【正确答案】正确答案：The meaning of the scarlet letter "A" is on the change throughout the novel. This change is significant. It shows growth in the characters and the community in which they live. The letter "A" begins as a symbol of sin, the physical reminder of Hester"s adultery with Dimmesdale. It then becomes a symbol of alone and alienation, standing for Hester"s lonely life in New England, a ruling-out of her social life due to her shameful history. And finally, the scarlet letter "A" becomes a symbol of able, angel and admirable, when "the letter was the symbol of her calling". At that time, the community receives her. The townspeople who condemned her now receives her and believe the scarlet letter to stand for her ability to her beautiful needlework and for her unselfish assistance to the poor and sick. The scarlet letter "A" also can be traced in the Bible—the symbol of Adam, which implies Hester"s sin is the original sin of human being, it is forgivable.

【答案解析】解析：本题要求考生对霍桑小说《红字》中“A”的隐含之意进行作答，其实就是考查小说《红字》的象征意义。