英文仿寫練習010:Learning to live with riots (2)

(寫滿100篇會怎樣?)


(原文)Learning to live with riots

(contiued)

Lately, as the cost of the war in Vietnam has got out of control and foreign confidence in the dollar has begun to crumble, the Johnson Administration and the Congress found themselves hemmed in by adverse facts, their freedom of choice almost gone. A string of Administration requests for funds for domestic programmes now waits in line behind the tax surcharge Bill, which in turn has become tied to a cut in the government's spending. Mr Johnson faces a struggle to get the money for his existing social policies, such as they are. By deciding not to seek another term as President he has restored much of his moral authority. But to get spending power from Congress requires rather more than moral authority; it requires leverage and there he is weaker, not stronger, than before. What can he hope to do to turn away the anger of the Negro poor?

His first intention after Dr King's murder was to go before Congress in joint session on Monday night, but on reflection he postponed his request——and no wonder. A merely rhetorical response to the murder might sound noble but it would do no good. A programme of measures to treat the grievances which Dr King was engaged in placing before the country is difficult to put together with so many avenues of choice apparently barred. It is uncertain how the mood of Congress itself, and the mood of the nation, will settle down when the shock of the murder subsides and the smoke clears after the riots. White contrition for the murder is struggling with self-righteous indignation at the looting and burning of shops: which will win is not clear.

Some measures which the President is urging on Congress have at least the advantage that they will cost little or no money. First comes the Civil Rights Bill itself, miraculously passed by the Senate last month, but in a changed form that required the House of Representatives to vote on it again; this may be achieved before Easter. The Bill's main provisions, the ones that have excited the most passion, seek to stop discrimination against minorities in the sale and rental of housing. Next the President may hope to get a law, often urged before and long held up in Congress, to impose some degree of federal control on the sale of firearms. Unlike these, his safe streets and crime control measure will cost some money (in federal grants to improve and strengthen local police forces), but it will be a valuable reform and not unduly costly and he may reasonably hope for its passage.

(to be continued...)

——自 《Learning to live with riots》, The Economist, April 13, 1968

 

句型提取

as A has got out of control and B has begun to crumble, C found itself hemmed in by adverse facts, its freedom of choice almost gone. 
因爲A已經失控,B也開始崩潰,C意識到自己受困於各種不利因素,它毫無選擇餘地。

A string of requests for ... now waits in line behind ...
繼……之後,一連串對……的需求也排隊等候。

A merely rhetorical response to the murder might sound noble but it would do no good. 
對謀殺事件的口頭反應,也許聽起來很高尚,但於事無補。

should be put together with……
應該和……結合起來

it is uncertain how the mood of A will settle down when the shock subsides and the smoke clears after the riots.
當暴亂的硝煙散去、震驚退卻,A的狀況將如何平復還未可知。

which will win is not clear
結論不明

First comes……; Next……
首先是……;其次是……

seek to stop discrimination against minorities
尋求停止針對少數羣體的歧視


(仿寫)Empire in fires

As the empire's army has got out of control and the defence of Forbidden City has begun to crumble, Queen Mother of Qing Dynasty found herself hemmed in by adverse facts, her honorable freedom of choice almost gone.

A string of urgent messages with panic from concubines now waits in line behind the final and fatal solution of how to survive. She calls her primary minister into private bedroom. The courtesy and etiquette might sound noble but it would do no good.

"We still has the support of our neighbour, State of Dark Pullus. Their troops should be put together with the forces in Forbidden City." sais the primary minister.

All measures goes imposed. First comes the empire grants to improve and strengthen forces in City, next many orders seek to stop horror and fear in people's mind.

It is uncertain how the mood of concubines will settle down when the shock of fires subsides and the smoke clears after the riots. But it will be just a nightmare incidentally occurred in one of long nights of Empire.



法語學習 · B2考試通關筆記

英語學習 · 仿寫練習100篇

日更寫作 · 心法與實踐

日更寫作 · 小說盲寫

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