Question

What does it mean to say that we live in a world of persuasion? It means that we live among competing interests. Your roommate’s need to study for an exam may take priority over pizza. Your instructor may have good reasons not to change your grade. And the object of your romantic/inter?est may have other choices.
In such a world, persuasion is the art of getting others to give fair and favorable consideration to our points of view. When we persuade, we want to influence how others believe and behave. We may not always prevail — other points of view may be more persuasive, depending on the listener, the situ?ation, and the merit of the case. But when we practice the art of persuasion, we try to ensure that our position receives the attention it deserves.
Some people, however, object to the very idea of persuasion. They may regard it as an unwelcome interruption into their lives. Just the opposite, we believe that persuasion is unavoidable — to live is to persuade. Persuasion may be ethical or unethical, selfless or selfish, inspiring or degrad?ing. Persuaders may enlighten our mind or prey on our vulnerability. Ethical persuasion, however, calls on sound reasoning and is sensitive to the feelings and needs of listeners. Such persuasion can help us apply the wisdom of the past to the decisions we now must make. Therefore, the most basic part of edu?cation is learning to resist the one kind of persuasion and to encourage and practice the other.
Beyond its personal importance to us, persuasion is necessary to society. The right to persuade and be persuaded is the bedrock of the American political system, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution

1. 1.
   According to the passage, persuasion means ________
   1. A.
      changing others’ points of view
   2. B.
      exercising power over other people
   3. C.
      getting other people to consider your point of view
   4. D.
      getting people to agree with you and do what you want
2. 2.
   The underlined word in the second paragraph “prevail” means________
   1. A.
      win
   2. B.
      fail
   3. C.
      speak
   4. D.
      listen
3. 3.
   The passage states that some people object to persuasion because they think it is ________
   1. A.
      a danger to society
   2. B.
      difficult to do well
   3. C.
      unwelcome behavior
   4. D.
      never successful
4. 4.
   The passage mainly discusses ________
   1. A.
      how people persuade
   2. B.
      why people persuade
   3. C.
      that persuasion is both good and bad
   4. D.
      that persuasion is important and it is all around us

Answer 1

CACD
试题分析: 本文说明了在我们日常生活中，劝说很重要，这样可以让别人接受我们的观点，但是有时别人的观点更好，我们就不会赢了。但有人不喜欢劝说，因为这是不受欢迎的行为。
1.细节题，由第二段第一句In such a world, persuasion is the art of getting others to give fair and favorable consideration to our points of view.可以知道说服就是让别人考虑你的观点，故选C。
2.猜词题。由第二段第四行other points of view may be more persuasive, depending on the listener, the situation, and the merits of the case.可以推出其他人的观点可能更加有说服力，我们不会赢，prevail 和win意思相近，所以选A。
3.细节题，由第三段第二行They may regard it as an unwelcome interruption into their lives.可以知道有人不喜欢劝说，因为这是不受欢迎的行为，所以选C
4.推理题，由第一句话What does it mean to say that we live in a world of persuasion? It means that we live among competing interests.可知本文的主要意思“在我们日常生活中，劝说很重要，在我们身边无处不在”，所以选D
考点：考查日常生活类短文