[originaltext]W: I understand you are taking the American literature seminar th

W: I understand you are taking the American literature seminar this semester, Jim. How do you like it?
M: I find it very interesting. Our first reading assignment was the book Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck.
W: (22)I’ve heard that it includes descriptions of many different parts of the United States.
M: (22)Yes, that’s quite true. Steinbeck and his pet poodle (狮子狗), Charley, had lots of adventures. They got caught in a hurricane in New York. In Maine, they met migrant farm workers and in California they visited some of Steinbeck’s old friends.
W: Well, that’s certainly a lively guide for travelers. Do you think the book is an artistic masterpiece as well?
M: That’s a good question. I’ve been giving it some serious thought because I’m writing my seminar paper on that exact topic. (23)I guess that Steinbeck is a talented writer, but not a great one.
W: What would you say is his strongest point as a writer?
M: (24)Steinbeck’s description of the various states is the best part of the book, I think. Although I haven’t been there yet, I feel that I know not only the terrain of Texas and Idaho, but also the character of the people who live there.
W: Yes, I’ve often learned that Steinbeck can communicate a sense of place very clearly. Does the book have any central theme to hold all these descriptions together?
M: That’s what I am trying to explain in my paper. (25)I think Steinbeck’s theme is the urge to travel. He captures the curiosity, the desire for experiences and the need to expand one’s horizons that motivate all of us towards intellectual growth.
22. What is described in the book Travels With Charley?
23. What does Jim think about Steinbeck?
24. What does Jim admire most in Steinbeck’s book?
25. According to Jim, what is Steinbeck’s central theme in Travels With Charley?