Ralph Ellison’s novel, “Invisible（看不见的） Man”, was published in nineteen fifty-two. Ellison was at once called a major new writer. The book won the National Book Award, a high and rare honor for a first novel.

       Since then millions of copies have been printed .The book is still used in many universities and other schools. One professor said that he has used the book in his teaching for twenty-five years. He said that each time he returns to “Invisible Man” he finds new ideas in it.

       After “Invisible Man” was published, Ralph Ellison taught at a number of universities. He retired from Now York University in nineteen eighty .While he was alive ,he published only two other books .They were books of criticism（批判）and essays ,called “Shadow and Act” and “Going to the Territory”.

       Ralph Ellison died in nineteen ninety-four, at the age of eighty. After his death, a book of his stories, “Flying Home” ,was published .Shortly before his death ,Ellison had told someone that his second novel was almost finished .He had worked on the novel for forty years without finishing it.

       Parts of the book had appeared in magazines during the nineteen sixties and seventies. Ellison had to rewrite the novel after a large part of it was burned in a fire at his home in nineteen sixty-seven. The novel was said to be two thousand pages long. Finally ,his friend John Callahan put the book together after Ellison died. The novel was published in nineteen ninety-nine. It was called “Juneteenth”.

       Since “Invisible Man” was published ,many American writers have said how much Ellison influenced them.

       In nineteen ninety, another black writer, Charies Johnson, was given the National Book Award. In receiving the prize, Johnson thanked Ralph Ellison for leading the way for black writers. Ellison was present at the ceremony .He thanked Johnson. Then he expressed his belief that black writers should not be influenced only by other black writers. He said:

       “You do not write out of your skin. You write out of your ideas and the quality of your mind.”

1．Which of the following statements about “Invisible Man” may NOT be right?

       A．It was written when Ellison was a professor New York University.

       B．It was Ellison’s first novel.

       C．It was still in use when the above passage appeared.

       D．It was so successful that it won itself a place in American literature.

2．According to the passage, “Juneteenth”        .

       A．is written by John Callahan

       B．is Ellison’s second novel

       C．was published in Ellison’s seventies

       D．was published 10 yours after his death?

3．What can we infer from the passage?

       A．Ellison was a great white writer.

       B．“Flying Home” is one of Ellison’s novels.

       C．It took half of Ellison’s life time to write “Juneteenth”.

       D．Ellison didn’t live to see the publication of “Shadow and Act” and “Going to the

Territory”.

4．We can see from the passage, when Ellison’s first novel appeared, he was in his    .

       A．twenties              B．thirties                 C．forties                 D．fifties

 (西安交大附中2007—2008学年度下学期高三第四次模拟考试D篇)

Ralph Ellison’s novel, “Invisible（看不见的） Man”, was published in nineteen fifty-two. Ellison was at once called a major new writer. The book won the National Book Award ,a high and rare honor for a first novel.

       Since then millions of copies have been printed .The book is still used in many universities and other schools. One professor said that he has used the book in his teaching for twenty-five years. He said that each time he returns to “Invisible Man” he finds new ideas in it.

       After “Invisible Man” was published ,Ralph Ellison taught at a number of universities. He retired from Now York University in nineteen eighty .While he was alive ,he published only two other books .They were books of criticism（批判）and essays ,called “Shadow and Act” and “Going to the Territory”.

       Ralph Ellison died in nineteen ninety-four ,at the age of eighty. After his death ,a book of his stories, “Flying Home” ,was published .Shortly before his death ,Ellison had told someone that his second novel was almost finished .He had worked on the novel for forty years without finishing it.

       Parts of the book had appeared in magazines during the nineteen sixties and seventies. Ellison had to rewrite the novel after a large part of it was burned in a fire at his home in nineteen sixty-seven. The novel was said to be two thousand pages long. Finally ,his friend John Callahan put the book together after Ellison died. The novel was published in nineteen ninety-nine. It was called “Juneteenth”.

       Since “Invisible Man” was published ,many American writers have said how much Ellison influenced them.

       In nineteen ninety ,another black writer ,Charies Johnson ,was given the National Book Award. In receiving the prize ,Johnson thanked Ralph Ellison for leading the way for black writers. Ellison was present at the ceremony .He thanked Johnson. Then he expressed his belief that black writers should not be influenced only by other black writers. He said:

       “You do not write out of your skin. You write out of your ideas and the quality of your mind.”

53．Which of the following statements about “Invisible Man” may NOT be right?

       A．It was written when Ellison was a professor New York University.

       B．It was Ellison’s first novel.

       C．It was still in use when the above passage appeared.

       D．It was so successful that it won itself a place in American literature.

54．According to the passage, “Juneteenth”        .

       A．is written by John Callahan

       B．is Ellison’s second novel

       C．was published in Ellison’s seventies

       D．was published 10 yours after his death

55．What can we infer from the passage?

       A．Ellison was a great white writer.

       B．“Flying Home” is one of Ellison’s novels.

       C．It took half of Ellison’s life time to write “Juneteenth”.

       D．Ellison didn’t live to see the publication of “ Shadow and Act” and “Going to the

Territory”.

56．We can see from the passage ,when Ellison’s first novel appeared ,he was in his    .

       A．twenties              B．thirties                 C．forties                 D．fifties

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mum, you must come and see the daffodils （水仙花）before they are over.” I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Lake Arrowhead. “I will go next Tuesday,” I promised, a little unwillingly, on her third call.

    The next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, “Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible （看不见的）in the cloud and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see!”

    My daughter smiled calmly and said, “We drive in this weather all the time, Mum. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”

    After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read “Daffodil Garden”.

    We got out of the car and each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most beautiful sight! There were five acres of flowers! “But who has done this?” I asked Carolyn. “It’s just one woman,” Carolyn answered. “That’s her home,” Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio （庭院）, we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline.

    The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs （鳞茎）,” it read. The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman.” The third answer was, “Began in 1958.”

    I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than fifty years before, had begun -- one bulb at a time -- to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top.

The author didn’t go to see the daffodils at first because _________.

    A. she was not interested in them

    B. they were growing on the mountain top

    C. the weather was not good enough

    D. it was not easy for her to drive there

What do we know about the woman living in the A-frame house?

    A. She must be out of mind.

    B. She acted as a gardener there.

    C. It took her great determination to grow the daffodils.

    D. She was poor and made her living by selling daffodils.

What could the author probably learn from this experience?

    A. Nothing is too difficult if you put your heart into it.

    B. We must put the interests of others above our own.

    C. We can change the world by growing flowers.

    D. It’s never too late to learn.

What would be the best title for the passage?

    A. An Unforgettable Experience.         B. Beautiful Daffodils.

C. One Bulb at a Time.                 D. I Love Daffodils.

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mum, you must come and see the daffodils （水仙花）before they are over.” I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Lake Arrowhead. “I will go next Tuesday,” I promised, a little unwillingly, on her third call.
The next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, “Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible （看不见的）in the cloud and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see!”
My daughter smiled calmly and said, “We drive in this weather all the time, Mum. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read “Daffodil Garden”.
We got out of the car and each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most beautiful sight! There were five acres of flowers! “But who has done this?” I asked Carolyn. “It’s just one woman,” Carolyn answered. “That’s her home,” Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio （庭院）, we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking” was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs （鳞茎）,” it read. The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman.” The third answer was, “Began in 1958.”
I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than fifty years before, had begun -- one bulb at a time -- to bring the beauty and joy to the mountain top.
【小题1】The author didn’t go to see the daffodils at first because _________.