题目
Aside from perpetuating (使……持续存在) itself, the sole purpose of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters is to "foster, assist and sustain an interest" in literature, music, and art. This it does by enthusiastically handing out money. Annual cash awards are given to deserving artists in various categories of creativity: architecture, musical composition, theater, novels, serious poetry, light verse, painting, sculpture. One award subsidizes a promising American writer's visit to Rome. There is even an award for a very good work of fiction that failed commercially once won by the young John Updike for The Poorhouse Fair and, more recently, by Alice Walker for In Love and Trouble . The awards and prizes total about 750,000 a year, but most of them range in size from 5,000 to 12,500, a welcome sum to many young practitioners whose work may not bring in that much money in a year. One of the advantages of the awards is that many go to the struggling artists, rather than to those who are already successful. Members of the Academy and Institute are not eligible (有资格的) for any cash prizes. Another advantage is that, unlike the National Endowment for the Arts or similar institutions throughout the world, there is no government money involved. Awards are made by committee. Each of the three departments Literature ( 120 members), Art (83), Music(47)―has a committee dealing with its own field Committee membership rotates every year, so that new voices and opinions are constantly heard. The most financially rewarding of all the Academy-institute awards are the Mildred and Harold Strauss Livings. Harold Strauss, a devoted editor at Alfred A. Knopf, the New York publishing house, and Mildred Strauss, his wife, were wealthy and childless. They left the Academy-Institute a unique bequest (遗赠): for five consecutive years, two distinguished (and financially needy) writers would receive enough money so they could devote themselves entirely to "prose literature" (no plays, no poetry, and no paying job that might distract). In 1983, the first Strauss Livings of 35,000 a year went to short-story writer Raymond Carver and novelist-essayist Cynthia Ozick. By 1988, the fund had grown enough so that two winners, novelists Diane Johnson and Robert Stone, each got 50,000 a year for five years. 1 What does the passage mainly discuss? A Award-winning works of literature. B An organization that awards artists. C The special donation of an artist. D The individual patrons of artists. 2 Which of the following can be inferred about Alice Walker's book In Love and Trouble? A It sold more copies than Ttle Poorhouse Fair. B It described the author's visit to Rome. C It was a commercial success. D It was published after The Poorhouse Fair. 3 How much do the awards and prizes offered by the Academy-Institute total approximately each year? A 750,000. B 35,000. C 50,000. D 12,500. 4 What is one of the advantages of the Academy-Institute awards mentioned in the passage? A They are subsidized by the government. B They are often given to unknown artists. C They can also be given to members of the Academy-institute. D They influence how the National Endowment for the Arts makes its award decisions. 5 For whom did the Strauss couple wish their fund could be provided? A The greatest contributor to prose literature. B The talented but less known artists. C The excellent and financially needy writers. D The amateur artists who had paying jobs.
Aside from
perpetuating (使……持续存在) itself, the sole purpose of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters is to "foster, assist and sustain an interest" in literature, music, and art. This it does by enthusiastically handing out money. Annual cash awards are given to deserving artists in various categories of creativity: architecture, musical composition, theater, novels, serious poetry, light verse, painting, sculpture. One award subsidizes a promising American writer's visit to Rome. There is even an award for a very good work of fiction that failed commercially once won by the young John Updike for
The Poorhouse Fair and, more recently, by Alice Walker for
In Love and Trouble .
The awards and prizes total about $ 750,000 a year, but most of them range in size from $ 5,000 to $12,500, a welcome sum to many young practitioners whose work may not bring in that much money in a year. One of the advantages of the awards is that many go to the struggling artists, rather than to those who are already successful. Members of the Academy and Institute are not eligible (有资格的) for any cash prizes. Another advantage is that, unlike the National Endowment for the Arts or similar institutions throughout the world, there is no government money involved.
Awards are made by committee. Each of the three departments Literature ( 120 members), Art (83), Music(47)―has a committee dealing with its own field Committee membership rotates every year, so that new voices and opinions are constantly heard.
The most financially rewarding of all the Academy-institute awards are the Mildred and Harold Strauss Livings. Harold Strauss, a devoted editor at Alfred A. Knopf, the New York publishing house, and Mildred Strauss, his wife, were wealthy and childless. They left the Academy-Institute a unique bequest (遗赠): for five consecutive years, two distinguished (and financially needy) writers would receive enough money so they could devote themselves entirely to "prose literature" (no plays, no poetry, and no paying job that might distract). In 1983, the first Strauss Livings of $35,000 a year went to short-story writer Raymond Carver and novelist-essayist Cynthia Ozick. By 1988, the fund had grown enough so that two winners, novelists Diane Johnson and Robert Stone, each got $50,000 a year for five years.
1 What does the passage mainly discuss?
A Award-winning works of literature.
B An organization that awards artists.
C The special donation of an artist.
D The individual patrons of artists.
2 Which of the following can be inferred about Alice Walker's book In Love and Trouble?
A It sold more copies than Ttle Poorhouse Fair.
B It described the author's visit to Rome.
C It was a commercial success.
D It was published after The Poorhouse Fair.
3 How much do the awards and prizes offered by the Academy-Institute total approximately each year?
A $750,000.
B $35,000.
C $50,000.
D $12,500.
4 What is one of the advantages of the Academy-Institute awards mentioned in the passage?
A They are subsidized by the government.
B They are often given to unknown artists.
C They can also be given to members of the Academy-institute.
D They influence how the National Endowment for the Arts makes its award decisions.
5 For whom did the Strauss couple wish their fund could be provided?
A The greatest contributor to prose literature.
B The talented but less known artists.
C The excellent and financially needy writers.
D The amateur artists who had paying jobs.
The awards and prizes total about $ 750,000 a year, but most of them range in size from $ 5,000 to $12,500, a welcome sum to many young practitioners whose work may not bring in that much money in a year. One of the advantages of the awards is that many go to the struggling artists, rather than to those who are already successful. Members of the Academy and Institute are not eligible (有资格的) for any cash prizes. Another advantage is that, unlike the National Endowment for the Arts or similar institutions throughout the world, there is no government money involved.
Awards are made by committee. Each of the three departments Literature ( 120 members), Art (83), Music(47)―has a committee dealing with its own field Committee membership rotates every year, so that new voices and opinions are constantly heard.
The most financially rewarding of all the Academy-institute awards are the Mildred and Harold Strauss Livings. Harold Strauss, a devoted editor at Alfred A. Knopf, the New York publishing house, and Mildred Strauss, his wife, were wealthy and childless. They left the Academy-Institute a unique bequest (遗赠): for five consecutive years, two distinguished (and financially needy) writers would receive enough money so they could devote themselves entirely to "prose literature" (no plays, no poetry, and no paying job that might distract). In 1983, the first Strauss Livings of $35,000 a year went to short-story writer Raymond Carver and novelist-essayist Cynthia Ozick. By 1988, the fund had grown enough so that two winners, novelists Diane Johnson and Robert Stone, each got $50,000 a year for five years.
1 What does the passage mainly discuss?
A Award-winning works of literature.
B An organization that awards artists.
C The special donation of an artist.
D The individual patrons of artists.
2 Which of the following can be inferred about Alice Walker's book In Love and Trouble?
A It sold more copies than Ttle Poorhouse Fair.
B It described the author's visit to Rome.
C It was a commercial success.
D It was published after The Poorhouse Fair.
3 How much do the awards and prizes offered by the Academy-Institute total approximately each year?
A $750,000.
B $35,000.
C $50,000.
D $12,500.
4 What is one of the advantages of the Academy-Institute awards mentioned in the passage?
A They are subsidized by the government.
B They are often given to unknown artists.
C They can also be given to members of the Academy-institute.
D They influence how the National Endowment for the Arts makes its award decisions.
5 For whom did the Strauss couple wish their fund could be provided?
A The greatest contributor to prose literature.
B The talented but less known artists.
C The excellent and financially needy writers.
D The amateur artists who had paying jobs.
题目解答
答案
1 B
2 D
3 A
4 B
5 C
2 D
3 A
4 B
5 C
解析
- 考查要点：本题为阅读理解题，主要考查学生对文章主旨、细节推断、逻辑关系的理解能力。
- 解题核心：
- 主旨题（第1题）需抓住文章整体结构，明确组织介绍的核心内容；
- 细节推断题（第2、3、4题）需结合上下文逻辑关系，注意时间顺序、数据对比等；
- 特殊指代题（第5题）需定位关键描述，提取限定条件。
第1题
关键点：文章首段开篇点题，明确美国艺术与文学学院的宗旨是“奖励艺术家”，后文详细展开奖项类型、金额、评选规则等。选项B“一个奖励艺术家的组织”直接对应文章核心内容。
第2题
逻辑推断：文中提到Alice Walker和John Updike均因“未商业成功的优秀小说”获奖，且Updike获奖时间在前（“young”暗示早期），Walker为“more recently”（更近），说明《In Love and Trouble》出版时间晚于《The Poorhouse Fair》。
第3题
直接定位：首段明确数据“$750,000 a year”，选项A与原文完全一致。
第4题
对比分析：第2段强调奖项“优先支持挣扎中的艺术家而非成功者”，且排除学院成员，与选项B“给予不知名的艺术家”一致。
第5题
限定条件：末段明确Strauss基金要求“distinguished（杰出）且 financially needy（经济困难）”的作家，选项C完整包含这两个条件。