新概念英语第四册64-04

taking one’s life 杀别人； whether or not是否(连缀词)；

violent thief 暴徒=murderer with robbery; instant emotion一时冲动；

7. The only arguable plea for capital punishment…: 唯一对支持死刑可争论的借口

arguable 可 争 论 的 , 可 辩 论 的 ；

prospect :hope； but since 由于； used to :过去常常； claim 理由；

mass destruction: 极大杀伤力；

the right of society to retribution in this world with the prospect of life in another 等于:with the prospect of life in another, a society has a right to give one the retribution.因为拥有 给你来生的幸福,所以社会能给你报应, with 这里做原因状语；

8. nevertheless=however；claim 理由,观点(a feeling for the value of human life )；none the less ；该句:这个观点是可以得到支持的-如果这种同情能够激励那些要废除死刑的人,那么这种同情就不是对那些死刑犯感情的同情,而是对毁掉生命奇迹的一种同情；

如改为:it is a claim that can be sustained if compassion animates those who urge the abolition of the death penalty and it is not a sentimental compassion for the mental agony inflicted upon a condemned man but a dread of destroying the miracle of life

6The poisoner always works on a calculated plan of action and therefore is able to consider whether or not his taking another's life is worth the risk of his own; the violent thief is usually at the mercy of an instant emotion. 7The only arguable plea for capital punishment is the right of society to retribution in this world with the prospect of life in another, but since what used to seem to the great majority of civilized humanity the assurance of another life beyond the grave has come to seem to more and more people less certain, a feeling for the value of human life has become deeper and more widespread. This may seem a paradoxical claim to make at a time when mankind is so much preoccupied with weapons of destruction.8Nevertheless, it is a claim that can be sustained and if compassion animates those who urge the abolition of the death penalty it is not a sentimental compassion for the mental agony inflicted upon a condemned man but a dread of destroying the miracle of life.