Unit 6
Part One
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 hou. 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 veral inches long that warn, among other things, that you might — surpri! — fall off. The label on a child's Batman cape cautions that the toy "does not enable ur 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 llers from liability if a customer is injured. About 50 percent of the companies lo 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 cas where a warning label probably wouldn't have changed anything. In May, Julie Nimmons, president of Schutt 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 tho kinds of injuries," says Nimmons. The jury agreed that the nature of the game, not the helmet, was the reason for the athlete's injury. At the same time, the American Law Institute — a group of judges, lawyers, and academics who 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 a of trivialities," says a law professor at Cornell Law School w
ho 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.
1. 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 promid.
2. 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 u of labels to avoid legal liability
[D] feel obliged to view customers' safety as their first concern
3. The ca 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 lo popularity with athletes
4. The author's attitude towards the issue ems to be ________.
[A] biad [B] indifferent [C] puzzling [D] objective
Unit 6 （1999） Part 1
重点词汇：
1. compensate（补偿，赔偿）看作com+pens+ate，com-前缀“⼀起”，pens钢笔，-ate动词后缀，“把钢笔全都给你”→赔偿；名词形式为compensation?←com+pens+ation名词后缀。misfortune（不幸；灾难）←mis+fortune，mis-否定前
缀，fortune（运⽓；财产）No misfortune can be as great as the loss of time.再⼤的不幸也⽐不上时间的损失。
2. anticipate（预料，期望）即anti+cip+ate，anti-前缀“先前的”（如antique→anti+que后缀→古⽼的；古玩），cip词根“抓”，-ate动词后缀，于是“在事情发⽣之前就在脑⼦⾥将其抓住”→预料。
3. stepladder（⼀种通常在顶端有个⼩平台的活动梯⼦）←step台阶+ladder梯⼦。
4. interaction （互相作⽤）←inter互相+act作⽤+ion名词后缀。It is the interaction of his personality and period that results in the formation of a compor's style.作曲家风格的形成，是其个性与时代相互作⽤的结果。
5. regulation（调整；校准；规章）即regul+ation，regul词根“规则”=rule（如regular→定期的；规则的），-ation名词后缀；动词形式为regulate（调整；校准；管制）←regul+ate。
6. defendant （辩护的；被告）←defend（防卫；辩护）+ant后缀。
7. guideline （指导⽅针）←guide+line。
8. tort ?（民事侵权⾏为）与torture（v.n.折磨；拷问）⼀起记，“折磨拷问别⼈是⼀种民事侵权⾏为”。
9. bombard（v.炮轰，攻击）为象声词。
10. triviality ?（琐事）←trivial琐碎的+ity名词后缀。In important matters, we expo our best sides; in trivial matter, we disclo ourlves as we really are.我们在重要的事件中显⽰⾃⼰的⽅⾯，在⽆关紧要的⼩事中露出⾃⼰的本来⾯⽬。
11. mention（v.n.提及）One measure of friendship consists not in the number of things friends can discuss, but in the number of things they need no longer mention.友谊的尺度之⼀不在于朋友们可以讨论的事情的数量，⽽在于他们⽆须再提及的事情的数量。
12. oblige（v.迫使，责成）。My ideal of a picture is that every Part of it should oblige the looker-on who has any real n for a whole to e the rest.我理想中的画是这样的：它的每个部分都会促使具有任何真正整体感的观者去看其余的部分。13. indifferent （冷漠的；不积极的）即in+different，in-否定前缀，different不同，“⽆论怎样都感觉不到什么不同”→漠不关⼼的。T
14. objective （客观的；⽬标）去e加-ity即为objectivity（客观性）。
难句解析：
① 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 llers from liability if a customer is injured.
在这个主从复合句中，前⼀个分句是由while引导的让步从句，这个从句由两个并列句组成，中间⽤and连接。破折号之间的部分是举例说明warnings的内容，and后⾯的many省略了warnings，state与f
ederal共⽤regulations。主句部分本⾝也是⼀个主从复合句，主句⽤了⼀个形式主语it，真正的主语是that引导的从句，注意这个从句中有个动词短语 ，后⾯是⼀个if引导的条件从句。
⾸先要把握这个句⼦的主旨，那就是主句中所阐明的warnings对manufacturers and llers的保护作⽤还很不明朗。注意破折号之间的部分对warnings的解释作⽤以及it作为形式主语的替代作⽤。
② As personal injury claims continue as before, some courts are beginning to side with defendants, especially in cas where a warning label probably wouldn't have changed anything.扁桃体发炎吃什么食物好
在这个主从复合句中，前⼀个分句是由as引导的伴随状语从句，注意这⾥的claims是个名词；主句的时态⽤的是现在进⾏时，表⽰的这种状况正在开始。这个主句有⼀个较长的状语短语，原因是cas后⾯跟了⼀个where引导的定语从句修饰cas，这个定语从句的主⼲是warning label not change anything，解释的是什么样的cas。
主句依然是抓住句⼦⼤意的关键，该句所要表达的就是some courts beginning to side with defendants，再者要注意cas后⾯定语从句指出了哪类cas尤为如此。
③ In May, Julie Nimmons, president of Schutt Sports in Illinois, successfully fought a lawsuit involving a football player who was paralyzed in a game while wearing a Schutt helmet.
这个句⼦的主⼲是... successfully fought 。句⼦的主语是Julie Nimmons，后⾯逗号之间的部分是她的职位，宾语部分a lawsuit有⼀个较长的动词现在分词involving所引导的短语，involving的宾语是a football player，后⾯跟了⼀
个who引导的定语从句，这个定语从句中有⼀个while引导的时间状语，还原成句⼦就是while he was wearing a Schutt helmet。找出其中的关键部分：... president successfully fought a lawsuit involving a while wearing a Schutt helmet。
④ At the same time, the American Law Institute — a group of judges, lawyers, and academics who 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.江西大学排名
空气炸锅做带鱼这个看起来很长的句⼦其实是⼀个简单句，主⼲是... issued new guidelines for 。其中破折号之间的内容说明的是这个Institute的⼈员构成，并且⽤⼀个who引导的定语从句说明了这些成员的权威。law后⾯跟的现在分词stating有⼀个相当长的宾语从句，这个从句的主语是companies，⽽谓语有两个动词结构，⼀个是 of...，另⼀个是 ，叙述了guidelines的内容。
这个句⼦的要点是在stating后⾯的that从句，对其中两个动词结构 of...和 的正确理解决定了对整个句⼦的理解。
⑤ 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.
在这个复合句中，if引导的是⼀个条件从句，主句部分的谓语⽤了被动形式，谓语动词provide for有两个宾语，⼀个是the benefits of customers，另⼀个是protection against legal liability，not决定了两者的取舍关系：取前者，舍后者。
从句给出了前提条件，注意has its way的意思是can be achieved；理解主句部分的关键在于provide for的两个宾语的取舍关系。
分裂生殖试题解析：
1. 【正确答案】 [B]
意为：受伤的顾客可望得到法律制度的保护。第⼀段指出，外⾯是个危险的世界，如果你⾛出去，可能会滑倒在门垫上，摔伤⼀条腿；如果点燃炉灶，可能烧毁整栋房屋。可幸的是，如果门垫或炉灶没有警告你可能发⽣的危害，你可以就⾃⼰所受的伤害诉诸法律，成功地获得赔偿。或者，更确切地说，
⾃80年代初以来⼈们⼀直这样认为，从那时起，陪审团开始认为更多的公司应该对其顾客遭受的不幸负责。
四季豆焖面 第⼆段提到，为了保护⾃⼰，公司开始撰写冗长的标签，但是，正如第三段第⼆句所指出的那样，这种做法⽆济于事，因为，如果顾客与公司对簿公堂，⼤约⼀半的情况是公司败诉。然⽽，第四段第⼀句指出，这种潮流似乎正发⽣逆转。
A意为：顾客可以通过诉讼免除⾃⼰的灾难。relieve sb. of sth.意为“免除某⼈某事；解除某⼈某事；使某⼈摆脱某事”。relieve的意思与原⽂表达的内容不相符，根据对选择项B的分析，顾客通过法律获得的是对损失的赔偿。C意为：公司将会通过提供新的警⽰标签避免被起诉。该选择项有两处主要错误：⼀是avoid的使⽤，⼆是new的使⽤，这两个词的使⽤使C与原⽂表达的内容很不⼀致。D意为：陪审团倾向于对公司所的赔偿严加挑剔。
琦珂银饰
2. 【正确答案】[C]
意为：充分利⽤标签避免法律责任。第⼆段指出，公司感到很⼤威胁，它们通过撰写⽐以前更长的警⽰标签保护⾃⼰，企图预料各种可能发⽣的事故。结果，现在的梯⼦上的标签有⼏英⼨长，除了警告你其他可能发⽣的意外之外，还警告说你可能摔下来——这种警告真是莫名其妙！孩⼦的蝙蝠侠玩具的⽃篷上也警告说：本玩具“并不能使拥有者飞⾏”。在作者看来，这样的警⽰语都是多余的、不必要
的。
A意为：通过在产品上写长长的警⽰语满⾜顾客。根据上⽂对选择项C的分析，他们这样做的⽬的主要是避免承担责任，⽽不是满⾜顾客的需要。B意为：在描述⾃⼰的产品的不⾜上表现得更诚实。D意为：不得不将顾客的安全看作头等重要的事。
梦见好朋友去世3. 【正确答案】[A]
意为：某些因伤害提出的索赔再也受不到法律的保护了。第三段指出，潮流似乎正发⽣逆转，虽然因⼈⾝伤害引起的索赔案像以往⼀样不断出现，某些法庭正逐渐开始站到被告⼀边（side with），特别是在有警⽰标签也可能⽆济于事的案件中。在Schutt Sports的案件中，Schutt Sports公司被告⽣产了不安全的头盔，造成⼀名橄揽球队员（football player）的瘫痪，但是，陪审团认为，造成球员受伤的不是头盔，⽽是橄榄球这种运动本⾝的危险性（the nature of the game）。公司因此胜诉。这⼀例⼦⽤于说明第四段第⼀、⼆句提到的现象。
B意为：头盔不是设计来防⽌损伤的。戴头盔的⽬的当然是防⽌伤害，但是，头盔不可能是万能的。C意为：产品标签最终将会被淘汰。discard意为：弃⽽不⽤。D意为：运动员可能不再会热衷于某些体育运动项⽬。
4. 【正确答案】 [D]
意为：客观的。这⾥所说的“问题”指索赔案中孰是孰⾮这⼀问题。⽂章探讨了索赔案所涉及的顾客（原告）、公司（被告）和陪审团三⽅的反应，重点指出陪审团态度的转变。⽂章叙述客观，作者没有表达个⼈观点。
A意为：有偏见的。B意为：冷漠的。C意为：迷惑不解的。
全⽂翻译：
外⾯是⼀个危险的世界。如果你⾛出去，可能会滑倒在门垫上，摔伤⼀条腿。如果你点燃炉灶，可能会把房⼦烧掉。但是假如门垫或炉灶上没有警⽰语告诉你可能发⽣的危害，那么你或许可以就⾃⼰所受的伤害通过法律诉讼，成功地获得赔偿。⼤约⾃80年代初以来⼈们就不再（guangxian注：此处“不再”⼆字应删除！）这样认为了，当时陪审团已开始认为更多的公司应对其顾客所遭受的不幸负责。
公司因此感到了威胁，便做出了反应，写出越来越长的警⽰标识语，⼒图预先标明种种可能发⽣的事故。现在，梯⼦上警告标签有⼏英⼨长，除了警告你其他可能发⽣的意外情况外，还警告你可能会摔下来，简直是莫名其妙！印在⼉童蝙蝠侠披风上的标识语竟然也告诫说，本玩具“⽆法让⽤户飞⾏”。
给女儿的一封信
虽然警⽰语常常是合理⽽必要的，如对药物副作⽤⽽产⽣的危险的警⽰语，并且很多是州或联邦法规所要求的，但是当消费者受伤，这些警⽰语能否真正保护制造商和销售商使之免于责任，这还很难说。被受伤的消费者告上法庭的公司中，⼤约⼀半的情况是公司败诉。
现在看来这种趋势正在转变。尽管个⼈伤害的指控⼀如既往地继续着，但有些法庭已开始站到被告⼀⽅，特别是在处理那些有警⽰语也⽆法避免伤害的案件时。五⽉份，伊利诺斯州的Shutt体育公司总裁朱利?尼蒙斯就成功地打赢了这样⼀场官司。⼀名橄榄球队员戴着该公司的头盔在⼀场⽐赛中受伤瘫痪，遂将该公司告上法庭。公司总裁朱利?尼蒙斯说：“他成了瘫痪，我们⾮常难过，但头盔的设计不是为了预防这类伤害的。”陪审团也认为造成该运动员受伤的是这项运动本⾝的危险性，⽽不是头盔。与此同时，美国法学会——该学会由⼀群举⾜轻重的法官、律师、学者所组成——签署了新的民事侵害法纲要，宣布公司不必警⽰顾客那些显⽽易见的危险，或者给顾客列出⼀份冗长的可能造成的危险的清单。康奈尔⼤学法学院⼀位参与起草新纲要的教授说，“重要的信息会淹没在细枝末节的汪洋之中”。如果该法律团体的这⼀适中的⽬的能够实现，产品上提供的警⽰信息实际上是⽤来保护消费者利益的，⽽不是为了避免公司承担法律责任的。
