2004-01 阅读 Q2

Question 1-10
  After 1785, the production of children's books in the Untied States increased but remained largely reprints of British books, often those published by John Newbery, the first publisher to produce books aimed primarily at diverting a child audience. Ultimate]y, Line however, it was not the cheerful, commercial-minded Newhery, but Anglo -Irish author 5 Maria Edgeworth who had the strongest influence on this period of American children's literature. The eighteenth century had seen a gradual shift away from the spiritual intensity of earlier American relig ious writings for children, toward a more generalized moralism. Newbery notwithstanding, Americans still looked on children's books as vehicles for instruction, not amusement , though they would accept a moderate amount of fictional 10 entertainment for the sake of more successful instruction. As the children's book market expanded, then, what both public and publishers wanted was the kind of fiction Maria Edgeworth wrote: stories interesting enough to attract children and morally instructive enough to allay adult distrust of fiction.
  American reaction against imported books for children set in after the War of 1812 15 with the British. A wave of nationalism permeated everything,and the self-conscious new nation found foreign writings (particularly those from the British monarchy) unsuitable for the children of a democratic republic, a slate of self-governing, equal citizens. Publishers of children's books began to encourage American writers to write for American children. When they responded, the pattern established by Maria Edgeworth was at hand, attractive 20 to most of them for both its rationalism and its high moral tone. Early in the 1820's, stories of willful children learning to obey, of careless children learning to take care, of selfish children learning to "tire for others," started to flow from American presses, successfully achieving Edgeworth's tone, though rarely her lively style. Imitative as they were, these early American stories wee quite distinguishable from their British 25 counterparts. Few servants appeared in them, and if class distinctions had by no means disappeared, there was much democratic insistence on the worthiness of every level of birth and work. The characters of children in this fiction were serious, conscientious. self -reflective, and independent-testimony to the continuing influence of the earlier American moralistic tradition in children's books.

Q2. The publisher John Newbery is principally known for which of the following reasons?
(A) He produced and sold books written by Maria Edgeworth.
(B) He had more influence on American children's literature than any other publisher.
(C) He published books aimed amusing children rather than instructing them.
(D) He was commercially minded and cheerful.

Which answer do you choose?  C or D?  Why?

这题我犹豫了很久选的C.  

第一, 此人cheerful 并且commerically minded, 并不表示他是known for such characteristics.  虽然文中的确提到.

第二, 也是最关键的一点, 原文中有话:  often those published by John Newbery, the first publisher to produce books aimed primarily at diverting a child audience.  divert的一个意思是: to amuse or entertain someone.  正好符合C的表达. 其实如果不了解divert 的意思, 从上下文可以看出, Maria 此人的行为和John 是相反的, 推测出也是C的意思.

BTW, 从04的题目看来, 我觉得阅读好像比以前搞了.

感谢bryony!

这题的确很搞．我一开始选D，后来看到C是答案，细想了一下，觉得C也很有道理：

-　如bryony指出："principally known"

- 如bryony指出：aimed primarily at diverting a child audience

- "Newbery notwithstanding, Americans still looked on children's books as vehicles for instruction, not amusement , though they would accept a moderate amount of fictional 10 entertainment for the sake of more successful instruction."

考试时碰到这种搞题，一半以上可能性会中招．