英语听力精选进阶版 7131（在线收听）

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 from the Union and civil war was imminent.

But shortly after his inauguration in 1861 he still found time to write to a distressed 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 four-line reply confirming the meeting.

Abraham Lincoln set the ideal for the presidency that all his successors have aspired to. The brief letter feeds the legend of the man and the austere gentility for which he was renowned.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

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.