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Welcome to my message board!
Subject: Slimming down classics?
Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12
6: 34 AM Orion Books, which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics (经典著作), is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L. Tolstoy, M. Mitchell and C. Bronte. Now, each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 pages percent of original, with words, sentences, paragraphs and, in a few cases, chapters removed. The first six shortened editions, all priced at £ 6.99 and advertised as great reads "in half the time", will go on sale next month, with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow. The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions.
Mr. Edwards
2007-5-12
9:40 AM Well, I'm publisher of Orion Group. Thanks for your attention, Mr. Handsome.
I must say, the idea developed from a game of "shame" in my office. Each of us was required to confess (承认) to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading. I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times. One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping (跳读) Jane Eyre. We realized that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones.
As a leading publishing house, we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it's not as if we're withdrawing the original versions. They are still there if you want to read them.
Ms. Weir 2007-5-12
11:35 AM I'm director of the online book club www.lovereading.co.uk
Mr. Edwards, I think your shortened edition is a breath of fresh air. I'm guilty of never having read Anna Karenina, because it's just so long. I'd much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book. I am looking forward to more shortened classics!
Mr. Crockatt
2007-5-12
4:38 PM I'm from the London independent bookshop Corckatt & Powell.
In my opinion, the practice is completely ridiculous. How can you edit the classics? I'm afraid reading some of these books is hard work, and that is why you have to develop as a reader. If people don't have time to read Anna Karenina, then fine. But don't read a shortened version and kid yourself it's the real thing.
According to the message board, Orion Books __________.

A．opposes the reading of original classics

B．is embarrassed for cutting down classics

C．thinks cut-down classics have a bright future

D．is cautious in its decision to cut down classics

In Mr. Edwards' opinion, Orion Group is shortening classics to __________.

A．make them easier to read

B．meet a large demand in the market

C．increase the sales of literary books

D．compete with their original versions

By describing the shortened classics as "a breath of fresh air", Ms. Weir __________.

A．speaks highly of the cut-down classics

B．shows her love for original classics

C．feels guilty of not reading the classics

D．disapprove of shortening the classics

Mr. Crockatt seems to imply that __________.

A．reading the classic works is a confusing attempt

B．shortening the classics does harm to the original

C．publishing the cut-down classics is a difficult job

D．editing the classic works satisfies children's needs

How many classics are involved in the massage board?

A．Two

B．Three

C．Four

D．Five

F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on September 24, 1896, an American novelist, was once a student of St. Paul Academy, the Newman School and attended Princeton University for a short while. In 1917 he joined the army and was posted in Alabama, where he met his future wife Zelda Sayre. Then he had to make some money to impress her.
His life with her was full of great happiness, as he wrote in his diary: "My own happiness in the past often approached such joy that I could share it even with the person dearest to me but had to walk it away in quiet streets and take down parts of it in my diary." This Side of Paradise, his first novel, was published in 1920. Encouraged by its success, Fitzgerald began to devote more time to his writing. Then he continued with the novel The Beautiful and Damned (1922), a collection of short stories Thales of the Jazz Age (1922), and a play The Vegetable (1923). But his greatest success was The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, which quick brought him praise from the literary world. Yet it failed to give him the needed financial security. Then, in 1926, he published another collection of short stories All the Sad Young Men.
However, Fitzgerald's problems with his wife Zelda affected his writing. During the 1920s he tried to reorder his life, but failed. By 1930, his wife had her first breakdown and went to a Swiss clinic. During this period he completed novels Tender Is the Night in 1934 and The Love of the Last Tycoon in 1940. While his wife was in hospital in the United States, he got totally addicted to alcohol. Sheila Graham, his dear friend, helped him fight his alcoholism.
How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage?

A．5

B．6

C．7

D．8

Which of the following is the correct order to describe Fitzgerald's life according to the passage?
a. He became addicted to drinking.
b. He studied at St. Paul Academy.
c. He published his first novel This Side of Paradise.
d. The Great Gatsby won high praise.
e. He failed to reorder his life.
f. He joined the army and met Zelda.

A．f-c-e-a-b-d	B．b-e-a-f-c-d
C．f-d-e-c-b-a	D．b-f-c-d-e-a

We can infer from the passage that Fitzgerald __________.

A．had made some money when he met Zelda in Alabama.

B．was well educated and well off before he served in the army

C．would have completed more works if his wife hadn't broken down

D．helped his friend get rid of drinking while his wife was in hospital

The passage is probably followed by a concluding paragraph about __________.

A．Zelda's personal life

B．Zelda's illness and treatment

C．Fitzgerald's friendship with Graham

D．Fitzgerald's contributions to the literary world

What form of article do you think this passage is?

A．Reportage.	B．Report of survey.
C．Biography.	D．Essay.

When I met him, I had a lot of anger inside of me. I've lived my whole life in Spanish Harlem, but in my neighborhood, there are shoot-ups all the time. I know kids who have been shot or beaten up. I have friends who ended up in prison. I could have ended up that way, too, but Mr. Clark wouldn't let that happen.
Mr. Clark worked long hours, making sure I did my work. My grades rose. In fact, the scores of our whole class rose. One day, he took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera, and it was the first time some kids had ever been out of Harlem. Before the show, he treated us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to talk with our mouths full. We did not want to let him down.
Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year. He said he would draw three names out of a hat; those students would go with him to Los Angeles to get the award. But when the time came to draw names, Mr. Clark said, "You're all going."
On graduation day, there were a lot of tears. We didn't want his class to end. In 2001, he moved to Atlanta, but he always kept in touch. He started giving lectures about education, and wrote a bestselling book based on his classroom rules, The Essential 55. In 2003, Mr. Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to deliver school supplies and visit the orphanages (孤儿院). It was the most amazing experience of my life. It's now my dream to one day start a group of women's clubs, helping people from all backgrounds.
Without Mr. Clark, the writer __________.

A．might have been put into prison

B．might not have won the prize

C．might have joined a women's club

D．might not have moved to Atlanta

The Essential 55 is __________.

A．a show

B．a speech

C．a classroom rule

D．a book

What can we learn in the short reading?

A．It was in Harlem that we saw The Phantom of the Opera for the first time.

B．Mr. Clark taught us not to talk with our mouths full, and we did.

C．Mr. Clark was selected as Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year in Los Angeles.

D．In 2003, Mr. Clark moved to Atlanta, and he always kept in touch with us.

In the passage, the writer intends to tell us that __________.

A．Mr. Clark went to South Africa because he liked travelling

B．Mr. Clark helped to set up a group of women's clubs

C．a good teacher can help raise his or her students' scores

D．a good teacher has a good influence on his or her students

Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboos (禁忌) in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art, and customs. They expect questions about their family and are sure to show pictures of their children. Yon may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be interesting—and they can cover pretty much or any topic—as long as they occur in a respectful and intelligent (智慧的) manner.
In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do not share much about their thoughts, feelings, or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away from the harmonious (和谐的) business relationship they're trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children.
As general rule, it's best not to talk about politics or religion (宗教) with your business friends. This can get you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different views. In addition, discussing one's salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world, but be careful not to criticize a national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host's team.
Which is typically a friendly topic in most places according to the author?

A．Sports.

B．Children.

C．Personal feelings.

D．Families.

Why are people from Asia more private in their conversation with others?

A．They don't want to talk with others much.

B．They don't want to have their good relationship with others harmed by informal conversation.

C．They are afraid to argue with their colleagues.

D．They want to keep their feelings to themselves.

What shouldn't you do when talking about sports with colleagues from another country?

A．Praising your own country's sports.

B．Criticizing your own country's sports.

C．Praising the sports of your colleagues'country.

D．Criticizing the sports of your colleagues'country.

Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive activity for world peace and is intended to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. The first "World Laughter Day" gathering took place in Mumbai, India, on 11th January, 1998. 12, 000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended it. Now there are over 5, 000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.
"HAPPY-DEMIC" was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th January, two years after the Mumbai gathering. In Copenhagen, Denmark, more than 10, 000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World Records. "World Laughter Day" is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. Hundreds of people gather worldwide on that day to laugh together.
Today, many people fear widespread international terrorism. The world has never faced so much unrest before. People are at war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language, which has the ability to unite humanity without religion. Laughter can build a common connection between various religions and create a new world order. The idea may sound over-ambitious (野心太大的), and maybe it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep belief that laughter and only laughter can unite the world, building up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship.
Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following: lower blood pressure; lighten depression; reduce stress; work out the heart, especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body—because it's good for you.
The first World Laughter Day gathering outside India took place __________.

A．on 11th January, 1998

B．on the first Sunday of May

C．on 9th January, 1996

D．on 9th January, 2000

The author's attitude towards laughter movement is __________.

A．positive

B．negative

C．uninterested

D．objective

The passage is mainly about __________.

A．World Laughter Day and its significance

B．the worldwide laughter movement

C．a universal language

D．laughter

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