2．To err is human．To blame the other guy is even more human．
Common sense is not all that common．
Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse？
These three popular misquotes（戲謔的引語）are meant to be jokes，and yet they tell us a lot about human nature．To err，or to make mistakes，is indeed a part of being human，but it seems that most people don't want to accept the responsibility for the problem．Perhaps it is the natural thing to do．The original quote about human nature went like this："To err is human，to forgive，divine（神圣的）．"This saying mirrors an deal people should be forgiving of others'mistakes．Instead，we tend to do the opposite-find someone else to pass the blame on to．However，taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity．
Common sense is what we call clear thought．Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well，and it also means staying with the plan．Commonsense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm，but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine．Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations，because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything．People say that in a large company，"the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing．"
And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art？One of the common problems with making excuses is that people，especially young people．get the idea that it's okay not to be totally honest all the time．There is a corollary（直接推論）to that：if good excuse is"good"even if it isn't honest，then where is the place of the truth？
51．According to tile passage，which of following seems the most human？D
A．To search for truth．
B．To achieve one's ideal
C．To make fun of others'mistakes．
D．To criticize others for one's own error．
52．According to the author，what is a sign of a man's maturity？B
A．Doing things his own way．
B．Bearing responsibility for his mistakes．
C．Making as few mistakes as possible．
D．Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing．
53．Which of the following is N0T based on common sense？A
A．A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company．
B．A studentgoes out with an umbrella in stormy weather．
C．A company's next move follows a good plan．
D．A lawyer acts on fine judgments．
54．What is the author's opinion about a good excuse？D
A．Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy．
B．Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas．
C．A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty．
D．Bitter truth is better than a good excuse．
55．What would be the best title for his passage？A
A．A Mirror of Human Nature
B．To Blame or to Forgive
C．A Mark of Maturity
D．Truth or Excuse．
分析 本文中作者用三個引言："犯錯是人之常情、但是推卸責任更是人之本性、常識往往并不常見．"導出人性這個話題，從責備還是寬恕，常識還是非常識，真理還是借口三方面來體現人性．
解答 51．答案：D．細節(jié)理解題．根據第一段第一句和第二句"To err is human．To blame the other guy is even more human"可知，批評他人是更人性化的，故選D．
52．答案：B．細節(jié)理解題．根據第二段最后一句"However，taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a mark of great maturity．"可知，為某件錯誤的事情承擔責任是成熟的跡象，故選B．
53．答案：A．推理判斷題．根據倒數第二段可知靠常識似乎對于一個大的組織并不適合，因為有太多的事情要處理以至于一個人不可能負責全部工作．所以A項"一個人負責一個大公司的全部工作屬于非常識"．B項從"Common sense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm"得出．C項和D項從"Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well，and it also means staying with the plan．"得出．故選A．
54．答案：D．推理判斷題．根據最后一段"And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art …then where is the place of the truth"可知，作者在反思一種錯誤思想，編造好的借口就如創(chuàng)造藝術，盡管不誠實大家感到很正常，但是真理放在那哪一個地方，說明作者反對編造好的借口，故選D．
55．答案：A．主旨大意題．從全文來看，作者用三個引言導出人性這個話題，從責備還是寬恕，常識還是非常識，真理還是借口三方面來體現人性．故選A"人性的鏡子"； B 項和D項只是第二段和最后一段的段落大意，不能代表全文．C項是第二段的一個細節(jié)．
點評 做此類題時應做到以下幾點：
1、瀏覽試題，明確要求．
2、通讀全文，抓住主要內容．
3、抓住中心思想和段落大意．
4、有針對性地仔細閱讀，找尋所需信息．
5、進行合理的推理判斷．
