美国文学选读课后习题答案

Unit1BenjaminFranklin1.WhydidFranklinwritehisAutobiography?Franklinsaysthatbecausehissonmaywishtoknowabouthislife,heistakinghisoneweekvacationintheEnglishcountrysidetorecordhispast.Healsosaysthathehasenjoyedhislifeandwouldliketorepeatit2.WhatmadeFranklindecidetoleavethebrothertowhomhehadbeenapprenticed?Hisbrotherwaspassionate,andhadoftenbeatenhim.Theaversiontoarbitrarypowerthathasstucktohimthroughhiswholelife.Afterabrushwiththelaw,Franklinlefthisbrother.3.HowdidhearriveinPhiladephia?FirsthesetoutinaboatforAmboy,theboatdroppedhimoffabout50milesfromBurlington,thenextdayhereachedBurlingtononfoot,inBurlingtonhefoundaboatwhichwasgoingtowardsPhiladelphia,hearrivedthereabouteightornineo’clock,ontheSundaymorningandlandedattheMarketStreetwharf.4.Whatfeaturesdoyoufindinthestyleoftheaboveselection?ItisthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directness,andconcision(言简意赅).Thenarrativeislucid(易懂的),thestructureissimple,theimageryishomely(朴素的).Unit2EdgarAllenPoe1.Whoisthenarrator?Whatwrongdoeshewanttoredress?Montresor.Fortunato,oneofwineexpertsinsultedhim,sohewantedtomurderhim.2.WhatisthepretextheusestolureFortunatotohiswinecellar?HebaitsFortunatobytellinghimhehasobtainedwhathebelievestobeacaskofAmontilladoarareandvaluablesherrywine.FortunatoisanxioustodeterminewhetherornotitistrulyAmontillado,sohegoestothevaultwithMontresor.3.WhathappenstoFortunatointheend?Hewaswalledupalivebehindbricksinawinecellar.Unit4NathanielHawthorne: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.Unit6HenryDavidThoreau1.WhereindeeddidThoreaulive,bothataphysicallevelandataspirituallevel?HelivedinacabinonWaldenPond,whichbelongedtoEmerson’sproperty.2.HadThoreaueverboughtafarm?Whydidheenjoytheactofbuying?No,hehadn’t.Heavoidedpurchasingafarmbecauseitwouldinevitablytiehimdownfinanciallyandcomplicatehislife.Thoreaudidn’tseetheacquisitionofwealthasthegoalforhumanexistence,hesawthegoaloflifetobeanexplorationofthemindandofthemagnificentworldaroundus.Heregardedtheplacesasanexistencefreeofobligationsandfullofleisure.3.IsitsignificantthatThoreaumentionedtheFourthofJulyasthedayonwhichhebegantostayinthewoods?Why?Yes,itis.BecauseTheFourthofJulyisknownasIndependenceDay,thebirthdayoftheUnitedStates.HereThoreauusesthedaytoexpresshisbeginningofregenerationatWalden.Italsomeansasymbolofhisconquestofbeing.Unit719thCenturyAmericanPoets1.HenryWadsworthLongfellow(1)IShotanArrow…1.Whydidthespeakerlosesightofhisarrowandsong?Thearrowfliestooswiftlyandtoofarawaytobeseenbythespeaker;whereasthesongisnaturallyinvisible.2.Inwhatcircumstancesdidhefindthemagain?Hefindsthemunexpectedlyyearslaterfromthetrunkofatreeandtheheartofafriend.3.Whatdoarrowandsongstandforinthispoem?Theimagesofarrowandsongheremaystandforfriendship.(2)APsalmofLife1.Whatkindofpersonisthespeakerofthispoem?Thespeakerisamanofaction,alwaysoptimisticandcheerful,tryingtoachieveasmuchaspossibleintheshortspanoflife.2.Accordingtothepoem,howshouldourlivesbeledtoovercomethefactthateachdaybringsusnearertodeath?Weshouldworkharderandlivehappier.3.InterpretthemetaphorofFootprintsonthesandoftime(line28).Themetaphorreferstohumandeedsinreallife.2.WaltWhitman(1)One’sSel