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'. ^{无灵主语开头（复合句）}

there was a time when ...= once ^{曾经、曾几何时、当年}

• There was a time when I was down and out. ^{曾经有一段时间我穷困潦倒。}
• There was a time when I had some difficulties in my life.^{有一段时间，在我的生活中有一些困难。}
• There was a time when being greedy was good. ^{曾经有一个时代，贪婪是有益的。}

businesses ^{生意、商业、事情、公司...}

• The economic downturn has driven many businesses into bankruptcy.
• Most businesses face plenty of competition.^{多数企业都面临大量的竞争。}
• Local businesses were scared into paying protection money.^{当地商家迫于威胁缴纳了保护费。}

pay large sums of money ^{支付了大笔的钱}

• The state provides large sums of money for water conservancy projects.^{国家提供了大量资金来兴修水利。}
• This is an enormous volume of trade involving very large sums of money.^{这是行业的一个巨大的体积，涉及非常大笔的钱。}
• May I advise you not to lend him large sums of money?^{我劝告你不要将大笔钱借给他。}

in return for ^{作为回报、换取}

• America helped the rebels in return for their promise to support democracy.
• He is always willing to help people out,without expecting anything in return. ^不图回报

If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. ^{条件状语从句开头（复合句）}

put sb. out of business ^{使某人破产；使无法进行}

• This is going to put them out of business.^{这将使他们歇业。}
• Thousands of firms could go out of business.^{数千家商号可能倒闭。}
• The guarantee could be worthless if the shop goes out of business.^{如果商店倒闭，这张保修单可能就没有价值了。}

Obtaining 'protection money' is not a modern crime. ^{长→短→长 ；无灵主语开头（简单句）}

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. ^{介词短语作时间状语开头（复合句）}

Sir Winston Churchill ^{温斯顿·丘吉尔爵士(国王册封才行)}

• Mr. ^{先生(成年男子皆可用)}
• Sir Winston ^{简写时Sir + 名}
• Mr. Churchill ^{Mr. + 姓}

would rather / sooner do than do ^{宁可做...也不做...}

• prefer to do rather than do ^{宁愿做而不愿做（偏爱）}
• prefer doing to doing ^{更喜欢做某事而不是做另一件事}
• would rather / sooner（that）^{...虚拟语气}
• I'd rather (that) Susan were here now. ^真希望...

have sth. done ^{使某事被做(请某人做某事；使役动词)}

• He had his watch stolen. ^{倒霉的经历（不是请人把他表偷了）}
• King Charles I had his head cut off.