With the possible exception of equal rights, perhaps the most heated argument across the United States today is the death penalty(死刑). Many argue that it is an effective deterrent(威慑) to murder, while others think there is no enough proof that the death penalty reduces the number of murders.

　　The argument advanced by those opposed to the death penalty is that it is cruel and inhuman punishment, that it is the 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 to 10.4 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 deter many murderers. If the law about death penalty is vetoed(否决), some people will be murdered — some whose lives may have been saved if the death penalty were in effect. This is really a life or death matter. The lives of thousands of people must be protected.

　　1. The main purpose of this passage is to _______.

　　A. speak for the majority B. support a veto

　　C. speak ill of the government D. argue for the value of the death penalty

　　2. Which of the following is among the heated arguments across the USA besides death penalty?

　　A. Air pollution. B. The war against Iraq. C. Equal rights. D. Election of president.

　　3. The numbers in the last paragraph show that _______.

　　A. if they stick to death penalty, the number of murders will be reduced

　　B. death penalty almost stopped from 1954 to 1963

　　C. the population of California has risen

　　D. death penalty is of little value

　　4. 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 4) 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

　　【答案解析】本文讲述了美国关于是否废除死刑所引发的争论。

　　1. D。主旨题。可从第一段找到答案。第一段是全文的主题句，提出了是否废除死刑的两种不同观点。

　　2. C。细节题。根据 With the possible exception of equal rights可推知此题答案为C。

　　3. A。推断题。根据Since 1964 the death penalty has been done only once, and the murder rate has risen to 10.4 murders for each 100, 000 population. 可以推知，执行死刑可有效地降低谋杀案件的发生。

　　4. B。推断题。根据the criminal in the first instance should be merely kept from society, such should not be the fate of the latter type murderer可知，那些过失杀人的犯人可以使他们远离社会(坐牢)，而那些恶.意的、故意杀人犯则不应当是这种命运，即应判死刑。