新概念英语第三册lesson 45 The power of the press

Lesson 45: The power of the press   新闻报道的威力
        
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Does the writer think the parents where lucky or unlucky to gain prosperity in this way? Why?

    In democratic countries any efforts to restrict the freedom of the press are rightly condemned¹. However, this freedom can easily be abused. Stories about people often attract far more public attention than political events. Though we may enjoy reading about the lives of others, it is extremely doubtful whether we would equally enjoy reading about ourselves. Acting² on the contention³ that facts are sacred, reporters can cause untold⁴ suffering to individuals by publishing details about their private lives. Newspapers exert such tremendous influence that they can not only bring about major changes to the lives of ordinary people but can even overthrow⁵ a government.
    The story of a poor family that acquired fame and fortune overnight, dramatically illustrates⁶ the power of the press. The family lived in Aberdeen, a small town of 23,000 inhabitants in South Dakota. As the parents had five children, life was a perpetual struggle against poverty. They were expecting their sixth child and were faced with even more pressing economic problems. If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed. They would have continued to struggle against economic odds⁷ and would have lived in obscurity. But they suddenly became the parents of quintuplets, an aeroplane arrived in Aberdeen bringing sixty reporters and photographers.
    The rise to fame was swift. Television cameras and newspapers carried the news to everyone in the country. Newspapers and magazines offered the family huge sums for the exclusive rights to publish stories and photographs. Gifts poured in not only from unknown people, but room baby food and soap manufacturers who wished to advertise their products. The old farmhouse⁸ the family lived in was to be replaced by new $500,000 home. Reporters kept pressing for interviews so lawyers had to be employed to act as spokesmen for the family at press conferences. While the five babies were babies were still quietly sleeping in oxygen tents in hospital nursery, their parents were paying the price for fame. It would never again be possible for them to lead normal lives. They had become the victims of commercialization, for their names had acquired a market value. Instead of being five new family members, these children had immediately become a commodity.

New words and expressions 生词和短语

     democratic
adj. 民主的

     restrict
v.   限制

     abuse
v.   滥用

     contention
n.   论点

     untold
adj. 数不尽

     South Dakota
     南达科他州（美国）

     perpetual
adj. 永久的

     quintuplet
n.   五胞胎之一

     obscurity
n.   默默无闻

     radically⁹
adv. 彻底地，完全地

     exclusive
adj. 独占的，独家的

     nursery
n.   育婴室，保育室

     commercialization
n.   商品化

     commodity
n.   商品

参考译文

    在民主国家里，任何限制新闻自由的企图都理所当然地受到谴责。然而，这种自由很容易被滥用。常人轶事往往比政治事件更能引起公众注意。我们都喜欢看关于别人生活的报道，但是否同样喜欢看关于自己生活的报道，就很难说了。记者按事实至上的论点行事，发表有关别人生活的细节，有时会给当事人造成极大的痛苦。新闻具有巨大的威力。它们不仅可以给寻常人家的生活带来重大的变化，甚至还能推翻一个政府。
    下面这户穷人一夜之间出名发财的故事戏剧性地说明了新闻报道威力。这户人家住在南达科他州一个人口为23，000 的小镇上，镇名为阿拜丁。家里已有5个孩子，全家人常年在贫困中挣扎。第6个孩子即将问世，他们面临着更为严峻的经济问题。如果他们只添了1个孩子，这件事本来就不会引起任何人的注意。这家人会继续为克服经济上的拮据而奋斗，并默默无闻地活下去。但是他们出人意料生了个五胞胎，4女1男。这事使他们的生活发生了根本的变化。五胞胎降生第二天，一架飞机飞抵阿拜丁，随机带来60名记者与摄影师。
    这一家迅速出了名。电视摄像机和报纸把消息传送到全国。报纸、杂志出高价向他们购买文字、图片的独家报道权。不但素昧平生的人寄来了大量的礼物，而且婴儿食品、婴儿肥皂制造厂商为了替自己产品做广告也寄来了大量的礼物。这家人住的旧家舍将由一座价值50万美元的新住宅所取代。由于记者纷纷要求会见，他们不得不请了律师充当他们家的发言人举行记者招待会。眼下，五胞胎还静静地躺在医院婴儿室的氧气帐里，他们的父母却为这名声付出了代价，他们再也无法过正常的生活。他们成了商业化的受害者，因为他们的名字具有了市场价值。这些孩子立即成了商品，而不是5个新的家庭成员。

新概念英语正版图书购买

 

　　自学导读
课文详注 Further notes on the text
1．A clear conscience, （标题）问心无愧。
clear在这里的含义为“清白的”、“无罪的”，因此这个短语又可译为“清白的良心”，相当于 a good conscience，反义词为 a bad conscience（感到内疚）。
2．The whole village soon learnt that a large sum of money had been lost. 整个村子很快知道，有一大笔钱丢失了。
（1）village在这里为总称，指“村民”，the whole village指“全村的人”，后面通常跟单数动词（有时也可视为复数）：
The whole village was excited by the news.
这消息使全村的人兴奋。
（2）learn在句中的含义为“获悉”、“得知”：
I've just learnt that she was ill.
我刚刚得知她病了。
3．Sam Benton, the local butcher, had lost his wallet while taking his savings¹⁰ to the post office. 当地的屠户萨姆·本顿在把存款送往邮局的途中把钱包丢了。
taking为现在分词。与动名词相似，它也可以有自己的宾语、状语等。在连词while之后，现在分词短语的作用相当于一个时间状语从句：…while he was taking his savings to the post office。现在分词这样用的前提是两个动词的主语是同一个，并且这两个动作通常是同时发生的：
He listened to music while cleaning the room.
他一边打扫房间一边听音乐。
如果是主语不一致则必须用从句：
He listened to music while I was cleaning the room.
我打扫房间时，他在听音乐。
4．Sam was sure that the wallet must have been found by one of the villagers…萨姆确信那钱包一定是被某个村民捡到了……
must用于对过去已发生的事进行推测时，后面的动词要用完成式：
When I arrived, he wasn't here. He must have left early.
我到这儿的时候他已不在了。他一定早走了。
5．it contained half the money he had lost, 里面有他丢失的钱的一半。
我们既可以说 half the money，也可以说 half of the money，它们可以互相替代，但是money前都必须有the，因为是指特定的钱。再如：
Half the bread/ half of the bread was bad.
这面包有一半已变质了。
6．In time, all Sam's money was paid back in this way. 很快，萨姆全部的钱都用同样的方式还了回来。
（1）in time可以表示“经过一段时间”或“最终”、“迟早”：
In time, he found all the books he needed.
一段时间以后，他找到了他需要的所有书。
I'll tell you everything in time.
我最终／总有一天会把一切都告诉你的。
（2）in this way表示“用这样的方式”：
You must pay attention to your spelling. In this way, you can become a good secretary in time.
你必须注意你的拼写。这样你才能最终成为一个好秘书。

语法 Grammar in use
被动语态（4）
在第10课、第21课与第34课的语法中，我们学习了用于一般现在时、一般过去时和现在完成时中的被动语态、情态助动词与被动语态的连用以及动词+宾语+不定式结构中被动语态的使用等：
That table was made in 1970(by my grandfather).
那张桌子是1970年（由我的祖父）做的。
The rooms must be cleaned today.
这些房间今天必须要打扫干净。
John has been told not to go for a walk when the weather's like this.
约翰已被告知不要在这种天气出去散步。
I never expected the thief to be arrested.
我从没有指望小偷会被逮着。
表示过去发生的动作时，被动语态还可以用于过去完成时；用于完成时的被动语态也可以与情态助动词连用：

　　词汇学习 Word study
1．steal与rob
steal指“偷盗”、“窃取”，其行为通常是偷偷地、悄悄地、不为别人所发觉；rob则指“抢夺”、“抢劫”，其行为通常是明目张胆的：
The man who stole my wallet took my address book as well.
偷走我钱包的那个人把我的通讯录也拿走了。
I lost my address book when that man robbed me of my bag.
当那人抢走我的包时，我的通讯录也没了。
Someone has stolen my bag from me.
有人把我的包偷走了。
They took the risk of being arrested and robbed the bank.
他们冒着被逮捕的危险抢劫了那家银行。
注意 steal和 rob与介词的不同搭配：steal(sth.) from(sb./ some place)， rob(sb.) of(sth.)。
2．pay back
（1）偿还：
All Sam's money was paid back in this way.
萨姆全部的钱都用这样的方式还了回来。
Yesterday Sam borrowed some money from me and said that he would pay me back in a week.
昨天萨姆从我这里借了些钱，并说一周后还我。
（2）报答；向……报复：
You've been very kind to me. How can I pay you back?
你对我太好了。我如何报答你呢？
He embarrassed me at the party. I'll pay him back someday.
在晚会上他让我难堪了。总有一天我会报复他的。

　　练习答案 Key to written exercises
1．关键句型练习答案
A had been lost(11.1-2); must have been found(11.3-4); was not returned(1.4); had been wrapped(1.6); was sent (1.9); was paid back(1.10)
C 1 A meal has been prepared for you.
2 The book will be translated into English.
3 A telegram must be sent to him.
4 The fire had been put out before the fire brigade arrived.
5 The cat was given some milk to drink.
2．难点练习答案
1 back  2 robbed… stole  3 back  4 stole  5 robbed
3．多项选择题答案
1 b  2 d  3 a  4 b  5 b  6 d
7 c  8 b  9 c  10 b  11 d  12 b

　　课堂笔记
learn得知
the whole world learn...全世界都知道
while doing是一个省略形式
这种情况应具备两个条件
1、这个动作的主语跟主句的主语一样
2、这句话一定要是进行时态
这句话完整的应为
while he was taking...
must have been done
must have done 表示对过去的推测
must have been done 是表示对过去被动的推测
三种表示一段时间以后，另外一件事情发生的方式
1、...passed and then
2、some time later
3、some passed before
wrap up 包裹
it had been wrapped up in newspaper by somebody
half the money钱的一半
half an hour半个小时
half a year半年
together with＝with介词短语作状语，表示随他一起的还有
i with my son went there我带着我的儿子去了那
my som and i went there。
the picture said...图片上说
Newspaper said...报纸上说
Note said...纸条上说
some more money又有一些钱
in time＝in the end 最终
pay back还回来
...per cent作副词
structure
no。3
while doing两者同时发生
while sb was doing当......的时候
能用while；as的地方就可以用when，反之则不一定
A
when 后的时间表达式既可以是点，也可以是段
while后的时间表达只可以是段
as 等同于while
no.7
send ＝ take/give
send/take/give sb sth
双宾语一般用离动词最近的宾语来做被动态的主语
sb be sent sth
send sth to sb
sth be sent to sb
no.6
对名词的提问用what
no.10
contain/container
include指一种抽象的包含
no.12
a time一段时间
for a long time
after a time＝after some time

1 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

4 untold   

adj.数不清的，无数的

参考例句：

• She has done untold damage to our chances.她给我们的机遇造成了不可估量的损害。
• They suffered untold terrors in the dark and huddled together for comfort.他们遭受着黑暗中的难以言传的种种恐怖，因而只好挤在一堆互相壮胆。

5 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

6 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分

7 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

8 farmhouse   

n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）

参考例句：

• We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
• We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

9 radically   

ad.根本地，本质地

参考例句：

• I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。
• The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。