16.The word tolerance is widely used in liberal democracies.It indicates a positive meaning.Politicians urge us to be tolerant towards minorities.Educators teach us to be tolerant towards the other.The press is full of references to the need to display tolerance when faced with individuals or groups espousing a different view or holding a different religious belief.A tolerant society is an objective sought after by anyone who believes in the values of democracy.A tolerant individual is attributed with virtuous qualities.
The question we must ask is whether we have been using the word tolerance fully aware of its meaning and whether we have applied it correctly to reflect what we really wish to convey?
The word tolerance means to bear,or to bear with.If I tolerate something or someone,I basically say that I am ready to bear it or him.I can tolerate a bad smell or a noisy neighbour.The act of toleration forces me to desist from conveying my objection to the existence of a phenomenon,which I find difficult to bear.A bad smell or a noisy neighbour is considered by me to be an objectionable phenomenon.By tolerating either of them,I am not transforming the bad smell or the noisy neighbour into positive phenomena.Let's be honest:I don't have a different taste when it comes to bad smells.I simply dislike it and wish that it disappears.I don't respect the noisy neighbour.I would rather have him stop at once the noise he is making so I can live in peace.
To try to remove the bad smell or take reasonable action in order for the noisy neighbour to stop bothering me would most probably not be considered an intolerant act by most people.
Now,let's try to apply the word tolerance in reference to a person who is law-abiding and holds a legally acceptable different view from my own.I may have a strong view,which is opposed to his.Quite frankly,I may decide to tolerate his view.By so doing,I would be attributing to it a negative characteristic.I would apply the same attitude to his view as to the bad smell or noisy neighbour.Thus,to try to take action in order to make his view disappear would be considered an intolerant act.To tolerate his view the way I would a bad smell or a noisy neighbour,could hardly be considered virtuous.
The subject tolerating is by nature not equal to the object being tolerated.If I tolerate you,I essentially say that I am above you and am prepared,although unwillingly,to bear with your presence or with your practices or opinions.That may be true in the case of an individual who is ready to tolerate the other.However,this attitude by such an individual,though empirically true,is hardly a virtue.Certainly,the fact that an individual,in reality,may merely tolerate the other or his opinion does not justify a government or any official authority promoting tolerance as a virtue.One cannot tolerate an equal being.True equality involves respect,not toleration.To respect the other as a distinctive person is hardly to tolerate him.This is the true meaning of equality:diversity existing in a mutually-respectful socio-legal setting.
The danger with tolerance is that it can lead to the acceptance of individuals or groups bent on destroying the foundations of democratic systems.We have seen such cases with regard to political parties or destructive religious groups that have been treated in a liberal manner under the guise of tolerance.
A tolerant attitude involves the grant of a favour,not a right.The question we should ask ourselves is whether we would ever wish a parliament to make laws according to us,as individuals and as part of a collective entity or a permission to pursue certain actions interpreted as a favour rather than a right?Indeed,would we ever wish anyone to listen to our views and accept us the way we are simply because he is kind enough to tolerate us?
65.The first two paragraphs are mainly intended to show thatC.
A.tolerance is a symbol of liberal democracies
B.democratic society always advocates tolerance
C.people's understanding of tolerance is one-sided
D.tolerance can be applied to many situations
66.The underlined part"desist from"in Paragraph 3can be replaced by"C'.
A.deny B.dislike C.stop D.keep
67.The example of a bad smell and a noisy neighbour is raised to indicate thatD.
A.the writer are fed up with them
B.most people find them hard to tolerate
C.the writer isn't prejudiced against them
D.tolerating them isn't a virtuous act
68.The main idea of Paragraph 6is thatC.
A.tolerance has nothing to do with respect
B.most people promote tolerance as a virtue
C.people should show respect for each other
D.tolerance shows an unequal relationship
69.Which of the following will the writer probably agree with?A
A.Too much tolerance will endanger the foundations of democratic systems.
B.By tolerating people can transform something negative into the opposite.
C.People tolerating others are likely to consider them as their equals.
D.Being tolerant should be regarded as a right instead of a favour
70.The best title for this passage should be"C".
A.Tolerance and respect
B.What is to be tolerated?
C.Is Tolerance a Virtue?
D.Should people be tolerant?
分析 本文談的是關(guān)于人們對寬容的理解.寬容并不是一種美德,關(guān)鍵是我們是否一直在使用"寬容"這個詞,并完全意識到它的含義,我們是否已正確反映我們真正愿意傳遞什么?
解答 65.C.推理判斷題.根據(jù)第一段的二、三句Politicians urge us to be tolerant towards minorities.政治家呼吁我們對少數(shù)民族寬容.Educators teach us to be tolerant towards the other.教育者教導(dǎo)我們要寬容對方;故選C.
66.C.詞義猜測題.根據(jù)第三段:The act of toleration forces me to desist from conveying my objection to the existence of a phenomenon,which I find difficult to bear寬容迫使我停止輸送我反對一個現(xiàn)象的存在的行為,我難以忍受;可知意為停止;故選C.
67.D.推理判斷題.根據(jù)第三段第五句By tolerating either of them,I am not transforming the bad smell orthe noisy neighbour into positive phenomena.忍耐它們兩者之一,我沒有在改變壞的氣味或者喧鬧的鄰居成為積極的現(xiàn)象.故選D.
68.C.段落大意題.根據(jù)第六段:This is the true meaning of equality:diversity existing in a mutually-respectful socio-legal setting可知主要講人應(yīng)該彼此尊重;故選C.
69.A.推理判斷題.根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段第一句The danger with tolerance is that it can lead to the acceptanceof individuals or groups bent on destroying the foundations of democratic systems.忍耐可能導(dǎo)致一心要摧毀民主體制基礎(chǔ)的個人或群體的接受.故選A.
70.C.主旨大意題.根據(jù)倒數(shù)第三段中的Certainly,the fact that an individual,in reality,may merely tolerate the other or his opinion does not justify a government or any official authority promoting tolerance as a virtue.當(dāng)然,事實(shí)上,忍受另一個人或他的觀點(diǎn)的事實(shí)并不會把政府或任何官方權(quán)威機(jī)構(gòu)的促進(jìn)容忍當(dāng)做一種美德.故選C.
點(diǎn)評 考察學(xué)生的細(xì)節(jié)理解和推理判斷能力,做細(xì)節(jié)理解題時一定要找到文章中的原句,和題干進(jìn)行比較,再做出正確的選擇.在做推理判斷題不要以個人的主觀想象代替文章的事實(shí),要根據(jù)文章事實(shí)進(jìn)行合乎邏輯的推理判斷.