Inarareunanimousruling,theUSSu-考网

In a rare unanimous ruling,the US Supreme Court has overturned the corruption conviction of a former Virginia governor,Robert McDonnell.But it did so while holding its nose at the ethics of his conduct,which included accepting gifts such as a Rolex watch and a Ferrari Automobile from a company seeking access to government.The high court’s decision said the judge in Mr.McDonnell’s trail failed to tell a jury that it must look only at his“official acts,”or the former governor’s decisions on“specific”and“unsettled”issues related to his duties.Merely helping a gift-giver gain access to other officials,unless done with clear intent to pressure those officials,is not corruption,the justices found.The court did suggest that accepting favors in return for opening doors is“distasteful”and“nasty.”But under anti-bribery laws,proof must be made of concrete benefits,such as approval of a contract or regulation.Simply arranging a meeting,making a phone call,or hosting an event is not an“official act.”The court’s ruling is legally sound in defining a kind of favoritism that is not criminal.Elected leaders must be allowed to help supporters deal with bureaucratic problems without fear of prosecution of bribery.“The basic compact underlying representative government,”wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the court,“assumes that public officials will hear from their constituents and act on their concerns.”But the ruling reinforces the need for citizens and their elected representatives,not the courts,to ensure equality of access to government.Officials must not be allowed to play favorites in providing information or in arranging meetings simply because an individual or group provides a campaign donation or a personal gift.This type of integrity requires will-enforced laws in government transparency,such as records of official meetings,rules on lobbying,and information about each elected leader’s source of wealth.Favoritism in official access can fan public perceptions of corruption.But it is not always corruption.Rather officials must avoid double standards,or different types of access for average people and the wealthy.If connections can be bought,a basic premise of democratic society–that all are equal in treatment by government-is undermined.Good government rests on an understanding of the inherent worth of each individual.The court’s ruling is a step forward in the struggle against both corruption and official favoritism.

The underlined sentence（Para.1）most probably shows that the court____

A.avoided defining the extent of McDonnell’s duties
B.made no compromise in convicting McDonnell
C.was contemptuous of McDonnell’s conduct
D.refused to comment on McDonnell’s ethics

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答案： C

本题解析：

词义题。But it did so while holding its nose at the ethics of his conduct,划线hold its nose前一句最高法院推翻了先前对McDonnell的贪污起诉，然后立即跟着but转折，it did so,法院虽然这样推翻了判决，但是对McDonnell的收取礼物的行为嗤之以鼻。情感色彩表示负向，根据主题首先排除A,B，再根据感情色彩在C，D中选择。D选项相对中立，而C选项中的contemptuous是负向词汇。故选C。另，在文章第四段首句，法院明确表达对这种收取好处的行为的不赞同，distasteful,和nasty都是明显验证。