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(1564----1616)WilliamShakespearewasborninStratford-upon-Avon,England.Consideredasagreatplaywrightandpoet,hehasbeenuniversallyregardedasthesummitoftheEnglishRenaissance.37playsofhishavecomedowntous.Apartfromtheplays,heisidentifiedastheauthoroffourlargepoemsandabookofsonnets(十四行诗).BriefIntroductionFourGreatTragediesHamlet(1601)Othello(1604)KingLear(1605)Macbeth(1605)FourGreatComediesTheMerchantofVenice(1596)TwelfthNight(1600)AsYouLikeIt(1599)AMidsummerNight’sDream(1595)Tragi-comedyRomeoandJuliet(1594)AVenetianmerchantofhugewealth.Hemakesmoneyfromtradeandismuchlikedbyhisfriends.Heisalwaysreadytohelpothers.AsuccessfulJewishmoneylender.Helendsthe3,000ducatstoAntonio.HeasksAntoniotopaywithonepoundofhisfleshifthedebtisnotrepaidontime.Theromanticleadofthisplay.HeisAntonio’sfriend.HefallsinlovewithPortia.HeborrowsalotofmoneyfromAntonio.Theheroineofthisplay.Portiaisawealthyandbeautifulwomanwhoisdesiredbymanymen.Shealsopossessesasharpmind,whichsavesAntoniofromdoomatthehandsofShylock.AsjudgeoverthecourtcasebetweenShylockandAntonio.Intheplay,heisputinadifficultpositionbyShylock;hedoesn’twantAntoniotodie,buttoignoreShylock’slegalrightswouldbetoplaceallofVeniceindisrepute(声名狼藉)asaplacetoconductbusiness.ReadingComprehensionPartsofthestoryDescriptionbackgroundproblemRisingactionclimaxoutcomeAntonioborrows3,000ducatsfromShylock.However,thereisacatch:ifthedebtisnotrepaidontime,Antonioassecuritywillpaywithonepoundofhisflesh.Antonioisnotabletopaythedebt,forAntonio’sshipsarelost.Shylockstartsdemandinghispoundofflesh.TheDuketellsShylocktohavemercyonAntonio.BassaniopromisestopaytwiceorevententimesthemoneythatAntoniohasborrowed.PortiatellsShylocktobemerciful,butShylockinsistsonhavinghispoundofflesh.PortiadeclaresShylockmayhaveapoundoffleshtobecutnearesttoAntonio’sheart,nomore,noless.AndifShylockletsonedropofAntonio’sbloodfall,hewillloseallhislandandmoneyShylockbegsformercy.Heispunished,thoughnotkilled.1.WhatisyouropinionofPortia?2.WhatisyouropinionofShylock?3.WhydoesShylockprefertotakeapoundoffleshinsteadofthemoneyfromBassanio?4.Whatarethetwomeaningsof“I’llpayhimbackwithallmyheart?