英语短篇小说教程-虞建华-高等教育出版社-课后答案

1KeystoUnitTwo(1)I.B.Singer:TheWashwoman(2)FrankSargeson:APieceofYellowSoap1)QuestionsforDiscussion:(Suggestedanswersforreference)(1)Doesthepieceofwashingsoaphavethe“power”asthenarratortellsus?Whatisthe“power”thatforceshimtotakeoff?(Thepieceofyellowwashingsoapis,ofcourse,anordinaryone.Thenarratorisa“naïvenarrator”whobelievedthatithadsomesortofmysterious“power,”whilethereadersareexpectedtoknowbetter.Thispowercomesfromthenarrator’sdeepsympathyforthetragicfateofthewashingwoman.Seeingthesituation,hesimplycouldnotcontinuetodemandthepaymentwhichheknewthewomanwasunabletoproduce.)(2)InthisUnit,wehavetwostoriesabouttwowashwomen.Therearealotofsimilardescriptionsandcommoncharacteristicsinthetwostories.Findandlistthem.(Theywerebothreducetodesperation,dependingsolelyonwashingforliving.Bothwerehard-workinganduncomplaining,quietlybutalmostheroicallyboretheirburdenandstruggledforahardexistence.Theauthordescribestheircommonfeature–thewhiteandshrunkenfingers–assymbolofsufferinginthelivesoftheworkingpeople.Theybothwerebothdeadbytheendofthestories.)(3)Thetwofirst-personnarratorstelltwostoriesoftwowashwomenwhosharedsimilartragicfate.Discussthedifferencesinthenarratorsthatresultinthedifferencesinthewaythetwoshortstoriesaretold.(Singer’snarratorknowsmoreandtellsmoreaboutthewashingwoman,oftenmakingdirectcommentsandrevealinghisownfeelingsaboutthelifeofthewomanwhosestoryheistelling.Hefrequentlyemphasizesthatwhatheistellingisreal,andhintsthatthestoryhassignificance.Thenarrator’svoiceisveryclosetotheauthor’s.Pleaseseemorein“ReadingTips”onpage11.Ontheotherhand,Sargeson’snarratorisanaïveone,thatis,thenarrator’sunderstandingispurposelymadeshallow,andthereaderneedfindbyhimselftherealmeaninginthesituation.Sothenarratorstandsatsomedistancefromtheauthor.Pleaseseemorein“ReadingTips”onpage15.Therefore,inTextI,we,asreaders,arebasically“given”or“received”thestory,whileinTextII,weneedtoparticipateimaginativelyinthestoryto“digout”thetruemeaningthenaïvenarratorhasleftunexplained.)2)ExplanationandInterpretation:(Explaintheimpliedmeaningofthefollowingsentences,andpointouttheirsignificanceinthecontextofthestory.)2From“TheWashwoman”:(1)Shehadbeensosickthatsomeonecalledadoctor,andthedoctorhadsentforapriest.(Accordingtothecustom,apriestshouldbepresentwhileoneisdying.Theimpliedmessageisthedoctorthoughtthathecoulddonothingtosaveher,andthebestthingtodowastoprepareforherdeath.)(2)“WiththehelpofGodyouwilllivetobeahundredandtwenty,”saidmymother,asablessing.“Godforbid!...”(“MyMother”extendedagoodwishforlonglifetoher,butthewashingwomanthoughtthatalonglifewasaterriblething,becauseitonlymeantsufferinglonger.)(3)Hersoulpassedintothosesphereswhereallholysoulsmeet,regardlessoftherolestheyplayedonthisearth,inwhatevertongue,ofwhateverreligion.(Agoodperson,liketheoldwashwoman,wouldgotoheavenbecauseshehadanoblesoul.Shewouldriseabovealltheearthlyconsiderationsofclass,race,nationandreligion.)From“APieceofYellowSoap”:(4)Myeyeswouldgetfixedonherfingersandthesoap,andafterafewminutesIwouldloseallpowertolookthewomanintheface.Iwouldmumblesomethingtomyselfandtakemyselfoff.(Thenarratorcouldnotbeartolookatthiswashing-tubslavefortoolong.Hewouldhavetofindsomeexcuseandleave.Hecouldnotpushheroverthecliffwhileshewasstandingonthevergeoftotaldesperation.)(5)Shehadawaytoooffeelinginsideherhandbagasshepassedme,andIalwayshadthequeerfeelingthatshecarriedthereapieceofsoap.Itwashertalismanpowerfultoworkwonders…(Possiblyinthebagtherewereafewpenniesthatthewomanhadearnedfromherwashing,andshewasgoingtobuyfoodorsomenecessities.Seeingthenarrator,towhomsheknewsheowedmoney,sheunconsciouslyorprotectivelyputherhandinthebag.Thenarrator,being“naïve,”misunderstoodherreactionwhiletheymetinthestreet.)SuggestedHomework:Translatethefollowingparagraphsfrom“TheWashwoman”intoChinese:Thebagwasbig,biggerthanusual.Whenthewomanplaceditonhershoulders,itcoveredhercompletely.Atfirstshestayed,asthoughshewereabouttofallundertheload.Butaninnerstubbornnessseemedtocallout;no,youmaynotfall.Adonkeymaypermithimselftofallunderhisburden,butnotahumanbeing,thebestofcreation.Shedisappeared,andmothersighedandprayedforher.Morethantwomonthspassed.Thefrosthadgone,andthenanewfrosthadcome,anew3waveofcold.Oneevening,whilemotherwassittingneartheoillampmendingashirt,thedooropenedandasmallpuffofsteam,followedbyagiganticbag,enteredtheroom.Irantowardtheoldwomanandhelpedherunloadherbag.Shewaseventhinnernow,morebent.Herheadshookfromsidetosideasthoughsheweresayingno.Shecouldnotutteraclearword,butmumbledsomethingwithhersunkenmouthandpalelips.Forreferenceonly:衣服包很大，比平时更大。妇人将那一大包衣服驼在肩上，包袱把她的身子完全盖住了。一开始，她稳住脚，好像随时都会在大包袱的重压下倒下。但似乎有一种内在的毅力在呼唤，让她挺住，不能倒下。一头驴可以允许自己被重压压垮，但人为万物之灵，则不可趴下。她渐渐走远，母亲叹了口气，默默为她祈祷。两个多月过去了。冰雪消融后，冰雪又至，新一阵寒潮袭来。一天晚上，母亲正坐在油灯旁补衣衫，门突然被推开，一团小小的雾气引领着一个巨大的包袱进了屋子。我跑上前去帮老太太卸下包袱。她愈加消瘦，背更驼了。她不停地晃着脑袋，像在说太过分了。她连话都说不清楚，从瘪陷的嘴中透过苍白的嘴唇嘟哝了几声。4KeystoUnitFourSomersetMaugham:Mr.Know-All2)QuestionsforDiscussion:(Suggestedanswersforreference)(1)WhataretheundesirablequalitiesofMr.Keladaaccordingtothenarrator?Findthemoutinthetextandlistthem.AretheygoodproofthatMr