Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people, but I also explain that there's a big difference between “being a writer” and writing. In most cases these individuals are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a typewriter. “You've got to want to write,” I say to them, “not want to be a writer.” The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard to become a freelance writer (自由撰稿者), I had not prospects at all. What I did have was a friend who found me my room in a New York apartment building. It didn't even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom. I immediately bought a used manual typewriter and felt like a genuine writer. After a year or so, however, I still hadn’t gotten a break and began to doubt myself. It was so hard to sell a story that barely made enough to eat. But I knew I wanted to write. I had dreamed about it for years. I wasn’t going to be one of those people who die wondering. What if ? I would keep putting my dream to the test even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the Shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. 12. The passage is meant to________. A. warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience B. advise young people to give up their idea of becoming a professional writer C. show young people it's unrealistic for a writer to pursue wealth and fame D. encourage young people to pursue a writing career 13. What can be concluded from the passage? A. Genuine writers often find their work interesting and rewarding. B. A writer's success depends on luck rather than on effort. C. Famous writers usually live in poverty and isolation. D. The chances for a writer to become successful are small. 14.“people who die wondering. What if?” ( Line 5, Para. 3) refers to “those ______”. A. who think too much of the dark side of life B. who regret giving up their career halfway C. who think a lot without making a decision D. who are full of imagination even upon death 15. “Shadowland” in the last sentence refers to _______. A. the wonderland one often dreams about B. the bright future that one is looking forward to C. the state of uncertainty before one's final goal is reached D. a world that exists only in one's imagination