GOING BACK AND GETTING IT RIGHT

By almost every measure, Paul Pfingst is an unsentimental prosecutor. Last week the San Diego County district attorney said he fully intends to try suspect Charles Andrew Williams, 15, as an adult for the Santana High School shootings. Even before the tragedy, Pfingst had stood behind the controversial California law that mandates treating murder suspects as young as 14 as adults.

So nobody would have wagered that Pfingst would also be the first D.A. in the U.S. to launch his very own Innocence Project. Yet last June, Pfingst told his attorneys to go back over old murder and rape convictions and see if any unravel with newly developed DNA-testing tools. In other words, he wanted to revisit past victories--this time playing for the other team. "I think people misunderstand being conservative for being biased," says Pfingst. "I consider myself a pragmatic guy, and I have no interest in putting innocent people in jail."

Around the U.S., flabbergasted defense attorneys and their jailed clients cheered his move. Among prosecutors, however, there was an awkward pause. After all, each DNA test costs as much as $5,000. Then there’s the unspoken risk: if dozens of innocents turn up, the D.A. will have indicted his shop.

But nine months later, no budgets have been busted or prosecutors ousted. Only the rare case merits review. Pfingst’s team considers convictions before 1993, when the city started routine DNA testing. They discard cases if the defendant has been released. Of the 560 remaining files, they have re-examined 200, looking for cases with biological evidence and defendants who still claim innocence.

They have identified three so far. The most compelling involves a man serving 12 years for molesting a girl who was playing in his apartment. But others were there at the time. Police found a small drop of saliva on the victim’s shirt--too small a sample to test in 1991. Today that spot could free a man. Test results are due any day. Inspired by San Diego, 10 other counties in the U.S. are starting DNA audits.

By Amanda Ripley ez ncisco sijevic rtwell; Lisa McLaughlin; Joseph Pierro; Josh Tyrangiel and Sora Song

注 (1)本文选自Time; 03/19/2001, Vol. 157 Issue 11, p62, 1p, 2c, 3bw

注 (2)本文习题命题模仿对象2004年真题text 1.

1.How did Pfingst carry out his own Innocence Project?

[A]By getting rid of his bias against the suspects.

[B]By revisiting the past victories.

[C]By using the newly developed DNA-testing tools.

[D]By his cooperation with his attorneys.

2.Which of the following can be an advantage of Innocence Project?

[A]To help correct the wrong judgments.

[B]To oust the unqualified prosecutors.

[C]To make the prosecutors in an awkward situation.

[D]To cheer up the defense attorneys and their jailed clients.

3.The expression “flabbergasted”(Line 1, Paragraph 3) most probably means _______.

[A]excited

[B]competent

[C]embarrassed

[D]astounded

4.Why was Pfingst an unsentimental prosecutor?

[A]He intended to try a fifteen-year old suspect.

[B]He had no interest in putting the innocent in jail.

[C]He supported the controversial California law.

[D]He wanted to try suspect as young as fourteen.

5.Which of the following is not true according to the text?

[A]Pfingst’s move didn’t have a great coverage.

[B] Pfingst’s move had both the positive and negative effect.

[C] Pfingst’s move didn’t work well.

[D]Pfingst’s move greatly encouraged the jailed prisoners.

篇章剖析

本文采用的是记叙文的模式。第一段指出芬斯特作为一位铁面无私的检查官的一些做法；第二段指出芬斯特实施 “清白计划”的打算及做法；第三段指出实施“清白计划”造成的反应以及可能存在的问题；第四段和第五段是实施“清白计划”的结果和影响。

词汇注释

prosecutor [5prRsIkju:tE(r)]n.检察官 ,检察员,起诉人,原告

controversial [kRntrE5v:F(E)l]adj.争论的, 争议的

mandate [5mAndeIt]v.批准制订一个训令，如通过法律；发布命令或要求：

wager [5weIdVE(r)]v.下赌注, 保证

conviction [kEn5vIkF(E)n]n.定罪, 宣告有罪

unravel[Qn5rAv(E)l]v. 阐明, 解决

flabbergast[5flAbE^B:st; (?@) -^Ast]v.使大吃一惊, 哑然失色, 使目瞪口呆

indict[In5daIt]v.起诉, 控告, 指控, 告发

bust[bQst]v.破产或缺钱

oust[aJst]v.剥夺, 取代, 驱逐

discard[dI5skB:d]v.抛开；遗弃；废弃

molest[mE5lest]v.骚乱, 困扰, 调戏

saliva[sE5laIvE]n.口水, 唾液

难句突破

1.Even before the tragedy, Pfingst had stood behind the controversial California law that mandates treating murder suspects as young as 14 as adults.

主体句式： …Pfingst had stood behind …

结构分析： Even before the tragedy是本句的时间状语；主句是Pfingst had stood behind…;that 引导的宾语从句修饰law;在从句中，as…as是一词组，意思是“和…一样”；出现的第三个as是介词，意思是“作为”。

句子译文：甚至在这场悲剧发生之前芬斯特就支持加利福尼亚州的一项颇有争议的法律。这项法律规定，以成人身份受审的谋杀嫌疑犯的最低年龄可以降到十四岁。

题目分析

1.答案为C，属事实细节题。文中对应信息“Pfingst told his attorneys to go back over old murder and rape convictions and see if any unravel with newly developed DNA-testing tools.”是对第二段第一句的补充说明。

2.答案为A，属推理判断题。从上下文我们可以得知，实施“清白计划”就是使用先进的DNA技术来重新审理过去的案件当中可能存在的冤案错案。

3.答案为D, 属猜词题。从第二段第一句话我们得知芬斯特可能是美国第一个实施非常独特的“清白计划”的人，因此他的做法很可能是令人感到吃惊的，从而可猜出该词的含义。

4.答案为B，属推理判断题。从第一段和第二段给出的事例我们可以看出，芬斯特不愿放过任何一个犯罪的人，即便他的年龄还不算大；他也不愿使无辜者蒙冤，即便案件已经审理。

5.答案为C，属推理判断题。正因为 “Pfingst’s move works well”,美国才又有“ten other counties are starting DNA audits”,而且，“no budgets have been busted or prosecutors ousted”.