Unit 4 Law and orderReadingThe rules of lawHave you ever wondered when and where the law originated? Around 12,000 years ago in the Middle East, small permanent farming communities were established,changing traditional nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles. Different groups were closely living together and dealing with unfamiliar behaviours, beliefs and attitudes. To prevent chaos and resolve conflicts, the rules of conduct and consequences for unacceptable behaviours were created. Hence, the concept of law was born.Many ancient civilizations arose in the Middle East, so it is not surprising that law codes first appeared there. The oldest discovered, the Code of Ur-Nammu, dates back to about 4,000 years ago. The code presented laws in the cause-and-effect format, a style used in nearly all later codes. Another one discovered, the Code of Hammurabi, was composed around 300 years later, which is one of the longest, best-organized and best-preserved legal texts. This code was among the first to implement the concept “innocent until proven guilty”. Both codes have features in common. For instance, they treated a variety of matters,but often ignored some important rules, because such rules were deeply grounded in custom.Over time, laws evolve to become more sophisticated and wide-ranging. Societies constantly transform, so legal systems respond accordingly and ensure laws remain relevant. This response happens in various ways. Outdated laws are abolished when they no longer correspond with the values or moral beliefs of the current society. The most famous example is the abolition of slavery laws in certain countries during the 19th century. Current laws are amended when aspects of a crime change, such as becoming more serious or producing additional crime-related behaviour. In Australia, a law amendment makes workplace bullying amount to a criminal offence. Besides, new laws are made as new situations develop such as those created by advances in technology or changes in societal attitudes. For instance, the advent of the Internet and social media has led to easier exchanges of information, and in turn has provided unauthorized access to personal data, so it is necessary to adopt a new law to strengthen the protection of online users’ private inform ation.Evolving laws may represent a progressive society, but legal systems tend to remain relatively stable. Notably, global legal systems fall into categories that share similarities, and two main categories are civil law and common law. In the civil law system,laws are created by the country’s legislature. Many European countries adopt this legal system. In the common law system, some laws are created by the legislature, but most are based on published court decisions from previous court cases, which are then implemented in future similar situations. The Unites States, the United Kingdomand Australia are examples of the common law system.The law plays an essential part in resolving conflicts, settling disputes and making rules that everyone must follow, yet it has limitations. As the law is not applicable to all situations, it is just one instrument to regulate society. Governments usually employ other methods of social control to help society operate in a smooth and integrated fashion. Moreover, the law is not always ready or able to adapt to the constant changes in the society it serves. Because of its relative stability, it is unreasonable for the law to solve every newly emerging problem.The law is more than just a set of rules as you have probably realized. It helps maintain security and stability in society, and its stable structure assists our societies to reach their full potential. The law is the compass that has guided humans from the first law-abiding communities to where we are today. As it continues to lead us into the future, the law will hopefully help us develop societies that are not just more harmonious but also more civilized.Extended readingThe Red-Headed League(Excerpt)Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish writer, whose best-known fictional character is the private detective Sherlock Holmes. The detective has the habit of paying attention to the smallest and seemingly insignificant details, which inevitably leads to him solving many mysterious crimes. “The R ed-Headed League”, narrated by Holmes’s friend, Dr Watson, tells the tale of a man with red hair who joins a club for red-headed men and thus unknowingly helps a crime take place.“You see, Watson,” he explained in the early hours of the morning as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, “it was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the Red-Headed League, and the copying of the Encyclopaedia, must be to get Wilson, this not over-bright pawnbroker, out of the way for a number of hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, really, it would be difficult to suggest a better way. The criminal Clay’s clever plan was most certainly inspired by the colo ur of his accomplice’s hair. The four pounds a week was used to attract him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? They put in the advertisement; one criminal has the temporary office and the other one convinces the man to apply for it. Together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation.”“But how could you guess what the motive was?”“The man’s business was a small one, and there was nothing in his house which could account for such careful preparations and such expenses. It must, then, be something out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant’s fondne ss for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the cellar. Then I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London. He was doing something in the cellar— something which took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once more? I could think of nothing except that he was digging a tunnel to some other building.“So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was establishing whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the assistant answered it. I hardly looked at his face.His knees were what I wished to see.You must yourself have noticed how worn,wrinkled and stained they were. They were evidence of those hours of digging. The only remaining point was what they were digging for. I walked round the corner, saw a bank connected to our friend’s property, and felt that I had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert, I called upon Scotland Yard and the chairman of the bank directors, with the result that you have seen.”“And how could you tell that they would make their attempt tonight?” I asked.“Well, when they closed their League offices, that was a sign that they cared no longer about Mr Wilson’s presence—in other words, that they had completed their tunnel. But it was essential that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the gold might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. For all these reasons I expected them to come tonight.”“You reasoned it out beautifully,” I exclaimed in genuine admiration. “It is so lon g a chain, and yet every link rings true.”“It saved me from boredom,” he answered, yawning. “I already feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the routines of daily life. These little problems help me to do so.”“And you are a benefactor of society,” said I.He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, perhaps, after all, it is of some little use,” he remarked.Unit 4*enforceable /ɪnˈfɔːsəbl/ adj. 强制的(43)govern /ˈɡʌvn/ vt. & vi. 统治，控制，管理，治理；控制，影响，支配(43)*dispute /dɪˈs pjuːt; ˈdɪspjuːt/ n. 争论，辩论，争端，纠纷vi. & vt. 对…提出质疑，对…表示异议（或怀疑）；争夺，竞争；争论，辩论，争执(43)originate /əˈrɪdʒɪneɪt/ vi. 起源，发源，发端于vt. 创立，创建，发明(44)*nomadic /nəʊˈmædɪk/ adj. 游牧的，流浪的(44)*glimpse /ɡlɪmps/ n. 短暂的感受（或体验、领会）；一瞥，一看vt. 瞥见，看一眼；开始领悟，开始认识到(44)*sophisticated /səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/ adj.（机器、体系等）复杂巧妙的，先进的，精密的；见多识广的，老练的，见过世面的；水平高的，在行的(44)*abolish /əˈbɒlɪʃ/ vt. 废除，废止(44)*amend /əˈmend/ vt. 修正，修订(44)*bullying /ˈbʊliɪŋ/ n. 霸凌，欺凌(45)*legislature /ˈledʒɪslətʃə(r)/ n. 立法机关(45)*flawed /flɔːd/ adj. 有错误的，有缺点的，有瑕疵的(45)*law-abiding /ˈlɔː əbaɪdɪŋ/ adj. 遵纪守法的，安分守己的(45)*strive /straɪv/ vi. 努力，奋斗，力争，力求(47)*conceivable /kənˈsiːvəbl/ adj. 可想象的，可信的(47)*violate /ˈvaɪəleɪt/ vt. 违反，违犯，违背（法律、协议等）；侵犯（隐私等）(47) *browse /braʊz/ vi. & vt. 浏览，翻阅；随便看看；搜寻信息，浏览信息(47)*abreast /əˈbrest/ adv. 并列，并排，并肩(47)keep abreast of 了解最新情况，跟上（某事物的发展）(47)*impulse /ˈɪmpʌls/ n. 冲动，心血来潮，一时的念头；动力，冲力，冲量；推动力，刺激(47)*penalty /ˈpenəlti/ n. 惩罚，处罚，刑罚；（对犯规者的）判罚，处罚；（足球和其他类似体育运动）点球(47)*hack /hæk/ vi. & vt. 非法侵入（他人的计算机系统）；(47)*abide /əˈbaɪd/ vt. 容忍vi. 逗留，停留，居留，居住(47)abide by 遵守，遵循(47)infringement /ɪnˈfrɪndʒmənt/ n. 侵犯，违反copyright /ˈkɒpiraɪt/ n. 版权，著作权adj. 受版权保护的，未经准许不得复制的(50)*grant /ɡrɑːnt/ vt.（尤指正式地或法律上）同意，准予，允许；（勉强）承认，同意(50)trademark /ˈtreɪdmɑːk/ n. 商标vt.把…注册为商标(50)*exclusive /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/ adj.（个人或集体）专用的，专有的，独有的，独占的（团体、社团等）排外的(50)confidential /ˌkɒnfɪˈdenʃl/ adj. 机密的，保密的，秘密的；隐密的，秘密的；受信任的，委以机密的(50)*formula /ˈfɔːmjələ/ n. 配方，处方，药方；方案，方法；公式，方程式；分子式；配方奶；方程式(50)*infringe /ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/ vt. & vi. 侵犯，侵害（合法权益）；（行动、计划等）违背，触犯（法规）(50)*mysterious /mɪˈstɪəriəs/ adj. 神秘的，奇怪的，不易解释的；神秘的，陌生的；诡秘的，故弄玄虚的(53)*narrate /nəˈreɪt/ vt. 讲（故事），叙述；给（纪录片或节目）解说(53)*whisky /ˈwɪski/ n. (pl.whiskies or whiskeys) 威士忌(53)*soda /ˈsəʊdə/ n. 汽水，苏打水；苏打汽水；苏打(53)*pawnbr oker /ˈpɔːnbrəʊkə(r)/ n. 典当商人，当铺老板(53)out of the way 不再挡路，不再碍事；结束，处理完；（用于否定句）奇特的，不寻常的，罕见的(53)*cellar /ˈselə(r)/ n. 地窖，地下窖(53)on end 连续地，不断地；竖着，直立着(53)*tunnel /ˈtʌnl/ n. 地下通道，地道，隧道；（动物的）洞穴通道(53)*stained /steɪnd/ adj. 满是污痕的，沾有污渍的(54)reason sth out 通过思考想出对策，推理出（结果）(54)*exclaim /ɪkˈskleɪm/ vi. & vt.（尤因强烈的情感或痛苦而）惊叫，呼喊(54) ring true 给人以真实（或空洞、虚假）的印象(54)*benefactor /ˈbenɪfæktə(r)/ n. 施主，捐款人，赞助人(54)*shrug /ʃrʌɡ/ vt. & vi. 耸肩n. 耸肩(54)*hazard /ˈhæzəd/ n. 危险，危害(55)*probation /prəˈbeɪʃn/ n.（法律）缓刑制，缓刑；试用期，见习期，考察期；试读(55)*plead /pliːd/ vi. & vt. 表明认罪（或不认罪）；乞求，恳求；声援，支持；申辩，辩护；解释，推说(55)punishment /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/ n. 惩罚，处罚，刑罚；粗暴对待，虐待(55)。
