feels like being unexpectedly lucky.
D．There is no end in sight when starting to do something.

小題1:C
小題2:B
小題3:D
小題4:A
文章敘述了作者從英語文學(xué)專業(yè)畢業(yè)之后，幾經(jīng)周折，最終幸運(yùn)地找到自己喜愛的寫書這門職業(yè)的事情。
小題1:推理判斷題。根據(jù)前后文“but no sense of what I wanted to do”“just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, …then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job…”可知作者對于找怎樣的一份適合自己的工作這件事漫無目的。故選C。
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第二段話“I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel”可知作者決定寫小說的目的只是滿足自己內(nèi)心深處的愿望，實(shí)現(xiàn)自己的夢想。故答案為B。
小題3:推理判斷題。根據(jù)文章第三段話“It takes confidence to make a new start”“ My confidence dived”“ Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside”及本段敘述了作者回答別人問題時(shí)提到“I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there”可知，此時(shí)他的感覺應(yīng)該是還不完全確定他現(xiàn)在是否還要繼續(xù)寫他的小說。故答案選D。
小題4:推理判斷題。本段作者表達(dá)他剛剛開始時(shí)“there’s no end in sight”到后來的“an unbelievable stroke of luck” “to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding（有回報(bào)的）”是想要告訴讀者，堅(jiān)持自己的目標(biāo)是值得的，總會(huì)碰到運(yùn)氣的降臨。B項(xiàng)“刻苦努力是成功之路”，不符合文章意思。C、D項(xiàng)停留于文章表面意思。故答案為A。
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空


When Glen Kruger picked a small cat from an animal shelter, he did not expect much.  Yet right from the start, eight years ago, there was an uncommon connection between him and the small black cat.  He     36   her Inky.
“ I grew up on a hundred-acre farm and had only cats    37    playmates ,” Kruger,
The seventy-year-old man , says. “My hearing was damaged by the    38    of farm equipment , so I learned to connect with    39  .  They react to what they see and what you do.  ”
Inky was a gentle cat,       40     the house with five other cats.  But on a January night in 2009,  Inky did    41     that would set her apart from    42     cats forever.
Kruger had gone down to the basement to     43      the wood stove for the night.  When he was finished, he     44     to the top of the stairs and reached to  turn off the lights. In doing so , he slipped and    45      his back against an old shelf.  The heavy shelf came crashing down and sent Kruger down the stairs.
     46    in a pool of blood on the basement floor, Kruger felt     47    going into shock（休克）.  He shouted for help ,      48      his wife, Brenda , was asleep in their      
bedroom at   the opposite end of the house.     49      Kruger noticed Inky watching from the top of the stairs.
“Go get Brenda, ” Kruger said to Inky.
Inky    50     to the bedroom door and scratched     51     until Brenda opened it.  Then Inky led her to  the     52     Brenda found her husband     53      the stairs and called 911.  Kruger was rushed to the hospital. “I spent six months   54   therd,” 
Says Kruger .  “Although I became lame , I was blessed. ” Since the accident, Inky has   55     
Left Kruger’s side.       
小題1:
A． gaveB． choseC．namedD．remembered
小題2:
A． likeB． asC． exceptD．a(chǎn)mong
小題3:
A． soundB． alarmC．noiseD．voice
小題4:
A． animalsB． friendsC．farmersD．neghbors
小題5:
A． sharingB． visitingC．dividingD．discovering
小題6:
A． anythingB． nothingC．somethingD．everything
小題7:
A． familiarB． lovelyC．ordinaryD．outstanding
小題8:
A． shut outB． shut offC．shut downD．shut up
小題9:
A． marchedB． flewC．struggledD．climbed
小題10:
A． bentB． hitC．shookD．pulled
小題11:
A． FallingB． LyingC．AppearingD．Thinking
小題12:
A． itB． itselfC．himD．himself
小題13:
A． andB． butC．orD．so
小題14:
A． ThusB． OtherwiseC．ThenD．Rather
小題15:
A． walkedB． ranC．returnedD．withdrew
小題16:
A． rapidlyB． suddenlyC．madlyD．urgently
小題17:
A． bedroomB． basementC．yardD．house
小題18:
A． at the bottom of B． in the middle of
C． at the top ofD． in the front of
小題19:
A． regretting B． restingC．relaxingD．recovering
小題20:
A． neverB． everC．stillD．a(chǎn)lready

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A winter wonderland on the outskirts of Quebec City has become one of Canada's hottest attractions and most sought out accommodations. Guests stay close for warmth in sleeping bags on beds of ice, hats pulled over their ears to prevent frostbite, while sipping cocktails (雞尾酒) in glasses also made of ice.
A cool place to host a memorable wedding or for a romantic getaway, the Quebec Ice Hotel has attracted 600,000 curious tourists, including 30,000 who stayed overnight, since opening seasonally 11 years ago. Like Victoria and Jeremy Martin, dozens of couples will exchange vows (誓約) this winter in a temporary church next to the hotel, made entirely from blocks of ice with seats covered in furs.
Average temperatures fall below minus 20 degrees C (minus four F) in winter, but inside the hotel's 36 rooms it is relatively comfortable. Thick walls of packed snow and ice act as an insulator, trapping body heat inside. Each room is uniquely decorated, using designs created by Quebec architecture students. Two hotel bars also sell special cocktails in ice glasses.
First-time guests of the hotel, however, are recommended to stay only one night as sleeping in sub-zero temperatures is not very refreshing. This year for the first time the ice hotel has teamed up with a brick and concrete Quebec City hotel to offer packages(全套服務(wù)) for one-night accommodations at each. Prices for one night only at the ice hotel start at 200 US dollars per person.
The 3,000-square-metre (32,300-square-feet) buildings take six weeks starting in December to build, using 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice, at a cost of some 750,000 US dollars. Eleven weeks after its seasonal grand opening, the hotel will close on March 27 and then melt away with the arrival of spring.
小題1:What is true with the ice hotel?
A．630,000 people have visited it.
B．Its rooms all look alike.
C．It stays open for two months each year.
D．Wedding ceremonies are often held there.
小題2:The underlined word “insulator” in Paragraph 3 possibly refers to something that ______.
A．stops heat passing through it
B．collects and reflects light and heat
C．makes things become very cold
D．works like an air-conditioner
小題3:First-time guests are advised to stay there only one night because _______.
A．they may not be able to stand the cold
B．their other night is with an ordinary hotel
C．new guests have no advantages over old ones
D．they may find the beds made of ice too hard to sleep on.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Do you know soon eleven biggest food and drink companies of the nations will adopt new rules to limit advertising to children under the age of 12, a move that restricts ads for products such as McDonald’s Happy Meals and the use of popular cartoon characters.
The companies announced their new rules ahead of a Federal Trade Commission hearing on Wednesday that steps up pressure on the companies to help solve the growing child obesity problem through more responsible marketing. The self-given rules include promises by seven companies who will no longer use licensed characters, such as those made popular through movies or TV shows, to advertise online or in print media unless they’re promoting their healthier products. Four other companies said they do not advertise at all to children under 12.
“I think this is a very good step forward. It’s not the end of the journey but it’s a good way down the road,” said Margo Wootan, Nutrition Policy Director at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Since the FTC first publicly raised the issue in 2005, many of the companies have started selling products with better nutrition in mind. The companies hope their self-regulation efforts — organized through the Council of Better Business Bureaus — will fend off any new and more strict federal regulation.
Parents are happy to see new rules that restrict the use of cartoon characters such as Shrek, Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants. “It catches their eyes when you’re shopping,” said Josephine Thomas, a mother of three boys who lives in Manhattan. “As soon as they see a Shrek or Mickey Mouse, they automatically look at that and they don’t see what they really need. That’s one of the biggest problems when you go shopping.” That’s one reason the food companies have said they will now only use licensed characters to advertise their “better for you” products.
小題1:The reason why the food and drink companies will take action is that they want to___________
A．promote sales across the country
B．limit advertising to children under the age of 12
C．meet increasing demands from kids
D．a(chǎn)dapt to the new federal regulations
小題2:What can we learn from the text that the seven companies ____.
A．may still use cartoon characters in advertising
B．a(chǎn)re going to stop advertising to children under 12
C．Would like to continue the cooperation with entertainment media
D．will make food and drink specially for fat kids
小題3:What of the following can best describe the underlined words “fend off”?
A．prevent ... from happeningB．draw up or work out
C．pay attention toD．give a warm welcome to
小題4:What does Josephine Thomas advise in the last paragraph?
A．kids spend too much on unhealthy food
B．parents are strict about their kids’ food choice
C．“better for you” products are popular with kids
D．a(chǎn)ds with cartoon characters mislead kids

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift . Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap(包裝).
On September 11th ，1958，Mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap, saying, “I promised you a gift , and here it is.” What an honor！I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told it stories .I told it over and over how much I loved it!
One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing bad been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days I Heard Mum and Dad whispering such words as “hopeless”, “pitiful”, and “dying”, which sounded ominous.
Christmas was coming. “Don’t expect any presents this year,” Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room. “If your baby brother lives, that’ll be Christmas enough.” As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears. I’d never seen him cry before .
The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say, “What? He’s all right?” He hung up and shouted upstairs. “The hospital said we can bring Richard home !”
“Thank God !” I heard Mum cry .
From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty; they were filled with love!
小題1:what happened to the author on September 11th , 1958?
A．He got a baby brother.B．He got a Christmas gift
C．He became four years old.D．He received a doll.
小題2:What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？
A．Impossible.B．BoringC．DifficultD．Fearful
小題3:Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming?
A．Excitement.B．Happiness.C．Sadness.D．Disappointment.
小題4:What is the passage mainly about ?
A．A sad Christmas dayB．Life with a lovely baby
C．A special Christmas gift.D．Memories of a happy family

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Driving In America
Keep Right
The traffic follows the “keep right rule”. While driving, drive on the right side of the road. On one-way, multiple lanes(車道) road, the right-most lane would be slowest and left-most lane is fastest.
Hand Signals
Though indicators(車的指示燈) are used for the purpose of showing which direction you are going, knowing some hand signals is very important and are usually always asked in a driving test. When you want to turn right, you can put your left hand out of the window and point upward. When you want to make a left turn, you can reach your left arm out of the window and point to the left. If you want to slow down or stop, you can just point downward.
School Buses
Yellow school buses have flashing red lights and stop signs that reach out from the driver’s side. The drivers use these warning signals when letting pupils on and off. No matter which side of the road you are traveling on, if you come upon a school bus with its lights flashing and a stop sign used, you must stop. It’s the law. Remain stopped until the lights stop flashing or the stop sign is removed.
Using the Horn
Using horns is not common in America. Actually they are very rarely used. You may use your horn to warn walkers or other drivers of possible trouble or to avoid accidents. Do not use your horn to express anger or complain about other drivers’ mistakes or to try to get a slow driver to move faster.
小題1:If Freddy is asked to go to Florida in the shortest time from Missouri, on which lane in the picture below should he drive his car according to Paragraph 1?
A．Lane ①.B．Lane ②.C．Lane ③.D．Lane ④.
小題2:What could a driver do in America when turning left?
A．Place left hand out of the window pointing upward.
B．Put left hand out of the window pointing downward.
C．Reach left arm out of the window pointing to the left.
D．Place left hand out of the window pointing backward.
小題3:According to the passage, which of the following is possibly accepted in America?
A．Use horns sometimes to warn passers-by of danger.
B．Drive on before the stop sign on a school bus is removed.
C．Use hand signals instead of indicators to show which direction you are going.
D．Do not use warning signals in the school bus until all the pupils get on the bus.
小題4:Who is the passage most probably written for?
A．Passers-by. B．Pupils.C．Policemen. D．Drivers.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


December 2
Sharon called about four times today. At least it shows she’s trying to explain something to me. I feel a little better.
December 3
This morning Sharon said she had only told one person and didn’t know why everyone seemed to know. Yes, I am an adopted (收養(yǎng)的) daughter. But she had promised to keep it a secret for ever!
December 5
I wish I had a friend I could really trust all of the time. I thought I found that friend, but I haven’t and it’s making me miserable (痛苦的)! It’s wrong to tell her all about it. She gains my trust, and then loses it.
December 7
I have a nice room, beautiful house and everything I’ve ever wanted. My adoptive parents will give me all the things I’ve ever dreamed of. Yet all the money in the world can’t buy what I want now. I want for Sharon to be my best friend again.
December 10
Sharon just called. She said she thought it might help if we spent more time together. She worried that I would switch schools (轉(zhuǎn)學(xué)). She is the best friend I’ve ever had. When I’m with Sharon, I can be myself. I need Sharon’s friendship. I need it more than I’ve ever known.
December 16
I just had the most fantastic two days of my life! This was the best time I’ve had for a long, long while. Yesterday, we walked five times around the park and today we walked along the river for twenty minutes. We talked so much. Sharon, Sharon, no brick wall between us now.
小題1:What is the author mainly worried about?
A．How she was adopted.B．Why she switched schools.
C．Her family life.D．Her friendship with Sharon.
小題2:Sharon lost the author’s trust because she ________.
A．didn’t keep the author’s secret
B．didn’t like the author any more
C．told the author’s past life to everyone
D．often refused to help the author
小題3:The underlined word “fantastic” in the last paragraph probably means ________.
A．funnyB．wonderfulC．sadD．lucky
小題4:It can be inferred that in the end the author and Sharon ________.
A．were not friends anymore
B．became good friends again
C．would switch to another school together
D．could hardly understand each other

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


More American people take their troubles with them on holiday, according to a new survey. Although 40 percent said that the main reason for going away is to escape pressure from work, almost all said they worry more than they do at home. Only four in every 100 said that they are happy and free of care.
The most common worry is burglary(入室盜竊), with four out of 10 worrying about their homes being broken into while they’re abroad. More than a quarter fear they will feel crazy with some other noisy and rough holiday-makers and 22 percent worry they may be attacked or their possessions will be missing. One in five think the car may break down, and the same number worry about the chances of bad weather.
The survey also showed that the stay-at-home Americans are no more. Three out of every five want to have a holiday abroad, a great increase from the figures only three years ago. The hotel holiday is still a winner, with about one third of all Americans preferring to go on a self-catering(自助) holiday.
小題1:The underlined word “survey” in the first paragraph most probably means _______.
A．researchB．reviewC．exhibitionD．examination
小題2:according to the text, about _____ of people worry more on holiday than when they are at home.
A．25%B．40%C．80%D．95%
小題3:The third most common worry of American holiday-makers is that they may______.
A．be attacked or lose their possessions
B．have problems with their cars on the road
C．have bad weather on holiday
D．get mixed with some rough fellow holiday-makers
小題4:Where do American holiday-makers like to stay most?
A．At a hotel. B．In a quiet place.
C．At a friend’s house. D．Where they can cook for themselves.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空


When my daughter Kelsey was a child, she loved to join me in the garden. To 36 chaos(混亂)in my own garden beds, I provided her with a space of her own, so Kelsey’s Corner was born. There she was 37 to dig and plant as she wished. Over time, that small piece of land grew into a favorite place in the 38.
As she approached high school, Kelsey took her 39 off the garden. I didn’t 40 to accept this change. It seemed acceptable that something as boring as working in the dirt gave way to the mystery of a(n) 41 social life, so I began to take care of the space. Even so, I knew it always would be Kelsey’s Corner.
Now my daughter is eighteen and is in the 42 weeks of her high school career. Our mailbox is filled with college admission materials, 43 me that the world has come for this young lady and that she will soon answer its 44. Kelsey is looking forward to her wonderful college life 45 her mother and I are anxious about the coming life 46 our daughter around.
Kelsey’s Corner seems extremely deserted in this early spring 47 Kelsey’s leaving. One morning, when I 48 past Kelsey’s Corner, I noticed some green seedlings had 49 at the foot of some dead stalks(稈).
It’s 50 that life is a cycle. Kelsey’s leaving is 51 one point on the cycle. Now the life wheel will roll with Kelsey as she 52 into her adult life.
Let her live as she will and let her 53 when she can, and whether she comes alone or in 54, she will be welcome home. I’ll take care of Kelsey’s Corner faithfully. It will also cycle annually, rolling on towards a 55 stage of our lives, one that promises a rich harvest.
小題1:
A．defend B．a(chǎn)void C．cover D．tolerate
小題2:
A．willing B．sorry C．free D．sure
小題3:
A．garden B．family C．corner D．a(chǎn)rea
小題4:
A．emotion B．a(chǎn)wareness C．mind D．expectation
小題5:
A．wonder B．support C．realize D．refuse
小題6:
A．a(chǎn)ttractiveB．peaceful C．complex D．changeable
小題7:
A．latest B．last C．beginning D．former
小題8:
A．reminding B．introducingC．promising D．ordering
小題9:
A．letter B．cry C．notice D．call
小題10:
A．since B．while C．because D．unless
小題11:
A．beyond B．except C．besides D．without
小題12:
A．in spite of B．in case of C．because of D．instead of
小題13:
A．imagined B．wandered C．performed D．examined
小題14:
A．existed B．planted C．a(chǎn)ppeared D．exposed
小題15:
A．doubtful B．informal C．probable D．true
小題16:
A．onlyB．rarely C．a(chǎn)lways D．seldom
小題17:
A．looks B．moves C．breaks D．pulls
小題18:
A．return B．recover C．compete D．join
小題19:
A．time B．person C．need D．company
小題20:
A．strange B．proper C．different D．common

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案