阅读理解
Do we need laws that prevent us from running risks with our lives? If so, then perhaps laws are needed prohibiting the sale of cigarettes and alcoholic drinks. Both products have been known to kill people. The hazards of drinking too much alcohol are as bad or worse than the hazards of smoking too many cigarettes. All right then, let''s pass a law closing the liquor stores and the bars in this country. Let''s put an end once and for all to the ruinous disease from which as many as 10 million Americans currently suffer — alcoholism.
But wait. We''ve already tried that. For 13 years, between 1920 and 1933, there were no liquor stores anywhere in the United States. They were shut down — abolished by an amendment (修正案) to the Constitution (to 18th) and by a law of Congress (the Volstead Act). After January 20, 1920, there was supposed to be no more manufacturing, selling, or transporting of " intoxicating (醉人，使中毒) liquors." Without any more liquor, people could not drink it. And if they did not drink it, how could they get drunk? There would be no more dangers to the public welfare from drunkenness and alcoholism. It was all very logical. And yet prohibition of liquor, beer, and wine did not work. Why?
Because, law or no law, millions of people still liked to drink alcohol. And they were willing to take risks to get it. They were not about to change their tastes and habits just because of a change in the law. And gangs of liquor smugglers made it easy to buy an illegal drink — or two or three. They smuggled millions of gallons of the outlawed beverages across the Canadian and Mexican borders. Drinkers were lucky to know of an illegal bar that served Mexican or Canadian liquor. Crime and drunkenness were both supposed to decline as a result of prohibition. Instead people drank more alcohol than ever — often poisoned alcohol.
On December 5, 1993, they repealed (撤销) prohibition by ratifying (批准) the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.
单选题
Which of the following was NOT a characteristic reason for the proposal of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution and the Volstead Act?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】这是一道细节性问题。作者在第二段中提到…people could not drink it．There would be no more dangers to public welfare from drunkenness and alcoholism，但文章中没有提到There would be a rise in the cost of an alcoholic beverage．
单选题
During Prohibition, illegal alcohol was __________
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】这是一道细节性问题。答案根据文章的第三段：They smuggled millions of gallons of the outlawed beverage across the Canadian and Mexican borders．Drinkers were lucky to know of an illegal bar that served Mexican or Canadian liquor．
单选题
During Prohibition, people __________.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】这是一道细节性问题。答案根据文章的第三段的最后两句话：Crime and drunkenness were both supposed to decline as a result of prohibition．Instead people drank more alcohol than ever — often poisoned alcohol．这两句话说明了人们宁愿犯罪也要喝酒。
单选题
When enacting the prohibition laws, government officials assumed that__________.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】这是一道推断性问题。答案根据文章的第三段倒数第二句话Crime and drunkenness were both supposed to decline as a result of prohibition．已经对这个问题解释得很清楚。
单选题
It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】这是一道推断性问题。答案根据文章第二段的最后两句话It was all very logical．And yet prohibition of liquor beer, and wine did not work和文章第三段的头两句话Because，law or no law, millions of people still liked to drink alcohol．And they were willing to take risks to get it．由此我们可以看出，国会撤销禁酒令是非常明智的。