Passage two
In April 1845, when John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln at Fort’s Theatre, the curtain finally fell on a play that had began almost as soon as the Americans colonies gained their independence from England. In 1776, American’s Declaration of Independence declared that “all men are created equal”; 44 years later we were wrestling with a question: how can a nation founded on the idea of individual freedom reconcile with the existence of human slavery?
In 1819, 22 states were in the Union, 11 Free and 11 Slave. The South’s economy was based on the growing of cotton, and cotton was profitable on the backs of slaves. As new states were admitted to the Union, the South wanted as many as possible to be slave states, not only to support their economy, but to prevent the North from obtaining a majority in Congress and quite possibly changing the Constitution to outlaw slavery completely. This issue came to a head when Missouri applied to be admitted as a slave state. Thomas Jefferson called the debate that began with Missouri “l(fā)ike a fireball in the night”, which awakened me and filled me with terror. I considered it at once the knell （喪鐘）of the nation.”
War was avoided the time as compromise was reached and Missouri would be admitted as a slave state. Maine, the next state admitted to the Union, would be admitted as free, thereby preserving the balance of power in the Congress.
By 1860, when the new Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln for President, compromise would no longer work. Lincoln wanted to contain the spread of slavery. With Lincoln’s election in November that year, the South felt that it was only a matter of time before the Southern States lost their slim Democratic Party majority to those who wished to abolish slavery. It was in this same year that John Wilkes Booth said that “So deep is my hatred for such men that I wish I had them in my grasp and I the power to crash.”
Equally passionate, Lincoln held that America was the “Last Best Hope on Earth” for freedom. The United States was unique in the family of nations. Of all the nations in the world, only America was governed by her people. Kings, Queens, Princes or Emperors ruled all the old world, where rights were held by the government and given to the people. In America, right were held by the people and given to the government. The iron was that the Old World had done away with slavery decades before, yet the United States, beacon（燈塔）of freedom---had human bondage（奴役）. Lincoln said it himself,” the nation cannot exist half-slave and half-free, it must be all of one thing or all of the other.”
26. We learn from the first paragraph that .
A the seed of the American Civil War were sown when the nation was founded
B John Wilkes Booth had plotted to kill Lincoln from the moment America gain its independence.
C all men in America obtained equal rights with the Declaration of Independence
D John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at the end of a performance in Ford’s Theatre.
27. The fundamental conflict between the Union and the South lies in .
A religious faiths
B political beliefs
C economic interests
D geographic differences
28. It can be inferred from the context of Para. 4 .
A John Wilkes Booth was one of the fireballs of the South
B the Democratic Party was strongly opposed to slavery
C with the election of Lincoln the South lost its majority in Congress
D the Civil War could have been avoided if Lincoln had not won the election
29. What did Lincoln wish to do when he became President of the United States?
A Make compromises
B Prevent the spread of slavery
C Strike a balance
D Get prepared for war
30. In what way was America unique in the family of nations .
A It was the only nation that allowed the existence of slavery
B It was the only nation that existed half-slave and half-free
C It was the only nation whose government gave rights to the people
D It was the only nation whose power of government was given by people
Passage three
