英語聽力小短文走遍全世界29:關于刑事公正體系

英語聽力原文：

I'm interested in the criminal justice system of our country. It seems to me that something has to be done if we are to survive as a country. I certainly don't know what the answers to our problems are. Things certainly get complicated in a hurry when you get into them. But I wonder if something couldn't be done to deal with some of these problems.

我對我國的刑事公正感興趣。對于我而言，我們國家生存下去就必須做些事。我當然不知道問題的答案。當你深入了解以后，問題自然會變得復雜。但是，我在想處理其中的一些問題時，是否有些事不能做。

One thing I'm concerned about is our pratice of putting offenders in jail who haven't harmed anyone. Why not work out some system whereby they can pay back the debts they owe society instead of incurring another debt by going to prison, and of course, coming under the inflluence of hardened criminals.

我考慮的事情之一是我們把一些罪犯關進監(jiān)獄，但他們并沒有傷害任何人。為什么不制定出一些體系，他們可以借此償還欠社會的債，而不是由于被關進監(jiān)獄，受到那些強硬的犯罪分子的影響而對社會欠下其他的債務。

I'm also concerned about the short prison sentences people are serving for serious crimes. Of course, one alternative to this is to restore capital punishment, but I'm not sure I would be for that. I'm not sure it's right to take an eye for eye. The alternative to capital punishment is longer sentences, but they would certainly cost the tax payers much money.

我還關心那些被判短期徒刑卻犯有重罪的人們。當然，選擇之一是恢復死刑，但是我不確定是否會支持該做法。我不坑定以牙還牙是否正確。代替死刑的另一選擇是長期徒刑，但是這無疑將花去納稅人更多的錢。

I also think we must do something about the insanity plea. In my opinion, anyone who takes another person's life intentionally is insane; however, that does not mean that the person isn't guilty of the crime, or that he shouldn't pay society the debt he owes. It's sad, of course, that a person may have to spend rest of his life, or a large part of it in prison for acts that he committed while not in full control of his mind.

我還認為我們應該為無罪辯護做些什么。在我看來，任何人故意奪走別人的生命都是瘋狂的;然而，這并不意味著這個人沒有犯罪，或者說他不應該向社會償還他所欠的債。當然，一個人要為他在意識失控的情況下所犯的罪在監(jiān)獄中度過余生或生命中的大部分時光是令人難過的。

英語詞匯整理：

1. criminal adj. 刑事的，犯罪的 n. 罪犯

eg: Her husband faces various criminal charges.

她丈夫面臨多項刑事的指控。

短語：

war criminal 戰(zhàn)犯

criminal lawyer 刑事律師

criminal activities 犯罪活動

criminal psychology 犯罪心理學

2. justice n. 公正，司法

eg: Marriage is, first of all, a contract which must be governed by justice.

婚姻首先是一種契約，它必須以公正為制約。

短語：

do oneself justice 發(fā)揮自己的能力

do justice to 公平對待;盡量利用

bring to justice 使歸案受審

3. survive v. 繼續(xù)存在，幸免于難

eg: No one survived the crash.

無人在這次撞擊中幸免于難。

短語：

survive after 在……后余生

survive by (for) 比……多活

survive on 靠……活下來;靠……生存

4. wonder v.& n. 驚奇

eg: I wonder at your allowing her to buy the expensive clothes.

我對你答應她買這么貴的衣服感到吃驚。

短語：

wonder if 不知道;想知道是否

wonder about 對……感到奇怪;對……感到疑惑

wonder at 對……感到吃驚

in wonder 在驚奇中，驚訝地

no wonder 難怪,怪不得

wonder of the world 世界奇跡;世界奇觀

to a wonder [古語] ……得令人驚嘆，……得叫人驚異

for a wonder 說來奇怪

with wonder 驚奇地

work wonders 創(chuàng)造奇跡,取得驚人的效果

wonders will never cease 真是無奇不有

5. concerned adj. 關心的

eg: Please don't be concerned about me.

請不要為我擔心。

短語：

be concerned for 掛念

as far as be concerned 就……而論

concerned with 關心;涉及;忙于;與……有關

concerned about 關心;擔憂

be concerned in 與……有關

6. offender n. 冒犯者，罪犯

eg: The offender was sent to a correctional facility.

罪犯被送到教養(yǎng)院。

短語：

sex offender 性犯罪者

criminal offender 罪犯;犯罪者

minor offender 未成年罪犯

7. whereby conj. 憑借

eg: The company operates an arrangement whereby employees may select any 8-hour period between 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to go to work.

該公司做出了一種安排，據此員工可以在上午6點到晚上8點之間任意選擇8個小時去上班。

whereby 還可以用作副詞，意思是“憑什么，借以”

eg: Whereby shall we find fault with him?

我們憑什么指責他呢?

8. incur v. 招致，遭受

eg: He incurred a heavy loss through you.

他因為你而遭受重大損失。

短語：

incur sb's anger 惹某人生氣

incur danger 遭受危險

9. alternative n. 供選擇的東西

eg: I had no alternative but to accept the offer.

我除了接受該項提議之外，別無選擇。

短語：

alternative form 代替方式;替換制度

have no alternative but 別無選擇;只得;唯一的辦法是

have no alternative 沒有別的辦法了;沒有其他選擇

alternative to ……的替換物

alternative to sb's plan 可以代替某人計劃的方案

詞語辨析：

election, preference, choice, alternative, selection, option 這組詞都有“選擇”的意思，其區(qū)別是：

1)election 強調目的和達到目的判斷能力。

2)preference 側重因偏見、愛好或判斷等而進行選擇。

3)choice 側重指自由選擇的權利或特權。

4)alternative 指在相互排斥的兩者之間作嚴格的選擇，也可指在兩者以上中進行選擇。

5)selection 指作廣泛的選擇，著重選擇者的識別力或鑒賞力。

6)option 著重特別給予的選擇權利或權力，所選物常常相互排斥。

10. insanity n. 荒唐，精神錯亂

eg: There was a streak of insanity in the family.

這個家族有精神錯亂的傾向。

短語：

adolescent insanity 青少年期精神錯亂

surgical insanity 手術后精神病

consecutive insanity 繼發(fā)性精神病

11. plea n. 請求，懇求

eg: Mr. Nicholas made his emotional plea for help in solving the killing.

尼古拉斯先生發(fā)出了令人感動的呼吁，懇求幫助破解這樁殺人案。

短語：

plea bargaining [法]認罪求情協(xié)議

plea for 懇求，請求

on the plea of 借口

cop a plea [美國俚語]承認有罪以求輕判

make a plea for 主張;請求

on the plea of something (因未做某事或做錯某事而作的)辯解;借口，托詞

12. intentionally adv. 有意地，故意地

eg: Or you can choose to accelerate your growth and intentionally devour life and all it offers.

又或許你可以選擇加速自的身成長，故意地揮霍生活及其提供的一切。

短語：

if intentionally 假如有意

intentionally omit 故意不告知

You intentionally 你故意的

13. insane adj. 荒唐的，精神錯亂的

eg: Are you insane?

你瘋了嗎?

短語：

go insane 發(fā)瘋

insane asylum 精神病院

14. guilty adj. 有罪的，內疚的

eg: I feel so guilty, leaving all this to you.

把所有這一切都留給了你，我覺得很內疚。

短語：

guilty about 內疚

guilty of a serious blunder 犯大錯

be found guilty 被認定有罪

guilty of 有……之過錯;對……感到內疚

詞語辨析：

criminal, guilty這組詞都有“犯罪的”的意思，其區(qū)別是：

1)criminal 側重指某種行為是違犯法律的，因而應受到懲罰。

2)guilty 主要指某種行為違反道德標準，也可指違犯法律。

15. commit v. 犯罪，委托

eg: The old man committed his will to the care of the lawyer.

老人把他的遺囑委托律師保管。

短語：

commit for 把(某人)押送至,送交……

commit on 把自己對(某事物或某人)的看法公之于眾

commit oneself 承諾，答應負責

commit to 把……送交,托付給……

commit oneself to 受……的約束,專心致志于,獻身于

commit sb to the care of 把……托給……照顧

commit sb to prison 關進監(jiān)獄

佳句采摘：

Why not work out some system whereby they can pay back the debts they owe society instead of incurring another debt by going to prison, and of course, coming under the inflluence of hardened criminals.

為什么不制定出一些體系，他們可以借此償還欠社會的債，而不是由于被關進監(jiān)獄，受到那些強硬的犯罪分子的影響而對社會欠下其他的債務。