Question

You probably know who Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is, but you may not have heard of Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell if you are not interested in foreign literature. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who is your favorite?

Jane Austen (16 December, 1775-18 July, 1817)

Jane Austen, a famous English writer, was born at Steventon, Hampshire. She began writing early in life, although the prejudices (偏见) of her times forced her to have her books published anonymously (匿名).

She wrote many books of romantic fiction about the gentry (贵族). Her works made her one of the great masters of the English novel. Only four of her novels were printed while she was alive. They were Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and (1816).

Charlotte Bronte (21 April, 1816-31 March, 1855)

She first published her works, including Jane Eyre, under the false name of Currer Bell. Her first novel, The Professor, was rejected by many publishers. It was not printed until 1857. She is famous for her novel Jane Eyre (1847), which was very popular when it was printed. Jane Eyre was a strong story of a plain, brave, clever woman struggling with her passions, reasons, and social condition.

Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell (8 November, 1900-16 August, 1949)

She was an American author and journalist, a lifelong resident and native of Atlanta, Georgia. One novel by Mitchell was published during her lifetime, the American Civil-War-Era novel, Gone with the wind, for which she won the National Book Award for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937. In more recent years, a collection of Mitchell’s girlhood writings and a novel she wrote as a teenager, Lost Laysen, have been published. A collection of articles written by Mitchell for The Atlanta Journal was republished in book form.

1.Why did Jane Austen publish her books with a false name?

A. She lacked confidence.    B. She was not well educated.

C. Women were discriminated.    D. Women were well protected.

2.Which novel was set in the background of war?

A. Sense and Sensibility.    B. Gone with the Wind.

C. Lost Laysen.    D. The Professor.

3.Who won the most prizes for her works?

A. Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell.    B. Charlotte Bronte.

C. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton.    D. Jane Austen.

4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A. They were all fond of poetry.    B. They all died in their forties.

C. Their works were once rejected.    D. They are famous for their great works.

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.A

4.D

【解析】

本文为应用文。主要介绍了三位著名的外国文学作家简•奥斯汀、夏洛蒂•勃朗特和. 玛格丽特·米切尔及其伟大的作品。

1.细节理解题。根据Jane Austen (16 December, 1775-18 July, 1817)介绍的第一段中的最后一句She began writing early in life, although the prejudices (偏见) of her times forced her to have her books published anonymously (匿名).可知，简·奥斯汀因为她所在的那个时代的偏见迫使她匿名出版她的书。分析选项可知C符合题意，故选C项。

2.细节理解题。根据第三个女作家Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell介绍中的第一段One novel by Mitchell was published during her lifetime, the American Civil-War-Era novel, Gone with the wind,米切尔的一部小说在她有生之年出版了，即美国内战时期的小说《飘》。故B项符合题意。故选B项。

3.细节理解题。根据第三个女作家Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell中介绍 One novel by Mitchell was published during her lifetime, the American Civil-War-Era novel, Gone with the wind, for which she won the National Book Award for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937中可知，米切尔的一部小说，即美国内战时期的小说《飘》，为此她赢得了1936年的全国最杰出小说奖和1937年的普利策小说奖，故选A项。

4.细节理解题。通读文章可知，她们三人都是小说家，A错误。根据三人的生平可知，夏洛蒂·勃朗特不到40岁就去世了，故B错误。简•奥斯汀和夏洛蒂·勃朗特的作品曾被拒绝过，但米切尔没有这样的遭遇，故C错误。根据文章可知，她们三人都以其伟大的著作而闻名。故D正确。