8.Arthur Miller (1915-2005)is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century.Miller's father had moved to the USA from Austria Hungary,drawn like so many others by the"Great American Dream".However,he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early 1930s.
Miller's most famous play,Death of a Salesman,is a powerful attack on the American system,with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth.In Willy Loman,the hero of the play,we see a man who has got into trouble with this system.Willy is"burnt out"and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sentiment:if he can't do the work,then he is no good to his employer,the Wagner Company,and he must go.Willy is painfully aware of this,and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success.He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.
When it was first staged in 1949,the play was greeted with enthusiastic reviews,and it won the Tony Award for Best Play,the New York Drama Critics'Circle Award,and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.
Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury,Connecticut,on the evening of February 10,2005,the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Death of a Salesman on Broadway.
21.Why did Arthur Miller's father move to the USA?B
A.He suffered from severe hunger in his home country.
B.He was attracted by the"Great American Dream."
C.He hoped to make his son a dramatist.
D.His family business failed
22.The play Death of a SalesmanA.
A.exposes the cruelty of the American business world
B.discusses the ways to get promoted in a company
C.talks about the business career of Arthur Miller
D.focuses on the skills in doing business
23.After it was first staged,Death of a SalesmanA.
A.achieved huge success
B.won the first Tony Award
C.was warmly welcomed by salesmen
D.was severely attacked by dramatists.
分析 纵观全文不难看出本文主要介绍Arthur Miller 以及他的戏剧Death of a Salesman《推销员之死》.
解答 21.B.细节理解题.根据文章第一段的第二句Miller′s father had moved to the USA from Austria Hungary.Drawn like so many other by the"Great American Dream"可知,Miller的父亲像许多其他人一样,在"伟大的美国梦"的吸引之下来到了美国.故选B.
22.A.推理判断题.根据第二段可知,这部戏剧是对美国制度的一个有力抨击.表现了一种激进的做生意的方式以及金钱至上和看重社会地位的价值取向.主人公Willy陷入了生存困境,然而在这个冷酷的生意场上是没有温情可言的:如果他做不了,那么对老板而言,他就一无是处,他必须离开.故此部戏剧揭露了美国职场的残酷.
23.A 细节理解题.根据第三段可知,这部戏剧自1949第一次搬上舞台,就一举囊括了"托尼戏剧音乐奖"、"纽约戏剧评论奖"、"普利策戏剧奖"三项大奖,获得极大的成功.故选A.
点评 本文是一个人物故事类阅读理解,题目涉及多道细节理解题,做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析,结合选项选出正确答案.推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案,切忌胡乱猜测,一定要做到有理有据.