中山大学2004年英语专业考研英美文学专业试题

Entrance EXAM for 2004M. A- Program

Schoolof Foreign Languages Zhongshan(Sun Yat-sen) University

British and American Literature

Duration: 3 hours

Total Score: 150 marks

Instructions: Answer all the 3 questions in Part One and any 3 questions in Part Two. You are required to answer 6 questions altogether.

Part One

I. Explain briefly any 3 of the terms listed below (20%)A. American RenaissanceB. EpicC. metaphysical poetryD. ModernismE. Theatre of the Absurd

II. Comment briefly on any 2 of the following characters. (20%)A. Captain AhabB. Tom JonesC. GatsbyD. Andrea del SartoE. King Lear

III. Match the literary work with the author. For each question (A-T) fill in the blank with one figure (1-20). (20%)Example: David Copperfield                   1. Jack London                                                         2. Charles Dickens

A. The Portrait of a Lady                      1. William Carlos WilliamsB. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  2. Walt WhitmanC. The Wasteland                                3. Henry FieldingD. The Rainbow                                   4. Eugene O'NeillE. Leaves of Grass                              5. T. S. EliotF. Tom Jones                                      6. Charles LambG. Bleak House                                   7. Henry JamesH. The Iceman Cometh                        8. Charles DickensI. Essays of Elia _____                        9. D. H. LawrenceJ. Paterson                                        10. Mark TwainK. A Streetcar Named Desire               11. John MiltonL. The Alchemist                                12. William FaulknerM. Walden                                         13. Ben JohnsonN. Ode to a Nightingale                       14. Tennessee WilliamsO. Catch-22                                      15. James JoyceP. Paradise Lost                                 16. John RealsQ. Ulysses                                         17. Joseph HellerR. Howl                                             18. H. D. ThoreauS. The Sound and the Fury                 19. Joseph ConradT. Heart of Darkness                          20. Allen Ginsberg

Part Two

IV. A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem of iambic pentameter. It was originated in Italy in the 14th century and introduced to England by Thomas Wyatt and the Earl of Surrey. Since then it has been a form of poetry much favored by the English poets. William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets. However, the Shakepearean or English sonnet is different from the Italian. Explain the differences of the two kinds of sonnets. (30%)

V. According to many critics, Francis Bacon is the father of the English essay while Charles Lamb, the Shakespeare of it. Make a comment on the statement (30%)

VI. In what sense do you think that critical realism is a suitable label for the realistic novels in 19th century England? (30%)

VII. How do you interpret the concept “the code heroes,” which refers to a certain group of characters created by Hemingway? Give examples to support your point (30%)

VIII. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was praised by Hemingway as a book from which “all modern American literature comes.” How do you interpret Hemingway’s comment? (30%)

IX. Give a brief introduction to one of your favorite writers in British or American literature (30%)