BBC初级口语:传奇总统的亲笔信A Letter from a Legend
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】
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
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重点单词查看全部解释inauguration[in.ɔ:gju'reiʃən]想一想再看
n. 就职典礼，落成典礼，开幕仪式
austere[ɔ:'stiə]想一想再看
adj. 严峻的，严格的，简朴的，禁欲的，苦行的
联想记忆X单词austere联想记忆：au读：诶哟，stere冷－诶哟，好一个冷美人－朴素的 imminent['iminənt]
想一想再看
adj. 逼近的，即将发生的
联想记忆X单词imminent联想记忆：im进入，minent突出－突然进入－迫近的 disbelief[i'li:f]
想一想再看
n. 不相信，怀疑
联想记忆X单词disbelief联想记忆：belief（n 信任；信仰） candidate['kændidit]
想一想再看
n. 候选人，求职者
联想记忆X单词candidate联想记忆：cand白，古代候选人穿白袍+ate表名词，“人或地位”→候选人 legend['ledʒənd]
想一想再看
n. 传说，传奇
联想记忆X单词legend联想记忆：leg腿，end完：腿完蛋了，是因为没有看图例，所以跑路 renowned[ri'naund]
想一想再看
adj. 有名的，有声誉的
联想记忆X单词renowned联想记忆：源于：renown（n 名望）re反复，nown＝name－名字反复出现－名望 terse[tə:s]
想一想再看
adj. 简洁的，简明的
联想记忆X单词terse联想记忆：读：特死，就是特务死了的简便说法－简洁的
