Steinbeck, John, 1902-68, American writer, born in Salinas, Calif., studied at Stanford. He is probably best remembered for his strong sociological novel The Grapes of Wrath, considered one of the great American novels of the 20th century. Steinbeck's early novels-Cup of Gold (1929), The Pastures of Heaven (1932), and To a God Unknown (1933)-attracted little critical attention, but Tortilla Flat (1935), an affectionate（亲切的）yet realistic novel about the lovely, Spanish-speaking poor of Monterey, was enthusiastically received.
A merciful understanding of the world's poor was to be Steinbeck's mark. The novel In Dubious Battle (1936) defends striking immigrant agricultural workers in the California fields. In the novel Of Mice and Men (1937; later made into a play), Steinbeck again presents immigrant workers, but this time in terms of human worth and integrity（完好）－a theme he also used in The Moon Is Down (1942; later made into a play), about Norwegian resistance to the Nazis. The Grapes of Wrath (1939; Pulitzer Prize), while treating the hard situation of dispossessed Dust Bowl farmers during the 1930s, presents a universal picture of victims of disaster. Steinbeck's description of the westward migration of the Joad family, and their following struggles in the agricultural industry of California, is realistic and moving, and he presents his inferior characters with nobility.
Steinbeck's other works are diverse, ranging from the literal account of a voyage, The Sea of Cortez (1941; written with the marine biologist E. F. Ricketts),to a moral story, The Pearl (1948); to a French folk piece, The Short Reign of Pippin IV (1957). Love of his native land shines through the delicately nostalgic story "The Red Pony" in The Long Valley (1938). The somewhat emotional attitude of Tortilla Flat appears again in Cannery Row (1945), The Wayward Bus (1947), and Sweet Thursday (1954).
小题1: How many novels adapted into a play are mentioned in the passage ?_________.
小题2:Accoding to the passage , which of the following is true?
| A．The Grapes of Wrath, is considered one of the great novels of this century. |
| B．Only in the novel In Dubious Battle Steinbeck referred to immigrant workers. |
| C．In The Grapes of Wrath, farmers living in Dust Bowl possess almost nothing. |
| D．All Steinbeck’s late works are related to his love of his native land. |
小题3:We can learn from the passage that Steinbeck
.
| A．did not draw much attention until Tortilla Flat was published |
| B．wrote all his novels in terms of human worth and integrity |
| C．presented poor but noble characters in all his novels |
| D．showed his love for his native land in The Short Reign of Pippin IV |
小题4:The passage is mainly about Steinbeck’s
.
| A．works | B．life | C．fame | D．prize |
