When The Grapes of Wrath(愤怒) was published on March 14, 1939, it created a national
sensation(轰动) for its description of the destructive effects of the Great Depression(大萧条) of the
1930s. By the end of April, it was selling 2,500 copies a day-a remarkable number considering the
hard economic times. In May, the novel was a number-one best-seller, selling at a rate of 10,000
copies a week. By the end of 1939, close to a half million copies had been sold.
John Steinbeck was shocked by the tremendous response to his novel. Almost overnight, he found
himself involved in a great national debate over the migrant labor problem. Many people were shocked
by the poverty and hopelessness of the story, and others denied that such circumstances could happen in
America. Even people who had never read a book before bought a copy of The Grapes of Wrath. At $2.75 per copy, it was affordable and quickly sold out.
However it was banned and burned in Buffalo, New York; East Saint Louis, Illinois; and Kern
County, California, where much of the novel is set. In fact, the novel remains one of the most frequently
banned books in the United States. The book was criticized sharply in Congress by Representative Lyle
Boren of Oklahoma, who called the novel's description of migrant living conditions a lie. Charges were
made that "obscenity"(淫秽) had been included in the book in large part to sell more copies. Eventually,
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt stepped in to praise the book and defend Steinbeck against his critics. In
1940, the novel won the Pulitzer Prize.
The popularity of the novel has endured(持久). It is estimated that it has sold fifteen million copies
since its publication. For almost sixty years, Steinbeck's novel has been a classic in American literature;
it has been translated into several languages, including French, German, and Japanese. The Grapes of
Wrath has also been a necessary part of the school curriculum in America since the end of World War II.
1. What does the underlined word "tremendous" probably mean?
A. good
B. terrible
C. dull
D. great
2. Representative Lyle Boren of Oklahoma was__________.
A. a crazy supporter of The Grapes of Wrath
B. among the group against John Steinbeck
C. sympathetic to the migrant living conditions
D. criticized by the first lazy of that time
3.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a reason why The Grapes of Wrath sold well?
A. It well describes people's life during that time.
B. The debate over it arose more readers' interest.
C. Readers were attracted by the obscenity in it
D. It was not expensive so people could afford it.
4.Which of the following is TRUE about The Grapes of Wrath?
A. It is about the migrant workers in America during 1940s.
B. The story mainly happened on California's grape farms..
C. Its description of the poor and hopeless life was a lie.
D. It remains a banned book in some places of the USA.
5. What can best prove the literature value of The Grapes of Wrath?
A. It was a number-one best-seller after its publication.
B. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt praised it.
C. It has won many important prizes in America.
D. It survives the time and remains a classic.
