Introduce the story: Today we'll talk about a gangster who lived a long time ago.
Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: How did Hawkwood make money in times of peace?
Answer: He and his men would burn down a few farms and then demand protection
money from the city-state.
Vocabulary:
gangster n. 歹徒，强盗
city-state n. （古代）城邦
Chicago n. 芝加哥（美国城市）
hire v. 租出，雇给
protection n. 保护
prince n. 君主，诸侯
promptly adv. 准时地
Florentine n. 佛罗伦萨人
destroy v. 毁掉；消灭
funeral n. 葬礼
remarkable adj. 不寻常的
dedicate v. 奉献，题献给
band n. 帮，团伙
memory n. 纪念
Florence n. 佛罗伦萨（意大利城市）
valiant adj. 英勇的
Passage:
There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay
large sums of money to gangsters in return for ‘protection’. If the money was not paid
promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his
shop. Obtaining ‘protection money’ is not a modern crime. As long ago as the
fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable
discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work
destroyed by gangsters.
曾经有一个时期，芝加哥的店主和商行的老板们不得不拿出大笔的钱给歹徒以换
取“保护”。如果交款不及时，歹徒们就会很快捣毁他的商店，让他破产。榨取“保
护费”并不是一种现代的罪恶行径。早在 14 世纪，英国人约翰 ·霍克伍德就有过
非凡的发现：人们情愿拿出大笔的钱，也不愿毕生的心血毁于歹徒之手。
Notes:
1 in return for…，作“作为……的报答”讲。
2 out of business, 倒闭，破产。
3 as long ago as, 作“追溯到”、“早在”讲。注意要与 as long as 分开，后面这个短
语作“只要”或“长达……之久”讲。
4 people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by
gangsters,人们情愿支付一大笔钱，也不愿自己毕生的心血毁于歹徒之手。
Six hundred years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers
and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to
the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each
other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high
price he demanded. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his
men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer
to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of
money in this way. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When
he died at the age of eighty, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture
painted which was dedicated to the memory of ‘the most valiant soldier and most
notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue’.
600 年前，约翰·霍克伍德爵士带着一队士兵来到意大利，在佛罗伦萨附近驻扎下
来，很快就出了名。意大利人叫他乔凡尼·阿库托。每次意大利各城邦之间打仗，
霍克伍德便把他的士兵雇佣给愿给他出高价的君主。和平时期，当生意萧条时，
霍克伍德便带领士兵进入某个城邦，纵火烧毁一两个农场，然后提出，如向他们
缴纳保护金，他们便主动撤离。霍克伍德用这种方法挣了大笔钱。尽管如此，意
大利人还是把他视作某种英雄。他 80 岁那年死去时，佛罗伦萨人为他举行了国
葬，并为他画像以纪念这位“骁勇无比的战士、杰出的领袖乔凡尼·阿库托先生”。
Notes:
5 made a name for himself, 出名了。
6 be at war with…, 与……处于战争状态。
7 in times of peace, 在和平时期。
8 a sort of hero, 某种英雄。sort of 作“可以说是一种”讲。
14.2【阅读理解】A noble gangster
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
Comprehension:
1 Why did owners of shops and businesses in Chicago use to have to pay a lot of
money? (For ‘protection’.)
2 What used to happen in Chicago if this money was not paid? (Gangsters would
quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop.)
3 Is obtaining ‘protection money’ a modern crime? (No, it isn’t)
4 How long ago was this system applied? (In the fourteenth century.)
5 Who applied it? (Sir John Hawkwood.)
6 What nationality was he? (English.)
7 Where did Sir John Hawkwood settle? (Near Florence.)
8 How did he become known to the Italians? (As giovanni Acuto.)
9 Who accompanied Sir John? (A band of soldiers.)
10 What did Sir John use to do with these soldiers? (Hire them to princes in times of
war.)
11 Did the princes have to pay a high price for this service? (Yes, they did.)
12 What did these princes rule? (City-states.)
13 How did Sir John get protection money from the princes in times of peace? (He
burned down a few farms and went away when money was paid.)
14 Did he make much money in this way? (Yes, he did.)
15 How did the Italians regard him? (As a kind of hero.
16 How old was Sir John when he died? (80.)
17 What did the Florentines do for him? (They gave him a state funeral.)
18 In what other way did they honour him? (They had a picture painted of him.)
14.3【拓展写作】A noble gangster
Step 3: Composition
In not more than 200 words write an imaginary account of one of Sir John
Hawkwood’s exploits. Use the ideas given below. Do not write more than three
paragraphs.
Title: Hawkwood defeated.
Introduction: News that Hawkwood and his men were approaching---panic---villagers
prepared to defend farms.
Development: Farmers fought---poorly armed---many killed---Hawkwood destroyed
farms---sent message to prince of city-state---demanded money---refused---battle
followed---Hawkwood invaded city---many buildings were destroyed---people killed.
Conclusion: Hawkwood was driven off---never attacked this city again ---later
became the prince’s friend.
Key to composition
Hawkwood defeated
News that Hawkwood and his men were approaching caused panic among
villagers who prepared to defend their farms. Hawkwood had a bad reputation among
farmers because they knew he would not hesitate to kill them and to burn their farms.
The farmers fought very hard, even though they were poorly armed. With their
sticks and spades, they were no match for Hawkwood’s well-armed soldiers who had
horses, swords and bows and arrows. During the battle, a great many farmers were
killed. After Hawkwood destroyed their farms, he sent a message to the prince of the
city-state demanding a large amount of protection money. He said that if this money
was paid, he would go away and cause no more trouble. However, if it wasn't paid, he
would invade the city. To Hawkwood’s amazement, this demand was refused, so he
and his men invaded the city. As a result, many buildings were destroyed and
thousands of people were killed, including quite a few of Hawkwood's soldiers.
The city people fought very hard until Hawkwood and his men were finally
driven off. Because the city people defended themselves so well, Hawkwood never
attacked them again. He and the prince even became friends.
课外练习：
1 What ‘protection’did Chicago gangsters give to those who paid them?
(a)They saved those people’s businesses from destruction.
(b)They left those people’s business premises unharmed.
(c)They protected those people against criminals like Sir John Hawkwood.
(d) They did not take those people’s lives.
2 Sir John Hawkwood’s Italian name, ‘Giovanni Acuto’, was one which .
(a)he gave himself in order to become better known to the Italians.
(b)he earned through his sharp practice of selling his ‘protection’
(c)he needed in order to hire his soldiers to Italian princes
(d) was given him in recognition of his services o he Italian states
3 The Italians regarded Hawkwood as a sort of hero .
(a)in that they could not help admiring his boldness and bravery
(b) as he helped the citizens n peacetime when business was bad or them
(c)despite the protection money he offered o those whose arms he burnt
(d) for he lived so long and was given a state funeral by the Florentines
4 Obtaining ‘protection money’is a crime which practised for a long time.
(a)has been
(b)is
(c)was
(d) is being
5 People prefer paying large sums of money their life work destroyed by
gangsters.
(a)than have
(b)to have
(c)to having
(d) than they have
6 Princes used to hire Hawkwood.
(a)his soldiers from
(b) soldiers from
(c)soldiers of
(d)some soldiers of
7 They would refuse to go away protection money was paid to them.
(a)unless
(b) provided that
(c) except that
(d)without
8 at the age of eighty, the Florentines gave him .
(a)On dying
(b)Having died
(c)On his death
(d) Dead
9 Six hundred years have since Sir John Hawkwood arrived.
(a)past
(b)passed
(c)been
(d) departed
10-princes who were to pay the high price he demanded.
(a)agreeable
(b)accepting
(c)desirable
(d)prepared
11 Hawkwood made large sums of money .
(a) by the way
(b)with such manners
(c)on this road
(d)like this
12‘the most soldier and most notable leader...’
(a)valuable
(b)worthy
(c)brave
(d)hardy
答案：1b 2b 3a 4a 5c 6b 7a 8c 9b 10d 11d 12c