真题考试辅导之历年阅读真题解析与导读九

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2007:02:25 09:02:49
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

1997

Passage One

本文介绍了在美国，赞成或反对恢复死刑者各自所持的理论和观点。

In the USA 85% of the population over the age of 21 approve of the death penalty. In the many states which still have the death penalty， some use the electric chair，which can take up to 20 minutes to kill while others use gas or lethal injection. ①

The first of these was the case of Ruth Ellis who was hanged for shooting her lover in what was generally regarded as a crime of passion. ②The second was hanged for murders which it was later proved, had been committed by someone else.

The pro-hanging lobby (赞成极刑的活动集团) uses four main arguments to support its call for the reintroduction of capital punishment. ③First there is the deterrence theory, which argues that potential murderers would think twice before committing the act if they knew that they might die if they were caught. ④The armed bank robber might, likewise go back to being unarmed.

The other two arguments are more suspect. The idea of retribution demands that criminals should get what they deserve: if a murderer intentionally set out to commit a crime, he should accept the consequences. Retribution, which is just another word for revenge, is supported by the religious doctrine of an eye for an eye and a tooth for tooth.

The arguments against the death penalty are largely humanitarian (人道主义的) ⑤ But there are also statistical reasons for opposing it: the deterrence figures do not add up. In Britain, 1903 was the record year for executions and yet in l904 the number of murders actually rose. There was a similar occurrence in 1946 and 1947. If the deterrence theory were correct, the rate should have fallen.

The other reasons to oppose the death penalty are largely a matter of individual conscience and belief. ⑥One is that murder is murder and that the state has no more right to take a life than the individual. ⑦The other is that Christianity advises forgiveness, not revenge.

Notes：

①在美国许多仍对犯人执行死刑的州中，有些州使用电椅刑法—— 20分钟处死犯人，而其他州采用毒气或注射致命针剂。

② was hanged for shooting her lover 因枪杀她的情人而被执行绞刑；a crime of passion 情感犯罪。此类死刑案例第一桩是Ruth Ellis案，嫌疑人 Ruth Ellis因枪杀她的情人而被执行绞刑， 此类犯罪通常被认定为“情感犯罪”。

③赞成极刑的活动集团提出了4种重要的观点，以此来支持“恢复死刑”的呼吁。

④带虚拟条件句的定语从句。 deterrence theory威慑理论。首先是威慑理论，这种理论认为：潜在的杀人犯如果知道他们被捕后可能被判处死刑，那么他们在实施犯罪前会考虑再三。

⑤反对死刑的论点主要是人道主义方面的。

⑥其他反对死刑的理由主要是出于个人的良心和信仰。

⑦ take a life 剥夺生命。谋杀就是谋杀，国家没有权力剥夺一个人的生命，而个人也无权剥夺他人生命。

36. The passage is mainly about _______.

A. the argument in favor of the death penalty

B. the argument against the death penalty

C. the argument about the reintroduction of the death penalty

D. the argument about the abolition of the death penalty

37. All of the following death penalty methods are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT_______.

A. the electric chair B.the lethal injection

C. the poisonous gas D.the shooting

38. According to the first four paragraphs, which of the following statements if NOT correct?

A. The death penalty may help the potential murderers to arouse moral awareness.

B. Ruth Ellis was shot by his lover, which was regarded as a crime of passion.

C. The intentional murderer should eat his own bitter fruit.

D. According to the religious doctrine, punishment should be as severe as the injury suffered.

39. In paragraph 3, "deterrence" means _______.

A. proclamation B. protest C. protection D. prevention

40. We can learn from the last paragraph that _______.

A. neither the state nor the individual has the right to take a life

B. the state has the right to take a life but the individual does not

C. the death penalty has noting to do with individual consequence and belief

D. the deterrence figures have added up and the execution rate has fallen.

CDBDA