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Welcome to my Message Board! |
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Subject: Slimming down classics? |
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Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12 6: 34 AM |
Orion Books, which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics (经典著作), is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L. Tolstoy, M. Mitchell and C. Bronte. Now, each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 pages per cent of original, with words, sentences, paragraphs and, in a few cases, chapters removed. The first six shortened editions, all priced at ￡6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”, will go on sale next month, with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow. The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions. |
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Mr. Edwards 2007-5-12 9: 40 AM |
Well, I’m publisher of Orion Group. Thanks for your attention, Mr. Handsome. I must say, the idea developed from a game of “shame” in my office. Each of us was required to confess (承认) to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading. I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times. One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping (跳读) Jane Eyre. We realized that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones. As a leading publishing house, we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions. They are still there if you want to read them. |
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Ms. Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM |
I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk Mr. Edwards, I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air. I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina, because it’s just so long. I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book. I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
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Mr. Crockatt 2007-5-12 4:38 PM |
I’m from the London independent bookshop Corckatt & Powell. In my opinion, the practice is completely ridiculous. How can you edit the classics? I’m afraid reading some of these book is hard work, and that is why you have to develop as a reader. If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina, then fine. But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
1.According to the message board, Orion Books ___________.
A．opposes the reading of original classics
B．is embarrassed for cutting down classics
C．thinks cut-down classics have a bright future
D．is cautions in its decision to cut down classics
2.In Mr. Edwards’ opinion, Orion Group is shortening classics to _________.
A．make them easier to read B．meet a large demand in the market
C．increase the sales of literary books D．compete with their original versions
3.By describing the shortened classics as “a breath of fresh air”, Ms. Weir ________.
A．speaks highly of the cut-down classics
B．shows her love for original classics
C．feels guilty of not reading the classics
D．disapprove of shortening the classics
4.Mr. Crockatt seems to imply that _________.
A．reading the classic works is a confusing attempt
B．shortening the classics does harm to the original
C．publishing the cut-down classics is a difficult job
D．editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs
5.How many classics are involved in the massage board?
A．Two. B．Three. C．Four. D．Five
Imagine a boy from a small village in East Africa, He from a very early age has been looking after cattle. At twelve years old he knows more about cattle than most of you. However, he has never been to school. Has this boy ever had any education?
Education is discovering about ourselves and about the people and things around us. All the people who care about us — our parents, brothers, sisters, friends — are our teachers. In fact, we learn something from everyone we meet. We start learning on the day we are born, not on the first day" we go to school. Every day we have new experiences, like finding a bird's nest, discovering a new street in our neighborhood, making friends with someone we didn't like before. New experiences are even more fun when we share them with other people.
Encouragement from the people around us enables us to explore things as much as possible. As we grow up, we begin to find out what we are capable of doing. You may be good at cooking, or singing or playing football. You find this out by doing these things. Just thinking about cooking doesn't tell you if you are good at it.
We learn so much just living from day to day. So why is school important? Of course you can learn some things better at home than at school, like how to do the shopping, and how to help old or disabled people who can' t do everything for themselves. At school, teachers help us to read and write. With their guidance, we begin to see things in different ways.
1. The writer takes the African boy as an example to show that _______.
A. African children are very poor
B. some children are unlucky
C. education takes many ways
D. schools are of great importance
2.In the eyes of the writer .
A. we have to learn from the people around us
B. school is not important at all
C. only the people caring for us can teach us
D. education takes place everywhere
3.One can find out what he is good at by _.
A. the encouragement of people around B. the teachings of those he or she meets
C. thinking of it when growing up D. trying practicing it
4. How the writer looks at the role of school is that .
A. school is not so important as our living places
B. school enables us to understand the world in other ways
C. school teaches us something useless at home
D. school cannot prepare us for our daily lives
5. The passage tells us that _ .
A. everyone gets education from the day he or she is born
B. different education trains different classes of people
C. school is absolutely necessary if one wants to understand the world
D. everyone will find out what he or she is good at
We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. This article gives some suggestions on how to give an effective speech.
So, you have to give a speech—and you are terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank Goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”
Cheep up! It doesn’t have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of your time doing your research. Then spend plenty of your time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly. Never forget your audience. Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Just remember: Be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief. Say what you have to say and then stop. And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to-person contact with your audience.
If you follow these simple steps, you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to make more speeches! You’re not convinced yet? Give it a try and see what happens.
1.The main idea of this article is .
A．that it is hard to make a speech B．that a poor speaker can never change
C．to always make a short speech D． that you can improve your speaking ability
2.Paragraph 2 implies that .
A．many people talk too long
B．many people are happy to give a speech
C．many people don’t prepare for a speech
D．many people are afraid of giving a speech
3.The phrase “talk over their heads” means .
A．speak too loudly B．look at the ceiling
C．look down upon them D．use words and ideas that are too difficult
4.All of the following statements are TRUE except .
A．a lecturer does not need to organize his speech
B．few people know how to make good speeches
C．research is important in preparing a speech
D．there are simple steps you can take to improve your speaking ability
5.The title for this passage may be .
A．Do Not Make a Long Speech B．Try to Enjoy a speech
C．How to prepare for a Speech D． How to Give a Good Speech
Haddy’s parents are different than the average（普通人）. While she was 36 up they required her to 37 . First of all she had to work around their home. Later on Haddy worked for other people.
When Haddy was 14 years old her mother and father told her that they were no 38 going to buy her clothes. Sure, they would continue to buy shoes for her and also the special clothes 39 suits, but 40 else was her responsibility. Some people thought that they were 41 . But they wanted to teach Haddy some 42 lessons. One thing she learned was that nothing is cheap or 43 . She learned how to deal with her money 44 . Another thing she learned was how to keep from 45 out her clothes too fast.
Also, even 46 Haddy went to school she was 47 to work. All through her high school and 48 years she worked as well as studied. Haddy’s parents had plenty of 49 but they felt she would 50 her education more if she had to 51 it. And strange 52 it may seem, they had heard that students who worked part-time generally got 53 grades than students who did no work.
Now Haddy is a mother herself. She requires her 54 to do the same 55 she did, especially working part-time as they go to school.
1.A．going B．bringing C．growing D．getting
2.A．study B．play C．learn D．work
3.A．longer B．sooner C．less D．fewer
4.A．and B．or C．as D．like
5.A．what B．anything C．nothing D．everything
6.A．responsible B．lazy C．poor D．careless
7.A．difficult B．daily C．valuable D．useless
8.A．free B．expensive C．useful D．proper
9.A．quickly B．slowly C．carefully D．suddenly
10.A．working B．wearing C．giving D．taking
11.A．when B．as C．until D．since
12.A．permitted B．required C．ordered D．forced
13.A．school B．work C．primary D．college
14.A．time B．children C．money D．work
15.A．value B．have C．use D．receive
16.A．enjoy B．pay C．pay for D．work for
17.A．if B．as C．although D．though
18.A．worse B．better C．more D．less
19.A．husband B．mother C．parents D．children
20.A．as B．what C．which D．that
The Hotel Al Arab ______ the first and only 7-star hotel in the world was designed in the
shape of a sail of 321 meters.
A. was considered B. considering C. being considered D. considered
— He should have come to join in the thorough cleaning.
—He _____, I think. It’s not his turn.
A. needn’t have to B. needn’t have C. didn’t have to D. doesn’t need to
