首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
"Literature Class" According to the professor, what kind of book is Gulliver’s Travels?
"Literature Class" According to the professor, what kind of book is Gulliver’s Travels?
admin
2012-01-14
42
问题
"Literature Class"
According to the professor, what kind of book is Gulliver’s Travels?
[Narrator] Listen to part of a discussion in a literature class.
[Professor]
Today were continuing our discussion of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. We left off last session at Q6
the point where Gulliver began his fourth voyage as the captain of a merchant ship. As you’ll recall, his
crew had confined him and cast him ashore on an island. While making his way along a road, he was
attacked by a herd of deformed beasts with brown skin and no tails, but suddenly the attack was interrupted
by the appearance of a beautiful horse. And this is where we left off. So what happens next?
[Student 1]
Well, another horse comes along, and they appear to be having a conversation, the two horses, I mean,
and they keep using the words Yahoo and Houyhnhnm so Gulliver is able to understand that Yahoo
refers to the animals that attacked him and Houyhnhnm refers to the horses. Then Gulliver goes home
with the horses.
[Professor]
And what is Gulliver thinking about while he’s observing the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms?
[Student 2]
Oh, this was good. He starts to understand that the only difference between himself and the Yahoos is Q7
his clothing. But he’s... he’s horrified by this, so we see him trying to be more like the horses.
[Professor] How do you know that he’s striving to emulate the Houyhnhnms?
[Student 2] Well, he learns their language... so he can communicate with them.
[Professor]
Right. So this brings us to the most important part of the narrative—the comparison between the
Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms. First tell us how the Yahoos are portrayed. What do they eat? How do
they look?
[Student 3]
Well, I think the author used the word depraved several times. They eat dog and donkey meat and even Q8
garbage, and they drink, um, they drink... too much. And he says they’re filthy, and they stink.
[Professor]
So their behavior... the Yahoos’ behavior... is neither rational nor moral. Now take a look at the
description of the Yahoos that Gulliver has known in England. Let me refer to the book here. Okay, Gulliver
explains that Yahoos in England fight wars for religious reasons, that lawyers use reason to argue
for the wrong side, that the wealthy live to acquire more luxuries, and that greed makes them ill. By this,
we assume that he’s referring to the rich gourmet diet that causes gout and other health problems
among the upper classes. So this is in contrast with the Houyhnhnms, right? How so?
[Student 1] [Student 2]
Well... Yes...
[Student 1] Sorry, go ahead.
[Student 2]
I was just going to say that they eat oats, bread, and honey, but not meat, not other animals. And they
don’t drink.
[Student 1]
I think it’s important that they don’t even understand the concept of a lie. That proves that they are...
that they have a very innocent nature.
[Professor]
Good point. You’re referring to the fact that they failed to grasp how the crew was able to initiate the
mutiny that brought Gulliver to their island.
[Student 1] Umhum.
[Professor]
Okay, so what do the Houyhnhnms think about Gulliver? And what does Gulliver conclude about himself?
[Student 2]
Well, Gulliver isn’t really a Yahoo and he isn’t really a Houyhnhnm either. I’d say he’s kind of in the middle.
But, he’s trying to become a Houyhnhnm. When he goes back to England; he’s actually afraid of Q8
other humans... I mean... Yahoos.
[Professor]
But he can’t quite achieve his transformation, can he? Even though his pride motivates him to continue Q9
the impossible pursuit of perfection.... So, what does this all mean?
[Student 1]
I think it’s like the other chapters. The fourth voyage is... it’s another critique of the weaknesses in
human nature.
[Professor]
Then Swift is making the point that although humankind is capable of rational behavior, we seldom
choose to exercise it. The very meaning of the word Yahoo in the Houyhnhnm language is "evil." So
Swift is very satirical then. And when we consider the time period for the book, the early 1700s, we must Q10
appreciate the exceptional departure from the literature of the era, which was mostly written to flatter or
entertain. Swift used satire to provide the reader with a perspective that’s very different from that of Q11
other writers in an age of science and reason.
选项
A、A biography of Jonathan Swift
B、A satire about mankind
C、A history of politics in England
D、A children’s story about animals
答案
A
解析
A satire about mankind.
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/cRyO777K
0
托福(TOEFL)
相关试题推荐
ClassifythefollowinginformationasreferringtoAadoptedthewritingsystemfromanothercountryBusedorganicmaterialst
AncientPeopleinSaharaOnOct.13,2000,PaulSereno,aprofessorfromtheUniversityofChicago,guidedateamofpalaeon
HowdesertsareformedA.Adesertreferstoabarrensectionofland,mainlyinaridandsemi-aridareas,wherethereisal
ChooseTHREEletters,A-F.Writethecorrectlettersinboxesonyouranswersheet.Thelistbelowincludescharacteristics
SECTION1Questions1-10Questions1-3Listentothetelephoneconversationbetweenastudentandtheownerofaparaglidings
AccordingtoMrSingh,onwhichthingdomanypeoplemakesuperficialobservations?AccordingtoMrSingh,whatareyoungIndia
【1】Whendoesthelostpropertyofficeopen?
Completethenotesbelow.WriteONEWORDONLYforeachanswer.EngineeringforsustainabledevelopmentTheGreenhou
NarratorListentoalectureintheliteratureclass.WhatwasWilliamFaulkner’sattitudetowardthetroubledissuesofs
NarratorListentoalectureintheliteratureclass.Whatisthemaintopicofthetalk?
随机试题
甲携带乙厂盖有合同专用章的空白合同,以乙厂的名义与丙厂签订买卖冰箱合同一份,货物运抵后乙厂以甲并非自己的业务员为由拒付货款。甲的行为属于()
Youknowthatpearlsgrowinsideoysters,butwouldyoueverthinktolookfordiamondsinsideanostrich?Well,ahunteronce
以下可排除结核菌感染的是
女性患者,25岁,与丈夫争吵后服磷化锌,丈夫发现后将其送往医院救治,病人极度不配合,下列护理不妥的是
患者,女,26岁。劳累受凉后,水肿3天,尿少(500ml/dL左右),血压9.5/12.8kPa(150/98mmHg),血红蛋白6g,红细胞2000×103/mm3,胆固醇7.8mmol/L,血清白,球蛋白各3%,尿蛋白(++),红、白细胞各(+)
房屋结构中,混凝土结构耐心性是一个复杂得多因素综合问题,我国规范增加了混凝土结构耐久性设计的基本原则,按规定,普通房屋和构筑物的设计使用年限为( )。
银行存款余额调节表是调整账簿记录,使账实相符的原始凭证。()
某公司管理层希望鼓励其他所有部门,当情况需要时,要把法律部利用起来。为此,法律部发生的成本应该:
短期投资在转为长期投资时应按成本与市价孰低结转,而长期投资转为短期投资时,则无需作账处理。( )
一般来说,教学原则制定的依据主要包括()。
最新回复
(
0
)