Question

That old saying “Never say never” came to mind when I read that Harper Lee, the author of the beloved, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has a new book coming out in July, 2015—55 years after Mockingbird was published! The very private Ms. Lee had never followed up her highly praised first book, with a second novel. Instead, she’s following it up with a first novel. Confused? So was I! Allow me to explain.

Go Set a Watchman, was actually written before that classic volume. In the mid-1950s, Lee had completed Watchman, which features Scout Finch as a young woman from Alabama living in New York. The story follows Scout as she returns to visit her father, Atticus, the lawyer who fought racial injustice in Mockingbird.

But as Lee herself put it in a recent announcement through her publisher, “my editor, who was taken by the flashback (倒叙) to Scout’s childhood, persuaded me to write a novel from the point of view of the young Scout. I was a first-time writer, so I did as I was told.” That book was, of course, To Kill a Mockingbird, and after it was released to great praise, Lee never returned to Go Set a Watchman. In fact, that earlier work was considered lost until Lee’s lawyer found a manuscript (手稿) of it.

“After much thought and hesitation I considered it worthy of publication.” said Lee. “I am amazed that this will now be published after all these years.” So the book that gave birth to To Kill a Mockingbird will now serve as its sequel (续集).

It’s safe to say that, decades after the publication of Mockingbird, millions of readers who were so touched by Ms. Lee’s second novel will be counting the days until the release of her first one.

1.When was Mockingbird published according to the text?

A. In 1950.    B. In 1960.

C. In 1970.    D. In 1980.

2.What can we know about the book of Watchman?

A. Atticus found a manuscript of the writer.

B. Atticus was a lawyer fighting racial injustice.

C. Scout Finch got to Alabama to see Atticus.

D. Scout Finch lost one of Atticus’ manuscripts.

3.What does “the book” in the fourth paragraph refer to in the writer’s opinion?

A. To Kill a Mockingbird.    B. Go Set a Watchman.

C. The classic volume.    D. Ms. Lee’s second novel.

4.The text mainly talks about       .

A. why Ms. Lee’s first novel will become her second one

B. how Ms. Lee’s first novel differs from her second one

C. when Go Set a Watchman was actually written

D. what Ms. Lee’s two great novels really deal with

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.A

【解析】这是一篇记叙文。文章记叙了Harper Lee先发表了自己写的第二本书，然后才发表之前写的第一本书的来龙去脉。

1.推理判断题。由第一段中的“the author of the beloved, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has a new book coming out in July, 2015—55 years after Mockingbird was published”可知，到2015年，Mockingbird已经出版55年了，由此可以推知，Mockingbird是在1960年出版的。B选项正确。

2.细节理解题。由第二段中的“In the mid-1950s, Lee had completed Watchman, which features Scout Finch as a young woman from Alabama living in New York. The story follows Scout as she returns to visit her father, Atticus, the lawyer who fought racial injustice in Mockingbird”可知，在Watchman这本书中，一个来自Alabama的年轻女人Scout Finch生活在纽约。这个故事介绍的是她返回Alabama去探望自己的父亲Atticus。故C选项正确。

3.词义猜测题。由第三段和第四段中的“That book was, of course, To Kill a Mockingbird, and after it was released to great praise, Lee never returned to Go Set a Watchman. In fact, that earlier work was considered lost until Lee’s lawyer found a manuscript (手稿) of it.

“After much thought and hesitation I considered it worthy of publication.” said Lee. “I am amazed that this will now be published after all these years.” So the book that gave birth to To Kill a Mockingbird will now serve as its sequel (续集).”可知，在To Kill a Mockingbird发行之后，Lee从来没有想过出版Go Set a Watchman。实际上，人们都认为这部作品丢失了。后来，他的律师发现了这部作品的手稿。Lee说道：“在经过思考和犹豫之后，我认为这部作品值得发表”。这本书的发表又诞生了To Kill a Mockingbird这个续集。很明显，the book应该指的是Go Set a Watchman。B选项正确。

4.主旨大意题。根据第一段中的“The very private Ms. Lee had never followed up her highly praised first book, with a second novel. Instead, she’s following it up with a first novel. Confused? So was I! Allow me to explain.”可知，Ms. Lee先发表了自己写的第二本书To Kill a Mockingbird，然后才发表之前写的第一本书Go Set a Watchman。文章下文解释了来龙去脉。故A选项正确。