UNIT 1A Brush with the Law 一次与法律的小冲突教材.docx

UNIT 1A Brush with the Law 一次与法律的小冲突教材.docx

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UNIT1ABrushwiththeLaw一次与法律的小冲突教材

UNIT1

TEXT

Ayoungmanfindsthatstrolling【闲逛】alongthestreetswithoutanobviouspurposecanleadtotroublewiththelaw.Onemisunderstandingleadstoanotheruntileventually【最后】hemustappearincourt【法庭】fortrial【审判】.

ABrush【小冲突】withtheLaw

Ihaveonlyoncebeenintroublewiththelaw.Thewholeprocessofbeingarrestedandtakentocourtwasaratherunpleasantexperienceatthetime,butitmakesagoodstorynow.Whatmakesitratherdisturbing【麻烦】wasthearbitrary【混乱的】circumstances【情况】bothofmyarrestandmysubsequent【随后的】fateincourt.

IthappenedinFebruaryabouttwelveyearsago.Ihadleftschoolacoupleofmonthsbeforethatandwasnotdue【到期，到时间】togotouniversityuntilthefollowingOctober.Iwasstilllivingathomeatthetime.

OnemorningIwasinRichmond,asuburb【郊区】ofLondonnearwhereIlived.Iwaslookingforatemporary【临时的】jobsothatIcouldsaveup【攒下，存】somemoneytogotraveling.AsitwasafinedayandIwasinnohurry【beinnohurry一点都不着急】,Iwastakingmytime,lookinginshopwindows,strollinginthepark,andsometimesjuststoppingandlookingaroundme.Itmusthavebeenthisobviousaimlessness【漫无目的】thatledtomydownfall【衰落】.

Itwasabouthalfpastelevenwhenithappened.Iwasjustwalkingoutofthelocallibrary,havingunsuccessfullysought【sink的过去式，寻找】employmentthere,whenIsawamanwalkingacrosstheroadwiththeobviousintention【意图】oftalkingtome.【withtheintentionofdoingsth.】Ithoughthewasgoingtoaskmethetime.Instead,hesaidhewasapoliceofficerandhewasarrestingme.AtfirstIthoughtitwassomekindofjoke.Butthemanotherpolicemanappeared,thistimeinuniform,andIwasleftinnodoubt.【我确信无疑了】

'Butwhatfor?

'Iasked.

'Wanderingwithintenttocommitanarrestable【可逮捕的】offence,'hesaid.

'Whatoffence?

'Iasked.

'Theft,'hesaid.

'Theftofwhat?

'Iasked.

'Milkbottles,'hesaid,andwithaperfectlystraightfacetoo!

'Oh,'Isaid.

Itturnedouttherehadbeenalotofpettytheftsinthearea,particularlythatofstealingmilkbottlesfromdoorsteps.

ThenImademybigmistake.AtthetimeIwasnineteen,hadlonguntidyhair,andregardedmyselfaspartofthesixties'youthcounterculture【60年代的青年反主流文化】.Asaresult,Iwantedtoappearcoolandunconcerned【漠不关心的】withtheincident,soIsaid,'Howlonghaveyoubeenfollowingme?

'inthemostcasual【随便的】andconversationaltone【口气】Icouldmanage.Ithusappearedtothemtobequitefamiliarwiththissortofsituation,anditconfirmedthemintheirbeliefthatIwasathoroughly【完全地】disreputable【不体面的】character.

Afewminuteslaterapolicecararrived.

'Getintheback,'theysaid.'Putyourhandsonthebackofthefrontseatanddon'tmovethem.'

Theygotinoneithersideofme.Itwasn'tfunnyanymore.

Atthepolicestationtheyquestionedmeforseveralhours.Icontinuedtotrytolookworldly【世故的】andaufait【熟练的】withthesituation.WhentheyaskedmewhatIhadbeendoing,ItoldthemI'dbeenlookingforajob.'Aha,'Icouldseethemthinking,'unemployed.'

Eventually,Iwasofficially【依法】charged【罚款】andtoldtoreporttoRichmondMagistrates'CourtthefollowingMonday.Thentheyletmego.Iwantedtoconductmyowndefence【进行我的防御】incourt【法庭】,butassoonasmyfatherfoundoutwhathadhappened,hehiredaverygoodsolicitor【初级律师】.WewentalongthatMondayarmedwith【提供】allkindsofwitnesses【目击者】,includingmyEnglishteacherfromschoolasacharacterwitness.Buthewasnevercalledon【传召】togiveevidence.My'trial'didn'tgetthatfar.【我的案件还没到那一步】Themagistrate【法官】dismissed【驳回】thecaseafterfifteenminutes.Iwasfree.Thepoorpolicehadneverstoodachance【没希望】.Thesolicitorevensucceededingettingcostsawardedagainstthepolice.

AndsoIdonothaveacriminalrecord.Butwhatwasmostshockingatthetimewasthethingsmyreleasefromthechargesoclearlydependedon.Ihadthe'right'accent,respectablemiddle-classparentsincourt,reliablewitnesses,andIcouldobviouslyaffordaverygoodsolicitor.Giventheobscure【模糊】nature【性质】ofthecharge,IfeelsurethatitIhadcomefromadifferentbackground,andhadreallybeenunemployed,thereiseverychancethatIwouldhavebeenfoundguilty.Whileaskingforcoststobeawarded,mysolicitor'scasequiteobviouslyrevolvedaround【围绕】thefactthatIhada'brilliant【优秀的】academicrecord'.

Meanwhile,justoutsidethecourtroom,oneofthepolicemenwhohadarrestedmewasgloomily【阴郁地】complainingtomymotherthatanotheryoungsterhadbeenturnedagainst【和…对着干】thepolice.'Youcouldhavebeenabitmorehelpfulwhenwearrestedyou,'hesaidtomereproachfully【责备地】.

Whatdidhemean?

Presumably【大概】thatIshouldhavelookedoutraged【被激怒的】andsaidsomethinglike,'Lookhere,doyouknowwhoyou'retalkingto?

Iamahighlysuccessfulstudentwithabrilliant