常春藤解析英语【41】The True Story of Darren Shan（在线收听）

The True Story of Darren Shan 向达伦的真实冒险

by Kevin Lustig

Over the past several years, a British author has written a series of books that have captivated readers around the world. It's an author whose books involve adventure, terrifying enemies, and heroic young characters with special powers. No, it's not J. K. Rowling. As millions of fans across the globe already know, the author is Darren Shan.

Darren Shan is the pseudonym for Darren O'Shaughnessy. Originally born in London in 1972, O'Shaughnessy has lived most of his life in Ireland. He began writing stories, comics, and books during childhood. Starting at the age of 26, he published two books for adults. At the same time, O'Shaughnessy wrote a children's book, Cirque du Freak, which included frightening creatures like vampires and werewolves. Though children's writing was not his focus, this book was his biggest success. O'Shaughnessy began to work on sequels to Cirque du Freak featuring a boy named Darren Shan. This extremely popular series, The Saga of Darren Shan, now encompasses a total of 12 books, which have been translated into 29 languages and sold in 36 countries.

Recently in Taipei, Darren O'Shaughnessy spoke about his experiences as a writer. Because his books are often bloody, they can be intense. However, O'Shaughnessy says that carnage is not the point of his stories. While readers won't really see their friends killed by terrifying monsters, everyone encounters death sooner or later. "It's important for children to examine . . . these issues," O'Shaughnessy says. "If you explore ideas of death and loss in fiction, it makes it easier to deal with loss when it happens to you in real life." Through their frightening adventures, O'Shaughnessy's characters teach readers lessons about coping with and recovering from the trials of real life.

As for readers who may want to be writers someday, O'Shaughnessy suggests that they write as much as possible. According to O'Shaughnessy, writing is hard work, but the most important thing is to keep writing the best stories that you can. With over 10 million books sold worldwide, it's fair to say that this popular author knows what he's talking about.

1. What is NOT true about the name Darren Shan?
(A) It is the pen name of Darren O'Shaughnessy.
(B) It is the title of Darren O'Shaughnessy's first book.
(C) It is the name of the main character of some horror books.
(D) It is in the title of a series of horror books.

2. Darren Shan's books are often scary in order to
______.
(A) help readers deal with death
(B) terrify the books' readers
(C) sell the highest number of books he can
(D) be as realistic as possible

3. Darren O'Shaughnessy says that writers have to _____ to be successful.
(A) sell over 10 million books
(B) write horror stories
(C) try to write just like him
(D) constantly work very hard

4. Which of the following is true about Darren O'Shaughnessy's books?
(A) They have sold fewer than 10 million copies.
(B) They have been printed in 23 languages.
(C) They have included only 12 different characters.
(D) They have been sold in 36 different countries.

单字小铺

1. adventure n. 冒险
adventurous a. 爱冒险的
2. pseudonym n. 笔名
= pen name
3. comic n. 漫画
= comic book
4. publish vt. 出版
5. frightening a. 令人害怕的
6. vampire n. 吸血鬼
7. werewolf n. 狼人
8. sequel n. 续集（与 to 并用）
9. bloody a. 血腥的
10. carnage n. 大屠杀，杀戮
11. issue n. 议题
12. realistic a. 写实的
13. constantly adv. 持续不断地

词组小铺

1. a series of...　　一系列的∕一连串的……
2. a total of...　　总共……
3. sooner or later　　迟早
4. deal with...　　处理∕应付……
= cope with...

精解字词词组

1. captivate vt. 使着迷
be captivated by/with...　　着迷于……
= be fascinated by...
例: I was captivated by the beautiful girl's smile.
（我为那美丽女孩的笑容深深着迷。）

2. terrifying a. 令人害怕的
terrified a. 感到害怕的
be terrified of...　　害怕……
= be scared of...
= be frightened of...
= be afraid of...
例: My mother is terrified of cockroaches.
（我妈妈很怕蟑螂。）

3. work on...　　着手∕从事……
例: Hal can't go to the party since he has to work on his homework.
（哈尔不能参加派对，因为他必须写功课。）

4. encompass vt. 包含
例: The UK encompasses Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
（英国包含了大不列颠与北爱尔兰。）

5. be translated into...　　被翻译成……（语言）
例: The book's sales went up after it was translated into Chinese.
（这本书翻译成中文后，销售量大增。）

6. intense a. 强烈的，极端的
intense heat　　酷热
比较:
intensive a. 密集的；加强的
intensive training　　密集训练
intensive care (unit)　　加护病房
例: During the war, there was a lot of intense fighting.
（战争期间有很多激烈的战役。）
例: After the accident, Gary was in intensive care for a long time.
（意外发生后，盖瑞待在加护病房很长一段时间。）

7. encounter vt. 遭遇
例: After encountering many setbacks, Sandy became sort of pessimistic.
（在遭遇多次挫折后，珊蒂变得有点悲观。）

8. recover from...　　从……恢复∕复原
例: I recovered from my cold quickly and went back to school.
（我很快就从感冒中复原，回学校上课。）

9. trial n. 考验；磨练
be on trial　　受审判
例: Lisa didn't seem sorry even when she was on trial for murder.
（就算涉嫌谋杀受审，莉萨看起来还是毫无悔意。）

10. someday adv. 将来有一天（用于未来式）
one day　　（过去）某日（用于过去式）；将来有一天（= someday，用于未来式）
例: If you persevere, you will get somewhere someday/one day.
（如果你努力不懈，总有一天你会有所成就。）
例: I met a handsome lifeguard at the beach one day last summer.
（去年夏季的某日，我在海边认识一位英俊的救生员。）

11. It's fair to say + that 子句　　说……是公道的
例: It's fair to say that Al is the smartest boy in school since he gets the best grades.
（说艾尔是全校最聪明的学生一点也不为过，因为他的成绩最好。）

文法一点灵

...O'Shaughnessy suggests that they (should) write as much as possible.
注意:
suggest 作『建议』时，为意志动词，其后的 that 子句中须使用助动词 should，但 should 可予以省略，而直接接原形动词。意志动词计有下列五大类：
建议：suggest, recommend, advise, urge, propose。
要求：ask, desire, demand, require, request。
命令：order, command。
规定：rule, regulate, stipulate, prescribe。
主张：insist, advocate, maintain。
例: As your lawyer, I advise that you (should) turn yourself in to the police.
（身为你的律师，我建议你向警方自首。）

中文翻译＆标准答案

过去几年来，有位英国作家撰写了一系列书籍，掳获全球读者的心。他的作品中有冒险、可怕的敌人，及拥有魔法的英雄少年。不，他不是 J. K. 罗琳。全球数百万书迷对这个名字已不陌生，他就是向达伦。

向达伦是达伦．欧沙纳西的笔名。欧沙纳西于 1972 年出生于伦敦，但大部分时间在爱尔兰度过。他在童年期间便开始创作故事、漫画与书籍。从二十六岁开始，他出版了两本以成人为读者群的书籍。同时，他也写了一本叫作《怪奇马戏团》的童书，内容包含了吸血鬼、狼人等恐怖生物。虽然童书并非他写作的重心，这本书却成了他最畅销的一本。欧沙纳西开始着手写《怪奇马戏团》的续集，故事主角即是一位叫向达伦的男孩。极受欢迎的《向达伦大冒险》系列共有十二集，已译成二十九种语言，在三十六个国家销售。

最近达伦．欧沙纳西来到台北畅谈身为作家的经验。因为他的书通常很血腥，因此充满紧张气氛。然而，欧沙纳西说杀戮并非他作品的重点。虽然读者不会看到自己的朋友被可怕的怪兽杀死，但每个人迟早都要面对死亡。欧沙纳西说：『对孩子而言，检视……这些议题是很重要的。如果你在小说中探索关于死亡与失去的概念，当它发生在真实生活中时，就比较容易处理了。』透过这些令人战栗的冒险，欧沙纳西的角色教导读者如何应付生命中的考验，并从中复原。

至于有朝一日想成为作家的人，欧沙纳西建议他们尽可能地写作。根据他的说法，写作是件苦差事，但最重要的是持续写出你最棒的故事。身为全球一千多万本销量的畅销作家，向达伦所言必定不假。

1. 关于向达伦这个名字下列何者为非？
(A) 是达伦．欧沙纳西的笔名。
(B) 是达伦．欧沙纳西第一本书的书名。
(C) 是某些恐怖小说的男主角名。
(D) 包含在一系列恐怖小说的书名中。
题解: 根据本文第二段，向达伦是达伦．欧沙纳西的笔名，也是《怪奇马戏团》续集中男主角的名字，《向达伦大冒险》（The Saga of Darren Shan）系列书籍也包含了向达伦这个名字，仅 (B) 非正确叙述，故选之。

2. 向达伦的书通常都很恐怖，这是为了 _____。
(A) 帮助读者处理死亡这件事
(B) 吓坏这些书的读者
(C) 尽可能卖出越多书
(D) 尽可能真实
题解: 根据第三段，年轻读者若能在小说中学习关于死亡与失去的概念，当它发生在真实生活中时，就比较容易处理了，可知应选 (A)。

3. 达伦．欧沙纳西说作者必须 _____ 才能成功。
(A) 卖超过一千万本书。
(B) 写恐怖小说
(C) 设法写得像他一样
(D) 持续努力创作
题解: 根据第四段，欧沙纳西建议想成为作家的人尽可能写作，并说写作是件苦差事，得不断努力，故选 (D)。

4. 关于达伦．欧沙纳西的书，下列何者为真？
(A) 它们的销售量没有超过一千万本。
(B) 它们以二十三种语言出版。
(C) 它们只包含十二个不同的角色。
(D) 它们在三十六个国家销售。
题解: 根据第二段，《向达伦大冒险》系列共有十二集，已译成二十九种语言，在三十六个国家销售，且第四段提到向达伦创下全球一千多万本书籍的销售量，得知仅 (D) 为正确叙述。

标准答案: 1. (B)　2. (A)　3. (D)　4. (D)