Roger Rosenblatt''s book Black Fiction,in attempting to apply literary rather than sociopolitical criteria to its subject,successfully alters the approach taken by most previous studies. As Rosenblatt notes,criticism of Black writing has often served as a pretext for expounding on Black history. Addison Gayle''s recent work,for example, judges the value of Black fiction by overtly political standards,rating each work according to the notions of Black identity which it propounds.

　　Although fiction assuredly springs from political circumstances，its authors react to those circumstances in ways other than ideological,and talking about novels and stories primarily as instruments of ideology circumvents much of the fictional enterprise. Rosenblatt''s literary analysis discloses affinities and connections among works of Black fiction which solely political studies have overlooked or ignored.

　　Writing acceptable criticism of Black fiction,however, presupposes giving satisfactory answers to a number of questions. First of all,is there a sufficient reason,other than the facial identity of the authors,to group together works by Black authors?Second,how does Black fiction make itself distinct from other modern fiction with which it is largely contemporaneous? Rosenblatt shows that Black fiction constitutes a distinct body of writing that has an identifiable， coherent literary tradition. Looking at novels written by Black over the last eighty years, he discovers recurring concerns and designs independent of chronology. These structures are thematic,and they spring,not surprisingly,from the central fact that the Black characters in these novels exist in a predominantly white culture,whether they try to conform to that culture or rebel against it.

　　Black Fiction does leave some aesthetic questions open. Rosenblatt''s thematic analysis permits considerable objectivityhe even explicitly states that it is not his intention to judge the merit of the various works – yet his reluctance seems misplaced, especially since an attempt to appraise might have led to interesting results. For instance, some of the novels appear to be structurally diffuse. Is this a defect,or are the authors working out of,or trying to forge, a different kind of aesthetic?In addition,the style of some Black novels, like Jean Toomer''s Cane,verges on expressionism or surrealismdoes this technique provide a counterpoint to the prevalent theme that portrays the fate against which Black heroes are pitted,a theme usually conveyed by more naturalistic modes of expression?

　　In spite of such omissions,what Rosenblatt does include in his discussion makes for an astute and worthwhile study. Black Fiction surveys a wide variety of novels,bringing to our attention in the process some fascinating and little-known works like James Weldon Johnson''s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Its argument is tightly constructed,and its forthright,lucid style exemplifies levelheaded and penetrating criticism.

　　1.The author of the text is primarily concerned with __________.

　　[A] evaluating the soundness of a work of criticism.

　　[B] comparing various critical approaches to a subject.

　　[C] discussing the limitations of a particular kind of criticism.

　　[D] summarizing the major points made in a work of criticism.

　　2.The author of the text believes that Black Fiction would have been improved had Rosenblatt __________.

　　[A] evaluated more carefully the ideological and historical aspects of Black fiction.

　　[B] attempted to be more objective in his approach to novels and stories by Black authors.

　　[C] explored in greater detail the recurrent thematic concerns of Black fiction throughout its history.

　　[D] assessed the relative literary merit of the novels he analyzes thematically.

　　3.The author''s discussion of Black Fiction can be best described as __________.

　　[A] pedantic and contentious.

　　[B] critical but admiring.

　　[C] ironic and deprecating.

　　[D] argumentative but unfocused.

　　4.The author of the text employs all of the following in the discussion of Rosenblatt''s book EXCEPT： __________.

　　[A] rhetorical questions.

　　[B] specific examples.

　　[C] comparison and contrast.

　　[D] definition of terms.

　　5.The author of the text refers to James Weldon Johnson''s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man most probably in order to __________.

　　[A] point out affinities between Rosenblatt''s method of thematic analysis and earlier criticism.

　　[B] clarify the point about expressionistic style made earlier in the passage.

　　[C] qualify the assessment of Rosenblatt''s book made in the first paragraph of the passage.

　　[D] give a specific example of one of the accomplishments of Rosenblatt''s work.

　　参考答案：

　　「答案」A

　　「答案」D

　　「考点解析」这是一道审题定位与反推题。从本题题干中的“would have been improved”可推断出考生要在原文中寻找到谈论某一方面“不足”的地方。尾段首句的“such omissions”(这样的忽略)暗示本题的答案信息来源应该在倒数第二段。过仔细阅读和理解倒数第二段，可将本题的答案信息来源确定在倒数第二段的第二句。根据倒数第二段第二句的内容进行反推，就可得出本题的正确选项是D.考生在解题时一定要具备利用上下段之间的关系迅速审题定位的能力，更要具备反推即逆向思维的能力。

　　「答案」B

　　「考点解析」这是一道归纳推导题。从本题的题干可以看出本题的答案信息来源不局限于某一段或某一句，而是涉及全文的从头至尾。但是只要抓住全文的中心主旨句就可以得出本题的正确答案B.本文的中心主旨句是第一段的首句和尾段的首句。考生在解题时一定要抓住中心主旨句，并且对它们所表达的内容要进行分析和归纳。

　　「答案」D

　　「考点解析」这是一道写作手法题型。本题型旨在考察考生的语言基本功。这是一道较难的题目。本题A、B、C所涉及的内容可分别在第三段的第二、三句、第四段的第三句以及第一段的第三句里找到。第一段的第三句涉及B和C两个选项。选项D“definition of terms”(给词语下定义)在原文中没有涉及，故本选项是正确答案。考生在解题时一定要注意英文中常见的写作手段。

　　「答案」D

　　「考点解析」这是一道例(举)证题。过题干中的“Weldon Johnson''s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man”可将本题的答案信息来源迅速确定在尾段的第二句，本句中的“like”(例如)一词暗示本题的正确选项应该是含有“specific example”的选项D.考生在解题时一定要注意原文中某些关键词的应用和理解。