Question

B

It happened to me recently. I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of our President. A friend I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words, “a brilliantly written book”. However, he then went on to talk about Mr. Obama in a way which suggested he had no idea of his background at all. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar.

And it seems that my friend is not the only one. Approximately two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t. In the World Book Day’s “Report on Guilty Secrets”, Dreams From My Father is at number 9. The report lists ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading, and as I’m not one to lie too often (I’d hate to be caught out), I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire top ten. But I am pleased to say that, unlike 42 percent of people, I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s really brilliant.

The World Book Day report also has some other interesting information in it. It says that many people lie about having read Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky (I haven’t read him, but haven’t lied about it either) and Herman Melville.

Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to “impress” someone they were speaking to. This could be tricky if the conversation became more in–depth!

But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, people named J. K. Rowling, John Grisham, Sophie Kinsella (ah, the big sellers, in other words). Forty-two percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story (I’ll come clean: I do this and am astonished that 58 percent said they had never done so).

1.What is the meaning of the underlined word “liar”?

A. A person who hates books.

B. A person who tells lies.

C. A person who loves reading.

D. A person who is honest with everything.

2.From the second paragraph we can know _____.

A. only 42 percent of people have read George Orwell’s 1984

B. two thirds of people haven’t read a book.

C. “Dreams From My Father” is listed the first of the top ten books

D. the writer haven’t read all of the top ten books

3.Why does a person lie about books?

A. Because they want to appear learned.

B. Because they want to attract others’ attention.

C. Because they do so out of habit.

D. Because they want to play tricks on others.

4.Which of the following statement is right?

A. The writer often leaves a book unfinished.

B. The writer was once caught out for telling lies.

C. The writer often reads the end of a book first before finishing the story.

D. The writer likes Barack Obama from the very beginning.

5.What do you think of the author?

A. Thoughtful and talkative.

B. Smart and helpful.

C. knowledgeable and experienced.

D. Wise and honest.

Answer 1

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.C

5.D

【解析】

文章大意：作者在文中介绍了一种人：a book liar。他们往往装作很有学识，别人谈论什么书，他们都说自己读过，而且不喜欢被别人知道自己往往在没读完前先看结尾。

1.B 词义猜测题。根据上文内容可知和作者谈话的朋友没有读过Dreams From My Father这本书，他是在撒谎，而且第二段And it seems that my friend is not the only one. Approximately two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t也是提示信息，选B。

2.D细节理解题。根据第二段I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire top ten.和I have read the book at number one可知作者没有都读过排前十名的本，选D。

3.A推理判断题。根据文章第四段Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to “impress” someone they were speaking to.可知人们撒谎读过书的原因是他们想显的有学识，选A。

4.C细节理解题。由文章末段Forty-two percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story (I’ll come clean: I do this).可知作者常常先读故事的结尾，选C。

5.

考点：考查文化类短文阅读