BOOK4 Unit1.pptVIP

BOOK4 Unit1 Section A The passage is a piece of argumentation which tries to convince us that seeking fame sometimes leads to one’s own destruction. Background Information Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) was an American writer whose plays are mainly about people with emotional problems and are set in the Southern States. Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was one of the most famous American novelists, short story writers and essayists, whose deceptively simple prose style has influenced a wide range of writers. Robert Frost (1874-1965) was one of America’s leading 20th-century poets and a four-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) was a poet, playwright, and critic. He won the 1948 Nobel Prize for Literature. Claude Monet ( 1840-1926) was a French painter who was involved in starting Impressionism, best known for his pictures of his pictures of the countryside in which he was concerned to show the effects of light. Language Points Language Point 1: The cruelty of success is that it often leads those who seek such success to participate in their own destruction. (Para. 1) Meaning: the harsh reality of success is that it often destroys those who try hard to achieve it. Language Point 2: The conquest of fame is difficult at best, and many end up emotionally if not financially bankrupt. (Para. 2) Meaning: Even under the most favorable circumstances, gaining fame is difficult, and in the end many artists fail emotionally even if they do not fail financially. Language Point 3: Still, impure motives such as the desire for worshipping fans and praise from peers may spur the artist on. The lure of drowning in fames imperial glory is not easily resisted. (Para. 2) Meaning: Impure motives such as the desire for worshipping fans and praise from peers may push the artist to achieve fame. It is almost impossible to resist the admiration and praise that fame brings. Language Point 4: They develop a style that agents market aggressively to hasten popular