【新视野大学英语读写教程第三册】Unit4 Five Famous Symbols of American Culture 讲义.ppt

* * * * * * * * Back N H C E Interactive Mode IV It is said that times produce their heroes. If so, the greatness of Abraham Lincoln lies in his epoch that gave full play to his talents in abolishing slavery and bringing states into a unity, which in turn proved him to be a symbol of justice and democracy. Uncle Sam was born into the era of American Revolution to liberate America from Britain, thus turning him into a figure of trust, strength, and patriotism. For more Lei Feng is a hero of times in our culture. In effect, Lei Feng was a mirror of the age when the Chinese people were full of enthusiasm for socialist construction as well as gratitude for their liberty. But the concept of times and heroes has no bearing on the birth of Confucius. Instead, he was such a great philosopher that his school of thought has had great effect on our pattern of seeing things. * Back N H C E Scripts “It’s as American as baseball, hot dogs and apple pie” is commonly used to express that something owes its invention to the United States. But, while very few would dispute baseball’s origin, the claim to hot dogs and apple pie can be argued at length. Here are five more inventions and symbols that are definitely American: the Statue of Liberty, which, though given as a gift from the French, For more has always symbolized the concept of freedom; the Barbie doll, which has become the queen of all toys; American Gothic, a portrait showing a farmer and his wife; the Buffalo nickel, a tribute to the buffalo and the Native American people who were killed and displaced to make room for European expansion; and finally, the image of Uncle Sam, which represents American resolve, strength, and patriotism. * Back N H C E Watch Discuss The Statue of Liberty stands not only for the most important event in the US history, the War of Independence, but also for the nation’s quest for the spirit of liberty, as the Declaration of Independence goes, “ We hold these truths to be self-evident