2. 外语
  3. Bermard Bailyn has recently reinterpreted the early history of the United States by applying new social research findings on the

Bermard Bailyn has recently reinterpreted the early history of the United States by applying new social research findings on the

admin2014-01-09  85
问题    Bermard Bailyn has recently reinterpreted the early history of the United States by applying new social research findings on the experiences of European migrants. In his reinterpretation, migration becomes the organizing principle for rewriting the history of preindustrial North America. His approach rests on four separate propositions.
   The first of these asserts that residents of early modern England moved regularly about their countryside; migrating to the New World was simply a "natural spillover". Although at first the colonise held little positive attraction for the English -- they would rather have stayed home -- by the eighteenth century people increasingly migrated to America because they regarded it as the land of opportunity. Secondly, Bailyn holds that, contrary to the notion that used to flourish in America history textbooks, there was never a typical New World community. For example, the economic and demographic character of early New England towns varied considerably.
   Bailyn’s third proposition suggests two general patterns prevailing among the many thousands migrants: one group came as indentured servants, another came to acquire land. Surprisingly, Bailyn suggests that those who recruited indentured servants were the driving forces of transatlantic migration. These colonial entrepreneurs helped determine the social character of people who came to preindustrial North America. At first, thousands of unskilled laborers were recruited; by the 1730’s, however, American employers demanded skilled artisans.
   Finally, Bailyn argues that the colonies were a half- civilized hinterland of the European culture system. He is undoubtedly correct to insist that the colonies were part of an Anglo-American empire. But to divide the empire into English core and colonial periphery, as Bailyn does, devalues the achievements of colonial culture, as Bailyn claims, that high culture in the colonies never matched that in England. But what of seventeenth-century New England, where the settlers created effective laws, built a distinguished university, and published books? Bailyn might respond that New England was exceptional. However, the ideas and institutions developed by New England Puritans had powerful effects on North American culture.
   Although Bailyn goes on to apply his approach to some thousands of indentured servants who migrated just prior to the revolution, he fails to link their experience with the political development of the United States. Evidence presented in his work suggests how we might make such a connection. These indentured servants were treated as slaves for the period during which they had sold their time to American employers. It is not surprising that as soon as they served their time they passed up good wages in the cities and headed west to ensure their personal independence by acquiring land. Thus, it is in the west that a peculiarly American political culture began, among colonists who were suspicious of authority and intensely anti- aristocratic.
The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about Bailyn’s work?
选项 A、Bailyn underestimates the effects of Puritan thought on North American culture.
B、Bailyn’s description of the colonies as part of an Anglo-American empire is misleading and incorrect.
C、Bailyn failed to test his propositions on a specific group of migrants to colonial North America.
D、Bailyn overemphasizes the experiences of migrants to the New England colonies, and neglects the southern arm the western parts of the New England.
答案A
解析 该题词：作者会同意哪一个有关Bailyn的作品的评价?A项意为“Bailyn低估了清教徒思想对美国文化的影响”，在本文的第四段可以找到线索：Bailyn might respond that New England was exceptional．However，the ideas and institutions developed by New England puritans had powerful effects on North American culture意为“Bailyn可能会说，新英格兰是个特例。不过，新英格兰清教徒的思想和组织机构对北美文化有着深远的影响”，这为正确选项。B项意为"Bailyn关于殖民地是盎格鲁-美利坚帝国的一部分这个说法是错误的”，Bailyn的这个观点作者同意。在本文的第四段可以找到线索：He is undoubtedly correct to insist that the colonies were part of an Anglo- American empire意为“在坚持殖民地是盎格鲁-美利坚帝国的一部分这一点上，他无疑是正确的”。C项意为“Bailyn没有将其观点用一特定移民团体来验证”，Bailyn实际上考察了签约仆人这种现象。在本文的最后一段可以找到线索：Although Bailyn goes on to apply his approach to some thousands of indentured servants who migra- ted just prior to the revolution意为“尽管Bailyn不断关注着数万名刚好在革命前夕迁移过来的签约仆人”。D项意为“高估了新英格兰移民经历。”恰好说反了，文中作者认为Bailyn 忽视了英格兰对美国整体文化的影响。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/iYZO777K
0

专业英语八级

相关试题推荐
随机试题
最新回复(0)