下载文档原格式
Most Americ ans rememb er Mark Twainas the father of Huck Finn's idylli c cruise throug h eterna l boyhoo d and Tom Sawyer's endles s summer of freedo m and advent ure. In-deed, this nation's best-lovedauthor was everybit as ad-ventur ous, patrio tic, romant ic, and humoro us as anyone has ever imagin ed. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical, bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him, a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night. 在大多数美国人的心目中，马克•吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克•费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆•索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克•吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克•吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Mark Twain-the Mirror of America1 Most Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In-deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as adventurous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical, bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him, a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night.在大多数美国人的心目中，马克?吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克?费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆?索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克?吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克?吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
2 Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic: The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days, signaling two fathoms (12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world.印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克?吐温原名塞缪尔?朗赫恩?克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
修辞手法1. Metaphor:〔暗喻，隐喻〕e.g. Mark Twain --- Mirror of Americasaw clearly ahead a black wall of night...The words spat forth with sudden savagery....self-assurance...flickered...The Duchess kept firm tight rein on her racing mind.Her voice was a whiplash.2.Simile：〔明喻，直喻〕explicit comparison with “like〞, “as〞, “as if (though)〞, “seem〞“resemble〞, etc.3. Synecdoche:〔提喻〕e.g. The computer revolution is…liberating limbs and propellingThe case had erupted round my head.4. Metonymy:〔借代〕e.g. ...his pen would prove mightier than his pickaxJust as the Industrial Revolution took over an immense range of tasks from men’s muscles and enormously expanded productivity, so the microcomputer is rapidly assuming huge burdens of drudgery from human brain ...won 100 at the tableslost it at the barstruggle between kimono and the miniskirt1〕His pen would prove mightier than his pickax.(metonymy: writing --mining)2〕…experimented with his new writing muscles…(metaphor: not so specific as “pen〞to be related to “writing〞)3〕…took over an immense range of tasks from men’s muscles…(metonymy: manual labor, physical labor)4〕The computer revolution is…, liberating limbs …(synecdoche: part of human body)5〕The case had erupted round my head.(synecdoche: part of one’s body )6〕…I was not one to let my heart rule my head.(metonymy: emotions/feelings ---reason/thought)7) We need 200 hands to help us to finish this sophisticated installation.(synecdoche: part of one’s body )8〕…I was not one to let my heart rule my head.(metonymy: emotions/feelings ---reason/thought) 9)...I have never read Li Bai.(metonymy: poems written by Li Bai)10)He is Mark Twain of the 21st century.(Synecdoche: an individual or concrete for a class or abstract)5.Ridicule:嘲笑;奚落;嘲弄e.g. Bryan, ageing and paunchy, was assisted ...Bryan mopped his bald dome in silence. 6．Sarcasm:讥讽；挖苦话e.g. There is some doubt about that.7. Irony:反语；挖苦a figure of speech that achieves emphasisby saying the opposite of what is meant, the intended meaning of the words being the opposite of their usual sense.e.g. marching backwards to the glorious age of the 16th centuryHiroshima---the liveliest city in the world.8. Alliteration:〔头韵〕e.g. ...the slow, sleepy, sluggish-brained sloths stayed at home...with a dash and daring......a recklessness of cost or consequences...9. Parallelism:〔排比〕e.g.The past, with its crimes, its follies, and itstragedies...We shall fight him by land, we shall fight him by sea, we shall fight him in the air…10. Antithesis〔对仗，对偶〕e.g. The Christian believes that man came from above.The evolutionist believes that he must have come from below....took unholy verbal shots at the Holy Land......a world which will lament them a day and forget them foreverAny man or state who fights on against Nazidom will have our aid. Any man or state who marches with Hitler is our foe…11. Oxymoron(矛盾法): formed by conjoining of two contrasting, contradictory or incongruous terms.e.g. Malone called my conviction a "victorious defeat".bitter sweet memoriesorderly chaos12. Transferred epithet(移就，移位修饰)e.g. Darrow had whispered throwing a reassuring armround my shoulder.Two high points of color appeared in the paleness of the Duchess of Croydon’s cheeks.13. Personification:〔拟人〕e.g. ...to literature's enduring gratitude...the grave world smiles as usual...14. Euphemism:〔委婉语〕e.g. ...men's final release from earthly struggle…who diligently avoided contact with the enemy15. Hyperbole:〔夸大〕e.g. ...cruise through eternal boyhood and ...endlesssummer of freedom...Personal tragedy haunted his entire life.16. Understatement(低调陈述,抑述)e.g.…the prospects of a good catch looked bleak.英语修辞法一、明喻〔simile〕是以两种具有一样特征的事物与现象进展比照，说明本体与喻体之间的相似关系，两者都在比照中出现。
Most Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In—deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as ad—venturous, patriotic， romantic， and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical， bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him， a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night。
在大多数美国人的心目中，马克•吐温是位伟大作家,他描写了哈克•费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆•索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克•吐温-—一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克•吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla， prospector, starry—eyed optimist， acid-tongued cynic： The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days，signaling two fathoms （12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world. 印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克•吐温原名塞缪尔•朗赫恩•克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
高级英语第一册所有修辞方法及例子总结第一篇：高级英语第一册所有修辞方法及例子总结Personification:1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.life dealt him profound personal tragedies...the river had acquainted him with......to literature's enduring gratitude......an entry that will determine his course forever...Bitterness fed on the man who had made the world laugh.Personal tragedy haunted his entire life.Hyperbole Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which exaggeration is used to emphasize a point, to create humor, or to achieve some similar effects1)...takes you...hundreds even thousands of years2)innumerable lamps3)with the dust of centuries4)…5)...cruise through eternal boyhood and...endless summer of freedom...6)America laughed with him.7).The trial that rocked the world8)His reputation as an authority on Scripture is recognized throughout the world.9)Now I was involved in a trial reported the world over.Onomatopoeia:1)creak, squeak, rumble, grunt, sigh, groan, etc.tinkling, banging, clashing2).its anking, heel icking3)appreciative chuckle4)clucked his tongueMetaphor1)2)3)4)5)I had a lump in my throat At last this intermezzo came to an end...I was again crushed by the thought..hen the meaning...sank in, jolting me outof my sad reverie little old Japan adrift amid beige concrete skyscrapers...struggle between kimono and the miniskirtlittle old Japan----traditional floating houses6)I thought that Hiroshima still felt the impactHiroshima----people of Hiroshima, especially those who suffered from the A-bomb(keep her thoughts under control)E.g.1)Whether for him, the arch 3)The Nazi regime is devoid of all theme and principle except and racial domination.a.his wife shot him a swift, warning glance.(give sb.an angry and quick glare)b.The words spat forth with sudden savagery.(the detective said the words suddenly and savagely.)c.Her tone...withered...(become shorter from her frightening voice)d....self-assurance...flickered...(hesitate;move with a quick wavering light emotion)e.The Duchess kept firm tight rein on her racing mind.1)f.Her voice was a whiplash.i.(a heavy blow)2)g.eyes bored into himi.(look at him pointedly or sharply)3)h.I’ll spell it out.a)(explain or speak outfrankly and in detail)4)1.Mark Twain---Mirror of America5)2.Most Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruisethrough eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure.6)3.The geographic core, in Twain's early years was the great valley of the MississippiRiver , main artery of transportation in the young nation's heart.7)4.The cast of characters set before him in his new profession was rich and varied — acosmos.8)Cast of characters: people of various sorts;cosmos: a place where one can find all sortsof characters9)5.Steamboat decks teemed not only with the main current of pioneering humanity, butits flotsam of hustlers, gamblers, and thugs as will.10)current: stream, here not a good choice for the verb teem.11)6.He went west by stagecoach and succumbed to the epidemic of gold and silver fever inNevada 's Washoe region.12)Succumbed…to: gave way to(yielded to, submitted to)the gold and silver rushprevailing in that area.13)7.For eight months he flirted with the colossal wealth available to the lucky and thepersistent, and was rebuffed.Flirted…wealth: did not try hard or persistently enough to get the colossal wealth…14)15)16)17)18)19)20)21)22)23)24)25)26)27)28)29)30)31)32)33)34)failed 8.From the discouragement of his mining failures, Mark Twain began digging his way to regional fame as a newspaper reporter and humorist.6.He went west by stagecoach and succumbed to the epidemic of gold and silver fever in Nevada 's Washoe region.Succumbed…to: gave way to(yielded to, submitted to)the gold and silver rush prevailing in that area.7.For eight months he flirted with the colossal wealth available to the lucky and the persistent, and was rebuffed.Flirted…wealth: did not try hard or persistently enough to get the colossal wealth…failed Digging …fame: working hard to gain regional fameMark Twain honed and experimented with his new writing muscles.Honed: sharpened/exercised.It is not suitable to say “sharpen one's muscles”.saw clearly ahead a black wall of night...the vast basin drained three-quarters of the settled United StatesAll would resurface in his books...that he soaked up...(submarine comes back to the surface, here reappear)When railroads began drying up the demand......took unholy verbal shots...my case would snowball into...our town...had taken on a circus atmosphere.The street...sprouted with...He thundered inhis sonorous organ tones.… had not scorched the infidels...…after the preliminary sparring over legalities…The case had erupted on my head.Now Darrow sprang his trump card by calling Bryan as a …But although Malone had won the oratorical duel with Bryan.Then the court broke into a storm of applause that …He accused Bryan of calling for a duel to the death …Irony: a figure of speech in which the meaning literally expressed is the opposite of the meaning intended and which aims at ridicule, humor or sarcasm.1)Hiroshima---the Liveliest City in Japan2)marching backwards to the glorious age of the 16th centuryAnti-climax : the sudden appearance of an absurd or trivial idea following a serious significant ideas and suspensions.This device is usu.aimed at creating comic or humorous effects.1)a town known throughout the world for its---oystersParallelismthe repetition of sounds, meanings and structures serve to order, emphasize, and point out relationsϒϒϒϒ(1)The past, with its crimes, its follies, and its tragedies...(2)the return of the bread-winner, of their champion, of their protector(3)We shall fight him by land, we shall fight him by sea, we shall fight him in the air.(4)are still primordial human joys, where maidens laugh and children play.ϒ(5)Let us...Let us...ϒ(6)He hopes...He hopes(7)Behind all this glare, behind all this stormLitotes(double negative)(语轻意重法,间接肯定法)a)A negative before another word to indicate a strong affirmative in the oppositedirection.b).Sarcasm1)ah, yes, for there are times when all pray2)There is some doubt about that.3)His reputation as an authority on Scripture is recognized throughout theworld.Alliteration（头韵）repetition of vowel sound1)2)3)4)its anking, heel ickingRhetorical question1)E.g.… but can you doubt what our policy will be?Assonance e.g.when bigots lighted faggots to burn...Repetition –Antithesis(两个结构相似但是意思相反的平行从句便是对偶句)1)E.g.Anyman or state who fights on against Nazidom will have our aid.Any man or state who marches with Hitler is our foe.(E.g.The coward does it with a kiss, the brave man a sword.)2)From them all Mark Twain gained a keen perception of the human race, of the difference between what people claim to be and what they really are.3)...took unholy verbal shots at the Holy Land...4)...a world which will lament them a day and forget them foreverSimilea)b)c)d)e)I see also the dull, drilled, docile, brutish masses of the Hun soldiery plodding...a memory that seemed phonographic...swept the arena like a prairie fire...a palm fan like a sword...The oratorical storm … blew up in the little court in Dayton swept like a freshwind …Periodic sentence(圆周句)Periodic sentences achieve forcefulness by suspense.The essential elements in the sentence are withheld until the end.松散句把主要意思放在次要意思之前，先说最重要的事情，因而读者在看到最初的几个词后就知道这句话的意思。
Mark Twain-the Mirror of AmericaMost Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In-deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as ad-venturous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well –one who grew cynical, bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him, a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night.在大多数美国人的心目中，马克?吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克?费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆?索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克?吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克?吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic: The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days, signaling two fathoms (12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world.印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克?吐温原名塞缪尔?朗赫恩?克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
Mark Twain-the Mirror of AmericaMost Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In-deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as ad-venturous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical, bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him, a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night.在大多数美国人的心目中，马克?吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克?费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆?索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克?吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克?吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic: The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days, signaling two fathoms (12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world.印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克?吐温原名塞缪尔?朗赫恩?克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
Most Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In—deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as ad—venturous, patriotic， romantic， and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical， bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him， a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night。
在大多数美国人的心目中，马克•吐温是位伟大作家,他描写了哈克•费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆•索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克•吐温-—一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克•吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla， prospector, starry—eyed optimist， acid-tongued cynic： The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days，signaling two fathoms （12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world. 印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克•吐温原名塞缪尔•朗赫恩•克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
Mark Twain-the Mirror of America1 Most Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In-deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as adventurous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical, bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him, a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night.在大多数美国人的心目中，马克?吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克?费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆?索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克?吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克?吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
2 Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic: The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days, signaling two fathoms (12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world.印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克?吐温原名塞缪尔?朗赫恩?克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
M a r k T w a i n-t h e M i r r o r o f A m e r i c aMost Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In-deed, this nation's best-loved author was every bit as ad-venturous, patriotic, romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined. I found another Twain as well – one who grew cynical, bitter, saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him, a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race, who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night.在大多数美国人的心目中，马克吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Tramp printer, river pilot , Confederate guerrilla, prospector, starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic: The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life, digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer. He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days, signaling two fathoms (12 feet) of water -- a navigable depth. His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print, and translations are still read around the world.印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克吐温原名塞缪尔朗赫恩克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
他的笔名取自他在蒸汽船上做工时听到的报告水深为两口寻(12英尺)——意即可以通航的信号语。
他的作品中有二十几部至今仍在印行，其外文译本仍在世界各地拥有读者，由此可见他的享誉程度。
The geographic core, in Twain's early years, was the great valley of the Mississippi River, main artery of transportation in the young nation's heart. Keelboats ，flatboats , and large rafts carried the first major commerce. Lumber, corn, tobacco, wheat, and furs moved downstream to the delta country; sugar, molasses , cotton, and whiskey traveled north. In the 1850's, before the climax of westward expansion, the vast basin drainedthree-quarters of the settled United States.在马克吐温青年时代，美国的地理中心是密西西比河流域，而密西西比河是这个年轻国家中部的交通大动脉。
龙骨船、平底船和大木筏载运着最重要的商品。
木材、玉米、烟草、小麦和皮货通过这些运载工具顺流而下，运送到河口三角洲地区，而砂糖、糖浆、棉花和威士忌酒等货物则被运送到北方。
在19世纪50年代，西部领土开发高潮到来之前，辽阔的密西西比河流域占美国已开发领土的四分之三。
Young Mark Twain entered that world in 1857 as a cub pilot on a steamboat. The cast of characters set before him in his new profession was rich and varied a cosmos. He participated abundantly in this life, listening to pilothouse talk of feuds, piracies, lynchings ,medicine shows, and savage waterside slums. All would resurface in his books, together with the colorful language that he soaked up with a memory that seemed phonographic 1857年，少年马克吐温作为蒸汽船上的一名小领航员踏人了这片天地。
在这个新的工作岗位上，他接触到的是各式各样的人物，看到的是一个多姿多彩的大干世界。
他完全地投身到这种生活之中，经常在操舵室里听着人们谈论民间争斗、海盗抢劫、私刑案件、游医卖药以及河边的一些化外民居的故事。
所有这一切，连同他那像留声机般准确可靠的记忆所吸收的丰富多彩的语言，后来都有机会在他的作品中得以再现。
Steamboat decks teemed not only with the main current of pioneering humanity, but its flotsam of hustlers, gamblers, and thugs as well. From them all Mark Twain gained a keen perception of the human race, of the difference between what people claim to be and what they really are. His four and a half year s in the steamboat trade marked the real beginning of his education, and the most lasting part of it. In later life Twain acknowledgedthat the river had acquainted him with every possible type of human nature. Those acquaintanceships strengthened all his writing, but he never wrote well than when he wrote of the people a-long the great stream.蒸汽船的甲板上不仅挤满了富有开拓精神的人们，而且也载着一些娼妓、赌棍和歹徒等社会渣滓。
从所有这些形形色色的人身上，马克吐温敏锐地认识了人类，认识了人们的言与行之间的差距。
他在蒸汽船上工作的四年半时间是他真正接受教育的开端，而且也是最具有深远意义的教育。
到了晚年，马克吐温还声言是密西西比河使他了解了各种各样的人的本性。
这种生活体验对他的全部创作都起了促进作用，然而他描写得最为成功的还是那些密西西比河上的人物。
When railroads began drying up the demand for steam-boat pilots and the Civil War halted commerce, Mark Twain left the river country. He tried soldiering for two weeks with a motley band of Confederate guerrillas who diligently avoided contact with the enemy. Twain quit after deciding, "... I knew more about retreating than the man that invented retreating. "随着铁路运输的发展，社会上对汽船领航员的需求日渐减少，而内战的爆发又阻碍了商业贸易的发展。
这时，马克吐温便离开了密西西比河流域。
他在南方邦联游击队的一支杂牌队伍里当了两个星期的兵。
那支队伍想方设法避免与敌军交战。
在确信“我比发明撤退的人更精通撤退”之后，马克吐温离开了那支队伍。
He went west by stagecoach and succumbed to the epidemic of gold and silver fever in Nevada's Washoe region. For eight months he flirted with the colossal wealth available to the lucky and the persistent, and was rebuffed. Broke and discouraged, he accepted a job as reporter with the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, to literature's enduring gratitude.他乘驿站马车来到西部，在内华达州的华苏地区受到当时正流行的淘金热的诱惑。
