美国有线新闻 CNN 2013-01-01

 Big news, a billion dollars worth in fact in a story, that 360 has been out in front of. Toyota today announcing a massive pay out 1.1 billion dollars to settle a class action lawsuit¹ by customers who say their Toyotas accelerated out of control. In addition to the money, Toyota agreed to modify affected² cars and take other action beyong that, all told more than 16 million people may be covered by the record settlement which follows a record 17-million-dollar fine, Toyota paid federal regulators ealier this month. 

The 360 has been on this from the begining, uncovering details no one else has. Back in February Drew Griffin broke the story of a documented link between the company's history of unintended acceleration³ and Toyota software. That report highlighted an internal Toyota engineering memo⁴, the company concedes it didn't provide the government investigators⁵. And his story featured a Toyota customer who says she is convinced that her brand new Lexus surged ahead on it own.

"Tanya Spotts thought all of those problems with suddenly accelerating Toyotas were old news, which is ecactly why she bought the car of her dreams, this 2011 Lexus, ES350 last June."

"Did you think it was solved?"

"Oh, I thought most definitely it was solved, the federal government tested, you know, Toyota, they said it was floor mats or a sticky trod or something like that. And I believed the government."

Seven thousand miles later on the day after Christmas, she said she was pulling into a parking spot at a local mall, gently riding the brake she says when, well, take a listen.

"The car just lurched forward and hit the cement wall in front of us."

She jammed on the brake so hard she says, she strained ligaments in her foot causing massive swelling⁶. And when she called her dealership⁸, a salesman insisted she call a Toyota company lawyer.

"And you won't drive this again?"

"I will not drive this car again."

Toyota has never conceded an electronics or software problem could in any way be responsible for sudden acceleration in its vehicles, but Drew and producer, David Fitzpatrick obtained an internal Toyota engineering document written in Japanese with English translation, which shows that, in one instance, during preproduction testing, an electronics software problem was discovered. Toyota says it has nothing to do with unintended acceleration, other safety experts disagree. Today's agreement does not address the software angle. And Drew Griffin is here tonight. Drew, first a big settlement ealier this month, and now this, is this an admission by Toyota that they really did have such a problem with sudden unintended acceleration?

"You know, absolutely not, Randi, from the begining, Toyota mantained it doesn't have a sudden unintended acceleration problem, certainly nothing wrong with the electronic throttle⁹ control system. The company said this was three things, this was stuck gas pedals, stuck floor mats, and quite frankly¹⁰, operator error as they said was Tanya's case, they believed that she, just stepped down the gas instead of the brake. So then, what's this settlement is all about, right? Why settle?"

Here is what Toyota's US legal officer said in a statement today, "this was a difficult decision, especially since reliable scientific evidence and mutiple independent evaluations¹¹ have confirmed the safety of Toyota's electronic throttle control systems. However, we concluded that turning the page on this legacy¹² legal issue through the positive steps that we're taking is in the best interest of the company, our employees, our dealers⁷ and most of all, Randi, our customers. The fact is these court trials were begining to creep up on Toyota. A lot of lawyers asking for a lot of documents and depositions¹³. This settlement keeps all those records out of the public, just like those the record that we found on AC 360 this past February. So it is a way that Toyota says, we're gonna put this all behind us and we're gonna keep all of our secrets out of the court.

"So, Drew, who gets the money from this settlement?"

"It really is huge, Randi, the bulk of the money, according to Toyota, is going to go directly to the customers past and presence, and that will include a brake override¹⁴ system for all the vehicles that were identified by Toyota as having a problem with floor mats getting stuck. For Toyota owners like Tanya who actually sold their cars during the crisis when sales and the values of owners' car plummeted¹⁵. Toyota set aside 250 million dollars to compensate¹⁶ owners for the loss. There is gonna be a separate 250 million dollars to compensate owners who don't qualify for that brake override system. And finally, all 16 million current Toyota owners are gonna be eligible¹⁷ for this warranty¹⁸ of what Toyota says is a certain parts related to sudden, unintended acceleration, the warranties¹⁹ go from 3 to 10 years."

"And I think clearly the intend here, Randi, it to turn the page, just like Toyota said, put this legacy, legal issue behind the company. Sales are up, sales are good, the company can afford it, they're hoping this really just puts all the sudden unintended acceleration in the past."

"All right, Drew, thanks for very mcuh."

1 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

4 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

5 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

7 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

8 dealership   

n.商品特许经销处

参考例句：

• The car dealership has a large inventory of used cars. 这家汽车经销商拥有数量庞大的二手车。
• A key to this effort is the experience in the dealership. 达到这个成果的关键是销售的体验。

9 throttle   

n.节流阀，节气阀，喉咙；v.扼喉咙，使窒息，压

参考例句：

• These government restrictions are going to throttle our trade.这些政府的限制将要扼杀我们的贸易。
• High tariffs throttle trade between countries.高的关税抑制了国与国之间的贸易。

10 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

11 evaluations   

估价( evaluation的名词复数 )； 赋值； 估计价值； [医学]诊断

参考例句：

• In fact, our moral evaluations are merely expressions of our desires. 事实上，我们的道德评价只是我们欲望的表达形式。 来自哲学部分
• Properly speaking, however, these evaluations and insights are not within the concept of official notice. 但准确地讲，这些评估和深远见识并未包括在官方通知概念里。

12 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

13 depositions   

沉积（物）( deposition的名词复数 )； （在法庭上的）宣誓作证； 处置； 罢免

参考例句：

• The safety problems are more severe for low-pressure depositions because the processes often use concentrated gases. 对于低压淀积来说安全性问题更为突出，因为这种工艺通常使用高浓度的气体。
• The chief method is to take depositions of parties and witnesses. 主要的方法是录取当事人和证人的宣誓证言。 来自口语例句

14 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

15 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 compensate   

vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消

参考例句：

• She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。
• Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。

17 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

18 warranty   

n.担保书，证书，保单

参考例句：

• This warranty is good for one year after the date of the purchase of the product.本保证书自购置此产品之日起有效期为一年。
• As your guarantor,we have signed a warranty to the bank.作为你们的担保人，我们已经向银行开出了担保书。

19 warranties   

n.保证书，保单( warranty的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I read and compare warranties before purchasing. 我在购买前阅读和比较保修单。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• One way of ensuring reliability is insisting on guarantees and warranties. 要确保产品可靠性的一个方法，就是坚持制定产品的品质保证条款。 来自互联网