The study of law has been recognized for centuries as a basic intellectual discipline in European universities. However, only in recent years has it become a feature of undergraduate programs in Canadian universities. (46) Traditionally, legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person. Happily, the older and more continental view of legal education is establishing itself in a number of Canadian universities and some have even begun to offer undergraduate degrees in law.

　　If the study of law is beginning to establish itself as part and parcel of a general education, its aims and methods should appeal directly to journalism educators. Law is a discipline which encourages responsible judgment. On the one hand, it provides opportunities to analyze such ideas as justice, democracy and freedom. (47) On the other, it links these concepts to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news. For example, notions of evidence and fact, of basic rights and public interest are at work in the process of journalistic judgment and production just as in courts of law. Sharpening judgment by absorbing and reflecting on law is a desirable component of a journalists intellectual preparation for his or her career.

　　(48) But the idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen rests on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media. Politics or, more broadly, the functioning of the state, is a major subject for journalists. The better informed they are about the way the state works, the better their reporting will be. (49) In fact, it is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories.

　　Furthermore, the legal system and the events which occur within it are primary subjects for journalists. While the quality of legal journalism varies greatly, there is an undue reliance amongst many journalists on interpretations supplied to them by lawyers. (50) While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments. These can only come from a well-grounded understanding of the legal system.

　　重點詞匯：

　　discipline:

　　[記]聯(lián)想記憶：dis(不)+cip(拿)+line(線)——不拿老百姓一針一線——紀(jì)律

　　n.紀(jì)律，規(guī)定 [例]Without discipline, there is no method.沒有規(guī)矩，不成方圓。

　　學(xué)科 [例]We will set up a new academic discipline in our school.我們將在學(xué)校設(shè)立一門新的理論學(xué)科。

　　訓(xùn)練 [例]The mountaineer has been under perfect discipline. 那登山隊員受過良好的訓(xùn)練。

　　[派]disciplined a.受過訓(xùn)練的，遵守紀(jì)律的

　　preserve:

　　[記]詞根記憶：pre(預(yù)先)+serve(保持)——便于長久保存而預(yù)先采取措施——保護(hù)，保藏

　　Vt.保護(hù)，維持 [例]preserve one’s eyesight 保護(hù)視力

　　保存，保藏 [例]Tom preserved the meat in the fridge.湯姆將肉保存在了冰箱里。

　　腌制 [例]The local people use smokehouses to preserve tons of fish and other seafood annually.每年，當(dāng)?shù)厝死�用熏制室來腌制成噸的魚和其它海產(chǎn)品。

　　parallel:

　　[記]para(類似)+llel——類似的

　　a.平行的，并聯(lián)的 [例]parallel lines 平行線

　　[考]run parallel to/ with 與…平行;parallel to/ with 平行的，并聯(lián)的

　　competent:

　　[記]來自compete(vi.競爭)，com(加強(qiáng))+pete(競爭)——競爭

　　a。有能力的，勝任的 [例]Young as he is ,this new manager is really competent.這位新來的經(jīng)理盡管很年輕，但是非常有能力。

　　[派]incompetent a.不合格的，不勝任的;competently ad。勝任地，適合地

　　interpretations:

　　[記]來自interpret——inter(在…之間)+prêt——在兩種語言之間——口譯

　　Vt。解釋，說明 [例]The professor asked me to interpret the long difficult sentence in front of the class.教授讓我在全班同學(xué)面前解釋那句又長又難得句子

　　了解，認(rèn)為 [例]I interpreted her answer as a refusal.我把她的回答理解為是一種拒絕。

　　口譯 [例]I interpreted the ambassador’s remarks for everybody.我為大家口譯了大使的話。

　　[派]interpretation n.解釋;口譯;interpreter n.口譯者，解釋者

　　well-grounded: ad.基礎(chǔ)牢固的, 有充分根據(jù)的