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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.
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02-08年考试真题试卷及答案汇总
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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.
根据答案相关句(第4段倒数第2句)可知英国作家对美国文学的未来充满信心。
09年职称英语考试3月29日举行
09年职称英语考试报名时间汇总
09年职称英语保过班招生简章
职称英语考试签约保过班协议
09年职称英语网络辅导招生简章
网校老师解读职称英语六大题型
02-08年考试真题试卷及答案汇总
网校08年职称英语通过率近100%
百度职称英语
