英语听力精选进阶版 2131
时间：2019-01-16 作者：英语课 分类：英语听力精选进阶版
Background:美国前总统林肯多年前写给一名男孩的书信以6万美元的高价（41万人民币）在美国售出。当这名八岁男孩告诉同学他见到了总统时，不仅没人相信而且他还受到众人的一阵讥讽。
Abraham Lincoln was facing the biggest crisis in American history. The Southern states had seceded 1 from the Union and civil war was imminent 2.
But shortly after his inauguration 3 in 1861 he still found time to write to a distressed 4 eight year-old boy. George Patton had met the newly-nominated candidate the year before with his journalist father but he faced howls of disbelief when he told his classmates.
A teacher wrote to the White House and back came the terse 5 four-line reply confirming the meeting.
Abraham Lincoln set the ideal for the presidency 6 that all his successors have aspired 7 to. The brief letter feeds the legend of the man and the austere 8 gentility for which he was renowned 9.
crisis 危机
seceded 推出/脱离
the Union 联邦政府
civil war 内战
imminent 即将爆发的
inauguration 就职仪式
distressed 压抑的
newly-nominated candidate 新任命的候选人
howls of disbelief 一阵讥讽
terse 简短的
set the ideal 创立了一种理想
successors 继任
aspired to 渴望/追求
austere 严格的/严厉的
gentility 绅士气派/优雅
renowned 著名的
Questions and Answers
Was America a troubled country at the time of the letter?
Yes. Lincoln was facing the biggest crisis in American history.
Who was George Patton?
George Patton was the little boy whom Abraham Lincoln met.
True or false? Abraham Lincoln wrote the letter when he was a presidential candidate.
False. He met George Patton when he was a candidate, but wrote to him shortly after his inauguration.
True or false? The letter feeds Lincoln’s legend because it is friendly and he was renowned for being a friendly man.
False. The letter feeds Lincoln's legend but it is terse and he was an austere man. However, the fact that he found time to write the letter is a sign of his gentility.
- The Republic of Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903. 巴拿马共和国于1903年脱离哥伦比亚。
- One of the states has seceded from the federation. 有一个州已从联邦中退出。 来自辞典例句
- The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
- The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。
- The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
- Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。
- He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
- The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。
- Her reply about the matter was terse.她对此事的答复简明扼要。
- The president issued a terse statement denying the charges.总统发表了一份简短的声明，否认那些指控。
- Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
- Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。
- She aspired to a scientific career. 她有志于科学事业。
- Britain,France,the United States and Japan all aspired to hegemony after the end of World War I. 第一次世界大战后，英、法、美、日都想争夺霸权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- His way of life is rather austere.他的生活方式相当简朴。
- The room was furnished in austere style.这间屋子的陈设都很简单朴素。
- He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
- She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。