2017年12月英语六级阅读理解：暴力不能解决问题

　　In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as ameans of solving differences, that it is not evenquestioned. There are countries where the whiteman imposes his rule by brute force; there arecountries where the black man protests by settingfire to cities and by looting and pillaging. Importantpeople on both sides, who would in other respectsappear to be reasonable men, get up and calmlyargue in favor of violence as if it were a legitimatesolution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we havemade no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but ourinstincts remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, thattedious documentation of violence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still notlearnt that violence never solves a problem but makes it more acute. The sheer horror, thebloodshed, the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning afterwhen 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 andherder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persecuted by their own kindbecause they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement. If half theenergy that goes into violent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaningup the slums and ghettos, at improving living-standards and providing education andemployment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength issapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directedeffort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social programme. Thebenefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in theworld around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work withinthe framework of the law.

　　Before we can even begin to contemplate peaceful co-existence between the races, wemust appreciate each other’s problems. And to do this, we must learn about them: it is asimple exercise in communication, in exchanging information."Talk, talk, talk," the advocatesof violence say, "all you ever do is talk, and we are none the wiser." It's rather like the story ofthe famous barrister who painstakingly explained his case to the judge. After listening to alengthy 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 theevils 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.

　　Vocabulary

　　1. acute 严重的，剧烈的，敏锐的

　　2. loot v.抢劫，掠夺;n.赃物

　　3. pillage v.抢劫，掠夺

　　4. crunch v.吱嘎吱嘎咬或嚼某物;n.碎裂声

　　when it comes to the crunch = if/when the decisive moment comes. 当关键时刻来到时。

　　5. war-paint 出战前涂于身上的颜料。(美印第安战士用)

　　6. come to light = become known 显露，为人所知

　　7. sap 剥削，使伤元气，破坏

　　I was sapped by months of hospital treatment. 我住院治疗几个月，大伤元气。

　　8. mop up 擦去，对付，处理

　　9. wake 船迹，航迹

　　in the wake of sth. = come after 随某事之后到来。

　　难句译注

　　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.

　　【结构简析】when it comes to the crunch = when / if the decisive moment comes.当关键时刻来到时。

　　【参考译文】真正令人可怖的，令人绝望的是，在关键时刻，人们意识到我们一点儿也没有进步/前进。

　　2. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake.

　　【结构简析】in the wake of 在…之后。

　　【参考译文】由于我们不得不清理掉暴力之后所留下的烂摊子，我们的力量因此削弱了。

　　3. After listening to a lengthy argument the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser.

　　【结构简析】none + the + 比较级。固定用法，义：not at all 一点儿也不。EX: After the treatment, he is none the better.治疗后，他并没有因此见好，(一点儿也不见好)。

　　【参考译文】听了律师的长篇解释，法官抱怨说他一无所获，并不因此变得聪明些。

　　4. Knowledge is the necessary prerequisite to wisdom.

　　【参考译文】知识是智慧的必要的先决条件。结合上下文这里意思是：了解情况是解决问题的先决条件。句子后面的解释：知识是指了解它欲以解决暴力制造的恶行。

　　写作方法与文章大意

　　作者主要以对比的手法写出了暴力是有些国家用以解决种族差异的公认方法，这是人本性没有进步的表现，真正理智的人提出了法制才是解决问题的唯一途径，而这些人遭人轻视、迫害。作者指出如果我们把使用暴力的一半精力放在消除贫民窟，改善生活水平，提供教育和就业，清除暴力造成的后果，也就是通过对它以法治理是能真正解决种族问题的。尽管这些暴力者采取充耳不闻的态度。