Early Autumn赏析

----发表于《新高考》2011.9月的阅读冲浪栏目

Early Autumn

                                                   by Langston Hughes

　　When Bill was very young， they had been in love. Many nights they had spent walking， talking together. Then something not very important had come between them， and they didn’t speak. Impulsively， she had married a man she thought she loved. Bill went away， bitter about women.
　　Yesterday， walking across Washington Square， she saw him for the first time in years.
　　“Bill Walker，” she said.
　　He stopped. At first he did not recognize her， to him she looked so old.
　　“Mary！ Where did you come from？”
　　Unconsciously， she lifted her face as though wanting a kiss， but he held out his hand. She took it.
　　“I live in New York now，” she said.
　　“Oh” — smiling politely. Then a little frown came quickly between his eyes.
　　“Always wondered what happened to you， Bill.”
　　“I’m a lawyer. Nice firm， way downtown.”
　　“Married yet？”
　　“Sure. Two kids.”
　　“Oh，” she said.
　　A great many people went past them through the park. People they didn’t know. It was late afternoon. Nearly sunset. Cold.
　　“And your husband？” he asked her.
　　“We have three children. I work in the bursar’s office at Columbia.”
　　“You’re looking very ...” (he wanted to say old) “... well，” he said.
　　She understood. Under the trees in Washington Square， she found herself desperately reaching back into the past. She had been older than he then in Ohio. Now she was not young at all. Bill was still young.
　　“We live on Central Park West，” she said. “Come and see us sometime.”
　　“Sure，” he replied. “You and your husband must have dinner with my family some night. Any night. Lucille and I’d love to have you.”
　　The leaves fell slowly from the trees in the Square. Fell without wind. Autumn dusk. She felt a little sick.
　　“We’d love it，” she answered.
　　“You ought to see my kids.” He grinned.
　　Suddenly the lights came on up the whole length of Fifth Avenue， chains of misty brilliance in the blue air.
　　“There’s my bus，” she said.
　　He held out his hand. “Goodbye.”
　　“When ...” she wanted to say， but the bus was ready to pull off.
　　The lights on the avenue blurred， twinkled， blurred. And she was afraid to open her mouth as she entered the bus. Afraid it would be impossible to utter a word.
　　Suddenly she shrieked very loudly. “Goodbye！” But the bus door had closed.
　　The bus started. People came between them outside， people crossing the street， people they didn’t know. Space and people. She lost sight of Bill. Then she remembered she had forgotten to give him her address — or to ask him for his — or tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill too.
　　
　　Notes
　　1． impulsivelyadv. 有推动力地；冲动地
　　2． unconsciouslyadv. 不知不觉；无意识地
　　3． way downtown在市中心
　　4． bursar n. 财务主管；会计员
　　5． desperatelyadv. 拼命地；绝望地；极度地
　　6． Central Park West 中央公园西部，纽约住宅区
　　7． Fifth Avenue第五大道，纽约繁华的商业区
　　8． mistyadj. 模糊的；有雾的
　　9． brilliance n. 光辉；才华；宏伟
　　10． blur v. 玷污；使……模糊不清；使感觉迟钝（动词blur的过去式和过去分词为blurred）
　　11． uttervt. 发出，表达；发射；
　　adj. 完全的；彻底的；无条件的
　　12． shriekv. 发出尖叫；
　　n. 尖声；尖锐的响声
　　
　　阅读理解
　　1. This story is told mostly through______.
A. flashback
　　B. foreshadowing
　　C. dialogue
　　D. description
　　2. What significance does the sentence “Then a little frown came quickly between his eyes” have to the development of this story？
　　A. It contributes to the physical description of Bill.
　　B. It establishes that Bill is concerned for Mary’s safety because she lives in the city.
　　C. It emphasizes the coldness of the weather.
　　D. It hints that Bill is uneasy that Mary lives in the city where he lives.
　　3. The tone of the story is revealed by the characters’ conversation， which is ______.
　　A. humorous B. strained
　　C. angry D. relaxed
　　
　　作品及作者简介
　　《早秋》(Early Autumn)是美国黑人作家兰斯顿＆#8226;休斯一篇脍炙人口的短篇小说。故事以一对昔日的恋人若干年后不期而遇为题材，通过两人极为普通的日常对话，辅以一定的情景衬托，生动而细腻地显现了两种截然不同的心态，尤其是女主人公玛丽那起伏跌宕的感情波澜，充分表现了她的怀旧心态。全文短短的445个词，一气呵成，向我们展示了一幅平静而又波澜壮阔的感情画面，读来回味无穷……
　　兰斯顿＆#8226;休斯（Langston Hughes）是美国著名的黑人诗人、小说家、剧作家和政论家，他是20世纪20年代哈莱姆文艺复兴的杰出代表，被誉为“黑人民族的桂冠诗人”。休斯的创作真实而深刻地反映了美国黑人的社会生活，倾诉了他们的苦难与辛酸、欢乐与希望，以及对自由、民主的追求与渴望。
　　
　　重要短语与免型分析
　　1． in love在爱中挣扎；陷入爱河；恋爱中；在爱情里。如：
　　Beauty can find itself in love. 美可以在爱中找到自己。
　　2. bitter about women对女人伤透了心，此处为形容词短语作状语。
　　3． as though好像，似乎，仿佛。如：
　　Sing as though no one can hear you. 尽情唱歌吧，就像没有人能听到一样。
　　4． a great many许许多多，极多。如：
　　Shoe shops exert a peculiar fascination on a great many ladies. 鞋店对于很多女士来讲，具有一种特殊的魅力。
　　5. Under the trees in Washington Square， she found herself desperately reaching back into the past. 在华盛顿广场的树林下，她感到自己正在极力追忆逝去的岁月。
　　found oneself doing： find sb./sth doing sth.是固定用法，意思是discover state of sb./sth.，表示“突然意识到某人/某事处于某种状态”。如：
　　Often she found herself quietly weeping alone. 她意识到自己常常独自垂泪。
　　He soon found himself starting for the Barcelona B team. 不久，他突然意识到自己是为巴萨B队效劳的。
　　
　　阅读理解答案：CDB
　　
　　（胡明桥）

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