阅读理解。
Fear and its companion pain are two of the most useful things that man and animals possess if they
are used. If fire didn't hurt when it burned, children would play with it until their hands were burned away.
Similarly, if pain existed but fear didn't, a child could burn itself again and again because fear would not
warn it to keep away from the fire that had burnt it before. A really fearless soldier-and some do exist-is
not a good soldier because he is soon killed; and a dead soldier is of no use to his army. Fear and pain are
therefore two guards without which man and animals might soon die out.
In our first sentence we suggested that fear ought to be properly used. If, for example, you never go
out of your house because of the danger of being knocked down and killed in the street by a car, you are
letting fear rule you too much. The important thing is not to let fear rule you, but instead, to use fear as
your servant and guide. Fear will warn you of dangers; then you have to decide what action to take.
In many cases, you can take quick and successful action to avoid the danger. For example, you see a
car coming straight towards you; fear warns you, you jump out of the way, and all is well.
In some cases, however, you decide that there is nothing that you can do to avoid the danger. For
example, you cannot prevent an airplane crashing into your house, and you may not want to go and live in
a desert where there are no airplanes. In this case, fear has given you its warning, you have examined it and
decided on your course of action, so fear of the particular danger is no longer of any use to you, and you
have to try to overcome it.
1. Children would play with fire until their hands are burnt away if ______.
A. they were not well educated at school
B. they had never played with fire before
C. they had no sense of pain
D. they were fearful of pain
2. People sometimes succeed in timely avoiding danger because ______.
A. they have gained experience
B. they are warned of the danger and take quick action
C. they jump out of the way in time
D. they are calm in face of danger
3. What is implied but not stated in the passage?
A. Too much fear is harmful
B. Fear is always something helpful
C. Fear is something that can be avoided
D. Fear ought to be used as our guide in our life
4. The best title for this passage should be _______.
A. No Pains, No Gains
B. Pain and Actions
C. The Value of Fear
D. The Reason Why People Fear
