2023年-GRE考试阅读理解练习经典文稿

第页2023GRE考试阅读理解练习GRE考试阅读理解练习

“Iwanttocriticizethesocialsystem,andtoshowitatwork,atitsmostintense.〞VirginiaWoolf’sprovocativestatementaboutherintentionsinwritingMrs.Dallowayhasregularlybeenignoredbythecritics,sinceithighlightsanaspectofherliteraryinterestsverydifferentfromthetraditionalpictureofthe“poetic〞novelistconcernedwithexaminingstatesofreverieandvisionandwithfollowingtheintricatepathwaysofindividualconsciousness.ButVirginiaWoolfwasarealisticaswellasapoeticnovelist,asatiristandsocialcriticaswellasavisionary:literarycritics’cavalierdismissalofWoolf’ssocialvisionwillnotwithstandscrutiny.

Inhernovels,Woolfisdeeplyengagedbythequestionsofhowindividualsareshaped(ordeformed)bytheirsocialenvironments,howhistoricalforcesimpingeonpeople’slives,ofobservationratherthanindirectcommentary,sinceforher,fictionisacontemplative,notanactiveart.Shedescribesphenomenaandprovidesmaterialsforajudgmentaboutsocietyandsocialissues;itisthereader’sworktoputtheobservationstogetherandunderstandthecoherentpointofviewbehindthem.Asamoralist,Woolfworksbyindirection,subtlyunderminingofficiallyacceptedmores,mocking,suggesting,callingintoquestion,ratherthanasserting,advocating,bearingwitness:hersisthesatirist’sart.

Woolf’sliterarymodelswereacutesocialobserverslikeChekhovandChaucer.AssheputitinTheCommonReader,“ItissafetosaythatnotasinglelawhasbeenframedoronestonesetuponanotherbecauseofanythingChaucersaidorwrote;andyet,aswereadhim,weareabsorbingmoralityateverypore.〞LikeChaucer,Woolfchosetounderstandaswellastojudge,toknowhersocietyrootandbran