Question

【题目】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（精彩地）written book”. ①However, 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. ②But 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】 How did the author find his friend a book liar?

A. By judging his manner of speaking.

B. By looking into his background.

C. By mentioning a famous name.

D. By discussing the book itself.

【2】 Which of the following is a “guilty secret” according to the World Book Day report?

A. Charles Dickens is very low on the top-ten list.

B. 42% of people pretended to have read 1984.

C. The author admitted having read 9 books.

D. Dreams From My Father is hardly read.

【3】 By lying about reading, a person hopes to __________.

A. control the conversation

B. appear knowledgeable

C. learn about the book

D. make more friends

【4】 What is the author’s attitude to 58% of readers?

A. Favorable.

B. Uncaring

C. Doubtful.

D. Friendly.

Answer 1

【答案】【1】 D

【2】 B

【3】 B

【4】 C

【解析】【1】 细节理解题。根据文章第一段中的However, he then went on to talk about Mr. Obama in a way which suggested he had no idea of his background at all可知，作者的朋友进一步谈论起奥巴马时，作者发现他对奥巴马的背景一无所知，由此可见作者是在跟朋友讨论的过程中发现他没读过那本书。

【2】 细节理解题。根据文章第二段中的But I am pleased to say that, unlike 42 percent of people, I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984可知，42%的人假装他们曾经阅读过乔治·奥威尔的《1984》。

【3】 细节理解题。根据文章第四段中的第一句the most common reason was to “impress” someone they were speaking to可知，他们说谎的目的就是为了给正在交谈的对方留下深刻印象，即他们希望对方觉得自己显得博学。其他三项均不合适。

【4】 观点态度题，根据文章最后一句话可知，作者自己坦言自己有过直接跳到结尾处这种举动，并且很震惊（astonished），居然有58%的人称自己从未有过，所以此处表现出作者此持怀疑态度。