阅读理解
A century ago in the United States, when an individual brought suit against a company, public opinion tended to protect that company. But perhaps this phenomenon was most striking in the case of the railroads. Nearly half of all negligence (过失) cases decided through 1,896 involved railroads. And the railroads usually won.
Most of the cases were decided in state courts, when the railroads had the climate of the times on their sides. Government supported the railroad industry; the progress railroads represented was not to be slowed down by requiring them often to pay damages to those unlucky enough to be hurt working for them.
Court decisions always went against railroad workers. Mr. Farrell, an engineer, lost his right hand when a switchman''s negligence ran his engine off the track. The court reasoned that since Farrell had taken the job of an engineer voluntarily at good pay, he had accepted the risk. Therefore the accident, though avoidable had the switchmen acted carefully, was a "pure accident." In effect a railroad could never be held responsible for injury to one employee caused by the mistake of another.
In one case where a Pennsylvania Railroad worker had started a fire at a warehouse and the fire had spread several blocks, causing widespread damage, a jury found the company responsible for all the damage. But the court overturned the jury''s decision because it argued that the railroad''s negligence was the immediate cause of damage only to the nearest buildings. Beyond them the connection was too remote to consider.
As the century wore on, public sentiment began to turn against the railroads—against their economic and political power and high fares as well as against their callousness (无情) toward individuals.
单选题
Which of the following is NOT true in Farrell''s case?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】首先注意题目问的是not true。由Farrell定位于文章第三段,文中指出由于扳道工的失误Farrell先生失去了右手,而与公司打官司时败诉,因为法院认为既然Farrell先生从事这份工作就说明他也接受存在的风险。A)中he negligently ran his engine off the track与文中表达不一致。
单选题
What must have happened after the fire case was settled in court?
单选题
The following aroused public resentment EXCEPT_________.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】由文章最后一段可知人们对铁路公司感到愤慨,主要表现在对他们的economic and political power;high fares和their callousness(无情)toward individuals的愤慨。只有C)没有提及。
单选题
What does the passage mainly discuss?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】本文主要是讨论上个世纪美国司法系统在铁路官司中对公司的偏袒,以及对工人权利的漠视。从结构上看,文章第一段提到…most striking in the case of the railroad,接下来文章都是以railroad为例展开论述的。D)中的law cases与原文the case意思一致。