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第十四课

一、课文原文

A Noble Gangster

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 one of the many ways in which gangsters make a living.

One of the most famous gangsters of all time was a man named Rocco. He was a tough, ruthless man, but he had a strange code of honour. He never harmed anyone who paid him on time. In fact, he was known to be quite polite to his 'clients'. He would always visit them on the first of the month, tip his hat, and say, 'Good morning, sir. It is the first of the month.' If the envelope was on the desk, he would take it, say 'Thank you', and leave.

Rocco was also a man of his word. If he promised not to cause trouble, he kept his promise. Once, a shopkeeper who had fallen on hard times begged Rocco for an extension. Rocco looked at the man, saw his genuine distress, and agreed to wait. True to his word, he did not send his men to smash the shop.

When Rocco was finally arrested, the police were surprised to find that many of his 'clients' actually testified in his favour. They claimed that he was a 'noble gangster'. The judge, however, was not impressed. Rocco was sentenced to twenty years in prison. He had been a criminal, after all, no matter how polite he was.

二、核心词汇与词组精讲、拓展及例句

1. Gangster

  • 英文释义：A member of a violent criminal gang.
  • 中文释义：歹徒；黑帮成员。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • mobster（黑帮分子，多指美国黑手党）：He was a notorious mobster in the 1920s.
    • thug（暴徒，恶棍）：The street was patrolled to prevent attacks by thugs.
    • racketeer（敲诈勒索者）：He was charged as a racketeer.

2. Promptly

  • 英文释义：Without delay; quickly.
  • 中文释义：迅速地；准时地；立即。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • punctually（准时地，强调遵守时间）：The train arrived punctually at 9:00.
    • immediately（立即，马上）：She responded immediately to the email.
    • tardily（迟缓地，反义词）：He paid his debts tardily.

3. Ruthless

  • 英文释义：Having or showing no pity or compassion for others.
  • 中文释义：无情的；冷酷的；残忍的。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • merciless（无情的，不仁慈的）：The ruthless dictator crushed all opposition.
    • callous（冷漠无情的，强调缺乏同情心）：His callous remarks hurt her deeply.
    • compassionate（有同情心的，反义词）：She is a compassionate nurse.

4. Code of honour

  • 英文释义：A set of principles or rules that a person or group follows to behave in a morally acceptable way.
  • 中文释义：荣誉准则；道义底线。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • moral compass（道德指南针）：His moral compass always points to doing the right thing.
    • principles（原则）：She refused the bribe because of her strict principles.
    • ethics（伦理，道德规范）：Professional ethics are important in medicine.

5. Testify

  • 英文释义：To give evidence as a witness in a law court.
  • 中文释义：作证；证明。
  • 核心词组：testify in one's favour（为某人作有利证明/说好话）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • witness（目击，作证）：He witnessed the accident.
    • corroborate（证实，支持）：The evidence corroborated his story.
    • perjure（作伪证）：He was accused of perjury.

6. Sentence

  • 英文释义：To declare the punishment decided for a person convicted of a crime.
  • 中文释义：判决；宣判。
  • 核心词组：be sentenced to...（被判处……）。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • convict（定罪）：He was convicted of murder.
    • acquit（宣告无罪）：The jury acquitted him of all charges.
    • pardon（赦免）：The president pardoned the prisoner.

7. After all

  • 英文释义：Used to introduce a statement that supports or explains a previous statement; in spite of everything.
  • 中文释义：毕竟；终究。
  • 词汇拓展与例句：
    • in the end（最终）：In the end, they decided to stay.
    • ultimately（最终，根本上）：Ultimately, it is your decision.
    • basically（基本上）：Basically, we need more time.

三、特别语法点拨（长难句）

in return for 引导的交换条件

  • 原句：... Had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for 'protection'.
  • 解析：in return for 是一个非常实用的介词短语，表示“作为对……的回报/交换”。在商业、法律或日常交流中，用来表达“等价交换”或“条件关系”非常地道。
  • 实战仿写：
    • He offered his expertise in return for a share of the profits.（他提供专业知识，以换取部分利润。）
    • I will help you with your homework in return for you washing the dishes.（我帮你做作业，你洗碗作为交换。）

四、智慧版写作指导

1. 用“矛盾特质”塑造立体人物

  • 写作指导：扁平的人物只有单一标签（如“纯粹的坏人”）。高级的写作会赋予人物看似矛盾的特质，让他们变得真实、复杂、有魅力。
  • 课文示范：He was a tough, ruthless man, but he had a strange code of honour.（“冷酷无情”与“荣誉准则”的碰撞，塑造了一个“高贵的歹徒”形象。）
  • 实战仿写：She was a fierce competitor on the court, yet she was the first to help her opponents up when they fell.（她在球场上是个凶猛的竞争者，但当对手摔倒时，她总是第一个去扶他们。）

2. 用“标志性动作”代替性格形容词

  • 写作指导：不要直接告诉读者“他很礼貌”或“他很专业”。通过描写一个反复出现的、具有仪式感的具体动作，让读者自己得出结论。
  • 课文示范：He would always visit them on the first of the month, tip his hat, and say, 'Good morning, sir.'（通过“脱帽致意”和“礼貌问候”的动作，生动展现了他的“礼貌”。）
  • 实战仿写：He was a man of extreme precision. Before starting his car, he would always check his mirrors twice and adjust his seatbelt with a sharp tug.（通过“检查后视镜两次”和“用力拉安全带”的动作，展现他的“严谨”。）

3. 用“客观评价”平衡主观情感

  • 写作指导：在文章结尾，即使你对某个人物抱有同情或赞赏，也要用客观的法律或社会标准来进行最终评判。这种“先扬后抑”或“情理法交融”的结尾，能让文章显得理性、深刻、不偏激。
  • 课文示范：The judge, however, was not impressed. Rocco was sentenced to twenty years in prison. He had been a criminal, after all, no matter how polite he was.（用“毕竟是个罪犯”来平衡前文的“高贵”，立意客观公正。）
  • 实战仿写：
    • His generosity was admirable. However, stealing is still stealing, regardless of the intention.（他的慷慨令人钦佩。然而，无论出于什么意图，偷窃终究是偷窃。）
    • The artist's work was revolutionary. Yet, he remained a flawed human being, just like the rest of us.（这位艺术家的作品具有革命性。但他和我们一样，依然是个有缺陷的人。）

注意

以上内容由AI生成，请自主辨明是否存在问题。