Question

It happened to me recently. I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of our President. A friend I was talking to agreed with me that it was ,in his words, “a wonderfully written book ”. however, he then went on to talk about Mr. Obama in a way which suggested he had no idea of his background at all .I felt that I was talking to a book liar.

And it seems that my friend is not the only one. Approximately two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t .In the World Book Day’s “Report on Guilty（愧疚的） Secrets”, Dreams From My Father is at number 9.The report lists ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading, and as I’m not one to lie too often (I’d hate to be caught out ),I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire top ten .But I am pleased to say that, unlike 42 percent of people, I have read the book at number one ,George Orwell’s 1984.I think it’s really brilliant.

The World Book Day report also has some other interesting information in it. It says that many people lie about having read Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky(I haven’t read him, but haven’t lied about it either )and Herman Melville.

Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to “impress” someone they were speaking to. This could be tricky if the conversation became more in –depth!

But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, people named J.k. Rowling, John Grisham, Sophie Kinsella(ah, the big sellers, in other words).Forty-two percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story(I’ll come clean: I do this and am astonished that 58 percent said they had never done so).

1.How did the author think of Dreams From My Father?

A. It was his favorite.

B. It made little sense.

C . He was very fond of it.

D. He totally had no idea.

2.What can we learn from “Report on Guilty Secrets”?

A. 58% of people haven’t read 1984.

B. All of the listed authors are unknown.

C. Many people have ever lied about reading.

D. Dreams From My Father isn’t among the top ten.

3.Why do people probably lie about reading?

A. To admire the writer.

B. To advertise the book.

C. To start a conversation.

D. To leave a good impression.

4.What’s the tone (語氣) of the author in the article?

A. Very friendly.

B. A little humorous.

C. Rather confusing

D. Quite cautious.

Answer 1