The Story of the Gettysburg Address (葛底斯堡演说)
By Leslie W. Leavitt & Abraham Lincoln
One of the great and bloody battles of the war was the battle of Gettysburg. Here the Southern armies were beaten and driven back into the South, but not until many thousands of brave men on both sides had lost their lives. They were buried where they fell.
Later a great meeting was held on the battlefield of Gettysburg to honor the brave dead. Thousands of people came from miles around to the meeting, and to hear the two speakers, Mr. Everett and President Lincoln. Mr. Everett was a man of wide experience, the president of a college, one who had travelled much, a fine speaker. He spoke for two hours.
Lincoln rose to speak. He had given but little thought and time to what he was to say, and had only just finished writing the end of his speech before riding out to the field. He stood before the greatest crowd, tall and thin, his sad face showing the sorrow of the war. He was silent for a moment, and then, as though he did not see the crowd, he spoke slowly, in a high voice, for three minutes. Its simple and beautiful English, its noble meaning and forgiving spirit, make it one of the greatest speeches of the world. Its famous ending is well known:
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish(湮灭) from the earth.”
4. Who do the underlined words in Paragraph 2 “the brave dead” refer to?
A.The buried Southern armies. | B.The dead Northern soldiers. |
C.The late brave on both sides. | D.The people to the battlefield. |
5. What can we learn about the two speakers?
A.They were presidents of the nation. | B.They both had rich experience in field trip. |
C.They made long-term preparations. | D.They gave fine addresses in different manners. |
6. Which of the following is NOT a reason to make Lincoln’s speech great?
A.The plain and literary style. | B.The slow pace and the high voice. |
C.The high purpose of the great task. | D.The spirit of pardon and tolerance. |
7. What does Lincoln think of the great cause?
A.No longer unforgettable. | B.Far from nobly advanced. |
C.Well worth increased devotion. | D.In a vain attempt and resolution. |