[00:00.00]NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between a student and his English professor. [00:05.52]FEMALE PROFESSOR: Hi, Bob. How's it going? [00:07.50]Are you enjoying the Introduction to Literature class?[00:10.53]MALE STUDENT: Yeah, it's great! [00:11.91]Uh, "Araby"—that short story by James Joyce we read last week—it was awesome.[00:16.79]FEMALE PROFESSOR: Glad you liked it! [00:18.05] Most of Joyce's work is very complex. [00:20.69] A lotta students say that he's hard to understand. [00:23.34]Normally, you wouldn't tackle Joyce in an intro class. But I like to give my first-year students a taste of his style, his psychological approach to literature, because...well,mainly because it influenced others writers. [00:37.02] I only wish we had more class time to discuss it.[00:40.39]MALE STUDENT: Me, too. So, why did you pick "Araby" instead of some other story?[00:44.57]FEMALE PROFESSOR: Well, um, first you should know that "Araby" is one of fifteen short stories by Joyce in a book called Dubliners? [00:52.37]Uh, all the stories are related to one another and are set in the same time period. [00:58.54]But "Araby" is the easiest one to follow...[01:02.10]though all the stories in the collection are written in stream-of-consciousness, which, as you know, means they've told through the narrator's thoughts, through an inner monologue—as opposed to dialogue or an objective description of events. [01:16.09]But "Araby" is easier because it's linear; the story unfolds chronologically.
[01:22.32]MALE STUDENT: Still, I wish we could read whole novels by Joyce and discuss them in class.[01:27.10]FEMALE PROFESSOR: That's what happens in my Master Writer class.[01:29.80]MALE STUDENT: Master Writer class?[01:31.48]FEMALE PROFESSOR: Yeah, I teach one on Joyce every spring. [01:34.00] It's such a privilege spending an entire term delving into a single body of work. [01:39.95]And my students, they bring so much insight to the table that it's easy to forget who the professor is![01:46.66]MALE STUDENT: Oh wow...uh, that could actually solve my dilemma, uh, what I originally wanted to ask you! [01:52.01]Um, I'm working on my schedule for next term, and I've got room for one more course, and I'd like to take more Literature.[01:59.39]Could I take your Master Writer class on Joyce?
[02:02.06]FEMALE PROFESSOR: I'm sorry, I should've mentioned? [02:04.93]um, Master Writer's an advanced seminar. [02:08.53]So students need to get a strong foundation in literary theory and criticism before I let them enroll.
[02:15.06]MALE STUDENT: But I've gotten really good grades on all my papers so far; I'm sure I can keep up. [02:19.60]Couldn't you make an exception?
[02:21.25]FEMALE PROFESSOR: Your grades are excellent. [02:23.68]But in our intro class, you're reviewing the basics, like plot, setting, and character and getting your first real exposure to different literary styles.[02:33.60]MALE STUDENT: But why do I have to study different styles to understand Joyce's novels?[02:37.95]FEMALE PROFESSOR: There're a lot of little details involved in interpreting literature. [02:42.01]And, like with Joyce: [02:43.79]his novels have very unique structures. [02:46.38]The only way to appreciate how unique they are is by studying a variety of authors.
[02:52.01]MALE STUDENT: Oh, OK. So, could you suggest a different literature class, then?[02:57.78]FEMALE PROFESSOR:Sure—there's Dr. Klein's course on nineteenth-century novels.[03:01.96] It's more focused than the class you're in now, [03:04.23]but it'll build on your current knowledge base and give you the background you need. [03:09.45]That, plus a couple more foundational classes, and you'll definitely be ready for my seminar.[03:15.38]MALE STUDENT: Sweet. Thanks.
托福14天冲刺微信战团