【初中英语听力小故事一】uliusCaesar
尤里乌斯.凯撒
NearlytwothousandyearsagotherelivedinRomeamanwhosenamewasJuliusCaesar.Hewasthegreatestofallthe
Romans.Whywashesogreat
大约两千年前，罗马有一个名叫尤利乌斯·凯撒的人。他是全体罗马人中最伟大的人。他为什么这么伟大呢
Hewasabravewarrior，andhadconqueredmanycountriesforRome.Hewaswiseinplanninganddoing.Heknewhowtomakemenbothloveandfearhim.
他是个勇敢的战士，为罗马征服了许多国家。他计划周密，办事精明。他懂得如何让人们既爱他又怕他。
AtlasthemadehimselftherulerofRome.Somesaidhewishedtobecomeitsking.ButtheRomansatthattimedidnotbelieveinkings.
最后他让自己当上了罗马的统治者。有人说他想成为罗马国王。但那时候罗马并不信任国王。
OncewhenCaesarwaspassingthroughalittlecountryvillage,allthemen,womenandchildrenoftheplacecameouttoseehim.Therewerenotmorethanfiftyofthem,alltogether,andtheywereledbytheirmayor，whotoldeachonewhattodo.
有一次，凯撒途经一个小村庄，这个地方的男女老少都出来看他。总共不到50人，由他们的市长率领。市长告诉每一个人做什么:
ThesesimplepeoplestoodbytheroadsideandwatchedCaesarpass.Themayorlookedveryproudandhappy;forwashenottherulerofthisvillageHefeltthathewasalmostasgreatasCaesarhimself.
这些纯朴的人站在路边看着凯撒走过。市长看上去既骄傲又得意，难道不是因为他是这个村庄的统治者吗他感到自己几乎像凯撒一样伟大了。
SomeoftherankingofficerswhowerewithCaesarlaughed.Theysaid,"Seehowthatfellowstrutsattheheadofhislittleflock!”
随同凯撒的一些高级官员都笑了。他们说:“看，这群人前头的那个家伙有多神气呀!”
"Laughasyouwill."saidCaesar,hehasreasontobeproud."IwouldratherbetheheadmanofavillagethanthesecondmaninRome!"
“你们想怎么笑就怎么笑吧，”凯撒说。他有他骄傲的理由。“我宁愿做一村之长，也不做罗马的第二号人物。”
Atanothertime,Caesarwascrossinganarrowseainaboat.Beforehewashalfwaytothefarthershore,astormovertookhim.Thewindblewhard;thewavesdashedhigh;thelightningflashed;thethunderrolled.
还有一次，凯撒乘小船横渡一个不宽的海面。划出还不到一半的路程时，遇到了暴风雨风猛烈地刮着，波浪冲天，电闪雷鸣。
Itseemedeveryminuteasthoughtheboatwouldsink.Thecaptainwasingreatfright.Hehadcrossedtheseamanytimes,butneverinsuchastormasthis.Hetrembledwithfear;hecouldnotguidetheboat;hefelldownuponhisknees;hemoaned,"Allislost!Allislost!"
看上去这条船马上就要沉没了。船长害怕极了。他曾多次横渡大海，但是从没有遇到过这样的暴风雨。他吓得浑身发抖，无法再掌舵了。他跪下嘟咬着:“全完了!全完了!”
ButCaesarwasnotafraid.Hebadethemangetupandtakehisoarsagain."Whyshouldyoubeafraid"hesaid."Theboatwillnotbelost;foryouhaveCaesaronboard."
但是凯撒一点也不害怕。他吩咐那个人站起来，重新拿起浆来。“你为什么害怕呢”他问。“这条船不会沉没的，因为凯撒在船上。”
【初中英语听力小故事二】CaesarAugustus
凯撒·奥古斯都
ManyconsiderAugustustobeRome'sgreatestemperor;hispoliciescertainlyextendedtheEmpire'slifespanandinitiatedthecelebratedPaxRomanaorPaxAugusta.Hewasintelligent,decisive，andashrewdpolitician,buthewasnotperhapsascharismaticasJuliusCaesar,Nevertheless,hislegacyprovedmoreenduring.
许多人认为奥古斯都是罗马最伟大的皇帝。其政策无疑大大延长了罗马的寿命，并开启了罗马的盛世，即“罗马和平”或“奥古斯都的和平”。奥古斯都悟性很高，能断大事，是极狡猾的一名政治天才。他并不像尤利鸟斯·凯撒般光彩照人，但其留给后人的遗产却更持久。
ThelongevityofAugustus'reignanditslegacytotheRomanworldshouldnotbeoverlookedasakeyfactorinitssuccess.AsTacituswrote,theyoungergenerationsaliveinAD14hadneverknownanyformofgovernmentotherthanthePrincipate.HadAugustusdiedearlier(in23BC,forinstance),mattersmighthaveturnedoutdifferently.TheattritionofthecivilwarsontheoldRepublicanoligarchyandthelongevityofAugustus,therefore,mustbeseenasmajorcontributingfactorsinthetransformationoftheRomanstateintoamonarchyintheseyears.
奥古斯都的长久统治和他留给罗马的遗产是他成功的关键因素之一。正如Tacitus所写的那样，生活在公元14年的人，除了元首制外，不知道还有其他制度。要是他死得更早一些(比如公元前23年)，事情可能就大不一样了。罗马共和国寡头政治时期的连年内战和奥古斯都的长寿，是罗马由共和制转为帝制的决定性因素。
Augustus'ownexperience,hispatience,histact,andhispoliticalacumenalsoplayedtheirparts.HedirectedthefutureoftheEmpiredownmanylastingpaths,fromtheexistenceofastandingprofessionalarmystationedatornearthefrontiers,tothedynasticprinciplesooftenemployedintheimperialsuccession,totheembellishmentofthecapitalattheemperor'sexpense.Augustus'ultimatelegacywasthepeaceandprosperitytheEmpireenjoyedforthenexttwocenturiesunderthesystemheinitiated.
奥古斯都个人的城府、忍耐、手腕和他如日中天的政治声望也起了一定作用。其制定了在很多方面影响了以后的帝国政策:维持常备军并屯军于边，皇位的继承原则与方式，使用皇帝的经费建设首都。其最重要的遗产是建立了能让帝国在未来二百年维持和平与繁荣的制度。
HismemorywasenshrinedinthepoliticalethosoftheImperialageasaparadigmofthegoodemperor.EveryemperorofRomeadoptedhisname,CaesarAugustus,whichgraduallylostitscharacterasanameandeventuallybecameatitle.
在帝国时代，他的行为被奉为明君典范。虽然后世罗马皇帝都袭用“凯撒·奥古斯都”的称号，但只有少数人真正配得上。
【初中英语听力小故事三】BenjaminFranklin
本杰明·富兰克林
Franklin'sparentswerebothpiousPuritans.ThefamilyattendedtheoldSouthChurch,themostliberalPuritancongregationinBoston,whereBenjaminFranklinwasbaptizedin1706.
富兰克林的双亲皆为虔诚的清教徒，他们加入了波士顿最自由的清教徒们所参加的古老的南方教堂，富兰克林也于1706年在那里受洗礼。
Franklin'sfather,apoorchandler,ownedacopyofabook,Bonifacius:EssaystoDoGood,bythePuritanpreacherandfamilyfriendCottonMather,whichFranklinoftencitedasakeyinfluenceonhislife.Thebookpreachedtheimportanceofformingvoluntaryassociationstobenefitsociety.Franklinlearnedaboutformingdo-goodassociationsfromCottonMather,buthisorganizationalskillsmadehimthemostinfluentialforceinmakingvoluntarismanenduringpartoftheAmericanethos.
他的父亲是位贫困的杂货商，拥有一本Bonifacius的书，书名为:行善箴言，这本书是一个清教传教士也是富兰克林家族的朋友CottonMather写的。此人对富兰克林的人生产生了关键性的影响。书中亦提及:成立志愿协会对社会的好处。从CottonMather身上，富兰克林得知成立行善协会将会对社会产生贡献，但富兰克林的组织才能使其成为影响形成美国人坚忍个性的最主要力量。
Franklinformulatedapresentationofhisbeliefsandpublisheditin1728.ItdidnotmentionmanyofthePuritanideasasregardsbeliefinsalvation,thedivinityofJesus,andindeedmostreligiousdogma.Heclarifiedhimselfasadeistinhis1771autobiography,althoughhestillconsideredhimselfaChristian.HeretainedastrongfaithinaGodasthewellspringofmoralityandgoodnessinman,andasaprovidentialactorinhistoryresponsibleforAmericanindependence.
富兰克林在1728年公开了他的信仰并出版了一本书，书中并未提及诸多清教徒们的思想，像救世、地狱、耶稣的神威等等。他也在1776年的自传中澄清，自己身为一位自然神论者，虽然他仍保有着对上帝的坚强的信念:道德善良的人们及清教徒对美国独立的责任。
Whenhestoppedattendingchurch,Franklinwroteinhisautobiography:"Sundaybeingmystudyingday,Ineverwaswithoutsomereligiousprinciples.Ineverdoubted,forinstance,theexistenceoftheDeity;thatHemadetheworld,andgoverneditbyHisprovidence;thatthemostacceptableserviceofGodwasthedoinggoodtoman;thatoursoulsareimmortal;andthatallcrimewillbepunished,andvirtuerewarded,eitherhereorhereafter."
当富兰克林停止去教会后，他在他的自传中写道，“星期天是我学习的日子，我坚守信仰且从未怀疑过，比如我相信:神的存在;他创造了这个世界，并以他的远见来治理，最令人接受的服务，便是对人类做些有益的事;我们的灵魂是不朽的，不论现在或未来，所有的罪犯都将受到惩处，而坚贞的美德都将受到赞赏。”
【初中英语听力小故事四】ThomasJefferson
托马斯·杰斐逊
WhilethePresidentialelectionwastakingplaceintheHouseofRepresentatives,amidscenesofgreatexcitement,strifeandintrigue,whichwastodecidewhetherJeffersonorBurrshouldbethechiefmagistrateofthenation,Jeffersonwasstoppedoneday,ashewascomingoutoftheSenatechamber,byGovernorMorris,aprominentleaderoftheFederalists.
当总统选举正在众议院进行的时候，在决定到底应该是杰斐逊还是博尔做国家总统的异常激烈而又充满斗争和阴谋的一幕幕当中，一天，正当杰斐逊走出参议院的时候，他被莫里斯州长，一个卓越的北部联邦同盟盟员的领导人拦住了。
Mr.Morrissaid,"Iwishtohaveanearnesttalkwithyou,Mr.Jefferson,onthealarmingsituationofthings."
莫里斯先生说:“杰斐逊先生，我想就这一令人担忧的形势和你进行一次诚恳的交谈。”
"Iamveryglad,"saidJefferson,"totalkmattersoverwithyou."
我非常愿意，”杰弗逊说，“和你讨论这些问题。”
"Asyouwellknow,"saidMr.Morris,"Ihavebeenstrenuouslyopposingyou,ashavealsothelargemajorityofthe
States."
“正像你所熟知的那样，”莫里斯先生说，“我一直都在坚决反对你，就像美国的绝大多数人那样。”
"Tobefrankwithyou,"hecontinued,"weareverymuchafraidofyou.Wefear,first,thatyouwillturnallthe
Federalistsoutofoffice;second,thatyouwillputdownthenavy;third,thatyouwillwipeoffthepublicdebt.Now,ifyouwilldeclare,orauthorizeyourfriendstodeclarethatyouwillnottakethesesteps,yourelectionwillbemadesure."
Mr.Jeffersonreplied,"GovernorMorris,InaturallywanttobePresident,andyetIcannotmakeanytermstoobtaintheposition.Ishallnevergointotheofficebycapitulation.IcannothavemyhandstiedbyanyconditionswhichwouldhindermefrompursuingthemeasureswhichIdeembestforthepublicgood.Imustbeperfectlyfree.TheworldcanjudgemyfuturecoursebythatwhichIhavehithertofollow.Iamthankfultoyouforyourinterest,butIcannotmaketheslightestpromise."