精选新概念必背优秀文章36篇沪江论坛风中劲草

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1、精选新概念必背优秀文章36篇沪江论坛风中劲草整理制作新概念三Lesson14Anoblegangster貴族歹徒TherewasatimewhentheownersofshopsandbusinessesinChicagohadtopaylargesumsofmoneytogangstersinreturnfor'protection.'Ifthemoneywasnotpaidpromptly,thegangsterswouldquicklyputamanoutofbusinessbydestroyinghisshop.Obtaining'protectionmoney

2、'isnotamoderncrime.Aslongagoasthefourteenthcentury,anEnglishman,SirJohnHawkwood,madetheremarkablediscoverythatpeoplewouldratherpaylargesumsofmoneythanhavetheirlifeworkdestroyedbygangsters.Sixhundredyearsago,SirJohanHawkwoodarrivedinItalywithabandofsoldiersandsettlednearFlorence.Hesoonmad

3、eanameforhimselfandcametobeknowntotheItaliansasGiovanniAcuto.WhenevertheItaliancity-stateswereatwarwitheachother,Hawkwoodusedtohirehissoldierstoprinceswhowerewillingtopaythehighpricehedemanded.Intimesofpeace,whenbusinesswasbad,Hawkwoodandhismenwouldmarchintoacity-stateand,afterburningdow

4、nafewfarms,wouldoffertogoawayifprotectionmoneywaspaidtothem.Hawkwoodmadelargesumsofmoneyinthisway.Inspiteofthis,theItaliansregardedhimasasortofhero.Whenhediedattheageofeighty,theFlorentinesgavehimastatefuneralandhadapicturedpaintedwhichwasdedicatedtothememoryof'themostvaliantsoldierandmo

5、stnotableleader,SignorGiovanniHaukodue.'曾經有一個時期,芝加哥的店主和商行的老闆們不得不拿出大筆的錢給歹徒以換取"保護"。如果交款不及時,歹徒們就會很快搗毀他的商店,讓他破産.榨取"保護金"幷不是一種現代的罪惡行徑.早在14世紀,英國人約翰.霍克伍德就有過非凡的發現:"人們情願拿出大筆的錢,也不願畢生的心血毀于歹徒之手.600年前,約翰.霍克伍德爵士帶著一隊士兵來到意大利,在佛羅倫薩附近駐扎下來,很快就出了名.意大利人叫他喬凡尼.阿庫托.每次意大利各城邦之間發生戰爭,霍克伍德把他的士兵雇傭給願給他出高價的君主。和平時期,當生意蕭條

6、時,霍克伍德便帶領士兵進入某個城邦,縱火燒毀一兩個農場,然後提出,如向他們繳納保護金,他們便主動撤離。霍克伍德用這種方法掙了大筆錢.儘管如此,意大利人還是把他視作某種英雄。他80歲那年死去時,佛羅倫薩人爲他舉行了國葬,幷爲他畫像以紀念這位"驍勇無比的戰士、杰出的領袖喬凡尼.阿庫托先生."1精选新概念必背优秀文章36篇沪江论坛风中劲草整理制作Lesson17Thelongestsuspensionbridgeintheworld世界上最長的吊橋Verrazano,anItalianaboutwhomlittleisknown,sailedintoNewYorkHarbou

7、rin1524andnameditAngouleme.Hedescribeditas'averyagreeablesituationlocatedwithintwosmallhillsinthemidstofwhichflowedagreatriver.'ThoughVerrazanoisbynomeansconsideredtobeagreatexplorer,hisnamewillprobablyremainimmortal,foronNovember21st,1964,thelongestsuspensionbridgeinthew