Great literary works do not fade with time. Shakespeare’s plays, for example, ha

Great literary works do not fadewith time. Shakespeare’s plays, for example, have been read again and again bygeneration after generation; they have also been adapted for the big screen andshown at places other than the theater. Great literature also knows no languageboundaries.  For example, Chinese classical novels like The Dream ofthe Red Chamber and Journey of the Monkey have been widely read notonly by Chinese but also by sinologists, people who study Chinese culture, frommany language backgrounds.

    People read literature toenjoy great writers’ ways with words and their humor. In the English languageworld, William Somerest Maugham is a novelist who is good at irony, i.e.,saying the opposite of what is meant, to create humor. Another reason whyMaugham’s novels are well-loved is that he never fails to provide a surpriseending to amuse his readers. 

    When readers becomeinvolved with what they are reading, they may behave as if they have traveledthrough time to live with the characters in the story. Readers of Maugham’sshort story, The Luncheon, may often stop and wonder about how the maincharacter is so easily fooled when he has lunchwith a woman he met once in Paris. They may also grow to love or hate thiswoman in the course of their reading.

    Literary works oftenprovide room for different interpretations. For example, poetry, because of itssuccinct use of words, can often be interpreted in a number of different ways.Short plays, on the other hand, contain more elaborate descriptions of thesetting and the moods of the characters, not to mention the stage directions.However, almost all literary works make use of symbols to suggest ideasindirectly. Because symbols can carry different meanings in different cultures,one person’s interpretation of a symbol can be very different from another person’s. 

    Great literature is notbound by time or language barriers. It will continue to speak to generations ofpeople.

1.In Paragraph 3, whom does “he” refer to?

A. The author.    B.The reader.      C. The main character.  D.Somerest Maugham.

2.What would be the best title for this article?

A. The Many Languages ofLiterature   B. Great Literature Has No Barriers

C. Great Literature HasTime          D. The Irony ofLiterature

3.According to the passage, all thefollowing things may draw readers’ attention EXCEPT______

    A. languagebackgrounds              B.humorous words 

C. surprisingendings                 D.the use of symbols

试题答案

【答案】

CBA

【解析】略