Unit 1 A Brush with the LawUnit 1 A Brush with the Law

授课教师：张知奇授课教师：张知奇

•On completion of this lesson, students will On completion of this lesson, students will be able to:be able to:

• 1). acquire some useful words and expressi1). acquire some useful words and expressions in legal English.ons in legal English.

• 2). acquire some basic background inform2). acquire some basic background information about British legal system.ation about British legal system.

• 3). understand some basic formation of ph3). understand some basic formation of phrasal verbs.rasal verbs.

• 4). learn the usage of preposition “give4). learn the usage of preposition “given”.n”.

重点和难点重点和难点 ]]

• Understand some basic formation of pUnderstand some basic formation of phrasal verbs.hrasal verbs.

• The general usage of the preposition The general usage of the preposition “given”“given”

• Legal words like “barrister”, “chargLegal words like “barrister”, “charge”, “court”, “solicitor”, “award”,e”, “court”, “solicitor”, “award”, “magistrate”, “arrest”, “commit “magistrate”, “arrest”, “commit a crime”, etc.a crime”, etc.

Part 1 Part 1 Key Words and Expressions:Key Words and Expressions:

• brushbrush: a short fight or quarrel; an argum: a short fight or quarrel; an argument or disagreementent or disagreement

• Examples:Examples:• -to have a brush with the police / the en-to have a brush with the police / the en

emyemy• -It is his third brush with the law in less t-It is his third brush with the law in less t

han a year.han a year.

• take sb. to courttake sb. to court: take legal action agai: take legal action against sb.nst sb.

• Examples:Examples:• -I told him that I would take him to court -I told him that I would take him to court

if he did not repay the money in a week.if he did not repay the money in a week.• -If you go on ill-treating your wife like thi-If you go on ill-treating your wife like thi

s, you will be taken to court. s, you will be taken to court.

•……it makes a good story nowit makes a good story now::•Here the verb “to make” means “to havHere the verb “to make” means “to hav

e the qualities needed for (sth. good)”.e the qualities needed for (sth. good)”.• Example:Example:• -Iced tea makes an excellent drink in sum-Iced tea makes an excellent drink in sum

mer.mer.• -The wall calendar makes a nice new year -The wall calendar makes a nice new year

gift.gift.

• a couple ofa couple of: a small number of; a few, us: a small number of; a few, usually twoually two

• Examples:Examples:• -I’ve got a couple of tickets. Will you go -I’ve got a couple of tickets. Will you go

with me?with me?• -Tom is quite busy now. His wife is expec-Tom is quite busy now. His wife is expec

ting a baby in a couple of weeks.ting a baby in a couple of weeks.

• temporarytemporary: lasting for a short time only.: lasting for a short time only.• Examples:Examples:• -Tim has found a temporary job for the s-Tim has found a temporary job for the s

ummer in a hardware store.ummer in a hardware store.• -This is not my permanent address; it is -This is not my permanent address; it is

only a temporary one.only a temporary one.

• save upsave up: keep for future use.: keep for future use.• Examples:Examples:• -It took him a year to save up enough m-It took him a year to save up enough m

oney for a computer.oney for a computer.• -They are now saving up to buy a house i-They are now saving up to buy a house i

n the suburbs.n the suburbs.

• take one’s timetake one’s time: not to hurry; do sth. in : not to hurry; do sth. in an unhurried wayan unhurried way

• Examples:Examples:• -Just take your time and tell me clearly w-Just take your time and tell me clearly w

hat happened at the meeting yesterday.hat happened at the meeting yesterday.• -It’s better to take your time over a piec-It’s better to take your time over a piec

e of work and do it properly than to hurry e of work and do it properly than to hurry and make mistakes.and make mistakes.

• wanderwander: walk around a place in a casual way, : walk around a place in a casual way, often without a fixed course, aim or purpose.often without a fixed course, aim or purpose.

• Examples:Examples:• -After supper he would go out and wander alo-After supper he would go out and wander alo

ne in the streets for about an hour.ne in the streets for about an hour.• -David wandered through the bookstore, hopi-David wandered through the bookstore, hopi

ng to find a good book for Lily’s birthday.ng to find a good book for Lily’s birthday.

• perfectlyperfectly: very; completely: very; completely• Examples:Examples:• -You’re perfectly right.-You’re perfectly right.• -I’m perfectly satisfied with your arran-I’m perfectly satisfied with your arran

gements.gements.

• turn outturn out: be found or discovered (to be): be found or discovered (to be)• ExamplesExamples• -It turned out that the best student in m-It turned out that the best student in m

y class is the son of a classmate of mine.y class is the son of a classmate of mine.• -The weather turned out pretty nice that -The weather turned out pretty nice that

day.day.

• regard… as…regard… as…: consider…: consider…• Examples:Examples:• -I regard him as my best friend.-I regard him as my best friend.• -Einstein is regarded by many as the gre-Einstein is regarded by many as the gre

atest scientist of the twentieth century.atest scientist of the twentieth century.

• chargecharge: blame (sb.) officially for having : blame (sb.) officially for having broken the lawbroken the law

• Examples:Examples:• -The police charged the driver with drun-The police charged the driver with drun

ken driving.ken driving.• -What is he charged with? -What is he charged with?

• conductconduct: manage; direct; carry out: manage; direct; carry out• Examples:Examples:• -After failing a dozen times or so, Dr. Wils-After failing a dozen times or so, Dr. Wils

on decided to conduct the experiment in on decided to conduct the experiment in a different way.a different way.

• -The police are conducting investigation-The police are conducting investigations into these murders. s into these murders.

• stand a chancestand a chance: have a chance: have a chance• Examples:Examples:• -I would apply for the post if I were you. I -I would apply for the post if I were you. I

think you stand a good chance.think you stand a good chance.• -Do you think Mark stands a chance of b-Do you think Mark stands a chance of b

eing elected?eing elected?

• respectablerespectable: deserving respect: deserving respect• Examples:Examples:• -Dr. Smith is a respectable professor and -Dr. Smith is a respectable professor and

all his students are respectful to him.all his students are respectful to him.• -He came from a poor but perfectly resp-He came from a poor but perfectly resp

ectable family.ectable family.

• reliablereliable: worthy of trust; dependable: worthy of trust; dependable• Examples:Examples:• -Mr. Johnson’s secretary is efficient an-Mr. Johnson’s secretary is efficient an

d reliable.d reliable.• -I got these figures from reliable sources. -I got these figures from reliable sources.

• meanwhilemeanwhile: during the same period of time: during the same period of time• Examples:Examples:• -The boy had gone back home all by himself. -The boy had gone back home all by himself.

Meanwhile, his parents were looking for him in Meanwhile, his parents were looking for him in the park.the park.

• -Bob went to the post office to send a letter. M-Bob went to the post office to send a letter. Meanwhile Lily was preparing lunch at home. eanwhile Lily was preparing lunch at home.

• complaincomplain: speak in an unhappy, dissatis: speak in an unhappy, dissatisfied wayfied way

• Examples:Examples:• -For my own part, I have nothing to com-For my own part, I have nothing to com

plain about.plain about.• -He is always complaining about the we-He is always complaining about the we

ather in Shanghai. ather in Shanghai.

• apologizeapologize: say one is sorry: say one is sorry• Examples:Examples:• -If I have said anything wrong, I am read-If I have said anything wrong, I am read

y to apologize.y to apologize.• -I must apologize to all of you for being s-I must apologize to all of you for being s

o late.o late.

Part 2Part 2Language PointsLanguage Points

• 1. What makes it rather disturbing was the arbit1. What makes it rather disturbing was the arbitrary circumstances both of my arrest and my surary circumstances both of my arrest and my subsequent fate in court.bsequent fate in court.

• The author was arrested simply because the poThe author was arrested simply because the policemen thought he intended to steal milk bottllicemen thought he intended to steal milk bottles and later in court he was released from the ces and later in court he was released from the charge just because he had the “right” accent, harge just because he had the “right” accent, respectable middle-class parents, reliable witnrespectable middle-class parents, reliable witnesses and so on. That is to say, he was arrested esses and so on. That is to say, he was arrested arbitrarily and released arbitrarily. And it is this arbitrarily and released arbitrarily. And it is this arbitrariness of both his arrest and his release tarbitrariness of both his arrest and his release that the author thinks rather disturbing. hat the author thinks rather disturbing.

• 2. …and was not due to go to university 2. …and was not due to go to university until the following October.until the following October.

• In Britain the university terms are: OctobIn Britain the university terms are: October – December, January – March, April - Jer – December, January – March, April - June. une.

• 3. It must have been this obvious aimles3. It must have been this obvious aimlessness that led to my downfall.sness that led to my downfall.

• I’m sure my arrest was the result of my I’m sure my arrest was the result of my wandering in the streets without any defwandering in the streets without any definite purpose.inite purpose.

• 4. …commit an arrestable offence4. …commit an arrestable offence•……commit an offence which is serious encommit an offence which is serious en

ough for one to be arrestedough for one to be arrested

• 5. …particularly that of stealing milk bot5. …particularly that of stealing milk bottles.tles.

•……particularly the theft (stealing) of milk particularly the theft (stealing) of milk bottlesbottles

• 6. familiar with this sort of situation6. familiar with this sort of situation• Familiar with the situation in which one iFamiliar with the situation in which one i

s confronted with the polices confronted with the police

• 7. …it confirmed them in their belief tha7. …it confirmed them in their belief that I was a thoroughly disreputable charact I was a thoroughly disreputable character.ter.

•……it reinforced their belief that I was a veit reinforced their belief that I was a very disreputable person.ry disreputable person.

• 8. au fait8. au fait• This French phrase is obviously used to sThis French phrase is obviously used to s

erve a dual purpose: to avoid repeating terve a dual purpose: to avoid repeating the word “familiar” and to show that thhe word “familiar” and to show that the narrator had a fairly good educational e narrator had a fairly good educational background.background.

• 9. I wanted to conduct my own defense i9. I wanted to conduct my own defense in court…n court…

• I wanted to defend myself in court insteI wanted to defend myself in court instead of hiring a lawyer…ad of hiring a lawyer…

• 10. My “trial” didn’t get that far.10. My “trial” didn’t get that far.•My “trial” ended before it reached the My “trial” ended before it reached the

stage when witness would be called on tstage when witness would be called on to give evidence.o give evidence.

• 11. The magistrate dismissed the case…11. The magistrate dismissed the case…• As a rule, the Magistrates’ Court consisAs a rule, the Magistrates’ Court consis

ts of three magistrates, with one speakints of three magistrates, with one speaking for the others in court.g for the others in court.

• 12. …getting costs awarded against the 12. …getting costs awarded against the police.police.

•……getting the magistrates to make the dgetting the magistrates to make the decision that the expenses of the case shoecision that the expenses of the case should be paid by the police.uld be paid by the police.

• 13. Given the obscure nature of the char13. Given the obscure nature of the charge…ge…

• Considering the obscure nature of the cConsidering the obscure nature of the charge…harge…

• 14. …my solicitor’s case quite obviousl14. …my solicitor’s case quite obviously revolved around the fact that I had a y revolved around the fact that I had a “brilliant academic record”“brilliant academic record”

•……my lawyer’s argument very clearly cemy lawyer’s argument very clearly centered on the fact that I had a very good ntered on the fact that I had a very good record as a student.record as a student.

•Discussion:Discussion:• 1. Why does the author think his arrest a1. Why does the author think his arrest a

rbitrary?rbitrary?• 2. Why does the author think his release 2. Why does the author think his release

from the charge arbitrary? from the charge arbitrary?