Advance English 课程导航

 
  Now your place:Advance English 1 >> Unit 5 >> Author Today is:  
课前预习 阅读 读后活动 互动 返回  
I. About the author:
II. Background:

Maya Angelou

Inaugural Poet

     Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her legendary wisdom.
    A mesmerizing vision of grace, swaying and stirring when she moves, Dr. Angelou captivates her audiences lyrically with vigor, fire and perception. She has the unique ability to shatter the opaque prisms of race and class between reader and subject throughout her books of poetry and her autobiographies.
    Dr. Angelou has authored twelve best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and her current best-seller A Song Flung Up to Heaven.
In 1981, Dr. Angelou was appointed to a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.
    In January 1993, she became only the second poet in U.S. History to have the honor of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential Inauguration.
    Maya Angelou, born in 1928, spent part of her early years in Stamps, Arkansas. At three years old, she and her brother were sent to live with her grandmother because their parents divorced. Later on they were taken to live with their mother in St. Louis where unfortunately she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend (at that time she was only eight). The rapist was eventually tried and, unexpectedly killed by somebody also. Marguerite was shocked at the news and felt that she had caused his death. Thinking that she was sinful and dirty, she became an entirely different person, seldom speaking to others. The text is the part of story telling how she got recovered from her bitter experience in St. Louis.
    She struggled to achieve maturity and success as a dancer, singer, actress, producer, and writer. In the 1960s, she acted as Northern Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference organized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Her major works:
I know why the Caged Bird Sings (1970), from which our present text is taken (Chapter 15)
Singin’ and Swingin’ and getting’ Merry Like Christmas (1976)
Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Die (poem, 1971)
On Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well (poem, 1975)

   
 
 
 
Unit 1: Four Choices for Young People
Unit 2: Rock Superstars: What Do They Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society?
Unit 3: A Most Forgiving Ape (part one)
Unit 4: A Most Forgiving Ape (Part Two)
Unit 5: A Lesson in Living (Part One)
Unit 6: A Lesson in Living (Part Two)
Unit 7: I'd Rather Be Black Than Female
Unit 8: The Trouble With Television
Unit 9: On Getting Off to Sleep
Unit 10: Why I Write?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

建议使用800*600的分辨率