With the possible exception of equal rights, perhaps the most heated argument across the United States today is the death penalty . Many argue that it is an effective deterrent to murder , while others think there is no enough proof that the death penalty reduces the number of murders. The argument advanced by those who are against the death penalty is that it is cruel and inhuman punishment, that it is a mark of a bad society and finally that it is of questionable effectiveness as a deterrent to crime 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 believe that the death penalty protects them. Their belief is proved by the fact that the death penalty prevents murder. For example, from 1954 to 1963, when the death penalty was carried out from time to time in California, the murder rate remained between three and four murders for each 100, 000 population. Since 1964 the death penalty has been done only once, and the murder rate has risen to10.4 murders for each 100, 000 population. The sharp climb in the state's murder rate, which began when killings stopped, does not happen by chance. It certainly shows that the death penalty does stop many murderers. If the law about death penalty is vetoed , some people will be murdered----some whose lives may have been saved if the death penalty... 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 2) 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
B
(Question)
My father had returned from his business visit to London when I came in, rather late, to supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half- playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said, "How would you like to go to Eton?" " You bet, " I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You had to be entered at birth, if not before. Besides, even at 12 or 13, I. understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class; our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100. This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas ! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict with his fear of drawing attention to himself. It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Craham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world he thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging and my hands shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness. "Oh, he doesn't want to go away , " said my mother, " You shouldn't go on like this. " "It's up to him, " said my father. "He can make up his own mind. " How did the author react to the idea of going to Eton? A) He didn't believe it. B) He was very unhappy. C) He was delighted. D) He had mixed feelings.
(Answer)
D
This is the VOA Special English News Report. Single - handed Zhou Yang, 18, China Against three strong Republic of Korea competitors, Zhou single - handed took the 1,500 - meter short speed skating gold to become Chinas' youngest winter Olympics gold medallist. According to coach Li Yan, Zhou, who is usually a gentle girl, took some risks and skated fiercely to take the gold. This is the third gold the Chinese have won at the Vancouver Olympics. Unobtrusive Liu Xiang, 26, China The Olympic gold medallist said on Friday that he's not the same old him, after setting his worst record in years - 8.08 seconds for 60 - meter hurdles. Liu said he still had some way to go before he's back to his best. Many fans have been expecting his taking - off in the 2010 Doha, but Liu said unobtrusively "Robles is still the best in the 60 - meter and 110 - meter hurdles. I'm no match now". He added the performances of Terrence Trammell (US) and Robles would be the highlight of the Doha meet. Coveted Michael Jackson, 1958 - 2009, US Thanks to a whopping $ 350,000 bid, Michael Jackson's rhinestone - encrusted glove has gone to a Macao company. Jackson wore the sparking glove when he did his first "moonwalk" dance in 1983, so it was a really coveted piece of equipment. The pre - auction estimate put its value at $ 40, 000 - 60,000 , _ . The glove and nine other items from the auction will be on display in a Macao hotel. Where can we probably learn the passage? A) Broadcast B) Announcement C) Advertisement D) Newspaper
B