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Just as Norman Mailer, John Updike and Philip Roth were at various times regarded as the greatest American novelist since the second world war, John Ashbery and Robert Lowell vied for the title of greatest American poet. Yet the two men could not be more different. Lowell was a public figure who engaged with politics—in 1967 he marched shoulder-to-shoulder with Mailer in protest against the Vietnam war, as described in Mailer's novel “The Armies of the Night”. Lowell took on substantial themes and envisioned himself as a tragic, heroic figure, fighting against his own demons. Mr Ashbery's verse, by contrast, is more beguilingly casual. In his hands, the making of a poem can feel like the tumbling of dice on a table top. Visible on the page is a delicately playful strewing of words, looking to engage with each other in a shyly puzzled fashion. And there is an element of Dada-like play in his unpredictability of address with its perpetual shifting of tones.
Lowell, who died in 1977 at the age of 60, addressed the world head on. By contrast, Mr. Ashbery, who celebrated his 80th birthday earlier this year, glances wryly at the world and its absurdities. In this edition of his later poems, a substantial gathering of verses selected from six volumes published over the past 20 years, his poetry does not so much consist of themes to be explored as comic routines to be improvised. He mocks the very idea of the gravity of poetry itself. His tone can be alarmingly inconsequential, as if the reader is there to be perpetually wrong-footed. He shifts easily from the elevated to the work-a-day. His poems are endlessly digressive and there are often echoes of other poets in his writings, though these always come lightly at the reader, as though they were scents on the breeze.
Lowell wrote in strict formal measures; some of his last books consisted of entire sequences of sonnets. Mr. Ashbery can also be partial to particular forms of verse, though these tend to be of a fairly eccentric kind—the cento (a patchwork of other poets' works), for example, and the pantoum (a Malaysian form, said to have been introduced to 19th-century Europe by Victor Hugo). Often he writes in a free-flowing, conversational manner that depends for its success upon the fact that the ending of lines is untrammeled by any concern about whether or not they scan. Within many of his poems, there often seems to be a gently humorous antagonism between one stanza and the next. Mr. Ashbery likes using similes in his poetry. This is often the poet's stock-in-trade, but he seems to single them out in order to send up the very idea of the simile in poetry, as in “Violets blossomed loudly/ like a swear word in an empty tank”.
Life, for Lowell, was a serious matter, just as he was a serious man. Mr Ashbery's approach, as evinced by his poetry, is more that of a gentle shrug of amused bewilderment. Unlike Lowell's, his poems are neither autobiographical nor confessional. He doesn't take himself that seriously. “Is all of life a tepid housewarming?” For a poet this is a tougher question to answer than you might think.
1. The word “substantial” (Line 5, Paragraph 1) most probably means_____
[A] philosophical.
[B] grand.
[C] indispensable.
[D] authentic.
2. The last words of Lowell mean that_____.
[A] the world should go forward endlessly.
[B] the world should move on without absurdities.
[C] the world should function as well without his existence.
[D] the world should go on its path for a bright future.
3. Which one of the following is NOT the characteristics of Ashbery’s poetry?
[A] Some lines are borrowed from the other poets’ works.
[B] Stanzas are different from each other in one poem.
[C] Words are scattered casually in his poetry.
[D] Tones are continuously changing from the highbrow to the common.
4. Mr. Ashbery’s similes in poetry are different from that of the other poets in that_____
[A] he likes to single them out as they very essence of poetry’s technique.
[B] he uses them in an eccentric way that can hardly be imitated by other poets.
[C] he uses simile to make fun of simile.
[D] he uses simile to express his complex definition of the idea of simile.
5. Why the author thinks the question Ashbery raised is a tougher one for a poet than we might think?
[A] Because as a matter of fact Ashbey is most focused on tough matters.
[B] Because Ashbey turns out to be a more serious poet than Lowell.
[C] Because Ashbey is able to better discern the dilemma of being a poet.
[D] Because the theme of life is worth thinking for a poet.
篇章剖析：
这篇文章介绍了美国诗人Ashbery和其诗歌的特点，文章虽然是以两个诗人对比的形式写作的，但是却对Ashbery着墨偏多，另外一个诗人Lowell只是一个陪衬而已。第一段讲述了两个诗人竞争美国最伟大诗人的称号;第二段第三段都是对两位诗人作品特点的描述;第四段讲述他们对生活的不同态度。
词汇注释：
vie v.竞争 envision vt.想象, 预想
dice n.骰子 strew vt.散播, 点缀, 撒满
wryly adv.挖苦地, 表情冷漠地 improvise v.临时准备
digressive adj.离题的 cento n.摘录
pantoum n.(根据隔行同韵的马来诗体改编的) 由隔行同韵的四行诗节组成的诗
untrammeled adj.自由自在的, 无阻碍的 tepid adj.微温的, 温热的;不太热烈的
难句突破：
(1) In this edition of his later poems, a substantial gathering of verses selected from six volumes published over the past 20 years, his poetry does not so much consist of themes to be explored as comic routines to be improvised.
[主体结构] His poetry does not so much consist of …
[结构分析] 本句为简单句，作状语的介词短语成分比较复杂，a substantial gathering of verses是edition的同位语，该同位语是带有作定语的分词短语。在主句中，不定式短语to be explored…用来修饰themes, 而不定式短语to be improvised 又用来修饰comic routines。
[句子译文] 他这本晚些出版的诗集选编了过去20年间出版的六本诗集中的诗歌，其主题不再是像那种临时准备的老套滑稽节目，他戏谑诗歌本身具有严肃性这个话题。
(2) This is often the poet's stock-in-trade, but he seems to single them out in order to send up the very idea of the simile in poetry, as in “Violets blossomed loudly/ like a swear word in an empty tank”.
[主体句式] This is … but he …
[结构分析] 这是一个并列句，后面分句成分较为复杂，带有一个不定式短语作目的状语，as 引导成分修饰的是整个分句。
[句子译文] 虽然这是诗人的惯用手法，但他却把这些比喻单独挑出来，以突出诗里面明喻这个概念。比如“紫罗兰纵情开放/ 宛如空桶里的一句毒誓”。
题目分析：
1.The word “substantial” (Line 5, Paragraph 1) most probably means_____1. “substantial”(第一段第五行)这个词最有可能的意思是_____。
[A] philosophical.[A] 哲学的。
[B] grand.[B] 宏大的。
[C] indispensable[C] 必要的。
[D] authentic.[D] 真实的。
[答案] B
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析] 猜词题。根据上下文来断定该词的意思，这个词是用来形容Lowell 诗歌主题的特点的。由第一段中Lowell喜欢参与政治，在诗歌中经常将自己视为悲剧的英雄人物这一点可以看出，他的主题选择应该是比较宏大的。这一点在后面的几个段落中也可以发现。选项A也容易混淆，但要从tragic heroic 这几个词中推导正确答案，因为这些就是宏大叙事中常见的特征。因此，B为正确答案。
2. The last words of Lowell mean that_____.2. Lowell的临终遗言意思是_____
[A] the world should go forward endlessly.[A] 世界应该继续前行，不要停止。
[B] the world should move without absurdities.[B] 世界应消除荒谬、继续前行。
[C] the world should function as well without his existence.[C] 世界没有了他应该继续运行。
[D] the world should go on its path for a bright future. [D] 世界应该继续它朝向美好未来的道路行进。
[答案]D
[难度系数] ☆☆
[分析] 推理题。Lowell临终时addressed the world head on，意思是让世界继续前行，但其深层次的意思要结合Lowell的性格来判断。根据整篇文章，Lowell是比较正统的一位诗人，他对待世界的态度是严肃的，他这句话的深层意思是世界应该一直努力向前，最终能够走到光明的未来。选项D最为符合题意。
3. Which one of the following is NOT the characteristics of Ashbery’s poetry?3.以下哪个不是Ashbery 诗歌的特点?
[A] Some lines are borrowed from the other poets’ works.[A] 许多句子是借用其他诗人的。
[B] Stanzas are different from each other in one poem. [B] 诗中节与节差异颇大。
[C] Words are scattered casually in his poetry.[C] 诗中的词都是随意散落搭配的。
[D] Tones are continuously changing from the highbrow to the common.[D] 语调不停变化，有时是阳春白雪，有时是下里巴人。
[答案]A
[难度系数] ☆
[分析] 细节题。题干要求选出不属于Ashbery 诗歌特点的一项。文章通篇都有对其诗歌特点的描述，因此就要细心查找每一选项是否在文章中提及。选项A, 文章第二段最后一句提到，there are often echoes of other poets in his writings, 有其他诗人的调子，但并没有说直接借用其作品中的句子，可能是模仿其风格或语调。因此，答案A 不一定正确。选项B, 关于诗歌节的特点，文章第三段提到there often seems to be a gently humorous antagonism between one stanza and the next，关键要知道 “antagonism”的意思——“对抗的”，说明节与节之间是截然不同的对立的风格，选项B是其诗歌特点。选项C 是关于诗歌用词的特点，第一段提到他诗歌中的词就像散落在桌上的色子一样，那么C也是其特点。D是关于诗歌语调的，文章有两处提及，第一段提到its perpetual shifting of tones，第二段有更为详细的描述: He shifts easily from the elevated to the work-a-day, D也是其特点。因此，答案应选A。
4.Mr. Ashbery’s similes in poetry are different from that of the other poets in that_____4.Ashbery先生诗歌中的比喻和其他诗人所用的比喻不同在于_____
[A] he likes to single them out as the very essence of poetry’s technique.[A] 他喜欢把比喻单独列出来、作为诗歌的一种基本性技巧。
[B] he uses them in an eccentric way that can hardly be imitated by other poets.[B] 他用比喻的方式很奇怪、他人无法模仿。
[C] he uses simile to make fun of simile. [C] 他为了开比喻的玩笑而使用比喻。
[D] he uses simile to express his complex definition of the idea of simile.[D] 他用比喻来表达自己对于比喻的复杂定义。
[答案]C
[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆
[分析] 细节题。文章第三段提到，Ashbery喜欢在诗歌中运用比喻手法，但和一般诗人不同的是，他喜欢把比喻单独列出来，好像要戏谑诗歌中的比喻似的。然后作者举了一个例子，是个非常奇怪的比喻，“紫罗兰纵情开放/ 宛如空桶里的一句毒誓”。这个题目有一定难度，send up 这个短语的意思考生不一定熟悉，但考生可以根据Ashbery一贯游戏人生的态度分析出来。选项A、B只是表层的现象，C才是真正的实质。
5. Why the author thinks the question Ashbery raised is a tougher one for a poet than we might think?5. 为什么作者认为Ashbery 提出的问题要一个诗人回答其困难程度要比我们想象的难得多?
[A] Because as a matter of fact Ashbey is most focused on tough matters.[A] 因为实际上Ashbey更加注重严肃的话题。
[B] Because Ashbey turns out to be a more serious poet than Lowell.[B] 因为Ashbey其实是一个比Lowell更加严肃的诗人。
[C] Because Ashbey is able to better discern the dilemma of being a poet.[C] 因为Ashbey更能够察觉出作为一个诗人的两难困境。
[D] Because the theme of life is worth thinking for a poet. [D] 因为对于一个诗人来说生活这个主题值得思考。
[答案] D
[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆
[分析] 推理题。 最后的这个问题是：“生活的全部是不是只是并不热烈的乔迁庆宴?”这个问题的提出要结合文章最后一段来看，最后一段是描写Ashbery对于生活的态度：Lowell对待生活的态度是很严肃的，但是Ashbery 却是一种玩世不恭的态度，对于这个问题他给出的答案可能是肯定的，但是对于其他诗人呢，则需要好好地考虑一下了, 尤其是生活主题对于诗人来说是一个非常复杂的问题。答案中D最为符合。
参考译文：
二战后，Norman Mailer、John Updike、Philip Roth成为美国公认的最伟大的小说家，同样地，John Ashbery和Robert Lowell也争取美国最伟大的诗人这个名号。但是，这两个家伙可是截然不同。Lowell是个公众人物，参与政治活动。1967年，他和Mailer肩并肩抗议越战，Mailer在其小说《夜行军》曾描述了这些情景。Lowell选择的主题宏大，把自己想象成富有悲剧色彩的英雄形象，和自己的恶魔战斗。而Ashbery的诗却颇有闲逸气。于他而言，做诗就好像是在桌上滚动的，纸上呈现的词精妙地散落着，与其他词形成一种晦涩含蓄的搭配。其不断的语气变化又使得本来变化莫测的措辞平添了一丝“达达派”的意味。
Lowell于1977年去世，终年60岁，他还号召世界继续前进。而今年年初才庆贺了自己80岁生日的Ashbery，却冷眼瞧着这个世界，以及这个世界的荒诞。他这本晚些出版的诗集选编了过去20年间出版的六本诗集中的诗歌，其主题不再是像那种临时准备的老套滑稽节目，他戏谑诗歌本身具有严肃性这个话题。他的语气极其不合逻辑，好像读者永远都站不对阵脚。他的语气一会儿是严肃的，一会儿马上就成了work-a-day。他的诗歌是那么的不着边际，中间或夹杂有其他诗人的一词半调，但轻轻地来到读者面前，就好像风中的一丝气息而已。
Lowell遵循严格的格式，他最后的一些作品有完整的十四行诗体例。Ashbery先生的诗歌也有一定的格式，只是有点怪异罢了——比如集锦(其他诗人作品的杂合)，比如潘顿诗体(一种马来西亚诗体，据说是由维克托·雨果引入19世纪的欧洲的)。他常以一种随意、会话式的方式创作，关键就在于每行结尾不必非得符合格律。在他的许多诗里面，两节之间常是有点滑稽的对立。Ashbery先生喜欢用明喻。虽然这是诗人的惯用手法，但他却把这些比喻单独挑出来，好像要戏谑诗里面明喻这个概念。比如“紫罗兰纵情开放/ 宛如空桶里的一句毒誓”。
对于Lowell，生活是件严肃的事情，正如他本人一样。而Ashbery的生活方式却不止是因困惑而轻轻地耸一下肩，这从他的诗中就可以看出来。和Lowell不同，他的诗既不是自传性质的，也不是忏悔的。他并不那么较真。“生活的全部是不是只是并不热烈乔迁庆宴?”这个问题让一个诗人来回答，可是比我们想象的难得多。
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