"Opinion" is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn't attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunately, most to attach great importance to it. "I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours," and "Everyone's entitled to his opinion," are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another's opinion is likely to be branded intolerant. Is that label accurate? Is it intolerant to challenge another's opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend "What do you think of the new Ford cars?" And he may reply, "In my opinion, they're ugly." In this case, it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. For it's obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, "It's pointless to argue about matters of taste." But consider this very different use of the term, a newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a controversial case. Obviously the justices did not shale their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes, they stated their considered judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and deliberation. Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extremes. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence. Is everyone entitled to his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but guaranteed. We are free to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not harm others. As indicated in the passage, being free to act on one's opinion _ . A) means that one can ignore other people's criticism B) means that one can impose his preferences on others C) doesn't mean that one has the right to do things at will D) doesn't mean that one has the right to charge others without evidence(C)
C
An old lady in a plane had a blanket over her head and she did not want to take it off. The air hostess spoke to her, but the old lady said, "I have never been in a plane before, and I am frightened. I am going to keep this blanket over my head until we are back on the ground again!" Then the captain came. He said, "Madam, I am the captain of this plane. The weather is fine, there are no clouds in the sky, and everything is going very well."But she continued to hide. So the captain turned and started to go back. Then the old lady looked out from under the blanket with one eye and said, "I am sorry, young man, but I don't like planes and I am never going to fly again. But I'll say one thing," She continued kindly, "You and your wife keep your plane very clean!" the old lady had never been _ .before. A) abroad B) home C) in a plane D) in hospital
C
Q: I had the meanest mother in the world.While other kids ate candy for breakfast.I had to have cereal, eggs and toast.Others had cakes and candy for lunch, while we had to eat a sandwich.As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids'.But at least I was not alone in my suffering.My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did. My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing.We had to wear clean clothes every day.Other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of disgrace because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. The worst is yet to come.We had to be in bed by 9:00 each night and up at 7:45 the next morning.So while my friends slept, my mother actually had the courage to break Child Labor Law.She made us work. I believed she lay awake all night thinking up mean things to do to us.Through the years, our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing.My mother, however, would only be satisfied with black marks.None of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout . She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults.Using this as a background, I'm now trying to bring up my three children.I'm filled with pride when my children think I am mean because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world. From the passage we can learn that the writer's mother was _ . A) not generous at all B) very cruel to her children C) very mean with money matters D) very strict with her children
A: D
(Question)
Sure. you know their names, possibly better than you know the name of the street you live on. When the need comes, these names roll off our tongues like they were our own brothers. I am writing about the famous Webster s Dictionary and Roget s Thesaurus. Webster s Dictionary. Many people can respond immediately: Noah Webster. We are aware that he is the father of the dictionary. But who was he? What did he do for a living? When did he live? Noah was born in 1758, graduated from Yale University in 1778. and later graduated from law school He produced the first American dictionary in 1806 and published his influential work An American Dictionary of the English Language in l828. His interests led him to be a lexicographer . textbook editor, author, Bible translator and spelling reformer. He also produced a large number of writings in medicine, mythology , and the relationship of European and Asian languages. In addition, he .founded the first New York daily newspaper in 1793. He died in 1843. Roget's Thesaurus. And it gives us The chance to learn about Roget, the man-Peter Mark Roget, And who? What? When? Englishman Peter Roget, MD, was born in 1779. He studied medicine and mathematics at the University of Edinburgh. He is considered as the creator of the first-ever thesaurus . It has been called one of the three most important books ever printed. along with the Bible and Webster s Dictionary. He began his work Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases in I 805 but did not publish it until 1852-47 years later. In his lifetime. he became a noted lecturer and writer on anatomy( ). geology .bees,and more . When Roget died in 1869 at age 90. his son, John . took over the Thesaurus arid he gradually expanded it. So now you know the two famous books. Not enough information? As well-known humourist James Thurber suggested in the title of his 1941 magazine short story about baseball, You Could Look It Up! According to the text. Noah Webster and Peter Roget are alike because they both _ . A) had many interests B) studied medicine C) were professors D) liked baseball
(Answer)
A