A Book Review—The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty
The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages．
The theme: The main theme is a teenage research of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age．Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries．As the book moves to a close, James’ swimming coach says to him: “You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more．You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going．”
The characters: James is the hero of the story．He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents (养父母)．Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother．The other characters in The Snake-Stone, James’ parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically．
The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James’ foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother．The only clue he has is a fossil, “the snake stone” which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: “Take good care of Sammie．It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there．
The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother．With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found．James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels．The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel．He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger’s door fifteen years before．Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness．As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending．Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, “I was home．”
1.What is the main theme of the novel?
A．A journey of self-discovery．
B．Life in the world of diving．
C．Life with foster parents．
D．A travel around the country．
2.What do the coach’s words in Paragraph 2 suggest?
A．James is a successful diver．
B．James is an independent young man．
C．James is an outgoing young man．
D．James is a hopeful swimmer．
3.The snake stone in the novel is ．
A．a stone with an address on it
B．a gift from the swimming coach
C．a clue left by the birth mother
D．a fossil left by the foster parents
4.Which of the following is true about the novel?
A．The story has a sad ending．
B．The story takes place in the city of London．
C．The characters are vividly described．
D．The turning point comes after the hero meets his birth mother．
5.It can be concluded that James’ journey is _________．
A．disappointing B．boring C．comfortable D．worthwhile
Forty years ago Sadie left her drunk and violent husband. Needing shelter（住所）for herself and her young son, she took a job as a doorkeeper in a housing project for ___36___people. It meant she could live “on site” in one of the ___37___.
Eventually, she got to know the residents（居民）. One resident, Archie, didn't have a family of his own, ___38___his nephew’s wife and her naughty kids would drop in from time to time. They were there to help the old guy.
Sadie helped care for Archie as he ___39___illness and it was she who called the ___40___who diagnosed（诊断） his deadly cancer.
___41___time passing, Sadie’s son ___42___up, got married and settled several hundred miles away. Sadie ___43___and moved into a nice little house of her own. To ___44___the loneliness, she took in a series of ___45___over the years.
A heavy fall of snow came a year and a half ago. She was pleased when a neighbor ___46___to walk her current dog, Muffin, until the weather improved. Each day he would ___47___a while talking to her, making sure she was okay, and ___48___if she needed anything.
Although she had known him for a long time, Sadie ___49___thought to wonder what his last name was. This morning she asked. His surname was the same ___50___old Archie’s. It brought back a memory and she talked about the ___51___. She told him about working at the old residents’ flats and was ___52___to discover the man who had been “caring” for her for the past year and a half had been one of the little kids who used to run ___53___on his way to visit “Uncle Archie”.
She had cared for his family, now he was caring for her. ___54___of them knew it until that moment but they were living proof of the old saying, “What goes around comes around, ” and the ___55___of kindness will not be broken.
1.A. poor B. senior C. disabled D. unfortunate
2.A. groceries B. stadiums C. flats D. cages
3.A. otherwise B. but C. though D. because
4.A. battled B. banned C. cured D. beat
5.A. servant B. master C. neighbor D. doctor
6.A. As B. Since C. With D. When
7.A. grew B. got C. went D. came
8.A. complained B. retired C. fired D. hesitated
9.A. refuse B. reduce C. stop D. escape
10.A. programs B. projects C. birds D. dogs
11.A. attempted B. declared C. offered D. wished
12.A. spend B. cost C. take D. spare
13.A. observing B. requiring C. indicating D. checking
14.A. often B. never C. sometimes D. once
15.A. to B. from C. as D. of
16.A. coincidence B. comprehension C. tradition D. statement
17.A. puzzled B. frightened C. concerned D. surprised
18.A. calling B. screaming C. barking D. whispering
19.A. All B. None C. Neither D. Both
20.A. custom B. glory C. pattern D. circle
—I was caught in the heavy rain, so I couldn’t be back by 7 o’clock.
—__________! Janna was here to see you.
A. Good luck B. What a pity C. Never do it again D. Well done
Either you or one of your family members __________the opening ceremony next week.
A. attends B. attend C. is to attend D. are to attend
Our class discussed the question of __________it is necessary for us students to use mobile phones on campus.
A. if B. where C. whether D. that
—Peter, your hair is getting much too long. It’s high time you __________it cut.
—OK. I will.
A. have B. had C. have had D. will have
