第五篇 At War with a Giant
The nultinatonal corporation McDonald"s,which has a global empire of about 14,000 restaurants in 70 conutries and makes over 6 billion pounds a year, is in the process of suing two penniless and unemployed British environmental activists (活动分子).It is accusing David Morris,a former postman ,and Helen Steel ,a former
gardener ,of distributing a leaflet in the 80s that is highly critical of the company"s environmental ,the treatment of its workers and the nutritional quality of its food.McDonald"s denies all the allegations(断言).
When McDonald"s launched its first attack on the couple in 1990,it probably expected them to back down .But they did not .For Morris and Steel the trial is an opportunity to broadcast their allegations against McDonald"s to the world .And they have nothing to lose .They have no money or property ,so that even if McDonald "s does win ,the hamburger shain will not be able to rver any of the costs of the case from the rwo activists.The trial was originally scheduled to last three wddks but it celebrated its first year in June 1995 and is expected to go on until at least January 1996.
Helen Steel explained why they took on this battle against the corporation giant :"We felt that really we had no option but to fight this case .It"s important to defend freedom of speech and the prblic"s right to criticize the business practices of huge multinational companies." The couple is helped by Dan Mills ,a former lawyer ,who says :"we are getting support from all round the country and all round the world.People are sending in letters and message of support .And also we are getting donations form people all over the world."
There is still no end in sight for the trial .If Steel and Morris win ,the reputationof McDonald"s may never be the same again.
21. Themultinational corporatiom McDonald"s sued the British couple because.
A McDonald"s considered that none of the allegations they made was real.
B They had a bad environmental rrd although they were envirommental activists.
C They always violated the disciplines of McDonald"s.
D McDonald"s considered that their distribution of a leaflet was illegal.
22. The main reason that the couple looked forward to the trial to be held was that they
A expected to earn some money from the trial.
B wanted to expose some illegal actions of McDonald"s.
C wanted to be knowm in the world .
D were not afraid of losin