A Book Review—The Snake-Stone 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 self-discovery, 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 fortable 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 Snake-Stone, 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 es 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 es 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 pleteness. As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, “I was home.”
【小题1】What is the main theme of the novel?A．Life with foster parents.B．Life in the world of diving.C．A journey of self-discovery.D．A travel around the country.【小题2】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.【小题3】The snake stone in the novel is .A．a stone with an address on itB．a clue left by the birth motherC．a gift from the swimming coachD．a fossil left by the foster parents【小题4】Which of the following is true about the novel?A．The story has a sad ending.B．The story takes place in the city of London.C．The characters are vividly described.D．The turning point es after the hero meets his birth mother.【小题5】It can be concluded that James’ journey is .A．worthwhileB．boringC．fortableD．disappointingC
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(答案→)C
解析：本文是应用文书评体。分别从背景，主题，角色以及其主要情节“发现之旅”方面介绍名著The Snake-stone。
【小题1】段落大意题 从第二段第一句话以及最后一段最后一句可以得知，该书主题体现在James寻找生身母亲的征途也就是战胜自我获得人生真谛的发现之旅。所以C选项正确。
【小题2】细节理解题 从第二段最后两行教练所说“你不能再像小孩一样，就知道循规蹈矩。你应该探索，像找定方向的年轻潜水员。”言外之意要James做一个独立的有个性的年轻人。故D选项正确。
【小题3】细节理解题 从the turning point段落中前两句可以得知，the snake stone是James生身母亲离开留下的识别身份见证物（The only clue he has is a fossil, “the snake stone” which she left behind…）。所以B答案正确。
【小题4】细节理解题 从最后一段最后一句可知A选项错误；从最后一段第一句可知B选项错误：从the turning point段落中可知故事转折点是在James养父母离开他的时间，那时候还没找到他的生身母亲。故D选项错误；从第三段最后一句可知C选项正确（…are pictured realistically.）
【小题5】推理判断题 从最后一段的第三句，第五句得知James的寻母征途是快乐而又有成就感的。自己发现了人生真谛从此开始成长起来了（I was home.）所以A选项正确。