英语泛读(三)课后答案

1. THE EGG

1) What is meant by the comment. ''most philosophers must have been raised on chicken farms'' are we take it seriously ?

On the chicken farm, people usually have a lot of grotesque，sophisticated ideas and problems which are most fit for philosophers to cope with. So the writer made such a comment．But however, we don't take it seriously.

2) The scene in which the narrator's father and Jane appear together one night obviously is the main scene in the story．What is Joe kane's reachtion to the

father's tricks and his grotesque chickens in alcohol ? Why does the father fail

to realize the absurdity and unsuccessfulness of his enterainment?

Jos Kene thought the father's tricks are grotesque and hideous. He feels ill at look of those deformed chickens in alcohol. Because the father is trapped in the American passion for success．He tried to be a normrous Doss, and made his restaurant famous so that more customers would come and then he would make a lot

of money. The father clung to his grotesque truth and got so feverish in trying

to be a success that he because narrow-minded and deformed in behavior and thereby he didn't realized the absurdity and unsuccessfulness of his entertainment.

3) What does the egg symbolize?

The egg is a symbol for unfulfilled hopes and promises. The egg hinted

American dreams to be‘ in a passion for success, by which people a r e convinced that everybody should be ambitious, through one's efforts one can rise in the world

even from humble origin and prowerty.

4) Twice the narrator mentions the detail that when his angry father enters the bedroom with another egg in his hand，instead of destorying it，he lays it gently on the cable．why?

Because the egg is Father's hope，his hope for making fortune and success

hasn't been shattered completely. He still has to go on running his restaurant and serve the customers. with the egg.

2. HOLIDAY

1) What Kind of family is the Mullers?

The mullers is a practical, hard-beaten but warm-hearted and hospitable．There

is a respectful and affectionate relationship among the family. They work hard all their lives. They confront troubles and grieves with great courage.

2) Why does the narrator seem disappointed at first, but shortly after her arrival at the Mullers' fell that she is ''going to like it here''

Along the road to the Mullers', what she finds is that desolate, bleak，shapeless, scene which is not in the least the ''paradise'' Louise described to her before, and which is unfit for to spend her holiday．

Because of the simplicity, warmness and hospitality of the Mullers and sedate surroundings full of promises of spring and free or troubles and pressures. She feels homely

3) Ottilie is at first a mysterious, tragic nobody. Do you agree with the family's attitude towards her? why does the family treat her like that? Why does the

narrator conclude ''there was nothing I could do for Ottlie...she was beyond my reach as well as nay other human reach...''?

I n the Mullers' view, nothing is to be gained only by feeling sorry. There are

no provisions for coaling invalids．One must work heroically to heal the hurts

that can be healed. They are born equally the puppets of life. the narrator's are nothing before Ottilie's agony and misfortune．What is more , Ottilie lives and confronts them more heroiocally, more strenuously heroiocally, more strenuously 4)Why is the afternoon ''lively'' and ''feature'' for both Ottilie and narrator? Although Ottilie and the narrator are suffering a lot in their lives. they are lucky to be fugitives from death. so that they have a little stolen holiday. a breath of spring air and freedom

5) What has the narrator gained from it ?

One must accent life as it is in the real life and not as it might be in one's idealized world．Nothing is to be gained only by ''feeling sorry'' . it is a not a society or a class that pampers it's invalids and the unfit，so long as one live, one should do one's share, moreover，one would be lucky that one can live the world One must work heroically to heal the hurts that can be healed. That is

life．

3. BABYLON REVISITED

1) What sort of life had Charlie and Helen lived in Paris before Helen's death

and Charlie's collapse?

As Charlie and Helen got rich in boom, they had a luxurious life, squandering money in bars and parties，indulging themselves in dissipation.

2)What kind of a person is Lorraine Quarrles?

Lorraine. one of Charlie's old friends in the time of dissipation, goes on her

old way. while everything has changed and action as one of the story's symbols

of Charlie's past . She owes that Charlie could regain his daughter.

3) What kind of a person is Marion Peters?

Narion is a typical woman of American middle-class, satisfied with a warm, comfortable family life and healthy children. She submerges her jealousy of her sister's materially superior marriage in a curious disbelier in her sister's happiness. She cherishes a prejudice against Charlie, so that in the end she refuses to return the legal guardianship of Honoria to Charlie.

4)What parallel is there between Charlie's present relation to Lorraine Quarrles and his present relation to Marion peters?

As one of Charlie's old friends, Lorraine still wants to draw a certain substance from Charlie which impose the impingement of past on his present Marion. the custodian of his daughter without enough confidence in Charlie is in debate to both of them, to Marion for taking care of Honoria, to Lorraine, as she unpleasantly playing the game，Charlie can't get rid of these relations with them. In the end, both of them set Charlie in the defeat of regaining his daughter.

5)Why does the story begin with Charlie talking to the bartender in the Ritz Bitz Bar and then taking a taxi ride through Paris? Why does Charlie pay a visit to Montamartre?

The Ritz Bar and Montanatre are story's symbols of relentless impingement of the past on the present Charlie's initial appearance at Ritz Bar seems to imply precisely the opparent separation of the past from the concerns, needs and desires of present, The fact that Charlie can return to the tab of life still appeals to him, But rather demonstrates that the extend and depth of his self-mastery and confidence, he feels in his belief that his wildly squandweing yesterday are over and done with that there is no tab left for him to have to pick up．

6) Why is Charlie so eager to take back Honoria?

Charlie wants to extricate himself past. He needs his daughter back in order

to give shape and direction to his renaissance to redeem his of human value

and in a sense，to recover something of his wife ''escaped to a greaw in

Vermont''

4． DRY SEPTEMBER

1) Can you tell，with the help of the introduction of William Faulkner's

attitude towards her, critical or sympathetic?

Miss Minnie symbolizes the old corrupt, decaying social system in the south Minnie's popularity in her youth, her illness and haggardness later exactly suggests the rising and falling of southern society. Faulkner shows his critical and also sympathetical attitude towards Miss Minnie Cooper．He expresses”poor Minnie'' several times through the verval statements of his fictional characters．

2) William Faulkner set his story in an extrmely hot September. Does the

weather have any effect on the story?

Faulkner sets his story in an extremely hot September. He depicts the dry,

hot dusty and smothering weather to contribute an atmosphere to the readers

that something portentous．should happen and foreshadow that a group of racialist lose their consciousness to kill an innocent black merely in virtue of a white spinster's rigmaroles.

5. IN ANOTHER COUNTRY

1) The title of the story may be taken literally, of course, for young

American soldier is far away from home. Can you explain the meaning of the

title in some other respects?

The title has multiple meaning，Italy, where the story takes place and where the war is going on, is ''another country'' for the young American who narrates the story. The city of Milan, with its hospital far from the battle-fields, is

”another country'' for the wounded soldiers in the story．In a symbolic sense,

the soldiers who have suffered wounds and become familiar with death occupy

''another country'' from that of normal civilians who g about their daily

lives and tasks without concern, and without understanding of the soldiers' special point of view．

2) What does the machine mentioned in the story symbolize?

It is used by Hemigway as a symbol for the war, is being fought on the theory that it will mend crippled society.

3) '' We all had the same medals, except the boy with the black silk bandage across his face... What is the irony of this soldier's situation?

the irony lies in the very fact that the soldier, wounded so seriously.

was expected by us readers to get a medal, however which was denied to

him only in virtue of not staying long enough at the front．

4) How do the narrator's and the reader's attitude toward the major change

at the end of the story? What does the narrator learn from the major?

After his wife's death the major was lost in sorrow，But at the end of the

story we found he was a strong-minded man．He could still live on with his own courage. Our attitude towards him changed from mere sympathy to admiration.

The narrator learns from the major the spirits of self-denial dication

to country and courage to face the tragic affairs．

5) In Another Country，like much of Hemingway's fiction has autobiographical overtones．In what respects are the narrator's and the author's experiences similar?

Both of the narrator and the author went into the way in Italy and were wounded badly in action and treated in an Italian hospital.

8. THE WORN PATH

1) What does the name old Phoenix suggest?

Phoenix is mythical bird which, after living hundreds of year in the Arabian desert. burnt itself on a funeral pile and rose from ashes， and became young again to live for anther cycle. Here in the story. the allusions of phoenix

give archetypal depth to the old black woman's annual journey to Natches to obtain medicine for her grandson it suggests that through the act of love and compassion for her grandson and her indomitable spirit and wits , the old black woman renews her worn body

2)Why is the story entitled ''A Worn Path''?

''A Worn Path''， in its literal meaning，it suggests the deep-grained habit

of old Phoenix to her grandson, which cuts through confusion and stumbles

or entrives its way out of difficulty

9．THE ENOMOUS RADIO

1) At the beginning of the story, the Westcotts seem to be the kind or people

worth admiring. So you share the same opinion after reading the whole story?

After reading the story , we can find that the Westcotts are not the kind

of people worth admiring as they seem to be exactly like their neighbours;

moral degradation, hypocrisy and spiritual vacancy, faltering marriage are exposed in them

2)Obviously the Westcotts are lovers of serious and it runs though the whole

story from beginning to end, Can you appreciate its effect?

Here is the use of irony, as the story underlines that serious music doesn't

make people serious and noble minded．

3)Twice in the story the Sweeney's nurse is mentioned．What is the effect of

their arrangement?

The author uses it as a contrast between a holy, fairy land to the secular，

evil society．The Sweeney's impresses us, also Mrs. Westcott that only God

can save people's soul and make people pure.

10．THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS

1) Feld want a '' better life'' for his daughter Miriam. How does expect that

Max . the collage boy, will help boy, will help her to it?

He expects Miriam will go to the university under the influence of Max. For

he thinks those who have a college education will have a higher social status

and live a ''better life''．

2) Miriam says that she does not like Max because he is a materialist, what is

the implication of Feld's not understanding what she mean?

Because Feld didn't realize he himself was a materialist, a practical man, who only paid more attention to higher status，material luxury.

3) Why does Feld relent in his attitude toward Sobel? How has understanding of

life changed?

At first, he thinks material things are of the first importance, hut later, though the incident, he comes to realize that sympathy and live are more important which can exempt people from sorrow and difficulty．He feels that if Mirian marries Sobel, they may not be rich materially, but they can be satisfied and happy spiritually．

11. HARRISON BERGERON

1)As we Know the story, Harrin Bereron, is a satire. What aspects of the society

is mocking?

vonnegut is mocking standardized social system with absolute equlization

social evils in the society ?

2)W hat do you think Vonnegut is saying about the serious consquences of the social evils

in the society?

It suppresses people's initiative and creativity, constrains development of people's mind and in consequwnce makes people lose their persomality and competition．

3) Harrson Bergeron is described as here, a superhuman figure in the story

in what aspects do we say that Harrison Bergeron is a superhuman hero?

He is taller，stronger more handsome and clever, above all, he has more courage

to defy the existing social system than ordinary people

4) Why is the result of Harrison's efforts also a satire?

narrison is a superman he is brave to break the law，and even ''the law of

gravity'' and the laws of motion as well '' are useless to him. In reality, individalistic heroism claims nothing , in other words , his efforts is doomed to be worthless in the consequence of murder by the Handicapper General. This indicates that in order to maintain the existing social and ideological system, the lawmakers not only suppresses people's initiative and creativity, but also strangle people's wit and personalities．

5) What do you think of Harrison's parents' attitude towards him?

They snow insensitive to their son's incident and have a rigid way of thinking, Mother cares nothing about her son, Father tries to think of something about his son, but he is forced to give up, for every time he is interrupted by the noise 12. SONNY"SBLUES

1)Why does Sonny take drugs? Why does one of Sonny's friends say ''He'll

never kick the habit'' , and Sonny himself say, ''It come again''?

Sonny is a young man, with his own ideas. He is not satisfied with the poor situation like his parents, but he is also aware that it is very difficult

to change the black's status in a society shrounded in racial discrimination

He is worried about his future and doesn't know how to do but uses heroin in

order to relax himself temporally. Since nothing has ever changed to the world when he is out of jail, it will come again

2)Why do Sonny and his friends like the blues?

Because the blues are sad，melancholy and very strong jazz music . lt can

express their unhappiness and complaint, so that it can relax．themselves

from worry or desire temporarily.

3)In order to have a better understanding of Sonny，Sonny's brother went

with him to a night club to watch Sonny and his friends play jazz and music,

he learn about their life?

a．Sonny and his friends take music as important as life

b. There exists sympathy, friendship, understanding and live among them

4) Compare Sonny with his brother and Will Mayes in Dry September. Is there

any difference among the three?

Will Mayes thought it God's will to insulted by the white, he didn't revolt

even at stake of stake of being murdered by the black．

Sonny's brother know that the black could not get rid of the bad situation

but he wants to improve his social status through education Sonny is the representative of younger generation. He is not satisfied with passive attitude

of his parents and brother．He wanted to fight for a bright future for himself．but he doesn't know how to fight，so he is lost and pessimistic . At last,

some of them use drugs, some become hipsters and other have no way out but play blues to express their disastrous lives and melancholy feelings.

13) THEARTIFICIL NIGGER

1) Why does Mr.Head want to take nelson on this trip to the city?

The grandfather, Mr.Head, has decided to bring his grandson, face with the real word . For the years the years the boy has lived in the isolation of the county. and Knowing that he will soon learn for a larger world. For he is so arrogant and conceited. Mr. Head intends to give him his fill in one visit to the city He has planned carefully for this day，so that he would stay at home for the rest of

life．

2) What are the feelings of the two on the train? Why does Mr. Head talk to everyone? Why does he take Nelso on a tour of the train ? what is his attitude

to the large Negro they see?

Mr.Head thinks he himself knows a lot while Nelson is ignorant . But Nelson doesn't think so h e disrespects Ms.Head

Mr.Head talks to everybody on the train in order to show himself off and prove him to be a suitable guide for Nelson

Mr.Head takes Nelson on a tour of the train in order to show himself off and prove him to be a suitable guide for Nelson. Mr.Head takes Nelson on a tour of the train in order to let him see the parts of life in reality．He looks down upon the Negro

3) What is the point of the episode when Nelson questions the Negro woman about where they are ?

Nelson wants to ask the Negro woman for mother's love. He is eager to get

mother's love. On the other hand, we can see the author is on the side of the black. The black is also human beings just like the white．

4) What happens to Mr.Head that he admits he is lost? lost in what sense?

Literally, the author depicts that, Mr. Head admits he lost the way, and then someone helps him get to the station where he and his grandson take the train back to their home, In symbolical meaning．Mr.Head has found himself to conceive in

his own heart the sin of adam．He is lost in moral sense. He is longing for God's mercy and forgiveness．which at last it is bestowed on him．

5)What is the effect of the artificial Negro on them?

The auther is well aware of the unreasonable racial discrimination in the south and expresses her hatred in the story. on one hand. She condemns the racial discrimination in the south (There aren't enough Negroes here for them to insult) On the other hand, the author urges that the racial discrimination

should be got rid of The black is . just like the white, also human beings. and can coexist with the white also human beings, and can coexist with the white in the world. To Mr.Head and Nelson , the artificial Negro acts as the agent of revelation of mercy and forgiveness.

Before the artificial Niger, they have got reconciliation.

14．THELUCID EYE IN SILVER TOWN

1)What are Jay's mixed feeling about his father? What does he think of his Uncle quin and his mother?

Although he loves his father, he thinks his father is impractical, unthoughful, too self abased and laced of confidence. He looks down his uncle as his ucle is

a meechant. He thinks his mother has a one-side view .

2) The scene in the Pickenut Club shows us what kind of success Uncle Quin has achieved. How does his relationship with the waiter contrast with that of Jay's father? What does the difference between the two suggest about the father's success or lack of it?

Uncle Quin can order everyone in Pickenut Club. He thinks himself to be the owner,but father is too self-abased. as not to be successful．

3) Updike suggests that Jay My be prematurel proud of his sharp vision．Which character do you think has the ''lucid eye''?

Jay's father has the ''lucid eye'' because he knows why is a failure in the complicated treacherous society. While his brother is a success．

15. THEMONDEY"S PAW

1)How is each member of the White family characterized in the story? What are

their attitudes toward the monkey's paw?

Mr.White used to have a happy family but he was gentle and considerate. Herber

had a bright and cheerful disposition, he liked to make jobs with his parents.

But he was filial , obedient to his parents．In spare time, time, he liked to

play chess．

with his father．They lives happily and comfortably.

Mr. White and Herbert were skeptical about the Magic power of the monkey's

paw While Mr．White was very curious about it．

2) How does the monkey's paw change the relationship between the husband and wife?

After their son's death, sorrow and depressing were occupying their?

Mrs.White became very irritable and hysterical．She forced her husband to wish their son alive again．Mr.White knew that was impossible. The relationship between them was going bad to worse．

3)What does the author want to convey in the story?

The author tried to convey the idea that one shouldn't be greedy and denand

what doesn't belong to him

16. THE SCHARTZ-METTERDLUME METHOD

1)What kind of a young lady Miss Carlootta is? Can you infer from the story

her family background?

Miss Carlotta is very clever witty and warm-hearted. Although she is of noble origin, she hates those people who are pretentious and pompouse.

prom the story we can infer that Miss Carlotta is from a moble family, she has

a wide ramge of knowledge of luxurious life life．

2) What kind of education does Mrs．Quabarl requeat for her children? How does lady Carlotta take Mrs.Quabal at her word?

Mrs．Quabarl wishes her children not to be taught but interested in what they learn In their history．for instance. Mrs.Quabarl asks lady Carlotta that she must try to make them feel that they are being introduced to the life stories of men and women who really lived，not Merely committing a mass of names and dates to memory Lady Carlotta doesn't only take Mrs'Quabarl at her words, but she put it into practice so ingeniously that she ridicules Mrs.Quabarl at the end of the story.

3)What kind of method of teaching is the Scharlz-Metterklume?

SO faras to understanding, with the method. the child children are not only to be taught but interested in what they learn. In history lesson，the children are asked to act it themselves so that they can feel that they they are being introduced to the life stories of men and woman who really lived, not merely committing a mass of names and date's to memory. In reality, it is a dame-up teaching method

17)THE LION"S SKIN

1)What do you think of the relation between the husband and wife? Throughout

the story Robert Forestie leaves the reader the impression that he koves and respects Eleaor very much. Do you share the same feeling?

Mrs. Forestier was neither charming, beautiful, nor intelligent, on the contrary, she was absurd, homely and foolish, yet she was kind-hearted，simple and credulous She adored Forestier as a handsome and genuine gentleman. But Forestier didn't

like he．He only like her property．He was no common swindler

who had got hold of a silly woman to keep him in luxury and idleness. She was only a means to a great end．So there was no genuine love between the husband and the wife

2) Compare Robert Forestier with Frederick Hardy. Are there any differences between two?

forestier is a hypocrite He is from low-class, yet he wants to become a menber of upper class and lead a gentlemanly life．But after his marriage, he turns over a new leaf. He had a rare capacity for Forestier's ruthlessness He was straight-forward and ready to help others.

3)What is the theme of the story?

The author intends to imply that those who cheat life will be punished by life itself in the end

4)Why is the story entitled The Lion's Skin?

In English , The lion's skin means fake courage. Here it means Forestier's phoney courage. What he did is just to pretend he is a real gentleman

18．MR.ANDREWS

1)What does Forster want to convey through these two charcters and their relationships?

Forster wants to convey through these two characters that no matter how much people's believes diver from other and how hatred they are they can reconcile through good will and friendship

2)What is Forster's opinion about religion?

Heaven is only a delusion invented by the ignorant living men. One should devote himself into mankind's progress rather than delude individual after life happiness 3)Why do both Mr.Andrews and the Turk want to leave the heaven?

Wh en Mr.Andrews and the Turk entered paradise, they found that it was not so sacred and holy as they had expected to be. Those gods were only interested

in attributes from living men. In the paradise they could be satisfied with secular．luwuries, but they could not find any noble, lofty beauty and friendship In other words, their expectations were fulfilled，but not their hopes．

4) What does the last paragraph of the story mean?

It means that they give up their individuality and contribute their wisdom

and valuable experiences to the mankind's progress

19．ARABY

1)Important details of settings and personality are given in the first three paragraphs of the story, How does the description of North Richmond street and

its houses including the priest's help us to know some aspects of the boy's character?

How does the boy view all these things?

All surrounding are not so good, but he can find some merits from it and

feels free from all anxiety and enjoys himself, These help us to underst

and some aspects of the boy's character naive，simple, energetic and fanciful.

2)How well does the boy Know Mangan's sister? What, then, is it that makes

her do fascinating to him?

He is ignorant of her and never has a normal conversation with her, but

longing for love and abundant imagination of the youth Make him take an ordinary girl as an idol in his heart-the embodiment of all good things．

3) Why does his experience at the bazar make him feel that he has been ''driven and derived by vanity''?

What does the boy come to realize about himself at the end of the story?

At the end of story, the boy came to realize that he was just a creature

driven and deceived by vanity and that life and love are the vanities of

vanities

4) What does the author want to covey through this story?

The author wants to convey that there lies a chasm between the idealism

and the reality by depieting the contrast between the love for Mangan's sister

and longing for the bazaar

20. THE NEW DRESS

1) We learn from the story of Mabel's family and her past．How does this information help to explain her behavior at the party?

Mabel is from humble origin, marries a petty staff, Which mades her have a sense of inferiority to the others. But she is also a woman of vanity and is eager to

be in the lime-light whenever she finds the chance

2) there are repeated references to Mabel's enjoyment of reading．Why does she

turn to books?

She turn to the books in order to extrieate herself from the sense of inferiority and anxiety.

3) There are several references to mirrors in the story

What function do mirrirs play with regard to Mabel's inner thoughts?

When she saw herself in the mirror．she felt worried, worried Because her new dress did not harmonize with the party, So what she saw in the mirror was the reflectich of Mabel's inner thoughts.

4)Flies are mentioned several tines by Mabel in the story. What state of mind

is Mabel in each time she mentions flies?

Each time Mabel is trying so hard to conceal and escape from her embarrassment

and anxiety at the party just like a fly that has fallen into a saucer of milk

struggling to get out of danger.

5)Why do we say The New Dress is a model of stream-of-consciousness technique?

a) The whole story takes place in about half an hour, Mabel's inner thoughts

range in to the past and future．

b)The author sometimes uses long sentences, difficult syntax and large vocabulary to concebtrate on precise, significant details about Mable that a vivid lively portrait of Mabel is achieved

C)The reader himself finally shares Mabe1l's embarrassment and is only relived

of it when she leaves the party at the end of the story

d) Time sequence is often dislocated

21．THE ROCKING-HORSE WINGER

1) Characterize the mother fully, Why has her love for her husband turned to dust? Why is she ”unlucky''?

She doesn't love her husband because this unlucky man brings her misfortune

(he couldn't give her enough money) and she doesn't love her children either. because it costs her a lot of money and energy to take care of them, She always feels short of money, so she thinks she is unlucky

2)In the first description of the whispering in Paul's house, we are told that

it is heard by the children and the children and their toys but apparently not

by the dults, why ?

What does it tell you about the relation between the children and their parents? The adult are accustomed to this phenomenon, but the children are bewildered and sensitive to it. The children love their parents, and long for the love the love from their parents, but their parents don't love them.

3)Why is the whispering in the house even louder after Paul's mother has received her five thousand pounds? What is lawrence saying about money?

It implicates that the greedy mothers greedier as she gets more money.

Here lawrence tells us that money is the most vicious thing that makes one lose conscience and falls into ruthfulness

4)The last word in this story is Vncle Oscar's '' he's best gone out of a life where he rides his rocking horse to find a winner. '' Why does uncle Oscar say so? Is Paul really a winner?

What Uncle Oscar means that no matter how hard he struggled Paul is doomed to

be gulped deeply into the greedy world

22. THE FLY

1)In the first part of the story, Katherine Mansfield presented a striking

contrast between Mr.Woodifield and the boss．In what way is Mr．Woodifield woodifield a contrast to he boss? Give some facts to show their differences,

Mr.Woodifield is an old friend of the boss, retired after his stroke, his

wife and daughter kept him boxed up in the house every day. except Tuesday,

He is very weak and without much energy. He was longing for and lingering

over the last pleasures as '' the tree clings to its last leaves'' Although

the boss is five years older than Mr. Woodifield, he is still stout rosy and

going strong and still at the helm

2) Why does the boss show old Woodifield every piece of the new funiture but

not draw his attention to his son's photograph?

In the first months and even years after the boy's death whenever he thought

of his son. he would burst into tears. Latar, as time went on, his broken heart was occupied with the business again. His memory for his son became less fresh

So when he showed Mr．Woodifield that new future, he paid no attention to his Owns photo.

3) Do you think the boss loves his only son? Why is he unable to weep when he now thinks of his dead son?

Yes，the boss loved his son When Mr．Woodifield mentioned hid son's grave this

touched the secret anguish in his heart，After Mr.Woodifield left, he shut him

off in the room and prepared to have a hearty weep, but without any tears. This

is because time is emotionally ruthless. which makes one forget the dead and the grief of him

4)What does the fly incident indicate?

The fly incident implicate the reflection of the author's conviction that, all creature of the world, even the little fly，have the same instinct for life．It's also the human to seek for eistence and better life, However the life is not always attractive．death and disaster are suspending before us the most disable attitude is to face them bravely, like the boss faces the grief the grief of the loss of his only son, and the fly faces the menace of death

23. THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT

1)How are Harold's feelings for his father? How about their relations?

Harold disliked his father. As his father liked money so much and swindled others. Although his father was already 65 years old, he and his wife didn't like to live together with him. But when he heard of his father's bankruptcy

he sympathized with him, and decided to visit him and, if possible, helped him

2)In deseribing Harold's father, Pritchett uses the phrases of big face and small face alternatively.

This is the technique of cartoonist, It can depict the old man's complicated feelings and falting state of mind vividly through the descriptions of big face and small face alternatively.

3)The fly in the ointment is biblical phrase, Do you know the meaning of it?

Why does Pritcett use this phrase as the title of this story? What does the

fly in the story symbolize?

Literally，the phrase means that a small flaw that prevents something or someone from being perfect. Here, the authbr uses the fly as the symbol for old' father. It is his father that out the whole family into the trouble. So Harold and his wife didn't like hin just as man doesn't like flies. Secondly, the fly was fizzing in the autumn sun implicating that the father, after bankruptcy，still pretended to rise from the ashes．Thirdly, the fly also symbolizes the money which is always haunting the deepest If father's soul, that can't be flung away from him 24．BELLA FLEACE GAVEA PARTY

1)Before Waugh mentions Bella Fleace's idea of giving a Christmas party, why

does Waugh describe her family history and background?

She is the last member of a delining aristuratic family. Although she is weak and old，she is very arrogant, pretentious and ostentatious， that is why sbe wants to give a Christmas party, on the one hand, to show off，on the other

hand to deflate those who were defiant of her

3)What would the ball probaly have been like if the invitations had been mailed? (Reread the account of those to whom Bella sent invitations．

If tbe invitations had been posted, there would have been no guests all the same For many of those whose were transcribed were dead or bed-ridden．some whom she just remembered seeing as small children were reaching retiring age in remote comers of the globe，many of the houses she wrote done were blackened shells, burned during the troubles and never rebuild, some had ''no one living in them only farmers''

4)What is author's attitude toward Bella Fleace, Mr.Banks, the Gordens and Mockstocks?

The author satires Bella Fleace who is the representative of the declining aristocrats. The author has negative attitued towards the Mockstocks amd the Gordens and Mr.Banks who are representatives of newly fisen bourgeoisie. They

all belong to the upper and middle class petentious, pompous and ostenatious．

25. ACROSS THE BRIDGE

1)What do you know about Mr.Calloway and his dog?

Mr.Calloway was a millionair and also an escaping criminal who swindled in

the stock transactions. After being revealed, he fled to Guatemala and

Honduras,then driven to Mexico, and from there, he wanted to go the U．S．A where he could live a much better life In his flight he took a setter with him as a company. He loved his dog for he was an escaping criminal, a homeless old man，It was his dog that kept him company, but he also hated this dog, He often kicked it．On the one hand, it often reminded him of his past squire life on his present life on his own Norfolk estate, which was the comfortable opposite to his present life．On the other hand，because it was not a pureed setter. which hinted him that he was not a gentleman of all virtues, actually, he was a criminal on his flight with the filthy money.

3)Why is the story entitled Across the Bridge? What does the author want to convey? The U．S is connected to Mexico by a bridge across the river．which form the border, People on the one side imagine that there would be a much better life on

the other side. As a matter of fact，they are just the same. Greene wants to

convey that people always for something different to make their lives better．But their hopes and facies are nothing but illusions baseless optinism is more

appalling than desperation

5)Tromy pervades the whole story: Calloway wants to live a better life across

the bridge, but he dies there，Can you find some other examples in the story?

Trony pervades the whole story. which shows more comic colors than tragic ones．

In addition, comedy itself is tragic, It makes the satire more pungent. more thought-provoking hence, makes deeper impression upon readers.

26. AN OLD WOMAN AND HER CAT

2)Why does Hetty refuse to move to the home? The love between Hetty and cat in

the story is touching can you cite some impressive examples to show their love

for each other?

Because she unwilling to desert her cat．cat-Tibby．What's more important,

she enjoyed lively life．She liked the gossiping，the bargaining and paddling

with her old pram all round the streets is london, rather than stay in the Home where the old were treated like naughty and dimwitted children until they had the good fortune to die．

Since Hetty took a stray cat named Tibby by herself，her life became more

sociable and had spiritual sustenance, She took Tibby as her child and Tibby

lived its mistress deeply. They depended on each other. As time went on, Tibby

grew into a strong tom while Hetty became weaker and older. She was often ill pdepenf on the pigeon Tibby had caught for her．

3)The cat，Tibby, is described as an '' old soldier'' with scars and wounds all over Why does Doris Lessing creat such a cat in the story?

The life of the cat was similar to that of the old woman. The author wants

to convey here that in such society，many poor people were just like this homeless cat and satirizes the government as they pay a little concem to the poor only out

of political reasons

4)Doris Lessing narrates the story of Hetty and Tibby in a calm and objective

tone But in her calm and objective tone, the reader can trace her wry irony and condemnation of social evils．Can you find some examples in the story?

a)Those government officials paid a little hypocritical attention to the poor

only out of their political purposes．

b)The so-called home was an institution in which the old were treated like

naughty and dimwiteed children until they had good fortune to die．

c)The abandonment of parents and uugratefulness of children in the capitalist society are also condemned in this story.

27. THE FISHING-BOAT PlCTURE

1) Describe both harry and kathy's characters．

Harry has aniable disposition likes to live a peaceful and qutet life and fers

to read books. But he has an introvert character and doesn't show

his emotion, Kathy often idulges in her fits of emotions, is always boistenus

She doesn't like reading, but she has rich emotions.

3) Do they change a lot both in life and character after their separation?

After their separation, Harry lived a single life and was accustomed to it

very soon, every thing were well arranged．He lived a rather comfortable and peancefu1 life , after leaving nary, kathy first lived with a house painter,

she had to make a living by herself after the death of the house painter．

She changed a lot，as time went on She was haggard and looked tired She was

not hnmorous and self-confident as she used to be．

4) Do you think Harry alone is responsible for kathy's death?

No．Moth sides are responsible for the death of kathy，besides. the war and

society should also be responsible for her death．If there hadn't been a war,

the society would have been stable and easy for her to find a job．kathy shouldn't have been in such a terrible situation．

6) The fishing - boat picture runs through the whole story. What part does the picture play in the story?

It acts as a go-between stringing the whole story together，The appearance of the picture is the beginning of their conjugal life ，The destroying of the

picture is just the end of their marriagin the end the picture together with

kathy dissappears from Harry's life forever.

28．A BIT OF SINGING AND DANCING

1)through ought the stroy Esme's mother is time and again mationed What influence does her mother have upon Esme's life? What's Esme's feeling for her mother?

a)Although her mother lives exprienced in life. she was self-conceived and imperious. She asked Esme to do everything at her will．

b)Esme dislike her mother and was often annyoed of her mother's behaviors．

2)What change have taken place in Esme's since her mother's death

eapecially since the coming of Mr.Curry?

After the death of her mother, Esme was not used to live alone She felt rather lonely and was afraid of living in such an empty house The arrival of Mr．Curry made her life full of vitality．They talked verg congenially. She started to pay attent to social affairs．Life became substantial and meaningful. She felt herself to be young again

3)At the and of the story Esme Fanshaw said to Mr.Curry，''My mother used to say, Mr. Curry, I always like a bit of singing and dancing，some variety. It takes

you out of yourself, singing and dancing '' Why does she say so? Why does Mr.Curry only make a little bow as a response instead of any words?

When Esme discovered that Mr. Curry was a street singer, she was very angry She felt humiliated, cheated and ashamed of it, But on thought, she felt that

Mr.Curry was an open-minded, optimistic and self-independent man who should not be despised．Mr．Curry was deeply moved by Esme's understanding and onsiderati-on. He had nothing to say but give a little bow.

4) From the introduction we know Susan Hill is writer good at psychological portrayal How does she delineate the complicated psycholgical activities of both Esme and Mr.Curry?

Esme's mind, after her first walk on the beat since her mother's death was displayed through a series of actions， From these actions, the readers can sense Esme's loneliness, fear and deaperation．But she tried very hard to remain clam. For the scene on the beach，the author didn't describe Mr.Curry's inner agony and pain. But from his old face crack and dull smile the can sense it.