2019年职称英语考试综合类B级阅读理解押题字典版

132019年职称英语考试综合类B级阅读理解押题字典版综合B阅读押题机会只给有准备的人。Opportunities are only for the prepared person. 孙老师特别提示：押题变成了猜题，极不靠谱，请大家做好无原题或押不中的准备！阅读文章通常有二种性质：1、 新出文章，通常比较规范，比较简单明了,容易得分。2、 教材中文章一篇(所谓的押题)，通常有两种情况。1.比较规范，比较简单明了,容易得分。2.很不规范，很难！不易得分！但真的出现在卷子上时 往往会对提问及选项进改动，使其比较规范，比较简单明了,容易得分。综合阅读押题第二十九篇 IllBeBach（综合B）新增 26课讲过第十九篇 The Family（综合B）第二十篇 Tales 传说 故事of the Terrible 可怕的Past（综合B）第二十六篇 Seeing the World Centuries世纪 Ago（综合B）已考过第三十篇 “Lucky” Lord Lucan伯爵 - Alive or Dead（综合B）阅读重点文章 2019共4篇文章 IllBeBach （综合B） The Family（综合B） Tales 传说 故事of the Terrible 可怕的Past（综合B）Seeing the World Centuries世纪 Ago（综合B）第二十九篇 IllBeBach Composer David Cope is the inventor of a computer program that writes original works of classical music. It took Cope 30 years to develop the software. Now most people cant tell the difference between music by the famous German composer J. S. Bach (1685-1750) and the Bach-like compositions from Copes computer. It all started in 1980 in the United States, when Cope was trying to write an opera. He was having trouble thinking of new melodies, so he wrote a computer program to create the melodies. At first this music was not easy to listen to. What did Cope do? He began to rethink how human beings compose music. He realized that composers brains work like big databases. First, they take in all the music that they have ever heard. Then they take out the music that they dislike. Finally, they make new music from what is left. According to Cope, only the great composers are able to create the database accurately, remember it, and form new musical patterns from it. Cope built a huge database of existing music. He began with hundreds of works by Bach. The software analyzed the data: it broke it down into smaller pieces and looked for patterns. It then combined the pieces into new patterns. Before long, the program could compose short Bach-like works. They werent good, but it was a start. Cope knew he had more work to do-he had a whole opera to write. He continued to improve the software. Soon it could analyze more. complex music. He also added many other composers, including his own work, to the database., A few years later, Copes computer program, called Emmy, was ready to help him with his opera. The process required a lot of collaboration between the composer and Emmy. Cope listened to the computers musical ideas and used the ones that he liked. With Emmy, the opera took only two weeks to finish. It was called Cradle Falling, and it was a great success! Cope received some of the best reviews of his career, but no one knew exactly how he had composed the work. Since that first opera, Emmy has written thousands of compositions. Cope still gives Emmy feedback on what he likes and doesnt like of her music, but she is doing most of the hard work of composing these days! 注释：1.J.S.Bach：约翰.塞巴斯蒂安.巴赫(德语：JohannSebastianBach，1685年3月31日-1750年7月28日)，巴洛克时期的德国作曲家，杰出的管风琴、小提琴、大键琴演奏家，同作曲家亨德尔和泰勒曼齐名。巴赫被普遍认为是音乐史上最重要的作曲家之一，并被尊称为“西方现代音乐之父”，也是西方文化史上最重要的人物之一。练习：l.ThemusiccomposedbyDavidcopeisaboutAclassicalmusic. Bpopmusic. Cdrama. Dcountrymusic.2.Bydevelopingacomputersoftware,DavidCopeaimedAtobelikeBach.BtostudyBach.Ctowriteanopera.Dtocreateamusicaldatabase3.WhatdidCoperealizeaboutagreatcomposersbrain?AItformsnewmusicalpatternsallbyitself.BItwritesacomputerprogram.CItcanrecognizeanymusicpatterns.DItcreatesanaccuratedatabase.4.WhoisEmmy?AadatabaseBacomputersoftwareCacomposerwhohelpedDavidDanopera5.WecaninferfromthepassagethatADavidCopeisacomputerprogrammer.BDavidCopelovesmusic.CBachsmusichelpedhimalot.DEmmydidmuchmoreworkthanacomposer.第二十九篇 IllBeBach Composer David Cope is the inventor of a computer program that writes original works of classical music. It took Cope 30 years to develop the software. Now most people cant tell the difference between music by the famous German composer J. S. Bach (1685-1750) and the Bach-like compositions from Copes computer. 作曲家大卫科普发明了一个电脑软件，它能编写出古典音乐的原创作品。科普花了 30年才 完成这个软件，现在，科普的电脑写出的作品与德国著名作曲家J.S.巴赫写的作品很相似，很少 有人能分辨出其中不同。 It all started in 1980 in the United States, when Cope was trying to write an opera. He was having trouble thinking of new melodies, so he wrote a computer program to create the melodies. At first this music was not easy to listen to. What did Cope do? He began to rethink how human beings compose music. He realized that composers brains work like big databases. First, they take in all the music that they have ever heard. Then they take out the music that they dislike. Finally, they make new music from what is left. According to Cope, only the great composers are able to create the database accurately, remember it, and form new musical patterns from it. 这一切始于1980年的美国，那时科普正在写一部戏剧，但是他无法创作出新的旋律于是他 编写了一个电脑软件来帮他编曲。最开始的时候，软件写出的乐曲并不动听。科普是怎么做的呢？ 他幵始重新考虑人们作曲的方式。他认识到作曲家的大脑就像一个大数据库，他们先是吸收他们 听过的所有音乐，然后去除他们不喜欢的，最后再根据留下的音乐来创作出新的旋律。科普认为， 只有伟大的作曲家才能建立好的数据库，并且能熟记于心，从而创造出新的音乐。 Cope built a huge database of existing music. He began with hundreds of works by Bach. The software analyzed the data: it broke it down into smaller pieces and looked for patterns. It then combined the pieces into new patterns. Before long, the program could compose short Bach-like works. They werent good, but it was a start. 科普根据现有的音乐建立了庞大的数据庳，最开始的时候，数据库包含了几百部巴赫的作品。 科普的软件将这些数据进行分析：首先它将音乐拆解成小的片段，从中找出固定模式，然后将片 段组合成新的模式。不久，这个软件就能够写出和巴赫风格很像的小曲子。它们并不完美，但这只是个开始。 Cope knew he had more work to do-he had a whole opera to write. He continued to improve the software. Soon it could analyze more. complex music. He also added many other composers, including his own work, to the database. 科普知道，他要做的还有很多,他得写出一整部歌剧。他进一步完善他的软件，不久它就 能够写出更复杂的音乐了。他还在数据库中加人了一些其他作曲家的作品，其中也包括他自己的作品。 A few years later, Copes computer program, called Emmy, was ready to help him with his opera. The process required a lot of collaboration between the composer and Emmy. Cope listened to the computers musical ideas and used the ones that he liked. With Emmy, the opera took only two weeks to finish. It was called Cradle Falling, and it was a great success! Cope received some of the best reviews of his career, but no one knew exactly how he had composed the work. 几年后，科普的软件“艾米”已经能够帮助他创作歌剧了。创作过程要作曲家和艾米共同 配合。科普聆听艾米写出的音乐片段，从中选取他认为好的。有了艾米的帮助，科蓊只用了两个 星期就完成了这部歌剧，叫做摇篮坠落。演出获得巨大成功，科普也得到了他有生以来最高 的评价，但是没有人知道他究竟是怎样创作出这部歌剧的 Since that first opera, Emmy has written thousands of compositions. Cope still gives Emmy feedback on what he likes and doesnt like of her music, but she is doing most of the hard work of composing these days! 从那以后，艾米已经写了上千部作品。科普现在依然会给艾米反馈，吿诉她自己哪些音乐是 他喜欢的，哪些是不喜欢的，但是现在大部分艰巨的工作是由艾米来完成的！练习：l.ThemusiccomposedbyDavidcopeisaboutAclassicalmusic. Bpopmusic. Cdrama. Dcountrymusic.2.Bydevelopingacomputersoftware,DavidCopeaimedAtobelikeBach.BtostudyBach.Ctowriteanopera.Dtocreateamusicaldatabase3.WhatdidCoperealizeaboutagreatcomposersbrain?AItformsnewmusicalpatternsallbyitself.BItwritesacomputerprogram.CItcanrecognizeanymusicpatterns.DItcreatesanaccuratedatabase.4.WhoisEmmy?AadatabaseBacomputersoftwareCacomposerwhohelpedDavidDanopera5.WecaninferfromthepassagethatADavidCopeisacomputerprogrammer.BDavidCopelovesmusic.CBachsmusichelpedhimalot.DEmmydidmuchmoreworkthanacomposer.答案与题解：1.A第一段的第一句：DavidCope发明了一个可以编写出古典音乐的电脑软件。2.C从第二段的第一句可以看出，David编写电脑软件的目的是写歌剧。A、B和D都属于创作歌剧的一部分。3.D第二段的后半部分讲的是伟大的歌剧作者与一般的歌剧作者的不同之处是通过对数据进行准确的构建、记忆而后创作出新的音乐形式。4.B从第五段第一句可知Emmy是一计算机软件。5.D从本文第一句可知David是一个作曲家，不是计算机程序员，所以排除A;B、C内容没有提及;从本文的第五段和第六段可知，Emmy大大提高了David的创作速度，最后一句，大部分困难的工作都由Emmy来做，所以作曲家只干一小部分工作。第二十九篇 我也能成为巴赫 作曲家大卫科普发明了一个电脑软件，它能编写出古典音乐的原创作品。科普花了 30年才 完成这个软件，现在，科普的电脑写出的作品与德国著名作曲家J.S.巴赫写的作品很相似，很少 有人能分辨出其中不同。 这一切始于1980年的美国，那时科普正在写一部戏剧，但是他无法创作出新的旋律于是他 编写了一个电脑软件来帮他编曲。最开始的时候，软件写出的乐曲并不动听。科普是怎么做的呢？ 他幵始重新考虑人们作曲的方式。他认识到作曲家的大脑就像一个大数据库，他们先是吸收他们 听过的所有音乐，然后去除他们不喜欢的，最后再根据留下的音乐来创作出新的旋律。科普认为， 只有伟大的作曲家才能建立好的数据库，并且能熟记于心，从而创造出新的音乐。 科普根据现有的音乐建立了庞大的数据庳，最开始的时候，数据库包含了几百部巴赫的作品。 科普的软件将这些数据进行分析：首先它将音乐拆解成小的片段，从中找出固定模式，然后将片 段组合成新的模式。不久，这个软件就能够写出和巴赫风格很像的小曲子。它们并不完美，但这 只是个开始。 科普知道，他要做的还有很多,他得写出一整部歌剧。他进一步完善他的软件，不久它就 能够写出更复杂的音乐了。他还在数据库中加人了一些其他作曲家的作品，其中也包括他自己的作品。 几年后，科普的软件“艾米”已经能够帮助他创作歌剧了。创作过程要作曲家和艾米共同 配合。科普聆听艾米写出的音乐片段，从中选取他认为好的。有了艾米的帮助，科蓊只用了两个 星期就完成了这部歌剧，叫做摇篮坠落。演出获得巨大成功，科普也得到了他有生以来最高 的评价，但是没有人知道他究竟是怎样创作出这部歌剧的。从那以后，艾米已经写了上千部作品。科普现在依然会给艾米反馈，吿诉她自己哪些音乐是 他喜欢的，哪些是不喜欢的，但是现在大部分艰巨的工作是由艾米来完成的！ The Family 家 庭注：该文中心即文章题目-家庭结构 The structure结构 of a familyThe structure结构 of a family takes different forms around the world and even in the same society. The familys form changes as it adapts to changing social and economic influences. Until recently, the most common form in North America was the nuclear family，consisting of a married couple with their minor children. The nuclear family is an independent unit. It must be prepared to fend for itself. Individual family members strongly depend on one another. There is little help from outside the family in emergencies. Elderly relatives of a nuclear family are cared for only if it is possible for the family to do so. In North America，the elderly often do not live with the family ; they live in retirement communities and nursing homes. 在全世界，甚至在同一个社会中，家庭结构有着不同的形式。家庭的构成形式随着不断变化的社会和经济影响而改变。直到最近，北美洲最普遍的家庭形式为核心家庭，由一对夫妇和他们未婚的孩子构成。核心家庭是一个独立的单位。它必须能够照料自己。家庭成员紧密依赖着彼此。在紧急情况下，外界提供给家庭的帮助微乎其微。核心家庭中，只有当条件允许的时候，才会照料家中年长的亲属。在北美洲，老人很少和家人一起生活，他们一般住在退休社区和养老机构。There are many parallels相同的 between the nuclear family in industrial societies，such as North America，and of families in societies such as that of the Inuits因纽特人的，who live in harsh environments. The nuclear family structure is well adapted to a life of mobility. In harsh conditions，mobility allows the family to hunt for food. For North Americans，the hunt for jobs and improved social status also requires mobility.在工业社会，例如北美洲，核心家庭之间有很多相似点。在居住在恶劣环境中的因纽特人的社会中，家庭间也有很多相似点。核心家庭结构良好地适应于流动性的生活。在恶劣的条件下，流动性能让一个家庭吃饱饭。对北美洲人来说，找工作和提高社会地位同样需要流动性。The nuclear family was not always the North American standard. In a more agrarian 农业社会time，the small nuclear family was usually part of a larger extended family. This might have included grandparents，mother and father，brothers and sisters，uncles，aunts，and cousins. In North America today，there is a dramatic rise in the number of single-parent households. Twice as many households in the United States are headed by divorced，separated，or never-married individuals as are comprised of nuclear families. The structure of the family，not just in North America, but throughout the world，continues to change as it adapts to changing conditions.核心家庭并不总是北美洲人的标准。在农业社会时期，小型的核心家庭经常是大家庭的一部分。其中可能包括了祖父母、父母、兄弟姐妹、叔伯、阿姨以及表兄弟姐妹。在现在的北美洲，单亲家庭的数目大幅度增加。由核心家庭构成的单亲家庭的数目是美国由于离婚、分居或者未婚导致的单亲家庭的两倍。不仅在北美洲，在世界范围内，家庭结构都会随着不断变化的条件而改变.练习:1. Another good title题目 for this passage would be_. 3分本题问的是: 这篇文章的题目是什么? A) What Makes a Family? B) The Life of the Inuits. C) Living with Hardship.D) The Failure 失败of the Nuclear Family.1. 围着中心转（先读有中心词的选项. 一般就是答案）。2. 先读容易的选项（读的懂的）,先读短的。2. A nuclear family is defined定义（definition） as_.3分本题问的是:核心家庭的定义是什么?A) a married couple with their minor 未成年人childrenB) a single father with，minor childrenC) parents，grandparents，and childrenD) parents，children，and aunts and uncles3. The information in this passage would most likely be found找到 in_.3分本题问的是:这篇文章最有可能出自哪里?A) an anthropology 人类学textbookB) a biology 生物学textbookC) a mathematics 数学textbookD) a geography 地理学textbook课文里根本沒有,只能靠查字典推测。4. The information in the first paragraph is presented mainly through _.本题问的是:第一段的信息主要以何种方式陈述的?A) listing statistics统计学B) telling a storyC) pointing out similaritiesD) pointing out differences必须读懂第一段4. C 本题问的是:第一段的信息主要以何种方式陈述的?根据第一段的陈述方式，并没有列 出数据或者讲故事，而是通过描述共性而阐述出核心家庭的概念。因此 C 是正确的答案。5. The word “mobility”活动性, 灵活性, 迁移率, 机动性 means_.本题问的是: mobility 的词意。P849 movable 3分A) moneyB) readiness to moveC) organizationD) skill词汇:nuclear /nju:kh/ adj. 原子核的，中心的 harsh /ha:/ n. 严酷的 emergency /Im:dnsI/ n. 紧急状况 agranan / grerln/ adj. 土地的，耕地的注释:1. lt must be prepared to fend for itself. 它必须能够照料自己。2. In North America，the elderly often do not live with the family; they live in retirement communities and nursing homes. 在北美洲，老人很少和家人一起生活;他们一般住在退休社区和养老机构。3. In harsh conditions，mobility allows the family to hunt for food. :在恶劣的条件下，流动性能让一个家庭吃饱饭。 答案与题解:1. A 本题问的是:这篇文章的题目还可以是什么? A 的意思是是什么构成了一个家。B 的意 思是因纽特人的生活。C 的意思是生活得很艰难。D 的意思是核心家庭的失败之处。根据文意，本文主要介绍了与家庭相关的信息。B 不是主要内容。C 未提到。D 未提到。因此A 是正确的答案。2. A 本题问的是:核心家庭的定义是什么?根据第一段的第三句话:Until recently，the most common form in North America was the nuclear family，consisting of a married couple withtheir minor children. 可知 A 是正确的答案。3. A 本题问的是:这篇文章最有可能出自哪里? A 的意思是人类学课本。B 的意思是生物课本。C的意思是数学课本。D 的意思是地理课本。本文主要介绍了家庭，因此最有可能是人类学课本。所以 A 是正确的答案。 4. C 本题问的是:第一段的信息主要以何种方式陈述的?根据第一段的陈述方式，并没有列 出数据或者讲故事，而是通过描述共性而阐述出核心家庭的概念。因此 C 是正确的答案。5. B 本题问的是:mobility 的词意。Mobility 是 mobile 的名词形式。根据文中第二段，核心家庭能够生存下去最重要的是能够有流动性，而钱、组织或是技能都不是能够使一个家庭吃饱饭的必要条件。因此 B 是正确的答案。第二十篇 Tales 传说 故事of the Terrible 可怕的Past（综合B）讲述可怕的过去注：本文中心不好抓住，因其不是说明文，而是介绍两本关于奴隶的小说。该文中心：小说宠儿与中途专门阐述了奴隶制问题。It is not the job of fiction 小说writers to analyze and interpret history. Yet by writing about the past in a vivid and compelling manner，storytellers can bring earlier eras to life and force readers to consider them seriously. Among those taking on the task of recounting history are some black writers who attempt to examine slavery from different points of view.分析和诠释历史并不是小说家的工作。然而通过用一种生动有趣的方式来描写过去，小说家可以重现早期时代，并引起读者的重视。在叙述历史的作家中，有一些黑人作家试图从不同的角度审视奴隶制。Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison deals specifically with the legacy遗产of slavery in her book Beloved. The main character in this novel，a former slave called Sethe，lives in Ohio in the years following the Civil War，but she cannot free herself from her horrific memories. Through a series of flashbacks and bitter reminiscences，the reader learns how and why Sethe escaped from the plantation she had lived on; the fate of her husband，who also tried to escape; and finally，what happened to the child called Beloved. Morrisons scenes of torture and murder are vivid and strongly convey the desperation of the slaves and the cruelty of their owners.诺贝尔奖获得者托妮莫里森在她的作品宠儿中专门阐述了奴隶制问题。小说的主人公叫塞丝，她以前是个奴隶，内战之后住在俄亥俄，但是她无法让自己从可怕的记忆中解脱出来。通过一系列的倒序和痛苦的回忆，读者了解到赛丝为什么以及怎样逃出她赖以生存的种植园，她那同样试图逃出来的丈夫的命运，以及最后发生在叫做宠儿的孩子身上的事情。莫里森对奴隶受折磨和遭谋杀的场景描写得很生动，充分地表达出奴隶们的绝望以及奴隶主的残酷。Charles Johnsons Middle Passage approaches slavery from a different，yet no less violent，vantage point. His main character，Rutherfprd Calhoun，is a neer-do-well free black American who stows away on a slave ship bound for Africa to collect its cargo. Put to work after he is discovered，Calhoun witnesses firsthand the appalling conditions in which the captured Africans are transported. When they finally rebel and take over the ship，he finds himself in the middle - and is forced to come to terms with who he is and what his values are.查尔斯约翰逊的小说中途从另一个不同的角度来描写奴隶制，但同样充满着暴力。他的主人公叫做卢瑟福卡尔霍恩，是一个游手好闲、身份自由的美国黑人。他偷偷登上了一艘开往非洲贩卖奴隶的船只。被发现后，他开始为之工作，并亲眼目睹了非洲人被抓起来，然后被运送到美国这种可怕的状况。当非洲人最终抵抗并占有了船只后，他发现了自己的中间性-并且被迫与他自己的身份和价值观念妥协。Neither Beloved nor Middle Passage is an easy read，but both exemplify说明 African American writers attempts to bring significant有意义的, 重大的, 重要的 historical历史(上)的 situations情况 alive 活生生的for a modem audience.不论是宠儿还是中途读起来都不轻松，但是它们都是非裔美国作家努力为现代观众重现重要历史的典范之作。练习:1. This passage is mostly (maily) about_.本题问的是:这篇文章主要讲什么?A) the causes of slavery in AmericaB) black writers in the late 20th centuryC) why Morrison and Johnson wrote the books they didD) two novels that deal with slavery2. Beloved 宠儿is set_.本题问的是:“宠儿”的设置背景是什么?A) on a slave shipB) on a plantation before the Civil WarC) in Ohio after the Civil WarD) in an African town3. The writer seems to feel that_.本题问的是:作者的感觉是什么?A) eveyone should read Morrisons and Johnsons novelsB) the books are worthwhile值得做的 but challenging挑战性C) black writers should ignore racial种族的 issuesD) we will repeat the past if we dont learn about it文中沒有答案4. The writer emphasizes强调 that the two books are similar in their_.本题问的是:作者强调两部作品的共同之处是什么?A) use of flashbacks倒叙B) treatment of women C) criticism批判 of whites D) portrayal描写of violence本题无法确定关键词，只有撑握每段中心才能做出来。5. The word appalling令人震惊的, 骇人听闻的 means_.A) terrible很糟的, 极坏的, 可怕的, 骇人的B) surprising C) guiltyD) unrealistic词汇:interpret /int:prit/ v. 解释，翻译 desperation /desprein/ n. 绝望的境地recount /rikaunt / v. 叙述 capture /kpt / v. 俘获slavery /sleivri / n. 奴隶制度 注释:1. Yet by writing about the past in a vivid and compelling manner，storytellers can bring earlier eras to life and force readers to consider them seriously. 然而通过用一种生动有趣的方式来描写过去，小说家可以将早期时代重现，并引起读者的重视。2. His main character. Rutherford Calhoun. is a neer-do-well free black American who stows away on a slave ship bound for Africa to collect its cargo .他的主人公叫做 Rutherford Calhoun，是一个游手好闲，身份自由的美国黑人。他偷偷登上了一艘开往非洲贩卖奴隶的船只。答案与题解:1. D 本题问的是:这篇文章主要讲什么? A的意思是美国奴隶制的原因。B的意思是20世纪的黑人作家。C的意思是莫里森和约翰逊写书的原因。D的意思是关于奴隶制的两本小说。本文主要介绍了莫里森和约翰逊各自关于奴隶制的小说的主要内容，因此D是正确的答案。2. C 本题问的是:“宠儿”的设置背景是什么?根据第二段的第二句话:a fornier slave calledSethe，lives in Ohio in the years following the Civil War可知其背景是在内战之后的俄亥俄州。因此C是正确的答案。3. B 本题问的是:作者的感觉是什么?A的意思是每个人都应该读莫里森和约翰逊的小说。B的意思是这些作品非常值得写但又很有挑战性。C的意思是黑人作家应当忽略种族问题。D的意思是如果我们没有学习过去，那么这些过去会重现。A，C，D原文没有体现，因此B是正确的答案。4.D 本题问的是:作者强调两部作品的共同之处是什么?根据第三段的第一句话:yet no less violent可知两部作品都有对暴力的描写。因此D是正确的答案。5. A 本题问的是:appalling的意思是什么?根据第三段对运送非洲人去美国的描述可知，此状况必然是不好的，糟糕的。A的意思是糟糕的。B的意思是令人惊讶的。C的意思是有罪的。D的意思是不现实的。因此根据文意，A是正确的答案。第二十篇 Tales 传说 故事of the Terrible 可怕的Past（综合B）讲述可怕的过去注：该文中心：小说宠儿与中途专门阐述了奴隶制问题。It is not the job of fiction writers to analyze and interpret history. Yet by writing about the past in a vivid and compelling manner，storytellers can bring earlier eras to life and force readers to consider them seriously. Among those taking on the task of recounting history are some black writers who attempt to examine slavery from different points of view.Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison deals specifically with the legacy遗产of slavery in her book Beloved. The main character in this novel，a former slave called Sethe，lives in Ohio in the years following the Civil War，but she cannot free herself from her horrific memories. Through a series of flashbacks and bitter reminiscences，the reader learns how and why Sethe escaped from the plantation she had lived on; the fate of her husband，who also tried to escape; and finally，what happened to the child called Beloved. Morrisons scenes of torture and murder are vivid and strongly convey the desperation of the slaves and the cruelty of their owners.Charles Johnsons Middle Passage approaches slavery from a different，yet no less violent，vantage point. His main character，Rutherfprd Calhoun，is a neer-do-well free black American who stows away on a slave ship bound for Africa to collect its cargo. Put to work after he is discovered，Calhoun witnesses firsthand the appalling conditions in which the captured Africans are transported. When they finally rebel and take over the ship，he find