How’s this for a coincidence (巧合)? Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born in the same year, on the same day: Feb. 12, 1809. Although people hardly think of them together, we want to say that they belong together. It’s not just because they are both great men, and not because they happened to live at the same time. Rather, it’s because the scientist and the politician each started a revolution that changed the world. They are both revolutionaries in the sense that both men changed the reality when they were born. They seem and sound modern to us, because the world they left behind them is more or less the one we still live in. So, considering the joint greatness of their contributions and the coincidence of their birthdays—it is hard to wonder: who was the greatest man? It’s an apples and oranges-or Superman vs. Santa-comparison. But if you limit the question to influence, very quickly the balance tips in Lincoln’s favor. As great as his book on evolution is, it does no harm to remember that Darwin hurried to publish The Origin of Species because he thought he was about to be scooped (抢先) by his fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. Lincoln, however, is unique. True, his election as the president did cause the recession (经济衰退) and the war, but that war seemed certain to happen—not a question of if but when. Certainly we know what happened after he was murdered: Reconstruction was organized and then abandoned, leaving the issue of racial (种族的) equality unsolved for another century. Surely we should not deny Darwins’ accomplishment. But their same birthdays gave us great opportunity to observe these men of their time.【小题1】Why does the author say Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln belong together? A．They were born on the same day. B．They lived in the same period of time. C．They started revolutions changing the world. D．They were both great men in history. 【小题2】What does the author mean by “an apples and oranges-or Superman vs. Santa-comparison”? A．It is hard to tell which one is greater as they are both outstanding. B．The comparison between Darwin and Lincoln is easy and obvious. C．It is difficult to compare them as they are as famous as Superman and Santa. D．There is no point comparing them because they were born on the same day. 【小题3】Which of the following can best describe Lincoln’s contributions to the world? A．Narrow. B．Objective. C．Challenging. D．Groundbreaking. 【小题4】What can we learn from the passage? A．Lincoln’s success in election caused Reconstruction. B．Lincoln had tried to solve the racial problem. C．Darwin was unique compared with Lincoln. D．Darwin,s theory is similar to Lincoln’s belief.
How’s this for a coincidence (巧合)? Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born in the same year, on the same day: Feb. 12, 1809. Although people hardly think of them together, we want to say that they belong together. It’s not just because they are both great men, and not because they happened to live at the same time. Rather, it’s because the scientist and the politician each started a revolution that changed the world.
They are both revolutionaries in the sense that both men changed the reality when they were born. They seem and sound modern to us, because the world they left behind them is more or less the one we still live in. So, considering the joint greatness of their contributions and the coincidence of their birthdays—it is hard to wonder: who was the greatest man? It’s an apples and oranges-or Superman vs. Santa-comparison. But if you limit the question to influence, very quickly the balance tips in Lincoln’s favor.
As great as his book on evolution is, it does no harm to remember that Darwin hurried to publish The Origin of Species because he thought he was about to be scooped (抢先) by his fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. Lincoln, however, is unique. True, his election as the president did cause the recession (经济衰退) and the war, but that war seemed certain to happen—not a question of if but when. Certainly we know what happened after he was murdered: Reconstruction was organized and then abandoned, leaving the issue of racial (种族的) equality unsolved for another century.
Surely we should not deny Darwins’ accomplishment. But their same birthdays gave us great opportunity to observe these men of their time.
【小题1】Why does the author say Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln belong together?| A．They were born on the same day. | B．They lived in the same period of time. |
| C．They started revolutions changing the world. | D．They were both great men in history. |
| A．It is hard to tell which one is greater as they are both outstanding. |
| B．The comparison between Darwin and Lincoln is easy and obvious. |
| C．It is difficult to compare them as they are as famous as Superman and Santa. |
| D．There is no point comparing them because they were born on the same day. |
| A．Narrow. | B．Objective. | C．Challenging. | D．Groundbreaking. |
| A．Lincoln’s success in election caused Reconstruction. |
| B．Lincoln had tried to solve the racial problem. |
| C．Darwin was unique compared with Lincoln. |
| D．Darwin,s theory is similar to Lincoln’s belief. |
题目解答
答案
【小题1】C
【小题2】A
【小题3】D
【小题4】B
解析
文章讲述了Charles Darwin和Abraham Lincoln的出生日期巧合，以及他们各自对世界的影响。问题要求我们理解作者为什么说他们属于一起，以及作者对他们的评价。
步骤 2：分析问题1
问题1询问作者为什么说Charles Darwin和Abraham Lincoln属于一起。根据文章，他们不仅出生在同一天，而且他们各自发起的革命改变了世界。
步骤 3：分析问题2
问题2询问作者通过“an apples and oranges-or Superman vs. Santa-comparison”想表达什么。根据文章，作者认为很难比较他们谁更伟大，因为他们都是杰出的人物。
步骤 4：分析问题3
问题3询问哪个选项最能描述Lincoln对世界的贡献。根据文章，Lincoln的贡献是开创性的，因为他改变了现实。
步骤 5：分析问题4
问题4询问我们能从文章中学到什么。根据文章，Lincoln试图解决种族问题，但未能成功。