英语短篇小说教程-虞建华-高等教育出版社-课后答案

Keys to Unit Two(1) I. B. Singer: The Washwoman(2)frank sarge son : a piece of yellow soap1) Questions for Discussion:(Suggested answers for reference)(1)does the piece of washing soap have the“power”as the narrator tells us？what is the power that forces him to take off？(the piece of yellow washing soap is，of course，An ordinary one。the narrator is a nave narrator who believed that it had some sort of mysterious power， while the readers are expected to knowthis power comes from the narrator s deep sympathy for the tragic fate of the washing woman .seeingth E situation，he simply could not continue to demand the payment which he knew the woman was unable to produce。）(2) in this unit，wehave two stories about two wash women。there are a lot of similar descriptions and common character istics in the two stories。find and list them。(they were both reduce to desperation，depending soleily on washing for living。both were hard-working and un complaining，Quietly but almost heroically bore their burden and struggled for a hard existence。the author describes their common featurethe white and shrink Fingersas symbol of suffering in the lives of the working people . they both）(3)The two first-person narrators tell two stories of two wash women who shared similar tragic fate。discuss the differences In the narrators that result In the differences In the way the two short stories are told .(singer s narrator knows more and tells more about the washing woman，Often making direct comments and revealing his own feelings about theHe frequently emphasizes that what He is telling is real，And hints that the story has signalince。the narrator s voice is very close to the author s。please see more in reading tips on page 11。on the ot Her hand，sarge sons narrator is a nave one，that is，the narrator s understanding is purposely made shallow，And theso the narrator stands at some distance from the author。please see more in re Ading tips on page 15 .therefore，in text I，web，as readers，are basically given or received the story，while in text ii，while in text ii）2)explanation and interpretation :(explain the implied meaning of the following sentences，and point out their signiance in the context of the story。）From the wash woman :(1)shehad been so sick that some one called a doctor，and the doctor had sent for a priest。(According to the custom，A priest should be present while one is dying。the implied message is the doctor thought that he could do nothing to save her，and the best thing to do was to prepare for her death .）(2)“with the help of god you will live to be a hundred and twenty，”said my mother，as a blessing。“好福比！”(“my mother”extended a good wish for long life to her，but the washing woman thought that a long life was a terrible thing，because it）(3)her soul passed into those spheres where all holy souls meet，regardless of the roles they played on this earth，in whatever tongue(a good person，like the old wash woman，would go to heaven because she had a noble soul。she would rise above all the earthy considerations of class，race，nation and religon。）From A Piece of Yellow Soap:(4)myeyes would get fixed on her fingers and the soap，and after a few minutes I would lose all power to look the woman in the face。I would mumble something to myself and take myself off .(the narrator could not bear to look at this washing-tub slave for too long .he would have to find some exceuse and leave。he could not push her over th E cliff while she was standing on the verge of total desperation .）(5)shehad a way too of feeling inside her handbag as she passed me，and I always had the queer feeling that she carried there a piece of soapit was her talis man powerful to work wonders.(possiblin in the bag there were a few pennies that the woman had earned from her washing，And she was going to buy food or some NECT .seeing the narrator，to whom she knew sheowed money，She unconsciously or protective ly put her hand in the bag。the narrator，being nave ，misunder stand her reaction while they met in the street .）Suggested Homework:translate the following paragraphs from the wash woman into Chinese :The bag was big，biger than usual。when the woman placed it on her shoulders，it covered her completed . at first she stayed，As though she were about to fall under the load .but an inner stubbornes seemed to callout；否，you may not fall。a donkey may permit himself to fall under his burden，but not a human being，the best of creation。She disapped，and mother sighed and prayed for her。More than two monthspassed。the frosthad gone，and then a new frost had come，a new wave of cold.one evening，While mother was sitting near the oil lamp mending a shirtI ran toward the old woman and helred her unload herbag .she was even thinner now，More bent。her head shook from side to side as though she were saying no。shecould not utter a clear word，but mumbled something with her sunken mouth and pale lips。For reference only:衣箱大，比平时大。女人把那件大衣服扛在肩上，行李完全盖住了她的身体。从一开始，她就稳定了脚，好像随时在巨大负担的重压下倒下一样。但是好像有一种内在的耐心