16．To err is human．To blame the other guy is even more human．
Common sense is not all that common．
Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse？
These three popular misquotes （戏谑的引语） are meant to be jokes，and yet they tell us a lot about human nature．To err，or to make mistakes，is indeed a part of being human，but it seems that most people don't want to accept the responsibility for the problem．Perhaps it is the natural thing to do．The original quote about human nature went like this：To err is human，to forgive，divine （神圣的）．This saying mirrors a deal people should be forgiving of others'mistakes．Instead，we tend to do the opposite---find someone else to pass the blame on to．However，taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity．
Common sense is what we call clear thought．Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well，and it also means staying with the plan．Common sense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm，but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine．Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations，because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything．People say that in a large company，"the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing．"
And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art？One of the common problems with making excuses is that people，especially young people get the idea that it's okay not to be totally honest all the time．There is a corollary （直接推论） to that：if good excuse is"good"even if it isn't honest，then where is the place of the truth？
28．According to the passage，which of the following seems the most human？D
A．To search for truth．
B．To achieve one's ideal．
C．To make fun of others'mistakes．
D．To criticize others for one's own error．
29．According to the author，what is a sign of a man's maturity？B
A．Doing things his own way．
B．Bearing responsibility for his mistakes．
C．Making as few mistakes as possible．
D．Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing．
30．What is the author's opinion about a good excuse？D
A．Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy．
B．Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas．
C．A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty．
D．Bitter truth is better than a good excuse．
31．What would be the best title for his passage？A
A．Mirror of Human Nature
B．To Blame or to Forgive
C．A Mark of Maturity
D．Truth or Excuse．
分析 本文属于说明文阅读，作者通过这篇文章主要向我们描述了什么是人生，什么是成熟．常识告诉我们，人要诚实；人们在社会上应该怎样做，都是对人性的写照．
解答 28．D．细节理解题．根据第四段"we tend to do the opposite-find someone else to pass the blame on to"可知批评某人自己的错误是最人性化的；故选D．
29．B．细节理解题．根据第四段最后一句话"However，taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity"可知男人成熟的标志是对自己的错误承担责任；故选B．
29．D．推理判断题．从短文最后一段There is a corollary （直接推论） to that：if good excuse is"good"even if it isn't honest，then where is the place of the truth可知，当今社会中那些认为"编造好的借口是创造了一种艺术品"的观点是不对的，人们应该诚实，由此可知D项正确．
30．A．主旨大意题．综观全文可知，本文主要阐述了什么是人生，什么是成熟．常识告诉我们，人要诚实；人们在社会上应该怎样做，都是对人性的写照；故选A．
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
