Question

    We are surrounded by people trying to make the world a better place. Peace activists bring enemies together so they can get to know one another and feel each other’s pain. School leaders try to attract a diverse set of students so each can understand what it’s like to walk in the others’ shoes.

It is true that people who are empathetic (共情的) are more sensitive to the perspectives and sufferings of others. They are more likely to make sympathetic moral judgments. The problem comes when we try to turn feeling into action. Empathy makes you more aware of other people’s sufferings, but it’s not clear whether it actually motivates you to take moral action or prevents you from taking immoral action. For example, in the early days of the Holocaust, Nazi prison guards sometimes wept as they killed Jewish women and children, but they still did it.

Empathy directs you toward moral action, but it doesn’t seem to help much when that action comes at a personal cost. You may feel painful for the homeless guy on the other side of the street, but the chances are that you are not going to cross the street to give him a dollar. Studies investigating the link between empathy and moral action suggest that empathy is not a major player when it comes to moral motivation. Its contribution is slight in children, modest in adults, and nonexistent when costs are significant.

Nobody is against empathy. However, it’s not enough. These days empathy has become a shortcut. It has become a way to experience delicious moral emotions without confronting the weaknesses in our nature that prevent us from actually acting upon them. It has become a way to experience the illusion (幻觉) of moral progress without having to do the nasty work of making moral judgments. Teaching empathy is a safe way for schools and other institutions to seem blameless without risking dispute or hurting anybody’s feelings.

People who actually perform pro-social action don’t only feel for those who are suffering, they feel it necessary to act by a sense of duty. Empathy is less important. If you want to make the world a better place, help people debate, understand, reform, revere and enact their moral principles. Accept that principles conflict.

1.Why does the author mention the Holocaust in paragraph 2?

A.To show that empathy is limited in preventing people from wrongdoings.

B.To prove that empathic people are more likely to make compassionate moral judgments.

C.To explain that empathy is helpful for moral teaching.

D.To criticize the immoral actions of Nazis.

2.What will empathetic people probably do when they see the homeless?

A.Reach out to them. B.Ignore them.

C.Feel sorry for them. D.Raise money for them.

3.According to paragraph 4, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?

A.People are enthusiastic about empathy.

B.Teaching empathy is a quicker way to achieve moral education.

C.Empathy alone is not sufficient.

D.People are unwilling to take actual actions.

4.According to the author, what’s the best way to make the world a better place?

A.Try to understand what it’s like to walk in the others’ shoes.

B.Be more sensitive to the perspectives and sufferings of others.

C.Stop teaching empathy since it is only a sideshow in moral education.

D.Take on the duty to act and make real moral progress.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章阐述了“共情”只能指引你走向道德行动，但如果想让世界变得更美好，就要担当起行动的责任，真正做到道德上的进步。

1.

细节理解题。根据第二段关键句“Empathy makes you more aware of other people’s sufferings, but it’s not clear whether it actually motivates you to take moral action or prevents you from taking immoral action.”可知，我们还不清楚共情是否真的能激励你采取道德行动或阻止你采取不道德的行动。接下来一句是针对本句话举出的一个例子“For example, in the early days of the Holocaust, Nazi prison guards sometimes wept as they killed Jewish women and children, but they still did it.”可知，在Holocaust的早期，纳粹狱警有时在杀害犹太的妇女和儿童时会哭，但他们还是杀了。通过这个例子我们知道，共情是会让人们有一些心理上的触动，但在阻止人们做出错误行为方面的能力是有限的。故选A项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第三段关键句“You may feel painful for the homeless guy on the other side of the street, but the chances are that you are not going to cross the street to give him a dollar.”可知，你可能会为街对面无家可归的人感到痛苦，但你可能不会走过马路去给他一美元。也就是说当共情的人看到无家可归的人时，只会在情感上感到难过，但不会采取帮助的行动。故选C项。

3.

细节理解题。根据第四段关键句“These days empathy has become a shortcut.”可知，如今，共情已经成为一种体验道德情感但却不用采取行动的捷径，但这种捷径是不可取的。再根据第四段最后一句“Teaching empathy is a safe way for schools and other institutions to seem blameless without risking dispute or hurting anybody’s feelings.”可知，学校和其他机构在道德教育方面也在走这种捷径，而这种捷径并不能成为实现道德教育的快速途径。故B选项错误，故选B项。

4.

细节理解题。根据最后一段关键句“People who actually perform pro-social action don’t only feel for those who are suffering, they feel it necessary to act by a sense of duty.”可知，真正从事社会公益活动的人，他们觉得有必要按照责任感行动起来。再根据本段最后一句“If you want to make the world a better place, help people debate, understand, reform, revere and enact their moral principles. Accept that principles conflict. ”可知，如果你想让世界变得更美好，就要帮助人们辩论，理解和改革，也就是说担当起行动的责任，真正做到道德上的进步。故选D项。