早读英语精华本下册 Unit13

　　Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin’s life is full of charming stories which all young men should know----how he peddled¹ ballads² in Boston, and stood, the guest of kings, in Europe; how he worked his passage as a stowaway³ to Philadelphia, and rode in the queen’s own litter in France; how he walked the streets of Philadelphia, homeless and unknown, with three-penny rolls for his breakfast, and dined at the tables of princess, and received his friends in a palace; how he raised a kite from a cow shed, and was showered with all the high degrees the colleges of the world could give; how he was duped by a false friend as a boy, and became the friend of all humanity as a man; how he was made Major General Franklin, only to resign because, as he said he was no soldier, and yet helped to organize the army that stood before the trained troops of England and Germany.
This poor Boston boy, with scarcely a day’s schooling⁴, became master of six languages and never stopped studying; this neglected apprentice⁵ tamed the lightning, made his name famous, received degrees and diplomas from colleges in both hemispheres, and became forever remembered as “Doctor Franklin”, philosopher, patriot⁶, scientist, philanthropist and statesman.
本杰明?富兰克林
富兰克林的一生充满了令人神往的故事，是青年人应该了解的。比如，他在波士顿是如何兜售民歌民谣的？是如何成为欧洲众多国王座上宾的？他是如何偷上了船，靠在船上打工才抵达费城的？又是如何在法国坐上王后专用车的？他又如何漫步于费城街道，无家可归，举目无亲，只买三便士的面包卷作为早餐的？又如何成为公主宴席上的座上客，并在王宫中接见朋友的？他如何从牛棚中放飞风筝？又是如何荣获全世界高等学府中像雪片般授予的学位的？在孩童时代他如何受到一个虚伪朋友的欺骗，而后来却成为全人类的朋友？他如何被授予富兰克林少将头衔的？——他拒绝接受军衔，说他自己不是士兵，但他帮助组织了一支军队，同训练有素的英德联军抗衡。
这位贫穷的波士顿孩子，几乎没有受过一天的正式教育，后来却掌握了六种语言，而且从来没有中断过学习。这位被人忽视的学徒却驯服了闪电，从而名扬天下，荣获了东西两半球许多大学的学位和证书，并成为永远被人们铭记的哲学家、爱国者、科学家、慈善家和政治家：“富兰克林博士”。

1 peddled   

（沿街）叫卖( peddle的过去式和过去分词 )； 兜售； 宣传； 散播

参考例句：

• He has peddled the myth that he is supporting the local population. 他散布说他支持当地群众。
• The farmer peddled his fruit from house to house. 那个农民挨家挨户兜售他的水果。

2 ballads   

民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴

参考例句：

• She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening. 她整晚一个接一个地大唱民谣和乡村小调。
• She taught him to read and even to sing two or three little ballads,accompanying him on her old piano. 她教他读书，还教他唱两三首民谣，弹着她的旧钢琴为他伴奏。

3 stowaway   

n.（藏于轮船，飞机中的）偷乘者

参考例句：

• The stowaway masqueraded as a crew member.偷渡者假扮成乘务员。
• The crew discovered the stowaway about two days into their voyage.船员在开船约两天后发现了那名偷乘者。

4 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

5 apprentice   

n.学徒，徒弟

参考例句：

• My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。
• The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

6 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。