It is customary to regard the course of history as a great river, (31) its source in some small rivulet of the distant past, taking its rise (32) the plains of Asia, and flowing slowly down through the ages, gathering water fi’om new tributaries on the way, (33) finally in our own days broadens majestically over the whole world. Men have even personified this (34) , made of it a being (35) develops of its own volition, following its own laws (36) the achievement of some preconceived goal. They have spoken of the "dialectic of ideas," and regarded men and whole civilizations (37) the passive instruments employed by this great being (38) the working-out of its purposes. The observer not already committed to faith in such an interpretation finds (39) difficult to discern any such steady sweep in the course of human events, (40) above all he feels that to look upon humanity as a passive tool to which things are done and with which ends are (41) , is a falsification of the cardinal fact that it is men (42) have made history and not history which has made men. Men have built up civilization, men have patiently and laboriously found (43) every way of doing things and toilingly worked out every idea that is today a part of our (44) from the past men working (45) every turn, to be sure, under the influences of their environment and with the materials at (46) , individual men and races and not even some such being as humanity. The complex of beliefs and ideals by (47) the modern world lives and with which it works is not a gift from the gods, (48) ancient myth had it, (49) an achievement of a long succession of (50) . 32().
W: Martin had lived in New York for 40 years and never been mugged once. This did not make him confident -on the contrary, it terrified him. The way he saw it, he was now the most likely person in Manhattan to get mugged next."What are the odds in favour of me getting mugged" he asked his friend Lenny."How much are you willing to bet" said Lenny, who was a compulsive gambler."Oh come on, this is too important to bet on!""Nothing is too important to bet on," said Lenny, shocked. That was the end of their friendship."How do you think I can avoid getting mugged" Martin asked his friend Grace. Grace had not been outside her apartment in five years, as a sure-fire way of avoiding being mugged. It had failed; someone had broken in and mugged her."I’ve no idea, Martin," she said. "Most of these guys are on drugs anyway, and they need the money for their addiction."This gave Martin an idea. If the muggers only needed the money for drugs, why didn’t he offer them drugs instead Then possibly they would be so grateful they wouldn’t harm him. Through some rich friends he knew he bought small quantities of heroin, cocaine and LSD. He had never touched the stuff himself, so he had to label them carefully, to make sure he didn’t get them mixed up.One day he was walking in a part of Central Park he shouldn’t have been in (the part where there is grass and trees) when three men leapt out at him. One was black, one was Puerto Rican and one was Caucasian. Well, at least mugging is being integrated he thought."You want drugs" he cried. "I’ve got drugs! Anything you want you can have. Just name it. But don’t touch me!"The three men let go of him respectfully."We almost made a big mistake there," said one of them. "This guy’s a pusher. Hurt him, and we could have the Mafia down on us. Let’s see what you got, Mister."Somewhat to his surprise Martin found himself displaying his wares, to his customers. Even more to his surprise, he found himself accepting money for the drugs, much more than he’d paid for them."How come you guys have all this money" He said. "Why are you out mugging if you er... have money""Well, we’re not real muggers," said the Caucasian embarrassed. "We’re out-of-work actors.""I thought out-of-work show business people always became waiters or barmen," said Martin."Right. But there are so many show business people in catering now that you can’t get work as waiters. So, we had to work as muggers."When Martin got home, he bought some more drugs from his friend. Pretty soon he sold them to some more muggers, pretty soon after that he found he was spending more and more time pushing drugs, and making more and more money at it. Being afraid of muggings had turned him into a professional drug-pusher.One day a man leapt out at him and grabbed him"You want drugs" said Martin, "I got drugs.""I want money," said a famiiiar voice."Lenny!" cried Martin, "How’re you doing""Badly" said Lenny. "I lost everything gambling."He hit Martin over the head and took his money, wallet and all his credit cards, leaving the little packets of white powder behind.M: The moral of this story is it’s no use offering drugs to a money addict. Grace was not able to avoid being mugged.
A. 对
B. 错