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Benjamin Banneker was born a few months before another great American-George Washington.
Benjamin was black, but he was not a slave.He and his mother and his grandmother were free.
Benjamin's grandmother came from England.In America she got a job and worked for many years
to pay for her boat trip across the ocean.After working many more years, she saved enough money to
buy a farm.Benjamin lived with her for a while.She taught him to read and write and do arithmetic.
Benjamin's neighbors knew that he was clever.They were not surprised when he built a large wooden
clock.He made each piece after studying a small pocket watch.The clock made him famous, for it was
one of the first clocks built in America.People from other places began to send hard problems of all kinds
for Benjamin to settle.
Thomas Jefferson learned of Benjamin Banneker's ability to settle hard problems.He asked Banneker
to help build the city that was to be the capital of the United States-Washington, D. C.
Banneker worked hard on the plans for the city.He marked where the streets and buildings-the Capital (国会大厦), the White House, and many others?should be built.
Later, L'Enfant, the Frenchman who had designed the new city, had a quarrel, and went back to
France in anger.He took all of the plans with him.The workmen couldn't build without any plans to follow.
For a while it seemed that the plans for the capital might have to be changed.But Benjamin Banneker
remembered the plans he had helped draw.He drew each again just as he once had built each piece of his clock.
If it weren't for Benjamin Banneker, Washington, D. C.might look very different from the way it does
today.
1. Benjamin Banneker is remembered to this day mainly because________.
A. he made one of the first clocks in America
B. he used to be an assistant to L'Enfant, who had designed the city Washington
C. he designed the city Washington when L'Enfant left
D. he was able to build the city Washington as L'Enfant left with his plans
2. When Banneker built a large wooden clock,________.
A. people in America showed no surprise
B. his name spread all over America
C. he became the first man in America to build a clock
D. people came from other places to congratulate him
3. Thomas Jefferson asked Banneker to help build the city Washington because he was told that
Banneker was________.
A. famous
B. clever
C. hardworking
D. serious
4. In building the city Washington, Banneker showed ________.
A. he had a good memory
B. he was never tired of working
C. he feared no difficulties
D. he was good at drawing