[求助]

dphxmg

Question 17-18

If the artificial is not better than the natural, to what end are all the arts of life? To dig, to plow, to build, to wear clothes—all are direct violations of the injunction to follow nature.

17. Which one of the following is an assumption made by the author of the passage?

(A) The arts of life have no useful end.

(B) The artificial is not better than the natural.

(C) Digging, plowing, building, and wearing clothes are better than nature.

(D) The injunction to follow nature should not be violated.

(E) The arts of life are indirect means of following nature.

18. If the author’s argument were challenged on the grounds that the construction of buildings has adverse effects on the natural environment, which of the following replies might the author use to respond to the challenge logically?

(A) There are human activities, such as making music, that are environmentally harmless.

(B) Harming the environment is not an end, of purpose, of the arts of life.

(C) The construction could involve the use of natural, not artificial, materials.

(D) Constructing buildings is not an “art of life.”

(E) Even if the natural environment is disturbed by the construction of buildings, it is improved for human use.

What's the stimulus talking about?

hedonism555

My personal understanding,

17,  the paraphrase of first sentence --> the artificial is better than the natural.  it is just another way of saying for " if the artificail is worse than the natural, then what is the meaning or objective for application of all artificial activities of human life?"  from the second sentence, we know digging, plowing, building and wearing are all artificial activities. Then, these things must be better than nature.

18,  arts of life refers to human life. so, if one activity violates nature for the sake of human being, then it is justified.  E counterattacks the challenge.

the artificail=一切人为的事情    the nature=一切自然的事情

all arts of life=所有生活的技能，技巧

dphxmg

thanks.