全新版大学进阶英语3课文及翻译——Unit 6 The Lawyer.pdf

Unit6

TheLawyerWhoBecameDuPont’sWorstNightmare

ByNathanielRich

1RobBilottreceivedacallfromacattlefarmer.Thefarmer,WilburTennantof

Parkersburg,W.Va.,saidthathiscowsweredyingleftandright.Hebelievedthatthe

DuPontchemicalcompany,whichuntilrecentlyoperatedasiteinParkersburg,was

responsible.Tennanthadtriedtoseekhelplocally,butDuPontjustaboutownedthe

entiretown.HehadbeenspurnednotonlybyParkersburg’slawyersbutalsobyits

politicians,journalists,doctorsandveterinarians.HereachedouttoBilottbecausehe

knewthelatter’sgrandmother.

2Hedidnotunderstand,however,thatBilottwasnottherightkindofenvironmental

lawyer.Bilottworkedalmostexclusivelyforlargecorporateclients.Hisspecialtywas

defendingchemicalcompanies.Severaltimes,Bilotthadevenworkedoncaseswith

DuPontlawyers.Nevertheless,asafavortohisgrandmother,heagreedtomeetthe

farmer.

3Duringthemeeting,WilburTennantexplainedthatheandhisfoursiblingshadrun

thecattlefarmsincetheirfatherabandonedthemaschildren.Intheearly’80s,his

brotherJimsold66acrestoDuPont,whichwantedalandfillforwastefromits

factorynearParkersburg.

4DuPontnamedtheplotDryRunLandfillafterthecreekthatranthroughit.The

samecreekfloweddowntoapasturewheretheTennantsgrazedtheircows.Notlong

afterthesale,thecattlebegantoactderanged.

5TennantshowedBilottphotographsofcowswithstringytails,malformedhooves

andred,recededeyes;cowssufferingconstantdiarrhea,staggeringbowleggedlike

drunks.

1/7

6BilottdecidedrightawaytotaketheTennantcase.Itwas,tohim,therightthingto

do.

7BilottfiledafederalsuitagainstDuPontinthesummerof1999intheSouthern

District