Robert Frost was one of America’s best known and most
honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life.
He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He
lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the
chief Southern general in America’s Civil War. The general’s name was Robert
Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to
honor the general.
Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a
writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is
true, Robert Frost’s childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer.
Robert Frost’s father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often
drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim (受害者) of his anger.
Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert’s
grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the
school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years
working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he
repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry.
Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned
to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of
a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he
continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten
dollars a year from writing.
In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain.
The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first
book of poems. The book was called A Boy’s Will. When it appeared in 1913.
Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had
not received in his own country.
Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked
them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get
Frost’s second book of poems published in America. That book was called North
of Boston.
1.The followings are writers EXCEPT ________.
A. Robert Edward Lee B.
Robert Lee Frost
C. Ernest Hemingway D.
Ezra Pound
2.The passage wrote about Hemingway in order to
show that
A. he had great influence on Frost’s poetry and life
B. Frost’ s poetry style was the same as Hemingway’s
C. Frost was unhappy because he was the victim of his
father
D. Frost spent his childhood unhappily
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Once Frost’s first book was published he gained great
praise in his country.
B. After leaving Harvard University, he began to learn
to write poetry.
C. Frost was found lo have a gift in poetry while he
studied in high school.
D. Robert Frost’s father was angry and drank a lot
because he didn’t realize his dream.
4.What’s the passage mainly about?
A. Robert Frost’s unhappy childhood. B. Robert Frost’s
first and second book.
C. Robert Frost’s family and jobs. D. Robert
Frost’s life and poetry.
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