Question

12．A Book Review-The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty
The setting：Urban England （the cities），but also rural England （the countryside） including remote English villages．
The theme：The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery，in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age．Its other concerns are love，getting on with others，being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts，troubles and worries．As the book moves to a close，James'swimming coach says to him："You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more．You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going．"
The characters：James is the hero of the story．He is a championship diver，and has a comfortable life with his foster parents （养父母）．Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother．The other characters in The Snake-Stone，James'parents，his diving instructor，best friend，the villagers，people he meets on his journey，are pictured realistically．
The turning point：The turning point in the story comes while James'foster parents are away in London，and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother．The only clue he has is a fossil，"the snake stone"which she left behind along with a note on which she had written："Take good care of Sammie．It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there．
The journey：Instead of going to London，James decides to find his birth mother．With help from his geography teacher，James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found．James has painful，challenging，but also humorous and happy travels．The mother he finally meets，Anne，has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel．He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger's door fifteen years before．Although the meeting is not long，it leaves him with a feeling of completeness．As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending．Its hero says，on returning to his foster parents，"I was home．"

61．What is the main theme of the novel？C
A．Life with foster parents．
B．Life in the world of diving．
C．A journey of self-discovery．
D．A travel around the country．
62．What do the coach's words in Paragraph 2suggest？D
A．James is a successful diver．
B．James is a hopeful swimmer．
C．James is an outgoing young man．
D．James is an independent young man．
63．The snake stone in the novel isB．
A．a stone with an address on it
B．a clue left by the birth mother
C．a gift from the swimming coach
D．a fossil left by the foster parents
64．Which of the following is true about the novel？C
A．The story has a sad ending．
B．The story takes place in the city of London．
C．The characters are vividly described．
D．The turning point comes after the hero meets his birth mother．
65．It can be concluded that James'journey isA．
A．worthwhile B．boring
C．comfortable D．disappointing．

Answer 1

分析 本文是应用文书评体．分别从背景，主题，角色以及其主要情节"发现之旅"方面介绍名著The Snake-stone．

解答 61．答案：C．段落大意题． 从第二段第一句"The theme：The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery，in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age．"以及最后一段最后一句"Its hero says，on returning to his foster parents，‘I was home．'"可以得知，该书主题体现在James寻找生身母亲的征途也就是战胜自我获得人生真谛的发现之旅．故选C．
62．答案：D．细节理解题． 从第二段最后两行"James'swimming coach says to him：‘You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more．You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going．'"James的游泳教练所说"你不能再像小孩一样，就知道循规蹈矩．你应该探索，像找定方向的年轻潜水员．"言外之意要James做一个独立的有个性的年轻人．故选D．
63．答案：B．细节理解题．根据The turning point 部分的"The only clue he has is a fossil，‘the snake stone'which she left behind along with a note on which she had written：‘Take good care of Sammie．'It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there．"可知，the snake stone是James生身母亲离开时留下的识别身份的见证物．故选B．
64．答案：C．细节理解题． 从最后一段倒数第二句"As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending．"可知A错误；从最后一段第一句中"Instead of going to London，"可知B错误：从the turning point段落中可知故事转折点是在James养父母离开他的时间，那时候还没找到他的生身母亲．故D错误；从第三段最后一句"The other characters in The Snake-Stone，James'parents，his diving instructor，best friend，the villagers，people he meets on his journey，are pictured realistically．"可知C正确．
65．答案：A．推理判断题． 从最后一段的第三句"James has painful，challenging，but also humorous and happy travels．"James的寻母征途是快乐而又有成就感的．可知这次旅游还是值得的．故选A．

点评 这篇书评的每段的内容都很明确，做题时要注意每段开头的提示．并且需要结合上下文提供的语境和信息进行简单的概括和判断．