Unlike some classic European novels, American literature encompasses many different, even unique, styles and genres. One of the most interesting of these is the Southern Gothic subgenre. As its name implies, Southern Gothic literature is reflective of life in the American South. Southern Gothic maintains some of the characteristics of Gothic writing, such as plot development of the supernatural or the ironic. However, Southern Gothic does not focus on creating tension and suspense like other Gothic genres. Instead, Southern Gothic story lines examine Southern society and its underlying, often implicit, social structure.
Southern Gothic writers generally spurn the stereotype of the gentleman on the plantation and the glamorous Southern belle. Instead, the authors develop characters that are sinister or reclusive and not particularly pleasant on the surface. However, these characters usually have redeeming qualities that allow and encourage the reader to empathize with their situations or dilemmas. It is through these immoral and unhappy personalities that the Southern Gothic writer is able to present and explore moral issues of the American South, such as slavery and bigotry, without blatant accusations.

单选题 The main purpose of the passage is to

A、 explain how Southern Gothic writers use immoral personalities to explore moral issues in the American South
B、 explore the primary stylistic differences between classical Gothic and Southern Gothic
C、 argue that Southern Gothic is sufficiently unique to merit its classification as a distinct subgenre
D、 deny the necessity of tension and suspense as defining features of Gothic literature
E、 describe the identifying features of the Southern Gothic subgenre

【正确答案】 E

【答案解析】The first paragraph defines Southern Gothic in comparison to the broader category, Gothic. The second paragraph lists specific qualities and interests of Southern Gothic. Combined, the two paragraphs create a passage that describes the identifying features of Southern Gothic literature. The other choices are incorrect because they miss the tone or scope of the passage.

多选题 Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A、 Southern Gothic writers use their writings to subtly condemn immoral traditions like slavery and bigotry.
B、 Southern Gothic maintains certain elements of the classical Gothic tradition while breaking with other elements.
C、 The main characters of Southern Gothic literature frequently alienate readers with their unpleasant, even sinister, personalities.

填空题 Select the sentence that weakens the author's assertion that readers are encouraged to sympathize with Southern Gothic characters.

多选题 Based on the attitudes displayed in the passage, with which of the following statements would the author most likely agree?

A、 Southern Gothic writers enjoy employing the character stereotypes of Southern plantation life.
B、 American literature sometimes diverges sharply from its European antecedents.
C、 Southern society is organized on clear moral guidelines of right and wron