英语听力精选进阶版 6403

Is it art or vandalism? Britain is divided by graffiti. Recently, a British judge was so impressed by one graffiti gang, called SMT, he said in court that they should be proud of their work.

He still sent them to prison though.

Under the law, graffiti is criminal damage, and the maximum sentence is ten years in prison, so the gang got off lightly. One member got nine months, one six months and one, who was under 18, got six months in a youth detention¹ centre.

The prosecuting² barrister said that they had caused ￡150,000 worth of damage to the railways. He said "It's not simply tagging with marker pens. The scale we are talking about is the entire carriage being daubed."

In contrast, the judge said the gang were talented artists, he didn't want to give them a custodial³ sentence, and would be as lenient⁴ as he could. After looking at photographs of their graffiti, he called it a portfolio⁵ to be proud of.

It's difficult to speak about graffiti, without making it clear whether you like it or hate it. The prosecuting barrister talked about vandalism and damage to property. He used the word 'daub', which means to apply colour without any skill or artistry.

Meanwhile the judge's words all show he sees their graffiti as art - a portfolio is a professional artist's collection of work, and the judge repeatedly used the word talent and talented.

Local councils in Britain spend a lot of money every year removing spray-painting, because many people complain it makes an area feel unsafe and run-down. However, research in 2008 showed that people were willing to tolerate some graffiti. They were more likely to report it as vandalism if they saw it as 'low quality' or offensive⁶.

But the research also showed that even when graffiti was accepted and valued as community art, it was often sprayed over by another graffiti writer in time, and people then saw that as vandalism.

Quiz 测验

1. According to the article, do all British people feel the same about graffiti?

No. Some see it as art and some as criminal damage or vandalism.

2. What is the maximum sentence for graffiti?

10 years in prison.

3. Who described the gang's graffiti as daubing not art?

The prosecuting barrister.

4. Is the following statement true, false or not given? People are more likely to report graffiti if it is offensive.

This is true.

5. Which word, used in the article, means an artist's collection of work, used to show their talent?

Portfolio.

Glossary 词汇表

vandalism 破坏公物的行为

graffiti 涂鸦

judge 法官

gang （犯罪）团伙

sent them to prison 送他们入狱

criminal damage 刑事损害

maximum sentence 最高刑罚

got off lightly （被）从轻判决

got nine months 被判九个月的徒刑

youth detention centre 少年拘留所

prosecuting barrister 起诉律师

tagging 标注

carriage 车厢

daubed （随意）涂抹

custodial sentence 监禁刑罚

lenient 宽松的

portfolio 作品集

artistry 艺术技巧

local councils 地方（政府）理事会

spray-painting 喷漆

rundown 状况差的，衰退的

report 报告

offensive 冒犯无礼的

1 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

2 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

3 custodial   

adj.监护的，照管的

参考例句：

• The teenagers were convicted of manslaughter and given a two-year custodial sentence. 这些青少年被判过失杀人罪，及二年的监禁（拘留）刑罚。
• This article interrogates the cultural experience of being a non custodial mother. 本文审视一位无监护权的母亲所感受到的文化体验。

4 lenient   

adj.宽大的，仁慈的

参考例句：

• The judge was lenient with him.法官对他很宽大。
• It's a question of finding the means between too lenient treatment and too severe punishment.问题是要找出处理过宽和处罚过严的折中办法。

5 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

6 offensive   

adj.令人不快的，侮辱的，攻击用的；n.进攻

参考例句：

• His mode of doing business is offensive to me.他干事情的方式叫我很不喜欢。
• If all else fails,I will take the offensive.如果其他方法不行，我将采取攻势。