Ban Fur? Then Why Not Leather?
Much to the displeasure of some local businesses, the City Council in West Hollywood, California, voted without opposition last week to ban the sale of fur products. Should laws be involved in this issue? Is it unfair to ban sales of fur, but not sales of leather and hides (兽皮)?
Animals Do Not Have Rights
By Tibor R. Machan
My view is that animals do not have basic rights. It is a matter of ethics (伦理学) and not of the laws of human societies. If animals had such rights as human beings do, they would have to be held responsible for killing fellow animals in the wild. That way of thinking about animals makes a category mistake. Using animals, including their fur or organs, to improve people's lives is acceptable.
A Small Step Against Cruelty
By Kate Carter
Both fur and leather are the skins of dead animals. Why should we think that the lovable furry ones deserve more of a life than the less pleasing ones? Some say leather is less cruel because it's a byproduct (副产品) of the meat industry. But this isn't really true. Some cheap leather may be a byproduct of the meat industry, but often it's the other way round. In South Africa, where there is a developing market for ostrich(鸵鸟)farms, the skins account for roughly 80 percent of the slaughtered (宰杀)birds' value, a mere 20 percent of which es from the meat.
Who Are You Wearing?
By Marc Bekoff
West Hollywood's ban is a move in the right direction. However, we must work to ban the sales of leather and hides, too. Furs e from animals who are attacked to bee clothing, while some leather and hides e from slaughterhouse(屠宰场) animals. We must remember that when people choose to wear fur, leather and hides, they are wearing formering conscious beings. So it's a matter of who they are wearing, not what they are wearing because these animals must be referred to as who and not what or that.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?A．West Hollywood's ban on fur products.B．Differences between fur and leather sales.C．The government's role in protecting animals.D．The ecological imbalance in West Hollywood.【小题2】Tibor R. Machan seems to believe that .A．laws should be passed to protect animalsB．humans are respornsible for killing animalsC．it is not reasonable to use animals to improve lifeD．animals and humans aren't supposed to share equal rights【小题3】What is Kate Carter's opinion about wearing fur and wearing leather?A．Both are decided by the meat industry.B．There is little distinction (区别) between them.C．Wearing fur is generally more acceptable.D．Wearing leather is cheaper than wearing fur.【小题4】What is Marc Bekoff’s attitude towards sales of fur?A．Sympathetic.B．Careless.C．Tolerant.D．Opposed.A
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(答案→)A
解析：文章是关于人们对West Hollywood禁止羽毛产品这个禁令的讨论。
【小题1】A 主旨大意题。文章是关于人们对West Hollywood禁止羽毛产品这个禁令的讨论。
【小题2】D 细节题。根据他的论点My view is that animals do not have basic rights.可知D正确。
【小题3】B 推理题。根据本部分的Both fur and leather are the skins of dead animals. Why should we think that the lovable furry ones deserve more of a life than the less pleasing ones?可知他认为wearing fur and wearing leather之间的差异是很小的。B正确。
【小题4】D 推理题。根据本部分However, we must work to ban the sales of leather and hides, too.可知他是持反对态度的，他认为皮制品也应该被禁止。故D正确。