And now Carrie had attained that which in the beginning seemed life’s object, or, at least, such fraction of it as human beings ever attain of their original desires... Ap¬plause there was, and publicity — once far off, essential things, but now

And now Carrie had attained that which in the beginning seemed life’s object, or, at least, such fraction of it as human beings ever attain of their original desires... Ap¬plause there was, and publicity — once far off, essential things, but now grown trivial and indifferent. Beauty also — her type of loveliness — and yet she was lonely. In her rocking-chair she sat, when not otherwise engaged — singing and dreaming. Questions: A. What is the title of the novel from which the excerpt is taken? Who is the author? B. What is the core of American values according to the author? C. What does the underlined sentence mean?

A: THE TITLE OF THE NOVEL IS SISTER CARRIE, AND THE AUTHOR IS THEODORE DREISER.B: DREISER SET HIMSELF TO PROJECT THE AMERICAN VALUES FOR WHAT HE HAD FOUND THEM TO BE — MATERIALISTIC TO THE CORE. LIVING IN SUCH A SOCIETY WITH SUCH A VALUE SYSTEM, THE HUMAN INDIVIDUAL IS OBSESSED WITH A NEVER-ENDING, YET MEANINGLESS SEARCH FOR SATISFACTION OF HIS DESIRES. ONE OF THE DESIRES IS FOR MONEY AND SEX IS ANOTHER ONE.C: SHE WAS DREAMING OF THE BRIGHT FUTURE. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS OFTEN DISILLUSIONED, SHE WAS NOT AT ALL IN DESPAIR.