By the mid-century there emerged a trend in writing that favored a new approach to constructing the novel that abandoned many of the time-honored traditions of form. Indeed, there has been debate about whether many of the works of the times should rightly be considered novels at all. Although not all writers of the period pursued experimental methods, two of them, William Burroughs and Henry Miller, served as exemplary figures.
William Burroughs published journals depicting his travels through South America and North Africa. He was heavily influenced by his encounter with foreign languages and associations with strange customs. The impact of his experiences on his writing led to a uniquely detached style. Often it is difficult to determine who is telling the stories, or where the characters have come from. In his most celebrated work Naked Lunch, Burroughs is said to have physically cut up the manuscript and pasted it back together, to further disturb the conventional notion of narration. Although these writing techniques did not boost initial sales of his works, American academia accepts him as an important practitioner of literary theory.
Henry Miller wrote about his personal life in a depth that previous authors had avoided. In order to better expose compulsive desires, he used very graphic language to describe the details of his intimate relationships. His books Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer were banned in some states when they were first published. Although there are disagreements about Miller's moral positions, he is acknowledged as an important contributor to mid-twentieth century American fiction.
What is the main topic of this passage?
This passage mainly discussed a new trend in writing.
（由文章第一段的第一句可知，这篇文章主要讲的是到本世纪中叶，出现了一种写作趋势，这种趋势倾向于 用一种新的方法来构建这部小说，摒弃了许多古老的形式传统。）
What did the passage preceding this one probably discuss?
The passage preceding this one probably discussed the development of traditional approaches to constructing the novel before the mid-twentieth century.
（文章第一段讲述的是新的小说创作方法的出现，同时摒弃了传统的形式，由此可推断出这篇文章之前的段 落讨论的是二十世纪中叶之前的传统小说创作形式。）
What can we assume about Burroughs’ earlier works?
We can assume that Burroughs’ earlier works are of a style not as detached as his later journals but rather involved and maybe even emotional.
（由第二段的The impact of his experiences on his writing led to a uniquely detached style可知，William Burroughs现在的作品风格是分散的，由此可以推断出他早期的作品不是这种风格的。）
What is the most difficult aspect of reading the book Naked Lunch?
The most difficult aspect of reading the book Naked Lunch is its unconventional and detached way of narration that makes it hard to determine who is telling the stories or where the characters have come from.
（由第二段可知，读Naked Lunch最困难的一点就是其叙述风格是分散、非传统的，因而很难知道谁是故事 的叙述者以及人物究竟来自哪里。）
What can we infer about the works of the two men?
The works of the two men broke away from conventional ways of writing the novel and made experiments in creating new unusual approaches. Although the works were not received by the public and the academia without disagreements, their contributions to mid-twentieth century American fiction and literary theory were recognized.
（由第二、三段可知，William Burroughs和Henry Miller都摒弃了传统的创作方式，开始尝试新的创作方法， 虽然他们的作品一开始没有得到公众的认可，但是他们对美国文学所做的贡献得到了承认。）