Question

    One of the most inspiring quotes I ever heard was by Brian Tracy. He said: “The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people fail many more times than unsuccessful people.” I personally experienced the wisdom of that understanding right after my first book was published. Like many authors，I expected hundreds of bookstore customers lining up for me to sign copies for them. I’m afraid to say, it didn’t quite happen like that.

My first signing was arranged at the largest bookstore in the city. Filled with anticipation，I was put into a private signing room in the beautiful store. Despite a nice sign placed outside the room exhibiting images of both me and my book, not a single customer entered the room. As each minute passed, I became increasingly anxious.

Do they not like the title? I wondered. Do they not like the book cover?

After 90 minutes of this torture, I was absolutely distraught.

For the four years writing the book, I had felt a sense of mission and purpose like never before in my life. Working a full 8-hour day in my clinic, I had to get into bed by 9:30 pm every day, so I could wake up at 5:30 in the morning and have two hours of writing before heading into my clinic. Before I ever began each writing session, I would close my eyes for 10 minutes and then whisper, “Please grant me the words to touch just one person’s life”

Now, sitting there alone at my first book signing，I wondered if my entire life wasn’t just a big joke. At that moment, just when I couldn’t feel any worse, a middle-aged couple walked into the room. I managed to hide my emotions and introduced myself and my book. There was something different about the way they were looking at me that I couldn’t quite identify. But I didn’t know what else to say. The couple turned to each other, and the husband nodded to his wife. She then told me, “I think we’ll get the book.” My heart began to pound. But I realized the woman was trying to say something else.

“The reason we’re buying it，” she said hesitantly, “is because our son committed suicide two years ago. Maybe your story will help us get over it.”

At that moment, I knew if I never sold another copy of the book, my four years of writing it had served its purpose. Although I would have many more challenging years until my book caught on and sold well, this couple’s story was all the motivation I needed at that point to keep me moving ahead. Thanks to them, I would come to the realization that the greatest of lives are made all in the same way: One challenge... one hurdle... one step... and one small victory at a time.

1.The writer quotes Brian Tracy to emphasize the importance of _________.

A.conscience B.success

C.confidence D.perseverance

2.The word “distraught” (paragraph 4) probably means ________.

A.bored and impatient B.cheerful and proud

C.upset and disappointed D.miserable and ashamed

3.What can be inferred from paragraph 5?

A.The writer had to quit his job to make time for his writing.

B.The writer was not sure about the purpose of his writing at first.

C.The writing was completed with great self-discipline and efforts.

D.The process of writing the book was full of pains and frustration.

4.By saying “my four years of writing it had served its purpose”, the author probably means that _________.

A.he had succeeded in selling his first book to the couple

B.he had managed to touch someone’s life with his book

C.he was quite satisfied with the feedback of his readers

D.he had found someone who appreciated his writing

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.C

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇记叙文，讲述了在作者的新书签售会上，一对失去儿子的中年夫妇让他认识到生活中所有伟大的东西都是以挑战和障碍的方式创造出来的。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段中的“One of the most inspiring quotes I ever heard was by Brian Tracy. He said: “The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people fail many more times than unsuccessful people.””可知，布莱恩·特雷西说“成功的人和不成功的人的区别在于，成功的人失败的次数比不成功的人多得多”，言外之意，成功的人即使是失败了很多次仍然会坚持，由此可知，作者引用布莱恩·特雷西说的这句话就是为了强调坚持（对于成功）的重要性，故D项正确。

2.词义猜测题。根据画线词前的“Despite a nice sign placed outside the room exhibiting images of both me and my book, not a single customer entered the room. As each minute passed, I became increasingly anxious.”及“Do they not like the title? I wondered. Do they not like the book cover?”可知，尽管房间外面挂着一个漂亮的招牌，上面有作者和他的书的照片，但没有一个顾客走进房间，随着时间的流逝，作者变得越来越焦虑，他在想“他们不喜欢这个标题吗？他们不喜欢这本书的封面吗？”，这样胡思乱想了一个半小时，作者一定会感到心烦意乱（既沮丧又失望），由此可知画线词词义为“沮丧和失望”，故C项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据第五段中的“For the four years writing the book, I had felt a sense of mission and purpose like never before in my life. Working a full 8-hour day in my clinic, I had to get into bed by 9:30 pm every day, so I could wake up at 5:30 in the morning and have two hours of writing before heading into my clinic.”可知，在写这本书的四年里，作者感到了一种前所未有的使命感，在诊所工作了整整8个小时后他每天晚上9:30就得上床睡觉，这样就可以在早上5:30醒来，在去诊所之前有两个小时的写作时间，由此可知作者的这本书是在他的自律和努力下完成的，故C项正确。

4.词句猜测题。倒数第二段那位女士说他们的儿子两年前自杀了，他觉得作者的书会帮助他们度过这段黑暗期，再结合第五段中的“Before I ever began each writing session, I would close my eyes for 10 minutes and then whisper, “Please grant me the words to touch just one person’s life””可知，每次在开始写作之前，作者都会闭上眼睛10分钟，然后低声说:“请给我一些话，让我触动一个人的生活，因此作者说“花了四年时间写的这本书已经达到了它的目的”的意思就是他设法用他的书来触动某个人（这对中年夫妇）的生活，故B项正确。