6.9_Red_light_for_scofflaw.pptVIP

Para. 1 1 Law-and-order is the longest-running and probably the best-loved political issue in U.S. history. Yet it is painfully apparent that millions of Americans who would never think of themselves as law-breakers, let alone criminals, are taking increasing liberties with the legal codes that are designed to protect and nourish their society. Indeed, there are moments today — amid outlaw litter, tax cheating, illicit noise and motorized anarchy — when it seems as though the scofflaw represents the wave of the future. Harvard Sociologist David Riesman suspects that a majority of Americans have blithely taken to committing supposedly minor derelictions as a matter of course. Already, Riesman says, the ethic of U.S. society is in danger of becoming this: Youre a fool if you obey the rules. Notes 1.are taking increasing liberties with the legal codes: are treating legal codes more and more lightly as if they were unimportant take liberties with — treat sth. freely, without strict observance of the fact e.g. You may simplify the allegory, but dont take liberties with the lesson it teaches. 2.the wave of the future: the pattern of behaviour in the future notes have blithely taken to committing supposedly minor derelictions as a matter of course: have happily formed the habit of doing some misdeeds which are supposed to be unimportant, and considered that as something natural take to — begin as a practice or habit e.g. He has taken to early rising since the beginning of the term. 译文 1 遵纪守法是美国历史上最为悠久的政治问题，也可能是人们最喜爱探讨的政治问题。数百万美国人从来不认为自己曾经违法，更不用说犯罪了，这一显而易见的事实令人厌烦心痛。虽然人们制定了法规来保护社会并促进其发展，但是上述美国人却享有了越来越多的自由。事实上，当今社会充斥着非法乱丢垃圾、骗税、非法制造噪音和机动车秩序混乱的现象，以致于藐视法律的行为有时候让人看起来代表了未来发展的潮流。哈佛大学的社会学家戴维·里斯曼察觉到，大部分美国人会草率地认为，触犯一些据称微小的错误是理所当然的事情。他早先说，美国社会的伦理道德正面临着逐渐沦落为“傻子才会遵守规则”这种危险的情况。 Para. 2 2 Nothing could be more obvious than the evidence supporting Riesman. Scofflaws abound in amazing variety. The graffiti-prone turn public surfaces into visual rubbish. Bicyclists often ride a