A
Kwame Alexander is a bestselling author of 24 books. His novel in verse (诗体) The Crossover won the Newbery Medal in 2015, and was followed by another verse novel in 2016, Booked. In the justreleased The Playbook：52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life, Alexander aims to inspire readers to dream big and reach for their goals.
Time For Kids(TFK)：
What can you tell us about The Playbook?
Kwame Alexander：
I want to write a book about how important it is to persevere (坚持) and accept the challenges that come, because they only make you stronger. And I wanted to do it in a really cool and fun way, using sports as a metaphor (隐喻), so students would be interested in reading a book that is telling them how to make their lives better.
TFK：
Where did you get the idea for the book?
Kwame Alexander：
In The Crossover, the father of the main characters, Josh and Jordan, gives them these rules for life, called Basketball Rules. Well, I was having breakfast with a friend of mine in New York City. He said, “Kwame, I love those Basketball Rules you have in The Crossover. You should think about writing a whole book on those.” That's where it all began.
TEK：
Is it hard to mix sports and poetry?
Kwame Alexander：
I love sports, and I've been writing poetry since I was a kid. So those two things are as natural to me as breathing, laughing and walking.
TFK：
You've said teachers need to make learning poetry fun. Did you have a teacher like this as a kid?
Kwame Alexander：
My mom. She read poetry to my sisters and me when I was a kid, and she would make the words jump off the page!
TFK：
What advice would you give to young writers?
Kwame Alexander：
Read everything you can get your hands on. The best way to become a good writer is to read what other people have written.
本文是一篇应用文体——访谈。短文的内容是对获奖畅销书作家Kwame Alexander的采访。
21．Who inspired Alexander to write The Playbook?
A．His mom who read poetry to him.
B．The teacher who taught him poetry.
C．The two characters in The Crossover.
D．His friend who read The Crossover.
答案：D
解析：细节理解题。由文中“a friend of mine...love those Basketball Rules...think about writing a whole book on those.”等内容可知，一位读过Alexander诗体小说The Crossover的朋友非常喜欢其中的Basketball Rules，因而启发他创作了The Playbook。
22．When Alexander was a kid, how did he feel about poetry?
A．It was very interesting. B．It was quite difficult.
C．It was pretty mysterious. D．It was rather boring.
答案：A
解析：推理判断题。由文中的“I've been writing poetry since I was a kid”和“...make the words jump off the page！”可知，小时候常常给Alexander读诗的妈妈能使那些诗词跃然纸上，由此推测在妈妈的影响下，从小就喜欢写诗的Alexander觉得诗歌很有意思。
23．In Alexander's mind, what's important to become a good writer?
A．Always have a big dream.
B．Read as much as possible.
C．Gladly accept challenges.
D．Have a wide knowledge of poetry.
答案：B
解析：细节理解题。根据最后一部分Alexander给那些想成为作家的年轻人的建议“Read everything you can get your hands on.”可知答案非B莫属。
