would give life dignity (尊严). People want to determine how the world works, not always to be determined by it. Moral sensibility is why people will suffer for their beliefs, and why acts of noble self­sacrifice are so powerful.

　　It is admitted that our moral ideals will never be realized completely. But sometimes, however imperfectly, we can make progress. Human dignity requires the love of ideals for their own sake, but nothing requires that the love be returned. Human progress is neither guaranteed nor is it hopeless. Instead, it is up to us.

　　语篇解读：本文是一篇议论文，主要谈论了道德理想在人类进步中的重要性。

　　24．What do we know about human progress from Paragraph 1?

　　A．Human beings were greatly liberated by the idea of progress.

　　B．Language failed to serve as an expression of human progress.

　　C．People began to think about human progress in the 17th century.

　　D．Thinkers in the 17th century were optimistic about human progress.

　　解析：选D　 推理判断题。根据第一段第二句可推断出，17世纪的思想家们对人类的进步是持十分乐观的态度的。故答案选D。

　　25．Why does science fail to bring the desired human progress?

　　A．Proper governing is not guaranteed in the use of science.

　　B．Scientific progress does not give people dignity.

　　C．Science is misunderstood because of improper management.

　　D．The engine of progress was sensitive and unreliable.

　　解析：选A　 推理判断题。根据第二、三段可推断出，人类在使用科学的过程中没有施以适当的管理，使得科学没有给人类带来预期的进步。故答案选A。

　　26．What does the underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 refer to?

　　A．Depressing life. B．Harmful science.

　　C．Human progress. D．Moral sensibility.

　　解析：选D　词义猜测题。根据第三段第二、四句可推断，"This liberal force"指的就是上下文中所提到的"moral sensibility"，即道德情感。故答案选D。

　　27．What is the main purpose of the passage?

　　A．To emphasize the function of the idea of progress.

　　B．To express anxiety about the death of moral sensibility.

　　C．To show the importance of moral ideals in human progress.

D．To blame the harm of material progress to human development.