公共英语四级辅导：PETS4阅读精讲（12）

　　Reading Comprehension
　　Thomas Jefferson
　　Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, may be less famous than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but most people remember at least one fact about him: he wrote the Declaration of Independence. That important document explained why the thirteen American colonies should become free form English rule.
　　Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, there is much that we can learn from him today. Many of his ideas are interesting to modern youth. Here are some of the things he said and wrote:
　　Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James River was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the other members of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers in the subject, Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot observations.
　　You can learn from everyone. In 1743 Jefferson was born into wealth. His father was an army colonel; his father was a member of an old and important family. By birth and by education he belonged to the highest social class. Yet, in a way when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Making people feel comfortable enough to talk freely is a real art. Jefferson once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette “you must go into the people’s homes as I have done, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand the revolution that is threatening France.”
　　Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other people’s opinions without careful thought.
　　“Neither believe nor reject anything,” he wrote to his nephew, “because any other has rejected or believed it. Heaven has given you a mind for judging truth and error. Use it.”
　　Jefferson’s statements about allowing expression of opinion have long been American’s guides. He felt that the people “may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
　　Do what you believe is right. In a free country there will always be conflicting ideas, and this is a source of strength. It is a conflict and not unquestioning agreement that keeps freedom alive. Though Jefferson was for many years the object of strong criticism, he never answered his critics. He expressed his philosophy in letters to his friend, General George Rogers Clarks who was also being unfairly criticized: “if you want to escape unfriendly comment, you should have remained within the sleepy line of regular duty. There are two sides to every question. If you take one side with decision and act on it with effect, those who take the other will of course resent your actions.”