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With the possible exception of equal rights，perhaps the most controversial issue
across the United States today is the death penalty. Many argue that it is an effective deterrent(威慑)
to murder，while others maintain there is no convincing evidence that the death penalty reduces the
number of murders.
The principal argument advanced by those opposed to the death penalty，basically，is that it is
cruel and inhuman punishment，that it is the mark of a brutal society，and finally that it is of
questionable effectiveness as a deterrent to crime anyway.
In our opinion，the death penalty is a necessary evil. Throughout recorded history there have
always been those extreme individuals in every society who were capable of terribly violent crimes
such as murder. But some are more extreme than others.
For example，it is one thing to take the life of another in a fit of blind rage，but quite another to
coldly plot 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 relative degree. While it could be argued with some
conviction that the criminal in the first instance should be merely isolated 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 debate. But the
overwhelming majority of citizens believe that the death penalty protects them. Their belief is
reinforced by evidence which shows that the death penalty deters murder. For example，from 1954
to1963，when the death penalty was consistently imposed in California，the murder rate remained
between three and four murders for each 100000 population. Since 1964 the death penalty has been
imposed only once，and the murder rate has risen to 10.4 murders for each 100000 population.
The sharp climb in the state’s murder rate，which began when executions stopped，is no
coincidence. It is convincing evidence that the death penalty does deter many murderers. If the bill
reestablishing the death penalty is vetoed，innocent people will be murdered—some whose lives
may have been saved if the death penalty were in effect. This is literally a life or death matter. The
lives of thousands of innocent people must be protected.
61. The principal purpose of this passage is to .
A. speak for the majority B. initiate a veto
C. criticize the government D. argue for the value of the death penalty
62. The passage attempts to establish a relationship between .
A. the murder rate and the imposition of the death penalty
B. the effects of execution and the effects of isolation
C. the importance of equal rights and that of the death penalty
D. executions and murders
63. The author’s response to those who urge the death penalty for all degrees of murder
would most likely be .
A. negative B. friendly C. supportive D. hostile
64. In the passage the author is primarily concerned with .
A. analyzing a problem objectively B. settling a dispute
C. supporting a position D. describing an event
65. It can be inferred that the author thinks that .
A. the death penalty is the most controversial issue in the United States today
B. the second type murderers(in Paragraph 4)should be sentenced to death
C. the veto of the bill reestablishing the death penalty is of little importance
D. the value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime is not to be debated
答案解析：
1.可能除了平等权，如今在美国最有争议的问题就是死刑。许多人认为，死刑是震慑凶杀的一种最有效的办法，而其他人则坚持认为，没有令人信服的证据表明死刑降低了凶杀案的数量。
2.基本上，由反对死刑的人提出的主要的论据是：死刑是一种残酷的、不人道的惩罚手段;死刑是野蛮社会的标志;最后，不管怎样，死刑作为震慑犯罪的力量让人感到质疑。
3.我们认为，死刑是一种灾祸。从历史记录来看，每个社会都存在一些极端的个体，这些人能够犯下恐怖暴力的罪行，比如谋杀。但是，一些人比其他人更极端。
4.比如，因一时无法控制的愤怒而杀掉另一个人是一回事，但是，深思熟虑并像屠夫一样谋杀一个或更多人则是另一回事。因此，谋杀像所有其他犯罪一样，也是一个有关尺度的问题。虽然我们可以争论有关“第一种案例中的罪犯只应该隔离于社会”这样的宣判，但是后一种杀人犯的结局不应该是这样。
死刑作为震慑罪犯的力量，它的价值可以公开辩论。但是，大多数公民坚信死刑保护了他们。表明死刑阻止了凶杀案的证据，增强了他们的信念。比如，从1954~1963年，当加利福尼亚始终停止执行死刑时，其凶杀犯罪保持在十万分之三到十万分之四的比率。自1964年起，死刑只被停止执行了一次，凶杀犯罪率就上升到了十万分之十点四。当该州停止执行死刑时凶杀犯罪率就开始迅速上升，绝不是巧合。这是一个令人信服的证据：死刑确实阻止了许多杀人犯。如果否决恢复死刑的法案，无辜的人们将被谋杀。如果执行死刑，一些人的生命就可能被拯救。确切地说，这是一个生还是死的问题。成千上万无辜者的生命必须得到保护。
61. 【正确答案】D
线索1：文章的第5段提到“But the overwhelming majority of citizens believe that the death penalty protects them.”
线索2：文章的第3段提到“In our opinion，the death penalty is a necessary evil.”
线索1和线索2比较明确地表明了作者的态度，支持死刑。
62. 【正确答案】A
线索：文章的第5段提到“Their belief is reinforced by evidence which shows that the death penalty deters murder. For example，from 1954 to 1963，when the death penalty...”这表明死刑和谋杀犯之间是有一定的比例的关系。选项C中提到的平等权利，在文章的首段提到了，但这不是作者所要建立的一个和死刑有关的关系。
63. 【正确答案】A
线索：文章的第4段提到的内容表明作者是支持死刑的，但态度上是要有保留，对不同等级的谋杀犯要适用不同的惩罚。
64. 【正确答案】C
综观全文，作者一直是要表达他的一个观点，死刑不应该被废除，所以选项C最合适。A选项和原文不符合，而且和63题的答案也不符合，所以不对。直到最后作者也没有提出一个解决办法，只是建议支持死刑不要被废除，所以B选项不对。D选项和原文不相关。
65. 【正确答案】B
线索：文章的第4段提到“the criminal in the first instance should be merely isolated from society，such should not be the fate of the latter type murderer.”这表明正确选项应该是B。选项A和文章的第1句话不符合。选项C和原文第5段的内容不符合，作者认为该提案是非常的重要。D选项和整个文章不符合。
