Although the top men in smuggling business mustwork together, most of a syndicate's small fry, especially the mules, know only their immediatecontacts. If caught there is little they can give away. A mule probably will not even know the name of theperson who gives him his instructions, nor how toget in touch with him. Usually he even does notknow the person to whom he has to make delivery. He will be told just to sit tight in a certainhotel or bar until someone contacts him. In this way if he is blown, coming through airportcustoms he cannot unwittingly lead agents to the next link in the chain. All the persons at thereceiving end do is to hang around the airport among the waiting crowd, and see that the mulecomes through safely. If he does not, he is dimply written off as a loss. To make identificationof mules easier, several syndicates have devised their own "club ties" so that a mule wearingone can immediately be picked out.
Mules often receive careful training before embarking on their first journey. One Beirutorganization, for example, uses a room with three airline seats in it. There the trainee mulessit for hours on end wearing weighted smuggling vests beneath their clothes, so that theybecome accustomed to standing up after a long flight in a natural way, and withoutrevealing what they are carrying. An outfit in Brussels maintained a comfortable apartmentwhere the mules could relax and get a firm grip on themselves on the night before their firstjourney; they were helped to dress before setting out for the airport in the morning. Moreoften than not a courier will not know precisely where he is going or what flight number is untilhe is actually handed his tickets at the airport. This prevents the careless boast in some baror to a girl friend the night before.
Mules occasionally run off with the goods to keep the profit themselves. As insuranceagainst this, a syndicate often sends a high-up on the same plane to keep a wary eye oncouriers, particularly new ones. Even then things can go badly wrong. One internationalcurrency smuggler who was having trouble getting money out of Britain was offered help by agroup of men who said they were in a position to "fix thing"– for a fee of course. Foolishly, thesmuggler agreed to accept their help. When he got to London’s Heathrow Airport, he handedover to one of the men a black suitcase containing nearly $90,000 in cash, destined forFrankfurt. Just to keep an eye on things, the smuggler went along on the same plane. Whenthey landed at Frankfurt he was handed back his suitcase. He beat a straight path to themen's toilet, opened the case, and found only old clothes. The courier had switched suitcaseen route, but the smuggler could hardly run to the police and complain that "the man whowas 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 小魚群，小生物群。這里的small fry是指辛迪加之子公司，小走私集團或走私者。
2. sit tight 穩坐不動，堅持下去，這里指一直坐等著，等到有人來和他聯系。
3. blown 欠賬的，被炸毀的。這里指走私分子“出事”。
4. write off 銷賬，被勾銷的項目。這里指把出事的騾子從名單上勾掉。
5. written off as a loss 作為損失銷賬。
6. embark (on) 開始搞，從事，上船。
7. grip 緊握。
8. high up 高處，這里指高一級走私人。
9. fix thing 這里指“擺平事情”，解決問題。
10. beat 踏上。
11. switch 轉變，調換。
難句譯注
1. In this way if he is blown, coming through airport customs he cannot unwittingly leadagents to the next link in the chain.
【結構簡析】條件句
【參考譯文】這樣，一旦在他通過機場檢查處時出事，他不可能愚蠢地把檢查事務官引到鎖鏈的下一個環節。
2. There the trainee mules sit for hours on end wearing weighted smuggling vests beneaththeir clothes, so that they become accustomed to standing up after a long flight in a naturalway, and without revealing what they are carrying.
【結構簡析】主從句。主句中分詞斷語wearing修飾trainee。從句中and連接兩組介詞短語，后有一賓語從句what they are carrying。這實際上是with(without) +v-ing+object基本句型。
【參考譯文】在那里，走私者衣服下穿著裝有東西的厚厚的走私背心，連續幾個小時坐著，所以他們在長時間飛行后，能習慣于很自然地站起來而不暴露他們身上攜帶的一切。
3. An outfit in Brussels maintained a comfortable apartment where the mules could relaxand get a firm grip on themselves on the night before their first journey; they were helped todress before setting out for the airport in the morning.
【結構簡析】句子結構復雜。Where定語從句修飾apartment，從句中and連接兩個謂語動詞，后面又用分毫隔開另一句分句。
【參考譯文】
寫作方法與文章大意
這是一篇介紹走私分子(綽號為騾子)的文章，采用一般到具體的寫作手法。先從走私集團對具體走私分子實行單線，單方面聯系，分配任務，以免他被逮住后出賣更多的人，危及走私集團。接貨地點的人根據各集團自制的識別標志“會員聯系信號帶”和走私者聯系。隨后是具體培訓走私分子，防范措施及出岔子等一般面謝佐以具體例子作說明，如：貝魯特走私集團培訓和從倫敦運送美金到法蘭克福的事件。
答案詳解
1. C mule，騾子是為走私集團交貨人的稱呼，綽號。A. 是為走私集團具體運送走私貨物的人。只運送，不交貨不能成為騾子。B.負責走私貨物的人。也不對，負責者不一定運送和交貨。D.從走私者那里接受指示的人。更不對。
2. B blown原義為：欠賬了的，被炸毀的，壞了等。這里指：走私分子在過海關，機場檢查處出事，不一定被逮捕。A.逮捕。C.認出，逮捕。D.逃跑。都不符合blown原義。
3. D 說明走私分子會把利益歸己。最后一段第一句“有時，走私分子帶著貨物逃跑，把利益歸己”。走私集團為防范此事，常常派遣高級人物監視走私人，特別是新走私者，也于事無補。這段的具體例子：“走私者和委托人同機飛行，到法蘭克福機場，9萬美金也是不翼而飛，走私者已經撈到手。”就是說明走私者可以為自己留下財路。A.走私者被捕之事，例子中沒有提及。B.走私者不去警察局報案，并不易定是害怕警察局，而是報不了。C.監督毫無用處。是副線。
4. D 單個干。這在第一段一開始就點明：“走私商的上層人物(頭面人物)必須一起工作，而大多數辛迪加的小組織，特別是走私分子，他們只知道他們的直接聯系人。一旦他們被逮捕，就沒有什么可以出賣的。一個騾子甚至連給他指示的人的姓名都不知道，也不知道如何和此人聯系”。A.共同干。B.獨立干，走私分子不是獨立，大多數是在監督之下。C.有意識地干，上下都是有意識地干。
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