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考研英语法律类阅读理解及原文翻译

时间: 玉莲2 考研英语

  参加考研英语的考试,试卷上自然会有阅读理解,至于它是关于法律的还是经济的就不得而知了。下面是学习啦小编给大家整理的考研英语法律类阅读理解及原文翻译,供大家参阅!

  考研英语法律类阅读理解及原文翻译:A QUESTION OF PRIVACY

  Behind the brewing war over protecting patients' records in an age of HMOs and online medicine.

  Technology is a two-edged sword. Rarely is this as clear as it is in the r

  ealm of health care. Technology allows doctors to test their patients for genetic defects--and then to turn around and spread the results throughout the world via the Internet. For someone in need of treatment, that's good news. But for someone in search of a job or an insurance policy, the tidings can be all bad.

  Last week President Bill Clinton proposed a corollary to the patients' bill of rights now before Congress: a right to medical privacy. Beginning in 2002, under rules set to become law in February, patients would be able to stipulate the conditions under which their personal medical data could be divulged. They would be able to examine their records and make corrections. They could learn who else had seen the information. Improper use of records by a caregiver or insurer could result in both civil and criminal penalties. The plan was, said Clinton, "an unprecedented step toward putting Americans back in control of their own medical records."

  While the administration billed the rules as an attempt to strike a balance between the needs of consumers and those of the health-care industry, neither doctors nor insurance companies were happy. The doctors said the rules could actually erode privacy, pointing to a provision allowing managed-care plans to use personal information without consent if the purpose was "health-care operations." That, physicians said, was a loophole through which HMOs and other insurers could pry into the doctor-patient relationship, in the name of assessing the quality of care. Meanwhile, the insurers protested that the rules would make them vulnerable to lawsuits. They were especially disturbed by a provision holding them liable for privacy breaches by "business partners" such as lawyers and accountants. Both groups agreed that privacy protections would drive up the cost of health care by at least an additional $3.8 billion, and maybe much more, over the next five years. They also complained about the increased level of federal scrutiny required by the new rules' enforcement provisions.

  One aim of the rules is to reassure patients about confidentiality, thereby encouraging them to be open with their doctors. Today various cancers and sexually transmitted diseases can go untreated because patients are afraid of embarrassment or of losing insurance coverage. The fear is real: Clinton aides noted that a January poll by Princeton Survey Research Associates found that one in six U.S. adults had at some time done something unusual to conceal medical information, such as paying cash for services.

  ~~~~~~~~

  By EVAN THOMAS Newsweek; 11/08/99, Vol. 134 Issue 19, p67, 1/2p, 1c

  注(1):本文选自By EVAN THOMAS Newsweek; 11/08/99, Vol. 134 Issue 19, p67, 1/2p, 1c

  注(2):本文习题命题模仿对象2003年真题text 2

  1.The author begins his article with “technology is a two-edged sword” to _____________.

  [A] show that doctor’s improper use of technology can end up in bad results

  [B] call on people’s attention to the potential danger technology can bring to us

  [C] warn of the harm patients are prone to suffer

  [D] show the advantages and disadvantages of technology

  2.According to the proposal made by President Clinton, patients will be able to do the following EXCEPT _____________.

  [A] enjoy more rights to their medical records

  [B] be open with their doctors

  [C] decide how to use their medical information

  [D] sue their insurers for improper use of their medical records

  3.Doctors tend to think that the rules _____________.

  [A] may ruin doctor-patient relationship

  [B] can do more harm than good

  [C] will prevent doctors from doing medical research

  [D] will end up in more health care cost and poorer medical service

  4.The example of the January poll by Princeton Survey Research Associates is used to show that __________________.

  [A] American patients’ concealment of their medical information has become a big concern

  [B] a large portion of patients would rather leave their diseases untreated

  [C] concealing medical information is widespread in the U.S.

  [D] paying cash for medical service is a common practice among American patients

  5.From the article we can learn that ________________.

  [A] American government will tighten its control over the use of patients’ personal information.

  [B] doctors and insurers are both against the rules for the same reasons

  [C] patients are entitled to have complete control of their medical information

  [D] the new rules put insurers in a very disadvantageous position

  答案:ABBAD

  篇章剖析

  本文主要讲述了病人医疗隐私权立法及其引发的争议,采用的是指出问题---分析问题的模式。作者首先说明了病人医疗隐私泄露可能带来的问题,接着谈了提议中的病人医疗隐私权法案的内容。在第三段作者说明了反对该法案一方的观点。最后一段则强调了新法规的宗旨和不立法可能造成的不良后果。

  词汇注释

  brewing [ `brU:IN ] adj. 酝酿中的;逐渐形成的;即将发生的

  HMO: Health Maintenance Organization 医疗保健机构

  tidings [5taIdINz] n. 消息

  corollary [kE5rRlErI]n. 必然的结果;推论

  stipulate [5stIpjJleIt] v. 规定,保证

  divulge [daI5vQldV]v. 泄露, 暴露

  bill [bIl]v. 宣布,宣告

  managed-care plan: n. 管理式医疗保健计划

  loophole [5lu:phEJl]n. 漏洞

  pry [praI]v. 探查,侦查,窥探

  provision [prE5vIV(E)n]n. 规定

  liable [5laIEb(E)l]adj. 有责任的

  breach [bri:tF]n. 违背;不履行

  难句突破

  1.The doctors said the rules could actually erode privacy, pointing to a provision allowing managed-care plans to use personal information without consent if the purpose was "health-care operations."

  主体句式:The doctors said …

  结构分析:本句中pointing to 这个作伴随状语的分词短语又包含了一个介词without引出的方式状语和由if引导的条件状语从句,使得句子的结构变得较为复杂。

  句子译文:医生认为这些法规实际上是在破坏隐私权,因为其中一条规定允许管理式医疗保健计划(managed-care plan)在“开展医疗保健工作”时可以不经许可使用个人信息。

  题目分析

  1.答案为A,属推理判断题。文章以医生利用先进的互联网技术传播病人医疗信息会有助于治疗某些病人的疾病,但同时又给一些病人在就业和购买保险方面带来困难为例说明保护病人医疗信息的重要性,以及不当使用技术可能带来的不良后果。

  2.答案为B,属事实细节题。”be open with their doctors ”只是这项法规试图达到的效果,并不是该法规赋予病人的权利。因此答案应该是B。

  3.答案为B,属事实细节题。文章引用医生的观点认为新法规不但不利于保护病人的隐私,反而会actually erode privacy,由此可见答案应该是B。

  4.答案为A,属推理判断题。前文讲到了病人因为羞于启齿或者担心失去保险赔付而隐瞒病情,使疾病得不到治疗;然后说The fear is real. 继而引用普利斯顿调查研究协会的调查结果,意在说明这一问题的严重性。

  5.答案为D,属事实细节题。文章中提到保险公司的反对意见时,引用了保险公司的说法:the rules would make them vulnerable to lawsuits.由此可见答案应该是D。A项中提出的政府加强对病人私人信息的控制的说法是不正确的,因为保险公司抗议的是政府要加强对法规实施情况的审查(the increased level of federal scrutiny required by the new rules' enforcement provisions)。

  参考译文:

  一个隐私问题

  在医疗保健机构和在线医疗时代,即将发起的一场保护病人病历的战争背后的故事

  技术是一把双刃剑。这一点在医疗保健领域尤为明显。借助技术,医生可以测试病人的遗传缺陷---并通过互联网很快将结果传遍全世界。对于那些需要治疗的人来说,这是好消息;但对于那些正在找工作,或者想要买一份保险的人来说,这样的消息可能非常糟糕。

  上周比尔·克林顿总统向国会提交了一份病人权利法案的推论:医疗隐私权。从2002年开始,根据2月即将生效的法规,病人将有权规定透露其个人医疗资料的条件。他们可以检查自己的病历并进行更正。他们也可以了解哪些人曾看过他们的信息。医护人员或者保险公司对病历使用不当将会导致民事或者刑事处罚。克林顿说,这一提案“在促使美国人重新获得对自己的病历控制权方面迈出了极其重要的一步。”

  虽然政府称这些法规旨在平衡消费者和医疗保健行业的需求,但医生和保险公司对此都颇有微词。医生认为这些法规实际上是在破坏隐私权,因为其中一条规定允许管理式医疗保健计划(managed-care plan)在“开展医疗保健工作”时可以不经许可使用个人信息。医生们称其为一个漏洞,它使得医疗保健机构(HMO)和其他保险公司可以打着评估医疗保健质量的旗号窥探医患关系。同时,保险公司也对这些法规持反对意见,他们认为这些法规很容易让他们惹上官司。其中一条法规令他们尤为不满,该法规规定:保险公司对律师和会计这样的“商业伙伴”的侵犯隐私行为负责。这两个群体都一致认为,保护隐私会使医疗保健成本增加至少38亿美元,在接下来的五年里也许还会增加更多。根据新法规的执行条例,联邦政府将加大对医疗保健行业的审查力度,他们对此也表示不满。

  新法规的目标之一就是要让病人不再担心自己的隐私被泄漏,从而鼓励他们对医生坦诚相告。今天各种各样的癌症和性病可能会因为病人羞于启齿或者担心失去保险赔付而得不到治疗。这种担心并非无中生有:克林顿的助手补充说,由普林斯顿调查研究协会在一月份进行的一项民意测试显示,在美国,每六个成年人中就有一个曾经做过刻意隐瞒医疗信息的事情,比如用现金支付服务费。

  考研英语法律类阅读理解及原文翻译:WE HAVE TO SACRIFICE

  States offer to pick up the tab for unpaid leave

  When Gina Garro and Brian Duplisea adopted 4-month-old Andres from Colombia last month, they were determined to take time off from work to care for him. S

  ix years ago, after their daughter, Melina, was born, the family scraped by on Duplisea's $36,000 salary as a construction worker so Garro, a special-education teacher, could stay home. Now, since Garro's job furnishes the family health insurance, she'll head back to work this fall while Duplisea juggles diapers and baby bottles. His boss agreed to the time off--but he will have to forgo his $18-an-hour pay. It won't be easy. Though Garro's $40,000 salary will cover their mortgage, the couple will have to freeze their retirement accounts, scale back on Melina's after-school activities--and pray that nothing goes wrong with the car. "It takes away from your cushion and your security," says Garro. "Things will be tight."

  The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act was supposed to help families like Garro's, offering a safety net to employees who want to take time off to nurture newborns, tend to their own major illnesses or care for sick relatives. But while the law guarantees that workers won't lose their jobs, it doesn't cover their paychecks. One survey last year showed that while 24 million Americans had taken leaves since 1999, 2.7 million more wanted to, but couldn't afford it. That may change soon. In response to increasing demands from voters, at least 25 states are now exploring new ways to offer paid leave. One possibility: tapping state disability funds. A handful of states--New York, New Jersey, California, Rhode Island and Hawaii--already dip into disability money to offer partial pay for women on maternity leave. But that doesn't help dads or people caring for elderly parents. New Jersey and New York may soon expand disability programs to cover leave for fathers and other caretakers. Thirteen states, including Arizona, Illinois and Florida, have proposed using unemployment funds to pay for leave.

  Massachusetts has been especially creative. When the state's acting governor, Jane Swift, gave birth to twin daughters in May, she drew attention to the issue with her own "working maternity leave": she telecommuted part-time but earned her usual full-time salary. Even before Swift returned to work last week, the state Senate unanimously passed a pilot plan that would use surplus funds from a health-insurance program for the unemployed to give new parents 12 weeks off at half pay. Another plan, proposed in the House, would require employers to kick in $20 per worker to set up a "New Families Trust Fund." Businesses would get tax credits in return. This week Swift is expected to announce her own paid-leave plan for lower-income mothers and fathers. Polls show widespread public support--another reason Swift and other politicians across the country have embraced the issue.

  Still, not everyone's wild about the idea. People without children question why new parents--the first group to get paid leave under many of the proposed plans--should get more government perks than they do. Business groups are resistant to proposals that would raid unemployment funds; several have already filed suit to block them. As the economy slows, many companies say they can't afford to contribute to proposed new benefit funds either. Business lobbyists say too many employees already abuse existing federal family-leave laws by taking time off for dubious reasons or in tiny time increments. The proposed laws, they say, would only make matters worse.

  For Garro and Duplisea, though, the new laws could make all the difference. As Melina fixes a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, Duplisea hugs a snoozing Andres against his T shirt. "We're trying to do the right thing by two kids, and we have to sacrifice," Duplisea says. In Massachusetts and plenty of other states, help may be on the way.

  Newsweek; 8/27/2001, Vol. 138 Issue 9, p46, 1p, 1c

  注(1) 本文选自Newsweek;8/27/2001, Vol. 138 Issue 9, p46, 1p, 1c

  注(2) 本文习题命题模仿对象是1997年真题text 1(1,2,3,5题),第4题模仿1997年真题text 3 的第2题。

  1.From the first paragraph, we learn that __________________.

  [A] Garro and Duplisea used to live a comfortable and easy life.

  [B] Duplisea’s boss is so considerate as to allow him to keep his job

  [C] Garro can earn more money so she should go back to work.

  [D] The couple have made a lot of sacrifices to take care of their children.

  2.When Garro says “It takes away from your cushion and your security”, she means _____________________.

  [A] it exhausts her family savings

  [B] it plunges her family into financial trouble

  [C] it deprives her children of health insurance

  [D] it makes her feel insecure

  3.If Garro lives in Massachusetts, she will ___________________.

  [A] have 12 weeks off at half pay

  [B] telecommute part-time but earn full-time salary

  [C] leave her job without pay to take care of her kids

  [D] get $20 from her employer for her leave

  4.The word “perk” (Line 2, Para. 4) most probably means _______________.

  [A] grant

  [B] policy

  [C] encouragement

  [D] reward

  5.The author’s attitude towards paid leave seems to be that of _________________.

  [A] opposition

  [B] suspicion

  [C] approval

  [D] indifference

  答案:DBAAC

  篇章剖析

  本文为说明文,主要介绍带薪请假政策的起因,制定和实施情况,以及所面临的问题和反对意见。文章首先以加罗一家的经历说明停薪请假的人所面临的经济困难。然后在第二,第三段介绍了一下各州针对这一问题的解决方案。第四段介绍了反对者的态度和看法,最后一段再次以加罗一家的情况来说明带薪请假政策可能带来的积极变化,并且呼应了文章开头部分,以此作为结尾,使得全文层次分明,结构完整。

  词汇注释

  scrape [skreIp]v. (常与along, by, through连用)勉强维持生计;勉强通过

  furnish[5f\:nIF]v. 供应, 提供

  juggle[5dVQ^(E)l]v. 耍,弄

  diaper[`daIEpE(r)]n. 尿布

  forgo[fC:5^EJ]v. 抛弃;放弃

  cushion[5kJF(E)n] n. 缓冲,减轻或缓和不利后果的东西:

  tap [tAp]v. 开发;利用

  maternity[mE5t\:nItI]adj. 母性的,初为人母的孕妇的;适合于孕妇的,生小孩或成为母亲的第一个月的

  telecommute[9telIkE`mjU:t ]v. (在家里通过使用与工作单位连接的计算机终端)远距离工作

  pilot plan 试点方案

  kick in 参与提供资金和其他帮助的活动中去

  tax credit 税金免除

  perk[p\:k]n. 额外津贴 (亦作: perquisite)

  raid[reId]v. 侵吞

  lobbyist[5lRbIIst]n. 院外活动集团成员;说客

  increment[5InkrImEnt]n. 增加, 增量

  难句突破:

  1.The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act was supposed to help families like Garro's, offering a safety net to employees who want to take time off to nurture newborns, tend to their own major illnesses or care for sick relatives.

  主体句式:The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act was supposed to help…

  结构分析:本句是一个复杂句,既包括从句,也包括分词结构。be supposed to do something 表示“应该做某事”,通常强调“义务,责任”等。safety net 原义是防止坠落受伤的“安全网”,在此引申为“安全保障”。

  句子译文:1993年颁布的《家庭医疗休假法》本来应该帮助像加罗这样的家庭,为那些请假照顾新生儿,治疗重病或者照顾患病亲人的员工提供一个安全保障。

  题目分析:

  1. 答案为D,属事实细节题。见第一段。为了照顾两个孩子,这一对夫妇俩做出了许多选择。这些选择大都意味着做出一定牺牲,比如请假在家照顾孩子,收入减少,冻结养老金帐户,减少孩子课外活动开支等。

  2. 答案为B,属判断推理题。 从第一段列举的事实来看,加罗夫妇不得不冻结养老金帐号,减少梅丽娜的课后活动开支---还要祷告汽车别出问题。可见请假照顾孩子给他们带来了严重的经济问题。答案B正确。

  3. 答案为A,属事实细节题。内容涉及马萨诸塞州最近通过的一项议案。原文参照第三段第五行。

  4. 答案为A,属猜词题。从第二,第三段的内容来看,各州政府试图动用各种基金对请假照料新生婴儿的父母进行经济上的帮助,因此A项在意义上最符合。

  5. 答案是C,属推理判断题。本文重点说明了停薪请假人所面临的经济困难,以及各州的解决方案。并在最后一段说明带薪请假政策可能带来的积极变化。从材料的选择来看,作者对于带薪请假政策持积极的态度,所以答案C正确。

  参考译文:

  “我们不得不做出牺牲”

  州政府愿意为停薪请假的人报销帐单

  上个月,吉纳·加罗和布莱恩·杜普里希从哥伦比亚收养四个月大的安德烈时,这对夫妇决定请假照顾他。六年前,他们的女儿梅丽娜出生后,这家人靠着杜普里希作建筑工人每年36,000美元的薪水勉强度日,这样,从事特殊教育教学的加罗就可以呆在家里照顾孩子。如今,因为加罗的工作能够为家庭提供医疗健康保险,她将在今年秋季回去工作,而让杜普里希摆弄那些尿片和婴儿奶瓶。他的老板同意他请假---但他必须为此放弃十八美元一小时的报酬。这可有些让这个家庭犯难。虽然加罗40,000美元的年薪可以支付他们的抵押贷款,但夫妇俩却不得不冻结他们的退休帐户,减少梅丽娜的课后活动开支---还要祷告汽车别出问题。“我们不再后顾无忧,”加罗说道:“生活会变得很拮据。”

  1993年颁布的《家庭医疗休假法》本来应该帮助像加罗这样的家庭,为那些请假照顾新生儿,治疗重病或者照顾患病亲人的员工提供一个安全保障。可是,法律虽然可以保证这些员工不至于丢掉工作,却不能支付他们的薪水。去年的一项调查显示,虽然从1999年以来有4000万美国人请假,但还有270万想要请假,却承受不起请假带来的损失。要不了多久这种情况就会改变。目前至少有25个州正在探索提供带薪休假的新途径,以回应选民日益增加的要求。一种可能就是利用州伤病基金。一些州---纽约州,新泽西,加利福尼亚,罗德岛和夏威夷---已经动用伤病基金为请孕产假的妇女提供部分工资。但这种举措并不能帮助那些做父亲的人和照料年迈父母的人。新泽西州和纽约州也许不久就会扩大伤病基金计划的覆盖面,让那些请假照料孩子的父亲们和其他照料伤病亲属的人都能从中受益。包括亚利桑那州,伊利诺伊州和佛罗里达州在内的十三个州已经提议动用失业基金来支付请假工资。

  马萨诸塞州的举措尤具创意。当该州的代理州长,简·斯威夫特五月生下一对双胞胎女儿的时候,她以自己“请产假”的方式引起人们对这一问题的关注。她在家通过电脑终端远程工作,做的是兼职工作,拿的却是全职的薪水。在她上周重返工作岗位之前,州参议院就一致通过了一项试点方案,允许动用失业人员医疗保险计划的剩余基金,让刚生了孩子的父母可以拿一半工资,请假12周。众议院提议的另外一项计划则要求雇主为每个员工增加20美元工资,以便设立一个“新家庭信托基金”。作为回报,商业企业可以获得税金免除。这一周,预计斯威夫特将宣布她本人针对低收入母亲和父亲提出的带薪请假计划。民意测验显示了广泛的公众支持---这是斯威夫特和其他国内政治家乐意解决这一问题的另外一个原因。

  不过,并不是所有人都热衷这种想法。一些没有子女的人质疑为什么刚生了孩子的父母---他们是许多提案当中第一批获得带薪请假待遇的人---得到的政府补贴比他们的多。商业机构抵制动用失业基金的提案;一些机构甚至已经提起诉讼以阻止这些提案获得通过。随着经济发展的减速,许多公司也说他们无力为提议中的福利基金提供资金。商业企业的院外游说成员说有太多的员工已经滥用现有的联邦家庭医疗休假法,以许多可疑的借口请假,或者拖延一点请假时间。他们认为该法律提案只会使情况变得更糟。

  不过,对于加罗和杜普里希来说,新的法律会使他们的境况大为不同。梅丽娜准备一块花生-黄油-果冻三明治的时候,杜普里希把怀中打盹的安德烈抱在胸前。“我们正在努力为两个孩子创造好的条件,所以不得不做出牺牲,”杜普里希说。在马塞诸塞州和其他许多州,也许很快人们就会得到这样的帮助。

  考研英语法律类阅读理解及原文翻译:AN UNPAID TAB IN FLORIDA

  Bush spent $8 million, but hasn't settled with his lawyers

  Few lawyers did more to help George W. Bush become president than Barry Richard. As Bush's quarterback in the Florida courts during last fall's bruising r

  ecount, the white-maned Tallahassee, Fla., litigator became a familiar figure to TV audiences. He got the GOP equivalent of rock-star treatment when he came to Washington last January for Bush's Inauguration. At one ball, recalls law partner Fred Baggett, a heavyset Texas woman lifted Richard off the floor and planted a big kiss on his cheek, exclaiming, "I love you for giving us our president!"

  But Richard has discovered that the Bushies' gratitude has its limits. More than four months after the U.S. Supreme Court ended the 2000 election, he and his firm, Greenberg Traurig, are still owed more than $800,000 in legal fees. The firm, which sent 39 lawyers and 13 paralegals into court battles all over the state, is one of a dozen that have so far been stiffed. The estimated total tab: more than $2 million. The situation, NEWSWEEK has learned, has gotten increasingly sticky. While lawyers complain privately about foot dragging (Richard says he's not among them), Bush advisers are griping about "astronomical" bills--including one from a litigator who charged for more than 24 hours of work in a single day. "What you've got here is a bunch of rich lawyers bellyaching," says one former Bush campaign official. "Yet these guys got huge in-kind contributions to their reputations out of this."

  The lawyers were supposed to get their money from the Bush Recount Committee, a fund-raising vehicle set up when the Florida fight began. A nebulous entity not legally required to disclose how it spent its money, the committee and its chief fund-raiser, Texas oilman (and now Commerce secretary) Don Evans, swiftly collected $8.3 million--more than twice the $3.9 million Al Gore's recount committee raised to pay its lawyers. To avoid charges that the recount was being bankrolled by special interests, the Bushies imposed a $5,000 cap on individual donations, a PR gesture they now regret. After paying off caterers, air charters and the army of GOP Hill types who came to Florida as "observers," the "kitty ran dry," says one source.

  The Bush camp says it intends to pay up. But Ben Ginsberg, the former chief campaign counsel who has inherited the mess, hasn't yet figured out how. As for the law firms, they are taking pains not to alienate their deadbeat clients, for fear of damaging their burgeoning Washington lobbying practices. Greenberg Traurig now represents electric power companies, drug manufacturers and Internet gambling interests willing to pay big money for access to policymakers. Whether Richard and company collect or not, that $800,000 could end up being a smart investment.

  ~~~~~~~~

  By Michael Isikoff hn Barry Newsweek; 04/23/2001, Vol. 137 Issue 17, p28, 2/3p, 1c

  注(1): 本文选自Newsweek; 04/23/2001, Vol. 137 Issue 17, p28, 2/3p, 1c

  注(2):本文习题命题模仿对象是1995年真题text 3(1,2,3,5题),第4题模仿1995年真题text 4 的第1题。

  1.The word “quarterback” (Line 2, Para. 2) most probably means ______________.

  [A] supporter

  [B] counsel

  [C] assistant

  [D] adviser

  2.The main problem Richard is facing now is __________________.

  [A] the ingratitude of the Bushies

  [B] the complaints of his law partners

  [C] the unpaid bills

  [D] Bush advisers’ criticism

  3.From the passage we can infer that _____________.

  [A] Lawyers also benefited a lot from working for the Bush Camp.

  [B] Al Gore lost the recount case because his Recount Committee raised far fewer funds than that of Bush’s.

  [C] Texan women are all very proud of having Bush as their president.

  [D] The Bushies intend to become deadbeat clients because it does no harm to their relationship with law firms.

  4.According to the passage, the Bush Recount Committee ________________.

  [A] spent all the raised money to pay its lawyers.

  [B] had got most of its funds from individuals.

  [C] could have raised more money if they hadn’t imposed a cap on individual donations.

  [D] had to pay the bills of the army for their help in Bush’s election.

  5.We can learn from the last paragraph that _________________.

  [A] The Bush camp also owes electrical power companies and drug manufacturers a lot of money.

  [B] Richard and his company have invested their legal fees to expand their business.

  [C] Greenberg Traurig works for electric power companies, drug manufacturers and Internet gambling interests.

  [D] Law firms don’t want to lose influential clients even if they don’t pay off their legal fees.

  答案:BCACD

  篇章剖析

  本文说明文,采用提出问题——分析问题的写作模式。在第一段,作者介绍了Barry Richard,这个帮助布什赢得选举的重要人物。第二段则说明了他和他的法律公司所面临的问题:布什重新计票委员会尚未支付他们的律师费。第三段介绍了布什重新计票委员会的工作及其资金使用情况。第四段则分析说明即使该法律公司收不回律师费,他们仍然需要维持和这种客户的关系。

  词汇注释

  quarterback [5kwC:tEbAk] n. [橄榄球] 四分卫;关键人物;智囊

  bruising [5bru:zIN]adj. 困难的;令人不快的

  mane [meIn]n. (人的)长头发;鬃毛

  Tallahassee[9tAlE`hAsI]n. 塔拉哈西[美国佛罗里达州首府]

  litigator[5lItI^eItE]n. 诉讼律师

  GOP Grand Old Party 大老党(美国共和党的别称)

  paralegal[9pArE`li:^El,`pArEl-]n. 律师的专职助手, 律师帮办

  stiff[stIf]v. [美俚]不肯给 ... 小账, 让...空手而去;失信没给予或供给(担保的或期望的东西)

  astronomical[AstrE5nRmIk(E)l]adj. 庞大无法估计的

  bellyache[5belIeIk]v. 发(不该发的)牢骚,抱怨

  nebulous[5nebjJlEs]adj. 含糊的,模糊的;暧昧的

  bankroll[`bANkrEJl]v. 为…提供资金承担(如企业风险)的花费

  PR 公共关系 (public relation)

  caterer[5keItErE(r)]n. 包办伙食的人; 筹备文娱节目的人

  deadbeat [5dedbi:t] n. <俗>赖债不还的人, 游手好闲者

  burgeon [5b\:dV(E)n]v. (迅速)成长,发展

  难句突破:

  1.A nebulous entity not legally required to disclose how it spent its money, the committee and its chief fund-raiser, Texas oilman (and now Commerce secretary) Don Evans, swiftly collected $8.3 million--more than twice the $3.9 million Al Gore's recount committee raised to pay its lawyers.

  主体句式:the committee and its chief fund-raiser… swiftly collected …

  结构分析:本句是个包含同位语和附近说明的长句。a nebulous entity not legally required to disclose how it spent its money 是委员会的同位语,起到补充说明的作用,而破折号之后的成分也是对句子的补充说明。

  句子译文:法律不要求这个性质模糊的机构透露其使用资金的情况。该委员会和它的主要筹资人,得克萨斯州石油商(现商务秘书)唐·伊万斯很快就筹集了830万美元---是艾尔·戈尔重新计票委员会所筹集的390万美元资金的两倍还多,并用这笔钱来支付律师费用。

  题目分析:

  1. 答案是B,属猜词题。 根据上下文,Richard作为诉讼律师为布什在佛罗里达法庭的成功立下了汗马功劳。quarterback原义是橄榄球比赛中的四分卫,是球赛中的关键人物,这里则是指在法庭中为布什效力的辩护律师,是在法庭中胜诉的关键人物。counsel有辩护律师的意义,词义最为接近。

  2. 答案是C,属事实细节题。文章第二段提到了布什阵营向Richard的公司拖欠的巨额律师费以及由此引发的抱怨和布什竞选班子的辩解,可见其面临的主要问题是账单未付清的问题。

  3. 答案是A,属推理判断题。这从第二段引用布什竞选班子成员的话:“Yet these guys got huge in-kind contributions to their reputations out of this.”和最后一段that $800,000 could end up being a smart investment两句中可以看出律师事务所和律师们都从其为布什阵营的服务中获益非浅。

  4. 答案是C,属推理判断题。文章第三段提到布什重新计票委员会设置了个人捐助的上限(imposed a $5,000 cap on individual donations),并为此后悔。在第三段结尾处讲到在付完各种费用后,他们的资金已经所剩无几(the "kitty ran dry"),由此可以推断出答案C。

  5. 答案是D,属推理判断题。从最后一段As for the law firms, they are taking pains not to alienate their deadbeat clients, for fear of damaging their burgeoning Washington lobbying practices.来看,为了华盛顿的业务,律师事务所还不得不拉拢赖账的客户。所以答案D是正确的。

  参考译文:

  佛罗里达的一份未支付的账单

  布什花了八百万美元,但还没有结清律师费

  为了帮助乔治·W·布什成为总统,巴里·理查德作了比大多数律师都要多的工作。作为在去年秋天那场难解难分的重新计票风波中布什的法庭辩护律师,这位佛罗里达州塔拉哈西市的诉讼律师成了电视观众熟悉的人物。去年一月他到华盛顿参加布什就职典礼的时候,得到了共和党对待摇滚歌星的待遇。据他的律师合伙人弗莱德·巴格特回忆,在一场舞会中,一位体格壮实的得克萨斯妇女将理查德举了起来,在他脸上重重地吻了一下,并且大声说道:“你成就了我们的总统,我爱你!”

  但理查德发现布什们的感激是有限的。在美国最高法院裁定2000年选举最终获胜者四个多月后,他和他的“格林伯格·特里格”公司仍然被拖欠了超过80万美元的法律服务费。他的公司将39名律师和13名律师助手派往全州各地参与法庭辩论,现在和其他十几家公司一样没有收到劳务费。估计拖欠费用总计已经超过了200万美元。据《新闻周刊》了解,现在这种局面已经变得越来越困难。虽然律师们私下对拖延付费颇有微词(理查德说他没有抱怨过),布什的顾问手里还有一大把“天文数字”的账单---包括一位诉讼律师开出的每天超过24小时工作费的账单。“在这里的都是些收入不菲还抱怨个不停的律师。”一位前布什竞选班子的官员说道,“可是这些人还从这项工作中得到了提高他们声望的巨大实惠。”

  这些律师应该从布什重新计票委员会那里拿到他们的报酬。该委员会成立于佛罗里达之争开始的时候,其主要工作就是筹集资金。法律不要求这个性质模糊的机构透露其使用资金的情况。该委员会和它的主要筹资人,得克萨斯州石油商(现商务秘书)唐·伊万斯很快就筹集了830万美元---是艾尔·戈尔重新计票委员会所筹集的390万美元资金的两倍还多,并用这笔钱来支付律师费用。为了避免被指控其重新计票工作获得特殊利益集团的资助,布什班子对个人捐款设置5000美元的上限,现在他们正为这种公关姿态后悔不已。在付清了包办伙食人,包租飞机的人以及到佛罗里达“观察”助阵的共和党议员团的帐单之后,“筹集的资金已经所剩无几”,一位知情人说道。

  布什阵营说他们想要付清账单。但前竞选顾问本·金斯伯格面对着接手的一团糟局面还没有理出头绪。至于那些法律事务所,他们正在尽力不疏远那些赖账的客户,以免损害他们在华盛顿刚刚起步的院外游说业务。“格林伯格·特里格”公司代表着那些愿意出巨资来接近政策制定者的电力公司,药品制造商和互联网博彩行业。不论理查德及其公司能不能收回法律服务费,那80万美元都是一笔精明的投资。

  

看过考研英语法律类阅读理解及原文翻译

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