|
Seeing Ourselves Exposed to the
whirlwind of technological revolution, we humans
complicate our lives instead of seeking refuge in
simplicity. Machines do much of our work: calculators
relieve the torment of arithmetic, computers store our
knowledge. Are we thereby less worried, less exhausted,
better organized and happier ? Certainly not; and if we
are more comfortable, live longer and suffer less
physical pain, the swings of ease and luxury do not
compensate for the roundabouts of anxiety and
depression. Those roundabouts are monuments to our seeming scorn for simplicity. We resign
ourselves to the steady growth of complexity.
We cannot go backwards, but perhaps we can profit to some extent
from the wisdom of our ancestors. Here, at random, are five prescriptions
which might, to a limited extent, help stem the tide.
We should insist that communication be simple and clear. English has
a wide range of expression. It is the language of superb poetry, in verse and
prose. it is the language of science and business. It contains plenty of short,
concise words. We should upbraid the inventors of new long words and
declare ambiguity a disgrace. If one sad day a button is pressed in Washing-
ton to start a nuclear war, it may well be that the button-pusher has misinterpreted an ill-constructed message: for the Americans are the leading
architects of the new Tower of Babel.
We must teach our children to relax. Tension is the hallmark of 20th century misery, and much of it is imbibed in infancy. Whatever the psychologists and sociologists may preach to us, we should revive the convention
that parents disguise their worries from their families. Bottling things up
is not invariably pernicious.
If we cannot ban the rat race, we must be more considerate to the rats.
The Victorians were wiser. School lessons had to be well learned, and the
birch rod was at hand if they were not; but the long drawn out misery of
learning, almost by heart, set books for "O" and "A" levels would have
been thought intolerable. Children were once encouraged to read many
books, not just a selected few, and to develop their critical faculties by
acquiring a general knowledge of the civilized arts. Now they are subjected,
at the expense of a wider education, to brainwashing techniques only
relevant to the gruelling contest of the examinations themselves.
Noise, loud and unrelenting, contributes more than ever before to our
mental and emotional disturbance. Some of it is by choice: background
music; radio and television sets left on when concentration is required
elsewhere. Some of it -- the roar of traffic and of aeroplanes -- is accepted
as incidental to modern society. But is it ? We have always been mean in
rewarding our inventors: those who invented jet engines, television and
radar received totally inadequate recognition. Perhaps we should offer
handsome tax-free incentives to all who produce genuine breakthroughs in
noise abatement.
These are merely a few palliatives which might help us to restore a little
sanity despite the clatter of the world around us. The basic problem is
much deeper set, nor would it be anything but ridiculous to assert that
other generations were free from worry, stress and instability. The difference
is simply that adaptation was easier when the acceleration of the rate of
change was more gentle. But we have reasoning powers which other living
creatures have not, and we also have a far greater measure of choice. We
should reflect long and carefully on independence when all around us change.
Like many millions of Christians, Jews, Hindus and Muslims I believe
that the important distinguishing feature of human beings is that they have
souls. All the great discoveries and advances of the last 100 years have been
in the material world. We should spend much more time looking inwards
to see whether we can recognize within ourselves an element which no
technological revolution and change can pollute or violate.
|
| |
|
|
| |
1. |
The use of the metaphor "the whirlwind of technological revolution" hints at |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
the speed at which it is taking place. |
| |
|
(B) |
the confusion it has brought in its wake. |
| |
|
(C) |
technology's destructive capability. |
| |
|
(D) |
all of the above. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
2. |
Which of the following statements about modern life is false ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
Much of our work is now done by machines. |
| |
|
(B) |
We are less worried and better organized. |
| |
|
(C) |
We are more comfortable and suffer less physical pain. |
| |
|
(D) |
We still suffer from anxiety and depression. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
3. |
Which of the following, according to the writer, is possible ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
We can revert to a past way of living. |
| |
|
(B) |
We can stop the advance of technology. |
| |
|
(C) |
We can lessen the pressures of technological advance by adapting to it
sensibly. |
| |
|
(D) |
We can live a life based entirely on the practices of our ancestors. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
4. |
It is clear that the writer thinks that English |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
can be simplified and made clearer for communication. |
| |
|
(B) |
has been abused by the addition of new long words. |
| |
|
(C) |
has benefited from the invention of new long words. |
| |
|
(D) |
should be the sole language of poetry, science and business. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
5. |
How may a nuclear war be started ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
It may be started by someone in Washington who
accidentally pushed a button. |
| |
|
(B) |
It may be started by someone with poor understanding of
the language of science. |
| |
|
(C) |
It may be started by someone who misunderstood a message
because of its short, concise words. |
| |
|
(D) |
It may be started by someone who misunderstood a message
because of its imprecise language. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
6. |
In the fourth paragraph the writer is in
favour of |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
parents hiding their worries from their children. |
| |
|
(B) |
parents sharing their worries with their children. |
| |
|
(C) |
what the psychologists and sociologists are preaching to
us. |
| |
|
(D) |
not bottling things up as this practice is harmful. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
7. |
What educational practice does the writer
criticize ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
It is the practice of learning school lessons well, with
fear of punishment as an incentive. |
| |
|
(B) |
It is the practice of learning specifically for the "O"
and "A" level examinations. |
| |
|
(C) |
It is the practice of encouraging children to read many
books instead of a few. |
| |
|
(D) |
It is the practice of getting children to acquire a
general knowledge of the civilized arts. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
8. |
Which of the following ideas about noise is
not expressed by the writer ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
Noise is largely tolerated by us as being part of modern
living. |
| |
|
(B) |
Noise contributes to our mental and emotional
disturbance. |
| |
|
(C) |
We are responsible for creating some of the noise around
us. |
| |
|
(D) |
We should punish those who invented noise-making
machines. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
9. |
We are finding it more difficult to cope
with worry, stress and instability than our ancestors because |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
of the clatter of the world around us. |
| |
|
(B) |
adaptation is more difficult when the rate of change is
great. |
| |
|
(C) |
our ability to adapt to situations is not as great as
theirs. |
| |
|
(D) |
our reasoning powers are not as good as theirs. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
10. |
What course of action does the writer
advocate for mankind ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
We should increase our speed of adaptation to match the
acceleration of the rate of change. |
| |
|
(B) |
We should make fewer discoveries in the material world. |
| |
|
(C) |
We should identify something in ourselves which cannot
be influenced by technological change. |
| |
|
(D) |
We should develop our reasoning powers to their full
potential. |
| |
|
|
|
|
Sponsored Links
|
| |
|
