This article is excerpted from the English Reading Comprehension Questions of the Secondary School Entrance Examination, including Chinese translations and key vocabulary explanations.
Frankenstein is one of the world’s most famous horror stories. It’s about a doctor who creates a new man from the body parts of dead people and brings it to life. But the experiment goes wrong and the monster kills the doctor and many others.
Frankenstein is one of the most famous horror novels in the world. It tells the story of a doctor who, using some parts of the body of a dead man, creates a new person and brings him back to life. But the experiment went wrong, and the monster killed the doctor and many others.
[Key Vocabulary]: one of + Adjective Superlative + Noun Plural: Most... One; horror: horror, horror, horror; bring it to life to make... Resurrection; envoy... Come alive and make it come true; experiment: experiment; monster: monster
The story has been read by millions since it was first published and in the last hundred years it has been made into dozens of movies. Many people are surprised to learn its writer was a 19-year-old woman, called Mary Shelley.
The story has been read by millions of people since it was first published, and over the past hundred years it has been made into dozens of films. Many people were surprised to learn that its author was a 19-year-old woman named Mary Shelley.
[Key Vocabulary] :p Ublish: Publish; Publish; Publish; dozens of: Many, Dozens. Used to modify the plural of countable nouns; be surprised to do sth: surprised to do something;
Mary was born into a rich London family in August 1797. She was educated by her parents and when she was 13, she decided to become a writer. In 1812, she met the famous writer Percy Shelley and they soon got married. Sadly for Mary, their first child died soon after birth in Italy.
Mary was born in London in August 1797 to a wealthy family. Educated by her parents, at the age of 13, she decided to become a writer. In 1812, she met the famous writer Percy Shelley, and they soon got married. To Mary's chagrin, their first child died shortly after birth in Italy.
Education <<N>>: Education; decide to do sth: decide to do something; get married: get married: get married;
In her diary, Mary wrote about a dream: “I dreamt that my little baby came to life again—that it had only been cold and that we rubbed it before the fire and it lived.”
Mary wrote a dream in her diary: "I dreamed that my little baby was alive again, when it was very cold, and we wiped it in front of the fire, and it lived."
[Key words] :d ary: diary; come to life: wake up; rub: rub, rub;
In 1816, Percy Shelley and 19-year-old Mary visited the poet Lord Byron at his home in Switzerland. Because of the bad weather they stayed indoors reading horror stories. One night, Byron asked everyone to write their own story. Mary thought of her dream and wrote the story Frankenstein.
In 1816, Percy Shelley and 19-year-old Mary visited the poet Byron in Switzerland. Because of the bad weather, they stayed home and read horror novels. One night, Byron asked everyone to write their own story. Mary thought of her dream and wrote a story called Frankenstein.
[Key words] :p oet: poet; Because of: because, because; think of: remember;
Frankenstein was published when Mary was 21, and became a huge success. Many people didn’t think a 19-year-old woman could write so well and believed her husband was the real writer.
Frankenstein was published when Mary was 21 years old and was a huge success. A lot of people don't think a 19-year-old woman can write so well and think her husband is the real writer.
Although famous, Shelley’s life was full of sadness. Only one of her four children lived and in 1822 her husband died in a swimming accident. Mary was broken-hearted and decided not to marry again. She devoted herself to her child and continued to write until her death in 1851.
Although famous, Shelley's life was filled with sadness. Only one of her four children lived, and in 1822 her husband died in a swimming accident. Mary was heartbroken and decided not to marry again. She dedicated herself to her children and continued to write until her death in 1851.
[Key words]: huge: huge; be full of: full of... Sadness: sadness, grief; broken-hearted: sad, heartbroken; devote oneself to: devoted, dedicated.