Lesson 5 He Led a Useful Life

Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Benjamin Franklin would seem right at home among us if he were alive today. In fact, he did a lot to shape our way of life. Right now you are probably nodding your head and thinking, “Oh, yes—we learned all about old B.F. in the fifth grade.” But let’s see whether you really know “all about him”.

You probably know that he was a stout[1] old fellow with a bald head who flew a kite with a key fastened to it and signed the Declaration of Independence. All that is true, but there is a lot more to know about this man who had so many useful ideas and served his country in so many different ways.

Franklin had a practical mind. When he saw a problem, he tried to do something about it. The houses of Philadelphia were built of wood and easily caught fire.Neighbors tried to help each other, but they could do little to save a burning house.So Franklin organized a fire-fighting company. Philadelphia’s fire loss became so low that the first fire-insurance company in the United States was soon set up there. Ben Franklin was one of its directors. He also persuaded the city to pave[2] and light its streets. Again, the fact that people had trouble keeping their houses warm in winter set Franklin’s active mind to work. He decided that the big fireplaces were to blame.Because they were set deep into the wall, they did not let enough heat reach the middle of the room. So he drew some plans and hired an ironworker to make the potbellied Franklin stove. It stood in the middle of a room and threw off heat in every direction.

He did not patent the invention. He was too busy with his discoveries to bother with making money. Although he was a wealthy man by the time he was forty-two,money by itself did not interest him. He valued it because it enabled him to retire from business. Then he had time to spend on other things that seemed more worthwhile.What he really cared for most of all was science.

Franklin was always trying to answer the question, what makes things act the way they do? At that time learned men were puzzled about electricity. They wondered whether it was in some way like the lightning in a thunderstorm. It might be, but how could you prove it? You know how Ben Franklin proved it—by coaxing[3] some electricity down his kite string. That act made him famous in America and Europe. But of course Franklin did not stop there. He found a way to make the knowledge useful: he invented the lightning rod.

Franklin would gladly have spent the rest of his days in quiet study and research.But he was a very important person now, and the country needed him for public service.

Disagreement between the colonies and the British was becoming quite serious.Pennsylvania needed a representative in England. Would Dr. Franklin accept the post?He would. He went to London and stayed there for more than ten years. He did his best and may have helped to delay the war. But both sides were too angry to reach agreement. Franklin returned home just as the Revolutionary War began, arriving in time to sign the Declaration of Independence.

He was now seventy years old, and his health was not good. He would gladly have settled down at home. But America needed help from France to carry on the war, and she asked Dr. Franklin to win this help. He answered, “I am like a worn-out piece of carpet. If there is one corner left which can be useful to my country, I will be honored.”

His first step was to turn over all his money as a loan to Congress. He wanted to prove his faith in the new American government and encourage others to support it.Then he set sail for France.

In Paris, Franklin was warmly welcomed. Although he was a simple man, he was a shrewd[4] diplomat. He spoke very poor French, but he always chose the right words for the occasion. He finally persuaded King Louis of France to declare war on England.That was an important achievement. It was only with the aid of the French fleet that Washington was able to win the war and American independence.

Benjamin Franklin returned to America. He was very old now, and in poor health.But still he did not settle down and retire to his comfortable home. He sat through the long arguments on the terms of the Constitution. Twice, the meetings would have failed if he had not helped the delegates to agree.

Ben Franklin died in 1790 at the age of eighty-four. He had spent all his adult life helping people. Years before, he had told his mother that that was his aim. When he died he did not want people to say, “He died a rich man.” All he hoped was that people would remember him and say, “He led a useful life.”

(846 words)

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

1. [Grasp the main idea] Franklin would invent something when he saw___________ .

A. an opportunity to make a profit

B. a chance to win public recognition

C. a problem that needed a solution

2. [See the result] Franklin went to France for the purpose of___________ .

A. getting help for the colonies

B. building the Constitution

C. delaying the war

3. [Give the reason] Franklin went into public service because he___________ .

A. wanted to prove a theory

B. felt it was his duty

C. had done what he planned in science

4. [Understand the main idea] Franklin thought that wealth was___________ .

A. of almost no importance

B. more important than anything else

C. of value in freeing his time

5. [Check the details] The Franklin stove was superior to the fireplace for heating homes because it was___________ .

A. safer B. more effective C. more attractive

6. [Note the fact] To describe his old age, Franklin compared himself to a___________ .

A. flickering candle

B. faded photograph

C. worn-out carpet

7. [Draw a conclusion] The author admires Franklin most for his___________ .

A. brilliant diplomatic career

B. life of service to others

C. scientific knowledge

8. [Evaluate the information] The author thinks that the reader probably knows___________ .

A. all he needs to know about Ben Franklin

B. little or nothing about Ben Franklin

C. some but not all of Franklin’s story

Ⅱ. Read for words:

1. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined words.

(1) So he drew some plans and hired an ironworker to make the potbellied Franklin stove. (Para. 3)

A. attracted B. pulled out C. sketched

(2) Franklin would gladly have spent the rest of his days in quiet study and research. (Para. 6)

A. inactivity B. remainder C. stillness

(3) He wanted to prove his faith in the new American government and encourage others to support it. (Para. 9)

A. comfort B. tolerate; bear C. uphold

2. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined expressions.

(1) But America needed help from France to carry on the war. (Para. 8)

A. continue B. argue C. defend

(2) His first step was to turn over all his money as a loan to Congress. (Para. 9)

A. continue to run B. change position

C. give the control of sth. to sb.

Ⅲ. Writing practice:

In not more than 150 words describe why Benjamin Franklin led a useful life. Do not include anything that is not in the passage.

Answer these questions in note form to get your points:

1. What kind of person is Benjamin Franklin?

2. Why did he say that he led a useful life?

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