A
I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom completely lined with bookshelves. Most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part in and live in.
With this unshakable belief, I, at fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn’t and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.
Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (小说). As a law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter—the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn’t necessarily be able to have in my lifetime.
21. What can be inferred about the author as a child?
A. He never watched TV. B. He read what he had to.
C. He considered reading part of his life. D. He found reading unbelievable.
22. The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means “ ”.
A. an idea
B. a way of writing
C. a sound quality
D. a world to write about
23. What effect does reading have on the author?
A. It helps him to realize his dream.
B. It increases his interest in worldwide travel.
C. It makes his college life more interesting.
D. It opens up a widerworld for him.
24. Which of the following can be the best title of this text?
A. What do I read? B. How do I read? C. Why do I read? D. When do I read?
