英语阅读理解100篇（基础篇）-16

Passage Sixteen (Mules)

       Although the top men in smuggling business must work together, most of a syndicate’s small fry, especially the mules, know only their immediate contacts. If caught there is little they can give away. A mule probably will not even know the name of the person who gives him his instructions, nor how to get in touch with him. Usually he even does not know the person to whom he has to make delivery. He will be told just to sit tight in a certain hotel or bar until someone contacts him. In this way if he is blown, coming through airport customs he cannot unwittingly lead agents to the next link in the chain. All the persons at the receiving end do is to hang around the airport among the waiting crowd, and see that the mule comes through safely. If he does not, he is dimply written off as a loss. To make identification of mules easier, several syndicates have devised their own “club ties” so that a mule wearing one can immediately be picked out.

       Mules often receive careful training before embarking on their first journey. One Beirut organization, for example, uses a room with three airline seats in it. There the trainee mules sit for hours on end wearing weighted smuggling vests beneath their clothes, so that they become accustomed to standing up after a long flight in a natural way, and without revealing what they are carrying. An outfit in Brussels maintained a comfortable apartment where the mules could relax and get a firm grip on themselves on the night before their first journey; they were helped to dress before setting out for the airport in the morning. More often than not a courier will not know precisely where he is going or what flight number is until he is actually handed his tickets at the airport. This prevents the careless boast in some bar or to a girl friend the night before.

       Mules occasionally run off with the goods to keep the profit themselves. As insurance against this, a syndicate often sends a high-up on the same plane to keep a wary eye on couriers, particularly new ones. Even then things can go badly wrong. One international currency smuggler who was having trouble getting money out of Britain was offered help by a group of men who said they were in a position to “fix thing” – for a fee of course. Foolishly, the smuggler agreed to accept their help. When he got to London’s Heathrow Airport, he handed over to one of the men a black suitcase containing nearly $90,000 in cash, destined for Frankfurt. Just to keep an eye on things, the smuggler went along on the same plane. When they landed at Frankfurt he was handed back his suitcase. He beat a straight path to the men’s toilet, opened the case, and found only old clothes. The courier had switched suitcase en route, but the smuggler could hardly run to the police and complain that “the man who was smuggling money out of England for me has stolen it.”

1.       What is a “mule”?
[A] A person who sends smuggling goods for a syndicate is called mule.
[B] A person in charge of smuggling goods is called mule.
[C] A person who makes delivery for a syndicate is called mule.
[D] A person who receives instructions from a smuggler is called mule.

2.       The sentence “if he is blown” in line (6) is closest in meaning to
[A] if he is arrested.
[B] if he is recognized, but not necessarily arrested.
[C] if he is recognized and arrested.
[D] if he runs away.

3.       Why does the author give an example in the last paragraph?
[A] To show how a smuggler is caught.
[B] To show a smuggler is afraid of the police.
[C] To show to keep a wary eye on couriers is useless.
[D] To show mules may keep the profit for themselves.

4.       how does a mule work?
[A] Jointly.
[B] Independently.
[C] consciously.
[D] Separately.

Vocabulary

1.       fry                                       小鱼群，小生物群。这里的small fry是指辛迪加之子公司，小走私集团或走私者

2.       sit tight                                 稳坐不动，坚持下去，这里指一直坐等着，等到有人来和他联系。

3.       blown                                  欠账的，被炸毁的。这里指走私分子“出事”

4.       write off                               销账，被勾销的项目。这里指把出事的骡子从名单上勾掉。

5.       written off as a loss               作为损失销账。

6.       embark (on)                          开始搞，从事，上船。

7.       grip                                      紧握

8.       high up                                 高处，这里指高一级走私人

9.       fix thing                               这里指“摆平事情”，解决问题

10.   beat                                     踏上

11.   switch                                  转变，调换

难句译注

1.       In this way if he is blown, coming through airport customs he cannot unwittingly lead agents to the next link in the chain.
【结构简析】条件句
【参考译文】这样，一旦在他通过机场检查处时出事，他不可能愚蠢地把检查事务官引到锁链的下一个环节。

2.       There the trainee mules sit for hours on end wearing weighted smuggling vests beneath their clothes, so that they become accustomed to standing up after a long flight in a natural way, and without revealing what they are carrying.
【结构简析】主从句。主句中分词断语wearing修饰trainee。从句中and连接两组介词短语，后有一宾语从句what they are carrying。这实际上是with(without) +v-ing+object基本句型。
【参考译文】在那里，走私者衣服下穿着装有东西的厚厚的走私背心，连续几个小时坐着，所以他们在长时间飞行后，能习惯于很自然地站起来而不暴露他们身上携带的一切。

3.       An outfit in Brussels maintained a comfortable apartment where the mules could relax and get a firm grip on themselves on the night before their first journey; they were helped to dress before setting out for the airport in the morning.
【结构简析】句子结构复杂。Where定语从句修饰apartment，从句中and连接两个谓语动词，后面又用分毫隔开另一句分句。
【参考译文】布鲁塞尔一家走私集团长期包了一套舒适的公寓。在那里走私分子可以休息，在第一次上路前的夜晚，好好控制下自己；早上出发去机场前，有人帮他们穿好衣服。

写作方法与文章大意

       这是一篇介绍走私分子（绰号为骡子）的文章，采用一般到具体的写作手法。先从走私集团对具体走私分子实行单线，单方面联系，分配任务，以免他被逮住后出卖更多的人，危及走私集团。接货地点的人根据各集团自制的识别标志“会员联系信号带”和走私者联系。随后是具体培训走私分子，防范措施及出岔子等一般面谢佐以具体例子作说明，如：贝鲁特走私集团培训和从伦敦运送美金到法兰克福的事件。

答案详解

1.       C mule，骡子是为走私集团交货人的称呼，绰号。
A. 是为走私集团具体运送走私货物的人。只运送，不交货不能成为骡子。B.负责走私货物的人。也不对，负责者不一定运送和交货。D.从走私者那里接受指示的人。更不对。

2.       B blown原义为：欠账了的，被炸毁的，坏了等。这里指：走私分子在过海关，机场检查处出事，不一定被逮捕。
A.逮捕。C.认出，逮捕。D.逃跑。都不符合blown原义。

3.       D 说明走私分子会把利益归己。最后一段第一句“有时，走私分子带着货物逃跑，把利益归己”。走私集团为防范此事，常常派遣高级人物监视走私人，特别是新走私者，也于事无补。这段的具体例子：“走私者和委托人同机飞行，到法兰克福机场，9万美金也是不翼而飞，走私者已经捞到手。”就是说明走私者可以为自己留下财路。
A.走私者被捕之事，例子中没有提及。B.走私者不去警察局报案，并不易定是害怕警察局，而是报不了。C.监督毫无用处。是副线。

4.       D单个干。这在第一段一开始就点明：“走私商的上层人物（头面人物）必须一起工作，而大多数辛迪加的小组织，特别是走私分子，他们只知道他们的直接联系人。一旦他们被逮捕，就没有什么可以出卖的。一个骡子甚至连给他指示的人的姓名都不知道，也不知道如何和此人联系”。
A.共同干。B.独立干，走私分子不是独立，大多数是在监督之下。C.有意识地干，上下都是有意识地干。