单项选择题Ever since it appeared on the cultural scene, the Enlightenment has had its passionate critics. Philosophers as well as politicians have criticized its rationalism, its individualism, its cosmopolitanism, its faith in science and technology, its humanism, and its lack of respect for established traditions. Some have criticized individual aspects of it, others have condemned it in its entirety. At times Enlightenment thinking was all but eclipsed, as during the later part of the period of literary Romanticism, while at other times it re-surfaced with renewed vigor. In varying ways it has had a challenged and challenging presence in Western thought to this day.
In recent decades Enlightenment thinking has been the target of critical endeavors once more. This time it is its individualism and cosmopolitanism that have come under persistent attack from various quarters, together with its attempt to find and formulate universally valid norms and values. Anti-Enlightenment initiatives have surfaced inside the United States as well as worldwide. They are often launched in the name of "multiculturalism, " "ethnic identity," the supposed importance of "roots," and the general importance of "difference" as opposed to people’s common humanity. With respect to social integration, advocates of ethnic separateness prefer cultural and racial "salad bowls" to the traditional American "melting pot."
An issue is the Enlightenment idea that ideally every individual should not only have the right, but even the obligation to determine for himself or herself who he or she wants to be, what sort of life he or she wants to live, or with whom he or she wants to associate more closely. An individual, in other words, should not be obliged by any group to adhere to "his" or "her" religion, ethnicity, race, or social tradition, but be allowed and encouraged to make personal choices in all these regards--in effect be entirely free of any such particularistic determinations, if that seems best to the person in question. Essentially individuals are not seen by Enlightenment thinkers as members of particular groups, but as "citizens of the world," as unencumbered inhabitants of a polity that is governed by laws that in principle are valid for all human beings.
People will, of course, be born into specific communities that may be distinguished From each other by various racial or cultural traits. But these distinguishing traits are not particularly important, according to Enlightenment thinking--not nearly as important as that which all human beings have in common, namely reason. While Enlightenment theoreticians-will acknowledge or even welcome variety among human beings, they are far more serious about what potentially unites them, and about what should accrue to them on account of their common humanity.
If in most societies-- often after long and costly battles--laws have been passed which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, creed, gender, or national origin, then an important Enlightenment principle has been realized-- the principle that every individual is first a human being, and only secondarily a member of particular groups. And while recognition of one’s common humanity may not necessarily be in conflict with being a member of any particular group, the principle demands that if there is a conflict, then people’s common humanity takes precedence over any particularity. What is important, in other words, is not that I am Christian, Black, or Sioux, but that I am a human being, and that as such I have certain basic rights-- the fight of self-determination most prominently among them. Any attempt on the part of any group to declare their particularity as primary vis-a-vis someone’s basic humanity is an outdated prejudice, and an infringement on a person’s basic rights, as far as Enlightenment thinking is concerned. Particularism and its divisiveness--all too often the cause of contempt, hatred, fanaticism, and wars-- is essentially a thing of the past. Progress consists in the ever growing realization that all human beings are fundamentally the same, and that their important needs and rights as individuals are universal.

填空题White neighborhoods are becoming darker in (1) ______ and more expensive. (1) ______.
Analysts say that soaring house prices and booming car sales are being fueled
by an (2) ______ mobile black middle class (2) ______.
emerging from the ashes of (3) ______. (3) ______.
Blacks, who make up about 75 percent of South Africa’s 46.6 million people,
are moving from the (4) ______ of the economy into the mainstream (4) ______.
thanks to policies aimed at redressing decades of injustice.
Statistics compiled by the independent Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC. show that the black middle class
has (5) ______ to 7.8 percent of the total population in 2000 from 3.3 percent in 1994. (5) ______.
"The development of a black middle class was deliberately stunted under segregation and apartheid," said the HSRC’s
Roger Southall.
Although official figures are not (6) ______, (6) ______.
analysts say the black middle class is behind the retail sales boom and strong house price growth.
Before 1994, blacks were (7) ______ by legislation from owning properties in suburbs exclusively reserved for whites
and had limited access to bank credit. (7) ______.
But the face of the former white suburbs has changed as blacks (8) ______ move from the townships in search of
security and better municipal services. (8) ______.
Living in posh suburbs is seen by many as a status symbol.
"The black middle class is (9) ______ strongly to the growth of the property market and other sectors of the economy,"
says Jacques du Toit, an economist at banking group Absa. (9) ______.
House prices rose by an (10) ______ of 30.3 percent in real terms in 2004, (10) ______.
the highest since 1967, and business is also booming for auto traders, with a growing number of sales attributed to
black buyers.

单项选择题The destruction of our natural resources and contamination of our food supply continue to occur, largely because of the extreme difficulty in affixing legal responsibility on those who continue to treat our environment with reckless abandon. Attempts to prevent pollution legislation, economic incentives and friendly persuasion have been met by lawsuits, personal and industrial denial and long delays --not only in accepting responsibility, but more importantly, in doing something about it.
It seems that only when government decides it can afford tax incentives or production sacrifices is there any initiative for change. Where is industry’s and our recognition that protecting mankind’s great treasure is the single most important responsibility If ever there will be time for environmental health professionals to come to the frontlines and provide leadership to solve environmental problems, that time is now.
We are being asked, and, in fact, the public is demanding that we take positive action. It is our responsibility as professionals in environmental health to make the difference. Yes, the ecologists, the environmental activists and the conservationists serve to communicate, stimulate thinking and promote behavioral change. However, it is those of us who are paid to make the decisions to develop, improve and enforce environmental standards, I submit, who must lead the charge.
We must recognize that environmental health issues do not stop at city limits, county lines, state or even federal boundaries. We can no longer afford to be tunnel-versioned in our approach. We must visualize issues from every perspective make the objective decisions. We must express our views clearly to prevent media distortion and public confusion. I believe we have a three-part mission for the present. First, we must continue to press for improvements in the quality of life that people can make for themselves. Second, we must investigate and understand the link between environment and health. Third, we must be able to communicate technical information in a form that citizens can understand. If we can accomplish these three goals in this decade, maybe we can finally stop environmental degradation, and not merely hold it back. We will then be able to spend pollution dollars truly on prevention rather than on bandages.

单项选择题Questions 6 to 8 are based on the following news. At the end of the news item, you will be given 15 seconds to answer each of the following questions.
Now listen to the news.

填空题White neighborhoods are becoming darker in (1) ______ and more expensive. (1) ______.
Analysts say that soaring house prices and booming car sales are being fueled
by an (2) ______ mobile black middle class (2) ______.
emerging from the ashes of (3) ______. (3) ______.
Blacks, who make up about 75 percent of South Africa’s 46.6 million people,
are moving from the (4) ______ of the economy into the mainstream (4) ______.
thanks to policies aimed at redressing decades of injustice.
Statistics compiled by the independent Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC. show that the black middle class
has (5) ______ to 7.8 percent of the total population in 2000 from 3.3 percent in 1994. (5) ______.
"The development of a black middle class was deliberately stunted under segregation and apartheid," said the HSRC’s
Roger Southall.
Although official figures are not (6) ______, (6) ______.
analysts say the black middle class is behind the retail sales boom and strong house price growth.
Before 1994, blacks were (7) ______ by legislation from owning properties in suburbs exclusively reserved for whites
and had limited access to bank credit. (7) ______.
But the face of the former white suburbs has changed as blacks (8) ______ move from the townships in search of
security and better municipal services. (8) ______.
Living in posh suburbs is seen by many as a status symbol.
"The black middle class is (9) ______ strongly to the growth of the property market and other sectors of the economy,"
says Jacques du Toit, an economist at banking group Absa. (9) ______.
House prices rose by an (10) ______ of 30.3 percent in real terms in 2004, (10) ______.
the highest since 1967, and business is also booming for auto traders, with a growing number of sales attributed to
black buyers.