Passage 1. Gettysburg Address
1. Why did President Abraham Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg address?
The country brought forth upon Four score and seven years ago was faced with a great civil to test whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure, and the soldiers were met on a great battle-field of that war. Lincoln as the present deliver the speech to cheer the soldiers up to achieve the final success.
At the same it was a speech to mark these bravery men, the heroes who had given their lives so that the country would live.
2. What is the responsibility of the living according to Abraham Lincoln?
Firstly the living should dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Secondly they should dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives. But it was hard for them to hallow this ground, instead they should be dedicated here to the unfinished work and the task remaining before them.
The third was that they should 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 from the earth.
Passage 2. I Have a Dream
3. What are Dr. Martin Luther King’s purposes of his speech “I have a dream”?
Martin Luther King joined in what will go down in history, as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of USA, in that time, the negroes still were not free, and the speech was a struggle to earn the freedom and equality for the negroes.
Firstly he came there to dramatize a shameful condition of the government.
Secondly he wanted to call the government to take measure as soon as possible to cash the check that black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the \"unalienable Rights\" of \"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.\"
Last but not least, he was going to call on the negroes to come together to struggle for their freedom and equality, and always go ahead.
4. What do you know about the living conditions of the blacks as are described in the speech “I have a dream”?
The Negro still was not free, and they were still suffering oppression and injustice. They were forced to live in the slums, and were refused to live in the hotels of the cities. They had no right to vote. It seemed impossible that a black man would be voted as the president.
And in that time, the black man would be judged by the color if their skin instead of by the content of their character.
Passage 3. J. K. Rowling Harvard Commencement Address
5. Briefly retell and analyze how J. K Rowling began her Harvard commencement address.
First she uses joked, self-deprecating language, as a kindly and humorous woman, on the one hand to ease their tension, on the other hand, to create a relaxed atmosphere conducive to begin her speech. The ridicule language is well suited to her this fantasy novelist with smart and keen. And this self-deprecating language as the women also won't let a person feel too much or vulgar.
6. J. K. Rowling mentioned in her address two themes. One is failure. Tell us the other and how she explained the importance of the theme.
The other is the importance of imagination. The imagination is not only the imagination of things that don't exist, as the fount of all invention and innovation, but also a transformative and revelatory capacity. Imagination can let us share those who have never experienced life, those who have a totally different life. These allow us to obtain the ability of understanding and sympathy.
7. What hopes did J. K. Rowling have for Harvard graduates of the year?
She hope that graduate can get friends of whole the life, whom you can be able to turn in times of trouble. When you graduate and get into the society, you will never have the same experience and same friendship. And the other one is a words of the life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters. Happiness is always important things.
Passage 4. King George VI Speech
8. Why did King George VI give this speech?
This speech was delivered in 1939 September 3rd, and in September 1st the same year, which is two days ago, the German invasion of Poland, beginning the second world war. The king's speech on one hand is show the position that Britain declared war on Germany, on the other hand is to establish the justice of the war that their fighting is for the peace. That can inspire people's morale.
9. At the end of the speech, the King said: “…, we shall prevail.” What should the British do in order to “prevail”?
Germany launched the invasion war, breaking the peace situation. And the British`s counterattack is for the peace, for the freedom, which belongs to the right side, will be recognized by the vast majority of people in the world. Their people will unite, actively fighting. In other one, Good prevails over evil, Justice Party will win.
Passage 5. RFK Speech
10. What comments did Robert Kennedy give to Martin Luther King in the speech?
Robert Kennedy was sorry for his death. And he think that Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings and died in the cause of that effort. Martin Luther King was kind, brave and great, he try to understand, to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed plrthat has spread across US, He given every people, no matter black or white, compassion and love. He is worth every one’s honor.
11. What did Robert Kennedy call on American people, both the white people and the black people, to do after the assassination of Martin Luther King?
It's time to think what kind of a nation they are and what direction they want to move in. People shouldn’t be filled with bitterness, and with hatred, and a desire for revenge. Everybody should shake hands with one another to live peacefully together, to understand, and to comprehend, and make an effort to understand, to get beyond, or go beyond these
rather difficult times for US.
Passage 6. Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Address 2005
12. Why did Steve Jobs drop out of Reed College?
Because sfter six-month's study in the college, he found that he couldn't see the value in it. He was confused about what he wanted to do with his life and had no idea how college was going to help him figure it out. Moreover, the expensive college costthe money his parents had saved their entire life. Therefore, he chose to drop out and begin dropping in on the courses that looked interesting.
13. When and why was Steve Jobs fired by the company he had founded?
He was fired by the company he had founded when at age 30,because he hired someone who he thought was very talented to run the company, but gradually their visions of the future began to diverge and eventually they had a falling out,and the Board of Directors did not side with Steve Jobs
