1997-2012年历年考研英语真题阅读A阅读文章

历年考研英语真题阅读A部分1997年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Text1Itwas3:45inthemorningwhenthevotewasfinallytaken.Aftersixmonthsofarguingandfinal16hoursofhotparliamentarydebates,Australia,sNorthernTerritorybecamethefirstlegalauthorityintheworldtoallowdoctorstotakethelivesofincurablyillpatientswhowishtodie.Themeasurepassedbytheconvincingvoteof15to10.AlmostimmediatelywordflashedontheInternetandwaspickedup,halfaworldaway,byJohnHofsess,executivedirectoroftheRighttoDieSocietyofCanada.Hesentitonviathegroup'son-lineservice,DeathNET.SaysHofsess:"Wepostedbulletinsalldaylong,becauseofcoursethisisn'tjustsomethingthathappenedinAustralia.It'sworldhistory.''Thefullimportmaytakeawhiletosinkin.TheNTRightsoftheTerminallyIIIlawhasleftphysiciansandcitizensaliketryingtodealwithitsmoralandpracticalimplications.Somehavebreathedsighsofrelief,others,includingchurches,righttolifegroupsandtheAustralianMedicalAssociation,bitterlyattackedthebillandthehasteofitspassage.Butthetideisunlikelytoturnback.InAustralia—whereanagingpopulation,lifeextendingtechnologyandchangingcommunityattitudeshaveallplayedtheirpart—otherstatesaregoingtoconsidermakingasimilarlawtodealwitheuthanasia.IntheUSandCanada,wheretherighttodiemovementisgatheringstrength,observersarewaitingforthedominoestostartfalling.UnderthenewNorthernTerritorylaw,anadultpatientcanrequestdeath-probablybyadeadlyinjectionorpill-toputanendtosuffering.Thepatientmustbediagnosedasterminallyillbytwodoctors.Aftera"coolingoff'periodofsevendays,thepatientcansignacertificateofrequest.After48hoursthewishfordeathcanbemet.ForLloydNickson,a54yearoldDarwinresidentsufferingfromlungcancer,theNTRightsofTerminallyIIIlawmeanshecangetonwithlivingwithoutthehauntingfearofhissuffering:aterrifyingdeathfromhisbreathingcondition.t4Fmnotafraidofdyingfromaspiritualpointofview,butwhatIwasafraidofwashowI'dgo,becauseI'vewatchedpeopledieinthehospitalfightingforoxygenandclawingattheirmasks,"hesays.Text2AreportconsistentlybroughtbackbyvisitorstotheUSishowfriendly,courteous,andhelpfulmostAmericansweretothem.Tobefair,thisobservationisalsofrequentlymadeofCanadaandCanadians,andshouldbestbeconsideredNorthAmerican.Thereare,ofcourse,exceptions.Smallmindedofficials,rudewaiters,andill-manneredtaxidriversarehardlyunknownintheUS.Yetitisanobservationmadesofrequentlythatitdeservescomment.Foralongperiodoftimeandinmanypartsofthecountry,atravelerwasawelcomebreakinanotherwisedullexistence.Dullnessandlonelinesswerecommonproblemsofthefamilieswhogenerallyliveddistantfromoneanother.Strangersandtravelerswerewelcomesourcesofdiversion,andbroughtnewsoftheoutsideworld.Theharshrealitiesofthefrontieralsoshapedthistraditionofhospitality.Someonetravelingalone,ifhungry,injured,orill,oftenhadnowheretoturnexcepttothenearestcabinorsettlement.Itwasnotamatterofchoiceforthetravelerormerelyacharitableimpulseonthepartofthesettlers.Itreflectedtheharshnessofdailylife:ifyoudidn'ttakeinthestrangerandtakecareofhim,therewasnooneelsewhowould.Andsomeday,remember,youmightbeinthesamesituation.Todaytherearemanycharitableorganizationswhichspecializeinhelpingthewearytraveler.Yet,theoldtraditionofhospitalitytostrangersisstillverystrongintheUS,especiallyinthesmallercitiesandtownsawayfromthebusytouristtrails.wasjusttravelingthrough,gottalkingwiththisAmerican,andprettysoonheinvitedmehomefordinner—amazing."SuchobservationsreportedbyvisitorstotheUSarenotuncommon,butarenotalwaysunderstoodproperly.ThecasualfriendlinessofmanyAmericansshouldbeinterpretedneitherassuperficialnorasartificial,butastheresultofahistoricallydevelopedculturaltradition.Asistrueofanydevelopedsociety,inAmericaacomplexsetofculturalsignals,assumptions,andconventionsunderliesallsocialinterrelationships.And,ofcourse,speakingalanguagedoesnotnecessarilymeanthatsomeoneunderstandssocialandculturalpatterns.Visitorswhofailto“translate“culturalmeaningsproperlyoftendrawwrongconclusions.Forexample,whenanAmericanusestheword“friend,"theculturalimplicationsofthewordmaybequitedifferentfromthoseithasinthevisitor'slanguageandculture.Ittakesmorethanabriefencounteronabustodistinguishbetweencourteousconventionandindividualinterest.Yet,beingfriendlyisavirtuethatmanyAmericansvaluehighlyandexpectfrombothneighborsandstrangers.Text3Technically,anysubstanceotherthanfoodthataltersourbodilyormentalfunctioningisadrug.Manypeoplemistakenlybelievethetermdrugrefersonlytosomesortofmedicineoranillegalchemicaltakenbydrugaddicts.Theydon'trealizethatfamiliarsubstancessuchasalcoholandtobaccoarealsodrugs.Thisiswhythemoreneutraltermsubstanceisnowusedbymanyphysiciansandpsychologists.Thephrase"substanceabuse"isoftenusedinsteadof"drugabuse"tomakeclearthatsubstancessuchasalcoholandtobaccocanbejustasharmfullymisusedasheroinandcocaine.Weliveasocietyinwhichthemedicinalandsocialuseofsubstances(drugs)ispervasive:anaspirintoquietaheadache,somewinetobesociable,coffeetogetgoinginthemorning,acigaretteforthenerves.Whendothesesociallyacceptableandapparentlyconstructiveusesofasubstancebecomemisuses?Firstofall,mostsubstancestakeninexcesswillproducenegativeeffectssuchaspoisoningorintenseperceptualdistortions.Repeateduseofasubstancecanalsoleadtophysicaladdictionorsubstancedependence.Dependenceismarkedfirstbyanincreasedtolerance,withmoreandmoreofthesubstancerequiredtoproducethedesiredeffect,andthenbytheappearanceofunpleasantwithdrawalsymptomswhenthesubstanceisdiscontinued.Drugs(substances)thataffectthecentralnervoussystemandalterperception,mood,andbehaviorareknownaspsychoactivesubstances.Psychoactivesubstancesarecommonlygroupedaccordingtowhethertheyarestimulants,depressants,orhallucinogens.Stimulantsinitiallyspeeduporactivatethecentralnervoussystem,whereasdepressantsslowitdown.Hallucinogenshavetheirprimaryeffectonperception,distortingandalteringitinavarietyofwaysincludingproducinghallucinations.Thesearethesubstancesoftencalledpsychedelic(fromtheGreekwordmeaning“mind-manifesting")becausetheyseemedtoradicallyalterone'sstateofconsciousness.Text4Nocompanylikestobetolditiscontributingtothemoraldeclineofanation."Isthiswhatyouintendedtoaccomplishwithyourcareers?"SenatorRobertDoleaskedTimeWarnerexecutiveslastweek."Youhavesoldyoursouls,butmustyoucorruptournationandthreatenourchildrenaswell?"AtTimeWarner,however,suchquestionsaresimplythelatestmanifestationofthesoulsearchingthathasinvolvedthecompanyeversincethecompanywasbornin1990.It'saself-examinationthathas,atvarioustimes,involvedissuesofresponsibility,creativefreedomandthecorporatebottomline.AtthecoreofthisdebateischairmanGeraldLevin,56,whotookoverforthelateSteveRossin1992.Onthefinancialfront,Levinisunderpressuretoraisethestockpriceandreducethecompany'smountainousdebt,whichwillincreaseto17.3billionaftertwonewcabledealsclose.Hehaspromisedtoselloffsomeofthepropertyandrestructurethecompany,butinvestorsarewaitingimpatiently.Theflapoverrapisnotmakinglifeanyeasierforhim.Levinhasconsistentlydefendedthecompany'srapmusiconthegroundsofexpression.In1992,whenTimeWarnerwasunderfireforreleasingIceT'sviolentrapsongCopKiller,Levindescribedrapasalawfulexpressionofstreetculture,whichdeservesanoutlet.t4Thetestofanydemocraticsociety,hewroteinaWallStreetJournalcolumn,"liesnotinhowwellitcancontrolexpressionbutinwhetheritgivesfreedomofthoughtandexpressionthewidestpossiblelatitude,howeverdisputableorirritatingtheresultsmaysometimesbe.Wewon'tretreatinthefaceofanythreats.''Levinwouldnotcommentonthedebatelastweek,butthereweresignsthatthechairmanwasbackingoffhishardlinestand,atleasttosomeextent.Duringthediscussionofrocksingingversesatlastmonth'sstockholders,meeting,Levinassertedthat"musicisnotthecauseofsociety'sills''andevencitedhisson,ateacherintheBronx,NewYork,whousesraptocommunicatewithstudents.Buthetalkedaswellaboutthe"balancedstruggle''betweencreativefreedomandsocialresponsibility,andheannouncedthatthecompanywouldlaunchadrivetodevelopstandardsfordistributionandlabelingofpotentiallyobjectionablemusic.The15memberTimeWarnerboardisgenerallysupportiveofLevinandhiscorporatestrategy.Butinsiderssayseveralofthemhaveshowntheirconcernsinthismatter."Someofushaveknownformany,manyyearsthatthefreedomsundertheFirstAmendmentarenottotallyunlimited,''saysLuce."Ithinkitisperhapsthecasethatsomepeopleassociatedwiththecompanyhaveonlyrecentlycometorealizethis.''Text5Muchofthelanguageusedtodescribemonetarypolicy,suchas"steeringtheeconomytoasoftlanding''or"atouchonthebrakes,''makesitsoundlikeaprecisescience.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth.Thelinkbetweeninterestratesandinflationisuncertain.Andtherearelong,variablelagsbeforepolicychangeshaveanyeffectontheeconomy.Hencetheanalogythatlikenstheconductofmonetarypolicytodrivingacarwithablackenedwindscreen,acrackedrearviewmirrorandafaultysteeringwheel.Givenallthesedisadvantages,centralbankersseemtohavehadmuchtoboastaboutoflate.Averageinflationinthebigsevenindustrialeconomiesfelltoamere2.3%lastyear,closetoitslowestlevelin30years,beforerisingslightlyto2.5%thisJuly.Thisisalongwaybelowthedouble-digitrateswhichmanycountriesexperiencedinthe1970sandearly1980s.Itisalsolessthanmostforecastershadpredicated.Inlate1994thepanelofeconomistswhichTheEconomistpollseachmonthsaidthatAmerica'sinflationratewouldaverage3.5%in1995.Infact,itfellto2.6%inAugust,andexpectedtoaverageonlyabout3%fortheyearasawhole.InBritainandJapaninflationisrunninghalfapercentagepointbelowtheratepredictedattheendoflastyear.Thisisnoflashinthepan;overthepastcoupleofyears,inflationhasbeenconsistentlylowerthanexpectedinBritainandAmerica.EconomistshavebeenparticularlysurprisedbyfavorableinflationfiguresinBritainandtheUnitedStates,sinceconventionalmeasuressuggestthatbotheconomies,andespeciallyAmerica's,havelittleproductiveslack.America'scapacityutilization,forexample,hithistoricallyhighlevelsearlierthisyear,anditsjoblessrate(5.6%inAugust)hasfallenbellowmostestimatesofthenaturalrateofunemployment—theratebelowwhichinflationhastakenoffinthepast.Whyhasinflationprovedsomild?Themostthrillingexplanationis,unfortunately,alittledefective.Someeconomistsarguethatpowerfulstructuralchangesintheworldhaveup-endedtheoldeconomicmodelsthatwerebaseduponthehistoricallinkbetweengrowthandinflation.1998年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Text1Fewcreationsofbigtechnologycapturetheimaginationlikegiantdams.Perhapsitishumankind'slongsufferingatthemercyoffloodanddroughtthatmakestheidealofforcingthewaterstodoourbiddingsofascinating.Buttobefascinatedisalso,sometimes,tobeblind.Severalgiantdamprojectsthreatentodomoreharmthangood.Thelessonfromdamsisthatbigisnotalwaysbeautiful.Itdoesn'thelpthatbuildingabig,powerfuldamhasbecomeasymbolofachievementfornationsandpeoplestrivingtoassertthemselves.Egypt'sleadershipintheArabworldwascementedbytheAswanHighDam.Turkey'sbidforFirstWorldstatusincludesthegiantAtaturkDam.Butbigdamstendnottoworkasintended.TheAswanDam,forexample,stoppedtheNilefloodingbutdeprivedEgyptofthefertilesiltthatfloodsleft—allinreturnforagiantreservoirofdiseasewhichisnowsofullofsiltthatitbarelygenerateselectricity.Andyet,themythofcontrollingthewaterspersists.Thisweek,intheheartofcivilizedEurope,SlovaksandHungariansstoppedjustshortofsendinginthetroopsintheircontentionoveradamontheDanube.Thehugecomplexwillprobablyhavealltheusualproblemsofbigdams.ButSlovakiaisbiddingforindependencefromtheCzechs,andnowneedsadamtoproveitself.Meanwhile,inIndia,theWorldBankhasgiventhego-aheadtotheevenmorewrong-headedNarmadaDam.Andthebankhasdonethiseventhoughitsadvisorssaythedamwillcausehardshipforthepowerlessandenvironmentaldestruction.Thebenefitsareforthepowerful,buttheyarefarfromguaranteed.Proper,scientificstudyoftheimpactsofdamsandofthecostandbenefitsofcontrollingwatercanhelptoresolvetheseconflicts.Hydroelectricpowerandfloodcontrolandirrigationarepossiblewithoutbuildingmonsterdams.Butwhenyouaredealingwithmyths,itishardtobeeitherproper,orscientific.ItistimethattheworldlearnedthelessonsofAswan.Youdon'tneedadamtobesaved.Text2Well,nogainwithoutpain,theysay.Butwhataboutpainwithoutgain?EverywhereyougoinAmerica,youheartalesofcorporaterevival.Whatishardertoestablishiswhethertheproductivityrevolutionthatbusinessmenassumetheyarepresidingoverisforreal.Theofficialstatisticsaremildlydiscouraging.Theyshowthat,ifyoulumpmanufacturingandservicestogether,productivityhasgrownonaverageby1.2%since1987.Thatissomewhatfasterthantheaverageduringthepreviousdecade.Andsince1991,productivityhasincreasedbyabout2%ayear,whichismorethantwicethe1978-1987average.Thetroubleisthatpartoftherecentaccelerationisduetotheusualreboundthatoccursatthispointinabusinesscycle,andsoisnotconclusiveevidenceofarevivalintheunderlyingtrend.Thereis,asRobertRubin,thetreasurysecretary,says,a''disjunction"betweenthemassofbusinessanecdotethatpointstoaleapinproductivityandthepicturereflectedbythestatistics.Someofthiscanbeeasilyexplained.Newwaysoforganizingtheworkplace—allthatre-engineeringanddownsizing—areonlyonecontributiontotheoverallproductivityofaneconomy,whichisdrivenbymanyotherfactorssuchasjointinvestmentinequipmentandmachinery,newtechnology,andinvestmentineducationandtraining.Moreover,mostofthechangesthatcompaniesmakeareintendedtokeepthemprofitable,andthisneednotalwaysmeanincreasingproductivity:switchingtonewmarketsorimprovingqualitycanmatterjustasmuch.Twootherexplanationsaremorespeculative.First,someofthebusinessrestructuringofrecentyearsmayhavebeenineptlydone.Second,evenifitwaswelldone,itmayhavespreadmuchlesswidelythanpeoplesuppose.LeonardSchlesinger,aHarvardacademicandformerchiefexecutiveofAuBongPain,arapidlygrowingchainofbakerycafes,saysthatmuch”re-engineering”hasbeencrude.Inmanycases,hebelieves,thelossofrevenuehasbeengreaterthanthereductionsincost.Hiscolleague,MichaelBeer,saysthatfartoomanycompanieshaveappliedre-engineeringinamechanisticfashion,choppingoutcostswithoutgivingsufficientthoughttolongtermprofitability.BBDO'sAlRosenshineisblunter.Hedismissesalotoftheworkofre-engineeringconsultantsasmererubbish—"theworstsortofambulancecashing.^^Text3Sciencehaslonghadanuneasyrelationshipwithotheraspectsofculture.ThinkofGallileo's17thcenturytrialforhisrebellingbeliefbeforetheCatholicChurchorpoetWilliamBlake'sharshremarksagainstthemechanisticworldviewofIsaacNewton.Theschismbetweenscienceandthehumanitieshas,ifanything,deepenedinthiscentury.Untilrecently,thescientificcommunitywassopowerfulthatitcouldaffordtoignoreitscritics—butnolonger.Asfundingforsciencehasdeclined,scientistshaveattacked"antiscience"inseveralbooks,notablyHigherSuperstition,byPaulR.Gross,abiologistattheUniversityofVirginia,andNormanLevitt,amathematicianatRutgersUniversity;andTheDemon-HauntedWorld,byCarlSaganofCornellUniversity.Defendersofsciencehavealsovoicedtheirconcernsatmeetingssuchas"TheFlightfromScienceandReason,"heldinNewYorkCityin1995,and"ScienceintheAgeof(Mis)information,"whichassembledlastJunenearBuffalo.Antiscienceclearlymeansdifferentthingstodifferentpeople.GrossandLevittfindfaultprimarilywithsociologists,philosophersandotheracademicswhohavequestionedscience'sobjectivity.Saganismoreconcernedwiththosewhobelieveinghosts,creationismandotherphenomenathatcontradictthescientificworldview.Asurveyofnewsstoriesin1996revealsthattheantisciencetaghasbeenattachedtomanyothergroupsaswell,fromauthoritieswhoadvocatedtheeliminationofthelastremainingstocksofsmallpoxvirustoRepublicanswhoadvocateddecreasedfundingforbasicresearch.FewwoulddisputethatthetermappliestotheUnabomber,whosemanifesto,publishedin1995,scornsscienceandlongsforreturntoapre-technologicalutopia.Butsurelythatdoesnotmeanenvironmentalistsconcernedaboutuncontrolledindustrialgrowthareantiscience,asanessayinUSNews&WorldReportlastMayseemedtosuggest.Theenvironmentalists,inevitably,respondtosuchcritics.Thetrueenemiesofscience,arguesPaulEhrlichofStanfordUniversity,apioneerofenvironmentalstudies,arethosewhoquestiontheevidencesupportingglobalwarming,thedepletionoftheozonelayerandotherconsequencesofindustrialgrowth.Indeed,someobserversfearthattheantiscienceepithetisindangerofbecomingmeaningless.“Theterm'antiscience'canlumptogethertoomany,quitedifferentthings,"notesHarvardUniversityphilosopherGeraldHoltoninhis1993workScienceandAnti-Science."Theyhaveincommononlyonethingthattheytendtoannoyorthreatenthosewhoregardthemselvesasmoreenlightened."Text4Emergingfromthe1980censusisthepictureofanationdevelopingmoreandmoreregionalcompetition,aspopulationgrowthintheNortheastandMidwestreachesanearstandstill.Thisdevelopment—anditsstrongimplicationsforUSpoliticsandeconomyinyearsahead—hasenthronedtheSouthasAmerica'smostdenselypopulatedregionforthefirsttimeinthehistoryofthenation'sheadcounting.Altogether,theUSpopulationroseinthe1970sby23.2millionpeople—numericallythethirdlargestgrowtheverrecordedinasingledecade.Evenso,thatgainaddsuptoonly11.4percent,lowestinAmericanannualrecordsexceptfortheDepressionyears.AmericanshavebeenmigratingsouthandwestinlargernumbersinceWorldWarII,andthepatternstillprevails.Threesun-beltstates—Florida,TexasandCalifornia—togetherhadnearly10millionmorepeoplein1980thanadecadeearlier.Amonglargecities,SanDiegomovedfrom14thto8thandSanAntoniofrom15thto10th-withClevelandandWashington.D.C.droppingoutofthetop10.Notallthatshiftcanbeattributedtothemovementoutofthesnowbelt,censusofficialssay,Nonstopwavesofimmigrantsplayedarole,too-andsodidbiggercropsofbabiesasyesterday's"babyboom^^generationreacheditschildbearingyears.Moreover,demographersseethecontinuingshiftsouthandwestasjoinedbyarelatedbutnewerphenomenon:Moreandmore,Americansapparentlyarelookingnotjustforplaceswithmorejobsbutwithfewerpeople,too.Someinstances一Regionally,theRockyMountainstatesreportedthemostrapidgrowthrate—37.1percentsince1970inavastareawithonly5percentoftheUSpopulation.Amongstates,NevadaandArizonagrewfastestofall:63.5and53.1percentrespectively.ExceptforFloridaandTexas,thetop10inrateofgrowthiscomposedofWesternstateswith7.5millionpeople—about9persquaremile.Theflightfromovercrowdednessaffectsthemigrationfromsnowbelttomorebearableclimates.Nowheredo1980censusstatisticsdramatizemoretheAmericansearchforspaciouslivingthanintheFarWest.There,Californiaadded3.7milliontoitspopulationinthe1970s,morethananyotherstate.Inthatdecade,however,largenumbersalsomigratedfromCalifornia,mostlytootherpartsoftheWest.Oftentheychose—andstillarechoosing—somewhatcolderclimatessuchasOregon,IdahoandAlaskainordertoescapesmog,crimeandotherplaguesofurbanizationintheGoldenState.Asaresult,California'sgrowthratedroppedduringthe1970s,to18.5percent—littlemorethantwothirdsthe1960s5growthfigureandconsiderablybelowthatofotherWesternstates.Text5Scatteredaroundtheglobearemorethan100smallregionsofisolatedvolcanicactivityknowntogeologistsashotspots.Unlikemostoftheworld'svolcanoes,theyarenotalwaysfoundattheboundariesofthegreatdriftingplatesthatmakeuptheearth'ssurface;onthecontrary,manyofthemliedeepintheinteriorofaplate.Mostofthehotspotsmoveonlyslowly,andinsomecasesthemovementoftheplatespastthemhaslefttrailsofdeadvolcanoes.Thehotspotsandtheirvolcanictrailsaremilestonesthatmarkthepassageoftheplates.Thattheplatesaremovingisnowbeyonddispute.AfricaandSouthAmerica,forexample,aremovingawayfromeachotherasnewmaterialisinjectedintotheseafloorbetweenthem.Thecomplementarycoastlinesandcertaingeologicalfeaturesthatseemtospantheoceanareremindersofwherethetwocontinentswereoncejoined.Therelativemotionoftheplatescarryingthesecontinentshasbeenconstructedindetail,butthemotionofoneplatewithrespecttoanothercannotreadilybetranslatedintomotionwithrespecttotheearth'sinterior.Itisnotpossibletodeterminewhetherbothcontinentsaremovinginoppositedirectionsorwhetheronecontinentisstationaryandtheotherisdriftingawayfromit.Hotspots,anchoredinthedeeperlayersoftheearth,providethemeasuringinstrumentsneededtoresolvethequestion.Fromananalysisofthehot-spotpopulationitappearsthattheAfricanplateisstationaryandthatithasnotmovedduringthepast30millionyears.Thesignificanceofhotspotsisnotconfinedtotheirroleasaframeofreference.Itnowappearsthattheyalsohaveanimportantinfluenceonthegeophysicalprocessesthatpropeltheplatesacrosstheglobe.Whenacontinentalplatecometorestoverahotspot,thematerialrisingfromdeeperlayercreatesabroaddome.Asthedomegrows,itdevelopsseedfissures(cracks);inatleastafewcasesthecontinentmaybreakentirelyalongsomeofthesefissures,sothatthehotspotinitiatestheformationofanewocean.Thusjustasearliertheorieshaveexplainedthemobilityofthecontinents,sohotspotsmayexplaintheirmutability(inconstancy).1999年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题Text1It'saroughworldoutthere.Stepoutsideandyoucouldbreakalegslippingonyourdoormat.Lightupthestoveandyoucouldburndownthehouse.Luckily,ifthedoormatorstovefailedtowarnofcomingdisaster,asuccessfullawsuitmightcompensateyouforyourtroubles.Orsothethinkinghasgonesincetheearly1980s,whenjuriesbeganholdingmorecompaniesliablefortheircustomers'misfortunes.Feelingthreatened,companiesrespondedbywritingever-longerwarninglabels,tryingtoanticipateeverypossibleaccident.Today,stepladderscarrylabelsseveralincheslongthatwarn,amongotherthings,thatyoumight—surprise!—falloff.Thelabelonachild'sBatmancapecautionsthatthetoy“doesnotenableusertofly.''Whilewarningsareoftenappropriateandnecessary—thedangersofdruginteractions,forexample—andmanyarerequiredbystateorfederalregulations,itisn'tclearthattheyactuallyprotectthemanufacturersandsellersfromliabilityifacustomerisinjured.About50percentofthecompanieslosewheninjuredcustomerstakethemtocourt.Nowthetideappearstobeturning.Aspersonalinjuryclaimscontinueasbefore,somecourtsarebeginningtosidewithdefendants,especiallyincaseswhereawarninglabelprobablywouldn'thavechangedanything.InMay,JulieNimmons,presidentofSchuttSportsinIllinois,successfullyfoughtalawsuitinvolvingafootballplayerwhowasparalyzedinagamewhilewearingaSchutthelmet."We'rereallysorryhehasbecomeparalyzed,buthelmetsaren'tdesignedtopreventthosekindsofinjuries,"saysNimmons.Thejuryagreedthatthenatureofthegame,notthehelmet,wasthereasonfortheathlete'sinjury.Atthesametime,theAmericanLawInstitute—agroupofjudges,lawyers,andacademicswhoserecommendationscarrysubstantialweight-issuednewguidelinesfortortlawstatingthatcompaniesneednotwarncustomersofobviousdangersorbombardthemwithalengthylistofpossibleones."Importantinformationcangetburiedinaseaoftriviali