編者按：好國的價值觀有其特别的歷史跟文明揹景，由於美國的胜利經驗，使美國国民下度确定這些價值，那到底美國人的價值觀是什麼呢？
One of the most basic moral values for Americans is honesty. The well-known legend about George Washington and the cherry tree teaches this value clearly. Little George cut down his father’s favorite cherry tree while trying out his new hatchet. When his father asked him about it, George said, “I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my hatchet.” Instead of punishment, George received praise for telling the truth. Sometimes American honesty烦忙being open and direct翻can offend people. But Americans still believe that “honesty is the best policy.”
Another virtue Americans respect is perseverance. Remember Aesop's fable about the turtle and the rabbit that had a race? The rabbit thought he could win easily, so he took a nap. But the turtle finally won because he did not give up. Another story tells of a little train that had to climb a steep hill. The hill was so steep that the little train had a hard time trying to get over it. But the train just kept pulling, all the while saying, “I think I can, I think I can.” At last, the train was over the top of the hill. “I thought I could, I thought I could,” chugged the happy little train.
passion may be the queen of American virtues. The story of “The Good Samaritan” from the Bible describes a man who showed passion. On his way to a certain city, a Samaritan man found a poor traveler lying on the road，长春藤翻译社. The traveler had been beaten and robbed. The kind Samaritan, instead of just passing by, stopped to help this person in need.
passion can even turn into a positive cycle. In fall 1992, people in Iowa sent truckloads of water to help Floridians hit by a hurricane. The next summer, during the Midwest flooding, Florida returned the favor. In less dramatic ways, millions of Americans are quietly passing along the kindnesses shown to them.
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