Lawrence of Arabia is a modern myth. The subject of more than 100 books, several of them full-length biographies. Lawrence is be

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问题    Lawrence of Arabia is a modern myth. The subject of more than 100 books, several of them full-length biographies. Lawrence is best remembered from David Lean’s 1962 epic film, which did much to boost his heroic reputation, although at the expense of strict historical accuracy. T.E. Lawrence was, and remains, a controversial, contradictory character, both militant and scholarly, vain and modest, part showman, part solitary; he was ambitious yet racked with self-doubt and guilt. Michael Korda’s magnificent new biography examines in a new way the man Jan Morris has called a "confused and mysterious exhibitionist."
   The heart of the book is devoted to Lawrence’s role in the Arab revolt of 1916-18, the origin of his romantically heroic reputation. Mr Korda deals even-handedly with Lawrence’s role, demonstrating that, although he was not solely responsible for the revolt, his remarkable leadership, courage and physical endurance gave the campaign vital cohesion and impetus. Lawrence, an academic without formal military training, displayed an astonishing grasp of both regular and irregular military strategies. His campaign with the camel-mounted Bedouin tribesmen against the Turks was a masterful exposition of the principles of guerrilla warfare. The tribesmen attacked the enemy with small, highly mobile units, forcing it to defend itself along a huge front. Likewise, Lawrence became a master of the set-piece engagement—although on a small scale—as his victory over the Turkish army at Tafileh in January 1918 so fully demonstrated.
   Once the war was over, Lawrence continued the struggle for an independent Arab state at the Versailles conference. His aspirations foundered on the rocks of British and French colonial ambition, especially the notorious Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916 and the Balfour Declaration of 1917. Mr Korda argues that Lawrence was "partly responsible" for the formation of modern Iraq and Jordan and played a substantial role in "the creation of Palestine as a separate entity." This eased his conscience for having encouraged the Arab revolt, but it is also his legacy to the present.
   A central strand of the Lawrentian myth was his decision in 1922, at the height of his fame, to join the military under an assumed name as a lowly aircraftman in the Royal Air Force (RAF), where he remained almost until his death in a motorcycle accident in 1935. Lawrence’s reputation and apparently irresistible newsworthiness were a constant embarrassment to the RAF. At one point he was posted to India for two years to remove him from the limelight.
   Mr Korda is especially good on this last phase of Lawrence’s life, when despite his desire for ordinary life, he was unable to bring himself wholly to split the links with his former life. Thus he would arrive on his motorcycle at the grandest houses in the uniform of an RAF rank-and-filer and nurture his friendships with the powerful and famous, including Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw. The breadth of his friendships is a demonstration of Lawrence’s compulsive charm. Mr Korda also deals interestingly with the complicated origin of Lawrence’s great book Seven Pillars of Wisdom, which reveals much of its author’s contradictory, even contrary motivations.
   [A] argues that to some degree, Lawrence brought about the formation of modern Iraq and Jordan.
   [B] made a film to promote the heroic image of Lawrence.
   [C] nurtured his friendships with the powerful and famous because he didn’t desire ordinary life.
   [D] reveals much of Lawrence’s contradictory and even contrary motivations.
   [E] called Lawrence a "confused and mysterious exhibitionist."
   [F] was a master of the set-piece engagement on a large scale.
   [G] became a junior aircraftman in the RAF in 1922 under a false name.
Michael Korda

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答案A

解析 Michael Korda出现在第一段、第二段、第三段以及第五段,解题句在第三段。该段第三句提到,Michael Korda指出劳伦斯在一定程度上促成了现代伊拉克和约旦的成立。A项为该处原文的同义转述,其中to some degree与文中的partly同义,brought about对应原文的was…responsible for,而the formation of modern Iraq and Jordan则复现了文中原词,因此确定A为答案。
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