2013年英语四级阅读试题及答案20

　　Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there's a big difference between "being a writer" and writing. In most cases these individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at typewriter. "You've got to want to write," I say to them, "not want to be a writer".

　　The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U.S.Coast Guard to become a freelance writer (自由撰稿者), I had no prospects at all. What I did have was a friend who found me my room in a New York apartment building. It didn't even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought a used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine writer.

　　After a year or so, however, I still hadn't gotten a break and began to doubt myself. It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat. But I knew I wanted to write. I had dreamed about it for years. I wasn't going to be one of those people who die wondering, What if? I would keep putting my dream to the test-even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the Shadow land of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there.

　　这是一篇议论文，讨论的主题是成为真正的作家的艰辛与不易。

　　56. The passage is meant to ______.

　　A) warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience

　　B) advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer

　　C) show young people it's unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fame

　　D) encourage young people to pursue a writing career

　　[答案及分析]：[A]主旨题。问这篇文章的主旨是什么。[A]意为“警告年轻人要想成为一个成功的作家所必须经历的艰辛。”[B]项意为“劝告年轻人放弃当职业作家的理想”，这显然不对因为文章开篇就说：“许多年轻人告诉我他想成为作家，我总是给他们以鼓励。”[C]项意为“告诉年轻人，对于作家来说，追求财富和名誉是不现实的”这与文章本意不合。本意只是说“被幸运之神吻过的作家(Writer Kissed by Fortrne)”很少，但这只是文章的一个小部分，目的还是在于告诫年轻人成为作家必须吃苦，若选[C]项，不仅意思上不吻合文章，而且犯了以偏盖全的错误。[D]项意为“鼓励年轻人努力成为一个作家”，而从文章中可以看出，作者只是鼓励那些有志于成为作家的人，而并非鼓励年轻人去当作家。

　　57. What can be concluded from the passage?

　　A) Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding.

　　B) A writer's success depends on luck rather than on effort.

　　C) Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation.

　　D) The chances for a writer to become successful are small.

　　[答案及分析]：[D]推论题。问从文章中可以得到以下哪项结论。[A]项意为“真正的作家通常会发现他们的工作充满趣味且回报丰厚”。从第二段第一句话可看出[A]错，[B]项意为“作家的成功更多地依赖运气而非努力”，显然与文章不等。[C]项说“著名的作家通常生活在孤独和贫困之中”，文章中没这个意思。有些同学可能会因第二段第一句话而认为[C]项正确，但仔细体会不难看出该句意思和[C]项并不相同。从第二段第二话可以知[D]项正确。

　　58. Why did the author begin to doubt himself after the first year of his writing career?

　　A) He wasn't able to produce a single book.

　　B) He hadn't seen a change for the better.

　　C) He wasn't able to have a rest for a whole year.

　　D) he found his dream would never come true.

　　[答案及分析]：[B]事实辨认题。问为什么作者在写作一年后开始怀疑自己。根据第三段第一句话可知原因在于：“I still hadn't gotten abreak.(我还是没有进展、突破)。”[B]项正是这个意思。

　　A) who think too much of the dark side of life

　　B) who regret giving up their career halfway

　　C) who think a lot without making a decision

　　D) who are full of imagination even upon death

　　[答案及分析]：[B]词义理解题。问第三段第三、四行所说的“people who die wondering(在犹疑、徘徊中毁灭的人)”指什么人。根据上下文可以推测，“people who die wondering”指因绝望而放弃写作的人，所以选[B]。