Vicious and Dangerous Sports Should be Banned by Law
When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak contemptuously of the poor old Romans because they relished the orgies of slaughter that went on in their arenas. We may despise them because they mistook these goings on for entertainment. We may forgive them condescendingly because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority really justified? Are we any less blood-thirsty? Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest? Don’t the spectators who attend them hope they will see some violence? Human beings remains as bloodthirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungey lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of sophisticated arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long age; sports which are quite as barbarous as, say, public hangings or bearbaiting.
It really is incredible that in this day and age we should still allow hunting or bull-fighting, that we should be prepared to sit back and watch two men batter each other to pulp in a boxing ring, that we should be relatively unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames. Let us not deceive ourselves. Any talk of ‘the sporting spirit’ is sheer hypocrisy. People take part in violent sports because of the high rewards they bring. Spectators are willing to pay vast sums of money to see violence. A world heavyweight championship match, for instance, is front page news. Millions of people are disappointed if a big fight is over in two rounds instead of fifteen. They feel disappointment because they have been deprived of the exquisite pleasure of witnessing prolonged torture and violence.
Why should we ban violent sports if people enjoy them so much? You may well ask. The answer is simple: they are uncivilized. For centuries man has been trying to improve himself spiritually and emotionally - admittedly with little success. But at least we no longer tolerate the sight madmen cooped up in cages, or public floggings of any of the countless other barbaric practices which were common in the past. Prisons are no longer the grim forbidding places they used to be. Social welfare systems are in operation in many parts of the world. Big efforts are being made to distribute wealth fairly. These changes have come about not because human beings have suddenly and unaccountably improved, but because positive steps were taken to change the law. The law is the biggest instrument of social change that we have and it may exert great civilizing influence. If we banned dangerous and violent sports, we would be moving one step further to improving mankind. We would recognize that violence is degrading and unworthy of human beings.
1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s opinion of nowadays’ human beings is
A. not very high. B. high.
C. contemptuous. D. critical.
2. The main idea of this passage is
A. vicious and dangerous sports should be banned by law.
B. people are willing to pay vast sums money to see violence.
C. to compare two different attitudes towards dangerous sports.
D. people are bloodthirsty in sports.
3. That the author mentions the old Romans is
A. To compare the old Romans with today’s people.
B. to give an example.
C. to show human beings in the past know nothing better.
D. to indicate human beings are used to bloodthirsty.
4. How many dangerous sports does the author mention in this passage?
A. Three. B. Five.
C. Six. D. Seven.
5. The purpose of the author in writing this passage is
A. that, by banning the violent sports, we human beings can improve our selves.
B. that, by banning the dangerous sports, we can improve the law.
C. that we must take positive steps to improve social welfare system.
D. to show law is the main instrument of social change.
Vocabulary
1.relish 从……获得乐处,享受
2.orgy 狂欢,放纵
3.arena 竞技场,活动或斗争的场所
4.blood-thirsty 残忍的,嗜血的
5.bear-baiting 逗熊游戏
6.bull-fight 斗牛
7.batter 猛击,连续地猛打/捶,乱打
8.pulp 成纸浆,成软块
9.burst into flames 突然燃烧起来/着火
10.grim 令人窒息的,简陋的
11.coop up 把……关起来
写作方法与文章大意
作者采取先对比、后分析的写作手法。先是今人和古罗马人对暴虐体育上对此两者都欣赏。后者坦率成人“欣赏暴力体育”,前者施以各种接口、实际都是嗜血成性者。第二段进一步剖析今人欣赏暴虐体育的种种实例,最后指出改善“暴虐”的根本嗜为改善法律采取积极的步骤,法律才能施以巨大的文明影响,否则人类很难改变。
参考答案:AADBAFrom the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man‘s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-years-olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy tragic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic, to be conveniently forgotten.
It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person‘s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be mad much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh. But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if tit results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.
1.The main idea of this passage is
[A] Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.
[B] Thousands of people the world over are killed each year.
[C] The laws of some countries about driving are too lax.
[D] Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents.
2.What does the author think of society toward motorists?
[A] Society smiles on the motorists.
[B] Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.
[C] Victims of accidents are nothing.
[D] Society condones their rude driving.
3.Why does the author say:‘ his car becomes the extension of his personality?’
[A] Driving can show his real self.
[B] Driving can show the other part of his personality.
[C] Driving can bring out his character.
[D] His car embodies his temper.
4.Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?
[A] Build more highways.
[B] Stricter driving tests.
[C] Test drivers every three years.
[D] raise age limit and lay down safety specifications.
5.The attitude of the author is
[A] ironical
[B] critical
[C] appealing
[D] militant
Vocabulary
1.immunise 使免疫,使免除
2.expectation of life = life expectancy 平均寿命
3.versus = against 对顶,反对
4.mutilate 伤害
5.wilful 任性的,固执的
6.benign 宽厚的,仁慈的
7.condone 宽容
8.desecrate 亵渎,玷污
9.code 法规,规定,惯例
10.stringent 严格的,紧急的,迫切的
11.performance 演出,成品,这里是指car‘s behavior such as speed, function etc.可译成行为,汽车行为、功能等。
难句译注
1.Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing.
【参考译文】人和汽车对抗!这是一场人类永远是输家的无休止的战斗。
2.All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned.
【参考译文】应当禁止所有强调力量和表现行为的广告。
写作方法与文章大意
文章论述“交通事故”,采用因果、对比手法。从人的平均寿命增加和交通事故率成正比谈起,触及事故率上升的原因,要求制定更严格的法规予以制止种种造成事故的不良行为。
答案详解
1.D 只有更严格的交通法规才能制止交通事故。这在最后一段的结论中体现的最清楚。前面几段只是讲造成事故的种种原因。其目的就是:“是制定世界交通法规以减少无谓的生命浪费的时候了。对于开车,有些国家的法规太松弛,甚至最严格的国家也不够严格。世界公认之法律只可能对交通事故率起大大降低的作用(有非常好的效果。)”这里列出几件要干的事:“驾驶测试应当标准化,比现在的要严格;所有死机每三年考核一次;年轻人驾车的允许年龄应提高到21岁;全部机动车每年都应经过严格的安全测试(测定其安全性)……这些步骤可能听起来异常严厉,可是,如果其结果事减少每年死伤人数的话,就不存在什么太严格的事了。”
A. 主要是机动车死机造成的交通事故。 B. 全世界每年有几千人丧生。 C. 有些国家的交通法规太松弛。这三道答案都是文中谈到某一点,不能作为中心目的。
2.D 社会宽容这种野蛮开车行径。答案就在第三段:“令人惊讶的是社会对司机宽厚地笑笑,似乎宽容他们的行为。一切都为他们的方便而干。人们允许城市由于交通拥挤而几乎不能居住了,大型停车场把城镇”弄得“丑陋不堪,公路网玷污了乡村,每年大量的杀伤仅仅成为统计数字,被很容易地忘记。”
A. 社会对司机笑容可掬。B. 大型停车场建在市和镇上。C. 交通死难者等于零。这三项都只是第三段的一个个具体事实。社会正是通过这一件件事来宽容司机野蛮开车,而造成事故。
3.A “他的车就是他个性的外延”这句话就体现了“开车表现他真正的自我,真实的个性”。第二段讲的很清楚:“这么说完全正确:当一个人坐在方向盘后,他的车就成为他个性的外延。毫无疑问,汽车常常表现了人之最坏的品质。平常很安详愉快的人一坐在方向盘后可能就变得难以认识。他们咒骂、行为差劲、好斗、固执、任性得就像两岁的孩子。他们所有隐藏的失落、失望和忌妒感,似乎都在开车中暴露出来”。
B. 表现他个性的另一面。 C. 表现了他的性格。 D. 他的车体现了他的脾气秉性。只是表现自我中的某个事实。
4.A 只有建更多高速公路。没有提。
B. 更难的测试。C. 每三年对司机进行一次考察。 D. 提高年龄段和制定安全条例。都提到。见第一题译注。
5.B 批评的态度。文章第一、二、三段指出了造成交通事故的原因,呼吁各国制定严格的交通法规,批评现有的交通法规松弛不严格,最后指出世界是人类的,不是摩托车的等等,都说明作者对上述种种都具批评的态度。
A. 讽刺的。 C. 哀求的、呼吁的。 D. 富有战斗性的。If you smoke and you still don‘t believe that there’s a definite link between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn‘t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.
You don‘t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It’s almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivable, be harmful, it doesn‘t do to shout too loudly about it.
This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether.
Of course, we are not ready for such a drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you‘d think they’d conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisement always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!
For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning – say, a picture of a death‘s head – should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals, we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.
1.Why do a few governments take timid measures toward smoking?
[A] because they are afraid of people.
[B] Because diseases cost a lot.
[C] Because they are afraid of the cutting down of their revenue.
[D] Because they are afraid of manufacturers.
2.The tone of this passage is
[A] critical.
[B] ironical.
[C] distaste.
[D] amusing.
3.What does the sentence “because you are in good company” mean?
[A] you are backed by the government.
[B] You are not alone.
[C] You have good colleagues.
[D] Governments are blind to evils of smoking too.
4.What is the best title of this passage?
[A] World Governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking.
[B] World governments take timid measures against smoking.
[C] smoking is the most important source of income to many countries.
[D] tobacco industry spends a large sum of money on medical research.
Vocabulary
1.a wishful thinking 根据愿望的想法,不顾事实的想法
2.puff 喷
3.puff its way to 一路吞云吐雾走向(指抽烟抽到死)
4.lukewarm 冷淡/漠然
5.insidious 阴险的,狡猾的
6.virile 年富力强的
写作方法与文章大意
这是一篇“要求政府禁烟”的论说文,采用因果对比手法。先以讽刺口吻指出政府对禁烟的态度――软弱无力。然后点明软弱的原因――大量税收。再以抽烟大严重后果,机器所花去的钱说明得不偿失。而烟草工业广告泛滥,毒化人们。从而提出政府应从禁止烟广告作起。
答案详解
1.C 因为他们害怕收入减少。答案见第二段。“你不用看得很远就能发现为什么官方对医学成果的反应如此冷淡,答案就是钱。烟草是征税的最奇妙的商品,几乎就像日用面包的税收。光烟草税收一项,英国政府就从抽烟人身上征到足以支付整个教育措施的费用。所以在*那么谨慎地指出吸烟有害时,可以想象,喊叫得太响时不行的。”
A.他们害怕人民。D.他们害怕厂商。文中没有。B.疾病花费很大和软弱无力的禁烟措施有关。不是花费大而采取弱政策。
2.B 讽刺语气。特别表现在第一段、第四段。
A.批评语气,整篇文章都在批评,这不是什么语气问题。这里时以讽刺的口吻加以批评政府软弱的禁烟政策。C.厌恶。D.有趣。
3.D 政府对吸烟的恶果也是视而不见。
A.政府支持。太明朗化。B.你不是单独一人。和C.你有好同事,都是似是而非的答案。这可以上下文说明,第一段:“假如你吸烟,依然认为吸烟和支气管炎、心脏病、肺癌等毫无关系,那你是自欺欺人。可没有人会说你虚伪。我们可以说你是患有一厢情愿病。这你无需太难受,因为你有好伙伴。每当提出吸烟和健康有关的问题时,大多数国家的政府对其恶果视而不见、听而不闻、嗅而不觉。”
4.A 世界各国政府应该开展眼里的禁烟运动。因为前面四段都是现象:⑴政策软弱。如英国政府只在电视上禁止烟草广告以高位人们的良知。另一方面人民继续一路吞云吐雾走到癌症死亡。⑵讲烟草的税收高,所以不严禁。⑶这项政策的后果是疾病花费大于烟草税收。⑷烟草广告泛滥毒害人。解救的办法就是禁烟。最后一段是结论,也是画龙点睛的主题和标题。“作为起步,政府可以从禁止烟草广告开始,然后应开展抵制吸烟的广告运动。一切公共场合,如戏院、电影院、返点等应禁止吸烟。应竭尽全力告诫青年,尤其是告诫他们染上恶习的严重后果。在零卖的每包烟盒上应有一令人胆战心惊的警告:例如,一幅骷髅头画像。作为个人,我们力量薄弱,可是如果政府真诚地鼓舞人心的行动起来,他们可以保护我们。”
B.世界各国政府采取禁烟政策软弱无力。C.吸烟是许多国家重要收入。这两项是不分具体内容。D.烟草工厂在医疗研究上花了大笔费用。The Norwegian Government is doing its best to keep the oil industry under control. A new law limits exploration to an area south of the southern end of the long coastline; production limits have been laid down (though these have already been raised); and oil companies have not been allowed to employ more than a limited number of foreign workers. But the oil industry has a way of getting over such problems, and few people believe that the Government will be able to hold things back for long. As on Norwegian politician said last week: “We will soon be changed beyond all recognition.”
Ever since the war, the Government has been carrying out a programme of development in the area north of the Arctic Circle. During the past few years this programme has had a great deal of success: Tromso has been built up into a local capital with a university, a large hospital and a healthy industry. But the oil industry has already started to draw people south, and within a few years the whole northern policy could be in ruins.
The effects of the oil industry would not be limited to the north, however. With nearly 100 percent employment, everyone can see a situation developing in which the service industries and the tourist industry will lose more of their workers to the oil industry. Some smaller industries might even disappear altogether when it becomes cheaper to buy goods from abroad.
The real argument over oil is its threat to the Norwegian way of life. Farmers and fishermen do not make up most of the population, but they are an important part of it, because Norwegians see in them many of the qualities that they regard with pride as essentially Norwegian. And it is the farmers and the fishermen who are most critical of the oil industry because of the damage that it might cause to the countryside and to the sea.
1.The Norwegian Government would prefer the oil industry to
[A] provide more jobs for foreign workers.
[B] slow down the rate of its development.
[C] sell the oil it is producing abroad.
[D] develop more quickly than at present.
2.The Norwegian Government has tried to
[A] encourage the oil companies to discover new oil sources.
[B] prevent oil companies employing people from northern Norway.
[C] help the oil companies solve many of their problems.
[D] keep the oil industry to something near its present size.
3.According to the passage, the oil industry might lead northern Norway to
[A] the development of industry.
[B] a growth in population.
[C] the failure of the development programme.
[D] the development of new towns.
4.In the south, one effect to the development of the oil industry might be
[A] a large reduction on unemployment.
[B] a growth in the tourist industry.
[C] a reduction in the number of existing industries.
[D] the development of a number of service industries.
5.Norwegian farmers and fishermen have an important influence because
[A] they form such a large part of Norwegian ideal.
[B] their lives and values represent the Norwegian ideal.
[C] their work is so useful to the rest of Norwegian society.
[D] they regard oil as a threat to the Norwegian way of life.
Vocabulary
1.Norwegian 挪威的;挪威人
2.coastline 海岸线
3.recognition 承认;认识;赞赏
4.countryside 乡下;乡民
难句译注
1.A new law limits exploration to an area south of the southern end of the long coastline; production limits have been laid down (though these have already been raised); and oil companies have not been allowed to employ more than a limited number of foreign workers.
【结构简析】用两个分号连接三句句子。
【参考译文】一条新的法律限制人们仅在长长的海岸线南端以南地区进行勘探考察;规定了石油生产限量(虽然已提高);石油公司雇佣外国工人不许超出限定额。
2.With nearly 100 percent employment, everyone can see a situation developing in which the service industries and the tourist industry will lose more of their workers to the oil industry.
【参考译文】由于将近百分之一百就业率,每个人都能看出形式发展中服务行业和旅*业的大部分工人会跑到石油工业方面去。
3.Farmers and fishermen do not make up most of the population, but they are an important part of it, because Norwegians see in them many of the qualities that they regard with pride as essentially Norwegian.
【结构简析】复合句。在because状语从句中that是定语从句修饰qualities.
【参考译文】虽然农民和渔民并不占人口的绝大多数,可是他们都是人口的重要组成不分,因为挪威人在他们身上看到许多他们自豪地认为是挪威人的基本品质。
写作方法与文章大意
文章论述“挪威政府意欲控制石油工业”。采用对比写法。先提出政府新政策的种种限制。但石油工业有办法对付。人们都认为限制难以长久。其次讲述,从战时起,挪威政府一直执行开发北极圈北部地区的发展规划,也取得成功。但石油工业已经开始向南方进军,北方政策可能会失败。石油工业之影响超出北方,有些企业缩小,减少。最后一段是讲争论的焦点:石油对挪威生活方式构成了威胁,具体表现在对挪威理想的代表――渔民和农民的威胁。
答案详解
1.B 减慢发展速率。文章开始就阐明挪威政府正竭尽全力把石油工业控制起来,制定新法律来限制勘探开采,限制产量,限制雇佣外国工人人数。
A. 为外国工人提供更多的工作。C.卖掉正在国外生产的石油。D.比现在发展更快。
2.D 使石油工业保持在接近现在的规模。
A. 鼓励石油公司去发现新石油资源。B.制止石油公司雇佣来自挪威北方的人。C.帮助石油公司解决许多问题。
3.C 发展规划的失败。这在第二段最后一句:“可是石油工业已经开始把人们吸引到南方去,所以不出几年,整个北方政策可能成泡影。”
A.工业发展。B.人口增长。D.新城市的发展。文内没有涉及。
4.C 现存工业数的减少。第三段开始“可是石油工业的影响并不仅仅限于北方。近百分之一百的就业率,使每个人都见到发展的势头,服务业和旅游业的好多工人转向石油工业。某些较小的工业,在从国外购进货物更便宜的情况下,很可能会全部消失。”这说明工业数减少。
A.大大减少失业。B.旅*业增长。D.许多服务公司发展。文内没有提。
5.B 他们的生活和价值代表了挪威人的理想。
A.他们组成了那么大一部分挪威理想。C.他们的工作对挪威社会的其他方面非常有用。D.他们认为石油是对挪威生活方式的威胁。最后一段第一句话:“对石油真正的争论点是它对挪威生活方式的一种威胁。”并不是他们认为威胁。Every time Americans tune into local news broadcasts or read daily papers,they are likely to be shocked at the increasing number of serious crimes committed by youths who are only sixteen years old or even younger.It is sometimes difficult to imagine these youngsters behaving like hardened criminals,but statistics continually prove that their crimes are often just as brutal as those committed by their adult counterparts.Inevitably,people begin questioning how successful the juvenile justice system is in reforming these youths and debating whether violent juveniles should be tried as adults in our legal system.I feel there is no question that juveniles convicted of serious crimes should face the same consequences as adults.
While the teenage population in the United States has declined over the past decade,violent crimes committed by juveniles have sharply increased.It is common knowledge that the youth murder-arrest rate has climbed dramatically.Examples of teen crime are vivid and terrifying.Newspapers and television frequently report that youths with no apparent motives have shot and killed other people.The effect on both families and society is large.
Despite the increase in serious crimes committed by young offenders,the punishment which juveniles receive has traditionally almost never fit the severity of the crimes.Since the system has historically viewed children as not being fully developed,physically or mentally,it has prevented them from being held accountable for their wrongdoing.Although many of these“children”commit horrible crimes,they have been routinely treated as victims of society.Until very recently,1ighter sentences and court proceedings have been the norm.The message they sent to serious juvenile criminals is that crime “pays” because there are no serious consequences for their actions.When the system lacks an element of fear,there is nothing to prevent youthful offenders from committing future crimes.The current trend of assigning adult sentences to youths who commit serious crimes is absolutely just if the punishment is to fit the crime.
Most pro-rehabilitation advocates argue that juvenile criminals are completely different from adult ones and should,therefore,be treated differently in the justice system.However,the cost to society is the same regardless of the age of the criminal.What comfort does it give to the family of a killed or injured victim that the person who killed or hurt their loved one was a minor? Families suffer no less because their relatives are shot by young offenders.Instead of treating the loser who murders innocent people like a victim of society,this person should be treated like any other person who victimizes society and causes pain to individuals and communities.
Tougher measures must be taken to combat this growing problem of juvenile crime.In today‘s society,too many juveniles count on light sentences given by the juvenile justice system.Lawyers can help a vicious criminal receive a short sentence,and return to the streets to commit more crimes.When there are no harsh consequences of being caught,committing crimes can be perceived as having positive benefits.As a result,juveniles are continuing to become more violent and 1ess concerned with the value of human life.
Rehabilitation,recommended by many as the solution to juvenile crime,should be directed only towards youths who have committed minor offenses.However,the juveniles who commit serious crimes should be tried as adults.A message has to be sent that we will no longer tolerate brutal crimes simply because of the age of the criminal.These youths must be held completely accountable for their crimes,suffering harsh consequences and ultimately realizing that they are no longer protected by the law.
1.It can be inferred that juvenile criminals are those____.
[A]who are under the age of 16 years old
[B]who are not accountable for the crimes they commit
[C]who can not tell major crimes from minor crimes
[D]who are more likely to become victims of the society
2.That violent juvenile crimes are on the rise is manifested by the fact that____.
[A]penalty for juvenile criminals is becoming more and more serious
[B]the society can no longer tolerate juvenile crimes
[C]youth murder-arrest rate has dramatically increased
[D]the young population has increased in the last ten years
3.The reason why young people are becoming increasingly violent is that____.
[A]the older they become,the stronger they are
[B]they receive lighter punishment than they should
[C]they do not know the value of human life
[D]there is now too much violence in newspaper and on television
4.According to the author,one reason why violent juvenile criminals should suffer the same fate as their adult counterparts is that____.
[A]there are as many juvenile crimes as adult crimes
[B]they have done equivalent injuries to the victim or the society
[C]they are clearly aware of what they are doing at the time of offence
[D]no other penalty can prevent them from committing future crimes
5.Pro-rehabilitation advocates insist that____.
[A]rehabilitation be directed only towards youths who commit minor crimes
[B]stricter sentences be given only to youths who commit brutal crimes
[C]a different justice system be applied to minors since they are not fully developed
[D]minors be held completely responsible for any kind of crimes they commit
答案与题解
1.[A] 参阅第一段第一句。
2.[C] 参阅第二段第二句。
3.[B] 参阅第三、四、五段,尤其是第五段。
4.[B] 参阅第四段第二、三、四句。
5.[C] 参阅第四段第一句和第三段第一、二句。For hundreds of years,the criminal law has been built around the idea that wrongdoers must be punished for their crimes.The most basic argument for punishment is that it preserves law and order and respects for authority.From this point of view,punishment does two things.It upholds the law,and it prevents others from thinking they can get away with doing the same thing without punishment.Punishment is based on the idea that many people have a barely controlled desire to act in forbidden ways.
One of the best ways to reduce crime is to reform or rehabilitate habitual criminals.The main problem is not the first offender or the petty thief but the repeated offender who commits increasingly serious crimes.According to criminologists,crime would decrease greatly if all such offenders could be turned away from wrongdoing.But U.S.prisons have had little success in rehabilitating inmates.About two-thirds of the people arrested in any year have a previous criminal record.
Rehabilitation of criminals could probably be improved greatly if experts could provide the right kind of program for different types of offenders.Criminals vary widely in the kinds of crimes they commit,their emotional problems,and their social and economic backgrounds.Not all offenders can be helped by the same treatment.Many require the aid of physicians,psychiatrists,or psychologists.Others respond well to educational or vocational training.In the early 1990s,there were about 1,300,000 criminals in U.S.city,county,state,and federal correctional institutions,and about 500,000 more were out on parole.Society spent more than $15 billion to operate prisons and related institutions yearly,but only a small part of this sum went to provide treatment.Nearly all the funds were used to feed and clothe prisoners and to keep them under control.
Since the 1ate 1970s,however,there has been a trend toward punishment rather than rehabilitation of offenders.Prison sentences are longer.Capital punishments have been used more frequently since the U.S.Supreme Court lifted a death penalty ban in 1976.Nevertheless,crime prevention should aim to prevent people from becoming criminals in the first place.Such a goal probably would benefit from reform programs in urban slums.These programs would include improved housing,schools,and recreation programs and increased job opportunities.
There are many other ways to reduce crime.People can be educated or persuaded to take greater precautions against crime.They can be taught,for example,how to protect their homes from burglary.Automobile thefts would drop sharply if drivers removed their keys and locked their cars when leaving them.Better lighting helps discourage purse-snatchings and other robberies on city streets and in parks.Many experts believe that strict gun-licensing laws would greatly reduce crime.
1.The belief that people tend to behave in forbidden ways____.
[A] leads to the formulation of the criminal law
[B] makes people value order above all else
[C] convinces people that crimes should be eliminated from the society
[D]is a false one that should not be taken seriously
2.In the second paragraph the author implies____.
[A] the U.S.prison system is not working effectively enough to reform criminals
[B] the best way to reduce crime rate is to rehabilitate habitual criminals
[C] reforming criminals in prison will turn them away from wrongdoing
[D] crimes would decrease if people‘s desire could be healthily channeled
3.The author speculates that rehabilitation can be made more effective if____.
[A] reform is directed to the criminals‘ emotional problems
[B] rehabilitation is aimed at changing the economic and social environment
[C] rehabilitation is facilitated by physicians,psychiatrists or psychologists
[D] crimes are dealt with in the ways that suit each kind
4.According to the author,punishment is a better means than rehabilitation in reducing crime rate____.
[A] so it should be used in place of rehabilitation
[B] so stricter sentences are absolutely necessary
[C] yet it does not work well in many cases
[D] but preventing crime is even more effective
5. The author concludes the passage by pointing out that____.
[A] the present gun-licensing laws are held responsible for most of the crimes
[B] educational failure accounts for most of the present offences
[C] more help should be provided for released criminals
[D] the long-term reduction of crime rate depends on multiple improvements
参考答案:
1.[A]意为:导致刑法的制定。第一段最后一句指出,(法律)惩罚是基于这样一种认识:许多人几乎无法控制自己的欲望,总想以不容许的方式行事。这里的含义是:为了制止人们这种想法和行为,制定法律来约束他们是必要的。
2.[A] 第二段第四、五句指出,但是美国监狱在改造罪犯方面不成功。每年被逮捕的人中有约2/3的人有前科。
3.[D] 第三段第一句指出,如果专家们能为不同的罪犯提供合适的改造方案,会大大地改进对罪犯的改造。注意:本句是一个虚拟句,表达作者的建议,它同时也是本段的主题句。
4.[D] 第四段提到,自20世纪70年代末以来,人们更重视惩罚而不是改造,死刑的适用更加频繁,但是,阻止犯罪应该首先防止人们成为罪犯。这句话(第四句)表达了作者的观点。
5.[D] 最后一段提到,人们自身也应该加强防范犯罪的意识,政府部门、法律部门也应该做出努力。可见,减少犯罪是一个综合治理问题。 There is extraordinary exposure in the United States to the risks of injury and death from motor vehicle accidents.More than 80 percent of all households own passenger cars or light trucks and each of these is driven an average of more than 11,000 miles each year.Almost one-half of fatally injured drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.1 percent or higher.For the average adult,over five ounces of 80 proof spirits would have to be consumed over a short period of time to attain these levels.One third of drivers who have been drinking,but fewer than 4 percent of all drivers,demonstrate these levels.1)Although less than 1 percent of drivers with BACs of 0.1 percent or more are involved in fatal crashes,the probability of their involvements is 27 times higher than for those without alcohol in their blood.There are a number of different approaches to reducing injuries in which drinking plays a role.Based on the observation that excessive consumption correlates with the total alcohol consumption of a country‘s population,it has been suggested that higher taxes on alcohol would reduce both.While the heaviest drinkers would be taxed the most,anyone who drinks at all would be punished by this approach.
To make drinking and driving a criminal offense is an approach directed only at drinking drivers.In some states,the law empowers police to request breath tests of drivers committing any traffic offense and higher BAC can be the basis for arrest.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates,however,that even with increased arrests,there are about 700 violations for every arrest.At this level there is little evidence that laws are effective ways to reduce drunk driving.In Britain,motor vehicle accidents fell 25 percent immediately following implementation of the Road Safety Act in 1967. 2) As Britishers increasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped,the effectiveness declined,although in the following three years the death-rate seldom reached that observed in the seven years prior to the Act.
Whether penalties for driving with a high BAC or excessive taxation on consumption of alcoholic drinks will deter the excessive drinker responsible for most accidents is unclear.One thing is clear,however:unless we deal with automobile and highway safety and reduce accidents in which alcoholic drinking plays a role,many will continue to die.
1.The author is primarily concerned with____.
[A] interpreting the results of surveys on traffic accidents
[B] reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to reduce drunk driving
[C] analyzing the causes of the large number of annual traffic deaths
[D] making an international comparison of experience with drunk driving
2.It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain____.
[A] changed an existing law to lower the BAC level which defined drunk driving
[B] made it illegal for the drunk driver to drive
[C] increased the number of drunk driving arrests
[D] placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinks
3.The author implies that a BAC of 0.1 percent ____.
the sale of alcoholic drinks
[A] is unreasonably high as a definition of drunk driving
[B] penalizes the moderate drinker while allowing the heavy drinker to consume without limit
[C] is well below the BAC of most drivers who are involved in fatal crashes
[D] proves that a driver has consumed five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short time
4.The author cites the British example in order to____.
[A] show that the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain than in the U.S.
[B] prove that stricter laws against drinking drivers would reduce traffic deaths
[C] prove that a slight increase in the number of arrests of drunk drivers will not deter drunk driving
[D] suggest that taxation of alcohol consumption may be more effective than criminal laws
5.The word“deter”in the last paragraph probably means____.
[A] prevent [B] encourage [C] punish [D] threaten
参考答案:
1.[B] 本文探讨了饮酒和汽车事故率的关系,以及相应的限制酒后驾驶的法律对事故率的影响。这在最后一段体现得最为明显。
2.[B] 第二段第一句是这一段的主题句。英国的例子旨在说明,在英国,在刚刚实施新的道路安全法——根据本段第一句该项法律肯定也将酒后(超过规定含量)驾驶视为刑事犯罪——以后,汽车事故少了,但是,因为根据这项法律可以被逮捕的人是血液内酒精含量(BAC)超过一定标准的人,并不是所有酒后驾车的人,所以人们后来认为喝少量酒也没有关系,这样,这项法律的效力也就下降了。
3.[A] 根据第一段第五、六句,1/3的酒后驾车者能达到这个含量(BAC of 0.1 %),但是这还不到所有驾驶员人数的4 %.虽然在达到或超过0.1 %的人中不到l %卷人致命的事故中,但是,他们出事的可能性是不喝酒的人的28倍。由此可见,在作者看来,还有很多没有达到这个含量的人也同样危险,因此,0.1 %的含量标准太高了。
4.[C] 参阅第2题题解。
5.[A] 该词意为“阻止”。With its almost six billion people,the world offers a fascinating variety of human shapes and colors.As humans spread throughout the world,their adaptations to diverse climate and other living conditions resulted in this fascinating variety of complexions,colors,and shapes.Genetic mutations added distinct characteristics to the peoples of the globe.In this sense the concept of race,a group with inherited physical characteristics that distinguish it from another group,is a reality.Humans do indeed come in a variety of colors and shapes.
In two senses,however,race is a myth,a fabrication of the human mind.The first fabrication is the idea that any one race is superior to another.All races have their geniuses—and their idiots.Like language,no race is superior to another.Adolf Hitler‘s ideas were extreme.He believed that a superior race,called the Aryans,was responsible for the cultural achievements of Europe.They possessed the genetic stuff that made them inherently superior.Even many scientists of the time一not only Germany but throughout Europe and the United States—espoused the idea of racial superiority.Not surprisingly,they considered themselves members of the supposedly superior race!
In addition to the myth of racial superiority,there is a second myth—that of the existence of a“pure”race.From the perspective of contemporary biology,humans show such a mixture of physical characteristics.that the“pure”races do not exist.Instead of falling into distinct types clearly separate from one another,human characteristics flow endlessly together.These minute gradations made arbitrary any attempt to draw definite lines.
Large groupings of people,however,can be classified by blood type and gene frequencies.Yet even this arrangement does not uncover“race”。Rather,such classifications are so arbitrary that biologists and anthropologists can draw up listings showing any number of“race”。Ashley Montagu,a physical anthropologist,pointed out that some scientists have classified humans into only two“races”while others have found as many as two thousand.Montagu himself classified humans into forty“racial”groups.
This is not meant to imply that the idea of race is a myth.That idea is definitely very much alive.It is firmly embedded in our culture,a social reality that we confront daily.Sociologist W.I.Thomas observed that“if people define situations as real,they are real in their consequences”。The fact that no race is superior or that biologically we cannot even decide how people should be classified into races is not what counts.What makes a difference for social life,rather,is that people believe these ideas,for people act on beliefs,not facts.As a result,we always have people like Hitler.Most people,fortunately,do not believe in such extremes,yet most people also appear to be ethnocentric enough to believe,at least just a little,that their own race is superior to others.
1.It can be inferred from the first paragraph that the diversification of human race resulted from____.
[A] both genetic inheritance and environmental influences
[B] the differentiation of the inherited physical characteristics
[C] humans‘ adaptations to diverse climate and other living conditions
[D] genetic mutations alone
2.The word“fabrication”(in the first sentence of the second paragraph)probably means____.
[A] mystery
[B] invention
[C] exaggeration
[D] perspective
3.Why is there no“pure”race according to the passage?
[A] Because people of different races often get married.
[B] Because people have different blood types.
[C] Because racial characteristics overlap.
[D] Because there are so many races in the world.
4.Any attempt at classifying races____.
[A] is at best arbitrary
[B] is bound to be biased
[C] tends to pick out one race as superior
[D] takes culture into account
5.The author concludes the passage by pointing out that
[A] it is hardly possible to classify humans into racial groups
[B] we should be on our guard against any idea of racial superiority
[C] race is indeed a mystery to be explored and uncovered
[D] it is not important how people should be classified
参考答案:
1.[A]第一段第二句强调了环境因素的影响,第三句提到了基因变异的作用。
2.[B]该词此处意为:臆造,捏造。
3.[C]根据第三、第四段,不存在“纯的”种族,这是因为人的身体特征是无法划归清楚的(flow endlessly together),任何想划一个清晰界限的做法都会证明是武断的。第四段还谈到不同的研究者对种族分类的多寡,这也是为了证明难以做到对种族进行清晰的分类。
4.[A] 意为:至多是武断的。参阅第四段,尤其是该段第三句。
5.[B]最后一段作者指出种族歧视存在的现实性。人们的错误观念与现实一样可怕,因此我们应该和反对种族歧视的做法一样防止种族歧视思想的产生。The eradication of poverty is a shared responsibility for the international community—indeed,a moral imperative.This task has become no less urgent in the last decade,in spite of rapid economic growth in many parts of the world.While the percentage of the world‘s population living on less than $1 per day has fallen from 28.3%to 24.0%between 1987 and 1998,population growth(815 million) has kept the absolute number of poor steady at some 1.2 billion.If we take a higher cutoff point of $2 per day,the poor have increased by 250 million over the same time period,encompassing 2.8 billion people,or almost half of the world’s population.Nor do World Bank projections lend undivided hope for the future.Under the“business as usual”scenario,the number of poor on the $1 per day scale will not change during the projection period up to 2008.However,should policy measures be taken to boost economic growth and make the growth process more inclusive to the poor,the World Bank reckons that 500 million people could be brought out of extreme poverty by 2008.Even under this more optimistic scenario,Latin America and the Caribbean,and especially Sub-Saharan Africa would see little,if any,progress.The same pattern emerges under the higher cutoff point of $2 per day.
In the light of these dire statistics and projections,it is easy to appreciate the growing public concern that not enough is being done to address poverty and poverty-related social illnesses,such as poor work conditions,a lack of respect for human rights,and natural resource degradation.Indeed,such concerns have been vented with increasing frustration,including at the Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Seattle last year,and more recently at the joint spring meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.
One problem facing governments in poverty-stricken countries,civil society,and international organizations is that poverty is a multidimensional problem with no simple solution—not least because of its sheer scale.The causes and expressions of poverty are not the same everywhere,although some common terms can often be found,including a lack of access to education,basic health care,and unequal distribution of productive assets(1and,livestock,credits,etc.)。 Moreover,rural communities,which are often the hardest hit by poverty,face their own development problems related to poor infrastructure (roads,electricity,telecommunication,etc.),which make it more costly to participate in the national and global economy.Another factor that perpetuates poverty is that the poor often lack political leverage to influence the policies and priorities of governments.
1.By saying that the eradication of poverty is a“moral imperative”,the author means____.
[A] it is a moral responsibility to do away with poverty
[B] it is closely related to the formulation of moral standard
[C] raising moral standard is the only solution to poverty
[D] it is morally impossible to find a solution to poverty
2.Between 1987 and 1998,the number of people living on two dollars a day____.
[A] actually increased
[B] fell slightly
[C] was cut down greatly
[D] kept rising steadily
3.What might happen in the year 2008 if proper policies for economic growth were made?
[A] 500 million more people would join the extremely poor.
[B] No drastic change would happen to the life of the poor in the present poor regions.
[C] The number of the poor on the $1 per day scale would be greatly cut.
[D] The number of the poor living on $2 dollars per day would be drastically decreased.
4.Why is it not easy to solve the poverty problem?
[A] Because the international community hasn‘t made enough effort at it.
[B] Because the governments in poor countries do not give enough attention to it.
[C] Because solving the problem is beyond the means of the poor countries.
[D] Because it is a problem that involves multiple factors.
5.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an obstacle to the solution of poverty?
[A] The enormous size of the poor population.
[B] Slower economic development in extremely poor regions.
[C] The government policy in poverty-stricken countries.
[D] The classification of the poor population.
参考答案:
1.[A] 意为:消除贫困是一种道义。imperative这里是一个名词,意为“必须履行的责任”。
2.[A]根据第一段,在世界范围内,每天靠1美元过活的人在1987年~1998年间从28.3%降到24%,但是从人口增长的角度来看(这10年人口增长了8.15亿),贫困人口的绝对数量还保持在12亿人。另外,如果我们以日平均2美元作为贫困线标准的话,那么,在同一段时间内贫困者的数量就增加了2.5亿人,涉及28亿人,几乎是世界总人口的一半。
3.[C]第一段提到,如果现在的经济形势“保持不变”,到2008年,靠日平均1美元生活的贫困人口的状况不会得到改观。但是,如果制定政策促进经济的发展,使经济的增长更多地涵盖到贫困人口,世界银行预测,到2008年,5亿人口可能脱离贫困。
4.[D] 意为:因为这是一个涉及很多因素的问题。最后一段提到,贫困国家的政府、文明社会(指相对发达的社会)和国际组织面临的一个问题是:贫困是一个多方面的问题,没有简单的解决方案——由于涉及面广更是如此。造成贫困的原因和贫困的形式各地不尽相同,虽然我们可能从中找出一些基本特征,如教育落后、基本医疗条件缺乏、生产资料分配不均等。
[C]意为:贫穷国家无力解决这个问题。
5.[D] 有关[A]参阅第2、3题题解。有关[B]、[C]参阅最后一段。 The existence of both racial and sexual discrimination in employment is well documented,and policymakers and responsible employers are particularly sensitive to the plight of the black female employee on the theory that she is doubly the victim of discrimination.That there exist differences in income between whites and blacks is clear,but it is not so clear that these differences are solely the result of racial discrimination in employment.The two groups differ in productivity,so basic economics dictates that their incomes will differ.
To obtain a true measure of the effect of racial discrimination in employment it is necessary to adjust the gross black/white income ratio for these productivity factors.White women in urban areas have a higher educational level than black women and can be expected to receive larger incomes.Moreover,State distribution of residence is important because blacks are overrepresented in the South,where wage rates are typically lower than elsewhere and where racial differentials in income are greater.Also,blacks are over-represented in large cities,and incomes of blacks would be greater if blacks were distributed among cities of different sizes in the same manner as whites.
After standardization for the productivity factors,the income of black urban women is estimated to be between 108 and 125 percent of the income of white women.This indicates that productivity factors more than account for the actual white/black income differential for women.Despite their greater education,white women’s actual average income is only 2 to 5 percent higher than that of black women in the North.Unlike the situation of men,the evidence indicates that the money income of black urban women was as great as,or greater than,that of whites of similar productivity in the North,and probably in the United States as a whole.
At least two possible hypotheses may explain why the adjustment for productivity more than accounts for the observed income differential for women.First,there may be more discrimination against black men than against black women.The different occupational structures for men and women give some indication why this could be the case.Second,the data are consistent with the hypothesis that the intensity of discrimination against women differs little between whites and blacks.Therefore,racial discrimination adds little to effects of existing sex discrimination.These findings suggest that a black woman does not necessarily suffer relatively more discrimination in the labor market than does a white woman.Rather,for women,the effects of sexual discrimination are so pervasive that the effects of racial discrimination are negligible.
1.The primary purpose of the passage is to____.
[A] explain the reasons for the existence of income differentials between men and women
[B] show that racial discrimination against black women in employment is less important than sexual discrimination
[C] explore the ways in which productivity factors influence the earning power of black workers
[D] sketch a history of racial and sexual discrimination against black and female workers in the labor market
2.The difference between income levels for black and white women is____.
[A] less than that for black and white men
[B] greater than that for black and white men
[C] greater since black women are subject to more discrimination
[D] smaller since women can only do low-paying jobs
3.Which of the following best describes the logical relationship between the two hypotheses presented in the fourth paragraph?
[A] They may both be true since each phenomenon could contribute to the observed differential.
[B] They are contradictory,and if one is proved to be correct,the other is proved incorrect.
[C] They are independent of each other,and it is hard to establish any relationship between them.
[D] The two hypotheses are logically connected so that it is impossible to prove either one to be true without also proving the other to be true.
4.If the second hypothesis mentioned by the author is correct,a general lessening of discrimination against women should lead to a(n) ____.
[A] higher white/black income ratio for women
[B] lower white/black income ratio for women
[C] lower female/male income ratio
[D] increase in the productivity of women
5.The author’s attitude toward racial and sexual discrimination in employment is one of____.
[A] apology [B] concern [C] indifference [D] indignation
参考答案:
1.[B] 文章最后一段是作者的结论,这段提到两个假设,一是对男性黑人的歧视可能比对女性黑人的歧视更严重;二是对妇女的歧视在黑人和白人之间没有多大区别。因此作者的结论是:就黑人妇女而言,种族歧视并没有使性别歧视加重——黑人妇女并没有受双重歧视,由于对任何种族的妇女的歧视占主导地位,种族歧视的影响几乎可以忽略不计了。
2.[A] 最后一段提到,有数据显示支持如下假设:对妇女的歧视在白人和黑人之间差别不大,因此,种族歧视在性别歧视之外几乎没有再添加影响。这些发现表明:在劳动力市场上,黑人妇女不一定比白人妇女遭受更多的歧视,更确切地说,对妇女来说,性别歧视是如此广泛存在,以至于种族歧视的影响可以忽略不计。
3.[A] 参阅第1题题解。
4.[A] 参阅第l题题解。
5.[B] 意为:关注。作者对黑人妇女在就业上可能存在的受歧视现象进行了实事求是的分析,并借助于数据进行了说明。作者的目的当然是找出根本原因,以便切实解决问题。从这个角度来看,作者对黑人妇女在工作中的地位是关心的。 Since 1975 advocates of humane treatment of animals have broadened their goals to oppose the use of animals for fur,leather,wool and food.They have moaned protests against all forms of