D. 47 – 50 題           In the Western world, the perception of time distinguishes it from earlier civilizations. Unlikeancient cultures that embraced the cyclical nature of time, the West adopted a mechanistic andmathematical approach. The invention of the clock revolutionized time, turning it into a tradablecommodity. This shift played a pivotal role in the emergence and exploitation of industrial capitalism.           The origin of the clock can be traced back to the epoch of the eleventh century, whereas theinception of a bona fide clock materialized during the thirteenth century. Nevertheless, it was notuntil the sixteenth century that clockmaking achieved heightened accuracy, culminating in theinclusion of minute hands in the eighteenth century. These notable strides in horological precisionconcurred with the burgeoning sway of capitalism and the industrial revolution, endowing meticuloustime measurement crucial for the exploitation of laborers.            The clock not only represented technological progress but also profoundly influenced humanbehavior. It stood as the initial significant automatic apparatus, laying the groundwork for the intricatemachinery of the industrial revolution. Socially, the clock imposed a new sense of regularity akin tothe disciplined existence found within monasteries. Individuals transformed into punctilious beings,detached from life’s innate rhythm. Time metamorphosed into a valuable asset equated with monetaryworth, enabling the expansion of factory labor and the dispiriting regimentation of existence.            As time consciousness permeated society, punctuality assumed the mantle of virtue across socialstrata. However, the obsessive reliance on mechanical time extended its grasp, resulting in adverseramifications for factory labor. Rigorous schedules led to health ailments and a deterioration in workquality. Workers became enslaved by the clock, anxiously anticipating their limited leisure time,which they occupied with mechanized entertainment.The predominance of mechanical time and machines over human lives presents a dilemma.While they possess merits in coordinating endeavors and minimizing excessive toil, their currentdominance stifles individual freedom and distorts a balanced perspective. In a rational and liberatedsociety, machines and clocks ought to serve as instruments for efficient collaboration rather thanoppressive overlords. Striving for a resurgence of equilibrium, emancipated from the worship oftime, becomes imperative. Genuine liberty necessitates liberation from the tyranny of abstractions,including the reign of machines and clocks.
【題組】47. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning the industrial revolution in paragraph 2?
(A) The author wants to say that the minute hand was a product of the industrial revolution to sellas merchandise.
(B) The author wants to give a simple context that would inform the reader of the specifichistorical date of creation.
(C) The author purposely mentions the industrial revolution to criticize how we are all exploitedfactory workers.
(D) The author wants to imply that timekeeping was not merely a technological advancement butwas also linked to industrialization, capitalism, and exploitation.