精读14：A noble gangster
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精读原文
There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for 'protection'. If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. Obtaining 'protection money' is not a modern crime. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters.
Six hundred years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When he died at the age of eighty, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a pictured painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue.
精读注解：
A noble gangster
gangster /'gæŋstə/ : A gangster is a member of an organized group of violent criminals. (结成团伙的) 匪徒，歹徒，强盗，如：a gangster film. …一部黑帮片。
参考译文：
贵族歹徒
There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for 'protection' .If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business bydestroying his shop. Obtaining 'protection money' is not a modern crime. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters.
- Chicago /ʃɪˈkɑːɡəʊ/:芝加哥（美国中西部城市）
- 【词语辨析】have to（不得不，得……）与must（必须）：have to一般指客观的义务要求去做的事情，而must一般指主观认为有必要的事情，如：I must finish the job before noon.（我要求自己这样做的）而I have to finish the job before noon.（客观或他人要求我这样做的）
- in return for：作为……的报答，如：I sent him a present in return for his help.我送给他一份礼物以回报他的帮助。
- There was a time when…本句的when是关系副词，引导定语从句，修饰time
- protection /prə'tekʃ(ə)n/: To give or be protection against something unpleasant means to prevent people or things from being harmed or damaged by it. 保护，如：It is clear that the primary duty of parents is to provide protection for our children. 很明显，父母的首要职责就是为孩子提供保护。
- promptly /'prɒm(p)tlɪ/：at the right time without being late准时地，守时地，如：She arrived promptly. 她准时到了。
- put…out of business使……失败／垮台等，如：The trade war will soon put many small company out of business.贸易战很快将会让很多小型公司破产。
- by：used to say what means or method someone uses to do something通过，使用，如：I go to school by bike.我踩单车去上学。
- destroy/dɪ'strɔɪ/:to damage something so badly that it no longer exists or cannot be used or repaired破坏，毁掉，摧毁，如：The house was destroyed by a fire.一场火将这座房子烧毁了。
- Obtaining 'protection money' is not a modern crime.本句的主语是：Obtaining 'protection money'，为动名词短语。再如：Getting up early is good for health.早起有助于健康。
- 【词语辨析】as long ago as：追溯到，早在，如：I met him as long ago as the year 2008.我早在2008年就遇见他了。As long as…只要，如：As long as she did this, all would be well.
- 只要能做到这一点她就可以万事大吉。
- remarkable /rɪ'mɑːkəb(ə)l/: unusual or surprising and therefore deserving attention or praise非凡的；不寻常的；显著的，如：She has made remarkable progress. 她取得了显著的进步。
- would rather…than…：宁可……也不……（注意：选择的是前者），如：The soldier would rather die than give up.战士们宁死不屈。
- have their life work destroyed：使役动词have的用法之一，have sth. done：让／使某物被干某事，遭受某事，这里表示将他们毕生的心血毁于歹徒之手。参见精读：‘It's only me’
参考译文： 曾经有一个时期，芝加哥的店主和商行的老板们不得不拿出大笔的钱给歹徒以换取"保护"。如果交款不及时,歹徒们就会很快捣毁他的商店,让他破产.榨取"保护金"并不是一种现代的罪恶行径。早在14世纪,英国人约翰•霍克伍德就有过非凡的发现：人们情愿拿出大笔的钱，也不愿毕生的心血毁于歹徒之手。
Six hundred years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When he died at the age of eighty, theFlorentines gave him a state funeral and had a pictured painted which wasdedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue.
- band /bænd/: a group of people formed because of a common belief or purpose一伙，一群，一帮〔志趣相投的人〕，团伙，如：a small band of volunteers 一小批志愿者
- Florence /'flɔrəns/ : 佛罗伦萨（意大利都市名）
- make a name for oneself:使自己成名，如：It is difficult to make a name for yourself on the stage.你要在舞台上出人头地很难。
- come/get+动词不定式结构：表示一种情况的变化过程，有“逐渐”的含义，如：You will come to understanding why she has done this.总有一天你将明白她为什么这样做。
- be known to sb.为某人所知，如：The novel is known to the public.这部小说所大众所熟知。
- whenever: every time that a particular thing happens每当，如：Whenever I hear that tune, it makes me think of you. 每当听到那曲子，我就会想起你。
- city-state/'siti'steit/ : an independent state that consists of a city and the surrounding country area, especially in the past〔尤指旧时的〕城邦，如：the city-state of Athens 雅典城邦
- be at war with…：与……处于战争状态，如：France was at war with the Uinted Kingdom.英法两国处于交战状态。
- hire /haɪə/：to allow someone to borrow something for a short time in exchange for money〔短期〕出租，如：a little company that hires out boats to tourists一家向游客出租小船的小公司
- prince/prɪns/: a male ruler of a small country or state〔小国的〕国君，亲王，如：Prince Rainier of Monaco 摩纳哥的兰尼埃亲王
- be willing to do愿意做，如：I am willing to turn off the TV.我愿意关掉电视。
- in time(s) of：在……时期，文中的In times of peace表示“在和平时期”。如：We must hold on in times of difficulty.我们必须挺过困难时期。
- 【熟词僻义】offer: ①to provide something that people need or want提供，给予，如：number of groups offer their services free of charge. 一些团体免费提供服务。②to say that you are willing to do something愿意〔做某事〕，如：I don’t need any help, but it was nice of you to offer. 我不需要任何帮助，但是我谢谢你的好意。③n. 提议，如：She accepts my offer.她接受了我的建议。
- Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. ①make money：赚钱；②large sums of大笔；③in this way：用这种方法／方式
- In spite of：尽管；不管，不顾，介词短语作状语
- 【熟词僻义】regard：①respect and admiration for someone or something尊敬；敬佩，如：The voters hold her in high regard (= respect or admire her ) .选民都很尊敬她。②看待，认为，把……看作（本文用法），如：We all regard him as a good person.我们都认为他是个好人。
- a sort of：类似……的人物／东西，如：a sort of demonstration：一种证明
- at the age of：在……岁时，如：I go to school at the age of 7.我7岁上学。
- Florentine/'flɔrəntain/: a native or resident of Florence佛罗伦萨人
- funeral /'fjuːn(ə)r(ə)l/: a religious ceremony for burying or cremating (= burning ) someone who has died葬礼，丧礼，如：The funeral will be held at St. Martin’s Church. 葬礼将在圣马丁教堂举行。
- dedicate /'dedɪkeɪt/：to say at the beginning of a book or film, or before a piece of music, that it has been written, made, or performed for someone that you love or respect（题）献给，提献给，搭配：dedicate sth to sb. 如：The book was dedicated to her husband. 这本书题献给她的丈夫。
- memory: if something is done or made in memory of someone, it is done to remember them and remind other people of them after they have died纪念，如：a statue in memory of those who died in the war 为了纪念那些在战争中死去的人们而建立的雕像。短语： in memory of sb为了纪念（已故的）某人
- valiant /'væliənt/: very brave, especially in a difficult situation〔尤指在困境中〕勇敢的，英勇的，如：Despite valiant efforts by the finance minister, inflation rose to 36%. 尽管这位财政部长作了顽强的努力，通货膨胀率还是升到了36%。
参考译文：
600年前，约翰·霍克伍德爵士带着一队士兵来到意大利，在佛罗伦萨附近驻扎下来，很快就出了名。意大利人叫他乔凡尼•阿库托。每次意大利各城邦之间打仗，霍克伍德把他的士兵雇佣给愿给他出高价的君主。和平时期，当生意萧条时，霍克伍德便带领士兵进入某个城邦，纵火烧毁一两个农场，然后提出，如向他们缴纳保护金，他们便主动撤离。霍克伍德用这种方法挣了大笔钱.尽管如此，意大利人还是把他视作某种英雄。他80岁那年死去时，佛罗伦萨人为他举行了国葬，并为他画像以纪念这位“骁勇无比的战士、杰出的领袖乔凡尼•阿库托先生。”
Summary writing：(last paragraph)
用不多于80个单词描述约翰·霍克伍德到达意大利后如何建立起个人名声。（摘自新概念英语教师用书新版3）
After Sir John Hawkwood settled near Florence six hundred years ago, he hired soldiers to the princes of city-states in times of war. In times of peace he threatened to detroyed a city-state unless protection money was paid. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. Sir John was eighty when he died and the Florentines not only gave him a state funeral but had a picture painted of him, dedicated to his memory.
感谢阅读
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