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By almost every measure,Paul Pfingst is an unsentimental prosecutor.Last week the San Diego County district attorney said he fully intends to try suspect Charles Andrew Williams,15,as an adult for the Santana High School shootings.Even before the tragedy,Pfingst had stood behind the controversial California law that mandates treating murder suspects as young as 14 as adults.
So nobody would have wagered that Pfingst would also be the first D.A. in the U.S. to launch his very own Innocence Project. Yet last June, Pfingst told his attorneys to go back over old murder and rape convictions and see if any unravel with newly developed DNA-testing tools.In other words,he wanted to revisit past victories--this time playing for the other team."I think people misunderstand being conservative for being biased,"says Pfingst."I consider myself a pragmatic guy,and I have no interest in putting innocent people in jail."
Around the U.S.,flabbergasted defense attorneys and their jailed clients cheered his move.Among prosecutors,however,there was an awkward pause.After all,each DNA test costs as much as $5,000.Then there's the unspoken risk:if dozens of innocents turn up,the D.A. will have indicted his shop.
But nine months later,no budgets have been busted or prosecutors ousted.Only the rare case merits review.Pfingst's team considers convictions before 1993,when the city started routine DNA testing.They discard cases if the defendant has been released.Of the 560 remaining files,they have re-examined 200,looking for cases with biological evidence and defendants who still claim innocence.
They have identified three so far.The most compelling involves a man serving 12 years for molesting a girl who was playing in his apartment.But others were there at the time.Police found a small drop of saliva on the victim's shirt--too small a sample to test in 1991.Today that spot could free a man.Test results are due any day.Inspired by San Diego,10 other counties in the U.S. are starting DNA audits.
注(1)本文选自Time; 03/19/2001, Vol. 157 Issue 11, p62, 1p, 2c, 3bw
1. How did Pfingst carry out his own Innocence Project?
[A]By getting rid of his bias against the suspects.
[B]By revisiting the past victories.
[C]By using the newly developed DNA-testing tools.
[D]By his cooperation with his attorneys.
2. Which of the following can be an advantage of Innocence Project?
[A]To help correct the wrong judgments.
[B]To oust the unqualified prosecutors.
[C]To make the prosecutors in an awkward situation.
[D]To cheer up the defense attorneys and their jailed clients.
3. The expression “flabbergasted”(Line 1, Paragraph 3) most probably means _______.
[A]excited
[B]competent
[C]embarrassed
[D]astounded
4. Why was Pfingst an unsentimental prosecutor?
[A]He intended to try a fifteen-year old suspect.
[B]He had no interest in putting the innocent in jail.
[C]He supported the controversial California law.
[D]He wanted to try suspect as young as fourteen.
5. Which of the following is not true according to the text?
[A]Pfingst’s move didn’t have a great coverage.
[B] Pfingst’s move had both the positive and negative effect.
[C] Pfingst’s move didn’t work well.
[D]Pfingst’s move greatly encouraged the jailed prisoners.
答案：CADBC
篇章剖析
本文采用的是记叙文的模式。第一段指出Pfingst作为一位铁面无私的检查官的一些做法；第二段指出Pfingst实施“清白计划”的打算及做法；第三段指出实施“清白计划”造成的反应以及可能存在的问题；第四段和第五段是实施“清白计划”的结果和影响。
题目分析
1.答案为C，属事实细节题。文中对应信息"Pfingst told his attorneys to go back over old murder and rape convictions and see if any unravel with newly developed DNA-testing tools.”是对第二段第一句的补充说明。
2.答案为A，属推理判断题。从上下文我们可以得知，实施“清白计划”就是使用先进的DNA技术来重新审理过去的案件当中可能存在的冤案错案。
3.答案为D，属猜词题。从第二段第一句话我们得知Pfingst可能是美国第一个实施非常独特的“清白计划”的人，因此他的做法很可能是令人感到吃惊的，从而可猜出该词的含义。
4.答案为B，属推理判断题。从第一段和第二段给出的事例我们可以看出，Pfingst不愿放过任何一个犯罪的人，即便他的年龄还不算大；他也不愿使无辜者蒙冤，即便案件已经审理。
5.答案为C，属推理判断题。正因为"Pfingst’s move works well”，美国才又有"ten other counties are starting DNA audits”，而且，"no budgets have been busted or prosecutors ousted”。
参考译文
从各方面来看，Paul Pfingst都是位铁面无私的检查官。15岁的查尔斯•安德鲁•威廉斯是桑塔纳高中枪击案的犯罪嫌疑人。上周，圣地亚哥县检查官说Pfingst试图把他以成年人的身份进行审讯。在这场悲剧发生之前，Pfingst就已经开始支持加利福尼亚州的一项有争议的法规。这项法规规定，以成人身份受审的谋杀嫌疑犯的年龄最小可以为十四岁。
没人确保Pfingst是否也将成为美国第一个实施自己的“清白计划”的地方法院检查官。然而，去年六月，Pfingst告诉手下的律师重审过去的谋杀罪和强奸罪，看是否有能用最新发展的DNA检验工具解决的案件。换句话说，他想重新回顾过去的胜利——这回是为了另一方。“我想人们把保守错误地理解成了心存偏见。” Pfingst说，“我认为我自己是一个讲究实际的人。我无意于把无辜的人送进监狱。”
在美国，颇感吃惊的辩护律师及其被收监的当事人为他的举动感到振奋。然而，在检查官当中却出现了令人尴尬的沉默。毕竟每一次DNA检测的费用都高达5，000美元。这其中还存在内在的风险——如果出现了很多无辜者，那么地方法院检查官将对其所属机构予以谴责。
九个月以后，并没有出现资金短缺或检查官被罢免的情况。只有少数案件需要重新审理。1993年城市开始实行常规DNA检测，因此Pfingst的手下只考虑1993年前被定罪的案件。对于被告已被释放的案例他们不予考虑。在560份现存档案中，他们重新审理了200份，主要是寻找那些留有生物证据的案件和被告人仍声明无罪的案件。
到目前为止，他们只确定了三起案件。其中有一起案件最引人注意，案件的当事人因为骚扰在他的公寓玩耍的女孩而服刑了12年。案发时还有他人在场。警方在受害人的衬衣上发现了一小滴唾液——在1991年，这个样本太小无法检验。但在今天那滴唾液却能使一个人获释。检验结果什么时候都可以拿到。受圣地亚哥的影响，美国又有10个县要开始DNA审查了。
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