A
I was about 30 years old and was working as a firefighter in the South Bronx’s Engine Co.82. It was a restful Sunday and between alarms I rushed to the office to read a copy of the New York Times. I read an article on the Book Review section which openly stated what I took to be a calumny (徘镑）-that William Butler Yeats had gone beyond his Irishness and was forever to be known as a universal poet. As I read it, my blood began to boil.
I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote out a letter of anger to the editor. Yeats had lived his life and written his poetry through the very essence of his Irish sensibility. It was offensive to think Irishness was something to be transcended (超越）. I don’t know why I felt it my duty to safeguard the reputation of the world’s greatest poet. I just knew that I had to write that letter.
After my letter got published, I received a letter from The New Yorker asking for an interview. When my article Fireman Smith appeared in that magazine, the editor of a large publishing firm called me, asking if I was interested in writing a book about my life. I had little confidence to write a whole book, though the subject was worthy. I wrote Report From Engine Co.82 in six months, and it sold really well. In the years that followed, I wrote three more best-sellers.
Being a writer had been far from my expectations. How had it happened? I often found myself thinking about it, and my thoughts always came back to that letter to the New York Times. For me, the writing was a natural consequence of the passion I felt and the subjects represented the great values burning within me as I wrote.
Your education and your experience will guide you toward making a right decision, but your passion will enable you to make a difference in whatever you do. That’s what I learned the day I stood up for Ireland’s greatest poet.
1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 imply?
A. I felt awkward when I read the article.
B. I felt angry at the statement in the article.
C. I became excited when I read about Yeats.
D. I was very proud of Yeats being a universal author.
2. Why did the author write to the New York Times?
A. To present his love for literature.
B. To spread Irish culture to the world.
C. To protect the reputation of an Irish poet.
D. To express his expectation of being a writer.
3. According to the author,what is the key to his success in writing?
A. His skills in arguing.
B. His educational background.
C. His passion for writing.
D. His experience as a firefighter.
4. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. My Journey to Be a Writer.
B. A Letter that Changed My Life.
C. How to Become a Great Author.
D. My Defense of Ireland’s Greatest Poet.
【答案】1. B 2. C 3. C 4. B
【解析】
本文是一篇记叙文，作者给《纽约时报》写信捍卫爱尔兰诗人Yeats的名誉，没想到这封信改变了作者的一生，从此走上了写作的道路。
【1题详解】
猜测词义题。根据第一段中的“I read an article on the Book Review section which openly stated what I took to be a calumny (徘镑）--that William Butler Yeats had gone beyond his Irishness …（我在书评区读到一篇文章，我认为这是公然的诽谤，说威廉·巴特勒·叶芝已经超越了他的爱尔兰身份…，）”及第三段中的“wrote out a letter of anger to the editor（给编辑写了一封表达愤怒的信。）”可知，那篇文章公开说Yeats超越了他的爱尔兰身份，作者认为这是一种诽谤，于是给编辑写了一封表达愤怒的信。由此判断出“As I read it, my blood began to boil（当我读到它时，我的血开始沸腾）”是因为作者认为这种说法是一种诽谤，读的时候非常愤怒。所以划线句子意为“对文章中的陈述感到愤怒”。故选B。
2题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中的“I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote out a letter of anger to the editor… I don’t know why I felt it my duty to safeguard the reputation of the world’s greatest poet. I just knew that I had to write that letter. ( 我抓起一张纸，给编辑写了一封愤怒的信…我不知道为什么我觉得维护世界上最伟大诗人的声誉是我的责任。我只知道我得写那封信。) ”可知，作者写信是认为自己有责任维护世界上最伟大的诗人的声誉。由此推断，作者给《纽约时报》写信是为了捍卫爱尔兰诗人Yeats的名誉。故选C。
【3题详解】
细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中“For me, the writing was a natural consequence of the passion I felt and the subjects represented the great values burning within me as I wrote.”可知对我来说，写作是我感受到的激情的自然结果，题材代表了我写作时内心燃烧的伟大价值。由此可知，作者认为，他写作成功的关键是他对写作的热情。故选C。
【4题详解】
主旨大意题。通读全文可知，作者某日在报纸上读到了一篇关于William Butler Yeats的书评，让作者非常生气，于是给编辑写了封信表达了自己的不满。结果收到回信，对方想让作者写一本关于自己生活的书，结果这本书意外大卖。作者的那封信改变了自己的一生。他从此走上了写作的道路。因此C项（改变“我”一生的一封信）符合文章内容，是最佳标题。故选B。
