单选题 In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as a means of solving differences, that it is not even questioned. There are countries where the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there are countries where the black man protests by setting fire to cities and by looting and pillaging. Important people on both sides who would in other respects appear to be reasonable men, get up and calmly argue in favor of violence—as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we have made no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but our instincts remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation of violence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still not learnt that violence never solves a problem but makes it more acute. The sheer horror, the bloodshed and the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning after when we dismally contemplate the smoking ruins and wonder what hit us.
The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and harder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persecuted by their own kind because they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement. If half the energy that goes into violent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums and ghettos, at improving living-standards and providing education and employment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength is undermined by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social program. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in the world around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work within the framework of the law.
Before we can even begin to contemplate peaceful co-existence between the races, we must appreciate each other"s problems. And to do this, we must learn about them: it is a simple exercise in communication, in exchanging information. "Talk, talk, talk," the advocates of violence say, "all you ever do is talk, and we are none the wiser." It"s rather like the story of the famous barrister who painstakingly explained his case to the judge. After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser. "Possible, my lord," the barrister replied, "none the wiser, but surely far better informed." Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom; the knowledge that violence creates the evils it pretends to solve.
单选题 Which can best replace the word "acute" (Line 1, Para. 1) mean?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 语义题。根据信息定位至原文首段首句,acute之后提到暴力被理所当然地认为是解决分歧的方式和手段,甚至不会受到质疑。可知种族歧视已经很严重了,故选项D(严重或者恶劣)符合题意。故答案为D。
单选题 What does the author intend to convey in the first paragraph?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 段落主旨题。通读原文首段可知,暴力在人类的发展史上给人类带来了种种苦难,它在解决种族歧视的问题上并没有起到任何积极的作用,反而让事态更加严重。故答案为A。
单选题 What does the author think of our energy and strength?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节推断题。根据题干关键词energy and strength定位至第二段第三、四句。原句中的have gone a long way to arriving at a solution(我们就已经在解决问题上有很大进展)说明当前我们的精力正在被浪费,故答案为A。
单选题 What do truly reasonable men advocate to solve the problem of race prejudice?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 细节事实题。根据题干关键词truly reasonable men定位到原文第二段首句。具体的主张在原文第二段第二句。原句中的law enforcement与选项A重现,他们主张执法来解决种族歧视的问题。故答案为A。
单选题 According to the author, what"s the prerequisite of peaceful co-existence between the races?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节推断题。题干中的prerequisite意为“先决条件”。根据题干关键词peaceful co-existence between the races定位到原文尾段首句。原句中的appreciate each other"s problems与选项D对应,必须要通过了解对方,和对方交流,在这样的前提下消除误解,和平共处。选项A、B和C是手段,D选项才是目的。故答案为D。