A
If you have difficulty deciding on your book list, the following ideas shared by some great talents might help you out.
Read books from eras past // Albert Einstein
Keeping up with current events and latest books from the bestseller list is a big job, but Albert Einstein thought it was vital to leave some room for older works, too. Otherwise, you’d be “completely dependent on the prejudices and fashions of your times,” he wrote in a 1952 journal article.
Don’t jump too quickly from book to book // Seneca
Seneca, a first-century Roman Stoic philosopher, believed that reading too wide a variety in too short a time would keep the teachings from leaving a lasting impression on you. “You must spend much time among a limited number of master thinkers, if you would gain ideas which shall win firm hold in your mind,” he wrote.
Shop at secondhand bookstores // Virginia Woolf
In her essay Street Haunting, Virginia Woolf described the benefits of shopping in secondhand bookstores, where the works “have come together in vast flocks of various feather, and have a charm which the carefully chosen books of the library lack.”
According to Woolf, looking through used books gives you the chance to come across something that wouldn’t have risen to the attention of librarians and booksellers, who are often much more selective in building their collections than secondhand bookstore owners.
You can skip outdated science works, but not old literature // Edward Lytton
19th-century British novelist and Parliamentarian Edward Lytton was a firm believer in the value of reading old literature.
“In science, read, by preference, the newest works; in literature, the oldest,” he wrote in his 1863 essay collection Caxtoniana. “The classic literature is always modern. New books revive and redecorate old ideas; old books suggest and inspire new ideas.”
1. Who held the idea that great works should be digested?
A. Albert Einstein. B. Seneca.
C. Virginia Woolf. D. Edward Lytton.
2. What attracted Virginia Woolf to secondhand bookstores?
A. A lower price. B. A wider range.
C. A more careful collection. D. A better service.
3. How did Edward Lytton find the classic literature?
A. Interesting. B. Outdated.
C. Challenging. D. Valuable.
【答案】1. B 2. B 3. D
【解析】
【分析】这是一篇应用文。如果你在确定你的书单上有困难，以下一些伟大的天才分享的想法可能会帮助你。短文对此进行了介绍。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据Don’t jump too quickly from book to book // Seneca中的“Seneca, a first-century Roman Stoic philosopher, believed that reading too wide a variety in too short a time would keep the teachings from leaving a lasting impression on you. “You must spend much time among a limited number of master thinkers, if you would gain ideas which shall win firm hold in your mind,” he wrote.” 公元一世纪的古罗马斯多葛派哲学家Seneca认为，在短时间内读书太杂会让自己无法长久铭记从书中获得的教益。他在给罗马作家卢西利厄斯的信中写道：“你必须花时间品读少数几位伟大思想家的作品，这样才能让教益常驻心间。由此可知，Seneca认为伟大的作品应该被消化。故选B项。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据Shop at secondhand bookstores // Virginia Woolf中的“In her essay Street Haunting, Virginia Woolf described the benefits of shopping in secondhand bookstores, where the works “have come together in vast flocks of various feather, and have a charm which the carefully chosen books of the library lack.””可知，弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙在她的散文《街头漫步》中描述了在二手书店买书的好处，在那里各种书籍“像斑驳的羽毛一样堆在一起，这种魅力正是图书馆里中规中矩的藏书所欠缺的。”由此可知，范围更广的图书引了弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫去二手书店。故选B项。
【3题详解】
细节理解题。根据You can skip outdated science works, but not old literature // Edward Lytton中的“19th-century British novelist and Parliamentarian Edward Lytton was a firm believer in the value of reading old literature.”可知，19世纪英国小说家、议会议员爱德华·鲍沃尔-李敦是古文学价值的坚定信徒。由此可知，爱德华·鲍沃尔-李敦认为古典文学是有价值的。故选D项。
