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, 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 herder 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 sapped 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 programme. 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.
1. What is the best title for this passage?
[A] Advocating Violence.
[B] Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice.
[C] Important People on Both Sides See Violence As a Legitimate Solution.
[D] The Instincts of Human Race Are Thirsty for Violence.
2. Recorded history has taught us
[A] violence never solves anything. [B] nothing. [C] the bloodshed means nothing. [D] everything.
3. It can be inferred that truly reasonable men
[A] can't get a hearing. [B] are looked down upon. [C] are persecuted. [D] Have difficulty in advocating law enforcement.
4. "He was none the wiser" means
[A] he was not at all wise in listening.
[B] He was not at all wiser than nothing before.
[C] He gains nothing after listening.
[D] He makes no sense of the argument.
5. According the author the best way to solve race prejudice is
[A] law enforcement. [B] knowledge. [C] nonviolence. [D] Mopping up the violent mess.
難句譯注 ：
1.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.
【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】when it comes to the crunch = when / if the decisive moment comes.當(dāng)關(guān)鍵時刻來到時。
【參考譯文】真正令人可怖的，令人絕望的是，在關(guān)鍵時刻，人們意識到我們一點兒也沒有進(jìn)步/前進(jìn)。
2.Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake.
【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】in the wake of 在…之后。
【參考譯文】由于我們不得不清理掉暴力之后所留下的爛攤子，我們的力量因此削弱了。
3.After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser.
【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】none + the + 比較級。固定用法，義：not at all 一點兒也不。EX: After the treatment, he is none the better.治療后，他并沒有因此見好，（一點兒也不見好）。
【參考譯文】聽了律師的長篇解釋，法官抱怨說他一無所獲，并不因此變得聰明些。
4. Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom.
【參考譯文】知識是智慧的必要的先決條件。結(jié)合上下文這里意思是：了解情況是解決問題的先決條件。句子后面的解釋：知識是指了解它欲以解決暴力制造的惡行。
答案詳解 ：
1.B 暴力難以消除種族偏見。文章一開始就提出有些國家種族偏見嚴(yán)重，而暴力卻是公認(rèn)的一種解決方法。白人采用暴力鎮(zhèn)壓，黑人以防火、掠搶為反抗。而雙方的大人物平靜地論及暴力，似乎這是一種合法的解決方案。作者就此指出人類的進(jìn)步只在于表面――衣飾等，人類的本能沒有改變。整個有記錄歷史的文件沒有教會人類任何東西。這是真正令人可怕的事件。
The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and herder 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 sapped 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 programme. 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.
1. What is the best title for this passage?
[A] Advocating Violence.
[B] Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice.
[C] Important People on Both Sides See Violence As a Legitimate Solution.
[D] The Instincts of Human Race Are Thirsty for Violence.
2. Recorded history has taught us
[A] violence never solves anything. [B] nothing. [C] the bloodshed means nothing. [D] everything.
3. It can be inferred that truly reasonable men
[A] can't get a hearing. [B] are looked down upon. [C] are persecuted. [D] Have difficulty in advocating law enforcement.
4. "He was none the wiser" means
[A] he was not at all wise in listening.
[B] He was not at all wiser than nothing before.
[C] He gains nothing after listening.
[D] He makes no sense of the argument.
5. According the author the best way to solve race prejudice is
[A] law enforcement. [B] knowledge. [C] nonviolence. [D] Mopping up the violent mess.
難句譯注 ：
1.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.
【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】when it comes to the crunch = when / if the decisive moment comes.當(dāng)關(guān)鍵時刻來到時。
【參考譯文】真正令人可怖的，令人絕望的是，在關(guān)鍵時刻，人們意識到我們一點兒也沒有進(jìn)步/前進(jìn)。
2.Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake.
【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】in the wake of 在…之后。
【參考譯文】由于我們不得不清理掉暴力之后所留下的爛攤子，我們的力量因此削弱了。
3.After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser.
【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】none + the + 比較級。固定用法，義：not at all 一點兒也不。EX: After the treatment, he is none the better.治療后，他并沒有因此見好，（一點兒也不見好）。
【參考譯文】聽了律師的長篇解釋，法官抱怨說他一無所獲，并不因此變得聰明些。
4. Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom.
【參考譯文】知識是智慧的必要的先決條件。結(jié)合上下文這里意思是：了解情況是解決問題的先決條件。句子后面的解釋：知識是指了解它欲以解決暴力制造的惡行。
答案詳解 ：
1.B 暴力難以消除種族偏見。文章一開始就提出有些國家種族偏見嚴(yán)重，而暴力卻是公認(rèn)的一種解決方法。白人采用暴力鎮(zhèn)壓，黑人以防火、掠搶為反抗。而雙方的大人物平靜地論及暴力，似乎這是一種合法的解決方案。作者就此指出人類的進(jìn)步只在于表面――衣飾等，人類的本能沒有改變。整個有記錄歷史的文件沒有教會人類任何東西。這是真正令人可怕的事件。