問題詳情：
With the possible exception of equ
The argument advanced by those opposed （反對） to the death penalty is that it is cruel and inhuman punishment, that it is tile mark of a bad society and finally that it is of questionable effectiveness as a deterrent to crime (罪行) anyway.
In our opinion, the death penalty is a necessary action. Throughout recorded history there have always been those peculiar persons in every society who made terrible crimes such as murder. But some are more dangerous than others.
For example, it is one thing to take the life of another in time of blind anger, but quite another to coldly plan and carry out the murder of one or more people in the style of a butcher. Thus, murder, like all other crimes, is a matter of different degree. While it could be argued with some reason that the criminal in the first instance should be merely kept from society, such should not be the fate of the latter type murderer.
The value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime may be open to discussion. But the majority of people belie
1. The main purpose of this passage is to _____.
A. speak for the majority
B. support a veto
C. speak ill of the government
D. argue for the value of the death penalty
2. Which of the following is among the heated arguments across the USA besides death penalty?
A. Air pollution. B. The war against Iraq.
C. Equal rights. D. Election of president.
3. The numbers in the last paragraph show that ______.
A. if they stick to death penalty, the number of murders will be reduced
B. death penalty almost stopped from 1954 to 1963
C. the population of California has risen
D. death penalty is of little value
4. It can be inferred that the writer thinks that ______.
A. the death penalty is the most important problem in the United States today
B. the second type of murderers (in Paragraph 4) should be sentenced to death
C. the veto of the law about death penalty is of little importance
D. the value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime is not to be discussed
【回答】
*解析：*為D。本題為文章的主旨大意題。由第一段的 “Many argue that …, while others think ...”和最後一段的首句 “The value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime may be open to discussion.”可知，本文討論死刑的價值。
*解析：*為C。本題為細節題。從第一段的首句 “With the possible exception of equal rights, perhaps the most heated argument across the United States today is the death penalty (死刑).” 可知，除了*問題，在美國討論最熱烈的問題是死刑。
*解析：*為A。本題為推理題。從最後一段的第二句 “But the majority of people believe that the death penalty protects them.” 和最後三句 “If the law about death penalty is vetoed (否決), some people will be murdered- some whose lives may have been saved if the death penalty were in effect. This is really a life or death matter. The lives of thousands of people must be protected.”都是在強調死刑可以保護人的生命，故*為A, 如果國家堅持死刑，謀殺案件的數目會減少。
由本段的第四句話 “For example, from 1954 to 1963, when the death penalty was carried out from time to time in California…” 可知，1954年到1963年期間，死刑時不時地在California執行，並不是廢除了，故選項B錯誤。C選項在文中未提及，D選項與本段的中心意思違背。
*解析：*為B。本題為推理題。細讀第四段， 由“it is one thing … blind anger, but quite another to coldly plan …in the style of a butcher. Thus, murder… is a matter of different degree. While it could be argued with some reason that the criminal in the first instance should be merely kept from society, such should not be the fate of the latter type murderer.”可知，作者認為謀殺分為 “blind anger （盲目的憤怒）” 和 “coldly plan …in the style of a butcher （冷酷的屠夫式的謀殺），謀殺的程度不一樣，如果是第一種就僅僅讓謀殺者與社會隔離即可，而不是後一種謀殺者的命運，言外之意就是後一種謀殺應該判死刑。故*為B。
結合前面幾題的分析，第一段作者認為除了*問題，在美國討論最熱烈的問題是死刑。故選項A錯誤。從最後一段倒數第三句話 “If the law about death penalty is vetoed, some people will be murdered- some whose lives may have been saved if the death penalty were in effect.” 可知，如果死刑被否決，一些本可以挽救的生命就會被謀殺，可見死刑的否決對保護人的生命有着重要的意義，C選項的意思與此相反，故錯誤。D選項與最後一段的首句 “The value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime may be open to discussion.” 表達相反，故錯誤。
知識點：*經濟文化類閲讀
題型：閲讀理解
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