单选题 This passage is adapted from The American Republic: Constitution, Tendencies, and Destiny by O. A. Brownson,

A、 Understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses is a difficult yet important task, not only for individuals, but for nations as a whole.
B、 The spirituality of individuals should be dictated by the nation's government.
C、 The comparing of a nation to a person is inaccurate and leads only to confusion and misrepresentation.
D、 The United States was founded upon a principle of law that originated from the ancient world.
E、 (E) A nation's moral existence is governed by external conditions only.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】The first paragraph states, in response to the introduction of the maxim of "Know Thyself," "there is for an individual no more important and no more difficult knowledge, than knowledge of himself. Nations are only individuals on a larger scale." The paragraph goes on to say that a nation's failure to understand its existence will lead to its ultimate undoing. This best supports answer choice A.

A、 an example of one nation's success
B、 an analogy between man and nation
C、 a critique of the United States Constitution
D、 a warning against civil war
E、 (E) a personal account of self-realization

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】The passage states, "Nations are only individuals on a larger scale," which is a direct comparison of nations to man. The other answer choices are not supported by the passage.