There are 20 blanks in the following passage. For each blank there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D) on the right side of the paper. You should choose the ONE that best fits into the passage. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
" Opinion" is a word that used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgement. This casual use would probably cause little 1 if people didn’t attach too much importance to opinion. 2 , most do attach great importance to it. "I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours" and "Everyone’s entitled to his opinion" are common 3 In fact, 4 who would challenge another’s opinion is likely to be branded intolerant(不能容忍的).
Is that 5 accurate Is it intolerant to challenge another’s opinion It 6 on what definition of opinion you have 7 mind. For example, you may ask a friend, "What do you think of the new Ford cars" and he may reply, "In my opinion, they’re ugly. " In this 8 , it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. 9 it’s obvious that by opinion he means his personal 10 , a matter of taste. And 11 the old saying goes, "It’s pointless to argue about matters of taste. "
But consider this very different use of the 12 . A newspaper reports that the Supreme Court 13 its opinion in a controversial case. Obviously the justices did not state their personal preference, their mere likes and dislikes. They stated their 14 judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and deliberation.
Most of what is referred to as opinion 15 somewhere between two 16 . It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less 17 arrived at, with or without examining the 18 .
Is everyone entitled to his opinion Of course, this is not only permitted, but 19 . We are free to 20 our opinions only as long as, in doing so, we’d not harm others.