Question

This is the letter that Mr. White wrote before his death about his three books for children:

Dear Reader:

I receive many letters from children and can't answer them all -- there wouldn't be time enough in a day. That is why I am sending you this printed reply to your letter. I'll try to answer some of the questions that are commonly asked.

Where did I get the idea for Stuart Little and for Charlotte's Web? Well, many years ago I went to bed one night in a railway sleeping car, and during the night I dreamed about a tiny boy who acted rather like a mouse. That's how the story of Stuart Little got started.

As for Charlotte's Web, I like animals and my barn（谷仓） is a very pleasant place to be, at all hours. One day when I was on my way to feed the pig, I began feeling sorry for the pig because, like most pigs, he was doomed to die. This made me sad. So I started thinking of ways to save a pig's life. I had been watching a big grey spider at her work and was impressed by how clever she was at weaving. Gradually I worked the spider into the story that you know, a story of friendship and salvation（拯救） on a farm. Three years after I started writing it, it was published. (I am not a fast worker, as you can see.)

Sometimes I'm asked how old I was when I started to write, and what made me want to write. I started early -- as soon as I could spell. In fact, I can't remember any time in my life when I wasn't busy writing. I don't know what caused me to do it, or why I enjoyed it, but I think children often find pleasure and satisfaction is trying to set their thoughts down on paper, either in words or in pictures. I was no good at drawing, so I used words instead. As I grew older, I found that writing can be a way of earning a living.

Some of my readers want me to visit their school. Some want me to send a picture, or an autograph, or a book. And some ask questions about my family and my animals and my pets. Much as I'd like to, I can't go visiting. I can't send books, either -- you can find them in a bookstore or a library. Many children assume that a writer owns (or even makes) his own books. This is not true -- books are made by the publisher. If a writer wants a copy, he must buy it. That's why I can't send books. And I do not send autographs（亲笔签名，手稿） -- I leave that to the movie stars. I live most of the year in the country, in New England. From our windows we can look out at the sea and the mountains. I live near my married son and three grandchildren.

Are my stories true, you ask? No, they are imaginary tales, containing fantastic characters and events. In real life, a family doesn't have a child who looks like a mouse; in real life, a spider doesn't spin words in her web. In real life, a swan doesn't blow a trumpet（喇叭，小号） . But real life is only one kind of life -- there is also the life of the imagination. And although my stories are imaginary, I like to think that there is some truth in them, too -- truth about the way people and animals feel and think and act.

Yours sincerely,

E.B. White

1.What does the author do?

A． a writer

B．a reporter

C．a doctor

D．a teacher

2.What caused the author start to write?

A．His parents’ encuoragement

B．His talent in writing

C．Not mentioned in the passage

D．A writer in the early time

3.Why does the author think he can’t seng his autographs?

A．Because he thinks it should be dong by movie stars.

B．Because he thinks his writing is not good enough

C．Because he has no much time

D．Because he hates writing

4.How long had the author been writing the story of Chariotte’s web?

A．3 minths

B．2 years

C．3 years

D．5 years

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.A

2.C

3.A

4.C

【解析】这是一篇一个作家因为没有时间逐一给读者回信而写的一封公开信，用于回答读者的一些共同的问题。

1.推理判断题。根据回信的内容可知，作者是一个作家，这是给他的读者的一封公开回信。

2.实施细节题，通读文章可知，作者并没有讲到他开始写作的原因，只是说了I don't know what caused me to do it, or why I enjoyed it。

3.实施细节题，根据倒数第二段And I do not send autographs（亲笔签名，手稿） -- I leave that to the movie stars可知，作者认为那是电影明星做的事情。

4.实施细节题，根据第四段Three years after I started writing it, it was published. (I am not a fast worker, as you can see.)可知，是作者写了三年。