Text 1

American Characters (I)

Culture notes:

    1) Materialism: It is a general view about what actually exists. Put bluntly, the view is just this: Everything that actually exists is material, or physical. Many philosophers and scientists now use the terms "material" and "physical" interchangeably. Characterized in this way, as a doctrine about what exists, materialism is an ontological, or a metaphysical view; it is not just an epistemological view about how we know or just a semantic view about the meaning of terms.
    2) Puritan: It was the name given in the 16th century to the more extreme Protestants within the Church of England who thought the English Reformation had not gone far enough in reforming the doctrines and structure of the church; they wanted to purify their national church by eliminating every shred of Catholic influence. In the 17th century many Puritans emigrated to the New World, where they sought to found a holy Commonwealth in New England. Puritanism remained the dominant cultural force in that area into the 19th century. Most of American puritans held ideas in the mainstream of Calvinistic thought. In addition to believing in the absolute sovereignty of God, the total depravity of man, and the complete dependence of human beings on divine grace for salvation, they stressed the importance of personal religious experience. During the whole colonial period Puritanism had direct impact on both religious thought and cultural patterns in America. In the 19th century its influence was indirect, but it can still be seen at work stressing the importance of education in religious leadership and demanding that religious motivations be tested by applying them to practical situations.
    3) Boy Scout of America (BSA): It was incorporated on February 8, 1910, and charted by Congress in 1916. Its purpose is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.
    4) Sigmund Freud: (1856-1939), The inventor of modern psychology and psychoanalysis, changed the way we all think about ourselves, our language, and our culture. Drawing upon both nineteenth-century science and nineteenth-century Romanticism, Freud created a description of the mind that emphasizes the major role played by unconscious drives, particularly those of sexuality. His theories, which struck many contemporaries as sordid and threatening, represents the most recent democratization or leveling of the old hierarchical conception of mind.

    5) Andre Maurois: Biographer, novelist, essayist, children's writer. Maurois is best known for his vivid, romantic style biographies of such authors as Shelley, Byron, Balzac, Proust and others. The Quest for Proust is considered by many his finest biography.

Language notes:

1.The temptation is strong to lump all Americans together.

Lump sb./sth. （together）: put or consider people or things together.
e.g. We've lumped all the advanced students into a single class.

2.A good many things contributed to this accent on success.

Contribute to sth.: increase sth., add to sth.; help to cause sth.
e.g. Her work has contributed enormously to our understanding of this difficult subject.
     Does smoking contribute to lung cancer?

3.The second generation child, in turn, rejects the alien parents because they cannot measure up to American standards.

Measure up （to sth.）: reach the standard required or expected.
e.g. The discussion didn't measure up to my expectations.

4.America has been blessed with a rich supply of raw materials.

Be blessed with sth/sb: be fortunate in having sth/sb.
e.g. He is blessed with excellent health.

Text 2

American Characters (II)

Culture notes:

    1) The Declaration of Independence: Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument. Here, in exalted and unforgettable phrases, Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in "self-evident truths" and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.
    2) Alexis de Tocqueville: (1805-1859) An aristocratic Frenchman. He studied law in Paris and worked as a substitute judge in Versailles before coming to the U.S. In 1839 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies as a representative of Valognes and later to the Constituent Assembly and Legislative Assembly. He briefly served as minister of foreign affairs. He came to the U.S. in 1831 — when he was only 25 years old—and later wrote Democracy in America, a two-volume study of the American people and their political institutions. The book is frequently quoted by journalists and politicians. The book deals with issues like religion, the press, money, class structure, racism, the role of government, the judicial system, etc. — issues that are just as relevant today as they were then. Democracy in America has undergone several periods of popularity throughout the century, but it's never been as popular as it is now. Scores of colleges around the country use the text in political science and history courses, and historians consider it one of the most comprehensive and insightful books ever written about the U.S.
    3) Mark Twain: (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910) An American icon. Books like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn define two sides of an imagined American childhood while Huckleberry Finn and The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson continue to expose the wounds of racism in American society. Although he first began to wear his famous white suit in public in 1906, just a few years before his death, that is the most familiar image of Mark Twain for people throughout the world. He was — still is — the cigar-smoking humorist-sage whose very name inspires smiles: "As Mark Twain said...." But Mark Twain's life and career were more varied and complex than most people realize. He was a printer and journalist, steamboat pilot, gold and silver miner, a newspaper editor, author, and publisher. He was also deeply involved in American political and cultural issues, and an active participant in several anti-imperialist movements.
    4) Henry James: Like Howells and Clemens, James was also a prolific American writer. Apart from writing fiction, James made important contributions to the genre of literary theories, especially through his famous essay, "The Art of Fiction," in 1884. In his treatment of subject matter, James felt that no aspect of life should be excluded. James's style of writing is magnificent and his canvas is broad-encompassing both Europe and America. He is a master of character portrayal and has extensively used the "stream of consciousness" method in his fictional writing.　

Language notes:

1.The frontier experience, in its impact, so harsh a teacher, brought new traits to the fore.

To the fore: into a conspicuous place or position; to the front.
e.g. The question is again to the fore.

2.More important, the pioneer spirit is deeply embedded in the American's concept of himself.

Embed sth in sth: fix sth deeply and firmly (in a surrounding mass).
e.g. The arrow embedded itself in rock.
     The idea became embedded in his mind.

3.No joke has the changes rung on it more frequently than that of the woman driver who is usually pictured sitting in the midst of a wrecked car.

Ring the changes （on sth.）: vary one's routine, choices, actions, etc.
    e.g. She likes to ring the changes on how her office is arranged.

4.It's often a symbol of freedom, for it permits the common man to speak freely of his leaders; it helps him cut them down to size.

Cut sb. down to size:

    a）remake or reduce to the expected size or number,

e.g. to cut a team down to size;

    b) to true or suitable stature.
e.g. He thought he was the brightest student in the class, but the teacher soon cut him down to size.

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