Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Martha Stewart was charged, tried and competed of a crime in 2004. As she neared the end of her prison sentence, a well-known columnist wrote that she was “paying her dues,” and that “there is simply no reason for anyone to attempt to deny her right to start anew.”
Surely, the American ideal of second chances should not be reserved only for the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, many federal and state laws impose post-conviction
restrictions on a shockingly large number of Americans, who are prevented from ever fully paying their debt to society.
At least 65 million people in the United States have a criminal record. This can result in severe penalties that continue long after punishment is completed.
Many of these penalties are imposed regardless of the seriousness of the offense or the person’s individual circumstances. Laws can restrict or ban voting, access to public housing, and professional and business licensing. They can affect a person’s ability to get a job and qualification for benefits.
In all, more than 45, 000 laws and rules serve to exclude vast numbers of people from fully participating in American life.
Some laws make sense. No one advocates letting someone convicted of pedophilia
(恋童癖)work in a school. But too often collateral (附随的)consequences bear no relation to public safety. Should a woman who possessed a small amount of drugs years ago be permanently unable to be licensed as a nurse?
These laws are also counterproductive, since they make it harder for people with criminal records to find housing or land a job, two key factors that reduce backsliding.
A recent report makes several recommendations, including the abolition of most post-conviction penalties, except for those specifically needed to protect public safety. Where the penalties are not a must, they should be imposed only if the facts of a case support it.
The point is not to excuse or forget the crime. Rather, it is to recognize that in America’s vast criminal justice system, second chances are crucial. It is in no one’s interest to keep a large segment of the population on the margins of society.
36. What does the well-known columnist’s remark about Martha Stewart suggest?
A) Her past record might stand in her way to a new life.
B) Her business went bankrupt while she was in prison.
C) Her release from prison has drawn little attention.
D) Her prison sentence might have been extended.
37. What do we learn from the second paragraph about many criminals in America?
A) They backslide after serving their terms in prison.
B) They are deprived of chances to turn over a new leaf.
C) They receive severe penalties for committing minor offenses.
D) They are convicted regardless of their individual circumstances.
38. What are the consequences for many Americans with a criminal record?
A) They remain poor for the rest of their lives.
B) They are deprived of all social benefits.
C) They are marginalized in society.
D) They are deserted by their family.
39. What does the author think of the post-conviction laws and rules?
A) They help to maintain social stability.
B) Some of them have long been outdated.
C) They are hardly understood by the public.
D) A lot of them have negative effects on society.
40. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
A) To create opportunities for criminals to reform themselves.
B) To appeal for changes in America’s criminal justice system.
C) To ensure that people with a criminal record live a decent life.
D) To call people’s attention to prisoners’ conditions in America.
答案解析：
36. A 根据原文第一段，一位知名专栏作家在玛莎·斯图尔特即将刑满释放时写道，她正在“偿还她的债务”，并且“没有任何理由可以否认她重新开始的权利”。这句话的背景是玛莎·斯图尔特有犯罪记录，而这位作家的言论暗示，尽管她有过去，但她理应获得“重新开始”的机会。这反向说明，她的“过去记录”(past record)可能会成为她开启新生活的障碍(stand in her way to a new life)。因此，选项 A 正确。
37. B 根据原文第二段，“不幸的是，许多联邦和州法律对数量惊人的美国人施加了定罪后的限制，使他们永远无法完全向社会偿还债务。” 这句话的核心意思是，这些法律剥夺了这些人“重新开始”(turn over a new leaf)的机会。因此，选项 B 正确。
38. C 根据原文第五段，“总共有超过4.5万项法律和规则将大量民众排除在美国生活的完全参与之外。”以及最后一段，“保持大量人口处于社会边缘(on the margins of society)不符合任何人的利益。” 这两处都明确指出，有犯罪记录的人被社会“边缘化”(marginalized in society)。因此，选项 C 正确。
39. D 根据原文第四、五、六段，作者列举了大量前科人员面临的具体限制，如投票权、获得公共住房、职业执照等，并指出这些限制往往与罪行严重程度无关。接着在第七段，作者明确指出这些法律是“适得其反的”(counterproductive)，因为它们使得前科人员更难找到住房和就业，而这恰恰是减少他们再次犯罪的关键因素。这些都说明，这些法律和规则对社会产生了“负面影响”(negative effects on society)。因此，选项 D 正确。
40. B 通读全文，作者首先通过玛莎·斯图尔特的引出问题，然后详细阐述了美国大量前科人员所面临的困境和歧视性法律，接着批评了这些法律的不合理性和负面影响，并在最后一段提出了自己的观点，认为“第二次机会至关重要”，并呼吁关注这一群体。整篇文章的核心目的在于揭示当前美国刑事司法系统(criminal justice system)中存在的问题，并呼吁对其进行改革(appeal for changes)。因此，选项 B 最能概括作者的主要写作目的。
