一、【Text】课文

There was a time when the owners of shop 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 'protechon money' is not a modern crime. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters.

Six hundred years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When he died at the age of eighty, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue'.

二、【New words and expressions】生词和短语

◆gangster n. 歹徒，强盗

◆Chicago n. 芝加哥 (美国城市)

◆protection n. 保护

◆promptly adv. 准时地

◆destroy v. 毁掉;消灭

◆remarkable adj. 不寻常的

◆band n. 帮，团伙

◆Florence n. 佛罗伦萨(意大利城市)

◆city-state n. (古代)城邦

◆hire v. 租出，雇给

◆prince n. 君主，诸侯

◆Florentine n. 佛罗伦萨人

◆funeral n. 葬礼

◆dedicate v. 奉献，题献给

◆memory n. 纪念

◆valiant adj. 英勇的

★gangster n. 歹徒，强盗

a band of gangsters 一伙强盗

robber 抢劫犯，抢劫者;

bandit 强盗,土匪

brigand (书面用语) 强盗，土匪，盗贼，草寇

hooligan 流氓，不良分子

hoodlum (口语)罪犯，恶汉

rascal (口语)淘气，捣蛋鬼

★Chicago n. 芝加哥 (美国城市)

★protection n. 保护

protection money 保护费

protect v. protect from

We must protect our eyes from the sunshine.

protective adj. 保护的

protector n.保护者

protege n. 被保护者

★promptly adv. 准时地

I give him a ring and he call me back promptly.

He was so sleepy that he went to sleep promptly.

on time准时/ in time及时

punctually adv. 守时地

★destroy v. 毁掉;消灭

destroy 强调毁灭，消灭，完全的摧毁

Eg: The earthquake destroyed the city. / You destroyed his dream.

damage 强受损程度不很严重，可以被修复

break 强调弄坏，弄断

Two of the strings were broken.

spoil 强调把事情搅和了

Eg: spoil the party. / spoil the holiday

★remarkable adj. 不寻常的

remarkable adj. : unusual; uncomon; extraordinary

a remarkable event 不同寻常的事件

an extraordinary event

outstanding adj. 突出的， 杰出的，卓越的

Eg: Our headmaster is an outstanding youth.

distinguished adj. 杰出的，卓越的，不同非凡的

eminent adj. 显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

Eg:a distinguished physicist; an eminent surgeon; an eminent judge; a distinguished lawyer

以上都可以用来修饰那些在严肃领域的人，比如科学，医学等等

well-know adj. 强调众所周知的

famous adj. 因卓越的贡献和成绩而流芳百世的

Eg: She is well-known in the musical world. / This is well-known fact.

He is a famous moviestar. / Luxun is famous for his articles.

notorious adj. 臭名昭著的，臭名远扬的; be famous for bad things

infarmous adj. 声名狼藉的(语气较弱)

rnowned adj. 某人或某事以其独特的品质、个性而闻名

Eg: Hangzhou is renowned for its beautiful...

★band n. 帮，团伙

a band of robbers 一伙强盗

mob n. 表示贬义色彩的团伙、帮派

a mob of hooligans 一伙流氓

gang n. 一伙 a gang of thieves

nest n. 窝; a nest of bandits

pack n. 团伙、帮派; a pack of hoodlums

★Florence n. 佛罗伦萨(意大利城市)

★city-state n. (古代)城邦

★hire v. 租出，雇给

hire; rent; let; employ

hire out; rent out 租给

Eg: Does this firm hire out cars? 这家公司出租汽车吗?

rent out租给，雇给：主要强调出租房屋

Eg: He rent out his house to a tourist.

let 出租房屋: let his house / please let your house to me。

hire from/ rent from 租进来

Eg: He hired a car from us. / I rent a room form Mrs. Johnson.

hire 指短期雇佣体力劳动者

employ 指长期雇佣或聘请脑力劳动者

We employed her as our advisor.

The factory employed 500 workers.

He hired two helpers. 他雇佣了两个临时帮手。

★prince n. 君主，诸侯

★Florentine n. 佛罗伦萨人

★funeral n. 葬礼

★dedicate v. 奉献，题献给

dedicate to 奉献给…… 比devote 更为正式而庄重

Eg:He dedicated his first book to his mother.

I devote my time to helping my students.

He dedicates his life to his motherland.

He dedicated his life to science.

put sb of business使某人失业

put sb/sth out of ……使某人失去……

Eg: You are putting me out of patience.

put it out of your mind 忘记这件事情吧!= forget it.

★valiant adj. 英勇的

brave adj. 勇敢的

The boy is brave.

During war, soldiers are valiant.

fearless adj. 大无畏的，无所畏惧的

We are fearless in time of danger.

courageous adj. 有胆量的，有勇气的

★memory n. 纪念

You have a good memory.

in memory of / to the memory of

Eg: if my memory serves me well, you’re Tom.如果我没记错的话，你是Tom。

三、【课文精析】

pay large sums of money to sb. 向某人付大笔大笔的费用

in return for 目的是为了换取...作为对...的回报

Eg: He gave me some books in return for my help.

when引导状语从句修饰 time

Eg: There was a time when mini skirt was in fashion.

promptly: innediately

put a man out out of business: 使某人失业

put sb. / sth. out of ... 使某人失去......

Eg: You are putting me out of patience.

You have already put everything out of order.

put it out of your mind 忘记这件事情吧

Obtaining...

obtaining: getting

as long ago as 追溯回到：dating back to / date from

Eg.: I knew Jane as long ago as the year 1980.

Key sentence:

John hawkwood’s discovery was quite remarkable.

make the remarkable discovery 做出不同寻常的发现

would rather do sth than do sth 宁愿而不新概念英语视频教程

Eg.: He would rather die than surrender.

I would rather play tennis than swim.

==would prefer to do……than do

==would prefer doing……to doing

Eg.: He would prefer to die than surrender.

He would prefer dying to surrendering.

would rather: sooner + that从句 (过去式)

Eg: I would rather that you were not here. 我宁愿你不在这儿。

Eg: I would rather that I didn't see you. 我宁愿没见到你。

life work 毕生的事业

Eg.: I want to have the tree cut down.

Six hundred years ago...

a band of…… 一伙…………

settled near Florence 定居在Florence附近

make a name for himself ===become famous

Eg.: They soon made quite a name for themselves as pop singers.

come to / get to 渐渐的

come to be known 渐渐的被人所熟知

Eg.: I come to be known to my students.

I got to know him.

whenever 无论什么时候

at war 交战 at war with 与……交战

hire 表示出租

who指代 prince

he demanded: Hawkwood demanded

in times of peace 在和平期间

in times of……在……期间

march into 大踏步行军

would offer to do=== would promise to do

burn down烧毁/ burn up烧光 / burn out 烧空

Eg.: the house was burned out only...

in spite of this 尽管如此

give sb. a state funeral 给某人举行国葬