单选题 The question of whether war is inevitable is one which has concerned many of the world's great writers. Before considering this question, it will be useful to introduce some related concepts. Conflict, defined as opposition among social entities (实体) directed against one another, is distinguished from competition, defined as opposition among social entities independently striving for something which is in inadequate supply. Competitors may not be aware of one another, while the parties to a conflict are. Conflict and competition are both categories of opposition, which has been defined as a process by which soical entities function in the disservice of one another. Opposition is thus contrasted with cooperation, the process by which social entities function in the disservice of one another. These definitions are necessary because it is important to emphasize that competition between individuals or groups is inevitable in a world of limited resources, but conflict is not. Conflict, nevertheless, is very likely to occur, and is probably an essential and desirable element of human societies.
Many authors have argued for the inevitability of war from the premise that in the struggle for existence among animal species, only the fittest survive. In general, however, this struggle in nature is competition, not conflict. Social animals, such as monkeys and cattle, fight to win or maintain leadership of the group. The struggle for existence occurs not in such fights, but in the competition for limited feeding areas and for the occupancy of areas free from meat eating animals. Those who fail in this competition starve to death or become victims to other species. This struggle for existence does not resemble human war, but rather the competition of individuals for jobs, markets, and materials. The essence of the struggle is the competition for the necessities of life that are insufficient to satisfy all.
Among nations there is competition in developing resources, trades, skills, and a satisfactory way of life. The successful nations grow and prosper, the unsuccessful decline. While it is true that this competition may include efforts to expand territory at the expense of others, and thus lead to conflict, it cannot be said that, war-like conflict among nations is inevitable, although competition is.
单选题 The author holds the opinion that ______.
  • A. like animal fights, competition is a necessity and war is inevitable
  • B. competition becomes war when it grows more and more fierce
  • C. when social entities serve one another, opposition means cooperation
  • D. while competition is unavoidable, war is not a necessary outcome
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】作者持有这样的观点：尽管竞争是不可避免的，但战争并不是必然的结果。根据最后一段最后一句，不能说国家之间存在竞争，国家之间像战争一样的冲突就是不可避免的。
单选题 The author cites animal fights ______.
  • A. to argue for the inevitability of war
  • B. to support the theory that the fittest survive
  • C. to show that animals are free to eat animals
  • D. to indicate the nature of animal struggle
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】作者引用动物的争斗表明动物争斗的本质。作者在第二段末尾下了一条结论：动物为了生存而展开的斗争不像人类的战争，而是像个人为了寻找工作、市场和物资而展开的竞争。其斗争的本质是为了满足不足以满足所有动物需要的生活必需。
单选题 The tone of this essay is ______.
  • A. serious and resolute
  • B. humorous and ironical
  • C. persuasive and convincing
  • D. subjective and positive
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】本文的语气具有说服力，令人信服。作者在第一段比较了“冲突”和“竞争”这两个概念；在第二段指出动物的竞争和人的竞争的差异性；在第三段指出竞争是不可避免的，战争不一定不可避免。全文论点鲜明．论据充分，说理透彻，令人信服。
单选题 In which book will this passage most suitably be edited?
  • A. Sociology.
  • B. The Animal World.
  • C. The History of War.
  • D. The Making of a Nation.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】本文编入社会学书籍最合适。B(The Animal World)应排除，因为本文既讲到了动物的竞争，也讲到了人类的竞争；C(The History of War)也应排除，因为作者虽然提到了“战争”这个字眼，但他主要是讲冲突和竞争的区别；D(The Making of a Nation)更不合适，因为本文并没有论述国家是怎样形成的。