TEXT A
Nathaniel Hawthorne‟s writings are noteworthy for their perceptive exploration of the hidden motivations behind the puritan American heritage. Like many authors of his time, he faced great difficulties making a living as his writings were not financially lucrative. In part, his financial status within the community significantly contributed towards the underlying message in his works. The powerful influence of the religious community in economic affairs of the day ordained that most respected and highly compensated callings were those that demonstrated strict physical discipline. As fiction writing did not fit within those guidelines, the young author found himself tom between the contrary needs of his family and those of his artistic aspirations. The resulting tensions are played out in the themes of his stories.
In the sense that his writings described the subtle motivations behind human behavior as guilt and anxiety resulting from the sins perpetrated against humanity, he adhered to the same mores as his Puritan predecessors. He differed from them in that he saw the potential consequences of all decisions resulting in either the chance possibility of regeneration or some form of humiliating punishment. This element of ambiguity in his works ran directly counter to the thoughts of his fundamentalist contemporaries who believed that all actions, and their consequences, were predetermined.
As he chose an allegorical style, his short stories were often situated in fantastic settings with unlikely characters. It was not unusual for Satan to appear in his narratives disguised in a human form but possessing some defining characteristic such as cloven hooves and a tail. What marks these tales as unique to the author‟s position is their suggestion that there may be contradictory meanings behind the actions of figures which initially appear to be cast in transparent roles.
His classic novel, The Scarlet Letter (1850), concerned a case of adultery in Puritan community. The heroine, Hester Prynne, stands accused of the crime, but refuses to reveal the identity of her partner. The moral ambivalence inherent in the plot of the work is representative of the themes found throughout Hawthorne‟s writing.
What is the main topic of the passage?
通读文章， 可知这篇文章简要介绍了霍桑的文学创作与清教主义之间的关系。 故选 D。
It can be inferred that the most powerful force in the social life of Hawthorne‟s time was ________.
根据文章第一段第四句“The powerful influence of the religious community in economic affairs of the day ...”可知， 在霍桑所处的时代， 社会生活中最强大的力量是宗教。 故选 C。
According to the passage, in what way were Hawthorne‟s beliefs similar to the Puritans?
根据文章第二段第一句“his writings described the subtle motivations behind human behavior as guilt and anxiety resulting from the sins perpetrated against humanity”可知， 霍桑的作品描述人类行为背后的微妙动机，即对所犯下罪行产生的内疚和焦虑， 从这一点看来， 霍桑的信仰与清教主义是一致的。 而选项 ABD 是霍桑与请教主义不同的地方。 故选 C。
The Scarlet Letter may concern all of the following themes EXCEPT ________.
根据文章最后一段， 可以得知， 《红字》 讲述了海斯特因通奸而被指控和惩罚的故事。 故事情节中透露出道德的含混性。 而海斯特拒绝说出通奸者的名字， 则可能包含了诚实的主题。 故选 D。
According to the passage, the themes found in The Scarlet Letter are ________.
根据文章最后一句话“The moral ambivalence inherent in the plot of the work is representative of the themes found throughout Hawthorne‟s writing.”， 作品情节中固有的道德矛盾性是霍桑作品中具有代表性的主题。由此可知， 《红字》 的主题与霍桑许多其他作品的主题一样。 故选 C。