阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Not all great writers are great spellers. If you want to be published, it's vital to submit a perfect, professionally presented manuscript (原稿).____36____No editor is likely to tolerate a writer who does not take the trouble to spell words correctly.

I keep two reference books close-by on my desk: dictionary and thesaurus (同义词词典). I don't trust my laptop's spellchecker.____37____Of course, these days there are plenty of online dictionaries and thesauruses, but I'm old-fashioned enough to prefer a hard cover and pages I can leaf through with my fingers. I use theConcise Oxford Dictionaryand theCollins Thesaurus.

____38____It should give you a precise definition of each word, thus differentiating it from other words whose meanings are similar, but not identical. It will also usually show how the word is pronounced.

In addition, I have an old two-volume copy of theShorter Oxford Dictionary, picked up a few years ago in a bookshop sale for just 99 pence. Of course, with its 2,672 pages, it's not exactly short. It contains around 163,000 words, plus word combinations and idiomatic phrases.____39____However, if I need to check the origin of a word or to look up examples of its usage, there's nothing better.

For well over a hundred years the most influential English dictionary was Samuel Johnson'sDictionary of the English Languagepublished in 1755. "To make dictionaries is dull (乏味) work," wrote Johnson, illustrating one definition of "dull".____40____A few minutes spent casting your eye over a page or two can be a rewarding experience.

A. I don't often use this dictionary.

B. It takes no account of the context.

C. But I still don't want to replace them.

D. But a dictionary can be a pleasure to read.

E. Of course, a dictionary is not only for spelling.

F. That means good grammar and no spelling mistakes.

G. Dictionaries don't always give you enough information.

【参考答案】36. F 37. B 38. E 39. A 40. D

【逐题解析】【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了作者使用英语词典的经验和心得以及从中获得的乐趣。

【36题详解】上文“If you want to be published, it’s vital to submit a perfect, professionally presented manuscript(如果你想发表，提交一份完美的、专业的手稿是至关重要的)”提到了完美的、专业的手稿的重要性，手稿中不能有语法和拼写错误是专业的手稿的要求之一。F选项“That means good grammar and no spelling mistakes.(这意味着语法正确，没有拼写错误。)”是对手稿要求的进一步解释说明，符合题意。故选F项。

【37题详解】上文“I don’t trust my laptop’s spellchecker.(我不相信我笔记本电脑的拼写检查器。)”提到了作者不相信电脑的拼写检查器;下文“Of course, these days there are plenty of online dictionaries and thesauruses, but I’m old-fashioned enough to prefer a hard cover and pages I can leaf through with my fingers.(当然，现在有很多在线词典和同义词库，但我是一个守旧的人，更喜欢精装的书和能用手指翻阅的书页。)”提到了作者更喜欢实体书和能用手指翻阅的书页，说明电子设备可能不会考虑上下文，所以B选项“It takes no account of the context.(它不考虑上下文。)”解释了上文的原因，具有承上启下的作用。故选B项。

【38题详解】下文“It should give you a precise definition of each word, thus differentiating it from other words whose meanings are similar, but not identical. It will also usually show how the word is pronounced.(它应该给出每个单词的精确定义，从而将其与其他含义相似但不相同的单词区分开来。它通常还会显示单词的发音。)”提到了字典的功能，E选项“Of course, a dictionary is not only for spelling.(当然，字典不仅仅是用来拼写的。)”提到了字典的部分功能，能引起下文内容。故选E项。

【39题详解】下文“However, if I need to check the origin of a word or to look up examples of its usage, there’s nothing better.(然而，如果我需要检查一个单词的来源或查找其用法的例子，没有什么比这更好的了。)”提到了字典的使用情况，A选项“I don’t often use this dictionary.(我不经常用这本字典。)”是对字典使用频率的说明，与下文构成转折关系。故选A项。

【40题详解】上文““To make dictionaries is dull (乏味) work, ” wrote Johnson, illustrating one definition of ”dull".(约翰逊在解释“dull”的一个定义时写道：“编字典是件无聊的工作。”)”提到了编写字典是件乏味的工作，下文“A few minutes spent casting your eye over a page or two can be a rewarding experience.(花几分钟的时间浏览一两页是一种有益的体验。)”提到浏览字典也是一种阅读的乐趣，D选项“But a dictionary can be a pleasure to read.(但是一本字典读起来是一种乐趣。)”是作者对字典的评价，与上文的“乏味”形成对比，与上文构成转折关系。故选D项。

【全文参考译文】

并非所有优秀的作家都是拼写高手。如果你想出版，提交一份完美、专业呈现的原稿至关重要。这意味着良好的语法和没有拼写错误。任何编辑都不太可能容忍那些不愿意花心思正确拼写单词的作家。

我在桌子旁边随时放着两本参考书：词典和同义词词典。我不信任笔记本电脑的拼写检查器，它并不考虑上下文。当然，现在有很多在线词典和同义词词典，但我还是保守派，更喜欢硬皮和能用手指翻动的页面。我使用的是《简明牛津词典》和《柯林斯同义词词典》。

当然，词典不仅用于拼写。它应该为你提供每个词的精确定义，从而区别于那些意思相似但并非完全相同的其他词。它通常也会显示单词的发音方式。

此外，我还有一本老旧的《牛津英语词典》的两卷本，几年前在一家书店特价售卖，只需99便士。当然，它有2672页，不算短小。它包含大约163,000个单词，以及单词组合和习语短语。我不经常使用这本词典。然而，如果我需要查单词的起源或查找其用法示例，没有比它更好的了。

长达一百多年来，最有影响力的英语词典是塞缪尔·约翰逊于1755年出版的《英语词典》。约翰逊写道：“编写词典是乏味的工作”，这解释了“乏味”的一个定义。但是，词典也可以是一种愉悦的阅读。花几分钟时间浏览一页或两页可能是一种令人满足的体验。