Early national concepts of fame differ greatly from those in the late twentieth century and the earlytwenty-first century. While today fame means little more than notoriety(坏名声),in the early nationalperiod it covered an entire ethic(道德体系).
The concept of fame had particular power among the early national political elite, though its rootsreached back to the beginnings of Western civilization; Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans,byPlutarch, was a literal guide to achieving fame, describing and ranking a series of heroes who hadachieved immortal fame—the highest of goals. In the early American Republic, young gentlemenschooled to find models of personal behavior in Plutarch and other classical texts received this idea froma young age. As Alexander Hamilton put it in The Federalist Papers,"the love of fame" was the"rulingpassion of the noblest minds".
As suggested by Plutarch's image of great men, a man earned fame by doing great deeds for thestate. Francis Bacon classified such acts in his widely read The Essays, assigning fame to "fathers of their country" who reigned(统治)justly,"champions of the empire" who defended or expandedterritories,"saviors of the empire"who coped with national crises, and—highest of all——"founders ofstates and commonwealths". For early national leaders engaged in the creation of a new nation, theygave their political efforts a sense of lofty purpose as well as deep personal meaning. Seekers of famewanted to make history and leave their marks on the world. America's founding generation assumed thatthey were doing just that."We live in an important era and in a new country,"Benjamin Rushcommented in 1788."Much good may be done by individuals."
Fame was considered a noble passion because it transformed ambition and self-interest into a desireto achieve great goals that served the public good. Even if fame inspired a man's ambition, it controlledhim; one could only achieve everlasting fame through public service. In essence, fame was a selfishvirtue, enabling leaders to be self-serving and public-minded at the same time.
From the early period of the new nation to today, the idea of fame has changed
题干大意是：从建国初期到今天，名声的观念发生了变化______。根据第一段最后一句"While today fame means little more than notoriety, in the early nationalperiod it covered an entire ethic.”可知，虽然现在名声只意味着坏名声，但在早期国家时期，它包含了一个完整的道德体系。由此可推知，从早期国家时期到今天，名声的概念已经从“好名声”转变为“坏名声”了。故选A。
We can learn from Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans _.
题干大意是：从《希腊罗马名人传》中我们可以了解到_____。根据第二段第一句“...Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans,by Plutarch, was a literal guide toachieving fame, describing and ranking a series of heroes who had achieved immortal fame—the highest of goals.”可知，Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans这本书是一本关于获取名声的书面指南，描述并排名了一系列获得不朽名声的英雄们。由此可推知，我们能从这本书得知希腊和罗马英雄们是如何获取名声的。故选C。
What does "lofty purpose"(Paragraph 3) of the early national leaders refer to?
题干大意是：第三段中早期国家领导者的“lofty purpose”指的是什么?根据第三段第三句"For early national leaders engaged in the creation of a new nation,theygave their political efforts a sense of lofty purpose as well as deep personal meaning.”可知，对于早期参与创建新国家的国家领导者来说，他们不仅给予了自己的政治努力深刻的个人意义，也给予了崇高的目标感。由此可推知，lofty purpose(崇高的目标)指的是上文中的the creation of a new nation(创建一个新国家)。故选D。
Why could leaders be both self-serving and public-minded?
题干大意是：为什么领导者可以既一心谋私利又热心公益?根据最后一段最后两句"Even if fame inspired a man's ambition, it controlled him; one could only achieveeverlasting fame through public service. In essence, fame was a selfish virtue,enablingleaders to be self-serving and public-minded..."可知，尽管名声激发了一个人的野心，但它却控制了他；一个人只有通过公共服务才能获得永恒的名声；从本质上讲，名声是一种自私的美德，使领导者能够同时做到一心谋私利和热心公益。由此可推知，因为领导者能通过公共服务实现野心，所以他们可以同时做到一心谋私利和热心公益。故选B。
What does this passage mainly talk about?
题干大意是：本篇文章主要讲的是什么?通读全文可知，本文首先指出早期国家对名声的概念与20世纪晚期及21世纪早期有很大的不同，现在名声只意味着坏名声，但在早期国家时期，它包含了一个完整的道德体系；然后下文通过引用不同作家的看法，对早期国家时期名声的概念具体展开了论述。由此可推知，本文主要讲述了早期国家时期名声的概念。故选B。