When I was fifteen，I announced to my English class that I was going to write my own books．Half the students smiled unkindly， 1  nearly fell out of their chairs laughing．“Don’t be  2 ，only geniuses can become writers，” the English teacher said，“And you are getting a D this term．” I was so ashamed I burst into  3 ．That night I wrote a short sad poem about broken dreams and mailed it to the newspaper．To my  4 ，they published it and sent me two dollars．I was a published and paid writer．I showed my teacher and fellow students．They laughed，“Just plain dumb luck，” the teacher said．I  5  success．I’d sold the first thing I’d  6  written．That was more than any of them had done and if it was just dumb luck that was fine with me．

During the next two years I sold dozens of poems and letters．By the time I graduated from high school，I had scrapbooks （剪贴簿）  7  my published works．I never  8  my writing to my teachers，friends or my family  9  because they were dream killers．

I had four children at the time． 10  the children slept，I typed on my ancient typewriter．I wrote what I felt．It took nine months．I chose a  11  and mailed it．A month later I received a contract，an advance on payments，and a request to start  12 another book．Crying Wind，became a best seller，was translated into fifteen languages and sold worldwide．My first book also became  13  reading in native American schools in Canada．

The  14  year I ever had as a writer I earned two dollars．In my best year I earned 36，000 dollars．People ask what college I  15 ，what degrees I had and what qualifications I have to be a writer．The answer is: “None．” I just write．I’m not a genius．I use an electric typewriter that I paid a hundred and twenty nine dollars  16  six years ago．I do all the housework and  17  my writing in a few minutes here and there．I’ve written eight books．To all those who dream of writing，I’m shouting at you: “Yes，you can．Don’t listen to them．” I don’t write right  18 I’ve succeeded．Writing is  19 ，it’s fun and anyone can do it． 20 ，a little dumb luck doesn’t hurt．

1．A．other                    B．others                 C．the other             D．the rest

2．A．silly                      B．curious                C．excited                D．depressed

3．A．laughter                B．tears                   C．song                   D．cheers

4．A．puzzlement            B．disappointment     C．expectation          D．astonishment

5．A．tasted                   B．met                     C．accepted             D．considered

6．A．yet                       B．never                  C．even                   D．ever

7．A．crowded with        B．filled with            C．combined with     D．linked with

8．A．remembered          B．concluded            C．mentioned           D．described

9．A．again                    B．instead                C．still                     D．merely

10．A．Though               B．Before                 C．Until                   D．While

11．A．writer                  B．reporter               C．publisher             D．manager

12．A．working on          B．going on              C．turning on           D．putting on

13．A．requested            B．required               C．demanded            D．reminded

14．A．busiest                B．worse                 C．worst                  D．highest

15．A．attended              B．took                    C．admitted              D．participated

16．A．out                     B．to                       C．by                      D．for

17．A．keep                   B．fit                       C．save                    D．hold

18．A．or                       B．so                       C．and                     D．but

19．A．easy                    B．hard                    C．convenient           D．practical

20．A．On the contrary   B．Of course            C．As a result           D．In this way

When I was fifteen, I announced to my English class that I was going to write my own books．Half the students sneered（冷笑）, the（36）nearly fell out of their chairs laughing. “Don’t be silly, （37）geniuses（天才）can become writers,” the English teacher said ， “And you are getting a D this term,” I was so （38）that I burst into tears.
That night I wrote a short（39）poem about broken dreams and mailed it to the newspaper. To my（40）, they published it and sent me two dollars. I was a published and（41）writer. I showed my teacher and fellow students. They （42）. “Just plain dumb luck,” the teacher said. I tasted （43）. I’d sold the first thing I’d ever written. That was more than any of them had done and if it was just dumb luck, that was （44） with me.
During the next two years I sold dozens of （45）, letters, jokes and recipes. By the time I （46） from high school, with a C minus average, I had scrapbooks filled with my published work. I （47） mentioned my writing to my teachers, friends or my family again. They were dream killers and （48） people must choose between their friends and their dreams, they must always choose their （49）.
I had four children at the time, and the oldest was only four. I wrote what I felt. It （50） nine months, just like a pregnant woman. I mailed it without a sell addressed stamped （51） and without making a copy of the manuscript.
A month later I received a（n）（52）, and a request to start working on another book. The worst year I earned two dollars. In my best year I earned 36,000 dollars. （53）years I earned between five thousand and ten thousand. No, it isn’t enough to live （54）, but it’s still more than I’d make working part time. People ask what college I（55）, what degrees I had and what qualifications I have to be a writer. The answer is: “None.” I just write. I’m not a genius.

When I was fifteen, I announced to my English class that I was going to write my own books．Half the students sneered（冷笑）, the（36）nearly fell out of their chairs laughing. “Don’t be silly, （37）geniuses（天才）can become writers,” the English teacher said ， “And you are getting a D this term,” I was so （38）that I burst into tears.

That night I wrote a short（39）poem about broken dreams and mailed it to the newspaper. To my（40）, they published it and sent me two dollars. I was a published and（41）writer. I showed my teacher and fellow students. They （42）. “Just plain dumb luck,” the teacher said. I tasted （43）. I’d sold the first thing I’d ever written. That was more than any of them had done and if it was just dumb luck, that was （44） with me.

During the next two years I sold dozens of （45）, letters, jokes and recipes. By the time I （46） from high school, with a C minus average, I had scrapbooks filled with my published work. I （47） mentioned my writing to my teachers, friends or my family again. They were dream killers and （48） people must choose between their friends and their dreams, they must always choose their （49）.

I had four children at the time, and the oldest was only four. I wrote what I felt. It （50） nine months, just like a pregnant woman. I mailed it without a sell addressed stamped （51） and without making a copy of the manuscript.

A month later I received a（n）（52）, and a request to start working on another book. The worst year I earned two dollars. In my best year I earned 36,000 dollars. （53）years I earned between five thousand and ten thousand. No, it isn’t enough to live （54）, but it’s still more than I’d make working part time. People ask what college I（55）, what degrees I had and what qualifications I have to be a writer. The answer is: “None.” I just write. I’m not a genius.

Liu Jiaoyang, 16, carefully winds a bobbin（绕线筒） with thread, places it on her sewing machine （缝纫机） and then presses her foot down to begin sewing．While she' s doing this, she pretends to guide fabric （布料）through the machine．Liu looks forward to the class when she can work on a piece of real cloth, and make a beautiful dress．
Each Tuesday afternoon, after the bell rings for the fourth period, Liu becomes a fashion designer．At the same time, the rest of the students at the High School Attached to Yunnan Normal University in Kunming are also having classes a little bit different from the usual ones．Some students dance, others create robots, and still others review films．These are just a few of the other 27 elective （选修的） courses besides Liu's sewing class that the school began to offer last month．
"The fashion design class has become the bright point of my week．I learn how to choose colors and fabrics （织物） as well as sewing and sketching （素描） skills．It's all helping me to realize the dream of becoming a fashion designer I' ve had since I was a little girl, " Liu said．
Design is Liu' s favorite, but for other students the electives are interesting lessons which relieve （舒缓） the pressures of schoolwork．Some students, for example, are learning how to play bridge．Chen Xi,15, is one of them．She said, "Many people think that playing a card game like this in class is a waste of time．But in fact, bridge is a very challenging game that helps develop memory and math skills．"
【小题1】How often do the students have elective classes?
A．Once a week   B．Once a month   C．Once a term    D．Once a year
【小题2】How many elective courses had the school offered by last month?