Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
The ideally good
man does not drink or smoke, avoids bad language, attends church regularly, and
holds the correct opinions on all subjects. He has a horror of wrong thinking,
and considers it the business of the authorities to safeguard the young against
those who question the wisdom of the views generally accepted by middle-aged successful
citizens. Apart from his professional duties, he spends much time in good works:
he encourages patriotism and military training; he promotes industry, sobriety,
and virtue in the society and sees to it that failures in these respects
receive due punishment. His morals are irreproachable.
A bad man is one
who is known to smoke and to drink occasionally, and even to say a bad word
when someone treads on his toe. His conversation is not always such as could be
printed, and he sometimes spends fine Sundays out-of-doors instead of at
church. Some of his opinions are subversive; for instance, he may think that if you desire
peace you should prepare for peace, not for war. Towards wrongdoing he takes a
scientific attitude, such as he would take towards his motor-car if it
misbehaved; he argues that sermons and prisons will no more cure vice than mend
a broken tire. In the matter of wrong thinking he is even more perverse. He maintains
that what is called ‘wrong thinking’ is simply thinking, and what is called
‘right thinking’ is repeating words like a parrot.
Questions:
1. Who is an
ideally good man?
2. What is his
attitude to wrong thinking?
3. What, according
to him are the wise views?
4. Who is a bad
man?
5. How is his
conversation?
6. What are some
of his opinions?
7. What is his
attitude towards wrong doing, wrong thinking and right thinking?
