对话文本


A: how are you doing?

J: I'm ok. I wish I could say the same for my friend.

A: what happened to him?

J: he was arrested by the police for drinking and driving.

A: was it his first offence?

J: unfortunately not. He was charged with a DUI when he was in university.

A: what happened to him then?

J: not much; it was a minor offence back then. He got away with a fine of $500.

A: did they take his license away?

J: no, they were really easy on him. The problem is that that was a long time ago. They are much tougher on crime now.

A: what do you think will happen to him?

J: well, he'll definitely lose his license, pay a fine, and maybe even spend some time in jail.

A: that doesn't sound too promising. Does he have a defence lawyer?

J: not yet. If we can't find a lawyer for him, then the state will appoint him with one.

A: my sister is a lawyer. I can ask her if she can help him.

J: that'd be great! I know he'd appreciate your help.

参考翻译

你最近怎么样?
还好.要是我的朋友也能这样就好了.
他怎么了?
他因为酒后驾车被逮捕了.
这是他第一次被起诉吗?
可惜不是.他上大学的时候就因为醉酒驾车被起诉过一次.
那次他后来怎么样的?
没怎样,起诉情节较轻.他后来交了500美元的罚金就被释放了.
他没有被吊销驾照吗?
没有,他们对他实在判得太轻了.可问题是那是很久以前的事情了,现在对这种问题的处罚要严厉的多.
那你觉得他会怎样?
恩,他肯定会被吊销驾照,付罚金,甚至很有可能要在监狱里关上一段时间.
这样的话他的前途可就不怎么美妙了.他请辩护律师了吗?
还没有.如果我们不能帮他找到律师的话,法庭会给他指派一名.
我姐姐就是个律师.我问问她愿不愿意帮忙.
那太好了.我敢肯定他会非常感谢你的.

句子讲解


He was arrested by the police for drinking and driving.

'drinking and driving'就是"酒后驾车"的意思.而后面的'DUI'是'driving under the influence'的缩写.

driving under the influence: (in some states in the US 美国某些州) the crime of driving a vehicle after drinking too much alcohol. It is a less serious crime than driving while intoxicated. 酒后开车罪(较酒醉开车罪轻)

He got away with a fine of $500.

这里的get away with是指受到从轻发落,犯了错却没有受到应有的处罚,既”'to receive a relatively light punishment'.

He was lucky to get away with only a fine. 他算是万幸,只被罚款了事.

'get away with'还可以表示做了坏事却未受到惩罚的意思.

Get away with sth: to do something wrong and not be punished for it做(坏事)而未受惩罚

Don't be tempted to cheat─you'll never get away with it. 别想着作弊 对作弊者会严惩不贷.

Nobody gets away with insulting me like that. 这样侮辱我的人我决不会善罢甘休.

核心词汇


offence: an illegal act crime 违法行为;犯罪;罪行 countable ~ (against sb/sth)

a criminal/serious/minor/sexual offence 刑事罪;严重违法犯罪;轻罪;性犯罪
a first offence(= the first time that somebody has been found guilty of a crime) 初犯
a capital offence(= one for which somebody may be punished by death) 死罪
He was not aware that he had committed an offence. 他没有意识到自己犯罪了.
an offence against society/humanity/the state 妨害社会／人类／国家的罪行
New legislation makes it an offence to carry guns. 新法律规定持枪为犯罪行为.

Defence: what is said in a court of law to prove that a person did not commit a crime; the act of presenting this argument in a court of law 辩辞;辩护;答辩 countable

Her defence was that she was somewhere completely different at the time of the crime. 她辩护说案发时她根本就不在现场.
He wanted to conduct his own defence. 他想自己为自己辩护.