新标准大学英语四UNIT6AbouttheauthorTheauthorofthepassageMoMowlam(1949–2005)wasaBritishLabourpolitician,whowastheMemberofParliamentforRedcarfrom1987to2001,andservedintheCabinetasSecretaryofStateforNorthernIreland,MinisterfortheCabinetOfficeandChancelloroftheDuchyofLancaster.Herpersonalcharisma,reputationforplainspeakingandfightagainstabraintumourledhertobeperceivedbymanyasoneofthemostpopular“NewLabour”politiciansintheUK.Shediedin2005becauseofabraintumour.WinstonChurchill1Inthesummerof1940,Britainstoodaloneonthebrinkofinvasion.Atthatcrucialtime,oneman,WinstonChurchill,definedwhatitmeanttobeBritish.Weliketothinkofourselvesastolerantandlong-sufferingpeople.ButChurchill,throughhisleadershipandhisexample,remindedusthatifallweholddear–ourdemocracy,ourfreedom–isthreatened,wewillshowcourageanddeterminationlikenoothernation.2"Ihavenothingtoofferbutblood,toil,tearsandsweat.Youaskwhatisourpolicy?Icansayitistowagewarbysea,landandair,withallourmightandwithallourstrengththatGodcangiveus;towagewaragainstamonstroustyranny,neversurpassedinthedark,lamentablecatalogueofhumancrime.Youaskwhatisouraim?Icananswerinoneword:Itisvictory,victoryatallcosts,victoryinspiteofallterror,victoryhoweverlongandhardtheroadmaybe."3ThiswasthemomentwhenBritainhadtobeatitsgreatest.AndinChurchillwefoundthegreatestofBritons.4WinstonChurchillwasbornin1874intooneofBritain'sgrandestfamilies.TheChurchillshadbeenfightingforkingandcountryforgenerations.YoungWinstonalwaysbelievedhe'ddothesame.Butself-beliefwassomethinghemaintaineddespiteratherthanbecauseofhisfamily.HisfatherLordRandolphChurchill(1849–1895),andhismother,Jennie(1854–1921),werebothcoldanddistantpeople.WinstonwaspackedofftoHarrow.Hewasn'tgood-lookingorclever;hewassickly,withalispandastammer.Hewasboundtobebullied–andhewas.Farfromgivingsupport,Winston'sfatherpredictedhischildwould"degenerateintoashabby,unhappyandfutileexistence".5Heleftschooland,afterthreeattempts,gotintothemilitaryacademyatSandhurst.AfterSandhursthewentlookingformilitaryaction–