.[A] Thus a joke is laughed at for its own sake, even though there is an independen

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［A］Thusajokeislaughedatforitsownsake,eventhoughthereisanindependentvalueinlaughter,whichlightensourlivesbytakingusmomentarilyoutsideourselves.Whyshouldnotsomethingsimilarbesaidofworksofart,manyofwhichaspiretobeamusinginjustthewaythatgoodjokesare?

［B］Alldiscussionofthevalueofarttends,therefore,toturnfromtheoutsetinthedirectionofcriticism:Cantherebegenuinecriticalevaluationofart,agenuinedistinctionbetweenthatwhichdeservesourattentionandthatwhichdoesnot?(And,onceagain,thequestionmaybeextendedtoobjectsofnaturalbeauty.)

［C］Artisheldtobeaform.ofeducation,perhapsaneducationoftheemotions.Inthiscase,itbecomesanopenquestionwhethertheremightnotbesomemoreeffectivemeanstothesameresult.Alternatively,onemayattr ibuteanegativevaluetoart,asPlatodidinhisRepublic,arguingthatarthasacorruptingordiseducativeeffectonthoseexposedtoit.

［D］Artisticappreciation,apurelypersonalmatter,callsforappropriatemeansofexpression.Yet,itisbeforeanythingaprocessof“cultivation”,duringwhichacertainpartofone’s“innerself”is“dugout”andsomeknowledegoftheoutsideworldbecomesitsmatch.

［E］IfIamamuseditisforareason,andthisreasonliesintheobjectofmyamusement.Wethusbegintothinkintermsofadistinctionbetweengoodandbadreasonsforlaughter.Amusementatthewrongthingsmayseemtoustoshowcorruptionofmind,cruelty,orbadtaste;andwhenitd oesso,wespeakoftheobjectasnottr ulyamusing,andfeelthatwehavereasononourside.

［F］Suchthinkersandwritersbelievethatartisnotonlyanendinitselfbutalsoasufficientjustificationofitself.Theyalsoholdthatinordertounderstandartasitshouldbeunderstood,itisnecessarytoputasideallinterestsotherthananinterestintheworkitself.

本题考核知识点：和上文内容的衔接+副词的运用。

本空格的上文刚刚引出了一个新的抽象概念：品味。空格的下文利用simiarly说明，审美价值也正面和负面之分。紧接着，在审美价值（aestheticinterest）和品味（taste）之间建立联系。所以，空格处内容必然是对“品味”进行解释，并说明品味有好坏之分。这恰恰是选项[E]的内容