英语泛读(三)课后答案

1. THE EGG1) 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 thefather's tricks and his grotesque chickens in alcohol ? Why does the father failto 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 lotof money. The father clung to his grotesque truth and got so feverish in tryingto 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 hintedAmerican 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 worldeven 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 successhasn't been shattered completely. He still has to go on running his restaurant and serve the customers. with the egg.2. HOLIDAY1) What Kind of family is the Mullers?The mullers is a practical, hard-beaten but warm-hearted and hospitable．Thereis 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 homely3) 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 thenarrator 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 areno provisions for coaling invalids．One must work heroically to heal the hurtsthat 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 freedom5) 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 islife．3. BABYLON REVISITED1) What sort of life had Charlie and Helen lived in Paris before Helen's deathand 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 herold way. while everything has changed and action as one of the story's symbolsof 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 orderto give shape and direction to his renaissance to redeem his of human valueand in a sense，to recover something of his wife ''escaped to a greaw inVermont''4． DRY SEPTEMBER1) Can you tell，with the help of the introduction of William Faulkner'sattitude 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 theweather 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 readersthat 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 COUNTRY1) The title of the story may be taken literally, of course, for youngAmerican soldier is far away from home. Can you explain the meaning of thetitle 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 dailylives 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 tohim 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 changeat 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 thestory 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 dicationto 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 PATH1) 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 phoenixgive 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 body2)Why is the story entitled ''A Worn Path''?''A Worn Path''， in its literal meaning，it suggests the deep-grained habitof old Phoenix to her grandson, which cuts through confusion and stumblesor entrives its way out of difficulty9．THE ENOMOUS RADIO1) At the beginning of the story, the Westcotts seem to be the kind or peopleworth 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 kindof people worth admiring as they seem to be exactly like their neighbours;moral degradation, hypocrisy and spiritual vacancy, faltering marriage are exposed in them2)Obviously the Westcotts are lovers of serious and it runs though the wholestory from beginning to end, Can you appreciate its effect?Here is the use of irony, as the story underlines that serious music doesn'tmake people serious and noble minded．3)Twice in the story the Sweeney's nurse is mentioned．What is the effect oftheir 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 Godcan save people's soul and make people pure.10．THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS1) Feld want a '' better life'' for his daughter Miriam. How does expect thatMax . the collage boy, will help boy, will help her to it?He expects Miriam will go to the university under the influence of Max. Forhe thinks those who have a college education will have a higher social statusand live a ''better life''．2) Miriam says that she does not like Max because he is a materialist, what isthe 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 oflife 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 BERGERON1)As we Know the story, Harrin Bereron, is a satire. What aspects of the societyis mocking?vonnegut is mocking standardized social system with absolute equlizationsocial evils in the society ?2)W hat do you think Vonnegut is saying about the serious consquences of the social evilsin 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 storyin 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 courageto defy the existing social system than ordinary people4) 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 ofgravity'' 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"SBLUES1)Why does Sonny take drugs? Why does one of Sonny's friends say ''He'llnever 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 difficultto change the black's status in a society shrounded in racial discriminationHe is worried about his future and doesn't know how to do but uses heroin inorder to relax himself temporally. Since nothing has ever changed to the world when he is out of jail, it will come again2)Why do Sonny and his friends like the blues?Because the blues are sad，melancholy and very strong jazz music . lt canexpress their unhappiness and complaint, so that it can relax．themselvesfrom worry or desire temporarily.3)In order to have a better understanding of Sonny，Sonny's brother wentwith 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 lifeb. There exists sympathy, friendship, understanding and live among them4) Compare Sonny with his brother and Will Mayes in Dry September. Is thereany difference among the three?Will Mayes thought it God's will to insulted by the white, he didn't revolteven at stake of stake of being murdered by the black．Sonny's brother know that the black could not get rid of the bad situationbut he wants to improve his social status through education Sonny is the representative of younger generation. He is not satisfied with passive attitudeof 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 NIGGER1) 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 oflife．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 attitudeto 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.HeadMr.Head talks to everybody on the train in order to show himself off and prove him to be a suitable guide for NelsonMr.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 Negro3) 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 getmother'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 inhis 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 discriminationshould 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 TOWN1)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 isa 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 PAW1)How is each member of the White family characterized in the story? What aretheir attitudes toward the monkey's paw?Mr.White used to have a happy family but he was gentle and considerate. Herberhad 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 toplay chess．with his father．They lives happily and comfortably.Mr. White and Herbert were skeptical about the Magic power of the monkey'spaw 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 denandwhat doesn't belong to him16. THE SCHARTZ-METTERDLUME METHOD1)What kind of a young lady Miss Carlootta is? Can you infer from the storyher 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 hasa 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 method17)THE LION"S SKIN1)What do you think of the relation between the husband and wife? Throughoutthe 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'tlike he．He only like her property．He was no common swindlerwho 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 wife2) 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 end4)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 gentleman18．MR.ANDREWS1)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 friendship2)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 interestedin 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 wisdomand valuable experiences to the mankind's progress19．ARABY1)Important details of settings and personality are given in the first three paragraphs of the story, How does the description of North Richmond street andits 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 andfeels free from all anxiety and enjoys himself, These help us to understand 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 makesher do fascinating to him?He is ignorant of her and never has a normal conversation with her, butlonging 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 creaturedriven and deceived by vanity and that life and love are the vanities ofvanities4) What does the author want to covey through this story?The author wants to convey that there lies a chasm between the idealismand the reality by depieting the contrast between the love for Mangan's sisterand longing for the bazaar20. THE NEW DRESS1) 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 tobe in the lime-light whenever she finds the chance2) there are repeated references to Mabel's enjoyment of reading．Why does sheturn 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 storyWhat 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 mindis Mabel in each time she mentions flies?Each time Mabel is trying so hard to conceal and escape from her embarrassmentand anxiety at the party just like a fly that has fallen into a saucer of milk。