Lesson 10Lesson 10Lesson 10Lesson 10

The Trial That Rocked the The Trial That Rocked the WorldWorld

Procedures of Teaching:

•1. Background knowledge•2. Detailed study of the text•3. Structural analysis•4. Language features•5. Supplementary exercise

Background Knowledge1, the author John, Scopes, a high school science teach

er in Dayton, Tennessee who , by teaching evolution, was accused of breaking the law. He was the defendant in the case. As the last surviving principal in this trial, he decided to write a story describing the highlights of the trial, which is popularly known as the “monkey trial ” He died in 1979.

Background Knowledge2. Religions

– God: the Deity, the Divinity, Holy One, Jehovah, the Lord, Providence, the Almighty, the Creator and etc.

– There is only one God in heaven. But the belief in God has developed three religious sections:

– Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Background Knowledge– Christianity:

•Roman Catholic ( 罗马天主教 )•Protestant ( 新教 )•Orthodox Eastern Church( 东方正教 )

– Trinity: the Holy Father, the Holy Son and the Holy Spirit/Ghost, with Jesus Christ as its incarnation.( 三位一体 : 父 , 子 , 圣灵三位一体的基督教教义 .)

Background Knowledge:

• Bible:– Name of the Christian Scriptures, the Ol

d Testament and the New Testament. – Old Testament: Christian name for the H

ebrew Bible, the first portion of the Christian Bible•Genesis( 《创世纪》 ): first book of the

Old Testament which tells the origin of the world and of man

Background Knowledge• Bible

– New Testament: the distinctive Christian portion of the Bible• Gospel 《福音》 : Greek word for goo

d news. the first four books of the New Testament.

• Bible– Fundamentalism （基督教基本主义） : co

nservative religious movement. Its aim is to maintain word for word interpretations of the Bible. Nowadays this word can apply to other religions.

Background Knowledge3. American governing system

– a. Legislature: parliament （议会） ---Congress （国会议会） and Senate （参议院）

– b. Executive: the president and his administration

– c. Judicial （司法） : the Federal Supreme Court

Background Knowledge4. United States Law: civil law/criminal law Civil Law covers cases between

individuals. (insurance claims, divorces, and business malpractices are examples of matters handled under civil law.)

Criminal Law covers cases brought by the state against individuals; criminal offenses range from traffic tickets to major crimes like hijacking and murder.

State courts and Federal courts:State courts: local trial courts; generaltrial courts; state supreme court.Federal courts: The jurisdiction of thefederal courts is basically limited by theConstitution to cases based on federal

lawand to controversies between citizens ofdifferent states.

Certain legal terms:The jury trial: the prosecutor and thedefense counsel present their cases byexamining and cross examining witnesseswho have been subpoenaed to appear incourt so that they can testify. The judgepresides and acts as a referee, but thejury is absolutely silent. When bothlawyers have finished presenting theircases, the jurors deliberate and pass theverdict.

Grand jury: For major investigation andcrimes the prosecuting attorney meets witha panel of citizens (a grand jury) to presenthis evidence; if the panel feels that there issufficient evidence of a crime, it votes toindict the defendant.

• The verdict: When the jury has reached a decision, the foreman of the jury announces the verdict. If the members cannot agree, the jury is called a hung jury and the judge declares a mistrial; in that case, the defendant may be tried again by another jury.

• Sentencing: If the verdict is “guilty”, the person is then convicted and the judge sentences him. If the defendant has been found innocent, he is acquitted.

• Witness: one who testifies or gives evidence under oath in a court of law, based on information that is personally known to him.

• Charge: An accusation of a wrong or offense, as a preliminary step in the prosecution of a crime. In this sense it means a formal complaint, information , or indictment filed against the accused.

• Cross-examination: the examination of a witness during a trial by the attorney of the adverse party, to test the accuracy of the testimony given by the witness on direct examination. The purpose is to disclose omission in answers previously made and to reveal possible bias or prejudice of the witness.

• Objection: A means used during a trial to oppose the introduction of certain testimony, or to call to the attention of the court alleged improper action of the other party. The purpose is to obtain a ruling of the court for the record, and to register an exception to it if it is adverse, so that an appeal can be taken based on error committed during the trial.

Structural Analysis• Part 1: (A buzz ran ... his views)

– the setting of the scene : the reason why I was brought to court.

• Part 2: (By the time ... for an oil company) – the trail itself: the process of the trial

• Part 3: (Not long ago...with the passing years)– the ending

Part 2: the process of the trial: section 1 (paras 10-15): the 1st day of t

he trial: Preliminary fight J. Scopes is here because ignorance

and bigotry are rampant. Today it is the teachers, and tomorrow it will be the magazines,… After a while, it is the setting of man against man... "That damned infidel."

Structural Analysissection 2(paras 16-42): the 2nd day of t

he trial: calling witnessesBryan: “The Christian believes that man c

ame from above... The evolutionist believes…”

Judge ruled against permitting the scientists to testify for the defence.

Climax of the trial: Darrow's trick to trap Bryan.

Structural Analysissection 3(paras43-46): the 3rd day of th

e trial : verdict: guilty, $100 fine and costs.

Victorious defeat

Language points of part 11. on hand:① available, present;

– Please be on hand at 12 sharp --All his old friends will be on hand / present t

o see Jack receive the medal of honour.② within reach: the distance one can reach=

at hand: near in time or place– Always have your dictionary on hand / wit

hin reach / at hand when you study.– I have a great deal of important work on h

and.

2. Reassure/ assure reassure: comfort and make free from

fear, stop worrying often by saying sth. kind or friendly – The doctor reassured the sick man about

his health.– She won't believe it in spite of all our rea

ssurance.

assure: try to cause to believe or trust in sth.; promise–The captain assured the passen

gers that there was no danger

• 3. erupt: (of a volcano) to explode and pour out fire– Here, emerge, happen quickly, come

down upon unexpectedly and violently;

– I was suddenly engulfed by the whole affair.

• 4. indict: to indict sb. for a crime means to charge them with it officially– Five men were caught at the scene and i

ndicted.Accuse/ charge,/prosecute/ blameaccuse sb. of cheating.charge sb. with cheating. prosecute sb. for theft.blame sb. for the failure.

Detailed study of part 2 Section 1▲ Para10-12: some general information of the tr

ail:1) the date : the 10th July.2) the place: Dayton, Tennessee (a town of 1

500 people)3) the circus atmosphere: banners, stands, tents,

many villagers 4) the presiding judge: John Rauston.

5) the lawyers of the prosecution: Byran: silver-tongued orator, aging and paunchy; Tom Stewart: brilliant young attorney-general.6) the lawyers of the defendant: Darrow: famous criminal lawyer, shrewd. 68, agn

ostic Dudley Field Malone: handsome and magnetic, 4

3, Catholic; Arthur Garfield Hays: quiet, steeped in law. Jew

7) the jurors of the trial: 12 jurors , 3 jurors only read Bible , one couldn’t read. one hell of a jury:

• Paras 13- 15: Darrow’s statement for the accused

on the first day of the trial:

Part 2 ---section 2

• Paras 16-25: the fierce debate between Bryan and Malone in the trial the 2nd day.

• Paras 26-29:the circus atmosphere and the things happened during the adjourning time.

• Paras30-42: the climax of the trial