lesson-11-The-Future-of-the-English

习题全解Ⅰ.Priestley:JohnBoyntonPriestley,Englishnovelist,dramatistandcritic,wasbornon13.Sept.1894,inBradford,Yourkshire.HewasthesonofaschoolmasterandservedintheBritisharmyduringWorldWar1.AftertheendofthewarheattendedCambridge,wherehestudiedEnglishliterature,modernhistory,andpoliticalscience.Alreadypublishing,hewasabletofinanceagooddealofhisschoolingbysellingarticlestoLondonandprovincialnewspapers.In1922hewenttoLondon,wherehesoonestablishedhimselfasacritic,essayistandnovelist.DuringWorldWarⅡ,Priestleywonahugelisteningaudiencewithhistrenchant,down-to-earthradiobroadcasts.In1929,TheGoodCompanions,anovelaboutthejoysandsorrowsofthemembersofarepertorycompanyinthenorthofEnglandappearedandwasenormouslypopularinbothGreatBritainandAmerica.In1930PriestleypublishedthealmostequallysuccessfulAngelPavement,whosecharactersworkedinasmallbusinessfirminLondon.Thesewerefollowedbyothernovels:TheyWalkintheCity(1936),TheDoomsdaymen(1938),LetthePeopleSing(1939),andFestivalatFarbridge(1951).Thesenovels-long,oftensentimental,packedwithlivingcharacterstestifytoPriestley'sastoundingpowerofobservation,tohisnarrativegifts,andtohiscraftsmanship.HehasmaintainedthegreattraditionoftheEnglishpi-caresquenovelwithdistinction.Priestleyalsowonrecognitionwithhisworksthatcombineautobiographicalmatterwithastuteleft-of-centersocialcriticism,suchasEnglishJourney(1934),RainuponGad-shill(1939),ThoughtsintheWilderness(1957),andTheEnglish(1973).Priestleybeganhiscareerasaplaywrightin1932withDangerousCornerwhichhassubsequentlybeenperformedallovertheworld.ItssuccessencouragedPriestleytoorganizeacompanyforwhichhewroteplaysofaconsistentlyhighdramaticstandard.AmongthemwerethecomediesLaburnumGrove(1933)andWhenWeAreMarried(1938).PriestleyalsowroteseriousmetaphysicaldramasTimeandtheConways(1937),IHaveBeenHereBefore(1938),JohnsonoverJordan(1939),andAnInspectorCalls(1945).Priestleyhasperhapsidentifiedhimselfmoresuccessfullythananyothernovelistinthefirsthalfofthe20thcenturywiththethoughtsandfeelingsoftheordinaryEnglishman,abeingwhosecharacterheoutlineswithvigorandgoodhumor.Ⅱ.1.EverythingthathappensinEnglandisdirectedandinfluencedbyinstinctivefeelingandnotrationalthought.2.TherearefewerCommunistsorneo-orpotentialfascistsinEnglandthanthereareinmostothercountries.MurderousencounterswiththepoliceorbloodystreetbattlesdonotoccurinEngland.FromthesefactsPriestleyconcludestherearefewerfanaticalbelieversamongtheEnglish.3.HeisreferringtosomeshopstewardsandwealthyemployerswhohavelosttheirEnglishness.4.PriestleyputsforwardfiveorsixpointstoshowthattheEnglisharedifferent:1)ItisinstinctivefeelingandnotrationalthoughtthatshapesandcoloursactualeventsinEngland.2)TheEnglishdonotfeelathomeinthecon-temporaryworld,representingtheaccelerateddevelopmentofourwholeage.Theyaresuspiciousoflargeness,severeefficiencyandAdmass.3)TheEnglisharealsodeeplysuspiciousofchangeforchanges’sake.4)TheEnglishcansoonfeelboredand.that'swhytheygambleandboozesomuchandenjoyanydramaticchangeinpubliclife.5)TheEnglishhaveasenseofcommunity,decentfellowfeeling,fairness.6)TheEnglishareatheartandatrootanimaginativepeopleimmediatelyresponsivetoanysuggestionofdramaintheirlives.5.Admassstandsforruthlesscompetitiveness,treatingmensimplyasaproducerandconsumerandplayingupondissatisfaction,greedandenvy,whileEnglishnessstandsfortheinvisibleinnerworld,offeringstatesofmind.Theout-comeofthisbattlebetweenAdmassandEnglishnesswilldecidethefutureoftheEnglish.6.ThefutureoftheEnglishmaybeshapedbythedecisionofthenowvacillatinghugetradeunions.Itwillbeshapedbytheroletheydecidetoplay.TheymustcomedowndecisivelyeitheronthesideofAdmassorthatofEnglishness.7.ThefollowingpeoplehaverejectedAdmass:1)workersinsmallish,well-managedandhonestenterprises,2)crustyHighTorieswhoavoidtheCityanddirectors'fees,3)menandwomenintheprofessionalclasses.Thelastgroupofpeoplearethemostimportantfortheyarearticulateandpeoplearereadytolistentothem.IfthebattlewithA&masscanbewon,itwillprobablybethesemenandwomenwhowillhelpEnglishnesstowinit.8.PriestleydividestheEnglishyoungintotwogroups.Heisdubiousaboutthenoisytypes,theylackindividualitytostanduptoAdmass.Hehasmorefaithinthequieteryoung,whomayhavecomeundertheinfluenceofsomematureprofessionalmenandwomen.They-too,mighthelptoswingthebattle.9.Thesloppypeopleareeasytogetalongwith,rarelyunkind,buttheyarenotdependable;theyareinept,shiftless,slovenly,andmessy.Theylackself-discipline,acceptingnoresponsibility,skimpingtheworktheyaresupposedtobedoing,cheatingnotonlythebosses,thecapitalists,buteventheirneighbors.10.Thereiswidespreadboredominallheavilyindustrializedsocietiesnotsimplybecausesomuchoftheworktheyofferisboring.Itisalsobecause,afterhavingshatteredtheslowrhythms,thetraditionalskills,thecloselyknitcommunitiesofrumsocieties,theycrowdpeopletogether;excitethembylargepromisesthatcannotbekept,sodrivethemintoboredom.WhentheEnglishareboredtheygambleandboozealot.Theyenjoyanydramaticchangeinpubliclife,anynewsthatencouragesexcitedtalk.Boredteenagers,whohavenotbeenabletouseupenoughenergyduringthedayturnatnighttoidiotvandalism.Later,ifboredomha