填空题 Traditionally, the American farmer has always been independent and
hard-working. In the eighteenth century farmers were quite self-sufficient.
The farm family grew and made almost nothing it needed. The surplus crop 1
would be sold to buy a few items in the local general store.
In 1860, because some of the farm population had moved to the city, 2
yet eighty percent of the American population was still in the country. In
the late nineteen century, farm work and life were not much changed 3
from that they had been in the old days. The farmer arose at dawn or 4
before and had much work to do, with his own muscles like his chief 5
source of power. He used axes, spades and other complicated tools. 6
In his house cooking was done in wood-burning stoves, and the
kerosene lamp was the only improvement on the candle. The family"s
recreation and social life chiefly consisted a drive in the wagon to the 7
nearby small town or village to transact some business as well as to
chat with neighbors who had also come to town. The children attended
a small elementary school (often of just one room) to that they had to 8
walk every day, possibly for a few miles. The school term was short so 9
that the children could not help on the farm. 10
Although the whole family worked, and life was not easy, farmers as a
class were self-reliant and independent.