Question

To develop one’s taste in English，the most effective way is to read English books extensively. However, one may be at a loss to choose the appropriate books，especially as a beginner.I would like to share some of my experience.

My first English novel was Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice，recommended by many English teachers and professors as an ideal book for English learners. But I had great difficulty in understanding the novel，let alone enjoying it. It’s not the vocabulary that troubled me，but rather the way Austen constructs sentences，and her way of thinking，which seemed too remote to me at that time. My fading enthusiasm was much recovered after reading Hemingway’s novel Farewell to Arms. I particularly liked his brief and lively style. So my first suggestion is，as a beginner, you’d better choose contemporary novels instead of classical ones.

However，reading novels is not the only way to improve your English. English essays can at once inform you，entertain you, and improve your taste in English. The best example is Bertrand Russell’s work. Its language is plain, yet you cannot help feeling the elegance and the unique sense of humor. His simple language enables his philosophy(哲理) within the reach of ordinary people. Here comes my second suggestion—essays are indispensable.

Never follow other’s opinions blindly，however famous or influential the person might be. As a saying goes，one man’s meat is another man’s poison. With that in mind，we are sure to find out our favorite writers through reading and develop our fine taste in English.

1.What made the author’s first English novel hard to understand?

A. Complex conversations. 

B. Not knowing the social background.

C. The old-fashioned vocabulary.

D. Sentences and Austen’s thinking pattern.

2.Which can best replace the underlined word“ indispensable”?

A. necessary         B. challenging 

C. related           D. inspired

3.What advice does the author give in the last paragraph?

A. Choose books that challenging us most.

B. Read books that are instructive.

C. Don’t be affected by other’s choices.

D. Compare books before buying.

4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A. Give comments on literature works.

B. Tell beginners how to choose English books.

C. Encourage people to read more English books.

D. Recommend first-class books to English learners.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：作者认为要学好英语必须要广泛阅读英语书籍，并结合自身经历给出了一些选择英语书籍的建议。

1.D细节理解题。根据文章第二段It’s not the vocabulary that troubled me，but rather the way Austen constructs sentences，and her way of thinking，which seemed too remote to me at that time.可知答案为D。

2.A词义猜测题。根据第三段开头几句的描述，英语文章可以提高你的英语品味，增长知识，懂得道理，故看英语文章是很有必要的。此题可根据句意用排除法得出答案为A。

3.C推理判断题。根据前两句话Never follow other’s opinions blindly，however famous or influential the person might be. As a saying goes，one man’s meat is another man’s poison.可知不要受到别人的想法的影响，故答案为C。

4.

【名师点拨】

作者态度及写作意图推断

每一篇文章都会包含作者的某种观点和态度，只不过有的直截了当，有的含而不露，有的通过所用词语的褒贬来体现。此类题可细分为作者态度题(表明作者的好恶)和作者观点题(表明作者对某事物的看法)。准确把握作者的情感和态度，需要注意以下几点：

1.作者对某一事物的看法,要么支持,要么反对,带中立色彩的词最不可能是正确答案。

2.漠不关心类词语往往不对,既然写文章就不会不关心。

3.不要把自己的态度揉入其中,也要区分作者的态度和作者引用的别人的态度。

4.当作者的态度没有明确提出时,要学会根据作者使用词语的褒贬性来判断。

5.作者的观点一般与文章的主旨相关联。

6.绝对化或语气过于强烈的选项常常是错误的,如:strong, complete, entire等。

考点：说明文阅读。