call on ask to do sth. esp. formally 要求
stand a chance have an opportunity; be likely to do or get sth. 有机会;有希望
revolve around have as a center or main subject
turn against (cause to) oppose, be hostile to
PROPER NAEMES
Richmond 里士满(英国地名)
Richmond Magistrates' Court 里士满地方法院
NOTES
1 This text is taken from Penguin Advanced Writing Skills compiled by James O'Drisoll. 2 and was not dut to go to university until the following October: 3 stealing milk bottles from doorsteps:
In Britain, milk is delivered to houses in bottles every morning. 4 the sixties' 'youth counterculture':
The word 'counterculture' was coined in the 1960's for the attitude and life style of many young Western people who rejected conventional social values and demanded more personal freedom. Unable to find a more constructive way of struggling against the existing state of affairs in their society, they indulged themselves in sex, drugs, alcohol and rock music, and took great pride in wearing long hair and unusual clothes. The counterculture declined in the late 1970's. 5 a character witness:
a person who gives evidence in a court of law about another person's reputation, conduct and moral qualities
6 getting costs awarded against the police:
getting the magistrate to make the decision that the legal expenses of the case should be paid by the police
7 while asking for costs to be awarded, my solicitor's case quite obviously revolved around ...:
while my solicitor's case asked for costs to be awarded, ti quite obviously revolved around...
8 presumably that I should have looked outraged ...:
presumably he meant that I should have looked outraged ...
STUDY PRACTICE Words to Drill
Apologize arbitrary award Casual circumstance commit complain conduct confirm dismiss due given guilty meanwhile obvious process regard reliable respectable revolve subsequent temporary wander 1. Reading Aloud and Memorizing
1 Read the following passage and learn it by heart, paying special attention to intonation:
And so I do not have a criminal record. But what was most shocking at the time was the things my release from the charge so clearly depended on. I had the ‘right’ accent, respectable middle-class parents in licitor. Given the obscure nature of the charge, I feel sure that if I had come from a different background, and had really been unemployed, there is every chance that I would have been found guilty. While asking for costs to be awarded, my solicitor’s case quite obviously revolved around the fact that I had a ‘brilliant academic record’.
3.阅读答案
答案 1.D 2.C 3.D 4.B 5.C 6.D 7.A 8.B
1. How did the author feel about the incident at the time it occurred? What does he think of it how?
答案: The author felt that it was a rather unpleasant experience at the time it happened, but now he thinks he can make a good story from the incident. 2. Why did he go to Richmond?
答案:He went there to look for a temporary job to make enough money to go travelling.
3. What did the author think got him into trouble with the law?
答案:The author thought it must be his obvious aimlessness of wandering in the streets that got him into trouble with the law.
4. What did he see when walking out of the local library?
答案:He saw a man walking across the road with the obvious intention of talking to him.
5. What did the man say to him? Did he take the man's words seriously at first? 答案:The man said that he was a policeman and was going to arrest him. But the author didn’t take the man’s words seriously but thought it was some kind of joke at first.
6. When and how did the author come to see the man was being serious?
答案:At the time when another policeman appeared in uniform, the author came to see the man was serious.
7. What grounds did the policemen have for suspecting that the young man was wandering with intent to steal milk bottles?
答案:First, the policeman saw the young man wandering aimlessly in the streets, sometimes just stopping and looking around him. Then, it turned out there had been a lot of petty thieves in the area who stole milk bottles from doorsteps. On these grounds, the policemen suspected that the young man was wandering with intent to steal milk bottles.
8. What does the author mean by his \
答案:By his “big mistake”, the author means he shouldn’t have had long hair and appeared so cool and unconcerned about the incident, and shouldn’t take himself as part of the sixties’ “youth counterculture”, because all these confirmed the policemen’s suspicion that he was a disrespectable fellow.
9. How did he behave when he was questioned at the police station? What did the police deicide to do with him?
答案:When he was questioned, he continued to try to look worldly and au fait with the situation. As a result, the police charged him officially and told him to report to Richmond Magistrates’ Court the following Monday.
10. What did his father do when he learned about the incident?
答案:As soon as his father learned about the incident, he hired a good solicitor.
11. What were the things his release from the charge depended on?
答案:The things his release from the charge depended on were his “right” accent, respectable middle-class parents, reliable witnesses, such as, his English teacher as his character witness, and a very good solicitor in particular.
12. What did the policeman probably mean by saying \been a bit more helpful when we arrested you\
答案:By saying these words, the policeman probably meant that he should have looked very angry and said something like, “Look here, do you know who you’re talking to? I am a highly successful student with a brilliant academic record. How are you arrest me!” Then, they would perhaps have apologized to him and let him go.
5 Topics for discussion:
1. Why does the author describe the circumstances of his arrest and his release from the charge as arbitrary
2. What does the author's brush with the law tell us about his society?
Vocabulary
6 Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary.
a couple of take one's time due turn ... against complain commit at first subsequent stand a chance confirm
1. At first the monitor(班长) was reluctant, but then he changed his mind and became very cooperative.
2. It was very clever of her to turn his argument against himself
3. I found a couple of shoes under the bed but they don't make a pair.
4. Dr. Bright always take his time as he examines his patients and treats them with extreme care.
5. Professor Helfand is due to lecture on the nature of the nucleus(原子核) at 2 p. m. today.
6. Wilfred's remarks confirm me in my opinion that he was an honorable (诚实的) young man.
7. For my own part, everything is O. K. I have nothing to complain of.
8. I thought that was the end of the matter but subsequent events proved me wrong.
9. Having practiced for so long, the New York baseball team stand a chance of winning the World Series (美国职业棒球大赛) this year.
10. If the police can prove to the court that Ted has committed the robbery he will be found guilty.
7 Replace the italicized parts in the following sentences with words or expressions from the text:
1. My daughter is expected to graduate from high school in the next half of the year.
2. If we are blind to this, we shall make the gravest error imaginable.
3. The dove, poetically considered to be the symbol of peace, is adored by peace-loving people all over the world.
4. In the past few years my aunt has set aside enough money to buy a house.
5. Weak and lame in one leg, Max never had favourable prospects of getting that job.
6. Those hurt in the explosion were give $ 50,000 damages.
7. I went abroad(国外). At the same time most of my friends went to the Northwest where some got jobs and others continued their studies.
8. I was greatly shocked by the way Henry managed the affairs of such a big business.
9. To our surprise, her unintentional remark about the mission (使命)should have caused a political storm.
10. The expansion of the library on which student life centers is one of the most important problems to be solved.