美国文学选读第三版课后习题集标准答案陶洁

美国文学选读第三版课后习题答案陶洁（部分）

Unit1BenjaminFranklin

Questions

l.WhydidFranklinwritehisAutobiography?

Franklinsaysthatbecausehissonmaywishtoknowabouthislife,heistakinghisoneweekvacationin

theEnglishcountrysidetorecordhispast.Healsosaysthathehasenjoyedhislifeandwouldliketo

repeatit

2.WhatmadeFranklindecidetoleavethebrothertowhomhehadbeenapprenticed?

Hisbrotherwaspassionate,andhadoftenbeatenhim.Theaversiontoarbitrarypowerthathasstuckto

himthroughhiswholelife.Afterabrushwiththelaw,Franklinlefthisbrother.

3.HowdidhearriveinPhiladephia?

FirsthesetoutinaboatforAmboy,theboatdroppedhimoffabout50milesfromBurlington,thenext

dayhereachedBurlingtononfoot,inBurlingtonhefoundaboatwhichwasgoingtowardsPhiladelphia,

hearrivedthereabouteightornineo'clock,ontheSundaymorningandlandedattheMarketStreetwharf.

4.Whatfeaturesdoyoufindinthestyleoftheaboveselection?

ItisthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directness,andconcision（言简意赅）.Thenarrativeislucid（易懂的），

thestructureissimple,theimageryishomely（朴素的）.

Unit2EdgarAllenPoe

Questions

l.Whoisthenarrator?Whatwrongdoeshewanttoredress?

Montresor.

Fortunato,oneofwineexpertsinsultedhim,sohewantedtomurderhim.

2.WhatisthepretextheusestolureFortunatotohiswinecellar?

HebaitsFortunatobytellinghimhehasobtainedwhathebelievestobeacaskofAmontilladoarareand

valuablesherrywine.

FortunatoisanxioustodeterminewhetherornotitistrulyAmontillado,sohegoestothevaultwith

Montresor.

3.WhathappenstoFortunatointheend?

Hewaswalledupalivebehindbricksinawinecellar.

4.DescribebrieflyhowPoecharacterizesMontresorandFortunatoascontrasts?

Poeusescolorimagerytocharacterizethem.Montresorfaceiscoveredinablacksilkmask,Incontrast,

Fortunatodressesthemotley-coloredcostumeofthecourtfool,whogetsliterallyandtragicallyfooledby

Montresor'smaskedmotives.

ThecolorschemeshererepresenttheironyofFortunato'sdeathsentence.

Throughtheacts,words,andthoughtsofFortunato,weknowHeisgreedy,hewasluredintothedark

andsombervaultsjustbecauseacaskofAmontillado.

Thisisalsoduetohisbadhabitofbibulosity（酗酒）.Helosthimselfonhearingthewine.

Atthesametime,hewascheatedbyhisenemy,whichreflectedhisignorance.

WhenheheardthepretendedcomplimentfromMontresor,hebecameveryboastfulandarrogant.

Hewaseasilyconfusedbythesuperficialphenomenaandfailedtowatchoutforothers.Hecouldn't

toleratethatotherswerestrongerthanhim.

Forexample,MontresoralwaysstimulatedhimwithLuchresiwhowasgoodatconnoisseur（鉴赏）inwine.

Undertheimpulseofvanity,hefellintoMontresor'sterribletrap.

Infact,hewascarelessandfoolishanddidn'tfindthatthedangerwasapproachinghim.

HelookeddownuponMontresorandothers.

Hedidn'trealizehisfoolishnessuntilthedeathwascoming.

Talkingfromtheappearance,Monstresorwasawell-educatedand"kind"businessman.

Heenjoyedthehonorandrespectinthecity.Butinfact,hewasanevilandawfulperson.

Hisinnerfeelingsweresocruelthattheyevenmadepeopletremble.

Underhisrichappearancewasthedirtysoulanddespicablecharacter.

Wecouldn'tseeanygloriousvirtuesinhismind.Instead,hisheartwascoldanddark.

ItwastherevengethatthrewMontresorintothedeepevilvalley.

unit4NathanielHawthorne

Questions:l.WhyistheprisonthesettingofChapter1?

Nomatterhowoptimisticthefoundersofnewcoloniesmaybe,theyarequicktoestablishaprisonanda

cemeteryintheir''Utopia/'fortheyknowthatmisbehavior,evil,anddeathareunavoidable.

ThisbelieffitsintothelargerPuritandoctrine,whichputsheavyemphasisontheideaoforiginalsin—the

notionthatallpeoplearebornsinnersbecauseoftheinitialtransgressionsofAdamandEveintheGarden

ofEden,heisthereforeusingtheprisonbuildingtorepresentthecrimeandthepunishmentwhichare

aspectofcivilizedlife

Whatistheimplicationofthedescriptionoftheroses?

Therosebushsymbolizestheabilityofnaturetoendureandoutlastman'sactivities.

ThenarratorsuggeststhatrosesofferareminderofNature'skindnesstothecondemned;forhistale,he

says,itwillprovideeithera''sweetmoralblossom“orelsesomereliefinthefaceofunrelentingsorrow

andgloom.

2.DescribetheappearanceofHesterPrynneandtheattitudeofthepeopletowardsher.

Thesecondparagraphonpage30.

Thecrowdinfrontofthejailisamixtureofmenandwomen,allmaintainingseverelooksofdisapproval.

SeveralofthewomenbegintodiscussHesterPrynne,andtheysoonvowthatHesterwouldnothave

receivedsuchalightsentenceforhercrimeiftheyhadbeenthejudges.

Onewoman,theugliestofthegroup,goessofarastoadvocatedeathforHester.

3.WhathashappenedtoHester?

Asayoungwoman,Hestermarriedanelderlyscholar,Chillingworth,whosentheraheadtoAmericato

live.

Whilewaitingforhim,shehadanaffairwithaPuritanministernamedDimmesdale,afterwhichshegave

birthtoPearl.

Thescarletletterisherpunishmentforhersinandhersecrecy.

WhydoesshemaketheembroideryoftheletterAsoelaborate?

Itseemstodeclarethatsheisproud,ratherthanashamed,ofhersin.

Inreality,however,Hestersimplyacceptsthe"sin"anditssymbolaspartofherself,justassheaccepts

herchild.

Andalthoughshecanhardlybelieveherpresent''realities/'shetakesthemastheyareratherthan

resistingthemortryingtoatoneforthem.

Howdoesthistellusabouthercharacter?

ThroughoutTheScarletLetterHesterisportrayedasanintelligent,capable.Itistheextraordinary

circumstancesshapingherthatmakehersuchanimportantfigure.

UnitsHermanMelville

Questions

l.WhatarethestoriesIsmaeltellsaboutMobyDick?

IshmaelcomparesthelegendofMobyDicktohisexperienceofthewhale.

Henotesthatspermwhaleattackshaveincreasedrecentlyandthatsuperstitioussailorshavecometo

regardtheseattacksashavinganintelligent,evensupernaturalorigin.

Inparticular,wildrumorsaboutMobyDickcirculateamongwhalemen,suggestingthathecanbeinmore

thanoneplaceatthesametimeandthatheisimmortal.Ishmaelremarksthateventhewildestofrumors

usuallycontainssometruth.

Whales,forinstance,havebeenknowntotravelwithremarkablespeedfromtheAtlantictothePacific;

thus,itispossibleforawhaletobecaughtinthePacificwiththeharpoonsofaGreenlandshipinit.

MobyDick,whohasdefiedcapturenumeroustimes,exhibitsan''intelligentmalignity”（狠毒）inhis

attacksonmen

2.WhydoesAhabreactsoviolentlyagainstthewhitewhale?

First,helostoneofhislegsbecauseofthewhitewhale.

Second,HeconsidersMobyDicktheembodimentofevilintheworld,andhepursuestheWhiteWhale,

becausehebelievesithisinescapablefatetodestroythisevil.

IshmaelsuggeststhatAhabis、'crazy"andcallhim''aravinglunatic."Doyouagreewithhim?Whyorwhy

not?

IshmaeldescribesAhabasmadinhisnarration,anditdoesindeedseemmadtotrytofighttheforcesof

natureorGod.

3.Whatnarrativefeaturescanyoufindintheselectedchapter?

Intheselectedcharpter,MelvilleemployedthetechniqueofmultipleviewofhisnarrativetoportrayMoby

Dicktoachievetheeffectofambiguityandletreadersjudgethemeaning.

Unit6HenryDavidThoreau

Questions

1.WhereindeeddidThoreaulive,bothataphysicallevelandataspirituallevel?

HelivedinacabinonWaldenPond,whichbelongedtoEmerson'sproperty.

2.HadThoreaueverboughtafarm?Whydidheenjoytheactofbuying?

No,hehadn't.

Heavoidedpurchasingafarmbecauseitwouldinevitablytiehimdownfinanciallyandcomplicatehislife.

Thoreaudidn'tseetheacquisitionofwealthasthegoalforhumanexistence,hesawthegoaloflifetobe

anexplorationofthemindandofthemagnificentworldaroundus.

Heregardedtheplacesasanexistencefreeofobligationsandfullofleisure.

3.1sitsignificantthatThoreaumentionedtheFourthofJulyasthedayonwhichhebegantostayinthe

woods?Why?

Yes,itis.

BecauseTheFourthofJulyisknownasIndependenceDay,thebirthdayottheUnitedStates.

HereThoreauusesthedaytoexpresshisbeginningofregenerationatWalden.

Italsomeansasymbolofhisconquestofbeing.

4.HowcouldyouanswerthequestionThoreauaskedattheendofthisselection?

Unit719thCenturyAmericanPoets

1.HenryWadsworthLongfellow

(1)IShotanArrow...

1.Whydidthespeakerlosesightofhisarrowandsong?

Thearrowfliestooswiftlyandtoofarawaytobeseenbythespeaker;whereasthesongisnaturally

invisible.

2.Inwhatcircumstancesdidhefindthemagain?

Hefindsthemunexpectedlyyearslaterfromthetrunkofatreeandtheheartofafriend.

3.Whatdoarrowandsongstandforinthispoem?

Theimagesofarrowandsongheremaystandforfriendship.

(2)APsalmofLife

1.Whatkindofpersonisthespeakerofthispoem?

Thespeakerisamanofaction,alwaysoptimisticandcheerful,tryingtoachieveasmuchaspossiblein

theshortspanoflife.

2.Accordingtothepoem,howshouldourlivesbeledtoovercomethefactthateachdaybringsusnearer

todeath?

Weshouldworkharderandlivehappier.

3.Interpretthemetaphorof"Footprintsonthesandoftime"(line28).

Themetaphorreferstohumandeedsinreallife.

2.WaltWhitman

⑴One'sSelfISing

1.Whatisthesignificanceofsingingaboutone'sself?

Itisanexaltationoftheindividualspirit,whichistypicalofAmericanpeople.

2.Whatisthedifferencebetweenphysiologyandphysiognomy?

Physiologyisasciencethatdealswiththefunctionsandlifeprocessofhumanbeings,whereas

physiognomyreferstoanartofjudgingcharacterfromcontoursoffaceitselfortheappearanceofa

person.

3.WhatdoesWhitmanmeanbythetermof"theModernMan"?

Hemeansthatamanshouldbefreefromanyprejudiceandpride,totallydifferentfromthetraditional

one,thatisfullofbias.

(3)0C叩tain!MyCaptain!

1.Whyistheword"Captain"capitalizedthroughoutthepoem?

Inthispoemtheword"Captain“speciallyreferstoAbrahamLincoln,presidentoftheUnitedStates.

2.Whatoverallmetaphordoesthepoetemployinthispoem?

Lifeisajourney.

3.Whydopeopleontheshoresexultandbellsring,whilethespeakerremainssosad?

Theywelcometheshipreturningfromitshardtrip,whereasthespeakerissadbecausethecaptainfails

toreceivehisownhonor.

3.EmilyDickinson

(1)ToMakeaPrairie...

1.Whatthingsareneededto"make"aprairie?Inwhatsensecanonereallydoit?

Somegrassandinsectsandsmallanimals.Peoplecanmakeaprairiewiththeirimagination.

2.Howcan"reveryalone"createaprairie?

Theprairiestaysinone'smind.

(2)SuccessIsCountedSweetest

1.Whyissuccess"countedsweetestbythosewhone'ersucceed"?

Thosewhohavetastedthebitternessoffailurewouldhaveakeenerdesireforsuccess.

2.Whoare"thepurplehost"?

Theso-calledsuccessfulpeopleintheworld.

3.Whois"he"inthelaststanza?

Anyonewhoispursuinghissuccess.

⑶I'mNobody!

1.Whoarethe"pairofus"and"they"inthispoem?The"pairofus"referstothespeakerinthepoem

andthereader,and"they"referstothepublic,especiallythoseinpower.

2.Whatdoes"anadmiringbog"reallymean?"(line28).

ItImpliesthevainandemptycommonpeople,whoarealwaysadmiringandpursuingthecelebrities.

3.Whatisthethemeofthispoem?

Therealadmirablelifeisasecludedandcommonone.

4.Doyouwanttobe"nobody"or"somebody"?Explainyourreasons.

Differentpersonswouldhavedifferentanswerstothisquestion.Personally,Iprefertobenobody.

Unit8MarkTwain

Questionsl:WhydoyouthinkMr.Wheelerissoeagertotellthesestories?

FromMr.Wheeler'sbehaviorsandcontentsofhisnarrationwecanknowheissoeagertotellthese

stories.First,when"I"askedhimtotell"me"somethingaboutW.Smiley,he"backedmeintoacornerand

blockadedmewithhischair,andthensatdownandreeledoffthenarrative”.Andduringtheprocessof

tellinghisstories,heneverpaidanyattentiontoothers'responsetohisstoryandjustwentontellingwhat

amusedhim.Atlastwhenthelistenerfeltboringandwantedtoleave,Mr.Wheelerevendidn'tnoticeit

andstillaskedhimtosittherelisteningtohim.

Question?:Doeshisaudiencesharehisenthusiasmintellingthestories?No.theaudiencedoesnot

showanyinterestinMr.Wheeler7stories.Infact,thenarratorwasveryfeverishabouthisstories,but,in

theeyesofthelistener,thestorieswereveryboringandhadnothingtodowithhispreoccupation.Asan

educatedman,thelistenercouldn'tunderstandthewayoflaborersforjoy,andhewouldneverbother

himselftounderstandit.SoafterthelongtimeofMr.Wheeler7solonarrationandwhentheaudiencegot

achance,hefledaway.

Question3:Doyouthinkthenarratorandhislistenereversuspectthepresenceofhumor?Why?Howdo

youinterprettheirinteractions?Thenarratorandhislistenernevernoticedorsuspectedthepresenceof

humor.Duringtheintercourse,thenarratorwentvigorouslyonhismonotonousnarrative"wihoutalittle

smiling"talkingabouttheanimalsandthethingslike,whilethelistenerfeltratherpuzzledorbotheredby

hisstories.ltseemedtobekindofcoarsethings.Sothetwodifferentscenesgoonseparatelywithouta

intersection.Andtheirinteractionwasacompletefailureaccordingtoourcommonsenseabout

communication.Butitinthissenseproducedtheeffectofhumorwhichcanbetastedbyourreadersdue

totheskillsadoptedbyMarkTwain.

Unit14F'ScottFitzgerald

l.DoyouthinkGatsbydeservestobecalled“thegreat"?Why?

(1)IthinkitistoocomplicatedtosimplysayGatsbydeservestobe—greatIIornot.Foronething,

Gatsbywasambitious,hardworking,generousandpassionate.Hewassoextremelyloyaltohisloveand

DaisythathecoulddoanythingtogetDaisyback:hedidshadybusinesstoearnmoneyandsocial

position;hethrewluxuriouspartiesjusttodrawDaisyTsattention;hecouldtaketheblameforadeath

thathedidnotcause.

(2)Inthisrespect,heismuch—greaterIIthanhiscontemporaries.Foranotherthing,Gatsbynever

realizedthatDaisywasn'tthegirlhelovedanymore.Gatsbywassoinnocentthathestakedeverything

onhisdreams,notrealizingthathisdreamsareunworthyofhim.Hewasn'tsoberenoughtobegreat.

2.Does“thegreenlight”Gatsbybelievedinexistinreality?Whyorwhynot?

(1)Ithink—thegreenlightIIdoesnotexistinreality.Becausethegreenlightwhichsituatedatthe

endofDaisy'sEastEggdockandbarelyvisiblefromWestEgglawnrepresentsGatsby'sunattainable

dream.Althoughthecoloritselfcanbeseenashopeandbrightfuture,Gatsby'squestforDaisybackis

doomedtobeimpossible.Daisylivedin—amaterialworldwithoutbeingreal,wherepoorghosts,

breathingdreamlikeairII.

(2)AfterfiveyearswhenGatsbymetDaisyagain,themiracleDaisyhadlostheroriginalglory.Therefore,

thereisnodelayingthatGatsby'sdreamwouldnotcometrue.Inthenovel,thegreenlightnotonly

representsthatinnocentGatsbylookedforwardtothefuture,butalsomeanshislongingforthehistory

-hishappypastwithDaisy.Thedistinctionbetweenidealandrealitywashuge.AsifAmericandream

betweengoldenpastandgoldenfuturealwayssufferedfromtherealisticbetrayalandcrush.

3.WhatdoesGatsby'sSchedulerevealabouthimandhowdoesitrelatetotheAmericanDream?

(1)ThescheduleisareflectionofGatsby'sdeterminationandambition.Itrevealsthatheishardon

himselfinpursuitofhisgoal—tobeanupper-classman.

(2)Ononehand,wecanknowthatheispersistentinpursuinghisAmericanDream-toattainwealth

andhappinessthroughhisstruggle.Ontheotherhand,heistooidealisticandnaive.

(3)Hetrieshisbesttomakemoneyandlearnseverythingrequiredtobeanupper-classmansothathe

cangetaccesstohisbelovedgirl.Moneyisimportant,butthereareotherbarriersdifficulttopenetrate.

Thegirlhelovesisasvulgarandsuperficialasothersinhercircle,sheisunabletomeetsGatsby's

romanticfantasy.Sohisdreamisdestinedtoshatter,whichindicatesthedisillusionofAmericanDream.

4.Whenyoureadtheline"He(themanwithowl-eyedglasses)tookoffhisglassesandwipedthemagain,

outsideandinwhatimagesdoesitcreateinyourmind,giventhenovel'snumerousreferencestothe

strikinglystrangesceneofthespectacledeyes?

(1)Fromthisline,superficially,owl-eyesisapersonwiththickandblurryglasseswhocannotsee

clearlyallthethingsintheworld.However,weknowheisactuallyanowl-wiseobserverandseesmore

clearlythananyoneelseinthenovel.Owl-Eyes,exceptNick,istheonlyfriendtoappearatthe

rain-soakedburialofGatsby,whenothersareunwillingtocome.HefeelssympathyforGatsby'stragedy.

(2)Afterreadingthisline,IcannothelpthinkingoftheDr.Eckleburgbillboardwithitshugeyellow

spectaclesinthisnovel.Inmanyrainydays,Dr.Eckleburg'seyesarealsodimmedandseemblind.But

infactthisisapairof"all-seeing"eyes.TheOwl-EyedManissimilartoDr.Eckleburg,sadlylookingatthe

people'slifeandidealismofthistime.Bothofthemsymbolizeanuninvolvedspectatorgod.Theywatchall

theactivitiesofthehumans.Owl-eyesistheavatarofthesightlessDr.Eckleburg.

Unit16ErnestHemingway

1.Howdoyouinterprettheironyofthetitleafterreadingthestory?

(1)Thetitle—ACleanWell-LightedPlaceIIreferstothecafeinthetext.Thecafewasverycleanand

well-lighted.Fromtheliterarymeaning,wemayfeelthisplacewasverywarmandcomfortable,wasa

placewherepeopleneedwarmthwantedtogo.Sotheoldman,whowasrichbutdeafandlonelycame

heretofindwarmthandavoidednada.Itwastheonlyplacehecouldgoandcouldfindsomecomfort.

(2)However,theyoungerwaiterwasveryselfish.Ashiswifewaswaitinghimonthebed,hewantedto

gohomeearly.Therefore,herefusedtooffertheoldmananothercupofwinebytheexcusethatthe

businesswasfinished.Infact,therewasstillanhourfromclosingtime.Theyoungerthoughtanhourwas

moreimportanttohimthantotheoldman.Theoldmanneededtoleavetheonlyplacewherehecould

getfarawayfromnada/nothing.Thiscafeshouldbewarmbuttheyoungerwaiterforcedthelonelyand

deaftoleavewithoutanysympathy.Thisistheironyofthetitle.

2.Doyouthinkyouthandconfidencecanhelponewithstandthemetaphoricaldark?Whyorwhynot?

(1)1don*tthinkso.Inouropinion,themetaphoricaldarkmeansnada,nothinginone*sinnerheart.

Inthearticle,theyoungerwaiterhadbothyouthandconfidence;however,henevermadefulluseof

them.Aswecansee,hedidn,tunderstandtheoldman'ssuicideandexcessivedrinking,andfailedto

seehistomorrowthroughtheoldman'spresentsituation.

(2)What'smore,hehadnoideathatyouthisnotpermanent,whichcannotguaranteeloveandwork.

Fromabove,thereisnodenyingthathedidn*trealizehisnada.Therefore,hisyouthandconfidence

nevercontributedtowithstandinghismetaphoricaldark.

(3)1thinkthat,nowadays,youthandconfidencedocanhelptowithstandthemetaphoricaldark,forone

canbravelyfacetherealityandovercomethenadawithyouthandconfidence.Buttheyonlyserveastwo

mainfactors.Infact,weneedsomeotherfactorssuchascourage,dignityandsoonifwewantto

withstandthemetaphoricaldarksuccessfully.

3.Theolderwaitersaidtotheyoungerwaiter:uWeareoftwodifferentkinds.vInwhatwaydoyouthink

theyaredifferent?

(1)Ithinktheyaredifferentfromeachotherinthefollowingfouraspects：Inthebeginning,theyarein

differentages.Theolderwaiterwasinhismiddleage;whiletheotherwasmuchyounger.

(2)Then,theyhavedifferentattitudestowardstheoldman.Fromthearticle,weknowtheolderwaiter

hadsufferedalot.Hehadmaintainedacleanandwell-lightedplaceinhisheart,andhecouldunderstand

theoldmanandshowsympathytohim.However,theyoungmanwasveryselfish.Hewantedtogo

homeearlysothathefinishedthebusinessonehourearlierandforcedtheoldmantoleave.Heshowed

hatredratherthansympathytotheoldman.

(3)Next,theyhavedifferentattitudestowardslife.Theolderwaiterhadadeepsenseoflife.Hewas

braveandwantedtofightagainnada.Besides,hecaredaboutothers.Theyoungeronewastotally

different;hehasashadowunderstandingoflife.Hesatisfiedwithhispresentloveandwork,heonlycare

abouthimselfandwasreluctanttotakeothersintoconsideration.Heevenneverthoughtofhisfuture.

(4)Finally,theyhavedifferentattitudestowardsnada.Theolderwaiterhadrealizedthatitisimpossible

toavoidnadainone'swholelife.Theonlythinghecandoistokeepakindofclearnessinhisownmind.

Sohewaswillingtoworklateforthelonelyoldmanandwaspleasedtohelpthosewhoaresuffering

nada.Butoutofyouthandconfidence,hefailedtoovercomenada.Onthecontrary,theyoungerwaiter

hadthetwomostimportantfactorsforwithstandingnada;however,hedidn'trealizethenadainhis

heartatall.Thenhisyouthandconfidencebecameuseless.

Unit1720th-CenturyAmericanPoets

1.EzraPoundInAStationoftheMetro

1.Whydoesthepoetcallthefacesofpedestrians"apparition"?

Thesepedestriansareallwalkinginahurryamidstthedrizzlingrain.

2.Whatdo"petals"and"bough"standfor?Petalsrefertothefaceswhiletheboughstandsforthe

floatingcrowd.

2.WallaceStevensAnecdoteoftheJar

1.Whatdoesthejarinpoemsymbolize?Whydoesthespeakerplaceitontopofahill?Thejarhere

symbolizesacertainperspectiveonlookingatthisworld.Iftheperspectiveoftheviewingiscreativeand

unique,itwillchangetheconventionalorderoftheoldworld.Whenanewperspectivecomesout,itwill

certainlyholdattentionfromtherest.

2.Thejaris"round"and"ofaportinair,"meaningthatithasastatelyimportance.Whateffectdoesit

haveonsurroundingswhenplacedontheground?Maybetheroundjarassumestheairofa

domineeringfigure,whichhelpstoformacertainorderoutofthedisorderedsurrounding.

3.HowdidthewildernessofTennesseecharacterized?Whatwordsorphrasesdoesthepoetuseto

describeit?Tennesseeseemstoaplacefulloflifeandenergy.''Slovenly//"sprawl"and"wild"aresome

ofthewordsusedtodescribetheplace.(SeeAnecdoteoftheJar)

4.RobertFrost

(l)FjreandIce

1.Whatarethesymbolicmeaningsoffireinthispoem?Firesymbolizesnaturaldisaster,humanpassion,

aswellaswar.

2.Whydoesthespeakersaythaticeisalsogreatfordestruction?Explainwhaticestandsforhere.Ice,

opposetofire,isalsoadreadfulnaturaldisasterinthisworld,andiceisalwaysrelatedtoindifference,

coldness,hatred,andtheothernegativesentimentsofhumanbeings.

3.Whatisyouropinionaboutfireandice?Whichoneismoredestructive?Bothfireandicecandestroy

thisbeautifulworldiftheyarebeyondcontrolofhumanbeings.Thereforeweshouldbeopen-mindedand

reduceourprejudiceandpridesoastokeepthisworldinpeace.

(2)StoppingByWoodsOnaSnowyEvening

1.Inyouropinion,whatwasthereasonthatmadethespeakerstopbythewoodsonasnowyevening?

Thepoetwasdeeplyattractedbythenaturalbeautyofthesceneatthatverymoment.

2.Whydidthehorsegivetheharnessbellashake?Thehorsegrewimpatientbystoppinginthemiddle

ofthedark,coldwoodsatmidnight.Itwaseagertogohome.

3.Whycouldn'tthespeakerstaylongerbythewoodstoappreciateitsmysteriousbeauty?Herealized

thatitwaslateatnightandhewouldhavetohurryhometogetsomefoodandsleep,becausethenext

morninghewouldhavealotofworktodo.

4.Whatistheeffectofrepetitioninthelasttwolines?Therefrain-likerepetitioninthelasttwolines

remindsthereaderasimplefactoflife:whateverhappens,onemustgoforwardinthejourneyofhisor

herlife.

(3)TheRoadNotTaken

1.Whatisthespeaker'sinitialresponsetothedivergenceofthetworoads?Thespeakerisataloss

whichroadheshouldchoose,andhefeelssorrythathecannotexplorebothroadsatthesametime.

2.Describethesimilaritiesanddifferencesofthesetworoads.Whichonedoesthespeakertake?Two

roadsaresimilarexceptoneofthemismore"grassy,"whichimpliesthatitislesstraveledbypeople.The

speakerprefersthelesstraveledone,becausehelikesadventure.

3.Whatmightthetworoadsstandforinthespeaker'smind?Oneroadstandsforthetraditionalone

andtheotherisunconventionaloneandfullofchallengesanddifficultjes.Tofollowotherpeople's

footstepsortoopenanewroadforhimselfisreallynotaneasydecisionforustomakeinourlives.

Unit22AllenGinsberg

Allthroughthepoem,thespeakerisaddressingtoWaltWhitman.IsthispoemaboutWaltWhitmanor

aboutmodernAmerica?

■fromAllenGinsbergASupermarketinCalifornia

Theauthorinthispoemwantedtoemphas