專八閱讀訓練：Fingerprints
The search for latent prints is done in a systematic andintelligent manner. Investigators develop techniques to locatetraces of fingerprints at a crime scene. The basic premise insearching for latent prints is to examine more carefully thoseareas, which would most likely be touched by persons who havebeen on the scene. The natural manner in which a person woulduse and place his hands in making an entrance or exit from abuilding or in handling any object is the key to the discovery oflatent prints.
Where a forced entrance has been made, latent prints are likely to be found on any surfaceadjacent to or at that point. Any object with a smooth, non-porous surface is likely to retain latentprints if touched. Fingerprints on rough surfaces are usually of little value. If the fingermark doesnot disclose ridge detail when viewed under a reading glass, the chances are that its value inidentification is nil when photographed. Where fingermarks are found, it will be necessary for theinvestigator to compare them against the ones of persons having legitimate access to the premisesso that the traces might be eliminated as having evidentiary value if they prove to be from thesepersons. Places to search for prints on an automobile are the rear view mirror, steering wheel hub,steering column, windshield dashboard and the like.
Dusting of surface may be done with a fine brush or with an atomizer. The whit powders usedare basically finely powdered white lead, talc, or chalk. Another light powder is basically Chemist’sgray. A good black powder is composed of lampblack, graphite, and powdered acacia. Dragon’sblood is good powder for white surface and can be fixed on paper by heating. In developing latentprints, the accepted method is to use the powder sparingly and brush lightly. Do not use powder ifthe fingermark is visible under oblique lighting. It can be photographed. A good policy for thenovice is to experiment with his own prints on a surface similar to the one he wishes to search inorder to determine the powder best suited to the surface. Fingerprints after dusting may be liftedby using fresh cellulose tape or commercially prepared material especially designed to lift andtransfer dusted latent fingerprints.
In addition to latent prints, the investigator must not overlook the possibility of two other typesof fingerprint traces: molded impression and visible impression. Molded impressions are formed bythe pressure of the finger upon comparatively soft, pliable, or plastic surfaces producing an actualmold of the fingerprint pattern. These can be recorded by photograph without treating thesurface, is usually most effective in revealing the impressions clearly. Visible impressions are formedwhen the finger is covered with some substance which is transferred to the surface contacted.Fingers smeared with blood, grease, dirt, paint, and the like will leave a visible impression. If theseimpressions are clear and sharp, they are photographed under light without ant treatment.Ordinarily, prints of this type are blurred or smeared and do not contain enough detail foridentification by comparison. However, they can not be overlooked or brushed aside without firstbeing examined carefully.
1. What is the best title for this passage?
[A] Visible impressions. [B] Moulded impressions.
[C] Fingerprints. [D] Latent fingerprints.
2. How many fingermarks are mentioned in this passage?
[A] 2. [B] 3. [C] 4. [D] 5.
3. Which type of fingerprints is most likely to retain?
[A] Latent fingerprints. [B] Visible impressions.
[C] Moulded impressions. [D] Clear fingerprints.
4. How many ways are there to develop fingerprints?
[A] 2. [B] 3. [C] 4. [D] 5.
答案詳解：
1. C. 指印，不管哪一種。
A. 可見壓痕。 B. 模性壓痕。 C. 潛指印，都屬于指印。所以最佳的標題應是指印。
2. B. 三種指印，即：潛指印，模性和可見壓痕。
3. A. 潛指印。因為潛指印隱秘，又是作案人無意中留下不易為人發(fā)現和破壞。其價值性從文中第三段描寫取潛指印可見一般。
B. 和C. 見第四段“一定不要忽略其它兩種類型的指印痕：模性壓痕和可見壓痕的可能性”這說明這兩種指印較少，特別是模性壓痕是在相當柔軟，柔韌或者塑性表面留下的，作案人一般都是小心翼翼的，不留下指印，更不太可能在這類東西上壓上一個指痕。至于可見壓痕，是手上沾了“血，油脂，臟土，油漆之類物品”留下。“一般來說，這種類型的指印都是模糊不清或者是污臟難分，比較之下它們對鑒定來說，沒有足夠細節(jié)證據。” D. 清楚指印，沒有這個專門名稱。
4. A. 兩種。第三段第四句起“在顯影指印時，公認的方法是用少許粉末，輕輕拂掃。如果指印在昏暗的燈光下可見，就可以攝影”，“指印輕掃后就用指紋膠帶或商業(yè)專備材料把它們取下。這是一種專門設計用于取下和轉移輕拂掃后的指印材料。”
詞匯：
1. latent print 潛在指紋
2. premise 前提
3. non-porous 無孔的，不滲透的
4. ridge 脊，隆起部
5. nil 無，零
6. premise 房屋及其附屬部件
7. rear view mirror 后視鏡
8. steering wheel hub 駕駛盤
9. steering column 轉向柱
10. windshield 擋風玻璃
11. dashboard 儀表盤，擋泥板
12. atomizer 噴霧器
13. talc 滑石
14. lampblack 燈黑，燈煙
15. acacia 阿拉伯樹膠，金合歡膠
16. dragons blood 龍血樹脂，麒麟血
17. sparingly 少量的，節(jié)約的
18. novice 新手，初學者
19. cellulose tape 纖維帶，指紋膠帶
20. lift 提起，拿起。這里指取下指紋。
21. molded impression 模性壓痕
22. visible impression 可見壓痕
23. pliable 柔韌的，柔順的
24. smear 搽上，涂污，弄得模糊不清
難句譯注：
1. The basic premise in searching for latent prints is to examine more carefully those areas, whichwould most likely be touched by persons who have been on the scene.
[結構簡析] 句子長是因為有兩個定語從句：which 和who; which 修飾areas; who 修飾persons.
[參考譯文] 搜尋潛手印的基本前提是：要非常仔細的檢查那些最可能為曾到過現場的人所觸摸的地方。
2. If the fingermark does not disclose ridge detail when viewed under a reading glass, the chancesare that its value in identification is nil when photographed.
[結構簡析] 條件句，主從句中都有一個when +過去分詞句型。第一個直接緊跟從句，第二個在主句的表語后面。譯時根據其所在位置。
[參考譯文] 假如指印在放大鏡下觀察時沒有顯露隆起部分的細節(jié)(不顯露指紋紋理)，那很可能，在攝影時其鑒別價值等于零。
3. Where fingermarks are found, it will be necessary for the investigator to compare them againstthe ones of persons having legitimate access to the premises so that the traces might be eliminatedas having evidentiary value if they prove to be from these persons.
[結構簡析] 復合句，前面是主從句， where…it will be necessary, 從句so that 中又有一個條件句，ifthey …。
[參考譯文] 如果發(fā)現了指印，檢查人員就必須把發(fā)現的指印和有權進入房屋的人的指印作比較。如果指印證實是來自這些人的，那么作為證據價值的線索就可排除掉。
4. A good black powder is composed of lampblack, graphite, and powdered acacia. Dragon’s bloodis good powder for white surface and can be fixed on paper by heating. In developing latent prints,the accepted method is to use the powder sparingly and brush lightly. Do not use powder if thefingermark is visible under oblique lighting. It can be photographed. A good policy for the novice isto experiment with his own prints on a surface similar to the one he wishes to search in order todetermine the powder best suited to the surface.
[結構簡析] 句子長，因為表語中有形容詞短語similar to , 而to 的賓語又有一個省略which的定從hewishes to search.. 此外副詞短語in order to … 的賓語也有一個修飾的分詞短語best suited.
[參考譯文] 對新手來說，最好的辦法就是用自己在類似于他想要搜索的表面上的指印作一個實驗，以確定最適用于這種表面的粉末。
寫作方法與文章大意：
這是一篇介紹在犯罪現場搜尋“(潛)指印”的文章。采用平鋪直敘步步深入的寫作方式。頭兩段先介紹經常會有“潛指印”的地方是房子的出口和入口，汽車的后視鏡，方向盤等。屋內光滑無孔的物體，如若接觸就會留有潛指印，但粗糙物體的潛指印就沒有價值，放大鏡下不顯現紋理的指印也無價值，就得看攝影顯示決定。
接著，介紹運用白粉，黑粉輕拂掃，新鮮纖維帶把潛手印取下的種種方法和步驟。
最后一段介紹了除潛手印外還有兩種不能忽略的手印：模性和可見壓痕及其形成和取證方法。
