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A
Raphael Samuel, a 27-year-old Indian businessman is so fed up with life, he plans to sue(起诉) his parents for allowing him to be born. Asking a fetus(胎儿) for permission may sound ridiculous, but Samuel believes he is entitled to sue his parents for giving birth to him without his permission although we have no choice in birth and death.
He understands that our permission cannot be obtained before birth. Even so, he stresses that our planet would be far better off if we were extinct. For humans are an unnecessary burden on the Earth’s resources.
Although he never wanted to be born, Samuel is not unhappy with his life. He compares it to a nice room. Yet he insists he doesn’t want to be in that room.
Samuel’s parents are both lawyers. His mother said if he can provide a valid reason how they
could have asked for his permission before being born, she will accept full responsibility. Samuel admits that his case will be thrown out by any competent judge. He said he wants to file the case just to make a point.
Samuel’s belief is rooted in the philosophy of anti-natalism; a school(学派) of thought which believes people are so full of misery, they should stop having babies.
According to the United Nations, by the year 2100, there will be 11 billion people on Earth. It’s predicted the strain on the planet will be immense. Anti-natalists believe the only solution is for people to stop being born. However, some believe the unpleasant predictions of future over-population are way off track.
    A new book called Empty Planet states that in three decades the global population will start to decline. And it will keep declining indefinitely. The reason? Education. The authors interviewed women all over the globe, from the slums of Delhi to New York penthouses. And their conclusion was a stark one: the single biggest effect on fertility rates is the education of women.
The authors write that the most important reproductive organ is the mind. If you can change how someone thinks about reproduction, you change everything. And while suing your parents is not going to save the planet, perhaps universal education can win the day.
somewhere1.Why does Raphael Samuel want to sue his parents?
A.Because he is a ridiculous man.
B.Because he is so fed up with life.
C.Because he has no choice in birth and death.
D.Because his parents gave birth to him without his permission.
2.What does the underlined word it in the third paragraph refer to?
A.Being born.      B. Being unhappy.      C. His happy life    D. His permission
3.What does the author of the book Empty Planet think of Raphael Samuel?
A.He agrees with Raphael Samuel.
B.He disagrees with Raphael Samuel.
C.He thinks of Raphael Samuel as a great philosopher.
D.He thinks of Raphael Samuel as an environmentalist.
4.What’s the author’s attitude according to the passage?
A.He does states his attitude.
B.He is for Raphael Samuel’s beliefs.
C.He is for the ideas in the book Empty Planet.
D.He is for both Raphael Samuel’s beliefs and the ideas in the book Empty Planet.
B
If you hear the word “castle” or the word “palace”，you may picture the same kind of building for both：large，made of stones, probably with a tower. And，of course，you're not entirely wrong，as those are features of both palaces and castles.
So then why bother to visit one royal building in the United Kingdom—Buckingham Palace and another in the same country—Windsor Castle？It turns out that there is a difference，and you can find it pretty plainly in these two popular buildings.
The Case for Castles
Castles were residences for royalty. But they were also intended as defensive seats. Say you're a king who has taken a particular area over. Now you have to hold it. So you build a castle and staff it with soldiers to defend your conquered territory and ensure it remains part of your kingdom.
Castles were built throughout Europe and the Middle East primarily for the protection of the king and his people. Some common features of castles include：
●thick walls and heavy gates to keep invaders out
●protective low walls for archers to shoot with cover
●high towers for keeping a lookout for the surrounding lands
●gatehouses for admitting allies instead of allowing enemies into the castle
The Place for Palaces
Palaces，on the contrary，had no defensive purposes. They were first meant for showing off the great victory of the war. Palaces were where the spoils(战利品) of war might be displayed，along with grand architecture，massive banquet halls，golden table settings and maybe even hundreds of luxuriously decorated rooms.
While kings certainly took up residence in palaces as well as castles，nonmilitary royals might also have lived in(or still live in) palaces. Ministers could live in castles to show the power of their riches rather than their nonexistent military power. The term comes from Palatine Hill in Rome.

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