American Literature.  

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

Benjamin Franklin. The Autobiography.

   My elder brothers were all put apprentices to …1.. trades. I was put to the grammar  2……at  eight years of age, my father intending to devote me  to the service of  3….  church. My early readiness in learning to 4 ……  (which must have been very early, as  I do not remember when I could not read) and the opinion of all his friends  that I 5 … certainly make a good scholar, encouraged him  in this purpose of his. My uncle Benjamin, too, 6 ….  of it  and proposed to give me all his shorthand volumes of sermons to set up with, if I would learn 7 …  shorthand. I continued, however, at the grammar school  rather less 8 … a year, though in that time I had risen gradually from the middle in of the class of that year to be 9…. the head  of the same class, and was removed into the 10….   class, whence I was to be placed in the third   at the end of the year. But my father, burdened  with  a numerous family was 11…. without inconvenience  to support the expence of a college education…  .He gave 12__ his first intentions, took me from the grammar school, and sent me to a school for writing and arithmetic. At ten years old, I was 13__  from school to help my father in his business… .

In his books Benjamin Franklin often gave useful advice and encouragement. Read these extracts and say which advice could be useful for your or your friend.

” The Way to Make the Money Plenty in Every Man’s Pocket”

  At this time , when the general complaint is that ” money is scarce”, it will be an act of kindness to inform moneyless how they may reinforce their pockets. I will acquaint them with the true secret of money-catching, the certain way to fill  empty purses, and how to keep them always full. Two simple rules, well observed, will do the business.

  First, let honesty and industry be thy constant companions; and

  Secondly, spend one penny less than thy clear gains.

Poor Richard’s Almanack

 … the Taxes are indeed very heavy…( but) We are taxed twice as much by our Idleness, three as much by our Pride … God helps them that help themselves, as Poor Richard says, in his Almanack of  1733.

  How much  more than is necessary  do we spend in Sleep! Forgetting that The sleeping Fox catches no Poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the Grave, as Poor Richard says. Early to Bed , and early to rise, makes a Man healthy, wealthy and wise.If we are industrious  we shall never starve; for as Poor Richard says, At the working Man’s House Hunger looks in but dares not enter. Industry  pays Debts, while Despair increases them. What though you have found no Treasure, nor has any rich Relation left you a fortune, Diligence is the Mother of Good  luck, as Poor Richard says, and God gives all Things to Industry. Work while it is called To-day, for you know not how much you may be hindered Tomorrow, which makes Poor Richard say, One To-day is worth two Tomorrows.