原版英文小故事 9. Topless on TV

A woman’s activist¹ group based in Fresno said it is probably not going to protest as it had planned. The group, called Boobs not Bombs, occasionally rallies throughout the state to protest such things as environmental destruction, equal rights for women, and an end to the war. To get media attention, they usually remove their blouses and bras.

“We didn’t do that originally,” said Diane Boxer², “but we never got any media coverage³ either. As soon as we took our tops off, we got nationwide coverage. All of a sudden we were on the six and eleven o’clock news. Unfortunately, it just shows the shallowness of men, who run all the media nationwide. We are concerned with issues, and they are concerned with tissue. But nowadays, even the wrong media coverage is better than no coverage.”

About 20 members of the group had planned to protest the governor’s speech today. He is trying to drum up support for his proposition requiring school teachers to pay for their students’ books. But when Gov. Arnold heard about the protest, he called the state’s attorney general. The governor knew that no one would pay attention to his speech if there were topless women nearby.

The attorney general told the group that their “display” would cause multiple auto⁴ crashes and corrupt⁵ innocent wide-eyed children. He said that if they dared to go topless, they would be hauled off to jail.

“We have held fifteen protests statewide and have yet to cause one accident or corrupt one innocent child,” scoffed⁶ Boxer.

“These are wonderful ladies, but they do not understand. Some day they will understand,” said Gov. Arnold. “Everything I do, I do for the people.”

 

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 boxer   

n.制箱者，拳击手

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• He moved lightly on his toes like a boxer.他像拳击手一样踮着脚轻盈移动。

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

5 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

6 scoffed   

嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scoffed at our amateurish attempts. 他对我们不在行的尝试嗤之以鼻。
• A hundred years ago people scoffed at the idea. 一百年前人们曾嘲笑过这种想法。