Question

FriendsJoe Bloggs always had a cigarette(香煙)on his lips．He smoked while he read, while he looked at the television, and while he drank a cup of coffee．He smoked forty cigarettes a day, but he was happy．Joe's friend, Fred Brown, said to him,“It's very bad to smoke．”When Joe heard this, he started to worry and became thin．So he did not buy any more cigarettes．He became so thin he went to Fred for help．Fred said,“You must eat more．”So Joe did not smoke, but he ate chocolate(巧克力)，and he became very fat．Again he went to Fred for help．Fred said,“You must not eat chocolate．”So Joe stopped eating chocolate, but he went back to smoking cigarettes．He became thin again but he was not happy, because he still smoked．Sometimes Joe Bloggs wished Fred Brown was not his friend!

What is the writer trying to tell us with this story?

1. A.
   One should think and decide for oneself．
2. B.
   One should ask friends for help and advice．
3. C.
   Smoking is bad for one's health．
4. D.
   Chocolate is bad for one's health．

Answer 1

A
該文是說Joe雖聽從朋友的勸告，改掉自己的壞習慣，但對友人的勸告不認真領會其精神實質，而是走向極端，結果做出了與朋友勸告相違的事情。Joe不但不反省自己，反而怨恨別人。作者顯然是想通過這個故事來告訴人們：一個人遇事應該獨立思考并自行做出決定。不可人云亦云，誤走極端，更不可錯怪別人。A項正好與作者的觀點吻合。