Before feminist literary criticism emerged in the 1970s, the nineteenth-century United States writer Fanny Fern was regarded by most critics (when considered at all) as a prototype of weepy sentimentalism—a pious, insipid icon of conventional American culture. Feminist reclamations of Fern, by contrast, emphasize her nonsentimental qualities, particularly her sharply humorous social criticism. Most feminist scholars find it difficult to reconcile Fern’s sardonic social critiques with her effusive celebrations of many conventional values. Attempting to resolve this contradiction, Harris concludes that Fern employed flowery rhetoric strategically to disguise her subversive goals beneath apparent conventionality. However, Tompkins proposes an alternative view of sentimentality itself, suggesting that sentimental writing could serve radical, rather than only conservative ends by swaying readers emotionally, moving them to embrace social change.
文章解析
第一句话：
Before feminist literary criticism emerged in the 1970s, the nineteenth-century United States writer Fanny Fern was regarded by most critics (when considered at all) as a prototype of weepy sentimentalism—a pious, insipid icon of conventional American culture.
白话版讲解：
在1970年代以前，（文学评论界）一般认为19世纪美国作家Fanny Fern不是什么重要的作家，基本不太评价她。就算评价，大部分文学评论家（critics）也认为Fanny Fern不过是一个典型的感伤主义作家，一个（代表）传统美国文化的虚伪（pious）、无趣（insipid）的典型（prototype和icon都有“典型”的意思）。在1970年代，出现了一个女权主义文学批评流派（feminist literary criticism），这一流派的观点，和此前大部分文学评论家的观点不同。
第二句话：
Feminist reclamations of Fern, by contrast, emphasize her nonsentimental qualities, particularly her sharply humorous social criticism.
白话版讲解：
这些女权主义文学批评家，强调作家Fanny Fern作品中一些非感伤主义的特质，尤其是其中对社会做的一些尖锐的幽默批评。这些女权主义文学评论家的做法，是在给Fern一些reclamations。
注意不要想当然地把by contrast理解成“相反的是”，by contrast的意思是“比较之下；不同的是……”（when compared to another : when looked at or thought about in relation to similar objects or people to set off dissimilar qualities）
reclamation的意思，出了一道题，我们后面再来看。
第三句话：
Most feminist scholars find it difficult to reconcile Fern’s sardonic social critiques with her effusive celebrations of many conventional values.
白话版讲解：
大部分女权主义学者遇到了一个问题，就是发现Fern的作品中，既有一些对社会的讥讽批评，又有对许多传统价值观的一些流露真诚感激和赞同之情（effusive）的赞美（celebration）。这两者是无法调和的。（一会夸社会，一会又骂社会，这个Fern到底是赞同传统价值观还是反对传统价值观啊。）Fern自相矛盾，说不通啊。
第四句话：
Attempting to resolve this contradiction, Harris concludes that Fern employed flowery rhetoric strategically to disguise her subversive goals beneath apparent conventionality.
白话版讲解：
有一个叫Harris的女权主义学者，就想试图把这个自相矛盾的情况说通。Harris找的理由是，Fern作品的真实意图是骂社会，想起些暗中破坏的作用。Fern采用了一个策略，就是用辞藻华丽的修辞来掩饰自己隐藏在表面上的因循守旧底下的真实意图。
第五句话：
However, Tompkins proposes an alternative view of sentimentality itself, suggesting that sentimental writing could serve radical, rather than only conservative ends by swaying readers emotionally, moving them to embrace social change.
白话版讲解：
但是，另外又有个叫Tompkins的女权主义学者，她不同意Harris的说法。她说不是Fern用了什么策略，而是我们对感伤主义本身，就可以用另一种视角来看。即，感伤主义那种风格的作品，虽然确实是以打动读者、影响读者的感情为特点，但是这种方式并不是只能为维护传统价值观服务，也可以为了激进的目的（抨击传统价值观）而服务。打动读者。影响读者的感情，不是只能把读者往维护传统价值观的方向影响，也可以让读者往欣然接受社会变革的方向影响。
题目解析
1. Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.
1. The passage suggests which of the following about the contradiction mentioned in the highlighted sentence?
A.It was not generally addressed by critics before the 1970s.
B.It is apparent in only a small number of Ferns writings.
C.It has troubled many feminist critics who study Fern.
本题答案：AC
白话版讲解：
首先找到contradiction是在第四句话出现，但这个contraction的具体内容是在第三句话中出现的，即第三句话中的Fern’s sardonic social critiques和 her effusive celebrations of many conventional values两者之间的contradiction。根据文章第三句话中的“Most feminist scholars find it difficult to reconcile……”，可知道C选项正确。又根据第一句话，在1970年代以前，文学评论界对Fern的观点是比较一致的，没有注意到有什么contradiction，所以A正确。B选项的说法是文章中没有提到的。
2. It can be inferred from the passage that Tompkins would be most likely to agree with which of the following about the critics mentioned in the passage?
A. They accurately characterize the overall result Fern is aiming to achieve.
B. They are not as dismissive of Fern as some feminist critics have suggested.
C. They exaggerate the extent to which Fern intended her writing to serve a social purpose.
D. They wrongly assume that sentimental must be a pejorative term.
E. They fail to recognize the role that sentimental rhetoric plays to reader’s emotions.
本题答案：D
3. It can be inferred that the author of the passage mentions Fern’s “sharply humorous social criticism” primarily in order to
A. contrast Fern’s apparent intentions with the impression her writing made on Harris
B. suggest that many feminist critics have attributed to Fern intentions that she may not have had
C. identify an aspect of Fern’s writing that strikes some scholars as incompatible with other attributes of her writing
D. help account for the effect Fern's writing had on critics of her own time
E. identify the aspects of Fern's writing for which she was primarily known prior to the 1970s
本题答案：C
白话版讲解：
这是一道修辞目的题。问作者提到“sharply humorous social criticism”的修辞功能。
首先找到“sharply humorous social criticism”是出现在第二句话，“这些女权主义文学批评家，强调作家Fanny Fern作品中一些非感伤主义的特质，尤其是其中对社会做的一些尖锐的幽默批评”。particularly her sharply humorous social criticism的修辞功能就是为了具体指出her nonsentimental qualities中的部分qualities具体是什么。所以C选项正确。
注意B选项不太好看懂，B选项的意思是：“暗示很多女权主义文学批评家把一些Fern实际上可能并没有的intentions强行说Fern有这些intentions了。”
4. In the context in which it appears, “reclamations” most nearly means
A. reformations
B. rehabilitations
C. recapitulations
D. retractions
E. reiterations
本题答案：B
白话版讲解：
这道词汇题的难度较大。Reclamation这个单词，我们看了一般会想，这就是reclaim变的名词嘛，我会我会，然后就不会去深入理解和记忆。
题目所问的“reclamations”所在的第二句话是说“这些女权主义文学批评家，强调作家Fanny Fern作品中一些非感伤主义的特质，尤其是其中对社会做的一些尖锐的幽默批评。这些女权主义文学评论家的做法，是在给Fern一些reclamations”。
recalmation这个词对应的动词是reclaim，reclaim的意思是“重新得到，收回，取回；要求（或主张）归还，要求（或主张）恢复”
retrieve or recover (something previously lost, given, or paid); to demand or obtain the return of
请注意定义，即可以是demand the return，也可以是obtain the return，所以下面这个例句可以有两种理解。具体怎样理解，还要看上下文。
例句：
When Dennis emerged I reclaimed my room.
第一种理解：丹尼斯露面后，我主张我应该得到我房间的归还（我要求把房间还给我）。
第二种理解：丹尼斯露面后，我把房间要回来了。
在本文中的意思是：
第一种理解：这些女权主义文学评论家，主张应该把“不仅仅是个只会夸传统价值观的感伤主义作家，也会对社会提出讽刺批评”的名誉，还给Fern。
第二种理解：这些女权主义文学评论家，把“不仅仅是个只会夸传统价值观的感伤主义作家，也会对社会提出讽刺批评”的名誉，还给了Fern。
备选项中的rehabilitation对应的动词是rehabilitate，reclaim的意思是“恢复地位；恢复名誉，平反”
restore (someone) to former privileges or reputation after a period of critical or official disfavor
例句：
With the fall of the government many former dissidents were rehabilitated.
