Government is not made in virtue of natural rights, which may and do exist in total independence of it, and exist in much greater clearness, and in a much greater degree of abstract perfection; but their abstract perfection is their practical defect. By having a right to everything, men want everything. Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom. Among these wants is to be reckoned the want, out of civil society, of a sufficient restraint upon their passions. Society requires not only that the passions of individuals should be subjected, but that even in the mass and body, as well as in the individuals, the inclinations of men should frequently be thwarted, their will controlled, and their passions brought into subjection. This can only be done by a power out of themselves; and not, in the exercise of its function, subject to that will and those passions which is its office to bridle and subdue. In this sense, the restraints on men, as well as their liberties, are to be reckoned among their rights. But because the liberties and the restrictions vary with times and circumstances, and admit to infinite modifications, they cannot be settled upon by any abstract rule; and nothing is so foolish as to discuss them upon that principle.
The moment you abate anything from the full rights of men, each to govern himself, and suffer any artificial, positive limitation upon those rights, from that moment the whole organization of government becomes a consideration of convenience. This is which makes the contusion of a state, and the due distribution of its powers, a matter of the most delicate and complicated skill. It requires a deep knowledge of human nature and human necessities, and of the things that facilitate or obstruct the various ends, which are to be pursued by the mechanism of civil institutions. The state is to have recruits to its strength, and remedies to its distempers. What is the use of discussing a man's abstract right to food and medicine The question is upon the method of procuring and administering them. In that deliberation, I shall always advise to call in the aid of the farmer and the physician, rather than the professor of metaphysics.
- According to the author, government _________
- is made by men B. is made in virtue of natural fights
- has a fight to everything D. wants everything
- The author states that the will and the passions of the people ________
- can be effectively controlled by the people themselves
- should determine government policies
- can be controlled only by a power that exists apart from the people and is not subject to that will and those passions
- cannot be controlled
- The restraints on men as well as the liberties of men_________
- are matters for individual concern B. are fights of men
- should be of no concern to the movement D. cannot be tolerated by people
- Besides a deep knowledge of human nature and human necessities, establishing a constitution of a state and deciding upon its powers require a knowledge of __________
- the liberties and restrictions on man's rights
- the things which facilitate or obstruct the ends pursued by the mechanism of civil institutions
- the will of all the people D. the constitutions of many nations
核心词汇注释
contrivance n．发明，发明才能；想出的办法，发明物
reckon vt．计算，总计，估计，猜想
vi．数，计算，估计；依赖，料想
restraint n．抑制，制止，克制
thwart adj．横放的 vt．反对，阻碍，横过
adv．prep．横过 n．[船]横坐板
bridle n.．马勒，缰绳 v．上笼头，昂首(表示傲慢、愤怒等)；抑制
subdue v．征服
abate vt．使(数量、程度等)减少，减轻，除去，缓和，打折扣
vi．(数量、程度等)减少，减轻，失效，缓和；(法令等)被废除
contusion n．擦伤，撞伤，挫伤
distemper n．大瘟热。不高兴，病异状 vt．用胶画颜料画；使发狂
metaphysics n．形而上学，玄学，纯粹哲学，宇宙哲学
长难句剖析
Government is not made in virtue of natural rights，which may and do exist in total independence of it，and exist in much greater clearness，and in a much greater degree of abstract perfection．
[结构分析]本句主干是Government is not made in virtue of natural rights。which引导的非限定性定语从句用来修饰natural rights。在这个从句中有两个并列的谓语动词和三个in引导的介词短语做方式状语。
[参考译文]政府不是借助于自然权利而成立的，自然权利或许而且肯定是完全不依赖于政府而存在；并且它们存在于更为纯粹的状态和更加抽象化的完美阶段。
Among these wants is to be reckoned the want，out of civil society，of a sufficient restraint upon their passions．
[结构分析]本句中，the want of a sufficient restraint upon their passions是主语，谓语动词则是is to be reckoned out of civil society Among these wants修饰主语。
[参考译文]其中对人类感情进行充分限制的需要是被排除于市民社会之外的。
it requires a deep knowledge of human nature and human necessities，and of the things that facilitate or obstruct the various ends，which are to be pursued by the mechanism of civil institutions．
[结构分析]本句主干是it requires a deep knowledge。两个并列的Of短语作knowledge 的后置定语。在第二个of短语中，that．．．ends是定语从句修饰the things ，在这个从句中还包 含一个由which引导的非限定性定语从句用来修饰ends。
[参考译文]它需要对人性和人类的需求、促进或阻碍各种各样事物发展的因素深入了解，而这些都由民间机构来研究。
Society requires not only that the passions of individuals should be Subjected，but that even in the mass and body，as well as in the individuals，the inclinations of men should frequently be thwarted，their will controlled，and their passions brought into Subjection．
[结构分析]本句中，主语是society，谓语动词是requires，宾语是由not only．．．but连接在一起的两个that从句。在第二个that从句中有三个并列的句子，第一个是the inclinations…thwarted，第二和第三个都省略了被动语气中的be。
[参考译文]社会要求不仅要使个人的感情服从，而且从整个社会来讲，人类不应随心 所欲，他们的意愿应受节制，他们的感情也应该变得屈从。
全文参考译文
政府不是借助于自然权利成立的，自然权利或许而且肯定是完全不依靠政府而存在的；并且它们存在于更为纯粹的状态和更加抽象化的完美阶段；但是自然权利抽象化的完美正是它们实际的缺陷。人类对一切事物都有权利，因此想得到一切。政府是人类智慧的发明，用来满足人类的需要。人类有权利让这种智慧满足他们的需要。其中对人类感情进行充分限制的需要是被排除于市民社会之外的。社会要求不仅要使个人的感情服从，而且从整个社会来讲，人类不应随心所欲，他们的意愿应受到节制，他们的感情也应该变得屈从。只有人类自身能力之外的力量才能做到这点，而不会在发生作用的过程中被政府所要抑制和征服的那种意愿和感情支配。从这个意义上讲，对人类及其自由的限制应被算作他们的一种权利。但因为自由和限制总是随着时间和条件在变化，而且需要不断地改进，它们难以用抽象的条文形式确定下来，所以按照规则讨论自由和限制是再愚蠢不过的事情了。
在你减少人类所有权利中的任何一项时，人人都开始控制自己并忍受这些人为地加于权利之上的但正当的限制。从那一刻开始，整个政府机构都成为一种便利的因素。正是这一点促使一个国家宪法的产生，及其权利的正当分配，这是一个最棘手和最复杂的技巧问题。它需要对人性和人类的需求、促进或阻碍各种各样事物发展的因素深入了解，而这些都由民间机构来研究。国家通过增加生力军，消除社会动荡。谈论一个人有得到食物和医疗的抽象权利究竟有何用处这个问题的答案超出食品和药物采购与管理方法的范畴。鉴于此，我永远建议去援助农民和医生而不是那些形而上学的教授。
题目答案与解析
1．按照作者的观点，政府__________。 [答案]A
A．是人类发明的 B．是借助自然权利创造的
C．对所有事物拥有权利 D．想得到一切
[解析]本题的依据是文章第1段的第3句话Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants，从中可知A项是正确答案。
2．作者认为，人类的意愿和感情________。 [答案]C
A．可以由人类自己有效控制 B．应该决定政府的政策
C．只能够被人类自身能力之外的力量所控制，并且不屈服于那种意愿和感情
D．无法控制
[解析]本题的依据是第1段中间的几句话：Society requires not only that the passions of individuals should be subjected，but that even in the mass and body ,as well as in the individuals， the inclinations of men should frequently be thwarted，their will controlled，and their passions brought into subjection．This can only be done by a power out of themselves。从中可知C项是正确答案。
3． 对人类及对人类自由的限制________。 [答案]B
A．与个人利害相关 B．是人类的权利 C．和政府无关 D．人们无法忍受
[解析]本题的依据是第1段倒数第2句话In this sense，the restraints on men，as well as their liberties，are to be reckoned among their rights，因此B项是正确答案。
4． 制定一个国家宪法并决定宪法的权限，除了需要对人性和人类的需求有深刻的了解外，
还需要了解__________。 [答案]B
A．人类权利的自由和限制
B．由民间机构来研究的促进或阻碍各种各样事物发展的因素
C．所有人民的意愿 D．许多国家的宪法
[解析]本题的依据是文章第2段中间的一句话It (指制定宪法、决定宪法的权限等) requires a deep knowledge of human nature and human necessities，and of the things that facilitate or obstruct the various ends，which are to be pursued by the mechanism of civil institutions，从中可知B是正确答案。