Unit 4 A Red Light for Scofflaws

1,Unit4ARedLightforScofflaws,2,I.Learningobjectives,Haveanideaofthevarietyofscofflawsandthedangerstheymaycause.Understandtheimportanceofevidenceinexpositorywriting.,ChineseStyleofCrossingRoads,“crossingtheroadswithouttakingtrafficlightsintoconsideration,aslongasyouarepartofacrowd.”,scribblingonthewalls/spitting,overload,Crossingstreetwithoutwalkingonpestrianpavementrunningredlight,Litterbugcrossingtrafficfence,9,II.Warm-upquestions,Lookuptheword“scofflaw”inadictionary,andnamesomekindsofscofflaws.Haveyoueverbeenascofflawinasense?Doyouknowanyacquaintanceofyourswhohasbeenascofflaw?Tellusastory.,ScofflawisanouncoinedduringtheProhibitiontimemeaningapersonwhodrinksillegally.Itisacompoundofthewordsscoffandlaw,meaningonewhomocksorridiculesthelaw.Themeaninghassincebeenextendedtodescribeonewhofloutsanylaw,especiallythosewhicharedifficulttoenforce,andparticularlytrafficlaws.,11,III.Organizationanddevelopmentofthetext,Para.1introductoryparagraph:MillionsofAmericansaretakingincreasinglibertieswiththelegalcodes.Para.2Scofflawsaboundinamazingvariety.Para.3Thedangersofscofflawryvarywidely.Para.4Themostflagrantscofflawisthered-lightrunner.Para.5Thefloutingofbasicrulesoftheroadleavesdeepdentsinthesocialmood.Para.6Scofflawsareasymptomofelementarysocialdemoralization.Para.7Theprospectofthecollapseofpublicmannersisnotmerelyamatterofetiquette.Para.8ScofflawryatvariouslevelsofsociallifewasbynomeansalessseriousmenacetothefoundationoflawoftheUSthanviolentcrimes.Para.9Thescofflawspiritisdangerouslyinfectious;somethingmustbedonetocheckitsspread.,Part1Para1.Problem:MillionsofAmericansarebreakingthelegalcodes.,13,Languagepoints,takelibertieswith:behaveinaboldorimpolitewaytowardsShewouldneverhavetakenalibertywithanyone.Hewasnotthesortofmanwithwhomonetookliberties.supposedly:allegedlyarobotsupposedlycapableofunderstandingspokencommandsasupposedlyinferiorformoflifesuchasthereptile,14,Languagepoints,ethic:ideaormoralbeliefthatinfluencesthebehavior,attitudes,andphilosophyoflifeofagroupofpeople(=principle)theAmerican“frontierethicofexpansionandopportunity”theProtestantworkethicethics:moralbeliefsandrulesaboutrightandwrongaconscious,rational,scientificcodeofethicsthebasicethicswhichanyreligionsetsforward,15,Languagepoints,derelictions:deliberateneglect;negligenceamatterofcourse:Ifsth.isdoneasamatterofcourse,itisdoneaspartofanormalsituationandisnotregardedasunusualorexceptional.(=automatically)Thefatherdoeshisshareofthehouseworkasamatterofcoursewhenathome.,taketo:1)tobepleasedbyorattractedto;2)begintodosth.asaregularhabitThedogseldomtakestostrangers.HismannerwassotakingthatItooktohimatonce.Afterafewyearsheabandonedjournalismandtooktowritingnovels.Imsorrytohearthathehastakentodrink.RecentlyIhavetakentogettingupearlierinthemorning.,法律和秩序是美国历史上持续时间最长的、也可能是政治上的最热门的话题。然而，显然令人烦恼的是，数以百万计的美国人尽管从没有认为自己会违反法律，更不用说会成为罪犯了，却正在越来越随便地对待那些专为保护与造福他们的社会所制定的法规。当然，现今确实有些时候似乎无视法律代表了未来的潮流。哈佛大学的社会学家大卫莱斯曼怀疑，大多数美国人喜欢犯那种他们认为是无关紧要的玩忽职守的错误。莱斯曼说，美国社会的伦理道德已经处于这样的危险之中：即，“如果你遵纪守法，你就是个傻瓜”。,Para2Howmanyscofflawsarementionedhereandwhatarethey?,abound:v.toexistinlargenumberorgreatquantityaboundin/aboundwith:tohaveinlargefrontsorgreatquantity1)Thelandaboundsinspringsandstreamsofwater.2)Thejungleaboundswithsnakes.3)Thebookaboundsinprintingmistakes.,20,Languagepoints,exemptfrom:notaffectedorboundby(=excused)Thesehousesareexemptfrompayingrates.convert:changeintoadifferentform(=transform)Asolarcelltakesradiationfromthesunandconvertsitintoelectricity.Energyisconvertedfromoneformtoanother.,21,Languagepoints,flurry:asmallamount(asofsnoworwind)thatsuddenlyappearsforashorttimeandmovesinarushed,swirlingway(=whirl)Snowflurrieshadbeenpredicted.Theirfrontrunnerscollided,sendingupaflurryofsparks.,ordinance:(formal)officialruleororder;regulationIn1972thecitypassedanordinancecompellingalloutdoorlightingtobeswitchedoffat9:00p.m.,23,Languagepoints,plague:v.keephappeningandcauseagreatdealoftrouble,difficulty,orsufferingThesystemisstillplaguedbytechnicalfaults.Hesufferedseverebackinjuries,whichplaguehimtothisday.Idontknowwhywehavebeenplaguedwithsuchillluck.,duckoutof:avoiddoing,esp.bymakinganexcuse(=backout)Itwastoolatetoduckoutofgoingwiththem.,25,Languagepoints,fester:(adifficultorunpleasantsituation,feeling,orthought)growworseandbecharacterizedbyincreasingbitterness,anger,andhatred.Hismemoriesfesteredintohate.anangerthatmustfindoutletorfesterinwardlyhazardous:dangerous,esp.topeopleshealthorsafety,支持莱斯曼观点的证据是再明显不过的。违法乱纪者屡见不鲜、无奇不有，达到了惊人的程度。墙上的乱涂乱画把公共场所的外观糟塌得不堪人目。骑自行车的人横冲直闯，似乎两个车轮的交通工具可以不受任何交通法规的束缚。乱丢垃圾的人把他们的生活区域变成了垃圾场。正如以前的法令未能扫除危害公园的满身酒气的流氓阿飞一样，广泛宣传的法规也未能消除公共场所的高分贝便携式收音机。吸烟成瘾的人们对“不准吸烟”的告示牌熟视无睹。衣冠楚楚的吸大麻的人再也不像从前那样躲开公众的视线偷偷摸摸地传递带大麻的香烟了。在中上层人士中毫无顾忌地使用可卡因已成为令人烦恼的丑闻。而且，(好家伙，人数真不少啊!)还有随意横穿马路的人呢。,违法行为的危害差别极大。在人行道上随地吐痰当然令人厌恶，但是很明显，比起那些违法地在未经许可的地区掩埋危险化学废料的公司对他人造成的危害要小得多。忽视防火安全法规的房主对人生命的危害当然要比在地铁逃票的人大得多。然而，最直接和最引人注目的违法行为恰恰就是最常见的一种社会现象。首当其冲者就是美国的司机们。今天，他们无法无天的行为给公众造成了极大的灾难。其危害既有日常多见的造成城市街道堵塞的并排违章停车，也有司机酒后开车造成的每年死亡大约25,000人，伤残至少650,000人。那么高速公路上的违章超速行驶呢？最新调查显示，在一些州际公路上83%的司机现在根本无视联邦法定的每小时55英里的时速限制。,28,Languagepoints,flout:deliberatelydisobeyordonotfollow(alaw,anorder,oranacceptedwayofbehaving)(=disregard)Bepreparedtofloutconvention.Ourrulersknownowthatwerepreparedtoflouttheirlawsifforced.,wane:(acondition,attitude,emotion,etc.)becomeweakerorsmaller,oftendisappearingcompeletelyintheend(=lessen,fade)HerenthusiasmforHaroldwasbeginningtowane.Thebondoffriendshiphasnotwanedbuthassurvivedthepassageoftime.beonthewane:diminishing,所有违章行为中最厚颜无耻的要数闯红灯了。在波士顿，人们对这种停止通行的信号的藐视已经到了这样的程度，以至在当地人中竟然流传着这种笑话：一名出租汽车司机居然坚持说，红灯信号仅仅起装饰作用。禁止通行的红灯控制交通的效力在各地都在削弱。在洛杉矶，闯红灯似乎已经成为最常见的违反交通法规的行为。在纽约，过十字路口就像俄国轮盘赌一样。警察局长罗伯特杰麦克盖尔承认，“现在人们在红灯面前是否停下来是50%对50%的抛硬币的概率。”同时，他自己属下的警察们也大都对这种违章行为熟视无睹。,31,Languagepoints,makeadentin:reduceconsiderably;damageTheoperationhadmadeamajordentinthetradeofprotectedwildlife.dent,Whatdoestheauthormeanbythemetaphor“makeadent”here?,brazen:shamelessabrazenaccusationbrazenly:Noindustryismorebrazenlyorientedtowardsquick,easyprofits.,33,Languagepoints,prospect:possibility,chance,likelihoodTherewaslittleprospectofsignificantmilitaryaid.Theprospectsforrevolutionareremote.someonesprospects:theirchancesofbeingsuccessfulintheircareer,esp.bybeingpromotedquicklytoahighpositioninanorganizationItriedtogivearosypictureofhisprospects.Successorfailureherewouldbecrucialtohisfutureprospects.,foretaste:n.sampleTheepisodewasaforetasteofthebitterstrugglethatwastocome.,35,Languagepoints,stereotype:afixedgeneralimage,characteristic,etcthatalotofpeoplebelievetorepresentaparticulartypeofpersonorthingThesongperpetuatestworaciststereotypes.stereotypicaladj.,skirt:avoid(adifficultsubjectthatoughttobedealtwith)AsIwalkedthroughthelobby,Ihadtoskirtagroupofladies.Cometothemainissue,anddontskirtaroundit.,37,Languagepoints,undermine:maketheauthoritylesssecure,oftenbyindirectmethods渐渐破坏Manyofthemsoughttounderminehisposition.Thelandownersresentedgovernmentmeasureswhichunderminedtheirauthority.,mandate:授权；命令；指令1)theauthoritythatagovernmenthastocarryoutparticularpoliciesasaresultofwinninganelection.2)(formal)aparticulartaskthatsb.isinstructedtocarryout;ajobPetersmandatewastofindthebestavailableinvestment.,39,Languagepoints,subvert:destroythepowerandinfluence;undermine颠覆；推翻；破坏Conflictanddivisionsubvertthefoundationsofsociety.Thebestintentionscanbesubvertedbyanoverpoweringcommercialatmosphere.,comply:conformwithNewvehiclesmustcomplywithcertainstandards.Ipliance:(formal)willingnesstodowhatisrequired;agreement(+with)Therearewaysofensuringcompliance.,41,Languagepoints,nullify:makeineffective;cancelout;invalidateThishadtheeffectofnullifyingouroriginaladvantage.Thewholeteamseffectivenesscanbenullified.Eachstatehadtherighttonullifythefederalgovernmentslaw.,disquiet:n.upsettingThespeakersdisquietingwordsmadetheaudienceshudder.,43,Languagepoints,unwittingly:unintentionally不知情地；不知不觉地；无意地Ihadtobegratefultoherforhaving,howeverunwittingly,savedmylife.,terminally:fatallyahospice(收容所）fortheterminallyillterminalpatient重危病人terminalcancer晚期癌症,45,V.Paraphrase,Thepersonwhoillegallyspitsonthesidewalkremainsdisgusting,butclearlyposeslessrisktoothersthanthecompanythatillegallyburieshazardouschemicalwasteinanunauthorizedlocation.,Spittingonthesidewalkisagainstthelawandisalwaysdespicable.Buttheharmitdoestoothersseemsinsignificantwhencomparedwiththedangeracompanycausesbydisposingofpoisonouschemicalwasteinaplacewhereitisnotpermitted.,Red-lightrunninghasalwaysbeenrankedasaminorwrong,andsoitmaybeinindividualinstances.Whentheviolationbecomeshabitual,widespreadandincessant,however,agreatdealmorethanatrafficmanagementproblemisinvolved.,Drivingthroughtheintersectionofastreetwithnoregardtotheredtrafficlightisgenerallyconsideredasmisbehavioroflittleimportance.Butwhenitdevelopsintoasocialhabit,itbecomesaproblemagreatdealmoreseriousthanameretrafficproblem.,Foralltheirdifferences,todaysscofflawsareofapieceasasymptomofelementarysocialdemoralizationthelossbyindividualsofthecapacitytogoverntheirownbehaviorintheinterestofothers.,Howeverdifferentinforms,todaysscofflawsareanindicationthatthesocietyhasbasicallybeendegradedmorally.Itsmembersseemtohavelosttheirabilitytodisciplinethemselvesinsuchawaythattheinterestsofothershavebeendulytakencareof.,50,Innocentdriversandpedestrianspayarepetitiouspriceinfrustration,inconvenienceandoutrage,nottomentionajustifiedsenseofmortalperil.Thesignificanceofred-lightrunningismagnifiedbyitshighvisibility.,Well-behaveddriversandpedestriansareconstantlyupsetandthreatenedbyperilfromviolations.Thegreatimpactofred-lightrunningisduetoitsbeingsonoticeable.,51,Themostdisquietingthingaboutthescofflawspiritisitsextremeinfectiousness.Onlyaterminallyfoolishsocietywouldsitstillandallowittospreadindefinitely.Therapidspreadofscofflawryisitsmostdisturbingcharacteristic.Onlyatotallyirrationalsocietycouldevertolerateitsuncheckedgrowth.,52,VI.Classroomdiscussion,Inwhatsense,accordingtoTrippet,isred-lightrunningamoreseriousbreachofsocialorderthanotherlawbreakingactions?DoyouagreewithTrippetthattodaysscofflaws,foralltheirdifferences,areofapieceasasymptomofelementarysocialdemoralization?W