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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.
In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than
at any time in the peacetime history of any country – from 82 to 110 million
between 1973 and 1985 – that is, by a full one third. The entire growth,
however, was in manufacturing, and especially in no – blue-collar jobs…
This trend is the same in all developed countries, and is, indeed, even more
pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed
countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion
of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in
farming – at most, 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million
people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010, the number is
likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be
even sharper. It is quite unrealistic, for instance, to expect that the American
automobile industry will employ more than one –third of its present blue-collar
force 25 years hence, even though production might be 50 percent higher.
If a company, an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century
sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce
the blue-collar work force, it cannot hope to remain competitive – or even to
remain “developed.” The attempt to preserve such blue – collar jobs is actually
a prescription for unemployment…
This is not a conclusion that American politicians, labor leaders or indeed
the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even
more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different
shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution
of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few
decades ago, we now speak of “robotization “ or “automation.” This is actually
more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford
introduced the assembly line in 1909, he cut the number of man – hours required
to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years –far more than
anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is
no doubt that we are facing a new, sharp acceleration in the replacement of
manual workers by machines –that is, by the products of knowledge.
1.According to the author, the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force
demonstrates______.
A.the degree to which a country’s production is robotized
B.a reduction in a country’s manufacturing industries
C.a worsening relationship between labor and management
D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country
2.According to the author, in coming 25years, a developed country or
industry, in order t remain competitive, ought to ______.
A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force
B.preserve blue – collar jobs for international competition
C.accelerate motor – can manufacturing in Henry Ford’s style
D.solve the problem of unemployment
3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.
A.confusion in manufacturing economy
B.an increase in blue – collar work force
C.internal competition in manufacturing production
D.a drop in the blue – collar job opportunities
4.The word “prescription” in “a prescription for unemployment” may be the
equivalent to ______
A.something recommended as medical treatment
B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty
C.some measures taken in advance
D.a device to dire
5.This passage may have been excepted from ________
A.a magazine about capital investment
B.an article on automation
C.a motor-car magazine
D.an article on global economy
