Question

    Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer who helped shape the course of American literature. His life was full of tragedies, but he had the great influence on the 19th-century American literature and continues to influence writers to this day.

The early life of Edgar Allan Poe was quite unhappy. Born in 1809, Poe was not yet three years old when his parents died. Adopted by a wealthy family, he got into trouble at school. He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, but he dropped out without graduating. His misery (不幸) continued to his adult life. Later, because of a failed marriage, he suffered from mental illness. He was so upset about real life that he turned to writing. Expressing himself in an unreal and imaginary world was his only comfort.

The tragedies in Poe’s life influenced the tone, style and contents of his writing. His stories usually include death, which help build his reputation as a master of “dark” literature. In his The Tell-Tale Heart, the main character goes crazy and kills his roommate while in The Black Cat, the main character kills his cat in a fit of madness.

Poe died at the age of 40 in 1849. His life is short, but his influence is very great. Poe is credited with (被誉为) creating crime fiction, and many say he contributed greatly to the appearance of science fiction. Fascinated (着迷) by the scientific theories and new inventions of his time, he wrote about imaginary societies in the future. Writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock Holmes, regarded Poe as the father of detective fiction. Jules Verne, a French writer who helped popularize science fiction, said Poe’s work had a direct influence on the stories he wrote.

1.Poe began to write to _________.

A.earn his living B.find comfort in writing

C.build a good reputation D.create a beautiful world

2.It can be learnt that Poe’s works often reflect ________.

A.soldiers’ life B.his own life stories

C.a sense of peace D.some political problems

3.Which can best show Poe’s influence on literature according to the last paragraph?

A.His creation of crime fiction. B.His unique writing experience.

C.His creation of scientific theories. D.His contribution to new inventions.

4.What’s the best title of the text?

A.American literature and writers B.Escape from real life and find comfort

C.Edgar Allan Poe: a misunderstood poet D.Edgar Allan Poe：a tragic yet talented writer

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.A

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。短文介绍了美国作家埃德加·爱伦·坡，他的一生生活悲苦，英年早逝，但他对19世纪的美国文学产生了巨大的影响，这个号影响并一直持续到今天。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第二段“He was so upset about real life that he turned to writing. Expressing himself in an unreal and imaginary world was his only comfort”可知，他对现实生活很不满，于是转向写作。 在一个虚幻的世界里表达自己是他唯一的安慰。所以埃德加·爱伦·坡开始写作是为了在文学世界里找到安慰。故选B。

2.推理判断题。根据文章第三段“The tragedies in Poe’s life influenced the tone, style and contents of his writing”可知，坡一生的悲剧影响了他的写作基调、风格和内容。由此判断出埃德加·爱伦·坡的作品反映了他自己的故事。故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据文章最后一段内容和关键句“Poe is credited with (被誉为) creating crime fiction，and many say he contributed greatly to the appearance of science fiction”可知，埃德加·爱伦·坡被誉为是侦探小说的创始人，许多人说他对科幻小说的出现做出了巨大贡献。故选A。

4.主旨大意题。根据第一段“Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer who helped shape the course of American literature. His life was full of tragedies, but he had the great influence on the 19th-century American literature and continues to influence writers to this day.”可知，埃德加·爱伦·坡是美国作家，他推动了美国文学的发展。他的一生充满了悲剧，但他对19世纪的美国文学产生了巨大的影响，并一直持续到今天。所以本文主要讲述了埃德加·爱伦·坡悲惨的人生经历及他对19世纪文学的影响。故短文的最佳标题为“埃德加·爱伦·坡:一个悲剧的天才作家”。故选D。