Question

When people think of Hollywood, they think of the city where dreams come true. This did not apply to F. Scott Fitzgerald, a screenwriter who had his share of ups and downs in this land. Fitzgerald was not a successful Hollywood writer because he was not good at the career path he chose. He was an amazing novelist, but his efforts of turning them into screenplays ended in disappointment and confusion. It was because of a lack of potential for screenwriting as well as his addiction and desire to be famous.

Growing up as a boy, Fitzgerald went to movies a lot. He wanted to write stories that would eventually turn into movies. The problem was: just because Fitzgerald wanted to do something didn’t necessarily mean that he was good at it. He made his attempts, but most of these efforts ended in disappointment because he thought about the change from script（剧本）to screen too much. His plot was too detailed and complicated; his tone was too serious or his dialogue too sentimental（感伤的）.

Fitzgerald’s quick rise to fame also led to his fall. In life, things are not meant to happen all at once, all that the same time but it did for Fitzgerald. At his best time, three of his early stories were made into short films, including The Great Gatsby and Babylon Revisited. As the twenties approached, he was gradually forgotten by the reading public. He became drunk and constantly took pills both to sleep and wake up. His marriage was destroyed and his wife broke down mentally. He seemed unsure about his life.

Fitzgerald had another chance at success when many opportunities came his way, including revisions of Emlyn William’s play The Light of Heart and production of one of his own scripts, Cosmopolitan. However, these were all put aside and he was right back where he started, left behind and called a “ruined man”. Fitzgerald simply wanted too much in his life. He wanted “to be both a great novelist and a Hollywood success, to write songs like Cole Porter and poetry like John Keats”. His addiction to fame held him back and led to his failure as a Hollywood writer.

1.Which is a reason that Fitzgerald failed in screenwriting?

A. He was not talented in screenwriting.

B. He had a miserable family life.

C. He spent too much time watching movies.

D. He was greedy for money in his life.

2.Fitzgerald’s screenwriting was _____.

A. disappointing in ending

B. complex in plot

C. playful in tone

D. simple in dialogue

3.Which of the following was NOT written by Fitzgerald?

A. The Great Gatsby      B. Babylon Revisited

C. The Light of Heart     D. Cosmopolitan

4.When Fitzgerald had another chance at success, he ______.

A. took full advantage of it

B. went back home to start business

C. refused to make changes

D. started to write songs and poems

5.What is the best title of the passage?

A. Fallen for Fame Addiction: F. Scott Fitzgerald

B. An Inch into Fame: F. Scott Fitzgerald

C. F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Novelist

D. F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Screenwriter

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.C

5.A

【解析】

试题分析：F. Scott Fitzgerald是一名编剧，他没有这方面的天赋，并成迷于名利，并最终导致他作为一名好莱坞作家的失败。

1. was because of a lack of potential for screenwriting as well as his addiction and desire to be famous. 这是因为缺乏潜在的编剧，还有他的入迷和成名的欲望。可知选A。

2. plot was too detailed and complicated他的情节太繁杂。故选 B

3. revisions of Emlyn William’s play The Light of Heart and production of one of his own scripts, Cosmopolitan.从这里可知The Light of Heart是Emlyn William的作品。故选C。

4. had another chance at success when many opportunities came his way, 菲茨杰拉德有另一个成功机会--- ；根据最后一段第二句However, these were all put aside然而这些都被搁置在一边，说明他拒绝了。故选C。

5. addiction to fame held him back and led to his failure as a Hollywood writer. 他沉迷于名利阻拦了他，并导致他作为一名好莱坞作家的失败。从这里可知本文主题应选A。

考点：考查人物传记类阅读。