美国文学课后习题及美国文学课后答案

Unit2EdgarAllanPoeWhoisthenarrator?Whatwrongdoeshewanttoredress?ItisMontresor.FortunatohasgivenMontresorthousandsofinjuriesthathehastobearbeforehehasthisopportunityoftakingrevenge.WhatisthepretextMontresorusestolureFortunadotohiswinecellar?HeclaimsthathehasjustgotacaskofAmontiladoandstoresitinthewinecellarbeforehemayfindaconnoisseurtotestifytoitsauthenticity.WhathappenstoFortunadointheend?ThedeceivedFortunadoiskilledbecauseofhisinabilityofgettingoutofthecatacomb.DescribebrieflyhowPoecharacterizesMortresorandFortunadoascontrasts.PoecharacterizesMortresorandFortunadoasseeminglycontrastingcharacterschieflybypresentingtheiridenticalhabitinwineandtheirdifferentmannerstowardseachother,butactuallyheintendstoshowsomesimilarlydefectiveaspectsintheirnature.ThesimilarityintheirnatureisalsosuggestedbytheirnamesassynonymsinItalian:Mortresormeans“fortune”whileFortunado“treasure”.TheirdefectivenatureishighlightedwhentherevengerMortresor,whoisfullypreparedonpsychologicalandoperatinglevels,throwsthehardlypreparedbuttotallydeceivedwrong-doerFortunadointothedeepanddampcatacombandblocksupitsentrancewithhugerocks.Unit719thCenturyAmericanPoetsHenryWadsworthLongfellowIShotanArrow…1.Whydidthespeakerlosesightofhisarrowandsong?Thearrowfliestooswiftlyandtoofarawaytobeseenbythespeaker;whereasthesongisnaturallyinvisible.Inwhatcircumstancesdidhefindthemagain?Hefindsthemunexpectedlyyearslaterfromthetrunkofatreeandtheheartofafriend.Whatdoarrowandsongstandforinthispoem?Theimagesofarrowandsongheremaystandforfriendship.APsalmofLife1.Whatkindofpersonisthespeakerofthispoem?Thespeakerisamanofaction,alwaysoptimisticandcheerful,tryingtoachieveasmuchaspossibleintheshortspanoflife.2.Accordingtothepoem,howshouldourlivesbeledtoovercomethefactthateachdaybringsusnearertodeath?Weshouldworkharderandlivehappier.3.Interpretthemetaphorof"Footprintsonthesandoftime"(line28).Themetaphorreferstohumandeedsinreallife.2.WaltWhitman(1)One'sSelfISing1.Whatisthesignificanceofsingingaboutone'sself?Itisanexaltationoftheindividualspirit,whichistypicalofAmericanpeople.2.Whatisthedifferencebetweenphysiologyandphysiognomy?Physiologyisasciencethatdealswiththefunctionsandlifeprocessofhumanbeings,whereasphysiognomyreferstoanartofjudgingcharacterfromcontoursoffaceitselfortheappearanceofaperson.3.WhatdoesWhitmanmeanbythetermof"theModernMan"?Hemeansthatamanshouldbefreefromanyprejudiceandpride,totallydifferentfromthetraditionalone,thatisfullofbias.OCaptain!MyCaptain!Whyistheword"Captain"capitalizedthroughoutthepoem?Inthispoemtheword“Captain”speciallyreferstoAbrahamLincoln,presidentoftheUnitedStates.Whatoverallmetaphordoesthepoetemployinthispoem?Lifeisajourney.Whydopeopleontheshoresexultandbellsring,whilethespeakerremainssosad?Theywelcometheshipreturningfromitshardtrip,whereasthespeakerissadbecausethecaptainfailstoreceivehisownhonor.3.EmilyDickinson(1)ToMakeaPrairie…1.Whatthingsareneededto"make"aprairie?Inwhatsensecanonereallydoit?Somegrassandinsectsandsmallanimals.Peoplecanmakeaprairiewiththeirimagination.2.Howcan"reveryalone"createaprairie?Theprairiestaysinone'smind.(2)SuccessIsCountedSweetest1.Whyissuccess"countedsweetestbythosewhone'ersucceed"?Thosewhohavetastedthebitternessoffailurewouldhaveakeenerdesireforsuccess.2.Whoare"thepurplehost"?Theso-calledsuccessfulpeopleintheworld.3.Whois"he"inthelaststanza?Anyonewhoispursuinghissuccess.(3)I'mNobody!1.Whoarethe"pairofus"and"they"inthispoem?The"pairofus"referstothespeakerinthepoemandthereader,and"they"referstothepublic,especiallythoseinpower.2.Whatdoes"anadmiringbog"reallymean?"(line28).ItImpliesthevainandemptycommonpeople,whoarealwaysadmiringandpursuingthecelebrities.3.Whatisthethemeofthispoem?Therealadmirablelifeisasecludedandcommonone.4.Doyouwanttobe"nobody"or"somebody"?Explainyourreasons.Differentpersonswouldhavedifferentanswerstothisquestion.Personally,Iprefertobenobody.Unit1720th-CenturyAmericanPoets1.EzraPoundInAStationoftheMetro1.Whydoesthepoetcallthefacesofpedestrians"apparition"?Thesepedestriansareallwalkinginahurryamidstthedrizzlingrain.2.Whatdo"petals"and"bough"standfor?Petalsrefertothefaceswhiletheboughstandsforthefloatingcrowd.2.WallaceStevensAnecdoteoftheJar1.Whatdoesthejarinpoemsymbolize?Whydoesthespeakerplaceitontopofahill?Thejarheresymbolizesacertainperspectiveonlookingatthisworld.Iftheperspectiveoftheviewingiscreativeandunique,itwillchangetheconventionalorderoftheoldworld.Whenanewperspectivecomesout,itwillcertainlyholdattentionfromtherest.2.Thejaris"round"and"ofaportinair,"meaningthatithasastatelyimportance.Whateffectdoesithaveonsurroundingswhenplacedontheground?Maybetheroundjarassumestheairofadomineeringfigure,whichhelpstoformacertainorderoutofthedisorderedsurrounding.3.HowdidthewildernessofTennesseecharacterized?Whatwordsorphrasesdoesthepoetusetodescribeit?Tennesseeseemstoaplacefulloflifeandenergy.“Slovenly,”“sprawl”and“wild”aresomeofthewordsusedtodescribetheplace.(SeeAnecdoteoftheJar)3.WilliamCarlosWilliamsWilliamCarlosWilliams1.Howdoesthefirsttwolinesdifferfromtheotherpairsoflines?Eachofthelastthreecoupletscreatesavisualimage(“aredwheelbarrow,”“glazedwithrainwater,”and“thewhitechickens”),whereasthefirstonedoesnot.2.Whatisthemostvisuallycompellingwordineachofthelastthreepairsoflines?Theyare“red,glazedandwhite”.(SeeEXPLANATION:“TheRedWheelbarrow”below)3.Whatisthemeaningof"dependsupon"inthefirstpairoflines?Theopeninglinessetthetonefortherestofthepoem.Sincethepoemiscomposedofonesentencebrokenupatvariousintervals,itistruthfultosaythat'somuchdependsupon'eachlineofthepoem.Thisissobecausetheformofthepoemisalsoitsmeaning.Thismayseemconfusing,butbytheendofthepoemtheimageofthewheelbarrowisseenastheactualpoem,asinapaintingwhenoneseesanimageofanapple,theapplerepresentsanactualobjectinreality,butsinceitispartofapaintingtheapplealsobecomestheactualpieceofart.Theselinesarealsoimportantbecausetheyintroducetheideathat'somuchdependsupon'thewheelbarrow.SEEanswer1.4.RobertFrost(1)FireandIce1.Whatarethesymbolicmeaningsoffireinthispoem?Firesymbolizesnaturaldisaster,humanpassion,aswellaswar.2.Whydoesthespeakersaythaticeisalsogreatfordestruction?Explainwhaticestandsforhere.Ice,opposetofire,isalsoadreadfulnaturaldisasterinthisworld,andiceisalwaysrelatedtoindifference,coldness,hatred,andtheothernegativesentimentsofhumanbeings.3.Whatisyouropinionaboutfireandice?Whichoneismoredestructive?Bothfireandicecandestroythisbeautifulworldiftheyarebeyondcontrolofhumanbeings.Thereforeweshouldbeopen-mindedandreduceourprejudiceandpridesoastokeepthisworldinpeace.(2)StoppingByWoodsOnaSnowyEvening1.Inyouropinion,whatwasthereasonthatmadethespeakerstopbythewoodsonasnowyevening?Thepoetwasdeeplyattractedbythenaturalbeautyofthesceneatthatverymoment.2.Whydidthehorsegivetheharnessbellashake?Thehorsegrewimpatientbystoppinginthemiddleofthedark,coldwoodsatmidnight.Itwaseagertogohome.3.Whycouldn'tthespeakerstaylongerbythewoodstoappreciateitsmysteriousbeauty?Herealizedthatitwaslateatnightandhewouldhavetohurryhometogetsomefoodandsleep,becausethenextmorninghewouldhavealotofworktodo.4.Whatistheeffectofrepetitioninthelasttwolines?Therefrain-likerepetitioninthelasttwolinesremindsthereaderasimplefactoflife:whateverhappens,onemustgoforwardinthejourneyofhisorherlife.(3)TheRoadNotTaken1.Whatisthespeaker'sinitialresponsetothedivergenceofthetworoads?Thespeakerisatalosswhichroadheshouldchoose,andhefeelssorrythathecannotexplorebothroadsatthesametime.2.Describethesimilaritiesanddifferencesofthesetworoads.Whichonedoesthespeakertake?Tworoadsaresimilarexceptoneofthemismore“grassy,”whichimpliesthatitislesstraveledbypeople.Thespeakerprefersthelesstraveledone,becausehelikesadventure.3.Whatmightthetworoadsstandforinthespeaker'smind?Oneroadstandsforthetraditionaloneandtheotherisunconventionaloneandfullofchallengesanddifficulties.Tofollowotherpeople'sfootstepsortoopenanewroadforhimselfisreallynotaneasydecisionforustomakeinourlives.5.LangstonHughes(1)Dreams1.Whymustwesticktoourdreams?IfGodisnotthefirstmoveinourlife,surelyourdreamsarethesame.2.Whatimagesdoesthepoetemploytodescribethelifeonceweloseourdreams?Withoutdreamsourlifewillbeabrokenbirdandabarrenfield.Ithinkwithoutdreamourlifewillbeagrandshipdriftingonthevastocean,neverknowingitsdestination.(2)MeAndTheMule1.Whydoesthespeakeridentifyhimselfwiththemule?Theysharealotintheirlife:hard-workingandfullofstrength,submissivenessandkindnessandhonesty.2.Whatfigureofspeechdoesthepoetemployindescribingthemule?Personification.一Questions

1.WhydidFranklinwritehisAutobiography?

Franklinsaysthatbecausehissonmaywishtoknowabouthislife,heistakinghisoneweekvacationintheEnglishcountrysidetorecordhispast.Healsosaysthathehasenjoyedhislifeandwouldliketorepeatit

2.WhatmadeFranklindecidetoleavethebrothertowhomhehadbeenapprenticed?

Hisbrotherwaspassionate,andhadoftenbeatenhim.Theaversiontoarbitrarypowerthathasstucktohimthroughhiswholelife.Afterabrushwiththelaw,Franklinlefthisbrother.

3.HowdidhearriveinPhiladephia?

FirsthesetoutinaboatforAmboy,theboatdroppedhimoffabout50milesfromBurlington,thenextdayhereachedBurlingtononfoot,inBurlingtonhefoundaboatwhichwasgoingtowardsPhiladelphia,hearrivedthereabouteightornineo’clock,ontheSundaymorningandlandedattheMarketStreetwharf.Whatfeaturesdoyoufindinthestyleoftheaboveselection?

ItisthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directness,andconcision(言简意赅).Thenarrativeislucid(易懂的),thestructureissimple,theimageryishomely(朴素的).Questions

1.HowmanycharactersdoesPoeincludeinTheCaskofAmontillado?Whatarethesenames?

Montresor,FortunatoandLuchesi

2.WhatdrinkaretheFrenchmostfamousfor?

Wine

3.DoesMontresorhavesomethingofgreatvaluetohimwhichwemightconsidertobehistreasure?

HisprideandtheprideofhisFrenchfamilyheritage.Perhapshisdeviousplotofrevenge.

4.DoesMontresorseemtohavemuchrespectforItalians?

MontresordoesnothavemuchrespectforItalians.HefeelstheFrencharesuperior,especiallywithrespecttowine.

5.WhatwasFortunato'sinsult?

Poedoesnottellusdirectly,butonlyimpliesitinthethirdparagraph

6.WhichwinedoesMontresorusetolureFortunatointothecatacombs?

"Amontillado"(theSpanishwine;Montresor'srusetoleadFortunatodownintothecatacombs.

7.WhydoesMontresorentertainFortunatowithwinesfromhiscollection?

MontresorwantstogetFortunatodrunkenoughtobeabletotraphiminhisplanofvengeance.

8.InwhattwowaysdoesMontresorimprisonFortunato?

Hefetters(chainsandlocks)Fortunatotothewallofthecatacombs.

HebuildsawalltocloseFortunatooffinasmallcornerofthecatacombs,whereMontresorwillleavehimtodie.

9.InwhatwaysisTheCaskofAmontilladogrotesque?First,whichofMontresor'sactionsareabnormal?

Thewholeobsessiveplotofvengeance.

ThefetteringandentombmentofFortunato.

Montresor'ssicksenseofhumor.

10.IsthereanythinggrotesqueaboutFortunato?

Hisobsessionwithalcohol.

Hisdrunkenness.

HistendencytoberateLuchesi(hemayhavebeendrunkandmayhaveinsultedMontresorinasimilarfashion).

Hismaniclaughter.Questions

1.Whoisthenarrator?Whatwrongdoeshewanttoredress?

Montresor.

Fortunato,oneofwineexpertsinsultedhim,sohewantedtomurderhim.

2.WhatisthepretextheusestolureFortunatotohiswinecellar?

HebaitsFortunatobytellinghimhehasobtainedwhathebelievestobeacaskofAmontilladoarareandvaluablesherrywine.

FortunatoisanxioustodeterminewhetherornotitistrulyAmontillado,sohegoestothevaultwithMontresor.

3.WhathappenstoFortunatointheend?

Hewaswalledupalivebehindbricksinawinecellar.

4.DescribebrieflyhowPoecharacterizesMontresorandFortunatoascontrasts?

Poeusescolorimagerytocharacterizethem.Montresorfaceiscoveredinablacksilkmask,Incontrast,Fortunatodressesthemotley-coloredcostumeofthecourtfool,whogetsliterallyandtragicallyfooledbyMontresor'smaskedmotives.

ThecolorschemeshererepresenttheironyofFortunato'sdeathsentence.

Throughtheacts,words,andthoughtsof

Fortunato,weknowHeisgreedy,hewasluredintothedarkandsombervaultsjustbecauseacaskofAmontillado.

Thisisalsoduetohisbadhabitofbibulosity(酗酒）.Helosthimselfonhearingthewine.

Atthesametime,hewascheatedbyhisenemy,whichreflectedhisignorance.

WhenheheardthepretendedcomplimentfromMontresor,hebecameveryboastfulandarrogant.

Hewaseasilyconfusedbythesuperficialphenomenaandfailedtowatchoutforothers.Hecouldn’ttoleratethatotherswerestrongerthanhim.

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.红字Questions:1.WhyistheprisonthesettingofChapter1?

Nomatterhowoptimisticthefoundersofnewcoloniesmaybe,theyarequicktoestablishaprisonandacemeteryintheir“Utopia,”fortheyknowthatmisbehavior,evil,anddeathareunavoidable.

ThisbelieffitsintothelargerPuritandoctrine,whichputsheavyemphasisontheideaoforiginalsin—thenotionthatallpeoplearebornsinnersbecauseoftheinitialtransgressionsofAdamandEveintheGardenofEden.heisthereforeusingtheprisonbuildingtorepresentthecrimeandthepunishmentwhichareaspectofcivilizedlife

Whatistheimplicationofthedescriptionoftheroses?

Therosebushsymbolizestheabilityofnaturetoendureandoutlastman'sactivities.

ThenarratorsuggeststhatrosesofferareminderofNature'skindnesstothecondemned;forhistale,hesays,itwillprovideeithera“sweetmoralblossom”orelsesomereliefinthefaceofunrelentingsorrowandgloom.

2.DescribetheappearanceofHesterPrynneandtheattitudeofthepeopletowardsher.

Thesecondparagraphonpage30.

Thecrowdinfrontofthejailisamixtureofmenandwomen,allmaintainingseverelooksofdisapproval.

SeveralofthewomenbegintodiscussHesterPrynne,andtheysoonvowthatHesterwouldnothavereceivedsuchalightsentenceforhercrimeiftheyhadbeenthejudges.

Onewoman,theugliestofthegroup,goessofarastoadvocatedeathforHester.

3.WhathashappenedtoHester?

Asayoungwoman,Hestermarriedanelderlyscholar,Chillingworth,whosentheraheadtoAmericatolive.

Whilewaitingforhim,shehadanaffairwithaPuritanministernamedDimmesdale,afterwhichshegavebirthtoPearl.

Thescarletletterisherpunishmentforhersinandhersecrecy.

WhydoesshemaketheembroideryoftheletterAsoelaborate?

Itseemstodeclarethatsheisproud,ratherthanashamed,ofhersin.

Inreality,however,Hestersimplyacceptsthe“sin”anditssymbolaspartofherself,justassheacceptsherchild.

Andalthoughshecanhardlybelieveherpresent“realities,”shetakesthemastheyareratherthanresistingthemortryingtoatoneforthem.

Howdoesthistellusabouthercharacter?

ThroughoutTheScarletLetterHesterisportrayedasanintelligent,capable.Itistheextraordinarycircumstancesshapingherthatmakehersuchanimportantfigure.白鲸Questions

1.WhatarethestoriesIsmaeltellsaboutMobyDick?

IshmaelcomparesthelegendofMobyDicktohisexperienceofthewhale.

Henotesthatspermwhaleattackshaveincreasedrecentlyandthatsuperstitioussailorshavecometoregardtheseattacksashavinganintelligent,evensupernaturalorigin.

Inparticular,wildrumorsaboutMobyDickcirculateamongwhalemen,suggestingthathecanbeinmorethanoneplaceatthesametimeandthatheisimmortal.Ishmaelremarksthateventhewildestofrumorsusuallycontainssometruth.

Whales,forinstance,havebeenknowntotravelwithremarkablespeedfromtheAtlantictothePacific;th