【高三寒假检测卷】08 世界知名人物 著名科学家专练（原卷版）.doc

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第08练世界知名人物~著名科学家专练

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ThestoryofO.Henry,whoserealnamewasWilliamSidneyPorter,couldalmostbeanO.Henrystory,Hehadasecretandspentmostofhisadultlifetryingtohideit.

Thepennamewaspartofthateffort,butPorteralsoavoidedbeingphotographed,rarelygaveinterviews,andstayedawayfromsituationswheresomeonemightpry(窥探)intohispast.

Hisearlylifewasunsettled.Atnineteen,heworkedasapharmacist.Soonafterward,hemovedtoTexas.HelaterpublishedanumberofstoriessetintheWest.Thendisasterstruck.Hetookajobasdteller(出纳员)intheFirstNationalBankofAustin.In1894,afederalbankexaminerdiscoveredashortageof$5,654inthebanksaccounts,andaccusedPorterofembezzlement(盗用公款).

ItwasnaturaltoassumethatPorterhadborrowedthemoneytokeephisstrugglingmagazineoutofdebt,intendingtopayitback.Onthefewoccasions,heimpliedthathewascoveringforsomeoneelse,butheneversaidwhoitwas.Eventually,hewassentencedtofiveyearsinprison.Andthatisthesecrethespenttherestofhislifetryingtohideeyenfromthisdaughter.

Inprison,PorterwrotefourteenstoriesandbeganusingO.Henryasapenname.In1902,hemovedtoNewYorkwherehebeganproducingatanastonishingrate.In1904alone,hepublishedsixty-sixstories.Hebeganbringingoutcollectionsin1906“TheFourMillion,whichcontainssomeofhismostfamousworks:“TheGiftoftheMagi,and“TheCopandtheAnthem.”

Financially,heledthehand-to-mouthexistenceofmostfull-timewriters,evenverysuccessfulones.Despitehisrateofproduction,Porterfoundwritingstressfulandhadtroublewithdeadlines.Hewasfrankaboutthefactthathewrotefortheincome.Whenhestartedgettingpaidmoreforhisstories,hewrotefewerofthem.Sufferingfromseveralhealthproblems,hediedin1910atfortyseven.Hewasbegginghiseditorforpaymentinadvancerightuptotheend.

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