单选题 In the whole of French literary history, there is, perhaps, no subject of such inexhaustible and modern interest as that of George Sand. Of what use is literary history? It is not only a kind of museum, in which a few masterpieces are preserved for the pleasure of observers. It is this certainly, but it is still more than this. Fine books are, before anything else, living works, they not only have lived, but they continue to live. They live within us, underneath those ideas which form our conscience and those sentiments which inspire our actions. There is nothing of greater importance for any society than to make an inventory of the ideas and the sentiments which are composing its moral atmosphere every instant that it exists. For every individual this work is the very condition of his dignity. The question is, should we have these ideas and these sentiments, if, in the times before us, there had not been some exceptional individuals, who seized them, as it were, in the air and made them practicable and durable? These exceptional individuals were capable of thinking more vigorously, of feeling more deeply, and of expressing themselves more forcibly than we are. They leaved these ideas and sentiments to us. Literary history is, then, above and beyond all things, the everlasting examination of the conscience of humanity.
George Sand wrote for nearly half a century. For fifty times three hundred and sixty-five days, she never let a day pass by without covering more pages than other writers in a month. Her first books shocked people, her early opinions were greeted with storms. From that time forth she rushed head-long into everything new, she welcomed every fantasy and passed it on to us with more force and passion in it. Vibrating with every breath, electrified by every storm, she looked up at every cloud behind which she fancied she saw star shining. The work of another novelist has been called a repertory of human documents. But what a repertory ofideas her work was! She has said what she had to say on nearly every subject: on love, the family, social institutions and on the various forms of government. And with all this she was a woman. Her case is almost unique in the history ofletters. It is intensely interesting to study the influence of this woman of genius on the evolution of modern thought.
The share which belongs to George Sand in the history of the French novel is that of having impregnated the novel with the poetry in her own soul. She gave to the novel a breadth and a range which it had never hitherto had. She celebrated the hymn of nature, of love and of goodness in it. She revealed to us the country and the peasants of France. She gave satisfaction to the romantic tendency which is in every one of us, to more or less degree.
George Sand's literary ideal may be read in the following words, which she wrote to Flaubert: "You make the people who read your books still sadder than they were before. I want to make them less unhappy." She tried to do this, and she often succeeded in her attempt. What greater praise can we give to her than that? And how can we help adding a little gratitude and affection to our admiration for the woman who was the good fairy of the contemporary novel?

单选题 What's the use of the literary history?

A. It is just a kind of museum.
B. It is an inventory ofideas and sentiments.
C. It records ordinary people's life.
D. It examines the moral or ethical awareness of human beings forever.

单选题 According to the passage, exceptional individuals have all the following characteristics EXCEPT

A. they have more active thought.
B. they feel more deeply.
C. they have strong expressive power.
D. they can forecast the future.

单选题 The author thinks that George Sand

A. was a productive writer.
B. was the first female writer in the literary history.
C. wrote on all subjects except politics.
D. had a significant influence on moral atmosphere.

单选题 The word "impregnated" in Para. 3 is closest in meaning to

A. communicated.
B. filled up.
C. jointed.
D. associated.

单选题 According to the passage, we can know that George Sand described

A. the life of upper-class society.
B. the life of children.
C. French country and peasants.
D. the economic development.

单选题 What was George Sand's literary ideal?

A. She wanted to make readers happy.
B. She attempted to record the life in her generation.
C. She tried to satisfy her readers.
D. She wanted to encourage women in those days.