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1、 We sometimes hear that essays are an old-fashioned form , that so-and-so is the “last essayist”, but the facts of the marketplace argue quite otherwise. Essays of nearly any kind are so much easier than short stories for a writer to sell, so many more see print ,it’s strange that though two fine anthologies(collections) remain that publish the year’s best stories, no comparable collection exists for essays. Such changes in the reading public’s taste aren’t always to the good, needless to say. The art of telling stories predated even cave printing ,surely; and if ever find ourselves living in caves again, it(with painting and drumming) will be the only art left ,after movies, novels, photography, essays, biography, and all the rest have gone down the drain—the art to build from. Essays ,however, hang somewhere on a line between two sturdy poles: this is what I think ,and this is what I am . Autobiographies which aren’t novels are generally extended essays, indeed. A personal essay is like the human voice talking , its order being the mind’s natural flow, instead of systematized outline of ideas. Though more changeable or informal than an article or treatise, somewhere it contains a point which is its real center, even if the point couldn’t be uttered in fewer words than the essayist had used. Essays don’t usually boil down to a summary, as articles do and the style of the writer has a “nap” to it , a combination of personality and originality and energetic loose ends that stand up like the nap on a piece of wool and can’t be brushed flat. Essays belong to the animal kingdom, with a surface that generates sparks, like a coat of fur ,compare with the flat ,conventional cotton of the magazine article writer , who works in the vegetable kingdom ,instead. But ,essays,, on the other hand ,may have fewer “levels” than fiction, because we are not supposed to argue much about their meaning. In the old distinction between teaching and storytelling ,the essayist ,however cleverly he tries to conceal his intentions, is a bit of a teacher or reformer , and an essay is intended to convey the same point to each of us. An essayist doesn’t have to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth; he can shape or shave his memories, as long as the purpose is served of explaining a truth point. A personal essay frequently is not autobiographical at all ,but what it does keep in common with autobiography is that, through its tone and tumbling progress ,it conveys the quality of the author’s mind. Nothing gets in the way. Because essays are directly concerned with the mind and the mind’s peculiarity ,the very freedom the mind possesses is conferred on this branch of literature that does honor to it, and the fascination of the mind is the fascination of essay. (1) The author asserts that the changes in readers' taste A. contribute to the incompatibility of essays with stories B. often result in unfavorable effect, to say the least C. sometimes come to something undesirable, of course. D. usually bring about benefiecial outcome, so to say (2) The author suggests that if the Stone Age should come up again A. the art of essay-writting would lose its foundation B. the art and literature would be most totally discarded. C. the art of story-telling would remain in caves alone D. the life of art would be thoroughly drained away. (3) Essays are characterized by all the folllowing EXCEPT their A. careful arrangerment and organization of chief ideas B. remarkable concision and meaningful presentation C. improbable condenstion to any shorter accounts D. flashes of wit and enlightenment of argumentation (4) What chiefly distinguishes essays from articales may be is A. the different amount of words used in representation B. the acute sensibiltiy and keen insight of essayists C. the distinction between animal and vegetable worlds D. the variation of arguments about their meanings. (5) The essayist's main task seems to be A. the exact revelation and description of nothing but the truth B. the free conception and reduction of their memories C. the frank confession of what is concealed in their mind D. the direct communication of their striking thoughts to readers |
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2 From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen. It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-years-olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving. The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy tragic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic, to be conveniently forgotten. It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be mad much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh. But surely nothing should be considered as to severe if tit results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars. 1The main idea of this passage is [A] Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists. [B] Thousands of people the world over are killed each year. [C] The laws of some countries about driving are too lax. [D] Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents. 2What does the author think of society toward motorists? [A] Society smiles on the motorists. [B] Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns. [C] Victims of accidents are nothing. [D] Society condones their rude driving. 3Why does the author say:’ his car becomes the extension of his personality?’ [A] Driving can show his real self. [B] Driving can show the other part of his personality. [C] Driving can bring out his character. [D] His car embodies his temper. 4Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents? [A] Build more highways. [B] Stricter driving tests. [C] Test drivers every three years. [D] raise age limit and lay down safety specifications. 5The attitude of the author is [A] ironical [B] critical [C] appealing [D] militant |
2楼2007-01-10 17:50:59
