RalphWaldoEmerson
Towardsallthisexternalevilthemanwithinthebreastassumesawarlikeattitude, , -trustwhichslightstherestraintsofprudence, , butpleasantlyandasitweremerrilyheadvancestohisownmusic, ; thereissomewhatnotholyinit; itseemsnottoknowthatothersoulsareofonetexturewithit; ithathpride; , andthereforeisalwaysright; andalthoughadifferentbreeding, differentreligionandgreaterintellectualactivitywouldhavemodifiedorevenreversedtheparticularaction, yetfortheherothatthinghedoesisthehighestdeed, , ofhealth, oflife, ofdanger, ofhatred, ofreproach, andthatheknowsthathiswillishigherandmoreexcellentthanallactualandallpossibleantagonists.
Thecharacteristicofgenuineheroism, , , abidebyyourself, , , , , “Alwaysdowhatyouareafraidtodo”.
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1) What’saherolikeinEmerson’seyesaccordingtothetwoparagraphs?
2) Findthetopicsentenceforeachparagraphwithsupportingsentences.
3) Whatistheessenceofheroismaccordingtothefirstparagraph? Whatkindofbalanceshouldaheromake?
4) What’sanimportantcharacteristicofheroism? HowisitrelatedtoEmerson’sremark “Aheroisnobraverthananordinaryman, butheisbravefiveminuteslonger”?
5) Commentonthelastsentence “Alwaysdowhatyouareafraidtodo”.Doyouagree? Whyorwhynot?
’sheroandgiveyourreasons.
Notes
(1899-1961): HewasanAmericanauthor, journalistandwinnerofthe1954NobelPrizeinLiterature.AsoneofthemostfamousAmericanwritersofthe20thcentury, hisfishingandwartimeexperiencecontributedtohismasterpiecesTheOldManandtheSea, ForWhomtheBellTolls, .
: Anyofcertainpotentiallydangeroussharksinthemackerelsharkfamily.
: ASpanishwordmeaning “sharpteeth”.Herethewordreferstoatypeofsharkwithverybigteeth.
: Atwo-timeAmericanLeagueMostValuablePlayerin1940s, andoneofthegreatestbaseballplayersever — — traitstheoldmanshowsthroughouthisthree-dayjourney.
: ’sfather.
(1876-1916): -educated, Londonbecameasailor, hobo, Alaskangoldminer, , suchasTheCalloftheWild (1903), TheSea-Wolf (1904), MartinEden(1909) , etc.
: , accompaniedbydryandhazyconditions, aftertherehasbeenakillingfrost.
(1803-1882): HewasanAmericanessayist, lecturer, andpoet, , andhedisseminatedhisthoughtsthroughdozensofpublishedessaysandmorethan1,500publiclecturesacrosstheU.S.
ForFun
