2017年12月英语四级阅读练习（一）

　　Let us suppose that you are in the position of a parent. Would you allow your children to read any book they wanted to without first checking its contents? Would you take your children to see any film without first finding out whether it is suitable for them? If your answer to these questions is "yes", then you are either extremely permissive. If your answer is "no", then you are exercising your right as a parent to protect your children from what you consider to be undesirable influences. In other words, by acting as a censor yourself, you are admitting that there is a strong case for censorship. Now, of course, you will say that it is one thing to exercise censorship where children are concerned and quite another to do the same for adults. Children need protection and it is the parents' responsibility to provide it. But what about adults? Aren't they old enough to decide what is good for them? The answer is that many adults are, but don't make the mistake of thinking that all adults are like you. Censorship is for the good of society as a whole. Like the law, censorship contributes to the common good. Some people think that it is disgraceful that a censor should interfere with works of art. Who is this person, they say, to ban this great book or cut that great film? No one can set himself up as a superior being. But we must remember two things. Firstly, where genuine works of art are concerned, modern censors are extremely liberal in their views—often far more liberal than a large section of the public. Artistic merit is something which censors clearly recognize. And secondly, we must bear in mind that the great proportion of books, plays and films which come before the censor are very far from being "works of art". When discussing censorship, therefore, we should not confine our attention to great masterpieces, but should consider the vast numbers of publications and films which make up the bulk of the entertainment industry. When censorship laws are relaxed, immoral people are given a license to produce virtually anything in the name of "art". There is an increasing tendency to equate artistic with "pornographic". The vast market for pornography would rapidly be exploited. One of the great things that censorship does is to prevent certain people from making fat profits by corrupting the minds of others. To argue in favor of absolute freedom is to argue in favor of anarchy. Society would really be the poorer if it deprived itself of the wise counsel and the restraining influence which a censor provides.

　　57. Permissive parents would ________.

　　[A] let their children read any books they like to

　　[B] not let their children see any films they like to

　　[C] not let their children read any books without first checking their contents

　　[D] let their children see the films with their first checking

　　58. The fact that parents check the contents of the book or the film for their children to read or see shows ________.

　　[A] the necessity of censorship

　　[B] many books and films are bad

　　[C] children need their parents to help them understand more

　　[D] the parents are permissive

　　59. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

　　[A] Some adults can't tell right from wrong.

　　[B] Censorship is compared to the law because both of them perform good service to society as a whole.

　　[C] Censors pay attention only to genuine works of art.

　　[D] Censorship is necessary because many books, plays and films are far from being ―works of art‖.

　　60. What does the word ―corrupt‖ (Line 5, Para 4) mean?

　　[A] Make morally bad. [B] Hurt. [C] Injure. [D] Damage.

　　61. What would be the best title of this passage?

　　[A] Permissive Parents and Responsible Parents.

　　[B] Censorship and the law.

　　[C] Censors Value Artistic Merits.

　　[D] Censorship Performs Good Service to Society.