真题考试辅导之历年阅读真题解析与导读五

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2007:02:25 09:03:01
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

2002

Passage One

本文是一篇传记类文章。主要讲述了美国一位知名作家Grisham职业生涯、个人经历以及在写作和其他方面取得的成就。

John Grisham was born on February 2, 1955, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in the USA. His father was a construction worker and moved his family all around the southern states of America, stopping wherever he could find work. Eventually they settled in Mississippi. Graduating from law school in 1981, Grisham practiced law for nearly a decade in Southaven, specializing in criminal defense and personal injury litigation (诉讼). In 1983, he was elected to the state House of Representatives and served until 1990.

One day at the Dessoto County courthouse, Grisham heard the horrifying testimony of a 12-year-old rape victim. ①He decided to write a novel exploring what would have happened if the girl’s father had murdered her attackers.② He proceeded to get up every morning at 5 a.m. to work on the novel, called A Time to Kill, which was published in 1988. Grisham’s next novel, The Firm, was one of the biggest hits of 1991, spending 47 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. ③Grisham was then able to give up law and concentrate on writing. ④Grisham lives with his wife and two children, dividing their time between their Victorian home on a 67 acre farm in Mississippi and a 204 acre plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia.

When he’s not writing, Grisham devotes time to charitable causes, including mission trips with his church group. As a child he dreamt of becoming a professional baseball player, and now serves as the local Little League commissioner. ⑤He has built six ballfields on his property and hosts children from 26Little League teams. (250 words)

Notes:

①12-year-old rape victim12岁的强暴受害者

②用在名词novel之后的现在分词exploring…构成定语从句并包含虚拟语气（表示过去情况的虚拟条件句）。

他（Grisham）决定写一部小说，以探讨受害者的父亲如果谋杀了强暴她的罪犯将会有什么事情发生。

③ Biggest hits of 1991，1991年最热门的小说； bestseller lists 畅销书排行榜

Grisham随后出版的小说《公司 》成为1991年最畅销的小说之一，连续47周名列《纽约时报》最畅销书籍排行榜。

④后来Grisham能够放弃法律工作而专门从事写作了。

⑤ Serve as 供职

他孩提时梦想成为一名职业棒球选手，如今，他是地方棒球小联盟的委员。

46. John Grisham is ________ at present.

A. a writer B. a lawyer

C. a professional baseball player D. a congressman

47. What inspired Grisham to write his first novel?

A. A case of murder.

B. A case of rape

C. His father’s experience

D. His life on the farm

48. The story of the novel A Time to Kill would probably focus on __________ ?

A. how the girl was attacked

B. the circumstances of the rape

C. how the girl’s father took revenge

D. how the case of rape was settled

49. Which of the following is NOT true of the novel The Firm ?

A. It was popular at the time of publication

B. It earned Grisham great fame.

C. It brought Grisham wealth

D. It was carried by The New York Times as a series.

50. It can be inferred from the passage that Grisham has built ballfields on his property ________.

A. to achieve his life’s goal as a professional baseball player

B. to coach children in baseball

C. to see his childhood dream being realized in the children

D. to provide facilities of baseball training

ABCDC