Question

He was the man who inspired the Beat Generation, and nearly half a century after his death Jack Kerouac is still receiving grateful letters from his fans.

Most letters are sent in the post to his last home in St Petersburg, Florida, and the mail box in the front yard is full to bursting. But others are delivered by hand, pushed under the front door or left on the doorstep.

They usually thank the author of On the Road for inspiring them to travel and be independent. “You remind me to stay true to who you are and to encourage a sense of adventure in all of us.” reads one letter, handwritten by “Cindy” on paper covered with pictures of butterflies and flowers. She adds, “I hope you’re writing, liberated and drinking a glass of wine.”

Another, signed “Friend of Jack”, reads, “I prefer to think of myself as a free spirit and a person who follows a path of her own choosing. You have always been my inspiration.”

His home, where he was living with his mother Gabrielle and his wife Stella, has become a destination for hundreds of fans every year.

Kerouac rocketed to fame at the age of 35, with the publication of On the Road in 1957.

But after becoming a symbol and leader of the alternative lifestyle movement, he struggled with that fame and claimed that he only wanted people to read his books.

Kerouac died just 12 years after On the Road was published. He was suffering from liver problem, following years of heavy drinking largely brought on by his love-hate relationship with fame.

Kerouac, the creator of vivid characters such as Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty, died at a St Petersburg hospital in 1969, at the age of 47.

1.Why do people still write to Kerouac after his death?

A. His wife and mother still live in his home.

B. They are also suffering from serious illness.

C. People benefiting from his books want to say thanks.

D. People hope to learn how to deal with overnight fame.

2.What is On the Road probably about?

A. How to deal with becoming famous.

B. How vivid characters can be created.

C. Teaching people to appreciate his books.

D. Getting to know oneself better through travel.

3.What can we learn about Kerouac from the text?

A. He had great difficulty dealing with fame.

B. He was depressed because people didn’t read his books.

C. He drank a lot to celebrate his being famous for his works.

D. He was scolded because he promoted an alternative lifestyle.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

【解析】这是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了Kerouac 通过写作激励了垮掉的一代人。文章介绍了几本他的书，人们从他的书上受益匪浅。在他去世后近半个世纪，他仍然收到他的粉丝们的感谢信。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“He was the man who inspired the Beat Generation, and nearly half a century after his death Jack Kerouac is still receiving grateful letters from his fans”（他激励了垮掉的一代人，在他死后近半个世纪，Jack Kerouac仍然收到他的粉丝们的感谢信）可知，写信的人是为了感谢他的书让他们受益。故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段“They usually thank the author of On the Road for inspiring them to travel and be independent”（他们通常感谢《在路上》的作者鼓励他们去旅行和独立）可知，这本书主要讲人们通过旅行，更好的了解自己。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第七段“But after becoming a symbol and leader of the alternative lifestyle movement, he struggled with that fame and claimed that he only wanted people to read his books”（但当他成为另类生活方式运动的象征和领袖后，他却为这种名声挣扎，并声称他只是想让人们读他的书）可知，他在处理名誉方面有很大的困难。故选A。

【名师点睛】阅读理解旨在考查考生对于文章整体的理解与细节的把握与分析，要在了解整篇文章框架的基础上进行选择。本篇文章较简单，可直接通过题目在文中寻找答案。用细节定位法：细节理解题属于直接解答性问题，是阅读理解题中最简单的一类题。比如文章第1小题，根据第一段“He was the man who inspired the Beat Generation, and nearly half a century after his death Jack Kerouac is still receiving grateful letters from his fans”“他激励了被垮掉的那一代人，在他死后近半个世纪，Jack Kerouac 仍然收到他的粉丝们的感谢信”可知，写信是为了感谢他的书让人们受益，所以粉丝才会写grateful letters。故选C。