Unit4ARedLightforScofflaws.ppt

Chinese Style of Crossing Roads “crossing the roads without taking traffic lights into consideration, as long as you are part of a crowd.” Scofflaw is a noun coined during the Prohibition time meaning a person who drinks illegally. It is a compound of the words scoff and law, meaning one who mocks or ridicules the law. The meaning has since been extended to describe one who flouts any law, especially those which are difficult to enforce, and particularly traffic laws. Part 1 Para 1. Problem: Millions of Americans are breaking the legal codes. take to: 1) to be pleased by or attracted to; 2) begin to do sth. as a regular habit The dog seldom takes to strangers. His manner was so taking that I took to him at once. After a few years he abandoned journalism and took to writing novels. I’m sorry to hear that he has taken to drink. Recently I have taken to getting up earlier in the morning. 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”。 Para 2 How many scofflaws are mentioned here and what are they? abound: v. to exist in large number or great quantity abound in / abound with: to have in large fronts or great quantity 1) The land abounds in springs and streams of water. 2) The jungle abounds with snakes. 3) The book abounds in printing mistakes. ordinance: (formal) official rule or order; regulation In 1972 the city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9:00 p.m. duck out of: avoid doing, esp. by making an excuse (=back out) It was too late to duck out of going with them. 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