The beginning of American literature

　　American has always been a land of beginnings. After Europeans “ discovered” America in the fifteenth century, the mysterious New World became for many people a genuine hope of a new life, an escape from poverty and persecution, a chance to start again. We can say that, as nation, America begins with that hope. When, however, does American literature begin?

　　American literature begins with American experiences. Long before the first colonists arrived, before Christopher Columbus, before the Northmen who found America about year 1,000, Native Americans lived here. Each tribe's literature was tightly woven into the fabric of daily life and reflected the unmistakably American experience of lining with the land. Another kind of experience, one filled with fear and excitement, found its expression in the reports that Columbus and other explorers sent home in Spain, French and English. In addition, the journals of the people who lived and died in the New England wilderness' tell unforgettable tales of hard end sometimes heartbreaking experiences of those early years.

　　Experience, then, is the key to early American literature. The New World provided a great variety of experiences, and experiences demanded a wide variety of expressions by an even wider variety of early American writers. These writers included John Smith, who spent only two-and-a-half year: on the American, continent. They included Jonathan Edwards and William Byrd，who thought of themselves as British subjects, never suspecting a revolution that would create a United States of America with a literature of its own. American Indians, explorers,

　　Puritan ministers, frontier wives, plantation owner一they are all the creators of the first American literature.

　　练习：

　　1) What does “that hope”in the first paragraph refer to?

　　A)The hope that America would be discovered.

　　B) The hope to start a life.

　　C) The hope to see the mysteries of the New World.

　　D) The hope to find poverty here.

　　2. When did American literature begin?

　　A) Before the American natives lived there.

　　B) When Columbus and other explorers gent reports back home..

　　C) When tire Northmen found America in about 1,000.

　　D) Long before the year 1,000.

　　3. What can we learn from the literature of the tribes of the native Americans?

　　A) About the everyday fife of the native Americans.

　　B) About the arrival of Columbus

　　C) About the experience of the first European settlers

　　D) About the experience of those who died in the New England wilderness.

　　4. The main purpose of the last paragraph is to tell the readers that

　　A) in the early days most American writers were from Great Britain.

　　B) people with rich life experience became writers.

　　C) there were many writers in the early days of American history

　　D) early-day experience provided the foundation for American literature.

　　5. According to the last paragraph, which of the following statements is true about America literature?

　　A) Some British writers started American literature.，

　　B) Early-day American literature is a reflection of the boring life then.

　　C) Some British writers had doubts about the future of American literature.

　　D) Some British writers had great confidence in the future of American literature.

　　参考答案：

　　1.B.解析：首先找到“that hope”在文章中的位置：

　　(第一段)American has always been a land of beginnings. After(在..之后) Europeans “ discovered”(发现) America in the fifteenth century(世纪), the mysterious(神秘的) New World became for many people a genuine(真正的，真诚的) hope of a new life, an escape from (逃避)poverty and persecution(迫害), a chance(机会) to start(开始) again(再次). We can say that, as nation, America begins with that hope. When, however, does American literature begin?

　　“that hope”就是指前一句中的a genuine hope of a new life/开始新生活的真诚希望。

　　2.D. 利用问题句及被选项中的特征词，细节信息词/结构(American literature, American natives, Columbus and other explorers, Northmen, America, 1,000)作为答案线索， 在文章中查找答案相关句：

　　American has always been a land of beginnings.(第一题答案相关句) After Europeans “ discovered” America in the fifteenth century, the mysterious New World became for many people a genuine hope of a new life, an escape from poverty and persecution, a chance to start again. We can say that, as nation, America begins with that hope. When, however, does American literature begin?

　　American literature begins with (以...开始)American experiences(经历). Long before (早在...之前)the first colonists(殖民者) arrived, before Christopher Columbus, before the Northman who found America about year 1,000, Native Americans lived here. Each tribe's literature was tightly woven into the fabric of daily life and reflected the unmistakably American experience of lining with the land. Another kind of experience, one filled with fear and excitement, found its expression in the reports that Columbus and other explorers sent home in Spain, French and English. In addition, the journals of the people who lived and died in the New England wilderness' tell unforgettable tales of hard end sometimes heartbreaking experiences of those early years.

　　从第2段第2句可知：很早以前， 本土美国人就居住在这里。既然前一句说“美国文学产生于美国人的生活经历”， 由此可知美国文学产生于很早以前就居住这里的本土美国人的生活经历，对比被选项判断只有D合适。

　　3.A. 利用问题句及被选项中的特征词，细节信息词/结构(literature, tribes, native Americans, everyday life, Columbus, experience, first European settlers, New England Wilderness)作为答案线索， 在文章中查找答案相关句：

　　American has always been a land of beginnings. (第1题答案相关句) After Europeans “ discovered” America in the fifteenth century, the mysterious New World became for many people a genuine hope of a new life, an escape from poverty and persecution, a chance to start again. We can say that, as nation, America begins with that hope. When, however, does American literature begin?

　　(第2题答案相关句) American literature begins with American experiences. Long before the first colonists arrived, before Christopher Columbus, before the Northman who found America about year 1,000, Native Americans lived here. Each tribe's literature was tightly(紧密地) woven (编织，编写)into the fabric(结构， 构架， 织物) of daily(每天的， 日常的) life and reflected(反映，反射) the unmistakably(明白地) American experience of lining with(给...加衬) the land(土地， 陆地). Another kind of experience, one filled with fear and excitement, found its expression in the reports that Columbus and other explorers sent home in Spain, French and English. In addition, the journals of the people who lived and died in the New England wilderness' tell unforgettable tales of hard end sometimes heartbreaking experiences of those early years.

　　根据答案相关句(第2段第3句)可知“从美洲土著部落的文学中， 我们可以找到他们日常生活的写照”。

　　4.D. 主旨题。 关注指定段落是否有段落主题词及段落主题句。

　　(观点句)Experience, then, is the key(关键) to early(早期的) American literature.(段落主题句) The New World provided a great variety of experiences, and experiences demanded a wide variety of expressions by an even wider variety of early American writers. These writers included John Smith, who spent only two-and-a-half year: on the American, continent. They included Jonathan Edwards and William Byrd，who thought of themselves as British subjects, never suspecting a revolution that would create a United States of America with a literature of its own. American Indians, explorers, Puritan ministers, frontier wives, plantation owner一they are all the creators of the first American literature.

　　根据段首句句意判断D是答案。

　　提示:

　　如果段首句是“观点句， 概括句，定义句， 权威人士的发言”， 则这样的段首句往往就是其所在段落的主题句。

　　5.D. 利用被选项中的共有词British writers， American literature作为答案线索，在第4段中查找答案相关句：

　　(第4段)(第4题答案相关句) Experience, then, is the key to early American literature. The New World provided a great variety of experiences, and experiences demanded a wide variety of expressions by an even wider variety of early American writers. These writers included John Smith, who spent only two-and-a-half year: on the American, continent. They included Jonathan Edwards and William Byrd，who thought of themselves as(把...看作为...) British subjects(国民，题目，主题，学科), never suspecting(怀疑) a revolution(革命) that would create(创造) a United States of America with a literature of its own(自己的). American Indians, explorers, Puritan ministers, frontier wives, plantation owner一they are all the creators of the first American literature.

　　译文：

美洲文学的开端

　　美洲一直是一个充满新开端的地方。15世纪欧洲发现美洲之后这个神奇的新世界给很多人提供了真正的新生活的希望，让他们远离贫穷和迫害，开始一次新生。我们可以说美国是在这种对新生活的美好愿望中诞生的。那么美洲文学是何时开始的呢?

　　美洲文学是在美洲生活经历中产生的。早在第一个殖民者踏上美洲大陆之前，在哥伦布到达这里之前，甚至1 000年北欧人声称发现了美洲之前，这块土地上就有美洲印第安人居住。每个部落的文学都紧密地交织到日常生活的构架中去，反映了和土地密切相连的确凿无疑的美洲生活经历。另一种美洲经历是充满恐惧又令人兴奋的哥伦布及其他探险家带回家乡的用西班牙语，法语和英语成的报告。另外还有一些新英格兰荒原-上生活的人在日记中记载了早时那难忘的困苦以及有时让人心痛的经历。

　　美洲的生活经历是美洲早期文学产生的关键因素。这个新世界给人们提供了各种各样的生活经历，这就需要大量的美洲早期文学家用各种各样的方式来描述美洲生活。这些文学家包括仅在美洲居住两年半的约翰?史密斯，还有约翰逊?爱德华和维廉姆?白伊德。这两位自认为是大英帝国臣民的英国作家对一场将会创造出一个拥有自己文学的美利坚合众国的革命从来没有任何怀疑。不管是美洲印第安人，探险家，还是清教徒，新派妻子，农场主等等，他们都是最初美洲文学的创造者。