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From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus the motor-car! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-years-olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy tragic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic, to be conveniently forgotten.
It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person's driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be mad much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh. But surely nothing should be considered as to severe if tit results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.
1. The main idea of this passage is
[A] Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.
[B] Thousands of people the world over are killed each year.
[C] The laws of some countries about driving are too lax.
[D] Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents.
2. What does the author think of society toward motorists?
[A] Society smiles on the motorists.
[B] Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.
[C] Victims of accidents are nothing.
[D] Society condones their rude driving.
3. Why does the author say: 'his car becomes the extension of his personality?'
[A] Driving can show his real self.
[B] Driving can show the other part of his personality.
[C] Driving can bring out his character.
[D] His car embodies his temper.
4. Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?
[A] Build more highways.
[B] Stricter driving tests.
[C] Test drivers every three years.
[D] raise age limit and lay down safety specifications.
5. The attitude of the author is
[A] ironical
[B] critical
[C] appealing
[D] militant
Vocabulary
1. immunise 使免疫，使免除
2. expectation of life = life expectancy 平均寿命
3. versus = against 对顶，反对
4. mutilate 伤害
5. wilful 任性的，固执的
6. benign 宽厚的，仁慈的
7. condone 宽容
8. desecrate 亵渎，玷污
9. code 法规，规定，惯例
10. stringent 严格的，紧急的，迫切的
11. performance 演出，成品，这里是指car’s behavior such as speed, function etc.可译成行为，汽车行为、功能等。
难句译注
1. Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing.
【参考译文】人和汽车对抗!这是一场人类永远是输家的无休止的战斗。
2. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned.
【参考译文】应当禁止所有强调力量和表现行为的广告。
写作方法与文章大意
文章论述“交通事故”，采用因果、对比手法。从人的平均寿命增加和交通事故率成正比谈起，触及事故率上升的原因，要求制定更严格的法规予以制止种种造成事故的不良行为。
