NEW YORK,NY, January 5,2010. St.Martin’s Press has announced the release of the paperback edition of Picking Cotton, a remarkable true story of what novelist John Grisham calls an “account of violence, rage, redemption(救赎)，and, ultimately forgiveness.”

　　The story began in 1987, in Burlington, North Carolina, with the rape of a young while college student named Jennifer Thompson. During her ordeal(折磨), Thompson swore(发誓) to herself that she would never forget the face of her rapist(强奸犯), a man who climbed through the window of her apartment and assaulted(攻击) her brutally. During the attack, she made an effort to memorize every detail of his face, looking for scars, tattoos(纹身)，or other identifying marks. (46 F) When the police asked her if she could identify the assailant (袭 击者) from a book of mug shots(嫌疑犯照片), she picked one that she was sure was correct, and later she identified the same man in a lineup(行列).

　　Based on her convincing eye witness testimony, a 22-year-old black man named Ronald Cotton was sentenced to prison for two life terms. Cotton’s lawyer appealed the decision(提出上诉), and by the time of the appeals hearing(上诉听证会), evidence had come to light suggesting that the real rapist might have been a man who looked very like Cotton, an imprisoned criminal named Bobby Poole. Another trial was held. (47 D) Jennifer Thompson looked at both men face to face, and once again said that Ronald Cotton was the one who raped her.

　　Eleven years later, DNA evidence completely exonerated(证明„„清白)Cotton and just as unequivocally(明确地) convicted Poole, who confessed to the crime. Thompson was shocked and devastated(使震惊) (48 E) “The man I was so sure I had never seen in my life was the man who was inches from my throat, who raped me, who hurt me, who took my spirit away, who robbed me of my soul,” she wrote. “And the man I had identified so surely on so many occasions was absolutely innocent.”

　　Jennifer Thompson decided to meet Cotton and apologize to him personally. (49 A) Remarkably both were able to put this tragedy behind them, overcome the racial barrier that divided them, and write a book, which they have subtitled “Our memoir(回忆录) of injustice and redemption(拯救).”

　　Nevertheless, Thompson says, she still lives “with constant pain that my profound mistake cost him so dearly. I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened had my mistaken identification occurred in a capital (可判死刑的)case. (50 C)”

　　A. Jennifer Thompson decided to meet Cotton and apologize to him personally.

　　B. Many criminals are sent to prison on the basis of accurate testimony by eyewitnesses.

　　C. I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened had my mistaken identification occurred in a capital case

　　D. Another trial was held.

　　E. Thompson was shocked and devastated.

　　F. During the attack, she made an effort to memorize every detail of his face, looking for scars, tattoos (纹身), or other identifying marks.

                
      职称英语考试