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Subject Slimming down classics?

Mr.

Handsome

2007-5-12&24

AM

Orion Books,which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics(经典著作),is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L.Tolstoy,M.Mitchell and C.Bronte.Now,each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to   40   per cent of the original,with words,sentences,paragraphs and,in a few cases,chapters removed.The first six shortened editions,all priced at £6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”,will go on sale next month,with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow.The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions.

Mr.

Edwards

2007-5-12

9:40 AM

Well,I’m publisher of Orion Group.Thanks for your attention,Mr.Handsome.

I must say,the idea developed from a game of “shame”in my office.Each of us was required to confess(承认)to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading.I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times.One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping(跳读)Jane Eyre.We realised that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones.

As a leading publishing house,we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions.They are still there if you want to read them.

Ms.Weir

2007-5-12

11:35 AM

I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk.

Mr.Edwards,I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air.I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina,because it’s just so long.I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book.I am looking forward to more shortened classics!

Mr.

Crockatt

2007-5-124:38 PM

I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell.

In my opinion,the practice is completely ridiculous.How can you edit the classics?I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work,and that is why you have to develop as a reader.If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina,then fine.But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing.

According to the message board,Orinon Books_______.

A.opposes the reading of original classics

B.is embarrassed for cutting down classics

C.thinks cut-down classics have a bright future

D.is cautious in its decision to cut down classics

In Mr.Edwards’ opinion,Orion Group is shortening classics to_______.

A.make them easier to read

B.meet a large demand in the market

C.increase the sales of literary books

D.compete with their original versions

By describing the shortened classics as “a breath of fresh air”,Ms.Weir_______.

A.speaks highly of the cut-down classics

B.shows gailty of the original classics

C.feels guilty of not reading the classics

D.disapproves of shortening the classics

Mr.Crockatt seems to imply that_______.

A.reading the classic works is a confusing attempt

B.shortening the classics does harm to the original

C.publishing the cub-down classics is a difficult job

D.editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs

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“Tomorrow is another day”---- this line has impressed various people at various times. It's now 70 years after it appeared in the film, but it still seems to hold its power especially during an economic downturn.
The phrase comes from a film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's successful 1936 novel Gone With the Wind. It's set in the American South and tells the story of a strong heroine, Scarlett O' Hara, who struggles to find love during the Civil War and, afterwards, of her strength in surviving the war and its hardships.
Love story 
In a moment of despair, Scarlett finally realizes that her love belongs to Rhett Butler. For many audiences, it is the theme of love and struggle that has kept the movie alive. While the burning of Atlanta might seem irrelevant to today's viewers, the timeless theme of love keeps its ability to touch people.
With a promise to her lover still in her mind, Scarlett chooses to stay in the midst of war and take care of Melanie. But her heart is broken when Rhett just walks away, leaving the woman that he once loved with cruel words, "Frankly, dear, I don' t give a damn."
Great epic
The film shows the love-hate relationship of these characters, but also American history, the fall of the Confederacy and the following period of Reconstruction in the South. The background made this film a true classic in the epic genre.
When the film opened after World War II, French viewers loved it, and it reminded them of their fight against the Nazis. In 1940 Shanghai, during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, people stood in line for hours to watch this film, and saw the same suffering they were having as well as the hope and possibility of building a new homeland from the ruins.
Each nationality could identify with the story and see it as a victory. In fact, Gone With the Wind never lost its charm and ability to inspire and amaze.
Biggest of all time
The film had five directors, 15-plus screenwriters, and an unexpected $3.9 million budget. The film brought in $ 200 million, which makes it the biggest selling film of all times in North America. It also won 10 Academy awards in 1940.
【小题1】The underlined "it" in the first paragraph refers to _______.

A.the novel Gone with the WindB."tomorrow is another day"
C.the movie Gone with the WindD.the Academy Award
【小题2】The text is written mainly to _______.
A.celebrate the anniversary of Margaret Mitchell
B.introduce how the film was directed and filmed
C.throw light on the charm of the movie "Gone with the Wind"
D.inspire people to struggle the economic downturn
【小题3】It can be concluded that Scarlett O' Hara is _______.
A.optimistic and luckyB.childish and realistic
C.caring and stubbornD.strong-minded and persistent
【小题4】The passage mentions Shanghai in order to _______.
A.prove that the background of the movie touched viewers
B.describe how popular the movie was at that time
C.point out that Shanghai was a center of entertainment
D.tell us that Chinese were suffering the War then.

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阅读下面短文,从短文后所给的四个选项(A,B,C和D)中,选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen  36  for almost a month. The crops were dying. Every day, my husband  37  to get water to the fields. But  38  we saw some rain soon, we would lose everything.

However, one day I learned the true lesson of  39  and witnessed the only miracle I had  40  seen before. I was cooking in the kitchen when I saw my son, Billy,  41  toward the woods. He was walking  42  with effort, trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the  43 , he came running back. I went on cooking, 44  that whatever he had been doing was finished. Moments later,  45 , he was once again walking slowly toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour. Finally I couldn’t help  46  him and saw the most amazing  47 .

Several large deer stood in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. I  48  screamed(尖叫) for him to get away, because a huge deer was dangerously  49  to him at that time. But the deer didn’t even move as Billy knelt down(跪下). I saw a tiny  50  lying on the ground, obviously suffering from  51 , lifting its head to drink the water cupped in Billy’s hands. When the water was  52 , Billy ran back to get more. It then became quite  53  to me what my son was doing.

I stood there, watching my  54  boy working so hard to save another life. As my tears began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God himself was weeping with pride. The rain that day 55 our farm.

36. A. water            B. rain                 C. cloud                D. storm

37. A. decided        B. chose                C. tried                D. offered

38. A. before         B. if                      C. until            D. unless

39. A. sending               B. sharing               C. forgiving            D. begging

40. A. ever                 B. never                C. once               D. yet

41. A. running              B. jumping             C. walking             D. riding

42. A. slowly               B. quickly              C. hurriedly            D. dangerously

43. A. plants                B. flowers              C. vegetables           D. woods

44. A. thinking              B. wondering           C. worrying            D. dreaming

45. A. though               B. besides              C. however            D. too

46. A. beating               B. following            C. teaching            D. hoping

47. A. sign                  B. field                       C. world              D. scene

48. A. almost                B. already                     C. just                 D. even

49. A. weak                B. ill                         C. close               D. brave

50. A. horse                B. crop                       C. baby               D. deer

51. A. thirst                B. diseases                     C. heat             D. pain

52. A. lost                  B. cleaned                     C. gone               D. dried

53. A. comfortable          B. clear                       C. acceptable          D. simple

54. A. kind                B. clever                      C. naughty          D. honest

55. A. hit                   B. washed               C. ruined              D. saved

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阅读下面短文,从短文后所给的四个选项(A,B,C和D)中,选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen  36  for almost a month. The crops were dying. Every day, my husband  37  to get water to the fields. But  38  we saw some rain soon, we would lose everything.
However, one day I learned the true lesson of  39  and witnessed the only miracle I had  40  seen before. I was cooking in the kitchen when I saw my son, Billy,  41  toward the woods. He was walking  42  with effort, trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the  43 , he came running back. I went on cooking, 44  that whatever he had been doing was finished. Moments later,  45 , he was once again walking slowly toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour. Finally I couldn’t help  46  him and saw the most amazing  47 .
Several large deer stood in front of him. Billy walked right up to them. I  48  screamed(尖叫) for him to get away, because a huge deer was dangerously  49  to him at that time. But the deer didn’t even move as Billy knelt down(跪下). I saw a tiny  50  lying on the ground, obviously suffering from  51 , lifting its head to drink the water cupped in Billy’s hands. When the water was  52 , Billy ran back to get more. It then became quite  53  to me what my son was doing.
I stood there, watching my  54  boy working so hard to save another life. As my tears began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God himself was weeping with pride. The rain that day 55 our farm.
36. A. water               B. rain             C. cloud           D. storm
37. A. decided           B. chose           C. tried            D. offered
38. A. before            B. if                  C. until           D. unless
39. A. sending          B. sharing          C. forgiving        D. begging
40. A. ever             B. never           C. once              D. yet
41. A. running                                         B. jumping         C. walking               D. riding
42. A. slowly                                          B. quickly          C. hurriedly              D. dangerously
43. A. plants           B. flowers          C. vegetables       D. woods
44. A. thinking         B. wondering       C. worrying        D. dreaming
45. A. though           B. besides          C. however           D. too
46. A. beating          B. following       C. teaching           D. hoping
47. A. sign             B. field             C. world           D. scene
48. A. almost           B. already          C. just              D. even
49. A. weak            B. ill               C. close            D. brave
50. A. horse                                           B. crop               C. baby              D. deer
51. A. thirst            B. diseases           C. heat             D. pain
52. A. lost             B. cleaned           C. gone            D. dried
53. A. comfortable                                     B. clear               C. acceptable         D. simple
54. A. kind                                           B. clever              C. naughty          D. honest
55. A. hit              B. washed            C. ruined           D. saved

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根据短文内容,从短文后的七个选项中,选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多途选项。

If you are hungry, what do you do? Have your favorite-meal and stay quiet after that?_ But it never lets you know, because, you keep it busy thinking about your friends or favorite stars.So it silently serves your needs and never lets itself grow.When mind loses its freedom to grow.creativity sets a full stop.This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next?", "Why can't I think?"

   Why reading but not watching TV? It is because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from childhood.Since it develops other aspects of our life, we have to take help from reading.

Once you read a book, you run your eyes through the lines and your mind tries to explain something to you Now this seed is unknowingly used by you to develop new ideas.If it is used many times, the same seed can give you great help to relate a lot of things, which you would have never thought of in your wildest dreams!

This is nothing but creativity.    Within no time you can start talking with your friends in English or any other language and never run out of the right words.

So guys, do give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading. Go and get a book!

    A.Now what are you waiting for?

    B.Reading can help you make more friends, too.

    C.Just like your stomach, your mind is also hungry.

    D.Why not do some reading while you are hungry?

    E.Also this makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary.

    F.The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed.

    G.Hunger of the mind can be actually solved through wide reading.

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