广东省廉江市实验学校人教版高一英语必修4Unit1Readingtask.ppt

* * Elizabeth Fry?(1780 - 1845) Elizabeth Fry was a Quaker (贵格会教徒, 属 于基督教派, 废除礼仪, 反对暴力和战争) who became famous for her work to reform the prison system in Britain in the early nineteenth century. By her example she inspired other women to play a fuller role in society: it was unusual for women to have a voice outside the home. It was also unusual for a Quaker to be so prominent, because at that time the Quaker movement was going through a quietist phase, and was very inward looking. In 1780 Elizabeth Gurney was born in Norwich into a rich Quaker family. Elizabeth was well educated, which was unusual for a girl in those days. She helped her mother when she visited the poor and sick. Later, although Elizabeth had 11 children, she continued to do her charity work. She first visited Newgate Prison in 1813 and was horrified by what she saw. There were over 300 women and children crowded into a very small space. Elizabeth returned with warm clothing and straw for the sick women and children. There were no toilets, just a bucket in the corner, and little drinking water. Children were sent to prison for stealing bread, wool or for damaging trees. Punishments for rich people were very different from those for poor people. In 1817 Elizabeth organised a group to help female prisoners at Newgate prison. She provided items for the women, so they could sew, knit and make goods to sell. She started a prison school for the children to give them something to do. In 1818 Elizabeth was asked to speak to people in Parliament about the prisons. The 1823 Gaol Act was passed by Parliament, and some improvements were made. Elizabeth visited prisons all over Britain and argued for improvements. She wrote a book about prison conditions. She helped improve conditions on prison ships travelling to Australia. Prisoners were no longer chained to the decks during the vo