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     Drunken driving-sometimes called America's socially accepted form of murder-has become a national

epidemic (流行病). Every hour of every day about three Americans on average are killed by drunken

drivers, adding up to an incredible 250,000 over the past ten years. A drunken driver is usually referred

to as one with 0.10-blood alcohol content or roughly three beer glasses of wine or shots of whisky drunk within two hours. Heavy drinking used to be an acceptable part of the American manly image and judges were lenient in most courts, but the drunken killing has recently caused so many well-publicized tragedies, especially concerning young children, that public opinion is no longer so tolerant (忍受).

     Twenty states have raised the legal drinking age to 21, reversing a trend (逆转潮流) in the 1960s to

reduce it to 18. After New Jersey lowered it to 18, the number of people killed by 18-20-year-old drivers more than doubled, so the state recently upped it back to 21.

     Reformers, however, fear raising the drinking age will have little effect unless accompanied by

educational programs to help young people to develop "responsible attitudes" about drinking and teach

 them to resist peer pressure to drink.

     Though new laws have led to increased arrests and tests in many areas already, to a marked drop in

accidents, some states are also punishing bars for serving customers too many drinks. A bar in Massachusetts was fined for serving six or more double brandies to a customer who was "obviously drunk" and later drove off the road, killing a nine-year-old boy.

     As the accidents continue to occur daily in every state, some Americans are even beginning to speak

well of the 13 years national prohibition (禁令) of alcohol that began in 1919, which President Hoover

called the "noble experiment". They forgot that legal prohibition didn't stop drinking, but encouraged

political corruption (腐败) and organized crime. As with the booming drug trade generally, there is no

easy solution.

1. What can be inferred from the fact of the traffic accidents in New Jersey?

A. Young drivers were usually bad.      

B. Drivers should not be allowed to drink.

C. Some drivers didn't surprise the legal drinking age.

D. The legal drinking age should be raised.

2. The underlined word "lenient" in the first paragraph means          .

A. merciful

B. cruel

C. serious

D. determined

3. As regards drunken driving, public opinion has changed because        .

A. judges are no longer lenient

B. new laws are introduced in some states

C. drivers do not appreciate their manly image

D. the problem has attracted public attention

4. Which of the following statements best shows the writer's opinion of drunken driving?

A. It is difficult to solve this problem.    

B . It may lead to organized crime.                        

C. The new laws can stop heavy drinking    

D. There should be no bars to serve drinks.