单选题
Bernard Jackson is a free man today, but he has many bitter memories. Jackson spent five, years in prison after a jury wrongly convicted him of raping two women. At Jackson's trial, although two witnesses testified that Jackson was with them in another location at the times of the crimes, he was convicted anyway. Why? The jury believed the testimony of the two victims, who positively identified Jackson as the man who had attacked them. The court eventually freed Jackson after the police found the man who had really committed the crimes. Jackson was similar in appearance to the guilty man. The two women had made a mistake in identity. As a result, Jackson has lost five years of his life.
The two women in this case were eyewitnesses. They clearly saw the man who attacked them, yet they mistakenly identified an innocent person. Similar incidents have occurred before. Eyewitnesses to other crimes have identified the wrong person in a police lineup or in photographs.
Many factors influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. For instance, witnesses sometimes see photographs of several suspects before they try to identify the person they saw in a line-up of people. They can become confused by seeing many photographs or similar faces. The number of people in the line-up, and whether it is a live line-up or a photograph, may also affect a witness's decision. People sometimes have difficulty identifying people of other races. The questions the police ask witnesses also have an effect on them.
Are some witnesses more reliable than others? Many people believe that police officers are more reliable than ordinary people. Psychologists decided to test this idea, and they discovered that it is not true. Two psychologists showed a film of crimes to both police officers and civilians. The psychologists found no difference between the police and the civilians in correctly remembering the details of the crimes.
Despite all the possibilities for inaccuracy, courts cannot exclude eyewitness testimony from a trial. American courts depend almost completely on eyewitness testimony to resolve court cases. Sometimes it is the only evidence to a crime, such as rape. Furthermore, eyewitness testimony is often correct. Although people do sometimes make mistakes, many times they really do identify individuals correctly.
American courts depend on the ability of the 12 jurors, and not the judges, to determine the accuracy of the witness's testimony. It is their responsibility to decide if a certain witness could actually see, hear, and remember what occurred.
In a few cases, the testimony of eyewitnesses has convicted innocent people. More importantly, it has rightly convicted a larger number of guilty people; consequently, it continues to be of great value in the American judicial system.
单选题 What is the main idea of the passage?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】这是一道篇章理解题。在做对文章主旨提问的题目时，可先做完以下几题，读完全文后再回头应对这样的题目。根据文中第六段最后两句"In a few cases，the testimony of eyewitnesses has convicted innocent people．More importantly，it has rightly convicted a larger number of guilty people； consequently，it continues to be of great value in the American judicial system．”(在有些案件中，证人的证词曾令无辜者蒙冤。但更多时候，它将众多的犯罪分子绳之以法。因此，证人的证词对于美国法律系统仍然意义重大。)可见，选项B“Eyewitness testimony，although sometimes incorrect，is valuable．”(尽管证人的证词并非总是正确，却仍然很有价值。)符合题意。故选B。
单选题 Why was Bernard Jackson found guilty and imprisoned for five years?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】这是一道细节理解题。解题句是第一段最后几句"Jackson was similar in appearance to the guilty man．The two women have made a mistake in identity．As a result，Jackson has lost five years of his life．”(杰克逊与罪犯相貌相近。由于两位妇女的错误指认，杰克逊失去了五年的光阴o)而选项B“The victims mistook him for the real criminal．”(受害者将他错认为罪犯。)符合原文。mistake sb／sth for sb／sth else意即将某人或某物错认为其他人或物，故选B。
单选题 According to the passage, ______ might influence the witness's identification of suspects.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】这是一道细节理解题。解题句是第三段的“Many factors influence the accuracy of eyewitness testimony…They can become confused by seeing many photographs or similar faces．”(有很多因素会影响证人证词的准确性。当他们看到众多照片或相似面孔的时候，他们就会迟疑困惑。)四个选项当中，选项A“the education of the witness"(证人的受教育程度)，选项B“the time of day the Crime occurs”(罪案发生的时间)，选项C“the appearance of the suspect"(嫌疑犯的外形)和选项D“the age of the suspect”(嫌疑犯的年龄)，只有选项C是与原文相符的，故选C。
单选题 We know from the passage that ______ will be most helpful in resolving a rape case.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】这是一道细节理解题。根据第五段最后几句"Sometimes it is the only evidence to a crime，such as rape．Furthermore，eyewitness testimony is often correct．Although people do sometimes make mistakes，many times they really do identify individuals correctly．”(有时候证人证词是罪行的唯一证据，比如强奸罪就是如此。况且，证人证词在很多时候是准确的。尽管人们有时会犯错误，但很多情况下，他们确实能够准确地辨识罪犯。)可以知道，强奸罪等罪行都是靠证人证词充当最大证据的，选项D“the eyewitness testimony"(证人证词)符合文意。故选D。
单选题 According to the passage, who are in a position to decide whether a witness testimony is reliable?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】这是一道细节题。根据文章第六段前几句"American courts depend on the ability of the 12 jurors， and not the judges，to determine the accuracy of the witness's testimony．It is their responsibility to decide if a certain witness could actually see，hear，and remember what occurred．”(美国法院中，由12位陪审员而非法官来裁定证人证词是否准确。他们需要确定证人是否看到、听到，并且记住了犯罪经过。)可以得知，判定证词是否可信的是12位陪审员，即选项D。