2006年VOA标准英语-Author Describes Intrigue Behind The Karas

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
04 January 2006

A new novel called "The Karasik Conspiracy¹" describes a fictional² terrorist plot aimed at the pharmaceutical³ industry.   It is a tale of international intrigue⁴ and there is an element of intrigue in the story behind the book. 

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The Karasik Conspiracy is a story of Balkan terrorists, a ruthless billionaire and an evil pharmaceutical corporation.   Co-author Kenin Spivak says a real-life controversy⁵ gave rise to the book.  Americans have been debating the practice of buying drugs from Canada over the Internet.  Canadian prices are usually lower, but the pharmaceutical industry, and U.S. officials, warn that buying from Internet pharmacies⁶ outside the United States can be risky⁷ business.

Mr. Spivak says the dispute gave rise to one strand⁸ of the plot.

"In the book as published, there are two terrorist cells that at the same time launch a terrorist attack on the United States," he explained.  "One is a group of people originally from the Balkans, and they launch an attack using both Canadian website pharmacies and some other parts of the pharmaceutical drug system.  At the very same time, a fictional pharmaceutical company called PharmCorp, worried about what Americans think about permitting drugs to be imported from Canada, decides also to launch a similar attack."

What results is a fast-paced, if complicated, thriller⁹.  Nearly as interesting, however, is the story behind the book.  Mr. Spivak says the idea came from a real-life pharmaceutical trade association.

"It started when PhRMA, which is the lobbying group for the pharmaceutical industry in the United States, went to a publisher, Phoenix¹⁰ Books here in Los Angeles, and asked them to commission a book in which terrorists would launch an attack on the United States using drugs imported from Canada," he said.

A PhRMA spokesman denies the association commissioned a book, telling the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post and other news outlets¹¹ that a renegade employee commissioned it through a consultant¹².  He said senior management knew nothing about the arrangement.

The primary author, Julie Chrystyn, invited Mr. Spivak, who is a veteran executive in the entertainment industry, to help edit the book.  After extensive rewriting, he became its co-author. 

The novel, in its final form, is unlikely to please the pharmaceutical industry.  A fictional drug company is one of the major villains¹³.

The writer says the story is fiction, but its premise¹⁴ is real.  He believes the Internet is a risky place to buy drugs because pharmacies that are ostensibly in Canada, where safety rules are strict, could really be located anywhere.  And he says pharmaceuticals¹⁵ could become a terrorist target.

"There is a risk of a terrorist attack using the drug distribution system," he explained.  "And this book, I think, is a fun way, an exciting way, and a terrifying way of seeing the consequences of such an attack."

U.S. authorities still oppose importing drugs from Canada, citing safety concerns.  Brand-name drugs are generally cheaper there, because the Canadian government, like many governments in Europe, sets price controls.  A number of U.S. cities and states have implemented¹⁶ programs to help their residents buy pharmaceuticals from Canada or Europe.  

A national plan to help U.S. seniors purchase drugs went into effect January 1, and one study says the program will reduce the incentive¹⁷ for older Americans, at least, to buy their drugs outside the country.

1 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

2 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

3 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

4 intrigue   

vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋

参考例句：

• Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。
• The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。

5 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

6 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网

7 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

8 strand   

vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）

参考例句：

• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
• The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。

9 thriller   

n.惊险片，恐怖片

参考例句：

• He began by writing a thriller.That book sold a million copies.他是写惊险小说起家的。那本书卖了一百万册。
• I always take a thriller to read on the train.我乘火车时，总带一本惊险小说看。

10 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

11 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

13 villains   

n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼

参考例句：

• The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

14 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

15 pharmaceuticals   

n.医药品；药物( pharmaceutical的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
• The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

17 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。