对话文本

Background: 美国前总统林肯多年前写给一名男孩的书信以6万美元的高价（41万人民币）在美国售出。当这名八岁男孩告诉同学他见到了总统时，不仅没人相信而且他还受到众人的一阵讥讽。

【文本】

Abraham Lincoln was facing the biggest crisis in American history. The Southern states had seceded from the Union and civil war was imminent.

But shortly after his inauguration in 1861 he still found time to write to a distressed eight year-old boy. George Patton had met the newly-nominated candidate the year before with his journalist father but he faced howls of disbelief when he told his classmates.

A teacher wrote to the White House and back came the terse four-line reply confirming the meeting.

Abraham Lincoln set the ideal for the presidency that all his successors have aspired to. The brief letter feeds the legend of the man and the austere gentility for which he was renowned.

口语突破

【口语突破】

crisis
危机

seceded
推出/脱离

the Union
联邦政府

civil war
内战

imminent
即将爆发的

inauguration
就职仪式

distressed
压抑的

newly-nominated candidate
新任命的候选人

howls of disbelief
一阵讥讽

terse
简短的

set the ideal
创立了一种理想

successors
继任

aspired to
渴望/追求

austere
严格的/严厉的

gentility
绅士气派/优雅

renowned
著名的

（可可英语版权所有,转载请注明出处）