Question

    In June 1936,a great novel was published.It gave the world a sense of the Old South,an unforgettable heroine and(in the movie version)the classic phrase,"Frankly,my dear,I don't give it a damn.”

That book is Margaret Mitchell' s(1900-1949)Gone With the Wind,which sold one million copies in its first six months,won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937 and brought an explosion of unexpected and undesired fame to its author.It is not in reality the second best-selling book of all-time,behind only the Bible,as generations of Atlantans have claimed,but it does stand as one of the most astonishing victories in the history of publishing.To be specific,more than 30 million copies of the novel are in print worldwide nowadays.

Mitchell,a former newspaper reporter who used to listen to Civil War stories,declared herself to be thoroughly puzzled by the popularity her only book met with.She thought it might appeal to a limited readership,or at worst sell a thousand copies to family and friends.Instead, however,the book now has more than 1,000 foreign-language editions.

“It appeals to different cultures on different levels,"says Pamela Roberts,who had made a film about the author."On the one hand,it's a great story that wins over young women' s hearts with this charming heroine Scarlett O'Hara who did things her way.The other appeal is the theme of survival.Gone With the Wind has inspired people around the world who have lived through war or suffered under cruel governing."

Two years after the book was published,Mitchell was asked if she was writing anything else,or intended to.She said she had been so busy answering the phone,the doorbell and her fan mail that she had not had the time to.She added that"being the author of Gone With the Wind is a full-time job,and most days it is an overtime job filling appointments and meeting visitors."

The fame which came with her book brought her around$1,000,000 in book copyrights. movie rights and other related returns in less than four years,but disturbed her way of living. Asked about her ambitions at the height of the fame of Gone With the Wind,for someone who hated publicity,Mitchell said that she hoped to put on weight,become fat and accessible and grow old gracefully.

The comment which greeted her work was not all in praise,although much of it was applauded.Whatever future generations may decide as to its value,Mitchell wrote a book which was the most outstanding bestseller ever written by an unknown author of a first novel.

1.Which of the followings statements is true as to the success of the novel?

A.It's the second best-selling book of all time,behind only the Bible.

B.It's the most astonishing success in the history of publishing.

C.More man 30 million copies of the novel were sold in its first 6 months.

D.The novel brought unexpected and undesired popularity to its author.

2.How did Mitchell feel at the popularity of the book?

A.Delighted. B.Confused.

C.Relieved. D.Embarrassed.

3.What contributes to the universal appeal of the book?

A.The theme of the novel and the charm of the heroine.

B.The fact that the book is set in the Old South.

C.Mitchell' s personal popularity as a novelist.

D.Praise from different cultures on different levels.

4.We can infer from the text that Margaret Mitchell_______

A.is an ambitious novelist B.enjoys public attention

C.is very confident of her novel D.desires her usual way of living

5.What is the best title of the passage?

A.Mystery behind Margaret' s Success B.Gone with the Wind

C.Someone Never Gone with the Wind D.Forever Heroine:Scarlett O'Hara

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.D

5.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章讲述了一部伟大的小说《乱世佳人》的受欢迎情况，介绍了畅销的原因，以及作者米歇尔的情况。

1.

细节理解题。在第二段中，根据“It is not in reality the second best-selling book of all-time,behind only the Bible”事实上，它并不是历史上仅次于《圣经》的第二畅销书，可知，A选项“它是有史以来第二畅销的书，仅次于《圣经》”错误；根据“but it does stand as one of the most astonishing victories in the history of publishing.”但它确实是出版史上最惊人的胜利之一。B选项“这是出版史上最惊人的成功。”，这本书是出版史上成功的作品之一，并不是唯一那个，所以B选项错误；根据“which sold one million copies in its first six months”头六个月就卖了一百万本，可知，C选项“这本小说在头6个月就卖出了3000万册。”错误；“That book…brought an explosion of unexpected and undesired fame to its author.”那本书……给作者带来了意想不到的名声。可知，这部小说使作者意想不到的受欢迎。故选D项。

2.

细节理解题。根据文章第三段“Mitchell…declared herself to be thoroughly puzzled by the popularity her only book met with.”米歇尔……她说自己对自己唯一的一本书如此受欢迎感到非常困惑。可知，米歇尔对这本书的受欢迎程度感到困惑。故选B项。

3.

细节理解题。根据文章第四段““It appeals to different cultures on different levels,"says Pamela Roberts,who had made a film about the author."On the one hand,it's a great story that wins over young women' s hearts with this charming heroine Scarlett O'Hara who did things her way.The other appeal is the theme of survival.Gone With the Wind has inspired people around the world who have lived through war or suffered under cruel governing."”“它在不同的层面上迎合不同的文化，” 曾拍过一部关于作者的电影的帕梅拉·罗伯茨说，“一方面，这是一个伟大的故事，用自己的方式做事的魅力女主人公斯嘉丽奥哈拉赢得了年轻女性的心。另一个吸引人的地方是生存的主题。《乱世佳人》鼓舞了世界各地经历过战争或在残酷统治下受苦的人们。”可知，小说的主题和女主人公的魅力促成了这本书的普遍吸引力。故选A项。

4.

推理判断题。根据第五段可知，这本书的名气扰乱了米歇尔的生活方式，尤其是第六段“Mitchell said that she hoped to put on weight,become fat and accessible and grow old gracefully.”米歇尔说，她希望体重增加，变胖，变得容易接近，优雅地变老。可以推断，米歇尔渴望平常的生活方式。故选D项。

5.

主旨大意题。根据文章内容可知，文章讲述了一部伟大的小说《乱世佳人》的受欢迎情况，介绍了畅销的原因，以及作者米歇尔的情况。尤其是根据最后一段“Whatever future generations may decide as to its value,Mitchell wrote a book which was the most outstanding bestseller”无论未来的人们如何评价它的价值，米歇尔写了一本最杰出的畅销书。可以推断，这篇文章的作者对《乱世佳人》以及米歇尔的评价很高，C选项包含的意思就是这本书将永远流传，同时切合书的名字，符合题意；A选项虽然确实提到成功的因素，但并不是着重说成功的秘诀；B就是书的标题，过于宽泛；D侧重于介绍女主角，但文中一笔带过。故选C项。