四川大学2009考博阅读第5篇

Culture cannot be simply a matter of politics, of course. Politics, after all, is concerned with influencing the institutions of the state and these are of limited use in affecting the culture. Not even the totalitarian state has been able to achieve the cultural goals it set itself, the democratic state is an even less likely agent of cultural change, and indeed, in the American tradition of democracy, it should not aim to be that. Consequently, a cultural agenda cannot be a political agenda only. It will have to be pursued in many different institutions, most importantly in the institutions of civil society. All the same, every one of the major cultural issues is also a political issue, because of the way in which the immense powers of the state have been used to promote various ideological purposes. The courts have played a quite deplorable role in this. Not surprisingly, then touch of American politics in recent decades has been over the so-called "social" or "values" issues, which in effect are cultural issues. That is, these issues have involved conflicts over the questions of who we are and how we are to live together.

The dynamics of the two-party system has been very unhelpful in the search for viable positions on the middle ground. Since the early nineteen-seventies the Democratic Party has almost completely identified itself with the agenda of the cultural Left (considerably less so with other Left positions, such as those on economic or foreign policy). Given the importance of highly organized pressure groups, especially in the primary process, the captivity of the Democratic Party to the culture of "the sixties" has been massive. The Republican picture is hardly more encouraging. An increasingly vocal segment of that partys constituency has taken radically anti-"progressive" positions on the cultural issues. And again, these groups have had an influence far beyond their numerical strength because of their strategic role in the mechanics of elections, especially on tile primary level. Consequently, individuals taking less than "politically correct" positions, as defined by the respective orthodoxies, have found themselves to be pariahs in either party. It is safe to assume that both Democratic and Republican leaders have catered to these polarized groupings in a more or less cynical manner. Thus, for instance, traditionally Democratic labor officials are not very credible when they express enthusiasm for gay rights, neither are "country-club" Republicans when they voice outrage over abortion or the decline of sexual morality.

问题:All of the following statements about the two-party system are implied in the passage EXCEPT that______.

[A]neither party objectively stands on the middle ground on cultural issues

[B]either party rejects those who hold different political viewpoints

[C]the Republican Party has been identified as the right-wing party

[D]both Democratic and Republican leaders are hypocritical in promoting cultural progress

感觉四个选项都在原文中暗示了,可能C没有明确说,是不是选C呢。华慧考博书给的答案是B,我感觉不太对,因为原文individuals taking less than "politically correct" positions, as defined by the respective orthodoxies, have found themselves to be pariahs in either party有明确说这类人是pariahs,被抛弃的人。

另外句子结构“Not surprisingly, then touch of American politics in recent decades has been over the so-called "social" or "values" issues, which in effect are cultural issues.”中的“逗号which”是指的The touch of American politics还是the so-called "social" or "values" issues?

如题
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1 个回答

Since the early nineteen-seventies the Democratic Party has almost completely identified itself with the agenda of the cultural Left (considerably less so with other Left positions, such as those on economic or foreign policy).这句话说the Democratic Party认为自己在文化上为left position,括号中更是表明民主党在经济,外交上也是left position(但大大不如文化上)。这样美国两党制的另外一方共和党the Republican Party则肯定是持right position。证明C项the Republican Party has been identified as the right-wing party正确------------------individuals taking less than "politically correct" positions, as defined by the respective orthodoxies, have found themselves to be pariahs in either party两党都不接受不太“政治正确”的人,而不是“政治观点不同”的人。故B项either party rejects those who hold different political viewpoints不正确。
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