RogerRosenblatt’sbookBlackFiction,inattemptingtoapplyliteraryratherthansociopoliticalcriteriatoitssubject,successfullyalterstheapproachtakenbymostpreviousstudies.AsRosenblattnotes,criticismofBlackwritinghasoftenservedasapretextforexpoundingonBlackhistory.AddisonGayle’srecentwork,forexample,judgesthevalueofBlackfictionbyovertlypoliticalstandards,ratingeachworkaccordingtothenotionsofBlackidentitywhichitpropounds.Althoughfictionassuredlyspringsfrompoliticalcircumstances,itsauthorsreacttothosecircumstancesinwaysotherthanideological,andtalkingaboutnovelsandstoriesprimarilyasinstrumentsofideologycircumventsmuchofthefictionalenterprise.Rosenblatt’sliteraryanalysisdisclosesaffinitiesandconnectionsamongworksofBlackfictionwhichsolelypoliticalstudieshaveoverlookedorignored.WritingacceptablecriticismofBlackfiction,however,presupposesgivingsatisfactoryanswerstoanumberofquestions.Firstofall,isthereasufficientreason,otherthanthefacialidentityoftheauthors,togrouptogetherworksbyBlackauthorsSecond,howdoesBlackfictionmakeitselfdistinctfromothermodernfictionwithwhichitislargelycontemporaneousRosenblattshowsthatBlackfictionconstitutesadistinctbodyofwritingthathasanidentifiable,coherentliterarytradition.LookingatnovelswrittenbyBlackoverthelasteightyyears,hediscoversrecurringconcernsanddesignsindependentofchronology.Thesestructuresarethematic,andtheyspring,notsurprisingly,fromthecentralfactthattheBlackcharactersinthesenovelsexistinapredominantlywhiteculture,whethertheytrytoconformtothatcultureorrebelagainstit.BlackFictiondoesleavesomeaestheticquestionsopen.Rosenblatt’sthematicanalysispermitsconsiderableobjectivity;heevenexplicitlystatesthatitisnothisintentiontojudgethemeritofthevariousworksDyethisreluctanceseemsmisplaced,especiallysinceanattempttoappraisemighthaveledtointerestingresults.Forinstance,someofthenovelsappeartobestructurallydiffuse.Isthisadefect,oraretheauthorsworkingoutof,ortryingtoforge,adifferentkindofaestheticInaddition,thestyleofsomeBlacknovels,likeJeanToomey’sCane,vergesonexpressionismorsurrealism;doesthistechniqueprovideacounterpointtotheprevalentthemethatportraysthefateagainstwhichBlackheroesarepitted,athemeusuallyconveyedbymorenaturalisticmodesofexpressionInspiteofsuchomissions,whatRosenblattdoesincludeinhisdiscussionmakesforanastuteandworthwhilestudy.BlackFictionsurveysawidevarietyofnovels,bringingtoourattentionintheprocesssomefascinatingandlittle-knownworkslikeJamesWeldonJohnson’sAutobiographyofanEx-ColoredMan.Itsargumentistightlyconstructed,anditsforthright,lucidstyleexemplifieslevelheadedandpenetratingcriticism.
1.Theauthorofthetextisprimarilyconcernedwith__________.
[A]Evaluatingthesoundnessofaworkofcriticism.[B]Comparingvariouscriticalapproachestoasubject.
[C]Discussingthelimitationsofaparticularkindofcriticism.
[D]Summarizingthemajorpointsmadeinaworkofcriticism.
2.TheauthorofthetextbelievesthatBlackFictionwouldhavebeenimprovedhadRosenblatt__________.
[A]EvaluatedmorecarefullytheideologicalandhistoricalaspectsofBlackfiction.
[B]AttemptedtobemoreobjectiveinhisapproachtonovelsandstoriesbyBlackauthors.
[C]ExploreingreaterdetailtherecurrentthematicconcernsofBlackfictionthroughoutitshistory.
[D]Assessedtherelativeliterarymeritofthenovelsheanalyzesthematically.
3.author’sdiscussionofBlackFictioncanbebestdescribedas__________.
[A]Pedanticandcontentious.
[B]Criticalbutadmiring.
[C]Ironicanddeprecating.
[D]Argumentativebutunfocused.authorofthetextemploysallofthefollowinginthediscussionofRosenblatt’s
4.bookEXCEPT:__________.
[A]Rhetoricalquestions.
[B]Specificexamples.
[C]Comparisonandcontrast.
[D]Definitionofterms.
5.TheauthorofthetextreferstoJamesWeldonJohnson’sAutobiographyofanEx-ColoredManmostprobablyinorderto__________.
[A]pointoutaffinitiesbetweenRosenblatt’smethodofthematicanalysisandearliercriticism.
[B]Clarifythepointaboutexpressionisticstylemadeearlierinthepassage.
[C]QualifytheassessmentofRosenblatt’sbookmadeinthefirstparagraphofthepassage.
[D]giveaspecificexampleofoneoftheaccomplishmentsofRosenblatt’swork.
IliveinthelandofDisney,Hollywoodandyear-roundsun.Youmaythinkpeopleinsuchaglamorous,fun-filledplacearehappierthanothers.Ifso,youhavesomemistakenideasaboutthenatureofhappiness.
Manyintelligentpeoplestillequatehappinesswithfun.Thetruthisthatfunandhappinesshavelittleornothingincommon.Funiswhatweexperienceduringanact.Happinessiswhatweexperienceafteranact.Itisadeeper,moreabidingemotion.
Goingtoanamusementparkorballgame,watchingamovieortelevision,arefunactivitiesthathelpusrelax,temporarilyforgetourproblemsandmaybeevenlaugh.Buttheydonotbringhappiness,becausetheirpositiveeffectsendwhenthefunends.
IhaveoftenthoughtthatifHollywoodstarshavearoletoplay,itistoteachusthathappinesshasnothingtodowithfun.Theserich,beautifulindividualshaveconstantaccesstoglamorousparties,fancycars,expensivehomes,everythingthatspells“happiness”.Butinmemoiraftermemoir,celebritiesrevealtheunhappinesshiddenbeneathalltheirfun:depression,alcoholism,drugaddiction,brokenmarriages,troubledchildrenandprofoundloneliness.
Askabachelorwhyheresistsmarriageeventhoughhefindsdatingtobelessandlesssatisfying.Ifhe’shonest,hewilltellyouthatheisafraidofmakingacommitment.Forcommitmentisinfactquitepainful.Thesinglelifeisfilledwithfun,adventureandexcitement.Marriagehassuchmoments,buttheyarenotitsmostdistinguishingfeatures.
Similarly,couplesthatchoosenottohavechildrenaredecidinginfavorofpainlessfunoverpainfulhappiness.Theycandineoutevertheywantandsleepaslateastheywant.Coupleswithinfantchildrenareluckytogetawholenight’ssleeporathree-dayvacation.Idon’tknowanyparentwhowouldchoosethewordfuntodescriberaisingchildren.
Understandingandacceptingthattruehappinesshasnothingtodowithfunisoneofthemostliberatingrealizationswecanevercometo.Itliberatestime:nowwecandevotemorehourstoactivitiesthatcangenuinelyincreaseourhappiness.Itliberatesmoney:buyingthatnewcarorthosefancyclothesthatwilldonothingtoincreaseourhappinessnowseemspointless.Anditliberatesusfromenvy:wenowunderstandthatallthoserichandglamorouspeopleweweresosurearehappybecausetheyarealwayshavingsomuchfunactuallymaynotbehappyatall.
1.Whichofthefollowingistrue?
A.Funcreateslong-lastingsatisfaction.
B.Funprovidesenjoymentwhilepainleadstohappiness.
C.Happinessisenduringwhereasfunisshort-lived.
D.Funthatislong-standingmayleadtohappiness.
2.Totheauthor,Hollywoodstarsallhaveanimportantroletoplaythatisto__.
A.ritememoiraftermemoirabouttheirhappiness.
B.tellthepublicthathappinesshasnothingtodowithfun.
C.teachpeoplehowtoenjoytheirlives.
D.bringhappinesstothepublicinsteadofgoingtoglamorousparties.
3.Intheauthor’sopinion,marriage___.
A.affordsgreaterfun.
B.leadstoraisingchildren.
C.indicatescommitment.
D.endsinpain.
4.Coupleshavinginfantchildren___.
A.areluckysincetheycanhaveawholenight’ssleep.
B.findfunintuckingthemintobedatnight.
C.findmoretimetoplayandjokewiththem.
D.derivehappinessfromtheirendeavor.
5.Ifonegetthemeaningofthetruesenseofhappiness,hewill__.
A.stopplayinggamesandjokingwithothers.
B.makethebestuseofhistimeincreasinghappiness.
C.giveafreehandtomoney.
D.keephimselfwithhisfamily.
Iftheoldmaximthatthecustomerisalwaysrightstillhasmeaning,thentheairlinesthatplytheworld’sbusiestairroutebetweenLondonandParishaveaflightontheirhands.
TheEurostartrainservicelinkingtheUKandFrenchcapitalsviatheChannelTunneliswinningcustomersinincreasingnumbers.InlateMay,itcarrieditsonemillionthpassenger,havingrunonlyalimitedservicebetweenLondon,ParisandBrusselssinceNovember1994,startingwithtwotrainsadayineachdirectiontoParisandBrussels.By1997,thecompanybelievesthatitwillbecarryingtenmillionpassengersayear,andcontinuetogrowfromthere.
FromJuly,EurostarstepsitsservicetoninetrainseachwaybetweenLondonandParis,andfivebetweenLondonandBrussels.Eachtraincarriesalmost800passengers,210oftheminfirstclass.
Theairlinesestimatethattheywillinitiallylosearound15%-20%oftheirLondon-ParistraffictotherailwaysonceEurostarstartsafullservicelaterthisyear(1995),with15trainsadayeachway.AsimilarservicewillstarttoBrussels.Thedamagewillbelimited,however,theairlinesbelieve,withpassengernumbersreturningtopreviouslevelswithintwotothreeyears.
Intheshortterm,thedamagecausedbythe1millionpeople-levelstravelingbetweenLondonandParisandBrusselsonEurostartrainsmeansthatsomeairservicesarealreadysuffering.Someofthemajorcarrierssaythattheirpassengernumbersaredownbylessthan5%andpointtotheirrivals-ParticularlyAirFrance-ashavingsufferedtheproblems.OntheBrusselsroute,therailwaycompanyhadlesssuccess,andtheairlinesreportanythingfromarounda5%droptonovisibledeclineintraffic.
Theairlines’optimismonreturningtrafficlevelsisbasedonhistoricalprecedent.BritishMidland,forexample,pointstoitsexperienceonHeathrowLeedsBradfordservicewhichsawpassengernumbersfoldby15%whenBritishRailelectrifiedandmodernizedtherailwaylinebetweenLondonandYorkshire.Twoyearslater,travelhadrisenbetweenthetwodestinationstothepointwheretheairlinewascarryingrecordnumbersofpassengers.
1.Britishairlinesconfideinthefactthat__.
A.theyaremorepowerfulthanotherEuropeanairlines.
B.theirtotallosswon’tgobeyondadropof5%passengers.
C.theirtrafficlevelswillreturnin2-3years.
D.travelingbyrailcannevercatchupwithtravelingbyair.
2.Theauthor’sattitudetowardsthedropofpassengersmaybedescribedas__.
A.worried.B.delightedC.puzzled.D.unrivaled.
3.Inthepassage,BritishRail(Para6)ismentionedto__.
A.provideacomparisonwithEurostar.
B.supporttheairlines’optimism.
C.provetheinevitabledropofairpassengers.
D.callforelectrificationandmodernizationoftherailway.
4.Therailway’sBrusselsrouteisbroughtforthtoshowthat__.
A.theEurostartrainserviceisnotdoinggoodbusiness.
B.theairlinescanwellcompetewiththerailway.
C.theEurostartrainserviceonlycausedlittledamage.
D.onlysomeairlines,suchasAirFrance,aresuffering.
5.Thepassageistakenfromthefirstofanessay,fromwhichwemaywellpredictthatinthefollowingparttheauthorisgoingto__.
A.praisetheairlines’clear-mindedness.
B.warntheairlinesofhigh-speedrailservices.
C.proposeareductionofLondon/Parisflights.
D.advisetheairlinestofollowBritishMidlandastheirmodel.