In 1812,the year Charles Dickens was born,there were 66 novels published in Britain.People had been writing novels for a century—most experts date the first novel to Robinson Crusoe in 1719—but nobody wanted to do it professionally.The steam-powered printing press was still in its early stages;the literacy(识字) rate in England was under 50%.Many works of fiction appeared without the names of the authors,often with something like “By a lady.”Novels,for the most part,were looked upon as silly,immoral or just plain bad.
In 1870,when Dickens died,the world mourned him as its first professional writer and publisher,famous and beloved,who had led an explosion in both the publication of novels and their readership and whose characters—from Oliver Twist to Tiny Tim—were held up as moral touchstones.Today Dickens’ greatness is unchallenged.Removing him from the pantheon(名人堂) of English literature would make about as much sense as the Louvre selling off the Mona Lisa.
How did Dickens get to the top?For all the feelings readers attach to stories,literature is a numbers game,and the test of time is extremely difficult to pass.Some 60,000 novels were published during the Victorian age,from 1837 to 1901;today a casual reader might be able to name a half-dozen of them.It’s partly true that Dickens’ style of writing attracted audiences from all walks of life.It’s partly that his writings rode a wave of social,political and scientific progress.But it’s also that he rewrote the culture of literature and put himself at the center.No one will ever know what mix of talent,ambition,energy and luck made Dickens such a distinguished writer.But as the 200th anniversary of his birth approaches,it is possible—and important for our own culture—to understand how he made himself a lasting one.
【语篇导读】狄更斯,英国伟大的作家。在其诞辰200周年纪念日到来之际,作者写此文来纪念其在世界文学史上做出的卓越贡献。
1.Which of the following best describes British novels in the 18th century?
A.They were difficult to understand.
B.They were popular among the rich.
C.They were seen as nearly worthless.
D.They were written mostly by women.
答案 C
解析：细节理解题。根据文章第一段的最后一句“Novels,for the most part,were looked upon as silly,immoral or just plain bad.”可知,在当时,小说被认为是愚蠢的、不道德的或极坏的。也就是说,是毫无价值的。故选C项。
2.Dickens is compared with the Mona Lisa in the text to stress .
A.his reputation in France
B.his interest in modern art
C.his success in publication
D.his importance in literature
答案 D
解析：细节理解题。根据文章第二段的倒数第二句“Today Dickens’ greatness is unchallenged.”可知,狄更斯的伟大是毋庸置疑的。下文与Mona Lisa做比较,正是为了强调其在文学史上的重要地位。故选D项。
3.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To remember a great writer.
B.To introduce an English novel.
C.To encourage studies on culture.
D.To promote values of the Victorian age.
答案 A
解析：推理判断题。根据文章最后一段的最后一句“But as the 200th anniversary of his birth approaches...how he made himself a lasting one.”可知,作者写这篇文章的目的是纪念伟大的作家狄更斯,故选A项。
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