泽熙美文Reading Comprehension
To Legalize Pot or Not
Legalizing pot is not now as radical a proposal as it might seem. All manner of “establishment” figures have supported similar plans: from a Presidential Commission in the US to the Principal of King’s College, London, who wanted to see the drug taxes and proceeds used for university research. There are, indeed, several unsatisfactory problems created by the present ban on cannabis: the law is widely disregarded and thus helps to bring other laws into disrespect; it can lead to unnecessary—and possibly illegal—police searches; and it increases friction between the police and minority groups. Finally, if drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol are permitted, then why not pot?
The last point is easy to counter: quasi-Government approval for two harmful drugs is no argument for permitting a third. Unlike drink and tobacco, there is still some doubt about the harmful effects of cannabis, but research here is in its early days. Already Columbia University scientists in New York have completed one project which suggests that the drug could open the door to metabolic diseases, including cancer, by affecting cellular immunity. The team found that white blood cells of cannabis users were 40 per cent less effective in fighting viruses than those of non-cannabis users. Any responsible Government would hold back in such circumstances; not least because the fad appears to be on the wane. To legalize it now might promote the drug just as its use was beginning to decline.
But if Mr. Jenkins wants to maintain his reputation as a reformer, there are useful amendments he could make to the law. Far too many people are still ending up in prison—over 100 in 1972—merely for using the drug. The last Conservative Government finally recognized a sharp distinction which must be made between users and pushers, and cut the maximum sentence for users from twelve months to six. But is prison necessary at all for users, particularly now that criminologists have demonstrated so starkly the damage that prison can cause? In the American state of Oregon, cannabis users are treated like traffic offenders, fined heavily but are never sent to prison. It is right that the big pushers, coming thousands of pounds from their trade, should receive heavy sentences. But the courts must also take note that there are two types of pushers: the professional and the amateur. The latter is often as much a user as seller in the drug sub-culture. A community service order, which would allow an amateur pusher a chance to contribute to society, seems a far more appropriate sentence than prison.
1. Pot prohibition is being challenged for the following reasons EXCEPT ______.
A.it does not reduce the prevalence of pot use effectively
B.the police may take pot possession as an excuse to search people or their houses
C.it increases tension between the police and civilians
D.pot is no more harmful than cigarettes and alcohol
正确答案：C
[解析] 原因推理题型。本题考察美国禁止吸食大麻的法律规定为何受到挑战，根据several unsatisfactory problems created by the present ban on cannabis一句可判定解题点位于第一段后半段。对A、D选项的判定需根据原文字句进行适度推理：由the law is widely disregarded可推知A选项无误；由if drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol are permitted, then why not pot?可推知D选项符合大麻拥护者的立场。对B、C选项的判定可以通过比对选择项与原文对应句，甄别细部字眼来完成：由it can lead to unnecessary—and possibly illegal—police searches可知B选项无误； 由it increases friction between the police and minority groups可知C选项信息转换存在出入，故为正确选项。本题核心：不轻易否定基于原文做出的合理推断，同时需仔细甄别、比对对应字句，锁定存在硬伤的选项。
2. The phrase “proceeds” underlined in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.
A.profits
B.progress
C.proceedings
D.files
正确答案：A
[解析] 词义题型。proceeds此处意为“收入、获利”，A选项意为“获利”，B选项意为“进展”，C选项意为“进程”，D选项意为“文件”，故选A。本题核心：留意原文中的并列名词taxes，据此辅助推测词义。
3. According to Paragraph 2, the idea of legalizing pot should be opposed because ______.
A.the government has already approved two other harmful drugs
B.People who smoke cannabis might have a greater tendency to develop metabolic diseases.
C.fewer people are using cannabis
D.more people are using cannabis
正确答案：B
[解析] 细节题型。根据题于提示，本题解题点位于第二段，涉及作者反对大麻合法化的原因。其中D选项不符合原文陈述。从quasi-Government approval for two harmful drugs is no argument for permitting a third. 一句可知，A选项符合原文陈述；从the fad appears to be on the wane和its use was beginning to decline可知，C选项符合原文陈述，但两者均非作者反对大麻合法化的原因。本段主要的论证部分为哥大科学家针对大麻的研究结果，作者通过援引该例证来证明大麻的危害性，进而支持自己反对大麻合法化的观点，可见B选项最符合题意。本题核心：应注意符合原文的选项未必全是正确选项，宜加强针对性，重点关注题干要求。
4. The phrase “hold back” underlined in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.
A.hesitate
B.control
C.conceal
D.prohibit
正确答案：A
[解析] 词义题型。hold back此处意为“暂停、延迟(做决定)”，A选项意为“犹豫、不急于做某事”，B选项意为“控制”，C选项意为“隐藏”，D选项意为“禁止”，故选A。本题核心：可根据动词用法辅助判断，hold back为不及物词组，而B、C、D中的词语均为及物动词，故可排除。
5. In the American state of Oregon, people are able to ______.
A.sell cannabis without fear of jail time.
B.use cannabis without fear of jail time.
C.produce cannabis without fear of heavy fine.
D.break traffic laws without fear of heavy fine,
正确答案：B
[解析] 行为推断题型。本题考察美国俄勒冈州人们的行为权限，四个选择项分别为：A“不会因为售卖大麻而坐牢”，B“不会因为食用大麻而坐牢”，C“不会因为制造大麻而被重罚”，D“不会因为破坏交通法而被重罚”。原文信息点相对简单集中，根据线索词the American state of Oregon可锁定关键句cannabis users are treated like traffic offenders，fined heavily but are never sent to prison.，与选择项一一对应可知，只有B选项完全符合推理逻辑。本题核心：关注原文线索句的细节陈述，如原句的主语cannabis users是选择项设置障碍的关键点，据此方可完成正确推理。
6. The author suggests Mr. Jenkins ______ to win public support.
A.release pot users from prison
B.cut the maximum sentence for pot users from twelve months to six
C.order pot users to do some unpaid work in the community but do not put them in jail
D.fine pot traffickers heavily and put them in jail
正确答案：C
[解析] 方略推断题型。本题要求推断政治人物杰金斯为赢得民众支持可能对法律进行何种修正。根据线索词Mr. Jenkins可将关注点锁定在第三段。与第五题相比，选择项涉及的信息点更多，散布于第三段全段。该段基本遵循提出问题—分析问题—解决问题的三段论结构，因此涉及解决方略可重点关注段落的最后部分。It is right一词表明从此处起作者开始阐明立场，可见作者观点如下：职业制贩大麻者固然应当重罚重刑，但对非职业参与者而言，判令其从事一定量的社区工作比收监更为合适。再来对比四个选择项：A项第一不符合常识逻辑，第二不属于原文涉及的“法律修正”的范畴；B项是上届保守党政府已经采取的举措；D项亦属于既成事实；C项最符合题意。本题核心：此类综合题型应重点把握所涉及原文的整体逻辑，不可根据孤立的一两句话得出片面推理。
7. A community service order is an appropriate sentence for ______.
A.a habitual traffic offender
B.a minor traffic offender
C.a professional cannabis producer
D.an amateur cannabis seller
正确答案：D
[解析] 细节题型。本题涉及“社区服务”判令的适用人群。可根据线索词a community service order锁定an amateur pusher，进而确定D为正确答案。本题核心：可通过快速阅读法，根据核心关键词实现细节的定位。
8. The author believes that putting cannabis users in jail may ______.
A.arouse public anger
B.cause damage to them
