Many young people tell me that they want to be writers. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there is a big difference between being a writer and writing. In most cases these people are dreaming of wealth and being famous, not the long hours alone at the typewriter.

When I became a writer, I had no future. What I had was a friend called George. He found me a home. It was cold and had no bathroom. I could only afford a used typewriter. A year later, however, I still hadn’t received a break and began to doubt myself. But I knew I wanted to write. I would keep putting my dream to the test—even though it meant living with fear of failure. This is the shadow land (阴影) of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. Then one day I got a call from a friend who asked me to be an assistant for $6,000 a year. As the dollars were dancing in my head, something brought me to my sense. “Thanks, but no,” I heard myself saying. After that, I walked around my little room and started to feel like a fool. I felt a little low.

Later, I gradually began to sell my articles. It was after 17 years of being a writer that Roots was published. At once I had the kind of fame and success that few writers ever experienced. The shadows had turned into great sunlight. Before that, it was a long and slow climb out of the shadows.

59. The second paragraph is mainly about ______.

A. the job chance the author ever had

B. the difficulties before the author succeeded

C. the great help from the author’s friends

D. the important choices the author made

60. The underlined word “something” in Paragraph 2 refers to _______.

A. the author’s dream of being a writer

B. the author’s trouble in making money

C. the author’s hard life before success

D. the author’s wish to be successful

61. How did the author feel after he refused the job offer?

A. confident                                  B. angry

C. excited                                    D. unhappy

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 a computer. “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 US Coast Guard to become a free writer, I had no promise 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 computer and felt a real 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 know 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 Shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there

1. 1.

   The passage is meant to ______.

   1. A.
      warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience
   2. B.
      advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer
   3. C.
      show young people it’s unrealistic for a writer to be after wealth and fame
   4. D.
      encourage young people to be after a writer career
2. 2.

   What can be concluded from the passage?

   1. A.
      Real writers often find their work interesting and rewarding
   2. B.
      Writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort
   3. C.
      Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation（隔离）
   4. D.
      The chances for a writer to become successful are small
3. 3.

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

   1. A.
      He wasn’t able to produce a single book
   2. B.
      He hadn’t seen a change for the better
   3. C.
      He wasn’t able to have a rest for a whole year
   4. D.
      He found his dream would never come true
4. 4.

   “Shadowland” in the last sentence refers to______.

   1. A.
      thewonderlandonoftendreamsabout
   2. B.
      thebrightfuturethatoneislookingforwardto
   3. C.
      thestateofuncertaintybeforeone’sfinalgoalisreached
   4. D.
      aworldthatexistsonlyinone’simagination

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 individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a 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 US 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 a room in a New York apartment building. It didn’t even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine writer.
After a year or so, however, I still hadn’t got 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 uncertainly and fear of failure. This is the shadowland of hope, and any one with a dream must learn to live there.
1. The passage is meant to                 .
warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience
advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer
show young people it’s unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fame
encourage young people to pursue a writing career
2. What can be concluded from the passage?
Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding.
A writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort.
Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation.
The chances for a writer to become successful are small
3. Why did the author begin to doubt himself after the first year of his writing career?
He wasn’t able to produce a single look.
He hadn’t seen a change for the better
He wasn’t able to have a rest for a whole year.
He found his dream would never come true.
4. “I wasn’t going to be one of those people who die wondering. What if?” refers to “those               .”
who think too much of the dark side of life
who regret giving up their career halfway
who think a lot without making a decision
who are full of imagination even upon death
5. “Shadowland” in the last paragraph refers to              .
the wonderland one often dream about
the bright future that one is looking forward to
the state of uncertainty before one’s final goal is reached
a world that exists only in one’s imagination

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 individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a 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 US 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 a room in a New York apartment building. It didn’t even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine writer.

After a year or so, however, I still hadn’t got 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 uncertainly and fear of failure. This is the shadowland of hope, and any one with a dream must learn to live there.

1. The passage is meant to                 .

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

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

show young people it’s unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fame

encourage young people to pursue a writing career

2. What can be concluded from the passage?

Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding.

A writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort.

Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation.

The chances for a writer to become successful are small

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

He wasn’t able to produce a single look.

He hadn’t seen a change for the better

He wasn’t able to have a rest for a whole year.

He found his dream would never come true.

4. “I wasn’t going to be one of those people who die wondering. What if?” refers to “those               .”

who think too much of the dark side of life

who regret giving up their career halfway

who think a lot without making a decision

who are full of imagination even upon death

5. “Shadowland” in the last paragraph refers to              .

the wonderland one often dream about

the bright future that one is looking forward to

the state of uncertainty before one’s final goal is reached

a world that exists only in one’s imagination

   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 individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a 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 US 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 a room in a New York apartment building. It didn’t even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine writer.

After a year or so, however, I still hadn’t got 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 uncertainly and fear of failure. This is the shadowland of hope, and any one with a dream must learn to live there.

1. The passage is meant to                 .

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

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

show young people it’s unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fame

encourage young people to pursue a writing career

2. What can be concluded from the passage?

Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding.

A writer’s success depends on luck rather than on effort.

Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation.

The chances for a writer to become successful are small

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

He wasn’t able to produce a single look.

He hadn’t seen a change for the better

He wasn’t able to have a rest for a whole year.

He found his dream would never come true.

4. “I wasn’t going to be one of those people who die wondering. What if?” refers to “those               .”

who think too much of the dark side of life

who regret giving up their career halfway

who think a lot without making a decision

who are full of imagination even upon death

5. “Shadowland” in the last paragraph refers to              .

the wonderland one often dream about

the bright future that one is looking forward to

the state of uncertainty before one’s final goal is reached

a world that exists only in one’s imagination