I remember vividly the call that changed my life. It was Tuesday, February 18.When the 1 rang in the kitchen of my Los Angeles, the 2 was Marty Banderas, a literary agent to whom I had sent a draft( 草稿 )of my novel three weeks earlier. “I have a couple of 3 .” Banderas saiD.“First, how old are you?” “I’m 48,” I replieD.“Are you in good 4 ?” “Yes, excellent. What’s this about? ” “I’ve sold your novels 5 one and a half million dollars.” I sat down in 6 . I had written fourteen novels in twenty years, but each one had been 7 by the publishers. I suppose many people would have been 8 , but not me. Each time, I just 9 writing another one. My husband advised me to find something else to do, but I refused to 10 up. Seeing this book 11 was the best thing that has ever happened to me. It’s a mystery story (like all the others) and it was on the best-seller 12 two weeks after publication! I got my first lesson in story 13 from my grandmother. She used to read my stories. She was the one who gave me a 14 of words. She sparked (激发) my 15 and she has been a 16 influence on me. I always had stories running through my 17 and as soon as I could write, I 18 them down on paper. I married young and I have three children, but I never stopped writing. 19 novels between doing the diapers(婴儿的尿布) and dishes. I’m writing another novel now. Yes, my 20 has changed my life.

　　1. A.phone B.bell C.clock D.alarm

　　2. A.line B.step C.outside D.doorway

　　3. A.novels B.things C.questions D.problems

　　4. A.wealth B.health C.condition D.order

　　5. A.to B.for C.on D.in

　　6. A.need B.joy C.settlements D.shock

　　7. A.rejected B.received C.decided D.lost

　　8. A.worried B.encouraged C.discouraged D.excited

　　9. A.couldn’t help B.got down to C.got used to D.went on

　　10.A.hold B.look C.give D.set

　　11.A.sold B.published C.printed D.passed

　　12.A.books B.shops C.record D.list

　　13.A.writing B.organizing C.telling D.reading

　　14.A.use B.love C.meaning D.respect

　　15.A.hope B.efforts C.novels D.imagination

　　16.A.lasting B.normal C.careful D.general

　　17.A.head B.mouth C.voice D.work

　　18.A.took B.put C.broke D.added

　　19.A.writing B.reading C.developing D.translating

　　20.A.friend B.call C.success D.work

　　参考答案及解析

　　1.A 前面提到了“记得一个电话”。call是电话之意，当然下文仍然指当电话响的时候我正在家的厨房里，当然选phone。

　　2.A line 仍然指电话的意思。

　　3.C 从下句可知有几个问题要问。

　　4.B be in good health .身体状况良好。

　　5.B for 我把你的小说卖了一百五十万块钱。

　　6.D 意为：听了这一好消息很是震惊。

　　7.A 指以前写的小说一直都被出版社拒绝。

　　8.C 句意是说：很多人都会泄气。

　　9.B get down to doing 开始着手做某事。承接上文意思，这句说：每次被出版社拒绝后，我不灰心，开始着手写另一本。

　　10.C 固定短语give up。 本句意思是“丈夫建议我做点别的事情，但我不放弃。”

　　11.B see sth. done，当然就是看到这本书被出版了。

　　12.D 指这本书列入了畅销品之内。

　　13.C 意为讲述故事。

　　14.B love “是grandmother给我讲故事让我喜欢上写小说。”

　　15.D 由于那些故事激发了我的想象力。

　　16.A 那些故事对我有持久的影响。

　　17.A 大脑中老是有故事。

　　18.B put down 意为write down。

　　19.C develop novels 展开故事。

　　20.C 指我写小说这件事的成功改变了我的一生。