A noble gangster 貴族歹徒

There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for 'protection'. If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. Obtaining 'protection money' is not a modern crime. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters. 600 years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. When he died at the age of 80, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue'.

10. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero.

盡管如此,意大利人還是把他視作某種英雄。

語言點1:句子結構分析:in spite of this為讓步狀語。As a sort of hero作him的賓語補足語。

語言點2:regard…as…的意思是“把…當作”

11. When he died at the age of 80, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue'.

他80歲那年死去時,佛羅倫薩人為他舉行了國葬,并為他畫像以紀念這位"驍勇無比的戰士、杰出的領袖喬凡尼.阿庫托先生."

語言點1:句子結構分析:when以電腦時間狀語從句，說明在什么時候被紀念。主句中的which引導定語從句，說明是什么性質的一幅畫。

語言點2:短語補充學習:

state dinner/banquet 國宴
state visit 國事訪問
state affairs 國事
The State Council 國務院
The Secretary of State 國務卿