Question

IT is safe to say that George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the Irish-born writer, is more famous for being George Bernard Shaw than he is for his writings today. Few of Shaw’s more than 60 plays, novels and essays are performed or read anymore. And yet Shaw genuinely helped make our modern world. Although you’d be lucky to get a chance to see one of his dramas today, in his time he turned the theater into a vehicle for the discussion of social issues, not only in Britain but on the stage of the world. In a way Shaw was someone who created the modern culture of Britain.

Where the theater had been dominated by entertainment, Shaw used it to teach people the importance of paying attention to the issues of their day. The plight (苦難) of the poor and the working class, the situation of women and the institutions of society, such as the education system ---- Shaw was among the most well-known figures making these topics central to public debate. His first play, Widowers’ Houses (1892), deals with the question of slum (貧民窟) housing. His Mrs Warren’s Profession (1893) brought a controversial topic to the stage.

Shaw was an important mover and shaker in new political movements too. He was an early member of the Fabian Society, which argued for the socialist cause in the UK. Shaw was also the founder (in 1895) of one of the now most famous colleges in the world, the London School of Economics.

If few of his works have really stood the test of time, many of his quotations have become part of the furniture of the English language. “Youth is wasted on the young,” he wrote. He also knew how to sum up a political philosophy(哲學) in a few memorable words. For instance: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

1. Shaw’s influence on the modern world comes mainly from ______.

A. the changes he brought to the British culture

B. his philosophies on the role of government

C. his awareness of social problems of his day

D. the support for the London School of Economics

2. Widowers’ Houses is a play that mainly focuses on ______.

A. the failure of the UK education system

B. the housing problems of poor people

C. robbery incidents in slum areas

D. socialist movements in the UK

3. By describing Shaw’s quotations as “part of the furniture of the English language”, the author means that Shaw’s words ______.

A. have become the best part of English

B. have greatly developed the English language

C. have made the English language philosophical

D. have become an inseparable part of the English language

4. Which of the following about George Bernard Shaw’s works is TRUE?

A. They should be adapted for modern readers.

B. They are mostly about the lives of working class.

C. They deal with important social issues of their day.

D. Most of them are still performed on the stage of the world today.

 

Answer 1

1.A

2.B

3.D

4.C

【解析】本文介紹了英國著名的George Bernard Shaw以及他對英國文化的影響，提到了他的作品對英國文化影響以及他的作品的特點。

1.A

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第一段最后一句In a way Shaw was someone who created the modern culture of Britain.可知他最大的影響是對英國現(xiàn)代文化的影響。故A正確。

2.2】B

【試題解析】細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第二段倒數(shù)第二句His first play, Widowers’ Houses (1892), deals with the question of slum (貧民窟) housing.可知這邊書是為了反映貧民窟里的住房問題的。故B正確。

3.3】D

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)本句If few of his works have really stood the test of time, many of his quotations have become part of the furniture of the English language. “Youth is wasted on the young,” he wrote.可知如果他的作品沒有能夠經(jīng)歷時間的挑戰(zhàn)，但是他時候的一些話已經(jīng)成為英語當中的一部分了。仍然在說明他對英國文化的影響。故D正確。

4.4】C

【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)第二段1,2行Where the theater had been dominated by entertainment, Shaw used it to teach people the importance of paying attention to the issues of their day.可知他的作品通常教育人們要注意所在年代的一些重大事件。也就是是關于他那個年代的重要的社會問題。故C正確。

【長難句解析】

He was an early member of the Fabian Society, which argued for the socialist cause in the UK.

【翻譯】他是早期費邊社的成員，這個組織是支持英國的社會事業(yè)。

【分析】本句中有一個which引導的非限制性定語從句which argued for the socialist cause in the UK，which指代先行詞the Fabian Society在定語從句中做主語，不能省略。也不能用that來代替。