Lecture Listening Five

姓名： 专业班级： 学号：

Now answer the following questions. You may use your notes to help you.
1). What aspect of Ben Franklin's life does the speaker mainly discuss?
(A) His role as a founding father (B) His career as a prolific inventor
(C) His literary accomplishments (D) His newspaper editorship
2). According to the professor, what resulted from Franklin's sense for unusual news stories?
(A) Reality TV shows (B) Tabloid newspapers
(C) Self-help guides (D) The K-I-S-S formula
3). What does the professor mean when he says this: "...and, of course, the lightening rod"?
(A) He assumes that most students know this fact.
(B) He is surprised that Franklin invented the lightening rod.
(C) He thinks it is Franklin's least important invention.
(D) He thinks someone else really invented this.
4). Why does the professor mention K-I-S-S?
(A) To point out one of Ben Franklin's faults.
(B) To highlight a point about Franklin's marriage.
(C) To explain one of Franklin's aphorisms.
(D) To exemplify Franklin's writing prescience.
5). What can be inferred about the professor?
(A) He thinks Franklin's writing is overrated. (B) He is a fan of well-written literature.
(C) He did not read Poor Richard's Almanack. (D) He wrote a book about Ben Franklin.
6). Which of the following is mentioned in the lecture as one of Franklin's contributions to
American literature?
(A) His verbosity (B) His fiction writing
(C) His frequent opining (D) His conservative sensibilities
Listen to the lecture again and then complete the following passage. (写句子，从 2’15’’开始)
Franklin made three great contributions to American literature. 1 , instead of simply
reporting on current events -- um, much in the vein of a modern newspaper columnist. Through
his writings, 2 , by shifting Americans' consciousness from a spiritual
Puritanism to, uh, secular rationalism, which was characteristic of eighteenth century
enlightenment. He thus created a percep [false start] uh, a dawning awareness that 3
. Poor Richard's Almanack and his Autobiography, for example, are written in the style of self-help
guides. They're packed with enlightenment maxims such as "an investment in knowledge pays the
best interest," "time is money," and "hear reason, or she'll make you feel her." Franklin imbued his
journalism with a similar tone. In an article entitled "Death of a Drunk," for instance, 4
. Author Robert Arner said that Franklin's writings "demonstrate a," um, "deep and abiding belief
in the power of the press to educate the public on topical issues."

Vocabulary
renowned, famous 有名的
proprietor, owner 所有人
avid 酷爱…的
prolific (作家) 多产的，多作品的
bifocals 眼镜
odometer 里程表
lightening rod 避雷针
legacy 遗产
Hemingway （美国作家）海明威
F. Scott Fitzgerald （美国作家）菲茨杰拉德
Mark Twain （美国作家）马克吐温
sensibility 感悟
accomplishment 成就
Autobiography 富兰克林作品《自传》
New England Courant 富兰克林创办的《新英格兰报》
The Spectator 英国 18 世纪报纸《观察家报》
innate 天生的
concise 简洁的
acclaim 称赞
current events 实事
in the vein of， 以… 样的风格
columnist 专栏作家
Puritanism 新教
Secular 世俗的
Poor Richard’s Almanack 富兰克林作品《穷查理年鉴》
maxim 格言
imbue… with 灌输
abiding belief 长久的信仰
The Pennsylvania Gazette 富兰克林创办的《宾夕法尼亚报》
offbeat 不同寻常的
decapitate 杀头，斩首
adulterer 奸夫，通奸者
fiddler 骗子
capsize 倾覆
canoe 独木舟
sensationalistic 耸人听闻的
venerable 令人仰慕的
permeate 弥漫，渗透
tabloid 小报
contemporary 同代人
dwell on 思考，盘算
coinage 铸造
aphorism 格言，警句
brevity 简短
dispense 赋予、给予
certitude 确信
catchy 容易记住的
formula 方案
David Hume （苏格兰哲学家）大卫·休谟
man of letters 文人