# 第三册 Lesson 45 The power of the press 新闻报道的威力

## 一、课文原文

In democratic countries any efforts to restrict the freedom of the press are rightly condemned. 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. Acting on the contention that facts are sacred, reporters can cause untold 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 overthrow a government.

The story of a poor family that acquired fame and fortune overnight, dramatically illustrates 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 odds and would have lived in obscurity. But they suddenly became the parents of quintuplets, four girls and a boy, an event which radically changed their lives. The day after the birth of the five children, 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 from baby food and soap manufacturers who wished to advertise their products. The old farmhouse the family lived in was to be replaced by a 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 still quietly sleeping in oxygen tents in a 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.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| restrict | /rɪˈstrɪkt/ | v. | 限制 | restrict freedom 限制自由 |
| abuse | /əˈbjuːz/ | v. | 滥用 | abuse freedom/power 滥用自由/权力 |
| contention | /kənˈtenʃən/ | n. | 论点，主张 | acting on the contention 基于……论点 |
| sacred | /ˈseɪkrɪd/ | adj. | 神圣的 | facts are sacred 事实是神圣的 |
| untold | /ʌnˈtəʊld/ | adj. | 难以估量的 | untold suffering 无法估量的痛苦 |
| perpetual | /pəˈpetʃuəl/ | adj. | 永恒的，没完没了的 | perpetual struggle 无休止的挣扎 |
| obscurity | /əbˈskjʊərəti/ | n. | 默默无闻 | live in obscurity 默默无闻地生活 |
| quintuplet | /ˈkwɪntjʊplɪt/ | n. | 五胞胎 | 五个同时出生的婴儿 |
| radically | /ˈrædɪkli/ | adv. | 根本上地 | radically changed 彻底改变了 |
| exclusive | /ɪkˈskluːsɪv/ | adj. | 独家的 | exclusive rights 独家报道权 |
| commercialization | /kəˌmɜːʃəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/ | n. | 商业化 | victims of commercialization 商业化的受害者 |
| commodity | /kəˈmɒdəti/ | n. | 商品 | become a commodity 成为商品 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. 虚拟语气（与过去事实相反）

> **If they had only had** one more child, the fact **would have passed** unnoticed.

if从句：had + 过去分词；主句：would have + 过去分词。

| 类型 | if从句 | 主句 |
|------|--------|------|
| 与现在相反 | were/did | would + 动词原形 |
| 与过去相反 | had done | would have done |
| 与将来相反 | were to do/should do | would + 动词原形 |

### 2. such...that... 结果状语从句

> Newspapers exert **such** tremendous influence **that** they can not only bring about major changes...

### 3. 现在分词作伴随状语

> An aeroplane arrived in Aberdeen **bringing** sixty reporters and photographers.

### 4. while引导对比状语从句

> **While** the five babies were still quietly sleeping..., their parents were paying the price for fame.

while表示"而"，引导对比。

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. act on the contention that 基于……论点行事
> **Acting on the contention that** facts are sacred, reporters can cause untold suffering...

### 2. pass unnoticed 未被注意
> The fact would have **passed unnoticed**.

= go unnoticed; escape attention

### 3. press for 急切要求
> Reporters kept **pressing for** interviews.

= urgently demand; keep asking for

### 4. 长难句分析
> Instead of being five new family members, these children had immediately become a commodity.

Instead of引导的介词短语表示"不是……而是……"，与主句形成强烈对比，点明全课主旨。

## 五、课文翻译

在民主国家，任何限制新闻自由的企图都会理所当然地受到谴责。然而，这种自由很容易被滥用。关于人的故事往往比政治事件更能吸引公众的注意。虽然我们可能喜欢阅读别人的生活，但是否同样喜欢别人阅读我们的生活就很难说了。记者们基于"事实是神圣的"这一主张行事，却可能通过公布个人私生活的细节给当事人造成难以估量的痛苦。报纸的影响力如此之大，不仅可以给普通人的生活带来重大变化，甚至可以推翻一个政府。

一个贫困家庭一夜之间名利双收的故事，生动地说明了新闻界的威力。这个家庭住在南达科他州一个有23,000居民的小镇阿伯丁。由于父母已有五个孩子，生活是一场与贫困的无休止的斗争。他们即将迎来第六个孩子，面临更加紧迫的经济问题。如果他们只是又生了一个孩子，这件事不会引起注意。他们会继续与经济困境作斗争，在默默无闻中生活。但他们突然成了五胞胎——四个女孩一个男孩——的父母，这个事件彻底改变了他们的生活。五个孩子出生的第二天，一架飞机抵达阿伯丁，带来了六十名记者和摄影师。

成名的速度之快令人目眩。电视摄像机和报纸把消息传遍了全国。报章杂志出巨资购买独家报道权和照片刊登权。礼物纷至沓来，不仅来自素不相识的人，还来自希望为其产品做广告的婴儿食品和肥皂制造商。这家人居住的旧农舍将被一座价值50万美元的新住宅取代。记者们不断催促采访，因此不得不雇律师在新闻发布会上充当家庭发言人。当五个婴儿还在医院婴儿室的氧气帐篷里安静地睡觉时，他们的父母却在为名声付出代价。他们再也不可能过上正常的生活了。他们已成为商业化的牺牲品，因为他们的名字已经获得了市场价值。这五个孩子不再是五个新的家庭成员，而是立刻变成了一种商品。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 写作手法
1. **由一般到具体**：先论述新闻自由滥用的普遍问题，再用五胞胎家庭的具体案例说明
2. **强烈对比**：婴儿安静睡觉vs父母为名声付出代价；家庭成员vs商品
3. **批判笔调**：对新闻界侵犯隐私的批判贯穿全文

### 文化背景
- 五胞胎（quintuplets）事件在新闻史上真实发生，如1934年加拿大Dionne五胞胎
- "facts are sacred"出自英国报业大亨C.P.斯科特的名言
- 美国小城镇的生活与媒体的商业运作形成鲜明对比

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **虚拟语气**：与过去事实相反的if条件句
2. **结果状语从句**：such...that的运用
3. **词汇搭配**：act on, pass unnoticed, press for
4. **写作练习**：就新闻自由与隐私权的冲突写一篇议论文

## 八、本课小结

本课通过五胞胎家庭的故事批判了新闻自由的滥用。语法重点是虚拟语气（与过去事实相反）、such...that结果状语从句和while引导的对比从句。词汇方面掌握restrict、sacred、obscurity、quintuplet、commodity等核心词。写作上学习由一般到具体的论证方法和强烈对比手法。