单选题
For authors of self-help guides, no human problem is too great or too small. Want to become fitter, richer or happier in 2017? There are books for it— 34 upon shelves of them. Hoping for increased efficiency, decisiveness and creativity in the months ahead? There are titles for that, too. As we settle down to our New Year's 35 , well turn in droves to self-help books, hoping to find our own best selves in their pages. But a book needn't lecture to leave its imprint. The truth is that all good literature changes us, and a growing body of research suggests you might do better browsing through fiction for support in 36 life's challenges. Think of it less as self-help than 'shelf help'. Reading has been proven to sharpen 37 thinking, enabling us to better discern patterns—a handy tool when it comes to the often baffling behaviour of ourselves and others. But fiction in particular can make you more socially able. Last year, the Journal of Applied Social Psychology published a paper showing how reading Harry Potter made young people in the U. K. and Italy more 38 disposed towards stigmatised (使蒙上污名的) minorities such as 39 . And in 2013, psychologists at the New School for Social Research found that literary fiction enhanced peopled ability to 40 and read others, emotions. We think of novels as places in which to lose ourselves, but when we 41 , we take with us inspiration from our favourite characters. A 2012 study by researchers at Ohio State University found that this process could actually change a reader's behavior. In one experiment, participants strongly identifying with a 42 character who overcame obstacles to vote proved significantly more likely to vote in a real election. They may not promise transformation in seven easy steps, but gripping novels can inform and motivate, short stories can console and trigger self-reflection, and poetry has been shown to engage parts of the brain linked to memory. Sometimes an author helps by simply taking your mind off a problem, 43 you so fully in another's world and outlook that you transcend yourself, returning recharged and determined. A. accepting B. analytical C. battling D. books E. concretely F. critical G. emerge H. express I. fictional J. immersing K. positively L. refugees M. register N. resolutions O. shelves
问答题
【正确答案】O
【答案解析】空格位于介词upon之前，根据此处语境及语法规则推断所填词应为名词。由上文可知，对于心理自助指南类书籍的作者来说，人们所面临的问题都谈不上太大，也不算太小。无论你想要更健康、更富有，还是更快乐，都有书籍写过这些内容。根据上下文推断，后面破折号应该是解释这种类型的书籍的数量之多，备选项里适合此处语境的只有D项的books“书籍”和O项的shelves“架子”。若选前者一方面和上文提到的books重复，另一方面books upon shelves后面加上of them说不通；选后者的话则衔接自然，符合此处语境和语法，意思是“这种书很多，一书架一书架的”，故答案为O项的shelves“架子”。 备选项里还有L项的refugees“难民”和N项的resolutions“打算，决心”两个名词，但与上下文语义不符，故均可排除。