B
A Book Review—The SnakeStone by Berlie Doherty
The setting：Urban England(the cities)，but also rural England(the countryside)including remote English villages.
The theme：The main theme is a teenage search of selfdiscovery，in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age.Its other concerns are love，getting on with others，being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts，troubles and worries.As the book moves to a close，James' swimming coach says to him：“You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more.You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going.”
The characters：James is the hero of the story.He is a championship diver，and has a comfortable life with his foster parents(养父母)．Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother.The other characters in The SnakeStone，James' parents，his diving instructor，best friend，the villagers，people he meets on his journey，are pictured realistically.
The turning point：The turning point in the story comes while James' foster parents are away in London，and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother.The only clue he has is a fossil，“the snake stone”which she left behind along with a note on which she had written，“Take good care of Sammie.”It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there.
The journey：Instead of going to London，James decides to find his birth mother.With help from his geography teacher，James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found.James has painful，challenging，but also humorous and happy travels.The mother he finally meets，Anne，has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel.He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger's door fifteen years before.Although the meeting is not long，it leaves him with a feeling of completeness.As a journey of selfdiscovery The SnakeStone also provides its readers with a happy ending.Its hero says，on returning to his foster parents，“I was home.”
5．What is the main theme of the novel?
A．Life with foster parents. B．Life in the world of diving.
C．A journey of selfdiscovery. D．A travel around the country.
6．What do the coach's words in Paragraph 2 suggest?
A．James is a successful diver. B．James is a hopeful swimmer.
C．James is an outgoing young man. D．James is an independent young man.
7．The snake stone in the novel is ________.
A．a stone with an address on it B．a clue left by the birth mother
C．a gift from the swimming coach D．a fossil left by the foster parents
8．It can be concluded that James' journey is ________.
A．worthwhile B．boring C．comfortable D．disappointing
参考答案：
B篇：
【语篇解读】 本文为一则书评，介绍了The SnakeStone一书的故事情节、背景以及人物等。
5．C 事实细节题。根据第二段第一句“The main theme is a teenage search of selfdiscovery...”可知，小说的主题为“自我发现之旅”。
6．D 推理判断题。根据第二段第二句中谈及的爱、与人相处、毅力与勇气，以及应对困难等等，可推断出教练这句话表明James已经从一个只知道服从指令的孩子成长为一个能够独立应对困难的青年。
7．B 事实细节题。根据第四段第二句“The only clue he has is a fossil，‘the snake stone’which she left behind...”可知，这枚化石是James的生母留下的唯一线索。
8．A 推理判断题。根据最后一段可知，James的旅程充满艰辛和挑战，同时也充满快乐，他不但找到了生母，而且成长为一个思想独立的年轻人，由此推断，他的寻找之旅是值得的，而非令人厌烦、舒适或者令人失望的。
A Book Review—The SnakeStone by Berlie Doherty
The setting：Urban England(the cities)，but also rural England(the countryside)including remote English villages.
The theme：The main theme is a teenage search of selfdiscovery，in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age.Its other concerns are love，getting on with others，being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts，troubles and worries.As the book moves to a close，James' swimming coach says to him：“You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more.You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going.”
The characters：James is the hero of the story.He is a championship diver，and has a comfortable life with his foster parents(养父母)．Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother.The other characters in The SnakeStone，James' parents，his diving instructor，best friend，the villagers，people he meets on his journey，are pictured realistically.
The turning point：The turning point in the story comes while James' foster parents are away in London，and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother.The only clue he has is a fossil，“the snake stone”which she left behind along with a note on which she had written，“Take good care of Sammie.”It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there.
The journey：Instead of going to London，James decides to find his birth mother.With help from his geography teacher，James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found.James has painful，challenging，but also humorous and happy travels.The mother he finally meets，Anne，has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel.He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger's door fifteen years before.Although the meeting is not long，it leaves him with a feeling of completeness.As a journey of selfdiscovery The SnakeStone also provides its readers with a happy ending.Its hero says，on returning to his foster parents，“I was home.”
5．What is the main theme of the novel?
A．Life with foster parents. B．Life in the world of diving.
C．A journey of selfdiscovery. D．A travel around the country.
6．What do the coach's words in Paragraph 2 suggest?
A．James is a successful diver. B．James is a hopeful swimmer.
C．James is an outgoing young man. D．James is an independent young man.
7．The snake stone in the novel is ________.
A．a stone with an address on it B．a clue left by the birth mother
C．a gift from the swimming coach D．a fossil left by the foster parents
8．It can be concluded that James' journey is ________.
A．worthwhile B．boring C．comfortable D．disappointing
参考答案：
B篇：
【语篇解读】 本文为一则书评，介绍了The SnakeStone一书的故事情节、背景以及人物等。
5．C 事实细节题。根据第二段第一句“The main theme is a teenage search of selfdiscovery...”可知，小说的主题为“自我发现之旅”。
6．D 推理判断题。根据第二段第二句中谈及的爱、与人相处、毅力与勇气，以及应对困难等等，可推断出教练这句话表明James已经从一个只知道服从指令的孩子成长为一个能够独立应对困难的青年。
7．B 事实细节题。根据第四段第二句“The only clue he has is a fossil，‘the snake stone’which she left behind...”可知，这枚化石是James的生母留下的唯一线索。
8．A 推理判断题。根据最后一段可知，James的旅程充满艰辛和挑战，同时也充满快乐，他不但找到了生母，而且成长为一个思想独立的年轻人，由此推断，他的寻找之旅是值得的，而非令人厌烦、舒适或者令人失望的。
