填空题
Of all figures from America's past, Abraham Lincoln is dearest to
the hearts of the American people. In fact, the admiration they have for him
borders on worship. Writers note that the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. DC is
not unlike the temples that ancient Greeks built in honor of their gods, and
that annual ceremonies of celebrating Lincoln's birthday in schools and public
places have sometimes had characteristics of religious services. Certainly
Lincoln is America's ideal of a great leader. He had many of the qualities of
leadership that Americans admire. First of all, Lincoln's
career fits popular American belief that every child can dream of he-coming
president. Americans admire the person—the one who, with neither money nor
family influence, fights his or her way to the top. Lincoln was born of poor
parents. His mother died when he was young. He had little opportunity for
schooling. His early study was done alone at night by the light of a fireplace.
He did hard manual labor through the day-splitting rails for fences, taking care
of livestock, working on riverboat or in store. But as he grew older he studied
law in his spare time and become a lawyer. He was a good speaker and student of
political philosophy. His ability finally made a name for him and eventually, he
became president of the United States. Lincoln is also admired
because of his leadership during the difficult period of the Civil War. He dared
to do what he thought was right at a time when his beliefs were unpopular with
many people. He, in a sense, represents the spirit of union among the states.
Before the Civil War, the economy of the South depended on an agricultural
system, which made use of slave labor. When re, formers in the northern states
put pressure on Congress not to permit to secede or withdraw from the United
States, they argued that the question of slavery was a matter for the individual
states to decide rather than the federal government, and they did not want to
accept its decision. The national government said that no state had the right to
secede, and the Civil War was the result. If the south had won the war, the
Unites States might well have been divided into several countries. Lincoln
worked hard to preserve the union, and the northern states were
victorious. Furthermore, Lincoln had many personal qualities
that made him dear to the hearts of his countrymen. He had infinite patience and
tolerance for those who disagreed with him. As president, he appointed men to
high government positions whom he considered most capable, even though some of
them openly scorned him. He was generous to his opponents. There are many
stories about his thoughtful treatment of southern leaders. When the war was
over, he showed the South no hatred. Since generosity toward a defeated opponent
is admired by Americans, Lincoln fitted the national ideal of what is
right. Shortly after the Civil War ended, Lincoln was shot
while attending a play in Washington Theater. He died within a few hours. The
uncontrolled emotional reaction of the nation to his death was almost
unbelievable and demonstrated the deep esteem in which he was held. Newspapers
were edged with black ; religious leaders gave praise of Lincoln instead of
their prepared sermons. His funeral procession in Washington was miles long.
Lincoln's body was taken by train back to his former home in Springfield,
Illinois, but in all the major cities through which the train passed, the coffin
was paraded through streets lined with sorrowful thousands. In the small towns
through which the train passed bells rang in honor of the dead president.
Citizens lit torches along the railroad track to show their last
respect. The circumstances of his death set Lincoln apart from
other American leaders. Had Lincoln lived, it might well be that his postwar
policies would have brought criticisms upon him that would have tarnished his
popularity. Instead, an assassin's bullet erased in the minds of Americans any
faults he had and emphasized his virtues. Complete the following
sentences with information given in the passage, using a maximum of 4 words for
each sentence.
填空题
His ______ and the assassination made Lincoln ideal of a great leader.
填空题
During the period of the Civil War, Lincoln's beliefs used to be ______.
填空题
From the last paragraph it could be inferred that Lincoln's death was ______ to him.
填空题
From the second paragraph we learn that through endeavor everyone could ______ for him at last.
填空题
We can infer from the passage that before the Civil War, the Northern states had ______ different from the Southern states.