[originaltext]M: In a sense, true. (6) Through his writings, Franklin helped sh

M: In a sense, true. (6) Through his writings, Franklin helped shape America’s national identity, by shifting Americans’ consciousness from a spiritual Puritanism to, er, secular rationalism, which was characteristic of The Enlightenment in the eighteenth century. He thus created a dawning awareness that America was a country with distinctly different values and interests than those of England.
W: Could you give us more examples to illustrate this point?
M: Of course. Poor Richard’s Almanac and his Autobiography, for example, are written in the style of self-help guides. They’re packed with enlightenment maxims such as "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." "Time is money." and "Hear reason, or she’ll make you feel her."
W: These maxims ring a bell now.
M: In an article entitled "Death of a Drunk", for instance, he used a true story to pass on a moral lesson about the danger of drinking. (7-1) Author Robert Arner said that Franklin’s writings demonstrated a deep and abiding belief in the power of the press to educate the public on topical issues.
W: (7-2) No wonder later critics call him a moral writer. How about his second contribution?
M: (8) Franklin’s second contribution was his sense for unusual and interesting news stories, which set the tone that has carried over into modern newspapers. The Pennsylvania Gazette specialized in brief, offbeat articles, such as a husband who tried to decapitate his wife’s adulterer, or a fiddler who saved his fiddle—but not his wife—from a capsized canoe. Although some criticized this as sensationalistic or "yellow" journalism, Franklin’s venerable wisdom and natural wit permeated the short reports and attracted a huge and loyal audience.
W: So in this sense, can we call Franklin the father of tabloid journalism?
M: Absolutely. And Franklin’s third significant contribution to US literature is his writing style, which reflects the philosophy he expressed in a 1732 essay. (9) "Good writing," he said, "should be smooth, clear and short."
W: Some critics say that compared with other 18th-century authors, Franklin’s writing is much more concise and readable. Is that true?
M: Well, we may say that this comparison holds not only among his contemporaries, however, but also among writers in the following three centuries. Franklin played a leading role in developing journalism as a terse writing form, getting quickly to the point and dwelling on important issues instead of secondary facts. Moreover, Franklin was a word economist, finding the shortest way to express a thought, as demonstrated by his vast coinages of aphorisms.
W: I guess that is the chief reason why Franklin’s sayings remain popular today.
M: Yes. Advice such as "Well done is better than well said." is catchy and easy to remember and remains a timeless writing tip. (10-1) Well, have you ever heard your English teacher mention K-I-S-S, Sarah? Do you know its meaning?
W: Keep it short and simple?
M: (10-2) Right! Keep it short and simple. That was a formula Franklin was practicing long before someone coined a name for it. Given all this, it’s no wonder that the Scottish philosopher, David Hume, called Franklin "America’s first great man of letters".
This is the end of Part Two of the interview. Questions 6 to 10 are based on what you have just heard.
6. How did Franklin help shape America’s national identity?
7. Why do later critics call Benjamin Franklin a moral writer?
8. What set the tone of modern newspapers?
9. According to Franklin, what is good writing like?
10. Why does the man mention K-I-S-S?