Read the Riot Act——嚴詞責備

** chastise譴責// excoriate痛斥// upbraid責備// rebuke訓斥// reprove指責// admonish告誡

~~嚴正警告；嚴詞責備；嚴厲批評；加以申斥；〔取締鬧事法；宣讀取締騷動法令〕

~~ lay down the law // haul/drag/rake over the coals // dress down // call on the carpet

!! George I, the first of the German Hanoverian line to ruleEngland decreed the Riot Act in 1714.

（德國漢諾威王朝統治英格蘭的第一代國王喬治一世在1714年頒佈了“騷亂法”。）

If a dozen or more people are assembled unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously...Anyone who refused or who continued to riot for an hour or more after the reading of the Riot Act would be guilty of a felony, imprisoned for life or for not less than three years, with or without hard labor for not more than two years.

（如有十二個或更多的人非法聚集、暴亂或喧鬧…任何人在宣讀“騷亂法”後拒絕停止或繼續騷亂一小時以上會獲重罪，將被判終身監禁或不少於三年徒刑，還可能被迫接受不超過兩年的苦役。）

>> The short teacher saw two tall middle school students peeping at each other’s test papers. Not only did he not read them the riot act, he turned and walked away. He gave a bad example to the next generation, was derelict of his duty, and also a social scum.

（矮小的老師看見兩個高大的中學生互相窺看對方的試卷，他不僅沒有作出任何嚴正警告或懲罰，還轉身離開。他的行為不但教壞下一代，也是嚴重失職，更是社會的敗類。）

>> A student in the public library was talking to himself loudly. After being prompted by other readers, he still did not improve. The administrator finally read him the riot act that if he heard him talking to himself again, he would ask him to leave.

（公共圖書館內有一個學生大聲地自言自語，經其他讀者提示後仍沒有改善。管理員終於嚴詞責備他，若再聽到他自言自語，便請他離開。）

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師

李啟文　　教授