内容简介
这套读本的英文原版共分七级，包括启蒙读本和第1-6级。考虑到启蒙读本与第一级篇幅都较少，难易程度也很接近，于是将之合并为第1册，其余2-6级与英文原版相同。这样国内出版的这套读本共包括6册。从本书开始，均是比较正式的课文，概述了历史、生物、天文、动物学、植物学、餐桌礼仪、行为举止、对神和老师的态度等。每一课包括词汇和课文，并且对一些生词的英文做出了解释，让学生学会通过简单英文理解生词，养成用英语理解和思维的习惯。Thisseriesofschoolbooksteachingreadingandmoralprecepts,originallypreparedbyWilliamHolmeswhowasaprofessoratMiamiUniversityMcGuffey,hadaprofoundinfluenceonpubliceducationintheUnitedStates.Theeclecticreaders,meaningthattheselectionswerechosenfromanumberofsources,wereconsideredremarkablyliteraryworksandprobablyexertedagreaterinfluenceuponliterarytastesintheUnitedStatesmorethananyotherbook,excludingtheBible.Itisestimatedthatatleast120millioncopiesofMcGuffey'sReadersweresoldbetween1836and1960,placingitssalesinacategorywiththeBibleandWebster'sDictionary.Since1961theyhavecontinuedtosellatarateofsome30,000copiesayear.Noothertextbookbearingasingleperson'snamehascomeclosetothatmark.McGuffey'sReadersarestillinusetodayinsomeschoolsystems,andbyparentsforhomeschoolingpurposes.Thesecondreaderappearedsimultaneouslywiththefirstandfollowedthesamepattern.Itcontainedreadingandspellingwitheighty-fivelessons,sixteenpicturesandone-hundredsixty-sixpages.Itoutlinedhistory,biology,astronomy,zoology,botany;tablemanners,behaviortowardsfamily,attitudestowardGodandteachers,thepoor;thegreatandthegood.Thedutiesofyoutharestressed.Millionsofpioneermenandwomenwerealumniofthissecondreadercollege,theywereabletoreadandwriteEnglish.
作者简介
WilliamHolmesMcGuffey(September23,1800–May4,1873)wasanAmericanprofessorandcollegepresidentwhoisbestknownforwritingtheMcGuffeyReaders,oneofthenation'sfirstandmostwidelyusedseriesoftextbooks.Itisestimatedthatatleast122millioncopiesofMcGuffeyReadersweresoldbetween1836and1960,placingitssalesinacategorywiththeBibleandWebster'sDictionary.HewasbornthesonofAlexanderandAnna(Holmes)McGuffeynearClaysvilleinWashingtonCounty,Pennsylvania,whichis45milessouthwestofPittsburgh.In1802theMcGuffeyfamilymovedfurtheroutintothefrontieratTuscarawasCounty,Ohio.Heattendedcountryschool,andafterreceivingspecialinstructionatYoungstown,heattendedGreersburgAcademyinDarlington,Pennsylvania.Afterwards,heattendedandgraduatedfromPennsylvania'sWashingtonCollege,wherehebecameaninstructor.HewasclosefriendswithWashingtonCollege'sPresidentAndrewWylieandlivedinWylie'shouseforatime;theyoftenwouldwalkthe3milestoWashingtonCollegetogether.McGuffey'shouseinOxfordMcGuffeyleftWashingtonCollegein1826tobecomeaprofessoratMiamiUniversityinOxford,Ohio.Ayearlaterin1827,hewasmarriedtoHarrietSpinningofDayton,Ohio,withwhomhehadfivechildren.In1829,hewasordainedatBethelChapelasaministerinthePresbyterianChurch.ItwasinOxfordthathecreatedthemostimportantcontributionofhislife:TheMcGuffeyReaders.Hisbookssoldover122millioncopies.Hewasveryfondofteachingandchildrenashegearedthebookstowardayoungeraudience.In1836,heleftMiamitobecomepresidentofCincinnatiCollege,wherehealsoservedasadistinguishedteacherandlecturer.HeleftCincinnatiin1839tobecomethe4thpresidentofOhioUniversity,whichheleftin1843tobecomepresidentofWoodwardCollege(reallyasecondaryschool)inCincinnati.In1845,McGuffeymovedtoCharlottesville,VirginiawherehebecameProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofVirginia.AyearafterhisfirstwifeHarrietdiedin1850,hemarriedMissLauraHoward,daughterofDeanHowardoftheUniversityofVirginia,in1851.McGuffeyisburiedintheuniversityburialground,inCharlottesville,Virginia.TheSchoolofEducationatMiamiUniversityishousedinMcGuffeyHallwhichisnamedforhimandhishomeinOxfordisaNationalHistoricLandmarkofferingtoursonweekdays.
