专八阅读训练：Violence Can Do Nothing

Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice

In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violencehas so come to be taken for granted as a means of solvingdifferences, that it is not even questioned. There are countrieswhere the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there arecountries where the black man protests by setting fire to citiesand 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 ofviolence – as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other. What is really frightening, what really fillsyou with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we have made no actualprogress at all. We may wear collars and ties instead of war-paint, but our instincts remain basicallyunchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation ofviolence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still not learnt that violence never solves aproblem 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 ruinsand wonder what hit us.

The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and herder to geta hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persecuted by their own kind because theyadvocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement. If half the energy that goes intoviolent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums andghettos, at improving living-standards and providing education and employment for all, we wouldhave gone a long way to arriving at a solution. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up themess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill theideals of a stable social programme. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutionsare 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 mustappreciate each other’s problems. And to do this, we must learn about them: it is a simple exercisein communication, in exchanging information. ‘Talk, talk, talk,’ the advocates of violence say, ‘allyou ever do is talk, and we are none the wiser.’ It’s rather like the story of the famous barristerwho painstakingly explained his case to the judge. After listening to a lengthy argument the judgecomplained 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 towisdom: 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.