Robert Frost was one of America’s best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life.

He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early  childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America’s Civil War. The general’s name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general.

    Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost’s childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost’s father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim (受害者) of his anger.

    Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert’s grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry.

    Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs  he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing.

    In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy’s Will. When it appeared in 1913. Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country.

    Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost’s second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston.

1.The followings are writers EXCEPT ________.

A. Robert Edward Lee                 B. Robert Lee Frost

C. Ernest Hemingway                  D. Ezra Pound

2.The passage wrote about Hemingway in order to show that

A. he had great influence on Frost’s poetry and life

B. Frost’ s poetry style was the same as Hemingway’s

C. Frost was unhappy because he was the victim of his father

D. Frost spent his childhood unhappily

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Once Frost’s first book was published he gained great praise in his country.

B. After leaving Harvard University, he began to learn to write poetry.

C. Frost was found lo have a gift in poetry while he studied in high school.

D. Robert Frost’s father was angry and drank a lot because he didn’t realize his dream.

4.What’s the passage mainly about?

A. Robert Frost’s unhappy childhood. B. Robert Frost’s first and second book.

C. Robert Frost’s family and jobs.  D. Robert Frost’s life and poetry.

 

When middle-aged Alex gave up his job and made up his mind to become a self-employed writer, no one could tell surely whether he would succeed or not.He found a cold storage room in a building, set up a used typewriter and settled down to work.

    After a year or so, however, Alex began to doubt himself.He found it was difficult to earn his living by selling what he wrote.But Alex determined to put his dream to the test-even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure.This is the shadow land (虚幻世界) of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there.

    One day Alex got a call, "We need an assistant, and we're paying $ 6,000 a year." $ 6,000 was real money in 1960.It would enable Alex to get a nice apartment, a used car and more.Besides, he could write in his spare time.As the dollars were dancing in Alex's head, something cleared his senses.He had dreamed of being a fulltime writer."Thanks, but no," Alex said firmly and swiftly.

    After Alex got off the phone, he pulled out everything he had: two cans of vegetables and 18 cents.Alex put the cans and cents into a paper bag, saying to himself," There's everything you've made of yourself so far.I'm not sure I ever felt so low."

    Finally his work was published in 1970.Instantly he had the kind of fame and success that few writers ever experience.The shadows had turned into focus of attention.

    Then one day, Alex found a box filled with things he had owned years before.Inside was a paper bag with two cans and 18 cents.Suddenly he pictured himself working in that cold storage room.It reminds Alex, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence (坚毅) it takes to stay the course (坚持到底)in the shadow land.

1.Why did Alex give up his job?

    A.Because he didn't like the working conditions.

    B.Because he couldn't earn enough to make a living.

    C.Because he felt he had no potential in his job.

    D.Because he wanted to be a full-time writer.

2.What did Alex express when he answered the call?

    A.He refused the job offer.

    B.He was willing to give them a hand.

    C.He expected them to pay him more money.

    D.He would write in his spare time.

3.What kind of person is Alex?

    A.Determined.  B.Modest.      C.Shy.     D.Brave.

4.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage ?

    A.Look before you leap.               B.Two heads are better, than one.

    C.Hold on to your dream, and it will come true.   D.A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

 

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

   The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let Jack use my house.” It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of a horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.”

    That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch.He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.”

    He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, "See me after class.”

1.Why can the writer use Roberts's house to raise money for youth at risk programs?

  A. Because they are good friends.

  B .Because Monty Roberts has a poor childhood.

  C. Because Monty Roberts like to help youth.

  D. Because the youth has the same dream as Montv Roberts.

2.What do you think of Monty Koberts' goal of a horse ranch at that time?

  A. dream     B. romantic    C. real    D. false

3.What would happen after the teacher gave a note "See me after class.”?

  A. Monty Roberts got very angry at this.

  B. The teacher would criticize him.

  C. The teacher wanted to tell him that his dream would come true.

  D. The teacher would encourage him.

 

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