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A wise man once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. So, as a police officer, I have some urgent things to say to good people.
Day after day my men and I struggle to hold back a tidal wave of crime. Something has gone terribly wrong with our once-proud American way of life. It has happened in the area of values. A key ingredient is disappearing, and I think I know what it is: accountability.
Accountability isn’t hard to define. It means that every person is responsible for his or her actions and liable for their consequences.
Of the many values that hold civilization together -- honesty, kindness, and so on -- accountability may be the most important of all. Without it, there can be no respect, no trust, no law -- and, ultimately, no society.
My job as a police officer is to impose accountability on people who refuse, or have never learned, to impose it on themselves. But as every policeman knows, external controls on people’s behavior are far less effective than internal restraints such as guilt, shame and embarrassment.
Fortunately there are still communities -- smaller towns, usually -- where schools maintain discipline and where parents hold up standards that proclaim: “In this family certain things are not tolerated -- they simply are not done!”
Yet more and more, especially in our larger cities and suburbs, these inner restraints are loosening. Your typical robber has none. He considers your property his property; he takes what he wants, including your life if you enrage him.
The main cause of this break-down is a radical shift in attitudes. Thirty years ago, if a crime was committed, society was considered the victim. Now, in a shocking reversal, it’s the criminal who is considered victimized: by his underprivileged upbringing, by the school that didn’t teach him to read, by the church that failed to reach him with moral guidance, by the parents who didn’t provide a stable home.
I don’t believe it. Many others in equally disadvantaged circumstances choose not to engage in criminal activities. If we free the criminal, even partly, from accountability, we become a society of endless excuses where no one accepts responsibility for anything.
We in America desperately need more people who believe that the person who commits a crime is the one responsible for it.
习题
1. What the wise man said suggests that ________.
[A] it’s unnecessary for good people to do anything in face of evil
[B] it’s certain that evil will prevail if good men do nothing about it
[C] it’s only natural for virtue to defeat evil
[D] it’s desirable for good men to keep away from evil
2. According to the author, if a person is found guilty of a crime, ________.
[A] society is to be held responsible
[B] modern civilization is responsible for it
[C] the criminal himself should bear the blame
[D] the standards of living should be improved
3. Compared with those in small towns, people in large cities have ________.
[A] less self-discipline
[B] better sense of discipline
[C] more mutual respect
[D] less effective government
4. The writer is sorry to have noticed that ________.
[A] people in large cities tend to excuse criminals
[B] people in small towns still stick to old discipline and standards
[C] today’s society lacks sympathy for people in difficulty
[D] people in disadvantaged circumstances are engaged in criminal activities
5. The key point of the passage is that ________.
[A] stricter discipline should be maintained in schools and families
[B] more good examples should be set for people to follow
[C] more restrictions should be imposed on people’s behavior
[D] more people should accept the value of accountability
全文翻译
一位智者曾说过，邪恶的胜利就是善良之人无所作为。所以，所为一名警察，我有一些话急需告诉善良的人们。
日复一日，我和我的同事尽力控制犯罪的蔓延。我们曾经引以为荣的美国生活方式出现了可怕的问题。这个问题处在我们的价值观方面。一个关键的成分正在消失，我想，我知道它是什么——责任感。
责任感不难定义。它指的是人人要对其行为负责，并承担其行为造成的后果。
责任感可能是形成文明的众多观价值观 (善良，仁慈等)中最重要的一个。没有它，就没有尊重、信任、法律——最终也就没有社会的存在。
作为一名警察，我的工作就是把责任感强行加到那些拒绝承担、或自己没有学会承担责任的人身上。但正如每一位警察都知道的，对人行为的外部控制远不如自我约束(如罪恶感，羞耻心和难为情)有效。
幸运的是，在一些区域——通常是小城镇里，学校还维护纪律，父母还坚持原则，称“有些事情在我们家是不能容忍的——你们绝不能去那样做!”
但在越来越多的地方，尤其是大城市和郊区，这些自我约束力日渐松懈。抢劫犯不再是你认为的抢劫犯。他认为你的财产就是他的财产;他拿走他想要的一切，当你触怒他时，他甚至会拿走你的生命。
人们态度的根本变化造成了局面的完全崩溃。30年前，若有罪行发生，人们认为受害者是社会。现在，人们的态度发生了惊人的变化：最犯被认为是受害者——童年饱受贫困折磨，学校没有教他读书，教堂没有给他以道德上的引导，父母没有给他提供一个安定的家。
我不相信这些。同样不利的`环境中长大的另外一些人为什么没有选择去犯罪?不让罪犯承担责任，甚至降低他们应承的责任，都会让我们的社会变成一个满是借口的社会，没有人愿意为任何事情承担责任。
美国急待更多的人相信：应该为犯罪行为负责的人是罪犯自己
重点句
A wise man once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. So, as a police officer, I have some urgent things to say to good people.
该句意义：
该句首先引用名言，借用权威之口，引出了话题，并且结合作者的身份引出了下文内容。我们也可以根据此句，结合考研写作的题目改写为：
A wise man once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. So, as a student, I have some urgent things to say to good people.
习题答案
答案:BCAAD
1. What the wise man said suggests that_____.
1. 智者的话表明_________。
[A] it’s unnecessary for good people to do anything in face of evil
[A] 面对邪恶，好人什么都不必做
[B] it’s certain that evil will prevail if good men do nothing about it
[B] 若好人无动于衷，邪恶就会猖獗
[C] it’s only natural for virtue to defeat evil
[C] 善自然会战胜恶
[D] it’s desirable for good men to keep away from evil
[D] 好人应该远离邪恶
2. According to the author, if a person is found guilty of a crime,_____________.
2. 作者认为，若有人被发现有罪，则__________.
[A] society is to be held responsible
[A] 社会应该对此负责
[B] modern civilization is responsible for it
[B] 现代文明应该对此负责
[C] the criminal himself should bear the blame
[C] 罪犯本人应该为此负责
[D] the standards of living should be improved
[D] 生活水平应该提高
3. Compared with those in small towns, people in large cities have________.
3. 和小城镇相比，大城市的人________。
[A] less self-discipline
[A] 缺少自我约束
[B] better sense of discipline
[B] 有更好的自律精神
[C] more mutual respect
[C] 更互相尊重
[D] less effective government
[D] 缺少一个有效的ZF
4. The writer is sorry to have noticed that_______.
4.作者感到遗憾是因为看到_____________。
[A] people in large cities tend to excuse criminals
[A]大城市的人常常为罪犯找借口
[B] people in small towns still stick to old discipline and standards
[B]小城镇的人坚守老的纪律和标准
[C] today’s society lacks sympathy for people in difficulty
[C]现代社会缺少对于困境中的人的同情
[D] people in disadvantaged circumstances are engaged in criminal activities
[D]环境不好的人会进行犯罪活动
5. The key point of the passage is that______.
5. 文章主要说明_____________。
[A] stricter discipline should be maintained in schools and families
[A] 学校和家庭中应该保持更严格的纪律
[B] more good examples should be set for people to follow
[B] 应该为人们树立更多学习榜样
[C] more restrictions should be imposed on people’s behavior
[C] 对人们的行为应该加以更多控制
[D] more people should accept the value of accountability
[D] 更多人应该接受“责任感”这一价值观
倒数第一丑
The Young Generation
Old people are always saying that the young are not whatthey were. The same comment is made from generation togeneration and it is always true. It has never been truer than it istoday. The young are better educated. They have a lot moremoney to spend and enjoy more freedom. They grow up morequickly and are not so dependent on their parents. They thinkmore for themselves and do not blindly accept the ideals of theirelders. Events which the older generation remembers vividly arenothing more than past history. This is as it should be. Every new generation is different from theone that preceded it. Today the difference is very marked indeed.
The old always assume that they know best for the simple reason that they have been around abit longer. They don’t like to feel that their values are being questioned or threatened. And this isprecisely what the young are doing. They are question the assumptions of their elders anddisturbing their complacency. Office hours, for instance, are nothing more than enforced slavery.Wouldn’t people work best if they were given complete freedom and responsibility? And whatabout clothing? Who said that all the men in the world should wear drab grey suits and convicthaircuts? If we ruin our minds to more serious matters, who said that human differences can bestbe solved through conventional politics or by violent means, who said that human difference canbest be solved through conventional politics or by violent means? Why have the older generationso often used violence to solve their problems? Why are they so unhappy and guilt-ridden in theirpersonal lives, so obsessed with mean ambitions and the desire to amass more and more materialpossessions? Can anything be right with the rat-race? Haven’t the old lost touch with all that isimportant in life?
These are not questions the older generation can shrug off lightly. Their record over the pastforty years or so hasn’t been exactly spotless. Traditionally, the young have turned to their eldersfor guidance. Today, the situation might be reversed. The old—if they are prepared to admitit—could learn a thing or two from their children. One of the biggest lessons they could learn is thatenjoyment is not ‘sinful’. Enjoyment is a principle one could apply to all aspects of life. It is surelynot wrong to enjoy your work and enjoy your leisure; to shed restricting inhibitions. It is surely notwrong to live in the present rather than in the past or future. This emphasis on the present is onlyto be expected because the young have grown up under the shadow of the bomb: the constantthreat of complete annihilation. This is their glorious heritage. Can we be surprised that they shouldso often question the sanity of the generation that bequeathed it?
1. Which of the following features in the young is NOT mentioned?
[A] Better educated. [B] More money and freedom.
[C] Independence. [D] Hard work.
2. What so the young reject most?
[A] Values. [B] The assumption of the elders.
[C] Conformity. [C] Conventional ideas.
3. Why do the young stress on the present?
[A] They have grown up under the shadow of the bomb.
[B] They dislike the past.
[C] They think the present world is the best.
[D] They are afraid of destruction.
4. What can the old learn from the young generation?
[A] Enjoyment is not sinful. [B] People should have more leisure time.
[C] Men might enjoy life. [D] One should enjoy one’s work.
1. D. 艰苦工作。这在第一段中第四句“青年一代受了更好教育，有大量的钱话，有更多的自由。他们成长的很快，不那么依赖于父母，他们独立思考得更多，不盲目接受老一代的理想……。”
A. 受更好的教育。 B. 更多的钱和自由。 C. 独立性。这三项均提及到。
2. C. 顺从。第二段集中讲到这一点。“因为老人们经常认为自己懂得多，理由就是他们经历得多。他们不喜欢自己的价值观受到怀疑或威胁。而这正是青年在做的。他们对老人们的设想提出疑问，打乱他们的自鸣得意。他们甚至敢于怀疑老一代创造了世界上可能最佳的社会。他们最反对的莫过于顺从。例如：他们说办公时间就是强制奴役，如果人们完全自由，绝对负责，他们的工作不会更好吗?而穿衣呢?谁说世界上所有的男人都该穿单调的灰色西装和剪成像罪犯似的短发?……。”这些词语都表示他们最反对的东西是遵从，“一致性”。所以
A. 价值。 B. 长者的设想。 D. 传统习俗观念。都是具体的某一点。
3. A. 他们在炸弹的阴影下成长。第三段倒数第四句起“由于年轻人是在炸弹战争的阴影下成长壮大：在不断受到全面歼灭的威胁之下，所以也只能期望他们重视目前。这是他们的光荣遗产。他们经常询问赠给他们遗产的这代人的头脑是否清醒。对此我们能表示惊讶吗?”遗产指的是第二段的种种问题所体现出来的东西，如：“谁说人类之差异能通过常规政策或暴力手段予以很好的解决?为什么老一代人常用暴力来解决他们的问题?为什么他们(老一代)个人生活那么不愉快。老有负罪感?为什么老纠缠于要积聚越来越多的物质财富?……。”
B. 他们不喜欢过去。 C. 他们认为现世界是最好的。 D. 他们害怕破坏。
4. A. 享受不是犯罪。这在第三段中间“老年人——如果他们准备承认的话——可以从他们的孩子们那里学到一两件事。他们能学的最大的课堂之一是享受不是犯罪。”“享受”是人可适用于生活各个方面的原则。从工作中获得乐处，享受闲暇时间，肯定不是错误。抛弃约束限制，生活在现在而不是生活在过去肯定也不是错。
B. 人们应有更多的闲暇。 C. 人可以享受生活。 D. 一个人应当享受工作。
1. reminder 使共回想起某事的东西，提示者
2. complacency 自鸣得意，自满情结
3. take leave 擅自，任意，随意
I took leave to consider this matter settled. 请原谅我认为这事已经解决了。
4. conformity 与……一致，遵从
5. guilt 有罪，内疚
6. ridden (ride 的过去分词)受……支配的`，受……压迫
7. guilt-ridden 负罪感
8. amass 积累，积聚
9. a rat-race 激烈的竞争
10. shrug off 对……耸肩表示不屑一理，轻视，摆脱
11. spotless 无污点的，纯洁的
12. shed 摆脱，抛弃
13. annihilate 歼灭
14. bequeath 赠送，把……传给后代
15. sanity 头脑清醒健全
1. convict haircut. Convict 义：罪犯。罪犯和短发两字合在一起为“囚犯理的发式”。但在这里其含义根据上下文决定。前面讲到“谁说世界上所有的男人都应穿浅灰色的西装”，后面只能译成“剪成像罪犯似的短发呢”。本义有haircut义：修理整齐的短发。整齐划一表示绅士派的工作人中作风正派，认真负责，一丝不苟的精神。作者用了convict罪犯一字表示讽刺：“罪犯也是整齐划一的短发跟绅士们的要求一样，难道他们也是作风正派，认真负责，一丝不苟吗?”
写作方法与文章大意：
这是一篇论及“代沟”的文章。主要采用对比手法，一开始就提出了一个老问题：“老人们经常说年轻人不是从前那样了。这一评语代代相传，永远是对的，而今天比以前任何时候更正确。”下面几段就论述他们之不同点以及对比老少两代人的态度。
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