知识点1

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教师讲解：

Paras. 1-2

1 A buzz ran through the crowd as I took my place in the packed court on that sweltering July day in 1925. The counsel for my defense was the famous criminal lawyer Clarence Darrow. Leading counsel for the prosecution was William Jennings Bryan, the silver-tongued orator, three times Democratic nominee for President of the United States, and leader of the fundamentalist movement that had brought about my trial.

2 A few weeks before I had been an unknown school-teacher in Dayton, a little town in the mountains of Tennessee. Now I was involved in a trial reported the world over. Seated in court, ready to testify on my behalf, were a dozen distinguished professors and scientists, led by Professor Kirtley Mather of Harvard University. More than 100reporters were on hand, and even radio announcers, who for the first time in history were to broadcast a jury trial. “Don’t worry, son, we’ll show them a few tricks," Darrow had whispered, throwing a reassuring arm round my shoulder as we were waiting for the court to open.

Q1: What do you know about the author of the text?

A1: John scopes is the writer of this piece，He was a high school science teacher in Dayton，Tennessee who，by teaching evolution，was accused of breaking the law. He was the defendant in the case. As the last surviving principal in this trial，he decided to write a story describing the highlights of the trial. The name of John Scopes became synonymous with this trial，which is popularly known as the “Monkey Trial”. A film，called Inherit the Wind，was made of the trial. John Scopes died in 1979.

Q2: What do paragraphs 1-12 mainly talk about?

A2: They reveal the background of the prosecution.

Q3: What can be known from paragraphs 1-2?

A3: They give The time, and place of the prosecution and the counsels for defense and prosecution.

Q4: How do you paraphrase the following knowledge points?

1. The Trial That Rocked the World (Title)

rock: to cause great shock and surprise to

2.A buzz ran through the crowd... that sweltering July day in 1925. (Para.1)

1) buzz: the vibrating sound of a bee; here it refers to the sound of many people whispering or talking excitedly in low tones.

2) run through the crowd: to spread among the people who had come to watch the

3) as I took my place in the packed court: as I went to my seat in the court which was crowded with people

4) sweltering: oppressively hot and humid; very hot, causing unpleasantness

3. The counsel for my defense.…(Para.1)

1) counsel for my defense: one or more lawyers who defend me in court

2) criminal lawyer: a specialist in criminal law (law related to crime or its punishment)

4. Leading counsel for the prosecution.… that had brought about my trial. (Para.1)

1) leading counsel: the chief lawyer of a group

2) silver-tongued orator: persuasive, eloquent public speaker

3) the fundamentalist movement: a militantly conservative and fanatically religious American Protestant movement that began in the early 20th century in opposition to modern scientific tendency; it holds that the Bible is a verbally accurate recording of the word of God, and was strong in parts of the U.S, especially the South, at the time.

4) fundamentalist movement that had brought about the trial: The trial was brought to court by Scopes and his lawyers. However, it was the fundamentalist movement which made the trial necessary, because it was this movement that had created the religious atmosphere that was responsible for the law which prohibited the teaching of evolution in the schools, and it was the existence of that law which made it necessary to hold a trial to challenge the law.

5. Now I was involved in a trial reported the world over. (Para.2)

All of a sudden, I found myself in a trial which was reported all over the world.

the world over: all over the world

6. Seated in court... of Harvard University. (Para.2)

1) seated in court: present in court

2) ready to testify on my behalf: prepared to submit evidence to support or benefit me (or my case)

3) on/in someone's behalf, on/in behalf of someone: to benefit, support, serve the interests of someone

4) distinguished: renowned, eminent, recognized for excellence in some field

5) Harvard University: the oldest university of the US, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 1636 and named after its first benefactor, John Harvard (1607-1638), a nonconformist minister born in England.

7. More than 100 reporters…a jury trial. (Para.2)

1) reporter: a person who gathers information for publication in newspapers and magazines

2) on hand: present, available

3) radio announcer: It means, in this case, people who give the news on the radio.

4) a jury trial: a trial that had a jury (a group of 12 responsible, impartial citizens chosen to hear the case and make the decision/reach a verdict of guilty or not in accordance with their findings)

8."Don't worry..."as we were waiting for the court to open. (Para.2)

1) son: affectionate term used by an older person to a boy or young man

2) We'll show them a few tricks: We'll do a few things to outwit them (the prosecution); or we have some clever and unexpected tactics and we will surprise them in the trial.

3) throwing a reassuring arm round my shoulder: putting his arm in an informal, friendly way around me so that his hand rested on my shoulder, the shoulder that was further away from Darrow

4) reassuring arm: Obviously the arm can't be reassuring; it means in a reassuring manner, a friendly gesture to put John at ease; the figure of speech used here is a transferred epithet.

5) waiting for the court to open: waiting for the trial (the proceeding) to begin

Para. 3

The case had erupted round my head not long after I arrived in Dayton as science master and football coach at the secondary school. For a number of years a clash had been building up between the fundamentalists and the modernists. The fundamentalists adhered to a literal interpretation of the Old Testament. The modernists, on the other hand, accepted the theory advanced by Charles Darwin-that all animal life, including monkeys and men, had evolved from a common ancestor.

Q1: What is the main idea of this paragraph?

A1: It reveals the underlying cause for the prosecution.

Q2: How do you paraphrase the following knowledge points?

1. The case had erupted round my head... at the secondary school. (Para.3)

1) The case had come down upon me unexpectedly and violently; I was suddenly engulfed by the whole affair.

2) erupt: to emerge suddenly and violently; to explode

3) science master: science teacher; master as a term for teacher is outdated in the U.S.

4) coach: person who trains athletes and directs teams

5) secondary school: high school; equivalent of middle school in China

2…a clash had been building up between the fundamentalists and the modernists.

(Para.3)

The conflict between the fundamentalists and the modernists had become more and more intense.

1) clash: conflict, disagreement

2) build up: to develop; to extend gradually and steadily

3. The fundamentalist... Old Testament. (Para.3)

1) adhere to: to believe in; to follow devotedly

2) literal interpretation: word-for-word acceptance of what is said in the Bible

3) Old Testament: that part of the Bible that refers to events before the birth of Christ

(Note: All the words like the Bible, God (Lord, He, Him) and Christ (Savior) are capitalized.)

4. The modernists... had evolved from a common ancestor. (Para.3)

1) advance: to put forward; to propose

2) had evolved from a common ancestor:(all life) had developed gradually from a common original organism

3) ancestor: a person, especially one living a long time ago, from whom another is descended

Paras. 4－8

4 Fundamentalism was strong in Tennessee, and the state legislature had recently passed a law prohibiting the teaching of "any theory that denies the story of creation as taught in the Bible. “The new law was aimed squarely at Darwin's theory of evolution. An engineer, George Rappelyea, used to argue with the local people against the law. During one such argument, Rappelyea said that nobody could teach biology without teaching evolution. Since I had been teaching biology, I was sent for.

5 "Rappelyea is right," I told them.

6 "Then you have been violating the law, “one of them said.

7 "So has every other teacher, “I replied. “Evolution is explained in Hunter's Civic Biology, and that's our textbook."

8 Rappelyea then made a suggestion. “Let’s take this thing to court, “he said, “and test the legality of it."

Q1: What can be known from these paragraphs?

A1: It reveals the surface reason for the prosecution

Q2: What do you understand the following knowledge points?

1... the state legislature.… as taught in the Bible."(Para.4)

1) state legislature: official body of people who pass/determine/decide laws. Each of the 50 states in the U.S. has a legislature. The national legislature is called the congress.

2) that denies the story of creation: that refuses to believe that all human beings are descended from Adam and Eve, who were created by God

3) deny: to reject; to refuse

2. The new law… theory of evolution. (Para.4)

1) aim(at): to point or direct toward some object, especially with the intention of hitting it

2) squarely: directly

3."So has every other teacher..."(Para.7)

Every other teacher has as well. /All the other(biology) teachers have also been violating the law.

4."Let's take this thing…test the legality of it."(Para.8)

Let's accuse Scopes of teaching evolution and let the court decide whether he is breaking the law or not.

1) this thing: this matter, this problem; here it refers to Scopes's teaching of evolution and hence his violation of the law, “this thing “is an imprecise expression on the part of Rappelyea, but very common in spoken English.

2) take to court: to start an action in a law court

3) legality: in keeping with a law, or a requirement of law

Paras. 9-10

9 When I was indicted on May 7, no one, least of all I, anticipated that my case would snowball into one of the most famous trials in U.S. history. The American Civil Liberties Union announced that it would take my case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary to "establish that a teacher may tell the truth without being sent to jail. “Then Bryan volunteered to assist the state in prosecuting me. Immediately the renowned lawyer Clarence Darrow offered his services to defend me. Ironically, I had not known Darrow before my trial but I had met Bryan when he had given a talk at my university. I admired him, although I did not agree with his views.

10 By the time the trial began on July 10, our town of 1,500 people had taken on a circus atmosphere. The buildings along the main street were festooned with banners. The streets around the three-storey red brick law court sprouted with rickety stands selling hot dogs, religious books and watermelons. Evangelists set up tents to exhort the passersby. People from the surrounding hills, mostly fundamentalists, arrived to cheer Bryan against the "infidel outsiders. “Among them was John Butler, who had drawn up the anti-evolution law. Butler was a 49-year-old farmer who before his election had never been out of his native county.

Q1: What can be known from these paragraphs?

A1: It focuses on the unexpected popularity gained by the prosecution.

Q2: What do you understand the following knowledge points?

1. When I was indicted… in U.S. history. (Para.9)

I was the last one to expect that my case would grow/develop into one of the most famous trials in U.S. history.

1) when I was indicted: when a formal accusation was made against me of breaking this law

2) least of all I: I, less than anyone else

3) anticipate: to expect

4) snowball: to grow rapidly in size or significance

2. The American Civil Liberties Union.… without being sent to jail. (Para.9)

1) if necessary: if the case was lost in the lower courts

2) establish: to make (something) recognized officially

3.… assist the state in prosecuting me. (Para.9)

Since the case revolves around a state law, the state of Tennessee is the offended party; it is the state which prosecutes Scopes. Thus, the trial would be called the State of Tennessee vs. John Scopes. Bryan volunteered to be the lawyer on behalf of the State.

4. Immediately the renowned lawyer... to defend me. (Para.9)

1) renowned: (formal) famous, distinguished, suggesting being named publicly again and again for some outstanding quality, achievement, etc.

2) services: friendly help; also, professional aid or attention

5. ironically (Para.9)

It refers to incongruity between what might have been expected and actually happened. One would have expected that he would have known Darrow, who was going to defend him and not have known Bryan who was going to prosecute him.

6.… our town...a circus atmosphere. (Para.10)

All sorts of activities were going on in the town and there was a kind of noisy holiday spirit there. (Suddenly the town was transformed into a kind of circus with many people coming to hear the trial. The townspeople took advantage of the sudden influx of visitors to expand their business activities.)

1) take on: to begin to have (the look of)

2) circus: public entertainment consisting of a variety of performances by acrobats, clowns and trained animals, often performed in large tents by a group that travels from one town to another

3) circus atmosphere: a kind of rowdy or riotous, holiday spirit

7. The buildings... with banners. (Para.10)

1) the main street: small towns usually have one street where most of the stores are concentrated-the center of town. Sometimes the name of the main street is Main Street.

2) festooned with banners: decorated with banners probably strung between the lampposts

8. The streets. and watermelons. (Para.10)

These rickety stands, which appeared suddenly everywhere, sold hot dogs, religious books, watermelons, etc... This adds to the town's circus atmosphere. Religious books were sold because many religious people attended this trial in which religion played a key role.

1) sprout: to grow or develop quickly

2) rickety: liable to fall or break down because weak; shaky

3) stand: a small outdoor shop or place for selling or showing things

4) sprouted with rickety stands: shaky (poorly made) stalls or booths suddenly appeared.

5) hot dog: long, thin sausage in a bun. Hot dogs and hamburgers (ground beef patty in a bun) are sometimes seen as symbols of American culture.

9. Evangelists set up tents to exhort the passersby. (Para.10)

The traveling preachers erected tents to urge people passing by to believe in God.

10. People from the surrounding hills… the "infidel outsiders."(Para.10)

1) surrounding hills: referring to the hills near the town which were a part of the Appalachian Mts., a mountain chain in eastern North America extending parallel to the coast for 1,600 miles from southern Quebec to central Alabama, passing through Tennessee

2) cheer Bryan: to support Bryan

3) outsiders: referring to the northern, big city lawyers, professors and scientists

who would be held in suspicion as trouble-makers by narrow-minded, small town southerners. It's in quotes to signify that this is a false view held by such people.

11. Butler was a 49-year-old farmer... his native county. (Para.10)

1) before his election: before he was elected to the Tennessee legislature

2) had never been out of his native county: This suggests that his experience and vision were limited, that he was narrow-minded, not worldly.

Paras. 11-12

11The presiding judge was John Raulston, a florid-faced man who announced: “I’m just a regular mountaineer judge. “Bryan, ageing and paunchy, was assisted in his prosecution by his son, also a lawyer, and Tennessee's brilliant young attorney-general, Tom Stewart. Besides the shrewd 68-year-old Darrow, my counsel included the handsome and magnetic Dudley Field Malone,43, and Arthur Garfield Hays, quiet, scholarly and steeped in the law. In a trial in which religion played a key role, Darrow was an agnostic, Malone a Catholic and Hays a Jew. My father had come from Kentucky to be with me for the trial.

12 The judge called for a local minister to open the session with prayer, and the trial got under way. Of the 12 jurors, three had never read any book except the Bible. One couldn't read. As my father growled, “That’s one hell of a jury!"

Q1: What can be known from these paragraphs?

A1: It gives some information about the judge and the jurors.

Q2: What do you understand the following knowledge points?

1. The presiding judge..."I’m just a reg' lar mountaineer judge.? (Para.11)

1) presiding: person in charge of the proceedings, person holding position of authority

2) florid-faced: face flushed with rosy color; ruddy face

3)"I'm just a reg' lar mountaineer judge.”: I’m just an ordinary judge from the mountains. His uneducated-sounding southern accent and his statement about himself convey false modesty about being with the people and indicate regional narrow-mindedness and bigotry.

4) regular:(especially American English) ordinary

2. Bryan, ageing and paunchy... Tom Stewart. (Para.11)

1) age: to (cause to) become old

2) paunchy:(derogatory or humorous) (especially of a man) having a fat stomach; pot-bellied

3. Besides the shrewd 68-year-old Darrow... steeped in the law. (Para.11)

1) besides: in addition to

2) shrewd: astute, sharp, clever, not to be outwitted; used admiringly here; sometimes implying negative qualities-cunning, tricky, dishonest

3) steep: to immerse, saturate, absorb or imbue

4) steeped in the law: thoroughly familiar with the law

4. In a trial... Hays a Jew. (Para.11)

1) in a trial in which religion played a key role: Scopes was accused of violating the law which prohibited the teaching of any theory that denied the story of creation as taught in the Bible. And it was the fundamentalists who made the state legislature pass this law. That's why the writer said religion played a key role in the trial.

2) The whole sentence points out the religious and non-religious diversity of the defense counsels in contrast to the prosecution, hinting that the defense counsels would be more broad-minded and objective.

5. The judge called for…"That's one hell of a jury!" (Para.12)

1) call for: to send for

2) minister: a person authorized to conduct worship, administer sacraments, etc.

in a Christian church, especially any Protestant clergyman

3) open the session: to begin the trial (session is used to indicate that the trial will take more than one meeting)

4) under way: in motion, in progress

5) get under way: to get started; to begin

6) growl: to complain in an angry or surly manner; to utter in a gruff, rumbling voice, especially angrily

7) one hell of a jury (or a hell of a jury): no jury at all; a completely inappropriate jury

(because they are too partial); this is a common phrase meaning something unusual.

e.g. That was a hell of an exam.

It's been one hell of a trip.

8) The whole paragraph shows the religious bias of the trial right from the start, indicates the pro-fundamentalist atmosphere that will pervade the trial and gives readers a taste of things to come.