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.
Vocabulary
1. acute 嚴重的，劇烈的，敏銳的
2. loot v.搶劫，掠奪;n.贓物
3. pillage v.搶劫，掠奪
4. crunch v.吱嘎吱嘎咬或嚼某物;n.碎裂聲
when it comes to the crunch = if/when the decisive moment comes. 當關鍵時刻來到時。
5. war-paint 出戰前塗於身上的顏料。(美印第安戰士用)
6. come to light = become known 顯露，為人所知
7. sap 剝削，使傷元氣，破壞
I was sapped by months of hospital treatment. 我住院治療幾個月，大傷元氣。
8. mop up 擦去，對付，處理
9. wake 船跡，航跡
in the wake of sth. = come after 隨某事之後到來。
難句譯註
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.
【結構簡析】when it comes to the crunch = when / if the decisive moment comes.當關鍵時刻來到時。
【參考譯文】真正令人可怖的，令人絕望的是，在關鍵時刻，人們意識到我們一點兒也沒有進步/前進。
2. Our strength is sapped by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake.
【結構簡析】in the wake of 在…之後。
【參考譯文】由於我們不得不清理掉暴力之後所留下的爛攤子，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.
【結構簡析】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.治療後，他並沒有因此見好，(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，並不因此變得聰明些。
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。結合上下文這裡意思是：了解情況是解決問題的先決條件。句子後面的解釋：知識是指了解它欲以解決暴力製造的惡行。
寫作方法與文章大意
作者主要以對比的手法寫出了暴力是有些國家用以解決種族差異的公認方法，這是人本性沒有進步的表現，真正理智的人提出了法制才是解決問題的唯一途徑，而這些人遭人輕視、迫害。作者指出如果我們把使用暴力的一半精力放在消除貧民窟，改善生活水平，提供教育和就業，清除暴力造成的後果，也就是通過對它以法治理是能真正解決種族問題的。儘管這些暴力者採取充耳不聞的態度。
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重，而暴力卻是公認的一種解決方法。白人採用暴力鎮壓，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步只在於表面――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。第二段論及真正有理智的懂得解決方案所在的人鼓吹法制，人們不停。他們反而收到輕視、迫害。作者就此提出假設，答出真正的解決方案嗜法制，以法治理。第三段進一步說明「交流、對話」是了解雙方問題的前提，即使暴力者不同意，但知道暴力製造它假裝要解決的罪惡，是智慧聰明的必要前提。A.鼓吹暴力。C.雙方重要人物都把暴力作為合法的解決方案。D. 人類的本性是嗜暴性。
2. B 沒有什麼。第一段中就明確提出整個人類有記錄歷史又長又臭的暴力文件記錄，一點都沒有教給我們任何東西。A.暴力解決不了任何事情。C.殺戮(流血)沒有任何意義。D.一切。
3. D 在鼓吹法制方面有困難。答案在第二段，真正有理智的人鼓吹法制，遭到同類們的輕視、不信任和迫害。他們發現要人傾聽他們的意見越來越困難。A.人們不聽。B.遭人輕視。C.遭人迫害。這三項都包含在D項內。
4. C 聽後無所得。None the wiser一點也不比以前聰明(這是按字面翻譯)。實際就是C項。A.在傾聽別人上他一點也不聰明。B.他和以前一個樣。D.他聽不懂論點。
5. A 法制。第二段最後一句，如果我們在法律的構架中進行工作，真正的持久的解決總是能實現的。第二段第二句，他們遭到迫害是因為他們鼓吹法制這種顯然令人不能容忍的事。B.知識。C.非暴力。D.處理暴力帶來的混亂。
(實習編輯：劉偉)