[중등임용고시(전공A)_2024] 기출문제 풀이 (3) Sherwood Anderson's "The Egg"

Read the excerpt from a novel and follow the directions.【2 points】

Narrator: MY FATHER WAS, I am sure, intended by nature to be a cheerful, kindly man. Until he was thirty-four years old he worked as a farmhand for a man named Thomas Butterworth whose place lay near the town of Bidwell, Ohio. He had then a horse of his own and on Saturday evenings drove into town to spend a few hours in social intercourse with other farmhands. In town he drank several glasses of beer and stood about in Ben Head’s saloon—crowded on Saturday evenings with visiting farmhands. Songs were sung and glasses thumped on the bar. At ten o’clock father drove home along a lonely country road, made his horse comfortable for the night and himself went to bed, quite happy in his position in life. He had at that time no notion of trying to rise in the world.

It was in the spring of his thirty-fifth year that father married my mother, then a country schoolteacher, and in the following spring I came wriggling and crying into the world. Something happened to the two people. They became ambitious. The American passion for getting up in the world took possession of them.

It may have been that mother was responsible. Being a schoolteacher she had no doubt read books and magazines. She had, I presume, read of how Garfield, Lincoln, and other Americans rose from poverty to fame and greatness and as I lay beside her—in the days of her lying-in—she may have dreamed that I would someday rule men and cities. At any rate she induced father to give up his place as a farmhand, sell his horse and embark on an independent enterprise of his own. She was a tall silent woman with a long nose and troubled grey eyes. For herself she wanted nothing. For father and myself she was incurably _______ .

Fill in the blank with the ONE most appropriate word from the excerpt.

This excerpt reflects the theme of ambition and the desire to rise above one's circumstances, a common element in American literature, especially in the context of the early 20th century. The narrative focuses on the transformation of a family's life due to the mother's aspirations.

The blank in the excerpt from Sherwood Anderson's "The Egg" can be filled with the word "ambitious." The context suggests that the mother's ambition for her family, especially for the narrator and his father, drives the family to change their lifestyle. The story touches on the theme of the American dream and the pursuit of rising above one's current station in life, as exemplified by the mother's encouragement for the father to leave his job as a farmhand and start his own enterprise. The mother's character is described as being influenced by stories of famous Americans who rose from poverty, and her ambition reflects her desire for her family to achieve similar success.

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The intention of the question based on the excerpt from Sherwood Anderson's "The Egg" is likely to test several competencies that an English teacher should possess:

1. Reading Comprehension: The ability to understand and interpret a text is a fundamental skill for any English teacher. This question tests whether the teacher can comprehend the narrative and the underlying themes within the excerpt.

2. Literary Analysis: Understanding the themes, character motivations, and historical or cultural context of a literary work is crucial. The excerpt from "The Egg" touches on themes such as ambition, the American Dream, and family dynamics, which the teacher should be able to identify and discuss.

3. Attention to Detail: The question requires the teacher to pay close attention to specific details in the text to fill in the blank correctly. This skill is essential for teaching students how to analyze texts critically.

4. Contextual Vocabulary: The ability to infer the meaning of a word or phrase from its context is a key component of language teaching. This question assesses the teacher's ability to understand how words function within a larger narrative.

5. Cultural and Historical Awareness: Literature often reflects the time and place in which it was written. An English teacher should have an awareness of different historical and cultural backgrounds, as they influence the themes and characters in a story.

Overall, this question is designed to assess a comprehensive set of skills that are necessary for effective English teaching, focusing on both the technical aspects of language and the broader interpretive skills needed to engage with literature.

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[Books]

Sherwood Anderson's "The Egg" is rich in symbolism and American realism. Published as part of his collection "The Triumph of the Egg" in 1921, this story delves into themes of ambition, disappointment, and the complexities of the American Dream. It’s a poignant exploration of how aspirations and realities often clash, narrated through the lens of a son reflecting on his family's life and their ill-fated chicken farm.

Anderson’s style is marked by his deep understanding of the human condition, particularly in small-town America. His works often feature characters grappling with their inner desires versus societal expectations, a theme that resonates even today.

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• 소설 발췌문 요약:

  • 서술자의 아버지는 본성상 쾌활하고 친절한 사람.

  • 34세까지 오하이오 주 비드웰 근처의 농장에서 일함.

  • 결혼 전까지는 농장 일꾼으로 만족하며 삶을 살음.

  • 35세에 학교 교사였던 어머니와 결혼, 그 후 서술자 탄생.

  • 부모님은 야망을 갖게 되고 삶의 방식이 바뀜.

  • 어머니의 영향으로 아버지는 농장 일을 그만두고 독립 사업 시작.

  • 어머니는 서술자와 아버지에게 야망이 많았음.

• 발췌문의 빈칸에 들어갈 단어: "ambitious" (야심찬).

• 소설 "The Egg"의 교육적 목적 요약:

  • 독해력: 문서를 이해하고 해석하는 능력 테스트.

  • 문학 분석: 주제, 인물 동기, 역사적/문화적 맥락 이해.

  • 세부사항 주의: 텍스트에서 특정 세부사항에 주의를 기울이는 능력.

  • 맥락 어휘: 문맥에서 단어 또는 구의 의미를 추론하는 능력.

  • 문화적 및 역사적 인식: 문학이 작성된 시대와 장소를 반영하는 인식.

• 셔우드 앤더슨의 "The Egg"에 대한 요약:

  • 1921년에 출간된 "The Triumph of the Egg"의 일부.

  • 야망, 실망, 미국 꿈의 복잡성을 다룸.

  • 아들이 가족의 삶과 실패한 닭농장을 반추하며 서술.

  • 작가의 스타일은 작은 마을 아메리카의 인간 상태에 대한 깊은 이해를 바탕으로 함.