passage1?

注解：標(biāo)題為紅色，翻譯為藍(lán)色，分析為綠色。

? ? ?? ?It's a rough world out there. Step outside and you could break a leg slipping on your doormat. Light up the stove and you could burn down the house. Luckily, if the doormat or stove failed to warn of coming disaster,a successful lawsuit might compensate you for your troubles. Or so the thinking has gone since the early 1980s, when juries began holding more companies liable for their customers' misfortunes.

? ? ? Feeling threatened, companies responded by writing ever longer warning labels, trying to anticipate every possible accident. Today, stepladders carry labels several inches long that warn, among other things, that you might——surprise!——fall off. The label on a child's Batman cape cautions that the toy "does not enable user to fly".

? ? ??While warnings are often appropriate and necessary-the dangers of drug interactions, for example-and many are required by state or federal regulations, it isn't clear that they actually protect the manufacturers and sellers from liability if a customer is injured. About 50 percent of the companies lose when injured customers take them to court.

? ? ??Now the tide appears to be turning. As personal injury claims continue as before, some courts are beginning to side with defendants, especially in cases where a warning label probably wouldn't have changed anything. In May, Julie Nimmons, president of Schut Sports in Illinois, successfully fought a lawsuit involving a football player who was paralyzed in a game while wearing a Schutt helmet."We' re really sorry he has become paralyzed, but helmets aren't designed to prevent those kinds of injuries,"says Nimmons. The jury agreed that the nature of the game, notthe helmet, was the reason for the athlete's injury. At the same time, the American Law Institute-a group of judges, lawyers, and academics whose recommendations carry substantial weight-issued new guidelines for tort law stating that companies need not warn customers of obvious dangers or bombard them with a lengthy list of possible ones."Important information can get buried in a sea of trivialities,"says a law professor at Cornell Law School who helped draft the new guidelines. If the moderate end of the legal community has its way, the information on products might actually be provided for the benefit of customers and not as protection against legal liability.

【

If the moderate end of the legal community has its way,如果法律界的溫和派占上風(fēng)

句首是一個(gè)由if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語(yǔ)從句。end在口語(yǔ)中意為“部分；方面”。to have one's way意為“得逞，占上風(fēng),?為所欲為，不顧反對(duì)意見”。比如：I will never allow him to have his way. 我決不會(huì)讓他得逞。

】

一、文章結(jié)構(gòu)分析

? ? ? ?這是一篇法律題材的文章。它客觀敘述了人身傷害索賠的來(lái)由、發(fā)展和變化，以及索賠案所涉及的消費(fèi)者（原告）、公司（被告）和法庭三方面的反應(yīng)，著重指出法庭態(tài)度的轉(zhuǎn)變。

? ? ? ?第一段至第三段：介紹過(guò)去人身傷害索賠案的特點(diǎn)。由于法庭總是傾向于讓公司負(fù)責(zé)，公司開始寫出冗長(zhǎng)的警示語(yǔ)來(lái)避免承擔(dān)法律責(zé)任。但即使這樣也不能保護(hù)它們免受制裁。該部分使用了例證法。

? ? ? ?第四段：指出現(xiàn)在情況發(fā)生了變化，一些法庭開始站到公司（被告）一邊，同時(shí)警示語(yǔ)開始真正起到保護(hù)消費(fèi)者利益的作用。該部分使用了例證和引證說(shuō)明。

11.What were things like in 1980s when accidents happened?

[A] Customers might be relieved of their disasters through lawsuits.

[B] Injured customers could expect protection from the legal system.

[C] Companies would avoid being sued by providing new warnings.

[D] Juries tended to find fault with the compensations companies promised.

11.在20世紀(jì)80年代當(dāng)發(fā)生事故時(shí)，情況會(huì)如何？

[A]顧客可以通過(guò)訴訟而免受災(zāi)難。

[B]受傷的顧客有望得到法律體制的保護(hù)。

[C]公司將通過(guò)提供新的警示語(yǔ)避免被起訴。

[D]陪審團(tuán)傾向于對(duì)公司所承諾的賠償嚴(yán)加挑剔。

【

對(duì)于A選項(xiàng)。Luckily, if the doormat or stove failed to warn of coming disaster,a successful lawsuit might compensate you for your troubles.幸運(yùn)的是，如果門墊或爐子沒有警告即將到來(lái)的災(zāi)難，一場(chǎng)成功的訴訟可能會(huì)補(bǔ)償你的麻煩。文章是會(huì)通過(guò)訴訟獲得補(bǔ)償，而不是免受災(zāi)難。故A選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤。

對(duì)于B選項(xiàng)。Luckily, if the doormat or stove failed to warn of coming disaster,a successful lawsuit might compensate you for your troubles.幸運(yùn)的是，如果門墊或爐子沒有警告即將到來(lái)的災(zāi)難，一場(chǎng)成功的訴訟可能會(huì)補(bǔ)償你的麻煩。表述的確實(shí)是受傷的顧客需要得到法律體制的保護(hù)。故B選項(xiàng)正確。

對(duì)于C選項(xiàng)。第三段，While warnings are often appropriate and necessary-the dangers of drug interactions, for example-and many are required by state or federal regulations,?it isn't clear that they actually protect the manufacturers and sellers from liability if a customer is injured.例如，盡管藥物相互作用的危險(xiǎn)警告通常是適當(dāng)和必要的，而且許多警告是州或聯(lián)邦法規(guī)要求的，但尚不清楚它們是否真的能保護(hù)制造商和銷售商在客戶受傷時(shí)免于承擔(dān)責(zé)任。文章中表述的是并不清楚它們是否真的能保護(hù)免于承擔(dān)責(zé)任。而選項(xiàng)是避免被起訴。故C選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤。

對(duì)于D選項(xiàng)。第一段的最后一句Or so the thinking has gone since the early 1980s, when juries began holding more companies liable for their customers' misfortunes.自20世紀(jì)80年代初以來(lái)，這種想法就一直存在，當(dāng)時(shí)陪審團(tuán)開始讓更多的公司為客戶的不幸承擔(dān)責(zé)任。文章中表述的是陪審團(tuán)開始讓更多的公司為客戶的不幸承擔(dān)責(zé)任。并沒有對(duì)公司所承諾的賠償嚴(yán)加挑剔。故D選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤。

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12.Manufacturers as mentioned in the passage tend to.

[A]satisfy customers by writing long warnings on products

[B]become honest in describing the inadequacies of their products

[C]make the best use of labels to avoid legal liability

[D]feel obliged to view customers'?safety as their first concern

12.文中提及生產(chǎn)廠商往往。

[A]通過(guò)在產(chǎn)品上寫長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的警示語(yǔ)使顧客滿意

[B]誠(chéng)實(shí)描述自己產(chǎn)品不足

[C]充分利用標(biāo)簽避免法律責(zé)任

[D]不得不視顧客的安全為自己的第一考慮

【

提到Manufacturer的段落只有第三段。While warnings are often appropriate and necessary-the dangers of drug interactions, for example-and many are required by state or federal regulations, it isn't clear that they actually protect the manufacturers and sellers from liability if a customer is injured. About 50 percent of the companies lose when injured customers take them to court.例如，盡管藥物相互作用的危險(xiǎn)警告通常是適當(dāng)和必要的，而且許多警告是州或聯(lián)邦法規(guī)要求的，但尚不清楚它們是否真的能保護(hù)制造商和銷售商在客戶受傷時(shí)免于承擔(dān)責(zé)任。當(dāng)受傷的客戶將他們告上法庭時(shí)，大約50%的公司會(huì)敗訴。文章中本段描述的是制造商和銷售商充分利用標(biāo)簽避免法律責(zé)任。故C選項(xiàng)正確。

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13.The case of Schutt helmet demonstrated that.

[A] some injury claims were no longer supported by law

[B] helmets were not designed to prevent injuries

[C] product labels would eventually be discarded

[D]some sports games might lose popularity with athletes

13.Schutt頭盔的案例說(shuō)明。

[A]某些因?yàn)閭μ岢龅乃髻r不再受法律的保護(hù)

[B]頭盔不是被設(shè)計(jì)用來(lái)防止傷害的

[C]產(chǎn)品標(biāo)簽最終將被淘汰

[D]運(yùn)動(dòng)員可能不再熱衷于某些體育運(yùn)動(dòng)項(xiàng)目

【

提到Schutt的段落只有第四段。In May, Julie Nimmons, president of Schut Sports in Illinois, successfully fought a lawsuit involving a football player who was paralyzed in a game while wearing a Schutt helmet.今年5月，伊利諾伊州舒特體育公司總裁Julie Nimmons成功地與一名足球運(yùn)動(dòng)員打了官司，該足球運(yùn)動(dòng)員在一場(chǎng)比賽中戴著舒特頭盔癱瘓。?The jury agreed that the nature of the game, notthe helmet, was the reason for the athlete's injury.陪審團(tuán)一致認(rèn)為，造成運(yùn)動(dòng)員受傷的原因是比賽的性質(zhì)，而不是頭盔。故陪審團(tuán)認(rèn)為這類傷害提出的訴訟，不應(yīng)該受到法律的保護(hù)。運(yùn)動(dòng)員受傷的原因是比賽的性質(zhì)，而不是產(chǎn)生本身。

故A選項(xiàng)正確。

對(duì)于B選項(xiàng)。頭盔本身就是被設(shè)計(jì)用來(lái)防止傷害的，但是原文表述的不是來(lái)用來(lái)防止比賽的性質(zhì)本身就具有很大的危險(xiǎn)性而帶來(lái)的傷害。故B選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤。

對(duì)于C選項(xiàng)。that companies need not warn customers of obvious dangers or bombard them with a lengthy list of possible ones."Important information can get buried in a sea of trivialities,"公司不需要警告客戶明顯的危險(xiǎn)，也不需要用一長(zhǎng)串可能的危險(xiǎn)來(lái)轟炸他們。“重要信息可能會(huì)被淹沒在瑣碎的海洋中，”.原文是說(shuō)不需要寫太長(zhǎng)一串標(biāo)簽，應(yīng)該寫的簡(jiǎn)潔突出重點(diǎn)即可，這樣會(huì)使重要信息就不會(huì)被淹沒在瑣碎的海洋中。而不是將標(biāo)簽徹底淘汰或者廢除。故C選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤。

對(duì)于D選項(xiàng)。文章的表述是這個(gè)運(yùn)動(dòng)員已經(jīng)癱瘓了，是身體不行的原因?qū)е虏荒茉俳佑|某些體育運(yùn)動(dòng)項(xiàng)目。而不是心理不行的原因?qū)е?span id="s0sssss00s" class="color-green-03">不能再接觸某些體育運(yùn)動(dòng)項(xiàng)目。而熱衷這個(gè)詞就是心理原因的層面。故D選項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤。而且選項(xiàng)表述的是所有戴這個(gè)頭盔的運(yùn)動(dòng)員，而沒有指這個(gè)癱瘓的運(yùn)動(dòng)員。

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14.The authors attitude towards the issue seems to be.

[A]biased

[B]indifferent

[C]puzzling

[D]objective

14.作者對(duì)所討論的問題的態(tài)度似乎是。

[A]有偏見的

[B]冷漠的

[C]迷惑不解的

[D]客觀的

【

根據(jù)原文，作者是客觀的闡述索賠案的原由，發(fā)展和結(jié)果，并未摻雜個(gè)人情緒和個(gè)人主觀判斷的觀點(diǎn)。也并未偏向與消費(fèi)者或者公司的一方，也并沒表示結(jié)果的漠不關(guān)心。故D選項(xiàng)正確。

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二、核心詞匯與超綱詞匯

核心詞匯

①anticipate?

vt.

*1.預(yù)期，預(yù)料例：anticipated the hard winter ahead 預(yù)見料到前面的嚴(yán)冬

2.期盼，期待（尤指好事）例：Ianticipated the interview with pleasure.我愉快地期待著這次會(huì)見。

3.早于（別人）采取行動(dòng)，搶先一步，先于……之前（做）例：When I arrived，I found that he had anticipated me.當(dāng)我到達(dá)時(shí)我發(fā)現(xiàn)他已先到過(guò)那里。

②cape?

n.[C]

*1.斗篷，披風(fēng)，披肩

2.（常用于地理名稱）海角；例：the Cape of Good Hope好望角

③have/get/follow one’s（own）way一意孤行，為所欲為，隨心所欲例：Since he insists，I let him have his way.既然他堅(jiān)持，我就由著他。

④liable adj.

*1.（法律上）有賠償責(zé)任的（后跟介詞for）例：Manufacturers are liable for any defects in the equipment.制造商對(duì)設(shè)備的任何缺陷都負(fù)有賠償責(zé)任。

2.易于（可能，傾向于）做某事（尤指不幸的事情）例：In a depression banks are liable to fail.蕭條時(shí)期銀行往往倒閉。

3.易出問題的，易得病的；可能受（尤指結(jié)果不好的事情）影響（后跟介詞to）

例：liable to diabetes 易患糖尿病的；liability n.（法律上對(duì)某事物的賠償?shù)龋┴?zé)任，義務(wù)；負(fù)債，債務(wù)；受某物影響的傾向（尤指不好的事物）

⑤moderate a.

1.中等的，適度的例：a moderate sized garden中型花園

2.（尤指政治觀點(diǎn)、信仰等）不極端的，溫和的，不偏激的*

3.有節(jié)制的，不過(guò)分的，合理的例：moderate wage demands合理的工資要求

vi.&vt.

（使）緩和，（使）減輕，節(jié)制，克制

例：The students moderated their demands.學(xué)生們降低了他們的要求。

⑥side with sb（against sb/sth）支持某人（反對(duì)…），和某人站在一起（反對(duì)…）

例：The kids always sided with their mother against me.孩子們總是和媽媽站在一邊，跟我唱對(duì)臺(tái)戲。

⑦slip vi.

*1.滑；滑倒，失足

2.to move quickly，smoothly，or secretly 迅速移動(dòng)；悄悄溜走（常跟介詞或副詞使用）

例：Nobody saw her slip silently out.沒有人看到她悄悄地溜了出去。

vt.把……悄悄放在或遞給……

例：I slipped a note into his hand under the table.我偷偷從桌子底下塞給他一張條子。

n.[C]

1.滑動(dòng)；滑倒

2.小紙片，紙條

3.a small mistake小錯(cuò)誤

例：a slip of the tongue/pen 口誤/筆誤

⑧weight n.

1.[U，C]重量，分量

2.a great responsibility or worry重任，重?fù)?dān)，重壓

例：The news was certainly a weight off my mind.這個(gè)消息真是去掉了我心里的重?fù)?dān)。

*3.[U]importance，influence or strength重要性，影響力，實(shí)力

例：The many letter of support added weight to the campaign.許多聲援信增加了這場(chǎng)運(yùn)動(dòng)的影響力。

超綱詞匯：

tort n.民事侵權(quán)行為；tort law侵權(quán)法；

bombard v.轟炸，轟擊；大量提問，大肆抨擊，提供過(guò)多信息

三、閱讀答案：B C A D

四、全文翻譯：

? ? ? 外面是一個(gè)危險(xiǎn)的世界。邁出家門時(shí)，你可能會(huì)滑倒在門墊上，而摔傷一條腿。點(diǎn)燃爐灶時(shí)，你可能會(huì)把房子燒掉。不過(guò)還算幸運(yùn)的是，如果門墊或爐灶上沒有警示語(yǔ)提醒你可能發(fā)生的危險(xiǎn)，那么一場(chǎng)成功的訴訟或許可以補(bǔ)償你所受的傷害。這種想法大約自20世紀(jì)80年代初開始傳播，那時(shí)陪審團(tuán)開始認(rèn)為更多的公司應(yīng)對(duì)其客戶所遭受的不幸負(fù)責(zé)。

? ? ? ?由于感到了威脅，公司方面做出了反應(yīng)：寫出越來(lái)越長(zhǎng)的警示語(yǔ)，力圖預(yù)先標(biāo)明種種可能發(fā)生的事故。如今，活梯上貼著幾英寸長(zhǎng)的警告標(biāo)簽，除了其他警告事項(xiàng)外，還警告你可能會(huì)摔下來(lái)，簡(jiǎn)直是莫名其妙！貼在兒童的蝙蝠俠披風(fēng)上的標(biāo)簽也告誡說(shuō)，本玩具“無(wú)法讓用戶飛行”。

? ? ? ? 雖然警示語(yǔ)常常是合理而必要的（如警告藥物有相互作用的危險(xiǎn)），并且很多是州或聯(lián)邦法規(guī)所要求的，但是當(dāng)消費(fèi)者受傷時(shí)，這些警示語(yǔ)能否真正保護(hù)制造商和銷售商使之免于承擔(dān)責(zé)任，卻還很難說(shuō)。被受傷的消費(fèi)者告上法庭的公司中，大約一半會(huì)敗訴。

? ? ? ? ?現(xiàn)在這種趨勢(shì)似乎正在轉(zhuǎn)變。盡管個(gè)人傷害索賠案件如以往一樣不斷發(fā)生，但有些法庭已開始站到被告一方，特別是在處理那些有警告標(biāo)簽也可能無(wú)法避免傷害的案件時(shí)。五月份，伊利諾斯州的Schutt體育公司總裁朱利·尼蒙斯就成功地打贏了這樣一場(chǎng)官司。一名橄欖球隊(duì)員戴著該公司的頭盔在一場(chǎng)比賽中受傷癱瘓，遂將該公司告上法庭。尼蒙斯說(shuō)：“他成了癱瘓，我們非常難過(guò)，但我們?cè)O(shè)計(jì)頭盔不是為了預(yù)防這類傷害的。”陪審團(tuán)也認(rèn)為造成該運(yùn)動(dòng)員受傷的是這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)本身的危險(xiǎn)性，而不是頭盔。與此同時(shí)，美國(guó)法學(xué)會(huì)一—一群說(shuō)話舉足輕重的法官、律師、學(xué)者——發(fā)布了新的侵權(quán)法指導(dǎo)原則，宣布公司不必警示顧客那些顯而易見的危險(xiǎn)，或者給顧客列出一份冗長(zhǎng)的可能遇到的危險(xiǎn)的清單?？的螤柎髮W(xué)法學(xué)院一位參與起草新指導(dǎo)原則的教授說(shuō)，“重要的信息會(huì)淹沒在細(xì)枝末節(jié)的汪洋之中”。如果該法律團(tuán)體的這一適中的目標(biāo)能夠?qū)崿F(xiàn)，產(chǎn)品上提供的警示信息就不再是為回避法律責(zé)任而設(shè)，而是為保護(hù)消費(fèi)者利益而提供了。

五.地毯式總結(jié)

It's a rough world out there.? 外面的世界很艱難。

Step outside and you could break a leg slipping on your doormat. 走到外面，你可能會(huì)在門墊上摔斷一條腿。

Light up the stove and you could burn down the house. 點(diǎn)燃爐子，你就可以把房子燒了。

if the doormat or stove failed to warn of coming disaster ,a successful lawsuit might compensate you for your troubles 如果門墊或火爐沒有警告即將到來(lái)的災(zāi)難，一場(chǎng)成功的訴訟可能會(huì)補(bǔ)償你遇到的這些麻煩

hold 認(rèn)為,持有...觀點(diǎn)

stepladder 階梯

several inche 幾英寸

a child's Batman cape caution 兒童蝙蝠俠斗篷警告語(yǔ)

the toy 玩具

appropriate and necessary 適當(dāng)和必要

the dangers of drug interaction 藥物相互作用的危險(xiǎn)

state or federal regulation 州或聯(lián)邦法規(guī)

take them to court 把他們告上法庭

side with defendants 站在被告一邊

Schutt helmet 舒特頭盔

The jury agreed that the nature of the game 陪審團(tuán)認(rèn)為游戲的本身(的原因)

the American Law Institute-a group of judges, lawyers, and academics whose recommendations carry substantial weight-issued new guidelines for tort law stating that companies need not warn customers of obvious dangers or bombard them with a lengthy list of possible ones."由法官、律師和學(xué)者組成的美國(guó)法律研究所發(fā)布了新的侵權(quán)法指南，指出公司不必警告客戶明顯的危險(xiǎn)，也不必用一長(zhǎng)串可能的危險(xiǎn)轟炸他們。"

Important information can get buried in a sea of trivialities 重要信息可能被淹沒在瑣碎的海洋中

draft the new guidelines 起草新的指導(dǎo)方針

If the moderate end of the legal community has its way 如果法律界的溫和派占上風(fēng)

has its way 得逞，占上風(fēng),?為所欲為，不顧反對(duì)意見