新概念英语-第三册-第14课

Lesson14 A noble gangsterThere was a time when the owners of shop and businesses in Chicago had to p

Lesson14Anoblegangster TherewasatimewhentheownersofshopandbusinessesinChicagohadtopay largesumsofmoneytogangstersinreturnfor'protection'Ifthemoneywasnotpaid promptly,thegangsterswouldquicklyputamanoutofbusinessbydestroyinghis shop.Obtaining'protechonmoney'isnotamoderncrime.Aslongagoasthe fourteenthcentury,anEnglishman,SirJohnHawkwood,madetheremarkable discoverythatpeoplewouldratherpaylargesumsofmoneythanhavetheirlifework destroyedbygangsters. Sixhundredyearsago,SirJohnHawkwoodarrivedinItalywithabandofsoldiers andsettlednearFlorence.Hesoonmadeanameforhimselfandcametobeknownto theItaliansasGiovanniAcuto.WhenevertheItaliancity-stateswereatwarwitheach other,Hawkwoodusedtohirehissoldierstoprinceswhowerewillingtopaythehigh pricehedemanded.Intimesofpeace,whenbusinesswasbad,Hawkwoodandhis menwouldmarchintoacity-stateand,afterburningdownafewfarms,wouldofferto goawayifprotectionmoneywaspaidtothem.Hawkwoodmadelargesumsof moneyinthisway.Inspiteofthis,theItaliansregardedhimasasortofhero.Whenhe diedattheageofeighty,theFlorentinesgavehimastatefuneralandhadapicture paintedwhichwasdedicatedtothememoryof'themostvaliantsoldierandmost notableleader,SignorGiovanniHaukodue'. 1. HowdidHawkwoodmakemoneyintimesofpeace ➢ Intimesofpeace在和平时期 2. Ifthemoneynotpaidpromptly,thegangsterswouldquicklyputaman outofbusinessbydestroyinghisshop. 如果交款不及时，歹徒们就会很快捣毁他的商店，让他破产 ➢ promptly立即的，及时的（正式）speedily迅速的swiftly迅速的directly立 刻的 ˌɪˈɪə simultaneous[samltenis]同时的simultaneousinterpretation同声传译 ➢ pickpocket扒手burglar入室盗窃犯highwayman车匪路霸 smugglesth走私piratesth盗版trafficdrugs贩毒 ➢ ˈæŋʌ putsboutofbusiness使某人破产sbgobankruptcy[bkrptsi]破产 ’ onesbusinesscollapse/landonrocks/goestothedogs/fails破产 3. Aslongagoasthefourteenthcentury,anEnglishmanmadethe