Question

When middle-aged Alex quit his job and made up his mind to become a self-employed writer, no one could tell for sure whether he would succeed or not．He found a cold storage room in a building, set up a used typewriter and settled down to work．
After a year or so, however, Alex began to doubt himself．He found it was difficult to earn his living by selling what he wrote．But Alex determined to put his dream to the test—even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure．This is the shadowland（虚幻世界）of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there．
One day Alex got a call,“We need an assistant, and we're paying $ 6,000 a year．” $ 6,000 was real money in 1960．It would enable Alex to get a nice apartment, a used car and more．Besides, he could write in his spare time．As the dollars were dancing in Alex's head, something cleared his senses．He had dreamed of being a writer? Full time．“Thanks, but no,” Alex said firmly and swiftly, “I'm going to stick it out and write．”
After Alex got off the phone, he pulled out everything he had: two cans of vegetables and 18 cents．Alex put the cans and cents into a paper bag, saying to himself, “There's everything you've made of yourself so far．I'm not sure I ever felt so low.”
Finally his work was published in 1970．Instantly he had the kind of fame and success that few writers ever experienced．The shadows had turned into focus of attention．
Then one day, Alex found a box filled with things he had owned years before．Inside was a paper bag with two cans and 18 cents．Suddenly he pictured himself working in that cold storage room．It reminds Alex, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence it takes to stay the course in the shadowland．
【小题1】Why did Alex give up his job?

A．Because he didn't like the working conditions．

B．Because he couldn't earn enough to make a living．

C．Because he wanted to be a full-time writer．

D．Because he felt he had no potential in his job．

【小题2】What did Alex express when he answered the call?

A．He refused the job offer．

B．He was willing to give them a hand．

C．He expected them to pay him more money．

D．He would write in his spare time．

【小题3】What kind of person is Alex?

A．Determined

B．Generous.

C．Shy

D．Brave．

【小题4】Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Look before you leap.

B．Two heads are better than one．

C．The shadowland of dreams.

D．A bird in hand is worth two in the bush．

Answer 1

【小题1】C
【小题2】A
【小题3】A
【小题4】C

解析试题分析：
【小题1】C 细节题。根据第一段第一行When middle-aged Alex quit his job and made up his mind to become a self-employed writer,说明他一直想成为一名作家，所以才会放弃工作，故C正确。
【小题2】A 细节题。根据第三段最后两行He had dreamed of being a writer? Full time．“Thanks, but no,” Alex said firmly and swiftly, “I'm going to stick it out and write．说明他坚定地拒绝了对方的好意，故A正确。
【小题3】A 推理题。根据文章所述，他历尽困难实现了自己的梦想，说明他是一个意志坚定的人，故A正确。
【小题4】C 主旨大意题。文章主要讲述了Alex为了实现自己做作家的梦而进行的努力，最后取得成功的故事，根据文章最后两行It reminds Alex, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence it takes to stay the course in the shadowland．C项the shadowland of dreams的寓意符合文章的中心思想。
考点：考查故事类短文阅读
点评：文章主要讲述了Alex为了实现自己做作家的梦而进行的努力，最后取得成功的故事。对于细节考查较多，要求考生抓住文章脉络和中心思想。