2022年職稱英語考試學習筆記（八）ThenultinatonalcorporationMcDonald“s,whichhasaglobalempireofabout14,000restaurantsin70conutriesandmakesover6billionpoundsayear,isintheprocessofsuingtwopennilessandunemployedBritishenvironmentalactivists(活動分子).ItisaccusingDavidMorris,aformerpostman,andHelenSteel,aformer

gardener,ofdistributingaleafletinthe80sthatishighlycriticalofthecompany“senvironmental,thetreatmentofitsworkersandthenutritionalqualityofitsfood.McDonald“sdeniesalltheallegations(斷言).

WhenMcDonald“slauncheditsfirstattackonthecouplein1990,itprobablyexpectedthemtobackdown.Buttheydidnot.ForMorrisandSteelthetrialisanopportunitytobroadcasttheirallegationsagainstMcDonald“stotheworld.Andtheyhavenothingtolose.Theyhavenomoneyorproperty,sothatevenifMcDonald“sdoeswin,thehamburgershainwillnotbeabletorveranyofthecostsofthecasefromtherwoactivists.ThetrialwasoriginallyscheduledtolastthreewddksbutitcelebrateditsfirstyearinJune1995andisexpectedtogoonuntilatleastJanuary1996.

HelenSteelexplainedwhytheytookonthisbattleagainstthecorporationgiant:“Wefeltthatreallywehadnooptionbuttofightthiscase.It“simportanttodefendfreedomofspeechandtheprblic“srighttocriticizethebusinesspracticesofhugemultinationalcompanies.“ThecoupleishelpedbyDanMills,aformerlawyer,whosays:“wearegettingsupportfromallroundthecountryandallroundtheworld.Peoplearesendinginlettersandmessageofsupport.Andalsowearegettingdonationsformpeopleallovertheworld.“

Thereisstillnoendinsightforthetrial.IfSteelandMorriswin,thereputationofMcDonald“smayneverbethesameagain.

21.ThemultinationalcorporatiomMcDonald“ssuedtheBritishcouplebecause.

AMcDonald“sconsideredthatnoneoftheallegationstheymadewasreal.

BTheyhadabadenvironmentalrrdalthoughtheywereenvirommentalactivists.

CTheyalwaysviolatedthedisciplinesofMcDonald“s.

DMcDonald“sconsideredthattheirdistributionofaleafletwasillegal.

22.Themainreasonthatthecouplelookedforwardtothetrialtobeheldwasthatthey

Aexpectedtoearnsomemoneyfromthet