Question

Do you sometimes argue about what seems to you to be a simple fact? Do you argue whether it’s cold outdoors or whether the car in front of you is going faster than the speed limit?

If you get into such arguments, try to think about the story about the six blind men and the elephant. The first blind man who felt the elephant’s trunk said it was like a snake. The second who felt the elephant’s side said it was like a wall, while the third said it was like a spear as he touched the animal’s tusk. The fourth, who took hold of the elephant’s tail insisted that it was like a rope. The fifth man said it looked like a tree as he put his arms around one of the elephant’s legs. The sixth, who was tall and got hold of theelephant’s ears, said it was like a huge fan.

Each man’s idea of the animal came from his own experience. So if someone disagrees with you about a “simple fact”, it’s often because his experience in the matter is different from yours.

To see how hard it is for even one person to make up his mind about a “simple fact”, try this simple experiment. Get three large bowls. Put ice water in one. Put hot water in the second. Put lukewarm water in the third. Now put your left hand in the ice water. Put your right hand in the hot water. After thirty seconds, put both hands in the lukewarm water. Your right hand will tell you the water is cold. Your left hand will tell you it’s hot.

1.What makes people think about simple facts differently?

A. The fact that simple facts differ from one another.

B. The fact that people have different experience in the same simple fact.

C. The fact that people often disagree with one another.

D. The fact that it’s hard to make up one’s mind about simple facts.

2.The writer’s advice is that ________.

A. we should never think about simple facts

B. we should never judge something with a one-sided view

C. we should not agree about simple facts

D. we must learn from the six blind men

3.What’s the main idea of this passage?

A. People often judge something according to their own experience.

B. People often agree about simple facts.

C. It’s hard for a person to make up his mind about a simple fact.

D. Don’t care too much about simple facts.

Answer 1

1.B

2.B

3.A

【解析】本文通过举例和试验证明了对同一个事物，人们的感受因为经历的不同不会一致，揭示了看问题时候不要只从一方面来思考的道理。

1. man’s idea of the animal came from his own experience. 可以得知，每个人对于动物的不同印象来源于他自身的经历。故选B。

2. put your left hand in the ice water. Put your right hand in the hot water. After thirty seconds, put both hands in the lukewarm water. Your right hand will tell you the water is cold. Your left hand will tell you it’s hot.可知将放在冷水的手和放在热水的手放到温水中去时，两只手会有不同的感受，说明了看问题决不能只看一方面。故选B。

3.

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