Anthony Horowitz was miserable as child. He was, as he put it, “not very bright” and couldn’t win the attention of his very wealthy parents, who preferred his “clever” older brother. At age 8, Horowitz was sent away to an abusive boarding school in his native England, even though he screamed and pleaded(恳求) with his parents year after year not to send him. “The thought was, It’ll be good for him,” he recalled.

It was not. Horowitz did badly in his studies, had few friends and was bullied (欺负) for five years. “My teachers couldn't have had a lower opinion of me,” he said. “I wasn't even smart enough to rebel . The one thing I remember from the very earliest age was this desire to write. When I was 10 years old, I remember asking my parents to get me a typewriter for my birthday because I wanted to be a writer.”

Now, at age of 55, Horowitz is one of the world's most successful children's book authors. His Alex Rider series has sold more than 5 million copies, and the eighth book featuring the young spy, Crocodile Tears, came out this month.

The Alex Rider books tell the adventures of 14-year-old Alex Rider, an agent for the British intelligence agency M16.

Horowitz said he doesn't try to write for kids; it just comes out that way. “I have a feeling it's to do with purity and simplicity. I give as little information as is necessary to describe the room, the character in the room, and get on with the action,” he said.

The style has also made Horowitz a successful writer of television shows for adults in Britain because, he says, writing books for kids is a lot like writing television for grown-ups: In both cases, it's all about entertaining people with a good story.

Now, Horowitz couldn't be happier with his life. He sums up his success: “…you can be anything you want to be if you just believe in yourself. I do believe it completely.”

小题1:In the boarding school, Horowitz’s teachers           .

A．often criticized him

B．showed great concern for him

C．taught him how to write stories

D．thought little about his ability小题2:Which of the following is true of Anthony Horowitz?

A．He was the beloved child of his family.

B．He benefited a lot from boarding school.

C．He emphasizes the plot rather than character in stories.

D．Although he is successful, he isn’t very happy.小题3:What advice does Horowitz have for readers?

A．Confidence is the key to success.

B．Hardship teaches valuable lessons.

C．Interest is the best teacher.

D．Industry is the parent of success.小题4:In which section can you most probably read the passage?

A．Campus Trends

B．Culture & Leisure

C．Our World

D．Science Life