Ⅰ.
1. Shaw: George Bernard Shaw (1856--1950), Irish playwright and critic, widely considered the greatest British dramatist since Shakespeare. He revolutionized the Victorian stage, then dominated by artificial melodramas, by presenting vigorous dramas of ideas. The lengthy prefaces to Shaw' s plays reveal his mastery of English prose. His music and theater criticism is among the finest ever written. In 1925 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. Shaw was an ardent socialist, a member of the Fabian Society, and a popular public speaker actively propagating the socialist theories of the Fabians. The Fabians were opposed to the revolutionary theory of Marxism and repudiated the necessity of violent class struggle.
Although Shaw' s plays focus on ideas and issues, they are vital and absorbing, enlivened by memorable characterizations, a brilliant command of language, and dazzling wit. In addition to being produced, his early plays were published as Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant (2 vols. ,1898). The "unpleasant" plays were Widower's Houses (1892), on slum landlordism; 7"he Philanderer (written in 1893, produced in 1905), and Mrs Warren's Profession (written in 1893, produced in 1902), a jibe at the Victorian attitude toward prostitution. The "pleasant " plays were Arms and the Man (1894), satirizing romantic attitudes toward love and war; Candida (1893); and You Never Can Tell (1895). In 1897, The Devil's Disciple, a play on the American Revolution, was produced with great success in New York City. It was published in the volume Three Plays for Puritans (1901) along with Caesar and Cleopatra (1899), notable for its realistic, humorous portraits of historical figures, and Captain Brassbound's Conversion (1900). During the early 20th century Shaw wrote his greatest and most popular plays. Man and Superman (1905), in which an idealistic, cerebral man succumbs to marriage (the play contains an explicit articulation of a major Shavian theme -- that man is the spiritual creator, whereas woman is the biological "life force" that must always triumph over him); Major Barbara (1905), which postulates that poverty is the cause of all evil; An-drocles and the Lion (1912~ a short play), a charming satire of Christianity; and Pygmalion (1913), which satirizes the English class system through the story of a cockney girl's transformation into a lady at the hands of a speech professor. The latter has proved to be Shaw' s most successful work -- as a play, as a motion picture, and as the basis for the musical My Fair Lady (1956). Of Shaw's later plays, Saint Joan (1923)is the most memorable; it argues that Joan of Arc, a harbinger of Protes- tantism and nationalism, had to be killed because the world was not yet ready for her. Among Shaw' s other plays are John Bull's Other Island (1904), The Doctor's Dilemma (1906), Fanny's First Play (1911), Heartbreak House (1921), Back to Methuselah (1922), The Apple Cart (1928), Too True to Be Good (1923), etc.
2. Nietzsche: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 -- 1900), German philosopher, born in Roekew, Prussia. The son of a clergyman, Nietzsche studied Greek and Latin at Bonn and Leipzig and was appointed to the chair of classical philology at Basel in 1869. Nervous disturbances and eye trouble forced Nietzsche to leave Basel in 1879; he moved from place to place in a vain effort to improve his health until 1889, when he became hopelessly insane. Nietzsche was not a systematic philosopher but rather a moralist who passionately rejected Western bourgeois civilization. He regarded Christian civilization as decadent, and in place of its "slave morality" he looked to the super-man, the creator of a new heroic morality that would consciously affirm life and the life values. That superman would represent the highest passion and creativity and would live at a level of experience beyond the conventional standards of good and evil. His creative "will to power" would set him off from "the herd" of inferior humanity. Nietzsche' s thought had widespread influence but was of particular importance in Germany. Apologists for Nazism seized on much of his writhing as a philosophical justification for their doctrines of national and racial superiority and their despisal of political democracy and equality. Most scholars regard this as a perversion of Nietzsche' s thought, pointing to his strong individualism and his contempt for the state, especially the German state. Among his most famous works are The Birth of Tragedy (1872) ; Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883--1891), and Beyond Good and Evil (1886).
3. John of Arc: French, Jeanne d' Arc (14127-- 1431), French saint and national heroine, called the Maid of Or- leans: daughter of a farmer of Domremy on the border between Champagne and Lorraine. At a young age she began to hear "voices those of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret. When she was about 16, the voices exhorted her to bear aid to the dauphin, later King Charles Ⅶ, then kept from the throne by the English in the Hundred Years War. She made the journey in male at- tire and meeting the dauphin at Chinon Castle. She conquered his skepticism as to her divine mission and was furnished with troops by Charles. In May, 1429, she sue- ceeded in raising the siege of Orleans, and in June she took other English posts on the Loire and defeated the English at Patay. After considerable persuasion the dauphin agreed to be crowned at Rheims~ Joan stood near him at his coronation. This was the pinnacle of her for- tunes. In September 1429, Joan unsuccessfully besieged Paris. The following spring she went to relieve Compiegne, but she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English, who were eager to destroy her influence by putting her to death. Charles ~ made no attempt to secure her freedom. In order to escape responsibility, the English turned her over to the ecclesiastical court at Rouen. She was tried for heresy and witchcraft and was finally burned at the stake (May 30, 1431) in Rouen. Joan was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. Her career lent itself to numerous legends, and she has been rep- resented in many paintings and statues. In literature and music she appears notably, though not always accurately, in works by many eminent writers and composers.
Ⅱ.
1.The abolitionists put forward the following five arguments against the death penalty. 1)punishment for crime is aprimitive idea rooted in revenge~ 2)capital punishment doesnot deter; 3)judicial error being possible, taking life is an appalling risk; 4)a civilized state, to deserve its name, must uphold, not violate, the sanctity of life; 5)criminals are really sick people who should be cured, not killed.
2. Barzun fails to take issue with the first two arguments of the abolitionists because he entirely agrees with their first pair of propositions. He agrees that a criminal should not be punished for revenge, for his misdeeds, nor used as an example or a warning~ he is to be killed for the protection of others. He also agrees that capital punishment does not deter other murderers from killing.
3. Barzun also believes in the sanctity of life but not the sanctity of the life of murderers. He is more concerned about the life of the victims and of the prisoners in jails. He refuses the abolitionists’ stand on this question as sheer propaganda. The abolitionists support the arming of their countries and are not opposed to wars. They are not against putting animals in zoos, laboratories and space machines. The absolute sanctity of human life is, for the abolitionists, a slogan rather than a considered proposition.
4. The murderer is to be killed for the protection of others.
5. Barzun shows special concern for the victims because they are generally ordinary normal people, and as such, they are easy to forget. The psychiatrists and moral liberalists, the most generous and learned people are more interested in the abnormal criminals.
6. Barzun does not believe the sick murderer can be cured. He may be a model prisoner but once set free, the stress of the social free-for-all throws them back on their violent modes of self-expression. Curing these people means giving them a second birth of heart and mind which is impossible. Finally, if the science of psychiatry were sure of its ground and could diagnose without fault, one might consider the possibility of executing these sick people before they had a chance to kill others.
7. Barzun does not define this abstract term in his essay. It covers, perhaps, all the standards of goodness or rightness on which civilization is based.
8. Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard Jr. was convicted of his wife's murder in the second degree and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was let out parole after ten years, because Mr. Paul Holmes, Dr. Sheppard' s vindicator, showed that his conviction was brought about by police incompetence, newspaper demagogy, public envy of affluence and the mischances of legal procedure.
9. Barzun suggests reforming the jury system, the rules of evidence, the customs of prosecution and the machinery of appeal.
10. The two words "model" and "prisoner" do not go together. Prisoners are people who are being punished for their misdeeds so they shouldn't be set up as a standard of excellence to be imitated.
Ⅲ.
1. In Favor of Capital Punishment is a piece of argument. In this piece the writer does not appeal mainly to the emotions of the readers. He tries to convince his readers through facts and logical reasoning and by refuting the fallacies of his opponents.
2. Barzun uses many learned and specialized terms because this essay was aimed at professional and educated people. Many of these people are very articulate and champion the abolition of the death penality.
3. The third paragraph organizes the essay. In this paragraph Barzun states his position on the question of capital punishment= he is going to make clear his views but admits his conclusion is arguable. Following the points mentioned in this paragraph, one could divide the whole essay into the following component parts ~ (1)introduction and admitting that many people of much talent and enlightened goodwill are abolitionists (paragraphs 1 and 2) ; (2)disposing of the fallacies and frivolities (or the five main arguments) of the abolitionists (paragraphs 6-11, 15-19); (3)stressing three more points to make his views clearer -- (a)The victims are easy to forget (paragraphs 12-14); (b)Imprisonment is worse than death (paragraphs 21-23); (e)The fault in the present system is not the sentence but the fallible procedure (paragraphs 25-28), (4)Conclusion (paragraph 29).
4. The main thesis of his argument is stated in the title of the essay. The writer supports capital punishment. But the main theme that unifies the whole essay is "the sanctity of human life". Barzun, who wants to retain capital punishment, and the abolitionists, who want to do away with it, both base their arguments on a belief in the sanctity of human life.
5. Barzun uses illustrative examples, actual cases of people sentenced to imprisonment to develop these paragraphs.
6. Transition between two paragraphs is accomplished by posing a question at the end of the first paragraph, which is then answered or developed in the next paragraph.
7. Free. Student' s choice.
8. Free. Student' s choice.
Ⅳ.
1. The writers of these letters said they were sad at the stand I had taken and they were full of blame and censure. They said I should either admit being ignorant or accept the fact that I was a stubborn and feelingless person.
2. I am indeed aware that the movement for abolition is widespread and those Who are for abolition express their views very strongly and clearly.
3. I begin my argument by first conceding that my conclusion is not final and there is still room for discussion.
4. He would feel glad because it gives pleasure to see a case that gives no opening for attack.
5. At the very beginning of our discussion we find here the abolitionists jumping to an improper conclusion as they generally do.
6. The sentencing of uncontrollable brutes to death need not be influenced by anger, vindictiveness or moral conceit.
7. A presumptive reason, might be extended to cover other acts that destroy the moral basis of civilization.
8. The abolitionists in their propaganda speak of human life as something sacred and inviolable in low solemn tones.
9. They will bless our military forces and pray for our victory when called upon to do so, despite the fact that the sixth commandment of the church forbids killing.
10. If the sanctity of life is something absolute then we must let the murderer do whatever he wants to you.
11. The absolute sanctity of human life is a slogan and not a well thought out proposal of the abolitionists.
12. In examining the problems of poverty, mental disorder, dilinquency or crime, an increasing number of generous and learned people are now solely interested in the diseased, the perverted, the mentally abnormal persons.
13. ()f course we are sorry for the victims, but science, which is developing and progressing, is not interested in the dull ordinary people who are the victims.
14. We cannot know what the long term consequences of some crimes are likely to be.
15. There is no doubt a killer who weighs 150 pounds and who cannot control his brutal strength has an undeveloped mind like that of a nine-year-old child.
Ⅴ. See the translation of the text.
Ⅵ.
1. capital .. death
2. articulate, expressing oneself easily and clearly
3. number: (verb) include as one or a group, class, collection, etc.
4. end : object ; purpose ; intention
5. give one pause: make one hesitant or uncertain
6. conviction: a convincing or being convinced
7. airtight, giving no opening for attack
8. arousing: stirring strong feeling or action
9. harrowing: agonizingly painful to the feelings
10. absolute: (noun) something that is absolute; anything that is not conditioned by, or dependent upon, anything else
11. arms : the military forces
12. artist : criminal
13. idle : useless ; worthless; futile ; pointless
14. dispatch: put an end to; kill
15. minor, a person under full legal age
16. free-for-all: a fight without rules in which any number of people join or become involved
17. invite= tend to bring on; give occasion for
18. engaging : attractive ; pleasant ; charming
19. dwarf: make small or insignificant
20. round= a series of actions, events, etc. , that is completed at, or as if at, the point where it began
21. left-handed: designating an insincere or ambiguous compliment, especially one that is indirectly unflattering or derogatory
22. fashion, shape ; mold
Ⅶ.
1. adventurer; adventurist 2. organist 3. creator 4. objector 5. satirist; satirizer 6. sailor 7. absentee 8. pamphleteer 9. moralizer; moralist 10. editor 11. drug- gist 12. columnist 13. murderer 14. administrator 15. profiteer 16. aggressor 17. parolee 18. refugee 19. auctioneer 20．mountaineer
Ⅷ．
1．barbarity指一种残酷性和野蛮性，而这些通常被认为是原始人的特点，如the hideous barbarities committed by the mercenary troops。savagery指一种非常原始的社会。隐含着一种甚至更大的凶暴性和残酷性，如the savageries of imperialist wars。
2．error隐含着一种对真理、准确、正确或者正义的背离，它比mistake一词的用途更广泛一些，如an error in judgement， in computation，etc．。mistake则是指由于不小心、不注意， 或者误解等因素所造成的一种错误，而且它本身隐含着一种强烈批评的意味，如a mistake in reading a blueprint。
3．proposal是指提出来供人们接受或者反对的一种提议、计划等。如：His proposal for a decrease in taxes was approved． proposition当用来指商务及其类似的事务时，它通常可以用来代替proposal；更严格地说，它是指一种提出来供人们相互争论、说明或者证明的陈述或者定理等，如the proposition that all men are created equal。
4．vindictive强调对为自己的欲望所驱使而去做错事、去伤害他人的某个人的一种不可原谅性，如vindictive feelings。 vengeful指更加直接地引起某种行动的一种强大的冲动或一种对复仇机会的真正寻求，如a vengeful foe。
5．consequence指对某些其他事情的一种延续性，在某些方面， 这种延续得依靠那些事情才赖以生存。但它并不隐含着与 cause一词的直接联系。如：His taste is the consequence of education and habit．result强调的是由某些效果或者某种行为、过程等的连续性所最终造成的一种结果。如：His limp is the result of a fall。
6．controversy隐含着对某种有分量或者有重要性的事情的一种长期不和，如the Darwinian controversy。contradiction仅指对某项陈述的不同意。这个词也用来指在陈述之间、在无需证明的事情之间的一种明显的差异性，如a contradiction
7．qualm隐含着由某种认为自己做错了事的意识带来的不安感而产生的一种痛苦的感觉。如：He had qualms about having cheated on the test．hesitation指由于不确定性、不情愿或者感情上的冲突而带来的一种行动中的暂时停顿，如feel some hesitation in accepting the invitation。
8．rational隐含着一种逻辑思维论证的能力，比如从推理中得出结论，通常隐含着一种非感情性。如：Man is a rational creature。rationalize是指为了某种行为、信仰或欲望等而提出的某些在表面上看似理性的解释和理由，通常这些解释和理由并不是真正的动机，如rationalize his desire for strong drinks。
9．difficulty用来指难以与之竞争的一切事情，它不受事物的本质、强度等条件的限制。如a slight difficulty。perplexity 与difficulty一词意思相近，但它只局限于难以理解的任务和要求，强调由任务而带来的一种知识上的需求，如stare in perplexity。
10．accuse是指对不断严重犯罪的指控，如to accuse one of murder。convict是一个法律上的词汇，它是指对某个被指控犯了罪的人指出他的违法之处。如：He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment．
11．choice隐含着一种选择的机会、权力或者能力，通常是根据自己对事物的判断，如a teacher by choice。option是指正常行使权力的权威人士和权威机构所认为的一种选择的 特权，如local option 0n liquor sales。
12．erroneous是用来形容某种错事，或者某种被弄错的事，或者某种含有或基于错误的事，如erroneous tendency。fallible是用来形容那些可能是错误的事，或者可能是被弄错 的事，如our judgement may be fallible。
Ⅸ．
1．won the support of 2．bloodthirsty 3．admit that it is true；beginning 4．call upon／appeal to；holiness，sacredness
5．masculine strength and vigor 6．crimes／evil deeds；fear；guess 7．provided 、 8．deserved punishment
9．scolded／denounced harshly 1 0．inspires／stimulates 1 1．spellbound／deeply affected
1 2．1aughably absurd；harshness 1 3．made less severe 14．rejection／exclusion 1 5．Imprisonment
Ⅹ．
1．capital punishment极刑，死刑
2．execution(summary)执行死刑(立即执行)
3．judicial homicide按法律处死
4．death penalty死刑
5．euthanasia (为结束不治之症患者的痛苦而施行的)无痛苦 致死术，安乐死
6．seemly suicide适宜的自杀
7．jurist 法律学家
8．criminology犯罪学
9．1aw officer司法官，(英国的)检察长
10．reformatory感化院
11．testimony证明，证词
12．penitentiary (美)监狱
13．1ife sentence无期徒刑
14．miscarriage of justice 误判
15．acquittal无罪释放，开释
16．the court of criminal appeals刑事案件上诉法院
17．counsel法律顾问，辩护人
18．the jury system陪审制度
19．evidence证据
20．prosecution起诉，检举，告发
21．the supreme court最高法院
22．parole假释
23．parolee得假释出狱的人
24．the law—abiding守法的(人)
Ⅺ．In paragraph 8 from the second sentence onwards, the writer uses a sarcastic tone．
Other expressions are．
I find something…be eaten．
We are sorry…on its march．
It is too bad．
Capital cases…errors．
He was being punished…just a little．
ⅩⅡ．
1．But why kilt?
2．Is the movement then campaigning also against the princi— pie of self—defense?
3，And again，do we hear…and hits the bystander?(paragraph 9)
4．If，moreover，we turn to the accounts of the crimes．Committed by these unfortunates，who are the victims?
5．Where does the sanctity of life begin?
6．But what are we to say of…Federal penitentiaries?(paragraph 18)
7．How soon will this sufferer sacrifice a bank clerk in the interests of making civilization less hypocritical?
8．See paragraphs 22，26，27．
ⅩⅢ．1．transferred epithet 2．metaphor 3．euphemism 4．transferred epithet，euphemism 5．synecdoche 6．metaphor 7． euphemism 8．euphemism 9．transferred epithet 1 0． transferred epither 11．personification 12．metaphor， synecdoche
ⅩⅣ．1．This is an argument based on facts and reasoning to convince the reader that the hangman’s job is necessary to society and there is no proof to show the hangman complains of his work.2. This is a typical commercial propaganda found in magazine advertisements. It appeals to the greed of the reader to persuade him to become a club member of America' s Book-store. 3. This is a typical piece of journalistic persuasion. Half-serious, half-mocking, it appears to persuade the reader not to take part in any polling. But in the end the writer gives his writing a political twist, implying that President Carter has lost the support of the people.
ⅩⅤ. Omitted.
ⅩⅥ.
Capital Punishment Should Not Be Abolished
With the policy of reform and opening up to the outside world, great changes have taken place in every field, and China, on a whole, has had world-surprising achievements. However, there exists a shadow in the sun shine. The development of China is accompanied by varied forms of crime. Some criminals are severely punished and even put to death. That is a wise action.
Unlike those who show sympathy for desperate criminals, I' m in favor of capital punishment. One' s freedom should not damage that of others'. Otherwise the troublemaker should he dealt with not only morally but also legally. If one commits a crime doing great harm to the citizens or the country, he or she is not to be saved morally. Instead, in order to safeguard the interest of the people in general and prevent similar crimes from reappearing, we have to be cruel enough to kill the criminal since moral persuasion and slight punishment is of no use.
Capital punishment, however, should be adopted as the last resort. Life is precious and won't be regained once lost. When fighting against criminals, we have to take measures moral as well as legal. If moral ones are exhausted and a criminal is still indifferent to what he or she has done and what he or she will commit, we will have to give him or her a capital punishment to save the lives or properties of others'.
In Favor of Capital Punishment 练习题答案/answer
»