珍．奧斯汀（Jane Austen, 1775–1817），英國女作家，作品詮釋英國十八世紀末的鄉紳生活，反映女性的追求與社會婚姻觀，但本身卻一生小姑獨處。珍．奧斯汀著作豐富，皆以匿名方式出版，代表作品包括《理性與感性》（Sense and Sensibility, 1811）、《傲慢與偏見》（Pride and Prejudice, 1813）、《艾瑪》（Emma, 1815）、《曼斯菲爾德莊園》（Mansfield Park, 1814）等。
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珍．奧斯汀的第二部小說《傲慢與偏見》，是最獲盛譽之作，在撰寫時年僅二十一歲。故事的時空背景為十八世紀末、十九世紀初的英國，描繪班奈特（Bennet）一家人和五名待嫁女兒的故事，傳達英國地主鄉紳貴族的情感和婚姻問題。
班奈特太太人生中最大的心願，就是見到五個女兒們出閣，故事從女兒伊莉莎白（Elizabeth）和達西先生（Mr. Darcy）之間的愛情開展出來，為了這段愛情，男方要克服自己的傲慢，女方要拋開自己的偏見。珍．奧斯汀曾經在一封信中寫到了她對伊莉莎白的看法：「我得承認，她是文學作品中一個最令人讚賞的角色，我不知道該如何容忍那些無法欣賞她的人。」
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Pride and Prejudice was first written between October 1796 and August 1797 and it was called First Impressions. It wasn’t published, however, until 1813. It was Jane Austen’s second novel. She was twenty-one years old when she first wrote it. It is still one of the most popular novels in English literature and it has sold more than 20 million copies.
Pride and Prejudice was published anonymously and was credited to the author of Sense and Sensibility.
Pride and Prejudice is a story of life and love in England in the 1800s. The story is about Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five unmarried daughters. Mrs. Bennet’s main purpose in life is to see her five daughters married. Consequently, she is very happy when a handsome rich gentleman arrives in the neighborhood, and he falls in love with her eldest daughter Jane. However, when her sister, the clever and witty Elizabeth Bennet first meets his handsome and wealthier friend, Mr. Darcy, she dislikes him. And that is the beginning of their wonderful love story. In order for them to fall in love, his pride and her prejudice must be overcome.
About Elizabeth, Jane Austen wrote in a letter: “I must confess that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, and how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least I do not know.”
【Helbling文學讀本（Helbling Readers）簡介】
● Helbling Classics（經典英文文學改寫）
● Helbling Fiction（當代原創英文小說）
《Helbling文學讀本》為一套最優質的英文分級閱讀讀本，英語難易度由初級銜接到中級。在各項英語認證考試中，本系列書培養的英語能力級數如下：
GEPT英檢?? ?TOEIC多益?? ?TOEFL iBT托福?? ?IELTS雅思
中級??? 550?? ?57–86?? ?4.5
全系列皆隨書附贈全文朗讀MP3。
內文編排精美，採用彩色印刷，全文穿插精美插圖，單元設計豐富。
除了精彩的小說之外，另編寫有：
1.About the Author（作者簡介）：介紹作者，幫助認識創作背景。
2.About the Book（本書簡介）：介紹故事內容概要，幫助了解故事的背景與旨意。
3.Before Reading（閱前活動）：設計各種問題和活動，幫助暖身，啟發各種探討與學習。
4.After Reading（閱後練習）：設計各種深入的問題和題目練習，幫助復習內容，加深英語的學習印象。
5.Test（測驗）：有些讀本在閱畢之後，設計有各種測驗題目，包括文意測驗和英語練習等。
6.隨文討論：在故事行文中，另設計有針對內文情節的問題探討，幫助做啟發性的思考。
【本書錄音採用英式發音】
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