Do Americans have morals  ? That's a good question. Many people insist that ideas about right and wrong are merely personal opinions. Some voices, though, are calling Americans back to traditional moral values. William J. Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, edited the Book of Virtues in 1993 to do just that. Bennett suggests that great moral stories can build character. The success of Bennett ' s book shows that many Americans still believe in moral values. But what are they?     One of the most basic moral values for Americans is honesty. The well-known legend about George Washington and the cherry tree tells this value clearly. Little George cut down his father's favorite cherry tree while trying out his new axe. When his father asked him about it, George said honestly, "I can not tell a lie. I did it with my axe." Instead of punishment, George received his father's praise for telling the truth.  Sometimes American honesty-being open and direct-can offend people.  But Americans still believe that "honesty is the best policy."      Another virtue Americans respect is perseverance. Remember Aesop's fable( )about the rabbit and the turtle that had a race? The rabbit thought he could win easily, so he took a nap. But the turtle finally won because he didn't give up.      Sympathy may be the queen of American virtues. The story of "The Good Samaritan" from the Bible describes a man who showed sympathy. On his way to a certain city, a Samaritan man found a poor traveler lying on the road. The traveler had been beaten and robbed. The kind Samaritan, instead of just passing by, stopped to help this person in need.      In no way can these brief descriptions cover all the moral values honored by Americans. Responsibility, loyalty, courage, gratitude and many others could be discussed. In fact, Bennett's bestseller-over 800 pages-highlights just 10 virtues. Even Bennett admits that he has only covered the surface. But no matter how long or short the list is, moral values are invaluable, they are the foundation of American culture-and any culture. What does the writer of the passage want to tell the readers?
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