-
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer, was elected 16th president of the United States in November 1860, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Lincoln proved to be a smart military strategist and a competent leader: His Emancipation Proclamation(解放宣言) paved the way for slavery’s abolition, while his Gettysburg Address stands as one of the most famous speeches in American history. In April 1865, with the Union on the brink of victory, Abraham Lincoln was killed; his untimely death made him a hero to the cause of liberty, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history.
On January 20, 1981, Reagan took office. Only 69 days later he was shot by a would-be killer, but quickly recovered and returned to duty. His grace and wit during the dangerous incident caused his popularity to soar.
At the end of his two terms in office, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction the achievements of his innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which aimed to motivate the American people and reduce their reliance upon Government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 to restore “the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism.”
When George W. Bush, at the age of 54, became the 43rd president of the United States, it was only the second time in American history that a president’s son went on to the White House. John Quincy Adams, elected the sixth president in 1824, was the son of John Adams, the second president. While John Adams had brought up his son to be president, George Bush, the 41st president, insisted he was surprised when the eldest of his six children became interested in politics, became governor of Texas, and then went on to the White House.
Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the belief that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.
With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton’s army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.
1.Of the four presidents, who is regarded as an excellent public speaker?
A. Abraham Lincoln.
B. Ronald Reagan.
C. George W. Bush.
D. Barack Obama.
2.When Donald Reagan left the White House, he felt that .
A. he regretted having been elected President
B. he still had much to do for the country
C. he had kept his promise to the people
D. he was becoming more popular with the people
3.Which of the following presidents took office first?
A. George W. Bush.
B. John Adams.
C. John Quincy Adams.
D. George Bush.
4.Of the four presidents, who successfully realized his American Dream?
A. Abraham Lincoln.
B. Ronald Reagan.
C. George W. Bush.
D. Barack Obama.
-
Abraham Lincoln was born into poverty 200 years ago. At any other time and place, this lowly origin would have dictated his future, but in Lincoln’s case, his self-determination and force of will made it possible for him to secure his seat in his country's history. He has become a role model in the self-made America.
If you want to learn about somebody who didn’t quit, look no further. Abraham Lincoln had two business ventures failed, and the second one made him bankrupt, so he had to spend the next 17 years of his life paying for the debt. He also lost 8 different elections. It seemed that he had never done things right at the first time: the first time he ran for state legislature for Congress, for land officer, for Senate, all of these failed, and the first time he sought the vice-presidential nomination, he got less than 100 votes nationally. But he never found it too shameful to carry on his mission. Then later in 1860, on such a rough road, he made it to the White House. He lived up to his famous saying, “Always bear in mind that your own determination to success is more important than any other.”
He could have quit many times-—-but he didn’t and because he didn’t quit，he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of America. One important way Lincoln influences present society is that we look back on his lifeas a role model for future generations. Lincoln’s high character influences us because we compare present-day politicians to the example Lincoln set. A major influence Lincoln has on the united States today is simply through the good example he set when it came to honesty, persistence and leadership.
1.According to the first paragraph, which of the following statements is true?
A． Lincoln was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
B． Like Lincoln, a poor origin leads to a bright future.
C． America is considered self-made because of Lincoln.
D． Self-determination and will contributed to Lincoln’s success.
2.What is Paragraph Two mainly about?
A． How Lincoln made his way to the White House.
B． Lincoln suffered various failures.
C． Lincoln was a man who never quit.
D． Lincoln once lost two business ventures.
3.Which is the correct order of what happened to Lincoln?
a. He was paying off his debt. b. He failed in the run for land officer,
c. He got less than 100 votes nationally. d. he stuck to his mission, e. He went bankrupt.
A．b-c-c-d-a B．e-a-b-c-d C．e-c-a-b-d D．d-c-a-b-c
4.What’s the function of Lincoln’s famous saying in Paragraph Two?
A． To tell us that determination is the most important to success.
B． To attract readers1 attention.
C． To show why Lincoln was able to carry on in hard times.
D． To summarize Lincoln’s story.
5.Why does the writer consider Lincoln as one of the greatest presidents in America?
A． Because he still influences America as a role model.
B． Because he set a good example to the present politicians.
C． Because of his great personalities.
D． Because he went through diverse difficulties.
-
President Abraham Lincoln’s first call for volunteers to fight in the Civil War was for whites only.The Civil War was a white man’s war，northern whites insisted.Its purpose was to preserve the Union.It was not being fought to end slavery.But by September of 1862，the sentiment toward black volunteers had changed.Lincoln had hoped that the war would be short，but it had already lasted for a year and a half.Union manpower had fallen dangerously.
Lincoln had a plan.He issued the Emancipation Proclamation.It stated that as of January 1,1863，all slaves living in the rebellious southern states would be forever free.And starting immediately，Union armies would accept black volunteers.
The southern rebels’response to Lincoln’s call for black troops was a deadly one.Captives (俘虏) of any Union regiment (团) with black troops were to be given “no quarter”．They were to be put to death immediately.
AfricanAmerican troops throughout the war distinguished themselves (表现突出) in battle at places like Milliken’s Bend，Fort Wagner，and the Crater at St.Petersburg.As to their conduct on the battlefield，Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson wrote，“Nobody knows anything about these men who has not seen them in battle.No officer in this regiment now doubts that the successful process of the war lies in the unlimited employment of black troops.” By the war’s end,186,000 black men had participated.They made up nearly 10 percent of Union forces.These black soldiers saw action in more than 250 battles.Black soldiers also gave their lives.By the war’s end，about 38,000 black soldiers had died.They died from disease，in battle，and after capture by rebel troops.
1. This passage is mainly about________.
A．cause of the Civil War
B．the Emancipation Proclamation
C．black soldiers in the Civil War
D．why Lincoln was a good president
2. What does the underlined word “sentiment” in the first paragraph mean?
A．Whites.
B．People who keep watch.
C．Rebels.
D．Thought and feeling.
3.What can we conclude from the passage?
A．Lincoln acted too late to free the slaves.
B．Blacks fought well for the Union cause.
C．The Civil War changed American history.
D．The southern rebels nearly won the Civil War.
4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The Civil War’s purpose was to drive the black away.
B．The Civil War ended just in one year with the help of the blacks.
C．All slaves were set free by September of 1862.
D．Black captives of any Union regiment were killed after Lincoln’s call.
-
When Abraham Lincoln was young, he worked in a store. One day a woman came into the store and bought some things. They added up to two dollars and six and a quarter cents.
The bill was paid, and the woman was entirely satisfied. But the young storekeeper, not feeling
quite sure as to the accuracy of his calculations, added up the things again. To his surprise he found that it should have been but two dollars.
“ I’ve made her pay six and a quarter cents more, ”said Abe, disturbed.
It was an unimportant thing, and many clerks would have forgotten it, but Abe was too conscientious for that.
“ The money must be paid back, ”he decided.
At night, he closed the store, and walked to the home of his customer. He explained the matter, paid over the six and a quarter cents, and returned satisfied.
Here is another story of young Lincoln’s strict honesty. A woman entered the store and asked for half a pound of tea. The young clerk weighed it out. This was the last sale of the day.
The next morning, when beginning his duties, Abe discovered a four-ounce weight on the scales. It flashed upon him at once that he had used this in the sale of the previous night, and so, of course, given his customers short weight. I am afraid that there are many country merchants who would not have been much worried by this discovery. But Abe weighed out the balance of the half pound, shut up the store, and carried it to the defrauded customer. I think my young readers will begin to see that the name so often given, in later times to President Lincoln, of “Honest Old Abe, ”was well deserved. A man who begins by strict honesty in his youth is not likely to change as he grows older, and mercantile honesty is some guarantee of political honesty.
1.We know from the text that Abe .
A. charged less for the woman
B. tricked the woman on purpose
C. was careful and responsible
D. was confident of his calculations
2.From the underlined sentence, we can see that the author .
A. speak highly of Abraham Lincoln
B. learns how to succeed in the political field
C. comes to understand the importance of honesty
D. hopes to give readers some personal suggestions
3.What does the author mainly intend to tell us?
A. Better late than never.
B. Honesty is the best policy.
C. A good name is better than gold.
D. Where there is a will there is a way.
4.The author develops his idea mainly .
A. by reasoning B. by making comparisons
C. by giving examples D. by recalling what he had seen
-
America has more than fifty states, ______, Kentucky, is the place _______ Abraham Lincoln was born.
A. one of it; where B. one of which; where
C. one of that; which D. one of which; which
-
Is this the house_______Abraham Lincoln was born?
| A．at where | B．which | C．in which | D．when |
-
Today we think of Abraham Lincoln as a great leader. What most of us don’t know is that he was a well-known humorist and storyteller in his day.
Lincoln learned to tell jokes and stories from his father. When Lincoln became a lawyer, he used his jokes and stories to gain the good will of the jury (陪审团), and more than once his opposing lawyer would complain to the judge that Lincoln’s stories were irrelevant and distracting (转移、分心) to the jury. The trouble for them was that Judge David Davis loved Lincoln’s jokes more than anyone else in the court room.
As a politician, Lincoln made excellent use of his humorous stories. His long time political opponent Stephen A. Douglas complained that “Nothing else — not any of his arguments or any of his replies to my questions — disturbs me. But when he begins to tell a story, I feel that I am to be overmatched.” More than once Douglas and other political opponents of Lincoln’s saw their well presented arguments forgotten by the audience after Lincoln followed up their speeches with a homely story.
As the responsibilities of the office of President became greater and heavier, Lincoln used humor to find relief. He wanted to reduce the stresses in himself and those around him. One of Lincoln’s neighbors told that one day, he saw Lincoln walking past with two young shouting boys. “What’s the matter, Mr. Lincoln?” the neighbor asked. “The same thing that’s the matter with the whole world,” Lincoln answered. “I have three walnuts, and each one of them wants two of them.”
One cannot truly appreciate Lincoln without understanding his humorous side. He used his jokes and stories both for the purpose of winning over his audience and relieving the pressure he experienced as President during the terrible Civil War.
1.When Lincoln was a lawyer, what was his purpose of telling jokes and stories?
A. He wanted to satisfy the judge’s desire for jokes.
B. He wanted to distract his opposing lawyer.
C. He wanted to relieve his pressure.
D. He wanted to impress the jury.
2.What might be Douglas’ attitude towards Lincoln’s humorous stories?
A. Appreciative. B. Annoyed.
C. Concerned. D. Surprised.
3.What’s the purpose of the text?
A. To educate. B. To inform.
C. To persuade. D. To entertain.
-
President Abraham Lincoln often visited hospitals to talk with wounded soldiers during the Civil War.Once，Lincoln went over to the bedside of a young dying soldier.
“Is there anything I can do for you？”asked the President. The soldier obviously didn't recognize Lincoln, and with some effort he was able to whisper, “Would you please write a letter to my mother？”
So the President carefully began writing down the soldier's words，“My dearest mother, I was badly hurt while doing my duty. I'm afraid I'm not going to recover. Don't grieve too much for me, please. Kiss my sister Mary for me.May God bless you and Father.”
The soldier was too weak to continue, so Lincoln signed the letter for him and added, “Written for your son by Abraham Lincoln.”The young man asked to see the note and was astonished when he discovered who had written it.“Are you really the President？”he asked. “Yes, I am，”replied Lincoln quietly.Then he asked if there was anything else he could do.“Would you please hold my hand？”asked the soldier.“It will help to see me through to the end.”
In the quiet room, the tall gaunt (憔悴的)President took the soldier's hand and spoke warm words of encouragement until death came.
【小题】According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A．The dying soldier was filled with love.
B．Lincoln only signed his name in the letter instead of the soldier's.
C．The soldier was the only child in his family.
D．Lincoln often wrote letters for the wounded.
【小题】When the soldier's mother read the letter, she would probably be________.
A．sad but feel greatly relieved
B．apologetic but grateful
C．calm and thankful
D．sorry and feel it unexpected
【小题】The underlined word “grieve” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“________”．
A．feel worried B．feel sad C．cry D．miss
【小题】In writing the passage，the author intends to________.
A．tell us war is cruel B．make us laugh
C．draw our attention D．tell us Lincoln was great
-
Something that has always interested me about Abraham Lincoln is，not surprisingly，his sense of humor. As far as I can tell，he's the first American President to have one．
That's because the term“sense of humor” really wasn't in common usage until the eighteen-sixties and seventies．In the eighteen-forties and fifties，it was called“the sense of the ridiculous," and didn't have the positive connotations（隐含意义）that“sense of humor" has today. Back then，what was ridiculous was what invited ridicule（讥笑）．Funniness and cruelty went hand in hand．Of course，they still do a lot of arm-in-arm walking in our day as well．
Lincoln’s humor was very different because，for one thing，it was actually "humor＂as what the word meant in his time. We don't make the distinction between "wit（风趣）”and "humor”anymore; but in the nineteenth century people did．Wit was unpleasant and offensive while humor was pleasant and sympathetic．It’s the difference we note now when we distinguish between "laughing with”and“laughing at．”Lincoln was much more about "laughing with”than "laughing at．”And when“laughing at，”it was often himself he was teasing.
In the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates，when Douglas accused Lincoln of being two-faced，Lincoln replied，referencing his plain looking，“Honestly，if I were two-faced，would I be showing you this one？”And，in a way，Lincoln's face itself tells us much about his sense of humor．
You can comb through thousands of photographs of politicians，soldiers，and the like from Lincoln's time and not find a single smile．
True, the long exposures（曝光）required for photographs of that time made smiling difficult．Yet Lincoln alone，as far as I can tell，overcame that difficulty.
Interestingly, while having a sense of humor，or at least the appearance of one provided by comedy writers has become a necessary characteristic for an American President in our time，in the nineteenth century，too much humor was considered problem. And that was the case for Lincoln．A journalist covering the Lincoln-Douglas debates commented that“I could not take a real personal liking to the man，owing to an inborn weakness. . .that he was extremely, fond of jokes，anecdotes，and stories．”
1.We can infer from Paragraph 2 that＿＿
A .the American President could influence the use of English
B. the term "sense of humor”wasn't invented until the 1860s
C .what is funny to someone might be offensive to someone else
D. the concept of humor remains the same despite the passing of time
2.The underlined words“this one”in Paragraph 4 refer to＿＿．
A. Lincoln's unattractive face
B. Lincoln's sense of humor
C. the debate they were having
D.cruelty that went with funniness
3.We rarely see people from Lincoln's time wear smile in their photos because＿．
A. being humorous was considered inappropriate
B. they found it quite funny to smile before camera
C. not smiling for photographs was the fashion
D. photography technology then was not advanced
4.What might the writer think of the journalist covering the Lincoln-Douglas debates？
A. His comment accurately reflected his time
B. He created a false picture of Lincoln
C. He was prejudiced and self-centered
D. He was brave to point out Lincoln's weakness
-
272. Because of the role he played in freeing the African-American from slavery, Abraham Lincoln is ______ as one of the _______ of all American presidents .
| A．thought … great | B．thought … greatest |
| C．regarded … great | D．regarded … greatest |