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1、精選新概念必背優(yōu)秀文章新概念三Lesson14Anoblegangster貴族歹徒 TherewasatimewhentheownersofshopsandbusinessesinChicagohadtopaylargesumsofmoneytogangstersinreturnfor'protection.'Ifthemoneywasnotpaidpromptly,thegangsterswouldquicklyputamanoutofbusinessbydestroyinghisshop.Obtaining'protectionmoney'isnotamoder
2、ncrime.Aslongagoasthefourteenthcentury,anEnglishman,SirJohnHawkwood,madetheremarkablediscoverythatpeoplewouldratherpaylargesumsofmoneythanhavetheirlifeworkdestroyedbygangsters. Sixhundredyearsago,SirJohanHawkwoodarrivedinItalywithabandofsoldiersandsettlednearFlorence.Hesoonmadeanamefor
3、himselfandcametobeknowntotheItaliansasGiovanniAcuto.WhenevertheItaliancity-stateswereatwarwitheachother,Hawkwoodusedtohirehissoldierstoprinceswhowerewillingtopaythehighpricehedemanded.Intimesofpeace,whenbusinesswasbad,Hawkwoodandhismenwouldmarchintoacity-stateand,afterburningdownafewfar
4、ms,wouldoffertogoawayifprotectionmoneywaspaidtothem.Hawkwoodmadelargesumsofmoneyinthisway.Inspiteofthis,theItaliansregardedhimasasortofhero.Whenhediedattheageofeighty,theFlorentinesgavehimastatefuneralandhadapicturedpaintedwhichwasdedicatedtothememoryof'themostvaliantsoldierandmostnotab
5、leleader,SignorGiovanniHaukodue.' 曾經(jīng)有一個時期,芝加哥的店主和商行的老板們不得不拿出大筆的錢給歹徒以換取"保護(hù)"。如果交款不及時,歹徒們就會很快搗毀他的商店,讓他破產(chǎn).榨取"保護(hù)金"并不是一種現(xiàn)代的罪惡行徑.早在14世紀(jì),英國人約翰.霍克伍德就有過非凡的發(fā)現(xiàn):"人們情愿拿出大筆的錢,也不愿畢生的心血毀于歹徒之手. 600年前,約翰.霍克伍德爵士帶著一隊士兵來到意大利,在佛羅倫薩附近駐扎下來,很快就出了名.意大利人叫他喬凡尼.阿庫托.每次意大利各城邦之間發(fā)生戰(zhàn)爭,霍克伍德把他的士兵雇傭給愿給他出高價的君主。和平時期,當(dāng)生意蕭條時,
6、霍克伍德便帶領(lǐng)士兵進(jìn)入某個城邦,縱火燒毀一兩個農(nóng)場,然后提出,如向他們繳納保護(hù)金,他們便主動撤離?；艨宋榈掠眠@種方法掙了大筆錢.盡管如此,意大利人還是把他視作某種英雄。他80歲那年死去時,佛羅倫薩人為他舉行了國葬,并為他畫像以紀(jì)念這位"驍勇無比的戰(zhàn)士、杰出的領(lǐng)袖喬凡尼.阿庫托先生."Lesson17Thelongestsuspensionbridgeintheworld世界上最長的吊橋 Verrazano,anItalianaboutwhomlittleisknown,sailedintoNewYorkHarbourin1524andnameditAngouleme
7、.Hedescribeditas'averyagreeablesituationlocatedwithintwosmallhillsinthemidstofwhichflowedagreatriver.'ThoughVerrazanoisbynomeansconsideredtobeagreatexplorer,hisnamewillprobablyremainimmortal,foronNovember21st,1964,thelongestsuspensionbridgeintheworldwasnamedafterhim. TheVerraz
