大学英语精读第三版（第二册）学习笔记（原文及全文翻译）——2B - The American Ideal of a Great Leader（美国人心目中的理想伟大领袖）

Unit 2B - The American Ideal of a Great Leader

The American Ideal of a Great Leader

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, D.C. 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 a popular American belief that every child can dream of becoming President. Americans admire the self-made 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 a riverboat or in a store. But as he grew older he studied law in his spare time and became 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 reformers in the northern states put pressure on Congress not to permit slavery in western territories that later became states, some of the southern states wanted 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, what is now the United 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 a 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 respects.

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.

参考译文——美国人心目中的理想伟大领袖

美国人心目中的理想伟大领袖

美国历史上所有重要人物中，当推亚伯拉罕·林肯最受美国人民爱戴。人们对他敬佩之深，实际上已近乎顶礼膜拜。作家们指出，华盛顿特区的林肯纪念堂，与古希腊人为纪念他们的神祇而建造的神殿不无相似之处；而每年在学校和公共场所举行的纪念林肯诞辰的庆典仪式有时也带有宗教仪式的特点。毫无疑问，林肯是美国人心目中的理想伟大领袖。他具有美国人民所崇尚的领袖人物的诸多品质。

首先，林肯的人生经历符合美国民众的这样一种信念：每一个孩子都能梦想当上总统。美国人民钦佩靠自己奋斗成功的人——那种既没有钱，也没有家族权势，全靠自我拼搏而出人头地的人。林肯出身于贫寒之家，年轻时母亲便过世了。他没有机会上学。早年的学习是靠夜晚独自一人就着壁炉的火光苦读完成的。白天他干的是繁重的体力活——劈栅栏木板条，照料牲口，在内河船上或商店里打工。但是，随着年岁的增长，他开始利用业余时间自学法律，后来当上了一名律师。他很有口才，精通政治哲学。他的才能终于为他赢得了声誉，他最终当上了合众国的总统。

林肯也由于他在内战艰难时期的领导才干而深受民众爱戴。他在自己的信念未被许多人接受的时候，敢于坚持做他认为正确的事情。在某种意义上来说，他代表了合众国各州的联邦精神。内战前，南方的经济依赖于蓄用黑奴劳工的农业。北方诸州的改革家们对国会施加压力，要求在后来成为合众国诸州的西部领地内禁止奴隶制。这时，南方的有些州便想脱离，即退出合众国。他们争辩说，奴隶制问题是应由各州自行解决，而不是由联邦政府代为决定的事务，因此他们不愿接受这一决定。中央政府宣布，任何州都无权脱离合众国，其结果便是内战的爆发。如果南方赢得了这场战争的话，如今的合众国很可能早已分裂成若干个国家了。林肯不遗余力地维护联邦，而最终北方诸州赢得了胜利。

此外，林肯的不少个人品质也使他赢得了国民的爱戴。他对持不同意见的人表现了极大的耐心和宽容。作为总统，他任命那些他认为最有才能的人担任政府要职，尽管其中有些人曾公开对他冷嘲热讽。他对政敌宽容大度，不少有关他慎重处理南方叛州首领的故事流传至今。内战结束后，他对南方各州无任何怨恨的表示。美国民众一向崇尚对失败的对手宽宥为怀，因此林肯的做法符合国民关于秉公断处的理念。

内战结束后不久，林肯在华盛顿一家剧院看戏时遭人枪击，几小时后他便去世了。举国上下对他的死所作出的毫无克制的情感反应，几乎令人难以置信，表明了他深受国人的敬重。报纸上加黑框，宗教领导人收起了准备好的讲道稿，对林肯大加称赞。在华盛顿，送葬行列绵延数里之长。林肯的遗体由火车运回他在伊利诺伊州斯普林菲尔德市的故居，但是，在火车所经过的每一个大城市，灵柩穿过街道时，两旁守立着成千上万悲伤的民众。沿路的各小城镇则鸣钟哀悼这位谢世的总统。人们在铁路沿线点燃火炬，以表达对死者的最后敬意。

林肯遇刺身亡的情势，把他与其他美国领袖明显区分开来。如果林肯活下去的话，其战后政策很可能招致批评，从而有损于他的名望。然而，谋杀者的子弹在美国人民的心目中抹去了他所有的瑕疵，使他的种种美德尤为突出。

Key Words:

admiration     [.ædmə'reiʃən]      

n. 钦佩，赞赏

popular  ['pɔpjulə]

adj. 流行的，大众的，通俗的，受欢迎的

worship  ['wə:ʃip]  

n. 崇拜，爱慕，做礼拜

vi. 做礼拜

manual   ['mænjuəl]    

adj. 手工的，体力的

n. 手册，指南，键

livestock ['laivstɔk]

n. 家畜，牲畜

opportunity   [.ɔpə'tju:niti]   

n. 机会，时机

eventually      [i'ventjuəli]    

adv. 终于，最后

memorial       [mi'mɔ:riəl]    

adj. 纪念的，追悼的

n. 纪念碑(堂),

characteristics        [,kærəktə'ristiks]   

n. 特性，特征；特质；特色（characteristi

spare      [spɛə]     

adj. 多余的，闲置的，备用的，简陋的

tolerance ['tɔlərəns]

n. 忍耐力，宽容，容忍，公差

thoughtful     ['θɔ:tful] 

adj. 深思的，体贴的

permit    ['pə:mit,pə'mit]      

n. 许可证，执照

v. 允许，许可

withdraw        [wið'drɔ:]

vt. 撤回，取回，撤退

vi. 退回，撤退，

generous       ['dʒenərəs]    

adj. 慷慨的，宽宏大量的，丰盛的，味浓的

infinite    ['infinit]  

adj. 无限的，无穷的

n. 无限

preserve [pri'zə:v] 

v. 保存，保留，维护

n. 蜜饯，禁猎区

hatred    ['heitrid] 

n. 憎恶，憎恨，怨恨

opponent      [ə'pəunənt]    

n. 对手，敌手，反对者

adj. 敌对的，反

decision  [di'siʒən]

n. 决定，决策

esteem   [is'ti:m]   

n. 尊敬

vt. 认为，尊敬

track       [træk]    

n. 小路，跑道，踪迹，轨道，乐曲

v. 跟踪

emotional      [i'məuʃənl]     

adj. 感情的，情绪的

uncontrolled        

adj. 不受控制的

procession     [prə'seʃən]     

n. 队伍，行列

v. 列队行进

reaction  [ri'ækʃən]      

n. 反应，反作用力，化学反应

popularity      [.pɔpju'læriti] 

n. 普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考资料：

1. 大学英语精读(第三版) 第二册:Unit2b The American Ideal of a Great Leader(1)_大学教材听力 - 可可英语
2. 大学英语精读(第三版) 第二册:Unit2b The American Ideal of a Great Leader(2)_大学教材听力 - 可可英语

大学英语精读(第三版) 第二册:Unit2b The American Ideal of a Great Leader(3)_大学教材听力 - 可可英语