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Text 3.
Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem.
Life is real-life is earnest- And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.
Questions:
(1). Who is the writer of the lines?
(2). What is the title of the whole poem from which the two stanzas are taken? (3). Summarize the poet’s advice for living. Answers:
(1). Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (2). A Psalm of Life
(3). His optimism which has characterized much of his poetry, also endeared many critics to him. He seemed to have persevered despite tragedy. This poem is the cry of his heart, “rallying from depression”, ready to affirm life, to regroup from losses, to push on despite momentary defeat. Text 4.
Because I could not stop for Death — He kindly stopped for me —
The Carriage held but just Ourselves — And Immortality.
We slowly drove — He knew no haste And I had put away
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My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility —
We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess — in the Ring —
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain — We passed the Setting Sun —
Or rather — He passed Us — The Dews drew quivering and Chill — For only Gossamer, my Gown — My Tippet — only Tulle —
We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground — The Roof was scarcely visible — The Cornice — in the Ground —
Since then — ’tis Centuries — and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity —
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Questions:
(1) Who wrote this poem? In the poem, what is he/she watching and recording? (3%)
(2) What is death compared to in the poem? (2%) (3) What does the poet think of eternity? (2%)
(4) What is the attitude of the poet towards death? (2%) Answer:
(1) Emily Dickinson. She is watching and recording her own funeral. (2) Death is compared to a polite gentleman or polite wooer.
(3) The speaker is not quite sure whether there will be eternity after death since she just surmises that “the Horses’ Heads were toward Eternity —”.
(4) She treats death light-heartedly for she believes that death is a necessary step towards eternity or immortality.
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美国文学复习题(有答案版)
