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 home. On the 2 was Marty Bandera, a literary agent to whom I had sent a draft(草稿) of my novel three weeks earlier. " I have a couple of 3," Bandera 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 over 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. 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 me 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 am writing another novel now. Yes, my 20 has changed my life.
1. A. phone B. bell C. clock D. alarm
2. A. step B. line C. side D. doorway
3. A. novels B. things C. questions D. problems
4. A. wealth B. health C. care D. order
5. A. to B. in C. on D. for
6. A. need B. joy C. delight D. astonishment
7. A. rejected B. received C. judged D. lost
8. A. worried B. angry C. discouraged D. excited
9. A. couldn't help B. got down to C. got used to D. went on
10. A. shut down B. find out C. give up D. set aside
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. mind B. book C. voice D. work
18. A. pulled B. put C. broke D. looked
19. A. thinking B. reading C. developing D. translating
20. A. friend B. age C. success D. failure
1-5 ABCBD 6-10 DACBC 11-15 BDCBD 16-20 AABCC
本文主要描写了作者坚持不懈地创作，最终获得成功的故事。
9. 我只是开始着手(get down to)去写另一部作品。
12. 这本书出版后两个星期内一直在畅销书之列(list)。
13. story telling讲故事。
15. 我的祖母激发了我的想象力(imagination)。
16. lasting持久的。
18. put down写下来。
19. develop使发展，构想。
20. 我取得的成功(success)已经改变了我的生活。
