问题 单项选择题

The most thoroughly studied intellectuals in the history of the New World are the ministers and political leaders of seventeenth-century New England. According to the standard history of American philosophy, nowhere else in colonial America was “so much importance attached to intellectual pursuits.” According to many books and articles, New England’s leaders established the basic themes and preoccupations of an unfolding, dominant Puritan tradition in American intellectual life.

To take this approach to the New Englanders normally means to start with the Puritans’ theological innovations and their distinctive ideas about the church—important subjects that we may not neglect. But in keeping with our examination of southern intellectual life, we may consider the original Puritans as carriers of European culture, adjusting to New World circumstances. The New England colonies were the scenes of important episodes in the pursuit of widely understood ideals of civility and virtuosity.

The early settlers of Massachusetts Bay included men of impressive education and influence in England. Besides the ninety or so learned ministers who came to Massachusetts churches in the decade after 1629, there were political leaders like John Winthrop, an educated gentleman, lawyer, and official of the Crown before he journeyed to Boston. These men wrote and published extensively, reaching both New World and Old World audiences, and giving New England an atmosphere of intellectual earnestness.

We should not forget, however, that most New Englanders were less well educated. While few crafts men or farmers, let alone dependents and servants, left literary compositions to be analyzed, it is obvious that their views were less fully intellectualized. Their thinking often had a traditional superstitious quality. A tailor named John Dane, who emigrated in the late 1630s, left an account of his reasons for leaving England that is filled with signs. Sexual confusion, economic frustrations, and religious hope—all came together in a decisive moment when he opened the Bible, told bas father that the first line he saw would settle his fate, and read the magical words: "Come out from among them, touch no unclean thing, and I will be your God and you shall be my people." One wonders what Dane thought of the careful sermons explaining the Bible that he heard in Puritan churches.

Meanwhile, many settlers had slighter religious commitments than Dane’s, as one clergyman learned in confronting folk along the coast who mocked that they had not come to the New World fur religion. "Our main end was to catch fish.

The text suggests that early settlers in New England ()

A. were mostly engaged in political activities

B. were motivated by an illusory prospect

C. came from different intellectual backgrounds

D. left few formal records for later reference

答案

参考答案:C

解析:

本题问的是:从文章中可以看出新英格兰早期的定居者怎么样各选项的意思分别为:A.大多数从事政治活动 B.为幻想所鼓动 C.来自不同的社会背景 D.没留下什么记录供后人参考。通过全文可以看出来,到英格兰早期的定居者,有政客、牧师、裁缝,还有渔民,由此可见早期的定居者背景多种多样,所以C为正确答案。A和B选项没有提及。根据文章第三段最后一句,“These men wrote and published extensively”,这些定居者大量地写作并发行作品,所以应该是留下了很多正式的记录,所以D选项是错误的。

问答题 案例分析题

人生麦茬地

张炜

一个从无垠的原野上走来的人生,忘得掉炎炎夏日里那一片接一片的银亮麦茬、像电光一样闪烁的麦茬吗?土地焦干烫人,没有一丝水汽,如果有人划一支火柴,麦茬就会一直燃烧到天边。土地烘烤出人的汗水,给自己解渴。人的脸和土地一个颜色。汗水还是不停地流出来,肌肉干贴在骨骼上,生命之汁已经剩下不多了。夏天,多么漫长。在这个滚烫的季节里,老人无声无息地劳作,一天接一天坐在地里。他们要熬过什么?或者,他们在期待什么?人老了,知道前边的日月是什么样子;人年轻就不晓得以后的岁月是什么光景。其实一茬麦子与另一茬麦子总是差不多——麦茬的颜色一样,也同样在夏E1里闪亮耀眼。儿子啊,在外奔忙的儿子啊!

日当正午的时候我还不愿回去,我也没有寻找一片树荫。这片土地太大了,我僵硬的双腿不愿挪来挪去。丈夫没有了,他埋在这片土里——很多的男人女人都埋在这片养活了他们的土里。每个人将来也都一样。麦茬哟,像针一样刺我的手和脚,我的长了厚茧的皮肤都受不住了。我把散在垄里的穗子捡起来。这麦秸在阳光下刺眼亮,我不得不眯起眼睛。饱含了盐的汗水顺着.皱纹流进眼窝里,我一遍一遍地去擦……

远处有只百灵鸟,它不歇声地叫,它有了什么好事?

麦茬间的另一种颜色,是绿色的小玉米苗儿。一茬让给了另一茬。庄稼,这就是庄稼。谁熟悉农事?谁为之心动?谁在这广阔无边的田野上耕作终生却又敏悟常思?苍穹下多少生命,多少搏动不停的角落,生生息息,没有尽头。可是土地再辽阔、离我再遥远,我还是能把正午里坐在麦茬地里的母亲一眼辨认出来!她的雪白的头发啊,她的蓝布大襟衣服啊,我没有开口喊,夏日的白光已经灼伤了我的双目……

我的母亲,我的母亲。

远处的百灵鸟一连声地叫,这个炎热的夏天,你有了什么喜事?

正午的阳光把原野晒出了紫烟。母亲的后背贴紧了汗湿的衣服。我问她什么时候来到麦茬地

里?已经坐了多长时间?她不作声,像没有听懂。停了一会儿吧,她从那个盛满了麦穗的柳条篮子里,翻出了一块焦干的锅饼。锅饼按在我的嘴上,它像石块一样坚硬。“孩儿孩儿,我的孩儿!”我张大嘴巴咬住了锅饼。

母亲笑了。

我的儿子从天边上飞来了。好孩子你看脚底下的粗壮麦茬,就知道这是个好夏天。你再也不用担心春天的事情了——那时节花开草绿,渠水噜噜响!你爸离开时是个春天,那样的春天再也不会有了。我嚼了榆树叶儿往他嘴巴里抹,一下一下他都咽了。他的眼神亮晶晶,我想他会好好陪伴我。谁料到第二天早上叫他不应,他去了!

你走到高山上、大海边上,走上千里万里,也找不到这么肥的一片土地。这里值得你做一辈子,值得你安下心生个娃儿。你走了,走得无影无踪,连小木板门都没有关严。吭哧吭哧咽下吃食。人不能吃饱了肚子,一抹嘴巴就跑开。

远处的百灵鸟一连声地叫,这个炎热的夏天,你有了什么喜事?它为什么欢乐?

儿子与母亲分吃一块锅饼。后来,儿子取水去了。老人又一次撩起青布衣襟去擦脸。她的脸被遮住了,像为自己的突然衰老感到羞愧似的。

我只是瞥了一眼,再也没有转过脸去;就像脚踏着锋芒向上的麦茬一样,我小心地、一声不吭地离开了。但我一辈子也忘不掉这一幕。我在心中默念着:麦茬地!

(选自《百年中国经典散文》,内蒙古文化出版社2006年6月版,有删改)

问题

(一):对“人生麦茬地”的含义有多种理解,请你至少写出两种。

问题

(二):“百灵鸟”在文中多次出现,试探究其作用。

单项选择题