A
For most of her life, Suanne Laqueur’s passion for storytelling was shown on the dance floor.
Although Laqueur began writing at a young age, dancing always took center stage. She majored in dance and theater at Alfred University and taught at her mother’s dance studio in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, for years. But when her mother was ready to retire and an opportunity opened for Laqueur to take over the studio, she realized she had no interest in taking on the business side of her art: “Owning a studio is a lot of work—financially, logistically. I love the teaching, the choreographing(编舞), the staging, but I didn’t want to own it. ”
Yet Laqueur’s disinterest in running the studio changed when she became a self-published author. In the fall of 2013, she decided to pursue self-publishing as a way of sharing her first completed novel with friends and family. During the process, she realized that following her true passion—telling stories through writing—made the business of the art worthwhile, and owning that business meant she could direct her writing career however she chose.
Starting with her second self-published novel, she began investing more time in marketing and building her audience. Her investment paid off. Since 2014, Laqueur, now 49, has self-published six novels, which collectively have hundreds of ratings and reviews on Goodreads. Her 2016 novel An Exaltation of Larks stole the show at the 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, topping more than 2, 300 entries to win the grand prize.
“You have to write the most truthful story to you, and I think self-publishing allows that freedom, ”she says. “If you work with traditional publishing, it’s more about what’s marketable. There are trade-offs, which everyone will tell you, but by self-publishing I have control of the book, I have control of the story, and I’m cool with that. ”
【文章大意】本文为记叙文。讲述了拉克尔自幼主修舞蹈和戏剧并兼职写作, 后来成为一名自主出版作家的经历。
1. From Paragraph 2, we can learn that Laqueur ________.
A. wanted to own a publishing house
B. didn’t like teaching dancing in fact
C. was a part-time writer when she was young
D. was interested in running her mother’s studio
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第二段Although Laqueur began writing at a young age, dancing always took center stage. She majored in dance and theater at Alfred University and taught at her mother’s dance studio in可知, 尽管拉克尔很年轻就开始写作, 但她主修舞蹈和戏剧, 并在她母亲的舞蹈工作室任教多年。故选 C。
2. What made Laqueur change her attitude to business?
A. Her mother’s persuasion.
B. Self-publishing her novels.
C. The desire to make money.
D. Her own passion toward art.
【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据第三段Yet Laqueur’s disinterest in running the studio changed when she became a self-published author. 可知当Laqueur成为一名自主出版的作家后, 改变了对这份工作的态度, 故选B。
3. Which of the following can best replace the phrase “stole the show” in Paragraph 4?
A. became a failure
B. was shown to people
C. got all the attention
D. was accidentally stolen
【解析】选C。词义猜测题。根据划线部分可知, 2016年, 她的小说《云雀的狂欢》超过2 300部作品获得大奖, 故而大出风头, 吸引了所有人的注意。故选C项。
4. What can be inferred from what Laqueur’s said?
A. She enjoys the way of self-publishing.
B. She will never use traditional publishing.
C. Traditional publishing only focuses on the market.
D. Self-publishing will replace traditional publishing.
【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据最后一段“I think self-publishing allows that freedom. . . but by self-publishing I have control of the book, I have control of the story, and I’m cool with that. ”可知她喜欢自助出版, 故选A。
【知识拓展】
佳词积累
1. passion n. 激情
2. financially adv. 财政上
3. logistically adv. 逻辑上地
4. invest vt. 投资
长难句分析
During the process, she realized that following her true passion—telling stories through writing—made the business of the art worthwhile, and owning that business meant she could direct her writing career however she chose.
分析: 本句是一个复合句。realized后是and连接的两个宾语从句。
译文: 在这个过程中, 她意识到追求自己的爱好——通过写作讲述故事——使得艺术事业变得有趣了, 无论她怎么选, 从事这个事业意味着她可以指导她的写作生涯。
