阅读理解。
JK Rowling, the Harry Potter author, has signed a deal with Little, Brown and Company, to
publish her first ever novel for adults, which is set to become one of the most anticipated (期望的)
book in years.
The deal means that Rowling’s long-standing relationship with Bloomsbury, the London-based
publisher that launched (发行) the Harry Potter books, has come to an end, at 1east in terms of
new works by the author.
Rowling is keeping her fans guessing about the characters and plot of her new book. She only
said that the new novel will be nothing like the Harry Potter series, which was sold over 30 million
copies in the UK alone. She thought that with the move from children’s to adult fiction, a switch to
a new publisher seemed like a natural and reasonable step.
She said,“Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much, this book will be very different from
the Harry Potter series. The freedom to explore a new field is a gift that Harry’s success has
brought me.”
Ian Rankin, the Edinburgh-based author whose highly-successful detective novels are also set
in the city, suggested Rowling’s book will be a crime novel.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if JK Rowling’s first novel for adults turned out to be a crime story set
in Edinburgh?”he said.
Industry insiders guessed that the deal is worth more than ￡5 million and the new book is
expected to come out later this year.
A spokesman said, “JK Rowling’s audience is vast and her position is unique. Harry Potter
books were a global success and her fans are very loyal. Children that were eight, nine, or ten
when the books first came out in the 1990s are now in their 20s. Plenty of adults, loved the books
regardless of whether they had children, so the potential market for her is huge.”
1. What does the text mainly tell us? ______
A. JK Rowling has signed a deal with a new publisher.
B. JK Rowling’s new book will be more successful than her Harry Potter series.
C. JK Rowling has to switch to a new publisher in order to publish her new book.
D. JK Rowling’s first book for adults will be published later this year.
2. JK Rowling’s new book for adults ____.
A. has been sold 30 million copies in the UK alone
B. is poorly thought of by the London-based publisher Bloomsbury
C. has nothing in common with the Harry Potter series
D. is expected to bring her more money than the Harry Potter series
3. The author used Ian Rankin’s words in order to ____ .
A. tell us that some famous novelists offer to give Rowling some advice
B. show that many readers are curious about Rowling’s new book
C. tell us that many readers prefer to read detective or crime novels
D. prove that a crime story set in Edinburgh is sure to be successful
4. We can learn from the text that ____ .
A. Little, Brown and Company is specialized in publishing adult books
B. the author has no doubt about
the success of Rowling’s new book
C. JK Rowling will be a crime novelist as good as Ian Rankin
D. it was in Edinburgh that Ian Rankin got to know JK Rowling
5. What the spokesman said in the last paragraph tells us that ____ .
A. JK Rowling’s fans are so loyal that they don’t care what she will write
B. children won’t have any interest in JK Rowling’s new book
C. Rowling’s vast audience and unique position will guarantee the new book’s succcss
D. only readers of Harry Potter series will be interested in Rowling’ s new book
