2015年在职GCT英语备考：阅读理解专项训练(4)

　　James Joyce was an Irish novelist who revolutionized the methods of depicting characters and developing a plot in modern fiction. His astonishing way of constructing a novel, his frank portrayal of human nature in his books, and his complete command of English have made him one of the outstanding influences on literature in the 20th Century. Many critics judge that he is second only to Shakespeare in his mastery of the English language. Joyce was deeply influenced by Ireland and wrote all his books about Dublin.

　　When he was in DublinCollege, he studied languages and spent his spare time reading books. He refused to take part in the nationalist movement like his fellow students, but he became passionately interested in literature. He wrote outspoken articles of literary criticism that shocked his teachers and even taught himself Norwegian so that he could read Ibsen’s works in the original.

　　When he graduated in 1902, he knew he would become a writer and an exile, because he felt he could not be one without the other. In order to preserve his ideal of writing truthfully, fully, and as objectively as he knew how, about the people and places he knew best, he had to escape from all temptations to become involved in popular opinion or public life. He went to France, Italy and Switzerland, where he lived in poverty and obscurity for the first 20 years, only returning to Ireland when his mother was dying. Except for a couple of brief trips, he stayed abroad all his life.

　　16. James Joyce was first of all a ___________.

　　A. revolutionary B. critic C. novelist D. exile

　　17. James Joyce was famous for many reasons EXCEPT ___________.

　　A. his way of constructing a novel B. his frank portrayal of human nature 

　　C. his complete command of English D. his passion in literature

　　18. “He is second only to Shakespeare” is a comment on his _________.

　　A. achievement in literature 　　　　　B. achievement in the nationalist movement

　　C. achievement in his study of languages  D. mastery of the English language

　　19. How many examples are used to show his passion in literature?

　　A. 2. 　B. 3. 　C. 1.　 D. 4.

　　20. Why did James Joyce stay abroad almost all his life?

　　A. Because he wanted to live in poverty and obscurity.

　　B. Because he wanted to write the people and places he knew best.

　　C. Because he wanted to escape from all temptations to become involved in popular opinion or public life.

　　D. Because he wanted to preserve his ideal of writing truthfully, fully and objectively about the people and the places he knew best.

　　16.【答案】C

　　【解析】文章第一句就已告诉我们他是一位小说家。

　　17.【答案】D

　　【解析】他成为二十世纪对文学产生深远影响的人物之一，是由于他的小说的独特构造，他对人性的率直描写及他对英语的完全掌握，即A、B、C，只有D不是他闻名于　　　　世的原因，因此D为正确答案。

　　18.【答案】D

　　【解析】“in his mastery of the English language”表明范围、方面，即在英语语言的掌握方面仅次于莎士比亚，本文没有具体提到他对文学的贡献或他学习的成绩，他没有参加民族运动，不可能在这方面有什么贡献，因此D为正确答案。

　　19.【答案】A

　　【解析】第二段提到他沉迷于文学，然后用两个例子进一步说明：他写的非常大胆的文学评论文章让他的老师大为吃惊，他甚至自学挪威语以便阅读易卜生原著。

　　20.【答案】D

　　【解析】James Joyce几乎一生都住在国外是因为他想保护他的写作理想，即真实、完整、客观地写他最为熟知的人物和地方。

本文选自新东方在线论坛。