Section 2---Unit 11 Mark Twain: The Father of American Literature

 

Section 2---Unit 11 People

Mark Twain: The Father of American Literature

The author Ernest Hemingway once said, "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since."

Mark Twain was born Samuel Clemens on November 30, 1835. He grew up in Missouri on the Mississippi River. After his father died he worked as a printer's apprentice during the day and studied at the library by night. By age 16, Clemens was writing for a newspaper and beginning to discover his passion for writing.

Clemens tried his hand at everything. He was a printer, miner, steamboat pilot, and journalist. In 1863, he began signing his work "Mark Twain." This phrase was used by steamboat captains to say, “It’s safe to pass." Thus, his pen name was created.

Like many great writers, Mark Twain's famous writings were inspired by his life experiences. He grew up where people were allowed to have slaves, but he knew slavery was wrong. Twain used his writing as a tool to speak out against it.

Twain saw freedom and anti-racism as American values, and he used humor to tackle serious issues. Once in a lecture on racism, he had the audience laughing by saying, "I have no color prejudices; a man is a human being, and that's enough. He can't be any worse." Twain also made fun of himself. When asked about his smoking habit, he replied, "To cease smoking is the easiest thing --- I've done it a thousand times!"

By using everyday language in his writings, he helped Americans break away from their European traditions and start an American way of life. No wonder American author William Faulkner called him "the father of American literature." He was the great American humorist, and his wisdom continues to influence American literature and social development.

 against第二級[介系詞] 反對 apprentice第六級[名詞] 學徒;生手 audience第三級[名詞] 聽眾 author第二級[動詞] 開創,發起;著作,編寫; [名詞] 作者;作家 being第二級[名詞] 存在;生存;生命;本質 captains第三級[名詞] captain(隊長;機長;艦長) 的複數 cease第四級[動詞] 停止,終止; [名詞] 停息 continues第二級[動詞] continue(繼續) 的第三人稱單數現在式 created第二級[動詞] create(創造) 的過去式及過去分詞 development第二級[名詞] 生長;發展 discover第二級[動詞] 發現 freedom第二級[名詞] 自由 human第二級[形容詞] 人類的; [名詞] 人 humor第三級[名詞] 幽默 influence第二級[動詞] 影響,感化;左右; [名詞] 影響 inspired第四級[動詞] inspire(鼓舞) 的過去式及過去分詞 issues第四級[動詞] issue(發行;發佈) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] issue(問題;爭論;發行(物)) 的複數 journalist第五級[名詞] 新聞工作者 lecture第四級[動詞] 講課;訓斥; [名詞] 授課;冗長的訓話 literature第四級[名詞] 文學;文學作品 miner第四級[名詞] 礦工 passion第三級[名詞] 熱情,激情;酷愛 phrase第二級[動詞] 用言語表達,用(詞); [名詞] 片語,詞組 pilot第三級[動詞] 駕駛(飛機等);帶領;引導; [名詞] (飛機等的)駕駛員 prejudices第五級[動詞] prejudice(使抱偏見;使懷成見) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] prejudice(偏見;歧視) 的複數 printer第二級[名詞] 印表機;印刷業者 racism第五級[名詞] 種族主義;種族歧視 replied第二級[動詞] reply(回答) 的過去式及過去分詞 saw第二級[動詞] 鋸;鋸開; [名詞] 鋸子;鋸條 slavery第五級[名詞] 奴隸身分;奴役 slaves第三級[動詞] slave(奴隸般工作;苦幹) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] slave(奴隸) 的複數 social第二級[形容詞] 社會的;交際的 tackle第五級[動詞] 著手對付(或處理);擒抱並摔倒 thus第二級[副詞] 如此,這樣 traditions第二級[名詞] tradition(傳統) 的複數 used第二級[形容詞] 習慣於; 舊的;用舊了的 values第二級[動詞] value(估價,評價;尊重;重視) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] value(價值) 的複數 wisdom第三級[名詞] 智慧,才智;名言 wonder第二級[動詞] 納悶; [名詞] 驚奇;奇觀 worse第二級[形容詞] 更壞的,更差的; [形容詞] ill(生病的) 的比較級; [副詞] 更壞,更糟,更厲害地; [名詞] 更糟的事

Reading Comprehension

(   ) 1. What is the main idea of this article?

(A) Mark Twain's books and their influence

(B) The life of Samuel Clemens

(C) Mark Twain's views on slavery

(D) Comparing Mark Twain to Hemingway and Faulkner

(   ) 2. What was Samuel Clemens doing in 1851?

(A) He was giving lectures on racism.

(B) He was working with his father.

(C) He was working for a newspaper.

(D) He was a printer's apprentice.

(   ) 3. According to the article, which of the following is true about Mark Twain?

(A) He used writing as a tool to speak out against slavery.

(B) He chose the name "Mark Twain" because that's what his father called him.

(C) His writings were inspired by authors such as Faulkner and Hemingway.

(D) His lectures were always serious events.

(   ) 4. How was using everyday language beneficial to American society?

(A) It helped Americans keep their European roots.

(B) It helped Americans break away from their European traditions.

(C) It helped Americans make fun of themselves.

(D) It helped Americans look at racism as an American value.

 according第五級[動詞] accord((與...)一致;調解) 的現在分詞 against第二級[介系詞] 反對 apprentice第六級[名詞] 學徒;生手 article第二級[名詞] 文章;報導；論文;物件;條款 authors第二級[動詞] author(開創,發起;著作,編寫) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] author(作者;作家) 的複數 beneficial第五級[形容詞] 有益的;有利的 comparing第二級[動詞] compare(比較) 的現在分詞 events第二級[名詞] event(事件) 的複數 following第二級[形容詞] 接著的,其次的;下面的; [介系詞] 在...以後; [名詞] 一批追隨者;下列事物(或人員) influence第二級[動詞] 影響,感化;左右; [名詞] 影響 inspired第四級[動詞] inspire(鼓舞) 的過去式及過去分詞 lectures第四級[動詞] lecture(講課;訓斥) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] lecture(授課;冗長的訓話) 的複數 printer第二級[名詞] 印表機;印刷業者 racism第五級[名詞] 種族主義;種族歧視 slavery第五級[名詞] 奴隸身分;奴役 society第二級[名詞] 社會 such第二級[形容詞] 如此的; [代名詞] 這樣的人(或事物);上述的人(或事物) traditions第二級[名詞] tradition(傳統) 的複數 true第二級[形容詞] 真實的;正確的; [動詞] 配準,擺正; [副詞] 準確地;真實地 used第二級[形容詞] 習慣於; 舊的;用舊了的 value第二級[動詞] 估價,評價;尊重;重視; [名詞] 價值 views第二級[動詞] view(察看;將...看成是) 的第三人稱單數現在式; [名詞] view(視力;視野;看法) 的複數