GENIUS AND THE CRAFTSMAN英语泛读课文理解.doc

Text 1 Genius and the Craftsman I. Information Related to the Text 1. Robert Frost Robert Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco and died on January 29, 1963 in Boston. Frost was an American poet and poet-in- residence at a number of colleges and universities. He was best known for his use of colloquial language, familiar rhythms, and symbols taken from common life to express the quiet values of New England life. His major works include the books of poems A Boys Will (1913), North of Boston (1914), Mountain Interval (1916) New Hampshire (1923), Steeple Bush (1947), In the Clearing (1962), just mention a few. He also wrote verse Plays, such as A Masque of Reason (1945), and A Masque of Mercy (1947), etc. 2. sputnik a Russian word, man-made satellite launched by the former Soviet Union. II. Language Notes 1. So it is with the reader who comes upon an outstanding story: spellbound, he takes it to his heart, no question asked.? (当读者读到一部杰出的小说时，他也会这样如痴如狂，欲将小说字字句句刻骨铭心，绝不会提出任何问题。) so it is with: the same is true with e.g. San Fransisco is a big city, so it is with Shanghai.?? 2.? …there is more to a storys life than the body of words which carries it into the world. (除那将小说带到世上的文字主体之外还有更多的因素才能构成小说的生命。) the body of words: the words that a story is composed of 3. …it does not begin with writing, but with conception in the dark of the mind. (小说并不始于写作，而始于在隐密的内心深处的构思。) The secret construction of a story in the innermost part of ones mind, rather than the writing of it, is the very beginning of the whole creating process of a story. The pronoun it refers to a storys life.? in the dark: in secrecy. e.g. The transaction is made in the dark. 4. genius is not the exclusive property of the master craftsman (天赋并非艺术家独有的特性） property: a characteristic trait or peculiarity. e.g. Cheerfulness is a property of her personality. 5. Mastery is genius afoot. (高超的技艺是天赋的显现。） afoot: in operation.? e.g. There is a project afoot to improve the roads. 6. While genius is a natural p