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《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案unit3、4
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案Keys to Unit ThreeRichard Selzer: The Discus Thrower1) Questions for discussion(Suggested answers for reference)(1) What impression do you get of the patient from the description given in the story?(In spite of his serious illness, the man never moans or complains. He talks little and generally keeps the physical suffering to himself. He tries to maintain an image of a real man although he is in the grip of Death. He behaves in the manner of Hemingway’s “tough guy”–acting by the principal that “A man can be destroyed but can not be defeated.”)(2) In the short conversations, we hear the patient’s demand to know about exact time and his demand for shoes. Why is he still interested in time and what does he want shoes for since he can’t walk anymore?(His interest in exact time and his demand for shoes seem to suggest that, deep in his heart, the man refuses to accept the fate. It might be the result of fierce psychological conflict within the patient, with reality and rationality on one side, and wish and will on the other side. Some abnormal behaviors indicate the man’s unwillingness to reconcile with the fate in spite of his self-restrain.)(3) Read carefully the paragraph about plate-throwing. Why does the writer give such detailed description of it? What is your interpretation of this rather abnormal behavior?(From the detailed descriptions of his “discus” throwing, we seem to learn that the man is rather skillful at that, and that he might have had some training in the sport of throwing discus. Then why dose he throw plates? Is it because it brings back the memory of the best moment in his life when his physical power wins the glory and cheers? By this impulsive “reliving”or “restaging” of the explosive energy he once had, the man gains some satisfaction – he laughs after it – and proves that he is still alive. This action reveals the complicated inner world of a man who is forced to face death.)(4) Why does the writer choose “The Discus Thrower” as the title? Is it coincidence that the short story has the same title as the famous Greek sculpture Discobolus (Discus Thrower)?(In the Greek sculpture, we see the frozen moment of beauty: male vitality, energy and muscle power. It is a celebration of life and physical capability. This patient might once be a discus thrower, professional athlete or amateur, and now forms such a contrast to the sculptured image. This leaves a lot of room for reader’s own reflection on life and death.)2) Explanation and interpretation(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)(1) a. From the doorway of Room 542 the man in the bed seems deeply tanned. Blue eyes andclose-cropped white hair give him the appearance of vigor and good health.b. He lies solid and inert. In spite of everything, he remains impressive, as though he were asailor standing athwart a slanting deck.(The patient is fatally ill, but he looks, or keeps an image of a strong man. His life is threatened by disease, but the spirit of a strong man is still there. He does not collapse, but does what he can, though rather vainly, to struggle to maintain the dignity of a man.)(2) “Yes,” he says at last and without the least irony. “You can bring me a pair of shoes.”(see suggested answer to Question 2.)(3) It’s a blessing, she (the head nurse) says.(Though the head nurse is the one who has complained a lot about the patient’s unreasonable behaviors and upon his death she says “It’s a blessing,” it does not mean that she is cold blooded, and thus feels relieved of her troubles. She means that God has allowed him to go, so he no longer needs to suffer and to struggle in this world. It is thus a blessing from God.)(4) He is still there in his bed. His face is relaxed, grave, dignified.(He is dead, possibly dying with relaxed feeling as he has kept his final image of being a true man with dignity and can now sleep in peace.)《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案Keys to Unit FourSomerset Maugham: Mr. Know-All1) Opinions of Understanding:(1) Which of the following is a round character?A. The narrator “I”.B. Mr. Kelada.C. Mr. Ramsay.D. Mrs. Ramsay.(2) Which of the following is a most typical flat character?A. The narrator “I”.B. Mr. Kelada.C. Mr. Ramsay.D. Mrs. Ramsay.(3) The narrator decided that he might have an unpleasant company even before seeing Mr. Kelada because _______.A. he had to share a cabin with the latterB. he had known the latter to be a loud and noisy personC. the latter had a foreign nameD. the latter had a bad reputation(4) From the story we can deduce that Mrs. Ramsay’s pearl necklace was probably ________.A. a worthless imitationB. an expensive purchase that she borrowed money to pay forC. a gift from her husbandD. a gift from a lover of hers that her husband knew nothing about(5) By the end of the short story, the narrator said, “At that moment I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada.” The words may suggest that _______.A. he actually enjoyed the company of Mr. KeladaB. he found that Mr. Kelada was entirely different from what he had expected him to beC. he liked Mr. Kelada just for a momentD. he had changed his earlier attitude towards Mr. Kelada2) Questions for Discussion:(Suggested answers for reference)(1)What are the undesirable qualities of Mr. Kelada according to the narrator? Find them out inthe text and list them. Are they good proof that Mr. Kelada is an unpleasant person?1）…my fellow passenger’s name was (not) Smith or Brown. (not Anglo-Saxon sounding) (line 9).2) When I went on board I found Mr. Kelada’s luggage ..and toilet things (showing bad taste) (lines 11-16)3) Mr. Kelada was short and of a sturdy build, cleanshaven and dark skinned, with a fleshy, hooked nose and very large lustrous and liquid eyes. His long black hair was sleek and curly. (His physical features indicate that he is not a white European.) (lines 32-34)4) He spoke with a fluency in which there was nothing English and his gestures were exuberant. (lines 34-35)5) Mr. Kelada was chatty. (line 57)6) Mr. Kelada was familiar. …(observing) no such formality. (lines 64-68)7) “The three on the four,” said Mr. Kelada (participating in other person’s card game, being rather nosy) (lines 71-81)8) I not only shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table, but I could not walk round the deck without his joining me. (caring little about other people’s privacy) (lines 85-86)9) He was a good mixer, and in three days knew everyone on board. He ran everything. (line 90-91)10) He was certainly the best hated man in the ship. We called him Mr. Know-All. (line 94)11) He was … argumentative. He knew everything better than anybody else. (lines 96-97)But the above list only proves that Mr. Kelada was a person of different culture and behaved differently. Nurtured by his more Oriental culture, he behaved in a way that was nothing wrong in itself, but was disliked by the narrator of the story, who held a prejudice against non-Western culture.(2) Underline the descriptions of Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, and discuss the contrast between the couple.Mr. Ramsay:1) He was as dogmatic as Mr. Kelada and resented bitterly the Levantine’s cocksureness. (lines 103-104)2) He was a great heavy fellow from the Middle West, with loose fat under a tight skin, and he bulged out of his ready-made clothes. (lines 106-108)3) He was argumentative (lines 122-124) and insensitive (lines 155-170)Mrs. Ramsay:1) Mrs. Ramsay was a very pretty little thing, with pleasant manners and a sense of humor. (lines 110-111)2) She was dressed always very simply; but she knew how to wear her clothes. She achieved an effect of quiet distinction. (lines 111-113)3) You could not look at her without being struck by her modesty. It shone in her like a flower on a coat. (lines 115-116)(The husband and the wife are very different almost in every way. One is loud, fatty,aggressive and the other is quite, pretty and modest. The contrast gives the reader an impression that the man is unworthy of the lady and may indicate at possible lack of harmony in the marriage.)(3) We have been given enough hints about the true value of the necklace and the possible story behind it. Can you find them?1) “They’ll never be able to get a cultured pearl that an expert like me can’t tell with half an eye.” He pointed to a chain that Mrs. Ramsay wore. “You take my word for it, Mrs. Ramsay, that chain you’re wearing will never be worth a cent less than it is now.” (lines 134-137)2) Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress. (line 136)3) “Oh, in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. But if it was bought on Fifth Avenue, I shouldn’t be surprised to hear that anything up to thirty thousand was paid for it.” (lines 145-147)4) “Oh, Elmer, you can’t bet on a certainty,” said Mrs. Ramsay. (line 155)5) “But how can it be proved?” she continued. “It’s only my word against Mr. Kelada’s.”(line 159-160)6) Mrs. Ramsay hesitated a moment. She put her hands to the clasp. (line 164)7) “I can’t undo it,” she said. “Mr. Kelada will just have to take my word for it.” (line 165)8) The Levantine took a magnifying glass from his pocket and closely examined it. A smile of triumph spread over his smooth and swarthy face. (lines 170-172)9) … Mrs. Ramsay’s face. It was so white that she looked as though she were about to faint. She was staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. They held a desperate appeal. (lines 173-175)(4) Why did Mr. Kelada choose not to tell the truth of the value of the pearl necklace?(Obviously he wanted to help the helpless lady by not revealing the true value of the necklace. Otherwise she would have to face an awful and embarrassing explanation. He might have regarded Mr. Ramsay as being unworthy for the lady and acted out of disdain.)(5) Why did the narrator say by the end of the story “I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada”?(He seemed to be aware of his own prejudice after he had seen the positive quality of the Levantine: wisdom, self-sacrifice, and sensitiveness to other’s misfortunes.)3) Explanation and Interpretation:(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)(1) I was prepared to dislike Max Kelada even before I knew him.(This indicates that the narrator, the English gentleman, had a deep-rooted racial and cultural bias against non-English. It is not the person, but what his name represents that he disliked.)(2) But when I was told the name of my companion my heart sank…. I should have looked upon it with less dismay if my fellow passenger’s name had been Smith or Brown.(“Smith”and “Brown”are typical English surnames. The name “Max Kelada”indicates a man from a different, most likely “inferior” culture in the opinion of the narrator.)(3) The Consular Service is ill paid, and she was dressed always very simply.(This foreshadows the fact that the pearl necklace was far too expensive for her purse.)(4) Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress.(She quickly hid the chain inside, an act that reveals her fear of its true value being noticed by somebody.)(5) “If I had a pretty little wife I shouldn’t let her spend a year in New York while I stayed at Kobe,” said he.(Mr. Kelada hinted that the husband’s leaving her alone in New York was unwise and had led to some consequences. She had now a wealthy suitor. )4) Suggested Homework:Let us suppose that in the afternoon on the same day when Mr. Kelada got back the 100 dollars, he met Mrs. Ramsay somewhere on the deck, and there were no other people around. They had a short conversation about what had happened previously. Using your imagination, write out the short dialogue between the two. The conversation may begin like this:(-- Good morning, Mrs. Ramsay. It’s a surprise to see you alone here.-- Good morning, Mr. Kelada. I don’t feel well, so I come out for a bit of fresh air.-- It’s always a pleasure to see a charming lady like you.-- Thank you for saying so. I’m extremely sorry for what happened yesterday, and I’m grateful for what you did, for me.)-- Lying about the necklace?-- Lying for my sake. You are generous and have a good heart.-- Anyway, I got the 100 dollars back. You delivered it yourself?-- Yes, I did. You did me a great service, and there is no way that you should be paying that money.-- I have been the laughingstock of everybody on board.-- You have my respect. I was real terrified yesterday, and fortunately you came to the rescue.-- It is a wonderful gift, that necklace, from a true admirer, I guess?-- You embarrass me, Mr. Kelada, but you seem to notice everything.-- It’s a good match to a pretty lady like you.-- Don’t laugh at me, I beg. I don’t think I’ll be wearing it anymore. Thank you again, and I think I’ll be going back to the cabin.。
英美短篇小说课后习题
The use of force大意: Mathilda had been ill for three days. Her mother had given her some medicine, but it didn’t do any good. So they had to ask the doctor to come. There had been a number of cases of diphtheria in Mathilda School and two of them had been dead.When the doctor arrived at Olson’s home, he wanted to examine Mathilda throat first. But no matter how he coaxed, She wouldn’t open her mouth. So the doctor had to get the tongue depressor into her mouth. But Mathilda reduced it to splinters. In order to protect Mathilda herself and other children, the doctor had to make sure whether she had diphtheria or not, so that he could treat her in time. Letting Mathilda‘s father hold her wrists he tried his best to open her mo uth and found she really had diphtheria. This story made us can think such a question that something in life can’t only depend on self-willingness. Under some circumstances, certain force seems necessary.对医生的评价: After the doctor arrived at the girl’s home, he wanted to see her throat. As there had been a number of cases of diphtheria in the school to which the girl went during that month, the doctor also thought that of the girl. So he smiled to the girl and asked her to open her mouth and let him have a look at her throat. No matter how the doctor coaxed, the girl shut her mouth firmly. Thinking that the girl might have diphtheria and possibly die of it, the doctor decided to use force to open her mouth. He had seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases. He felt that he must get a diagnosis now. So he grasped the girl’s head with his left hand and tried to get the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth. But when the doctor got the wooden spatula behind her last teeth. She gripped the blade between her molars and reduced it to splinters. In the final unreasoning assault the doctor outer powered the girl. He forced the heavy silver spoon back of her teeth and down her throat till she gagged. Her both tonsils were covered with membrane. From that the doctor had done, I thought he was a responsible person. In order to save the lives of the patients, especially those children who did not know how to co-operate with the doctor, he had to take some measure. Otherwise a good or suitable time of treatment would be missed. The doctor appears to be compassionate and keen to human behavior, characteristic of a good doctor, though he is also undeniably blunt and slightly prejudiced.思想: Though there are reasons often justifiable, what compels the use of force against others isn't simply altruism alone. The overall theme of the story revolves around power and submission and the doctor's unnerved feeling following the forceful encounter.作者如何写的: The story is narrated in first person by a doctor, who is answering a house visit to see a sick girl. Williams uses interior monologue as a "stream-of-consciousness" tool reflects the narrator's experience of dialogue and gives insight into the character and his appraisal of the situations he encounters. The story is written without the use of quotation marks, and the dialogue is not distinguished from the narrator's comments. The story is rendered from the subjective point of view of the doctor, and explores his subdued enjoyment of forcefully subduing the stubborn child in an attempt to acquire the throat sample.The FlyBrief Introduction of "The Fly"The story is mainly about a man called only the boss meeted with his ex-employee, Old Woodifield, heard Old Woodified mentioned the boss's dead son, his feelings changed greatly from the already the forgotten memories to the sudden recalling of his dead son. He felt so desperate and hopeless about the world, then the boss tortured and killed the fly.The theme of the storyBy the destription of a vivid picture bewteen the fly and the boss. The writer wants to say that life is fragile, the length of life is controled by a kind of intangible power. The fly was like a little life, it tried it's best to resist but it still died. The boss symbollized a mysterious power. The fly was controled by a visible hand. In the end, the boss and the fly have the same fate that they never surpass the mysterious power.1.In what way is the fly a symbol? What does the fate of the flyimply?（问题与思考1.）The fly: It stands for those that is struggling and fighting for their lives but could not escape themselves from the final destiny for them which was death. it also represent the boss. The ending of the fly means the ending of the boss.2.3. How does he treat Woodifield and Macey?（问题与思考3.）He treated Woodifield with superiority.He treated Macey as his servant.4.5. What does the story’s conclusion mean?” for the life of him he could remember.” What and why can’t he remember? Who Or what does the boss represent?（问题与思考5.）The death of the fly make the boss miserable because he see the fly as himself. Boss finally collapsed mentally. The boss: He stands for magical power gifted with the strength that could destroy everything.The words ‘for the life of him’ are chosen carefully. At this moment he has an intimat e though subconscious knowledge of his own mortality. For the reader, things are set back in balanceAraby•Summary:This article mainly tells about a boy who secretly loves a neighboring girl,Mangan’s sister. This simple and pure love can be revealed through his action, his self-narration and his mentality, which can be best revealed in somesentences in the work.•The themeThe theme of loneliness is introduced early in the story by the image of adeserted, isolated house and the narrator's recollection of a priest who livedand died in their back room.问题与思考1.1.blindThis word sets the basic tone for the whole environment in which theboy lives,as seen in other other words like "uninhabited," "detached,""brown," "imperturbable" ---quickly presents a world that is solemn,indifferent, desolate, cold and dull.2.imperturbable 沉着的，镇静的The street was a symbol for the whole Ireland.5.❖From the language style of the novels, we identify a figure of an adult narrator : This is a grown-up man recalling his youth.❖The story writes about the crush of the small boy, but apparently not in the children's writing style or tone.It is through a man’s memori es, his own choices and treatments,and then to be woven into the chapter.A rose for Emily1.what is the time sequence in the story, and why is it divided into five sections?(The plot with inverted and disturbed time order: it forces the reader to shift the attention from what happens to why and how it happens. Full of suspense and shocks, it leaves much for the readers to explore)(The story in chronological order)a. Emily lived to the age of 30, and her father died.b. Emily was sick for long, later she was in lovec. the town frowned on her affair, the minister going to see her; the female cousins visiting; Emily ordered jewelry, preparing for marriage. Homer Barron going away and coming; Emily bought the rat poison.d. the smell from Emily‟s house (from the rotten body); Emily‟s hair turning gray, her door closed; from 40 to 50, giving china-painting lessons.e. Since when she was about 60, the tax problem had remained unresolved.f. Emily died at 74.2.What foreshadowings of the discovery of Homer Barrion’s body does the author give us in the story? Do the foreshadowings give away the ending of the story? Do they heighten your interest?Foreshadowing creates expectation for action that has not yet happened; it prepares the reader for what is yet to happen by presenting some details which hint at the direction the story will take. It is a device conducive to suspense. Faulkner uses both devices in ……A Rose for Emily‟‟ to strike the reader with the following feelings: grotesque, mysterious, shocking, tragic, sympathetic, etc.3.4. who is the narrator and what is his relationship to the story?The Narrator“We”- one of the townspeople: first person (direct, easy to influence the reader‟s views) He reveals a lot about the town‟s mind. He has mixed feelings. Sometimes he is exactly the town‟s speaker, but sometimes he is different from the rest of the town, which shows the author‟s criticism to the town.5.6.what do you think the author called his story a ”A Rose for Emily?”(The meaning of the title is ambiguous, capable of various interpretations. A rose is a traditional symbol of love and a pledge of faithfulness. From the story we can see Miss Emily was denied love. So, in this sense, the title has an ironic meaning. A rose for somebody can also mean a kind of memorial, an offering, in memory of somebody. It shows the author‟s sympathy and deep respect. Does Faulkner‟s Emily remind you of another famous EMILY? What are similar?The symbols in the storyEmily as a symbolThe symbol of the rose—love The symbol of the house—decadence nature of the Southern traditionThe symbol of the small town—the decaying South The symbol of Homer Barron—the NorthWhat is your impression of Homer Barron?a big, dark, ready manSociable, easy-going, vigorous, romanticAn interesting person to be withMillerMiss Miller has spent her life as a governess for children in some of the most fashionable homes in New York. She is shocked one day to learn that one of her "babies" is expecting a baby of her own and rejects Miss Miller's offer to be the nurse for the forthcoming child. That night, Miss Miller meets Miriam, a strange young girl who resembles Miss Miller when she was a child. Miriam, critical of everything Miss Miller has or does, constantly taunts her about a loveless existence, leading to a violent confrontation and chilling denouement.。
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案unit4
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案Keys to Unit FourSomerset Maugham: Mr. Know-All1) Opinions of Understanding:(1) Which of the following is a round character?A. The narrator “I”.B. Mr. Kelada.C. Mr. Ramsay.D. Mrs. Ramsay.(2) Which of the following is a most typical flat character?A. The narrator “I”.B. Mr. Kelada.C. Mr. Ramsay.D. Mrs. Ramsay.(3) The narrator decided that he might have an unpleasant company even before seeing Mr. Kelada because _______.A. he had to share a cabin with the latterB. he had known the latter to be a loud and noisy personC. the latter had a foreign nameD. the latter had a bad reputation(4) From the story we can deduce that Mrs. Ramsay’s pearl necklace was probably ________.A. a worthless imitationB. an expensive purchase that she borrowed money to pay forC. a gift from her husbandD. a gift from a lover of hers that her husband knew nothing about(5) By the end of the short story, the narrator said, “At that moment I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada.” The words may suggest that _______.A. he actually enjoyed the company of Mr. KeladaB. he found that Mr. Kelada was entirely different from what he had expected him to beC. he liked Mr. Kelada just for a momentD. he had changed his earlier attitude towards Mr. Kelada2) Questions for Discussion:(Suggested answers for reference)(1)What are the undesirable qualities of Mr. Kelada according to the narrator? Find them out inthe text and list them. Are they good proof that Mr. Kelada is an unpleasant person?1）…my fellow passenger’s name was (not) Smith or Brown. (not Anglo-Saxon sounding) (line 9).2) When I went on board I found Mr. Kelada’s luggage ..and toilet things (showing bad taste) (lines 11-16)3) Mr. Kelada was short and of a sturdy build, cleanshaven and dark skinned, with a fleshy, hooked nose and very large lustrous and liquid eyes. His long black hair was sleek and curly. (His physical features indicate that he is not a white European.) (lines 32-34)4) He spoke with a fluency in which there was nothing English and his gestures were exuberant. (lines 34-35)5) Mr. Kelada was chatty. (line 57)6) Mr. Kelada was familiar. …(observing) no such formality. (lines 64-68)7) “The three on the four,” said Mr. Kelada (participating in other person’s card game, being rather nosy) (lines 71-81)8) I not only shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table, but I could not walk round the deck without his joining me. (caring little about other people’s privacy) (lines 85-86)9) He was a good mixer, and in three days knew everyone on board. He ran everything. (line 90-91)10) He was certainly the best hated man in the ship. We called him Mr. Know-All. (line 94)11) He was … argumentative. He knew everything better than anybody else. (lines 96-97)But the above list only proves that Mr. Kelada was a person of different culture and behaved differently. Nurtured by his more Oriental culture, he behaved in a way that was nothing wrong in itself, but was disliked by the narrator of the story, who held a prejudice against non-Western culture.(2) Underline the descriptions of Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, and discuss the contrast between the couple.Mr. Ramsay:1) He was as dogmatic as Mr. Kelada and resented bitterly the Levantine’s cocksureness. (lines 103-104)2) He was a great heavy fellow from the Middle West, with loose fat under a tight skin, and he bulged out of his ready-made clothes. (lines 106-108)3) He was argumentative (lines 122-124) and insensitive (lines 155-170)Mrs. Ramsay:1) Mrs. Ramsay was a very pretty little thing, with pleasant manners and a sense of humor. (lines 110-111)2) She was dressed always very simply; but she knew how to wear her clothes. She achieved an effect of quiet distinction. (lines 111-113)3) You could not look at her without being struck by her modesty. It shone in her like a flower on a coat. (lines 115-116)(The husband and the wife are very different almost in every way. One is loud, fatty,aggressive and the other is quite, pretty and modest. The contrast gives the reader an impression that the man is unworthy of the lady and may indicate at possible lack of harmony in the marriage.)(3) We have been given enough hints about the true value of the necklace and the possible story behind it. Can you find them?1) “They’ll never be able to get a cultured pearl that an expert like me can’t tell with half an eye.” He pointed to a chain that Mrs. Ramsay wore. “You take my word for it, Mrs. Ramsay, that chain you’re wearing will never be worth a cent less than it is now.” (lines 134-137)2) Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress. (line 136)3) “Oh, in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. But if it was bought on Fifth Avenue, I shouldn’t be surprised to hear that anything up to thirty thousand was paid for it.” (lines 145-147)4) “Oh, Elmer, you can’t bet on a certainty,” said Mrs. Ramsay. (line 155)5) “But how can it be proved?” she continued. “It’s only my word against Mr. Kelada’s.”(line 159-160)6) Mrs. Ramsay hesitated a moment. She put her hands to the clasp. (line 164)7) “I can’t undo it,” she said. “Mr. Kelada will just have to take my word for it.” (line 165)8) The Levantine took a magnifying glass from his pocket and closely examined it. A smile of triumph spread over his smooth and swarthy face. (lines 170-172)9) … Mrs. Ramsay’s face. It was so white that she looked as though she were about to faint. She was staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. They held a desperate appeal. (lines 173-175)(4) Why did Mr. Kelada choose not to tell the truth of the value of the pearl necklace?(Obviously he wanted to help the helpless lady by not revealing the true value of the necklace. Otherwise she would have to face an awful and embarrassing explanation. He might have regarded Mr. Ramsay as being unworthy for the lady and acted out of disdain.)(5) Why did the narrator say by the end of the story “I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada”?(He seemed to be aware of his own prejudice after he had seen the positive quality of the Levantine: wisdom, self-sacrifice, and sensitiveness to other’s misfortunes.)3) Explanation and Interpretation:(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)(1) I was prepared to dislike Max Kelada even before I knew him.(This indicates that the narrator, the English gentleman, had a deep-rooted racial and cultural bias against non-English. It is not the person, but what his name represents that he disliked.)(2) But when I was told the name of my companion my heart sank…. I should have looked upon it with less dismay if my fellow passenger’s name had been Smith or Brown.(“Smith”and “Brown”are typical English surnames. The name “Max Kelada”indicates a man from a different, most likely “inferior” culture in the opinion of the narrator.)(3) The Consular Service is ill paid, and she was dressed always very simply.(This foreshadows the fact that the pearl necklace was far too expensive for her purse.)(4) Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress.(She quickly hid the chain inside, an act that reveals her fear of its true value being noticed by somebody.)(5) “If I had a pretty little wife I shouldn’t let her spend a year in New York while I stayed at Kobe,” said he.(Mr. Kelada hinted that the husband’s leaving her alone in New York was unwise and had led to some consequences. She had now a wealthy suitor. )4) Suggested Homework:Let us suppose that in the afternoon on the same day when Mr. Kelada got back the 100 dollars, he met Mrs. Ramsay somewhere on the deck, and there were no other people around. They had a short conversation about what had happened previously. Using your imagination, write out the short dialogue between the two. The conversation may begin like this:(-- Good morning, Mrs. Ramsay. It’s a surprise to see you alone here.-- Good morning, Mr. Kelada. I don’t feel well, so I come out for a bit of fresh air.-- It’s always a pleasure to see a charming lady like you.-- Thank you for saying so. I’m extremely sorry for what happened yesterday, and I’m grateful for what you did, for me.)-- Lying about the necklace?-- Lying for my sake. You are generous and have a good heart.-- Anyway, I got the 100 dollars back. You delivered it yourself?-- Yes, I did. You did me a great service, and there is no way that you should be paying that money.-- I have been the laughingstock of everybody on board.-- You have my respect. I was real terrified yesterday, and fortunately you came to the rescue.-- It is a wonderful gift, that necklace, from a true admirer, I guess?-- You embarrass me, Mr. Kelada, but you seem to notice everything.-- It’s a good match to a pretty lady like you.-- Don’t laugh at me, I beg. I don’t think I’ll be wearing it anymore. Thank you again, and I think I’ll be going back to the cabin.。
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案unit4
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案Keys to Unit FourSomerset Maugham: Mr. Know-All1) Opinions of Understanding:(1) Which of the following is a round character?A. The narrator “I”.B. Mr. Kelada.C. Mr. Ramsay.D. Mrs. Ramsay.(2) Which of the following is a most typical flat character?A. The narrator “I”.B. Mr. Kelada.C. Mr. Ramsay.D. Mrs. Ramsay.(3) The narrator decided that he might have an unpleasant company even before seeing Mr. Kelada because _______.A. he had to share a cabin with the latterB. he had known the latter to be a loud and noisy personC. the latter had a foreign nameD. the latter had a bad reputation(4) From the story we can deduce that Mrs. Ramsay’s pearl necklace was probably ________.A. a worthless imitationB. an expensive purchase that she borrowed money to pay forC. a gift from her husbandD. a gift from a lover of hers that her husband knew nothing about(5) By the end of the short story, the narrator said, “At that moment I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada.” The words may suggest that _______.A. he actually enjoyed the company of Mr. KeladaB. he found that Mr. Kelada was entirely different from what he had expected him to beC. he liked Mr. Kelada just for a momentD. he had changed his earlier attitude towards Mr. Kelada2) Questions for Discussion:(Suggested answers for reference)(1)What are the undesirable qualities of Mr. Kelada according to the narrator? Find them out inthe text and list them. Are they good proof that Mr. Kelada is an unpleasant person?1）…my fellow passenger’s name was (not) Smith or Brown. (not Anglo-Saxon sounding) (line 9).2) When I went on board I found Mr. Kelada’s luggage ..and toilet things (showing bad taste) (lines 11-16)3) Mr. Kelada was short and of a sturdy build, cleanshaven and dark skinned, with a fleshy, hooked nose and very large lustrous and liquid eyes. His long black hair was sleek and curly. (His physical features indicate that he is not a white European.) (lines 32-34)4) He spoke with a fluency in which there was nothing English and his gestures were exuberant. (lines 34-35)5) Mr. Kelada was chatty. (line 57)6) Mr. Kelada was familiar. …(observing) no such formality. (lines 64-68)7) “The three on the four,” said Mr. Kelada (participating in other person’s card game, being rather nosy) (lines 71-81)8) I not only shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table, but I could not walk round the deck without his joining me. (caring little about other people’s privacy) (lines 85-86)9) He was a good mixer, and in three days knew everyone on board. He ran everything. (line 90-91)10) He was certainly the best hated man in the ship. We called him Mr. Know-All. (line 94)11) He was … argumentative. He knew everything better than anybody else. (lines 96-97)But the above list only proves that Mr. Kelada was a person of different culture and behaved differently. Nurtured by his more Oriental culture, he behaved in a way that was nothing wrong in itself, but was disliked by the narrator of the story, who held a prejudice against non-Western culture.(2) Underline the descriptions of Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, and discuss the contrast between the couple.Mr. Ramsay:1) He was as dogmatic as Mr. Kelada and resented bitterly the Levantine’s cocksureness. (lines 103-104)2) He was a great heavy fellow from the Middle West, with loose fat under a tight skin, and he bulged out of his ready-made clothes. (lines 106-108)3) He was argumentative (lines 122-124) and insensitive (lines 155-170)Mrs. Ramsay:1) Mrs. Ramsay was a very pretty little thing, with pleasant manners and a sense of humor. (lines 110-111)2) She was dressed always very simply; but she knew how to wear her clothes. She achieved an effect of quiet distinction. (lines 111-113)3) You could not look at her without being struck by her modesty. It shone in her like a flower on a coat. (lines 115-116)(The husband and the wife are very different almost in every way. One is loud, fatty,aggressive and the other is quite, pretty and modest. The contrast gives the reader an impression that the man is unworthy of the lady and may indicate at possible lack of harmony in the marriage.)(3) We have been given enough hints about the true value of the necklace and the possible story behind it. Can you find them?1) “They’ll never be able to get a cultured pearl that an expert like me can’t tell with half an eye.” He pointed to a chain that Mrs. Ramsay wore. “You take my word for it, Mrs. Ramsay, that chain you’re wearing will never be worth a cent less than it is now.” (lines 134-137)2) Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress. (line 136)3) “Oh, in the trade somewhere round fifteen thousand dollars. But if it was bought on Fifth Avenue, I shouldn’t be surprised to hear that anything up to thirty thousand was paid for it.” (lines 145-147)4) “Oh, Elmer, you can’t bet on a certainty,” said Mrs. Ramsay. (line 155)5) “But how can it be proved?” she continued. “It’s only my word against Mr. Kelada’s.”(line 159-160)6) Mrs. Ramsay hesitated a moment. She put her hands to the clasp. (line 164)7) “I can’t undo it,” she said. “Mr. Kelada will just have to take my word for it.” (line 165)8) The Levantine took a magnifying glass from his pocket and closely examined it. A smile of triumph spread over his smooth and swarthy face. (lines 170-172)9) … Mrs. Ramsay’s face. It was so white that she looked as though she were about to faint. She was staring at him with wide and terrified eyes. They held a desperate appeal. (lines 173-175)(4) Why did Mr. Kelada choose not to tell the truth of the value of the pearl necklace?(Obviously he wanted to help the helpless lady by not revealing the true value of the necklace. Otherwise she would have to face an awful and embarrassing explanation. He might have regarded Mr. Ramsay as being unworthy for the lady and acted out of disdain.)(5) Why did the narrator say by the end of the story “I did not entirely dislike Mr. Kelada”?(He seemed to be aware of his own prejudice after he had seen the positive quality of the Levantine: wisdom, self-sacrifice, and sensitiveness to other’s misfortunes.)3) Explanation and Interpretation:(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)(1) I was prepared to dislike Max Kelada even before I knew him.(This indicates that the narrator, the English gentleman, had a deep-rooted racial and cultural bias against non-English. It is not the person, but what his name represents that he disliked.)(2) But when I was told the name of my companion my heart sank…. I should have looked upon it with less dismay if my fellow passenger’s name had been Smith or Brown.(“Smith”and “Brown”are typical English surnames. The name “Max Kelada”indicates a man from a different, most likely “inferior” culture in the opinion of the narrator.)(3) The Consular Service is ill paid, and she was dressed always very simply.(This foreshadows the fact that the pearl necklace was far too expensive for her purse.)(4) Mrs. Ramsay in her modest way flushed a little and slipped the chain inside her dress.(She quickly hid the chain inside, an act that reveals her fear of its true value being noticed by somebody.)(5) “If I had a pretty little wife I shouldn’t let her spend a year in New York while I stayed at Kobe,” said he.(Mr. Kelada hinted that the husband’s leaving her alone in New York was unwise and had led to some consequences. She had now a wealthy suitor. )4) Suggested Homework:Let us suppose that in the afternoon on the same day when Mr. Kelada got back the 100 dollars, he met Mrs. Ramsay somewhere on the deck, and there were no other people around. They had a short conversation about what had happened previously. Using your imagination, write out the short dialogue between the two. The conversation may begin like this:(-- Good morning, Mrs. Ramsay. It’s a surprise to see you alone here.-- Good morning, Mr. Kelada. I don’t feel well, so I come out for a bit of fresh air.-- It’s always a pleasure to see a charming lady like you.-- Thank you for saying so. I’m extremely sorry for what happened yesterday, and I’m grateful for what you did, for me.)-- Lying about the necklace?-- Lying for my sake. You are generous and have a good heart.-- Anyway, I got the 100 dollars back. You delivered it yourself?-- Yes, I did. You did me a great service, and there is no way that you should be paying that money.-- I have been the laughingstock of everybody on board.-- You have my respect. I was real terrified yesterday, and fortunately you came to the rescue.-- It is a wonderful gift, that necklace, from a true admirer, I guess?-- You embarrass me, Mr. Kelada, but you seem to notice everything.-- It’s a good match to a pretty lady like you.-- Don’t laugh at me, I beg. I don’t think I’ll be wearing it anymore. Thank you again, and I think I’ll be going back to the cabin.。
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案unit1
《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案unit1《英语短篇小说教程》练习参考答案Keys to Unit OneLangston Hughes: Early Autumn1)Opinions of Understanding:(1) What was probably untrue of Mary?A. She missed the days of the past.B. She still loved Bill.C. She worked to keep a family of three children.D. She was satisfied with her life and job in New York.(2) Which of the following adjectives can probably best describe Bill’s attitude?A. Emotional.B. Indifferent.C. Puzzled.D. Hopeful.(3) Mary didn’t say anything when she got on the bus. Why?A. She had nothing more to say.B. She was disappointed in Bill.C. She was too emotional.D. She knew the situation was hopeless.(4) The last sentence of the story “she had forgotten …to tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill, too” shows that ________.A. Mary knew she would meet Bill again some day.B. “Bill” is a very common name.C. Mary had been thinking about Bill and still loved him.D. Mary was proud of her youngest son.(5) The title of the short story “Early Autumn” may suggestto the reader that _______.A. the bitterness of an emotional long winter was aheadB. it was still the bright time of one’s life, like early AutumnC. both Mary and Bill were now middle-aged peopleD. the love between them was not as “hot” as summer days2) Questions for Discussion(Suggested answers for reference):(1) Can you pick out words and sentences to show that Mary and Bill were now different in their attitudes toward each other?1) Mary: …she saw him for the first time in years. (line 5)Bill: At first he did not reco gnize her… (line 8)2) Mary: Unconsciously, she lifted her face as though wantinga kiss… (line 11)Bill: …but he held out his hand. (line 12)3) Mary: “I live in New York now,” she said. (eagerly telling him her address) (line 14)Bill: “Oh” – smiling politely, then a little frown came quickly between his eyes. (having no interested in her living place now.) (lines 15-16)4) Mary: “Married yet?” (concerning keenly about his marital status) (line 21)Bill: “Sure. Two kids.”(being satisfied with his present situation and showing pride in mentioning his family.) (line 22)5) Bill: “And your husband?” he asked her. (not noticing her subtle emotional change.) (line 27)M ary: “We have three children. I work in the bursar’s office at Columbia” (avoiding mentioning her husband in her reply). (line 28)6) Bill: “You’re looking very …” (he wanted to say old) “… well,” he said. (not being sensitive to her condition.) (line 29)Mary: She understood. (being very sensitive to her own condition.) (line 30)7) Mary: “We live on Central Park West,” she said. “Come and see us sometime.”(offering a direct invitation.) (line 33) Bill: “Sure,” he replied. “You and your husband must have dinner w ith my family some night. Any night. Lucille and I’d love to have you.”(giving a polite indirect rejection.) (lines 34-35)8) Mary: “There’s my bus,” she said. (line 42)Bill: He held out his hand, “Good-by.” (ready to part with Mary.) (line 43)M ary: “When …” she wanted to say… (not ready to part with Bill) (line 44)(2) Several times the author describes the scene on Washington Square: the dusk, the chilly weather, the falling leaves, the passing people. Does he only want to tell us where and when the story takes place? What other effects do such descriptions achieve?(The description of the setting gives the reader a feeling of sadness and depression. It was getting dark and getting cold with leaves falling. The bright daytime was over and the unpleasant darkness was ahead, and the warm and comfortable summer and early autumn days were being replaced by the cold and long winter. The setting echoes and reinforces Mary’s feelings of regret and yearning and implies the emotional crisis that she might have to face.)3) Explanation and Interpretation:(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)1) Impulsively, she had married a man she thought she loved.(Notice the two key word s: “impulsively”and“thought.”This has direct relation to her reactions at Washington Square, New York, years later. She made an impulsive decision and theman she “thought” she loved was not the man she wanted to be a life partner with.)2) Unconsciously, she lifted her face as though wanting a kiss, but he held out his hand.(Her unconscious reaction reveals that their sweet love in the past had been kept alive in Mary’s memory for all these years, but Bill had undergone a total change, treating her as an ordinary acquaintance of the past.)3) “And your husband?” he asked her.“We have three children. I work in the bursar’s office at Columbia.”(This is the first time Bill initiated the conversation, but he had failed to notice the signs in Mary’s emotiona l reaction and asked a question he should have not asked. Mary avoided the question by talking about something else. Why did she avoid mentioning her husband? There is message in the avoidance.)4) The lights on the avenue blurred, twinkled, blurred.(The vision came from Mary’s eyes. Obviously, her eyes were now filled with tears.)5) The bus started. People came between them outside, people crossing the street, people theydidn’t know. Space and people.(A lot of people had walked into their lives, Mary a nd Bill’s family members and their respective circle of friends and colleagues. It was no longer their world of two young lovers when they were in Ohio.)4) Suggested Homework:Suppose you were Bill Walker and you had a habit of writing down what happened to you in your diary. After the chance meeting with Mary at Washington Square, you went home and wrote a brief paragraph about the meeting. The paragraph may begin like this:Oct. 11, 2009I had never expected to see Mary, but I met her at Washington Square. She looked rather old to me –I didn’t even recognize her immediately…For reference only:Oct. 11, 2009(I had never expected to see Mary, but I met her at Washington Square. She looked rather old to me –I didn’t even recognize her immediately. It was quite a surprise that she could pick me out among the hustling and bustling crowd in the street. After all, it has been quite a few years since we parted -- Eight, nine, or ten years? Time flies and we both changed a lot, no longer the heady, impulsive kind of youngsters that we once were. For some reason, she seemed rather emotional about this chance meeting, and was keen in knowing about what had happened to me in these years and in telling and inviting me to her place. Somehow, she avoided mentioning her husband, the man she quickly married after we ran into a little problem in our relationship. Tenyears is a long time, enough to reshape a person’s life. I wish her and her family all the happiness, sincerely.)。
高中英语文学作品艺术特色分析练习题20题答案解析版
高中英语文学作品艺术特色分析练习题20题答案解析版1. In Shakespeare's "Hamlet", the character of Hamlet is complex and full of contradictions. Which of the following best describes his character trait?A. Simple - minded and straightforwardB. Brave and fearless without any hesitationC. Indecisive and full of inner turmoilD. Greedy and self - centered答案：C。
解析：在《哈姆雷特》中，哈姆雷特的性格是复杂且充满矛盾的。
他面临为父复仇的任务时，总是犹豫不决，内心充满挣扎。
他并非头脑简单、直率之人，A选项错误；他也不是毫无犹豫地勇敢无畏，B选项不符合；同时他也不是贪婪和以自我为中心的形象，D选项错误。
从文学理论角度看，这种复杂矛盾的人物塑造增加了角色的深度和立体感，使角色更贴近真实的人性，这也是莎士比亚塑造人物的高超之处。
2. In Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", the plot often has unexpected twists. Which part of the plot shows this feature?A. Tom's daily routine at school which is always the sameB. Tom's adventure in the cave where he easily finds the exit at firstC. Tom's encounter with Injun Joe in the graveyard and the following eventsD. Tom's normal life at home without any surprises答案：C。
英语短篇小说教程 虞建华 高等教育出版社 课后答案
Keys to Unit Two(1) I. B. Singer: The Washwoman(2) Frank Sargeson: A Piece of Yellow Soap1) Questions for Discussion:(Suggested answers for reference)(1) Does the piece of washing soap have the “power” as the narrator tells us? What is the “power”that forces him to take off?(The piece of yellow washing soap is, of course, an ordinary one. The narrator is a “naïve narrator”who believed that it had some sort of mysterious “power,”while the readers are expected to know better. This power comes from the narrator’s deep sympathy for the tragic fate of the washing woman. Seeing the situation, he simply could not continue to demand the payment which he knew the woman was unable to produce.)(2) In this Unit, we have two stories about two washwomen. There are a lot of similar descriptionsand common characteristics in the two stories. Find and list them.(They were both reduce to desperation, depending solely on washing for living. Both were hard-working and uncomplaining, quietly but almost heroically bore their burden and struggled for a hard existence. The author describes their common feature –the white and shrunken fingers – as symbol of suffering in the lives of the working people. They both were both dead by the end of the stories.)(3) The two first-person narrators tell two stories of two washwomen who shared similar tragicfate. Discuss the differences in the narrators that result in the differences in the way the two short stories are told.(Singer’s narrator knows more and tells more about the washing woman, often making direct comments and revealing his own feelings about the life of the woman whose story he is telling. He frequently emphasizes that what he is telling is real, and hints that the story has significance. The narrator’s voice is very close to the author’s. Please see more in “Reading Tips” on page 11. On the other hand, Sargeson’s narrator is a naïve one, that is, the narrator’s understanding is purposely made shallow, and the reader need find by himself the real meaning in the situation. So the narrator stands at some distance from the author. Please see more in “Reading Tips”on page 15. Therefore, in Text I, we, as readers, are basically “given” or “received” the story, while in Text II, we need to participate imaginatively in the story to “dig out” the true meaning the naïve narrator has left unexplained.)2) Explanation and Interpretation:(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)From “The Washwoman”:(1) She had been so sick that someone called a doctor, and the doctor had sent for a priest.(According to the custom, a priest should be present while one is dying. The implied message is the doctor thought that he could do nothing to save her, and the best thing to do was to prepare for her death.)(2) “With the help of God you will live to be a hundred and twenty,” said my mother, as ablessing.“God forbid!...”(“My Mother” extended a good wish for long life to her, but the washing woman thought that a long life was a terrible thing, because it only meant suffering longer.)(3) Her soul passed into those spheres where all holy souls meet, regardless of the roles theyplayed on this earth, in whatever tongue, of whatever religion.(A good person, like the old washwoman, would go to heaven because she had a noble soul.She would rise above all the earthly considerations of class, race, nation and religion. )From “A Piece of Yellow Soap”:(4) My eyes would get fixed on her fingers and the soap, and after a few minutes I would lose allpower to look the woman in the face. I would mumble something to myself and take myself off .(The narrator could not bear to look at this washing-tub slave for too long. He would have to find some excuse and leave. He could not push her over the cliff while she was standing on the verge of total desperation.)(5) She had a way too of feeling inside her handbag as she passed me, and I always had the queerfeeling that she carried there a piece of soap. It was her talisman powerful to work wonders…(Possibly in the bag there were a few pennies that the woman had earned from her washing, and she was going to buy food or some necessities. Seeing the narrator, to whom she knew she owed money, she unconsciously or protectively put her hand in the bag. The narrator, being “naïve,” misunderstood her reaction while they met in the street.)Suggested Homework:Translate the following paragraphs from “The Washwoman” into Chinese:The bag was big, bigger than usual. When the woman placed it on her shoulders, it covered her completely. At first she stayed, as though she were about to fall under the load. But an inner stubbornness seemed to call out; no, you may not fall. A donkey may permit himself to fall under his burden, but not a human being, the best of creation.She disappeared, and mother sighed and prayed for her.More than two months passed. The frost had gone, and then a new frost had come, a newwave of cold. One evening, while mother was sitting near the oil lamp mending a shirt, the door opened and a small puff of steam, followed by a gigantic bag, entered the room. I ran toward the old woman and helped her unload her bag. She was even thinner now, more bent. Her head shook from side to side as though she were saying no. She could not utter a clear word, but mumbled something with her sunken mouth and pale lips.For reference only:衣服包很大，比平时更大。
(完整版)英语课后习题答案(1-8units)
Unit 1 SchoolingPassage OneVocabulary1.striking2.slender impeccable3.discernible4.sloppy5.sagacity6.arrogance7.vow8.homonym9.glistening10.fix the blame onPassage TwoVocabulary1. A2. B3. C4. A5. B6. D7. A8. D9. D10.CTranslation1. 我曾经遇到过这样一位管弦乐指挥严师。
当有人弹错时，他怒骂他为白痴”；当有人弹走音时，他暂停指挥，怒吼。
他就是杰瑞·卡帕琪斯基——乌克兰移民。
2. 传统的观念认为老师应该为学生梳理知识，而不是一味的把知识塞进他们的脑袋里。
作业和小组学习都是备受青睐的学习手段。
传统的方法，如讲授和背诵，都被讥讽为“钻杀”，被人反对，被贬为是用正确的方法来蚕食年轻一代的创造力和积极性。
3. 死记硬背现在被作为解释来自印度（印度人的记忆力让人赞不绝口）家庭的孩子在全国拼字比赛中大胜对手的一个原因。
4. 当然，我们也担心失败会给孩子造成精神创伤，削弱他们的自尊。
5. 研究人员曾以为，最有效的老师会通过小组学习和讨论带领学生学习知识。
Passage One马文科林斯的方法在人群中，马文老师总是会显得很醒目：她有着高高的颧骨，瘦而强健，这都遗传自她那乔克托印第安人血统的曾祖母。
马文老师瘦削而不柔弱，就算她没有那么高，在人群中时还是一眼就能识别出来——因为她有着特别的镇静及教养，这些都使她有了一种严谨的风格。
马文很少穿宽松衣服，也决不穿宽大的直筒连衣裙或不正式的短衫及裙子。
马文认为宽大的衣服是对自己、对学生、对教师这一职业的不敬。
从开学的第一天起，马文老师总会告诉设法让孩子们懂得：自尊是一个人最可宝贵的东西。
马文的着装总是无可挑剔，这既是为了自己，也是为了学生们：她爱穿开司米羊毛衫、套装以及人字形花呢服装。
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Keys to Unit Two(1) I. B. Singer: The Washwoman(2) Frank Sargeson: A Piece of Yellow Soap1) Questions for Discussion:(Suggested answers for reference)(1) Does the piece of washing soap have the “power” as the narrator tells us? What is the “power”that forces him to take off?(The piece of yellow washing soap is, of course, an ordinary one. The narrator is a “naïve narrator”who believed that it had some sort of mysterious “power,”while the readers are expected to know better. This power comes from the narrator’s deep sympathy for the tragic fate of the washing woman. Seeing the situation, he simply could not continue to demand the payment which he knew the woman was unable to produce.)(2) In this Unit, we have two stories about two washwomen. There are a lot of similar descriptionsand common characteristics in the two stories. Find and list them.(They were both reduce to desperation, depending solely on washing for living. Both were hard-working and uncomplaining, quietly but almost heroically bore their burden and struggled for a hard existence. The author describes their common feature –the white and shrunken fingers – as symbol of suffering in the lives of the working people. They both were both dead by the end of the stories.)(3) The two first-person narrators tell two stories of two washwomen who shared similar tragicfate. Discuss the differences in the narrators that result in the differences in the way the two short stories are told.(Singer’s narrator knows more and tells more about the washing woman, often making direct comments and revealing his own feelings about the life of the woman whose story he is telling. He frequently emphasizes that what he is telling is real, and hints that the story has significance. The narrator’s voice is very close to the author’s. Please see more in “Reading Tips” on page 11. On the other hand, Sargeson’s narrator is a naïve one, that is, the narrator’s understanding is purposely made shallow, and the reader need find by himself the real meaning in the situation. So the narrator stands at some distance from the author. Please see more in “Reading Tips”on page 15. Therefore, in Text I, we, as readers, are basically “given” or “received” the story, while in Text II, we need to participate imaginatively in the story to “dig out” the true meaning the naïve narrator has left unexplained.)2) Explanation and Interpretation:(Explain the implied meaning of the following sentences, and point out their significance in the context of the story.)From “The Washwoman”:(1) She had been so sick that someone called a doctor, and the doctor had sent for a priest.(According to the custom, a priest should be present while one is dying. The implied message is the doctor thought that he could do nothing to save her, and the best thing to do was to prepare for her death.)(2) “With the help of God you will live to be a hundred and twenty,” said my mother, as ablessing.“God forbid!...”(“My Mother” extended a good wish for long life to her, but the washing woman thought that a long life was a terrible thing, because it only meant suffering longer.)(3) Her soul passed into those spheres where all holy souls meet, regardless of the roles theyplayed on this earth, in whatever tongue, of whatever religion.(A good person, like the old washwoman, would go to heaven because she had a noble soul.She would rise above all the earthly considerations of class, race, nation and religion. )From “A Piece of Yellow Soap”:(4) My eyes would get fixed on her fingers and the soap, and after a few minutes I would lose allpower to look the woman in the face. I would mumble something to myself and take myself off .(The narrator could not bear to look at this washing-tub slave for too long. He would have to find some excuse and leave. He could not push her over the cliff while she was standing on the verge of total desperation.)(5) She had a way too of feeling inside her handbag as she passed me, and I always had the queerfeeling that she carried there a piece of soap. It was her talisman powerful to work wonders…(Possibly in the bag there were a few pennies that the woman had earned from her washing, and she was going to buy food or some necessities. Seeing the narrator, to whom she knew she owed money, she unconsciously or protectively put her hand in the bag. The narrator, being “naïve,” misunderstood her reaction while they met in the street.)Suggested Homework:Translate the following paragraphs from “The Washwoman” into Chinese:The bag was big, bigger than usual. When the woman placed it on her shoulders, it covered her completely. At first she stayed, as though she were about to fall under the load. But an inner stubbornness seemed to call out; no, you may not fall. A donkey may permit himself to fall under his burden, but not a human being, the best of creation.She disappeared, and mother sighed and prayed for her.More than two months passed. The frost had gone, and then a new frost had come, a newwave of cold. One evening, while mother was sitting near the oil lamp mending a shirt, the door opened and a small puff of steam, followed by a gigantic bag, entered the room. I ran toward the old woman and helped her unload her bag. She was even thinner now, more bent. Her head shook from side to side as though she were saying no. She could not utter a clear word, but mumbled something with her sunken mouth and pale lips.For reference only:衣服包很大，比平时更大。