B
One of America's best-known and most-loved authors is Louisa May Alcott. She wrote poems, plays, short stories and books. For over one hundred years, her works have been popular among both adults and children. How did Alcott become a famous writer?
Born in 1832, Alcott grew up in Massachusetts with her three sisters. At a very young age, she loved to write. She'd think up wonderful stories that she turned into plays, then Alcott and her sisters acted out the dramas. Alcott always played the most exciting parts: ghosts, bandits and evil queens. She also loved playing and wandering outdoors. In fact, she was considered quite a "tomboy". In those days, girls were expected to be ladylike, which meant mostly sitting around looking pretty. This was not Alcott's way! She once said that no boy could be her friend until she had beaten him in a race. Girls had to climb trees and leap fences with her if they wanted to be her friends.
Alcott's family was poor. At age fifteen, Alcott decided to help out. However, it was not easy for women to find work in the 19th century. Alcott worked at any job she could find. She took care of children, she taught, and she washed laundry for other people.
Alcott's love of writing was always an important part of her. She wrote from her own life experiences and from her imagination. During the Civil War, Alcott volunteered to work as a nurse. She wrote about the work in her book Hospital Sketches. She also wrote thrillers(驚悚小說(shuō)) that were full of suspense. When her publisher asked her to write a book for girls, Alcott turned to her own life.
It was then, in 1868, that she wrote what was to become her most popular book, Little Women. The novel is set in New England during the Civil War. It tells the story of four sisters growing up. The family is very similar to the Alcotts. The book's main character, Jo, is based on Alcott herself. Like Alcott, Jo is a determined young woman with a mind of her own. The book was an instant success. It is still popular today and has been made into a movie. Alcott also wrote children's books with boys as the main characters. This was the case in two other Alcott books, Little Men and Jo's Boys.
Early in her career someone once told Alcott that she would give up writing and "stick to teaching". It is lucky that Alcott paid no attention to this person. She knew what she wanted to do with her life—and she did it!
( ) 4. Which words in paragraph 2 help readers know what the word "dramas" means?
A. turned into plays B. loved to write
C. grew up in Massachusetts D. wandering outdoors
( ) 5. Which question does paragraph 3 answer?
A. Where did Alcott go to work?
B. How did Alcott help her family?
C. What subject did Alcott teach at school?
D. Why was it difficult for women to find work?
( ) 6. In paragraph 5, why are the words Little Men and Jo's Boys written like this?
A. To make the words easier to read.
B. To show that they are titles of books.
C. To make them more interesting to readers.
D. To show that they are different from other books.
( ) 7. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?
A. To explain why some people should not give advice.
B. To advise readers to read more about Louisa May Alcott's life.
C. To show that Louisa May Alcott got what she wanted out of life.
D. To encourage readers to write stories about their own experiences.
( ) 8. What would be a good online search for this question: How did Alcott's family influence her writing?
A. Modern women writers
B. Novels and movies: Little Women
C. Putting together life and writing: Alcott
D. The complete works of Louisa May Alcott
