Question

Why I Don’t Spare “Spare Change”

       “Poor but honest. ” “The deserving poor.” These words always come to my mind when I think of “the poor”. But I also think of people who, perhaps through alcohol or drugs, have ruined not only their own lives but also the lives of others in order to give way to their own pleasure. Perhaps alcoholism and drug addiction really are “diseases”, as many people say, but my own feeling－ based, of course, not on any serious study－is that most alcoholics and drug addicts belong to the “undeserving poor”. And that is largely why I don’t give spare change to beggars.

       But surely among the street people there are also some who can rightly be called “deserving”. Deserving what? My spare change? Or simply the government’s assistance? It happens that I have been brought up to believe that it is proper to make contributions to charity（慈善机构）, but if I give some change to a beggar, am I making a contribution to charity and thereby helping someone, or, am I perhaps simply encouraging someone not to get help? Or, maybe even worse, am I supporting a cheat?

       If one believes in the value of private charity, one can either give to needy people or to charitable organizations. In giving to a beggar one may indeed be helping a person who badly needs help, but one cannot be certain that one is giving to a needy person. In giving to an organization, on the other hand, one can feel that one’s money is likely to be used wisely. True, facing a beggar one may feel that this particular unfortunate person needs help at this moment－a cup of coffee or a sandwich－and the need will not be met unless I put my hand in my pocket right now. But I have come to think that the beggars whom I meet can get along without my spare change, and indeed perhaps they are actually better off for not having money to buy alcohol or drugs.

       I know nothing about these beggars, but it’s my impression that they simply prefer begging to working. I am not generalizing about street people. I am talking about the people whom I actually meet. That’s why I do not give “spare change”, and I don’t think I will in the future.

68. What does the author think of beggars who take drugs?

   A. They should be given a check-up.            B. They really need money to live.

C. They have no pleasure in life.                D. They are not worth helping.

69. Why doesn’t the author give money to street people?

   A. He doesn’t think they need help.                     B. He doesn’t have enough money to give.

C. He is not convinced they will use it rightly.    

D. He believes they can get help from the government.

70. In the second paragraph, the author presents his idea by_____.

   A. asking questions for people to think about        B. giving examples to support his argument

C. raising questions and answering them                    D. expressing his opinions directly

71. Which of the following opinions does the author accept?

   A. Drug addiction is a disease.                             B. Some street people are poor and needy.

C. Most beggars have received enough help.       

D. Charitable organizations handle money properly.

Answer 1

68—71 DCAB

解析:

（导读）面对街上行乞之人，我是该怎么做了？

68.文章中并没有说是不是应该给吸毒者或酗酒者进行体检。所以A项不能是正确答案。

每个人都需要钱生活。但是，吸毒者的钱并不是用来生活。按照作者在第四段的观点，不施舍给他们钱，他们的日子也许会过得更好。所以正确答案不能是B项。

按作者在第一段的观点，这些吸毒者的生活中有“欢乐”，是“靠酗酒或是吸毒而带来的快活”。所以C项不能成为正确答案。

在第一段的后面两句话中，作者直接就说酗酒者和吸毒者是“不值得帮助的人”，在第四段作者又说如果没有作者给的钱他们的日子也许会过得更好些。这与D项内容相符。

69.在第二段作者说把钱给了行乞者可能等于把钱给了不该给的人； 在第三段他又说这些人拿了钱可能就去买酒或毒品。这与C项内容相符。

70.第二段基本上没有明确表明作者的观点——D项不能为正确答案。全段没有任何例证——与B项内容不符。整段主要由一系列问句构成，而且问题没有答案——这与C项内容不符，而与A项内容相符。正确答案为A项。

71.在第一段中，作者说许多人认为酗酒和吸毒都是“疾病”，但他本人认为“多数酒鬼和吸毒者属于‘不值得帮助的穷人’”。所以A项不能成为正确答案。

第二第一句话说“街边行乞的人中当然也有一些该叫做‘值得帮助的’”。这与B项内容相符。